The L.S.D. Interviews (Part 1)

"Once in a lifetime
The longed-for tidal wave
Of justice can rise up,
And hope and history rhyme."
-- Seamus Heaney 1939-- : "The Cure at Troy" (1990)



What follows is an interview with the McGoostock '09 promoter, Otis Huffenpuff. The dialogue took place in the offices of the "Liberal Student Dispatch," located in Gwinn, Michigan on June 28, 2009.

LSD: Tell us, Mr. Huffenpuff, what is McGoostock, and why has there been such a groundswell of interest in attending this event?
OH: First off, call me Otis. McGoostock is a two day benefit taking place in Big Bay Michigan on the evenings of Friday July 24th, and Saturday July 25. It will feature a number of performances by a variety of talent from all over the world. The Hendersons will all be there, late of Pablo-Fanques square, as well as a number of drag cheerleaders led by one Mr. Howard Beach. But seriously, McGoostock '09 is an effort to assist a citizen of the community who needs our support. Although this is specifically for our friend, Tim, it's really about the enactment of what we would all want done for ourselves should we be the ones in need.

LSD: What do you mean by "enactment"?

OH: Enactment simply means exhibiting a concrete rather than symbolic expression of sympathy. In other words, we do something as well as feel something.

LSD: The poster pitches this as a benefit for Tim McGee. What, exactly, is Mr. McGee struggling with?

OH: Unless one is independently wealthy, or has a strong employer provided health plan, having a serious illness is financially devastating. So leaving aside the material burden of sickness, Tim's physical struggle has been with Laryngeal cancer, a malady that, suffice it to say, affects an area of the anatomy directly involved with breathing, eating, drinking, and speaking. Given the importance of these bodily functions, you might imagine the myriad forms of suffering this disease can visit on those afflicted with throat cancer. He's been through heavy radiation and multiple surgeries. Now he's on the mend, and we're having this musical gathering to help out.

LSD: One of the questions we've been asked concerns FUBAR's coming to perform. Is the entire band really going to be there?

OH: To that I offer an unequivocal, that is to say, unvarnished, yes, and further, as a Medical Orchardist and amateur veterinarian, I would offer this on the kind of species friendly group this diverse unit offers. FUBAR is probably the first rock combo in the world to have 5 band dogs: Mogli, Lucky, Sarge, Jackson, and Shadow. These noble canines are an integral part of our band chemistry. Sharing our knowledge in a collaborative way on the best methods of pet care inspires an, at once, creative and synergistic kind of solidarity that most bands only dream of.

LSD: Oh come on, you goofy son-of-a-bitch, be serious.

OH: Regarding the music, I just spoke with Derrell Syria (the Conga Se Menne dude), whose name I misspelled on the poster, and he tells me Friday the 24th at 10:30ish PM, he and his mates, which includes Dave Zeigner, whose name I also misspelled, will be having at it for a set. Michael Stadler, who, of course, informed me of the previously mentioned misspellings, will be coming in from San Francisco to grace us with his multiple talents. His CD, "North Country," is a joy to hear and a heartfelt expression of Yooper angst. Mike turned me on to Dave Van Ronk.

LSD: Tell us a bit about the "Flat Broke Blues Band' and Lorrie Hayes.

OH: Here's some info from their website, and embellished by moi. Lorrie has toured Japan twice, sang with the latin jazz group, Combo Caliente, and provided background vocals on the Conga Se Menne CD (Finnish Reggae). She has recorded a variety of commercial jingles, and opened for many national acts in Marquette: namely, Buddy Guy, James Cotton: Blues, Mike Stern, YellowJackets:Jazz. She has also jammed with Billy Branch, Pinetop Perkins, "Big Eyes" Willie Smith, and Sugar Blue, in addition to playing most of the major stages in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, blues clubs in Detroit, festivals in down state Michigan and Rosa's blues club in Chicago. Walt Lindala is the founding member of the Flat Broke Blues Band. He has been through the group's various incarnations since it's inception as a duo in 1991. A veteran of the Upper Michigan music scene, Walt brings a more rock-influenced guitar style to the group. His musical influences include Buddy Guy, Albert King, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Walt also cites David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler and Eddie Van Halen as some of his rock-oriented guitar influences. Ok Walt, here's my take on a cool song by each of your influences: "Somebody done Hoodood the Hoodoo man," "Crosscut Saw," any of Claptons playing with John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers and Derek and the Dominoes, and "Riviera Sunset." Where's the Malmstein dude?

