The GOP Assassination Attempt

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By Peter Horn | @PeterCHorn

Yesterday witnessed a scary moment in American politics, as a deranged mad-man was rushed off the stage at a Republican Presidential campaign rally in Reno, Nevada. Investigations are underway, but what we’ve learned thus far about the suspect is concerning, and the American people should remain on high alert.

The suspect’s Twitter feed reveals a deeply disturbed individual who promotes a toxic blend of conspiracy theories, race-baiting, misogyny and an ego that is both vast and exceptionally fragile. A man driven to the brink of reality by his desire to mask and project his own shortcomings, a modern-day Narcissus both infatuated with and haunted by the reflection in the water. Although he now breathlessly supports the NRA, the suspect is not believed to have ever owned or fired a gun. However, he should still be considered an imminent danger and treated with extreme caution.

From a racist birther crusade against the President, to his claim that global warming is a hoax created by the Chinese, the suspect has proven a willingness to mislead and perpetuate blatant falsehoods to further his personal brand. In his gilded perspective, truth is secondary to personal utility, a fact made more problematic by his legions of supporters. This group has been painted a grim, dystopic vision of America by the suspect, who’s promised he will fix their problems through isolationism, minority scapegoating and the last remaining antidote that he, and he alone, possesses.

While his political leanings over the years can best be described as opportunistic oscillation, his treatment of women has remained consistent. A self-promoting philanderer unafraid of the third-person perspective, the suspect has been known to assume various aliases (John Miller, John Barron) to plant stories with the media detailing his genre-blurring personal love conquests. Recently retrieved Access Hollywood recordings suggest a more sinister side of his misogyny, as the man was caught on a hot mike bragging about non-consensual sexual advances he’s made on women throughout the years. Regardless of the assumed alias, we would recommend women avoiding unsupervised interaction with the suspect, including, but not limited to, elevators, first-class sections in airplanes and beauty pageant dressing rooms.

Whether it aligns with his personal views or not, the suspect has already shredded the edges of our nation’s moral fiber by giving voice to the most shadowy recesses of our population. His refusal to condemn and disavow the racially fueled violence at his rallies and the anti-Semitic white nationalism that has entrenched itself in his supporter base has normalized thought patterns and behaviors many thought we as a nation had long ago moved past. Receiving the endorsement of The Crusader, a KKK-affiliated newspaper, is the logical conclusion to a movement seeded by the declaration that Mexican Americans are “rapists and murderers” and the refusal to immediately disavow the support of David Duke, a former Ku Klux Klan Imperial Wizard. It appears that the suspect’s repeated dog whistling has brought the dogs running in, ready to feed.

The suspect’s aforementioned vast and fragile ego has been identified as a bullseye for outside actors eager to gain influence on our political system. A simple compliment from the Russian president sent the suspect swooning, resulting in numerous troubling pro-Russia comments and last-minute policy platform changes that has left the international intelligence community deeply concerned. He has shown a blind deference to the “strength” exhibited by some of the world’s most brutal authoritarians—a point exacerbated by an elementary grasp of foreign policy—and a willingness to completely disregard classified intelligence briefings on the role of the Russian government in the hacks of the Democratic party.

When his intentions became clear, authorities acted heroically, ushering the suspect off the stage before any more damage could be done. His motives, and potential co-conspirators, remain under investigation, but even at this early stage, the suspect’s behavior indicates this was in fact an assassination attempt.

On the Republican Party itself.

Storytelling: Not Just for Kids Anymore

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By Stephanie Sockel

In the age of Ted Talks and YouTube, it’s easy to find the story we are looking for, but imagine that same story with cocktails and swearing, live on-stage. An event where people can learn the story they didn’t know they wanted.   It’s no drunk history yet underground adult storytelling series are alive and will enlighten you with strange tales of the past from science, art, history, literature, dance, adventure, and more. Who says storytelling is just for kids?

Growing popularity through organizations like NY’s The Moth, (also a nationally syndicated radio program on KQED Saturday's at 10pm and KALW Sundays at 6pm) storytelling salons are revitalizing across the country. And the Bay Area has plenty, including The Moth StorySlam, which hosts a monthly installment in San Francisco at Public Works. 161 Erie St, on the last Tuesday of each month. if you can’t make it many nationwide events are available online (https://themoth.org/).

Here are just a few other local events pulling on the human need for a good anecdote in that adult fashion:

The Bay Area’s longest-running storytelling show, Porchlight (http://www.porchlightsf.com/) is the love child of Beth Lisick and Arline Klatte (above). Nearly 14 years running, has two shows and is associated with SF Sketchfest. Find it at the Verdi Club, 2424 Mariposa St., or Porchlight Open Door at the Hemlock, 1131 Polk St., on the last Monday of each month each Odd Salon (http://www.oddsalon.com/) is given a theme where four to six speakers present lectures, accompanied by power points, to pull you into an interactive evening of laughter, mystery, and delight. 

