BARBWIRE by ANDREW BARBANO Pirate Laureate of the High Desert Outback of the American Dream The Barbwire Molly Ivins Memorial Columniator Hall of Flames Now including Dennis Myers and Don Dondero

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Philippines to Burning Man to Ireland: Adios GOAT
Barbwire by Andrew Barbáno / Expanded from the Wednesday 9-4-2019 Sparks Tribune / Updated 9-5-2019 GMT / Expansions in blue
Obituary, 1948-2019

REPORT FROM THE MEMORIAL GATHERING (9-15-2019) — About 200 people from as far away as the Philippines and Ireland gathered to honor Dennis on the banks of the Truckee River on Sunday, Sept. 15. His ashes will be scattered at Pyramid Lake, the termination of the Truckee on the Paiute Reservation. Details in the Sept. 18 Sparks Tribune.

As reported here last week, Nevada lost its greatest-ever journalist 10 days or so ago.

The Greatest Of All Time (GOAT), Tribune alumnus and Reno News & Review News Editor Dennis Myers, was taken off life support on August 26 to begin organ harvesting.

Brainwaveless since a stroke the previous week, the actual date and time of his departure from this plane are thus known only to God. Since wallpapering the world with a comprehensive obituary, I've heard from Dennis fans from Asia to the British Isles.

It is always difficult if not impossible to replace an innovative champion.

When 1972 Indianapolis 500 winner Mark Donohue was killed at the 1975 Formula One Austrian GrandPrix, one of Myers' TV colleagues ironically raised a question that applies to Myers today.

The late Autoweek Editor and Myers Channel 2 associate Leon Mandel noted that Donohue was such a brilliant constructor that NASA engineers once came to Road Atlanta to inspect and marvel at his CanAm Porsche 917. (State Sen. Randolph Townsend, D- and R-Reno, later competed in Donohue's masterpiece.)

Asked why they came to an auto race, the NASA heavyweights responded "Because Mr. Donohue's car does what it's designed to do so perfectly well."

Such was Dennis Myers. Mandel concluded his retrospective quoting another motorsport designer: "I know this will work because Mark Donohue said it would. Now who do I ask?"

That is exactly where Dennis Myers' death leaves his Nevada.

It hit me in the face in the most mundane of places last week.

On a routine trip to the Vassar Street post office, I saw some people out on the sidewalk. Turned out to be a group of very confused sorta-liberals waving flags and signs in front of tables full of literature supporting Czar Donaldov.

Huh?

When I saw the zealots, my first thought (as always, like Pavlov's dog) was "I have to call Dennis about this."

Then reality obtruded and I had to take a minute to regain my composure before talking with those benighted souls.

There in the high desert heat was political performance art, a real-life version of Pirandello's "Six Characters in Search of an Author." Or perhaps they were merely waiting for Godot.

For one brief sunshiny moment, we were the same, all waiting in vain.

Paraphrasing Editor Mandel, "who do I call now?"

I weep the tears of transfiguration for my old friend.

His full obituary reposes at NevadaLabor.com. A memorial is being planned. Watch NevadaLabor.com for information.

UPDATE: This just arrived from Tom Myers, Dennis' brother: "A memorial get together (service sounds religious) for Dennis on (Sunday) Sept 15 at McKinley Art & Culture. 11AM. That is along Riverwalk near the bridge to Idewild (sic) Park." Clarification: The McKinley Arts & Culture Center is the repurposed McKinley Park School bordered by the Keystone overpass to the west, Vine Street to the east, Jones Street to the north and Riverside Drive (and the Truckee River) to the south. Its address is 925 Riverside Drive, Reno NV 89503. Additional information will be posted here as it is released. Stay tuned.

LABORIOUS DAY. The Reno Gazette-Journal went one-for-two on Labor Day. They ignored the one day American workers are celebrated, albeit mostly with ads to buy cars and furniture.

