#santiago nazarian

[sfacgalleries]

Artist Talk: Miguel Arzabe and Daniela Rivera from San Francisco Arts Commission on Vimeo.

Wednesday, June 26, 2024 | 6:30pm SFAC Main Gallery

Join exhibiting artists Miguel Arzabe and Daniela Rivera for a conversation about their work and process. Moderated by Matthew Villar Miranda, curatorial associate at Berkeley Art Museum.

This program is planned in conjunction with the exhibition Praxis of Local Knowledge on view at the SFAC Main Gallery through August 17, 2024.

About the Panelists Miguel Arzabe is a visual artist who lives and works in Oakland. He had recent solo shows at Shulamit Nazarian Gallery (Los Angeles, CA) and Johansson Projects (Oakland, CA). Arzabe’s work has been featured in such festivals as Hors Pistes (Centre Pompidou, Paris), Festival du Nouveau Cinéma (Montreal), and the Geumgang Nature Art Biennale (Gongju, South Korea); and in museums and galleries including MAC Lyon (France), MARS Milan (Italy), RM Projects (Auckland), FIFI Projects (Mexico City), Marylhurst University (Oregon), the Contemporary Jewish Museum, Berkeley Art Museum, the CCA Wattis Institute, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Arzabe’s work is held in public collections such as the Harn Museum in Gainesville, Florida, Albuquerque Museum of Art, Oakland Museum of California, the de Young Museum, San Francisco Arts Commission, the State of California, as well as numerous private collections. He has attended many residencies including Facebook AIR, Headlands Center for the Arts, Montalvo Arts Center, Millay Arts, and Santa Fe Art Institute. He holds a BS from Carnegie Mellon University, an MS from Arizona State University, and an MFA from UC Berkeley. In 2022 Arzabe was awarded the San Francisco Bay Area Artadia Award. In 2023 he was awarded a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant and and a Golden Foundation Residency. In 2024 he was a SECA award finalist.

Born in Santiago, Chile, Daniela Rivera received her BFA from Pontifcia Universidad Católica de Chile in 1996 and her MFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts, Boston in 2006. She is currently Professor of Studio Art at Wellesley College. She has exhibited widely in Latin American cities including Santiago, Chile, as well as in the United States. She has been awarded residencies at Loghaven, Headland Center for the Arts, Surf Point, Proyecto ACE in Buenos Aires, Vermont Studio Arts Center, and the Skowhegan School of Paintings and Sculpture. And she has been the recipient of notable fellowships and grants including from The Chiaro Award, The Rappaport Prize, Now + There, the Massachusetts Cultural Council Award, VSC, the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture, the Berkshire Taconic Foundation, The FONDART in Chile, and the Saint Botolph Club foundation Distinguish Artist Award. Recent or upcoming exhibitions include: New Worlds, NMWA, Washington DC, 2024, Donde el Cielo Toca la Tierra, Matucana 100, Santiago Chile, 2024, Praxis of Local Knowledge, San Francisco Art Commission, San Francisco, Labored Landscapes; Where The Sky Touches the Earth, Fitchburg Art Museum, Fragmentos para una Historia del Olvido/ Fragments for a History of Displacement, The Davis Museum, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA (2018–2019); En Busca de los Andes, solo exhibition with Proyecto ACE, Buenos Aires, Argentina (June 2019); Sobremesa (Karaoke Politics), a public art project developed as her Now + There Accelerator Fellowship.

Matthew Villar Miranda (he/they/siya) is Curatorial Associate at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. In their former position as Visual Arts Curatorial Fellow at the Walker Art Center, they worked on exhibitions by Julie Mehretu, Pao Houa Her, Paul Chan, and Pacita Abad. They serve on the Board of Stakeholders Museums Moving Forward (MMF), a Ford and Mellon Foundation-funded initiative of an intergenerational, cross-institutional coalition of art museum professionals committed to advancing equity across the museum field. In 2021, they co-curated the Art for Justice Fund-supported exhibition Undoing Time: Art and Histories of Incarceration at the Arizona State University Art Museum (ASUAM). They received their BA in History of Art from UC Berkeley (2013) and graduated among the inaugural class of ASU-Los Angeles County Museum of Art Master's Fellowship in Art History (2021).

[cantodogargula]

Frankenstein, de Mary Shelley - Editora Zahar

Frankenstein, de Mary Shelley - Editora Zahar - O Prometeu não apenas moderno, mas eterno

Mais que uma leitura, uma reflexão  Termino a releitura de Frankenstein, de Mary Shelley, publicação da série Clássicos Zahar, da Editora Zahar, surpreendentemente imerso em reflexões. Certamente é impossível ler este livro e não ficar impactado sobre os vários assuntos e reflexões que a obra nos traz.  Frankenstein Edição Comentada – Mary Shelley – Coleção Clássicos Zahar – Editora Zahar A…

[escritordecontos]

Escrever

TREINAR com afinco, talvez como tudo na vida, torna-se o centro da vida, por isso as pessoas que vão a academia e treinam e comem apenas o que devem comer orbitam em torno da academia, realmente parece e talvez eu acho que seja mesmo meio que um exagero ficar duas horas na academia. E daí comer de acordo com o que tem que ser, tudo para pela gratificação de ver o corpo respondendo e o corpo responde. Pra que? Primeiramente para se ter saúde e estar de bem consigo mesmo, depois, só bem depois, para os outros desejarem. Não, estou bem longe disso e talvez não chegue a esse ponto, talvez não, com certeza não chegarei, afinal, não se trata apenas de um corpo, mas da idade desse corpo, então, vamos ficar com a parte de saúde e olhar no espelho e se sentir bem, bem vistas coisas já é muita coisa. Escrevendo isto e em Botched uma criatura bizarra mostrando um corpo todo feito em plástica, tipo o Ken Humano, mas não é o Ken Humano, o Ken Humano virou Barbie, aquela vadia nunca enganou ninguém. Preciso fazer outras coisas e a TV sempre fica ligada, mas não quero precisar prestar atenção, então não quero ver Netflix e nem ver a Tela Quente, Aquaman. A opção mais sensata seria deixar a TV na Globo News, mas também não sei se quero ouvir notícias. De que me adianta a TV a cabo se nunca tem nada realmente interessante. Tenho muitas coisas para ler, muitas mesmo, e ainda estou com um texto, "escrever. Não posso. Ninguém pode. É preciso dizer: não podemos. E escrevemos", a leitura de Escrever, Marguerite Duras está sendo bem interessante, do tipo profunda, que faz pensar que escrever realmente é sangrar, é parir um filho que não virou, é beber uísque no café da manhã, é beber café com uísque à noite, é o vinho, é o queijo, é o tédio. Hilda Hilst, Hilda Hilst talvez também poderia estar naquela lista de escritores daquele outro post. Hilda morreu com 73 anos, também bebia, escrevia e bebia. Não por que tenho mencionado tanto essas mulheres que escreviam e bebiam, estou justamente numa fase que não tenho bebido quase, bem pouco, uma garrafa de vinho no final de semana e neste tomei uma dose de uísque enquanto preparava meu almoço no domingo. Durante a semana apenas muita água, café e suco natural, de laranja. Santiago Nazarian acho que é o único escritor que eu sei que vai a academia, já teve fases de corpo sarado, a última vez que acessei o blog do Santiago ele estava na fase de ir à academia. Aguinaldo Silva sempre comenta que faz longas caminhadas, mas é bom de garfo, como se diz, tem gosto refinado e aprecia a boa comida, o bom vinho. Ambos, Nazarian e Silva, são apreciadores da boa comida e da boa bebida. Walcyr Carrasco gosta de doces, sempre posta no Instagram fotos de tortas e bolos. Gosto mesmo do tipo de escritores como Catherine Tramell, interpretada por Sharon Stone em Instinto Selvagem 1 (1992) e 2 (2006), escritora de suspense, vadia má, rica e uma safada que fode com os homens. Até me deu vontade de assistir de novo Instinto Selvagem 2, acho melhor que o primeiro, porque é um pouco mais atual. No fim das contas só uma coisa vale a pena na vida, ser uma vadia má.

