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Crash 1992 03
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CRASH Your guide to travel thru the underground Mar 1992
SAN FRANCISCO ISSUE
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GREETINGS
from the Crash Crew
We hope you stop in at San Francisco in your world travels because all
3 of us live here at the moment. It's a great city to bring your
leather or other cool clothes, because it never gets too warm to wear
them. The weather here is a bit weird. The warm months are not July
and August. They're usually September and October. The first thing you
might notice will be the fog which comes in almost every night. It's
thick and spooky and if vampire movie settings are your thing, you'll
love it. Rainfall is rare. One thing to remember about dressing for
here is that even if it does get warm during the day, come dusk the
temperature always drops to chilly. So make sure you bring a coat or
sweater with you if you plan on staying out until nightfall.
As you walk around Haight St., Polk St., and Valencia St., make sure
you check out the notices on telephone poles and in cafes. They'll
tell you all the latest shows, clubs, and other events coming up. And
while you're checking out your first couple of cafes, make sure you
pick up an *SFÊWeekly* or *Bay Guardian* magazine. They're free and
have listings for many things going on in and around the city. Of
course, here, as everywhere, you have to rely on word of mouth for the
really underground (interesting) happenings because these things tend
to be both transient and rarely publicized. Because of this, we don't
list events, but you can find about them by checking out the numerous
places mentioned in this issue.
So relax, this is California, ya know! So just chill while you enjoy
S.F. and don't forget to try the burritos and acid (music, that is).
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TAKE THE LOW ROAD
If you've read anything about San Francisco, you've heard about
"Haight-Ashbury," or what we call "Upper Haight." This area, mainly
Haight St. starting at Broderick and ending at Golden Gate Park, is a
great area to walk around and soak in the atmosphere and history. This
was the site of "The Summer of Love" during the Sixties. But since
this issue of Crash Update's goal is to explore the alternative San
Francisco, we introduce you to "Lower Haight."
Lower Haight, ignored by the mainstream, is a very cool section of
Haight St. between Scott and Webster. Look at all these amazing places
inhabiting just a 4 block span:
International Cafe -- good coffee, lots of bulletin boards.
Whole Foods -- friendly natural food store.
Love & Haight -- try the vegetarian avocado sandwiches.
Spaghetti Western -- trendy but fun cafe.
Ground Zero -- coffee shop with connection to SFnet computer network.
Naked Eye -- good selection of alternative zines, magazines,
newspapers, and videos.
Auricular Records -- zines, club passes, lots of alternative,
industrial records, tapes.
Used Rubber -- cool clothes, pocketbooks, belts made from used rubber
tires.
Noc Noc -- hi-tech bar with neo-Japanesque cyber design.
Tops -- bar with tiny dancefloor in the back and house music.
Toronado -- bar with over 200 different beers.
Mad Dog in the Fog -- bar with high energy and high ceilings.
--------------------------------------------
LETTERS * LETTRES * TE GA MI * POSTE * CARTA
Dear Crash:
I'm going to Mardi Gras before I go to NYC (I've got a place to crash
there), I guess your directory is free which is good coz I'm more than
fairly broke as you can tell by my modest donation. I need to find a
place to crash in Louisiana and Chicago, I also want to distribute my
comic there.
Thankew
Janicide (Canada)
[The Crash Directory only comes with a membership -- Ed.]
Dear Crash:
Thanks for the zine. Anti Clock Wise has now ceased. See #20 enclosed
for reasons. But I'll do copies of your flyer and pass 'em round. Your
address is the coolest I've seen in ages [Castro--get it?--eds.]!
Talking of which, I've just been to see Stone's film *JFK* which was
actually quite good, if a bit flawed factually. Oh well, good luck
with Crash, and I hope all's well stateside.
Yours, as always,
Richard Turner (UK)
Dear Editors:
...I really enjoyed reading the December '91 issue. I found the
articles to be illuminating and informative. I especially like the
piece entitled "Miles to Go -- A Traveling 20-Something." Excellent
layout and design too.
Sincerely
Mark Hand -- Editor -- "Incite Information" (USA)
Hello Crashers:
We received your publication and will put a short article about
Crash-Network in our next issue. With much appreciating. Oh, Happy New
Year!
