2004

by Clive Whistle/PoorNewsNetwork Community Journalist

So my question is how did a white middle class man well-known for his extremely wealthy friends win this race - No, it wasn't because of Al Gore, Nancy Pelosi or even Mr. Bill ( Clinton, that is) . these roll-over democans only had a mild impact, mostly just insulting the intelligence of politically savy San Franciscans with their slavery to the Democratic party political machine over all other ethical considerations

No the secret weapon of this wealthy white boy was the Brown machine, and i do mean Brown, literally and figuratively, brown and black folk - several of them very low-income - living in neighborhoods predominantly filled with people of color, galvanized by Willie Brown's "machine" i.e., The A. Philip Randolph Institute, ( aka A.P.R.I.) and the fake race card- Gonzalez is a racist! and other claims by Willie and his right-hand man, the Rev Amos Brown.

I know all of this first-hand because as a previously homeless, very low-income Black man who has lived in the projects ( Sunnydale), in shelters, and works with mostly homeless San Franciscans of color, I have been courted by APRI in the projects and in the shelters. And the hilarious part of this "organizing effort" is not only that Newsom's power base is born from pillars of institutionalized racism and classism, but as well, the laws and legislations backed by Newsom, i.e, PRop N which is intentionally racist, as most of the people it targets are on welfare and/or homeless and also happen to be people of color, as well as the completely useless and superfluous Prop M - a legislation that had already been in place but just allowed people to hate on panhandlers a little more and then of course, Newsoms votes against public power, endless votes against renters and for property owners and on and on...

In previous elections APRI has been more flagrant with their persuasions about who or what to vote for, ( Willie, Amos, etc) this time around they were very circumspect, publicly saying that we should just vote! and privately saying Newsom is the man. But their cover was blown on the last Sunday before the election when APRI hosted the get out the vote "rally" at City Hall , pulling the heavy weights like Cecil Williams and even Jessie Jackson ( by phone), actually bringing up the history of the fight of black folks to win the vote in the 60's over a loud speaker, the wealthy white boy nowhere to be seen. and then the clincher of all this "brown- imaging" was the strong showing on camera of people of color at the Clinton PArty in the Newsom headquarters.

Now I know that people are afraid of Bush and therefore afraid of the democratic machine losing any power, but that's not what would have happened - I, would never have voted for a republicrat like Newsom and yet I do plan to vote for a democrat, any democrat, in the presidential election, not a green, just to get rid of the Bush-Terror. All I am saying is - some people are accusing the green party and Gonzalez of not doing enough organizing in communities of color and i would argue that no, they did organize in communities of color - the Bayview , The mission, Chinatown, Ingleside - the problem is they are fighting a well-oiled, high financed, "machine" - financed I might add, not by the people of color it is galvanizing, but by the rich white people who are behind Gavin and Willie.

by Joe B.

I was half listening in 2002 last year when I hear "I want to bring new life into the world."

It slips my mind at the time as one loses track of things especially verbally.

One year I’m oblivious to a new life forming in my bosses womb.

By the time its noticed by me most of the female interns have the scoop while I’m still unaware.

There’s not much to say except there is scrambling for eating, drinking, and rest as my so active A.D.D. [Attention Deficit Disorder]employer and the father is and artist with A.D.D. too.

I’m thinking this isn’t good for loyal employee number 1. I’m to remind my boss and mother to be to eat meat, dairy products, ice cream, cheese omelets and other kinds of fattening foods so the alien (that’s what she calls the growing embryo growing inside her).
can gain weight and be a healthy child when finally born.

But its hard for someone used to practicing kick boxing, writing and performing play, creating poetry, plus running a non profit business helping to empower low to no income working poor people and families to drop everything, rest, and eat fattening foods for a new life within her.

It has to be a slow gradual process and being a man the best I could do is remind her "Its not about you, its about that new life in you but you do have to take care of yourself as best you can for both you and her/him.

Later I found out it will be a boy and boys need protein so do girls but it seems boys might need more.

Eventually she began to show looking like someone trying to shoplift a bowling ball from Target, K-Mart, or discount dollar stores.

On the one hand its on another I secretly worried knowing of another friend much younger nearly died from hospital staff infection.

When I saw her holding her child, the father standing by her it is a relief though seeing her tired and drained of blood from her face and arms well…

What joy for her is tempered with what almost happened.

Keeping my emotions under control that night I was able to walk a bit before taking a bus home letting the full rush of those emotions held in check.

Would Tiny have to go through this or will her child be an easier birth?

Both of these at different stages in their lives chose to give birth and for one it was almost a death sentence I pray it to easier in Tiny’s case.

There is yet another friend I’m worried about too but I sure she’ll make a great mother and take extreme care of herself besides whether with extra pounds or less she’s always a delectable.

The man who has her heart and soul is a blessed if he can also match her intellect, political awareness and sensitivity.

The Party was on Sunday, August, 10th. Ms. Ashley and Mrs. Non, Nun, None (I must ask her how to spell it) are with me in Ms. Ashley’s car headed to a warehouse in Oakland across the bay.

Its pack with friends of the family, people traveled from across country, across the bay and some I don’t from how far they traveled to be here?

Presents, food, a well trained dog, lovely women, guys with beer, and the guest or couple of honor.

There is a toast for an easy birth and that the child be a rabble rousing genius.

It was a great party I’m glad I went.

I’m deep in though while talking to Mrs. Non and the Ashley about the nearness of Mars and Venus trading places in months to come and how men, women, and people are getting into fights.

We see a full moon looming to left of us as drove back into San Francisco.

I rarely talk about politics, politicians, or political issues but Ashley and I conversed about how our old world is changing so fast and the few dinosaurs cannot let go, as Mars looms ever closer to earth.

We hug when she stopped her car across the street from my home, wishing each other safe journeys before parting.

I’m in my bed thinking


1) Am I good father material?

2) Will I ever get married, have children to prove it?


3) Some fertile men help make children but make lousy father’s or some are sterile yet are great nurturer’s to children not genetically their own, which am I?

4) Women it seems have a sense who is father material and who’s not; if they know what clues do men give that tells them?
And finally.

5) If I am lucky enough to be chosen by a woman to be a parent; in the quiet of a garage or bathroom if I let tears fall out my eyes because of a joy I cannot contain if my wife catches me in full flood would she think me as being weak, close a door leaving me along or join me placing her gentle hand and enfold me in her tender embrace?

These questions will remain until I become a full realized human and that means if not fatherhood then marriage sharing a life with another building or lives together.

Maybe fatherhood or marriage isn’t in the cards for me, I don’t know but if women can and do brave all kinds of mental anguish, abuse, hurts, emotional turmoil, the least I can do is be by her side; the one who chose me to be to be her mate hopefully for life and beyond.

Any Thoughts on the matter men, women, children, or young adults?


PS. Poor Magazine web site under reconstruction = reconfigured(some web designer tinkering with to improve it… again.)

Donations C/0 Poor Magazine


1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Ace Tafoya/PoorNewsNetwork Community Journalist

Dawn was only hours away as my sister Toni lay on her soft mattress that early Saturday morning. 'Captain Cargo", 'Fat Albert' and 'The Wacky Races' would meet my eyes yet her eyes would only see red. "Pick up those tomatoes girl," the pale supervisor said in that hot summer San Joaquin valley heat. "Make sure you pick up everything! I'm watching you!" Toni was out in the fields along with other workers picking up tomatoes. She was in her early teens.

On Saturday, September 20, San Francisco in conjunction with other cities had a march for Immigrant Rights. I, the son of poor immigrant farmworkers who was expected to join my siblings in the fields just to help my family survive joined thousands of supporters and immigrants who chanted at Yerba Buena Gardens and proceeded down Market Street in a send-off event for the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, a national movement to build support for reform of U.S. policy. Inspired by the Freedom Rides of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960's, Immigrant workers and friends will set out across the country for a series of rallies and educational forums. The buses will stop at 11 cities before arriving in Washington, DC on October 1st to meet with members of Congress. From there, the new Freedom Riders of 2003 will come to their destination of New York City for a massive rally on Saturday, October 4.

Jean Damu, a San Francisco Freedom Rider was all set for the march and the rally. "It's an important expression," he said to me before the march started. "As a Black worker, it's important to make this statement of expression and solidarity. It's an issue of color. We don't 'round up white immigrants whether legal or illegal and send them back to Europe, they (the I.N.S.) only 'round up the people of color who are immigrants." Damu was too young to participate in the first Freedom Ride, so I asked him why he wanted to make this ride. "Because my history as a worker in this country has shown that solidarity amongst workers is extremely important. All workers need to solidify. This is important in terms of globalization. Workers around the world have to express solidarity."

When the march started I asked Samantha Hynes, a local resident, what did the march mean to her. "I think this march will be a historic moment in (the) history of the U.S. I think that people will recognize this and identify with the 60's Freedom Rides." Samantha joined her friends and Tonya Miles of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionist CBTU. "It's a great event and a great initial start to really get out the information about 'No on 54' (the classification by race, ethnicity, color, or national origin initiative), and the whole thing about working together and unity." The warm air swept through the garden. "Yes, considering the crunch we're in right now, it's not possible, but definitely something we could pull the state back up as well as the nation," she responded when I asked her if the minimum wage should be increased.

The Freedom Riders plan to highlight four major issues as they journey across the country: 1) establishing a clear road for immigrants to become citizens; 2) humane and timely procedures for reunifying immigrant workers with their families; 3) improving workplace conditions for immigrants; and 4) protecting the civil rights and civil liberties of all. The festival was sponsored by The Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, a collaborative effort between community organizations, interfaith groups, labor unions and elected officials.

When we reached Civic Center/City Hall Park we we're greeted by Mariachis, African drummers, Arabic singers, Filipino stick dancers and Gray Davis. "I'm so proud to join all my colleagues on stage today to honor the new Freedom Riders," said the Governor. Standing next to him was Dolores Huerta, Co-Founder of the United Farm Workers and a national hero to me, yet he continued, "I'm proud of you taking the trip across America. I know, everywhere you go, you will spread good will, you will remind people that America's economy has been, is now, and always will be dependent on the important work immigrants do."

by Joe B.

