SECTION THIRTEEN
EMAIL PAGE ONE

sm
COLUMN 108, AUGUST 1, 2004
(Copyright © 2004 The Blacklisted Journalist) 

FROM ALLAN WINANS: EUGENE RUGGLES DIES AT 68

Subject: IT'S WITH GREAT SADNESS THAT I REPORT THAT...
Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2004 07:14:55 -0700
From: ad1936@juno.com 
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com 

Eugene Ruggles, a fellow poet friend, and post-Beat North Beach activist died yesterday at the age of 68. Gene was known for his "deep image" verse and for organizing San Francisco poetry readings and benefits.

Born in Pontiac, Michigan, he came to San Francisco in the early 1960s and became a regular in North Beach bars and cafes. His work appeared in numerous literary journals, and his book (Lifeguard in the Snow) published in 1977 by the University of Pittsburg Press, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize."

Ruggles was a frequent contributor to Second Coming and in the 70s I published a postcard poem of his:

NIGHT VISIT

Something flew into my eye
just now as I walked into the fields,
the star bones protrude overhead
through the night,
it is caught under my eyelid
like a tiny wheel
burying itself
deeper
until the movement stops,
I'm taking it with me
as the waters form
around it,
it is dying
upon an eyeball
what a strange enemy
and grave I must be
to this thing
that has flown into me,
trading its sight
for mine...
beneath us
the last crowds gazing upward
begin to disperse as the night dies,
the wings
move back from their balcony.  ##


* * *

MORE SAD NEWS FROM ALLAN WINANS

Subject: Fw: AD, this is very urgent!
Date: Sun, 13 Jun 2004 20:16:06 -0700
From: ad1936@juno.com 
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com 

I'm sending this by blind copy to those of you who might have or did know Catfish. Sad news. 

Subject: My husband
Date: Sun, 13 Jun 2004 19:17:41 EDT
From: Catmex777@aol.com 
To: meow@pinkanarchkittypress.com 

Debbie, My husband, Steven (Catfish) killed himself on June 9th. I've returned mail to Alan Catlin, Wilma McDaniel, and the Bukowski Review. Spread the news if you want. My daughter and I will take his ashes to Mexico, to be buried with my parents. 

Thank you  ##

* * *

CAROLYN CASSADY IS COMING!

Subject: Fwd: Carolyn Cassady's coming - be sure to tell your friends!
Date: Fri, 25 Jun 2004 18:21:59 EDT
From: Amlegends@aol.com 
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com 

our friend jerry cirmino of the beatmuseum put together this interview with carolyn--she says some amazing things about neal--a must for all cassady fans. ron 

Subject: Carolyn Cassady's coming - be sure to tell your friends!
Date: Fri, 25 Jun 2004 02:44:13 -0400 (EDT)
From: The Beat Museum info@kerouac.com 
To: amlegends@aol.com 

Hello everyone,

I expect to send out the questions you asked Carolyn along with her answers this weekend. In the meantime I want to give you a "heads-up" and allow you the opportunity to tell your friends that they can sign up to get this memorable Newsletter by simply clicking this link: 

http://www.kerouac.com/cgi-local/mail.cgi 

Please forward this to the people you know and love who may have an interest.

Thanks!

Jerry  ##

* * *

HAIL MARGIE HENDRICKS!

Subject: Ray Charles
Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2004 19:07:54 +0100
From: "Andrew Hill" ah2002@blueyonder.co.uk 
To: "al aronowitz" info@blacklistedjournalist.com 

'still, listening to this CD, The Best of Ray Charles: The Atlantic Years---I?m struck by the same thunderbolts that electrified me years ago. Especially when (Night Time Is) The Right Time reaches out from the speakers to
grab me with the delightfully shrill voice of that little keg of dynamite of a singer---Margie Hendricks--- screaming: "Baay-by, Baay-be!" Margie not only was the leader of the Raelettes---Ray's chick backup singer ---but she also overpowered the other Raelettes."

That's my favourite bit too?been wanting to know who she was for ages. 

You can find the longer version of What I'd Say on "Birth of Soul Vol2 (I think)? on Kent records.

Best, Andrew  ##

* * *

DID BOB CASS CALL HIMSELF RAINY STREETS?

Subject: Bob Cass
Date: Fri, 21 May 2004 10:42:35 -0700
From: "Anelle Kloski" akloski@jps.net 
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com 

I found your interview with Bob Cass on the web today. I knew the Cass family in New Orleans in 1955 and then later in 1960. We were living in the Quarter, and when my husband couldn't find a job, I took one with the New Orleans Crime Commission. I needed to help support my family, but when I told the Casses about the job, they never spoke to me again. I only lasted at the Crime Commission for about a month, but that was enough. I recently printed some old film I had from that time and I have some pictures of his wife and kids and I think one of him. Did your column say his son was named Jim? I don't think that was what he was called then. I think at the time Bob called himself Rainy Streets? Anyway, I was interested to read about him. But some of the things he said sounded a bit different than he told things then. Is he still living in New Orleans?

