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DATELINE August 4, 2014
| SURFING SANTA CRUZ & GO PRO FOOTAGE. Yep, another drone over Santa Cruz but it’s soothing to watch. |
SENTINEL AND THEIR PRO GROWTH & PRO DE-SAL EDITORIAL. We always need to remember the Santa Cruz Sentinel’s positions on development in the County and in the City. For example the Sentinel was in favor of a nuclear Power plant in Davenport. The Sentinel was in favor of developing Wilder Ranch with 10, 000 homes (30, 000 residents). They supported a Home Depot store on the Westside. The list has gone on for many decades and of course last Sunday’s (8/03/14) editorial supported growth and de-sal. The editorial stated,…
“Economic growth is the engine behind our county’s infrastructure. Growth provides jobs and generates the tax revenues that fund our recreational services, cultural and social services. Growth can be a sprawling mess, or it can be a well-executed plan that brings untold benefits to the community.
Beyond our landscapes and gardens, beyond our desire for a second glass of water at a restaurant, we need water to keep our businesses, and the benefits they provide, healthy. As a county, we have struggled mightily with alternative sources of water. Water districts have studied, experimented and proposed various alternatives. We have all retrofitted, adapted and conserved. And still, during drought years, we struggle. We need additional sources of water, and every year we wait compounds our problem”.
The reality is, and economists around the world like Robert Reich know, that growth doesn’t do any of those things the Sentinel claims. Can or would they name one city where growth has “provided jobs, and generated tax revenues” or any “UNTOLD BENEFITS” that helped a city. We can look at our own Capitola decades ago when they added their 41st avenue shopping mall. How many benefits has that provided? Look at the insane growth of San Jose and more recently, the city of San Francisco…check out their financial and job problems. Look at the closing of the Australian de-sal plants, check out the cost of any size de-sal plant planned for Santa Cruz. Then read the Sentinel editorial again. Growth for the Sentinel used to mean more paid advertisements, more readers…that’s not the case for hard copy newspapers anymore, and the few local Sentinel employees who are left and who write the editorials need to catch up.
Response to “Take Back Santa Cruzers” and “The Santa Cruz Clean Team”
who objected to my criticism of their organization(s).
Readers are encouraged to join these Facebook groups and determine if these people are something they want to be part of. I tried to do this and was immediately blocked before commenting on anything. I would have asked why they don’t welcome different opinions or sharing of data. I’ve learned that if you do these things, you’ll be attacked and likely to be banned. Take Back Santa Cruz, in my opinion, is not a well moderated page. They have a habit of approving posts of possible homeless people, then ridicule and add personal attacks, then remove the pictures when they get complaints. They did this with a man with a beard on a bike. “Look at this guy, probably stole his bike” kind of comments. Turned out the man worked for a bike shop and was riding to work. I do not support pages that post pictures of people anonymously. These posts should never be approved.
Take Back Santa Cruz protested on the courthouse steps after the arrest of a homeless man for stealing flowers. Turned out he bought them. He served 18 days in jail. If you missed these Sentinel articles covering this here they are.
Charges dropped….Take Back Santa Cruz cost the county a lot of money on this one.
Space doesn’t allow other examples here, but just these two should prompt readers to do their own research. What feels like a community Facebook page to some looks like vigilante activity to me”. .
(Paul Elerick is co-chair with Peter Scott of the Campaign for Sensible Transportation, http://sensibletransportation.org , and he’s a member of Nisene 2 Sea, a group of open space advocates).