Greetings,
Erik "De Nar" (Belgium)
Hello Miles,
Thanx for sending a copy of "The Crash Update." I liked the idea
behind it and I'll review it in an 8-page regular article I'm writing
in "Merlin's Music Box," Greece's biggest Fanzine.
All the best,
Bill "A.O.R." (Greece)
Dear Crash Network:
Many thanks for sending me a sample copy of The Crash Update, and for
listing me as a contact person in your "Debris" section for the
World-wide Networker Congress. For those of us involved in mail-art,
crashing is nothing new. There has been an evolving tendency in the
medium not only to write but to meet. We have even named this
"Tourism" a new art ism. I'm enclosing diaries of my recent mail art
tourism activities in South America and San Francisco. I've recently
had visitors from Estonia, Germany and Indonesia. It's a small world.
Thanks for alerting me to your network!
all best --
John Held Jr. (USA)
Dear Miles, John, Jon --
A Greek friend sent me your December copy and I'm impressed -- what a
great idea! I'm very surprised that you in SF of all places show no
understanding of women's legitimate worries, e.g., putting on the
membership form a box for "will accept female only" -- you might get
more members. And what about people like me who are traveling with no
fixed address? Can we join too?
Roberta (France)
[TCN is based on trust, and it's important that you correspond first.
If you feel strongly about any particular issue, you should use the
"Other Comments" blank on the membership form.
Of course modern nomads can join! Just keep sending in your new
addresses so we can update our database. -- Ed.]
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DEBRIS
Networking and information
* GAY AND LESBIAN TRAVEL VIDEOS: Pridetime, a Boston travel guide
company, produces travel videos on cities such as San Francisco,
Montreal, Ft. Lauderdale and Key West, Palm Springs, New York, New
Orleans, Chicago, San Diego, etc. The $19.95 videos, which range in
running time from 20 minutes to one hour, cover gay/lesbian history,
bars, beaches, restaurants, guesthouses, and holidays and special
events specific to each city. Coming out soon are videos on gay
Europe, including Amsterdam, Denmark and London. (800) 338-6550.
* TRAVELWRITER MARKETLETTER is an award-winning newsletter full of
current marketing information, news, tips for travel
writers/photographers. Send $60 (US funds, $70 airmail overseas.
Sample $6). Robert Scott Milne at the Waldorf-Astoria, 301 Park Ave.,
Suite 1850, New York, NY 10022, USA.
* ENVIRONMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES Monthly bulletin lists environmental
jobs throughout the U.S. Write for free descriptive brochure: EOT,
P.O. Box 4957, Arcata, CA 95521, USA.
* ALTERNATIVES TO THE PEACE CORPS booklet. Send US$5.00 to: Food
First, 145 9th St., San Francisco, CA 94103, USA.
* DIRECTORY OF ALTERNATIVE TRAVEL RESOURCES: Send US$7.00 including
shipping to: One World Family Travel Network, 81868 Lost Valley Lane,
Dexter, OR 97431, USA.
* GLOBAL EXCHANGE/REALITY TOURS, has just put out a new book called
"The Peace Corps and More: 114 Ways to Work, Study & Travel in the
Third World." US$8.50 ppd., 2141 Mission St., #202, San Francisco, CA
94110, USA.
* THE WILD RANCH REVIEW is a newsletter for small, community-based
groups and individuals who are living the credo of thinking globally
by acting locally. c/o Tim Haugen, P.O. Box 81, Gulnare, CO 81042,
USA.
* ENVIRONMENTAL VACATIONS -- volunteer projects to save the planet.
Send US$15.00 to: John Muir Publications, PO Box 613, Santa Fe, NM
87504, USA.
* TEACH ENGLISH IN CHINA. One year positions. Stipend provided. Must
have university degree. Call China Advocates (800) 333-6474.
* WORLD PERSPECTIVES. Alternative news, analysis from shortwave radio
sources. US$19/11 issues. Box 3074, Madison, WI 53704, USA.
