Free Will Astrology: Week of Nov. 6

0

ARIES (March 21-April 19): I rarely recommend acquisitive behavior. But my analysis of the astrological omens tells me you now have cosmic authorization to indulge in a sublime version of voracity. We might also refer to it as a license to practice a spiritually correct variety of greed. Here’s the fine print: You should NOT interpret this as permission to amass materialistic treasures and status symbols. Instead, the things you gather will be rich feelings, encounters with inspiring beauty, epiphanies about your divine purpose and exquisite states of consciousness. You can also ask for and receive colossal supplies of love and affection.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The last time I ate a hamburger was in 1994. I doubt I will ever eat another. Why? The taste is not enjoyable to me, and no matter how well I chew it, my stomach always rebels. There’s an additional problem: For several reasons, cattle farming is a significant factor causing the climate crisis. I would rather not contribute to that decimation. Does my attitude toward hamburgers mean I am a judgmental, close-minded zealot? No, it doesn’t. I don’t proselytize to those who relish burgers, especially if they take other measures to reduce their carbon footprint. In this horoscope, dear Taurus, I am illustrating an approach I hope you will cultivate in the coming weeks. Be extra zealously devoted to your ideals and proclivities without condemning and dismissing those who don’t share them.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): There are numerous approaches to getting good results from meditation. One is to sit silently and still in a tranquil sanctuary. Another is to lie on the ground under a dark sky and beseech the stars to bestow inspiration. One of my personal favorites is to sing rowdy hymns to birds, insects and trees while hiking vigorously in nature. How many other varieties can you imagine, Gemini? The coming weeks will be a favorable time to develop and expand your meditation skills. Here’s a key consideration: How can you achieve maximum fun while meditating? I recommend you free your mind to experiment with a host of interesting approaches.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): If there was ever an appropriate time for you to indulge in creatively rowdy thoughts and inspirationally unruly behavior, it would be now. Life is giving you license to de-emphasize decorum and formalities—and to emphasize boisterous enthusiasm and plucky adventures. For the sake of your mental health, I believe you need to engage in experimental improvisations that include maverick expressions. What areas of your life need liberation? What feelings need to be released from their constraints? What worn-out old theories and opinions should be abandoned?

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Are your talents even slightly underrated and overlooked by others, Leo? Have your gifts received less than the full appreciation they deserve? Could you be of greater service and inspiration to your fellow humans if only your offerings were better known? If you answered yes to any of those questions, I’m pleased to tell you that the coming months should bring remedies. Life will be conspiring with you to help spread your influence and boost your clout.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I wish it were true that the forces of darkness are lined up in opposition to the forces of light. Life would be so much easier for you. But I’m afraid it’s not that simple and clear. In my view, a more accurate metaphor might be that the energies of smokey gray are squaring off with the energies of dusky beige. Each side has a touch of both wrongness and rightness, a bit of ugliness and beauty. So what is the most honorable role you can play in this showdown? My suggestion is to develop a third side, an alternate way. 

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In the early part of his career, Libran author Mario Puzo wrote short stories and novels, but never a screenplay. At age 49, he was asked by director Francis Ford Coppola to co-write the script for the film The Godfather. It turned out to be a sensational rookie effort. He was ultimately awarded an Academy Award for it, and later garnered another Oscar for his screenplay for The Godfather Part II. It was only then that Puzo realized he had found his calling and decided he should study the art of screenwriting. In the first chapter of the first book he bought about the subject, he read with great amusement that the ideal screenplay was the one by Mario Puzo for The Godfather. I bring this story to your attention, Libra, because you are approaching a time with similarities to Puzo’s situation before Coppola solicited his work. Trust your rookie instincts!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In the lifecycle of a butterfly, the earliest stages are larva and pupa. As a larva, the future beauty crawls around as a caterpillar, cramming itself with nutritive substance. After it transitions into the pupa state, it’s inert for a while, working on the inside of its cocoon to transform itself into its ultimate form. I don’t want to be too literal about the comparison, but my sense is that your time as a larva will last another two months, whereupon you will begin your pupa phase. When will you emerge as a winged creature? It depends on how earnestly you work as a pupa, but I expect no later than March 2025.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Brian Wilson, co-founder of the Beach Boys, is one of the most innovative and imaginative songwriters ever. Many of his compositions have become bestselling hit tunes. But he had a rough start in his craft. The first song he ever wrote was “Surfin.’” He submitted it to fulfill an assignment in his high school music class, but his teacher gave it an F, the lowest possible grade. Fifty-eight years later, Wilson returned to the school for a visit, and the new principal changed his original grade to an A. I foresee a comparable event occurring in your life sometime soon: a vindication, restitution or reparation.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Earlier this year, 79-year-old rock singer Rod Stewart performed his greatest hits during a multi-city tour in many countries. “I shall never retire!” he proclaimed. Can you guess what astrological sign he is? Capricorn, of course. Many members of your tribe age very well, displaying stamina and vitality into later life. I bring this to your attention because I think you are close to discovering new secrets and tricks that will serve you well as you ripen. Here are some meditations that might be helpful: 1. What haven’t you been ready to do before, but might be soon? 2. What fun things would you love to be doing years from now, and how could you seed their future growth?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Scientists have discovered the fossil remains of over 700 dinosaur species buried underground. But the experts agree there are many more down there. Previously unknown species are still being unearthed every year. Let’s use these facts as a metaphor for your life in the coming months. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you could learn a host of fresh truths about your history. You may have imagined that your past is finished and finalized, but it’s not. I encourage you to have fun hunting for revelations and investigations that will transform the story of your life.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You haven’t fully tapped into all of your vast potentials, Pisces. Latent talents and aptitudes within you may still be at least partially dormant. It’s even possible that some of your future powers are so foreign to your self-concept that they will feel like magic when they finally come into full expression. Now here’s the very good news: The coming months will be an excellent time to figure out what you need to do to express a more complete version of yourself.

