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DATELINE July 28, 2014
SANTA CRUZ CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY. I wrote about the Museum of Discovery here last week, and just today (Monday 7/28) had a grand note from the museum’s co-founder Patrice Keet.She writes, “Exciting news: we just signed a lease for space in the Capitola Mall in the former Abercrombie and Fitch space and plan to open the doors to our new museum and a museum retail store on Nov. 1. We are very busy pulling it all together since it is a little ahead of our planned schedule but turns out to be a great opportunity. The Mall is very thrilled to have us move in as they seek to be more diversified and more of a community center. We will offer programs, a Tinkering Studio, classes and very cool exhibits that focus on the wonders of Santa Cruz County. Some of our spiffiest things will be in the tech realm with a couple of programmable robotic arms called Alphabots.
We want to make the museum affordable to all families so we are keeping our prices for admission and classes down and will look for business sponsors to underwrite some memberships. We have a lot on our plates but have a great team of folks working. As you said in your column, we are still looking for support from the community but our needs have changed a little. We are now looking for volunteers, donations and members. Our Mobile Museum will continue to be taking our show out on the road to community events from Watsonville to Scotts Valley. Thank you for this opportunity to get out in front of the public. Much appreciated” . Those are some hard working, devoted folks getting this together and now’s a good time to figure how you can help them.
STILL MORE ON FRANKLIN MARSHALL. Last week I wrote this in BrattonOnline about Franklin Marshall… FRANKLIN MARSHALL STILL AT IT. Franklin Marshall wrote a children’s book about Louden (LONDON) Nelson that is so full of flaws it would be laughable if some folks hadn’t and children didn’t take it seriously. More important than that, Franklin Marshall has been collecting money for his Children’s LEARNING Museum for more than a decade. Friends and foes alike have wondered for years how Marshall exists, except on his museum collections. His museum website still lists Longs Drugstore and Borders Bookshop as sponsors. The Guide Star website will tell you that Franklin Marshall’s Children‘s LEARNING Museum is more than defunct, it had its tax exempt status revoked in 2011 for not filing for three years. Check that out at http://www.guidestar.org/ViewPdf.aspx?PdfSource=0&ein=20-1490562 . Then you could check the LEARNING MUSEUM tax status at the official IRS website.
That’s a lot of messing around, but too many people have been taken in by Franklin’s hype and smooth talk and use of our ongoing guilt. He’s no credit to Santa Cruz, our children, or the need for a genuine “children’s museum”. Many supporting reactions came in, including this one from Rachel Goodman, “Thank you for warning others about Franklin Marshall. He approached me about editing a magazine, and it quickly became apparent there was no magazine or any of the other seemingly wonderful history projects he was fantasizing about. I commend the folks who are in truth working on The Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery, and hope they succeed”. The list of folks that have been duped by Franklin Marshall is a long one. Let me know if you’d like to share.
| THE BBC’s FUNNY ANIMAL VIDEO. Yes, you’ve seen it before but it’s still the funniest video I’ve seen. |
EARTH’S CATASTROPHIC ANIMAL LOSS. Julie Cohen from UC Santa Barbara wrote a great article on how rapidly we are losing so many of our animal species. In the article she says, “The Earth’s current biodiversity — the product of 3.5 billion years of evolutionary trial and error — is vital to sustaining human life. This rich accumulation has reached a tipping point and is now shrinking rapidly. New research conducted by an international team of scientists that includes UC Santa Barbara’s Hillary Young strongly suggests that human activity is driving the rapid loss and decline of animal life at such magnitude that we are likely in the early days of the planet’s sixth mass biological extinction event. The findings, which appear in the latest issue of the journal Science, demonstrate that since 1500, more than 320 terrestrial vertebrates have become extinct. Perhaps more important, it shows that populations of all the remaining species are experiencing a 25 percent average decline in abundance.
“This pattern of loss appears to be pervasive across the animal kingdom, including those less charismatic but critically important groups, the invertebrates,” said Young, an assistant professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology. “In the same period, the populations of invertebrate animals — the beetles, butterflies, spiders and worms that drive so many of the basic functions of our planet — have decreased by 45 percent.” Read all of the article here…
| ANA YANG BUBBLE SHOW. It’s always been Tom Noddy’s territory, and now there’s competition,take a look.