[irreplaceable-spark]

If you live in California and are voting on State Assemblyman/Assemblywoman, be sure to double check to see if your incumbent candidate voted Aye or No on SB-145. If they voted Aye, you should be voting for their opposition.

Those who voted Aye:  Aguiar-Curry, Bauer-Kahan, Berman, Bloom, Bonta, Burke, Carrillo, Chiu, Chu, Cooper, Daly, Friedman, Gabriel, Cristina Garcia, Gipson, Gloria, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Kamlager, Levine, Low, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, O'Donnell, Quirk, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Blanca Rubio, Santiago, Mark Stone, Ting, Weber, Wicks, Wood, Rendon.

Those who voted No:  Bigelow, Boerner Horvath, Brough, Calderon, Chau, Chen, Choi, Cooley, Megan Dahle, Diep, Flora, Fong, Gallagher, Gonzalez, Gray, Kiley, Lackey, Maienschein, Mathis, Obernolte, Patterson, Ramos, Rodriguez, Salas, Waldron.

[liel-sumeragi]

Diário de isolamento

 Parte 1

Um dos sites em que tenho acompanhado a quarentena alheia é o Jardim Bizarro, blog do escritor Santiago Nazarian.

(A gente gosta de foto com taça na mão dentre outros gostos que temos em comum.)

Variando períodos de mais e de menos frequência tem muitos anos que acompanho o blog. Por agora tenho acompanhado o que ele está chamando de Notas do Apocalipse. Lá no começo Santiago disse que via “dois posicionamentos possíveis: histeria ou alienação.” Isso era 25 de março ainda... eu via o mesmo. Agora já não acho que a alienação seja possível e vejo a histeria cansada da própria repetição.

Meu posicionamento primeiro foi a alienação. “Não quero falar disso.” Eu faço muito isso com relação a política, feminismo, privilégios, assuntos polêmicos que acho super importantes. Acho ótimo e divulgo a militância alheia mas não milito muito eu mesma. Não me orgulho. Mas não consigo forçar um envolvimento muito grande... suga muito a minha energia e eu preciso dela pra sei lá... coisas básicas como sair da cama de manhã ou respirar. Não tenho saúde emocional pra lidar com a realidade.

Mas como disse, não acho mais que a alienação seja possível... mas também não consigo ficar vendo notícia da forma convencional. Informação crua. Noticiário. Não me desce... minha solução é acompanhar através dos relatos pessoais (como os do Santiago), tem também os Diários de Isolamento da Companhia das Letras; o Diário da Pandemia - organizado pela Julia Dantas que publica um relato de uma pessoa diferente por dia; e textos da Revista Piauí ... todos eu acho que tem esse flerte com o estilo narrativo da ficção mesmo que sejam relatos de não ficção. Aliás era isso... era não... é. É isso que pretendo estudar no mestrado. Essa linha tênue entre ficção e realidade em relatos pessoais. O poder escrever ficção impregnada de realidade e poder escrever relato, autobiografia, sem se prender muito a fatos. Muitas vezes a ficção é instrumento pra você poder dizer a verdade ao contar uma história.

Dito isso. Onde estão os meus diários de isolamento? Pois é. Só ler não está mais dando conta e talvez eu comece a escrever. Quer dizer... escrever para além da falta de organização do meu caderno. Eu tenho sempre um caderno... mas os rabiscos são soltos, quase um fluxo de consciência... e anotações... trechos copiados ou mais ou menos copiados porque as vezes eu mudo um pouco e depois não sei dizer se fui eu que escrevi ou da onde eu plagiei... e... sinto que preciso organizar tudo isso num texto um pouquinho mais coerente (mesmo que não totalmente, já seria bom) ajudaria a organizar minha mente e até meus sentimentos.

 Parte 2

Naquele mesmo post do dia 25/03 Santiago disse também: “Tô acostumado a ficar (...) sozinho, mas isso também significa que estou sozinho, trancado há tempo demais.” algo com o que me identifiquei muito. Eu meio que já estava de quarentena uns três meses antes da quarentena começar.

Moro em Belo Horizonte, mas minha quarentena está sendo em Bom Jesus do Itabapoana, cidadezinha do interior onde cresci e onde moram os meus pais. Antes disso tudo começar eu tinha vindo passar as férias de fim de ano aqui em Bom Jesus. Eu já estava aqui a três meses… passei três meses de férias aqui (dezembro, janeiro e fevereiro) e tinha acabado de voltar pra Belo Horizonte (onde faço faculdade de Letras - UFMG) a apenas 15 dias.

Ainda estava voltando a me acostumar com minha rotina, com a faculdade, as aulas, minha casa e a cidade. Tinha acabado de desfazer as malas. de modo algum estava pensando em voltar tão rápido assim pra BJI… 

2019 foi um ano estranho e conturbado. Passei pelo meu primeiro emprego. Me demiti e nos três meses de férias me preparei pra lidar com os problemas assim que voltasse.. mas não deu tempo. Passei por uma crise de identidade que ainda não resolvi. Está aqui guardada fermentando. O que é um problema. Vou deixar ali no cantinho sujo do quarto... depois eu mexo nisso. Tem problemas mais imediatos gritando atenção por agora.

Ninguém tá lidando muito bem com isso de quarentena. Quem no começo parecia que sim já parou de fingir.

(Vou copiar um texto escrito a uns dias sei lá quantos atrás em que eu estava de TPM).

Não me sinto nem um pouco assim agora... mas sei que vou retornar a isso na próxima TPM e o tanto em que sou influenciada por hormônios sempre me surpreende e assusta:

Parte 3

>> O quanto essa quarentena mudou sua rotina?

Uns mais outros menos... a quarentena mudou a rotina de todo mundo. Porque por mais que não tenha mudado a SUA rotina mudou a de quem convive com você. Esse é o meu caso.

 Sei que não é algo a se reclamar diante dos acontecimentos atuais, mas cada um lida da forma que pode com as loucuras que tem não é mesmo? Então lá vai! Minha reclamação é: está faltando isolamento na minha quarentena.

O isolamento social destruiu o homem das multidões! Aquele que se afasta de todos estando no meio de todo mundo. Ser ignorado, ser invisível, desaparecer! É muito mais difícil quando se está entre quatro paredes com as mesmas pessoas por tempo demais. Eu estou me concentrando em não irritar ou magoar ninguém... mas realmente quero sumir! E não posso deixar esse sentimento ir pra frente porque é um daqueles sem volta... que não retrocede! A única opção é crescer até ser satisfeito ou explodir!

Não quero explodir. Como já disse não quero magoar ninguém. Mas o sentimento que se espera de mim é que eu esteja feliz de estar junto da família e sem que nos falte nada. No aconchego do lar. Tem comida, tem internet. Tá tudo ok. (???) Não é pra eu ficar irritada querendo meu espaço. Não é pra eu sentir falta de passar um dia inteiro sem ter que falar com ninguém! Pessoas até falam isso brincando... mas na real ninguém quer estar realmente só. Não totalmente. Errado. Eu quero MESMO a casa só pra mim. Nem que seja por algumas horas. Aaaaaahhhhhh e me acho a pior pessoa do mundo por conta disso...

Me relacionar com pessoas... e aqui eu estou falando das interações mais bobas. Um bom dia que seja. Na maior parte das vezes me exige um esforço consciente... vai ficando cada vez mais e mais consciente a medida que vou ficando cansada.. porque me cansa... até que eu não esteja reagindo no tempo certo (uma pausa grande demais até eu conseguir responder, SE eu conseguir responder! Por conta de pensamentos/sentimentos se digladiando internamente na minha cabeça)  e aí começo a ficar irritada...

Vamos usar o ex do bom dia mesmo. Normalmente o pensamento desencadeado por alguém que me dá bom dia pela manhã é: ele/a quer que eu responda. E aí o bom dia me sai tranquilamente com um sorriso até.

Dia seguinte (se não descansei) Bom dia _ diz a pessoa.

Eu: ele/a quer que eu responda bom dia também. É um cumprimento comum. Bom dia (ainda sorrindo)

Dia seguinte: bom dia.