Homework: Maybe it would be beneficial to narrow your range of choices in one area of your life. Testify! Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Free Will Astrology: Week of Oct. 30

0

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Many people believe in the existence of ghosts. If you’re not yet one of them, you may be soon. The spirit world is more open than usual to your curiosity and explorations. Keep in mind, though, that the contacts you make might not be with ghosts in the usual sense of that term. They might be deceased ancestors coming to deliver clues and blessings. They could be angels, guardian spirits or shapeshifting messengers. Don’t be afraid. Some may be weird, but they’re not dangerous. Learn what you can from them, but don’t assume they’re omniscient and infallible. Halloween costume suggestion: one of your ancestors.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): When you attended kindergarten, did you ever share your delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich with friends who didn’t like the broccoli and carrots in their lunch boxes? If so, you may be well-primed to capitalize on the opportunities now in your vicinity. Your generous actions will be potent catalysts for good luck. Your eagerness to bestow blessings and share your resources will bring you rewards. Your skill at enhancing other people’s fortunes may attract unexpected favors. Halloween costume suggestion: philanthropist, charity worker, or an angel who gives away peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): For you, dear Gemini, the coming weeks could be the least superstitious time ever. There will be no such thing as bad luck, good luck or weird luck. Fears rooted in old misunderstandings will be irrelevant. Irrational worries about unlikely outcomes will be disproven. You will discover reasons to shed paranoid thoughts and nervous fantasies. Speaking on behalf of your higher self, I authorize you to put your supple trust in logical thinking, objective research and rational analysis. Halloween costume suggestion: a famous scientist you respect.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Which sign of the zodiac is sexiest? Smoldering Scorpios, who are so inherently seductive they don’t even have to try to be? Radiant Leos, whose charisma and commanding presence may feel irresistible? Electrifying Aries, who grab our attention with their power to excite and inspire us? In accordance with current astrological omens, I name you Cancerians as the sexiest sign for the next three weeks. Your emotional potency and nurturing intelligence will tempt us to dive into the depths with you and explore the lyrical mysteries of intimate linkage. Halloween costume suggestion: sex god, sex goddess or the nonbinary Hindu deity Ardhanarishvara.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In ancient Egypt, onions were precious because they symbolized the many-layered nature of life. Just as some modern people swear oaths while placing a hand on a Bible, an Egyptian might have pledged a crucial vow while holding an onion. Would you consider adopting your own personal version of their practice in the coming weeks, Leo? It is the oath-taking season for you—a time when you will be wise to consider deep commitments and sacred resolutions. Halloween costume suggestion: a spiritual initiate or devotee.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Two of the world’s most famous paintings are the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. Both were made by Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), one of the world’s most famous painters. Yet the brilliant artist left us with only 24 paintings in total, many of which were unfinished. Why? Here are two of several reasons: He worked slowly and procrastinated constantly. In the coming months, Virgo, I feel you will have resemblances to the version of da Vinci who created The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. Some of your best, most enduring work will bloom. You will be at the peak of your unique powers. Halloween costume suggestion: Leonardo da Vinci or some great maestro.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “When you are faced with a choice between two paths, it’s always better to take the most difficult one.” What!? No! That’s not true! A shamanic psychotherapist gave me that bad advice when I was young, and I am glad I did not heed it. My life has been so much better because I learn from joy and pleasure as much as from hardship. Yes, sometimes it’s right to choose the most challenging option, but on many occasions we are wise to opt for what brings fun adventures and free-flowing opportunities for creative expression. That’s what I wish for you right now. Halloween costume suggestion: a hedonist, a liberator, a bliss specialist.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio painter Pablo Picasso has been described as a “masterfully erratic pioneer.” He influenced every art movement of the 20th century. His painting Guernica is a renowned anti-war statement. Though he was a Communist, he amassed great wealth and owned five homes. Today, his collected work is valued at over $800 million. By the way, he was the most prolific artist who ever lived, producing almost 150,000 pieces. I nominate him to be your role model in the coming weeks. You are due for a Season of Successful Excess. Halloween costume suggestion: an eccentric, charismatic genius.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian Keith Richards, guitar player for the Rolling Stones since 1962, is a gritty, rugged man notorious for his rowdy carousing. Lots of observers predicted he would die at a young age because of his boisterous lifestyle, yet today he is 81 years old and still partying. But here’s his confession: “I never sleep alone. If there is no one to sleep next to, I’ll sleep next to a stuffed animal. It makes me feel secure and safe. It’s a little embarrassing to admit it. It’s important to me, though.” I bring this up, Sagittarius, because I feel that no matter how wild and free you are, you will be wise to ensure that you feel extra secure and supported for a while. Halloween costume suggestion: a stuffed animal or a lover of stuffed animals.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Halloween offers us a valuable psychological opportunity. We can pretend to perform our shadowy, wounded and unripe qualities without suffering the consequences of literally acting them out. We can acknowledge them as part of our make-up, helping to ensure they won’t develop the explosive, unpredictable power that repressed qualities can acquire. We may even gently mock our immature qualities with sly humor, diminishing the possibility they will sabotage us. All that’s a preamble for my Halloween costume suggestion for you: a dictator or tyrant. If you have fun playing with your control-freak fantasies, you will be less likely to over-express them in real life.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Paganism and astrology have key affinities. For instance, they both understand that our personal rhythms are connected with the Earth’s cycles. I bring this to your attention because we are in the season that pagans call Samhain, halfway between the equinox and solstice. For Aquarians, this festival marks a time when you are wise to honor and nurture your highest ambitions. You can generate fun and good fortune by focusing on lofty goals that express your finest talents and offer your most unique gifts. How might you boost your passion and capacity to make your mark on the world? Halloween costume suggestion: your dream career.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I like how you are opening, widening and heightening! Keep up the good work, Pisces! I am cheering you on as you amplify, stretch, augment and burgeon. Here’s a small alert, though: You may be expanding so fast and so far that it’s a challenge for less expansive people to keep up—even your allies. To allay their worries, be generous in sharing the fruits of your thriving spaciousness. Let them know you don’t require them to match your rate of growth. You could also show them this horoscope. Halloween costume suggestion: a broader, brighter, bolder version of yourself.

