Bratton Online

SANTA CRUZ BEACH & BOARDWALK 1940. This photo contains plenty of long ago history, By squinting you can see what used to be Opera Island over by the east parking lot in the San Lorenzo River. Note too The Casa Del Rey Hotel later turned into a senior center later razed rapidly (1989) by Charlie Canfield /Boardwalk to get FEMA earthquake money. Of course you notice the pier running out from the Boardwalk. Then there’s The La Bahia Hotel.

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE July 18, 2016

SANTA CRUZ’S CANCEROUS GROWTH. In spite of the massive evidence surrounding us, cities do not get better, or expressly more prosperous when they get bigger. Yet the lure and promise of taxes imposed on new buildings and big out of town and state franchises still fool local officials into luring and encouraging growth. Can anyone possibly think that San Jose or Los Angeles or San Francisco city coffers are better off because they grew into gigantic metropolises? Santa Cruz is seeing this “greed above

UC STEREOTYPES EXPLAINED. Odd, strange, but you probably haven’t seen this one!!!

PGA GOLF TOUR MEETS ANIMALS

all common sense” attitude when we keep getting our elected politicos’ pitches pushing THE CORRIDOR PLAN. I’m willing to bet that never in Santa Cruz City history has there been such a rush to approve as much building as is happening right now. The Villa de Branciforte Society (go here to see their history) has been working for years to keep some semblance of livability and quality to our neighborhoods. They work hard to inform neighbors and elected officials of the enormity of pending development. (Go here to see their current “Developments on the Block”…) Just like widening highways encourages more traffic new housing doesn’t satisfy any local housing needs it encourages more folks moving here.

To make all this even more real check out the two full pages (below) of projects from April 30, 2016 of such projects as four hotels, 248 units on Delaware, 94 units on Pacific, 63 units on Pacific and numerous additions, second floors, ad infinitum. We need to keep asking our City Council and especially the new council candidates such questions as… where will the necessary water come from, how can our streets carry the added traffic, hos can the police and fire departments handle the extra problems. What kind of new jobs will be created, how much of the new business profits will stay in the County?

Follow this link to see a more or less complete list (2 full pages) of all the projects the City has given approval to build.

KROHN GOES TO CLEVELAND. Former Santa Cruz Mayor and political activist Chris Krohn is in Cleveland. He will be sending exclusive reports on the Republican Convention to BrattonOnline….here’s his first (dated Mon, 18 July, 2016 8:37 am)

“SURROUNDED BY REPUBLICANS”. by Chris Krohn.

I was surrounded by Republicans at SFO this past Saturday night. Having been able to score a press pass from the House of Representatives Periodical Press Gallery for the Republican National Convention in Cleveland—they obviously do not know me—I’m waiting for my red-eye flight when I hear a forty-something in a red tee shirt wearing Birkenstock’s and carrying a computer bag being introduced to a twenty-something woman who is seated near me. “I run data for Trump, that’s what I do. Nice to meet you,” he says. Then a guy about 30 in beige shorts and a white sport shirt chimes in. “Oh yeah, I was the youngest delegate for the Republicans back when I was 22…I’m a big fan of Donald Trump…I’m on the leadership committee for the state.”

I’m thinking, wow the convention starts here at SFO. So with notebook in hand I get up and approach the Republican gaggle. The man in shorts is clear he does not want to talk about the convention. He says he’s going but “doesn’t necessarily want people to know. Who do you work for?” he asks.

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Are you a Trump supporter? I ask.

“Yes, but I don’t really want to go on the record at this time.”

So why are you going?

“Because it’s a circus, and I like the circus.”

I board the airplane and track down the Trump data guy in a window seat in row 12. “Nope, can’t talk about it.” His speech is slurred. “I would love to talk about it, but they made me sign an agreement, really sorry.”

