November 19, 2009 by PT Rothschild.

STRICKEN POT BIBLE AUTHOR HONORED

Temecula, CA – Yesterday changes were made to an initiative submitted by Charles Jacobs. The initiative statute is known as the ‘Jack Herer Cannabis Hemp Initiative’. Keep in mind as you read this that the Canadians provide free cannabis to all returning war vets starting just this past year. it would seem that all the ‘diss’ information provided by the government and pushed through the schools/media is being seen for exactly what it is, bullshit. If that is indeed the case, all the world of Mary Jane has one man to thank. That one man is Jack Herer, stricken recently by health issues (see archives). It was Jack Herer who gathered all the informative history to keep the promise of Mary Jane alive to more than just stoners. In the early days, Jack had the help of his friend, Edwin ‘Capt. Ed’ M. Adair, III, who passed away at 51 of Leukemia. When they started out, the two men made a vow ‘to work to legalize pot and get all the pot prisoners out of jail, until they were dead, pot was legal, or they could quit when they were 84. They didn’t have to quit but they could.’ They thought in light of all the information, the truth about pot/hemp that their work would be done in two years. In that vein the master work, ‘The Emperor Wears No Clothes’ was written. That book and the medical marijuana voice are the reasons behind this push. To be fair, the groups NORML, ASA, MPP, SSDP, have also played a big role in keeping the dream alive to see the return of cannabis/hemp to the market place in all its various helpful forms. Also it must be mentioned that the hundreds arrested from 1980-1998 while legally petitioning for the original pot initiatives in California and Oregon kept the fight alive. That being said, here is the Jack Herer California initiative:

Date: November 18, 2009 Initiative 09-0044

The Attorney General of California has prepared the following title and summary of the chief purpose and points of the proposed measure:

CHANGES CALIFORNIA LAW TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA AND RELEASE NONVIOLENT MARIJUANA OFFENDERS FROM JAIL INITIATIVE STATUTE.

Repeals state laws that make it a crime to possess, cultivate, transport, distribute, or use marijuana or hemp.

Provides persons convicted or serving time for non-violent marijuana offenses be immediately released from prison, jail, parole, or probation, and have their convictions erased.

Authorizes Legislature to adopt laws to license and tax commercial marijuana sales.

Allows doctors to prescribe or recommend marijuana to patients, regardless of age.

Prohibits testing for marijuana for employment or insurance purposes.

Bars state from aiding enforcement of federal marijuana laws.

Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Savings in the several tens of millions of dollars annually to state and local governments on the costs of incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders. Unknown but potentially major tax and fee revenues to state and local government related to the production and sale of marijuana products. (09-0044.)

Posted in Finance, Money, California, Community, Drugs, Crime, Food, Our Favorite Things, Politics, News | Print | No Comments »

November 18, 2009 by PT Rothschild.

BIKING DOWN A SIDE PATH OF THE SCENE

Temecula, CA – The synergy of the scene is its own current. This past Saturday that synergy flowed eclectic as the past week I answered ‘yes’ to a R.S.V.P. for my newest friend on MySpace, the ‘open mic’ night at Eclectic Books. Though I had ‘tumble weeded in’ a while back, I rolled out just as quick when my stage coach was leaving. This time I was on my own time. Now I must say this. The valley I live in, ‘the fast sticks’, is that because of certain ‘quirks’. I can’t tell you what they are as such, because quirks happen. This is one of them: Java Jo’z, the local legendary scene spot that also had an ‘open mic’, actually was in Murrieta. Eclectic Books, though not a coffee house, has an ‘open mic’ and also is in Murrieta. The connection here is that both places bring out a cross-section of young artists. The open mic ‘stage’ is more a dedicated space where a playpen or toy area might be for moms looking to browse a used book. Rows of chairs are placed so a mini theater effect is achieved in this space. Even so, there were a number of people standing in attendance the night I was there. The wide outside front patio afforded both a place to ‘tune up’ with friends, like some of the members of Our Winters Holocaust (in the upcoming, ‘Praise From Nero, Amanduh Jean’s Adestria Vault Show’), and a place to park your bicycle. Like Java Jo’z, the atmosphere is distinct and the clientele (for the open mic) plentiful, eager to entertain by sharing a talent, a poem, or in my case, a plug (for my story about RFK, Jr.’s confirmation of the autism/vaccination link, see recent archives). Owners Tess Sheets and Heather Henry have an interesting collection of new and used books covering a variety of subjects which are a bit more eclectic than Barnes & Noble in that ‘off the beaten path’ way. I found a number of titles that piqued my interest while I listened to local (Lake Elsinore) married couple Teresa & Aaron sing three of their original songs, including a love song from courtship. Eclectic Books (enter off Margarita just above Hot Springs) is located at the right rear corner of the retail mall behind the new Sonic Drive-In.

