Let's play!

From our Mailbag 05/06/01 - 05/22/01 - Mail sent to us from 05/19 - 05/21/01 probably didn't make it through. Apologies.

Is That What You Thought Before Rod Booked...?

From Darhl S., Tampa Bay, FL, USA:

SUBJECT: Bon Journey!

Rod,

Wow! I think this move/travel is going to be good for you. The past two Glass Houses have been the most upbeat writing by you in a long - too long - while.

I had to chuckle and shake my head at one throw away line about an almost 50 year old running home to momma... It put things in perspective. I now have the 27 year old back in the house (for a short time only damnit!) again.

A week ago, a freak strong thunderstorm raked the south beaches and tore the roof off her apartment house. Her apt was the worse hit with water damage. Has her stuff in storage and is sleeping here till she finds another apt.

...Oh, and it has been the full moon too. ROFLOL

Just wanted to say Thanks... you got off the pity pot and sent it to me. :-)

Do have a ball on your trip. Keep in touch.

dc


From Frank for President, (No City Provided,) USA:

SUBJECT: I'm Married

Subject: I'm Married

Marriage isn't what its cracked up to be. I masturbate so much more now. Stay single men! Keep your manhood and don't get caught up in the big lie (Marriage) that was created for the benefit of women only!

Frank


From Dan VM, San Francisco, CA, USA:

Subject: The Corner

Rod and Raheem -

Just out of curiosity, have either of you read a book called The Corner, a pretty powerful, insightful book about drugs and violence on the streets of Baltimore?

Dan


ROD RESPONDS: Dan, I haven't but I'll keep an eye out for it. Didn't Charles Dutton direct a television adaptation for HBO Television?


From Yona R., San Francisco, CA, USA:

SUBJECT: HAVE FUN, WILL TRAVEL

my suggestion? barcelona. :)


From Faye R., LeCompton, KS, USA:

Dear Rod-

You've been on my mind steadily since March 30. I drafted an email to send you then, but I was reluctant to send it, because painful though it was to think of you closing the website, even more painful was the thought of you continuing to suffer in order to keep the website going.

You write from the heart and that's where the pain is. I'm happy that you will be seeing and smelling the oleanders and seeing your family. You are in a major transformation that will take you where you need to be, geographically and within your soul.

You are a beautiful person and have touched my heart through your work and a conversation we had about compassion. I will miss you but it's bittersweet because I think you'll be happy which is the most important thing.

You have given the gift of yourself to many of us and will remain in my heart. Knowing there's another person out there who lives from the heart is a gift of grace.

My best,
Faye R.
Lecompton, KS


ROD RESPONDS: Faye,

Thank you for your kind "letter." But! --- rest assured --- there will be no one to miss. I am and have always been a "virtual" person. As long as there is a phone line (even a pay-phone) my mind emissions will be there for you and others to enjoy. I know now that *I could not live* without the G21. As one friend put it, it is my family and my community. It's my own window to the world...

Believe it or not, I'm already gathering articles for the first edition from Bermuda. So, I shall be with you. I shall keep you in my prayers as I hope you will keep me in yours...

You cannot imagine how strange it is to receive so much love from people you will never see, but know that you touch (in some small way) by just opening your heart and shamelessly sharing not just the pain, but also the silliness and stupidity we are all prone toward. I sometimes dream that I shall attend a party where I can see all of you (and all of "my" writers) face-to-face.

Barring that, of course, I've again chosen to see the rest of the world, such that I can better reproduce its history in my Cathedral of Words.

Best,
Rodya


From kojjomojjohehe, (No City or Country Provided):

SUBJECT: I Have a Suggestion for You

hello I visited your website and I noticed that you did not have a message board.. So I just wanted to say that you should add one, because it will allow your visitors to interact with each other.. and also allows you to interact with them too.. If you want to add one just check out the page below it has a selection of a few websites that help you add a message board to your site

