Mendocino County Today: Sunday 2/8/2026

By AVA News Service on February 8, 2026

Saturday sunrise, Potter Valley (Leland Horneman)

STEPHEN DUNLAP (Fort Bragg): A warm & cloudy 50F this Sunday morning on the coast. Rain should arrive later this morning & leave by Monday morning. Mostly dry Monday then scattered chances of rain to follow ? The forecast for this week changes every time I check it. Things turn really wet next Saturday.

RAIN will move in through the day Saturday and most likely end before midnight. Cool and cloudy conditions will persist through the week with additional light rain possible around Wednesday and heavier rain next weekend. (NWS)

FORT BRAGG PROTEST photos, February 7, 2026, by Bob Dominy

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mendoevents/albums/72177720331885225/

SILENT LINE OF MASKED COASTIES stretches across Noyo Bridge, delivering a message louder than crowds

Masked protesters, dressed like ICE lined about 20 feet apart, most quietly holding a message about the horrible stuff going on right now.

by Frank Hartzell

Linda and I had just come out of the Dollar Store with a bag of toys for the Fort Bragg Lions Club program — the one that hands free toys to stressed kids in the emergency room — when we stumbled into something we didn’t expect. From the corner near McDonald’s all the way across the Noyo Bridge, every twenty feet stood one or two masked Coasties holding signs against fascism and the growing police state represented by ICE. No chanting, no bullhorns, no crowd — just a quiet line stretching over the water.

We didn’t stop to investigate who organized it or whether it was part of a national action. We’re presenting it exactly as we saw it. There had been a weekly Indivisible protest earlier, and if we had to guess, this looked like their work — but the truth is, it doesn’t matter. What mattered was the sight: ordinary people taking up space, silently, steadily, refusing to look away.…

https://mendocinocoast.news/silent-line-of-masked-coasties-stretches-across-noyo-bridge-delivering-a-message-louder-than-crowds-see-their-message-in-our-video/

JAMES ‘JIM’ LEONARD ROBINSON

Born to William and Janet Robinson in Fort Bragg, Jim Robinson was the eldest of three. He was a smart wit, and a devoted 49er and SF Giants fan. A talented musician, he loved the Rolling Stones.

Jim grew up in Point Arena but spent most of his life in Ukiah, where he met his wife, Marge. Together they shared four children. He retired after 27 years with MTA, driving the bus on the 101 from Ukiah to Willits. He also drove a cab around Ukiah.

He found his way back to Point Arena while working in road maintenance with the Mendocino County Department of Transportation. He said his best job ever was riding the lawn mower while maintaining the golf course at The Sea Ranch.

Jim is preceded in death by his dad, his wife, his beloved daughter Dacia, his close friend Pam, his brother-in-law Mike, and his aunt Sue. He leaves behind his mom, his sisters Jennifer and Jeanine, his children Heather, Abram and Jacob, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Jim passed peacefully just two hours into the New Year of 2026.

AV EVENTS (today)

Free Entry to Hendy Woods State Park for local residents
Sun 02 / 08 / 2026 at 8:00 AM
Where: Hendy Woods State Park
(https://andersonvalley.helpfulvillage.com/events/5158)

AV Grange Pancake and Egg Breakfast
Sun 02 / 08 / 2026 at 8:30 AM
Where: Anderson Valley Grange , 9800 CA-128, Philo, CA
(https://andersonvalley.helpfulvillage.com/events/5025)

The Anderson Valley Museum Open February till November
Sun 02 / 08 / 2026 at 1:00 PM
Where: The Anderson Valley Museum, 12340 Highway 128, Boonville, CA
(https://andersonvalley.helpfulvillage.com/events/5206)

ON TALMAGE ROAD by the Post Office

BOARD OF SUPES SENDS PROPOSAL TO APPROVE 100 HIPCAMPS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION

Haschak's quiet lobbying effort pays off

by Elise Cox

Takeaway: County could gain $75,000 in transient occupancy taxes, while incurring additional administrative, enforcement and infrastructure costs.

Ten months after quietly lobbying state lawmakers to make it easier to approve small commercial campgrounds regardless of existing zoning, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to advance a proposal that could legalize up to 900 individual commercial camping areas on 100 properties countywide.

Supervisors did not discuss whether the placement of campsites could be optimized to reduce infrastructure costs, minimize wear and tear on county roads, or ensure adequate access to emergency services. Nor did they debate restrictions that might address concerns repeatedly raised by residents in prior public comment, including heightened wildfire risk, increased insurance premiums, potential groundwater contamination, impacts to sensitive habitats, and late-night noise and traffic on rural roads.

Supervisor John Haschak, who has communicated directly with Hipcamp representatives, estimated there are roughly 80 small commercial campgrounds operating without permits in Mendocino County. That estimate aligns with material Hipcamp provided to this reporter in 2024, when the company said its Mendocino County hosts earned an average of $7,500 annually — or roughly $600,000 total. Extending the county’s Transient Occupancy Tax to those operations would generate approximately $60,000, an amount unlikely to meaningfully offset road maintenance costs or fund enforcement of a new ordinance.

Haschak placed a letter supporting Assembly Bill 518 on the consent calendar on April 22, 2025. Despite strong public interest in the issue, the letter received no public comment, suggesting many residents were unaware of the proposed action. Items on the consent calendar are supposed to be routine and noncontroversial.

Haschak’s letter did not cite any shortage of available campsites in Mendocino County. However, it did repeat Hipcamp-approved talking points: “In 2022, outdoor recreation reached a record high, with more than 19 million Californians enjoying the outdoors. California’s outdoor recreation economy, one of the state’s largest economic sectors, is valued at an estimated $73.8 billion. However, nearly half of all campers report difficulty finding and booking available campsites across the state.”

The language echoes the statements San Diego Assemblyperson Chris Ward made when he introduced the A.B. 518 on April 9, 2025 with “two of our co-sponsors, Hip Camp Head of Government and Community Relations Mitra Rosener and Lexi Gritlefeld, the Director of California Outdoor Recreation Partnership.”

At the hearing Ward said: “Outdoor recreation hit a record high post pandemic in 2022 with more than 19 million Californians getting outside. They provided an estimated $74 billion for our state’s outdoor recreation. However, nearly half of all campers reported difficulty finding and booking available campsites statewide.”

Ward also asserted that it cost nearly $100,000 for a landowner to set up their property and share it with the public.

Chris Rogers, a Democrat who represents Mendocino County, Liz Ortega, a Democrat from Hayward, and Damon Connolly, a Democrat from San Rafael, joined Ward in co-sponsoring the bill.

The bill passed the state Senate on Sept. 9, 2025 with 35 votes. Four Democrats — Ben Allen from El Segundo, John Laird from Santa Cruz, Akilah Weber Pierson from San Diego, and Angelique Ashby from Sacramento — noted no. The Assembly approved the bill the following day 67 – 13 with eleven Republicans and two Democrats opposed.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 518 on Oct. 1, 2025.

The legislation marked a significant victory for Hipcamp and its investors, who have poured more than $100 million into the San Francisco startup. According to CJ Gustafson of Mostly Metrics, the company would need to generate roughly $500 million in revenue to support a successful initial public offering for institutional investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, who contributed $25 million to the company in 2019, or Index Ventures and Bond Capital, which led a $57 million fundraising round in 2021.

Introducing the local proposal Tuesday, Haschak said AB 518 allows counties to opt in and adopt their own ordinances going through “the state bureaucracy.”

“This is our opportunity to streamline the process and move it forward,” Haschak said. “We’ve been dealing with this for the last four years.”

Haschak said that he and Supervisor Ted Williams had met with planning department staff and wanted to propose limiting permits to seven campsites per property — fewer than the nine allowed by the state law — and capping the initial rollout to 100 permits.

Supervisor Madeline Cline questioned how that limit was determined. “What kind of engagement did you do with property owners who may be interested in low-impact campsites, particularly around the difference between seven and nine sites?” she asked.

Supervisor Mo Mulheren opposed reducing the number of sites. “I don’t know why we would reduce it to seven,” he said. “I’m fine with a cap of 100 to see how it goes.”

Supervisor Bernie Norvell raised concerns about existing unpermited camps. “What does this do to hipcamps that are already operating illegally, particularly in residential neighborhoods?” he asked, citing a problematic site in his coastal district.

Planning and Building Services Director Julia Krog said properties located in areas designated as urban clusters by the U.S. Census would not qualify under AB 518. Sites surrounded by at least 75% urban uses are excluded from the program. These include three areas in Mendocino County: Fort Bragg, Willits, and Ukiah.

A U.S Census Department map of urban clusters based on data from 2020. The dark blue areas of this map are the only areas where hipcamps would not be approved to operate under AB 518. You can find a direct link to this data at the bottom of the article.

Williams argued for lower permit fees, a move that could further limit the county’s ability to recover costs associated with increased enforcement and infrastructure impacts.

Public comment highlighted additional concerns. Dee Pallesen, speaking from District 5, warned that allowing campsites on private roads with multiple owners and easements could create “a mess of problems.”

Jenny Shattuck of Fort Bragg raised safety concerns, citing limited cell service in rural areas and the possibility that emergency responders might be unable to reach campsites.

She also objected to allowing commercial campgrounds outside commercial zones. “If we wanted to live next to a campground or a commercial area, we would have bought or rented there,” Shattuck said. “This is a disservice to residents.”

After discussion, the board voted to forward the proposal — amended to allow up to nine campsites per permit and incorporating AB 518 standards — to the Planning Commission for review, bypassing additional board hearings. Supervisors said the goal was to expedite implementation and begin collecting the approximately $75,000 in transient occupancy taxes sooner.

Data on urban clusters: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Urban/MapServer

(Mendolocal.news)

A READER WRITES: The supes are changing direction on Airbnb policy, the new ordinance will allow short-term rentals everywhere, except the coastal zone and incorporated cities, with no limits.

UKIAH SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK

Sketch is a 1-year-old, 30 pound Blue Heeler with classic cattle dog brains, energy, and personality. True to his breed, he’s smart, alert, and always paying attention to what’s going on around him. Sketch came to the shelter unsure about people, but with patience and consistent handling from staff, he’s made great progress--he’s learning that humans can be safe and kind, and it’s been very rewarding to watch his confidence grow. That said, Sketch will need a patient, experienced owner who understands herding breeds and is committed to continuing his training and socialization. Because he’s still building trust and can be sensitive, Sketch is looking for an adult-only home where he can feel secure and not overwhelmed. As for other dogs, Sketch tested well with a female dog and previously came in with one, so he may enjoy a canine companion. However, any potential doggy housemates will need a proper meet-and-greet at the shelter to make sure it’s a good match. Sketch is an active, working-breed dog who will need lots of daily exercise, mental stimulation, and structure. Hikes, training sessions, puzzle toys, agility, or even a job to do would make his heart very happy. A bored Heeler is a creative Heeler, and not always in ways you’ll appreciate. His past before the shelter is mostly a mystery, but his future is bright with the right person.

