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November 2020

It’s now called, we beat the snot out of Trump. Joe Biden will be the next President of the United States. Kamala Harris will be the next Vice President of the United States, a historic first for Women, South Asians, and Black Communities. New Updates and national news.

It’s now called, we beat the snot out of Trump. Joe Biden will be the next President of the United States. Kamala Harris will be the next Vice President of the United States, a historic first for Women, South Asians, and Black Communities. New Updates and national news.

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PALM SPRINGS<br />

LGBT LIFESTYLE<br />

GUIDE<br />

& COACHELLA VALLEY<br />

DOCUMENTING GAY HISTORY SINCE 1994<br />

PALM<br />

SPRINGS<br />

PRIDE <strong>2020</strong><br />

BIDEN<br />

HARRIS<br />

ELECTED!


Hotel, Bar and Restaurant<br />

May be Open<br />

With Restrictions Please Call First<br />

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DID YOU KNOW?<br />

Financial donations are what<br />

keep “food on the table.” We<br />

exist because of individual donors<br />

like yourself. No donation is too<br />

small, nor too big. Our yearly<br />

budget of $450,000.00 provides<br />

food and services to thousands<br />

of people. Churches, individuals<br />

and Foundations are what make<br />

ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project<br />

212-549-2500<br />

Adult Protective Services<br />

Hotline<br />

800 491-7123<br />

The (FCC) reserved the 211 dialing<br />

code for community information<br />

and services.<br />

Gay Men’s Health Crisis Hotline<br />

800 243-7692<br />

American Association of Poison<br />

Control Center (800) 222-1222<br />

Rape, Sexual Assault, Abuse, and<br />

Incest National Network (RAINN)<br />

(800) 656-HOPE<br />

See More in our Business Directory<br />

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BUSINESS Directory<br />

FEATURED<br />

BAR/DINING<br />

Pinocchio In the<br />

Desert<br />

Palm Springs<br />

breakfast and<br />

lunch bistro<br />

restaurant with<br />

a warm and<br />

welcoming, lively<br />

fun European<br />

Atmosphere.<br />

134 East Tahquitz<br />

Canyon Way. PS<br />

Rio Azul -<br />

Mexican Style<br />

Rest. & Bar<br />

Best authentic<br />

Mexican style<br />

restaurant in<br />

the valley.<br />

With patio and<br />

Bar. Home of<br />

an original<br />

and distinct<br />

interpretation of<br />

Mexican food &<br />

Longest running<br />

Sunday Drag<br />

Brunch.(760) 992-<br />

5641 350 South<br />

Indian Cyn. PS<br />

Runway<br />

Restaurant & Bar<br />

The valleys<br />

premier arts and<br />

entertainment.<br />

Featuring<br />

American<br />

Casual Dining<br />

Drinks & Drag<br />

at CCBC Resort<br />

Hotel.68300 Gay<br />

Resort Drive. CC<br />

Sunshine Cafe<br />

Nearly as perfect<br />

as it gets! Known<br />

as a local hole<br />

in the wall with a<br />

funky vibe and<br />

fantastic food,<br />

frequented<br />

by celebrities,<br />

politicians, word<br />

of mouth visitors<br />

from around<br />

the world. 36815<br />

Cathedral<br />

Canyon Dr. CC<br />

Eagle 501 Bar<br />

LEVI/LEATHER<br />

bar in the heart<br />

of Arenas, Palm<br />

Springs<br />

301 E Arenas Rd.<br />

PS<br />

The Barracks<br />

LEVI/LEATHER<br />

No matter your<br />

fetish, if you’re<br />

in the mood<br />

for some great<br />

cruising or just<br />

listening to some<br />

sexy music while<br />

you have a cigar<br />

largest patio bar<br />

in the desert.<br />

67625 E. Palm<br />

Canyon Dr. CC<br />

Tool Shed<br />

LEVI/LEATHER In<br />

the Warm Sands<br />

District in central<br />

Palm Springs.<br />

600 E Sunny<br />

Dunes Rd , PS<br />

Tryst Bar and<br />

Lounge<br />

Eclectic mix of<br />

straight and<br />

gays Everyone is<br />

6 Desert Daily Guide always on line and soon in print (ASAP)<br />

Welcome at Tryst<br />