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http://www.screwymail.com/


From Bobbie B., (No City Provided,) OK, USA:

my name is Bobbie and i am a high school senior at in Oklahoma. I am writing a theme that includes the Matthew Sheppard case. I was very offended when i found your editorial and read it. I am also a Christian who believes that homosexuality is wrong. It says so in the bible. But i do not hate those who are gay because as a Christian i am to love everyone no matter what. I DO hate sin...not the person. Gay people are worthy of being alive...they deserve a second chance and the mercy that God has to offer everyone so they should not be killed by anyone. I am shocked that another person would choose to kill a homosexual because of his decisions. We as God's people have no right to carry out murder because God will take care of that(Romans 12:19..). We are, though, to listen to our government and obide by the laws. God has put those people in authority over us. I see how our nation is getting worse in hate crimes. Many people are responsible but i don't think it's fair to point out the religious community and say we are to blame. We only speak the truth..we do not preach to kill..but we do preach sin. It is God's place not ours to take upon action. I'm sure the religious community realizes that therefore we are as shocked as you are, but being hateful and angry is no way to solve this problem. Only with God's love and goodness are we able to forgive. I hope i did not offend you and if so i appologize. In God's love,

Bobbie


From Jorge C, Georgetown University, District of Columbia, USA:

SUBJECT: Is G21 Still Active?

Dear Rod,

I found your online magazine while looking for something else and I would like to know if you are still working on it, since it looked like it had not been updated in a while.

If not, are you working in any new literary projects?

Sincerely,
Jorge


ROD RESPONDS: Jorge,

Our first edition from the Bermuda Isles will appear at midnight GMT Friday.

I hope you enjoy it.

Cheers!
Rod [Okay, I was wrong. That was Monday midnight. My bad!]


From Lloyd Morcom, South Gippsland, Victoria, AUSTRALIA:

SUBJECT: Vox Populi Response

No right to vote in Australia, Mark?

I'm not sure where you got this from: at last count I could vote in local, state and federal elections and if I was indigenous, ATSIC (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission) elections -- in each case every three years.

It's true there is no Bill of Rights as there is in the USA guaranteeing free speech, but in practice, the greatest restriction is caused by overly strict libel laws and the fact that like the US, most media is in the hands of a few powerful players. There are notable exceptions: Rod mentioned Crikey (unusually, run by a conservative stirrer) and also I recommend to you Margo Kingston's site, Canberra Inside Out, which is a small experimental twig on the majestic trunk of the Sydney Morning Herald, one of the major establishment broadsheets.

I think the fall of Singapore was more the fault of the British, Mark, as after all, it was their colony, and the consensus among military historians seems to be that the defenses were poorly organised and the British commander lazy and defeatist.

The situation of the Aboriginals is still a disgrace, and there is a vigorous and very public debate over what to do. Fortunately, they are served by a quite exceptional group of leaders in their communities and things will improve over time. Currently, Adan Ridgeway, the deputy leader of the third largest party in the Federal Parliament, is aboriginal (and under thirty), and is almost universally respected.

There is a central register of all citizens in Australia over the age of eighteen: it is called the electoral roll. Voting is compulsory although there is no way to stop informal voting. Mind you, I didn't register until I was twenty-eight and there were no consequences for me.

As for criticising the government, it's so much a national pastime that politicians have lately made a plea for more understanding and appreciation from us.

Incidentally, Stephen Mayne, the proprietor of Crikey, is media celebrity in his own right and recently gained enormous publicity after the Victorian State government clumsily excluded him from a news conference on tax reform.

Politicians in Australia, as elsewhere, hate scrutiny of their operations. They support freedom of information when they are in opposition, and work to suppress it when in power. They never succeed, except in the short term.

So in summary, Australia is pretty much like most modern democracies: not perfect by any means but a long way from the nightmare you seem to be living in, Mark!

Regards
Lloyd Morcom


From Paul R., (No City Provided,) USA:

SUBJECT: Why Movies Supposedly Suck

I wonder how the 11 winning screenplays you listed in your very enjoyable article managed to avoid disappearing into development hell? Is development handled differently at different studios? Hmmm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best Wishes,

Paul


From Pam C., (No City Provided,) USA:

