Blog Archives

May 21 – 27, 2013

MORE ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE LOCAL LOGGING. Again back in the 1890’s these loggers probably used the same justifications for their clear-cutting as our local foresters do today. What would Santa Cruz County look like IF someone prevented this “selective forestry”?

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

HOW PROS CLIMB TREES. Fascinating stuff…
GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD CREEPY PEOPLE. Remember “back in the day” when the “good people” virtually outlawed Freak Shows because they were distasteful and maybe even cruel??? Well…

“OF ALL THE GIN JOINTS IN THE WORLD“. Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world”, and Charlie Canfield had to buy The Casablanca Restaurant!!! Actually, it’s just a rumor (oft repeated) so don’t go around saying it’s true…or say where you heard it. But if, and when you read it in The Sentinel, remember where you heard it first. As most of the civilized world knows Charlie Canfield (The Seaside Corporation-Boardwalk) has been buying up properties in Beach Flats for decades. I also missed the sentinel reporting on how Charlie & The Boardwalk bought the home and lot that Habitat For Humanity had already leased and was going to build on in Beach Flats. Somehow the Seaside Corporation got our City to make Habitat a better deal on other property elsewhere and now Charlie owns that lot too. They probably bought and own more than 3/4 of all those houses in the flats, then as we can see, they let them go to ruin. My guess is either Charlie hopes to someday build a CANFIELD WORLD Theme Park where he can charge admission (unlike The Boardwalk where he’s forced to let folks enter free). Or, the corporation will build more “conference center” hotels, shoppes, and tourist attractions. Just hang in there; we’ll see what he’s up to and probably soon, since he now has almost total support from our City Council and our Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors. Canfield hasn’t had such influence on our local law makers ever in history. Mark my words.

TATTOO THE HOMELESS. Incarceration isn’t enough, now that we know ( Santa Cruz Sunday Sentinel 5/19) that we’re way too easy on those terrible humans. We need to tattoo now!! It’s the only logical way to control these beasts. If we just jailed every homeless person, tied them down and tattooed a large “H” on their forehead we could tell who they are….forever. They’d never fool us again. Then we could fence in a beautiful view lot out by Dimeo Lane and keep them there. Take Back Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Neighbors, Courtwatch, could all take turns on guard duty and District Attorney Bob Lee and Adriane Symons could make sure every little eye is dotted in those tattoos.

ELERICK’S INPUT. Paul Elerick goes out of town and reports back…
“The S.S. Jeremiah O’Brian – a “bucket List” priority
I spent last Saturday aboard the S.S. O’Brian, one of only two WWII Liberty Ships still afloat. For the price of admission to the cruise, you get a four hour trip around SF Bay, out to sea under the Golden Gate and back and a chance to tour the ship while it’s underway. But the best part of the trip is getting to talk with the vets who were fellow passengers. We met WWII Navy and Army vets, including an Army corporal, dressed immaculately in his perfectly fitting WWII uniform while listening to the band play WWII-era dance music. We also met the French Consul General to San Francisco, also a passenger. “Amazing Grace”, played by a bagpiper and other numbers presented by the band during the remembrance ceremony brought tears to many.

An interesting event as we went under the Golden Gate Bridge was a demonstration of one of the ship’s guns firing blanks but sounding very authentic. Passing us in-bound was a huge Chinese container ship, passing a few hundred yards away. I wondered what they thought of Jeremiah O’Brian’s artillery demonstration.

I’ll be taking this trip again and would recommend it highly. It’s at Pier 45 in San Francisco and is also open for tours. You can read all about this beautiful old ship at www.jeremiahobrian.org. (Paul Elerick is co-chair, along with Peter Scott, of the Campaign for Sensible Transportation, http://sensibletransportation.org , and is a member of Nisene 2 Sea, a group of open space advocates).

ARNOLD SCHWARTZENEGER plugging comedy Week.Look at what steroids did to his face and look at what we elected as governor….back in the day.

