Homeless From Hedge Funds

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Today, a person who works full-time and earns a minimum wage cannot afford a safe place to live almost anywhere in the country.

With half of all renter households now spending more than 30% of their income on housing, millions are one emergency away from homelessness. According to federal data, last year over 650,000 Americans experienced homelessness on a given night—a 12% increase from 2022. Nearly half sleep outside.

Research confirms what should be obvious: unaffordable housing and homelessness are intertwined. A lack of adequate health care and social safety net supports further compound the problem.

Hedge funds and private equity firms have also driven up housing costs since gaining control over a greater share of the market. Blackstone alone owns and manages over 300,000 units, making it the nation’s largest landlord. This financialization of housing treats a basic necessity and fundamental human right as just another commodity.

Cities and states face complex challenges in responding to homelessness. But experts have long documented that the real solution is affordable housing and supportive services, not punishment. Housing those in need ultimately costs less than imprisoning them, both financially and morally.

Guaranteed income programs offer a promising and cost-effective solution. Denver’s innovative, no-strings-attached cash assistance to 807 unhoused participants helped increase their access to housing within one year, while decreasing nights spent unsheltered and reducing reliance on emergency services.

Congress must also do more to invest in all those who call America home.

Currently, only one in four eligible households receive federal rental assistance. Housing rights organizations like the National Homelessness Law Center recommend that Congress invest at least $356 billion on measures like universal rental assistance, expanding the national Housing Trust Fund, and eviction and homelessness prevention.

It will take a broad-based movement to achieve these goals and counter the Court’s latest cruelty against everyone who struggles to get by in America. But the impacts of housing are just as wide-ranging and consequential—from our health to education, security, economic mobility and even our dignity.

Farrah Hassen, J.D., is a writer, policy analyst and adjunct professor in the department of political science at Cal Poly Pomona.

Your Letters, 8/21

Trump Pump

I have been around Marin long enough to remember the Pacific Sun being a voice for the Vietnam antiwar movement. As a conscientious objector, I gave up a lot resisting that worthless war. Today, the Pacific Sun has become what our parents were when they supported endless wars.

Democrats like (Open Mic) Craig Corsini are apologists for the military industrial complex that has captured the Democratic Party/NeoCon Republicans for decades. Trump is the first candidate in my lifetime to resist the deep state mix of Big Tech, Pharma, Military industrial complex and CIA/FBI/NSA control of our government. Support freedom, real change and real democracy. Support Trump.

Tim Peterson

San Anselmo

Gavel Gazing

The SCOTUS has allowed a single applicant to question the legitimacy of Harris as the Democratic nominee, which could be a way to lay the groundwork to question the legitimacy of this year’s election.

How could the Trump Court allow any individual to question the legitimacy of the electoral process? How could this unique example not label the issuer as a subversive, an insurrectionist or even a traitor?

A peaceful, respectful transition of power is the hallmark of a developed, mature people and their government.

Gary Sciford

Santa Rosa

Sneak Peek on Fall Arts

Believe it or not, it’s almost autumn again here in Marin—as ol’ Billy Shakespeare, The Bard himself, said, summer’s lease really does hath all too short a date.

With August wrapping up and pumpkin spice products already sneaking onto the shelves of local markets, it’s safe to say that the long days of summer are already giving way to a festive spirit of fall. And here in Marin County, nothing says summer’s end quite like the annual Fall Arts Roundup.

So, let’s see what kinds of awesome art, artists, exhibitions, performances, events, etc…one can expect to see this coming season.

Mill Valley Film Festival

The Mill Valley Film Festival is a must-attend autumnal arts event in Marin County. This year marks the world-famous film festival’s 47th rendition, and an extra special guest is coming to help celebrate the already momentous occasion. This special guest is none other than BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated actor Jude Law! Film buffs and fans of Jude Law alike will not want to miss this weeklong movie event spanning Oct. 3 to 13. So, be sure to grab some early bird tickets to the Mill Valley Film Festival by visiting mvff.com.

The Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival

The 67th annual Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival is kicking off Marin’s autumnal celebrations of the arts with exhibitions, live music, opportunities for play and oh so much more. It’s hard to go wrong with beginning this fall’s local art appreciation by attending the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival. The festival is set to take place from 10am to 5pm on Sept. 14 and 15. Visit mvfaf.org to learn more about the event or to purchase tickets ahead of time.

Performance Art

Ross Valley Players are kicking off Marin’s fall performance arts with a stellar performance of Crossing Delancey, which is part of the group’s 95th season of shows and will run from Sept. 13 to Oct. 13. The players summarize the show as: “Cosmopolitan, uptown Izzy wants to thrive in the exciting Manhattan literary world. Izzy’s determined grandmother, Ida, wants Izzy to find a nice, Jewish boy and get married. An eccentric matchmaker presents Sam, a humble pickle seller from below Delancey Street. Will Izzy take a chance?”

To learn more about The Ross Valley Players or to purchase tickets to Crossing Delancey, visit the website at rossvalleyplayers.com.

For those craving performance art to watch on the silver screen instead of the stage this autumn in Marin, look no further than The Lark. The Lark has an amazing fall lineup in store for local film buffs, including beloved seasonal movies such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show and even some creative takes on classics, like Matthew Bourne’s dance production of Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands. Visit larktheater.net to see what performance arts one can take in at The Lark this fall.

Written Art

Marin County has played host to a plethora of famed writers over the years. And since fall offers the opportunity to slow down and focus on more indoor-oriented activities, now is the perfect time to delve into some local written art. While Isabell Allende and Alan Watts are obvious choices for Marin-centric authors, maybe this autumn is the time to tackle some new local novels too. So, take a visit out to Point Reyes Books, Wayfinder or even that local library to see if a local piece of literature can satisfy that fall art craving inside one’s heart.

Atlas Barber wrote and published the perfect Marin-local book to buy and tuck into this fall. His new and debut novel, Operation Belvedere—the Sausalito File, is a page-turning thriller that takes place in and celebrates none other than the Marin Headlands. More specifically, readers of the book can delve into a familiar yet fantastical world set in the Sausalito of 1962.

The jacket copy of Operation Belvedere—The Sausalito File reads as follows: “The ice-cold currents of Richardson Bay, drawing in water from the Pacific coastline, have become the place of refuge for a man living in quiet solitude. But when an expressionist masterpiece believed to be long lost suddenly surfaces at auction, art historian Nicholas Storm is forced to face his past.”

Visual Art

Marin Museum of Contemporary Art is coming in hot with a fall art exhibition that’s set to open on Oct. 5 and run through the end of December at the San Rafael satellite location. This exhibition, entitled Opening the Mountain, was curated by Natasha Boas and Asha McGee. According to MarinMOCA, it will “pay tribute to the Beat Poets’ journey with a dynamic, transgenerational exhibition that ties Marin’s present to its past as a hotbed of imaginative thinking.” To learn more about the museum’s plans for fall arts here in Marin, visit the website at marinmoca.org.

Another place to go for fantastic artistic exhibitions this autumn is none other than the Sausalito Center for the Arts, which is hosting the free Milagros & Memories exhibition from Oct. 12 to Nov. 3. Alongside the exhibition, a special event on Oct. 26 invites guests to “honor past loved ones and make new friends while surrounded by incredible art…enjoy delicious Mexican food and drinks as you celebrate through the night,” according to SCA. To learn more about SCA’s plans for autumnal art in Marin, visit the website at sausalitocenterforthearts.org.

Yet another way to appreciate some visual arts in Marin this fall is at the Marin Arts & Crafts Show: The Handcraft of Design. This event will take place Nov. 1 through 3 at the Marin Center Exhibit Hall. To learn more about the Marin Arts & Crafts Show, visit artsandcraftsshow.com/marin.php.

