Prescribed: Protect access to meds for seniors

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America’s poorest seniors could soon find it much harder to get the necessary medicines.

That’s because Medicare’s Low-Income Subsidy program—which provides millions of seniors with prescription drug coverage with no monthly premium—is eroding. Recent changes made in the Inflation Reduction Act are partly to blame.

The number of “benchmark” LIS plans—which offer coverage without a monthly premium—plummeted 34% last year alone. As a result of some plans being discontinued or increasing their monthly premium, over 1.3 million seniors were reassigned to a different plan by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Many other seniors had no choice but to opt for more expensive alternative plans that require monthly premiums, jeopardizing their access to life-saving medicines—or reducing what they can spend on necessities like groceries and rent.

The Low-Income Subsidy program is a lifeline for roughly 13 million Americans. Low-income seniors are disproportionately burdened by chronic health conditions like diabetes and heart disease, so whether they can afford prescriptions can be a matter of life and death. Only seniors whose annual earnings are less than 150% of the federal poverty line—about $22,500 for a single person or $30,500 for a couple—qualify for the program.

By the numbers, communities of color are primarily reliant on these subsidies. Combined, Black and Hispanic beneficiaries make up just 20% of Medicare drug plan enrollees. However, within the subsidy program, Black and Hispanic beneficiaries total 37% of enrollees.

Low-income subsidy enrollees are increasingly having to turn to higher-premium plans. Since last year, the number of people who now have to pay premiums has increased by more than one million.

Just as concerning is the fact that premiums across all Medicare prescription drug plans are rising. Average monthly premiums are projected to increase by at least 21% by the end of this year.

It’s a concerning situation. Without swift action from the CMS and Congress, America’s poorest seniors risk losing access to the medicines they need to live healthy lives.

Dr. Yanira Cruz is the president and CEO of the National Hispanic Council on Aging.

Your Letters, 10/2

Yes on Measure I

As a past commissioner on the Status of Women and chair for four years, the work I am most proud of has been giving voice to Sonoma County women and families and their concerns. Voices of Sonoma County Women was a pre-pandemic project that included live listening sessions and surveys, asking what the top issues were concerning women in our county. Access to quality, affordable childcare was a top concern.

The 2021 Voices of Sonoma County Women survey revealed access to quality, affordable childcare as an important challenge across the economic and racial spectrum of respondents and highest among Latinx (39%) and AAPI (38%) families.

Additionally, 33% of Black or African American respondents, 25% of American Indian/Alaska Native respondents and 19% of white respondents reported that access to quality, affordable childcare was one of their most critical challenges.

Besides supporting women’s ability to provide for their families and their own professional growth, quality childcare and early childhood education improve a child’s readiness for kindergarten. 70% of Sonoma County kids are starting school unprepared. Let’s set them up for long-term success by voting yes on Measure I.

Janice Blalock

Santa Rosa

Felicitous Complicity

Donald Trump warned he will jail election officials he considers cheats, is complaining Pennsylvania’s voting is already a fraud, vowed to pardon January 6 rioters, railed against women who accused him of sexual misconduct, and spent hours in recent days on sometimes incoherent rants that raised questions about his state of mind. HOW is he avoiding being sentenced as an insurrectionist? Oh, wait—a complicit judiciary and Congress.

Gary Sciford

Santa Rosa

Your Culture Crush, 10/2

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Mill Valley

Lights, Camera and – COLOR!

Rina Neiman and Marsha Heckman are friends, artists and writers who turned their experience into a photography exhibition and self-professed “artnership.” Throughout the Covid pandemic, these local ladies decided to take up a new medium (along with their face masks) and hit the streets with cameras. Now, the photos they took are ready to be seen by the eyes of Marin’s art-loving community, in a Mill Valley Arts Commission exhibit called “Fantastic Voyage.” Heckman has lived in Mill Valley for 60 years and is the author and designer of eight lifestyle and flower books. Alongside being invited as the guest florist at the Obama White House, she has displayed pieces at St. Mary’s Cathedral and the de Young Museum in San Francisco, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the Kauai Museum. Neiman is a writer, artist and event producer who spent 10 years in Mill Valley before moving to the East Bay. She works in collage, jewelry making and design, mixed media and micro-dioramas. Nieman also published a book, titled Born Under Fire. To learn more about the exhibit, visit millvalleyrecreation.org. Rotating Art in The Depot Plaza is being presented at 87 Throckmorton Ave. in Mill Valley.

