November 22 – 28, 2016 - Bratton Online - A Weekly Column By Bruce Bratton - Page 47Bratton Online – A Weekly Column By Bruce Bratton | The latest incarnation of Bruce Bratton's weekly opinion columns, 34 years and running

November 22 – 28, 2016

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Bruce

SANTA CRUZ MUNICIPAL WHARF. Taken about 1910, this great photo shows just how much our wharf was used and needed by our early Italian residents. It’s only part of the wharf’s history that would be erased forever if our City Council succeeds in modernizing and “going tourist” with it.

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE November 21, 2016

KLAUS NONI – TOTAL ECLIPSE. Tom Louagie sent this clip. Sort of a mix of Hedwig meeting Joel Grey from Cabaret.

FLYING KARAMAZOV BROTHERS & MR. ROGERS. Good thing the Karamazov’s aren’t still performing on Pacific Avenue, Cynthia Mathews and her trained clubbies would have them arrested.

OUR HISTORIC WHARF, SOCIAL SERVICES CUTBACK & OUR CITY COUNCIL.

It’s too late now but I hope everyone notices that our City Council decisions on making our historic wharf into another San Francisco’s Pier 23 and the secretly planned cutbacks to our social services are happening just AFTER the City Council elections. It’s another maneuever by Mathews and her sycophants to avoid these cruel and unusual political moves. We need to support Martine Watkins and help her avoid Mathews covert manipulations. And of course keep hoping that Sandy Brown’s lead as of “press time” grows and becomes permanent. Chris Krohn and Sandy Brown are wonderfully qualified, intelligent and independent people. Let’s also hope that Chris and Sandy can re-awaken Cynthia Chase’s sense of civic responsibility that she showed so vividly when she was with the Gemma Program helping the very folks who have been so poorly mistreated by the council these last years.

ORGANIZE THE RESISTENCE. Everybody including Community members from many organizations are invited. Especially those that are working for progressive social change with a goal of building a broad coalition to ensure the safety of our targeted populations and take action on the people’s priority issues. The meeting will be Tuesday, December 6, 6:30 pm at the London Nelson Community Center. The Santa Cruz for Bernie committee is organizing it. If you want to get involved…now’s the chance!!! Bernie’s Rousing Address last Wednesday at George Washington University was about the future of our country under a Trump administration. There were technical difficulties with the live video broadcast, but now you can watch Bernie’s 18 minute speech.”Happy Trump Won” is a 4 minute video by Prince Ea that offers his unusual and ultimately positive perspective on the election. Click to watch Why I’m Happy Trump Won. To The Students: Keep Marching! We’re proud of you! For more info. contact Jeffrey Smedberg: santacruz4bernie@gmail.com

TRUMP JOKE. Ralph Davila while looking for an excuse to laugh, found this…

Ok ..Trump is up late in the White House pacing the halls; the ghost of George Washington appears “Always tell the truth”; Trump feels better and a couple weeks later He is up late at night pacing and the ghost of Teddy Roosevelt appears and says “speak softly and carry a big stick” and Trump feels better for a month but then he’s up late pacing again and this time it’s the ghost of Abraham Lincoln and he says “Relax go see a play”.

WOLFGANG ROSENBERG, JIM FERRIS and MIKE FELIX. Mike Felix was an old friend from my 1960 KCBS days in San Francisco. Jim Ferris was a film veteran, longtime friend and also co-creator of UCSC’s Lifelong Learning community. Wolfgang Rosenberg goes way back in progressive local politics…SCAN, SCRAP, and many more He also gave me his own piece of the Berlin Wall. He was born in Berlin. Their passing leaves much to be missed.

LEE TAIZ QUOTE…Lee points out that here’s a political slogan that needs to be retired immediately: “Love Trumps Hate.” Presumably, most people waving this around mean that love is in some sense more powerful than hate. Unfortunately, the slogan can also be read as a endorsement of what, in fact, motivates many people, as demonstrated in the last election. They really DO love Trump’s hate. That is…”We love Trumps Hate” They don’t need to be admonished to keep it up.

ON BECOMING A CITIZEN.

Six months ago I decided to apply for American citizenship. After 41 years living in Santa Cruz as a permanent resident, there was no compelling reason to apply. My green card could be renewed every decade and folks seem to enjoy my Australian identity. “I just love your accent, where are you from?” I hear frequently and have fun responding, “I’m from Santa Cruz. I love your accent too!” No person of Mexican heritage ever hears that compliment.

So why apply to be a citizen after so long? The reasons built gradually. At first it was a simple choice between renewing my green card and applying for citizenship. Both involve filling out long forms, paying money and driving to an unpleasant Immigration office. The advantages of citizenship are few but significant. As a permanent resident I am unable to vote despite paying taxes for 41 years (wasn’t there a revolution over that?), am unable to run for local political office, cannot serve on a jury although I can join the Armed Forces and can be deported if I am arrested. And then there was Trump. Despite the unlikely scenario at the time of his ever being elected President, citizenship would be a protection against the unimaginable.

Being a life-long procrastinator, I left it until the last day to fill out the 21-page application. That done, I sat back to wait for the USCIS (United States Citizen and Immigration Services) wheels to turn. When I had to go to Salinas to have fingerprints taken for a background check, I was given a CD and booklet to study for the civics part of the future interview. That sparked a keen interest in American history. I checked out many books from the Garfield Park library on the revolutionary war period. White Australia had convicts but white America had men with the crazy notion that they could defeat the British Navy! And who pretended slavery didn’t exist as they fought for the rights of all men.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Jefferson being told to go away and draft the Declaration of Independence, who sulked when it was edited to “we hold these truths to be self-evident.” I started to view citizenship as something more significant.

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Six months later, the letter arrived with the date for my interview in San Jose. I had passed the background check, which is exhaustive. They still ask about membership in the communist party and one assumes that is not considered a plus. The UCSIS officer who interviewed me noted that my file was slim which is a very good thing. I had been wise enough to avoid being arrested during the anti-Apartheid demonstrations at UCSC in the late 1970’s when 401 occupiers of the Hahn Student Services building were arrested and taken to jail. I was part of the demonstration but did not occupy the building, aware of the deportation consequences for non-citizens.

I aced the oral civics test but really wanted to add a lot more detail about Jefferson et al.

And so I was instructed to appear at the Campbell Heritage Theater on November 17th, along with 297 other US residents who had weathered the naturalization process. We came from 48 different countries. We waited in line outside the theater in the morning sun. I looked around and saw the faces of America’s future and felt at home.(The Campbell Heritage Theater designed by William Weeks in 1938 is in Campbell, CA. and is often used for citizenship ceremonies).

I had not expected much of the ceremony, assuming it would be the usual “America is the greatest county on earth and you are lucky to be accepted here” sort of thing. I was wrong. The introductory remarks were delivered from five speakers in 5 different languages. They stressed the importance of voting and why. Other speakers spoke to the heritage of immigrants. We were asked to stand as each of our 48 countries’ names was called. Noting the hesitancy to clap that had accompanied the names, the closing speaker encouraged us to clap loudly for all of our countries and the applause was energetic. We then swore the oath to become citizens. Prior to the event I had sworn to myself that I would not include “under God” in the pledge since I find that 1953 addition obnoxious. We could argue the whole pledge thing is a problem however I was saved from that dilemma since the oath of allegiance is different from the pledge of allegiance. I had no trouble with swearing to take up arms to defend my new country especially if those rude Aussies ever make a move. We next pledged allegiance to the flag. As a newly minted citizen I exercised my First Amendment rights by substituting “under nature” for “under god.” All was well. The final speaker now welcomed us as new citizens. He spoke to the protests against the President-elect as an example of our rights as citizens and encouraged us to exercise our right to peaceful protest. The finale was a video of President Barrack Obama welcoming us. His measured words warmly embraced us new immigrants as the backbone of this country. I felt an era slipping away”.

~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).

THE TOWER IS GONE BUT THE WALL REMAINS…NEW WELL FOR APTOS VILLAGE IN 10 MONTHS.

Pacific Engineering completed drilling work on Soquel Creek Water District’s new Granite Way Well at the Aptos Village Project this week, and the drilling tower is now gone. That was fast. District engineer Mr. Taj Dufour told the Board last Tuesday that the drilling was complete at about 625′, roughly 100′ less than had been planned due to unanticipated dense geologic material that did not bear water. The 20′-high sound wall remains. Residents are really glad those walls were there during the drilling process. According to District staff, their e-blast features a time-lapse documentation of the drilling process, but I have been unable to access that information. Maybe you can. The new well will come online, supplying water for the District at about the same time that the Aptos Village Project Phase I New Leaf Market opens…a coincidence? HMMMMM…..

Well, last week’s Soquel Creek Water District Board meeting saw a new policy enacted regarding Water Demand Offset credits for new development. Now, anyone wanting a new service connection will have to wait in a queu for the District’s limited number of offset credits available via toilet replacements and fee payments. Now, each developer may purchase 0.5 Acre foot credit (that will be what most single family dwellings require) when their project comes to the head of the list of applicants, at which time they pay $27,500 (that is at the $55,000/Acrefoot offset fee rate), and half of that will go to toilet rebates (replacing toilets with newer 0.8 gal/flush models) and half to long-term conservation projects that the District will come up with later. There are not any right now. If a project is larger than 0.5 Acre feet, the developer can go solicit toilet replacements or come up with another creative project to save water. Sounds complicated? Maybe…and it will require considerable District staff verification, which staff admits has been a problem in the past. I still vote for a moratorium until a reliable supplemental water supply gets put in place, but the Board doesn’t like hearing that. By the way, the Stanford geo-physical imaging researcher who mapped the saltwater intrusion of the area also recommends a moratorium.

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Speaking of not liking what the public says, the Santa Cruz MidCounty Groundwater Agency (SCMGA) met Thursday, November 17 in the evening. It was well-attended, complete with the new California Department of Water Resources Regional Office Senior Engineer, Ms. Amanda Peisch-Derby. I am still trying to understand why the SCMGA group refused to let Ms. Peisch-Derby correct inaccurate information in their draft minutes from the previous meeting. Maybe we can all contact her (559-230-3307 or Amanda.Peisch@water.ca.gov) and find out what she would correct.

The SCGMA group also did not want to allow any public comment on the Soquel Creek Water District update on the plan to inject treated sewage water directly into the drinking water supply. This project, dubbed “Pure Water Soquel” is in the process of undergoing environmental impact review, and the public comment period on the scope of the Environmental Impact Report is NOW THROUGH DECEMBER 21. You can examine the 48-page document online or take a look at a hard copy available at most branches of the public library.

In glancing over the document, I have questions about where the pipe lines would go, what is meant by “brine concentrate” that will also be transported in 8″ diameter pipelines, and where are the tribal cultural resources that will be disturbed/damaged? There are three proposed injection well sites: Willowbrook Park, Cabrillo College, and Monterey Street/Kennedy Drive area. I did not see how deep into the aquifer the three proposed injection wells would place the treated sewage water, but the mention of “liquefaction” and “seismic shaking” got my attention, and made me consider a recent article in the Santa Cruz Sentinel correlating wastewater injection in Oklahoma to a burst of earthquakes in that region.

There are many other reasons why we all need to review this document and attend the Public Hearing for Environmental Impact Report Intention and Scoping scheduled for WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 at Twin Lakes Baptist Church Building 700, 2pm-4pm and 6pm-8pm. You can also send written comments online to purewatersoquel@soquelcreekwater.org or via US Mail to Soquel Creek Water District, P.O. Box 1550, Capitola, CA 95010, attention Ms. Melanie Mow Schumacher. Again, the deadline is December 21.

So, it seems to me that all who depend on the Purisima Aquifer, where this treated sewage water is proposed to be injected, ought to have a say in whether this all happens or not. After considerable insistence on my part, I was allowed to present a petition with 50 signatures to the SCGMA group, asking that the issue be placed on a ballot for approval/disapproval by all in the Mid-County Groundwater Basin…that’s private well owners and small water companies who also rely upon the aquifer for safe, pharmacuetical-free drinking water in the area roughly between Corralitos to just beyond Pleasure Point. If you agree, please contact Soquel Creek Water District and let them know. You can also contact the MidCounty Ground Water Agency at www.midcountygroundwater.org. If you’re a private well owner, you might also ask that the by-laws for that group be changed to allow private well and small water company owners to collectively choose their own representatives that serve on the SCGMA board. Currently, Soquel Creek Water District, Central Water District, Santa Cruz City Water Department and Santa Cruz County staff choose the three people who represent your interests.

APTOS VILLAGE TRAFFIC WOES…ASK SUPERVISOR ZACH FRIEND FOR A COMMUNITY MEETING

Last week, I discussed the terms of the Phase I Aptos Village Traffic Improvements that the County Board of Supervisors approved and will most likely begin next February or March. If you depend on this area for access to your home, schools and work, please contact Supervisor Zach Friend to demand a community meeting. How will the traffic be managed when the Trout Gulch Road railroad crossing is closed for 48 hours? How will we be notified regarding construction updates and time lines? Please call 454-2200 or e-mail Zach.Friend@santacruzcounty.us and ask for a community meeting to give us all a public forum for asking our questions regarding the project. And he should tell us again why taxpayers are picking up the tab for Barry Swenson Builder to move the westbound Metro bus stop to a more dangerous area for the drivers and will violate utility setbacks from the rail lines, just to help Swenson have the Soquel Drive gateway to the Aptos Village Project? HMMMMM……

And while you are on the phone with Zach Friend, ask for a public meeting to work out the details of the Phase II Aptos Village Traffic Improvements. I would like to know why taxpayers will be asked to pay $2 million for that project, which will include paying for the Aptos Village Project gateway’s new rail crossing, which includes the illegal closure of the Bayview Hotel’s main ingress/egress onto Soquel Drive. The 1878 deed that Hotel owner Mr. Jose Arano signed with the Santa Cruz Railroad (the Hotel land extends under the railroad bed and up to the edge of Soquel Drive) stipulated that the ingress/egress must forever remain open and clear, and that the Hotel owner has the right to put up a fence to obstruct traffic on the railroad at any time the agreement was not upheld. HMMM…what would the passenger rail do then? Stay tuned, get educated and ask questions. Write one letter. Make one call….make a difference in your community. Cheers, Becky.

~Becky Steinbruner is a 30+ year resident of Aptos. She has fought for water, fire, emergency preparedness, and for road repair. She ran for Second District County Supervisor in 2016 on a shoestring and got nearly 20% of the votes).

PATTON’S PROGRAM. From Gary’s Two Worlds website…

#318 SEALE OF APPROVAL.

Bobby Seale was a cofounder of the Black Panther Party. For many political activists of the 1960s and 1970s, and I am including myself in that number, Seale was (and remains) an inspiring figure. It’s strange to find an interview with Bobby Seale on a website whose www internet address is “modern luxury,” but so I did. The interview was printed in San Francisco magazine, which is one of those semi-glossy items handed out to visitors to San Francisco who stay at one or another of the City’s upscale hotels.

Bobby Seale is still giving out good advice. Particularly good advice, I’d say, for those who do not routinely stay in upscale hotels, and whose lives cannot fairly be called ones of “modern luxury.” What should we do about politics? That is what the interview was really all about. And Bobby Seale has a pretty simple answer, referencing what he and other members of the Black Panther Party were trying to do way back when:

So the next move is to become part of the government? My objective was to get thousands of people across the country elected into political office to replace the right-wingers or racists in those seats. There was an objective behind the idea of getting elected: to change the racist laws manifested in city charters. That’s where I was coming from when I created the Black Panther Party. The young Black Lives Matter movement people have got to see this: You’re not going to get community control of the police until you get more and more control of some of these political seats.

Do you think BLM activists should run as mainstream candidates or in third parties? You should run as whatever the heck you want. You just need a relevant agenda to the people’s needs. You have to be there where the laws are made. Starting at the city level, then the county level, and, as much as possible, at the state level and all the way to the federal level.

Bobby Seale’s advice is easy to sum up. Run as “whatever the heck you want,” as long as you have a “relevant agenda to the people’s needs.” The basic concept is really basic. Take over the government! Get more and more control of some of these political seats…”

(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. Big Turkey Day!!! Scroll below and chack it out!!

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s “moral victory” down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “It’s not the kind of musical that comes with show tunes and a chorus line. But Jewel Theatre Company, and a great cast of singers, make an exhilarating show out of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Next To Normal, this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). The exuberance of this production is what live theatre is all about.” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

LOVING. A great and inspiring true story of Richard and Mildred Loving and how and why their racially mixed marriage were convicted in 1958 and went all the way to the Supreme Court in 1967 and won!! Ruth Negga plays the Black American wife and Joel Edgerton is the dull, stoic, mechanic husband. It’s a fine film, and it’s sterile, lacking human-ness, or reasons why they love each other. It’s even inspiring, involves two well meaning jerk attorneys from the ACLU and once again…it’s just not very heart-felt.

BLEED FOR THIS. An almost exact copy of a Sylvester Stallone Hollywood boxing movie…except most of this movie is true. Miles Teller who was great in Whiplash can only go so far portraying a real human who was nothing like him. Poor and young boxer gets in a car accident, wears a halo neck brace and is told he’ll never walk or fight again. Well of course he does just that. And being a boxing movie,(and real life) he even wins the fight. Only if you’re a boxing fan should you go see this. And how about that Andre Ward decision over Sergey Kovalev???

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM. The first Harry Potter spinoff from J.K. Rowling, and it’s only the first of four more Beast movies planned!! Eddie Redmayne and Colin Farrell are the only actors we know of. In this very dark, depressing, beast filled mistake. Set in New York City in 1926 it lacks any semblence of the charm, magic, character or even cuteness of Harry Potter’s world of Hogwarts and vicinity. Special effects produced beast like snakes, octopii, Dragons, Hydras, and more than 85 different types according to Rowland’s book. Redmayne and Farrell aren’t given a chance to be likable or empathetic. You probably catch my drift…don’t go.

MOONLIGHT. For starters Moonlight has a 98 % on Rotten Tomatoes, so it’s not just me who really not only enjoyed this tale of drugs, gangs, and love, but people who like deep, serious films loved it too. Set in Miami, this sharp, delicate, brilliant story of a Black man’s life is told in three parts. It’s best not to read too much about the plot and just watch with wonder as it unfolds. You’ve never seen a film like this one. Please go and go quickly. Landmark may not keep it too long if we don’t support it.

A MAN NAMED OVE. A Swedish film with subtitles. Whew…93 on Rotten Tomatoes!!! It’s worth every tomato too. The film centers on 59 year old Ove and his attempts at suicide. He fails many times and dreams back to his near perfect and lovely wife who died, and why he wants to join her. He’s beyond crabby, he’s angry, mean and yet, and yet, there’s something so magnetic and powerful and redeeming in him that you’ll watch and wait for his every move. It’s a wonderful film…and I think he’s older than 59, and I remember 59 fairly well. Rolf Lassgard who plays Ove is actually 61 and has been in many films and even played Puck in a production of Midsummer Night’s Dream!!

ARRIVAL. Amy Adams has always been an excellent actor and she’s even better in this pretty sophisticated science fiction spellbinder. 11 alien speceships hover around earth just a few feet above ground while Amy and Jeremy Renner attempt to communicate with them. It’s a thoughtful film and it’ll make you wonder just how would anybody relate to aliens (and vice versa) Like the Trump victory the world is in a state of shock over these visitors. No killings, violence or cheap cliches…a fine film. I forgot to add that like so many Special effects films nowadays it is photographed in a very dark style. (Saves money I guess)

DOCTOR STRANGE. I had to work very hard all through this latest Marvel Comic special effects spectacular to remind myself….it’s a comic book, it’s a comic book. etc. It doesn’t make any sense, there’s little logic in any character’s role and We get to see Benedict Cumberbatch do his American accent (it’s flawless). Not only does Cumbarbatch play Dr. Strange but Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, and the always wonderful Tilda Swinton all do their damndest to out do any/all previous Marvel Comic special effects silliness. Dr. Stephen Strange’s hands are ruined in a car accident and he goes to Kathmandu and tons of mysticism to repair his surgeon’s hands. Go only if you truly believe in comic books…then you’ll love it.

AMERICAN PASTORAL. A very, very poor adaption of Philip Roth’s Pulitzer winning book. Save your money and time, and read the book again. A fine cast with Ewan McGregor (also directed it) Jennifer Connelly, Dakota Fanning (now older and much less entrancing) and a stiff, unfeeling naration by David Strathairn. The acting by all concerned is shockingly bad. The fake accents don’t work. Too many lines are shouted not emoted, the entire film lacks believable love or feelings.

THE ACCOUNTANT & DONALD TRUMP MONEY. For some mysterious reason this lousy, nearly insane movie is back again playing in several chain and independent theatres. We should all remember that Steven Mnuchin one of the film’s producers, is now and has been Finance Chair of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. It’s just if you care where your money goes…that’s all. The movie??? Well… Ben Affleck plays an autistic criminal bookeeper who is also a ruthless killer, and yes, that makes as little sense as does 98 % of this murder filled mess of a movie. Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jeffrey Tambor and even John Lithgow all do what they can in such a miscast cast that makes you feel like you’re watching an audition session, that nobody cares if they get the parts or not. You won’t believe the plot, or the acting, or the fact that you paid money to see this flick. ps. Jack Reacher is better…if you like these type flicks.

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. Christina Waters guests November 22 talking about her new book, “inside the flame“. After Christina, Sean Michael Conley discusses genealogy and their local chapter functions. Sean Van Sommeran emerges on Nov. 29 to tell us about the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation. Minutes after that, author and historian Sandy Lydon returns to talk about his future historical adventures. Keeping traditional, the winners of Bookshop Santa Cruz Young Writers Contest read their entries the full hour on December 6. December 13 has Jennifer Horne from UCSC’s Film Dept. discussing changing techniques in film development. PAMF’s Dr. Paul Ware follows Jennifer to tell us some of his theories about health and the role food plays. On December 20, author Lois Watson talks about her popular book, “Growing Up In Santa Cruz”. UCSC retiree Lincoln Taiz and Lee Taiz follow Lois and tell us about their new book, “Flora Unveiled” (plant sex) 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

This guy is brilliant! I can’t stop laughing at some of these 🙂

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. “REPUBLICANS”

“In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican”, H. L. Mencken

“I have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my Republican friends… that if they will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them”, Adlai E. Stevenson

“Coming to terms with Donald Trump as the Republican nominee is like being told you have Stage 1 or Stage 2 cancer. You know you’ll probably survive, but one way or the other, there’s going to be a lot of throwing up”, Christopher Buckley

“The only difference between the Republican and Democratic parties is the velocities with which their knees hit the floor when corporations knock on their door. That’s the only difference”, Ralph Nader

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BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off

November 14 – 20, 2016

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Bruce

TIM EAGAN’S PROFOUND STATEMENT.

Tim Eagan has been drawing cartoons for over 30 years. His Deep Cover cartoon SUCH AS THIS ONE (see above) have ripped our politics apart since 1994. This “Slinkin’ Monument” (my title) is one of his very best. BrattonOnline is very proud and happy to carry every Eagan cartoon possible, every week.

DATELINE November 14, 2016

WHAT NOW? Hours and hours watching most of the news channels secretly hoping and believing that something was wrong. There had been a mistake, or maybe something big and positive would happen…but NO. We have to live with the fact that all the hopes we had when Obama was elected are dead, over with, finished and America is in reality, just the way we never like to admit. Looks like Chris Krohn was elected to serve with Cynthia Mathews on the City Council, what’s that about? That’s a genuine tough job he has and he’s got a lot of support and he’s is one of our few citizens who can do it. Keeping the death penalty in California…why? There’s 14,500 Trump supporters in Santa Cruz, and we have to admit that too. Rick Longinotti tells us there are 10’s of thousands of votes still to be counted and not until November 14 will we know the final count on Widening Highway 1.

PAUL McCARTNEY AT THE WHITE HOUSE. Watch this awe-inspiring 2010 performance at the White House. Stay with it to the end…it’s a touching tribute to the Barack Obama presidency we won’t forget!

BOYCOTT TRUMP SUPPORTING BUSINESSES. If you care about whether you support businesses that support Donald Trump, and in case you believe boycotting sends a message check out this list. Coors, Home Depot, Pep Boys, Nascar, Hobby Lobby, Fairmont Hotels, Formula One, Bally’s Casino, UFC, Icahn, Swissotel, and plenty more

Go here to read the Arbiter News about boycotting… and also.. Boycott Trump: A list of businesses to avoid

HAPPY HAPPENING!!! Leaving the Del Mar theatre after seeing Moonlight (you should too!) I heard a nutty street duo calling themselves the Kangaroo Rat Music. They consist of only an accordion and xylophone and are just excellent. What really drew me to listen and watch them for a very long time was the first number I heard them playing….drove me crazy, I knew that “tune” I’d heard it a million times, and could almost sing along. What was it? Where’d I heard it before? I had to ask them…’ twas the theme from “Game Of Thrones”!!! Jeez. I could say only in Santa Cruz would you hear a street group playing “Game Of Thrones” but they probably tour a lot.

SELF PUBLISHED BOOKS. Ny REVIEW. “More than half of the books published annually in this country are self- published (400,000)” says a letter in the latest issue of New York Review of Books. The letter goes on to complain that the self published books are rarely given any Library of Congress numbering or cataloging. They are also rarely reviewed by main American reviewing journals. It says that the “houses” that help these self publishers should offer that official cataloging, and the Library Of Congress should pursue these books and make them universally accessible. Just a thought, because I’m almost ready to write my book!

GENOCIDE OF OUR LOCAL NATIVE INDIAN POPULATION. The latest issue of the New York Review of Books (Nov. 24) has a review of a new book “An American Genocide: The United States and The California Indian Catastrophe 1846-1873” by UCSC Historian Benjamin Madley. Details of times, places, names and statistics on the murder/genocide killing of native peoples in Northern Central California between 1846 and 1873. Mass killings by Gold miners, U.S Military State Militia, small town posses and ordinary citizens who hunted natives on weekends. UCSC Historian Martin Rizzo knows Benjamin Madley and is trying to get him to come to Santa Cruz. Maybe we can create a book signing and a guest shot on Universal Grapevine. Even Berkeley’s famed historian Alfred L. Kroeber (Ishi’s “friend” ) had a hand in this tragedy. Amazon books says, “Between 1846 and 1873, California’s Indian population plunged from perhaps 150,000 to 30,000. Benjamin Madley is the first historian to uncover the full extent of the slaughter, the involvement of state and federal officials, the taxpayer dollars that supported the violence, indigenous resistance, who did the killing, and why the killings ended. This deeply researched book is a comprehensive and chilling history of an American genocide”.

