Full Rolando Morales Band will perform at Sausalito Seahorse March 25, 2017
Saturday March 25, “An Evening with Rolando Morales and Carlos Reyes,” Sausalito Seahorse, 305 Harbor Drive, Sausalito, approx. 8:30-11:30pm. After months away, these two passionate musicians finally return to The Seahorse to put on their unique show at this fun waterfront restaurant and club. The great Paraguayan harpist/violinist Carlos Reyes and passionate guitarist/vocalist Rolando Morales will play a short set in duet to close out the dinner hour, followed by a concert and dancing to the World Class Rolando Morales Group featuring from the Gregg Rolie Band, the exciting bassist Gary Brown; from Brazil, the amazing drummer from Airto and Steve Winwood, Celso Alberti; from Rubén Blades and Dizzy Gillespie, Nicaraguan Latin percussionist/vocalist Danilo Paíz; from Paraguay, the thrilling violinist and harpist from Arturo Sandoval and Steve Miller, Carlos Reyes; and the powerful Rolando Morales leading the journey on guitar, guitar synthesizer and vocals. Don’t miss it! $15. Make your reservations at (415) 331-2899. www.sausalitoseahorse.com
An homage to John Lennon opens Project Freedom with a gorgeous snippet of “Imagine” (Prelude) with a soaring tribute to J. Rosamond Johnson’s uplifting composition, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” rounding out the purifying package. DeFrancesco’s new Project Freedom band, The People–a unit he’s currently touring the world with–helps him to see and feel things in a radically different manner than the past.
There’s in-the-pocket drummer Jason Brown who nearly got pigeonholed playing “straight Philly Joe Jones style; nothing wrong with that,” until DeFrancesco helped set him free. There’s guitarist Dan Wilson who has that “George Benson-Wes Montgomery-Grant Green thing down cold, and he comes out of the church, so that’s part of his thing too.”
Joey DeFrancesco
DeFrancesco wanted to add a good solid saxophonist to the band for some time, and he found one in Troy Roberts, the man behind the tenor and soprano saxophones on tunes such as the alluringly intuitive “Better Than Yesterday.”
From self-penned titles such as “Karma” and “Peace Bridge,” DeFrancesco is telling a story of love, humanity and positivity at a time of overwhelming negativity, to spread goodness when the news runs rampant with stories of brutality, violence and prejudice.
One song that’s become a centerpiece within the ideology of Project Freedom is the quartet’s lustrous cover of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” a song DeFrancesco began improvising as an encore for his 2003 appearance at the Detroit Jazz Festival. “The crowd was perfect, the weather was perfect, the song just came out of me and the next thing you know the crowd is swaying, men took their hats off and women began to cry. Me too. It was a truly sanctified experience where we all became one, transcending music and melody. I wanted to relive that story, that feeling, on Project Freedom.”
Joey DeFrancesco, is a modern-day avatar of the Hammond B3 organ and the Philadelphia history he shares with his principle instrument. Organ-based blues and jazz started in Philly and DeFrancesco is the first to tell you so. His bluesy, blustery sensibility is shared with the men in his family: saxophonist/grandfather Joseph DeFrancesco, and his father–organist “Papa” John DeFrancesco. Jazz lovers also dig DeFrancesco’s second instrument, the trumpet, and the inspiration gleaned from his first big boss, Miles Davis–with whom DeFrancesco gigged when the organist was in his late teens.
DeFrancesco stopped by the City of Brotherly Love to receive a star on the Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame alongside local giants such as Coltrane, Dizzy and Nina Simone.
Being a frequent flyer with a globe-hopping world touring schedule has given DeFrancesco insight into differing–but not opposing–viewpoints that he longed to espouse through music. “I always thought that as touring musicians, we were spreading peace. No matter what happens in the world, we keep playing. In a lot of the so-called forbidden places too.
When we’re there, through war and conflict, problems melt away through music. We’re playing for these people, hanging out with them, and we all come together and we’re grooving with each other because of the music. That is true freedom. Music is true freedom.”
Joey DeFrancesco & The People ·Project Freedom
Mack Avenue Records · Release Date: March 10, 2017
Celia Bullwinkel is perfect for these days as women awaken to the fact that we need to accept ourselves, whether or not men accept us for who we are or who they want us to be.
