St Louis Sinner August 2012

August - 2012

The Butcher’s Apprentice: I like it Raw

Everything’s Odder in Texas

Dr. Salofia

and the Mummies of Palermo

THE SINFUL PHOTOGRAPHY OF STUDIO 47

vive this madness for any length of time.

The simple solution is to always have a back-up for when this day comes, but it’s the same shitty handshake when the back-up finds out they’re not featured. That’s the life of indy publishing – a shitty handshake always lurking in the darkness of blind trust.

Another Shitty handshake you can bet on life is death. As we religiously count each rotation around our fiery Star, celebrating our birth every year, we fail to realize it’s more of a countdown to the end, that realm of darkness some crackpots call Heaven. Escaping this revolving celebration of birth is futile. And when your mate or partner is destined on embarrassing you on this day of social gathering, you better be prepared to eat a four story cake covered in a blaze of fiery melting wax – that, or run for the door. For an independent publisher with a twisted partner that cake is more likely to be decorated with more human ornaments that lit candles. It’s a no-holds-barred scenario, where at any moment you can presume to have you hand latched on to and dragged on stage for a karaoke sing-along to a Beatles’ song, or even worse, be sang Happy Birthday to by a friend’s band with cake in hand in a packed bar of strangers.

ASSUMPTIONS & PRESUMPTIONS I left south county with the scent of premium marijuana still exiting my nostrils, and a fresh Dos Seke on my breath from a local Mexican restaurant. I assumed at every turn and swerve on the way home the “Man” was somewhere on the road with me, sickly camouflaged inside some $80,000 Dodge Charger, eagerly waiting to protect and serve his community from sinners like myself. Maybe I’ve seen one too many episodes of Cops. Maybe my assumptions are waged on government propaganda. It’s hard to say with any level of certainty when every judgement is clouded by minor toxins.

I later found myself cruising north up I-55 as the mind-altering effects of the weed and Mexican beer wore off. I began to question my programmed assumptions of police harassment and brutality awaiting my next move, that at three miles-per-hour over the speed limit an officer of the law in one of the most dangerous cities in the country would even give a fuck about me driving slightly intoxicated. The questioning of that assumption left me to presume that the weed and alcohol had only made me a bit paranoid, a typical state of mind for those under the influence. I arrived home safely, without clipping some drug-dealing cyclist or slamming into a van of nuns on the way to midnight mass.

The assumptions and presumptions associated with indy publishing aren’t much different than a stoned and paranoid ride north up I-55. Driving stoned might land you face-down along the side of the freeway begging for mercy and salvation, while the “Man” searches every inch of your vehicle and every crevice of your body for illegal substances. However, the assumption of a band or performer or artist which agrees to be featured in your publication will come through is never guaranteed. To presume each accepted request for a feature is a certainty can leave you feeling like an ass when you find yourself unprepared come the morning of print. Unlike most ASSumptions, in this case you become the only “ass” when you have to miss a print date or fill empty space in minutes.

While the “Man” may not always be there to pull you over at that stoned and drunken moment, he is certainly out there protecting and serving his community. And while 99% of the bands and performers and artists out there will not fuck you the night before print waiting on their answers to questions sent days prior, some will. Forget assumptions, you better learn to presume that it will happen every month if you want to sur-

LET THEM THROW CAKE

At that moment you better presume that the person dragging you on stage only has one intention: smash you in the face with this potentially deadly weapon as soon as you extinguish the fire, if they even wait that long. Then you’re pretty much fucked. You might as well learn to presume that at least one day a year you can’t trust any bastard or bitch of a friend when they grab you by the hand, especially not in public.

It’s a presumption you better prepare for. That flinch of the eye where you can either leap away or take one on the face can cause you the loss of an eye or a burnt face – maybe both. It’s all funny until someone looses an eye. If you move like the old man or woman you are becoming, and take one in the face, there’s only one option: throw it back at the escaping weasel leaping from the stage... as hard as you can.

But the consequences can be as detrimental as they are embarrassing, you can end up covering innocent bystanders too, even the band and their gear. And when that happens, bet your ass someone’s going to catch it on film and post it on Facebook.

And that, my dear reader, is another tale of fear and publishing in two cities on your birthday...

WRITERS, RANTERS, OPINIONISTS & OTHER ALL-OUT FREAKS: Mark Taylor-Canfield Saab Lofton Malice Henry Nicolle Kimberly Peters

Emily Eufinger The Surley Gourmand Rajkhet Dirzhud-Rashid Kendra Holliday

Publisher: Chuck Foster Layout: Terri Daniels Seattle Operations manager: Guitar Doug Cover Art: Studio 47 Cover Model: Jessica Lorreta

The Sinner is a group of contributing writers. Their opinions, rants and ideas do not necessarily reflect the views of The Sinner itself. The Sinner encourages contributions from its readers but retains the right to edit material due to content or length of submission.

FOR ADVERTISING OR SUBMISSION INFORMATION, CONTACT US AT CHUCK@THESEATTLESINNER.COM. SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS THE 25TH OF EVERY MONTH.

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How Much Is Human Life Worth? written by Saab Lofton

North St Louis Shady Jack’s 1432 N Broadway Dutch Town Friendly’s 3503 Roger Pl South County Steel & Ink Studio 3561 Ritz Center MOFO The Silver Ballroom 4701 Mofo Rd at Itaska Tin Hat 3157 Mofo Rd South City Shameless Grounds 2650 Sidney The Heavy Anchor 5226 Gravois

Jefferson Ave Bistro 3701 S Jefferson Ave Cherokee District Apop Records 2831 Cherokee St Downtown Crack Fox 1114 Olive St Soulard Shanti Tavern 825 Allen DB’s Sportsbar 1615 S Broadway Laclede Landing Show Me’s 724 N 2nd St Big Daddy’s 118 Morgan St

Affton Bob’s Liquor 9347 Gravois Rd Overland Just Bill’s 2543 Woodson Rd Priscilla’s 10210 Page Ave Central West End 34 Club 34 N Euclid Tom’s Bar & Grill 20 S Euclid The Grove Just John’s 4112 Manchester Ave The Atomic Cowboy 4140 Manchester

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Ah, the third weekend of July, 2012...

On Saturday, July 21st, during their pursuit of a 24-year-old named Manuel Diaz, the police of Anaheim, California killed this young man when they could’ve just as soon rendered him unconscious. Anaheim’s Finest (and I use that term loosely) did use rubber bullets, but only hours after the fact, and on the women – as well as children – protesting Diaz’s unnecessary death.

One of those protesters, Yesenia Rojas, was quoted as saying, “is Anaheim police really protecting our communities? They’re not... They’re killing our kids.”

The aforementioned happened a day after police were erroneously praised as heroes for having captured James Holmes; a white, upper-middle class college student, who dressed as Batman’s arch-nemesis, the Joker, entered a Colorado theater where The Dark Knight Rises had premiered and murdered a dozen people.

Guess which tragedy got the most coverage from a media currently owned by a handful of predominantly white corporations?

Michael Moore’s documentary, Bowling for Columbine, won an Oscar FOR A REASON, but instead of taking it seriously and studying its message, it’s still dismissed as “biased.” Also about inbred retards who went postal in the state of Colorado, the film exposes America’s historically notorious predilection for gun violence. Unfortunately, rather than admit that culturally tolerated bullying – at home and abroad – worsens the societal isolation of already-disturbed individuals, the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School was falsely blamed on, get this, black trench coats worn by characters in The Matrix.

Likewise, in a clear violation of the First Amendment, costumes are now banned in certain cinemas simply because James Holmes’ crazy ass chose to dress as the Joker. Oy vey...

Positive role models can quite literally make the difference between life and death. My guess is, like a lot of white boys addicted to adrenaline rushes, Holmes viewed Batman as too corny or “goody-goody,” but somehow, found the Joker’s lack of regard for values and ideals to be appealing.

The irony that really gets me is this: In The Dark Knight Rises; the very movie Holmes went postal at, Batman and Catwoman are in a gang fight – during which, he gives her the following order: “No guns, no killing.” She responds with this bitchy quip: “Where’s the fun in that?”