Homework: To read my thoughts on the U.S. presidential election, go here: tinyurl.com/ElectionExtra.

A Dream We Dreamed: The Legacies of Phil Lesh 

0

In 2010, I was the city librarian of San Rafael, and Phil Lesh and his wife, Jill, were working on starting a new restaurant and nightclub in Fairfax. There was opposition from the locals, who feared excessive crowds and noise from such a venture. 

By all reports, Lesh was getting discouraged. So, I sent him an email asking if he might be open to considering San Rafael as a possible location. He replied with enthusiasm, and I connected him with our city economic development director, Nancy Mackle, who then worked with the Leshes to create the dream-come-true that was Terrapin Crossroads. 

That is, I believe, one of the highlights of my career as a civil servant. I had left the city’s employ by the time TXR opened in March 2012, but Lesh generously invited me to attend the opening run of shows—a highlight of my career as a Deadhead. 

That Deadhead part of my life began in 1976 at a concert at the Oakland Coliseum when the Dead opened for The Who. I was transformed, hooked, and I have spent the bulk of my musical attention and music budget ever since on Grateful Dead music and have had a small role in contributing to the written literature about the band. I even played keyboard in a Grateful Dead tribute band called Dead Again for several years. 

And always, running as a constant thread beneath it all, was the bass playing of Phil Lesh. 

There was nothing like it. It was not “normal” bass playing. Lesh’s playing was melodic as much as rhythmic, and his playing was a constant musical conversation with whomever he was playing with. Most notably, Jerry Garcia. Bob Weir once described his role in the band as figuring out how to connect Lesh and Garcia’s playing in a constant state of improvisation. 

Lesh’s deep background in music theory set him apart from the folkies and rockers he was playing with, and he took the band in new directions while honoring the roots that made them a part of the American musical traditions of folk, country, blues and bluegrass. And he knew how to unleash the occasional booming bass note that would shake the walls of whatever old ice rink or basketball stadium the band was playing: The Phil Bomb. 

After Garcia’s death in August 1995, it fell to the band’s surviving members to decide what might be next for the traveling circus enterprise, the Grateful Dead. Fortunately for all of us, the remaining band members formed a succession of bands that carried on as, variously, The Other Ones, The Dead and Furthur. They capped it with a series of shows in 2015 called Fare Thee Well, with concerts in the Bay Area and Chicago. I attended the Chicago shows, saying goodbye to this aggregation of players who had been the soundtrack of my life for nearly 40 years at that point. 

But the music never stopped. Lesh kept playing with a cavalcade of musicians who were up for the adventure. His club hosted countless nights of never-before and never-again-heard music. He lit up the room with his fierce, smiling joy at the sounds they were creating together. 

