Coachella Valley Weekly - August 5 to August 11, 2021 Vol. 10 No. 21

PHOTO BY KURT SCHAWACKER

coachellavalleyweekly.com • August 5 to August 11, 2021 Vol.10 No.21

Udo Kier’s “Swan Song”

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*NEW COLUMN*- I.T. / Computers, Etc

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Bette Smith

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WaBa Grill

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August 5 to August 11, 2021

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We’ve got the hottest comedy this August!

For tickets, visit AguaCalienteCasinos.com

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BY CRYSTAL HARRELL COVER & ARTICLE PHOTOS BY KURT SCHAWACKER

Coachella Valley Weekly (760) 501-6228

publisher@coachellavalleyweekly.com coachellavalleyweekly.com facebook.com/cvweekly twitter.com/cvweekly1 Publisher & Editor Tracy Dietlin Art Director Robert Chance Sales Team Kirby, Raymond Bill Club Crawler Nightlife Editor Phil Lacombe Head Music Writer Esther Sanchez Head Feature Writer Crystal Harrell Feature Writers Lisa Morgan, Rich Henrich, Heidi Simmons, Noe Gutierrez, Tricia Witkower Writers/Contributors: Robin Simmons, Rick Riozza, Eleni P. Austin, Craig Michaels, Janet McAfee, Bronwyn Ison, Haddon Libby, Sam DiGiovanna, Dale Gribow, Denise Ortuno Neil, Rob Brezny, Dr. Peter Kadile, Dee Jae Cox, Angela Romeo, Aaron Ramson, Lynne Tucker, Aimee Mosco, Michelle Anne Rizzio, Ruth Hill, Madeline Zuckerman Photographers Robert Chance, Laura Hunt Little, Chris Miller, Esther Sanchez Videographer Kurt Schawacker Website Editor Bobby Taffolla Distribution Phil Lacombe, William Westley

CONTENTS Plan B 10th Anniversary ............................... 3-5 Travel Tips 4 U ................................................... 5 Udo Kier's "Swan Song".................................... 6 *NEW COLUMN* - I.T. / Computers, Etc ............ 6 Consider This - Bette Smith.............................. 8 Club Crawler Nightlife ..................................... 9 Screeners......................................................... 10 Safety Tips ....................................................... 11 Good Grub - WaBa Grill .................................. 11

T

he heart and soul of the Coachella Valley’s music nightlife is attributed to the locals who come together to give it that authentic feeling of homegrown talent and camaraderie. One such venue that has provided an outlet for laid-back vibes and heartfelt reunions of old and new friends is Plan B Live Entertainment & Cocktails in Thousand Palms. This desert favorite is set to celebrate its 10th anniversary on September 1st, and the community is all in to mark the occasion.

“The whole staff is extremely proud and excited for reaching this moment. Coming out of the COVID lockdown, the last two years have been very hard on myself, the

staff, entertainers, and customers. So the fact that we are able to come together and celebrate 10 years is pretty amazing,” said Plan B Live Entertainment & Cocktails owner Jeannette Krehbiel.

Jeannette has always been in the service industry. She eventually branched into advertising and marketing, and after being laid off at a couple of those jobs, she came to the realization that she did not want to make money for other people, and would rather be part of something team-oriented.

In collaboration with her late boyfriend Jared Arnold, he inspired her to pursue her plans and turn her dreams into reality. After receiving her liquor license, Jeanette sought

to buy the bar that would be the future Plan B location.

“I just want to give a big, heartfelt congratulations to Jeanette for an amazing 10 years. I've been there for a good chunk of it and it's been an amazing ride—ups and downs and everything in-between.

Jeanette and the staff have become family over the years, and I for one, am blessed to have been accepted as a part of it. I'm looking forward to one hell of a celebration!

To the next ten years of family, drinks and rock ’n roll!” stated Rob Lawrence, one of Jeannette’s closest friends and a regular at the venue.

Ten years ago, the music scene in the Coachella Valley was vastly different. Very rarely could you find live entertainment on a Tuesday or Wednesday night. Over the last decade, Plan B Live Entertainment & Cocktails has welcomed many performers on its stage—crowd favorites and new acts, all cementing the legacy of the venue as a top-notch nightlife spot.

“Plan B will always be in my heart, for they gave me my first opportunity in the Coachella Valley. I love how they follow their own path and do things their way.

Plan B gave me the space to find myself, my true self, on stage, and the support they give musicians is given right back by the community,” said local musician Miguel Arballo.

Plan B Live Entertainment & Cocktails is also home to free shuffle board, three continue to page 5

The Vino Voice ................................................ 12 Keg Whisperer ................................................ 13 Swag For The Soul........................................... 14 Free Will Astrology ........................................ 14 Pet Place ..................................................... 16-17 Haddon Libby ................................................. 18 Dale Gribow .................................................... 18

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August 5 to August 11, 2021

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PLAN B ANNIVERSARY

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TRAVEL TIPS4U

THE SHAG STORE PALM SPRINGS, CA

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August 5 to August 11, 2021

osh Angle, also known as Shag (a contraction of the last two letters of his first name and the first two letters of his last name) is a painter, illustrator and designer based in Southern California.

Since 1977 Shag has had numerous gallery exhibitions in the United States, Europe, Japan and Australia.

Established in 2010, The Shag Store is a gallery and retail space in Palm Springs that offers exclusive limited edition prints, merchandise and apparel by the Artist Shag,

pool tables, a patio, daily drink specials, and Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday night sing sessions with Red's Rockstar Karaoke at 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

“I believe Plan B's charm lies within its semi-hidden location, its undeniably great employees, and solid entertainment. It's the whole package with a hint of intimacy!” praised desert-based artist Krystofer Do. The actual 10-year anniversary celebration will take place on the first Saturday of the month, September 4th.

While the lineup is still being determined, guests can expect awesome live bands, karaoke, drink specials, and delicious food.

“We’re a local spot and people feel comfortable being here. You can walk in with a suit or cut-off shorts and flip-flops, it doesn’t matter. People are always very nice and welcoming. Our bar tenders are super friendly and knowledgable. Many local

ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY LYNNE TUCKER

bands have had their first performance on Plan B’s stage. I am so grateful for everyone and our amazing staff. I love how the community has protected us and supported us from the very beginning,” said Jeannette.

So many memories come to mind for Jeannette when she thinks of all the people and moments that brought Plan B Live Entertainment & Cocktails to where it is today. From having her youngest son Josh, who has down syndrome, sing karaoke with his brother “Kyle the singing bartender” to being eternally grateful for her sister Sharon, who gave her a loan to open the bar in the first place. Jeannette is grateful for the family dynamic present at Plan B, as her

son Kyle has worked at the venue for eight years.

More of the wonderful staff that Jeannette wishes to thank are Josh Osborne, Randall Leifeit, Kim Beall, Teri Elison, Casey Keepers, Chelsea Erin, Red Ness, and Shastin Ness.

“In terms of the future, we are looking to continue supporting our musicians, our comedy acts, our staff, the arts, and our customers. I’ve built Plan B Live Entertainment & Cocktails up with the help of everybody. I am humbled by the love I am shown on a constant basis and thank you all from the bottom of my heart,” said Jeannette.

including products and art that can be found nowhere else.

HOURS - Monday - Thursday 10:00am - 5:00pm Friday, Saturday & Sunday 10:00am - 8:00pm For more information and upcoming events of their latest print and merchandise releases, visit www.shagstore.com.

Be sure to sign up on their mailing list!

Think Creative Talent and Visit The Shag Store!

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August 5 to August 11, 2021

FILM

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n ancient Greek culture, the swan song was used as a metaphor for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement. Anton Chekhov wrote a novel with the same title about an aging actor contemplating his final stage appearance.

For the iconic actor and Palm Springs resident Udo Kier, Swan Song is but another movie in his ever-expanding canon of feature films.

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UDO KIER’S “SWAN SONG”

Kier’s acting career covers four decades with 270 acting credits in film and television!

Kier, 76, stars in Swan Song as Pat Pitsenbarger, an aging, retired hairdresser who escapes from his nursing home to style the hair of his most famous client after her death.

In doing so, Pat rediscovers his own glamour finds a deeper appreciation for his friends and dazzling career.

Swan Song premieres locally Saturday at the Palm Springs Cultural Center.

“I love the work,” said Kier. “Swan Song was fun for me from beginning to end. All the actors were so good to work with. Everyone was terrific.”

The Swan Song script was sent to Kier’s home in Palm Springs.

“The story was very strong,” said Kier.

“The director came out and we talked about the character. There was so much I liked. It’s a generational film. People can relate to the characters.”

Swan Song was shot on location in Sandusky, Ohio.

“He is such a pro and a pleasure to work with,” said Jackson Warner Lewis, a New York cinematographer who photographed the film.

“Everyday he’d walk up and know exactly what to do.”

Kier’s co-stars include: Jennifer Coolidge, Linda Evans and Michael Urie. The film is directed and written by Todd Stephens.

“Udo was the lead in Swan Song - in

I.T. COMPUTERS,ETC.

every scene,” said Kassandra DeAngelis, the production designer on the project. “We couldn’t film anything without him. He’s an absolute professional.”

Kier serves as an ambassador to both the Palm Spring winter and summer film festivals.

During the 31st Palm Springs International Film Festival (January 2020, on the cusp of the pandemic), Kier was honored by the City of Palm Springs and the Chamber of Commerce.

He was presented with a plaque and granite star on Palm Springs Walk of The Stars for his career as a “cult cinema actor.” The City Council of Palm Springs dedicate his star and proclaimed the third day of January 2020 to be: Udo Kier Day At the time, Kier had three films in the 2020 winter festival.

Local weatherman Patrick Evens attended the ceremony and said at the time, “I can’t think of anybody who deserves this star more than Udo. Some may not know him as a household name, but this guy is a superstar.

