January 16, 2013
Dear Bloggers, Greetings, I hope and pray that my letter finds you in the best of health and strong spirits and that the new year brings you happiness and growth.

This is a new format of communication with the outside world oh oh looks like this tape is on it's way out. I've never even surfed the web, a consequence of being incarcerated for over 25 years. I got every letter I could out of that tape, hopefully I'll be able to keep up with comments and questions.

I don't know how MIT is funding this endeavour of Between the Bars, but for what it is worth, buy an MIT tee or sweat with the words Between the Bars emblazoned upon it, MIT will earn a few dollars and therethrough BTB will be more secure, besides, maybe you will also come across someone else in your travels wearing one also and use it as a conversation starter.

I've put in a so-so profile, the photograph is a couple years old and I mean a couple as I haven't changed much in appearance other than being a little thinner now and up until last autumn I could run 3 miles in 22 minutes and I'm a heavy smoker non-filters at that, I know, I know, I shouldn't smoke like that, but life in here is stressful and it is a cheap crutch compared to the prices of candy and chips in here, just about everyone on earth is addicted to something so bear with me $8.60 a month for a bag of tobacco whereas if I used that to purchase food I eat through it in about 3 or 4 days and in my current situation, I can't afford to eat as much as I need to maintain my health, which brings me to current events.

Presently I am fighting with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PA.DOC) for a religious diet. It would be simple for the PA.DOC to provide me with a religious diet as the PA.DOC already accommodates those of the Jewish and Muslim faiths with religious diets and as such providing me with a religious diet would not be a burden, but their action of denial is expected. As a matter of course the PA.DOC has been harassing and taking discriminatory actions against me for decades because I maintain my innocence to the crimes I was wrongfully convicted of, my politics and my resistance and my religious beliefs.

Adherence to the religious diet has not been easy here as there is little on the regular food trays offered in the dining hall that I can eat so I subsist primarily on food items purchased from the prison commissary here and because my finances are limited I've lost over 12lbs since September 23, 2012 and that is as of the last time I had an opportunity to weigh myself on January 2, 2013 when I weighed 147 1/2 lbs fully clothed. At my height of 5'7-5'8 I'm not at an unhealthy weight, but I've noticed some affect of mood swings that I suspect are the result of low levels of vitamins and minerals, irritation at being interrupted when I'm doing something, flinching at unexpected noises followed by a sense of heat over my upper body that transcends into anger and an impulsive verbal outburst, not healthy in a prison environment but in a struggle there are always risks.

If anyone out there in the world is interested in supporting my struggle for a religious diet please contact me through snail mail, as I need to obtain some supporting texts theologically supporting my argument for a religious diet free of animal products and free of the taint that occurs when non-animal foods are prepared in cookware or served with utensils that were also used to prepare and serve animal products.

What's out there on the internet about me is unknown to me, so for anyone doing an internet search to be mindful that I can't comment on accusations or attacks upon my character that I have no knowledge of and to at least give me an opportunity to defend my character by contacting me and sending me a printout of the information and ask any questions you may have.

Well, I guess I'll be rolling along, my shoulders and neck are burning and it's time for me to eat my second meal of the day 1/2 of a ramen noodle soup and 5 saltine crackers, stay strong and be happy and I thank everyone who took the time to read my blog and look forward to answering questions and responding to comments.

Blessings,

In the spirit of Resistance,

Wildcat