To see all of our canine and feline, guests visit: mendoanimalshelter.com.

We're on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/mendoanimalshelter/

For information about adoptions please call 707-467-6453.

Making a difference for homeless pets in Mendocino County, one day at a time!

RON PARKER:

Murdered and hanged Sept 27, 1895 by Bayless Vanb Horn, John Crow and Jose Gregory. Killed because he dared to oppose George E. White - Covelo

ED INQUIRY? Isn't the photo Jack Littlefield, murdered by Wylacki John on behalf of White?

CATCH OF THE DAY, February 7, 2026

DAYNAH BOLTON-BETTERS, 18, Ukiah. Battery with serious injury, assault with deadly weapon with great bodily injury.

ERICA CERVANTES, 45, Redwood Valley. Disobeying court order, false ID.

JORDYN JUNKER, 31, Fort Bragg. Probation revocation.

ALDA PETROCCHI, 56, Petaluma/Ukiah. Contempt of court.

LUIS SANCHEZ-GIL, 41, Ukiah. Failure to appear, probation revocation, resisting.

FRANKLIN WILLBURN, 53, Willits. Controlled substance, paraphernalia, contempt of court.

TYLER WOOD, 28, Redwood Valley. Fugitive from justice.

GREAT FOR INSURERS

Editor:

Lisa Jarvis’ column on Donald Trump’s proposal to put federal money in Health Savings Accounts rather than subsidizing health insurance premiums highlighted many of the proposal’s problem, but it left out one of the most significant problems. Trump said you can “buy your own health care. And you’ll make a great deal, you’ll get better health care for less money.”

We know someone — self-employed in the building trades, with no preexisting conditions — who had individual insurance before the Affordable Care Act. His insurance premiums increased every six months and had reached over $900 a month before he signed up for an Affordable Care Act plan with better coverage and a total premium less than half that.

Trump’s proposal assumes that individuals have negotiating strength equal to that of insurance companies. But the average individual would have to spend hours researching plans, interpreting marketing language, etc.; and then choose from among limited, and often bad, options, with no power to negotiate and no recourse against premium increases. The Affordable Care Act used the power of large insurance pools to negotiate plan rates. Individuals won’t have that power.

The Trump plan is a terrible idea for people — likely a great idea for insurance companies.

Bill Houghton

Sebastopol

MEMO OF THE AIR: O stone, be not so.

Marco here. Here's the recording of Friday night's (9pm PST, 2026-02-06) eight-hour-long Memo of the Air: Good Night Radio show on KNYO.org, on 107.7fm KNYO-LP Fort Bragg (CA) and also, for the first three hours, on 89.3fm KAKX Mendocino, ready for you to re-enjoy in whole or in part: https://memo-of-the-air.s3.amazonaws.com/KNYO_0682_MOTA_2026-02-06.mp3

Coming shows can feature your own story or dream or poem or essay or kvetch or announcement. Just email it to me. Or send me a link to your writing project and I'll take it from there and read it on the air. That's what I'm here for.

Besides all that, at https://MemoOfTheAir.wordpress.com you'll find a fresh batch of dozens of links to not-necessarily radio-useful but worthwhile items I set aside for you while gathering the show together, such as:

Alex Bosworth wrote: "At long last, my housing came through. I moved in on Thursday but I've been too sick and weak from pneumonia and various blood disorders to do anything but sleep. It's a simple, one bedroom apartment in San Ysidro. Once I'm on my feet, I'll fix it up and have it ready for visitors. Thank you for your moral support in this dark, difficult time. More later. Love, Alex." Here it is, classy, fresh, not just better than being out on the street but the kind of real place where a person can live, not merely survive, nor give up this dream of life that keeps him alive. In other words, where he can be he: https://www.facebook.com/abosworth1/posts/pfbid02D3214DD5psVAiKq4rsx3zHpn6ozLAN5W1wmitXimyG1KR8u1KLov5DCRPeCtA8SDl

A paean to Silent Running, a movie that made a big impression on me when I was thirteen. I don't even remember what the double feature was with it that week. I remember throwing up earlier that day because my mother brought a big container of leftover tepid shrimp and sauce home from after an Amway presentation, and I had never had shrimp before. I ate about a quart of it. It might have been entirely fine and not poison at all, but it didn't agree with me. That was one of the times I used the trick my grandmother taught me when I was five, for when a bottle or container or whatever you're working on starts leaking or spraying, or you're suddenly sick, and the bathroom or the door outside are too far away: get a wastebasket, or spread your jacket out. Anything easier to clean and less problematical than the furnace grate in the hallway, you little pig. https://theawesomer.com/how-silent-running-influenced-science-fiction-aesthetics/795323

And "This is the one that does all the fancy work and I'd like to show you how simple and easy it is to use." (via Tacky Raccoons) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk9G4L-JFqQ

Marco McClean, [email protected], https://MemoOfTheAir.wordpress.com

BILL KIMBERLIN:

This is the new library/student center at the College of Marin in Kentfield, Ca. It is across the street from the Half-Day Cafe. It is a three story structure of 78,000 sq. ft. and cost about $116 million dollars to construct. It includes large shaded balconies with good views of Mt. Tam and other pleasant greenery.

Ed note: Another eyesore structure indistinguishable from all the other modern eyesores. Could be a bank, a medical complex, a dentists' retirement home. Nothing about it suggests libraries or students.

MORE NEW CALIFORNIA OIL DRILLING PERMITS APPROVED IN JAN. 2026 THAN ALL OF 2025 AS OIL LOBBY SPENDING SOARS

by Dan Bacher

If people still believe the false narrative that California is the nation’s “green” and “progressive” leader, as many folks who haven’t looked at the actual data might believe, here’s some sobering news for them.

In 2025, permit approvals for drilling new wells continued falling, but in the first three weeks of January alone, *California oil regulators issued more new drilling permits than for all of 2025, *according to a new analysis from Consumer Watchdog and FracTracker Alliance.…

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/2/5/2367344/-More-new-CA-oil-drilling-permits-approved-in-Jan-2026-than-all-of-2025-as-oil-lobby-spending-soars

ON-LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY #1

Watch Seattle in their last super bowl. Marshawn Lynch was running all over New England's defense. Patriots had no answers. Then, at the two yard line, they decide to stop running the ball. They pass it instead. Interception. Seattle loses.

Watch the 49ers latest defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs. Christian McCaffrey was running roughshod over KC's defense. Then, inexplicably, little Kyle Shanahan decided to abandon the run game. Two straight three and outs without a single run. SF loses.

Both of these teams would have won the big game had they stuck with what was working so well but for unexplained reasons the coaches abandoned the game plan and subsequently lost the game.

Yes, these games ARE scripted. The winners are pre-determined. Why? Money. It's all about money. Money money money. Money destroys and corrupts everything. It always has. It always will.

SUPER BOWL WEEKEND feels like the right moment to share a lesser known chapter from Jack’s life that connects Lowell, college football, and the early roots of professional football in New England.

The Beatnik Ball Carrier: Before the Patriots ever existed, Billy Sullivan who founded/owned the Boston Patriots (later the New England Patriots), had a direct connection to Jack’s story. Sullivan had strong family ties to Lowell. His uncles owned the print shop where Jack’s father Leo Kerouac worked.

Sullivan helped recruit Jack to Boston College seeing real potential in him as both a student and an athlete. But Jack ultimately turned down BC and chose Columbia University where he joined the football team as a halfback. He broke his leg a few games into his freshman year and that changed literary history.

— John Mladinov

49ERS' CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY SURPRISES BAY AREA, PLAYS PIANO DURING ZACH BRYAN SET

by Jeff Carillo

49ers fans are used to seeing Christian McCaffrey do it all on the football field, but he surprised the Bay Area with a different side to his many talents on a big stage on Friday night.

The 49ers’ star running back surprised concertgoers by filling in at piano during country star Zach Bryan’s set at EA Sports’ Madden Bowl party Friday at Chase Center, providing quite the cool crossover moment during an already eventful Super Bowl week for McCaffrey.

The newly voted NFL Comeback Player of the Year was seen tickling the keys on Bryan’s “Something in the Orange” and delivered his own keyboard solo during “Revival” to cheers from the Chase Center crowd upon formal introduction from Bryan.

This wasn’t the first time McCaffrey has appeared on stage with Bryan. In 2023, he provided the same keyboard solo for “Revival” during Bryan’s concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado.

McCaffrey and Bryan’s friendship dates back to at least 2021, when McCaffrey announced the country music star as a member of the board of the Christian McCaffrey Foundation, the running back’s organization that aims to support troops in overcoming trauma and PTSD.

Bryan himself was a last-minute change in the lineup for EA’s Madden Bowl, which initially featured Luke Combs as the headliner. Combs had to bow out for reasons related to his wife’s pregnancy, EA announced in an Instagram post Thursday, thus opening the door for Bryan and the onstage moment with McCaffrey.

McCaffrey’s gift for the piano dates back at least a decade, as he’s been posting clips of himself playing on Instagram for years. In a USA Today feature from 2016, it was revealed he initially took to the piano upon a suggestion from a friend that it would attract girls, but grew to love it as a “great escape.”

An avid music fan, McCaffrey is also a skilled harmonica player.

At this point, if fans didn’t know already, there isn’t much McCaffrey can’t do in the sports or music realm.

SANTA CLARA IS ONE OF THE MOST MILITARIZED PLACES IN AMERICA RIGHT NOW

Super Bowl 60 is monitored by a literal army of law enforcement and military

by Katie Dowd

Historically, there is usually only one American event that has a higher national security level than a presidential inauguration. It’s the Super Bowl.

On Sunday, Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara will be filled with tens of thousands of fans, athletes, support staff and members of the media. And they’ll be monitored by a figurative and literal army of law enforcement and military.

In 2016, I covered Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium. I’ve never seen that level of security before or since — starting from the moment I got onto the media shuttle from San Francisco to the South Bay. We were instructed by NFL staff to flip our media passes over to hide our photos. When asked why, we were told it was to prevent anyone from copying our passes. It seemed unlikely to me that someone passing by on Mission Street was going to take such a clean photo of my media badge that they could make a facsimile, but the unsmiling staff were insistent. I did as I was told.