He is a lover of Palm Springs, and he is so enthusiastic about living here, and I love that.

Udo getting a star is terrific and very apropos.”

Kier was gracious and humbled by the large crowd that turned out to see him.

Palm Springs resident Kiki Tormo was present when Kier receive his star. She was wearing an Andy Warhol patterned print dress, shoes and accessories. (Kier worked and was friends with Warhol.) Her family is half

BY HEIDI SIMMONS

German (Kier was born in Germany) and she has followed his film career.

“He’s very friendly,” said Tormo. “You run into him around here all the time. He’s never aloof. I’m glad he has a star here.”

Swan Song opened in New York and Los Angeles last week. Kier has received rave reviews for his performance as a leading man.

The film won two festival awards.

Kier is being acknowledged by film reviewers around the world for the amazing actor he is, has been and will continue to be.

“This is not my swan song,” Kier said, before he named a half dozen projects he has completed since Swan Song wrapped. “I am selective and choose the roles that I like. I love working in my garden, that’s nice, but I will never retire from acting.”

This iconic movie star’s remarkable body of work and high profile, make him a local treasure. His own swan song is not even on the horizon.

Swan Song premiers Saturday, August 7, at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, formally known as the Camelot Theatres. Kier will be present for a Q&A with David Ansen, former Newsweek film critic. For more information contact the theater.

DON'T BE A VICTIM OF RANSOMWARE!

5 WAYS TO PROTECT YOURSELF SAFE FROM CYBER-ATTACKS AND RANSOMWARE.

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fter a major cyber-attack involving ransomware, top US fuel pipeline provider Colonial Pipeline shut down its entire network, affecting approximately half of the US East Coast's fuel supply. The event is one of the most significant digital ransom operations ever recorded, and it has highlighted the vulnerability of the United States' energy infrastructure to hackers. If the line is shut down for an extended period of time, costs at gas stations will rise ahead of the peak summer travel season, causing a possible economic and market blow to the United States. According to Digital Shadows, the coronavirus pandemic aided the Colonial attack having more engineers remotely access pipeline control systems from home.

The ransomware attack was carried out by a group of cybercriminals known as Darkside, who hacked into a company's or government's network and scrambled the data. After that, the hacker leaves a message in the system demanding payment. If the company pays up, the hacker relinquishes control. Experts warn that ransomware attacks – which are part-ransom, part-blackmail, and partinvocation of squatters' rights – are becoming more common and that the mainly Russian-

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based hackers' methods are becoming more sophisticated. According to Emsisoft, nearly 2,400 government agencies, health care services, and schools in the United States were victims of ransomware attacks in 2020.

Although this number is likely an undercount because many victims are unable to report break-ins in the first place. According to a recent report, the subsequent economic hit is huge, with figures ranging from $57 billion to $109 billion annually.

How to stay safe – 5 ways to protect yourself safe from cyber-attacks and ransomware.

Experts recommend the following steps to defend your company from ransomware: 1. Prohibit unnecessary connections to remote desktop services (such as RDP) over public networks, and make sure to use secure passwords for these services. Install all patches for VPN solutions you use to connect remote staff to the corporate network.

2. Using public Wi-Fi networks with caution is a good way to defend yourself from ransomware. Your computer is more vulnerable to attacks when connected to a public Wi-Fi network. Avoid using public Wi-Fi for confidential transactions or use a secure VPN provider to remain safe.

3. To avoid exploiting vulnerabilities, update all software on all connected devices.

Updating your applications and operating systems regularly helps to keep you safe from ransomware. Make sure you're using the most recent security patches as you update. This makes it more difficult for cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities in the applications.

4. Back up your data on a daily basis to

ensure that you have ready access to the backups in case of an emergency. Utilize threat intelligence data to remain current on attack tactics, techniques, and procedures.

Use security solutions to help prevent attacks from occurring in the first place. Concentrate the defense strategy on detecting lateral movement and data exfiltration, with a particular focus on all outbound traffic.

5. Ransomware can also infect your computer via email attachments. Any attachments that seem to be suspect should be avoided. Pay close attention to the source and double-check that the address is right to ensure that the email is trustworthy. You can never open attachments that require you to run macros to view them. If the attachment is infected, opening it will activate a malicious macro that will enable malware to take control of your computer. Use a reliable endpoint protection solution that detects and counters exploits, as well as the ability to roll back malicious changes and restore the system.

It's necessary to use a technology like zero trust, which restricts access to critical systems.

Any major infrastructure provider from energy

BY DENNIS SHELLY to transportation to water systems and healthcare and more—should be equipped or retrofitted with zero trust security controls that also allow workers and contractors to do their work more safely, and that provide far greater safety to vital infrastructure. Zero trust network access solutions are a good place to start as they limit access to only the applications that an employee or contractor requires to do their job.

Wrap Up The implementation of the above tips should help provide the majority of users with adequate protection from ransomware.

Regardless of what precautions you take to secure your records, the use of common sense is always your best option. If something doesn’t look right, it usually isn’t. Stay updated with apps, use anti-malware software, stop accessing files and applications from unknown places or strangers, and make sure that your backup is up to date.

Our Cyber Security Eggsperts are ready to help with protecting you and your business from the threats of cybercriminals and ransomware.

Contact one of our Cyber Security Eggsperts today! We are ready to help with a complete cybersecurity solution for you, your business, and your home today, by calling (760) 2050105 or emailing us with your questions, service requests, or even just to chat.

IT | Networks | Security | Phones | A/V | Integration

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CONSIDER THIS

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am a sucker for a big fat ‘Fro, and in case you don’t know, I am abbreviating Afro, as only a true child of the ‘60s and ‘70s can. As a Hollywood kid, I spent my Saturday afternoons one of two places, in our swimming pool or in front of the TV digging “Soul Train.” Sorry, but “American Bandstand” was just too, um, bland, for this Olive American (what, Greeks don’t get their own color?), whose mother had been professional dancer for more than a decade before I arrived on the scene. The Black teenagers on “Soul Train” simply exuded cool, from the tops of their natural blowouts, and groovy threads, to their fly platform shoes and mind-blowing dance moves. For me, the ‘Fro signified the epitome of coolitude, even when a redheaded (white guy) named “Bernie” rocked one on the socially conscious comedy series, “Room 222.” So, when I saw the cover of Bette Smith’s latest album, with the singer sporting a righteous ‘Fro, I knew instinctively that the music contained therein was going to be as bitchin’ as the cover.

A native New Yorker, Ms. Smith grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn.

Her parents were Trinidadian immigrants, her dad was a church choir director and her mother constantly listened to Gospel music at home. Inspired by the sounds of Mahalia Jackson, the Reverend James Cleveland, and South African singer Miriam Makeba, Bette began singing at age five, backed by a full church choir.

Her folks were strict with her, secular music was forbidden, Bette followed the rules. Ironically, her older brother Louis, wasn’t bound to the same restrictions. He had a clutch of Rock and Soul records stashed in his room. When the parents were out, he and Bette would dig in, finding inspiration with artists like Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Otis Redding and even Elton John. Her parents had good reason to be over-protective. In those days, the Bed-Stuy neighborhood was pretty scary. Bette played her part, she was a good student who studied hard, got into college and later worked as a receptionist on Wall Street. She had always dreamed of a career in music, but she kept that to herself. It was only years later when her beloved brother was in the hospital dying that she confessed her ambitions. He encouraged her to follow her heart. He even suggested she start, by covering one of his favorite musicians, Bill Withers.

After he was gone, Bette got to work and hit the ground running. She began singing professionally wherever she could, weddings Bar Mitzvahs, funerals, block parties.

She really paid her dues. She was sort of discovered playing a street festival when a friend of Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel Nut Zippers) caught her set. Not long after, she and Jimbo connected and he wound up producing her stunning debut, “Jetlagger.” Critics and fans alike took notice, and it felt like Bette’s arrival took a little sting out of Sharon Jones’ heartbreaking departure.

Now she’s back with her second effort, “The Good, The Bad And The Bette.” The record roars out of the speaks with the opening cut, “Fistful Of Dollars.” Despite sharing it’s title with the first of Sergio Leone’s seminal Spaghetti Western “Man With No Name” trilogy, the song sounds

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BETTE SMITH

like the best Blaxploitation movie theme you’ve never heard. A powerful thwack kicks it all into gear, the crackling backbeat bookends muscular guitars, fluttery strings, buttery keys, throbby bass, and a punchy horn section. Finally, finally, Bette drops in to tell us what condition her condition is in; “Went by the bank, asked the man for a loan, he said your credit’s no good Bette, ain’t got no money to loan.” Sinewy guitar licks shadow her voice and she lays down the law, fiscal security is the ultimate aphrodisiac; “Love is just like money, it goes from hand to hand, romance without finance, that I just can’t understand.” On the break, honking sax notes and an urgent trumpet solo are matched by skronky guitar riffs. The arrangement powers down with a swoony, string-laden decrescendo.

For “JetLagger,” Bette contributed one original song, on this record, she’s written three. “Song For A Friend” shares a little musical DNA with Al Green’s “Tired Of Being Alone. Over slinky guitars, thumping bass lines and a kick-drum beat, she wraps her authoritative rasp around lyrics that fiercely champion a loyal friend who has fallen on hard times; “What’s that I hear you say, ‘all she ever did was take,’ you don’t know what I saw in her, but there’s a point I got to make/Since I didn’t see you ‘round when I felt so alone, she’s the one who was there for me, I couldn’t make it on my own.” Wooshy keys wash over the bridge and on the break, as sleek guitar riffs and supple organ runs execute a lissome pas de deux.