LEAF BLOWERS & MORE INFO. Jim Elmore sent this link to give us some info and statistics re the dangers of living near and using gas leaf blowers. http://www.nonoise.org/quietnet/cqs/home.htm . Back in 2009 Jim sent a letter to Cynthia Mathews our nearly permanent mayor, and all of our then City Council … it said…

10 October 2009
City of Santa Cruz
809 Center Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Attn: Cynthia Matthews, Mayor
Re: Noise and Air Pollution – Leaf Blowers

Dear Ms. Matthews:

As a thirty-four year resident of the city, I am dismayed by the noise and air pollution that has overtaken us in the form of gas powered leaf blowers and lawn mowers. I am now retired and one of the projects I am working on is a book: peace and quiet enhances my productivity yet almost every day and sometimes several times a day, that peace is disturbed by gas-powered noise and pollution makers. So, my ox is being gored, but in the bigger picture, this is what is happening to all of us.

Bad for the environment, bad for people, bad for the landscape, bad for the community. My Santa Cruz is a leader in so many ways; we need to act on this pollution problem.

I’m sure you’re knowledgeable regarding this subject but I would appreciate it if you would bring up the matter at a council meeting if it hasn’t already been mentioned.

Following is something I found on the net—Citizens for a Quieter Sacramento—which gives so many reasons for abolishing leaf blowers. Ref: http://www.nonoise.org/quietnet/cqs/leafblow.htm. Please read the section where: Grandmother Proves Rake and Broom as Fast as Leaf Blowers.

We re-landscaped our front yard four years ago and I found that the landscaping crew that we hired to maintain our yard used a blower which did nothing but blow the leaves elsewhere and remove the “gorilla hair” that was protecting the plants and kept the moisture in the ground. We asked them to stop using it; if they needed to clean the walkway, please use a broom.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, James R. Ellmore.

As we can guess nothing was done or has been done by our city council. Jim added last week… “Maybe something will happen this time. In our case, we have not allowed them ever since we started having had periodic gardeners; they use brooms and rakes. I did buy an battery-powered leaf blower but they ended up not using it. There was resistance at first; “I like to do a great job and leave it very clean and without using a blower, it is not as efficient and will take more time.” My answer was that everything does not have to be perfect, nature is messy.

“DON’T MORPH THE WHARF!”

The Wharf Master Plan is headed to council. Next Tuesday, November 22nd, the current council will vote on whether to approve the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) which the city had to revise and re-circulate for a month due to the failure of its original MND to adequately study the impact of this massive project on nesting birds at the wharf. This inadequacy had to be pointed out by members of the public.

The revision acknowledges that some nesting birds exist and others perch on the wharf but vastly understates the documented 117 bird species that have been sighted at the wharf, 69 species in the past 4 months alone. Similarly lacking is a comprehensive study of marine mammals and only a sketchy mitigation for their protection. For example, if no marine mammals are sighted for 15 minutes then pile driving can commence. The MND makes no mention of Humpback whales which a group of us watched breach and spout within a few hundred yards of the wharf last week. The inadequacy of the MND to study the environmental impacts of the planned construction and changes is clear. What is less clear is how the city council will vote. Why is it that the city of Santa Cruz stands out like a sore thumb when it comes to proper environmental review of its major proposed projects? The city of Santa Cruz also stands out in its dismissive attitude towards the public. Consider that the city of Capitola, also poised to make changes to its wharf, reassured the public that they will be listened to before any changes are proposed and that no major changes are contemplated. By contrast, the city of Santa Cruz obtained federal funds to the tune of a million dollars from the Department of Commerce for tsunami relief (the tsunami had no impact on the wharf) and gave that to a San Francisco design firm that developed the Wharf Master Plan in exchange for the million dollars. Only the inside circle had input. The public was and is still largely unaware of how dramatically the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf will be changed if this project is approved.

With little if any publicity, responses to the original MND were few. By contrast a petition opposing the makeover of the wharf and calling for an EIR has gathered 631 signatures in just 3 days. This seems a more reliable measure of public sentiment than the responses from insider stakeholders. You can find the petition and sign it here.

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Although the comment period for the revised MND will likely have ended by the time you are reading this (Nov. 16 is the deadline) it is not too late to send in your comments for the city council meeting on the 22nd. citycouncil@cityofsantacruz.com

Even a short email will help. Council needs to hear that we the public love our wharf and we demand that any major changes be properly evaluated for environmental impacts. That beyond a few clean-ups and better pedestrian access on the eastern side (facing the river), we do not favor the installation of 3 massive buildings, a nearly doubling of commercial space and berthing space for 200 ton ships and a lowered walkway under the current restaurants with no storm wave study; that we care about the marine mammals and birds and their protection; that we feel overwhelmed by the number of visitors right now and cannot fathom how many thousands more can be accommodated; that searching for one of twelve parking pay stations along the wharf will not be public-friendly especially for elder patrons; that relocating the parking kiosk midway along the wharf will likely make the lane changes at the roundabout more dangerous due to higher speeds as motorists head full bore along the wharf rather than being required to slow down to enter the wharf as now is the case; that we do not want to see our favorite old-time restaurants squeezed out for modern, higher priced eating spots or take-outs. The city denied Andy’s Bait Shop a lease renewal and we can expect more of the same to come. This is already happening in Monterey at Fisherman’s Wharf. There are favorites in this race. The inner business circle and the city’s Economic Development Department are holding the reins and the public isn’t even along for the ride. Despite the fact that this huge project is coming up for council vote in a few days, it is not listed on the city’s homepage; city council page; the planning department page, or the economic development department page. You have to hunt for it. We voted for a council to represent the community, not special interests. Let them know where you stand!”

~ 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.

WATER AND TRAFFIC…..GET EDUCATED AND GET ACTIVE!

Well, last week brought many surprises to us all, but the upshot is that citizens simply must wake up and get active in community issues. That’s what Ms. Medea Benjamin said as well, at her inspiring talk last Saturday at Louden Nelson Center. Many thanks to the local organizations that made her visit possible. So, what about water issues in our beautiful Santa Cruz County? The state has declared our area “Critical Overdraft”, meaning that the local water suppliers have been pumping out more water than is being replenished in the Purisima Aquifer, and now the salt water of the ocean is creeping inland and potentially destroying the water supply. Does that make you nervous? It should.

Last week, Soquel Creek Water District officials Mr. Ron Duncan and Mr. Bruce Daniels made a presentation to the Santa Cruz County Planning Commission to help them understand the critical problem the District faces in supplying new development with water. They hold great hope for the plan to inject treated sewage water into the aquifer to push back the advancement of salt water. They also talked a bit about the possible river water transfers from Santa Cruz to the District’s areas of Capitola, Aptos and Soquel.

Well, I have many questions about those plans and maybe you do, as well. How will the injection sites be monitored? It is, afterall, against state law to pump the treated sewage water back out of the aquifer any sooner than two months after injection. What about pharmaceuticals in the waste stream that cannot be tested for or removed? What about the difference in chemistry between the treated water (hydrogen peroxide is typically used as a disinfectant but is extremely reactive and was responsible for the arsenic spikes in the water Orange County supplied to customers after injecting treated sewage water). What about the difference in water chemistry between the north coast creeks and San Lorenzo River water that would, the District’s studies show, potentially cause problems within the supply pipes and possibly customer plumbing? Fresno is in serious trouble right now, said Soquel Creek Water District Engineer Mr. Taj Dufour at a recent Board meeting, because of this very issue (he was surprised it had not hit the media).

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HMMMMMM….. Well, I urge all water users in the County to get educated on these issues and get active. Attend the Santa Cruz Mid County Groundwater Agency meeting THIS THURSDAY, November 17, 7pm at Simpkins Swim Center. If you are a private well owner, you need to voice your opinion on how that agency will select a new private well alternate representative to represent you on this board. We all need to insist that more information be made public about the process moving quickly forward to inject treated sewage water directly into our drinking water supply. I THINK THIS SHOULD GO TO A VOTE BY BALLOT OF ALL WATER USERS IN THE AREA SERVED BY THIS AQUIFER.

Here is another opportunity for all water users to learn more about this and get active in insisting that the process be more transparent and public: Soquel Creek Water District will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, December 7, at Twin Lakes Baptist Church (near Cabrillo College) to discuss the scope of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) study the District is commissioning for the injection of treated sewage water directly into the public drinking water supply. There will be two sessions: 2pm-4pm and 6pm-8pm. Spread the word because we all need to be heard there….

APTOS VILLAGE TRAFFIC PHASE I MONEY APPEARS MAGICALLY OUT OF THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION’S HAT…..

Well, folks, the bids for the Phase I Aptos Village Transportation “Improvements” came in during the second round of bidding that the County Department of Public Works scheduled. Three bids were submitted, and the low bidder is John Madonna Construction Co., Inc. from San Luis Obispo, winning the low bid by just $656 over local Graniterock Construction. Local contractor Don Chapin also submitted a bid. So… there you go, no jobs for local people.

What I find interesting is that the low bid of $1,801,546.65 is still $300,000 over the County Engineer’s estimate, which is what caused the first round of bidding to be rejected and sent back to the drawing board. Well, what is different this time is that the RTC magically came up with $650.000 to donate to the project that will, let’s face it, greatly benefit Aptos Village Project developers, especially Barry Swenson Builder. So, how can the RTC find such a big chunk of money suddenly for this project when we were all told in the “Yes on Measure D” campaign that there was no money for local infrastructure improvements?

I paid a visit to the RTC office to ask for an explanation. I was referred to Mr. Luis Mendez (lmendez@sccrtc.org) to ask when and why the County Board of Supervisors will be voting to accept the “unanticipated revenue of $650,000 for the Aptos Village Phase I improvements when they approve the bid of John Maddona Construction? Mr. Mendez was not in the office, but I phoned him (408-838-2392 cell) to ask. He said he thought the money came from the RTC approval in October of state money for the Phase II of Aptos Village Improvements, and that the County had asked for “flexibility” of how the money would be used. He is going to research the issue a bit for me, and I will report to you next week. Curiouser and curioser, don’t you think?

JUST IN, OR PERHAPS, JUST OVER AND UP….THE APTOS VILLAGE PROJECT…And finally, one quick update about the Aptos Village Project area. Anyone passing through the area last week saw two BIG changes:

1) The second half of the historic Hihn Apple Barn got moved from it’s 125-year-old home and off to the west to join the other half, which was relocated last month. Kelly Brother House Movers is doing an incredibly careful job, and we all need to thank them for their diligence. The first half now has beginnings of a foundation in the process of construction.

2) The Great Wall of Soquel Creek Water District’s well drilling operation went up, and up, and up. A massive 20-foot-high green sound wall now encircles the drilling site on the corner of Cathedral Drive and Trout Gulch Road, directly across from the Aptos Post Office. The 50+foot tall drilling rig, sporting an American flag at the top, is also in place, but no work has yet begun. When it does, Soquel Creek Water District engineer Mr. Taj Dufour reports the loud noise and high-intensity lights will be operational 24/7 for about three weeks. It really is too bad, and a bit of a puzzle, that the District has NO signage whatsoever on the soundwall or chain link fence at the construction site to let the Community know what is happening there. What a change from the highly-publicized O’Neill Well at the end of 41st Avenue, don’t you think? At least the District’s “What’s On Tap” newsletter has some information about the project…for the very first time. Maybe the well drilling rig needs to add a lighted “Peace on Earth” sign on top of their tower…..Well, put in your ear plugs and stay tuned. Cheers!”

~(Becky Steinbruner is a 30+ year resident of Aptos. She has fought for water, fire, emergency preparedness, and for road repair. She ran for Second District County Supervisor in 2016 on a shoestring and got nearly 20% of the votes.

PATTON’S PROGRAM. From Gary’s Two Worlds website… Saturday, November 12, 2016

#317… A FACEBOOK FIASCO.

The San Jose Mercury News ran a story in its Sunday, November 6, 2016 edition that was titled, “Facebook expansion approved.” Here is a brief excerpt from the article:

Menlo Park has approved Facebook expansion plans that will add 6,550 employees, roughly 1 million square feet of office space and a 200-room hotel along the Bayfront Expressway.

While some residents and city officials expressed concern about the toll on housing and traffic such a large expansion could take, the City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the 301-309 Constitution Drive project. It also approved an agreement that calls for Facebook to either build 20 below-market-rate units or pay $6.5 million in fees into a city fund dedicated for such housing. So, 6,550 new employees and 20 new housing units that an average or below-average income person could afford.

This is happening everywhere, including in my own home town of Santa Cruz, where ordinary income people are being driven out of their housing because they are outcompeted by persons with Facebook-level salaries. In fact, this decision in Menlo Park will make housing prices worse in Santa Cruz, because some of those new 6,500 Facebook employees will locate here. The Facebook fiasco in Menlo Park will increase the likelihood that the so-called “Corridor Plan,” in Santa Cruz, which proposes to put high-rise housing along every major transportation corridor in the City, will in fact go through. When elected officials try to increase city revenues, without paying any attention to what that means for their existing residents, the result is a disaster for the community.

Based on the election results in Santa Cruz, on Tuesday, voters in my city haven’t gotten the message”.

OUR STATE PARKS. Julie Sidel, Interpreter 1 for our Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park wrote BrattonOnline… “Let’s revisit that train stop and straighten out our parks history! “Teddy Roosevelt did take the train up to the redwoods. The location was the grove that is the center of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park today. But at that time it was privately owned Welch’s Grove. His comments congratulating Californians on our first state park were directed at California Redwoods State Park, which we know today as Big Basin Redwoods State Park. That is our oldest state park (1902), and the first California state park purchased by tax dollars via legislative authority. (Yosemite had been signed over to California as a park by president Lincoln in 1864. By 1906, it was a National Park, no longer in the state.) Thanks for your photos, your history, and for doing what you do!” Julie Sidel. Thanks Julie.

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. Ever alert DeCinzo exposes the secrets behind shopping for food in Santa Cruz….see below a page or two.

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s “Slinkin Memorial” at the top of the column this special week. And the webmistress snuck in a favorite from the vaults – this one is from November 2012, just after the previous election. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog.

MUNCHING WITH MOZART. These free concerts happen the third Thursday of every month. This Thursday 11/17 features…

VIOLIN WITH PIANO. That’s Brian Johnston on Violin and Ben Dorfan playing Piano.

They’ll play…
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Sonata in B-flat, K. 378. Allegro moderato, Andantino sostenuto e cantabile, Rondeau–Allegro
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) The Lark Ascending
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) Sicilienne op. 78

Again that’s Thursday, November 17th. 12:10 – 12:50. Santa Cruz Main Library Downtown Branch – Meeting Room

SANTA CRUZ CHAMBER PLAYERS CONCERT NOVEMBER 19, 20. The next concert in their 2016-2017 series is titled “Music That Elevates the Soul“. It features The Black Cedar Trio playing flute, cello and guitar. You’ll hear musics by Bach, Haydn, Takemitsu, Cowell, Gardel, Tan Mi Zi and Hsieh. It happens this SaturdayNov. 19 at 7:30 and Sunday Nov. 20 at 3 p.m. These are good, fun concerts to attend (I’ve been going for decades) informal, all great seating , lus music not often heard around these parts. It’s at the Christ Lutheran Church, 10707 Soquel Dr, In Aptos. Go here for a map and info… http://www.scchamberplayers.org

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “Black lives matter in Moonlight, an eloquent coming-of-age drama that explores issues of race, culture, and love in unexpected ways, this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). Also, join me in a fond farewell to the one and only Leon Russell, whose rockin’ boogie-woogie piano provided much of the soundtrack to my misspent youth. Rock on, Leon!” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

THE ACCOUNTANT & DONALD TRUMP MONEY. For some mysterious reason this lousy, nearly insane movie is back again playing in several chain and independent theatres. We should all remember that Steven Mnuchin one of the film’s producers, is now and has been Finance Chair of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. It’s just if you care where your money goes…that’s all. The movie??? Well… Ben Affleck plays an autistic criminal bookeeper who is also a ruthless killer, and yes, that makes as little sense as does 98 % of this murder filled mess of a movie. Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jeffrey Tambor and even John Lithgow all do what they can in such a miscast cast that makes you feel like you’re watching an audition session, that nobody cares if they get the parts or not. You won’t believe the plot, or the acting, or the fact that you paid money to see this flick. ps. Jack Reacher is better…if you like these type flicks.

THE HANDMAIDEN….warning…you have to love Asian/Korean subtitled films especially ones directed by Chan-Wook Park before you can enjoy this one. Ever since taking three or more years of film classes from UCSC’s Earl Jackson (now teaching in Korea)I am a complete devotee of films by Chan-Wook Park. The sex, violence, even murder in his films are so unique, so subtle,and sensitive that they take on different meanings. Oldboy, Sympathy for Lady Vengence and Snowpiercer must be seen to be hallowed. This latest masterpiece contains three versions of the same plot. Con-artists out to cheat a wealthy woman of her estate. It has a 94 on Rotten Tomatoes, so it’s not just me.

CERTAIN WOMEN. A genuine women’s film with three separate stories going deep inside the frustrations of three or four women as they deal with our society. Laura Dern is a Montana attorney frustrated by the lack of respect in her taking the case of a potentially suididal man. Michelle Williams keeps her family frustrations hidden as she tries to add life, love and a future to her husband and daughter. Kristen Stewart floats and drifts through an insecure part of her life while new actor Lily Gladstone tries to add love, respect and friendship to their tenous relationship. Slow moving, intense, even boring at times, you’ll think about this delicate film lang after it’s over. Kelly Reichardt directed it and once again proves she creates great films unlike any other director.

DOCTOR STRANGE. I had to work very hard all through this latest Marvel Comic special effects spectacular to remind myself….it’s a comic book, it’s a comic book. etc. It doesn’t make any sense, there’s little logic in any character’s role and we get to see Benedict Cumberbatch do his American accent (it’s flawless). Not only does Cumbarbatch play Dr. Strange but Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, and the always wonderful Tilda Swinton all do their damndest to out do any/all previous Marvel Comic special effects silliness. Dr. Stephen Strange’s hands are ruined in a car accident and he goes to Kathmandu and tons of mysticism to repair his surgeon’s hands. Go only if you truly believe in comic books…then you’ll love it.

DENIAL. A subject like denying the holocaust has about as much relevance as alien kidnappings, the earth is flat, and denying climate change. And this is a very serious film starring Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson (one of his very best roles), and the evil and believable Timothy Spall. Courtroom, Auschwitz, anti-semitism, Adolf Hitler, and it’s all true. It’s full of suspense, and you’ll think a lot about a Trump- run USA.

JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK. It’s actually one of the better action –merciless- blood filled- escapist movies. There’s a semblence of a plot that makes even Tom Cruise seem human at times!!! It only got a 39 on Rotten Tomatoes so maybe Cruise’s Scientology friends haven’t gone yet!!! The skimpy plot has maybe a daughter for Cruise, several incredibly manic mindless, brutal killings BUT some scenes are very exciting. But you must really this type of film before paying to see it.

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. . Nov. 15 has Deborah Muth talking about her new book on Scotts Valley history. Attorney Bob Taren returns that same November 15 to share views on THAT election. Christina Waters guests November 22 talking about her new book. After Christina, Sean Michael Conley discusses genealogy and their local chapter functions. Sean Van Sommeran emerges on Nov. 29 to tell us about the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation. Minutes after author and historian Sandy Lydon returns to talk about his future historical adventures. Keeping traditional, The winners of Bookshop Santa Cruz Young Writers Contest read their entries the full hour on December 6. Jennifer Horne from UCSC’s Film Dept. discusses changing techniques in film development. PAMF’s Dr. Paul Ware follows Jennifer to tell us some of his theories about health and the role food plays. On December 20, author Lois Watson talks about her popular book, “Growing Up In Santa Cruz”. 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

Distraction and entertainment. That’s what I’m up for at the moment – how about you?

QUOTES. “ELECTIONS”

“Free election of masters does not abolish the masters or the slaves”, Herbert Marcuse

“Half of the American people have never read a newspaper. Half never voted for President. One hopes it is the same half”, Gore Vidal.

“When one with honeyed words but evil mind
Persuades the mob, great woes befall the state”, Euripides, Orestes

“Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters”, Abraham Lincoln

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

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off

Posted on November 8, 2016 by Bruce

A PRESIDENT VISITS SANTA CRUZ!!! Teddy Roosevelt came here on May 11, 1903. He gave a speech on Pacific Avenue and went up to Big Trees to declare it our first California State Park. This is about where The Regal Cinema 9 sits today.

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE November 7, 2016

OUR NEXT TRAFFIC SOLUTION? Ignore the narration just watch the diamond pattern traffic flow!!

MYTH CALIFORNIA 1982. I’d never seen this clip…such memories.

DOCTOR STRANGE. Benedict Cumberbatch as we’ve never seen him…plays Dr. Stephen Strange.

TRUMPING OF SANTA CRUZ. Writing this on the Monday before Election Day really makes me wonder just how far to the Right Santa Cruz politics has changed. I’ve been voting here since 1970 and have never seen or heard or read such a negative mess ofTrump – like political happenings. There was much more of the stealing of political signs and the wildly nasty statements on Nextdoor.com. Back in the day The Santa Cruz Sentinel could be depended upon to attack and zing County Supervisor Gary Patton and Mayor, County Supervisor Mardi Wormhoudt at least once every week and of course there’s last years Sentinel’s low blows to Leonie Sherman. This campaign The Sentinel leveled even more poisonous and lower down attacks on the four city council candidates who promise change in our City Council priorities. We live in a very different divided Democrat oriented community, if we can still call it that.

ANOTHER HISTORICAL MARKER ON WEST CLIFF. What’s with yet another addition to “stuff” along West Cliff Drive. Now they want to add a memorial stone to honor Michael Anthony Sweeney just about where they had that exercise equipment on the much threatened West Cliff. Sweeney seems like he was a fine fellow and was related to Elihu Anthony an early Santa Cruz developer. He developed The Anthony Block at the north end of PacificAvenue and was a buddy of Fred Augustus Hihn. But shouldn’t we have more rigorious rules before we let folks erect their memorials in such a beautiful and scenic location? What about a replica of Fred Swanton’s historic outhouse? How about Charlie Canfield’s first car (bronzed), or Barry Swenson’s horse? Maybe the new City Council could look into this???

EVIL LEAF BLOWERS ALL AROUND US. Roni Shepherd was very kind and shared an article from the Nov. 4 Sants Cruz Sentinel by Kathryn McKenzie. Among other things it said about gas powered leaf blowers… “Somebody has to lead the way to ban leaf blowers,” he wrote. “Just as health organizations led the way restricting smoking using second-hand smoke as the vehicle; it will have to be health organizations that lead the way to banning dust/carcinogenic particle-blowing leaf blowers.” So what’s so bad about leaf blowers? There are three major issues with gas-powered blowers: the pollution, the noise, and the fact they blow particulate matter around that could impact respiratory health. Like any other gasoline powered appliance, leaf blowers spew hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, but more so in the case of leaf blowers. A 2011 test done by car experts at Edmunds found, amazingly, that a consumer-grade leaf blower emitted more pollutants than a large SUV. The California Air Resources Board concurs, stating that one hour of operating a leaf blower, compared to an average large car, emits 498 times as much hydrocarbons, 49 times as much particulate matter, and 26 times as much carbon monoxide. As for the noise, it’s something no one likes, and in fact could damage your hearing. Leaf blower noise measures 70 to 75 decibels from 50 feet away and higher at a closer range. The World Health Organization recommends levels of 55 decibels or less, and prolonged noise levels over 75 decibels have been found to cause hearing loss.

And then there’s that particulate matter issue. Not only do leaf blowers blow leaves, but also dirt, dust, and whatever tiny bits of things are on the ground and sidewalk. This could include everything from toxins such as lead and pesticides to molds and fungus.

With all of that going on, no wonder that there’s an anti-leaf-blower movement going on across the country. Hundreds of municipalities have banned or restricted the use of gas-powered leaf blowers; much more information is available at Noise Free America, noisefree. org. (Incidentally, Carmelby- the-Sea was one of the first cities in the country to ban leaf blowers — way back in 1975.) I’m about to run out of room for today, but next week I’ll expand more on alternatives to gas-powered blowers and what else can be done to remedy this issue. Read more about Gas blowers at pardonmygarden@att.net

MUDDYING THE WATERS

Transparency in government or the lack thereof is important on a local as well as a national level. The democratic process is fragile and its survival depends on those in power acting with integrity with an informed populace holding them accountable. I had a recent experience with the city that confirms what others have experienced: if you support their agenda all is fine but if you are critical of their agenda, the going is not so smooth. Here is some background on the issue and my experience with negotiating the tangled web of city politics.

The Cowell Water Quality Group (CWG) was formed by city council at the initiative of council member David Terrazas over a year ago to respond to Cowell Beach’s top ranking on Heal The Bay’s Beach Bummer List with an F grade for the past 7 years. In other words, the state mandated water testing during the summer months ranks Cowell Beach as the most polluted in the state. Not good news for a tourist town! While the ranking is appropriate given the water quality data, public perception that the whole beach is a sewer drain is not. People jump to conclusions and incorrectly assume that the outfall from Neary Lagoon is a sewer outfall and everyone has their pet perspective on the source. I understand the city’s frustration with such misinformation and have done my part to clarify for folks the parameters of the problem. I serve on the CWG as the Sierra Club representative. It has been a challenging experience. I have found it frustrating that the CWG group has studiously avoided conducting DNA microbial source testing to determine which species is/are contributing to the high fecal indicator bacteria levels that are limited to the summer months and usually limited to the west side of the wharf up to the east side of the Dream Inn. Rather than taking a scientific approach with multiple DNA source testing that experts would recommend, the group has taken a shotgun approach by assuming that the source of the problem is birds. Months have been wasted on anecdotes and opinions. After a year of such deliberations, the recommendation to council which received approval, was to spend $50,000 to install stainless steel rigid mesh where the pigeons roost along the entrance and first part of the wharf. I presented to council the Sierra Club’s position that it would be wiser to conduct DNA source testing prior to allocating dollars on hypotheticals but was ignored. The mesh was installed over the summer and the pigeons moved further down the wharf.