| HAVANNA, CUBA…1930. Fellow travelers and recent tourists should enjoy this 80 year old view. |
PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary gives more details on Land Use Policies and Marina. He welcomes back our Santa Cruz County Supervisors from vacation. He relates their looking at a “Sustainable Santa Cruz County Plan” and why more of us need to get involved. Charlie Canfield bought the La Bahia hotel and let it rot. He tells how the city helped subsidize Charlie’s Hotel development and gave him tax revenues. That’ll be discussed at the Planning Commission Wednesday night. 8/6/14. About the SCCRTC meeting Thursday he says, “The SCCRTC meeting this morning will be held in Scotts Valley, starting at 9:00 a.m. As I have eyeballed the agenda, it seems to me that there are two items that might be of particular interest. Agenda Item #23 will provide an update on the Commission’s Passenger Rail Study. Item #22 is a report on a study that has evaluated travel time reliability along Highway One, from Watsonville to Santa Cruz. Lots of people make that commute, and as I read the staff report, one of the most important things, for commuters, is knowing that the time that the trip takes today will be the same as the time it takes tomorrow. “Reliability” of travel time, in other words, is a high priority”. He closes the week’s broadcasts by saying, “The Council has declared a drought crisis, and also recognizes a long-term water supply crisis, even in the absence of the drought. Our daunting water supply challenges, however, have not led the Santa Cruz City Council to hold up on water consumptive projects, like University expansion or big hotels. In fact, the Council recently voted to subsidize the construction of big hotels using City tax revenues”. Read the complete scripts of the above at Gary Patton’s KUSP Land Use site http://blogs.kusp.org/landuse . Gary is a former Santa Cruz County Supervisor (20 years) and an attorney who represents indivuduals and community groups on land use and environmental issues. The opions expressed are Mr. Patton’s. Gary has his own website, Two Worlds/365” – www.gapatton.net
FULL MOON SILHOUETTES. My cousin Dean Hagen ( Florida) found this awe-inspiring Vimeo video of a moonrise in New Zealand. It’s more than 3 minutes…but you’ve got the time, take a look.
BIGGEST EVENT WEEKEND OF THE YEAR!!!
37TH ANNUAL MUSICAL SAW FESTIVAL, AUGUST 9 & 10 . This year the 37th Annual Musical Saw Festival will be visited by a superb saw playing trio from Japan, “Kara-a-ge.” The group consists of Tomomi Kamiya, Yuki Nakamura and Hiroko Sakai. They will perform at 1pm. Dr. Haris Gershom from India is known for his invention of the “Harishophone,” an unique musical instrument used in music therapy. His performance at the festival starts at 12:40 pm,and he will also be available all day for music therapy sessions. On Saturday afternoon August 9 at 1 p.m. the Sawyers will gather on Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz to perform next to the statue of Tom Scribner. The first saw festival, in 1978, was organized to pay for the cost of the statue created by Marghe McMahon, a local student and sculpter who later went on to work for George Lucas and Star Wars. The statue is in front of Bookshop Santa Cruz
| HELEN KELLER AND ANNE SULLIVAN “SPEAK” |
SAN FRANCISCO MIME TROUPE, August 9 & 10. The Tony Award-winning San Francisco Mime Troupe (SFMT) opens its 55th season with RIPPLE EFFECT, a musical comedic tale of intersecting lives and cultures that reflect the familiar neighborhood tensions that are polarizing San Franciscans and of course Santa Cruz today. It plays Saturday August 9 and Sunday August 10. It’s about Skyrocketing rents. Loss of diversity. Evictions, Google Glass wearing, nouveau riche, The War on the Poor. And just What is The City coming to? RIPPLE EFFECT was written by an esteemed trio of beloved Bay Area writers and performers including Michael Gene Sullivan (SFMT), Eugenie Chan(Cutting Ball) and Tanya Shaffer (Let My Enemy Live Long!). Music & lyrics by Ira Marlowe. Michael Bello is the music director and lead musician. Other musicians include: Peter Penhallow and Mick Berry. The show is co-directed by Hugo E Carbajal and Wilma Bonet. It’s happening Sat., Aug. 9 San Lorenzo Park 2:30 pm music, 3:00 pm show and Sun., Aug. 10 also San Lorenzo Park 2:30 pm music, 3:00 pm show
CABRILLO FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC, August 9 & 10. Concerts and events happening here and in San Juan Bautista both days and nights. Concert at 2:30 p.m. and at 8 p.m. on Saturday and at 4 and 7:30 on Sunday. Check for details and ticket availability at www.cabrillomusic.org.