“Human” is powered by ricochet guitar riffs, sidewinder bass, ticklish keys and a taut, hi-hat rhythm. Playful lyrics offer a sweet encomium to her faithful dog, Jeremiah; “I know you’ve always been astray, running wild and free, but when you’re done running mister, turn from your fantasies/When your heart is in pain, whole world’s up in flames, Oooh, run to me, I wanna be your human.”

Chunky, wah-wah guitar collides with a muted, Bowie-esque sax solo on the break as Bette and her Australian Labradooddle redefine the term unconditional love.

Finally, “Whistle Stop” deftly addresses her complicated relationship with her mom. Meandering bass lines connect with plangent guitar, cascading piano notes and a tick-tock beat. Sadly, she wasn’t there when her mother passed in Trinidad, so, Bette’s subconscious conjured up a cinematic farewell that took place on an old-timey passenger train. The melody’s languid torch and twang allows her to recall the good; “Thanks for coming to visit, I hope you find a peaceful rest, I’ll find the strength to forgive all of your last regrets,” and the bad; “Stop that train and see me again, stop these tears from the first time you went away/In your eyes there’s goodbye but you ain’t got nothing to say, a whistle stop, just to pass me by with a wave,” without judgement.

On a record stacked with superlative tracks the best songs manage to idle at that elusive intersection where Rock & Roll meets Soul. Take “I’m A Sinner,” which weds crosscut guitar riffs, slingshot bass, a swooping horn section and stabby keys to a punishing big beat. Bette takes the blame with very little shame, and few fucks are given; “Yeah they called me Cain, yeah I killed my brother, yeah they set me to wander, yeah I bare the mark, yeah I know, I’m a sinner.” Like the

“THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE BETTE” (RUF RECORDS)

BY ELENI P. AUSTIN

devil on her shoulder, guitars slash and sting, as backing vocals echo one refrain; “Sinner!”

The sludgey instrumentation slips into a sonic maelstrom before fading down to a single, reverb-drenched guitar note.

Gospel, grit and Glam-Rock confidently co-exist on Bette’s sly cover of the Dexateens’ “Pine Belt Blues.” Slower and more deliberate than the original, the chugging rhythm is augmented by Glittertwang guitars, hopscotching bass, churchy keys and testifying back-up vocals. She only needs you to know one thing; “I was lost, but now I’m found.”

Meanwhile, both “Signs And Wonders” and “Everybody Needs Love” feature a couple of superstar assists from Luther Dickinson (best known as half of The North Mississippi Allstars with his brother Cody) and Patterson Hood (front-man for The Drive-By Truckers), respectively. The former is a Country-Gospel Soul gumbo whose main ingredients are Bette’s gritty gravitas, a Staxified horn section and Luther’s Stonesy guitar grooves. As guitars hug the melody’s hairpin curves, her vocals slither through the intricate arrangement, sunny and sanctified one minute, growly and guttural the next.

Lyrics paint a vivid portrait rife with ill omens and harbingers of doom, but Bette chooses to follow her instincts; “Signs and wonders all through the thunder, ah, and it strikes the earth and chars the grace and the flowers, he’s got my number, Oh, but look over yonder, I know the sun won’t set for many hours/Oh, but I see your face and I know it’s true, Jesus or my luck is going to see me through, and I got a revelation, saying providence is this, because I believe in you and me and not the signs and wonders.”

The latter offers an explicit homage to the power of love and strength of human connection. Blitzkrieg guitars blaze atop a potent melody as downstroke bass and a pounding beat hold down the bottom.

Patterson Hood provides simpatico backing vocals but he wisely cedes the spotlight to Bette as she unpacks this revelation; “Ain’t nobody ever found happiness, living their lives alone, I used to believe I didn’t need nobody to be happy on my own/One sad day trouble found me, yeah, way down, oh I didn’t have no friends, along came the love of a real good man, he said ‘Bette, I’ll love you to the end’.”

The record closes with the cutting lament, “Don’t Skip Out On Me.” Landing somewhere between the ‘Stones “Wild Horses” and “Dark Side Of The Moon” era Pink Floyd, the arrangement and instrumentation adds new colors and textures to Bette’s sonic palette.

Initially spare and bare bones, the track is anchored by sturdy bass and a rock steady beat, which allows enough breathing room to incorporate soaring, David Gilmour-esque guitar and a wistful trumpet solo. She may be nervous to go it alone, but she insists “I can carry my own weight.” It’s a trenchant end to a great album.

Production chores for “The Good, The Bad And The Bette” were handled by DriveBy Truckers Bassist/vocalist Matt Patton.

He assembled a crack cadre of musicians which included Luther, Jody Nelson, Curtis J. Brewer and John McLeod on guitar, Eric Carlton on piano, Bronson Tew on guitar and drums, Jimbo Matthus on organ and guitar and Jamison Hollister on strings. In addition to playing organ, Henry Westmorland acted as a one-man horn section. Aside from his production duties, Matt added bass and guitar. Backing vocals were provided by Patterson Hood, Bronson Tew, Matt and Schaefer. Like “JetLagger,” this album was recorded and mixed at Dial Back Sound, Water Valley, Mississippi.

There’s an elasticity to Bette’s sound that transcends genres. Not unlike her heroes, Aretha, Tina and Otis, she isn’t afraid to inject a little Rock & Roll into her Soul. This is fat ‘Fro music. I don’t know about you, but it was just what I needed.

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Thursday, August 5

Coachella Valley Brewery – Open Mic – 7pm Cunard’s – Bill Baker – 6pm Jazzville@Agua Caliente P.S. – Angel Town Combo – 7pm Kitchen 86 – Jojo Malagar – 7pm La Quinta Brewery – Derek Jordan Gregg – 7pm Lit @ Fantasy Springs – Rob Staley – 7pm Melvyn’s – Mikael Healey – 5pm O’Caine’s – Midlife O’Crisis – 6pm The Nest – Bryan Magsayo – 6pm The Slice – Leanna Rogers – 5-8pm The Village – Rob & JB – 5:30-8:30pm, Rapmarz – 10pm, DJ LF – 10pm

Friday, August 6

Bart Lounge – DJ DXSKO – 8pm Casuelas Café – The Myx – 7pm Coachella Bar – Six6Sik, Luna Thorn, The Holy Corrupt and Nature of the Beast 8:30pm Coachella Valley Brewery – Acoustic Evening w/ Marc Saxe, Nick Hales, Wesley Gainey, Mario Quintero and Kelsey Manning – 6:30pm Cunard’s – Bill Baker – 6pm Four Twenty Bank – Ryan Christopher “Sinatra Style” – 6pm

Lit @ Fantasy Springs – Six Hot Live – 9pm Mastro’s – Nikki Dickinson – 6:30pm Melvyn’s – Mikael Healey – 5pm O’Caine’s – Midlife O’Crisis – 6pm Pete’s Hideaway – Darci Daniels – 7pm Rockyard@Fantasy Springs – South Bound and Company (Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute) and Pandora’s Rock – 7pm The Hood – TBA – 9pm The Nest – Jojo Malagar – 6pm The Slice – Marc Antonelli – 5:30-8:30pm The Village – Rob & JB – 5:30-8:30pm, Rapmarz – 10pm, DJ LF – 10pm, DJ Gio the Ace – 9pm Twelve @ Fantasy Springs – Mark Gregg and Co. – 7-10pm Wildest – Derek Jordan Gregg – 6-9pm

Saturday, August 7

Ace Hotel – DJ – noon – poolside Bart Lounge – DJ Captain Osiv and Friends – 8pm Casuelas Café – Los Garzaz – 7:15pm Cunard’s – Bill Baker – 6pm Four Twenty Bank – TBA – 6pm Hotel Zoso – Flamingo Pool Party w/ DJ LF – noon-6pm

Lit @ Fantasy Springs – Six Hot Live – 9pm Mastro’s – Jojo Malagar – 7:30pm Melvyn’s – Mikael Healey – 5pm Palm Canyon Roadhouse – Journey LTD (Journey Tribute) – 9pm Rockyard@Fantasy Springs – Appetite for Destruction (GNR Tribute) and Pandora’s Rock – 7pm The Hood - Comedy Night – 9pm The Nest – Nikki Dickinson – 6pm The Slice – Leanna Rogers – 5:30-8:30pm The Village – Rob & JB – 1-4pm, Rapmarz – 10pm, DJ LF – 10pm, DJ Gio the Ace – 9pm Twelve @ Fantasy Springs – Mark Gregg and Co. – 7-10pm Wildest – Derek Jordan Gregg – 6-9pm

Sunday, August 8

Bart Lounge – Latina Night w/ DJ LF – 8pm Coachella Valley Brewery – Acoustic Afternoon w/ Nick Hales, Switcharoo and Courtney Chambers – 3pm Hotel Zoso – Flamingo Pool Party w/ DJ Femme A – noon-6pm Kitchen 86 – Jojo Malagar – 7pm Mastro’s – Nikki Dickinson – 6pm Melvyn’s – Mikael Healey – 5pm

August 5 to August 11, 2021

Palm Canyon Roadhouse – Mikole Kaar Jazz Event – 2-5pm, Sunday Night Jam – 6-11pm The Hood – Open Mic – 8pm The Nest – Jojo Malagar – 7pm The Slice – Sergio Villegas – 5-8pm The Village – Rapmarz - 10pm Wildest – Derek Jordan Gregg – 6-9pm

Monday, August 9

The Nest – The Trebles – 6:30-9:30pm The Village – DJ Gio the Ace – 9pm

Tuesday, August 10

Cunard’s – Bill Baker – 6pm Four Twenty Bank – Mikole Kaar and the Kaar Club – 4:20-7:20pm Lit @ Fantasy Springs – Brad’s Pad – 7-10pm The Nest – The Trebles – 6:30-9:30pm The Slice – Sergio Villegas – 5-8pm The Village – DJ Gio the Ace – 9pm

Wednesday, August 11

Cunard’s – Bill Baker – 6pm Melvyn’s – Mikael Healey – 5pm The Cantina – T- Bone Karaoke – 7pm The Nest – The Trebles – 6:30-9:30pm The Slice – Marc Antonelli – 5-8pm The Village – DJ Gio the Ace – 9pm, Banda Revolucion – 10pm

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SCREENERS

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No. 485

BACK TO THE BIG SCREEN? THE GREEN KNIGHT Many of us have been waiting more than a year for writer/director David Lowery’s film based on the 14th century poem of unknown authorship that you were probably forced to read in a high school English Lit class.