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The testing at the “hot spot” west of the wharf in ankle deep water over this past summer has shown a significant drop in days of required posting (over 50%) when the fecal indicator bacteria exceeded state acceptable levels. This is good news. Council member Terrazas urged the group to present these findings to the current council prior to the new council being seated. He expressed optimism that the problem has been resolved. I urged caution. Success needs to be repeated over a few years not assumed after one year. And most significantly, this past summer has been the most unusual since the 1960’s with the sand bar and extended beach dramatically changing the currents along the shoreline. That, combined with atypical large waves over the summer, may be the factors that have shifted the polluted water away from its usual spot. Testing over a few more summers when the beach profile is more typical would allow for more reliable and valid conclusions. I got a nod of approval from a couple of members of CWG but the politician wanted to spotlight the success so the presentation was scheduled for the council meeting of November 1st.

On the morning of November 1st I noticed that the item was not on the council agenda. I called the city clerk’s office and was told that it had been postponed. Puzzled that the representative from the CWG who was to deliver the presentation had not alerted the group to that fact I emailed him. His replied that today this was to be a short presentation imbedded within the city managers report and that he had been given 5 minutes to add to that. I called the city clerks office again to clarify that yes, it was on the agenda, although in a different place. I wanted to know if the public could speak to the item in that context. Nobody knew. I was told to wait for Assistant city manager Scott Collins who would respond to me later that day. That will be too late, I said. Surely someone knows whether a member of the public can speak after this item is presented? Nobody knew. The final word was that it was the Mayor’s discretion whether anyone could speak and I was told to email the Mayor, which I did. Not hearing back by the start of the council meeting I decided to show up and take my chances. The presentation from staff was a rosy picture of success. Everyone was thanked. Everyone was pleased, multiple times. The Mayor was glad to see such a collaborative, scientific approach. The group was held up as a model of how to get things done. Feeling as though I was in the twilight zone, I took a deep breath, went to the side of the room and raised my hand. I was recognized and told to keep it short.

MORE NEWS ABOUT RANCHO DEL MAR…AND A BIT ABOUT AQUIFER OVERDRAFT STATUS.

I have continued to research the status of the Rancho del Mar Center upgrade status this past week. I was finally able to speak directly with Mr. Bruce Walton via telephone but did not get much information. He said Terra Mar Center’s policy is “No Comment”, only stating that the Center’s improvement plans are “a work in progress”. When I asked about any possible Community meetings in the future, he replied that nothing is currently scheduled (although apparently Supervisor Zach Friend has also inquired about this) because it would not be productive until there is a solid plan to present to the public. He did say there will be “no wholesale change” in the basic Rancho del Mar Center design, there will be mostly renovations. He would not discuss any future tenant deals. I would encourage any citizens who are interested in the future plan to contact Mr. Walton to make sure our Community interests stay on Terra Mar Center’s radar: “Bruce Walton” BWalton@trcretail.com

I also visited the County Planning Department to review files for the two Assessors Parcel Numbers (APN) for the Center: 039-221-11 and 039-221-12. Anyone can monitor building permit application status at the Santa Cruz County Planning Department website. At the Assessor’s Office, one is able to access a good deal of information regarding a parcel, such as owner name and address, taxes and assessments. and changes in ownership and reappraisals. I was amazed to learn that the total 2016-17 property tax assessment for the two lots composing the Rancho del Mar Center total $637,238.57. One only has to compare that sum with the existing property tax assessment of $12,560.14 for the portion of the Aptos Village Project that is slated to become home of the New Leaf Market to better understand why the County government is SO anxious to push the Aptos Village Project through. Once again, folks, just follow the money….

Well, I follow that, but I also like to follow the water issues.

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I had the good fortune of being able to attend a Special Meeting for the Soquel Creek Water District Board last Wednesday (11am-12:30pm) to view a presentation by two Stanford researchers from the School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences who exhibited and discussed results of their geophysical modelling of saltwater intrusion along the Monterey Bay coastline. Dr. Rosemary Knight and graduate student Ms. Meredith Goebel presented some fascinating information that showed correlation with local well pumping locations and saltwater intrusion. The actual experiment was done two years ago, covering the beach area from Seaside to Capitola for a period of 14 days in October. The study produced so much data that the results, compiled pretty much single-handedly by Ms. Goebel, are just now available and will soon be presented formally in a research journal.

The work involved placing electrodes along the beach and measuring the electrical resistivity encountered between electrodes. The data was able to be retrieved reliably to a depth of 1000ft below ground surface level, with some limitations, such as unknown buried metal pipes, etc. The correlations were quite amazing between the areas of known historically high pumping rates (there is quite alot of information to reference in the Pajaro Valley Water Management area). What I found equally interesting was that the area near Seaside where there is a large pond of stormwater runoff collection showed an area at the beach study of FRESH water going out to sea…think about that for a moment.

Dr. Knight discussed with the standing-room-only audience that her techniques are modelled after similar efforts that were begun in Denmark (that country is 100% dependent on groundwater) in 1990 and are now also used in India, Australia and other areas of the world for mapping actual subsurface geological make-up for locating potential well sites. In those countries, a helicopter actually flies over the land with a large electromagnetic loop and can gather much more information. In the U.S., this is not being used much and is not allowed over urban areas for safety reasons. She had done one such study using helicopter apparatus last year in the Central Valley farmland to measure subsidence.

So,I always come away from excellent presentations like this one with nuggets of information. This was a goldmine. With the evidence that freshwater ponds at the coastline, such as was shown in the Seaside area, it could be possible to recharge the aquifer with more such ponds….maybe create a series of such ponds using the treated sewage water that Soquel Creek Water District insists on injecting directly into the aquifer. The other nugget that I took home from last Wednesday’s presentation was hearing Dr. Knight say the problem with tertiary-treatment of sewage water is “you cannot deal with all the things in the waste stream”. For that reason, she recommends a more in-house recycling system, using gray water for landscape and flushing, and rainwater collection.

I sure want to be able to vote on whether or not Soquel Creek Water District injects treated sewage water into the Purisima Aquifer, don’t you? Plan to attend the Mid-County Groundwater Agency meeting Thursday, November 17, 7pm at the Capitola City Council Community Room. Let them know your thoughts. Also, Soquel Creek Water District is planning to publicly launch their intention to do the EIR for injecting the sewage water into the aquifer at a public meeting December 7, 2pm-4pm and 6pm-8pm at Twin Lakes Baptist Church (next to Cabrillo College). I hope to see you there!

Oh, one last nugget… Dr. Knight said was that she recommended to the Pacific Grove City Manager that the city enact a MORATORIUM ON NEW HOOK-UPS , based on the severity of the seawater intrusion. Think about that for our area….we are in big trouble, too. Cheers, Becky Steinbruner.

From Gary’s Two Worlds website…

#312 THE LESSER EVIL. Monday , November 7, 2016

I went to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia last July, as an official delegate for Bernie Sanders. I was an alternate. I wrote about the Convention at length, here in this Two Worlds blog, and I wasn’t very happy about the way the Convention was conducted. I did six different blog postings from Philadelphia, and I invite anyone who hasn’t read them already to go back and take a look at my contemporary comments. My final post can be accessed right here.

As a delegate for Bernie Sanders, I was naturally disappointed that he didn’t get the Democratic Party nomination. Other delegates for Bernie Sanders felt the same way, and there has been a fair amount of debate among former Sanders’ delegates about whether or not to support Hillary Clinton. On that question, I’m with Bernie. He’s voting for Hillary. I am, too. Other people have different views, and some of the debate can be sampled in this recent article from In These Times. The article is titled, “Up For Debate: The Lesser Evil.”

I have a comment about “The Lesser Evil” concept. I think it is profoundly wrong to import the categories of “Good” versus “Evil” into a discussion of politics. It’s misleading. Those categories are “religious,” not “political.” “Evil” should be avoided (evil actions, evil thoughts). Big or little, greater or lesser, it is never right to support or vote for “Evil.”

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Again, though, “Evil” is a religious category. In politics, which is essentially a process of collective decision-making, the whole point is to have debate and discussion, conflict and controversy, and to resolve those debates by a decision that is often a “compromise.” In this process, the category of “Evil” doesn’t really fit. How can you compromise with something that is “Evil?” You really can’t. While I feel strongly about my political views, I don’t claim that those who hold different views are “Evil.” If I thought that, how could I even talk with them?

Hey, meet the United States Congress! There’s an example. That body of elected representatives is supposed to be debating and then deciding what we, collectively, as a nation, should do. But members from both parties are treating each other like they are “Evil.” Naturally, nothing can be, or is being, accomplished, and when a democratic process no longer “works,” when democracy can’t make decisions, totalitarian solutions emerge.

The In These Times article poses the question whether Bernie Sanders supporters should vote for Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate for president, instead of for Hillary Clinton. It is taken for granted that the Republican Party candidate, Donald Trump, is “Evil.” If Hillary Clinton is a “Lesser Evil,” should someone vote for her, in order to avoid the greater harm?

There are lots of good reasons not to vote for Donald Trump. There are also, probably, some good reasons to vote for Jill Stein, instead of Hillary Clinton, or to vote against Hillary Clinton (like her too friendly connections to the 1% and her propensity for military actions around the world). But voting for the Green Party, instead of for Hillary Clinton, should not be based on a claim that Hillary Clinton and her positions are “Evil.”

Should a person vote for “Evil?” Of course not. Should a person vote, then for a “lesser Evil?” Of course not. Never vote for “Evil,” in any form! But let’s take religion (and religious categories) out of politics. The genius of our system is that we insist that there should be NO religion in politics. Arguments that style themselves as a discussion of whether or not to vote for the “lesser Evil” are suggesting that questions of ultimate morality (the kind associated with religion) should be the basis of our political decision-making. Even if the “Lesser Evil” concept is just metaphorical, words condition us to think they refer to realities. That’s where we are headed, and our politics is breaking down. When politics becomes a crusade for holiness, or against “Evil,” we have lost our way”.

~(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. “It’s a Wonderful Life” starring Jimmy Stewart and DeCinzo. Scroll lower down.

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s “Post-Voting Clean-up” down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “Discover a sly entertainment of sex, larceny, double-crosses, and female liberation — that would be The Handmaiden, by Korean bad-boy director Chan-wook Park — this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). Skip this one if you’re squeamish about sex onscreen, but otherwise, enjoy the plunge into Park’s perverse, yet weirdly moral worldview. Also — if it’s still Tuesday when you read this — get out there and VOTE! (Hint: I’m NOT with Him.)” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

AQUARIUS. Even though the film is set in 1980 in Recife, Brazil (their largest metropolitan city), it seems more like it all takes place in Santa Cruz…another beach side city. Sonia Braga perfectly remembered from “Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands” and “Kiss of The Spider Woman” plays a 65 year old hell bent for leather woman fighting her way into older ages, and still staying in touch. It’s almost too easy and unavoidable to Santa Cruzans to imagine Sonia Braga living in an apartment she owns in the La Bahia while Charlie Canfield, The Boardwalk and Barry Swenson pull the dirtiest tricks in the book to get her to sell so they can develop some new stucco piece of trash building and make millions. Just as we are seeing our historic La Bahia being developed, our municipal wharf being “modernized?, the inflatable basketball arena being made permanent and losing our soccer field so too do we watch as this strong, principled woman stand up for her rights.See this film ASAP and vote for Sonia Braga for a lifetime Oscar or something even better!!!Hurry…it ends Thursday 11/10.

THE ACCOUNTANT. Ben Affleck plays an autistic criminal bookeeper who is also a ruthless killer, and yes, that makes as little sense as does 98 % of this murder filled mess of a movie.

Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jeffrey Tambor and even John Lithgow all do what they can in such a miscast cast that makes you feel like you’re watching an audition session, that nobody cares if they get the parts or not. You won’t believe the plot, or the acting, or the fact that you paid money to see this flick. ps. Jack Reacher is better…if you like these type flicks.

GIRL ON A TRAIN. Emily Blunt stars in this heavily/crazily adapted book to film release. You’ll figure it all out about three-quarters of the way through the flash back-fast forward sections. What’s also a problem is that (on purpose) some of the women look like each other! Ex-wives, murder, drinking, cliches galore. I think you’d be better off reading the book. I’ll bet most of your friends have.

MRS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN. Tim Burton who was born in Burbank in 1958 has made cinema greatness by directing Beetlejuice, Pee Wee Herman, Edward Scissorhands, James and The Giant Peach. Miss Peregrine is a mess, and unfathomable, confusing, pointless. And even sad and painful..DO NOT TAKE OR SEND CHILDREN…it is not a children’s movie, or yours either. Besides all that, the film is heavily critized for having one very evil character in it…played by the one Black actor in the cast Samuel L. Jackson.

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. Voting Night Nov.8 we have former Mayor Celia Scott discussing politics and elections the first half hour. Then, former Santa Cruz County Supervisor Gary Patton also talks about local and national elections, issues, and politics. Nov. 15 has Deborah Muth talking about her new book on Scotts Valley history. Attorney Bob Taren returns that same November 15 to share views on THAT election. Christina Waters guests November 22 talking about her new book. After Christina, Sean Michael Conley discusses genealogy and their local chapter functions. Sean Van Sommeran emerges on Nov. 29 to tell us about the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation. Minutes after author and historian Sandy Lydon returns to talk about his future historical adventures. Keeping traditional, The winners of Bookshop Santa Cruz Young Writers Contest read their entries the full hour on December 6. Jennifer Horne from UCSC’s Film Dept. discusses changing techniques in film development. PAMF’s Dr. Paul Ware follows Jennifer to tell us some of his theories about health and the role food plays. On December 20, author Lois Watson talks about her popular book, “Growing Up In Santa Cruz”. 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

This is amazing, and no politics! I hope you vote, though.

QUOTES. “THANKSGIVING”

“After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations”, Oscar Wilde,

“Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence”, Erma Bombeck

“Here in Britain, of course, it’s Thank Fuck We Got Those Weird Jesus Bastards On The Boat Day”, Warren Ellis

“Superficial social niceties are far different from the deep emotion of thanksgiving”, Alexandra Katehakis,

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

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off

November 2 – 8, 2016

Posted on November 3, 2016 by Bruce

ALMOST WORLD FAMOUS “PORNOGRAPHIC” STATUE ON HIP POCKET BOOKSTORE. The Hip Pocket Bookstore preceeded Bookshop Santa Cruz and was in about the same location as Bookshop is now. This statue by Ron Boise was erected September 10, 1964. There are so many stories about it…and check out Wallace Baines and Ralph Abraham’s recent books.

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE October 31, 2016

DAUGHTER HILLARY & NEW YORK CITY MAYOR BILL DI BLASIO. (See photo)

On her last business trip to NYC my daughter Hillary Bratton almost literally bumped into New York City Mayor Bill Di Blasio. Knowing he was working hard for Hillary Clinton she asked if she could take a picture. As you can see, he did more than that. She said he’s easy going, kind and has a great sense of humor. (He’s also 6’5″.. she’s 5’7″). I looked up his political bio…you should too. Amazing, and some incredibly progressive principles. Plus a long record of working with and for Hillary Clinton. He’d be a great president, or maybe a vice president. Read his Wikipedia info. Wish we had local candidates with his record.

(Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton was 13 years old when we named my daughter Hillary, and quite unknown at the time…even in Berkeley).

WILD TURKEY SOUNDS. I just hadn’t heard how a wild turkey sounds…have you??

GHOSTLY AND BEAUTIFUL SOUNDS WITH MUSIC.
It’s called “Flowers For Body Snatchers”. Listen quietly, and even with my small desk speakers it’s captivating….and beautiful.

NO ON “D” DEMONSTRATION AND THE MONEY BEHIND THE MEASURE.

Highway Expansion Is Not Healthy

No on D Campaign Asks Voters to Consider the Impact of Big Money in Local Politics

During the last week of the campaign season, The No on D group, Widening Won’t Work, will hold a public demonstration in front of one of the major corporate donors to Measure D, the Palo Alto Medical Foundation that contributed $25,000 to the Yes on D campaign Rick Longinotti, chair of the group, says, “This is the most expensive Santa Cruz County ballot campaign in memory. Contributions to Yes on D total more than $380,000. We believe it is important for County residents to understand who is behind the financing of this measure.”

Public records show who is behind the Yes on D campaign:

Over half the contributions come from the construction industry and unions.
Half of all contributions come from outside the county.
97.8% of Yes on D funds comes from large contributions of $1000 and over.
There are no legal limits to campaign contributions for ballot measures.

Measure D is a 30-year half-cent sales tax, expected to raise revenue of $500 million dollars, more than $100 million of which will fund expanding Highway 1 for auxiliary lanes (lanes that end at the next offramp).

According to Longinotti, “No amount of special interest money can alter the conclusion of last year’s Caltrans report that the widening project won’t relieve congestion.”

Longinotti explains why the No on D group also choose Graniterock for a demonstration on Tuesday November 1st. “I spent over twenty years working in electrical construction, and I disliked working on projects that increased energy consumption. Let’s put people to work on transportation projects that offer real solutions to congestion and help us break out of our dependency on fossil fuels.”

On Friday, Nov. 4th at noon at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (Sutter Health) the No on D campaign will present a copy of the book “Urban Sprawl and Public Health” to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, at which has contributed $25,000 to Yes on D. PAMF offices are located at 2025 Soquel Avenue by Capitola Road across from Jeffrey’s Restaurant. The book describes the enormous health impacts of automobile dependency, including injuries and deaths from collisions, chronic asthma due to air pollution, obesity, and diabetes connected to the decline of walking, and the crumbling of neighborly connection due to the spatial isolation of auto-dependent communities.

TOP CONTRIBUTORS TO YES ON D. Click here to see such familiar names as PAMF, Seaside Corp, SEIU, Land Trust, Graniterock, Redtree, even Sorensons, Colligan, Physicians Medical Group, Plantronics, and on and on…

Source: Santa Cruz County Elections Department

California Alliance for Jobs – Rebuild California Sacramento	$50,000.00
Northern California Carpenters Regional Council Issues PAC Oakland	$25000.00
Plantronics Santa Cruz, CA	$25000.00
California Alliance for Jobs – Rebuild California Sacramento	$25000.00
Palo Alto Medical Foundation for Healthcare, Research and Education Santa Cruz	$25000.00
CA Legislative Board United Transportation Union Sacramento	$20000.00
Service Employees Int’l Local 521 Issues PAC Sacramento	$20,000.00
Santa Cruz Seaside Company Santa Cruz	$15000.00
Operating Engineers Local 3 Issues PAC Alameda	$10,000.00
John Colligan Capitola	$10000.00
Land Trust of Santa Cruz County Santa Cruz	$10000.00
Graniterock Watsonville	$10000.00
United Contractors San Ramon	$10000.00
Northern California District Council of Laborers Issues PAC Sacramento	$10000.00
Granite Construction Watsonville	$5,000.00
Santa Cruz County Business Council Freedom	$5,000.00
Allen Property Group Aptos	$7,500.00
Sorensen’s Resort Hope Valley	$5,000.00
Redtree Partners LP Santa Cruz	$5000.00
David Lyng & Associates, Inc. Capitola	$5000.00
Physicians Medical Group of Santa Cruz Scotts Valley	$5000.00
Geo. H. Wilson, Inc. Santa Cruz	$5000.00
Reiter Watsonville	$5000.00
David Olson, Inc. Watsonville	$2500.00
Don Chapin Company Salinas	$2500.00
Joseph J. Albanese, Inc. Santa Clara	$2500.00
Rebele Aptos	$2500.00
RRM Design San Luis Obispo	$2500.00

Reminder… Yes, I printed these before and the rest of need reminding…tell your friends…

ARBORETUM…Tom Karwin wrote and sent this in. (For still more details listen to our interview that happened on Universal Grapevine Tuesday November 1st. It’s archived for two weeks).

A New Approach for the UCSC Arboretum

Tom Karwin, October 2016

The UCSC Arboretum began when the UCSC campus began, just over fifty years ago. A favored project of the founding chancellor, Dean McHenry,theoriginal director, Professor Ray Collett (who received only a tiny stipend and a very small budget), and an enthusiastic cadre of volunteers from the campus faculty and staff and the community. This was an ambitious project for volunteers to build a nationally important collection of trees and shrubs at California’s largest public garden. The following years saw significant developments: the collection grew to national prominence, as expected; paid staff took over most of the work; and expenses (for salaries, mostly) grew beyond the reach of vigorous fund-raising effortsand the minimal funds budgeted by the campus.

Consequently, the Arboretum has a large and growing debt. Despite vigorous ongoing fund-raising efforts, the debt keeps growing and the Arboretum is unable to meet fully the ongoing expenses, or to repay the debt, other than through a dramatic and hypothetical increase in philanthropy.

The university can’t just “write off” the debt, which is real money that could only be deducted from the academic program. Closing the Arboretum seems very unlikely. It is campus property, and to abandon (or bulldoze) a highly regarded plant collection would be both a great embarrassment to the university and an offense to science.

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By comparison, the eviction of Shakespeare Santa Cruz, a major event, was easier because the theater company was only a tenant of campus buildings and land, and able to relocate (which it has done with apparent success, thanks to community volunteers).

A new approach would be a partnership with the community, under which the Arboretum would dedicate its staff and other resources to (a) maintaining/developing the botanical collection and (b) raising funds by seeking gifts, and generating fundsthrough plant sales, gift shop, facility rentals, contract services, etc.

At the same time, community volunteers would take responsibilityfor (a) visitor services (docent services, public lectures, educational programs, publicity/outreach) and (b) member services (quarterly meetings, publications, record-keeping). Membership fees ($50/year for an individual) would be managed by the volunteers, who would operate under the existing structure of the Friends of the UCSC Arboretum (an unincorporated association, not a non-profit corporation).

This partnership model would shift a substantial amount of work to the volunteer community, allowing the staff to focus on core functions. There would be a lively crossover between staff and the Friends group: individual volunteers would continue to support the Arboretum staff in collection maintenance, fund-raising and revenue generating, and Arboretum staff could participate in, e.g., public lectures and publications, on a time-available basis.

The transition to this approach shouldbe phased, with attention to clarifying roles and ensuring availability of sufficient volunteer time, energy, and expertise for specific responsibilities.

This approach has been confirmed as fully consistent with University of California guidelines for support groups like the Friends of the UCSC Arboretum. It would update the original role and spirit of volunteers in the earlier years of the development of the Arboretum. In addition, by drawing upon the considerable experience and expertise of the volunteer community, it would engage community members directly in achieving the mission of the Arboretum.

It could also inspire increased giving in support of the Arboretum’s long-term success.

BOOKSHOP SANTA CRUZ’S BIG “50” Friday, November 4. For way beyond 30 years our Hot Damn String Band has played for Bookshop Santa Cruz’s Birthdays. We played right next to the rocking horse when the “Shop” was across the street. One year we even played downstairs with the textbooks. Most of those years writer Jim Houston played string bass and sang with our group. We also played over in front of Neal’s house on a flatbed truck along with Tom Scribner and Lacy J.Dalton to entertain hundreds of customers who brought in their own books to donate to the “Shops” recent loss after the ’89 earthquake. We’ll be back again this year on Friday night with Annie Steinhart on fiddle, Jim Reynolds on guitar, Dave Magram banjo, Dore Coller mandolin, Gary Cunningham on string bass, and if all goes well… I’ll be playing washboard. You should be there, we start at 7:30. Then around 8 pm. there’ll be some talks, best wishes, and I think Sam Farr will be there too. It’s a big deal for any bookstore nowadays to have a 50th Birthday Party. The Hot Damn String Band will play again right after the speeches, free cake and ice cream and glorious frivolity. Next year the Bookshop might even mention the name of our band in their promotions!!! (I think the Damn may offend them???)

CYCLOCROSSED THE LINE

Some things clearly cross over into the profane. The Space Billboard scheme from 1993 comes to mind. This plan to launch into low orbit a Mylar, illuminated billboard, of the apparent size and brightness as the moon and be visible from Earth, thankfully never got off the ground. Of course some found it a fun idea and advertisers drooled but for most people it was a desecration of something sacred. This analogy occurred to me as I watched the transformation of peaceful Lighthouse Field into a cyclocross course for a bike race involving 250 Elite, Masters and Junior competitors from 9am until 4pm on October 22nd.

At first I had trouble figuring out what was happening as vans of people in the Field laid out yards of blue tape, steel poles and green plastic netting along the trails. All sorts of possibilities crossed my mind, none involving a bike race. Like many others, I have come to accept as given, this peaceful oasis of nature in the midst of an increasingly urbanized Santa Cruz. Of course Lighthouse Field has been given a bad rap of late due to the neglect by the State Parks to do their duty to keep out campers, keep the Field clean and enforce the laws to protect people and wildlife. When pressed, supervising rangers claim a lack of resources and budget cuts for the neglect but somehow they managed to have two rangers in attendance at the cyclocross race. That’s two more than I’ve seen in the Field in years.

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There was no alert of the race to the adjoining neighborhoods. One neighbor who approached the sponsors and politely enquired whether they had a permit to hold such an event was told, “why don’t you just leave!” For the next 7 hours, the Field was transformed into a high-speed, frenetic, competitive obstacle course with the inevitable blaring music. For some, of course this was hog heaven. For some, the Field is a waste of a good spot for a soccer field or a dog park. And there are probably some who still yearn for a convention center and luxury hotel. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts. Lighthouse Field was saved from development and these sorts of activities over 40 years ago by the many who put their time, energy and resources into its preservation. Countless public meetings and a ballot measure saved the Field as protected open space. The Lighthouse Field Master Plan states that: “no concentrated activities shall be permitted in the Field, only informal paths and interpretive trails.” Over 119 bird species have been documented in the Field. Snakes and lizards call it home. While most of its vegetation is non-native, save for the poison oak, it may well rival Natural Bridges in some years as an overwintering site for Monarch butterflies. Those with a different agenda have no love for this open space and regularly trot out hyperbole to cast it in the worst possible light. That coupled with the State Park’s neglect and indifference, opens the door for calls to “activate” the space as the only way to “reclaim” the Field. Some dog owners boast that letting dogs off-leash will get rid of the social problems. Never mind that campers also have dogs. I’ve been caught in the middle of these dog face-offs and it’s not pretty. “Activate” open space is the new buzz -word for introducing high-energy activities such as pump-tracks and mountain bike trails into quiet areas of significant habitat to ostensibly eradicate “social problems.” Such areas quickly become dominated by the activity, driving out both habitat and those who enjoy a walk or hike in a quiet open space. Meanwhile our well-paid enforcers of the law sit on their butts and enjoy the show.