To whom it may concern,

Hi I'm a mother of two and my girl is sisteen and my son is twelve, I think anybody with children should be worried if they let them listen to Marylyn Manson he is a sick sick man who needs to be put away >from society like prison as a child he said he was molested and as far as his appearence goes well all you have to do is look once and you will see a sick man who is screaming out in his lyrics on how he feels and children are listening to how he feels and they are to young to know what he's really saying.Ý This man is killing our children and it is getting out of hand, say for instance that we were saying that garbage that he tries to sing we would be put in a phyco ward where he should be.Ý My 16 year old daughter is writing his lyrics as poems and it is sick we brought her too have her evulated and also to a phycytrist and we dont let her listen to his suicide music but she finds ways to listen to it and she's always grounded and she tries to dress gothic and she finds the make up at school from her friends, when i read her poem that i found it was mansons lyrics his awful music and my daughter phycytrist and we had 3 different doctors and they all said the same thing, that our children shouldn'tÝ be listening to that over and over and they also said it doesnt matter how they dress well it matters to me.Ý My son hates the way he looks and he said he's a very weird thing not a man cause he can't tell and most people can't.Ý I blame him for all the school shootings and stabbing at school cause the man is sick and needs help,Ý thats all he sings about is depressed stuff nothing good at all comes out of his mouth and far as his fake name whats up with that he's a scared little child himself and his day will come cause i dont believe he is going to heaven either, he changed his name cause he was a scronny kid so he had to get a name that stood out anyone blind can see that.Ý I am a very worried mother and all parents should band him and his music from getting to our children and magazenes.Ý thanks for reading my letter.Ý If any of youre childre have his cd or tape i urge you too listen toÝhis bad andÝ sick music, itÝ has stabbing with a knife and kill all the parents.
From Bill P., Oakland, CA, USA:

SUBJECT: History

Rod,

It's funny how personal traits turn out to be passed from one generation to the next even within estranged families.

Happy history hunting, enjoy the adventure!

Bill


From Darhl S., Tampa Bay, FL, USA:

SUBJECT: Ahoy, Matey!

Figured that was as good a greeting as any. I have no earthly idea what they say in Bermuda. Hell, it might even be "Yo mon" :)

Hope you are enjoying your vacation (or is it, escape?)...

Knowing you, you have been trying to fix everything with the web site from afar. (Not successfully, btw, I'm still getting timeouts due to the links to ads.blah.blah despite your cheerful missive this afternoon) That's probably just God, telling you to relax and enjoy life for a bit.

Here's something to ponder:

THE PERFECT BREAKFAST.......

YOU'RE SITTING AT THE TABLE AND YOUR SON IS ON THE COVER OF THE BOX OF WHEATIES.

YOUR MISTRESS IS ON THE COVER OF PLAYBOY.

AND YOUR WIFE IS ON THE BACK OF THE MILK CARTON.

Have fun, be good, be careful (pick two out 3)...

dc


From Lloyd Morcom, South Gippsland, Victoria, AUSTRALIA:

SUBJECT: "The Trouble with Men"

Dear Rod

"The Trouble with Men" is quite a chilling little tale, and several similar contemporary stories spring to mind. There is the well publicised case in Australia's near neighbor East Timor, where during the recent destruction of that country by Indonesian troops and their allies, one of the anti-independance militia leaders kidnapped a fifteen year old girl ,who is now pregnant and has been seen in his company in West Timor whence he and his gang had fled. There was also a television documentary about a similar practice by bandits in some lawless part of Ethiopia, where one girl proved not to be such a manageable captive and shot her kidnapper dead.

No doubt there are many other similar cases in countries not subject to media scrutiny or the rule of law.However, I have to say something about this story that troubles me: Why "The Trouble with Men"? I readily agree that "The Trouble with Communities without the Rule of Law" is hardly a snappy title, but surely we should aim for truth before poetry. "The Trouble with Men" implies that men everywhere kidnap and rape children as a matter of course. Yes, rapists are nearly always men. But so are burglars, yet no-one sees every man as a potential burglar, unless they are suffering from advanced paranioa.

When I read such a story, what do I immediately feel? In a well written story such as Elizabeth's, one instinctively identifies with the victim and their suffering. One identifies in this way as a person, not as a man or woman. Perhaps damaged or depraved souls will identify with the rapist, but they are a minority, as are burglars.

The idea that say: rapist are men, therefore all men are potential rapists, is an attractive one to some people. It is the same type of reasoning that lies behind racial stereotyping. I was robbed by a black man in the subway, therefore it is OK for the police to come down hard on crime and harass all black men in the streets.