* GREEN TORTOISE ADVENTURE TRAVEL BY BUS. There's nothing else like
it. Sleep lying down on fitted sheets over thick foam on window high
platforms and bunks. Bring your own tapes for the bus's stereo, help
in the preparation of meals, meet people, explore caves, stand under
waterfalls, visit towns, and generally take it easy. Send US$1.00 for
their catalogue: Green Tortoise, Adventure Travel, PO Box 24459, San
Francisco, CA 94124, USA.
* SCRIBBLE UNLIMITED PRESENTS #9. Cross-country road trip of Miles and
Darren with fun places to see in St. Louis, Omaha, Denver, and
Albuquerque! Plus stories and poetry. Send three 29c stamps or two
IRCs to: Scribble Unlimited Presents, P.O. Box 415, Rutherford, NJ
07070, USA.
* START A NEW HOLIDAY TRADITION -- Earth Day Postcards. Theme:
Peace...for the Planet. Selections will be featured on postcards for
Earth Day 1992. Scribble Unlimited Presents, P.O. Box 415, Rutherford,
NJ 07070, USA.
* LOVE NEW ZEALAND or want to travel there? Send $8 for 4 issues of
KIWIphile FILE (Canada/US $10). Helpful tips, information from other
travelers. 2715 Altura Ave., La Crescenta, CA 91214, USA.
* OUT YOUR BACKDOOR -- low budget outdoor adventure articles, with
everything from bicycles to boats. 4686 Meridian Rd., Williamston, MI
48895, USA.
-----------------------------------
A ZINE LOVER'S GUIDE TO THE MISSION
by Miles Poindexter
After you've checked the shops in Haight St. (especially Lower
Haight), take some time to find my favorite part of S.F.: The Mission.
This is an economically depressed but culturally thriving section of
the city centered around Mission Street. Many artists live in the area
between 15th and 25th St. Every block has a taqueria with giant
vegetarian burritos. El Buen Sabor on the corner of Valencia and 18th
has whole wheat tortillas, brown rice and a choice of pinto or black
beans. El Toro on Valencia and 17th has tofu and bean burritos. If you
get those late night munchies, La Parrilla Zuiza, on Mission near
19th, is open until 2:45am. All the others close by 11-12pm. For cheap
Middle Eastern food, and belly dancers on Saturday nights, try the
tiny Cafe Istanbul at 525 Valencia, near 17th St.
After eating, relax in one of the myriad of coffee shops in the
Mission. Muddy Waters on Valencia near 16th, Cafe Macondo on 16th and
Guerrero, and La Boheme Cafe on 24th near Mission St. all have many
different types of coffee, cakes, books, and magazines.
With your caffeine fix you're ready for some shopping. There are
stores full of used junk and cool stuff all over the Mission. Clothes
Connection on Valencia near 16th has colorful vintage clothes that you
can buy by the pound. If you go into any of the used book shops like
Valencia Books (524 Valencia), or Small Press Traffic (3320 24th), or
comic shops like S.F.ÊComic Book Co. (3335 23rd), you can find a small
pamphlet called *A Book Lover's Guide to the Mission* which lists many
of the places mentioned in this article.
For natural foods there's Rainbow Groceries on Mission near 15th, a
beautiful, inexpensive and friendly co-op. There are files and
bulletins in the front of the store announcing everything from cheap
plane tickets to ride-shares to the east coast.
Last but not least, I need to mention The Epicenter. This is a
volunteer run punk music store and zine shop. There's a pool table and
ping-pong table for free fun. Loud music of all kinds blasts most of
the time. They don't open till after 3:00pm, though, during the week.
The atmosphere is fun and unassuming, the offices of Blacklist
Mailorder are located here and best of all there is a zine library, a
reading room with thousands of zines. New ones are sent every day from
all over the world. Many of you reading this are plugged into the
underground zine world and hopefully will make sure to visit and
support The Epicenter. There's nowhere else like it in S.F. (475
Valencia, near 16th, right upstairs from the Clothes Connection).
At night there's always new bars popping up in the Mission. Two old
stand-bys are the Albion and Dr. Bombay. Both are on 16th near
Valencia (which if you hadn't guessed by now is quite a happening
zone). If you want to catch some bands go to the Chameleon, on
Valencia near 20th, or El Rio, on Mission St. near 29th. Both clubs
usually have a couple bands many nights a week. I hope this inspires
you to come visit. The section of Mission I live in is a little
"rough" but you are always welcome to crash here.
