Message Forum

Ted Comstock (Briggs-Comstock)

There was a great King in India, about 5,000 years ago, who was cursed to die within seven days. He immediately handed over his kingdom to his son, divested himself of all royal ornaments and dress, and sat down on the bank of the Ganges to fast to death.

The young sage Sukadeva appeared just then before the King, and many other sages and saints assembled, after learning about the situation.

In that assembly, the King asked Sukadeva, “What is my duty now? What is the duty of a man who is about to die? What should he do, what should he hear, and what should he speak?”

Sukadeva replied, “Materialists, who are blind to ultimate truth, speak and hear about many topics. Such people live for the benefit of their family members and their own group or society. They are envious of others, and spend their lives in daytime to earn money and maintain family, and at night in sleep or sex indulgence.”

“Devoid of self-realization, they ignore the real problems of life, being too attached to body, spouse and children. They spoil their valuable human life in a vain search for permanent comfort which is impossible in the great ocean of material nature, which tosses with the waves of time.”

“Our friends, relatives, spouses and children are fallible, and bewildered by the illusions of material existence. They cannot save us. Still, we think ourselves safe within the orbit of family, society or country. Our whole civilization will pass away like so many civilizations before us. Materialistic advancement of civilization is like decoration of a dead body.”

“One who desires to be free of all miseries must hear about, glorify and remember the Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul, the controller and the savior from all miseries. The highest perfection of human life is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of life.”

Sukadeva then spoke Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the King and others heard with rapt attention. By speaking and hearing transcendental topics, they all achieved perfection.

12/14/20 04:10 PM

#1222

Virginia -- I almost got to the Monterrey festival. Six of us headed down in an old WSP Plymouth Fury, but didn't get past Haight-Ashbury. We sorta got sidetracked, and never made it any further.

Randy -- thanks for sending that to Rob, I wouldn't mind hearing from him. I have fond memories of our folk group (the first of many that I've been in), we weren't half bad.

I wrote a parody of Very Last Day (a Peter Paul and Mary song) for some assembly. Maybe class day, senior assembly, something like that. Do you remember that? I don't know who the hell performed it, since I didn't sing hardly at all then, Rob and Joan were the class below, and Ken was in another school. Did you sing it? The words were something like, "Everybody's going to play, on the very last day". Stupid but fun.

I've posted a seasonal song on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jIwxPxQKmaQ just in case anyone is taking Christmas too seriously.

12/15/20 07:39 AM

#1223

Ted Comstock (Briggs-Comstock)

Ted, I love your response, we almost made it to the Festival, but got side-tracked. That brought back many memories of getting "side-tracked." Now, at our age, we just forget where we are going!

12/15/20 04:29 PM

#1224

Virginia -- I think that in my case, some of what side-tracked me in the 60s has led to not being able to remember anything now!

12/16/20 09:55 AM

#1225

Ted...that is too funny! I am sure a lot of us took part in being "side tracked." Have to admit it was fun, though!

12/16/20 11:20 AM

#1226

Tom Nixon

Speaking of festivals, anyone else attend the Seattle Pop Festival at Gold Creek in Woodinville in July of '69? Pasted below are the groups who performed. I took my new girlfriend, Melanie, on the final day Sunday and it was crazy. Hot, dusty, everyone on drugs but us and more than a few naked people wandering around. In spite of that, we were entertained by Bo Diddley, Ike and Tina, the Byrds, the Doors and Led Zepplin and also in spite of that, we were married the following year. Just celebrated our 50th. My roomie at the time, Dave Adam (class of '65) and his girlfriend joined us with a case of Rainier, chicken and potato salad. It was my first rock concert and it was a real experience. look up Seattle Pop or Gold Creek Rock Festival for more details.
Crome Syrcus
Bo Diddley
Flying Burrito Brothers
Ten Years After
Guess Who
Murray Roman
Albert Collins
Santana
Youngbloods
Tim Buckley
It's a Beautiful Day
Byrds

12/16/20 04:36 PM

#1227

Betty Weiks (Rickard)

I just wanted to take a moment here to wish my classmates a very Merry Christmas! I enjoy checking in to see what is going on with you all. As an update, in retirement I have begun to regularly write a blog. Just finished a post about The Real Nativity. If any of you are interested, you can easily find me at bettyrickard.com. at bettyrickard.com.

