Beautiful Hell in the USA

What American's need is larger denomination bills

2008-12-07T02:32:00.000-08:00

What America needs to do is break out the large bills. I remember seeing pictures of $500 and $1000.00 bills. Do you remeber what lucky duck US President got his mug on the $1k bill?

If we just start printing larger bills than we can solve this "cash flow thing of an economic disaster." Before you know with the rate of inflation we may be paying $10K for a loaf of bread soon.

White Elephant Sale goes Hollywood

2008-03-03T20:51:00.000-08:00

This year's White Elephant Sale was the most insane experience to date. Usually a sentence like that denotes a crazy but worthy experience. The White Elephant Sale put on by the Oakland Museum is a worthy cause and used to be a joyous experience. It has always had a big draw and there have been deals to be had without much looking. Basically the Oakland Museum has items donated to them and they sell them in an effort to raise money for the museum. Unfortunately this year was the pinnacle of what has been a decline of experience for bargain hunters.

The prices on many things were completely out of whack and a high percentage of the merchandise is stuff left over from the past few years that hasn't sold. Looking at the price of old junky furniture you could swear you were dealing with someone who paid a lot of cash for something and then really didn't want to part with it- even though it was stained and/or broken and missing parts. I looked over the sports area and thought I would buy one of the many bundled work out mats. Sure they were used and someone sweated on them before me but with some cleaning it would be a bargain and keep the dump from over flowing. All the mats were priced at $10 and $15. Apparently if it was lavender or not blue(which was the standard color) than it was more valuable and priced higher. I was surprised since I knew that these same mats are available new for $7.95 at Sportsmart. Why on earth would I pay more or event the same price as new for an old one. It was obivious that the folks pricing mats were hitting the booze or just plain out of touch. This theme played on through out the day...a friend I ran into who was a long time attendee was also befuddled by the hollywood style prices of what is supposed to be a fundraiser. He also noted of how he had already seen many things that he had seen from previous years that simply did not sell.

Of course the attendance was record high. The ghetto was overflowing with Yuppie buyers coming to find, in what their world is, a bargain buy. I wonder how many of them got home with their prize only to find out they could have bought a new one for the same price or less. I wonder after they get home and discover they been ripped off, do they shake their fist at the moon and curse the little old ladies who priced said object too high? or do they run out and kick a dog....probably not. Most likely they feel stupid...just stupid...then they smile and say well it was for a good cause. All the while these little old ladies are back at the White Elephant Sale warehouse preparing for next year looking at old sweaty mats and asking each other how much it is worth and how they should price it. One says "Oh those are expensive" and the other retorts "indeed they are but it smells like a man's balls on a hot summer day." "Well then it's settled" blurts out the other woman..."It's $10 for the blue and $15 for anything that is in a pretty color."

The bay area has had lots of great bargain places to purchase used items at a noble price but before long word gets out and buyers with big money move in. These buyers are innocent just wanting what the rest of us want, a good deal. Unfortunately once these big money buyers move in the sellers get spoiled and start jacking up prices like they are selling gas. Whatever the market will bare is the seller's mantra. The big money buyers are not schooled enough to know a good deal since they are used to paying big bucks for things that are already worn in(jeans are a great example of this). The list continues to grow and alogn with such great bargain places of yesteryear: Urban Ore, Omega Salvage, Rosie's Treasures...we now add The White Elephant Sale.

TEETH the Movie: Run like Hell it's Vagina Dentata

2008-03-01T23:26:00.000-08:00

Well this week a new movie called "Teeth." Based on the story of a young virtuous girl with Vagina Dentata... yup you guessed it, a vagina with a set of choppers (Just imagine what flossing would be like).

From freaky gory to campy entertainment "Teeth" will go down in history as a cult classic. Kids in 2050 will stay up late to watch this film on the holographic TV while drinking some soma-like sugar drink, all the while pointing and laughing. "Teeth" is a must see...cult and horror fans will love it!

Damon's Beautiful Hell Film Picks

2008-02-11T20:38:00.000-08:00

Naked, Mike Leigh, 2003Directed by acclaimed British director Mike Leigh, this is a bleak, brutal and brilliant cinematic tour de force. The film follows Johnny (a brilliant performance by David Thewlis), a fiercely intelligent, eloquent, and relentlessly nihilistic and tortured soul, on his nocturnal odyssey through the mean streets of London.
Once seen this film is never forgotten.

Johnny: You think you can recapture your youth by fucking it? You don't want to fuck me. You'll catch something cruel

Are the Animal Farm pigs running the US government: No Ombudsman for Americans seeking to use Freedom of Information Act

2008-02-10T23:20:00.001-08:00

Americans seeking to exercise their constitutional right via the Freedom of Information Act no longer have a hope in hell that anyone will champion their cause. Although President Bush had signed into law legislation that included wording that would require an Omsbudsman for FOIA seekers he turned around and had the Ombudsman stripped out this week. The federal government has basically created an environment that makes it impossible to exercise the Freedom of Information Act. Need I say that again? Is anybody listening? See Washington Post article here.

More Music from Beautiful Hell: One man Banjo Lucky Leprechaun

2008-02-08T22:39:00.000-08:00

This is a bit late but it's never to late to celebrate Saint Patty's Day. One Man Banjo past resident of the Vulcan and still a East Oakland figure spread his musical love to BART riders. Once EO is in your blood you just can't get away. If you were lucky enough to ride BART using the most dangerous station on the entire BART line(Fruitvale Station) than you would've had the privledge of hearing Lucky the Leprechaun aka One Man Banjo. If not than keep your eye out because he plays different venues around the bay area... and he's a "must see."

Damon joins Beautiful Hell

2008-02-07T12:38:00.000-08:00

Damon here, I'll be bringing you book reviews , movie reviews and other interesting news

Book Review: The End of America by Naomi Wolf

2008-02-01T22:31:00.000-08:00

The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot (Paperback)
by Naomi Wolf is an important book for all Americans to read. Wolf details the "Fascist Shift" in the United States with parallels to other fascist regimes. A call to arms and a defensive against tyranny in America. Wolf refers to specific acts by the office of the President, homeland security and the CIA, with clear fact based events that prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that the US has turned to an authoritarian regime and is headed for a facsist totalitarian system of government. This book is a warning to all Americans to stand up now before having your say becomes idea whispered in fear.

Overdose kills young man in East Oakland: The last of Buffalo

2008-01-22T21:36:00.000-08:00

Saturday January 19, 2008: This story won't make the papers, in fact it barely made my blog. Why? because everyday in Oakland there are folks who use drugs and meet their end without anyone actually caring about their passing. This time I can say that someone cares because I know some of them who do....even though they didn't know this poor soul who felt inclined to stick a needle in his arm following a promise of temporary happiness.

This past Saturday as I opened the roll up door to my studio looking out on San Leandro Street, a police car blocked my driveway. As I stood there with my trusty dog Luna looking out on this glorious morning an officer walked up and asked if she needed to move her car. I replied that I was going to work on my car and wouldn't be moving it. She noticed Luna who is a German Shepherd Dog(all police love GSD's) and we began to talk about dogs. I didn't feel the need to ask why she was present although the curiosity was in the back of my mind begging the question. I looked further down the street and noticed the Coroner's van...never a good sign. Apparently one of my neighbors, the one right on the other side of the wall from me, had overdosed on black tar heroin(pictured above).

The young man was known simply as "Buffalo." He was from Buffalo and every one called him by that name. I asked around but no one knew his real name. I hadn't the heart to ask his girlfriend she was obviously torn up and I have not run into since that morning. The young man had just moved in he had only been here for a month. I only saw him once or twice in passing and never had a conversation with him. Apparently he had been couch surfing as many folks do in this community that is a mix of artists, musicians, poets, dancers, actors and sojourners without direction. It saddens me that Buffalo had come here to this creative enclave to meet his end. Here he was surrounded by creative promise where he possibly could have been encouraged to create things that would enrich his life and others. It was like a flower dying of thirst in the rain, seemingly impossible.