Upon arrival at Levi’s Stadium, we got our first look at the police checkpoints stopping cars from getting near the venue. Camo-colored Humvees were parked everywhere, and troops in fatigues were watching every corner. It was like entering a war zone.

Then, there was the security screening. It was unlike any other I’ve experienced as a member of the media. Camerapeople were taking apart their gear bags, unloading every piece for inspection, before running everything through scanners. I remember thinking it was like going through security at the airport. Later, I learned it was exactly that: The NFL worked with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to scan all cargo going into the stadium, as well as some of the Super Bowl week events in San Francisco.

Inside and outside the stadium, practically every major law enforcement agency was on patrol. Unseen snipers watched. Air and Marine Operations aircraft buzzed overhead, enforcing no-fly restrictions over the stadium on game day. FBI agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, walked the streets and concourses.

In 2016, the inclusion of ICE barely made a ripple, but with the Trump administration’s deadly crackdown on immigration, fears around the presence of ICE officers in Santa Clara have been high in the lead-up to the Super Bowl. For Super Bowl 50, ICE investigation agents were part of a team that was tasked with finding and seizing fake NFL merchandise. This week, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said it has been told “there will be no immigration enforcement tied to the game.”

Right now, security operations continue in the lead-up to the game. Scientists are sampling cargo coming through the Bay Area’s ports. Aircraft with the ability to detect nuclear radiation have taken passes over the region, looking for weapons. Local law enforcement is locking down routes close to the stadium. Even the Coast Guard is on standby. No place in America, short of the White House, is as blanketed with law enforcement.

For what it’s worth, Super Bowl 50 went off without a hitch: Coldplay, Bruno Mars and Beyonce pulled off a remarkable halftime show, Guy Fieri fed the hungry masses, and the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 24-10.

(sfgate.com)

DAMN EVERYTHING but the circus . . . damn everything that is grim, dull, motionless, unrisking, inward turning, damn everything that won’t get in the circle, that won’t enjoy, that won’t throw its heart into the tension, surprise, fear and delight of the circus, the round world, full of existence . . .

— Sister Helen Kelley (first line from E.E. Cummings)

Serigraph from *Damn Everything But the Circus* (1970) by Sister Corita Kent

“MODERN AMERICANS behave as if intelligence were some sort of hideous deformity…There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life.”

― Frank Zappa

DAVE PORTNOY GETS VERY CANDID ON HIS GIRLFRIEND'S PRIVATE STRUGGLE

Barstool colleagues who are 'Morons,' and his Super Bowl return

by Daniel Matthews

Dave Portnoy ambles into the Golden Gate Tap Room and heads past the stools before sinking into a black sofa at the back of the bar.

Super Bowl LX is only days away here in San Francisco and, after nearly a decade in exile - and more than a decade at war with the NFL - the founder of Barstool Sports has been allowed into the party once more. 'It's good to be back,' he says. 'It feels like old times.' For Portnoy and for every other Patriots fan.

The Vince Lombardi Trophy was once part of the furniture in New England but it's now been away for seven years.

The last time the Patriots made the Super Bowl, in February 2019, Portnoy spent the end of the game in a cell inside Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium. A few days earlier, he had snuck into an NFL media day - with a fake credential and fake moustache - before being kicked out and warned he would face arrest if he went to the game.

Portnoy didn't listen and so, for years, Barstool and its founder were locked out of football's end-of-season showpiece. But now that ban has been lifted.

So no wonder Portnoy is determined to enjoy this weekend. He has paid $450,000 for 10 seats inside a suite for Sunday's showdown with the Seahawks. He has also planned a week of activities, including three episodes of a YouTube show, 'Barstool Live' at the Golden Gate Tap Room.

Portnoy arrives alongside his girlfriend Camryn D'Aloia, 26, wearing a Patriots cap and a Patriots jacket that falls open to reveal a thick medallion – carrying a glistening Patriots helmet – and a t-shirt outlining his love for the Patriots' young quarterback: 'Gay For [Drake] Maye.'

Some Barstool fans have already arrived but, before stepping on stage, Portnoy sits down with the Daily Mail in a dark corner of the bar.

And, for around 20 minutes, this pied piper - the bard of American bros - finds himself in unfamiliar territory: hidden from a camera's lens and struggling to make himself heard. Here on the third floor, deafening music nearly drowns out 'El Presidente', one of the most divisive, brash and influential voices in sports media.

More than two decades have passed since Portnoy pondered creating a scouting agency or a warehouse for discarded college furniture. In the end, the now 48-year-old – a self-confessed gambling 'degenerate' – started a free newspaper in Boston.

His aim? 'Make $60-70,000 and be happy working for myself,' he says. For a while, however, Barstool Sports nearly ruined Portnoy. In 2004, he filed for bankruptcy aged 26, already riddled with gambling debts and IOUs.

Now? Barstool Sports is a behemoth with tentacles stretching across podcasts, streaming, social media, merchandise, betting and even live boxing. Back in 2023, Portnoy sold the company for $551 million before buying it back for $1; last year, he claimed to have turned down a job in Donald Trump's administration. 'The whole story is like a fairy tale,' Portnoy says. 'It's been an unbelievable ride.' But a bumpy one, too.

Since launching Barstool in 2003, Portnoy has made enemies at almost every turn. Barstool has come under fire for – among other things – joking about rape and publishing naked pictures of Tom Brady's two-year-old son. Its content was once described as 'masturbatory, self-aggrandizing sexism.'

Portnoy has - among other things - been caught using the N-word and he also faced accusations of sexual misconduct. Portnoy has denied the claims and he is unapologetic about how Barstool has evolved. 'It's been an unbelievable ride and, really, I wouldn't change much,' he says. He certainly doesn't regret turning down the chance to work in Trump's Department of Commerce.

Perhaps that is no surprise. He has built a rag-tag team including ex-NFL coach Jon Gruden and a streamer nicknamed 'Hogdale' who caught Portnoy's eye while calling Red Sox games in his basement.

But even Barstool's harshest critics would struggle to argue that their viral content, centered loosely around sports, gambling, comedy and attractive women – 'men's interests,' as Portnoy puts it – has tapped into a sizeable chunk of American society.

Barstool claims to have 66 million unique monthly users, with nearly half of 'Stoolies' being aged between 18 and 34. It has been nicknamed the 'Bible of Bro Culture' and Portnoy recently negotiated deals with Fox and Netflix to feature its content. The latter is said to be worth eight figures a year; Barstool's founder claimed last year to have built a personal fortune of around $250 million.

'I used to say if I made enough money, you'd see a cloud of smoke and I'd be on a beach,' he says. 'That's still the goal. Maybe one day.' Not yet, though.

Portnoy cops a lot of hate – some openly antisemitic – and he admits there are times when he questions if it is all worth it. He already tries to shield Camryn from the 'yo-yos and idiots.'

'She's rarely with me,' Portnoy says. 'People are nuts, so she doesn't want to be in the middle of it, and I don't want her in the middle of it.' So why not walk away? 'I have absolute morons who work for me and if I quit, I don't know what they're going to do,' Portnoy says. He is not bothered about Barstool's legacy.

'I'm concerned about people have been with me for like 15 years and have absolutely no life skills. And if Barstool goes away, what happens to these people? Because they're idiots.' Portnoy makes it sound like he's running a non-profit. 'Some of our guys are charity cases, no doubt,' he says.

But many are here in San Francisco and, on Sunday morning, the lucky ones will board a party bus to Levi's Stadium. Portnoy has treated them to free tickets. 'We've come a long way since I started,' he says.

These days, almost every aspect of Portnoy's life is captured on camera: his one-bite pizza reviews, his living room rants, his recent 'poop race' against a college football player, his appearances on Fox's college football show 'Big Noon Kickoff.'

At times, Barstool staff resemble stars in their own reality show, rather than media professionals. On Sunday, though, Portnoy promises the content will pause. 'We're just going to enjoy the game,' he says.

That's more than he managed at his last Super Bowl. Barstool's feud with the NFL dates back to 2015, when Portnoy was arrested for protesting at the league's New York City HQ over a suspension given to Brady. Four years later, Portnoy was in the crowd for the Patriots' clash with the Rams.

'I bought a ticket for $5,000,' he recalls. 'I really didn't expect anything to happen and then I saw security circling.' He claims he was thrown in jail, unaware whether his bet - $260,000 on the Patriots – was going to come in.

'With about a minute left in the game, they put me in handcuffs and walked me about a mile outside the stadium,' Portnoy recalls. Only then did they return his phone. 'That's when I got as nervous as I've been,' he continues.

He learned New England had won 13-3; this weekend, Portnoy hopes to remain in his seat to witness another Patriots victory. More trouble would make for good content, though.

The Barstool founder met the Daily Mail hours after the Washington Post gutted its staff, scrapping its entire sports section. These are brutal times in sports media and it can be hard to make sense of Barstool's success.

Their recruitment model, for instance, breeds chaos. 'If we think somebody's interesting, funny, and fits our mold, that's all we care about,' Portnoy says. 'Then we let them run wild… that's probably Barstool's greatest trick: we pull from anywhere, and we've had a lot of success. People have become big stars.'

Their website currently lists more than 100 'personalities' and around 70 podcasts. So who keeps this pirate ship on course day-to-day? 'I have no f***ing idea,' Portnoy says. 'There's a lot of screw ups.' But? 'If you screw up, we make content out of it.'

His role includes negotiating business deals, eating pizza, writing a book and ranting on social media. 'I don't know what a normal day is,' Portnoy says. He sets only one alarm all week: Monday morning at 7.15am.

So how does it all come together? Or is Barstool simply Portnoy's personal project? 'It is pretty successful right now,' the 48-year-old insists. 'I'm certainly not funding it.'

Portnoy continues: 'Traditional media can be wretched… whatever we've done works, and we just stick with it.'

A walk around Radio Row offers proof of Portnoy's growing influence. Barstool alumni include Pat McAfee and the co-hosts of 'Bussin' With The Boys' – ex-NFL stars Will Compton and Taylor Lewan – who interviewed Donald Trump. Portnoy also hired Alex Cooper who hosts 'Call Her Daddy,' said to be the most-listened to podcast by women.

'Media has been moving towards Barstool for a long time,' Portnoy says. 'Our demo[graphic] (typically young men) didn't really want to be lectured. They didn't necessarily want old sports writers being crusty and negative. They wanted fan-based journalism. That's really what we do.'

And, on current evidence, it works. Portnoy claims Barstool are constantly approached by wannabe collaborators, as well as celebrities and athletes wanting to start podcasts. 'But I don't think they know how difficult it is,' he says.

