Being President: More Dangerous Than Coal Mining

By Jack Brummet, Social Mores Editor
and Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor

The odds of surviving the Presidency aren't really all that good.  Of forty-four Presidents, eight died in office (Harrison, Taylor, Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Harding, FDR, and JFK).  Nearly one in five Presidents will succumb to natural causes or be knocked off by a kook while they are in office.

Do you remember the "20 year curse" (sometimes called the curse of Tecumseh)?   Since 1840--with two exceptions--U.S. Presidents elected in years ending in zero have been killed or have died of natural causes while in office. One of those exceptions--Ronald Reagan, just barely escaped death--John Hinckley's bullet missed his heart by only an inch.  Gerald Ford had a gun aimed at him twice in one month!   FDR had five bullets shot at him by Giuseppe Zangara--even before he was sworn in for his first term.  Theodore Roosevelt was shot after he'd left office, but was running for a new term.  In fact, he carried the bullet in his body until he died.  Two Puerto Rican assassins attempted to shoot Harry Truman.   One guy was going to kill Dick Nixon by flying a commercial airline into the White House, 9/11 style.  He killed the pilot and co-pilot, but was shot before he could take off.  Reagan broke the "every 20 years" curse, but some people think the curse is just taking a little break.  George W. Bush extended that little break.  Interestingly enough, only one President--Zachary Taylor--who died in office didn't follow the 20 year pattern.

Some people believe the 20 year curse was an ancient Indian curse,  spoken by the great Indian chief Tecumseh after he and his braves were routed by the notorious Indian-fighting President William Henry Harrison at the Battle of Tippecanoe. 

Obviously a sample of 44 Presidents is such a small statistical sample that it may not be really relevant.  But, at the moment, we've had nearly fifty years without a Presidential mortality.  We're on a roll.

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Digital art by Jack Brummet: Sasquatch Nos. 3 - 6

click to enlarge

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Protest/Counter-demonstration: Pluto Is More Of A Planet Than Uranus

By Jack Brummet
Paranormal and otherworld editor

Here are a few photos from the very good-natured protest today, organized by the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. a/k/a 826 Seattle.  There was even a counter-protester there, holding signs that said "Eight Is Enough" and "No Special Rights For Rocks."  I went because I agree--I was P.O.'d when they demoted Pluto.

Some of the signs:  "Your science is wrong!"  "We support planets of ALL sizes"  "Pluto is more of a planet than Uranus will ever be"  "Pluto belongs" "Planet killers"  "Reinstate Pluto" "We support all sizes shapes and orbits"

click all images to enlarge

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Bring back Pluto! - rally and march today in Greenwood

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Pluto is too a planet! protest at Greenwood Space Travel Supply in Seattle on Saturday

By Jack Brummet
Paranormal and otherworlds editor

Click to enlarge - Photo courtesy of NASA

The whole problem began when scientists discovered that the "tenth planet" was slightly larger than Pluto.  Then came the great dis! I'd been hoping the tenth planet would actually expand the roster--and look at us now...with a pathetic rookerful of a mere eight planets!  These kids are right.  And they've been taking it to the streets for four years now.   

Pluto is too a planet! protest at

Greenwood Space Travel Supply Saturday

[from a press release by the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. a/k/a 826 Seattle]

Pluto used to be classified as a planet, until the International Astronomical Union redefined the term “planet” in 2006. Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. was understandably upset, and has since hosted an annual Pluto is a Planet Protest March and Rally. The fourth annual rally begins at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

It is an injustice that local nonprofit 826 Seattle and Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co., this planet’s only provisioner of space adventuring necessities, will fight until it’s overturned.

Show your support for this unique people’s movement by joining our march, chanting pro-Pluto chants, and waving/shaking signs.

Sign-making and pre-march pep rally will begin at 1:30pm at the 826 Seattle/Greenwood Space Travel -Supply Co. The march departs at 2pm. The rally will take place at Neptune Coffee (8415 Greenwood Ave N) starting at approximately 2:15pm. The rally will be brief, so be sure to arrive on time.

826 Seattle is a nonprofit writing center that helps students, ages six to 18, develop their creative and expository writing skills. We are dedicated to providing students with access to writing workshops, publishing projects, and one-on-one help with homework and English language learning – all free of charge.

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We found Pegeen!

This was a Facebook success story. . .reconnecting with our old dear friend Pegeen White, which happened around me digitizing all our old slides, and all our friends started chiming in.  And then I found a slide of Pegeen posted it, and within hours, we had found her after ten years or more of silence!

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Poem: Li Po Sits

Poem: Li Po Sits
by Jack Brummet

Four hundred and forty-thousand
Moons ago, Li Po sits
Drinking wine on a bluff.

The Sun fades into blue mountains.
On the other side of the ball,
The sun scales the horizon.

Crickets tune up
And the first bats
Sail from roost to roost.

I think about Li Po drunk again
In the mountains, waiting for word
And listening to the wind songs.

Lost and alone on so many levels,
He stares at the cup
And wonders when his pardon will come.

He holds an inkpot, scroll, and brush.
He listens to his skin fold
And his hair turn grey.

Between the mountains and stars,
A crow wheels over fogged red pines
Spiring in moonlight.

LiPo shakes wet peach blossoms
From his coat
And fills the cup.

Moonlight dances
On the golden wine
In the silver cup.

Who needs a clear head this night?
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Morons, or, Applied Idiocracy

click to enlarge

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The evidence mounts daily that Speaker of the House John Boehner is a level 4 bed-wetter.

The evidence mounts daily that Speaker of the House John Boehner is a level 4 bed-wetter.  /jack

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Can Newt Gingrich Run For President, And Dodge Questions About The Sewer Of His Personal Life?

By Pablo Fanque
National Affairs Editor

The idea that Newt Gingrich might actually run, and somehow dupe the Republicans into supporting him in the first place (his numbers are sucking wind), seems patently absurd if you take even a passing glance at the sewer of his personal life.   Republicans seem unlikely to give the nod to someone on their third marriage, especially when Wife No. 2 is talking to the press about what a P.O.S. he is, was, and always will be.
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Photos of Jerry Melin

I recently bought a scanner with a slide/film attachment.  I am scanning our old cache of slides.  Here are some more photos of the late, great, Jerry Melin.  /jack

click images to enlarge

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The Seattle Post Intellingencer globe is looking a little sad and forlorn...

By Mona Goldwater
Seattle Metro Editor



The Seattle Post Intelligencer globe is looking a little sad and forlorn...but nothing a good scrubbing won't fix.  Apparently, when they went out of business, no one was assigned the job of keeping this great globe clean.  The globe is made of steel and is one of the city's most beloved pieces of public art.  I don't know if the building owns it, or The Seattle Times.  The best part about the globe's location is that you can see it from many parts of the great waterfront sculpture park.  Hopefully, before they sell it for scrap they will haul it down and place it in the park.  And maybe bring in the Hat and Boots, and the Pink Elephant car wash sign too. . . 

click to enlarge

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