21+ 188 S Indian<br />

Canyon Dr. PS<br />

MORE GAY &<br />

GAY FRIENDLY<br />

Cathedral City<br />

The Barracks<br />

Runway<br />

Sunshine Cafe<br />

AJ Sports<br />

Roost<br />

Trunks<br />

Studio One 11<br />

Desert Hot<br />

Springs<br />

Playoffs Sports<br />

Bar<br />

Palm Springs<br />

Eagle 501 Bar<br />

Rio Azul<br />

Tool Shed<br />

Toucan’s<br />

Streetbar<br />

Oscar’s<br />

Chill bar<br />

Hunters<br />

Stacy’s<br />

BlackBook<br />

continued on page 18


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Next Mass<br />

Call or 442-282-8333 or visit stgilesaltadena.org for more details.<br />

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politics<br />

14. Vic Gerami<br />

21. 6 STEPS TO FIX A DEMOCRACY<br />

28. Debates & Date<br />

36. Desert Stonewall Democrats<br />

entertainment<br />

22 Art and elections<br />

30 Solve the Epicurean paradox?<br />

32 Hispanic Heritage Month<br />

business<br />

6 Business Directory begins<br />

6 Featured Bar/Dining<br />

6 Resorts<br />

18 Resorts Massage<br />

18 Resorts Massage<br />

20 Shopping<br />

lifestyle<br />

34 PRIDE! Lovecraft Country<br />

34 PRIDE! Lovecraft Country<br />

22 HOW ARTIST HAVE VISUALIZED<br />

TYRANNY...<br />

14 HOLLYWOOD’S A-LIST STANDS<br />

WITH ARTSAKH & ARMENIA<br />

21 6 STEPS TO FIX<br />

A DEMOCRACY<br />

12 Desert Daily Guide always on line and soon in print (ASAP)


EDITOR NOTES<br />

Currently online only <strong>November</strong><br />

It’s now called, we beat the snot out of Trump.<br />

Joe Biden will be the next President of the United<br />

States. Kamala Harris will be the next Vice<br />

President of the United States, a historic first for<br />

Women, South Asians, and Black Communities.<br />

A historic first for women, South Asians,<br />

and the Black community.<br />

Sure, this election was obviously<br />

much closer than most of us were<br />

hoping or anticipating. But a close<br />

election proves only Trump lies,<br />

that most have been complaining<br />

about. We need change, grassroots<br />

organizing, volunteering, and donating<br />

has made a difference. Still there is<br />

there is much to do as we create a<br />

plan for our phisical health but also<br />

the mental health of the nation. We<br />

will be in touch soon about how we<br />

can produce and deliver a safe print<br />

magazine. In the meantime, we share<br />

your joy for acheviments these last few<br />

years. But for now, we won the day.<br />

DDG Media Group/<br />

Team DDG<br />

Contributing Writers<br />

Desert Daily Guide<br />

Opinions expressed in<br />

the DDG columns do not<br />

EDITOR: Will Paige<br />

Vic Gerami<br />

necessarily reflect the<br />

will@desertdailyguide.com TheBluntPostWithVic.com opinion of the DDG, its staff,<br />

EDITOR IN CHIEF: A, A,<br />

or its advertisers. DDG is<br />

Advertising<br />

not responsible for claims<br />

AA@desertdailyguide.com<br />

made by its advertisers, or<br />

ART: Adams’s Art<br />

Digital or printed media packs<br />

the products or services they<br />

available on request.<br />

adamsart@desertdailyguide.com<br />

offer. Listings, pictures, or<br />

SALES: Will Paige<br />

Contributing Photographers:<br />

advertisements in the DDG<br />

will@desertdailyguide.com<br />

Marko Russell, David<br />

should not be construed<br />

Stanfield<br />

Distribution<br />

to represent or reflect the<br />

National Ad Representatives<br />

select locations. Updated weekly<br />

sexual orientation of any<br />

Magazine is printed every week to<br />

business, its owners, or its<br />

staff. All events are subject<br />

Rivendell Media<br />

, Currently on lime only and free<br />

to change without notice.<br />

(212) 242-6863<br />

during COVID.<br />

Any omissions of events are<br />

not intentional. © <strong>2020</strong> DDG<br />

Expect Shut Downs, please contact location first.Delivery options Media Group available , All Rights 13


