GOVERNOR RONALD REAGAN AT UCSC, AGAIN.This photo of “Ronnie Babe” at UCSC was taken October 18, 1968. Still trying to set the record straight Ronnie was sworn in as Governor a few minutes after midnight on January 2, 1967. His astrologer Carroll Righter (my father’s fraternity brother in law school) told Ronnie to hold it after midnight to appease the stars. So Ronnie was already Governor in last week’s photo (taken May 18,1967).That was about the student vigil against tuition. Ronnie came back to UCSC on October 18, 1968 to attend a UC Regents meeting when this was taken. John Wilkes, senior lecturer emeritus in UC’s Science Communication Program emails, ““As a senior at UCSC in spring quarter 1967 I was one of the students participating in the protest vigil. Ronald Reagan was on campus as chairman of the UC Board of Regents. As governor, he automatically assumed that title and function, and he was at UCSC to chair a meeting of the Regents. The meeting took place in the library in the Cowell College courtyard, and the photo was taken just outside the library”. John Wilkes Cowell College ’67.

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

EDITH PIAF TRIBUTE. There are dozens of Piaf clips on you Tube here’s an interesting one.

TANNERY ARTISTS AS TOURIST DRAW…NOT!!! George Newell gave a talk about the Tannery at the April meeting of Lifelong Learners up at UCSC. I really and truly wish the tannery well now that it’s there. That said I can never figure why Santa Cruz with its high rents and supposed caring for humanity and the poor became so elitist and gave Tannery housing to so called “Artists” instead of teachers, nurses, homeless veterans, and people struggling to make a living who don’t pose as “Artists”. Newell works hard to justify the expense of the Tannery to the city. One of his biggest “moments du merde” (aka. bullshit) was when he said, and you’ve heard it dozens of times, with all the artists living in the Tannery it’ll become a tourist attraction. People will come here from all over to see the amazing atmosphere and creations on display at the Tannery. STOP RIGHT HERE…now think about that…and be very, very honest….how many of you actually think that tourists would rather come here to see the Tannery instead of Carmel and Monterey?? We have next to nothing to draw money-spending over-night tourists, not now, not never. The Boardwalk sure, but those tourists only come here for the rides, they never go downtown, never shop. So to repeat…lets see a show of hands of how many of you would ever say to your visitor friends or relatives…”oh, don’t go to Monterey and the Aquarium, and the Cannery OR don’t go to Carmel and walk the Gallery walk go to the Santa Cruz Tannery”. Poor choice Santa Cruz, about that Tannery, and Newell never once mentioned that they built it on the San Lorenzo flood plain. And on opening weekend they had to sandbag the street level parking spaces because the river overflowed. More later. Naturally.

Many Hands Dancing.
Kit B writes to say, “I really enjoy the videos you choose to post. Regarding the recent “Thousand Hand Guan Yin:” There is a much better version of this that uses the actual music they danced to (see below). More remarkable still, all the women dancers are deaf. Two teacher/coaches are at each wing to cue the dancers. I find this version even more moving than the one you posted. Thanks for all you do for us Santa Cruzans.

DANCING IN THE STREETS HUGE SUCCESS.Whoever was responsible for that Dance celebration a week ago that took place all over Downtown deserves some kind of medal. Great crowds, wonderful community feeling, genuine Santa Cruz spirit, and some fine dancing from where I sat. We need more of that stuff. More parades, more celebrations, more community…that’s what’ll bring tourists here. Have you ever gone traveling and lucked upon some local celebration by accident? It automatically becomes one of most treasured memories of all time.

DE-SAL ON THE BALLOT? WHO’LL WRITE IT AND WHY!!! It begins to look like the City Council might put the construction of a de-sal plant on the ballot. They really don’t want to, but just maybe. The next question and we’ve seen this too many times that our ever conniving city staff will figure out a way to write and word the issue so that no one will be able to easily figure out how to vote. Like a yes means no De-sal or a no means build the plant. Watch for this and be very, very afraid.

COMPOSTING TOILETS @ $2000 EACH…WHERE’S THE LINE BEGIN?? Last week on Universal Grapevine my guest Bruce Daniels from the Soquel Creek Water District showed me and he talked about the composting toilets he found online.

