You Are Being Robbed

If you smoke or drink, a small group of individuals in State Government have declared war on you.

The cost of cigarettes and alcohol is now obscenely high, in a state that has long been proudly associated with bourbon and tobacco. This new 6 percent liquor tax - which is on top of a 11 percent wholesale tax, and which is on top of an excise tax - is un-American.

I don't just mean I don't like it. I don't just mean it's not fair. I mean it literally is against American principles to punish drinkers and reward non-drinkers, and in so doing furthering a religious neo-conservative agenda even though our current Governor is supposed to be a Democrat.

For me, it's not about the money; I have plenty of that. But there was a time in my life when I didn't, and there are plenty of Kentuckians who are barely surviving in these hard economic times. For a politician to punish Kentucky citizens in this way is precisely - and I say this without hyperbole - the same kind of sociopathic sadism as a child who pulls the wings off flies.

Any man who would try to curtail any American's consumption of cigarettes and alcohol by making them prohibitively expensive is, by definition, un-American. As a Transylvania Gentleman, it is your duty to help your fellow man have unfettered access to these Earthly delights.

The money that has been taken you from by these men in Government has been literally stolen from you. They may have the money - because there is no way to avoid giving it to them due to its being a sales tax - but is still YOUR money even though it is their hands.

They stole this money from you, just as surely as if they had conked you over the head with a blunt object or mugged you at gunpoint.

As the days turn to weeks, and the weeks turn to months, and as you continue to buy smokes and booze at these gangster's prices, the amount of money these men owe you is growing.

The question is, how much longer are you going to let these men steal your money?


- - JSH

Gene Simmons Never Sleeps

When I start to feel overwhelmed by all the projects and responsibilities and stuff I have on my plate in my day-to-day life, I remember that Gene Simmons must have ten thousand more things weighing on his mind when his head hits the pillow every night. This is just a smattering of what he's working on:

He just wrapped up Season Four of Gene Simmons Family Jewels.

Recording sessions are ongoing for a new KISS album, which Gene and Paul promise will harken back to their 1970s sound.

They're touring in South America right now, and had to get all sorts of weird shots to protect against Yellow Fever and shit like that.

The KISS comic book lines are moving to a newer and bigger publisher, according to Gene. Marvel? DC?

KISSTERIA, a TV Special for A&E, will air sometime in the fall.

A new Gene Simmons Axe Bass has been released, and a whole complete line of Gene Simmons and KISS musical instruments and gear is on the way.

There's a new KISS TV show in the works, which rumor has it is going to be an American Idol-type thing where they audition their own replacements for the impending day when there will be TWO versions of KISS: a new band of upstarts carrying on the banner of KISS for generations to come, as well as the old guard still playing occasional acoustic shows.

A deal for a KISS cartoon is close to coming together, Gene says.

According to Gene's website: "My long in the works GENE SIMMONS BOX SET ("Alter Ego") will probably see the light of day in the fall and (looks like) will contain 150 songs that have never been released." (This box set was originally to have been called "Monster", according to the bonus audio disc that came with the 1st edition of the Gene Simmons Family Jewels season one DVD.)

And: "We have a Financial Product we're working on that's shaping up to be (perhaps) the biggest venture we've ever undertaken. Can't say more at this time."

Goddamn, Sam.

And here I am stressing out at night over the Cheeseburger & Fries play, planned art exhibitions and fundraisers, acquisition of new office space and performance space for my theatre company and burlesque troupe, working on my long-overdue Panola comic strip, trying to find time to jam with my jazz band, working slowly on my art-nude photography book, cranking out some fiber batts for Etsy gals, and managing the Creeps stable of stars under Superfrothco's sneaky umbrella. Somewhere in all this, there's two possible deals still hanging in the air for a JSH art gallery and an Unusual Kentucky museum.

Compared to the mighty Gene, I'm just a tempest in a teapot. But I probably get more leisure time than Gene, since he's the ultimate Type-A person and I'm actually devastatingly lazy. Plus Gene doesn't drink, and probably doesn't consort with the fairer sex nearly as much as he used to in his youth. So I think I'm content with my life and probably wouldn't trade places with Gene.

Maybe.

- - JSH