Miscellaneous Art

The 4th annual art exhibition, Pet Parade, is coming back to San Anselmo this fall, in a celebration of companion animals from a collaboration between Cedars Gallery and Marin Humane. The Pet Parade Party will take place from 6 to 8pm on Sept. 6, but guests are welcome to visit the gallery to view and even purchase the animal-themed artwork up until Nov. 22. To learn more, visit cedarslife.org and marinhumane.org.

Autumn is also the perfect time to stock up on holiday gifts. This makes the Marin County Mart’s adorable card shop, The Paper Post–A Card Shop by Sugar Paper, a must-see fall arts pit stop here in Marin. Just swing by the Rustic Bakery for a tasty bite before turning to peruse the pink cottage full of cute cards across the way. The card shop is open from 10am to 4pm on Friday and Saturday and from 10:30am to 4pm on Sunday. Visit marincountrymart.com for information on The Paper Post and other local autumnal arts (of the culinary variety especially).

Note: This list is only the tip of Marin’s autumnal arts iceberg. So, be sure to stay tuned for updates throughout the season too!

The Frog Days of Summer…And More

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Glen Ellen

‘Ribbit Exhibit’ Extended

In some truly uplifting current news, Sonoma Botanical Garden has announced the extension of the Ribbit Exhibit, the North Bay’s most beloved frog-themed exhibition. For those who have yet to attend this rather splendorous artistic installation, now is the perfect time to leap at the opportunity. Hop on by the botanical garden sometime soon to take in the playful, sprawling sculptures of over 20 frogs, all of whom boast a unique name and story. The Ribbit Exhibit will run until Sept. 29, after which one can only assume the frogs will be toad away. So, come on out to the Ribbit Exhibit before it croaks its final croak! And before anyone (else) asks, the answer is no—guests are not allowed to kiss the frogs in the hope of finding an amphibious prince (I already asked). The frogs and their gardens are located at 12841 along Highway 12 in Glen Ellen, and they welcome visitors daily from 10am to 5pm. To learn more about this ribbeting exhibit, visit sonomabg.org.

Sausalito

What’s Kula ‘Anela A-Boat?

Sausalito’s Tamalpais Outrigger Canoe Club is hosting its 29th annual Kula ‘Anela race later this month in what’s sure to be Marin’s most exciting (and buoyant) racing event of the season. Those racing their boats will begin their adventures at the base of the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge, then continue to paddle through the bay and loop all the way around Angel Island before coming back to shore once more. The Tamalpais Outrigger Canoe Club’s Kula ‘Anela race day begins bright and early on Saturday, Aug. 24 with an 8am registration. For more information about Sausalito’s Kula ‘Anela race, registration, afterparty or to pre-order a poke lunch, visit tamoutrigger.org.

Novato

Treasured Trash

The fall “Trash to Treasures” Flea Market is back at it again, which means Novato is officially kicking off Marin County’s opportunities for holiday shopping with some thrift and style. Everyone and their grandmother is invited to come on out to this entirely free and unique indoor community flea market to browse and buy second-hand treasures to one’s heart’s content. And don’t worry—there will be plenty of food and other goodies available for purchase at the flea market too, especially since so much shopping can work up quite the appetite. The fall “Trash to Treasures” Flea Market is set to take place from 9am to 2pm on Saturday, Sept. 28. This event is hosted by and located at The Margaret Todd Senior Center at 1560 Hill Rd. in Novato. For more information, call 415.899.8290 or email no*******@****to.org.

Santa Rosa

SoCo Record Sale Arrives

The Sonoma County Record Sale is coming, and with it over 30 local vendors who are all set to sell thousands of records to local and transient musical enthusiasts alike. Attendees of all ages are welcome, including canine companions who measure their age in dog years. Alongside the vendors and good vibes, guests can also expect food and beer. Early bird entry begins at 11am, with tickets costing a staggeringly modest $5 (in this economy?). The Sonoma County Record Sale is taking place from noon to 6pm on Sunday, Aug. 25 at the Shady Oak Barrel House, located at 420 1st St. in Santa Rosa. More information about the record sale and other events at the Shady Oak Barrel House can be found at shadyoakbarrelhouse.com.