Each time he played, he took a moment at the end of the show for what became known to us as his “Donor Rap.” And this may turn out, ultimately, to be Lesh’s most significant legacy to humankind: He encouraged hundreds of thousands of concert attendees to become organ donors because his own life had been granted a reprieve when he received a liver transplant in 1998, thanks to the family of a young man named Cody. 

Lesh would stand center stage and relate the circumstances that saved his life, and he would thank Cody and tell us all to become organ donors. He would let us know that we needed to tell those closest to us that that was our wish and had us turn to each other right then and there, if we were in attendance with those loved ones, and tell them that we wanted to be organ donors. 

I like to think of the ripple effect of his actions, an unbroken chain of cause and effect that will allow for so many to receive extended lives. Lesh himself was able to continue playing music for 26 more years, thanks to Cody. 

Lesh’s songwriting, though not as prolific as his bandmates Garcia and Weir, was nevertheless a key part of the legacy of the Grateful Dead. He composed the incredible musical adventure that is “Unbroken Chain.” He was at home in the bouncy, bluesy feel of “Pride of Cucamonga.” He somehow came up with “Passenger” in order to get the band back into more rock ’n’ roll during the Terrapin Station sessions. 

And his singing added more than most of us realize—in the early days, holding the highest parts of the harmonies (he had perfect pitch), and then later, with crowds chanting “Let Phil sing!” with rousing numbers like “Gimme Some Lovin’” or “Ballad of a Thin Man.” 

His signature song, “Box of Rain,” set to the beautiful lyrics of another San Rafael resident, Robert Hunter, was written as his father was dying, and contains words of comfort that allude to the impermanence of life on the “ball of rain” (Hunter changed that to box of rain because it “sang” better) that is planet Earth: “Such a long, long time to be gone, and a short time to be there.” 

Philip Chapman Lesh died on Oct. 25, 2024, at the age of 84. 

Thank you, Phil, for, well, everything. So glad you made it. 

David Dodd is the author of ‘The Complete Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics.’

Weed Weirdos: Republicans Get More Outlandish on Cannabis


While it’s true that cannabis is one of very few issues where the major political parties find some common ground, on both sides of the question, it should come as no surprise that, as the Republican Party gets nuttier and nuttier, the things Republicans say about weed become ever more outlandish.

The latest bit of lunacy came recently from J.D. Vance, who has been spewing all kinds of weird stuff since Donald Trump picked him as his running mate, while other weird stuff he’s said in the past has come to light. For instance, he believes that “childless cat ladies” have “no stake” in America, and that “post-menopausal” women are useless unless they’re helping to raise grandchildren.

Compared to that kind of stuff, his thoughts about pot might seem almost normal. But they’re really not. On Aug. 16, Vance appeared at an event put on by the Milwaukee Police Association—the cop union. There, he claimed that a cop had told him that “we’ve got fentanyl in our marijuana bags that our teenagers are using.”

This either didn’t happen or the cop who supposedly said that to Vance made it up. The “pot laced with dangerous drugs” myth is a very old trope. As a parent of “three young kids,” Vance told Milwaukee’s finest, he was “certain” that “one day, one of my kids is going to take something or do something that I don’t want them to take. But I don’t want that mistake to ruin their life.”

That’s rather hard to parse, but it seems like Vance is convinced that his kids—now ages seven, four and three—will one day smoke weed, and he’s very worried that there might be fentanyl in “the marijuana bags” that their kids will eventually get their pot in.

While anybody can lace anything with anything, and weed with other drugs mixed into it is not unheard of—though usually with the consent of the user—the story of fentanyl-laced weed came about simply because fentanyl is the most recent scare-drug for prohibitionist types who know that everyone by now knows how relatively harmless pot itself is. At the moment, fentanyl is the scariest thing they can conjure up. You might have seen the stories of people declaring, falsely, that merely touching the stuff can kill you.

Last year, New York State’s Office of Cannabis Management reported that there have been zero confirmed cases of fentanyl-laced pot.

Meanwhile, the obvious response to this myth is to note that legalization would solve the whole thing. Nobody at the local dispensary is likely to lace their strawberry kush with hard drugs.

Vance’s record on cannabis is mixed-to-negative, if that even matters. He has generally opposed reform bills that make it to Congress, but he has also stated that states should be allowed to legalize and that criminal convictions for pot crimes should be expunged. But he’s also said that using weed can “lead to violence.”

In Milwaukee, Vance’s weirdness continued. He blamed President Joe Biden’s “border policies” for this fentanyl-containing cannabis that worries him so. And in another hard-to-parse statement, he declared that “I want [kids] to learn from it. I want their parents to be able to punish them. I don’t want our kids to make mistakes on American streets and have it take their lives away from them.”