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THRIFT SCORE
by Lesley Poirier
So you've finally made it to The City (as we San Franciscans lovingly
call our town)! Feeling bleary eyed, tasting foamy mouthed and Oh My
God, in dire need of some burly fibers (clothes). OK, Hell-O! Before I
go on let me say that these god awful little explanations of my quaint
expressions (the ones in parentheses like this one) are totally the
work of the editor and totally not my fault, OK? So let me fill you in
on some prime locations for bitchin' clothes...and what else do you
visit a city for but to score some primo threads? And I'm not talking
about shopping anywhere retail. Even warehouses and outlets are retail
rip-offs. We're talking Thrift Stores here.
And why thrift? As long as you remain a poor student/musician/starving
artist type/average person with better things to do than work all your
life just to own a big TV with cable, retail priced new clothes are
off limits. (Unless you want to buy one thing and spend the rest of
your vacation eating rice and beans paying for it. You don't want
that!) You want lots of cool threads that if lost or damaged won't
ruin your life. Also, if you go thrift, chances are no one else is
going to have your article. It's art, it's beautiful, tacky, grody,
gruesome, whatever it is, it's expression, it's you! Plus, you get so
much more of a choice at a thrift. You can learn and explore new
styles and statements. Not like retail where they fool you into
thinking you have a choice, like, you can buy the brown currently-in-
fashion-mass-production shoes or the black currently-in-fashion-mass-
production shoes. When you thrift, you make your own style. There are
no displays to gently "guide" (read "brainwash") you into the correct
combinations and good taste. You're on your own! Anyway, aren't there
enough clothes in the world? Do we really need new ones?
So you've decided to thrift, I see, because you're still reading this
article. I hope I haven't twisted your arm...but anyway, before I
reveal the sacred locations that my years of experience and searching
have imbued me with the knowledge of, a few thrifting tips: Don't
bring many clothes with you when you travel; you can wear the ones you
buy, and you'll need the space to bring them back. Have patience. Plan
to go thrifting on a few different points in your vacation. If you
visit a thrift store once when you arrive, and once before you leave
(hopefully a few weeks or more later), chances are there will be many
new duds on your second visit. Thrift stores get more clothes like
daily ya know? The first thing to look at is the fabric. If it doesn't
please you, forget it! In fact, if you don't love it over all, don't
buy it, you'll never wear it. So, OK, here they are. Shaddap and
thrift.
St. Vincent DePaul's on Haight St. at Ashbury St.; Goodwill on Haight
at Cole, Mission at 18th, Geary near Polk, and Fillmore at Geary;
Wasteland on Haight at Clayton; Purple Heart Veterans Thrift Shop on
Mission near 15th; Salvation Army at 1185 Sutter and 1509 Valencia;
and for better selection but higher prices, Buffalo Exchange on Haight
at Clayton.
--------------------
ESCAPE FROM THE CITY
by John Labovitz
So you've come to San Francisco and you've been rushing around here
and there enjoying the sights and sounds of the Big City. But what's
this? You begin to think that the hustle and bustle of urban living is
perhaps just a fool's madness, lived by the collective population of
San Francisco.
I'm not going to argue whether you're right or wrong, but I will
suggest a brief vacation away from the incessant culture of The City,
back to the ancient and timeless place from which we all came --
nature, wilderness, the primal source.
The unique geography of the San Francisco Bay makes it home to a huge
number of ecologies, and its long-time military occupation (primarily
by the U.S. Army) kept many of these special places secret, unknown,
and undeveloped until the present time, when we've finally figured out
that nature is not something to dissect and destroy.
I realize that many travelers to San Francisco do not have a car at
their disposal -- which is just as well, considering the lack of
parking in the city, and the public transit system, which serves quite
well for almost any Bay Area travel. However, the farther out one
wanders from the Bay, the harder it will be to find a bus or train
that goes where you want to go. Many places I will mention are
accessible only by car, bicycle, or long (long, long) walks, but you
can certainly take buses to the places within San Francisco, in the
East Bay, and parts of Marin County.