LSD: Whats the scoop on Fast Eddie?

OH: He'll be playing, and he'll have his musical way with us. What Eddie wants, Eddie gets. Eddie is so fast that when he goes to sleep at night and switches off the light, he's in bed before the room gets dark. Eddie channels Little Walter on a regular basis. He's the 4th Sonny Boy and the seventh son. He was born under a bad sign and soon became a backdoor man. He raises little red roosters, and works until his back ain't got no bone, and the chicken juice runs down his leg. As the years go passing by Eddie's established himself as the principal wang dang doodler in the Marquette Blues Society Symphony. He's bad like Jesse James, and always uses a crosscut saw when building camps along Ventura Highway! Say what? Ventura Highway? (Otis, you've been drinking too much, so why don't you and that horse with no name you rode in on get the fuck outta here) Eddie is good, real good, and he's got a way cool soulmate, Mona. Hear that Bo Diddley drumbeat, that's Mona, and she's cool. Walt Lindala and Mona are a big part of the success of the Marquette Blues Festival (see Marquette Blues Society), or whatever it's called.

LSD: Who is "Chemojunkie"?

OH: The personel are Don Kuhli on drums, Kim French on bass, and me on guitar. The set will begin with 5 songs on the accoustic guitar: "Delighted" (Etten & McKelvy), "Stop This World" (Mose Allison), "Without You" (Byrds), "Norwegian Wood" (George Harrison), and "With a Little help From My Friends" (Ringo Starr). The electric guitar will then be donned for 6 songs: "Rock & Roll Part 2" (Gary Glitter), "I Used to Love Her" (Bobby Womack", Yellow Dog Stretch" (Randy Tessier), "One Way Out" (Sonny Boy Williamson), "Slow Magic Sam Blues," "Murder in My Heart for the Judge" (Moby Grape). Wow! That doesn't sound like a guy being interviewed. Like, I didn't mean to sound so...like...informational, but I'm practicing hard so McGee will be proud of us. French and I practice with a drum machine. I do have to prod him somewhat, but once he's seated, with bass and beer nearby, he's like the energizer bunny, sort of. If French were paid by the note, he'd be a millionaire in a happy hour. The musical approach to Chemojunkie is exactly what the name implies. Just as chemotherapy applies a shotgun approach to killing cancers, our music offers a full-choke, thrill ride that will leave you begging for more and gasping for strong liquor. Just before taking the stage the Lumberjack will be handing out waivers absolving chemojunkie of any responsibility, lest the melifluous exhilaration should overcome certain patrons, like Roger Mason.

LSD: What about the venue? Tell our readers about the LumberJack Tavern.

OH: I just got a recent update from Mcgee's Blog, and his throat is getting better. Cool. about the Lumberjack. An unnamed source had this to say about why the Lumberjack is too cool, right Beamer? The film, "Anatomy of a Murder" inspired by a 1952 Big Bay Lumberjack Tavern murder trial in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, was adapted by Wendell Mayes from the novel by Robert Traver (pen name of John D. Voelker, a Michigan Supreme Court judge from 1957-1959). It was filmed in the Upper Peninsula (Big Bay, Marquette, Ishpeming, and Michigamme). Some scenes were actually filmed in the Thunder Bay Inn in Big Bay, Michigan, one block from the Lumberjack Tavern, the site of a murder that had inspired much of the novel. This jealous Army dude staying at Perkins Park walks up to the Jack and blows away a local. It all happened in the Jack, man. What better place to kick out the jams. The close proximity of the big shiny sea water and glorified mud puddle makes this, Big Bay, and by extension, the Jack, a place where one can play a little pool, oogle Russian waitresses, and talk to Jackala, no relation to the Jack. Stage in the backyard and inside, accoustic and electric, Billy D. Brew keeping us guessing as to what the hell's goin on, can you say "horse show"! I think that mean thanks in Russki. Horse show, horror show, what the hell's the difference, it's gonna be a good time.

