Oktoberfest

The first few days of fall, trees rapidly taking on the colors of the season, the sun slipping out of sight way too early, mornings indicating those longer nights, and at times, even a light jacket or sweater might come in handy.  These are the days leading up to the long, dark, and cold days of the hiemal season, when snow flies in our faces, when schussing is an act not just a word, and when walking one must be aware of the dangers of participating in the world famous Comstock two-step, that is, going kerplop in front of your neighbors and friends.

One of the grand pleasures of early fall is a celebration that started back in 1810, called Oktoberfest.  It is the national holiday in Munich, the capital of Bavaria in those days, and was the original wedding reception for Crown Prince Ludwig following his marriage to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hidburghausen on October 12, 1810.  The open fields, almost at the gates of Munich were named in her honor, Theresienwiese, and the locals today call the area the Wiesen.  Ludwig went on to become King Ludwig the First.

The first question many people as is why is Oktoberfest celebrated in September, and there actually is a reasonable answer.  Relating back to that marriage, Oktoberfest started out as the sixteen days leading up to the first Sunday in October.  It’s that first Sunday in October that determines the dates for each year’s celebration.  Over the years, there have been times when it was seventeen days, and years when it was eighteen days, but that first Sunday in October is the date of reference.  This year, Oktoberfest is September 22 to October 7.

And the spelling?  Oktoberfest is the German spelling, and you can bet in Munich it will not be spelled in English.  They say as many as five million people will be on hand for this year’s event.  More people at Oktoberfest in Munich than there are in Nevada. 

Oktoberfest is a fair, there was horse racing in the past, there are grand agricultural exhibits, and more food than a gourmand can ever conceive having set before him.  Sausages, of course, fish, ham, roast beef, and you can bet a barrel or two sauerkraut.  You have to know that Oktoberfest Beer flows as water over Niagara.  And, dear and gentle folk, there is a reason for that special beer.

Those that run the show in Munich have rules on what kinds of beer can be served during the celebration.  Beer must be, at a minimum, six percent alcohol, that is, twelve proof.  It must be brewed in the city, and only then can it carry the dignity of Oktoberfest Beer.  Among the breweries most known in this country are Spaten, Paulaner, and Lowenbrau, and the term Oktoberfest Beer is a registered trademark by the Club of Munich Brewers.

Most beer in the 1800s was brewed in the spring when the weather was cool and developed its alcohol content before summer heat could spoil it.  A natural preservative, if you will.  There was a large effort, according to one myth of the times, to get the barrels down as much as possible before winter set in.  In the early spring, the barrels would be emptied, and that beer is called Bock.

So, gentlemen, put on your lederhosen, ladies don thy dirndl skirts, we must all wear our tirolerhute, that is, Bavarian hats with their tufts of goat hair, don’t become a birerleichen, that is drunken fool, and heist a pint or nine.  To Ludwig!  To Theresa!  To Beer or not Beer, the question remains.

New Mystery Novel

I finally finished my latest genre specific novel, and have put together an outstanding query letter, and will be sending that out to potential publishers and agents over the next few weeks (Be Prepared, Oh Mighty Agents and Publishers).  It’s called “Blood of Many Nations” and my lead man should have been working in the 1930s as a hardboiled private dick, but is trapped in the 21st Century where he has to deal with such things as the Miranda rule, civil rights, and compassionate judges that re-write the constitution.  He doesn’t do well in these things, but he does solve the cases, and in his opinion, and his opinion is the only one that counts, that is the his sole job.  I named him Simon Sol Dorsey, and along with the novel, I have five Dorsey short stories that I am working to get published.

We don’t have the pleasure of the old pulp detective and mystery magazines anymore, and the market is very limited.  Mystery and Western novels sell well, but there is a very limited market today for Mystery and Western short stories.  I’ve been very lucky to get my western short stories published, in book form by Bottom of the Hill Publishing, and in  story form in Imitation Fruit and Rope and Wire, Internet magazines.

