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Volume 20 Issue 50 August 4, 2014
For 20 years The Synthesis’ goal has remained to provide a forum for entertainment, music, humor, community awareness, opinions, and change.
Columns
This Week...
Letter From the Editor
Publisher/Managing Editor
by Amy Olson
amy@synthesis.net
PAGE 4
Creative Director
Immaculate Infection
Tanner Ulsh graphics@synthesis.net
by Bob Howard
Madbob@madbob.com
PAGE 5
Comical Ruminations by Zooey Mae
PAGE 5
Contributing Writers
pwasted@synthesis.net
PAGE 6
Supertime!
logankruidenier.tumblr.com
PAGE 16
Ben Kirby
PAGE 17
PAGE 19
The Frugal Terran by TripHazard
PAGE 20
Kozmik Debris by Koz McKev
PAGE 19
PAGE 21
From The Edge
by Anthony Peyton Porter
PAGE 22 COVER PHOTO Rick Barnett
Karen Potter
Bill Fishkin bill@synthesis.net
by Mona Treme
Fallujah
Director of Operations
Owner
Consider the Platypus
Review
Nerd
Accounting
howlmovesmountains.tumblr.com
PAGE 8
Jessica Sid Vincent Latham
Dain Sandoval dain@synthesis.net
Howl
PAGE 18
Arielle Mullen, Bob Howard, Howl, Koz McKev, Tommy Diestel, Jayme Washburn, Eli Schwartz, Mona Treme, Emiliano Garcia-Sarnoff, Jon Williams
Photography
by Logan Kruidenier
Get your mind out of the gutter.
Liz Watters, Mike Valdez graphics@synthesis.net Joey Murphy, Jennifer Foti
by Eli Schwartz
Lookin’ for a Hole
Alex Light Alex@synthesis.net SynthesisWeekly.com/submit-yourevent/
Deliveries
Productivity Wasted
Art Report
Entertainment Editor
Designers
zooey@synthesis.net
kozmckev@sunset.net
Amy Olson amy@synthesis.net
The Synthesis is both owned and published by Apartment 8 Productions. All things published in these pages are the property of Apartment 8 Productions and may not be reproduced, copied or used in any other way, shape or form without the written consent of Apartment 8 Productions. One copy (maybe two) of the Synthesis is available free to residents in Butte, Tehama and Shasta counties. Anyone caught removing papers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. All opinions expressed throughout the Synthesis are those of the author and are not necessarily the same opinions as Apartment 8 Productions and the Synthesis. The Synthesis welcomes, wants, and will even desperately beg for letters because we care what you think. We can be reached via snail mail at the Synthesis, 210 W. 6th St., Chico, California, 95928. Email letters@ synthesis.net. Please sign all of your letters with your real name, address and preferably a phone number. We may also edit your submission for content and space.
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PET OF THE WEEK
How the West was Won T wi tchy Contrary to her name, Twitchy is actually a very laid-back, easygoing gal - she’s a couch potato who loves attention and always responds with purrs and headbutts. She was surrendered when her owner developed cat allergies, but by all accounts is an excellent roommate. Consider making her yours!
2579 Fair Street Chico, CA 95928 (530) 343-7917 • buttehumane.org
Now Hear This SYNTHESIS WEEKLY PLAYLIST Neil Cicierega
Tanner
Neil Cicierega - “Imagine All Star People”
Mike
Hot Since 82 - “Cry Mumbai”
Stephen
Rammstein - “Zelstoren”
Matt
Journey - “Lights”
Robert
Benji Huges - “Waiting for an Invitation”
Mark
Engines of the Universe - “Money Can’t Buy Us”
Andrea
Royksopp - “Happy Up Here”
Becca
Santigold - “Disparate Youth”
Alex
The Used - “Box Full of Sharp Objects”
4
SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 3 2014
First and foremost: I’m ever-so-pleased to announce that Mr. Anthony Peyton Porter has decided to join us as a columnist. We’ve all really missed reading his column, From The Edge, since he parted ways with the CN&R several months back, and I’ll admit to a certain measure of pride swelling in my chest that he’ll be calling the Synthesis home. I like to think that we represent a forum for people in the community to write about what they find important, be it opinions, personal experiences, or artistic expressions, and Anthony Porter typifies that beautifully. You’ll find his opening column (which is incredibly moving, by the way) in its traditional place right in the back of the paper. Second and nextmost: my memory is officially going to pot. Or went to pot, because of pot… something like that. It’s been several years since I thusly clouded my poor little brain, and I’m starting to think it may actually never be as sharp on the recall as it once was. For example: About a week ago I heard that Michelin Embers was releasing a new album. So familiar! Who is that? Hey Dain, do I know who they are? Yes, we saw them with Wayne Hancock at the Blue Room last year. You really liked them, you talked about it a bunch. Right, yes, that band with the washtub and the crazy sort of spaghetti-western thing going... I’m like a senile old woman, but without the fun hats. The actually embarrassing part was when we ran into Johnny down at Amigos de Acapulco, and I spontaneously decided to relay this delightful and probably insulting anecdote. Smooth. Despite my broken mental filters, they let me crash a rehearsal and get to know them. I’ve since been binge-listening to their new album, Lookin’ for a Hole. It’s really fun, totally unique, and I’m stoked I finagled a copy. As an unexpected side effect of that interview, I’ve also been watching about a million old westerns on Netflix. Did you know that John Wayne is smokin’ hot? I can totally see why
my grandma had a giant picture of him in her livingroom (true story). Also, Clint Eastwood: smokin’ hot. And the guy who was “The Bad” from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: evil-hot. Although, he kinda looks like Dan Beveridge, and now I feel bad because I work with his wife. The thing about old westerns is that nobody values their own life (except for Tuco: he who double-crosses him and leaves him alive knows nothing of Tuco); it’s all about the people you love or the cause of justice or your one shot at something grand. All the women are ruthlessly passionate, throwing themselves into the path of danger to protect their loved ones; all the leading men are rough and untouchably stoic, willing to take any risk, suffer any loss for the cause they believe in. Even the outlaws are oddly heroic, willing to die for their wild freedom or that big score or their chance at infamy. And the music is EPIC, grand and sweeping and driving and infectious. I’m all about westerns now. And this terrible show called Cedar Cove that I started watching so I could have a series that Dain wouldn’t be bummed if I watched without him. It’s so bad.
