"The Networker" emerges a success from the SOHO Film Festival

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By Cindy Mich | @CinsAccount

Recently, I was a proud participant of the New York based SoHo Film Festival. Although the majority of my time was slated for red carpet interviews, I was able to attend the premieres of two feature films. One of those films was The Networker, and below is my review of the film and its cast and crew.

Creative genius Victor Ribaudo contrived a tale of both the reality and rigors involved in the re-invention of oneself. He dishes up both a delightful drama and clever comedy, even sprinkling his screenplay with a dash of romantic role play. Donning the directorial cap is one of the elites of the independent industry, John Gallagher. The Networker is evidence of Gallagher’s propensity to pull passion straight from the souls of all his actors. As for casting, darling Donna McKenna whipped together an entourage of eclectic entertainers to successfully showcase this story.  Regarding production, Steve Stanulis is perfectly planted as one of the lead producers, yet signed on in a secondary role as the lead actor in the film. This duel duty was advantageous not only for Stanulis, but even more so for the audiences who view this film.

The premise behind The Networker circulates around the troubled, then the eventual transformed, main character John Mangano. Mangano’s father, having grown tired of John’s’ juvenile antics, offers him ninety days to basically sink or swim as it relates to his employment at the family firm. Networking is inferred to him as a necessity for nurturing new business, so he embarks upon meeting and meshing with a number of networkers. We watch John navigate through enormous amounts of emotions and expend all his energy attempting to serve as savior to the family business. John’s journey is filled with love, loss and laughter, with the ultimate discovery being that proper prioritization of responsibilities reaps a fuller, more functional life.

The Networker hails a hurricane of heavy hitting talent, two of which are this reviewer’s personal favorites. William Forsythe’s portrayal as John’s father, Charles Mangano, reveals a softer side of the actor, allowing him to break free from his stereotypical scary or intentionally intense portrayals. Forsythe is a gem to gaze at on screen in this role, as his familiarity and fondness to the character seems genuine. Sean Young is cast as John’s mother, Margie Mangano, and watching her on screen reminded me that true Hollywood types still exist. Young instills in her characters a sense of class and charm, and in this case, left her audiences often times chuckling at her creativity.

Deborah Twiss plays Nicole, John’s co-worker and potential love interest. Twiss’ on-screen chemistry with Stanulis’ character is endearing and comes across as natural in nature. Further, her presence throughout the film commands her audience’s attention and appreciation, as her portrayal of both a sweet, sincere girl and wounded woman is just brilliant. Jeremy Luke is cast as John’s brother, Peter Mangano, and is both hilarious and hugely intricate to the success of the storyline. Luke is original and out of the ordinary in his acting style, and feel that he was perfect as the anal and adored other child. Philip Moon portrays David Finkelstein, one of the many John meets while networking. Moon is imaginative in his role, as frequently his facial gestures do the acting for him, producing gratitude and giggles from the audience. He is the one male in the movie that is both annoying and amusing at the same time, which speaks volumes about his versatility as an actor. Lastly, we have our lead, Steve Stanulis, as John Mangano. He brings to his role an equal amount of sex appeal and sass, and he is clearly convincing as a lost man looking for meaning behind his own madness. Stanulis is a professional whose plentiful passion for his craft is obvious in each and every scene.

To conclude, The Networker was filled with merriment and messages, thus, you should venture to view this film because it will leave a smile on your soul and a magical memory on your mind. 

Bay Area Punk Rock: Now more hygienic than your Mom's house

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Burger Boogaloo is in loving memory of Tony & Glenn (photo via burgerboogaloo.com)

“We were young poor and angry. It was a common denominator, all being kids who had bit and scratched and fought to be who we were. ”

By Jordan Latham

I showed up at Mosswood Park in Oakland at 1pm this past Sunday. It was a beautiful weekend, perfect for an outdoor music festival. The location was convienient, it was easy to find parking, and not a long walk in. It was my first year attending this event, and I was excited about the line up.

The first band I saw was The Death Valley girls. They had a good sound, their banter between songs was nervous/nerdie and endearing. The Soda Boys had great energy. I might have enjoyed The Fadeaways the most. Halfway through their set I realized I had a couple tracks of theirs on a unmarked mixed CD somewhere that I loved... Light bulb moment I guess. 

I am a Bay Area transplant. When I moved to Oakland at 22, I carved out a social life by doing what I've done everywhere I've lived: I found the punk rockers. Like most cities with a rough edge, in Oakland they weren't hard to find. But in the years that followed, the tech companies moved in. The minimum wage skyrocketed. San Francisco across the Bay became more expensive to live in than average people could afford. By way of being pushed out of San Francisco, the "Middle Class" moved into Oakland, bought houses, remodeled them and put up gates. Gates to keep out... Oakland. 

This sounds off topic, but while enjoying the bands at Burger Boogaloo, this narrative is all I could think about. In the past, Punk music festivals would spit me out gross, sweaty and bruised. Feeling that high you get off spending a great weekend with your friends. Because even if they were people I had never met, I always felt a common bond with other people of that Punk scene. People who were drawn to Punk Music for the same reasons I had. We were young poor and angry. It was a common denominator, all being kids who had bit and scratched and fought to be who we were. 

The crowd at Burger Booglaoo was the cleanest, pre-packaged, most vanilla versions of punk rock kids I have ever seen. Yes everyone was tattooed. But these were not ugly, embarrassing stick and poke, back alley tattoos. This is the stuff done by artists, that is flawless, and pretty, in no way offensive, and most of all EXPENSIVE. The economics of living in Oakland in this day and age have flipped punk rock on its ass. There was no edge, no violence, no anger, no camaraderie. The crowd listening the Dwarves at Burgar Boogaloo would be horrified to hear those lyrics spoken. They might have been terrified to know that this band which is trendy to "like" is in no way shape or form politically correct. The contradiction bothered me. And every girl with a raven tattoo taking a selfie further dampened my mood. 

