Saturday Evening set 8-10PM

Bugs Salcido- eclectic songwriter

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Harriet’s

Thursday, Oct 19 6 pm Jackie Young
 
Friday, Oct 20 Southern Rock with Biker Larry and The Black Rope! 7 pm
 
 
Saturday, Oct 21
4TH ANNUAL RUN FOR THE TROOPS- PALM SPRINGS Presented by Palm Springs H.O.G. Benefits The Marine Corp/Navy Relief Society. Ride to Pappy & Harriett’s Saloon in Pioneertown for raffle, live music, beer, drinks, and vendors. Run shirts available. $25/single, $35/couple. Ride starts at 8am arriving at Pappy’s around 11am! Biker Larry and Black Rope will be rockin’ the crowd inside and John Stanley King will play outside..
THEN…Pappy’s continues on with.. Kenneth Brian 7 pm
 This guy is the real deal. The last time he played Pappy’s, the crowd was in awe. Since moving to Nashville Kenneth has been bringing his talents back and forth to clubs across the country, into the studios of Music Row writing for Sony/ATV publishing, and Starring as Hank Williams Sr. in Hank Williams: Lost Highway at the Zachary Scott Theater in Austin, TX. His genuine authenticity and modern edge have attracted listeners from all over the world. Perhaps the biggest compliment to his career, Kenneth refuses to sacrifice himself, his morals, and what his music stands for: The preservation and charge forward of music that the hard working, fast living, and heartbroken can all relate to.
 
 
Sunday, Oct 22 Sunday Church 6 pm Pappy Hour presents The Thriftstore Allstars
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Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival, Oct. 21 & 22
 
The Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival is happening OCT 21 & 22. A rootsicana newgrassy folkadelic experience in the high desert. A benefit for local fire disaster relief.  Railroad Earth, Dave Alvin, Trampled by Turtles and many more. Check out the website for complete details.  www.joshuatreemusicfestival.com/rootshome.htm
 
The Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival BENEFIT COMPILATION is available now via the website. If you can’t make it to the festival, crave great music, and want to support the cause; then log on and buy a copy now. Amazing music. Some unrealeased. Some live. All good. Songs by Dave Alvin, Victoria Williams, Anne Mccue, Trampled by Turtles, Blue Turtle Seduction, the Ditty Bops, Greensky Bluegrass, Tim Easton, Tom Freund, Bingo Dream Band, Lewi Longmire, Thrift Store All Stars, Shadow Mt. Band,  Tishamingo, Alektorophobia (wally ingram & eric mcfadden), the Bluehouse and Ken Will Morton.  www.joshuatreemusicfestival.com/rootshome.htm
 
The Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival SILENT ART AUCTION to be held Friday, OCT 20, at the festival site. Phenomenal artists such as Ed Moses, Andrea Zittel, Bobby Furst, James Hayward, Alma Allen, Lou Beach and more. 28 in all. Full event details can be found at:  www.joshuatreemusicfestival.com/rootshome.htm
 
thanks, Steve, for spreading the good word!
 
all my best,
 
Barnett English www.javagogo.com  www.joshuatreemusicfestival.com
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70th Annual Pioneer Days Festival October 19-22, 2006 Luckie Park (Utah Trail and Joe Davis Drive), 29 Palms, 92277
 
The 70th Annual Pioneer Days, held this October 19-22, will feature some of the hottest musical talent from around Southern California, according to volunteer entertainment coordinator, Steve Brown.  Brown, the publisher of The Sun Runner Magazine, based in Twentynine Palms, says this year’s music lineup on Friday, October 20, and Saturday, October 21, will be the best live music show the community has had presented in years.
 
Bands range from hardcore country rock from Friday night’s headliners, The Dead Rebels, to the bluesy pop rock of the John Pieplow Band, headlining Saturday night.  Two hours of music especially for children are scheduled from noon until 2 p.m. on Saturday, with everything from noir rock, roots rock, bluegrass and cabaret mixed into the schedule for good measure.
 
