Jim Morrison: The Lizard King

By Bryan Cain-Jackson

Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors

They both thought of themselves as purist of the art form rather than those who wanted to achieve celebrity status.

The recent loss of 27-year old Amy Winehouse brought me back to an artist that shared many similarities to her.

Jim Morrison, artist, lead singer of The Doors, passed away July 3, 1971. He was also age 27. In the world of above average music artists, death seems to have affinity for those at the age of 27. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Kurt Cobain all died at age 27.

Morrison and Winehouse share more than a few passing similarities.

Morrison wrote poetry and was an above intellectual (I.Q. of 149); he was often misunderstood because of it.  While attending UCLA, he became fast friends with a fellow student by the name of Ray Manzarek, they became the first two members of The Doors which was formed the summer that they met in 1965.  Manzarek recognized the genius of Morisson’s poetry and felt that his words could be put to the tune of Rock n’ Roll.

Morrison believed that he could get a deeper, spiritual and poetic word across to a generation of anti-establishment people, something that Morrison himself embodied.  So he agreed that he would go along with the forming of a music group though it was with understandable reluctance. 

Once The Doors hit the scene, Morrison himself stood out and instantly became a sensation with the young girls of that era.  He was different, he was bad and he seemed not to care what anyone thought about him or really about anything.  Thus the image portrayed was no doubt a part of what was expected, those who knew Morrison speak of his softer side.

In his ever growing rise to fame, Morrison grew increasingly uneasy as things did not go the way he originally envisioned.  He was a sex icon and that is what he desired. 

Morrison already had what many would describe as self destructive habits, thus any he already had would increase.  He binged on heroine and often drank heavy liquor like it was water.  His rebellion of fame had begun and was very public in a time of stricter censorship.

 The Doors had landed the biggest act in town; The Ed Sullivan Show.  They were asked to perform their hit song Light My Fire.  Unfortunately, the word “higher” which were in the lyrics of the song was forbidden on national television at the time.  In true Morrison fashion, he said it anyway and right in the face of the camera lens which caused a pandemonium on live television.  The Doors were banned from ever performing on Ed Sullivan again.

Morrison began showing up to performances late or intoxicated.  He was rumored to have exposed himself at one venue, although it is not known for sure it caused The Doors to be banned from yet another venue.

By 1969, the once slim and slender Morrison had become a heavy boozer with a pot belly and a very thick beard.  He often recorded the remaining albums under the influence of hours of heavy boozing. 

Morrison had finally found his way out through his unending fascination with death; it was achieved by total abuse for his body, the vanishing of the looks that his female fans longed for.  He wanted to only have his music appreciated, not so much he himself; even though he was rumored to be quite the ladies man. 

Jim Morrison has a voice that will echo on for generations to come. 



"This Is The Zodiac Speaking..."

By Bryan Cain-Jackson

SFPD's sketch artist renderings of Zodiac

In the late 1960’s, in the outskirts of the big city of San Francisco was a quiet place to live with minimal crime and almost no homicides; it was truly life in the suburbs.

On the night of December 20, 1968 it was about 45 degrees; a fine example of a winter in Northern California.  The residents of Benicia and the neighboring city of Vallejo knew not of the tragedy that would befall them on that night.

David Farraday and Betty Lou Jensen

17 year-old David Farraday and 16 year-old Betty Lou Jensen were going steady.  On the aforementioned night, Betty Lou was being allowed to go out on her first date that night.  The Jensens were a strict Christian family and reluctantly agreed to allow their daughter to attend a local high school dance with the young Farraday boy whom they had heard nothing but great things about.

After the dance, Betty Lou and David drove to a quiet spot in Benicia just outside of the city of Vallejo which is where they lived and went to school.  Lake Herman Road had a couple of small gravel parking lots that were widely used as lover’s lanes for the youth of both cities.  They found an unoccupied spot to sit, talk, and hold hands.

It is unknown what had occurred, but the grisly result has become part of true crime history.  David Farraday was shot and killed at point blank range.  Betty Lou was shot in the back multiple times as she tried to flee the scene.  Lake Herman is pitch dark at night, where was she trying to run?  No one knows for sure.

With not much previous experience in homicide, the Solano County Sheriff’s department was overwhelmed.  After a long period of time and no leads the case eventually goes cold.