Letter From the Editor by Amy Olson
amy@synthesis.net
Aqua-Therapy for Treating a Mad World
You Dropped Your Smile
ROLLING DOWN THE RIVER IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL. The Arf and Arf Trish and I recently inherited a canoe. It is a large vessel as canoes go, measuring nearly twenty feet in length. It was made to hold three or four people and gear, and used for annual two-week long trips down the Green River in Southern Utah. Trish’s dad and some friends of his made a series of canoes out of red or yellow fiberglass. The one we have was the last of the group, and by the time they got to it they only had enough red and yellow fiberglass to make a half a canoe from each. As a result, our canoe is half yellow and half red, affectionately titled the “Arf and Arf.” Long story short, last week we finally got the Arf and Arf into the water and down the river. We launched her here in Los Molinos and guided her down the Sacramento River to Woodson Bridge in Corning. The brief excursion had us out on the water for about three and a half hours. Tranquilo It’s another world out there. Generally it is pretty peaceful here in the country, but on the river it is downright serene. In Mexico they have a word that doesn’t quite translate into English—“tranquilo.” It’s used to describe a particularly beautiful spot of coastline, or a sweeping valley, or the white sand beaches of Acapulco before the drug lords. It represents beauty, peacefulness, and an element of the sublime. The trip down the river was like that—a moving meditation, an opportunity to shed all of the chattering, underlying monologue, and to simply be. The flow of the
river, the interplay between light and water, and the unfettered access to wildlife make it almost impossible for the inanities of daily human life to creep in. The four hours seemed to go by in fifteen minutes, and I left the river feeling lightness in my soul I haven’t felt in ages. I highly recommend this kind of aqua-therapy for anyone feeling stifled and stymied by the pressures and trappings of the modern world. The God, Gods, or no God Must be Crazy The world out there is crazy and I thank God, the Gods, or no God that we live where we do, and not in Gaza, Syria, Central America, or a host of other regions where political strife and violence are running rampant. Those old gods of chaos are forever prowling, and I suppose someday they’ll find their way to us. For now though, I’ll enjoy the cocoon and celebrate my small worries. I’ll fret over the waterproofing of our underground pub and wonder at the oaks towering overhead. I’ll give thanks for good soil, a full aquifer, and cold beer. At night I’ll dance with the full moon and the black cats, during the day I’ll run the water and the swamp cooler and try and guess when the first rains will come. Sometimes I’ll sit very still and stare at it all.
Immaculate Infection by Bob Howard Madbob@madbob.com
The other day I was in a local downtown eatery when I overheard something that made me cringe. A woman sitting at the counter by herself was asked by a random older gentleman, “How far along are you?” He was sitting far enough away from her that he really had to project his embarrassingly out-of-bounds question, so much so that it felt like everyone around stopped what they were doing to wait with bated breath for her answer. I won’t get into how it played out, suffice to say that you should never ask a stranger any version of that question unless you happen to be a physician staring into the business end of a vagina that is in the middle of expelling a human. Recently I’ve been feeling increasingly annoyed with this disturbing trend of men feeling entitled to make comments about or to women who are strangers to them regarding their appearance and bodies. Whether it’s the eyeroll-inducing “Hey, you dropped your smile,” or more disturbing acts like physically touching or issuing sexually explicit comments, it’s all different shades of the same bullshit behavior. Some people might not think that comments or cat calls from strangers is a big deal. These people are idiots. The fact is, when men feel they have the right to do these things, and when we allow them to, the message that we send is that women’s bodies are not their own. That by being in public, we automatically consent to being objectified. That our bodies are public domain, open receptacles for every remark and opinion that might grace the limited mental space of any mouth-breather we’re unlucky enough to encounter. According to Debani Roy, deputy director of Hollaback! (an organization dedicated to ending street harassment), street harassment “is about ownership of public spaces. It is also an opportunity to do this thing that everyone does to women—which is objectify them.
It’s the idea that it’s okay to police what is acceptable in terms of what it means to be a woman, be feminine, be attractive.” Some are of the opinion that us women should just lighten up. That the remarks are just the friendly (if a bit clumsy) outbursts of our fellow man who is simply attempting to connect with us. The problem here, however, is that within our society’s current condition, feeling safe is not a luxury we women are afforded most of the time. Furthermore, remarks which seek to criticize a woman’s appearance in some way or another still perpetuate the false pretense that we women are here for the viewing pleasure of others. Yes, I know that when I’m deep in thought or daydreaming that my face has a tendency to look annoyed. No, I don’t fucking care if that isn’t nice for you to look at. So what can we do? In the past, I have had men forcefully touch and grab me, yell things at me, try to physically block my path, or rub their dick on me in a public space, and I’ve mostly tried to ignore this behavior. But increasingly I feel the better thing to do is speak up and let them know exactly what I think of what they’re doing. If I say nothing, keep my head down and hurry past, I feel like I’m perpetuating the cycle. Alternatively, to step up and reply back (in whatever way you see fit), I feel is a better solution. If nothing else, it may give them pause before they behave badly again. Additionally, check out sites like cardsagainstharassment. com, stoptellingwomentosmile.com and ihollaback.org for alterative ways to respond or information on how to help combat the problem.
Comical Ruminations by Zooey Mae
zooey@synthesis.net
FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 5
Gods Will Be Watching A MISSED OPPORTUNITY Gods Will be Watching is a new indie sensation—sort of. A stripped-down prototype of it won the Ludum Dare Game Jam, a contest in which participants are given two days and a theme with which to make a game. It was awarded ‘Best Original Concept’ at international indie developer conference hóPLAY in Spain. It exceeded its crowdfunding goal of $25,000 and was picked up by small, quirky, yet prestigious publisher Devolver Digital of Serious Sam and Hotline Miami fame. Upon release, major reviewers were giving it sevens, eights, and nines out of ten. It has been hailed as an incredible new story-based experience. Try to understand, then, my confusion at discovering that this game was really, quite terrible to play. Gods Will be Watching sells itself on its story and on the difficult moral choices presented within it, and it does indeed have both of these things. I can’t say either are particularly excellent, but in truth, they’re pretty good, and if the mechanics were good, I might even recommend them for adding depth to a game. Yet I could tell from the opening cutscene, a stilted exposition festival with a few typos, that it wouldn’t be causing any visceral reactions, except perhaps a mild pursing of the lips. The story of the game cannot hope to survive in the face of the mechanics, which inspire frustration, hate, and eventually, that most lethal of attitudes: uncaring repetition. The mechanics follow the adventure standard of point and click supplemented by various options by which to interact with objects. When clicked on, a list of options appears, and then the player must decide, usually 6
SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 4 2014
as fast as possible. By putting the player in tense scenes with limited time and loads of choices, the game forces the player to think in order to micromanage properly. However, you’ll quickly discover that you’re supposed to do a little bit of everything, in the perfect order, or you’ll die and have to restart the entire level every single time. It is, essentially, a game which tests your pattern recognition, memorization, and most definitely, your patience. It comes down somewhere between plate-spinning and Simon Says with a feedback system that is all stick and no carrot. There are degrees of randomization in place as well; at times, some essential decisions are entirely randomized (and the punishment is usually, if not always, death), distilling the game down to a series of doors, behind one of which is a piece of cheese, and all the rest are electrified. I am not, as I originally thought, alone in this opinion. A quick glance at the game’s user reviews will tell you all you need to know: by and large, gamers are frustrated and disappointed by a game that came from ambitious and interesting places, received great hype, and ultimately proved largely dissatisfactory. I would call this the Bioshock Infinite of indie games, but in all honesty: I liked Infinite better. Even after the hype glamour was rubbed away, there were parts I enjoyed, and no real heavy frustration at the game itself, only at the media for building it up. I cannot say the same for Gods Will be Watching.
