The copyright termination time bomb in 2011

Termination Deadline for 1978 Grants Just Around the Corner

"The copyright termination time bomb is ticking away. Starting in 2011 the publishing and entertainment industries will be looking at the possibility thousands of negotiations with copyright owners seeking to recapture their rights. Some call it "contract bumping." This powerful "re-valuation mechanism" found in the Copyright Act allows authors (and their heirs) to terminate contracts 35-years after the contract date. The termination right trumps written agreements -- even agreements which state they are in perpetuity. Also known as “termination” or “recapture” rights, the deadline for sending termination notices for 1978 grants will begin to expire in 2011.

"The impending economic dislocation will manifest itself in the loss of evergreen or backlist titles, as authors, or their heirs, exercise their right to terminate publishing agreements and recapture their copyrights. What is a threat to mainstream book publishers, is otherwise an opportunity for a cheaper, more flexible kind of book publishing. With the ability to recapture rights, access to indie distributors and print on demand technology, authors (and their heirs) will have to decide how much faith they should place in their existing publisher relationships. My guess is that "life of copyright" grants will soon become the exception, not the rule. This article explains why."

Conclusion

"The clock is ticking. On January 1, 2013, provided timely Termination Notices were sent (and recorded with the Copyright Office) grants made on January 1, 1978 will terminate. As a copyright owner, or copyright owner's heir, you must be vigilant. Failure to exercise these rights, or exercise them in a timely manner, can be fatal. And, if you delay filing your claim, you can be time-barred by the statute of limitations."

Check out the full blog article on Lloyd J. Jassin's Law Blog.

Songs of my childhood - the 60s & 70s

When I think back to when I was a kid, my senior year in High School (or thereabouts), or even a few years after that, basically, the 60s and 70s; I think of several things. Like, my girlfriend, who went to another High School, which was a far nicer, cooler, more interesting, and less dangerous crowd.

When I hear songs from back then a few make me think of those fair times.

The Beatles, Seattle August 25, 1966

• The Beatles - who I saw with my sister in 1966 Their song set list
• Ian Whitcomb (my first music album, traded a found High School ring to Tom Owens, singer for my brother's band The Barons; when he found out the deal, he was pretty upset with Tom for ripping off his little brother, but Tom, as Tom always was, smooth talked his way out of it)
• Three Dog Night (who I saw with my HS gf, one of them anyway, actually the most important one
• Donovan - who I saw years later with my first wife at the Paramount in Seattle.
• Elton John - Honky Chateau (Cat name Hercules, Teenage Suicide, Honky Cat, etc.; Yellow Brick Road ("The things I could do with another man" what did Bernie Taupin mean by that? I asked a guy in my high school who was raving about the double album, I said I loved it too, but, what the heck? He just looked at me weird that I was blowing his "high" and he walked off and I stopped asking people and never got an answer till I heard Elton got married and quickly divorced, then came out gay which surprised no one); Mad Man Across the water.
• Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman; Catch Bull at 4
• Seals and Crofts
• Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
• Chicago
• Black Sabbath
• Emerson, Lake and Palmer
• Pink Floyd
• Led Zepplin
• Jethro Tull
• The Beatles - who I saw with my sister in 1966 Their song set list
•  Arlo Guthrie - who years later I saw twice in two successive years at the Spokane Opera House
• The Teaset - Ma Belle Ami

Then there were my 60's divergences like:

Glenn Gould - Bach Piano Fugues - I haven't been able to find this listed anywhere.
Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor by Bach and other organ pieces
Walter (now Wendy) Carlos and the Well Tempered Synthesizer and Switched on Bach
Morton Subotnik's The Wild Bull (synthesizer)

I was lucky, in the 60s, my older brother left me his albums and went traveling cross country on his Triumph motorcycle. He had been a guitar player in a band he started and so had some musical inclinations, aside from playing trumpet in marching band in High School (and being voted "Dreamboat of the year" by the local Rainbow Girls).

And so I learned about some really great bands and albums I never would have heard about from my friends. Such as:

The Band's Music from Big Pink
Frank Zappa and the Mother's of Invention
Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Ravi Shankar - Tablas and Rasas
Sandy Bull
Cream
Super Session - Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper and Stephen Stills
The Rolling Stones – 12 x 5
The Rolling Stones – Their Satanic Majesties Request 2000 Light Years From Home
The Kinks
Jimi Hendrix
The Byrds
Grateful Dead - who I eventually saw in Seattle at the Arena
The Grassroots - Let's Live For Today
Buffalo Springfield
Bob Dylan
Simon and Garfunkel
Jefferson Airplane
The Turtles
The Animals
Steppenwolf - Saw John Kay at the Seattle Colosseum

And about forty other albums. Its interesting that I used to know all these albums as they impacted my life since childhood, and now, today, I try to remember them, yet I hardly can.

Know what I mean?

Seasonal Affect Disorder and tanning beds

I was wondering recently what tanning beds could do for our lack of sunlight, being I live in the Pacific Northwest and our amount of sunlight, well, it leaves much to be desired. This summer in particular, sunlight as been at a premium (this summer sucked). Its not that I have SAD, but I wondered what affect if any, was really prevalent in using a tanning bed as a replacement for the sunlight that we have been missing this year. I particularly liked this article from Health Guidance web site:

People suffering from seasonal affective disorder report feeling better after a visit at the tanning salon for a tanning bed session.

With the arrival of the cold season, besides cold-driven nuisance, some persons experience drawbacks regarding the general state, lack of energy and depression of unknown origin. It was scientifically ascertained that the lack of light favors the production of melatonin by the pineal gland, a hormone inducing sleep. That is why, during the cold seasons when days are shorter and the sunlight is scarce, we often feel sleepy or drowsy. Also, even during spring and summer, if the tendency is to keep most of the time indoors at home or at the office, the effect may be similar, though not as severe.

Well, if drowsiness were the only impact generated by season changes, things would be easier to solve (with a little coffee maybe!). The problem is that melatonin secretion is synchronized with the production of a neurotransmitter, serotonin, which is involved in several physiological processes such as temperature, blood-pressure regulation and in neuropsychological functions such as appetite, memory and mood. The two do not work together at the same time. When melatonin is secreted, serotonin production is inhibited. Lack of serotonin causes disorders such as chronic fatigue syndrome and reflects its effects on mood also, triggering depression in some persons.

Melatonin is active at night and serotonin is active in the daytime. Also, there is the age factor that contributes to the balance of the two chemicals: the secretion of melatonin decreases with age. There has been established that the link between serotonin and melatonin along with their dependence on the body clock may explain the depression experienced by the people suffering from the disorder called Seasonal Affective Disorder - SAD. Depression, sleep problems, weight gain, anxiety, joint pain, irritability, stress, headaches are some of the symptoms that may appear when we suffer from SAD.

The problem is primarily caused by the lack of sunlight. It has been scientifically proven that sunlight favors increase in serotonin levels and favors vitamin D accumulation. Besides having anti-osteoporotic, immunomodulatory, anticarcinogenic, antipsoriatic, antioxidant properties, vitamin D is also a mood-modulator.

UV rays exposure favors vitamin D synthesis in the skin. That is why persons who go to tanning salons have noticed mood improvement and keep the habit in order to maintain the state of well-being. However, it is common knowledge that the effects of the UV exposure are not always the most desirable ones. If going to tanning salons becomes a habit, then recurrent, prolonged UV exposure may result in consequences such as premature skin aging and eventually skin cancer.

Light therapy represents a way to treat SAD. Light operates on the body in two ways: through skin impact or by entering your eyes. Only UV light has effects on the skin, while the light that has effects by entering your eyes needs not be UV, it just has to be bright. Its energizing effect comes from the fact that it stimulates the production of serotonin. The simplest way to get enough bright light is to spend an hour a day or more outdoors, where the light levels range from 1,000 to 50,000 lux or more, compared to room lighting, which is about 50-200 lux.

If your schedule or the weather does not permit it, an alternative is to purchase a light therapy device. For optimum effects, the light source either has to be very bright - 5,000 lux or more - or it has to be in a particular spectrum - around 460 nanometers, which is in the blue range. According to new research, blue range light will provide benefits even if at a dimmer level. Most companies producing light bulbs make full spectrum lights that may successfully replace sunlight.