Darlene Ferrin and Michael Mageau

Vallejo celebrates with fireworks on the unusually hot night of July 4, 1969.  Michael Mageau and Darlene Ferrin are good friends and they have driven to the park at the then isolated area of Blue Rock Springs park.  At this time, it was a rural area and not the widely developed community park that it is today.  They are approached by a car that pulls to the right rear of their car.  The car parks and sits there for about two minutes before speeding off, only moments later to come back.  This time the car pulled directly behind them, a man stepped outside of the car holding a bright flashlight and shaking it around while walking up to the passenger side window shining the lights in the faces of Michael and Darlene before opening fire on them.  The shooter fired multiple shots at both of them; Michael survived, Darlene did not.

Within the hour, the Vallejo Police Department received an interesting phone call from the shooter in question.  The man on the line spoke in a chillingly calm and controlled voice and enunciates his words clearly.  He sounded as though he were reading something.  This was their conversation.

“I would like to report a double-murder.”

“Who’s calling please?”

“If you go one mile east on Columbus Parkway, you’ll find two kids parked in a brown car.  They were shot with a 9 mm Luger.”

“Who is calling please?”

“I’m the one who did it.”

A chilling moment of silent ensues.

“I also killed those kids last year.” 

His voice changes tone from calm and controlled to taunting and childish.

“Gooood-byeeeeee..”

On July 31, 1969 three letters arrive to three different newspapers in Northern California.  One each was sent to the Vallejo Times-Herald, San Francisco Examiner and the San Francisco Chronicle.  The letters contained exhaustive details of both the December and 4^th of July shootings.  With the letters there was a cryptogram and in the letter there was a threat that more lives would be taken if the letter and the puzzles were not solved and placed on the front page of each newspaper.  It was signed with a mysterious symbol.  In August another letter followed with more details about the Lake Herman murders.  This time the killer gave himself a name…  Zodiac.

Zodiac's signature symbol

The next crimes escalated in terms of their risk, Zodiac needed a greater challenge to get him his desired level of potency. 

Bryan Hartnell and Cecelia Shepard

During broad day light at Lake Berryessa on the evening of September 29, 1969, Bryan Hartnell and Cecelia Shepard were bound and stabbed by a man wearing a strange executioner’s style hood and bearing the symbol that would later be known as the Zodiac killer’s logo.  The man claimed that he only wanted money and their car keys, he took neither.  Bryan was stabbed 7 times; Cecelia was stabbed more than 18 times and died a day and a half later.  Bryan survived.  A telephone call to the Napa County Sheriff’s was made in the same sense as the call to the Vallejo PD.  No letter followed.  Instead, Zodiac leaves his trademark symbol on the door of his victims’ car along with the dates of his last murders and the current date along with the time being at 6:30.

Zodiac leaves his calling card on his victims' car door

Rendering of Zodiac at Lake Berryessa

The greater Northern California area would be placed on a curfew as a result of these Zodiac attacks and other sightings.

The final and last confirmed victim of Zodiac was a cab driver who picked him up in Downtown San Francisco. 

Paul Stine

29 year-old Paul Stine was shot at point blank range to the back of the head inside his cab after he parked it on the corner of Washington and Cherry in a very posh neighborhood near Presidio Heights.  Zodiac was seen getting into the front scene of the cab by two children.  They believed him to be drunk and wrestling with the driver so they called the police as it was happening.  They described Zodiac walking away from the crime scene. 

Within minutes, a cop was on the scene and questioned the children.  He had heard over the radio that they were looking for a “Negro male.”  Upon re-interviewing the children, he found that they were indeed looking for a white male.  The officer ran back to the car to radio everyone of the correction to the error that the dispatcher had made.

Another cop was approaching the scene coming down an opposite street.  When they saw a white male walking away from the crime scene on the sidewalk, they did not question him for whatever reason.  The cops discovered the victim’s shirt had been cut, his wallet, glasses and car keys were missing.

Thus Zodiac was not caught. 

A letter followed days later, this contained a blood stained piece of the shirt that the victim wore that night he was shot.  This letter contained a quote that would get Zodiac nationwide attention in 1969.

“I think I shall blow out the tires of a school bus one morning and just pick off the kiddies as they come bouncing out.”

School buses all over the Bay Area were escorted by helicopters, motorcades, and motorcycle police who were heavily armed in the event that such an attack would be attempted.

Northern California residents were paranoid.  It was never known where he would pop up next and every time a new letter was published in the newspaper that contained a threat, he always would claim another victim.  The paranoia increased when he hit the city.

