"Legal experts say there is no law against using feces as a flag stand..."

"Police in Germany are hunting pranksters who have been sticking miniature flag portraits of US President George W. Bush into piles of dog poo in public parks. Josef Oettl, parks administrator for Bayreuth, said: "This has been going on for about a year now, and there must be 2,000 to 3,000 piles of excrement that have been claimed during that time."

The series of incidents was originally thought to be some sort of protest against the US-led invasion of Iraq. And then when it continued it was thought to be a protest against President George W. Bush's campaign for re-election. But it is still going on and the police say they are completely baffled as to who is to blame. "We have sent out extra patrols to try to catch whoever is doing this in the act," said police spokesman Reiner Kuechler. "But frankly, we don't know what we would do if we caught them red handed." Legal experts say there is no law against using feces as a flag stand and the federal legal experts say there is no law against using feces as a flag stand and the federal constitution is vague on the issue."

(My friend Hillary sent this via email last year, so who knows how many more Bush flags are dotting the German landscape by now?)

Nombre, Hombre

I often amuse myself by giving my cat (officially known as "grace"--named by my niece) names of the day. Tonight, she has become DESPERADO WITH FUR. Frequently, she becomes MONSTER MADNESS (like when she's chasing her tail or chewing on the corners of stacks of FW Weekly issues that i keep thinking i might actually wanna read sometime). I am amazed by my predilection for quick-name changes for my animal. I myself have taken on various tags or handles, depending on circumstance, mood, or public context. So far, i've been known variously as TEJANA TONGUE, TAMMYGOMEXICAN (which is the creative half of my yahoo email address), SUNLIT DOORWAY, and POCKET POET (thanks for that one, i guess, Enrique...). When i performed with star-spoken word performers Paul Flores (of Los Delicados---yes, named after the unfiltered Mexican cigarettes) and Marc Bamuthi Joseph aka Seeking) up in Madison a few years ago, they recommended that i take on some firecracker stage name. (I guess they thought Tammy Gomez is too staid or Nancy Drew for me...) Hmmm, i thought on this, and came up with a maybe future star handle of RELAMPAGOMEZ (which is a blend of the Spanish word for "lightning" and my last name). One can fantasize.

I remember the names me and my sister would give our fake Barbie dolls when we were kids. We let those dolls exemplify our imagined glamour life personas, becoming "Roxanne" and "Monique," and other queer-consonant-ed gold lame' names.

What have you nicknamed your kitty tonight?

radio free tammy

KPFT-FM is Houston's best (and probably only) community radio station.

Check me out / listen live! Click me, please!

I'm being interviewed sometime between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. tonight by the good folks at Nuestra Palabra ("Latino/a Writers Having Their Say"). Their show airs weekly on Tuesdays.

FCC, watch out!

Three Years Too Long _ U.S. out of Iraq!

Is there an evolving theme here?

This weekend's film at the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth, WHY WE FIGHT?, along with the April 7-9 selection JOYEUX NOEL (MERRY CHRISTMAS), addresses the realities of war and militarism. Hmmm, guess it must mean that the friggin THIRD GODDAMN anniversary of the U.S. INVASION of Iraq is right around the corner, huh?!!

WHY WE FIGHT - March 10–12, 2006 - Friday 6 & 8 pm; Saturday 5 pm; Sunday 2 & 4 pm.

From the Modern's website: "Winner of the 2005 Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, this new film by Eugene Jarecki is an unflinching look at the anatomy of the American war machine. (PG-13; 98 minutes)" For the Sony Classics webworld of info on this doc, click here.

And for more wartime cine, there's this offering:

JOYEUX NOËL (MERRY CHRISTMAS) - April 7–9 - Friday 6 & 8 pm; Saturday 5 pm; Sunday 2 & 4 pm.

Blurb on the Modern's website: "Recently nominated for an Academy Award, this heartwarming and heartbreaking French film recounts the true story of a Christmas Eve during World War I when soldiers from both sides laid down their guns and played football and sang Christmas carols together."

Tickets are $7.50; $5.50 for Modern museum members. Advance sales begin two hours prior to each show.