None other than J.R.R. Tolkien, who fashioned (translated) a version of the medieval Arthurian tale, called it “one of the greatest works of English literature.

Lowery’s magnificent and fantastical epic adventure will grab you and transport you to another time and place. You will see things you’ve never seen.

Dev Patel is Gawain, King Arthur’s strongwilled and reckless nephew who goes on a

ar be it from me to encourage anyone to risk his or her life just to see a movie.

With local movie theaters now showing several greatly anticipated and muchhyped epic movies that are best enjoyed on a really big screen with the latest audio enhancements.

Below are two titles at the top of the list of many movie patrons’ now eager to share a movie experience with a room full of vaccinated strangers.

It’s important to take seriously the CDC guidelines as the highly contagious Covid-19 variant strain spreads in the Coachella Valley.

This column is not called “Movies to Die For." JUNGLE CRUISE Inspired by the popular old-school Disneyland ride, and seasoned with more than a dash of “The African Queen” (1951), John Huston’s” classic movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, this fun family film satisfies.

This time around it’s Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt who take a wild ride down (or is it up?) the Amazon. Blunt’s character is from London. She’s looking for a plant (or tree actually) that has alleged healing properties that could not only change modern medicine but perhaps the fate of all humans. She hires boat owner Frank

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(Johnson) to help her on her mission.

Together they navigate the dangerous waters and confront many obstacles in his dilapidated boat.

Blunt and Johnson are enormously charismatic actors, but it's hard to embrace the hint of a romantic relationship. This colorful, high-energy not-as-dumb-asexpected movie is what escapism is all about.

Don’t you just love movies that deliver all the silly fun promised in the poster?

BY ROBIN E. SIMMONS dangerous quest to confront the mysterious Green Knight.

This stunning cinematic adaptation creates a here-to-for unseen medieval fantasy world that exists in the rift between the pagan Celtic world and that of emerging Christianity.

This old story has been reborn in a lush, visual and aural iteration. It’s an intricate, audacious, beautiful, horrific, poetic and dazzling fever dream of self-discovery where big questions about, time, existence, mind and honor are raised.

Universal themes, like the consequences of greed, meander in the woof and warp of this wondrous cinematic tapestry.

Every element of this masterpiece is top notch -- the acting, directing, production design, the evocative score and cinematography.

With all the magic and mystery, there is always the rot and pervasive feeling of dread.

Patel makes Gawain’s search for his humanity – or rather what it mans to b human -- urgent and relatable in the word we inhabit.

See this extraordinary film on the biggest screen you can find. robin@coachellavalleywekly.com

SAFETY TIPS FROM THE CHIEF’S CORNER

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BY FIRE CHIEF SAM DIGIOVANNA

W

A

ugust is National Golf Month, golfers are encouraged to share their experience and bring new golfers to the greens. Whether played as a team sport or individual, National Golf Month challenges us to take the time to show someone new to the sport everything they need to know to get started.

Here are 18 holes to help you celebrate https://lnkd.in/gSSY5ib so before we “TeeOff” let’s review some safety tips!

Golf really is a very safe sport and if you follow a few basic safety rules injuries can be reduced or eliminated.

Swinging of metal clubs propel golf balls at high speeds. If you’re in the way of either one you are in danger. Following a few basic guidelines can help ensure your safety and that of those around you on the course.

Keep Track of Those Around You. When a golf club is in your hands and you are preparing to swing, it is your responsibility to make sure that your playing partners are a safe distance away from you. Never swing a golf club when another golfer is close to you.

Practice makes perfect but be a little extra cautious on practice swings, when it’s easy for golfers to let their guard down. Don’t hit your ball until you are confident that any golfers up ahead are out of your range.

Be Heads Up. Even when it’s not your turn to hit, stay aware of your surroundings. Fore Pete’s Sake, Cover Up When You Hear It! Yell “Fore” as loud as you can if suspect someone may be in danger. This is the universal word of warning in golf. If you hear it, cover up, cover behind your golf bag, tree, cart, (or friend) and cover your head with your arms. Make yourself a smaller target and protect your head.

Patience: A virtue desired by many possessed by few! Yes, there are those occasions when a very slow group is ahead of yours, and frustration takes over. We’ve all seen it or know them. That “special” person who gets angry and tee’s up intentionally hitting into the slow-playing group ahead. If you’re ever tempted to do this, don’t! It’s very

rare, but golfers have been killed after being struck by golf balls. Many have been injured.

Just take a deep breath and enjoy the scenery.

Drive Safely. Driving a golf cart isn’t a difficult thing to do. Observe all safety rules.

Don’t hang your feet out of the cart while it’s in motion; don’t go off-roading over bumpy terrain; don’t drive at full speed around curves or down steep hills. Don’t let small children drive the cart. Don’t drive the cart if you’ve had a few too many beers. And watch out for other golf carts at points where paths cross.

Sunscreen! Protect your skin by always using a strong sunscreen. Wear a widebrimmed cap to keep the sun off your face.

Add Fluids … (No, not Beer!) the Right Kind of Fluids. If you’re playing golf under the sun on a hot day, you’ll be sweating off a lot of body fluids. Stay hydrated! Drink plenty of water.

Lightning. At the very first sign of lightning, head for the Clubhouse. If caught out in the open and unable to find shelter, get away from your clubs, your golf cart, water and trees, and remove metal spikes if wearing them. If in a group, group members should remain at least 15 feet apart. If you feel a tingling sensation or the hair on your arms stands up, crouch in a baseball catcher’s position, balancing on the balls of your feet.

Fold your arms in front of your knees, keep your feet together and your head forward.

This article is dedicated to one of the best people in the world. My Dad Frank DiGiovanna! He will turn 88 years old this month and still loves to golf.

Though I certainly can’t keep the ball on the course, and it does have its set of challenges and frustrations, it is a fun way to get out and be amongst friends while meeting new ones. One of my favorite places is the Westin Resort in Rancho Mirage Ca. https://lnkd.in/ gE8CU7r The resort sits on 360 acres in the Palm Springs desert. Located in the Coachella Valley, in the city of Rancho Mirage, and is ranked as one of the Top 50 Golf Resorts in North America by Golf Digest.

Be Safe and Have Fun!

aBa Grill, one of the nation’s leading healthy rice bowl chains, is proud to announce that its flavorful new Plantspired™ Steak is now available at all of WaBa Grill’s nearly 200 locations throughout California and Arizona.

Earlier this year, the brand announced it would expand its menu of fresh and flavorful offerings with a new plant-based protein option in partnership with the nation’s #1 tofu brand, Nasoya Foods USA. The brand’s newest protein option now appears alongside WaBa Grill’s existing menu of better-foryou options like fresh, never frozen chicken, marinated ribeye steak, wild-caught salmon, jumbo shrimp and organic tofu. The debut of WaBa Grill’s protein-packed Plantspired™ Steak marks the first time Nasoya has teamed with a large restaurant chain to make its hotoff-the-grill meat free products available to the masses.

“Today’s launch is momentous for WaBa Grill as the ongoing evolution of our menu now features an amazing meat alternative in Plantspired™ Steak, which underscores WaBa Grill’s enduring commitment to the experience of every guest, no matter their dietary needs or preferences,” said Mark Finnegan, Chief Marketing & Information Officer at WaBa Grill. “As we mark 15 years in business in 2021 and set our sights on continued menu innovation, our success will always be driven by the idea that healthy food made with expertly prepared, high-quality ingredients should be delicious and accessible to all.”

August 5 to August 11, 2021

GOOD GRUB

BY DANIEL PARIS

Featuring Asian-inspired flavors, the new Plantspired™ Steak takes plant-based eating to a whole new level of deliciousness.

Marinated in-house, the plant-based “steak” is then grilled over an open fire for maximum caramelization and finished with WaBa Grill’s signature WaBa sauce to achieve a perfectly balanced sweet and savory flavor. Boasting 16 grams of plant protein per serving, the Plantspired™ Steak is delicious on any bowl, plate or salad, and expands the healthy fast casual brand’s already diverse and appealing menu of fresh and nutritious options offered at a great value and on-the-go speed.

“Nasoya plant-based products have been loved by home chefs across the country for decades so this collaboration is a natural evolution as more people than ever are looking for trusted plant-based products when eating out,” said Sung Yoon Nam, VP of Marketing at Nasoya. “We’re extremely proud to see Nasoya make its QSR debut in all WaBa Grill locations and are confident our Plantspired™ Steak will be a great addition to the menu to meet WaBa Grill’s customers’ evolving taste preferences and dietary needs.”

To view WaBa Grill’s menu and to find your nearest location, visit www.WaBaGrill. com, and to learn more about Nasoya® and its Plantspired™ lineup, go to www.nasoya.com.

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August 5 to August 11, 2021

THE VINO VOICE

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BY RICK RIOZZA

SUSHI’S CHOICE

T

hree or four decades ago, sushi quickly became the trendy dish with sushi bars opening throughout Southern California. I was slow on the sushi up-take as I was still enjoying the hot & spicy cuisine of Thai, Indian, and of course Vietnamese that were still popular at the time.