“We’ve got artists like Ebony Burks who has written songs for people like Toni Braxton and Whitney Houston,” Brown continued.  “She’s incredible.  She’s gritty and real, from the street, but with class.  We’ve got emith, whose guitarist Stevie Gurr has played with Dr. John and Elvin Bishop, and Michael Harris – some of his band members have played with Sergio Mendez’s band, Jean Luc Ponty, Billy Preston, Steve Vai, Anne McCue the Sin City All-Stars and Agent Orange.  Pieplow has played gigs with bands like Huey Lewis and the News, Chicago, Earth, Wind and Fire, Christopher Cross and Maria Muldaur, while The Dead Rebels has had their music picked for MTV and VH1 shows.
 
“And that’s not to slight the local acts who will be performing either,” Brown added.  “If you haven’t seen The Frenetic Cabaret of Really Shooo and The Really Shooo Kid’s Review, Judy Van-Ruggles, Sand Creek, the Burley Thistles, Shawn Mafia and the Ten Cent Thrills, the Barking Pupfish and There Be Pirates!, then this is an ideal time to see some of the best music our area has to offer.  And we can’t forget City Fritter – a band that’s based in the Topanga Canyon, but spends a lot of time out in the desert.  They’ve had one of their songs picked up for a movie soundtrack recently.”
 
One of the reasons why so many musicians from around Southern California were willing to make the trip to perform in Twentynine Palms is the fact that they want to show their support for our troops, and make new fans in the process, Brown said.  The Dead Rebels joined Cher in Operation Helmet to provide better head protection for our troops.  They’re really excited about being able to perform for our Marines stationed out here.”
 
There Be Pirates!, a pirate jam band led by Shanghai Brown (AKA: Steve Brown), is asking people to come to their Pioneer Days performance at 8 p.m. Saturday, October 21, dressed like a pirate.  Members of the nation’s leading pirate re-enactment group, the Port Royal Privateers, who are often recruited for TV and movie work whenever pirates are called for, may be in attendance that evening.  There Be Pirates! has been invited to perform at the Port Royal Privateers’ annual party this year.  Come dressed like a pirate, dance like a pirate, and you may take home a little booty!  There will be treats for those who don piratical garb for the evening, and Navy personnel are especially welcome to sing along.
 
Bands with CDs will have them available for sale at The Sun Runner booth near the stage.  The musicians will be available to sign CDs and meet with the audience.  The festival beer garden will be nearby.  Live music runs from early evening to midnight on Friday, October 20, and from noon until midnight on Saturday, October 21, at the Luckie Park stage (just off Utah Trail), in Twentynine Palms.
 
Michelle Michaels of KX 96 FM and Upwardly Mobile will be hosting lively karaoke contests with prizes on Thursday, October 19, from 4 to 10 p.m., and again on Sunday, October 22, from noon to 6 p.m.  Special guest emcees will include Sun Runner music columnist, Judy Wishart and KQ92’s Verb.
Steve Brown -Publisher/Executive Editor The Sun Runner
The Magazine of California Desert Life & Culture
(760) 367-6410
6847 Adobe Road
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
www.thesunrunner.com
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RAB

myspace.com/rojerarnoldband
go ahead and listen to Smalltown Blues EP on us! drop us a line.
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Radio 60 upcoming schedule.. Friday, October 20th, Duke’s Steakhouse, 360 N. San Jacinto Avenue, Hemet, Ca., 92544, 951-929-7060, 9pm-1am…Saturday, October 21st, Cahuilla Creek Casino, 52-702 Hwy #371, Anza, Ca., 92539, 951-763-1200, 9pm-1am… Sunday, October 22nd, Festival of the Waters, 10805 Palm Drive, Desert Hot Springs, Ca., 92240, 760-329-6403, 3:30pm-4:30pm, Desert Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce Event…
….Call Greg Veach for info and bookings at 760-831-9805…
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Dear Steve,
 
This week’s “UNPLUGGED” will feature Laurie Steele from KOMP Radio hosting the show along with Michael Soli. Here is the lineup:
 
Dylan Moses - Dylan was the first person to kick off UNPLUGGED back on January 19th - we’re happy to have him back on the show
 
Frankie Moreno - a local legend and a nut on stage, don’t miss Frankie do this thing
 
Solidify - heavy-rock band kicking an acoustic set for Unplugged, a real treat for their fans
 