College football legend Urban Meyer recently told the Daily Mail how different Portnoy is on camera to off it. And he is strikingly calmer and more considered than his viral antics suggest. So which is the real Dave Portnoy?

'[They're] pretty similar,' he says. 'I have a lot of respect for our readership and our viewership.' And he believes they know when he is 'laying it on.'

'Intelligent people are in on the joke with me,' he says. 'But there's a lot of people who take that seriously, like: 'This guy stinks, he's everything we hate.''

Blurred lines run through everything Portnoy does. To many, he fuels issues around toxic masculinity, misogyny and problem gambling. He can be merciless and professionally antagonistic. And yet?

During Covid, the Barstool Fund raised $41 million for struggling companies, with Brady among those to join the cause. Portnoy also raised $500k for animal shelters. 'I like helping small businesses, if I can, [and] dogs,' he says.

(DailyMail.uk)

OFFSEASON STRATEGY FOR GIANTS? BUYING PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY

by Dieter Kurtenbach

I said it at the beginning of the Giants’ offseason: Don’t believe anything until you see a jersey pulled over a collared shirt.

And seeing as we’re still waiting on the Giants to sign or acquire a player worthy of a full-bore press conference this winter, I suppose I need to update that take.

Don’t believe in the Giants until you see a jersey pulled over a collared shirt.

Maybe that comes in the final days before spring training begins. Maybe not.

But in the meantime, the Giants are just spinning their gears with a collection of “meh” transactions, hoping the sheer volume of paperwork might be confused for ambition.

It isn’t.

Signing Luis Arraez last week is being sold by advocates as a return to “Giants Baseball.” It is actually something far worse: fan service for diehards who wish it were still 2012.

It is a move designed to make you look at antiquated stats like batting average and ignore the analytical crater where the rest of the offense is supposed to be — to ignore the last decade of baseball and the irreversible way the game is played today.

It’s also asking you to ignore the rest of the Giants’ lineup.

The Giants will claim they want to limit strikeouts with this Arraez signing; that they want to put the ball in play, that they want to “keep the line moving.”

If the goal was really to limit strikeouts, explain the acquisition of slick-fielding centerfielder Harrison Bader (who whiffed on nearly 30 percent his swings in 2025 — 22nd percentile in all of baseball last year), or Rafael Devers (32% whiff rate), or the signings of Willy Adames (29%) or Matt Chapman (a downright demure 25%) before him?

Apparently, Arraez, who almost never swings and misses (5 percent whiff rate), won’t strike out enough to cover up the whole team.

I’ve heard the argument that the former batting champ is to “set the table.” The problem is that in 2026, Arraez is using plastic cutlery.

The obsession with batting average is a relic of a time when we didn’t have Statcast to tell us what was actually happening when the ball meets the bat.

Baseball in 2026 is about damage. It is about slugging. It is about speed. Arraez provides none of these.

Arraez hit .292 last year — a career low - but even that number is a mirage. He had a .289 batting average on balls in play, down 34 points year-over-year and 73 points since his 2023.

He is a one-trick pony whose one trick is on a dramatic downturn. Last season, Arraez finished in the 1st percentile in Major League Baseball in both barrel rate (1.1 percent) and hard-hit rate (16.7 percent). He hits the ball with the authority of a wet newspaper (perhaps even this one). His average exit velocity of 86 miles per hour is below the velocity of a modern-day slider. Defenses have him pegged.

He’s a slap hitter. That works if you are the Milwaukee Brewers and you have guys like that who are also cheetahs, capable of stealing bases and vacuuming up ground balls on defense.

Arraez is not that. He runs in quicksand — 25th percentile sprint speed — and fields like he’s wearing oven mitts.

So yes, he’s on base (though with a 5%walk rate, he has to earn every bit of that below-average .327 on-base percentage), but he clogs them.

And put him in the field, and he’s good at putting a few runners on base via errors.

Sure, he had nine more hits than Shohei Ohtani last year — Arraez’s 181 hits led baseball.

But he also had 182 fewer total bases than Ohtani - his 245 was good for 68th in baseball.

The goal is to score runs, not just get hits. Arraez neither drives them in nor scores them at any useful rate.

It all leaves the Giants with a lineup-construction puzzle with no obvious solution.

Scenario A: You bat him leadoff. He hits a soft single. He stands there, a station-to-station runner, waiting for the 2-3-4 hitters to drive him in. Now those strikeouts of Adames, Devers, and Chapman are even more annoying.

Scenario B: You bury him at the bottom of the lineup. Now he is waiting for the bottom third of the order — Patrick Bailey, chief among them — to drive him in with power. Bailey isn’t driving anyone home unless they’re in his car.

The Giants aren’t building a machine designed to score runs; they are building a machine designed to avoid looking like they aren’t trying.

At least it’s just a one-year deal.

So are the Giants really more competitive with Arraez? The math says no. And math rules the day in baseball.

They’re just buying themselves plausible deniability. They’ll say “We did something,” while pointing to Arraez’s past batting titles. They’re hoping you look at the back of the baseball card rather than any of the real, useful data. They’re trying to convince you that one player — and his one weird trick — can balance out an entire lineup.

Meanwhile, the rotation looks a pitcher or two short, and the bullpen is an underwhelming crapshoot.

They aren’t trying to win the division or compete with the Dodgers. They’re barely keeping up with the small-market Reds.

But at least folks eager for nostalgia for an antiquated style of play feel heard.

(East Bay Times)

NOAM CHOMSKY'S WIFE RESPONDS TO EPSTEIN CONTROVERSY

via Aaron Maté

Note: Noam Chomsky’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein has become the source of controversy. After suffering a severe stroke in June 2023, Chomsky is unable to comment on it. His wife Valeria has responded to questions surrounding their contacts with Epstein in the statement below. I am publishing it here, with minor typographical corrections.

Statement from Valéria Chomsky

As many are aware, my husband, Noam Chomsky, now 97, is confronting significant health challenges after suffering a devastating stroke in June 2023. Currently, Noam is under 24/7 medical care and is completely unable to speak or engage in public discourse.

Since this health crisis, I have been entirely absorbed in Noam’s treatment and recovery, solely responsible for him and his medical treatment. Noam and I don’t have any kind of public relations assistance. For this reason, only now have I been able to address the matter of our contacts with Jeffrey Epstein.

Noam and I have felt a profound weight regarding the unresolved questions surrounding our past interactions with Epstein. We do not wish to leave this chapter shrouded in ambiguity.

Throughout his life, Noam has insisted that intellectuals have a responsibility to speak the truth and expose lies — especially when those truths are uncomfortable to themselves.

As is widely known, one of Noam’s characteristics is to believe in the good faith of people. Noam’s overly trust[ing] nature, in this specific case, led to severe poor judgment on both our parts.

Questions have rightly been raised about Noam’s meetings with Epstein, and about administrative assistance his office provided regarding a private financial matter—one that had absolutely no relation to any of Epstein’s criminal conduct.

Noam and I were introduced to Epstein at the same time, during one of Noam’s professional events in 2015, when Epstein’s 2008 conviction in the State of Florida was known by very few people, while most of the public – including Noam and I – was unaware of it. That only changed after the November 2018 report by Miami Herald.

When we were introduced to Epstein, he presented himself as a philanthropist of science and a financial expert. By presenting himself this way, Epstein gained Noam’s attention, and they began corresponding. Unknowingly, we opened a door to a Trojan horse.

Epstein began to encircle Noam, sending gifts and creating opportunities for interesting discussions in areas Noam has been working on extensively. We regret that we did not perceive this as a strategy to ensnare us and to try to undermine the causes Noam stands for.

We had lunch, at Epstein’s ranch, once, in connection with a professional event; we attended dinners at his townhouse in Manhattan and stayed a few times in an apartment he offered when we visited New York City. We also visited Epstein’s Paris apartment one afternoon for the occasion of a work trip. In all cases, these visits were related to Noam’s professional commitments. We never went to his island or knew about anything that happened there.

We attended social meetings, lunches, and dinners where Epstein was present and academic matters were discussed. We never witnessed any inappropriate, criminal, or reproachable behavior from Epstein or others. At no time did we see children or underage individuals present.

Epstein proposed meetings between Noam and figures that Noam had interest in, due to their different perspectives on themes related to Noam’s work and thought. It was in this academic context that Noam wrote a letter of recommendation.

Noam’s email to Epstein, in which Epstein sought advice about the press, should be read in context. Epstein had claimed to Noam that he [Epstein] was being unfairly persecuted, and Noam spoke from his own experience in political controversies with the media. Epstein created a manipulative narrative about his case, which Noam, in good faith, believed in. It is now clear that it was all orchestrated, having as, at least, one of Epstein’s intentions to try to have someone like Noam repairing Epstein’s reputation by association.

Noam’s criticism was never directed at the women’s movement; on the contrary, he has always supported gender equity and women’s rights. What happened was that Epstein took advantage of Noam’s public criticism towards what came to be known as “cancel culture” to present himself as a victim of it.

Only after Epstein’s second arrest in [July] 2019 did we learn the full extent and gravity of what were then accusations—and are now confirmed—heinous crimes against women and children. We were careless in not thoroughly researching his background. This was a grave mistake, and for that lapse in judgment, I apologize on behalf of both of us. Noam shared with me, before his stroke, that he felt the same way.

In 2023, Noam’s initial public response to inquiries about Epstein failed to adequately acknowledge the gravity of Epstein’s crimes and the enduring pain of his victims, primarily because Noam took it as obvious that he condemned such crimes. However, a firm and explicit stance on such matters is always required.

It was deeply disturbing for both of us to realize we had engaged with someone who presented as a helpful friend but led a hidden life of criminal, inhumane, and perverted acts.

Since the revelation of the extent of his crimes, we have been shocked.

In order to clarify the check: Epstein asked Noam to develop a linguistic challenge that Epstein wished to establish as a regular prize. Noam worked on it, and Epstein sent a check for US$20,000 as payment. Epstein’s office contacted me to arrange for the check to be sent to our home address.

Regarding the reported transfer of approximately $270,000, I must clarify that these were entirely Noam’s own funds. At the time, Noam had identified inconsistencies in his retirement resources that threatened his economic independence and caused him great distress. Epstein offered technical assistance to resolve this specific situation.

On this matter, Epstein acted accordingly, recovering the funds for Noam, in a display of help and very likely as part of a machination to gain greater access to Noam. Epstein acted solely as a financial advisor for this specific matter. To the best of my knowledge, Epstein never had access to our bank or investment accounts.