Let's not confuse issues. Our communities are better places to live in as a result of wise laws and functioning institutions which make justice available to all, and when citizens are regarded as persons first and their colour, sex, ethnicity are not made the subject of value judgements.

Sincerely,
Lloyd Morcom


From Diane D., (No City Provided,) USA:

SUBJECT: Comment on Beauty Pageants

Your comments were very interesting andÝon target.Ý I thought it was going to be all perverse, but to my suprise, it really was an interesting read.

Diane D.,
Administrative Asst.
From Robert O., Nairobi, KENYA:

SUBJECT: A New G21

Dear Editor Rod,

This latest issue of the G21 is real fantastic. Congratulations.

Robert

ALERTS, ACTION, STUFF PEOPLE THINK YOU SHOULD KNOW

Forwarded by Ric W., Austin, TX, USA:

A Quisling Press Corps By Robert Parry May 7, 2001

After years of denial, The Washington Post has acknowledged the existence of the Right-Wing Machine.

Post national political correspondent John Harris came to this epiphany grudgingly, never using those exact words. But in a Sunday article in the Outlook section, Harris recognized that U.S. conservatives have built a powerful and well-financed apparatus that can dictate the tone of the political discourse in Washington. The article observed that there is no countervailing apparatus on the liberal side of national politics. In his article, Harris concedes that he'd still like to deny this. Harris writes that his initial reaction to Democratic complaints about the fawning press coverage of George W. Bush was to dismiss the griping as "self-pity," characteristic of President Clinton and his allies. Nevertheless, Harris does ask the question: "Are the national news media soft on Bush?"

"The instinctive response of any reporter is to deny it," Harris writes, unintentionally revealing how widespread this press corps' defensiveness is. "But my rebuttals lately have been wobbly. The truth is, this new president has done things with relative impunity that would have been huge uproars if they had occurred under Clinton."

After ticking off a few innocuous reasons why the news media might have gone a little soft, Harris then acknowledges that "there is one big reason for Bush's easy ride. There is no well-coordinated corps of aggrieved and methodical people who start each day looking for ways to expose and undermine a new president.

"There was such a gang ready for Clinton in 1993. Conservative interest groups, commentators and congressional investigators waged a remorseless campaign that they hoped would make life miserable for Clinton and vault themselves to power. They succeeded in many ways." [WP, May 6, 2001] As we have reported at Consortiumnews.com since we went online in fall 1995, this Right-Wing Machine indeed has succeeded in many ways. Beyond coloring the immediate political environment, the Machine has altered the nation's understanding of its own recent history, creating a mythology for the past quarter century. This has occurred with the acquiescence of the national news media and some leading Democrats.

The mythology also is not something of the past. It continues to cost the nation dearly, from the hugely expensive plans to construct Ronald Reagan's Star Wars dream to rejection of environmental alarms about global warming. Nixon & Vietnam

The Machine's origins can be traced back about a quarter century, to the mid-1970s and to two key elements of conservative dogma. One founding myth was the belief that a "liberal" press lost the Vietnam War for the United States. The second was that an innocent Richard Nixon was hounded out of office through a bogus scandal called Watergate. As it turned out, neither point was true. Historical studies by the U.S. Army concluded that poor strategy, high casualties and overly optimistic battlefield reports were the chief culprits in losing the Vietnam War. Nixon's own words on the Watergate tapes make clear that he was guilty, guilty, guilty of gross abuses of power during his reign in the White House. Nevertheless, these twin articles of faith convinced the conservative movement that it needed its own institutions - think tanks, news media and activist groups - to counter the perceived "liberal" bias that had led the public to see the Vietnam War as a terrible mistake and to view Nixon as a corrupt politician.

In the late 1970s, with the coordination of Nixon's Treasury Secretary Bill Simon, conservative foundations began funneling millions of dollars to think tanks, media outlets and attack organizations that would become the spearhead of the Right-Wing Machine.

With Ronald Reagan's election in 1980, the power of the federal bureaucracy was thrown behind this effort. Reagan authorized what was called a "public diplomacy" apparatus that spread propaganda domestically and targeted journalists who reported information that undermined the prescribed "themes."