“UNPLUGGED” is FREE and ALL-AGES and runs from 9 p.m. to Midnight inside Crossroads at the House of Blues in Las Vegas. Great food, drink specials and awesome original music every Thursday night. For more info, call 702-632-7607 or visit: www.myspace.com/lvhouseofblues or www.hob.com
 
SUPPORT ORIGINAL MUSIC ALWAYS, Michael Soli
http://www.michaelsoli.com
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Howdy Fritterfriends and Fritterfans-
 
We’re headed back to the desert this weekend for a couple of great gigs-
 
Saturday 10/21 9PM Luckie Park
29 Palms, CA 70th Annual Pioneer Days
Great music, a carnival, food, games- all American fun! http://www.29chamber.com
 
Sunday 10/22 We’ll be enjoying The Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival Joshua Tree Lake Campground We don’t have a set time, but we’ll be jammin’ and hanging out-Anne McCue, Tom Freund, Tim Easton http://www.joshuatreemusicfestival.com
 
Woo-wee! So much music and magic in the air! Peace, Jewels and Johnny PS…We’re on iTunes!
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=192506646
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Hi all, Wow!  We can’t express enough how thankful we are to you for making this year’s “O Berkley, Where Hart Thou?” show such a success!  Thanks also to the media outlets who helped us get the word out and to the talented musicians and dedicated volunteers who helped us pull it all together.  And stay tuned for next year’s installment!
 
In the meantime, come on out to a house concert this weekend.  This house concert is one we’ve been doing now for four years or so and it’s always a great time.  Make your reservations now and hope to see you there!
 
Saturday, October 21, 2006 Berkley Hart West house concert Ocean Beach, CA
8 pm for info & reservations contact: Sally for more information on everything: berkleyhart.com buy CD’s at: cdbaby.com/all/berkleyhart contact: lizzie@berkleyhart.com be our friend: myspace.com/berkleyhart

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Hi Steve,
 
You might know about this, but if not…There’s a benefit for Wally Ingram taking place November 8 at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. http://www.thecoachhouse.com/ WALLY INGRAM BENEFIT Feat. DAVID LINDLEY / COMMON SENSE / MISSLES OF OCTOBER / WORLD ANTHEM
 
Barbara
 
(more about it in the ‘comments”)
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Nothin’ like the desert in the Fall:
 
Janet Robin & mini band (& more) Sat. November 11, 8pm (2 hour set) Water Canyon Coffee Company
55844 29 Palms Highway Yucca Valley, CA. (Joshua Tree area)
760.365.7771
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Good stuff happening as always Steve…please inform the good folks that the Marsh Mellow Stone Band will be performing once again at DiPiazzas on PCH in Long Beach (about 1 mi north of 7th) on Friday October 27th 7-9 PM.
 
Check out our website for more info…www.marshmellowstoneband.com 
 
thanks…Michael of Slick Trick & Marsh Mellow Stone
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My Dear Fellow Human Beans It was great to see  so many friends and fiends at The Roxy. Since then I have been playing over on the East side of America and I got to play a show with Tony Joe White in Nashville and I jammed with Charlie Musselwhite in Kentucky! I am happy to be returning to the Wild West with these shows:
 
Wednesday October 18th 8pm LARGO special guests The Mojo Monkeys
432 N. Fairfax L.A. 90036 $10 ph. 323 852 1073 http://www.largo-la.com/largohome.html We get to play a full set!!!!
 
Friday October 20th 8pm Malibu Arts Center w/ Lucinda Williams
23825 Stuart Ranch Rd. Malibu, California 90265 $75, $60, $50 http://upcoming.org/event/109957/
 
Sunday October 22nd Afternoon JoshuaTree Music Festival http://www.joshuatreemusicfestival.com/jtmf.htm
 
As they say in Ireland - ‘May the road rise to meet you’ - I guess that would make it easier to walk????
 
