Coachella Valley Weekly - November 25 to December 1, 2021 Vol. 10 No. 37 by CV Weekly

coachellavalleyweekly.com • November 25 to December 1, 2021 Vol.10 No.37

Terry Fator

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P.S. Festival Of Lights Parade

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Delta Fuzz

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The High 70s

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November 25 to December 1, 2021

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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 Thanksgiving Giving ................................... 3 Terry Fator at Fantasy Springs.................... 5 Palm Springs Festival Of Lights Parade .... 5 Club Crawler Nightlife ................................ 6 Delta Fuzz ................................................. 6-7 Consider This ............................................... 8 Pet Place ............................................... 10-11 The Vino Voice ........................................... 12 Screeners ....................................................13

BY CRYSTAL HARRELL

ovember festivities have reached the Coachella Valley, and while food and family might be on the forefront of everyone’s minds right now as they scramble to get that perfect Thanksgiving turkey, it is also important to help those in need this approaching holiday season. There are many wonderful organizations here in the desert that strive to make a difference this Thanksgiving, with the community encouraged to participate for a great cause. The Fortem Financial Thanksgiving Day 5K benefitting Martha’s Village & Kitchen will be returning this year and the need for public participation is greater than ever. The public is encouraged to participate this Thanksgiving weekend and take action against food insecurity and homelessness in the Coachella Valley. Those interested in participating can register as an individual, start a team, or join an existing team. Segments of the Fortem Financial Thanksgiving Day 5K benefitting Martha’s Village & Kitchen will be recorded and available for viewing throughout the weekend on NBC Palm Springs. This is a chance for family and friends to gather or to create your own team and get ready to run or walk. Those participating in the 5k are also encouraged to post pictures and tag @MarthasVilllage or hashtag #MVK5K on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and show their spirit. FIND Food Bank is also looking to make a difference this season. FIND Food Bank’s 44 monthly Community Mobile Market Distributions help reach “Food Deserts”, which are remote, underserved communities that lack regular access to affordable food. These Community Mobile Markets also help ensure that there is equitable food access to all food insecure people in the service area. FIND’s Mobile Markets distribute free healthy foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, to support the creation of healthy meals for individuals and families. The USDA My Plate is utilized for recommended servings for a balanced diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins, dairy and grains. The free Community Mobile Markets offer a variety of choices from each of the categories that allow families and individuals the ability to customize their selections based on their cultural, religious, and dietary needs. FIND Food Bank also launched a Home Bound Delivery Program in 2020 in response to the stay-at-home orders mandated by the State of California. Through this program,

November 25 to December 1, 2021

volunteers utilize their own vehicles to deliver 40-50 pounds of food to families and individuals who are isolated or unable to collect food via the various distribution sites throughout the region. FIND Food Bank is committed to continuing this program beyond the pandemic in order to best serve vulnerable and isolated clients. To donate or volunteer, visit findfoodbank.org. The Coachella Valley Rescue Mission has a new holiday meal schedule for this Thanksgiving. A Thanksgiving Dinner will be held on Wednesday, November 24 at 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Breakfast will take place on Thursday, November 25 at 6 a.m. until 10 a.m. Another Thanksgiving Dinner will be held on Thursday, November 25 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Coachella Valley Rescue Mission has a goal of serving 10,000 meals during their Thanksgiving dinner service. They are in need of donations, such as potatoes, pies, rolls and butter, fresh vegetables, and canned gravy. The public can drop off donations at 47470 Van Buren St. in Indio. The Coachella Valley Rescue Mission also serves the community by offering quality, affordable catering. The Mission Catering is managed by professional chefs who create delicious dishes, perfect for your next event. The residents participating in this program gain valuable knowledge and experience for future employment in the culinary field. The catering staff is made of clients and graduates of CVRM, and all proceeds go towards CVRM Programs. To learn more about how to donate or volunteer, visit cvrm.org.

Safety Tips .................................................. 14 Cyber Corner .............................................. 14 Haddon Libby .............................................15 Dale Gribow ............................................... 15 Cannabis Corner ........................................ 16 Swag For The Soul ..................................... 17 Free Will Astrology ................................... 17 Send Me A Trainer ..................................... 18

November 25 to December 1, 2021

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COMEDY

hen I talk to comedian Terry Fator, I tell him I’ve noticed that the Covid lockdown and restrictions were actually been sort of a welcome and productive time for creative types. Says Terry, “I agree wholeheartedly. I feel like it was an incredibly bad move on the government to consider entertainers non-essential.” He received emails, texts, and letters from fans saying at the worst time in their lives, his comedy lifted their soul, got them through a death or cancer, or various other examples. This type of uplifting entertainment is essential. In that way, it was hard for him to not be out performing at a time when fans greatly needed some levity. On the creativity side of it, he agrees it was a very productive time for him. “I began to take on more of the production side of it. I’ve always had a team - I would shoot a video and I’d send it off to them and it would come back to me a finished product. Now I do it myself. I went ahead and produced all but one of my videos in my Christmas show. So I’ve been doing it all myself and it’s been very difficult and very rewarding. It’s much more personal because it’s my baby now. Now every aspect of the show is what I did and put together. That’s a lot of fun for me,” says Fator. The Christmas show he mentions, comes to the desert on Saturday, December 4 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Fator tells me, “I’m bringing a whole bunch of new stuff to Fantasy Springs. It’s almost a completely new show, filled with holiday elements. It’s a hilarious show and fans will love it.” Not only current fans will laugh themselves out of their seats, but newcomers will become fans, as I noticed Terry is funny even on the phone during an interview, even when he’s not doing a bit. Part of being a comedian is drawing inspiration from thing that don’t start out funny, but observing something and creating a hilarious story or situation around it. That inspiration can come from anywhere. Where does Terry come up with his ideas for characters or bits? According to him, “Inspiration can come from any direction. It can be anything! I grew up a country Texas boy. I went to college in Virginia and I had

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this: to lay down one's life for one's friends’ (John 15:13) These men and women keep us free; many have paid the ultimate price. It’s the most noble cause you can have.” He goes on to say that when he was young, his best friend’s father was a POW in Vietnam and endured 7 years of torture in a Vietnam prison. He says, “This guy was at the Hanoi Hilton and I saw how he was treated there and once he got back. He didn’t deserve that, he was doing his duty. For those who opposed the war, I knew we should be honoring him for what he went through and blame the politicians who sent him there, not him. I told myself then if I ever got to a point where I had a voice, I’m going to use it for veterans.” Terry Fator found success in his 40s, so what advice he would he give to an up-andcoming comedian? Fator says, “My advice to anyone: ‘making it’ is an incredible long shot, like winning the lottery. If I hadn’t made it, I would be just as happy doing what I loved been a few places, but never been on West Coast much. I thought that plastic surgery type of lady you see were just characters in movies and tv shows. After winning AGT and coming out to California, I attended some Hollywood parties. I went to all Jethro Bodine, walking in there, ‘What in the heck, they’re real!’ Vicky the Cougar is based on a lot of these ladies I saw. The best part is, I can’t tell you how many people will tell me that Vicky the Cougar could be based on them!” Another such character is Dougie Scott Walker, who is based on a high school friend of Fator’s who other teens bought their weed from. Fator saw him in his 40s and learned he was now a businessman. But he imagined, ‘what if he were exactly the same now as he was then?’ Thus, the character Dougie Scott Walker was born, beloved by fans. With the climate of today, a lot of comedians get piled on for being too edgy, when it just would have been considered hilarious 15 years ago. When asked how he handles that, Terry answers, “I don’t run into that because I’m not an offensive comedian. I go out of my way not to offend. I’m an evangelist of joy. You can’t do that if you’re going to be offending. I never do political humor because you know going into it you’re going to tick off half the crowd. We do live in an insane world where “Baby It’s Cold Outside” is offensive but “W.A.P.” is the song of the year. As much as I do go out of my way not to do that kind of material, I support others like Bill Burr who do that. If something isn’t my kind of humor, I don’t watch. This ‘if it offends me, it can’t exist’ idea is totally narcissistic. I’m a strong Christian, but if someone wants to put out anti-Christian comedy, they can. I just won’t watch it. It’s impossible to be woke and be funny. Part of comedy is a bit of a shock. Woke means you have to say and do everything exactly as I think, and that’s just… not funny.” Terry Fator isn’t all laughs all the time, though. His most passionate advocacy is for American veterans and he shared where that passion stems from and what his connection is to it. “I love the military,” Terry tells me. “I’m a Christian and the best thing you can do is dedicate your life to serving others. There’s a line in the Bible, ‘Greater love has no one than

ollowing a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Palm Springs is delighted to announce the 29th Annual Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade will return to world famous Palm Canyon Drive at 5:45 p.m. on Sat., Dec. 4. The parade, the City’s signature holiday event and a much loved tradition, features spectacular twinkling floats, magnificent marching bands, huge Macy’s-style holiday balloons – and Santa Claus of course! This year’s Community Grand Marshals are Mariah Hanson, founder of Dinah Shore Weekend and Linda Barrack, CEO of Martha’s Village and Kitchen. Once again, the parade will be broadcast live on NBC Palm Springs. Coverage begins at 6 p.m. Just one day prior to the parade, residents are also invited to bring the whole family and join Santa Claus and the City Council for the Official City of Palm Springs Holiday Tree

November 25 to December 1, 2021

BY TRISHA WITKOWER to do. Winning AGT and getting a residence in Vegas certainly made my life easier but ‘making it’ was not the key to my happiness. So don’t set a goal of where you want to be, set a goal of what you want to do and love to do it. If you are paying your bills and love to do it – you’ve made it. I was very happy and content. It was a very grueling life but I would have done it until I was 90. You have to do it for love of the craft. I promise you, if you aren’t happy without fame, you won’t be happy with it.” You, on the other, will be very happy if you go see Terry Fator’s show on Saturday, December 4 at Fantasy Springs Resort. For more information and to purchase tickets visit fantasyspringsresort.com/terry-fator.

