Memorial Day New York by Suzannah B. Troy

From downtown NYC to Millerton NY:  I am posting a photo of the sculpture I used to sometimes include in long runs downtown  around by the WTC;  this artwork above somehow survived although damaged from the WTC attacks 9-11.  The art work has been moved to Battery Park with an Eternal Flame that burns in front of it.


I think of Sept. 11 on Memorial Day. I am part of a group that feels the rescue workers that ran downtown that day and gave their all literally should be honored with their rank and department. It was the largest loss of rescue workers in our City, State and Nation’s history and many were also highly decorated serving in the military and within their dept.  Here is my letter in The Wall Street Journal "Betrayal at Ground Zero".  The betrayal has grown exponentially.

I think of a fireman that wasn’t my lover but made me feel loved and  clearly admired by passion and intensity who died downtown that day and he was highly decorated by the FDNY and also a Viet Nam Vet who remembered how they were treated on their return home.

I was in Millertown, New York today and there there was an American flag every few feet, a parade and a somber speech given by a soldier who served in Iraq. He made reference to Sept. 11 and it was very serious, not a day about shopping, sales or barbecues but about serving your Country and also it is hard not to think of all those now and in the past lost. It is all heart breaking the loss of life, military, civilians and truly it is a somber day and a day of respect.


I also think of my Dad who served in World War 2. He understands fully the seriousness of this day. If he had not survived World War 2, clearly I would not be here writing to you now and I also know how lucky I am that he is alive today. (One day I have quite a story to tell you about that in regards to my life and almost losing my Dad just before I sold my home under the most sick and disturbing of circumstances.) Today is a day to thank your blessings if you are loved ones are here and mourn the many who have died in the line of duty...mourn them and prayers for all their loved ones as well and of course those injured as well.

The above Memorial is for the Korean War and at the exact time that peace was obtained the sun shines thru the art work as a sun dial honoring Peace. I find this one of the most moving unique memorials because the missing space -- the artist term "negative space" -- the solder is missing and that empty space goes on for eternity....it is not definable. When the Parks Dept. mistakingly planted trees that would obscure the sun dial aspect of the Memorial I wrote them and I received a letter back telling me that I and a bunch of Korean War Vets had written and the trees were removed. Rest in Peace...truly courageous souls and all that loved them...

Dennis Hopper dies family battles Hollywood News -- Suzannah B. Troy

He is most famous for Easy Rider and Blue Velvet.  I happen to have a large soft covered book of his photos as well as a poster from an art show of his in Soho from a long time ago.   They had plastered the posters all over the downtown area and I was able to take one home and frame it.  I had the Dennis Hopper poster by my bed of a biker couple huddled closely together in a diner.  When I moved under the most disturbing and awful of circumstances of which I still have not recovered, I sold or gave away most of my book collection but for some reason I did keep his book.  “Dennis Hopper Fotografien von 1961 bis 1967”.   I have the poster some where along with my own art work that I have yet to unpack.  I see NYC as losing it’s soul along with it’s historic buildings, small businesses and mass displacement of people either shifted or completely moved out of NYC....so why bother unpacking.  That is life under a developer’s mayor, Mike Bloomberg.

Clearly I liked Dennis Hopper’s photographs  of the  art scene and counter culture era very much in sync with his Easy Rider fame.  Supposedly Hopper resisted Jack Nicholson and wanted Rip Torn for the film but Nicholson in true form shined and greatly contributed to the film and of course there was  Peter Fonda.

What many people may not know is Jack Nicholson had done a biker film “Hell on Wheels” with the Hell’s Angels and Sonny Barger was hired as a consultant,   made 2 years before Easy Rider.  Some how I have a feeling Jack Nicholson spending some time with the Angels had a big  influence on “Easy Rider” which is  globally iconic still.