Yet, there are side effects that bright artificial light may induce, namely it may interfere with sleep (especially when exposure is made in the evening hours) or even trigger in some people a mania - condition called bipolar disorder (known as manic depression).

The safest remains the natural outdoor light, on condition that UV protection is used.

Have a pint in Dublin and a pint is Guinness

"Actually, I'm a drinker with writing problems." - Brendan Behan

"In Dublin, you're never more than twenty paces from a Pub." - old Dublin saying.

I am half Irish and have always felt a strong tendency toward that side of my self. Once I have some extra fundings, I'm going to Ireland to finally have myself a pulled fresh pint of Guinness.

There is a strong literary tie in Ireland between pubs and literature and poetry.
This may be due to a not infrequent situation finding publishers, printers and pubs all being housed in the same building; as well as book sales taking place at or near these pubs. Almost all the Dublin pubs have some connection to famous literary types of the past with their photos or drawings residing now in these establishments.

Look for grand music, tasty pub grub (the food, which has gotten better and better over the years with the revolution in culinary popularity), and obviously, the drink.

The Brazen Head Pub
Must see, its the oldest Pub in Dublin at one time tallest building there.
Dating back to 1198, The Brazen Head is Ireland's oldest pub. When you consider that licensing laws only came into effect in 1635, this pub has been serving alcohol before official licensing laws were even enacted. A short walk from Christchurch Cathedral and The Guinness Brewery, The Brazen Head is well worth a visit for both its historic value and reputation as one of Dublin's best Irish music venues.

John Mulligen's Pub
No food, wine and ale, but John F Kennedy and James Joyce used to drink there. The perfect pint of Guinness is achieved by pulling a pint of Guinness 3/4 full and let sit, then the rest and let sit. Originally John Mulligen had banned all chairs because when real men drink they do it standing up.

John Kavanagh's Pub (The Gravedigger's Bar)
Just outside a famous cemetery with now 1.5 million buried.
The gravediggers, not being allowed in the bar, would knock on the wall and the owner, knowing who and what they drank by that knocking, would retrieve them a pint, take it outside and pass it through the rods of the fence in the Cemetery adjacent to the pub. During WWII, there was a shortage of glass, so the gravediggers would take an earthenware jam jar, and get a dink at the pub and so from that pub came the known phrase, "going for a jar".

The Palace Bar
This is within the Temple Bar area, once a Viking settlement, it is another worthy establishment to visit.

The Palace has had strong connections with writers and journalists for many a decade. Its unspoiled frosted glass and mahogany are impressive enough but the special feature is the famous sky-lighted snug, which is really more of a back room.

Many would cite The Palace as their favorite Dublin pub

The Dublin's Writer's Museum
Definitely a place to visit both before and after visiting the local pubs.

ONeill's Pub
With its several bars has good food and excellent pints of Guinness and others.
Located in the historic heart of Dublin, just minutes from Trinity College and Grafton Street, is O'Neill's pub, the perfect place for a quiet pint or the lively welcome this city is famous for. You'll always be sure of a friendly welcome here. O’Neill’s has existed as a licensed premises for 300 years and is renowned for its ageless character, numerous alcoves, snugs, nooks and crannies.

Doheny & Nesbitt's Pub (D&N)
Famous for those public servants who talk politics and such

The Long Haul Pub
Women not allowed drinking in pubs, there was once a long hall surrounding the bar where they could be served, up until about 1951. Not your standard pub with the declaration of independence and some blurry b/w-pictures hanging on the walls, but a refined and polished example of an Victorian pub in the middle of Dublin.

Jameson's Irish Whiskey
The Old Jameson Distillery has a lovely tour and sampling after.

John Kehoe Pub
Kehoe's also sold groceries so it was called a "Spirit Grocery". They still have womens' cubicles where ladies could drink their sherry, sometimes, a whiskey, but not respectable to have a pint of Guinness, though sometimes they might have a smaller glass.

The bar is decorated in the style of an old Dublin pub, with stylish wood fittings, a very narrow bar and an intimate snug at the front and a bigger snug at the back. When the owner John Kehoe died a few years ago, the bar was sold for 2.3 million punts. The new owners opened up the musty interior upstairs where Kehoe used to live, with a bar and a little parlor with comfortable seating.

Thomas Davis, Poet and Politician said, "No enemy speaks lightly of Irish music. No friend need fear to boast of it."

The Stag's Head Pub
Built in 1770, overhauled in 1895, rich red warmly colored panelings. It was the late Frank McCourt's favorite pub in his Trinity College days.

Though a tavern has existed on this site since the 1780’s, this premises first attained great fame in the 1830’s as ‘John Bull’s Albion Hotel and Tavern’. This was one of the most sought after premises of the age in close proximity to ‘Dublin’s Theatreland’ and the fashionable stores of Dame Street and College Green. A popular music hall business was developed on the site, a trend continued by proprietors Alica and Henry Murphy during the 1840’s. William Wormington succeeded them here in the 1860’s and James Kennedy took the reins in the 1880’s.

Toner's Pub
Another Spirit Grocer pub. It feels very much like a rural pub from ages ago.

Situated on Baggot Street at the corner of Roger’s Lane which is named after the first owner Andrew Rogers in 1818. The pub is currently named after James Toner who the was licensee in 1923. He developed the pub as a bar and grocery shop. Toner’s is one of Dublin’s oldest and most famous traditional pubs.

The interior contributes much to a lively and friendly atmosphere. Old stock drawers still remain behind the bar with some wares displayed in glass cases to the left and right of the door. The decor and flagged floor will take you back in time.

Frequented throughout time by some of Ireland’s literary greats, including Kavanagh and Yeats. It is rumored that Toner’s was the only pub that W.B. Yeats drank in. He was known to sip a sherry and leave.

McDaids Harry Street Pub
Was once the local Morgue, explains its high ceilings.
McDaid's played a part in Dublin's literary history as the local of playwright and novelist, Brendan Behan. McDaid's became the center of a new generation of writers in the 1940s and 1950s who met in pubs in reaction to the quaint lives of older Irish writers. McDaid's has a distinctive Victorian exterior and when you step inside you find an old style bar with a high ceiling and a smattering of chairs and tables. The dimly lit bar has all the atmosphere of a classic Irish boozer, a secretive shrine to the art of convivial conversation and the latest gossip.

The Old Stand Pub
If you ask any Dubliner to name some of the heritage of Dublin's great pubs, one name which you will undoubtedly hear is "The Old Stand" on Exchequer Street, at the junction of St.Andrew Street. The name "Old Stand" gives us a clue to its closest sporting identity - the game of rugby; in fact the name was derived from a now demolished rugby stand at Lansdowne Road.

Neary's Pub
In 1916, a rebel stronghold. A hangout for theatre people, as well as writers. Sophisticated atmosphere, luxurious, comfortable.
Unspoiled Edwardian pub off Grafton Street has been in the present ownership for over half a century and is is popular at all times of day

O'Donoghue's Pub
In 1934 Paddy and Maureen O’Donoghue began running the bar It was during this time the Pub is became famous for the nightly traditional Irish music sessions and was where the popular and famous Irish folk group, the Dubliners formed their band. Many other notable Irish musicians from The Fureys to, Seamus Ennis, Joe Heaney have played at O’Donoghue’s and their photographs line the walls from top to bottom.

Now, I want a pint myself....

Information taken from various sources, many the pub's own web site and from "The Historic Pubs of Ireland", hosted by Frank McCourt who wrote "Angela's Ashes", the book that won several awards, including the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography, the 1996 National Book Critics Circle Award (Biography) and the 1997 Boeke Prize.

The Ever Mysterious Tartar

I was wondering about this today, so I looked it up. Just what is tartar sauce and where did that word, "tartar" come from? I liked the explanation I found so much that I'm reposting it here:

"Okay, let's talk tartar. Or tartare. Or both. Steak tartare, as it is known today in its French appellation, was not always the, uh, gourmet meal of raw minced beefsteak mixed with egg and seasoning that it is now. As we can see in "Panetti's Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things," this dish has its origin as a culinary practice popular in medieval times among warring Mongolian and Turkic tribes known as Tartars.

