by Mick Rhodes | editor@claremont-courier.com

Remember when we all felt smug “cutting the cord” to cable TV and sticking it to the greedy cable providers with this newfangled streaming thing? No more ads! No more bills for hundreds of channels we never watched! Hooray for technology!

Then the pandemic lockdown drove us all indoors. Before March 2020 was out, my family had added Apple Plus, HBO (now MAX), Disney Plus, Hulu, Peacock, and Sling subscriptions to our existing arsenal of Nexflix and Amazon Prime. We were voracious streamers. What else was there to do during those bad ol’ lockdown days?

Seduced by the glory of uninterrupted binging, my kids and I finished “Breaking Bad,” then for good measure, “Better Call Saul,” every King Kong movie in existence, and bought and rented dozens of other movies in the Apple app.

Those of us who hadn’t yet yielded to the digital demigods soon found ourselves beholden. And for a while, it worked fine. We craved programming, and there it was 24/7, a click away.

But as 2020 ground horribly on, those subscription fees started creeping up, Netflix first, then Disney, Prime and Hulu. Soon what had felt like getting over on the evil cable empire was a wash, or worse. So much for feeling smug about cutting that cord. It was as if streamers had this all worked out in advance and took advantage of us in our moment of vulnerability … Shocking!

Amazon Prime was $79 when I signed up in 2013, which seemed like a fair deal. It’s now $139. That’s not an outrageous increase — everything else is more expensive now as well —  but now Amazon is interrupting movies and shows with commercials for those of us with basic plans. Same with Hulu and several other streamers. The only way to avoid commercials is to “upgrade” to one of the costlier plans.

So here we are, back to watching commercials with our shows and movies, and paying more than $100 per-month for the privilege.

It gives me a nostalgic feeling, this streaming trap I’ve fallen into; remember when we had a couple dozen channels, and commercials were an accepted part of the landscape? It’s feeling more and more like that again, with one glaring difference: network TV was free.

Hooray for ‘Kimi Day’

Some people just shine. They light up every room. These charisma infused glowing types are few and far between. My friend Kimi Ritner is one of those rarities. If she was an athlete they’d call her a “five tool player.” She’s funny, gorgeous, kind, and whip smart. And everybody knows it. She’s a great friend, always up for a laugh and a hug. I’ve never heard a nasty word from her or about her in the more than 20 years we’ve been friends.

Kimi will be familiar to many as the long-time bartender and bar manager at the late, lamented Press Restaurant (soon to be Finney’s Crafthouse) on Harvard Avenue. And for the past five years or so she’s been a beloved presence at Claremont Craft Ales. Kimi has put smiles on thousands of strangers’ faces over the years. She’s soothed many a heartache with her charm, wit, and a couple cold beverages.

And now it’s time to step up for her.

Kimi is undergoing cancer treatment, and though she has medical insurance, she still faces daunting medical bills and other significant related expenses. So, this Saturday, January 25, Claremont Craft Ales will host “Kimi Day,” a 1 to 10 p.m. fundraiser for the brewery’s — and everyone’s — favorite bartendress. Kimi’s outlandishly talented husband, Solid Ray Woods, will be part of the festivities, playing at 1 p.m. with his group, the Solid Ray Woods Revue. Other performers include Gold Raven at 3, the Roy Durnal Band at 5, and my band, Mick Rhodes and the Hard Eight, at 7.

All sales of beer, CCA merchandise, raffle tickets, band merch, and tips will go directly to Kimi. Raffle tickets are $5 or five for $20. Prizes include a one year subscription to the Courier, a Baby Taylor guitar, a limited edition Epiphone by Gibson PR350SO dreadnaught guitar, a ukulele, various artwork, a Salba skate deck, a Some Crust gift card, and lots of other Claremont-related goodies. A food truck will be onsite as well.

So many people need help these days. Please consider helping one of the best of them. If you’re unable to be there Saturday, you can donate directly and get more information at gofund.me/fa6456d7.

The winds of climate change

The Santa Anas returned Monday afternoon, blowing with intermittent violence at my place in Pomona, and bringing with them a new kind of dread.

The National Weather Service reports gusts reached 40 mph locally on Monday, nowhere near the 90 mph winds that blew through SoCal January 7-8, toppling trees in Claremont while feeding and spreading the deadly, destructive wildfires in Altadena, Pacific Palisades, and elsewhere. With the anxiety and uncertainty of those tragedies still palpable, hearing the wind whip around Monday was unnerving to say the least.

I guess all this increasingly erratic weather phenomena will keep moving the goal posts for “normal” around here. And with the new/old administration’s “drill baby drill” ethos, its immediate withdrawal from the Paris climate agreementand the World Health Organization, the message is clear: our health and physical well-being will take a back seat for the next four years.

My plan is to love my people, expect the unexpected, and stay out of the day-to-day political fray. I’m also keeping my insurance policies up-to-date, and a go-bag handy. Who knows what natural and/or human-caused catastrophes await us. I do know these next four years will not be boring. Buckle up: it’s gonna get weird.