The Undercurrent by Carlos Fierro

From/to the Editor:

t’s been a while since I’ve penned one of these—a bit out of practice. A lot has happened since the last issue. Here we are starting our fourth year. Not sure what to make of it. At what point does one become an established member of the community? We’ve toiled at this for quite some time…seen a lot…been involved in quite a bit. At the same time, though, it still feels like we’re trying to break in—to what, I don’t know.

It always amazes me when I just meet someone and they know of the paper; I won’t lie, it feels good. But most of the time, at least away from the Tower, people I meet haven’t heard of The Undercurrent. So we still have some work left to do. I know this. For those of you who are veterans of this whole Undercurrent thing, thanks for sticking with us for so long. But that’s not enough. Didn’t think I would be handing out homework assignments, did you? Just the same, tell others about this paper, and maybe even buy a subscription for someone who hasn’t seen the paper. Those of you who might be new to The Undercurrent, maybe you’re picking up the paper for the first time, welcome, but you too have some work to do. Tell a friend about it as well. Read it, then pass it on. Now, for those who take issue with the views and news presented herein, I hope you find value enough to continue reading. Fresno is awash with the Ray Appletons, Rush Limbaughs, Sean Hannitys, Mark Levins, and Michelle Malkins. Perhaps these are more to your liking, but oh so boring it would be if all you had to choose from was the Appletons of the world. As it is, we have another packed issue. This month we look at the wonderful world of DIY, from beer, to being Hella Crafty, and a few things in between. Plus all the stuff you’ve come to expect. My space is limited this month, but I wanted to say, welcome back. That’s all for now, more later… LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Dear Editor, The curious thing about Mr. Aguayo’s account of his “adventure” with the Fresno police officer [see The Undercurrent, May/June 2009] is that the smog certification goes AUTOMATICALLY to the DMV via computer. No need to mail it and no need to carry it in your car in the event a

big, mean motorcycle officer stops you and makes you pucker. This simple “error” in Joe’s account makes me wonder about the veracity of the rest of Joe’s yarn. Also, if you had the current sticker, why didn’t you just show THAT to the brutal fascist? Perhaps Middleclass Joe is Mendacios Joe. Kind regards, Lattlay

Joe Aguayo responds: Mr. Lattlay Fottfoy, Thanks for taking the time to read and write a response to my article. I really do appreciate it. As to your concerns about the truthfulness of my story, I’ll do my best to address that in the following few lines. (1) It is also my understanding that smog certifications are sent automatically to the DMV computer systems. Frankly, this isn’t much of a story if that wasn’t the case. Although I didn’t explicitly mention this in the article, because I figured it was common knowledge, it was eluded to. In fact, that understanding was what gave me a false sense of security with regards to my getting into major trouble in the first place. I was certain that I would be allowed to leave with a fix-it ticket if he looked my car up in the DMV database precisely because I knew that information was sent automatically. (2) I was never under the impression that one had to mail their smog certificate to the DMV. The smog certificate being in my car was nothing more than a consequence of me throwing it in the back seat and forgetting about it. (3) I didn’t have a current sticker on or in my car at the time that I was pulled over. That’s exactly why I was pulled over in the first place. Again, not much of a story if that wasn’t the case. Joe Aguayo

Dear Editor, How can I resist such a plea? “Write to us” spoken to me three times, in black in white. Very well. I’m writing. First off, and maybe only, Thank You! Thank you for publishing this newspaper of yours that has become a source of so much good in my life. I know, that sounds sappy and overstated, but...it’s the truth! When I left my husband and was in the bottomless pit of despair and self-deprecation, I stumbled upon your paper at the California Arts Academy. I loved the cover art, and the title, “Undercurrent” said, “Hey. I’m not your Fresno Bee. I’m subversive. Come and see.” And I’ve yet to be disappointed. I LOVE YOU!!!! Now, you might wonder, why I am not a subscriber? Trust me. I will be someday. But for now, I’m broke and a struggling student, and where’s my violin so I can really drum up the sympathy?... Okay,

I really like your publication because it’s free!!! I know...It’s not free to publish. It costs money and time and energy to put forth such a free spirited voice in this conservative town. So, I guess I should say, I’m indebted to you. And I always honor my debts. Here is the first way I’m repaying you. I’m answering your call to write. And I encourage others to do the same. I guess I owe you more than just one letter. Well, maybe next time I’ll write something more than just a thank you. For now, it is what it is. Your previously unknown admirer and avid fan, Tomaro Scadding-Slevkoff

Dear Editor, It is really interesting that Americans really believe that electing a black man means anything much less that it is the end of racism. [see The Undercurrent, Dec 08 / Jan 09] Many of my friends think that Obama is some sort of savior and will make American what it should be. American has always been a imperial power. It was built on slavery and continues to use it. It is just exports slavery now so that it is not seen. The military might of this country is used to enrich the few while we are told fairy tales about foreign threats to our liberality’s when the only threat to us is our own government. I don’t care what color the President is because until we are truly given a choice in who runs for office as well as a direct and fair election in which all peoples votes are counted, the elections in the US are a sham. The US general population live in a state of denial in which they are so afraid of the truth that they allow themselves to become addicted to drugs and TV shows that feed them a steady diet of useless shit and lies. The US population would rather blind themselves with drugs and things than face the truth of the pain and suffering in the world because of US policies and direct action. It is within the power of the US population to make the world a truly democratic world by demanding the UN security council be eliminated and all nations become equal partners, the US military be pulled back within US borders, all nuclear weapons be eliminated, all world resources are used for the benefit of all people, and all people are encouraged to speak freely. Until all voices are given freedom to speak no matter what they say, no voice is free. Even though we stand on the brink, I have hope that the american people will change. I don’t know why I have that hope, but I do. Hope must be an incurable disease. Tim Trotochaud St Albans Vermont

July 2009

Volume 4

Issue 2

Editorial Board Carlos Fierro Editor editor@fresnoundercurrent.net Jessi Hafer Associate Editor jessi@fresnoundercurrent.net Matt Espinoza Watson Associate Editor mattw@fresnoundercurrent.net Abid Yahya Associate Editor abid@fresnoundercurrent.net Staff Writers Vahram Antonian Nicholas Nocketback Contributors: Joe Aguayo

Kathy Cano-Murillo Christy Cole Vince Corsaro

Sadie Crabtree Eatcho Rigoberto S Garcia Steven J Ingeman James Leveque Devoya Mayo Tracy Newel pongo Rosalba Lopez Ramirez H Peter Steeves Ed Stewart Uriel J Tekunoff

Joshua Trevino Christa Rose Unger Adam Wall

For advertising inquiries, please email ads@fresnoundercurrent.net For letters to the editor, please email letters@fresnoundercurrent.net For submission information, please email editor@fresnoundercurrent.net For subscription information: FresnoUndercurrent.net or send check for $35 to “The Undercurrent” P.O. Box 4857, Fresno, CA 93744 ©2009 Out of respect for our contributors, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the permission of the Editor-in-Chief.

SCIENCE,H EALTH,& ENVIRONMENT 4

Cultivating Consciousness: Parenting without violence by Step Gonzales

11 13

LOCAL N E W S 5

Help Immigrant Communities Fight La Migra: Support the Central Valley Immigrant Legal Fund by pongo

LA B O R & ECONOMICS 5

Fresno County Homecare Workers Expose SEIU’s Illegal Tactics in Illegitimate Election by Sadie Crabtree

DIY Healthcare (or, Exploring Natural Preventative Medicine) by Matt Espinoza Watson

DIY: Medicine for the Mind, Body, & Spirit by Matt Espinoza Watson &

Rosalba Lopez Ramirez

From The Lost Socratic Dialogues: “The Hippias Autochthonic Boogaloo” Discovered by Ingeman & Steeves

C ALENDAR 1 6 UnderCurrentEvents Calendar 18

The Undercurrent’s indie PREVIEW

FILM REVIEWS 26

STATE,N ATIONAL,INTERNATIONAL 6 7 8

What was the California Supreme Court Thinking? by James Leveque The Palestine Report by Abid Yahya

AfterWords by Carlos Fierro & Abid Yahya

19 19

C OLUMNS

Green Up Your Thumb:

M USIC REVIEWS

FEATURED T OPIC: DIY 9 10 10

Hellacrafty

by Devoya Mayo w/ Kathy Cano-Murillo

Beer is good, but sometimes brewing your own beer is better

by Carlos Fierro

29 30 POETRY

20 Students Do It Themselves at FCC by Rigoberto S Garcia & Joshua Trevino

NoTown Roller Derby Girls by Edward Stewart

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop, Summer 09 by Vahram Antonian, Nicholas Nocketback. & Abid Yahya

by Uriel J Tekunoff

Local Eats DIY: The Jam 2 5 by Tracy Newel

A Cornucopia of Gardening Tips by Christy Cole

The View Looks Good From Here, Fresno by Adam & Ed

Dear Nocketback by Nicholas Nocketback

Rise to Power by Christa Rose Unger

SHORT FICTION 31

About the Cover

by Vahram Antonian

B ORED? G AMES! Print and Play Games 2 7 by Joe Aguayo & Jessi Hafer

PLUGS & PROFILES

Pep Love & Dudley Perkins: 2 MCs, 2 Venues, 1 Great Night of Hip Hop by Matt Espinoza Watson

Food Inc.

Marathon Man by Nicholas Nocketback

Parenting Without Violence

ow many times have you hit your friend because she wouldn’t listen to you? Now, how many times have you hit your child because he wouldn’t listen to you? Even by another name, “spanking” is hitting, and is a form of violence against your child. It is likely that you wouldn’t hit a friend over a small argument, so what makes your child different?

In the past few years, spanking has faced widespread condemnation, no matter what parenting style is in question. However, while this obviously violent punishment is in decline, many of us still practice other forms of violence against our children. Just as you wouldn’t hit your friend because he isn’t listening to you, you wouldn’t yell at him either. Imagine if someone were to yell at you because you didn’t respond to her, how would you react? You would likely shut down and leave the conversation, just as our children try to do when we yell at them. Children respond to violence similarly to the way we respond to violence. We are, after all, all human. One of the biggest

challenges of parenting is that while children do not respond well to violence, they somehow manage to provoke a great deal of violence, even in the parents that love them. While you would not hit or yell at your friend, your friend would probably not pick up a toy in the store and refuse to let go, throwing himself on the floor and screaming. Or biting— how can you resist that natural urge to fight back once your 2-year-old has bitten you? You have heard other suggestions before, no doubt. Alternatives to hitting and yelling include redirection (focus the kid’s attention away from the upsetting subject), reasoning (telling her why she can’t do something), consequential punishment (making the punishment fit the crime), and similar techniques. And if you have already made the decision to

become a nonviolent parent, you have tried all these techniques and have discovered that there is no magic bullet that will stop your toddler’s tantrum and make them suddenly angelic, and make you feel like Supermama or Superpapa. Here is the magic bullet…no, wait, just kidding—it doesn’t exist. Children are simply violenceprovoking little

critters that you can’t respond to with violence. Why not? It doesn’t work. Even if your son stops doing whatever it was that inspired you to spank or yell at him, he only stopped because he is scared of you. This does not create a healthy relationship. You wouldn’t want to spend time with someone who hit or yelled at you, and your kids won’t want to either. The first step to becoming a non-violent parent is to recognize the violence within parent-

child relationships that is often overlooked. Yelling, hitting, threatening—these are all things we don’t do to our friends, and that we shouldn’t do to our children. We need to model behavior that we wouldn’t mind seeing our children imitate on the playground. You will not feel like a great parent while watching your son yelling “no” and hitting a friend who has taken his bicycle, but you will just glow when your daughter tells someone who has taken her ball “you’re making me frustrated, it is my turn.” Your children will imitate you, so make sure you won’t be ashamed of the things you have said when they say them in return. When your kids start reacting to others without violence, you will know that you are doing a good job. Even the most non-violent person will have a hard time

portionate emotion that leads to yelling, threats, and other violence. I recently watched a fouryear old boy trip over his mother’s foot, to which he responded by yelling with anger at his mama, “Why was your foot in my way! You made me fall down!” The first thought that leapt into my head was the mixed up logic of the child, that it was obviously his fault for not watching where he was going. I am sad to admit that if it was my son who tripped over me, in that instant I would have likely told him it was his fault, and an argument would have ensued. Thankfully this mama recognized that this was simply the response of a silly 4-year-old, and instead of succumbing to the kid’s angry attitude, she responded with such hearty laughter, turning it into a game by scolding her foot, “naughty foot, stay out of the way.” In this way, she diffused the situation and her son’s anger, avoiding conflict. While we need to remember to treat children the way we would treat an adult by not using violence, and expecting them to react the same way an adult would. At the same time, we must remember that they are children and are allowed to react like a child: we, however, are not. We must be the responsible ones, and not respond to a child’s violence and misbehavior with violence. When children are angry and frustrated, it is because they do not have the communication skills to do any different. We do have those skills, and must react to our children with non-violence so that they too can one day refraining from violence against a have non-violent skills to use in child when kids do the ridiculous reaction to their world. ______ things they do, such as hit you in the face, pull the cat’s tail, or try Step is currently working on a MA to run in front of a car. It is our job in English, living in a child-friendas the adult to be able to view ly co-op with 2-year-old Oliver, 1these actions as what they are: year-old Aiyana and their stay-atridiculous, or silly. The silly things home Papa. She can be reached at toddlers do are their way of learn- stephaniereddig@juno.com ing about the world, and their place in it. In recognizing that these are just ridiculous toddler antics, we can try not to be drawn into it by responding with dispro-

Help Immigrant Communities Fresno County Homecare Fight La Migra: Support the Workers Expose SEIU’s

Central Valley Immigrant Legal Fund

any of us are probably too familiar with bailing friends and family out of jail. Many of us are aware that the cops put innocent people in jail all the time. And we often have to put forward our money or raise funds to get them out. Many of us also know how important it can be to have a good lawyer.

Jails and the necessity to raise bail money affect many communities. Immigrant communities face this problem as well. But add to that the threat of being deported, your family getting separated, and facing greater financial obstacles, including legal costs and courtroom representation. This is what immigrant communities throughout the country are up against. La Migra, or ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), part of the Department of Homeland Security, is a terrorist organization. They decide who is “legal” or “illegal” and, if you happen to not possess a certain piece of paper which determines whether you “belong” on the “right” side of an arbitrary border line, then you are a target. ICE may come to your home, work, or school, steal you from your family (even if you’re a child), lock you up in a jail or detention center, possibly far away and under inhumane conditions and human rights violations, and deport you. If you’re a mother, they may be nice and put you under house arrest until deportation, giving you a nice ankle monitor. La Migra is ruthless and careless. Over 80 people died in ICE detention from 2003-2008. ICE has mistakenly detained citizens as well. Acting in solidarity

to fight this monster is essential for immigrant communities. But immigrant communities in the Central Valley have more problems still. The Valley lacks the resources that the Bay Area and Southern California have. There are few attorneys here willing and able to take on cases representing immigrants. It’s hard for attorneys to do pro bono (donated) work. There are fewer nonprofits than in other areas. Some nonprofits are legally restricted from assisting undocumented folks. People facing detention and/or deportation usually have to go to court in San Francisco or a detention center in Arizona, so travel expenses can be exorbitant. Immigrants residing in the Central Valley obviously face many obstacles to getting financial assistance and legal support and representation when their communities are under attack and terrorized by ICE, facing detention and deportation. This is why Central Valley Immigrant Rights Network (CVIRN) started the Central Valley Immigrant Legal Fund: to connect people and their attorneys with financial resources to ensure they receive adequate representation and support. We kicked off the Fund with a fundraising dinner and speaker event on May 24. We are so far working with Fresnobased attorneys to put together a core group of attorneys who will be part of the Fund and take on cases they may not otherwise be able to without funds. We will continue to raise money for this objective. You may be thinking about the Fund and what might be considered the reformist nature of it. It’s true that, by helping immigrants afford lawyers, we won’t change the capitalist system that uproots migrants and criminalizes

by pongo

them in the first. But most people I know wouldn’t hesitate to help bail their friends, families, or comrades out of jail should they get arrested. Additionally, sometimes revolution isn’t enough. One of the speakers at the fundraiser, David Bacon, a journalist and long-time immigrant rights activist from the Bay Area, brought up a good point. Although we must abolish capitalism to have equality and justice, when you talk to workers in the fields about problems their communities face—detention, deportation, work-related deaths in the fields, families split apart, government terrorism, the everyday awareness that you are “illegal” and despised by many—talking to them about revolution doesn’t satisfy their immediate need for justice and human rights. We need to organize against and attack the system, but we need to act pragmatically to help immigrants improve their lives right now. Making sure they have good legal representation when facing detention and deportation is one such act. You can take part in this process via the Central Valley Immigrant Legal Fund. You can donate to the Fund, organize fundraising and awareness events in your community, or let us know of any attorneys or organizers who could be part of the Fund. If you can help with any of this, contact CVIRN at cvirn@riseup.net. For the dignity and autonomy of immigrant and all communities! No border, no nation, stop deportation! ______ Pongo organizes with the Central Valley Immigrant Rights Network and desires autonomy for all people. CVIRN can be reached at cvirn@riseup.net.

