Newport Beach Film Festival...Director Gregg Schwenk, Saba Shirazi & Staff emotionally disturbed and mentally unstable! Pall falls over Fest...

For the past week, I was reporting on the events at the Newport Beach Film Festival, covering the parties, reviewing the films, and interviewing the talent.Unfortunately, as the week unfolded, I encountered some rude and insulting conduct from Festival Staff (CEO Gregg Schwenk, Saba Shirazi, and a coordinator by the name of "Norma") which upset the...

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Newport Beach Film Festival...employee Saba Shirazi grabs me & unlawfully tries to hold me against my will! Wacko a menace to society...

Kooky mentally-ill Saba Shirazi (left)Earlier today, I penned a post about a number of problems that have arisen at the Festival grounds in Newport Beach, and proceeded to publish the article to my blog this morning.Shortly thereafter, a PR woman - by the name of Saba Shirazi - appeared at my side at the computer I was using and demanded that I leave...

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Newport Beach Film Festival...Director Gregg Schwenk's incompetence & inexperienced staff cast pall on Festival! Filmgoers & Press ticked off...

CEO Gregg Schwenk (left)"The thing I noticed about an audience like a Newport audience is they're enthusiastic about film in general. They're astute and curious. They want to know about process," Executive Director & CEO Gregg Schwenk asserted to a local publication prior to the opening of the Newport Beach Film Festival.It's too bad he turned...

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3 Saisons...Canada Council funded film screens at local film festival! A bit violent, but potent filmmaking...

Now and then when I am on my treks around the Festival circuit, I happen across a Canadian filmmaker or two - down from the great white north - flogging their films in the U.S. Market.Just this past week, when one short (My Inventions) screened, I was delighted to learn that the director was not only from Vancouver (Canada) but was also awarded a grant...

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Asian Pacific Film Festival...gala opening to premiere "Children of Invention". Director's Guild April 30th...

Treeless MountainLast year, I covered the Asian Pacific Film Festival and it was one of the highlights of the season.For this reason, I am looking forward to attending the opening night gala on April 30th (Thursday) at the Director's Guild.The eclectic round of offerings this year include the well-crafted - "Children of Invention" - which will kick...

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NFCC Launches New Site to Assist Consumers in Financial Trouble

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) has revamped their web site to provide consumers in financial trouble with a wide array of e-tools designed to help them solve their problems. The site also provides access to an NFCC-certified counselor to work with them on a more personal (human) level.“It can be argued that there has never been a time when consumers needed financial tools more. And, when you need help, you want it fast. You don’t have time to waste going from site to site. You might say the NFCC is the HOV lane of the Information...

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Newport Beach Film Festival...Jason Ritter & Kelly Lynch appear for World Premiere of "The Perfect Age of Rock 'N' Roll"...

The screening of "The Perfect Age of Rock 'N' Roll" was delayed by about forty-five minutes on Saturday because so many films buffs were trying to squeeze their way into the world premiere which was being touted as the "hot" ticket of the night.Even still, some discerning guests were reticent about taking front-row seats because they were inclined...

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Newport Beach Film Festival...animated shorts original and well-crafted! Sold-out amid zoo-like setting...

The Green FilmNormally, short film programs attract small turn-outs at festivals, but at this year's Newport Beach Fest the week-end screening rooms were packed with enthusiastic fans of the genre, fortunately for the filmmakers.In fact, Newport went all-out and programmed a series of themed shorts (which I mentioned in an earlier post) which - for...

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Newport Beach Film Festival...Bai Ling makes big splash at Dim Sum Funeral after-party!

When Bai Ling - dazzling star of "Dim Sum Funeral" (which screened at the Festival last night as a centerpiece film) sashayed into the after-party at the Sports Club - the paparazzi went into a wild frenzy!Within minutes, the stunning actress - dressed-to-the-nines in a chic Royal Blue cocktail dress with beaded accents one one shoulder - was writhing...

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Perez Hilton...Beauty & Beast in bit** fight! Mud-slinging titillates Nation...

This morning as I waited for the Newport Beach Film Festival lounge to swing open its doors, I popped into McDonald's for a morning snack and piping hot cup of java.Imagine that!The upscale fast-food outlet in this tony neighborhood actually has an expensive wide-screen flat TV installed so guests may take in a morning news show or two.Shortly after...

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Newport Beach Film Festival...composer Marc Shaiman the gay Marvin Hamlisch? Wows audience with intimate Palm Garden concert...

Marc Shaiman didn't need any props or gimmicks to win over a rapt audience who hung on every note, hilarious joke, and side-splitting anecdote that he offered up at what was touted as an intimate evening of film & fun set to music at a special gala event at the Newport Beach Festival last night."I'm the gay Marvin Hamlisch," he quipped, as he stepped...

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Newport Beach Film Festival...After-party a blow out! Hip OC rocks...

Festival Buzz on 1:03 AM (Short Film)Go-Go Girls in chic cocktail dresses did a tasteful bump-and-grind on top of decorator tables (after all, this was OC), the beat of the infectious music prompted party-goers to erupt into impromptu dances about the showroom of the Land Rover auto dealership, and long queues for the scrumptious Hor d'ouevres seemed...

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Scammers Exploiting MoneyGram Money Order Verification System

If you were scammed recently with a money order, the counterfeit might have been an instrument spoofing the MoneyGram brand. These money orders have been known to appear in all the too good to be true/don’t exactly make sense come-ons being passed by spam e-mails or via a direct solicitation in a chat room.In case you are not familiar with all the variations of these come-ons, they include , but aren't limited to (new lures surface frequently), the secret shopper, romance, lottery, work-at-home and auction scams.The common denominator in most of...

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Newport Beach Film Festival...rivals that glittering affair on the Riviera! Exotic locale adds lustre to filmmaking scene...

Amid tall palms that swayed in the breeze and a picturesque locale that rivals any on the romantic Riviera, the Newport Beach Film Festival launched an opening night gala last night that glittered under a breathtaking night sky."Lymelife" - a hilarious, violent and sometimes tragic look at family dynamics - kicked off the Festival with an enthusiastic...

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Medical Marijuana...Charles Lynch sentencing held over til June!

Over the past year, I have been reporting on medical marijuana issues that have been bouncing around the State from the staid chambers of a half-a-dozen City Council Town Halls to the front steps of DEA headquarters in downtown Los Angeles.On occasion, courts with jurisdiction over criminal proceedings arising from drug busts, have also been forced...

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