Sebastopol

Case for Bass

Jen Runs is a Bay Area-based bassist, singer and songwriter who will soon regale the guests of HopMonk Tavern with an evening demonstration of her many musical talents. Runs is most notable for a prolific bassist career that’s taken her across the globe for performances…and now, she’s home with her aptly-named band, Jenerator. Her genres include folk, Americana, reggae, Grateful Dead (a genre unto itself) and “psychedelic jam funk.” All of these and more can be expected at the upcoming HopMonk performance, which is entirely free. Jenerator will play at HopMonk Tavern in Sebastopol from 6 to 8:30pm on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Visit jeneratormusic.com or hopmonk.com/sebastopol to learn more. This performance is located at 230 Petaluma Ave. in Sebastopol.

Napa

Inertia in Image

The upcomingMoving Pictures” exhibition at di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art is an artistic experience unlike any other. This expansive collection of mixed-media pieces comes together to tell the story of some pretty serious concepts spanning 30 years within the political, global and social landscape of the world, the nation and the North Bay. Fast forward to today, and all that comes together in “Moving Pictures: A Survey Exhibition of Works by Deborah Oropallo and Collaborators.” These collaborators include fellow Bay Area artists and thinkers Michael Goldin, Jeremiah Franklin and Andy Rappaport. Climate change, political uprising and gender identity are only a few themes to take away from the artwork. The “Moving Pictures” exhibition will last from Oct. 5 through March 30 of next year. An opening reception for ‘Moving Pictures’ will take place from 5 to 7pm on Saturday, Oct. 5. Those who are not di Rosa patrons or members may attend the opening reception from 6 to 7pm at a cost of $10. To learn more about the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, visit dirosaart.org. The di Rosa is located at 5200 Sonoma Hwy. in Napa.

Occidental

Leave It to Beaver

Beavers–most everybody loves them, but how much do they actually understand beavers? Sure, they’re furry, water-dwelling creatures and dam adorable…but what about their origin story, history and place in the ecosystem? Where did they come from, where are they going and, most importantly, how can we help protect the beaver in years to come? Those who want to learn all they can about beavers won’t believe their luck, since the Acorn MusEcology Project is bringing the North Bay a concert series entitled, to no one’s surprise, “Beavers.” The Acorn MusEcology Project is a 22-voice choral ensemble based right in Sonoma County. The “Beavers” concert series is debuting this October and was put together by music director Sarah Dupre and creative director Robin Eschner. Lyrics include writing from William Stafford, Barry Lopez, Annie Dillard, Robin Eschner and Chris Jones, who is the founder of the Cornwall Beaver Project in England. Tickets to the Acorn MusEcology Project’s ‘Beavers’ event cost $25 per adult, while children aged 12 and younger are free. Friday’s show takes place at 7pm on Oct. 4, while Saturday and Sunday’s performances are at 3pm on Oct. 5 and 6. To learn more, visit occidentalcenterforthearts.org. Occidental Center for the Arts is located at 3850 Doris Murphy Ct.

Foul Is Fair: ‘Macbeth’ at College of Marin

There is a reason that when a college decides to do Shakespeare, it usually picks A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing or Romeo & Juliet. All three plays center around young people acting like young people. 

The central characters in Macbeth, however, are not children. They are complex adults with hard life experiences that shape their actions as surely as any magical “fate” that may await them. 

That is not to say colleges can’t or shouldn’t do Macbeth. It just means that to do this show requires a highly skilled and almost laser-focused director to help students discover this depth. Unfortunately, the College of Marin’s current production of Macbeth, directed by Erin McBride Africa and running on the Kentfield campus through Oct. 13, lacks that focus and that depth.

