Wednesday, October 2, 2024
VME has invited its members to VIEW THE MOVIE YINTAH. Indigenous people under fire--ON NETFLIX
div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Veterans in Media and Entertainment (VME), invites its members to events each month and this month their offering was Netflix's YINTAH, A film showing Royal Bank of Canada's endorsement of Coastal GasLink Pipeline's violation of Canada's Indigenous peoples'---( rights-www.nomoredirtybanks.com(via act.tv)-----rights, wreaking havoc on not only climate change, but also, their natural resources. In fact, at least 65 entertainment artists, including Oscar nominated actor Mark Ruffalo, are also taking up the fight, along with the denizens of the Indian nation,Wet'suwet'en, to stop this often violent socio-economic and genealogical confrontation----------lives and billions of dollars are at stake.
The movie, Yintah, an Indian term for territory, shows that , much like in America, Indigenous people's rights to property, and dignity, are an afterthought, if non nonexistent, their treatment like second class citizens. to the whim of the rich and powerful, as their property is being polluted, people's lives destroyed, and crimes against their humanity reigns at a frightening height.
The Wet'suwet'en nation, descendants of people having lived here for thousands years, which is composed of 5 clans, has been criminalized, and the movie Yintah and www.nomoredirtybanks.com(via act.tv), shows quite empirically, that not only are these people being dehumanized but also their natural resources such as air and water are being severely polluted.
Interestingly enough, according to one of their chiefs, its protesters are being taken to jail in dog kennels. Ruffalo said, "We are being desensitized to the gross abuses of these people as no one, including cops, seem to be protecting them. And we need to fund the fighters on the front lines ".
in a virtual press conference modeated by Melina Laboucan -Massimo, she said " This is a continuing example of the destruction of RBC's influence on destroying indigenous peoples' resources.fossil fuels and emitting chaos".
Further expounding this sentiment was Mark Fuffalo, when he said, " Major banks like the Royal bank of Canada are financing a fracked gas pipeline bulldozing through the land of the with Wet, suwet,'n nation and northern British Columbia Canada The Wet suwet n hereditary chiefs never consented to do this pipeline construction through the Territories which would risk the sacred headwaters of the Wedzin Kwa River . but here's where it gets complicated . The Supreme Court of Canada recognized Wet'suwet'n chiefs as rightful title holders of 5he land.But corporations still get away with consulting only the elected leadership put in place by the colonial government and not the rightful title holder. Now what makes this even more urgent is the recent militarized police violence by the Canadian police, the RCMP . But for the last 3 years and as recently as last November the RCMP violently arrested and detained non-violent indigenous land defenders and journalists. Publicly the RBC makes grand commitments to respect indigenous rights BUT funds these projects intertwined with arsonistic activity, and violence. It is our money that is being used to fund this and we are asking RBS and its dirty banks to cease and desist. Furthermore, Despite claiming to to be a leader in climate conscious banking, since acquiring CNB in 2015, RBC has invested oVER $160 billion to become one of the world’s largest and most aggressive financiers of tar sands, fossil fuel extraction, and transport.. When the iNDIGENOUS people revolt they are violently attacked"
In conclusion, these blatant attacks against humanity must be halted. This is a matter of life and death and of abuse AND Racism. These actions are egregious and reprehensible. These people must ber protected andthe RBS and its herd of dirty banks and dirty police must be policed and the Indigenous people must be allowed to breathe, drink and do what every human being enjoys doing. Thus Get out of their lands and stop polluting the air, their waters and attacking them!
A letter from influential celebrities is below. Taken rom the online panel it is as follows, with signatures:
AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR “BANK TO THE STARS”To City National Bank and Royal Bank of Canada,It has come to the undersigned’s attention that our industry’s premier “bank to the stars”, City National Bank (CNB), has a problem. Its parent company, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), is financing the climate crisis and disregarding the rights of Indigenous Peoples.Despite claimingDespite claiming to to be a leader in climate conscious banking, since acquiring CNB in 2015, RBC has invested over $160 billion to become one of the world’s largest and most aggressive financiers of tar sands, fossil fuel extraction, and transport. “respect the inherent right of Indigenous peoples to self-determination”, RBC is now the lead financier of Coastal GasLink, a fracked gas pipeline being built through the pristine territory and waters of the Wet’suwet’en Peoples without the consent of the Hereditary Chiefs.For over a decade, the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs, members of the nation and their supporters, have protested this pipeline—at significant risk to their own lives. In the past three years, they have suffered multiple police raids, the burning of their cabins by suspected arsonists , extreme police harassment, and armed violence.With RBC as its financial leader, the controversial Coastal Gas Link project has shown a blatant disregard for Wet’suwet’en People, the will of the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs and the Canadian Supreme Court-recognized sovereignty of the unceded Wet’suwet’en territory.In bolstering RBC’s portfolio, valuation, and reserve capacity, our “bank to the stars” is aiding projects that violate Indigenous rights as stated by the UN High Commissioner’s Office on Human Rights. We refuse to allow our industry’s bank of choice to be unethical at any level, to accelerate the climate crisis, or to facilitate the abuse the rights of Indigenous Peoples.We, the undersigned, demand that City National Bank’s parent company, Royal Bank of Canada, withdraw support from the Coastal GasLink pipeline, effective immediately.Let us lead the way to a sustainable and peaceable future—together.