The letters would continue for 5 years.  The facts became myth and now unfortunately to legend; adding to that great desire for fame that he possessed.  Zodiac made good on his promises to vanish… Never to be caught.

The mystery has made Zodiac one of the world’s most elusive serial killers, has spawned a major motion picture and has a website of amateur sleuths dedicated to solving the mystery with millions who visit it every day.

Although San Francisco has officially closed their investigation, Solano County Sheriffs, Napa County Sheriffs, and Vallejo PD all still have open cases.  Due to a tip on a possible new suspect, the FBI has also begun an in-depth investigation.

For more information on Zodiac, visit Zodiackiller.com

Tippi Hedren Loves More Than Just The Birds

Article first published as Tippi Hedren Loves More Than Just The Birds on Technorati.


By Bryan Cain-Jackson

Legendary film actress, Tippi Hedren, has been in show business for more than 60 years. Starting at the ripe age of 20, her first film where she was not even credited for her role as an ice box petty girl to her breakout success in the role of Melanie Daniels, the cool blonde in the Alfred Hitchcock classic “The Birds.” From working with Ed Wood Jr. to working with the Master of Suspense, Tippi has certainly been there for the best era in film.


We know her mainly as the beautiful blonde that stood defenselessly in the phone booth amidst chaos caused by a flock of menacing ravens trying to get to her. That scene was one of the most memorable in history.


The Tippi Hedren we should all know better is the woman who is just as beautiful on the inside and she is on the outside. Tippi Hedren, mother of actress Melanie Griffith, grandmother, and animal rights activist. Tippi has been caring for wildlife animals for nearly 40 years, to put it charitably, it is her passion.


In 1983, Tippi started the Roar Foundation. This foundation’s sole responsibility is to support the abandoned exotic felines at the Shambala Preserve.


Tippi talked about the challenges, costs, and excitement of formation and maintaining of the Roar Foundation and the Shambala Preserve and Animal Sanctuary in Acton, California 45 minutes northeast of Los Angeles.


“It was huge, absolutely huge.” Hedrin recalled. “We were making a film about the animals at the time, the funds from the film lasted a few years it was gone. So I formed the organization to accept donations, as well as to educate.” She said. “I have to raise $75,000 a month. It is a very expensive feat.”


Tippi is extremely disappointed with the continued treatment of animals; she is very sharp and forthright with her continued battle against the inequities of mankind against nature.


“We rescue these animals. They are all born in the United States to be sold as pets, and of course they are not pets.” Hedren spoke sternly. “They are bred and born here to be (household) pets or for financial gain,” she said, “It’s a huge business, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife, it’s on par with the sale of illegal drugs.”


Not only is this illegal, it is extremely dangerous. The lack of knowledge in this area is very alarming, and quite sad.


“It is sad, and it’s sad for two reasons,” Hedren said, “One is that these animals should not be born into captivity, and it’s extremely dangerous for humans.”
These are all things that are clearly violations of an animal’s rights. Tippi has become actively involved in the increasing of those rights on a political level.


“I co-authored a bill in 2003 to stop the interstate traffic of these animals to be sold as pets,” she said, “I testified for the bill and it is titled the Captive Wildlife Safety Act, which prevents the animals from being sold by the breeder out of their state. It was a baby step and it took 2 years for it be enforced. The bill was signed December 19, 2003.” Hedren said proudly.


Tippi does acknowledge that there is still more work to be done, and she is working on another bill that will further act in the best wishes of animals out there. In the meantime, she enjoys the visits from people who love animals the way she does.


The Shambala Preserve is also the home to Michael Jackson’s two Bengal Tigers named Thriller and Sabu. The preserve will be benefit greatly from the auction of the Michael Jackson Thriller Jacket as it is the main consigner. “We are very excited,” Hedren said, “Thriller and Sabu are living wonderful life here.”


Tippi Hedren does have one belief that she tries to instill in every one.


“There is nothing that we can give an animal that they need, nothing at all. They just need to be free, and we do our best to let them do what they need to do.”


For more from Tippi on Thriller and Sabu, please see my Technorati article “Thriller Jacket: Where The Money’s Going.”

Happy Father's Day

By Bryan Cain-Jackson

Everything from how to teach your son how to shave, play baseball and the art of chivalry, being a father has many definitions.

Teaching your daughter the art of saying no and ensuring her prom date that you carry a licensed firearm add to a long list of responsibilities that can cause white hair or for it to fall out completely.  There are so many important aspects to a father.