Eu: mas que coisa. Eu tenho que responder né? É sim. Responde... é só o cumprimento matutino normal. Bom dia (forçando o sorriso)

Dia seguinte: bom dia.

Eu: mas... mas... o que é mesmo que eu faço? Responder né? Eu tenho que responder. Cumprimento normal. Reponde. Vai lá. Responde. Bom dia (sorriso irritado)

Dia seguinte: bom dia.

Eu: não quero responder. Por que eu tenho que responder? Bom dia (sem sorriso)

Dia seguinte: bom dia.

Eu: não vou responder. Mas que bobagem! Por que eu não quero responder? Eu sou uma idiota! Qual o problema de responder? Se eu não responder vão achar que não está tudo bem. Mas ESTÁ TUDO BEM! Então responde droga! Responde! Bom dia (murmurado com olhar de raiva)

Dia seguinte: bom dia?

Eu: ódio ódio ódio. Minha boca não abre. Ahhhh respondeeeee. Dia (vontade de chorar.)

E é isso. Vou chorar uns dois dias até conseguir conversar de novo... mas com um período de recuperação sem qualidade... não vai durar muito até eu surtar de novo... e isso não é só com o bom dia... é pra maioria das conversas durante o dia. 99% das coisas que falam comigo e eu penso: você tem que responder porque ser sociável é isso. Interagir com as pessoas. Pergunta algo sobre o que elas falaram. Isso chama conversar. Se alguém te fala algo você tem que responder ou comentar. Mostrar que ouviu mesmo que não tenha nada a acrescentar. E se você está muito tempo perto de alguém sem falar esperasse que você fale alguma coisa... vai lá pergunta algo inútil que você não quer saber... mas tem que ser algo relacionado aquela pessoa... ninguém está interessado em saber da cor do olho do dragão do último anime que você viu. Por mais que isso seja só no que você quer pensar. Pessoas gostam de pensar na vida real. Notícias, política, coisas práticas. Atualmente só querem saber de pandemia... economia e desigualdade na pandemia. Por mais que você ache chato... é o assunto da vez... será que serve falar de outras pandemias na história...? isso é mais legal... porque já tem uma narrativa melhor construída... histórias. Que tal personagens conhecidos que passaram por situações de isolamento?! Tem um monte né? O próprio Jesus... os 40 dias no deserto! A quaresma vem daí não é? E Quarentena será que a palavra vem daí também? Porque se algum dia quarentena foi de quarenta dias hoje não é mais! Teve o Jonas na barriga da baleia... o Noé na arca durante o dilúvio. Aqui olhando pra estante tem o mangá Ayako do Osamu Tezuka! Tá vendo... isso meu cérebro não reclama de pensar sobre e me acalma... porque não tenho que forçar interesse. Cansa menos... Ahhh quem lembra do Jack de O Quarto? Amei tanto o livro quanto o filme. O lindinho do Jacob Tremblay.

...

e por aí vai... essa sou eu na TPM... nem um pouco ponderada, chata, bem otaku, egoísta... juro que não sou assim o tempo todo... tenho pelo menos uma quatro ou cinco personalidades recorrentes.

o caos.

...

obs. não posso postar textos tão longos assim... mas ele já estava aqui encalhado no word.. vou aumentar a frequência e diminuir o tamanho.

[rockaramarocks]

Lifetime estreia Passionais, série nacional sobre amores extremos que se transformam em ódio

No primeiro fim de semana do ano, o Lifetime estreia a série brasileira Passionais. Em 13 episódios, a produção de ficção conta histórias de amores intensos, que se transformam em ciúmes, ódio… - https://goo.gl/gSg4Zo

[resenhadebolso]

Terrorismo bizarro 

Elegante e debochado, Neve Negra surge para confirmar o talento de Santiago Nazarian, uma das principais vozes da literatura brasileira. Nesse livro de terror, uma lenda urbana acaba com a paz de espírito de um pintor que chega em casa na noite mais fria do ano.

Festejado pela crítica e reconhecido no mundo inteiro, Bruno Schwarz é um artista egocêntrico e cínico. Chegando de noite após mais uma de suas intermináveis viagens, justamente quando todos dormem, ele aproveita para relaxar na sala e observar um acontecimento singular: no quintal onde a cachorra Preta repousa solitária, a neve cai. Então o filho acorda. Desse enredo aparentemente banal, Santiago Nazarian arma uma cadeia movida a sustos e reviravoltas.

Em pouco mais de duzentas páginas, sua engrenagem vai lentamente convergindo para um pesadelo que parece nunca terminar. Seguindo a trilha dos grandes mestres do thriller psicológico, Nazarian mistura Stephen King e Patricia Highsmith para narrar o terror de um homem que se assume cada vez mais frágil e falho diante das potências indecifráveis que a natureza esconde.  

Apesar de se passar em uma única noite, Neve Negra joga com o tempo para explicar como um homem de sucesso se encontra tão acuado na casa de sua família – Alvinho, o filho pequeno; Bianca, a esposa dedicada; os vizinhos: tudo parece conspirar contra Schwarz. Mergulhando em sua mente, o leitor se submete a cadáveres, animais empalhados e diálogos filosóficos para descobrir que é possível fazer terror tupiniquim.

Sem dó, Santiago Nazarian nos traga para seu divertido existencialismo bizarro evocando o trash como elemento principal. Com direitos vendidos para o cinema, não é difícil imaginar as descrições imagéticas de Neve Negra despontando como exemplar de terror que acena aos anos 80 e 90. O Trevoso, mito criado por Nazarian, oculta-se nas sombras de Bruno e do próprio leitor. Realidade, delírio – não importa: Neve Negra é um bom exercício de estilo que cumpre aquilo que promete. Não recomendado para corações fracos.  

Nota: ✩✩✩✩

[laconservancy]

Action Alert: Help California Create a State Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit

Email a letter of support today!

The Federal Historic Preservation Tax incentive program ensured the financial viability of the project to convert the 1889 Boyle Hotel in Boyle Heights into 51 affordable housing units. A state tax incentive would have further benefitted this project and others like it attempting to secure funding for rehabilitation. Photo by Larry Underhill.

Senate Bill 451 proposes the creation of a statewide historic rehabilitation tax credit. This tax credit would create an important new incentive for the rehabilitation of historic buildings.

SB 451 has already passed the State Senate with a 36-0 vote, and the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Next, we need the support of the full State Assembly!

How You Can Help

SB 451 will soon go to the full State Assembly for a vote. Please email both Speaker of the Assembly, Anthony Rendon, and your State Senate representative.

Write a letter of support. A sample letter is provided below.

Submit your letter online to Speaker of the Assembly, Anthony Rendon.

Find the State Assembly Member representing your district and submit your letter to them online.

Email afine@laconservancy.org and let us know you submitted comments, so we can track support.

Sample Letter

Dear Assembly Member [blank],

I am writing in strong support of Senate Bill 451, a bill that will authorize a 20 percent state income tax credit for the rehabilitation of historic buildings in California. SB 451 passed the State Senate with a 36-0 vote. Thirty-five states already have similar programs. Now is the time for California to join the list!

SB 451 will create a much-needed statewide tool to help incentivize the rehabilitation of historic buildings, many that can be reused to meet critical housing needs. The California program can be a powerful force for historic places throughout Los Angeles County: revitalizing economically depressed urban areas and local communities adjusting to the phase-out of redevelopment dollars; stimulating public and private investment; and building civic pride as we celebrate our heritage and preserve California’s past.

Thank you for your support of SB 451 and commitment to preserving California’s heritage!

