Sissy Bounce

On the fifth anniversary on Hurricane Katrina doubts remain about the Army Corps of Engineers “improvements” made on the levies protecting New Orleans. One thing for sure: “The Big Easy” is still rocking. According to a July issue of New York Times Magazine, at a gay and transgender club (at least after midnight) called Sports Vue, when “sissy bounce” rapper Big Freedia performs, women come on stage to join the six foot, two inch transvestite and gyrate, according to author Jonathan Dee, “in the most sexualized way imaginable, usually with their backs to her, bent over sharply at the waist, and bouncing their hips up and down as fast as humanly possible, if not slightly faster. Others assumed more of a push-up position, with their hands on the floor, in a signature dance whose name is sometimes helpfully shortened to ‘p-popping.’” There is also a song by Ludacris by that name, with the “p” short for pussy.

After an investigation The Post-Tribune reported on Tax Increment Financing (TIF), a gimmick that has helped refurbish blighted areas in Gary and other Region cities. When property values rise in a designated area, such as the Small Farms neighborhood on Gary’s west side, the tax revenue goes into a fund used to generate new investment. The program is lucrative for favored developers and has financed worthwhile projects, but it deprives city governments of tax revenues. Like with charter schools, which in the short term can be beneficial but reduce funds for existing schools and undercut teachers unions, the jury is still out on whether the long-term verdict will be favorable. IUN’s Chancellor Lowe and Mayor Clay should work to make Glen Park a TIF location.

Locally: Willie Burnett, a 62 year-old Vietnam vet, was bludgeoned to death walking home from a party shortly after dark – another black eye for Gary, the city I love and often mourn for. IU Northwest is beginning the Fall semester with a record number of students, yet the perception still exists among timid souls that the place is unsafe. Some parts of the Glen Park neighborhood are but not the campus. Poet John Sheehan wrote in “Leaving Gary”: “I came to identify so much with this ill conceived steel mill mismatched city; this scapegoat of our confused society . . . this enchanted place where 1906 and after have not completely destroyed the woods and swamps and dunes of centuries . . . O Gary, heart of our mixed up country, I love you now and forever.” I second that emotion as Smokey Robinson crooned.

In NY Times Magazine former addict Margaret Woodruff describes visiting the spot where the body of country singer Hank Williams was found in 1953 after he overdosed – Burdette’s Gas Station in Oak Hill, West Virginia. Bob Dylan cites old Hank (Hank Williams, Jr., achieved some renown in his own right) as a major influence. Norah Jones covered “Cold Cold Heart” and “Don’t Know Why” on a CD that Jojo Robinson played on the way to French Lick between Megadeth albums.

A former student, working in an Ennis Montana, nursing home, has so many aches and pains at the end of a day that he’s looking into getting a medical marijuana card. Indiana will probably be the last state to allow such a thing. Hoosiers still can’t buy alcohol on Sunday. California appears ready to legalize and tax its lucrative cannabis crop. Right on! Prohibition didn’t work 90 years ago either.

Two replacements for the downed trees from the July storm finally arrived. The landscapers apparently didn’t dig the holes deep enough or take out the old roots. Hopefully I can delegate this problem to others on the condo board. After all, I’m no tree expert. I continued to press Marva to succeed me as Court One director should I be elected board secretary.

Using FACET interview excerpts, Aaron Pigors finished putting together the rough draft of a CD entitled “Indiana University: Dedicated to Excellence in Teaching and Learning.” The intro will incorporate action footage Phil took of sessions in French Lick. Approximately 30 minutes long, it could go on the FACET website and be shown at the 2011 retreat along with one paying tribute to founder Eileen Bender. Should David Malik step down as director, we might produce a third one on him.

Recovering alcoholic Glenn Beck’s “Restore America” Lincoln Memorial rally on the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech was a cop-out. All the unbalanced FOX talking head talked about was religion (he’s a Mormon who claims divine inspiration) and honoring our troops. He cautioned attendees against having placards accusing Obama of being a socialist, Nazi or Muslim – in other words, revealing their true colors. Samuel Love on Facebook called the rally “vague, moist, and undirected – the Waterworld of white self-pity.” Now Beck admits he was mistaken to call Obama a racist. As one commentator noted, he’s playing the role of wolf in sheep’s clothing. A recent poll revealed that one out of five Americans believe the President to be a Muslim. Prejudice trumps intelligence every time.