LSD: That concludes the first of the two interviews we've scheduled with Mr. Huffenpuff.

Letter from Paris

"In America there are two classes of travel -- first class, and with children."
-- Robert Benchley 1889-1945: "Pluck and Luck" (1925)

Just got back from Paris. We spent two days there idling on the left bank. Every so often we would launch the punt and read Rimbaud and Mallarme. On Thursday afternoon we crawled down the rocks and braced ourselves against the current with gravely resolve. Since our I-Phones were rendered useless in the bohemian gloaming, we couldn't instantly know that Michael Jackson had died from an overdose. It was as if we lived in an obsolete village at the outer rings of cyberspace, a place where time had passed us by for a period of hours. I felt sad that the King -- of pop, that is -- had not read my blogs discussing suboxone and its benefit to those desperate to escape the evil clutches of deadly narcotics.

As we drank turkish coffees in the Parisian twilight, B. remarked on how lucky it was for those poised at the tabloid brink, and unlucky for those whose tragic demise deserved more attention, and how many would overlook the fact that anal cancer, which is typically sexually acquired, can be prevented by the HPV (human papilloma virus) vaccine.

To which I commented that some forlorn "oncewas" in a Columbian mansion took modest gifts from the dead in hoping Jackson's death might do for him what 9/11 had done for Gary Condit.

A man in a wheelchair barged brusquely through the salon doors, mumbling something about flights to the horn and railroad tracks; which gave me pause as I froze in mid-dip, my scone poised above a steamfrothy flagon of latte. My, "what say you, I say," approach deterred him little as he accused me of false blogging on a subject most serious. Sensing my cavalier veneer was vanishing fast, I took quick physical assessment of this mobile miscreant's possible menace. Then he recognized me, accusing me of writing about the BIID (Body Integrity Identity Disorder) issue without proper authority, chastising me for having no medical background, and berating me for having better hair than himself. Not knowing if he was a wannabe, pretender, or devotee, I couldn't be sure of how I'd react to any possible fisticuffs. Suddenly, he stood up and screamed 'til his face turned so red that he fell on the floor, and started drooling his sordid desires. He was all three: he wanted his leg cut off, loved the attention of his wheelchair, and reveled in the waist high oogling of loose genitalia.

With that, I inquired as to what he had tried to achieve the first goal. He said dry ice had failed him twice, as he could never quite get his leg frozen enough due to its tremendous girth, the result of a chronic elephantitis that had plagued him since birth, exacerbated by a profound Macdonald's fries addiction. I helped him up, brought him an espresso, and asked if he too knew the secret of Mogadishu. He produced the very same news item as I had, neatly tucked in the back pocket of my dockers. It seems the Shabab, a fierce Islamic group bent on overthrowing the Somali government, had cut off the right hands and left legs of four men accused of stealing. Knowing his intention was to seek the Mogadishu cure as a solution to his obsession, I lied, and warned him that the punishment might kill him. To slick for my wiles, he reminded me that the Shabab had nursed the men back until their wounds had healed.

