August 8 – 14, 2013

SANTA CRUZ BEACH & BOARDWALK 1940. By taking a closer look you can see the historic La Bahia Hotel in the lower left corner. You don’t need to look so hard to see the Historic Casa Del Rey Hotel that vanished with a FEMA payback right after the 1989 quake. Then there’s the Boardwalk pier and the freely flowing San Lorenzo River with the once-named “Opera Island” just before the railroad bridge.

photo credit: private photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

DENTIST CHRISTIE AND HIS ROOT CANAL PROBLEM. The case of Dentist William Christie versus his wanting to destroy the 4 Canary Island Pine trees that are on his property isn’t over yet. The deep roots are causing him great pain and obviously something needs to be extracted. Environmentalists and Tree lovers plus the Historical Building Preservationists are at odds over this and are eagerly waiting for the cities’ decision. Former mayor Chris Krohn, former professor Jim Funaro, UCSC’s Gillian Greensite and many others are working hard to save those 70 foot tall pines. Dentist Christie’s office is across the street from the Good Will Store and where India Joze used to be. That’s the corner of Union and Center….you’ve seen and read about this battle I’m, sure. Dentist Christie (and you know what they say about Dentists) has brought wild and weird politics into it Christie was once the Chairman of The Santa Cruz Police Review Board but he was so pro any and all police actions he was removed. Now in his appeal to the City he calls Krohn” a single uninformed individual”, “with too little to do” and that his actions are due to their “radically different political differences”. He even continued by calling ME “poorly informed, but deeply opinionated”. He repeated my line in this space about how Christie’s patients should go to “more environmentally minded dentists”. Near the close of his ranting and bitching he threatens the city with “I feel there could be legal ramifications here”. What a guy! what a dentist. You gotta wonder about a guy who opens a dental practice between and among four very young pine trees and then spends years, dollars and legal time fighting about their growing. It’s like moving to Times Square and complaining about the traffic. Or moving to Death Valley and suing over the amount of sand. There’ll be announcements any day now whether or not Our COURAGEOUS City Council will vote to save those trees. Be sure to read Gillian Greensite’s series on our Heritage Trees and how our Santa Cruz has treated them.

DENZEL WASHINGTON POSITIVELY GUARANTEES. Denzel and his script writers must have a thing about the word “guarantee”. I’d never noticed, but watch this clip, Ralph Davila found it.

LATTE BREAKING NEWS. Michael Bethke told me he is definitely NOT running for City Council or anything because he has a bad hip problem. Don Lane repeated the non-news that he too isn’t running for anything, it just seems like he is. You’ve seen those Segways around town, right? One of the Segway Tour owners set me straight, they are NOT for rent, and they are for tours only and there are two tours per day. Those Segways cost $7,500 each and people were breaking them…so tours only NO rentals.

HACKEY SACK LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN.

BAGS FOR SALE. I just learned the news that when our more than benevolent County Board of Supervisors passed that ordinance about plastic bags that they are now charging for what they used to give away for free. The money Safeway, Whole Foods, CVS gets from selling you those bags….they keep!!!. Another corporate crime aided by our Supes!!! That money should go to our arts organizations, our schools, or some environmental cause. Let’s right this wrong ASAP.

LOUIS SATCHMO 1933 INTERVIEW & CONCERT !! This took place in Copenhagen. Listen to him play and sing « Dinah » !!

STORIES FROM THE URBAN FOREST. by Gillian Greensite(The first in a series)

Part 1: “History of the Santa Cruz city’s Heritage Tree Ordinance. Like most cities in California and many across the nation, Santa Cruz has a Heritage Tree Ordinance, designed to protect large, old, unique or historic trees living within the urban boundary. Today, the need for such an ordinance seems a no-brainer. The urban tree cover is declining nation-wide at four million trees per year, according to the US Forest Service. The level of heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere recently broke the once unthinkable barrier of 400 parts per million for the first time in three million years. Forty years ago, however, the need for an ordinance to protect our urban forest was not so obvious to the general public. But as is often the case, a few individuals saw the need, put their heads together and with the help of a sympathetic city council, passed the Heritage Tree Ordinance into law in 1973.

