United States of Amnesia

During Donald Trump’s time in office, more than a million possibly preventable deaths occurred in America.

Trump, who showed at best a lack of seriousness during the crisis provoked by the novel coronavirus, seems to have escaped accountability for his catastrophic decisions. His Coronavirus Task Force coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx, who often seemed horrified while watching her boss, has said that following the first 100,000 deaths, most of those that came after could have been “mitigated.”

Those who tuned into the then-president’s daily press briefings in search of information or some compassion and reassurance were met instead with bragging about his own brilliance, the idea that the virus would soon miraculously disappear and claims about untested cures that still reverberate among paranoid conspiracy theorists today.

The Trump administration’s greatest success, the quick rollout of vaccines, is one Trump barely lays claim to now, as those who haven’t “moved on” from COVID 19 are those who believe that the shots rather than the disease are what led to so many deaths.

This almost pathological ability to ignore tragic events from even the recent past is far from an exclusively American phenomenon. Like George W. Bush, Tony Blair in the UK has been mostly rehabilitated for the role he played in selling and prosecuting the war in Iraq, going on to an incredibly lucrative career as an elder statesman.

Despite being admonished for breaking his own government’s protocols during the medical crisis, Boris Johnson has also dodged accountability for more than 100,000 deaths from the disease under his watch.

When we create a society based on forgetting, especially our collective traumas, the result seems like a kind of mass sociopathy. After terrorizing much of the world with little thought, should we be surprised that a charlatan like Trump (or Johnson) can avoid consequences for their incompetence when most citizens just want to forget the anxiety and terror of the last few years?

Derek Royden is a Canadian journalist.

United States of Amnesia

During Donald Trump’s time in office, more than a million possibly preventable deaths occurred in America.

Trump, who showed at best a lack of seriousness during the crisis provoked by the novel coronavirus, seems to have escaped accountability for his catastrophic decisions. His Coronavirus Task Force coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx, who often seemed horrified while watching her boss, has said that following the first 100,000 deaths, most of those that came after could have been “mitigated.”

Those who tuned into the then-president’s daily press briefings in search of information or some compassion and reassurance were met instead with bragging about his own brilliance, the idea that the virus would soon miraculously disappear and claims about untested cures that still reverberate among paranoid conspiracy theorists today.

The Trump administration’s greatest success, the quick rollout of vaccines, is one Trump barely lays claim to now, as those who haven’t “moved on” from COVID 19 are those who believe that the shots rather than the disease are what led to so many deaths.

This almost pathological ability to ignore tragic events from even the recent past is far from an exclusively American phenomenon. Like George W. Bush, Tony Blair in the UK has been mostly rehabilitated for the role he played in selling and prosecuting the war in Iraq, going on to an incredibly lucrative career as an elder statesman.

Despite being admonished for breaking his own government’s protocols during the medical crisis, Boris Johnson has also dodged accountability for more than 100,000 deaths from the disease under his watch.

When we create a society based on forgetting, especially our collective traumas, the result seems like a kind of mass sociopathy. After terrorizing much of the world with little thought, should we be surprised that a charlatan like Trump (or Johnson) can avoid consequences for their incompetence when most citizens just want to forget the anxiety and terror of the last few years?

Derek Royden is a Canadian journalist.

Your Letters, 10/4

Bitter Pill

I strongly disagree with Peter Pitts, who wrote the Sept. 20 Open Mic, “Transparency in Drug

Prices.”

Transparency? His argument is deceptive. His credentials: a former scion of Big Pharma and

its revolving door to and from government administrators supposedly overseeing corporations.

He is arguing for more money for drug companies.

As an example, Pfizer’s revenue in 2022 was $101.1 billion. Johnson & Johnson’s was

$95.6 billion. On average, these corporations spend about 25% of their revenue on R&D, which is an investment that guarantees greater profits each and every year to come. (Of course, they don’t research any natural remedies; no profit in that.) Big Pharma raked in $1.23 trillion in sales in 2020, expected to rise to $1.7 trillion in 2025.