Indeed, I was somewhat out-of-theloop when it came to joining my friends and associates for lunch at all the new sushi venues about; a touch unsettling for one who thought himself to be a foodie-type.

Around the same time, as I was practicing law in Orange County, I began to pick-up more and more cases in L. A., as I had begun representing an Armenian trash hauling company which led to a lot of referral cases.

I found myself appearing in the L.A Superior Courthouse quite often—of course, dealing with the freeway traffic between the two counties. And to my consternation, it also meant I was paying beaucoup bucks for decent parking.

It just so happened that a small second floor office space was available right across the street from the Parker Justice Center on San Pedro and 1st street. For those of you who know downtown Los Angeles, it was the location that was right on the border of what is affectionately known as “Little Tokyo”—with its share of delicious Japanese fare. And the deal on the office space was that the rent was much less than what I was paying for parking!

It was a great spot! Right by the courthouse, and it was a convenient outpost to avoid the late afternoon traffic back to the O.C. Unbeknownst to me, but rather fortuitous, on the 1st floor below me, were the offices of Matao Uwate. I had no idea that this famed Japanese chef and radio personality was one of the most well-known Japanese Americans in Los Angeles.

For 35 years, Uwate, the host of “Radio Li’l Tokyo,” had spun rare recordings of Japanese classical and popular music and provided local news and announcements about weekly activities in Little Tokyo. At nights, he held competition from local Japanese-language television programs. But for an hour on Sunday mornings on station KTYM (1460 AM), there is only Uwate to remind Japanese Americans of life before America.

Uwate described most of the records he plays as “Japanese blues songs—lots of rain, tears, drinking sake, love lost.” Uwate was also a master-chef, critic, and teacher in Japanese cuisine—which of course included sushi preparation. And he was “old-school” when it came to sushi—one would never mention a “California Roll” in his presence!

One day I happened to glance at his office door and took notice of a Japanese cooking class he was offering. There were only 8 slots available; and with the sushi craze going on—and as I found out later—many in the L.A. foodie scene was vying for a spot. I got into the class at the last moment when a San Franciscan chef had to bow out.

The class would meet at the modern Buddist temple kitchen close by, with Chef Matao bringing in all of the fish and cooking ingredients necessary for the day’s instruction.

Remember, this was in the early 80s before all of the cooking fervor took hold; the experience was so exciting. Add to the fact that when

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the Chef designated four two-person teams to learn and cook together, he teamed me up with Robin Roy—the daughter of famed rotund celebrity chef Mike Roy. Robin, at that time, was also one of the L.A. Times food writers. I took advantage of the opportunity, and just like that, I was ushered into the L.A. food scene with the connections I was making!

One of Chef Matao’s classic moves—when we met on Saturday mornings, was to open up cans of Budweiser beer for everyone to help fuel us through the day. His classes were thorough in classic Japanese cuisine.

We learned different styles that included Yosenabe (hot soups), Teppanyaki, Yakitori, Sukiyaki, Sashimi and of course, Sushi, where we learned to filet the fish, prepare the rice, attempt different recipes, and properly organize and serve.

Chef Matao was an absolute character with a little curmudgeon on the side, a bon vivant none-the less and truly enjoyable to get to know. On our last class, we had to do a “final exam” dish. The competition was on! I remember preparing Chirashi Sushi, a deconstructed Sushi dish—a Japanese “pizza” if you will, that’s prepared in a beautifully decorated large wooden dish. I was going for the fences! It was probably the most artistic thing I had ever done.

Chef was enjoying himself acting all stern and serious as he gave a “final grade” to the eight submitted dishes. When he came to my kitchen station, he saw and tasted. In his inimitable rough Japanese accent, he told me, “I never give an “A” in my classes; and you’ve only started cooking Japanese so don’t expect a “B”—you be happy with “C”.

One of the other classmates was an older Japanese lady who never seemed to have as much fun as we were all having. Poor lady— while she was transferring her final dish to the station table, it slipped from her hand and fell onto the floor. Without missing a beat, Uwate pointed to the mess and said, “For this you get “F”! I don’t even think he cracked a smile right after that comment, but he did crack open some more Budweisers as we all celebrated and said our goodbyes.

This story may well be the longest introduction to sake and sushi paring in food journalism. So much so that we’ll take up the subject next time. Kanpai!—Cheers!

KEG WHISPERER

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

August 5 to August 11, 2021

BY BREWMASTER ED HEETHUIS

S

unday Funday. Simply the title holds the promise of hope, the kind of hope which whispers to an individual, “Let’s go do this!”. Since Sunday is generally my only day off, it is also my best opportunity to head out and explore my new desert surroundings.

This particular Sunday began sunny and hot…but there isn’t much of a surprise there. I pointed my trusty steed toward DT Palm Springs to see what had become of the property I remembered to be The Draughtsman. Located a short chip shot from ARRIVE Palm Springs, word had filtered to me that Draughtsman was gone and had been replaced by the upstart 1501 Uptown Gastropub.

Pulling into the expansive lot, I was first struck with the disbelief that so few parking

spaces remained at 11:45am. It was to be the first in an endless string of pleasant surprises this visit would hold. Having secured a spot for the truck, I quickly made my way through to heat to the main entrance.

Upon entry, I was greeted by perfectly adjusted air conditioning and a pair of smiling hostesses. I quickly obtained a solo seat at the bar as the place was bustling and I didn’t want to take up a whole table for just little ol’ me.

Even though it was a few ticks before Noon, the joint was jumping with energy a really upbeat vibe. There were no indoor open tables after 12:15 and people everywhere were engaged in conversation.

My first peek, of course, was the beer list.

The 24 draft beer handles deliver a relatively

decent number of styles with a nice mix of local fare, regional craft brewers, and a couple of very impressive import selections. On the lighter side, Scrimshaw Pilsner and 1501 Light (which is made by Figueroa Mountain if my taste buds were working correctly). These two are joined by a North Coast Laguna Baja (a Vienna Lager), Alesmith’s Mexican Lager, and Blonde Ales from both Mission Brewing in San Diego and Strand Brewing Co. in Torrance.

Add the always impressive German Konig Pilsner to round out the category and one would conclude that using 33% of the taps to satisfy the majority of their beer consuming demographic is a pretty sound strategy.

Moving into the maltier side of the spectrum and the lead beer is Bell’s Brewing Amber Ale. This is the beer that launched Larry Bell & Company back in 1985 and continues to be a benchmark for the murky category.

Fuller’s ESB, another benchmark example, arrived from London in fine shape and I find it refreshing (pun intended) to make such an unexpended find. Tabula Rasa, a Porter from Second Chance Beer Co. in San Diego holds down the dark and roasty grouping in style.

As might be expected, the Pale Ale and India Pale Ale tap handles dominate from here.

Imagine my astonishment at finding not one, but a pair of Pale Ale offerings on the menu.

Figueroa Mountain’s excellent Mosaic Pale Ale tasted fresh and Offshoot Pale Ale, from the fine folks who bring you The Bruery was outstanding as well.

Leading the charge for the IPA’s is the current #1 IPA in the nation (according to Zymurgy Magazine), Bell’s Two Hearted Ale and it didn’t disappoint. Latitude 33’s Blood Orange IPA is the Vista breweries flagship brand is always a crowd favorite. Lost Coast Revenant IPA, Stone Delicious IPA, and Boomtown’s Limelight IPA round out the clear and West Coast IPA variations.

Hazy IPA’s have their place at the table at 1501 as well. La Quinta Brewing Co. Haboob Hazy IPA earned a spot on the tower as well as an opaque offering from Eureka’s Lost Coast Brewery. Almanac from Alameda finishes up the translucent trio with their LOUD! Hazy Double IPA…clocking in at a respectable 8.0% ABV without transmitting the heat on the finish.

Coachella Valley Brewing is pouring their Desert Citrus, an American Wheat flavored with tangerine…a fun selection on a brutally hot day. On the other end of the beery spectrum is another fun surprise, Delirium

Tremens, a superb Belgian Strong Golden Ale with a beefy 8.5% ABV. The allusion to pink elephants and the choice of names is not by chance. The uniqueness of this golden elixir is triple fermentation using a total of three completely different yeast strains; truly an odd combination in a world where procedures change very little over the course of a hundred years.

The tap list concludes with one non-beer submission, 2 Towns Ciderhouse BrightCider from Corvallis, OR. The 2 Towns folks take a lot of pride in that they grow all of their own apples and do not buy juice from independent growers or the secondary market (and I’m looking right at you, Angry Orchard).

In terms of presentation, all of my beers arrived in perfectly prepared beer-clean glasses…not an easy feat in a busy gastropub.

There was not a single clingy CO2 bubble on any of the inner walls of the glass and head retention was fantastic, especially the IPA’s. No off-flavors were detected that would indicate dirty tap lines or hardware and all products tasted were fresh and bright. Perhaps we can take this as a sign that the brewery distribution side has finally recovered from a debilitating 2020.

Once all the indoor tables were filled, action began on the wraparound patio. Despite the triple-digit temperatures, the patio was cool enough to be comfortable with more than enough misters permanently in place. Spot cooling is also available with the help of a duet of Big Fogg machines. The patio crowd showed the same upbeat enthusiasm as the indoor crowd; a wonderful accomplishment and show of dedication by management and ownership.

Have I neglected to mention the food?

Despite the busy conditions, staffing levels looked appropriate and everyone emanated a positive attitude. My bartender took my food order at 11:55 and I had my brunch delivered at exactly 12:02pm. Any kitchen that can execute a seven-minute ticket time has to be properly staffed and running like a Swiss watch. A peek at the skirt shot of my Sunny-Side-Ups showed that the eggs were perfectly prepared and everything was hot and fresh.

