On A Pale Horse

I’ve always idolized strong powerful women. I hated that whole damsel in distress scenario…it just pissed me off to think that men were the only one that could save the world – Thbbbt! I think this has something to do with my upbringing. I always watched my mom take care of pretty much everything around the house while my dad sat in the basement and played with his toys and to some extent my Grandma who took care of a house & three kids while, and cooked, and cleaned, and washed my Grandpa’s back. Some people might find those two examples as women being subservient to men but in my little world it just meant that men couldn’t do a damn thing by themselves and women were pretty much in power. So as I wrote earlier…I’m drawn to strong powerful women. My favorite shows when I was a kid were The Bionic Woman, Wonder Woman, Nancy Drew, Pinky & Leather Tuscadero…later on I was drawn to Suzi Quatro (who was doing double time I my list), Joan Jett, Lita Ford and obviously the Runaways.

I wasn’t too familiar with Sandy West…I kinda backed into The Runaways. She along with Joan, Lita & Cherie Currie were pioneers of female rock bands. Sandy was only 16 in 1975 when she and Jett formed the The Runaways. After they disbanded Sandy continued to play with her former band mates and also formed her own band The Sandy West Band as well as releasing some of her own materials.

Sandy was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005 and ultimately passed away on October 21, 2006 at a hospice in San Deimas, CA.

RIP

Labels: 2006 October deaths, cancer, musician

For years the television was my babysitter. Except at my babysitters house, there I just read books by Judy Blume & Daniel Pinkwater. I was occasionally allowed to watch TV when my babysitters daughter wasnÂ’t glued in front of it but even then I was to watch only MTV during their dinner time and let the daughter & mom know when a Journey video came on so they could swoon over Steve Perry.
Oops, I'm off the subject again...stay the course.
Anyway television jaded my perception of reality. All messed up situations could be solved within a half an hour (actually 23 minutes if you deduct commercial time) and there would either be a group hug at the end or if it was one of those 'very special’ episodes everyone would be bummed out until next week. I often worked situations in my life like this but nothing ever works out the way TV says it should.
The television series 'Father Knows Best' played into my distorted sense of reality. During the series' 6 year run Robert Young (aka Father) was able to clear up any overblown tragedy like it was nothing. Jane Wyatt played the 'Mother' and would sometimes lend a helping hand...you know when she wasn't busy cleaning or baking cookies.
Ms. Wyatt was raised in New York City and she attended some pretty prestigious private schools. Two years into her college career at Barnard College, Jane left to start her acting training; she made her Broadway debut only after six months of apprenticeship. She went on to star in her first film role in 1934. Star Trek geeks may remember her apperance in a 1967 episode where she portrayed Spocks mom - a role she reprised in the 1986 movie Star Trek: The Voyage Home. But more then anything she'll be remembered for her role as Margaret Anderson for which she won 3 consecutive Emmy's.
Ms. Wyatt passed away from natural causes in her BelAire, California home.
August 12, 1910 - October 20, 2006
RIP

Labels: 1910 births, 2006 October deaths, actor, natural causes

I don't have my philosophical questions. I think the deepest one I have currently are "Why do people feel the need to add 's' to everything? For godsakes it's 'Farmer Jack' not 'Farmer Jacks', 'Ford' not 'Fords', 'Meijer' not 'Meijers'." Whatever. I'm not quite as inquizitive as Winifred Bennett, who causally suggested during dinner one night that DNA testing might resolve the historical question if Thomas Jefferson was the father, of at least, one of Sally Hemings children, Jeffersons slave.
Her question was futher examined by Dr Eugene Foster, a retired pathologist. His findings opened up the floodgates and it was soon determined, that in all probablity, Jefferson not only fathered one of Sally Hemings children but perhaps was the father of all six of her offspring.

Ms. Bennett passed away from kidney failure.

July 12, 1935 - October 7, 2006 - R.I.P.

Labels: 1935 births, 2006 October deaths, historical, kidney failure

I stand for nothing. Hell, it even says it at the top of this blog. I do have the deepest admiration of people that have strong convictions; that have ideals that are for the good of all humans. There are many things out in the world that bother me but I've never really taken a public firm stance. I did march in an anti-war rally back in college but I'm not sure if that counts, I just did it because everyone else on my dorm floor was going. It was the strangest thing though. I was on the side that shouted "Support our Troops. Bring them home!" the opposing side was shouting "Give peace a chance". I guess we wanted the same thing we just couldn't agree on the right slogan.
Congressman Gerry Eastman Studds D-Mass was one of those guys that stood up for many things; most importantly his constituents in the fishing industry, an important economic base in his home state. He was the Chairman of the Fish and Wildlife Subcommittee and was ranking member of the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans. His passion continued even after his retirement from political life in 1997. In 1996, Congress named a 842-square-mile parcel of land after him in recognition of his work protecting the marine environment. The Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary in Providencetown, MA is devoted to research and education of marine wildlife.
He was the first openly gay Congressman which he admitted during a 1983 sex scandal involving a 17 year old page. His lifestyle and this scandal did not hurt his political career and was re-elected to Congress even after being censured.
Mr Studds collapsed while walking his dog. It was determined that he had a blood clot in his lung. While he did regain consciousness his condition soon deteriorated after a second blood clot. He is survived by his husband of 2 years whom he married in a ceremony in Massachusetts after the state legalized homosexual marriage.

May 12, 1937 - October 14, 2006 RIP

Labels: 1937 births, 2006 October deaths, activist, blood clot, political

I have a sweat fetish. I know, I know, that's pretty damn nasty but we all have those little things that gets us off, don't we?
Over the course of many years I've developed a discriminating nose for sweat and I must say that basketball players have THE best sweat of them all, followed closely by hockey players. And wouldn't you know it, I loathe both of those sports. Go figure.
Which means that I probably would have appreciated Jason Collier but scent but wouldn't know who the hell he was if he passed me in the street.

Mr. Collier started his NBA career in 2000 when he was drafted out of Georgia Tech. He was most recently playing with the Atlanta Hawks.

He passed away from cardiac arrest while being transported to the hospital.

September 8, 1977 - October 15, 2005
RIP

Labels: 1977 births, 2006 October deaths, cardiac arrest, sports