Squat The World

And on this day finds itself as Occupy Wall Street Day 160. And Occupy Wall Street and those global revolutions of a movement Occupy Together are still moving fast. And so here's one of those emails that found itself in my email inbox the other day that I thought to repost on this blagh in an attempt to maintain content for this blog and my other blog whenever web 2.0 social media user generated content blaghers block possible.

Squatting Europe Kollective (SQEK) comes to CUNY Monday, Feb. 27

A collective of activist researchers from the European squatting movement are gathering in New York City. They will be at CUNY to meet with students and faculty and speak about the decades-old movements of squatting and building occupations in their respective countries. Generations of activists have participated in occupations of vacant buildings in Europe, beginning in the 1970s. With the worldwide rise of the Occupy movement, the deep reservoir of experience within the movements of political squatting have become suddenly significant. In two events at CUNY, these scholars and activists will share their methods for collective, participatory, interdisciplinary research and their knowledge of the history and present practices of squatting in Europe.

New York City, February 23-27, 2012
Squatting Europe Collective, New York City, February 23-27, 2012
1. Press release
2. Reception, Thursday 2/23 at ABC No Rio, 7-10pm
3. AAG sessions, Friday 2/24 at Hilton Hotel, 2nd floor Nassau Room
4. Saturday, February 25th, afternoon/evening – Public presentation: “Squatting in Europe: Prospects and Perspectives” at Living Theatre, 5-7pm; ends sharp; drinks afterwards at The Suffolk, Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center
5. Sunday, February 26th – brunch meeting at 16 Beaver Group 12-4pm // meet with O4O group at 7pm
6. Monday, February 27th – Public meeting with students and activists CUNY-GC 2-5 PM // Presentation at CUNY-GC 6:30-8:30pm
7. SQEK and House Magic library at Interference Archive, Brooklyn8. AAG session description (theoretical questions around militant research)Squatting Europe Kollective Convenes in New York City for the first time ever, a group of activist researchers from the European squatting movement are gathering in New York City. They will make public appearances to speak about the decades-old movement of squatting and building occupations in their respective countries.The tradition of political squatting is moving from the shadows into the light. With the world-wide rise of the Occupy movement, the deep reservoir of experience within the movements of political squatting have become suddenly significant.Generations of activists have participated in occupations of vacant buildings in Europe, beginning in the 1970s. The best known early success was the famous “free city” of Christiania in Copenhagen. But every major city in Europe has experienced some version of politicized squatting, most recently in the form of social centers.The members of SQEK – Squatting Europe Collective – have gathered for special sessions at the Association of American Geographers’ annual convention February 24. A public discussion, meetings, film and graphic arts exhibition are among the other activities planned for the meeting, Scheduled activities for SQEK 2012 New York City:2. Reception, Thursday 2/23 at ABC No Rio, 7-10pmThursday, February 23rd 7-10 pm – Reception for visiting researchers and activists
poster show of “House Magic” zine about squats and social centers
ABC No Rio cultural center
156 Rivington Street
Loisaida, NYC // abcnorio.org3. AAG sessions, Friday 2/24 at Hilton Hotel Squatting and Social Centers: Resistance and Production of Critical Spaces I
(5 sessions, 8am-6:20pm) in Nassau A, Second Floor, Hilton NY
Note: Single session costs a lot of money, but you can probably sneak into this room which we have all day. Look like you belong there; it will be a radical egghead party…
8:00 AM – 9:40 AM – Participants: Miguel A. Martinez (University Complutense of Madrid/CSOA Casablanca) and Lucy Finchett-Maddock (University of Exeter), Pierpaolo Mudu (University of Rome/Forte Prenestino), Hans Pruijt (Erasmus Universiteit, Rotterdam), Loredana Guerrieri (Osservatorio Di Genere, Istituto Storico Della Resistenza, Macerata, Italy), Matthias Bernt (Leibniz Institute for Regional Development and Structural Planning, Leipzig)10:00 AM – 11:40 AM – Participants: Linus Owens (Middlebury College, Vermont), Nathan Eisenstadt (Bristol University), Giovanni Piazza with Valentina Genovese (University of Catania), Alessia Marini (University of Rome, La Sapienza), Matthias Bernt2:40 PM – 2:20 PM – Participants:Elisabeth Lorenzi (UNED Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia), Amy Starecheski (CUNY City University of New York, Graduate Center, New York), Thomas Aguilera (Sciences Po, Paris), Andrea Aureli (St. John’s University, Rome), Matthias Bernt2:40 PM – 4:20 PM Panel session; Participants: Justus Uitermark (Erasmus University, Rotterdam); Maria Rodó de Zárate (UAB Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona); Giovanni Piazza; Miguel A. Martinez; Thomas Aguilera; Amy Starecheski; Hans Pruijt; Andrea Aureli; Eliot Tretter (University of Texas, Austin)4:40 PM – 6:20 – Mark Purcell (University of Washington, Seattle); Eli Meyerhoff (University of Minnesota); Pierpaolo Mudu; Lucy Finchett-Maddock; Nathan Eisenstadt; Alessia Marini; Loredana Guerrieri; Elisabeth Lorenzi; Salvatore Engel-DiMauro (SUNY State University of New York, New Paltz)4. Saturday, February 25th – SQEK internal meeting 9am-12pm LOCATION TBD5. Saturday, February 25th, afternoon/evening – Public presentation: “Squatting in Europe: Prospects and Perspectives” (Living Theatre, 21 Clinton St half a block below Houston Street, 5-7pm; ends on the dot of 7pm); drinks afterwards at The Suffolk, Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center, southwest corner Suffolk and Rivington
Public presentation by members of the Squatting Europe Collective (SQEK)
“Squatting in Europe: Prospects and Perspectives”
A roundtable with the members of SQEK