To be clear, I am a mom now in my late 20's and don't even drink alcohol anymore. I spent my teens and early 20's in the skinhead/hardcore scene that is the most extreme expression of violent factions of punk rock. And my tattoos are down right rough, bordering thinly on flat out bad. Maybe I'm projecting my expectations on what constitutes a punk show too heavily. But I left feeling very affected by the crowd, and the change in what type of person attends a punk show in Oakland in 2016. It's a class issue. A change in one of the core factors that I identified with when I moved here. 

It's an over all shift in Oakland, housing prices and land value make it impossible to ignore. This park (Mosswood) would never have been considered safe for an event like this as little as three or four years ago. The crowd and location were striking examples of how a city shifts when the money moves in, and the personality moves out. I had such mixed feelings. I really enjoyed the bands!

I love that Oakland is a place where we can throw a punk rock music festival during the day in a public park. That said, everyone who lives here has watched Oakland become less grungy and not as funky. Money moving in over the past three years has sterilized large sections of the city at a time. A yuppie bar goes in on a rough block and it spreads from there. For me witnessing this play out under the title of "punk" was personal, and it felt a little like a loss. 

Burger Boogaloo was a really fun line up of bands. Shannon and the Clams are local, and do not disappoint! I will go again next year. The folks who put on this event do a great job. 

But as far as the crowd, there's lots of good light for the best SnapChat and Insta shots. And this new brand of punk rocker, well they don't even litter. Just shoot me. 

A scene from Boogaloo in Mosswood Park from 2015 (photo by wildaboutyouphotography.com)

"Thank You Donald Trump" - A Mexican American reflects on Donald's visit to San Jose

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Donald addresses his supporters in San Jose. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage) 

By Tino Barragan | @TinoBarragan

Recently there were some protesters that became somewhat violent against Trump supporters in San Jose, California. I am a Mexican American, born and raised in the Bay Area. So naturally, I paid close attention to the details in SJ, CA.

After the outbursts, I watched Trump and other Republican analysts call these protesters "thugs" over and over and over again. It's pretty ironic though. There are many different types of thugs. Red versus blue sounds very familiar. Often times those colors are associated with street gangs. But in this instance the colors represent political gangs. Neither party is immune to being called a gang.

That would make Trump and some of his supporters thugs as well. Only they don't act like thugs in the streets. They act like thugs on TV, radio, behind a computer, and while in office. Their weapons of choice are money, fear, and power.

Donald Trump, is singling out and offending many groups. Mexicans, Muslims, Women, the LGBT community... the list goes on. In regards to Mexicans and Mexican Americans, he's talked about roundups and building a wall. He's even made statements that the Mexicans crossing over the border are a bunch of criminals and rapists. Then he has the audacity to say that a Mexican American judge cannot do his job and see beyond color. Think about all the civil rights cases throughout history and those who presided over those cases. Nonsense.

Trump has made countless Mexicans feel desperate. Desperate people do desperate things. He has insulted generations of hard-working, family oriented Mexicans and Mexican Americans who are simply trying to create a prosperous life for their families. Trump doesn't even acknowledge the violence and corruption in the streets of Mexico. Those problems are the reasons that the majority of Mexicans are fleeing from Mexico. There is no softness or kindness in Trump's words.  Mexicans have watched him upset decades of progression to the point where we are now starting to move backwards.

Trump pushed, and a handful of people pushed back with physicality instead of with their votes and words. Then Trump and his thugs have the nerve to mock our protesters on television. This isn't right. Border control (ALL BORDERS) is an issue of concern. But not only is he insulting people, he's in effect threatening them in many ways too. The manner in which he is handling this situation is out of control and his actions are getting worse every day.

I don't support the violence at all. But I fully understand the desperation and pain behind it. Trump doesn't get to act innocently when it's his actions and words that are causing the problems. Trump supported violence when it was his supporters acting out. But now he's trying to flip flop, AGAIN, with the hope of distracting the American people from the real problems.

I urge any person that Trump has angered to please stop the violence. Trump wants you to act violently. HE NEEDS YOU TO ACT VIOLENTLY. He is smiling in our faces because the violence is happening. Trump and his group of thugs are calling us thugs so that we'll act violently again. Don't fall for it!!!!!

I will say that I have agreed with Trump when he talks about keeping jobs in America. Leveling the playing field for the companies that receive huge tax benefits when they go overseas is something I see as a top priority. I couldn't agree with him more on this topic. But there's no way I'm going to sacrifice my integrity as a human being to vote for Trump because of one topic. A topic that he doesn't even have a well thought out plan for yet. His history of racist, sexist, and divisive comments towards all kinds of people is the exact type of mentality I have taught my son to fight against. 

As I see it, there are two types of Trump supporters that have been uncovered. This is why I'm thanking Donald Trump. I thank him for giving the American people an accurate understanding of the people who think like he speaks and the people who are willing to follow him blindly even though they know deep down in their soul that Trump is completely unfit and unqualified to be the president of the United States. There's desperation in that type of support too. To be blunt, I don't know which type of supporter is scarier. But to Trump's credit he's uncovered some truths that would have taken decades, if not an entire generation to uncover.

Trump has also helped speed up the process for Americans to unify. It's better to know who your attacker is then to have them lay silently in the bushes waiting to attack you from behind. People across the United States striving for equality now know what we're truly up against. It's absolutely disappointing and disheartening to know that so many millions of people actually support Trump regardless of the reason why. Even though he has mentioned a couple of ideas that I agree with, I could never support somebody who is so openly despicable in multiple ways.

To be clear, I am a Bernie Sanders supporter. He has been so consistent over the past few decades with his passion to help all people. He has consistently tried to keep our veterans out of harm's way when it was unnecessary to send them in front of flying bullets. I believe Bernie is genuinely trying to change a corrupt system.

Trump and Bernie do have a couple of things in common. They both surprised the entire country with the success they've had in their campaigns. Both are changing the way this country views politics and campaigns. Both have created awareness. But that's where the similarities end. In regards to core values, Trump is nowhere near the man that Bernie Sanders is and he will never be close.

