From our Mailbag 11/18/00 - 12/01/00
And you wrote us because...?
From Bob P, Marietta, OH, USA:
I have to tell you that the new issue is splendid, from the stunning article on Chechnya to the excellent piece on Cuba.
I'm currently reading a book called "Cuba on My Mind: Journeys to a Severed Nation," by Romain de la Campa, a native of Cuba who returned for an extended visit last year.
Even Phala Ray-Orians contributed a worthwhile article, one which needed some punching up, but the tone came through. İ Your column, as always, is worthwhile reading. It always reads so effortlessly, which means you must have worked hard to achieve that effect. İ
Kevin Carey seems to strike me good one week, so-so the next. This week's is on the good side. I like it when he delves into politics, and British politics always seem fascinating. His eyes interpreted the U.S. election pretty well.
Even Raheem clicked. He's best when he writes long enough.İ This one seemed just right.
I've yet to make up my mind on Charlie the Tuna. I'm somewhere in the middle right now. All in all,İan outstanding week.İ
Congrats!
Bob
From Dale Rabiner, J Curve Records, , USA:
SUBJECT: Cincinnati Jazz Collection Reviewed
Dear Bob,
Many thanks for your fine review-we are delighted that you enjoyed CJC Vol. 111.
Hope you have a great holiday.
Best regards,
Dale Rabiner
J Curve Records
From Sam H., [No City Provided,] USA:
A history professor from UppsalaİUniversitet in Sweden, called to tellİme about an article she had read inwhich a Zimbabwe politician was quotedİas saying that children should study thisİeventİclosely for it shows that election fraudİis not only a third world phenomena.
1. Imagine that we read of an electionİoccuring anywhere in the third world inİwhich the self-declared winner was the sonİof the former prime minister and thatİformer prime minister was himself the formerİhead of that nation's secret police (CIA).
2. Imagine that the self-declared winnerİlost the popular vote but won based on someİold colonial holdover (electoral college) fromİthe nation's pre-democracy past. İ
3. Imagine that the self-declared winner'sİ'victory' turned on disputed votes castİin a province governed by his brother!
4. Imagine that the poorly drafted ballotsİof one district, a district heavily favoringİthe self-declared winner's opponent, ledİthousands of voters to vote for the wrongİcandidate.
5. Imagine that that members of that nation'sİmost despised caste, fearing for theirİlives/livelihoods, turned out in recordİnumbers to vote in near-universal oppositionİto the self-declared winner's candidacy.
6. Imagine that hundreds of members of thatİmost-despised caste were intercepted on theirİway to the polls by state police operatingİunderİthe authority of the self-declared winner'sİbrother.
7. Imagine that six million people voted inİtheİdisputed province and that the self-declaredİwinner's 'lead' was only 327 votes. Fewer,İcertainly, than the vote counting machines'İmargin of error.
8. Imagine that the self-declared winner andİhis political party opposed a more carefulİby-hand inspection and re-counting of theİballots in the disputed province or in itsİmost hotly disputed district.
9. Imagine that the self-declared winner,İhimself a governor of a major province, hadİthe worst human rights record of any provinceİinİhis nation and actually led the nation inİexecutions.
10. Imagine that a major campaign promise ofİtheİself-declared winner was to appointİlike-mindedİhuman rights violators to lifetime positionsİon the high court of that nation.
None of us would deem such an election toİbe representative of anything other thanİthe self-declared winner's will-to-power.İAll of us, I imagine, would wearily turn theİpage thinking that it was another sadİtale of pitiful pre- or anti-democracy peoplesİin some strange elsewhere." İ Hmmm.....what country did you say this was in?
ROD RESPONDS: Ya' know, Sam, I've received 57 copies of this Internet gem. I will give it to you that yours was among the first ten, though.
From Carl S., Venice, CA, USA:
Subject: Powerssound
When I first came to your 'zine back in March, I had to ask myself why you ran a music column at a news site. But over time I figured out
1. You do mention "commentary" on your logo
2 - This is one of the most informative music columns I can find anywhere on the Web.
I just wish your guy would write about more contemporary music and more commercial labels. What if you dropped your outre stance for a while and did reviews of popular artists whose works are easy to find on or off the Web?
Just my two-cents.
Keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Carl S.