12/17/20 08:01 AM

#1228

More Festival memory's.....anyone go to the Sky River Rock Festival in Washougal, Wash? A bunch of us went down there with a keg of beer packed into a camper. I have no idea who even played. It was almost a scary place to be. A lot of strange people on strange drugs, overflowing outhouses, mud every where and not much to eat. Total chaos, but still had fun!

12/18/20 09:02 AM

#1229

A Most Unusual Rock Concert (entrance fee $2.50)

It occurred at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco in 1967. Swami Bhaktivedanta had sent a few students from New York to open a center in San Francisco. From a rented storefront in the Haight-Ashbury district they arranged a charity ‘Mantra Rock Dance’ concert for the benefit of a Krishna Temple.

In the midst of the drugs, sex and rock-and-roll counterculture, the Swami’s students claimed that ‘Krishna Consciousness’ could help one ‘stay high forever and never come down,’ without drugs or promiscuity.

The concert included Allen Ginsberg, Timothy Leary, Augustus Owsley Stanley III, the Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the holding Company, Moby Grape and Janis Joplin. It successfully garnered $2,000 for the storefront temple, which became a safe place for hippies coming off psychedelic trips to ‘stabilize consciousness upon re-entry.’

The utopian dreams of the counterculture crashed into a nightmare of deaths and mayhem at the Altamont Speedway Free Festival in 1969. Eventually most hippies rejoined mainstream society. But a tiny cohort became Hare Krishna devotees, adopting an ascetic devotional lifestyle.

Bhaktivedanta Swami sent the same students who arranged the Mantra Rock Dance to London where they befriended the Beatles. The ‘Radha Krishna Temple’ album, recorded at Apple Records, hit the Tops of the Pops. Krishna consciousness inspired George Harrison’s songs like ‘My Sweet Lord’ and ‘Living in the Material World.’

George Harrison’s former estate in Hertfordshire, England, is now the Bhaktivedanta Manor. The Hare Krishna movement has spread to every major city in the world. Bhaktivedanta Swami’s edition of the Gita, ‘Bhagavad-gita As It Is’ has become the most widely published translation in the world, available in 59 languages.

12/18/20 02:45 PM

#1230

Tim Jones (Jones)

On the subject of rock festivals Bob Boice (Highline 65) and I attended the Satsop Riverfair and Tin Cup Races in Grays Harbor County, September 3, 4, 5 & 6, 1971. It was billed as the first legal outdoor music festival in Washington State after a moratorium was placed on such events years prior.

The event was hastilily put together because Grays Harbor County had refused to issue a permit. The promoter sued the county and a permit was ultimately issued, but critial planning and construction time was lost.

There were some good bands and music, but there was also a lot of rain, mud, drugs and alcohol. Most notable to me was the water melon truck incident. It was a lesson in the power of the spoken word, the power of amplified speech, why permits are required for public gatherings over a certain number of people and this thing called mob violence.

Website HistoryLink.org talks about the event and has a number of photos from the festival. The article down-plays the water melon truck incident. So here's my take on the melon truck:

An entrepreneur with a large truck-load of water melons showed up at the festival on the 5th. This was a very large farm truck with diesel power, tandem axles and tons of melons on board. There were three people in the cab, two guys and a gal in the middle. They moved the truck down closer to the stage supposedly to attract more buyers. The MC got on the micrphone and said "this noisey truck is drowning out the music. We're not going to buy any of their melons, are we!"

