PACIFIC AVENUE AND CATHCART STREETS, JAN.29,1963. You can barely make out the J.C. Penny Store on the close right which is now Taqueria Vallarta and Johnny’s Bike and Sport Shop is now Old School Shoes. That big Santa Cruz Bowling Pin advertises the bowling alley which became the new Catalyst in April of 1975, if I remember correctly. photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

TIGHT ROPE WALKER OVER YOSEMITE FALLS. Don’t watch if you’re faint of heart…it’s scary.

OSCARS AND MOVIE THOUGHTS. Just like everyone I know who likes films we all wonder why Argo won the best film Oscar. How’s this for a solution to the problem of minor/lesser films winning…no one in the Academy can vote for any film that they have a financial or personal relationship with? Another idea, since we’ll never get any genuine gun control laws passed, why not severely restrict the making of films for public release that contain the “improper”, negative, life threatening, use of guns?

SENSIBLE TRANSPORTATION NEWS PLUS WEBSITE. Peter Scott emailed to say, “We need to bring back the summer weekend bus service to Big Basin State Park”. There’s a petition on our website. It now includes a page of comments by petition signers. We need to gather a few more signatures. There is a reasonable chance that this much-desired service could be restored.

There is also a new page on how to get to Monterey by bus. Turns out that Monterey-Salinas Transit has just started new bus service that connects Monterey with Santa Cruz (not just Watsonville). It’s Route #78. Only $1.75 for us ancients. Here’s the link: http://sensibletransportation.org/monterey

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary has a lot to say, such as “On Wednesday, March 6^th, the Santa Cruz County LAFCO will be meeting at 9:30 in the morning, in the Chambers of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors. The big item confronting the Santa Cruz County LAFCO is a proposal to allow the City of Santa Cruz to extend water service beyond its current boundaries, to facilitate over 3,000,000 square feet of new development on the UCSC North Campus. My law firm is opposing that proposal. A court decision (not handled by my firm, by the way) has put immediate action on hold, since the court found that the City’s Environmental Impact Report was inadequate

If you want to get a free online tutorial on our public participation laws, the League of Women Voters of the Monterey Peninsula has an online video of my own hour-long presentation on “Keeping Government Honest.” If you would like to listen to that presentation, and I actually think I do a pretty good job outlining the issues, here’s the link

Read all of above at Gary’s KUSP Land Use scripts http://blogs.kusp.org/landuse /

(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)

BASKETBALL CHEERLEADER DOES IMPOSSIBLE SINK SHOT. She’s what the Warriors need!!!

FOUR LEGGED STILT COSTUME. Plenty of time before Halloween.

VINTAGE DE CINZO.From the never dusty files comes DeCinzo and “editorializing” on cartoons. See below…

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Scroll below to see Tim Eagan’s version of our Framers Intent. Or “Gun With The Wind?”

GREAT CENTAUR DEVICE-COSTUME

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul asks, “Did Obama Forget About His fresh Start?”

In this week’s article he asks in detail, “Obama could easily get Gross released by pardoning the Cuban 5, intelligence agents who infiltrated violent Miami-based exile groups who had begun bombing targets in Havana, and were arrested by the FBI and found guilty of conspiring to commit espionage. Such an act would also open the door to larger negotiations and a restoration of relations. So when will Obama hear the news? When will he bring “fresh” realism to U.S.-Cuba policy, abandon the half-century U.S. quest to oust Cuba’s government, and restore diplomatic and trade relations with the island? The rest of the world has let go of the Cold War. But it wasn’t really the Cold War or Soviet involvement on the island that first hit Washington’s gut. Cuba’s disobedience, its lack of reverence for U.S. supremacy in the region, its dismissal of the Monroe Doctrine and the Roosevelt Corollary, and Castro’s expropriation of U.S. corporate property made Havana a target, whose insolence continues to bother the Washington elite. But they’ve co-existed with inconveniences before. Read it here

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

LISA JENSEN LINKS. “The Oscars are finally over, but you can still view my notorious Oscar Barbie’s this week on Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). Also, come celebrate MUSE, Santa Cruz’s new arts/entertainment website at a launch party at the Tannery this First Friday night.” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

HAPPY PEOPLE: A YEAR IN THE TAIGA. This is Werner Herzog’s latest documentary, and it’s wonderful and even inspiring and thought provoking. The Taiga is in Siberia and this is one year in the lives of a few residents of the tiny (300) village of Bakhita. Completely isolated most of the year, these folks exist by trapping and selling sables. Herzog didn’t film it but he edited a much longer film to fit his tastes and if you like Herzog (I do) this is every bit as good as any of his other films. It’s man versus nature, or co-existing with nature, which is a more profound way of putting it. See it then think about your daily life, when you have time.