I had and still have a father.  My grandpa is my dad.

My father was a sperm donor.

My grandfather taught me the art of chivalry, how to treat a woman with respect and be a gentleman at all times.  When I take my lady for a walk, she has to always walk on the inside of the sidewalk and never on the out.  She is never allowed to open her own door in my car or anywhere else for that matter.  I bring her flowers not just when I’ve been an ass, but also just because.  Although there are many women who do not appreciate that chivalry, I pride myself in this attribute.  My grandfather/father has taught me well.  From watching Superman with me, to hiding my Thriller video, and playing baseball with me, he was the essence of fatherhood and set forth many examples for me to follow that I will carry with me for the rest of my life and instill in my own children when I blessed to have them.

To all the fathers that step up to the plate and hit it out of the park everyday and not just when it’s convenient or required of them:  HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

Keep it up, your children will appreciate the fact that you were there from day #1.

Power To The People!!!

By Bryan Cain-Jackson

Four of the biggest figures in our history were assassinated all within 5 years.  These men were not afraid to bring change to the masses.  They wanted a better quality of living for everyone regardless of their color, creed, and religion or class system.

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963.  Were it not for President Kennedy, we might have waited for many years for the Civil Right Act to be enacted.  JFK was the beginning of the modern thinking.  Away with the old and in with the new was the direction.  We were to become a country that took accountability for its mistakes and kept no secrets from its citizens.  The establishment protected its own best interests; thus was the beginning of a future of hope being snatched out from underneath an entire generation.

Malcolm X, a prolific Civil Rights activist, was assassinated in Manhattan on February 21, 1965.  He gave us the wisdom of “The Hate that Hate Produced.”  He was often targeted with hate for being an African-American man trying to rise to the occasion in a society that did not want that.  X made many controversial statements in the eyes of the press; he was not someone who did and said what was expected of him.  X pushed the envelope and brought the darkness to the light with his powerful and impactful words of wisdom.  He was not pro-establishment; therefore he could not be allowed his rise to power.  The establishment took Malcolm X from a generation that would have surely followed in his footsteps.  So continues the hopes and dreams, snatched from us.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil Rights leader, was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968.  MLK was also a leader in the development of a new way of thinking like his respective counterparts, he believed in liberalism.  MLK brought fourth many powerful and historical speeches, his most famous being “I have a dream.”  Through words and through action, MLK repeatedly made a call for unity.  He wrote his “Letters from Alabama” while being jailed for marching against hate and displaying his hopes with words and with actions.  MLK’s protests were seen as disruptive and illegal.  His call for unity continued despite those who did whatever to quite him.  Although the establishment stepped forward to silence him, even in death his voice echoes on for generations to come.

Robert F. Kennedy, former U.S. District Attorney, New York Senator, and Presidential candidate, was assassinated June 5, 1968 at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California.  He has just won the most important state in the Democratic Primaries, California.  Bobby was the last best hope for a new liberal generation that wanted to end the war and break the color barriers that existed in our great nation.  The nation was dividing, only his leadership could have brought forth a sense of paradise that this country would never have thought imaginable.  The establishment must do what it feels is necessary to protect its interests.  A generation’s last hope is snatched away by “the man.”  Riots and hate ensue, Nixon becomes President and the senseless war in Vietnam rages on with a daily growing body count.

I raise the question that if one of these men had survived, what would our nation be like today?  Each of these four men laid their lives on the line for the ideals of modern liberalism to take its rightful foothold on this country.  Why?  So that each man and woman could be free and independent without prejudice just as the constitution dictates under a guise.

These four giants in our history died in their attempts to bring power to the people. 

al-Qaeda Threat: Vigilance or Prejudice

By Bryan Cain-Jackson


Article first published as al-Qaeda Threat: Vigilance Or Prejudice on Technorati.


One week has passed since finding out the news of Osama Bin Laden’s death. The country celebrated and rejoiced over the fact that he was dead. The rejoicing should always be about the justice that has been done and never about the fact that person has died.



Conspiracy theories fly rampant in the beliefs that Bin Laden was already killed or that he hasn’t been killed at all. In either scenario, once he was killed there was certainly a cause for concern.


Due to security concerns, there have been at least two passenger planes that have emergency landed. In one of the flights, a man tried to reach for the door while the plane was in the air. The plane landed and the man was interviewed by the federal authorities. The other plane was landed as a result of a suspicious note found by a flight attendant.