EVENTS

Lighting at 5:15 p.m. sharp in Frances Stevens Park, 500 N. Palm Canyon Drive. This year’s community tree lighters are parade grand marshals Mariah Hanson and Linda Barrack. Prior to the lighting of the City’s spectacular 22-foot tall Holiday Tree, Main Street Palm Springs and Mayor Christy Holstege will host the annual Holiday Banner Student Awards beginning at 4 p.m. in the park. Free cookies, hot cocoa, and activities for children will be available until 6 p.m. “After a long period of pandemic restrictions, the City of Palm Springs is thrilled to once again celebrate the joy of the holiday season with our residents and visitors at the Official City of Palm Springs Holiday Tree Lighting and at the spectacular Festival of Lights Parade,” said Mayor Christy Holstege. “We invite the entire Coachella Valley to come celebrate the magic of the holidays in downtown Palm Springs, truly like no place else!”

November 25 to December 1, 2021

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The Nest – Jojo Malagar – 7pm The Slice – Sergio Villegas – 5-8pm The Village – Rapmarz - 10pm

Thursday, November 25

Chef George’s – Marc Antonelli – 6:30pm Cunard’s Sandbar – Bill Baker – 6pm Lit @ Fantasy Springs – Jimi Nelson – 7pm

Friday, November 26

Bart Lounge – DJ Manny – 8pm Casuelas Café – The Myx – 7pm Chef George’s – Lizann Warner – 6:30pm Cunard’s Sandbar – Bill Baker – 6pm El Paseo Gardens – Derek Jordan Gregg – 3-6pm Four Twenty Bank – Vinny Berry – 6pm La Quinta Brewery – TBA – 7pm Lit @ Fantasy Springs – Vice Versa – 9pm O’Caine’s – Craic Haus – 6pm Rockyard@Fantasy Springs – No Duh (No Doubt Tribute) and Electric Ash – 7pm Tack Room Tavern – TBA – 8pm The Nest – Nikki Dickinson – 6pm The Slice – Marc Antonelli – 5:30-8:30pm The Village – Rob & JB – 5:30-8:30pm,

LOCAL MUSIC

t was only a few weeks ago when I was lucky enough to catch a Delta Fuzz show. I happened to be casually acquainted with both frontman, Jon Giordano and drummer, Craig Brown and had recently met bassist, Jimmy Hegarty but, I had no idea what I was in store for. As soon as they began their set, the space was filled with the sounds of some of the most spot-on and skillfully executed rock and blues covers I have ever experienced on a local level. Simply put, Delta Fuzz is really good you guys. The brainchild of

Rapmarz – 10pm, DJ LF – 10pm, DJ Gio the Ace – 9pm Twelve @ Fantasy Springs – Mark Gregg and Co. – 7-10pm

Saturday, November 27

Ace Hotel – DJ – noon – poolside Bart Lounge – DJ Dxsko – 8pm Big Rock Pub – Anthem Road – 9pm Casuelas Café – Vinny Berry – noon, The Myx – 7pm Chef George’s – Michael D Angelo and Tim Burleson – 6:30pm Coachella Valley Brewery – 8 Year Anniversary Party – 2pm Cunard’s Sandbar – Bill Baker – 6pm Desert Fox Bar – TBA – 7pm Four Twenty Bank – Off the Rip – 3pm Lit @ Fantasy Springs – Vice Versa – 9pm O’Caine’s – St. Christopher’s Bazooka – 6pm Palm Canyon Roadhouse – Krystofer Do – 9pm Pappy and Harriet’s – Courtney Barnett w/ Bedouine – 8pm

a desert transplant, this band is brand new to the area and they have original music coming out soon. That being said, I was excited to sit down with the guys and discuss their backgrounds and what they have in store for music lovers in the Coachella Valley. CVW: Craig Brown, (drummer), let’s start with you. I have known you for some years now. Originally I met you as the drummer of everyone’s favorite 80s cover band, Long Duk Dong, but you are a very respected and diverse drummer and you’re not only teaching drums but you are and have been a part of multiple, well respected projects over the years. Are you from the area? Brown: “I actually moved out here from Northern California back in 2006 in order to attend The Braille Institute in Rancho Mirage. My mom sort of wanted us to be centrally located for several reasons so it just worked out. I attended the Institute and got a lot of help for my eyes and eventually went on Craigslist looking for musicians to play with. That’s where I met Justin Ledesma from Sunday Funeral, (now Allies), and was their original drummer. That was the first project I was a part of out here and I’ve been lucky to connect with so many fantastic musicians ever since.” CVW: Jimmy, (bassist), at 22 you are the baby of the band. I know you grew up in DHS and have been playing bass for a long time considering your age. You also mentioned that being a musician is basically in your blood. Let’s talk about that. Hegarty: “My dad has played guitar from

Rockyard@Fantasy Springs – Red Hot Cholo Peppers (RHCP Tribute) and Rock Stallion – 7pm The Hood - Comedy Night – 9pm The Nest – TBA – 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

Sunday, November 28

Bart Lounge – Latina Night w/ DJ LF – 8pm Casuelas Café – Guadalajara Kings – noon, Paul Douglas – 3pm, Barry Baughn Blues Review – 6pm Coachella Valley Brewery – Acoustic Afternoon w/ Wes Gainey, Courtney Chambers and Miguel Arballo – 3pm Kitchen 86 – Jojo Malagar – 7pm Melvyn’s – Mikael Healey – 5pm Palm Canyon Roadhouse – Mikole Kaar Jazz Show – 2pm, Sunday Night Jam – 6-11pm

around the age of 13. The men on my dad’s side of the family have real musical bones in them. My older brother is a drummer and a guitarist. I started playing bass at the ripe young age of nine.” CVW: Who’s idea was that? Hegarty: “Definitely my dad’s idea. There’s a funny story behind that. We had elective classes for middle-school and my dad basically said, ‘You don’t get a choice, you’re doing band.’ The band director at the time had literally taught every one of my siblings up until that point. The age-gap between me and my second youngest brother is about 13 years. So, after the teacher had him, he thought he was done with my dad and his kids until I came along 13 years later and my dad walked me into the office and he stood there looking at me and then my old man and then back at me and then back at my old man and said, ‘Dude. Another one? Really?’” CVW: After all of that, when did you first start performing live in a band capacity? Hegarty: “That would have been with Heat Wave which was a jazz and show band. It was a Boys’ and Girls’ Club affiliated group where they get young musicians together between the ages of around 10 to 18. They caught me at the end of my cycle because I was around 17 when I first joined. We played soul, R&B and funk music and a whole lotta jazz standards for the country club crowds. That’s where I got to grow as a musician and that's where I met some of my best friends to this day.”