One by Sun Mar costs $2000 by the time you can use it, and it’s electric. I looked and found one by Natures Head for $910 but you hand crank it then there’s one for $1049. So lets agree on which one we think will be cheaper in the long run than de-sal. Who knows??

WHY ARE ALL OUR MOTORCYCLE COPS SO FAT? Surely you must have wondered why Santa Cruz has so many fat motorcycle cops. From what I hear all cops want to be motorcycle cops (that’s why they never bust loud motorcyclists). But wouldn’t you think that our new police chief would hide these chubbos and put them in cars or behind desks instead of having them so conspicuous…and so beefy/ Who knows??

W.C. FIELDS…THE DENTIST. I thought his patient was Zasu Pitts but not! Watch this anyways it’s simply beautiful.

TOM HONIG’S “JUST A BIKE PATH” REMARK. Tom Honig in his Good Times “Best Of..” remark about The Coastal Commission’s denial of a “Bike Path” across Arana Gulch, saying “it was a bike path folks, not three mile island”. “Lightly opinionated” Tom maybe didn’t read that the proposed changes to Arana Gulch includes

1. Two 12′ wide paved routes (8′ hard pavement with 2′ of gravel on each
side) for a mile total length on 30 acres of prairie grassland

2. Two bridges – one 300′ long over Hagemann Gulch and one over Arana Creek
(mostly covering existing creek culverts), where the width of the bike route
will be 15′ as it crosses the creek

3. 300′ of the bike route will be on a raised ramp on the 100′ riparian
setback before it crosses Arana Creek, to allow an elevation gain of a three
story building

4. Latest cost estimates for the so-called “path” are $5 million.

5. The Coastal Commission did not turn down a network of walking trails.

6. If the Broadway-Brommer bike project was removed from the Arana Gulch
Master Plan, the CA Coastal Commission would unanimously vote for the
management prescriptions in the Master Plan, which include a network of
walking trails, some of which would be handicapped accessible.
(Thanks to Jean Brocklebank for these statistics. Go to Tom’s website and check his other stuff).

ELERICK’S INPUT. PG &E’s SmartMeters and electronic access to your home.

Thanks to our daily newspaper (Santa Cruz Sentinel), we were told who to call to get on PG&E’s “temporary delay list” for SmartMeter installations. They published a phone number to call, 877-743-7378, which I promptly did and got a real person immediately. I was asked to identify myself and specifically why I wanted to delay a SmartMeter installation. My answer was I didn’t really want to postpone the installation; I just wanted to opt out of ever getting one. Two reasons I gave her for this were I didn’t like to see PG&E’s meter readers put out of a job, and that I would never use any of their SmartMeter data, so just leave me off the SmartMeter list. The answer? “PG&E will put you at the end of their installation list for your area, and we will call you before any installation is scheduled for your home”. I thanked the person for taking the information. But a few hours later, another PG&E caller left a message on my phone asking if I would be willing to answer a six question survey by entering “1” on the phone. This proved to be a bust, I never got to the survey, just got routed back to the original message.

However, I must have triggered a mailing from PG&E’s SmartAC Program Manager, informing me of their new program driven by something that sounds suspiciously like a SmartMeter. It will allow PG&E to turn down your home air conditioning during periods of heavy electricity use and avoid power interruptions. Nowhere is the term SmartMeter used in the letter, they just refer to installing something called a “SmartAC device on your air conditioner”. They even offer a $50 reward for signing up.

PG&E seems hell-bent on getting electronic access to your home, one way or another. If you’re not interested in having their SmartMeter installed, the number to call is 877-743-7378. (Paul Elerick is thechair of the Campaign for Sensible Transportation, http://sensibletransportation.org , chair of the Transportation Committee of the Santa Cruz Group Sierra Club. and is a member of Nisene 2 Sea, a group of open space advocates).

RE ELERICK LAST WEEK. Reader Lois Robin writes, “Hi,

Noticed your comment on Bratton’s blog about trouble finding the Giants. Then when they were finally on Fox on Channel 2 (or 3) the commentators were so weak that you had to turn to radio. If it’s any comfort, I did the same thing, grumbling about those inept announcers. Fortunately we have John Miller and rest to keep us in touch on radio. Yup, it’s really hard to find them on TV even when you have an extended subscription to Comcast. I’ve given up on TV. If they are in the World Series then they put all the games on TV.