If one doesn’t know Macbeth, the plot is straightforward: Driven by power lust, an honorable man slowly unravels into a paranoid tyrant. If it were written today, it would start with “Based on a true story!” But in reality, Shakespeare’s tale of the English throne “saving” Scotland from its usurper king is less history than fairy tale. 

As a fairy tale, Macbeth is an excellent choice for design students. Incorporating witches, royalty, ghosts, castles, forests and battles is a fun challenge for designers, and these designers take full advantage of that.  

Set design by Huda Al Jamal showcases a skilled designer with a good eye for color and a keen sense of theatricality. Costumes by Pamela Johnson tread the line of “postmodernism” without taking the audience out of the show. Of particular note are the crowns, which looked more like inverted claws than crowns. Their cruel beauty immediately states what type of throne they top.

The sound design by Landers Markwick is beautiful in its dark moodiness and sets the stage as soon as the audience enters.  At intermission, however, that sound design, for some reason, incorporates an actor saying lines from other Shakespearean shows, a la Vincent Price. It turns the beautifully sophisticated sound design into Disney’s Haunted Mansion. 

As for lights, Peter Q. Parish pulls out all the stops with beautiful multi-color circles of lights. But whether by design or not, the actors are often dark. The problem was so persistent at a recent production that one could not help but wonder if all the lights were functioning.

However, the continuous presentational style of acting undermines the world displayed, almost in spite of the script itself. The pacing was affected, and a minor curse of missed lines compounded the issue. While Grisha Driscoll, in the title role, did fall prey to some of this, he was able to find something magical in the “Tomorrow” speech. This he hit with a depth of feeling and raw vulnerability that almost made the play worse for the glimpse into what it could have been.

While seeing so many missed opportunities can be frustrating, one must remember that allowing artists to experiment and stretch their skills is the point of educational theater. Theater students require audiences. The occasionally disappointing show is a small price to help young artists hone their skills. 

‘Macbeth’ runs through Oct. 13 at the James Dunn Theatre at the College of Marin, 835 College Ave., Kentfield. Friday-Saturday, 7:30pm; Sunday, 2pm. Free. Donations welcome. 415.485.9385. pa.marin.edu.

2nd Annual Sausalito Boat Show Features All Things Nautical

After last year’s maiden voyage, Sausalito Boat Show is back again for its second annual celebration of all things nautical. 

Land lovers, experienced sailors and boat-curious citizens alike can come down to the Clipper Harbor Oct. 4 through 6 to dip their toes or dive right into the world of Bay Area boating.

Many who call Marin County their home have driven over the iconic Golden Gate Bridge more times than they can count. But how many have taken a boat underneath to cross the border from bay to open ocean? For those who can’t say they’ve experienced seeing the Golden Gate from below with waves rocking underfoot, it’s time to weigh anchor and one’s options.

After all, Marin has an undeniably rich boating history and culture, which are easy to forget during the day-to-day rush of landlocked life. But it’s important to remember to follow the siren’s call to the ocean as it sings out a much-needed reminder to slow down and go with the flow, if only just for a little while.

Sean Schlesinger of Silver Seas Yachts is no stranger to the pleasure of leaving land behind for the open air and freedom one can only find on the water. He, along with the rest of those in charge of this year’s boat show, is excited to share his passion for the open seas with guests of the event and, of course, with potential yacht buyers. It just so happens that the vessels Schlesinger sells are luxurious and ready to sail off under the Golden Gate Bridge and into the sunset.

Anyone who has thought, “I should buy a boat,” may consider coming down to the harbor and following through on the impulse—after all, the ocean awaits. The many local businesses that work together to get these pleasure vessels in ship shape are great for the nautical economy of Marin and its boating enthusiasts. Some (but not all) local businesses featured in the show are South Beach Riggers, List Marine Services, LOVEMARIN, Modern Sailing, Cartelligent, Compass Canvas and Bay Area Marine Services.