These violent fellows derived their name from the infernal abyss of Greek mythology, Tartarus. Their meal was low-quality, tough meat from Asian cattle grazing on the Russian steppe, shredded to make it more palatable and digestible. It was introduced into Germany sometime around the dawn of the 14th century, where it was prepared either raw or cooked. In fact, you get bonus points of you can guess what folks in the seaport town of Hamburg started calling it.

Tartar sauce, or as the French refer to it, sauce tartare, consists of mayonnaise, mustard, chives, chopped gherkins, and tarragon, according to C. Owen's "Choice Cooking," circa 1889. In French, it is loosely translated as 'rough,' as the Tartars were considered rough, violent, and savage. It is commonly served with fish. Yum yum.

Taken from the Straight Dope web site: "Staff Reports are written by the Straight Dope Science Advisory Board, Cecil's online auxiliary. Though the SDSAB does its best, these columns are edited by Ed Zotti, not Cecil, so accuracywise you'd better keep your fingers crossed. "

Richard Bach quotes

This morning, a friend posted this on Facebook, she was quoting Richard Bach who wrote, among other books, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a great story and fun movie and very good audio story told by the late British actor, Richard Harris:

‎"Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you're alive, it isn't." - Richard Bach

Great quote. He always has great quotes. But, I had to respond:

You're quoting a seagull?
You didn't think Bach wrote that story did you? The one about the bird?

He got that from a seagull that landed on his window sill one morning. Ripped the poor bird off completely, he did. In point of fact, the birds name was Jack, not Jonathan.

Dick told me all this, during one of his drunken debaucheries. He's very good at debauchering, you know. One of his favorite sayings, he'll call up on a Friday night and say,

"Hey, want to go do some smokin', drinkin' and debauchin' tonight?"

Do NOT go to a dance club with the man. Though he does look good for his age.

But, he always has a Flock of Seagulls following him around looking vindictive; and oh, the hair!

William James

In many ways, this is one of my most important Blog articles. If more people were to read this particular blog item, their lives and those of most of the world, would suddenly take a leap through time of enhanced living. At very least, if authors paid attention to this, especially, religious authors, their writing would do more good to more people than any religious tome preceding them.

William James, distrusted systems. One action, is a system, a simple system. Once it joins with another action/system, it triples in its complications; or more, but it doesn't just double in implications. Once it joins with a third system....

Trusting systems is all of useful, productive... and yet dangerous.

William James (January 11, 1842 – August 26, 1910) was a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher who was trained as a medical doctor. He wrote influential books on the young science of psychology, educational psychology, psychology of religious experience and mysticism, and on the philosophy of pragmatism. He was the brother of novelist Henry James and of diarist Alice James.

"James interacted with a wide array of writers and scholars throughout his life, including his godfather Ralph Waldo Emerson, his godson William James Sidis, as well as Charles Sanders Peirce, Bertrand Russell, Josiah Royce, Ernst Mach, John Dewey, Walter Lippmann, Mark Twain, Horatio Alger, Jr., Henri Bergson and Sigmund Freud.

"During his Harvard years, James joined in philosophical discussions with Charles Peirce, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and Chauncey Wright that evolved into a lively group known as The Metaphysical Club in 1872. Louis Menand speculates that the Club provided a foundation for American intellectual thought for decades to come." [Wikipedia]

Below I have included some quotes of James, that I think are particularly interesting and useful, particularly in the endeavor of writing, not to mention, in scientific thought. They are in no particular order, as I will allow you that gracious and humbling activity within your own mind.

"Success or failure depends more upon attitude than upon capacity successful men act as though they have accomplished or are enjoying something. Soon it becomes a reality. Act, look, feel successful, conduct yourself accordingly, and you will be amazed at the positive results."

"A chain is no stronger than its weakest link, and life is after all a chain."

"A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices."

"A man has as many social selves as there are individuals who recognize him."

"Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune."

"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does."

"Action may not bring happiness but there is no happiness without action."

"The 'I think' which Kant said must be able to accompany all my objects, is the 'I breathe' which actually does accompany them."

"The aim of a college education is to teach you to know a good man when you see one."

"The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook."

"The essence of genius is to know what to overlook."

"The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it."

"The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought
over another."

"The world is all the richer for having a devil in it, so long as we keep our foot upon his neck."

"The world we see that seems so insane is the result of a belief system that is not working. To perceive the world differently, we must be willing to change our belief system, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now, and dissolve the fear in our minds."

"There is but one cause of human failure. And that is man's lack of faith in his true Self."

"There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision."

"These then are my last words to you. Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact."

"We don't laugh because we're happy - we're happy because we laugh."

"Those thoughts are truth which guide us to beneficial interaction with sensible particulars as they occur, whether they copy these in advance or not."
[exactly what the Hell does this mean?]

"To be conscious means not simply to be, but to be reported, known, to have awareness of one's being added to that being."

"To study the abnormal is the best way of understanding the normal."

"Truth is what works."
[I believe by this, he means not simply that anything that works, is Truth. Rather that between two concepts, where one is faulty but supported by organized thought, and one is not faulty, then the one that is not faulty, the one that actually, "works", between those two, is the more reasonable choice, and thereby, Truth. As example, in the endeavor between religious or magical thought and scientific thought, when one points out what works, where it is "real" and verifiable, then it simply makes a better systemic choice than one that doesn't work as well (or at all), although it is based upon "faith", emotion, mythic beliefs, popular thought, or determined egoistic interpretation.]

"If you believe that feeling bad or worrying long enough will change a past or future event, then you are residing on another planet with a different reality system."
[I believe that many of our modern society today, are living on another planet than the one I currently reside upon.]

‎"An act has no ethical quality whatever unless it be chosen out of several all equally possible."

"Every man who possibly can should force himself to a holiday of a full month in a year, whether he feels like taking it or not."
[I wish I had read this years ago]

"We have to live today by what truth we can get today and be ready tomorrow to call it falsehood."

"We never fully grasp the import of any true statement until we have a clear notion of what the opposite untrue statement would be."

"When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice."

"Whenever you're in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude."

"Why should we think upon things that are lovely? Because thinking determines life. It is a common habit to blame life upon the environment. Environment modifies life but does not govern life. The soul is stronger than its surroundings."

Quotes from Brainy Quotes

Should I follow my head? Or my heart?

I've often considered, should one follow one's head or one's heart?

I've been saying for decades that I follow my heart but use my head as a guide. I always thought that was so clever, and useful.

But honestly, it hasn't worked out that well in many ways.

On the other hand, I'd only know if I could compare how things would have been otherwise, maybe they'd have been worse? Perhaps if I had followed my head, and used my heart as the guide, things would be better.

But again, perhaps, they'd be worse?

On the third hand, perhaps you can see from this posting, what the problem is. :)

On the fourth hand, I could just be making this all up. Maybe the problem is I need someone with two extra hands.

Perhaps, THAT is the problem.
Or, maybe there IS no problem.

Maybe this is just one of my psycho characters talking here....

Weekend Wise Words

"Flatter me, and I may not believe you.
Criticize me, and I may not like you.
Ignore me, and I may not forgive you.
Encourage me, and I may not forget you."
--William Arthur Ward

Learning the craft - writing, film, etc.

Lately, I've been watching YouTube videos.

I started out of people sending me the most hilarious stuff. The humor lead to music, the music to individual players, that to how to videos, mostly blues guitar work. That lead to running into some documentary type footage, mostly raw footage of famous people from my past. That lead to actual documentary footage. Mostly in this case, of one shots of famous people being interviewed. Like the AFI documents.

This started with my watching all the videos I could find on speculative fiction writer, Harlan Ellison. He was a hero of mind as a child, reading his works, seeing things he'd worked on in TV shows.

That lead more recently to my discovering a set of Rod Serling videos, his talking to students. ROD SERLING!

This week, I discovered the AFI videos of Mike Douglas, Jerry Lewis, Dick Van Dyke, William Shatner. I watched these because they were immediately available. But I plan to look into others now.

Just go to YouTube and type whomever you like, in the search field, then search through the available videos on them. Look for those that have parts, 1, 2, 3, etc.

This are fascinating video documents. They give a history of Hollywood, or writing, or whatever you are interested in basically.