The spark that ignited the cause was the felling of an old English walnut tree for the construction of a building behind Holy Cross church. According to the story shared by M. Lachman, this particular walnut tree was not only good eats but had a unique history. It was from this tree in 1812 that the Mission Indians hung Father Quintana due to his cruel treatment of them, including beatings with a metal-tipped whip. While there is no reference to this particular tree in the historical records, its destruction was the incentive for Mr. Lachman to seek out landscape architect Roy Rydell and city planner Joe Hall to begin the process of crafting an ordinance to protect Santa Cruz’s old and significant trees.

There were differences of opinion on what should constitute a heritage tree. Some felt that the ordinance should cover only a limited number of outstanding trees such as the Black Walnut on Cedar St. before it was butchered. Others felt that the ordinance should include protection for a broader range of trees. Undoubtedly there were some who felt no trees needed protection, arguing that the marine terraces were originally treeless. The city council of the day, including the newly elected Bert Muhly, who played a significant role in the establishment of the California Coastal Commission, debated the various points of view and decided to protect trees based on their size, their uniqueness and their historical significance. The council also debated the appropriate size for a tree to be designated as heritage. With few ordinance models from other cities to use as a guide, the council came up with a figure based on a unique calculation. The circumference for a tree to be designated as heritage would be 44 inches or, as the local press reported the council’s deliberations, the size of council member Muhly’s waistline! As it turned out, 44 inches circumference or 14 inches diameter is somewhat similar to the tree size criterion for ordinances in other cities, although most protect trees of even smaller size.

Part 2: Heritage Tree Ordinance: Success or Failure? (Next Issue)

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary reports on our County Board of Supes being back and in session. He relates about PG&E and their problems in Monterey and how they relate to San Bruno’s disaster, and if the City should buy the Golden State Theatre. He deals with Monterey’s de-sal plans and plant and how the Monterey Herald newspaper likes the agreement. He tells about Cal Am and who owns the rights to our water…and Monterey’s water. Read all of above at Gary’s KUSP Land Use scripts http://blogs.kusp.org/landuse (Gary Patton is “Of Counsel” to the Santa Cruz law firm of Wittwer & Parkin, which specializes in land use and environmental law. The opinions expressed are Mr. Patton’s. Gary has his own website, “Two Worlds / 365”www.gapatton.net

VINTAGE DE CINZO. It couldn’t happen here to our very own Starbucks…could it ??See below a few pages.

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Tim Eagan introduces us to Rocco, the peoples candidate. Scroll down a page or four.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “In celebration of marriage equality, take a look at my favorite same-sex domestic partnerships in the movies—and feel free to suggest your own—this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). After that, I’m on vacation, so meet me back here in two weeks!” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

SHAMU STILL ROCKS AT SEA WORLD. See the Blackfish documentary ASAP. Check out this ad from Sea World in Orlando. http://seaworldparks.com/seaworld-orlando/Attractions/Shows/Shamu%20Rocks

Or check out our very own Sea World San Diego also featuring a performing Shamu.

http://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-sandiego/Events/Summer-Nights?from=Front_Page_Bottom_Promo

TO SEE….OR NOT TO SEE

THAT IS THE QUESTION

BLACKFISH. We all need to see the documentary Blackfish. It’s abouthow cruel and even evil SeaWorld treats their Orca Whales. Orca Whales are members of the dolphin family it’s about how one of those killer whales killed a lovable and talented trainer. What it’s really about is how all of us are guilty of making Sea world and all aquariums and zoos and keepers of trapped animals and sea life vast sums of money for continuously torturing jelly fish, gorillas, elephants, just so we can pay and peer into their unnatural habitat. Wikipedia says, “Wild killer whales are not considered a threat to humans,[7] although there have been cases of captives killing or injuring their handlers at marine theme parks.[8] Killer whales feature strongly in the mythologies of indigenous cultures, with their reputation ranging from being the souls of humans to merciless killers”. Yes the Monterey Aquarium is just as guilty as the rest of them. The actual amount of research and legitimate experimentation they do in re the torture of those trapped fish is minimal and we all know it. See the film Blackfish before responding.

STILL MINE. It’s another “crabby, but lovable old people” movie. This time it’s grandma played by a surprisingly old Genevieve Bujold who’s nearly nuts. (She’s really only 71) James Cromwell plays the 89 year old husband (he’s really only 73) who loves her and builds a house without a permit!! So you know it couldn’t have happened in Santa Cruz. Go see it, and bring a hankie, and your cane.