It is also important to clarify that Noam and I never had any investments with Epstein or his office—individually or as a couple.

I hope this retrospectively clarifies and explains Noam Chomsky’s interactions with Epstein. Noam and I recognize the gravity of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes and the profound suffering of his victims. Nothing in this statement is intended to minimize that suffering, and we express our unrestricted solidarity with the victims.

February 7, 2026.

Valéria Chomsky

(aaronmate.net)

ICE MOBILE APP SCANS PROTESTER'S FACE, REVOKES HER TSA PRECHECK STATUS

by Jim Glab

In this week’s air travel news, United Airlines is developing new premium-heavy “Coastliner” Airbus jets to deploy on high-revenue transcontinental routes out of California; a federal appeals court knocks down a Transportation Department rule that would have required airlines to be more transparent in displaying their ancillary fees to passengers before booking; a Minnesota resident who was stopped by immigration enforcement officers said her Global Entry and TSA PreCheck trusted traveler memberships were revoked a few days later; San Francisco International is set to get a new nonstop route to Central American this summer; American says it will be the first U.S. carrier to operate flights to Venezuela; a new study finds four of the eight busiest U.S. air routes involve California airports; and Capital One and American Express tighten up entry rules for their airport lounges.

If you live in an area where federal officers are carrying out Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and you plan to observe, monitor or protest those activities, it might be a good idea to wear a mask or at least keep your face partially covered up. Reports are coming out about agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection using high-tech facial recognition software to identify anyone who gets in their way, and the government could take retaliatory steps against them — including their trusted traveler status. The website Ars Technica carried a report about a Minnesota woman who was monitoring ICE and CBP activity in her neighborhood when her vehicle was blocked by federal officers who approached her.

According to Ars Technica, the woman alleged in a federal court complaint that a Border Patrol agent “addressed me by my name and informed me that they had ‘facial recognition’ and that his body cam was recording.” He told her she was impeding their work and gave her a verbal warning. But that wasn’t the end of it: She said that three days after the interaction, she was informed that her membership in the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry trusted traveler programs had been revoked. View From the Wing’s Gary Leff reports that ICE officers now use a smartphone app called “Mobile Fortify” that can “scan faces and capture contactless fingerprints, instantly pulling back names and biographical data.” According to Leff, “That turns ‘trusted traveler’ into chilling of speech. DHS [the Department of Homeland Security] runs both the surveillance and the program, and being ‘under investigation’ can be enough to lose your [trusted traveler] status even if protesting itself cannot legally be a disqualifier.”

Aviation blogs are abuzz with reports that United Airlines is creating a new “subfleet” of Airbus A321neos that it will put into service on prime transcontinental routes like San Francisco-Newark and Los Angeles-Newark. The airline expects to have about 175 single-aisle A321neos in its fleet eventually, according to BoardingArea.com, most of them in a two-class configuration with a total of 200 first- and economy-class seats. But a few dozen of those new planes will get special treatment to handle the premium-heavy traffic on those transcontinental routes. They’ll be designated A321LFs and will carry the name “Coastliner” on their liveries. Instead of 200 seats, they’ll have just 161, Boarding Area said, including 20 lie-flat Polaris business-class seats (in a one-by-one configuration); 12 premium economy seats (two-by-two); and 129 regular economy (three by three), including 36 extra-legroom Economy Plus seats. They’re expected to start flying sometime later this year.

The A321neo Coastliners should not be confused with United’s new single-aisle A321XLRs (extra-long range), which are expected to be used on transatlantic routes. Those planes have a similar three-class layout but with a total of 150 seats. Simple Flying said the new Coastliners will replace United 757-200s on the transcontinental routes. It noted that United originally planned to use Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft on those routes, but instead it leased A321neos for the service following delays in the MAX 10’s certification by the Federal Aviation Administration.

United’s route between SFO and Newark is not only one of its busiest from San Francisco; it’s also the most lucrative in the country. The San Francisco Business Times reported last year that United generated $493 million in annual revenue for the SFO-EWR route, which is the highest in the country for domestic routes.

U.S. airlines won a big regulatory victory this week when a federal appeals court struck down a pending Transportation Department rule that would have required carriers and ticket agents to fully disclose all ancillary fees upfront before a booking is made. The issue has become more important in recent years as airlines increasingly sought to boost their revenues by imposing passenger fees for checked baggage, seat selection, flight changes, carry-on bags and so on instead of raising base fares (especially since the federal aviation tax applies only to fares and not to fees).

In 2024, the Biden administration’s Transportation Department proposed a rule that airlines must spell out early in the booking process exactly what fees they charge customers so that individuals conducting online fare searches would see their total costs before they bought a ticket. The rule was bitterly opposed by the airline industry, which alleged it would impose heavy costs on airlines with little or no benefit, so the industry worked to overturn it in court by arguing that the DOT had no legal authority to mandate such a change. Last year, a three-judge appeals court panel said that the agency did have authority to issue the rule, but it blocked its enforcement until the issue could be litigated. This week, according to Reuters, the full 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans overturned the three-judge panel’s 2025 decision and ruled in favor of the airlines on the grounds that DOT’s rulemaking failed to follow technical provisions of the federal Administrative Procedure Act.

The Colombian carrier Avianca, a member of United’s Star Alliance, said it will introduce nonstop seasonal service from San Francisco International to Guatemala City this summer. With 3.3 million people, Guatemala City is considered the largest city in Central America. The flights are scheduled to operate four days a week from June 1 through Aug. 31 and continue beyond Guatemala City to San Salvador, El Salvador. Avianca will continue to operate its nonstop service between SFO and San Salvador, The Points Guy noted.

Japan Airlines plans to increase service on its San Diego-Tokyo Narita route from four flights a week to seven from Sept. 1 to Oct. 24, according to Aeroroutes. Now that the U.S. has drawn down its military threat to Venezuela, American Airlines said this week that it expects to be the first U.S. carrier to resume service to the South American nation, although it didn’t say when. “The airline remains in close contact with federal authorities, and is ready to commence flights to Venezuela, pending government approval and security assessments,” American said in a news release.

The U.K.-headquartered aviation data firm OAG has issued a report on the world’s busiest airline routes, and in the U.S., four of the eight busiest involve California airports. Looking at the total number of seats available in 2025, OAG said the busiest domestic route was Los Angeles-New York JFK, with 3.43 million seats. San Francisco-Los Angeles was in third place with 3.31 million seats, followed closely by Los Angeles-Las Vegas with 3.28 million. In eighth place was Los Angeles-Chicago O’Hare at 2.79 million. (OAG noted that although total capacity between Los Angeles and San Francsico was up 5% over 2024, it was still 29% lower than in the last pre-pandemic year of 2019.) Other routes in the 10 busiest were New York LaGuardia-Chicago in second place, Atlanta-Orlando in fifth, Denver-Phoenix in sixth, Honolulu-Kahului in seventh, Atlanta-LaGuardia in ninth, and Atlanta-Fort Lauderdale in 10th.

Premium airport lounges continue to suffer from overcrowding, and The Points Guy reports that two lounge operators are tightening up the rules for admission. This week, The Points Guy said, new rules have gone into effect at Capital One lounges for the bank’s Venture X Rewards and Venture X Business cardholders, so they now must pay a fee of $45 for each guest they bring into the lounges (or $25 each for guests ages 2-17). And Venture X card authorized users can no longer get free lounge access unless the primary cardholder pays $125 per account for unlimited access to Capital One and Priority Pass lounges. At Priority Pass lounges, Venture X Rewards members must now pay $35 per guest, although Venture X Business cardholders can still bring in two guests for no fee. Meanwhile, The Points Guy said it has confirmed that American Express Centurion Lounges will introduce some changes starting in July: A cardmember’s guest must be traveling on the same flight as the cardmember to gain access to the lounge; and cardmembers and guests who are on layovers can only get into a Centurion Lounge five hours or less before their departing flights.

"TOO MANY PEOPLE in this gutless world have come under the impression that writers are a race of finks, queers and candy asses to be bilked, cheated and mocked as a form of commercial sport. It should be noted, therefore, in the public interest, that some writers possess .44 Magnums and can puncture beer cans with 240-grain slugs from that weapon at a distance of 150 yards. Other writers, it is said, tend to enjoy violence for its own sake, and feel that a good fight, with the inevitable destruction of all nearby equipment and furniture, is nearly as fine for the nerves as a quart of John Powers Irish."

— Hunter S. Thompson, ‘The Proud Highway’

“IF YOU WANT TO KNOW what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to.”

― Dorothy Parker

MELANIA’S MUSIC

by David Yearsley

MELANIA made it to Berlin but was only showing at a single early-afternoon time. Brandishing my coveted CounterPunch press card, I tried to talk my way in for free. The woman at the counter was having none of it. I told her that I guess I’d have to give the Trumps the pleasure of having sold one ticket in Berlin. She frowned, coldly informing me that the theatre was nearly full.

Journalistic, musicological duty called me, even to those cinematic, sonic depths—a subterranean screening room within a Mar-a-Lago chip shot of the bunker where Hitler killed himself as the Russians were fighting their way across Berlin in May of 1945.

Bach was rumored to be on the MELANIA soundtrack. Mozart, too. The rumors turned out to be true—barely, but brutally.

In spite of the ticket-counter setbacks, I was still sure that the German capital, once ground zero of modern propaganda, was the right place, the inevitable place, the only place to endure this film’s one-hour-and-forty-seven-minute running time.

There’s no running in it, certainly not in those MELANIA stilettos, and no mobs seen racing up the Capitol steps either. The edifice is pictured on Inauguration Day in all its Fascist calm—imposing, impregnable, inscrutable, and very white.

Instead of running, there are countless sequences of walking—into elevators and out of them; up stairs, down stairs, along corridors; into jets and mansions; out of jets and mansions; into gilded rooms with mirrors and Corinthian columns and lots of marble; and onto stages, daises, and dance floors. The camera stalks MELANIA, ever the runway model, on her catwalks, mostly filming her from behind, ogling her flowing locks and lower parts. A scene with her greedy-eyed French dressmaker and his underlings makes clear she likes her garments sleek, all the better to be shot from the rear.

Other immortals besides Mozart and Bach were drafted into the unctuous chorus of acclaim: Elvis, Aretha, Maurice (Ravel, that is—had to be his Boléro given those hats, oh so many hats), the Village People. Many are the painfully—and do I mean, painfully—obvious truths that this revue trots out. Leaving one Presidential Ball or another on January 20, 2025, James Brown reminds us, as if any reminder were necessary, that “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.”