One of the stories in Rope and Wire featured a U.S. Marshal by the name of Jacob Chance that I called “Four Corners.”  It has been well received and my next big project is to create a Jacob Chance novel.  These projects pretty much keep me off the streets and out of saloons --- hey, maybe that isn’t the best thing here …

It took almost three years to write “Blood of Many Nations”, my little gem (those are my words), and I hope some day soon you will have a chance to get down to Sundance Books and buy a copy or nine.

In other news around the J-P Ranchette, we had a coyote visit the other morning.  Found him eyeing the chicken yard when I went out to feed.  I yelled at him, chased him off, threw a harmless rock at him, because that’s about all you can do.  Too many people around here, so I couldn’t shoot him.  Sure would have made a fine cape for my Mountain Man expeditions regalia.  With the rabbits and chickens we have, it’s amazing that we don’t have more of these little varmints running around.

Chickens, goat, and horses really don’t like this very hot weather we’ve been having.  Reminds me, I sent a photo off to a farm journal recently that shows my big Poco Rojo standing in the middle of a blizzard, covered in snow, with his warm, dry, open stall twenty feet behind him.  The caption reads, “You can lead a horse to water, but you sure as hell can’t make him drink.”  Haven’t heard back from the editor on that one yet.

That’s abut it for this time.  Have a great day, read good books, and stay regular.

Ah, Politics!

When you’re sitting at your favorite watering hole, whether it’s a neighborhood dive or an elegant cocktail lounge, it’s best not to open discussions on politics or religion.  So, I guess I’ll break one more little rule.  While this blog is not designed to be a forum on politics, rather an opportunity for me to vent, rant, and promote, this year’s election campaigning screams for comment and commentary.

There have always been those that would rather be nasty than accurate during the election process, and often all sides carry the guilty flag, but it seems when names are not associated with accusations, the filth is rampant.  When PACs (Political Action Committees) put their advertising up, it is under a name that simply can’t be traced without help from James Bond, and these committees aren’t held responsible for what is said.  No one is.

That’s the rub, and while I am generally one of those people that condemn more and bigger government, this is a time for just a little more government.  My philosophy on new laws, new government intervention comes down to a simple question: is what’s being proposed really a function of government?  In this case, I feel the answer is a resounding yes.

Of course there is one very large problem with this.  Election law is written by those that have their jobs by way of elections, and elections today are more often won by those that have or spend the most money.  Ergo, election laws will always have major flaws benefiting the electee.

It would be easy at this point in this little tome to use the word naive, but just a few years ago if someone had told you that corporations should be treated as individuals, you probably would have scoffed.  And here come nine people, most often not referred to as being naive, that is, the Supreme Court of the United States, making that the law of the land, thus opening the door to unlimited spending by unknown people who cannot be held responsible for lies, distortions, or slander.

It’s taken us almost 250 years to get mired this deep in the slime of gutter politics.  The interesting part of the current situation is based, according to SCOTUS, on the First Amendment’s right to free speech, guaranteed by the constitution.  But that guarantee is to the citizens of the U.S., and international corporations are not citizens.  They can’t vote.  They don’t hold driver licenses.  They don’t hold Social Security cards.

At least, for those of us that take the time to read what the individual politicians have to say, and not be swayed by million dollar PACs, this election could prove to be pivotal in many respects.  It is more clear cut than in years past, partly due to the liberal wing of the democrat party and partly due to the Tea Party wing of the republican party.  In years past, liberals were led by Lyndon Johnson, the giant of arm twisting big, bigger, biggest government.  The conservatives were led by Ronald Reagan, leader of small, smaller, smallest government.

The art of politics has been tainted by religion and the rabid religious right has been trying for many years to forcefully take over the republican party.  It’s the influence of people like Ron Paul, and now Paul Ryan that is bringing more political philosophy to the table and less religion.  On the liberal side, those most considered liberal are hampered by many that are afraid of the label.  They want to be centrist.  Being centrist is what kept John McCain out of the White House.  It is not the best bet for either Mr. Obama or Mr. Romney.