Leaving him with a terse, "suit yourself," we moved down the boulevard to a famous pastisserie. There we were accosted by a belligerent Irani from Isfahan. Seeing we were American, he began to laugh, charging us with being warmongers, babykillers, and hypocrites. Snarlingly, he asked what the difference is between having an American Supreme Court install Bush and the Supreme Ayatollah install Ahmedinejad. Wanting to distance ourselves from his fetid breath, which reeked of rotten falafil and cactus milk, we fled to an upscale creperie on the rue du Hoodoo in the fifth arrondissement. Blaring in the background was a French television show hosting a debate on whether there was any merit to the American tabloid TV commentator, Bill O'Reilly's, charge that the democrats were too harsh in their condemnation of the rash of republicans who had fallen from grace. Lazilly savoring our fruited crepes we nodded in agreement with the anti-O'Reilly Colbertian, Ashvin Shah: "Personally, I do not care if an elected official has an extramarital affair or otherwise deviates from the 'ideal,' but I have no patience for such politicians if they continually demonize others who fail to live up to those ideals while they themselves do not."

I think that about covers our time in Paris.

Greeting from Paree - R. Louis Tessier

July 24th & 25th

Ambition

Feeling a bit lazy.
Looking for something pithy to say.
Nothing's coming.

r

MIX & MATCH -- Various Crucifictions: Fuchs, Grunewald, Delvaux, Antonelli, Bacon, Hamilton, Chagall, and Dali

The Curious Case of L.E. Bloom: Two Early WALRUS Tracks

“A turtle walked into a police station and reported he’d been mugged by a snail. When the detective asked for the details, the turtle replied, “it all happened so fast I can’t remember what happened.”
-- A Joke, as told by George Bedard


As some of you may know, there is information on the Walrus at a couple of websites. There is an Escanabian, goes by the name of Steve Seymour (rocknrollgraffiti.blogspot.com) who has a site devoted to Yooper Rock & Roll, as well as a facebook group site Julie F. put up with photos and such, called, I think, Walrus. In general, there is scant documentation of early Walrus doings.

Now comes Mr. Les Bloom. As it happens, B. was looking at the site origins of various blog hits and came across a website created only two days ago by Les. The link at right will take you there. What it is, is two songs originally meant to be on the Walrus’s first album. The year was 1972.

As you may or may not recall, the Walleye moved to the Republic of Ann Arbor in 1971 after their bass player was told to either leave town or go to prison. While in Ann Arbor we added Jim Bowers on keyboards and Les Bloom on sax. I like to call him Lester, after the great Lester Young.

And so it was that the Walrus expanded to six members: Bill Etten, Mike Mckelvy, Don Kuhli, Randy Tessier, Jim Bowers, and Les Bloom. To make a long story short, Jim became not only an integral part of the band, but a patron saint and benefactor who bailed us out of a variety of crises too numerous to mention. Les brought an eclectic, hard charging reed sound to the band that is self evident on the recordings included at right.

What’s really cool about Les’s recordings is that they survey the playing of a circle of fine local Ann Arbor musicians who intermingled and played together in the seventies and eighties.

Kuhli and I, who stayed behind when the Walrus first disbanded, play on a number of these tunes. As I write this, I should say there are songs and musicians here I’ve never heard of, but fully intend to listen to later today.

Check out “Incognito.” I loved us. The music is frenetic, complicated, and difficult, and we only played a handful of gigs and radio appearances, but for us, and perhaps only a tightly drawn coterie of jazz-fusion Nazis, it was cathartically transcendent. RJ’s (Rick Jacobi) and Les’s playing is relentless. I’m playing an electric fretless on these grooves. Aside from RJ’s superb guitar work, he also plays the clarinet, on which he is also phenomenal. If his name sounds familiar, it’s because you’ve seen his most excellent art work here at various times (see illustration at right).

And, oh yes, I did hear back this morning from Dr. L. Here tis!

To:
Randall Tessier
Subject:
Re: IMPORTANT
I understand where you are coming from. In my earlier note, I indicated that in general, we do not recommend hepatitis C patients to take marijuana because the benefits do not outweigh the risks. However, each patient is different. Not knowing your individual circumstances, I cannot comment on your case and would encourage you to discuss with your physicians. Dr. L.

Best - Randy

DOCTOR! vs: dOcTer?

"Cured yesterday of my disease,

I died last night of my physician."