A Gamma Bomb won’t turn people into "Hulk" like mutated beings.

Do we really need more radiation weapons?

All I can say about the above is Have We’ve Gone Insane?

Now gonna worry about that but what about this Zero Point Energy business. Oh, we don’t have one yet cause we’re still in dead dino fossil fuels.

Looks like certain technologies are either being buried, suppressed, ignored, or being bought off by multi international corporate interests.

Though our applied sciences have been retarded, slowed buy those in government still thinking in 19th century terms they can no longer slow the natural process of innovation.

If America does not step up the plate other countries just as innovative will speed ahead as we continue stumbling behind because of 19th century minds stalling to suck up as much money as they can while refusing to go with the flow of inevitable technical change.

Wether its hydroelectric ,geothermal, hydrogen, solar, wind/wave, exotic matter, or zero point energies and others we may not know of now but will use in future the science and technology is already here and corporate dinosaurs must either join, help speed the change, or go out of existence unlike evolution in haphazard sometimes slow or quick spurts business must change quicker or they go out of business which means die.

On September 1, 2003 The Muni Railway Co. wants to up the Adult passes from $35 to $45, youth/senior monthly pass from $8 to $10 and no more disabled pass altogether and finally raise the para transit lift altogether.

Its bad enough that services are cut, busses are run late some of them in need or repairs, bad brakes causing maiming or fatally killing people.

I remember hearing of something like this before or after my birth in 1954.

The Montgomery Boycott that started spontaneously then with young Rev. Martin Luther King became a sustained bus boycott.

As the bus company lost money because most of the citizen’s riding are black and poor.

We might have to do this again only we have rainbow folks most of who are working poor lets see how much Muni can stand without money from the very customers they’re short shrift. San Francisco is already no-car and family city the bus-rail and Bart, company must learn again without the people’s input of cash they have no power.

I think we can do this again, what do you think?


Donations C/0 Poor Magazine


1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

Email:
askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Lynda Carson

feed the hungry

give drink to the thirsty

welcome the stranger

clothe the naked

visit the sick

visit the prisoner

bury the dead

On May 14 2003, the Alameda County Medical Center
(ACMC) announced that public hearings on the proposed
closure of two county medical clinics were set for May
20, 2003. As it turned out, by the end of the
hearings, Fairmont Ambulatory Care Clinic at 15400
Foothill Blvd., San Leandro, CA, and Central Health
Center, 470 - 27th Street Oakland, CA, were being
scheduled for closure by the end of June 2003.
Expected annual savings from the closure of the two
county clinics are $4,464,937 and it's expected to
affect around 25,000 patients a year, including 11,000
of them who are not insured in the ACMC system.
According to a statement from the official press
release, around 8,301 patients may be able to recieve
care in other ACMC systems, but, 17,378 adult patients
would need to be accommodated by other health care
providers to avoid delays in health care provision
caused by the reduction of services at the Alameda
County Medical Center.

There was no mention in the press release as to where
those other needed health care providers may actually
exist to accomodate those 17,378 patients that were
about to get the bums rush out of the two county
out-patient clinics scheduled to be closed.

The clinic closures are opposed by the community at
large, plus the patients, advocacy groups, physicians,
and affected staff in the two clinics.
In a move to stop the clinic closures, patient
advocacy groups hit a brick wall after they filed suit
for a request for a preliminary injunction which was
denied on June 26, 2003 by Alameda County Superior
Court Judge Steven Brick.

While making his ruling that could have stopped the
clinic closures, Judge Brick said that he was not
persuaded that the level of health care for the
patients would fall below the minimum standards even
though some of the patients testimony was
"compelling."

More than a dozen patients and their advocates
appeared in court to offer testimony opposing the
clinic closures before the ruling was handed down, and
they were stunned by Judge Bricks decision. To no
avail, the advocacy groups that filed suit to keep the
clinics open argued that the county was neglecting
civil rights codes under state welfare laws meant to
provide care for the poor and disabled populations in
accordance with it's mandate.

"I don't believe that the court's function is to
require the respondents (the ACMC) to show that they
will fulfill their duties," Brick said.
In hopes of quieting the frightened patients who
showed up in court, attorney Stephen Parrish, who
represents the ACMC and County Supervisors named in
the suit, claimed that they have plans in place to
make sure the patients needs are met.

Judge Brick decided to ignore the courts power that
could have been used to require the county medical
center to fulfill their duties to serve those in need.
Especially to the poor and uninsured patients as has
been mandated by law. Barely more than a month later,
the outcome of Judge Bricks ruling has already
resulted in some immediate traumatic affects at the
Alameda County Highland Hospital Emergency Room.
During an August 12, 2003 interview with one of the
Chief Resident Physicians in the Department of
Medicine at Highland Hospital, this reporter learned
that there appears to be around a 10 percent increase
in patients being admitted to Highland Hospital via
the Emergency Room since the closure of the two
clinics!

According to Dr. Geneve Allison MD, a physician at
Highland, the staff and physicians of Highland
Hospital are noticing an alarming trend in cuts to
prevention programs which cannot be sustained in the
long run, Dr. Allison said.

In all candor, Dr. Allison made it clear that by going
on record for this story that she is not trying to
attack any officials or administrators involved in the
budget cuts, and that she is truly concerned about the
welfare of the patients that are being affected by the
clinic closures and program cut-backs taking place
recently.

"As you know," said Dr. Allison, "there have been
out-patient clinic closures in Alameda County as the
result of recent budget cuts. Patients from those
clinics are losing their primary care and their access
to medication. Lately, patients coming into the
Highland Hospital Emergency Room are very frightened,
sick and being admitted as in-patients as a result of
the recent out-patient clinic closures at the two
county facilities," Dr. Allison said. "It's hard to
tell what the true numbers are at this point," said
Dr. Allison, but there appears to be at least a 10
percent increase in patients being admitted to
Highland Hospital since the recent clinic closures
took place."

When I asked if there has been a larger allocation of
resources to make up the difference since the clinic
closures took place, Dr. Allison said; "despite the 10
percent increase in admissions at Highland I am not
aware of any increase in funding made to accomodate
the extra patients nor have extra provisions been
added to the existing resources for the patients. The
resources available appear to have been spread thinner
among more patients."

When asked if those with private insurance need to be
worried about the cuts and closures at Highland
Hospital, Dr. Allison responded: "First of all, as
we've all seen with the dot-com boom and bust, no one
can take their jobs for granted. With loss of job
comes not only loss of income, but loss of health
insurance. I've seen people show up at Highland who
used to be very wealthy, but with the recession and
loss of jobs, they have nowhere else to go for health
care. Second of all, any of us, any day, could wind up
in Highland Hospital's Emergency Department as a
trauma patient. Sadly, motor vehicle accidents take
their toll, and any of us could wind up a patient in
need of emergency trauma services. If Highland's
Trauma Center closes, we lose a major area of
expertise and care that affects every resident of
Alameda County, rich or poor."

On Thursday August 14, 2003 I was connected with Lara
Bice when I called the office of County Supervisor
Keith Carson after being told that Mr. Carson was in a
meeting at the moment. Although Ms. Bice is a staffer
in Carsons office and advised me that I needed to get
my quotes from her boss, she was very helpful in
clarifying a few things.

According to Ms. Bice, she said that in 1996 the
county handed over control of the ACMC to a newly
formed Board of Trustees to run the Alameda County
Medical Center, including Highland Hospital.
When I asked if it was true that no extra funding was
provided to cover the expenses for the over flow of
patients from the two recently closed clinics into the
other clinics of the ACMC or Highland Emergency Room,
Bice said; "it's true about the lack of extra funding
for the clinics or Hospital, no extra funding was
provided" said Bice.

"We are having discussions about some Bridge Funding
for the ACMC, but the Trustees have not yet created
such funding" said Bice. Ms. Bice went on to
immediately say that the ACMC gets one third of it's
funding from the county, a third from the state, and
another third from the federal government to explain
the funding mechanism of the medical center.
According to Dr. Avrum Gratch MD, a member of the
California Physicians Alliance who is an orthopedic
surgeon and has been practising medicine in California
since 1961, says that hospitals and clinics take cuts,
but under the circumstances the physicians and staff
do the best they can with what has been dealt to
them.

Dr. Avrum said; "everyone practising medicine in
California realizes that there have been cut-backs in
medi-cal and medi-care funding, and the county
hospitals become even more important to fill the gaps.
People will try to give the best care possible despite
the shortages, but we really need a just and fair
health care service such as the kind a single payer
health plan may provide. It's unfortunate that the
Alameda County Supervisors do not have it together to
provide enough money to keep the clinics open," Dr.
Avrum said.

Shortly later I connected with Alameda County
Supervisor Keith Carson who has been a County
Supervisor since 1992, and I asked if there was any
hope of saving the ACMC? "Despite the county budget
problems," Carson said, "the Board of Trustees and
supervisors are committed to keeping as much of the
ACMC operational as possible and at this point we are
providing $13 million dollars every two weeks to keep
the medical center open. We in the county know that
people in the medical center realize that a lack of
funding exists to cover the needs of the clinics and
hospital" Carson said.

According to Supervisor Carson, as of August 14 2003,
"The latest developments are that the Board of
Trustees and County Supervisors are trying to figure
out ways to shave the existing programs in the ACMC,
rather than to close any more clinics," Carson said,
"and we hope that someday we will be able to re-open
the clinics that have been recently closed."
Supervisor Carson says that the County Supervisors
number one priority is to keep the problem from
becoming worse. "We need to stop closing clinics" said
Carson, "because the problems become worse when the
out-patients from the closed clinics end up becoming
the in-patients in the hospital and it costs alot more
money in the long run."

When I asked if theres a problem with the county
spending large amounts of tax funded money for
entertainment venues such as the costs associated with
the Coliseum, Warriors, Raiders and Athletics sport
teams rather than to spend it on the needs of the
county health care system, Carson said; "the county
still has to service the original debt from 20 years
ago to pay off the Coliseum and the more recent
remodeling that was done, and presently the debt is
somewhere around $60-$70 million that is still owed on
the Coliseum".