After losing four straight at home to Houston (one in 16 innings after Jimmy Rollins tied the score in the ninth with a two-out, two-strike HR, Philadelphia swept the Padres in San Diego over the weekend. Brad Lidge balked in the tying run in the ninth on Friday, but they won in 12. The end of Saturday’s game was on ESPN since the Twins 1-0 victory was over so quickly, and I saw Lidge get the save with Dave, over for gaming. Sunday the Hagelbergs hosted a cookout and bridge.

Laura Kittle, who works in Marketing and Development and is married to former White Sox and Wirt High School slugger Ron Kittle, sent me a copy of a 2006 publication entitled “Miller Memories,” edited by Don Carlson. The late, great local sports legend Wally McCormick contributed a touching introduction. Recalling old haunts, including Miller School, Marquette Park, Carr’s Beach, and Miller Bakery, where sweet rolls cost 25 cents a dozen, Wally concluded: “The community of Miller will never leave the hearts of those of us who grew up in a spot that seemed close to heaven. And as we moved in the adult world, the closeness and yes, the love for the life we lived, proved once again that Jimmy Stewart was right. Wasn’t it a wonderful life!” I’ve never met a sweeter man than Wally. The best referee in Northwest Indiana at all levels, whether it be sandlot softball, middle school basketball or high school football, he could de-fuse any situation with a quip. Wally had me on his TV show a half dozen times and mentioned me in the acknowledgements.

Received emails from old softball teammate Ivan Jasper (who in July tried to pull off a surprise visit but found the Maple Place homestead deserted) and this request from Rebecca Zorach: “I am a collaborator of Sam Barnett's on AREA Chicago (actually, I edited his interview with you for the last issue!) and I have a question for you. Have you ever had anyone in your oral history interviews discuss the construction of the "Chicago Picasso" sculpture? I understand it was done at US Steel in Gary. I'd be interested to know if there were any reactions to it among the workers, and also what the racial composition of the workforce would have been (in 1967). Any suggestions for people to talk to would be much appreciated! Thanks for any help you can give.” We have material about the statue in the Archives, so I told her to contact Steve McShane.

Told Ray and Trish Arredondo that I nominated Maria for the Lake County tourist bureau’s Wall of Fame and sent a copy of “Maria’s Journey” to Jerry Davich. They want to show me press releases at lunch Wednesday when we have a marketing brainstorming session at the Patio.

Broke my computer glasses frames and got an estimate of $189 to replace them from Vision Point. Found an optician in Highland, Bill Johnson, who fixed me up for thirty bucks.

Among the flurry of Facebook messages concerning Upper Dublin’s upcoming fiftieth reunion: Wendy Henry may attend for the first time ever. Phil Arnold is iffy because wife Bev might need another operation. Just learned that Judy Otto died. We had fun at the 2000 reunion and traded Christmas cards ever since. Sometimes she’d sign them “Crazy Otto,” the title of a Fifties song. We’ll also miss Molly Schade, a beauty who did not have a conceited bone in her body. Younger sister Nancy, whom everyone called Sissy, was part of our gang. It would be nice to open the reunion to friends from other classes, such as my buddy Terry Jenkins. What I’d give to see Sissy again.

All combat troops are out of Iraq. In a televised speech the President acknowledged his disagreements with Bush but added that nobody doubted his predecessor’s support for our troops nor his concern for America’s security. Republicans were less charitable, carping that Obama didn’t give enough credit to the so-called surge. What temporarily improved the situation at the time of the surge were diplomatic maneuvers (essentially bribing Sunni leaders to abandon terror tactics), but the internal situation in Baghdad has deteriorated in recent months.

Wally's World

I learned that 89 year-old sports legend Wally McCormick died. He was a great athlete in his youth, but I knew him mainly as a referee and an irrepressible television host. When I played for Porter Acres softball team, Wally often umpired the game. We looked like a scraggily bunch of hippies, but Wally warmed to us. It was impossible to rattle him or stop from grinning at his observations, especially in tense situations. If you questioned a call, he’d say something like, “Maybe I got it wrong, I’ll try to get it right next time.” He once asked my eight year-old son if he was batting clean-up today. He did eighth grade basketball games and high school football games. Once I observed him placing the football down and players on both teams laughing at something he said. That was Wally in a nutshell. Five times, after the publication of a new issue of Steel Shavings magazine he had me on his cable TV show “Wally’s World” with co-host Tom Higgins. He was a veritable sports history encyclopedia, and inevitably the conversation got around to his beloved Emerson High School or how Hoosier Hysteria lost something when Indiana went to a class system instead of one big tournament. He loved quoting from his favorite movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” and with his infectious grin and quick wit was a joy to be around. As Jim Peters noted in a Times column, Wally ended his show with the following poem: “"May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand." It sounds hokey but it was vintage Wally, a unique free spirit. Peters also claimed that if a football coach ran up the score against a hapless opponent, Wally might throw a flag and call back a TD as a subtle warning to knock it off.