Most often, such myths seem to originate with cops and prosecutors. Since people in those positions are widely seen as trustworthy, and are often quoted with no pushback by credulous journalists, the myths take off and become part of the national political dialogue. Last year, Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida proposed an amendment to direct the Government Accountability Office to study the fake problem of fentanyl-laced weed. Buchanan’s colleagues quickly put the kibosh on that.

And what happened after Vance’s appearance before the Milwaukee Police Association, where he spewed a bunch of lies and made a bunch of weird statements about weed and other things? The police union endorsed the Trump-Vance ticket, of course.

It Counts: Every vote, in every way

0

With Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump locked in a statistical tie as we head toward the national election, the truth is clear: Every vote counts. And this year, it’s not just about choosing a candidate; it’s about choosing democracy itself.

Trump’s rhetoric has intensified, hinting at a chilling future. His talk of a “last election” isn’t about 2020, which he lost and then misrepresented to the point of inciting a violent insurrection. Instead, he’s speaking of 2024 as a possible final election—final as in “no more voting” and “no more democratic choice.” The implications are stark. This year’s vote could very well define our future.

Meanwhile, tech billionaire and media clown Elon Musk audaciously tweeted that Trump must win the election in November if America wants to preserve its democracy. “Very few Americans realize that, if Trump is NOT elected, this will be the last election,” Musk posted on his social platform, X. This is propaganda and a lie (and reason enough to be grateful Musk has maintained the platform’s character limit).

One might say that this is politics as usual. But it isn’t. It matters. Why does this matter? Trump has been called a fascist by his former defense secretary, former chief of staff and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. According to a recent ABC News/Ipsos poll, half of Americans share grave concerns about his autocratic tendencies. His words hint at a shift in the democratic landscape and the unsettling question, “What if?”

“What will he do this time?” asks Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, a January 6 Select Committee member. “No one knows exactly what Trump’s attack on the electoral system will be in 2024,” he noted recently in an interview with Politico. That question—what Trump will do, indeed—casts a shadow over our democracy, and the only countermeasure is participation.

In this high-stakes election, voter turnout could reinforce democracy or accelerate its unraveling. Now is the time for every voter to consider not just who they’re voting for but what they are actually voting for. It’s more than a ballot—it’s an act of defense for our collective future.

Your McLetters

McOutbreak

There is a problem with our food systems. The recent E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers has led to illness, hospitalization and even death. The CDC, FDA and other health agencies are investigating, with fresh slivered onions and quarter-pound beef patties as the suspected sources of contamination. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen outbreaks linked to meat-based products, and it underscores a more significant issue with food safety in animal agriculture.

There is a better way. By embracing a plant-based diet, we can avoid these risks and enjoy delicious foods that are safe and optimum for human health, the planet and the animals. Now is the time to explore plant-based alternatives and make compassionate choices for a better future.

Steven Alderson

Santa Rosa

McDon

The former president was furious when he learned he would not be named McDonald’s Employee of the Month for October due to his diagnoses of  “thin skin” and “excessive ego.”

Craig J. Corsini

San Rafael

Cocktails, Poetry, and All That Jazz

0

Petaluma

Cocktail Time

Bottoms up for Petaluma’s first-ever Cocktail Week, a new event that is bringing Whiskey Sours to the city’s bars between Nov. 8 and 17. This event highlights the city’s vibrant craft cocktail scene and will put a spotlight on local bars as they each put their unique spin on the classic Whiskey Sour. Participating bars will craft their own versions of the Whiskey Sour in the hope of fostering a sense of community and support among local establishments. To help participants navigate the festivities, a printed card will be available detailing the participating bars and their special offerings. This is the time to come on out and discover Petaluma’s cocktail culture (and connect with local bartenders at the same time). For more information and updates, stay tuned on social media and get ready to sip in style. To learn more and share one’s own cocktail experiences, visit the event’s Instagram account, @petaluma_cocktail_society.

Petaluma

Lost & Found

Found Poets! is reading in Petaluma on Nov. 2 from 3 to 6pm at The Big Easy. Headlining the event is Jamie DeWolf, an award-winning Bay Area performer, filmmaker and arts educator. DeWolf will be joined by a lineup of openers including Bernice Espinoza, Joseph Jason Santiago LaCour, Original Giotis, Lorriechange, Rebel Fagin and Anna Simson. This showcase promises a variety of impactful readings, making it perfect for both poetry lovers and newcomers alike. Admission is $15 at the door, and the event is open to all ages, though some mature content may be included. Guests can experience a diverse and inclusive atmosphere at The Big Easy, which also offers a full dinner menu and a selection of local wines and craft beers. This is a chance to experience the magic of performance poetry, by grabbing tickets and being part of the poetic revolution. For more info or to purchase tickets, visit bigeasypetaluma.com. The Big Easy is located at 128 American Alley in Petaluma.