HOLLYWOOD’S A-LIST STANDSWITH ARTSAKH & ARMENIA<br />

By Vic Gerami<br />

Kim Kardashian, Sean Penn, Cher,<br />

Michael B. Johnson, Diddy, Mel<br />

Gibson, Serj Tankian (System of<br />

a Down), Lawrence Zarian, Sally<br />

Kirkland, and Congressman Adam<br />

Schiff Have Lent Their Support<br />

MORE GENOCIDE! Thinking of my<br />

Armenian friends and people in<br />

conflict everywhere and using this<br />

app to see what the media won’t<br />

show.” Michael B Jordan<br />

In an effort to educate the<br />

American public about the<br />

humanitarian crisis happening now<br />

in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and<br />

Armenia due to the unprovoked<br />

attack by Azerbaijan and Turkey,<br />

USATV and The Blunt Post have<br />

launched the PSA campaign “I<br />

Stand With Artsakh and Armenia.”<br />

Actor Michael B Jordan shared<br />

on his Twitter account, “NO<br />

At launch, Kim Kardashian, Serj<br />

Tankian (System of a Down),<br />

multiple Grammy-winner Paulina<br />

Aguirre, Yasmine Al Massri<br />

14 Desert Daily Guide always on line and soon in print (ASAP)<br />

continued on page 15


(Quantico), Ed Begley Jr., Andrea<br />

Martin, and fashion expert<br />

Lawrence Zarian have lent their<br />

support to the campaign, with<br />

more high-profile figures joining<br />

later, including the honorable<br />

Congressman Adam Schiff. You can<br />

watch the 1st of a series here.<br />

Biden for America’s new birth.”<br />

Diddy posted a picture on his<br />

Instagram that simply stated,<br />

“ARMENIA IS UNDER ATTACK.”<br />

Mel Gibson lent her support with this<br />

video<br />

Famed high-profile attorney<br />

Mark Geragos tweeted, “Turkey’s<br />

Hateful Neo-Ottoman Campaign<br />

Against the Armenians – Turkey’s<br />

and Azerbaijan’s violent claims<br />

on Artsakh are unsubstantiated:<br />

Artsakh is one of the provinces of<br />

historical Armenia and has retained<br />

an Armenian majority throughout<br />

the centuries.”<br />

Cher tweeted, “I’ve Heard About<br />

‘Blood Thirsty TURKS Who Tortured &<br />

Murdered Almost 2Million Armenians<br />

SINCE I WAS 11. ALSO HEARD IT IN<br />

ARMENIA. TURK SOLDIERS ARE STILL<br />

BLOOD THIRSTY.”<br />

The campaign launched on the<br />

website and social media channels<br />

of USATV, The Blunt Post, Pop News<br />

Edition, YouTube, and many other<br />

platforms.<br />

Congressman for West Hollywood,<br />

the honorable Adam Schiff joined<br />

the PSA campaign with this video.<br />

Journalist Vic Gerami was<br />

interviewed by Steve Sievers from<br />

Bionic Buzz about the situation in<br />

Artsakh.<br />

About Artsakh<br />

Sean Penn tweeted, “As too many<br />

of us sit on our butts, Armenians<br />

are being slaughtered by Trump<br />

pal Erdogan with weapons WE<br />

provided. THIS is NOT America!<br />

continued on page 16<br />

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Artsakh, also known as Nagorno<br />

Karabakh, is an integral part<br />

of historic Armenia. In 1921,<br />

Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, to<br />

consolidate his power, forcibly<br />

placed Artsakh under Soviet<br />

Azerbaijani rule. An arbitrary<br />

decision without precedent<br />

placed a millennia-old<br />

autonomous<br />

Christian territory into a largely<br />

hostile Muslim regional government<br />

entity. During the Soviet regime,<br />

Artsakh repeatedly appealed<br />

to the Central Government in<br />

Moscow to restore justice and<br />

reunite the region with Armenia.<br />

After years of tireless struggle,<br />

Moscow granted autonomous<br />

status to the region.<br />

16 Desert Daily Guide always on line and soon in print (ASAP)<br />

continued on page 17


The Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous<br />

Oblast (Region) was created on a<br />

part of historical Artsakh. However,<br />

this new formation was deliberately<br />

separated from Armenia by a slim<br />

corridor.<br />

achieve ethnic cleansing in Artsakh.<br />

Its policies had already shaved<br />

down the Armenian population from<br />

95 percent to 75 percent when it<br />

resorted to more violent methods of<br />

eliminating the Armenians.<br />

Since its creation in 1918,<br />

Recognizing that 95 percent of<br />

Azerbaijan has been implementing the population was Armenian, the<br />

an open campaign of national, Soviet regime granted Nagorno<br />

ethnic, religious, cultural, and Karabakh autonomy, but within<br />

economic discrimination, aiming Soviet Azerbaijan. During the last<br />

to eliminate the region’s Armenian liberalizing phase of the Soviet era,<br />

heritage. Just as it succeeded in per existing law, the population of<br />

eliminating the Armenian population Nagorno Karabakh declared its selfgoverning<br />