It’s a soft touchdown on Frontier Airlines flight 1516 into Cleveland’s Hopkins International airport. As I disembark there is Trump on the big screen talking to CNN’s Anderson Cooper. I stop momentarily to look at the New York Times headlines: “Trump: we are in a world war scenario,” he’s quoted as saying, responding to the recent truck attack on Nice, France. Trump and the Republicans seem to be everywhere in this normally moderate and a bit left of center Democratic city.

Although the airplane had very little leg room the seats did not recline (I will likely not fly Frontier again), it is contrasted by the city’s sparkling metallic Rapid Transit train that awaits me just steps from the terminal.It’s 6:40am and the sun’s just coming up over the tracks as we leave the airport station and pass by the Ford Factory and head towards downtown.

I get out at the West 117th street station in Lakewood where I will be staying with a woman, an “artist hippy” she later calls herself. We met through the “Housing Needed”section of Craig’s List. Seems like she just wanted to put up journalists who would perhaps tell an alternative RNC story she said. I was game.

Lakewood appears to be a prosperous middle-class part of Cleveland. I walk down mainstreet, called Madison, and it is well configured with two-way traffic lanes, a center turning lane and two bicycle paths on either side. Seems that cafes and craft beer bars have taken the place of dry goods stores and hat shops. Gasoline is selling for $2.09 a gallon, and the Lakewood Village Tavern advertises pints of Miller Beer for $1.75. The flags, and there are many, are at half-staff. I am told later they are for the Dallas police officers who were shot last week.

I find my way to my host’s house on Olivewood, a narrow tree-lined street with modest and tidy homes, most were probably built in the nineteenth century. I arrive to an open doorwith nobody home. Shelby Scanlon my host later says she never locks the door “because there’s always people coming in and out.” I sleep for a couple of hours and Shelby drives me the five miles separating Lakewood from downtown. She drops me off at a convenient place where I wade into the first unofficial day of RNC-mania.

MSNBC has set up a large presence on East 4th Street not far from the “Q Arena” where main political proceedings will take place beginning tomorrow. The area appears like a Fan Zone outside of some huge sporting event. People are selling political buttons, stickers and tee shirts, bars seem to be doing a brisk business, and manyof the political tourists are just standing and gawking at MSNBC’s Chris Hayes as he texts between segments of his show. Republicans are so close to this TV booth that they can almost reach out and mess his hair up if they wanted, and I assume many would as Hayes is sometimes the poster child of the liberal press for many of the GOP faithful.

East 4th street is definitely a party and people-watchingplace for the Republicans. I run into Wisconsin governor and former GOP presidential candidate, Scott Walker. He’s wearing a very unpresidential red sports shirt and brown Dockers. He chews on a mouth full of food and stands between two women as his aide snaps cell phone pictures. It’s hard not to ask him about his Koch brothers financial support and how he got punked back in 2011 by a well-known prankster who pretended to be David Koch calling him about union protesters at the state capitol. (Walker bought it, see YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBnSv3a6Nh4). But I move on.

I run into Hardball’s, Chris Matthews and ask him about his recent interview with Bill Maher in which the political comic said he fully expected President Obama to come out and support the legalization of marijuana. Matthews immediately gave me a thumbs up when I mention Maher’s name, but did Matthews really believe Obama would come out on this issue? I ask. He pauses and appears to seriously think about the question. “No,” he said, “I really doubt it.” I take a selfie with him just before he goes onthe air inside of the MSNBC glass bubble.

Next, I am able to get up close and personal with Frank Jackson, the current mayor of Cleveland. Jackson’s a Democrat, so I ask him how he likes being around so many Republicans. “The Republicans are spending money and that’s good for Cleveland,” he says. He also says that they’ve been planning this convention for two years and the federal government ponied up $50 million to underwrite it. And, how much is the city on the hook for? Ominously he just shakes his head saying, “I’m not sure right now.” When I tell him I’m from Santa Cruz he tells me he was stationed at Camp Roberts in central California and he and his army buddies would often visit Santa Cruz and San Jose. He said he liked those places a lot. I snap another selfie and I’m off to the Rock ‘n Roll Hall a Fame a few blocks away for the big media-delegate party the RNC is throwing. But it’s a two-hour wait just to get past security, and having an RNC press pass does nothing to avoid it, so I head over to the press center to file this story and marvel at all the firepower I pass in the streets: police, secret service, army and other police units I am not sure who they are attached to, are all heavily armed. They do not lean on anything either but stand upright and appear ready for action.