Mill Valley

Where to Be

Calendars are now being marked for Craig Jessup, a cabaret and musical theater performer who is set to present his latest show, “Where I Want to Be,” at Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley at 8pm on Saturday, Nov. 16. The performance will feature timeless classics from the Great American Songbook and Broadway favorites, alongside Jessup’s original works and surprise selections from artists like Billy Joel and ABBA. Jessup will be accompanied by musical director Noah Bossert, bassist Daniel Fabricant and drummer Nathaniel Welch. Tickets cost between $45 and $55. For more information, visit the website at throckmortontheatre.org or call 415.383.9600.

St. Helena

Let’s Make Some Music

Vocalist Gale Terminello will join jazz pianist Mike Greensill and his quartet for a local performance of American Songbook favorites on Friday, Nov. 1. Terminello began her career at 20 in San Francisco’s top venues and is known for her heartfelt interpretations of the songs she performs. Greensill boasts a background as a musical director and arranger for prominent orchestras and has played at venues such as Carnegie Hall and Blue Note Napa. Joining them are musicians Ruth Davies (bass), Noel Jewkes (sax and clarinet) and Jack Dorsey (drums), each with extensive performance histories. This performance is taking place at the Cameo Cinema Theatre at 1340 Main St. in historic downtown St. Helena. Doors open at 6pm, with the show starting at 7pm on Nov. 1. Tickets are priced at $40 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit cameocinema.com.

Answer Is…‘Women in Jeopardy’ comedy in Napa

It is every woman’s biggest dilemma: what to do if one suspects one’s friend’s new lover is a deranged serial killer. They can’t just tell her; she may never speak to them again. This is the problem in Wendy MacLeod’s Women in Jeopardy, now at the Lucky Penny Community Arts Center through Nov. 3.

In this zany comedy billed as Thelma and Louise meets The First Wives Club, Mary (Taylor Bartolucci) and Jo (Sarah Lundstrom) don’t like their friend Liz’s (LC Arisman) new boyfriend, Jackson (John Browning). On top of his odd humor, obsession with teeth and questionable taste in movie lending, there is a lurking suspicion that he murdered his dental hygienist.

Since Liz won’t listen to reason, there is only one (or two or three) thing(s) to do. These include trying to turn Liz’s dim daughter, Amanda (Emma Sutherland), into a covert operative; going to police Sgt. Kirk Sponsüllar (also John Browning) to point fingers and maybe get a date; or involving Amanda’s ex-boyfriend, Trenner (Mateo Escobedo), in increasingly convoluted and kooky attempts to save Liz, save the hygienist and return in time to do their Fun Run for Cervical Cancer while they’re at it.

The script is a fun, fluffy bit of escapism, and director Alexander Gomez’s cast does the comedy well. It’s worth repeating: Comedy is hard. It takes a specific sort of mathematical precision to get comedy right. With impeccable timing creating a consistently funny show, this cast shows their proficiency in comedic arithmetic.

Bartolucci and Lundstrom have great chemistry and balance each other well on stage. LC Arisman is a fearless performer. Her portrayal of Liz was somehow over the top yet completely in control. Sutherland’s Amanda is silliness in a push-up bra that somehow feels both innocent and risqué and is a lot of fun to watch. Escobedo’s youth works in his favor to create a believable relationship misunderstanding, but his portrayal also shows some surprising vulnerability, which keeps his stereotypical F-Boy character sympathetic. 

Then there is Browning. He has become an ubiquitous actor in the North Bay. Chances are that most audience members would have seen him in one comedy or another, which makes sense. As this play showcases, he is exceptionally skilled at silliness.

For those who want a cozy mystery with a light-hearted feel instead of a more traditional spooky season show, this feel-good, laugh-out-loud show is the one. 

‘Women in Jeopardy’ runs through Nov. 3 at the Lucky Penny Community Arts Center. 1758 Industrial Way, Napa. Fri–Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. $30 – $40. 707.266.6305. luckypennynapa.com.

Santa Rosa’s Day of the Dead Celebrates 25th Year on Old Courthouse Square

This year’s Dia De Los Muertos Santa Rosa will have an intensified aura of celebration, as it marks its 25th year on Old Courthouse Square. 

With solemn feeling, I remark that at the time of its establishment, it was uncommon to stage large-scale Mexican heritage events, and its placement on the square (aligned with Mendocino and Santa Rosa Avenue, City Hall and holy Mount Taylor, in the heart of Sonoma County) met with resistance. 

Since Dia De Los Muertos Santa Rosa’s establishment, many other town celebrations followed in its wake. But the Santa Rosa tradition remains, perhaps, the most spiritual, largely due to its founder and moving spirit, Luz Navarrette (formerly of the Santa Rosa Junior College). From its 25 years, powerful stories of tears, catharsis and supernatural wonder are now endless.

CH: Luz, although this is a celebration of Mexican culture, you have welcomed all the region’s communities?

LN: Yes, it is becoming an inclusive multicultural celebration of loved ones that have crossed over.

CH: We are united in the common experience of death. Luz, I understand you are assisted in your work by loved ones who have crossed over. How do you stay open and receptive to signs and communications from the other side?