of Nakhichevan, which was 50<br />

republic in 1991.<br />

percent Armenian in 1920 down to<br />

zero by 1991, Azerbaijan aimed to<br />

continued on page 24<br />

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BUSINESS Directory<br />

QUADZ<br />

RetroRoom<br />

Lounge<br />

Phoenix<br />

Charlie’s<br />

Dick’s Cabaret<br />

Kobalt Bar<br />

Pat O’s<br />

Stacy’s<br />

Inland Empire<br />

The Menagerie<br />

VIP<br />

Alibi East<br />

Hook-Up<br />

340 Restaurant &<br />

Nightclub<br />

FEATURED<br />

RESORTS<br />

few minutes from<br />

downtown Palm<br />

Springs, Our 3.5<br />

acre fantasy<br />

playground<br />

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weekend getaways<br />

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historic Palm<br />

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Personal Service<br />

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Depending on<br />

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Therapist<br />

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massage is done<br />

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off Ramon by<br />

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Patriot Services<br />

LIC General<br />

Contactor<br />

Handyman<br />

ELECTICAL<br />

760-327-9619<br />

continued on page 20


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BUSINESS Directory<br />

Painter<br />

Hauling<br />

Red’s Hauling.<br />

We remove trash<br />

and unwanted<br />

items. Garage<br />

clean outs.<br />

Call Red at<br />

760-288-6956<br />

ATTRACTIONS<br />

Cabot’s Pueblo<br />

Museum<br />

760-329-7610<br />

McCallum<br />

Adobe 760-323-<br />

8297<br />

Indian Canyons<br />

760-323-6018<br />

Palm Springs<br />

Aerial Tram<br />

760-325-1449<br />

Palm Springs Air<br />

Museum<br />

760-778-6262<br />

Palm Springs Art<br />

Museum<br />

760-325-7186<br />

Sunnylands<br />

760-328-2829<br />

Patton Memorial<br />

Museum<br />

760-227-3483<br />

Joshua Tree<br />

National park<br />

760-367-5500<br />

ATTORNEYS<br />

Joseph Rhea<br />

legal criminal<br />

law human rights<br />

760 322-3001<br />

SHOPPING<br />

Gear Leather<br />

and Fetish<br />

760-322-3363<br />

e carry only the<br />

finest quality<br />

leather and<br />

fetish goods,<br />

gym wear, toys<br />

and furnishings,<br />

all designed<br />

to get you off<br />

and make you<br />

look good while<br />

you’re doing it.<br />

gearleather.com<br />

650 E. Sunny<br />

Dunes<br />

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Leathers<br />

760-778-2798<br />

offrampleathers.<br />

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used leather and<br />

fetish/BSDM<br />

gear.<br />

Alterations<br />

and repairs<br />

handmade item<br />

by Paul. Great<br />

selection of<br />

consignment<br />

items.<br />

650 E. Sunny<br />

Dunes Rd., Unit 3,<br />

Palm Springs, CA<br />

continued on page 26<br />

20 Desert Daily Guide always on line and soon in print (ASAP)


6 STEPS TO FIX<br />

A DEMOCRACY<br />

Our democracy is broken.<br />

Truth be told, it has always been<br />

broken. Starting with our feable<br />

attempt and millions of years before<br />

that. What is worse, we got the “We<br />

the people” part, all wrong. For<br />

generations we thought we were<br />

Alpha “survival of the fittest” bloodthirsty<br />

cavemen. Turns out we were<br />

just meek prey. Survival required<br />

us to keep our numbers up and<br />

people healthy. Every little mistake<br />

could cause horrible death. Fire,<br />

falling rocks, to attacks by animals,<br />

watching a saber-tooth tiger kill<br />

your child to feed baby animals<br />

then turn on you. That has got to<br />

hurt. And it did, so bad, they made<br />

up myths and religions to explain<br />

it all. The very reason mom cared<br />

if you washed behind your ears,<br />

was probably so animals won’t<br />

smell you. Compassion led to a<br />

cooperative effort and the new<br />

compromise.<br />

compromise, they left loopholes.<br />

We continued fracking the system,<br />

filling it with loopholes of lies and<br />

misrepresentation until it became<br />

anything but cooperation and<br />

compromise. This very election<br />

shows it with Trump supporters<br />

attempting to crash a Biden bus.<br />

And they are actively trying to<br />

rewrite our levers of equality and<br />

fairness.<br />

So, while there may be many<br />

ways to do this, here are some<br />

guidelines to ensure and validate<br />

our aspirations to a true democratic<br />

nation where the words of the<br />

constitution are guide posts.<br />

1. We must elect people that<br />

agree the system is broken and<br />

promise to fix it.<br />

2. We must elect people that have<br />

demonstrated the ability to unite<br />