-- Matthew Prior 1664-1721: "The Remedy worse that the Disease" (1727)



Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:04:22 -0400 [06/19/2009 07:04:22 PM EDT]

Dear Mr. Tessier:


I am sorry to hear that you have encountered problems with your care here. Not knowing the details of your medical condition or the specific reason why Dr. X. declined to provide the release, I am not in a position to judge if the decision is appropriate or not. University of Michigan Health System has very strict guidelines on how we should proceed with providing the release. In general, we do not feel that hepatitis C on its own should be a reason for use of marijuana. Marijuana can accelerate progression of liver fibrosis, so any benefit must be weighed against medical risk. If you are requesting for its use to combat side effects associated with radiation or chemo therapy, that is very different, and Dr. K. may be in a better position to provide the release.


Let me know if I can be of further help.


Dr. L.

From:
Randall Tessier
To:

Subject:
Re: IMPORTANT

Dear Dr. L.:


You write, "we do not feel hepatitis C on its own should be a reason for use of marijuana." So, hypothetically, if a person had excruciatingly painful symptoms caused by the hep C virus, and found relief from medical marijuana, you would presume to deny them this treatment? You should know that signing the release is simply verification that a patient has one of the qualifying conditions, in my case, cancer and hep C. It in no way prescribes anything.


I would also caution you that "generalizing" about how disease affects specific individuals should be avoided in favor of making decisions on a case-by-case basis. There are side effects associated with hep C, like the severe itching brought on by lichen planus, that can be ameliorated by medical marijuana. I guess I'm asking what distinction you're making between hep C and cancer pain? Pain is pain, and relief is relief.


Regarding the "accelerated progression of fibrosis" research, I would be interested in seeing the data you base this on. Cherry picking particular studies, whether qualitative or quantitative, that support decisions wholly unrelated to what benefits the patient most, is often a convenient way of allowing moral judgments to supersede the patient's best interest.


Using marijuana for the relief of pain is not a moral issue, it's a medical matter.


Finally, shouldn't the patient have a say in weighing the risk/benefit equation.


It would seem to me that world renowned specialists at one of the most esteemed research hospitals in the world should be capable of showing at least the same wisdom and compassion as my primary care provider.


Best - Dr. Tessier



**********************************************************Electronic Mail is not secure, may not be read every day, and should not be used for urgent or sensitive issues

sTuFf tO rEaD: "Godfatherish," the adjective, and, there's always room at the Inn, Mr. Lorinser

"Sorrow and silence are strong, and patient endurance is godlike."

-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1807-82: “Evangeline” (1847)

Date: Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 4:05 p.m.

MARQUETTE -- For fifty-seven year old Tim McGee, the past few months have
been difficult following his reconstructive surgery.

The ten hour operation was performed in Madison, Wisconsin to remove Tim's larynx and rebuild the voice box. So far, it's the only known case of this surgery in the U.P.

"Because typically most people with an advanced stage cancer like mine was would have a total larenjectomy- total removal of the voice box. So now we're just kind of in a wait and see mode," says survivor Tim McGee.

The trips to Madison combined with medical expenses have been expensive for
the McGee family.

While the insurance picks up some of the tab, McGee estimates his current bills at well over $300,000. Fortunately the community has come together to organize a benefit.

The benefit dance will be held this Saturday at Pasquali's in Negaunee from 6 PM until midnight. Guests will enjoy music from Fast Eddie's Blues Band, food, music, and raffle prizes. Organizers are hoping the event will be a success.

"There's hardly anyone we know that doesn't have a friend or relative that has cancer and is battling this disease and it's time for all of us to get together and help one another. I find in the Marquette area that's a very easy thing to do," said organizer Carol Etten.

It's been an uphill battle for Tim, but he remains positive. "My ultimate goal is to have this trake removed and be able to breathe from my mouth again. If I come out of it with a whisper, even this voice here, I would be happy," commented McGee.

Organizers are already planning two other benefit dances for Tim on July 24th and 25th in Big Bay.

(From WLUC TV Interview, Marquette Michigan)

They say I have A.D.D….

