Hello, gang! Some comments on the weeks events and a few passings on. Shall we begin?

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DON'T DO THE TIME IF YOU CAN'T DO THE CRIME
So sang Sammy Davis, Jr. over the opening credits of TV's "Baretta." The star of that show, Robert Blake, has found himself on the wrong side of the law since being arrested Monday for the murder last May of his wife. To refresh some memories, Blake's wife, Bonny Lee Bakely, was shot outside an Italian restaurant while waiting for Blake in his car. Ironically, in the pilot episode of "Baretta," Blakes' fiancé was ALSO shot to death in her car outside an Italian restaurant. According to news reports, two stuntmen have come forward claiming that Blake solicited them over a year ago to kill his wife. Why they are just coming forth now is just one of the many questions Blake's attorney has to be wondering. He has painted Bakely as someone that "any man who dealt with her" wanted to kill. She would exchange nude photos of herself for cash from lonely hearts gentlemen and would promise them sex if they would send her the cash for a plane or bus ticket. I'm going to guess that those she didn't come to visit are plenty pissed. As Nolan noted earlier, Blake was one of the last of the "Little Rascals." Born Michael James Vijencio Gubitosi, he was the shy, quiet boy Mickey. He also appeared as "The Kid" in "Treasure of the Sierra Madre." In 1967, he gained stardom by portraying convicted killer Perry Smith in the film adaptation of Truman Capote's novel, "In Cold Blood." He turned in another great performance in the little seen film, "Electra Glide in Blue." But it was as private investigator Tony Baretta that he was best known. He won an Emmy for his work in 1975. Incidentally, I live not more then 9 miles from where Perry Smith was hung for his crime. With the special circumstance of "laying in wait" added to the murder charge, Blake could share Perry Smith's fate if the prosecution asks for the death penalty and he is found guilty.

VIRTUAL PORN
Like Matt, I am puzzled by what the Supreme Court is trying to do. According to them, "virtual" pornography, in this case child pornography, is protected by something called the first amendment. However, not one month ago, a man in Cleveland was arrested, and is still in jail, because he wrote a story describing sex between an adult and children. The man was so worried about his writings, that he wrote Dear Abby for advice. He explained that he only wrote the stories for his own enjoyment.........had no intentions of sharing them or acting on them. Abby notified Cleveland authorities who immediately hauled the man to the clink! For years, "experts" have been trying to prove that pornography is bad. Ted Bundy used the fact that he read Hustler as part of his defense. My opinion is that it takes more then the picture of a woman's crotch to make someone go out and kill. I saw plenty of movies at the Todd Theatre when I was but a young man, and to this day I haven't had an urge to rape, kill or molest anyone. Like Nolan, I'm not sure about the "porn in the library" argument Matt is making. I do know that access to the internet is as close as the computer at your public library. I also know that your server can be set so that the kind of sites being "protected" can't be accessed. Do I think that the sites are right? Hell no! The thought of someone getting their jollies over an image, be it faked or not, of an innocent child disgusts me. However, since 1776 our government has striven to maintain our rights on a variety of issues: Our religious choices, our right to arm ourselves...........even the right to have this website are what this country is all about. And that I can't argue with.

PASSING ON
   Layne Staley, lead singer and guitarist for the band Alice in Chains, was found dead in his apartment this past weekend. Though toxicology tests won't be available for several weeks, heroin paraphernalia was found with the body. Authorities say Staley lay dead in his north Seattle apartment for two weeks before a relative discovered him.
   Linda Boreman, who starred as Linda Lovelace in the 1972 pornographic film, "Deep Throat," died Monday from injuries she suffered in a car crash. She was 53. In the history of pornographic films, "Deep Throat" was the "Blair Witch" of the industry. In terms of money making, it is probably the most successful film of it's type and it started a whole new industry. Suddenly, the genre went from dirty little downtown screening rooms to "legitimate" cinemas. Instead of cheap 8mm reels the new films were shot on 35mm. A true "classic," if the word can be used to define a porno film, "Deep Throat" is one of two XXX rated films I own. In 1980, Lovelace (using her married name, Linda Marchiano), published her autobiography, "Ordeal." She contended that her first husband forced her into pornography at gunpoint. To me the most amazing revelation in her book was that she taught her "technique" to Sammy Davis, Jr. and watched as he tried it on her husband! After her book was published, she became an anti-porn advocate and testified before congressional committees investigating pornography.
   Burt Reynolds, Sr., former police chief and father of actor Burt Reynolds, passed away at age 95 due to heart failure. Born in Michigan in 1906, Reynolds was a lieutenant in the Army during WWII. He was in the first wave that stormed Normandy and was awarded the Bronze star for his actions. After the war, he and his family moved to Riviera Beach, Florida, where he joined the police force in the late 1940's. He worked his way up to chief, leaving the position in 1956.

Well, that's it for this week. Gotta get ready for next week's review of "JASON X"!! See ya!