From Mary W., (No City Provided,)USA:
Very informative, however, you quote individuals, and then do not give the source of the quotation. For instance, Carla Binion in An Open Letter to the Mainstream News Media, quoted Michael Parenti quoting John Swintek in his address to the New York Press Club about the lack of a free press, etc. I have read this other places, but I need to know WHERE Parenti quoted him? Can you get that information for me? I need it for a paper I am writing. Please let me know which of Parenti's books he talks about this.
ROD RESPONDS: Mary, thanks for writing. I've been unable to reach Carla for quite a while now, sadly.
If you follow our coverage, I think you'll see that we do our best efforts to directly source material in our articles. But third-hand quotes are difficult to track for a small site like this one. We leave it to the authors to directly quote the first-hand subject. My best suggestion is that you contact Mr. Parenti directly to source this quote.
From Kyle S., LSU, Baton Rouge, LA, USA:
I am writing a paper on the low turnout of black republicans in Louisiana.İ If you look at the 95 gubenatorial and 96 presidential elections you find that black republican turnout is considerably lower than white republicans, democtats and black democrats.İ Black republicans consistently put up numbers ranging from as low as 14% in one parish and only as high as 61.9% in another.
In most parishes turnout ranged fromİ30-50%.
I was hoping that you could give me some insight onİwhy you think that their turnout is so low.
Thanks İ
ROD RESPONDS: Kyle,
Thanks for visiting G21 and writing! It's appreciated.
I could certainly look into this issue, or have one of our correspondents do so, but I believe you'd learn more from people there "on the ground" in Louisiana than from any insights we might be able to provide. I'm flattered that you considered soliciting our analysis, but our experience has been that the closer to the people involved you are the more accurate your assessment.
Regards,
Rod
From Terry L. T. Cloverdale, CA, USA:
SUBJECT: The Thrashmeister is HERE!
Von Braunschweiger
You knave. Your insane outburst can be considered only on the face value of what it reveals - that is to say the ravings of a lunatic!
Beware, Von Braunschweiger I say, beware of rashness in the face of your acknowledged Master and thank the Gods that 3000 miles separates you from another humiliating boot licking at the feet of your Hun Lord. Fie, and when we next meet with a board between us I will once again whip your raggedy Aryan ass for as many times as you can schtand.
I remain your Most Obedient Servant,
VH
From Rod Amis, Baltimore, MD, USA:
Van Helsing!
I see you have finally come from hiding. You are a very brave man, Herr Doktor, for one who has lived but a single lifetime.
AND KNOW THIS, Van Helsing: Three thousand miles is but a single step for the one destined to humiliate you before The World! It has been years since you challenged anyone, other than your little granddaughter, to a game of chess, let alone sat in front of a board with a formidable challenger! And you dare to challenge your living nemesis!!!
I think it is YOU who should beware, Van Helsing. You are the one who can only play chess with little girls.
Your insane ravings do not intimidate me!
Come strong, Van Helsing. Come strong.
Your Respectful Colleague,
VB
From Ron M., San Francisco, CA, USA:
SUBJECT: Tori "Stuff" Spelling
All that gold and and all that work and the bitch is still butt ugly...
Ron
From Ed C., Bloomfield, MI, USA:
Re:Cantarella vs. Tuna
Actually, I read and enjoyed most of Tuna's articles; however, I was stricken by two particular articles, "Liar,Liar" and "Not Getting Any".
I guess what really appalled me, was how they both promotedİHUMAN INTERACTION PATTERNS that are heavily and consistantly based on LIES, DISHONESTY, PAIN, SUFFERING AND INCONSISTANCY. Things that I thought G21 was NOT about.
"Liar,Liar"İ - "What the hell was that!" she screams, shaking and crying.İ "What you talking about?" you say. "I just saw you in there with---"İ "No you didn't! What? You gonnah believe ME or your lyin' eyes? Huh?"
Yes, I know people cheat, and yes, I've been "tempted". But you know you are gonna hurt someone. And chances are, you would be hurt too - most people are when it comes to sexual betrayal, because so much IS shared, in the course of getting nasty.
"Girl, you better ask that doctor about your Prozac prescription! I think he givin' you too many damned pills. I'm your man, and I just told you nothin' was happening."
Ok, so you are either a nice guy who had befriended a woman who needed to take Prozac, or you DROVE her to it.
"Nothing was happening"?
Nobody got lynched out in the swamp, nobody got laid off because of their color, nobody cheated someone else? Yeah, Right.İ
My Real Message for Tuna CHarlie is: Why admit, and expect "High Fives" in a forum that generally caters to a slightly "High Minded" crowd?
