Friday, November 28, 2008

"i don't listen to the suits behind the desk no more"

I finally finished putting together another Carrot Row catalog. You can get a copy by sending me a stamp, or you can just keep on reading and you'll get the basic idea.

Carrot Row Mail Order is a small, laid back zine distro with a focus on DIY zines that, for the most part, promote a simpler life. Gardening, bike riding, composting, cooking, and crafting are just a few of the topics discussed in the zines featured in this catalog. These zines will not only entertain you, but educate you as well, and that is the whole point of The Carrot Row. If you have a zine that you think would fit in well with this ideology, please send it my way and maybe we can work something out. Otherwise, browse the list and pick out a zine or two to add to your collection. You won’t be disappointed.

Agriculture Biotechnology (free)
A genetic engineering primer (if you eat food, you should know about this stuff).

Axis of Evil ($2)
Recipes from the Axis of Evil. A case against war. A plea for cultural diversity.

Chickeney #1 & #2 ($1 each)
Sam’s fascination with chickens and living the slow life.

CROQ #4 & #5 ($2 each)
The craft revolution is here. Where were you during the craft takeover?

Dimanche #5 ($2) & #6 ($1)
A food/perzine. Recipes, food tips/ideas, and a glimpse into Sabrina’s life.

Dumpsterland #11 ($1)
Classic hobo-punk zine about dumpster diving and composting.

EnvironMENTAL Imp Pack! #1 & #2 ($1 each)
Maaike’s sustainability zine: reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose and BUY LOCAL.

Farmer’s Daughter #2 ($1)
A farm zine written by a farm girl. Cow drawings and photographs included.

Fatty Boom Boom #3 (stamp/$0.50)
Vegan cookzine from English punk rocker.

Greasespot #4 ($3)
Punk rock stories by Texan punk rockers.

Greenwoman #1 & #2 ($3 each)
Sandra’s zine about gardening and being politically active. A gardening zine with lots to offer.

Punkman ($2)
Maaike’s comic about a punk rock superhero. Dumpster diving for the people. Do you believe in justice?

Resist #46 ($3)
Matte is back with more stories about bikes, gardening, parenting and DIY adulthood.

Spat Back #3 ($0.50)
DIY punk mini-zine from England.

Seattle DIY ($2)
Punk rock guide to Seattle, WA.

Sixth Minky’s Guide to Herbs ($1)
Maaike teaches you how to grow and harvest herbs for all your culinary needs.

Take It – It’s My Body ($3)
Chelsea’s zine about fat acceptance for the fat revolution.

Ordering stuff is simple. Just write me a note telling me what you want. Put the note in an envelope along with the cash (or we could also work out a trade) and mail that envelope here:

Dan Murphy
PO Box 3154
Moscow ID 83843
USA


When ordering multiple zines, please add a dollar or two or a few stamps to help with shipping.

Questions? Email:
messyelephant@hotmail.com

P.S. The Carrot Row will soon be restructuring. The mail order is dissolving but not right away. Stay tuned to learn more about a new website and a new direction.

Monday, November 17, 2008

"you can't trust a heart that was cold from the start"


Elephant Mess #20
Originally uploaded by juniperbug
"...don't waste your time on it."

I am ashamed to admit that I have finished another issue of Elephant Mess. I am hesitant to even tell you about it. It is an embarrassment. It is more sappy pap, and it's hopeless. Bring on the melodrama! Why do I have to be so "emo"? The worst thing about it is that most of the writing is old (whether it be several years or several months), and I don't really feel that way anymore. I'm over it, okay. Now leave me alone. Anyway, I figured I better at least get it out there so that I can move on. I have big plans for future EM's, so if you'd like to just pass on this one and wait for something better, that's fine with me. I wouldn't blame you. But if you're brave enough to see what all the fuss is about, then send me a couple bucks or some stamps or a trade, and I'll send (albeit reluctantly) a copy your way.

Dan Murphy
PO BOX 3154
Moscow ID 83843
USA
messyelephant@hotmail.com

"you could play all day
and tell your friends that everything's alright
the truth is that your heart collapsed
two years ago tonight"
-bayside

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

"all fallen leaves should curse their branches"

The results are in: Obama wins.
Hooray for rhetorical change: change you can believe in as long as it's not too specific.
Yes, of course I prefer Obama over McCain by far. And yes, of course I think it's awesome (incredible, really) that we have elected our first African-American President, and I am excited about that. BUT, the corporate state remains in tact, and the brutal war machine rages on. Let's not kid ourselves, the ensuing "change" as a result of an Obama Presidency will most likely be mild. Obama is, after all, a timid reformer and a BFF of the corporations and Wall Street. My question is, now that Obama has reached celebrity status and millions of Americans have fallen madly in love with him, swooning over his flowery speeches and endless charm, are these same people who elected him President ready to stand up, take to the streets and protest any bad policy that he attempts to push across (or under) the table during his Presidency, the same way that proud Americans have done for centuries. The act of protest against those in power is an American tradition. My point is that now that the elections are over and Obama has won, it is time to put our Barack-star worship aside and hold him to his promises and push him to make even greater promises (especially since his promises weren't all that great to begin with). We need to be willing to exercise our right to voice our opinions (beyond simply voting) regardless of who is President. Can we do that? Only time will tell.

Chris Hedges has enumerated a few things about President-elect Barack Obama to help us begin our protesting:

-his vote to renew the Patriot Act
-his votes to continue to fund the Iraq War
-his backing of the FISA Reform Act
-his craven courting of the Isreali lobby
-his support of the death penalty
-his refusal to champion universal, single-payer, not-for-profit health care for all Americans
-his call to increase troop levels and expand the war in Afghanistan
-his failure to call for a reduction in the bloated and wasteful defense spending
-his lobbying for the huge taxpayer swindle known as the bailout

As Hedges says, these are things that are "repugnant to most of us on the left." Hedges goes on to say that "there will be under Obama marginal improvements for some Americans although the corporate state, as Obama knows, will remain our shadow government and the working class will continue to descend into poverty. Democratic administrations have, at least until Bill Clinton, been more receptive to social programs that provide benefits, better working conditions and higher wages. An Obama presidency, however, will make no difference to those in the Middle East...I cannot support any candidate who does not call for immediate withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan and an end to Israeli abuse of Palestinians."

One more thing: It's November 5th. It's time to go to work.

"all fallen leaves should curse their branches
for not letting them decide where they should fall
and not letting them refuse to fall at all."
-David Bazan