journal.melendez.org

So, my film partner Sean and I made a commercial one afternoon for the MoveOn.org contest, called "Bush in 30 Seconds." Apparently, we passed the first hurdle, that there are no glaring copyright violations. Now it's up to the people. No, it's not "Citizen Kane". It's not even "Where's the Beef?" But hey, it's a start. Now, to find a viable democratic challenger! You can watch it on the Bush in 30 Seconds website right now: http://www.bushin30seconds.org/vote/view.html?ad=hLZQV_dQVObUVPWtRiUOCXZpZXctNjg2

If you have benefited in some way from the Marigny's public e-mail list, I hope you can help maintain it as another information source in our community. In an article ( http://www.currentnewspaper.com/FMIA.html ) in the neighborhood newspaper, there was some discussion of the Marigny's e-mail lists and web sites. Much of the confusion and acrimony over these issues seems to stem from the fact that the FMIA does not like for there to be an outside information source about the community that they do not control. Recently, they have insisted on having control of the domain name faubourgmarigny.org, even though they had acknowledged over a year ago that they actually had no control over it. You can see the minutes from the July 8, 2002 meeting here: http://www.marigny.org/FMIA/fmiaboard070802.html Recently, I resisted the hand off of faubourgmarigny.org to the board because I felt it would be confusing for most people because that add

Bob

From Brian Marks: The Beehive Design Collective, a group of graphics-oriented global justice activists, will be touring Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas in the weeks following the School of the Americas/Miami Free Trade Area of the Americas actions in the U.S. Southeast this month. They estimate they will be in Louisiana sometime around the last week of November or first week of December. For those not familiar, the Beehive does interactive presentations/discussions of large, detailed posters they have created about topics such as the Plan Colombia, War on Drugs and Corporate Militarism, The Free Trade Area of the Americas, Biotechnology, Bicycles and the Story of an Orange (about the corporate food system and alternatives.) Check out the Beehive online at: www.beehivecollective.org If interested in hosting the Beehive at your: university, political/civic organization, or especially high schools (they are very interested in speaking at high schools) p

Crazy e-mail I received this morning: I know where you are. I was there. They drilled holes in my teeth. The lawn burros whisper as you walk by. Don't think that the neighbor's dogs like you -they have been told to watch your every move...Ohhhh **** the pressure. I am my cat. My girlfriend left this dollar in my shoe, so I left it in there for 3 weeks before using it to tip a bad waitress. Thebluecowmoosatmidnight. Because the Park Service is enforcing a "catch and release" policy this year, I had to let him go! I love you all, and I have to go buy some canned squid. Urgently needed... please send a road map of Idaho, a spatula, and 4 cookies. Serious replies only, please.

Monday, October 13, 2003 Published on Monday, October 13, 2003 by the lndependent/UK. Reprinted at: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1013-01.htm All the President's Votes? A Quiet Revolution is Taking Place in US Politics. By the Time It's Over, the Integrity of Elections Will be in the Unchallenged, Unscrutinized Control of a Few Large - and Pro-Republican - Corporations. Andrew Gumbel wonders if democracy in America can survive

What is this all about: Halliburton price gouging in Iraq alleged CityBusiness staff reports WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two senior Democratic congressmen are questioning whether Halliburton is overcharging the United States government for gasoline and other fuel for Iraq, which is now importing oil products to stave off shortages. In a letter to the White House Office of Management and Budget, Reps. Henry Waxman of California and John D. Dingell of Michigan contend "Halliburton seems to be inflating gasoline prices at a great cost to American taxpayers." "The overcharging by Halliburton is so extreme that one expert has privately called it `highway robbery,' " the letter said. According to the two lawmakers, Halliburton has charged the government $1.62 to $1.70 a gallon for gasoline that could be bought wholesale in the Persian Gulf region for about 71 cents and transported to Iraq for no more than 25 cents. The fuel was sold in Iraq for 4 cents to 1

Some great Rush Limbaugh quotes, researched by the people at Wisdom Today : "We're going to let you destroy your life. We're going to make it easy and then all of us who accept the responsibilities of life and don't destroy our lives on drugs, we'll pay for whatever messes you get into." -- Rush Limbaugh show, Dec. 9, 1993 "I'm appalled at people who simply want to look at all this abhorrent behavior and say people are going to do drugs anyway let's legalize it. It's a dumb idea. It's a rotten idea and those who are for it are purely 100 percent selfish." -- Rush Limbaugh show, Dec 9, 1993 "If (Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders) wants to legalize drugs, send the people who want to do drugs to London and Zurich, and let's be rid of them. -- Rush Limbaugh show, Dec 9, 1993 "There's nothing good about drug use. We know it. It destroys individuals. It destroys families. Drug use destroys societies.