Confirmed participants in a roundtable public presentation are: Miguel Martinez, Elisabeth Lorenzi (Madrid, Spain), Hans Pruijt (Rotterdam, Netherlands), Gianni Piazza (Sicily), Eliseo Fucolti (Rome, Italy), Thomas Aguilera (Paris, France), Lucy Finchett-Maddock (United Kingdom), Lynn Owens, Tina Steiger (Copenhagen/USA), Alan W. Moore (Madrid/USA)6. Sunday, February 26th – Public meetings with activists
noon-4pm – brunch and afternoon session at 16 Beaver Group, 16 Beaver St., Wall St. area (tentatively confirmed)
7pm – Catholic Worker auditorium (55 East Third St.) – a round table, “talking turkey” with activists of O4O (Organizing for Occupation)7. Monday, February 27th –2-5 PM, in Room 5409, SQEK members will have an open meeting to discuss their research projects and approaches with interested students and the public.6:30-8:30 PM, in Room C201, SQEK researchers will discuss European squatting movements.8. SQEK “Living Library” at Interference Archive, Brooklyn, continuing throughout the weekend
131 8th St. #4. Brooklyn, NY 11215 (Gowanus) 2 blocks from the F/G/R trains (4th ave. and 9th st.)3. AAG session Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting 2012 // Friday, 24 February, 2012

Squat the world. Housing is a human right. Have a great squatter day and more.

Squat Or Rot

Squat or rot. The squatters are your neighbors. Housing is a human right. Squat the world. Free the land. If you need a home, take one. Whose right is it to say the land is for sale anyway. No one is free when others are oppressed. And so goes a host of other sayings and philosophies when it comes to that word squatting and living rent and tax free, or something like that. And so I found this email that arrived in my email inbox the other day that I thought to repost on my blog for those squatter, housing and beyond events, because hey, it's less writing sometimes, I think. And what if anything, does this have to do with a No Police State?

Three upcoming events on squatting in NYC‏


Hello all -

I wanted to let you know about three quite different events coming up, all about squatting in NYC. Full details below

1. Panel on squats, social centers, and autonomous spaces at the NYC Anarchist Book Fair, Saturday April 9, 11-12:30

2. I am giving a paper on adverse possession and historical documentation, based on the 13th st case, at a conference at CUNY on Monday, April 11, from 1:30-3:00

3. Matt Metzgar and Peter Spagnuolo are giving a talk about The LES Squatter Homesteader Archives Project at Pete's Candy Store on Monday, April 11, at 7:30


1. Squats, Social Centers and Autonomous Spaces.

Saturday, April 9, 2011 @ the Anarchist Book Fair. 11 am - 12:30 pm

55 Washington Sq. New York, NY 10012

Squatting is a key activist tactic to address the needs for housing and space for political action. Together with occupation, this kind of organized trespass is becoming increasingly important in our repertoire of direct action tactics today. What is the present-day experience of squatting as a political act? In other countries, occupied social centers organize political activity in the cities. Is U.S. squatting hopelessly disorganized and decentralized? What have been the challenges of opening new spaces? What have been the challenges and rewards of passing on knowledge from one generation to the next?

These are some of the questions we will address and this is the people who will respond to them

Alan Moore: Co-founder of both ABC NoRio and Colab. *Live from Paris @ La Generale.

Howard Brandstein: Homesteading organizer and Director of Sixth Street Community Center.

Frank Morales: Episcopal priest, squatter and housing organizer.

Marta Rosario: A long time resident at Umbrella House Squat and an exceptional vocalist.

Ryan Acuff: Housing organizer and member of Take Back the Land.

Moderators:

Amy Starecheski: Oral historian, doctoral student in Anthropology at the CUNY Graduate Center, and former squatter.

Sebastian Gutierrez: Teaches in the Film & Media department in CUNY's Hunter College and documents testimonial video events in NYC squats.