Sincerely,

[your name]

Contact Information for Los Angeles-area members of the Assembly:

Christy Smith: 38th Assembly District

Luz Rivas: 39th Assembly District

Chris Holden: 41st Assembly District

Laura Friedman: 43rd Assembly District

Jacqui Irwin: 44th Assembly District

Jesse Gabriel: 45th Assembly District

Adrin Nazarian: 46th Assembly District

Blanca E. Rubio: 48th Assembly District

Ed Chau: 49th Assembly District

Richard Bloom: 50th Assembly District

Wendy Carrillo: 51st Assembly District

Freddie Rodriguez: 52nd Assembly District

Miguel Santiago: 53rd Assembly District

Sydney Kamlager-Dove: 54th Assembly District

Ian Calderon: 57th Assembly District

Reginal B. Jones Sawyer: 59th Assembly District

Autumn Burke: 62nd Assembly District

Anthony Rendon, 63rd Assembly District

Mike Gipson: 64th Assembly District

Al Muratsuchi: 66th Assembly District

Patrick O'Donnell: 70th Assembly District

About State Historic Tax Credits

The proposed SB 451 legislation provides a critical incentive for preservation.

State historic rehabilitation tax credits are a dollar-for-dollar reduction in tax liability and help make difficult projects financially viable. Thirty-five states already have similar, successful state historic tax credit programs. Now is the time for California to join the list!

State historic rehabilitation tax credits allow a property owner to claim a percentage of their project expenses against state income taxes and are usually designed to complement the Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit. These revenue-enhancing programs more than pay for the economic cost of the rehabilitation credit.

The California program can be a powerful force for historic places throughout Los Angeles County. As a proven program that leverages additional resources and more than pays for itself, SB 451 will:

Create a state 20% tax credit for the rehabilitation of historic structures.

Create a 25% tax credit for certain projects, such as affordable housing.

Create construction and building industry jobs.

Enhance state tax revenues through increased economic activity, employment, and wages.

Increase local revenues through increased property values, sales tax, and heritage tourism.

Stimulate the economy and sustainable development.

Combine these credits with other tax credits for greater leverage.

Revitalize economically depressed areas and reduce blight.

Preserve the rich legacies of California communities.

Thank you for your support on this issue, and thank you to the California Preservation Foundation for leading this effort!

Learn more about SB 451 »

[someguyscaliforniavoterguide]

Select L.A. County Races - November 2018

Select L.A. County Races

Broadly speaking: vote for the Democrat. I am not going to give super detailed explanations for a lot of races unless they are warranted. Where they are, I have footnoted them. I live in the East Valley so a lot of what I looked at was Valley related. I also looked into Santa Monica because Measure SM is a big deal.

State Board of Equalization 3: Tony Vazquez

In 2017, the State Board of Equalization was largely stripped of its powers and duties and gutted from 4800 staffer to 400 staffers. Still, it remains a constitutionally mandated agency that administers Property Taxes, Alcoholic Beverage Taxes, and Taxes on Insurers programs. The point of the board is to ensure that taxes are assessed fairly statewide. Yeah, it’s weird. Anyway, the GOP candidate in the race has used his platform to attack the SB60 Gas Tax (more on this later). Forget that. Tony Vazquez is a former Santa Monica mayor and while his platform for the BOE is thin, it’s better than actively destructive.

Los Angeles County Sheriff: Alex Villanueva

I’m not thrilled about either candidate in this race, to be honest. Both have ties to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) but both pitch themselves as reform candidates who will address years of endemic abuse and corruption within LASD. Neither seems to be up to the job. I’ve heard some people say that Jim McDonnell, the acting sheriff, should be given a chance to put his mark on the department. I have also watched as rank and file have swung to Alex Villanueva as McDonnell has tried to enact reforms. McDonnell has ties to the former sheriff, Lee Baca, who was convicted of obstructing an investigation into jail abuses by the LASD. McDonnell has endorsements from politicians but Villanueva has the support of the local party clubs. It’s really a coin toss for me, but since I’m picking, I guess I’ll go with Villanueva - he’s the slightly more outside candidate for now, and I’ll keep an eye on this for 2022.

Los Angeles County Assessor: Jeffrey Prang

Jeff Prang is endorsed by Kamala Harris and is the incumbent assessor. His opponent is literally listed with the name John “Lower Taxes” Loew on the ballot and couldn’t even get a website together for this election. This is a pretty easy call.

Justice, California State Court of Appeal; Second District

Electing judges is dumb but since we do it, here’s some thoughts. Look: these are all qualified and smart jurists. I base my endorsements here on a mix of reviewing various endorsements with a critical eye to judges who score too high on conservative groups’ questionnaires about judicial philosophy. The L.A. Times endorses “yes” on all these candidates as a show of judicial independence, but I don’t hang with that. Judges make political choices and while I believe we shouldn’t have the power to vote on them, if we do then we might as well use that power to vote for judges who reflect our Democratic values. Certainly the GOP votes for judges that will enact their visions.

Division 1

Helen Bendix: No

Victoria G. Chaney: No

Division 2

Elwood G. Lui: Yes

Victoria Chavez: No

Division 3

Luis A. Lavin: Yes

Hamlin Dhandina: Yes

Anne Egerton: Yes

Division 4

Thomas Willhite: No

Nora Manella: No

Division 5

Lamar W. Baker: Yes

Carl Moor: Yes

Dorothy Kim: Yes

Division 6

Arthur Gilbert: Yes

Martin J. Tangeman: Yes

Division 7

John Segal: Yes

Gail Feuer: Yes

Division 8

Tricia Bigelow: No

Los Angeles Superior Court

Personally, I feel too often we see prosecutors elevated to judgeships, it’s like a pipeline from the DA to the Superior Court. To me, it’s best that a candidate have some sort of judicial experience before they get the post - as a Judge Pro Tem or as a mediator of some kind. All respect to my prosecutor friends out there, but being a judge is a different job. That said, if nobody in the race has that experience - a not uncommon event - it’s worth looking at what else they bring to the table.

Los Angeles Superior Court, Office 4: Veronica Sauceda

Los Angeles Superior Court, Office 16: Patricia “Patti” Hunter  This is the one judicial race that I really want to highlight. Hunter’s opponent - Sydne Michel - has a lot of ties to the gun industry. Her kid and her dog are both named after guns, her husband is an NRA lawyer, and the pro-gun website calguns.net made it clear that voting for her was important to advancing their interests. Vote for Hunter here folks. We don’t need pro-gun voices packing our courts.

Los Angeles Superior Court, Office 60: Holly L. Hancock  I like that Ms. Hancock is a Public Defender - we don’t see enough PDs become judges. 

Los Angeles Superior Court, Office 113: Michael Ribons

California State Senate

SD 18 – Bob Hertzberg  Sen. Hertzberg was officially reprimanded by the California State Senate in March of 2018 for his habit of hugging colleagues and constituents. In accepting the reprimand, Hertzberg stated ”I understand that I cannot control how a hug is received, and that not everyone has the ability to speak up about unwelcome behavior. It is my responsibility to be mindful of this, and to respect the Rules Committee's request to not initiate hugs." SD 20 – Connie Leyva SD 22 – Michael Eng SD 24 – Maria Elena Durazo SD 26 – Ben Allen SD 30 – Holly Mitchell SD 32 – Bob J. Archuleta SD 34 – Tom Umberg

California State Assembly

AD 36 – Steve Fox AD 37 – Monique Limón AD 38 – Christy Smith AD 39 – Luz Rivas AD 41 – Chris Holden AD 43 – Laura Friedman AD 44 – Jacqui Irwin AD 45 – Jesse Gabriel AD 46 – Adrin Nazarian AD 47 – Eloise Reyes AD 48 – Blanca Rubio AD 49 – Ed Chau AD 50 – Richard Bloom AD 51 – Wendy Carrillo AD 52 – Freddie Rodriguez AD 53 – Miguel Santiago AD 54 – Sydney Kamlager AD 55 – Gregg Fritchle AD 56 – Eduardo Garcia AD 57 – Ian Calderon AD 58 – Cristina Garcia AD 59 – Reggie Jones-Sawyer AD 62 – Autumn Burke AD 63 – Anthony Rendon AD 64 – Mike Gipson AD 65 – Sharon Quirk-Silva AD 66 – Al Muratsuchi AD 70 – Patrick O’Donnell