In actuality, since 1995 through 2003 it reportedly
has cost the East Bay taxpayers in Alameda County
around $152 million to bring back the Raiders to
Oakland and costs will continue to rise until the
debt service cost is payed off some time in 2025.
Based upon reports describing the public subsidy of
the Raiders deal; $130 million was spent on a
renovation of the Coliseum, $63 million in cash was
given to the Raiders, $22 million was spent on a new
training facility & practice field plus relocation
expenses
of the team, and the report states that the
municipality
subsidizing the deal may get stuck oweing $147 million
at end of the 16 year contract with the Raiders.
Hundreds of millions more may also be owed by the
municipality due to a pending law suit if a former
Coliseum commissioner being sued by the Raiders for
fraud loses in court because of a peculiar indemnity
clause that was signed off on by local authorities a
few years ago. For more info on that fiasco go to the
web site below.
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/sports/football/nfl/oakland_raiders/6...

For years, many local activists have expressed alarm
that scarce tax revenues needed for health care
programs are being bled away by the public subsidy
being used for the Coliseum boondoggle.
Highland Hospital itself has just barely been spared
from being bludgeoned by the budget axe, and may soon
take a large hit despite the recent efforts by County
Supervisors to delay more budget cuts or shave the
existing health care programs.

As recent as late night Tuesday August 5, 2003 it was
announced that the proposed closure of major resources
at Highland Hospital such as the trauma center and
more out-patient clinics have been averted for now,
according to the ACMC Board of Trustees and the
Alameda County Board of Supervisors after the
supervisors agreed to provide short-term funding to
keep these most needed crucial health services open to
the poor or uninsured public.

For the moment, 700 jobs slated to be cut from the
ACMC have been saved, and the clinics remain open for
now, but, the financial outlook for the center remains
bleak and the supervisors failed to advocate a
permanent funding source for the long term.
Regardless of the stated policy mission of the ACMC,
it's presently facing a $45.7 million budget deficit,
and the local county officials have considered and
delayed a plan to cut an already bad situation down
even further to a dire straights type of emergency
care system that would most likely hurt the poor and
disabled to extremes while laying off many workers in
the process.

Apparently, even if the authorities followed through
with the above mentioned plan, it may not have been
enough according to a July audit-report released by
Price Waterhouse Coopers that found that the ACMC
would eventually have to close completely unless a new
funding source was found to keep it open.

The reasons given for the extreme financial problems
of the ACMC include an increase in the number of poor
and uninsured patients showing up at their door, while
being exacerbated by fewer federal and state funding
sources available to existing health care programs.
California has an estimated 6 million people that are
uninsured which equals about 17 percent of the
population, and Alameda County public health systems
have had multimillion-dollar cuts that are
devastating to the poor, homeless and disabled
populations.

Among other solutions being considered by officials
and advocay groups to keep the ACMC open on a
long-term basis, a local political strategist was
hired last April for nearly $25,000 to help determine
if a ballot initiative was feasible to create a new
tax based funding source for the ACMC, and authorities
are awaiting the expected report.

Other draconian solutions being considered include two
tiers of reduction in the latest ACMC fiscal budget
which include $11.5 million in operational changes,
and $34.2 million in program reductions and service
closures affecting, Newark, Winton, and Eastmont
Medical Centers. Programs considered for termination
include the Fairmont Skilled Nursing Facility,
elimination of trauma services, closure of an out
patient pharmacy, and elimination of Womens Urgent
Care, dental, and optometric services.

Furthermore, recomendations also exist that if
implemented would turn away people that cannot pay a
fee for services unless they are admitted through the
emergency room. Presently, Highland Hospital treats
70,000 patients annualy through their emergency room.
Already, the Finance Committee and the Board of
Trustees have adopted the Fiscal Year 2003-2004 budget
and then at that point deferred action on the
draconian budget cuts in anticipation of the expected
report from Price Waterhouse Coopers.

If adopted and no new long-term funding sources are
found, the above mentioned proposed policy changes
will drastically affect the disabled and working poor
patients in Alameda County and will result in a loss
of access to desperately needed programs and services.
At this point everyone is waiting to hear back from
the County Board of Supervisors and the Board of
Trustees in hope that a new funding source may be
found to keep Highland Hospital and the Alameda County
Medical Center alive.

by Joe B.

b>Fox, The Fair And Balance News Station

The Fox News Network management may have bleeding of the brain and as gray matter spews out of their ears the words "Fail and Balanced" echoes across the land.

I’m half asleep listing to talk radio personalities joke about Fox News infringement lawsuit against Mr. Al Franken, humorist was half a comedy team and alumni of Saturday Night Live (Who in the early to mid 1970’s did his Al Franken Decade skit).

It this laughable lawsuit goes to court it may Al Franken’s decade part two.

Fox News is sewing because of the title in Franken’s book "Lies and the Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right."

Fox Channels says "Fair And Balanced" was trademarked in 1995."

The cable new filed a trademark infringement lawsuit seeking a court order to force Penguin Group publisher, Dutton, to rename the book for unspecified damages
(The information gleaned from theBakersfieldChannel.com

Let me get this straight Fox is willing to sue a satirical, political comic, author for words used by almost anyone at every given time.

"How about "And That’s The Way It Is" by Walter Cronkite, or "Baby baby baby, I love you baby by the late singer composer, deep melodious voiced Barry White, or "Luke I AM Your Father" by actor James Earl Jones of the "Star Wars" Movies?

This is a stupid, bull move by Fox News to silence one person and thereby others in the process.

Anyone out there knows this is comic but at same time serious because if the suit by Fox wins it send a chilling messages to people who puncture blowhards and anyone thinking they’re the know all, be all and cannot be touched.

One last comment. A Dutton spokeswoman said Fox News' parent company, News Corp., is trying to keep the public from reading Franken's message, which she said is un-American. "True that."

Lets have the public make their own choice and let it go at that.

It looks like News Corp. not only wants to sue for so called trademark infringement but wants to go one step further and not have people read Franken’s book.

I do believe that border’s on censorship.

Fox should be shown they cannot own words or phases strung together. "Fair And Balanced" "Fair And Balanced" "Fair And Balanced" "Fair And Balanced.

"It’s a string of words strung together what else are they gonna Trademark "Late Braking News", "How Was Your Day", or "Life In The 21st Century"? Oh, sorry Mr. Cronkite has that one sewed up.

It looks like Mr. Franken has another book to write about guess who that "Fair And Balanced" news station.

This is what happens when info corporations gobble each other they actually believe they are all powerful lets break that illusion real quick so they know they are servants of the people and the airways are public.

Meanwhile New York, Detroit, and Canada have had a full blown blackout.

It looks like Con: Edison has extended itself too thin.

First its lightening, then maybe a fried animal or just too much usage beyond peak hours.

Yet the internet which originally was defense a department computerized failsafe in case of a nuclear exchange and fallout.

I have an idea lets finally develop alternate energy strategies instead of being on one huge electrical grid.

Will New York citizens and the rest of those affected now be forced or scared then gouged by electric companies as prices rise instead of not only repairing the problem but looking into and investing in renewable technologies.

Remember what happened to California a few years ago?

It could now happen all over in different cities in the United States as energy companies may see ways of making brown and blackout profitable for them.


Donations C/0 Poor Magazine


1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Joe B.

Saw serious Gubernatorial candidates debate Wednesday, still want Gray Davis to finish his term.

As for Props 53,54 a no on both.

I’m not gonna go through the where,why or how its up to all of us as voters, those who have yet to be registered and especially young folks so fed up with the process/ system they see no point in it at all yet you are our future leaders.

Some of you are already leaders now and not in some dim future when your "the right age"screw that; y'all know that translates into wait also never.

Me,as middleaged black guy can only say read up, learn all the Rainbow World(s)her/history around the world,form groups, clubs,discuss,compare notes, keep learning.

Critical Brain Mass folks from low,mid,high tech programmers,web watcher’s, search engine creators and others in W3 can really help spread wirelessly the truth.

The same technology Att. Gen. Ashcroft and other law enforcement uses can rebound on them.

Tech isn’t good or bad it’s users that dictates what type of use they will be for.

As for little old middle aged me there’s an upcoming Periodontal appointment.

What makes me cringe is not sharp needles in my gums pushed down to nerves but that after a surgical procedure after reattachment of gums to teeth I have to keep them (teeth and gums) clean as possible which means a change in eating habits and food eaten.

I’ve been warning friends, acquaintances, relatives in person and by email that there might be a drastic change in my appearance.

That I may look like a person with HIV/AID’s.

I’m told to replace weight loss with muscle weight training,swimming.

Not a bad Idea,makes me feel much better going through this knowing the results after a month or two I may really look and feel better than just well but reshaped, rippling, or ripped physique.

Maybe being so focussed on personal health and fitness will wean me off my male gaze of women.

Strive at other pursuits like having new business cards written, saving money,buying insurance for that business,learn Message, redesign or improve something.

This year has been a bit rough for most people unless you had connections to Bush,Hali-Burton,law enforcement,or C.P.S. [Child Protective Services]

I’ve decide to keep quiet and surprise everyone when whatever plans made in my mind come to fruition I can say "Told you time again but you laughed, didn’t believe an so I shut my mouth and did my thing."

So,folks do look at my odd stuff on-web!

All I can say is thank you all Women,Girls,Men, Boys,S/O’s of all ages.

If you’ve laughed, thought,got mad,pondered, imagined,or what I’ve helped in anyway I'd like a few brave females to know how.

Oh yeah,if some of you (women only)sent racy poems,or eye popping digital images of yourselves.

I will not be offended but my employers will or a few interns here may be.

And to mainly to all the women on some of the adult chat sites;thanks awfully for being patient to the newbie,green guy in the chat rooms though I still think there was too much testosterone and less estrogen in the mix and yet I have a sneaky suspicion that women like it that way because it inverts the power structure giving them more power of control than if there more fems than men.

I could be wrong this perception.

So,ladies,guys, [mostly ladies,] sorry guys.

I’d like you to write me saying I’m wrong,right, or in between?

I can be contacted below.

Donations C/0 Poor Magazine

1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Joe B.

Well, it seems another labor day is about to happen.

Who is this Wrong, Rip off, ‘uh Warmed over Connolly, what is his problem with this 54 crock-a-crap.