The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is at 3200 Darnell Street, in the grand ole Museum District (i refuse to call it "cultural district" cuz "cultural" districts are everywhere throughout the 817, man...)

Phone 'em at 817-738-9215 (local) or toll-free 1-866-824-5566.

Who's watching the watchers?

[My fellow poet-comrade, Maggie Jochild, sent the following. Saludos, Maggie!]

Hey, friends -- I encourage you all to make use of the Freedom of Information Act (while it still exists) to request any files that may have been gathered on you -- even if you can't imagine this would have been done (under this administration, it pays to imagine the worst). Go to this link sponsored by PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY to start the process. If enough of us do this, it will surely send a strong message that we are not just going to lie down and let them steamroll our civil rights. And pass this on to everyone you can. I'll let you know when I get an answer; I hope you'll do the same. -- Maggie Jochild

Part of what the link says:

"Make an FOIA Request

Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), anyone has the right to request information from the government. Last strengthened by Congress in response to the Watergate scandal, FOIA gives citizens a way to demand transparency from the Administration -- and take the government to court if necessary.

Many Americans -- especially those with family and friends abroad -- are wondering whether government agents have been listening to their phone conversations or reading their email. If you're worried this has happened to you, you can use this site to help you find out.

We can't guarantee that the Bush administration will disclose all this information in compliance with the law, but we can help you through the process. By filing a FOIA request, you will send a strong signal that American citizens believe in the rule of law and aren't afraid to stand up to the President when he violates the Constitution!"

XX Communicator is now 365 days old

I started this thing on International Women's Day last year--March 8th, 2005--and now look where it's gotten me. I am infrequent poster, so i might be called blogger imposter. I had the best intentions of being daily wit you, but being the typical Libra omni-where omnivore, I get distracted by other wants and whims.

I am, however, consistently a romantic (or romanticizing) dreamer.

International Women's Day 06 seemed to have passed without fanfare or incident. In the past, I have spent the day conviving with broads, chicks, womyn, cunts, and grrls--in performance, on the air, around pitchers and bottles of brew. One IWD, I performed at Stubb's BBQ in Austin--with a fistful of drink tickets in my future--with my all-girl spoken word group YONIVERSE. I'd asked cook and baker extraordinaire Julia Apodaca to do a cake for the show, and she showed up with the most beautiful baked depiction of a vaginal orgasm as anyone has likely seen. (It featured one long sparkler jutting out from the purple and pink "vag", which we ceremoniously lit to the gleeful whoops and hollers of all witnessing congregants.)

Last year, I did something at the Dog--women spoken word and performance. But this year, it was a day for gathering niece and feeding her and reassuring her sweet broken heart. It was a day for videotaping for an activist training session. It was a day for mellow crying and wishing the rain would hurry to join my tears. It was a no-yoga day. It was a listen (closely) to the first of a 4-cd collection of Quincy Jones tunes. It was a watch "Before Sunset" in its entirety even though I walked out of "Before Sunrise" due to sheer boredom and irritation, back in the 90s. Something is different this year. I am still a woman and desire to commemorate International Women's Day. Perhaps, in 06, I was supposed to commemorate by just merely being a woman.

Future U.S. Lawyers to be Proud Of

[Thanks to my compa, Rosa Maria Gonzalez--please, no relation to Alberto the civilrights slayer--for passing this along. She's kicking butt down in San Anto as a lawyer doing child rights advocacy. Love ya, Rosie!]

Alberto Gonzales spoke before law students at Georgetown today, justifying illegal, unauthorized surveilance of US citizens, but during the course of his speech the students in class did something pretty gutsy and brave. They got up from their seats and turned their backs to him.


To make matters worse for Gonzales, additional students came into the room, wearing black cowls and carrying a simple banner, written on a sheet.


Fortunately for him, it was a brief speech... followed by a panel discussion that basically ripped his argument in half.