Productivity Wasted by Eli Schwartz pwasted@synthesis.net
PHOTOS BY JESSICA SID
On The Town
FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 7
BY AMY OLSON The heat that day was thick with the smoke of a distant wildfire, damp with the sweat of working men and the breath of panting dogs. I moved slowly through the yard, dragging the troubles of a hard day behind me to take a seat at the bar. Flies buzzed. The sickly sweet smells of beer and tobacco lingered in the air like an unwelcome stranger who couldn’t take a hint. All eyes turned to me briefly, then back to better prospects. I slammed my recorder down on the weathered wood, and spit. For three days I’d listened to Lookin’ for a Hole, let its poison change me. I was here for one thing. “Who are you guys?” The question hung in the air like a swinging corpse… “I’m Steve,” he said in a thick British accent, “and I play washtub—gutbucket.” “My name is Johnny, I play guitar and sing, and write most of the songs.” “I’m Scott, and I play lap-steel.” “And I’m Ken, I play ukulele.” They were clearly hiding something. I narrowed my eyes and pressed forward. So Johnny, you write most of the songs. What do you think about as you’re going into them? How do you lock on to whatever it’s going to be about? Johnny: Usually it’s something kind of sad. I work as a social worker, so I hear lots of interesting stories about shitty stuff. About heartache and overcoming heartache, and barriers... lots of barriers. So that’s an obvious influence, plus I just really like sad songs—I’m 8
SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 4 2014
always a sucker for a sad song. And I listen to lots of country music. Do you guys all share that point of view? When you go into a new song and start playing it, is it also with that kind of sadsong feeling? Ken: Some of them morph into happy songs. There’s a lot of make-you-want-to-dance music. Steve: It’s hard to be sad with the boingy boingy from the washtub. [laughs] Johnny: But I mean, usually, when you sit down to write a song there’s something to be said for having... some kind of punch to it. Some meaning... maybe grief. Grief is usually a good impetus. So was that the draw for playing with this particular genre? Is that the fun of it? Johnny: I think the fun of it is getting together with friends and playing music. Steve: You guys started as a porch band. Ken: Yeah, Johnny and I were playing music on the porch with some other friends, but it wasn’t going to go anywhere so we decided we wanted to do something a little bit more focused. Johnny had some old songs and we had some ideas and some covers he wanted to do, so we started playing them in a shack behind Johnny’s old house. So that was real, the shack? Ken: Yeah, absolutely. It was filled with black widows and beer cans. Johnny: And it leaned like this. Ken: My first night I went to lean on a wall and a nail went through my hand [laughs]. So yeah, it started just Johnny and I in a shack,
drinking a lot of beer. And from the beginning, Johnny knew he wanted to get Steve involved. Johnny: Absolutely. Ken: And we also had a fiddle player, when we first started. We’ve evolved over the years. I was actually driving up from San Diego today listening to the first album, and it’s funny how a lot of the feeling is still there, but a lot of it is different. Scott: Did you ask me to join at the beginning or was that in the middle? Ken: I think we initially asked you. That was before Brian... but he didn’t even respond. Scott: Yeah I have kids and a job. I just kind of didn’t respond. And then I saw them playing and I was like, “Oh, is this the band?” Then a couple years later I guess they needed somebody again... Ken: Our first lap-guitar player moved; went on a big adventure, traveling around playing music. Has that change in members really changed the direction? Steve: We’re not as loud [laughs]. Ken: We peaked in noise level with Hobie. I think there’s a different focus. Scott: I can hear just as an outsider from the first album I think it sounds... Johnny: maybe less folkie? Scott: I don’t know if I want to say smoother... not only due to my lap-steel, but it sounds a little more Hawaiian to me.
A little bit like ‘50s exotica here and there? Scott: It’s that ‘50s western sound...
the songs have started to have more of a cinematic feel to them, kind of a visual element… that’s especially so with this album. I kind of see mini-movies rolling through my head.
Johnny: Yeah, I think that’s the western-ness.
So what do you picture? What would the movie be?
It’s funny, I’d never really considered the relationship between the two kinds of music, but it’s there (and when you think about it, Hawaii is about as far west as you can get).
Ken: Oh... some really dark shit. I can’t even say it out loud. But the instrumental song “Pronto” is the first song I wrote for the band. It’s a gunfighter ballad about a badass Californio bandito/freedom fighter named Tiburcio Vasquez, whose last statement before they hung him was “Pronto” (“Hurry up!”) There’s weird rock formations in the high desert north of LA called Vasquez Rocks where he hid out, and where they film a lot of movies now.
Ken: I think we just all love a wide range of music, there was never a decision to limit ourselves. Sure there’s a lot of country in there, but there’s also a lot of other stuff. When Johnny brings us a song and we are working out together we don’t say that’s not “western skiffle” enough [laughs]. Scott: We just play the song and it’s our sound. We play it how each of us would play it. Steve: You know, we call this western skiffle... in the ‘50s there was skiffle music with the washtubs and all that and the rockabilly and whatever, But the word skiffle goes back to the late 1800s—it was a black thing, when you were having a skiffle it would mean you were having a party at someone’s house with bands playing to help that person pay the rent. Johnny: [laughs] We’re not paying the rent. Could you say what the differences are between Blue Shadows and Talapachie and your newest album, Lookin’ for a Hole? Ken: Well, having new band members is probably a big difference. Playing with Hobie encouraged us to plug in more so we really solidified the more electrified sound on Talapachie. [Lookin’ for a Hole] is an extension of that, and Scott adds a really nice classic touch. Starting from Talapachie
Johnny: I think imagery is super important as far as writing lyrics, you’ve gotta paint a picture. It’s not just like “I woke up this morning and went for a walk” [everyone laughs]. It’s got to be like, you know, the gutter had leaves in it or something. Scott: I think my job is to embellish the song, as kind of a soloist. I’m feeling what the song’s about—really not trying to think about it, but what comes out is kind of like painting some detail into it... I picture a lot of it as high desert country, chaparral kind of. If you guys were characters in that movie who would you be? Johnny: That’s really weird, because last night my wife asked me a question like that. She was like, “If you were in 1860s western times, would you be a doctor, a traveling minister, a claim jumper, a farmer man with a wife, or a western outlaw?” What did you pick? Johnny: I thought I’d be a minister—like a traveling minister going from town to town. FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 9
Like that episode of Little House when Johnny Cash and June Carter came to town and they were ministers (but actually they were grifters)? Johnny: [laughs] I never saw that one, but I used to watch that show a lot. Ken: I’d be an evil preacher, too. Johnny: An evil preacher? Ken: What’s that movie? Oh, Night of the Hunter. Such a good movie. Actually, the cinematography of that movie is kind of what I think of—it’s got this surrealist feel… Our music is like a surreal western. What would you be Steve? Steve: Just a traveling dude. Ken: Actually Steve’s kind of the most travelin’ dude in real life out of all of us. Johnny: You’d be playin’ the gutbucket. Back in the 1870s. Ken: What about you, man? Scott: I don’t know, I think I’d be the guy that mouths off at the end of the bar. The guy who starts the whole bar fighting? Johnny: Or the guy with the foreshadowing comments? Yeah you gotta have somebody that foreshadows. Scott: I’d have a gun, but it’d be hidden. Like a little derringer. Johnny: I’d have some boots that like, when you knock them, a blade would come out. Ken: Like in a Robert Rodriguez movie? Johnny: Like in Road House. I’ve been on a western kick lately too, reading lots of westerns. Like what? The Sisters Brothers is a really good one, The Ox-bow Incident is really good... The Shootist... I just read All the Pretty Horses, that’s a great book. Nice. Did you guys light this fire (the Web Fire) to promote your album? That’s a legitimate question. I’m accusing you. 10
SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 4 2014
Ken: I don’t think we did. But if they find like a stack of tires in the middle of the fire then maybe. Because that’s where you go to burn your tires. So do you guys have a favorite song on the new album? Ken: I’d say maybe... they all complement each other, but I’d say “Like a Girl.” When Johnny first brought it and we first were playing, it was like WOW. And the version on the recording—we’d recorded most everything else and then we took a break for a few minutes and came back in and just recorded that song, and it was...I think we did it the first time and it just felt so right, but just to be sure we played it like two or three more times, and then the recording guy, Dale Price [of Electric Canyon Studios] (who is awesome) came out and he was like, “I don’t know guys, that first run just had a feel to it,” and I think that was exactly what we were all thinking. That was all first take on that with no overdubs, and it just hit the spot. Scott: Yeah, that one for me, like right off the bat was the one that struck me. Maybe that’ll change as we listen to it though. We won’t like it anymore. Ken: Well, “Looking for a Hole”—we called the album that, so that was a big one. And “Thieves” also is kind of a big deal to us, because Johnny just showed it to us like two weeks before we recorded. It was totally a last-minute addition to the lineup, but it just seems to fit the feel of everything perfectly.
there.
really neat dude.