You're just kinda fouling up the ideological air of this mag when you talk that kind of TRASH!
Talk nasty, talk about good ways for people to hook up, talk about people who are swinging - we'll be mildly amused VICARIOUSLY, like TV.
But don't RECOMMEND this behaviour and expect it to be readily accepted.İ The reader and writership of G21 have consistently shown appreciation for "Positive Human Interaction, based On Co-Operation", NOT, "ASSURED MUTUAL DESTRUCTION".
AS ALWAYS: GET BEYOND HARD, GET LAID!
EC
From Phala Ray-Orians, (No City Provided,) MI, USA:
Dear Charlie:
My name is Phala -- P-H-A-L-A. What's in a name, everything! From what
you've written, I'm sure you can appreciate my sentiment, "Listen up, Mr.
Ed! It's Charlie the Tuna, not 'Tuna Charlie' . . ."
Although he has been corrected numerous times, that ambulance chaser
persists in misspelling my name too. 'Phayla' reflects his reminiscence of
someone he knew named 'Kayla' and a misprint of my name in the phone
directory. He apparently believes that he knows best and I must be just
another dim-bulbed broad that doesn't even know her own name -- typical
"Boys in the Band" bullshit. IMO, Mr. Ed deserves this epitaph, "Those see
nothing but faults that seek for nothing else." --Thomas Fuller
But, to use your phrase, "Enough about that loser!"
However, Mr. Ed's antithetical posture brings to mind an assertion I hold
with regards to the roots of abuse. Have you noticed that when impotent
bully-boys see their control of the other dudes on the playground slip, to
assert themselves and foster an illusion of their alleged dominance, they
beat up on the girls. And, unfortunately, some of the other guys think
they're KEWL for doing so and thank them for "putting the bitches in their
place!" How chauvinistic, misogynistic, and down-right latent! And, for any
man who applauds that juvenile attitude, I guarantee them that their
prospects for "getting" anything of value are nigh onto non-existent!
To get back on point, you expound on the economic connection between the
sexes as the predominate motivation for sexual interaction and relationship
sustenance. However, to use a boxing metaphor, are you as intrigued by the
fact that a man who has a stalwart woman in his corner invariably wins
life's bouts and -- due to their woman's diligence and assistance -- remains
a contender longer? If Stella had stayed, Stanley would have restored his
competitive edge! As I agree with your summation that any woman worth having should be fully aware of her own "net worth" -- it's the double-bottom line that counts -- contemplate this: If Stella had her own capital, they would have moved away from the waterfront and Stanley would never have been in the position to have lost his pride or his life.
You might reply, "Yeah, we remain alive but, we wish we were dead!" Again,
consider this . . . Suicide predominates among SINGLE men (however, not
among single women)! Even unhappily married men prefer their meager creature comforts to the prospect of none at all! Coupling promotes existing life not just procreation of new life.
Note: Did you notice that I mixed my character's identities in the preceding
allusion? Just checking! The Stella/Stanley alliteration scanned better
than Stella/Terry -- and, "Streetcar . . ." and "On the Waterfront" seemed
an excellent pairing. However, Brando's screaming in the streets turn me on
regardless of the vehicle! After I saw "Young Lion's," I had my first
erotic dream -- came out in 1958; so, I was seven! Hey, RA, FYI: Brando was
a DOUBLE Aires.
I suppose that if you're the type of man predisposed to be slothful,
sluggish, and indolent, females are an anathema. We have been endowed with a propensity to inspire and motivate (our detractors call it "nagging"). The Muses were the nine DAUGHTERS of Mnemosyne and Zeus - there are no male Muses! You argue, "But, Zeus' lust wore out his paramour, if she could have kept popping them out, he would have kept trying for a son. To which I
reply, "Some gods do know when enough is enough -- why spoil the excellence of that perfect order which they had created." Myths and legends are antiquities lessons. If contemporary humans would study the pantheon's
timeless instructions, we would be less apt to repeat our past blunders.
To return to modern mythology, another predisposition of your gender's that
I find curious -- Why do many men rail against women for our alleged
imposition of the role as sexual initiators upon them and then turn around
and condemn an aggressive woman when she expresses her sexual desire for
them both directly and graphically? I find this to be both a fallacious and
fatuous position, a no-winner for all. I surmise that those men who employ
this example of "sophomoric" logic and skewed values must indeed be losers
of the first order (and, hey, why take responsibility for your own fallacies
when it's so much easier and more convenient to blame someone else -- i.e.
the 'Other').