And, as one of the people on the panel said,

"When you're a law student, they tell you that if you can't argue the law, argue the facts. They also tell you if you can't argue the facts, argue the law. If you can't argue either, apparently, the solution is to go on a public relations offensive and make it a political issue... to say over and over again 'it's lawful', and to think that the American people will somehow come to believe this if we say it often enough."

In light of this, I'm proud of the very civil civil disobedience that was shown here today." - David Cole, Georgetown University Law Professor

It was a good day for dissent...

Women's Art - Women's History Month Exhibit @ the Public Library

The exhibit, once again curated by Jo Dufo, is titled "In My Life"

3rd Annual Woman's Exhibition - Fort Worth Downtown Central Library - 500 3rd St. in Fort Worth, Texas

Exhibition Dates:
March 4th - March 28th

"Paintings, sculptures, collages, mosaics, and photographs will highlight women, the roles they play, their accomplishments and their invincible spirits."

Participating artists:
Devon Wattier Amalia El Masre'
Sierra Dufault Amber Bailey
Brady Nichols Theresa Foster
Allie Regan Alicia Price
Tanya Sparks Kathy O'Brien
Alyssa Banta Jo Dufo
Letitia Eldredge Ameera Hallag
Glenna Janda Riki Johnson
Lori Thomson Rebecca Low
Grace Bolding Julie Hiltbrunner
Drucilla Perez-Tubens Tuba Koymen
Phyllis King Katrina Doran
Evita Tezeno Isabel Lopez
Joyce Martin Karen Weiss
Zoe Dufault Rhonda Haugabook
ElaRue Jennifer Bell Karen Stone

Townes Van Zandt doc at the Modern

Though it's about to released, dvd-format, on the 14th or so of March, you might appreciate seeing it on the nice screen, at the clean serene Modern Art museo acqui en Fort Worth. BE HERE TO LOVE ME: A FILM ABOUT TOWNES VAN ZANDT opens tonight at 6pm. I'll be going to the 8pm screening, cuz that's when Van Zandt son, John, intros the film and plays some of his (recently-deceased) father's songs. You may not know it, but Townes was raised, kinda money-well-off, in the Westside. I've been learning more of his life and his music (though "Pancho and Lefty" was popularized by Willie, "If I Needed You" was given starpower by Emmylou and is one of my Townes favorites) from friends who knew and played alongside this Fort Worth legend (what i mean is that Townes is a legend; what i don't mean--cuz fw is just stupid this way--is that Townes is famous in Fort Worth...) My friend, Lee Daniel, lent a hand with cinematography on the film, along with sculptor-artist Miguel, who lives in Arlington.

March 3–5, 2006 - Friday 6 & 8 pm; Saturday 5 pm; Sunday 2 & 4 pm - at the Modern Art Museum of FW.

(John Townes Van Zandt will introduce the Friday 8pm film and play some of his father's music for moviegoers.)

"A dignified and wistful look at the unusual life, difficult career, and lasting influence of singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt." (Eddie Cockrell, Variety.) This poignant documentary follows the life of Fort Worth native son Townes Van Zandt, the ultimate songwriter's songwriter who had a profound effect on a generation of musicians. Read more about the film right here.

Claudia's theatrical baby opens onstage tonight!

My sweet and multi-talented compa, Claudia Acosta, is gearing up for her big debut tonight. Her original work, "Recuerdos de mi mama: la epoca de oro", is a project she's been dreaming of for over a year. So, tonight, Friday the 3rd, will mark the culmination of a major artistic achievement. Be glad for this creative drama-mama as she births her first full-length stage play. (Oh, and check out one of the spotlight operators: my niece, Breanna Her-Era.) The show plays for 3 consecutive weekends; I'll be in the audience tomorrow--cuz a big reception follows after the performance. Here are the detalles:

RECUERDOS DE MI MAMA: la epoca de oro - an original stageplay written and directed by Claudia Acosta.
Inspired by Mexico’s Golden Age of Cinema (La Epoca de Oro), when Resortes and Cantinflas were budding comedy kings; Maria Felix enraptured her audiences with her sultry looks, and when rumberas were the hottest ticket in town. A simple love story from a mother’s memory celebrates the generation who lived for mambo.
BILINGUAL - Rated PG 13
Individual tickets are $10 general audience, and $5 students and seniors
Inspirado por el Cine Mexicano de La Época de Oro cuando Resortes y Cantinflas se establecían como los Reyes de la comedia, Maria Felix deslumbraba su público con su belleza despampanante, y las rumberas daban la presentación más caliente de la ciudad. Esta historia celebra las memorias de una generación que vivía para el mambo.
BILINGUE – Rated PG 13
Los Boletos tienen un costo de 10 dolares en admision general y 5 dolares para estudiantes y ancianos.

