Adapted from my Daily Kos post: This speech was not considered news in my home town. The strike was covered on Huntley-Brinkley and Walter Cronkite, though.
We didn't hear any of these words until after Dr. King was shot.
There were no riots, but there was a lot of sadness in our white-bread community, and many youth, like myself at the time, became a step more radicalized against the old ways that were killing our leaders and ourselves.

Robert Kennedy came to town a few weeks later, and helped raise our spirits -- at least we weren't going to have to cope with that stupid war once he was elected.
On my high school graduation night he died too.

Spring of sixty-eight sure stank!

40 years later, there is one quote from that year I don't mind sharing, from MLK's commemoration of W.E.B. DuBois in February:
"The spirit of freedom is not buried in the grave of the valiant..."

March went out like a lion -- a lot of snow fell in the mountains all month, but it tended to just be windy and cold in the valley. We had a few light storms down here as last month ended. The Robins are eating worm-sicles.

Sitemeter Sez: Borlnge, Sweden; Mannheim, Germany; Clermont-Ferrand, France (been there -- big volcanic cone overlooking the town); Nelsonville, Ohio; Winchester, Virginia; Jamaica, New York; Ottawa, Ontario; NYC, New York; Gwynn Oak, Maryland; Montclair, New Jersey; Las Vegas, Nevada; Bentonville, Arkansas; Saint Louis, Missouri; Medford, New Jersey; Santa Maria, California; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Rock Island, Illinois; Oak Hill, New York; Whitefish, Montana and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

ROCK against Reaganomics at: Theater X-Net

Starring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Ida's Places in Paris -- from my first jet-lagged day by the Seine.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!
NEW --Launching NOW! Outre Space Cinema -- Featuring: 1930's Rocketry, Spitfires of the Spaceways and Cellulose to Celluloid, Flash Gordon in the Saturday Matinees and Sunday Comics -- UPDATED!





Thanks to Jim Keefe (Visit his Website) -- the LAST Flash Gordon illustrator of the 20th Century, and Flash's first illustrator of the 21st, for his recommendations -- HERE!

Charity Alert: Keep that Resolution to click on The Hunger Site every day. Also check into Terra Sigilata blog -- donate $$$ to cancer patients just by clicking onto the site.

In The Community: The Auction of Miniatures is ready to move from the Hockaday Museum of Art tomorrow -- bound for the actual sale at the Hilton Garden Inn.
The Honors Symposium with a panel of FOUR artists, led by John Rawlings (who makes it FIVE artists) are doing the Honors Symposium tomorrow night. I'll be zooming up from the Hilton to the college as fast as I can.
Check out Fall for Glacier -- a fundraiser for several programs that make Glacier National Park even better!

Media Watch: Trash A Go Go is reverting to its old discredited tricks again! The judges SHOULD criticize each celebrity by a single standard, but they are not. Tracy (Marissa) Turnblatt got savaged, while Priscilla (Botox) Presley was praised, but their dances were pretty much equal in my eyes. Miraculous Marlee Matlin took a few more blows than necessary IMHO.
The worst thing about Dancing With The Stars this season is a new male singer who can't keep the rhythm or stay on-key. He RUINED at least four songs last Monday with his bad performances. Both Derek and Mark did double-takes during their routines when the singing went wrong. I wish s*** mouthed Aaron would go away, but I'm afraid that his partner Julianne Hough has become a star in her own right, and the fan-factor FOR HER is keeping that lousy radio shock-jock in a position where he disgraces everybody involved.
Oh yeah, inept, but well-meaning Steve Gutenberg was voted off. His pleasant partner Anna did a great job dancing with Jerry Rice a few cycles back. I also saw her on a PBS dance show over the weekend.


Julianne Hough and Apolo Anton Ohno as the REAL winners they were. Hough's second championship was marred by the judges' goof up with "Cheetah Girl." Her brother has a chance to win this season, since he drew an athletic partner, and she's stuck with a schlub.

Cloudless night, blue morning, battleship gray by nightfall.

Sitemeter Sez: Daly City, California; Koloa, Hawaii; Portland, Oregon; South Portland, Maine; NYC, New York; Montpellier, France; Hayward, California; Omaha, Nebraska; Pelham, Alabama; Charleston, South Carolina; Toronto, Ontario; Columbus, Ohio and my gal-pal in Louth, Ireland. (Lots of JabbaWockeeZ fans)

ROCK against Reaganomics at: Theater X-Net

Starring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Ida's Places in Paris -- from my first jet-lagged day by the Seine.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!
NEW --Launching NOW! Outre Space Cinema -- Featuring: 1930's Rocketry, Spitfires of the Spaceways and Cellulose to Celluloid, Flash Gordon in the Saturday Matinees and Sunday Comics -- UPDATED!