STILL PLAYING AT A THEATRE NEAR US

FRUITVALE STATION. A must see film. Not a documentary, it’s an amateur director’s first attempt, and not just because it’s almost in our neighborhood… it’s simply a “Must See Film”. It’ll give you all the more reasons why our justice system needs so much correcting and not only in the BART-Oscar Grant case. It’s been winning awards everywhere.

THE WOLVERINE. Hugh Jackman actually pulls this comic book hero action flick off….and in a good way. There’s enough of an almost believable (and followable) plot to keep you watching, and almost believing in what you’re watching. It seems like I’m saying this more lately BUT if you like comic book action films (Superman, Batman etc.) this one really works.

THE CONJURING. IF you like scary films this one is excellent. Vera Famiga seems to outdo herself in any role she’s given and here in this “based on a true story” film she plays a ghost hunter’s wife. Yes, there are the usual cellar stairs, spirit bodies hanging from trees, and so on BUT if you like etc.etc.

TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM. This documentary makes Stars out of the faceless, nameless back-up singers on hit pop albums. I suppose there’s a point to it, but how about documentaries featuring the recording engineers, the producers, and the musicians who also make a song a hit? Making hits is a very collaborative; sharing process…it ain’t just the back-up singing. But it’s a fun film.

RED 2. Sure Helen Mirren, Anthony Hopkins, and Catherine Zeta-Jones are in it,but trust me; John Malkovich and Bruce Willis ruin every scene and any bit of tension or believable minute of this junk flick. I defy anyone who claims to have liked this mess to repeat the plot to us. It is so convoluted, so impossible, so stupid.

MYSTERIOUS FAIRY U.K. INSECT. Just another odd You Tube curiosity.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE, the radio program I host, happens each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Universal Grapevine is on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are archived…(see next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. . . Kevin Newhouse guests on August 13 to tell us about his new Arcadia book on Aptos. He’ll be followed by Dean Kaufman, the Santa Cruz County Veteran Advocate. Santa Cruz County Supervisor Greg Caput talks politics and about his background on August 20. On September 3 Susan Myer Silton tells us about Tom Stoppard’s play Arcadia that she’s directing for our Jewel Theatre Company, and playing Sept.5-22.September 10 has Angelo Grova giving details on his Fashion Art Extravaganza, followed by Jeff Sanford talking about his Cartoon Jazz Orchestra’s newest release. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always at bratton@cruzio.com

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 5 years here’s a chronological list of just this year’s podcasts. Click herehttp://kzsc.org/blog/tag/universal-grapevine then tap on “listen here” to hear any or all of them… all over again. The update includes Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson-Darrow, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sand hills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Company. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011. Hear them all!!!

QUOTES. “A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first”, Chanakya “I’m an introvert… I love being by myself, love being outdoors, love taking a long walk with my dogs and looking at the trees, flowers, the sky,” Audrey Hepburn. “He plants trees to benefit another generation”, Caecilius Statius.

COLUMN COMMUNICATIONS.

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

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

Direct email: Bratton@Cruzio.com

Direct phone: 831 423-2468

All Technical & Web details: Gunilla Leavitt @ gunilla@thegoldenfleece.com

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off on August 8 – 14, 2013

August 1 – 7, 2013

LA BAHIA…FORMERLY CASA DEL REY APARTMENTS. The La Bahia Apartments were originally designed as the luxury Casa Del Rey Apartments. Back in the Golden Age of Santa Cruz Tourism, before WWII, they were part of a sprawling tourist complex that included the Casa Del Rey Hotel (300 rooms), a 150-unit Cottage City, a trolley terminal and railway station, a night club, convention facilities in the Boardwalk Casino, gardens, tennis courts, a putting green, and the golf and country club at Pogonip.

photo credit: private photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

BING CROSBY, LOUIS ARMSTRONG, FRANK SINATRA. I don’t think people swing
like this anymore…from “High Society”

CITY COUNCIL NEWS. It’s only a little early to fan the flames on our City Council status but according to well planted sources Hilary Bryant won’t be running again. She’s had a much tougher time as mayor than she anticipated, they say. David Terrazas will be running and folks are still wondering why he bothers, or what he’s accomplished. Lynn Robinson is termed out of the City Council and it’s entirely possible she’s planning on running for Neal Coonerty’s Supervisor seat. Lynn would have the
support of the “rightish” Pamela Comstock supporters such as Take Back Santa Cruz, Debbie Elston’s Santa Cruz Neighbors, Cynthia Mathews’ Downtown Neighbors and that kind of organization. Names floating around for council seats include Rick Longinotti of the anti de-sal group, Ed Porter, past council member, is thinking about it too. Michael Bethke has
been attending anti-de-sal meetings and trying to make big impressions around town, and I’m guessing he’ll go for it. Richelle Naroyan‘s name has been floating around even though her last Council campaign “didn’t work
for her” and she quit running.