2. Mini-conference: "Producing History: Place, Memory, and Documentation"

Monday, April 11, 2011
11:00 am – 4:00 pm
The Graduate Center, CUNY

365 Fifth Avenue, Room 9205

11:00 – 12:30 PANEL: Producing History at Sites of Memory
“Sites & Reflexivity: Narratives at the Manzanar WWII Camp NHS”
— Rachel Daniell
“Exhibiting Atrocity: Memorial Museums & the Production of the Past”
— Amy Sodaro
Commentator—Dr. Vincent Crapanzano

12:30 – 1:30 BROWN BAG LUNCH

1:30 – 3:00 PANEL: Archives, Property, & the Production of Heritage
“Futures Entombed: Properly Historical Subjects, Living Human Treasure, & the Incorporation of History in Salvador, Brazil's World Heritage Center”
— Dr. John Collins
“Squatting History: The Documentary Practices of Adverse Possession”
— Amy Starecheski
“The Affect & Effect of UNESCO World Heritage”
— Andrew Hernann
Commentator—Dr. Katherine Verdery

3:00 – 4:00 NETWORKING & DISCUSSION
Coffee, Cookies, and Conversation

FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
sponsored by the CUNY Graduate Ctr Anthropology Dept and the Doctoral Students Council

www.productionofhistory.commons.gc.cuny.edu

3. THE ONCE AND FUTURE SQUATTER:
with Matt Metzgar of the Lower East Side Squatter Homesteader Archive Project and Peter Spagnuolo, co-founder of the Lower East Side Squatter Homesteader Archive Project.

FREE LECTURE!!!
Monday, April 11 7:30pm
Pete’s Candy Store (709 Lorimer St. Brooklyn)

In the 1980's and '90's the squatter-homesteaders of New York City's Lower East Side created an urban movement attempting to answer directly the housing needs of low-income and homeless persons by seizing abandoned tenement buildings and improvising their own homes and culture. The evening will address current efforts by squatters and homesteaders to create a research archive "from the ground up"-collecting, preserving and organizing the evidence of underground, insurgent movement-as well as the significance such a collection may have for scholars and the public. With reference to other American cities, the pro's and con's of strategies of direct methods of housing, the predominance of squatting as a global phenomena, and the specific cases of "Social Center" squatting in Europe, and its lack in the USA--the evening hopes to make palpable an overlooked, yet palpable legacy that boldly proclaims: Homeless/Artist/Activist: House Thyself, Socialize the Community!
Have a great squatting and more day.
And in other blogger thoughts....
Looking for a degree where you can make a difference and help people in your community? Check out social work online degree.

Real Estate

Real Estate and housing. That seems to be a well used phrase here on planet earth, especially if you find yourself in need of that basic necessity of human life, shelter. And housing is a human right, isn't it. As if seems as if everyone, or a least a lot of people are always talking about where they live, what kind of place they live in or where they are moving to, and what that place is like where they have lived and where they have moved to. And so this posting happens to be about Wilmington NC real estate and Wilmington NC homes , as in housing one can find in that city of Wilmington to be found in that state of North Carolina. And I have always thought of North Carolina as one of those states to be found in the southern part of that country of North America. And so if you happen to be looking for that Wilmington NC real estate for some reason or another, you can find it on the internet without ever having to leave home, or at least without ever having to leave a computer, as now with the invention of all things internet and the world wide web, finding that North Carolina real estate can be just a website visit away.

The Rent Is Too Damn High.org

The rent is too damn high. And if you live in that city of New York, your rent may be to damn high, The Rent Is Too Damn High, and your rent is too damn high. And how do I know the rent is too damn high in that city of New York, and probably just about everywhere in the world right about now, because Jimmy McMillan when he was standing on the corner of 14th Street and 1st Ave a while ago with that rent is too damn high party van with all of those the rent is too damn high party posters all over it with those the rent is too damn high horns on that rent is to damn high car blaring that the rent is too damn high message next to that rent is too damn high table with that rent is too damn high literature on it says so. And I have read of this rent is too damn high guy in the papers before when he ran as the rent is too damn high party campaigner for mayor right along with that Naked Cowboy who finds himself half naked playing guitar in Times Square in that city of New York all the time, every so often. And it does seem to be a gentrification to the point of genocide kill off the poor who can afford to live anywhere day and times to where even the yuppies, those young urban professionals, can't even afford to pay the rent without ten full time jobs and twenty roomates these days and times, as those same two hundred dollar apartments from long lore ago, now seem to be two thousand dollar apartments in the game of monopoly. And what about those utopian ideas? Housing is a human right. If you need a home, take one. And you don't even have to pay taxes. I have thought developers or individuals should work with the market place on how to formalize squatters rights, that the world housing crisis and mortgage meltdown will give rise to the squatters struggle as a vision of a world freed from bankers, bosses, and landlords who currently claim ownership and by freeing the land from the oppressors and creating zones of resistance and saying no to concentrated landlord and government ownership; to create a viable alternative for people of neighborhoods to restore homes through their own efforts. It is my utopian vision of seeing the earth as a liberated zone one day. Whose right is it to own the land that was supposed to be given to us free anyway? That the basic necessity of life, shelter is not free. Free the land. Squat The World. No one is free when others are oppressed. Is another world possible. And what if anything, does this have to do with a No Police State?