These local businesses, and many more, have joined forces to host the Sausalito Boat Show and share their passions, experience and love of all things nautical with locals. All hands are on deck with preparations for the boat show. It shows in this year’s stellar lineup of educational seminars, live entertainment and experiential boating opportunities. Alongside an overload of 70-plus boats for guest’s viewing pleasure, the Sausalito Boat Show also promises a three-day-long party with food, a bounce house, live music and oh so much more.

Boat show attendees can walk along the harbor and admire all the latest sailboats, powerboats, luxury yachts, electric boats, charters, trailer-friendly boats, gear and adorable animals that live in and along the water. Those who appreciate top boat brands won’t want to miss out on a chance to see models from Jeanneau, Beneteau, Chris Craft, Riviera, Pursuit, Axopar, Cruisers Yachts, Tiara, Princess, Defiance and Inmar.

The first day of the Sausalito Boat Show promises a Diesel Engine Maintenance Seminar from noon to 1pm, an Investment Approach to Yacht Ownership Seminar from 2 to 3pm and a musical performance from King Bizcuit from 3 to 6pm. 

Later, Steve Knudsen, Little League coach of Sausalito Marin City, will be manning the dunk tank from 3:30 to 4pm. From 4 to 5pm, guests can attend a seminar from Latitude 38 on the Life and Career of John Arndt. Day one of the Sausalito Boat Show concludes with the Waves of Opportunity charity party at the Charter Pier from 5 to 7pm. Proceeds will go toward taking children from the Canal Alliance out on the water so they can experience the joys of being there. 

On the second day of the boat show, the festivities begin with the Safe Rigging Saves Money seminar from 10:30 to 11:30am. After that, the Quarter After Band will take to the main stage from 11am to 1pm. From noon to 12:30pm, the dunk tank returns with Mitch Dohman, KKMI project manager, as the dunk-ee. Then, from 12:30 to 1:30pm, guests may attend another seminar entitled Electric Powered Boats, No Longer the Future. 

Also on the second day, Tim Rogers, the Sausalito Cruising Club commodore, will be available for dunking from 1 to 1:30pm. From 2:30 to 3:30pm, another seminar on Marine Electronics will take place, followed by a seminar on Marine Navigation from 4:30 to 5:30pm. In the meantime, The Cruz Boys will perform on the main stage from 3 to 5:30pm.

The last day of the Sausalito Boat Show begins with the Chartering for an Alaskan Cruise seminar from 11am to noon. After that, Melissa Blaustein will await at the dunk tank from noon to 12:30pm, and Dan Ashley will perform on the main stage from noon to 2pm. The seminar on swimming from under the Golden Gate Bridge to the Farallon Islands will take place from 1 to 2pm. 

Included on the last day, from 2 to 2:30pm, Nadine Urciuoli of Helmuts Marine Services will man the dunk tank. From 3 to 4pm, the final seminar will teach guests the best canvas options for their vessels. The final musical performance of the event will come from The Millionaires from 3 to 5pm.

Tickets to the boat show are $25 per day for adults, while children 12 and under may attend for free. A full three-day pass is also available for $50. To buy tickets to the Sausalito Boat Show, visit the website at sausalitoboatshow.com. For parking, guests may choose between free shuttled parking, available all weekend, or purchase a premium parking pass. 

VIP tickets cost $145 and are available as well for those interested in a meet and greet experience with two stars from Bravo’s Below Deck, Daisy Kelliher and Fraser Olender, from 1 to 5pm on Oct. 5—VIP passes also include attendance to a special Q&A, a swag bag, cocktail hour and a private reception with the Bravolebrities.

The second annual Sausalito Boat will run on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 4 and 5, from 10am to 6pm and on Sunday, Oct. 6, from 10am to 5pm. This three-day nautical event will occur at the Clipper Yacht Harbor at 310 Harbor Dr. in Sausalito. To learn more, call 415.272.4130 or email sa***************@***il.com.

Civil Grand Jury’s Jail Report Contested by Board of Supes

The Marin County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved its response to a recent Civil Grand Jury Report.