In closing, my initial disappointment in losing Draughtsman has been completely erased by my enthusiasm for 1501 Uptown Gastropub. A rock-solid beer selection (as well as wine and a full bar), wonderful edibles that are reasonably priced, professional staff, and great climate and atmosphere make 1501 a must see for any valley dweller.

1501 Uptown Gastropub 1501 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA (760) 320-1501 Business Hours: www.1501Uptown.com When Ed Heethuis isn’t brewing at Spotlight 29 Casino for 29 Brews, you will find the Certified Cicerone® / Brewmaster out on his road bike, training for the next Olympic horseshoe competition, or talking beer with the patrons at Taproom 29. He may be reached at: heethuis.ed@gmail.com or wherever beer may be found in the wild.

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August 5 to August 11, 2021

SWAG FOR THESOUL

Y

ou have probably heard the term ‘grounding’ because it has become a mainstream term that is used in many different contexts. There are endless ways to ground yourself, from taking your shoes off and standing in the grass, to using your breath as a way to focus your attention and bring yourself back to calm. Grounding can be very powerful when you choose the method that feels the most right to you.

While connecting with nature feels pretty good and centering yourself to calm your emotions when you are triggered is helpful, the benefits of grounding extend far beyond a short-lived reprieve from the chaos of life.

When you are fully grounded in each moment as it unfolds in front of you, it means that you are exercising your highest degree of conscious awareness. You are present and engaged in the current moment. You are able to connect with the plentiful opportunities for growth that lay themselves at your feet and then quickly disappear. When you are grounded and present, you invite spiritual and worldly growth to happen with expediency.

When you are worrying about what happened yesterday or focusing your thoughts on what might happen next, you are missing what is happening right in front of you. You are unable to study the details

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BY AIMEE MOSCO

of what is unfolding in real time around you because your mind is fabricating a future event, which may or may not take place, or replaying something from the past that you cannot change.

The more practiced you are at bringing yourself back to the present moment, the less precious time you waste on your journey to grow your soul. For many, nature is a perfect grounding vehicle if only for the reason that it is captivating. If you go outside and take a walk in the woods, you may notice that your surroundings are teeming with life and movement. If you focus your attention on all that is happening around you in each moment, you are likely going to be moved in some way.

You may find yourself awestruck at the wonder and beauty of trees, or flowers, or birds. You may also find that nature inspires reverence and appreciation in you. This comes from you decluttering your mind and allowing your inner spirit to speak to you, to bring you “home” to your true self.

You are of divine origins, and you are an eternal being with an innate desire to continuously grow. The best way to satisfy this soul desire is to seize absolutely every opportunity that crosses your path.

Grounding will ensure that you connect with these opportunities.

In my pursuit to help human beings grow their souls, I invite you to join Facebook group Evolve through Love hosted by Elizabeth Scarcella and me. Go to facebook. com/groups/evolvethroughlove and share with us.

Aimee Mosco is an Author, Intuitive Channel, Spiritual Teacher and Co-Founder of Intentional Healing Systems, LLC. Aimee’s desire to help others inspired her book “Gratitude + Forgiveness x (LOVE) = Happiness”. Aimee serves as Vice Chair to the World Game Changers Board of Directors, a charitable CIC based in the UK. Find Aimee at www.ihsunity.com.

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY

WEEK OF AUGUST 5

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Filmmaker Federico Fellini had an unexpected definition of happiness. He said it was “being able to speak the truth without hurting anyone.” I suspect you will have abundant access to that kind of happiness in the coming weeks, Aries. I’ll go even further: You will have extra power to speak the truth in ways that heal and uplift people. My advice to you, therefore, is to celebrate and indulge your ability. Be bold in expressing the fullness of what’s interesting to you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Look for a long time at what pleases you, and longer still at what pains you,” wrote the novelist Colette. What?! Was she making a perverse joke? That’s wicked advice, and I hope you adopt it only on rare occasions.

In fact, the exact opposite is the healthy way to live—especially for you in the coming weeks. Look at what pains you, yes. Don’t lose sight of what your problems and wounds are. But please, for the sake of your dreams, for the benefit of your spiritual and psychological health, look longer at what pleases you, energizes you, and inspires you.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): If you deepen your affection for butterflies and hummingbirds, I will love it. If you decide you want the dragonfly or bumblebee or lark to be your spirit creature, I will approve. You almost always benefit from cultivating relationships with swift, nimble, and lively influences—and that’s especially true these days. So give yourself full permission to experiment with the superpower of playful curiosity. You’re most likely to thrive when you’re zipping around in quest of zesty ripples and sprightly rhythms.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Life is showing you truths about what you are not, what you don’t need, and what you shouldn’t strive for. That’s auspicious, although it may initially feel unsettling. I urge you to welcome these revelations with gratitude. They will help you tune in to the nuances of what it means to be radically authentic. They will boost your confidence in the rightness of the path you’ve chosen for yourself.

I’m hoping they may even show you which of your fears are irrelevant. Be hungry for these extraordinary teachings.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The next two months will be a propitious time for you and your intimate allies to grow closer by harnessing the power of your imaginations. I urge you to be inventive in dreaming up ways to educate and entertain each other. Seek frisky adventures together that will delight you. Here’s a poem by Vyacheslav Ivanov that I hope will stimulate you: “We are two flames in a midnight forest. We are two meteors that fly at night, a two-pointed arrow of one fate. We are two steeds whose bridle is held by one hand. We are two eyes of a single gaze, two quivering wings of one dream, two-voiced lips of single mysteries.

We are two arms of a single cross.”

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo spiritual author Don Miguel Ruiz urges us not to take anything personally. He says that if someone treats us disrespectfully, it’s almost certainly because they are suffering from psychological wounds that make them act in vulgar, insensitive ways. Their attacks have little to do with what’s true about us. I agree with him, and will add this important caveat. Even if you refrain from taking such abuses personally, it doesn’t mean you should tolerate them. It doesn’t mean you should keep that person in your life or allow them to bully you in the future. I suspect these are important themes for you to contemplate right now.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “People who feel deeply, live deeply, and love deeply are destined to suffer deeply,” writes poet Juansen Dizon. To that romanticized, juvenile nonsense, I say: NO! WRONG! People who feel and live and love deeply are more emotionally intelligent than folks who live on the surface—and are therefore less fragile.

The deep ones are likely to be psychologically adept; they have skills at liberating themselves from the smothering crush of their problems.

The deep ones also have access to rich spiritual

© Copyright 2021 Rob Brezsny

resources that ensure their suffering is a source of transformative teaching—and rarely a cause of defeat. Have you guessed that I’m describing you as you will be in the coming weeks?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Professor of psychology Ethan Kross tells us there can be healthy, creative forms of envy. “Just as hunger tells us we need to eat,” he writes, “the feeling of envy could show us what is missing from our lives that really matters to us.” The trick is to not interpret envy as a negative emotion, but to see it as useful information that shows us what we want. In my astrological opinion, that’s a valuable practice for you to deploy in the coming days. So pay close attention to the twinges of envy that pop into your awareness. Harness that volatile stuff to motivate yourself as you make plans to get the very experience or reward you envy.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Poet Walt Whitman bragged that he was “large.” He said, “I contain multitudes.” One critic compared him to “a whole continent with its waters, with its trees, with its animals.” Responding to Whitman, Sagittarian poet Gertrud Kolmar uttered an equally grandiose boast. “I too am a continent,” she wrote. “I contain mountains never-reached, scrubland unpenetrated, pond bay, riverdelta, salt-licking coast-tongue.” That’s how I’m imagining you these days, dear Sagittarius: as unexplored territory: as frontier land teeming with undiscovered mysteries. I love how expansive you are as you open your mind and heart to new selfdefinitions. I love how you’re willing to risk being unknowable for a while as you wander out in the direction of the future.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Poet Ezra Pound wrote a letter to novelist James Joyce that included the following passage: “You are fucking with my head, and so far I’ve been enjoying it.

Where is the crime?” I bring this up, Capricorn, because I believe the coming weeks will be prime time for you to engage with interesting souls who fuck with your head in enjoyable ways. You need a friendly jolt or two: a series of galvanizing prods; dialogs that catalyze you to try new ways of thinking and seeing; lively exchanges that inspire you to experiment.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Blogger Mandukhai Munkhbaatar offers advice on the arts of intimate communion. “Do not fall in love only with a body or with a face,” she tells us. “Do not fall in love with the idea of being in love.” She also wants you to know that it’s best for your long-term health and happiness if you don’t seek cozy involvement with a person who is afraid of your madness, or with someone who, after you fight, disappears and refuses to talk. I approve of all these suggestions. Any others you would add?

It’s a favorable phase to get clearer about the qualities of people you want and don’t want as your allies.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I gave my readers homework, asking them to answer the question, “What is your favorite rule to break?” In response, Laura Grolla sent these thoughts: “My favorite rule to break is an unwritten one: that we must all stress and strive for excellence. I have come up with a stress-busting mantra, ‘It is OK to be OK.’ In my OKness, I have discovered the subtle frontier of contentment, which is vast and largely unexplored. OKness allows me not to compete for attention, but rather to pay attention to others.

I love OKness for the humor and deep, renewing sleep it has generated. Best of all, OKness allows me to be happily aging rather than anxiously hot.”

I bring this to your attention, Pisces, because I think the coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to investigate and embody the relaxing mysteries of OKness.

Homework. Tell me what subtle or notso-subtle victories you plan to accomplish by January 1, 2022. Newsletter@freewillastrology. com.

---------------------------------------Rob Brezsny - Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

CANNABIS CORNER

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I

listened to an interview with Miss America, Camille Schrier, the other day and was surprised the Champion for Drug Safety and Abuse Prevention from Pediatrics to Geriatrics is unfamiliar with nature’s medicine for addiction. Ms. Schrier completed a Naloxone (aka Narcan) training session with the Virginia Department of Health and learned how prescription and illicit opioid drugs are plaguing our communities.