ActorBenny Blanco
Grammy-Nominated ProducerBrandon Boyd
Grammy-Nominated Musician, IncubusMehcad Brooks
ActorBernie Cahill
Activist Artist ManagementJ. Smith-Cameron
ActorEmmanuelle Chriqui
ActorCean Chaffin
Oscar-Nominated ProducerLily Cole
Model, Activist Mathew Cooke
DirectorBrian Cox
Emmy-Winning ActorLeonardo DiCaprio
Oscar-Winning ActorRobert Downey, Jr.
Oscar-Nominated ActorGriffin Dunne
Oscar-Nominated Director, ActorAva Duvernay
Oscar-Nominated DirectorMegalyn Echikunwoke
ActorAlex Ebert
Musician, ComposerDavid Fincher
Oscar-Nominated Director, ProducerFrances Fisher
ActorJane Fonda
Oscar-Winning ActorBart Freundlich
DirectorJosh Gad
ActorJerry Garcia Family
EstateRob Garza
Musician, Thievery CorporationKathryn Hahn
ActorAlbert Hammond, Jr.
Grammy-Winning Musician, The StrokesGlen Hansard
Oscar-Winning MusicianAlma Har’el
DirectorMariska Hargitay
Emmy-Winning ActorCaryl Hart
Vice Chair, California Coastal Commission Mickey Hart
Musician, Dead & CompanyJewel
Grammy-Nominated MusicianScarlett Johansson
Oscar-Nominated ActorJack Johnson
Grammy-Nominated MusicianDavid Kelly
Writer, ProducerBill Kreutzmann
Musician, Dead & CompanyBen Lee
Grammy-Nominated MusicianGunnar Lovelace
Founder, Good MoneyThe Lumineers
Grammy-Nominated BandMagic Giant
BandJena Malone
ActorRooney Mara
Oscar-Nominated Actor Bill McKibben
Founder, 350.orgJulianne Moore
Oscar-Winning ActorJoakim Noah
NBA All-StarEdward Norton
Oscar-Nominated Actor Michelle Pfeiffer
Actor, ProducerJoaquin Phoenix
Oscar-Winning ActorMike Posner
Grammy-Nominated MusicianMargaret Riley
Lighthouse ManagementShani Rosenzweig
Agent / Partner, UTAGary Ross
Oscar-Nominated Writer/Director/ProducerMark Ruffalo
Oscar-Nominated ActorDeia Schlosberg
Emmy-Winning FilmmakerEdward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Grammy-Winning BandAmy Schumer
Emmy-Winning ActorAlia Shawkat
ActorIone Skye
ActorPatti Smith
Grammy-Nominated MusicianJesse Paris Smith & Rebecca Foon
Founders, Pathway To ParisSoko
Actor, MusicianSam Spiegel
Musician, Founder, Squeak E. Clean Studios
Mickey Sumner
ActorFisher Stevens
Oscar-Winning Producer, Actor, DirectorBen Stiller
Emmy-Winning ActorMarisa Tomei
Oscar-Winning ActorAlyssa Milano
ActorKevin Vilkin
Summit SeriesTaika Waititi
Oscar-Winning Director, ActorNaomi Watts
Oscar-Nominated ActorBob Weir
Musician, Dead & CompanyScott Wexler
Lighthouse ManagementShailene Woodley
ActorRy X
MusicianPhoto Credits
Wednesday, September 11, 2024
FRANKIE BEVERLY, LEGENDARY FRONT MAN FOR R&B GROUP MAZE DIES AT 77--GOD SPEED MUSICAL ANGEL.
(Photo by Stephen Cohen/Getty Images)
FRANKIE BEVERLY, LEGENDARY FRONT MAN FOR R&B GROUP MAZE DIES AT 77 and ther whole worlds has lost an angel a soul terrific songbird. From 1977 until 1993, Frankie has warmed the hearts of all who had a chance to be soothed by his righteous sultry crooning.
Discovered by the late great Marvin Gaye via his sister-in-law, Beverly formed Maze, the group, which together produced nine gold albums, according to Wikipedia, was known by his "distinctive smooth baritone".