 I can’t help but think the infamous Hell’s Angels deeply influenced Hollywood and infact still do considering how many TV and films seem to “borrow heavily” and Jesse James has a YouTube stating the Hell’s Angels greatly influenced him.   Sonny Barger is reported to be in talks with Tony Scott to make a Hell’s Angel film about his life and Mickey Rourke is being considered for the role of Barger.  Even Harley Davidson acknowledges the mystique of the Hells Angels driving their sales.  The infamous Angels were known to “acquire” motorcycles one way or another and make-them over, which drove the creativity and beauty that is now called motorcycle art.   You can see the Hell's Angels motorcycle creative influence  coming threw in Easy Rider as well in the multi-million dollar success of bike builder Jesse James and James openly admits it.  By the way, I am anti-Nazi but even in Dennis Hopper’s photos of bikers from the 1960’s you see Nazi imagery which is upsetting but it seemed that bikers and surfers of that era adopted the symbols and memorabilia perhaps as shock value.

 (Side note: I keep talking to you about my short story, “Chopping the Street, one mega-million dollars, at a time".  It is about a woman that takes over an infamous international biker club and transforms them into a financial service firm on wheels.  I wrote it in 2003 and it is about White Collar Crime above the radar costing the tax payers billions whether they are caught, successfully or not prosecuted.)

I remember finding Hopper startling in Blue Velvet.  He continued to have success and his voice will be heard as a wolf called Tony in an animated film, “Alpha and Omega”,  yet to be released.

He was clearly a troubled person and was married 5 times.  The latest marriage clearly with someone to young for him ended with him trying to divorce her on his death bed and he was unsuccessful.  It became a struggle over what she would inherit and what he felt she was actually entitled to.  They have a young daughter who must be very sad and perhaps this animated cartoon will be some small solace for her.

Hopper has three adult children from previous marriages and his oldest daughter is 5 years older then his widow he was desperately trying to divorce from his death bed.

A lot of older men want a younger trophy wife and perhaps this is a cautionary tale.

In The New York Post, a reporter asks Hopper’s son Henry how he is doing.  The son handed the reporter a white rose.  He than gave him the finger and said this is how I am doing.  No DNA testing to know Henry is truly Dennis Hopper’s son.

Note:  I am deeply focused on corruption and the economic catastrophe here in New York and have been posting blog pieces on this subject on my central blog www.suzannahbtroy.blogspot.com.  I am also horrified at the on going environmental catastrophe now washing up on New Orleans.  This oil spill is killing sea life which is a travesty that may be beyond comprehension for most people  and will have long range damage to Mother Earth beyond what is understandable right now.  The oil spill has killed untold sea life and  is devastating to all life on this planet in ways we don’t understand yet.  It is hard to write about celebrity news with these concerns.

Tila Tequila in row with Zennie62's Nikki Raney

Nikki Raney has advice for Tila

Tila Tequila is a celebrity who's very familiar to readers of this space. The combative reality TV show star, and former wife-to-be of the late Casey Johnson, loves to get in the mix with people.  First it was Perez Hilton and now its Nikki Raney.

Nikki Raney is a star blogger and journalist at Zennie62.com.    But before we look more into that and her row with Tila Tequila, some background on Tila Tequila from this space' perspective.

In the middle of accusing San Diego Chargers Linebacker Shawne Merriman of assault, when he was just trying to stop her from driving drunk, this space revealed what Tila said about herself:

"i like people who are really fucked up...I am very high strung and suffer from multiple personalities...I do a lot of things that are self destructive. I try not to...I am also bi-polar so that should explain my irratic postings."

Here's the video on the entire incident between Merriman and Tila Tequila:



Of course, the charges against Shawne Merriman were dropped and after it was revealed that Tila lied; Tila Tequila said she did not drink but in one video was seen living it up with the bubbly.

After that, Tequila tried various ways of gaining attention, which just drew more critics, who then criticized her. That led Tila Tequila to start her own blog called Miss Tila OMG, with the idea of getting gossip revenge on all who said mean things about her. In other words, a gossip blog.

But Tila Tequila doens't want to be called a gossip blogger; she says she's a journalist. That's 180 degrees opposite this blogger, who never claimed to be a journalist. Fortunately, Nikki Raney was here to provide much needed guidance to the poor celeb, but Tila wasn't having it.

