Dear Voice of Da-sters,
I have been messenging in San Francisco for 2 years. Right now, however, I am on vacation from it all in the (not really lately) rainier north. I just found out I have a warrant here so "under advice of counsel" I may be knocking on the sheriff's door soon. "They're gonna crucify you, in those old cottonfields back home."-S. Macgowan. ANYWAY... I was greatly heartened to see Voice of make it to issue 5. Issue 6? Well if it happens please print all these submissions, if ya want. Some of its cheesy shit but hey, at least its typed. I enclosed an SFBMA manifesto, it is meant largely to sit up strong feelings and should be taken as seriously as ya all feel like taking it. Personally I feel we should unionize and ask for catered martinis to whatever address we happen to be delivering to. Look at the bigger unions, they get too much money and require employers to hire accompanying labor no one needs or no labor at all, they also get great benefits. If we want what is only fair, we should ask for what is entirely too fair; if you want to climb half a hill quickly pretend your goal is the top. I don't care too much but then I've never had an employer hand me a 2-week 80 paycheck either.
-Cole Miller
Corvallis OR

Yay!-I love submission! I like contributions to the 'zine too. What is it about being cheezy in Oregon? As for unions, the Miami Airport baggage handlers went on strike in the late '80s because they wanted health care for their pets. Shockingly enough, their plan backfired.-@


Dear America and Voice of Da,
Thanks so much for the great package-just got it last nite and sat there for four hours reading myself into a stupor. The stuff hit the streets today and was well received. Just wondered who the chicks in the big 8 1/2"x11" color picture were. . .
SF sounds 'way fierce. Ottawa has far less hills and fewer bike thieves (I think) altho' shite wages and crap management policy seem to be universal. (No uniforms anywhere yet though, thankfully.) Thanks again for bringing Da to our streets. If the messengers seem more (sub)culturally aware, it will be because of you! -Alex

Stupor-that sounds like a healthy reaction to Da. The chicks were SF women messengers posing for the centerfold of Mercury Rising circa 1994. Bike thievery has been fairly subdued recently, and apparently a posse of messengers liberated stolen bikes from an encampment of bike thieves around China Basin. No uniforms?! But what ever do Ottawans have to trade @ CMWC?! We love Alex so much, we've kidnapped her into Team Glue!-@

Voice of Da:
Of course Dead Air is more interesting to Chicago riders than elsewhere. VOD is the same for S.F. bikers. But anyway, here is #7 (my courier number, always). I'm serious about Bazooka J. I'm moving to N.Y.C. by April, but people (pref. Womyn) can still send stories to Greenfield until I'm established. I will pay shipping and handling for one six-pack of Chicago's 'great beer,' old style, to the woman with the best idea for Jo's eyepatch origins. Maybe reprinting her exploits would help, I don't know... it's up to y'all.
As for Chuck #132 in Boring Ass, KS... it was '92-'95, Dummy. You're making us both look old!
Anyway, thanks for the airtime, and enjoy our 'zine. Tell Mac I don't care if U.S.S.R. broke up, I'm still a commie and will out-drink him next time I see his G.I. Joe ass... -Nothin' but Love, Jack

Thanks for Dead Air #7, cool zine. Chicago seems like a happening place. May the wind be at your back.-Damon #77

Yeah, yeah, except I get along fine with cockroaches, even nasty ones as Mariah will attest. Print anything you like of me, (I stop and look at that last phrase and decide to leave it as fuel for future capping), actually what I meant was, yeah sure you can quote that shit. Properly footnoted of course. -joe judd

I got yer footnotes right here, Buddy. -@

Dearest America,
Who is the Voice of Da!, I'm sending you some fan mail to offset the negative response to MY FAVORITE sXf MESSENGER ZINE, as there is none other in this city, at the moment and I love reading about all my friends. If folks have complaints, who don't they start their own fucking zine-or better yet-why not write a letter to the Editor? Can the people making complaints even write? Let alone spell, fer Chrissake.
Anyhow, my favorite bits are the stats on US accidents... Voice of Da Index. You do fabulous research. I loved the article you did on MUNI some issues back. Thanks for all the facts-I certainly appreciate not having to look that shit up myself when I have to make arguments with ignorant people over WHY TO RIDE A BIKE, etc, etc.
I also love LITTLE CHRIS IN SLUMBERLAND and Chris Hsiang quotes. When are we going to see Chris Shang art in Voice of Da, or is he boycotting until you all get spellcheck? Well-I intentionally included loads of incomplete sentences and faulty grammar for your enjoyment. Keep up the good work.

-Former #44
(Silver Bullet/Battery Point),
Liza Loo Scott

My slavish devotion to Family Scott pays off!-aye. Actually, thankfully, Spiller, Wendy, Damon, and Rebecca all put together this issue. SF actually does have other mess 'zines: Courier Digest, Fierce Femme, Bicycle Siren, and of course, the SFBMA's own Cognition. Rumor has it that some Crosstown guys are going to put together a new 'zine called Ass Pocket Spectator. As for Chris Hsiang-as a roommate, bandmate & fellow countryman- he inspires us all at a fundamental, emotional level that cannot be measured.-@

An army full of Afghan women?? The Taliban don't have a chance. C.U.Later, H
P.S. I'm not being sarcastic.
I just got a copy of the latest issue of SF's messenger 'zine thru my letterbox this AM. It contains one of the funniest stories I have ever read in a messenger 'zine. It's called "Bob Stoner". I quote from it briefly:
"He started to tell me his version of the creation of the universe. His version is that in the beginning, everything was delivered to everywhere instantly. It was the greatest dispatching event ever."
It's worth at least $10, but I'm not sure how foreigners would get a hold of it.
Get it, it's brill! Nearly inspired me to revive the long-dead and soon-to-be-forgotten Moving Target...

-Buffalo Bill

[Cover] [Letters to Ed] [Letters from Ed] [SFBMA] [Questionbiker] [Stolen Bike Advice]
[Russian River Ride] [Rides 'n' Races] [Miss Da Meaner] [Ghost of the Broadway Tunnel]
[Da Music: Anonymous Beef] [Me and Mr. Cab] [Puzzles] [Mack Back on Sac] [Horrorscope]