On Tuesday, Sept. 24, the supervisors made it official that they disagreed with all but one of the report’s findings on the county jail and juvenile hall.

Their six-page response follows the release of Marin County Civil Grand Jury’s June report called “Marin County Justice Center: A Model for Change,” which found both the Marin County Jail and the Marin County Juvenile Hall dated and ill-equipped to address the needs of the changing inmate populations. 

The supervisors agreed with the finding that the small population of the Marin County Juvenile Hall “does not justify the extraordinary expense of maintaining the existing facility.” However, they “wholly or partially” disagreed with the remaining points:  

• The jail is dated and doesn’t meet modern standards. 

•  A complex classification system and Assembly Bill 109, legislation that realigned placement for non-violent offenders and resulted in increased jail populations, have reduced programming capacity.  

• The jail lacks adequate medical and mental health facilities.  

• Additional programs are needed at the jail, but physical limitations make them unavailable.  

• The jail’s subterranean location precludes its expansion.  

• The juvenile hall is dated, and its prison-like facility doesn’t create a restorative justice atmosphere.  

• The juvenile hall is inaccessible to many parents and guardians of youths held there. 

The report by the Civil Grand Jury, a group of civilians who audit government practices, included several recommendations. Among them, it called for the board to initiate a study to consider the creation of a new justice center to accommodate those with low-level felonies and a space for juveniles in a separate facility on the same campus. 

Before the supervisors’ decision, Gary Besser, strategic projects manager for the county, said staff disagreed with the overall finding that the extraordinary cost of a new and larger jail facility would add benefit to the criminal justice system in Marin. 

“Furthermore, the legality of a single facility that houses both adults and minors is likely a violation of several state and federal statutes,” Besser said. 

The supervisors’ response addressing each of the findings and the board’s reasons for agreeing, disagreeing or partially disagreeing can be found here: bit.ly/4ddgzRG. It further highlights plans to implement the Civil Grand Jury’s recommendation to remove furniture or objects that could be used to inflict harm. 

A letter from Marin County Sheriff Jamie Scardina detailed his disagreement with several findings as well, specifically noting that the jail is only 30 years old; it has passed state inspections every year of its existence; any complexities brought on by AB 109 have been offset by an overage decrease in the jail’s average daily population, which has been trending downward over the last five years; and the mental health services provided meet and exceed industry standards. 

“In summary, our services are not only adequate and aligned with industry standards but are also continually evolving and improving,” Scardina stated.

Lewd Acts and Arms: Suspected Predator Arrested in Mill Valley

A Mill Valley man was arrested Thursday, Sept. 19, on suspicion of multiple weapon crimes after internet child predator detectives from another county tipped off the sheriff’s office. 

Officers from the Roseville Police Department in Placer County carried out a four-day sting operation to catch internet child predators, according to the Marin County Sheriff’s Office.  

After the operation, a detective from Roseville contacted the Marin Sheriff’s Office about a suspect who lived in an unincorporated area of Mill Valley.  

Roseville detectives requested assistance in verifying that the suspect lived at the house they believed he did and serving the arrest warrant. 

On the morning of Sept. 19, the suspect was apprehended on his way to work, the sheriff’s office said. A search of the house and vehicle of the suspect was executed, and officers allegedly uncovered 11 unregistered firearms and several hundred rounds of ammunition. 

As a convicted felon, the suspect is barred from being in possession of any guns or ammunition.  

According to law enforcement, one of the firearms located was an unserialized AR-15 that had been manufactured from an 80% lower receiver. 

The 37-year-old suspect was booked into the Marin County Jail on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of an unregistered assault weapon and possession of an unserialized firearm.  

According to jail records, the suspect was also arrested on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, arranging to meet with a minor for sex and sending harmful matter meant to seduce a minor.  

The bail amount for the Roseville warrant is $500,000, and Marin County added an additional $50,000.

Good Eats with Restaurateur Dustin Sullivan

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Dustin Sullivan is part of the team behind the new, soon-to-be-opened Mijo in Corte Madera. And if his past restaurants are any indication, we are all in for a tasty time.