The amount of momentum that Bernie Sanders has gained over the past few months has been equally tremendous and surprising. The Democratic party needs to understand that this momentum is not going to end with Bernie's campaign. There is a whole new generation of independent minded voters that are going to change the future of America for the benefit of all people. It's a beautiful thing to watch unfold.

I thought that Obama winning the presidency in 2008 would change the way politics are conducted forever. That did happen, but nowhere near to the degree of this election process in my opinion. Sanders is on one end, Trump on the other. Both are speeding up the evolution and progress of this country, only in very different ways. Hilary will probably limp across the finish line to become president. She is qualified. She is a better option than Trump. It would be hard not to be better. This country needs Bernie but it may have realized it a little too late.

So from the bottom of my heart Donald Trump, I want to thank you for speeding up the process of transparency. Human beings of all genders, races, political parties, etc... we all now know the uphill battle we have moving forward against your like-minded individuals as well as blind followers who will do anything to make sure your gang of thugs wins an election.

I am taking a chance that I will offend some people, friends, and maybe even family members. That is not my intention. I want to be as fair as I can to all people. But the division Trump is promoting is being strongly supported by many. There is always more than one way to do something. But the Trump way is the wrong way.

A fight is exactly what is going on here in this presidential election campaign. Fear and desperation are at the forefront of it all. I'm tired of only emptily talking about. This message is the only way I can try to make a difference. This message may not mean a thing to anyone when it's all said and done. But at least I can say I tried to do something to push back against Trump's harmful actions with my words.

If and when the time comes where Bernie Sanders has been defeated by Hilary Clinton, I will end up voting for Hilary. It won't be because I am blindly following the blue gang.  It will be because Trump is simply that wrong for America and Hilary is the better option.

I do believe in Bernie Sanders. I would vote for him over Obama right now if the two men were running against each other even though I am very happy with the job Obama has done. That just represents how refreshing and forward thinking Bernie's mentality is to me. Both parties have some best practices that we should combine. Until that happens, anybody but Trump!!! Thank you again Donald "The Thug" Trump for helping to make this country transparent. As long as your divisive and insulting actions don't land you and your thugs in the White House, I thank you with all my heart. 

"Feeling the Bern in Fairfiled" - An afternoon listening to Bernie Sanders make a run for President

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Bernie was at Game 7 to watch the Dubs win the Western Conference title on Sunday. On Friday in Fairfield, Sanders wore his Warriors hat on the campaign trail. (photo by Skaz One)

“It is not America, when you have billionaires able to buy elections. Democracy is one person, one vote, not wealthy people putting hundreds of millions of dollars to elect candidates who represent the wealthy and the powerful.”
— Senator Bernie Sanders (Fairfield, CA 6-3-2016)

By Skaz One | @SkazOne

On the afternoon of June 3rd, Bernie Sanders' supporters came out in droves to see the man himself speak at Solano Community College in Fairfield, CA. The rally was one of the many campaign stops the Senator from Vermont has made recently in the Bay Area, not the least of which was Golden State's Game 7 victory in the Western Conference Finals. 

A very diverse group attended the Friday rally including people of all races, religions, genders, sexual orientations and schools of thought. It was a melting pot of people coming together as part of a political movement currently sweeping the nation: The Bernie Sanders Presidential Campaign. As the crowd was mainly young people, the campaign slogan, “A Future To Believe In,” seemed appropriate as it hung from a banner behind the podium.

I was placed on the stage behind the podium on which Sanders gave his speech and was proudly holding my Bernie sign high as the 74-year-old took the mic. The speech was riveting as Candidate Sanders told the audience exactly what he was going to do to help the working people of America as well as minority groups. When he first reached the podium, Bernie thanked the crowd for attending in such sweltering heat. 

“Let me thank all of you crazy people for coming out on a day like today… You are a dedicated, fierce group of people”

Bernie addresses the crowd at Solano Community College (photo by Michael Noble Jr. of the SF Chronicle)

Cheers went up as he admonished Donald Trump for his ill educated ideas and as Bernie explained key differences between himself and Secretary Clinton, a cry came from the crowd, “She’s the worst!” met with laughter by everyone attending.  It was obvious the Senator wanted a clear line drawn between himself and Secretary Clinton.

Bernie outlined his plan for free healthcare for all, while reminding the crowd that all other major world powers have free healthcare in place for their people. He reminded the crowd that higher education as well should be available without cost, especially not the tuition most colleges currently expect students to pay. He said he no longer wants America’s youth to leave college thousands of dollars in debt due to student loans, which was a major selling point with the community college crowd.

Senator Sanders then went on to talk about a tax on Wall Street speculations, which should and very well may end up existing. Tax the billionaires and not the ninety nine percent, was the basic message Bernie was trying to get across to the people in attendance.

Bernie addressed, what he considers to be a very real problem, Climate Change. Bernie doesn’t just think Climate Change is real, he know it is real and has done the research to back it up.  He said he spoken to scientists and weather experts who say that climate change is not a myth but a very real issue we will have to deal with sooner than later.  From the concerns of Environmentalists to College age Americans, Bernie is made it clear he is ready to hear what the American people have to say, and to help them get what they want.

Then the moment came, when Bernie had finished his speech. And he came around to shake the hands of the crowd and of course, I was front row center to meet the revolutionary political candidate of the year 2016! It was a truly electrifying moment. The excitement of the crowd and the secret service pushing through everybody, one could almost taste Democratic Primary victory.

Overall, the rally truly demonstrated the support of the youth in this country for Senator Sanders. He represents himself as the people’s candidate and as far as I could tell, he is exactly that. His speech took all classes and ethnic backgrounds into consideration; he was not simply taking jabs at his political opponents. He offered viable solutions to important problems facing our country such as infrastructure, the prison industrial complex, the national debt and free healthcare. Promising jobs, healthcare, education and a tax on Wall Street to boot, Sanders is truly the political revolution America has been waiting for.