Which is why it’s time to start hyping, I mean talking about, McGOOSTOCK ’09. You may have noticed the group, Chemojunkie, on the poster. Their reunion has been as eagerly anticipated as it has talked about since word got out that French, Kuhli, and Tessier would be performing at what’s now being simply referred to as “The Stock.” In a series of group interviews this intrepid trio talked about their respective roles in making this power trio juggernaut roll.

ROLLING STONE: How do you boys achieve such a groovy sound?

FRENCH: When we start playing, we have a simple plan: keep it simple.

TESSIER: French is right. One of our coolest songs used to have two chords. What happened was, every time we played it, one of us was off on the change, so we cut it to one chord. Now the changes are easy.

KUHLI: This made it easy for me, since key changes have always been the biggest challenge to my drumming abilities.

RS: Any regrets, fellas?

TESSIER: We made a lot of mistakes the first go round, but now that we’re beyond drugs and loose women, our music has taken on a certain preciousness it lacked in our youth.

FRENCH: Along the way to picking up my Job Corps Hair Dresser Degree and Massage Therapy Certificate, I wish I had taken the time to pursue a career in social work.

KUHLI: Now that I’m a music teacher in San Diego, I wish I had taken Spanish back at Northern.

Date:
Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:25:29 -0400 [06/17/2009 10:25:29 PM EDT]
From:

To: rlt@umich.edu

Subject: Magoo Fest!

Hey Randy!

First of all I want to give you the biggest thanks for putting all of this together for my Dad. You are simply amazing! Every time he talks about it I see the old Timmy sparkle back in his eyes. Seeing how much support he has has made this easier on all of us.

I have a good friend (Andrew Lorinser) who runs "Redfella Records" in Marquette. He is a wonderful musician himself and also does P.A. stuff and has offered his services! I am not sure if any of this is needed or if there is room for him to play a short acoustic set but thought I would let you know. (He knows Tret Fure and has done her P.A. in the past)

The last thing I wanted to ask you is this...I didn't read my Dad's care page before he removed the section about what someone said to him. He is far too proud to tell me, or L., what was said or who said it, but I was wondering if you could tell me at least what the update indicated. I am very upset that anyone could say something to my dad to cause him any more pain. I can't think of anything he has done to anyone other than tell the occasional bad joke or two ;] Please don't tell him I asked you about it but I don't take things like this lightly. No one hurts a member of my family, no one. I know that sounds a little "Godfather"-ish but seeing my Dad so down in the dumps lately I can't STAND to think of someone taking a low blow at him and getting away with it.

All my love!

-- C.

"Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life." - Mark Twain

This is, indeed, the kind of daughter we all want. I don’t think Ms. C. knows it, but Mark Twain is one of my all time heroes.

Well folks, it’s official, I mailed out my MMMP forms about an hour ago, which makes me a certified legal, card carrying pothead.

As you can see below, however, I had a little trouble along the way. And where do you think that came from? Righteousness knows no geographic boundaries, and so it was that a patronizing physician, a young punk half my age, no doubt drunk with an abiding concern for my “best interest,” had the temerity, not to mention the unmitigated gall, to refuse my request that he testify to my having the qualifying conditions to merit a, hey, hey, green card.

Dr. L. is the head of the Hepatology (liver) Department where Dr. X. works.

Date:
Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:33:04 -0400 [09:33:04 AM EDT]
From:
Randall Tessier

To:

Subject: IMPORTANT

Subject:
IMPORTANT

Dear Dr.L:

My name is Randall Tessier. I'm 58 years old, live in Ann Arbor, and teach in the English Department at UM. Over the past 5 years I've been diagnosed with both hepatitis C and non-Hodgkins lymphoma. I've had editorials published on Dr. Kaminski's work with radioimmunotherapy (Bexxar), and done much layman's research on Hep C and cancer.

My problem is this: When I asked my liver doctor, Dr. X, to sign the release form to get my medical marijuana registry release form, he refused. This is unconscionable. Ann Arbor is assumed to be an enlightened community, and one would certainly think the physicians at UM hospital were forward thinking enough that I wouldn't have to approach some fly-by-night clinic to get this signed.