a diverse nation.<br />

3. We must agree that no system is<br />

successful until it addresses the<br />

needs of everyone.<br />

4. We must expect honesty<br />

integrity and transparency from<br />

all elected and appointed<br />

government officials.<br />

5. We must establish clear and<br />

verifiable complaint systems<br />

at all levels available with<br />

significant oversight.<br />

6. We must Expand representation<br />

at all levels of government.<br />

Cooperation and compromise may<br />

have built our civilization but we ran<br />

it all wrong. Rather than build up<br />

people, we tore them down and<br />

enslaved them however we could.<br />

As our forefathers tried to enshrine<br />

a notion with cooperation and<br />

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ADAMSARTEXPOSE’<br />

HOW ARTIST HAVE VISUALIZED TYRANNY<br />

REPORTER: Adam EMAIL: adamart@desertdailyguide.com Web: comming soon<br />

Historically the evidence seems<br />

to detail that the tyranny of people<br />

against people has existed since<br />

recorded history. One of the more<br />

pronounced methods<br />

that this has been recorded is<br />

through artists expressing the horrors<br />

and violence of tyrants on people.<br />

Frequently the violence has been<br />

perpetrated on the<br />

very people they represent<br />

politically. The United States has not<br />

been exempt from violence and<br />

repression.<br />

IN THE PAST TO THE PRESENT<br />

played upon each other’s artistic<br />

expression to expose the repression<br />

that is brought about by the autocratic<br />

despots and their political organization.<br />

As an example, rock and roll has<br />

caused controversy from Soviet Russia<br />

to the Bible Belt United States. The art of<br />

music supported by writers and visual<br />

artists creates power. Art is power<br />

and much of that power is discreet<br />

in recognition but highly influential in<br />

reality.<br />

One of the most powerful visual<br />

representations of the horror of human<br />

rights abuses and war is the large<br />

painting, “Guernica” by Pablo Picasso.<br />

This painting shows the revulsion of<br />

violence to humanity from the bombing<br />

of the city of Guernica in Northern<br />

Spain by the Germans and Italians over<br />

the resistance provided by this area.<br />

Although abstract in reality it is very<br />

symbolic of the pain and suffering of<br />

Usually, this tyranny emanates from<br />

the thirst for power on the part of the<br />

political tyrant. Artists who respond to<br />

tyranny often cause themselves and<br />

their art<br />

to become the topic exposing the<br />

controversy and sometimes becoming<br />

the focus of the controversy. Visual<br />

artists,<br />

22 Desert<br />

writers,<br />

Daily<br />

and<br />

Guide<br />

musicians<br />

always<br />

have<br />

on line and<br />

individuals<br />

soon in print<br />

caused<br />

(ASAP)<br />

by the bombing.<br />

continued on page 23


The United States is not exempt<br />

from political and social repression.<br />

This has been most widely exhibited<br />

in the racial human rights abuses of<br />

people of color. The depiction of<br />

segregation in the painting by Norman<br />

Rockwell titled, “The Problem We All<br />

Live With (1964). The painting displays<br />

the escorting of a 6-year old black<br />

girl by U.S. marshals as she is about to<br />

enter and desegregate an all-white<br />

school.<br />

More recently, the continuation<br />

of racial repression that has been<br />

prevalent with the Trump administration<br />

is shown in a mural of a large Hispanic<br />

baby looking over the Trump border<br />

wall at Tecate, California.<br />

writers and journalists including<br />

the media, in general, has been<br />

formidable during the past four years<br />

under Donald Trump a true autocratic<br />

tyrant in all definitions. His angry<br />

infantile tantrums show not only a<br />

tyrant by an incompetent tyrant. The<br />

democratic election to rid the U.S.<br />

and the world of this human scourge is<br />

to be held a few days. Trustingly, the<br />

people of this country will respond<br />

vigorously by VOTING to make this<br />

happen.<br />

There is no doubt that Trump’s<br />

tyranny and the Covid19 Pandemic<br />

has created a new reality in our society<br />

and the world at large. The challenge<br />

will be to<br />

acknowledge and adjust to this<br />

new reality and to make substantial<br />

and lasting changes that will be cause<br />

for an improved order of human rights<br />

equality to<br />

remedy the past four years of<br />

autocratic hate and repression.<br />

The repression of art, especially,<br />

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Azerbaijan, with its Muslim<br />