BOARD OF SUPERVISOR NEWS. As we read in last week’s Sentinel, Ryan Coonerty “de-murred” twice about his position on de-sal. That’s odd, especially when you consider that it was Ryan who voted and worked hard, many times, and voted and approved the spending of more than 17 million
dollars so far, just to investigate and promote de-sal.

BEAR HOE DOWN. Ah the joys of nature, before they attack!!!

COASTAL COMMISSION NEWS. Before, during and after his appearance on Universal Grapevine last Tuesday State Assemblyman Mark Stone talked about the past, present and future of the California Coastal Commission. He introduced me to former Commission member Steve Blank over at Lulu’s.

Steve retired from the Commission in June. Mark and every other environmental believer knew that Steve Blank was a vital force on the commission following closely in Peter Douglas‘s footsteps. Mark also added that the Coastal Commission is weakening and is bowing more and more to local government decisions. That’s bad news, because as we know so well in Santa Cruz County so many times local government decisions are controlled
by developers and weak supervisors
.

HOW SOON WE FORGET. It was two years ago that The California Coastal Commission voted 6-4 against approving a change in our city’s coastal plan to allow Charlie Canfield’s 125 room condo-hotel La Bahia Hotel to be built. Now Charlie Canfield’s back with Craig French as project manager wanting to build a 168 room hotel. We’ll see about those plans later. What caught my eye were statements in the Friday, August 12, 2011 Santa Cruz Sentinel by our then Mayor Ryan Coonerty and Mark Stone, who was our County Supervisor and a Coastal Commissioner (and was one of the 6 votes against changing the coastal plan). Mark Stone was quoted as saying, “I think a project like this can be done within the framework that exists”. Mayor
Ryan Coonerty said, “We are extremely disappointed. This was a good project that reflected the values of Santa Cruz”. “Mark Stone failed to represent the community, and I am extremely disappointed in his leadership”.

SPACE ROCKET LAUNCH.

DE-SAL ITEMS. It really isn’t a terribly big deal but just when you believe that our City Council is supposed to be representing us and not selling us a bill-of-goods we have Councilperson Cynthia Mathews trailed by Trink Praxel passing out pro De-Sal pamphlets at the League of Women Voters last meeting when the League had invited Gary Patton to talk to them about the area’s water problems. The huge question remains why is our city council so determined to sell us on de-sal? Is it Bill Kocher’s face saving plot? Who and what’s really behind this financial commitment the council has maintained….is something lurking?

SAN FRANCISCO SILENT FILM FESTIVAL. About 16,000 of us saw 17 newly discovered and restored silent films in 3 days and opening night. It’s been happening every year for 18 years in San Francisco’s historic Castro Theatre.

Three films, Denmark’s The Golden Clown (1926), Russia’s The House on Trubnaya Square (1925), and Germany’s The Weavers (1927) are permanently entered in my “Best Films I’ve Ever Seen” list…for life. More than being screened at the proper speed and being shown on the big screen,
the Silent Film Festival goes to great research and expense to bring the finest of live musical accompaniment to each film. Whether it’s The Matti Bye Ensemble from Sweden, the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra from Colorado or the renowned Gunter Buchwald singing and playing his carefully researched film scores, the live music adds considerably to this Silent Film art form. I’ve said before that “comparing Silent films to talkies is like comparing books to television”. That certainly was true again this year.

Please note that The San Francisco Silent Film Festival is moving its play dates to May 29-June 1st 2014 to take advantage of the less expensive hotel and off-season visitor rates. Plan ahead, go here www.silentfilm.org
to check it all out.

VINTAGE DE CINZO. The ever-alert DeCinzo strikes again with dis-arming candor….scroll below.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “This week at Lisa Jensen Online Express, find out why the complex Danish drama, The Hunt, hits a bull’s eye. And the celebration of marriage equality
continues with a look at my Top Five favorite domestic partnerships in the movies.” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

THE HUNT. A magnificent Danish film about a kind, loving, father who is undone, and ruined by a little girl’s made-up story about how he molested her. Annika Wedderkopp who plays the little girl is the finest child actor I’ve seen in my life. She’s probably about 5 years old and carries the film. But Mads Mikkelsen as the victim is as superb an actor as always…you’ll recognize him when you see this masterpiece, and you should.