The day after the cyclocross race we went to check on any impact. It was a relief to see no blue tape and plastic netting along the trails and the Field returned to its quiet self, somewhat akin to no longer seeing a Mylar billboard in space. But there were noticeable impacts. The narrow single-track paths were widened in some places to 5 feet from the impact of 250 bike racers and scores of bike tire tracks imbedded into ground level tree roots. The event organizers hope to return next year for another race.

I called the supervising ranger, Joseph Connors to confirm that the event had his approval and to ask a few questions. He confirmed that he had approved the permit and that upper management agreed; that their environmental scientist looked at it and concurred. I asked if their environmental scientist had inspected the Field after the race? He said “no.” I quoted the section from the Lighthouse Field General Plan and asked if he had read that section disallowing concentrated activities? He hadn’t. I told him to expect a letter of protest regarding this event, with documentation of the negative impacts and a request that it not be repeated”.

NEWS FROM RANCHO DEL MAR SHOPPING CENTER…ANOTHER TWO BITE THE DUST…

Those of you who frequent the Rancho del Mar Shopping Center in Aptos have no doubt noticed an increasing number of empty stores. The closing of the Aptos Cinema last winter got the attention of many, and prompted a high number of citizen calls and e-mails to local publications and the Second District County Supervisor. Well, in the past two weeks, two more stores emptied out and are now vacant. That makes the Center about 50% vacant. Aptos Bike Station relocated to Capitola. Kentucky Fried Chicken is gone. What will become of the existing merchants? What does the current property owner, Terra Mar Centers (based in Carlsbad, CA) intend to to with the Rancho del Mar Shopping Center?

Last April, representatives of Terra Mar held a community meeting at the Seascape Resort to update the public and gather input. CEO Mr. Bruce Walton was surprised by the 300+ people who attended and were very vocal about what they hoped to have and NOT have come to the Aptos Community. Mr. Walton explained that Terra Mar Center had purchased the Rancho del Mar Center in 2014, along with 31 other shopping centers. He said there would probably not be major changes made to the Center, mostly modernizing existing facilities and making the Center more accessible for those with mobility disabilities. The theater would probably not return, he said, because Terra Mar had not been able to locate a replacement tenant for such a venue. Many in the audience had suggestions for entertainment tenants and other types of businesses they would like to see in the Rancho del Mar Center.

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He promised to hold more community meetings in the future, and encouraged citizens to contact him. I have done so a few times, and found him quite responsive. I urge all with questions and suggestions to e-mail Mr. Bruce Walton . I have recently asked that he schedule another community meeting.

I have also done a bit of research on my own and learned that the existing tenants really do not know what is planned for the Center either. Folks at the Ace Hardware Store have been told they may be moving to the old theater space next February, but doubt that is a realistic schedule. Most of the people I interviewed feel moving the hardware store to the theater space will make the busy store better accessible for physically-impaired customers. The owner of Fleet Feet is extremely grateful to have a solid lease, and his employees look forward to the facilities upgrades because there is no heat or air conditioning in that store. The bottom line is that no one seems to know what the future holds.

I visited the Santa Cruz County Planning Dept. to see what I could find in the files for APN 039-221-11 and 039-221-12, the two assessor parcel numbers for the Rancho del Mar Center. The files were not available because Planner Mr. Randall Adams has them. I did phone Mr. Adams to ask to review the files. He was quite helpful and told me there is nothing current in the files, as whenever the Terra Mar Center staff visits, they always take all material with them. I have an appointment this week to review the files anyway, and will report next week what I learn. Mr. Adams is also the planner in charge of the Aptos Village Project.

So, folks, the take-home message is to contact Mr. Walton and let him know that Aptos wants another community meeting within the next month. We need to support the remaining merchants who are hanging on for dear life, and to make it clear to Terra Mar Centers that the public is interested and watching.

SPEAKING OF BEING INTERESTED AND WATCHING, Soquel Creek Water District alerted those on their e-mail noticing list that the Board scheduled a Special Meeting for Wednesday, November 2, 11am-noon at District offices (5180 Soquel Drive, Soquel) to review a presentation by consultants working on the Geo-imaging of Saltwater Intrusion in the local Purisima Aquifer. I will attend and will report here next week what I learn. The State Water Board declared this area in “Critical Overdraft” last year…yet Soquel Creek Water District continues to approve new water service connections at every meeting. Hmmmm.

Still no action at the District’s new Granite Way well either. I am filing a Public Records Act request today for the soil and water test results at the site. Their engineer, Mr. Taj Dufour, refused to answer my questions on the issue at the last Board meeting, simply responding “Your comments have been noted.” Stay tuned, stay curious, and by all means, VOTE NEXT TUESDAY! Cheers, Becky Steinbruner”.

PATTON’S PROGRAM. From Gary’s Two Worlds website…

#301…”SOME GOOD ADVICE FROM TOM”

Tom Hayden died on Sunday, October 23rd. In the obituary published in the Tuesday, October 25th edition of the San Francisco Chronicle, Tom was quoted as offering the following advice: Mr. Hayden maintained that a citizen was obliged not only to vote, but also to disagree with those he had voted for. “Dissent has been crucial to positive social change throughout our history,” Mr. Hayden said. “The American Revolution, abolition, women’s suffrage, the labor movement, the environmental movement. Where would we be as a country without that kind of dissent?”

I think Tom is dispensing some very good advice here, with his observation that we may well need to disagree with those politicians for whom we have voted. In that spirit, and having already voted for Hillary Clinton, let me suggest that there is some wisdom to be gleaned from a commentary published in the October 22, 2016 edition of The New York Times, and republished in my hometown newspaper, the Santa Cruz Sentinel, on October 25th, the date I read that Hayden obituary in the Chronicle.
The commentary I am citing, titled “The Dangers of Hillary Clinton,” was written by Ross Douthat, a columnist whom Wikipedia properly characterizes as a “conservative voice.”

Below, I am providing a lengthy excerpt from Douthat’s commentary, providing a warning that I believe is consistent with what Tom Hayden has said about disagreeing with those candidates for whom we have voted.

In the Democratic Primary Election, Hayden did support Clinton over Bernie Sanders, to the distress of people like me, who were hoping that Sanders would be the candidate to go up against Mr. Trump. I think it’s important, after Hillary Clinton is elected, as it seems ever more likely that she will be, not to lose sight of Hayden’s warning. We may well need to disagree with Clinton as President, and to oppose her policies, particularly on the issues of war and peace.
Here is Douthat (with my running commentary inserted):

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A VOTE for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump, the Clinton campaign has suggested … isn’t just a vote for a Democrat over a Republican: It’s a vote for safety over risk, steady competence over boastful recklessness, psychological stability in the White House over ungovernable passions. [There is no doubt that this comparison is totally fair! This is definitely why I voted for Hillary Clinton.]

This theme has been a winning one for Hillary, in her debates and in the wider campaign, and for good reason. The perils of a Trump presidency are as distinctive as the candidate himself, and a vote for Trump makes a long list of worst cases — the Western alliance system’s unraveling, a cycle of domestic radicalization, an accidental economic meltdown, a civilian-military crisis — more likely than with any normal administration.

Indeed, Trump and his supporters almost admit as much. “We’ve tried sane, now let’s try crazy,” is basically his campaign’s working motto. The promise to be a bull in a china shop is part of his demagogue’s appeal. Some of his more eloquent supporters have analogized a vote for Trump to storming the cockpit of a hijacked plane, with the likelihood of a plane crash entirely factored in. But passing on the plane-crash candidate doesn’t mean ignoring the dangers of his rival.

The dangers of a Hillary Clinton presidency are more familiar than Trump’s authoritarian unknowns, because we live with them in our politics already. They’re the dangers of elite groupthink, of Beltway power worship, of a cult of presidential action in the service of dubious ideals. They’re the dangers of a recklessness and radicalism that doesn’t recognize itself as either, because it’s convinced that if an idea is mainstream and commonplace among the great and good then it cannot possibly be folly. [This is the paragraph that I suggest gets at a real truth about our current politics, and that may well mean that “non-conservative” voices will have to be raised, and loudly, after Clinton’s election.]

Almost every crisis that has come upon the West in the last 15 years has its roots in this establishmentarian type of folly. The Iraq War, which liberals prefer to remember as a conflict conjured by a neoconservative cabal, was actually the work of a bipartisan interventionist consensus, pushed hard by George W. Bush but embraced as well by a large slice of center-left opinion that included Tony Blair and more than half of Senate Democrats.
Likewise the financial crisis…

One can look at Trump himself and see too much danger of still-deeper disaster, too much temperamental risk and moral turpitude, to be an acceptable alternative to this blunder-ridden status quo … while also looking at Hillary Clinton and seeing a woman whose record embodies the tendencies that gave rise to Trumpism in the first place…

She was for the Iraq War when everyone was for it, against the surge when everyone had given up on Iraq, and then an unchastened liberal hawk again in Libya just a few short years later.

She was a Russia dove when the media mocked Mitt Romney for being a Russia hawk; now she’s a Russia hawk along with everyone else in Washington in a moment that might require de-escalation.

She cites Merkel as a model leader, she’s surrounded by a bipartisan foreign policy cadre that’s eager for a Details To Be Determined escalation in Syria, and she seems — like her Goldman Sachs audiences — intent on sailing serenely above the storm of nationalism rather than reconsidering any of the assumptions of her class…

But in those cases where the cosmopolitan position isn’t necessarily reasonable or safe, in those instances where the Western elite can go half-mad without realizing it, Hillary Clinton shows every sign of being just as ready to march into folly as her peers.

I supported Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Primary because I am quite concerned about the failure of our national government to do anything about a financial arrangement that pipes almost all the benefits of our economic successes to those extremely wealthy “billionaires” at the top of the pyramid, and that continues to pursue military adventurism around the globe.

Choosing Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in our current election is the right choice. However, let’s not forget Tom Hayden’s good advice: A citizen [is] obliged not only to vote, but also to disagree with those [whom] he [or she has] voted for. Dissent has been crucial to positive social change”.

~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

(Brattonote…Tom Hayden and Bill Monning were guests on my Universal Grapevine October 30, 2008).

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. “Like father like daughters and sons” see DeCinzo a few pages below.

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s “Operation Obama” down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “The Japanese anime Miss Hokusai, is strictly for fans of the genre, often great-looking but woefully uneven in the storytelling department. But find out why its subject, O-Ei Hokusai, daughter of the maser 19th Century painter, and unsung artist on her own right, is worth discovering, this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). ” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

Due to a mysterious malady which put me out of order for a few days, I didn’t see any new movies this week. AND or but…I want to suggest a much better alternative than any films currently on our big, local screens.

It’s watching a number of a specific, great, exciting, relatively unknown HBO Latin America Series. It’s been around for years and there are dozens of these series that rival or surpass any American TV series…even “The Sopranos”. There are cheap ways to subscribe to HBO instead of linking to it on the highly expensive Comcast (which I do!!)

The acting,the photography, the plots are far ahead of the typical fare we are used to. The Series have been filmed in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Argentina (and are all subtitled). Comedies, thrillers, action, family dramas…everything. Here are my favorites which I’ll compare with any of your favorites: Capadocia. Praemar. Epitafios. Sr. Avila. O Negocio. Profuegos. Magnifica 70. Mandrake. Carnavale. Right now I’m in the middle of a new one, Dios. Inc.

Some series are two seasons long, others run way up to 5 seasons and more. Brilliant stories, and even the opening and closing photography behind the credits are amazing.

HELL OR HIGH WATER. Jeff Bridges, Ben Foster and Chris Pine make this one wonderful, exciting, involving, and well acted film. Go see it ASAP. Cops and bank robbers in Texas, internal conflicts, evil bank laws and practices, and ethics and morals are all integrated. It’s hard t o believe that “Hollywood” could still make a film this good after all these years of junk.

SULLY. Tom Hanks, Laura Linney and Aaron Eckhardt do their dependable, professional jobs in this formulac Hollywood treu life drama. Plenty of tension, a great true story that we knew most of already. It’s how airplane Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger landed that passenger plane in the Hudson river and saved everybody’s lives. Speaking of airplanes, you might t hink about right wing director of the film Clint Eastwood and that the executive producer of Suicide Squad and Sully is Steven Mnuchin who is Donald Trump’s finance director, if it matters who you give money to!

THE DRESSMAKER. Kate Winslet leads the cast which includes Liam Hemsworth and a snarly, memorable, mugging Judy Davis.I don’t know if it’s supposed to be a comedy or tragedy set in an Australian cowboy town. It’s foolsh, non-sensical, and has no reason to exist. Stay home instead.

THE ACCOUNTANT. Ben Affleck plays an autistic criminal bookeeper who is also a ruthless killer, and yes, that makes as little sense as does 98 % of this murder filled mess of a movie.

MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (take # 3). This movie should be sued for using the same title as the earlier classics starring in 1960 Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Colburn, Robert Vaughn and of course Eli Wallich. Then there’s the genuine Akira Kurosawa classic “Seven Samurai” from 1956 (which both of above films ripped off), that starred Toshiro Mifune. The new one has Denzel Washington as the big honcho and he’s about as impressive a leader as Pee Wee Herman would be, but he’s not as funny. Don’t go.

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. November 1st has Georgia Johnson and Connor Jang Editors-in-Chief of City on a Hill Press talking about their newspaper after which gardening expert Tom Karwin discusses UCSC Arboretum issues. Voting Night Nov.8 we have former Mayor Celia Scott discussing politics and elections the first half hour. Then, former Santa Cruz County Supervisor Gary Patton also talks about local and national elections, issues, and politics. Nov. 15 has Deborah Muth talking about her new book on Scotts Valley history. Attorney Bob Taren returns that same November 15 to share views on THAT election. Christina Waters guests November 22 talking about her new book. After Christina, Sean Michael Conley discusses genealogy and their local chapter functions. Sean Van Sommeran emerges on Nov. 29 to tell us about the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation. Keeping traditional, The winners of Bookshop Santa Cruz Young Writers Contest read their entries the full hour on December 6. 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

This is great. Joss Whedon has a thing called Save The Day, encouraging people to vote. 🙂

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 Monsnippetsga, 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. “FLOODS”

“The only thing that stops God from sending another flood is that the first one was useless“, Nicolas Chamfort

” The flood of print has turned reading into a process of gulping rather than savoring”, Raymond Chandler

“Are you upset little friend? Have you been lying awake worrying? Well, don’t worry…I’m here. The flood waters will recede, the famine will end, the sun will shine tomorrow, and I will always be here to take care of you”. Charlie Brown to Snoopy

“The flood of money that gushes into politics today is a pollution of democracy”, Theodore White

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

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off

October 24 – 30, 2016

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Bruce

MAIN STREET (now Pacific Avenue) and the intersection of Mission and Willow Streets. Circa 1880. Pacific Avenue now goes right up north through those buildings behind the trolley car. Nowadays on the left side we have Bank of The West, Ron Lau’s empty lot, Lulu Carpenter’s Original location, and Mr. Goodie’s Antiques.

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE October 24, 2016

CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS. It’s really time to take a more careful look at where the big money is going in this next City Council election. Check out this list and see how many candidates Pamela Comstock gives money to, check out David Terrazas contributions, look who’s backing Robert Singleton, and that Martine Watkins has many, many of our biggest developers and investors behind her. J.M. Brown’s political and moneyed backers all know they can count on his votes.

HITLER REACTS TO TRUMP GETTING THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION.

Think ahead and realize what keeping this City Council and Cynthia’s Sycophants in office will mean. More of the same police practices, continuing financial favors for developers, to hell with the homeless, never mind the environment. Bring on Corridor stacking, and on and on. What again was the reason we moved here…to see this kind of unthinking growth? To be this cruel to our growing middle class? We do need a Brand New Council…think about it (and the health of your conscience).Vote for Chris Krohn, Drew Glover, Steve Schnaar and Sandy Brown we need their honest, caring, and devoted attention. Read about these very courageous, and energetic candidates and remember they are on Bernie Sanders side.http://www.brandnewcouncil.com

HILLARY CLINTON IN SANTA CRUZ. It seems strange that the Sentinel wouldn’t bring up and inform our newcomers about Hillary Clinton’s visit to Santa Cruz back in 1996. Karen and Darrell Darling (right wing Democrats) had a son, Adam. He worked with Washington officials including Commerce Secretary Ron Brown. Ron and Adam were killed in the crash of an official flight over Bosnia. Hillary came here to attend Adam’s memorial and also dedicated a special placque to him in the Soquel Cemetary. The Sentinel did say something about this back in February, but it does show that very human side of Hillary. Besides that, we don’t get and never have had many presidential candidates or presidents visit here. Not only that but The New Yorker just endorsed Hillary Clinton. They wrote an unprecedented story about that endorsement, check it out… . It also goes into detail about us electing our first female president and what it will mean.

KSBW TV’S EDITORIAL OVER THE POLICE KILLING OF SEAN ARLT. Sherry Conable sent this link to a very unusual editorial from KSBW.

She also added… “On October 16th, at 3AM, Santa Cruz resident Sean Arlt was killed by gunfire from a Santa Cruz Police Officer in the neighborhood where he lived on the Westside. Sean was 32 years old and the loving father of a four year old. He was brandishing a metal rake when he was killed. So far, the audio recording of the event, the video recording, and the ames of the officers involved have not been released.There was aan attempt to get many citizens to speak to our City Council last Tuesday (10/25) Those attending were hoping to ask the Council for..

greatly increased transparency about what happened.
a truly independent investigation by an outside agency (not the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s office)
a commitment to develop new policies and training of law enforcement personnel so that this cannot happen again.
a City committed to compassion, understanding, justice and decency for all citizens, and nonviolent intervention when intervention is needed.

Sean, who struggled with the effects of a mental illness, also wrote a book of poems entitled “the Love Manifesto” – it is full of deep, thoughtful, inspired, loving, and caring words for the family, community, and world that he was part of.”

(Editorial comment…writing this on Monday 10/24, we can only guess what our present Santa Cruz City Council will say or do about this tragedy. Pay attention to this council reaction, and how much longer do we want their cold and uninvolved treatment of our community???)

RUSH TO JUDGMENT

The Wharf Master Plan is on the fast track for city council approval. This $40 million modern makeover of the wharf includes 3 new warehouse-style buildings up to 45 feet in height, two expanded walk-bikeways, one on the east side (facing the San Lorenzo river) and a dropped down walkway on the western side of the wharf under the windows of the current restaurants. The viewing holes for the sea lions will be covered up. Other changes include a new landing for large boats at the wharf’s end and a doubling of the current wharf businesses by adding upper stories and infilling with a goal of more take-out food. All this with essentially no increase in parking except what can be achieved through restriping and narrowing the width of the current parking stalls. If you are not aware of this significant change to an iconic Santa Cruz landmark that is because the city appears bent on getting the environmental review to the current council as quickly and as quietly as possible.

In August, while in Florida, I wrote about discovering that the Wharf Master Plan’s environmental review was on the next-day’s city council agenda. A quick email to council objecting to their lack of attention to federally protected bird species, notably Pigeon Guillemots that fly from Puget Sound to the Santa Cruz wharf each year, and also copied to astute environmentalists, resulted in a number of emails to council addressing bird and lighting issues and calling for an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). In response, obviously advised by their attorneys, the city postponed the issue and released a revised Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) for public review focusing on the bird and lighting issues but no EIR. The review period for the revised MND started on October 18th and ends on November 16th. You can access the revised document here.

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Consider the following timeline: the public comment period on the revised MND ends on November 16th. The Planning Commission will hear testimony and vote on the Wharf Master Plan on November 17th. No, that is not a typo. City Council will hear testimony and vote on the Wharf Master Plan on November 22nd. Consider that agendas for both Planning Commission and City Council are prepared a week in advance of the date of the meeting and you can see that staff is not waiting for the close of the public comment period before preparing their agenda report with their recommendations for approval. That’s rather arrogant towards the public in my opinion.

The revised MND is still inadequate with respect to impacts on marine mammals and birds. The biologist whom they hired to weigh in on the Pigeon Guillemot and other protected bird species concludes that any significant impact on the birds (he admits to a significant impact) can be mitigated by having a biologist look at the site for nests 7 days before pile driving begins. If a Guillemot is nesting they will stop work until the end of nesting season or keep 300 feet away. Since Pigeon Guillemots’ nesting season extends from February to September, how does one visit determine anything except that there is or isn’t nesting going on that day? What if work on the first of the 800 additional pilings is set to begin 7 days after the biologist has given the all clear and our returning Guillemots arrive from Puget Sound a week later in the middle of pile driving? Since the birds are described as easily disturbed, it is likely they will abandon the wharf forever. The MND is silent on this more likely scenario. There is no mention of the nesting cormorants under the wharf.

How do you feel about the potential loss of thousands of dollars of public moneys? When the city refused to undertake any environmental review for weakening its Heritage Tree Ordinance they were sued and lost and subsequently had to pay out of pocket around $300 thousand for their contracted CEQA lawyers and the appellant’s lawyers. The MND for the Wharf Master Plan is weak and will be legally challenged with the potential for a similar outcome. The public purse should not be so carelessly handled in the name of expediency. The desire to have the current council make the decision in favor of the Wharf Master Plan rather than leave the decision to the unknowns of a new council one meeting later is driving this schedule. Such a rush to judgment makes it difficult for any council member to ask for further information, clarification or careful review of public comment and staff response. For example, beyond birds, the new 800 pilings needed for the expansion are treated with ACZA (ammoniacal copper zinc arsenate) that led to concerns raised by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Are annual inspections sufficient to monitor the toxicity levels even with plastic coating? An EIR would address such issues rather than relying on anecdotal statements. The lowered western walk-bikeway has not been properly evaluated with respect to the impact of bigger storms in a rising sea level world as requested by the California Coastal Commission. These are just a few examples. If you feel as I do that this process is a betrayal of public trust, you know where to direct your comments. The stakes are high.

HOW COME YOU AND I ARE BEING ASKED TO SUBSIDIZE
BARRY SWENSON BUILDER & THE APTOS VILLAGE PROJECT?

Last week’s Department of Public Works meeting with prospective bidders for the Aptos Village Phase I Improvements was interesting. Contractors from as far away as San Luis Obispo and Hayward attended. About eight citizens (all from Aptos) also were there protesting the fact that County taxpayers are being expected to pay for improvements that are to support the Aptos Village Project.

In spite of being told by DPW Traffic Engineer to “go somewhere else”, we followed along on the project tour and heard the questions the contractors posed. For example, we learned that the new bus stop location will force control boxes too close to the rail lines, violating standard set back requirements. We also learned that the winning contractor must complete ( within 48 hours) the removal of 200′ of track, excavation to 32″ deep, replacement of rock ballast, and replacement of Trout Gulch Road crossing pads.

We asked how the public will be notified of this 48-hour intersection closure and how will traffic be routed during that time? “We’ll work that out” said County Senior Traffic Engineer, Jack Sohriakoff. Citizens implored all contractors at the meeting to make a real effort to notify the Community of all project schedules and work plans. The winning bid will be approved by the County Board of Supervisors November 15, and work could begin next February or March.

Another gem we learned was that Phase II of the improvements are now in the works. We asked Mr. Sohriakoff if citizens will get an opportunity to review the project? “We’ll work that out” he said again. According to information on the Regional Transportation Commission website, the design will be finalized in December, 2016. That really does not leave much time for citizen input, does it?

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On September 1, 2016 the RTC approved funding $650,000 for the Aptos Village Phase II Improvements. That project was given number ONE priority of the sixteen submitted and approved. Other projects lower on the totem pole include work on Branciforte Drive ($174,000), Glen Arbor ($400,000), Green Valley Road ($795,000), Hwy 1 Corridor/HOV and Soquel-41st Aux Tiered Environmental Document ($830,000), Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail-North Coast Rail Trail Phase 2 (environmental and preliminary engineering: $300,000), and LAST on the list is replacing a 1998 Metro bus for a CNG model ($500,000).

Tell me again why the Phase II Aptos Village Improvements include taxpayer subsidy to Barry Swenson Builder for the new Parade Street railroad crossing that will serve as the main entryway to the Aptos Village Project? The Project application states the current vehicle count is 15,000 per day with an increase to 20,000 vehicles/day when the development is occupied, and swelling to 22,000 vehicles per day with the Phase II development. Wow!!! Have you tried getting through the Aptos Village chronic gridlock lately? Does this make sense?

MAKE ONE CALL. WRITE ONE LETTER. Supervisor Zach Friend 831-454-2200 Zach Friend <zach.friend@santacruzcounty.us> and Department of Public Works Director John Presleigh 831-454-2160 John Presleigh john.presleigh@santacruzcounty.us Demand a Community meeting for citizen input on these projects that are costing County taxpayers a bundle…..can the RTC and Dept. of Public Works be trusted to follow through with the proposed $17 million/year they want from a Measure D approval by voters?

By the way, Soquel Creek Water District got started on the new Granite Way well last week by drilling and pouring a cement casing for that 16″ diameter well. The sound walls are due to go up this week and 24/7 drilling to commence. I asked at the District Board meeting if the groundwater there had been tested for the panel of contaminants found in the Aptos Village Project illegal diesel tank area, as Mr. Tim Fillmore at County Environmental Health had recommended? The District Engineer, Mr. Taj Dufour, refused to answer. Hmmmm….

Next week…I really will write about the Rancho del Mar Shopping Center. I am in the process of tenant interviews and Planning Dept research, so stand by….

Mark your calendar now and plan to attend the Countywide Alliance meeting on Wednesday, November 9, 7pm-8:30pm at London Nelson Center. Guest speakers will focus on topics relating to the Brown Act, local Carpenter’s Union, and Blume Ethanol Distillery. It is time to get started on those many citizen initiatives to make effective changes for better transparency in our local government! and real soluntions for our County! Cheers, Becky Steinbruner”.

PATTON’S PROGRAM. From Gary’s Two Worlds website… October 18, 2016, #292.
ON VOTING.

I am quoting from an article that appeared in the October 16, 2016 edition of the Santa Cruz Sentinel. The article reported on a meeting at which John Laird, California Secretary of Resources, and formerly Mayor of the City of Santa Cruz, provided information on the many ballot measures facing California voters on November 8th.

And who was it who said, “your vote doesn’t count…?” That would be Morgan Smith, “a 20-year-old Santa Cruz resident and recent political science graduate at UC Santa Cruz.” While saying that “your vote doesn’t count for anything,” Smith does, I gather, advise voting nonetheless. It is Smith’s contention that a person’s vote “counts as a statistic,” and that “the more statistics you generate, the bigger an impact it has on politicians when they’re deciding what to do.” Please let me correct the record. Voting counts! It happens that I teach in the Politics Department at UC Santa Cruz, though I don’t think I ever ran across Morgan Smith. I was also elected to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors five times, and lost an election to the California State Assembly, so I have some practical experience. Believe me, when I campaigned for office, in elections that were always quite close, it became obvious to me that voting “counts.”