majority population, responded<br />

by declaring war against the<br />

Christian Armenians. After a bloody<br />

and destructive conflict resulting<br />

in 30,000 deaths, a cease-fire<br />

agreement was signed in 1994.<br />

Year after year, however, serious,<br />

and deadly violations by Azerbaijan<br />

increased in frequency until the<br />

April 2016 escalation into a major<br />

confrontation involving large-scale<br />

attacks by Azeri forces along the<br />

entire border of Azerbaijan with<br />

Artsakh and Armenia.<br />

Then on September 27, Azerbaijan<br />

unleashed a genocidal war on<br />

Artsakh with help from its close ally,<br />

Turkey. Confirmed reports indicate<br />

that the two countries had been<br />

preparing for this attack for about<br />

a year. Azerbaijan, an oil rich<br />

country, purchased weapons from<br />

various countries and hired ISIS,<br />

Syrian, Libyan, and Pakistani jihadist<br />

mercenaries and brought them to<br />

attack the Armenians of Artsakh.<br />

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan ramped<br />

up its public relations campaign,<br />

employing not one but six of K<br />

Street’s heavy-hitting firms, including<br />

the Livingston Group, Stellar Jay<br />

Communications, BGR, the Podesta<br />

Group, and DLA Piper. Last year<br />

the country spent $1.3 million on<br />

lobbying.<br />

In an attempt “to whitewash its<br />

dictatorial image…the autocratic<br />

government of Ilham Aliyev has<br />

unleashed spin-doctors, duped<br />

reporters, and led one of the most<br />

brazen pushes to abuse American<br />

lobbying loopholes of any foreign<br />

government,” wrote Casey<br />

Michel, reported by The American<br />

Conservative.<br />

In an interview by Jackie Abramian<br />

for Forbes magazine, Marina<br />

Simonyan, Chief Specialist,<br />

Republic of Artsakh Human Rights<br />

Ombudsman’s Office said, “Since<br />

September 27, indiscriminate<br />

airstrikes and artillery assaults<br />

against the Republic of Artsakh,<br />

Azerbaijan has consistently<br />

perpetrated gross violations<br />

of customary international<br />

humanitarian law–targeting<br />

civilians, residential areas, civilian<br />

infrastructure, public and industrial<br />

facilities, churches, cultural centers<br />

and hospitals where civilians were<br />

being treated.”<br />

“Because of the Azerbaijani<br />

hostilities and indiscriminate,<br />

targeted, and systematic strikes,<br />

tens of thousands of people have<br />

fled their homes, sheltering at<br />

safer places in other settlements of<br />

the country or in the Republic of<br />

Armenia. Children, women, elderly,<br />

persons with disabilities and other<br />

continued on page 25<br />

24 Desert Daily Guide always on line and soon in print (ASAP)


vulnerable groups live with constant<br />

security threats and psychological<br />

terror, deprived of basic rights<br />

and conditions, such as food,<br />

healthcare, education, and others.”<br />

“90,000 Artsakh residents, nearly 60<br />

percent have fled the bombings.”<br />

Genocide Watch’s “GENOCIDE<br />

EMERGENCY: Azerbaijan in Artsakh”<br />

report states: “Due to its denial of<br />

past genocide against Armenians,<br />

its official use of hate speech, and<br />

the current targeting of civilians<br />

in Artsakh, Genocide Watch<br />

considers Azerbaijan to be at Stage<br />

9: Extermination and Stage 10:<br />

Denial.” It concluded, Azerbaijani<br />

military offensives, using “laser<br />

guided drones supplied by Turkey<br />

and Israel,” against Artsakh civilians<br />

are “war crimes under the Geneva<br />

Conventions.”<br />

The U.S. Department of State<br />

announced on Oct.25, the third<br />

attempted ceasefire in the Artsakh<br />

war. The first two ceasefires were<br />

violated by Azerbaijan and Turkey<br />

within minutes of going into effect.<br />

The new ceasefire announcement<br />

was made after the foreign ministers<br />

of Armenia and Azerbaijan flew to<br />

Washington, D.C. and separately<br />

met with Secretary of State Mike<br />

Pompeo on Oct 23.<br />

Vic Gerami<br />

Editor & Publisher<br />

The Blunt Post<br />

310.880.8563<br />

vic@thebluntpost.com<br />

Facebook.com/thebluntpost<br />

@thebluntpost<br />

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BUSINESS Directory<br />

MATRIMONY<br />

SPIRITUALITY<br />

GROUPS/ORG/HELP<br />

760-832-9770<br />

DESERT<br />

STONEWALL DEMOCRATS:<br />

desert-stonewall.org<br />

272-5553<br />

PALM SPRINGS PRIDE<br />

pspride.org<br />

LGBT<br />

COMMUNITY<br />

CENTER 760-416-<br />

7790 thecenterps.org<br />

AMERICAN CANCER<br />

SOCIETY 800-227-2345<br />

AMVETS:<br />

Veterans club<br />

760-324-5670<br />

Coachella Valley Sexual<br />

Assault Services Rape<br />

Crisis Center<br />

(760) 568-9071<br />

Democrats of the Desert<br />

desertdemocrats.org<br />

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760 776-2700<br />

GAY ARTISTS -<br />

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write to<br />

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com<br />

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transcc.org<br />

PALM SPRINGS GAY<br />

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NATURIST DAY PASSES<br />

Gay Men CCBC Resort<br />

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retreat<br />

26 Desert Daily Guide always on line and soon in print (ASAP)


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LOVECRAFT COUNTRY<br />

HBO<br />

FIRST SEASON COMPLETED<br />

Misha Green<br />

Lovecraft Country is an<br />

American horror drama<br />

television series developed by<br />

Misha Green based on and<br />

serving as a continuation of the<br />

2016 novel of the same name.<br />

Like the DDG they write a guide for<br />

safe black places to stay.<br />

Q&A: Misha Green On All Things<br />

LOVECRAFT COUNTRY<br />

Interview provided by HBO<br />

Lovecraft Country<br />

Misha Green is showrunner, writer,<br />

executive producer and director of<br />

HBO’s LOVECRAFT COUNTRY<br />

When were you first acquainted<br />

with Matt Ruff’s 2016 novel on which<br />

LOVECRAFT COUNTRY is based?<br />