I had the pleasure of hearing Maze back in the dy at a Kool Jazz fstival and Beverly had the crowd in the palm of his hands, as he rattled off hits such as Golden time of Day and Happy Feelings.
This incredible musical minstrel was born in December 6, 1946 and died September 10, 2024. If anyone's purpose was totally empirically clad in the here and now and right in front of your eyes it was Frankie. God speed great brother and charm em in Heaven.
According to Carter Higgin in a December 6, 2022 interview at Black Doctor .ORG, ' ON BEING AROUND SO LONG:
"I thought we were good enough to make music, but never did we think it would be like this. We thank God for all of this."
"Longevity is a gift. I think I was called to do this. This isn't something that I myself can do. I think I was in a position where God placed this gift in my lap. I can write and I do have talent, but the thing that keeps our music relevant--that's all God.'
(Photo by Stephen Cohen/Getty Images)
Sunday, July 21, 2024
Monday, July 15th, 2024, screening of independent director Miguel Faus' s Spanish-language satirical drama CALLADITA (The Quiet Maid) Europe's first NFT funded new film and television platform via Bingeable unviels a new dynamic.
In addition, screenwriter, director and producer's, Miguel Faus, collaborating with the magic of directors Academy Award winner Steven Soderbergh and Roman Capollo--son of famed "Godfather" director Francis Ford Capollo-----launched CALLADITA ,(The Quiet Maid), Europe's first NFT funded new film and television platform via Bingeable, and Decentralized pictures, harnessing a bitcoin type funding dynamic, which may be a gamechanger , as it gives filmmakers new alternatives and much more power regarding film funding.
The film, according to Faus, is designed to illuminate the plight of migrants, without papers, who attempt to branch out and make a new life. The main character, played by Grimaldo is a maid, who has two chances, seemingly few and none, as her bosses lied to her about providing her relief from her arduous domestic worker chosen path with papers. Upon sensing that "The quiet one" is not as meek and pliable as once thought, management decides to fire her, and have her returned from whence she came. However, the maid shows them what is under her quiet demeanor, unbeknownst to them, by flipping the script on their son, who tried to blackmail her into having sex, gangbang style with a herd of men, and snatches his digital money via a most cunning style, most stealthily and most quietly.
Founded by legendary director/producers, Francis Ford Capollo(GodFather) and George Lucas(Star Wars), Decentralized Pictures, a non profit, in 1969, provides access to a duality in that entertainment professionals are available to help first time filmmakers, via their cofounding partner Zoetrope, to get mentorship and funding.
Similarly, Bingeable utilizes blockchain-backed decentralized marketing, according to bingeabletech.com, and then synergizes marketing, distribution and more through the NFT mode. The uniqueness of this new medium is defined and elaborated in depth in the article, by by Kyryl Sidak Data Scientist, ML Engineer, "NFT in Blockchain Exploring, the Intersection of Digital Assets and Blockchain Technology". It is as follows:
NFT in Blockchains
Exploring the Intersection of Digital Assets and Blockchain Technology
by Kyryl Sidak
Data Scientist, ML Engineer
May 2024・7 min read
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have revolutionized the way we perceive digital ownership and value. Rooted in blockchain technology, NFTs provide a secure and verifiable method to represent ownership of unique digital assets. This article delves into the fundamentals of NFTs, their connection with blockchain technology, and their broader implications for various industries.
What are NFTs?
NFTs are digital assets that represent ownership or proof of authenticity of a unique item or piece of content, often in digital form. Unlike cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, which are fungible and can be exchanged on a one-to-one basis, NFTs are unique and non-interchangeable.
NFTs can represent a wide range of digital and physical assets. For example, a piece of digital artwork, a video clip, music tracks, virtual real estate, or even tweets can be minted as NFTs. The unique aspect of NFTs lies in their ability to prove ownership and authenticity, making them invaluable for artists, creators, and collectors.
Example of an NFT:
- Digital Art: A unique piece of digital artwork by an artist, verified on the blockchain.
- Virtual Real Estate: Ownership of virtual land in a digital world, such as Decentraland.
- Collectibles: Unique digital trading cards or virtual pets.
NFTs are powered by smart contracts, which are self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement directly written into code. These smart contracts reside on blockchain networks, ensuring that the ownership and transfer of NFTs are secure and transparent.
How NFTs Work
NFTs leverage blockchain technology to provide a decentralized, immutable record of ownership and transaction history. When an NFT is created (or "minted"), it is recorded on the blockchain, along with metadata that describes the asset. This ensures that the NFT is unique and can be tracked across its lifecycle.
Key Characteristics of NFTs:
- Uniqueness: Each NFT has distinct information or attributes that set it apart from other tokens.
- Ownership: Ownership of NFTs is verifiable and traceable on the blockchain.