Squat

Hey again bloggers, or whoever could be reading this blog. And so here on this day I find myself encountering that blaghers blah blog block again in search of something to post on this blog in an attempt to maintain content for it whenever possible in my blogaholicness. And so here's an event and a video that I found interesting to post, as they seem as if they can be interesting adventures.

Roundtable On Political Squatting with Alan W. Moore and company

Matt Metzgar of the Lower East Side Squatter-Homesteader Archive Project, and New York artist Carla Cubit will speak about the Lower East Side squatting movement. Alan W. Moore will speak about "House Magic," his research project on Occupied Social Centers in Europe, which is presently on display at Basekamp, at 723 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA.

Saturday May 29th 7PM
ROUNDTABLE ON POLITICAL SQUATTING
with Alan W. Moore, Matt Metzgar, and Carla Cubit
@
Wooden Shoe Books
704 South Street
Philadelphia PA 19147


And this Video, Trudy Benson at FREIGHT+VOLUME, Who's Afraid of Ornament at NURTURE ART that seems to be about art, art and more art.



Have a great blogging day.

The Condo

And I have heard of those condos before. As I believe those are usually those dwellings, buildings and apartment houses to be found here on planet earth for human beings. And usually if one finds themselves as one of those human beings dwelling here on planet earth they may find themselves in search of some kind of shelter from the elements of the earth. And then there are Miami Beach condos. And also from what I can recall, Miami beach rocks. At least in all of those advertising images of people walking down the beach having fun in the sun. And I have always thought of Miami Beach having the most beautiful style of architect to look at and behold. And the way those beautiful homes in Miami Beach, South Beach, Ocean Drive and others can be practically across the street from the beach, one does not have far to go to the beach in they live there. And now with the invention of all things internet, if you happen to be looking for one of these Miami Beach condos, you can search for them from the nearest computer you can find. You can find those Miami condos for sale without ever having to leave home, or at least without ever having to leave a computer. And with Miami Beach condo shopping, that Miami Beach condo can be just a website visit away.

Moving?

Moving? That seems to be one of those things one may find themselves doing every so often as one of those human beings dwelling here on planet earth in need of some sort of shelter. And if you happen to be looking for a moving company for that move, you can compare movers at MoveBuilder. They are a website where you can find moving resources for all your moving needs. You can get moving estimates, find moving boxes and more at their website. You can also search for the state you are moving from and the state you are moving to at their website as well. With MoveBuilder, moving from place to place is just a website visit away.

Here On Earth

And so I find myself blogging again on this blog, wondering what to blog about simply because I started this blog to blah blog every so often. And if seems as if this world is spinning out of control, and was it ever in control I am not sure, when the Yahoo Headlines read "Mom admits to helping son build weapons cache, and gunman kills many at a school, then self". And it is enough to have one leery of going to school for fear of gun violence these days and times. Is it 2012 and Kali Yuga on track, this world we live in these days. And what would that National Rifle Association have to say about this. And in other thoughts, most of the news seems to be all about the national economy being in debt, debt and more debt and tanking and going downhill these days, all during the elections and the changing of those White House office workers. And for what reason is that place called the white house anyway. That could be a whole another blog posting. And there is becoming so much of a national debt that even the Federal Reserve and Treasury are starting to have difficulty printing up enough money to cover it all. And is this the beginning of one of those depression recessions. Maybe one can squat the world and dumpster dive for free food durint these times. Maybe if everyone needs a home, they could take one now, maybe. Maybe alternative ways of living free from oppression can be considered now, maybe. Maybe another world is possible, where people can be free to live off the land. Whose idea is it that the land is for sale anyway. Housing and shelter, a basic necessity of human life. And for some reason that bible verse comes to mind, "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows". And what, if anything, does this have to do with a No Police State? Peace on earth and goodwill to all mankind.

Tompkins Square Park

And there seems to be a new book of photography from Powerhouse Books called "Tompkins Square", with photographs in black and white by Q. Sakamaki and essay by Bill Weinberg that has appeared this week in memoriam of the 20th Anniversary of the Tompkins Square Park Riots in that Park, that park everywhere in that former New York City neighborhood of the Lower East Side, that is now called the East Village for real estate marketing purposes maybe. I know this book has been written because a friend, The Village Voice, The New York Times, The New York Press, The Villager and other newspapers this week say so. And that book seems to be about documenting the history of that park then and now, its symbol of resistance, its bandshell long torn down, lost and forgotten, it's homeless encampments, its home for the homeless, its abandoned buildings,its tents, its affordable housing, its squatters squats, its riots, its protests, its arrests, its evictions, its police confrontations, its Squatter May Day Concerts, its festivals, its AIDS souls, its punk rockers, its hippies, its Dinkinsville, its Avenue A,B,C and D Alphabet City scene, Its La Plaza Cultural, its neighborhood, its 80's, 90's and pre gentry gentrification, genocide era, its destruction and its resurrection. And it is a book of photos and there seems to be lots of historical and archival photos of that neighborhood and times indeed in that book. And there was a book launch and 20th Anniversary Commemoration at the Powerhouse Arena just yesterday I believe, to commemorate that park and era I guess. And this book seems to be a book to read. Squatters Rights... The Squatters Are Your Neighbors...No Housing No Peace...Squat The World...No one is free when others are oppressed...Is another world possible...Long Live CBGB's. Long Live The Lower East Side. And what does this have to do with a No Police State?

