Atheist Billboard with questionable imagery not popular with the saved...apparently.

(This happened some weeks ago. Just getting around to posting it here...)

ITEM: Probably not the best way to convert black religious people to the joys of faithlessness (Does keep your Sunday mornings relatively free...) but it is an effort. Actually, if you read the article, which I eventually did, they're not trying to. They're looking for people who have doubts about the whole communion good times after death stuff. I suppose African American humanists are more subtle small steps kind of billboard people. Some reaction from Harrisburg's right wing rag, a very conservative paper that probably represents Pennsyltucky very well.

Related: Facebook conversation featuring religious people talking about the billboard. Verdict: Not popular with the saved.

What I'm beginning to think about women who vote Republican...

ITEM: I just think that black people who support the Republicans are kind of idiots. I'm beginning to think the same of women who vote Republican.

Really interesting and science fictional interview with Boing Boing co-creator Mark Frauenfelder

March 22

ITEM: Really good interview with that Mark guy from Boing Boing. I wonder if the "unschooling" reference has anything to do with the Ivan Illich "deschooling" term? Probably not..nice look at the future of tech.

Review of the "Delaneyesque" Prophet 21 (Two Big Thumbs Up)

ITEM: Yet another comic book review. Here's a snippet:

I really had no idea what to expect from this property when I picked it up. What I found was one of the most intense SFnal comics that I had read in a while. In fact, the weirdness is so sublime and relentless that I do believe this is the first comic that I can describe as “Delaneyesque”, mainly for its disturbing portrayal of the alien sex drive.

How disturbing? More snippet:

Four: But the highlight for me would have to be the man on alien sex. And I’m not talking about the hot kind like with say certain Borg queens or blond cylons. Nope. Really alien.

Read the whole thing as they say.

Explanation of Acid Jazz and More Acid Jazz Channels

The supplier of my channel decided that I'm quite insane and had way too many vids on the channel (possibly a true diagnosis) so they split up my channels. The newest 1000 vids I've added can be found at the top of Three Rivers Online. 

That would be the Acid Jazz Channel.

If you miss a video or remember the old videos I posted in, say, 2009, then you can find the More Acid Jazz Channel at this page. I actually like more videos and variety better. There are about 3500 vids on that channel. But that's just me. I'm also hoping that the channel provider will eventually catch up with my psychosis.

All the Moebius art that fits

ITEM: More Moebius.

A complete obit roundup by The Comics Reporter guy.

ITEM: Rest in peace Moebius, arguably the most gifted artist to ever do comics.

As per usual The Comics Reporter has the best roundup, with a nicely written obit and a video roundup of all things.

New Review of Fatale by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

ITEM: My new review of "Fatale 1" is up.

Here's a bit:

“Fatale” looks to be an intriguing combination of “LA Confidential” and “Angel Heart”.

Or if you haven’t seen those movies a combination of California Noir and California Noir combined with Real Magick. Its a little hard to describe but it starts out in 2011 with the funeral of a writer named “Dominic H. (Hank?) Raines”, a man in his 70s who’s described as an atheist who hates all religions. (Just as an aside: just because you’re an atheist doesn’t mean you hate religion. It just means that you don’t believe in them although this character would seem to have a different motivation: religions and their crazy vindictive gods are real and destructive but back on point…) His funeral is attended by his godson who now has control of the late writer’s estate, whose work he derides as being commercial yet hackish junk. Sounds a little like cheap pulpster Mickey Spillane, or the poor man’s Raymond Chandler.

Read the rest here.

Ed Gainey for PA State 24th: He'll knock on your door and make an effort.

ITEM: Ed Gainey is running against dinosaur Joe Preston for the 24th legislative district. I know this because he knocked on my somewhat lower class Wilkinsburg door this weekend. He made a very compelling case against Joe for voting for the "turn off poor people's heat in the winter" bill and being unresponsive on the Marcellus Shale issue. I was surprised that Joe didn't get the endorsement this year and that Ed had won it. If I remember Ed from the familiar Dem faces I've seen he's worked downtown in some kind of political capacity for the last seven or eight years. Definitely a machine guy but that doesn't mean he couldn't be better than Joe. I guess he's got my vote since he made the effort, especially since my steps are kinda shaky and he made the trip anyway. I also thought he was respectful yet critical of Joe's leadership. I suppose Mr. Preston could change my mind if he makes it to my door. Doubtful.