He wants a color blind society only problem is in the 21st century is still riddled with racist, homophobic, misogynist, xenophobic country.

We even had a made up name "Negrophobia" or an irrational fear of black people and this is a time early in the century when blacks are routinely brutalized by rape, murder, castrated for being nothing other than blessed by the sun.

The reasons was fear, hatred, and there was no scorecard kept of how many men, women, children, or families to be spared after the killings.

This Ward guy is being paid lots of cash for his proposition, bill, or whatever this 54 thing I hear its to help visible minorities who are turning into the majority population by not counting who lives, dies, gets sick or is more susceptible certain medical ills or not accepted in schools.

It seems race matters still leaving out important squares in boxes for the sole purpose of ignoring reality doesn’t make sense.

As for Mr. Ward’s money trail it should be followed and traced and tracked an see where it leads.

As for love I try rarely using the word unless it really is special.

I don’t love TV, radio, technology, people, all types of entertainment, food, or any trend and fads.

I do love my family, life in all its complexity, both love and loathe this country in equal measure.

I like women, in all shapes, sizes, ages 30 and beyond they tend to know who they are before the age above are so confused about themselves, friends, boys, men, or their female lovers.

It will take time to turn extreme likeness into solid all consuming love, if I can love but one woman whole until the end of my or her life then I can say through her I would’ve learned to love all women from then on.

I may at this time only strongly like women but do love pleasing them.

Though its true they can cause their own pleasure it is also known one can get only so much from self pleasuring machines.

Even the best batteries, in the lightest or heaviest of humming objects begin to pale it just takes time as boredom sets in; too much of good thing will always do that.

For myself it always takes too long probably half physical and psychological whatever it is from youth I thought a problem now maybe it’s older women who appreciate time and care mostly young ones tire out.

I guess its a true saying also "They don’t make girls strong but when they’re older past their late teens then they become stronger and beyond their early 20’s finally begin gaining their true strength beyond flesh and bone but in mind also.

As I said love is rarely used but when used it does mean more to me than an emotional trick, gesture, physical power over another I means a solemn, sacred act between two whether friends or bitter enemies.

Yet I’ve learned the very best kind is mind to mind, soul to soul, giving to giving, no taking its all mutual giving which is the very best way to prove ones passion long before consummating physical act.

This is rare but if you find it keep it precious to you, hold it loosely and savor all its flavor because it maybe a long time bliss


Donations C/0 Poor Magazine

1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA
94103

Email:
askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Joe B.

On a Friday night some few kind souls invited Poor Magazine folks to an off Broadway play at Venue 9 252 Ninth St. at 7 pm.

The Play:"This World Is Not My Home.")about the many faces, ideas, about people, societal, reactions to poverty.

(It has an after-play- discussion Q&A show complete with mayoral candidate).

Those two little things are important yes,but the play is riveting in the actors/actresses portrayal of our mercantile republic.

I have not been to many off Broadway creations that are raw, few props, and the audience using sheer imagination in place of the finished, expensive sort of full dress-in-your-best clothes outings.

It may be their last night playing there it seems the

landlord wants to make office buildings out of the space.
just what this neighborhood needs, more office space.

Not to worry, the place was too small, bathroom in front of the stage area, and they had to expand anyway so it could be at good omen.

Guess I’ll check out the off-B plays making time for it before they get the flash-glamour treatment.

Donations C/0 Poor Magazine

1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by JANAK G RAMACHANDRAN/POOR Magazine/PNN Poverty Studies Intern/Mentor; Dee

As I eased through the traffic light in my aging Honda, I started at the intrusive bleep of a siren and the ominous flicker of red and blue. Fear coursed through my body as the rush of adrenaline activated the primitive fight or flight response that we’ve all inherited from our human genetic history. It’s a cop! What did I do? “Relax”, I thought, “he’s probably just trying to pass.” I moved over and…he moved with me. He was coming for me. I pulled over and sat nervously in my car as he approached my car window. He looked like a stormtrooper that, having stalked its bounty, was ready for the kill. Through my sideview mirror, I could see the tools of his trade—the baton, the gun, and the radio communicator that would bring more batons and guns should he decide to do so. I rolled down my window and greeted him with a simple “Hello.” Did I look friendly? Did I smile? How can I seem non-threatening? As these thoughts raced through my head, he growled, “I pulled you over because you look like a terrorist. You also seem, by the look of your car, to not have a lot of money. And I work for elite interests who have hired me to check on people like you and insure that we take more money from the poor to give to the rich. That way you’ll be so concerned about food and shelter that you’ll never galvanize into a collective voice of opposition.”

Actually, he didn’t say that but, in my fear and underlying anger at what the police have come to represent, that’s what I heard when he told me about my cracked windshield and that I would have to replace it within 30 days. I had no idea how I was going to accomplish this feat given that I still had difficulty paying for food, shelter, etc. from month to month.

But, then, at least I have food and shelter. At least I can afford to live in a one-bedroom apartment with electricity and a phone. And I have enough family and friends in my life to know that I will likely never end up on the streets. I have a haven where I am out of sight of the police for much of the time. What of those who have no food and shelter? What of those who cannot escape police scrutiny? To whom or what can they turn for justice?

Everyday the people of San Francisco and surrounding communities are harassed and brutalized by police charged “to protect and to serve.” Some, like Idriss Stelley and Jerome Hooper, are murdered. Idriss Stelley was gunned down in the Metreon by San Francisco police officers who were responding to a call from his girlfriend that indicated his need for crisis counseling. Instead of the expected mental health and counseling professionals and their comforting words, Idriss, crying out for help, was silenced forever by a swarm of police officers and a hail of twenty-eight bullets. Jerome Hooper, unarmed and unaware of the danger before him, was killed with four bullets to the chest at close range. According to witness James Thull, the plain clothes, off-duty police officer never identified himself as a police officer when he taunted and challenged Jerome Hooper into a fistfight. Angered by the fact that he was losing the fistfight, the off-duty police officer then decided to end Jerome’s life.

In response to this brutality and numerous other cases, the community saw fit to bring before the SF Board of Supervisors a charter amendment concerning police commissions. This measure, which would grant new, more sweeping oversight powers to the Office of Citizen Complaints as well as provide for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to appoint three of seven members to the police commission (the other four remaining in the mayor’s purview), was proposed by Supervisor Tom Ammiano.

On Tuesday, July 15th, I walked into San Francisco city hall to see whether this amendment would be put on the ballot this November. Passing through the security check has become routine at airports and government facilities though, as a person of color, I will never be used to the extra scrutiny that I always “randomly” receive. This security check was unique because, for the first time since September 11th, 2001, I was not dragged aside and forced to prove, in front of gawking passersby, that I actually have underwear beneath my pants. As I approached the massive, rounded steps that led upstairs to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting, I paused to notice the grandeur around me. On one level, the polished marble floors, enormous rooms and corridors, and unparalleled high ceilings were a vast, luxurious space that seemed to ennoble this seat of San Francisco government. On another, these same features were Goliath crushing David—they reminded me of how I felt when I saw the stormtrooper walking toward me in my sideview mirror. For I knew that the crimes committed against Idris Stelley and Jerome Hooper were not isolated incidents. And whether I’m next is just a matter of luck. Is this officer a model citizen who sees his/her badge as a charge “to protect and to serve” or a thug who sees it as a license to brutalize and to kill? For the poor and people of color, this fear is an everyday fact of life. I, myself, am momentarily terrified by the sight of a police officer or police car and yet, one might think that my relatively good citizen behavior, never having received anything more serious than a moving violation infraction, would leave me free of a fear akin to being in the clutches of Darth Vader. But there is no safety in being a good citizen around bad cops—just last August 25th, Marcus Law, an honor roll student (from the Bayview/Hunters Point area of San Francisco) with a full college scholarship and no criminal record, was sent to the hospital by the police and their batons for being an innocent bystanding witness of police brutality. He had just seen an unarmed Lee Collins, with his hands in the air, beat by police until he was unconscious. Another David crushed by Goliath…so there I stood gazing through the halls of Goliath, where the power of the wealthy and corporate elite gathering more for themselves occurred at the expense of the poor and underserved. How ironic that this foothold of the powerful is where those seeking justice for the powerless must come for a redress of their grievances.

After I found a seat inside the San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting, several hours passed and neither the police commission amendment nor the vote on Proposition N that my colleague, Josh McVeigh-Schultz, was covering, had been selected from the agenda. “Maybe it’s a strategic move,” blurts Josh. “You may be right”, I respond. Is that the plan? Wait until those opposed have filtered out of the meeting and then bring up the measures at midnight? As the meeting drones on, I notice that hours are being spent debating whether people who have homes can have another “unit” inside their homes while measures that might help prevent the SFPD from harassing, beating, and killing those without a place to live (as well as those of us with homes) and that might save the small sum upon which the homeless subsist from becoming almost nonexistent are ignored. Late in the night, though, the board voted 7-4 to place the charter amendment regarding police commissions before voters this November. If it passes, some semblance of justice might be possible for those subject to police crimes.

To further investigate the measure’s chances of passing, I attended the kickoff meeting of San Franciscans for Police Reform and Oversight (SFPRO) one month later (August 18th). I was greeted by a variety of energized and concerned citizens organizing a voter information drive to galvanize support for the Police Charter Amendment. According to SFPRO, the measure would “help turn the Office of Citizen Complaints and the Police Commission into genuine restraints on police misconduct”. Mark Schlosberg of the ACLU chaired the meeting with an unassuming, almost shy, but direct and comfortable manner. Soon an action plan to build a volunteer force for literature drops, phone banking, and tabling had been created. The highlight of the evening’s planning centered around organizing a bus tour of San Francisco police crimes. Mesha Irizarry of the Idriss Stelley Foundation had devised the idea of a “tour of police brutality” that would create greater public awareness. “The community is ready to riot”, rings her gentle but emphatic voice as I interview her about the idea. “(We need to) get cops who live in the neighborhood to police the neighborhood.” The Idriss Stelley Foundation is planning an October march with the theme, Shape Up SFPD (a working title), to coincide with the bus tour. Malaika Parker, Director of Bay Area Police Watch, also pushed (at the SFPRO meeting) that the bus tour should tour not only those episodes where the city determined “police misconduct but (also) what the public perceives as misconduct.” The effort to stop police crimes and brutality was underway. For further information regarding the October march, contact the Idriss Stelley Foundation at 415-671-0449. For those interested in further information regarding the bus tour and the efforts of SFPRO, contact the ACLU at 415-621-2493. The bus tour will be occurring during the month of October and will make numerous stops, including the locations of the crimes against Idriss Stelley, Jerome Hooper, Lee Collins, and Marcus Law.