LN: When I wake up in the morning, I say hello to everyone on the other side—by name. First, I connect with God, and do a blessing—of everything. I start up there, then I come down from the sun and the moon and the stars, into the atmospheric energy of the Earth, and the clouds and the rain, and come down with the rain to the birds in the sky—I connect with everything until I connect with the core of the Earth, which connects with the core of my being. 

I do all of this in a ritual that connects me to everything. And then I begin to connect with all of the people on my altar—all the people that have crossed over generations back. The ancestors. I ask them that if they have any desire to communicate with me or guide me; I welcome that. If they’re not busy, perhaps they can come and help me. I burn my incense, then I go about my day.

Learn more Follow the below link or the paths of marigold petals to Old Courthouse Square, Fourth Street and Santa Rosa Avenue, Santa Rosa, Nov. 1 and 2. Bring photos of your dead as well as the lightness of reminiscences and the weight of your grief. bit.ly/3UwFQjo

CA Congress Peeps Against Certifying the Election

In January 2021, seven of the 11 California Republicans in Congress refused to certify the 2020 presidential election results, boosting former President Donald Trump’s false claim that he lost in a rigged vote.

As Trump attempts to return to the White House, only a third of California’s Republican U.S. representatives have pledged to certify the results this November. 

Only four of the 12 GOP incumbents—seeking another term—have promised to uphold the election results. Of the three GOP challengers in California’s most competitive districts, two—Scott Baugh in Orange County and Kevin Lincoln in the Central Valley—made the same pledge in response to an inquiry. And in California’s U.S. Senate race, GOP candidate Steve Garvey committed in February.

The refusal to commit by most GOP congressional candidates comes as Trump and his allies are already casting doubt on the outcome of the November election, stoking fear among election officials of disruptions and violence.

Eight of California’s current Republican members of Congress were in office, but only Rep. Young Kim—who flipped her northern Orange County seat in 2020—voted to certify the results without casting doubt on the election outcome. “The Constitution does not give Congress the authority to overturn elections. To take such action would undermine the authority of the states,” she said in a statement in 2021. 

She said she plans to uphold the results of this election as well.

Rep. Tom McClintock was the only other California Republican to vote to certify the election. But he said it was because he believed Congress did not have the constitutional authority to reject the electoral votes—not because he didn’t have concerns about how the election was conducted. 

In December 2020, however, McClintock was one of four California Republicans in Congress to file an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge the election outcome in Pennsylvania, arguing that mail balloting “invites fraud and incubates suspicion of fraud” and claiming that “ballot harvesters” collected ballots with “no chain of custody.” Multiple fact checks found no evidence of widespread ballot harvesting or voter fraud during the 2020 election, and courts rejected more than 50 lawsuits Trump and his allies brought to challenge the election results. 

McClintock said he will vote to uphold the electoral votes for the upcoming election. “Congress’ only role in the matter is to witness the counting of the ballots. Period,” he said. 

In 2022, Congress passed the Electoral Count Reform Act, which made it more difficult for Congress to object to election results and clarified the vote-counting process. All California Republican incumbents who were in office at the time voted against it. 

But even with that new guardrail, political experts say efforts to overturn the election are to be expected now. That’s a stark departure from a decade ago, said Kim Nalder, a political science professor at California State University in Sacramento.

“It’s really kind of horrifying that we’ve normalized this abnormal sort of situation,” she said. “We can’t survive with this level of distrust in our basic institutions, and I don’t know what will give to change that, but something has to.”

Lobbyist Chris Micheli said the presidential election results could be challenged again, partly because of how close polls say the race is in seven battleground states. Both Kamala Harris and Trump are preparing legal teams in the case of a challenge. 

“It’s definitely a dark period of American history, both what transpired on Jan. 6, but also earlier that prior December, when members of Congress voted against certifying the election of the clear victor in the presidential election,” Micheli said. “Those votes raised the ire of a lot of voters, particularly in California.”

The state Republican Party is firmly behind Trump, who—despite losing to Biden 63% to 34% in 2020—still won more votes in California than any other state. In a new Public Policy Institute of California poll released last week, Harris leads Trump 59% to 33% among likely voters. But in the swing congressional districts, likely voters are generally evenly divided.

Rep. Ken Calvert, who represents the 41st District in Riverside County, is the only California Republican member of Congress to commit to certifying the presidential election results this time after objecting four years ago. He also joined the court brief challenging Pennsylvania’s results in 2020 and advocated for a “thorough investigation” of voter fraud allegations in 2021. 

Calvert’s campaign did not say why his position has shifted from four years ago. 

Rep. Jay Obernolte, who voted to object to the count, told Southern California News Group in 2022 that he still had “serious constitutional reservations about the things that happened in those two states”—Arizona and Pennsylvania.   

