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This month marks the 70th anniversary of the publication debut of STAG magazine (1949). Beginning as a 25¢ digest men's adventure magazine featuring "true life" fiction of war, rugged outdoor excitement, intrigue and tales of peril, writers such as Mario Puzo and Mickey Spillane had contributed right up until they became wealthy. The incorporation of porn began in roughly 1970 with full transition by 1974. As a sister publication of SWANK, starting in the mid 80's, the magazine began incorporating a stable of several other titles as part of its regular issue runs such as ADULT EROTICA, VIDEO EROTICA, X-RATED VIDEO, XXX VIDEO, X-RATED CINEMA & VIDEO, SEX RATED, SEX ACTS, 500 UNCENSORED SEX ACTS, GIRLS OVER 40, JUST 18, YOUNG GIRLS, HOMETOWN GIRLS, GIRLS OF THE ORIENT, JADE, ASIAN XXX, HOT BODIES, D-CUP, 44-PLUS, CLEAVAGE, CHEEKS, SHAVED, ORIGINAL PORN LEGENDS, PEEP SHOW, STRIP SCENE, and LESBOS. The final print issue under 'STAG' appears to be Nov 1999.


DECEMBER 1949 ON THE WORLD STAGE Two recent proclamations have been made by Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion following his government's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the country's new capital. The 1st was when Ben-Gurion told the Knesset (parliament/legislature) that they would not relinquish control of Jerusalem to which a vote was taken resulting in unanimous support of the policy. He had invoked the city's long history of preserving its holy sites and rejecting provisions in Resolution 181 -- the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adoption of Nov 1947 that allowed for the Partition Plan of Palestine that proposed dividing Palestine into 7 administrative regions comprising a Jewish state, an Arab state, and an internationally suggested separate body in Jerusalem all forming an economic union. This was initially accepted by a mainstream Jewish leadership but outright refused by the Arabs which led to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War that saw massacres & bombings committed by both sides. The names Dir Yassin, Saliha, Tantura, Lydda, Al-Dawayima, and Abu Shusha are but a handful of villages that echo in atrocities. The war had erupted following the end of the Palestine Mandate on May 14, 1948 which led directly to Israel declaring independence & statehood the next day. The Mandate had began as the Jul 1922 League of Nations granting of British occupation of Palestine stemming from the 1917 Balfour Declaration which during WWI was a declaration of British support for the establishment of a national home for Jewish people in Palestine. The 2nd proclamation was the Israeli rejection of accepting the placement of Jersulaem under UN management, and the urging of the Knesset to relocate the capital from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Ben-Gurion said, "There has always been and always will be one capital only - Jerusalem the eternal. Thus it was 3,000 years ago and thus it will be, we believe, until the end of time." He then expressed what previous Prime Ministers have re-iterated stating, "The attempt to sever Jewish Jerusalem from the State of Israel will not advance the cause of peace in the Middle East or in Jerusalem itself. Israelis will give their lives to hold on to Jerusalem, just as the British would for London, the Russians for Moscow and the Americans for Washington."

40yrs ago today, the Denver Broncos played a home game at Mile High Stadium against the New England Patriots infront of 74,000 cheering fans. When the sexy Denver cheerleaders (know as the Pony Express) took the field, Robin Williams trotted out right there alongside them. As part of an episode for his hit sitcom 'Mork & Mindy' (which aired Nov 25th), Mork's character who lived in Boulder,CO had bungled his way onto the all-female squad after expressing interest in wanting to join them. Naturally and with his comic ease, much predictable hilarity ensued involving the gig. The necessary footage was performed during an actual live Sunday afternoon game with Williams wearing the real uniform that featured white knee-high boots, sequined mini skirt & halter top, white forearm-high gloves, and orange scarf. The Broncos won 45-10. Robin Williams holds the record for being the NFL's first-ever male cheerleader. He died by suicide on Aug 11, 2014.

R.I.P. Peter Edward 'Ginger' Baker. 1939-2019.

Life and creation for the band's 4th and best-selling release. It was also their most controversial for an accusation of homophobia that saw whatever initial outrage muted. Along with a video for the album's lead track, and marked crossover encompassing metal & groove beside a balance of reggae for a more polished sound (which saw many criticisms of what has always been their diversity now settling into stagnancy), Quickness was also noted for drummer Earl who although pictured on the cover and credited, doesn't play on the album (instead percussion performed by session drummer Mackie of CRO-MAGS). Nonetheless, an overall distinct delivery of hard & heavy. Happy 30th Anniversary.