Also, in the early 1980s, Rev. Sun Myung Moon began pouring in hundreds of millions of dollars a year from mysterious sources in South America and Asia. He used the money to build expensive media outlets, such as The Washington Times daily newspaper, and to sponsor lavish conferences for conservative activists. Though members of Moon's inner circle admitted that the Moon organization was laundering money in from overseas to finance his operations, few questions were asked about the source of the cash.

Wobbly Press
During the 1980s, major news organizations began to buckle under the pressure - from The New York Times and Newsweek to National Public Radio and the national TV networks.

Reporters who wrote straightforwardly about U.S. military adventures in Central America, for instance, found themselves under harsh attack from the Right-Wing Machine and from the Reagan-Bush administration. Gradually, these journalists were weeded out of the national news media, leaving behind a residue of journalistic quislings who won high-profile spots both in the news columns and on the pundit shows.

Yet, since these journalists had grabbed the high-salaried jobs at the expense of honest reporters who were targeted by the Machine, this new journalistic elite had a powerful self-interest in denying the existence of the Machine. To admit its influence would amount to a self-condemnation. So, over the years, this caste of top journalists evolved into a bunch of sneering loudmouths who often moved as a pack and would tear apart victims already bloodied by the Machine. Conversely, these journalists and pundits instinctively understood the danger of taking on allies of the Machine. A few conservatives might overreach so much that they became vulnerable but they had a far greater measure of protection. During the Reagan-Bush years, the Right-Wing Machine mostly worked as a defensive mechanism, protecting Ronald Reagan, George Bush and their subordinates during such crises as the Iran-contra scandal or disclosures of cocaine trafficking by Reagan's Nicaraguan "freedom fighters." Even, lifelong Republican conservatives, such as Iran-contra special prosecutor Lawrence Walsh, came under withering attack when they dared to press for the truth about Reagan-era scandals. [For a more detailed summary of this history, see Democrats' Dilemma or Robert Parry's Lost History.]

The Clinton Switch
After Bill Clinton's election in 1992, the Right-Wing Machine switched from playing defense to playing offense.

The national media elite switched, too, eagerly joining in the attacks against Clinton for relatively minor indiscretions, such as the Travel Office firings and ill-timed haircuts. The quisling journalists saw their opportunity to attack Clinton as especially liberating because it was a way to free themselves from the conservative label of "liberal media." As Clinton's eight years rolled on, the mainstream press corps increasingly merged with the right-wing apparatus. Both elements obsessed on every Clinton indiscretion, invading his personal life in ways that have never been seen before in U.S. history.

In the early days of the Monica Lewinsky scandal, First Lady Hillary Clinton complained about what she called a "vast right-wing conspiracy." Her comment provoked howls of laughter and knee-slapping in the punditocracy. If a "right-wing conspiracy" existed, surely the Washington press corps would have written about it.

Yet, the behind-the-scenes story of the assault on the Clinton Presidency remained a non-story, explained only at Web sites like this one, at Salon.com and in books, such as The Hunting of the President by Gene Lyons and Joe Conason.

While going 24/7 on tales of Bill Clinton's sex life, the mainstream and conservative press joined in ignoring or pooh-poohing convincing new evidence of major Reagan-Bush crimes. The press corps barely noted in 1998 when the CIA itself admitted that scores of Nicaragua contra units were implicated in cocaine trafficking and that the Reagan-Bush administration had hidden the evidence.

These two journalistic standards existed simultaneously, side by side: one protective of the right's friends and one destructive of the right's enemies. Through it all, the mainstream press insisted that it was behaving with professional objectivity. Campaign 2000

The parallel double standards continued through the 2000 campaign. While Al Gore was called to account for every perceived misstatement - even some manufactured by leading newspapers <020100a.html> - George W. Bush and his running mate, Dick Cheney, largely got free passes for lies, distortions and hypocrisy.

For instance, while Gore got hammered for allegedly puffing up his resume, Cheney dodged any significant criticism when he insisted during a vice presidential debate that he received no help from the federal government in his business career at Halliburton Co. In fact, the giant oil services firm had benefited from Cheney-arranged government loan guarantees and juicy Pentagon contracts .