See you soon Anne McCue Of The Clan McCue
 
If you request ‘Driving Down Alvarado’ on indie 103.1 you can win $103! http://www.indie1031.com/requests/request.php
 
WASHINGTON POST http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/28/AR2006092801725.html
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RANDY WEEKS
 
FRI OCT 13 SOLO ACOUSTIC TEXAS TEA AND COFFEE MCGREGOR TX
8:30
 
SAT OCT 14 W/BAND UNDER THE VOLCANO HOUSTON TX
7:00-10:00
 
SAT OCT 14 APPEARING ON LONESTAR JUKEBOX KPFT HOUSTON BETWEEN 9:00-NOON
 
http://randyweeks.com
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Tom Freund
 
Saturday 10/21 @ 8:00 PM  - Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival
 
11/04 @ 9:00 PM  - Red Room
1903 S St Marys St , San Antonio, TX 78210-1637 w/ Marcus Rubio 1903 S St Marys St San Antonio , TX 78210-1637 Phone: (210) 218-3442 E-Mail: www.redroomsa.com
 
11/07 @ 8:00 PM  - Cactus Cafe http://www.utexas.edu/student/txunion/ae/cactus/, Austin, TX 73301 with abra moore
 
11/11 @ 8:00 PM  - Bend Studio , Dallas, TX 75201 with Jon Dee Graham www.bendstudio.com
 
http://www.tomfreund.com  http://www.myspace.com/tomfreundmusic
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REALLYSHOOO OCTOBER LINEUP GREENFEST
10/14 1-2 PM PIONEER DAYS 10/20 6 PM The Frenetic Cabaret & The Passing Parade (guest players)
10/21 1 PM The REALLYSHOOO Kids Review -participation encouraged
10/21 8 PM with our alter ego’s THERE BE PIRATES!
THE JOSHUA TREE ROOTS MUSIC FEST 10/21 3:30-4:30  
R.S.KIDS REVIEW
THE WATER CANYON 10/27 The non-Frenetic Friday Folk Night REALLYSHOOO’S
7-9 come on in after the GATHERING OF ARTISTS OPENING PARTY FOR THE MBCAC and help celebrate E Shooo’s birthday.
Peace on Earth and Understanding through Music
Ellen and Billy/REALLYSHOOO
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MAFIA HITS MORONGO BASIN

Described by the Sun Runner Magazine as the “poet laureate of the desert’s scarred underbelly”, Mafia will be debuting his stripped down solo act, THE SHAWN MAFIA SINSATIONAL ACOUSTIC SIDESHOW! Friday, October 13, 2006 from 7 to 9 PM at The Water Canyon Coffee Company in Yucca Valley, CA. Admission is free. Later in the month Mafia will be bringing his backing ensemble, The Ten Cent Thrills, to the 70th annual Pioneer Days in 29 Palms, CA, for a full band experience guaranteed “to grow you three day stubble and a whole lot of inebriated trouble!” Shawn Mafia & The Ten Cent Thrills will appear as a head lining act on the Pioneer Days stage Friday, October 20, 2006 at 9 P.M., followed by southern rock hardcores, The Dead Rebels from Los Angeles, CA. For more information on Shawn Mafia’s music and performances visit www.shawnmafia.com.
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Alice Stuart & The Formerlys P.O. Box 4194 Tumwater, WA  98501
 
I will be traveling alone to Alaska in October and playing with a wonderful band that my friend, Patti Greene, has put together for this occasion.  So, it’ll be “Alice & The Imposters”  in Anchorage & Kodiak.
 
October 19-21st:  $15, Blues Central in Anchorage, AK 9:30 pm.  Thursday night is non-smoking.  Phone:  907-272-1341
 
October 27th & 28th: Rendezvous in Kodiak:  9:30pm Call for ticket prices:  907-487-2233
 
We want to thank Tom Branson for the great review he posted on his website for our “Live at the Triple Door” CD  http://www.bluesrockers.ws/alicestuart.html
 
Brenna Davenport-Leigh, Marketing, Publicity, Artist Development (hellbender@comcast.net) Jim Gaines (www.bessyblu.com) Alice Stuart (www.alicestuart.com)
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Beatnik - Visit www.jtbeat.com

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Kokopelli’s Go to www.myspace.com/kokopelliskantina 369-6660

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The West Coast Rhythm & Blues Summit

For Immediate Release: For two nights, October 27th and 28th, 2006, The Highway 99 Blues Club in Seattle will become the scene of what amounts to a classic Rhythm & Blues revue. It’s a triple bill, starring Johnny Nocturne (John Firmin), who the San Francisco Jazz Festival called “The Big Daddy of retro jump-blues tenor saxophone”. The show also stars Miss Dee, long time vocalist with the legendary Johnny Otis Show. Miss Dee is the vocalist on the Johnny Nocturne Band CD “Blues Volume”. This portion of the show also highlights Nocturne keyboard man, Henry Salvia.
 