For the record, I'm completely angered by the ineffectiveness and corruption of the state's Democratic Party leaders. The goal of the Democratic Party in 2010 had to be win something: the state house, the state senate or the governor's seat and they went 0 for 3. We lost the redistricting war which means we may have lost the state for the next 10 years to the openly and successfully fascist Rush Limbaugh Republican Party. I could lose bus service and lots of other essential things over the next decade or so. O Canada...Or Norway. I might leave if I could ever afford it...

Pittsburgh Photo: Shot of East Liberty Near the Target

ITEM: Slightly altered pic of East Liberty. Over at my Flickr site which I'll be updating with my art. All with a creative commons license I think. Taken several days ago.

Review of Aetheric Mechanics

ITEM: Review of a surprisingly good Warren Ellis comic.

Here's a bit:

Warren Ellis is often a mixed bag. He usually tries to write too much (If I had to pick a writer who I thought was on or was trying to attain Modafinil…) and occasionally you’ll get a Warren Ellis story that’s a little thin or has two pages of dialogue and 20 pages of “action” or at least that’s how I remember that one issue of the “Global Frequency”. However, when Ellis is on he’s one of the best comic book writers in the world (Alan Moore level as I once explained to Jorn Barger) and a very good and well versed science fiction writer as well.
“Aetheric Mechanics” is Warren Ellis when he’s on. When I looked at this at first I thought this was a take on the Steampunk genre, which it looks like and which he’s also done with “Captain Swing and the Electrical Pirates of Cindery Island“. But it turns out to be something completely interesting and science fictional. Spoilers ahead as they say.

Read the rest here.

Review of Jonathan Hickman's "The Nightly News"

     ITEM: I usually don't reprint my reviews but this one was kind of interesting. So...

Its hard to describe just how unique and original just the concept of “The Nightly News” is.




It doesn’t feature capes or underwear perverts but it does feature a very intelligent sense of violence that could be aimed at the Fourth Estate. In fact, as a former reporter, not a big time reporter mind you but I did work for a daily at one time, I can tell you that this critique waged by the terrorist group composed of both The Voice and The Hand is completely accurate.


“The Nightly News” is also very prescient in that it predates and predicts the rise of groups like Anonymous, Wikileaks and various other new media terrorists. I mean, it would be bad if these groups used force to kill people but you wouldn’t think they didn’t have a reason…


It’s as if someone actually decided to read the best modern press criticism and create a terrorist group that’s willing to shoot people in the head over it. And make it into a thrilling comic book adventure.


(Just as an aside here are the fount works/writers of corporate press criticism: “Media Monopoly” by Ben Bagdikian, try to find what you can of A. J. Liebling’s “Wayward Press” columns and here’s a nice primer by the great Noam Chomsky and Ed Hermann called “Manufacturing Consent: A Propaganda Model” and you’ll get the point. The press no longer works as an independent verifier of truth and corruption. This is why documentaries like “Sicko” and “Gasland” break big stories because your corporate press outlets work pretty much like PR firms. They even feature the same kinds of people although they  make less working as reporters….)
Here’s a page:

That statement about “Twenty companies” controlling everything is taken straight out of Bagdikian’s “Media Monopoly” mentioned earlier. In fact, I’m pretty sure that number is down to about five or six. Now here’s something curious. You see that guy in the lower right hand corner? His name is David Allen Kite but his resume sure looks like Walter Cronkite’s. Spoiler: He gets shot by the way. But first he accuses Walter of being a stooge for the CIA. In fact, he mentions several other prominent journalists as being CIA plants, which I discovered has a basis in fact.


Here’s the statement from one of the crazy assassins:


“You weren’t alone: Paley, Jackson, Luce, Sulzberger…How long were you on the payroll of the CIA?”