Thanks to Jim Keefe (Visit his Website) -- the LAST Flash Gordon illustrator of the 20th Century, and Flash's first illustrator of the 21st, for his recommendations -- HERE!

Charity Alert: Keep that Resolution to click on The Hunger Site every day. Also check into Terra Sigilata blog -- donate $$$ to cancer patients just by clicking onto the site.

In The Community: The Auction of Miniatures is on the walls and on the website for the Hockaday Museum of Art.
The Honors Symposium with Drs. David Scott and E.B. Eiselein brought up the origins of the U.S. Constitution in what became the Six Nations Alliance in the Hudson Valley circa 1450.
Check out Fall for Glacier -- a fundraiser for several programs that make Glacier National Park even better!

Media Watch: America's Best Dance Crew is/was JabbaWockeeZ!
Boston's Status Quo deserved to win as well -- I hope an East Coast promoter hires those talented guys for well-paying shows in their area real soon.

Theater/Theatre: Upcoming Bindlestiff Events (With comments by ME)



* Bindlestiff Circus Summer Camp at Time and Space Limited, Hudson, NY
(Gotta pass these skills on to the youth!)
* Bindlestiff performers and offers workshop at Student Circus Resurgence Conference 2008, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA
(See above -- looks like a movement of sorts.)
* Bindlestiff returns to Spiegeltent at Bard College, NY
(The last Spiegeltent gig seemed to go very well.)
* Kinko the Clown for President 2008! on tour this summer
(Maybe he'll split the Republican vote.)
* Keith Bindlestiff performs at Public Libraries throughout Brooklyn
(They used to travel with a BOOKSTORE on the road -- literacy advocates all the way.)
* Stephanie Bindlestiff joins the fabulous Miss Una to perform motorcycle thrill show at select locations (They did Atlantic City a few years back.)

SNOW this morning -- bad drivers all over the roads -- and in the ditches. I even had a momentary slide, but I stopped before I had to bail out in the other lane.

Sitemeter Sez: Jamaica, New York; Fullerton, California; Singapore; Oak Lawn, Illinois; San Diego, California; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Charleston, West Virginia; Westmead, Auatralia; Akron, Ohio; NYC, New York; Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec and Amsterdam, Holland.

ROCK against Reaganomics at: Theater X-Net

Starring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Ida's Places in Paris -- from my first jet-lagged day by the Seine.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!
NEW --Launching NOW! Outre Space Cinema -- Featuring: 1930's Rocketry, Spitfires of the Spaceways and Cellulose to Celluloid, Flash Gordon in the Saturday Matinees and Sunday Comics -- UPDATED!





Thanks to Jim Keefe (Visit his Website) -- the LAST Flash Gordon illustrator of the 20th Century, and Flash's first illustrator of the 21st, for his recommendations -- HERE!

Charity Alert: Keep that Resolution to click on The Hunger Site every day. Also check into Terra Sigilata blog -- donate $$$ to cancer patients just by clicking onto the site.

In The Community: The Auction of Miniatures is on the walls and on the website for the Hockaday Museum of Art.
Check out that free public preview party tonight. (I'll be doing tech for the Honors Symposium at the college with Drs. David Scott and E.B. Eiselein.)
Check out Fall for Glacier -- a fundraiser for several programs that make Glacier National Park even better!

Media Watch: Trash A Go Go -- Monica Seles, the great tennis champion, was the first lady to leave this season. Her look has changed since the 90's. She's bleached-blond, made-up, wearing high heels and conventionally "glamorous" outfits. She's gained some height too, besides what those cruel heels do to her. "Bigfoot" Penn Gillette was voted off too -- he has no aptitude for dancing at all, and tried to hang on by being funny, but he wasn't funny enough.
I think there are a half-dozen potential winners in this bunch, and they are all fairly young. That's natural and alright with this old guy.
The celebs I want GONE are poison-injected Priscilla Presley who is destroying her natural beauty with cosmetic experiments, and the rude loudmouth called Adam. Ice-skating champ Kristy Yamaguchi and R&B heartthrob "Mario" seem to have the inside track early on. Edyta finally has an athletic partner, and Tony seems to like dancing with exuberant Tracy Turnblatt.

Theater/Theatre: Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Winter Cabaret Season FINAL SHOW!

Sunday March 30, 2008
Zipper Factory
336 W. 37th Street, NYC 10018
Admission: $20 ($5 discount for clowns in make-up)
Info: 212-563-0480 http://www.thezipperfactory.com

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus' annual NYC season is coming to a close. This years cabaret featured world class acts, sideshow legends, daredevils, infamous clowns, and New York's finest entertainers. And a different line-up each week. The New York Times said of the BFC Cabaret: "It's old-fashioned variety entertainment of the sort Ed Sullivan so astutely scooped up, but with twists."
The final show of the season features Philomena, Kinko the Clown, Mr. Pennygaff, Sean Blue, Amy G, Angelo Iodice, Jeff Seal, Bronwyn Sims, and Benjamin Ickies.