ZASU PITTS TRIBUTE. For all newcomers to Santa Cruz. Zasu Pitts lived here awhile and went to Santa Cruz High

CORNEL WEST WILL BE AT UCSC FRIDAY. (writing this on Monday) I’m assuming everyone knows by now that philosopher, author, critic and actor Cornel West will be speaking up at UCSC this Friday May 4^th at 7 p.m. I’mwondering what he’ll say about killing Osama Ben Laden, aren’t you?

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary invites us “to go to Helm”…but just for a meeting. He also urges paying attention to Monterey and some rooster rules. There’s a meeting about medical marijuana, another on that dratted Rental ordinance…You can also go to the nearly demolished Unity temple for a meeting on Water Issues. Then there’s the problem of HCP’s and what they don’t protect…like flora and fauna in our sand hills. (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 )

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul writes in his Progreso Weekly column titled ,”CIA CULTIVATED HUMAN HURRICANES” « Luis Posada Carriles, now in his 80s, has returned to Miami as a triumphant hero after an El Paso jury acquitted him of 11 counts of lying on an immigration form. Strangely enough, the Justice Department had presented evidence showing Posada had orchestrated a series of bombings in Cuba in 1997 – which killed one tourist. Posada returned to Miami where he makes celebrity appearances at fundraisers. According to one U.S. official who requested anonymity, “Posada has become a colossal pain in the ass.” 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. It’s all about art this week on Lisa Jensen Online Express. Check out some hot stops on the First Friday Art Tour, find out what’s new with the “Junk Art Scramble” pilot episode, and plan for a delectable Mother’s Day weekend with the 4th Annual Art & Chocolate art studio tour, in marvelous Mid-County. Lisa Jensen has been writing film reviews and a column for Good Times since 1975.

FILMS DESCENDING.(scroll down for past week’s film reviews of…)

In A Better World.

The Conspirator.

Winter in Wartime…should be “War in Wintertime” or actually “Time in A Winterwar”.

Source Code

Hanna

Limitless

Win Win.

Don’t think about Scream 4 or Fast Five…yes, I saw them, but never mind.

HOSTETTER’S HOT STUFF.Get your Scottish fix, or your South African one, or your North Indian one, or your Crescent City one, or simply face the Whole Noyse. Details all here: http://www.lutherie.net/live.music.html Check back, there will be more.
Cheers, ph

NEW MONTEREY BAY GLASS FESTIVAL. Philip Glass has visited and played in Santa Cruz many times with Dennis Russell Davies’ Cabrillo Music Festival. He also did the old Palookaville and Temple Beth El as piano soloist. Now he’s starting the Day And Nights Festival in Carmel Valley, not far from Leon and Sylvia Panetta’s house. It opens August 19^th. Check out details here http://www.sfcv.org/article/philip-glass-founds-new-arts-festival-in-carmel-valley and herehttp://www.daysandnightsfestival.com

NEW MUSIC WORKS & DAVID GRISHAM @ CABRILHO (review) Phil Collins called the New Music Works last concert on Saturday April 23 “Whirled On A String”. It was certainly one of the most accessible, pop concerts NMW has put together. Phil’s own composition “Springing” played by Sandra Gu was also one of his more easily listened to pieces. The Cabrilho Recital hall was almost packed with folks wanting to hear David Grisman and he didn’t let them down. A fun night was had by all.

BARBARA DOWNS ART AT LULU’S, A MUST SEE. Check out Barbara’s website http://bdowns.com/blog and be sure to see her paintings at Lulu’s on Cooper Street. Fine paintings, even stronger than the coffee!

EAGANS DEEP COVER. What’s new??? Scroll to Eagan and see what inventions have wrought!!!

C.S. BIGGS MAY HOROSCOPE. I never knew that my friend C.S. Biggs “did astrology”. He says he also does counseling!!! See what he means about May being stubborn, disappointing and painful. Send me any/all reactions to his stuff.

GENERAL FORECAST
May’s trying to get through the door, but April just won’t call it quits. The theme for this month is stubbornness and how it interferes with our dialogue with our own life and how it can be the source of a lot of disappointment and pain. However, it does have its place in the scheme of things and is not going away any time soon.