Look for more information on Bernie Sanders and his campaign at berniesanders.com. There is also more information on the California School Employees Association at csea.com

Mullage, Metro Boomin, & Jeremih Headline Stanford University’s 2016 “BlackFest”

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Metro Boomin plays on the farm at Stanford. (Photo by @ryanajae)

By Charles A. Turner Jr. | @ChuckTBeats

May 21, 2016 marked the return of Stanford University’s “Blackfest,” which focuses on showcasing African American music, art, and culture. “Blackfest” is a weeklong event that is hosted by Stanford University’s Black Student Union and concludes with a concert. In the past, “Blackfest” has had A-List musicians such as Kendrick Lamar & Future perform and this year they continued to bring top notch performers. This year’s concert featured headlining acts from some of Billboard’s top 100 artists such as Hip-Hop group Mullage, Hip-Hop super producer Metro Boomin, and Grammy nominated R&B singer Jeremih.

The concert was held at Stanford’s campus on Levin Field and opened up with performances from Stanford University’s student body and featured food, art and clothing vendors for concert attendants to patronize. Atlanta, Ga group Mullage, which consists of members B. Boi and B Town, performed their Billboard 100 hit “Trickin” as well as other songs for their set and were followed by music producer Metro Boomin. Metro kept the crowd energy high as he played some of his biggest hits such as “Blow a Bag” by Future & “Jumpman” by Drake & Future.  He ended his set wishing success to the Stanford students and was followed by the final performer of “Blackfest,” Jeremih.

Jeremih started his set by performing some of his early hits such as “Down On Me” & Wale’s “The Body.”  Halfway through his show he stopped to ask if there were any women in the audience who were celebrating a birthday and then brought those women on stage to sing his chart-topping debut single “Birthday Sex” for them. After escorting the women off stage he started performing material from his 2015 album “Late Nights.” Performing upbeat hits like “Impatient,” “Pass Dat,” & “Planes” before closing out with the Late Nights single “Don’t Tell ‘Em.”  “Blackfest” 2016 was an entertaining and enlightening event that despite its name can be enjoyable for people of all ethnicities and cultures.

"Introducing the ili" - A new device to help close language gaps in The Bay

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By Charles A. Turner Jr.

Have you ever wanted to communicate with someone but didn’t speak his or her language? Odds are, if you’ve grown up or lived in the diverse Bay Area, then you have.

Most of the time the only ways for two people who speak a different language to verbally communicate and understand one another is by one of them learning the other person’s language or by having someone interpret for them.  But one problem that comes from taking classes to learn a language is that they often teach you how to speak the language formally but not the way that the language is spoken in less formal situations.  However, this was before the debut of ili. Ili, the world’s first wearable translator makes communicating with people who speak different languages simple and easy.

The ili is so easy to use that all someone needs to do is press the button on the device to activate it, talk into it, and ili translates what you’ve said into the desired language.

Ili, which is owned and developed by Logbar Inc. is a 2016 CES Innovation Awards Honoree and is designed for travelers and businessmen. It currently only supports the languages English, Japanese, and Chinese (Mandarin & Cantonese) but the company plans to support more languages such as French, Spanish, Thai, and Arabic when they release newer versions of the device soon. The company claims that ili’s speaker is powerful enough to be heard over background noise so hearing the translations should not be a problem.

The ili does not need Wi-Fi or an internet connection to work and can be worn around the neck for easy access. The ili also comes with a “revolutionary dock system” that connects the device to the internet so that it can connect to the cloud and stay up to date with any changes in terms or slang that is spoken among its stored languages. Ili is currently only available for businesses which work in the travel industry or those that deal with a lot of people daily who speak different languages such as transportation agencies, amusement parks, car rental agencies and hotels.  

To learn more about ili or to find out how you can own one, you can visit their website at iamili.com.

Book Review: "Bullies: A Friendship"

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Trevor Latham, the founder of the East Bay Rats (photo via GQ.com)

By Jordan Latham
 

The East Bay Rats have had Bay Area residents from all walks of life participate in their Fight Night parties for more than 20 years. Alex Abramovich's new book, Bullies, will strike a chord with people from SOMA to Antioch. A wide range of folks will feel included in the raucous picture Abramovich paints, because they have a personal connection to the bike club, or know some one who does. 

The premise to Bullies, starts back in the 70's. Abramovich and his childhood foe, now East Bay Rats motorcycle club president Trevor Latham, fight each other regularly with a frantic fear and determination in their Long Island elementary school. If you ever had a childhood nemesis, someone who terrified you as a young kid, Abromovich's description of how he experienced Latham may send a shiver down your spine.

The memories had a deep, lasting enough impression on Abramovich, he was compelled to explore them. So he utilized the Google machine to find a man with whom he had a bone to pick.


He found him. Boy did he ever. In the deeply ghetto stretch of 35th and San Pablo, in Oakland California, he found Trevor Latham heading a heavily subculture motorcycle club. Latham is a big dude, with a big laugh, and an imposing presence. The Club is wild, they are punk rock, they are balls to the wall. 
Abramovich and Latham delve into their Long Island beginnings, holding memories up to the light. What comes of it, is not what one might expect. 


The story is largely of two men who came from very similar beginnings, reconnecting as the vastly different men they have become. Abramovich writes his experience of spending time with the motorcycle club with the voice of an intellectual. A thoughtful man with no inclination to act out violence in his daily life, is surrounded by men who facilitate an avenue for people to act out violence (i.e fight nights). He is taken aback at times, and intrigued by the people themselves. He approaches them with curiosity and without pretense. prolificacy ensues. 


His pinpointing and searching out the source of boyhood torment is brave. The decision to do so is hopeful. The outcome is a story that was well worth perusing. 
People who do or have lived in Oakland will thoroughly enjoy Bullies. Abramovich takes the time to discuss how complicated and Wild West the city is. He ties into his book, something people who don't know the city may not understand. That its poverty, it's corruption, its disfunctionality forged in fire the East Bay Rats. And in many ways Trevor Latham himself. 


Bullies is two sorts of stories melded together. It's a moment in Oakland during the Occupy rallies. It's a portrait of a motorcycle club and it's members. And it's an intimate look into the relationship of two men that was, and then it wasn't, and now it is. 