An incident aboard a plane to North Carolina is under investigation. Due to the discomfort of passengers aboard, two imams in traditional Muslim dress were removed from the plane prior to take off. Masudar Rahman and Mohamed Zaghloul are both of very high importance in the Muslim religious community. They were on their way to a conference for prejudice against Muslims and Islamaphobia. Rahman is a professor at the University of Memphis.


There are definitely reasons to feel threatened after the US killed Osama Bin Laden; he was the leader of the al-Qaeda. Furthermore, the documented evidence proving the Pakistani intelligence team that led the US to Bin Laden as being linked to al-Qaeda terrorists. Why would they lead us to Osama Bin Laden if they had another agenda? How far along in execution are the al-Qaeda plans for the new act of terrorism against the US? There are so many questions and even few answers if any will ever provide a universal sense of satisfaction amongst US citizens. Everyone is being extremely alert and that is to be expected. However, are we being vigilant or outright prejudice?


That need for vigilance can also be a safe assumption as to why our troops will not be sent home yet. I truly fear the feeling of paranoia is rampant in our country; the need to point fingers and label those who are innocent as potential perpetrators is growing out of hand. We are in a climate that is plagued with uncertainty, not knowing what to expect from one day to the next can have this affect on people.


We should take great care and pride in not allowing the image of one’s customs and attire influence our portrait of what a monster is. Osama Bin Laden was a monster, but we should not label those with a similar name, attire, looks or any other aspect of superficiality to drain our perception of color and clarity. It’s important that the fine line between vigilance and prejudice be identified to avoid making an already critical situation worst.

Happy Mother's Day

By Bryan Cain-Jackson

Today is a day to rejoice in the appreciation of all of our Mothers. To all the beautiful women that we look up to and call Mom, we owe you our lives.



Those of us who aren’t parents really forget the challenge that being a Mom represents. Especially if you are a single Mom then even greater challenges are faced every day. I know a great deal of women that do a phenomenal job of being both mom and dad to their children. I bow to your greatness. I am not a father yet, but when I do become one I know that it will still not be as challenging as being a mother is.


I was blessed with two Moms in my life, my mother and my grandmother. I love you both very much. I appreciate the challenges that you have put in front of me, were it not for those challenges I would not be the man that I am today always being respectful and appreciative of the woman in my life.


To mothers everywhere, know you are more than appreciated!



Happy Mother’s Day to All!!!

Jackie Cooper Passes at 88

By Bryan Cain-Jackson

Article first published as Jackie Cooper Passes at 88 on Technorati



Another of Hollywood’s golden age has departed from us. Character actor, Jackie Cooper passed away on May 3rd at the age of 88. He is best known for his latter role in the Superman films portraying Daily Planet editor Perry White.



Starting out as a child in show business, Cooper became a hit in the “Our Gang” short films of the 1920’s and 30’s. In every decade he has provided quality entertainment as an actor, producer, and director. Cooper was one of precious few to graduate from the child star syndrome as some refer to it.


Cooper served with distinction in the military in World War II. He was married four times. The fourth time was a charm for Cooper when he met his beloved Barbara. They were married for 54 years until her passing in 2009.


Cooper retired in 1990 and very much enjoyed his life with his family post life of show business. He avoided industry retrospective and enjoyed his simple life.

Romance is Dead; It's All About Friends with Benefits

By Bryan Cain-Jackson

From deviantart.com

Just a thought that I wanted to share and everyone to consider… Does it seem that romance has died?

Young men just don’t seem as chivalrous as they once were or as much as they should be. I hear this from lady friends all the time. Even in movies they tend to lack in romance these days.

This in a way kind of goes back to an earlier post that I wrote entitled “That Irritating Thing That Men and Women Do.”

When a young woman comes across a man that opens her doors and brings a rose for her on a date, it seems like the trip out alarm goes off. Women may still want romance but are so used to not getting it, that when they do they have no idea how to react to it.

The same goes for affection, women are so not used to receiving it from a man that when they get it the suspicion alert goes off.

Romance is meant to be that pleasurable and exciting feeling that is associated with courtship. Are men still courting women? Are they just dating with no future possibility of going any further?

The answer is simple…

“Friends with benefits” are supposed to be the most uncomplicated relationship out there, yet it tends to complicate. This is because there are supposed to be no strings attached to sex, yet it is human nature or it should be to feel an emotional connection with the person one allows to invade their body. Most of the time in these types of relationships one person will get attached, the other will get upset, and an opportunity for a quality friendship or relationship is truly lost.