Scott: It’s a small world.
And Dale Price, who I mentioned earlier. Especially after [recording] with him the second time, I’m really looking forward to working with him more. It’s like he gets us more and more every time. You have to say very little to him, and he’ll be like “Okay you want something dreamy, weird, blah blah blah,” then he’s like click click, and it’s like yeah.
The reason I ask, actually: she dated a guy who was a carnie back in England. But it wouldn’t have been you. Just saying. But it’s a really small world. Johnny: [laughs] It’s a really small world. Scott: Yeah—meet your DAD!
Do you have any questions for each other? Things you were always afraid to ask?
This story just got weird. Is there anything more you want people to know about you or your new album, or the show that’s coming up?
Ken: No. We have no secrets. Actually, some of the most entertaining stories… Steve’s led a hell of a life. He traveled with the carnival.
Ken: We’re excited to get something out with Steve on it—I mean Scott! Steve’s been in all of them.
Oh, which one? Butler Amusements—the local one?
Ha! Weren’t those the guys on LOST that everyone kept getting confused, Scott and Steve? Never mind.
Steve: No, it was in the Midwest and down South, from Texas all the way up to Canada and back down south. Louisiana and all that stuff. When did you move here to the states [from England]? Steve: ‘77? ‘78. I got here in like... ‘87, something like that. My mom was actually from Norwich. Steve: Oh really? My sister went to university
Scott: It’s exciting for me to be on this record because for the last year people would be talking about the album and I’m like, “Yeah I’m not on it.” Ken: We should mention Rick Barnett, the awesome artist who does our album art. I give him some early recorded versions and practices, like when we’re getting close to being done, and he’ll ask me for some of the imagery we think about for the songs, then he listens to them for weeks, slowly sketching until he actually sits down and does it. He’s a
Steve: The thing that’s great is that he’s sneaky—he’ll listen to what we say to each other, he’s really cool like that. Ken: And it’s exciting to have the new songs. We play a lot of ones we’ve always played or ones carried over from Talapachie, but these are all new since Scott joined the band... and we’ll have more, too. The day before we finished recording Johnny came over to the porch and showed me one for the next album. Johnny: We’ve got the theme set and everything: horror western. Oooo [turning to Scott], do you have any foreshadowing statements? I feel like now is your moment. Johnny: Oh that’s your job, aren’t you the foreshadower? Scott: It’s going to be scary. Catch the Michelin Embers this Saturday, Aug 9th, for their CD release show at Duffy’s w/ Bunnymilk, $5.
Hey, you. Wanna tell someone what’s what? Wanna tell everyone what’s what? We’re accepting submissions of 500 words for Unsolicited Advice.
editorial@synthesis.net
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Thursday, August 7th
ABERRANCE CD RELEASE SHOW 1078 GALLERY
The kings of death metal hailing from Paradise are finally dropping their debut release, Dust EP. It’s groovey, nasty, fast, slow, and savage, just like you! One of the standout tracks for me is “Sea Of Trees,” where singer Ed Vance screams like a banshee and gurgles like a swamp-demon about eternity and being damned and stuff. This also marks Every Hand Betrayed’s first Chico show in awhile (house parties aside). Also featuring Exhausted Prayer, Waves Of Leviathan, and ION. $5, 8pm.
For more information contact: Ryan Flenner at 343-5678 ext. 123
Food Truck POOL-ooza! Sat., August 23, 4-7pm. FREE! Come enjoy Chico’s best food trucks and our pool areas!
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SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 4 2014
Saturday, August 9th
JAKUBI (AUSTRALIA) LOST ON MAIN
Within 2 weeks of releasing their first single on Soundcloud, they had 50,000 plays. Their most recent single “Couch Potato” got 200,000 plays in 2 weeks. These Australians are riding their self-made happiness wave to the US, and Lost On Main has the honor of hosting them this week—probably the last time you’ll get to see this band in such an affordable and intimate setting. Also featuring Soul Union. 9pm.
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Saturday, August 9th
MOVIE NIGHT! “OUR VINYL WEIGHS A TON” 1078 GALLERY
As of this week, the Gallery is hosting a monthly movie series, each screening pertaining to performance art in some way. This week’s movie, “Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton,” is the story of Stones Throw Records, founded by the now famous hip hop DJ Peanut Butter Wolf. Since 1996, this LA-based label has grown to become the leading name in underground hip hop. Featuring interviews with hella rappers, like Kanye, J Dilla, Madlib, Mike D, and more. $2-$5 sliding scale, 8pm.
Sunday, August 10th
JOHN BIDWELL’S BIRTHDAY BIDWELL MANSION
How long has it been since you toured Bidwell Mansion? This is one of the coolest and weirdest places in town; if you haven’t experienced it yet, what better night than on the man’s 195th birthday? Explore the house, take a walk through time. Learn about the lives of our founders and the nature of the world they inhabited. Original watercolor of the mansion by Neil Chapla will be up for silent auction. $5, 6-8pm.
New & Exciting: Ongoing Events: 7 Thursday
1078 Gallery: Aberrance CD Release Show, also ft. Every Hand Betrayed, Exhausted Prayer, ION, Waves Of Leviathan. $5, 8pm Chico Theatre Company: Singin’ In The Rain. $12 Children, $20 Adults. 7:30pm El Rey: Josh Abbott Band, Adam Craig. $12 adv., $15 door, 8pm LaSalles: Happy Hour with Jeff Pershing Band. 4-8pm Lost On Main: Reggae On The River Decompression: Jah 9, I-Kronic Band, 9pm
8 Friday
1078 Gallery: Annual Garage Sale fundraiser. Live music, drinks. 5-8pm Peking: BassMint. Eyere Eyes, Billy The Robot, ALO. 9:30pm Chico Theatre Company: Singin’ In The Rain. $12 Children, $20 Adults. 7:30pm City Plaza: The Revells. 7-8:30pm DownLo: Wounded Pickup. 8pm LaSalles: Happy Hour with Steve Johnson. 4-8pm Chuuwee, Trizz. 10pm Maltese: Guerrilla Gorilla, Fight Music, Nothing Left. $5, 9pm
9 Saturday
1078 Gallery: Annual Garage Sale fundraiser. Live music, drinks. 8am2pm Movie Night: “Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton” $2-$5 sliding scale, 8pm Chico Theatre Company: Singin’ In The Rain. $12 Children, $20 Adults. 7:30pm Duffys: Michelin Embers CD Release, also ft. Bunnymilk. $5, 9:30pm LaSalles: Happy Hour with Black Fong. 4-8pm Lost On Main: Jakubi, Soul Union. 9pm Maltese: The Longneck Congregation, Biggs Roller. $5, 9pm Wine Time: Live music by Los Caballitos Quartet. 7-9pm
4 Monday
The Bear: Bear-E-oke! 9pm Cafe Coda: 1st Monday Jazz. $10, 7-8:30pm Chico Art Center: “Discover Series II.” 10am-4pm Chico Womens Club: Prenatal Yoga. 5:30-6:30pm DownLo: Comedy Night. Free. Pool League. 3 player teams, signup with bartender. 7pm. All ages until 10pm Maltese: Open Mic Comedy or Music, alternates every week. Signups at 8pm, starts at 9pm. Mug Night 7-11:30pm The Tackle Box: Latin Dance Classes. Free, 7-9pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm Yoga Center Of Chico: Sound Healing w. Emiliano. Breathwork, Meditation, Healing.