SANTA CRUZ SHAKESPEARE, August 9 & 10. This is their closing weekend of performances of The Merry Wives of Windsor and As You like it. Go towww.santacruzshakespeare.com for details.
CLASSICAL DeCINZO. DeCinzo makes a clean breast of a growing problem. See downwards.
EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. Tim takes a surgical look at Israel’s strike. See below.
THAT IS THE QUESTION
(IN ORDER OF PERFECTION)
GET ON UP. This is the bio-pic of James Brown the self titled King of Soul. All his songs are dubbed, the acting isn’t bad but Brown (according to the film) was one mess of a human. It seems like he had no friends, no family, and was simply unlikable. A genuine downer of a film.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. I must confess and proclaim I did not see this movie. Any film that has a talking raccoon named “Rocket” as a major character is more than I could stand. Your guess on this movie is every bit as good as mine. Actually if anyone sees this film and likes it, let me know. Especially if you can think of a reason for anyone else to see it.
STILL PLAYING AT A THEATRE NEAR US
FROM BEST TO REALLY BAD
LUCY. Scarlett Johansson struts, slinks and shoots her way to the top in this science fiction thriller. Morgan Freeman loses a few acting points as he pretends he’s some kind of a professor. Amazingly, Lucy topped Hercules in box office money on opening weekend. That definitely proves something. Honestly, it’s a fun story and you’ll stay attached to the screen all the way through. The story is ridiculous, the plot has huge mistakes, there’s not one ounce of logic to it, it’s just fun to watch.
- Now, check out this cast Jon Favreau, Dustin Hoffman, John Leguizamo, Sofia Vergara, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr., and Oliver Platt. It’s an original comedy all centering around food. It’s funny, touching, fast moving, and even educational!!! If you enjoy preparing food, and relish eating good food this is your movie! Chefs, food critics, restaurantowners, and normal people should see this well made film.
A MOST WANTED MAN. This is almost Philip Seymour Hoffman’s last film. It got a 90 on Rotten Tomatoes. Rachel McAdams, Willem Dafoe and Robin Wright play various roles as secret agents from The USA, Germany, Islamic territories, Russia and elsewhere. It’s a slow moving and very confusing story from John le Carre’s book. I couldn’t follow the connections and lost interest after the first 20 minutes.
BOYHOOD. This film made some sort of cinema history because the director took 12 years to film the same cast in the same roles as they aged. Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 99 but I think the acting is so terrible it shouldn’t have been made…or released. Any sensitivity, reality, sincerity, or emotions are spoiled by the amateurish acting. Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke play the parents, and they aren’t very good either. Wait and rent it.
DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. ( or APES OF WRATH ) It’s like Snowpiercer in that it has a somewhat serious message on the present and future status of humans. The apes who live in Marin County and ride horses are half human, speak some English and have almost exactly the same values as we do. It lacks the cutesy humor of Roddy McDowell and super stars like Charlton Heston, and is a much more somber comment on our lives after a virus kills off most humans. You could wait and rent it if you have a big screen at home.
BEGIN AGAIN. Mark Ruffalo is getting tiresome onscreen, he’s always the same guy, and he’s no different in this sad music business saga. Kiera Knightly is supposed to be a singer and James Corden (brilliant star of One Man, Two Guvnor’s is just about an invisible zero in his good buddy role here. It’s like a new copy of an old Judy Garland-Mickey Rooney movie.
JERSEY BOYS. Like most of Clint Eastwood– directed films, Jersey Boys is about as deep as a 45 rpm disc. The same plot could have been afixed to any pop group. The acting is about as good as you can expect from such a hackneyed show biz story. Even if you’re still a Frankie Valli fan, this movie is boring.