Illegal Tactics In Illegitimate Election

by Sadie Crabtree

Local homecare workers fight for an independent union, NUHW

tion, illegal threats, and ballot manipulation by SEIU staff. In addition, delays by the State Mediation and Mistakes by the State election officer could also have disenfranchised hun- Conciliation Service (SMCS) in senddreds of providers who wanted to vote ing replacement ballots could have disenfranchised hundreds of providers whose ballots were not counted resno County homecare providers spoke out today because they arrived after the June 15 deadline. at the County Hall of “Throughout the election, Records to tell their stories of SEIU demonstrated an appalling disreSEIU’s illegal tactics to interfere gard for the truth and the law,” said in this month’s union election. Sarah Jones, a homecare provider in Fresno. “In mailings, phone calls, and Thousands of providers petitioned for the election in March at our doors, they threatened us over and over that we would lose our health so they could quit the scandalinsurance, our paid hours, and our plagued SEIU and join the wages if we voted for NUHW.” National Union of Healthcare California’s Meyers-MiliasWorkers (NUHW). Brown Act (MMBA) makes it illegal SEIU spent an estimated $10 for either an employer or a union to million on attack mailings, robo-calls, discriminate, threaten, or do anything TV and radio ads, and 1,000 paid staff against any employee for choosing a union or for participating or not particflown in from across the country, but ipating in union activities. It is also failed to win enough support from illegal under the MMBA for an workers to win the election without breaking the law. Homecare providers employer to change wages or benefits reported scores of incidents of voter intimidaHomecare Workers continued next page... June 22, 2009

Homecare Workers continued...

because workers choose to unionize or choose to change their union. Even after it was pointed out to an SEIU-UHW deputy trustee that these threats were unambiguously illegal, SEIU continued to use them, both verbally and in writing. Other homecare providers reported being intimidated by physically threatening behavior by SEIU staff. “I was at the door of a fellow homecare provider, explaining why I was voting for NUHW,” said Phally Pov, a provider and NUHW volunteer. “An SEIU organizer saw us and ran around the corner. Minutes later two huge men pulled up in a car, jumped out, and started coming toward us and yelling. They yelled over me and wouldn’t let me talk with the provider. I noticed that the men smelled strongly of marijuana. I was afraid for my safety, and the provider I was visiting was visibly shaken. They threatened the member that if he voted for NUHW he would lose his benefits. When they were finished yelling at us, they handed the other provider a t-shirt and told him he’d better vote for SEIU-UHW.” Several cases were documented of vandalism and theft by SEIU staff targeting NUHW supporters. “I saw a man in purple walking up to my door,” said Lesalie Kyle, a provider in North Clovis. “I had an NUHW sign behind my locked screen door because I didn’t want SEIU harassing me at home. He rang the bell, and when no one answered he kicked my screen door in and put a bunch of SEIU flyers in front of the sign.” Silbenia Conley, a provider in Kerman, filed a police report after three family members in her home witnessed an SEIU staffer steal a sign she had put on her door to show her community that she supported NUHW. Fresno homecare consumer and advocate John Wilkins supported the workers in their challenge to the election. “Homecare providers make great sacrifices to care for seniors and people with disabilities in our community, and they deserve a fair election to choose their union. As a homecare advocate I am deeply troubled by these reports from providers in Fresno County.” Despite SEIU’s illegal tactics, just 117 out of almost 6,000 votes could swing the outcome of the election. More than 500 ballots could remain uncounted because of mistakes and flawed decisions by SMCS— some because SMCS did not send replacement ballots in time for workers to vote before the deadline, and some because the election officer chose to ignore votes from providers who had taped their ballot envelopes shut instead of gluing them. Based on SEIU’s illegal conduct and errors by the SMCS election officer, healthcare workers in NUHW are preparing a legal challenge to the certification of the ballot count and demanding the election be re-run after SEIU’s lawless tactics are investigated. ______ The National Union of Healthcare Workers is an independent, member-led union, dedicated to improving the lives of healthcare workers and the people they care for. Nearly 100,000 workers in hospitals, Kaiser Permanente facilities, homecare, and nursing homes have petitioned to join NUHW since January, with 40,000 more expected to petition in the next few months.

What Was the California Supreme Court Thinking?

he California Supreme Court’s decision on May 26 to uphold Prop 8 has little to do with equality and a lot more to do with the dissection of the wording of the California State Constitution, parsing of somewhat arcane legal distinctions, and maintaining legal precedents— some of which go back well over 100 years. But it may very well turn out that the decision will defeat the opponents of same-sex marriage in the long run.

The decision was partly the result of the prosecution’s strategy of arguing, “Proposition 8 should be viewed as a constitutional revision rather than as a constitutional amendment, and that this change in the state Constitution therefore could not lawfully be adopted through the initiative process.” In 1911, when the initiative process was first adopted, constitutional amendments could be proposed and adopted through that process, but constitutional revisions could only be undertaken through a fairly involved legislative process. If it turns out that Prop 8 is a constitutional revision, then according to the law it must be struck down because it was adopted through illegal means. The distinction between a revision and an amendment has been subject to serious dispute (Isn’t an amendment, by definition, a revision?). According to an 1894 case, the Supreme Court decided that the Constitution could be changed only “by a convention of delegates chosen by the people for the express purpose of revising the

by James Leveque

entire instrument” or through “specific amendments” submitted to the legislature (and, 17 years later, through initiative). The distinction in that ruling revolved around the vague language of “entire” and “specific.” Later court decisions established that a revision, being a more wide-ranging process, would alter “the basic governmental plan or framework embodied in the preexisting provisions of the California Constitution.” This basically means that any amendment that alters the basic building blocks of California’s governing structure cannot be undertaken through the initiative process. If, at this point, you’re asking yourself what any of this has to do with equality and justice, the answer is basically: nothing. The argument is completely procedural. The majority asserts that: “…Our role is limited to interpreting and applying the principles and rules embodied in the California Constitution, setting aside our own personal beliefs and values.” For a court, that’s a perfectly conventional stance. To paraphrase an old law professor I knew, the law isn’t concerned with what’s right so much as what’s legal; if it turns out that what’s right and what’s legal are the same thing, so much the better. Judge Moreno’s dissent argues that equality and human rights are so embedded within the basic framework of the constitution that any violation of that principle would constitute a change in the nature of “the basic governmental plan or framework” and would therefore require a

constitutional revision rather than amendment. The dissenting opinion makes a serious argument that one of the basic functions of the court is to maintain equal protection and due process. If Prop 8 or any other amendment shackles the court in that function then, according to the dissent, it cannot be considered a legal amendment. In no way does the majority opinion assert that equal protection and due process are not a fundamental part of the California Constitution, but it addresses

personal and dignitary interests that have traditionally informed the right to marry have been given to same-sex couples through the Domestic Partner Act.’” The dissenting opinion hits the nail on the head: “The majority protests that it does not mean to ‘diminish or minimize the significance that the official designation of “marriage” holds,’ but that is exactly the effect of its decision.” One would think that supporters of Prop 8 would frown on this sort of argument, but they have made the

the concern by reducing “mar- same argument themselves. The majority opinion cites riage” to a pointless bureaucratic distinction. The majority that, “the ballot arguments opinion draws on a number of submitted by the supporters of Proposition 8 establish that the cases, including last year’s purpose of that initiative measdecision by the same court ure was simply to restore the holding that Prop 22 was invalid because, as a statutory traditional definition of marriage as referring to a union provision, it was unconstitutional (Prop 8, being a consti- between a man and a woman, tutional amendment, was obvi- and not to abrogate or elimiously meant to rectify that crit- nate the constitutional right of same-sex couples to establish icism). Although the court an officially recognized family eventually ruled against Prop relationship (with comparable 22, it was argued then that, “the marriage statutes did not rights and responsibilities) violate the fundamental rights bearing some other designation.” In this light, Prop 8 of same-sex couples by not making this designation [of “marriage”] available to Court continued next page... them, ‘because all of the

Court continued...

comes across not so much as ideological, but just plain petulant (but perhaps petulance is the default position of the ideologue in decline). Of course, there is a cultural argument to be made in favor of granting samesex couples the right to the term “marriage.” The dissenting opinion rightly states that denying a same-sex couple the right to the term “marriage”—regardless of its practical bearing— “impinges upon a same-sex couple’s fundamental interest in having their family relationship accorded the same respect and dignity enjoyed by an opposite-sex couple.” It’s my feeling that it’s much more difficult to convince a court to make decisions based on amorphous cultural arguments. The majority resorted to the legal-procedural rather than the cultural-ethical mainly because that is where it felt most comfortable. A deeper reason for upholding Prop 8 is implicitly stated rather bluntly by the dissenting opinion: “The equal protection clause is therefore, by its nature, inherently countermajoritarian. As a logical matter, it cannot depend on the will of the majority for its enforcement, for it is the will of the majority against which the equal protection clause is designed to protect.” In democratic systems of government, the legal distinction between the majority’s will and the “tyranny of the majority” is inherently deadly. By upholding Prop 8 and simultaneously rendering the term “marriage” as legally meaningless, the Supreme Court has essentially split the difference. On May 31, I went to the pathetically small rally for Prop 8 supporters. While there were plenty of people there who would love nothing more than to prevent homosexual couples from adopting children and receiving health benefits, even the attorney who argued the case in favor of Prop 8 before the Supreme Court (who spoke at the rally) stated that Prop 8 would do no such thing, and the court’s opinion virtually ensures that they never will. The court may even have gone one better by allowing about 18,000 same-sex marriages to stand (a fact ironically not mentioned at the rally). This leaves 18,000 couples able to undermine the central argument of opponents of gay marriage, i.e., that samesex marriages create unstable families. While this decision is a defeat, it feels very much like a temporary one, and that somewhere in an obscure corner of the California State Constitution, a signature issue of the religious right has been laid to rest. ______ James Leveque is a writer and teacher in Fresno, California. While a longtime resident of Fresno, he has lived and worked in San Francisco and New York City. He holds degrees in literature and religious studies.

must cease all settlement construction, as was agreed upon in 2003’s US-brokered “Road Map” to peace. Six days later, on 24 May, Netanyahu responded. According to a senior administration official, Netanyahu told the Israeli cabinet, “I have no intention to construct new settlements, but it makes no sense to ask us not to answer to the Israeli administration of prime 24 June 2009 addressing the American Israeli needs of natural growth and to minister Benjamin Netanyahu Public Affairs Committee stop all construction…There is NO COUNTRY FOR OLD to bring the two-state solution, (AIPAC) via satellite on 5 May, no way that we are going to tell PALESTINIANS at long last, to fruition. It Netanyahu said that he is will- people not to have children or remains to be seen, though, ing to resume peace talks with to force young people to move whether Obama will back it up the Palestinians without any or as long as I can away from their families.” with action of some sort. Will preconditions, despite laying remember, in the Then, five days after Obama’s demands be more than out a clear precondition weeks that (29 May), Palestinian presimedia and in the themere suggestions in the limeearlier. dent Mahmoud Abbas visited aters of Middle East diplolight of the media or will he Then Joe Biden shot the White House, where Obama macy, there have been plenty actually make it happen? back. Also addressing AIPAC, assured him that he is “a strong of hollow proclamations Biden said, “Israel has to work believer in a two-state solution” about the eventual establish- APRIL toward a two-state solution.” and that he had been “very ment of a legitimate He also called for Israel to clear” with Netanyahu about the Palestinian state. It’s like a Netanyahu’s foreign minister cease all settlement construction need to stop settlement growth. dream that will never come Avigdor Lieberman set the tone in the West Bank. Expectedly, he made no menOn 13 May, even the true. One can only imagine for the Netanyahu administration of Netanyahu’s alleged tion early on. At a handover Pope threw in his two cents. the frustration felt by statement to his own cabinet ceremony on 1 April, the ultra- Benedict XVI, speaking in Palestinians themselves. that he had no intention to fully nationalist Lieberman declared Bethlehem, said that the comply with this demand. See, thirteen countries that Israel makes no promises Palestinians have the right to a are currently under some form about Palestinian statehood, state. “In a world where more JUNE of US-imposed economic sanc- saying that the current adminis- and more borders are being tion meant to pressure their tration is under no obligation to opened up—to trade, to travel, On 4 June, in his much-hyped governments to cease and desist hold to agreements made by to movement of peoples, to cul- speech in Cairo, Obama reiterwith this or that unacceptable previous administrations with tural exchanges—it is tragic to practice. We’ve had an embar- regard to Palestinian statehood. see walls still being erected,” he ated his demand for all settlement activity to stop. go on Cuba for decades because This is interesting not said. “Although walls can be Then George Mitchell, we don’t like Castro. Yet for only because it goes against easily built, we all know that speaking to reporters after years and years, American pres- international convention, but they do not last forever. They meeting with Abbas in idents have publicly called for also because Israel has for years can be taken down. First, Ramallah on 10 June, said, Palestinian statehood and for a refused to negotiate with Hamas though, it is necessary to “The president of the United stop to the expansion and con- until Hamas honors the agreeremove the walls that we build States and Secretary of State struction of Israeli settlements ments made by previous around our hearts.” He also have made our policy clear— on Palestinian land, while Israel Palestinian ruling parties. It’s said, “It is understandable that the only viable resolution to this has gone on brazenly building also interesting because, under you often feel frustrated. Your conflict is for the aspirations of and expanding the West Bank 2003’s “Road Map” to peace, legitimate aspirations for perboth sides to be met through settlements and frustrating both Israel and the Palestinian manent homes, for an independ- two states.” To close, he negotiations with the Authority agreed to establish a ent Palestinian state, remain assured the world, “As Palestinians at every turn. In Palestinian state. unfulfilled.” He concluded, “In President Obama said last week, the face of this defiance, howA few short weeks front of Your Holiness I address America will not turn our back ever, USA does not work with later, speaking to US envoy to a message of peace to our on the legitimate Palestinian other nations to impose punitive the Middle East George Israeli neighbors. And I call aspiration for dignity, opportusanctions and force Israel to Mitchell, Netanyahu said that upon them to renounce occupa- nity and a state of their own” obey international law. Rather, Israel will support Palestinian tion, settlements, arrests, and Netanyahu waited four USA gives Israel billions of statehood if the Palestinians humiliations.” days before responding to this. dollars in aid each year, much officially recognize Israel as a Five days later, Obama In a speech delivered at Barof it military. Quite frankly, Jewish state. and Netanyahu finally met face Ilan University in Ramat Gan USA is getting punked. to face at the White House. In on 14 June, he said that Israel However, in recent MAY short, Obama told Netanyahu will accept a Palestinian state— months, the Obama administrathat Israel must support tion has pushed the issue to the Curiously, three weeks later, Palestinian statehood and forefront by pressing the new Palestine continued next page...

Palestine continued...

and he used the word “state”—only if it is completely demilitarized, having no armed forces at all, and having no control over its own airspace or coastline, which is, to my mind, unacceptable. That’s like granting me permission to go sleep with my own wife, but only if I leave my penis behind. Netanyahu is saying that he’ll accept a Palestinian state only if it’s completely impotent to defend itself or control its own destiny. He’s saying that he’ll allow Palestine to be a state on paper, only in name. On the ground, though, Palestine will remain an occupied territory, for trade regulations, tariffs, travel restrictions, investments, and divestments can occupy a land in ways that an army cannot. If Netanyahu gets what he wants, Palestine will be bestowed its statehood amidst pompous photo-ops and handshakes, but Palestine will wind up a simpering little territory full of impoverished masses entirely dependent upon Israel (and its employers and wealth) for survival. So the ball’s in Obama’s court. Will he crumble in the face of Netanyahu’s impertinence, or will he stand up and be the change he always claimed to be? (Get not your hopes up, fellow lovers of justice. Most likely, he will accept an impotent Palestinian state, claim for the cameras to have—and I’m sure he’ll use this very phrase—ushered in a new era of peace, and condemn the Palestinians to an unending phony freedom full of miserable poverty and economic imperialism.) SOME UNSETTLING STATISTICS

There are around 320 Israeli settlements established on Palestinian land in the West Bank. Of those, 121 are sanctioned by the Israeli government, while another hundred or so are outpost settlements. The sanctioned settlements are illegal under international law and have been condemned by numerous United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. The outpost settlements are illegal under international law and Israeli law. The total Israeli population in the settlements is somewhere between 450,000 and 500,000. The settler population, over the last twenty years, has grown at a rate of 4-6% per year, while the population of all of Israel has grown by a mere 1.5% per year. Since the Annapolis agreement struck between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in November 2007, wherein a freeze on settlement construction was agreed to, settlement construction has gone on unabated. Indeed, the rate of settlement construction has increased by 30%. At this point, Israeli settlements only take up about 3% of the West Bank, but, because of Israel’s Separation Wall and its extensive network of access roads and checkpoints, Israeli settlers dominate and control a full 40% of the land. And Palestinians have, for decades, watched helplessly as their homeland and eventual nation is eaten away, bit by bit, stolen from them in small increments at the barrel of a gun.