Without the slime and slurry, these next few months need to be an open debate on the benefits of conservatism versus liberalism, a real political dog fight, in which the philosophy of big government is explained by one side, and the philosophy of small government is fought for by the other.  All four men, Obama, Biden, Romney, Ryan are excellent debaters, all four would hold their own in any forum, and that’s what needs to happen.  CNN, CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX and all the others need to shut the hell up and let the politicians have at it.

And the congress needs to take a long hard look at just who is a citizen of this country, individuals or corporations.  And the nine members of SCOTUS need to read the constitution, word for word for word.

Well, that’s it for this edition.  Read good books and stay regular.

Reno, then and now

Taking a tour around Reno today, downtown, the Virginia Street corridor, Fourth Street, one can understand why the New York Times and Los Angeles Times ran the articles they did.  Someone has a very good memory.

It wasn’t that many years ago that Reno was home to major showrooms, big gaudy casinos, nightlife that extended past sunrise, and a plethora of the world’s finest entertainers.  Or, you know, maybe it was many years ago.  Today, we have climbing walls that are supposed to draw thousands?  As Sammy Davis did?  We have white water that is supposed to draw thousands?  As Liberace did?

Ed Ames, Burl Ives, Sammy, Lee, Jimmy Durante, Rowan and Martin, Red Skelton, my goodness, these major superstars in the late 1950s and through the 1960s, even into the early 1970s, came to town for two week stints, two shows a night, dark one night a week, and the rooms were full.

Men wore coats and ties, women wore cocktail dresses, lines formed after the cocktail show at places like Kiah’s Squeeze Inn for early breakfast, and the party continued, maybe on the second floor at Harold’s, or the Basque Bar at John Ascuaga’s Nugget, after some oyster stew at John’s Oyster Bar.  Nothing wrong with a visit with Jack Joseph on the air live from the Waldorf.

Reno was a 24-hour town with the Riverside, Holiday Hotel, and Stein’s vying for the lunch and afternoon crowds, Charley Mapes enticing the early evening business crowd, and the Sword Room lively with sales people all the time.  Deals were made, broken, hearts were a-flutter, and casino operators stood by while the giants of the Indian nations put together casinos to rival those in the Biggest Little City in the World.

I was a part of that era, first as a radio type at the original KOH, an NBC affiliate, and did many interviews of major stars, like Cosby, Skelton, Liberace for NBC Monitor, a nationwide program with millions of listeners.  Then, I moved to John Ascuaga’s Nugget as publicity director and worked with Jim Thompson, the entertainment director and Fred Davis the public relations director.  Yes, Virginia, I worked with Bertha and Tina, sat in on rehearsals of the major stars, quipped and joked and laughed with Debbie Reynolds and Burl Ives.  It was an incredible time.

The only casinos left from the glory days are Harrah’s, Cal Neva, and the Nugget.  Sil Petrocini’s Palace Club is gone, Harold’s, Holiday, Riverside, Fitzgerald’s, Golden, all gone, along with the glitter and glitz, the real and the phony.  Card sharks and card counters are seldom seen, the guy with C notes showing in a brocade vest is gone, the lovely show girl with legs that long, is gone.

One won’t lose the beauty of the old neighborhoods, the magnificent Sierra Nevada as a backyard, the Truckee River meandering through town, those and our memories are all that’s left of the old Reno, and the new has little if any glitz and glamour.  When comparing then and now, then wins, and those of us that were part and parcel of then will never forget.

It’s the now that needs help.  Reno is no longer filled with bright lights and world class entertainment, but for some, there is enough grit left to keep the old girl alive, with manufacturing, with high tech, with transportation, and of course, with outdoor activities in the mountains, lakes, and rivers.  New, young, active leaders need to step forward, not with political ambitions, but with ideas and desire to make the town alive and keep it well.  Is bigger better?  Many today don’t think so.  Make what exists better, make it shine in the eyes of those that live here.