In fact, voting can be seen as an amazing kind of “trick,” by which we, as a collective group of individuals, mobilize our small increments of individual power (our individual ability to do work) into the kind of massive power that builds dams and bridges, goes to war, and determines what the rules will be that govern our common life.

Each of us has the ability to do work and to accomplish things. We mobilize our personal power, individually, in all of our daily activities; none of us, however, using only our individual power, has the ability to accomplish any large project. If we, collectively, want to build a dam or a highway, to go to war or to make the peace, we need to act in common. And how do we actually do that, in fact?

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Here’s how. We agree that we will transfer most of our individual power, subject to the limitations imposed by the Constitution, to elected representatives, who will then be granted the right to “govern” us. Political science students and professors sometimes call this the “social contract.” It’s a bargain we make with each other. We give up a large part of our “personal” and “individual” power so as to be able to conjoin our individual power with the individual power of others, and by doing so, we achieve a larger, common power, capable of doing great things, and accomplishing large projects, collectively.

The money we individually earn can be collected from us, as our elected representatives set taxes, high or low, and specify from where the revenue comes. That money will be spent on the projects that our elected representatives determine are worthy, and that they decide will benefit us all. Our physical labor, in fact, can actually be “conscripted,” because we have given our elected representatives the right to send us out to kill for our country. And to die for it, too, of course. The rules that govern our personal relationships (like what does “marriage” actually mean?) are also established by the elected representatives who govern us.

As I have pointed out in last week’s BrattonOnline, the future growth and development of the City of Santa Cruz, the kind of community we will collectively create, will largely be determined by the City Council representatives we select on November 8th. Those representatives will be selected by counting the “votes” that each one receives. The four candidates with the most votes will win; they will then have access to governmental power, as delegated to them by the voters, and that means the persons we elect will have the power to make decisions in our name. When important decisions are made by counting up votes (and that’s how elections work), it ought to be obvious that every vote “counts.” In Santa Cruz, no individual person will decide the future of our City. WE will decide its future, and we will decide it by “voting.”

Thinking that our vote is only valuable as some sort of “statistic” is profoundly to misunderstand the immense power that we, collectively, have at our command, and that we mobilize and direct through the representatives we select. Whether at the local level, or the national level – and in terms of all those state propositions – voting “counts.”

So, cast your own vote. Put your power to work. And…Tell your friends. That’s really what politics is all about. We tell our friends what we think, and seek to persuade them to our point of view. The more persuasive we are, the more votes we will have for what we want.

We vote. Our friends vote. Other people vote. Everyone who is eligible can vote. And when that’s done, we “count” the vote. Make no mistake. Voting “counts!”

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. DeCinzo delivers on… Policing the cemetery, a few scrolls below.

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s “Hillary’s Cover-up” down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog.

SIDEREAL THEATER COMPANY’S PRODUCTION OF NEIL LABUTE’S “bash latterday plays”. I’m repeating this review…the play is that good!!!! It’s rare in Santa Cruz to see live plays with as much intensity and as perfectly acted as this production. As long time readers know I see most of the live plays in town and do not review, critique, or mention them if they don’t work. This “bash latterday plays does indeed work. Three separate stories told in three scenes, and you won’t forget a minute of them long after you leave the theatre. Only two performances left Friday & Saturday Oct. 28 & 29. No more tickets online…at the door only. It’s at the Broadway Playhouse where the Lord’s Last Supper used to be. If you like live theatre and deep, thoughtful drama do not miss this experience.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “Help celebrate 50 years of Bookshop Santa Cruz in the heart of our community, this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). And speaking of books, find out what’s new with my next novel!” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

DENIAL…THE OFFICIAL TRAILER. Timothy Sprall opens the show!!!

AMERICAN HONEY. If you watch this film as an almost three (3) hour documentary it’ll be more understandable. One poor girl makes herself homeless and joins a group of other teens driving and moteling through the Southern USA selling magazines. It’s probably generational but the music, the motivation, the point of the film and their lives and their choices left me bored. I don’t care that much about what a teenager’s lifestyle is like…not that lifestyle. Do note that Krystal, the leader of the group is Riley Keough, who is Elvis’s granddaughter.

THE ACCOUNTANT. Ben Affleck plays an autistic criminal bookeeper who is also a ruthless killer, and yes, that makes as little sense as does 98 % of this murder filled mess of a movie.

DEEP WATER HORIZON. A big cast with Mark Wahlberg, Kate Hudson, John Malkovich, and an extra grizzly Kurt Russell. It’s about the 2010 oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico and how greedy, cruel, and devious the BP (British Petroleum) corporation was/is?? about sacrificing human life for the big buck. Lots of technical oil terms, plenty of time to think about our local ocean frontage (and fracking) then comes the explosion…it’s great, it’s exciting, it’s long, it’s tense and it’s done just perfectly. Wahlberg is believable, go see it.

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. On October 25th Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Paul Burdick returns to discuss the workings of the court system. Then Jinx Deruisa and Roy Malan talk about The Santa Cruz Chamber Players new season. November 1st has Georgia Johnson and Connor Jang Editors-in-Chief of City on a Hill Press talking about their newspaper after which gardening expert Tom Karwin discusses UCSC Arboretum issues. Voting Night Nov.8 we have former Mayor Celia Scott discussing politics and elections. Then former Santa Cruz County Supervisor Gary Patton also talks about local and national elections, issues, and politics. Nov. 15 has Deborah Muth talking about her new book on Scotts Valley history. Attorney Bob Taren returns that same November 15 to share views on THAT election. Christina Waters guests November 22 talking about her new book. After Christina, Sean Michael Conley discusses genealogy and their local chapter functions. Sean Van Sommeran emerges on Nov. 29 to tell us about the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation. 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

Some things make me proud to be Swedish…

QUOTES. “PUMPKINS”

“I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion”, Henry David Thoreau

“Only the knife knows what goes on in the heart of a pumpkin”, Simone Schwarz-Bart

“I think people fetishize glasses in general. You could put glasses on a rotting pumpkin and people would think it was sexy”, Tina Fey

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

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off

October 17 – 23, 2016

Posted on October 20, 2016 by Bruce

PRO VIET NAM VIGIL SANTA CRUZ POST OFFICE November 27, 1965. Note the poster messages, “Quarantine those Pacifists!!! They all got yellow fever!!” and others state an appeal for Peace in Viet Nam. The tee-shirted gut on the left is smoking a cigarette…signs of the times!!

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE October 17, 2016

LATTE BREAKING NEWS

Truthful rumors have it that our ever faithful Santa Cruz Sentinel’s next big “news” story (They call it news) will be slamming Drew Glover. Wait for it!!! What’ll you bet that The Sentinel never does similar “news” stories on their Favorite Four city council candidates. In the meantime take a look at Martine Watkins 460 forms…4-5 $350 donations from Boardwalk bigwigs including Charlie Canfield and his bro…plus Canfield’s nephew or grand cousin Karl Rice who is the new CEO of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk gave his share too. What’s that about? While you are checking the official records, look up Cynthia Mathews California Fair Practices form # 700. Why isn’t there any income reported from her rental properties?? Maybe she found a Trump clause and is too smart to pay, like everyone else does.

RAINBOWS…JUST RAINBOWS.

SHARK BITES BOAT IN CAPITOLA.

SHARKS IN SANTA CRUZ.

NO ON “D’ (WIDENING HIGHWAY ONE) NEWS. Robert Morgan and Steve Piercy hardworking citizens and part of www.wideningwontwork.org send these revelations…

We’re really facing a re-play of David and Goliath with financial giants raining big bucks down on all of us who know widening highways anywhere has never worked—The biggest news to share is the Fair Political Practice Commission contributor filings by the Yes on D folks as of October 11th. With three (3) more weeks until election…how much money will they invest in order to make even bigger profits for themselves??
We’ve only done a preliminary analysis, but so far we’ve seen $329,660 go into the YES campaign. A tentative, cursory calculation (more precision next submission) gives these highlights:

Out of County contributions: Over $150,000 from companies/unions based in these places–Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, Walnut Creek, San Ramon, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara, Milpitas, Emeryville and Oakland.
And the top contributors are…

State and Local Contractors, Contractor Unions/Political Advocacy: over $120,000
County Real Estate and Developers: $15,500
Land Trust SSC $10,000
Patty Quillin (wife of Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and LTSSC Board Trustee $10,000
Seaside Company $15,000
John (Bud) Colligan (Trail Now), founder of South Swell Ventures-he must be a surfer –$10,000
PAMF –$25,000
Physicians Medical Group–$5,000
Plantronics-$25,000
Santa Cruz Business Council–$5,000
Progressive Coalition of Santa Cruz–who ARE these guys?–$1,000

So, these are the construction companies, unions, developers, real estate folks and Progressive Coalition (?) and other interested parties who will benefit from our 30 year sales tax tithe. We should brace for lots of TV adds, because postcard mailings aren’t going to add up to the Yes war chest. Have these guys read the Environmental Impact Report on the Highway 1 project? What’s our grassroots Widening Won’t Work budget…$15,000!!! Please go to www.wideningwontwork.org and see for yourselves.

MORE STEALING OF “NO ON D” SIGNS. More No On D news from Robert Morgan and Steve Piercy I …

Sorry to report that a large 5′ x 10′ No on D canvas sign was stolen last night, Sunday 10/16 from the intersection of 17th and Soquel Frontage Rd. in Live Oak. It was put up two nights prior. A complaint has been recorded with the Sheriff’s Department and a criminal case number assigned. We also want to report that in Live Oak and Soquel the No On D signs previously stolen,were replaced and they have stayed put. The BIG problem now is San Lorenzo Valley and Highway 9 and the juncture of 9 and Graham Hill–Bruce McPherson country…yes the No on D signs are being taken from private business property. We’re having luck, though, calling owners (and their representatives) of for sale vacant lots to remove those BIG OL’ 5′ x 7′ Yes signs. Campaign Manager, Marc Adato, was seen by us in black gear (no ski mask) with helmet light at night–no kidding–attaching a large sign in Live Oak area. He and his volunteers may be putting signs up without permission. Two in the lot at Soquel and Cayuga were removed after the owners demanded they be gone”.

EDITOR NOTE…The most obvious conclusion is that there are huge amounts of money to be made if Measure D should pass. Ask yourself just how deep and how wide do the profits from this $100,000,000 30 year tax really go?

NO ON D BIG PARTY. It’s called Spirit of the Dinosaurs and it’s a Benefit to Stop Highway Widening. It happens Sunday, October 30. 2:00 PM Social Hour- 3:00 PM Program. It’s at the Sorrento Oaks Clubhouse 800 Brommer Street (near 7th Avenue) Santa Cruz, CA
Map and Directions Bike parking at the clubhouse, car parking on Brommer Street, or take Metro #66. Contribution: $20 and up. Fun features…. Gail Swain sings with heart as big as a dinosaur and a voice to match. Michael Levy performing songs from his forthcoming album, Great Big Love. Rus Brutsché singer and songwriter with roots in folks, rock, and jazz. Eric Schneider and John Malkin, “bringing Rumi to life”.

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

I attended the UC Santa Cruz forum on the Affordable Housing Crisis held at the MAH last Thursday ( 10/13) . The focus was on the rental crisis as it affects lower income renters. The first stage of this 3-part research project and the subject of the evening’s presentation focused on Beach Flats and lower Ocean St. where 54 students coordinated by UCSC sociology professors Miriam Greenberg from the Critical Sustainability Project and Steve McKay from the Center for Labor Studies conducted 435 surveys of renters over a 7- week period as well as 29 in-depth interviews. The results were not surprising. Renters at the lower end of the economic spectrum are hurting. Although all lower income renters are impacted, Latino renters, comprising just below 50% of Beach Flats residents are disproportionally impacted by ever-increasing rents due to their preponderance in lower paying jobs. Eighty per cent pay more than 30% of gross income in rent with an even greater burden for the lowest paid workers and those with families. Half of renters experience crowding and close to half have experienced a forced move or eviction. Their white counterparts are similarly suffering although proportionally less. In a town where 57% are renters, with the median rent at just under $3000 a month (double the fair market rent for a 2 bedroom apartment) up 6% from a year ago and expected to rise another 6% in the coming year, the crisis is obvious: the solutions less so.

I have nothing but compassion for the angst of those who work two jobs to pay rent and keep food on the table. Some are close friends. I don’t have much concern for those people who moved here within the past decade and bought a house since they are by definition, well off. It is primarily a rent crisis not a housing crisis. And many landlords and developers are getting mighty rich off the ever-increasing rents, which is in their hands to control.

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“Sustainability without affordability is not sustainable” was a theme threaded throughout the evening, reflecting the growing trend of environmental groups such as the Sierra Club to include social justice issues into their environmental activism. This is a good thing but such a marriage does not come without tension. Those of us critical of the Neary Lagoon Housing complex built in the 1980’s on the wetland at that site, requiring millions of cubic feet of fill and an expensive pump and piping system to control water flow to the outlet at Cowell Beach that has presented problems ever since, were not against low income housing per se but against that particular site as being too sensitive a habitat. We were labeled and dismissed as environmental racists. Pitting each “side” against each other works to the benefit of the developers but is not a blueprint for the future.

There are a total of 1643 assisted housing units in the city. Many more are obviously needed and one could ask, why aren’t they all affordable? Just how this will be achieved is not clear. Federal funds for housing have been curtailed under a Republican Congress and construction costs have skyrocketed. Meanwhile, the influx of new residents are largely well-off white professionals, students, many of whom are subsidized by parents in LA, or lower income Latino workers in the service and construction industries. It is the last group that is the most impacted by the rental housing crisis while the middle group, students, due to their numbers, largely the cause of the rental housing shortage.

Listening to the moving testimonies of local low-income residents in Beach Flats, read to us by the students, I wondered if their professors will ever cop to the fact that UCSC growth with its 9,000 off-campus students plus staff and faculty who rent in this town of 64,000 is a major driver of rent increases? It felt as though the messenger, the wolf, was telling us the sheep were in danger. Or to mix animals, that there was an elephant in the room.

Dr. Greenberg was asked by a council candidate where affordable housing could be built in Santa Cruz? Her reply, “along transit corridors which could be a bit higher and denser.” I noted the word “bit” and noted its omission in the Sentinel article. Those of us critical of the Corridors Plan and the Downtown Plan would welcome a “bit” of increase but not the gargantuan increases proposed in both Plans.

A more pertinent question would be not where can affordable housing be built, but how do you guarantee it will be affordable and for how long? How do you prevent such development from driving out local businesses due to the attendant lease increases for their buildings and how do you preserve the small town character of the current neighborhoods beyond lip service? The professor’s research has all been done in large cities. What mechanisms are available to city government to control landlord and developer greed? What political actions are available to convince the Regents that UCSC growth is hurting the low- income local renters of Santa Cruz, particularly working Latinos?

Unless these issues are addressed upfront then more housing is just more density, neither sustainable nor widely affordable”.

(new Bonline columnist Becky Steinbruner wasn’t aware of our Monday noon deadline or the very flexible days Bonline gets online when she wrote this).

APTOS VILLAGE MANEUVERING.

This Tuesday, October 18, at 10am County Public Works staff will host a public meeting on site at Trout Gulch Road and Soquel Drive intersection in Aptos Village to explain the proposed Aptos Village Phase I Improvements currently out for bid. This is the second round of bidding. The first round yielded only one bid from Graniterock and was nearly $900,000 over the County engineers estimate of $1.2 million.

According to Public Works staff report to the County Board of Supervisors, the specifications for the work have been changed but the list of proposed improvements has not. This includes; a new traffic signal at Trout Gulch Road/Soquel Drive intersection, two new turn lanes on Soquel Drive dedicated to the Bay Federal shopping center (owned by Joe Appenrodt, who is also an Aptos Village Project developer), new crosswalks and ADA sidewalks in the area. It also includes new rail crossing arms, a new 26′ tall rail crossing signal post with flashing light, replacing 200′ of railroad track with excavation to 32″ depth (mostly in front of Caroline’s Thrift Store and Aptos Street BBQ), new bike lane striping on Trout Gulch (NO official bike lanes on Soquel Drive, though). More than that, it includes drainage along the tracks in front of Trout Gulch Crossing (Printsmith area) and relocating the westbound bus stop. The County engineers estimate has been increased by about $300,000.

The money, according to the report, is coming from various county sources, but I have not as yet seen any information regarding how much the Aptos Village Project developers are contributing to all this work, despite a request of the Board of Supervisors.

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Lots of work on the railroad for not having working train service, don’t you think? Why is the bus stop being moved? This piece of the project alone will cost taxpayers a bundle because it involves excavation along Soquel Drive near the railroad tracks and building a retaining wall to create a pullout lane in the narrow two-lane roadway near the underpass. Where will riders park their vehicles when there is insufficient parking for businesses on nearby streets?

The only reason this is being done is to accommodate/subsidize Barry Swenson Builder and the other Aptos Village Project developers by clearing the area of Soquel Drive for the proposed new Parade Street that will serve as the primary entrance to the development. The Regional Transportation Commission is currently applying for a grant to pay for the Parade Street railroad crossing, yet another Swenson subsidy.

The permission to create this new private railroad crossing was granted by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in May, 2015 with the condition that the existing private railroad crossing in front of the Bayview Hotel be closed (and also one that serves residents of Davenport’s New Town area). Keep in mind that all the application work to make that happen was DONATED by County Public Works staff and County Counsel at taxpayer expense. What’s more, it is illegal to close the Bayview Hotel’s main ingress/egress at this crossing because of a deed restriction established in 1876 by Mr. Jose Arano, the land owner, that this crossing be forever kept open and passable. Further, the CPUC itself made the ruling in 1970 that the County could not close the crossing. The County has not offered Bayview Hotel owner, Ms. Cristina Locke, any remuneration for the taking of her land either. She is pursuing legal action.

So, does this whole picture make sense? Not to me. I urge all curious and/or incensed citizens to attend the public meeting Tuesday, October 18 at 10am and ask some questions. Why are taxpayers subsidizing Barry Swenson Builder when developers need to be responsible for impacts of their developments on the public? Will adding a traffic light really fix the gridlocked Aptos Village traffic now, let alone with the addition of 3,000+ vehicle trips per day projected by Swenson’s analysts? How will people trying to get their kids to Valencia and Orchard Schools do that when all the eastbound traffic from Aptos Creek Road and Granite Way gets forced onto Trout Gulch Road? What will this area’s traffic look like in the event of a fire evacuation in the canyons beyond the development?

Maybe the biggest question to ask is why is the Aptos Village Project being built at the ridiculous three-story density that has been pushed through? Hmmmm…inquiring minds want to know. Meanwhile, still no work on the new Soquel Creek Water District’s Granite Way well. Attend their Board meeting Tuesday, October 18 at 6pm in the Capitola City Council Chambers and ask. Next week…what is happening with the Rancho del Mar Center? Cheers, Becky Steinbruner”.

~(Becky Steinbruner is a 30+ year resident of Aptos. She has fought for water, fire, emergency preparedness, and for road repair. She ran for Second District County Supervisor in 2016 on a shoestring and got nearly 20% of the votes).

PATTON’S PROGRAM. From Gary’s Two Worlds website…

#292 SLATES IN THE CITY

Voters in the City of Santa Cruz, who will be voting for a new City Council this November, are being presented with two different “slates.” One of them is the “Brand New Council” slate (Chris Krohn, Steve Schnaar, Drew Glover, and Sandy Brown). That is the more “liberal” or “progressive” of the two slates, and is associated with the ongoing efforts of Bernie Sanders’ supporters to bring a Sanders’ style of progressive politics to electoral issues at the local level. A recent Opinion Editorial by Michael Urban, an emeritus politics professor at UCSC, outlines the case for the Brand New Council.

The other slate is supported by the Santa Cruz Sentinel and by The Democratic Women’s Club (see the picture below). Just to be clear about the Democrats, The People’s Democratic Club, the more liberal of the two local Democratic clubs, is supporting the “Brand New Council” candidates.

The “Sentinel/DWC slate” is more or less the “establishment” slate. It is headed up by well-respected and longtime Mayor Cynthia Mathews, and includes a former Sentinel reporter, J.M. Brown. Click the link for the Sentinel’s editorial, which makes the case for its four chosen candidates.

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On last Friday evening, October 14th, I attended an “East Of The River Santa Cruz City Council Forum, to see the candidates in person. The forum was extremely well run, and was sponsored by the Branciforte Business Association and the Branciforte Action Committee. The forum started at dinnertime, 5:00 p.m., and the day was rainy. Frankly, I wasn’t expecting much of a turnout, but I was surprised. There was a huge crowd, with I think close to 300 persons in attendance. That told me that voters “East Of The River” are taking the upcoming election very seriously. All the members of the audience were obviously quite engaged with and familiar with the issues, and audience members were both polite and attentive. Unfortunately, Martine Watkins from the Sentinel slate was not in attendance, and neither was Drew Glover, from the Brand New Council slate, whose mother had just passed away a day or two before the forum.

A discussion of crime and public safety started off the forum, but the real debate focused on land use and planning issues. The City’s current plans are steering the City towards a future that is distinctly different from the City’s past and present. Specifically, the current City Council is moving plans along that will result in huge high-rise buildings on Pacific Avenue (up to 95-feet high), with high-rise development planned for Front Street, too. Current proposals are for a high-rise reconstruction of our historic Wharf, and the City’s proposed “Corridors Plan” is aiming for dense, high-rise development on all of the City’s major transportation corridors, including Mission Street, Water Street, Ocean Street, and Soquel Avenue.

On the Eastside, particularly, the impacts of the City’s current planning policies are already obvious. They are already being implemented. The current policies facilitate development over preservation, and place a low priority on maintaining the integrity and character of our existing neighborhoods. Check the photos below for a couple of examples (the high-rise hotel approved on residentially-zoned land on Broadway, where the traffic is already at gridlock, and a large development next door to modest single family homes on Seabright Avenue):

I served on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors from 1975 to 1995, and when I ran for office, which I did five times, the key issues were always about growth and development. It seems to me that we are now at a time when those issues are, again, the most critical ones for the local community.

“Affordable housing” issues, of overwhelming importance, are directly related to the kind of growth and development that Santa Cruz is experiencing. The City Council makes the final decision on all significant new development proposals, and the developments currently being approved are NOT designed to serve the working families already living in our community. Thinking that the “market” will solve our affordable housing crisis, and that we can “build our way out” of the current crisis, is a common mistake. Increasing “supplies” will not, in fact, lead to lower prices. New “supplies” of housing, if prices are set by the “market,” follow the “Golden Rule” of politics: “those with the gold make the rules, and “those with the gold get the goods.” The kind of housing currently being built in Santa Cruz, and the kind of housing currently planned, will definitely not fill the genuine “demand” in our community for housing that can be afforded by an average or below average income person.

I never had to run on a “slate,” and I’m glad I didn’t. Voters either voted for me, or my opponent, and the choices were clear. The current election for the Santa Cruz City Council, though, is different. Each voter can vote for up to “four” candidates, and they can “pick and choose.” That “pick and choose” strategy will work for voters if they are generally happy with the direction that the City is taking, since the current Council has seven members, and three of them are going to be continuing. Four members of a seven-person Council is a majority, so even if only one of the “establishment” slate wins, voters should expect that not much will change. If voters want to change the City’s direction, it’s probably true that a “Brand New Council” is needed. My advice to the voters? Figure out if you are, or are not, basically satisfied with the current planning and development policies of the City. Then, vote accordingly!

The stakes are at least as high as those 95-foot high buildings that are being proposed for Pacific Avenue downtown.

EDITOR NOTE…Gary reprinted DeCinzo’s cartoon from last week’s Bonline.

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. Remember De-Sal and our City Council??? DeCinzo does…. scroll below and think about it!!!

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s “Entangling Alliances” down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent Deep Cover, and big plus….the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog.

SIDEREAL THEATER COMPANY’S PRODUCTION OF NEIL LABUTE’S “bash latterday plays”. It’s rare in Santa Cruz to see live plays with as much intensity and as perfectly acted as this production. As long time readers know I see most of the live plays in town and do not review, critique, or mention them if they don’t work. This “bash latterday plays does indeed work. Three separate stories told in three scenes, and you won’t forget a minute of them long after you leave the theatre. They are playing now through October 29 at the Broadway Playhouse where the Lord’s Last Supper used to be. If you like live theatre and deep, thoughtful drama do not miss this experience.

MUNCHING WITH MOZART & FRIENDS CONCERT. On Thursday, October 20th from 12:10 – 12:50p.m. at the Santa Cruz Public Library (Downtown Branch – Upstairs Meeting Room). Daniel Lewin plays unaccompanied violin. He’ll play Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Ave Maria, and Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)Sonata #2 in a minor-Grave-Fuga-Andante-Alegro.

December 15: Celebrate Piano Ensemble. The Munching Concerts happen every third Thursday of the month. Coming Soon to the library series…November 17: Brian Johnston, violin and Ben Dorfan, piano. For more information about the series, to make a reservation for your class or other large group, or to inquire about performing, contact: Carol Panofsky • 831-426-3238 • panofsky@cruzio.com

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “Okay, I’d rather blog about movies, book news, and other fun stuff, but the clown show that is the Donald Trump presidential campaign is so surreal, so much like a bad movie, it just screams for commentary. How did we get to this point? Read my theory on why Trump is like the Toxic Avenger, the goo that rises up out of this muck to overwhelm the mad scientist (or party) that created him, this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com).” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

THE ACCOUNTANT. Ben Affleck plays an autistic criminal bookeeper who is also a ruthless killer, and yes, that makes as little sense as does 98 % of this murder filled mess of a movie. Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jeffrey Tambor and even John Lithgow all do what they can in such a miscast cast that makes you feel like you’re watching an audition session, that nobody cares if they get the parts or not. You won’t believe the plot, or the acting, or the fact that you paid money to see this flick.

KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS. I thought this would be another classic Japanese animation achievement like Miyazaki’s creations. Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and many others. Nope, this is an all american production with voices and influences by Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey and Ralph Fiennes. The animation is from Laika the animation studio located in Oregon. They’ve created some genuine excellent stop action films such as Coraline, ParaNorman and The Box Trolls. Kubo just forced me to think of over done, heavy handed, super cute, cloying Disney stuff, with no charm, no subtlety. Go see it, you might like it.

