Yes, would be Nader voters should cast their ballots for Kerry if they live in a contested state. That's pretty obvious to me.

On Saturday night, I went to a going away party for a local kid named Kimo. I don't know him very well, but he's moving to Oahu to try to become a nurse. A lot of people from his high school (he graduated last year) came, and all of his relatives and family friends. There was beer and good food and karaoke and a lot of awkward goodbye hugs from his high school acquaintances, which would have been hand slaps or pounds at any other party. I realized that it was because for most of the people there, it would be the last time they saw Kimo. It was a poignant moment for me; one of my favorite things about Hilo is the way people take care of each other and show love. I'm lucky to be able to see my close friends and family on at least a yearly basis, and it made me wonder about the people who I grew up with but fell apart from. Life is a funny journey, I guess.

Oh yeah, Matt, my friend John was really happy about what you said on the phone. He didn't say it at the time, but later he told me that he was amazed that someone in California likes his shit. I said he shouldn't be, because he has talent!

Question: Should Democrats planning on voting for Nader vote for Kerry instead? I know the poll numbers are going to change over the months but right now I hear Kerry and Bush are about even and Nader is holding a significant amount of support enough to give Kerry a decisive lead.

I'm going to sit down and write the lyrics from this song my friend did, it's really fucking with my head right now. I sent it to Matt and Edmund. I hope you guys liked it. This song seriously makes me want to cry, if you knew this kid you'd feel the same way...Hilo is really dead end for a lot of people, but that's not all bad, it's just the way it is right now. I dunno, I'll write more later and the lyrics too, but I gotta go watch this movie upstairs now. More later.

From an e-mail from my mom's friend, working on an Indian rez in Arizona:

This past few wks have been grounds for more thought for me. , looking at the community that I serve noticing the injustice of our society. The Pimas and Maricopas were the only people in the South West that did not fight with the white people. Being predominantly sedentary farmers themselves it seemed that accepting the white culture was not that chalanging. How ironic it is that after 100 years of Anglo domination the Pimas are the sickest people in the nation.



It brought much sadness to my heart when I realized that the dry desert of the reservation was once covered by the marshes of the mighty Gila River. The river was diverted by the white farmers in the twenties to water their own farms and subsequently by the Colorado River dams. Without firing a shot the whites turned the world of the Pimas and Maricopas upside down. These people went from complete self reliance to 60% unemployment in just 2 generations. To that were added the assistance of the Federal government in the form of Lard Sugar Floor and Cheese, creating the most obese and diabetic population in the world. Mix in a little alcohol and Bingo . . . The compadres of Ira Hayes are knee deep in shit. Mr Hayes was one of the Marines Raising the American Flag at Iwo Gima during world war two ( I am sure you have seen the sculpture) He died a homeless drunk on the Rez. Thank God for Johny Cash that revived his memory in a song.



Oh yes the community is working hard to rebuild the ruins. They invest heavily in farming and the 4 Casinos on the Rez but they are against what seems a superhuman task of bringing this obese, depressed and drunk community to its feet again.