Today marks the 55th anniversary of THE PINK PUSSY (1964) being released. I picked up this gem years ago from Something Weird Video. And how can you not love the attention-grabbing title (and no doubt, many a purchase has been made on that alone). But this ain't no gynecology porn. Instead, THE PINK PUSSY (not to be confused with THE PINK PUSSYCAT Hollywood burlesque club) is the name of a Venezuelan nightclub in Caracas where attractive blonde singer Mara Doran is hired to perform. Leaving her Buenos Aires home, she arrives however, under trickery to a fraudulent contract. With her money & passport stolen, she is prevented from work by the local vice lord Senior Alex who even has her abducted right off the street and raped. Alex is a violent drug baron who conveniently “rescues” Mara from the no-goodniks and, playing the good samaritan to the max, gets her a job stripping at the Pink Pussy (which naturally of course, he secretly owns). And why is Alex inflicting all this nastiness to our poor desperate damsel in distress? Because he loves her. Duh. None of this sits well with Elvira (no, not the lovely boobalicious wisecracking horror hostess), Alex’s revenge-crazed/coke-addict ex-girlfriend (quick to call Mara a slut). Nor does it sit well with club singer Ernesto who’s also in love with Mara. Trouble deepens and the love-plot-foursome leads to fighting atop a cable car high above the city... This 1964 Argentinean production (known in Spanish as ACOSADA) was shot in Venezuela, and was primarily a quickie vehicle for the lovely Libertad Leblanc (Mara).

Delicate almost to the point of fragility, fleshpot Leblanc was then considered the screen “rival” of Argentina’s other official bombshell babe, the far more swanky siren, Isabel Sarli who was often dubbed as Argentina's answer to Italian goddess Sophia Loren. Interestingly & oddly enough, while Leblanc gets good & plenty naked to bang Ernesto on a beach, her other nude scenes were supplied by an anonymous New York model. And like many an adult import, THE PINK PUSSY became an international movie mutant when shot-in-New-York skin scenes were added for its 1966 US release (further dubbed in English), resulting in sexploitation starlets of 2 different continents colliding for leering pleasure. Along with the Manhattan body double displaying her naked contours as a stand in for Leblanc's 2 shower scenes, similarly, there’s a wonderful backstage moment where a naked Mara keeps her face hidden from the camera as she chats with none other than NY nudie-cutie fave JUNE ROBERTS who looks adorable putting pasties on her perky nipples. And the hotel room sex scene between Mara & Ernesto is also done with doubles who do their best to conceal their faces (even though Ernie sports a tattoo on his arm for this scene only). Even with its naughty title that can still raise eyebrows today, THE PINK PUSSY was simultaneously released with its accompanying tagline, "Where Sin Lives" (for those theaters that didn’t dare advertise the blatant vagina moniker, and in some areas re-titled THE GREEN PUSSYCAT, and THE PINK KITTEN CLUB). Also known as HARASSED or THE EXPLOITERS, the trailer is just as lurid as a delightful honeytrap of a woman purrs repeatedly for us to explore the sensuous kitty palace.

Having been longtime Epitaph label mainstays, this 8th release on Atlantic was the band's major label debut. With 4 hit singles, guest vocals from the singers of RANCID and PENNYWISE (as well as featuring lead guitar from Wayne Kramer), heavy MTV & MuchMusic video rotation, and radio airplay, STF was their huge breakthrough and as one of their most successful & popular albums, is BR's only record to be certified gold. In the middle of the STF tour, guitarist Brett left the band because of worsening drug abuse. He was replaced by Brian of MINOR THREAT/DAG NASTY/JUNKYARD who prior to joining BR, had turned down an invite by R.E.M. to tour with them. A cleaned up Brett rejoined the band in 2001 making them a 6-piece. Happy 25th Anniversary.

This was their catchy breakthrough album that saw 3 commercially successful videos, and songs dealing with social justice & political themes of corruption, the environment, suicide and hypocrisy in society. With (and despite) their 2 previously strong releases and the technically sophisticated guitar duo of Alex & Eric, some have called PWYP mediocre, wannabe-ish and even a poor man's 'Master of Puppets' but gem or not, there was no denying their arrival or growing popularity. And if on that alone, the band had clearly shown (along with NUCLEAR ASSAULT, EXODUS, or DEATH ANGEL) they were every bit the equal organic, fellow thrash counterpart of the 'Big 4' at the time. Happy 30th Anniversary.

Happy Birthday to LAURA SANDS