Such an honest and fun video for women… by Celia Bullwinkel
Celia Bullwinkel is an animator who lives and works in New York City. She has worked on feature films (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Chicago 10, Hair High), TV shows (Little Bill, MTV’s Friday, Ugly Americans, Wonder Pets), and far too many commercial projects.
“Alpha’s Bet,” her music video collaboration with visual artist Rammellzee, was exhibited in 2011 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. She is a faculty member at the School of Visual Arts animation department, and teaches at the Fashion Institute of Technology’s MFA Illustration program. Sidewalk is her first independent film. She collaborated with composer and jazz artist Joshua Moshier, who is a rising star in his own right.
Joshua Moshier as the composer for her new shortfilm was a great choice
Her collaboration with Josh has certainly given the animation a lot of “legs.” 🙂
Josh has contributed his musical voice to a number of bands including trumpeter Marquis Hill’s Blacktet and the Moshier-Lebrun Collective with saxophonist Mike Lebrun. His music has been profiled on NPR’s JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater and cited by the Chicago Tribune for “considerable lyric grace and compositional forethought.” Josh premiered his extended work, The Studs Terkel Project at the Chicago Cultural Center, commissioned by Chamber Music America’s New Works program and inspired by the writing of the oral historian Studs Terkel. Josh has also worked as a sideman with Milton Suggs, Larry Brown, John Moulder and Dara Tucker. With Mike Lebrun he has released Joy Not Jaded (OA2 Records) and The Local Colorists (Digital EP). Most recently, Josh led a quintet featuring Marquis Hill, John Wojciechowski, Dana Hall and Clark Sommers for a three-night run in Chicago.
Fulfill your dreams and enjoy intimate shows with amazing performers like Spyro Gyra, Yellow Jackets, Sandy Cressman, Kenny G., and Sacha Boutros, David Benoit Trio, and many more.
Yellow Jackets
Blue Note Napa is a jazz club/gourmet restaurant offers an intimate atmosphere with room for only 150 guests. The stage is so close to you that you feel as if the performers are playing in your very own living room in the historic Napa Valley Opera House.
Chef Sedlacek brings a level of creativity, an enthusiasm for fine cuisine and a respect for local ingredients that we believe will amaze the local culinary world and make The Blue Note Napa’s restaurant a destination for foodies who don’t even care about the jazz.
The Blue Note Napa is located on the first floor of the Napa Valley Opera House and is a jazz club and restaurant where patrons can enjoy performances of major world-renown artists and as well as local artists alike in an intimate environment. Our club seats less than 150 people. Patrons feel as though they can literally reach out and touch the artist! It is like having an artist playing right in your own living room.
Aside of world famous performers the Blue Note Napa offers a full menu, wine and cocktail list. Enjoy the booths which are strictly reserved for groups of four or more. If you come with a date or alone you can enjoy the show at a table or from the bar.
The management is committed to carry on the 35-year Blue Note intimate jazz club experience whilst mixing in Napa’s charm and commitment to great food, beverages and service to create a unique environment different than you will find elsewhere in Napa Valley.
By bringing our country’s unconsciousness into awareness, by becoming aware of our lower drives and desires can we choose use to commit to our higher values and will ourselves to become better as a country. While it is painful to face our lower drives and the more vile parts of this country it is part of the overall healing process to raise our collective consciousness for a better and more beautiful peaceful world.
During Netanyahu’s visit a reporter wanted to know about the rise of anti-Semitic incidents in the United States and concerns that the new administration was encouraging xenophobia and racism. The NYT reports: “There is no question that hate crimes and malicious speech have accelerated since the presidential campaign, with Jews among the prime targets. The Anti-Defamation League says anti-Semitic talk in the United States has reached levels unseen since the 1930s. And there have been bomb threats against Jewish centers across the country.” The NYT goes on: “As for racism and anti-Semitism, he said “bad things” have happened “over a long period of time” and gave no hint of appreciating how his nationalistic, anti-immigrant policies and fear-mongering have been a dog whistle for the alt-right.”
The media discussed this terrible response which did not address the havoc that organizations like Bannon’s media property Breitbart, who is known as one of the wife-beating men in the current GOP administration. Trump chose this racism promoting man as his most trusted advisor. Trump even is known to sign Executive Orders that were placed by Bannon in front of him, without even reading them, and without informing the National Security Organizations. Bannon calls the shots because Trump chooses this racist to call reign supreme.