FRUITVALE STATION. A must see film. Not a documentary, it’s an amateur director’s first attempt, and not just because it’s almost in our neighborhood… it’s simply a “Must See Film“. It’ll give you all the more reasons why our justice system needs so much correcting and not only in the BART-Oscar Grant case. It’s been winning awards everywhere.

WOLVERINE. Hugh Jackman actually pulls this comic book hero action flick off….and in a good way. There’s enough of an almost believable (and followable) plot to keep you watching, and almost believing in what you’re watching. It seems like I’m saying this more lately BUT if you like comic book action films (Superman, Batman etc.) this one really works.

THE CONJURING. IF you like scary films, this one is excellent. Vera Famiga seems to outdo herself in any role she’s given and here in this “based on a true story” film she plays a ghost hunter’s wife. Yes, there are the usual cellar stairs, spirit bodies hanging from trees, and so on BUT if you like etc.etc.

RED 2. Sure Helen Mirren, Anthony Hopkins, and Catherine Zeta-Jones are in it, but trust me John Malkovich and Bruce Willis ruin every scene and any tension or believable minute of this junk flick. I defy anyone who claims to have liked this mess to repeat the plot to us. It is so convoluted, so impossible, so stupid..

THE GIRL MOST LIKELY. Just about the first half of this slight comedy is brilliant. It’s like a Sex and The City episode only more subtle. Kristen Wiig and Annette Bening carry the film and Matt Dillon has his first good role in decades. And it does fall apart later but go see it, if it’s still around…or sure rent it.

WAY, WAY BACK. It’s filmed mostly in a rundown family owned seaside water park, and it has some good moments. Steve Carell has a very serious role as a bad step dad and Toni Colette is the teen age lead’s mom. It’s a coming of age film and Sam Rockwell is the kid’s guiding light. Alison Janney is the next door drunk and way overplays it. Save your money.

ONLY GOD FORGIVES. This is an art film. It’s way beyond any Tarantino slasher effort, it has barrels more blood, deeper stabbings, redder blood rivers, and style, style, style. Ryan Gosling is the main drug dealer and chief stabber. He doesn’t say much and later he takes his trusty sword and stabs his Mom, and pulls out lots of her bloody organs. As I said, it’s a style film and is dedicated to Alexander Jodorowsky…which must prove, or excuse, something

STILL PLAYING AT A THEATRE NEAR US

TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM. This documentary makes Stars out of the faceless, nameless back-up singers on hit pop albums. I suppose there’s a point to it, but how about documentaries featuring the recording engineers, the producers, and the musicians who also make a song a hit? Making hits is a very collaborative; sharing process…it ain’t just the back-up singing. But it’s a fun film.

THE LONE RANGER. The SF Chronicle’s film critic Mick LaSalle called this mess “the worst film of the year“. It’s bombing terribly and Mick’s right, no-one should spend a dime, or their time to see this FLOP. Johnny Depp plays Tonto as another insanely odd character, and the Lone Ranger is portrayed and played as a jerk and doofus who hates guns!!! It’s got horse manure jokes, and racist American attitudes. Here’s a quote from Marley Brown of PolicyMic.com….”While the relationship between the ranger and
Tonto was supposedly one of mutual respect, the stereotypical portrayal of Indians in The Lone Ranger has been a source of anger and disappointment to many Native people, including the writer and filmmaker Sherman Alexie, who told the Los Angeles Times: “In the movies, Indians are always accompanied by ominous music. I always feel that something bad is about to happen. I am always aware of how my whole life is shaped by my hatred of Tonto”.

WORLD WAR Z. As long time movie goers we’ve seen 100’s of zombie stalking, zombie sucking and plenty more of searches for the magic never tried formula that will save the world. That’s all that’s in this “Brad Pitt saves the world” mess. Not that it matters, but there are more and larger plot holes in this film than you could possibly count. My original quote, “Zombies that run, gnaw, puke a lot and bash their heads into windshields do not a good film make”. Save your money.

