Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 5/21 - America

Pop Quiz: Who is pictured below?

Despite suggestions to the contrary in the press and at Facebook, it is not the President of the United States. It’s Sgt. Schultz of the sitcom Hogan’s Heroes, who, when threatened with exposure of corruption by the American POWs he guarded, frequently espoused: “I know nothing - nothing!” He was played by John Banner, who appeared in all 168 episodes of the series, which ran from ’65-’71 on CBS and is probably still running somewhere on cable. The late Banner, who died in ’73 at 63, was actually a Jew who fled Europe and sought political asylum in the U.S.. I suppose what made me think of the endearing Schultz was the terrific episode of American Masters I watched on PBS last night, which spotlighted the great Mel Brooks, another Jew who lampooned Nazis and even portrayed Hitler himself. There were touching as well as zany moments in the piece. His wife, Oscar-winning actress Anne Bancroft, an Italian-American Bronx girl, said he looked like her father and acted like her mother. Melvin Kaminsky, a Brooklyn boy, wed Anna Maria Louise Italiano at City Hall, and asked a stranger, an Afro-American, to act as witness. I love America! 

RIP Ray Manzarek, 74, keyboardist extraordinaire of the Doors. His work was as essential to the band as Jim Morrison's vocals. Any baby-boomer can probably conjure in his mind the dynamic opening of Break on Through to the Other Side, the haunting tinkling on Riders on the Storm and, of course, the unique styling on Light My Fire. Well done, sir.

If the following doesn't get your dander up, I'm don't know what will. Islamist terrorist Major Nidal Hasan, who murdered 13 and wounded 32 in the Fort Hood massacre, is still being paid by the government, which cannot rescind his salary. Since that infamous day in November 2009 he has drawn $278,000. If he'd been a civilian defense worker, his salary would have been cut off after seven days.

Well, I turned 63 today. The good news is I don't feel any different physically this year than last. I got a big present from Alexander E. Poet (the E is for excellence) in the form of a massive donation of books, CDs, DVDs, and VHS tapes. It was so much that it wouldn't all fit in my trunk. I had to take a bagful up to the apartment. Thank you, sir, and to the kind folks who bought items. I made an accounting error during the session, costing me six bucks. Mrs. Harlequin stopped by. She buys those thin romances in bulk and I give her a great price on them. Today she added three DVDs and five novels centered on indians. At first she gave me six singles, then changed her mind and gave me a twenty. About a half hour later I realized I'd given her the singles and $12. Duh! Oh, well - stuff happens - even on your birthday.

Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3