Where does the money come from for drug companies’ research and development? From the

federal government—that is, from your pocket. Then, the multibillion-dollar drug companies sell

the drugs (“just say no”) back to us taxpayers at the highest prices of any nation on Earth. We

funded the R&D; they get the patents and the profits; we get screwed.

Read the article. Pitts states he is against activists. Price controls are good. We need to

control greedy corporations that are ripping us off.

Barry Barnett

Santa Rosa

Your Letters, 10/4

Bitter Pill

I strongly disagree with Peter Pitts, who wrote the Sept. 20 Open Mic, “Transparency in Drug

Prices.”

Transparency? His argument is deceptive. His credentials: a former scion of Big Pharma and

its revolving door to and from government administrators supposedly overseeing corporations.

He is arguing for more money for drug companies.

As an example, Pfizer’s revenue in 2022 was $101.1 billion. Johnson & Johnson’s was

$95.6 billion. On average, these corporations spend about 25% of their revenue on R&D, which is an investment that guarantees greater profits each and every year to come. (Of course, they don’t research any natural remedies; no profit in that.) Big Pharma raked in $1.23 trillion in sales in 2020, expected to rise to $1.7 trillion in 2025.

Where does the money come from for drug companies’ research and development? From the

federal government—that is, from your pocket. Then, the multibillion-dollar drug companies sell

the drugs (“just say no”) back to us taxpayers at the highest prices of any nation on Earth. We

funded the R&D; they get the patents and the profits; we get screwed.

Read the article. Pitts states he is against activists. Price controls are good. We need to

control greedy corporations that are ripping us off.

Barry Barnett

Santa Rosa

Your Letters, 10/4

Bitter Pill

I strongly disagree with Peter Pitts, who wrote the Sept. 20 Open Mic, “Transparency in Drug

Prices.”

Transparency? His argument is deceptive. His credentials: a former scion of Big Pharma and

its revolving door to and from government administrators supposedly overseeing corporations.

He is arguing for more money for drug companies.

As an example, Pfizer’s revenue in 2022 was $101.1 billion. Johnson & Johnson’s was

$95.6 billion. On average, these corporations spend about 25% of their revenue on R&D, which is an investment that guarantees greater profits each and every year to come. (Of course, they don’t research any natural remedies; no profit in that.) Big Pharma raked in $1.23 trillion in sales in 2020, expected to rise to $1.7 trillion in 2025.

Where does the money come from for drug companies’ research and development? From the

federal government—that is, from your pocket. Then, the multibillion-dollar drug companies sell

the drugs (“just say no”) back to us taxpayers at the highest prices of any nation on Earth. We

funded the R&D; they get the patents and the profits; we get screwed.

Read the article. Pitts states he is against activists. Price controls are good. We need to

control greedy corporations that are ripping us off.

Barry Barnett

Santa Rosa

World Class Pianist Ilya Yakushev in Mill Valley

0
Mill Valley

Truly Classic

The 2023-24 Chamber Music Concert Series will run Oct. 8 through May 19. Hosted by Chamber Music Marin, the new season celebrates 50 years of presenting intimate concerts with world-renowned musicians in classical music. The lineup of national and international touring musicians includes Bay Area native Jon Nakamatsu. First up is pianist Ilya Yakushev, a former world champion who has played with the San Francisco Symphony. $48 general admission or $190 for a season subscription. 18 and under free. To purchase tickets, visit chambermusicmarin.org. 5:30pm, Sunday, Oct. 8. Mt. Tamalpais United Methodist Church, 410 Sycamore Ave., Mill Valley.