U.S. House of Representatives

CD 23 – Tatiana Matta CD 25 – Katie Hill CD 26 – Julia Brownley CD 27 – Judy Chu CD 28 – Adam Schiff CD 29 – Tony Cardenas Post-2016 I have often wondered what it would take for me to vote to give a seat up to a Republican - is there a figure as odious as Trump in the Democratic party? This is the race that currently comes closest for me. Tony Cardenas - my rep - has been accused of rape and is facing a civil suit from a Jane Doe; he has denied the charge and asked for a House ethics investigation. I’m begrudgingly going to vote for him, but I am hoping he either a) clears his name in the next year, b) steps aside, or c) is faces a legitimate primary because the Dems have to do better than having an accused rapist on the ballot in 2018.  CD 30 – Brad Sherman CD 32 – Grace Napolitano CD 33 – Ted Lieu CD 34 – Jimmy Gomez Kenneth Meija is a longshot Green candidate in this district - I don’t like his take on SB1 and his call to repeal it, but I would imagine a lot of people I respect might disagree with me on him overall.  CD 35 – Norma Torres CD 37 – Karen Bass CD 38 – Linda Sanchez CD 39 – Gil Cisneros CD 40 – Lucille Roybal-Allard CD 43 – Maxine Waters CD 44 – Nanette Barragán CD 47 – Alan Lowenthal

County Measure W: Yes

This is a 2.5¢ per acre parcel tax on impermeable land (i.e. the parts of land that doesn’t absorb water) to raise funds that will be used to fund projects to capture stormwater, clean it, and percolate it into underwater aquifiers. This money would double the amount that the County Flood District (if you’re in L.A. county you’re almost definitely in it, unless you’re north of Palmdale) captures and help us reduce dependence on water from outside sources.

L.A. City Charter Amendment B (Public Bank): Emphatically Yes

This charter amendment would give the city the power to establish a public bank. A public bank is a government owned bank that holds the city’s deposits and can be used to make loans to projects the city supports. North Dakota has a public bank that is extremely profitable and which funds public works projects throughout the state. Additionally, debt service payments and institutional fees can be reduced when the city has its own bank, saving us all in the long run. To be clear: Amendment B would not actually establish a bank - this would take legislative action and involve a lot of detailed analysis and rulemaking. This is just the first step in a long process, but a necessary one.

L.A. City Charter Amendment E (Realign City Election Dates): Yes

This amendment would realign the city’s primary dates to match state primary dates, lowering costs and reducing voter fatigue. We should do this.

LAUSD Charter Amendment EE (Realign LAUSD Election Dates): Yes

This amendment would realign LAUSD’s primary dates to match state primary dates, lowering costs and reducing voter fatigue. We should also do this.

Burbank Measure P (Sales Tax for General Fund): Yes

The city will experience a $20M revenue shortfall, this is a 0.75¢ sales tax to close that gap. Yes, sales taxes are regressive, but until we address Prop 13 its one of the few tools cities have to close budget gaps in California. Vote yes or get ready to see local services cut.  

Burbank Measure QS (Parcel Tax for Schools): Yes

A parcel tax differs from a property tax in that the parcel tax is applied based on a characteristic of the land while a property tax is based on its value. Here, Burbank proposes to tax each piece of improved land at 10¢ per square foot to raise $9M for schools. On a side note, this will require 2/3 of voters to confirm.

Glendale Measure S (Sales Tax for General Fund): Yes

Much like Burbank, Glendale proposes a 0.75¢ sales tax to generate about $30M annually. Vote yes or get ready to see local services cut.

Santa Monica Measure SM (Require Supermajority Council Approval for Floor Area Ratio and Height Limit Changes): NO NO NO NO

This Charter amendment would require 5 of 7 council members to approve any changes to the downtown community plan for ten years. Folks, this is slow growth nonsense. The city charter already requires a majority vote to approve any changes, requiring a supermajority simply makes it more difficult to address any projects that might be slightly out of compliance. Don’t make it harder to build things.

Santa Monica Measure TL (Term Limits for Council Members): No

This would limit any council member to three terms, whether consecutive or not. I just fundamentally disagree with the idea of term limits, and encourage you to vote no on this.

[armeniaitn]

California Armenian Legislative Caucus announces essay and visual arts scholarship winners

New Post has been published on https://armenia.in-the.news/society/california-armenian-legislative-caucus-announces-essay-and-visual-arts-scholarship-winners-78708-16-09-2021/

California Armenian Legislative Caucus announces essay and visual arts scholarship winners

Asbarez – The California Armenian Legislative Caucus announced the winners of this year’s 2021 California Armenian Legislative Caucus’ Scholarship.    The California Armenian Legislative Caucus has worked hard this year to advocate and participate in educational and governmental efforts in California and awarded six scholarships to California high school students who entered essay and arts contests.    The Caucus continues to strive to educate Californians on Armenian American issues and celebrate the achievements of Armenian Americans in California. 

Earlier this year the Armenian Caucus invited California high school students to participate in its Annual Essay Contest. Students were asked to write a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, urging that Facebook take the same course of action against denial and distorted posts regarding the 1915 Armenian Genocide as they have with the Holocaust.  

Essay Contest Winners First-prize, $1,000: Alex Santiago attending Walnut High School in Walnut, CA.  Second-prize, $750: Kyleen Lin attending Clovis North High School in Fresno, CA.  Third-prize, $500: Michael Karapetyan attending Castro Valley High School in Castro Valley, CA.     This year’s theme was “Human to Human Interaction.” Submission types were limited to drawings, paintings, photographs, digital illustrations, and graphic design.    Visual Arts Scholarship Winners  First-prize, $1,000: Lina Lee attending Milpitas High School in Milpitas, CA.  Second-prize, $750: Sophie Ludes attending Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta, CA.  Third-prize, $500: Daniella Brewer attending Tulare Western High School in Tulare, CA. 

Asbarez is featuring the essays and visual arts submissions of the winners of this year’s contest below.   “Congratulations to the very deserving winners. Armenian Americans are a vital part of our state’s story and we all benefit when our leaders of tomorrow embrace and celebrate our diversity. We are proud that so many Armenians call California home,” said Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins     “Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 California Armenian Legislative Caucus’ Scholarship. Despite the ups and downs of high school during COVID, these high school students met the challenge and offered creative, heartfelt entries. Hats off to this year’s winners!,” added Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk 

“As a proud member of the California Armenian Legislative Caucus, I am excited about the recognition and financial aid that our high school student scholarship winners will be receiving. They have earned our Caucus’ scholarship support for their essay and artistic excellence, and I look forward to their continued academic achievements in the future,” commented Senator Bob Archuleta    “Congratulations to each of this year’s California Armenian Legislative Caucus scholarship recipients,” said Senator Borgeas. “These bright, young leaders give me hope for the next generation of public servants in our state,” said Senator Andreas Borgeas    “Congratulations to the 2021 California Armenian Legislative Caucus essay and art scholarship winners. I am impressed with the winners for doing their part to share the culture and traditions of the Armenian people with all of California and the world,” said Senator Brian Dahle.     “Congratulations to this top-notch group of students throughout California for being this year’s Armenian Caucus scholarship recipients,” said Senator Mariá Elena Durazo. “We are proud to be investing in their education. The COVID-19 pandemic has created financial struggles for so many families, and we are proud to contribute toward the rising costs of their college education. On behalf of the Armenian Caucus, we cannot wait to see the great things this talented group of students will achieve. Make us proud!”    “Congratulations to these very talented young people. California has remarkable students and it’s wonderful to see scholarships helping them garner future academic opportunities,” offered Senator Anthony Portantino    “Congratulations to the recipients of the 2021 California Armenian Legislative Caucus Scholarship! I am pleased to join my colleagues in recognizing the brilliant efforts of these six students from across the state. Their entries are important reminders of the rich history, culture, and daily experiences of the Armenian community in California. It is also a reminder that some still seek to deny the shared memories of the atrocities inflicted upon the people of Armenia. That is why I will continue to work with my colleagues to elevate the voices of the Armenian communities these future leaders and scholars represent. I look forward to hearing of their future endeavors!,” Assemblymember Lisa Calderon said.   “Every year, we have the privilege to read poignant essays and view stunning visual arts from high school students throughout California,” said Assemblymember Laura Friedman. “Their works never cease to amaze me, but this year our submissions have been truly special. Each submission was crafted with so much passion, and displayed the incredible talent of its creator. I’d like to thank everyone for their participation during a very challenging year, and I want to congratulate this year’s winners for their truly inspiring work,” added Assemblymember Laura Friedman.   “Congratulations to Lina, Sophie, Daniella, Alex, Kyleen, and Michael for receiving the 2021 California Armenian Legislative Caucus Scholarships. Their dedication to finding meaningful ways to express themselves, educate others, and celebrate the extraordinary legacy of Armenian Americans in California is truly impressive and a powerful example of how we must all advocate for a more just and peaceful world,” Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel in wishing the winners well.   “Congratulations to this year’s Armenian Caucus Scholarship winners! These students’ essays and visual arts submissions showcase their skills and abilities to advocate for truth and justice for the Armenian Genocide. I hope they continue to use their talents to make a positive impact on the issues they care about,” offered Assemblymember Chris Holden.    “I offer my sincere congratulations to the scholarship recipients who recognized the historical significance of the Armenian Genocide in their entry. It is important to recognize the young talented students who understand the importance of human-to-human interaction,” said  Assemblymember Tom Lackey.    “I want to thank the all the students who participated this year’s Armenian Genocide Scholarship Contest and their parents and teachers who supported their creative endeavors. Each year, I am amazed by the talent of California’s young artists and writers,” said Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian, head of the California Armenian Legislative Caucus. “This annual contest presents a unique opportunity for our state to celebrate the talent of brilliant California high school students while granting them the opportunity to explore the history and culture of the Armenian people. Congratulations to our six winners!,” Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian said.   “As a member of the California Armenian Legislative Caucus, I want to congratulate all of the winners of this year’s caucus scholarship,” said Assemblywoman Luz Rivas. “These six high students showed incredible talent in their ability to raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide through the visual arts and essay writing. I commend our winners for their accomplishments and wish them the best as future leaders,” said Assemblymember Luz Rivas.    “I am so proud of all the winners of this year’s Armenian Legislative Caucus Scholarship Award and their ability to put words into action to advocate on behalf of the Armenian people. Congratulations students and I wish you much luck on your entrance into college,” Assemblymember Suzette Valladares offered.

