Hello friends 🙂
I cannot wait to share my review with you. Stay tuned and enjoy summer! See you at the movies.
xo,
j
REZ BALL
August 7th, 2024Great in-depth article by Joanne Furio
July 18th, 2024Happy 2024 and hello sweet spring <3
March 7th, 2024
On the invitation of a sweet friend, I joined three lovely ladies for an evening out to see MJ: The Musical at the San Diego Theatre. After an hour on the I-5 heading south to the Gaslamp District, we valeted at the US Grant Hotel. Heather saved us a table in their oh-so-elegant cocktail lounge with appetizers and glasses of chardonnay for Liese and me, rosé for Tonya, and H20 for Heather who was rehydrating.
When we hurried out to to make curtain call, it was in a downpour. Quite a few people were drenched and had to sit through the play dripping wet. Fortunately, all four of us brought our umbrellas. Liese even gave hers away because mine was a golf umbrella–(such a generous human being!) to a few women suffering through the rain while we stood in line. I saw a few adolescent children with their parents, many, many adult men and women were in the audience.
The play: this is a Broadway musical on a national tour. Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage scripted this play to debut in 2020. Well, we all know what happened that year. I refer to it as the new B.C.
With the full blessing from Michael Jackson‘s estate, Nottage and brillant British director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon created a musical storyline that revolves around Jackson’s Dangerous Tour in 1992. With flashbacks to Jackson’s past, through his music, they filtered in the details of his childhood and career leading up to the tour.
They chose that year because musically, Jackson was at the pinnacle of his career (who hasn’t tried to master his famous “moonwalk”?) while breaching musical genres once restricted to black performers/musicians on pop radio. He really was a musical genius.
My first vinyl 45 RPM record was the Jackson 5 with Michael’s hit single, Rockin Robin which followed Got to Be There, Michael’s first solo hit in 1971. They touched on his father’s militant and abusive managerial control on Jackson and his brothers. His sisters, La Toya and Janet were missing in the family line-up. I am guessing because they were not part of the Jackson 5 originally but since the mother was featured—why not just place the sisters in the background? Every sibling has spoken out against their father’s heavy hand.
I loved his music and tried not to think about the heinous accusations against MJ in the 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland as I sat through the play. I wondered at what point in his life did he get so lost and so twisted? The second to last song Man in the Mirror brought tears to my eyes because of its well-meaning message that has gotten lost in the mire and muck of sordid Hollywood Babylon. A legacy tainted but reincarnated in wholesomeness with this play. One could feel MJ’s spirit alive in the theatre.
The dancers were phenomenal as was Roman Banks who played adult MJ. Little Michael and adolescent Michael were perfect. The orchestra and local musicians were so well placed and contributed to the entire musical magic for those several hours of live entertainment.
Here’s to the arts and culture community for supporting a necessary reason for uplifting our spirits and keeping the civil in civilization.
Stay safe and stay well friends,
J
‘Tis the season for toyon…
December 5th, 2023
Also known as holly berry. Toyon is a common, perennial shrub that is native to California, northern Baja and parts of the Pacific Northwest. This shrub commonly grows 4-6 feet in height and is a prominent member of the oak woodland and chaparral plant community.
Seek nature–let it heal and comfort you.
Be well, j.
A fantastic water movement is happening!
August 29th, 2023
Surface water Australasia and Pacific
GRANTING THE WORLD’S RIVERS LEGAL PERSONHOOD
Monday, 21 August 2023
From the Whanganui in New Zealand to the Atrato in Colombia, rivers worldwide are gaining unprecedented legal personhood, heralding a new era of recognition, protection, and sustainability. We explore what impact this has had on the water source in their respective countries.
Recognising rivers as legal persons
Over the past decade, a remarkable movement has been gaining momentum in various parts of the world – the granting of legal personhood to rivers. This groundbreaking concept elevates rivers to the status of legal persons, affording them the same rights and protections as human beings.
The movement, which began with the Whanganui River in New Zealand in 2017, has since spread to other countries, with the Atrato River in Colombia and the Magpie River in Canada also receiving this unique status and others following suit.
The concept of granting legal personhood to natural entities is rooted in the idea that ecosystems, like rivers, have intrinsic value and deserve protection against environmental degradation and exploitation. This innovative approach challenges the conventional view of nature as mere property and instead recognizes the inherent rights of these natural entities to exist, flourish, and regenerate.
Impact on water Sources: the case of Whanganui River
In 2017, the Whanganui River in New Zealand made history by becoming the first river in the world to be granted legal personhood. The legislation bestowed the river with the legal rights, duties, and liabilities of a person, creating a powerful precedent for other countries to follow.
The legal personhood of the Whanganui River has had significant implications for the water source and its surrounding environment. The river, considered sacred by the indigenous M?ori people, has long been an integral part of their cultural identity and sustenance. By granting it legal personhood, the New Zealand government acknowledges the river’s cultural and ecological significance and commits to its protection.
With its new status, the Whanganui River now has its own guardians, appointed by both the M?ori community and the government, to advocate for its interests and ensure sustainable management. The recognition of the river as a legal person has given the M?ori people a voice in decision-making processes concerning its well-being, leading to more inclusive and community-led conservation efforts.
As part of the law, NZ$80 million will be used to redress damage caused to the river between 1880 and 1920 from works on a steamer service on the river to extract minerals from its bed, which eroded its ecological quality, destroying eel weirs and fisheries.
Reverence for nature: Ganga and Yamuna Rivers in India
India followed suit in 2017 by granting legal personhood to two of its most sacred rivers, the Ganga and Yamuna. These rivers hold immense spiritual significance for millions of Indians and have long suffered from pollution and over-extraction.