Generally, though, it’s irrepressible, inadvertent admissions that pour from the sonic unconscious of this medley. The opening sequence of MELANIA finds her three weeks before the Inauguration heading from Florida to New York and Trump Tower as the Rolling Stones do “Gimme Shelter.” Presumably a bomb shelter.

Onto this scene and its music, the title card MELANIA drops, as black-and-white as her Manichean worldview and fashion sense and in the all-caps favored by her husband in his late-night Truth Social posts. These bunker-busting MELANIA letters immediately silence the saucy Stones and, with them, the possibility of any future film dissent.

There are only yes-men and yes-young-women in this utterly humorless movie. Almost all protest and backtalk have either been blacked- or whited-out. The only exception is a single unseen voice that calls out from the crowd as Jill and Joe Biden, his hard drive wiped and the light gone out of his eyes, are shown to the helicopter that will whisk them from the White House lawn for the last time. An unseen reporter asks, “Will America survive?” I was expecting that to cue Gloria Gaynor. Instead, the rhetorical question was gloated over fleetingly by the faithful before being shredded by the rotors.

In a film so completely frightened by, and repressive of, ambiguity, association, and allusion, they run rampant even as MELANIA walks. Under clear capital skies at the Inauguration, Boney M. breaks into “Sunny,” though the biggest hit of this West German band of Cold War celebrity was “Rasputin.” The ghost of the eponymous czarist spiritual adviser, a bearded and long-haired Stephen Miller, seeped into the darkened cinema and tantalized with the movie I wished I’d been watching: the Republican Rasputin, drugged and dumped not into the Neva but the frozen Potomac, refusing to die all the way down into the icy waters to the tune of Boney M.’s disco-funk elegy:

He ruled the Russian land and never mind the Tsar

But the kazachok, he danced really wunderbar

In all affairs of state, he was the man to please

But he was real great when he had a girl to squeeze

… as his hunger for power

Became known to more and more people

The demands to do something about this outrageous

man became louder and louder.

The backup singers from the unconscious got louder and louder, too. In one ride to the airport, MELANIA declares her abiding love for, and sings along with, Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” If her own husband is cancel-proof, then so is MJ, pardoned in and for the afterlife by the First Lady with the powers granted her by her own Constitution. Say or sing what you will, MELANIA stands by her men. I half expected Tammy Wynette appear at any moment to make her soundtrack cameo. But instead, it was Michael in duet with MELANIA: “Billie Jean is not my lover / She’s just a girl.” One could hear another ghost—that of Jeffrey Epstein—humming along from Hell.

What Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will was and did for Hitler, MELANIA is and does for the Trumps, just for a lot more money. As in its infamous predecessor, this latest and worst Führer propaganda piece has bad guys and girls not just in front of the camera but behind it. The movie’s director, Ben Ratner, has successfully shed sexual harassment and rape accusations by multiple women. The film was funded to the tune of 70 million Bezos bucks. The fleshy head of the malign male Amazon flashes across the screen at some Inauguration Ball, though he doesn’t get as glorious a shot as Elon Musk. These are just two of the more notorious and camera-hungry among the leeching legions: courtiers, couturiers, caterers, and corporate cupbearers; a Jordanian queen, a First Lady of France; a pair of priests, tickled silly to find themselves in the frame with the MELANIA in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The Monsignor, giggling and hot for camera time, blesses her, though respectfully resists putting his sweaty, starstruck palms on the MAGA goddess’s lacquered friseur.

Ratner clearly boned up on Leni’s work before shooting and editing this sequel. Both movies start with the star and savior of the Volk descending from the clouds in a plane. Next is the touchdown and the triumphal entry into the jubilant city. The Mercedes motorcade through the Nuremberg streets flanked by stiff-arming, Heil-Hitlering crowds is mapped onto FDR Drive on Manhattan’s East Side. But the masses don’t mass for MELANIA, at least not yet.

It’s only down in DC, when this Eva Braun of the Beltway panzers along in yet another motorcade on Inauguration Day, that we see the flags and the MAGA fists as we hear an instrumental version of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears from back in the Reagan years. This is the stuff of Beer Hall Putsch Karaoke, since the tune can just as well be sung to the alternate words of Trump’s recent utterance: “Sometimes you need a dictator.” Everybody may want to rule the world, but only the Donald can and should.

The meandering vehicle that is MELANIA badly needs these boosting hits from days when America was Great. Without them, the movie won’t get to its destination—the White House with the Trumps back in power—in just under two tough hours.

In between these classics, it is the job of composer Tony Neiman, whose main credits to date are several episodes of Top Chef, to paste up sonic wallpaper that matches the Stalinist décor of Mar-a-Lago, Trump Tower, and, soon, the White House Ballroom. Listening to Neiman’s muted, mournful strings, one expects news that the Great Leader has died. Many will, no doubt, be hoping for that news.

Neiman does pep things up when MELANIA is on the move with a musical energy bar branded as “Melania’s Waltz.” This track’s twirling keyboard riff and electro-frills sound like an AI mash-up of Michael Nyman’s overheated score for the 1993 movie The Piano, cooled down by oscillating harmonic cycles and juxtapositions lifted from Philip Glass, whose recent cancellation of his long-awaited Lincoln Symphony at the Trump Kennedy Center spurred the thin-skinned President to shut the place down last week. When Neiman isn’t waltzing with MELANIA, he’s moisturizing her monologues of empathy for the fate of the world’s kids or the Gaza hostages.

Bach comes late to the party. A few bars from the second movement of his Orchestral Suite in D Major are meant to add class to a candlelit dinner where Elon and Jeff and other well-fed opportunists feast on the camera. That this favorite of classical compilations is known popularly as Air on the G String joins the hit parade with the witlessly self-mocking and self-incriminating numbers already mentioned here. At least the filmmakers got something right, if again accidentally: Bach’s orchestral classic found itself back to where it started—as musique de table, not at a feast for princes, but at a black-tied and ball-gowned orgy of corruption.

Following quickly on from the high heels and G-string came another Bach top pick. The Prelude to the First Cello Suite dabbed at the corner of MELANIA’s perfect mouth and at stains on the damask Inaugural tablecloths. Others might have heard it dabbing at the fragile fabric of the Republic. It would be too much to give the filmmakers and first family credit for thinking that this bit of Bach was meant as a barb at Obama, the most haggard of the ex-presidents to appear on screen at the Inauguration, and the only one not seen to be putting a brave face on the business. Obama added Yo-Yo Ma’s recording of the Prelude to his election playlist when he won for a second time back in 2012.

I’ve always claimed, many times in these digital pages, that Bach’s music can withstand any assault—from banjos to bazookas. After having made it through two hours with MELANIA in that bunker, I’m not so sure.

(David Yearsley is a long-time contributor to CounterPunch and the Anderson Valley Advertiser. His latest albums, “In the Cabinet of Wonders” and “Handel’s Organ Banquet” are now available from False Azure Records.)

ON-LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY #2

Nothing new for this individual, but worth repeating that 77 million Americans saw the racism, mendacity, shamelessness, and violence in this man in his first term, and then voted again for him anyway. Reminds me of Obi Wan Kenobi: “Who’s the fool? The fool or the fool who follows him?” No, Republicans don't hate non-white people. They just don't want to live near them, have their children go to school with them, or have anything else to do with them other than watch the Super Bowl. Any more confusion about what the Republican Party stands for?

LEAD STORIES, SUNDAY'S NYT

Donors to Group Promoting America’s 250th Birthday Are Offered Access to Trump

Reaction to Trump’s Racist Post Shows He Is Not Always Immune to Politics

Demanding Support for Trump, Justice Dept. Struggles to Recruit

As American Views of ICE Dim, Warehouses Become a Symbol of Resistance

Whistle-Blower Accuses Gabbard of Interfering With Intelligence Report

Ohio Man Is Charged With Threatening to Kill JD Vance

THE THINGS THAT CLINTON has been accused of are prima facie worse than what Nixon was run out of office for. Nixon was never even accused of things like Clinton is being accused of now. Bringing the Chinese into the political process, selling out to the Indonesians, selling the Lincoln bedroom at night, dropping his pants, trying to hustle little girls in Little Rock. God, what a degenerate town that is. Phew."

— Hunter S. Thompson

REVELATIONS: ON LINE COMMENTS

[1] Religions just created stories with heroes. Heroes that were already dead. Those heroes, including Jesus never wrote a single sentence of their teachings. Never wrote down any warnings!

All were written later to glorify their heroes; Jesus, Muhammad, Gautama Buddha etc etc. Mostly fabrications and lies.

"Biblical warning from Jesus Christ about the conditions preceding His Second Coming" ~ were not the words of Jesus.

They were the wild scribblings of religious cultists who authored the Bible hundreds of years after he had died.

[2] FYI: In the Spring of 1981, I was given a personal Revelation of the Deity of Jesus Christ as "God the Son." I was stunned to learn that YHVH/God had become Flesh and I asked Jesus/Yeshua to be my Lord and Savior in 1981 and I have been studying the Bible ever since.

Accordingly: I can state unequivocally and without ambiguity, your name is not written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

[1] The "Lamb's Book of Life" is just another ridiulous inclusion in Revelations.

The most nutty part of the Bible. That can be interpreted to mean ANYTHING!

It contains passages about the Apocalypse, Armageddon, the Antichrist, the Four Horsemen, the Beast, corpses rising from their graves and other nightmarish scenarios.

Revelation chapter 13 describes a beast “rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth the mouth of a lion.” Then there is another beast who has a “number” and that “number is six hundred threescore and six.”

Revelation chapter 1 describes an angel, “And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.”

Revelation chapter 10 describes another angel, “And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.”

Revelation chapter 12: 7-12, “And there was a war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon.”

Revelation chapter 21: 1-7, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.”

It's the scribblings of an insane man.

[3] Actually, the author of Revelation was imprisoned by the Romans on the island of Patmos at the time. He wrote in cryptic form so that the Romans would not understand what he was writing about, would think the text was unimportant and just let it be sent to its addressees. Seems to have worked. Fortunately, later readers understood that it fitted with the prophecies in Daniel.

[4] There were other pieces called Revelations. It was a format to be able to write in code about politics and events of the day, and those who knew how could suss the meanings. They weren't meant to predict future events. They were purposely written to look like insane rantings, and they do if (ahem) you don't have the ears to hear their real messages. Then, understandably, after centuries and in different cultures, Revelation reads like a bad acid trip.

This is well explained and accepted scholarship into the historicity of the Bible. Of course, many religionists haven't even read their Bible, much less explored the scholarly literature about the book as a piece of literature.

[1] Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and psychologist whose work was influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, philosophy, psychology, and religious studies.