To get inside the press center itself my backpack has to go through a machine, I walk through another one, and a police officer wearing a bullet proof vest also waves his metal detecting wand in bodily places even the airport screeners never venture to. So this is how to spend $50 million on a convention and preserve a free press. As the San Francisco Chronicle’s Herb Caen often said, “Gawd, I love this city.”

~
Christopher Krohn (Next week: What happens inside the convention hall never stays inside.)

Mr. Paul Elerick of Aptos writes…

The People’s Democratic Club (PDC) held their annual Retreat on Saturday, July 16. 24 PDC members plus several non-members attended. The minutes will be posted soon at www.pdclub.org, but here is a report from PDC’s initiatives Committee on what will be on the November 8th Ballot Good grief!!!! Seventeen propositions on the State Ballot!!!!

CLICK HERE FOR THE LIST OF BALLOT MEASURES… (link expands, click again to collapse)

Committee recommends	Fall Ballot Measures	Positions
Committee recommends	Fall Ballot Measures	CFT¹	CLF²	CDP³
Prop 51 YES	School Bonds. Funding for K-12 School and Community College Facilities. Initiative Statutory Amendment. Authorizes $9 billion in general obligation bonds: $3 billion for new construction and $3 billion for modernization of K-12 public school facilities; $1 billion for charter schools and vocational education facilities; and $2 billion for California Community Colleges facilities.		Yes	Yes
Prop 52 ???? More study	State Fees on Hospitals. Federal Medi-Cal Matching Funds. Initiative Statutory and Constitutional Amendment. Directs those fees and federal matching funds to hospital-provided Medi-Cal health care services, to uncompensated care provided by hospitals to uninsured patients, and to children’s health coverage. Requires two-thirds vote for the Legislature to amend existing law that imposes fees on hospitals (for purpose of obtaining federal Medi-Cal matching funds)		Yes	Yes
Prop 53 NO	Revenue Bonds. Statewide Voter Approval. Initiative Constitutional Amendment Requires statewide voter approval before any revenue bonds can be issued or sold by the state for projects that are financed, owned, operated, or managed by the state or any joint agency created by or including the state, if the bond amount exceeds $2 billion.	No?	NO	NO
Prop 54 NO	Legislation /Proceedings. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute. Prohibits Legislature from passing any bill unless it has been in print and published on the Internet for at least 72 hours before the vote, except in cases of public emergency.	No?	NO	NO
Prop 55 Yes	Tax Extension to Fund Education – Extends by 12 years the temporary personal income tax increases passed 2012: earnings over $250,000 for single filers; over $500,000 for joint filers; over $340,000 for heads of household].	Yes	Yes	Yes
Prop 56 YES	Tobacco Tax to Fund Healthcare, Tobacco Use Prevention, Research, and Law Enforcement. Increases cigarette tax by $2.00 per pack, with equivalent increase on other tobacco products and electronic cigarettes. Revenue primarily to increase funding for existing healthcare programs and services.		Yes	Yes
Prop 57 YES	Criminal Sentences. Juvenile Criminal Proceedings and Sentencing. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute. Allows parole consideration for persons convicted of nonviolent felonies upon completion of full prison term for primary offense, as defined. Provides juvenile court judges shall make determination, upon prosecutor motion, whether juveniles age 14 and older should be prosecuted and sentenced as adults.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Prop 58 YES	English language education. (PDF)Specifies English immersion – Repeals current legislation that prohibits English immersion programs	Yes	Yes	Yes
Prop 59 YES	Campaign finance: voter instruction. Advises overturn of Citizens United	Yes	Yes	Yes
Prop 60 NR	Adult Films. Condoms. Health Requirements. Initiative Statute. Requires performers in adult films to use condoms during filming of sexual intercourse.		NR	NO
Prop 61 NR	State Prescription Drug Purchases. Pricing Standards. Initiative Statute. Michael Weinstein c/o Bradley W. Hertz (818) 593-2949 Prohibits state agencies from paying more for a prescription drug than the lowest price paid for the same drug by the Department of Veterans Affairs		NR	NR
Prop 62 YES	Death Penalty – Repeals death penalty as maximum punishment for persons found guilty of murder and replaces it with life imprisonment without possibility of parole. Applies retroactively to persons already sentenced to death.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Prop 63 ????	Firearms. Ammunition Sales. Initiative Statute – Prohibits possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines, and requires their disposal by sale to dealer, destruction, or removal from state. Requires most individuals to pass background check and obtain Department of Justice authorization to purchase ammunition.	Yes	NR	Yes
Prop 64 YES	Marijuana Legalization. Initiative Statute.Legalizes marijuana and hemp under state law. Designates state agencies to license and regulate marijuana industry. Imposes state excise tax on retail sales of marijuana		NR	Yes
Prop 65 NO	Carry-Out Bags. Charges. Redirects money collected by grocery and certain other retail stores through sale of carry-out bags, Requires stores to deposit bag sale proceeds into a special fund administered by the Wildlife Conservation Board to support specified categories of environmental projects.		NR	?
Prop 66 NO	Limits Death Penalty Appeals. Procedures. Initiative Statute. Changes procedures governing state court appeals and petitions challenging death penalty convictions and sentences. Designates superior court for initial petitions, limits successive petitions. Imposes time limits on state court death penalty review.	No	No	No
Prop 67 YES	Referendum to Overturn Ban on Single-Use Plastic Bags. If signed by the required number of registered voters and timely filed with the Secretary of State, this petition will place on the statewide ballot a challenge to a state law previously approved by the Legislature and the Governor		Yes	Yes