byCarlosFierro & AbidYahya

And just as Mark Twain could lay bare all the gobbledygook of his day, Stephen Colbert has that same “the king has no clothes” air about him. See Colbert’s take on Michael Jackson and the media @ http://alturl.com/f3rg. ~CF

ccording to a June 30 EPA press release, the EPA has overturned the Bush administration policy that disallowed California’s setting its own limits on tail pipe admissions. The new decision, according to the EPA, is the result of a reinterpretation of the Clean Air Act. “This decision puts the law and science first,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “After review of the scientific findings, and another comprehensive round of public engagement, I have decided this is the appropriate course under the law.” However, before you celebrate what would seem to be good news, consider that this really amounts to little more than a PR stunt. This new ruling came about as a compromise between the auto industry, the Obama administration, and some environmental groups. As part he media refers to Bertrand Piccard of the compromise, the State of as an “adventurer.” Sounds like a California has agreed not to go beyond good gig to pad the resume. This Swiss the federal standard until the year 2017, psychiatrist has always geeked out over long after the Obama administration will flight and aerodynamics. In 1999, he and have left office. In the meantime we can fellow adventurer Brian Jones took a 20- continue to choke on smog, and the auto day hot-air balloon ride completely industry can continue to use our money around the globe. Now, Piccard intends to build dirty cars. ~CF to eventually carry out the first-ever round-the-world flight in a solar plane. study by Harvard medical professor He wants to inspire the world about the David Himmelstein found that 62 potential for renewable energies. percent of all bankruptcies in 2007 parThis flight is actually quite an tially resulted from health/medical probambitious endeavor. Only in the last few lems. As Himmelstein said, “Our findyears has solar technology reached the ings are frightening. Unless you’re point of allowing us to fly a solar plane Warren Buffett, your family is just one at night. And it’s never been done with a serious illness away from bankruptcy.” pilot on board. Piccard has revealed the Himmelstein was not shy about what the prototype of the plane that he hopes to problem is, likening private health insur’m fond of pointing out examples of fly. It’s 66 yards in length and weighs ance to “an umbrella that melts in the some of the messed-up, ass-backwards only 3,303 pounds. In 2012, a transatrain.” laws on the books in Saudi Arabia not lantic test flight will be attempted. The study conducted looked at only as a criticism of Saudi Arabia, but Cheers to the imminent end of bankruptcies in 2007, so one would also as a criticism of USA, simultaneous- oil. ~AY imagine that, since then, the economic ly posing as a champion of democracy in downturn has only made the situation the Middle East and a staunch ally to o this is less an Afterword than it is a worse. This study also suggests that curSaudi Arabia. USA condemns (and much suggestion. That is, be sure to check rent plans for health care reform likely worse) countries like Iraq, Syria, Iran, out Stephen Colbert’s take on the media’s will not do enough. “We need to rethink and Algeria for their poor human rights treatment of Michael Jackson’s death. health reform,” co-author Steffie records and their general disregard for I’m sure some of you have thought or Woolhandler said. “Covering the unindemocratic concerns while turning a heard the thoughts of others concerning sured isn’t enough. Reform also needs to blind eye to the atrocious behavior of the media’s myopic focus on the death of help families who already have insurance Saudi Arabia. Instead, we give them mil- Michael Jackson to the detriment of other by upgrading their coverage and assuring lions in aid and station our troops there. more newsworthy stories. However, that they never lose it. Reforms that During the Bush administration, satire, when done well, can cut through expand phony insurance…won’t stem the Congress repeatedly passed bills blockall the smoke and cause one to question rising tide of medical bankruptcy.” ing aid to Saudi Arabia, but Bush and and think about things in new ways. ~CF company took advantage of a curious Colbert is as good as any satirist that has loophole in federal law allowing them to ever lived, rivaling even Mark Twain.

fter banning the hijab in 2004, France is now on the verge of banning the burqa as well. (The burqa is a garment that covers the body head to toe, and is worn by a relatively small number of Muslim women throughout the world.) A government commission is being set up in France to conduct an investigation into the issue. One of their main concerns is to determine if and to what extent women are being forced to wear the burqa. To be clear, imprisoning a woman within an oppressive lifestyle (culturally or otherwise) is an awful thing, should be an illegal thing. It should be a crime to force a woman to wear a burqa or a hijab. Similarly, though, it should be a crime to force a woman to wear Mickey Mouse ears, or a sombrero, or a mini skirt, or a bikini. A ban on the burqa (and on the hijab, for that matter) completely misses the point. The problem is the forcing. People who go around forcing people to do things should be stopped, punished, but we should still be allowed to do things that we want to do. The relatively skimpier style of dress in the Western world is arguably oppressive to women in its own right, and if a woman wishes to wear a burqa, she should have that right, just as a woman has a right to wear a tube top that occasionally loses its grip, or a thong riding halfway up her back. As much as you might disagree with her fashion sense, she can wear what she wants. ~AY

send the aid anyway. The latest bullshit to come out of Riyadh has to do with a celebration of the Filipino independence day. Police raided a private party in the capital on 13 June and arrested 67 Filipino workers for the crime of wearing women’s clothing. According to the Philippines embassy in Riyadh, all those arrested have been released on bail but are still facing charges. Human Rights Watch, in their condemnation of this as violating “the basic rights of privacy and freedom of expression,” also mentioned a 2005 case in which Saudi police arrested over 100 men for the same “crime,” sentencing them to jail time and public flogging (though, after several months, they were pardoned). ~AY

Students Do It Themselves at FCC Do It yourself

“

Green people with green jobs housed in green institutions,” proclaimed a student at a recent sustainability convergence, a networking event for student advocates attempting to institutionalize environmental sustainability in their schools. Although the convergence was a hotbed for environmentalists and hacky sacks, the calls for sustainable environmental practices are everywhere, and whether you want to save the world to extend the life of our depleting resources, to complete a spiritual mission, or to save some money, the possible endeavors are numerous and desperately needed. Many Fresnans are doing their part in what some call the environmental movement; some stopped drinking bottled water, (which wastes eight gallons of water for every bottled gallon) others are doing more complex things like starting worm-bins to recycle food waste. Even our institutions are becoming aware of the necessity of sustainable environmental policies. Fresno City College is an example of one institution being driven by its students to become a greener campus.

At FCC, some students have taken up the responsibility of transforming the campus. Students for Sustainable Action, is a student organization that is attempting to dramatically reduce wasteful campus practices. Last semester, members started a compost pile and workshops to demonstrate that managing bio-waste in a closed loop manner is simple, and a lot better than sending it to landfills. (Compost is what organic matter breaks down into in the right conditions, like a nutrient rich soil.) Students also started a weekly lunch bike ride that they hope will encourage more people to leave their cars at home. Next semester, they are showing weekly films revolving around key issues affect-

ing global and local communities. In addition, they are working with the school to start a bio-degradable food service container program. This program would ban Styrofoam and other plastics as food containers, in favor of compostable bio-degradable containers. Some of the members also helped start and maintain the community garden in Tower District, which was once a desolate parking lot. Change at Fresno City College, as anywhere, is slow, but things are looking hopeful. Fresno City College has been very receptive to student input and is currently planning (with the State Center Community College District) a master plan, which we are told will incorporate a lot of green ideas with an emphasis on green job training. It’s a pretty tentative plan, but we do know that FCC is planning to offer wind turbine technician courses and solar panel installation courses in 2010. With these programs, FCC will be able to take advantage of billions of dollars made available by the government for green innovations. Compared to other colleges, FCC is just scratching the surface. For example, six hundred and forty one universities and colleges have made a commitment to become carbon-neutral campuses. Carbon neutrality means that each campus will produce a zero net greenhouse gas emission, usually done by reducing greenhouse gas output and offsetting any emissions that can’t be avoided. The Evergreen State College has an organic farm that produces most of the school’s food, and a waste management program complete with a compost reactor, worm bins, and food-scrap collection bins. Green Mountain College in Vermont gets half of its electricity from methane from nearby dairies. Ten schools from the University of California have pledged ten megawatts of renewable power by 2014 and plan to achieve zero

by Rigoberto S Garcia & Joshua Trevino

waste on each campus by 2020. Most of the projects are taking advantage of government grants, and most of the projects are student driven and organized. The students of Sustainable Action believe that Fresno City College can become a leader among the “green” campuses. They believe that this can best be accomplished by developing a cross-departmental focus on environmentally sustainable thinking. There are students and staff who can picture FCC becoming the Central Valley’s premier green institution. They imagine a zero waste campus where all food waste is transformed into compost, and everything is recycled. Or a huge on-campus organic garden and a weekly farmers market where produce from all of Fresno’s community gardens is sold (the latter is already in the works). Many students and faculty members are already busy working for such change, but they need your help. They need the support of the community, and the student body. If you are a Fresno City College student, please join Students for Sustainable Action; they will be taking on many projects this semester, and will need the support of good people in order to be successful. If you’re a Fresno community member, you can volunteer at the Tower community garden, or if you have resources you think they could use, contact them at

actionssustainable@gmail.com. Every little bit helps, and your contributions will help push Fresno forward. ______ Rigoberto S Garcia is a former FCC student who is starting school at San Francisco State in the Fall, where he will major in

Philosophy with an emphasis in Precolombian Indigenous Thought. You can contact Students for Sustainable Action at actionssustainable@gmail.com.

Iraq Casualty Counter

total US soldiers killed

4,321

US soldiers killed in June 09

US soldiers total US wounded soldiers wounded in Mar 09

31,156

1,033,000+ Iraqis Dead

(May 2003 - August 2007) Iraq report is e May-J d dead une 0 9

555

(Sources: icasualties.org, Opinion Research Business)

Hellacrafty

Do It yourself

’ve always had an affinity for making things. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have a MacGyver like penchant for creating something with nothing more than a piece of wrapping paper, an old photo and some hot glue.

by Devoya Mayo w/ Kathy Cano-Murillo

collective that would later become known as “Hellacrafty.” Our original intent was simple. We’d secure a space and host our own craft festival similar to that of “Bizarre Bazaar.” There were close to a dozen people involved to begin with. While looking for a venue, we’d routinely rotate meeting Turns out I’m not the space and update everyonly one. In recent years the one on the progress of DIY (do it yourself) movement the festival. Afterwards has grown by leaps and bounds. we’d break out our What was once solely thought craft supplies and the of as a response to anti-conhost would demonsumerism has now grown into strate how to create its own full fledged industry. something crafty. The idea of creating something on your own with the tools and A Few Hellacrafty resources you have available is Demos: the kind of self-reliant, indeHobo Handbag pendent thinking that sparks (made from a pillowminds and ideas and is essencase) tially why I wanted to start a Record Bowls craft collective here in Fresno. Photo Soap Having been a huge Handmade Buttons fan of Readymade Magazine, Recycled Envelopes Cottage industries such as Etsy, Sugar Skulls 101 and people like Kathy CanoMurrillo (also known as the In those first few months of Crafty Chica), I soon surmised 2007, everything really started that craft festivals were a great to come together. Our resident way to network with other Graphic Designer (Steve DIYers. Ruppel) created a bangin logo In December 2006, I for the group. We’d been given experienced all those elements verbal confirmations of support and more at the annual “Bizarre from both Readymade Bazaar” craft festival held in Magazine and the Crafty Chica Southern California. With well herself. We’d even been given over 100 vendors, music, food the go-ahead from our favorite and on site demos, my travel purveyors of oddities, Yoshi companions and I soon came to Now!, to table at their monthly the conclusion that all we need- flea market. But in the end, the ed was to combine our talents idea went sour when venue and resources and we too could owners turned us down one replicate something similar. On after the other. It was discouragour drive back to Fresno, the ing to say the least. The only ideas and the way in which we positive thing to come from the would share them truly began to months of work we’d all put in unfold. was that we actually became a As an organizer, I collective during the process. often imagined what it would In the time that folbe like to successfully merge lowed, we worked hard at meetboth elements (organizing and ing regularly and inviting new crafting) together. As the idea people to the group. The demos began to take shape, I began to were always enjoyable and our handpick friends and form a networking with others paid off

in a major way when we got the chance to host our idol, the Crafty Chica, during one of her Fresno visits. Oh you didn’t know? Yep, that’s right. She works for Duncan Crafts and, with their offices located right next door in Clovis, it was really just a

pack. Someday the original vision will be given the space and attention it deserves. Until then, I’ll continue to rep the name and do my own thing.

The Crafty Chica shares her thoughts on what DIY means. by Kathy Cano-Murillo (www.CraftyChica.com)

I hear so much about the “DIY Movement,” but I have never believed it is a movement. I believe it is and has always been part of our everyday lifestyle. It’s always been there, and I don’t see it going anywhere. What I do see are different phases that come and go. People have different reasons for creating these days than, say, our grandparents did. Many of us create to make our mark on the world, to express ourselves or for personal healing, whereas our grandparents made things out of matter of time before our necessity. One thing we have worlds collided. in common with our elders in But in the end, the the current time is that we all meshing of both business and create for the sake of affordabilcreativity did not work as well ity! Someday when I have as I had hoped. Add to the grandkids or even great-grandequation a dozen helplessly kids, I would love to see what busy people trying to adjust they have come up with! schedules and life and you have ______ a collective in need of repair. In Devoya Mayo is a sometime other words, things went flat Poet, Playwright, DJ and sometime in late 2008. Community Organizer who first As of late, Hellacrafty became interested in social Merchandise was available for change via the arts. She has purchase via La Luna Loca dedicated much of her time to Tattoo Shop. In the wake of creating gatherings, workshops, their recent relocation, that too and events that bridge the is on hiatus. But I am assured, divide between the diverse comwhen and if we’re ever ready, munities that reside within the we can pull an LL and make a central valley. When pressed to comeback. describe who she is, her So for all intents and response was: I write, I laugh, I purposes, the name Hellacrafty craft things you might dig, I still remains, albeit not with the play music for people in dimly same intent or objective. Instead lit establishments, I enjoy havit is now based around the ing it seem as though it’s all amount of ideas and time I can part of the plan. afford to dedicate to it. I believe the idea of a craft festival in Fresno need not go the route of the high-top fade or the fanny

Beer is good, but sometimes brewing your own beer is better

by Carlos Fierro

he DIY movement, or perhaps less a movement than a resurgence, certainly has a long history. In fact, the “rise of the disposable culture” as Steinbeck called it, is a relatively new phenomenon. It wasn’t long ago that people tended to grow their own food, make their own clothes, and even build their own domiciles. Maybe it was the Sears, Roebuck catalog that started us on the path to the “disposable culture”?

But long before the mail order life gave way to online shopping, people produced much of what they consumed. Partly, the resurgence of doing it yourself is due to the downturn of the economy. Planting a few vegetables is a whole lot cheaper than buying produce that spent a good part of its life ripening in the back of a truck. And finding new ways to refashion/reuse some of what you already have, rather than going out and getting new stuff, certainly saves money. However, it can’t be denied that an undercurrent of the DIY push is political, just as the “disposable culture” has a political undercurrent. The difference is that DIY politics is not only more sustainable, but more communitarian as well. Be it getting together with friends to “stitch n’ bitch,” sharing some moonshine, or perhaps swapping veggies with the neighbor, DIY reestablishes connections that the disposable culture broke. It so happens that one of the oldest DIY projects, aside from growing food, is making beer. The oldest known recipe is for beer, older than recipes for bread. And the oldest laws ever put to paper, or stone tablets, as it may be, the Code of Hammurabi, describes laws regulating beer brewing and the like. Humankind, it seems, since almost the time it has been humankind, has been brewing beer. Maybe it isn’t our opposable thumbs, our heightened sense of self-awareness, our ability to make art, literature, music, tools, discuss philosophy, or any of the myriad things that are often considered the unique attributes of being human; maybe it’s brewing beer. For those who enjoy a glass of beer now and then, you know that the best beer is that beer

Beer continued next page...

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that is shared with friends, or even strangers who fast become friends over a few pints. But, as with the rest of the disposable culture, the more we are removed from the process of producing that which we consume, the more we remove ourselves from others. The beer I buy at the grocery store is “my beer.” I put it in my refrigerator to drink by myself. It’s mine by virtue of having paid for it. And even though I may share it with friends who stop by, I don’t go out of my way to pass it along, like I might the overabundance of tomatoes that my garden may have produced. Brewing your own beer changes all of that. It’s not as simple as heading to the grocery store and putting down a few bucks for your favorite microbrew, but it’s not making a perfect freehand circle, either. In fact, it’s pretty simple; however, it’s not the simplicity that makes it a worthwhile project (perhaps there’s beauty in the simplicity). What makes it worthwhile is sharing the beer you’ve just made. The first time I made beer, after the excitement of trying the beer I just made (actually two to three weeks later; it takes a while for fermentation and the in-bottle carbonation), I couldn’t wait to get that beer into the hands of as many family and friends as I could. Sharing that glass of beer with someone new was a unique joy each and every time. And it made perfect sense why the brewing and drinking of beer was a communal project. For the same reason that stitching is perhaps not as much fun without the bitching. It’s the same reason that a gardener is always excited to show guests the garden, to walk the guest through the rows or beds and stop to sample a tomato, a pepper, cucumber, or a squash. There is a certain sense of pride that goes along with having done it yourself, but maybe more important is the desire to share that experience with others. Even if others don’t share the experience of making that which you’ve done yourself, they can share in the end product. Have a bag of tomatoes, or this doily, or share this glass of beer. It’s a communal experience that cannot be so easily replicated. BREWING YOUR BEER You’ll need a few supplies, all of which you can get from the friendly people at Bencomo’s Home Brew

DIY Healthcare

Do It yourself

Supply (234 W Olive Ave, corner of Arthur & Olive, 559.485.3225).

Supplies (once you buy this stuff you’ll never need to replace it (aside from the bottle caps)) Brewpot Primary fermenter (5 gallon plastic bucket with lid) Airlock and stopper Plastic hose Bottling bucket Bottle caps Bottles Bottle brush Bottle capper (if glass bottles are used) Thermometer A how-to brewing book with recipes

Ingredients/brewing: Beer is essentially malts, grains, hops, and yeast. The process starts by boiling grain in a grain mesh bag, or cheesecloth. After boiling and removing the grains, malts are added (either in a wet or dry extract from) and this is brought back to a boil. It’s at this point that the hops are added (additional hops can be added toward the end of the boil for an additional kick (I love a hops-y beer, but unfortunately hops also get to me, so I go for a more mellow beer). At this point, what you have is called the wort—essentially nonfermented beer, waiting for yeast to do its thing. Don’t add yeast until the wort has cooled. If you add the yeast to the hot liquid, you’ll kill it, which means you have beer with no alcohol. It’s the yeast munching on the sugars that produces the alcohol. Next, you pour the cooled wort into the fermenter (remove the hops with a strainer, add hops after you strain), place the lid on the bucket, store it in a dark cool place and just wait. Within a day the yeast will start to do its job and you will see the airlock begin to bubble. At this point the anticipation begins to become almost too much to handle, but try to forget about the beer. After about a week in the fermenter, it’s time to bottle. The beer has all the alcohol, but no carbonation. To add the carbonation to your beer, you’ll need to make some simple syrup with priming sugar. Add this, once cooled, to your fermented beer. Then you begin to siphon the beer either into a bottling bucket or directly into the bottles. Cap the bottles, store in a cool place (for a week or two), then refrigerate. Then invite some friends over and share.