In his partial autobiographical book "Memories, Dreams, Reflections" he stated: "I will not discuss the transparent prophecies of the Book of Revelation, because no one believes in them and the whole subject is felt to be an embarrassing one."

DOWNTOWN DENIZENS

by Eric Sinclair McMahon (2004)

Every fortnight in the San Francisco Chronicle publishes something deceptively branded a "magazine." Before they achieved their monopoly, said pamphlet was a weekly. Go figure.

Overall, we are talking sorry product, particularly in a city with a (literal) embarrassment of journalistic talent. Travel book excerpts, bridal gown fashions spreads, wine country getaway advertorials.

Delivering the final insult, editors opted to devote four to six pages each addition to "The Circuit," comprising captioned photos of well tailored, moneyed, libation-lifting Pacific Heights swells, having a grand time — and assisting the less fortunate — at charitable events.

One quixotic pro still single-handedly strives to save this rag from becoming unopened fish wrap: Sam Whiting, slick yet down-home scribe who produced a regular feature, "Neighborhoods" (in the mid- to late-90s).

Whiting hooked up with genuine locals and took tours of their turf. The result was genially entertaining, proving again the value of Herb Caen’s journalistic approach.

Step away from your desk, pound a little pavement, shoot shit, and chew rag among real folks.

Whiting's Financial District piece, running one mid-December, remained dependably engaging, sneaking in some historical trivia as a bonus.

What it overlooked — and hey, no criticism intended, Sam, you're valiantly bailing out one woeful book — was the eccentrics who make that small piece of real estate their lifelong home.

Montgomery isn't Wall Street, but where it meets Market and heading north toward California you’ve got some significant pedestrian traffic on workdays.

Population density, always attracts loons, buffoons, goons and zealots with an axe to grind.

For years, a mad evangelist hunkered above the main entrance to the Montgomery BART station, robotically reciting a fresh, lunatic phrase each day (since relocated to the California Street cable car terminus). "CIA kidnapped Eisenhower’s golf clubs,” was one of my favorites, among his mantras.

He’d stare blankly, repeating the current thesis urgently, maniacally, incessantly.

Lately, anyone who works in the area will nod if you ask whether they've spotted "Impeach Guy." An Asian-American with thick glasses, even thicker shoe-soles, and synthetic navy blazers several sizes too small, Impeach Guy hauls ass back and forth along downtown sidewalks, toting a protest sign.

Initially, he simply promoted impeachment of Presidents; not those in power, but those retired or dead.

Truman endured the wrath of Impeach Guy, as did Hoover, Grant and even Hayes.

Soon, he sought recalls of streets: IMPEACH VAN NESS, for example.

About that time, he earned the status of "local character," like those elegantly turned out, elderly identical twins. Confirmation arrived when Impeach Guy costumes appeared on impostors come Halloween.

When last seen, our man had gone intergalactic, warning his fellow citizens about extraterrestrial wrongdoing. The true San Fran punchline, however, is that Impeach Guy lured sponsors. Ads for such enterprises as Rasputin Records have shown up on the non-hortatory side of his placard (a throwback to days of "Eat at Joe's" sandwich boards).

Virtually all blocks, corners of each intersection, have been staked out by career panhandlers. There is the platinum coiffed, patchouli-saturated woman on Sansome; Camouflage Suit Dude, who paints his dachshund’s paw-nails, on Bush; the hunched, allegedly disabled "veteran" on Fremont.

Let's not forget Professor Profanity, near Citicorp at the foot of Sutter. He sprawls full-length, one desiccated palm extended and cupped. If you don't grease it, he unleashes a blast of obscene rant and demonically insulting recommendations.

I passed him up one evening, and he rasped, "You cock-sucking motherfucking pissant, try tugging twin dicks in hell."

That captured my attention, and I walked back. "You know, that might not be great for repeat business," I told him.

"Like I give a rat's ass," he elaborated. "Why don't you blow me and eat shit in your ex-wife's backyard?"

He received a dollar for that performance, not that I got thanked.

Of all the whacked out personages who haunt the Financial District, I find two especially confounding.

First is the entrepreneur whom without fail has a carton of folding umbrellas for sale on bright, clear afternoons. ("It will rain again," he assures passersby.) He did a 180 once, featuring sunglasses during a downpour.

The other is a slender septuagenarian, invariably draped in khaki trench coat, sporting matching stingy-brim. He conceals a tiny pad in his left hand, and, gazing fixedly at office tower facades opposite, squints, scrolling miniscule notations.

I've tried to glance over his shoulder. I spied on him from down the block. Not once has he surrendered a clue regarding his research or motivation. Certainly, he could have catalogued and counted those bricks many times over by now, yet his assignment is not complete.

For me, and many others, that's what downtown San Francisco is all about. We often exchange directions in code. Turn left at Patchouli Lady. When you see the pedicured dachshund, next door is the place with good espresso.

WHEN THE BEATNIKS WERE SOCIAL LIONS

by Hunter S. Thompson

(National Observer, April 20, 1964)

What ever happened to the Beat Generation? The question wouldn't mean much in Detroit or Salt Lake City, perhaps, but here it brings back a lot of memories. As recently as 1960, San Francisco was the capital of the Beat Generation, and the corner of Grant and Columbus in the section known as North Beach was the crossroads of the "beat" world.

It was a good time to be in San Francisco. Anybody with half a talent could wander around North Beach and pass himself off as a "comer" in the new era. I know, because I was doing it, and so was a fellow we'll have to call Willard, the hulking, bearded son of a New Jersey minister. It was a time for breaking loose from the old codes, for digging new sounds and new ideas, and for doing everything possible to unnerve the Establishment.

Since then, things have died down. The "beatnik" is no longer a social lion in San Francisco, but a social leper; as a matter of fact, it looked for a while as if they had all left. But the city was recently startled by a "rent strike" in North Beach and as it turned out, lo and behold, the strikers were "beatniks." The local papers, which once played Beat Generation stories as if the foundations of The System were crumbling before their very eyes, seized on the rent strike with strange affection-- like a man encountering an old friend who owes him money, but whom he is glad to see anyway.

The rent strike lasted only about two days, but it got people talking again about the Beat Generation and its sudden demise from the American scene -- or at least from the San Francisco scene, because it is still very extant in New York. But in New York it goes by a different name, and all the humor has gone out of it.

One of the most surprising things about the rent strike was the fact that so few people in San Francisco had any idea what the Beat Generation was. An interviewer from a radio station went into the streets seeking controversy on "the return of the beatniks," but drew a blank. People remembered the term, and not much more.

But the Beat Generation was very real in its day, and it has a definite place in our history. There is a mountain of material explaining the sociological aspects of the thing, but most of it is dated and irrelevant. What remains are the people who were involved; most of them are still around, looking back with humor and affection on the uproar they caused, and drifting by a variety of routes toward debt, parenthood, and middle age.

My involvement was tangential at best. But Willard was in there at the axis of things, and in retrospect he stands out as one of the great "beatniks" of his time. Certainly San Francisco has good cause to remember him; his one and only encounter with the forces of law and order provided one of the wildest Beat Generation stories of the era.

Before San Francisco he had been in Germany, teaching English and cultivating an oriental-type beard. On his way out to the coast he stopped in New York and picked up a mistress with a new Ford. It was de rigueur, in those days, to avoid marriage at all costs. He came to me through the recommendation of a friend then working in Europe for a British newspaper. "Willard is a great man," said the letter. "He is an artist and a man of taste."

As it turned out, he also was a prodigious drinker in the tradition of Brendan Behan, who was said to have had "a thirst so great it would throw a shadow." I was making my own beer at the time and Willard put a great strain on the aging process; I had to lock the stuff up to keep him from getting at it before the appointed moment. Sadly enough, my beer and Willard's impact on San Francisco were firmly linked. The story is a classic, and if you travel in the right circles out here you will still hear it told, although not always accurately. The truth, however, goes like this:

Willard arrived shortly before I packed up and left for the East; we had a convivial few weeks, and, as a parting gesture, I left him a five-gallon jug of beer that I did not feel qualified to transport across the nation. It still had a week or so to go in the jug, then another few weeks of aging in quart bottles, after which it would have had a flavor to rival the nectar of the gods. Willard's only task was to bottle it and leave it alone until it was ready to drink.

Unfortunately, his thirst threw a heavy shadow on the schedule. He was living on a hill overlooking the southern section of the city, and among his neighbors were several others of the breed, mad drinkers and men of strange arts. Shortly after my departure he entertained one of these gentlemen, who, like my man Willard, was long on art and energy, but very short of funds.

The question of drink arose, as it will in the world of art, but the presence of poverty cast a bleak light on the scene. There was, however, this five-gallon jug of raw, unaged home brew in the kitchen. Of course, it was a crude drink and might produce beastly and undesired effects, but… well…

The rest is history. After drinking half the jug, the two artists laid hands on several gallons of blue paint and proceeded to refinish the front of the house Willard was living in. The landlord, who lived across the street, witnessed this horror and called the police. They arrived to find the front of the house looking like a Jackson Pollack canvas, and the sidewalk rapidly disappearing under a layer of sensual crimson. At this point, something of an argument ensued, but Willard is 6 feet 4, and 230 pounds, and he prevailed. For a while.

Some moments later the police came back with reinforcements, but by this time Willard and his helper had drunk off the rest of the jug and were eager for any kind of action, be it painting or friendly violence. The intrusion of the police had caused several mottos to be painted on the front of the house, and they were not without antisocial connotations. The landlord was weeping and gnashing his teeth, loud music emanated from the ulterior of the desecrated house, and the atmosphere in general was one of hypertension.

The scene that followed can only be likened to the rounding up of wild beasts escaped from a zoo. Willard says he attempted to flee, but floundered on a picket fence, which collapsed with his weight and that of a pursuing officer. His friend climbed to a roof and rained curses and shingles on the unfriendly world below. But the police worked methodically, and by the time the sun set over the Pacific the two artists were sealed in jail.

At this point the gentlemen of the press showed up for the usual photos. They tried to coax Willard up to the front of his cell to pose, but the other artist had undertaken to tip the toilet bowl out of the floor and smash it into small pieces. For the next hour, the press was held at bay with chunks of porcelain, hurled by the two men in the cell. "We used up the toilet," Willard recalls, "then we got the sink. I don't remember much of it, but I can't understand why the cops didn't shoot us. We were out of our heads."