In an instant, a wave a people descended on the truck, climbed aboard and stated throwing melons off to the crowd. Melons were flying through the air. Next thing, melons were being thrown at the truck cab and windshield. it was mayhem. in a matter of a couple minutes the truck was emptied.

Then the crowd tried to overturn the truck. 50 people on one side rocking the truck back and forth, trying to roll it over. They didn't succeed. The driver started the engine and gradually moved forward amongst and through the crowd. I can just imagine the fear the truck occupants must have felt! Pulled out of the truck to an angry mob!

This all went down in 5 minutes, start to finish. What a lesson for me on the power of a few words to an already agitated crowd. The power of suggestion! We're seeing that power used by our government today. Getting people all worked up. Violence erupting here and there. "Stand back and stand by!"

Bob and I stayed just two of the four days. Rain, mud, crazy people. Memorable though!

Here's a list of some of the bands:

Ike & Tina Turner, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Delany & Bonney & Friends, Country Joe, EaRth Wind & Fire, John Hammond, Leo Kottke, Everly Brothers, Youngbloods, Albert Collins, Moby Grape, War, Eric Burdon & Jimmy Witherspoon, Adam Wind, Country Weather, The Bards, Spencer Davis Group and many more.......

12/19/20 07:25 AM

#1231

Tom...very cool poster. Thanks for sharing

Tim...also neat picture. So this festival was where all the protesting started???? Really scary when the mob rules.

12/20/20 08:43 AM

#1232

The Neighbors' Complaints

One day, when Kṛṣṇa was with Mother Yaśodā, all the elder gopīs (cowherd ladies) came and began to complain about him so that Kṛṣṇa could hear.

They said, “Dear Yaśodā, why don’t you restrict your naughty Kṛṣṇa? He comes to our houses with Balarāma, and they let loose the calves before the cows are milked. The calves drink all the milk, so when we go to milk the cows, there is none, and we have to return with empty pots.”

“If we warn Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma about doing this, They simply smile so charmingly that we cannot do anything.”

“Also, they enjoy stealing our yogurt and butter from wherever we keep it. When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma are caught stealing, they say, ‘Why do you charge us with stealing? Do you think that butter and yogurt are in scarcity in our house?’ ”

“Sometimes they give our butter, yogurt and milk to the monkeys. When the monkeys are full and won’t take more, your boys chide, ‘This milk, butter and yogurt are useless – even the monkeys won’t take it.’ ”

“When Kṛṣṇa is caught in His naughty activities, the master of the house will say to Him, ‘Oh, you are a thief,’ and pretend anger at Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will then reply, ‘I am not a thief. You are a thief!’ ”

“And now, dear friend Yaśodā, this expert thief is sitting before you like a very good boy.”

All the gopīs would look at Kṛṣṇa sitting there, His eyes fearful so that His mother would not scold Him. Seeing Kṛṣṇa’s beautiful face, instead of anger they felt transcendental bliss. Mother Yaśodā would smile, and she would not want to chastise her blessed child.

12/21/20 03:40 PM

#1233

A gentler time....

12/22/20 12:00 PM

#1234

Ted Comstock (Briggs-Comstock)

Indeed it was!

12/23/20 12:05 AM

#1235

Linda Pompeo (Worden)

Thanks for the great picture Bill. Definitely one from the olden days. It brings back wonderful memories for me. I was fortunate to grow up with a family that made unforgettable Christmas memories. Mom would take us to Frederick and Nelson for Santa photos, we attended candlelight services on Christmas eve, got up Christmas morning to find stockings filled with goodies and presents under the tree, had a special dinner, and friends and neighbors would come by with homemade goodies. I was blessed. My husband did not experience the same holiday festivities or gift giving as I am sure some of our fellow pirates did not. We made it a priority to pass on the good memories to our children and grandchildren in hopes that the wonder of Christmas will not fade away.