I personally feel that romance is important for foreplay, foreplay is important for sex, and intimacy is best left with a connection rather than without. I am a very romantic man, and I am chivalrous with my woman.

A benefits based relationship is not best for everyone. Some of you should evaluate yourselves emotionally before entering one.

Romance and an emotional connection are phenomenal feelings when people allow themselves to feel it. Intimacy should not just fulfill a physical need if someone is drowning in emotional uncertainty. It should be that feeling like you are on cloud nine and nothing but good will come from it. If people started treating each other’s bodies more like a temple rather than the Easy 8 motel, there wouldn’t be so many scorned women and STD’s. That makes sense, right?

Bin Laden Death Rules Social Media

By Bryan Cain-Jackson


Article first published as Bin Laden Death Rules Social Media on Technorati. 


When something is the buzz, you’d better believe that you’ll find it on a social media network within seconds. It can even be said that this is how many people in the younger generation get their news.



The current buzz is of a very different nature. It’s normally about what happened on “American Idol” last night, or who got fired on “Celebrity Apprentice,” and a host of other mind numbing television programs that lure interest. Fortunately, this time we get treated to a different fare; the death of Osama Bin Laden has ruled the web ever since the news was announced shortly after 10:15 Eastern-Standard time May 1st. In particular it has ruled the social media sites. The increase in conversation over Bin Laden’s fate has increased over 75,000 percent since the first announcement. It’s no doubt a combination of celebratory spewing, mad ravings, negative remarks about the Obama administration, and the trademark conspiracy theorists. Perhaps, Donald Trump will lead the conspiracy theorists into persuading the President to produce an original death certificate for Bin Laden.


The death of Bin Laden represents something different to many walks of life. For some it’s retribution, for others it’s an eye for an eye, and lastly there is always going to be a universal sense of justice.


I have read clever Facebook postings, and some not so clever or even politically correct. Among the most memorable I have read is: “It took Obama to get Osama.” It was quite a thrill to see everyone speaking up on more intelligent fare versus the normal dribble.


This not only demonstrates that much needed sense of unity and of patriotism; it clearly demonstrates the awesome power of the social media world. The news is at our fingertips. We no longer have to wait until we get home to get in front of our TVs, or even listen to the radio. I need not mention that newspapers are on the brink of total extinction. This can all be credited to the advent of the social media world. It’s a place where everyone has a voice.


It’s changed the way we communicate. If you call or text someone on your cell phone, you might not get an answer. If you really want to talk to them at that moment, you might have to “Facebook” or “FB” them. If you want to know what one of your friends is doing then just check Twitter. They might have “tweeted” that they are taking a shower. Scary thought though; updating a Twitter status while taking a shower? I have a friend who does this.


Social media is a world that I truly believe in. It’s been used for intelligent discussions and an exchange of information. Many non-profits even use it as a way to get petitions signed and getting various causes supported. Businesses use it to advertise and connect with their clients. Major corporations use it to introduce their new products for the first time. It’s not something that will be going away anytime soon. It will grow and continue to advance as time passes.


The biggest craze started with Myspace, the social media powerhouse of yesterday. Now, we are in a worldwide love affair with Facebook. However, it will not end there. There will be different variations of it, but social media itself will not be going anywhere for a while.

A Great Film Called "Psycho"

By Bryan Cain-Jackson

Of all the classic films made at the beginning of the end of Hollywood’s most glamorous period in films, none proved more shocking than Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho."


This was clearly a film that had no interest in blending in with typical films of the era; for starters it was in black and white and had a budget under $1 million. Films presented in color were already a commonplace, and Hitchcock rarely made a film for under a million dollars at that time.


Rather than the usual glamorous setting with rich and well to do people, “Psycho” was cheap and sleazy looking. The characters were struggling and all had conflicts that crept deep beneath their surfaces. It was made in a time where people wanted to appear normal and without problems, these characters were no exception to that.


Janet Leigh portrayed Marion Crane. Her characters lives in Phoenix, Arizona and works as a secretary to a real estate agent. Marion is a fascinatingly eclectic portrait in the sense that she too wants to hide the problems that she is having, while at the same time publicly airing them out by committing a heinously sloppy crime. She is desperate to marry her boyfriend Sam Loomis, portrayed by John Gavin. Sam is a hard luck case. He owns a hardware shop in a small town in Central California. Sam is in debt up to his teeth; he is paying his wife’s alimony while she is living it up on the other side of the world, and paying what is remaining of his dead father’s old debts.