Santa Rosa

Local Stories

“Sonoma County Stories” opened at the Museum of Sonoma County recently with the intention of “collecting and telling stories for years to come.” The exhibition presents stories from various perspectives through the recordings of the Press Democrat’s Gaye LeBaron, a technique that supplements oral history with other sources. The permanent exhibition intends to engage visitors with Sonoma County history through stories from diverse cultures of the county. Members Only Private Reception and Q&A with deputy director and history curator Eric Stanley, 5-7pm on Oct. 6. Exhibition, 11am-5pm every Wednesday through Sunday. Museum of Sonoma County, 425 7th St., Santa Rosa.

Petaluma

Fandango Tango

Feed well and feel good at the Friends of the Petaluma River’s fundraiser dinner. “Come enjoy the beautiful sunset, a farm-to-table dinner, live music and fun games at Steamer Landing Park and help raise funds for our work to protect and preserve the Petaluma River,” say organizers. Local beer and wine, flora, local music and a gem of a spot, all in support of environmental education and care of the watershed. Sunset Fandango at the Barn, 4-7pm Sunday, Oct. 8. Steamer Landing Park, ​​6 Copeland St., Petaluma. Dinner and drinks for $100.

 
Larkspur / Zoom

Popular Online

For the happily or otherwise homebound movie buff, one great option is the Lark Theater’s film discussion series featuring film historian and Marin resident Harry Chotiner. The series has been called “an enriching and fulfilling movie club.” Members watch the movies at home, then meet weekly on Zoom to discuss. Chotiner is an assistant professor of film at New York University who has worked with Zoetrope Studios, 20th Century Fox and Interscope Communications. A teacher by creed, his mastery comes through in his discussions. No wonder he received the NYU School of Professional Studies Teaching Excellence Award. Six Zoom classes. 5-6:30pm each Tuesday through Nov. 7. $120. larktheater.net/movie-category/special-events/moviesharry.

World Class Pianist Ilya Yakushev in Mill Valley

0
Mill Valley

Truly Classic

The 2023-24 Chamber Music Concert Series will run Oct. 8 through May 19. Hosted by Chamber Music Marin, the new season celebrates 50 years of presenting intimate concerts with world-renowned musicians in classical music. The lineup of national and international touring musicians includes Bay Area native Jon Nakamatsu. First up is pianist Ilya Yakushev, a former world champion who has played with the San Francisco Symphony. $48 general admission or $190 for a season subscription. 18 and under free. To purchase tickets, visit chambermusicmarin.org. 5:30pm, Sunday, Oct. 8. Mt. Tamalpais United Methodist Church, 410 Sycamore Ave., Mill Valley.

Santa Rosa

Local Stories

“Sonoma County Stories” opened at the Museum of Sonoma County recently with the intention of “collecting and telling stories for years to come.” The exhibition presents stories from various perspectives through the recordings of the Press Democrat’s Gaye LeBaron, a technique that supplements oral history with other sources. The permanent exhibition intends to engage visitors with Sonoma County history through stories from diverse cultures of the county. Members Only Private Reception and Q&A with deputy director and history curator Eric Stanley, 5-7pm on Oct. 6. Exhibition, 11am-5pm every Wednesday through Sunday. Museum of Sonoma County, 425 7th St., Santa Rosa.

Petaluma

Fandango Tango

Feed well and feel good at the Friends of the Petaluma River’s fundraiser dinner. “Come enjoy the beautiful sunset, a farm-to-table dinner, live music and fun games at Steamer Landing Park and help raise funds for our work to protect and preserve the Petaluma River,” say organizers. Local beer and wine, flora, local music and a gem of a spot, all in support of environmental education and care of the watershed. Sunset Fandango at the Barn, 4-7pm Sunday, Oct. 8. Steamer Landing Park, ​​6 Copeland St., Petaluma. Dinner and drinks for $100.