If "you just can't get there from here" (by bus or train), ask around;
maybe that person sitting across from you at the cafe has a car and
has always wondered where, say, Middle Two Rock Road. (I'll give you a
hint: it's near Petaluma.)
Every place mentioned here is within a half a day's drive from the
city. If you have enough time to camp, you could drive even further
away from this supercivilized city --ÊCalifornia is chock-full of
county, state, and national parks.
Even if you want to stay within San Francisco, you still have some
choice spots to check out. Golden Gate Park is, of course, popular,
and shouldn't be missed, but just remember: until the mid-to-late
1800s, it was just sand dune and fields. It's kind of a Disneyland of
nature, where nothing is quite real.
There are dozens of parks in the city, ranging in size from the left-
over part of a three-way intersection, to parks covering many blocks.
If you have a map (or are near a MUNI bus stop, many of which have
maps permanently posted) look for areas shaded green. Many parks are
simply large manicured lawns, but they're still nice to lie down on
and read a book or sleep.
San Francisco is famous for its hills, but mostly in the context of
driving on them. Rarely mentioned are the numerous more-or-less
undeveloped hills, quiet, uncrowded, and peaceful. Check out Bernal
Hill, in Bernal Heights Park, south-east of the Mission; Buena Vista
Park, between the Haight and the Castro; and Mount Sutro (the one with
the huge red antennae system), west of the Castro and south-east of
the Golden Gate Park. I like looking over the city from these
viewpoints and imagining what it was like before the white man came.
Up in the Marina district in the far north of the city (east of the
Presidio, west of North Beach), check out Fort Mason (and it's
companion youth hostel) and then walk out past the Yacht Club to the
end of a little jut of land. There you will find the Wave Organ, a
strange man-made sculpture that translates the movements of the waves
into sounds.
All along the western and northern sides of the city (as well as the
land across the Bay in Marin County) is the Golden Gate National
Recreation Area. There are hiking and biking trails running through
the whole area, in terrains as varied as beaches, cliffs, and secluded
forest glades. The plant population of wind-blown evergreens and
grasses is mostly native.
The recreation area was appropriated mostly from the U.S. Army, who
had an incredible amount of military presence in the Bay Area until
relatively recently, mostly centered in the Presidio military base.
When the bases and their grunts moved to other areas of the country
(and, hopefully, will soon cease to exist), the land was made
accessible to the public. Since the Army never really used the land
for anything (there were no attacks, no guns fired), the area is
virtually untouched by human hands except for a few bizarre remnants
of gun turrets and escarpments that pop up here and there. Soldiers
and their families still live in the Presidio itself (which you pass
over taking Highway 101 or Highway 1 in or out of the city), so you
should still beware of people with badges and stripes while moseying
around the area.
If you decide to explore the rest of the country north of the city,
you'll find some of the best places are accessible from Highway 1,
also known as Pacific Highway. This primary sea-side travel conduit
runs from way down in Southern California, through San Francisco
(where it changes personality drastically and becomes 19th Avenue),
and far up the Northern Californian coast. It's narrow, winding, and
in some places, high above crashing waves, so if you're driving, watch
the road carefully (especially in the fog, which is common).
Taking Highway 1 out of San Francisco actually entails merging with
its younger sibling, Highway 101, and crossing over the Golden Gate
Bridge into Marin County, stereotyped home of hot tubs and yuppies.
But if you avoid the overdeveloped and crowded suburban towns like
Mill Valley, Corte Madera, and San Rafael, and instead make your way
northwest on Highway 1, you instead will pass by Stinson and Muir
Beaches, and be within hiking distance of Mount Tamalpais. Check out
the redwoods in Muir Woods for some sense of scale in nature -- 300-
foot trees aren't found just anywhere anymore. There's a peaceful
youth hostel nestled in a secluded valley in the Marin Headlands, but
I'm sure they're heavily booked (to be safe, make reservations).
By the time you get to Bodega Bay in Sonoma County, you'll be at the
edge of the world -- at least, at the edge of the U.S. and the Pacific
Ocean. There are various roads going inland from Highway 1 all along
the coast here. My personal rule is: the smaller the road, the better,
especially if a sign says "trucks and RVs not advised." Going inland
north of Jenner will definitely give you a good day trip, since many
of the roads up that far twist and turn and loop around until you
think you're lost. Carry a map, some water, and a full tank of gas.
