Next, He'll Be Dean...

Seems that students entering Monterey Peninsula College are treated to a slice of college life with an orientation video depicting MPC's campus. Only problem is, one of the MPC staffers starring in the show is none other than David Piper, the ex-MPC counselor who was convicted and sentenced to 90 days in jail last year for brandishing a weapon in front of a female student.

Making matters even worse, the video shows Piper leaving the office of MPC employee Patricia Lilley. Lilley recently filed a lawsuit against the college, citing the administration's alleged lack of action when she, too, was harassed by Piper. She contends that Piper threatened her and her family, and placed obscenities into her computer files.

An MPC spokesman says the college is rethinking the wisdom of showing the video.

Check is (Not) in the Mail

It wasn't a "NOXIN" poster (an upside down "NIXON" poster, that is) wheat-pasted onto the side of an inner-city tenement house, but it still warmed Squid's patchoulied heart.

Somebody who had some Scotch tape at the ready slapped the cover of the Nov. 24 Weekly onto a traffic sign at the Monterey Peninsula Airport (which was still there as of Tuesday).

"Forsaken," the cover story of the Johnson family, that was evicted from its home the day before Thanksgiving by the Seaside Assembly of God, has created quite a stir in the community. Calls to the Weekly's office. E-mails. Faxes. And now, somebody wants disembarking locals, tourists, and businesspeople to be educated about the situation.

I am moved by the response. But I only wish that every person who told the Weekly they'd help the Johnsons--with money, groceries, whatever--would actually put their generosity where their mouth is. Don't take this the wrong way. From the start, the Johnsons have said they didn't want to be portrayed as charity cases--which they're not. They--along with a lot of the people who read the story--simply think they were given a raw deal by the church.

So, hey, if you're one of those folks who said they'd help out, please follow through on your pledge. Don't board that plane before contacting Shelter Outreach Plus (384-3388).

See, even Squid gets a little warm and fuzzy around the holidays.

Loud Talk, Sweet Drinks, Lousy Tips

I don't get to see a lot of live music. It's crowded, I can't understand most of the words, and I always seem to have an experience like one I had at the recent Dread Zeppelin show at the Long Bar.

Someone ushered in a crowd of rubish cocktail sippers who, though seating themselves directly in front of the stage, were not there to see the band. Instead, they drank lightly, tipped poorly, and tried to ruin everyone else's enjoyment of an internationally known act.

They reminded me of some people at the Monterey Jazz Festival who talk and giggle with their friends while the band goes nuts, banging out interesting, highly intimate pieces of music.

For about two minutes during the Dread show, everyone just crowded to the front. The band was on fire, and the people were giving the singer his little fisted Elvis fingers. While we rushed the stage, the weak puppies slipped out the back.

I don't mean to complain... but, puhleeeze, you loud talkers. Enjoy your Campari and soda somewhere besides the front row. (And try a real drink.)

Send your favorite eggnog recipe to: squid@coastweekly.com.

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