(or, Exploring Natural Preventative Medicine)

by Matt Espinoza Watson

t a time when most of nausea and motion sickness as well as a natural anti-inflammatory the people I know that is worth trying in all cases of don’t have health arthritis, bursitis, and other muscuinsurance of any sort, and when a lot of folks are bring- loskeletal ailments. It tones the ing home less and less money cardiovascular system and reduces every paycheck (if you’re one platelet aggregation, as aspirin of the fortunate to have one at does.” It is a superb digestive all), I thought it would be aid, and has been used traditionaluseful to share some widely ly by women in China for menuseful, cheap, natural foods and medicines to keep around strual and abdominal cramps. It also has antihistaminic and antitusthe house. (I should warn you that I’m not qualified to sive effects, meaning it is active against coughs and helps dispel give medical, nutritional, or bronchial congestion [1]. Recent any other kind of official research has identified phytocomadvice. I have come to use pounds in ginger with immune the items below because of first reading about them, and system stimulating elements. It is then trying them out & find- for these reasons that ginger tea is commonly taken for any type of ing them to be helpful far beyond my expectations.) It’s cold-type illnesses (my own experience has confirmed its effectiveworth noting that the medicines described below, for the ness against colds). In India, most part, have been used and revered as powerful medicines in different areas of the world for millennia, yet do not seem to be very commonly known about in this country in this day & age. The two mostcommonly-foundaround-the housealready medicines, ginger and garlic, were first introduced to me through reading Dr. Andrew Weil’s books (in particular Natural Health, Natural Medicine; Spontaneous Healing; and Eating Well for Optimum Ginger root (is good for da yout’) Health). Ginger: Dr. Weil says ginger has “a number of remarkable properties that recommend it for home use.” “It is a good treatment for

is powerful in its capacity to inactivate free radicals in the body. Lastly, ginger has been shown to increase the effectiveness of many other herbal medicines, including some of the fungal variety mentioned below [2]. You can make ginger tea by using about one half teaspoon of the grated root to eight ounces of boiling water. Cover and steep for 10 minutes, and add honey to sweeten. Alternatively, I like to chop up some chunks into boiling water and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, which makes a stronger tea.

Garlic: In addition to being a widely used and strongly flavored component of food, is a powerful natural medicine. It is, however, only a powerful medicine when it is eaten/taken raw. Garlic has been shown to lower cholesterol and high blood pressure, and reduce blood clotting. It is a potent antibiotic, especially active against fungal infections, with antibacterial and antiviral effects as well. The best remedy I have found for colds or starting to feel sick is to eat a clove or two of raw garlic, as per Dr. Weil’s instructions. He suggests: “You can make raw garlic more palatable by chopping it fine, mixing it with food, and eating it with a meal. Or cut a clove into chunks and swallow them like whole pills. If you eat garlic regularly and have a good attitude about it, you will not smell of it.” I don’t think I’ve eaten it regularly enough to accomplish this, or it could just be my attitude, but it still smells strongly of garlic whenever I eat some raw. I recommend mixing it with cream cheese & sticking it on a bagel to lessen its punch somewhat. And, sure, nobody wants to emit a strong garlic stink from their pores, but it’s an effective remedy

ground fresh ginger paste is applied to the temples for headaches. It has been shown in studies to support liver, stomach, and intestinal health, and Medicine

continued next page...

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when you’re sick, not what you do before going out dancing Friday night… Dr. Weil also recommends a few drops of garlic oil (made by crushing a few cloves of garlic into olive oil, letting it sit for a couple days, then straining) in the ear for ear infections, and recommends “one or two cloves of garlic a day to people who suffer from chronic or recurrent infections, frequent yeast infections, or low resistance to infections. Try it; it really works.”

Cinnamon: Among the earliest writings discovered on herbs are accounts of the benefits of cinnamon, stretching back some 5000 years. Recent research at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other prestigious institutions suggest that cinnamon possesses a unique power amongst botanicals—it assists the body’s conversion of sugar (glucose) into energy. (From newchapter.info) I usually get my daily dose of cinnamon in my morning coffee. I’ve always liked traditional Mexican café de olla (generally made with cinnamon sticks, piloncillo (raw brown sugar), and sometimes clove and/or star anise) and so finding out about cinnamon’s health benefits basically just made me feel better about drinking cups of ridiculously sweet cinamonny coffee…Another simple & easy way to use it is to just make a simple tea out of cinnamon sticks (or cinnamon & ginger, which is really good in winter). One last thing: the rockhard thick-barked cinnamon found in most American grocery stores isn’t really cinnamon, but cassia, which doesn’t taste as good as real cinnamon. According to Wikipedia, cassia’s flavor is less delicate than real cinnamon, and for this reason is often called “bastard cinnamon.” I’ve never called it that necessarily, but I stick to the real cinnamon, which has a crumbly, much thinner bark, and can be found in any Mexican grocery store (or stores where Mexicans shop, like Food Maxx, which has the real stuff). Medicinal Mushrooms: The next set of medicines discussed below have astounded medical researchers in the past few decades because of

Do It yourself

their potent immune system potentiating effects. They also happen to be delicious foods that you can buy locally for not too much money. Since beginning to learn about medicinal mushrooms years ago, I’ve gone and seen Paul Stamets speak on several occasions: at Mushroom Festivals in the bay area and at the annual Bioneers Conference in San Rafael. Stamets is the medicinal mushroom guru of sorts; he has been both a collector of information on mushrooms from studies at universities all over the world, and also a pioneer himself, unearthing many groundbreaking discoveries on his farm/research facility in Washington state [3]. I remember Mr. Stamets explaining the reasons that Western medicine had overlooked so many powerful medicines for so long. The way he explained it, the model that doctors were using in the 60s, to study cancer for instance, was to put medicine into a test tube that had cancer cells in it, and see what happened. Since many of the most powerful medicinal mushrooms had been long heralded as overall body tonics by Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western researchers looked into the matter, even if they didn’t think ancient ‘folk’ medicine had anything to offer. What they found in those early days was… that mushrooms didn’t destroy the cancer. They didn’t do anything to it. And so, to a large extent, they were written off as ‘folk’ (or ‘not real’) medicine. It wasn’t until public health researchers began investigating clusters of populations with unusually low incidences of debilitating diseases and unusually high life expectancies (and until studies in the past twenty years demonstrated mushrooms’ astounding effects on living organisms with immune systems, as opposed to isolated cancer cells in test tubes) that science began to take these medicines seriously. The clusters of unusually healthy

people (in Japan, Brazil, and China) were people who either worked on mushroom farms or lived in areas where certain mushrooms grew in abundance; people who, in both cases, ate a lot more mushrooms than the average person. I should be clear here, though, that among the many powerful medicinal mushrooms, you will not find your supermarket variety Agaricus, or white

(including many Chinese restaurants, where they’re not called shiitake, but ‘black mushrooms’) and can be purchased fresh or dried from many grocery stores. One great thing about mushrooms is that they generally withstand drying much better than herbs (and don’t lose medicinal potency); generally, the easiest way to get them is dried, and dried Shiitake are even preferred by many chefs because the drying process concentrates the flavor. I prefer fresh ones (in omelettes, stir fries, or just grilled with a little butter, soy sauce and lemon…), and though they can be pretty expensive at certain stores, I am grateful to fellow editor Carlos Fierro for tipping me off about the cheap shiitakes at Winco. (I’m not tryin to give them free advertising, but people should know that they don’t have to cost $10/pound…) Another great source for Shiitake (mmm...umami) gourmet medicinal mushrooms is Central Fish Market in Chinatown, button mushroom (nor its genetical- where the prices tend to be reasonly-identical-but-better-tasting sibable as well. ling, the Portabella). Actually, white One of my best local disbutton mushrooms, when eaten raw, coveries happened recently on a trip have been shown to significantly out to Sanger. As I was driving out increase risks of several types of 180 East, I saw signs for “ERYNtumors in animal studies (they con- GII” and “GOURMET MUSHtain agaritine, a naturally occurring ROOMS” and had to stop and check carcinogen). The good news is that it out. What I found was Sun the carcinogen is degraded by heat, Smiling Valley Farm, home of so cooking thoroughly will make “King-Oh” Mushrooms, just a few them safe for eating…. But with so miles east of Clovis avenue (and if many other mushroom options that that location isn’t convenient, they are proven immune system boosters also sell their products at the and cancer fighters, and which are Vineyard Farmer’s Market on Shaw tastier too, why settle for what & Blackstone). Their main product you’re used to? is the eryngii, or King Oyster mushShiitakes are a great room, a wonderful, meaty, mildly instance of affordable, delicious, sweet mushroom great for grilling or powerful medicine. Recent studies frying up catfish style. Mushrooms have shown “significant anti-cancer in the Oyster (Pleurotus) family activity” [4]. Shiitake is one of sev- have been shown to contain betaglucans that stimulate the immune eral mushrooms (including oyster, maitake, and several polypores) that system, as well as lovastatin, which have demonstrated anti-HIV activity lowers cholesterol. King-Oh also sells Enokitake (Flammulina as well [5]. The main anti-cancer Velutipes), the thin stringy white and anti-HIV medications sold throughout East Asia are mushroom mushroom you may have run into at Japanese restaurants before. based, and with good reason, as Enokitake, which can be eaten raw more and more studies verify their in salads, or cooked in stir fries or remarkable healing properties. soup, are potent medicine as well. Shiitake are available all over the Flammulin, a simple protein found place if you’re looking for them,

in the mushroom, has shown the ability to markedly inhibit tumor cells, and enokitake is one of the few mushrooms that has shown specific activity against lymphoma [6]. In addition to being able to find these medicinal mushrooms locally, you can order indoor & outdoor mushroom kits online from Paul Stamets’ company, Fungi Perfecti [7], which isolates and uses the most medicinally potent strains for their kits. I recently tried out their Turkey Tail mushroom kit with great success, which produces (inedible) medicinal mushrooms used to make tea. The polypores, a class to which turkey tails belong, are home to the most potent medicinal mushrooms, but they’re not as readily available around town. And it would take pages to begin discussing the amazing Reishi or Ling Zhi (Ganoderma Lucidum) mushroom, the very cornerstone of Traditional Chinese Medicine…but I mention it in the hopes that you will add it to the list of the other items above that you will investigate for yourself, and discuss with your doctor (if you’re one of the fortunate), family and friends. ______

[1] From Ginger: A Versatile Healing Herb, by Dr. S.C. Pakrashi and Dr. Anita Pakrashi [2] From www.newchapter.info [3] To read more on the medicinal properties of certain mushrooms, see Dr. Andrew Weil (www.drweil.com) and Paul Stamets (www.fungiperfecti.com), the two best sources I know. Major portions of Stamets’ newest book, Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World, are available on Google books (books.google.com). For an indepth study on their effects on cancer specifically, check out “Medicinal Mushrooms and Cancer” from the Cancer Research UK website, at http://sci.cancerresearchuk.org/labs/med_ mush/med_mush.html. [4] “Medicinal mushrooms: their therapeutic properties and current medical usage with special emphasis on cancer treatments.” At http://sci.cancerresearchuk.org/labs/med_mush/final_pdfs/ chapt3_d.pdf. [5] From Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World by Paul Stamets [6] “Medicinal mushrooms” [7] www.fungiperfecti.com

DIY: Medicine for the Body, Mind & Spirit

Do It yourself

Investigating Ancient Healing Arts

he first time I met Dr. Juan Garcia was at a conference at UC Merced; I attended a talk he gave on traditional indigenous medicine, and was surpised to learn about the Xipe Totec Institute, a clinic in Fresno founded by Dr. Garcia (professor in the department of Counseling & Special Education at CSUF and licensed Marriage & Family Therapist) that utilizes ancient healing techniques to combat substance abuse. I was really impressed with his knowledge and the stories of successes at the clinic, and very interested in learning more about traditional medicine. In the last few months, I have been exposed to a wealth of information that I am excited to share here. What is described below is a recipe for a traditional pomada, or ointment, that comes to us from the traditions of healing in Mexico, known as curanderismo. The word comes from the Spanish word cura, which means “to heal” or “to be a priest.’ It is “medicine and spirituality practiced simultaneously,” to be succinct. But what relevance does an ancient system of ‘folk-healing’ have for us in the 21st century? Plenty, according to, among others, Elena Avila, author of Woman Who Glows in the Dark: A Curandera Reveals Traditional Aztec Secrets of Physical and Spritiual Health. In her book, Avila explains that one of the conditions curanderismo is most successful at treating is one largely absent from our modern medical practices: susto (trauma or shock), which can be caused by physical injury as well as emotionally traumatic events. In addition, Avila adds “Many people today are frustrated with Western medicine because they know that it lacks heart. What I am offering is another approach, one that teaches that every man and woman alive already pos-

most believe that the healer must ability to stimulate circulation have some sort of spiritual connec(though we’re not giving any tion with the plants he or she money-back guarantees on that one). uses….An herbalist does not pick It is this ability to stimulate circulaherbs indiscriminately, but sees all tion that can help relieve excess by Matt Espinoza Watson & Rosalba Lopez Ramirez plants as sacred, and will always muscle tension. make some kind of offering to the It is also only fairly recentsesses the ‘greatest medicine’ within Natural Health, Natural Medicine) spirit of the plant he is harvestly that scientists have discovered a them. No one can really cure anoth- “Human beings need to touch and be ing…” wealth of information on a naturallyer human being. True healing is touched. A great deal of animal and occurring enzyme in our bodies always a cocreation between client human research shows that individuHealing Properties of Herbs known as COX-2 [2], which conand healer…. A medical system that als deprived of physical contact are Rosemary [1]: I was pretty blown trols the creation of ‘inflammation.’ encourages people not to ask quesinsecure, poorly adjusted, and more away by what I found doing just a There is now a great deal of evitions and to accept blindly the treat- prone to illness. Some cross-culturbit of research on the medicinal and dence linking the unchecked activity ments and prescriptions of a doctor, al research suggests that sexually therapeutic properties of rosemary. of this enzyme to many forms of and teaches nothing about preventa- repressed and touch-deprived sociThe herb has long been heralded as cancer, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s tive measures, nutrition, or how to eties are much more given to vioa memory stimulant, and experiDisease. Rosemary is among many maintain emotional health is lacking lence. Our society, unfortunately, is ments using the essential oil or the herbs that “safely, powerfully, and in the most basic tenet of health in that category.” Avila writes fresh herb in work settings have led naturally inhibit the COX-2 care.” “curanderos use massage not only to to an increased ability to retain enzyme.” (Also on that list: ginger, So…this article won’t relax the body and the muscles, but information on the part of subjects turmeric, holy basil, chamomile, teach you ‘how to be a curandero’; it to touch the soul, to draw forth and exposed to it. In addition, it has green tea, and oregano.) Chamomile is, however, a recipe for some pow- begin to heal emotional and physical analgesic as well as antibacterial, (Manzanilla), one of the other main erful medicine, and so I wanted to pain.” She goes on to explain using ingredients in the pomada, has hisantifungal, anti-inflammatory and provide context for where this medi- healing touch (sobadas) regularly torically been used for its soothing anti-parasitic properties, making it cine comes from, and how it can be for frightened or anxious clients, and useful for infections and injuries of effects, both internally and externalused. especially the elderly, “because the all sorts (and is often referenced as a ly, and modern research shows that It was through Rosalba elderly in Western culture are almost even during periods of stress, good treatment for headaches). Lopez Ramirez (one of Dr. Garcia’s always starved for touch.” Rosemary is a free radical scavenger chamomile can help in assuring a students and a friend of mine) that I good night’s rest. So enough with and has shown impressive antioxiencountered Avila’s book; which is On Fresh Herbs dant properties as well. The stimu- background; here’s Rosalba on the main text required for students Avila: “Most curanderos feel that it lating and invigorating properties of where the pomada comes from, and attending the summer program is best to use whatever herbs are the herb have led to its use to com- how you can make your own. Rosalba describes below. The book ~MEW was an enlightening experience, to say the least. A big part of this Make Your Own comes from the fact that Avila, in Healing Ointment: addition to being a trained curanPomada de Romero y dera, is also a trained nurse with an Manzanilla (Rosemary R.N. and a Masters degree in nursand Chamomile ing. It is her many years of experiOintment) ence as a psychiatric nurse, and the limitations of traditional psychiatry, azlo con mucho amor (Make it that led her to investigate ancient with a lot of love): these are the systems of healing. Throughout the words of one of most insightful book, she sheds light on the roots human beings that I have met. Doña and practices of curanderos, demysEstela Roman, a curandera and the tifying the concept and stressing its director of International Center for relevance to modern society while Cultural and Language Studies [3], stressing its relevance across culused these words as a group of stuPreparation for the pomada tures (not, as some researchers have dents from Fresno State found themwritten, “used only to treat certain selves making pomada (ointment) in bat fatigue and mild depression. folk disorders that are ‘unique to available in their local area, as herbs Morelos, Mexico. The study abroad Recent studies with animals at Mexican Americans’ and do not are most effective when picked Rutgers University, the University of program was part of a 21 day sumaffect Anglo-Americans.”) I referfresh.” Dried herbs sold in bulk are Pennsylvania, and the University of mer introduction to the healing arts ence this book because it is a gold not what you’re looking for here; program that Dr. Juan Garcia (of Illinois suggest very powerful mine of information on curanderis- dried plants deteriorate quickly & CSUF) coordinated. medicinal properties; one study mo, and it is from this context and loose potency. It’s best if you can The simple phrase, “Make found that rosemary oil applied to these traditions that the recipe grow your own herbs, or pick them the skin reduced the risk of cancer to it with a lot of love,” led us to create shared below comes to us. If you’re responsibly from the wild. If not, an amazing ointment that goes half that of animals that did not interested in learning more, it’s a you can purchase fresh herbs from beyond any other ointment that I receive applications of the oil. It great place to start. some grocery stores, farmer’s marhas also been shown to increase hair have come across. A sense of peace kets, and swap meets around town. growth and is often used as a treatOn Body Work and Touch “Each culture has its own ment for baldness because of its Pomada continued next page ... Dr. Andrew Weil on touch: (from customs about the use of herbs, but

Pomada continued...

