I got a jury summons.

[GReedDiamond]

9. About 10 years (?) ago, I was summoned for jury duty...

...I went to the courthouse, and told the judge that I could not absorb the financial hit an extended trial would cost me.

I also explained that my job was critical to everybody else's jobs at the factory, as they could not work without what I did to prepare each job for production. I explained that my absence could result in production stopping, idling the factory and causing additional harm to our clients if their jobs were delayed or cancelled.

The judge was not moved one bit, refused to dismiss me.

But when I stated that I had little faith in the police, because I had been beaten by the cops years earlier, I was practically thrown out of the courthouse.

More recently - maybe a couple of years ago - I received two jury notices, which I ignored. Upon receiving a third notice, I was informed that if I ignored that one, there would be a $1000 penalty.

The third one never arrived.

This New Year's Day, I will turn 70.

Apparently at 70 or older, you may serve if called, but do not have to if you don't want to.

Which I don't.

Also, it is my understanding that the court pulls potential juror's names from the Dept. of Motor Vehicle registrations, and since I no longer have a vehicle registered with the DMV, for several years now, that should mean that they cannot find my name there.

On Ed Rosentahl, back in the early 80s, I teamed up with Ed - who was known for publishing manuals on how to grow weed - to try and organize a cannabis rally in Venice CA.

We called it the "Festival of Life," and modeled it after the July 4th Yippie! smoke-ins that used to be held in Washington DC (I attended the one held on 7/4/1978, where I met Aron Kay, "The Pieman" ).

We were unable to get the permits we needed by the local authorities, so we ended up holding two rallies on the big lawn at the U.S. Federal Building on Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles, July 3-4 1982, which we were able to get the permits for after getting help from CMI (California Marijuana Initiative).

Basically, a bunch of bands played, and in-between the bands, there were speeches from pot activists, including the actor who played "Bud" on Father Knows Best, Billy Gray.

The bands included Black Flag and my band at the time, The Hundredth Monkey. I don't remember what the other bands were now.

Good Times!

Edited twice to remove the annoying smilie face that was not supposed to be there.