Other Scenes

by

Fifth Estate # 56, June 19-July 1, 1968

Millbrook, that renowned dropout shrine in upstate New York, is closed and padlocked, its tribe scattered, its guru Tim Leary now living in Berkeley. And the end of an era was marked last month with a “farewell” party for Uncle Tim at NY’s Village Gate: the Group Image played, Paul Krassner and Allen Ginsberg did their respective things, and the Gate’s management tossed out a tablefull of people for passing a joint around…

“Maharishi personally has no money nor other accumulation of the affluent society. Such things as airplanes, motor cars, living quarters, clothes, food are all donated for his use” (press release about old Moneybags’ cross-country tour). No need to pay taxes that way, either…

NY Post carried a story from Washington about the farmers who’ll be paid more than a million bucks (eight of them), the farmers who’ll be paid half a million bucks (18 others), and the farmers who’ll receive more than $100,000 (267 of them) from the U.S. government this year for NOT growing certain crops…

“The only meaning of democracy that makes any sense to me is the power to throw people out of office,” said Robert Lowell in one of the few profound observations to emerge from the recent middle-class liberal symposium: “Democracy—does it have a future?” organized by NYC’s Theatre for Ideas. Arthur Schlesinger, Herbert Marcuse, Nat Hentoff and Norman Mailer debated this meaningless question for a couple of boring hours before an almost-entirely WASP audience—as if the future of anything could be discussed meaningfully today without Negro participation. Despite the presence of Yippies Abbie Hoffman and Paul Krassner the only incident was when a younger member of the audience sauntered over to the platform and offered Norman Mailer a lighted joint. Norman backed hastily away. “No thanks, I don’t smoke,” said the wealthiest protester in history…

Unconditional withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam should be a minimum demand, writes Stanley Aronowitz in The Guardian. He points out that we ought to be demanding a U.S. pull-out from its neo-colonialist possessions everywhere. “An anti-war movement that fails to understand that the war is rooted in the fundamental U.S. policy of Pax Americana will fail to end this war or any war”…

Every time you see a Humphrey ad, with its accompanying solicitation coupon, why don’t you stuff it into an envelope and send it—unmarked and unstamped—to the Humphrey HQ listed? That way you’ll force HHH to pay postage (and whoever heard of politicians paying taxes?)

Burt Prelutsky, LA mag movie critic, says he can forecast next year’s Oscar winners before they even make a movie. Paul Newman…will win the Oscar. He didn’t win it for Cool Hand Luke just as he didn’t win it for Hud or The Hustler. If there’s one thing the Academy likes it’s a persistent loser… The Best Actress Award will probably go to Barbara Streisand. Twentieth Century Fox will buy it for her because nothing’s too good for their little Dolly”….

Chicago’s Seed requests that “Independent-Willed Women Dedicated to Peace in Vietnam, who are Interested in the Bare Breasts for Peace Brigade please call (312) 235-7600: Nola Express (Box 2491, New Orleans, La. 70116); Balls, The Ungarbled Word (918 Kerlerec St., New Orleans, La)…

Abbie Hoffman, Yippie, walking thru Times Square when a negro yelled, “When are you going to get a bath?” Replied Abbie: “None of your business, Whitey”…

NY Times mag ran story about talent scouts for big corporations “going underground.” Seems the students of today don’t go for all that bullshit about what an exciting career awaits them in industry. And still less do they fall for the grey-flannel-suited creep with the briefcase who tries to sell them. So there’s a new type of corporate talent scout (reports the Times). “His hair is long and messy, his glasses have steel rims, and his working uniform consists of desert boots, jeans and pea jacket. His conversation is sprinkled with phrases like ‘Man, that Berkeley is a real uptight scene’ and ‘I hear you think a career in financial management may be your bag. Well, we have a training program that will really blow your mind.'” And you wondered why the people in business are so stupid?

Top