Film review: ‘Widow Clicquot’ fuses past and present

In Albert and David Maysles’ documentary, Grey Gardens, Little Edie Beale in a melancholy aside confides to the camera, “It’s very difficult to keep the line between the past and the present. Do you know what I mean? Awfully difficult.” The Beales, mother and daughter, didn’t keep that line. While their East Hampton manse rotted, the past consumed them in a vortex of passivity and psychological decay. 

The past and the present also fuse together in Thomas Napper’s Widow Clicquot. Filmed in somber tones and autumnal hues, the director, with editor Richard Marizy, moves deftly back and forth in time. But Barbe Nicole Clicquot’s (Haley Bennett) memories of her late husband François (Tom Sturridge) don’t paralyze her. After his unexpected death, she inherits the Clicquot family vineyards and sets out to save the imperiled estate by implementing new approaches to viticulture.

An epilogue confirms that, at the turn of the 19th century, the titular widow revolutionized the craft of making champagne. The Veuve Clicquot brand still sparkles at dinner tables two centuries later. And while a sequence shows Barbe stewing and brewing up new vintages in flasks and beakers—Madame Curie as an oenophile—that final on-screen note means to compensate for a gap in the narrative. According to the Veuve Clicquot website, Madame Clicquot’s innovations led to “the first known vintage champagne; the invention of the riddling table; the first known blended rosé champagne.”

Widow Clicquot glides over these didactic details. The screenplay, by Erin Dignam, invents lyrical and melodramatic sketches of the truncated life the Clicquots shared as a couple. In recounting their intimacies, the audience begins to see what sustained and inspired Barbe in the years following François’ death.

As newlyweds scantily clad in bed, they describe the wine they’re drinking to each other. Barbe begins the exchange, “Floral. Like our rose garden. In June, after a rain shower. And burning leaves and twigs …” François completes her thought with the words, “And the apple orchard when the trees are at their tallest.” This flirtatious exchange ends in laughter. The Clicquots delighted in each other’s minds and imaginations as well as their bodies. 

On another occasion, Barbe encounters François while he caresses and sings to the planted grape vines. Reluctantly, she joins him in song. Enraptured, he sinks happily down to the ground, indifferent to the mud that dirties his clothing and skin. Their marriage was also an apprenticeship, with him a hands-on teacher divulging the secrets of his trade and she a willing, adept pupil.

These summery scenes filled with billowing white curtains and shimmering sunlight are juxtaposed with scenes suffused in darkness. A severe black dress and veil that wholly swallow her up replace Barbe’s white negligee. Her long braids of hair reappear coiled and wound up tightly around the top of her head. François, once naked in bed, now lies unclothed on a cold mortuary table in preparation for his burial.

Without spelling out his particular brand of madness, the doomed François appears to have struggled with both addiction and depression. Widow Clicquot is initially framed as a great cinematic love story, un amour fou, until François’ instability upends the marriage. After his death, she faces the future with a resolute sense of practicality. Barbe revisits the past, but isn’t haunted by the memory of her husband. A haunting implies a feeling of stasis caused by an assertive ectoplasm that forces the living to stay fixed in place. She emerges from the wreckage of her marriage not embittered but emboldened.

Bennett appears on-screen in every scene of the movie. Widow Clicquot isn’t her first starring role, but it provides her with an opportunity to carry a feature film in which a solitary woman dismantles the patriarchy. In the same way that Florence Pugh and Anya Taylor-Joy destroyed their male rivals in Lady Macbeth and The Witch, respectively. As Barbe, Bennett’s voice is maternal, conciliatory and also unwavering. All of the character’s defiance resides in her eyes and posture. She stands still with a perfectly straight back, closing her eyes ever so slightly before glowering with the same degree of ferocity that Charlotte Rampling so easily summons up.