The officer and I finished our conversation and she made her way off. She had been present to photograph the scene. As she left I had to remind her that she had placed her camera on the hood of car during our conversation. She smiled and said "you wouldn't believe how many times I have done that." I couldn't help but think how if I were her my mind would drift to a cold place and I would forget all of reality if I had to photograph scenes like the one of Buffalo laying in the still of his last moments.

I continued standing there while a few of my neighbors walked by on their way from the Scary Mart(aka Ghetto Convenience Store) recounting to me confirmation of the morning's events. They slinked by hanging their heads and expressing the shame of it all. Each one confirming they didn't know Buffalo personally and had only seen him occasionally but he seemed to be a nice person and perhaps had been led with poor advice. They wanted to wish him better in his passing. Later I was with other neighbors at a band practice. All the members of the band stood outside puffing cigarettes discussing the days events and how they felt sympathetic to Buffalo. No one knew Buffalo but they all wished him better. The next morning another neighbor called me early(early for artists is 10am)...the first thing he said was "Did you hear about the OD next door." He went on to say that he had seen Buffalo a few times but didn't really know him, nonetheless he was hurt that Buffalo was gone. None of these people knew Buffalo, yet they all felt he was someone there was a link and an absence in their hearts.

Here is a thought for Buffalo and those who knew him very well...since I know none of them I can only hope that someday they may find this blog entry. I hope that his family and friends will come to know that although he was away from them, there were people around who felt his loss and mourned his passing without judging his path. We all take turns in our lives and many of us are spared from circumstances that are risky and unconventional. I do not think that Buffalo wanted to die, but only to seek refuge for a moment that became an eternity. He will live on in the hearts of many....some who knew him well and others who knew him only in passing.

Macworld 2008 - MacBook Air: Apple Announces the death of DVD's and CD's

2008-01-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

Okay so the news is all out: Apple announced the MacBook Air. The MacBook Air is the people's laptop...but wait! People watch movies and listen to music and this thing doesn't have an optical drive and Uncle Steve says that he thinks no one is going to need one anyway.

Well what does this mean? one thing for sure is that Apple is betting on the death of the DVD and CD. They are banking that online music sales will continue to climb and if they can do that than they can sell everyone video too. They also made deals to brings gobs of music and videos to their adoring public.

Uncle Steve is looking for us to toss out our DVD's and CD's the same way we threw out our vinyl, eight-track tapes, beta-cam , VHS, laser disc(I don't think anyone had too many of these)and cassette tapes. After we sell our whole collection to some flea market collector we can replace it with music and movie files.

I remember when Apple dumped the floppy disc ...I thought "Shit Apple is crazy" but then low and behold I never missed those stupid floppies. So I am keeping an open mind and any idea that helps keep physical clutter out of my life is welcome, at least I will give it a shot.

Oh yea ...need I mention that companies like NetFlix and BlockBuster are asking themselves how can we stay competitive?

Macworld News: Apple Releases thinner smaller iPhone, MacBook Nano, iPod Jumbo, and New Improved Steve Jobs

2008-01-14T13:50:00.000-08:00

Well it is here! Macworld is scheduled to open tomorrow at 11am the keynote is at 8am and good ole Steve Jobs well tell the world of his great plans for the future. If they are great or not remains to be seen. I am currently at the Macworld Expo floor setting up a booth and I can see the dark curtains covering the Apple booth. Some of the rumors are:

Apple releases:

* New smaller thinner iPhone- it is so damn small it can not be seen by the human eye ...you realize this is going to lead to every Mac user having to get eyeglasses

* New MacBook Nano- now this one is a great idea...if it is true I will put my order in immediately, a smaller Vaio-like laptop would be ideal for those who prefer a lighter laptop...I am still lamenting the passing of the 12inch laptop

* New iPod Jumbo - This new iPod is 10 times the size of the current large iPod...basically this model is for the "size matters" crowd

* New improved Steve Jobs - is there any improvement possible for Steve Jobs? perhaps a pacemaker or bionic legs would be an improvement ...dare I say a bigger brain? If that is the case than I am sure Microsoft would release some form of FrankenBill Gates in order to stay competitive yet still lacking

Oh the possibilities are endless. Stay tuned folks I'll post a frank update tomorrow.

Shout Out to KAJUKENBO Dojo

2008-01-12T00:39:00.000-08:00

I would like to give a shout out to Melas Martial Arts: KAJUKENBO. Sifu Nick Melas has got the ball rolling with this dojo that is housed along with the Gary-Paul Prince Studios aka INFERNO. He is also going to do some community classes that will help a lot of people feel safer while walking in the hoods of East Oakland. You can learn more about MMA KAJUKENBO here and also more about the art of KAJUKENBO by checking out KAJUKENBO Cafe.

More Political Ads We'd Like to See...

2008-01-10T22:10:00.000-08:00

Please drag these on to your desktop and send them to your friends..collect them all!!!!

Political Ads We'd Like To See

2008-01-10T01:08:00.000-08:00

Political Ads by
Gary-Paul Prince
Please spread these around!!

Hillary Clinton Assassination Prediction: Flashback GPTV

2008-01-08T22:47:00.000-08:00

So Hillary is slowly making the grade, after a good showing in New Hampshire the media has turned around their attitude. A few days ago they were ready to kick her under the bus, because they felt the momentum was all on Barack's side. Well it only goes to show you that the Networks are full of more bullshit than a rodeo.

Now on to the business of our post. Here is a classic episode of that originally appeared on the Gary-Paul TV Vlog. The video now lives on YouTube.

Angry Las Vegas taxi driver Anthony Kovacik in the course of spouting his politics makes a prediction that Hillary Rodham Clinton will be assassinated if she becomes president. The prediction was chilling at the time but now even more so that Hillary is making her way on the campaign trail. Scary but true.

Ron Paul: GOP Menace...Why?

2008-01-06T23:05:00.000-08:00

Although I have never voted Republican, I have to admit a strange curiosity about GOP Candidate Ron Paul. The guy has been completely snubbed by the GOP and by the media, in fact you never hear about him period. All the media outlets have given him the big blow off. After winning (according to opinion polls) the first Republican debate and raising crazy amounts of cash, Paul has been treated like a leper that farted.

Photo:

Republican presidential hopeful Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, speaks to reporters in the spin room after participating in the New Hampshire debates Saturday.

M. Spencer Green: AP

He has garnished and incredible amount of support, raised more money from the voting public via the internet more than any other candidate and still he gets no respect. He has floated some cool ideas: like getting rid of the dollar sucking IRS, dumping the Federal Reserve Bank, and reducing our international military presence (that everyone knows is over extended).

My Question: Why is the GOP and the right wing media outlets afraid of this man?

The last Oakland Sunset in 2007

2007-12-31T22:29:00.000-08:00

So here we find ourseleves at the end of 2007 ...the attached pic gives you a glimpse of the final East Oakland sunset. It has been quite a year. I must admit my shame for lagging on the blog posts. This coming year I am opening it up to other artist who are connected to the INFERNO gallery as well as luminaries of the Ghettoeoise. We will also be posting video of INFERNO Gallery art shows as well as other Vlog worthy topics.

The 2008 list of artists includes some of our stable artist: JC Garrett, Ezra Li Eismont, Charity Romero, Mimi Vitetta, Rembrandt Pussyhorse and more. We also will have a show of Jacqueline Cooper's fantastic impressionistic paintings of rubenesque women tied up with rope in beautiful Japanese knots and that's just a sample of what the upcoming year holds.

2008 promises to be stellar and we hope it holds the same for you. Happy New Year!

Boston Museum of Fine Art: 60's Poster Art nothing much more.