There really aren't too many recreation areas or parks out near the
coast, except for the obvious beaches. A lot of the undeveloped land
in Northern California is owned by the timber companies, which in my
book means that it's a wonderful place to trespass. Just watch the
barbed wire.
Oh, watch the sheep and cows, too -- there's open range, which means
that the land is so large and the cows and sheep so docile and
content, there's no reason to fence in the ranches. (Some will say
otherwise, since some land is overgrazed.)
If you go south of San Francisco, Highway 101 will lead you straight
through Hell itself -- Silicon Valley. Highway 280 is a little better,
taking you past lakes (well, reservoirs) and through wooded valleys,
but you'll still be on a freeway. I would recommend sticking to our
old friend, Highway 1, which not only stays as far west as it can
without dropping off into the ocean, but also takes you through some
interesting little towns. Like Highway 1 north of San Francisco, there
are many small roads on which you can venture inland. If you meet up
with Route 35 (also known as Skyline Boulevard), you can drive north
or south along that for a view of the area from a higher vantage
point.
There are a few places in the area where redwood trees still thrive.
One of these is in the area around Portola State Park. One way of
getting there is taking Pescadero Road inland from Highway 1 at the
little town of Pescadero. Somewhere along the road you'll see signs
for the park.
You can travel down to Santa Cruz along either Highway 1, or by taking
Route 35 to either Route 9 or Route 17. It gets a little too civilized
and crowded around Santa Cruz to really call it wilderness, but it
could be an interesting break.
I have not yet thoroughly checked out the East Bay for nature places,
but I do know that the University of California at Berkeley has a lot
of land behind their campus, some of which they apparently use for
agricultural research, but there are some relatively wild sections as
well. The Berkeley Hills may also have some land to explore.
When you're traveling in all these areas, remember that they are
special and rare and delicate. Treat the land gently and kindly, and
it will treat you the same. I don't need to tell you not to litter --
I assume that's drummed into your head -- but I will warn you that you
should do your best to make sure you aren't causing any kind of fire
hazard. California in general, and the northern counties in
particular, are pretty dry places, especially in the summer. There
have been numerous fires up there due to cigarettes being thrown out
of car windows.
Have fun in your explorations, and tell the trees hello for me.
---------------------
THE HOLY AND THE HIGH
by Severin Head
Perhaps the greatest joys of foreign travel are the unexpected
encounters with people you wouldn't have met if you hadn't ventured
out of familiar territory to find them. The following is an account of
one such meeting that took place in the spring of last year.
As I was walking through the mostly unpaved maze of narrow streets
that make up Kathmandu, I stopped to get my bearings in Durbar Square,
an open area in the center of the city and home to some of Nepal's
most important temples, which rise up from the square amid a handful
of impromptu open air markets. The tallest of these, the Maju Deval,
is dedicated to the god Shiva, the cosmic dancer who personifies both
the creator and destroyer. The lower part of the temple is constructed
in the form of a stepped pyramid, rather more like those found in
Mexico than those found in Egypt. Shortly after sitting down on one of
the ledges about a third of the way up the Eastern side, my attention
wass drawn to a cacophonous procession of dancers and musicians
carrying on below. I soon discovered that I was fortunate enough to be
witnessing one of the rare occasions when the Kumari Devi, or living
goddess, makes a public appearance. From my vantage point I had a
bird's eye view of the procession. It was shaping up to be an
interesting day.
About a half hour later I was approached by a small, middle aged man
in dirty orange robes and long hair. He looked every bit the
archetypal holy man, from the beads around his neck to the sandals on
his feet. He asked me in a curious broken sing song type of English if
I want to smoke some ganja. Naturally, as a tourist, I am always a bit
suspicious of locals offering contraband goods, and was reminded of
the oft repeated horror stories every traveler hears in many places
around the globe involving a combination of desperately poor locals
and corrupt officials conspiring against the naive and unsuspecting
foreign tourist. For advice I turned to a trusted acquaintance, who
gave a classic reply to my query. "Don't worry," he said. "He's a holy
man. He's OK."