Before I rode my steel pony (eh, mountain bicycle) over to Eclectic Books, I stopped by Lady of The Lake for a dose of flute medicine, thereby filling my own prescription (see recent archive). LOTL is a ‘new age’ spot, and so has its own synergy. This day there was a psychic faire going on and the flute music was nestled inside the shop in a recessed corner along the same wall as another art project by a couple of older ladies. I must admit, the idea of seeing someone play flute wasn’t quite the way I pictured it, at least flute-wise. Cynth, the refined ‘60s good Catholic girl’, plays a hand carved bamboo flute. The tonal quality of the notes, which are longer and more drawn out than flute composition tempos of jazz or classical, is lower and deeper in vibrato, meaning the music moves through your body rather than just through your ears. Unlike jazz which can be good background music for conversation by blocking out the world, this music dissolves the everyday world away from you like a mist. In fact, if you were to think of music played in a Tibetan monastery, it would probably sound like this. Because this music is played through a bamboo instrument powered by the human breath, there is a mystical connotation to heal through the music made. The music turns into medicine, with no debilitating prescription drug side effects. This discovery is as amazing as the artist who made the flute, a woman who has lived here in the valley this past year taking care of her elderly mom.

Cynth, aka Cynthia Fitzpatrick, was born the daughter of a classical musician and jazz buff. Since she lived in LA and her father knew Miles Davis and such, she grew up in a music purist rather than a pop music household. She developed her chops early and as a teenager of that music scene, got to cut an album in 1968 with singer/songwriter Paul Williams. Also featured, at least part of the way, were Bob Harvey (bass; Jefferson Airplane) and Don Murray (drums; Turtles). Though critically noted, the world wasn’t ready for the psychedelic pop of The Holy Mackerel. Soon after the disastrous debut, the band broke up [Dave Jeffries, source]. Being an accomplished musician, Cynth found work being a studio musician before moving up to San Francisco and expanding her artistic, creative, and spiritual talents. Being into meditation, it would only follow that she began to make her own bamboo flutes to produce what she saw as ‘organic music’. When a friend of hers came out of surgery in a coma, Cynth came and played her flute music for the patient. The soothing melody of the music caused the heart rate to drop into a non-stressful rhythm that the monitors recorded, surprising both the UCLA hospital doctors and Cynth. The friend was later very thankful that she had requested Cynth to come play the flute after her surgery. Since that moment, Cynth has devoted her energy composing ‘flute medicine’ that lifts you away from your cares and troubles.

Flute music of this texture is potent and joins the rarified ranks of Carlos Nakai or Dominic Dean Breaux. ‘Flute Medicine’ is the number one best selling flute CD at LA’s Bodhi Tree bookstore and a top ten best seller overall according to Whole Life Times. It is important to note that both CDs, ‘Flute Medicine’ and ‘Flute Medicine 2’, are both produced by Roger Nichols, winner of seven Grammies, and that all the flutes played by Cynth were all handmade, from wood selection to finished product, by her. Her music is perfect for yoga centers, birth centers, beauty spas, hospice centers, and of course by hospital people hip to the healing power of the music she makes from the heart. Picking up a copy of FM2, I popped the head phones on and gave it a listen. WOW! The powerful tones go through your skull and into your soul. I listened while I set pictures on the Skalloween story and started to really space out two-thirds through the CD. When I resumed listening and laid down with the headphones, that was it. I awoke about two hours later feeling that I slept like a log. This music won’t just sooth the savage beast, this music, this flute music, will sooth YOUR savage beast, especially when driving in So Cali traffic on the freeway claims Cynth’s mom. I would also recommend this music for anyone who is stressful; for using with autistic children; pregnant mothers; or people who experience difficulty sleeping. As an artist who has only recently relocated here from the big city, the Review bids a hearty ‘welcome aboard’. You will find this is an interesting valley. Just look the neighbors I ran into one eclectic evening here, on a side road in the scene. (All photos - pt420photography@hotmail.com)

Posted in Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Winchester, Movies, Wildomar, Murrieta, Music, Family Attractions, Our Favorite Things, Temecula, News | Print | No Comments »

November 16, 2009 by PT Rothschild.

