By Emil Guillermo

The news cycle has been buzzing the last few weeks. Xi, with Putin and Kim, the sweethearts of Trump carousing alone without him? The victims of the pedophile Epstein speaking out publicly in DC.

Then, there’s the release of that salacious letter Donald Trump allegedly wrote to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump said the letter didn’t exist. But it does.

Timing is everything.

Additionally, there are further concerns, such as the Supreme Court removing restrictions on ICE interactions.  ICE Agents can stop anyone now. For any reason. And there’s the threat of the U.S. sending the military to fight crime in Chicago. Trump even posted a meme of himself as a character in “Apocalypse Now.”

All that with bad polls and bad economic numbers, and these topics are dominating the news cycle — Trump era chaos.

Given all that is happening, if the presidency was more like pole dancing, you know Trump would be flat on his butt.

The reality is the opposite. He keeps going strong like nothing’s happened. Inexplicably, Trump always seems to defy gravity.

That’s why to reassure myself with reality, I just think of Trump on a pole. Dancing. He was born on Flag Day, after all.

I’ve got pole dancing on my mind because I’m in Canada at the Vancouver Fringe Festival doing my show, “Emil Amok 69, Everything’s Flipped,” about how the current political situation gets very personal.

Get tickets here if you’re near:

I’ve performed at 16 fringe festivals, and I always look for unique performers. This year, in my same venue (the Revue Stage) I found her in a show, “The Pole Shebang.”

Andrea James Lui may look like a typical Asian American at first.

But she’s Asian Canadian, married to an Australian, who now lives down under.

At the Vancouver Fringe, she highlights her special identity.

Pole Dancer

Yes, pole dancing has come to the fringe. Leave your dollar bills at home, this is not that kind of pole dancing.

This is more Cirque Du Soleil-ish- acrobatic stuff, yet it’s hard to deny the sexiness when a woman flawlessly swings from a pole with her legs apart.

The show is more intriguing than it is titillating.

Lui has created a behind-the-scenes look at the “polar” experience.

“She could have been a physicist,” says her big sister Christina, who despite saying that, supports her sister 100 percent.

Lui touches on some of the emotional depth in the poled subculture. But there’s plenty more to mine in the future.  “Polar Bare,” the Musical? I’d see it.

Trump on a Pole

So that’s how I’ve come to the polar metaphor.

As Trump flails in the news, I picture him on a pole.

The letter to Epstein is further proof of the character of the man.

Will he stay afloat?

Not if the presidency were more like pole dancing.

You can’t lie on the pole.

That’s one way all of us in the Trump era can get to the truth.

About the Author

Emil Amok is a veteran journalist, commentator, and stage monologist. He has written a weekly column on Asian Americans for more than 30 years.

Contact: www.amok.com

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

John Lowell Burton, an influential figure in California politics who served as State Assemblymember, U.S. Congressman, President pro Tempore of the State Senate, and Chair of the California Democratic Party, passed away of natural causes on Sept. 7.

Burton was 92.

Gov. Gavin Newsom honored his legacy: “There was no greater champion for the poor, the bullied, the disabled, and forgotten Californians than John Burton. He was a towering figure — a legendary force whose decades of service shaped our state and our politics for the better.”

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, a longtime friend, reflected on Burton’s determination.

“His life’s work reminds us that authentic leadership means having the courage to speak truth to power and never forgetting where you came from,” Lee said.

Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) said Burton was a guiding light and fierce defender of justice.

“John was a mentor to countless progressive leaders across California, including me,” said Padilla.  “I’ll always be grateful for his counsel over our breakfasts at Delancey Street Restaurant in San Francisco, surrounded by residents working to rebuild their lives.”

Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis also paid tribute to Burton.

“John Burton left an indelible mark not only on California, but on all of us who were inspired by his example. He showed us what it means to lead with courage, to fight for the voiceless, and to speak truth without fear,” said Kounalakis.

Burton’s decades in office were marked by passionate advocacy for civil rights, environmental protection, education, healthcare, and foster youth. He overcame personal struggles — including addressing addiction in the 1980s — and returned to public service with renewed purpose. His work reshaped California’s political landscape and inspired generations of leaders.

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11) remembered her friend.

“Today, working families have lost one of the most outspoken, ferocious and unyielding champions our nation has ever known,” said Pelosi in a statement, adding that Burton “was a progressive warrior and dear friend whose big heart, sharp mind and boundless fight for justice shaped California and America.”

According to Newsom and first partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Burton will be posthumously inducted into the California Hall of Fame and flags will be flown at half-staff in his honor.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

Author: Seth Wickersham, Copyright: c.2025, Publisher: Hyperion Avenue, Price: $29.99, Page Count: 407 pages

Snap.

And with that, and a catch that’s picture-perfect, your team is on its way to another win. The guy that threw the football sure knows his stuff. He’s worth every penny he’s paid, and in the new book “American Kings” by Seth Wickersham, you’ll see what it took to get there.

Like so many little boys, Wickersham wanted to play pro football when he was growing up; specifically, he wanted to be a quarterback. Unlike most other boys, though, he took it to an extreme, becoming “obsessed” with throwing a football with the best accuracy, hoping to match the skills of the players he admired.

Alas, despite an entire childhood of near-constant practice and a few wins on the field in high school, he didn’t make varsity and ended up playing as a receiver.

He knows now that to be a quarterback is to be a star, but it’s also “a way of life.”

Here, he writes about Arch Manning, “a legend, a folk hero, a song title… and the beginning of a family franchise…” Wickersham shares the story of Warren Moon, how he stepped up to help his mother when his father died, how domestic violence almost derailed his legacy, and the racism he quarterbacked under for years.

He spent time with Caleb Williams, “the first true professional amateur quarterback” to get money for playing at the college level. He interviewed James Harris, who was prepared to become a teacher “If the league didn’t want a Black quarterback…”  Wickersham “spent much of 2022 with” Andrew Luck, who “learned quickly that greatness requires an… unlimited selfishness.” He writes about how Jack Elway influenced his son’s choice of career, what Hollywood had to do with one pro footballer’s life, and the post-career of the first player “to throw a consistently beautiful spiral.”

Says Wickersham about his subjects, “Anyone could throw a football. Only a quarterback could make people cheer.”

Your favorite chair is oiled for smooth reclining and fast slam-downs. The snacks are laid in for at least a week, and beverages are on ice. You know exactly what you’re wearing for the game this weekend. All you need is “American Kings” and you’re set.

Wickersham calls his book “a biography,” but it’s just as much a history, since he refers often to the earliest days of the game, as well as the etymology of the word “quarterback.”  That helps to lay a solid background, and it adds color to a reader’s knowledge about football itself, while explaining what it takes for men and women to stand out and to achieve gridiron greatness. On that. Wickersham is honest, sometimes calling out his subjects for their attitudes toward teammates and others. Blunt words are used that are unprintable in family newspapers, so beware if you’re sharing.

Is your team’s QB in this book? Maybe. But, more than likely, a past favorite is, So, check out “American Kings” and see what you find. Football fans and pigskin prognosticators both will love this book in a snap.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post