SNOWDEN. A genuine Oliver Stone film. If you think you know everything about the Edward Snowden Wikileaks international extravaganza you’ll learn even more watching this film. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Wilkinson, Rhys Ifans, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, and even a tubby Nicolas Cage in a bit part make this into a tight thriller . We don’t know the ending yet, and won’t until Snowden leaves Russia or Obama changes his ethics and morals and guarantees this true patriot some semblence of freedom. I think Edward Snowden should be given medals, trophys, and a place in our national security system.

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC. Viggo Mortensen, the lead in this family saga, has never been better, and he’s always excellent. The older you are the more you’ll appreciate this extension of our 1950 & 60’s belief system. A film that has Noam Chomsky’s philosophy as a driver, Jesse Jackson, Joy of Sex book, Lolita, Glen Gould’s Bach Variations and some non-christian beliefs added, has to take you back just a bit. And in a good way. Viggo raises his family in the total wilds and later they have to face modern life and society. It’s as much fun as it is moving, sensitive , and well made. Frank Langella and Steve Zahn add to this hit film. Go for/to it!!

http://w ww.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/the-birth-of-a-nation-isnt-worth-defending The film shows no depth, no humaness, no deep comcept of what both white and black americans were going through at the time. It’s shallow, condescending, and too simple. This country was literally born with a black and white problem that we still haven’t solved. This movie doesn’t help much.

GIRL ON A TRAIN. Emily Blunt stars in this heavily adapted book to film release. You’ll figure it all out about three-quarters of the way through the flash back-fast forward sections. What’s also a problem is that (on purpose) some of the women lok like each other! Ex-wives, murder, drinking, cliches galore. I think you’d be better off reading the book. I’ll bet most of your friends have.

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. The bi-annual KZSC Pledge Drive continues while April Bennett talks about The Sidereal Theatre on Oct. 18, she’s followed by former County Supervisor Neal Coonerty talking about the new Bookshop Santa Cruz Book. On October 25 Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Paul Burdick returns to discuss the workings of the court system. Then Jinx Deruisa and Polly Malan talk about The Santa Cruz Chamber Players new season. November 1 has Georgia Johnson and Connor Jang Editors-in-Chief of City on a Hill Press talking about their newspaper after which gardening expert Tom Karwin discusses Arboretum issues. Voting Night Nov.8 we have former Mayor Celia Scott discussing politics and elections. Then former Santa Cruz County Supervisor Gary Patton also talks about local and national elections, issues, and politics. Nov. 15 has Deborah Muth talking about her new book on Scotts Valley history. Then Attorney Bob Taren returns that same November 15 to share views on that election. Christina Waters guests November 22 talking about her new book. After Christina , Sean Michael Conley discusses genealogy and their local chapter functions. 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

The rainbow video up top reminded me of an old time favorite…

QUOTES. “STORMS”

“Storms and darkness scared me, but somehow it encouraged me to learn about nature and I think nothing’s dark, dark is beautiful too”, Bai Ling

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain“, Vivian Greene

“They sicken of the calm who know the storm“, Dorothy Parker

“I
think that the
world should be full of cats and full of rain, that’s all, just
cats and
rain, rain and cats, very nice, good
night.”
Charles Bukowski,

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

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

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Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

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October 10 – 16, 2016

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Bruce

TWO WAY TRAFFIC ON PACIFIC IN 1953. It really should be made a closed Mall, but here’s what it used to look like. Remember too, it had out of town corporations like Bank Of America, Woolworth’s, Montgomery Ward, J.C. Penneys, B.F. Goodrich, and plenty more.

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE October 10, 2016

SANTA CRUZ CLIFF JUMPING. Words can not describe…

ART FOR EARTH’S SAKE

These Artists Are Taking Environmental Issues to the Streets

Santa Cruz-California’s Gold With Huell Howser . I could never like Huell Howser, his voice and delivery drove/drives me crazy. However he and his crew did actually visit Santa Cruz. Check it out.

MAH CLOSING LULU CARPENTER’S AT THE OCTAGON. Manthri Srinath (proprietor and owner of the Lulu Carpenter Coffee house name, wasn’t sure last week what his next step would be after Nina Simon announced that the Museum O’fart and History was going to take back the running of the Octagon.

In the old days MAH actually had museum exhibits in the Octagon. Charles Prentiss and Nikki Silva created some absolutely inspired exhibits there. That didn’t work out so MAH tried running a museum store in there. They sold Santa Cruz tourist stuff, and that didn’t work either so eventually it became Lulus at The Octagon. (And my un-official office for a few noon times there weekly for years.

Of course, one of the first things Nina did was to cut down one of the trees on Cooper Street. Check out Cooper Street on Google maps and note the now missing tree.

Decades ago I was a member of the Santa Cruz Historical Commission, we met in the Octagon. We spent many meetings trying to figure out just how to merge the Art Museum with the History museum. It hadn’t been done before, and caused enormous bickering between artists and historians. These two groups of humans are, if you think about it, very different kinds of people. Artists focus on the new, different, unheard of future inventions and historians focus on what’s provable, what’s old, what’s authentic. They clash a lot. Which is to say that the History part of MAH still moves along and does well, given what they are given. The Art part has suffered terribly under N. Simon’s direction as anyone can see if they still visit MAH looking for anything vital artwise. This is done with complete approval and encouragement of the City Council, the Chamber, MAH’s Board Of Directors, and everyone else who prefer attendance numbers for anything “popular” to quality showings of art.

CYNTHIA MATHEWS SANTA CRUZ PROPERTIES. Folks got curious about just how much property Cynthia Mathews and her husband own. They sent this…

According to the Assessor’s office index, Cynthia and her husband William own the following;

248 Felix Street, Santa Cruz – a duplex.
1104 Bay Street, Santa Cruz – single family dwelling (with their son, Jeremy).
208 Lincoln Street, Santa Cruz – Zasu Pitts house next to the Nicoleodeon Theatre.
333 Locust Street, Santa Cruz – apartment building, 5-10 units and
316 Walnut Avenue, Santa Cruz – owner-occupied dwelling.

SERIOUS MURAL LOSS. Pat Matejcek sends this late bulletin…

Still mourning the demise of the Capitola Bookcafe (and Crossroads Books in Watsonville), the cuts are reopened when I noticed that the 41st Avenue Cinema expansion was also achieved by the loss of the powerful whale mural on the wall along 38th Ave. With the degradation of the other whale mural on Day’s Market on Seabright, where is the public recognition and celebration of our wild marine and terrestrial flora and fauna on the ever-increasing number and height of walls?

BENEFIT CONCERT &PARTY FOR A BRAND NEW COUNCIL. (direct from FB)…

Please join us for a benefit concert for four progressive candidates running for Santa Cruz city council: Sandy Brown, Steve Schnaar, Drew Glover, Chris Krohn. Help elect progressive candidates who will promote affordable housing, neighborhood and citizen participation in development decisions, environmental sustainability, and compassionate, practical solutions for homelessness. Don’t miss this exciting event! SambaDa’s Brazilian dance music, Tom Noddy’s bubble magic and Farouche’s funk laden gypsy jazz will be the entertainment for the night! Please join us! Tickets at brown paper tickets or at the door – suggested donation $15-$350.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY HISTORY FAIR. Saturday October 8 was a grand day at the London Nelson Community Center. Do remember that London Nelson had two brothers according to Phil Reader. Their names were Cambridge and Marlborough). At least two dozen tables and historical displays took up 3 of the 4 rooms and four talks about our history had good sized audiences in the main meeting room all afternoon. It’s not just amazing how many folks actually care and spend time unearthing our city and county history it’s curious too. My guess as to the number of professionals and amateurs seek out that specific history and I though a lot about it…People move here, they (we) love the place so much we want to identify and link with the past every way possible. We care a lot about changes, authenticity, and so much is and has been developed and changed that it seems to be going faster nowadays. We need more such History Fairs and the Friends of The Cowell Lime Works Historic District are to be congratulated.

SAVE OUR BIG TREES

The outcome of Save Our Big Trees v. City of Santa Cruz was very costly for the city. Legal costs, recently settled, probably exceed $300,000 including costs for the city’s legal consultants from Sacramento. The lawsuit was important on many levels, not only for the protection of local heritage trees, it also serves as a warning to cities to not try to circumvent the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Cities claiming CEQA exemptions for environmental projects have been an increasing trend. The decision in this lawsuit should give pause for thought.

As some remember, in 2013 the city was poised to vote on changes to its Heritage Tree Ordinance, an ordinance first proposed in 1976 by then councilmember Carole de Palma. The changes proposed weakened the ordinance by adding more criteria for tree removal such as “economic hardship” and “allergies” to an already significant list of criteria for granting heritage tree removal permits. Heritage eucalyptus and acacia were taken out of protection altogether and developers given far more leeway to remove heritage trees than was allowed under the old ordinance. A few definitions were clarified although the new definition of emergency moved even further away from the real thing. In the face of this obvious weakening of the ordinance the city claimed, straight-faced, that the revisions were actually strengthening the ordinance and therefore there would be no requirement for environmental review. Many of us disagreed including members of the grassroots group, Save Our Big Trees as well as environmental attorneys and tree lovers everywhere. Some called it a Heritage Tree Removal Ordinance. The city pushed stubbornly on in defense of its position. Local environmental attorneys, Wittwer & Parkin opined that the city was wrong in claiming CEQA exemption and took the case on contingency on behalf of Save Our Big Trees. At the local Superior Court level, the judge’s decision was in favor of the city. It struck me that the judge didn’t understand the issues or was biased towards the city given the simple equation that if you add more reasons for people to remove heritage trees then more will be removed, which triggers a CEQA requirement. Given the loss at the local level, the next step would be the California Appellate Court, which was reputed to be more environmentally aware than the court at the local level. Before committing to filing at the Appellate level, Save Our Big Trees and its lawyers offered a settlement to the city. We would withdraw the lawsuit if the city removed the additional tree removal criteria, used the former definition of emergency and kept heritage eucalyptus under protection. The city rejected the offer. In 2015, the Sixth Appellate court ruled in favor of Save Our Big Trees, confirming Wittwer & Parkin’s legal contention that the city erred in claiming CEQA exemption and mandating the city to revert to the former ordinance.

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This judgment is a significant victory and should be a wake-up call to the city to respect CEQA as an important tool for the protection of our natural environment rather than an obstacle to be circumvented by any means possible. However the victory is tempered by the fact that the former ordinance, the one we are now operating under, is still insufficiently strong to protect our heritage trees which are fast disappearing at the rate of 170 on average a year. According to city data, over a five- year period, out of 2500 requests to remove heritage trees, 2350 were approved. The city claims that most of these trees were dead or dangerous which is contrary to my experience in trying to save heritage trees over the past 40 years. A determined property owner gets a permit for tree removal in over 90% of cases. Rarely does the city go the extra mile to try to preserve a heritage tree even in the face of strong neighborhood support. The replacement trees are small ornamentals, planted somewhere else, and will never reach the stature or carbon storing potential of the large trees cut down. As more and more housing is being proposed with eyes on intensifying Accessory Dwelling Units and requiring sidewalks every time a house is remodeled, the death knell is being sounded for our remaining heritage trees. Replanting doesn’t even come close to this loss.

If I could suggest some solutions they would include a strong educational component. Every property owner, every real estate agent would receive an attractive brochure outlining the importance of large trees; the definition of heritage trees and reasons for their preservation; the requirements for their protection and care; the availability of city funds to help off-set the costs for maintenance; the process for proper pruning and far stronger penalties for violating the ordinance. Developers would be required to relocate heritage trees to another location if the tree is in the footprint of the building, not simply get a permit for removal. People who illegally cut down or poison their heritage trees would face stiff fines matching the actual value of the tree, which can be in the tens of thousands for large trees rather than the current paltry sum of a few hundred dollars. Instead of one city staff person being the decision-maker for granting tree removal permits we would have a tree task force comprised of tree experts such as in San Luis Obispo where far fewer tree removal permit applications are approved. Replacement trees would be required to be equivalents in their potential size and stature. No more crepe myrtles! An inventory of the city’s heritage trees is needed. Our Climate Action Plan recommends a 25% increase in tree canopy over a certain time period. How can we possibly track this without an inventory or aerial mapping?

The city is probably licking its wounds over the cost of this lawsuit. Rather than directing its ire outwards, it would do better to evaluate the reasons for the legal judgment and temper the tendency to avoid CEQA in future. The next test will be the Wharf Master Plan whose environmental impacts demand an Environmental Impact Report rather than the inadequate Mitigated Negative Declaration, so far the only environmental document prepared by the city.

Activity continues at the Aptos Village Project…

The historic Hihn Apple Barn (aka Antique Village Fair) is now 80% toward its new location and has been rotated 90 degrees from the original direction. It now sits six feet in the air on top of the old railroad spur lines that served the area, where locomotives would haul cars of lumber and apples out of the Aptos canyons to markets far and wide. What lies under the surface of those soils? Artifacts, no doubt, but the Planning Department has assured me that there have been none found. A qualified archaeologist is supposed to be on site looking for things like that, but it seems that box may have been neglected at the Planning Department. The scavengers who have been regularly visiting the site at night with metal detectors, according to local residents, probably have an interesting collection. I hope they washed their hands well to remove any contaminated soil.

Speaking of digging…there are many interesting things about the Aptos Village Project that one finds when digging through files at the County Building and beyond. If I have learned anything in the past months of researching this development (tell me again why no Environmental Impact Report was done?), it is that I need to examine all claims that requirements for approvals were actually satisfied. That is what led me to file a Public Records Act request with Cabrillo College to verify that all those toilets and urinals that were supposedly replaced by Barry Swenson Builder in order to get Soquel Creek Water District’s approval for the new service connections actually did get replaced.

It took quite awhile to get the information. By law, the agency must respond within 10 days, either with the material you request, or with a notice of a 10-day extension to gather material for reasons such as voluminous requests. It is against the law to postpone making the material available to the party who has made the request, just to withhold information. In the case of my request to Cabrillo College, success came two months later, with the aid of multiple phone calls, a second submittal and finally a letter to the College President requesting that staff be cooperative.

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I received an apology and a one-page document. That document was merely an informational memo to the Governing Board, dated February 7. 2005 stating that 82 toilets and 43 urinals would be replaced within three weeks. “The project is a win-win for Barry Swenson Builder, the College, and SCWD (Soquel Creek Water District).” and the work was anticipated to be completed within three weeks. The problem, however, is that there is no record within the College files that the work got done. The College Director of Maintenance and Operations at the time is still in that position. After extensive searches of electronic and hard copy files, he found no records of the work having been done. He suggested I file a request with Soquel Creek Water District for proof the District received when the new service connections were approved.

That search also resulted in no verification of fixtures purchased or locations of fixtures replaced. The company that supposedly performed the work is from Livermore. Other fixture replacements submitted to SCWD by Barry Swenson Builder (some associated with credits that were transferred from Rispin Mansion proposals) included a four-page documentation of the number of fixtures, models, costs and locations of the replaced fixtures. In every case, the property owner signed off on the work. In the case of the Cabrillo College work supposedly performed, there are only two one-page documents that have no information, other than “flushable toilets” and “urinals”. The work is not signed off by anyone from Cabrillo College, but instead by a Barry Swenson Builder employee.

There are other inconsistencies with the water credits that Soquel Creek Water District granted to supply the Aptos Village Project with over 38 Acre feet of water per year. Don’t forget that the State Water Control Board has declared the aquifer that is the sole source of water for the area to be “Critical Overdraft”. I hope the Soquel Creek Water District Board will honor my request submitted last week to investigate all matters regarding the Aptos Village Project water approvals and make a public report available. That would be the best transparent process, wouldn’t it?

Meanwhile, I wonder why no work has yet begun on the District’s new Granite Way well adjacent to the Aptos Village Project? I had been told by District staff that the work would begin last Monday, October 3. I was hoping to get an update at the October 4 Board meeting, but no departmental status reports were given….that is pretty unusual. Maybe the soil contamination reports are still forthcoming….

Well, the GOOD NEWS is that the Celebration Harvest and History of Agriculture in Aptos (Oct. 8) at the Bayview Hotel was a great success! There was a good crowd of interested and interesting folks who enjoyed the free event. Guest speakers included Randy Turnquist (Aptos Grange Master), Karen Allyn (2016 Grand Prize Apple Pie Winner at the County Fair), Freddy Menge and Ellen Baker (Monterey Rare Fruit Growers who brought heritage apples to taste), Babe Meeks (daughter of Valencia Road’s Farmer Brown), Erika Knudsen (modern-day organic farmer on Trout Gulch Road), and Becky Steinbruner (talking about the historic connections in Aptos farming with the Ord family and George Ow, Jr. family). “Out of the Blue” and “Cat & Larry” provided great live acoustic music for the garden event, and there was great food that volunteers from We Are Aptos donated. We all decided that it is critical to hold more of these enjoyable free events in the future to give people the opportunity to bond together and keep our history and community connections alive.

Please attend the Countywide Alliance (aka Alliance of Concerned Citizens of Santa Cruz County) public meeting this Wednesday, October 12 at the London Nelson auditorium (7pm-8:30pm). Help build a strong group of neighborhoods who feel that the water and traffic problems have to have a better solution than what the County and City governments are proposing: five and seven story tall dense development along already-gridlocked transportation corridors. Water? What water? Next week….”What’s in store for Aptos Village traffic…..”

#284 KILLER CATS.

The September 29th edition of The New York Review of Books contained a review of Cat Wars: The Devastating Consequences of a Cuddly Killer. According to the headline, “The Killer Cats Are Winning!” The book is by Peter P. Marra and Chris Santella, and was published this year by Princeton University Press.

If you’d like another look at this topic, you might also consider the following article, by Travis Longcore, Catherine Rich, and Lauren M. Sullivan: “Critical Assessment of Claims Regarding Management of Feral Cats by Trap–Neuter–Return.” The Longcore-Rich-Sullivan article was published in 2009 in Conservation Biology.

The upshot of both the book and the article is that domestic cats are devastating predators, destroying bird populations: The jaunty image of the house cat as a kind of lap-sized leopard and the powerful, almost parental love that cat owners feel for the increasingly popular pet obscure another, darker truth about Felis catus. Free-roaming domestic cats … are an environmental menace of staggering and still-escalating proportions. They … butcher tens of billions of songbirds, small mammals, reptiles, and lizards each year and push vulnerable species toward extinction. Cats hunt when they are hungry and hunt when they are full. “In the United States,” the authors write, “more birds and mammals die at the mouths of cats than from wind turbines, automobile strikes, pesticides and poisons, collisions with skyscrapers and windows, and other so-called direct anthropogenic causes combined.”

Until I read the article from Conservation Biology, which I did a number of years ago, I had never really thought much about this subject. Now that I have, I believe that our transformation of Felis catus into a domestic pet is a good example of how human beings make a mistake by thinking that they can ignore the World of Nature, as we create our own, human reality. The fact that domesticated cats are “an environmental menace of staggering proportions” ought to factor into our decision-making process. Maybe we ought to think twice before inviting these “pets” into our homes”.( 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. DeCinzo predicted our still dangerous Downtown Development many years ago. See it down below just a ways…

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s version of non thinking “YOU TUBERS” down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. My target date to send in my revised manuscript is this Tuesday (10/11). So, sadly what I sent you last week about keeping my nose to the keyboard goes for this week too. But, as soon as my book (finally) moves into the next phase of production, I really do plan to get right back to the blog at ljo-express.blogspot.com/ Promise!

MOTHERS OF MEN. One showing only this Thursday Oct. 13 at The Del Mar. It’s a silent restored film shot in 1917 in Santa Cruz. There really aren’t many recognizable local scenes except for Pacific and Cooper, Holy Cross Church, and Front and Soquel Streets. It’s interesting to see how the concept of having a woman governor in California still hasn’t caught on!!! Go see it…great fun. Also the Mont Alto Orchestra who recorded the score of the film, will be here live. I’ve heard them many, many times at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival they’re great too. It happens one screening only at 7:15p.m.

GIRL ON A TRAIN. Emily Blunt stars in this heavily adapted book to film release. You’ll figure it all out about three-quarters of the way through the flash back-fast forward sections. What’s also a problem is that (on purpose) some of the women look like each other! Ex-wives, murder, drinking, cliches galore. I think you’d be better off reading the book. I’ll bet most of your friends have.

BIRTH OF A NATION. Using D.W. Griffith’s famous title this film is almost as bad and as inaccurate, unfeeling, a depiction of slavery and of Nat Turner as the original. Nat Turner’s very real role in fighting slavery is in this New Yorker article: The Birth of a Nation isn’t worth defending. The film shows no depth, no humaness, no deep concept of what both white and black americans were going through at the time. It’s shallow, condescending, and too simple. This country was literally born with a black and white problem that we still haven’t solved. This movie doesn’t help much.

SNOWDEN. A genuine Oliver Stone film. If you think you know everything about the Edward Snowden Wikileaks international extravaganza you’ll learn even more watching this film.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Wilkinson, Rhys Ifans, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, and even a tubby Nicolas Cage in a bit part make this into a tight thriller . We don’t know the ending yet, and won’t until Snowden leaves Russia or Obama changes his ethics and morals and guarantees this true patriot some semblence of freedom. I think Edward Snowden should be given medals, trophys, and a place in our national security system.

HELL OR HIGH WATER. Jeff Bridges, Ben Foster and Chris Pine make this one wonderful, exciting, involving, and well acted film. Go see it ASAP. Cops and bank robbers in Texas, internal conflicts, evil bank laws and practices, and ethics and morals are all integrated. It’s hard to believe that “Hollywood” could still make a film this good after all these years of junk.

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC.Viggo Mortensen, the lead in this family saga, has never been better, and he’s almost always excellent. The older you are the more you’ll appreciate this extension of our 1950 & 60’s belief system. A film that has Noam Chomsky’s philosophy as a driver, Jesse Jackson, Joy of Sex book, Lolita, Glen Gould’s Bach Variations and some non-christian beliefs added, has to take you back just a bit. And in a good way. Viggo raises his family in the total wilds and later they have to face modern life and society. It’s as much fun as it is moving, sensitive , and well made. Frank Langella and Steve Zahn add to this hit film. Go for/to it!!

THE HOLLARS. One of the most cleverly written comedies I’ve seen in years. Full of familiar faces, the cast is as funny as the script. New York City family relationships, a bit slow at times, no groundbreaking plot, but funny. It never seems to go where you think it will, and that’s great too. Go for it. Mary Kay Place, Anna Kendrick, Richard Jenkins, and especially Margot Martindale all star in it.

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. KZSC Pledge Drive happens Oct. 11 with guest Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin co-hosting. The Pledge Drive continues while Joan Van Antwerp talks about The Sidereal Theatre on Oct. 18, she’s followed by former County Supervisor Neal Coonerty talking about the new Bookshop Santa Cruz Book. On October 25 Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Paul Burdick returns to discuss the workings of the court system. Then Jinx Deruisa and Polly Malan talk about The Santa Cruz Chamber Players new season. November 1 has Georgia Johnson and Connor Jang Editors-in-Chief of City on a Hill Press talking about their newspaper after which gardening expert Tom Karwin discusses Arboretum issues. Nov. 15 has Deborah Muth talking about her new book on Scotts Valley history. Then Attorney Bob Taren returns that same November 15 to share views on that election. Christina Waters guests November 22 talking about her new book. 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

Here’s a take on the election process…

QUOTES . “HALLOWEEN”

“The worst thing about Halloween is, of course, candy corn. It’s unbelievable to me. Candy corn is the only candy in the history of America that’s never been advertised. And there’s a reason. All of the candy corn that was ever made was made in 1911. And so, since nobody eats that stuff, every year there’s a ton of it left over”, Lewis Black

“There is nothing funny about Halloween. This sarcastic festival reflects, rather, an infernal demand for revenge by children on the adult world”, Jean Baudrillard

“Thanks to Halloween… the cobwebs in our house have just become decorations!”, Rick Sutter

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

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

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Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

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October 4 – 10, 2016

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Bruce

Santa Cruz Admission Day, looking North at 11:27 am 1888. A very different Pacific Avenue back then. If you look closely you’ll see the future Town Clock atop the O.D.D. Fellows Building on the right. This is between Church and Walnut Streets .

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE October 3, 2016

HOW CYNTHIA MATHEWS CROSSED THE LINE

SEPARATING CHURCH AND STATE. We need to thank a long time, well respected Santa Cruz Citizen for this report. It couldn’t equal last Sunday’s Sentinel front page color photo of their favorite candidate, but this factual reminder needs re-reading and remembering…

CLUTTER, CONFORMITY, CREATIVITY

“Having been elected some six times to the Santa Cruz City Council, and having been appointed as Mayor more often than anyone in living memory (and now running for re-election yet again), Cynthia Mathews is the Vladimir Putin of Santa Cruz politics. She is known as a masterful maker of backroom deals and for her strong-arm tactics. But in 2010 when Cynthia launched a covert destabilization and regime change operation against the historic Calvary Episcopal Church downtown, targeting its rector, Father Joel Miller, she failed ignominiously. You could say she learned a civics lesson about the separation of church and state.

Yes, a few years ago our Mayor Cynthia Mathews, a perennial City Council member, acting formally on the part of the City of Santa Cruz (and pointedly in her own pecuniary interest), tried to ruin the local Episcopal parish priest, and run him out of town, because she didn’t like seeing the crowds of poor and homeless people with whom the church shared busy Monday evening meals. And she owned the historic little Zasu Pitts house situated across from the church next to the Nickelodeon theatre. It was, and is, her rental property. Her tenants were unhappy. They didn’t like seeing the poor hanging out across the street either.

So Cynthia Mathews, and her downtown business owner allies, and her property owner friends, and the city police, and a clique of provocateurs among the Calvary Episcopal congregation, all conspired to disrupt the life of the church by fomenting discord, and trying to force Father Joel out, because they thought they could. And, voilà! That, they figured, would get rid of the unseemly gatherings of undesirables whom our hapless Father Joel, with the blessing of the church leadership, had invited to congregate there. That was the plan.

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With support from Cynthia Mathews’ cabal, several Calvary Episcopal parishioners took quasi-legal action in an ecclesial tribunal, presenting formal charges of mismanagement against Father Joel to a diocesan hearing board comprised of clergy and laity. The complaint alleged that Father Joel “managed the parish’s program of outreach to the homeless in a way which has brought disrepute and material discredit upon the church, and failed to maintain adequate boundaries.” Both Father Joel and the Episcopal diocese had to hire independent lawyers.

