Los Angeles County just granted us orange tier "freedoms" to reopen bars and increase capacity at certain venues, but don't be fooled! True bars that do not serve food: Outside only. NO live music. NO television inside. NO sitting at a counter. NO meeting more than six people from three households. Is this really freedom? Compared to what? *Photo Credit: "Santa Clarita Ladies" by Ron Jones #thelongroadshow

There is an infamous dive bar down the street from me in Santa Clarita, CA where local working class heroes relaxed and enjoyed amazing live bands. It was a place where all kinds of people gathered from many different walks of life. What have we lost the last year? It's more than just beers and cheers. #thelongroadshow *Photo Credit: "Santa Clarita Ladies" by Ron Jones.

This is show #5 on "Lotus Light" by modern dance icon and author Ruth St. Denis. "Lotus Light" was a book of poetry and illustrations published in 1932 and beautifully illustrated by her friend Ruth Harwood. Ruth St. Denis was one of the biggest names in the world of modern dance during the early 1900s, and her work still influences dancers and movement artists even today. She's one of my favorite people to read and study. Enjoy. :) #thelongroadshow

Learn more about Ruth St. Denis here: https://www.jacobspillow.org/about/pillow-history/ruth_st_denis

This is a very important show considering our current times. I'm sharing the most important tips I've learned over the years from my elite martial artists and law enforcement friends on how to avoid violent attacks. These are mental strategies. I'm not going over physical fighting techniques in this show. The idea is to use "situational awareness" to avoid or prevent a physical attack altogether. Most people can avoid violent attacks if they just know what to look for and how "to feel" the immediate situation. These suggested behaviors do not take hardly any time to perform. No money is required unless you buy one of the books I referenced. Just listen, learn, and start implementing the behavioral changes in your daily routine. They have helped me and my own family; they can help you too. (Graphic Credit: "Dirty Fighting" by Lt. David W. Morrah Jr., 1941) #thelongroad *Access my "Situational Awareness 101" PDF Handout: http://theleanberets.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SIT-AWARE-101.pdf

This is a fun and fascinating story about how my Mexican gardener and landscaper ended up being a Mexican shaman who was trained in old-school methods of healing and how his touch and knowledge helped my own daughter when my methods and western medicine could not. Keep an open mind and heart to healing because you never know what might be out there and helpful. (Graphic Credit: Edgar Fabiano/Wikipedia) #thelongroadshow

America has a violent history of Red Summers. The Red Summer of 1919 saw dozens of violent racial riots across the US following the 1918 pandemic and resulting migration and social confusion. We had another Red Summer that was more commonly called "Freedom Summer" in 1964 which saw five major race riots between blacks and whites. As I look at the history of Red Summers and the historical markers, I can predict that we are lining up for a Red Summer of 2021. Be careful America. It's a dangerous path. I lay out some of this history and similarities as well as how the Red Summer of 2021 could be different...or...might not happen at all. WE decide. Listen up. Think. Reflect...and hopefully you'll take action to elevate the country and culture instead of destroying it. (Graphic Credit: "Demon Rage Beast" by darkvine) #thelongroadshow

W.E.B. Du Bois was a prominent Black scholar in the 1800s-1900s and one of the founding members of the NAACP. He wrote "The Souls of Black Folk" in 1903, and this book has been called one of the most important Black history books ever written by an African American. I share an excerpt from Chapter VIII where Du Bois describes in detail the living conditions and culture in the "Black Belt" of Georgia during the post-civil war era. Image Credit: Wikipedia #thelongroadshow

This is show #4 on "Lotus Light" by modern dance icon and author Ruth St. Denis. "Lotus Light" was a book of poetry and illustrations published in 1932 and beautifully illustrated by her friend Ruth Harwood. Ruth St. Denis was one of the biggest names in the world of modern dance during the early 1900s, and her work still influences dancers and movement artists even today. She's one of my favorite people to read and study. Enjoy. :)

Learn more about Ruth St. Denis here: https://www.jacobspillow.org/about/pillow-history/ruth_st_denis

Echo Park in Los Angeles has been in the national news this week because of the homeless camp being removed and subsequent protests by homeless activists. What was the actual purpose of this park when it opened in 1895? Why were American parks built in the first place? Who are they for? Let's take a look at the rich history and social psychology of parks and refocus on making them safe places of "Re-Creation" for the youth. #thelongroadshow Learn more about the history of Los Angeles parks: https://www.laparks.org/department/history

Southern California was ground zero for customizing cars. After WWII, GIs returned home to California and needed to replace the dangers of war with a suitable adrenaline substitute. They began fixing up old jalopies and racing them out in the Mojave Desert. This trend led into customizing street cars too--and the hot rod era was born. "Pin-striping" was created as a way to set off your car, and a guy named Von Dutch (Kenny Howard) became THE guy for pin-striping in the Los Angeles area during the 1950s. My father took his friend's Chevy down to Von Dutch in 1956 for some striping. This is a fun show on his story and what it was like to be there when car custom history was in the making. Photo Credit: Ron Jones #thelongroadshow