We need to learn constantly. If you want to be a writer, a filmmaker, whatever, you need to learn on your own. School is good, its great; on the job work, is greater; but you always have to take it upon yourself to continue your studies, where ever you can find them. On the internet, in a book, on TV, in a coffeeshop. Anywhere. Everywhere.

My grandmother once told me to always surround yourself with intelligent, notable people and you will become notable yourself, in one away or another, depending on what it is you want out of life. This has always been good advice to me, and I pass it on to you. Whatever you want to be, find those people, and "Be" with them, as much as is reasonable (don't be a stalker).

So if you find yourself watching silly, or entertaining videos on YouTube, try educating yourself a little. Track down some videos of your own heroes. You might learn something useful.

Seattle Benefits From Growth In Global Health

With all the Health Care issues floating around the country, and the world, its nice to hear something positive. I worked at a large health insurance company for years. Hearing all this the past few years has been uplifting and depressing. Uplifting because, we need health care reform in the US. Depressing because I've seen many people lose their jobs to cost cutting efforts. But I've been lucky that all my life, I have had, or chosen to have, jobs that allowed me to remain after most people have been let go.

Still its nice to hear something going well, locally.

"The latest growth industry and job-machine in Seattle is the field of global health. Non-profit groups are fueling a mini building-boom downtown, and they're hiring. The Gates Foundation presence is a major reason. But some locals are hand-wringing that it's unseemly to even call it an industry when local jobs are based on Third World despair." -- NPR

Listen to the article (below). As for the statement above, I think regardless, if there are people benefiting health-wise, is there really downside here?

NPR article

Sirius XM Satelite Radio stock finally making headway

Sirius and XM radio was the golden child for a while a few years ago. An 18 month delay in the Government giving their blessing to a merger between the two caused the stock to plummet, it was one of the longest waits in history for this sanction to be given. That makes one wonder, just what was going on behind the scenes there. Who was the hold up. Essentially, it was one person on the judicatory board. Something, seemed very strange there. This delay nearly killed the company in this new area.

But the strength of their technology, and the love some people have for this format, has not only kept them afloat, but they are making a comeback, regardless of any attempts to keep them down. There is also the possibility that they will branch out into other technologies in before unforeseen areas, leading to them being a market leader, or the only market leader in an area perhaps not yet understood or realized. Keep your eyes open.

This stock, went from over $5 a share to last year's nineteen cents a share. It is just now at $1.18 a share.

"SIRI ended second quarter 2010 with a record-high 19,527,448 subscribers, an increase of more than 1.1 million subscribers compared to the end of second quarter 2009. Net subscriber additions of 583,249 in the second quarter of 2010 improved significantly from a net loss of 185,999 subscribers in the second quarter of 2009."

To read the entire report visit: www.microstockprofit.com/lp/SIRI

Tom Waits - early talk show videos

I've made no secret anywhere that I am a big Tom Waits fan.

Here is a unique perspective on him, from an interview he did in Australia in 1979 and some others.

Enjoy.

part 1
part 2

Several years later on the same show.

The Mike Douglas show (1976) performing, Eggs and Sausages

With Martin Mull and Fred Willard on Norman Lear's, Fernwood Tonight (1977) performing, "The Piano has been drinking"

Tom on Letterman doing Swordfish Trombone's (1983) Frank's Wild Years

I'll end with an interesting web site talking about Tom's works,
. Not the best reviews, not the worst, but with some interesting comments, nonetheless.

Let's not forget
Wikipedia

Extending The Law Of War - Cyberspace

For some years, I was involved in a group in Seattle that pulled both computer security experts together with National and International Law Enforcement. We got together quarterly to talk about computer security and computer related crime. We had regular attendees by top security people from many top companies and Seattle has some top companies related to computers.

We also regularly had the FBI, Secret Service, CIA, NSA, Military, local police, Canadian Law Enforcement, Australian and others. Universities, especially, the University of Washington computer department has been involved. Government officials included briefings from the President's Committee for the Infrastructure, NSA, and so on. It was a dynamic, fascinating group lead by a dynamic, fascinating guy. Richard Clark, among other well known individuals, attended and spoke. This may sound like a group to some to make one paranoid. But I assure you, this group has been a good and necessary thing and much good, more, than otherwise, has come from it.

One day, during a meeting that typically lasts for the first half of the day, several suits stood up and apologized as they had to leave, since the Vice President (of the US) was arriving in Seattle and they had to go join the Secret Service detail in protecting him. That next day, I had the opportunity to shake the Vice President's hand as I was walking off the Ferry to Seattle (and nearly got jumped by the Secret service; don't, reach to your inside pocket as you approach the President, or Vice President, even if its just to put away a paperback book you are reading; and yes, I later realized just how stupid that was).

This group still goes on, and much has been done due to the existence of this group over the years, to help with the concepts in the US and abroad related to cybercrime and cyberwarefare. For instance, they helped set up a computer crime lab in Seattle, which became a model for others.

One of the things we discussed and worked to consider and apply direction to was in the area of cyberwarfare. Back when it was first brought up in the late 90s, it was little thought of by the government and the FBI had no real computer forensic department. So its good that this has gone international and thus, the NPR article today on an international treaty related to cyberattack is in the works. From the NPR article today:

"It may come as a surprise to some war victims, but there actually is a body of international law that establishes when and how nations can legally engage in armed conflict.

"Thanks to various treaties, the United Nations Charter, and the Hague and Geneva Conventions, we are able to draw official distinctions between victims and aggressors, and we have guidelines that, when honored, provide some protection to civilians. Professional militaries train with the rules of war in mind, recognizing that abiding by them works to their benefit as much as to the enemy's.

"A direct attack on a civilian infrastructure that caused damage, even loss of life of civilians, would, I think, be a war crime," Ryan says." - NPR

It would seem that its now internationally being considered that if and when, cyberespionage, turns into cyberattack, it is to be considered an act of war, and under certain circumstances, against international treaty. And that, is a good thing to agree upon.

NPR article on cyberwarfare and international law

A couple of other interesting articles:

US Appoints first CyberWarfare General

new Defense Department cyber command (2009). Interesting here to me, was that the Air Force announced that its cyber command, the 24th Air Force, would be based at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, according to Defense Systems. I was stationed there the last half of the 70s. That is a great base for this to be, well, based at.

U.S. cyberwarfare command Better late than never"

Kelly Mcgillis

Okay, so, color me surprised.

I enjoyed Top Gun when it came out. Saw it with my roommate, Mark. We saw it on a special night when our girlfriends weren't around. I remember it reminded me of when I saw American Graffiti. As we left the parking lot in our cars, people were peeling out, taking off with gusto. I guess, they had a "need for speed."

We enjoyed the film at the time. Though we could have done without the volley ball scene, though it was a stroke of genius if we had needed to bring dates.

She seduced Tom Cruise in 1986 on Top Gun, but now Kelly McGillis has finally found her own Top Gun. But, its a woman. No. I didn't see that one coming. I certainly wish her the best, however, its just that it was a bit of a surprise, her film history all considered. Then again, I haven't seen her in much since Top Gun.

New York Times reports the actress wed her longtime girlfriend Melanie Leis in a civil union on Wednesday in New Jersey.

So, congratulations to Kelly and the best of luck to her and her mate.

Read more: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b201155_kelly_mcgillis_girlfriend_tie_knot.html#ixzz0zwihEIgx

The common cold?

The common cold. This is a topic relevant to all of us as we move into the Fall season. Every year in the US, 100 million times a year, people visit doctors about this malady.
Jennifer Ackerman has a new book on the topic and was interviewed by Fresh Air, NPR.

There are close to 200 virus' that cause the common cold. Rhino virus being the most common. This begins about seventeen days after kids start school in the new school season. Then they bring it home, it goes to work and all over from there. The body makes a bunch of inflammatory agents that give us the symptoms of a cold.

Colds are not caused by cold, but by viruses. There was a suggestion however, that come from Jack Waltney who studied the cold for forty years: when your cold starts, take two, single ingredient drugs every twelve hours, until the symptoms are clear: non steroidal, like ibuprofen; then, antihistamine, like first gen., ones as in benadryl, or Chlor-Trimeton(not clariton or the newer drugs). It helps relieve build up of nasal fluid which can give you a secondary infection. Salt gargle is also good and helps you to feel better while you heal.