Then, when the monstrous Bane has Batman cornered, Catwoman guns the villain down, and afterwards, says this Schwarzeneggerian/Jerry-Bruckheimer-esque line, “now you see why I don’t share your hatred of guns [or words to that effect, the screenplay is not yet available].”

According to J.D. Cargill of CNN, “during what is arguably the film’s most pivotal scene, Catwoman repays Batman’s earlier life-saving favor. However, she does it her way, by blasting Bane away, killing him with a piece of artillery... Catwoman, in a made-for-the-big-screen moment, reminds Batman that she doesn’t agree with that whole ‘no guns’ thing... Batman neutralizes his opponents with fisticuffs and other means, but he never applies deadly force. And his plea against using guns may ring hollow when, presumably for the sake of entertainment, filmmakers pack the movie with plenty of violence from guns, bombs and other heavy weaponry.”

A made-for-the-big-screen moment, indeed – beware what you promote, Hollywood, lest pleas for Human decency ring hollow...

As I said, it’s ironic, but also karmic. The screenwriters were so fixated on pandering to the LOWEST common denominator; so desperate to come across as gratuitously macho, they undermined what matters most about Batman... ...and no sooner did The Dark Knight Rises debut, James Holmes made headlines by similarly spitting on the very moral code that makes the character great. Maybe next time, motherfuckers woN’T be so damn quick to dismiss being limited to NON-lethal weaponry.

Batman isn’t simply a figment of imagination that DC Comics and Warner Brothers profit from. He represents mercy for one’s enemy; the ability to wield power withOUT becoming corrupted, which is a lesson Americans are long overdue to learn.

How much is Human life worth? Is it worth enough to warrant telling America’s youth that – no matter how corny or “goody-goody” it may seem to them – NON-lethal tactics are what We the People need to strive for? All too many would be worried about sounding preachy, but fuck that! Lives are at stake!

Another issue is guilt. If you’re part of the armed forces and committed a Human rights violation, the odds are you’ll be inclined to CONsider Batman’s stance to be naive or unrealistic – all to keep from feeling guilty about those brown-skinned people you slaughtered in the field of battle...

In the final analysis, if (not all, but sadly, more than enough) whites weren’t so irrationally afraid of their distant descendants resembling Halle Berry or Lenny Kravitz via ethnic miscegenation, they would realize the life of every member of the Human race is precious...

“African-American males in Detroit between the ages of 15 and 24 are dying at a rate that is roughly seven times higher than the rest of the Detroit population. If they were dying at the same rate as everyone else, there would be one death every three weeks. Instead, there are two black men dying every single week.” – Doctor Boyce Watkins, PhD, September 3rd, 2010 ...and when I say EVERY member of the Human race, I mean just that.

Romney Versus Obama: Bread And Circuses For The Masses A

s a rule, I try to use this column as means to deliver social criticism, so you are not likely to find me waxing philosophical about current world problems.

Instead, I am trying to face these issues head on, without reservations so that we can all decode the political propaganda and see our way to a better future where the dew has been wiped from our naive eyes.

In this spirit, I bring to you the current US presidential elections. While the Demopublicans and Republicrats continue their senseless battles over who will control the corporate Wall Street monster, most folks on the streets and in our own local neighborhoods are suffering from the loss of the American Dream. Witness the current international austerity programs designed to wipe out the middle class and further alienate the poor. The “winner take all” system which favors the rich and simply ignores the rest of us has now spread far across Europe and North America.

In all of their financial deliberations about the future of Europe and the US, I wonder if the international banksters have ever really considered the results of these austerity measures and their negative effects on the majority of the people? I can only assume that that at some point in the discussions this topic must have been considered.

Therefore, I am compelled to conclude that the IMF, World Bank and WTO have decided that the suffering of billions of people is acceptable as long as the current financial and trading systems can be maintained for the global economic elite. As I have stated before, I am not a big fan of conspiracy theories, but these facts force us to draw certain conclusions about the agenda of these undemocratic institutions.

As a moral issue, this question has obviously been pushed aside and ignored by the financiers governing the current world economic system. Ethically, these draconian austerity programs are clearly unacceptable.

But in the minds of the global elite, the suffering of the people is a small price to pay for the assurance that unlimited wealth and power will continue unabated for the chosen few.

In the midst of the present international financial disaster, these vital issues of poverty and austerity aren’t even allowed to become a part of the current debates surrounding the US presidential election. On the contrary, the artificial issues seem to revolve around accusations that Barack Obama is a radical Socialist, or questions regarding whether Mitt Romney can dupe the American people with his bait and switch tactics concerning business and its relationship to government and economic policy.

No one on the international political scene seems to be particularly impressed with Romney (for good reason). But in spite of his unpopularity, Romney’s wealthy benefactors are capable of outspending the incumbent by 200% during this year’s multi-billion dol-

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lar presidential campaign. Money has now completely replaced freedom of speech thanks to the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Citizens United case.

Most voting rights activists say our political system has become as corrupt as our financial system.

The earmarks of this new cultural era are: a lack of accountability for the powerful, corporate interventions in our democratic processes, and a takeover of the Con-

blance of a third party challenge in America this year.

The task of getting on the ballot in all 50 states is almost impossible for most alternative candidates.

The media will never give coverage to most of the people running for public office on the Libertarian ticket. National talk shows refuse to offer guest spots to the candidates for various other small political parties.

These candidates will face complete censorship during

gress, White House and Supreme Court by corporate stooges and right-wing radicals.

Unless we are able to stand up for our rights as a populist movement and reclaim our democracy, most of us will continue to be subjected to these harsh austerity measures while the rich enjoy the benefits of an inequitable society.

Unfortunately, our political system is rigged in favor of the one corporate party with two faces. Despite national efforts by the Greens to introduce proportional representation and instant run-off voting, the state legislatures have given up the people’s power to run the elections. When the founders of the country wrote the constitution, they did not expect the states to relegate their control of the elections to the two most powerful political parties. And yet, by allowing the various states to regulate the conduct of the national elections, Thom Jefferson and his compatriots unknowingly gave away the people’s power to govern themselves.

Despite the fervent protestations of folks like Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein and Justice Party candidate Rocky Anderson, the US media and their political pundits are totally ignoring any sem-

the election season. You will never even learn most of their names, let alone have an opportunity to vote for any of them.

It doesn’t matter that Stein and Anderson are actually telling the brutal truth about the mass corruption in our two major parties. The US is not yet willing to face the facts. Third party candidates are still finding it very difficult to find their way into the bread and circuses of the national election charade. Big money interests are now willing to pour billions of dollars into the political campaigns to back their hand-picked candidates.

In the face of this mass media onslaught, many honest citizen politicians find it impossible to compete.

Once the financial backers are secured to fund local and national campaigns, the candidates immediately become slaves to these corporations and Super PACS. It’s not that there haven’t been rational proposals for reforming this corrupt money laundering system, it’s just that the political momentum is still with the powers that be and their minions in the corporate media. Public funding of elections is not a new idea.

In fact, the two major presidential candidates already qualify for public funding. But this important re-

written by Mark Taylor-Canfield ality remains – there is a serious lack of diversity in American politics.

This monochromatic political scene is not a secret to rest of the world, but most of the small percentage of people who actually vote in the US still find themselves hostage to the two political parties that control the funding and therefore the corporate media. The idea that we might adopt a more representative election system is of course rejected by both the Democrats and Republicans. They have benefited from the current system, so why would they welcome democratic reforms?

You can’t really blame them for taking full advantage of their monopoly on politics…

I maintain that as long as we can retain our freedom of speech and freedom of the press there will always be hope for a new transformation in ethics and government. But first we must face the reality that our systems are broken and our entire concept of media and politics must change if we are to advance into the 21st century as a functional society.

The people have forgotten Thomas Jefferson’s assertion that we, the people are the government. Most Americans have chosen to disengage from active participation in politics. Their apathy has allowed the takeover of our civic institutions by folks who may not have our best interests in mind.

At some point, the people will have to begin to transform politics from the inside out. They will have to demand more from their elected representatives and take a much more active participation in the decisions that are made in their own communities. I know that the main political parties and the mass media discourage this kind of community building, but it’s really the only kind of society that can be sustained in the long run.