What do you do? I’m one of the owners of Guesthouse in Kentfield and Easy Rider in Petaluma. Outside of that, I’m constantly trying to perfect my grilled cheese sandwich.

Where do you live? Greenbrae.

How long have you lived in Marin? I was born at Marin General and raised in Mill Valley, so, 40 years now.

Where can we find you when you’re not at work? Hiking with my dog and my son, cleaning up toys and the occasional date night with my wife.

If you had to convince someone how awesome Marin is, where would you take them? Hiking in the Marin Headlands has always been my happy place. Perhaps lunch at one of Marin’s sneaky good sandwich shops (shout out to Italian Delite, Michael’s Sourdough and TJ’s Deli), and then maybe a very well-behaved bar crawl in Fairfax.

What’s one thing Marin is missing? Reasonably priced houses are hard to come by!

What’s one bit of advice you’d share with your fellow Marinites? 

Try to stop and sit in the moment, especially when you’re around the people you love. Our minds are constantly in the past and the future; it takes a little effort to pause and soak it all in. 

If you could ask anyone to join you at dinner, who would you invite? My Uncle Jack. He passed when I was 15. He was a very talented actor, and his laughter and charisma filled the room.  

What’s some advice you wish you knew 20 years ago? Oh man, I was such a punk kid then, but… maybe that kindness and respect is a super power. And that it’s going to take longer and be harder than you think, so you might as well get started now. 

What’s something that 20 years from now will seem cringeworthy? Hopefully this whole stupid red team / blue team thing we’re stuck in.

Big question. What’s one thing you’d do to change the world? I’d drastically INCREASE politicians’ base pay while making it a federal offense for them to trade stocks or receive campaign contributions. I think you’d start attracting better talent, compared to the hucksters and grifters we have now, on both sides of the aisle.

Coming soon: Mijo will be at 55 Tamal Vista Blvd. in Corte Madera.  

Nish Nadaraja was on the founding team at Yelp and can be found at @IveGotNissues.

Free Will Astrology: Week of Oct. 2

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): During some Wiccan rituals, participants are asked, “What binds you? And what will you do to free yourself from what binds you?” I recommend this exercise to you right now, Aries. Here’s a third question: Will you replace your shackles with a weaving that inspires and empowers you? In other words, will you shed what binds you and, in its stead, create a bond that links you to an influence you treasure?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): If I had to name the zodiac sign that other signs are most likely to underestimate, I would say Taurus. Why? Well, many of you Bulls are rather modest and humble. You prefer to let your practical actions speak louder than fine words. Your well-grounded strength is diligent and poised, not flashy. People may misread your resilience and dependability as signs of passivity. But here’s good news, dear Taurus: In the coming weeks, you will be less likely to be undervalued and overlooked. Even those who have been ignorant of your appeal may tune in to the fullness of your tender power and earthy wisdom.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In the coming days, I invite you to work on writing an essay called “People and Things I Never Knew I Liked and Loved Until Now.” To get the project started, visit places that have previously been off your radar. Wander around in uncharted territory, inviting life to surprise you. Call on every trick you know to stimulate your imagination and break out of habitual ruts of thinking. A key practice will be to experiment and improvise as you open your heart and your eyes wide. Here’s my prophecy: In the frontiers, you will encounter unruly delights that inspire you to grow wiser.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Now is an excellent time to search for new teachers, mentors and role models. Please cooperate with life’s intention to connect you with people and animals who can inspire your journey for the months and years ahead. A good way to prepare yourself for this onslaught of grace is to contemplate the history of your educational experiences. Who are the heroes, helpers and villains who have taught you crucial lessons? Another strategy to get ready is to think about what’s most vital for you to learn right now. What are the gaps in your understanding that need to be filled?