Call Now For Ticket Info: (817)624-8333

February 20-25th - week of spoken word, poetics education, and performance

Another week in the life of Tammy the producer/poet/performer: just wrapped up a great event at the RMT (Rose Marine Theater)--"Carnival de Palabras" with capoeira, spoken word, body painting, and visual art. It was a great night and lots of fun, even though the weather and road conditions threatened to keep people from coming out. But we had an audience, lots of folks even drove from Dallas, not to mention our featured performers who drove in Saturday morning from Austin!

Tomorrow, I'm off to Dallas to teach three workshops as part of the Highland Park High School Literary Festival. They're bringing in some pretty established writers, and I'm impressed with how they've organized this festival. For the next two days--that's tomorrow, Wednesday, February 22nd and Thursday, February 23rd, EVERY student in the school will have an opportunity to choose from over 20 different workshops. Should be fun. More info on the Festival here.

Oh, then there's my featured reading at the University Drive (in FW) Barnes & Noble bookstore. I think it starts around 7pm--Saturday, February 25th. Will (hopefully) be touting my new publication, NORTH TEXAS NERUDA LOVE, an anthology of tribute writings in honor of Pablo Neruda. The book should have been out last month, but Mercury was retrograde, and the printer's schedule must be haywired. Last I've heard the book is "at the bindery..."

Lucha Corpi, Chicana lit elder, in FW today!

Lucha Corpi, born in Mexico, emigated with her husband to the Bay Area in 1965, and five years later divorced him. From there on out, Lucha created a world for herself that involved sociopolitical transformation, literary expression, and academic achievements. By 1970, she--armed with a Master's in Comparative Lit from San Francisco State University--assumed the position of Coordinator for the Chicano Studies Library at the University of California at Berkeley. Wow. Overcoming a language barrier, as well as social stigmas that kept Mexican women out of the public realm, Lucha truly reinvented herself in the United States. An inspiring example, certainly, for women everywhere.

Today, Wednesday, February 8th, she will offer a reading of her poetry at the Rose Marine Theater (1440 N. Main Street in N. FW), from 4pm to 5pm. Call 817-624-8333 for more info.

And tomorrow, Thursday, February 9th, Lucha will present a talk on-campus at TCU, in the Kelly Alumni Center. That begins at 7pm. Free and open to everyone. Refreshments will be served.

Lucha Corpi has received several awards for her work, including a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, the PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Literary Prize in Fiction, and the Multicultural Publishers Exchange Book Award of Excellence in Adult Fiction. Her popular mystery novel series introduced the first Chicana detective, Gloria Damasco, as a recurring character.

For more background on Lucha Corpi, check out this great interview.

Capoeira da rua website

Please check out this website for more information on the group which will be traveling up from Austin to perform capoeira and spoken word on Saturday, February 18th, at the Rose Marine Theater, here in the 817.

Sound Culture presents _ Capoeira & Spoken Word & Art _ Save the Date!! February 18th.

[Guess I should tell you that Sound Culture is my production name, for events and some media things I create.]

SOUND CULTURE presents
February 18th - that's a Saturday
7:30pm in the evening

ROSE MARINE THEATER
1440 N. Main
(5 minutes north of downtown FW)
for only 5 bucks

Featuring Spoken Word and Capoeira stylings
of

CAPOEIRA DA RUA FEATURING MEMBERS OF XENOGIA:

Da'Shade Moonbeam
Enrique Cabrera
Da'mon

(They have just performed as part of Fronterafest--the renowned Austin theater festival--and were selected as 'Best of Week" in January 2006. They've also been doing sets of their "Martial Poetry" in and around Austin, where they are currently based.)