I have been pleased with X.’s handling of my liver issues, but I was somewhat disturbed to hear him claim the Liver Board (if this is in fact true) had decided not to sign any of these releases. It is now LEGAL for me to use marijuana to relieve my nausea, lack of appetite, and uncontrollable itching that has accompanied the eczemetic skin condition that has arisen following my chemotherapy.

This is a patient's rights issue, not a moral dilemma. I think it is WRONG for your clinic to put me in a position where I'm a lawbreaker, and, even worse, where I have to seek out less legitimate medical establishments to alleviate my suffering. I'm appealing to you to exercise some sound judgment and allow a man of age and intelligence to make an autonomous and wise decision regarding his own health.

I don't want to go public with this, but if I have to, I feel it's my duty to advocate for other patients who don't have the strength to question personal health decisions made for them by doctors who have no idea of what they're going through.

Best - Randall L. Tessier, PhD

University of Michigan

English Department

McGOOSTOCK '09: Future Fans and Present Poster

From top:

1st and 2nd Grade, St. Johns School, Marquette Michigan 1958-59

James Ensor. "Skeletons Fighting Over a Pickled Herring" (detail). 1891. Oil on panel. Musees royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels.

"Steel Mill," Peter Waite. Artwork courtesy the artitst and Winston Wachter Fine Art, Seattle/New York City

McGoostock '09 Poster

Beer, Wine, & Eczema

Date:
Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:06:35 -0400 [09:06:35 AM EDT]
From:
Igor
To:
Randall Tessier
Reply-To:
igor
Subject:
Re: Eczema Randall Tessier (vacation)

I will be on vacation from May 31st until June 8th.Dr. Starling will cover any clinic issues in interim.
rlt 06/11/09 09:06 >>>

Dear Dr. Igor:

I thought this might be helpful to you. After 3 visits to the UM clinic, gallons of skin creams, various antihistamines, prescription cotosteroid, and a round of antibiotic (keflex), the lesions are rapidly disappearing. After a night of torment last friday, I decided to stop drinking beer, wine,and all whiskeys and vodkas made from grains. Rather than beer or wine (yeast, hops, and grapes)I switched to potato vodka and sugarcane rum(not too much of course). My thinking was this. In my twenties I had horrible hayfever in the late summer. As I recall, whenever I drank a beer, the congestive onslaught would begin. So, on the advice of my girlfriend, I decided to give this a try: eliminate what I now consider to be, at least in my case, the most profound trigger for histimine production. The results have been dramatic. The half-dollar sized lesions, small-pimply clusters on my wrists, kneecaps, and ankles, and raised welts are barely discernable on this, the sixth day, after making this change.

Best - Randall Tessier

June 8th 2009: It's a Nasty-Ass-Day!

“BRICK: Well, they say nature hates a vacuum, Big Daddy.
BIG DADDY: That’s what they say, but sometimes I think that a vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with.”

Tennessee Williams 1911-83: “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” (1955)

Imagine the bottom of the ocean? Consider how it might be described? If it seems an oceanic task, that’s because the sublime nature of a thing like the ocean, sun, or moon, defies explanation. It is, in a word, ineffable. Now consider Times reporter, Andrew Downie’s, succinct description of the ocean’s bottom off the coast of Brazil just north of the Equator: “The ocean floor there is a tangle of mountains towering two miles above ocean valleys.” Our awesome fear at the thought of watery black depths, uncharted as space, lies at the heart of our fascination with such mysteries as those of the Cyclops, Enchantress, and Avengers Flight 19. The unplumbed depths reflect our worst fears of never being found: “The batteries on the ‘pingers,’ little electronic noisemakers stuck to the sides of the flight data recorder, will start to wear down in about three weeks, and slowly fade to silence.”