What inspired you to adapt it for<br />

television?<br />

Misha Green “I was working on<br />

season two of ‘Underground’ and<br />

my agents at CAA said, ‘There’s this<br />

book you may want to adapt.’ I was<br />

blown away. I thought, ‘I want to<br />

explore these characters and their<br />

journeys.’ I was also really into the<br />

idea of reclaiming the genre space<br />

for those who’ve typically been left<br />

out of it. I said, I’m ready to make<br />

this into an epic television show.’<br />

Ruff’s novel draws heavily from<br />

the work of famed science-fiction<br />

author H.P. Lovecraft, who passed<br />

away in 1937 at age 46. He was<br />

and remains controversial for both<br />

the racist themes in his writing and<br />

his own well-documented bigotry.<br />

To what degree did you have to<br />

become an expert in his cannon as<br />

well?<br />

Green “I’d read a bit of Lovecraft;<br />

28 Desert Daily Guide always on line and soon in print (ASAP)<br />

continued on 29


his influence in horror-fan culture is<br />

huge. And you can definitely tell<br />

he was a racist from his work. It’s<br />

hard to miss those troubling themes.<br />

So when I was reading Matt’s<br />

book, I understood the Lovecraft<br />

references, but didn’t feel it was<br />

crucial to dive fully into that canon in<br />

order to write the series.”<br />

nods in the series to 1980’s<br />

adventure movies like “Goonies,”<br />

contemporary blood-and-guts<br />

horror films, classic 1930’s monster<br />

movies – all of which are incredibly<br />

familiar to audiences, yet we’ve<br />

never seen Black characters inhabit<br />

these narratives as robustly as they<br />

do here.<br />

What was your approach to<br />

adapting Ruff’s novel? How much<br />

freedom did you feel to reinvent and<br />

expand upon it?<br />

Green “We essentially used the book<br />

as a beautiful jumping-off point. My<br />

strategy was to take all of its dope,<br />

cool stuff and write new dope, cool<br />

stuff. (Laughs) There was a never a<br />

sense of ‘Let’s bank this for later.’<br />

When you have 10 people in a room,<br />

you’re always able to come up with<br />

new ideas. The goal was to deepen<br />

the characters and the stories. I told<br />

our writers,<br />

Green “Yes and what drew me<br />

to adapting the book for TV, as<br />

opposed to film, was the chance to<br />

do a “Goonies”-style episode, then<br />

sci-fi, then mystery, then a ghost<br />

story; go bananas and reclaim<br />

all of those storytelling styles for<br />

characters who’ve typically died at<br />

the beginning of those stories. One<br />

of the reasons I love horror so much<br />

is— when it’s done well – you can<br />

keep peeling away the layers and<br />

see something new every time.”<br />

Jordan Peele, who serves as an<br />

executive producer on LOVECRAFT<br />

COUNTRY, has similarly reinvented<br />

horror as a space for telling layered,<br />

socially conscious stories. How did<br />

you first meet?<br />

Be prepared for therapy because<br />

we’re gonna excavate all of it in<br />

here.’ At its core the show is a family<br />

drama. We had to dig into stuff that<br />

made us uncomfortable. We also Green “My agents said, ‘We think<br />

had our lists of movies, novels and you’d would get along really well.’<br />

tropes that exemplified genre. How And I was like, ‘Why? I don’t like<br />

did we want to play off of those? The to laugh.’ (Laughs) ‘No, no, he’s a<br />

idea of creating a hybrid experience huge horror fan and he’s working on<br />

was exciting for everyone.”<br />

a movie right now.’ And we vibed<br />

right away.<br />

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continued<br />

available<br />

on page 30<br />

29


Then Jordan said, ‘I want you to<br />

watch Get Out.’ I saw it and went,<br />

‘Phew!’ We’d gotten along so<br />

well that I didn’t want to watch it<br />

and be like, ‘Oh, man.’ But it was<br />

amazing. Then when we were<br />

working on Lovecraft – he was<br />

doing the film Us at the time – we<br />

talked a lot about our shared belief<br />

regarding horror, which is: You<br />

need the metaphor. I’d played<br />

with that on ‘Underground’; that it<br />

was a heist movie but set in slavery<br />

times. That the people pursuing the<br />

heist happened to be enslaved<br />

people trying to steal back their<br />

most precious possession: their lives.<br />

I used the heist genre to appeal to<br />

people who thought, ‘Ugh, I don’t<br />

want to watch a slavery show.’<br />

But you did want to watch this<br />

one because we used genre as a<br />

doorway into something deeper.”<br />

Speaking of “Underground,”<br />

making LOVECRAFT has reunited<br />

you with actress Jurnee Smollett.<br />

What made her the perfect choice<br />

to play Letitia Lewis?<br />

very close friends, but also have a<br />

beautiful artistic partnership based<br />

on energy, commitment and a<br />

shared desire to go deeper and<br />

challenge ourselves. She brings truth<br />

to every role and is so ferocious.<br />

But a lot of what we talked about<br />

on Underground we continued<br />

in Lovecraft Country. What’s<br />

the vulnerability underneath this<br />

woman’s strength? Let’s see both<br />

sides of her.”<br />

Arguably the heart and soul of the<br />

series is Atticus Freeman played<br />

by actor Jonathan Majors. What<br />

inspired you to cast him?<br />

Green “When we were casting,<br />

Yann Demange said ‘There’s this<br />

amazing cat Jonathan who was<br />

in my movie White Boy Rick.’ He<br />

walked into the room and I was<br />

like, ‘Oh my God, you’re Atticus.<br />

I believe you’re the soldier, the<br />

geeky kid, the black nerd.’ Halfway<br />

through shooting Lovecraft, I saw<br />

Jonathan’s film [a24’s] ‘The Last<br />

Black Man in San Francisco.’ I told<br />

him on set ‘Holy f*** dude!’ There<br />

wasn’t an inch of Atticus in the<br />

character of Monty. He was like,<br />

‘That’s the biggest compliment you<br />

could give me.’ He was a revelation<br />

the entire time we were shooting. I<br />

was like, ‘How have you not been in<br />

everything?’”<br />

Green “I generally don’t think of<br />

prospective actors when I write. But<br />