Monday, November 29

Casuelas Café – Desert Suite Band – 5:30pm The Village – DJ Gio the Ace – 9pm

Tuesday, November 30

Casuelas Café – Paul Douglas – 5:30pm Chef George’s – Lizann Warner – 6:30pm Cunard’s Sandbar – Bill Baker – 6pm Lit @ Fantasy Springs – Brad’s Pad – 7-10pm The Slice – Sergio Villegas – 5-8pm The Village – DJ Gio the Ace – 9pm

Wednesday, December 1

Casuelas Café – Lisa Lynn and the Broken Hallelujahs – 6pm Chef George’s – Tim Burleson – 6:30pm Cunard’s Sandbar – Bill Baker – 6pm Pappy and Harriet’s – Reverend Horton Heat w/ Voodoo Glow Skulls and Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys – 7pm The Cantina – T- Bone Karaoke – 7pm The Slice – Marc Antonelli – 5-8pm The Village – DJ Gio the Ace – 9pm, Banda Revolucion – 10pm

ARTICLES & PHOTOS BY ESTHER SANCHEZ CVW: So is Delta Fuzz your first band project as an adult? Hegarty: “Yeah, it’s pretty much the first thing since Heat Wave that I have been a part of religiously. I have done session work with some other groups but other than that, it’s been Heat Wave and now, Delta Fuzz.” CVW: Okay, let’s get down to Delta Fuzz. Jon, I know that Delta Fuzz is basically your baby and a continuance of a project you started before you moved here which was relatively recently. Where are you from and how did you become a musician in the first place? Giordano: “I was born in LA and lived in Lake Arrowhead for a while but I grew up in Redlands before I came here a couple of years ago. I’m basically a Redlands boy. As far as becoming a musician...my folks don’t play. I don’t come from musicians. When I was around six or seven, I saw Elvis on TV one day. It was the 30th anniversary of his death so they were showing a ton of his movies and all kinds of clips. At that moment I was just like, ‘That's it, I’m going to play guitar.’ I told my parents and they said, ‘Okay, we’ll buy you a guitar as long as you keep going.’ They treated me like an adult in that sense. They were basically saying, ‘As long as you keep up with it, we’ll support you.’ And I’ve been playing ever since.”

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com CVW: So you started out playing and taking lessons really young. How old were you when you first became a part of a band and started performing? Giordano: “I was probably around fourteen or fifteen. It was Rockabilly and Surf music. A lot of Dick Dale stuff. I ended up at a buddy’s house and he was watching a DVD of Stevie Ray Vaughn. As I watched it I thought, ‘Wow, this guys’ serious about guitar.’ I had never seen anyone play like that and be so serious with their guitar. So I was like, ‘Well, I’m never going to play Rockabilly and Surf again.’ It was all blues. I was around sixteen at the time. By the time I was seventeen, I was playing the blues.” CVW: What about singing Jon? You’re also the lead singer of this project and you’re pretty great at it. When did that start? Giordano: “Oh! Wow, thank you! I’ve only been singing for a few years now. I partially started to sing out of convenience. Plus, I figured that if I wanted to be a serious artist I would need to learn to sing at some point so I approached it the same way I did guitar. I took lessons, practiced and got better.” CVW: So when you moved to the Coachella Valley a few years back, were you aware of the music scene out here? Had you been schooled on all of the lore of “Desert Rock” and were you intending on trying to become a part of it? Giordano: “My drummer is huge into Queens of the Stone Age. When I first moved out here, I went to see Queens in San Diego. I knew they were from out here. I hadn’t yet listened to a ton of Kyuss. Kyuss is such a desert scene situation and so, non-mainstream.

I think the people of the desert like it that way which I totally agree with and really enjoy. I knew that when I came out here and it was influencing some of the metal I was writing at the time and Queens, Kyuss, etc... that really, desert/stoner rock sound is definitely influencing the newer originals we have been writing. I’m trying to get a single out in the next couple of months and there is no way those guys aren’t influencing what I’m doing.” Giordano continues: “Let’s put it this way...I feel like if you are from the desert and you aren’t influenced by some sort of desert rock, then it’s almost like you're lying to yourself. It’s so ingrained in the musical culture

here that it’s going to affect you somehow, someway. Whether it’s from the music itself or the people who play it, somehow you are going to be influenced whether you realize it or not. Delta Fuzz is a blues band, don’t get me wrong. We play the greats. But, our originals...I’m definitely pulling from QOTSA, Kyuss, etc.” CVW: Delta Fuzz has been performing classic blues covers, (extremely well I might add) for the past few months since you started doing shows out here but you mentioned that you are now writing and recording originals. Giordano: “I started writing originals for this band a couple months ago after a metal

November 25 to December 1, 2021 project I was a part of died off. I just really felt the need to release something and when you are a blues guitarist, you need to make yourself a part of the world of the blues. That includes doing a lot of covers, even in your own way but also, you have to produce originals. If you want to get online and are posting covers, you are going to have to pay royalties so from a marketing standpoint you gotta have those originals.” CVW: You guys have a show coming up on November 27th for the 8 years anniversary party at Coachella Valley Brewing Co. Are you guys going to be ready to perform any of those new songs by then? Giordano: “Yes, for sure we will be performing one that we have nailed so far and we have another one that I have brought to practice that we are learning and I’m still writing lyrics for but we are definitely ready to go.” Giordano continues: “You know, it’s an honor and a privilege to play the blues. There is a lineage and you have to give credit where credit is due. I have so much to learn, but I would not be the player that I am if it wasn’t for Eric Clapton, Jimmy Paige, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Howlin Wolf, B.B. King and all of those guys. I think that Craig and Jimmy feel the same way. We have the influences who make us who we are as musicians and in essence, that’s why we are all here.” Check out Delta Fuzz on November 27th at the 8th Anniversary Celebration of the Coachella Valley Brewing Company in Thousand Palms. You can also see some of Delta Fuzz’ super rad videos, pics and fliers on their Instagram @deltafuzzband

November 25 to December 1, 2021

CONSIDER THIS

f it were possible for David Bowie, The Cramps, Marc Bolan, Iggy, The Stooges and Blondie to have a musical love child, it might sound like The High 70s. The Los Angeles two-piece serves up a potent combo-platter of Glam, Garage, New Wave and Punk, with just a soupcon of Psychobilly, on their first official long-player, aptly entitled Glitter Box. Multi-instrumentalist Chris Williams (formerly of Dust On The Radio) has always felt an affinity for Glam, Garage and PostPunk. Determined to follow his muse, he connected with another polymath, Princess Frank, who has played with everyone from Missing Links to Fishbone’s Angelo Moore. Chris wrote a clutch of great songs and the last piece of the puzzle fell into place when the duo enlisted Grammy Award winning producer Ethan Allen. Ethan has worked with everyone from Gram Rabbit, Throwing Muses, The 88, Ben Harper and Mavis Staples. The recording process went swiftly, two sessions at King Size and Gold Diggers studio, the rest came together at Ethan’s home studio. Guitarist Max Bustamante augmented their sound on five tracks and Ethan added keys. The album crackles to life on the title track. Prowling bass lines collide with feral guitar chords and a bludgeoning beat. Tongue planted firmly in cheek, the opening couplet paints a vivid portrait of hard-luck club habitue; “Kitty glitter glamour puss, she’s younger than she looks, she’s older than she feels, she still looks good in heels.” This feline fixture can’t take a hint, time to hang up the fuck-me pumps and settle down. Fuzz-crusted guitars (cat) scratch and bite between verses. On the break, a skittery guitar solo plays a game of cat-andmouse with tilt-a-whirl bass lines. By the final verse, Kitty’s fall from grace is a fait accompli; “Glitter kitty, sugar lips, looks like she fell and slipped, doesn’t it break your heart, watching her fall apart.” Three tracks find The High 70s wearing their influences on their shredded and safety-pinned sleeves. “Invisible Wall” careens out of the speakers a jumble of menacing bass lines, keening guitars, rumbling backbeat and suitably sepulchral vocals. The melody shares some musical DNA with The Runaways’ “Cherry Bomb” and Violent Femmes’ “Add It Up.” Cryptic lyrics hint at some sort of Psycho-sexual Punk purgatory; “Invisible wall that we can’t see makes us feel so incomplete, invisible wall, now I can’t tell, are you free or trapped in your cell? Invisible wall won’t let us show the dark inside the face you know.” Stuttery rhythm riffs slither around squally chords between verses, before untethering an ultrasonic solo on the break. Powered by icy synths, elastic bass lines, flickering guitar riffs and a thwocking beat, “We Have Nothing” could sandwich nicely between The Cars’ “Moving In Stereo” and Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” on any KROQ playlist. Bleak lyrics partner with deadpan vocals to deliver some fairly nihilistic sentiments; “We have nothing to venture, nothing to gain, nothing but