ALSO:

Visual art show with Brazilian painter Solange Mariel in the Rose Marine Theater Gallery.

Solange's show "CAMINHADA" (Journey) will be her first solo show in Fort Worth.

WITH:

parade of Carnival headdresses
samba sounds
history of capoeira documentary film
eats & drinks
art workshop with Solange Mariel & Sandra Beamon

AND:

a chance to join a capoeira roda (pronounced "ho-rrah") onstage!

fmi: Tammy Gomez at 817.924.9188 or sound_culture@hotmail.com
____________________________________

You have to check out Capoeira da rua and Xenogia's DaShade Moonbeam. Not only is he a high-ranking and -scoring slam poet at the National level, but he is a most amazing capoeirista. And I guess I too have a soft spot for any guy who's worked for Planned Parenthood. Yeah, i said it, Planned Parenthood. Now, that's sexy.

Where have i been? Guys, i've been birthing a book!!

Yes, it's taken forever and a few minutes, but the whole shebang (cover art, the guts--manuscript--, and our money) is at the printer's. We're only like 6 months behind deadline, that's all. The book, oh yeah, you don't know the title, is NORTH TEXAS NERUDA LOVE. It's an anthology of essays, testimonies, poems--all original work, ya'll--by Metroplex writers. This book is gonna be great, I mean, it is great, but once you see it I hope you'll be as excited as I am about it. Anyway, that's why I have been so (mostly) underground for the past three months or so. I've deprioritized my own work, performing, mopping my floors, painting the house, etc. Now that the thing is outta my hands--it's at the printer's and he says maybe the book'll be bound and boxed by Friday, Feb.10th--I feel like I finally have my life back. So what do I do? I go to the bookstore and buy an industry mag on print design...i guess i'm jonesing for my next publishing project.

Well, the Jan-Feb 06 issue of PRINT magazine is actually pretty cool and its cover story is on the re-emergence of photography--as both an art form and career--in Afghanistan since the "fall" of the Taliban in 2001.

I hope that you'll be reading more from me, more often this year. We shall see....

Stencil artists - cut it out, send it in!

Call for participation: deadline February 1, 2006

Cut& Paint: A Stencil Template Zine #2

Once again, Josh MacPhee (author/artist of Stencil Pirates, Nicolas Lampert and Colin Matthes are putting together a zine of stencil templates. This time around they plan on scaling back the size of the zine a little (legal size folded, so 7" x 8.5"), but to make up for the shrinking size they hope to include a set of die-cut stencil templates with the zine. That's right, pre-cut stencils ready to use!

Like issue #1, most of the zine will be filled with some of the best and most exciting stencil templates out there (black and white stencil images that can be cut out and used), so they're looking for your best stencil template ideas. This time around they're also open to multi-color pieces, so if you are interested, send a clean black-and-white print of each layer, as well as a composite image. In addition, they would like to expand the rest of the zine, too. This means more in the how-to section, so send along any new tips you've got. They want photos of stencils from your area, particularly from places they usually don't hear from. They'll also be including some writing on stencils as well, so if you have any articles you've been working on that deal with stenciling, public space, politics, etc., feel free to submit them.

The specs, once again:
*All designs should be 7x8 inches.
*Templates should be clean sprays of stencils on clean white paper. Flat black paint is preferable. They'll be photocopying these templates, so keep the lines and edges as crisp as possible. In order to get a really clean print, you can spray little bit of spray-tack (like light spraymount) on the back of the stencil so it lays flat on the paper.
*No racist, sexist, homophobic designs. Also, they're really looking for smart and creative takes on what's going on in the world, not copied portraits of movie stars or Japanese robots. Keep it original.
* Stencils don't have to be hit-you-over-the-head political (i.e. Fuck Bush, although that's fine too), but they should be interesting to more than just you and your friends! The goal is to have stencil templates that other people will want to use.
*Feel free to submit more than one template design.
*Tell them if you want your template credited to a name, and if so, what name (and contact information if you want, i.e. website, email, address, etc.).
The best designs will be used for the die-cuts, so send in great stuff and they might make 1000 pre-cut copies of your stencil! They hope to keep the price at $5 or below, and distribute Cut & Paint #2 much further and wider than #1.