While avoiding criticism for this deception about his business dealings, Cheney was allowed to lead the attack on Gore for alleged petty lies about his achievements. The news media made no mention of the hypocrisy. This double standard was crucial in enabling the Bush-Cheney campaign to remain competitive in the election. Their campaign lost by only about half a million votes nationally and snuck into office when five conservatives on the U.S. Supreme Court effectively awarded Bush 25 electoral votes from Florida.

Legitimacy
Though gaining the White House as the first popular vote loser in more than a century and the first to reach the presidency through the intervention of allies on the Supreme Court, Bush found the Washington news media eager to grant him a mantle of legitimacy.

In doing so, the press corps oohed and aahed over what might have seemed like serious bungles, such as his handling of a downed U.S. spy plane on a Chinese island.

As Harris noted in his Washington Post article, the reaction would have been quite different if Clinton was the one who claimed the crew members were not hostages and then sent a non-apology letter saying "very sorry" twice to win their release.

"What is being hailed as Bush's shrewd diplomacy would have been savaged as 'Slick Willie' contortions," Harris noted. Similarly, Bush is allowed to reward his rich donors by granting them closed-door meetings with top administration officials, elimination of regulations and giveaways in his budget. By contrast, Clinton faced months of hearings and screaming headlines over White House coffees and sleep-overs in the Lincoln Bedroom. Harris ends his Washington Post article with a positive spin. He writes that it is "good for Washington in giving a new president a break at the start. And those people eager to see this president face scrutiny can rest assured: The opposition is sure to awaken."

But there is little reason to think that Harris is right. He may be pleased that the Washington press corps has been generous toward Bush - as the press was to Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and was not to Clinton and Gore. Harris might not be disturbed by the lack of professional evenhandedness that is supposedly the hallmark of American journalism. Change? It is harder to understand why anyone would expect this pattern to change. Why will the balmy breeze that has so far puffed out George W.'s sails stop blowing? For nearly a quarter century, the national news media has been drifting in the same direction.

Virtually all the top news executives are products of this system. Almost all have been rewarded handsomely by it. Why would they suddenly change course, challenge the right, and risk their careers? Only a determined effort by Americans who recognize the threat to democracy that this quisling media now represents can change the direction. Possibly, the only hope is to build an entirely new news media dedicated to the real journalistic principles of honesty and fairness. That will not be easy and will not be cheap. But it should now be clear what the costs are of doing nothing. Robert Parry is an investigative reporter who broke many of the Iran-contra stories in the 1980s for The Associated Press and Newsweek.


From Judy P., (No City Provided,) USA:

NOW ON VIDEO!! Rare archival film material, formerly only available for viewing at the Smithsonian and the Lincoln Center Library of Performing Arts:

"THE SPIRIT MOVES"
Filmed in the early 1950's by Mura Dehn, these videos document jazz dance steps and styles from 1900, with special focus on the social dances of the Savoy Ballroom of Harlem.

Dances and steps include: Strut...Cakewalk...Charleston...Lindy Hop... Aerial Lindy... Susie-Q...Snake Hips...Black Bottom....Fish Tail...Shake Blues ...Gutbucket blues...Trunky Doo...Boogie-Woogie...Shimmy... Calypso...Apple Jack...Mambo
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Also available on video:

VINTAGE JAZZ CLASSICS SERIES $19.95 each Videos featuring rare film footage of the great jazz artists of the early to middle 20th century:

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http://www.swingdanceshop.com/jazzclassics.html

Visit the Archives of Early Lindy Hop
http://www.savoystyle.com

Shop at the SavoyStyle Swing Dance Shop
http://www.swingdanceshop.com

Travel Radio Channel

From Elizabeth English, Boulder, CO, USA:

****************http://www.moondancefilmfestival.com***************

Screenwriters, filmmakers, TV writers, radioplay writers, playwrights, music video makers, children's writers & filmmakers, young filmmakers, animators, librettists & lyricists, puppetry theatre artists, short story writers, producers, directors, distributors, agents & managers

CALL FOR ENTRIES:

The MOONDANCE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL invites you to participate in our festival competition, which gives writers and filmmakers, playwrights, music video makers, short story writers, TV writers, radio dramatists, puppetry theatre, children's filmmakers & writers, and young (18 & under) filmmakers a unique opportunity to come together with other writers, directors and producers to create new opportunities, develop tools for success and forge new alliances within the international film and entertainment industry.