SKULLS AND HORNS AND BLOOD, OH MY!

Temecula, CA – ‘They say “A picture is worth a thousand words” and when you couple that slogan to an outrageous non-holiday holiday like Halloween, the pictures should be worth twice the price. So here they are. You make the call. (Psssst. Word on the street is more costume themed events are planned following the success and vibe of this one:)

THE CROWD

THE GHOULRS

THE BANDS - DEVOCEAN

SKAMIKAZE

THE SKANK AGENT

MAD TAB

BUDDHA  BOMB

THE VOODOO GLOW SKULLS

And so as we bid this past Skalloween adieu, please know that all who came out had a great time enjoying the festivities, the music, the camaraderie, the costumes, and the fun. It was all treats with no tricks, so join us next Skalloween, same Bat time, same Bat channel, same Bat Vault. (All photos expand more with second mouse click; pt420photography@hotmail.com)

Posted in Murrieta, Community, Temecula, Our Favorite Things, Music, Family Attractions, News | Print | No Comments »

November 16, 2009 by PT Rothschild.

TROY CHILDS AND PEEPS TIE POWER PLANT PROPOSAL INTO SAFETY KNOT

Riverside, CA – At the year’s last scheduled meeting of the ALUC, the Airport Land Use Commission, several days ago, Troy Childs and his uptown rag-tag band of concerned citizens dropped the ‘S’ bomb. In a detailed power point to the ALUC, Troy outlined both the safety issues surrounding power plants close to airports and incidences of what has happened to planes in the past that have flown through a plant’s rising plume. The Commission sat transfixed at hearing the information and showed to be sympathetic. When Troy became passionate and his reading of points and letters from airport industry officials started to blur a bit, the Commission asked him to slow down so they would not miss comprehending any important information. At the start of the presentation, Troy was granted the option of doing his 15 minute power point in lieu of others in his group yielding their speaker slip time allotment to Troy without a head count. Of course it worked out, we were the ‘good guys’ and had all dressed in white. OK, I’m kidding about the ‘dressing in white’ part, but the bad guys, Kent Fickett and his crew (see archives and photos, ‘A Case Of Gas…’) didn’t show through an email invite was sent to his compound location. I say ‘compound’ because on the door are several power enterprises, all grounded by Mr. Fickett, listed there.

Though there are only negatives for the local area from this power plant idea, like ground water pollution, air pollution, etc., those drawbacks were played down this time around, as the peeps pointed to the liability issues that would surround the first plane crash casualty caused by power plant implication. Being located in the county, it would be the county and its people responsible for approving the project that would be drawn in. Also discussed was the fact that developer Ryland Homes does not advance any knowledge of a power plant proposal to any prospective buyers though they had wind of it long ago. For now, this battle appears won, but the power plant war is not over. The FVCC outlined their next move and strategy, I’d tell you but then I would have to kill you. Just rest assured, Dear Readers, as 99% of the valley sleeps tonight, with a smaller percentage even knowing this power plant plan exists [At the end of the session, the head Commissioner said to the group, “You know, when this (power plant) project was first presented to (the ALUC on March 2008), there was nobody here to say a word against it”], knowing that a small bunch of Sky Kings are flying guard for your fresh air, and planning to put the FVEC (French Valley Energy Commission) in CHECKMATE. )°(

Posted in Riverside County, Money, California, Community, Winchester, United States of America, Politics, Temecula, Murrieta, News | Print | No Comments »

November 14, 2009 by Apryl Gould.

Guess what? I got tickets to the High School Musical live play at the Old Town Temecula Theater. We got our seats and it had already started. First, they were in class and Sharpay, Ryan, Taylor, Gabriella, Chad, and Troy got their phones taken away and get’s detention. Then, it is basketball practice. Finally, the Science Decathlon team wins, Sharpay and Ryan sing, the Wildcats basketball team wins, Gabriella and Troy sing and win the singing competition. I think the play was a great show.

Posted in Inland Empire, Old Town Temecula, Theater, Temecula, Family Attractions, Music | Print | No Comments »