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PSA’S/PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS. I’m not sure about other radio stations but KZSC certainly has space and time for more Public Service Announcements. We are reading PSA’s from San Francisco, Half Moon Bay and all over, just to fill in time. Go to the KZSC website and follow directions for PSA submissions. You get your local organizations publicity read many, many times on air… all for free of course. Go here for details…
BECCA’S CRONOMETER. Becca King Reed was on Universal Grapevine last week and mentioned the website CRONOMETER. It shows you all the breakdown and healthy content of any food you type in…and you needn’t bother “signing up” either… https://cronometer.com
PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary explains some more on EIR’s and why we need to stay involved. He says that the county is moving to allowing developers avoid building affordable housing, and pay money to the county instead. He reports on LAFCO and how it works to make our local government work better.He talks about The Community Water Coalition and how we question the need for de-sal. He closes the week by saying, “It is not untypical for our government to give away public money and property to private developers, to stimulate behavior that our elected officials think might have public benefit. Remember the history of the railroads. This goes back to the days of Abraham Lincoln. The United States government gave away large portions of our public lands to the railroad companies, in return for construction of the transcontinental railroad. Lots of “private” benefits resulted. Several people got inordinately rich; take Leland Stanford as an example.
Locally, the Santa Cruz City Council recently voted to share tax revenues with developers who build big hotels within the city limits. This action was taken at the Council’s July 8th meeting. Council Member Micah Posner voted “no,” but the proposal otherwise had the full support of the Council. At the meeting, four members of the public testified against the proposal, and two business representatives said that these business subsidies were a good idea. Again, the Council as a whole agreed.
Not apparently a factor in the Council’s thinking was our current drought emergency. As members of the public pray for rain next year, and cut back on their current water use, their elected City Council Members are doing what they can to have more big hotels built in town, and are going to share transient occupancy tax revenues to make that happen. You can get more information at kusp.org/land use”.
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 opinions expressed are Mr. Patton’s. Gary has his own website, Two Worlds/365” – www.gapatton.net
CLASSICAL DeCINZO. Our friends with fins remain active and seem to “cuddling” closer…check out DeCinzo’s reaction…see below.
EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. Tim Eagan shows us another view of Jeopardy and our collective future.See below, a bit.
LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “This week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com), take a pictorial tour of the Neverland (Mermaids! Indians! Fairies! Pirates!), then return to terra firma for a mesmerizing look at real life in Richard Linklater’s audacious Boyhood.” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.
THAT IS THE QUESTION
(IN ORDER OF PERFECTION)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
STILL PLAYING AT A THEATRE NEAR US
FROM BEST TO REALLY BAD
FROM BEST TO REALLY BAD
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.
SNOWPIERCER. It’s the future again but no aliens are attacking, for once. South Korean director Bong Joon Ho made this one fascinating , tight, fast moving, well-directed movie.. Tilda Swinton plays her silliest role in her career, John Hurt is always the same and he plays “Gilliam” (remember that IF you go see this thriller). It’s about a train that runs forever with all the 1000 survivors left on earth. Ed Harris is the supreme & majestic conductor. It’s a great escape film…go for it.
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.
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.
OBVIOUS CHILD. It’s listed as a comedy…it isn’t. It’s a gut wrenching well done portrait of a young woman coming of age in NYC. Jenny Slate plays a stand-up comic with a life that isn’t funny and Gaby Hoffman from Crystal Fairy is her buddy. You might not like Jenny’s character but you’ll face the fact that even tougher-than-shit people have feelings.
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.
THIRD PERSON. Liam Neeson does the worst job of acting I’ve ever seen him do in this confusing mess of a film. Mila Kunis, Adrien Brody, Olivia Wilde, Kim Basinger and the omni-present James Franco all sound like they are reading their parts off the script. And I like those actors. This poorly directed story is maybe about a writer (Neeson) who is writing a story about the intwined lives of three groups of people mostly in Italy. You can’t be sure if it’s his writing or reality that you are watching….and eventually, you don’t care much.
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.
TRANSFORMERS: Age of Extinction. Mark Wahlberg and his “Autobots” fight off the “Decepticons” or something like that. In case you care (and you shouldn’t ) The Transformers now have personalities like the fat robot who smokes metal cigars and has a metal beard. There’s a Japanese Samurai robot, a southren red-neck robot, it’s just awful and it’s 2 hours and 37 minutes long. You could knit a scarf in that same amount of time. Peter Cullen is the voice of the Opitmus Prime robot (not our Peter Cullen) one of those special effect thingees.
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. On July 29th Julie Callahan and Rosemary Alles talk about the “March for Elephants” program followed by Lisa Robinson telling everybody about the wonders at The San Lorenzo Valley Museum. 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. On August 26 Mary Altier and Carol Trengove talk about the Pajaro Valley Arts Council’s newest exhibit. . 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. “I’m very proud of my gold pocket watch. My grandfather, on his deathbed, sold me this watch”, Woody Allen. “I worked my way up from nothing to a state of extreme poverty”, Groucho Marx. “One way to solve all the traffic problems would be to keep all the cars that aren’t paid for off the streets”, Will Rogers.
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Snail Mail: Bratton Online
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Direct email: Bratton@Cruzio.com
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BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.
Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.