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THE HIGH 70S empty picture frames/nothing to see here, just move along, looking for something, but something went wrong.” Luckily the maudlin mood is leavened by the stompingly buoyant break, featuring a squinchy guitar solo, wheezy keys, thrumming bass and culminating in an authoritative kick drum n’ keys outro. Finally, the duo offers up a fairly faithful rendition of a Blondie deep cut, “Accidents Never Happen.” A jackhammer beat is accented by vroom-y bass, Sci-Fi synths, pogo-riffic piano and buzzy guitars. Chris’ gloomy vocals are juxtaposed with the breezy distaff energy of guest vocalist, Natalie Denise Sperling. Lyrics follow a serendipitous through-line; “No I don’t believe in luck, no, I don’t believe in circumstance no more, accidents never happen in a perfect world, so I won’t believe in luck/I saw you walking in the dark, so I slipped behind your footsteps for a while, caught you turning round the block, fancy meeting you in a smaller world, after all.” On the break, throbby bass locks in behind lithe guitar licks, darting between the pneumatic crunch of drums. The record’s best tracks seem to inhabit a decadent demimonde. Take “Astro Van” which finds our hero forced to sidestep skyrocketing L.A. rental rates by taking refuge in his van. Scuzz-tastic guitars stack atop shivery keys, sinewy bass and a walloping beat. With no time for nuance, lyrics are stripped down to just-the-facts, ma’am, reportage; “Found a mattress on the street underpass to get out of the heat, I will rent a room when I can, now I’m living in the Astro Van.” The arrangement pivots from a rollicking road trip to a scary, sludgy, down-tuned soundscape that mirrors the angsty lifestyle switch. Waspish guitars and frenetic bass hurtle the song toward a cosmic crescendo. “Secrets” is the album’s most ambitious track. A piledriving beat is quickly supplanted sandblasted guitars, plunky keys and scuttling bass lines. Suddenly, time signatures shift, locking into a modal groove that lands somewhere between a Greek Tsiftiteli and a long-lost James Bond theme. Intriguing lyrics boast of secrets, but offer no details. Meanwhile, “Freak House” plays out like “The Monster Mash”-meets-Tod Browning’s Horror classic Freaks-meets-a bondage dungeon. Swirly keys and whipsaw bass connect with a cluster of chunky guitar chords and an, um, punishing tom-tom beat. From the lyrics’ opening couple verses, it’s almost as though the listener needs to establish a safe word in order to tune in; “Somebody needs a spanking, Derek will gladly oblige, Heidi would do the honors, but now her hands are tied/Nancy is fascinated waiting for her turn, she likes to hear the leather crack, she wants to feel the burn.” The guitar solo on the break is pure ‘70s AOR, but the song winds down through a veil of drone-y feedback. Other interesting tracks include the hypnotic haiku of “Manipulation” and the predatory allure of “Hemlock Girl.” The

“GLITTER BOX” (THEHIGH70S.COM) BY ELENI P. AUSTIN

record closes with the take-no-prisoners rave-up, “Natural Selection.” Spidery bass lines are matched by squally shards of guitar feedback and a thrashy backbeat. Pragmatic lyrics playfully referencing Bruce Springsteen and Ray Price, while making a case for weeding out the fuckwits; “Natural selection, do your fucking job, free us from these criminals who kill and rape and rob, or are they the strong ones? You don’t get

to choose, better hope you’re born to run or you are born to lose.” On the break, arrangement and instrumentation are equally unequivocal. Tensions ratchet, as concentric, supersonic riffs accelerate, speed-shifting through the melody’s hairpin turns, sideswiping roiling bass lines and a ramrod rhythm. It’s a thrilling conclusion to a crackling good record. Sure, maybe you missed those halcyon days on the Sunset Strip, or those nights behind the V.I.P. velvet rope of Rodney Bingenheimer’s English Disco. But one spin of The High 70s’ Glitter Box might motivate you to bust out the tube-top, the flared pants, the guyliner and the platform heels and vicariously recall that moment when Glam Rock was in its ascendence, and Punk/ New Wave was just over the horizon. It’s like you were there. Well, almost.

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November 25 to December 1, 2021

PET PLACE

his precious Shih Tzu spent the first three years of his life suffering in a small cage inside a garage in the sweltering high desert heat. Other dogs were caged above, below, and next to him. Frankie was part of an illegal large scale “backyard breeding” operation also known as a “puppy mill” where dogs are bred indiscriminately, confined to small cramped spaces, frequently mistreated, and often experience untreated illnesses and death. The facility was raided and Frankie was rescued by Loving All Animals. These cruel facilities operate out of

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FRANKIE'S MESSAGE: ADOPT, DON'T SHOP! businesses. The unscrupulous became more creative, hiding behind computers with cute photographs and deceiving information on websites. How are the parent dogs treated? Frankie tells you his story, hoping to help save some of the millions of animals still suffering in these cruel operations: “My feet were sore and swollen from standing on the wire mesh of my cage in the sweltering garage. I could barely stand up in the small cage. I could not turn around, and my legs cramped with pain. The stench was overwhelming, and the wail of the dogs beside and above made it difficult to sleep. Sometimes waste products from the dogs above me dropped into my cage. Some days we had no food. We dogs in the garage never saw the sun, the moon, or the clouds. We never smelled the flowers, saw the rain, or felt the soft grass underneath our feet. We never knew a loving touch from a human. Sometimes one of the men got angry and hit me as he shoved me back into my cage. We were roughly removed for brief times to mate with the females who were weak and sick from having so many puppies. In the summer, the heat was sweltering and I smelled death coming from some of the cages. Many of the dogs were sick. My fur was so matted it felt like a painful helmet encasing my body. I was shut down and frozen from the endless suffering. One day the garage door opened! Humans in uniforms took us away, and a nice woman took me and a few of the other dogs to Loving All Animals. I was scared when my new foster mom tried to touch me, and even more afraid of being groomed and going to

the public eye, posting cute pictures of puppies costing many thousands of dollars online and in newspapers. There is a fine line between smaller local operations, and large scale operations that ship fragile and often sick puppies across the country to unsuspecting buyers. In 2018, California unanimously passed Assembly Bill 485 which banned the retail sale of dogs and cats in pet stores unless they were from rescues and shelters. Dishonest puppy store merchants then “forged” records to circumvent the law. Additional legal efforts and public pressure eventually closed most of these

MEET DAISY

MEET PEPPER

This adorable 4-mo old Tabby kitten will delight you during the holidays with her antics. She’s cat ID#A1597480 at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus, 72-050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms. Come meet Daisy between 10am4pm, Mon through Sat (closed Thanksgiving). www.rcdas.org, (951) 358-7387.

I’m a beautiful sweet 60-lb girl dreaming of a home for the holidays! I love humans but prefer to be the only dog in your home. Come meet me between 10am4pm Mon through Sat at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus, 72-050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms. I’m dog ID#A1645576, www.rcdas.org, (951) 358-7387.

BY JANET McAFEE the vet. I went to live with Kim Bledsoe and Linda Williams who have another dog who was also different. My new sister Willow only has one eye. Willow seemed happy and wanted to play. I wondered if I would ever be like Willow.” Linda Williams recalls, “I learned that dogs like Frankie lacked socialization and feared people because of their horrible treatment and living conditions. I prayed I was up to the challenge of helping Frankie. He wouldn’t look at me in the eye, and it took me five days to get him to walk. He slept standing up with his head drooping. I pushed Frankie in a pet stroller around the neighborhood to introduce him to the world. Lawn mowers, leaf blowers, cars, people talking….all were new and frightening. I was determined he would get the chance at a new life he deserved. One night a miracle happened. It was late in the night when Frankie had a bad dream, and I woke him up. He ran to me and put his front legs around my neck and gave me a huge hug. It took a while, but that was a turning point. He is still a bit timid around strangers, but he is a happy boy and always stays near me. When I’m coming home and I’m a block away, he knows it and becomes overjoyed. I have never been loved to the extent of how much Frankie loves me.” As the demand for pets increased during the pandemic, puppy mills operating online saw a boom in their business. Some “scam” operators require large deposits and airline

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fees in advance, and then no dog ever arrives. Don’t be fooled by how friendly the seller might be! They don’t care about the dogs’ welfare, as “pets for profit” is about the dollar signs that come with each litter. Sadly, many breeders are profit motivated, and won’t let you see the conditions for the breeding parents. If the pet you purchased online or from a backyard breeder arrives with a medical or behavior problem, don’t expect to be compensated or have your phone calls returned. Sandy Miller, local dog trainer, warns her clients they are asking for problems when they purchase a pet online or from a pet store. The problems are compounded if the animal has to undergo the dangers of airline travel in the baggage compartment, where animals get lost or suffer health problems. Sandy warns, “You don’t know what problems you are getting when you adopt online. When the animals are unknown and unseen, adopters may experience the tragedy of having to put a new pet down due to the extreme medical and behavior problems these pets can come with. Many of my clients have adopted from careless breeders and online sellers only to have huge medical bills.” The list of shelters below can help in your search for a wonderful new rescue pet. Did you know that 35% of the dogs and cats in shelters are pure breeds? Rather than pay thousands of dollars for a pet, you can adopt a vaccinated, microchipped, and spayed/neutered animal from shelters and rescues for a nominal cost. The Palm Springs Animal Shelter, the Humane Society of the Coachella Valley, and the Coachella Valley Animal Campus are large shelters with many animals. Kittyland has lots of cats and kittens. Don’t forget the older animals that need homes, and they often arrive house trained! If you seek a specific breed and age of dog, go to www.perfinder.com and type in the breed along with your zip code for a list of dogs close to your home. Rescue dogs and cats rock! Brighten your holiday season with a grateful loving rescue pet. (photograph by Alicia Bailey) 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. 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) 343-3644. (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/animal-carecontrol.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) LOVING ALL ANIMALS – Call for appointment to visit and adopt dogs. Located at 83496 Avenue 51, Coachella, www.lovingallanimals.org, (760) 834-7000. (Private) ANIMAL RESCUE CENTER OF CALIFORNIA (ARC), Foster based rescue for dogs and cats in Indio. www.thearc-ca.org, (760) 877-7077 (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 – 3pm Tuesday through Saturday. 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) 384-1304 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)