Though nothing untoward occurred when I was stopped for the crack in my windshield, I cannot help but remember the sign I read along the side of the road as I pulled away from that stormtrooper: Driving while black or brown (DWB) is not a crime. Perhaps, with the efforts of SFPRO and the votes of fellow San Franciscans this November 4th, the sign can add that police brutality is.

by Joe B.

SEX AND POLITICS

The Matriarch/ Patriarch,Feminine–Male systems of power. Its been recently documented in scholarly papers, reports, periodicals, and books that the Ankh, Egyptian symbol of eternal life.

God and Goddesses ruled equally in harmony until man(yes)man began to fear women’s supreme power over life and death represented by her full, fertile womb and medical knowledge and ways she is able to use that knowledge to heal and nurture the sick to health and comfort the dying.

Witches(wise women) elderly or youthful are burned for displays of knowledge few men had any idea learning.

Odd coping strategy: Kill,burn, rape,and torture females with apothecary, medicinal skills that could benefit all.

Sometimes called son of Dionysus,Hermes,or Zeus who’s seed created Priapos.

Whoever was at fault offends Hera
(she’s always in a rage when it comes hubby Zeus philandering ways among mortal women.)

Hera, with a magic touch to Aphrodite’s (Goddess of Love) belly, cursed the child growing there making him ugly the only sin Aphrodite cannot abide she cast him against a rock or mountain but the little tike survived and was raised by shepherds.

His power represented by an enormous phallus made people and able to procreate,land fertile.

He also used his inhumanly large organ as a weapon against thieves be they man or woman.

In his case rape is used in the cause of justice to punish those doing evil.

I never thought of rape as a good idea.(Get the bad feeling when the girl/ wimmin gangs mature male rape for the fun and pure control of will be atop their list.

It will cause innocent young boys,men trauma but its happened to so many young girls and wimmin there's no way it can balance their physical, psychic harm.

The All men are potential rapist is an aptly too truism.

But always, ever erect and ready he finds no release and becomes a joke being to large to really be satisfy or be satisfied.

Aside light; most of the Gods have phallic symbols as weapons: [Zeus-Thunderbolts. Poseidon-Trident. Hades-Two forked Scepter Athena-Spear Heracles-Club

You get the picture Hera has a peacock and pomegranate to honor her.

Most of the Male God’s and a few Goddesses have phallic like weapons.

From birth, nurturing, healing, arts, of women to the deadly killing, wounding arts of men.

Goddesses nearly vanished while male phallus worship rose From Zeus, Odin, Apollo, and the ugliest sexualized God of all Priapus like other phallic deities as Attic Orthanes, Conisalus, and Tychon resemble Priapus and of course the Egyptian God Osiris, Isis with revenge for murder castration of Osiris.

Racing to now it seems Goddess’s, have returned in force.

Rediscovering women’s power of life,death, change,and fearlessness by women themselves and though economically under the eight ball their strength continues to gather,their momentum speeds,political power gains are slow but women have learned from eons of suffering at the hands of husbands,brother’s, Father’s,boyfriends, lover’s,and son’s.

Women have suffered for so long, been oppressed for so long that few males in their eyes are worth the effort of marriage and childhood as many opt for single-hood without a male in the home only widower’s,house husbands, and young father’s raising children alone know what’s joy,pain,and honor it is to nurture children and these men young and old are growing too.
End Pt. 1

Donations C/0 Poor Magazine

1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by JOSHUA MCVEIGH-SCHULTZ/Poverty Studies Intern- Mentor; Dee

I had taken Lora out to dinner to celebrate my new job. Later that night we sat in the living room whispering to each other. She was helping me write a “to do” list. Things were changing. We were no longer going to live as a couple in that big house on Court Lane. Her mother had just come back from Shanghai.

Nimen meiyou jiehun! [You two aren’t even married!], her mother had yelled at Lora earlier that night. I sat listening in her brother’s old bedroom, staring at the wall, wishing I didn’t understand the little I did. Downstairs, food lay cold on the table.

We should have called to tell her we’d miss dinner. I shouldn’t have had those beers. I should have said something when we got home.

“But, it’s not your fault; she’s mad at me, not you,” Lora would explain later. “It’s like I’d chosen you over her… my own mother.”

But I wasn’t completely convinced, so I made Lora write a list of things I could work on.

Number one: greet mom LOUDLY when you arrive home. “You’re too quiet; she doesn’t hear you,” Lora explained.

“At the very least say ‘hi’… just a simple acknowledgement.”

I looked at Lora, confused.

“I did say ‘hi’… didn’t I?”

But I had held back. I had tightened my lungs, not wanting Lora’s mom to smell the alcohol on my breath. I had muted the words, not wanting her to judge me, not wanting to be heard speaking English, not wanting to remind myself… of myself. Sometimes, it’s easier to say nothing at all.

“OK, I’ll practice,” I whispered back.
Sometimes… if it’s not said loudly, it hasn’t really been said.

The Nikko hotel shoots up high into the canopy of downtown San Francisco buildings. From their windows, hotel guests can peer down onto the sidewalk. On August 7th, a small group of protestors circled below carrying signs that protested the hotel council’s current ad campaign. I stood among them trying my best to play an unfamiliar part. I was not only a reporter that day but also an advocate. I cleared my throat.

“We don’t need to beg; we don’t need to plead; board of supervisors give the people what they need.” We chanted in unison, but I struggled to keep up, my words sounding tentative and meek. I thought about Lora and tried to sound more resolute. I imagined I was another person: stronger… unabashed… masculine… Chinese. I considered swallowing an old piece of gum that was drying out in my mouth. But I didn’t. The chewing was somehow comforting me.

At one point, a man with a powerful baritone took the loudspeaker. As he spoke, his words built momentum, rising higher and closer to the windows above.

“The hotel council has declared war on panhandlers by spending 65,000 dollars spreading hate messages throughout the city…. We’re here to protest the hotel council for their role in this new war against poor and homeless people.”

The powerful speaker was LS Wilson, coordinator of the Civil Rights Project and the Coalition for Homelessness. He was referring to the 65,000 dollars spent by the San Francisco hotel council to place anti-panhandling messages on signs and billboards throughout the city.

These ads have been getting increasingly critical attention for unfairly vilify panhandlers in San Francisco. Representing Supervisor Gonzales’s office, Jim Norcot argued that the protest should not be misrepresented as a challenge to free speech. “We don’t want to interfere with a person’s right to expression, but the campaign by the hotel council is mean spirited. We have had complaints in Supervisor Gonzales’s office not just from homeless advocates… but [also] from constituents from our district and statewide. They find these ads to be offensive and misleading.”

Despite these complaints, the ads have continued to use the strength of big business to drown out competing, and less well funded, viewpoints.

Far below the windows of the hotel Nikko, our loudspeaker was replaced by a microphone and a small battery powered amplifier. LS Wilson thrust the loudspeaker to me.

“You’re next, right?” he said smiling. I gulped. “What could I possibly say?” I thought to myself. But he was joking. I felt a wave of relief mixed with shame pass over me.

LS Wilson lifted the microphone to his mouth: “We’re here to tell the hotel council and big businesses to stop pointing fingers and start spending some of their money and using some of their power and influence to find solutions to help to end homelessness and poverty.”

“Shame on Nikko. Shame on Nikko,” we chanted together. I was getting louder now. We marched tirelessly in perpetual circles. Many hotel guests passed us, side stepping to avoid contact. Others gathered to watch.

But soon men wearing suits and disconcerted faces appeared at the entrance of the hotel. They were joined by several policemen. The protesters were told to move away from the area of the sidewalk that lay directly under the hotel’s awning. I stepped away from the circle of protesters to eavesdrop on the policemen’s conversation.

“No not you,” someone said to me.

“You can stay.”

“But I’m a protestor too,” I said.

I thought about how I must have looked: a notebook in my hand, a minidisk recorder in my pocket, a lavaliere mic clipped to my collar, that annoying piece of gum still in my mouth.

An officer approached Steven Chester from the Coalition on Homelessness to argue (erroneously) that a microphone without a permit was illegal. The message was clear: while anyone can enjoy the right to free speech, amplified speech is different. It requires special access to power.

The hotel council has wielded this kind of power by spreading their message on signs, vehicles, and billboards throughout the city: a form of spatial and visual amplification—but amplification nonetheless. These signs use ironic imagery to suggest that giving to panhandlers is a naïve and misguided form of charity. One poster depicts two smiling tourists and reads: “Today we rode a cable car, visited Alcatraz, and supported a drug habbit.” In a slightly smaller font below run the words: “Giving to panhandlers doesn’t help, it hurts.”

LS Wilson counters: “We need to come together as people and start addressing real solutions to why people panhandle. We need to understand that all poor and homeless people are not drug addicts and alcoholics. So why are you labeling us that way?” LS Wilson asked. Supervisor Gonzales’s representative seconded this claim arguing that “approximately 25 to 37 percent of all homeless people in San Francisco are families with children… The fact is that these people who are giving money to [panhandlers]… are giving it so [that homeless people] can put food money on the table to feed their families.”

Until now, the hotel council’s loud and angry message about panhandlers has gone virtually unchallenged because the hotel council refuses to engage in dialogue with homeless advocates. LS Wilson maintains that “members of the hotel council have completely ignored requests from homeless advocates and service providers to… talk about their hate messages. Muni and the Cab Commissioner have refused to remove the hate messages and ads from their vehicles.”

LS argues that by scapegoating panhandlers, the hotel council has refused to look at root problems of poverty and homelessness in San Francisco. “Ask yourself one question. Why are homeless people on our streets? What can we do collectively to help people to exit homelessness to help people to find jobs, so they don’t have to panhandle? Some of that $65,000 could have went towards creating jobs in different neighborhoods. If the hotel council really wanted to help, why don’t they support policies that would get homeless people jobs housing and healthcare? If the hotel council really wanted to help people exit homelessness… why would they portray homeless people… in such a negative way?”