Father Joel hadn’t mismanaged the church’s feed-the-multitudes mission. He handled it as best he could. A large gathering of disadvantaged, disheveled, sometimes-desperate people is not going to look tidy and tasteful; there will be some rough, rude, rowdy, ill-tempered behavior. But Father Joel is a man of the cloth, for Christ’s sake. He’s not a corporate security chief.

For a representative Christian, the number One job is caring for the poor and marginalized in the community. Directly, first-hand. That’s the heart of Christianity. These are its core values. It is certainly not the church’s role in society to help the rich; they’ve already helped themselves to everything they can get their greedy hands on. Father Joel was doing precisely what he was supposed to be doing. But the posse led by Cynthia Mathews, concerned first with themselves, and their property values, thought they could mess with the church, and get away with it.

Cynthia Mathews couldn’t resist throwing her weight around in this imbroglio. So she delivered a letter to Right Reverend Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves, signed by her, as a City Council member, on City of Santa Cruz letterhead, complaining about “ongoing community concern” about activities and management of the church,” of “known criminals and drugdealers on church property,” a “lack of integrity on the part of church leadership in dealing with the City, community members, and businesses,” and that some church members “felt alienated or even fearful in their own church,” saying the church “simply chooses to continue with disregard for the impact on the broader community.”

In the end, the internal kerfuffle at the Little Red Church blew over; Cynthia Mathews’ disgruntled friends left the church, to the regrets of none, and Bishop Mary, to her everlasting credit, declined to respond at all to Cynthia Mathews’ attempted power play. The church has continued steadfastly, every Monday, to serve suppers to hungry street people; by now, some eight years later, tens of thousands of meals have been served, thousands of poor people have been comforted, and no notable crimes have been committed at the church. Father Joel retired honorably in 2016; he now serves in an interim ministry to an Episcopal congregation in Geneva, Switzerland.

Father Joel was not alone among the many of us who saw considerable impropriety in Cynthia Mathews’ attempt to use of the influence her elected office in a self-help campaign to advance her own financial interests. Let this tawdry episode serve as an object lesson for the voters of Santa Cruz. Cynthia Mathews is an establishment politician who serves the interests of the rich, the business community, and property owners preferentially. She has little interest in the concerns and the needs of the rest of us. And she is running for her umpteenth re-election to the City Council this November. Those of us who believe a good society must meet the needs of its poorest and most marginalized constituents first would love to see her bid defeated, for a change.

Here are a few on-line newspaper articles (one by J.M. Brown) that are relevant background:

“Santa Cruz’s ‘Red Church’ minister certain he’ll keep his job: Father Joel Miller still under fire for his handling of homeless outreach,” by J. M. Brown, in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, January 3, 2011

“Flock v. Priest: Controversial priest charged with crimes against church,” by Curtis Cartier, in MetroActive, September 15, 2010.

“Cynthia Mathews: Scrooge for the Season,” by Becky Johnson, in her blog, “One Woman Talking,” December 23, 2010.

MORE ABOUT CLUTTER AND FAMILIES. I have a deep seated clutter problem and I just wanted to share.

NO ON D SIGNS STOLEN. Robert Morgan from “Widening Won’t Work” committee sent this sad state of affairs…(it makes you wonder once again about politics in our “enlightened” community…)

The Widening Won’t Work Campaign distributed 16 black and red No on Measure D (16” x 24” ) signs with metal hangers in the Live Oak area last Wednesday and Friday. These signs were placed at intersections and main road arteries on private property with the permission of business owners. On Friday night, all the signs were removed. We’ve contacted the Sheriff’s Department and are making a complaint. We believe this is a misdemeanor offense. We are working with the Sheriff’s Department to locate the signs and would appreciate any support from the public. We’ve also learned that homemade signs opposing Measure D are being taken from property owners’ homes. We believe that other signs have been taken in the county and that there may be a systematic effort to do this.

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ELERICK’S NOT LEAVING. Paul Elerick isn’t leaving the county, that was just the way some folks read it when I announced that he wasn’t writing for BrattonOnline anymore. It especially bothered Catherine O’Kelly who wrote to both of us. He quit writing his weekly column here because of his position on Measure D. And he is still a member of Campaign For Sensible Transportation, he just resigned as the Vice-chair.

OUT OF SERVICE

I had an experience recently that brought into sharp relief the fragility of our freedom of speech as well as the unraveling of our public health and safety nets.

I was leaving New Leaf Market with the usual bounty of magnificent produce when a couple with a large dog crossed my path. One of the couple, the one with the dog, turned towards the entrance of the store. “You’re not taking the dog into the market, are you?” I enquired. “Yes, he’s a service dog,” was the reply. The cute bows in the dog’s ears did not give that impression but looks can be deceiving. “What service has the dog been trained for?” I asked. “To respond to my physical needs,” came the reply. Before I had time to digest that piece of information, a third person stepped in with, “You can’t ask that!” directed at me. I replied that of course I could. She repeated “No you can’t!” Meanwhile the dog and its owner had disappeared into the market.

Perhaps the big dog was a legitimate service dog but I doubt it. The person who told me what I could not say does not understand the meaning of freedom of speech and she is wrong. Short of threats to bodily harm, personal attacks or inciting violence, a member of the public can say anything to anyone, including a person who brings a dog into a movie theater, a restaurant, a child’s playground, a market, a health clinic, a hospital, an art opening, a clothing store, a senior center, a “No Dogs Allowed” beach or wharf. Politeness helps. But most of us say nothing and self-censor any negative thoughts. Meanwhile our public spaces are more and more impacted and those paid to enforce the law are intimidated into inaction.

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On the city’s birthday at the municipal wharf, I noticed many dogs in this public space which is clearly posted, “No Dogs Allowed.” I approached one of the First Alarm people on duty and asked him to please say something to people about this policy. While his counterpart was vainly trying to tell people with dogs to “please don’t do it again” this person told me that he is not allowed say anything according to the American With Disabilities Act (ADA), that some dog owners get in his face, that a knife attack can happen within 7 feet and he has no Taser to defend himself. I quoted the ADA regulations to him:” Staff may ask two questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform.” He was ignorant of the ADA regulations and denied them, which reveals a lack of training or lack of motivation to do the job he is paid to do or both. It is the same with state park rangers. After a ranger was physically assaulted by dog owners who were running their dogs off leash at Its Beach which is clearly posted for leashed dogs only, the rangers told me they are now scared to go down there and have stopped citing. Scared! With guns!

The vast majority of people who claim their dogs to be service dogs are lying and this has become the norm. A comfort dog is not a service dog. The ADA is doing a disservice to people with real physical and mental disabilities and legitimate service dogs by not requiring any verification that the need is real, such as is required for a handicap parking placard. This omission allows anybody to declare a dog a “service” dog, which can then go anywhere and everywhere with a hospital operating room the only exception. The trend is escalating as more and more dog owners realize that a lie will gain them access to places that restrict or prohibit dogs for health and safety reasons. With law enforcement intimidated, the situation can only worsen.

Raising this topic is guaranteed to bring howls of “dog hater” to the fore, not from folks with real service dogs but from those who exploit the situation and proudly flaunt the posted regulations. Some see themselves as practitioners of civil disobedience on a par with disobeying Jim Crow laws. I heard that analogy first hand. It struck me as insulting to the civil rights movement.

Why is this a community issue and not a personal peeve? I understand that dogs are part of the family including when they are abused, which breaks my heart. However they are dogs and dogs are capable of doing harm and transmitting diseases. Children in particular need protection, as do wild animals and birds, the frail and elderly as well as other dogs. There are 4.5 million dog bites each year in the US and in 2015 almost thirty thousand people underwent reconstructive surgery as a result of being bitten by dogs.

At “Its Beach”, on a number of occasions, a sea lion has hauled itself onto the beach dying of leptospirosis, a bacterial infection spread via urine from infected dogs to marine mammals (and to humans and other dogs) often resulting in an agonizing death to the sea lions. Few dogs are vaccinated according to local veterinarians.

As an off-leash dog chased away the shore birds at Cowell Beach on Saturday morning when I was going for a swim, I politely alerted the dog’s owner that dogs are not allowed at Cowell’s. “He’s a service dog!” she claimed. “Then he needs to be on leash,” I replied. She put the dog on leash until I was safely off shore swimming and then let him loose again, to chase away the snowy egrets.

SOQUEL CREEK WATER DISTRICT’S “WATER DEMAND OFFSET PROGRAM”…
CAN THIS AQUIFER BE SAVED?

The Soquel Creek Water District began a water demand offset program 13 years ago in order to continue allowing new service connections for developers, even though there were water supply problems looming. It was meant to be temporary, but is now the longest-running such program in the state. The question is: has it worked? Not if you ask me.

The Purisima Aquifer, which provides luscious groundwater for residents from the Branciforte area south to areas of La Selva Beach and Corralitos is in trouble. Since 1980, more water has been pumped out than is available (overdraft), leading to sea water advancing inland underground. The State Water Board declared this area as Critical Overdraft, and agencies who depend on that Aquifer for water must work together to develop a plan for sustaining the area’s water needs, while healing the aquifer and supporting stream and river habitats.

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The Water Demand Offset Program required developers to do projects within the Soquel Creek Water District boundaries that would conserve water to offset the projected needs of the new development. (People often call it putting water in the bank, but it does not work that way in the Purisima Aquifer….the water you put in just goes out to sea in the layers of rock that are constructed somewhat like a slanted stack of pancakes leading out under the Monterey Bay.) At first, developers could replace toilets and urinals in residences and public places to get credits for their development’s projected needs. Then, when most of those had been replaced sometimes multiple times), the District changed to collecting money instead, with the idea that they would pool the funds to accomplish some larger conservation project that would save the total amount of water needed for multiple developments’ new connections. The caveat was that it would be projects that would not have otherwise occurred. The rate began as $18,000/acre-foot but increased to $55,000/acre-foot later.

So, are there problems with all this? Yes.

With the exception of one project, a machine that allows the District to capture, clean and re-use water used while flushing water mains, there are no other projects that meet their criteria. There are not enough water demand offset fixture replacements left to allow the current list of developers to continue with their building permit application process…many have already invested heavily in the City and County permit application reviews. District staff recently advised the Board that the water demand offset program is not working.

And….the sea water continues to advance at an unknown rate. There is already sea water detected in monitoring wells in La Selva Beach and more recently at Pleasure Point. The District has commissioned a computer modeling consultant to study the problem and attempt to provide scientific information about the rate of sea water intrusion in different pumping scenarios, but that report will not be completed until next year. Hydrologists have warned that once detected at monitoring wells in the Aptos area, the sea water will most likely reach main production wells within two years. Where will we get our water then?????

Another problem is that it seems that some developers may not have actually performed the water demand offset work they have claimed. District staff admitted recently that they had not always been able to verify offset work claims. That seems like grounds for some investigation to me….more about that next week.

In the mean time, Soquel Creek Water District begins construction TODAY (October 3) on the new Granite Way Well next to the Aptos Village Project. That will entail 2-3 weeks of very loud sounds and high-intensity lighting 24/7. They do plan to construct a canvas sound wall to dampen the noise, but residents within the immediate area are entitled to request alternate accommodations during the construction disturbance. Please let anyone you know in that area that the offer exists, because Soquel Creek Water District is not making that Environmental Impact Report mitigation known….. In fact, the District is uncharacteristically quiet about the construction of this new 710 foot-deep and 16-inch diameter well. Hmmmm.

AND WHILE YOU WALK TO THE POST OFFICE WITH YOUR EAR PLUGS INTACT…plan to attend the HARVEST AND HISTORY: CELEBRATION OF AGRICULTURE IN APTOS event, Saturday, October 8, 11am-2pm at the Bayview Hotel. This FREE event will feature guest agricultural speakers, live music, food,, crafts, and heritage apple tasting. RSVP if you can to Becky: 685-2915. Keep cool, and stay hydrated! Cheers…!

PATTON’S PROGRAM. From Gary’s Two Worlds website…Sunday, October 2, 2016

#276/ LOW POINT

City Journal, which tends to take a conservative or right wing view of all things political, has editorialized on the last question posed to the candidates in the recent debate between Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. That question, posed by Moderator Lester Holt, was this: One of you will not win this election, so my final question to you tonight, are you willing to accept the outcome as the will of the voters?

You can read a complete transcript of the debate by clicking the link. City Journal called that final question the low point of a low night. I agree with City Journal that the candidates should have responded by asking Holt how he could even pose such a question. Neither of them did that. Both candidates said they would respect the outcome of the final vote.

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CLASSICAL DeCINZO. This year DeCinzo would have added the newcomer Kaiser Plan to the fracas…see below.

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s “beauty parade” down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent
Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog.

ESPRESSIVO ORCHESTRA PLAYS AGAIN!!!

This is a reminder that Espressivo — a small, intense orchestra — will perform works by Webern, Janácek, and Schubert this coming Thursday evening October 6 at 7:30 PM at Peace United Church of Christ, 900 High Street, Santa Cruz. The orchestra is conducted by Michel Singher, with local pianist John Orlando as the evening’s featured soloist. If you haven’t already purchased tickets online, you may do so here or purchase them at the venue. The price is the same either way: $37 regular, $29 senior, $22 youth. Doors will open at 6:45 pm. Visit our website at http://espressorch.org/

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Sorry, but I have nothing for this week! I got an insane deadline from my book editor last Monday, and I’m still typing away like a madwoman trying to meet it, so nothing new went up on the blog last week, and it’s unlikely that anything new will go up THIS week. Someday, I WILL blog again, and when I do, you and your readers will be the first to know!

Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

A TALE OF LOVE AND DARKNESS. Natalie Portman wrote, directed and stars in this near-history lesson of life in 1945 Palestine before Israel and statehood. It’s in Hebrew with subtitles and Portman seems to speak it perfectly. It’s sad, family oriented, full of racial tension, including the Arabs and Jews internal battle, and you’ll learn much from this film. Natalie was actually born in Palestine and has been acting in films since she was 12, now she’s 35.

OPERATION AVALANCHE. A very silly movie about how our Untied States moon landing was faked and filmed on a movie lot. It’s a poorly done attempt to make it (like Blair Witch) a documentary. Stay away, save your money, and don’t even think about it.

THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS. Critics and most folks are calling this a romantic melodrama, I say that’s cheapening it. And gives it the wrong image I call it a contemporary Greek Tradegy. Those classic tradegies were meant to stir your emotions, cause you to think about your deepest values, to help us learn about love, sacrifice, and morals. Wikipedia says, “Tragedy (from the Greek: tragoidia[a]) is a form of drama based on human suffering that invokes an accompanying catharsis or pleasure in audiences”. This film does all of that and more. We aren’t used to “deep” films like this anymore so we dilute them and call them weepers or melodramas. Stunning actors like Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, and Rachel Weisz bring this highly emotional film into near legendary status. It’s from a book about a lighthouse keeper and his wife who can’t have children and find a baby. Please see it, if you like serious films.

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC. Viggo Mortensen, the lead in this family saga, has never been better, and he’s almost always excellent. The older you are the more you’ll appreciate this extension of our 1950 & 60’s belief system. A film that has Noam Chomsky’s philosophy as a driver, Jesse Jackson, Joy of Sex book, Lolita, Glen Gould’s Bach Variations and some non-christian beliefs added, has to take you back just a bit. And in a good way. Viggo raises his family in the total wilds and later they have to face modern life and society. It’s as much fun as it is moving, sensitive , and well made. Frank Langella and Steve Zahn add to this hit film. Go for/to it!!

IXCANUL. Filmed in Guatemala, with all non-actors, a serious drama about a 17 year old local coffee farm daughter and the desperate way she tries to leave her peasant life. She gets pregnant, her baby is probably sold by the hospital to someone and the story is slow and confusing. With beautiful photography. It’s like a National Geographic saga. Nope, I have no idea how to pronounce the title and everybody in the film speaks either Spanish or native Mayan or Kaqchikel, as we call it.

SULLY. Tom Hanks, Laura Linney and Aaron Eckhardt do their dependable, professional jobs in this formulac Hollywood treu life drama. Plenty of tension, a great true story that we knew most of already. It’s how airplane Captain Chesley Sully Sullenberger landed that passenger plane in the Hudson river and saved everybody’s lives. Speaking of airplanes, you might think about right wing director of the film Clint Eastwood and that the executive producer of Suicide Squad and Sully is Steven Mnuchin who is Donald Trump’s finance director, if it matters who you give money to!

LITTLE MEN. NOT a sequel to Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women”. That movie was last done in a 1940 version with Sterling Holloway and Kay Francis. This is a “New York City” movie about two 13 year old boys, their problems with their families, their schooling, and how they grew. It lacks a statement, point of view, or some big reason to go see it.

DON’T THINK TWICE. Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 99 % I give it about 4!!! I’ve always hated Improv Comedy, that’s why. This movie is totally about Improv Comedy and the internal combustion within a group calling them selves the Commune. I can’t tell you how many times I watched San Francisco’s The Committee throughout most of the 1960’s. A lot of the Nickelodeon audience laughed a lot when I watched it…go warned.

MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (take #3). This movie should be sued for using the same title as the earlier classics starring in 1960 Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Colburn, Robert Vaughn and of course Eli Wallich. Then there’s the genuine Akira Kurosawa classic “Seven Samurai” from 1956 (which both of above films ripped off), that starred Toshiro Mifune. The new one has Denzel Washington as the big honcho and he’s about as impressive a leader as Pee Wee Herman would be, but he’s not as funny. Don’t go.

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. Ted Benhari of Friends Of The North Coast discusses the Cotoni Coast Dairies National Monument proposal on October 4 followed by Gillian Greensite area activist on environmental and social problems and changes. KZSC Pledge Drive happens Oct. 11 with guest Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin co-hosting. Pledge Drive continues while Joan Van Antwerp talks about The Sidereal Theatre on Oct. 18, she’s followed by former County Supervisor Neal Coonerty talking about the new Bookshop Santa Cruz book.. Then October 25 has Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Paul Burdick talking about our court system. After Paul, Jinx Deruisa and Polly Malan talk about The Santa Cruz Chamber Players new season. November 1 has Georgia Johnson and Connor Jang Editors-in-Chief of City on a Hill Press talking about their newspaper. Attorney Bob Taren returns November 15 to share views on the election. Christina Waters guests November 22 talking about her new book, and 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

Sometimes you just have to watch someone doing something they love. 🙂

QUOTES. “DROUGHT”

“We’ve been devastated by the severest and deadliest drought in history – that of our profound awareness of the futility of all effort and the vanity of all plans”, Fernando Pessoa

“Violence is like a weed – it does not die even in the greatest drought”, Simon Wiesenthal

“Hillary Clinton is listening to the scientists who tell us that – unless we act boldly and transform our energy system in the very near future – there will be more drought, more floods, more acidification of the oceans, more rising sea levels”, Bernie Sanders

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

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

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Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

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Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off

September 26 – October 2

Posted on September 29, 2016 by Bruce

RONALD REAGAN AT THE CIVIC, Oct. 8, 1966. Ronnie was running for Governor back then, and he beat Pat Brown. Look at the rapture in those seven teeny boppers eyes. He was certainly no Donald Trump!!!

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE September 26. 2016

BOARDWALKS SECRET CITY DEAL. If you or I or anybody has a business in the City of Santa Cruz the law, regulations and permits all say you will have your garbage hauled by the City…you can’t save money and do it yourself (for obvious reasons). Health, safety and the environment being obvious. What I just found out is that this present City Council and all the rest going back years, have allowed the Seaside Corporation/Boardwalk to haul their own trash & garbage. Who’s going to check into that and find out when it first started, and help end this one more shameless fortune that our Santa Cruz City Council’s gives to that Canfield empire?

UCSC DUMP??? How is it that so few of us know about the private dump/recycling center that UCSC has built (and is still building) on their campus? How come that’s allowed? Why haven’t more living-on-campus families and students complained about the odors? Maybe because it’s so close to the Arboretum?

UNCENSORED RICHARD NIXON.

THE HOLLARS MOVIE. Good fun, go see it ASAP.

MAH & PAID MEMBERSHIPS?? I keep hearing from many of those people who go to The Museum of Art & History that “it just doesn’t look or feel like an Art or History museum anymore”. There hasn’t been an art curator for quite some time, and as I’ve said many times Nina should just change the name to The McPherson Community Center…no problem. People also ask now that Nina has brought up the attendance numbers with her numb, super pop events what’s happened to the actual membership numbers? Up or down? One friend said he counted 13 local restaurants near MAH. So San Josean John McEnery IV is bringing all those new out of town restaurants here to compete…not fair. Many are betting that Nina Simon, now on her second book tour, will search and get a better job offering and leave town anyways. We’ll wait here.

JOHN LEOPOLD, CYNTHIA MATHEWS, PAUL ELERICK & MEASURE D!! Over and over again the No on D forces ask a simple question, “Where has widening highways ever worked ? “And of course the answer is NOWHERE. Now we see that County Supervisor John Leopold is very active in the YES on D, and Corridor development and it follows that he is also endorsing Cynthia Mathews for City Council. In addition Paul Elerick who has been writing for BrattonOnline many, many years called me today (Monday) and said he’s not writing for us anymore because I am against Measure D. We’ll miss Paul. He quit Campaign For Sensible Transportation for the same reason.

Stephen Slade Exec. Director of The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County sent me this….” The Land Trust’s endorsement of Measure D and hiring a part-time staff are NOT connected. The staff position is a stewardship job — taking care of Antonelli Pond, Byrne-Milliron Forest and other properties. Measure D, for us, is about building the rail trail and wildlife tunnel”.

Check out Measure D on the website at http://sensibletransportation.org/congestion if you want to get some facts in this important issue as we get closer to the November voting date. More facts will be presented at the Community forum on Measure D, hosted by Santa Cruz Sierra Club Group on Thursday, September 29, 6:30pm – 8:30pm at the Resource Center For Nonviolence, 612 Ocean St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA (map) Get educated on this complex measure before you vote. Come hear arguments for and against Measure D, which Santa Cruz County voters will face on the November ballot. There will also be time to ask questions at the end. This 30-year tax measure will have major implications for the shape of transportation facilities in Santa Cruz County. This proposed transportation sales tax measure was created by the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission and put on the ballot by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors. To help the community navigate the pros and cons of this measure, Santa Cruz Sierra Club Group are hosting a community forum with four panelists who will share their arguments for and against this measure. After hearing all sides, we will move into the question and answer portion of the evening. Thursday, September 29, 2016 7:00 – 8:30 PM Resource Center for Nonviolence 612 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz, CA Map and Directions.

KUSP REVIVAL. Rachel Goodman seems to be heading the drive to raise the necessary money to buy KUSP’s broadcast license and re-vitalize the station into a more community resource. Go here to read her appeal…

HISTORICAL PHOTO RESPONSE. Many thanks for the response to any/all the historical photos I post every week. Gillian Greensite was first to remind me, and all new arrivals, that the Municipal wharf runs North and South. So that makes the Ideal Restaurant’s location in the photo on the West side of the wharf. Peter Nurkse checked in to say “Yep, Darling House is there, out in the sun, and the larger Epworth House, older than the Darling House, is there too on the same block, behind the Darling House in the shade of the trees.

As a reference for history in the area, you could use George Lawrence’s 1906 aerial panorama. There is a visible jog in the panorama at this point, but that’s just where the Library of Congress cut up the original print to make it fit in their filing cabinets.

The original Cowell lime warehouse, next to the hospital, seems to be in tip top condition, even if almost a century old. Somebody must have been maintaining it, since it wasn’t in use any more. That may have been Samuel Henry Cowell, who died that same year, 1955. He would have remembered the warehouse in constant use, rolling cargos down to the Cowell wharf (which collapsed itself in 1907). And Samuel Henry certainly had enough resources to keep the warehouse in perfect condition, even if just for sentimental reasons.

The warehouse would have been a great historical structure. Like the Hay Barn at UCSC, but on a more spectacular site, right at the ocean. However Samuel Henry was presumably the last person to care for it and to be able to maintain it, so probably soon after he died it was demolished. If there had been a historical preservation movement in Santa Cruz at the time they might have protested, but that came later”.

Carey Casey also had a lot of things to add to that great photo she says, “Notice the old warehouse at the bottom of Bay Street. It was originally built in the late 1860s by the Davis & Jordan Lime and Cement Company, still standing (surprisingly) in this photo. The lime company also built Bay Street, originally called Lime Kiln Road. The big barn is shown, when it was new, in an 1870 “bird’s eye view” panorama painting. As one of a number of speakers, I’ll be presenting a slide show (available online) on the painting at the upcoming Santa Cruz County History Fair (October 8 at Louden Nelson Center). Should be fun! – Carey Casey. She must have meant LONDON Nelson !!!

LED LESSONS

Santa Cruz has a reputation for being a leader in environmental awareness and activism. That is true for some issues but for others, we trail far behind. A good example is the relatively recent conversion to LED street lighting. Most of us are aware of the bright white Light Emitting Diodes (LED’s) that have replaced the old sodium vapor streetlights throughout the county. Few would not support this change when it comes to energy savings and light longevity. But as with most technology, there are choices and not all are desirable.

The recent American Medical Association’s warnings about high intensity LED streetlights have reached the daily news. We now have broad community awareness of the detrimental health and environmental effects of the blue-white high intensity LED’s that have been recently installed by the city and county of Santa Cruz but rejected by a number of other communities such as Davis and Oceanside in California, eight counties in Arizona and the town of Lake Worth in Florida. Given the AMA warnings it is likely that other communities will follow their lead.

click here to continue (link expands, click again to collapse)

Simply put, lighting is measured by color temperature, which is expressed as kelvins or K. The higher the K, the more blue light is emitted which is itself invisible but registers as a bright white glare. The lower the K, the less blue light is emitted, and the light registers as a softer amber color. If this difference were merely aesthetic it would not be newsworthy, although I intensely dislike the white glare that now blasts from city streets, bridges over the San Lorenzo river, the wharf, some businesses, sports fields, police vehicles, car and bicycle headlights, blinding oncoming cars and pedestrians, and probably soon, front porches and security lights. To add insult to injury, such LED’s are usually improperly shielded, spilling their light pollution skyward, cumulatively blocking out the stars and planets and terminating the darkness of night which it turns out is essential for our sleep quality and health and the survival of nocturnal species such as birds, insects, turtles and fish.