2006-07-30T22:54:00.000-07:00

The one thing about living in the bay area is the fact that folks around here are damn lucky. Lucky because not only are we surrounded b y history but culturally the bay area is one of those places that is always making history. If the dot.com era started anywhere, it started here, and when it bombed, it bombed here, and as it is revived, the bay area is once again the vortex. In the 60's the bay area flourished as the art and music captial of hippiedom... and well people here just get it on a cultural level. I am in Boston this week and went to the Boston Fine Art Museum(BFAM). They have a show up away off in a little hallway called "Poster art of the 60's." It is treated as an afterthought, poorly located and the selection of work is less than impressive. Don't get me wrong they have some good posters but not the best examples available. In fact I could go into any collector store or music shop in the bay area or even LA and find a better selection than the curators at BFAM have come up with. I believe their ties may be too tight and have reduced the New England blue blood flow to their button down brains. The BFAM is less than impressive...although they have a few important works (namely Whistler's Mother and some important Gaugin pieces) it seems that they are completely clueless when it come to any art after 1900. I spoke to one of the workers at the museum inquiring where the contemporary work is housed...she mused in a very shameful manner that there are plans for a renovation and that a small part of it will be dedicated to contemporary work. This is absolutely ridiculous, it is already a pitiful site that the BFAM contains practically no work from 1970 through 2006 and refuse to display it, but the fact that their plans do not include it for the future is absurd. If you come to Boston and hit the BFAM don't expect anything more than a history lesson in pre 1900 art...I hope someday the button down, khaki pant folks figure out that the art world has moved forward. This town is deserving of a world class museum experience but until they get rid of the stodgy folks in charge they will always deliver a coach class experience...this is quite a contrast to a town that prides itself on uppercrust airs.

Your Identity has been Lost

2006-07-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

The other day I left work with a kick in my step and a whistle in my heart. Life was good. I arrived home and began to slowly filter through my mail: junk, junk, junk, bill, more junk…then suddenly I came across a curious letter. It had the words “Important information enclosed” printed upon it …now I have had hundreds, perhaps thousands of letters sent to me with those words and every time they were everything but the least bit important. I opened the envelope and began to read:

Dear Customer,
As reported on May 30, 2006…

My mouth fell open and my fingers spread like a fan while the letter fell to the floor in a swooshing manner, like a feather floating in a beautiful field. The letter went on to say that a company, which I received my college loans from, had “lost 1.3 million records” which contained personal information including social security numbers and most likely my information was included. If I were in a movie the camera would have been inches from my face as it panned backwards into outer space as my eyes widened and I screamed “Noooooooo!!!”

Now I made these loans over 20 years ago and I might add they were quite small. I received a scholarship to San Francisco Art Institute and used the loan to support my bohemian standard of living whilst I studied for my career as a member of the avant-garde.

Apparently this loan company hired another company and one of their employees took home a laptop with decrypted records of 1.3 million people and then “lost” the laptop. I can read that word a hundred times over and it still doesn’t make sense… “LOST!” How does someone lose an important piece of hardware that they know has such a tremendous amount of sensitive information. What if you open the newspaper one morning and the headline reads “ Launch codes for US Nuclear Arsenal lost by government employee.” You would be shocked to say the least and mortified of the endless possible outcomes from such information making its way in the world unguarded.

In the old days these financial records would have been destroyed years ago. Why my personal financial information from 20 years ago is still being inventoried was never mentioned in the letter . The bottom line is the records are now floating out there in the world and can be used to steal my identity and that of 1,299,999 other people.

This is not an uncommon occurrence. In fact it is happening all the time. Just do a search on Google for “Lost personal information.” You will find stories of lost, stolen and otherwise misplaced information by private companies, banks, hospitals, the government and the list goes on. Recently the Department of Veterans Affairs lost personal information including social security numbers of 26.5 million veterans. What is going on here?

The letter I received went on to state how I am able to, free of charge, place a security check the credit reporting agencies for 90 days. After that time period the security check must be renewed. I put this in my Palm and from now until my last dying day I will place a security check on my credit record every three months. But what about the 1,299,999 other people…some of who may have mistaken the obscure curious letter as junk and tossed it into the circular file. I guess they are walking around with a kick in their step and a whistle in their heart….completely clueless.

There is a technological hubris with regard to security and privacy that is increasingly imbedding itself as the standard in our society and it is quickly undermining both privacy and security. Companies and institutions speak of their dedication in protecting individuals but the systems are flawed, left unchecked, or poorly self policed. Additionally employees from all levels of management are given access to sensitive information and yet they do not always have an understanding of the importance of their role as steward of such information. Everyday individuals freely give out information on Web sites, printed applications, and over the phone that is unnecessary to do business. This lackadaisical attitude is only enabling a standardization of security breaches.

Computers are blissful wonderful tools and can enable a plethora of positive profound experiences on our lives, however they can also be used in such a manner to wreak havoc on us or be employed as tools of oppression. Therein lies our responsibility to ourselves are our fellow humans.

Today it is the individual who needs to take responsibility guarding information. Using security software on your laptop or desktop computer should be a number one priority. Questioning why certain information is necessary to do business is the best way to know where your personal data is to be housed and gives you the choice of participation.

Lastly everyone…and I mean everyone is accountable. As we sail into the future, reaping the techno seeds we have planted, we should remember the importance of responsible stewardship for our sake and that of others. It all begins with you!

The Paletero: Popsicles Mexican Style

2006-06-27T23:53:00.000-07:00

When I was a boy I spent my summers in Mexico with my grandparents. They lived in a pueblo called Muzquiz in the state of Coahuila. This was the small dusty town my mother grew up in. Situated at the foot of the Sierra Madres it was classic Mexicana, horse drawn carts out numbered cars and crime was non -existent. People of all types lived together in harmony and respectfully.

The town was hot, unbelievably hot...so much that the stray dogs would run pressed up against the thin rail of shade along the edge of the buildings, their tongues hanging out like towels drying on a clothesline. In the evenings everyone in town would gather in the plaza to drink a cool beer or some other chilly libation. I along with the other children would satiate our sweet tooth with a paleta.

The paleta is the Mexican version of the popsicle. Instead of a shape like a rocket or some other cool American innovation, the paleta is in block form and wrapped in simple clear celophane. The only thing fancy about a thirdworld popsicle is the flavors. Oh and there were so many flavors...from, lemon, lime, mango, strawberry, raspberry, coconut, peach, plum, and every other imaginable fruit...but also odd flavors: cucumber and chile, tamarind, sweet corn, and rice pudding to name a few.

When I was a young man I would marvel at the paletero(the gentleman or boy) who would stroll down the street pushing a small ice box on wheeels ringing bells with his hands to announce his journey down the middle of the street. I thoought to myself "that's what I want to be when I grow up." I saw independence and entrepreneurialship....the paletero had it made. He could make his own hours, push his cart or stay and hang out and while customers came to him. I admired him owning his own business....suffice to say the paletero was cool.

Here in East Oakland we have paleteros too! East Oakland is rich in it's cultural heritage from Latin America...and my favorite icon is the paletero. Just like in Muzquiz the paletero here strolls through the ghetto bringing popsicles to day laborers, bohemians, drug addicts, prostituttes and ex-cons. He can walk or stop and visit with neighborhood characters...either way he is his own boss.

I still buy paletas and I still admire the paletero.

A trip back to Las Vegas, Boston and back to the Ghetto

2006-06-18T00:40:00.000-07:00

Whoa doggy this past week I headed out on Sunday to Las Vegas for EBay Live in Las Vegas and then Wednesday on to TechEd in Boston. First, I have to announce that this Blog's focus is changing. Quite honestly I have not been around home much to write just about news in the hood, in addition there is so much going on that in order to properly cover the news that happens around me I have to expand my horizons. From this day forward Beautiful Hell in the USA will cover news from whatever city I happen to be in at the time. This won't be a travelogue nor will it be a repetition of Gary-Paul TV in written form, instead it will be my honest opinion spread out over a larger area of news worthy items. As before and as we move forward it will still be about the beauty of ridiculocity(is that a word?) and insantiy that happens everyday.