The R&B Summit also includes The Crossroads Band, the Washington Blues Society’s “Best Band” of 2005. Crossroads is a five piece group of seasoned veterans. The Tacoma Weekly said about the band’s new CD “In case you have never seen them play yet, this record makes you want to change this fact as fast as you can.” Special guests are The Three J’s, Alaska reunion band, consisting of John Firmin (aka Johnny Nocturne), John Stephan (John Stephan Band), and John Lee (The Crossroads Band). Describing the Three J’s self-titled CD, Misty Blue, Canadian radio show host, said “Alaska sure can rock the blues!” Henry Salvia who plays on the 3J’s CD, joins the band. Master of Ceremonies for the show will be Rock and Roll Hall of Fame disc jockey, Jimmy “Early” Byrd. “Early” Byrd is the first African-American disc jockey elected to the Hall. The other DJ’s in the Hall of Fame are Alan Freed, Wolfman Jack and Dick Clark.
 
Where: The Highway 99 Blues Club-1414 Alaskan Way, Seattle, Wa.
206-382-2171 When: Friday October 27th and Saturday October 28th 2006 - 8:45pm Cover: $15.00 http://www.johnnynocturne.com/ http://www.crossroadsblues.net/ http://cdbaby.com/cd/3js http://www.johnstephanband.com/ http://www.earlybyrd.com/ For additional information call 206-517-7864

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A DIFFERENT KIND OF MUSIC - EXTREMELY WORTHWHILE EVENTS
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The Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival SILENT ART AUCTION to be held Friday, OCT 20, at the festival site. Phenomenal artists such as Ed Moses, Andrea Zittel, Bobby Furst, James Hayward, Alma Allen, Lou Beach and more. 28 in all. Full event details can be found at:  www.joshuatreemusicfestival.com/rootshome.htm
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At the JT Playhouse- I heard it was excellent!
“Bullshot Crummond,” a comedy-mystery spoof based on the World War One British military hero, “Bulldog Drummond.”  The show is directed and acted by the playwright, himself, Ron House, recreating his original role in a film produced by the late Beetle George Harrison, as well as, in the productions on Broadway, New York, London, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and now…Joshua Tree!
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The much-anticipated presentation of Hotel Virginia, Jack Fitzgerald’s timely and remarkable tale of six American Tourists caught up in a Central American revolution, has opened at Groves Cabin Theatre in Morongo Valley to full houses of delighted theatergoers. The production will be performed Saturdays at 8:00 PM, and Sundays at 2:30 PM, through October 22. (details in ‘announcements’)
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JAMS Announcements-

NOW POSTED AS AN ATTACHMENT FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE

(And mine)
*note, since our attachments editor, Al, doesn’t stay up as late as I do, we will have to cut off announcements for the week at noon on Tuesday.
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comments
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Hello Everyone,
 
Enclosed is the invitation (attached) for the benefit for Wally.  Please RSVP as soon as possible.  Information for tickets is included on the attached invitation.
 
Hope to see you there!
 
Mike and Deanna
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Hi Steve,
 
I would like to sponsor someone in the area to attend the Wally Ingram Benefit to be held November 8th at the Coach House.  I’ve contacted the Coach House about this and as soon as I get a name I can follow through. http://www.thecoachhouse.com/
 
I can only afford one ticket.  If you’d like to post this to your email list it might stimulate some tickets sales and raise awareness of the event.  You can have folks contact me at b_b_98103@yahoo.com .  If you’d like you can then list the person going later on your list.
 
It’s a major gripe of mine that musicians have such a tough time when it comes to health care.
 
I hope all is well with you, Steve.
 