These rhetorical questions suggest the unfortunate answer that the hotel council doesn’t really care about poor and homeless people. And so far their negative portrayal of panhandlers has gone unanswered.

With the POOR Magazine poverty scholars i.e., folk who have first-person experience with poverty and homelessness who have been countering the stereotypical notions around panhandling since 1998, When they released The WORK issue of POOR which re-defined panhandling, recycling, mothering and other unrecognized forms of labor as micro-entrepreneurship, or WORK.

And on this day, August 7th , more new voices were heard, speaking truth to power, the very people who’ve experienced poverty and homelessness were portraying their struggle in their own words.

Delphine Brody took the microphone. Her voice wavered at first but picked up confidence as she spoke. The crowd was behind her.

“I’m Delphine and I’ve lived on these streets before. I’ve panhandled before. I’ve been swept off the streets before by hotel security guards it’s not fun. I’ve been kicked out for trying to table score my meals at their bourgeois restaurants… Let me tell you, it’s hard work trying to get any food at all when you don’t have money. And they’re taking away people’s money thanks in a large part to the hotel council. That’s not cool. And then they have the gall… the nerve to fuckin try to take away our right to panhandle… at the same time they’re obviously sponsoring Gavin Newsom’s campaign and his anti-panhandling campaign. Gavin Newsom’s not gonna be mayor… and we are not gonna have an anti panhandling law in this city—over my dead body.”

Delphine smiled broadly as people applauded. I was inspired by the way she had overcome her fears—something I was still struggling with myself. Her initial insecurities on the mic had made her performance all the more powerful. Later, I asked her to elaborate on her feelings about the hotel council.

“They’re the biggest hypocrites in the world. They just had their taxes reduced by the board of supervisors a year ago. Meanwhile they have the nerve to put these signs on buses. They’re putting words in people’s mouths and they’re trying to make it seem like all panhandlers are lying about how they’re gonna spend the money… They’re implying that all panhandlers are abusing hard drugs and that using hard drugs is some kind of sin that only poor people commit and they’re playing on the public’s racism and hatred of homeless people. ‘Cause it’s perfectly fine for a hotel Nikko guest or people who own the hotels who are on the hotel council for that matter to be snorting cocaine in the back rooms of their clubs and parties its not ok for us to be using drugs. To me that’s complete hypocrisy. Last but not least they’re spending their customers money 65000 dollars of it on this ad campaign.” I wished that I had swallowed that dried out wad of blah, but the gum was still there in my mouth.

On the way home I spit it out dramatically.

Before I even took out my key, I could feel the anticipation, the strange sensation of words building deep in my throat—not yet a reality… still merely potential. I took a deep breath.

“Hi, Mrs. Lai. I’m home!!!” I hollered through open door. It was 11:00 o’clock, and Lora’s mother had fallen asleep in front of the TV. At the sound of my booming voice she was startled into a half-waking confusion. For a split second, I imagined how her face might look and caught my breath. I felt like an intruder… invading her space, interrupting the tranquil hum of the TV with my oafish presence. She must be furious, I thought. But instead, the moment flickered and the TV went out—extinguished. Lora’s mother emerged smiling faintly. “Hello,” she said rubbing her eyes. She nodded as she passed me on the way up to her bedroom.

I was so happy.

They were the first words I’d spoken.

by Joe B.

Saturday, Oct. 4, 2003 what busy night before the play I have a few errands, people and things to wait on before getting ready for "Broken Homes" Two Generations Of Heartbreak.

A new play about broken families in America before and after C.P.S.[Child Protective Services]

The Bravo Theater is located at 2781 on 24th St. in San Francisco.

A day earlier there’s the mad scrambling to fine a tape recorder preferably a used not to damaged one that is serviceable its my small way of recycling.

Batteries, thermal underwear for winter [why don’t they sell them together in a bag?

Maybe they do I’ve not found any store where its possible If I do no more buying tops/bottoms separately].

The arrival of a 13" inch VCR/TV with a d v d attachment to finally dv’er to.

Hooked it up,it works, and then I take a nap.

Shower,cleaned up, brushed,flossed teeth, and greased up softening up rough skin.

The 26 Valencia bus takes me to 24th street walking the rest of the way.

By 6:37 pm I’m inside the San Francis Candies Fountain having a tall, cold, vanilla malted refreshment.

It may have taken 20 minutes or so to finish liquid goodness topped with whipped cream and the cherry floating down on the bottom.

Licking the straw length wise from top to bottom and inside.

I didn’t think of anyone looking at me slowly tonguing a straw.

Children run about, people talking, and two or three people working in the place.

I was savoring a treat I may never experience again because of the health of my teeth matters more than tasty treats.

Pay my money, tipped a lovely waitress and exited the fountain shop.

The play is worth more than $5 or $10 sliding scale cost. I was to take pictures, sell magazines, give out catalogs of books POOR Magazine was selling but after the introduction and only after the play is over did I begin taking snap shots of all the actor/actresses.

This startling moving piece of Live entangled, lost, destroyed, surviving C. P. S.’s money-per-child set up.

I’m no judge of plays and this one’s way to close for me culturally to be purely objective so other’s need to see it and judge for themselves what excellence, profession-alism, of these talented youth.

Slavery’s holocaust past, present, and future of women’s wombs being biologically replaced and its horrific ending.
There is too much I cannot convey its up to others to see "Broken Homes" Two Generations Of Heartbreak.
I don’t know how long the play runs but here’s some info.
COLOREDINK@BRAVA.ORG
415-7657 EXT. 106/415-240.OO93/
415-596-6506



Donations C/0 Poor Magazine

1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Tejal Shah/PoorNewsNetwork Poverty Studies intern. Mentor; Dee Gray

Whose voice is heard? Whose opinion is valued as expert? Who is seen? And Who decides who is considered an artist or writer? Since 1996, POOR Magazine/PoorNewsNetwork , a grassroots, non-profit arts organization, has been trying to answer these questions in innovative and radical ways � one of which is through trying to create access for poor folks in the visual and literary art and media worlds even though they are po themseleves. To access and enable new voices they have conducted literary, visual arts and journalism workshops in group homes, jails, schools, community centers and "outside" locations all over the Bay Area. In 2001 with a small grant they were able to launch the Youth in the Media Program for very low-income and homeless youth of color. The Youth in The Media Program trains youth in journalism, poetry and spoken word.

In 2003 with no definite funding, only fueled by hope and conviction to get these voices heard, POOR launched their newest program Digital Resistance! (ie the RESISTANCE to the very real Digital Divide that keeps poor folks down and out), offering poor youth and adults the opportunity to learn advanced graphic design skills and penetrate the elitist world of publishing by sponsoring the publishing of their Books, CD's and Magazine Projects through POOR Press. This program is specifically geared to very low-income, homeless adults, elders and youth of color interested in learning journalism and then developing a publication which addresses an issue related to the root causes of poverty or racism. There are several promising, talented young people ranging from ages 14 to 24, currently participating in this program, (which due to POOR�s recent loss of funding is at-risk of closure...)

Martrice Kandler, a bright-faced nineteen year old young woman also attending City College of San Francisco has numerous creative gifts and interests. In the Digital Resistance Program, she creates a medley of poetry, creative writing, and a "little bit of art". Living in the lower Haight Street district with her grandmother, two younger sisters, a new baby, and five other extended family members, she definitely considers herself to be low-income. "Poor folks need to be given a voice," she begins, "because they�re the underdog, nobody ever listens to them, and they�re misrepresented through the media". Although she admits that all of these tasks she must undertake in the program involve a great deal of hard work, and must not be taken lightly, Martrice enjoys the sense of structure she obtains by having the deadlines, training and mentorship she receives at POOR.

The first issue she is writing about as a PNN Youth in the Media journalist and has passionate feelings about, is voting in a black community. Explains Martrice, "The reason I wanted to write about that issue was because when I turned 18, I didn�t know about voting and it was something that my grandmother struggled to do as a Black Southern woman�other than her nobody in my family voted. And nobody told us how to vote, i.e., what the difference is between democrat and republican, etc�there are all kinds of reasons youth �are discouraged or prevented from voting, especially black youth, because for example they might have felonies on their record, so I think that�s an important issue: To avoid the criminal Unjust-ice system and start voting so that we can get our side of the town improved." Martrice feels that the portrayal of African-Americans in mainstream media, like the Chronicle "[benefits] from our ignorance" and declares that we must learn to educate ourselves so that we can properly advocate for ourselves so as to provide the community with a more real image of the black community.

Of course, Martice does not only deal with issues of racism. In one of her poems, entitled "The Bus", she artistically sheds light on the concept homophobia: "the wheels on the bus go round and round, but that�s not the only thing in heavy rotation .."

Brandon Jones, a 16 year old, whose solemn countenance could easily let him pass for at least 20 has been putting together a CD comprised of "spoken word, like poetry, mixed with hiphop. Something you can listen to. Something real" along with his friend Rich. Inspired, one day he simply began writing off the top of his head and completed all ten songs on the CD within only three weeks. Living on Fulton in San Francisco with his Uncle who raised him, he muses that he must be low-income, since he�s "on Section 8, and [they] don�t have a lot of money".

His song "So Many Things" includes a particularly reflective section: "So many things got me wondering why money controls all the values we hold and everyday violence is just a story to be told, why so many people acting shady and cold; man don�t that shit ever get old? Oh, I remember the good old days, when people just chilled and blazed, now they wanna kill and act crazed; it�s affecting the younger group too, you got nine year old kids that�s acting like they�re 22, mouthin off to positive mother ____�s like me and you, but I ain�t trippin�; I don�t pay no attention, I just look at it all, sit back , and wait for the redemption". To Brandon, the essence of these lines is that everyday life which he lives and sees is just so "messed up�and money is the only value we hold".

