Comments on: What’s It All About / A Rant about Landlords

By: jjack

jjack — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 09:01:22 +0000

Not to be too much of a smart-ass, but I knew you were in for a surprise as soon as you said that your key was in a storage shed under some pots. That’s a pretty clear signal that your landlord is a loose character! Anyway, I’ve lived in a few former meth labs so I know where you’re coming from. Hopefully you’ve gotten it straightened up a little bit by now.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 20:17:18 +0000

Paula and Gary, Thanks for writing. Paula, send me some of what you have written. I’d like to see it. Gary, keep up the good work. Which union are you with? Michael Yates

By: Gary Johanson

Gary Johanson — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 13:00:40 +0000

Mike, I am a Union rep who travels the Midwest, from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to new Orleans and west to Texarkana. One of my favorite techniques is to pull into a motel late at night on the outskirts of town, or on the old highway that was bypassed by the interstate, and negotiate for a better price. It works quite often. I carry a sleeping bag and government pop-up tent when this method does not work or I just feel like camping. My Impala has a roomy back seat which works ok for sleeping too. I rarely plan ahead and get a hotel, I just sleep where I end up that day. Much better than when i lived in my house in a Nevada suburb and life was boringly predictable. Gary

By: Carolyn Baxter

Carolyn Baxter — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 04:37:35 +0000

Gee Mike, I was about to seek publication with Monthly Reveiw. A Prison Memoir I just completed “Assata and The Baby Gangsta”about my 6yr. Prison Bid with Assata Shakur and the influence she had on my Life at 17.We are in a few Anthologys together WallTappings /Feminist Press 20th Century Prison Writings/ Penguin Putnam press and others.I feel your lack of motivation and reading your post was like hearing my own words in my head after trying to deter Urban Violence after a 15yr old took 3 in the chest pointblank and died a few months a back. My new first time “self Published” short story’s and poetry about REAL street Hustlas/Playas that have lost their live’s in the street game, with an excerpt of the prison memoir, I wrote it for the Youngins and It is a first hiphop political book for the “teens” as for promotion I sell them in Bootleg shops with the mixed tapes and I cant sell them fast enough but by myself..It is impossable.. I’M in the UFT United Federation Of Teachers in NYC and they are always talking about Crime and detering it etc etc – I wonder if it’s real?I want to have a group of people who served time and have written/Rap to go to the schools and kick alil science to the youngins..as if the Violence continues at this rate..the classrooms will be alot less students. I wonder how I can single handedly do it even though my book it is well loved/appreciated. Black on Black crime is my Crusade full force right now,I dont think I’ll do a self pub.book again as I am just not a good Business person..but just stopped by to show you that I feel your pain and that there is someone else out ther in the struggle! one love Carolyn Baxter

By: Sean Prendiville

Sean Prendiville — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 10:50:46 +0000

There’s also a favorable review of Cheap Motels and a HotPlate in the current issue of the CNA/NNOC publication, Registered Nurse. Page 18 in the following link. Good publication by one of the most vital, innovative unions around: http://www.calnurses.org/publications/registered-nurse-magazine/rn_mag_july_aug_2007.pdf