With that assurance we went up into a little chamber at the very top
of the 300 year old structure. After partaking of several chillums of
Nepal's finest we emerged from the chamber into the fading light of
late afternoon. A group of about 10 people, mostly boys I estimated to
be in their late teens and early twenties, materialized seemingly out
of thin air to sit at the master's feet and be introduced to his new
foreign friend.
My host, Baba Ramananda Bherti, is well known in Kathmandu for his
selflessness and his unofficial role as custodian of the temple. Born
in 1951 in Kuala Lumpur, the son of a soldier in the British army, he
left home at the age of nine by stowing away on a ship. Eventually he
came to settle in Eastern Nepal where he learned Sanskrit and devoted
himself to the study of holy books. His teens and twenties were spent
visiting temples and holy places on the Indian Subcontinent. Little by
little he acquired a knowledge of yoga and traditional medicine by
putting together the little bits he learned in various places. His
search for "God Power" led him to the snowy Kashmir where he lived by
himself for several years, meditating and praying to Shiva. He
eventually took up residence in Kathmandu, living the life of a Saddhu
-- collecting alms and giving away his proceeds (usually to children),
sleeping anywhere, teaching, and maintaining the temple. He's angry
that the Nepalese government doesn't pay for the upkeep of the holy
sites, which as any visitor will attest, are generally in a state of
severe decay. He is considered to be holy by the other people I met
and is well respected by the community. From this I can gather that
the Nepalese have an extremely different conception of holiness than
we do in the West. Apart from his good works and his religious study,
his chief interests seem to be ganja, sex, and money -- not exactly
what one would expect from a holy man.
While we were smoking in the temple he told me of his yogic ability,
particularly his claim that he could lift a 20kg stone with his penis!
And he had pictures to prove it, taken by some Australian visitors in
exchange for an undisclosed amount of money. Indeed, money for him
seems to be almost a measure of holiness. He told of a Danish man who
traveled with him to holy places in India, and then paid him
handsomely.
Baba's current fiscal goal is to raise enough money to build a small
compound where he can be free to meditate and teach yoga. Someday he
wants to go to the West. I think he has visions of himself as another
Rajneesh.
His supporters in the temple compound, the kids I mentioned earlier,
make their living mainly by hustling in the bazaars and tourist spots.
They realize that they have no future with the system -- hard work in
Nepal simply won't bring in enough to make a better life for
themselves. They are uniformly intelligent and ambitious. Our
conversation in English about politics and the state of the world
lasted well past sundown.
In parting, Baba gave me a string of beads, said a prayer, and put a
red spot on my forehead. I was very stoned when I left -- sweating and
covered in dust staring at everything like a madman -- racing through
the back alleys of Kathmandu with that red mark, a crazy smile, and an
intense feeling of joy. It was a peak experience for me, one I'll
never forget. For a few short hours I felt holy, compliments of Baba.
--------------------------
AN "ECOTOURIST" ATTRACTION
by Miles Poindexter
With this network, one of my many goals is to introduce members to
organizations who are working for positive change. In the city of San
Francisco, there is a virtual gold mine of such organizations. Even if
you just take 1 day to visit some of these groups and pick up
literature or volunteer some help or just buy a T-shirt or something,
you are doing some thing pretty radical these days. If you have your
own zine, this is a great way to get ideas and information for
upcoming issues. It's also usually a great way to meet free-thinking,
intelligent and fun people.
When I first arrived here in August 1991, I visited Earth Island
Institute looking for work. They showed me a book with listings and
descriptions of every environmental group in the Bay Area (over 180!).
There was also information on green companies, organic farms, natural
and whole food stores, and many other things. It is an amazing
resource. If you're going to be in the Bay Area for a while, check it
out at the offices of Earth Island Institute or buy one. It's called
The Green Pages.
So without further delay, here's 10 groups I think are especially
worthy of checking out:
CEIP FUND: 512 Second St., 4th Floor, S.F., CA 94107-1483; (415) 543-
4400. Helps people find environmental careers nationwide.
CITIZENS FOR A BETTER ENVIRONMENT: 501 Second St., Suite 305, S.F., CA
94107; (415) 243-8393. Works to prevent and reduce toxic hazards to
human health and the California environment.