A Squatting Forum

And maybe it could be possible to free the world and squat the land. I know because when I just signed into my MySpace there was one of those inbox messages with a title that read "Tomorrow, 8/7: Squatting Forum @ 123". And I gather by that title, that there is a forum and discussion about Squatting, an ideal that's been long gone, lost and forgotten as the last remaining Squats of New York's Lower East Side, that is now called the East Village for real estate marketing purposes have been bought off or sold off. And it is an era on gentrification and genocide, so much that even the yuppies, or young urban professionals can no longer afford the rent without ten roomates or twenty full time jobs. And that internet bible dictionary Wikipedia seems to have an entry for this alternative type of housing. And whose idea is it that the land is for sale anyway. And New York seems to be an ever changing era and landscape in its real estate. And the text of that event invite read:

"Join Freegan.info for a forum on squatting and reappropriation of the conditions of homelessness. The dispossessed are denied their rights to food and shelter by a system that recycles suffering and servitude. It is time to take advantage of the conditions of neglect by resettling abandoned buildings to forge the consensual space of extra-political collectives. The talk will be about squatting, and the formation of networked collectives to engage in the nuts and bolds of every-day class struggle. The spaces of every-day life need to be revolutionized for autonomy, self-determination, and freedom! Admission and Food Free.
Sponsored by Freegan.info and 123 Community Space

And the squatters are, were your neighbors. Long Live The Lower East Side. And what does this have to do with a No Police State?

The Tea Lounge

And so I somehow found myself winding up at this place called the Tea Lounge that's this really cool lounge in Park Slope, Brooklyn with seemingly a ton of couches everywhere and people all sitting there looking at their laptops all the time drinking tea and lots of tea. And that place seems so cool that I could just sit there all day and night blah blogging away on some laptop, seemingly if they have free wi fi at least. And that place is located across the street from another place that I have heard of called the Park Slope Food Co op, or is that the Park Slope food coop? Anyway, and so my friends band "Funk Monk" was playing there that night, and so was this other band called "The Bird Hive Boys". And Funk Monk was a jazzy night, and Bird Hive Boys was a bluesy, bluegrass sort of night that night. And their music rocked. And then there is another story of gentrification, almost genocide of yet another long time establishment that has fallen to the housing crisis of New York in this rent going through the roof, one needs ten roommates to survive era. Someone said that the Tea Lounge on 7th Avenue, or is it 10th Street will be closing at the end of this month. And will this place be replaced by yet another bank. And does the housing crisis in New York, where even the yuppies can no longer afford the rent, reflect the state of the nation and the state of the world. And there seems to be overdevelopement and a wrecking ball going through this town so fast that I can not keep track, as a new building seems to go up or out of business, or opens for business and seems to appear and disappear out of nowhere that was not there the week before, each week I walk down most any block of this city. And the landscape is changing. And it seems as if someone should keep track and write some sort of obituary for all of the businesses that are losing and have lost their lives so fast in this town for usually the sake of money. And CBGB marked an end of an area along with a host of other merchants and individuals in this city and its housing crisis of the decade 2000. And it seems as if every decade in real estate in New York has its era and is different, as New York seems to be ever changing, and the only thing constant is change. And what does the next decade hold for New York and its real estate, if anything. And will squatting and the land of the free ever arise again. And for some reason that phrase "Class War, Class War, Class War on the Poor" comes to mind. Long Live The Lower East Side. And in other thoughts I read that there is a recession and a depression, a foreclosure crisis, Uncle Sam is going broke with the European Union and the food is disappearing, and the animals are dying and disappearing and the globe is warming, and the climate is changing, and there are wars, wars, and rumors of wars, and the world seems to be spinning out of control. Is there hope for the world. And what if anything, does this have to do with a No Police State? Peace on earth and goodwill to all mankind. Have a great music day.

These Times

And as the headlines each day read more and more about the economy of America going downhill and broke, and while I was on the subject of that mortgage meltdown crisis a couple of blog posts ago, there is some article I came across in the Suddeutsche Zeitung Magazin that I came across a while ago during those travail travelling times in Germany that reads "II. Krise, Bislang haben wir nur von den vielen Amerikanern gehort, deren Hauser infolge der Finanzkrise zwangsversteigert wurden. Hier sehen wir, wie sie jetzt leben." and the first paragraph of this article goes on to read "Die Sonne uber Kalifornien sorgt fur angenehme Temperaturen. Herb duftende Holzapane bedecken den Boden. Darauf stehen in Reih und Glied 149 grun-weisse Polyesterzelte, fabrikneu. Ein Campingplatz? Das Idyll trugt. Alle zehn Minuten peitscht ein startender Jet uber den kargen Staubplatz. Erholung finder hier sowieso niemand." And the article goes on for a few more pages. And this is a language of German that I do not really understand and confuses me. And I can only understand the photograph of a full page that accompanies this article of an encampment of about 100 or so green tents forming straight military like lines in a big open field. And I think this article says something like, in California people have lost their homes and are homeless because of the foreclosure housing and mortgage crisis and are now sleeping in tent encampments. And this seems like something of a surreal photos that could have been taken from the great depression dust bowl era of the 1930's itself. And for some reason that verse comes to mind "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the son of man hath not where to lay his head". And that other verse, "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows". And whose right is it to say that the land is for sale anyway, a basic necessity of human life. And maybe and hopefully squatting and homesteading may prevail during these times and the land and people can be free, as no one is free when others are oppressed. Is another world possible. And what, if anything does this have to do with a No Police State?