Have a happy, healthy cold season! A few things to consider:

• Get at least seven hours of sleep a night.
• Vitamin C is good but typically most if you work in very cold environments, or are an extreme athlete; take 200 mg.s of C and you can cut your cold in incidences by half.
• Zinc lozenges, nope, can even kill your sense of smell.
• Echenesia, maybe, maybe not, but typically you find little or none in a brand.
• Airborne branded homeo pathic product created by a teacher; however, it doesn't appear to work better than taking vitamins, maybe, the vitamin C in it helps some, but its overpriced if that's the case.
• Chicken soup, well, there were some anti-inflammatory actions in the lab.
  

NPR Article

Something weird?

I spoke with a friend from my past today. We hadn't talked in a couple of years so we spoke for over an hour until his phone battery was giving out. During that call, he had pointed out that back when we had worked together at Seattle's Mercer Street, Tower Video store, after Jeff Ament had left to eventually help found superband, Pearl Jam, he knew a guy who had said he was starting a video company.

Now, years later, this company is not only doing well, its serving up some of the lost classics of the last decades back to the 1930's. If you are interested in Americana, especially the exploitation films, you definitely have to check these guys out.

From the web site:

"In 1990 (roughly), we started Something Weird Video with the idea of releasing films that had never been on video. In my mind, the last great genre to be scavenged were the exploitation/sexploitation films of the 30's through the 70's. After looking into this further, I realized that there were nearly 2,000 movies out there yet to be discovered."

So, if you're curious, check it out:
Something Weird Video

Lady Gaga for congress?

I haven't known what to say about Lady Gaga. But her music, pop though it may be, is infectious, I admit. I watched a bunch of videos of her online yesterday, trying to form an opinion and I have to say, I'm impressed with her. She is talented, and she's earned her way. She is far more talented than I had realized. Just listen to her piano.

Lady Gaga appeared at a Monday rally in Portland, Maine to speak out against the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that prevents openly gay people serving in the U.S. military. “I’m here because ‘Don’t ask, Don’t tell’ is wrong, it’s unjust and fundamentally it is against all that we stand for as Americans,” she said during her 20-minute speech. [http://gagadaily.com/]

She said in her Portland, Maine speech today, that she is gay. News to me and it doesn't matter in the least. She said she thinks that the "don't ask don't tell" rule is backward. Like so much of our laws and government, she is correct. She saod she would like to propose a new law, that the soldier who has a problem with a gay person, who's effectiveness in the field is compromised because they hate gays, who are uncomfortable with gays in gernal, should simply, Go Home. Not to mention, what, are they living in a cave somewhere?

Gaga has a point, our fighting soldiers, are tough bastards. They shouldn't be bothered by, females in the field, by gays in the field; and if they are, they should toughen up some more. She has a point, when she asks, who are our soldiers fighting for. All of us? Or just some of us?

Lady Gaga can state her position far more fluidly than I can here, so watch the video and see what you think. She said she wrote it herself. I don't doubt it. After all, she's NOT running for government. If nothing else, I have to respect her attitude. Not to mention, I fully agree with her.

Watch it yourself:

Lady Gaga's speech from the #4for14k rally to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" today in Portland, Maine.

The Corporate Line

I received an email today, from a Vice President at a certain corporation, decrying the benefits of working from home, in order for the company to "go green" (that is, cut costs, even at the expense of the employee).

Now don't get me wrong, I have wanted to work remotely for a decade or two. I was a prime advocate of it even when it was against my best interests to speak out about it. I supplied any and all, information, web sites, whatever I could come up with in the way of solid data indicating why it should be done, or allowed, by corporations.

In the past, have even published articles in computer magazines on topics like how employers should allow internet usage and how they should handle it. But then, I once (back in the 80s) thought that all information should be free, and the internet should remain free. For the most part, its worked out, not too bad, different than how I originally conceived it, although, we still have issues that we really do need to stay on top of. Like internet bandwidth. If we're not careful, networks, cable and phone companies, are going to screw the public and make them pay for it on top of it all.

But back to the current issue....

I have to tell you,
aside from the quite obvious fact that I fully agree with this corporate email
(and then some),
after all these years of my having said these same exact things
(and much more to support my contentions)
and having then been told by management
(though a bit less in recent years)
that I was either crazy or living in a dream world
(or both),
its really more than a little strange, for me to now see this way of thinking being touted as
the “party line” and the “corporate point of view”.

Its also kind of fun to read between the lines,
[“Let’s not forget another real and practical factor: traffic”]
where it is now the company who is trying to convince the employees that
this is, “a good thing” and people should try to get behind it all.

OMG, that is just too funny, really!
[Hey! Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad its finally been visualized on a real level of understanding]

So…I’m going to take this moment to finally declare, after having led the charge for so long, once and for all, its:

“Victory!”

Carpe Diem!

Next Blog today at Noon: "Lady Gaga for Congress?"

One night in 1973 at a UW Frat house

It was 1973. With winter approaching, I drove up from Tacoma to spend a night at Zeta Psi fraternity in Seattle on the University of Washington's "Frat Row". I never expected that to happen.

[originally posted September 20, 2010 - updated June 8, 2024]

I had run into a couple of "friends" from Lincon High School in Tacoma, Washington. I no longer remember where I ran into those guys, or now...who they even were. But they said they were in the Zeta Psi frat at the University of Washington, the UW, in Seattle. A city I'd always grown up seeing as, "The Big City." 

Which is ironic as I'd lived in Philadelphia as a kid. And within a couple of years from this experience in 1973, I'd be living in Manhattan, New York City, New York, just prior to entering the USAF.

Me 1973© by me

We were drinking at a party and quickly realized we knew one another and had been friends. Or friendly anyway. It was only months since our graduation. So this must have been at a party as none of us were 21 to be getting into a bar. Though I did have a fake ID I'd made myself, and actually worked.

Throughout high school, as I remember it, people saw me as likable, but not much of a brain, a lower-middle-class kid, whose family had moved up to the middle economic class. Our parents had struggled. Well, our stepdad had, working two jobs for decades.

In one way or another I was on the fringe of just about every clique in the school. Everybody seemed to know me or had an opinion about me, or so it would seem. My cousin was my age but a year behind in school because of how our birthday fell on the calendar (my mom wanted me to start first grade, ASAP). She went to Washington High School in Parkland, south of Tacoma. I jokingly once told her if she ever visited Lincoln, just stop anyone and ask for me. I think I was showing off in front of her friends. Oddly, she did once visit with a friend and they did stop some random person who did seem to know where I might be. But we didn't connect that day. Still, she said her and her girlfriend were impressed. Too funny.

The night I ran into those guys at the party (by now a few drinks in), they talked me into two things. Taking my SATs at the UW, and pledging at their frat...if I got accepted. I wonder what happened to them over the years? I really have to wonder what would have happened to me had I gotten into the UW? How could my life have been different? What would I have majored in?

Ironically, I graduated after USAF service to end up working at the UW for over seven years, first at the U Bookstore for a bit, then MCIS (Medical Centers Information Services department) for Rad and Path, Radiology & Pathology, for UW Medicine (UWMC then) and Harborview Medical Center, a regional trauma center, nd then UW Human Resources (formerly the Personnel Office). I took some classes at UW, so...kind of an alumnus, just not a grad.

It sounded, fabulous, joining a frat. What the guys were selling: every frat had a sister sorority. So you got assigned a girl from the sorority who was kind of a "sister". What a deal. Look it up. Aside from the girls, the frat helped you graduate, pass tests, and so on. That was a selling point, to a not-great student. I had graduated high school, but it wasn't with straight A's. I did take an IQ test during high school and was rated at an IQ of about 128-132. So not stupid, just ADHD.

I decided to give it a shot. I was out of high school by this time, working at United Pacific/Reliance Insurance, in Tacoma. When I started there, they were just United Pacific Insurance. Then they got bought up by Reliance Insurance of Philadelphia (now in liquidation). Employees were horrified we were being absorbed. Something I've since had experiences with elsewhere.