There’s actually evidence that this is actually true. I heard about that and I had seen it in my own career as a reporter not necessarily from the inside but there was pressure not to report on what was happening in South America in places like Nicaragua and El Salvador. I think the story that Jonathon Hickman bases this on is this Carl Bernstein report in Rolling Stone back in 1977. I haven’t read it closely enough to find out if Cronkite was mentioned. But that just goes to show you the level of the research involved here. This is light years beyond in conception of the average dopey comic books I usually review. (I’m looking at you John Byrne’s meaningless “Cold War” comic books…)


Just for the record I don’t agree with the tactics of either The Voice or  his Hand. There is something called “The Internet” which has all kinds of alternative press outlets for both the left and the right. This is why SOPA and PIPA fell to defeat recently so no need to shoot people in the head.


The story begins with a team of 3 shooters killing at first random people in order to draw news people to the scene in order to shoot them. Not necessary. Unless its Fox News of course…just kidding. Or am I? I should also point out that your local news stations offer practically worthless information. But again: summary execution not an acceptable option.


I should point out that the artwork is outstanding. It’s not necessarily that the figures are super well drawn but that the overall design is just flat out brilliant. It’s not just a comic that’s well told but told in a completely new and interesting way. You know how films like “Sin City” and “300″ have their own particular color coded cinematography? That’s exactly how “The Nightly News” works with its dizzying array of pink pastel geometric backgrounds. 


Bottom line an outstanding work that you can actually research into later. It’s that dense. 4.734 out of 5 stars. Completely original and well thought through.

Sign the Amnesty Intl. Pledge Against Evil and Vile Shell Polluters...

ITEM: Something interesting from Amnesty International. Now that we have an African American president I'm sure he'll take care of this. Or they'll use an African American president to kill Muslims and excuse the usual kinds of expropriation that evil multinationals do abroad, especially in Africa. I'm sure its one of those options...Sign the pledge.

Philip Shropshire is Number One in General Technology & Reference. Kneel before Zod...!

Some clarification: I am number one in "Top 100 Free". Do I get paid for that? I'm hoping that Amazon pays for that and I get something out of it like, say, "money". Probably not. But its 466 overall, in the Whole Wide World, and its probably not bad promotion for a guy named "Philip Shropshire". I've had worse days. I guess I need to self publish some more books and get a boost from this...This screenshot was taken an hour ago....

Pics of Firedoglake's Drop Off at Occupy Pittsburgh, Plus Other Shots Taken at Daytime.

There's about an hour left to vote at Firedoglake's Best Occupy Actions contest. I'm going hometown even though this current Occupy location might be forcibly evicted within the next several days.

I helped deliver some Firedoglake packages (gloves, jackets and other winter clothes...) with Dean Mougianis  to the Occupy Pittsburgh's camp some weeks ago. Thought I should post these pics before they're shut down within several days. It's not over. Decentralize decentralize decentralize...

I also took some pictures in the daytime last Saturday when I just happened to be downtown. One more thing: thank you Occupiers for doing a very hard and difficult kind of protesting. I think its helped things on a number of issues even though we still have a long way to go. We have to create some alternative parties.

People can send me the names and I will add them.

And here are some of the pics I took last Saturday in the day, where my cheapie sub 100 dollar digital camera can take better shots.

My Review of Noche Roja over at Comics Forge

ITEM: My review of "Noche Roja" is up at Comics Forge. I think it means "Red Night" or bloody night considering all the murders that are involved.

An excerpt:

 What’s remarkable is that Noche Roja is one of the few comics I’ve read that talks about the Mexican present and Third World misery...Yes there’s WW3 but its not published by a major label indy imprint like Vertigo. This is a present that could easily turn into the American future. You can definitely tell that the writer has spent time living in the Third World. Without giving too much away, the story involves a number of issues that pervade the daily routines of the Mexican poor. 1.) You can be murdered very easily if you’re a journalist in Mexico. 2.) The treatment of Mexican workers, mostly women, is pretty horrible. Those workers are mistreated and abused for the most part. They don’t make a living wage and those factories have successfully lowered the standard of living for every U.S. Citizen. 3.) There are a number of unsolved murders (100s I think…) of mostly women within the Maquiladoras. It’s a serial killer’s dream.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, this all makes for a great and truly entertaining and suspenseful graphic novel.