When our political and business leaders are completely out of touch with the needs of the average person in society, they simply fail to recognize their duty to protect us from economic hardship.

It is the obligation of everyone to speak out for freedom and equality whenever we see injustice in our environment. A peaceful people full of hope are much more powerful than a boardroom full of CEOs. The corporate interests actually need us to prosper but they’ve forgotten our social compact. The labor and the loyalty of workers means little to them if they can outsource everything they need. To these vultures it may be all champaign and caviar, but to the average person in the US, the nation is fast becoming a second world nation with lower wages and high unemployment.

This may be an advantageous situation for the corporate elite who are still making record-breaking profits for their stockholders, but for the majority of the country’s workers and the unemployed, the American Dream has become a nightmare…

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ESSAY

OPEN AND BLIND

by Henry Nicolle My deadline is three days past and I wonder where the time has gone. It got tired of waiting for me. It went where it would be better appreciated and valued. It went where it was wanted and needed.

Where are the Americans who cherish the concept of inherent individual Rights worth fighting for, Liberty worth killing for, Life worth living for and knowing Life itself as a Right worth dying for?

Men and women have not changed through all the ages of humanity. Ages of peace, of violence, of Heros and of Slaves. They are separated by eons of indifference.

Individual Liberty is the odd artifact of incompetent leadership, for where competent organization, management and leaders thrive and grow, the need and ability to subdue, control and manage a society is perfected.

A perfectly managed society is the ideal expressed in American theory of politics, society, commerce, finance and military. We have three classes, call them by different names, if it pleases you. The distribution of society's classes will vary, but there will always be three. The trinity.

The father, the son and the spirit. The source, the will and the enabler. The Rulers, the Managers and the Workers. The officers, the sergeants and the dogfaces. The plantation owners, the overseers and the slaves.

In truth, each is the slave of the others, owing their continued existence to the willing cooperation of the other two classes. A Politician once asked a General to give him an army by which he could rule Rome. The General said, "Show me the money to raise the army". To which the Politician replied, "Bring me your army and we shall take the money you need." There you have it in few words. These two leaders, the aspiring ruling class, their middle/managing class of the armies and the slaves/workers/hoi poloi of the ruled.

The Wealth of Nations (thank you Mr. Smith) is the sum of the industry of the workers, slaves and managers. The rulers are parasites.

So long as the wealth is created and distributed according to the necessities of commerce and daily life and ambition, general liberty, prosperity and peace rule society. Ambitious projects and great accomplishments are achieved by individuals and individuals in cooperation, joining energies and resources for mutually beneficial and desirable achievements larger than likely as individual accomplishments.

It is never long before the ambitious, ruthless and greedy tire of seeking cooperative ambitions and take the lower road of forceful processes of bribery, violence and chains as the primary tools of leadership and management.

Communitarian societies will forever seek the easier path to their concepts of "the greater good". Allowing the liberty of self-determination

is not an efficient management technique, because people as a rule, act in their own benefit.

The cumulative greater good of free enterprise is invisible to rulers and managers who seek the benefits of central management. The profits of free-enterprise of a free society cannot be managed by rulers. They perceive the inefficiencies of the process and they imagine improvements which could be realized if those hands were managed, if the sweat, creativity and cooperation were collected and guided for the greater good as they envisage.

If a free people prosper in peace, they are not successful peons and slaves. They must be driven from their comfort by the Rulers' and Managers' whips into the chains of central management and collective gathering of wealth. Wealth brings power and power brings wealth. Conventional governance concentrates power, wealth and unchained violence in the hands of rulers and managers, leaving the sheep to be sheared and slaughtered to feed the ambitious and ruthless.

For the faint of heart and helpless on the field of life, a forced communal sharing of the labor of achievement among the poor and inadequate seems a good idea, a worthy ideal and a task that can be accomplished with only a little pain upon the ones of society who create the wealth and prosperity of the society. Why should the diligent and prosperous not be deprived of their labor for the benefit of those whose ability offers only hardship? Certainly society cannot rely upon the generosity of it's prosperous members.

It is only reasonable that charity and good will be removed from the social equation and that an excess of prosperity should be seized and distributed according to some rational central plan. A greater good must arise from such an endeavor.

The prosperous and the deficient will find equilibrium. The managers will be rewarded according to their efficiency and the rulers will be appropriately crowned for their acute vision and re-direction of the society. Does it matter if the society must go from self-determining and prosperous to a form of domination and forfeiture?

Our eyes are open and we see nothing.

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LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER RICKY SHERMAN ROBBED AT GUNPOINT

J

uly 28th seemed like a typical night out for Ricky Sherman, shooting Rock U Fest at Atomic Cowboy. And that it was until the end of the night when he headed over to the East Side for a late night beer. It was there he found a decent enough stranger in distress, needing a ride to pick up his daughter. Reluctantly he agreed. It was then a typical late night become an atypical morning.

The stranger ended up fighting with his daughter’s mother, instead of picking her up. He then invited some other “gal” to hop in on the way to take him home, who then began “flashing her vag” and acting inappropriately. It was then Ricky circled the block and asked the girl to get out.

Minutes later he asked the guy to exit his vehicle as well.

He left the car, only with Ricky’s SLR in hand. Ricky quickly jumped from the driver’s side and went towards the thief, demanding his camera back. His reply was, “I know I didn’t tell ya, but I got a 9mm and if you take one step closer I will shoot you. If you want to see your camera again you’ll go around the corner and get me 40 dollars.” Not having a choice Ricky went around the corner, but could not find where he was talking about. Roughly two minutes later he circled back only to find his assailant long gone.

Ricky called the police immediately, where he was instructed to come to the station. But now he was lost in East St. Louis. He then stopped and asked someone on the street for directions. That person then stole his phone. After 3 hours of life threatening madness he finally arrived at the police station, where police officer Moore coming on duty wrote the report on a scrap piece of paper and told him to go home. The following day he went to the station after work to obtain the police report. Officer Moore never completed it. The officer then told Ricky to call back on Wednesday and talk to the shift commander. On Wednesday he called back and ended up talking to Officer Moore, where he explained in depth to her once again what happened and what was stolen. Thursday he went back to the station to get the police report, where it took more than 30 minutes for the records department to get a copy of the report. To make matters worse, the report was wrong. It listed the wrong model number, never mentioned his flash, and even had the wrong location. That is where things are currently.

Since posting the incident on Facebook, some friends have ran a few posts asking others to donate for Ricky’s loss. As of right now eight people have donated to him via paypal (rickyleesherman@yahoo.com) for a total of approximately $145.00 dollars. Four of these persons he has never met, with one of those four residing in the UK. Two members of the band Audio Viral have chipped in, as has local performer Ami Amore who helped raise funds during her Saturday’s Urban Cabaret.

One would assume that this type of tragedy would leave Ricky with a general distrust towards anyone who might ask him for help in the future, yet as upset as he is about the whole event, Ricky says that he’s actually regained some faith in others given the fact that a handful of people have taken the time to donate to a stranger like him in such dire straights. He’s not certain where things are going to go now, at best he says all he can do is bear down and try to save.

If you would like to help Ricky recover a part of his livelihood feel free to contact him on Facebook or donate directly at rickyleesherman@yahoo.com.

EVEN CHANCE PIT BULL Fundraiser a big hit!

I can think of no better feeling than knowing that you made the slightest difference in a person’s or animal’s life. And if our local Pit Bulls could speak, I’m sure they would give a big thanks to Lemmon’s, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Throwing Things, all the businesses who donated gifts for raffles and all the bands who donated their time and talent to make this one hell-of-a show! Oh yeah, and I’m sure they’d each shout a big thanks to Racheal Evens for putting it all together – and probably giver her a lick or two on the face too!

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StoptheDrugWar.org Springfield (MO) Marijuana Decriminalization Initiative Certified

by Phillip Smith An effort to decriminalize pot possession in the southwest Missouri city of Springfield passed a key hurdle Thursday when the city clerk announced that initiative petitions had more than enough valid signatures to be certified. Activists needed 2,101 valid voter signatures to qualify, and city officials quit counting at 2,132.