5 Tuesday
100th Monkey: Fusion Belly Dance mixed-level class, with BellySutra. $8/class or $32/month. 6pm Open Mic plus showcase by local musicians. 7pm Chico Art Center: “Discover Series II.” 10am-4pm Chico Women’s Club: Yoga. 9-10am. Afro Carribean Dance. $10/class or $35/mo. 5:50-7pm. Followed by Capoeira, $3-$10. 7:30-8:30pm Crazy Horse Saloon: All Request Karaoke. 21+ DownLo: Game night. All ages until 10pm Holiday Inn Bar: Salsa Lessons, 7-10pm LaSalles: ’90s night. 21+ Maltese: Karaoke. 9pm-Close Studio Inn Lounge: Karaoke. 8:30pm-1am The Tackle Box: Karaoke, 9pm
University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm Woodstocks: Trivia Challenge. Call at 4pm to reserve a table. Starts 6:30pm
6 Wednesday
Avenue 9 Gallery: “Chico Icons 2014: Historic Heart & Arteries” Group Exhibition. 12-5pm The Bear: Trike Races. Post time 10pm Chico Art Center: “Discover Series II.” 10am-4pm Chico Women’s Club: Afro Brazilian Dance. 5:30-7pm DownLo: Wednesday night jazz. 8 Ball Tournament, signups 6pm, starts 7pm Duffys: Dance Night! DJ Spenny and Jeff Howse. $1, 9pm The Graduate: Free Pool after 10pm Jesus Center: Derelict Voice Writing Group, everyone welcome. 9-10:30am The Maltese: Friends With Vinyl! Bring your vinyl and share up to 3 songs/12 minutes on the turntable. 9pm-1am The Tackle Box: Line Dance classes. Free, 5:30-7:30pm. Swing Dance classes. Free, 7:30-9:30pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm VIP Ultra Lounge: Laurie Dana. 7-9pm Woodstocks: Trivia Night plus Happy Hour. call at 4pm to reserve a table. Starts at 8pm
7 Thursday
Avenue 9 Gallery: “Chico Icons 2014: Historic Heart & Arteries” Group Exhibition. 12-5pm The Beach: DJ Mack Morris. 10:30pm The Bear: DJ Dancing. Free, 9pm Chico Art Center: “Discover Series II.” 10am-4pm
DownLo: Chico Jazz Collective. 8-11pm. All ages until 10pm The Graduate: Free Pool after 10pm Has Beans Downtown: Open Mic Night. 7-10pm. Signups start at 6pm Holiday Inn Bar: Karaoke. 8pm-midnight LaSalles: Free live music on the patio. 6-9pm Maltese: Karaoke. 9pm-close Panamas: Buck night and DJ Eclectic & guests on the patio. 9pm Quackers: Karaoke night with Andy. 9pm-1am University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm VIP Ultra Lounge: Acoustic performance with Bradley Relf. 7-9pm. No Cover. Woodstocks: Open Mic Night Yoga Center Of Chico: Ecstatic Dance with Clay Olson. 7:30-9:30pm
8 Friday
Avenue 9 Gallery: “Chico Icons 2014: Historic Heart & Arteries” Group Exhibition. 12-5pm The Beach: DJ2k & Mack Morris. 9pm The Bear: DJ Dancing. Free, 9pm Cafe Coda: Friday Morning Jazz with Bogg. 11am Chico Art Center: “Discover Series II.” 10am-4pm Crazy Horse Saloon: Fusion Fridays, the best country, rock, oldies, 80s & top 40. Country dance lessons 9-10:30pm DownLo: ½ off pool. All ages until 10pm. Live Music, 8pm Duffys: Pub Scouts - Happy Hour. 4-7pm The Graduate: Free Pool after 10pm Holiday Inn Bar: DJ Dance Party. 8pm-midnight LaSalles: Open Mic night on the patio. 6-9pm Maltese: Happy hour with live jazz
by Bogg. 5-7pm. LGBTQ+ Dance Party. 9pm Panamas: Jigga Julee, DJ Mah on the patio. 9pm Peeking: BassMint. Weekly electronic dance party. $3. 9:30pm Quackers: Live DJ. 9pm Sultan’s Bistro: Bellydance Performance. 6:30-7:30pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm
9 Saturday
Avenue 9 Gallery: “Chico Icons 2014: Historic Heart & Arteries” Group Exhibition. 12-5pm The Beach: DJ Mah. 9pm The Bear: DJ Dancing. No Cover. 9pm Crazy Horse Saloon: Ladies Night Dancing. 10pm-1:30am DownLo: 9 Ball tournament. Signups at noon, starts at 1pm. All ages until 10pm The Graduate: Free Pool after 10pm Holiday Inn Bar: DJ Dancing. 70s and 80s music. The Molly Gunn’s Revival! 8pm-midnight LaSalles: 80’s Night. 8pm-close Panamas: DJ Eclectic on the patio. 9pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm
10 Sunday
Dorothy Johnson Center: Soul Shake Dance Church. Free-style dance wave, $8-$15 sliding scale. 10am-12:30pm DownLo: Free Pool, 1 hour with every $8 purchase. All ages until 10pm LaSalles: Karaoke. 9pm Maltese: Live Jazz 4-7pm. Trivia 8pm Tackle Box: Karaoke, 8pm
10 Sunday
Bidwell Mansion: John Bidwell’s Birthday! Tour, education, silent auction. $5, 6-8pm Chico Theatre Company: Singin’ In The Rain. $12 Children, $20 Adults. 2pm
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by logan kruidenier logankruidenier.tumblr.com
On The Town 16
PHOTOS BY VINCE LATHAM FACEBOOK.COM/VANGUARD.PHOTOGRAPHY
SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 4 2014
Faeries Were a Bad Choice ART BY LOGAN KRUIDENIER “Wake up!” A little hand slapped his face. “Open your eyes! Let’s go!” Still deep in his dreams, Howl turned over in bed, tried to brush the distraction from his face. Something flew close to his nose, and it was rewarded with a mighty sneeze. His eyes now open, he saw the nature of the intrusion: five globes of light, floating around the room; one moment at the ceiling, the next moment within inches of his face, so he could almost glimpse the small body in the light’s center. Howl may have made a mistake yesterday with his purchase of a set of living lights. Everyone was getting them, and it was a fascinating idea: half pet, half appliance; the little faerie-like creatures were designed to develop a symbiotic relationship with their owner, following him through the house, adjusting their brightness to fit his mood, sleeping when he slept. “It’s 4 am!” Howl shouted. “I’m supposed to be asleep! You’re supposed to be asleep. I bought you! Now do what I say!” The boy pulled his bedsheets up and tried to roll over again. The lights snickered and pulled his sheets off his body. “What, you’re upset that we interrupted your dreams about kissing Franza?” One of them swooped in and gave him another slap across the nose. “Well, we’re what dreams are made of, fool! And you
signed a Respect Of Sentience contract when you bought us. If we don’t feel like sleeping, you can’t force us to. Besides, we can already tell you dream about Franza too much. We don’t think it’s healthy.” Howl stared daggers at the light addressing him, which in turn became even brighter. With a sigh, he heaved himself out of bed and went to his writing table to work until the little buggers got tired. The next month of homelife with his new “appliances” was strange, uncomfortable, and also strangely rewarding. They seemed to follow no regular day-night sleeping pattern, and Howl was forced to adapt to their changing moods. Basically, they just slept less, so Howl slept less too. When the lights did go out, allowing the boy to fall finally into deep, blissful sleep, it was never more than three hours before they were awake again, slapping him into consciousness. However, the longer it went on, the more he benefited from it. When Howl slept, it was the most restful sleep of his life, and when he awoke, his dreams remained fresh in his mind, waiting there for him to draw writing inspiration from. Howl wondered to himself how other people were handling their living lights.