"Trumpenstein" - How the GOP Establishment Created a Monster

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TRUMP FLANKED BY CHRIS CHRISTIE ON MARCH 1ST AT THE MAR A LAGO CLUB IN PALM BEACH (PHOTO BY JOHN MOORE)

By Peter Horn

The shock and horror gripping the GOP establishment at the rise of Donald Trump is at best disingenuous, for he is a monster of their own creation. It’s not the mere existence of Trump that should have party brass worried though, it’s the fragmentation of their voter base—a large portion of which aligns themselves with Trump’s cheap brand of nationalistic ethnocentrism—and, possibly more troubling still, that portion’s rejection of traditional conservative economic ideals. And they have only themselves to blame.

For years, the GOP nucleus has been steadily drifting right, driven by a confluence of factors: the rise of the Tea Party and the expanding influence of special interest-funded political infrastructure that punishes party-line dissent, a movement away from policy-based solutions and bipartisan compromise in favor of explicit anti-Obama obstructionism, increasingly harsh stances towards immigrants, increasingly hostile anti-Muslim rhetoric and a 24-hour news engine that promotes an “us versus them” extremist mentality using fear-mongering and hyperbole.

For the most part, Republicans bought into this movement. As Obama ascended into the nation’s highest office, they looked around and what they saw terrified them: demographic shifts molding the country into one that was less white, less religious, more socially progressive. A country that looked less and less like the face in the mirror. Obama to them personified this dangerous shift, so rather than adapt to a changing demographic, the party doubled down and veered right, as “us versus them” became “us versus him.”

Meanwhile, in the face of powerful macroeconomic forces such as globalization and the automation of lower skilled jobs, a portion of the party’s voter base began to diverge on economic issues as conservative economic theory came home to roost in the form of lost middle-class jobs and a widening income inequality gap. The GOP’s failure to acknowledge and adapt to this divergence has much to do with the rise of Donald Trump. What’s truly amazing though is not that this split occurred, it’s that it took this long.

The Great Blue Collar Misdirection went something like this: convince low-income, under-educated voters to support GOP candidates promoting economic policy that runs counter to these voters’ best interests using a smokescreen of social conservatism, the “protection” of their Judeo-Christian beliefs and the myth of trickle-down economics.

And the ploy worked. For decades, the portion of the Republican voter base who would directly benefit from increased funding to social assistance programs and a progressive tax structure voted for candidates who advocated cutting these social programs, whose tax plans catered to big business and the ultra-wealthy and whose free market trade policies further endangered their low-skilled jobs. This degree of blind voter deference caused Republican leadership to grow complacent. Surely they observed this disconnect, but what were these blue collar conservatives going to do? Vote Democrat?

In steps Trump. Weaving together the effective elements from the modern GOP blueprint—anti-immigration, anti-Muslim, anti-climate change… anti-Obama—with a heavy dose of trade protectionism (a longtime Republican anathema), Trump was able to connect with the GOP’s disaffected blue collar base in a way no candidate has in recent history.

In an ironic twist of fate, it was the fraudster himself that revealed the grander fraud. And this revelation, that traditional party doctrines don’t necessarily reflect the interests of the party’s base, has turned the GOP on its head, leaving establishment figures scrambling for an explanation, or better yet, a scapegoat.

As party leaders stood next to a mound of smoldering ashes holding an empty gasoline can, wondering why the fireworks show went so horribly wrong, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell proudly announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee would refuse to hold hearings on any Supreme Court nominees put forth by Obama. Rewind three months and Jeb Bush, the one-time establishment golden boy and relative moderate of the GOP primary candidates, sought to temper Trump’s anti-Muslim statements, ceding that those Syrian war refugees fleeing the horrors of ISIS “who could prove they’re Christians” should be allowed to enter the United States. Jump over to Fox News in the wake of one of our nation’s countless mass shootings and efforts related to common sense gun control legislation are painted as a terrorist-sympathizing Emperor in Chief’s attempt to eradicate the second amendment.

The Republican establishment has every right to be worried. The vitriol-spewing, protectionism-promoting, violence-inducing opportunist currently tightening his stranglehold on the Republican Presidential nomination is truly a monster. But they should not act surprised, for he is a monster of their very own creation.

Dolby Digital Brings Artist Community to Market St.

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A piece done by Atlanta artist Kevin Byrd (via sightunseen.com)

By Galen Barbour

Since relocating headquarters to the Mid-Market area, Dolby Labs continues to give back to the community through collaboration with artists both local and international.

Following the corporate revival of the Mid-Market area, Dolby’s move to 1275 Market (on the corner of 9th and Market) has not been a subtle one. It’s hard to miss the 60” long video wall staring at you through panes of thick glass guarding the minimal design that’s commonplace in tech-centric interior design.

However, what separates Dolby from, say, its neighbor Twitter across the street (aside from not getting the controversial tax breaks to lube its move in) is a commitment to including the community through a series of free events and interactive media studies that not only promote the creative arts but stand a good chance at changing them.

Formerly the home to the State Workers Comp Insurance Fund, Dolby Labs has stayed true to the latter part of the name by converting the bottom six floors (3 of which are subterranean) to a sort of media tabernacle which includes history museums, exhibits, theaters and study labs.

By artist Amos Goldbaum (photo via FastCompany.com)

One hyper-interesting space is a full video immersion lab where patients are exposed to certain stimuli and observed by an in-house scientist to gauge how the body physiologically reacts to various media. For example, people that were exposed to videos of fires and flames showed an increase in body and skin temperature although the room temp never actually changed.

Also patrons who are quick enough to catch one of their free events will find themselves rubbing elbows with artists both up-and-coming and established in a space that’s chic and comfortable (think titanium, wood and state of the art video and audio systems with soft lighting).  Everyone is very approachable including the man behind it all, chief curator Kevin Byrd, who possesses both an inclination towards the arts as well as a warm and graceful demeanor with people.