On to this past week, Vegas is not the kinda of town I would like to live in but damn it is a great place to get a martini. The bartenders in Vegas known how to blend, shake, stir and hula any kind of drink this side of the world. Best martini on this trip was at the Les Artiste Steakhouse in the Paris hotel and casino....you can find them on the casino level...I also have to mention that you can order the best foie gras there too. I have eaten a lot of oversize cooked goose livers and I can say with the palate of a Prince that indeed these guys know how to do it best!!

EBay Live was held at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. Well you would think a lot of people who stay home and make a living off EBay don't have many social skills since they may tend to hibernate at home most of the year...well let me tell you the answer is "Hell No!" I have been to many a convention the EBay Live crowd was the most lively and friendly I have ever seen. They genuinely are nice, sweet, and courteous and love to mingle. The conference had approximately 12000 attendees and I am guessing that this baby is only going to get bigger and bigger. EBay is here to stay and the folks that make it run are hopped on internet go-fast!

Then on to Boston, TechEd - a geekfest of super proportions bringing together highest level Windows geeks. If you are into Microsoft this is the show for you...I was just snooping, visiting other co-workers and giving a young bright mind a lesson in down and dirty podcasting so I was merely a voyeur trying to absorb all the brainiac speak around me.

Now about Boston the city...this is the town that can't relax...it's like you have died and gone to a hell that is run by the Kennedy family. Pomp and circumstnace collides wearing khaki pants with button down shirts and call it casual. Folks in Beantown could never bring themselves to untuck their shirt or wear pants where their underwear shows.

Now one thing that Boston has over most US Cities is no glaring homeless problem...I saw a few but nothing like we have in good ol' California. Let' face it, homeless people come from all over to be homeless in California. and where would the homeless be without drugs...which brings me to the picture above...this is what is lying out in the street upon my return. I felt like going to the store and buying khaki pants and a button down shirts and moving to Boston...perhaps I could tuck my shirt in too....it probably isn't that bad afterall and it beats having to step over hypodermic needles.

So slammed and the Ghetto awaits

2006-05-11T00:25:00.000-07:00

Oh Gosh! I haven't blogged here in awhile. I feel terrible but the truth is my day job has been sucking the life out of me or at least my time. The latest news around here is through community meetings we managed to put a cap on the rampant drug dealing and the crazy ass encampment located at the day laborer centrer. The Police along with the city came in at the end of April and did a massive clean-up. For now the drug dealers and some of the addicts have gone. Residents round here are still skeptical but the police have asked for folks to keep pushing them for a presence assuring everyone at the last meeting that it would help keep their presence strong in the High street and San Leandro area.

On to other things: The Mayors election is right around the corner and Ignacio De La Fuente is working hard to secure his place as Oakland's next mayor. The only worst thing that could happen to Oakland is if they let the Mexican Mafia run the place. Ignacio De La Fuente has proved to be an enemy of artists and pretty much is a buffoon when it comes to real politicking. He has the charm of a rattlesnake and the mind of a imbecile high on ritalin. Unfortunately he has managed to fool many of the folks in his district into thinking that he is a man of the people...which is furthest from the truth. De La Fuente has used his surname and union connections to make a place for himself in Oakland's Political arena- his part in handling the Oakland Raiders deal as well as his failure to create real jobs in his district has been overlooked by his proponents. He has helped foster construction to make the Fruitvale area look a little better but his lack of ability to bring in real jobs and growth shows that his interest was only in lining the pockets of developers and not really making an honest impact on his constituency. Using flowers to surround his election signs make it seem as though the city will be a nice smelling place if he is elected but the truth is that it will be more like stepping into a pile of dog mess that won't come off your shoe for four years. De La Furente is poised to stink up this town and lets hope the voters know that ahead of time and choose another person to be mayor. Once get a decent mayor then folks can work on booting this charlatan De La Fuente out of district five.

Soon I will get back to introducing you to the neighborhood residents.

Somewhere over the HellBo....

2006-04-04T17:14:00.000-07:00

...there is a land I was dreamed of once in a lullaby. The rain has kept the street awash with smudge and grime pouring it's way down the gutters into the bay. This post is all about being visual...so here it goes. On April 2, 2006 the rain fell down and a mighty rainbo arched over Oakland. Here in East Oakland it graced the sky. Even in the poor lowland ghettos a bit of wealth from the heavens pours in...for now the rich are unable to tax, legislate or claim it as there own. So even po folk can enjoy and hope that there is a pot-o-gold at the end of the rainbo....er HellBo.

Miami Martinis, Oakland's Reputation, and Jenny Gaugin Update

2006-03-25T15:41:00.000-08:00

This past week I was in Miami Beach Florida. An amazing place to say the least and quite a contrast from the wastelands of East Oakland. One thing you are sure to get anywhere in the bay area is a quality martini. Even at my favorite bar(The Red Room), in little old depressed Oakland where the nether folks drink, you are guranteed that the bartender has perfected and is proud of pouring a well made classic martini. Now Miami Beach is a world hot spot for the rich and famous and land of high prices. So what would you expect? Well think again when it comes to drinks stay with rum drinks when in Miami Beach. Bartenders in Miami Beach just don't have the skills...I had a martini at every bar and restaurant and they all sucked. Even when it came to olives it seems that they must have sent Dr. Frankenstein's Igor to make the purchase, and Igor with his lack of wisdom always pickes the abnormal variety whethe rit be brains or olives. Instead of quality olives they piss pickled olives from the local grocery store into their drinks. One thing that was interesting about my stay was talking to people about East Oakland. It seems that our reputation proceeds us as everyone with whom I spoke to mentioned a familiarity with East Oakland. Our conversations usually went like this, "Isn't that a dangerous place...why would a decent person like yourself live there?" my retort was the standard "Decent people shouldn't live in East Oakland." I believe there were recent national reports that seems to have been printed even in a rag like the Miami Herald.

I threatened in my earlier post to continue with reporting on the population of Beautiful Hell in the USA and well darnit I am going to keep that promise. After leaveing the shores of beautiful Miami Beach, and beautiful is putting it lightly, I flew back into SFO and headed home. It is always a shock making the transition from a glamorous locale to East Oakland. (Perhaps someday people will view East Oakland with the glamour and history that they have viewed other places but not today).

As my ride was bringing me to the intersection at High and San Leandro Street there on the corner with her hunched back, oversized clothes, arms raised in the air in a pseudo Jesus pose, and super scary stare was my dear friend Jenny Gaugin. She looked exactly like the dreaded Niebelungen midget that tried to trick the valiant Siegfried in the German Aryan tale of "Die Niebelungen" so eloquently portrayed in Fritz Lang's 1924 movie of the smae name. I felt as though I was Siegfried and had caught a glimpse of the midget who would later haunt me and I would overcome and force to show me where the treasure of the Nibelungen existed. Then the cloud above my head dispersed making my eyes squint, and reality set in. It was just Jenny Gaugin freaking out the traffic in a manner that was sure to gurantee that she would not earn a dime from passing motorist. She stood there with an ominous look on her face as htough she was about to speak and tell everyone of the coming doom of the Apocalypse. However with all her drama and eyes filled with dread... there was none just the sadness of not having enough cash to make her next purchase of crack or smack. It's good to be home.

The KILL Zone Kontinues

2006-03-11T06:10:00.000-08:00

I am currently away from the hood at SXSW in Austin, Texas. A week ago I was in Seattle for FlashForward. While in Seattle I was told by some locals not to go in a certain area late at night. Little did they know I had been in that same area the night before into the wee hours with friends. It was the one place that we found the better restaurants and more of a hip scene. It is a bit difficult for hood experiences in Seattle because the layout is not concentrated like other cities. Anyway I had to chuckle at the warning because in all honesty I never felt safer in my life. Seattle is a pleasant town and in comparison to other cities its bad neighborhood is pretty much a nice neighborhood anywhere else. However, I still appreciated the locals looking out for me.