Do It yourself

The heat of our bodies lets us be attuned with our soul, which waits anxiously to return to its warm & love-filled home. overcomes me with the simple act of The process of making the ointment smelling this earthy and cleansing ointment that rushes through every part of my requires its share of care, but in reality the body and spirit. My sense of smell quick- underlying principle is to make it with ly alerts my body to begin the process of good intentions, care and lots of love. ~RLR reconnecting with the present moment, while also helping me detach myself from Recipe for Romero Pomada the external realities that we call our Ingredients everyday lives and that are overfilled with worries, jealously, anger, etc… The scent of the ointment along with a slightly moist towel dipped into warm chamomile tea created the ability for my body and mind to be prepared for both a facial massage and body massage. Once the ointment began to be applied throughPlacing the herbs into the hot oil out my body, I felt this incredible sense of heat throughout my body and spirit. lOlive Oil (750 grams) Acknowledging this heat helped me become attuned with my body and create lSun Flower Oil (750 grams) lA bunch of Romero (Rosemary) (buy or this sense of strength that at the time I pick fresh, let dry for 5 days in shade) had lost, as my soul and body were not small handful of Manzanilla lA connected. The heat that runs through our (Chamomile) bodies warms our spirit, but too often we lBee’s Wax (1/4 lb.) are looking out for visual pleasures, lFlower tops of Calendula or Marigold searching for answers that we ourselves (4) (optional) already possess. Step 1: Remove the sprigs of rosemary The massages that I have from the stems. Cut the top of the received with this ointment have helped chamomile (manzanilla) flowers & disme find physical relief, but in reality the card the bottom half. reconnection that I make with myself durStep 2: To make a solid base for the ointing the process is the biggest liberation to ment: Melt the beeswax on very low heat my spirit. This liberation of my spirit in (double-boil) for about a half hour. my case was found through the use of this Step 3: Mix the two oils together. Bring ointment, but I have also found it through the oil mixture to a boil and add the rosethe simple acts of laying in the sun and mary. Reduce heat & simmer for 5-10 taking in the energy and power that our sun provides us every day. A good way to minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon/spatula. reconnect is also by blocking our visual Step 4: Once the beeswax is fully melted, senses, which can be done by using a pour it into the oil mixture. moist towel dipped in warm chamomile Step 5: Add the manzanilla (chamomile) and lying with the heat of the sun or with flowers to the oil/wax mixture. Continue our mother moon. The liberation of one’s heating the mixture for 5 -10 minutes. spirit can be reached in various ways, so Make sure you do not fry the herbs. experiment and figure out what works Step 6: Let it sit & cool for an hour or best for you. It can be as simple as shutless; then pour out into containers before ting and resting our eyes from what we it solidifies. (If it does solidify, you can perceive around us, waking up our other just heat it up again for pouring. senses with the texture, smell, and sensalDo not use an iron pot. Copper, ceramic, tion of the oils in the ointment, and the or clay materials are ok. hand(s) giving comfort to our bodies.

lDo not use old stems (black or brown one’s) lDr. Garcia likes to add marigolds to his pomada toward the end (this is optional) lDoña Estela suggests that the pomada is most powerful when used during a full moon; and also gave us the following suggestion: lMake it with a lot of love; enhance your loving energy by touching the earth and raising your hands to the sun before, take a deep breath of the loving energy of the universe before you make the ointment. You can also add rosemary essential oils to your taste.” ______

[1] Precautions for Using Rosemary: Rosemary essential oil has a stimulating effect on the body, so care should be taken with epileptics. Heavy overuse could result in nervous twitches or muscle spasms. While there are warnings about use during pregnancy, there is little empirical evidence of these dangers and the warnings stem from effects of one of the hundreds of chemical compounds in the oil. If there is concern about using essential oils, contact a health care practitioner trained in their use. [2] Cyclooxygenase-2: “Its name contains the first clue as to how the enzyme works. Cyclooxygenase has the job of ‘oxidizing,’ or burning, a fat in the body called ‘arachidonic acid.’ This fat is an Omega 6 fatty acid, and it occurs naturally in all of our cell membranes or walls. Simply put, the enzyme is the spark, the fat is the fuel, and the flame of inflammation is the end result.” (from “Herbs to Promote a Healthy Inflammation Response” @ www.newchapter.info) [3] Estela Roman has actively been involved in the promotion and preservation of traditional medicine/ancestral practices in her community, Temixco, Morelos, Mexico. When she was nineteen, she helped organize women’s groups for community training on basic health care. She came from a traditional family of 12 children and her grandmother and other relatives were well known for practicing traditional methods of healing, using techniques of massage, herbal medicine, spiritual purification, or limpias. She carries on a passion to serve the community and has pursued investigation of best practices and modalities to work in her community and other places where she has been invited. She majored in Sociology at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico and earned her degree at the age of 30. She has dedicated to work full time as a social worker and activist in the region where she lives. She has a Master’s degree in International Peace Studies from the International Institute for Peace Studies at the University of Norte Dame. (from http://alturl.com/y2aq

ocrates: What’s going on here?

Hippias: Hello, Socrates! I hope you don’t mind—I was just instructing your students in your absence. We were discussing… S: Party foul, Hippias. Now, you know that we are old friends, and that I have the greatest respect for you, but it’s entirely unacceptable for you to jack my class. H: Oh, well. I’m sorry that you feel that way, Socrates. I guess I’ll just…go then… S: Wait, Hippias. I didn’t mean it like that. Don’t look so hurt. I’m sure you had only the best intentions, and that you were instructing them, as I would, in the contemplation of the eternal Forms of Truth, Beauty, and Justice, thereby enriching their souls and steering them onto a path of goodness and righteousness. H: Yes. More or less. I mean, I was actually telling them that they don’t need you as a teacher, that they can do philosophy for themselves. But it’s all pretty much the same thing, right? S: Why you— H: Stop, Socrates! Wait! S: What is it now, you old codger? You had better elucidate your meaning with the utmost rapidity, before I get fully archaic on you. H: No, listen, Socrates—I have a great new teaching that I’ve been trying out, and it’s awesome! I want to share it with you! For free! Honest! S: “Free” as in “no money”? H: Yes! And this new teaching will keep on paying for itself, too. It’s even better than that real estate speculation teaching that I gave you last time! S: I’m not sure… H: Of course you’re not sure! Really, I wouldn’t expect you to be, since you are so wise and discerning. A

Dialogues continued next page...

Dialogues continued...

Do It yourself

made by forced labor on the other side of the Mediterranean. Those slaves couldn’t care less about your simpler, more foolish man, though, would have no chance whatsoever of personal comfort, or the shape of understanding my new philosophical your insole, or whether you have corns. They and their slavemasters system. That’s why I’ve decided to give it to you exclusively, as long as are just out to make a sale. But you can opt out of that system, Socrates. you act within the next thirty secYou can stop giving your money onds. away to greedy outsourcers. You can S: I’m listening. take back control of your finances. H: All right, hear me out, S: This is dubious. As if the godSocrates. How much money do you dess of victory would ever come out think you spend every month, total? and say “Just do it…thyself.” S: Well, not much. I mean, I H: No, really. Nike is on board pretty much lost all my money on with this. that real estate speculation system. S: I understand what you’re sayH: Yes, but you spent some ing, Hippias, and I’m sympathetic to money last month, right? And it. But…where did you get the wouldn’t it be better for you if you leather? had spent no money? H: Details, Socrates! Let’s not S: If you’re advocating shopliftget bogged down in details. Instead, ing again, I’m really not interested let’s talk about my hair. It looks this time. good, doesn’t it? H: No, no, no. This is entirely S: I suppose so. different. I didn’t really think H: Well, would you believe that I through the shoplifting thing. This new teaching actually comes from the actually spent zero drachmas on it? I gods. Have you been to Delphi late- did it myself! Just like the Oracle instructed! ly? S: How did you get the back? S: Nah, it’s too crowded these Oh, I see. You just pulled it into a days. It’s gone completely touristy. ponytail. H: Well, do you remember the H: We don’t have to stop there, saying carved into the face of the Socrates. Have you ever considered temple? that you could grow your own food? S: Oh, yes, of course. It says Or make your own baklava? Or oil “Bag Screening In Progress.” yourself up at the gymnasium? No H: No, the saying next to that reason to pay a handsome young lad one. It says “Do It Thyself.” to lazily rub you all over your entire S: I thought it said— H: Those gods! Always speaking body with olive oil when you can do it yourself, right? in riddles. Anyway, they certainly S: … meant something like this: How H: And travel! You don’t need to much did you spend on your sandals, pay top dollar on transportation when Socrates? Five drachma? Ten? you travel. In fact, I came to Athens What if I told you that I had spent zero drachma on these shoes that I’m at no expense to myself, merely by wearing? You’d probably say “wait, hitching rides on passing oxcarts. S: Oxcarts, you say? Hippias, how is that possible?” H: Yes, oxcarts. The drivers are S: No, I’d just assume it was happy enough to let you sit with their something illegal. loads, as long as you provide H: But it’s not! It’s perfectly legal. Because what I did was…wait sparkling conversation for them. And one of them was hauling sheep. Not for it…made them myself! only did I get a free ride, but I also S: … managed to brush enough wool off H: That’s right. I made them myself, and that way I didn’t have to my fellow passengers to knit myself this handsome toga. pay anyone to make them for me. S: You are truly wise—if not What’s more, because I made them fashionable. myself I was able to tailor them to H: Indeed, Socrates, there is nothmy own precise needs and to my own ing that others do for you that you taste. cannot better do for yourself, as I S: Yes, they are…unique. H: Think about it, Socrates. You believe I have just proven conclusively. Why, these days we are doing our keep buying sandals that are being

own check-out and bagging at the market, pumping our own olive oil at the station, and the stock prices for Oikos Depot have never been higher. S: Hmm. H: “Hmm”? What do you mean, “hmm”? S: Oh, it’s nothing, really. I’m just wondering what would happen if this new teaching really caught on across the board. I mean, it seems like there are certain things for which specialization and mass production are still useful. H: Name one. S: Well, how about that leather? Where did you get the leather for the shoes that you made? H: Back to the leather again? Actually, there’s no problem there. I retrieved the leather from the dump. I used only previously discarded shoes. S: Which means that someone else had to buy the shoes, and you are simply benefitting from their anonymous consumption. H: I didn’t have to get leather from the dump, though. I could have raised my own cow, slaughtered it myself, skinned it, tanned the hide, and used that. Or better yet, gone vegan and used neoprene. Don’t imagine that the shortcuts that I have taken somehow undercut the powerful message of my new philosophical method. S: Okay, I’ll grant you that one. But let’s talk about scissors. H: I know where you’re going with this, Socrates. But you can’t tell me that scissors are the only way to cut one’s hair. Why, I can think of all sorts of ways that don’t require metals, and the mining and smelting industries that are required to produce consumer products out of them. S: Such as? H: You can chip a sharp edge out of flint and use it as a blade. You should try it some time. I highly recommend it. It’s so natural. S: And suppose everyone started cutting their own hair with stone tools, Hippias. Don’t you agree that chaos would ensue? H: How so, Socrates? S: Well, what would happen to all the hair salons? The salon workers would suddenly find that they had no customers, and they would be cast into unemployment and desperation, would they not? H: I hadn’t really thought about

it.

S: So now we have unemployed, desperate wielders of sharpened metal instruments roaming the streets. Doesn’t this strike you as a recipe for societal disaster? H: I can see how you might find this prospect unpleasant, Socrates, but have you considered that this, too, may be a more natural organization of society? S: Mass anarchy and multiple stab wounds? H: Sure, why not? It wouldn’t last forever, and afterwards we could rebuild our own houses. We could build them ourselves! Why should we have to put up with old houses built by old dead Greek guys? We could have a whole new paradigm of housing. S: And I suppose we would cut the timbers and chisel the marble columns ourselves, then? No need for specialists in this area, or, indeed, in the area of medicine, in order to bind our open wounds? H: Don’t be snarky, Socrates. This will work. Let me show you. Agathon, come up to the front of the class for a moment. Agathon: How might I be of service in this stimulating debate between two wise teachers who surely care deeply for my soul? H: So say that I am a disgruntled barber and I stab Agathon in the chest, like this. A: Argh!! H: Though he crumples to the floor right now, if he can heal himself, he will be all the stronger for it in the end. If he cannot do it himself, then through his weakness he will be selected, naturally, as someone who shouldn’t still be alive. This process of naturally selecting only the fittest makes our city-state stronger. S: I see. But how could anyone recover from such an obviously fatal blow? Young Agathon has had absolutely no training in these sorts of matters. Asking him to heal himself is like asking the grape to turn itself into wine on its own: it would be great, but don’t count on catching a buzz off it. H: When you get a cold, old friend, is it not the case that after the passing of a few days your body has healed itself? When a bit of papyrus gives your finger a cut, does the blood not clot itself? When you have finished making love, does your man-

hood not deflate and nestle back into itself on its own? This is the way of the body and of all natural things. S: Now you are speaking of an important issue, Hippias, for there have been far too many times when I have asked Xanthippe to help me…relieve some tension in my nether regions…only to have her tell me to go do it myself. H: Who hasn’t been there? But then, this is perhaps for the best. For who truly knows you better than you? Aren’t the finest pleasures those which we control and deploy ourselves, by our own hand? S: Not…really. H: For instance, when you have an itch, who knows better than you exactly where and how to scratch? S: Well, Agathon used to be pretty good at scratching my back. H: My point is that the Delphic oracle can’t be wrong. From prostate exams to organizing a city-state: DIT—it’s the natural way. S: I suppose your underlying logic is irrefutable, Hippias, and assuming that most people won’t listen to you, I guess it might even work for a handful of social outsiders who could live this way and pretend that they are not already dependent on the larger infrastructure they purport to reject. H: Denial. All the great philosophies are based on it, no? S: Apart from mine. H: Right. S: Yes, well. You must be on your way now so that I can start my class. Thank you for the lesson, and for watching over nearly all of my students. And now I think that the finest wish I can express for your future happiness is this: go sex thyself, Hippias. H: Thank you, Socrates. And you can go sex thyself, too, my old friend. Good day. ______ H. Peter Steeves, Ph.D. is Professor of Philosophy at DePaul University and can be reached at psteeves@depaul.edu. Steven J. Ingeman, MLIS, is an independent scholar and Circulation Supervisor at Mary Riley Styles Library in Falls Church, VA and can be reached at ingeman@falls-church.lib.va.us.