Members of the California Armenian Legislative Caucus include: Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins; Senate Majority Leader Bob Hertzberg; Senate Minority Leader Scott Wilk; and senators Bob Archuleta, Andreas Borgeas, Brian Dahle, María Elena Durazo, Anthony Portantino. Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes and Assembly Speaker pro Tempore Kevin Mullen are joined by members of the California Assembly Lisa Calderon, Vince Fong, Laura Friedman, Jesse Gabriel, Mike Gipson, Chris Holden, Tom Lackey, Adrin Nazarian, Assemblymember Luz Rivas, Blanca Rubio and Suzette Valladares as members of the Caucus.

Read original article here.

[architectnews]

Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences

Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences Jerusalem, Modern Israeli Architecture Photos

Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Jerusalem

11 August 2021

Design: Foster + Partners

Location: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Exterior view of The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences:

Photos by Studio Harel Gilboa

Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences in Jerusalem

Inspired by science – Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences in Jerusalem

Close up of the facade and canopy detail:

Situated in the heart of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences is a pioneering research facility for the scientific exploration of the brain. It has been carefully sited amid the natural rugged setting of the campus. Once the new tram link to the city center is opened, the building will act as a gateway to the university – its dynamic social spaces and laboratory facilities are designed to attract exceptional scientists, as well as to foster an interest in the center’s research activities within the wider community.

View of interior courtyard with the indoor trees. The building is arranged as two parallel wings around this central courtyard:

Spencer de Grey, Head of Design, Foster + Partners, said: “Understanding the enigma of the brain is the most challenging endeavor of the 21st century and research in this area is vital to the quality of life for millions of people. This is one of the most innovative projects of its kind at an Israeli university, with several laboratory complexes that are highly flexible to anticipate and accommodate future change, arranged around an open central courtyard that is at the heart of the scheme.”

View of interior courtyard, which establishes new circulation routes through the campus and draws the greenery of the surrounding landscape into the building:

The retractable ETFE roof helps modulate the microclimate of the courtyard, creating a quiet, reflective space at the heart of the building:

The building is arranged as two parallel wings around this central courtyard. The upper levels house twenty-eight highly flexible laboratories linked by social hubs, which are conceived to encourage informal interaction and the exchange of ideas between students and staff.

View of the courtyard as it flows through the building at ground level:

View of the social hub on the upper level. The laboratories are linked by social spaces that encourage interaction between students and staff:

At ground floor, there are teaching facilities, a 200-seat auditorium, a library, café and a publicly accessible gallery for the display of art related to the brain. The courtyard at the heart of the scheme unites these different functions, establishes new circulation routes through the campus and draws the greenery of the surrounding landscape into the building. Planted with citrus trees and a man-made stream along its length, the courtyard forms a quiet, reflective space and a cool microclimate, which can be further mediated by a retractable ETFE roof.

Exterior view of The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences. The upper three levels are shaded by a cast aluminium screen, with a non-repetitive representation of the early twentieth century drawings by Spanish neuroscientist, Santiago Ramon y Cajal, illustrating the neurological brain structure:

Close up of the facade and canopy detail:

Darron Haylock, Partner, Foster + Partners, commented: “The project has a progressive social agenda that has been applied at an urban scale, creating a center for research and learning that is truly inclusive. The new building is located just off the main pedestrian spine of the University and its façade invites exploration, drawing people inside to learn about the research activities.”

Exterior view of The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences. The building has been carefully sited amid its natural rugged setting:

View of the courtyard as it flows through the building at ground level:

In the context of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the building anticipated the importance of health and wellbeing with a design that is underpinned by the principles of biophilia. The central courtyard, open balconies and circulation all contribute towards a healthy research campus.

The dynamic social spaces are designed to attract exceptional scientists, as well as to foster an interest in the centre’s research activities within the wider community:

View of classroom with the verdant landscape in the background:

The center’s progressive environmental strategy makes use of passive techniques to naturally reduce energy use. Local materials, such as Jerusalem stone, are used where possible, and the building is orientated east-west to reduce solar gain.

The flexible workstations with the laser cut aluminium facade screen in the background:

Musicians performing at the 200-seater auditorium:

The upper three levels are shaded by a cast aluminum screen, with a non-repetitive representation of the early twentieth century drawings by Spanish neuroscientist, Santiago Ramon y Cajal, illustrating the neurological brain structure. Further passive cooling of the building is provided by translucent ETFE canopies to the west and east, which form distinctive markers for the main entrances.

Close up of laser cut facade screen. It comprises a cast aluminium screen, with a non-repetitive representation of the early twentieth century drawings by Spanish neuroscientist, Santiago Ramon y Cajal, illustrating the neurological brain structure:

Exterior view. The building has been carefully sited amid the natural rugged setting of the campus:

Foster + Partners

Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences in Jerusalem images / information received 110821 from Foster + Partners

Photos: Studio Harel Gilboa

Location: Jerusalem, Israel, Middle East

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Younes & Sorarya Nazarian Library, Haifa Design: A.Lerman Architects Ltd. photograph : Amit Geron Younes & Sorarya Nazarian Library, Haifa University

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Comments / photos for the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences in Jerusalem building design by Foster + Partners Architects, London, UK, page welcome

The post Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences appeared first on e-architect.

[bookishcreaturereviews]

Fé no Inferno - Santiago Nazarian

Já aprendi muitas coisas com livros de ficção, essa é uma das maravilhas de ser um leitor, afinal. Em “Fé no Inferno”, livro nacional escrito por Santiago Nazarian, por exemplo, eu aprendi sobre o Genocídio Armênio, o massacre de armênios cristãos pelo governo otomano durante a Primeira Guerra Mundial. 

Cláudio, nosso personagem principal, é um jovem cuidador de idosos com um passado difícil, que em seu novo trabalho conhece seu Domingos, que talvez seja um sobrevivente desse massacre, ou pelo menos, é fascinado pela essa parte da história do seu povo, a verdade depende de quantos anos você acredite que ele tenha. Vamos nos educando junto com Cláudio, que como a maioria de nós, presumo, também não sabia nada sobre esses assassinatos em massa do século passado, e do mesmo jeito que nós vamos aprendendo com um livro, Cláudio também vai, lendo um relato de uma criança sobrevivente desse tempo sombrio, obra emprestada da biblioteca do seu Domingos.  