Upon leaving for Austin I noticed Oakland again has been noted as a city plagued with murder. Specifically East Oakland, yup you got it. By March 2006 Oakland has already superceded the murder rate of 2005. East Oakland again has been singled out as the number one kill zone in the city.

East Oakland has become an open air drug market that is a major pick-up point for drug dealers to have their pick-up and drop offs. In the late hours street corners are lounges for thieves, herion, speed and crack addicts. Police have proceded with several raids of the area but it is so infested that their efforts fall flat and the drug dealers and addicts set-up again quickly after a raid.

Oakland is scheduled to add more police officers which some opponents think is a useless approach but of course these opponenets do not live in any of the drug/gang plagued neighborhoods. In fact some of these people wouldn't even drive through Beautiful Hell in the USA if you paid them.

Mayor Jerry Brown hasn't really paid attention to East Oakland at all. In fact he has been pretty much hands off his entire tenure as mayor. He did come by during his campaign to capture the vote of the local artists population, whom he knew would go to the polls. In addition he has involved himself in some efforts to shut down the Live/Works that house these same artists who voted for him....I guess he figured if he could kick them out of their homes that it would be payment enough for them to put him in office- is the sarcasm clear in what I am saying? Ironically Mayor Brown has done nothing to shut down the homeless drug addict shanty towns directly across the street from the Live/Works he wants to shut down. Funny that he and his goons are so blind that they can't see the difference between rat, drug, garbage, human waste infested living conditions and art studios.

East Oakland police repsponse is down to nil- if you are not dying on the street or in the midst of a gun battle than you are just going to have to wait or fax in your report. The cops are overworked, understaffed and under appreciated and the politicians are indifferent. Folks in the Oakland hills could care less what happens down here in the flatlands. I wonder what one of these folks would think if they had to deal with pimps kicking the shit out of a ho on their front lawn? or drug dealers shooting up in the light on their porch and then defecating before making off on their merry way.

I only hope the new deployment of police officers are placed here in the flatlands as opposed to the golden streets of the hills where they would be used to run off any homeless person who managed to push his/her cart into their neighborhood.

Now you are wondering what is that damn picture you posted. This pic is of an arrest that happened last month in front of my door. A sucidal car thief decided to go on a rampage with a stolen ghetto sled and was actually caught. It was the middle of the day and he hit enough cars that some of the drivers actually got pissed off enough to chase him down and make a citizens arrest. Lucky me it happened all within 20 feet of my front door.

I will continue in the next post with introducing more resdients of the hood and a synopsis of their life story.

Until then hello from Austin, Texas. I would also like to leave you with a quote from native Texan and former US President:

"Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day."
Lyndon B. Johnson.

2006-02-09T22:24:00.000-08:00

Anger Management and the continuance of characters: Jenny Gaugin

It was called to my attention that much of the writing here was seemingly angry. Possibly to be miscontrued as my being resentful or unhappy with my neighborhood. Au contraire, I indeed do love the Beautiful Hell we call East Oakland. In addition all the characters who may have lesser qualities than the people most of us hang out with...they all are still beautiful human beings who make up this neighborhood and I love them too. I also want to thank the person who brought this to my attention: my friend Rebecca. She is kind and a good friend and I enjoy her company and joyous laughter immensely...plus she is goign to make the best damn lawyer on the planet.

Jenny Gaugin has been living among the trash piles, dumpsters and abandoned cars as long as I have lived here...more than 15 years. I remember the first time I met her. She was a doe eyed homeless girl. A film of brown smudge covered her skin much like a child's unwashed hands after eating a popsicle and playing in the dirt. Jenny was missing a couple front teeth and she has a quiet quality to her disposition. My old roommate would occasionally offer her the use of our bathtub to try and get her to shower. (I should mention that he was an alcoholic and pretty much befriended any homeless person or drug addict that would stomach listening to him while babbling in a drunken stupor.) He was under the impression that Jenny would go into our bathroom, take a bath and emerge a princess with shiny skin and glistening looks like Cinderella. Richard(that's my old roomies name) would then become the knight in shining armor and they would marry and live happily ever after.

Jenny thought differently...the closest she ever came to taking bath was to wash her feet. I understood Richard's compassion in wanting to help her out but all the same it would take me a minimum of an hour to properly clean the tub with Clorox after Jenny had exited. Part of her film was in that tub and dammit I was afraid of it! Who knows what it was...it could have been some super athletes feet or flesh eating disease...hell! Have you ever seen anyone who had that? not me I wasn't taking any chances. Either way that was Jenny's thing clean feet. I remeber watching a movie abotu the Vietnam war and all the guys worried about was Jungle rot - so they washed their feet and changed their socks. Good old Jenny must have seen that movie too.

I would always see Jenny scurrying about the hood. She was a loner when it came to homeless drug addicts. She never had a constant companion as far as I know. Of course, she stilll had Richard...but was even more scarier than her other prospects.

Jenny is now around 45 years old...although she looks like she's seventy. She is way more talkative than when she was younger. I have come to know her and she alwasy says "hi" or comes by and sits in the alcove in front of the building to get away from the street or have a meal and shoot up. I am not going to write Jenny's story down verbatim, even though I actually have her written testament to her life story. She came to an opening at INFERNO gallery and proceeded to write down in the gallery guest book her degrees of separation from the famous artist Paul Gaugin.

Basically she claims to be his great grand daughter. the whole tale is reminicent of the Anastasia princess heir to the Romanov Czar of Russia. I honestly think she should be on 60 minutes or Entertainemnt tonight telling the world her tale of woe and having paparazzi chase her around town shooting big money photos for the tabloids. Jenny also makes drawings and very soon I am going to give her a show in the gallery- that wil be one to attend.

Jenny's most common pitch for a dollar is "can you give me two dollars so I can take the train to see my Mom." I have given Jenny enough money to buy a plane ticket, however she never tells me any stories about what she does at her mom's. I am beginning to think she wants to go but never makes it ...it just seems much eaiser to buy a two dollar rock of crack and forget the whole thing.

I am hoping Jenny will be around for a long time as I enjoy her presence and she is part of the luster of this place. Next time Beernacki! the most famous drunk to have graced our hood.

2006-02-08T21:36:00.000-08:00

Cast of Characters: East Oakland

I have spoken many times about the drugs in good ol' East Oakland. Now comes the time to begin telling you about the characters. For my first I choose "Jude." The reason is that at this time he is the current pariah of many residents.

Jude is a young man of late 20's to 30's who moved in to a nearby warehouse space. When I met him the first time he seemed promising, a bit rough but someone who was out to flex his creativity..until he assimilated in the hood. Assimmilating in the hood can be quite the daunting task. If you can avoid getting hooked on speed, crack or heroin than you just make make a go of your dreams. Jude was one of those who succmbed to the allure of getting high and thinking that you are creative in the process. Not that some folks can't do this- look at Billy Holiday or a billion other jazz musicians who managed their heroin habit and then made it out the other side with a career and fame. Then again, although they lived interesting lives much of it was in their heads. I digress.

Jude moved into a neighbors space and after his first month decided by crack and speed was better than paying rent. As a result his roomies quickly placed him on the outs. Jude after living for a couple months rent free decided that he would threaten to burn the place down.(There have been 2 recent fires and well any moron is afraid of fire?!) His roomies threw all his shit out into the courtyard and left him homeless...in the courtyard. A local resident whom Jude had been getting high with offered a storage space as a temporary home. Instead of living peaceably Jude made a nusiance of himself and was kicked out of the storage unit by the landlords.

Jude did some couch surfing and has been a regular non-resident resident for about a year now. Currently Jude live sin a side storage room rented by his friend who although Jude has caused her trouble she stuck by him as a friend. YOu have to admire friendship wherever you find because it is such a precious commodity better than gold!

Contrast Jude with Jenny Gaugin. I'll tell you about Jenny next time.