By recognising the Ganga and Yamuna as legal persons, India said it sought to safeguard the rivers’ ecological health and restore their purity. The new status allowed for more stringent legal action against polluters and those harming the rivers, creating a stronger deterrent against water pollution.
However, the decision was appealed to the supreme court and campaigners are still waiting for the verdict and the rivers sadly continue to be polluted and exploited.
The Atrato River: An environmental lifeline in Colombia
In 2019, Colombia made a significant move towards environmental conservation by granting legal personhood to the Atrato River. As one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet, Colombia is acutely aware of the importance of preserving its water sources and natural habitats.
The Atrato River, located in the ChocĂł region, is an environmental lifeline for countless communities and diverse species. By bestowing it with legal personhood, Colombia acknowledges its crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance and ensures a more holistic approach to its protection.
Hydro electric dam development
The Magpie River in Canada has become one of the latest rivers to receive legal personhood. The river faced increasing threats from industrial development and resource extraction activities and concerns were raised about potential ecological damage, water pollution, and habitat destruction from the development of hydro electric dams.
The 120-mile-long waterway is also sacred to the Innu First Nation, who call it Mutuhekau Shipu. They’ve depended on it as a major highway, food source, and natural pharmacy for centuries.
The journey towards granting legal personhood to the Magpie River involved years of advocacy and engagement with various stakeholders. Environmental activists, indigenous leaders, legal experts, and concerned citizens collaborated to raise awareness about the river’s value and the need for its protection. The process also included consultation with indigenous communities, ensuring their perspectives were integral to the decision-making process.
Challenges and future prospects
While granting legal personhood to rivers represents a significant step forward in environmental protection, it also brings with it complex legal and practical challenges. Balancing the rights of the river with existing human activities and development needs requires careful consideration and collaborative efforts.
However, the impact of this paradigm shift is already evident, as these rivers are receiving greater attention and resources for restoration and conservation. The recognition of rivers as legal persons reflects a growing global consciousness about the need to protect our natural resources and embrace a more sustainable approach to development.
The granting of legal personhood to rivers marks a profound shift in how societies perceive and value their natural resources. As rivers gain legal personhood, they become living entities with a voice, advocating for their well-being and conservation. This transformation instills a renewed sense of responsibility among communities and governments to protect and cherish these vital lifelines.
Originally published in AquaTech.com
Sound of Freedom is Drumming Near You
July 25th, 2023
We can certainly pick apart this film, its execution in that some scenes were predictable and bordered on idealism. One film critic asked why the lead actor Jim Caviezel holds a gun in his left hand in the movie poster when he refused to carry one on an undercover raid. Umm, don’t all Homeland Security officers carry a firearm normally, sir?
I thought this film was beautifully photographed considering the heinous and ugly subject matter of children sex slaves. Gorka Gomez Andreu. Remember that name. He made excellent use of everyone’s eyes—particularly the quite serious and dedicated Mr. Caviezel. But oh my, when he smiled, you want to stand up and shout, “I BELIEVE!” He lights up the screen as if he ingested the sun. His teeth are beautiful in its imperfect crookedness that belong in real life.
Director Alejandro Montemarde directed and co-wrote the screenplay based on Tim Ballard‘s work. Senor Montemarde spares us the grisly details of violent rape and left me to my own imagination. I broke my heart most capably without his assistance of moving pictures.
I could go on and on in the details of the story’s pluses and minuses but the fact that there always seems to be a complicit female involved in sex trafficking just boggles my mind. It’s not just evil male degenerates masterminding these operations, women too.
Most recently in the last five years, “He whose name we shall not speak of”—one committed “suicide” in jail, had a girlfriend (female) luring young girls to his island. And the other is jailed for life—he had female assistants who looked away and didn’t warn naive and gullible actresses from his deviant proclivities.
It’s not just in South America where they prey on children. It’s here too. So before you dismiss the faith-based message in this story: think about the utter helplessness a six-year-old child feels in the world of dangerous, lawless adults forcing horror after horror on him or her. If a medallion of a deceased human saint gives them hope, so be it.
By now, you know that this is not a feel good movie but spoiler alert: there is a powerful relief in knowing there are real life heroes not only helping to dismantle these pedophile rings but that the survivors of sex trafficking often commit their life to Herculean efforts in helping other abductees to escape. These survivors deserve our praise and sincerest hope that good always prevails by exposing the monsters who hide in plain sight. Even if it is Hydra with nine heads.
As a former Los Angeleno, it was most gratifying to witness a usually placid and laid-back San Diego audience spontaneously applaud! It is the sound of freedom that rings through-out the theater.
Stay safe folks and see you at the movies! j
Reservation Dogs, Season 3 on August 2nd–SKODEN!!
May 17th, 2023Season 2, Episode 5 = The. Most. Hilarious. Episode. Ever. https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/reservation-dogs
Sacred Waters 2023
February 7th, 2023
Excited to hear Indigenous voices speaking about solutions for the future! Please join me…
Divine Intervention
December 5th, 2022Happy birthday Sweet Jesus!
Your servant <3,
j
“Give Time to Share Precious Thoughts”
August 16th, 2022
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.
We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years.
We’ve been all the way to the moon and back but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.
We’ve cleaned up the air but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more but learn less. We plan more but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits, and shallow relationships.
These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.
It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.
A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.
Remember to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart, and it doesn’t cost a cent.
Remember, to say, ‘I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
And always remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by those moments that take our breath away.
— George Carlin, rest in eternal hilarity 1937 ~ 2008