At the time I could see my life going nowhere. So I seriously considered what my friends were telling me. Besides it was another adventure. It was funny and strange, because as I remember it, while I had always been friendly with those two guys, I had never really seen them as my "friends" in high school. So finding they saw me that was was kind of nice. Though I had always liked them. We just hadn't hung out that much. Now that we were out of HS, we were apparently friends? Well, cool.

Anyway, over the next tweek they set it up for me with the frat. I was to go to the University of Washington (UW), it was during the December holiday break when the SAT testing was happening. And I could stay at the Frat. 

Almost no one would be there, except a few, but I was welcome to come and sleep overnight. Then take the SATs the next morning on campus. If I did good, and came up with the money (if my parents had the money), then I was in. They were both legacies (both had older brothers who had been in the fraternity and graduated several years before). But basically, I was in.

The date arrived and I drove up my 1967 Chevy Impala, 30 miles up to Seattle from Tacoma. I took a couple of days off from work in the middle of the cold season. I remember walking through the "U district", the part of Seattle nearest to the University. The "Ave." It was pretty cool. 

Years later when I was married, we would live in an apartment in U Village, a bit down the road just off Lake Washington and a walk up some stairs (a LOT of stairs) up to campus. I'd also take the Burke Gilman Trail (which goes along the lake) from our apartment to the University Hospital (so named then) to work at night. 

I had to walk through the woods in the dark, to and from work. Which was kind of spooky. I would also take our first infant, and then toddler son on my bicycle along the trail to hang out at parks on the beach with him, while his mom rested or was busy.

Zeta Psi house

I was excited. I got back to my car and found the frat, pulled into their driveway and parked. I walked up to the door of this massive house on "frat row". This was a big house. The front door was unlocked, so I went in. No one was around. So, I walked around. It had a massive stairway. I loved the old woodwork.

Looking up the stairway 1973© by me

I checked out the kitchen. Huge.

Kitchen 1973© by me

And a dinning hall.

Dining hall 1973© by me

Finally, I ran into someone who questioned who I was and what I was doing there. I explained, and he recognized the names of the guys who sent me. 

I was in, accepted and he gave me the tour.

Common room 1973© by me

There was of course, the massive living room. Sadly you can't see it in the image below.

Living room exit, piano bottom left 1973© by me

There was the "rec" room, where they had a couple of pool tables, a Foosball table, and several vending machines. One of which was a pop machine that dispensed beer only, for twenty-five cents. A quarter, for a beer. No validation of age. This, was Heaven for an 18-year-old, et al. 

Game room 1973© by me

A front room had a kind of stage area. They had their own band! Enough of the members were musicians that they told me they had the only professional, nine-piece band that played local bars and other frats for parties and money. They said there were some other bands in other frats but hey couldn't hold a handle to their band. So at any time that they wanted a party, they had their own professional-level party band on call.

1973© by me

A few rooms for relaxing.

Taproom 1973© by me

There was a small "tap" room, which was basically a small bar where they could tap a keg and serve free beer to the fraternity brothers, regardless of age. 

In the basement, there was a full-sized swimming pool. I was amazed. Blown away. I so wanted to join! 

Swimming pool-in basement 1973© by me

Finally, left me to my own devices after having explained that when I wanted to sleep, I only had to hit the rooms central to the house, on the second floor where we were at. They apologized for the lack of heat in them as it was turned off for the holidays when few were in the house. They couldn't afford the heat and I would believe it. It must cost a fortune to heat that place.

Common sleeping room 1973© by me

There were multiple bunk beds in each of several of these rooms. There were two frat brothers to the individual rooms, but no one slept in their rooms. Mostly they studied and entertained in their individual rooms but slept in the common sleeping rooms.

bathrooms 1973© by me

Community bathrooms. 

Hallway between sleeper & individual's rooms 1973© by me

So that night, I grabbed a bunk. That's where I was when around 7:30PM, someone entered the room looking for someone. There were maybe ten bunk beds in the room, with one or two others present. The guy that came in saw me, didn't recognize me, and so asked if I was the one visiting he had been told about. I answered in the affirmative.

He said, "Welcome! I'm the Frat Treasurer. Our President and I would like to invite you to our room, for a while. If you'd like to join us." I was beside myself. Of course, I would!

"Follow me." We walked out the common room door to the left, left again, down to the room on the right, at the end of the hallway, just off the front of the house, on the northeast side. I was introduced to the President of the Frat who said that few were there over the holiday, and they were the only officers still there, neither of them having reason to go home that season.

I thought, "How sad." But then, how cool they they're here. We sat on the rug in their small room with lights on low.

"Like to smoke?" Anxious to please and happy to get stoned, I said, "Sure. Thanks!" They put on Simon and Garfunkel's album, "Bridge over Troubled Water", lit a joint and we sat there, smoking, talking quietly, and listening to the now classic album. 

I cannot think of a more iconic, monumental moment for that period than this. We sat up and talked and smoked for a while and listened to albums. I do not remember any other albums they played and maybe there were no others. I didn't spend a great deal of time with them. 

I cut it short. I felt somewhat...inadequate in their presence. And, I had to take my SATs the next morning! I was impressed at their acceptance of me, someone who had so been on the fringe all through high school. I'd never had thoughts of college. Just of getting out of K-12.

I awoke the next day and had something to eat in the kitchen. Then, I adventured through the UW campus to find the testing location. My new friends the night before had given me some more detailed directions to supplement my paperwork from having signed up. 

I took my SATs in a big auditorium with many other kids were there. It wasn't a full room, but more than I expected there to be. I don't know where they were all from. Maybe they were like me, spending an awesome night at a fraternity or sorority, stunned at their good luck and impressive experiences. Though some were surely not going to be in one or the other. But it was likely most of them just drove up from home.

After the test, I walked back to the frat. Again I wandered about, not wanting to leave until finally I took my leave. I located my car down the block around the corner, happy to find it was still there, got into my car and finally, reluctantly, drove away. 

That was my final UW student experience. Sort of. Mostly.

I do now remember that when I first got there, someone told me I had to move my car out of their driveway and find a legal parking place for it on the street. Parking there at a premium. I had to drive around a while to find an open spot a couple of blocks away. But it gave me a feel for Frat Row.

When I got back home to my parents' house, I begged them to send me to the UW. I had moved out before this, as soon as I had graduated, at 17. But then was back in, due to my nightmare Jewish lady landlord who complained whenever I tiptoed through my living room. 

It was above her front downstairs apartment. And thus, she thought I was thundering over her living room ceiling. She called me on the phone shortly after moving in to complain that I was stomping around. But I told her I was trying really had not to, and was nearly tiptoeing about. That must have done something because she stopped complaining about it.

She would also go through my things when I wasn't home. Just a tad illegal. After my friend Dave stayed with me that August on leave from the Army, I decided I needed to break my lease, my nerves were on edge from my apartment being invaded. I'd notice things being moved. I was at work one day and called Dave to see how he was. He was angry. Said he was dozing on my couch and woke up just at my landlady was slowly backing out the front door, not having expected anyone was home mid-day. 

When I got home after work he was worked up. I asked why my .303 British bolt action WWII rifle was on the couch. He said he got it and went back to sleep on the couch and if she came back in he was going to shoot her. I said you can't' shoot my landlady! But he said she was breaking and entering. Dave makes up half of my best friend in my screenplay, "The Teenage Bodyguard". Interesting character. Nice guy but he'd had a tough time in the army or something. 

About attending the UW, my mother had told me, no luck. Sorry. "We simply do not have any money to send you to a university and certainly not, some Fraternity. I'm sorry."

Eventually, I filled out government forms for educational aide, but they came back saying my parents made too much money for me to get help. Though I knew they didn't have what was being claimed. There was no way out which eventually, led me to enter the USAF a few years later, at the age of 20. I gave it that long to see if I could make something happen but I felt I was just going to continue to go nowhere.

I was crushed that day of my SATs. But then a couple of weeks or so later, I received my SAT results. I certainly wasn't the highest-rated student tested. Actually, I was surprised I had done as good as I had, though not so hot on math though. No surprise there. 

No one had ever told me students study a lot, long and hard, before taking SATs. 

The official notification said I lacked a year of foreign language and needed another semester of science, like biology. I took biology in high school, but only one semester. The teacher was in my SCUBA class, along with about 40 other students and a few teachers. 