Ho's and Crack Pipe Hiding Places

2006-01-31T01:39:00.001-08:00

Here in the ghetto storage space for your belongings is at a premium just like anywhere else. However folks still need a solution, so how do you store your crack pipe or syringe when you don't have a place to live or are in fear of the cops finding it on your person?

Simple you get creative. When you live on the street the street is your house. Thus anywhere and everywhere is a potential storage place. I have found approximatley 45 different pipes and syringes hidden around outside my home. Quite often I open my front door and low and behold a syringe has been hidden under the door ease. Here in the East Oakland if you don't want something you just throw it on the street...folks don't care much for the litter laws. When you find an item tucked away it usually means the owner has the intent of returning to retrieve it for later use. Under doors in cracks in thebuilding walls, in bushes(Very popular) and anywhere there is a crevice or nook I have found pipes and syringes. Fortunately these responsible intravenous users cap their syringes. So the dnager of a stick from the needle is minimal.

Last night after the martial arts class at INFERNO Co. I heard a couple of ho's gabbing away in front of my place. My friend Nick was on his way to his car. When I opened the door our resident German Shepherd Luna took to barking. This instantly made the ho's began to scarmble away...with good reason German Shepherds are quite fierce and their instinct is to protect their territory.

As I came out the door one of the prostitutes turned in my direction and assured me that she was close to Nick's truck but only using the mirror to fix here hair. Well let me tell you her hair looked none the better. As Nick approached his truck she asked if I would hold my dog so she could retrieve something she hid by the truck. I asked her directly if she had stowed a syringe she swore up and down that she hadn't. Even with my ghetto retort of "C'mon now don't lie" she insisted she had not hidden a needle.

She then said "I'll bet you I am telling the truth." Here is a lesson don't bet anyone anything in Oakland because there is always a loop hole. I replied "Hell no you should stand back because my dog just bit someone yesterday and she is hard to hold back." The ho was determined to retrieve this item...she pleaded and asked kindly. Well kindness kills me so I put the dog inside and said "Well it better not be syringe cause I'll be pissed."

I gave her the right of way and lo and behold under Nick's truck tire was a crack pipe. The ho scurried over quickly to retireve it and then turned to me to say "See I told you it wasn't a syringe." She was overjoyed and showed off her pipe as if she was a proud parent. She then thanked me and went on her merry way.

I thought to myself....I should have let Nick run over the pipe but then again...I was in her home. For afterall I was in her house while outside.

The moral of this story is: there are no morals in East Oakland.... morals were smoked up and shot up into the bodies of Oakland drug addicts long ago...and no one lamented their passing.

2006-01-30T09:10:00.000-08:00

Sales and Marketing in the Ghetto

Last night I made a trip to the local Scary Mart. Now what is a Scary Mart? Scary Mart is the name given to the gas station, which happens to be Eagle gas(No brand name Gas stations would set up in my neighborhood). Eagle Gas is noted as Scary Mart because it is a scary propect for any person who is brave enough to go there. The attendant sits behind a massive bullet proff window and the station itself is always inhabitated by a collection of sketches(see earlier post with defintions) people. Anytime time day or night a visit to this gas station is a dangerous prospect. Since I have lived there have been three drug overdoses have occured in the bathroom which is pretty much an abandoned hope that the owners pretty much do not claim as part of their property. Scary mart has been robbed countless times and shoplifters brazenly run in and take what they want.

On to topic: Scary Mart is three doors down form my house and I went last to get some cigarettes. Out in front was a well dressed black man who was in the process of training a new drug dealer- or I should say a soldier, who is to operate the new venture whose location will be the Scary Mart. The dealer was laying out the operation with a young black man who was not dressed as crisp as the dealer. I didn't hear all the conversation but I did catch some important points. His dialogue "What I need you to do is to stand here be cool, people are going to come all you need to do is the hand-off. YOu see friends come by and good people looking for you." You'll have what you need and you need to be here for a while everyday at the same time." The new sales recruit was young and bright eyed. I could see he really the needed the job and was committed to doing it well. At this point in time I entered the station and made my purchase, upon exiting and stood out in front opening my pack slowly and lighting a cigarette. The dealer went on "See it's all about friends and good people they'll come by" just at that moment another gentleman rolls up on his bike and the new recruit hands off a package with a switch of cash. "See how easy it is" exclaims the dealer. "It's all about friends....you got it made just be a part of what's going on." At this point in time I needed to move on otherwise it would be clear that I was eavesdropping and in the hood being an eavesdropper is not a good thing. As I walked off I couldn't help thinking if this dealer was working in any other industry he would be a great manager or business owner. His kind way of speaking and thoughtfulness in gently easing his recruit into his new job wass admirable. His products would sell because he knew customer service, he knew how to help put his sales people at ease. All the time I realized that his product was the scourge of the neighborhood and this poor chap he was setting up with a job was going down a road that was going to lock him into a job where there was no health insurance(and boy he's going to need it) and no vacation(we all need vacations) and lastly he will never be able to put it on his resume....of course unlesss he gets another drug dealing job. So now I can look forward to the Scary Mart becoming a little more scary because soon the new sales man will have steady traffic and a booming enterprise. One thing to note is across the street is a day labor operation that has a 24 hour drug stop.m In the past it was also a pick-up point for guns. Suffice to say these guys ar e going to be in competition so in the ghetto knocking out your competition is not just done with sales, branding techniques and customer service...it also includes killing each other with bullets. It's a lot different than watching Starbucks kill off their competitors and a lot louder!

If you come to the Scary Mart you will now have more reason to be scared and if you own a bullet proff vest you better wear it.

2006-01-28T00:22:00.000-08:00

Best Friends and Best Fiends

This entry is less about the hood as I have been writing, instead it is about "friends." I have many friends...some are more my friends than others. Some friends have loose lips because they just can't help themselves. They have to spill your secrets. It is good to learn which ones are which as soon as you make friends so you know where you stand when confiding in them. Some friends will loan you money and if they do...you should pay them back quickly because these friends trust you with money and if you need them again when in a bind you can gurantee that they will remember if you still owe them cash. It is simple math folks.

I have only a couple friends that I can truly confide in. However recently I made a friend who put all my friends to shame...even the ones who I thought were my best friends. This person showed me compassion like I have never seen. This friend opened the well of my heart and gave me hope in humankind. Maybe there are more people out there in the world like this person but I have never ever in all my years met one or ever expected to.

Now you are asking yourself - how do you know in such a short time that this person can be trusted or vice versa? Well it is simple...plain old forgiveness and compassion. When a person gives you this you know that no matter what may come in the future for a moment they gave you a glimpse of their own heart. Through that understanding and acceptance there is no hiding...no smoke and mirrors it is as plain as the waves in the ocean. I do not know where this friendship may go but I will always hold it tightly in my hand and remember the lesson I learned.

All this from someone who extended their hand and gave me real friendship at a moment when I was not worthy of their friendship. It is life changing and inspiring...from this day on will have my undying friendship. A friend who asked nothing but for friendship in return. I only wish the world had more people like this person for it would be a better place where all the doors are opened and trust and true friendship can walk freely amongst us.

I can only hope to meet another so I can count two...but even if that day may never come this friend will fill my cup with a friendship to last a life time. So remember you never know when you will meet a person like this so from the beginning always try to be a friend in return. I promise you more happiness and friends if you do.

2006-01-24T02:10:00.000-08:00

The Kill Zone

The SF Chronicle recently noted the "kill zone" area of Oakland and well as you could guess my front door lies within this area. I do not think it is a badge of honor as I could do without the late night gunshots, screeching wheels and car crashes. What it does do is make a sad statement about how a beautiful place in the bay area(close to the beach and estuary with beautiful sunsets and crisp air)is filled with people who suffer from so much despair in their hearts. If only we could spend more dollars on helping lift these people to a higher purpose so that they will find it more attractive to find work other than assasin or murderer.

The area noted as the "kill zone" sometimes has only one patrolling officer and that officer must work other areas when called felonies in progress. This in effect is a default that many times there is not police officer availble at all. Imagine one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the bay area not having any police protection at all.