Another Event

And I was reading another one of those Todd Eaton emails today that seem to be all protest all the time, and this one was titled "Time Out on Atlantic Yards". And it was talking about developers destroying and demolishing whole communities in Brooklyn for no apparent reason other than I am not sure. And that word developer that I've been hearing a lot lately when it comes to overdevelopment leads me to wonder for what reason does the word developer contain the word devel which sounds like devil? Or is that a whole another blah blog posting. And in other thoughts, I received yet another email for yet another music event, and this one seems to be a jazz music event. And I usually find myself posting events that seem interesting because hey, it's less writing sometimes:

For the second year in a row, “Home Field Advantage – Experimental Jazz in Jersey City” will present Jersey City based musicians performing cutting edge improvised music in their hometown every Friday in May. The festival, organized by Jersey City resident and musician James Keepnews, will take place at Toy Eaters Studio, Lex Leonard Gallery in Jersey City at 8pm. The festival’s concert schedule this year will be:

5/2 - Tony Malaby’s Tamarindo -- with William Parker and Nasheet Waits
5/9 - People's Revolutionary Party -- debut of an avant-garde big band organized by James Keepnews, with Daniel Carter, Ras Moshe, Matt Lavelle, Tomchess and many others
5/16 - Bryan Beninghove -- featuring Eyal Maoz and special guests
5/23 - Damian Catera -- with Michael Lopez and G. E. Schwartz
5/30 - Nate Wooley -- with Chris Speed, Reuben Radding and Harris Eisenstadt
5/2 – JC Resident and saxophonist Tony Malaby’s Tamarindo -- with William Parker on bass and Nasheet Waits on drums

When Tony Malaby is not playing in bands led by Fred Hersch, Charlie Haden, Paul Motian and other greats, he’s leading a growing number of his own groups.
Some of Tony’s best work is with trios. Consider Open Loose with Mark Helias and Tom Rainey; or Tone Collector with Eivind Opsvik and Jeff Davis; or Malaby/Sanchez/Rainey,featuring Tony’s wife, the marvelous pianist Angelica Sanchez.

William Parker unveils his latest project being Corn Meal Dance and The Inside Songs of Curtis Mayfield. Nasheet Waits, of Jason Moran’s Bandwagon, can play with streamlined purity behind Fred Hersch one night, then unleash torrents of sound with Peter Brotzmann the next.

5/9 - People's Revolutionary Party -- debut of an avant-garde big band organized by JC resident James Keepnews, with Daniel Carter on saxophones, clarinet, flute and trumpet; Ras Moshe on saxophones and flute; Matt Lavelle on trumpet and bass clarinet; Tom Chess on saxophones, flute and Turkish ney; Nick Gianni on saxophones; Welf Dorr on saxophones; James Keepnews on guitar, laptop and electronics; Todd Nicholson on upright bass; and Michael Golub on drums, organizerd by James Keepnews.

James Keepnews has performed with Daniel Carter, George Lewis, Holland Hopson, Joe Giardullo, Linda Montano, Damian Catera and many others. Keepnews is a writer, actor and musican.His writing has appeared in the New Haven Advocate, the Fairfield Weekly, The Squid's Ear, Reign of Toads and Metroland Magazine.

Daniel Carter has performed or recorded over the past three decades with such artists as: Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor, Billy Bang, William Parker, Roy Campbell, Sabir Mateen, Sonic Youth, Simone Forti, Joan Miller, Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), Nayo Takasaki, Earl Freeman, Dewey Johnson, Nami Yamamoto, Matthew Shipp, Billy Martin, John Medeski, Wilber Morris, Denis Charles, Medeski, Martin, Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Options, Spring Heel Jack, Yo La Tengo, Federico Ughi, Raphé Malik, Sam Rivers, Sunny Murray, Hamiet Bluiett, Bob Moses, Jaco Pastorius, Enrico Rava, David S. Ware, Steve Swell, Matt Lavelle, Karl Berger, Don Pate, Gunter Hampel, David Grubbs, the No Kneck Blues Band, Alan Silva, Susie Ibarra, Steve Dalachinsky, D.J. Logic, Margaret Beals, Douglas Elliot, Butch Morris, TEST, Other Dimensions In Music, One World Ensemble, Saturnalia String Trio, Levitation Unit, Wet Paint.

