Coming next week, CASTAWAY IN IDAHO... Starring Dawn Wells, As: Mary G. Wanna

Sedona Internationl Film Festivel 2008

Back from the Sedona Film Festival. A little trip that Sarah and I take each year. It is getting more and more popular. Highlights this year included Sarah meeting Dan Harkins, owner of the Harkins Theatre chain. She was very excited because she is employed by him! Her first job is at the beautiful and brand new Park West. I have occasionally met wealthy and successful people and am usually not impressed. This time I was. WHAT A NICE GUY! He was a very busy person that night, and we spotted him out side. I charged over and butted in on his socializing with other successful and wealthy people, and introduced us both. He was great, wanted to know all about Sarah's job and seemed very impressed that the film festival is a father and daughter tradition for us . Dan (as I now call him) even insisted on Sarah having her picture taken with him and his wife. What really impressed me was that his wife knew how to operate my $8:00 cardboard camera.

We also got to see the old Classic Film, Sunset Boulevard ,on the big screen as it was meant to be seen. The film was hosted by Robert Osborne from Turner Classic Movies who regaled the audience with great trivia just like on his TV show.

Sarah and I usually share the same movie tastes ( Johnny Darko being the most notable exception) and we both loved a film from Belgium called Ben X, about a teen age autistic boy who is mistreated by the "normal" kids he encounters. To Ben his life is a video game and he is the hero. A very touching film and there is talk of an American version being made. I feel that is unnecessary, they should just distribute this film world wide as is.

We both liked D.O.P.E. as well, a documentary about four generations of professional skateboarders from San Diego who rose to fame and then were sank by drugs. It contains a hopeful message and I am sure will get a wide release. The best part was, I sat by a woman slightly younger than myself and we sort of bonded when we caught each other crying towards the end of the movie, after the film she won a awesome skate board in a raffle and I helped arrange for Dennis Martinez to sign it. Oh did I mention this women (Lori as I like to call her now) is fine? I mean F-I-N-E! And Sarah thought her son was hot, but who cares about that. This woman was something else, and we both come from a era when we saw first hand how young lives can and usually are , ruined by Drugs. The movies title? It stands for Death Or Prison Eventually, and should be shown in every High School in the country.

We enjoyed a film called Crooked Earth that was filmed in New Zealand. What a beautiful country! I would love to go there someday but I may not come home. Sedona is beautiful as well and we did manage to get a short hike in.

Dan Harkins stated almost wistfully, that he hopes his kids will still want to do things with him when they are Sarah's age. I know how he feels. I worry about the day coming when Sarah will not have time for her old dad. And I get a little teary eyed thinking about it. Which is a waste of time if there is not a gorgeous women around to hand me a tissue.

Bob A. Robinson, P.R.C.A. Hall of Fame

The tiny hamet of Rockland, Idaho has not produced very many celebrities, some may think none. However we do have someone to be proud of on the national stage. World Champion Steer Wrestler Bob A. Robinson, who won the championship in 1960. He was by no means a one trick pony either, he participated in many events and won many a rodeo in his years on the pro rodeo circut, including the saddle bronc event at the 1958 Calgery stampede. I grew up hearing about Bob A. from my dad, who was very proud of Bobs accomplishments and we often went to visit "Uncle" Bob Robinson, who I believe was Bob A.'s Uncle. The conversation always turned to what Bob A. was up to and his latest conquests under the bright lights and on the saw dust.

Bob A. Robinson went on to be a major player in the Proffesional Rodeo Cowboys Association. He played a big part in the movment of the National Finals Rodeo to Las Vegas from Oklahoma City.

In 2006 Bob A. Robinson was inducted into the P.R.C.A. Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Today if you visit you will see a display dedicated to Bob A. Robinson from ROCKLAND, IDAHO!

(The following is from the P.R.C.A Hall of Fame.)

Bob Robinson
Born May 13, 1933, in Rockhand, Idaho, Robinson has been a big influence in the sport of rodeo. He joined the PRCA in 1958 and competed at both ends of the arena as a steer wrestler and a saddle bronc rider.
He competed in the 1959 and 1960 National Finals Rodeo in both events, winning the world steer wrestling title in 1960 and finished runner-up in the all-around category that same year behind Harry Thompkins.
He competed professionally for 14 years and in 1980, he became one of the first pro officials for the PRCA. In September of 1982, he became the PRCA’s director of rodeo administration, and he and his wife, Emma, moved from Idaho to Colorado Springs. During that time, his responsibilities included negotiating prize money with rodeo committees, overseeing the eligibility of cowboys, interpreting and enforcing PRCA rules and coordinating rodeo listings and approvals.
He was also instrumental in moving the NFR from Oklahoma City, Okla., to its current location in Las Vegas, Nev., in 1985.
Robinson, who now makes his home in Hagerman, Idaho, has two kids, Ange and Jade. His son, Jade, followed in his footsteps by serving as a pro official for more than 19 years, working every NFR during that time.
Robinson will be inducted in the steer wrestling category

Color Me Lucky, Jan. 2008

The next several days I will be playing in some rather big Poker Tournaments, so I need to focus on getting my mind right for winning. Will be Blogging next week. The Title of this blog was one of Evel Knievel's Autograph lines. C.M.L. Baby!