Edward Roop, Paonia coal miner: another Avedon portrait person

You are a writer, you are a writer. With just a little table and a pad of paper, you could show (me) the writer you are, though it is already telltale, what with your upper pockets jammed with fountain pen and a pair of eyeglasses. I see it too in your blues eyes, the soft glow of thinking man's eyes. I know you have a song on your mind. Are those wires from your stereo headphones, black tentacles leading from nowhere, jutting out of your pocket today? Is there a song in your eyes, in your mind, to write down? In your face, I see the expression of Sam from Iron and Wine--the Florida soft-singing writer. Are you a similar poet? When you are cleaned up, your sooty arm matching the white of your belly...when you are rooted out of the mine, gentled as the nipple you inadvertently fondle...is there some time to pen your black-day-into-white-night songs of your life, cooing them to life as your wife counts the money, irons your workpants, brings stew to your bowl? I hope it is so. I hope it is so, that you pen and write and remember your albeit song, sooty canary bird of flesh.

Oil worker Roberto = self-portrait Van Gogh

Roberto Lopez, Lyons, Texas -- you are Vincent Van Gogh, starry starry night in your faraway eyes. in your faraway eyes. Poseidon wave hair has curled your head and possibly your unlucky life (as oil field worker).

From the Amon Carter exhibit of Avedon's "In the American West" collection: "When the show opened in the fall of 1985, it generated passionate debate about how we define the West and the nature of photographic portraiture. By focusing on working class citizens and people at the edge of society, Avedon had audaciously extended the cachet of celebrity and elegance usually reserved for the wealthy and well-known. By drawing vivid attention to life's hardships, he had challenged public preoccupations with heroic success."

The show closes this Sunday, January 8th. Don't miss/highly recommended.

Desahogate # 2 - Call for Submissions

¡Atención!
Writers, Poets, Musicians, y Artists
We at In Tlilli, In Tlapalli Press recently completed the anthology Desahogate #1: Growing Up Xicana/o, which had over 40 contributors from throughout Tejas documenting our varying experiences growing up as Xicanas and Xicanos. We are seeking contributions for Desahogate #2, which will be themed “Amor y Pazion.”

Is your passion fighting for La Raza or other social/political causes that are personally or culturally significant? Do you love the sight of your family gathered around the table to enjoy a meal that reflects the amor and hard work you put into it?

Is your passion creating arte y música, dancing, playing sports or
customizing cars? Or do you have another interest that no one knows about and which you are ready to share with the world?

Last but not least, do you have a unique love story about a family member or a significant other?

We are a diverse Raza and would like this collection of stories from our community to reflect those amores y paziones that give meaning to our lives.

This is another step we are taking towards strengthening, and collecting stories from, nuestra comunidad. Desahogate #2 will again allow us to tell our own stories in our own estilo.

All are welcome to contribute, including youth, elders, unpublished and published writers. We accept essays, short stories, entrevistas, poemas, and comics, as well as photographs and other forms of arte. We are asking that submissions be completed as a Word-formatted document or another Microsoft-compatible word processing program, if possible. But we will accept handwritten or typed submissions, if needed. If you would prefer, we will also audio record your submission, with advance notice.

No sexist, homophobic, or racist submissions, por favor!

If you are able, please send a $5.00 donation for a copy of Desahogate #1: Growing Up Xicana/o. These funds will allow us to raise additional funds to publish our second issue.

**Donations not necessary to submit stories/poems.**

Deadline for submissions: January 15, 2006.

Please send your submission along with your name and return address:

In Tlilli, In Tlapalli Press
c/o Xicana Xicano Education Project or
xicanaxicanoeducationproject@yahoo.com
PO Box 37105
San Antonio, TX 78237