This week, Byrd hosted Cinema Magic film night. It included a collection of artists whose career histories range from first films to Hollywood, feature-length productions.

By London artist Rob Lowe. (photo via Dolby)

Also spotlighted this week was London based artist Sophie Clements, whose unique audiovisual works recreate the seemingly arbitrary events and materials through the manipulation of time which challenges our perspective of the world around us. Beginning first with such approaches as taking multiple shots of different events, using repetition as a tool to build them together as a singular “sculpture”. Recently, her work uses state-of-the-art effects such as “bullet time”, adding yet another dimension to her array of tools that bend the physical world around us.

As well, Clements brought with her a piece pivotal influence on her work. Guy Sherwin’s musical stairs (1977..ish? there’s no online document of this work), in which Sherwin uses the level of contrast on 35mm film to create visual/optical audio production. That work was what got Clements inspired to think about various medias and how they could be bent to produce something entirely different from their intended application.  This piece worked particularly well with the event due to the fact that Dolby got its start in cinematic film. At first, with noise reduction technology, and then later creating the standard for film audio with their SVA series optical audio technology. Now Dolby is pioneering sound systems for Ministry of Sound in London and making advancements in how we react to and understand the visual and audio media that we are becoming increasingly inundated by.

At Dolby, where professionals are working at the intersection of video/audio technology and culture, playing with those limits becomes not only food for thought but a philosophy by which their business is founded.

A mid-market gem.

"Only Fire" - A Poem

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By Victoria Woodworth

 

I see the tumbleweeds float across the desert and I think to myself - 

"tumbleweeds know nothing about tumbling" 

I hear the waves crash against the shore, the spray, the pull of the tide and I think to myself  "the ocean knows nothing about crashing"

I hear my mothers voice and I think "this is not my voice"

I hear my fathers voice and I think "this is not my voice"

And the trees keep growing

And sometimes there are flowers

And sometimes as the snow falls I can feel the air slow down

I close my eyes

Darkness

I close my eyes

A spark flickers and fades

I close my eyes

And I am captivated by the swirling glowing light

It grows slowly, wrapping around itself until it is dancing, flirting with the boundaries of all my parts and

I think to myself -  "only fire knows how it burns"

Section925's Upcoming Bay Area Art Options

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(Photo by Jakub Mosur via vulture.com)

By Galen Barbour

If the much needed rain is keeping you indoors this week, here are a few upcoming artistic events around the Bay Area to wet your mind and give you something to look ahead to. Grab your umbrella and explore all the winter art the bay has to offer in the coming days...

15th Annual SF Sketchfest (Through Jan. 24th)

If you haven’t checked out or heard of the most exhaustive stand-up festival in the country, its probably fair to assume that you owe it to yourself to do so.

Sketch Fest has earned itself a seat in the entertainment world as a sort of watering hole and incubator for veteran and aspiring talent alike in the comedy community.           

What sets Sketch Fest apart from other comedy collaborations is infidelity. You have something for the older crowd (Dave Barry?! Jeff Goldblum?!), bumping elbows with upshots like Jaime DeWolfe of Snap Judgment and Paul F. Tompkins (Bojack Horesman) all rolled into a program that’s as unconventional as it is impressive. Acts run the gamut from mock-presidential debates to a 25th anniversary Lost Boys reunion and screening of Hook (RU-FI-OOOO).

Below are some shows at Sketch Fest you don't want to miss...

"Bawdy Story Telling" (Wednesday): 

Feat, Jaime DeWolf and Kate Gill, Kate Willett and Rachael Lark. 

Where?: Eureka Theatre

All ages, $20.

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"Presendtial Debate" (Friday)

The Write-In Candidates with James Adomian, Matt Besser, Paul Gilmartin, Mary Houlihan, Brian Huskey, Dan Van Kirk and moderator Tom Shillue from Fox News Channel’s “Red Eye.”

Where?: Cobb’s Comedy Club

All Ages, $20.

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"The Black Version" (Saturday)

An all African-American cast of seasoned improv specialists from the world-famous troupe The Groundlings asks the audience to suggest a popular film title and then performs the "black version" of that movie.

Where?: Brava Theatre 2781 24th ST.

All Ages, $25.

Fortunately, there is no lack of entertainment outside of Sketch Fest as this week hosts an array of exciting new releases.

"The Nether" (A play running through March 5th)

It's fair to say that in the age where tech trends change weekly it's difficult, if not impossible to see what the future looks like when caught in the eye of the storm.

In “The Nether” screenwriter Jennifer Haley paints a near future where the Internet is a immersive digital universe where one can live out their deepest darkest fantasies through virtual anonymous characters.

The story follows a detective on the trail of a Pedophile who’s frequented a virtual child trafficking website, picking apart this darkly possible future as she goes.

Where?: The San Francisco Playhouse

$20-$120

Click here to learn more about the play.

The Firehouse Art Collective

Berkeley’s Family-friendly art co-op opens its doors to patrons for an evening of art and community. It's free, and open to all ages. Click here for dates and times. 

"YBCA Third Thursdays" (Thursday)

SOMA opens its doors to the community for "Third Thursday." With free admission and discount vouchers to surrounding galleries and shops in an ongoing outreach to the community it serves.

This month MOAD (Museum Of African Diaspora) will host "Documenting the Diaspora": A Tanzanian-Korean & Afro-Viking Go Home, followed by discussions and commentary by the film makers themselves.

In addition, YBCA will be hosting, amongst others, The Sprawl. An immersive multi-media installation of how propaganda is altered by social media.

When?: Jan 20th, 12-8pm

Where: YBCA, MOAD, CMA

All Ages Free

Click for more info.

"Oddball Films" 

Experimental Animator Ben Ridgeway, presents his mind-blowing geometric animations for Oddball’s monthly visiting artist program.

WHEN: JAN 21st

WHERE: 275 Capp Street, San Francisco, CA 94110

ALL AGES.  $10 RSVP, limited seating. 

Learn more here.