 
Larkspur / Zoom

Popular Online

For the happily or otherwise homebound movie buff, one great option is the Lark Theater’s film discussion series featuring film historian and Marin resident Harry Chotiner. The series has been called “an enriching and fulfilling movie club.” Members watch the movies at home, then meet weekly on Zoom to discuss. Chotiner is an assistant professor of film at New York University who has worked with Zoetrope Studios, 20th Century Fox and Interscope Communications. A teacher by creed, his mastery comes through in his discussions. No wonder he received the NYU School of Professional Studies Teaching Excellence Award. Six Zoom classes. 5-6:30pm each Tuesday through Nov. 7. $120. larktheater.net/movie-category/special-events/moviesharry.

World Class Pianist Ilya Yakushev in Mill Valley

0
Mill Valley

Truly Classic

The 2023-24 Chamber Music Concert Series will run Oct. 8 through May 19. Hosted by Chamber Music Marin, the new season celebrates 50 years of presenting intimate concerts with world-renowned musicians in classical music. The lineup of national and international touring musicians includes Bay Area native Jon Nakamatsu. First up is pianist Ilya Yakushev, a former world champion who has played with the San Francisco Symphony. $48 general admission or $190 for a season subscription. 18 and under free. To purchase tickets, visit chambermusicmarin.org. 5:30pm, Sunday, Oct. 8. Mt. Tamalpais United Methodist Church, 410 Sycamore Ave., Mill Valley.

Santa Rosa

Local Stories

“Sonoma County Stories” opened at the Museum of Sonoma County recently with the intention of “collecting and telling stories for years to come.” The exhibition presents stories from various perspectives through the recordings of the Press Democrat’s Gaye LeBaron, a technique that supplements oral history with other sources. The permanent exhibition intends to engage visitors with Sonoma County history through stories from diverse cultures of the county. Members Only Private Reception and Q&A with deputy director and history curator Eric Stanley, 5-7pm on Oct. 6. Exhibition, 11am-5pm every Wednesday through Sunday. Museum of Sonoma County, 425 7th St., Santa Rosa.

Petaluma

Fandango Tango

Feed well and feel good at the Friends of the Petaluma River’s fundraiser dinner. “Come enjoy the beautiful sunset, a farm-to-table dinner, live music and fun games at Steamer Landing Park and help raise funds for our work to protect and preserve the Petaluma River,” say organizers. Local beer and wine, flora, local music and a gem of a spot, all in support of environmental education and care of the watershed. Sunset Fandango at the Barn, 4-7pm Sunday, Oct. 8. Steamer Landing Park, ​​6 Copeland St., Petaluma. Dinner and drinks for $100.

 
Larkspur / Zoom

Popular Online

For the happily or otherwise homebound movie buff, one great option is the Lark Theater’s film discussion series featuring film historian and Marin resident Harry Chotiner. The series has been called “an enriching and fulfilling movie club.” Members watch the movies at home, then meet weekly on Zoom to discuss. Chotiner is an assistant professor of film at New York University who has worked with Zoetrope Studios, 20th Century Fox and Interscope Communications. A teacher by creed, his mastery comes through in his discussions. No wonder he received the NYU School of Professional Studies Teaching Excellence Award. Six Zoom classes. 5-6:30pm each Tuesday through Nov. 7. $120. larktheater.net/movie-category/special-events/moviesharry.