Anelle, in California  ##

* * *

BEAR SAYS REAGAN FUCKED UP ON RUSSIA

Subject: Re: [AGALIST] COLUMN 106
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2004 13:43:03 +1000
From: Bear bear@thebear.org 
To: AGALIST-owner@yahoogroups.com 

Funny thing is, not only did Reagan NOT cause the USSR to collapse, he may have delayed it. The thing is, if it had gone though its own rite of passage instead of ruining its economy in a hopeless arms race, something it was already into when RR came to office, it would not be the bankrupt, corrupt and very heavily nuke-armed and dangerous place it is today. In addition, the US would not today be so top heavy in military might that it needs to constantly find new ways to destroy people and places- and use the rapidly obsolescent armaments it has in fulsome quantity.

Cheers,
Bear
http://www.thebear.org  ##

* * *

SHOULD TEACHERS BE ARMED?

Subject: (no subject)
Date: Sun, 16 May 2004 18:10:09 EDT
From: CLIFFFAM5@aol.com 
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com 

Hello my name is Ricky Clifford and I saw an article you did on the subject should teachers be armed. And for a project in my school i am debating about the same topic and i wanted to ask you a few questions about this topic

1. Do you think schools would be more safer if teachers were armed with guns?

2. Do you think kids would be distracted if teachers were armed?

3. Should teachers be armed?

4. As a parent or if you were a parent would you want your kid going to school filled with guns.

5. Do you think teachers would have enough responsibility to keep up with school and carry a gun?

Thanks
Ricky Clifford  ##

* * *

COMPARING BUSH TO WINDRIP?

Subject: Comparing Bush to Windrip?
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 2004 23:24:40 EDT
From: Nside1@aol.com 
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com 

Legitimate concerns over the Patriot Act can be voiced without resorting to calling the administration Nazis. Where are the concentration camps? Where is the crack down on journalists?

Come on. Maybe you might be taken seriously if it weren't for your extreme paranoia.

DC

* * *

2004 DIET FOR DEMS

Subject: No Carb diet ... For every American!!!
Date: Sat, 22 May 2004 04:54:42 -0400
From: Wesley Lanham paperamericana@worldnet.att.net 
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com 

Wesley Lanham wrote: Every Democrat should see this one. Every bush hater!! 

Have you heard of the NO-CARB Diet for 2004? 

NO Cheney 
NO Ashcroft 
NO Rumsfeld 
NO Bush 

and Absolutely NO RICE!   ##

* * *

WORST PRESIDENT?

Subject: Worst President?
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 00:47:49 EDT
From: SxyLc6@aol.com 
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com 

Hi my name is Luisa, a former US Marine that served during OIF, and it truly enrages me to hear all these Liberals and democrats talk badly about our president George W. Bush. Specially the public comment that Mrs. Thomas said. Has everyone forgotten what the president before him have done?

Liberals claim President Bush shouldn't have started this war. They complain about his prosecution of it. 

Let's clear up one point: President Bush didn't start the war on terror. Try to remember, it was started by terrorists BEFORE 9/11. Let's look at the worst president and mismanagement claims. 

FDR led us into World War II. Germany never attacked us: Japan did. From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost an average of 112,500 per year. 

Truman finished that war and started one in Korea. North Korea never attacked us. From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost an average of 18,333 per year. 

John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962. Vietnam never attacked us. Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire. From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost an average of 5,800 per year. 

Clinton went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent. Bosnia never attacked us. He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three times by Sudan and did nothing. Osama has attacked us on multiple
occasions. Over 2,900 lives lost on 9/11. 

In the two years since terrorists attacked us, President Bush has liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Libya, Iran and North Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who slaughtered 300,000 of his own people. We lost 600 soldiers, an average of 300 a year. Bush did all this abroad while not allowing another terrorist attack at home. 

Worst president in history? Come on ! 

The Democrats are complaining about how long the war is taking, but... 

It took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Reno to take the Branch Davidian compound. That was a 51 day operation. 

We've been looking for evidence of chemical weapons in Iraq for less time than it took Hillary Clinton to find the Rose Law Firm billing records. 

It took less time for the 3rd Infantry Division and the Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard than it took Teddy Kennedy to call the police after his Oldsmobile sank at Chappaquiddick. 