We need to hold a benefit for the Wichita chapter of the anti-abortion outfit, Operation Rescue. There’s nowhere left for them to protest. They’ve lost their mojo. Absent the raison d’etre of their hate filled cottage industry, poor Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, might have to find a real job. A spokesman for OP had this to say, “Woe is us, when one of our own shoots the golden goose. Sure the baby killer belongs in hell, but that doesn’t mean we wanted his landing there to cause Tiller’s clinic to close.” Upon hearing this, a tearful Mr. Newman condemned Tiller’s murderer, not for executing the death sentence Newman believes every abortion doctor so richly deserves, but for jeopardizing his own ill-gotten income: “This idiot did more to damage the pro-life movement than you can imagine.” Which is really code for the unspoken fear the hearts of people like Randall Terry and Troy Newman harbor: that the public might finally sicken at the idea of young women in crisis being under siege by a male-directed fanatical group bent on controlling the reproductive rights of women.

Some thoughts on housing the terrorists at Marquette State Prison: Folks it’s not just the shot in the arm it will bring the Correctional industry in Marquette, it’s also the celebrity that notoriety brings. I can see it now, “Harold and Kumar: Escape from Carp River.”
But wait a minute, wait just a cottonpickin minute, what about the visitors it’s gonna bring our fair city. Think of it folks, nests of insurgents cropping up in Sands and Slapneck. Next thing you know, they’ll be flying over on those magic carpets and showering us with poisoned couscous. The horror! On the other hand, the venerable (there’s that word again) John Engler, my personal hero, is the author of this plan. Yes, I know, “Yellow Belly” Levin supports the idea. But that’s okay, even a blind squirrel finds the occasional nut.

A lot of you out there are rightfully concerned that they’re closing Shingleton and Kincheloe. But no worries, we’re not gonna run out of prisoners. To quote a Department of Corrections spokesman, Russ Marlan, from an Ann Arbor News editorial (6/4/09), “The state, which is aiming to reduce the inmate population and close some prisons this year, already is advertising space to other states and the Justice Department.” Let me get this straight, the state is set to house less inmates, thus reducing employment, while at the same time selling space that outsiders might profit from; really, because we all know the phrase, “other states,” is just a euphemism for bringing in privatized correctional firms.

Lastly, there’s absolutely no truth to the rumor that the 20th hijacker is John Belushi’s long lost twin brother.

PS: STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT BLOG. IT WILL (I hope) DISPLAY THE MCGOOSTOCK ’09 POSTER

-- Randall

Mcgoostock '09

Busy lately. Here’s the quote:

“I count myself in nothing else so
happy
As in a soul remembering my good
Friends.”
-- William Shakespeare 1564-1616: “Richard II” (1595)

At right is and example of Carl’s work……

Hello all. It’s June 1st, ten to nine, and raining. The Ann Arbor News published my letter yesterday (Sunday). How to read it? Go to http://www.annarbornews.com/, click on Ann Arbor in the upper row of listed cities, scroll down on the left to a list of News Topics, click on opinion, and it should show up.

It’s time to talk Mcgoostock ’09.

Date:
Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:42:02 -0400 [01:42:02 PM EDT]
From:
Randall Tessier
To:
lundgrenart@aol.com
Subject:
Re: Poster

Dear Carl:

WHAT: A Benefit Concert for Tim Mcgee

WHERE: The Lumberjack Tavern

Big Bay Michigan

WHEN: July 24th and 25th from 7PM - 2AM

Suggested Donation $5

WHO: FUBAR: Andy Adamson, Jim Carey, Dave Cavender, Sophia Hanifi, Randy Tessier & Oni Werth

Darrell Syria Project w/Dave Zigner and Jerry Kippola

Flat Broke Blues Band w/Lorrie Hayes, Walt Lindala, Mark Johnson, Mike Letts, & and Jim Cohen

Fast Eddie

Mike Stadler

Tim Mcgee

Chemojunkie w/ Kim French & Don Kuhli

Emcee: William De Broux (we’re hoping we can also get Sudsy for this)

Love - Randy