A SCUBA shop from Bill's Boathouse on American Lake had wanted to try a test class teaching at high schools, rather than people coming to them. A way to generate money I suppose. Though they were adamant about trying to spread the sport and build it up.

We were taught by the great long-distance swimmer, Bert Thomas, and his team. So in February of 1971, I got my SCUBA certificate. I took the test for my open water test in Pugest Sound the same day as my driver's license written test at my high school. I remember taking my driving test noticing my still wet swim suit was on under my jeans. 

My mother was so excited by my doing this, she took the class with my older sister and both got their licenses. 

Someone told me to petition the SATs back saying I would take those classes on the side somehow. But they responded by saying, sorry, but no. We're turning down students now, who have all the required classes, and who are 4.0 students, some from all over the world. Which, I was not. A 4.0 student, that is.

I tried Tacoma Community College for a quarter and dropped out because I thought I was failing and I was moving to Phoenix with my older brother. Then as I told the teachers I was moving to Arizona, I found I was getting an "A" in my Criminal Evidence for Police (taught by the long-time LA Police partner of the famous author, Joseph Wambaugh) class and a "B" in my Sociology class. Ah, well. I was sure I was failing. Had I known I was doing that good I would have finished the classes. But I'd already given a reason for leaving I couldn't back out of without looking the fool. Yes, I was indeed a fool. 

That police class was great. And for any "stoner" in those days, it taught you a lot about how to remain as legal as possible. The first night in that class in listening to the teacher I realized something along with another kid in the class about my age. We were the only younger people in class. Stuck out like a sore thumb, but everyone was nice to us. 

When the teacher said, "I suppose most of you are TPD, here looking to get promoted?" They all nodded yes.

I looked at the kid in the middle of the class, surrounded by cops, something you avoided at any cost back then, and he looked terrified. Even more than I was. I was at the right front of the classroom by the door. 

I looked around at all the "students" and realized they were all older than myself and that other guy, and all were nodding their heads. I talked to the guy after class he admitted he was "holding" some "weed" and wanted to get out of there and next class he certainly wouldn't be. He returned next class and all was fine. Learned a lot, still have that book.

So, that ended my experience of going to University. Until I graduated from tech school in the USAF at 20. Which proved to me that one way or another, I could make it through post-high school studies. 

In the service, if you failed, you did it again and again until you succeeded. Once I got through the military, the thought of college wasn't scary anymore. If I could make it through the Air Force, I could probably make it through anything up ahead of me.

Four years in the military, and I got out. It wasn't that bad, just seemed like it at times. Especially in the monotony of years of important, but painfully redundant work. I got out with a 2 month "early out" to attend Tacoma Community College again. Just that summer quarter. Left those classes with a "B" in both classes, and a new girlfriend. Then I got a not-so-great job delivering TVs. Then another job doing odd jobs for a mobster wannabe. I realized what he was, an East Coast criminal transplant.

After the service, and a year of wandering in and out of things, I started back at school, at Ft. Steilacoom Community College (now Pierce College). My older brother talked me into it to use my Vietnam era educational benefits. I had been living in his outbuilding, a shed/loft off his alleyway. It was fun, and relaxing. It let me heal from my 4 years in service, and my loss of everything, my car, respect, and my wife.

Then, not knowing what to do next, but following my super smart new girlfriend, I applied (we applied) at all universities in Washington state (only State universities, as I knew I couldn't afford the private ones, the same true for her). First, we visited all the State Universities, checking out their campuses.

In the end, we fell in love with Bellingham's, Western Washington University. Beautiful campus, a lovely region, and a different kind of Psychology department than the biggest campus at the UW, had. We weren't "counting rats" in cages as we referred to colleges using more lab and statistically based studies/research. We would be studying human relationships with the Universe, the "human experience". Phenomenology. 

Strangely enough, they accepted me. They weren't the only one, but for the second time in my life, the UW had turned me down. I knew I wouldn't be going there anyway, but it would have been greatly cathartic to have been accepted.

And so, I got my degree in the end from "Western". I'm very happy with that and what I learned there. My years in college with my girlfriend, with whom I felt we were a real team together, are unforgettable.

As it turned out, I later ended up working for the UW for over seven years and attending classes there. Finally, I did get to attend school at the UW, albeit as an employee. So finally they did let me in.

Summing up, my moments at the UW frat, were quite an incredible experience. To have been in the frat, partying with the frat Treasurer and President, getting to listen to of all people at that time in history, Simon & Garfunkle; simply captured the essence of that era so well. 

They're memories, never to be forgotten.

From Kids in the Hall, it’s Scott Thompson's pod cast

From my all time favorite comedy team, "Kids in the Hall", its Scott Thompson ("Tavie") with his podcast site.

Among other characters, Scott always played the flamboyantly gay, Buddy Cole, hilarious and lovable, who was always so caustic and so right so many times in his monologues on the Kids in the Hall show. I loved that show at the time because it was so much better than Saturday Night Live during that time, and both were produced by Loren Michaels.

Scott and producer Jeff Goodes talk to the caustic Malene Arpe, author of the Stargazing Column and Blog at The Toronto Star.

Do be aware though, Scott has been gay for quite some time, and is unabashedly open about it, in his beliefs and with his vocabulary. I find nothing he says as offensive, but some may, so just be aware, have an open mind, and laugh were appropriate (or even not).

Enjoy!

Weekend Wise Words

"Anybody can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way - that is not within everybody's power and is not easy."
-- Aristotle

Where's Mike Rainey?

I graduated from Western Washington University in 1984.

Before the 1983-84 school year, maybe, as I attended, it was the summer session. Anyway, I was chosen for a small, special screenwriting class of eight people. I was the oddball, as I was a Psych major, they were all theater majors, actors, dancers, playwrights. Mike Rainey, Dave Scabina, Sean, Tami, my best guesses at their names from what I could remember.

I had been looking for them ever since. Not like I hired detectives, but when I'd think about it, I'd try to find them and never found who I thought might be them. How I could have missed them, I have no idea.

Since the internet has been available, I've been trying to find those guys or girls. I couldn't remember their names for years; I can't even remember everyone in the group; were there two girls? Seems like it, but I can't really remember (geez, that's pretty sad).

A couple of years ago, I found a few names (that I mentioned above). I searched on WWU website. Nothing. I've searched the internet, nothing. Just this minute, I thought, type in Mike Rainey Western Washington University.

Bang!

I got a hit! I couldn't believe it at first.
Below, is the article.

But now, I'm a little stunned. Because I just read that Dave, had died, of AIDS. I really hate that damn thing, I've lost too many friends and cool people to it.

I'm putting this article here, so I can reference it later. I'd really like to find any of them; they were such a talented group. But I was most friends with Mike, Dave and Chris. They were sad when I graduated, before them. It broke up the team.

We had such a blast together that year, along with our instructor, Bob Schelonka. I've wanted to find them for years, to see if we could do something together art wise; but it was apparently not to be. Now Dave is gone. I don't know where Mike is. We created some fun scripts that year, we laughed hard, had a great time. I remember working on a script with I think, Dave and Chris, I can't now remember, sitting on my apartment living room floor in "Happy Valley", till my girlfriend Monica, finally threw everyone out.

Chris and I did the "Popsicle Death" script. Actually, Bob said, everyone write down a paragraph for a story. Okay, now shift it left to the person next to you. Now, take that paragraph and write a short script for next class (in two days). So I wrote what came to be the notorious, Popsicle Death, script. I'm currently putting it into a screenplay I'm writing, tentatively titled, "HearthTales" (soon to be at a theater near you!). So these guys had an impact upon my entire life really. Monica is no longer around my life, nor my two wives that came after her. But that class will be with me forever and the work from that class may still one day end up on screen.

Well, anyway, here's to that class(!) and the amazing things at least some of us, did after we graduated. Oh, and if you wonder at the difference between the spelling of "Theatre" and "Theater", as any drama major knows, real acting happens in a "Theatre", you go to see a movie at a "Theater". :)

For the first time ever on this blog, an image....