Read the rest here.

Striking New Comics by Stephanie McMillan and Ted Rall

(originally published Jan. 27th)

ITEM: Ted Rall has been arguing against nonviolence as a sole tactic in the struggle for a long time. I sort of fall off the wagon when he recommends that black folks should be the first to rise up in violence against the state. I, for one, think that New York cartoonists should be the first to take on the might of drones and local police and state police and national guardsmen and if that wouldn't be enough the US military. Then, and I say this as an unofficial spokesperson of the Black Community, we shall watch your results and act accordingly. (Just for the record: Anonymous hacking is the way to go.) I suppose he joins his sometime animation cohort Stephanie McMillan, who draws, arguably, the most radical comic strip I have ever read, in making the argument that nonviolence won't beat the Nazis, or the friendly (sometimes gorgeous) face of American Fascism as foretold by Bertram Gross.

Related: Here's a taste of Stephanie's newest. She's been critical of the Occupy Movement as of late even though she's been an early and vocal supporter. This is a familiar plotline for all you Doonesbury/Mary Worth fans. Our two characters are using arms attained by a German drug dealer in order to attack a corporation known as Omnicorp to stop them performing a geoengineering experiment. Just like South Park...

More Related: Derrick Jensen, also one of Stephanie's collaborators and most likely to be shipped to the FEMA camps (looks like those camps are real Jesse Ventura notwithstanding...), has articulated this view with the Environmentalist's version of Star Wars. Also: The Gandhi Shield. And: A different Indian hero.

           ITEM: I will not be writing about She Who Cannot Be Named today. Or as I call her: The Face of Terror.

You probably won't get arrested for wearing this on a t shirt I think...

ITEM: Sigh. Why hasn't my photoshop work turned me into an international art superstar...? Not fair... 

You can even buy the tshirt if you don't mind being arrested on public obscenity charges. Great for schools I'm sure...

61 in January...? Nothing to see here folks move along...

ITEM: Yeah. 61 degrees in January. Right. Thank goodness global warming isn't real...

Here's that video.

Or you could buy my photoshop art over at Cafe Press. Or not. Your call.

Or you could buy my art as a mousepad over at Cafe Press, which I haven't updated in over 10 years. Should probably do something about that...More art samples here. Nope I never sold any but people liked the work...

Stop SOPA. Stop PIPA.

     ITEM: No blackout for me because I just don't have that many readers where that will matter. But I will certainly support those efforts. I and 20 other people in the world love the Acid Jazz Channel apparently. There is no Acid Jazz Channel without Youtube. Youtube is probably dust if either SOPA or PIPA pass in their current forms. I'm going to do what I can as a citizen but we should all thank our lucky stars that powerful players  like Google, Yahoo and Microsoft are on our side. Those lobbies are what's stopping SOPA and PIPA. Not the public good. Now if we could only get them to care about indefinite detention...Here's what you will find on Boing Boing's page today:

503: Service unavailable

Boing Boing is offline today, because the US Senate is considering legislation that would certainly kill us forever. The legislation is called the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA), and would put us in legal jeopardy if we linked to a site anywhere online that had any links to copyright infringement.

This would unmake the Web, just as proposed in the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). We don't want that world. If you don't want it either, visit American Censorship.org for instructions on contacting your Senator. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has more information on this and other issues central to your freedom online.

Some late MLK commentary...

ITEM: I guess the above would be my commentary on MLK's birthday. Thanks to local activist Celeste Taylor for pointing this out to me on Facebook. My other commentary is that the drug war has pretty much destroyed The Dream, unless that dream is undermining public education and pushing as many black men as possible into the prison industrial complex. More on that issue over at Democracy Now. My African American president has done nothing to slow down the drug war and hasn't even made the easy call toward marijuana legalization. He could have made a difference with the California ballot initiative that would have legalized marijuana. Firedoglake's Jon Walker lays this all out. Barack Obama: Not a field negro.

