Greg’s Happenings by Greg Kristapovich
WHAT THE #&*@! IS GOING ON???? I’m here at home trying to write my column, and I’m hearing news that North Korea plans to shoot a long-range missile at the United States – Hawaii, to be specific! It’s on CNN, Fox News, Headline News, NBC, CBS, ABC, et al.! Listen, man, I may be a hippy, but, another country shooting a missile at Hawaii is definitely NOT cool. A lot of my old surfer dude friends and fellow alumni from my days at the University of Hawaii still live there! Seems the crazy little dictator of North Korea, Kim Jong Il, has been developing nuclear weapons. He HAS been condemned by the WORLD COMMUNITY. The U.N. has placed sanctions against his country and President Il called THIS “an act of war.” He also said that the truce between North Korea and America is now over! Reliable intelligence from both Japan and South Korea has given the U.S. a “heads up” on a North Korean warship that has left port, suspected of carrying banned weapons – AND, that North Korea plans to shoot a missile towards the U.S. on, or around the Fourth of July! (I do recall, during the fall 2008 Elections, that Joseph Biden, the Democratic Vice-Presidential hopeful said, “Mark my words, if Barack Obama is elected, he will face a major crisis within six months.” Well, he was pretty accurate with that prediction. It HAS been about six months since Obama was inaugurated. And we have a crisis! The Associated Press reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered additional protection for Hawaii as a precaution! (I’m not making this up. Watch the news or read the papers!)
Then, I witnessed our President swatting a fly on his arm, while being interviewed on TV. The next thing you know, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is condemning Obama for swatting the fly! I may be a hippy, but I don’t like flies either. So I’m siding with you on this one, President! I also don’t like ants, wasps, mosquitoes or black widows. Hear that, PETA? I’m going to kill them if I can! Want to discuss the matter with me, PETA? Here’s my hippy dippy hotline number: (209) 559-8368. Please, tell me why you dudes now have a love affair with pests! Maybe we all should just simply “relocate” all these insidious little pests into YOUR offices and homes! How does that sound, huh? Man!
Now, let’s have a little fun! I got some trivia for ya! Here’s question #1: Now a giant in music, in his own right, who played rhythm guitar, sang background vocals, and co-wrote “Going to Mexico” for an early line-up of the Steve Miller Band? Question #2: What song from the Moody Blues album, Days of Future Passed became a U.S. hit FIVE YEARS after it was released? #3: What Lynyrd Skynyrd song was a reply to Neil Young’s “Southern Man”? If ya think I’m just gonna give you the answers right here, sorry, man. Ya gotta keep readin’!
Meantime, let me tell ya ‘bout some GROOVY HAPPENINGS COMIN’ UP! The Mother Lode Fair runs through Sunday, June 28th, and they’ve got all kinds of admission discounts! Kudos to Jan Hayden-Myer, Mother Lode Fair chief executive officer, for putting together one awesome fair this year! There’s a new ride this year called Jason’s Dragon! Also debuting this year is the Mother Lode Has Talent contest! That should be a hoot!!! And check it out: blues singer/guitarist Shane Dwight will perform at the fair! Just a couple days ago, Shane released two new compact discs: “Shane Dwight Plays the Blues” and “Gimme Back My Money”! This dude’s is rising!!! He’s “a charismatic and talented guitarist, vocalist and songwriter,” raves the San Francisco Chronicle! I have seen Shane, and he should blow the canopy right off the stage Sunday night!!! There is SO MUCH goin’ on, it could make a hippy’s head spin! Friday night is the kick-off of Movies in the Pines at Twain Harte’s famous Eproson Park! This week’s flick is The Spiderwick Chronicles! FREE!!! All movies are family-friendly and start around dusk. Then, Saturday, it’ll be the 2nd of twelve weekly Concerts in the Pines, also at Eproson Park! This show will feature Jana Marie, jazz vocalist! FREE admission. The show starts at 6 p.m. All ages are welcome! Bring a lawn chair, blanket and/or picnic and enjoy! Another hot group, The Dan Bauer Trio will appear both Friday and Saturday nights, (the 26th and 27th) at Diamond Jims in Mi-Wuk Village (on Hwy 108, just a couple miles east of Twain Harte! Show starts at 8:30 p.m., but get there early for a seat! Car shows are gearing up too, this time of year! This trio plays some pretty energetic rock and blues! Micki and Larry’s Sports Pub on Copper Cove Drive in Copperopolis has some groovy car shows scheduled for the 1st and 3rd Thursdays in July! Also the popular Greg Brown makes his triumphant return to Micki and Larrys! He’ll perform your pop, rock and roll and country favorites on July 2nd and 16th! If you need a little humor (and who doesn’t these days), Cherly, the Soccer Mom will kick out some jokes at Lake Tulloch’s Outcast Bar on July 1st! Show starts around 8:30 p.m. No cover charge! Must be 21. The legendary Blues singer/keyboardist Deacon Jones is back by popular demand, and appearing July 11th at Murphy’s Nugget Bar! And he brings with him his incredible back-up band!
I know Earth Day was back in May, but we should try to sustain that attitude all year long! For example, got any old batteries? Please DON’T throw ‘em in the waste bucket! Twain Harte Lumber/ACE Hardware will take them, in their recycling program! They do ask that you place a small piece of tape over the positive ends, though. This will help prevent them from sparking when they get jostled around in the recycle bin. Remember: recycling creates good karma!
That new sports bar at 1252 S. Main Street in Angels Camp is coming right along! They’ve just installed a new jukebox. Check the place out sometime: it’s a pretty cool place!
I’ve been assured by a few of my friends that it’s O.K. to be stuck in the ‘60s. One of them even showed me this week’s Target ad, pages 4 and 5. Target is even celebrating the 40-year anniversary of Woodstock! They’re selling Woodstock beach towels, picnic blankets, tee shirts, CDs and DVDs. Etc.! Man, the ‘60s revival is in full swing now!
Took a well-deserved shopping break at the Red Church Thrift Shop (on Tuolumne Road in East Sonora) recently. Found a Willie Nelson LP (record album) titled “…and then I wrote” on Liberty Records. The disc contains all originals – including “Crazy”, the song Patsy Cline sang and turned into a blockbuster hit!!! Anyway, in his picture on the cover, Willie doesn’t even look like Willie! He’s completely clean-shaven and has short, greased-back hair! You wouldn’t even recognize him! So I paid 25 cents and took the LP home. I looked it up in a price guide. Turns out the album, released in 1962, is worth $40 if in mint/near mint condition. My newfound Willie record was in pretty groovy condition!
And now, for the answers to the trivia questions: drum roll, please! #1: Boz Scaggs; #2: “Nights in White Satin; #3: “Sweet Home Alabama”. By the way, Boz Scaggs, the Moody Blues, Lynyrd Skynyrd – and many other music icons will be appearing at Ironstone Amphitheatre this summer! Log on to www. IronstoneVineyards.com for more info!!! Next week, in an exclusive, I’ll be reprinting the words to Columbia’s 2009, prize-winning Sarsaparilla jingle – and other surprises! In the meantime, enjoy all the fairs and carnivals, and remember: Peace, love and corn on the cob!