Instead of taking the opportunity to reassure the country that he will uphold the US constitution, which does not allow racism, he simply whines about feeling accused. The President of the US, and the leader of the until recently “free world,” failed with his answers to this important question. The horrible rise in racism and anti-Semitism fostered and fomented by Breitbart, Bannon and his ALT-Right racist segment of the US population. The ALT-Right is emboldened by Bannon and his media company. Trump hired him and until he fires him, Trump is the boss, he is responsible. Bannon created speaking opportunities for racists, Ku Klux Klan Members and people who engage in the Nazi salute.
The dictionary explains: “A racist is a person who shows or feels discrimination or prejudice against people of other races, or who believes that a particular race is superior to another.” Trump has claimed in several interviews that he finds being questioned whether he is a racist “offensive.” So why does he keep promoting racists?
Trump was raised by a father who was a registered Ku Klux Klan member, and his grandfather rented out women. We can realize that many of his attitudes were formed during the pre verbal phase of his childhood. Trump rates women on a scale of 1 to 10, typically considering the age and the women’s bodies. Not their mind, not their personality, he sees women as possessions and as objects. He thinks that his being so attracted to women that he is compelled to touch them without invitation, is proof that he “loves” women. He succeeded in frightening and empowering women by the millions to leave the coziness of their homes to actually physically take to the street to protest.
It is quite possible that Trump is completely unaware of his attitudes, or how his actions, words, and attitudes perceived by an innocent bystander. Clearly Trump doesn’t have much respect for his own voters.
Donald Trump made the following statement in a 1998 interview with People magazine:
If I were to run, I’d run as a Republican. They’re the dumbest group of voters in the country. They believe anything on Fox News. I could lie and they’d still eat it up. I bet my numbers would be terrific.
Donald Trump
Trump admires dictators who murder their own citizens, he hired billionaires after claiming through out to the Fox News watching audiences that he would “clean the swamp.” And claimed Hillary giving speeches was proof that she was pro-Wall Street. Now on a near daily basis Trump brings in his “very capable” – often previously accused of fraud – Wall Street friends to run the government. It is obvious that he and his Wall Street Friends rode into the White House by making false promises – Better Healthcare than ACA – Better Paying Jobs – Safe Streets – and a GOP that would be winning so much they would get “tired of winning.”
Meanwhile here is a quote from the Dalai Lama:
“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”
? Dalai Lama XIV, The Art of Happiness
Why don’t you create one of the most romantic follow ups for your successful Valentine’s effort and bring your loved one to one of the most romantic settings in the Bay Area. The quaint family atmosphere with amazing art by a word famous artist, whose paintings hang in the San Francisco Opera as well as all over Europe, is complimented by fantastic food, impeccable services which allows you to make your sweet heart feel like a princess or queen, or prince or king as the case maybe. Being served by people who take pride in giving you a genuine old-world pleasure will create long term happy memories for you both. And if you have been married for along time, you may want to bring your grand children and introduce them to opera in a way that will open up their hearts to the finer things in life.
In 2014 Open Tables voted C’era Una Volta the Best Bay Area Italian restaurant. It is located on 1332 Park Street, in Alameda and offers parking in the rear of the building.
This weekend there is a fundraiser that provides world class opera singers performances, a four course meal, and the first glass of wine for the small price of a $95 per person of which $45 will given to the James Toland Vocal Arts programs. The program cultivates and supports talents who aspire a professional career as vocal performers.
The Artists
Clarissa Lyons – rising star soprano
She will make her Metropolitan Opera debut as Karolka in Janá?ek’s Jen?fa in October of 2016 and will sing Countess Ceprano in Verdi’s Rigoletto in January and April 2017.