Fortunately this situation is reversible. All the current LED streetlights in Santa Cruz are 4000K, which is on the blue-rich end of the color spectrum. In a word undesirable, and damaging to our health as well as that of other species. Conversion to 2700K will be an initial cost but in a short time will be covered by the energy savings that the lower kelvins allow. That was the experience at Davis. When the city of Davis converted its streetlights to LED at 4000K the community reacted strongly and negatively in sufficient numbers to convince the city to change over to 2700K, which is now the standard from the International Dark Sky Association. LED’s can also be fitted with dimmers to lower the light when it is needed less. Our city and county should do the same, given the knowledge we now have of the health and safety hazards of the brighter, blue-white LED lights. Whether they do depends on whether enough Santa Cruzans make their concerns known. It is doubtful that city and county leaders will take the initiative although it is a serious enough issue for city council candidates to hold a position. The General Plan for the city of Santa Cruz includes the goal of reducing light pollution and moving towards a dark-sky ordinance so the basis exists for such a conversion. The earlier reasons justifying the adoption of the current blue-white LED’s have largely been discounted. Crime rates have not dropped in areas where they have replaced the older softer lights. In fact the harsh glare creates deeper shadows allowing for more secure hiding places. Police are on record as supporting the 4000K for suspect identification, which they claim is improved with the current lighting. If so, it is not reflected in the data. Some may like the brightness for more secure walking at night. However the lower kelvin LED’s are sufficiently bright for both police and pedestrian needs while avoiding the negative health and environmental impacts of the higher ones.

The International Dark Sky Association is a non-profit based in Tucson, Arizona. Its mission is to preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting. Our local chapter, of which I am a member, lobbied to get the city to choose the lower K streetlights before the current ones were installed. We urged the city to do more research and to go slowly since the technology was rapidly developing and there were choices, some good and some not so good. We were unsuccessful. However that was before the AMA publicity about the health and safety impacts of the currently installed LED’s. It is possible to change course if enough people get involved. If light pollution is drastically reduced by public policy and private cooperation, Santa Cruz too could become a certified dark-sky city, a status that is gaining traction in an ever-increasing light polluted world, especially in the USA. If you are interested in getting more involved, email us at idasantacruzca@gmail.com. We are a small group of congenial folks, some amateur astronomers and we meet monthly to educate ourselves and strategize on the most effective ways to achieve IDA goals on a local level.

~ 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).

“MAKE THEM VOTE FOR WAR” (Wednesday September 21, 2016)

“Once I started digging into my “read it later” pile, I found lots of older material, like an editorial from the May 10, 2016 edition of The New York Times, entitled, “A Soldier’s Challenge to the President.” Regrettably, this editorial is still relevant. The 1973 War Powers Resolution, passed by Congress over the veto of then-president Nixon, requires the president to obtain “specific statutory authorization” whenever he sends United States troops into war. Guess what? Our president doesn’t do that. So far, the courts have not dealt with the president’s refusal to ask permission. And, as The Times editorial says, Congress is not actually trying to get the president to make the request that the law requires.

In mid-August, the president launched airstrikes on targets in Libya. Apparently, U.S. ground troops are also taking action in Libya. There have certainly been recent U.S. air strikes in Syria. Just this week, in fact, such U.S. air strikes have apparently led to the termination of a cease fire that had been negotiated. With respect to Libya, an online CNN news report said that “Libya asked the U.S. to help fight ISIS with airstrikes.” Great! Glad you asked, Libya, but according to our laws, you can’t just ask the president, you need to have the elected representatives in Congress sign off on such military adventures.

Probably, the majority of the Congress supports what President Obama is doing but I think it is a lot less certain that the people of the United States are of the same opinion. As members of the U.S. military go off to kill and be killed, in our name, let’s demand that Congress do its job. Let’s make them vote for all these wars!”

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. One more take on the bike riding part of our community. See below.

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. Eagan vs. Trump’s concept of charity…look down a few pages.

And check here for more Eagan…There are two new Deep Cover cartoons posted at TimEagan.com. Also, the classic Subconscious Comics, and the EaganBlog, : I Could Car Less

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “An unquiet spirit from Jewish folklore scares up plenty of menace in the eerie, complex Polish horror movie, Demon, this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). And, don’t look now, but it’s time for Open Studios again — Santa Cruz’s biggest art event of the year!” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

DEMON. A Jewish wedding in Poland has a dybbuk as a haunting and unwanted guest. Scary, tense, then boring, then tense again…and it has a 95 on Rotten Tomatoes!!! If you’re trying to stay away from Vodka do not see this film. Subtitled and in Polish, Yiddish, and many mumbled lines too.

MAGNIFICENT SEVEN 3. This movie should be sued for using the same title as the earlier classics starring in 1960 Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Colburn, Robert Vaughn and of course Eli Wallich. Then there’s the genuine Akira Kurosawa classic

“Seven Samurai” from 1956 (which both of above films ripped off), that starred Toshiro Mifune. The new one has Denzel Washington as the big honcho and he’s about as impressive a leader as Pee Wee Herman would be, but he’s not as funny. Don’t go.

BRIDGET JONES’S BABY. Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth and Patrick Dempsey head the list for this miserable, boring, semi-dirty part 3 of B. Jones/Zellweger baby films. Zellweger was born in Texas but for some reason she plays a Brit in this series. She gets pregnant by one of the two above mentioned guys. For the sake of making a movie plot she doesn’t get a test to see which one is the Dad. Besides that, you wouldn’t care anyways even IF you do go. Jokes are lame and obvious, you won’t laugh and the worst part of the entire film is that at the end they show a newspaper photo of Hugh Grant saying he’s alive. He was the co-star before Colin Firth…so that means part 4 is coming at us soon. Duck.

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC.Viggo Mortensen, the lead in this family saga, has never been better, and he’s almost always excellent. The older you are the more you’ll appreciate this extension of our 1950 & 60’s belief system. A film that has Noam Chomsky’s philosophy as a driver, Jesse Jackson, Joy of Sex book, Lolita, Glen Gould’s Bach Variations and some non-christian beliefs added, has to take you back just a bit. And in a good way. Viggo raises his family in the total wilds and later they have to face modern life and society. It’s as much fun as it is moving, sensitive, and well made. Frank Langella and Steve Zahn add to this hit film. Go for/to it!!

SNOWDEN. A genuine Oliver Stone film. If you think you know everything about the Edward Snowden Wikileaks international extravaganza you’ll learn even more watching this film.

SULLY. Tom Hanks, Laura Linney and Aaron Eckhardt do their dependable, professional jobs in this formulac Hollywood treu life drama. Plenty of tension, a great true story that we knew most of already. It’s how airplane Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger landed that passenger plane in the Hudson river and saved everybody’s lives. Speaking of airplanes, you might think about right wing director of the film Clint Eastwood and that the executive producer of Suicide Squad and Sully is Steven Mnuchin who is Donald Trump’s finance director, if it matters who you give money to!

LITTLE MEN. NOT a sequel to Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women”. That movie was last done in a 1940 version with Sterling Holloway and Kay Francis. This is a “New York City” movie about two 13 year old boys, their problems with their families, their schooling, and how they grew. It lacks a statement, point of view, or some big reason to go see it.

CAFÉ SOCIETY.Woody Allen’s newest starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Parker Posey and Steve Carell. Woody narates the film and he’s older and his voice has lost that whiney, confused, contradictory warble that we’ve grown to love so much. This film doesn’t rank in his top 4 or 5 films. The story is original, the acting is perfunctory, Kristen Stewart is above reproach, but it’s no Midnight in Paris, Annie Hall, Blue Jasmine, Hannah and Her Sisters or Purple Rose of Cairo.

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. Michel Singher previews The Espressivo Orchestra’s next concert on September 27, after that Becky Steinbruner informs us about County Land Use issues. Ted Benhari of Friends Of The North Coast discusses the Cotoni National Monument proposal on October 4 followed by Gillian Greensite area activist on environmental and social problems and changes. KZSC Pledge Drive happens Oct. 11 with guest Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin co-hosting. Pledge Drive continues while Joan Van Antwerp talks about The Sidereal Theatre on Oct. 18, she’s followed by former County Supervisor Neal Coonerty talking about the new Bookshop Santa Cruz book.. Then October 25 has Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Paul Burdick talking about our court system. After Paul, Jinx Deruisa and Polly Malan talk about The Santa Cruz Chamber Players new season. 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

53 years ago. So much, and yet so little, has changed. I quote from the Kennedy speech: “And it ought to be possible for Americans of any color to register, and to vote in a free election without interference or fear of reprisal.” Watch this.

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 Bu rdick, 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: “OCTOBER”

“I detest ‘Jingle Bells,’ ‘White Christmas,’ ‘Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,’ and the obscene spending bonanza that nowadays seems to occupy not just December, but November and much of October, too”, Richard Dawkins
“All things on earth point home in old October; sailors to sea, travellers to walls and fences, hunters to field and hollow and the long voice of the hounds, the lover to the love he has forsaken”, Thomas Wolfe
“On October 15, 1965, an estimated 70,000 people took part in large-scale anti-war demonstrations”, Noam Chomsky
“And so by the fifteenth century, on October 8, the Europeans were looking for a new place to try to get to, and they came up with a new concept: the West”, Dave Barry

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

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off

September 22 – 28, 2016

Posted on September 23, 2016 by Bruce

WHARF AND WEST CLIFF DRIVE. 1955. Alert eyes will notice no lighthouse, no Dream Inn, the active Sisters Hospital, and The Ideal Fish restaurant was then on the north side of the wharf. I’m not sure but it looks like the Darling House in the upper center. Remember I really appreciate any/all additions, corrections…just send them to bratton@cruzio.com.

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE September 19, 2016

CAMBRIA REPORT ON COTONI. Ted Benhari from Friends of The North Coast and The Rural Binny Doon Association has been a leading voice pleading for planning and more thinking before making the Cotoni Coast Dairies land into a National Monument. I’ve lifted Ted’s entire Facebook message…he states

EDDIE PEABODY AND STRUM FUN. One of the finest strummers ever. Check
out his Harp/banjo

COAST DAIRIES STATE PARK. It’s a few years old but take a look at the area
around the proposed National Monument threat.

BARBARA DANE SINGS. Listen to Barbara sing a Girl of Constant Sorrow

“Thanks to all who went down to Cambria last Friday to voice our concerns about Coast Dairies being proclaimed a national monument. It was our only opportunity to talk directly to Neil Kornze, head of the BLM, who will be reporting back to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell about whether to recommend that Pres. Obama issue the proclamation under the National Antiquities Act.
Sempervirens Fund bused a load of people down, and there was another busload of Amah Mutsun Indians, presumably paid for by Sempervirens. People who wanted to speak had to put in a request, identifying which of the 6 properties included in the Eshoo/Boxer bill they were going to talk about. Since we comprised perhaps 10% of the audience, we thought many of us might not get called on to speak, even for the scant 1 minute allowed each speaker.

However, and happily, everyone who asked to speak got their minute. The pro-monument crowd parroted the false claims that Sempervirens has trumpeted from the beginning of the campaign: 1. that there would be more “protection” – we know it is already secured from development, mining, and motorized recreation, etc. by very specific deed restrictions and a Coastal Development Permit – and of course, no one specified what the additional protections might be. 2. That it would save 500 acres of redwood forest. There is no “redwood” forest. The redwoods were all logged over 100 years ago. The 500-forested acres are a mix of oak, fir, madrone and some stands of redwood, much like the canyons in the rest of Bonny Doon.

3. That monument status would bring more funding for stewardship. The only money guaranteed by monument status is $3 an acre, or about $18,000 a year; BLM would have to compete for more funds annually out of a shrinking Park Service budget with the other 50 or so national monuments.
However, Sempervirens board member Fred Keeley said at the meeting that they would donate an unspecified amount of volunteer labor and money annually to help out. BLM certainly will need it to deal with the additional crowds lured by the worldwide publicity monument status will bring. He also said he recognized our concerns and that the difference between our positions was that Sempervirens wants monument status first and planning afterward, while we want planning first and then, if it seems like the best way to manage Coast Dairies, monument status. Isn’t the definition of planning that it’s something you do BEFORE you act?

Given Sempervirens’ political connections and the repeated downplaying of our concerns by Sen. Boxer and Rep. Eshoo we expect that the presidential proclamation will occur within the next two months. So we are also working hard to try to get the Board of Supervisors conditions of support – regarding traffic, funds for law enforcement and emergency response, etc. – written directly into the proclamation language so it is legally binding in perpetuity”.

WIDENING WON’T WORK. To get all the details on why auxillary lanes, and widening highways has never worked go to the Widening Won’t Work website… https://wideningwontwork.org Over and over again, transportation and traffic experts tell us that there isn’t one case where auxillary lanes or widening freeways/highways has not only NOT eased the traffic problem BUT those new lanes increased the traffic problem. If you’re keeping track of which Santa Cruz City Council candidates are supporting Measure D, the highway widening – 30 year- $500, 000, 000 tax we’ll be paying, Sandy Brown is supporting it. Please note…no comment on her decision. Also note that …

Community forum on Measure D, hosted by Santa Cruz Sierra Club Group – 9/29/2016

Thursday, September 22, 7-9pm Live Oak Senior Center, 1777 Capitola Road, Santa Cruz.

Pros and Cons on Sales Tax to Fund Local Transportation Projects, sponsored by League of Women Voters of Santa Cruz County – 9/22/2016 Hosted by Santa Cruz Sierra Club Group.
Thursday, September 29, 2016, 7:00 – 8:30 PM Resource Center for Nonviolence, 612 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz,

David Foster of Habitat For Humanity calls out deception of “Yes on D” campaign, asks voters to oppose Measure D – 9/14/2016

BERKELEY’S TELEGRAPH AVENUE’S NEW IDEA. Judi Grunstra sent this link. Telegraph has parklets, pedestrian plazas, solar trash cans and cars share the street with the walkers. Take a look…I’m on the fence about Santa Cruz’s Pacific Avenue killing cars.

INFAMOUS ROPE TRICK. It doesn’t matter how many times you watch this, it’s still great magic. Ralph Davila sent it.

HISTORICAL PHOTO CAPTION CORRECTION. Linda Rosewood corrected my historical photo caption from last week (scroll down to check it out ) She says “The Kerrick Laundry was at 616 Front, which is around where CVS is now, at the corner of Soquel and Front, not Front and Cathcart. The laundry business was purchased by the Bariteau brothers in 1957, when the property became part of the urban renewal and flood control projects of that era. The photo was probably taken because those buildings were about to be torn down. Santa Cruz Sentinel, Sept 11, 1957 page 1.

HISTORICAL PHOTO CAPTION ADDITION. Ray Ginghoffer saw the photo of the two Yellow Cab guys in front of trhe City Hall two columns ago (scroll way down) . He says…” I think the man on the left is Joe Basso, the father of Jim Basso, current owner of Yellow cab. I think. Ray”. Now we can wonder was it “Basso” or “Bosso”?

NEW CABRILLO CONDUCTOR. I received a few negative comments and questions about Cristian Macelaru the new man that the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music hired to conduct the Festival. I said that he has been conducting dead composers such as Dvorak, Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, as well as Copland, Bartok, Faure, Bruchner, Enescu and Orff. I have no idea of what age or vintage musics he’ll be conducting once he gets here. I’m betting that the Festival and Cristian are well aware of the new kid composers Marin Alsop made so popular over her 25 years here. Lets wait and see what Cristian does when he has such an accepting Santa Cruz audience.

Mr. Paul Elerick of Aptos has returned and writes…

SUMMERS IN MICHIGAN

After spending six of the last eight weeks in Michigan, I like to share a few highlights. For those who aren’t aware of it, the western part of Michigan’s lower peninsula is one long string of sandy beaches, lakes and golf courses. And many 1st class wineries especially in the Traverse City area. I plan to spend lots more summer months there along with a wonderful friend that I’ve known for 50 years. Here are a few “must sees” if you’re ever there. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park, State Park Beaches at Pentwater, Holland, Grand Haven and all up and down the coast of Lake Michigan. They’re all clean and well managed. The coastal towns of Pentwater, Saugatuck, Holland, Silver Lake Dunes… the list is lots longer. Hard to beat in the summer.

I’ll also make a pitch for the excellent health care that I received at Spectrum hospital in Grand Rapids when I needed emergency care. This organization has ultra-modern facilities and took over the older hospitals like the one I was born in and the one our son was born in.

It’s always nice to be home to Aptos though. Glad to see PDC running smoothly with endorsement forums!

(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

RAPE REDUX.

How many rapes and attempted rapes committed within the city of Santa Cruz have been reported to the Santa Cruz Police Department (SCPD) this year? You don’t know? Not surprising since the usual sources of information such as the daily Sentinel, police alerts and neighborhood alerts have been silent on this issue.

As of July 2016, the latest data entry on the SCPD website for this year, there have been twenty-nine rapes and attempted rapes reported. That is one rape or attempted rape reported each week. And reported rapes are a fraction of those committed. Do you recall any rapes included in the Sentinel crime report this year? In theory, rape is a felony, one of the most serious of crimes and yet it rates no mention in the usual channels of public communication. I think it naive to conclude that this is an oversight. And if it is, that is revealing.

This attempt to bury the high incidence of reported rape in the city of Santa Cruz has a long history. In the early 1980’s, I compiled a document detailing the problems within the SCPD regarding their mostly poor handling of rape. The city council shelved the report. Some changes were recommended by the city Commission for the Prevention of Violence Against Women but few were adopted. I quit the Commission out of frustration. Twenty years later, I reapplied to be a member of the Commission. With new membership and great energy, we embarked on an updated report on rape within the city and a review of police handling of rape, which constituted one of the Commissions charges under the Ordinance that created it in 1981. The 2003 Report on Rape used data from that submitted by SCPD to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report. We contracted with Applied Survey Research to analyze the data and draw some correlations. The results were not pretty. The incidence of reported rape in Santa Cruz city was one of the highest in the state and most significantly, the percentage committed by strangers as compared with non-strangers (sometimes referred to as acquaintances) was out of all proportion to the national average. In some police beats it was over 50% of the total while the national average is 15%. The rate of arrest was also off the charts on the low end of the scale. Before we could even submit the report to council, SCPD heads went on the attack, providing council with misleading data, debunking the report and discrediting the commission, especially its chair. By the time I was up for reappointment, the word was that I intimidated staff (staff shielded the police) and was too difficult to work with. During the same time I received an award for leadership from the Commission at its 25th anniversary but no mind, then councilmember Mike Rotkin refused to reappoint me while current Mayor Cynthia Mathews is reported to have said that she will block any attempt by any councilmember to ever appoint me to the Commission. No council member has since supported my numerous applications to be appointed. In the meantime the Commission has revised its charge from an oversight body of SCPD for their handling of rape and domestic violence to one of working with the SCPD to address the issues. It meets only 6 times a year and has vastly reduced the scope of its work.

click here to continue (link expands, click again to collapse)

SCPD continues to place a veneer of feel-good packing around the issue of rape. The 2015 Annual Report states correctly that sexual assault dropped 30% from 2014. What it omits to include is that 2014 was way off the charts at sixty-three reported rapes compared to the average of mid forties, which was the figure for 2015 and appears to be consistent at this point for 2016. It is important to remember that behind every statistic is a person, overwhelmingly female, who has suffered a life-altering crime, whose experience and courage to come forward and report is not reflected in the public discourse over crime in Santa Cruz. We angrily denounce discarded needles, agonize over stolen bikes, graffiti, car burglaries and illegal camping but not a word is mentioned about rape. It has been rendered invisible. In my evaluation this is deliberate and is connected to the desire to market Santa Cruz as a “world-class city.” Rape, especially rapes committed by strangers, tarnishes that image. Better to sweep it under the corporate carpet with city council and SCPD handling the broom. This cover-up has consequences for the safety of our residents, particularly young women and girls who are disproportionally impacted. While rapes by strangers are no more or less traumatic than rapes by non-strangers, the message to the community needs to be approached differently. We have a right to be alerted whenever a man commits a rape upon a total stranger including the general location with alerts prominently placed in the vicinity including a description of the assailant if he has not been arrested. I designed such a bold red and black alert while on the Commission. I have seen none. The Sentinel is silent on rape. Without such community awareness, women and girls are at higher risk for rape and the chances of apprehending the assailant are reduced. From Commission data for 2014 and 2015 it seems that rapes by strangers in the city of Santa Cruz continue to be far higher than the national average. Unless the community demands better, this “Mayor of Jaws” attitude of hiding our rapes in order to satisfy the tourist industry will continue and women and girls will continue to be raped, out of sight, out of mind”.

PATTON’S PROGRAM. From Gary’s Two Worlds website…Sunday, September 18, 2016
#262 / Inspiring To Millions
There was an article in The New Yorker, dated September 23, 2015. The article, by Allyson Hobbs, was titled, “Why Aren’t We Inspired By Hillary Clinton?” In fact, millions of people (including millions of voters) ARE inspired by Hillary Clinton. A letter published in “The Mail” section of the most recent edition of The New Yorker comments on this topic with respect to a different New Yorker article, not the Allyson Hobbs’ article, but a commentary by Steve Coll.

Sharona Muir, of Perrysburg, Ohio (a “swing state, incidentally), complains about a “hold your nose and vote” tone of voice in commentaries about Clinton and her candidacy. Here is what she says about Clinton: The possibilities that Clinton’s nomination holds for our society’s greater freedom are tremendous. It’s time that Coll and The New Yorker understand the fact that, and the reasons that, Secretary Clinton’s nomination is actually inspiring to millions of voters.

click here to continue (link expands, click again to collapse)

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. DeCinzo adds Helen Keller to our water problem. Scroll down.

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. Eagan deplores today’s current political scene…see below just a bit…

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “Discover another reason to love vintage books, as we discover a treasure in our rafters, this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (ljo-express.blogspot.com). Also, head over immediately to the Del Mar to see The Light Between Oceans — quick, while it’s still on a big screen! You don’t see such a beautifully made movie for grown-ups often enough!” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC.Viggo Mortensen, the lead in this family saga, has never been better, and he’s almost always excellent. The older you are the more you’ll appreciate this extension of our 1950 & 60’s belief system. A film that has Noam Chomsky’s philosophy as a driver, Jesse Jackson, Joy of Sex book, Lolita, Glen Gould’s Bach Variations and some non-christian beliefs added, has to take you back just a bit. And in a good way. Viggo raises his family in the total wilds and later they have to face modern life and society. It’s as much fun as it is moving, sensitive , and well made. Frank Langella and Steve Zahn add to this hit film. Go for/to it!!

SULLY. Tom Hanks, Laura Linney and Aaron Eckhardt do their dependable, professional jobs in this formulac Hollywood treu life drama. Plenty of tension, a great true story that we knew most of already. It’s how airplane Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger landed that passenger plane in the Hudson river and saved everybody’s lives. Speaking of airplanes, you might think about right wing director of the film Clint Eastwood and that the executive producer of Suicide Squad and Sully is Steven Mnuchin who is Donald Trump’s finance director, if it matters who you give money to!

COMPLETE UNKNOWN. Just 44 on Rotten Tomatoes !! Rachel Weisz and Michael Shannon take the leads in this complex puzzle of a film. Rachel Weisz plays a woman who has chenged her identity and continues to do so much to the deep anguish it has caused Shannon her former lover. Exactly why she keeps changing identities and moving around the world is weird, unexplained and psychotic. Danny Glover and Kathy Bates almost sneak into bit parts. The movie is missing something but it’s slow moving and I fell asleep a few times. If you do go send me your explanation…please??

FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS. The ever-popular, award winning Meryl Streep mugs , struts and acts her way through this odd portrait of an eccentric totally tone deaf New York socialite in the early 1940’s, Florence Foster Jenkins caught syphilis from her first husband, divorced him, kept his name and married another rich fellow socialite. She loved music, was friends with Arturo Toscanni but because of the tertiary stages of the disease, was unable to accurately hear her own singing voice. She gave concerts and recorded records and made millions laugh at her bizzarre off key voice. It’s a cute, somewhat serious comedy…and again Meryl Srreep has the lead with Hugh Grant playing a good older version of Hugh Grant, and you know what that means.

DON’T BREATHE. This film has all the makings of a very scary horror flick. Timing, characters, kids locked in a house with a blind army veteran who wants to kill them because they tried to rob him. Yet, it lacks something and I’ve been thinking about it for three days and I still can’t figure why it doesn’t work. Great tension, fine acting, plenty of surprises, and yet it doesn’t add up. Maybe it’s because the blind veteran is also evil, and focused on killing. Maybe it’s because the kids were wrong in the first place in trying to rob him. But if you’ve seen everything else in town…this one won’t bore you, I promise.

SOUTHSIDE WITH YOU. This is worse than a Hallmark greeting card! Cloying, genuflecting, dull, and an unjustified view of how Barack wooed Michelle back in their Chicago days. Aside from the apparent facts that Obama smokes a lot and doesn’t like ice cream and that Michelle doesn’t like pie, there’s nothing to gain from seeing this trite mess. It’s genuinely boring too. You’ll keep waiting for something of substance, or conflict, or some kind of problem might be dealt with…nope, all sugar and spice. Well, not even spice actually.

JASON BOURNE.The minute you leave the theatre this movie will seem like a dream you had. It’s fuzzy, unclear, random scenes in random order, no real meaning…just like a dream. The director tried to make some new kind of spy killing, car chase, fie, explosion movie. Edits, cuts, dialogue are all mixed up and mixed together…it makes little or no sense at all. Matt Damon, Tommy Lee Jones, Vincent Cassell, Alicia Vikander, and Riz Ahmed from “The Night Of” all do their best, but it’s all the director’s fault. Well, Matt Damon just phoned in his part and he’s terrible. And it’s still better than Mechanic: Resurrection

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. Santa Cruz’s only Kim Luke unveils the latest crazes and styles in the Fashion Art Show on Sept.20, then UCSC professor Jonathan Kahana talks about Film Criticism and Documentaries. Michel Singher previews The Espressivo Orchestra’s next concert on September 27. Joan Van Antwerp talks about The Sidereal Theatre on Oct. 18, followed by former County Supervisor Neal Coonerty talking about the new Bookshop Santa Cruz book.. Then October 25 has Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Paul Burdick talking about our court system. After Paul, Jinx Deruisa and Polly Malan talk about The Santa Cruz Chamber Players new season. 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 love me some magic. Penn & Teller have a show called “Fool Us”, which is a lot of fun.

GUEST QUOTE. Leigh Hill sent this one and added…”my personal favorite: “Intolerance betrays want of faith in one’s cause.” Mohandas K. Gandhi (Made for TrumpTheFraud)

QUOTES. “FASHION”

“You can never be overdressed or overeducated”, Oscar Wilde

“I don’t know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot!”, Marilyn Monroe

“The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy”. Yves Saint-Laurent

“Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn”, Orson Welles

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

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

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