More inappropriate yet legal talk about MHS PR Flak Connie McNamara (Public Figure)

I had two headlines in mind but they kind of didn't fit.

More possibly inappropriate but not illegal commentary about Milton Hershey School PR Flak Connie McNamara

or:

Let's not call this a MHS PR Flak Connie McNamara Obsession

ITEM: So I'm still thinking about this Connie McNamara MHS thing. You don't understand I used to sit in the woman's dorm room.* I think I sat on the floor as a clever psychological move to downplay the fact that I was a towering six five black guy. I think she was, what, 5 seven with heels...? Anyway, she described herself as being "mousy". And I thought, to myself certainly, well then "mousy is something I'm into apparently...". Now, when I watch her on these Youtube clips not only does she not seem "mousy" but she resonates, well, power. This is more in the line of a Game of Thrones Matriarch in Red. That might be the kind of power one emanates when one has great wealth. She might make low six figures in her current post and from other postings on the Internets one of her hobbies with her late husband was "refurbishing homes". Not the kind of hobby poor people can get into. Possibly a millionaire. Possibly making ends meet with three kids to feed even on a low six figure salary. Possibly looking at the rare occurrence of not having a job since she left college in 1985 (How many people can say that? Connie's emotional intelligence is off the charts...) since this somewhat tainted Zimmerman guy is leaving. Are they looking for a new team? I don't think I want to know...Or perhaps the power comes from something tragic. I did find out, not with any deep searches just the Google, that her husband died in 2006 leaving her with three children under the age of 10. I can't even imagine how painful that would be. Or what's tougher: telling your three young daughters that their father won't be coming home or facing off against Anderson Cooper? I have a feeling that if I survived the former that the latter would mean nothing...It would certainly make you stronger in a Nietzschean sense.

I also wanted to point out that when I mentioned that Connie, still a practicing Catholic from what I can tell and an early supporter of Liberation theology I'm just now beginning to surmise (our earliest conversations were about Archbishop Romero and the nuns that got slaughtered in El Salvador...) was "non abstinent and impulsive" as a young person in college I didn't mean that in a bad way.

(Aside: Connie was a serial monogamist like most Americans back during the years of 81 to 83. First with Curt the fiancé she didn't marry and then that black haired kid she saw Nikki Giovanni with when Curt was studying abroad and then Curt again when he got back...Doesn't make her a bad person. Words like "normal" and "healthy" come to mind.. I think the fiancé bit was a bit of rationalization, which means her Catholic upbringing had an effect on her...possibly more on this later...Must investigate. Hurm.)

I think that's the strongest part of her argument with Anderson Cooper on that show of his. Those words struck me as completely truthful and not talking points. Where I think she loses the argument is what kind of outside independent medical advice the board got or did they even seek it out. My guess is that they did not. This is where Connie admits that she wasn't in on those meetings with the medical staff, not independent of the board I'm guessing. The prevailing medical evidence seems to be that there just isn't that much of a risk of transmission. Though, after taking a look at the many many longshots that have happened at the Milton Hershey school such as in this particular instance perhaps the MHS board doesn't equate low percentages with no chance at all...and think of the damages if another child was infected. More on this later. Or I might wait another 30 years to comment more. Who knows.

Related: I signed this petition in favor of letting that kid in the school. Of course, in a strong and loving world this kid would have wonderful public schools to choose from with decent food and teacher/student ratios in the 16 to 1 range. He wouldn't have to be, what's the word, "adversarial" in order to get a decent education. The school has a wonderful shot because the board is full of republican operatives  and republican judges tend to be loyal. Plus they have an 8 billion dollar endowment. They'll get good lawyering. Just like when you're rich you can buy "reasonable doubt" you can probably also buy some kind of novel exception question that you can pitch to the appeals courts. Republicans tend to throw a lot of Hail Marys and they often win. The 2000 election being the most publicized outcome and this evil Texas redistricting plan being the latest late quarter throw to the endzone...the school should lose if the courts didn't tilt toward both Republicans and the rich. I guess we'll watch and see...