‘Widow Clicquot’ is now playing at the Orinda Theatre and is available to stream.

Nancy Pelosi speaks truth about power in new book

When House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and her husband attended the Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson show at Shoreline Amphitheatre a few weeks ago, they sat in section 102. I sat in 101.

The Pelosi entourage arrived right before Dylan came on. The sun remained just above the horizon, prompting dozens of peaceful, joyous fans to stand up and snap photos of the Pelosis. The poignant moment seemed a testament to humanity and life itself, since earlier that same morning I had just read the first 34 pages of Pelosi’s new book, The Art of Power.

In harrowing detail, the opening chapters described the October night in 2022 when a deranged far-right conspiracist broke into the Pelosi home in San Francisco armed with a hammer and twist-ties. The attacker told Paul that Nancy was his intended target because she was the “leader of the pack” against Donald Trump. He later bludgeoned Paul over the head three times, nearly killing him. Thankfully, Paul survived, but more than a year later, Nancy’s husband still suffers from headaches and dizzy spells.

Trump, along with his offspring and several high-profile Republicans, reacted with jokes about the attack. Some of them are still cracking jokes.

In The Art of Power, Nancy writes that her house remains a target thanks to Republican-led ecosystems of hate speech and conspiracies. Similar behavior is on the rise outside the homes of elected and appointed officials throughout the country.

“Amid this poisonous rhetoric, I also do not hear serious, sustained calls by the other side saying that threats of political violence and personal demonization are unacceptable,” Nancy writes.

When she speaks to young people about running for office, especially to young women, too often she hears a reluctance to put their families in harm’s way.

“What they most often mention now as their greatest fear is the attack on Paul—and that something like that could happen in their own homes,” she writes. “We cannot ask people to serve in public life if the cost is risking the safety of their families and those they love.”

Speaking of safety risks, the congressional leader provides many details about Jan. 6 in The Art of Power. The mob of Trump supporters chanted “Hang Mike Pence” as they ransacked the hallways of the Capitol. Many also chanted “Where the fuck is Nancy?” During the insurrection, 138 officers from the Capitol and DC Metropolitan Police were injured and 15 were hospitalized.

Rioting Trump fans hit officers on the head with lead pipes and sprayed them with chemical irritants. They beat officers with stun guns, fists, sticks and clubs. One officer sustained two cracked ribs and two smashed spinal discs. Another was stabbed with a metal fence stake.

And this: Assuming they would not survive the violence, many congressional staff and even members of the vice president’s own security detail called their families to tell them goodbye.

“Watching the insurrection, which Trump had instigated, begging him to provide the National Guard—as we did and which he refused to send—and taking into account my own worries about the basic security of Vice President Mike Pence, hiding inside the Capitol complex, and the important role he had to play, I knew we had to prevail,” Nancy writes.

Prevail they did, although 121 Republicans, including Kevin McCarthy and Steve Scalise, couldn’t admit out loud that Trump lost Arizona, so they voted against the certification of that state’s electoral votes. Even after a violent mob defecated inside the Capitol and smashed everything in its path, some Republicans still sided with the mob.

The chapter about Jan. 6 is titled “That Our Flag is Still There.” Even as rioters waved Confederate flags and wore “Camp Auschwitz” T-shirts, Old Glory still flew on the Capitol after the insurrectionist mob was removed and Congress played its constitutional role in certifying Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 election.

Following Bob Dylan’s set at Shoreline Amphitheatre, Willie Nelson headlined the evening with a huge American flag behind him. Approximately 17,000 joyous and peaceful fans cheered him on. Dylan, 83, and Willie, 91, have done more to keep America great than any flag-clutching MAGA malcontent. I’m glad Nancy and Paul Pelosi were alive to witness the show.