Howl howlmovesmountains.tumblr.com
PHOTOS BY VINCE LATHAM FACEBOOK.COM/VANGUARD.PHOTOGRAPHY
On The Town
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August Art Report BY MICHELE FRENCH CAPTJACKAFTON@YAHOO.COM The Chico Art Center hosts their Discovery Series several times a year, an event that honors local artists and is often instrumental in introducing new artists to the community. In a show that will close, unfortunately, on August 8, the Art Center introduces Penny Terstegge, Jann Jones and Nicolai Larsen. Penny Terstegge works in a variety of media and, although the Art Center usually isn’t good about informing viewers exactly what medium an artist has employed, I’m guessing Terstegge’s colorful prints are serigraphs. She also presents photographs that are both traditional and digitally enhanced. Her works are numbered, not titled. A group of small, colorful prints gives a nod to Pop Art with a still life in red, white, blue and sage of a coffee pot and steaming mug, and another that’s a Roy Lichtenstein-like figure study of a woman. It’s too cute, but I loved it anyway. Number 6 is a color photo of a bull dog, wearing a pair of sunglasses, grinning hugely, but I responded the most to her moody, atmospheric, digitally enhanced images, numbers 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, which are like a celebration of the freedom and terror of dreams. In number 14 a man sits in a field of dry grass dotted with barren shrubs devoid of anything on their branches but tiny birds. He’s seated at a small, round table, a cup of coffee before him, a piece of sheet music clutched in his hands while many other sheets lie crumpled at his feet and even more drift away into the stormy sky. Jann Jones is a ceramist who became fascinated as a child by the prehistoric cave paintings at Lascaux, France. In four clay plaques that resemble chunks of rock torn from the cave walls he meticulously recreates the ancient images of the original artists. Oddly, though, he gives his “Standing Auric” a set of long eyelashes which I don’t think are present in the actual paintings. The remainder of his work consists of finely crafted pots, bowls, jars, tea pots, mugs and—pigs! The larger of these, “Pig w/Fabric,” is furnished with a Burberry coat and a sort of tortured expression. A smaller, more delicate pig, with a pleading look, is rendered in shades of gray and white. Nicolai Larsen contributes about 30 water media works to this show, two large acrylics and a number of small watercolors. “The Siege,” one of the acrylics, is a jumble of odd images which may have symbolic meaning to the artist himself, but gave me a feeling of slight amusement. Purple mountains rise in the distance from a flat plain as turbulent clouds float in an azure sky. In the foreground a clothes dryer belches flames as a group of four men carrying, on a plank, a fifth man dressed as a warrior approach it. From the top left a women’s long, bronzed, shapely legs thrust down from the sky. Her feet, in gold sandals, almost touch the top of the dryer. The other acrylic, “Mexican Taxi,” is much more accessible and a very 18
SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 4 2014
charming perspective on life in a Mexican city as seen through the windshield of a taxi cab. Every year, toward the end of summer, Avenue 9 Gallery presents “Chico Icons” a show devoted to all the things Chicoans love about Chico. This year’s theme is “Historic Heart & Arteries.” Some artists interpreted the theme quite literally rendering artistic images of Chico road maps with a bright blue Big Chico Creek winding through the heart of town. One of the loveliest scenes in the show is professor emeritus from Chico State Jim Gregg’s color photo “Fall, North Park Drive, Bidwell Park.” Stately trees thickly laden with golden leaves line the gently curved road, the air suffused with golden sunlight. It is so mellow, so inviting, so typical of Chico in autumn. If you go anywhere near a student neighborhood you’ll recognize these Chico icons, as well—shabby, battered couches squatting on porches waiting to end their days being immolated by fire. Jim Williams, who has a studio in the heart of downtown Chico, is initiating a “Couch Series” of paintings depicting these faithful inanimate objects which, when we’re through with them, get thrown out in the street. Williams gives the couch in his painting in this show a sturdy, slightly melancholy dignity. A shade of dirty brown itself, it’s streaked with raucous slashes of bright, lively color. Scenes of areas outside the Chico city limits remind us how dependent this town is on agriculture. Janet Weidel’s black and white photo on metal, “Chico River Road,” presents a towering agricultural structure that has the dignity of a cathedral. “Rock Wall—Valley Oak,” a color photo on canvas by Chris Guenter is a scene from our legendary past. A jumble of rust-colored rocks, some covered with lichen, that lie at the bottom of the frame are juxtaposed against a bright blue sky with a lonely oak a distance away. These fences, supposedly built by Chinese workers in the 1800s (though I’ve heard that may not be true) are rapidly deteriorating. There are lovely scenes just outside of Chico as in Waif Mullins’ oil, “Canyon View With Thunderclouds,” which despite the threatening storm, is serene and as meticulous painted as a landscape by a 17th Century Dutch master. Dolores Mitchell’s oil, “Twenty Minutes North of Chico: Hwy 99,” is a vibrant landscape dotted with jewel-like colors. Cows graze
in a meadow below high purple hills behind which the sun is setting. The dying light is caught in a pale blue stream winding through the field which is broken into tiny areas pf scarlet, yellow, dark blue and lavender. Mitchell appears to be heavily influenced by the Post Impressionists. There are quirky views of Chico, too. “Mt. Peligro (Humboldt Road Dump)” is a silver gelatin print by Barbara Morris which is unsettling, charming and amusing all at once. Near a barbed wire fence surrounding the old dump, beneath a warning sign (Danger/Peligro), someone erected a lavishly decorated snow white fake Christmas tree with a star at the top. Not really quirky, but rather different is Pat Koszic’s “Milagro,” a shallow bowl with a softly colored heart and small arrangement of flowers at the bottom. A milagro is a Mexican custom of giving thanks for a blessing or miracle. Koszic’s “Milagro” is thanks for the blessing of living in Chico. Tom Barrett does absolutely marvelous things with his photography giving familiar scenes a new splendor. “The Junction,” an inkjet on silver paper, gives the historic brick buildings where the The Winchester Goose, Iron Mountain Leather, The 1078 Gallery and other businesses are located a solidity and crispness that’s somewhat overlooked in everyday life. His techniques deepen and intensify the colors of the structures and give them a heightened sense of vibrancy. I have a slight quarrel with another of his works, an inkjet on luster paper. True, it presents a familiar scene in a different light and the compositional elements can’t be faulted. It’s the title—“Plaza Park.” Speaking as someone who’s lived here a long time, it’s not the Plaza Park, it’s not the Park Plaza, it’s not Chico Park Plaza, etc. It’s just the plaza, plain and simple. This town was modeled on Mexican towns of which the central feature was a plaza. There’s so much more in this fine show at Avenue 9 that I can’t cover it all. You just have to see it for yourself, and it will be in place through the month of August. The Chico Art Center is located at 450 Orange St., Suite 6 and is open daily from 10 to 4. Avenue 9 Gallery is on 9th Street just off the Esplanade behind Starbuck’s and is open Wednesday through Saturday 12 to 5.