November 25 to December 1, 2021

THE VINO VOICE

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BY RICK RIOZZA

LAST MINUTE TIPS & THANKS…

oke up...got out of bed...dragged a comb across my head. Oh My Goodness!! It’s Thanksgiving and I’m writing this at the last minute! Hey there—relax, open a bottle of Prosecco and share a glass with whomever, or not, and just take the time to appreciate the gift of life! In fact, if a lot of people show up soon, why not offer a prayer of peace for everyone at that moment—so we cut the crap of minor angst & envy and enjoy simply considering that precious gift. Whatever is cooking will be cooking. Thanksgiving is the best excuse to indulge in the company of your family & friends, and thank goodness! Pull out your best bottles if you wish, smile from ear to ear, and let’s catch up on some wine readiness: For those bringing out their full-bodied California Cabs, Chateauneuf-de-Papes, Barolos & Brunellos, we’ve all learned that these wines reach their peak when served at ‘room temperature’. But what’s room temperature here in the desert!? And what’s room temperature in the brave new world of global warming!? Old houses in France’s past regularly had room temperature at around 61 to 65 degrees. In our desert surrounds, our places run around 70 to 76 degrees easily. But please do not serve your stellar reds at 75 degrees Fahrenheit! A fullbodied red wine that is too warm can become almost soupy, with flavors hardly distinguishable and the power of the alcohol more noticeable. For most red wines, spending around 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge will bring it down to an acceptable drinking temperature. If you’ve forgotten to chill your red(s) and it’s close to mealtime, consider the Ice bucket and metal containers like them which of course come in various shapes and sizes; just make sure they’re deep enough to adequately hold a bottle of wine and enough ice—preferably crushed ice—and a portion of water to cover the bottle, or at least most of it. In that surrounding, your wine should be cool enough to enjoy in about five minutes or so; for sparkling wines, it may take up to 20 minutes for the chill. Often times, the meal’s wines are on the same platform near the stove during the cooking times and believe it or not, it heats up the wines a few degrees. Also, some of us keep our glasses of wine stored on shelves that are sometimes affected by the heat of the stove, and we forget to chill the glasses down. No one really likes their prized wine poured into a glass that’s warmer than the side of green beans on the table. It’s often best to serve light- and medium-bodied reds slightly cooler than the recommended temperature for the heavy reds. The lightest reds – think Beaujolais, Frappato and even some Pinot Noir – do benefit with a nicer chill. Hey—did we just mention Frappato. Let me take a break from the proceedings here and talk about Frappato. How many of you wine ventures have tried or even heard of this Sicilian red wine? We know all you folks who shop at Trader Joe’s are already aware of the Sicilian Nero d”Avola, which sells at very reasonable prices. And it can be a full-bodied, full flavor wine. But when it comes to pairing with game cocks, Frappato is right in the mix. This wine is so lively and fresh. In a blind tasting, I’m certain many would guess this wine to be a delicious Beaujolais!

“bESt SUNDAY bRUNCH”

great food! great drinks! great fun!

the deSert Sun

I recently enjoyed the 2020 Corvo Irmàna Frappato, and it hit all the spots on a wine that’ll go with the Thanksgiving or Holiday table! Light ruby red, this wine shows attractive aromatics, and rich flavors of red fruit & berries that’s cradled about with lovely fresh floral notes. Perfect at 12.5 alcohol, this can be enjoyed throughout the meal without taken you down for a nap. We’ll cover this wine next month, but we recommend grabbing this baby soon! It’s this season’s sexy choice. Okay—if anyone really needs a tutorial on what temperature their particular red wine should be served at. A quick look on the internet will tell you: Light, fruity reds: Aim for around 54 – 56 degrees Fahrenheit, but some can handle it even colder—you’ll know what you like, because chilled wine always gets warmer in the glass; Beaujolais & Valpolicella & Frappato. Medium-bodied reds: 56 – 60 degrees Fahrenheit; Pinot Noir & Rioja. Full-bodied reds: As stated earlier, serve between 61 – 65 degrees Fahrenheit, these are your Cabs, Syrahs, and heavy Red Blends. We mentioned bubblies and sparkling wines that of course need the requisite chill to keep things clean and fresh. The French advise us to keep Champagne in the fridge for at least 48 hours before drinking it. And everyone loves French advice—I’m going to follow it, even if I have to multi-task. (Well—I may forget these things, in which case I’ll grab for that ice bucket with crushed ice and a little salt for good measure for 20–30 minutes.) The ideal serving temperature for Champagne is 47-50 degrees Fahrenheit. And last but not least—are we aerating the wine? Of course, any decent red wine can use a little air. Wine logic dictates to generally aim to decant around one hour before serving, although this varies depending on the bottle. Young, tannic red wines benefit the most, and older white wines should be decanted too. If we’ve forgotten to decant in time, find a clean glass container with a wide base. In such a situation, I’ve used a coffee pot to swirl the wine about—for half a minute. A quick note of concern: If one is going to open up an old vintage red that you’ve been saving for a special occasion—forget the decanting, it may be on its last legs, so pour it into a large glass and enjoy. Happy Holidays! Cheers!

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SCREENERS

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No. 502

November 25 to December 1, 2021

COMING SOON & HERE NOW BY ROBIN E. SIMMONS

ome big screen theatrical and streaming films for the home theater are in the queue for the holidays. Here are some titles that might be worth a look based on pre-release buzz and early reviews from trusted critics and film lovers. BRUISED Formulaic and derivative, the film is rescued at almost every turn by Halle Berry’s fearless, vanity-free turn that’s also her very accomplished directorial debut. Jackie Justice Berry) is an MMA fighter who leaves the sport in disgrace. Still simmering with rage and regret years later, she's coaxed into a brutal underground fight by her manager/boyfriend Desi (Adan Canto) and gets the attention a promoter who convinces Jackie she can have a life back in the octagon. But the road to redemption becomes unexpectedly personal when the son she gave up as an infant shows up. In theaters November 17. Streaming begins November 24. Netflix.

THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH Led by a stellar Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth strips the classic story down to its visual and narrative essentials. Joel Coen's triumphant film of Shakespeare's dark and wicked tragedy delivers on every level. Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand two enormously gifted actors acting playing the aging couple as they scheme and take a last stab at their shared murderous ambition. They are riveting. You can’t look away. This is the one to see during the holidays. A24. In theaters December 25. C’MON C’MON Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) and his young nephew (Woody Norman) are unexpectedly thrown together and forge a delicate and fragile bond that is transformative, especially for Johnny Director/writer Mike Mills’ brilliant and deeply moving movie is about how we

connect both as adults and children as the past dissolves into the present and the future. In theaters November 24. A24, DON’T LOOK UP Jennifer Lawrence is astronomy grad student, Kate Dibiasky. Her professor, Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) makes an astounding discovery of a comet bound in orbit within our solar system. Oh, one more thing. It’s on a direct collision course with Earth. But no one really seems to care. Clearly, warning mankind about a planet-killer as big as Mount Everest is an inconvenient fact. With the help of Dr. Oglethorpe (Rob Morgan), Kate and Randall, with the help of Dr. Oglethorpe (Rob Morgan) embark on a media tour that begins in the office of an indifferent President Orlean (Meryl Streep) and her sycophantic son and Chief of Staff, Jason (Jonah Hill), to the airwaves of ‘The Daily Rip,’ an upbeat morning show hosted by Brie

(Cate Blanchett) and Jack (Tyler Perry). With less than six months until the comet’s impact with earth, gaining the attention of the social media obsessed public proves shockingly difficult and comical. What will it take to get the world to just look up? Don’t miss Adam McKay’s oh-so relevant movie that dares to make a comic masterpiece about environmental collapse. We have been warned. In theaters December 10. Streaming December 24. Perfect for Christmas Eve. Netflix. BOILING POINT London is the place and the setting in a highend restaurant on the busiest night of the year in this intense thriller that’s and marvelous in every aspect. Without a noticeable cut, Director Philip Barantini follows the continuous action in the kitchens and also in the dining room as the pressure begins to take its toll on everyone. This may be the most entertaining and emotionally satisfying film in a long time. Stephen Graham is incredible. In theaters on November 19. Streaming begins November 23. Saban Films. Meet me here next week. I want to know what you are watching. robin@coachellavalleyweekly.com