8/5/03 San Cristobal In the afternoon, we went to K’inal Antzetik (Land of Women), an indigenous women’s collective selling traditional textiles to the national and international community. We met with four women, three of whom were members of the board of directors and one who was a consultant to the group. They represent approximately 30 communities, acting as the agent both in San Cristobal as well as various markets in Europe. 8/6/03 San Cristobal Today, we leave for the city of Comitan, approximately an hour and a half from San Cristobal. We took Combis, collective Suburban type SUVs, to the city. We transferred to the back of pickup trucks for the bumpy ride into the neighboring villages. The first village we entered was Las Laureleas (sp?), a village of approximately 45 families, comprising about 200 people. Under a big tree and while the children of farmers scatted about, we listened as each of the designated speakers took turns talking about an aspect of life in t

8/5/03 San Cristobal Today we visited the Centro Integral Para Capacitacion Indigena, or CIPCI. CIPCI provides vocational training to indigenous people in its location on the outskirts of San Cristobal. They have about 75 people on the school grounds being trained in such skills as auto repair, electronics, agriculture and a host of other skills. They live communally with an emphasis on self-sufficiency. They grow their own organic vegetables and raise chickens and rabbits. It is amazing how politically aware people are in this area. They know a tremendous amount about the issues of GMOs, agribusiness and globalization in general.

8/4/03 San Cristobal The NGO is Desarollo Economico Social de los Mexicanos Indigenes or DESMI, which in English stands for Economic and Social Development for Indigenus Mexicans. In the early 90's they broke off from the catholic church and now work in 16 communities in the state of Chiapas, helping develop collectives and offering small loans for community projects. They also offer support on Fair Trade issues and cooperatives. They are funded primarily by international organizations like Oxfam and others. They accept no support from the Mexican government, although at one time they were approached by the state governor (Pablo Salazar) to work on a joint project. The project was later revealed to be an effort to divide the indigenous communities and was soon rejected both by the indigenous communities and DESMI. In the afternoon, we attended a meeting with Amando Figueroa, lawyer, teacher and one time governor of the state of Chiapas, or at least he was elected go

8/3/03 San Cristobal After a walk through the plaza and the markets, we stopped at the first bar that looked reasonably interesting for a few beers. We had a ham sandwich and a small meat empanada and 4 or 5 Bohemias. Then Cassie got sick. That evening, a dinner was held at one of those oh-so-painfully hip vegetarian restaurants that are near the plaza. The dinner was arranged by the tour group for all the members of the tour to meet. Cassie complained of stomach pains and nausea and had to leave before the entrees were served. I walked her back to the hotel and then went back for my dinner. It was a difficult night for both of us, but far worse for her. 8/3/03 San Cristobal After breakfast, we reviewed the itinerary for the next 10 days or so. The most notable point of all of this is that the Zapatista rebels have declared that on August 8, 9 and 10 they will be throwing a party for the entire world to celebrate their transition from a miltary governement to a civil

8/3/03 San Cristobal We made a couple of miscalculations about the culture today. First, this is not an early rising culture, so being the first people on the street at 8:00 AM-ish will make you stick out like a sore thumb. Second, this was an especially bad day to be out early since it was Sunday and EVERYONE seemed to be at church, except for the Eurotrash. Today we found a cybercafe so we could be at least moderately plugged in while here, if only for narcicisstic (sp?) weblogs. This city caters to travelers, many who are on their way to Guatemala or Mexico City. In fact, many tourists appear oblivious to the rebels not far outside of town. Maybe they notice the governement soldiers with machine guns in the plaza (the site of the very first Zapatista action on the eve of NAFTA in 1994), but it does not seem to affect them. The first computer in the cyber cafe crashed hard in the middle of my first post, which set this weblog way behind. I am trying to catch up but I have

8/2/03 Tuxla Gutierrez If you are ever traveling through Latin America, give yourself a day at a Camino Real Hotel. They have beautiful facilities and truly outstanding breakfasts. I had a hearty couple of helpings of chililquilis and a few cups of excellent Chiapan coffee. The hotels are not cheap, but they are outstanding. Ok, enough of the commercial. After breakfast, we took a cab to Tuxla Gutierrez Zoo. The zoo was slightly lacking in animals due to a remodeling, but since it was free we really didn´t mind. The tourists were all Mexican except us. The most interesting part was these rats that roamed the grounds freely. As large as your average house cat, they were at once cool and disgusting. We ended up in frantic scramble through the bust terminal to catch the last bus to San Cristobal for the day. The bus was $3.80 USD to ride in a first class bus for the two hour trip, complete with a movie. The bus went up high in the mountains to San Cristobal.

