In This Issue (No AI or GMO!)

• More details on the par 3 #17

• Introducing the crow sculptures

• Book notes: Watchmen

• Book notes: Dirty Pictures

• Regular features: board games and CD’s

Par 3 #17

By the numbers, this hole is the easiest on our home course. Relatively short distance, but there is water on the left and sand to the right. Longer hitters have to clear the water in front of them, while still avoiding the sand on the right.

Recent rounds have featured multiple pars, a birdie, and even a hole in one! Read more here.

What Exactly are Crow Sculptures?

A couple of years ago there were cat sculptures scattered around town. Each sculpture was created by an individual artist. In the fall they were all sold at auction, with proceeds going to a local children’s hospital.

This year a similar idea is taking place, but this time it’s crows. I’ve only located 3 of the 30 so far. I’ll update this as I encounter more of them.

Book Notes: Watchmen

Watchmen is a graphic novel published in 1985 that I have recently reread. I’m not sure when my first reading was, but I’m certain that I got much more out of the experience this time around. The story essentially revolves around costumed crime fighters, long since retired, that are again working to locate criminals and bring them to justice. Along the way we encounter philosophical ideas, a parallel story line where one of the secondary characters is reading a serialized comic book, and oblique references to some scientific topics. You can read more about my impressions, and read some of the more interesting quotes I uncovered, here.

Book Notes: Dirty Pictures

I learned about the author years ago while reading his book about the Burning Man festival. In that book he describes the history and evolution of the festival. In Dirty Pictures, he takes a similar approach, but examines the history and evolution of underground comix.

Underground comix came of age in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s and were called underground comix because they were hard to find. Unlike traditional comic books, you couldn’t find them at grocery stores or news stands. The topics were also non-traditional, featuring political commentary along with sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

I discovered underground comix as a high schooler. At that time you could only get them at a head shop, and since they were hidden under the counter you had to ask for them. I’m certain a class mate had told me about them, or perhaps showed me one. As quoted in the book: “They were mostly a dark secret you needed to stumble across in the search for other quirky or forbidden kicks, or be initiated by a previous acolyte, like some occult rite of passage”

I learned a lot from the book, not only about the history and evolution of comix but also of previously unknown artists.

You can still find them to read, but they are no longer hidden from view—they can be purchased from the internet and some can even be read online for free.

Read more about my impressions here.

Board Games Played

Not much to report, except that regular gaming pals Mike B, Jerome W, Jordan K, and I completed a multi month session of a game called Mr. President. Not only did we win, but we collected enough legacy points to be be a peer of FDR!

CD’s Listened To

• Grant Green/Donald Byrd-His Majesty King Funk

• Ramblin’ Jack Elliot-A Stranger Here

• John Mayall-Jazz Blues Fusion

• Willie Nelson-Stardust

• Willie Nelson-Milk Cow Blues

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