Worth a Thousand REMEMBER THAT TIME WE RODE ON THE GOODYEAR BLIMP?
The Flesh Prevails—Fallujah NO ONE CAN UNDERSTAND THE WORDS, AND NO ONE MINDS AT ALL BY ALEX LIGHT First came Colors from Between The Buried And Me. Then, the advent of Tesseract and Animals As Leaders. Metal reached even more into the spotlight with Deafheaven’s 2013 release Sunbather. With The Flesh Prevails, Fallujah picks up this torch of quality metal and takes it a few more miles toward that supernal realm of high art. Take note! I’ve been wanting to use the word “supernal” for awhile, and this album was what finally called for it (“supernal”—of or relating to the sky or the heavens; celestial). This album is a triumph. It’s one of the most brutal death metal albums ever. It’s also melodic, warm, and stoney—I could have a wicked hangover and still enjoy this album at high volume. It’s overall tone is just so complete—simultaneously dense and light; simultaneously brutal death metal and atmospheric jam music. The unintelligible death metal growls by vocalist Alex Hofmann actually find their natural place in the music; they’re present when they’re needed, and willing to step back when the mood dictates an instrumental passage. The result is an incredibly accessible death metal album that never overextends its welcome. The death growls drop out for minutes at a time, and unlike Sunbather, very good use is made of these more quiet melodic periods. At first listen I was expecting a lot more technical riff-age from this album, in the vein of it’s single “Sapphire,” but they decide to fill a lot
of the more important moments with black metal strumming and blast beats instead. Which is fine with me; it makes the braintwisting technicality seem more intentional when it does surface. The mid-point of the album lands on the melodic interlude “Alone With You”—samples, over-produced drums, and female vocals. This risky move (risky for a metal band trying to be super brutal, at least) fits into the album just fine, but the sung line, “I could lay here forever, alone with you” is robbed of any lyrical context, being the only decipherable words in the entire album. Maybe that’s supposed to make the line more profound… If that’s the point, I missed it. “Allure” is another track completely devoid of Alex Hofmann’s vocals, but completely full of the rest of the band shredding up a storm. It serves as a great segue into the opening notes of “Sapphire,” the crowning emotional statement of the album. There’s no posturing here, and I think that’s why I enjoy this album so much. I mean, it’s metal! EVERYONE postures; everyone tries to be everyone else. The Flesh Prevails certainly wears its influences on its sleeve, but when set against the rest of Fallujah’s discography, you can see a journey of increasingly honest selfexpression. They’re becoming less and less an intense death metal band, and more and more Fallujah—which happens to make them an even more intense death metal band.
So now I’m the family photo keeper—the happy owner of several generations worth of semi-random hodgepodge, including some obscure B/W great-relative snaps that look like they belong in a hipster’s wank stash. They came into my life as a couple of large boxfuls of dusty chaos. In search of a shot of empowerment between masochistic bouts of job-hunting, I’ve pared them down and bestowed a tich of chronology. After exorcising all the duplicates, negatives, old-school print packets, and blurry closeups of thumbs, they now take up like a third of the space the original collection did. Yay me! I’m not much into photography per se, but the memories these pictures stir have been a source of comfort as long as I can remember— especially the ones where I’m single-digitaged. There’s something about pawing through those faded prints that sends me to a softer place. Partly because I had what passed for a conventional family back then, going by the impression those images show. Well… conventional for the most part. The snap above is my grandpa, dressed as a hula girl for Halloween. It’s my favorite picture of him—the cheese-eatin’ grin with the everpresent cigar hanging out of it, his Italian body fur blending with the grass skirt, the flower tucked demurely among the blond curls of his wig. He looked a lot like Groucho Marx during the “You Bet Your Life” years, and while he was a lot quieter than Groucho, he enjoyed his own brand of zaniness until the day he died. There are zero pictures of Mom looking even a little pregnant (that Wasn’t Done back then), but tons of us with bald heads and nappies. Seeing long-memorized details through adult eyes gives me insight about who my parents
were. Turns out they were just people, not the gods every kid thinks their folks are. Still kinda stuns me a little. The more recent ones were mostly mine originally—friends, weddings, shows, multishot views from the tops of mountains we’d hiked (the kind you manually “stitched” together after you got ‘em back from the developer and went slightly mad trying to get elements lined up right). I’d order double prints and send the duplicates to Mom, so she could live vicariously through me. All those pix are mine again, now. There’s no date stamping and no Photoshopping here. When you took a picture of a double rainbow or your friend with a standup comic, you hoped like hell you got a good shot and that the lab people wouldn’t fuck it up (which they rarely did, for the record). Any pics you wanted to share went through the mail, and if you wanted a reprint, that was what the negatives were for. Yeap, it’s done a little differently these days. I tell myself that all this effort is for posterity, but I’m the only one who cares about the people and memories in these photos now. After I’m gone there won’t be anyone at all… so yeah, it’s actually for me.
Consider the Platypus by Mona Treme
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Comedian Hannibal Buress wrote a joke touching on the four things you can do with money: 1. buy something, 2. save it, 3. donate it, or 4. invest it. (Technically, you could do a fifth thing, “burn it” ala the Joker.) If we take a new perspective, though, we can see that these four different uses are essentially the same action. By examining the words we use to talk and think about money, we can learn about ourselves, and gain some power over our money decisions. An absurd mental image will help: Imagine all your money as a big/small pile of money on your bed. Suddenly, a Haitian orphan, a sentient vending machine, and a medieval peasant selling magic beans all walk into your room. You are now faced with the choice of dividing up your money some way. At first, you can leave it all on the bed (saving), but eventually you’ll get hungry, so you put some in the vending machine for candy bars (buying). You realize, too, that the magic beans might pay off, so you buy a few of them (investing). Also, because you’re not a jerk, you buy the Haitian kid a candy bar (donating). Now, let’s examine the words we apply to those actions. When you buy a candy bar for yourself, you don’t call it donating or investing. Somehow, buying a candy bar for someone else requires a separate verb, donating. Buying a salad is seen as a good investment in your life and health, but buying a candy bar is not, despite both accomplishing the same goal of providing calories. Likewise, donating to the Haitian orphan makes you feel better and improves
the world (via more educated people and less suffering), so that’s an investment, too. But maybe if you get rich from the beans, you can give even more orphans candy bars in the future!? (Congratulations, you’ve also just discovered the concept of “opportunity cost”—if you spend money now on a candy bar, you won’t have the money later to buy a drink for Candy at a bar.) Another example of reframing the language around money deals with inflation. Inflation is the tendency of money to be worth less over time. A dollar today will buy more than a dollar will buy in 20 years—all because of inflation. All that means you’re not really saving the pile of money on your bed; you’re watching it lose value slowly, which is a strange definition of saving. (Though if all the other places to use/invest your money are too risky, then the pile on the bed is at least the safest place to put it.) Hopefully this column has encouraged you to look at how you look at money (or do a double take on your take on money.) This week’s assignment is to try thinking of every bit of your spending as “an investment in X,” where you define X. It might save you from splurging on a candy bar.