The “founding fathers” of Annex Theatre.
From left: Dave Skubinna, Micha Rice, Garrett Bennett,
Mike Rainey, Brian Finney, and John Lawler. (circa 1988)

[As an addendum, I think I may have actually (Finally) found Mike. On Facebook of all places. Even though, I've looked there for him many times. Geez. I "friended" him, and he accepted so I think its him, but no word from him yet. He probably accepted and then either was also stunned by my appearance out of no where, or he had to run errands, go to work, who knows. So I'm anxiously waiting to hear from him.]

Mike was at the Sacred Fools Theater, in L.A., for a while.

And so, here's the article that started all this, yesterday....

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Annex Theatre turns “legal”
[Annex Theatre website]
Veteran fringe theatre faces challenges of young adulthood
[From: SGN article]

It’s unlikely the founders of Seattle’s Annex Theatre envisioned their scrappy little “fringe company” surviving into its third decade of operation. Frustrated by the lack of opportunity in the Seattle theatre scene in the mid 1980’s, they were simply looking to feed their creative impulses, and banded together more out of mutual self interest, than with any intent to create a cultural legacy.

Yet, that’s exactly what Annex’s “founding five”: Bainbridge High School grads Garrett Bennett, Micha Rice, John Lawler, and Dave Skubinna, along with Skubinna’s fellow Western Washington University Drama alum, Mike Rainey, created when they put on their first production, a pastiche of short plays titled “Midnight Snack”, at Bainbridge Performing Arts Storefront Theatre in 1986.

Now, more than 20 years later, their “little theatre that could” has amassed a body of artistic achievement that puts even Seattle’s major professional houses to shame: nearly 400 productions, including countless world, West Coast and regional premieres; working associations with some of the country’s most innovative playwrights, including Erik Ehn, Glen Berger, Naomi Iizuka, Jeffrey Jones, and Anne Washburn; and most importantly, the development of a sort of “graduate school” environment for a whole host of writers, actors, directors, designers, musicians, and scenic artists, an impressive number of whom have gone onto successful careers not only at the region’s more established theatre companies, but who include among their ranks nationally, even internationally recognized artists such as: Academy Award-nominee Paul Giamatti, L.A. Drama Critics Award-winner Jillian Armanante, former Empty Space Theatre Artistic Director Allison Narver, Seattle Town Hall Executive Director Wier Harmon, solo performer Lauren Weedman, and local playwright/composer Chris Jeffries, to name a few.

Much of Annex’s success lies in its flexibility and responsiveness to the needs and ambitions of its members. Built on a consensus-driven, “collective” management model, all the company’s members have a voice in selecting its management staff and artistic production. Not surprisingly, all of Annex’s founders have moved on (Skubinna succumbed to AIDS in 1994), but what is surprising is the relative ease with which it has continued to reinvent itself, through the tenures of six artistic directors, the participation of hundreds of individual artists, and despite vacating its long-time venue on Fourth Avenue, followed by four years of itinerancy, before finally achieving a soft-landing at Capitol Hill’s CHAC in 2005.

As it approaches its 21st birthday, however, Annex shows little sign of slumping into a complacent, self-satisfied middle-age. A new home brings an invigorating sense of purpose, along with a new generation of ambitious young artists who have been attracted by both the company’s history and reputation, as well as by the promise of future glory.

Art is always a risky business. And yet, while there are no guarantees, Annex Theatre seems to have found a formula for success that has elevated it to the level of a true cultural icon. The “little theatre that could” has proven it can, with polish and panache. And with hard work, savvy programming, and just a little bit of luck, Annex should be around for another 10, even 20 years, providing a creative outlet for young, talented artists who will continue to uphold its mission of “creating bold new work in an environment of improbability, resourcefulness and risk.”
The Annex - Production History
Courtesy of Annex Theatre (2007)

A Psychologist in the Theatre Department

At noon today, I'll talk about my search for my friends from screenwriting class at Western Washington University, from the early 80s. I've been looking for these people ever since. After college I went through a rough period, the most difficult in my life. When I started "paying attention" again, everyone had graduated and were out in the world and I never could find them. But this, is about how I met that group of seven (eight, if you include our instructor, Bob).

In my third year of college, I realized I had more credits than I needed. Because the VA was paying for college, I went summer quarters too. I was in the Air Force, went in Viet Nam Era, what they now call, for some reason, Post Viet Nam Era; but either way, I got full Viet Nam Era benefits. So, I decided with all those extra credits, I could go for a second major (I was a Psych Major). I thought maybe, writing, or Lit, but decided I would just get a Minor in Creative Writing. What the Hell. And so it is that officially, I have a Bachelor of Arts and Letters in Psychology, Awareness and Reasoning Division, and a Minor in Creative Writing.

My first class toward my Minor, was Fiction Writing. I wrote three short stories that quarter. We were each to write two. They we voted on two people to write an extra story each for Finals Day, as this class had no final. I was voted along with another person, a talented female writer. Mostly we had "house wife" types (They weren't married, it was more of an attitude), females writing bad romantic stories that made you want to leap from the window. But, everyone was very nice and it was a fun, if stressful (when it was your time), class.

We would have to write a story, submit it in copies. Then everyone got one and had to read it the night before class when it was your turn. That day, you'd read your story in class, then everyone would critique it, finally the Professor would and we went to the next person. You got the notes from everyone. My first story, was Andrew, about a boy who witnessed his parents death in a car accident and he became autistic. From there it got weird. I'm currently putting that story into an anthology of horror stories.

The class loved it. The Prof. hated it. For my second story, I told my girlfriend, Monica, whom I lived with (Monie, for short, Mon eee, not money, her mom was Monica, so she wasn't, just to keep them separate in conversations), that I was going to write a story the Prof. would love. So I did. Sarah, was the story, about an old woman with Alzheimer's. He was charmed. I had won him over. Then came time for the two extra stories on Final's Day. I was surprised and pleased I was one of those chosen. I had my grade by that time, so I told Monie, I was going to write a story that would spin his (The Prof.'s) head off. And I did.

He said, "I just don't know what to make of you, or your writings. You'll either do very well, or not very well at all." But he told me, that I didn't use dialog that well, or practically, at all, and so, he was sending me to the Theatre department for work in playwriting, because that, was all dialog and I would learn something. And so, I ended up in the Theatre Department.

And so...I showed up at the PAC at WWU campus with great anxiety and trepidation. We met in a small stage area downstairs. A few days into the class, I was there early, waiting in the main offices hallway, where the Professors have their offices. It was a busy day. There were students all over. I was standing there, watching some very strange happenings. I had to go to the rest room, so I headed in there, not a little concerned about what I might run into in there.

Sure enough, there was a guy at the mirror, talking to himself very passionately. I assumed he was practicing a speech, or some dialog or something. I went about my business, then back into the hallway. I sat on a bench. Another guy was there, as it turned out, it was Chris, whom I got to know well over that next year. We sat there, taking everything in. There were maybe ten students up and down the hall, doing their lines, reading their lines, whatever.

Then one guy, on my left, near the end of the hall, started saying: "I will take my power glove, and I will kill you." And he aimed it down the hallway. No one paid him any attention, except, one guy at the far end of the hallway who, reacted with his own fear and trepidation. The guy by me, aimed his fist at the guy down the hall and made sound effects as if he were shooting a power beam. I had to look at the other guy, as did Chris sitting next to me. The guy at the end of the hallway, reacted as if a power beam had indeed hit him, he flew up against the wall, in obvious pain, and started slipping down, muttering in pain and obvious dismay.

Chris turned and looked at me. We had spoken before and he knew I was from the Psych department, there to get a minor in writing. He smiled and said:

"So. We're pretty much the types you study about over in the Psych department, aren't we."

Not knowing what to say, and not really wanting to be rude, I said:

"Pretty much. But, I think, I like it!" Chris smiled. It was at that moment, that I felt a part of this department. My cousin Sheryl, had been into theatre in High School and her friends were great fun, though a little intimidating as they tended to be extroverts to my more introverted nature (which I've since kind of gotten over, mostly).

Eventually, my playwriting class turned into a special, year long screenwriting class I was chosen for, along with Chris who was sitting next to me, Mike who was shooting off his power glove, and the guy at the other end of the hallway. I'll talk about that at the noon blog today. All I can say, was that at that moment, sitting there with Chris, I was starting to wish I had been a theatre major.

Except, as was later exhibited in the playwriting class, I was a horrible actor.