“I’m so excited,” said petition organizer Maranda Reynolds, a spokesperson for Show-Me Cannabis Regulation.

The statewide group’s effort to get legalization on the state ballot came up short earlier this year, but now at least they’ll have Springfield.

Springfield, nicknamed “The Queen City of the Ozarks,” is the third largest city in the state, behind St. Louis and Kansas City, and is home to several universities, including Missouri State University.

The initiative will now go before the city council. The council can either pass it or put it on the November ballot for the voters to decide.

Whether the initiative would qualify was in doubt until the end. Initiative sponsors were notified only a week ago that they needed another 649 signatures to get certified—nearly a third of all the signatures needed—but they managed to pull it off..

“We made sure everybody focused on getting good valid signatures and legible handwriting,” Reynolds told the Springfield News-Tribune. “We had over 15 volunteers working on this in addition to the signature-gathering company.

Reynolds said she hoped the council would just pass the measure.

“We’re going to focus on convincing the City Council that they should just pass it now rather than hand it to the voters,” Reynolds said. “These are things that most people want, whether they think marijuana is a good thing or a bad thing.”

The initiative would decriminalize the possession of less than 35 grams of marijuana by amending an existing municipal ordinance so that adults are not arrested and face only a fine, community service, or counseling for smalltime possession. The maximum fine would be $150.

Under state law, possession of 35 grams or less is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

In some localities where decriminalization or lowest law enforcement priority initiatives have passed, law enforcement simply ignores the will of the voters and continues to arrest pot possessors under state laws. Police in Springfield have given no indication how they would respond.

Olympic Athlete’s Expulsion for Marijuana Raises Questions

by Phillip Smith An American Olympic judo contender, Nick Delpopolo, was expelled from the London 2012 Olympic Games Monday after he tested positive for marijuana, and that has some experts raising questions about whether it makes sense to include marijuana on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) list of banned substances.

Delpopolo said he had inadvertently consumed marijuana in a food item he did not know contained it.

Concerns about athletes “cheating” by using performance enhancing drugs is one thing, but the use of recreational drugs that do not enhance—and could well detract from—competitive performance is another. Recreational drugs are banned not because they might provide an athlete with an unfair advantage, but because their use by athletes can cause public relations problems for organized sports, which like to tout athletes as role models for youth.

But some experts told Reuters Monday that sports’ PR concerns were no reason to ban athletes for using marijuana. They also suggested the time, expense, and effort of drug testing athletes might be better spent going after real cheats who do blood doping with EPO or use anabolic steroids to increase muscle growth and testosterone levels.

“There’s no evidence cannabis is ever performance enhancing in sport, and since its use is legal in a number of countries, there’s no reason for it to be banned by WADA,” said David Nutt, a professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London. “I can’t think of any sport in which it would be an advantage. And it seems ludicrous that someone could quite legally smoke cannabis in Amsterdam in the morning and then come over to London in the afternoon and be banned from competing.”

But marijuana is banned by WADA, and that means athlete’s caught using it during a competition face a two-year ban. Still, unlike performance enhancing drugs, WADA does not punish athletes who test positive for pot outside of competitions. That stance has led some scientists to suggest that WADA’s reason for banning marijuana is political, not scientific.

“The problem is the elite athletes should be seen as role models for young kids, and so they ban cannabis because they don’t want to have the image of gold medalists smoking joints,” said one British-based sports scientist who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue.

“It’s hard to imagine how smoking a joint or eating marijuana brownies is going to help somebody in judo,” said Michael Joyner, a member of the Physiological Society and a researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota in the United States.

“My advice to WADA is that they should focus on drugs that are clearly performance enhancing in the sports where they are clearly performance enhancing.”

According to WADA, substance merit inclusion on its banned substances list if they meet two of these three criteria: they are proven to be performance enhancing, they are dangerous to the health of athletes, or they are contrary to the spirit of sport. There is little or no evidence that marijuana can enhance sporting performance, while there is evidence it could have a negative impact. It can slow reaction times, cause coordination problems, and reduce hand-eye coordination, none of which is going to increase an athlete’s chances of victory.

While marijuana is not harm free, there is little evidence it is dangerous to the health of athletes. Nor is it clear why marijuana use would be “contrary to the spirit of sport.”

WADA isn’t keen to clarify. It refused to comment Monday on a Reuters query about why marijuana is banned.

Viva Variety

Charlotte SumTimes hosts Viva Variety, Attitudes amateur variety contest.

Photos by Gina Simon

If anyone questions whether or not St. Louis is a city full of talented individuals, Viva Variety at Attitudes on Manchester would put that question to rest within the first few minutes. The performers who came out were numerous, and extremely entertaining, each in their own unique way. And it’s with great pleasure I can say that our good friend Ami Amore took first place – I’m sure that cracking up judge King as Rob Zombie certainly helped her chances. Be sure not to miss the final competition on Sept. 8th when the all the past winners compete...Go Amy!

July 13th, 2012

El Lenador is located on the corner of Cherokee and McKnight, but it’s easy to pass by. It somewhat looks abandoned, closed down years ago in the 70s. Well, it seems to be seldom open for business, but when you can catch a show there, it makes up for all the confusion. While it may not have been closed down in the 70s, the decor screams it, as if it were a time capsule locked away from for 40 years and recently opened to the public.

We recently caught Sinner featured band Butcher Holler on Friday, July 13th nonetheless. If there’s one place to catch these guys, it’s certainly El Lenador. The acoustics of the place is amazing considering it was designed to be a restaurant. You can check the place out on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/Lenador, but not much event info is there. They do put on a Stag night every Wednesday that rocks, if you can handle a weeknight out!

10

Whiskey War Mountain Rebellion

July 28th, 2012

R

ock University Fest is an event the local St. Louis music community eagerly awaits each summer. For only its second year in production, the crew of volunteers who endure the many nights of panning and hours of drenching sweat each summer to prepare the stages are the true stars of this event. To put on an show of this magnitude – a 12 hour event of 40+ performers on three stages – it takes a bit more than extraordinary planing and physical endurance to pull it off glitch free. It takes true professionalism, and that’s what this group brings to the stage every year.

It also takes around forty of St. Louis’ top musical acts to volunteer their valuable time and energy for a good cause. This past year the proceeds went to Play It Froward, a non-for-profit which donates musical instruments and funds for St. Louis’ struggling music departments.

Attempting to name each act we caught or missed is a feat my simple mind isn’t capable of. This show was a marathon for a sinner like myself, where the heat demands plenty of PBR, little water, and less food for a 12 hour stretch.

These type of gatherings aren’t for the weak of heart, soul or stomach. And the tasty spicy tacos served by Atomic during the course of the day quickly pointed out the real bruisers in house, the ones with iron livers and steel-laced guts. That’s a testament to the folks that made it through the day into the evening.

The local heavy hitters were all present, The Midwest Avengers, Fuck Off And Dies, Ockum’s Razor, SINFINIS, Pat Sajak Assassins, and Scene Of Irony to name a few.

While these acts brought most of the wandering crowd to their stage quickly, several other acts were in house that swayed stragglers in and kept them mesmerized with powerful performances.

Early in the afternoon it was Hurts To Laugh who caught my ear. This two piece from Nashville was added to the bill late, but they not only rocked the floor stage with intoxicating lyrics and riffs, but phenomenal antics as well. The image of Toby Penner on guitar captures the way the afternoon began, totally unpredictable. Later in the evening though it was Whiskey War Mountain Rebellion that got me howling into the darkness like a cursed beast. This roaring foursome led by frontman Zach Sloan is as addictive as hot-rods The Fuck Off & Dies and Kentucky Bourbon, making it damn-near impossible to tear yourself from center stage. And that’s quite a feat for a band who only formed last February.

On the outside stage it was Yours Truly who captivated attendees of all ages. These cats may look a bit young for rock-n-roll, but they’re explosive from start to finish. Look for more from them soon. The unrivaled aspect of Rock U Fest is its diversity. The acoustic set from Where’s The Chief is only one example of this event’s prominence in the St. Louis music scene. This dynamic duo set the crowd on fire, reminiscent of the glory days of Rock when MTV had their shit together with Unplugged... it’s glad to know Rock U Fest does!