Oji, a 24 year old who plans on attending City College, but is currently battling with systems to get support to go to school from welfare workers, who don�t see his extreme talent in visual and literary art says his teachers at POOR, is a man of few words when it comes to everyday dialogue. However, an extremely abstract thought-process is evident through his extremely brilliant artwork, twenty-five song CD, and poetry. There is no singular way in which to describe Oji�s poetry, in particular, but a few lines incite curiosity immediately: "listening, now that I have your attention, look through the windows of my eyes into a mind that�s scientific, since suspense tends to extending our minds in hidden dimensions. Now let�s begin an endless mission with infinite decisions. A effusion of transenducing music is self-illumining opportunist, fluidly rejuvenating a revolutionist movements, goin� though hell to get to heaven, it�s urban legends with commatic electromagnetic melon, within our genes which breeds kings and queens so weaves dreams, conceived, believed, and achieve anything".

Says Oji, of his CD and book "It talks about my potential, I guess what I could become". He feels that low-income members of the community should be heard because "everyone has a different perspective�we can teach. What we�ve learned, we can help others learn". Living with assorted family members from San Francisco to Antioch at different times, Oji feels that he is building a foundation so he can learn to rise above poverty, or as he simply puts it, from "nothing to something".

by Joe B.

Arnold S. The groping Governor and hundreds of other with 15% of the vote or less can be Governor of California.

This is a really bad joke and as everyone across the country has a laugh must remember it may be their turn next time around.

As for Mr. Ward Connelly of prop 187 fame is back with 54 – the so called color blind society initiative.

I wonder if in a past life as a slave an other slaves planned escaping he may have informed on massa or mistress, got people caught, killed, and said "I did it to save ‘em didn’t they’d be killed, don’t ‘na run that’s all."

I probably was one of the slaves working in the field or kitchen getting extra food and luvin from a few maids or the not thinking of escape but not ‘snitchin on others just because I didn’t want go then but that real smart slave, the always with the masta, talkin to the mistress and kids when masta’s away I didn’t trust him and warned the others what I though and told them to be careful.

I may have tried to escape was caught beaten, or made lame, I don’t know but I’m saying don’t trust W. Connelly’s 54 and young folks find out everything you can, learn, educate yourself and others, form organizations that will outlive you and help generations to come.

We’re still in the killing fields, more jails than schools, what is our value to the government?

Are we voting citizen’s, prison complex workers, bouncing betty bomb fodder, or ticking self destructive homicides bombs waiting to blow up ourselves or be blown up by others?

Young men dying too young, young girls being molested, abused, killed, growing up psychologically damaged if not physically and relating boys, men thinking of themselves and others as things not humans.

A killing field America has always been for rainbow folks now it turns on their own.

When young folks of all cultures turn from current society to create something better it’s a threatens the status quo because young people are the next generation and if they see new ways of going forward instead of the same tired old ways society changes.

The current administration or old fossil near extinct ideas that are still holding on to power even as science and technology moves beyond their oil based monies.

Vote people, especially young folks, vote and know who and what your voting for or things will never change.

Economics should priority one besides voting; we see what happens when politics without economics: The organized disenfranchisement of thousands of African descended citizens by criminalizing them on paper, losing ballots.

We must fix the penal system so as people get out of federal prisons they can regain the right to vote in days not months and years not as now losing voting rights forever.

People around the world are not going back into Bush’s 1920’s to 40’s Darkage.

Oh, there will be Dark age’s but this time the light will come from us and shine everywhere.

Dark folks and others were always the true light bearer’s as we’ve shown time and again.

Could it be a real psychological fear of a rainbow world where everyone is free, equal, no bars to how far one can go.

You’ve heard of circling the wagon’s in South Africa.

As natives attacked men and women fought sometimes to the last man or woman and if it looked like they (colonizer’s) would lose they’d kill themselves, whole families died that way and it happened to white families in South Africa as one man one vote came closer to reality.

In America it still happens.

A father loses his job, his mind spirals downward until he see’s death as his only way out.

Problem he takes out his whole family too.

We’re way past that stage, less band together, form international clubs, (youths had already at), we will get through the Bush’s, this stupid, idiot, money wasting, and more-jails-less schools years and get to balance.

You see all the tricks have been done over and over until its history and young people know it, know it so well there moving in alternate directions.

When people scatter to the for winds, split up governments cannot follow, to many people too watch, too many leaders to assassinate at one time.

We’ve gone multiple and when shoulder’s return even more leader’s will begin.

Young folks, keep learning, keep organizing and as now leaders not leaders of tomorrow its up to you.

I’m still trying to stay alive so as to tell folks what really happened way back when.

If I get killed for knowing to much oral, technical, scientific history then my killer are really a bunch of sorry MF’s because I’m no treat but those that are.

Are Everywhere and they cannot be stopped by bullets or bombs.

Ideas never die, get lost, old, reused, and renewed but they never die.

Donations C/0 Poor Magazine

1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Joe B.

Folks, excuse me if my writing is kind of a downer now
change is coming and as with everything rough patches, road signs, and all manner of obscure and obvious ways show only hint at what lies ahead.

As anyone active in sports know especially in learning a new one be it snowboarding, incline or roller skating, surfing on land with wheels or waves, to icy mountain slopes there comes a time when risk is involved to find the level, go beyond what you’ve done or you stagnate, fall back and are stuck.

Last week I hinted at new name for myself right now its Ask Joe, He Don’t Know a reverse answer man or person column where readers supply answers since there are more you and I.

So far I’ve come up with Tell Joe, Unload on Joe, Joe’s, Can Is Fat. which is true many women have told me this some actually delight in pinching me; at least its my rear and not sack and head gropes if you know what I mean?

I don’t know that if I worked for Salon.com, Slate, or any other online zines that I would have as much freedom of expression as I do here.

Yes, some of my writings have gotten so off color that I needed three women editors to edit my work. My third editor did lots of deleting,helped clarify self monologues. [For all those who were scratching their heads saying what "F" is he talking about and to those who got what I'm saying thanks for the effort and though I’ll try to change my ways it won’t be easy].

Metaphorically, I’m sitting looking down a long, dark, immense chasm.

Now I can try to jump across with a running start, walk around the rim of it to get to the other side or chop down a tree, use planks of wood, steel girders, or like "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" sprinkle dust over the edge, believing in faith and myself that I can cross over the abyss without harm.

Readers, I need your help on this!
Now don’t send digital photo’s of willowy, curvaceous, healthy feminine forms.

I am too susceptible to ‘em if I look at oval egg shaped light fixtures with decorated light green,purple, or blue especially blue lines lit up from its interior it begins to resemble light blue striations of a female’s well over developed mammary glands which is back pain to her but heaven to me.

I wish science could find the cause of giatism of the breast, reverse or cure it so women would not suffer from an over abundance but also guys could finally be able to use to re-enhance or serious bulk up our own short comings.

Now that's true R&D applied science!

Am I really, lets say it together "Joe,Your sick."

Which is exactly the words of a young woman I was helping to move out said when she caught me looking at the light fixture mesmerized.

If I had a p.o. box I’d say sent them there.(those lovely photo's of feminine pultritude).

So, please give me suggestions I don’t know what I can do in return; to bad I couldn’t get a few dates out of this.

Donations C/0 Poor Magazine

1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

Email TellJoe@poormagazine.org

by Joe B.

Last Saturday on Oct. 8,2003. A play "Nickel and Dimed" based on Barbara Ehrenreich’s 1999 book Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America.

The play runs from October 8th to November 9th 2003.
The BRAVA! For Women in the Arts.

Brava Theater is on 2781 24th Street in San Francisco, Ca 94110. info@brava.org

Arriving at Brava early by the 14 Mission bus made me feel relaxed, collected,rested,and ready when the play begins in an hour or so.

The time is taken taking black and white photo’s on the wall of player’s in the play. T. J. Johnson is early too with a program and complimentary tickets.

Inside the roomy downstairs theater the stage has props of pirex coffee pots on a wheeled cart, two other tables for maids, balled of paper on floors is a nice touch.

Actor/Actresses help move the scenes and props along by wheeling or moving walls that have props affixed to them.

I found out Mr. Ron Gnapp, Christina Anselmo, Ms. Julia Brother’s are smokes and its written into the play plus a q & a about maid/waitress work and who pays the highest wages for house cleaning.

I heard $33 as the highest weekly wage as everyone applauds the employer including actors who’ve do that work.

Its good to know I’m risking my lungs to second hand smoke in the cause of balanced cost-of-living increased wages.

All realistic in their use to convey the hard work of low wage unemployment of waitresses, maids, Certified Nurse/Dietary Aid Assist. and MorMart employees.

A musician, Mr. Michael Goldberg plays delicately on small guitar.

In a later interview after the play he told the music is integral to the play and not added in as part of changes.

After three intermissions Ms. Ellen Gavin, Founding Artistic Director of the Brava Theater Center in San Francisco announced that upstairs a party is set up to talk to the actress/ actor’s in the play and have food and drink.

There is white wind and its black purple twin, cookies, deserts, water, and rum cake with mushrooms at least that’s what heard in passing.

After cookies, two cakes, and talking with a few of the player I finally asked all the remaining actor’s to gather for a last group shot.

I recommend an open mind when seeing this play.

Its 12 midnight, Mission Street is nearly deserted with a few revelers and S.F.’s finest roaming about.

I decide to walk, while composing some song.

The night barely has a breeze to it as I walked home to shed a few excess pounds.

It was a good night and early morning in a few hours church and other thing will be on my mind.

Donations C/0 Poor Magazine

1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Tricia Ward/PoorNewsNetwork Community Journalist/ Mentor; Dee Gray

The accusation, when it’s made, hits like a cold steel beam slamming into your body, knocking you to the ground, or cuts sharp and deep into you like a cleaver, leaving you gasping for breath. “Your son sure seems to have a lot of problems, doesn’t he?” That’s all it was, a dozen words, uttered to my sister, but the accusation hung there in the air, making my sister’s heart stop beating. Her son had been sick, it started with diabetes and insulin shots given daily. Then the depression came, after being teased over and over by the kids at school because he was ‘different’. On top of that asthma, and then the final ailment, strange mysterious seizures that came on daily, without warning. The doctors couldn’t find the reason for the seizures. Test after test, neurologists, specialist of every kind, psychiatrists. No explanation for this new, terrifying symptom. It was in yet another doctor’s office, where the accusation was uttered by a nurse. It wasn’t just the words she uttered; “Your son sure seems to have a lot of problems, doesn’t he?” but the threatening tone of voice, the sharp eyes beating into my sister, as she flipped through the child’s file. Somehow, my sister, who wanted nothing more than to have her child be well, healthy and happy, was being told that this woman suspected my sister was somehow responsible for his myriad of problems.