My sincere wish for each of you is that you are feeling the real Spirit of Christmas, that you are healthy and have the love and support of family and friends. May all experience the blessing of peace and contentment in the coming year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

12/23/20 06:07 AM

#1236

Tom -- I didn't see you at the Woodinville Pops Festival! How could I have missed you?

My first wife and I went to the first Sky River Festival and met a bunch of people there. As a result of some contacts, she ended up working for Sky River II and, as a by-product, for the Pops Fest, both of which were a year later than Sky R 1. Mostly doing office work, setting stuff up (and getting far too close to some of the other organisers, unfortunately). So I was helping out at both the Pops and SR2, altho it didn't amount to much. I didn't even get a backstage pass!

I remember Ike and Tina blowing everybody away. Also remember Tina walking around at the fest wearing a net dress and high heels -- that's the full wardrobe, no other items (I checked carefully).

And the Doors being booed, followed by some great but mostly unknown band called Led Zeppelin.

I went to the Satsop Sky River, but it was pretty lame and I didn't go to Washougal, fortunately, it sounds like.

12/23/20 04:59 PM

#1237

Tom Nixon

Yes Ted, I do remember Tina Turner and her outfit or lack of one. During the set I turned to Dave Adam and asked if he saw what I did. Just to make sure we excused ourselves from our girlfriends and walked up to the front.......yep, you described her very well. I don't remember the Doors being booed but I'm pretty sure they arrived and left by helicopter. Couldn't stay for all of Led Z as some of us had work in the morning and we also wanted to beat the crowd to the shuttle buses. Crazy day

12/24/20 04:15 PM

#1238

The five and dime.....

12/24/20 10:49 PM

#1239

12/25/20 10:51 AM

#1240

Thanks to Jim Mathews for sharing pictures and names from the Sunnydale Kindergarden class of 1952 (in his personal message section). We were kindergarden classmates?! I couldn’t match a single picture with a name. The bodies have changed, though the souls are the same.

We meet as friends, family, classmates or society, endeavoring for a comfortable happy existence. Despite our best efforts, we inevitably go our separate ways, losing touch and eventually losing memory. Sooner or later it all fades away, like an evanescent dream.

Didn’t Jesus say that his kingdom is not of this world? Today is his birthday, we still remember him. Where is he? This world is not our home. We belong in the spiritual world of eternity, knowledge and bliss. There is no comfortable happiness in a transient world of disease, old age and death.

Vrindavan Bhajan:

Where have my loving father and mother gone to now?

And where are all my elders, who were my own folk?

Who will give me news of them, tell me who?

All that is left of this family life is a list of names.

This is misery, but it gives me a laugh. I sit alone and laugh.

But everyone is your relative, brother? On the spiritual platform.

All your relatives, brother! All the billions of living entities.

When seen in relation to Kṛṣṇa they are all in harmony.

~ Bhaktivedanta Swami

12/25/20 05:37 PM

#1241

12/26/20 11:36 PM

#1242

Ann Lally (Keane)

Thanks Bill for the greeting. I love all of you in a special way and wish all of us a healthy, peaceful, gentle, kind, compassionate and abundant 2021. All of us have been challenged in a personal way. We all have to use our creativiry and caring to be aavailable to the paople we care about to show up and listen and comfort. We all need to participate in community with the people we share the earth with. Christmas always reminds me of the power of having friends who love us just because we are us and have shared enriching experiences. I wrote three long letters a night in December to touch my people and was stunned at my response. I hadn't seen some paople in a long time and it doesn't matter. We just picked up where we left off. I laughed and cried all month and felt full of grace like being to communion( community) Thank you all. Remember there only two emotions love and fear. Having been very ill for rwo years I wore out fear and repkaced it with graditude and optomizm. Think of our small stuff like daily kindness as seeds of wonder we can plant in our tired world. love grows when we pass it along.I think good people out number the confused. God Bless All of Us.Fun2basurvivor Annie Lally Keane

12/27/20 06:50 PM

#1243