Yours Truly

Where’s The Chief

Hurts to Laugh

Jane Rose’s return to St. Louis’ Crackfox was a highly anticipated treat for her fans from her days with The Bible Belt Sinners a few years ago. And she did not disappoint, nor did her new band, The Deadend Boys. These cats are Hillbilly Rock ‘n’ Rollers, without question one of the most rockin’ bands around these parts. They describe themselves as “a Wanda Jackson, Ruth Brown, Big Momma Thorton meets Eddie Cochran kind of thing.” There’s no argument about that.

Since her departure to Nashville Jane has only matured as a song writer and vocalist. She’s a powerhouse behind the mic, and plays a mean rhythm guitar to boot. She’s backed up

by Jonny “Fargo” Wagenman on upright bass, whipping that ol’ wooden box like a redheaded stepchild without missing a beat. To her right is Clayton Miller on banjo, a fierce presence on stage complimenting Jane’s vocals on every lick. Sitting in the back is Jefferson “JD” Dorsey on drums, a beast with sticks for hands and lead for feet pounding the hell out of every note.

Follow them at www.janerosemusic.com for tour dates.

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UP ALL NIGHT....

Collection

St Louis, MO

TIME TRAVELING WITH THE RANDY DANDIES AT PLUSH

$7

$7

On Saturday, July 28th, The Randy Dandies discovered a time machine and headed out on a bawdy adventure through time finding naughty friends along the way! Insomniac Studios provided a Steampunk Time Machine Photobooth for the evening, capturing shots of many of the fantastic performers!

St. Louis’ 5th Annual WORLD NAKED BIKE RIDE!

It was around 2004 when I found myself sitting at a red light on Capital Hill in Seattle, WA when a group of thirtyor-so naked bike riders pulled up beside me. Coming from the southeast my face said, WTF? Later I found out their cause, a ride protesting oil dependency, raising awareness of cyclist rights and vulnerability on our roads, and advocating positive body image. And that’s the reason I asked these folks to pose at Atomic Cowboy on July 28th, hoping you’d get the message, even if it comes across with a WTF?

UNMASKED

Our music is set to Heal the Music and Souls of the people that have been longing for their true, blue, rock and roll!!

funky style. Then, after going through several lead guitarists, 17-year-old Sam Bam Kulton became the missing link, blowing through the band’s original songs like they were written in his own head.

Sounds like the typical tale of forming a band: tormented musician calls friend, writes songs, adds members, looses members, finds the right members, creates the band which soothes his tormented soul. Maybe that is the formula for creating almost every solid act, but Bad Mother Healers are far more than a solid act. When these guys hit the stage they shake foundations and shatter windows, like an angry God of Sound reining his wrath upon the earth for all to hear and envy. And that may sound like the typical media props, but it’s not. They’re the real Rock-N-Roll deal. Thier sound is as explosive as their presence, an experience best witnessed.

I recently got these guys to sit down for a few minutes and talk shop. It went something like this....

A

bout nine months ago, while most of us in the St. Louis area were still buried under our covers dreaming of fortune and fame, Billy Skelton found himself sitting wide awake, disgruntled about band life.

With few choices, he did what every other musician does when they find themselves disconnected from their passion, grab the phone and call an old friend to discuss starting a new band. Raymond Jones was the old friend on the other end of the line that morning. “I would love to, but only if it’s the real deal this time! I’m tired of playing covers and just that same old grind of rock by people who are always outplaying themselves, and it has to be OUR WAY!” was his reply.

A few days later B.W. and R.C. found themselves composing their first two songs within one of the chilling, ghost-ridden studios of Brewhouse Studios at the old Lemp brewery. Within three weeks the two had added seven more tracks to “Angel Of Fire” and “Chickadee”. As the duo practiced and played out parts of each new track like Sorcerers mixing potions, other bands at Brewhouse Studios began to notice the magic being conjured in “room 2”.

It wasn’t long before Michael Chumley joined the jam sessions on hand drums, adding a flare to the music with his unique back-up vocals. Bassist Dan Borcherding joined next, bringing with him a jazzy,

So guys, you’ve told me how the band was created, but what’s the story behind the name, BMH? The band name originated one afternoon when Billy and Raymond met at a bar down the street from the Brewhouse Studios to “have a band meeting about the name” while slugging down a FEW Stags and one or two shots of Jamison, the meeting points were: Billy’s dog is his rock and foundation and a true BLUE HEELER. Raymond liked The Fast MOTHERS but that name was already taken, so they quickly realized that they liked Mothers and Heelers, then an acquaintance of theirs came in to share a few drinks with them and was talking to them about how BAD ass they were and suddenly The Bad Mother Healers was born. The heeler part changed to healers because they felt like their music was set to Heal the Music and Souls of the people that have been longing for their true, blue, rock and roll!!

BMH’s record label DINGO GOLD Records’ is working with a couple of producers, David Geking owner of American Studio’s out of Memphis, TN and Bill Wilkerson out of Houston, TX who has worked with many high profile artists and has many years of experience in this industry, both of whom are very excited to be working with BMH and we hope to have our first full-version CD by end of fall, beginning of winter this year. BMH did produce an EP album with 3 of their first original songs for their NEW YEAR’S EVE party 2012 and all CD’s were sold immediately!!

How would you describe “BMH” in one sentence?

A big ole’ rock ‘n roll sandwich with a big heap of smack yo’ mama!

What can readers expect from you guys in 2012... touring, shows, CD releases, arrests for disorderly conduct?

ALL of THE ABOVE!!! Touring is being set up right now from St. Louis to Seattle, WA down to Louisiana and Alabama then over to Houston, TX and probably as many places in between as possible. Haven’t really booked a whole lot of local shows since tour is being set up and a CD release party will be scheduled ASAP after producing our album. As for the arrests, BMH is working on a kitty fund for jail bond(s), etc.

As local musicians with a solid following, what’s your take on entertainers using their popularity to promote their own political ideologies, especially now with a close presidential race at hand?

We are apolitical and have no political agenda. We just wants what’s right for all people and our United States

of America, and are staying neutral to all other politics at hand, e.g., “separation of church and state”, and we are for just having that good time with our music, that’s all any band should be doing with their popularity, promoting good music.

What about local bands, which do you follow?

There are several bands locally that we like to see: Kingdom of Solis, The Bizarkers, Aaron Kamm & The One Drops, The Bottoms Up Boys, and any band Ray Tucker and Matt, aka Parallel 33, is in, just to name a few. We support as many local bands as we can given our own busy schedule.

Any last thoughts to share with our readers, or breaking BMH news?

There are so many exciting things in store for The Bad Mother Healers with Dingo Gold Records working closely with Gramophone Publishing. The BMH upcoming tour will be phenomenal so pay attention to our current sites like ReverbNation.com/TheBadMotherHealers and Facebook.com/TheBadMotherHealers or Google The Bad Mother Healers for updates on tour dates and information on our new web page, etc. We look forward to seeing you at our shows so we can blow your face off!!

Last, when and where can St. Louisans catch you guys live again?

Check out our ReverbNation.com/TheBadMotherHealers, and/or Facebook.com/TheBadMotherHealers everyday for your local tour dates to include St. Louis and the Mid-Western Region.

On Reverbnation the only song I found was Chickadee. Can readers expect to find more there soon?

The Reverb Nation site is a work in progress, however, there IS more than just the Chickadee song, the other original song ANGEL OF FIRE is also posted and the videos of Mover and My Train are on there as well. As far as more being added for the public, our record label, DINGO GOLD Records’, is in process of building BMH’s website with a lot of cool features and ways to get all of our music and swag.

What about a CD? Do you have one available now?