ARIES: Money, money, money – that’s what it’s all about. Not really, but it certainly feels that way. Get the screaming demons out of your system and then sit down with yourself and find a practical solution that’s achievable. Don’t expect any help or support from your friends or mate. This one’s all yours.
TAURUS: Slow and steady is actually the right way to go about solving your current dilemma. How convenient – you just have to be yourself. I know that’s a novel approach for you but give it a try. Expect to be surprised at how some of your friends or your mate will react. Stand up for your emotional rights. You don’t have to get angry to be honest.
GEMINI: You and Pisces should sit down and have a beer together. No one else understands what it is like to be two people at once. It’s not about change as it is about acceptance and surrender. You two are just licking wounds that have already healed. Get your heads out of the water and pay attention to real life!
CANCER: Don’t get so uncomfortable when things get this nice. It’s not a prelude to anything; it is something in and of itself. Any time traveling in your heart or mind will only work against you, ruin the moment, and waste valuable time and energy. You’re like an athlete in training – pace yourself and know how to replenish.
LEO: You’re not really likeable right now but that’s O.K. even if it is disagreeable to all concerned. We’re big boys and big girls and can take some rockiness and uncertainty, right?. If it seems to go on for too long, that’s too bad. This is like the sting of the antiseptic as it washes out the wound…………
VIRGO: Once again, you’re being punished for doing the right thing. People are too self absorbed to understand your higher motives and goals, but you should be used to that. The certainty you feel about what you’re doing is real. Get better about saying no and most of your problems will disappear. Of course it’s not easy.
LIBRA: No matter how hard you try to please, you’ve been left out by the ones you trusted the most. It’s not the first time and you know the story, but it still hurts. When people tell you not to take it personally, they’re just trying to get away with murder. Forgive them, for you’ll be on the other side of the equation next time.
SCORPIO: I have nothing to say – the universe will treat you like the golden one this month and give you everything IT thinks you want. Therein lies the rub – you may not like all of the gifts. Don’t get too cocky – it’s not a reward for something you did. Don’t put on the false modesty bit, either. Be authentic for a change.
SAGITTARIUS: Everyone’s ganging up on you and maybe they have a point. You’ve got some crazy idea about how things should be and you’re way out of line. This happens to all of us and if you’re kind and keep your sense of humor, you won’t do as much damage or have as much to regret when you finally come to your senses.
CAPRICORN: It’s the opposite of last month and the going is hard for no reason. Everything seems fine on the surface, but the old magic is gone. Don’t panic – you’re just exhausted and need some time out. Unfortunately, it’s going to be a while before you can curl up with a good book in front of the fireplace.
AQUARIUS: It’s better that you don’t know what lies ahead. I know that this violates the control freak in you (most people don’t know that you are a control freak) but please be patient. It’s a good lesson for you to learn that you have been avoiding for a long time. Don’t worry – it’s not that big a deal.
PISCES: Now Pisces is bearing its soft belly and pretending to submit. Give me a break – I’m not buying it. Which one is you – the stubborn fool or the foolish victim? Neither is appetizing or appropriate for who you really are. Man up and own your personal power. The passive aggressive Pisces is a thing of the past.

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 on “blog”) at WWW.KZSC.ORG. Joseph Leone talks about his new book on Depression on May 3 after that Rebecca Jackson will describe the Music In May concerts on May 20 & 21^st. Astrologer Sue Heinz will be on May 10, then Mark Kay-Gamel talks about her new Orestes Terrorist production happening on campus May 20-29. Maya Barsacq talks about Cadenza on May 17 and Carolyn Swift talks about the new book on Soquel which she says is fantastic. Shira Bogin talks about student art and MAH on May 24. Frank Lima, aka The Great Morgani reveals just some secrets to his success on May 31. Santa Cruz County Supervisor Neal Coonerty helps me celebrate 5 years of Universal Grapevine on June 7.The Santa Cruz Bookshop Short Story Winners read their entries for the full hour on June 14^th. Don Young author of Battle For Snow Mountain will be on July 12.Any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in and keep listening.

QUOTES. “The fabled musk deer searches the world over for the source of the scent which comes from itself”, Ramakrishna. “It’s all soul”, Junior Wells. “Every word is like a stain on silence and nothingness”, Samuel Beckett.

Blog Archives

May 3 – 9, 2011

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