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The English language has more synonyms than any other language. That’s in part because it’s like a magpie. It steals words from many tongues, including German, French, Old Norse, Latin and Greek, as well as from Algonquin, Chinese, Hindi, Basque and Tagalog. Japanese may be the next most magpie-like language. It borrows from English, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, French and German. In accordance with astrological possibilities, I invite you to adopt the spirit of the English and Japanese languages in the coming weeks. Freely borrow and steal influences. Be a collector of sundry inspirations, a scavenger of fun ideas, a gatherer of rich cultural diversity.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Here are my bold decrees: You are entitled to extra bonuses and special privileges in the coming weeks. The biggest piece of every cake and pie should go to you, as should the freshest wonders, the most provocative revelations and the wildest breakthroughs. I invite you to give and take extravagant amounts of everything you regard as sweet, rich and nourishing. I hope you will begin cultivating a skill you are destined to master. I trust you will receive clear and direct answers to at least two nagging questions.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): On those infrequent occasions when I buy a new gadget, I never read the instructions. I drop the booklet in the recycling bin immediately, despite the fact that I may not know all the fine points of using my new vacuum cleaner, air purifier or hairdryer. Research reveals that I am typical. Ninety-two percent of all instructions get thrown away. I don’t recommend this approach to you in the coming weeks, however, whether you’re dealing with gadgets or more intangible things. You really should call on guidance to help you navigate your way through introductory phases and new experiences.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I knew a Scorpio performance artist who did a splashy public show about private matters. She stationed herself on the rooftop of an apartment building and for 12 hours loudly described everything she felt guilty about. (She was an ex-Catholic who had been raised to regard some normal behavior as sinful.) If you, dear Scorpio, have ever felt an urge to engage in a purge of remorse, now would be an excellent time. I suggest an alternate approach, though. Spend a half hour writing your regrets on paper, then burn the paper in the kitchen sink as you chant something like the following: “With love and compassion for myself, I apologize for my shortcomings and frailties. I declare myself free of shame and guilt. I forgive myself forever.”

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Be HEARTY, POTENT and DYNAMIC, Sagittarius. Don’t worry about decorum and propriety. Be in quest of lively twists that excite the adventurer in you. Avoid anyone who seems to like you best when you are anxious or tightly controlled. Don’t proceed as if you have nothing to lose; instead, act as if you have everything to win. Finally, my dear, ask life to bring you a steady stream of marvels that make you overjoyed to be alive. If you’re feeling extra bold—and I believe you will—request the delivery of a miracle or two.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Nineteenth-century Capricorn author Anne Brontë wrote The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, which many critics regard as the first feminist novel. It challenged contemporary social customs. The main character, Helen, leaves her husband because he’s a bad influence on their son. She goes into hiding, becoming a single mother who supports her family by creating art. Unfortunately, after the author’s death at a young age, her older sister Charlotte suppressed the publication of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. It’s not well-known today. I bring this to your attention, Capricorn, so as to inspire you to action. I believe the coming months will be a favorable time to get the attention and recognition you’ve been denied but thoroughly deserve. Start now! Liberate, express and disseminate whatever has been suppressed.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): What is the most important question you want to find an answer for during the next year? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to formulate that inquiry clearly and concisely. I urge you to write it out in longhand and place it in a prominent place in your home. Ponder it lightly and lovingly for two minutes every morning upon awakening and each night before sleep. (Key descriptors: “lightly and lovingly.”) As new insights float into your awareness, jot them down. One further suggestion: Create or acquire a symbolic representation of the primal question.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Scientific research suggests that some foods are more addictive than cocaine. They include pizza, chocolate, potato chips and ice cream. The good news is that they are not as problematic for long-term health as cocaine. The bad news is that they are not exactly healthy. (The sugar in chocolate neutralizes its modest health benefits.) With these facts in mind, Pisces, I invite you to reorder your priorities about addictive things. Now is a favorable time to figure out what substances and activities might be tonifying, invigorating addictions—and then retrain yourself to focus your addictive energy on them. Maybe you could encourage an addiction to juices that blend spinach, cucumber, kale, celery and apple. Perhaps you could cultivate an addiction to doing a pleasurable form of exercise or reading books that thrill your imagination.

