Garfunkel's Secret Wish

Time Capsule 1970

Can * nois * seur ( kan' us sur' ) one competent to render critical judgement on the qualities and merits of cannabis

"The most amazing property of cannabis is its ability to fog the minds of those who do not use it."


News Of The Day: Of late, network TV journalism has degenerated to the point of simpering irrelevancy.  Who wins American Idol or Dance With An Action Figure, is today considered real news. Almost any night in the Bay Area the lead story at 11 P.M.will be the rain, or snow in Tahoe. Next on the top ten is usually a lost cat or dog story. You won't hear anything about the outside world until well past the automobile ads.
However an even more alarming trend has reared its ugly head. Blatent commercials disguised as legitimate news stories. Example: On June 6 2012, local Channel 2, a Fox affiliate, aired a feature on new devolopments in hardening of the arteries and cholesterol. The first picture was of someone squeezing a human belly that had the consistency of white Jello. Fine. Then the medical story. Fine...Until they mmediately follow with an airy story that Alli weight loss pills won't be available for a few weeks due to a shortage of their active ingredient. Really? The newscaster noted that Alli is the only weight loss pill approved by the FDA. Oh, Really? Are you serious?
Channel 2 Fox News has sunk to a level of corruption that dishonors the profession of Journalism, and  mocks the civic trust that allows them to exploit what are our public airways.
i highly recommend BBC.

On a brighter note, Washington D.C. has approved medical cannabis dispensaries. Six companies were selected to supply the clinics (hello corporate weed). One of the companies is partially owned by TV personality and cannabis advocate Montel Williams.


The Long Rap: Garfunkel's's Secret Wish
(the continuing day-to-day log of a 1970 freighter voyage to Tangier)

As we smoked and talked, Garfunkel expanded on his feelings for the Beatles. As far as he was concerned they had done it neatly and completely. He considered Sgt. Pepper the turning point in Rock. As a producer as well as performer he had a profound admiration for the level of their artistry and the quality of their execution. He was most interested in Paul McCartney, believing that at this time it was Paul who was
keeping the band together. He confided that he would love to hang out with the Beatles for a couple of weeks--just to see where they were at.
Dig it.
Here was Garfunkel, a very heavy face on that very scene, having the same love affair with the Fantastic Four as any $4.99 customer. Garfunkle as the Fat Lady.
Pack, Garfunkel and Scorpio were leaning close, head to head, Pack rambling through street scenes, jail legends, movie gossip, rock gossip ( the fact that Bobby Darin had laid a song on Tim Hardin in return for swinging with Tim's  If I Was a Carpenter), the prospects for Phil Spector and the Beatles, and the prospects of getting higher.
Now Pack wore a special ring, given to him by a Hopi, which is the symbol of The Keeper of The Flame. This was the man chosen to protect the tribal peyote mystics from being devoured by wild animals during their pilgrimage. As they voyage he keeps the camp fire burning strong enough to ward off the beast. And it was fitting that Pack wore the ring. He kept it light, bright, and always going up.
Garfunkel went into a deep riff concerning his love for J.S.Bach.
Get Bach? Incorrigible.
Suddenly Pack and Scorpio jerked their heads up, fixed eyes, then peered around the darkened lounge. The Boat had settled into a pleasant rhythm. Scattered through the room, forming a loose circle around them, a cluster of young faces were sitting in the gloom, listening intently.
Gerfunkel was talking about his relationship with Mike Nichols. He had spent the better part of a year working with the director on Catch 22. After finishing that Nichols offered him the costarring role  in a two man movie. The other lead to be Jack Nicholson. A script by Jules Fieffer titled Carnal Knowledge.
Enormous.
It was decided to catch the sunrise and the three of them sniffed for that second wind and settled  down to talking out the hour that remained. Scorpio fetched his Sony and a few cassettes. He played Magical Mystery Tour, both he and Garfunkel agreeing it was a much underplayed album. Scorpio admitted he mostly preferred it to Sgt. Pepper. Pack demanded The Band and got it. Old Jawbone himself.
Morning was coming on now and most of the young faces had drifted off. Only Rand was still hanging in. Rand of the extended bummer who now seemed peacefully relaxed. Garfunkel ventured that he sometimes thought of his career as a stroke of luck. He and Paul had been in Florida, scuffling for gigs, until they heard themselves on the radio and realized that something was happening.
Luck--or the Joker Man?
They all  went out on the observation deck just off the lounge. It was raining softly. Light hovered over the horizon but it wasn't going to be a sunrise. As they stood at the rail Pack and Garfunkel goofed on the curvature of the Earth that you dig at sea.
                                             "...Because the world is round
                                                  it turns me on...'
                                                            --The Beatles
Garfunkel was into mathematics and astronomy and played Moebius Strips with Scorpio while Pack went topside for a moment. He came rushing back. Seems that he found Blaine on the upper deck, huddled miserably in his sleeping bag. He had woken him and advised him to get in out of the rain. "Must be in training for his bike run to India," Pack commented.

Next: The Big Broadcast