Sunday

Where:

2ST: 2ND Space Theatre, 928 E Olive CRS: Crossroads, 3315 N Cedar Ave CYT: Chinatown Youth Center EXT: The Exit, 1533 E Belmont FAM: Fres Art Mus, 2233 N 1st St

Monday

IFS: InfoShop, 935 F St ITZ: Studio Itz, 370 N Fresno St JAV: Javawava, 1940 N Echo KPJ: Kuppajoe, 3673 N First St LMK: The Landmark RL: The Red Lantern RR: Roger Rockaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 1226 N Wishon SL: The Starline, 831 E Fern TT: Tower Theatre, 815

Tuesday

Olive Ave WST: William Saroyan Theatre WWPL: Woodward Park Library VVV: Veni Vedi Vici, 1116 N Fulton ZP: Zapp's Park, 1105 N Blackstone

Wednesday

2 Art H w Fay Wrays, E

8 w L'80z Nite, DJ Audie 5000, no cover, Audie's

9 w Bob Wayne &

16 Art w Johnny Hootr

w The Swellers, Living With Lions, All Teeth, Elmo Marconi, $7, CYC, 6p w Soul Freedom Lounge, Mr Leonard, VVV

5 w Roger Alan Wade, Roger Perry, Mike

6 7 w Reggae Mondays, Audie's w Indie Nite w/DJ Pylo, The Olympic/Club Fred, 9p w Brandon Tyler, CRS w Listen in Pain (fat jerry), VVV

Volunteers, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 9p w Licorice Pimps, Jeff Logan, VVV

12 w Love, the Captive: Locals Only, Audie's

14 15 w Indie Nite: Geographer, Sleepover w All Left Out, Born Loser, Sci-Fi Nightmares,

Smith, THS in the Sex Lounge, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 8p w Tragic Orange, CRS w The Freeshow, VVV

Olympic/Club Fred, 9p w Frida Kahlo (play), $15 ad, $12 stu & sr, $10 children, FAM Bonner Aud, 1p & 4p w Robin Trower, Corby Yates, TT, 6p w The Freeshow, VVV

w Reggae Mondays, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 9p w Eighty Five, DJ Johnny Q, VVV

Disaster, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 9p w Skeletonwitch, Saviours, Trap Them, At Our Heels, Moses, $10, SL, 8:30p w Licorice Pimps, Jeff Logan, VVV

19 20 21 w Reggae Mondays, Audie's w Off with their Heads, Dear Landlord, The w Indie Nite: Branden Daniel & Martyrs, The Giddy-Ups, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 8p w The Freeshow, VVV

Olympic/Club Fred, 9p w Eighty Five, DJ Johnny Q, VVV w Didley Squat, CRS

26 w $5 Punkshow: Mentors, Willie Psycho,

Final Threat, Rites of Retribution, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 9p w The Freeshow, VVV w Royal Monsters, $5, CYC, 6p

w Fallen Figure, The Baby Lottery, Running From A Blind Figure, CYC, 5p

Everybody Gets Laid, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 9p w Licorice Pimps, Jeff Logan, VVV

28 w Wayne "the Train" Hancock,

Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 9p w Licorice Pimps, Jeff Logan, VVV

Olympic/Club Fred, 10p w Hump Band, VVV

Shannon & the Clams, Half Rats, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 9p w Soul Freedom Lounge, Mr Leonard, VVV

22 w L'80z Nite, DJ Audie 5000, no cover, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 10p w Hump Band, VVV

29 w Nico Vega, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 9p w Soul Freedom Lounge, Mr Leonard, VVV w Glue, $5, CYC, 6p

(AC/DC tri Fred, 9p w Reggae Nigh

Highway C Fred, 9p w Inner Ear Poe w Reggae Nigh

Audie's Ol w Reggae Nigh w A Better Hop

23 w Whiskey Ave w w w w w

9p In-Flight Nym Kate Russell, Reggae Nigh A Half Mast Final Weeken Like It, free

30 w Rational Athe

Nightmares, Audie's Ol w David Fitche w Reggae Nigh

Got An Event? Email : C

Thursday

Elmo Marconi, Victory Jump, Big Balls ibute), free, Audie's Olympic/Club

Hop T(wer/Downtown)

ht, Reality Sound International, VVV

& The Outlaw Carnies, Drivin Nails, City, Evil G, $7, Audie's Olympic/Club

etry Jam, $5, FCB, 8p ht, Reality Sound International, VVV

Friday

Saturday

4 w L'80z Nite, DJ Audie 5000, no cover, Audie's Olympic/Club

w The Last Troupas, $6, FCB, 8p w Soul Good, DJs Matt B & Manny Carr, VVV w Picture Atlantic, PushPushPull, Greener by Color, $7, KPH, 7p

Fred, 10p w Roots Rock Reggae, VVV

10 11 w Guttermouth, Not for Hire, More than Without, $10, Audie's Olympic/Club w Cash'd Out, $10, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 9p w w w w w w

Fred, 9p Mike Smith & the Handsome Devils, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 5p Fresno Filmworks: Everlasting Moments, $10, TT, 5:30p and 8:30p Jazz Jam (Karen Marguth & Friends), $5, FCB, 5:30p DJ Prof Stone, VVV Brother Luke & the Comrads, P.A. Harper, Dia Del Astronauta, $6, KPJ, 8p Barcadia, Maya Over Eyes, Break Free, CYC, 5p

w Blues Open Mic and Potluck, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 3p w Frida Kahlo (play), $15 ad, $12 stu & sr, $10 child, FAM Bonner Aud, 3p & 9p w Lecture Series: Aztec Calendar, AAM, 11am w Benefit for Comm. Hosp. Burn Unit, Super Lucky Cats, FCB, 4p w Laurie Morvan, CRS w Beat Dynasty, VVV w Aswell, Tweezy, Semantics, CYC, 5p

17 w Blues Americana w/Glen Delpit, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 5p

18 w This Charming Band (Smiths Tribute), Audie's Olympic/Club

engers, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred,

24 w David Lane, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 5p

25 w Sugarhill & Tha Oly: Rockabilly w/Stellar Corpses, Mutilators,

em, Turkish Techno, Sci-Fi

31 w Roger Perry & Unhappy Hour, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 5p

OngoinG EveNts:

Hop (Metro/Outlying)

rock, Motel Drive, Midnight Howlers, lympic/Club Fred, 9p ht, Reality Sound International, VVV pe Foundation, $5, CYC, 6p

mphs, $6, FCB, 8p , CRS ht, Reality Sound International, VVV & More, $5, CYC, 6p nd: Woodward Shakespeare: As You e, WWP, 8p

lympic/Club Fred, 9p tt $ Kelly Lee, $6, FCB, 8p ht, Reality Sound International, VVV

alendar@FresnoUndercurrent.net

Fred, 9p w The Delta Wires, CRS w Body Rock, DJ Don D, VVV

w Dudley Perkins, 40 Watt Hype, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 9p w Frisky DJ P Rez, VVV w Pep Love, Populus, Invarious Nature, Phaze 1, Ahymnz, $10, Babylon

w Sprout, $6, FCB, 8p w Cloud 99, no cover, VVV, 10:30p w Final Weekend: Woodward Shakespeare: As You Like It, free, WWP, 8p

w Blue Skies for Blackhearts, Sleepover Disaster, Parties, Bye Bye Blackbirds, Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 9p w Soul Good, DJs Matt B & Manny Carr, VVV w The Stone Foxes, Strange Vine, Style-like Revelators, $7, SL, 9:30p w KFCF Ten Years After Party, $8, FCB, 8p

Audie's Olympic/Club Fred, 9p w Central Valley Burlesque Society, $10, FCB, 8p w Word of Mouth, DJ Rusty, VVV w Three Mile Pilot, Optiganally Yours, $10, The Partisan (Merced), 9:30p w Final Weekend: Woodward Shakespeare: As You Like It, free, WWP, 8p

w Children's Musical Theaterworks: Alice in Wonderland, July 24 - Aug 1 w 2nd Space Theatre: Is He Dead? Through Aug 9

w Roger Rocka's: The Wiz, through July 19 w Roger Rocka's: Sweet Charity, July 23 - Sept 13 w Woodward Shakespeare: As You Like It, WWP, free, Thur, Fri, & Sat, 8p thru July 25

Calendar current as of printing

NICO VEGA

far left

GUTTERMOUTH

r i g h t

THE STONE FOXES l

FAY WRAYS • ELMO MARCONI • VICTORY JUMP • BIG BALLS (AC/DC TRIBUTE)

Here’s your chance to have a good time, even in, um, “this economy”: Love, The Captive presents The Dorktown Podcast 4th Anniversary Party. The second best thing about this show is that it’s absolutely FREE! The very best is that some of the Fresno area’s best young talent will take the stage and rock your shorts off. Dorktown T H U J U L 0 2 Podcast, great bands, no cover. A hat 900pm • 21+ • trick if ever there was one.

AUDIE’S OLYMPIC

GUTTERMOUTH • OTHERS TBA

Perennial punk pissants Guttermouth return to Audie’s for this Numbskull promotion. With a deep catalog and song faves like “The Dreaded Sea Lice Have Come,” “Flacidism,” and “Lucky the Donkey,” these guys from Huntington Beach promise not only to curse like angry sailors, but to be a good time on wheels. You can expect a solid regional or national touring act to support the show, along with some representation from Fresno’s deep F R I J U L 1 0 well of killer punk acts.

BOB WAYNE & THE OUTLAW CARNIES • HIGHWAY CITY •

You’d expect a group named Bob Wayne & the Outlaw Carnies to play grunge-y barroom country. You’d be absolutely right. Sometimes the book just begs to be judged by its cover. In the spirit of doing one thing and doing it well, Bob Wayne writes songs that fit the usual old-school country themes, but it’s his ability to perform those songs from the perspective of the stoJ U L 0 9 ryteller with a sense of bitter humor T H U 9 3 0 p m • 2 1 + • that’ll reel you in.

AUDIE’S OLYMPIC

GEOGRAPHER • THE SLEEPOVER DISASTER •

Part of the new Tuesday Indie Night at Audie’s, this show features San Francisco up-and-comers, Geographer, and their gorgeous keyboard-fueled indie pop. At times spacey and at others dancey, Geographer’s music is always engaging. The Sleepover Disaster will support, and you can T U E J U L 1 4 count on a good local opener, per9 3 0 p m • 2 1 + • haps even another –er band.

AUDIE’S OLYMPIC AUDIE’S OLYMPIC 9 3 0 p m

•

21+

•

THREE MILE PILOT •

This is one of only a handful of West Coast dates for Three Mile Pilot and a huge booking at The Partisan. After a number of seminal indie releases throughout the 90s and subsequently falling silent, this San Diego band’s members went on to form successful indie bands Black Heart Procession and Pinback, among others. Three Mile Pilot never officially called it quits, however, and they’ve booked a small tour to prepare for the release of their first S A T J U L 2 5 new studio record in over a decade.

THE PARTISAN 9 3 0 p m

•

21+

•

BLUE SKIES FOR BLACK HEARTS • THE SLEEPOVER DISASTER •

Portland’s amazing Blue Skies for Black Hearts come to Fresno on the heels of a ton of press and great accolades for their most recent release, “Hand Grenades and Serenades.” Following in the footsteps of bands like The Kinks, Teenage Fanclub, and The Replacements (in that band’s subtler moments), these guys have the feelgood indie powerpop jangle down pat. Great SF psych-pop band The Parties, Oakland’s The Bye Bye F R I J U L 3 1 Blackbirds, and the increasingly ubiq930pm • 21+ • uitous The Sleepover Disaster support.

NICO VEGA

Nico Vega is not a person, but a band. A band that has the not-insignificant backing of MySpace records and the full weight of MySpace for promotion. Their live show is a throwback to the big rock shows of the 70s. But for an occasional ballad, this is pure arena rock. Doubts? This show at Audie’s comes the day after a Mid-State Fair gig opening for KISS. This trio of people live their band like a lifestyle, and it seems they’ve gotten the attention W E D J U L 2 9 that that can bring.

AUDIE’S OLYMPIC 9 3 0 p m

•

2 1 +

•

THE STONE FOXES • STRANGE VINE •

San Francisco’s The Stone Foxes return to their Fresno home-base, The Starline, for what will indubitably be another great set of their brand of soulful blues-rock. In light of the dissolution of The Foxes’ go to local support band, The Same Shape, that band’s drummer Ian Blesse picks up the slack with his new group, Strange Vine, and F R I J U L 3 1 happening new locals Style-like 9 3 0 p m • A L L A G E S • Revelators will get things going.

AUDIE’S OLYMPIC T H E S T A R L I N E

page THE VENUES / Cellar Door = 101 W Main St, Visalia • The Exit = 1533 E Belmont, Fresno • Audie’s Olympic Club Fred= 1426 N Van Ness, Fresno • Howie

& Sons Pizza = 2430 S Mooney, Visalia • The Starline = 831 E Fern, Fresno • The Partisan = 432 W Main St, Merced • Tokyo Garden = 1711 Fulton, Fresno • Veni Vidi Vici = 1116 N Fulton, Fresno • Babylon = 1064 N Fulton, Fresno • The Venue = 1148 7th St, Sanger • Chinatown Youth Center = 901 F

Pep Love & Dudley Perkins: 2 MCs, 2 venues, 1 great night of hip hop

by Matt Espinoza Watson

resno’s been getting love recently from the Oakland based Hieroglyphics crew, with Del the Funkee Homosapien performing a few months back at the Exit, and now another member of the legendary underground hip hop crew making a stop in the Valley. Pep Love has always struck me as the wisest member of the crew, or the MC most likely to rhyme about political, social, and spiritual issues. I had the chance to catch members of the Hiero crew on various occasions while living in the Bay, and Pep Love was always dynamic in live performances, hypnotizing with his calm smooth delivery. (Del, on the other hand, who I like & who is much more well known, was not nearly as consistent in concert…) “Pacific Heights” is probably his best known single, a laid back ode to Cali living that comes from his very underrated (& underheard) 2001 album, Ascension. “Change Is…” is his newest single, produced by Nima Fadavi, who will be performing along with Pep Love, local favorite Populus, Invarious Nature, Phaze 1, and Ahymnz. It goes down July 17 @ the Babylon. $10 in advance. Tickets @ www.inticketing.com Check out Pep Love’s music at www.myspace.com/peplove.

If, on the other hand, you’re more into an unconventional, gritty, funky soulful sound, you might want to head to the other side of Olive Ave on July 17, over to the Starline to check out MC/vocalist Dudley Perkins. Perkins is a member of the Stone’s Throw crew from Southern Cali, who most folks know about

because of Madlib, beatconductor extraordinaire (really one of the most innovative & prolific beatmakers around: see Quasimoto, Madvillian, Jaylib, etc…). Perkins, who’s from Oxnard, used to go by the name Declaime when he was more exclusively a rapper; in the stuff he’s released under Dudley Perkins there’s more of a focus on singing, though it’s still definitely got that funky underground hip hop sound. NPR made reference to Thelonious Monk’s “Ugly Beauty” when describing Perkins’ style: “Navigating between a shrill falsetto and a croaking tenor, Perkins often lands on notes that more surefooted crooners avoid. His sense of melody seems hazy at best, and his rhythmic gait can get shaky. Nevertheless, Perkins possesses one of the most emotionally potent voices in R&B.” He has been working with the funk archivist-sonic wizards at Stone’s Throw for some time, and his first two albums released as Dudley Perkins were produced

exclusively by Madlib, so if you’re going to the show, plan to rest your neck the next day from all the head nodding you’ll be doing… July 17 @ Audie’s Olympic. www.myspace.com/dudleyperkins

NoTown I

Roller Derby Girls by Edward Stewart

t doesn’t get much more do-ityourself in Fresno than the NoTown Roller Derby Girls. These ladies have a talent for starting things. Many helped to bring derby to Fresno in the last few years, they’ve brought a whole lot of self promotion, and they’ve even brought some local drama on the internet (hey, people love to argue). When one local derby team hung up its skates, these ladies laced up their own, found a venue, and have kept bringing quality derby excitement to Fresno. Seriously, the bouts at the Fairgrounds are packed to near capacity, the crowd is amped and the action on the track is enthralling.

NoTown has been smashing opponents on the track, and soon they will do it again. Their upcoming match (July 11, gates open at 6, derby starts at 7) is against Bakersfield’s Diamond Divas. Will they crush their southern neighbors? We will have to see, but their last two bouts have been huge victories. Despite injuries to a few key players, NoTown crushed a team from Chino 163-88 at their last home bout, so you should be there and be ready to see a great match. And, in true DIY spirit, the bouts aren’t too expensive. $10 presale, $12 at the door, but kids under 10 are free. How cool is that? And, parking is free. Say what? To some, that $10 still may seem expensive, but take heart because these ladies love to help out their commu-

nity. A portion of the proceeds from this bout will be donated to the Fresno County SPCA spay and neuter programs.

CAN’T STOP, WON’T STOP, SUMMER 09 A

s is often the case, hip hop comes in droves. This summer has seen a veritable tsunami of new releases from assorted stars of the underground. We briefly review seven of them here.

his presence as a hip hop visionary. My favorite song has to be “Auditorium,” featuring Slick Rick and some very smooth, Middle Eastern loops chronicling the reality of east meets west in the form of the American occupa-

Mos Def

The Ecstatic

Downtown Records (2009)

by Vahram Antonian

f you were at all skeptical when this album dropped last month, unsure of what to expect from the insanely-talented Mos Def and his high profile Hollywood endeavors, his recent history of questionable albums, psychedelic funk projects, etc., then I can safely assuage your worries. The Ecstatic is a refreshing return to the days when Mos did what he does best—fusing a dynamic blend of beautiful verbal gymnastics with eclectic sounds, successfully experimental melodies and scintillating collaborations with unique talent. The album features production from indie luminaries J Dilla, Madlib, Oh No and the Neptune’s Chad Hugo. More notably, it features a triumphant return of the Mos Def and Talib Kweli duo, making us think of the Black Star days with a soulful, schooling track entitled “History.” The first track, “Supermagic,” lets you know right off the bat what the rest of the album is all about. After a customary opening prayer in Arabic, and a clip from a speech delivered by Malcom X, the electric guitar kicks in hard and Mos takes it from there, proclaiming

tion of Iraq. There are no ring tones, no club-bangers on this album, but rest assured, it bumps from start to finish and will resonate in your ears the way only Mos Def can do when he does it right. ______

Himself

For Your Personal Enjoyment… Permanent Records (2009)

by Abid Yahya

ou may not have heard of Himself, but this is the album for the summer. Simple, chill beats ideal for rolling, windows down, around town

(as can be seen merely in the titles of the tracks, which include “Picture Me Strollin,” “Music to Barbeque by,” “Summertime,” and “Good Times”), and lyrics that surprise you with their metered and rhymed complexity while amusing you with their topical simplicity and silliness. I haven’t heard such a well-made album of fun, relatively apolitical hip hop in quite some time. Himself has been running all over the Cali underground hip hop scene since the 90s, and these varied influences are evident here. Throughout For Your Personal Enjoyment…, the spirit of LA can be felt (Himself and Fatlip of the Pharcyde must have crossed paths at some point), particularly in the brilliant and mellow final track, “Sleepless in LA,” though, at the same time, the influence of the Bay Area scene is somewhere in there too. Indeed, the album features cameos from three (Murs, Scarub, and Sunspot Jonz) of the Living Legends. “All Year Long,” featuring Murs, is a particularly hot bit of hip hop. Also of particular note on the album are the amazing tracks, “Clueless” (with its humbling message and oh-so-fresh cartoon beat) and “Come Along” (with a wonderfully cheesy sample loop and a tempo that you can’t sit still to). ______

Mr. Lif

I Heard It Today

Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises (2009)

by Abid Yahya

he great Mr. Lif returns with another political scorcher, proving (after the relative stutter-step that was 2007’s Mo’ Mega) that 2003’s I Phantom (Lif’s masterpiece, a textbook of a hip hop album) wasn’t a onetime thing. Lif was a struggling and restless schoolteacher in Boston when he began his hip hop career in the late 90s. He’s since taken the underground nation by storm, his rise coinciding with—no, fueling—the rise of Def Jux Records. After two stellar EPs, he blew minds with I Phantom in 2003. Then we waited six years. I, for one, am very happy he’s back. It’s been too long, Lif. Right off the bat, the album grabbed me. “What About Us?” is amazing. It’s energetic, enraging, and wildly clever— everything political hip hop should be. He lays it down: “We’re out of limit now, enough is enough. You’re sittin’ on billions of dollars, but what about us. / No healthcare, just enough change to ride the motherfuckin’ bus. What about us? / Our biggest mistake was givin’ you trust. You livin’ plush, and you don’t give a fuck about us. / One government, one world model, in God we trust, but what about us?” In the title track,

Lif runs through a whole litany of present political considerations (from the war to the housing crisis to the economic downturn) over a funky rapid beat. Honestly, not the strongest track on the album, for it takes on too

much and doesn’t allow Lif to focus and dissect, which he does so well and wherein his poetry really shines. In “Hatred,” over percussion that suggests a tribal warmarch and a creepy and grand sample that sounds like something out of Phantom of the Opera, Lif raps about the present state of black culture in USA. “A people with no foundation stand naked,” he raps, “Look into the mirror and sever the hatred.” “Head High” features a remarkably mellow beat, a beat it would look good to drive your car in slow motion to. And over this beat, Lif offers up a prayer, the meditation of a young black emcee upon his place in all of this mess we call the world. This is some excellent hip hop, Lif doing what he does best. And those are just the tracks I have room to talk about. Get the album. You won’t regret it. ______

Summer 09 continued next page...