I wanted to shout at the YouTube video when she was asked her views on legalizing all drugs.

Notice I did not say ILLICIT DRUGS. Let me shout from this page very loudly. Cannabis Is NOT AN ILLICIT DRUG. It is legal in over 48 states in some form or another. Only Nebraska and Idaho are the holdouts. I pray for no child with intractable seizures or cancer is living in Nebraska or Idaho as they have no hope for treating their incurable disease. Parents run the risk of losing custody if they dare to obtain a cannabis product to treat their children. cocaine The interviewer displayed his belief in the myth that marijuana/cannabis is in the category of illicit drugs. No attempt to discern the difference between cannabis, heroin, LSD, Fentanyl was made. Miss America did however correct him using the term decriminalize the use of cannabis. There are numerous studies published in medical journals demonstrating the efficacy of treating alcohol and opiate addiction with cannabis. It is fine to promote the safety policy of providing Naloxone to all paramedics, sports trainers, police, but what then? Everyone cannot afford the rehabilitation treatment offered in these private and government institutions.

August 5 to August 11, 2021

BY RUTH HILL R.N.

The lockdowns from the Wuhan Virus led to an increase of 40% in symptoms of anxiety disorder and depressive disorder during April– June of 2020, compared with the same period in 2019. Being locked up at home, fearing exposure to a deadly virus is not a therapeutic space for someone with addiction, chronic illness like autism, depression, or child/elder abuse.

The National Bureau of Economic Research team reviewed data across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their study of RMLs [recreational marijuana laws], found little compelling evidence to suggest that RMLs result in increases in illicit drug use, arrests for violent offenses, drug-involved overdoses, or drugrelated treatment admissions for addiction.

Changes in the state-legal status of cannabis are not associated with any significant adverse effects on overall health and safety and do not

lead to a ‘gateway’ to harder drug addictions and criminal behavior.

The little scientific secret is the science of the endocannabinoid system. Cannabis is a gateway to sobriety. Having a pharmaceutical, Narcan, to reverse the near-death toxicity from opioids is paramount, but what happens next. Abstinence cannot work for everyone. Cannabidiol (CBD), with professional guidance, dampens the cravings, treats the depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other traumas that lead to self-medicating with alcohol and opiates. Cannabis is the longterm hope needed to expand the reach of drug rehabilitation programs whose success rate is only 21% after 5 years.

According to the CDC, drug overdose deaths in the United States rose 29.4% in 2020 to an estimated 93,331, including 69,710 involving opioids, mostly due to the lockdowns

preventing treatments, and fentanyl dumped on the American soil from China.

Action Program to reduce this menacing disease of addiction and erase the myths A warped speed infrastructure program of state and local government, churches, education, and private industry working to eliminate obstacles to treatment. Go after the problem like we are killing snakes.

The federal government needs to impose tariffs on China until they stop dumping fentanyl through our porous border.

Educate parents on the myth that alcohol is safe, and cannabis is lethal. Mixing drugs is what makes them deadly.

End Federal prohibition of cannabis so treatment is not dependent on zip code.

The President needs to waive the onerous requirements for physician certification for use of ketamine and mushrooms for mental illness.

Physicians are not going to go through a costly bureaucratic program. They are busy treating patients.

The STEM programs need to teach the physics, biology, and chemistry of the endocannabinoid system.

For more information go to this website. https://www.cato.org/policy-analysis/ effect-state-marijuana-legalizations-2021update#road-safety Email me with your comments info@ ruthahillrn.com

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August 5 to August 11, 2021

PET PLACE

O

n June 29, 2021, Daniel Dwyer, the Beagle who inspired a movement to save countless other dogs and cats, lost his battle with cancer. Thousands of people throughout mourned the passing of this “miracle dog”, and hundreds gathered for his Celebration of Life on Zoom to acknowledge the accomplishments of this once homeless rescue pup. His human Dad posted this Walt Whitman quote on Facebook, “Happiness, not in another place, but this place….not for another hour, but in this hour.”

On October 3, 2011, this beautiful young Beagle was the 18th and final dog to be placed in a gas chamber at the public animal shelter in Florence, Alabama. The dogs were terrified as they drew their last breath while the chamber filled with poisonous carbon

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DANIEL THE BEAGLE, A MIRACLE DOG

monoxide. When a shelter employee opened the door, he was shocked to discover the Beagle still alive, physically unscathed though very frightened.

In Judaism, the number 18 means “Life”.

Fate had other plans for the young Beagle.

It’s one in a million chance that an animal could survive the chamber of death. It was speculated that he may have found an air pocket. The shelter staff believed his survival was an omen that he should have a second chance at life.

The story of the Beagle’s survival came to the media’s attention, and he was featured in newspaper and magazine articles. Eleventh Hour Rescue took Daniel into their program, and he soon appeared on Anderson Cooper’s cable television program.

The rescue organization wanted a special home for him, as hundreds clamored to adopt the now famous pup. They soon found him a forever home with Joe Dwyer in Nutley, New Jersey. They could never have imagined the history he would create with his new family. Joe Dwyer is a motivational speaker, an ordained animal chaplain, a certified dog trainer, and author of several books including “Daniel the Miracle Beagle.”

Daniel entered the Dwyer’s home where four sibling dogs awaited him. The dogs all had different personalities, but Daniel blended with and adored them all. His example of acceptance and love for others despite their differences teaches us an important lesson.

Joe named his new dog “Daniel” after the Biblical character Daniel who survived the lions’ den. The Bible verse Daniel 2:22 tells us, “He reveals deep and hidden things. He knows what lies in darkness and light dwells with him.” Joe and Daniel never forget the 17 dogs who perished in his chamber. Those who have suffered often have heightened empathy. They never forgot the millions of dogs and cats that still perish by lethal injection in shelters in every state, often loving and adoptable creatures for whom no one came in time. Sometimes there is not enough space in public shelters, and the animals whose only crime is being homeless pay the ultimate price.

Joe Dwyer discovered that in 2011 there were 21 states where inhumane gas chambers were still legally operating in public shelters. It’s a horrific way to die. I cried reading the details of this lengthy and cruel procedure.

The dynamic duo of Joe and Daniel became advocates, traveling across our nation, speaking out against the use of gas chambers for euthanasia. The Hero dog was featured on a 2014 Pasadena Rose Parade float that educated millions of Americans about the death chambers. The float experienced a slight delay when Daniel, always cognizant of others needing comfort, ran over to spend time and kiss a woman in a wheelchair. Daniel’s mission earned him a “Hero Dog Award” from the American Humane Society. Joe Dwyer and Daniel lobbied and testified before legislators.

They visited school children where Daniel was a beloved hit.

Their efforts paid off when animal

MEET ROGUE

HANDSOME TABBY

Rogue wants to meet you! Come see this gorgeous 2-yr-old German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois girl at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus shelter. Rogue weighs 55 lbs and like many big pups feels kennel stressed at the shelter. Located at 72-050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms, www. rcdas.org, (760) 343-3644, open 10am-4pm Mon through Sat.

This handsome orange Tabby boy is as sweet as can be! He’s still a kitten at 5 mos old. He waits for a home at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus shelter, 72-050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms. Come meet him and all the other cats & kittens 10am-4pm Mon through Sat. Ask to meet cat ID#A1634309. www.rcdas.org, (760) 343-3644.

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BY JANET McAFEE lovers, including those in political office, were shocked to learn how animals were treated. By 2020, only four states, Ohio, Wyoming, Missouri and Utah actively used gas chambers for homeless animals. The day Daniel passed away, Ohio outlawed gas chambers in its shelters.

Daniel’s veterinarian told Joe that toxic chemicals from the gas chamber may have been a contributing factor to Daniel’s getting cancer years later. These days, Joe Dwyer has expanded Daniel’s mission to include a battle against the toxins that harm all living creatures. These include the physical toxins such as pesticides, alcohol & drugs and emotional toxins such as bullying and depression.

God sent us dogs, angels with wings, to teach us humans many lessons including unconditional love and the importance of living in the moment. Surely they go to heaven when they leave this earth. Animal lovers understand the miracles dog create for us…..they instinctively comfort the sick, their heightened senses locate missing people, and they perform miraculous tasks for humans with disabilities. The list goes on. We owe it to them, and to ourselves, to create a “No Kill” country.

Joe tells us, “Each year, more than 670,000 dogs in this country die in shelters.

While Daniel’s survival helped so many lives,

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his death must not be in vain. Daniel’s story lives on in each dog who sits in a shelter today, waiting for their human to come get them. Want to remember Daniel? Go to your local shelter and adopt a waiting dog.”

The crisis for cats is even greater. If you can’t adopt, foster or volunteer for a shelter or rescue. No time to help? Donate to a local reputable animal welfare organization.

Joe Dwyer is determined to carry on and expand Daniel’s mission. Like DANIEL’S DREAM Facebook page and follow the dream that must continue. Check out their websites www.danielsdream.org and www. joedwyerjr.com. Hug your own dog, observe him carefully, spend more time with him, take him someplace new, experience what he teaches you, and share his joy from living in the moment.

Janetmcafee8@gmail.com

-------------------------------------------------Here is a partial list of Inland Empire shelters and rescue groups where you can adopt a wonderful dog or cat.

COACHELLA VALLEY ANIMAL CAMPUS – This county shelter is now open for walk in visitors 10am-4pm Mon through Sat. ALL ANIMALS AVAILABLE FOR $5 ADOPTION FEE IN JULY. You can view the animals at all four Riverside county shelters at www. rcdas.org, and get the ID number, 72050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms, (760) 3433644. (Public) PALM SPRINGS ANIMAL SHELTER – This shelter is open every day except Tuesday. View their animals online at www. psanimalsshelter.org, 4575 E. Mesquite Ave, Palm Springs, (760) 416-5718. (Public) DESERT HOT SPRINGS ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL - Open daily 9:30-4:30. View

their animals at www.cityofdhs.org/animalcare-control.com, 65810 Hacienda Ave, Desert Hot Springs, (760) 329-6411 ext. 450.