Assim o livro se divide em dois: lemos a história de Cláudio, e a história que o próprio Cláudio está lendo. Quando o livro possui duas perspectivas, é sempre um bom sinal quando eu fico triste que o capítulo de uma tenha acabado, mas animada que o da outra perspectiva esteja começando e, felizmente, essa foi minha experiência lendo esse livro. Gosto como na narrativa ele retoma trechos, mas em outros contextos. É uma história sofisticamente construída, as duas partes dela bem entrelaçadas uma com a outra.

Uma coisa que eu sempre acabo prestando muita atenção em livros escritos em português são os diálogos. Nossa língua escrita é muito diferente da nossa língua falada, o que faz escrever diálogo realistas uma tarefa difícil. Mas nesse livro não houve nenhum momento em que estranhei a fala de um dos personagens, na verdade, o que me chamou a atenção foi justamente a naturalidade das conversas, principalmente quando se trata do Cláudio: o jeito que ele fala, sendo um jovem adulto de 22 anos, é exatamente como um jovem adulto de 22 anos tende a falar, e eu posso atestar a isso porque também sou uma jovem adulta de 22 anos. Outros personagens também possuem características um pouco mais marcantes na fala, e durante a leitura fiquei feliz em ver que nada soava forçado. Eram apenas pessoas conversando. Parece uma coisa óbvia, algo que um livro sempre deveria fazer, mas não é essa a maioria dos casos, por isso é sempre bom destacar. 

Minha ressalva com esse livro são mínimas. O autor tomou algumas decisões criativas estranhas durante a narrativa, nada demais, literalmente algumas frases e parágrafos soltos, mas que me tiraram completamente da história, e justamente por serem momentos “aleatórios”, digo, que não impactavam a história de qualquer maneira significativa, eu não consegui entender o porquê delas estarem ali. Por exemplo: em um momento em que estamos na narrativa da guerra, presumidamente escrita pelo seu Domingos, que nada sabe sobre cultura pop, ele cita que um soldado “caçava pokémons em seu Game Boy Color”. Tem também um parágrafo desconcertante sobre o que o menino fazia com uma cabra e a frase “Cláudio tateava como um autista com diarreia num banheiro sem papel higiênico”. Coisas que saltam aos olhos, esporadicamente, que eu ainda não entendi porque sobreviveram as sugestões do editor. 

Mas voltando aos elogios: os personagens em “Fé no Inferno” são muito bem construídos. Amo Cláudio, amo seu Domingos. E esse é um livro sobre traumas, trauma de ser uma minoria, de ser um “carneiro” apenas, a mercê do que os outros podem fazer com você. É um livro sobre sobrevivência. Sobre se levantar para depois morrer outra vez, e se levantar de novo. É um livro cheio de dores, mas também sobre como sua vida pode ser boa, apesar de tudo isso. 

Se você se interessa minimamente por história, essa leitura vale a pena. Se você gosta de ler sobre personagens complexos e realistas, essa leitura vale a pena. E se você gosta de boa literatura nacional, fico feliz em dizer, essa leitura vale muito a pena.

[escritordecontos]

Amor de Piper fica

EVOLUÍMOS em algumas coisas, objetificamos o homem, o sexismo não faz mais distinção de gênero. Gostaram do ensaio do Arón Piper? Se ele não está de pau duro, esperamos que não esteja, porque não se não estiver quando estiver será maior, então pode ser algo tipo uma generosa meia bomba. Mas já está muito bom. Meia bomba. Muito bom. Objetificação. XXX. Até um tempo era impensável famosos ou aspirantes à fama se meterem nesse tipo de ensaio. Os tempos mudaram, os ventos da provocação não são mais brisas suaves, são bem mais fortes e jogam às alturas nossas libidos volúveis. Enfim, a moda, a arte e toda essa gente de cabeça e pernas aberta nos brinda com o que antes era propriedade apenas da nossa imaginação.

POR OUTRO lado a discriminação e a morte no Brasil continuam sendo uma prática constante, o Brasil é o país onde mais se mata LGBTs. Ou, LGBTQIA+, enfim, gays e travestis são os principais alvos de homofobia e crimes. Curitiba e o estado do Paraná estão em alerta, pelo menos dois gays morreram nos últimos dias e as evidências são que conheceram o assassino em app de encontro. O sexo casual sempre foi uma prática muito comum para os gays, a gente realmente pega na rua, pega na Internet e já transa de primeira com o primeiro que encontra. Não estou censurando até porque fiz muito isso, caçava na rua, levava pra casa e transava com força e vontade. Às vezes nem lavava as coisinhas e já saia na caça de outro, sim, realmente um fogo no rabo que não apagava nunca. Insaciável. É próprio do gay, gente alegre e muito disposta.

HOJE estou cansado. Acho que estou fazendo mais coisas que deveria estar fazendo, além de trabalhar quase full time, as consultas de tarot, a faculdade de teologia, agora tem o inglês (comecei um curso de inglês para reavivar meu inglês moribundo) e um curso de Flash (fotografia). Ir para a academia. Ler. Ver séries e filmes. Tenho pilhas de livros para ler, coisas da faculdade. E hoje fui ao shopping comprar um livro com histórias da Turma da Mônica para minha sobrinha, saí da livraria com além do presente, Fé no Interno, de Santiago Nazarian, já queria ter comprado, é o último romance do escritor que tem uma dúzia de livros publicados e assina outros tantos como tradutor, um deles quero ler, Woody Allen - A Autobiografia. Sim, tenho dado livros para minha sobrinha de 3 anos, que ainda não saber ler, mas ele pede pra vó ler, como eu fazia quando era criança, no meu caso pedia para minha mãe que agora lê para a única neta, para despertar o gosto pelas histórias e o amor pelo livros.

—

UP DATE - sobre o “serial killer” que marca encontro com gays e depois mata, em Curitiba. Até então o modus operandi do assassino é:

- gays da área da saúde (formados ou cursando)

- que moram sozinhos

- que são naturais de outras partes do estado

O alerta ganhou as redes sociais (este blog também está fazendo a sua parte) e o alerta está sendo disparado com a intenção que os gays fiquem espertos e que também se pegue esse assassino de gays.

[festivalmixbrasil]

'Fé no Inferno', novo romance de Santiago Nazarian, será lançado em abril. Leia um trecho no link http://bit.ly/fenoinferno

[cahomelessyouth]

This is a bill update on purposed policies impacting youth experiencing homelessness in California from June 2020 to June 2021. This summary is to serve as an accessible guide to the upcoming measures impacting our young people.

The synopses below are excerpts from the Lexis Advance Bill Tracking feature, a tool frequently used for legal searches.

From enacting a specialized office, to expanding higher education services and definitions, to funding distribution, we hope the progress of these bills navigate a path to positively supporting youth and young adults experiencing homelessness.