Marion is hopelessly in love with him and will lower herself to even the level of meeting him in secret at cheap and sleazy hotels during her lunch hour. Sam enjoys their relationship as it is; he drives to see her from California so that they can have their time. Since the kind of affair they were having was considered disrespectful at the time, they are not actually far from what would be considered today as a friend with benefits. The difference between Sam and Marion is very simple. She is an idealist, and he is a realist. There is no way that he can afford to support her, nor can she support him since this was a time where the man worked and was the breadwinner. The wife would stay home and tend to house and the children if any.


Then the day comes… Emotion takes over completely. In a fit of blind desperation, Marion steals $40,000 from her employer with the intent of taking it to Sam in California, but she never makes it.


The Bates Motel is along her route to Sam. She stops and meets one of the creepiest and most mentally disturbed characters in movie history, Norman Bates, portrayed by Anthony Perkins.


During the conversation between Marion and Norman, there is evidently a sexual tension and a curiosity that is never acted upon. The reason being is that Norman is the one who is feeling it; Marion is merely unsettled by how much of a hermit he is.


Norman has a mother that doesn’t like the fact that he has warmed up to this woman, so the only way to end it is for her to kill Marion. The famed and historic shower scene takes place in which Marion is stabbed a dozen and a half times by Mother Bates aka Norman Bates.


That’s right! If you’ve seen this, you already know that Norman is his own mother. Is this guy a psycho or what???


Delving deeper into the themes of “Psycho,” one can clearly see that the director Alfred Hitchcock has his own obsessions.


Here is a short list:


1. Blondes
2. Murder
3. Sex
4. Food


The way that all these tie together is they all are forced to become an integral part of the story. Blondes are supposed to have more fun which would explain why everyone wants Marion. Murder is the theme behind the jealousy embedded in the schizophrenia that Norman has. Sex is one of the driving emotions why everyone is so reactive in the film. Norman’s Mother personality kills Marion because he lusted after her and wanted her badly. Sam drives all the way to Arizona often to have their relationship which is nothing more than sexual on his part.


I can go on and on about any Hitchcock film, I love them! They are excellent examples of what Hollywood used to put out. The stuff now just doesn’t make sense.

The Obama Conspiracy

By Bryan Cain-Jackson

We truly live in a world that possesses closed minded individuals who in some way, shape, or form lack diversity and are self-indulged in their own prejudice. It doesn’t necessarily have to be in terms of race. I believe it to be a built-in mechanism that to some degree exists and functions within all of us. That mechanism preys on our fear of change.



In 2008 when Senator Barack Obama ran for President of the United States of America is when it truly began. That mechanism kicked in. Why did it kick in? Well, folks… Each of you will decide on your own reasons, together we can only speculate. I cannot nor will I attempt to drill an opinion in to your heads. You are all free willed and have the ability to exercise independent thought. This mechanism that I speak of; what exactly has it done? It has tapped that nerve ending in all of us that has put us in fear mode. That fear of change. That which is the crippling fear that only serves to prevent growth in maturity for those who lack it the most. It is the one and the same that would either have us be closed minded to having a President of a different ethnicity than all those we have had prior. Another thought is that the fear could’ve crippled some at the very sight of his name; Barack Hussein Obama.


The instant that name hit the press, this pumped premium gas into the vehicle that we know to be the conspiracy theory. Conspiracy theorists all over the country were sure that was an attempt to plant a Middle Eastern spy at the heart of the United States and worsen an already catastrophic economic situation. As to whether or not this lunacy has been laid to rest is questionable. I must say that I haven’t heard about it much after President Obama was sworn into office.


That is not all though, the vehicle that drives conspiracy theories never parks… I now bring you to the present day which we need no introduction to.


The question of Obama’s birth certificate brought to you by Donald Trump himself. I thought Trump had better things to do than this. Like firing people, claiming bankruptcy every other day or whatever he does to manipulate his personal and business finances.


It seems not. Trump has announced interest in his candidacy for President of the United States of America. Does that mean that we would become the United States of Trump? Erie thought, right? What a way to begin his tirade period by beginning a smear campaign against his would be chief opponent.