Tomchess has performed with Drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson’s Decoding Society, Butch Morris’s Sheng Skyscraper, recorded with Tenor players Dewey Redman, Pharoah Sanders, Morrocan Sintarist Hassan Hakmoun and Butch Morris. He has studied with Bassam Saba, Tidiani Bangoura, Abdul Aziz Tourè and Mohammad Camarra. He has performed at the Turkish Embassy, the Pakastani Embassy and the Asian Society among countless other venues in NYC and the United States.

On his steady search for the right balance between “free” and “groove” Welf Dorr's composing and (alto) playing are mixing influences from the jazz of the 60’s (from free jazz in general to Miles’ band with Wayne Shorter in particular) with contemporary elements from hip hop, drum&bass and world music. Originally from Munich (Germany) he studied at Berklee before he moved 1995 to New York. Here he played and recorded a.o. with Frank Lacy, Sonny Simmons, Sabir Mateen, Jeffrey Shurdut, Lukas Ligeti, Vernon Ried and participated in many conductions by Butch Morris as a member of the Nublu Orchestra. In 2005 he recorded a concert with a quintet including Kenny Wollesen on drums (no unfamiliar name in the NYC downtown jazz and avantgarde scene, who has played with all kinds of musicians from John Zorn to John Scofield) and Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet (long time member of Steve Coleman’s Five Elements). Besides playing in different jazz clubs in the US, Europe and Mexico he performed at festivals such as Willisau (Switzerland) or Celebrate Brooklyn as well as places as City Hall of New York.

Bassist and composer Todd Nicholson has performed with Billy Bang, Roy Campbell, Eddie Gale, Frank Lowe, William Parker, James Spaulding, and Steve Swell, among others. His work with the legendary violinist, Mr. Bang, is especially notable for its longevity: Nicholson has been a core member of Bang's ensembles for the past seven years. He has appeared in the Vision Festival, the Rochester Jazz Festival, the Other Minds Festival, Tampere Jazz Happening, Sons d'Hiver, the Ottawa Jazz Festival, and the Full Moon Festival. He has collaborated with numerous dancers, most recently Carmen deLavallade and Gus Solomons jr. at Symphony Space.

Michael Golub is a drummer, guitarist and socialist. He has composed music for the classic upstate ny ensemble, Kuru, who were briefly signed to Knitting Factory records, and for his current band, The Red Hook Project.

5/16 – JC resident and saxophonist Bryan Beninghove - featuring Eyal Maoz on guitar and special guests

Bryan Beninghove has performed with such jazz luminaries as Eddie Henderson, Rufus Reid, Ron Affif, Jamey Haddad as well as young guns like Mark Guiliana, Sam Barsh, Duane Eubanks, Rick Parker, Josh Dion. Bryan has also performed with the hard rock group Clutch, the indie band Lake Trout and beatbox extraordinaire Taylor McFerrin.

Guitarist Eyal Maoz is a composer and guitarist. Eyal was recently hosted at WNYC “Ear To Ear” radio program, presenting some of his music and ensembles. His latest CD Edom (Tzadik Records) with John Medeski on organ, Shanir Blumenkranz on bass and Ben Perowsky on drums is available now. His group Hypercolor just performed at the 2008 NYC Winter Jazzfest. Eyal's ensemble Edom performed at the 2006 Montreal Jazz Festival, 2007 BAM Next Festival and at the 2007 Winter JazzFest. His ensembles performed at the Verizon Jazz festival, Jewish Music and Heritage, The Red Sea International Jazz Festival and many others.

5/23 – JC resident and interactive guitarist Damian Catera - with Michael Lopez on drums and spoken-word artist G. E. Schwartz on poetry and vocals

Damian Catera is an electroacoustic composer/improviser, sound installation and media artist. In recent years, Catera has performed solo improvised “decompositions” using computer manipulated live radios as instrumentation in such venues as the New Museum of Contemporary Art and The Kitchen in New York City , the ZKM institute in Germany and the Institute for Contemporary Art in Prague. He is represented by the Hogar Collection Gallery in Brooklyn, NY and is the recipient of a 2008 Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

Writer, poet and vocalist G. E. Schwartz, frozen by the mad love of John Montague and Joseph Brodsky and Joey Heatherton, and the immense teaching of their spring of broken symbols, has turned and twisted in the circles of SOLOMONS RAMADA, FAKING TRAINS and EONCHS OF RUBY. He forfeited the divine nameless by putting out the book Only Other Are: Poems (LEGIBLE PRESS), all the while his little finger plumbing the dark moist sepal of new terrain. The Bellingham Dance Company has just choreographed his 'House of Silver Windows' out in the Seattle area).

5/30 – JC resident and trumpeter Nate Wooley -- with Chris Speed on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Reuben Radding on bass and JC resident Harris Eisenstadt on drums.

Nate Wooley is working with such improvisors as Paul Lytton, Anthony Braxton, John Butcher, Steve Beresford, Joe Morris, and Daniel Levin. His solo work, acoustic and with unprocessed amplification, has led him to work with bands such as Akron/Family, Wolf Eyes, Burning Star Core, and David Grubbs. The group, featuring Reuben Radding and Harris Eisenstadt, welcomes special guest Chris Speed tonight for a reading of this music as well as some of Nate's new Christian Wolff inspired 'exercises'.