November 25 to December 1, 2021

SAFETY TIPS

love being a Firefighter. If there is one thing, I would love to do other than that is be a rock star. I love music. But since I can’t dance, and certainly can’t sing, that ain’t gonna happen! But at times I feel like a rock star because of two really great people. Tracy Dietlin publisher of the CV Weekly (who I think the world of) gets me front and center stage at the Westin Grooves concert series which started last Friday evening Nov 19th at the beautiful Westin Resort in Rancho Mirage. Tom Scaramellino, a friend, and General Manger along with his staff give you the rock star experience and service at the Westin Resort. The show was fantastic! Nonstop music, great food, drinks, friends, and dancing to the tunes of Patrice Rushen, DW3, Michael Paulo & Paul Jackson Jr. who did not miss a beat. In addition, the Westin Resort hosted their annual “Balloon Glow” with multiple hot air balloons in the night sky creating a beautiful backdrop to the stage and full moon.

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FROM THE CHIEF’S CORNER

BY FIRE CHIEF SAM DIGIOVANNA

I MAY NOT BE A ROCK STAR, BUT… Mr. Scaramellino and his team have the Westin looking beautiful. It is truly one of the classiest golf resorts in the Coachella Valley. The new “Backyard” at the resort is beautiful with new features, looks, multiple seating areas around firepits, entertainment, dinning and sipping on cocktails. The recently renovated rooms look great and are extremely comfortable. The next concert is scheduled for January 22, 2022, with Paul Brown and Brian Bromberg. Tell your friends and family and make it a point to get your tickets now and make sure you get a seat to the series sponsored by the CV Weekly. I promise, you will feel like a rock star – I did. Thank you, Tracy!

CYBER CORNER

n today's world, working without access to wireless internet would be nearly impossible. Wi-Fi is used by people all over the world for anything from entertainment purposes to achieving their work goals. However, with the internet's widespread use comes an underlying threat in the form of hackers looking to exploit security vulnerabilities in order to get access to your personal data and information. As we get closer to a future when everything from our phone to our refrigerator is connected to the internet through a wireless connection, it's becoming increasingly vital to know how to keep our Wi-Fi safe and secure. We'll cover all you need to know about Wi-Fi security basics and which wireless security you should employ in this article. 1. Change your router’s preset passwords. Default passwords should be changed. To make setup simpler, most network equipment, including wireless access points, comes pre-configured with default administrator passwords. Because these default passwords are easily obtained online, they offer only a fraction of security. Changing default passwords makes it more difficult for hackers to get access to a computer. Complex passwords, which you should use and change on a regular basis, are your first line of defense in securing your wireless network. 2. Encrypt your network's traffic Encrypting data transmitted over your network scrambles the data. Other people will be unable to observe what you're doing or obtain your personal information as a result of this. Simply change your router settings to WPA3 Personal or WPA2 Personal to secure your network. WPA3 is the most recent — and strongest — encryption available, but both will secure your data. 3. Keep your router up to date Visit the manufacturer's website to see whether a newer version of the software is available for download before setting up a new router or making modifications to an

existing one. Register your router with the manufacturer and sign up for updates to ensure you get the latest version. Check with your Internet Service Provider (ISP), such as Verizon or Comcast, to see whether it sends out automatic updates for your router. 4. Access should be restricted Allow only authorized users to connect to your network. A media access control (MAC) address is assigned to each piece of network hardware. By filtering these MAC addresses, you can restrict access to your network. For particular instructions on how to enable these capabilities, consult your user documentation. You can also take advantage of the "guest" account, which is a common feature on many wireless routers. This feature allows you to provide guests wireless access on a separate wireless channel with a different password while keeping your primary credentials private. 5. Turn off additional features Some routers include functions that are useful but compromise your network's security. Remote access to your router's controls, for example, allows you to make changes via the internet. Instead of inputting the network password, WPS allows you to connect a device to the internet by pressing a button on the router. Lastly, UPnP allows your devices to discover one another on the network. These features may make it simpler to add devices to your network or allow guests to use your Wi-Fi, but they may compromise the security of your network. 6. Keep your Service Set Identifier safe (SSID) Avoid making your SSID public to prevent outsiders from simply accessing your network. Users can secure their device's SSID on all Wi-Fi routers, making it more difficult for attackers to find a network. Change your SSID to something unique at the very least. Leaving it at the manufacturer's default settings could allow a potential attacker to figure out what kind of router you have and

exploit any known flaws. 7. Set up a firewall Consider installing a firewall on both your wireless devices and your home network (a host-based firewall) (a router- or modem-based firewall). Attackers who get direct access to your wireless network may be able to bypass your network firewall; a host-based firewall, on the other hand, adds another layer of security to your computer's data. 8. Protect your devices Hackers can gain access to your data via unsecured networks, and they can also gain access to your network via unsecured devices. Read about keeping your devices secure for advice on how to lock down your gadgets. Securing your network should be a top priority for everyone interested in the safety and security of the information. These instructions are simple enough for even the least tech-savvy individual to follow. Also, keep in mind that the security of your

BY DENNIS SHELLY

wireless network can be weak at times, making it vulnerable to attacks. We have put together this guide on how to secure your wireless network and the devices that connect to it. You will improve your home network security and prevent as many cyberattacks as possible if you follow the tips in it. Of course, none of these solutions are perfect, but they are a good effort that will significantly reduce threat concerns in your home network. Have a suggestion for our next article or ready to secure your wireless network? Our Eggsperts are eggspert’s in WiFi security and are standing by to help. Please contact us by calling (760) 205-0105 or emailing us at tech@eggheadit.com and our Eggsperts are happy to help you with your questions or suggestions. IT | Networks | Security | Phones | A/V | Integration

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HADDON LIBBY

IMPRESS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

ant to surprise your friends and family this holiday season with witty banter? You need facts. Fascinating facts. The kind of facts that can take redirect a conversation about Aunt Mabel’s goiter or Uncle Joe’s enlarged prostate. You also need to be ready to redirect a conversation away from an AOClover or QAnon-believer to a topic that won’t lead to fisticuffs. The Big Picture Publicly traded U.S. stocks are valued at roughly $50 trillion. All homes in the United States are worth $35 trillion. The Gross Domestic Product of the United States is $21 trillion while China’s is at $15 trillion. Stocks that make up the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index represent 80% of that $50 trillion number. Meanwhile, U.S. stocks represent 45% of value of publicly traded

November 25 to December 1, 2021

stocks globally. As of November 22nd, Microsoft was the most valuable company in the United States (and world) at $2.5 trillion. Stated differently, Microsoft represents 5% of the value of all publicly traded stocks in the United States and more than 2% in the world. Apple is a close second at $2.4 trillion followed by

DALEGRIBOW ON THELAW

Google at $1.9 trillion, Amazon at $1.78 trillion and Tesla at $1.2 trillion. Facebook aka Meta looks to be the next company ready to join the trillion club as they are valued at $920 billion. Rounding out the top ten are Berkshire Hathaway ($650 billion), NVIDIA ($640 billion) and JP Morgan Chase ($500 billion). These ten companies represent 28% of the S&P 500s value, $25% of US equities and 10% of world equities. Here is a fun question to ask folks: As Tesla is valued at more than pretty much all other carmakers in the world, are all the other carmakers undervalued or has investor love for Tesla and Elon Musk trumped logic? Those of us who value cashflow will say that Tesla is overvalued. Those that value things on what they expect something to be worth in ten years will say Tesla. World Statistics China represents 18.5% of global population with roughly 1.44 billion people. India is second at 17.7% or 1.38 billion. The United States is third with 331 million (4.3%) followed by Indonesia (274 million), Pakistan (221 million), Brazil (213 million), Nigeria (206 million), Bangladesh (165 million), Russia (146 million) and Mexico (129 million). Russia holds the largest land area at 16.6 billion kilometers. For comparison, the United States is third at 9.4 billion kilometers. China is second at 9.4 billion with Canada fourth at 9.1 billion. Venezuela has had the greatest population exodus of all nations with 2.2% or 653,249 of their people leaving the country over the last decade. India is second at 533K followed by Syria (427K), Bangladesh (370K) and China (348K). The top destinations for immigrants are the United States (955K), Germany (544K), Turkey (284K), the U.K. (261K) and Canada (242K).