SUPERMAN (MAN OF STEEL). Super hero films can really only be critiqued by comparing them to other super hero films. It’s a special genre. The plots, the acting, the visuals, direction, editing etc. are like no other film
types. This Superman is not funny, no cutesy Clark Kent-“changing in a phone booth” stuff. No funny Gene Hackman or Marlon Brando villain/dad figures. Man of Steel starts and ends dark. Henry Cavill makes a great Superman. The rest of the cast is strange. Kevin Costner and Diane Ladd as Supe’s earth parents, Laurence Fishburne as Perry White!!, Russell Crowe as Jor-el ??? And of course Michael Shannon as General Zod. Don’t pay extra for 3D glasses there aren’t that many special effects. Plus we learn that the “S” on Supe’s shirt doesn’t stand for Superman it stands for hope. I could go on for pages talking about the religious stuff in this film. Like Clark in church praying with a background shot of Jesus kneeling before he was crucified, etc, etc. Go see it (big screen only) and only if you really like superhero films.

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY. It was cool to see my old UC Berkeley campus buildings in this latest Pixar flick. It has Stanford scenes too but it certainly isn’t up to Pixar’s high standards of film making. It’s boring,
but Pixar has succeeded in that computer generated challenge of how to make hair or fur look real…it may be overdone but it’s clever. The plot of teaching ways to scare kids runs very thin in minutes but damn, Pixar animation techniques especially in 3D look more real than real does!!!

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are archived…(see next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. Assemblyman Mark Stone will be on July 23 bringing us up to date on Sacramento and his job He’s followed by Attorney Bob Taren rapping on local issues. Ed Holmes talks about The San Francisco Mime Troupe’s annual visit on August 6. Kevin Newhouse will talk about the new Aptos History picture book on August 13. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always at bratton@cruzio.com

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 5 years here’s a chronological list of just this year’s pod casts. Click here http://kzsc.org/blog/tag/universal-grapevine then tap on “listen here” to hear any or all of them… all over again. The update includes Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson-Darrow, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Conpany. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011. Hear them all!!!

QUOTES. “Awards are like hemorrhoids; sooner or later every asshole gets some”, Frederich Raphael. “I’ve done my bit for motion pictures….I’ve stopped making them”, Liberace. “It’s greater than a masterpiece….why it’s mediocre”, Samuel Goldwyn.

COLUMN COMMUNICATIONS.

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

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

Direct email: Bratton@Cruzio.com

Direct phone: 831 423-2468

All Technical & Web details: Gunilla Leavitt @ gunilla@thegoldenfleece.com

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off on August 1 – 7, 2013

July 17 – July 30, 2013

BAY & HIGH STREETS BEFORE UCSC. 1957. On the left is the present UCSC Campus. That’s Meder Street coming straight down to the bottom center. If you squint you can see them building Highway One over the San Lorenzo at the top left, and yes you should have bought property back then.

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

DE-LAYING THE DE-SAL VOTE. Behind closed doors the plot is underway to delay the peoples voting on Santa Cruz’s de-sal plant. Delay it until even 2016!!! That way Ryan Coonerty won’t be facing it as an issue when he runs in for the Board of Supervisors in June. It’ll stop de-sal from being an issue in the City Council elections too. Finding all sorts of ways to hold up the EIR appears to be the main tactic. Just watch out that’s all. Who’s behind the “closed doors” you ask, and we’ll guess Bill Kocher, Fred Keeley, Cynthia Mathews, both Coonertys, and a few more subcutaneous suspects that we’ll name later.

ENDORSING RYAN COONERTY. Just a warning to folks who are thinking of endorsing Ryan Coonerty….WAIT!!! many, many names and ideas are being hatched as candidates and of course women are playing a big role in breaking the good old boy board of supes bastion. If you’re looking for a pro-de-sal plant, an anti homeless, limiting people’s time to speak at the City Council….Ryan’s your guy, but just wait until all the other candidates come forth.

HISTORIC TREE ORDINANCE. Santa Cruz has developed a wide split between the Environmentalists and the Historic Preservationists. It all is coming to a near fever pitch over the four 70 foot Canary Island pines around Dentist William Christies office across from The Goodwill Store in downtown Santa Cruz. Christie wants them cut down because they are mucking up his office building. One well known historic preservation friend of mine put it very clearly, “fuck the trees”. People who love trees and see more benefits in having big trees downtown like Chris Krohn, Gillian Greensite, Rachel O’Malley and Jim Funaro are working hard to save them. This “Christie vs. the Trees” battle grows into our City Council wanting to revise and weaken the entire City ordinance on historic trees and last Tuesday night the City Council started to hear about that. The citizens who like trees say the ordinance violates CEQA. The City ignored them so Wittwer & Parkin attorneys send a letter saying the same thing. Then City attorney Barisone says there is a threat of a lawsuit. There wasn’t and he knew that. But the Council went into one of their famous closed sessions. Yes, Micah Posner went along with all that stuff too, in case you wondered. We need a CEQA review on what the City is trying to do to our trees. If the council and Parks & Recreation Dept. have their way the city of Santa Cruz will look like early Barstow!!…or late Barstow?

