Entries
Halloween, Harvest Festival, Samhain...Call It What You Will!
"OOOOOHHH...It's Halloween!" --King Diamond, from "Halloween" on FATAL PORTRAIT. Hey, folks...I'm back! On Saturday, we celebrate All Hallow's Eve, aka Halloween. This night is every kid's fantasy (dress up in a costume, get free stuff from your neighbors), every dentist's …
Time For CPS To Ring Another One Up...
"What is the difference between Child Protective Services and a Rottweiler?" "It's a lot easier to get your kids back from a Rottweiler!" --Melanie Miller-Johnston (my late wife), after a hearing in Family Court regarding her daughters (in CPS custody), …
Say What You Will About E-Books...Print's Never Gonna Die!
"Some forms of entertainment do not require batteries...or a college degree to operate!" --James B. Johnston (my uncle) One of my favorite pasttimes is to sit down with a good book, and read for hours--and pleasure! It's like visiting an …
Our Date With Hate!
"When you pray do not be like the hypocrites! They love to stand up and pray in the houses of worship and on the streetcorners, so that everyone will see them. I assure you, they have been paid in full. …
To Rebuild--Then See It Gone Forever!
"What a lie to say we're immortal! What a lie to sell me your pain! Where is God, now that I'm buried? Can't he stop this bloody game?" --Accept, from the title track of "Russian Roulette." October 19th, 1999-- I …
The Other Side Of California...Life In The San Joaquin Valley
"The More Of You That I Inspect...The More I See Reflect!" --Megadeth, from "Angry Again" I thought that, for a change of pace, I would let you in on a bit of my history. You see, I did not live …
Columbus--The Man, The Myth...The Mercenary!
"Iron will, Iron fist! How can it have come to this?" --Iron Maiden, from "The Mercenary" on BRAVE NEW WORLD. Today is the day known as Columbus Day (or Colombian Day, according to the stoner crowd at Lemoore High School). …
Like A Raindow In The Dark...
It was a horridly dark day... and yes, I was depressed. Bad news on the radio, pundits sniping at each other-- oh, when will they ever learn? Stepped out on my porch to get some fresh air... then I saw …
And Now, For Something A Bit Lighter...
"Jerry Reed...WHY DIDN"T YOU JUST LEARN HOW TO COOK?" --Jerry Reed, from "She Got The Goldmine (I Got The Shaft!). Back in the saddle, after a few days off...it's time for something lighter in nature... There was, at one time, …
The Ball Ended Yesterday For The Pads...
"One In Victory, One In Misery... But Only One Can Take It All!" --Rob Halford (with the band Halford), from "One Will" on CRUCIBLE As of yesterday, Major League Baseball's regular season now belongs to the ages. The day-after-tomorrow, The …
Today's The Day...Turn The Page.
"Here I Am...Turn The Page." --Bob Seger, from "Turn The Page" (covered by Metallica on "Garage Days Revisited") Just woke up about an hour ago. Popped open a Diet Pepsi, flipped on my Cricket Broadband, and made my way through …
A Few Musings Before My Birthday...
"Well, little, princess, think this party is the pits? Enjoy it while it lasts...we'll soon be blown to bits!" --Wierd Al Yankovic, from his version of "Happy Birthday To You." Monday, October 5th, marks a transition day. Lee "Hacksaw" Hamitton …
Some Musings On Our Fast-Food Culture...
"Billions And Billions Served! Only Thousands Actually Digested!" --from the now-defunct comic strip "Shoe" As I stated before, it's a very rare occurance that I go into a "fast-food" restaurant for a meal. I only will venture in if I …
Roman Polanski...Be Grateful You Were Not Extradited To Poland!
"I say we take that sword and give him the Bob Barker treatment...spay and neuter him!!" --Donkey (vox by Eddie Murphy) to Shrek (vox by Mike Myers), regarding Puss In Boots (vox by Antonio Banderas), from "Shrek II" Before I …
The Bolts And The Dolts...Do We Say Farewell To The NFL?
"You don't know what you got--'till it's gone!" --Cinderella (the hair band, not the Grimm heroine) As a fan of football (played flag football in both high school and inter-dorm in college), what I am seeing dismays me. The pro …
Wnen The EKG Goes Flatline...Was It Worth It?
"You're taking my life for your peace of mind? Well then LET'S GO...START THE SHOW!" --Accept, from the title track of "Death Row" There are three concepts, I have found, that will turn a person's passions beyond reason and logic...Abortion, …
Those That Cannot Do--Protest (or make cruddy movies)!
"JUST DO YOUR JOB, PENCIL-NECK--DON'T TRY TO TELL ME HOW TO DO MINE!" --Unnamed NYPD Captain to EPA weenie Conrad Peck (Alan Rickman), from "Ghostbusters" Folks, this will be one of my longer blog entries--so bear with me, OK? I …
The Silly Season Awaits Us...Again!
"Deck the halls with hunks of money--fa la la la la, la la la la! 'Tis the season to be greedy-fa lal la la la, la la BAH HUMBUG!" --from a December, 1974 issue of "Boy's Life." Christmas brings out …
Fanaticism, Zealotry--Cal It What You Will...
"Keep your hands off...Private Property!" --Judas Priest from "Private Property" on TURBO. In my travels, I often see what happens when the voices of fanatics and zealots run roughshod over softer voices...such as reason. From those whom are not too …
From The Way Folks Act Today...
"If you're gonna step up--you're gonna get knocked down!" --Drowning Pool, from "Step Up." You often wonder what would possess a person to act like a total boor on TV. Or, for that matter, in life itself. Honestly, when Kanye …