DARK SKIES. A genuine mess of a film. It’s not a good space alien flick, but it tries. It’s a lousy Paranormal Activity scare film, but it tries. It’s not a good “don’t go down the cellar stairs” film but it tries. All in all, it’s a very trying film. It’s not boring, because you keep hoping that it’s developing something tangible but it never does. It’s a flop and don’t think about seeing it, everybody else is sorry they went and you will be too.

CALL AND RESPONSE AT VINOCRUZ.

“Call and Response” is a collection of “Mixed Media Drawings” by Carol Jeneid, Maggie Kitamura and Susan Lysik whichwill open on first Friday (3/1) at Vinocruz and run through March. Vinocruz is that wine shop in Abbott Square by the MAH Museum, The legal address is 725 Front Street but everybody goes there through Cooper Street, next to Lulu’s Octagonal Espresso place.

PARSIFAL WITH BLOOD. The live telecast of The Metropolitan Opera’s current production of Wagner’s Parsifal starts at 9 a.m. Saturday March 2^nd. At Cinema 9. Like almost any production of a Wagner Opera, reviews on this one run the gamut. Jonas Kaufmann is Parsifal and Rene Pape sings Gurnemanz. I watched and heard RenePape bring the house down several times singing Wagner in Berlin at the 2002 Wagner Fest when they performed all 10 of his greatest operas! Great voices, good casting, lots of blood, and it’s 5 hours and 45 minutes long. I’ll save you a seat.

SANTA CRUZ CHAMBER PLAYERS. Their next Concert is called The Orient Express. It features music by Pierné, Waldteufel, Mahler, Schubert, Doppler, and Enescu. The musicians are Lars Johannesson, artistic director and flute, Alissa Roedig, flute, Amy Brodo, cello, Sheila Willey, soprano and Susan Bruckner at the piano. It happens Saturday, March 2, 8 pm and Sunday, March 3 at 3 pm at Christ Lutheran Church 10707 Soquel Drive, Aptos (Off Highway 1 at Freedom Blvd.) Tickets at the door.

GEOGRAPHY OF A HORSE DREAMER. Nigel Sanders-Self isdirecting this 1974 play by Sam Shepard. Its two acts center on a guy who can dream winners of horse races and on the thugs who kidnap him to bet on those dreams. Erik Gandolfi, Chad Davies and Aaron Walker star in this black comedy. Produced by the Jewel Theatre Company, it’s at the Center Stage at 1001 Center Street, Santa Cruz. Go to www.JewelTheatre.net or call 425-7506 for tickets, and don’t wait too long, or it’ll sell out.

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.

On Feb. 26 Julie James talks about the Sam Shepard play “Geography of A Horse Dreamer” coming to the Jewel Theatre (2/28-3/17)and Kathy Bisbee and Lynn Miller talk about Community Television’s future. Historian, author Sandy Lydon guests on March 5^th for the pledge drive night. Teacher, fiddler Annie Steinhart talks about her new book “Pele Voodoo Live” on March 12. She’s followed by Linda Burman Hall unfolding the Santa Cruz Baroque Festival’s new season. Joop Rubens is first on March 19^th talking about the work that the local Firelight Foundation does. After Joop 2 photographers from the Six Views Show at the Leeds Gallery (2/15-3/25) talk about their show. UCSC’s assoc. prof. Ben Leeds Carson talks about the annual April in Santa Cruz Festival followed by Cabrilho College’s John Orlando and the concerts in the Distinguished Artists Series. Alexandra Kennedy discussesissues attached to grief on April 2^nd. 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 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!!!

QUOTES. “Basically my wife was immature. I’d be at home in my bath and she’d come in and sink my boats”. Woody Allen. “Here’s to Woman! Would that we could fall into their arms without falling into her hands”, Ambrose Bierce. “She said he proposed something to her on their wedding night that even her own brother wouldn’t have suggested”, James Thurber