ANIMAL SAMARITANS – Call for an appointment to adopt. View their animals at www.animalsamaritans.org.

Email acorrow@animalsamaritans.org to foster. Located at 72307 Ramon Rd, Thousand Palms, (760) 601-3918. (Private) CALIFORNIA PAWS RESCUE - Call for an appointment to adopt. Located at 73650 Dinah Shore, Palm Desert. View their animals at www.californiapawsrescue.com, (760) 656-8833. (Private) HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY – Call for an appointment to adopt a dog or cat. This shelter has lots of big dogs and some cats. View some of their animals at www.orphanpet.com. Located at 17825 N. Indian Canyon, Palm Springs, (760) 3290203. (Private) KITTYLAND – The shelter is closed so call for an appointment to visit and adopt a cat.

Located at 67600 18th Avenue, Desert Hot Springs, www.kittylandrescue.org, (760) 251-2700. (Private) FOREVER MEOW – Foster based rescue for cats located in Rancho Mirage. Contact them at www.ForeverMeow.org, (760) 3356767. (Private) PRETTY GOOD CAT – Foster based rescue for cats located in La Quinta. Contact them at www.prettygoodcat.com, (760) 660-3414 (Private) BFF4pets – Foster based rescue for dogs and cats located in La Quinta. Email them at rescues@bff4pets.com, (310) 431-7818 (Private)

August 5 to August 11, 2021 LOVING ALL ANIMALS – Call for appointment to visit and adopt dogs. Located at 83496 Avenue 51, Coachella, www.lovingallanimals.org, (760) 834-7000. (Private) LIVING FREE ANIMAL SANCTUARY – Large outdoor shelter for dogs and cats up Hwy 74, Mountain Center, view animals at www.living-free.org, and call (951) 6594687. (Private) MORONGO BASIN HUMANE SOCIETY – Located at 4646 Sun View Rd, Joshua Tree, www.mbhumanesociety.com, call between 11am-2pm (760) 366-3786 (Private) CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ANIMAL SHELTER – The shelter is now open for Walk in visitors 12 noon – 3:00pm Tuesday through Saturday. Hours for adoption 10am – 5pm Tuesday thru Sat. Google “City of San Bernardino Animal Shelter” for website to view animals and get the ID number of the animal you want to meet. Located at 333 Chandler Place, San Bernardino, (909) 3841304 or (909) 384-7272. (Public) SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER AT DEVORE – Shelter is now open for walk ins 7 days a week. Call (909) 3869280. View animals at www.sbcounty.gov/ acc and get the ID number of animal you are interested in adopting, 19777 Shelter Way, San Bernardino (Public).

DREAM TEAM ANGELS RESCUE - Foster based rescue located in Grand Terrace/San Bernardino area. Contact them through website www.DreamTeamangelsrescue. com, (360) 688-8884. (Private)

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August 5 to August 11, 2021

HADDON LIBBY

A

ccording to a study by Oxford Economics, the household wealth of American families rose by $19 trillion since the start of the pandemic last year. The average increase in net worth by household was 16%. Net worth is calculated by adding the assets of a family like a house, car and/or investments and subtracting liabilities or debts. Debts include things like credit cards, car loans, mortgages and taxes owed. If someone had a net worth of $100,000 going into the pandemic, it would be $116,000 today if they performed to the averages.

While it sounds great that the average family is richer, income was not distributed equally. The top 1% captured 23% of the $19 trillion. The top 20% in terms of net worth captured 80% while those in the bottom 20% captured 2.5% of the wealth increase.

While many of us saved money during the pandemic, those with the least continued to receive the least.

Oxford Economics expects that American households will draw down 14% of savings through the end of 2022, or $360 billion.

Spending is expected to be robust amongst those in the top 20% as lower income groups struggle with higher prices for food and gas.

The recently passed $1 trillion infrastructure bill is hoped to repair America’s aged infrastructure while providing an economic booster shot to cities across the entire country. If cyber attacks and COVID have shown us nothing, it has demonstrated how poorly maintained our water, power,

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AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD WORTH MORE AFTER COVID

BY HADDON LIBBY

airports, roads and digital roads have been maintained.

Looking at stock market returns for through July 31st, the S&P 500 index is up 17% while the tech-heavy NASDAQ 100 is up 14%. Excluding the US, the rest of the world posted returns of 9.6% despite Chinese stocks falling 12.5% during the month of June alone.

For 2021, Chinese stocks are down 14% due in large part to government crackdowns on stocks listed offshore. Online Chinese educational stocks lost nearly 80% of value as the Chinese government stated their intent to take control of these businesses while banning foreign investment in these companies. With the Biden Administration pushing for all Chinese stocks to conform with Generally

DALEGRIBOW ON THELAW

Accepted Accounting Principles and External and independent audits, it is becoming clear that the Chinese Communist Party wants to exert more control over these segment of their economy while trying to move more companies to Hong Kong exchanges over foreign exchanges. Between Chinese internal reforms and Biden administration efforts, Chinese stocks have lost a staggering $1 trillion in market value over the last few months.

By industry sector, Energy stocks are up the most in 2021. According to Morningstar, energy stocks are up 35% through July 31st yet down 12% over the last month. The decrease over the last month is due to COVID concerns.

Another sector pummeled by COVID that

is making a strong comeback in 2021 is the Real Estate sector, up 25%. Utilities were the weakest sector, up 6% with most of these gains coming in July.

As a group, Barclay’s Aggregate Bond Index of US Bonds was down 0.5% for the year, a 1% improvement from only last month. World Bonds were down 3% on the year, 1.5% better than at the end of June. The reemergence of COVID stateside along with its impact on economies around the world has caused interest rates to fall of late. If we were to adjust interest rates to consider the impact of inflation, bondholders are getting a negative return of anywhere up to 10% per year. With this level of real return, is it any wonder why stock markets are at all-time highs?

Haddon Libby is the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Winslow Drake, an State-Registered Investment Advisory company. For more information, please visit www.WinslowDrake.com.

LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF THE INJURED & CRIMINALLY ACCUSED

HELLO, THIS IS TONY, CAN YOU HEAR ME CLEARLY? . . . HANG UP

H

ello, Can you hear me clearly? This is part of the latest telephone call scam. The phone rings and you are asked a question. If this happens to you….

This is X, Can you hear me clearly? HANG UP. When you respond yes, they record the yes and use it to prove you agreed to purchase xyz when you said yes. They insert your yes into a purchase agreement.

We must also be aware of other scams.

People are still shopping so those scams will always be there. However staying at home allows the bad guys to call and get someone on the phone they can scam. These scams predate the Hello Can You Hear Me? Booster Box/Bag: A larger hollow box or bag is placed down over a slightly smaller shopping bag, purse or product placed on the ground while looking in a showcase. The spring loaded bottom secures the item about to be stolen. The thief then walks away without anyone seeing what happened.

Fake Shipping: I have received emails notifying me my package is on its way. Be careful and don’t click when you get this notice, as it may contain a link or attachment that will take you to a site that installs malware. If you didn’t order anything, don’t click on it.

Gift Cards: They can be the perfect gift…

If not already opened. However, crooks go to stores and write down the numbers and pin

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on the back of the gift card. When they see someone purchase one they go online and use up the amount on the card. Thus you must be sure the wrapping on the card has not been disturbed, or the pin revealed.

Fraudulent Charities: During the Covid epidemic, catastrophic fires, hurricanes or earthquakes, we are all more inclined to help our fellow man. Thus we may fall for one of dozens of phony charities. If you don’t recognize the charity don’t donate to them.

To investigate a charity, go to Calif Charity Regulator, NASCO (National Assoc of State Charity officials). Check the website of the charity and inquire about their mission and what percent of the money goes to charity.

If/when you spot a Scam, report it to FTC or state charity regulator through nasconet.org.

That is the only way to try to protect the next guy. OpenSecrets.org is another site to see if the charity is really a charity, and to confirm they give the money to those in need.

IF your credit card is stolen or compromised, report it to the major reporting agencies below.

Equifax - 800-525-6285: to place a fraud alert 888-766-0008. To order a credit report call 800-685-1111 Experian (formerly TRW) - 888-397-3742 to place fraud alert. To order a credit report call 888 397 3742 Trans Union - 800-680-7289 to place a

Fraud alert. To order a credit report call 800 -888-4213 Social Security Administration - (fraud line) 800-269-0271 DRINKING AND TEXTING BOTH CAUSE ACCIDENTS OR MAKE A DRIVER LESS LIKELY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT, THAT WOULD NOT BE THEIR FAULT. BEING INTOXICATED, IS JUST AS SERIOUS AS BEING INTEXTICATED. A DRIVER MUST DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO AVOID AN AT FAULT ACCIDENT. THE BOTTOM LINE IS “DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE OR TEXT AND GET A DUI OR ACCIDENT...

CALL A TAXI, LYFT OR UBER….THEY ARE A

LOT CHEAPER THAN CALLING ME” Ideas for future columns contact Dale Gribow 760-837-7500 or dale@ dalegribowlaw.com.

DALE GRIBOW - Legal Representation Of The Injured and Criminally Accused “TOP LAWYER” - California’s Prestige Magazine, Palm Springs Life (PI/DUI) 201121 “TOP LAWYER” - Inland Empire Magazine 2016- 2019 PERFECT 10.0 AVVO Peer Rating

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August 5 to August 11, 2021

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August 5 to August 11, 2021

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