The Frugal Terran by TripHazard
AUGUST 4, 2014 BY KOZ MCKEV
Aries
Taurus
Gemini
Cancer
Leo
Virgo
Your imagination is flourishing. You would like to view life as if it was all child’s play. It’s a time of breaking “taboos.” Find joy in generosity. It’s a good time for meditation, prayer, and helping those who are isolated. It’s a week of having fun. Try not to stress over the things you can’t control. The full moon Saturday and Sunday will generate an active social life. Make up a fun story. Do things just for love and passion. Tuesday and Wednesday could be good for exploration. Your luck is strong and life should be good.
This is the last week when Venus occupies your eleventh house. Your social life remains a source of joy and happiness for you. Good people are all around you and ready to give you support. Your attention is being drawn toward parents and domestic issues. The question is, “what would your ancestors have done in this situation?” The full moon over the weekend brings your talents and skills into focus. Be aware of the ways that other people depend on you. Thursday and Friday are power days this week where you can demonstrate new strategies.
You notice more than the average person. Communicating and gathering information are some of the things that you do best. You desire to work with the mediums that you are passionate about whether that’s writing, painting, acting or wood working. A hands on approach works best for you during this period. The full moon over the weekend will inspire exotic experiences, higher education, travel, and good fortune. Be prepared for old friends, neighbors, siblings and peers to ask for your attention. Physical fitness needs to be one of your passions.
On the happy side of things, Venus continues to move through your first house bringing you beauty, relaxation, and creative ideas. When things are going well it may be difficult to stay motivated. Your values have the spotlight put on them. You begin the week with some creative motivation. Thursday and Friday look good for romance and negotiations. The full moon over the weekend highlights service work, health issues, and the ability to be a part of a worthy cause. Pace yourself and be ready to make improvements.
Your ability to lead and succeed is legendary. You are still the flavor of the month. You get your groove back this week. Give thanks because you are blessed. Joy is an excellent motivator. By being generous you can double your joy by sharing with others. Tuesday and Wednesday has you feeling good and on top of your game. The full moon over the weekend highlights romance, partnerships, and diplomacy. Seek constructive ways to uplift yourself and the environment around you. Pay attention to family early in the week.
We all have blind spots where we are less than conscious about what we are doing. It’s easy to sleep through the opportunities that are being presented to us. Sleep and dreams are important during this cycle. Pay attention to your vision of what will make for a good future. Pay off debts and do what you can to make good karma. Find things to motivate you to be a more conscious individual. The full moon over the weekend inspires teamwork, charitable causes, being organized and staying healthy. Thursday and Friday look good for travel and exploration.
Libra
Scorpio
Saggitarius
Capricorn
Aquarius
Pisces
People-pleasing activities go best during this period. Good people are all around you. You are motivated to move forward socially. Friendships that are made this week could end up being for a lifetime. You’re good at organizing parties, meetings and social events. Bask in the love that is being shown to you. The full moon will inspire you creatively and will help you open your heart to others. Pay attention to children, lovers, and those who depend on your leadership. You have more energy to get your finances in order.
Keeping your powerful self under control will be part of this weeks theme. Your energy is great for prayer and meditation, thus I would direct it in this direction. You are in the public eye more. People are noticing the things you do well. Your leadership abilities are strong at this point. Be careful not to come on too intensely. The week begins with a powerful moon in Scorpio. Goals will be met and your hunger will be satisfied. The full moon highlights memories, parents and domestic issues. Stay positive and upbeat.
Opportunities are opening up for you on many different levels. Tuesday and Wednesday your influence is particularly strong with the moon in Sagittarius. Go outside and connect with the natural world on these days. This is a high cycle for travel, spiritual education, advanced degrees as well as exploring unknown territory. The weekend’s full moon will give you another opportunity to appreciate your local environment. This is your time to spread the love and to share the wealth. Limits will be broken.
Change can be fun and exciting, yet it can produce discomfort as well as uncertainty. Be willing to accept help from others whenever it is appropriate. No one goes at it alone. We are interdependent beings. Be sure to thank those that have helped you in the past. This is a time when debt can feel most uncomfortable. Make a plan to get back on your feet. The moon will be in Capricorn Thursday and Friday. You’ll be more conscious of what you need to do to proceed. The full moon over the weekend has economic opportunities.
The metaphor for this week is laying low the mountains and filling up the valleys. Chuckholes need to be patched and nails that are sticking up need to be hammered down. Your love life gets sweeter and you’re able to negotiate through almost any situation. You’ll say the right thing at the right time. The weekend features a full moon in Aquarius. You will be in your element. You could be the ring leader of a good party. Romantic pursuits should go well, too. Keep in mind that overheated decisions seldom produce more than steam.
Get organized and make a plan. You’ll sell more art or more tools if they have a variety of purposes and interpretations. Seek practical solutions to everyday problems. The week begins on a positive note. You’ll reach goals and make deadlines. Thursday and Friday are your best days for socializing. The full moon this weekend highlights dreams, personal karma, and the value of laying low and doing less. Be aware of your personal health needs and try to keep things to a minimum. Helps those who are isolated and could use a visit.
Koz McKev is on YouTube, on cable 11 BCTV and is heard on 90.1FM KZFR Chico. Also available by appointment for personal horoscopes call (530)891-5147 or e-mail kozmickev@sunset.net FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 21
Back Again At the end of April, when I wrote about my son’s mental illness, he had been in and out of the Butte County Psychiatric Health Facility (The Puff) four times since October. Make that five times. In June he was at home and had been steadily improving for three weeks or so. The longacting drug he finally consented to seemed to be helping. He was a lot more present and responsive to his surroundings, including people. I started to think he might win his conservatorship trial at the end of July and get to stay out of the county’s custody. He refused to get his next monthly injection or talk to anyone from Butte County, though, even when they came to him, and so the bureaucracy stumbled into action. What I thought would be a meeting with his Public Guardian turned out to be an ambush with four or five people from the county and four Chico police. That he had been behaving reasonably and said he felt better didn’t mean squat. Because he’s technically an adult, I have no clout. For Butte County, the prescribed drug was the mandatory minimum—take it voluntarily or they’ll make you take it.
away, restrained, and given Invega Sustenna, a popular monthly injectable. He’s back at home now, and because I’m willing to provide him with the necessities of life, as long as he stays on his drug he can stay out of custody, and Butte County is dropping its conservatorship effort. Whew, maybe.
this
At the July meeting of the Butte County Behavioral Health Advisory Board several people, including Board members, spoke out against renewing the contract of the California Forensic Medical Group, the corporation we pay for dealing with mental health issues at the Butte County Jail. A mentally and physically ill inmate died recently in flaky circumstances, and I look forward to hearing CFMG’s story. I was elected to the Board at the July meeting. I know I’ve said more than once that I’m through with boards and had even arranged for an old buddy of mine to stage an intervention if I start making any Board noises, but this is important.
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The county people arrived sporadically and milled around in the street and our front yard until the straggler showed up. Meanwhile the police and people from Butte County tried to persuade him to accept the injection. So did I. The nurse was right there with the stuff. He could do it and all those other people would go away, and he could stay at home, but he wasn’t having any of it. Since he wouldn’t agree to be injected, my son was eventually handcuffed and taken
From The Edge
by Anthony Peyton Porter
22
SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 4 2014
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