FOCUS

For some time now, current affairs have seemed to me much of the same.  This led me to consider changing the entire name and appearance of the medium.  In fact, we had even opened a site and called it NEOBOHEMIA.  Yeah, that would change everything.  Then we remembered deciding not to publish anything at all.  So what happened?  Rod Bogojevitch.  So, there has never been any sort of order to this thing anyway, so – screw it.  If you want to put anything on that site, just send it to me. 

Our new motto is “Plagiarize when you feel it’s worth it.”

People are talking now about the “Louisiana Watergate,” led by a Mr. O’Keiffe, not that there isn’t enough water in Louisiana as it is.  He is the guy who set up the scam that the lunar fringe loved so much – the knifing of Acorn.  It turns out he wrote, or wanted to write, or film, something called “The Penis Monologues,” a ripoff of the “Vagina Monologues.”  Frankly, I’m not interested in a monologue by either of these organs.  He could get, along with his crew of four, one of them the son of the Louisiana Attorney General, up to 20 years.  Perhaps the fringe will join him.

I’ve been aware that some people are being held in Iran.  Innocent Amerikans who were on a “hiking trip.”  I am interested in this, but for psychological reasons.  I’m trying to imagine hikers in the first place.  Sure, it’s nice to take a hike in the woods and, having lived in Chicago, I’ve been instructed to take a hike a few times and also made that same suggestion to many more, but somehow the idea seems strange to me.  Perhaps someone can explain it.  Let us try to imagine a few people planning a trip:

One: “Hey, I know, let’s go hiking.”

Two: “I don’t know, ya gotta carry so much stuff with.”

Three: “Yeah, and I only got a week.  What can you do in a week?”

Four:  “And where would we go?”

One:  “I’m game for anywhere.  Any ideas?”

Three: “I know, how about the Appalachian trail?”

Two: “Nah, they’d laugh at us if we mentioned it.  South Carolina, remember?”

Three: “Yer right.”

Four: “What about the Grand Canyon?”

One: “Ok with me.”

Two: “I got a better idea.”

All: “yeah, what?”

Two: “Let’s hike along the Iraq/Iran border.  Perfect.”

All: “Sound great to us.”

It just doesn’t seem real, that’s all.  Then again, why not?  Doesn’t everyone grow up with the dream to hike along the Iraq/Iran border?  Tell the ruling elite in Iran:  “Let those people go!”

The whole Gate thing, however, has gotten a bit silly.  The original one really was quite an interesting phenomenon.  Richard Nixon, much a Richard the Second type figure, but paranoid as all hell (you can be paranoid and people still out to get you, you know) had run scared in the election.  All of his elections.  Well, he was afraid he would be defeated and so had his very weird group of CIA malcontents (mainly still upset with Kennedy over the Bay of Pigs) bugged Democratic headquarters.  Then he tried to suppress the whole thing.  I think that what Nixon should be most remembered for is the phrase “Let me say this about that.” 

That reminds me of the earlier fear – communism.  I did not experience the House of Un-American Activities Committee bit, but do remember people talking about it – with nostalga.  Many good writers wound up on the “Black List” as “Un-American.”  Now that is a curious term in itself.  It is difficult to imagine, say, any German being called un-German.  “UnDeutschish”?  Or a Frenchman.  Any other country.  However, we do it here so frequently.

At any rate, during these hearings during the 50s, two supposed Russian Spies were caught at their dwellings in Greenwich Village, New York, what was at that time the center of the Beat movement in art, music, and literature.  Several were called in front of the committee to testify.  They were asked “Did you know that these people, your neighbors, were Russian spies?”  (A real conspiracy was afoot here, congress feared.)

“Oh yes.  When they moved in, we asked them what they were into, and they said they were spies.”

Oh.  Oh well, another good plot lost.

So, we are, according to all reports, waiting for a State of the Union address.  Actually, only the media are waiting as it is a free event.  However, we have the essence of it:  “It sucks!  It always sucked!  And I’m not gonna change it.  It’s not in my job description!”