Pressing on regardless, they managed to publish a front page piece about the paucity of minorities at the Burning Man love fest.

While laudable, even that fell a bit short. About two weeks ago, Reno-Sparks NAACP President Lonnie Feemster informed me that a bunch of his relatives from all over the country would be assembling at his house to head for the desert dust eatery.

I casually mentioned Feemster's sojourn to someone who surprised me by stating "I thought THEY didn't go in for that sort of thing." They? Them?!

I replied that Mr. Feemster told me his crew would be out there representing the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Burners.

Makes sense to me. From photos I've seen, people in them parts wear so much body paint to go along with wigs and multiple tattoos that it's often difficult to tell whether someone is wearing clothes, let alone their natural skin color.

A more urban celebration will take place on Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Grand Sierra Resort as the NAACP hosts its 74th Annual Freedom Fund Dinner.

I don't know how I'm going to top last year's Aretha Franklin musical tribute complete with 1965 pink Cadillac convertible, but I'm working on it.

Reserve early. It's cheaper. Info at RenoSparksNAACP.org/

ANOTHER ADIOS. Sparks resident and longtime Sparks Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 26 Business Manager Dave Peel, 82, departed for the big picket line in the sky on July 26.

His adios will be celebrated where oldtime Nevadians have oft conducted proper sendoffs, Reno's Coney Island Bar on E. 4th Street, between the IBEW 401 Hall and the Sparks City Limits; 2:00-4:00 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8.

¡Sí se puede!
__________________

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BLACK LIKE ME 2119: The problem as solution
Barbwire by Andrea Luigi Barbáno / Expanded from the 2-13-2019 Sparks Tribune / Updated 2-14 and 2-16-2019
Breaking News —> Culinary Union defeats decert at Circus Circus Reno
Dear Readers: The above column served as the conclusion of remarks I submitted before the "Tahoe Talks: Racism in America" symposium at the Incline Village, Nev., Library on February 12, 2019. So you might want to read "FADE TO BLACK" before you read "Black Like Me 2119".

	Triangle Shirtwaist Factory owners Max Blank and Isaac Harris. Is not Mr. Harris eerily familiar to television junkies?
From the Emmy-winning opening slate of the blockbuster "Cheers" television series. Combined with its "Frasier" spinoff, it lasted 20 years.	The "shirtwaist kings" immigrated from Russia and made a fortune manufacturing "Gibson Girl"-style blouses. (Photo, "The American Experience"/PBS)	The Emmy-winning opening slate of the "Cheers" television series before the "slate" of creators is superimposed. Looks like Mr. Harris' dead ringer (at left) is having a bloody good time.

"Who ya gonna believe, me or your own eyes?" — Chico Marx disguised as Groucho Marx in "Duck Soup" (1933)
Back to the story of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist holocaust

Triangle tragedy recalled as requiem "The Fire in My Mouth," a new oratorio by Pulitzer honoree Julia Wolfe, premiered with the New York Philharmonic Jan. 24 By Michael Cooper / The New York Times 1-23-2019

SITE NAVIGATION TIPS: When all else fails, read the instructions (A favorite John Hanks aphorism I've been using for decades)

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Copyright © 1982-2019 Andrew Barbano

Andrew Barbano is a 50-year Nevadan, editor of NevadaLabor.com and SenJoeNeal.org; and former chair of the City of Reno's Citizens Cable Compliance Committee. He is the executive producer of Nevada's annual César Chávez Day celebration and serves as first vice-president and political action chair of the Reno-Sparks NAACP. As always, his opinions are strictly his own. E-mail barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us.

Barbwire by Barbano moved to Nevada's Daily Sparks Tribune on Aug. 12, 1988, and has originated in them parts ever since.
Whom to blame: How a hall-of-famer's hunch birthed the Barbwire in August of 1987
Tempus fugit.

Betty J. Barbano 2-7-1941 / 12-27-2005

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