Jurnee kept asking, ‘So, how’s that<br />

script going?’ I was like, ‘Good!’<br />

When I was done, I asked, ‘Do you<br />

want to read it?’ She said, ‘What<br />

can I say? It’s f***ing amazing. So<br />

when are you gonna say you want<br />

30 Desert Daily Guide always on line and soon in print (ASAP)<br />

me to be in this?’(Laughs) We’re<br />

continued on page 31


LOVECRAFT is the most visualeffects<br />

heavy project you’ve<br />

undertaken as a show creator. How<br />

did you approach those elements<br />

of storytelling during the writing<br />

process and what most excited you<br />

when it came to executing them<br />

during production?<br />

principal photography. Then we<br />

have the second unit, which shot<br />

all the stunts and pickups. Then the<br />

effects are added and we turn the<br />

actors into 20 different ghosts. To be<br />

working with people who are at the<br />

top of their crafts game…I was a kid<br />

in a candy store.”<br />

Green “We worked with KNB, an Much like “Underground,”<br />

incredible special effects and LOVECRAFT COUNTRY is as much<br />

makeup house. Knowing I’d an auditory experience as a visual<br />

have their tools to tell the story one as the soundtrack boasts a<br />

made it feel like an amazing genre-busting mix of 1950’s-era<br />

playground. Initially I just wrote music, contemporary hip-hop,<br />

down my ideas like, ‘Ok, what spoken-word poetry and other<br />

craziness is in my head?’ Then works by Black artists. Did you write<br />

we’d talk. For example, there’s with specific audio cues in mind,<br />

an amazing exorcism scene. The discover them during production or<br />

effects team asked me, ‘What is make those choices in post?<br />

each of these ghosts?’ I was like,<br />

‘Well, there should be one that Green “A bit of all three. Joe<br />

has a baby head.’ (Laughs) So Pokaski and I used to talk about:<br />

the artists designed 10 different How do we pull the slavery portrait<br />

baby heads. ‘Ok, I like that baby off the museum wall and evolve<br />

head mixed with that baby head.’ the story beyond, ‘Look at how<br />

Then we get to set. ‘Okay, here bad slavery was’? One way was<br />

are seven different levels the wallshakes<br />

by using more vibrant camera<br />

effects are set to.’ I think, movements; the other was through<br />

‘I get seven levels of wall shakes using modern music. I wanted to<br />

to choose from?’ Then the actors build on that in Lovecraft and also<br />

come in. Jurnee exorcises her full integrate ‘found audio’ into the<br />

self while getting a ghost out of score. For example, in the opening<br />

her. I’m like, ‘I need nothing else we use voiceover from the [1950<br />

in this scene but that!’ Then the film] ‘The Jackie Robinson Story.’<br />

ghosts come in with all of their Later we have [Ntozake Shange’s<br />

special-effects makeup. ‘Wow, this 1975 poem] For Colored Girls and<br />

looks really scary. I need nothing [poet Gil Scott-Heron’s] Whitey on<br />

else Expect but that!’ Shut Downs, But that please was just contact location the Moon. first.Delivery options continued available on page 32 31


I love the idea of taking our show<br />

‘out of time.’ It’s the past, present<br />

and future. How do we wrap all of<br />

that into a unique soundscape? We<br />

want the show to be full-sensory,<br />

engaging and have people learn<br />

from it without having to learn from<br />

it. My favorite learning experiences<br />

are immersive; those that make me<br />

re-think what I know as opposed<br />

to ‘Here’s some bad history.’<br />

How can we immerse the viewer<br />

even further? I love when I have<br />

revelations two weeks after the fact<br />

where I’m like, ‘Oh wow, ok.’”<br />

LOVECRAFT COUNTRY feels<br />

particular resonant as Hollywood<br />

– and our country at large – face<br />

ongoing, painful reckonings<br />

about race. How does it feel to be<br />

sharing a show like this at a time<br />

when boundary-pushing narratives<br />

centered on Black Americans<br />

have arguably never been more<br />

important?<br />

mean? I’m honored that our show<br />

can be part of that very important<br />

conversation.”<br />

The shows website also provides<br />

resources, information and support<br />

regarding racial justice, mental<br />

health and more, please refer to the<br />

following organizations.<br />

The Emmett Till Legacy Foundation’s<br />

(ETLF) mission is to bring truth,<br />

justice and healing, which can<br />

mean a full accounting of crimes<br />

and exhaustive investigations, for<br />

the families of victims of unsolved<br />

murders committed during the civil<br />

rights era.<br />

The 1921 Tulsa Massacre Centennial<br />

Commission leverages the rich<br />

history surround the 1921 Tulsa<br />

Race Massacre by facilitating<br />

actions, activities, and events that<br />

commemorate and educate all<br />

citizens.<br />

National Black Justice Coalition<br />

(NBJC) is America’s leading<br />

national Black LGBTQ/SGL civil rights<br />

organization focused on federal<br />

public policy. It has accepted<br />

the charge to lead Black families<br />

in strengthening the bonds and<br />

bridging the gaps between the<br />

movements for racial justice and<br />

LGBTQ/SGL equality.<br />

See more at<br />

Green “If your art is speaking to<br />

the moment, that’s all you can<br />

hope for. It’s exciting to know that<br />

people will be engaging in the<br />

show during this time, especially on<br />

the platform that HBO has given<br />

it. And in many ways, LOVECRAFT<br />

is the continuation of the same<br />

themes and questions we explored<br />

in ‘Underground’: What are we<br />

willing to do for our freedom? hbo.com/lovecraft-country<br />

And 32 Desert what Daily does Guide freedom always actually on line and Including soon print pics (ASAP) and specials


IN NATURE, NOTHING IS<br />

PERFECT AND EVERYTHING<br />

IS PERFECT. TREES CAN BE<br />

CONTORTED, BENT IN WEIRD<br />

WAYS, AND THEY’RE STILL<br />

BEAUTIFUL. –ALICE WALKER<br />

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34 Desert Daily Guide always on line and soon in print (ASAP)

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