Free Will Astrology: Week of Aug. 21

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): Some centenarians testify they have lived more than a century because they smoked many cigarettes, drank a lot of booze and ate a steady diet of junk food. Should the rest of us adapt their habits? Of course not. The likelihood of remaining healthy while following such an unsound regimen is infinitesimal. Just because a few lucky people miraculously thrived like that is not a sound argument for imitating them. I bring this to your attention, Aries, because the coming weeks will be an excellent time to upgrade your commitment to healthy habits. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to love your body better, this is it.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus stage magician Doug Henning had lavish ambitions. They served him well as he became a star performer in theater and on TV. “If I produce a 450-pound Bengal tiger,” he said, “it’s going to create a lot more wonder than if I produce a rabbit.” That’s the spirit I invite you to embrace in the coming weeks, Taurus. The cosmos is authorizing you to expand your understanding of what you can accomplish—and then accomplish it. Dream bigger dreams than you have previously dared.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The color of planet Earth is predominantly blue with green, brown and white mixed in. And for people all over the world, blue is more often their favorite color than any other. Why? In part because blue typically evokes peace, tranquility, security and stability. It’s often used in therapeutic environments, since it makes us feel more at ease about expressing our feelings. I bring these thoughts to your attention, Gemini, because you are entering a blue phase of your cycle. It will be a favorable time to harvest the benefits of relaxing and slowing down. You are more likely to feel at home with yourself and accept yourself just as you are.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Harvard Business School professor Gerald Zaltman, born under the sign of Cancer, says that 95% of our buying choices originate in our subconscious minds. Behavioral psychologist Susan Weinschenk believes 90% of all our decision-making is unconscious. But I propose that in the coming weeks, you increase the amount of conscious awareness you bring to sorting out your options. Cosmic energies will conspire in your favor if you do. You will receive unexpected boosts and generate creative enhancements if you resolve to rouse more lucid analysis and careful thoughtfulness.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A wealthy hedge fund manager named Raj Rajaratnam paid Leo singer Kenny Rogers $4 million to perform at his epic birthday party. But the night turned nightmarish for Rogers when Rajaratnam insisted that he sing his hit song “The Gambler” over and over again. Finally, after 12 repetitions, Rogers refused to do more. I wonder if you, too, might soon have to deal with a situation that’s too much of a good thing. My advice: Make sure all agreements between you and others are clear and firm. Get a guarantee that you will receive exactly what you want, and don’t do more than you have promised.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Now and then, zoologists decide that their classifications of species need to be revised and refined. For example, three subspecies of soft-furred, teardrop-shaped hedgehogs in Southeast Asia were recently elevated to distinct species of their own. They are no longer considered to be subspecies of Hylomys suillusbut, but are now named H. dorsalis, H. maxi and H. peguensis. I bring this to your attention, Virgo, because I suspect that you, too, are ready for an upgrade to a new category all your own. It’s time for you to claim greater sovereignty. You will be wise to define how distinctive and unique you are, to distinguish yourself from influences that are superficially like you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): When mega-famous artist Pablo Picasso was asked how he felt about NASA landing people on the moon in 1969, he said, “It means nothing to me. I have no opinion about it, and I don’t care.” I invite you to use his statement as one of your power mottoes in the coming weeks. Now is an excellent time to identify the experiences, influences, events and people about which you have absolutely zero interest. Once you do that, I predict you will have a rush of clear revelations about the most interesting experiences, influences, events and people you want in your future.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu made an observation that could serve as your watchword in the coming months. “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,” he wrote, “while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” In my astrological opinion, Scorpio, you are now primed to embody and express these states with unique intensity. If you embrace the inspiring challenge of loving deeply and being loved deeply, you will reach new heights of strength and courage.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Many musical instruments must be constantly adjusted to ensure they stay in tune. This usually means that the note A above middle C vibrates at 440 cycles per second—with all other notes tuned in relation to it. Having sung in bands for years, I have seen how guitarists, bass players, violinists and even drummers have to continually attend to their tuning during performances. Imagine the diligent finesse it takes to keep an entire orchestra of many instruments in tune with each other. I suspect that one of your jobs in the coming weeks, Sagittarius, will have similarities to this kind of management and coordination.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Dancing is always good for you, but it will be extra healthy and energizing in the next four weeks. I hope you will be inspired to dance as often as possible, even if you just do it alone in your kitchen or bedroom while listening to music that moves you. Do you need rational explanations for why this is a good idea? OK, here are the hard facts: Dancing reduces stress, raises serotonin levels, enhances well-being and is excellent physical exercise. Here’s another motivational reason: Dancing literally makes you smarter. Scientific research clearly says so (tinyurl.com/SmartDancing). Furthermore: In the near future, you will be in a playful, sexy, exuberant phase of your astrological cycle.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “Quo signo nata es?” is the Latin expression for “What’s your sign?” Did anyone in ancient Rome ever say that? Probably not, since it’s a modern idiom. However, astrology was very popular in that society and era. According to scholar Rhianna Padman in her essay “Astrology in Ancient Rome,” Romans “believed that the specific positions of celestial bodies at the moment of a person’s birth could greatly impact their life and character.” Back then, Thrasyllus of Mendes was a prominent astrologer who became a key advisor to Emperor Tiberius. Anyway, Aquarius, I bring “Quo signo nata es?” to your attention so as to inspire the following assignment: Update all your old favorite things. Put new spins on symbols and ideas that have served you for a long time. Take the best parts of your traditions and transplant them into the future.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The coming weeks will be an excellent time to declare amnesty about all matters affecting your close alliances. Dissolve grudges, please. Tussle less, play more. Relax your demands and expectations—and nicely ask your companions to relax their demands and expectations. If possible, forgive others and yourself for everything; failing that, forgive as much of everything as feels right. You might even convene a ritual in which you and your intimate collaborators chant the following affirmation: “We are gleefully free to reimagine and reinvent the ways we fit together!”