Best, Barbara
 
WALLY INGRAM BENEFIT Feat. DAVID LINDLEY / COMMON SENSE / MISSLES OF OCTOBER / WORLD ANTHEM
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Steve,
 
Thanks!  I see you’re in touch with Alice Stuart.  I’ll be setting up some shows with her and a guy name of Larry Hosford up here in the PNW via my non profit.  Here’s something Alice sent me: “…I have also been given the great opportunity to be a part of the upcoming Byrds Tribute album along with Tom Petty, Pure Prairie League, Poco, Jackie DeShannon and a host of other notables.  I am doing “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” and it will be on our CD, too. The accompanying publicity for the. Tribute album should help the sales of our CD as well…” .You can check out Larry here: http://www.larryhosford.com/
 
I’m sure you’re very busy, I know I am, but I’d really like to know more about the mailing list software, Steve.  Our mailing list has become a real source of information and inspiration around the region, getting bigger, both via region and via numbers all the time.  Like you, I’m frustrated by the bcc function and by the learning curve.
 
I’ve been “at my list” for about two years now and I’ve really seen it a unifying force within our community.  It is a lot of work, but well worth the effort.  So I’m hoping you can maintain yours as I am now looking to it as a source for what’s happening down there in JT.
 
Also, I’d be glad to add you to the MCR list if you’d like.  Judy Wishart, Jon McKinney, and John Boyd now are on it.
 
If you know folks heading up Seattle way feel free to pass them along my way and I’ll help them anyway I can.
 
Very best to you, Steve! Barbara
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Barbara-
 
Thanks for the info. I don’t see Alice very often since I don’t do the recording at the Strawberry anymore, but she’s a favorite of mine.
 
Please do put me on your list.
 
Several of my sons (I have 5) live in Eugene and would probably like to play up there. I’ll send them the list to see if they want to get on it too.
 
stev0
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Just a lot of camaraderie and fun and carnival atmosphere.  Come down the midway….see the bearded lady, buy the ointment, hear the barkers and have some fun!  OK OK, I’m the closest thing to a bearded lady….but I’m only on at NOON on the 21st in 29 Palms at Luckie Park.  “She walks, she talks, she crawls on her belly like a reptile.” ….to quote P.T. Barnum
Judy Van-Ruggles
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The Tuesday Light meeting:
 
can anybody please tell me why didier was the only face i recognized tonight, to witness my new hero judy van ruggles playing her banjo to a room full of pro-business plants, at the town meeting where yucca valley sold our night sky to the highest bidder (citizen phelps)? disgraceful. actions speak louder than words, indeed. Ted
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(Attached) is the parody I sang last night at the Commission and ordinance meeting.  They were so shook after I sang it (surprised more than anything) they took my comment and read my name again….I said “I can sing it again if you don’t remember.”  People booed.  I wonder why?  DUH….mostly PRO LIGHT POLLUTION.  Demographics were probably renters and transients and construction folks who are working for and with the project….you think? Judy
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Your email does not look like good news.  I had heard that there were many who support preserving our nights’ beauty at a previous meeting–one at which no Phelps representatives were present. Was this the City Council or the Planning Commission?  Who, specifically, voted what on what?  I hope they haven’t simply chosen to ignore the lighting regulations to allow this incredible eyesore, and if so, I hope that many (if not most) of our community let Phelps know that they will not do business with them, that they will invite their friends to join them in their boycott, and perhaps even actively campaign toward influencing others in our community to also join in the boycott for as long as Phelps continues to disrespect and disregard their neighbors by needlessly polluting our beautiful night skies with excessive light–hell, I’ll gladly carry a picket sign.
 