MOUNTAIN LIONS GO TO GLENDALE TOO!!!
BIRD AND NATURE SOUNDS…Just take a minute…

JURASSIC PARK. I liked Jurassic park very much…but watch this film freak take it apart in just 3 minutes.

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary says on his KUSP program, “Every California county has a Local Agency Formation Commission (or LAFCO), and this state mandated agency plays an incredibly important role in many of the land use decisions that turn out to be the very most central and important decisions for the future of a local community. Will the City of Watsonville be allowed to expand its borders and to develop urban uses on the fertile farmlands that surround the city? LAFCO will decide. Will the City of Santa Cruz be given permission to extend its water service to an undeveloped part of the UCSC Campus, to facilitate over 3,000,000 square feet of new development? LAFCO will decide. Will the City of Seaside be permitted to annex lands on the former Fort Ord that are the location of a planned “Monterey Downs” development? LAFCO will decide.

Then he states…The City of Santa Cruz and the Soquel Creek Water District are planning jointly to construct a seawater desalination plant. The construction cost is estimated to be over $100 million dollars. Ratepayers in the City of Santa Cruz will be on the hook to pay 60% of that cost. Water rates will go up significantly if the plant is built. On a more philosophical plane, a decision to build a desal plant will be a decision to release our community from the inherent limits of the natural environment. Currently, we have to live within the limits of our natural water supply. Desalination is a way to “manufacture water.” As long as the ratepayers are willing to pay the costs, the supplies of water that can be produced are essentially unconstrained. The City of Santa Cruz has promised UCSC that it will pursue modular desalination plants in the future, to meet “system demand” for water. In other words, the decision on desal is a decision about University growth in particular, and future growth in general”.

He says a lot more…and you can 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)

VINTAGE DE CINZO. De Cinzo’s take on our parking meters!! See a few feet below.

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Tim Eagan goes one level deeper for our president’s duties. See below, just a bit.

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul asks that we, «Take Syria Seriously Stay Out ».He says, “Syria’s struggle also confronts Washington again with the drama of the Arab Spring: pro U.S. dictatorships in Arab countries vie with an amalgam of democrats, socialists and religious authoritarians, a setting ripe for more conflicts.

Assad’s ouster could lead to worse conditions and rebel control. Those who have already proclaimed Sharia law in areas they control and they have slaughtered Christians, Alawites and other minority Assad supporters.

U.S. military intervention could also hinder humanitarian relief operations and simultaneously embroil the United States in uncertain military commitments. Unilateral military action could strain key international relations, since no world or regional consensus supports armed intervention. And intervention could bring the United States into a broader regional conflict. Obama should not commit what the Pentagon estimates as the 75,000 troops to secure Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles, which do not threaten U.S. interests. Stay out of Syria. Read all of it here…..

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

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes ” This week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com), enjoy an Art Nouveau adventure in Prague, revisit the Star Trek universe at warp-speed in J. J. Abrams’ entertaining new prequel, and take a look at my new bouncing baby book!” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

TO SEE………. …..OR NOT TO SEE

THAT IS THE QUESTION

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS.I am now and always have been a Star Trek Fan. I watched the original series on TV and (full disclosure) Rick Chatenever (the original Wallace Baine) his wife Karen and I were in one scene of Star Trek, The Voyage Home. It was shot at the Monterey Aquarium. Rick and I ended up on the cutting room floor but Karen ended up in the film as a nun! Anyways this latest Star Trek has character depth, great special effects, interesting plot, lotsa tension and warmly touching references to the now-historical cast. That includes a scene with the original alter putz himself. An excellent sci-fi action film, especially if you’ve ever liked the previous ones.

KON TIKI.I saw this one about 25 minutes after seeing Star Trek. It’s amazingly similar. A bunch of guys floating around not knowing what dangers are ahead…and joking and fighting about it. AND it’s a fine film. Not a documentary, all acting and halfway remembering the documentary back around 1947 when he made the 101 day voyage. See it, you’ll like it. No character development, no depth (ha!) but good fun.