Homework: What ideas are you allergic to? What feelings make you sick? Can you immunize yourself against them? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Best Way to Experience Love at the Lighthouse

Point Reyes Lighthouse, Inverness

Marin County’s most famous, and entirely fictitious, love story took place in the late 1800s at the then-recently constructed Point Reyes Lighthouse. The tale goes a little bit like this:

Once upon a time, there was a man who lived in a lighthouse. He spent his days as one would expect: cold, alone and pining away for the companionship of a woman to help warm his nights and brighten his days. But alas, the life of a lighthouse operator in the years following 1870 was … well, not exactly conducive toward attracting a mate. And the lack of dating apps certainly did not help.

But one day, as if in answer to the man’s prayers, a beautiful woman washed ashore following a shipwreck that the history books suggest was probably not the lighthouse operator’s fault.

The woman’s name was Marin(a), and she was a stunner, so much so that even her recent almost-drowning couldn’t detract from her beauty. Needless to say, the lighthouse operator was instantly smitten and, upon saving her, knew he would never love another. He nursed her back to health and hung on her every word and whim.

Time passed by, and the lighthouse operator fell deeply in love with Marin(a). When the lighthouse operator could no longer hold his feelings secret, he confessed his love for her in a passionate outpouring of prose so saccharine that most of the historical documentation is redacted: “Marin(a), I adore you—I cannot live without [REDACTED] and need you to [REDACTED] with every fiber of my [REDACTED] …”

Marin(a), overcome by “womanly hysteria,” naturally fled the scene of the confession to take a moment alone to think. Alas, the only path to privacy was up 313 steps. At first, she picked up her skirts in dramatic fashion and ran up the steps with her lover on her heels. Bosom heaving, she paused around step 56 and gestured for the lighthouse operator to pause for her to catch her breath.

By the last step, Marin(a), trembling from exertion, fell into the arms of her paramour.

“Rip this damned bodice off me, will you?” she asked. And the rest is fictitious history.

The lighthouse is located at 27000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Inverness.