It took less time to take Iraq than it took to count the votes in Florida!!!! 

Worst president in history? And what enrages me even more is that after I served my time being away from my baby daughter for nearly a year, as I missed my baby girl growing, we still have people that complaint and are unhappy, and in California while we were getting ready to deploy ignorant people were so unsupportive of us, Marines, having their stupid marches and disrespecting us....This time around I didn't have to go back, but my husband is out there, for the second time and at times I don't think him being out there it's worth it, and not because I don't believe in our president I just don't believe our citizens deserve to be protected at the expense of our loved ones. Has everyone forgotten that the only reason they can go on about their day is because of the service men and women out there? I am so disappointed of Americans, they claim to be so patriotic...but deep down inside they are not. ##

* * *

PIGS AT THE WHITE HOUSE

Subject: FW: Can we arrange this?
Date: Fri, 14 May 2004 20:15:12 -0400
From: "'Steve Schwartz'" nysteve@650dialup.com 
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com 

As the President is getting off the helicopter in front of the White House, he has a baby pig under each arm. 

The Marine guard snaps to attention, salutes, and says: "Nice pigs, sir."

The President replies: "These are not pigs, these are authentic Texan Razorback Hogs. I got one for VP Cheney, and I got one for Defense Secretary Rumsfeld "

The Marine again snaps to attention, salutes, and replies, "Nice trade, sir"  ##

* * *

ROOTING FOR PAUL BLAKE JR.

Subject: Kerouac nephew Paul Blake Jr.--rightful heir
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 2004 22:33:48 EDT
From: Cfery54@aol.com 
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com 

I've read your Section Eighty-Eight with great interest. This is a case I have great passion for, and I wish with all my heart, mind and soul that Paul Blake Jr. can extract some reasonable sum of money to at least enable him to live much better. He well deserves as much.

My interest and deep concern has it's roots in my several-years-old keen interest in Kerouac, and in reading the "Selected Letters" book by Ann Charters, which, as you must know, contains that final letter written to none other than the much beloved and cherished nephew, Paul Blake Jr., only child of his very cherished sister "Nin."

I have read quite a bit concerning both his daughter Jan (and his denial of her), and the nephew Paul to whom he quite obviously felt very close and fostered, as evidenced by Jack's own published writings, a considerable caring relationship. The case in respect to the Will and the fairly obvious judicial error of, in effect, disinheriting both of them is absolutely heartbreaking, and rife with frustration vis a vis the complete and total lack of justice. 

I believe that any reasonable, objective person, given the facts involved about the signature--including those technical elements about the signature itself which seem quite obvious to any good hand-writing expert--would conclude there's more than a little plausibility that Gabriele's signature was indeed a forgery. Even apart from that, daughter Jan as well as Paul Blake Jr. were both treated so horrifically and abominably, with a total, greed-induced lack of consideration by the Sampas's retroactive years prior to Jack's death. Jan, of course, was tragically pathetic as his daughter and only child because Jack repeatedly denied, even fought hard against,
paternity. (This is beyond disgraceful on Jack's part, but since she has since died, nothing can be done for her anymore.) Her mere second but final visit to him during her life elicited a token resigned recognition of her as his own when he uttered a suggestion to her that she may use his name in authorship of any novel she may
write, which she did. What meager consolation! God bless Gerald Nicosia for standing by her, against the Sampas. . . all the way up to and beyond her own very untimely death. 

But back to Paul Blake Jr., and his rightful heir status: may God grant him at least a small portion which substantial evidence clearly shows was the intended consideration by his much beloved Uncle Jack Kerouac.

Can you provide me with any response as to an update, via online link, or anything else, re/ what has transpired in the year plus since the date of this Section 88? My deepest thanks for your interest in publishing this for those such as I, so concerned/interested in justice served to this very precious, needy and well-deserving Kerouac blood relative.

Sincerely and kindest regards,

Cheryl Warner Fery
2526 Oak Island Pointe Rd.
Orlando FL 32809

ph. 407 859-3343  ##

* * *

A 'WAR' PRESIDENT'S STANDUP ROUTINE

Subject: Shrub's standup routine
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 2004 04:29:40 -0400
From: "'Steve Schwartz'" nysteve@650dialup.com 
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com

Good morning.

The link below will take you to a site that contains a video clip showing part of the standup routine our Commander-in-Chief delivered at this year's Radio and Television Correspondent's Dinner. I assume this aired in March on CSPAN, but since I don't have cable this ranks as news to me (if any of you have seen the unedited video, I'd be interested to know if there's any substantial difference in Bush's actual remarks and their
portrayal here).