1 California Federation of Teachers
2 California Labor Federation
3 California Democratic Party
NR = no recommendation
???? = more research needed before recommendation is made
Sources:
Secretary of State: www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/initiative-and-referendum-status/
Ballotpedia: www.ballotpedia.org/California_2016_ballot_propositions
Resources:
Prop 51: www.cbia.org/cbia-reports/yes-on-proposition-51-support-the-statewide-school-bond
Prop 52: www.cta.org/en/Campaign2016.aspx
Prop 55: www.cta.org/en/Campaign2016.aspx
Prop 57: www.fairsentencingforyouth.org
Prop 58: www.cta.org/en/Campaign2016.aspx
Prop 59: www.yesonca49.com/
Prop 62: www.facebook.com/yeson62/
Prop 64: www.yeson64.org

Developed by: PDC Initiatives Committee

(Paul Elerick is a member of, and former co-chair of the Campaign for Sensible Transportation, http://sensibletransportation.org . He’s a current member of Nisene to Sea, a group of mid-county citizens committed to maintaining an open hiking trail from Cabrillo College to Nisene Marks State Park

GREENSITE’S INSIGHT. Gillian writes….”Gillian is off for this week. Will return next week”. We are repeating her column from last week because the “click here/read more” link didn’t work much of the time.

“PG&E TREE REMOVAL HAS TO BE CHALLENGED!” (July 11, 2016)

The July 6th meeting with PG&E and city representatives was well attended thanks to community activism and little thanks to the city. At the council meeting in late April when this issue was on the council agenda as a presentation allowing no public comment, council stated that the July 6th meeting would be widely publicized. An Immediate Release item that appeared on the city’s website less than a week before the meeting, a hard to locate posting from Santa Cruz Neighbors on Next Door the day before the meeting and a Sentinel Coastlines entry the day of the meeting does not to me constitute a “widely publicized” meeting.