Best Way to Roll a Joint With the ‘Pacific Sun’

Don’t do it in the first place

When it comes to the consumption of cannabis in Marin County, there is enough local historical and cultural material to fill at least a few books. Between the beatnik and hippie movements of the past and the easy-breeze Nice Guys delivery of the present, it’s safe to say that Marin County’s morale is … well, high. Very high.

Factor in the origin story of 4/20 being a local bit of lore along with San Rafael being the literal epicenter of the Waldos storyline, and it’s hard to deny that the North Bay is a bit of a cannabis cultural epicenter.

So, in celebration of the stoners who paved the way for modern lovers of the devil’s lettuce to “puff puff passing” things along today, it is high time to unite newspapers and cannabis into one—one joint, that is.

While technically one should never roll a joint out of a newspaper since the ink is not fit for human consumption, let’s briefly ignore that fact for the sake of some laughs. So, with that warning in mind, it’s time to delve into the process of rolling a joint from a Pacific Sun newspaper:

Step one is, of course, to consume an edible at least two hours prior to trying to roll the joint. Step two is to pick up and try to read a Pacific Sun newspaper.

Once step two successfully fails, either cut up the newspaper into individual rolling papers or commit to the bit and roll one giant joint instead—preferably with the front page facing outward so people know it’s a Pacific Sun joint and not a Marin IJoint.

Step three involves packing that newspaper high with whatever weed one can find and then licking the edges of the newspaper profusely and passionately prior to rolling it all up to the best of one’s own individual ability. And last but not least, step four is to smoke that righteous Pacific Sun joint like the Waldos are watching.

Dimensions of joints may vary upon preference of desired density and girth for ensuring optimal satisfaction. Note that the steps above are best when undertaken on a windy day on some Marin County beach or another.

Best Way to Ensure Home Repair Doesn’t Become the Wrong Talking Heads Song

Fairfax Lumber & Hardware, Fairfax

I bet I’m not alone in being among those whose understanding of “home improvement” starts with This Old House—the Bob Vila edition—and ends with Home Improvement with Tim “The Voice of Buzz Lightyear” Allen. This was back when television was still a meaningful part of our collective media diets, and long before many of us had any ambitions toward so-called “pride of ownership” when it comes to our homes.

Most of those lucky enough to own a home in Marin can also likely afford a team of specialists and professionals when it comes to giving their domicile a needed repair or, as often, a glow-up. Those who are more, ahem, hands-on, can opt for the do-it-yourself approach, knowing an entire industry exists to support their efforts.

But before we begin bothering professional Dad-looking dudes in the aisles of Home Depot to ascertain how to swap out a dimmer switch without, as David Byrne once proclaimed, “Burning Down the House!”, there exists a local option that’s almost as close as one’s mobile YouTube app when it comes to home-repair conundrums. 

“I use YouTube to get general information,” says Augie Venezia, president of Fairfax Lumber & Hardware, in Fairfax. Indeed, online is a good place to start. But consulting someone in-person, who has practical, firsthand knowledge, is even better. “At least working here, most of us have done the jobs ourselves. So, we know the ins and outs of making everything work,” Venezia adds.

Beyond know-how, they also have the materials and tools needed to get the job done. Fairfax Lumber & Hardware provides not only expert advice but also a sense of community support. It’s more than just a store—it’s a hub for local DIY enthusiasts and professionals alike. 

Also of note: The store is 100% employee-owned. So I urge anyone tackling a minor fix or embarking on a major renovation to go to Fairfax and—as Byrne also sang, “…You may find yourself in a beautiful house!”

Visit fairfaxlumber.com.

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Fairfax Lumber & Hardware, Fairfax I bet I’m not alone in being among those whose understanding of “home improvement” starts with This Old House—the Bob Vila edition—and ends with Home Improvement with Tim “The Voice of Buzz Lightyear” Allen. This was back when television was still a meaningful part of our collective media diets, and long before many of us...
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