I prefer to associate with men who know what it takes to be winners. In my
estimation, these are men whom possess the sense to know that when a strong, smart, savvy, sexual woman is on their side, they willingly take advantage of the opportunity she presents and use it to further their mutual success and prosperity. These men understand that in the grand design, their "babe" contributes more to their health and wealth than their "bros" or "buds" ever could. Now, that's a man with potential -- a man who merits the keen consideration of all "good" women. And by his acceptance of her assistance, when he inevitably succeeds, he's able and should be more than inclined to share his excess bounty with her who exalted him and enabled him to be all she conceived him to be. And, by anyone's re-count, they both emerge as "certified" sexual, spiritual, social, psychical, and economical winners.
Charlie the T, maybe, if you (and others of your gender) would use your
on-top head to think more like a winner, you'd discover that your other hard
head's needs would be satisfied too. Just a Suggestion.
In closing and for your rumination, I ask (and to quote Tina), "What's love
got to do with it?". However, that's a topic for another discussion -- if
you're up to it. Our esteemed editor LUVS "flame-wars" -- will we oblige
him?
Phala
From Dan V., San Francisco, CA, USA:
Rod -
Please forward this and my appreciation to Radio Raheem for his update on Thanksgiving.
I think when it comes to Thanksgiving, we're all on the front lines, because you really have to deal with all of society when the family gets together.
I went back home to Upstate NY last Thanksgiving (first time I'd done that since I'd moved to San Francisco in 1984), and what a treat it was to go to my uncle's house and listen to him opine, in between helpings of mashed potatoes, about the virtues of the NRA. Yes, Rod, that NRA.
Lot of my cousins have done some military time, too, which gives them a world perspective that has nothing to do with human rights, if you know what I mean and I think you do. It was also a lovely wee pleasure having to explain that I was 40, living in San Francisco, and not dating anyone at the time. Folks were making some calculations; I could see the math flashing in their eyes. Thank goodness for my Mom: the token liberal (by Upstate standards) of the family.
Sounds like Radio Raheem made it through the festivities relatively unscathed, and maybe that's something to be thankful in itself. Glad he wasn't pummeled by any wide loads. Never heard that term in Upstate, but they do have the term "heavy duty beauties."
Best to both of you. And neither one of you has tasted fine food until you've tried peanut butter pie!
Dan
From Irving C. [No City Provided,] USA:
Your international coverage is some of the best I've read. But lately you seem to be leaning back to US news, like everyone else.
Don't switch your emphasis.
AND your favorite e-mails from The World's Mailbox
From Andreas B., [No City Provided,] AUSTRIA:
hello everybody !
Please take a few moments of your time and read this mail. And if you are fascinated by the idea and you think that the lovewave idea is supportable - copy the text in a new mail and let every possible people know about.
As also the people who do not have access to the internet would perhaps like to join the idea, it would be very good, if you could tell it to you friends and relatives ... and also to people you do not ( yet ) know. If you are gifted in languages, kindly improve the translations that are already included or translate the text into other languages in order to be attached. Send also a copy to lovewave@lovexchange.com for the extension of the lovewave website.
wave of love 010101
The feeling, with which you start something, is likely to acompany you the following time ... wouldn't it be beautiful to start the new year 2001, the new millennium with the strongest feeling in the world, namely the love ?
Of course you know what 100 000s of people can experience watching a sport game or listening to a concert --- the same enthusiastic feeling at the same time --- we all 6 billion humans can experience that great common energy, when we think, feel, say or express otherwise the same feeling at the same time, for example the words "i love you" / "i love the world" / "i love to live" in any language* --- "i love you" to the people we know, people we do not know, to both our friends and enemies, "i love you" to mother earth, to all beings --- let us do this wave of love for the first time at new year's eve 2001 ... to welcome a new age at 010101 --- as one nation, one race, one unity of love
in order to find a kind of plan, there are three possibilities to join the first wave of love as far as time is concerned:
1: within the 48 hours from the beginning of 31.12.2000 till the end of 01.01.2001
i think, feel, say or express otherwise " i love you " 2: within 31.12.2000 23.45 pm and 0.15 am of 01.01.2001 of my local time
i think, feel, say or express otherwise " i love you " 3: within 31.12.2000 23.45 pm and 01.01.2001 0.15 am greenwich main time (gmt )
i think, feel, say or express otherwise " i love you "
these three possibilities allow people all over the world at one side to freely chose the moment to participate in the global lovewave and on the other side the greatest focussing of attention will be at possibility three
you can visit a website of the lovewave at http://www.8ung.at/abc/lovewave.html and see the global ongoing actions connected to this idea and you can also interact there in a messageboard ( forum ) ...