EARTH FIRST!: PO Box 411233, S.F., CA 94141; (415) 824-3841. Great
people. The cutting edge of activism!
ECOACT!: 438 Paris St., S.F., CA 94112; (415) 587-5372. Planning
recycling and other projects on S.F.S.U. campus.
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION CENTER: PO Box 410563, S.F., CA 94144; (415)
647-9175. Grassroots activists, learn about current issues.
FUND FOR ANIMALS: Fort Mason Center, S.F., CA 94123; (415) 474-4020.
This office has a lot of vegetarian and animal rights literature. Also
check out MEDIA ALLIANCE and OCEAN ALLIANCE while you're at Fort
Mason.
GOLDEN GATE COUNCIL OF AMERICAN YOUTH HOSTELS: 425 Divisidero St.
#307, S.F. CA 94117; (415) 863-1444. Promotes world peace through
educational and recreational travel. Hey...that sounds a little like
us...scary.
INSTITUTE FOR FOOD AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY, FOOD FIRST: 145 Ninth St.,
S.F., CA 94103; (415) 864-3909. The woman who wrote "Diet for a Small
Planet" started this group. Extensive research info.
SEEDS OF PEACE: 2440 Sixteenth St., Box 241, S.F. CA 94103; (415)
420-1799. Many projects like "International Peace Walk" planned.
EARTH ISLAND INSTITUTE: 300 Broadway, Suite 28, S.F., CA 94133.
Actually, this is made up of over 20 organizations including Urban
Habitat, The International Marine Mammal Project (they orchestrated
the tuna boycott to save dolphins), and the Sea Turtle Restoration
Project.
----------------------
JOIN THE CRASH NETWORK!
Crasher: person who is traveling, guest.
Crashee: person who is allowing Crasher to sleep at residence,
host/hostess.
Joining is free! Send email to johnl@netcom.com for a questionnaire
(or send us an SASE to our mailing address, listed at the end of this
file). Filling it out and returning it gets you listed in our Crash
Directory, which is available only to members. Anytime you're planning
to travel, send $5 for an up-to-the-minute directory and follow the
guidelines below.
*************
HOW TO USE IT
You can use the Crash Directory to contact other members that you would
like to meet. Or if you have a destination or journey in mind, you can
use the directory to find potential crash sites along your planned route
(flexibility helps). Before your departure, contact your potential
crashee by mail, phone, or email and inquire about a visit. When all
your crashes are confirmed, you're ready to hit the proverbial road.
**************
THE CRASH CODE
1. Any Crashee can turn away a Crasher if they do not agree to the
Crash by prior consent.
2. No charge for stay unless agreed upon by both parties beforehand.
3. Toilet and shower facilities should be made available to Crasher
if possible.
4. Don't eat Crashee's food unless offered.
5. Don't use the Crashee's phone, stereo, TV or any other property
without their consent.
6. No stealing.
7. Don't bring friends over without the prior consent of the Crashee.
8. Treat each other with respect.
9. Help each other in every way possible during Crashes.
10. Crasher must obey rules of Crash Pad unless they contradict
above rules.
-----------------
CRASH INFORMATION
Editors: Miles Poindexter, John Labovitz.
Crash is published in January, March, May, July, September, and
November of each year.
Subscriptions are $5 for six issues. A sample issue is $1 or three
US 29c stamps. Back issues (text only) are available via anonymous FTP
at netcom.com in directory /pub/johnl/zines/crash. The printed issues
also contain illustrations and advertising; for the full Crash experience,
send for a printed sample.
Crash is happy to hear from you. Send artwork, articles, and aardvarks
to us at:
Crash
519 Castro Street #7
San Francisco, CA 94114 USA
email: johnl@netcom.com
If you are interested in advertising in the print or electronic
version of Crash, please contact us for rates and sizes.
Copyright (C) 1992 Crash. We encourage other zine editors to reprint
or excerpt parts of any articles written by us (Miles Poindexter or
John Labovitz). All we ask is that information about this magazine and
the network be included with it. If you wish to reprint something by
an outside contributor, please contact them beforehand (either by
their contact information listed after the article, or c/o Crash).
------------------
END OF CRASH MAR92