- Interoperability: NFTs can be used across different platforms and applications, thanks to standardized protocols like ERC-721 and ERC-1155.
The uniqueness of NFTs is ensured by their metadata, which can include information such as the creator's details, the creation date, and a description of the asset. This metadata is often stored off-chain, with a reference or hash stored on-chain to maintain the link between the asset and its metadata.
In conclusion, one can join the Bingeable and the Decentralized platfrms and not only get help, as many new doors are opened to opportunities for funding and mentorship but also, one can get paid using them, as well!
This film is quite good. I recommend seeing the quiet maid's poolside manner scene, in which she receives a cool poolside "hello", from her new male pal via an online dating site on a nice big pink floating Flamingo. Quite a rubber duckie moment for sure,
Paula Grimaldo, Ariadna Gil, Luis Bermejo, Pol Hermoso
Paula Grimaldo, Ariadna Gil, Luis Bermejo, Pol Hermoso
Friday, July 5, 2024
PRINCESS DIANA'S CLOTHING BROUGHT MEGA RICHES IN AN AUCTION AT THE PENINSULA, BEVERLY HILLS, CA JUNE 27, 2024-----MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY BENEFITS.
From June 25th-27th, 2024, the Peninsula Hotel, located at 9882 S. Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills hosted an incredible trifecta cocktail reception, culminating with an amazing auction which was facilitated through Julien's Auctions, of the late Princess Diana's Royal famous clothing.
The beloved Princess's dresses, coats, hats, shoes, and bags, which had dazzled hundreds of thousands via a tour through Hong Kong, Ireland, and New York landed in Los Angeles like a tornado and the money that ignited Los Angeles's auction community will be talked about for many years!!-----proceeds went to Muscular Dystrophy.
Interestingly enough, some of her letters and photos from1981 to 1995 auctioned off to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars also. The exact monies raised per item, according to the article entitled "Princess Diana's Elegance & a Royal Collection" Auction at the Peninsula Beverly Hills--by Dr. Laura Wilhelm, LauraWil Intercultural, are as follows:
-$910,000 for a Victor Edelstein off-the-shoulder Spanish flamenco-style magenta silk and lace evening dress.
-$780,000 for a Murray Arbeid midnight blue strapless tulle Diamante Star gown with a fitted bodice.
-$571,500 for a Catherine Walker black velvet and white lace Victorian revival evening gown.
-$444,500 for a Catherine Walker pink floral shirt dress.
-$390,000 for a pair of green satin Kurt Geiger evening pumps with jeweled vamps.
Sunday, May 19, 2024
NEW CALIFORNIA MINIMUM WAGE MAYBE POLITICAL BURNT OFFERNG.
IS THE APRIL 1ST NEW CALIFORNIA MINIMUM WAGE A POLITICAL BURNT OFFERNG, as the saying, "Be careful what you wish for, rings loudly, like a Sunday church bell harbinger of tribulations, heralding in a new time, day or era? Some may find themselves both benefits challenged and in the unemployment line.
According to, Richard B. McKenzie, professor of economics emeritus in the Merage Business School at the University of California, whose article, California Dreaming: The effects of California's "Fast Food" minimum wage, ' Faced with an above-market minimum wage, employers will be pressed to offset the money-wage hike with savings in labor costs that can come with replacement of covered workers by uncovered “non-human workers”—kiosk order takers and “burger bots.” These “tech workers” have an enviable market-wage advantage over their human competitors: Their legal California minimum wage is hard to beat: $0.00!'
Furthermore, McKenzie states that the rise in wages will mean losses of benefits, as many minimum-wage workers belong to multiple welfare programs, and cites agreeably with economist Craig Richardson by saying, this leaves ' covered minimum-wage workers facing higher marginal tax rates that are higher than the marginal income tax rates paid by the rich—even higher than 100 percent (which means that some covered minimum-wage California workers on welfare will lose more in benefits than the money they gain from the $4 increase in their minimum wage), an unseen consequence that hardly their incentives to continue working. '
Interestingly enough, McKenzie states, as all California companies were already, in order to operate effectively, forced to pay more than required, the anticipated impact of this new wage increase is likely to do more harm than good--- many minimum wage earners were already getting more than $16, or more before the new mandate went into effect.
In Conclusion, McKenzie hypothesizes a political motivation for the April 1st wage increase mandate as he said, ' Nevertheless, many state politicians continue to favor minimum wage increases. The reasons are not as clear as may be thought: “Politicians want to help poor workers” or “They have simply not appreciated the economics of the minimum wage in competitive markets.” These are not inconsequential points, but they seem too obvious and facile for my academic proclivities. I am inclined to believe that both proponents and opponents of minimum-wage hikes find the political forces behind minimum-wage hikes more powerful than the economic forces. But that is hardly a comfortable admission.'
.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)