From Piyush K., Muzzafar Nagar, INDIA:
Life time Opportunity.
Going Platinum is a new co-operative online community that PAYS YOU and is certain to change the way that you use the Internet forever! Just click on the link below to get in the excitement! What are you waiting for? It's FREE!!
Life time Opportunity.
Going Platinum is a new co-operative online community that PAYS YOU and is certain to change the way that you use the Internet forever! Just click on the link below to get in the excitement! What are you waiting for? It's FREE!!
http://www.goingplatinum.com/member/piyush
piyush
pk2212@vsnl.com
From Tiffany Cha-cha, New York, NY, USA:
IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS
Allright, just have to interrupt your day to tell you about the SHOWDOWN. This is the first installment of our MP3 of the week contest and we have 2 challengers that are gonna blow your mind. Visit http://www.bla-bla.com/members/realbla/music.cfm?pid=44100 and listen and vote. Also find out how you can get in on the act with YOUR music.
And while you are out on the prowl, check out http://www.websitegear.com. This is the spot for STUFF. Bla stuff and bla network merch. Yup, t-shirts, mugs, mouse pads. To start your own store go to http://icp.websitegear.com
So that's it for now. Have a crazy weekend and check out those MP3's.
Best,
Tiffany Chacha
Cyber Queen
www.bla-bla.com
From Janet H., New York, NY, USA:
WeÌd like to inform you of several new worldwide projects in human rights education you might be interested in sharing with your readers. To follow is a brief summary. For further information, please contact Janet Helin, Director, HREI at hrei@human-rights.net.
The Human Rights Educational Initiative (HREI) was created and is directed by Janet Helin (PhD Candidate, UPenn) in New York City, USA with the cooperation of several consultants worldwide. The HREI has participants in 30 countries, with new participants joining every day. If you are interested in joining, please visit our website at www.human-rights.net/HREI. The HREI was founded in 1998 as a cooperative international effort among Civic Education Project (CEP) Fellows from various countries and members of the local community in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Our mission is to facilitate human rights education worldwide and to overcome lack of resources through innovative self-funding projects on the Internet and in local communities.
The HREI publishes the online journal, "Humans Write" and has just launched three new programs:
The Humans Write Community Program --- a self-funding program that will encourage international collaboration on edited works to be published as part of a worldwide human rights instructional campaign. This program consists of three projects: one for high school student participants, one for university student participants, and one for non-student adult participants. Electronic proposals are due by March 31, 2001. Online editing and writing instruction will be provided and interaction among collaborators encouraged. A call for proposals and detailed instructions are available from Janet Helin, Editor, at hrei@human- rights.net. Please indicate whether you are inquiring about the high school, university, or non-student project(s).
The HREI Online Training Program --- a voluntary effort to create an interactive, dynamic and evolving training program that can be incorporated in part or in its entirety into traditional classrooms or civic education efforts. The HREI is in the process of producing a guidebook with interactive CD to facilitate participation in this program. To participate in program development and related online and community projects, please write to hrei@human-rights.net and ask for our Online Training Program participation checklist --- please indicate whether you are interested in learning about human rights or in instructing about human rights, or both.
The HREI Round Table Program --- a project created to support round table conferences on human rights issues at the local level. For details, please contact hrei@human-rights.net.
Thank you for your interest in the HREI. We look forward to your participation.
Janet Helin
Director, HREI
hrei@human-rights.net
www.human-rights.net/HREI
From Andreas B., [No City Provided,] AUSTRIA:
The Global Consciousness Project (GCP) is an international effort involving researchers from several institutions and countries, designed to explore whether the construct of interconnected consciousness can be scientifically validated through objective measurement. The project builds on excellent experiments conducted over the past 35 years at a number of laboratories, demonstrating that human consciousness interacts with random event generators (REGs), apparently "causing" them to produce non-random patterns.
http://noosphere.princeton.edu/010101.html