Music, Burros and Lovely Rita.

By now of course, everyone knows about the devastation left by Katrina, and now her little sister, lovely Rita, is wanting to play too. She's only classified as a cat. 2, but she looks like she wants to be like her big sister and become a category 3 or a 4. With the governments thrashing around and changing their minds all the time, I figure all the name calling and finger pointing is really just a moot point.

It really is up to us, as a humans to help each other and stop depending on the George Bush's of the world to come to our aid. Of course, he did take on some of the blame, but that was about as sincere as the rock in my front yard.

Majical played in front of the Cascade Theatre a couple of weeks ago, helping out the Red Cross with their fundraising, and it was not only a blast doing it but also very gratifying to be part of the cause. I had been wanting to do something and I was very happy to get the call from the media and the Red Cross.

But it was much more satisfying watching all the people that drove by giving their money; some gave 4 or 5 hundred bucks a pop and others only 5 or 10 bucks a pop, but ALL gave, and that was something majical to watch.

For me and the bands part we sold CD's and Tee Shirts and played for a few hours, but ALL the proceeds from us, as well as all the people we saw giving, went to the Red Cross and when you add it all up, you find that it's the grassroots effort from citizens all across the nation giving their time, their efforts and their money, however much that is, in order to help those in their time of crises.

Since it's us who have fucked up the planet and continually contribute to global warming, (and sorry, unless you ride a burro to work and wipe your butts with leaves we do contribute), we're going to experience more of these major catastrophes in the form of monster hurricanes, super tornadoes and rising waters and all that other gloom and doom bullshit.

Maybe we can't stop it and maybe we can, but at least we can help each other out like we have been doing, and that's more than what any governing body actually does about anything, well, except for wars it seems.

We, the people, have to take care of each other. So when you get a chance and have a couple of extra bucks, give to the Red Cross at

http://www.redcross.org

it'll do you no harm and it'll be there for us when Mt. Shasta or Lassen blows. Take care my friends, and these are days, for me, where I am actually proud of being a part of the human race.

Ok, where's my burro . . . bueno pues, vamonos! *smile*


Some Upcoming Shows


APRIL
Billy Bombay's--Friday 21st--Majical Band

MAY
Billy Bombay's--Friday 5th--Majical Band
Cino de Mayo and Billy's 10 year Anniversary

If you're in town, check us out.

Helping the Katrina victims through a grassroots effort in Redding.

Hi everyone.

We have all heard by now, the debates back and forth on who did what, or better yet, who did not do what. While the government agencies point the fingers at each other, we realize everybody got caught with their pants down. Including the citizens of the gulf coast regions.

Most people, even the the poorest, disenfranchised, and homeless have a television, have access to a television, or even word of mouth that a massive hurricane is bearing down on them. Common sense tells us that the wisest thing to do is to get the frick out of a place that is about to be destroyed.

Now, the poorest people, the disenfranchised and homeless, do not have a way to get out, even if they did know this massive storm is about to wipeout everything they own and have come to cherish. And those are the people that needed to be evacuated before the storm bore down on them with a fury not seen in decades.

That's where our government agencies failed us, but come on people, we have to stop depending on our "government" to help us or warn us about anything because it ain't gonna happen. We have to take care of ourselves and help each other.

Perhaps those of us that have televisions and access to information on natural disasters bearing down, maybe we could have gone door to door, call people or do whatever we could have done to prepare or help evacuate those that are our neighbors.

Bush is an idiot and all of the people under him are as well. The governors and mayors are as stupid as they come too. They all knew this was coming and did nothing. We have to take the blame too because we too failed each other. We should have warned each other about this impending disaster and done something about it.

The light in this otherwise dark situation is that after the disaster hit, we have, as a human race and Americans, decided to take matters into our own hands and help each other after all. Forget the inane and inept government that we voted, well not in this case because as we all know this administration was seized by force, both times.

Forget them is what we did and just got into the fray of helping each other out. Through the Red Cross and the organizations that are actually doing something, we can help our brothers and sisters anywhere; everywhere.

Yesterday and through the late evening here in Redding, California, we came together and did our part. Red Cross stations were held all over the city in different locations in the surrounding towns and people would drive by and donate. Some donated thousands of dollars while others donated just dollars, but all donated something.

My band, the Majical band, not only donated our time to be a part of this effort but the proceeds of tee shirts and CD's that were sold went directly into the Red Cross money boxes. It is a small part but it is an effort we will continue to do and I feel that anything we can do as a group or as individuals is an effort worth being a part of.

It is heartwarming and satisfying to know that even in the far reaches of the country, a small town like Redding, is doing their part to help each other. All the small towns across the nation, as well as the megalopolises, are doing their part as a grassroots effort, as a nation, as Americans and as human beings.

This is what being a person of this planet is all about. Respect each other and help one another, always.

Reminds me of a song from the sixties:

C'mon people now
Smile on your brothers
Everybody get together
Try and love one another right now
Right now, right now!

I'm proud of us all. Let's continue to help each other as needed.

Help out and give to the Red Cross. Peace and Love for real.