In the mainstream media there is much talk about safety after 9/11 and the airports are filled with rigid smoke and mirror inspections and precautions. Americans all over the USA are asked if they feel safer. For all the money that is being blown on homeland securty it is ironic that not all the homelands are safe to begin with. Imagine how absurd all this is...imagine if the US politicians ever got their shit together and decided to put the money where it should be instead of blowing on pork fat bills and dumb ass payback from some donor....for sure the landscape of urban life would improve.

hmmmm

2006-01-17T02:50:00.000-08:00

New Blog: Gary-Paul Prince INFERNO Co. Art factory

I am starting a new Blog/Vlog this week. It will be focused on my Art factory INFERNO Co. The Blog will be located at: gary-paul.blogspot.com

INFERNO Co. houses the studios for my traditional and digital media artwork as well as the INFERNO Gallery which exhibits high art has been banned or unwelcomed at mainstream fine art galleries. INFERNO Co. also supports the community by sponsoring meetings as well as loans space for KajuKenbo Martial Arts.

INFERNO Co. is located in East Oakland in what used to be a Iron Factor named Armor Products. It is now known as the Vulcan Studios. The factory was converted in the 1980's into a collection of art studios tied by a labryinth of hallways and courtyards. Many artists, filmmakers, and musicians have come out of the Vulcan Studios. In the past their have been music shows, experimental theatre, radio stations and feature film productions that have all sprung from this community.

I will also be starting a dog vlog for INFERNO Co's resident German Shepherd: Luna. Later down the road one for "Entonces" INFERNO Co's polydactal cat and longest animal resident.

Beautiful Hell in the USA will continue to have entries and they will be as random and location centric as the rest. I hope to also add video of the local resident prostitutes, drug addicts, artists, and more.

I hope you continue to read the meanderings and musings of a bohemian in the ghetto....it truly is a Beautiful Hell in the USA.

2006-01-14T01:11:00.001-08:00

Long time no blog. blog blog blog.

Soon it wil be a vlog. Beautiful Hell in the USA just got a taste of vlogging today and it is cool. If you are not doing it your nuts. Macworld was this past week and I worked that bastard show for 8 days. Count'em. A nice departure from ghetto life. Although I get home to the ho and pimps I feel inspired by it all and perhaps will be able to soon give you my lovely readers a vlog so that I may increase your connection to the ghettosoisie.

Check out some vlogs you too may be inspired like me. Also check out the latest laptop from Apple at apple.com

See you in the Vloghetto

2005-11-20T20:54:00.000-08:00

Holiday in Texas: Boots, Chinese food and barbecue

I went down to San Antonio, Texas and now I'm back.

I bought some Lucchese Cowboys boots while in SA, Texas calf skin with
Lizard skin trim and tips. Lucchese has been making boots by hand in San
Antonio since 1883. They are pretty much the tried and true cowboy boot.
The Lucchese name is synonymous with cowboy boot perfection. Once a
year Lucchese sends any boots that have a scratch or any discoloration to this
place called Sheplers. (Sheplers is the largest Western good store on the planet.
Kind of like a Home Depot for shit kickers. Lucchese is really picky about defects
so most boots you can't even tell are defective...a scratch here or there, a little
off color but that's it.

Sheplers then sells the boots for 150.00 to 200.00 bucks. This is a big deal
because Lucchese boots(which are considered the best cowboy boots in the world)
costs anywhere from 400.00 for cheap ones to 5000.00. I went to their company
store first and felt like a pauper...all these high rolling ranchers and oil men scooping
up expensive boots and clothes. I thought about stealing a pair of Alligator
boots that had a 2999.00 price tag but they were watching me too close and
it is hard to run in boots that haven't been broken in. Plus all the folks in Texas
carry guns and dammit a good pair of boot are worth shooting a man over.

Shopping in Texas is a pleasant experience- everyone is very nice and helpful...I
wanted to bitch someone out just to feel normal again. After I got my boots,
some shirts, and a belt this stranger came up to me and said he couldn't
find anything and offered me a special card for an extra 20% off my entire
purchase- it saved me 50.00 Normally I would have knocked his ass down
ghetto style while screaming at him not to talk to me, but instead I thanked
him and saved 50.00 on my purchase.

THnaksgiving was pleasant and there were no family quarrels. It seems that
everyone took their meds and life was good. Good times, good times.

One thing about San Antonio is there are no places to get a quality bagel with lox,
onions, capers and creamcheese. Food is basic there. Breakfast tacos for breakfast and
tacos for lunch. Dinner is different, you get a choice: Tacos or barbecue...but no barbecue
tacos.

I took my mother to a Chinese restaurant. It was pleasant the cook was Chinese
I thought I was safe. Then I looked at the menu....nothing but rice plates. No Chow Fun,
Chow Mein, Barbecue Pork ....it was bleak. I asked the hostess Big Hair Westerner woman
why they didn't serve Chow Fun( I really wanted Chow Fun). She looked at me like I was
retarded her face contorted and then became a castigating stare and she replied smartly
" Probably because it's not Chinese!" At that Moment I felt an urged rising from my heart
and shooting through my arm...it was telling me to jam the fork on the table into her eye.
Of course I was with my mom. So I resisted - if I was in New York or San Francisco that
woman would be wearing a eye patch right now. Instead I looked at her calmly and retorted " I am
pretty sure it IS Chinese" just then a Big hair lady speaks "Well will just find out."
She calls out to the back and a young Asian woman appears. She asks her " (said in a Texas twang)
Hey Chow Fun is not Chinese right?" The woman looks at her like she is afraid to tell the truth
for fear of losing her job, but she then concededs "Yes it is, it is the floppy noodles that the cook
and I eat." The woman then says to me "Oh yea I know what it is but we don't eat that just the
Chinese folks do." Once again the urge to poke her eye out wells up in me again, I resist and
tell her "thanks." The moral of the story is Texans just don't know Chinese food. The one saving
grace is that they know their own staples which includes the ever proud Barbeque.

Barbecue is like religion in Texas. Rightly so, I have never had barbecue in New york, San Francisco,
LA or Chicago that could hold a candle to any Texas barbecue restaurant and even the lowliest roach
infested barbecue hut in Texas makes barbecue that the finest chefs of Europe couldn't come close
to with all their high fluent cookings skills. It's the mix of spices for their rubs, the smokers and grills
that they use. Texans have been barbecuing since the days when Texas was Mexico. And when they
finally won their independence they had a fucking barbecue to celebrate. Texans raise cattle, slaughter
them, make boots, coats, hats, and belts from the skins and the meat they give the highest honor by
cooking the best damn barbecue in the world.

If you ever go to Texas buy some boots, eat a tacos for lunch and breakfast, and have barbecue for dinner.
You won't be disappointed....and whatever you do don't eat Chinese food there.

2005-11-15T01:14:00.000-08:00

The Art of fighting without fighting

These are the famous words of the legendary Bruce Lee. The most popular martial arts fighter ever. He was also a fine human being and an excellent action hero. Without cool gagdets or big explosions Bruce Lee used his mind, hands and feet and devasted his enemies like no other action star has ever done to date.

I am no Bruce Lee, but I engage in the practice of KaJuKenBo. KaJuKenBo is a fighting style developed in 1947 at Palamas Settlement on Oahu, Hawaii by a group calling themselves the "Black Belt Society", which consisted of black belts from various martial arts backgrounds who met to train and learn with each other combined their styles utilizing the most effective techniques suited for street fighting. . They emphasized adaptability and focused on the most devastating techniques. Eye goughing, throat grabs, groin shots, head stomps and spine punches are incoporated in addition to joint locks and bone breaks. The premise is to strike first and create as much carnage and disability as possible in order to completely anhialate your enemy or to gain entry for escape. The art is based upon the framework of Kenpo and blended with Karate, Judo, JuJitsu, and Chinese Boxing(aka Kung Fu).