Rolling Stone magazine has a new issue featuring 40 reasons to be excited about today’s music. The Black-Eyed Peas, not my favorite group, are on the cover, and there’s a big article on MGMT. One of the 40 reasons is that Chuck Berry plays once a month at his Blueberry Hill Restaurant and club in St. Louis. We were there once with Kirsten Bayer and hubby Ed Petras but not when he was playing. Another “reason” was tribute bands that are better than the real thing. In fact, there’s a guy who fronted a grateful Dead tribute band who is now playing with Phil Lesh and other members of Further.

Toni did yeoman work fixing our phones, replacing the fluorescent light switch in the bathroom, getting three of our four TVs working again, and ridding the kitchen of the rotting food smell, all in the aftermath of the house being struck by lightning during our absence. The telephone man showed how the outside box was shattered and parts of it thrown 50 after being hit. Had we been on the phone when the power surge happened, we could have been badly hurt.

It was a bad week-end for the Cubs, losing twice to the anemic Astros. When the wind is blowing in, Cubs batters seemingly can’t adjust and still go for the fences. I won two of five board games Sunday, Acquire (drawing two lucky tiles at perfect times) and Small World (in a rout – none of us has played enough to thoroughly understand strategy). Talked with a couple high school friends about seeing Bob Reller and wife Karen. We all shook hands upon our arrival but hugged upon leaving. In fact, Rel and Karen stayed outside to wave to us after we circled their cul de sac, a nice touch.

I sent Salem Press my choices for their short review series, offering to do either a biography of rocker Little Richard, a book about Dundalk, MD, called “Roots of Steel: Boom and Bust in an American Mill Town,” or “The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire That Saved America.” I had no idea what the latter was about but discovered that it traces the early days of the Forest Service and deals with a 1910 fire that spread over 3 million acres in the Northern Rockies.

Got an email from writer Clay Moyle, who read my article about boxer Tony Zale and wanted to know if I intended expending it into a book (the answer is no). He is thinking of doing one but did not wish to compete with me if I was doing one. He inquired about Zale’s relatives, and I mentioned the nephew who is an eye doctor in Merrillville and that he could put him in touch with others living in Michigan.

Chancellor Bruce Bergland, who is retiring in May, hosted his final emeritus luncheon that included chicken, noodles, salad, good bread, and cake for dessert. Among the attendees were historians Fred Chary, Ron Cohen, and Bill Neil, who mentioned that when he first taught at IU’s Gary Extension it was located across from a bookie joint. Old friends John Ban (Education) and Leroy Peterson (Math) were also on hand. Told Bill that I had run into Angie Komenich Saturday at the Portage library, but she wasn’t coming because she was still getting over the death of her husband. Bruce asked each of us to identify ourselves, and Biology prof Tim Stabler mentioned being a docent at the Museum of Science and Industry. Mike Certa and his wife are ushers and get to see plays free in Chicago. Mary Russell just returned from England barely ahead of the volcano ash. Recently retired Marty Zusman said he was looking forward to doing some fishing. As Liam, the sexagenarian protagonist in Anne Tyler’s “Noah’s Compass” said about winding down in retirement, “How to fill hours. Just proceed one day at a time, is all.” Bruce mentioned that the state legislature approved $33 million for a new building to replace Tamarack but that Governor Mitch Daniels has not released the money. I asked whether plans to make the stretch of 35th Avenue between IUN and Ivy Tech into an academic corridor died once Mayor Scott King left office, and Bruce replied, “If they aren’t dead, they’re barely on life support.” Ran into Jonathyne afterwards and introduced him to Leroy, whom I said was an old poker opponent. We often played at Lew Ciminillo’s house in Glen Park, and his wife would make us sloppy Joes. Fred Chary was a regular, and whenever he got a good hand he’d start rocking in his chair. Snuck Jonathyne out a piece of cake from where the luncheon took place.

I heard on the radio that tomorrow supposedly is National Weed Day – as in pot. The reason it occurs on 4/20 supposedly is because that is the time in the afternoon when students are out of school and able to have a SAFO get together – as in Smoke a Fat One. It kind of like the word Hoosiers: nobody is exactly clear as to the designation.

I went to see “Date Night” with Tina Fey and Steve Carell as a married couple trying to put more spark in their lives. The plot was contrived, but there were some funny moments, such as when the Fosters are trading lines on what other couples eating dinner might be saying to each other. A shirtless Mark Wahlberg has some good lines and a girlfriend named Whippit.