The First Santa Cruz Chinatown. This was on Front Street and was leveled by fire in 1894. That’s Loma Prieta Mountain in the distance. About 60 folks lived here. There were three gambling houses, laundries, and some boarding houses. This was about where Barry Swenson’s Galleria stands today. Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

ARTIS, the Spoon Man. Artis played Pacific Avenue for years. He was good friends with Tom Noddy and the Karamazov Brothers and added a lot to our Downtown Atmosphere. The last I heard from him, he’d become a grandfather!!!

RAIN RUNOFF. Lane’s Leaking Lavabo, that’s just one moniker for the Warriors rubber tent. Only a few brave souls have been brave enough to ask about the enormous water run-off during the rains which should be happening soon. There seems to be no gutters on the tent, I can’t find any collection points or containers, so are they figuring that all that run-off rain will simply, and easily slide down the existing sewers? Before Lane’s Lavabo all the rain water was dispersed over the entire area now it’ll be as concentrated like coming out of a fire hose. December 23^rd is going to be one hell of a day and night and next morning in Santa Cruz.

LETTER TO LASALLE. I wrote a letter to Mick LaSalle the #1 film critic at the San Francisco Chronicle about two weeks ago. No response yet, but the world should know about it. I asked, “Isn’t it true that we should pay tribute to Alfred Hitchcock for only allowing audiences into the theatre to see films from the beginning? If I’m not mistaken it was Alfred Hitchcock’s strict timed admittance rule that was seriously imposed for the first time in USA theatres with “Psycho”? I was an usher (in uniform, with flashlight) back in the earliest 50’s; we had ushers back then just so that we could show patrons the empty seats in the dark. I remember whispered arguments in the audience such as “this is where we came in, let’s go”, and “no, I want to see this part again”.

But more than that, I remember folks and theatre owners saying “can you imagine having to wait until a movie begins before going inside?”. and “It’ll never work”…but it did, right? Bruce Bratton”.

OBAMA’S JOB CHART. Joy Hinz has a huge number of graphs on an amazing number of subjects. She was an Occupier…and proud of it…this chart came from her, via Nancy Abbey.

STUFF GETTING SMASHED IN SLOW MOTION. Always fascinating visuals and some are unbelievable!!!

GOLDEN FLEECE AND YARN EMPORIUM. Gunilla Leavitt has been my more or less silent but loyal, faithful, creative partner in producing BrattonOnline.com since we went online weekly way back in 2003. She does everything necessary to get all this online every week. Plus, she and husband Tom Leavitt own The Golden Fleece yarn shop. It’s located at 317 Potrero Street right across Front Street from That Gateway Plaza (Cost Plus, Office Max Etc.). I’m not going to describe her shop you’ll have to see it yourselves. There are none others like it in the world!!! Plus, plus she also creates one hell of a newsletter, go here to read it… Like she says, this is the best time of the year to get gifts for the knitters or wanna be knitters in your circle of friends…or family!!!

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary’s weekly KUSP scripts include..

“For the last twenty to twenty-five years, local governments in Santa Cruz County have tried to find ways to make businesses and developers “pay their own costs,” instead of relying on public subsidies. The idea is that developers and businesses should themselves bear the cost of the public infrastructure that will be required by the new development or the new business. Various “fees” have been imposed to achieve this goal of making businesses and developers pay for the public costs associated with their activities. One of the most common fees has been a “traffic impact” fee, so that mitigations for new traffic will be paid for by those who are helping to generate that new traffic. Today, the Santa Cruz City Council will consider rolling back some of those traffic impact fees, to benefit businesses, and to shift more of those costs back on to the public. If you have a position on that, think about letting the Council know. The Council will also consider spending an additional $390,000 for consulting services from the Kennedy/Jenks consulting firm, partly in order to “educate voters” about the need for a proposed desal project. Again, if you have a position on this proposed expenditure, you should let the Council know what you think” He also talks about and gives links to items like losing your water rights, Rail Trail Planning workshops this week and changes to local Heritage Tree laws. Read it all here

(Gary Patton is “Of Counsel” to the Santa Cruz law firm of Wittwer & Parkin, which specializes in land use and environmental law. The opinions expressed are Mr. Patton’s. Gary has his own website, “Two Worlds / 365” – www.gapatton.net)

JOHN BARRYMORE. Christopher Plummer brings back his Barrymore solo play for two screenings only at the Del Mar. Thursday night Dec. 6 @7:30p.m. And a repeat on Dec. 9 @ 11.a.m.

VINTAGE DE CINZO.Nature lover deCinzo takes a hike…scroll below

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Tim takes on Life after War. See below about three pages.

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul’s weekly article is titled “Drop “Greatest” and “Number One” and feel proud”. In it he says, “The veterans return to joblessness, homelessness and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The “SUPPORT OUR TROOPS” slogan translates into “paste this bumper sticker on your car,” not into increased care and comfort for the homecoming youngsters. For Conservatives, governments must fight wars, not care for the wounded when they return. The U.S. economy stagnates as Tea Partiers have captured the Republican command and the political system has become dysfunctional. The Democrats have not articulated a clear agenda. The cultural fissure that divided the country 150 years ago during the Civil War were camouflaged by economic up turns during the late 20th century, when the United States became the top dog in the West. Americans then felt secure: their children would live better”. Read all of Saul’s article here

Saul Landau is an Institute for Policy Studies fellow whose films are on DVD from roundworldproductions@gmail.com

CLINT EASTWOOD. Lest we forget just who and what Clint Eastwood stands for, watch this clip of Clint and the empty chair speech. Remember it when you’re tempted to see his next film.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. “This week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com), strap on your goggles for the new Steam punk show at the new SCICA Gallery in the Tannery, prepare to be awed by the sheer gorgeousness of Ang Lee’s Life of Pi, and get a sneak preview of my new novel (and a chance to win an early proof copy!).” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

LIFE OF PI.For me this “magnum opus” from Ang Lee belongs right next to his version of “The Hulk”. Both are comic book fairy tales, signifying nothing. Pi, which as anyone knows who read the book is short for both “pissing” or Piscean. There’s lots of hype on the use of special effects…they’re pretty, and pretty good, but not worth going to the movies to see.

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK.Once in a great while films affect me so much and I take them so personally that I loose all critical facilities. That happened with Silver Linings Play Book. For some reason, I fell asleep many times during the first time I saw it. I saw it again last Saturday and figured out why…it was far too negative, mean-spirited, too full of arguing, and ridiculing bi-polar behavior just for laughs…it is not my kind of film. It’s also getting some pretty good reviews….you’re on your own, as usual.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are archived…(see next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG.

The winners from Bookshop Santa Cruz’s Young Writers Contest are featured for the entire hour on 11/27. Joe Jordan talks about NASA, space and Global Warming on December 4^th followed by Attorney Bob Taren wrapping up the local political year. December 11 has photographer Charles Berger discussing the fine points of his art. Then on December 11 Futzie Nutzle talks about his Blitzer Gallery show. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome, so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always at bratton@cruzio.com

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES.In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 6 years here’s a chronological list of just this year’s podcasts. Click here then tap on “listen here” to hear any or all of them… all over again. The update includes Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson-Darrow, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Conpany. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011. Hear them all!!!

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

QUOTES. “If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on the human face-forever…And remember that it is forever:, George Orwell. “I would like to do something worthwhile like planting a tree on the ocean, but I’m just a guitar player”, Bob Dylan. “I’m a double Libra, which has been a great consolation to me in this time of pain”, Kenny Schaffer.