….If, indeed, our town is choosing to overlook protecting our clear night skies, I certainly hope the community makes its voice loudly heard by writing letters, sending emails, and making phone calls of protest; by voting out any and all of those who have voted to approve such unnecessary destruction of beauty, and by boycotting the offending business itself.  And yet, perhaps our community has given voice…perhaps those who don’t care are many and those of us that give a damn are really relatively few.  One could certainly assume so by the level of consciousness displayed in so many of the letters to the editor in our local newspapers, by the results of their polls (an amazing number of our neighbors apparently think that torture is A-OK…just ginger peachy), and by our communities’ choices of political candidates to represent us (hopefully the currently active investigation into his potential corruption and wrongdoings will bring Jerry Lewis down from Capitol Hill, the freakin’ voters here never will)…a society that will impeach a president for lying about a blow-job that was essentially no one’s business outside his immediate family, while overlooking another’s multiple lies that have resulted in the death and injury of hundreds of thousands of innocent human beings and the reduction of America’s image in the eyes of the world to an historical all-time low.  Unfortunately, those of us who disapprove of such behavior are required to live with the consequences that this so very unenlightened power structure creates–the death and destruction, the corruption and cronyism, the disgraceful state of our health care, the destruction of our economy, the ballooning of our deficit, the rape of our environment, the pollution, the harmful chemicals and genetically altered food, and, alas, also the obscuring of the beauty and grandeur of our night skies (which will compliment the unnecessary and unlawful-but-condoned local clear cutting of our native vegetation).   It doesn’t seem to me to be very difficult for one to simply notice what a piss-poor job is being done overall?
 
As the saying goes, “It’s a great life if you don’t weaken.”  Well, frankly, I’m weakening.  I used to feel somewhat sorry for such decisions…and the deciders, but more and more, I just plain hate ‘em.  I hope the people of our towns, the Morongo Basin as a whole, our county, our state, and our country will soon wake up to how very poorly they are being represented, and “throw the bums out.”
~Sam
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(Speaking about ‘throw the bums out’- Ron Thomason is the leader of the Dry Branch Fire Squad- one of my very favorite bands in the world- here’s a note from him)
 
Humorous Anecdotes:  Fifth Installment
 
It’s been a while.  I feel compelled by the fact that election day is exactly three weeks away.  And that ain’t funny!
 
I know humor is supposed to be one component of satire.  But lately I’ve been feeling bitter, which for a long time I mistakenly thought meant unfunny.
 
Then I thought of the great Greek satirist, Juvenal.  I never could see any humor in anything he wrote. I kept that fact a secret thinking that I was “missing the joke” somehow (and now my old Satire prof will most likely read this and see the true level of my ignorance). I couldn’t see how anyone could call Juvenal a satirist at all.  He just seemed bitter, ignorant, and wrong-headed to me.  He was the most dedicated of misogynists, cruelly and hatefully so.
 
But finally it hit me.  In his time that was funny.  How could it be otherwise in a  culture which was not only ruled by men, idolized the male form, and practically worshipped at the alter of warriors and (male) athletes.  Of course, deriding women was not spiteful, nor small minded, nor lacking in class and knowledge; it was simply funny.  I suppose that our modern version of that kind of humor would not be the kind that’s racist or sexist or culturist, it would be more like the kind that aims jokes at the handicapped, disenfranchised, hungry, lame, infected, or otherwise suffering—assuming that in this modern world we have an equivalent to Juvenal where the mere word woman could inspire laughter.
 
Well, I needed that.  First it helped me understand my anger and bitterness, because as sure as I believe anything in this world it is that women are just plain better than men.  And secondly because I have some words which I think are just plain funny in light of the world in which we live.
 
Contract with America.  The terror level is orange.  “I promise to uphold the Constitution of the United States…….”  You are safer now.  Moral majority.  Mission accomplished.  “They will greet us as liberators.”  Oil will pay for this war.  Fiscal conservative.  Liberal media.
 
All my life I have believed that good people run for office.  I thought that it took a “good” person to want to do public service.  I have said from the stage before every national election that in every case I believe that two (or more) good people are vying for (an) office.  That may still be true, but it is no longer enough.
 
I know that I write with a conservative bent.  I’m so conservative that I’ve often been called liberal.  I “liked” Ike.  I voted for Goldwater.  I almost voted for Bush, the first, but my gut told me that Clinton was even more conservative, and my gut turned out to be right.  Bearing in mind that I admit to this hard-core, patriotic, and religious leaning; here’s what I’ve got to say about the upcoming election:
 
THROW THE BUMS OUT!!!!!
 