Free Will Astrology, Week of 10/4

0

ARIES (March 21-April 19): I’ve been doing interviews in support of my new book, Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle. Now and then, I’m asked this question: “Do you actually believe all that mystical woo-woo you write about?” I respond diplomatically, though inwardly I’m screaming: “How profoundly hypocritical I would be if I did not believe in the ‘mystical woo-woo’ I have spent my adult life studying and teaching!” But here’s my polite answer: “I love and revere the venerable spiritual philosophies that some demean as ‘mystical woo-woo.’ I see it as my job to translate those subtle ideas into well-grounded, practical suggestions that my readers can use to enhance their lives.” Everything I just said is the prelude for your assignment, Aries: Work with extra focus to actuate your high ideals and deep values in the ordinary events of your daily life. As the American idioms advise: Walk your talk, and practice what you preach.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I’m happy to see the expanding use of service animals. Initially, there were guide dogs to assist humans with imperfect vision. Later, there came mobility animals for those who need aid in moving around and hearing animals for those who can’t detect ringing doorbells. In recent years, emotional support animals have provided comfort for people who benefit from mental health assistance. I foresee a future in which all of us feel free and eager to call on the nurturing of companion animals. You may already have such friends, Taurus. If so, I urge you to express extra appreciation for them in the coming weeks. Ripen your relationship. And if not, now is an excellent time to explore the boost you can get from loving animals.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini author Chuck Klosterman jokes, “I eat sugared cereal almost exclusively. This is because I’m the opposite of a ‘no-nonsense’ guy. I’m an ‘all-nonsense’ guy.” The coming weeks will be a constructive and liberating time for you to experiment with being an all-nonsense person, dear Gemini. How? Start by temporarily suspending any deep attachment you have to being a serious, hyper-rational adult doing staid, weighty adult things. Be mischievously committed to playing a lot and having maximum fun. Dancing sex! Ice cream uproars! Renegade fantasies! Laughter orgies! Joke romps! Giddy brainstorms and euphoric heartstorms!

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian comedian Gilda Radner said, “I base most of my fashion taste on what doesn’t itch.” Let’s use that as a prime metaphor for you in the coming weeks. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you will be wise to opt for what feels good over what merely looks good. You will make the right choices if you are committed to loving yourself more than trying to figure out how to get others to love you. Celebrate highly functional beauty, dear Cancerian. Exult in the clear intuitions that arise as you circumvent self-consciousness and revel in festive self-love.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The amazingly creative Leo singer-songwriter Tori Amos gives this testimony: “All creators go through a period where they’re dry and don’t know how to get back to the creative source. Where is that waterfall? At a certain point, you say, ‘I’ll take a rivulet.’” Her testimony is true for all of us in our quest to find what we want and need. Of course, we would prefer to have permanent, unwavering access to the waterfall. But that’s not realistic. Besides, sometimes the rivulet is sufficient. And if we follow the rivulet, it may eventually lead to the waterfall.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Do you perform experiments on yourself? I do on myself. I formulate hypotheses about what might be healthy for me, then carry out tests to gather evidence about whether they are. A recent one was: Do I feel my best if I eat five small meals per day or three bigger ones? Another: Is my sleep most rejuvenating if I go to bed at 10pm and wake up at 7am or if I sleep from midnight to 9am? I recommend you engage in such experiments in the coming weeks. Your body has many clues and revelations it wants to offer you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Take a few deep, slow breaths. Let your mind be a blue sky where a few high clouds float. Hum your favorite melody. Relax as if you have all the time in the world to be whoever you want to be. Fantasize that you have slipped into a phase of your cycle when you are free to act as calm and unhurried as you like. Imagine you have access to resources in your secret core that will make you stable and solid and secure. Now read this Mary Oliver poem aloud: “You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.”

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): An Oklahoma woman named Mary Clamswer used a wheelchair from age 19 to 42 because multiple sclerosis made it hard to use her legs. Then a miracle happened. During a thunderstorm, she was hit by lightning. The blast not only didn’t kill her; it cured the multiple sclerosis. Over the subsequent months, she recovered her ability to walk. Now I’m not saying I hope you will be hit by a literal bolt of healing lightning, Scorpio, nor do I predict any such thing. But I suspect a comparable event or situation that may initially seem unsettling could ultimately bring you blessings.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): What are your favorite mind-altering substances? Coffee, tea, chocolate, sugar or tobacco? Alcohol, pot, cocaine or opioids? Psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD or MDMA? Others? All the above? Whatever they are, the coming weeks will be a favorable time to re-evaluate your relationship with them. Consider whether they are sometimes more hurtful than helpful, or vice versa; whether the original reasons that led you to them are still true; and how your connection with them affects your close relationships. Ask other questions, too! PS: I don’t know what the answers are. My goal is simply to inspire you to take an inventory.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In his book, Meditations for Miserable People Who Want to Stay That Way, Dan Goodman says, “It’s not that I have nothing to give, but rather that no one wants what I have.” If you have ever been tempted to entertain dour fantasies like that, I predict you will be purged of them in the coming weeks and months. Maybe more than ever before, your influence will be sought by others. Your viewpoints will be asked for. Your gifts will be desired, and your input will be invited. I trust you won’t feel overwhelmed!