The posting from the city stated that the list of 38 public trees to be removed would be available at the meeting. The three copies available to look at but not take away suggest the city did not anticipate a large turnout. After the Mayor’s opening words, the city arborist introduced the meeting followed by the usual plethora of PG&E operatives dragged forward to respond to questions. It was a rather sorry affair. As one person shared, “I expected a slide show on the project with detailed explanations, scientific evidence and a comprehensive list of trees.” The poster boards with drawings of trees and pipelines did not pass muster for scientific evidence. The most energetic aspects of the meeting came from audience challenges and probing questions. At least questions were allowed in a group setting, a rare occurrence in today’s democratic process where consultants orchestrate small tables and post-it notes with no questions allowed.

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In answer to a direct question about how many trees on private property in the city are involved, besides the 38 on public property, it was disturbing to hear that there are 275 such trees on the removal list with 122 being of heritage designation. This information had been hitherto carefully guarded. PG&E stated it had already met with each property owner to draw up an agreement. One wonders whether such property owners in the city of Santa Cruz have been advised of their right of refusal which was made clear at the meeting in Live Oak organized by Supervisor John Leopold? If property owners in the city have already signed an agreement that right might be forfeited. The impact of removing so many heritage trees in a 13-mile square city will be significant. Such a large tree removal project should be subject to CEQA and the local Heritage Tree Ordinance but the city arborist/urban forester said no, it wouldn’t be. Bay Area attorneys and the urban forester in Walnut Creek disagree. So it seems does the county. In the letter to the Board of Supervisors from John Leopold and Bruce McPherson, they state: “We propose that the project be put on hold here as well while the County creates a framework agreement with PG&E that makes sure our needs and our local and state environmental regulations are met.”

In response to the question, ” what data does PG&E have of problems with gas transmission lines caused by trees or tree roots?” the answer from PG&E was, “we don’t have any documented cases.” So, with close to 7000 miles of gas transmission lines and decades of use, there is not a single example of a problem caused by trees. I went on the website for SoCalGas, the counterpart to PG&E in central and southern California. There are many entries for gas transmission pipeline safety with not one entry involving the need to remove trees. I looked on the CPUC website with many entries for gas transmission pipeline safety subsequent to the San Bruno tragedy with not one entry involving the need to remove trees. There is no time to waste in contacting the city council and demanding that any agreement between the city and PG&E be channeled through a public process so we can have input and scrutinize how our city is protecting our interests and our trees, or not. If we fail to demand this public process it will be a private deal between the city and PG&E.

At the very least, the city’s agreement should spell out the legal opinion on the applicability of CEQA and the Heritage Tree Ordinance. It should clarify the rights of property owners to reject the tree removal proposal. It should require each heritage tree slated for removal to have its roots mapped with GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) to determine if the roots are near or far from the pipeline. It should require that PG&E and CPUC submit detailed, scientific evidence for this tree removal project. It should require evidence of pipeline valve upgrades with automatic and remote control shut-off capabilities in our county. PLEASE add your voice to help stop this unnecessary vandalism. Visit Melrose St. or Save Our Big Trees FB page and take in the beauty of the Catalpa trees, which will be gone for good if this project is allowed to progress”.

~
(Gillian Greensite is a long time local activist, a member of Save Our Big Trees and the Santa Cruz chapter of IDA, International Dark Sky Association http://darksky.org Plus she’s an avid ocean swimmer, hiker and lover of all things wild).

PATTON’S PROGRAM. From Gary’s Two Worlds website… dated July 14, 2106

UCSC TRAIL RIDE. Not sure exactly where near the campus this is..and it’s beautiful.

“GOOD ADVICE FROM JANE”

The City of Santa Cruz is in the middle of developing a so-called “Corridors Plan” for the main transportation corridors in the city. Affected would be Mission Street, Ocean Street, Water Street, and Soquel Avenue. In general, higher densities and increased building heights would be encouraged all along these city streets. I have been following the project from afar, and I have been encouraging local residents to get involved. There was a community meeting last night, for instance, on the East Side, highlighting the massive traffic, parking, and other impacts of what is being suggested. My suggestion? Pay attention. The stakes for the future of Santa Cruz are, actually, pretty high.