Clarissa Lyons by Marielle Hayes
Ms. Lyons was vocal fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center in both 2011 and 2012. Highlights from those residencies include performances Ravel’s Trois Poemes de Stephane Mallarmé, Prokofiev’s Ugly Duckling, Chausson’s Chanson Perpetuelle, Monteverdi’s Lamento d’Arianna, and excerpts of Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride with Susan Graham and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She and pianist Bretton Brown have appeared in recital at Opera America’s National Opera Center, the WMP Concert Hall in New York City, and the Sunset Center in Carmel, California in the Winner’s Recital for the Carmel Music Society. Ms. Lyons has appeared as a soloist with the UC Berkeley University Chorus, with the Vermont Philharmonic, and San Francisco Choral Society at Davies Symphony Hall in their performance of Mendelssohn’s Elijah featuring Rod Gilfry. More
Arnold Livingston Geis – rising star Tenor
Arnold Livingston Geis, tenor, is a Los Angeles based musician and performer originally from Washington State. Geis began his career in Southern California as a church soloist. In 2013 marked Geis’ first season as a chorister in Los Angeles Opera’s performances of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman. He has since performed on the Dorothy Chandler stage in favorites such as Carmen, La Traviata, and Billy Budd.
Geis sings with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, an opportunity that has lead him to appear at the Walt Disney Concert Hall as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis. Geis’ most recent stage credits include Cavaliere Belfiore in Il viaggio a Reims, Chevalier in Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, Laurie Lawrence in Little Women, and Ferrando in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte.
He is honored to have worked under the esteemed conductors Gustavo Dudamel, Michael Tilson Thomas, James Conlon, and Grant Gershon. An active session singer, Geis’ voice can be heard in recent blockbusters such as After Earth, Maze Runner, Godzilla, The Rise of the Planet of the Apes, 50 Shades of Grey, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He holds a BM in vocal performance from Biola University and graduated with his MM in vocal arts from The University of Southern California.
Clara Osowski – Mezzo Soprano
Clara Osowski’s recently completed the Vancouver International Song Institute, the International Workshop on the songs of Edvard Grieg in Bergen, Norway, and traveled to Tours, France to attend the Académie Francis Poulenc. She was also featured in the 2014 Baldwin-Wallace Art Song Festival, in Berea, Ohio and competed in the 2014 International Vocal Competition in s’Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. In 2015, she was the only American to reach the finals of the Das Lied competition under the direction of Thomas Quasthoff in Berlin, Germany. This past October Clara was a finalist in the Liederkranz Foundation in New York City. Numerous festivals have introduced Clara to a number of international artists and art-song masters, including Graham Johnson, Felicity Lott, Francois Le Roux, Julius Drake, Irwin Gage, and Richard Stokes.
Clara Osokowski at the Indiana State Contemporary Music Festival
James Kallembach’s Songs on Letters of John and Abigail Adams with the Lydian Quartet on the occasion of the Adams’ 250th wedding anniversary at their historic home in Quincy, Massachusetts, and Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the Bel Canto Chorus of Milwaukee. In addition to her solo work, she participates in a number of ensembles, including Consortium Carissimi, Lumina Women’s Ensemble, the Rose Ensemble and Seraphic Fire. More
Austin Siebert
Baritone-Austin Siebert just completed the Merola Opera Program and performed the roles of Mr. Gobineau in Menotti’s The Medium and Marco in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. Siebert also covered Dr. Malatesta in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale. Additional recent engagements include outreach with the Dallas Opera as Belcore in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore, Mustafá in Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri with Seagle Music Colony, and the German General in Kevin Puts’ Silent Night with Fort Worth Opera Festival. Austin recently earned a Master of Music Degree in Vocal Performance at the University of North Texas, where he was seen as Dappertutto/Coppélius in Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann,Pritschitsch in Lehár’s Die lustige Witwe, and the title role in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. Mr. Siebert received his bachelors from Northwestern University and is a native of Shelbyville, IN.
Pudzer who is responsible for such misogynist ads, withdraws over conflicts
Puzder who fought for lower minimum wages or automation in the fast food industry finally realized that even some Republicans are more pro-worker than he planned to be. He has been sued numerous time for underpaying workers, which is illegal. The Labor Department claimed that in 2,561,000 earned $7.25 or less per hour. Please note that all minimum wage workers who live in states with a higher minimum wage than the Federal Minimum wage rate are not even included in the statistics. Chart
Puzder fights against raising the minimum wage for his workers while paying himself more very well. Meanwhile, according to CKE’s final public disclosure after going private—Puzder made more than $4 million in salary and bonuses.
Mother Jones reported in December: “Back in 2004, the company agreed to pay $9 million to settle claims that it had not paid overtime to store managers. In 2013, CKE was hit with a class-action suit for “allegedly failing to pay its general managers overtime, even while requiring them to be on call 24 hours a day,” reports Law 360.”