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): William James (1842–1910) was a paragon of reason and logic. So influential were his books about philosophy and psychology that he is regarded as a leading thinker of the 19th and 20th centuries. On the other hand, he was eager to explore the possibilities of supernatural phenomena like telepathy. He even consulted a trance medium named Leonora Piper. James said, “If you wish to upset the law that all crows are black, it is enough if you prove that one crow is white. My white crow is Mrs. Piper.” I bring this to your attention, Aquarius, because I suspect you will soon discover a white crow of your own. As a result, long-standing beliefs may come into question; a certainty could become ambiguous; an incontrovertible truth may be shaken. This is a good thing!

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): If we hope to cure our wounds, we must cultivate a focused desire to be healed. A second essential is to be ingenious in gathering the resources we need to get healed. Here’s the third requirement: We must be bold and brave enough to scramble up out of our sense of defeat as we claim our right to be vigorous and whole again. I wish all these powers for you in the coming weeks.

Free Will Astrology, Week of 10/4

0

ARIES (March 21-April 19): I’ve been doing interviews in support of my new book, Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle. Now and then, I’m asked this question: “Do you actually believe all that mystical woo-woo you write about?” I respond diplomatically, though inwardly I’m screaming: “How profoundly hypocritical I would be if I did not believe in the ‘mystical woo-woo’ I have spent my adult life studying and teaching!” But here’s my polite answer: “I love and revere the venerable spiritual philosophies that some demean as ‘mystical woo-woo.’ I see it as my job to translate those subtle ideas into well-grounded, practical suggestions that my readers can use to enhance their lives.” Everything I just said is the prelude for your assignment, Aries: Work with extra focus to actuate your high ideals and deep values in the ordinary events of your daily life. As the American idioms advise: Walk your talk, and practice what you preach.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I’m happy to see the expanding use of service animals. Initially, there were guide dogs to assist humans with imperfect vision. Later, there came mobility animals for those who need aid in moving around and hearing animals for those who can’t detect ringing doorbells. In recent years, emotional support animals have provided comfort for people who benefit from mental health assistance. I foresee a future in which all of us feel free and eager to call on the nurturing of companion animals. You may already have such friends, Taurus. If so, I urge you to express extra appreciation for them in the coming weeks. Ripen your relationship. And if not, now is an excellent time to explore the boost you can get from loving animals.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini author Chuck Klosterman jokes, “I eat sugared cereal almost exclusively. This is because I’m the opposite of a ‘no-nonsense’ guy. I’m an ‘all-nonsense’ guy.” The coming weeks will be a constructive and liberating time for you to experiment with being an all-nonsense person, dear Gemini. How? Start by temporarily suspending any deep attachment you have to being a serious, hyper-rational adult doing staid, weighty adult things. Be mischievously committed to playing a lot and having maximum fun. Dancing sex! Ice cream uproars! Renegade fantasies! Laughter orgies! Joke romps! Giddy brainstorms and euphoric heartstorms!