Hosted at the DNA Lounge since 2014, twice a month on Tuesdays, the oddest stories of history are brought back to life. Audience participation is strongly encouraged.  With Harvey as their mascot, an antlered rabbit with a tale of a rooster, Odd Salon explores the strange.  

Mortified (http://getmortified.com/) hits hard in both San Francisco and Oakland. Focusing on embarrassing childhood and teen stories, Mortified incorporates childhood artifacts like love letters, school photos, and more. San Francisco’s Mortified is at the DNA Lounge, Oakland’s is at the New Parish, and sell out almost immediately when they go on sale.  375 11th St., San Francisco, second Friday of each month. 1743 San Pablo Ave., Oakland, second Saturday of each month.

If you are seeking out the fun and the strange, it's time to get out and catch a good story.  It just might make you laugh right out of your chair.

"America is better than this" - Tino Barragan weighs in on the election

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Atlanta Donald Trump supports cheer him on during an October 21st campaign stop in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. (photo by Justin Merriman)

By Tino Barragan | @TinoBarragan

I can feel racial tensions growing by the day when in reality classism is what’s tearing America apart. People in America are fed up and are screaming for change. I want change too. I’m tired of status quo across the board. I want to see better plans of action with illegal immigration, an inadequate educational system, income inequality, healthcare, the tax system, climate change, the voting process, police/community relations and more. However, we have to be careful of who we stand with and at what costs.

America can’t just settle for the first person that represents a different option especially when they are as terribly under qualified, divisive, and offensive as Donald Trump. I won’t dive into all my opinions of Trump regarding sexism, his character, or business practices. I won’t dive into the fact I don’t believe for one second he’ll change a system that has benefited him all his life, the same system that benefits his children and peers. I’m only going to address one of the messages Trump’s campaign is spreading.

Trump’s tone, delivery, and generalized statements towards Mexicans have definitely felt racist to me. When he speaks about Mexicans or Latinos crossing the Mexican/American border, he never speaks about the ways they have contributed to this country. There's never a positive message. “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” That last sentence is the kindest he's spoken of Mexicans except for when he was in Mexico where his message and demeanor changed dramatically. I would have actually respected Trump more if he had stayed true to his harmful delivery instead of speaking with his tail between his legs when standing in front of the people he consistently verbally attacks. Within 12 hours he was in Arizona back to his chest thumping, hate promoting ways. Some people are clinging to his every word with utter devotion. Now think about everything he has said up until this point. Do you see the problem?

There are so many illegal immigrants crossing the border that are hard-working and kind hearted people. I hear people across the country yelling, “Build That Wall! Build That Wall! Build That Wall!” Somehow we’ve dramatically intensified the negative views regarding Latinos and especially Mexicans coming to America illegally. That also affects the way American Mexicans have been viewed. Many people in this country aren’t differentiating between the two. The chants are getting louder. Living in diversified California can make a person forget how unnecessarily divided this country can be in regards to race relations. I was born in America. But I also have family and friends who were not born in the states. Many of the people who weren’t born here have gained citizenship creating a better life for themselves and their families. Some have stayed illegally while doing the same. Those dreams that were accomplished have been totally diminished in the blink of an eye. Why? Is it because they did what this country is supposed to represent? Is it because they did what the ancestors of the people yelling, “Build that wall” have done in the past?

When Trump talks about human beings coming over the border he's talking about people in my family. He’s talking about numerous friends of mine and their families. Yes it's true that criminals do cross over and that is a problem. That criminal element turned my life upside down in more ways than one. Yet, I refuse to generalize everybody that enters America illegally just like loving and respectful white people don’t want us generalizing them. I know differently. I've lived differently. I've seen different than what Trump is talking about. We all have at one point whether we know it or not. Some of the people I love and trust most in this world are Mexican, Irish, African American, German, Chinese, Japanese, Bolivian, Italian, etc… I can say with all confidence that I respect and care about all people until they prove otherwise. Some of the discriminatory and racial comments I grew up hearing (and even saying at times) in school, in public, on TV, or wherever, are no longer in my vocabulary or thought process. I’ve got my share of issues. But hateful feelings fueled by race isn’t one of them.