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The Lake Union Pub Reunion Show

by X O’Fender photos: Lea J’Nice

Al Swacker

T

he year was 1993. Seattle, WA was experiencing a rock and roll boom with the success of grunge bands like Nirvana, Mudhoney and Pearl Jam. Unknown to the rest of the world was a thriving underground music scene centered around a small sports dive on the southeastern tip of Lake Union known as the Lake Union Pub. Any night of the week you could experience a less than $3 show with a mixed variety of rock bands from all genres, punk, surf, , metal, hardcore, rockabilly, noise. It was an underground neverland for drunks, punks, skins, skaters and upstarts of all ages, sexes and races. Very few of the bands that played the Pub would get national recognition, like Zeke and the Gits, to name a couple. The Pub’s history spans a few years before and after ‘93 but that year was, in my opinion, the pinnacle of the Pub’s existence. So many bands began and ended their careers at the Pub. Many a night the Pub hosted drunken debauchery and barroom brawls, which is to be expected of such a variety of miscreants, but it definitely created lasting memories for all that attend.

Jump forward 19 years. The Lake Union Pub is gone but not forgotten. July 7, 2012, the Funhouse was the scene of an unlikely reunion of bands, friends and some enemies from all across the nation. It was pure coincidence that it fell on the 19th anniversary of the murder of the beloved Gits’ singer, Mia Zapata, perhaps the final nail in the coffin of the thriving underground Seattle punk scene. It did not vanish, but it surely slowed. The bill was BURN BURN BURN,PURE HATRED, PLATONIC BONDAGE,ORANGE 42, MEATMINDER, Chicken’s THREE LEGGED DOG,CHICKEN, BRISSmashed Guitar TLE, POSITIVE GREED, ZEKE AND THE PISS DRUNKS. Some of these bands have never stopped and some reunited for the first time in almost 20 years. I can’t say that any one band stood out as a highlight of the show, and I must admit that I missed a few of the performances due to drinking and reconnecting with old friends.

The bands I did catch: Meatminder, with their hard driven, fast as lightning precise rhythms and whiny Crucifucks-esque vocals performed as though it was still 1993 (a good thing. Meatminder has never disappointed). Three Legged Dog, who never actually played the Pub, but the three members (hailing from MO) were a huge part of its legacy with other bands they played in, i.e. Zulu Chainsaw, Chicken, Bristle and others managed to bring their amazing pre-grunge, post-hardcore magic as well.

Next came Chicken. With members that had never actually played together as this particular line up, they managed to bring back the psychedelic, sloppy hardcore they invented in the early 90’s. Their bass player, Al Swacker, from St. Louis and co-writer of Bristle’s ode “Lake Union Pub”, dazzled the crowd with a poetic recitation of several new verses of the song while Tim, founder and frontman, smashed his guitar into a million pieces. As their songs went from awesome to train wreck and back again, Chicken proved that they are still...Chicken.

Bristle, a punk power trio who never really stopped, give or take a few years, blasted old and new tunes in the British hardcore style they are so famous for. Once again, St. Louis’ Al Swacker joined them on stage for a powerful rendition of “the Lake Union Pub”. Frontman Lonnie belted his lyrics and played his guitar without abandon. He is now also known for his band the Dreadful Children and his underground punk club, the Morgue. Bass player Tim (native St. Louisan) currently bassing for the Load Levelers as well, continues to play the bass as I’ve never seen it played before, fast, intense and anything but simple. Graham, the drummer, once known for his drunken antics, has mastered his craft and was definitely a key personality of the night and the Pub itself many years ago.

It was about this point when the alcohol had taken over and the rest of the night is a blur but I don’t recall any bad thoughts about the headliners, Zeke, the Piss Drunks, or Positive Greed Meatminder that blew my mind way back when.

All the bands and fans are still full of raw energy and a punk rock ethos that made the pub such a memorable venue. Everyone who went to the Lake Union Pub remembers it, whether good or bad, the memories linger. For many, it was a reunion more important than a high school, college or family reunion because for many the Pub was their high school, college,and/or family. The Lake Union Pub is gone, but its legacy survives. I can’t wait for the next one.

THE ST LOUIS

SINNER

Dr. Salofia

and the M u m m i e s o f P a l e r m o

by Chuck Foster

Presents

THE END OF THE WORLD.... PART II The Last Show You Will Ever See Alive!

LIVE MUSIC ART SHOW BURLESQUE FREAK SHOW

FRIDAY DEC 21ST

2 0 1 2 Follow us on Facebook for updates facebook.com/ saintlouissinner

MAD ART GALLERY 2727 S. 12th Street, St. Louis, MO

New Corridor in Capuchins’ Catacombs - 2008 - Courtesy of Sibeaster

I

find death in my hands again. It happens so naturally, like a flawless act of nature passed down from the heavens. Even as the body fights with all its might for another breath and one last pump of warm blood to its vital organs, it fails; life escapes it at last.

The soul has passed on with the last breath and I must preserve the body for my company, and maybe for man to one day marvel at its prior existence. The beauty and perfection can not be lost, it is vital. First the blood must be completely drained from the body, as a missed drop on my neglect will bring rot to the outer flesh. I have to remove the brain as well, since it will deteriorate from within and eat away at the beauty that God sculpted. To keep the face flawless it must be removed from the nose, in pieces or whole.

The internal organs, such as lungs, stomach and intestines, have to be removed or the body will loose its stature over the years, as these organs will also bring decay.

Perfection is my ultimate goal, as this is a rare form of art that I posses. The body is now ready to be filled with spices and begin its journey to immortality as its soul in heaven has. This journey begins in the sands from which the body was created, under the desert sun, where it will dry for forty days and nights; the same number of days and nights it took God to cleanse the world of evil with water.

I must fast with the body while it becomes immortal, and protect it from any scavengers that may wish to devour it. The process enlightens me, draws me closer to God, and brings me visions of my final rest.

After returning with the body I must wrap it over two dozen times in silk and linen; there is no expense spared in my perfection. After the delicate and tedious job of rolling the preserved body over and over

is complete, it's time to place it in its tomb.

The body is a friend of mine, like the rest were. God has told me to gather them all and place them in the tomb I have prepared for us in my home. They will be there for me when I pass and will remain with me forever.

I have taught my son this process and he will do the same for my body when it's time.

No, the lunatic part of this story isn't true.

However the parts about mummification are somewhat consistent with the process though. Believe it or not, this process was actually practiced in Palermo until 1920 when Doctor Salofia performed the last legal mummification on a two year old girl named Rosalia Lombardo. Rosalia is one of many children mummies that fill the walls of the Capuchin catacombs, along with about 8,000 others that date back to the 16th century. Dr. Salofia's work is the most perfected mummification displayed in the catacombs, but his work was kept so secret that no one today knows anything about his perfected procedure. Strangely enough his life was as much of a mystery as his work, leaving little information about who he actually was.

The tomb is a maze of walkways with mummified corpses hanging from the walls, displayed in different positions, or nailed shut in coffins, depending upon the instructions given by the person who wished the service. Quite a creepy site compared to our typical cemeteries here in the U.S.The church, Convento Dei Cappuccini, was rebuilt over the tomb in 1623 and is still open for display today.

There’s something you must remember though, just because mummification isn't legal today doesn't mean it's not possible to find yourself in the hands of a lunatic who wishes make you one...

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T

om Casey is a transplant to what local folks call Misery. He actually grew up in the suburbs of Boston, MA until he was about 19, at which point he decided he needed a change and joined the U.S. Army. That decision landed him in Georgia where he met his long lost brother. It was then that he spent a lot of time hanging with him and his people, about 18 years worth of his life.

But then, three years ago, he and his wife decided they needed a change of scenery, landing the two in St. Louis.

As a transplant myself, Tom’s works moved me. After nonchalantly posting a call for artists wanting to make the front cover of The Sinner on Facebook, it was his images of Jessica Loretta that screamed out at us, putting him at the top of our considerations for the August cover. Never knowing what will come your way when such requests are posted, Tom’s ability to vividly capture what the eye so lazily overlooks put him at the top of our list. With that said, this interview is a brief insight to his art and the process that makes it so sinful...

The Sinful Photography of

What about your art/photography background, when did you first develop an interest?

Jeez…..seems so long ago, I was always drawing and sketching when I was little and started taking pictures when I was probably seven years old. I had always dabbled in it growing up but didn’t really take it serious until about 7 or 8 years ago when I sort of released an inner passion, now it’s a borderline obsession it seems.

Any formal education or training?

Nope, all self taught. Lots of practice and taking a lot of “less than good” photos along the way.