Our government has become dysfunctional.  We are now governed entirely by people who call themselves conservative and in calling themselves that they lie.  What have they conserved?  I ask this not rhetorically; I ask because when I think of the question myself trying somehow to find some hope in the path our country is on, the answers always come to me in the negative.  What have “they” conserved–they being:    1. the Congress which came to power on the promise of a “contract with America”—you remember the “conservative details”,  2. the Supreme Court—supposedly appointed by “conservatives” with assumptions like maintaining states rights and preserving individual rights, and 3. the President, who among other things having been attacked on 9/11 by 17 Saudis decided to attack Iraq, pretty much like if the cat scratched me I would kick the dog.  Not the Fourth Amendment.  Not the Geneva Convention.  Not the budget surplus.  Not our lands.  Not the integrity of our borders.  Not the first Amendment.  Not the writ for which every American soldier in history has fought to defend, Habeas Corpus.  Not our infrastructure.  Not our long-time allies.  Not the moral high ground (as we are now among the world’s torturers).  Not our good credit.  Not our national treasury or our Social Security.  Not our even our less than admirable system of education.
 
We American citizens are not even permitted by our elected representatives to see on TV or in our newspapers or our magazines the flag-draped coffins of our dead service men and women.  We are not even permitted to honor them with that small recognition for their great sacrifices.  And that, more than anything, is our own fault.  What should we have expected from those who never served and yet called those who did like Max Cleland and John Kerry cowards!  How can we stand ourselves knowing that when our dead are brought back to our shores the parents, spouses, and loved ones of those fallen will see the flag-draped coffins alone?  How can we not share their pain in so far as our poor power to do so exists?  It is, I believe, intolerable.
 
Furthermore, I for one am sick and tired of being treated like a fool and a coward.  Our own government has now admitted that the machines in airports can’t detect if we have explosives in our shoes.  Yet every week when I fly out to jobs I dutifully walk bare footed through the “security” (oops, there’s another funny word) gate or else be denied access to the plane.  I listen to the announcement which tells what “color” indicates the nature of our guardedness.  But the most discouraging thing is that I watch on TV as countless, rude folks who call themselves conservative whine consistently about the “liberal media” and in the same breath report on the rape of our Bill of Rights, defend the fact that we finance tax cuts with loans from China, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and other countries as if we’re too cheap, or too poor, or too irresponsible to pay our own bills; and then they tell us that this is all for our own safety as if we’ve become a nation of cowards willing to sacrifice the principles and rights we have embraced and defended for over 200 years rather than accept the risks which go along with being “free” as we have always done before.
 
I blame no one but myself and others like me who have failed to CONSERVE our American beliefs, properties, rights, and tolerances.  And I don’t know if it’s humor or not, but that does thrust a little chuckle up in my chest.
 
But when I want a belly laugh I just conjure up an image of our dysfunctional government which seems to have sunk to lows on a plain with that of the Civil War re-construction era.  I try to think of them doing just one thing; that is, any one of the goobs doing just one thing—conducting one hearing, writing (or signing) one bill, rendering one decision that is not something that addresses a problem caused by their own incompetence, malfeasance, or criminality, and I can no longer envision that.
 
Try it.
 
The plain fact is, folks, that our military, our local constabulary, and a few of our state officials are the only government people getting us through right now.  And for their part the service men and women on the front lines are doing it with targets on their backs, having been given no “rules of engagement” or even a definition of what “winning” means.
 
Yes, I say, “Throw the bums out” because the very image of the maladroit, ne’er-do-well, under-clod, nimnals tumbling down the hallowed steps with shocked looks on their bloated faces is the only funny thought I can conjure up.
 
There was a time when it could be safely said that a majority of Americans deplored bullies, self-righteousness, arrogance, cowardice, dissembling, prejudice, sanctimony, and lawlessness.  Speaking of a good laugh, wouldn’t it be funny if someone years hence read that last sentence and thought that it was funny.
 
 
 
Ron Thomason
 
Oct. 17, ‘06
 
p.s.  I supposed there’s a couple of places above where I should have inserted an IMHO.  Copy this one—IMHO—and go wild.  I meant to do it myself but I’m working on my absentee ballot.
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“Spirituality is our relationship with the Divine. Religion is crowd control.”
Swami Beyondananda