For weeks now, I have watched the endless idiocy of those who believe that President Obama was not a citizen of the United States.


I have to give a special mention to Anderson Cooper and his team of investigators of 360 on CNN for giving credible evidence to the public. The situation was getting out of control. Despite Cooper’s attempts to offer validity to the live birth document given by the State of Hawaii in lieu of a copy of the original birth certificate, the nay-sayers continued their pointless crusade.


Trump endlessly pointed out money that he claims was spent to cover up a document that was finally released yesterday. Trump gave no credence to Cooper’s investigation which made his own arguments about the issue lose serious credibility. I must say that Cooper gives credibility to the word term that many of us thought dead, journalism.


This is what I mean by the growing idiocy of those Americans out there who have disguise themselves as conservatives who wish our country well. Rather than further the intellect of Americans, they’ve succeeded in making themselves look like old, fat and inflexible morons. I do mean the same kind of moron that would closely identify with Archie Bunker.


To Donald Trump: It was Plato who said, “Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.”



I’m afraid saying you appear as the latter makes perfect sense.

The Criminal Acts of the Police

By Bryan Cain-Jackson

The speed limit is 65 mph, but you are going 69. Are you worried? Probably not, I mean, who’s going to be affected by you going 4 mph over the speed limit? You might not even notice that you’re going over the speed limit. You got your speakers on blast, you’re trying to leave that 9 to 5 up on the shelf and just enjoy yourself.



That all might change and you might not feel so relaxed when you see flashing red and blue lights in your rear view mirror. Are you worried about getting a ticket? Yes, and should you be worried about it being something more serious? It seems that is also the case in a world where the men in blue bring great uncertainty with each encounter they have with a given citizen.


To protect and to serve is the creed that is sworn by every man and woman that chooses to join the force. These days that doesn’t seem to coincide with what’s happening to people at the hands of many police officers out there. Don’t get me wrong, there are a great many officers some of whom I know personally that are a credit to their badge, and to their uniforms. However, there are those police officers that are making the headlines; the proverbial rotten eggs that make the whole dozen look bad.


It seems like just recently, we read about Rodney King in the headlines and we saw that vicious video. The video doesn’t depict LA’s finest. It depicts a group of juveniles that are playing out a schoolyard fantasy that they had no power to fulfill when they were younger. The power was afforded to them later; under the guise of being those who enforce the law. Rather than enforce it, they simply broke it. Why did they break it? Was it because they felt they were above the law? Or was it simply because they were given the power to do what it is they were doing?


Each reader of the blog post and every observer of the media will judge for themselves what they portray this grotesque negligence and horrible misuse of power to be. Could police officers despite all their training be just as vulnerable to power in excess as the rest of us could be? Here are some fictional accounts that are quite accurate in their depiction of what excess can do to a person.


Remember Michael Corleone of “The Godfather” trilogy? This was a man of immense power who allowed nothing to stand in the way of achieving exactly what he wanted. He craved people’s fear of him, and he craved more power. Corleone, much like the men in blue, use fear to prey upon the fearful. This is not to say that Oscar Grant got shot because he feared Johannes Mehserle. Often times if rebellious behavior is shown to a person on a power trip then that is taken as a challenge. This could mean that it would be worst for the person posing the challenge to a less than upstanding police officer.


Another example is Tony Montana from “Scarface.” This is someone who was afraid of no one but never had the opportunity or the power to do and take what he wanted as he pleased. Once he gained power, he had so much of it that he eventually spun completely out of control. The excess in power and the rush that it could give someone who has never had it can be an overwhelming experience mentally.


Folks, this might just seem like a ruthless badgering of police officers. Especially when it comes to comparing them to the likes of fictitious criminals, but there is truth to these comparisons.


The long and the short of it is that those who are and who pose as police officers are supposed to enforce the law. We are supposed to rely on them to protect and to serve, not terrorize and kill the innocent. If this is allowed to continue then why have that right granted to us by the law? That right that says every man and woman is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Are they ignoring this right granted to us and assigning guilt as they see fit? Whether that is a yes or a no, it is not their place to do so.


The sad truth about many of those we rely on to enforce the law is that they are as unstable as the criminals they are bringing in. This is a fact that needs no more proof than what is shown to millions in this country on the news and YouTube, what’s heard on the radio, and read in newspapers.


It seems that the less than upstanding police officers use their clubs to make innocent citizens “an offer they can’t refuse.” This makes no sense; however, it is sadly very true.