October 22, 2008 by Matt Pierce.

Have you noticed lately that certain political signs are being torn down across town?  Most people in Temecula or even visiting Temecula, probably don’t pay much attention to the signs put up around election season.  Normally, I pay no attention either, but as I was walking around town today I noticed quite a few signs, most of them “no on prop. 8″ signs, torn down, bent to the ground, or otherwise hidden so that few people could see them.  I have never been so angry and disgusted about a political tactic in my life.  I understand that there are many people who don’t like the idea and are unhappy that they’ve tried and failed twice with this law before.  But to employ a disrespectful highly illegal tactic like taking down the signs that oppose your viewpoint?  That is wrong.

I’ve also noticed these annoying misleading phone messages that have been circulating around, much to my dismay.  If you’re going to call to tell me what a bill says, make sure you know more about it than I do.  The last call that I got (oddly enough, earlier this evening) said that homosexuals already have the same rights as married couples under the law (absolutely not true) and that this would not affect those rights.  Upon further review of the law itself, it would take away rights from the people who live that lifestyle.  And just to toss this out there, if they already have the same rights as married couples, why not continue to allow them to marry?  Will this cause you any physical or financial harm?  Answer: NO!


I suppose I’m more angry than not that this issue is even on the ballot.  Personally, I believe that we have evolved (socially) enough to where people could be tolerant of other people’s actions, even if they differ from what most would consider normal.  Granted, most of the people voting for this bill don’t believe in evolution at all, which could explain the primitive viewpoint of “they’re different, lets do everything we can to make it so they can’t be anything like us.”  I can see no real impact from them being allowed to marry, its not going to be taught in schools, its not going to effect their religious doctrine, so how exactly is this harmful?

I know that somebody is going to write in that this is “religious discrimination,” and really, no, it’s not.  This isn’t a matter of religion, its a matter of human rights, and who is this “moral majority” to tell them how to live their lives?  Sure, what they do is different, and if you don’t agree with it, DON’T PRACTICE IT!

Not to say that the opposition to their argument is innocent either, I’ve seen a few of the “yes on 8″ signs torn down as well.  Where has the respect and the freedom to campaign as freely as you wish gone in this country?  Why have political campaigns become nothing but insults and slander?  I suppose maybe I’m thinking a bit too grand here, but this is not how things are supposed to work in this country!  I understand fighting for a viewpoint in whatever way you can, and by all means, that is your legal right to do so.  But seriously, be respectful of the other side’s argument as not everyone else sees things the way that you do.

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October 22, 2008 by PT Rothschild.

Temecula, CA – On a night that would otherwise be ‘dead’ or for alcoholics only, being that it falls in-between ‘Hump Day’ and Friday, Thursday is usually a tough night for party-ers, even hardcore ones, I remember that from my ‘salad days’ or maybe I should say, ‘salad daze’. But this was not the case for the hot & wild out at Killarney’s last Thursday.

The reason? Master Splinter & The Shredders, the newest, most tubthumpin-est, ‘cover’ band to hit these stix. Fronted by Sal, one of the lead guitarists in the band Inverse and all-around ‘wotta guy’, the remaining members of MS&TS are Dark Haven/Outside View members, Nate (drums), Brennan (bass), and brother Ryan (lead guitar). Dark Haven, for long time readers you may recall, played the first ‘monster’ show at Madlins on a Friday the 13^th in August and ‘hot-boxed’ the place with the audience’s sweat and humidity. That same audience driving bottom-line is evident as you watch the crowd sweating to the oldies. But these ain’t your grandmother’s oldies or the ones you generally see cover bands sleepwalking through; you know, the ones Howdy Doody liked.


The oldies that MS&TS play are the ‘new’ oldies, with the noted exception maybe of some AC/DC. I watched an older couple in their 50’s grind rear to crouch as the boys onstage lit up the younger fans, song after song, and observed an even older woman keep edging up into the packed front stage area with her ‘beehive’ look as her husband, himself keeping the beat with his cowboy booted foot, would fetch her from the stage area each time he returned from the can and return her to the café table they shared. The bar was jumping and if you didn’t order in 5 seconds the bartender left you to take another drink order. I overheard one security say that this was an exceptional Thursday due to the band.

More than just playing songs the crowd could sing-along to, was the engaging repoire of Sal to the audience and the chemistry between him and the band. As mentioned earlier the addictive nature of DH’s music style sealed the deal. Catch the Master S. and his boys every 2^nd Thursday at Barley & Hops and other Thursdays when they are there, at Killarney’s, the latest young watering hole to realize that having new music bands, ‘scene’ bands as it were, even ones that play covers, is good business, especially in today’s tight economy. Also be sure and check out more new music at the newly remodeled Corner Pocket, in Murrieta. PS, these are free shows so be sure and tip your waitress and barkeep accordingly. Thank you!

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