Model: Ashley Elizabeth

Model: Jessica Lorreta

I’m curious, what’s your poison when it comes to cameras?... And why?

I’m a Canon guy. Right now I shoot with a Canon 5D II and use a Canon 50d as a backup if I’m shooting where I think I’ll do a lot of lens swapping. My favorite lens though is my Ultra-wide 16-35mm f2.8L Mk II, great optics and I love the different perspectives it allows me to take when I’m composing. Really when it came time to buy my first DSLR and dive in a little bit more serious, I asked one of my good friends who is a high-end wedding photographer in Atlanta what he recommends. He shot canon gear and he is also one of my inspirations in photography so it was really a no brainer at that point.

Let me ask the same question, only about the cover image we chose.

It’s funny, I took a couple hundred photos that day as we shot in a couple different locations and when I got back and took my first look through the folder, that image was one of the first that grabbed me. I quickly processed it and sent off to Jess to see what she thought and she loved it. I shot most of the outdoor scenes with a polarizing filter on my ultrawide angle lens, which really punches up that blue sky and gives the clouds texture an d depth. It’s one of my favorites from the shoot.

What’s it like for you recruiting models for such shoots? Do you have a screening process or take resumes, etc?

All of the above. Sometimes I’ll put out a call for models and other times I’ll have people come to me after seeing some of my work. Sometimes I’ll just be out at an event and see someone that would look really good for a certain theme or concept and I’ll approach them.

Model: Ashley Elizabeth

Your work is extremely diverse, although it does focus on the erotic. Tell me what draws you in that creative direction?

I think I might have to be laying on a couch and overpaying you to truly answer that one, ha. I’ve always been a fan of the early pinup style photography. I also have an interest in the taboo such as tattoos and piercings so the genre of modern pin-up is a big draw for me. I also believe it is important to find the beauty in individuality. Ultimately, on a base level, I find the curves of the female form to be one of those beautiful things in life that should be captured.

What about any other viewings of your works? Any coming up?

Well I had a couple gallery exhibits to start the year out. The next couple months I’ll be doing a series of art festivals around the greater St. Louis area (Taste of St. Louis, Shaw Art Fair, to name a couple) where the focus will be on my other passion in photography which is landscapes. I seem to have a little A.D.D. on my artistic creative side jumping between classic landscape photography and the glamour/boudoir-esque photography. Having said that, like many artists, I’m always looking for another place to display my work.

What’s next for you in 2012?

Well I have several ideas for some photoshoot concepts. One will be to combine my two passions, big landscapes and a beautiful model together. Don’t want to say too much more on the concept, but I am looking for potential models for this one. I also photograph quite a few burlesque events around the area.

Model: Sheena She”Bang

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Model: Jessica Lorreta

And last, where can readers find more of your works or reach you?

My website is currently being reworked, but it’s still up so people can find me at www.studio47photos.com as well as on Facebook. Oh and Jess and I will be offering to do Sugar Skull packaged shoots for anyone interested, make-up included....it’ll be up on the site soon.

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The folks at Novak’s really rolled out the Red Carpet on July 28th for another installment of their free monthly Art Series. Featuring the more recent seductive works of past Sinner featured artists Gina Simon and Crystal Rolfe made this show one not to miss. And adding performances by Ami Amore, SINFINIS, and Michelle Mynx from Gravity Plays Favorites made the night as sinful as the art gracing the walls of the side room. I can’t forget to mention the drink specials either; a tab so cheap that it left enough money in our budget to continue our night out on the town.

This month, on August 31st, Jennifer La Velle and Melissa Bales will display some of their amazing works, complemented by the sounds of Jenn Powers and Beth Bombara Band, And there’s a free wine tasting at 6pm too!

The Butcher’s Apprentice:

I like it Raw

Everything’s Odder in Texas photos and text by Emily Eufinger

I

got to travel to Texas this month for the wedding of a very dear friend in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The prospect of an eleven-hour drive all by my lonesome for my first visit to the Lone Star State had me envisioning my own small-town America version of A Cook’s Tour, though the resulting journey turned out a bit less cultural and a bit more unrefined—something more along the lines of, “Road trip!!”

I rolled into Mount Vernon, Mo., around lunch time, and drove down the strip looking for any place that wasn’t a chain. TJ’s stood out to me; when I see a sign that says “BBQ” … and a smoker out front … that’s smoking … I know it’s time to stop. Dale Earnhardt posters and paraphernalia line the walls of the tiny dine-in area, and it was obvious that the only customers they have are regulars. The special of the day was a smoked pork steak with two sides for $7.95, and as luck would have it I showed up the only day of the week they serve their breaded stewed tomatoes.

When the cook came to check on me a few minutes later, he found me gnawing on a nearly clean bone—Cromagnon style—over an empty plate. The staff was incredibly hospitable; I sometimes forget that The South starts not too far from St. Louis.

My first morning in Texas I promptly checked out of the creepy airport hotel and into a new one; then I was ready for a traditional breakfast from south of the border. I drove until I saw a sign that said “Breakfast Tacos” and knew I’d found what I’d been searching for. Inside El Terreno, I had the Pork Ranchero ($7), which came with scrambled eggs, refried beans, potatoes, homemade flour tortillas, and two different homemade salsas. The tortillas were fluffy and divine—thick like pita bread—and the salsas were fresh enough to dab onto your wrists in place of perfume. Once again, the staff exhibited exemplary Southern Hospitality—the owner even came by to make sure I enjoyed the meal.

They know how to do something right in Texas: it’s hard to have a bad day after starting it with a breakfast like that, and a hearty breakfast is necessary when visiting the Ripley’s Museum of Oddities and Louis Tussauds Wax Works.

The post-wedding dinner took place at Texas Land & Cattle, which I think is like Longhorn or Outback for Texans.

It’s not a local joint, but hasn’t quite reached Applebee’s-chain status. I ordered the signature dish of smoked sirloin ($16), which was—as expected—smoky. Another thing Texas does right: showing soccer on every television in sports bars (when there’s not a baseball game on).

My trip was drawing to a close all too quickly, and before I knew it I was on the highway north once again. After the cop in Durant, Okla., let me off with a warning (“unsafe lane change” my ass; that’s how we drive in my city!), it was time for a pit stop. A giant Sasquatch on top of a small structure had me slamming on the brakes and swerving into a gravel lot for a chopped brisket sandwich—smokier than the previous night’s sirloin—with fried okra ($8).

I brought a Midwest appetite to Texas, and found the roadside barbecue shacks and family-owned Mexican joints up to the challenge. But the hunger never fully recedes, and it can’t always be confined to St. Louis. The journey has only just begun: eventually I’ll eat my way across this country, one state at a time. I hear there’s a bacon festival in KC next month…

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By Single In The City

C

ontinuing on my journey of singlehood in our somewhat noble city, my adventures, mishaps, triumphs and life’s observations are chronicled here in the forthcoming column. This is a work of fact, fiction and frivolity…purely for entertainment purposes, not guidance.

Over the past month, in my “boy-girl” dating world, I have found a new date or two along with a few second or third dates. I continue to carouse with the Sleeper Hit of the season (ref. Solitary Refinement July 2012) almost on a weekly basis.

While the sentiment could be there for possible relationship material, my will and determination to stay single is stronger. Any of these would be suitors will have to be extremely patient and up to my specifications to try to win me over when the time is right. All I have to say is if anyone wants to win me over they had better tie those running shoes on and drink plenty of red bull!

out and saw her the very next night, without the girlfriend. Being a respectful person, I still didn’t ask her out or hit on her. In fact her “girlfriend” wanted my business card. *Sigh* Better luck next time girl.

So I get questions all the time about my dating habits and one that I frequently get is do I have any rules for dating? The answer is definitely yes!

Single in the City’s Rules of dating:

I had a “pseudo date” with an acquaintance; we hit it off. The only thing is I am not sure how we hit it off. There was no talk of romance, no goodnight kiss and no mention that it was a date – yet we had a great time and enjoyed each other’s company. I think it could be romantic or just friends. It was quite refreshing actually, something light and airy, not heavy or emotional. We went out for a casual lunch a week later and then on the third meeting he kissed me and it was… well…wet. Hmm… maybe not more than friends.