Tila blocked Nikki Raney from commenting on her blogsite. Now unlike some commenters Nikki is not hateful and gives great feedback. In fact, that's how Nikki Rany came to be at Zennie62.com. She's a celeb gossip and "future of media" blogger and gaining a following. One that's sure to increase after this row with Tila Tequila's put out there. Here's Nikki's blog post comment on that:

Today, Tila Tequila called herself a journalist on her blog. That was the last straw for me...Somehow, Miss Tila finds a way to incorporate herself into every blog entry.

I really never wanted to post a rude or judgmental post about anyone, but I think that enough is enough. I already wrote how there is a difference between blogging and journalism, but this is something that needs to be addressed.

Tila Tequila has blocked me from commenting on her blog, because of how critical I have been. This is not meant to be a hateful rant, but meant to inform and educate about what blogging is.

Tequila claims to run a celebrity gossip blog which costs so much money to run, but it is filled with articles that are about things that happened a few days prior. She also has a section called "hottie of the week" which she has updated five times in the span of 3 days. She has made herself "hottie of the week" three times.

In her blog post Nikki does a great job of exposing Tila's mistruths; it's worth reading and part of a three blog series on Tila; you have to read about Tila as "an army of one" here: click.

I closing, this blogger has nothing but love for Tila Tequila. (If Tila wants to call herself "hottie of the week", cool, but include some other women!) We all know this is a game; bloggers, you can't take it too seriously or you lose grip on reality. Let's hope that hasn't happened to Tila.

Stay tuned. And hey Tila, treat Nikki well, will ya?

Happy Memorial Day 2010! Thank A Soldier Today

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Oakland, CA - Note. This was originally posted on Memorial Day, 2009. It's worth reporting as this blogger prepares to make the same trip in 2010.

I went to my stepfather's burial place today. Even though I was really ill, I forced myself to go and place flowers at his grave site as I've made it a habit to visit him on Memorial Day each year. He fought in World War II.

But this time, I took my biological father's burial flag with me. Both my father and stepfather died in 2005.

To some who are anti-war, the title of this video-blog will upset them. It should not. I'm against war and always have been, but the reality of my life is that both my late father and stepfather fought in World War II, and in my father's case, Zenophon Abraham Sr. I have his name (he lives in Chicago), and I am the proud owner of his neatly folded burial flag and two bullets wrapped in them. I've never unraveled it.

Chester Harding Yerger III of Oakland is my late stepfather and he  often talked of his time in the service and of attending "Officer Candidate School", and being taught how to kill. While the stories were never ones I looked forward to, I learned that sometime people go to war not because they want to harm people but because they feel their duty to protect America. I used to question this "duty" but now I honor it, even as I disagree with the idea of war.

Why? I frankly can't explain the reason as well as I'd like to but I'll try. I think as I reach deep it's because I now know some people don't feel its their job or "place" to question authority, yet, those same people made it ok for me to question authority. That was my father and my stepfather, especially as they aged.

I think it's also because people who have taken the lives of another in a time of war generally have an appreciation for life that can't be measured. At times my stepfather would think back to the war and cry. That was hard to witness. My father never talked about the war, so I never asked him about it.

My dad talked about Chicago architecture, planes, trains, and automobiles. Not the war. It wasn't until he died and his funeral that I understood his role in the war; he received a 21-gun salute that October day in 2005 and I can feel the noise from the gun fire pass through me today.

It's those memories that cause me to thank a soldier when one is in my presence. I did that on a plane ride as I was standing next to a Army officer in uniform. I asked him where he was going and he responded "Home. And I'm so happy." I said "Hey, thanks for your service"; he said "I tell ya, I really appreciate that."

I got what he was saying. He was telling me, "You know, what we do isn't appreciated by a lot of people and believe me I understand why. But I'm glad you see that I'm carrying out my duty to my country, even if I may not agree with what we're doing all the time."

Thank a soldier today. Even though you may be anti-war, don't blame them for our foreign policies of the past or present. They're doing the best they can in an impossible situation.

Thank a soldier today, or any day. Even though you may be anti-war, don't blame them for our foreign policies of the past or present. They're doing the best they can in an impossible situation. They're serving our country and could die doing so.