Homework: Interested in my inside thoughts about astrology? Read my book ‘Astrology Is Real.’ Free excerpts: tinyurl.com/BraveBliss

Film review: ‘Megalopolis’ is Satyricon 2024

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A curious experience, this Megalopolis. Francis Ford Coppola’s 40th directorial effort has the antiqued flavor of a valedictory mega-production—especially given its opening night live-action streaming introduction featuring Coppola, Robert De Niro and Spike Lee on the big screen, from the New York Film Festival. But the 138-minute costumed extravaganza, written by Coppola and produced under the banner of his American Zoetrope, has more than just “farewell” on its mind. 

There’s so much happening onscreen it would take a three-hour “making of” to examine it all. 

Megalopolis may appear sloppy at first glance, but “ferociously busy” better describes the hectic allegorical tale of the fictional city of New Rome and its jousting, utterly ingrown ruling class. 

The movie has one or two problems. Argentine composer Osvaldo Golijov’s bombastic musical score often gets in its own way, as influential architect/fashion designer Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) contends with corrupt Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito) and decadent billionaire Hamilton Crassus III (Jon Voight), all struggling for power in a framework borrowed from several far-fetched sources.

In tone and narrative thrust, their urban clash echoes Ancient Rome in the days when Julius Caesar’s republic gave way to the imperial cupidity that eventually turned that civilization into a Gothic Nowheresville. Combine that historical thread with Fellini-esque situations and characters—Satyricon, anyone?—mouthing their forced-sounding proto-Shakespearean lines in a lobcockled “futuristic” setting.

Megalopolis flutters through its Western Civ refresher course in a restless flurry. Unfortunately the hurry-up makes better story sense in retrospect than it does in the hot moment. When the characters go into voiceover narration it only reinforces the artificiality. Pinnacles of visual virtuosity, courtesy of Romanian cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr., occur every few minutes as the camera investigates the sinister carnival of thievery and murder. After a while we don’t even notice. The future has never looked so outdated.

Driver’s Catilina is in love with Julia Cicero (British actor Nathalie Emmanuel), daughter of the mayor. When they’re together, nuzzling in bed or posing together precariously on top of a skyscraper, Julia exudes a warm, sensuous fragility. By comparison, her boyfriend looks as if he’d rather be somewhere else. It is Driver’s misfortune to wear the movie’s most outlandish hairstyle, although Dustin Hoffman, in a cameo as somebody called Nush “The Fixer” Berman, runs a close second.

As often happens in this type of saga, the subplot is more entertaining than the main event. Jon Voight’s super-rich Crassus is named after the original “crass” mogul of ancient Rome, General Marcus Licinius Crassus. He and his family provide the greed and sleaze that make New Rome instantly relatable.

The plutocrat’s grandson, Clodio Pulcher (Shia LaBeouf), a power-seeking rich kid of the type familiar to 21st-century audiences, is fond of showing up at large public gatherings in drag. Otherwise he sneaks around with his grandfather’s mistress, Wow Platinum (played by Hollywood’s current “It Girl,” Aubrey Plaza). Clodio and Wow make a game of deceiving the old man, but Crassus is craftier than he looks. Unfortunately the film never delves as deeply into the sins of Esposito’s Mayor Cicero.

The send-up of celebrity worship gets thrown into the satirical blender along with lengthy montages of street crime, political riots and a few sexy musical numbers. A song performed by Vesta Sweetwater (Grace VanderWaal), one of the movie’s unexpected highlights, is much too attractive to be wasted in the shuffle. As if Coppola’s barbed portrait of New Rome’s unhappy residents weren’t obvious enough, the movie climaxes with its own humanistic Pledge of Allegiance.

Coppola reportedly financed the production of Megalopolis himself, by selling some of his winery properties. That can-do spirit identifies him with his generation of independent-minded filmmakers from the 1960s. Megalopolis never quite finds the right rhythm for its laborious critique of timeless immorality, but 52 years after The Godfather, Coppola still finds meaning in social commentary. And Coppola’s throwaway scenes are more worth seeing than most directors’ best.

* * *

In theaters

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