In response to the proposal to raise minimum wage, Puzder vowed to replace workers with machines. This is what he sarcastically said about machines: “They’re always polite, they always up sell, they never take a vacation, they never show up late, there’s never a slip-and-fall, or an age, sex, or race discrimination case.”
Donald J. Trump strongly defends Andrew F. Puzder, his chosen secretary of labor who is an outspoken critic of the worker protections enacted by the Obama administration. Trump, accused under oath of raping his first wife, defends Puzder and claims that he is treated “unfairly.” Really?
Puzder’s ex-wife Lisa Henning was terribly abused by him. She said that Puzder in a widely reported interview that “attacked me, choked me, threw me to the floor, hit me in the head, pushed his knees into my chest, twisted my arm and dragged me on the floor, threw me against a wall, tried to stop my call to 911 and kicked me in the lower back,” according to a 1989 Riverfront Times article.
At last Puzder withdrew his name from the nomination.
Now that Trump, Bannon and Puzder had been accused of spousal abuse, we really need to start wondering. We know that the best predictor for terrorist is a history of family violence. Hmmm. Maybe we need to look at our government through the lens of Domestic Violence. Article
Valentine’s Day makes us contemplate the meaning of love
Some people wonder how to stay with a war hero husband. Of course when your spouse is on the front you are afraid of loosing him or her. It is easy to feel the potential loss as ever deeper and growing true love. The fear of loosing him or her, may actually grow your commitment to be there for your spouse, and to love your spouse with all your heart and soul. You care for and love your spouse so very, very, very much.
Later you are so glad that they survived, so thrilled that they came home with out loosing life or limb. You are so happy when they come home to you and your kids.
Veterans returning home.
Trouble is that if he or she is suffering from a severe case of PTSD, your life will change as well. PTSD when expressed in a volatile and dangerous way is contagious.
Here is a true story:
A man, a vet came home from the war. He was such a lovely, intelligent and charming man. When he was conscious, that is.
When he wasn’t conscious, he turned into a hurtful, brutal and dangerous man.
In fact, because he was from a very good family, he was raised with the believe that a woman should be protected and cherished. He had many sisters and was raised to be protective of them as well. When he fell in love a deep calling rose up in him and he knew that he could be good for something, he could be a hero caring for his little woman. Even after all the atrocities he had witnessed during his service. He could protect that this lovely and shy girl who would be his bride.
The lady was raised in a Christian home and as a proper women who would love and cherish her husband. She was raised to believe that a husband and wife were bonded in the commitment to make marriage not just a holy sacrament, but also to obey and honor her spouse and support him in every possible way, in sickness and in health. And she was raised to support her husband’s growth in his career and standing in the community. In short a lovely and very proper woman.
And, OMG, it really worked. They started life together and enjoyed it fully, they worked hard, and bought a little home. They planted a garden and had common hobbies. He took her to romantic dinners, and was very proud of his “little woman.” They were very much in love and looked forward to a bright future with a lovely family.
What she had not realizes when they had this whirlwind romance, was that somehow during their romance, he didn’t experience any of the symptoms of the PTSD he had sustained in the war. His parents and siblings thought the young woman was a blessing in all their lives.
Then after they married he experienced some stress at work and the PTSD that the woman knew nothing about returned. The trouble is, when you are married to a man who has PTSD, no matter how many flowers you receive, no matter how many declarations of love you received, no matter how sincere these declarations actually are, the man may turn on a dime.
With a nightmare, with some trigger you were unfamiliar with, you might get hurt, beaten, strangled and severely physically compromised. The emotional pain is insufferable. A proper women may try coping mechanisms that they are taught. This woman tried to cope with the danger and pain by praying. She forgave him, she loved him, and she was determined to stand by her man.
The praying really did help her to keep her calm, but it didn’t keep her safe. Eventually she ended up in the hospital with a severe cut in her head, bruises all over her body, and she needed to get stitches so quickly to stop the severe bleeding, that she ended up with 27 stitches on her shaved skull without anesthesia.
Love alone is not enough. So if you have a good reason, a wonderful reason to love a man, a mighty and wonderful man. and he hurts you. Stop, in the name of love! Stop. Stop pretending it will get better, stop thinking that it is your fault. Stop. Stop the lies that keep you bonded to such an unhealthy situation.