8/1/03 Travel Day We left New Orleans at 10 PM and transferred in Houston to Mexico City. I think I would like to spend some time in Mexico City. It seems very cosmpolitan, or at least so by the looks of its airport. We arrived in Tuxla Gutierrez at about 6 PM. After a quick swim in the very swanky Camino Real pool, we had dinner at a restaurant called Las Pichanchas, which specialized in native (Chiapaneco, or Chiapan People´s food). We had an awesome dinner of tamales and Bohemias, for about $13 USD. Tuxla Gutierrez is not a pretty town -- it is the business capiatl of Chiapas state, and it shows. We walked back to the hotel from the restaurant for about an hour on Avenida Central. It had the feel of one of the Mexican towns that borders the US, with many homeless and a little bit grungy. It also has a Sam´s Club, and Office Depot and other staples of Generica. We're trying to decide what to do tomorrow. We will either explore Tuxla a little bit more or go stra

So, here's the e-mail I got today from my collaborator on the film: >Heat was accepted into the Atlanta Film Fest! >Holy Mother of Pearl! http://www.downstreamfest.com/2003films.html So, we have now broken into the world of the cheesy film fests!

Anyone who is actually paying attention to this site (or my social life for that matter) will notice that I haven't been too prolific lately. Basically, I bit off more than I could chew with school and I have been in a two month hell of my own making. this is not a whine, though. It was completely self-inflicted. It is an apology to anyone who I have neglected to promptly reply to.

OK, so I put up the beginnings of a long overdue photo project called The Bars of Central City . It really should be renamed though. It should be called "Some of the Bars of Central City." _The_ makes it seems so definitive when indeed it is not. However, it's a lot of work to change the title, so it will stand. It's a beginning anyway.

paraskevidekatriaphobia (pair.uh.skee.vee.dek.uh.tree.uh.FOH.bee.uh) n. Fear of Friday the 13th. --paraskevidekatriaphobic adj., n. --paraskevidekatriaphobe n.

http://www.melendez.org/cuba/cuba061103.html

Mondays are now a FOUR HOUR break between classes. I am actually enjoying the first block of unstructured time I can remember in a very long time.

Fun Stuff From My Home Town BUSTER SOUTHERLY, GREEN LEFT WEEKLY - On May 1, poet, teacher, youth poetry coach and Green Left Weekly writer Bill Nevins received a terse notice from the Rio Rancho School District informing him that he has been fired from his Rio Rancho High School teaching position, effective from August. Reasons for his termination were not stated. Nevins has requested an explanation. Nevins was suspended on March 17 from his job as a humanities teacher and coach of the RRHS Poetry Team/Write Club. RRHS is the largest public high school in New Mexico, built with funding from the Intel Corporation in the late 1990s. Nevins' suspension came soon after a student poetry club member read "Revolution X", an anti-government, anti-war social-commentary poem, over the school's closed-circuit TV system. Following Nevins' suspension, student poets were questioned by the RRHS administration and their poems were "investigated" for &

This week's theme: just how disgusted can we be with American media? Harper's Editor Accuses Media of Aiding U.S. War Propaganda http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030501/lf_nm/iraq_usa_media_dc_1 And even though this article reflects a pissing contest between billionaire media moguls, it's still a good read: Turner Calls Rival Media Mogul Murdoch 'Warmonger' http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=638&ncid=579&e=3&u=/nm/20030425/en_nm/media_turner_dc

Perfect for tax time! http://www.nationalpriorities.org/taxes/IncomeTaxCHart.html

The mood in the city right now is of anger. Anger at this very dark time in history and anger at this scary situation, regardless of whether you feel war is justified. People are drinking harder in bars, driving faster and operating on increasingly shorter fuses.

This guy is such a complete moron I can't even believe it: http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-0/104771311168115.xml Here's my friend Dave's response: Hahh, hahhh! Too funny!! The paper is right; every idea, even stupid ones, must run its course. I am saying, do away with the French Kiss. From now on, straight to blow jobs. dave

We need to share more of everything without reservation. I know this to be true and know that real progress occurs only when we share selflessly, but I’m trying to work something out. Let’s see if I can define the problem first, see if the problem is real and logical (?). I borrow liberally from other people’s ideas to better improve the way I communicate, act, think and basically exist. If I see a good idea, I first try to understand its basic form, why it works and how it can be repurposed for some need I have. I think this is healthy and is what defines humans as smart monkeys. The frustrating part of this is needless duplication. For example, if you think my idea for say, a newspaper on the plight of minimum wage workers is really a good one and you decide to use the concept for a newspaper on I don’t know, let’s say ironwork, I think that you have effectively repurposed my idea and that is commendable. My concern is that when you try to start your own newspaper on the

Reprinted from FAIR http://www.fair.org Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. This year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day comes as the U.S. is moving toward war in Iraq. As media prepare to air retrospectives on King, we thought it would be a good time to circulate this 1995 column by FAIR founder Jeff Cohen and FAIR associate Norman Solomon. ------------------ Media Beat, January 4, 1995 The Martin Luther King You Don't See on TV By Jeff Cohen and Norman Solomon It's become a TV ritual: Every year in mid-January, around the time of Martin Luther King's birthday, we get perfunctory network news reports about "the slain civil rights leader." The remarkable thing about this annual review of King's life is that several years-- his last years-- are totally missing, as if flushed down a memory hole. What TV viewers see is a closed loop of familiar file footage: King battling desegregation in Birmingham (1963); reciting his dream of r