Summer 09 continued... Del (The Funky Homosapien) Funk Man (The Stimulus Package) online release (2009)

by Nicholas Nocketback

I Guess If You Make 100 Albums, Statistically 1 of Them Should Be Good

shows. I suppose if you make so many records, you may as well give ‘em away. I’m certainly not hating on the man—I Wish My Brother George Was Here still gets crazy rotation in my iPod— but Funk Man is certainly not his best work. In fact, I’m hard pressed to find a track I like, or would suggest to you fine readers to listen to. How about this, if you haven’t heard of Del, try getting his The Best of Del package, and to the fans who have all his albums, just wait a few months— he’ll drop something else. For the free album, go to bandcamp.com. ______

Afro Classics (Scarub & Very)

el The Funky Homosapien has been making music since 1991. Piggybacking off the success of his cousin, Ice Cube, he has actually produced some real bangin’ tracks, including being a part of one of my favorite hip hop groups of all time, Hieroglyphics. You have heard Del on several occasions, you just probably didn’t know it. He’s been highlighted on various video games, including Tony Hawk, and made big waves with The Gorillaz with their debut album—remember “Clint Eastwood”? No? Youtube it, you’ll see. That aside, he has also dropped at least 8 albums and another under the name Deltron, with Dan “The Automator.” [Editor’s note: We’re all excited about the eventual release of the second Deltron album (titled Deltron Event II), three years in the making so far.] With this new release, though, he’s decided to take a new millennial approach and offer it free online and to fans at

The Classic EP Legendary Music (2009)

by Nicholas Nocketback

A Proper West Coast Package: Prepare to Drive Way More Slowly This Summer

ard knockin’ progressive beats, smooth R&B laced choruses, and articulate MCs highlighting how California hip hop has forever replaced East

Coast and Down South drivel. Please, folks, if you have a Lil’ Wayne CD in your car, or have ever purchased any one of Nelly’s albums, do yourself—nay, your mother—a favor, and cop something with real taste. Even if you’re a reluctant simpleton, worry not, it’s an EP. This 6 song production finds Scarub, from the Living Legends, and Very, from US Pros, together again. As you may know, many of the Legends retreat to the lab for solo projects and sprinkle ‘em haphazardly between Legends albums. Currently, Murs holds the crown for most successful solo artist, but Scarub and Very have succeeded in creating a true west coast gem, with highlights including “Woah” and “The Follow Through.” Once you get through the first track, “Boom In it,” the worst of the half dozen, the rest is all bueno. The combination of two ill MCs, lucid and lyric driven, plus simplistic, polished production, provides the platform for a proper summer time feast. Now this EP will not shake the industry or even fly off

the electronic shelves, but if you’re interested in how hip hop is supposed to be created, this is a fine primer for anyone claiming to know rap music. ______

The Grouch & Eligh Say G&E!

Legendary Music (2009)

by Abid Yahya

ligh and the Grouch are both founding members of the Living Legends. In the early 90s in the Bay, the Grouch was working with the Mystik Journeymen

while Eligh was working with Murs and Scarub in a group called Log Cabin. Once the Legends got together, though, Eligh and the Grouch became the background pro-

ducers, partners in inventiveness, the primary source of beats for the Legends. They put out No More Greener Grasses in 2003. Say G&E! is their second album as a duo. The title track starts the album off smooth, before moving into some seriously high quality hip hop, featuring a variety of characters around the underground scene, including Slug, Mistah F.A.B., and others. Two tracks in particular are of note, though the album is strong on the whole. “Worried about the World” (featuring Mike Marshall and Sage Francis) is probably the most political track on the album, covering a range of issues, and concluding nothing more than “What do we do now?” The tracks opens with dope verses from Eligh and the Grouch and closes with an awesome Sage Francis cameo. The track is a great example of east coast-west coast underground collaboration. “All In” (maybe the finest track on the album) is opened by Gift of Gab (of Blackalicious fame) and also features Pigeon John. It’s a simple but wonderful beat and these four veteran emcees just kill it on this track. “Spent half my life on a search for nothing. / I came up with something. It’s all again. / I found myself by the river and jumped in. / It’s all or nothing, gotta be all in,” goes the hook.

Summer 09 continued page 23...

Summer 09 continued...

Originally born Daniel Dumile in the UK, Doom moved to New York, got into the hip hop scene I must admit, though, I had a hard time around ’94, and became MF Doom after losing getting into Grouch and Eligh. Though I loved his brother and his record contract. He’s a chamtheir work as integral members of the Legends, I pion of all underground hip hop fans and, in wasn’t too sure about their potential as a duo. In 2005, dropped an album with super producer Danger Mouse that featured characters from 2003, No More Greener Grasses disappointed Adult Swim. me overall (though it had its high points). Say Further, he’s also had frequent collaboG&E!, though, is a stellar piece of work. The rations with Raekwon and Ghost Face Killah of duo combines very mellow beats with Eligh’s the Wu-Tang Clan. You can certainly expect this stark, rapid-fire, tommy-gun lyricism and the of his new venture, and, to me, he sounds a bit Grouch’s inimitable rap-crooning. This is a a very articulate Ol’ Dirty Bastard. like unique and odd gelling together of elements that Born Like This features production is difficult to pull off. For this release, though, from such cats as the late J-Dilla, Thom Yorke, they tightened up the operation, added a bit and Madlib, who he hooked up with in 2004 and more R&B to the samples, and brought in an 2008 for the sucawesome line-up of cessful Madvillain guest artists, all to collab. This album great effect. Bravo. is not as perfect as ______ DangerDoom, but it will surely tickle true fans of hip hop Born Like This and should definiteLex Records (2009) ly be purchased ahead of artists like by Nicholas Jay-Z and Lil’ Nocketback Wayne. A couple sick tracks to flirt The Masked Villain with on the worldDrops a Heater on wide internet web Your Dome like a are “Gazzillion Pigeon Ear,” and “Ballskin.” While hose not familiar not exactly flawless, with Doom, here’s especially for something 7 years in the making, a small tutorial. The reclusive, eclectic MC Born Like This will grow on you, apparently, wears a metal mask like his comic book doppellike a shiny metal mask, impossible to remove. ganger and is never photographed without it.

Doom

Uriel J. Tekunoff

Tell us about this particular cover image. The work displayed on the cover, titled “Tootsie Roll,” is one of my larger paintings (32x48inches) done to date. The background contains hidden images in white that provide a brief background to the aspirations of young men. The expressions of this boy are what drew me to painting this photograph I took. What got you started in your artistic endeavors? I have always been creative. When I was young I drew and built things. Painting on canvas was the medium that allowed me to continue doing both of these activities. How long have you been creating art here in Fresno? Ever since I was young, I have been sketching with pencil and chalks. Now I paint on gallery sized canvas frames. Although the medium has changed, that I work on the idea is the same. I have been painting for 34 years at the level that I am now. Has Fresno or the Fresno art scene had

tact me through my website or via email at urieltekunoff@hotmail.com. What projects are you working on or dreaming up for the near future? Currently I’m working on a project that I call “The Summer of 50.” I have been and will continue to be involved in an aspect of painting every night this summer. The 50 is a projection of how many paintings I will complete if I keep up at this pace. I have finished five paintings and am currently working on six (all at different stages of completion). Please provide a short bio. During and after high school, I spent the majority of my time skateboarding. When I wasn’t on a board, I was working construction. Due to the large amount non graphic boards I would go through skateboarding, I would design custom board graphics to stand out from all the other riders. Some friends liked the graphics I was producing on skateboards and asked me to provide similar hanging work for a collaborative ArtHop event. Since then, I have participated in a few ArtHop nights and just concluded my first solo show at Veni Vidi Vici. In the future, I look forward to getting my work out to individuals in the art world outside of Fresno.

any influence or effect on your work? The dynamic of the Fresno art scene opened my eyes to some parts of the art scene, the long lists to booking a solo exhibition and getting work up at galleries. Living in Fresno has influenced me much more—the landscape, architecture and people have influenced me and this is apparent through my work. You will always be able to see Fresno in my paintings. How would you describe your style? My style is a mix of imagination, memory, experience, and feelings processed by the world and escaping through my hands. My work contains aspects of many different styles, some of the more prevalent are posterization and post modern expressionism. If someone wanted to see more of your work, how would they go about that? You can visit my website at ujtpaintings.com. On the web site, there is a calendar that lists any of my current or future displayed works. What if someone wanted to give you money for “Midnight Swim” your work, how would one go about that? Any potential clients can con-

“Saturday Morning”

“Butter Rum”

“Fire Water”

DIY: The Jam

jars and lids in warm soapy water or the dishwasher. Keep them sterile! Part III: Make yo’ Filling—I’ve done lots and lots of internet searches, but really it’s easiest to do this all by taste. Basically, dump your washed fruit into a large, heavy bottomed lrighty pan, add a squeeze of lemon and Fresnans! It’s that time start cooking. At some point, I of year again when you, add in a ton of sugar (by a ton, usuor someone you know, has been ally about 1/3 of the volume of the fruit in the pot) and one crazy flaburdened by an abundance of voring (lemon thyme, bay leaves, produce. Your mom’s got a peach tree. Your roommate has oolong tea, cloves, chilies). Keep cooking this all down until it is thick been urban foraging for figs and sticks to a plate that’s been in again. Or, God forbid, you the freezer for a while. It usually know anyone who planted a zuc- takes about 30 minutes. No need chini this year. Fear not! for that pesky pectin! Pencil in an afternoon of good Part IV: Can it, Lady—Using a ol’ fashioned canning and make funnel, carefully spoon your finished your grandma proud. jam into your clean jars. Leave about 1/2 inch of room at the top. Part I: Go Shopping—I always Wipe down the rim of the jar with a head for Fresno Ag, but really any clean paper towel. Carefully place hardware store will do. Get yourthe lid and ring on the jar and tightself a bunch of jars with lids and en. Once you get all your neat little canning tongs. If you are really jars sealed, boil them in a large pot into recycling, you can always get of water (making sure they are fully old jars from thrift stores and merely submerged) for at least 15 minutes purchase new lids. (you can Google specific processing Part II: Kitchen Prep—First off, times). Once they have cooled a put a damn radio in the kitchen for bit, you can wait to see if the jars some music. Invite over a friend (even if they just sit there). Put on are sealed by the gentle “ping” they some light summer clothes to sweat make when you tap the tops. Part V: Give someone some love in, and have plenty of cold beverand pass it on. Don’t you feel ages around (beer or iced tea really good?! hits the spot). Clean out all your

FOOD, INC. d i r ec t ed b y R o b e rt K e n n e r (2 0 09 ) w it h Er i c S c h los s e r & M i c h a el P o lla n

that assembly lines at companies such as Smithfield are not severely affected by any losses in manpower. Further behind the veil, Schlosser and Pollan reveal how the corn industry, occupier of 30% of our nation’s land-base, is heavily subsidized to provide a cheap method of fattening up animals so Americans, in turn, can grow fatter by eating knowing where your food by Vahram Antonian them. Hell, even fish comes from. Look no further are now being condifor compelling evidence of this ssuming you’re like tioned to feed on most Undercurrent reg- collective effort than the fact corn. We witness the ulars, you’ve heard of that this documentary, released magnitude of the muckraker Eric Schlosser, and June 20, is not being shown at theaters in Fresno, a hub of the power that is wielded maybe you’ve even read Fast by Monsanto, one of world’s agriculture. Food Nation, or Michael the world’s richest Pollan’s books, The Botany of The film shows us why and most evil corpoDesire, The Omnivore’s sardine cans have nothing on rations since Enron. Dilemma, etc. If this is indeed chicken houses, where over We hear from endanthe case, then you can expect cramped fowl are raised by local gered local soy farmthe outrage and infuriation contractors who take out huge ers who are squashed toward the commercial food loans (like $500K) to start their under the boot of the industry you will undoubtedly own businesses selling ‘roided-up industry behemoth, experience when watching chickens to companies like Tyson. whose geneticallyThey end up scarcely eking out a modified soy bean Food, Inc. If neither of those living while struggling desperately seeds skyrocketed names rings a bell, then perhaps this documentary will be to comply with the dictatorial from 2% to 90% of demands of the companies that the crowbar that pries your all seeds sold in the eyelids open and compels you ensure that the farmers remain for- U.S. in just over a ever in debt. Even worse than the decade. Monsanto to go out and research just plight of chicken farmers is the what so-called edibles you‘re employs a small treatment of Mexican immigrants, army of investigators putting inside your body. The who comprise the bulk of the staff whose sole purpose film is a sobering glimpse working in the dangerous slaugh- is to scour the nation behind the dark veil that the terhouses. A job once unionized factory food industry has for farmers who dare and well-paid is now manned by deceptively spread over the resist their product. poor immigrants living in fear of thousands of food products These farmers are available at grocery stores near raids by corrupt government subjected to blackyou. It’s an excavation for the enforcement agencies. These agen- lists, frivolous lawcies periodically round up dozens suits, and brutal bultruth to find out why they try of workers at a time for deportaso hard to keep you from lying. You’ll have to tion, but not too many to ensure

watch the film to find out just how deep the infiltration of Monsanto and other food conglomerates runs in our government (Clarence Thomas, anyone?). You’ll find out why even Oprah lost a million dollars fighting a lawsuit just for bad-mouthing hamburgers on her show. Speaking of infinite corporate greed, the film chronicles what effects the organic sector of the food industry has made on the consumer market, as the popularity of healthy alternatives and organic farms has induced big companies to purchase their way into the phenomenon. For exam-

ple, Walmart now supposedly sells only organic milk, and many of your favorite all-natural, local companies are owned and distributed by such brand names as Kellogg’s, Pepsi, General Mills, etc. Even Tom’s, the all-natural toothpaste, is now owned by Colgate. This is the message Food, Inc essentially offers—that we can always make our voices heard, and how we choose to spend our daily dollar is a far more effective vote than the one made at the ballot box.

Print and Play games

essi: In honor of this issue’s theme, we’re giving our board game review a DIY spin. Of course, the most do-it-yourself game would be to make your own game. But the next best thing is using a game someone else made on their own, independent of game manufacturers. There are a lot of “Print and Play” games out there. Most are free to access, simple to put together, and fairly simple to play.

Joe: A good place to start in your search for Print and Play games is Board Game Geek (boardgamegeek.com) (or as the kids in the know call it, “The Geek”). There, you’ll find a seemingly endless number of homebrew board, card, and dice games covering just about every type of theme imaginable and at every complexity level. If the thought of rummaging through thousands of games to find a good one seems a little daunting, members of the Board Game Geek community have already done a lot of the footwork. There are discussion forums and rating systems that might help in pointing you toward the diamonds in the rough and away from the duds. If that still sounds like too much work, then there are always blogs and podcasts. Jessi: The “Print and Play” podcast is an approachable way to start figuring out what might be interesting to you. This podcast posted its 89th episode on June 21. You can read the host’s blogs and download the podcasts at printandplay.blogspot.com. In one recent episode, the host gave a

by Joe Aguayo & Jessi Hafer

simple yet thorough, 10-minute run down of the rules and game construction of Lost Dice [1]. Joe: Having played Lost Cities (a card game) quite a bit, I thought the dice version

has even released a stand alone expansion PDF to this game that includes graphics for new characters. Print and play games aren’t the only expression of

was a really good re-implementation of the game. It was nice to play basically the same game with less stuff. Sure, there was slightly more effort put it on the front end (putting the dice together), but I think it was worth it. I’ve already eyeballed a couple of other games I’d like to try out. Jessi: I’ve already prepped the pieces for Zombie in My Pocket [2], a solitaire game with a modular board that takes you through the rooms of a house and outside as you try to elude and occasionally fight zombies. I’m still working out the details, but I’m really impressed with the game’s graphics. Joe: Another game that caught my eye with its bold graphic style was Chunky Fighters [3]. The game is a dice-based fighting game where the fighters are represented by groups of 4 dice (Head, Body, Legs, and Weapon). The PDF for this game contains the rules and the graphics required to modify your dice. The designer

DIY in the board gaming world. Board Game Geek makes available many mods and hacks for many professionally published games. Like player-created maps for my favorite game, Power Grid. Jessi: The Mexico map you printed from there looks just as good as the ones manufactured by the game publisher! When it comes to DIY in board games, I’ve also been impressed with players (like Joe and others) who have created their own game rule summaries, components, and other enhancements. It can be as simple as sewing a pouch to hold game pieces. See? The fun of board games doesn’t stop with the games themselves! ______ [1] boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/43403 [2] boardgamegeek.com/file/info/32541 [3] boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/43136

ready.