Information & printable entry forms for the 2001-2002 competition are available on the website now. Please check out the website! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me via e-mail any time: info@moondancefilmfestival.com

Best Regards, Elizabeth English

****************http://www.moondancefilmfestival.com***************

2001-2002 COMPETITION CATEGORIES:

• FEATURE SCREENPLAYS
• SHORT SCREENPLAYS
• SCREENPLAYS FOR CHILDREN'S FILMS
• STAGE PLAYS
• SHORT STORIES
• FEATURE FILMS
• SHORT FILMS
• CHILDREN'S FILMS
• DOCUMENTARY FILMS
• ANIMATION FILMS
• TV EPISODICS
• TV PILOTS
• TV MOWS
• RADIO PLAYS
• MUSICAL SCORES, LYRICS & LIBRETTI
• MUSIC VIDEOS
• PUPPETRY THEATRE

TWO COMPETITION DEADLINES: JULY 1 & OCTOBER 1, 2001
****************http://www.moondancefilmfestival.com***************

LOVE FILM? LOVE ART?

Now you can get great art at amazing prices and help support the Moondance International Film Festival at the same time!

ArtRx.com, the community of Art, Antiques and Collectibles, is sponsoring an online art auction to benefit Moondance on May 10-17. Just go to www.artrx.com/moondance to view the artworks. This special collection even includes some great vintage movie posters! Participating is easy íŸÏ just register for your free Artrx membership then click to place your bid. Bidding is fun and when you are the winning bidder you get more than just a beautiful item to decorate your home or office íŸÏ you are also helping to support the Moondance International Film Festival and its work.

The auction opens on May 10th at 12 noon (Mountain Time) and closes May 17th at 12 noon (Mountain Time).

Check out the ArtRx Personal Bidder info at http://www.artrx.com/main/artrx/help_auction.html#2 that will automatically place bids for you up to the highest amount you designate so you don't have to be online for the final bidding. www.ArtRx.com

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PLus FILMS & EGG PICTURES are currently reading and considering for production all Moondance 2001 winner & finalist screenplays!

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New Moondancer, Joanne K. Tolladay, was named First Prize winner in the WriteSafe.com competition for her feature film screenplay, "STONES FROM THE HEART", and one of her prizes was a free entry for her screenplay in the Moondance 20001-2002 competition. Congratulations, Joanne!

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JOIN Moondance sponsor REELMIND!

Members Receive: A personal media website, the ability to post up to 35 minutes of streaming media (film/animation/music), post info on your screenplays & stageplays, a web-based email account to field questions and comments about your work, promotion on the REELMIND homepage, access to our comprehensive film festival database, in-depth articles from industry professionals, discussion forums with filmmakers, animators, writers and musicians, film festival info, an e-commerce outlet for the sale of VHS/DVD/CD products, film/animation production resources, monthly REELMIND newsletter, and an inside track to investors.

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StoryExchange, as a Moondance 2001-2002 sponsor/partner, offers a free listing to all Moondance 2001-2002 finalists of feature screenplay and stage play categories. They also offer all winners in these categories (in addition to the free listing) a special placement in their weekly buyer e-mail, sent to each of their 350 buyers. StoryExchange buyers include Miramax, Samuel Goldwyn Films, Jersey Films, People Magazine, Rolling Stone, Conde Nast, and many others.
WEBSITE: www.storyexchange.com

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African-American Women in Cinema: Since the spring of 1998, African American Women in Cinema, a non-profit organization, has worked to support women filmmakers through film festivals, industry workshops, industry panel discussions and creation of a resource database. Our mission is to improve cultural understanding and overall social welfare through the promotion of diversity in all filmed entertainment. WEBSITE:
www.aawic.org E-MAIL: aawic@hotmail.com

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mermaid7seas productions

CHECK OUT SCREENPLAY READER SERVICES AT MOONDANCE FILM FESTIVAL PRODUCER
www.mermaid7seas.com
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