Well, that’s enough for now.  Remember to read good books and stay regular.

Mid-year thoughts

Some mid-year thoughts from an old and wretched mind …

We’ve managed to pass the mid mark of the calendar year, we survived the Fourth of July along with the hottest week on record around these parts.  And what do we have to show for all that effort?

We have two candidates for president, neither one of which is qualified for the office (even though one is already there), we have a supreme court that writes laws (think corporations as people), and we have an attorney general that sells guns to Mexican drug cartels because that will force us to discard the Second Amendment.

Man, oh man, we’ve been busy little bees, eh?

On the home front, I just got another short story published, this one scheduled to see the light of day in October’s issue of Epiphany.  The correct name of the magazine is Epiphany-epiphmag.com.  It seems there is another magazine out there that calls itself Epiphany Literary Journal. 

And, I just got word from my publisher (Bottom of the Hill Publishing) that “Out of the West … Tales of the American Frontier” is still selling.  I enjoy very much writing traditional western short stories.  I’ve had two published recently in Rope and Wire, and have started putting together an outline for a western novel.

Which brings up an interesting thought.  I also enjoy writing classic mysteries and crime stories.  The market for crime/mystery novels is very strong, but for crime/mystery short stories it is almost non-existent, while the market for western short stories is rather broad, the market for western novels is limited.  There’s a bit of a conundrum for you.

You figure it out.

We feed our horses a combination of grass and alfalfa, and use the part of the meals that are discarded (manure for those out of touch with the natural world) for mulch in the garden.  What is happening this year is interesting.  Seems the grass seeds are not fully digested, and I am growing an amazing amount of highly nutritious grass in with my corn, beans, peas, and tomatoes.  Can’t grow grass in the areas of the rancho set aside for lawns and such.

Strawberries and Jalapeños doing very well right now, grapes are struggling, and mama rabbit hasn’t brought us her new litter yet.

That’s about enough for right now.  As always, read good books and stay regular.

Ramblings on a cold morning

Just some rambling thoughts as we near another glorious weekend in northern Nevada.

Harvey Whittemore indicted on federal election law charges for giving excessive amounts of money through the devious manner of using relatives and employees, while the Supreme Court allows corporations to act as individuals and give excessive amounts of money through devious … oh well, you get the point.

If a corporation can be classified as an individual, therefore be covered by the First Amendment, then any group, incorporated or not, should be.  That would include the Boy Scouts, the Ku Klux Klan, and of course, General Motors.  Oh, my.

And while we’re on the subject of good old boy Whittemore, do you remember that it was Harry Reid who had the U.S. Government officially move the official home of the desert tortoise so Coyote Springs could be built?  Who says the American dollar has no value any more?

This weekend, June 9-10, rendezvous in Carson City.  Next weekend, June 16, poker ride with the Back Country Horsemen in Red Rock area.  Following weekend, June 22-23-24, June Doin’s with ECV.  No wonder nothing gets done around the old rancho.  They named this place Cold Springs Valley, not for the cold water flowing from the natural springs that no longer fill White’s Lake, but for the damn cold, cold, cold climate.  How many times does my beautiful bride have to plant tomatoes this year?

I created a character, Jacob Chance, and made him a U.S. Marshal, and wrote a little short story about him that was generously published in Rope and Wire western e-magazine, and I can’t get the dude out of my head.  Now, I’m starting to put together what I hope will end up being a large novel about the dude.  If I get it done, and if I get it published, I hope you’ll buy at least one copy for yourself and another for a good friend.

Sad to have to say goodbye to one of my all time favorite writers.  Ray Bradbury died at the delicious age of 91.  It isn’t the extent of the vocabulary that makes a good writer, it’s how that vocabulary is manipulated.  He was a master.

Well, must be off now.  Time to replant something that froze last night.  Remember, read good books and stay regular.