A Cornucopia of Gardening Tips

his gardening season has been an unusually active one for me, and it seems the more work I do, the more problems that I find! I have been continuously thwarted by snails, slugs, squirrels, weeds and birds! All the fauna want to eat my food as much as I do (and they have more time on their hands than me! Buggers! Argh!). So I have compiled a little list of random helpful tips to assist you in your gardening battles.

Squirrels—They like to dig plants up and eat your crops. Their furry, bright-eyed cuteness flies right out of the window when all of your berries are gone! Making or buying fake snakes will scare them away. Make sure you put your snakes where they will see them, and move them to different locations occasionally. Also, make sure to remember or remind others that the snakes are there and are fake! On second thought, that might be entertaining…. Birds—Who knew birds would be my greatest enemy when it comes to strawberries? The little punks peck holes in the shiniest, ripest berries! The solution?

This year I constructed a scarecrow and hung chimes and shiny streamers from her arms. Shiny objects tend to confuse birds, and the scarecrow obviously makes them think someone with really poor fashion taste is standing in the garden. You can also tie Mylar balloons around the garden to scare birds. Just like the fake snakes above, move your scarecrow or balloons to a different place every so often. Animals tend to test obstacles and adjust quickly! Snails and Slugs—I have heard it all…beer traps, copper tubing, diatomaceous earth, etc. Some work, some don’t. What absolutely does work though is bait…preferably the pet-safe kind. When it breaks down, it goes into the soil as a form of iron, which is not harmful to people or animals. If you prefer to pick the pests, they are most active in the evening, night and early morning. If you can’t stand the slime (which does take a while to wash off), you can pick them off with long-handled tongs (maybe just designate a pair for the garden!). Do you hate dirty nails? —Before you go out to play in your yard, scrape a bar of soap with your nails, leaving the soap wedged in your nails. It prevents dirt from getting in them and washes right out when you are

Weed Suppression—My favorite way of suppressing weeds and retaining soil moisture is with rice straw. After you plant, or anywhere you don’t want weeds, simply cover the area with the straw and proceed as usual. You will have to reapply it…usually about once a year. It can be bought at feed stores and some nurseries (although they tend to overcharge); be sure to call ahead and ask. Just a note…it will usually come in bales, so be sure to store it in a dry place if you have more than you need. Diversity—When I plant my garden, I plant what I want to eat and I also plant flowers and herbs. Not only does this make things look nicer, but it also encourages beneficial insects and microorganisms to keep your garden healthier. Some plants can directly impact the health of others…like planting a chrysanthemum next to your tomatoes. The Sphinx moths, (one of the best pollinators in the world, by the way) whose caterpillars ravage tomato plants (aka tomato worms), are repelled by chrysanthemums (which can be picked up at any local grocery store). Air purifiers— Indoor plants can clean your air and most are easy to grow. Try a peace lily (thrives in almost no light and likes water), a rubber plant (can get nice and tall) or a Boston fern (green and bushy). Potting up— When your plant needs a bigger pot, only pot up to the next size (usually pots

will come in 1-3 inch increments). Anything bigger can hold too much moisture near the plant and rot it! Garlic band-aid—An old-wives-tale that is said to work

wonders with stings or bites is, well, smelly! If you have a bite or sting, you can hold a small piece of sliced onion or garlic over it for 20 minutes. These members of the Allium family have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. If you like more conventional medicine, you can try rubbing aspirin on the sting or bite also. Potato Nursery—If you are trying to root a difficult cutting (especially from a woody shrub or tree), cut a hole out of a potato and

place the cutting in it. Then plant the whole strange-looking assembly, leaving only the cutting out of the soil (pretend that the potato is the root system). Then treat it like any other cutting transplant. This (very) oldfashioned method is said to be nearly fail safe for difficult plants. I haven’t tried it yet, but I am really curious!

Well, I hope that you are now equipped with some advice that may help you, or at least information to make life more interesting! I will continue with more tips next month. Until then, happy gardening! ______ Christy Cole has the best-dressed scarecrow (wearing blue-flowered 70s capris) in the tri-state area. She teaches for FUSD and can be reached at callansmama@hotmail.com.

“Bradley Rosenberg” by Uriel J Tekunoff

d—D.I.Y. Do it yourself. I love that mantra, and in a lot of ways it embodies my spirit and the spirit of Fresno. We are a group of do it yourselfers, a city of them. Six or so years ago, there was a void in Fresno’s internet community, and so a few people started a little website, Fresno Famous, that eventually was bought out by the big time media. But the site stirred up others to grab hold of the internet and tell the world about Fresno and what’s happening here from our perspective. Fresno had a void in reporting about politics, arts and culture, and a group of people started up The Undercurrent. A few years back, a few women wanted to do something different and competitive. They strapped on some skates and started Smog City Roller Girls. They rented rink time, promoted the hell outta themselves, and became local sports stars in a city that sometimes has trouble noticing anything that’s not a Bulldog. And us, we saw that there were and are Fresno based podcasts, but we saw a void and started up something of our own: The View Looks Good from Here, Fresno. And now we’re over a year old and have done 30 episodes. Did we take a class? Did we study what worked? No, we just got after it and have become a successful podcast drawing in a variety of listeners and guests. I mean, who would’ve figured we would have had news reporters, local bands, community developers, and a mayoral candidate all in our first year? Shouldn’t we have waited and

established ourselves and then tried to take a big bite out of local media? The do it yourself in me says no way, do it now. What’s do it yourself mean to you, Adam?

Adam—Well, as your partner in this venture, I don’t think it would be a surprise for anyone reading this to see that I absolutely agree with all the examples you’ve cited so far. I definitely think that the entrepreneurial spirit embodies the DIY attitude, but I think that its roots are far simpler. And I think that the hard economic times we’re witnessing now are bringing about a restart in personal DIY ideals. For example, in a recent issue, we read about more people gardening and growing their own food. In my apartment complex, a neighbor has found a spot of ground that gets sun and started some tomatoes, squash, and beans. We even see that idea being born out with the community garden growing in the Tower District. I know for my part, I see the idea working in terms of home maintenance. In the last months, I’ve put up a ceiling fan for a friend, finished some cabinetry for another, and changed the tail lights on my car, among other things. It’s the idea of maybe not knowing how to do something from the get go, but having the gumption to educate oneself and actually do it, taking back some of the ground that is claimed by expertise. Ed—Great point about hard economic times causing people to rethink what they pay for and what they’re willing to do themselves. At my house we’ve started a modest garden, and built our own raised bed boxes for them. At one point we considered a gardening service, but chose to do it ourselves. These little things have brought great joy and definitely have made us feel proud about our first cucumbers or how the lawn is coming along. Shoot, just today I had to get the hammer and nails out to fix a fence. Not

a big task, but slightly empowering. Adam—Yeah, I think it’s a great thing across the board. And the more people that do it, the better. More people trying to promote shows, more people trying to engage in the public discourse of ideas, more people trying to contribute to their community, at all levels. It’s wonderfully paradoxical that “doing it yourself” can be applied and be beneficial to the larger community. Ed—Speaking of more people doing it themselves, let’s take some time to point out and thank some DIYers and their work:

lNotown Roller Girls—DIY roller derby @ the Fresno Fairground, next match on July 11

lLet’s Go 77 productions—recently brought The Queers, the Hot Toddies, and the Mansfields to Audie’s Olympic lTower Beautification Group— group of volunteers that meets outside the Chicken Pie Shop on the fourth Saturday of each month and fans out to pick up trash. lThe guys @ Dumbdrum.com—creators of one of the only Swede festivals worldwide and pulling off 3 successful events and a fall one in the

Rise To Power M

by Christa Rose Unger

idnight at the shipping docks

The Undercurrent editors strongly suggest that under no circumstances, for no reasons imaginable, or in any possible worlds, should the advice given by Mr Nocketback be followed, contemplated, or considered. We completely absolve ourselves of any unfortunate consequences that may occur as a result of Nocketback’s advice, solicited or otherwise. That said, send your questions, problems, or concerns about money, love, or life to: Nocketback@FresnoUndercurrent.net.

ear Nocketback,

As the summer is fastly approaching, I’m getting more and more nervous. You see, my friends and I go to the beach every year in July and since I can remember, I’ve been a bigger girl. However, for the last year I’ve worked really hard and dieted and now am feeling and looking a lot better. I’m actually excited to show off my new body at the beach, but there’s one catch. I’m a bit hairy. I shave my legs and that’ no problem but I won’t be able to wear something small and cute, like I’d planned. What should I do? —Miss New Booty

Dear MNB, You have a compelling argument and congrats on the newly acquired body—it can be a curse, though. I’ll give it to you straight, sister. You need to get waxed like a European car. Okay, it seems like you have some reservations, but trust me, the sooner you wipe the slate clean, so to speak, you’ll be showing more leg than a dining room table. But, and this is important, you can’t just get a skin-kini. It is imperative that you WAX IT ALL, from Canada to Chile. This is a necessity. And if you have any reservations at all, just wait till you get it done. Not only will you be the envy of your beach mates, but you’ll easily snag yourself a sugar-daddy who’ll finance the trip.

Dear Nocketback, I find your column, if you can even call it that, offensive, pedestrian, and harmful. Further, you should really stop writing. I mean, has your hate mongering ever actually helped anyone? I know there’s a caveat before your column,and good for The Undercurrent for covering their butts. I don’t see how you can live with yourself. Every single column for the past two years has been worse than the next. Please, do us all a favor and give it up. —Heated in Fresno Dear HiF, Firstly, thanks for the letter. Secondly, seeing that your rage is clearly clouding your cognition, I should fill you in on a few vocabulary developments that have occurred over the past few thousand years. Sarlcasm: A cutting, often ironic remark. Ilrolny: Incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs. Still confused, Limbaugh, how about this one? Sarldonlic: Scournfully mocking. Now, I can’t justly expect you to understand things of this nature because you’re probably a real class act who finds gays deplorable, would commit suicide if your daughter married outside her race, and, I’m almost 100% percent sure, is suffering from erectile dysfunction. However, I do thank

you for reading my “pedestrian” column for the last two years; way to self-loathe, Pops. How about this, I’ll go out on a limb here and offer you a full year subscription of our Commie-rag. Thanks again for your concern, and in the future, extract the stick from your tightly constricted sphincter and take it with a grain of salt, Morton’s.

Cryptic counterfeit building blocks At the back door of our world. Shadows toil with purpose unknown drafting plans, forging tools to glue This paradigm together Bruised and tethered to grindstones, Former Fathers of American homes swaybacked, Sweating against deadlines, Scrounging dreams lost Searching out their own souls Tending to the children we’ve grown According to law stating: Specialized consumer cause to build a fortress tall, without mortar but bloody band aids and gauze. Clouding the air, separating all, Making neighbors enemies And bureaucrats’ Gods. Societies that rich pigs can savor the view across skyscrapers Their kingdom controlled from locked attics And penthouse suitesWhile you battle nightmares They, lay sound asleep While control is stolen, amidst the staticThey count their money While good men weep. ______ Christa Rose Unger is a new arrival in Fresno from Northern California with many things to share. She is publishing this poem as an introduction to Fresno’s intellectual community. She hopes you enjoy it and find some food for thought within her words.

Marathon Man W

ell, go on, then what happened? —All right, so, as I’ve said, she was a real smoker, blazing, right? I guess you’d call her thick. Anyhow, her legs were as long as a Union Pacific railway car. I mean she was fit, probably one of those gym rats. So, she sits right in front of me on the metro. I’m sitting there, trying to read the business section of the paper… —Wow, that must’ve been a pretty far-fetched cover. —Right? So, I can see her legs from under the newspaper and she’s wearing these rope-soled wedges that strap up all the way to her… —How do you know so much about women’s shoes? —Let him finish, Chuck. —No, seriously, let’s sidebar this for a tick. How come Nick knows so much about women’s apparel? Seriously, he’s always chatting it up with my girlfriend, yours, too, for that matter, about all things clothing related… —Finish the story, Nick, don’t listen to Chuck. —Ok, so, I’m sitting there, paper visibly shaking, my eyes probably clearly visible below the paper at this point ‘cause I’m following the shoe straps all the way up. I continue my visual meandering until I went just a tad too far and caught her eye. “Hi. Something interest you?” She says this with a florid, theatrical smile—as if it happens all the time, right? —Oh shit, what’d you say? —I felt like pooping, but what does a man do in this scenario? —Lie. —Exactly. So I tell her I thought I saw a spider on the bottom of the paper and was making sure it wasn’t of the poisonous variety. — “Poisonous variety?” Who the fuck are you? Steve Irwin? She must’ve laughed in your face. —What’d you want me to say? I had to think on my feet. I mean, do you come off like a twisted perv, or make some shit up? Like I was saying, she laughed, yes. But listen to

—Holy shit, you must’ve felt like a proper dick at that point for sure. —Wait for it. So she’s saying this to them and then she says, clearly, looking into my eyes tenderly, “Ray also lost his leg in the war and I by Nicholas Nocketback think it was fate that brought you this. She leans in and says, “Usually cious, way out of my league piece of here. I know what it’s like to deal guys wait until after they’ve grade A ass is talking to me and I’m with such a painful experience. I helped Ray when he was really bad ploughed me to feed me some just trying to keep her there. But, manure like that.” you know what, that’s not the worst off, remember, Ray?” —You’re fucked. You’re completely —Ohhh. part. —Ouch. —Please, enlighten us further. But I fucked, right? —Right? So I’m like crimson red must say, if it gets any more pathet- —Wait, so then Ray gets up, salutes me, and rips the Velcro seam from and she sees this. She leans back ic, I can no longer speak to you, his jeans and shows me the leg. This and asks, “So what’s your story? simply out of principle. thing was full on plastic with a You seem like a fairly nervous char- —Look, she gets in real close and metal foot. I mean it went from the acter. Prescription drugs?” I don’t says, “You know what? That took know what to say. She’s clearly a some balls. Most guys would proba- floor to the top of his thigh. And then he says, “It’s a Pediatech 2100, fucking ten while I’m weighing in at bly lie about that type of thing…” almost indestructible. What’d you a tight 7 plus… you have no idea, I tell her. get?” —Shit, you’re at best a nickel. “Seriously, though, you have heart. —What happened? —Eat a hard cock. I’m a seven plus. What’s your name?” —I tell them it’s not as nice and that Well, I was frozen. I couldn’t think —Wait, is she coming on to you? of a single syllable to retort. Not —Yup, we chat it up a little and she I’d feel better not making a big deal of it and she tells me “it’s okay, even something clever, I was verbal- invites me out to her brother’s for sweetie, Ray and Mindy are comly frozen. So, she asks again, dinner. pletely understanding. I bet you’d “What’s your deal, Hungry Eyes?” —No. You lucky twat. —She called you hungry eyes? —That’s what I thought. Until I got Ooooh, you’re such a scum bag. there. —I could only think of one thing —So what happened? Did you tap and it’s bad. it? —Do tell. —Chill, Keegan. Tell us exactly —Ya, what was it? how it went down from the house, —I’ll tell you if you promise to hold Nick. your rotten tongues. —Okay, so I get there, nice place. —Sure. I’m pleasant and charming, or as —Ya, ya, go on. much as I can be. I bring wine, talk —I tell her that I’ve been a wee bit about her and listen to her rather antisocial since the accident. boring stories of college life abroad. —Accident? I mean it looked great. Throughout —Yup, I’m a complete piece of shit. dinner she’s shooting me glances, I felt like a retarded child. I’d seen a touching my shoulder to emphasize wreck on the side of the road past the tender or exciting parts of her Broadway and 25th and told her the stories. But then, then she touches first thing that came to my head. At my leg. You know, softly pets it. this point it was “accident.” —Nice! —So she says… —No, cause then she goes, “Well it —She tells me “oh, dear, I’m sorry, must not be your right leg then.” what type of accident? If you don’t —Oh shit. mind me asking.” I was really tread- —Exactly. So I kinda clinch up and ing water now, and the entire time whisper it’s the left not the right, but I’m just staring at her breasts—bla- not to worry about it. She then gets tantly. She must think I’m really try- up and asks her brother and his girlfriend to listen up, she had an ing to produce the courage to tell announcement. “Nick, here, is a vether. I could’ve easily said No, I’m not comfortable talking about it; but eran.” At that point my eyes light up then she’d think I was a eunuch or and I tug at her dress hoping she’d some shit. So, I tell her my leg’s a sit the fuck down. But she continues. prosthetic. I lost it in the war. “Nick, seeing as you and Ray have —What? You really are a fucking hit it off. I think it’d be okay to tell tool, you know that? them. Well, Nick, my brother Ray —Well, Jesus Christ, Chuck, I was and his girlfriend are veterans as blinded by breasts. A tight, deliwell.”

feel less awkward if you showed us.” —Okay, this is the worst thing I’ve ever heard. What in the hell did you tell them. You told her you were lying, right? I mean, you don’t have another option, right? —Right, Nick? —Well… —What did you do? —I excused myself to the restroom and lucky for me there was a window big enough to fit my ass through. —No? —You didn’t? —I ran like a Kenyan in the Boston marathon. —What’d you do about your car? —I came back for it later that night when all the lights were off in the house. —You are officially the biggest asshole in America right now. You know this, right? —I had no other option. What would you do?