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian comedian Gilda Radner said, “I base most of my fashion taste on what doesn’t itch.” Let’s use that as a prime metaphor for you in the coming weeks. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you will be wise to opt for what feels good over what merely looks good. You will make the right choices if you are committed to loving yourself more than trying to figure out how to get others to love you. Celebrate highly functional beauty, dear Cancerian. Exult in the clear intuitions that arise as you circumvent self-consciousness and revel in festive self-love.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The amazingly creative Leo singer-songwriter Tori Amos gives this testimony: “All creators go through a period where they’re dry and don’t know how to get back to the creative source. Where is that waterfall? At a certain point, you say, ‘I’ll take a rivulet.’” Her testimony is true for all of us in our quest to find what we want and need. Of course, we would prefer to have permanent, unwavering access to the waterfall. But that’s not realistic. Besides, sometimes the rivulet is sufficient. And if we follow the rivulet, it may eventually lead to the waterfall.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Do you perform experiments on yourself? I do on myself. I formulate hypotheses about what might be healthy for me, then carry out tests to gather evidence about whether they are. A recent one was: Do I feel my best if I eat five small meals per day or three bigger ones? Another: Is my sleep most rejuvenating if I go to bed at 10pm and wake up at 7am or if I sleep from midnight to 9am? I recommend you engage in such experiments in the coming weeks. Your body has many clues and revelations it wants to offer you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Take a few deep, slow breaths. Let your mind be a blue sky where a few high clouds float. Hum your favorite melody. Relax as if you have all the time in the world to be whoever you want to be. Fantasize that you have slipped into a phase of your cycle when you are free to act as calm and unhurried as you like. Imagine you have access to resources in your secret core that will make you stable and solid and secure. Now read this Mary Oliver poem aloud: “You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.”

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): An Oklahoma woman named Mary Clamswer used a wheelchair from age 19 to 42 because multiple sclerosis made it hard to use her legs. Then a miracle happened. During a thunderstorm, she was hit by lightning. The blast not only didn’t kill her; it cured the multiple sclerosis. Over the subsequent months, she recovered her ability to walk. Now I’m not saying I hope you will be hit by a literal bolt of healing lightning, Scorpio, nor do I predict any such thing. But I suspect a comparable event or situation that may initially seem unsettling could ultimately bring you blessings.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): What are your favorite mind-altering substances? Coffee, tea, chocolate, sugar or tobacco? Alcohol, pot, cocaine or opioids? Psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD or MDMA? Others? All the above? Whatever they are, the coming weeks will be a favorable time to re-evaluate your relationship with them. Consider whether they are sometimes more hurtful than helpful, or vice versa; whether the original reasons that led you to them are still true; and how your connection with them affects your close relationships. Ask other questions, too! PS: I don’t know what the answers are. My goal is simply to inspire you to take an inventory.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In his book, Meditations for Miserable People Who Want to Stay That Way, Dan Goodman says, “It’s not that I have nothing to give, but rather that no one wants what I have.” If you have ever been tempted to entertain dour fantasies like that, I predict you will be purged of them in the coming weeks and months. Maybe more than ever before, your influence will be sought by others. Your viewpoints will be asked for. Your gifts will be desired, and your input will be invited. I trust you won’t feel overwhelmed!

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): William James (1842–1910) was a paragon of reason and logic. So influential were his books about philosophy and psychology that he is regarded as a leading thinker of the 19th and 20th centuries. On the other hand, he was eager to explore the possibilities of supernatural phenomena like telepathy. He even consulted a trance medium named Leonora Piper. James said, “If you wish to upset the law that all crows are black, it is enough if you prove that one crow is white. My white crow is Mrs. Piper.” I bring this to your attention, Aquarius, because I suspect you will soon discover a white crow of your own. As a result, long-standing beliefs may come into question; a certainty could become ambiguous; an incontrovertible truth may be shaken. This is a good thing!

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): If we hope to cure our wounds, we must cultivate a focused desire to be healed. A second essential is to be ingenious in gathering the resources we need to get healed. Here’s the third requirement: We must be bold and brave enough to scramble up out of our sense of defeat as we claim our right to be vigorous and whole again. I wish all these powers for you in the coming weeks.