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~
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 opinions expressed are Mr. Patton’s. Gary has his own website, Two Worlds at www.gapatton.net

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. Hear Steven DeCinzo on Universal Grapevine Tuesday July 19 th, 7-7:30 p.m. KZSC 88.1 fm. Scroll downwards to see his take on Santa Cruz Shakespeare

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. Scroll down to see Eagan’s view of our views.

BLITZER GALLERY PRESENTS…The Fool’s Journey-An Exhibition of Paintings-Special Event-Gallery Talk: Sunday July 24th 2 pm. Pamela Eakins, Ph.D. “The Fool’s Journey”. Following in the tradition of the Tarot, with its 22 illustrations of life passages, gifts, and challenges, 18 women artists paint their experience of life’s journey. Based on a painting course developed and taught by Susan Heinz. Curated by Betsy Anderson and Susan Heinz. Featured artists are…Laurel Andres, Sharon Bosley, Maureen Davidson, Bonnie Friedmann, Ruth Garland, Susan Heinz, Aisha Hudson, Lynne McGolrick, Eileen Nazzaro, Christine Price, Kathy Pouls, Nora Sarkissian, Barbara Schatan, Karen Schembs, Peggy Snider, Berdell Spellman, Janet Trenchard, and Karen Zelin.
Exhibit dates now through July 30, 2016. Gallery hours -Tuesday – Saturday, noon – 5 pm. SPECIAL EVENT: Gallery Talk, Sunday July 24th, 2 pm-Scholar and author, Pamela Eakins, Ph.D., speaks on “The Fool’s Journey”

MUNCHING WITH MOZART & FRIENDS. Every third Thursday of the month Carol Panofsky presents a free concert. So Thursday, July 21st 12:10 – 12:50 at the Santa Cruz Public Library Downtown Branch – in the Meeting Room there’ll be ” Noontime with the Oldies – very Oldies” with Lynn Kidder at the piano. Lynn will play Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757) Sonata in C, K. 560 and Sonata in C, K. 561. Then Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Preludes, from Well Tempered Clavier, vol. 2 No. 7 in Eb and No. 9 in E. After that, Robert Schumann (1810-1856) Romanze in F#, op. 28 #2 and Frederic Chopin (1810-1849) Ballade in g, op. 23. Shell close with Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827). Sonata in Eb, op. 31 #3, “The Hunt” Presto con fuoco. Get there early seats go fast.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “How well has Santa Cruz Shakespeare transitioned to ther new performance space in DeLaveaga Park? Read about the new SCS production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). The set and costumes may be minimalist, but that they got the stage erected at all is no less a feat of magic than anything conjured by Puck and his fleet of fairies!” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

THAT IS THE QUESTION
(THE NEWEST FILMS IN ORDER OF PERFECTION)

HUNT FOR WILDERPEOPLE.An excellent movie that has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. I had a problem with the New Zealand or “Kiwi” accents, and missed a few poignant scenes. Go here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgWnQVfY3mE to get a quick tutorial. Also note it’s “WILDERpeople” as in WILDERNESS not WILDER as in State Park. It’s a scenic, sensitive, comedy about the adventures of a 13 year old misplaced orphan who meets up with grizzly, solitary Sam Neill. They escape authorities by existing in the wilderness of the New Zealand Bush Country. It’s also exciting, tight, creative, perfectly acted, and most importantly…ORIGINAL!!

GHOSTBUSTERS 2. As most movie fans know, they replaced the original male Ghostbusters….Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd, Sigourney Weaver , Eddie Hudson, Rick Moranis and Harold Ramis with an almost all woman cast ie…Melissa McCarthy, Kristin Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones. Plus adding Charles Dance and Chris Hemsworth. The sex change isn’t the important change even though that’s’ what everyone focusses on. The big difference is iin the amount of intelligence, cleverness,and sold humor in the script. These new jokes are dumber, clumsy, obvious, shallow and just not funny. The ghosts aren’t as clever either. Only go if you need to complete your ghostly experiences. Watch for cameos by most of the originals.