The papers had a field day with the case. Nearly all the photos of the "animal men" were taken with what is known among press photographers as "the Frankenstein flash." This technique produces somewhat the same impression of the subject as a flashlight held under his chin, but instead of a flashlight, the photographer simply holds his flash unit low, so that sinister shadows appear on the face of a subject, and a huge shadow looms on the wall behind him. It is a technique that could make Casper Milquetoast look like the Phantom of the Opera, but the effect, with Willard, was nothing short of devastating; he looked like King Kong.

Despite all the violence, the story has a happy ending. Willard and his friends were sentenced to six months in jail, but were quickly released for good behavior, and neither lost any time in fleeing to New York. Willard now lives in Brooklyn, where he moves from one apartment to another as walls fill up with paintings. His artistic method is to affix tin cans to a wall with tenpenny nails, then cover the wall with lumpy plaster and paint. Some say he has a great talent, but so far he goes unrecognized -- except by the long-suffering San Francisco police, who were called upon to judge what was perhaps his most majestic effort.

Willard was as hard to define then as he is now; probably it is most accurate to say he had artistic inclinations and a superabundance of excess energy. At one point in his life he got the message that others of his type were gathering in San Francisco, and he came all the way from Germany to join the party.

Since then, things have never been the same. Life is more peaceful in San Francisco, but infinitely duller. That was pretty obvious when the rent strike cropped up; for a day or so it looked like the action was back in town, but it was no dice. One of the "strikers," an unemployed cartoonist with a wife and a child and a rundown apartment for which he refuses to pay rent, summed up the situation. His landlady had declined to make repairs on the apartment, and instead got an eviction order. In the old days, the fellow would have stayed in the place and gotten tough. But the cartoonist is taking the path of least resistance. "It takes a long time to get people evicted," he says with a shrug, "and we're thinking of splitting to New York on a freight train anyway."

That's the way it is these days in the erstwhile capital of the Beat Generation. The action has gone East, and the only people who really seem to mourn it are the reporters, who never lacked a good story, and a small handful of those who lived with it and had a few good laughs for a while. If Willard returned to San Francisco today, he probably would have to settle for a job as a house painter.

16 Comments

George Hollister February 8, 2026

I don’t care who wins, but Seattle looks like the best team. Halftime is when the television gets turned off, and it is time to eat.

Reply
- Kirk Vodopals February 8, 2026
  
  Bah humbug! Apparently there’s an alternative performance by Kidd Rock for viewers of your political leanings.
  Musically there’s no comparison though. Kidd rock sounds like an aroused donkey, which must be the attraction for Trump.
  What’s on the menu Gentleman George?
  Pulled pork and kimchi sliders here. All my rowdy friends are coming over.
  Hoping it’s a good game cuz it’s the only one I ever watch.
  
  Reply
  - George Hollister February 8, 2026
    
    Pulled pork here as well. Low and slow pork butt is the best. Half time shows of every sort are there for people to watch, that don’t like football. It would be better to have a blank screen for 15 minutes with music from a “Summers Place”.
    
    Reply
Kirk Vodopals February 8, 2026

On a side note… does anyone know how to get a hold of Jonah Raskin? Apparently he went to a Super Bowl party where Tom Waits attended.
It’s on my bucket list to meet Tom Waits.
Any leads greatly appreciated

Reply
- Bruce Anderson February 8, 2026
  
  JONAH I did watch the super bowl with Tom Waits. The person who threw that party every year is no longer alive. He passed away several years ago and I haven’t been back. I learned that Tom is a very private person. I once wanted to film him and he said No. But he was friendly. At super bowl parties he’d be very quiet, sit there with his wife and their son and watch. Jonah
  
  Reply
  - Kirk Vodopals February 8, 2026
    
    Well tell Tom he has a big fan in Rancho Navarro and he’s always welcome at my Super Bowl party and he could sit on my couch silent right next to my father in law.
    
    Reply
    - Marshall Newman February 8, 2026
      
      I met Tom Waits decades ago – early in his career – at the Boarding House. He was the opening act. A pleasant fellow.
      
      Reply
- sam kircher February 8, 2026
  
  Probably more than 25 years ago, waiting to check out of a store in the Santa Rosa Plaza mall, dude in front of me looks familiar.
  Cashier asks for ID, as his credit card was unsigned.
  Peek over his shoulder to read the name, and… damn.
  -Couldn’t resist:
  “Sir, I’m a huge fan. It’s my girlfriend’s birthday. How ‘bout an autograph?”
  -“”Nah, but I”d be glad to meet you…”
  Pretty cool way to handle my intrusion.
  Took a while to wash that hand.
  
  Reply
Bruce Anderson February 8, 2026

I once asked this old Arky friend of mine if he was going to watch the Super Bowl. “I wouldn’t watch if they fetched it on over here,” he said.

Me? Hold the guac. The first few were aimed at real people and real fans. Then it went over to what it’s been ever since — a grotesque spectacle translating as these are indeed The End of Days. Yeah, I’m watching but on tape delay.

Reply
Paul Modic February 8, 2026

A little rain today, today was a planned outage (from the park) for me to catch up on yard work but the weather doesn’t encourage that now. Reminds me of back in the Gulch when I’d be feeling pretty good, then open the door and see the foggy outside and my mood would lower to leaning depressed…Maybe it was worry about the weed getting moldy, reminding me of one harvest when it rained in October and then was foggy eleven days straight…
Been writing some essays, one about how when the ava went just digital it became a daily instead of the weekly it had been. I miss having the weekly deadline, like with the Independent, now it’s just send anything in and it’ll probably go into the online edition the next day but rarely into the website’s archives, which somehow means something to me, part of it being that I can link a story there to send to someone, though I rarely do that, once a year maybe.
(My next book is planned to be all the ava stories, about 100, and the Independent column, another 28, and I have about 300 vignettes of various sizes to sort through and add, as well as many more not yet classified…
When my doctor asked a few years ago what I had to look forward to and I said nothing he said well that’s just sad, so I guess I have something now…)
I’m also writing an essay which affects about 30% of the US’s adults, those living alone, (although those living with “the wrong person,” ie, domestic hell, may have it worse than raw loneliness.) It’s called Banking Social Contact Units, a theme I launched onto after reading that NYTimes article Seven Keys to a Healthy Longevity. I discovered I was adhering to the first six pretty well but not so well with the most important one, having a good social life.
I got the travel bug, want to feel the freedom, just wrote something about that, and know that I probably won’t get on the road in a big way, so my trips to Eureka, like Tuesday to see if I can get my taxes done for free, are what I call being on methadone, giving me something, a short trip, if not the long heroin shot…
(Superbowl? Hell yeah, it’s the only game in town, and what will Green Day say?)

Reply
Paul Modic February 8, 2026

(I wanted to just post the link from the archives of this Super Bowl story but for some reason it wasn’t in the archives, though it was in the paper paper.
Not a habit, this is the first repeat I’ve put anywhere here:)
Superbowl Invitation
This is an outrage, this is a crime against sports: We have Carl here, a big sports fan who has humbly just listened on the radio to every 49ers game this year, watches the highlights on his phone, all he wants to talk about is football and the 49ers, and yet he chooses to be in his rehearsal and miss the beginning of our most cherished national holiday, The Super Taylor Swift Bowl!
Yes, Carl, this is your life! This is the theatre stuff you love, these are your people, and who am I? Just your long-time sports buddy, who has taken you to a 49ers and a Giants game, yet you choose this random theatre rehearsal over watching the beginning of The Big Game.
Something you might not know about this “gentle man” is that he loves boxing and unlike me, when a player gets hurt on the football field he always watches the replay multiple times, to gawk at the broken bones, twisted ankles, and grimaces of pain on the faces of the warrior gods writhing on the field, while I always turn my head and cough.
He loves that shit, but he loves you all more, the theatrical process, always seeing the positive and enjoying the adventure of experiencing an act evolve into something a little more than just an attention-getting device, and so he will miss the first quarter of the biggest game of the year, of years, of decades, of the century really.
This cannot stand, this is not right, I’m here to perform an intervention, I ask you theatre people, you amateur actors, to release Carl from this last half hour of rehearsal and let him come down to my nearby house where I have a chicken in the oven, barbecued by god!, with potatoes, sweet potatoes, and squash with mango chutney sauce. You may ask but where are the greens and yes, there will be an all-organic twelve-veggie salad on the side, by god again, with maybe a fancy beer, and then I’ll give him a dark chocolate bar to take to his next stop, watching the rest of the game with his true loves, Susan and Jeannie.
And what are they serving over there? Chips and salsa and cold lima beans from Winco? (Look at him, he loves to be fought over!) They probably don’t even care about the team, just want a glimpse of Taylor Swift, and will distract Carl with all sorts of questions and conversation, when he just wants to watch the game. He will not have that problem at my house, only talk about the game is allowed, as I am an extreme control freak, perhaps why he chose his mommies over me.
I think this man, someone who we used to say resembled Harrison Ford, has made his point: He’s willing to sacrifice his sports joy (though one bad play by Brock Purdy will plunge him into disconsolate darkness) to show that you, his acting family, are all that matters. So please release him for the kickoff, a glance at the cute Taylor Swift with her bright red lips, and the big game.
Lets act together to help Carl overcome his deep feelings of unworthiness, huddling here in your bosom, and show him, tell him, that he is worthy enough to watch the first quarter of the game. Thank you, and Free Carl!

Reply
Norm Thurston February 8, 2026

My favorite Super Bowl moment: Vince Lombardi’s widow was on the field following the game to dedicate the first Lombardi trophy. During her speech she said “If Vince could look down upon us right now, he would say ‘What the hell is that woman doing on the field?'”. Back when people had a sense of humor.

Reply
Fred Gardner February 8, 2026

Tom Waits and I had a close mutual friend named David Fechheimer. At a party at David’s house in SF, maybe 20 years ago, David’s wife Deanne introduced him Rosie. She said, “You don’t look half as wrecked as you’re supposed to!” (He looked tan and healthy.) Without missing a beat, Waits said, “You don’t like so bad yourself.”

Reply
Paul Modic February 8, 2026

Wow, Bad Bunny BRINGS it!
The backup dancers too, what an amazing show…
(You know, the performers at SuperBowl don’t get paid,
just satisfied with the worldwide exposure…)
Best I’ve ever seen at the game, though I rarely watch
the halftime show, damn I’ll even read Yearsley this time if he writes about it…
(The game? Watchable, a battle…)

Reply
- Paul Modic February 9, 2026
  
  Sadly I didn’t tape that halftime show, wow…
  
  Reply
Jim Armstrong February 9, 2026

I watched Bad Bunny for a few minutes, went back to my book, tried another brief look and left for good.
I was prepared to enjoy the show.

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Mendocino County Today: Sunday 2/8/2026

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