There are five men credited as founders of Kajukenbo, and it is from their respective arts that Kajukenbo draws it's name. Peter Young Yil Choo, Frank Ordonez, Joe Holck, Adriano Emperado, and Clarence Chang. KaJuKenBo is a true blue American Martial Art.

Enough of the history lesson, today almost had my knee and ankle snapped. I could hear the water in my joint squishing out as I was being thrown to the ground by a person who was 10 inches taller than I. My knee tendons were pulled taut and the pain came suddenly then the rush of adrenalin helped ease the moment. This is all done in an environment where you bow and respect each other before throw punches and kicks and possibly injuring someone purely for practice. I have to admit as much as I like studying martial arts I am still uncomfortable with someone knocking the shit out of me for no reason other than to better their skills. "Hi how are you doing? Take that (kick!) and this (punch!) Oh I am sorry your teeth are loose- you seem to be bleeding....are you ready to begin again?"

I was thrown down by the same person three times...each time progressively harder. As I lay on the ground like a mop puppet I am thinking to myself...if he really hurts me I am going to pick up a hammer and stick it in his skull(oh yes, there was a hammer within five foot reach). Then I collected my thoughts and said to myself- of course I won't do that, how absurd for me to think it... I will smash his fucking foot so he will never walk right again! Then I will apologoze profusely and tell him I was caught up in the moment. This will be done with a smile and looks of sincere apology. Well, lucky for me my knee didn't twist so much that I couldn't bite my lip and say "hey I am okay!" My ankle turned some too - but if their was going to be a break it was going to be the knee. And think how much we need our knees - I mean shucks if your knee goes you can have a hell of a time wiping your ass. Getting up off the comode can be quite a daunting task with only one good knee. I knew a guy who had a knee go out and all the time he had a cast he smelled like poop. I think he just had problems wiping his butt because of his bad knee.

Bruce Lee was cool because you never saw him getting his ass kicked. He was one bad MF and he always kicked everybody's ass. I am no Bruce Lee.

2005-11-10T22:55:00.000-08:00

An excercise for the Oakland Wordsmith:

Ghetto Sled: mid size to large American car, typically of low value on resale market and driven without insurance or stolen.

Bullet: (pronounced buh-let)Hair style similar to mullet(long hair in the back and short 80's type cut upfront sometimes with spiked top) worn by men who are balding.

Skullet: Shave head with small portion left in the rear. Similar to a Hari-Krishna hair cut.

Bitch: Your best friend or comrade.

The Gaza Strip: The distance between two Arab owned liqour stores in the ghetto.

Dog Shit Park: Name used for daily used parks around the US, that are not officially declared by city, state of federal governments as park land, used as a deficating ground for local pet population.

C'mon now: Phrase used as a retort to an answer you don't like.

Sketch: Person who is living on the street or out to rip you or your car off.

2005-11-03T01:44:00.000-08:00

Oakland, CA: Politics in the Community Arena

Today I attended a community meeting to address the robbery, rampant drug dealing, prostitution and other crimes in the neighborhood. Another issue was a Volunteers of America Center for Day Laborers. The Day Laborer program has become a magnet for drug dealers and buyers to co-mingle with laborers and use the area as a drop off and pick-up point. Other issues stemming from this presence include verbal and physical assaults on women passing by. There is also the matter of sheer number of men(200 to 300 per day) taking over the neighborhood everyday, standing in front of and in the midst of local businesses. I should also mention some periphery issues; public urination, littering and mobbing of any vehicle that slows down in the area. In fact if you were a driver unaware of this Day Laborer program and decided to pull over to check a map or use your cell phone you would most likely be terrified to death as 20 to 30 men mob your vehicle and attempt to open the door.

The residents gathered were told in no uncertain terms that Ignacio De La Fuente's office(represented by Carlos Plazola) regretted that no residents were notified prior to setting up the center but that also it was there to stay and residents needed to work on the representatives terms for a solution. He also mentioned that the center had been moved from 3 different locations because of growth and acknowledge that each location had similar problems. The council member rep and the Volunteers of America rep(Emilia Otero) then proceeded onto a cliche diatribe about their program and then took the stance that the residents were somehow prejudicial in their thinking that the Laborer Center was having a negative impact. I was surprised at the level of denial and the fact that their only defense was canned rhetoric and to suggest that residents were being racist. There was also a legal rep who tried to give a pep speech. It was horrible, she obviously learned it at a Zig Ziglar type seminar, she waved her arms and spoke to everyone like they were third graders, I wanted to laugh out loud but I keep my cool.

After the discussion and bouts of hot air the Laborer representatives left. Surpirsingly enough the council member representative left also. This only reaffirmed suspicions by the residents that De La Fuente's office was only concerned with Laborer program and couldn't care less about the other issues affecting residents.

Fortunately the latter half of the meeting was better. The police officer present was sympathetic, realistic and encouraging. She listened, gave the harsh reality and promised to help clean-up the area. She also addressed each question without using canned answers.

After it was all over I walked my dog to Dog Shit Park and my idiot neighbor(who has two dogs she cannot control) was present and both her dogs(who were off-leash) came and attacked my dog(who was on-leash). All the while I am scurring around in a circle kicking her dogs away to keep her dogs off mine, she is screaming at me not to kick them. She isn't trying to pull them off she is just screaming at me. I was thinking she could have pulled her dogs off me and my pup...possibly ask if I had been bitten or if my dog had been injured. Unfortunately her dogs bit my dog on the legs that left her with bruises and abrasions.

Later on I keep thinking how much both of these experiences were alike.

What a day in Oakland....a Beautiful Hell in the USA.

2005-11-01T01:47:00.000-08:00

Ghettoeoisie: The middle class in the ghetto. Upper income residents forced by high housing cost to live in the urban area ghettos.

City life is tough. You can have a great job and still not make enough money to put in a savings account or live or a nice part of town. The bay area housing cost have truly gone mad...are you mad? One of the beautiful things about the San Franciso bay area was that it wasn't like New York as far as quality of life. You could have a nice place in nice neighborhood of the city and not have to pay out your nose through. You could get by in a comfortable manner and still enjoy the best the city has to offer. Forgetaboutit, the dot com boom blasted out all the culture in SF and surrounding areas with their SUVmentality and tucked shirt looks. The only saving grace is that some of them are begining to move away.

I always have considered myself a bohemian because I suffered for my art. Getting by with enough to maintain a studio and live in modest accomodations. I went even as far as moving to the ghetto to be able to afford work space and cut cost by living in substandard conditions. Of course now warehouse living is tre-chic.

The other day one of my neighbors was held up at gun point and robbed. He was lucky he didn't get shot and he made it home without a scratch. The day before another neighbor had her custom made bmx bike stolen by a guy who wandered into her house during her move and posed as a mover. Two days before her house was burgularized, she was out of town in Biloxi Mississippi helping out with the hurricane relief effort. I saw her tonight and she was waiting outside for the cops because her car was just broken into. During my 15 years living here my truck (s) have been broken into approximately 20 times. I have had three tailgates stolen off my truck. I had one truck completely totaled by an idiot in a stolen ghetto sled...my roomates truck was also totaled in the same accident. There have been four other accidents of this magnitude and exact same circumstances: stolen car driven recklessly rams into two or more cars by my front door totaling all cars involved. In every case the driver of the stolen car has managed to get away scott free. I get asked for change every single day sometimes as many as three to four times a day. I have been standing in front of my door step and been asked if I wanted a date more than two hundred times. I have also been approached and asked if I wanted to purchase heroin, crack, or speed more than 3000 times while standing by my front door. I have had a local heroin junkie that I see every day ask me for change twice in the same day and not recognize me. There has been three cars that have been set on fire in front of my place. People regularly piss on my doorstep. My license plates have been stolen twice. I have caught and stopped 13 car break-ins. I have heard every BS scam artists story. I have had more than 7 different neighbors held at gun point and robbed. I have had one neighbor stabbed. There's more and I'll tell you about them. For it is all Crime and Astonishment.