Learn to Juggle with with Stephanie Monseu
Sundays in April at The Trapeze Loft
91 North 1st Street, Brooklyn, NY


Stephanie, as Philomena, lighting up The Bindlestiffs Family Cirkus
Click to enlarge, if you dare!

Already juggling job, life, love? Can you balance your checkbook?
Then you are well on the way to mastering Prop Manipulation!
With Bindlestiff Family Cirkus co-founder Stephanie Monseu, learn the basics of 3-object juggling, partner juggling, passing, equilibrism, and play with some really fun toys to boot: balls, clubs, rings, diabolos, scarves, lassos, etc.
4-week April Beginner's Session: April 6th thru 27th
Time: Sundays, 5:30 - 7pm April 6, 13, 20 and 27
Location: The Trapeze Loft, 91 North 1st Street, Williamsburg
For directions and more information about all the cool stuff going on at The Trapeze Loft, visit: http://www.thetrapezeloft.com/about.html#JA
Cost: $115 for 4 sessions (includes 3 juggling balls of your own)
Registration must be made by 3/30/08 with Stephanie@bindlestiff.org

Cavalcade of Youth
April 20, 2008
Zipper Factory
336 W. 37th Street, NYC 10018
Showtime: 2 pm Admission: $5 to $15
Info: 212-563-0480 http://www.thezipperfactory.com
Back by popular demand! Following the continued success and sold-out performances, the illustrious Bindlestiff Cirkus's Cavalcade of Youth returns this April. The Zipper Factory Theater is the host to this popular showcase of young circus performers. Step right up and see NYC's next generation of circus artists juggle, flip, twirl, clown, spin, dance and much, much, more! Be sure to get your tickets early.

Other Upcoming Bindlestiff Events

* Bindlestiff Circus Summer Camp at Time and Space Limited, Hudson, NY
* Bindlestiff performers and offers workshop at Student Circus Resurgence Conference 2008, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA
* Bindlestiff returns to Spiegeltent at Bard College, NY
* Kinko the Clown for President 2008! on tour this summer
* Keith Bindlestiff performs at Public Libraries throughout Brooklyn
* Stephanie Bindlestiff joins the fabulous Miss Una to perform motorcycle thrill show at select locations

A really cold wind is blowing from the west this morning.

Sitemeter Sez: Songnam, Korea (looking for info about my friend Katie Duck); Lenox, Massachusetts; Essen, Germany; Smyrna, Tennessee; Auckland, NZ (checked out my Buckethead Electric Ladyland Illo); NYC, New York; Amstelveen, Holland (Katie-connection again); Salem, Wisconsin; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Jamaica, New York; Buffalo, New York; Oshawa, Ontario; Palouse, Washington; Los Angeles, California; Seattle, Washington and Mansfield, Pennsylvania.

ROCK against Reaganomics at: Theater X-Net

Starring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Ida's Places in Paris -- from my first jet-lagged day by the Seine.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!
NEW --Launching NOW! Outre Space Cinema -- Featuring: 1930's Rocketry, Spitfires of the Spaceways and Cellulose to Celluloid, Flash Gordon in the Saturday Matinees and Sunday Comics -- UPDATED!





Thanks to Jim Keefe (Visit his Website) -- the LAST Flash Gordon illustrator of the 20th Century, and Flash's first illustrator of the 21st, for his recommendations -- HERE!

Charity Alert: Keep that Resolution to click on The Hunger Site every day. Also check into Terra Sigilata blog -- donate $$$ to cancer patients just by clicking onto the site.

In The Community: The Auction of Miniatures is on the walls! (We'll be moving it on April 3.)
All students are admitted FREE this year to the Hockaday Museum of Art, thanks to Pacific Steel & Recycling. Check out that free public preview party on March 27th. (I'll be doing tech for the Honors Symposium at the college with Dr. E.B. Eiselein.)
Check out Fall for Glacier too -- a fundraiser for several programs that make Glacier National Park even better!

Media Watch: Bop Girl Goes Calypso -- a real dawg-assed black and white bottom of the bill exploitation flick from 1957. It starred Judy Tyler (born Judith Mae Hess), who teamed up with Elvis Presley in the excellent Jailhouse Rock later that same year. She had been fired from the seminal Howdy Doody TV show along with Bob (Captain Kangaroo) Keeshan and other cast members because they asked for more money. She was too talented to stop, or even slow down, and started working elsewhere immediately. Bop Girl was more or less her screen test, and it succeeded as a ridiculous, but high-spirited, romp around fictional Los Angeles night spots, even including a Go Go Club! Whiskey anybody?