RIP

Bill Bonanno, 75, Mob Family Member, Dies ;
By DENNIS HEVESI
Published: January 3, 2008
Salvatore (Bill) Bonanno, whose appointment by his father to the second most powerful position in the Bonanno crime family in the mid-1960s touched off what became known as the “Banana Wars” and led to the exile of the Bonannos to Arizona, died on Tuesday at his home in Tucson. He was 75.

The cause was a heart attack, his son Joseph said.
Mr. Bonanno’s father, Joseph Bonanno, known as Joe Bananas, had come to the United States from Sicily with his parents in 1906. By the 1930s, he had risen from bootlegger and gunrunner to don of one of New York’s five Mafia families. Starting as a small, Brooklyn-based bootlegging operation, the Bonannos thrived during Prohibition.
Bill Bonanno became a “made” member of his father’s crime family when he was in his 20s, according to his Web site. .”

MY BRUSH WITH THE BONANNOS, PHOENIX AZ. 1986

From 1985 Until 1993, I worked as a Private Investigator based out of Phoenix. I completed my internship working for one of the largest and oldest P. I. firms in the city. I learned allot and had some great adventures, however unlike T.V. the business is usually quite routine and boring.

One spring day in 86 I was preparing to go golfing with our Chief Investigator Rich. We were on our way to a public course when we both received pages (cell phones were not yet common place) from our boss Louie. Louie had been in the business for years and had a varied case load, great connections, and state of the art surveillance equipment. However he was the embodiment of the saying "do anything for money". Rich and I found a phone booth and called Louie. Rich was a distinguished silver haired fellow who had a quick and rather dry wit. He had learned his craft in Detroit in the 60s working for the Pinkerton Detective Agency. He knew more about how to get information than the rest of us at the "Agency" put together, including Louie. And Rich had something the owner of the company lacked; scruples. Rich returned to the car and said Louie was excited because he had a big job for us and we could make some big bucks in just a few hours. After some thought we both decided to go hear Louie out.

We arrived at the office and were greeted by a bubbling Louie ,who said all we had to do was escort a briefcase containing "important business papers" to the Scottsdale Airport, get on a private plane, fly to California, hand the package off to the client, and come home. And we would be armed of course. He said he would give Rich $150.00 and me $100.00 for what would be around five hours work. I was all for it, it sounded fun and I could use the money. Rich on the other hand was not happy with the money and pointed out to Louie that it was a armed job and it was our day off. Louie instantly threw another hundred dollars at both of us. This raised both of our suspicions since Louie was notoriously cheap. However the money was now good and we began getting ready to go. We retrieved our weapons from the equipment room and donned Second Chance bullet resistant vests, this being much like a executive protection job. As we were dressing, putting our one size too large sport coats on, over our vests, Rich asked Louie who our clients were. Louie mumbled something under his breath that to me sounded like "Bananas". Rich froze in place and said; "Did you just say Banonno". Louie looked sheepishly at us and said; " It's O.K. guys he is a legitimate business man now!" I heard the Velcro ripping on Rich's vest as he quickly removed it. Without a word to Louie, Rich headed for the door, looking over his shoulder at me and saying, that if I wanted to still go golfing he was headed that way. I hated the thought of missing out on $200.00 but I had learned along time before to follow Rich's lead. So I left my gear with Louie and trotted to catch up with Rich. Leaving a screaming cursing Louie behind.

If we had done that job that day, chances are we would have had no trouble, made some good cash, and been home in time to catch nine holes. The job may have even been completely above board and legitimate. But Rich had taught me if there is a question at all about what you are doing maybe it is best to just go golf.

Yet Another Hank

The Hank Williams Family tradition continues with Jr.s son, who calls himself Hank 3.http://www.hank3.com/ He sounds and looks almost exactly like his Grandfather, but has followed a less than traditional path in his career. His music can has been labeled, Punkabilly, Cowpunk, Hardtwang, Alt.Country and Hellbilly. He does a set of more traditional Country as well.