*These are my memories from the time I spent with Constance from 1981 through 1984 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I have not spoken to Connie in over 28 years although I think I sent her a letter back in 1992...no I don't know why. I'd like to say I was drunk but I don't drink...

Review of Spaceman 3 over at Comics Forge

ITEM: I review Spaceman 3 here. Here's a snippet:

"Scenes of third world poverty strewn amidst almost unlimited tech advances. It’s what makes the world of Spaceman 3 so compelling. And so depressingly realistic."

Late Nite Around the Internets

Just some things I liked on Facebook.

Two depressing stories about fracking. One: EPA abandon's PA town over destroyed water. The president is a democrat right? Two: fracking tied to local Pittsburgh quake. I saw the tremors.

 Truthdig invite to reasonably dissatisfied  New York Times reporters.

I am studying this Cory Doctorow video about The War Against Computation.

I will probably vote for Obama if the Justice Party doesn't get its act together. What choice have I got. I think these anti Romney ads are very effective.

Something I need to read: District 9 has supercharged African science fiction movies

GIF Animated Comic Book Covers

You can see all four of them here.

and one more:

Nov. 21

Occupy Pittsburgh Calls for International Solidarity Day Against BNY Mellon

Occupy Pittsburgh is calling for an International Solidarity and Action Day against BNY Mellon today. Or the kind of action that won't be widely reported in the corporate media we should guess. Occupy Pittsburgh has occupied the downtown public park, of which there is a dispute of how "public", of BNY Mellon for some several months now.

Here's the statement from the group:

Occupy Pittsburgh is calling out to the 99% around the world for a Day of International Solidarity and Action against BNY Mellon on January 10. This is the day we go before a judge to fight for our right to continue our nonviolent protest against the greed, corruption, and influence of the 1%. We ask that you stand with us and tell BNY Mellon, the bank of the 1% that you can’t evict an idea whose time has come!The People of Pittsburgh, like many others around the globe, answered the call to action that Occupy Wall Street put before the world on October 15th. Since then, we have peacefully rallied and occupied People’s Park, the space formerly known as Mellon Green. Pittsburgh’s is the only Occupation to reclaim land from a bank.BNY Mellon is now calling for Occupy Pittsburgh’s eviction. This is a blatant attempt by BNY Mellon to silence us and to prevent us from resisting the corruption by the 1% of our political and economic systems. In response, we have announced our own eviction of BNY Mellon from our city. BNY Mellon’s fraudulent and exploitative practices have denied its customers and its workers billions of dollars in wages and benefits. We are fighting to redefine the ethics of our economy and to resist corporate control of our cities, our spaces, our politics and our lives.The fight for People's Park is not just a fight over an encampment. It is a fight against the overwhelming dominance that corporations and markets exercise over the very conditions of existence. This fight is not about piece of land, but a fight against the 1% that hoards life’s resources, corrupt our democracy, silence free speech, and poison our planet !We have one response: You can’t evict an idea whose time has come!

There has been a legal attempt by BNY Mellon to remove the Occupy Pittsburgh protesters, who have winterized their occupation to the best of their ability and partly thanks to local groups and Firedoglake's Occupy Supply efforts. In fact, this reporter was there when various supplies were handed out at the camp several weeks ago. Just a personal observation: that is not the easiest kind of protesting that I have seen.

Occupy Pittsburgh also asks that if you're participating in today's action that you do these things as a show of support:

• Hold non-violent demonstrations against BNY Mellon around the world (the bank’s corporate headquarters is One Wall Street, New York City).  As a multinational banking institution BNY Mellon has offices around the globe including offices in; Boston, London, Moscow, Sydney, Cairo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and many other population centers around the world

• Wear bandanas, Guy Fawkes masks, or similar coverings to express solidarity with the anonymous and amorphous “99%” in general and the 50 Jane Does and 50 John Does named in the lawsuit in particular. This, of course, is merely a suggestion subject to the comfort level of those involved;

• Engage in autonomous direct actions ***;

• Send mail supporting Occupy Pittsburgh to BNY Mellon’s Pittsburgh office (500 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15258) with the return address of #1 People’s Park, Pittsburgh PA 15219; and

• Temporarily change your addresses on Facebook and other web sites to #1 People’s Park, Pittsburgh PA 15219;

• If you would like assistance coordinating a traditional media presence or institutional turnout please email jan10@occupypittsburgh.org.