Have a great music day.

Design This House

Now that seems to be a really cool and beautiful looking really big photo of a house that I placed in this blog entry for some reason or another. And the colors of that house are really beautiful also, as if it could be one of those country houses in the woods on an island all its own with its stone and wooden exterior. And I could imagine living in that house, or at least going there a lot, as it seems as if it could be one of those dream homes one sees in those beautiful homes magazines. And I never actually stopped to think about the shingles on the roof of that house and where they come from. And the shingles on the house in that photo above are a really cool color that seems as if they want to blend in with the rest of the background of that photo and that beautiful sort of country house look. And that blue sky and those trees seem to look so peaceful and serene that surround that house also. And I am not exactly sure if I would be able to put those shingles on that house if I had to. And what if I really did need to put those shingles on that house, what then, do I just go climb up on the roof and put a nail and a piece of wood into the roof, or maybe it isn't that easy. And if you need to Find a GAF ELK Factory Certified Roofing Contractor, GAF-Elk’s Premium Designer Shingles is there. GAF-Elk can help you find a roofing contractor for that home. They are a residential and commercial roofing company and they can help you to select the right contractor for your home remodeling needs. You can find a roofing contractor, distributor, lumber dealer, roofing ABC'S and installation guides and videos to watch about how to fix that roof at their website, and there's even a virtual home remodeler where you can see a full line of colors and design your own home. There are also many shingle styles and colors to be found at GAF-Elk's website for the construction and decorating of that home.

This Home

And today's posting seem to be about home insurance. And I would imagine that if one happens to have a home, whether it be an abode, shack, cabin, tent, mansion, castle, or some other type of dwelling that usually provides a roof over ones home, that one would maybe like to think that it is secure from insecurity of some sort. And if you happen to be looking for homeowners insurance to secure your home, Home Security Information is there for you. They provide information about fire safety and everything home security that one can think of. With their home security information, one can find out everything there is to learn about home security. It seems as if with their information about home security, that one can leave home for years at a time, return, and still find it there, I imagine. And you can also find information about home improvement ideas for improving your home at their website.

All About Home

Who are real estate agents and how did they get that way to become one. What must their lives be like in the realm of all housing all the time. If you ae interested in learning about all housing all the time, Fastclass.com is a Real Estate School that has a national directory offering careers in Real Estate, Mortgage, Appraisal, Home Inspection and many other real estate related courses. Their website also provides direct links to schools with online courses. Whether their classes are fast, I am not sure. This is a sponsored post.

Save My Assets

I find myself on the topic of money again in this post. The stock market is falling from delinquent credit and loans and mortgages are still being given away. The mortgage process seems to be electronic these days and one can now get their loans in an instant. Encomia's electronic evault software works very closely with MERS, the Mortgage Electronic Registration System, the independent eMortgage registry that ensures viable investor documents will be registered automatically, saving you time, paperwork and money. And try and remember to pay back your loan before the creditors start calling your telephone nonstop, if your telephone has not been repossessed by that point. This is a sponsored post.

Homeless in New York

And now the headlines in this weeks papers are saying the homeless in New York City shelters have to pay rent. What next? Is this not similar to some stories about people in prison have to pay rent? No one is free while others are oppressed. If only every one who needs a home could take one and squat the land and no one would have to pay rent to lords of the land and everyone could live free. Who's idea was it that the land, a basic necessity of life, is for sale anyway? And what if you do not have money and cannot afford to pay rent, will you become homeless? And for what reason am I thinking of that verse in the Bible, "And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." Luke 9:58. And what does this have to do with a No Police State?

Homeless in the World

So I was riding the New York City subway train the other day going my way, listening to those prerecorded messages of the MTA terrorizing its riders with the "If you see a suspicious package say something" message and I see a seemingly homeless woman sitting across from me with a big shopping bag, a garbage bag, wearing no socks in the middle of winter and sleeping. The rest of the subway car is full and the immediate seats around her are emply. I walk past homeless persons everyday in my whereabouts of this town and every city must have this problem. Will the poor we have always with us? Whose land is it anyway? Whose right is it to own the land that was supposed to be given to us free anyway? That the basic necessity of life, shelter is not free. I believe New York City has the highest concentration of poverty in America. As a former squatter in the Lower East Side, I believe in utopian ideas. If you need a home, take one. And you don't even have to pay taxes. I believe developers or individuals should work with the market place on how to formalize squatters rights, that the world housing crisis will give rise to the squatters struggle as a vision of a world freed from bankers, bosses, and landlords who currently claim ownership and by freeing the land from the oppressors and creating zones of resistance and saying no to concentrated landlord and government ownership; to create a viable alternative for people of neighborhoods to restore homes through their own efforts. It is my utopian vision of seeing the earth as a liberated zone one day. And what does this have to do with the No Police State?