The accusation, when it’s made, is often followed by action. Action that’s quick, and reactionary in nature, not thought out, not rational, and not at all in the best interest of the most important person involved, the child. This is what happened when the accusation was made in regards to Byron’s 13-year-old son Ronnie. Byron tells the story of how Ronnie and his mother Barbara, had been evicted from their home. Barbara had her sister take Ronnie in until she could find permanent housing. She did this so Ronnie would have a safe place to live in the meantime. The accusation, in this case came from Ronnie’s aunt. The very aunt that had been trusted to look after Ronnie until Barbara could find a home for both of them. “Ronnie’s mom is not fit to care for him” was the accusation. The response came swift and quick. Ronnie’s aunt became his caretaker and began receiving money from the system, meaning Child Protective Services, which was supposed to be for Ronnie’s care. There was little Barbara or Byron could do. The Aunt had connections within the system who listened to her accusations and acted quickly and swiftly and changed Ronnie’s life.

My sister’s life changed years ago, the day her son was born. She and her husband had tried for years to have child and when the baby was born, he became the focal point of their lives. As he grew it became clear he had medical problems, but they sacrificed, did whatever necessary to help him. My sister had to quit her job at one point to stay home and take care of him. They eventually had to sell their home and move to a smaller rented apartment, because the mortgage was overwhelming on only her husband’s salary, but their concern was only for their son’s welfare. I asked her one Christmas what they would like for gifts. My sister’s response was “We want our son to be healthy, other than that, not much”. Now, this woman in the doctor’s office, this stranger, who didn’t know anything about my sister and her son, was throwing this terrible accusation at her.

Since Ronnie has been taken from Barbara both she and Byron have learned about the terrible mess that follows the accusation. Byron has learned how the system that is supposed to protect the child and restore the family unit is actually determined to do just the opposite. Byron describes “the triangle” as he calls, it of CPS, the judge and social worker who all work together to keep the parents from being reunited with their child. Byron took Barbara to parenting classes and programs that the court said she needed to attend. She got her certificate of completion, but she didn’t get Ronnie back. Byron attempted to visit his son, he spent the day and spent his own money getting finger-printed as the court ordered. His record came back clean, but the court still wouldn’t allow him to visit his son. Byron says they gave him no explanation as to why. They never do. Over and over again, the judge would give Barbara or Byron certain conditions to meet in order to get Ronnie back. And over and over they met these requirements, and still Ronnie was not returned. That was the day his anger reached its peak, when he realized this system was never going return his child. The aunt, the one who made the accusation, grew tired of keeping Ronnie, even though she got paid to do so. She lied again to CPS, said Ronnie acted up and Ronnie was moved again this time to foster care, to the first of several foster placements. Now Byron hears his son’s voice only occasionally. Ronnie will sneak a phone call to him. Ronnie is now 16. He’s already planning on being with his dad when he turns 18 and can walk away from the system. “I’m his dad”, Byron says, “And nothing can change that.”

Byron began to write. He needed to do something to make others understand. He began writing and since then has written over 2,000 poems. The words come easy when the story is personal and needs to be told. “They can talk about me all they want, but I’m still putting the word out there” he says of the people involved in the system. And the word is getting out – Byron has published a book, filled with the poems about his son and the CPS system. Ronnie’s 7-year-old eyes stare out at the reader from the cover. They are warm, brown, friendly eyes. Although you can’t see it in the picture, you can tell there’s wide smile beaming out just below his eyes.

The accusation made my sister act as well, for her the action is research, hours and hours of phone calls and of e-mail sent to others who might be going through the same issue, this new, mysterious ailment that has attacked their child. Focusing all her efforts into caring for her son and searching endlessly for the answer to his ailment allows her to pretend the accusation was never made, in hopes that the terrible action that sometimes follows the accusation never comes.

Byron Gafford’s book Thru The Eyes of A Child is available for sale by clicking on the POOR Press button on PNN. If you are a parent and would like to report your story to courtwatch – please email deeandtiny@poormagazine.org and put Courtwatch in the subject line.

by Joe B.

Well, Swartzenegger is Governor and looks like he and ‘Prez select G.W. Bush Jr. are going to borrow some of Arnold’s charismatic star power to have him voted in by the people for real in 2004.

Could the boxer analogy be inverted so that when Ms. Arianna Huffington was debating or arguing with the former candidate it looked like he was being picked on and no matter what he said or did to appease women about his past "youthful" Hollywood indiscretions with women most men and women thought:

["The guy cannot win either he didn’t do ‘em and he’s smeared, tried by public opinion or he did it, apologizes and gets raked over the coals for admitting it.

Yes, many men have been through the particular no-win ringer in that no matter what you do to correct whatever you’ve done its never enough.

Unlike marriage when a trust is broken its takes a hell of a strong bond to get back trust.

I think women are more unforgiving in this area.

When placing more than their bodies but hearts and soul to someone and the one person they trust has broken that vow by sleeping with another then saying "it meant nothing only sex" makes matters worse.

What is/was she to him just sex?

An though trust can be rebuilt over time it is never the same so I always warn myself when and if I’m ever blessed to be in married bliss to keep that trust because it is sacred and should never be broken at all,ever.

As for upcoming political shenanigans we’ve have not heard about all I wish to do is get my own act together.

Let me tell you a true story. In the back of my mind was the thought that if I ever became flush with dough or by inheriting funds one of my first actions would be to seriously work on my health.

It happened when my grandmother who lives on Park Avenue died from complications brought on by pneumonia. Ms. Reese died in 2000.

I only saw her a few times but missed being at her bedside before she breathed her last breath but did see her up and around before she became ill.

At the same time I was in U.C.S.F.’s [University of California,San Francisco] School of Dentistry, the
Periodontology part of it.

It deals with the gums that holds teeth in place. After scraping off plaque, food particles I’m told to keep them clean which I’ve done diligently over these few months lately I’ve come to a realization that my teeth are as equally if not more important to my health as the interior/ exterior of my physical body.

So I’ve cut down on comfort or snack foods like cookies,mini pies, cakes,candy bars,and soda.

Folks, you know that pleasant light feeling when one actually feels weight fall from your frame?

Well I’ve had that feeling on and off when regaining wait but this time around I’ve kept that lighter than air feel for four months now and I’m use to feeling no longer being a fleeting phenomena.

The next goal is to be in a gym early for swimming, weight training and Pilates Yoga, a combining of Pilates exercise invented by its founder Joseph Hubertus Pilates

was born in Duesseldorf/Germany in 1880.

Later he emigrated to England and then to the USA.... Died in 1967

The recent combining of Pilates with Yoga,an interior and ancient spiritual exercise seems a perfect balance along with lap swimming,weight training,and proper nutrition.

Don’t get me wrong I’m not going for marathons or Iron Man competition but in case that’s ever the case I may not win but be fit enough to finish at the end.

Taking a page from women on self care giving to ones self before doling it out to others.

The non profit job I work in has zero health benefits except for web knowledge, word of mouth, and what’s affordable.

I cannot afford to be ill and as with sharks constant roaming for food, eyes open rarely sleep or at rest.

I can spend maybe two or more days in bed before my lungs fill with fluids, a mild flu makes my asthma worse.

So, women when I say sex is good for me and I have endurance because I’ve done it a lot.

Its not merely sex for sex’s sake but a life enhancing act.

Though I’m not addicted to it besides exercise, its an enjoyable recreation.

Now you know why I’m not a sports fan and would rather be a lady or two in another room while the fella’s whoop and holler over a flawless touchdown, basket, golf put, or tennis, or soccer.

Guy’s can you think of a better way to keep an affliction at bay while being wholly pleasurable simultaneously?

I’ve been on adult dating sites,in electronic chat rooms but after awhile I had to leave for an even stronger sites.

One that when place my physical or written profile the women on these sights really want physical contact with little sexual innuendo, double meaning messages and also because my periodontal visits had me thinking.

I better be real to these women,tell‘em what their in for and maybe its one nighter’s but at least its above board and if I should find a mate there well I’ll have to give up that indulgence for life.

Well, folks its been a harsh hard year with lowered
I Q’s up in Washing-toon and all over the country.

Meanwhile between my teeth and body along with more Salsa, Meringue dancing I’ll be so busy living life I won’t really think much of politics.

Yeah, the personal is political but what was personal when politics didn’t exist? Just personal life.

For Pol all I do is look, read, listen, vote, I do not talk Pol, religion, or sexual pol because not only am I lousy at it but some people are so into it they tend to want to bring others into it like some "Stepford Wifes" drones.

I may comment on politics once in a while but my radar isn’t focussed there as I am at other issues.

If you like, dislike, hate my views email me sometimes.

There are some people who hate POOR Magazine so much that they email us to express there view.

To me it seems we’re a threat to their ideological/political landscape,Poor peeps being poor are suppose to shut up and take whatever they get and deem themselves lucky.

Most people are poor that hasn’t changed what’s changed is poor folks are more educated, skilled, then at anytime in the past.

Too many know the lies, falsehoods, history and we’ve spread to the youth who are doing and demanding more at younger ages.

Parameter’s have changed forever and the Powers That Be don’t know what to do because they no longer have control.

I only listen with half an ear then do my own stuff.

What about you reader’s out there how do you feel about it?

Donations C/0 Poor Magazine

1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Dee

Born: August 22, 2003

6am

5 lbs 2 ounces

Description: scrawny legged, diaper poopin, baseball headed, pant saggin, big knee havin, no backbone havin, baby boy

Actor look-alike: Mr Magoo (cartoon guy)



Best observed characteristic: calmness

I Ching horoscope for future:


- born in the year of the sheep

- shy

- gets along really well with people

- will only want to marry
an older woman

Ethnicity: Chinese, Mexican, Boricua(Puerta Rican), Irish,

Favorite Song: Betty Davis Eyes