Get help!!! Help is out there, and you can be free of an abuser. Even if you know that it is not his fault that he experienced such terrible hardships and pain. It is not your fault either and you don’t have to deal with it on your own.
PTSD is recently acknowledged as a potential result of war engagement. But if you are just a kind woman who loves your man, you may need some serious help to keep you and the children safe. Love alone will not heal this potentially dangerous condition. And, as many people found out, the constant stress and danger of living with an unpredictable, hurtful, disrespectful man, causes the spouse PTSD as well. Unfortunately it is contagious.
So get help. He needs therapy. There are some forms of therapy that are promising. But while he is in therapy, you and the kids may have to watch out for your own safely. The lady in the story eventually knew that she had to leave him, so he would not turn into her murderer. She did this after he held her at knife point of a long kitchen knife for 1 and 1/2 hours talking like a crazy man, wondering aloud if his pain would stop, if he killed her. She finally realized that it was her god given duty not to help him ruin his life entirely. She realized that she could best help him by being away from him.
The shock of loosing her helped him. He got therapy for PTSD and after 10 more painful years, he slowly got better. He told her that he was glad for both of them that she had left when she did. By leaving him she helped him to stop the negative spiral he was on. The loss of her and her love woke him up to the fact that he had a serious problem. Before she left him, he thought “she was the problem.” He thought if she was kinder, or more strong willed, or funnier or not as afraid of him, or not as angry, he would not have had to punish her all the time.
He told her that he strongly believed he may actually have killed her eventually, if she didn’t leave him. A study in 2015 showed that 94 percent of women killed by men were murdered by someone they knew. Of the victims who knew their offenders, 62 percent were wives or other intimate acquaintances of their killers.
On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men.1
1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of [some form of] physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime. More
Sometimes the most loving thing you can do is get away from someone you love. For the rest of us, who are in a wonderful and happy relationships that works or can be nurtured into working, we may wish to support those who are not so lucky. Support the National Coalition Against Family Violence
Ms. Priscilla Chan is a former grade school teacher and a recent medical school graduate training to become a pediatrician. She has a strong commitment to health and put’s her wealth toward the common good. Her parents came as refugees to seek a better life. Now she is one of the top Billionaires who is committed to make life better for everyone.
In an interview with Today, Priscilla Chan recalled: “If you’re the first generation to go to college, sometimes you don’t realize your potential until others point it out.” For her, those individuals were her public school teachers, whom she credits for “getting me excited about learning.” Priscilla spoke Cantonese growing up, learned English in school and life, and studied Spanish to server her patients better.
Her commitment to health is genuine and unsurpassed. She met her husband Mark Zuckerberg at Harvard where they were first class mates and later they dated. They dated for 10 years before deciding to get married to form their family.
She and her husband donated $600 Million dollars through her charity organization CZI to create a Biohub together with University of California at San Francisco, Stanford University and University of California at Berkeley, which will be headquartered next to UCSF’s Mission Bay
campus in San Francisco.
She is an amazing woman who is one of the best examples of what America genuinely stands for. Immigrants who seek a better life and in turn make life for the rest of Americans a better place. Thank you Ms. Chan Zuckerberg for sharing your big heart, brilliant mind, and wealth for the greater good.
The National Education Association expresses deep concerns
A recent study provided that only 41% of Cyber Schools were deemed “academically acceptable.” The graduation rate on private Cyber Schools was less than half of that of brick & mortar public schools. So why is the new head of education so interested in providing an easy platform of proven tax dollar theft?
This is not “liberal hysteria” this is a genuine concern based on real facts.
California
Jessica Calefati of the San Jose Mercury News provided in-depth research about the for profit company K12 Inc. which lead to a $168.5 Million settlement with California. There are proven claims that the Virginia-based Charter School manipulated attendance records and overstated its students’ success. The SJMN stated in its article: “Harris’ office found that K12 and the 14 California Virtual Academies used deceptive advertising to mislead families about students’ academic progress, parents’ satisfaction with the program and their graduates’ eligibility for University of California and California State University admission.” Over a twelve year period the fraudster charged the State of California $310 Million dollars.
