journal.melendez.org

http://www.bushpresident2004.com/

André Breton (1896-1966) lives, France. Poet, essayist, critic, editor, communist, surrealist, promoter. Artaud: Does Surrealism still hold the same importance in the organization & disorganization of our lives? Breton: It is all mud, almost entirely composed of flowers. http://www.creative.net/~alang/lit/surreal/writers.sht#Breton

Music Activists should definitely check this out: http://www.downhillbattle.org/

If you give me six lines written by the most honest man, I will find something in them to hang him. -Cardinal Richelieu, or some neighborhood associations

P.W., HIS MAGIC EDUCATION AS A POET

To be sensual, I think, is to respect and rejoice in the force of life, of life itself, and to be present in all that one does, from the effort of loving to the making of bread. -James A. Baldwin

Wow, I have been slow on the journal lately. I had better get back in to the habit before the avalanche of Mardi Gras is upon us in full force. For those of you not based in New Orleans, Mardi Gras Day, which is on February 24 of this year, is only the denouement of the carnival season. The most significant parades start about two weeks before Mardi Gras Day, as well as the attendant festivities. As the parade routes are distributed through many parts of the city, almost no one who lives in the core of the city is far away from a parade, so many people have parties or at least, open houses with bathrooms, near parade routes. It's a remarkably social time in a city that is already remarkably social. It's also a time that not too much happens in a city known for not having too much happening in it. Efficiency experts and bankers may decry this time of slack, but I think one of the healthiest things about New Orleans is the occasional party. Pressure valve for the city. A...

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...