SlingShot Box

We’re Back! Summer seems to have sneaked by this year, maybe because it never actually got hot here in the Bay. We do have the Organizer to show for it!! and are feeling somewhat reenergized for our fall issues.

Slingshot newspaper has been around since 1988 and has been printed consistently since. We operate as an independent collective to enact the kind of organizing absent from the mainstream.

This collective is somewhat unique in that not only is it open, but after each issue we dissolve — our work having been achieved. Then, the agreed upon first meeting for the next issue comes around and marks the temporary re-birth of the collective to carry the paper to its next print date. This allows us to avoid stasis, although every new issue meeting could use new faces!

This issue’s article deadline was the same day the freebox was being re-installed at People’s Park in Berkeley — against police orders. It turned into somewhat of a standoff, so we moved our article review meeting to the park and proceeded to read the plethora of pages of articles in the sun as the cops video taped us. A bizarre scenario.

Many of us have been feeling fucked up, overwhelmed and easily frustrated recently, and we’re not sure why. We believe that we’re in a period of transition, summer is giving way to fall after all. Fall tends to be when we move from the extroversion of summer to a more inward, reflective time of year. This fall has brought an eerie sense that things may shift dramatically at any moment. Indeed, change is already underway — while you’re in the middle of a shift however, you can’t always see the changes until later.

So, on that note, Slingshot is always looking to promote growth, change, and dialogue out in this big world and we are always on the lookout for new writers, artists, editors, photographers, translators, distributors and independent thinkers to help us make this paper. If you send something written, please be open to editorial changes. Note: because of the large volume of submissions we receive, we may not contact you back if we don’t use your submission.

Editorial decisions are made by the Slingshot collective, but not all the articles reflect the opinions of all collective members. We welcome debate, constructive criticism and discussion.

Thanks to the people who worked on this: Artnoose, Cara, Crystal, Drizzle, Eggplant, Gregg, Jammers, Kathryn, Maneli, MisTakE, Molly and PB.

Slingshot New Volunteer Meeting

Volunteers interested in getting involved with Slingshot can come to the new volunteer meeting October 30 at 5 p.m. at the Long Haul in Berkeley (see below).

Article Deadline and Next Issue Date

Submit your articles for issue 89 by November 26, 2005 at 3 p.m. We expect the next issue out in mid December.

Volume 1, Number 88, Circulation 13,000

Printed September 30, 2005

Slingshot Newspaper

Sponsored by Long Haul

3124 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley, CA 94705

Phone: (510) 540-0751

slingshot@tao.ca • www.slingshot.tao.ca

Replacement Organizers

If you lost your 2005 Slingshot oranizer in a Hurricane or other disaster, we’ll send you a replacement one free. Email or mail us what color you want and your address. If you can afford it, you can send us $1.29 for postage.