AT ANY PRICE. GMO’s, Monsanto type poisons and corporate control are at the base of this film’s plot. Dennis Quaid leads this typical Hollywood flick. He’s a farmer who cheats GMO corp. and wants his son Zac Efron to stay in farming. Zac just wants to race cars. It all ends happily, who cares???

MIDNIGHTS CHILDREN.One friend said she couldn’t stand Salmon Rushdie’s book…too long, too complex, and she couldn’t finish it. That’s the trouble with the film too. And it’s very Pop-Indian- vaudeville- hambone- style acting. Even a bit of Bollywood singing and dancing. There isn’t one character in it that I could like or identify with. All were nasty, shouting, miserable people…who needs it??

HOLDOVERS -WORTH SEEING IN THEATERS

DISCONNECT. This fromRotten Tomatoes… “Murderball director Henry Alex Rubin explores the destructive potential of the internet in this ensemble drama starring Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, andAlexander Skarsgård”. Many other critics are calling it the best film of the year“…I loved it as well. Complex, perfectly acted, tricky, intelligent, it’s the first real internet drama, no…the first good drama centered on the internet and connections. You can bet it won’t be the last. The editing and plot cuts are absolutely genius and raise the level of film making. You can’t help but think about your emails, your privacy, and your relationships.

A PLACE BEYOND THE PINES. Ryan Gosling has that certain something that keeps you watching his every facial expression just trying to figure out who he really is…it’s a great and rare quality in an actor. He is perfect in this movie and so is Bradley Cooper, and I’ve never liked looking at Bradley Cooper, but he’s excellent here too. Eve Mendes and Ray Liotta do perfect jobs as well and the entire movie, with all of its plots is excellent. One of the best American films I’ve seen this year.

RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST, It’s from the book, and it’s very confusing. All about Pakistan, America’s way of life (not all good). Religion, Liev Schreiber, Kate Hudson (heavier and darker), and Keifer Sutherland all try very hard to get some message across, but I missed it.

MUD.Mathew McConaughey has never been better than he is inMud. So are the two kids who lead and steal the film from vets like Sam Shepard and Reese Witherspoon. It’s a fine film, with a story that doesn’t stop about life in Arkansas along the Mississippi. Kids coming of age, adults living a very tough life, and the music, the photography all make it one of my favorite films of the year. Just go see it.

THE COMPANY YOU KEEP. What a castJackie Evancho (don’t worry she doesn’t sing…but she acts like it!) plays Robert Redford’s youngest daughter. Julie Christie and Redford fight in a botox battle, Susan Sarandon has just a little part, and every other Hollywood democrat liberal you’ve heard of is in it too. AND it’s a fine Hollywood film. Full of just enough ethics, politics, facts and fiction to make it a fine film. Read this Wikipedia article on what really happened with SDS and the Weathermen. Read about how they left out the Timothy Leary and the Chicago 7 story and how they actually bombed Federal buildings and then go see the film.

ONE FINGER STANDS.The puns would be too obvious, just check this 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 May 21st City Council person Micah Posner talks about the May 23 money and politics forum. Then Sheriff Phil Wowak discusses what his job entails. Judge Paul Burdick returns on May 28 to talk about our court system. After that Gillian Greensite discusses Santa Cruz’s Heritage Trees. and On June 4th Davis Banta & April Bennett talk about SideReal Theatre followed by Joan Antwerp talking more about local theatre. On June 11th The Winners of Bookshop Santa Cruz’s Short Story Contest read their stories. 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, 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. “Sometimes Nothing is a real cool hand“, Luke, in Cool Hand Luke. “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye“, Antoine De St. Exupery (the Little Prince). “People think love is an emotion. Love is good sense”, Ken Kesey.

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BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off on May 21 – 27, 2013

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