STILL PLAYING AT A THEATRE NEAR US
FROM BEST TO REALLY BAD

THE INNOCENTS. An 88 on Rotten Tomatoes!!! It ‘s worth even more than that!!!A French, subtitled , sad, threatening, well-acted, brilliant film that will wrench out your heart…and also your thoughts about faith. Set in Poland at the end of WW2, convent nuns have been raped by Soviet soldiers and 7 are pregnant. A young pretty French doctor stops her life to help them in spite of horrendous odds. It’s a well made film and should win awards…but it probably won’t. It’s too heavy for the awards, being so political and all.

WIENER-DOG. Four separate family stories woven around who owns the Weiner Dog As it passes from woner to owner. Danny DeVito is great to see back on-screen. Greta Gerwig is more or less boring and adds nothing (which is unusual for her). Kieran Culkin is in it and looks like an overly debauched Daniel Radcliffe. Julie Delpy and Ellen Burstyn also have dinky roles in this randomly constructed half funny mess but they should have stayed home, and so should you.

OUR KIND OF TRAITOR. Ewan McGregor and Stellan Skarsgard take the leads in this John Le Carre international money scheme thriller.It’ll remind you of James Bond and Alfred Hitchcock type chase films. Evil Russian Mafia spies, innocent British tourists, messy internal problems with British Government…all stuff that you’ve seen before. And it’s pretty good too.Paris, Bern, Marrakech, French Alps, and of course London are feature attractions. If you like espionage, foreign intrigue, not much blood, and good acting– go for it.

LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP. This sharp, wordy, comedy is from a little known Jane Austen book, “Lady Susan”. If you’re particular, it takes place in England 130 years before Downtown Abbey (1790). Plenty of Hayden, Cherubini and Cimarosa-type music. Daughter Hillary convinced me that I’d been slipping critic- wise and that Kate Beckensale is completely out of character, and phoney. It’s a desperate, wordy attempt to make still more money out of anything with Jane Austen’s name on it. The plot centers on what women had to do to survive back then. Go see it if you like Brit costume epics, with lots of scenery and furniture. 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, so go figure. It’s just not all that great a film.

THE BFG. A huge Steven Spielberg special effects version of Roald Dahl’s 1982 children’s book. It lacks charm, warmth, cleverness, and wonderment. It’s even just plain boring for long sections. The BFGiant’s big excitement is in fighting the even bigger giants. It isn’t thrilling either. The effects are very good and may be better in 3D. But you’d be better off waiting and renting it later. Oh yes, the Queen of England is in it too, and she’s also boring.

YO-YO MA’s WONDERFUL EGO or THE MUSIC OF STRANGERS-YO YO MA AND THE SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE. A mess of a documentary. Not one complete piece of music in it. It rambles all over the world showing how musicians continue selling their souls by selling out their true folk music to make a buck. Ther’s a lot of good music being written nowadays both serious and popular…this doesn’t give proper credit to either. Stay home and listen to some music you really like, you’ll be better off.

THE LEGEND OF TARZAN. Tarzan has left the jungle but politics and Christoph Waltz have begun enslaving Congo locals so Tarzan ( Alexander Skarsgard) returns back to the vines. He brings Samuel L. Jackson who plays a more intelligent black version of Gabby Hayes, and does it poorly. The joy of the jungle, Brenda Joyce, Maureen O’Sullivan , Cheetah and Boy are gone. Just war, blood, violence remain. It’s sad to see a tradition like Johnny Weissmuller’s Tarzan squeezed through this absolutley senseless waste.