Despite these findings the Atlantic Monthly reports:
“DeVos invested in the online charter-school operator K12, which targeted the growing home school market. But K12’s overly expansive business model made it both significantly less profitable and more prone to regulatory and operating deficiencies than smaller, less ideologically driven competitors. K12 still trades below its IPO price from 2007. K12 was one of dozens of companies originally backed by Michael Milken’s ambitiously named Knowledge Universe, as part of an expansive effort to revolutionize education.”
Pennsylvania
Account Neal Prence, 61, admitted guilt in defrauding the government by helping with illegal accounting practices. AP reported that Nicholas Trombetta, 61, acknowledged using the school’s money to fund a lavish lifestyle, including buying a Florida condominium, homes for his girlfriend and mother and a jet airplane, while socking most of the money away for retirement. Trombetta used Avanti Management Group, the National Network of Digital Schools and other companies Trombetta also created to perpetrate the scheme. The fraud was uncovered thanks to the tireless work of the FBI.
What seems surprising is that despite the fact that they absconded admittedly with $8 Million dollars the maximum sentence the law allows is: “The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 100 years in prison, a fine of $3,250,000, or both for Trombetta and five years’ imprisonment, $250,000, or both for Prence. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorneys James R. Wilson, Robert S. Cessar and Stephen R. Kaufman are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.” More
Ohio
Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow lost appeal to allow the state to audit the attendance of their online charter school. The Columbia Dispatch reported on November 13, 2016: “ECOT could not substantiate nearly 60 percent of full-time students were getting the minimum 920 hours of “learning opportunities” required by the state, meaning the state could ask the school to repay more than $60 million of the $106 million it received in state funding last year. Eight other smaller e-schools also were unable to justify their reported enrollment totals.” It seems House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, R-Clarksville, was not worried about ECOT or Ohio’s other online schools potentially defrauding Ohio. He simply excused their behavior by saying: “There are always two sides to the story.” His comment implies that there may be many more sides than that. Why would a House Speaker support Ohio citizens being defrauded?
These are only very few examples. Now with DeVos and her side kick Jerry Fallwell Jr. in charge of “education” we can be sure there will be many more major thefts. We are now in the era that US founders wanted to avoid:
It is 49 words in Article I of the Constitution.
“No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.”
And the Congress is working feverishly on abolishing the oversight office of ethics to aid the business interests of their now fellow leaders. Here is a great link to a speech Walter M. Shaub, Director, U.S. Office of Government Ethics, gave at the Brookings Institute in January 2017. Link
Most people’s best and oldest friends are from our early schools days. DeVos is known to take the life long pleasure of socialization so that if a child or parent signs in online for 1 minute the “privateering school” seems legally is entitled to steal tax payers money. If tax dollars earmarked for education go to pay for private homes of girlfriends instead of education, it should be wrong. But DeVos disagrees and the GOP gives her free reign to create theft rings. More
Eli Broad who sponsors the best and most high performing charter schools in the country tried to stop her plan to defraud the public much like her brother Eric Prince did with his billions Dollar thefts in war of Iraq with his privateering military company Blackwater. To this day Eric Prince finds it offensive that people hold him accountable as to how he spent taxpayers money. Eric Prince said in recent interviews in an Alt-Right media company that he should not be accountable because the missing Billions and Billions of dollars were spent in a “private” military company and therefore he should not have to disclose the where the missing money went nor where it is now.
The only lesson the public can learn is how bottomless the sense of entitlement has become under our dysfunctional government that provides no oversight and no accountability of how and where our rapidly disappearing taxes and pensions has become. Unrepentant thieves have overthrown the government. DeVos will be a disastrous example of self righteous thievery of billions of taxpayers money due to funneling American public funds into “private” pockets. Another billion dollar heist is underway and sanctioned by Paul Ryan and McConnell. No wonder they want to silence the voices of reason.
An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. ~Bill Vaughan
¡Feliz Año Nuevo, Mi Gente!
I have the impression a lot of us stayed up to ensure the old year left. We made it through a wild, tough year together. We said goodbye to too many beloved cultural icons; from Prince to Bowie to Ali and too many others, from early January to just a week ago, as well as to too many friends and family. We witnessed turmoil and political resistance in the streets and welcomed in a new American protectionist leadership who’s message is thinly veiled in racism. I lost my vision in my right eye and just recently gained most of it back. We’ll all need to keep two good eyes open on this new year! Let’s hope for the best, but speak out loudly when the time warrants.