"Nightlife at California Academy of Sciences" (January 21st)

This week "Nightlife" takes us into the inner workings of our Brain and Body. An in-depth look at the mechanics of our mind and body and how everything from food and environment can influence how we think and act.

Where?: Cal Academy of Science

21+, $15

Oakland Museum of California (Friday 5-9pm)

Oakland Museum beckons you to start the week off right with half price admission, drink specials and extended hours along with DJ Sweaterfunk for a night of grooves and new concepts.

Where?: Oakland Museum of California

More info here.

"Noir City" at Castro Film Fest (January 22nd - 31st)

Thursday marks kick off of the re-known Castro Theatre Noir Films Festival which typically holds off until the rainiest part of the year to dump on us silver screen wonder both new and aged. The theme of Noir City 14 is "The Art of Darkness" and features 25 films about the pressures and pain of being an artist. Click here for more info.

Where?: The Castro Theater

All ages, prices vary.

The Biopic of Legendary Filmmaker Oskar Knight

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Lenny Von Dohlen portrays "Oskar Knight" (Photo Courtesy of "Near Myth: The Oskar Knight Story")

By Deborah Smith Ford | @DebsFord

On Oct. 23, 2015, award-winning screenwriter Scott Fivelson spoke with Examiner.com about his new film, a unique Hollywood biopic about the director, Oskar Knight. It is called, "Near Myth: The Oskar Knight Story." Fivelson, who resides in L.A., and writes for film and stage, right now would like to reintroduce memories of days gone by, starring and played by Lenny von Dohlen in the life and times of legendary filmmaker, Oskar Knight.

"Near Myth: The Oskar Knight Story" is a unique Hollywood biopic that chronicles the man who Fivelson calls "one of our greatest directors." Fivelson feels that Oscar Knight's work, well-known in his time, has been overlooked in recent years with the advent of the Marvel blockbusters.

Lenny von Dohlen ("Twin Peaks," "Tender Mercies," "American Playhouse") portrays Knight in this brilliant biopic. Through his character he is able to bring back memories among true movie buffs of the iconic auteur.

The film retells the history of American, and world, cinema with a light touch, true nostalgia, and even poignance. Fivelson reveals that, in the film, one can hear from a cavalcade of Hollywood stars in interviews about the director. Such celebs include Academy Award winner Margaret O'Brien, international Emmy winner David Suchet, Portugese Golden Globe winner Joaquim de Almeida, Kristina Anapau, Julianna Guill, Rudolf Martin, Lawrence Pressman, Noel Neill, and many more.

"Near Myth: The Oskar Knight Story" also includes numerous "period scenes" featuring bright, fresh talent like Anthony Dilio, Tannon Bleu, and Eric Richardson. According to Fivelson, Richardson is spot-on channeling Gregory Peck from "To Kill A Mockingbird." He says of Richardson's recreation of Peck: "It's a thing to behold."

Fivelson, as writer and director of "Near Myth: The Oskar Knight Story," is obviously one of the foremost film scholars on Knight and his movies. He hopes that this film will inspire audiences to go back and look at Knight and his body of work, beginning with seeing this film.

In addition to this rare feature film remembering Oskar Knight, Scott Fivelson has also written the multi-festival-award-winning "3 Holes and a Smoking Gun," plus one of David Carradine's best pictures, "American Reel" (co-scripted with Junior Burke). Fivelson is also the author of the frequently produced plays, "Dial L for Latch-Key" and "Leading the Witness" (both Hen House Press), as well as a novel -- the satirical rich-family saga called "Tuxes" (Beach Side Press) -- among other works.

Fivelson would like to credit the enormous team that worked on the film. Every department is thanked for their steadfast belief in the Oskar Knight legacy. A special thanks goes out to David Polcino, the DP/editor/producing partner, who made the five years it took to make "Oskar Knight" just fly by.

In keeping with the different eras in cinema history, Fivelson's film utilizes color plus black and white. One of the goals is to represent the changes in movie technology. That has been achieved. The movie is a lovely blend of the past and the present. And it even conveys a heartfelt hopefulness about the future of the movies. 

Awards earned by Scott Fivelson include 2014 Best Screenwriter Award, Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles for "Three Holes, Two Brads, and a Smoking Gun." The same film won Best Lead Actor for James Wilder, and the Red Dirt Award Grand Jury Prize at the 2014 Red Dirt International Film Festival. Weeks later the film won Best U.S. Narrative Feature Film at the Laughlin International Film Festival.

Enjoy following "Near Myth: The Oskar Knight Story" on Facebook, Oskar Knight on Twitter, Oskar Knight Story on Twitter, and Scott Fivelson also on Twitter, Facebook and Wikipedia.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

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Actress Daisy Ridley plays "Rey" in the latest Star Wars (photo by Frazer Harrison)

By Dominque Keith-Maher

Duun, duun, dun dun dun duuun, duuun, dun dun dun, duuun, duun, dun dun dun duuuuun. Duun, duun, dun dun dun duuun, dun, dun dun dun, duun dun, dun dun dun dun.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens was a hit even before it crashed against the big screen. Grossing over 100 million dollars in pre-sale tickets, the students at the school I worked at planned on dedicating a project to witnessing the madness of the Star Wars fandom. Bigger than Twilight, The Hunger Games, and dare I say it, Harry Potter, Star Wars fans, young and old, have piled into theaters in droves to witness and continue the legacy of the great sci-fi opera.

Sadly, I was not one of those fans, but was merely a writer, attempting to find the next movie to review. So why not Star Wars, right? Well the problem, as you, Star Wars fan, have already figured out, is that I’m not going to understand all of the references or the large impact of particular scenes, nor will I gasp at the right moments (hence, when Hans Solo first appears). No, I watched this film as though it were any other film. So please, Star Wars fans, do not be offended at what I will say in terms of the film because I have no point of reference. With that, let us began.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens takes place, roughly 30 years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, and The First Order has risen to take its place. Darth Vader has been destroyed (because his mask sits on a stool that Darth Vader Jr. prays to) and Luke Skywalker has disappeared. Resistance pilot, Poe and his droid, BB-8 are sent by Princess/General Leia to find Luke, where he manages to stumble along the way, encountering Finn, a defector of The First Order, who is thrown into the chaos of recovering Luke, when all he wants to do is flee a life of massacres and fascism. Along the way, Finn encounters the bad ass scavenger, Rey, and together, they try to return the droid to The Resistance and find Luke Skywalker.