AB-637 Enabling Youth to Access Workforce Training Grant Program (2021-2022)

Introduced by Assembly Member Lackey (Coauthors: Assembly Member Cooley; Senator Wilk)

Status : Active Bill - In Committee Process

“Creates the Enabling Youth to Access Workforce Training Grant Program. Provides that upon appropriation by the Legislature, the bill would require the California Workforce Development Board to create the program, which would fund supportive services that are necessary for homeless youth and current or former foster youth to enable their participation in the workforce development program.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA A.B. 637)

SB-532 Pupil instruction: high school coursework and graduation requirements: exemptions (2021-2022)

Introduced by Senator Caballero (Coauthor: Senator Wilk)

Status: Active Bill - In Committee Process

“Requires the local educational agency to inform a pupil in foster care or a pupil who is a homeless child or youth, and the person holding the right to make educational decisions for the pupil, of the pupils right to remain in the pupils school of origin if the local educational agency determines the pupil is reasonably able to complete the local educational agency's graduation requirements within the pupils fifth year of high school.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA S.B. 532)

AB-27 Homeless children and youths and unaccompanied youths: reporting(2021-2022)

Introduced by Assembly Members Luz Rivas, Chiu, and Quirk-Silva (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member McCarty) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Boerner Horvath, Cristina Garcia, and Salas)

Status: Active Bill - In Committee Process

“Requires a local educational agency to ensure that each school within the local educational agency identifies all homeless children and youths and unaccompanied youths enrolled at the school, administer a housing questionnaire for purposes of identifying homeless children and youths and unaccompanied youths, and annually provide the housing questionnaire to all parents or guardians of pupils and unaccompanied youths of the local educational agency.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA A.B. 27)

SB-400 Homeless children and youths: local educational agencies: collaboration, training, and reporting (2021-2022)

Introduced by Senator Jones

Status: Active Bill - Pending Referral

“Requires local educational agency, as defined to include a school district, county office of education, charter school, or special education local plan area, to collaborate with other organizations that provide services to homeless children and youths to enhance the identification of, and the provision of services to, those children and youths.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA S.B. 400)

SB-234 Transition Aged Youth Housing Program (2021-2022)

Introduced by Senator Wiener

Status: Active Bill - In Committee Process

“Establishes the Transition Aged Youth Housing Program for the purpose of creating housing for transition aged youth under 26 years of age, who have been removed from their homes, are experiencing homelessness unaccompanied by a parent or legal guardian, or are under the jurisdiction of a court, as specified, and would require the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council to develop, implement, and administer the program.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA S.B. 234)

AB-408 Homeless children and youths: reporting (2021-2022)

Introduced by Assembly Members Quirk-Silva and Luz Rivas

Status: Active Bill - In Committee Process

“Requires a local educational agency, as defined to include a school district, county office of education, charter school, or special education local plan area, to establish homeless education program policies that are consistent with specified state laws, and would further require the local educational agency to update these policies at intervals not exceeding 3 years.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA A.B. 408)

AB-413 Foster youth: housing (2021-2022)

Introduced by Assembly Member Ting (Coauthors: Assembly Member Arambula; Senator Caballero)

Status: Active Bill - In Committee Process

“Deletes provisions conditionally suspending a program requiring the Department of Housing and Community Development to provide funding to counties for allocation to child welfare services agencies to help young adults who are 18 to 24 years of age secure and maintain housing, and subjecting the requirements of the program to an annual appropriation in the Budget Act.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA A.B. 413)

AB-775 Public postsecondary education: basic needs of students (2021-2022)

Status: Active Bill - In Committee Process

“Requires each campus to provide the document to students as a part of campus orientations in either electronic format or paper form, and to provide to faculty, and encourage the faculty to include in their syllabi, the online link to the electronic format of the document, the location of the Basic Needs Center, and the contact information for the coordinator.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA A.B. 775)

AB-977 Homelessness prevention programs: Homeless Management Information System(2021-2022)

Introduced by Assembly Members Gabriel and Petrie-Norris (Coauthors: Assembly Members Fong, McCarty, Nazarian, Quirk-Silva, Blanca Rubio, and Voepel)

Status: Active Bill - In Committee Process

“Mandates that recipients of state homelessness funding report key data and metrics through the States Homeless Management Information System, thereby allowing policymakers to better track and evaluate the effectiveness of various programs around the state.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA A.B. 977)

SB-100 Extended foster care program working group (2021-2022)

Introduced by Senator Hurtado

Status: Active Bill - In Committee Process

“Requires the State Department of Social Services to convene a working group to examine the extended foster care program and make recommendations for improvements to the program within six months. Requires the working group to evaluate and provide recommendations on the overall functioning of the extended foster care system, higher education opportunities and supports for nonminor dependents, and job training and employment opportunities and supports for nonminor dependents.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA S.B. 100)

SB-364 Pupil meals: Free School Meals For All Act of 2021 (2021-2022)

Introduced by Senator Skinner (Principal coauthors: Senators Eggman, Hertzberg, Laird, Limón, and McGuire; Assembly Members Berman and Luz Rivas) (Coauthors: Senators Allen, Gonzalez, Hueso, Newman, Umberg, Wieckowski, and Wiener; Assembly Members Burke, Carrillo, Chiu, Cooley, Cooper, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Levine, Nazarian, Quirk-Silva, Reyes, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Santiago, Stone, and Villapudua)

Status: Active Bill - In Committee Process

“Enacts the Free School Meals For All Act. Expresses the finding and declaration of the Legislature that no child in California should experience hunger and that every public school pupil should benefit from access to a healthy, locally procured and freshly prepared meal during the schoolday.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA S.B. 364)

AB-369 Medi-Cal services: persons experiencing homelessness (2021-2022)

Introduced by Assembly Member Kamlager (Coauthors: Assembly Members Bauer-Kahan, Burke, Carrillo, Cristina Garcia, Gipson, Santiago, Stone, and Wood; Senators Allen, Umberg, and Wiener)

Status: Active Bill - In Committee Process

“Requires the Department of Health Care Services to implement a program of presumptive eligibility for persons experiencing homelessness, under which a person would receive full-scope Medi-Cal benefits without a share of cost.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA A.B. 369)

AB-362 Homeless shelters: safety regulations (2021-2022)

Introduced by Assembly Member Quirk-Silva

Status: Active Bill - In Committee Process

“Establishes minimum health and safety standards for homeless shelters, as defined, including, but not limited to, minimum standards for homeless shelter maintenance, interior air quality, sleeping rooms, and laundries.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA A.B. 362)

SB-344 Homeless shelters grants: pets and veterinary services (2021-2022)

Introduced by Senator Hertzberg (Coauthors: Senators Caballero and Wiener; Assembly Members Gabriel, Mullin, and Quirk-Silva)

Status: Active Bill - In Committee Process

“Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to develop and administer a program to award grants to qualified homeless shelters, as described, for the provision of shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by people experiencing homelessness. Authorizes the department to use up to 5% of the funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act for those purposes for its costs in administering the program.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA S.B. 344)

AB-1575 Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council: needs analysis (2021-2022)

Introduced by Committee on Housing and Community Development [Assembly Members Chiu (Chair), Seyarto (Vice Chair), Gabriel, Kalra, Kiley, Maienschein, Quirk-Silva, and Wicks]

Status: Active Bill - In Committee Process

“Requires the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council to conduct, or contract to conduct, a specified statewide needs and gaps analysis regarding homelessness. Identifies and describes state programs that provide housing or services to persons experiencing homelessness and create a financial model that will assess certain investment needs for the purpose of moving persons experiencing homelessness into permanent housing.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA A.B. 1575)

AB-724 Homelessness programs: funding (2021-2022)

Introduced by Assembly Member Ward

Status: Active Bill - In Committee Process

“Requires specified state entities to develop a streamlined funding program that meets specified criteria, to support the state's policy goal of reducing homelessness statewide by providing funding opportunities for local governments, to increase their capacity to respond to local homelessness needs through providing housing, emergency shelters, or other assistance to homeless individuals and families, or those at risk for homelessness, designed to reduce homelessness in their local areas.” (2021 Bill Tracking CA A.B. 724)

AB-2416 Postsecondary education: student financial aid: satisfactory academic progress (2019-2020)

Introduced by Assembly Member Gabriel

Status: Approved by Governor September 29, 2020. Filed with Secretary of State September 29, 2020.

“Requires that determinations of satisfactory academic progress by the institutions participating in student aid programs consider homelessness within the meaning of the federal McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act as an extenuating circumstance for students who are otherwise unable to meet the requirements deemed to constitute satisfactory academic progress at the institutions, and that extenuating circumstance may be considered by the institutions to alter or excuse compliance with those progressions.” (2019 Bill Tracking CA A.B. 2416)

AB-2174 Homeless multidisciplinary personnel teams (2019-2020)

Introduced by Assembly Member Gallagher

Status: Approved by Governor September 25, 2020. Filed with Secretary of State September 25, 2020

“Authorizes the Counties of Yuba and Sutter to jointly establish a homeless adult and family multidisciplinary personnel team.” (2019 Bill Tracking CA A.B. 2174)

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