BY HADDON LIBBY French Kisses People seem to think that a French kiss is called an English Kiss in France. That is just wrong. The French would never consider such and intimate act to remind them of the Brits. The French use terms like ‘baiser amoureux’ which translates to lover’s kiss. Politics People love to discuss politics. In most cases, people have their facts wrong as they parrot what they heard on Faux ‘News’, CNN or one of the other news-o-tainment networks. To avoid conflict, tell people that you think both the Democratic and Republican parties suck. No one can argue with that. If they try to pull you in, tell them that the two parties are like Pepsi and Coke where the people want water. If you run into someone who is bleeding-heart Blue or Seething Red, quickly introduce them to another person in the room and run for the bathroom. Hope this helps. Haddon Libby is Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer for Winslow Drake Investment Management. Please visit www.WinslowDrake.com to request a free consultation.

LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF THE INJURED & CRIMINALLY ACCUSED

THINGS TO AVOID AFTER A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT

have written legal columns for PI and DUI cases for decades. I have always suggested that Silence is Golden. What one does, or says, shortly after an accident, can have a profound impact on whether the PI victim or DUI Defendant, will be successful in recovering compensation or successfully defending their DUI case. In the Age of Covid, we are all busy and are like a glass that is almost filled to the top with responsibilities. After an accident or arrest, the glass overflows and we may become irritable, angry or unreasonable. Of course, both of these incidents can cause the most reserved driver to become dazed, confused and disoriented. Nevertheless, it is important to keep your cool and above all, do not apologize and admit fault in any way. For some, the first thing you want to do is to say you are sorry and apologize…even when it was not your fault. Your apology after an accident, even when you are not at fault, can be used against you. For instance, never admit you had just received a text and looked down at your

phone. Likewise, admitting that you should have checked your brakes is foolish….as is admitting you were exhausted from work and may have dozed off for a second. It goes without saying that one should never admit to not seeing someone who was “in your blind spot”. Just because any of the above happened to you, does not mean you were at fault. So, remember silence is golden! Common sense suggests that if you were injured, that you not post on social media that you were fine. Pain and suffering is often the most important part of the recovery for an accident victim. Why make it more difficult for your lawyer by alleging you were in pain, and yet you were able to go out and play sports or travel etc. Your social media posts can contradict your claim of being in pain every day in every way. At the worst, it gives the insurance adjuster a foot in the door to justify paying you less, or to withdraw a settlement offer. Never ever, ever talk to the other parties insurance company. The other party

is ethically bound to call you and other wits, shortly after a traffic accident. Of course, you must remember that insurance adjusters are trained to try to deny and delay payments. Why give them an excuse for not paying or underpaying? Don’t accept the first offer. Often an insurance company will make an offer right after the accident and before you are aware you are hurting and before seeing a med provider. Most victims are not aware they can recover for current and future pain and suffering. That is why it makes sense to consult with a PI lawyer who will handle the case on a contingency and retain the necessary expert witnesses. Most people do not realize it is not just what you say, but rather what the other party THOUGHT THEY HEARD YOU SAY. This can often be the reason your case does not settle. In our office we believe not every accident case needs a lawyer. If that is the case we will tell you. If we don’t accept the case, we will help you try to find another lawyer.

I have defended the constitutional rights and dignity of those accused of a DUI, and I have obtained the best results possible for Injury Accident Victims for over 30 years. DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE, CALL A TAXI, LYFT OR UBER………THEY ARE A LOT CHEAPER THAN GETTING IN AN ACCIDENT OR ARRESTED AND CALLING ME. LAW ENFORCEMENT WARNS “DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER”. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE ARTICLE? CONTACT DALE GRIBOW 760-837-7500/ dale@dalegribowlaw.com DALE GRIBOW Representing the Injured and Criminally Accused “TOP LAWYER” - California’s Prestige Magazine, Palm Springs Life (PI/DUI) 201122 “TOP LAWYER” - Inland Empire Magazine 2016- 2019 PERFECT 10.0 AVVO Peer Rating

November 25 to December 1, 2021

CANNABIS CORNER

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THANKSGIVING BLESSINGS AND HOLIDAY DRINKING

n the spirit of Thanksgiving, I want to wish all my readers a blessed, and safe Thanksgiving Day. With that in mind, I think it appropriate to discuss the partaking of alcohol during the holidays. How does cannabis affect alcohol consumption, our two favorite mind-altering drugs? A study published in the APA PsycNet titled THC and CBD effects on alcohol use among alcohol and cannabis co-users. By Karoly H.C. et.al. reveal conflicting evidence regarding the effects of cannabis and alcohol consumption. Does cannabis enhance the effects of alcohol or inhibit the effects? Is cannabis a substitute for alcohol? Which cannabis product affects alcohol Cannabidiol (CBD) or 9-delta tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)? This observational study took 120 cannabis and alcohol-using adults and assigned them to use one of three descriptive products: predominantly THC, predominantly CBD, or a combination of both THC and CBD as much and as often as they wished for five days. The results showed the CBD group drank fewer drinks per drinking day, had less alcohol use days, and fewer alcohol and cannabis couse days, compared with the other groups. The group who drank alcohol with THC and alcohol with THC+CBD showed no difference between them. A third study from the same team published in the journal Addiction sought to assess the effects of cannabis use on the

likelihood of binge drinking among ninety-six individuals undergoing treatment for alcohol use disorder. This study found Individuals drank approximately 29 percent fewer drinks and were half as likely to have a bingedrinking episode on days they used cannabis compared to days they did not. A study recently published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics found that between 2002 and 2018, cannabis use among young adults increased (without an increase in cannabis use disorder), while alcohol abstinence increased and problematic alcohol use decreased, according to survey data from 183,000 18-to-22-year-olds nationwide. A University of California in San Diego study found that adolescents who smoke marijuana may be less susceptible to brain damage from binge drinking. Baalbek in Lebanon’s fertile Bekaa Valley is one of the world’s sweet spots for growing cannabis. This region is also known for its fine wines. It is a place where wine and hashish mix geographically as well as culturally. Large numbers of Muslims use cannabis because, unlike alcohol, it is not expressly forbidden under Koranic law. Islam is the only major religion that banned alcohol, while cannabis remained a subject of theological dispute among Muslim intellectuals. Growing cannabis for use as an intoxicant was forbidden but growing the herb for medicinal purposes was allowed in

BY RUTH HILL R.N.

keeping with the long tradition of cannabis therapeutics in the Middle East and North Africa. Muslim leaders recognized that hashish had important medicinal properties that were lacking in wine. Small amounts of wine can protect against certain illnesses such as heart disease (due to resveratrol, a flavonoid compound in grape skin), excessive alcohol intake poses serious health risks. Alcohol is so pervasive and accepted in the U.S. many people do not even think of alcohol as a drug. Heavy drinking shrinks the brain, causes painful neuropathy, cirrhosis of the liver, and kidney damage, and increases the likelihood of breast cancer, colon cancer, and stomach ulcers. According to Smoke Signals: A Social History of Marijuana- Medical, Recreational and Scientific by Project CBD Director, Martin A. Lee, alcohol is a pivotal factor in some

two-thirds of all cases of spousal abuse in the United States, implicated in more than 100,000 sexual assaults each year and 100,000 annual deaths in the United States due to drunk driving and alcohol-related violence. Worldwide, alcohol kills more than 2.5 million people annually. If drugs were classified on the basis of the harm they do, alcohol would be ranked right up there with heroin and crack cocaine, if not higher. By the way, there is not one known death in the history of the world caused by overconsumption of cannabis. Think about that over the Thanksgiving weekend. I will count my many blessings today, as an American, I live in the most blessed county in the World. For comments email cannabisangel16@ gmail.com

SWAG FOR THESOUL “Allowing yourself to have gratitude for all of your experiences opens you up to the possibilities of forgiveness. Gratitude paves the road to forgiveness and forgiveness allows love to flow.” Gratitude + Forgiveness X(LOVE) = Happiness, by Aimee Mosco and Donald L. Ferguson, page 57. here are so many things in life for which to be grateful, such as the presence of other living beings in our lives, the events that unfold for us, the gifts others share with us, and most importantly, the lessons we have learned through personal experience. It is very easy to feel and express appreciation for the people and things in life that lift us up. It almost goes without saying that it is appropriate to feel grateful for these gifts. In fact, according to the unwritten rules of decency, we are expected to feel, or at least convey appreciation for that which inspires us to feel good. It is less customary and much more difficult to feel grateful for the people, experiences and events that sit at the roots of our greatest challenges. It is equally as important, if not more so, to bring ourselves to a place where we can feel deep and authentic gratitude for what and who causes hurt in our lives. It is to our greatest benefit to do so. The fact of the matter is that we put our souls in these human bodies to learn. That is our number one objective during our time here on this planet. We are meant to grow our souls through experience. That means ALL of our experiences matter, and often times, we learn more from challenge than from comfort. When you understand that your challenges hold the power to accelerate your soul growth, your focus shifts. You begin to look for the lessons in those challenges and fully integrate the growth with a higher degree of consciousness. This is when it begins to feel natural to express gratitude for something that hurt you in the

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BY AIMEE MOSCO

moment it occurred. Deep-seated and conscious appreciation for challenge and what evolves from it sets the stage for forgiveness to flourish in the most authentic way. If you acknowledge the growth that came with your pain and you are grateful for that growth, it becomes unnecessary to hold on to the pain any longer. It served its purpose. You set your pain free when you are truly able to forgive. As you bid farewell to your pain with forgiveness, you make more room in your heart and mind for love to flow. In my pursuit to help human beings connect with the gifts of gratitude, 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 first 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.

