It’s finally Friday and that means it is time for another exciting edition of “Caught My Eye!”

If you are a first-time visitor, “Caught My Eye” is my weekly column where I take a quick look at some of the stories I did not have time to write about during the week. I often throw in some sarcasm and poke fun at people just to make you smile.

Today I write about clowning around, Barry Beach, Area 51, Downpour, Elvis, plus there are three Making Montana Proud winners, so please read on…

Clowning Around:

It was judged by many as pretty distasteful when a rodeo clown at the Missouri State Fair wore a President Obama mask and reportedly an “announcer asked the enthusiastic spectators if they wanted to see ‘Obama run down by a bull.’” Then it was reported “another clown ran up to the one wearing the Obama mask, pretended to tickle him and played with the lips on the mask.”

The Lt. Governor from Missouri (a Republican) got it right when he said, “We are better than this.”

And please don’t give me the argument that it is OK because they’ve done the same thing to Hillary, or to Dubya, or to Bill.

Think about it…

Barry Beach:

According to a story in the Great Falls Tribune, supporters will hold a “Barry Beach Freedom Rally” which is scheduled “to take place Saturday on the steps of the Great Falls Civic Center from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.”

I have always believed that Barry Beach deserved a new trial. He still does. Unfortunately Montana’s Supreme Court has some incompetent members who do not see it that way.

Area 51:

CNN reported that the CIA has officially acknowledged that Area 51 exists. The CIA contends Area 51 “was merely a testing site for the government’s U-2 and OXCART aerial surveillance programs.”

And we’re supposed to believe that?

The truth is out there…

Downpour Musical Festival:

Are you ready? One of my favorite times of the year is this weekend (August 16-18). That’s when the Downpour Musical Festival is held in Great Falls, Montana, at the Montana Expo Park.

It’s free!

It all starts Friday and Saturday at 3:00 pm and continues into the evening. Church in the Park is at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday. Here’s the Website, the Facebook page and they are on Twitter @DownpourFest.

See you there!

Making Montana Proud:

This is the section where I mention people whose actions embarrass Montana in some way.  

-From the Great Falls Tribune: District Judge Greg Pinski’s “day job is sentencing criminals and presiding over cases, but starting today, fans of Jimmy Buffett can tune into XM/Sirius Radio Margaritaville, where Pinski will host a playlist of Buffett songs that feature Montana.”

The Tribune also reported that “Pinski said he listens to the radio station, and they do contests to be a ‘Fruitcake’ on the radio, where listeners pick four songs and why they want to play the songs.”

District Court Judge…Fruitcake…Margaritaville. It’s Friday so I’ll be nice…

-From the Helena Independent Record: “The owner [Garry Wheelock] of a local meat processor whose facility was recently tagged as “putrid” by state inspectors was arrested Tuesday on charges he assaulted two Department of Livestock workers.” He’s been charged with “five misdemeanor charges, including two assaults.”

“Putrid” about says it all…

-From the Billings Gazette: Kevin Lee Zimmerman, 52, “has been convicted of driving under the influence seven times in Montana was charged in Yellowstone County Justice Court on Thursday with again driving under the influence.”

The Gazette also reported, “a Billings Police officer found Zimmerman passed out in a car blaring loud music in the 1800 block of First Avenue North” and “Inside the car they found a glass pipe commonly used to smoke methamphetamine and a bag of white powder that field tested positive for meth.”

Bye – bye…

Elvis Presley:

On this date (August 16) in 1977 Elvis Presley died at his Graceland Mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. He was just 42. One of my favorite Presley songs was “In the Ghetto.”

One More Thing:

Don’t forget to stretch…

 

####