Short and sweet, I do believe that we need to do something about America’s illegal immigration issue. I believe we should commit to immediate amnesty. I don’t want to keep bailing illegal immigrants out with amnesty moving forward. I’m open to a plan that would deport illegal immigrants that are criminals with certain tiers of criminal activity mapped out. I don’t want to ruin someone’s life for smoking pot. Let’s tighten up all boarders and address the people over staying their visas. Protecting Syrian refugees is America’s duty while protecting American citizens at the same time. The Illegal immigration issue is not as simple as I’m making it out to be. It also doesn’t have to be so ugly. We need a plan that is achievable and fair all around. A plan that is firm yet considerate of human rights. A transparent plan that represents the foundation America was built on while accounting for a new era that cannot carelessly allow open borders.

Even if building the wall is the best option, there has to be a way to address all borders and all races with integrity and understanding. Trump’s delivery about the wall is all wrong and is promoting racist behavior. Every border has its own challenge. Every group deserves respect. The harmful message being delivered by Trump includes the implementation of roundups. How else would you deport 11 million people? Are we going to single out white people to catch illegal Europeans or Canadians? Are we going to single out Asians or Indians? Muslims as a whole have been spoken of very harshly. Where does it start and end? If Trump gets his way, Mexicans will be one of the first groups targeted. He's not just talking about the criminals. He’s talking about breaking up families too. I would be prepared to stand up against any type of roundup movement. America has come too far for that to happen. Too many good people would be treated unfairly and with absolute discrimination. Nope, not going to happen in 2016 and beyond. Brothers and sister of all races and genders would join together to stop this madness. We’d have to stand up together, right?

So how are we supposed to view Americans supporting Trump considering how offensive and disappointing his message is? Well, everyone has a story and they’re all equally important. The truth is, there are a lot of middle class and poor white people (among others of course) supporting Trump that I will never encounter. People of all races are struggling in this economy. High paying jobs are being created in established markets and areas where gentrification is taking place. So while unemployment is better, many struggling communities of all demographics aren’t feeling the growth. I can’t help but to feel like that is where a lot of the anger and pain is originating from.

To the Trump supporters who are common everyday folk lashing out at people that look like me, you and I have more in common than you ever will with a man like him. My friends and family that came over illegally have more in common with you than Trump ever will. I care about your future. I care about your children’s future. I would never support anyone continuously disrespecting you or your families. Why? It just wouldn’t be right. One day you may realize those facts. One day the majority, regardless of color or gender, will wake up and welcome the fact that we all have more in common than we’ve been willing to admit. We’ll rise up against corruption and the puppeteers pulling the strings that are holding this country back. Awareness is at an all time high. Now we have to catapult that awareness into action by looking in the mirror and accepting all our differences because we really do have so much in common. We aren’t that far away from turning the corner. I know it doesn’t feel that way right now. I’m hoping America is just fed up and needed to vent. That frustration cannot allow America to move backwards though.

We live in a different time. We have not adapted as a country to those changing times. America is the land of opportunity. But the system needs an overhaul and millions of people see it. When problems are addressed by the people, we’re often times dismissed and told that we should just be grateful and thankful for what we have. We’re told that we’re lucky to live in America and that is true. But the economic gaps are widening at alarming rates and it’s causing division amongst Americans to increase more and more every day. The feelings of anger and frustration are misguided. Trump represents a harmful message disguised as patriotism that is crippling positive change and making it harder to address universal issues holding back this proud country. We’ve come too far as a nation to allow that to happen.

America is better than what we’re showing right now. It’s never too late to change a mentality. We are the vocal majority if we stand together and respect each other’s differences. That includes people of all races, classes, genders, as well as people in the1% that support true equality. There has to be a happy place where the rich don’t feel attacked and the rest don’t feel left behind. As the country improves economically, we can adjust our policies to reflect those improvements. Politicians work for the people. Greedy blue and red politicians and the special interest groups controlling them are feeling the heat right now because Americans are calling out the obvious corruption more than we have in a really long time. Divisiveness and distraction is exactly what status quo and corruption wants. Our fight for change is with them, not each other. I got your back if you got mine. End classism. End racism. We are the vocal majority.

Backlash hits Zuckerberg and Facebook for deciding to censor a Vietnam War image

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Facebook decided that a Pulitzer Prize winning photo taken during the Vietnam War should be censored, comparing the war image to "child pornography." The have since changed their mind.

In 1972, AP photographer Nick Ut took a photo during the gruesome Vietnam War. The iconic photo depicts the atrocities of war as a nine-year-old girl runs naked in the street during a napalm attack. The image was recently used on Facebook by a Norwegian author, but the social media site decided to take it down, claiming that it violated their nudity policy. An outcry against the censorship has moved Zuck and Facebook to change their mind and allow the photo on their site. Read below for more reaction to the story and the media's coverage of the war in general, from past and present.

"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"