What can I say about this film? Like many big screen films, with a lot of action and, splish splashes and “wouza” moments, this movie was bound to contain some cliches. At moments, particularly the end, I found myself hunched over in my seat crying with hysteria. Sometimes I asked myself, “was it really necessary to have a 15 second close-up of the, ‘This is my surprised look’ facial expression? But apparently it was.

Thank God it wasn’t accompanied by the classic, “zoom in fast” camera motion. But I’m sure the cameraman had to have an internal battle to make sure that didn’t happen. What was included was the classic, “we are evil super villains who resemble Hitler’s 1937 German SS rally” moment, the epic ending and camera pan sequence, and the even more classic, “the dead main character who just manages to come back to life” scene.

But other than that, it’s Star Wars. The little I know about Star Wars amounts to the running trope of the hero; the fantastic scenery and setting; and the excellent makeup and costumes. Yes, all of this was there. But I must say, the most exciting part of the film was the hero. According to my local Star Wars expert-- my father-- this was the first Star Wars film where the hero was a woman.

The role of Rey, or “ninja”, as I call her in my notes, is what I found most interesting. We are currently in a film age where The Hunger Games, Mad Max, The Avengers and scores of other films feature strong female leads that, yes, sometimes wear incredibly tight garments that stroke the male sexuality, yet their personalities differ greatly from the classic women that we are used to seeing portrayed in Hollywood. No longer are they the damsels in distresses who need men to not only save them, but to fall in line with their vision of living happily ever after. No, these women are who the men call on when they are in trouble. When the men believe for a moment that their female counterparts are in trouble and come barging in to rescue them, they are surprised that their masculinity was unnecessary in aiding the woman's escape. This is our friend Rey.

As Finn attempts to grasp at this womans hand, expecting to lead her to safety, she shakes it away. She does the leading. This is Rey and this is our new Princess-- I mean General Leia. Prepare to see a Leia who, has not only shed her title as princess, but has physically altered her appearance to show that she is a different person. When Hans sees her again for the first time in 30 years, he says, “You’ve changed your hair”. Yes Hans, she has. She is now the ranger in town, equipped with a new outfit, new hair and a personality to make any Texas-galaxy ranger jealous. But again, all coming from my limited knowledge of Star Wars.


Overall, this was not an astounding, life changing film, but it was a good action, sci-fiy movie. It was entertaining, the pace seemed well and it is fit for any non-Star Wars fan to go see. It actually does a great job at peaking the interest of those of us not familiar with Star Wars. I left the film wanting to find out more about these characters and their backstories. Not Luke...but everyone else's. There is enough built around the characters, that with the hint of a threat, our bodies are thrown into a brief moment of panic. Even for Darth Vader Jr. There is a fair balance of death and destruction with dialogue, yet beware at the layers of cheese that are applied around the climax. 

My overall rating for Star Wars: The Force Awakens: A-

Bay Area Art Options Leading Up to Oakland's First Friday

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Earth Machines considers the relentless stream of new technological products in light of their underlying material precariousness and profound ecological impact.

By Galen Barbour

Don't miss out on all the amazing art going down from Oakland To SF this week in celebration of art's favorite Friday, First Friday.  

But if you cant wait for the weekend, inspiration may find you at one of these evocative events throughout the week.

SAN FRANCISCO:

Yerba Buena Center of the Arts is in its final week of hosting a tumultuous exhibit that may force you to take another look at the price of our tech habits in their new collaborative exhibit: Earth-Machines. The exhibition hosts a variety of artists and media types that expose usage of and by the tech that the Bay Area has invariable been distinguished for.

Notable features include photography by Kevin McElvaney who exposes the brutal working conditions of salvage workers foraging for copper out of the rubble of tech refuse in waste sites in Ghana. There are also experimental interactive pieces, like that of Addie Wagenknecht, whose home made light installation uses acute sensors to collect data responding to your presence and displaying it through the pulses of LED lights circuited on a home made board.

It ends Sunday, Dec. 6. Click here for details.

New Experiments in Art and Sound, at the Jewish Contemporary Museum in San Francisco brings Shane Myrbeck, Emily Shisko, and Scott Snibbe under one event to showcase and discuss their work in immersive multi-sensory experiences with John Bischoff (Prof. Of music at Mills College/ pioneer of Computer Network Music). See it on Thursday.

Oddball Films will be serving up some camp-tastic masterpieces with their screening of Weird Science. See it on Thursday. Click here for details.

DOLBY STUDIO'S premieres Hays and Ryan Holladay for their work in storage and recall in Dolby's Market Street HQ.

RSVP here for entry

The Convent in SF is reminding people of the peninsula that theres still a chance with their installation of Arts Not Dead featuring live music, photography sculpture animation and more with their free all ages event. Click here for details.

OAKLAND:

Starting things off right this weekend is of course, Oakland's Art Murmur. Which showcases all flavors and mediums of artistic vision which can be checked out here. It includes, but is not limited to the following:

Erik Parra at Transmission Gallery,

Through mediums of paint and story, Parra's work looks to expose the foundation of our political and social fabric through the lens of historical narrative. Click here for details.

Urbanality, at SLATE (Grand Opening)

Henry Riekena, Counterpoint Studio, Geoffrey Meredith, Ethan Wang, Alan Mazzetti taking a look at the wonders of our urban environment which we may take for granted. Click here for details.

Andrew Wilson, Omi Gallery

Multi media artist reconsiders the story behind the African plight in America that has been handed down to us through major media. The opening night of a 3 week exhibit. Check it out here.

 

Feel free to drop us a line in the comments if we missed something, or if you got out there and enjoyed something...