November 25 to December 1, 2021

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 25

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries author Chris Brogan says, “Don’t settle. Don’t finish crappy books. If you don’t like the menu, leave the restaurant. If you’re not on the right path, get off it.” That’s the best possible counsel for you to hear, in my astrological opinion. As an Aries, you’re already inclined to live by that philosophy. But now and then, like now, you need a forceful nudge in that direction. So please, Aries, go in pursuit of what you want, not what you partially want. Associate with the very best, most invigorating influences, not the mediocre kind. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Author Kurt Vonnegut wrote wistfully, “I still catch myself feeling sad about things that don’t matter anymore.” If similar things are running wild in your head, dear Taurus, the coming weeks will be a favorable time to banish them. You will have extra power to purge outdated emotions and reclaim at least some of the wild innocence that is your birthright. PS: There’s nothing wrong with feeling sad. In fact, feeling sad can be healthy. But it’s important to feel sad for the right reasons. Getting clear about that is your second assignment. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “I’ll walk forever with stories inside me that the people I love the most can never hear.” So says the main character in Gemini author Michelle Hodkin’s novel The Evolution of Mara Dyer. If that heart-rending statement has resonance with your own personal experience, I have good news: The coming weeks will be a favorable time to transform the situation. I believe you can figure out how to share key stories and feelings that have been hard to reveal before now. Be alert for unexpected opportunities and not-at-all-obvious breakthroughs. CANCER (June 21-July 22): A study of people in 24 countries concluded that during the pandemic, over 80 percent of the population have taken action to improve their health. Are you in that group? Whether or not you are, the coming weeks will be a favorable time to go further in establishing robust self-care. The astrological omens suggest you’ll find it easier than usual to commit to good new habits. Rather than trying to do too much, I suggest you take no more than three steps. Even starting with just one might be wise. Top three: eating excellent food, having fun while exercising right, and getting all the deep sleep you need. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Leo-born scholar Edith Hamilton loved to study ancient Greek civilization. She wrote, “To rejoice in life, to find the world beautiful and delightful to live in, was a mark of the Greek spirit which distinguished it from all that had gone before.” One sign of Greece’s devotion to joie de vivre was its love of play. “The Greeks were the first people in the world to play,” Hamilton exulted, “and they played on a great scale. All over Greece, there were games”—for athletes, dancers, musicians, and other performers. Spirited competition was an essential element of their celebration of play, as was the pursuit of fun for its own sake. In resonance with your astrological omens, Leo, I propose you regard ancient Greece as your spiritual home for the next five weeks. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo singersongwriter Florence Welch of the band Florence and the Machine told an interviewer why she wrote “Hunger.” She said, “I looked for love in things that were not love.” What were those things? According to her song, they included taking drugs and performing on stage. Earlier in Florence’s life, as a teenager, “love was a kind of emptiness” she experienced through her eating disorder. What about you, Virgo? Have you looked for love in things that weren’t love? Are you doing that right now? The coming weeks will be a good time to get straight with yourself about this issue. I suggest you ask for help from your higher self. Formulate a strong intention that in the future, you will look for love in things that can genuinely offer you love. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): There’s a Grateful Dead song, with lyrics written by John Perry Barlow, that says, “You ain’t gonna learn what you don’t want to know.” I propose you make that your

featured advice for the next two weeks. I hope you will be inspired by it to figure out what truths you might be trying hard not to know. In so doing, you will make yourself available to learn those truths. As a result, you’ll be led on a healing journey you didn’t know you needed to take. The process might sound uncomfortable, but I suspect it will ultimately be pleasurable. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio author and philosopher Albert Camus was a good thinker. At age 44, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature— the second-youngest recipient ever. And yet he made this curious statement: “Thoughts are never honest. Emotions are.” He regarded thoughts as “refined and muddy”—the result of people continually tinkering with their inner dialog so as to come up with partially true statements designed to serve their self-image rather than reflect authentic ideas. Emotions, on the other hand, emerge spontaneously and are hard to hide, according to Camus. They come straight from the depths. In accordance with astrological potentials, Scorpio, I urge you to keep these meditations at the forefront of your awareness in the coming weeks. See if you can be more skeptical about your thoughts and more trusting in your emotions. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Poet Renée Ashley describes what she’s attracted to: “I’m drawn to what flutters nebulously at the edges, at the corner of my eye—just outside my certain sight. I want to share in what I am routinely denied or only suspect exists. I long for a glimpse of what is beginning to occur.” Although I don’t think that’s a suitable perspective for you to cultivate all the time, Sagittarius, I suspect it might be appealing and useful for you in the coming weeks. Fresh possibilities will be coalescing. New storylines will be incubating. Be alert for the oncoming delights of the unknown. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): What could you do to diminish your suffering? Your next assignment is to take two specific steps to begin that process. You’re in a phase of your astrological cycle when you’re more likely than usual to see what’s necessary to salve your wounds and fix what’s broken. Take maximum advantage of this opportunity! I proclaim this next chapter of your life to be titled “In Quest of the Maximum Cure.” Have fun with this project, dear Capricorn. Treat it as a mandate to be imaginative and explore interesting possibilities. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “It is a fault to wish to be understood before we have made ourselves clear to ourselves,” wrote my favorite Aquarian philosopher, Simone Weil. I agree. It’s advice I regularly use myself. If you want to be seen and appreciated for who you really are, you should make it your priority to see and appreciate yourself for who you really are. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to make progress in this noble project. Start this way: Write a list of the five qualities about yourself that you love best. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Nigerian author Ben Okri, born under the sign of Pisces, praises our heroic instinct to rise above the forces of chaos. He writes, “The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love, and to be greater than our suffering.” You’ve been doing a lot of that excellent work throughout 2021, dear Pisces. And I expect that you’ll be climaxing this chapter of your life story sometime soon. Thanks for being such a resourceful and resilient champion. You have bravely faced but also risen above the sometimesmessy challenges of plain old everyday life. You have inspired many of us to stay devoted to our heart’s desires. Homework. Gratitude is the featured emotion. See how amazing you can make yourself feel by stretching it to its limits. Newsletter. FreeWillAstrology.com. ---------------------------------------Rob Brezsny - Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

November 25 to December 1, 2021

SENDME ATRAINER

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BY NADIA POPOVA

CAN YOU EAT THE DESSERT IF YOU ARE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT?

hile eating healthier overall is a great start, it can be a little bit tricky to figure out whether treating yourself to dessert is just part of a balanced weight-loss plan or if it's actually screwing you over. Focusing on whole foods, cutting down on sugar, and packing in fruits and veggies at every meal can go a long way. The good news is that you don't need to give up all dessert in order to successfully lose weight. I teach my clients 80/20 approach where you eat whole food 80% of the time and 20% you can enjoy something you really want. It's not realistic to tell people to never eat dessert; that's not something I expect of my clients, or myself! So instead of swearing off ice cream I suggest digging into a treat once or twice a week. This shouldn't derail your progress as long as you keep your portions in check. What I see with clients is that it's all about resetting your habits so that when you do eat a doughnut or cupcake, you really appreciate and enjoy it. When sugary treats are your default sweet food and you eat them every day, you overdo the calories and the enjoyment of the treat barely registers anymore. But when you make those highcalorie desserts an every-once-in-a-while thing, the calories go a lot further in terms

of satisfaction and they don't make a huge dent in your calorie or sugar intake for the week. If you have a sweet tooth, think about the area where you tend to overdo it. If you always have dessert after dinner, a good strategy can be to switch to a healthier sweet food like fruit for most of the week. However, an even better option is to retrain your brain to associate dinner with something like sipping herbal tea or brushing your teeth post-meal. Then, treat yourself to something you really look forward to like a piece of cake or ice cream once or twice a week. Make it a really good one. And enjoy every single bite. By Nadia Popova Fitness Coach / Owner of “Send Me a Trainer”

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November 25 to December 1, 2021