SWISS ARMY MAN. This is easily the most bizarre film I’ve seen in ten years. Paul Dano almost always plays in odd, nearly insane movies and he’s just as nuts in this one. Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) plays a dead corpse who farts so hard that Dano uses him as a jet ski!!! It isn’t funny, or even odd enough with any class or coherence to make it worth seeing. It’s listed as a comedy, no one was laughing when I saw it.

THE LOBSTER. Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz and John C. Reilly head the cast of this unfathomable, suposedly dystopian satire on our views and customs relating to sex. marriage, and it’s not nice to animals either. It’s heavy drama, with some laughs thrown in. Maybe you have to be young and distant to catch all the supposedly clever zingers. I missed 95 % of any meaning or purpose to this flick.

THE PURGE:ELECTION YEAR. What an idea…each year for just 24 hours it’s legal to kill anybody in this city. The city in this sequel is Washington, D.C. The first Purge movie had some sick but fascinating ideas in it this sequel is a very sick followup. A woman candidate for president who looks a lot like Elizabeth Warren is hunted by sort of Donald Trump type nazis. It gets bloody, racist, sexist and just plain putrid. They should purge this film, and forget the idea completely.

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 archived for two weeks… (See next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. Satirist, political cartoonist Steven DeCinzo guests first on July 19th. He’s followed by Becky Steinbruner and Ed Silviera discussing Villa Branciforte Preservation and the S.Cruz Transportation Corridor plans. Then on July 26 Michael Warren and Aimee Zygmonski discuss this year’s Santa Cruz Shakespeare season which opens July 12. After which, Michael G. Sullivan from The San Francisco Mime Troupe tells us about this year’s production. On August 2 Dr.Neil Sawhney (cardiologist) talks about heart health. Then Kathy McClure discusses the secrets of self publishing. Rick Gladstone opens on August 9th discussing Santa Cruz political history in the 1960’s. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome… so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always and only at bratton@cruzio.com

I only knew Catherine Tate from her playing Donna Noble in Dr. Who opposite David Tennant as the Doctor. I found some gems from the Catherine Tate Show, and I’m going to binge watch all the Catherine Tate I can find.

NEW UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVE FEATURE. Stuff changes at KZSC a lot. If you missed either of the last two weeks of Universal Grapevine broadcasts go here… http://www.radiofreeamerica.com/dj/bruce-bratton You have to listen to about 4 minutes of that week’s KPFA news first, then Grapevine happens.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 9 years here’s a chronological list of some past broadcasts. Such a wide range of folks such as Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson, 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.

QUOTES. Shakespeare’s dream quotes….

“A dream itself is but a shadow”, Hamlet.
“If we shadows have offended, think but this and all is mended, that you have but slumber’d here, while these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme, no more yielding but a dream”, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
“When I waked, I cried to dream again“, The Tempest.

COLUMN COMMUNICATIONS. Subscriptions: Click and enter the box in the upper right hand corner of each Column. You’ll get a weekly email notice the instant the column goes online. (Anywhere from Monday afternoon through Thursday or sometimes as late as Friday!) Always free and confidential. Even I don’t know who subscribes!!

Snail Mail: Bratton Online
82 Blackburn Street, Suite 216
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Direct email: Bratton@Cruzio.com

Direct phone: 831 423-2468

All Technical & Web details: Gunilla Leavitt @ godmoma@gmail.com

Blog Archives

July 19 – 25, 2016

THAT IS THE QUESTION
(THE NEWEST FILMS IN ORDER OF PERFECTION)

STILL PLAYING AT A THEATRE NEAR US
FROM BEST TO REALLY BAD

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Blog Archives

July 19 – 25, 2016

THAT IS THE QUESTION (THE NEWEST FILMS IN ORDER OF PERFECTION)

STILL PLAYING AT A THEATRE NEAR US FROM BEST TO REALLY BAD

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

THAT IS THE QUESTION
(THE NEWEST FILMS IN ORDER OF PERFECTION)

STILL PLAYING AT A THEATRE NEAR US
FROM BEST TO REALLY BAD