Reps. David Valadao and Michelle Steel missed the vote in 2021. Steel said she had tested positive for Covid, while Valadao had not been sworn in yet because he also tested positive. However, Valadao said on social media he would have voted to certify the election.

The three incumbents who took office in 2023 will face that decision for the first time if they win re-election. But not everyone is answering the question:  Rep. John Duarte—a Modesto farmer facing a fierce challenge from Democrat Adam Gray—is the only one to state his position publicly, telling The Sacramento Bee he would vote to certify the presidential election. (Duarte did not respond to an inquiry.)

Reps. Kevin Kiley, Vince Fong, Doug LaMalfa, Darrell Issa and Mike Garcia, and Obernolte and Valadao did not respond to inquiries. Ditto Matt Gunderson, a candidate for the toss-up 49th District in San Diego County.

Nalder said Republicans running in swing districts will decide whether to uphold the election outcome based on which voters they want to court. 

“Coming out strongly in support of certification would make sense if the goal was to recruit some moderate voters or some voters from the other party in these close races,” she said. “But if the strategy is more about turnouts amongst their base … it probably makes sense to equivocate.”

For GOP members of Congress in safe Republican districts, however, the calculation is more about their “future in the party,” Nalder said.

“Assuming Trump wins, they will need to have loyalty exhibited within the party, and so having committed beforehand to something that the party maybe goes against later would not be helpful for their political career,” she added. 

Free Will Astrology: Week of Nov. 6

Free Will Astrology: Week of Nov. 6
ARIES (March 21-April 19): I rarely recommend acquisitive behavior. But my analysis of the astrological omens tells me you now have cosmic authorization to indulge in a sublime version of voracity. We might also refer to it as a license to practice a spiritually correct variety of greed. Here’s the fine print: You should NOT interpret this as permission...

Free Will Astrology: Week of Oct. 30

Free Will Astrology: Week of Oct. 30
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Many people believe in the existence of ghosts. If you’re not yet one of them, you may be soon. The spirit world is more open than usual to your curiosity and explorations. Keep in mind, though, that the contacts you make might not be with ghosts in the usual sense of that term. They might...

A Dream We Dreamed: The Legacies of Phil Lesh 

In 2010, I was the city librarian of San Rafael, and Phil Lesh and his wife, Jill, were working on starting a new restaurant and nightclub in Fairfax. There was opposition from the locals, who feared excessive crowds and noise from such a venture.  By all reports, Lesh was getting discouraged. So, I sent him an email asking if he...

Weed Weirdos: Republicans Get More Outlandish on Cannabis

While it’s true that cannabis is one of very few issues where the major political parties find some common ground, on both sides of the question, it should come as no surprise that, as the Republican Party gets nuttier and nuttier, the things Republicans say about weed become ever more outlandish. The latest bit of lunacy came recently from J.D....

It Counts: Every vote, in every way

With Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump locked in a statistical tie as we head toward the national election, the truth is clear: Every vote counts. And this year, it’s not just about choosing a candidate; it’s about choosing democracy itself. Trump's rhetoric has intensified, hinting at a chilling future. His talk of a “last election” isn’t...

Your McLetters

McOutbreak There is a problem with our food systems. The recent E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers has led to illness, hospitalization and even death. The CDC, FDA and other health agencies are investigating, with fresh slivered onions and quarter-pound beef patties as the suspected sources of contamination. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen outbreaks linked...

Cocktails, Poetry, and All That Jazz

Petaluma Cocktail Time Bottoms up for Petaluma’s first-ever Cocktail Week, a new event that is bringing Whiskey Sours to the city’s bars between Nov. 8 and 17. This event highlights the city’s vibrant craft cocktail scene and will put a spotlight on local bars as they each put their unique spin on the classic Whiskey Sour. Participating bars will craft their...

Answer Is…‘Women in Jeopardy’ comedy in Napa

It is every woman’s biggest dilemma: what to do if one suspects one’s friend’s new lover is a deranged serial killer. They can’t just tell her; she may never speak to them again. This is the problem in Wendy MacLeod’s Women in Jeopardy, now at the Lucky Penny Community Arts Center through Nov. 3. In this zany comedy billed as...

Santa Rosa’s Day of the Dead Celebrates 25th Year on Old Courthouse Square

This year’s Dia De Los Muertos Santa Rosa will have an intensified aura of celebration, as it marks its 25th year on Old Courthouse Square.  With solemn feeling, I remark that at the time of its establishment, it was uncommon to stage large-scale Mexican heritage events, and its placement on the square (aligned with Mendocino and Santa Rosa Avenue, City...

CA Congress Peeps Against Certifying the Election

In January 2021, seven of the 11 California Republicans in Congress refused to certify the 2020 presidential election results, boosting former President Donald Trump’s false claim that he lost in a rigged vote. As Trump attempts to return to the White House, only a third of California’s Republican U.S. representatives have pledged to certify the results this November.  Only four of...
11,084FansLike
4,446FollowersFollow
6,928FollowersFollow