THE PURGE: ANARCHY. This bloody, confusing flick will probably make as much money as last year’s surprise Purge hit. It’s a truly evil premise that centers on 12 hours per year when everybody can kill everybody…all across the USA. This pits race against race, poor against rich, whatever!!! I guess it’s as valid as all those viruses, aliens, freezes, and radiation that kills us in the rest of the disaster films. The pacing isn’t bad, the camera work is passable, the acting is so-so but why go to see a film like this??? Just watch the box office receipts, don’t help them.
AND SO IT GOES. Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton do their best to save this very unfunny, and even bitter film. Keaton even pretends she can sing, and you too will wonder why. Michael Douglas is supposed to be a bitter old real estate man who took care of his wife who died off screen and he won’t convince you of anything. Stay away from this mess, and don’t consider even renting it.
I ORIGINS. This film is about God, eyeballs, evolution,and lots more eyeballs. The acting is unbelievably bad, but not as bad or as confusing as the plot. It tries to be an important statement, it tries to pretend that there’s an idea behind the plot…but there isn’t. Avoid this film.
HERCULES. This monstrosity is exactly the film you expect it to be. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Hercules uttering such classic Roman-Greek lines as “fuck the centaurs” just leaves you breathless. What happened to great cinema stars like Charlton Heston, Victor Mature, Kirk Douglas, and even Steve Reeves.? You could believe those guys. There’s also a character named Rhesus in this saga, and the pun is too obvious. I just found (on Wikipedia) a film titled, ” Hercules In New York” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger (1970).
MALEFICENT. As we all know know, this is “Sleeping Beauty” gone bad. Curses, spells, special effects and Angelina Jolie’s fake jawbones plus horns make this an almost silly and phony saga. Elle Fanning who is now 16 years old is still cute as all get out. And you should get out and see some more meaningful movie.
22 JUMP STREET. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are back again doing their dumb undercover cop thing. The film took in $111.5 million dollars the opening weekend, and what else is new??? It’s stupid, mean, crotch focussed, anti-gay, and will probably make many more millions before thet finish 23 JUMP STREET. If you do go and see this pierce of junk don’t tell me about it!
EARTH TO ECHO. Kids find a cute tiny, little robot from outer space and it’s just like all the rest of the cutesy, summertime, kids & robots movies. Not one new twist, you don’t even see the robot until 45 minutes into the film and it’s very poorly directed and miserable editing, with lousy camera angles. Don’t go. Or at least SEND the kids, don’t go with them.
TAMMY. What a line-up of stars in this very sad downer of a movie. Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates, Dan Aykroyd, Sandra Oh, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, Mark Duplass and Melissa McCarthy who co-authored and produced it with her husband Ben Falcone. It cedrtainly isn’t a comedy, because Melissa ans Susan Sarandon play such loser roles. It’s not a tragedy because you’ll laugh at the stupid, and vulgar scenes. It’s a waste of… time, your money and their talents.
| UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE RADIO PROGRAM KZSC 88.1 FM or live online at www.KZSC.ORG TUESDAYS 7-8 P.M. |
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. Sentinel reporter and author Terri Morgan discusses her book “The Genetic Lottery” on August 5th. Then Jacob Martinez describes the work he’s doing on DigitalNest.org and young folks in Watsonville. Patrice Keet talks about all the plans for the Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery on August 12. And she’s followed by Phil Collins relating the dates and events of the New Music Works. On August 26 Mary Altier and Carol Trengove talk about the Pajaro Valley Arts Council’s newest exhibit. Rose Sellery and Tina Brown discuss this years Fashion Art Show on September 16. 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 5 years here’s a chronological list of just this year’s podcasts. Click herehttp://kzsc.org/blog/tag/universal-grapevine 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, and 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 Company. 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!!!
QUOTES. “August, the summer’s last messenger of misery, is a hollow actor”, Henry Rollins. “August depresses me a little. I don’t even feel like eating. And when I don’t eat, that’s a sure sign of stagnation“, Willard Scott. ” Prayer is an august avowal of ignorance”, Victor Hugo..
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BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.
Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.