Admittedly, the RTC dinner is a light-hearted affair where presidents have traditionally joked around with members of the media. But wait until you see the rich humorous vein from which Dubya draws his material.

Clearly, the video you're about to see has been edited to amplify the tastelessness of the moment. But there's no escaping the fact that Dubya was joking about the search for WMDs while soldiers were literally being
slaughtered by the punchline. Watching it, I couldn't help wondering how the husband, wife, child, parent, sibling, or friend of a soldier who died in Iraq would have felt if they were in attendance at the dinner and heard
Bush's remarks--knowing all the while that this president has not attended a single funeral for any soldier who gave up his or her life fighting "his"  war.

To view the video, click on the photo of Bush at the dinner (you'll need the QuickTime plug-in installed to play it). The viewer comments found further down the page are largely inane, though interesting insofar as it proves
there are still people out there who just don't get it--and sadly, probably never will.

http://www.musicforamerica.org/bushjoke  ##

* * *

WAILING WALL

Subject: Wailing Wall
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2004 11:51:06 -0400
From: PD MAY7@aol.com 
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com 

In Jerusalem, an American female journalist heard about an old rabbi who visited the Wailing Wall to pray, twice a day, everyday, for a long, long time.

In an effort to check out the story, she goes to the holy site and there he is! She watches the bearded old man at prayer--and after about 45 minutes, when he turns to leave, she approaches him for an interview.

I'm Rebecca Smith from CNN, sir, how long have you been coming to the Wailing Wall and praying?"

For about 50 years, he informs her.

50 years! That's amazing! What do you pray for?"

"I pray for peace between the Jews and the Arabs. I pray for all the hatred to stop and I pray for all our children to grow up in safety and friendship."

"And how do you feel, sir, after doing this for 50 years?"

"Like I'm talking to a fucking wall."  ##

* * *


FOR AS LONG AS PEOPLE KEEP LISTENING TO BOB DYLAN AND THE BEATLES, PEOPLE WILL WANT THIS BOOK

"A masterpiece!" --- SALLY GROSSMAN, widow of Bob Dylan's brilliant original manager, Albert Grossman.

"This book is a must-read for all rock 'n roll aficionados!"---EAR CANDY

"An essential reference for demystifying what the author refers to as: 'one of the most self-destructive binges of creativity in cultural history.'"---HAMMOND GUTHRIE, COUNTERPUNCH MAGAZINE

"Required Reading for anyone and everyone who considers themselves fans, followers, students, or those just plain curious of the Golden Age of Popular Music"---GARY PIG GOLD, FUFKIN.COM.

"I love the book. I love the way you can open it to any page and start reading and it keeps you reading. The book is just fun to read." --LEVON HELM, Drummer of THE BAND from Big Pink.

"Ellis Paul and I love your book."---RALPH JACCODINE, Ralph Jaccodine Management.

". . .perfect for our times."---WOODSTOCK TIMES

"Adam Duritz (he's the lead singer and writer for the famed Counting Crows). . .was at my studio and couldn't put the book down."---STEWART LERMAN, RIGHTEOUS SOUND INC.

". . .a must read for anyone who loves, music, loves life, loves rock and roll."---TSAURAH LITZKY, author of The Motion of the Ocean, Baby on the Water, and  Goodbye Beautiful Mother.  

"I recommend it."---DOUGLAS HOLDER, IBBETSON STREET PRESS.  

".  . .It is a fasinating, insightful read. You are such a wonderful writer."---STEPHANIE LEDGIN, Music Journalist.

"I could not put this book of yours down for a minute."---ED GALING, POET LAUREATE OF HATBORO, PA.

IN THIS 615-PAGE PAPERBACK, AL ARONOWITZ, ACCLAIMED AS THE "GODFATHER OF ROCK JOURNALISM," TELLS YOU MORE ABOUT BOB DYLAN AND THE BEATLES THAN ANY OTHER WRITER CAN TELL YOU BECAUSE NO OTHER WRITER WAS THERE AT THE TIME. AS THE MAN WHO INTRODUCED ALLEN GINSBERG TO BOB DYLAN, BOB DYLAN TO THE BEATLES AND THE BEATLES TO MARIJUANA, ARONOWITZ BOASTS, "THE '60S WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THE SAME WITHOUT ME."


CLICK HERE TO GET TO INDEX OF COLUMN 108


CLICK HERE TO GET TO INDEX OF COLUMNS

The Blacklisted Journalist can be contacted at P.O.Box 964, Elizabeth, NJ 07208-0964
The Blacklisted Journalist's E-Mail Address:
info@blacklistedjournalist.com
 
 

THE BLACKLISTED JOURNALIST IS A SERVICE MARK OF AL ARONOWITZ