***Occupy Pittsburgh and our allies will not endorse, plan, or coordinate any unlawful or violent actions.

You can read the entire press release at Occupy Pittsburgh's website.

Review of Black Summer Over at Comics Forge

ITEM: Finally had a chance to praise Black Summer. Now on You Tube.

Review of Aldebaran over at Comics Forge

ITEM: I gave this a big two thumbs up over at Comics Forge.

My entry for cover blurb is: "Stunning, really.

Not unlike falling into a colorful sensuous surreal dream.

You don't want to leave. Or wake up."

More Milton Hershey Communications Vice President Connie McNamara Porn

Ooooh. The Red Dress.

Amanda Bearse in Fright Night is pretty close to the Connie McNamara I knew 1981 - 1983, except that Connie has prettier eyes. We worked the same IUP campus job about, what, 10 to 15 hours a week? And she was nice to me. Obviously this was pure torture for me...I got to look at that everyday. Might be a reason why I started crying...withdrawal.

ITEM: Still figuring out if I should spill the deep dark secrets of my past friend Connie McNamara. (Don't know if Connie still considers me a friend or considers me at all. I would bet good money on the latter. Not that I care about it. I might be lying about that last thing I said.) It should also be pointed out, since I'm stupid and I hadn't considered that some people might think this is recent, that all this 1 in 7 billion stuff happened about 30 years ago from 1981 and 1983 on IUP's campus. Hey, its one of the advantages of being old and knowing about the Before Time when the info I've been able to get about Connie within an hour (Is she updating her linked in page and why..) would have taken a team of reporters weeks to do in the 80s. I'm thinking about writing a long several thousand word piece on it and seeing how and if it might sell via the Kindle. Would be fun to find out and I'm trying to build a library.

Actually it would be very positive stuff. Here's something I wrote already for this longer essay I had in mind.

This would be the beginning:

"In fact, Connie McNamara is probably the coolest woman I’ve ever known and with the benefit of 30 years of hindsight probably the best friend I’ve ever had."

This would be the end.

 "Some of the best and kindest moments of my life were spent with Connie McNamara ."

Just add several thousand words in between
.

But its not going to all be that nice. It can't be. Nobody's that saintly. For example when Connie McNamara looks into the camera with Anderson Cooper and talks about those impulsive kids who don't  choose abstinence might interact with this HIV kid well...I know for a fact that she was one of those non abstinent impulsive kids...how do I know this? I've seen the serene Afterglow too many times up close and personal.(Not the only evidence I have by the way...) No it wasn't me we never even held hands. It's complicated. And Connie has three little girls now. Maybe she wants to lie to them like any good parent. I don't know.*

Plus I've suppressed these memories because they're painful. I'm crying again. I don't cry over stuff. Attacked by two 100 pound rottweilers in this neighborhood. Didn't cry. Threatened by the Klan, personally. Didn't cry. Probably cried 10 times since 1984. Seven of those times can be attributed to Connie McNamara...so I might wimp out. But I'm running out of time. I know this could be a really good essay. I might even be able to shop this...So...I'll work on another freelance assignment for another few days and come back to this...


*If terrifying people in the 717 vicinity who resemble Amanda Bearse are troubled by anything that I've written on this post send me an email and I'll remove it. My email is pshropshire@yahoo.com. You must do this within  a week that its posted.

How is Connie McNamara 1 in 7 billion people?

ITEM: Out of 7 billion people on this planet Connie McNamara, the woman in this video,  is the only person to tell me "I love you."* (Relatives don't count although its nice to hear.) Born to play Peter Pan in your neighborhood revival show...I would write more about this and my relationship with her if Connie hadn't reduced me to a puddle of my own tears at least several times..I might be Yella. I think the school is clearly wrong but she's so good...Like Walken in every movie.  

*Note because I'm stupid. it should be stated: These events occurred more than 30 years ago from 1981 to 1983 at IUP's campus.