There are 2 things I hate more than anything; sloppy kissers and rancid breath. Oh and micropenises, but I digress…

I finally decided I was also attracted to women romantically, however, my “girl-girl” dating world is non-existent. The women I seem to attract are rather scary, like the drunk faux-bian (girl who pretends to be lesbian to impress guys or because it’s “trendy”) or the creeper who buys me a drink then stares at me from across the room the rest of the night. {{{shudder}}} Then enter Grace, whom I met through a couple friends of mine at a show a few weeks ago. I was instantly attracted to her and got to talk to her for a little bit. I like her and decided that if I saw her again I would ask her out for breakfast or lunch. Saw her again a couple weeks later at another event, I felt like she was interested, that is until I saw she was with girlfriend (sad trombone plays loudly in my head). Naturally, I dismissed the idea asking her

tionship, began making friends with the other single folks in my building. Paul was a fine-looking bricklayer with a firm ass and I, being a single broad and not having sex in several months, was determined to be his brick to lay. After over a month of foreplay, we finally went out. He laid it on thick and I took the bait. So we went back to his apartment and had wild sex.

In fact, we had a lot of random sex over the next month before I left to go on vacation. Our arrangement was it was nothing serious; we only needed to let each other know if we were having sex with other people. Well, my flight home came in about 3am. I get home and hear sex noises coming from his place next door. A little letdown, but dignified, I did not go off the deep end and I went to bed and woke up the next afternoon to see his ex leaving his apartment. He tried to act like nothing happened and deny his ex was even there! Well, that was that. From then on, we avoided each other like the plague; if we saw each other we would both run the other direction. Oh sure, I can laugh about it now, but trust me this is NOT something you want to experience! Luckily his job laid him off shortly thereafter and he had to move out. Good riddance!

1. Don’t knowingly date your friend’s exes.

2. Don’t knowingly date your exes friends.

3. Always have and use protection!

4. And NEVER, under any circumstances, sleep with or date your neighbors or coworkers.

Sadly, I had to learn this last one by experience. I lived in a 4 family flat in the South City area and again recently out of a long term rela-

For hecklings, gripes or other mindless, witty banter please email solitary.refinement.stl@ gmail.com

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This, I Shamelessly Tell You The great Seattle landgrab, lame times in Tacoma and thoughts on another shooting

by James Stansberry

A

s I sit here, with one of my cats vying for my attention (nothing like trying to write, while you have a cat poking her little head up, knocking your hands from the key board – she’s on the shelf underneath the computer), with the weather having returned (momentarily), to Northwest Summer, several things are on my mind. Not the least of which is the fact that three lovely houses on a block a couple of blocks over from where I live, are being knocked down to build another one of those huge, honking ugly-assed ‘McBuildings’ that seem to be taking over Seattle neighborhoods.

I guess our current mayor is the same flavor of the ones that have gone before him, in that developers and monied interests come first, and working class folks and neighborhoods come last (if at all). Sad. I noticed this latest ‘land grab’ while on a walk home from the gym, on a particularly down day, and believe me seeing that tell-tale chain link fence around houses I’d seen some nice, young neighbors sitting on their porch a few months back, did nothing to cheer me up. In fact, I have to say, it’s been hard to keep a good outlook in ‘rat city’ of late, with Metro bus drivers acting like their having permanent PMS (the male AND female ones), angry, white dudes yelling at folks in wheel chairs, because their race to nowhere is momentarily stymied (yes, this actually happened last week, right in front of me!). Then there’s the fact that the gypsy element seems to have taken over the psychic business in Seattle and in Tacoma, so that when I ventured out to an outdoor fair in Tacoma recently, folks glared at me like I had turned into Cthulhu’s red-headed cousin.

Hardly got to do my job (and peeps, I’m a REAL psychic, not the fake ones folks usually run into out in the world), and came home feeling, again, pretty down.

Still, the next day, hanging out on an actual boat with my sweetie’s relatives did lift me, a bit. I do so love feeling a bit posh after having people act like I’m covered in crap the day before.

And by the time you read this, me, sweetie, my dear daughter and her beau will have enjoyed a

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lovely, vegetarian dinner at a local place, with my dear slave/sweetie wearing her new outfit that I bought her on after a much better received psychic occasion. Yay for the other places I do my work, who wouldn’t let in gypsies if they were holding gold bars and chocolate in both hands. So looking forward to seeing sweetie in her red dress, something right out of the forties, but updated and believe me, she looks to die for in it! Maybe we’ll finally get to try out a new ‘toy’ later that night, to further celebrate.

Finally, once again, I am trying to wrap my brain around the senseless slaughter of innocent people, (including a nine year old child, for Goddess’ sake!) at a recent movie showing in Colorado. The irony that it was the same day Cafe Racer (where I lost two folks I’d gotten to know, just briefly at last year’s Steamcon, and was hoping to get to know better this year) reopened. To me, it’s all so crazy, and honestly, I can’t help thinking, that somewhere, something very, very dark is hatching, and going forth, and that, unfortunately, we’ll probably see more gun violence before this year ends, as the unstable act out of fear.

I’d love to see some group, or just a bunch of random folks break out in public displays of affection, a huge, huge pot luck for people to just hang out and talk and welcome the stranger back into ‘the tribe’, with the hope that maybe, maybe folks like the recent shooter would then be given the hope they need to not act out of fear and violence. Naive, possibly, but one never knows. This kind of thing might just be what our disconnected and mostly dysfunctional society needs to remind us that life matters, that people are more inportant than corporations, and that corporations are not now and will never be human beings, and life is precious and fleeting. For now, all my love, and healing thoughts go out to the survivors in Colorado.

This, I shamelessly tell you.

www.facebook.com/seattlesinner * www.facebook.com/saintlouissinner

Think Outside The Cage with Kendra Holliday of The Beautiful Kind

Is My Girlfriend Cheating on Me? Dear Kendra, I met my current girlfriend at a strip club 3.5 years ago. Had no intention of any relationship with her, but after 6 months of nonsexual contact, we did the deed. (By the way, I was married at the time for 22 years.)

Guess what? We fell in love. However, after that, the problems began. Her work of course bothered me, but it was all in the club and I tried to deal with. It was very difficult.

Fast forward to today, She is no longer stripping because she is in her senior year in college, but still sees at least three of her regulars off the clock. Lunch, dinner, a couple of short trips etc.

She is adamant she is not having sex with them. I find this very hard to believe.

The one gentleman is even paying for an apartment that is down by the school. WTF? Could they just be interested in conversation and fantasy? I am ready to walk. Your advice please. ~D Dear D, You fell in love with a stripper. This mean you fell in love with the qualities that make her a good stripper - looks, talent, free spirit, great personality and a healthy attitude towards

sex. Most of the strippers I’ve known (myself included) are not monogamous minded.

It sounds like YOU are not monogamousminded. Is your double standard fair to those involved? I’ve had many men try and control my sexuality - they love that I am open sexually, but they only want it for themselves, which is unrealistic. “You can’t harness the wind.”

You need to accept her for who she is, not for who you want her to be. If you can’t accept her for who she is, find a woman who is more monogamous-minded. Like, maybe your wife was?

Your stripper girl probably has a hard time being honest with you, just like it was hard for you to be honest with your wife when you were courting a stripper while married to her - it’s not easy telling someone something you know they don’t want to hear! Stripper girl knows what you want to hear, and she wants to keep you happy. Do you want her to be happy as well?

I can’t say if she is or isn’t having sex with these other men, but if I were her, I would be.

It’s part of the game.

If the guy paying for her apartment is not having sex with her at the moment, he is absolutely investing towards something he is hoping for in the future.

Good luck and hang in there! Ask yourself: do your needs and desires match up, or do you two want different things? Love can be a pain, but if you can work on being honest with each other, it gets better, and it is worth it!

Photo: Connie LaFlam

kendra@thebeautifulkind.com www.thebeautifulkind.com Got a sex, relationship, BDSM or fetish related question? Ask your local sexpert, Kendra Holliday, Writer & Editor of The Beautiful Kind, and Co-Founder of Sex Positive St. Louis.

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