Judy Tyler and Elvis


That cartoon in the corner represents Princess Summer Fall Winter Spring, Judy Tyler's character on It's Howdy Doody Time. Ms. Tyler unfortunately died in a late night car crash in Wyoming, along with her new husband, while driving from LA to NYC after finishing Jailhouse Rock. It's been reported that Presley couldn't bring himself to watch that film because he was so saddened by his friend's death. After he lost his mother a year or so later, while he was in Germany, he never performed outside the USA -- missing out on audiences who loved him even more than America did. He sure felt some deep emotions before his isolation behind his entourage blighted his life.

More about the Bop Girl movie! (As if you really wanted to know.)


Bop Girl Goes Calypso featured a number of denizens from the L.A. music scene. (L to R) Co-star Bobby Troup, photographed alongside his wife Julie London, wrote the classic song Route 66, and the silly Girl Can't Help It. Mary Kaye's name is now associated with a famous style of Fender guitars. Her trio did a couple of numbers in the movie. She and her brother were members of the famously musical Hawaiian Royal Family. Siblings Carol and Antonino LoTempio, AKA April Stevens and Nino Tempo, appeared right at the beginning of Bop Girl doing a popular 50's riff where the tenor saxophonist (Nino) removed his jacket during a solo. Bill Hayley & the Comets also filmed the same trick in another junk-movie. (Go Johnny Go, with Chuck Berry and Alan Freed, I think.) Hustler Les Baxter wrote most of Bop Girl's music -- he was also Yma Sumac's producer, and managed a "folk singing" group called Les Baxter's Balladeers which included the young David Crosby.

Snow in the mountains, unsettled weather in the valley, frozen %$#@! on my car every morning.

Sitemeter Sez: Madrid, Spain; Amsterdam, Holland; Lindon, Utah; Zwolle, Netherlands (uh oh -- once had in-laws near there); Honolulu, Hawaii; Thousand Oaks, California; Washington, District of Columbia; Watertown, South Dakota; Seattle, Washington; Koloa, Hawaii and NYC, New York. (Lots of JabbaWockeeZ fans.)

ROCK against Reaganomics at: Theater X-Net

Starring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Ida's Places in Paris -- from my first jet-lagged day by the Seine.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!
NEW --Launching NOW! Outre Space Cinema -- Featuring: 1930's Rocketry, Spitfires of the Spaceways and Cellulose to Celluloid, Flash Gordon in the Saturday Matinees and Sunday Comics -- UPDATED!





Thanks to Jim Keefe (Visit his Website) -- the LAST Flash Gordon illustrator of the 20th Century, and Flash's first illustrator of the 21st, for his recommendations -- HERE!

Charity Alert: Keep that Resolution to click on The Hunger Site every day. Also check into Terra Sigilata blog -- donate $$$ to cancer patients just by clicking onto the site.

In The Community: The Auction of Miniatures is on the walls! All students are admitted FREE this year to the Hockaday Museum of Art, thanks to Pacific Steel & Recycling. Check out that free public preview party on March 27th. I'll be doing the Honors Symposium at the college with Dr. E.B. Eiselein, discussing Native American culture. (He's a member of the Assiniboine Nation -- northern "Stone Sioux," nicknamed after the way they boiled water with heated rocks.)
Check out Fall for Glacier too -- a fundraiser for several programs that make Glacier National Park even better!

Media Watch: America's Best Dance Crew's final show is next week - I'll have to tape it, since I'm working that night. They run it on tape delay anyway, throwing in special effects at certain times, which doesn't necessarily improve the show. My wish was granted in that Status Quo, the actual street group from Boston made the final two. JabbaWockeeZ did an INCREDIBLE number that ensured their appearence on the championship show. Kaba Modern had no reason to be anything but proud of themselves and their dancing, just like BreakSk8.
There is a structural problem with this show -- the final two crews had to dress and do NEW numbers during the last fifteen or so minutes. The home audience was then supposed to vote for the overall winner based on these two short, hurried dances -- very unfair to all concerned. I liked Status Quo's short piece more than JabbaWockeeZ's short piece, but I refused to vote based upon those two ultra-brief performances.

Why do I show Buckethead pictures instead of JabbaWockeeZ / Jabberwockies?


Click to enlarge
Brian (Buckethead) Carroll is a member of the far-flung Parliament/Funkadelic Network, and my friend Bernie Worrell often accompanies him (above). Here's a fanciful Electric Ladyland type of digital collage showing Buckethead playing his mighty guitar and doing his OWN isolation dance, ala JabbaWockeeZ in the upper right corner -- he preceeded them by over a decade, though! The dance group he has inspired is strong, original, excellent, and sophisticated in every good way, and I hope they win their competition on MTV. It would be great if Buckethead was there -- he could use the exposure.