United States of Amnesia

Click to read
During Donald Trump’s time in office, more than a million possibly preventable deaths occurred in America. Trump, who showed at best a lack of seriousness during the crisis provoked by the novel coronavirus, seems to have escaped accountability for his catastrophic decisions. His Coronavirus Task Force coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx, who often seemed horrified while watching her boss, has said...

United States of Amnesia

Click to read
During Donald Trump’s time in office, more than a million possibly preventable deaths occurred in America. Trump, who showed at best a lack of seriousness during the crisis provoked by the novel coronavirus, seems to have escaped accountability for his catastrophic decisions. His Coronavirus Task Force coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx, who often seemed horrified while watching her boss, has said...

Your Letters, 10/4

Click to read
Bitter Pill I strongly disagree with Peter Pitts, who wrote the Sept. 20 Open Mic, “Transparency in Drug Prices.” Transparency? His argument is deceptive. His credentials: a former scion of Big Pharma and its revolving door to and from government administrators supposedly overseeing corporations. He is arguing for more money for drug companies. As an example, Pfizer’s revenue in 2022 was $101.1 billion. Johnson &...

Your Letters, 10/4

Click to read
Bitter Pill I strongly disagree with Peter Pitts, who wrote the Sept. 20 Open Mic, “Transparency in Drug Prices.” Transparency? His argument is deceptive. His credentials: a former scion of Big Pharma and its revolving door to and from government administrators supposedly overseeing corporations. He is arguing for more money for drug companies. As an example, Pfizer’s revenue in 2022 was $101.1 billion. Johnson &...

Your Letters, 10/4

Click to read
Bitter Pill I strongly disagree with Peter Pitts, who wrote the Sept. 20 Open Mic, “Transparency in Drug Prices.” Transparency? His argument is deceptive. His credentials: a former scion of Big Pharma and its revolving door to and from government administrators supposedly overseeing corporations. He is arguing for more money for drug companies. As an example, Pfizer’s revenue in 2022 was $101.1 billion. Johnson &...

World Class Pianist Ilya Yakushev in Mill Valley

Mill Valley Truly Classic The 2023-24 Chamber Music Concert Series will run Oct. 8 through May 19. Hosted by Chamber Music Marin, the new season celebrates 50 years of presenting intimate concerts with world-renowned musicians in classical music. The lineup of national and international touring musicians includes Bay Area native Jon Nakamatsu. First up is pianist Ilya Yakushev, a former world...

World Class Pianist Ilya Yakushev in Mill Valley

Mill Valley Truly Classic The 2023-24 Chamber Music Concert Series will run Oct. 8 through May 19. Hosted by Chamber Music Marin, the new season celebrates 50 years of presenting intimate concerts with world-renowned musicians in classical music. The lineup of national and international touring musicians includes Bay Area native Jon Nakamatsu. First up is pianist Ilya Yakushev, a former world...

World Class Pianist Ilya Yakushev in Mill Valley

Mill Valley Truly Classic The 2023-24 Chamber Music Concert Series will run Oct. 8 through May 19. Hosted by Chamber Music Marin, the new season celebrates 50 years of presenting intimate concerts with world-renowned musicians in classical music. The lineup of national and international touring musicians includes Bay Area native Jon Nakamatsu. First up is pianist Ilya Yakushev, a former world...

Free Will Astrology, Week of 10/4

ARIES (March 21-April 19): I’ve been doing interviews in support of my new book, Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle. Now and then, I’m asked this question: "Do you actually believe all that mystical woo-woo you write about?" I respond diplomatically, though inwardly I’m screaming: “How profoundly hypocritical I would be if I did not...

Free Will Astrology, Week of 10/4

ARIES (March 21-April 19): I’ve been doing interviews in support of my new book, Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle. Now and then, I’m asked this question: "Do you actually believe all that mystical woo-woo you write about?" I respond diplomatically, though inwardly I’m screaming: “How profoundly hypocritical I would be if I did not...
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