Galena Creek Bridge

The Nevada Department of Transportation announced toward the end of May, 2012, that the new portion of Highway 395 from the Mt. Rose Highway to Washoe Valley would be open sometime in July, 2012.  There have been problems with the highway from its conception to today, and our old friend Washoe Willie wrote about some of those problems, in his own fashion, you understand, several years ago when I was editor of the Nevada Observer.

Washoe Willie has a distinct manner of finding newsworthy subjects on which to expound, tomes of virulent fun and games, laced often with demon rum or whatever else might be available.

Please enjoy this in the manner in which it is offered.  That is, chaos within an active mind.  jg

Galena Creek Bridge Mystery Solved !!!

Work To Continue

by Washoe Willie

            The Nevada Department of Highway Safety (NDHS) has issued several press releases over the last few years regarding the problems with building the Galena Creek Bridge on Highway 395 between Reno and Carson City.  Not once have they told the real story behind the work stoppage.  Work has halted several times over the last few years, in fact one bridge building company actually pulled out of their contract with the state.  A new contract has been let, but it isn't certain that the bridge will ever actually be open to traffic.  This then is the real story of why the Galena Creek Bridge may never be built.

            The first recorded incident affecting the bridge construction time table occurred in 2003 when iron worker Terrance White walked off the job screaming about "the problem."  White along with many others on the project had been complaining regularly about strange sounds, about seeing shadowy figures, and hearing what sounded like growling.  The prime contractor said the men were making the stories up and refused to investigate.  Federal representatives refused to respond to our questions.

            White was arrested several weeks later when it was discovered he was on the job site without permission putting tape recorders in place.  "I'll prove to you that we weren't making these stories up."  White has been residing as a mental health inpatient in Sparks for more than a year.  "I've never told a lie in my life," he said at his last court appearance, "and I'm not telling one now.  There is something very dangerous at that bridge site."  He insists there is a conspiracy to hide the truth and the bridge will never be completed.

            It was after the prime contractor walked out on a lucrative contract that the full story came to light.  It may be that White and his co-workers did actually see or hear something strange.  E-mail was discovered on May 17th from an anonymous NDHS worker detailing the matter.  This reporter was able to get a copy of the e-mail.  This is how it reads.

            "Regarding the Terry White incident and the following problems with contractors, ironworkers, heavy equipment operators and others, NDHS personnel have found evidence of an entity living along the Galena Creek area, actually directly in line with the Galena Creek Bridge.  Workers have harassed the entity, thrown rocks at it, even taken shots with nail guns attempting to drive it off.  It won't leave."

            Representatives of the Nevada State Wildlife Preservation Agency have investigated the complaints and found bones and indications that something had a very large nest under a rock overhang in the area.  According to Wildlife Biologist Melanie Campbell, "This is a meat eating animal of some kind and the bridge workers must refrain from harassing it.  Prints and other information from the site don't look like bear, lion, or other large carnivores that roam western Nevada."

            In a highly secret E-mail from Campbell to NDHS engineers, the full story can be told.  For years those living near the Parker Ranch along Galena Creek have been harassed, sometimes molested by what is known as a Troll.  It is the Troll of Galena Creek, so often written about in the late 1800s that has disrupted the work on the Highway 395 bridge.

            One passage from the Pleasant Valley Register, a newspaper of 1866, reported the Troll had abducted an entire family that had been living along the banks of Galena Creek.  A further article in the Washoe City Bugle said the family, the father was unable to get work, had been surviving on marmots, jackrabbits, and snakes.  The Hiram Jackson family was found, injured but alive, several miles up the creek, in a state of mental collapse.  They never recovered their senses enough for a complete investigation to take place.  District officials sealed the records of the case, and it is believed the newspaper reports are all that is left.

            NDHS officials will not confirm nor deny these allegations, saying that work is resuming and the bridge will be finished.  There has never been a confirmed photograph of a Troll, but throughout history they have been known.  The Galena Creek Troll is not the only one known to exist in Nevada.

-end-