I’m starting my first week of the year with three nice public appearances, all at locations I haven’t seen in a while. This Thursday Jan 5, I return to Piacere in downtown San Carlos from8-11pm. We had a blast there closing out 2016 with many Peninsula friends I hadn’t seen in years. Lots of great energy, singing and dancing. Let’s keep the ball rolling and swing by! Details below.
Then on Friday January 6, after three months away, I finally return to Maria, Maria in Walnut Creek from approx 6-9pm. Time flies when you’re busy… Let’s reconnect! Details below.
And on Saturday January 7, after FOUR months away, I finally return to Maria, Maria in Danville, also approx 6-9pm. This is my shout-out to my Far East Bay friends. Swing by! Details below.
Remember too, to make your reservations for Saturday January 14, “An Evening with Rolando Morales and Carlos Reyes” at the Sausalito Seahorse with our World Class band. We’ll have my musical monsters ready to go: bassist David Belove; Latin percussionist/vocalist and Grammy winner Omar Ledezma; Brazilian drummer Celso Alberti; and of course Paraguayan harpist/violinist Carlos Reyes and Yours Truly on guitar, guitar synth and vocals. It’s next week, so make your reservations now. Details below.
Here’s the rest of your brand new January Calendar. See you at the show!
Ciao,
Rolando
PUBLIC PERFORMANCES FOR JANUARY 2017
Thursday Jan 5, Piacere, 727 Laurel Street, San Carlos, CA 9070, 8-11pm. After almost 4 years away, Rolando finally returns for a set of appearances at this fine Peninsula restaurant that takes you on a culinary tour of Italy. Rolando will take you on a sensory tour of the Americas and beyond on solo guitar and voice. Come along for the ride. www.piacererestaurant.com, (650) 592-2040.
Friday Jan 6, Maria, Maria Cantina, 1470 North Broadway, Walnut Creek, approx 6-9pm. After almost 3 months away, Rolando finally returns to Carlos Santana’s Walnut Creek tavern to perform on solo guitar and voice in the Restaurant Room. Flautist Bob Harrison may sit in. Swing by and greet the New Year with old and new friends! (925) 820-2366, www.mariamariarestaurants.com.
Saturday Jan 7, Maria, Maria Cantina, 710 Camino Ramon Road, Danville CA, approx 6-9pm. After almost 4 months away, Rolando finallyreturns for a rare Saturday night at Carlos Santana’s elegant Danville location. Bring friends and let’s welcome the New Year together. Who knows when I’ll be back! (925) 820-2366, www.mariamariarestaurants.com.
Saturday Jan 14, “An Evening with Rolando Morales and Carlos Reyes,” Sausalito Seahorse, 305 Harbor Drive, Sausalito, approx 8:30-11:30pm. After months away, these two passionate musicians finally return to The Seahorse to put on their unique show at this fun waterfront restaurant and club. The great Paraguayan harpist/violinist Carlos Reyes and passionate guitarist/vocalist Rolando Morales will play a short set in duet to close out the dinner hour, followed by a concert and dancing to the World Class Rolando Morales Group featuring from the Pete Escovedo Orchestra, the rock-solid bassist David Belove; from Brazil, the amazing drummer from Airto and Steve Winwood, Celso Alberti; Grammy-winning Latin percussionist/vocalist Omar Ledezma; from Paraguay, the thrilling violinist and harpist from Arturo Sandoval and Steve Miller, Carlos Reyes; and the powerful Rolando Morales leading the journey on guitar, guitar synthesizer and vocals. Don’t miss it! $15. Make your reservations at (415) 331-2899. www.sausalitoseahorse.com
Saturday Jan 21, Pairings Cellars, 310 Main Street, Pleasanton CA 94566, 8-11pm. Rolando returns to this new, exciting social hotspot in downtown Pleasanton. This new wine bar features fine wines, tapas and Rolando Morales performing his broad repertoire on solo guitar and voice. Free! www.pairingscellars.com, (925) 398-8846.
Thursday Jan 26, Piacere, 727 Laurel Street, San Carlos, CA 94070, 8-11 pm. Rolando returns to this fine Peninsula restaurant that takes you on a culinary tour of Italy. Rolando will take you on a sensory tour of the Americas and beyond on solo guitar and voice in the fun, lively bar area. www.piacererestaurant.com, (650) 592-2040.