SILENT FILM FESTIVAL. Now in its 19 year The San Francisco Silent Film Festival is again bringing newly discovered and restored silent masterpieces to the silver screen….and they’re projected and shown properly. Started by former Santa Cruzan Stephen Salmons (a once usher at the Del Mar) the festival has grown to world wide fame.

Go here www.silentfilm.org to read the complete four day schedule. It’s at the historic Castro Theatre, there’ll be around 16,000 participants (most of us stay over). You should go to see at least one of these classics. For me silent films compared to talking films are like comparing books to TV. I’ll be there all four days, I’ve been attending for at least 10 years and love every reel of it.

Sent by Gunilla, my intrepid Web Woman, this is a clip that well illustrates why you shouldn’t be so quick to jump to conclusions…

KENNETH BRANAGH’S THE MAGIC FLUTE….WHAT??? I was hugely surprised when I saw the 2012 film of art’s The Magic Flute directed by Kenneth Branagh at Cedar Street Video. I hadn’t heard one word anywhere in the opera gangs about it and having nearly worshipped Ingmar Bergman’s version decades ago it amazed me that Branagh would try another. He set it in World War 1, and then he had Stephen Fry write a new libretto. If I can sit through more than the opening eight minutes after many attempts, I’ll let you know.

NEW IMPORTED TOOTHPASTE. You may recall that I’ve been collecting tubes of toothpaste from all over the world for decades. I just want to thank Tamara Parker (formerly titled a para-legal now it and she are called Legal Document Services). Tamara just returned from Singapore with a tube of Yunnan Baiyao, and you know what that’s like!! And artist / painter Sheila Malone, recently came back from Paris and points east, added a tube of Soulange les dents sensibles, as we say. Yes, they both have du fluoride!!

ELERICK’S INPUT. Good Neighbor Paul Elerick, sends this…

NEIGHBORHOODS NEED TO CHECK THIS OUT

Here’s an unsolicited pitch for a great private social network tool called “Nextdoor“. Our neighborhood has been using Nextdoor to share important information, from lost pets to the horrific double-murder that recently happened nearby. “Neighbors” was used to warn people to keep their doors locked as law enforcement officers located and arrested the suspect in the killings, even before the reverse 911 message was put out.

It’s pretty simple to establish your own Neighbors network. It just takes somebody to take the lead to get started. All the information you need can found here. Our neighborhood has over 80 members signed up, with more members being added each week.

APTOS BUSINESSES ARE GOING AWAY.

We had the opportunity to enjoy a great meal at Sophia’s the other evening. It’s right across the patio from Eric’s Deli, next the Aptos Cinema in Rancho Del Mar. People were enjoying the warm evening, eating outside and visiting with neighbors. It’s depressing to know that Eric’s Deli has announced their closing, along with the Burger restaurant. Can Sophia’s be the next to fall to the Safeway expansion threat? Why are we being subjected to replacing these businesses with a “new” Safeway megastore? Nothing new on the traffic study that is required until Safeway actually moves ahead with their plans. But expect that move to happen. Will the proposed cost of water for new developments make any difference to ambitious developer’s plans? Stay tuned.

(Paul Elerick is co-chair, along with Peter Scott, of the Campaign for Sensible Transportation, http://sensibletransportation.org , and is a member of Nisene 2 Sea, a group of open space advocates).

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary’s KUSP broadcasts cover; A Green Infrastructure Webinar, and opening a new road on Fort Ord to make it easier to get to Salinas. He talks about the pollution on Pinto Lake and plans for land use in Carmel Valley. He closes with a plug for The Ventana Wilderness Alliance. Read all of above at Gary’s KUSP Land Use scripts http://blogs.kusp.org/landuse (Gary Patton is “Of Counsel” to the Santa Cruz law firm of Wittwer & Parkin, which specializes in land use and environmental law. The opinions expressed are Mr. Patton’s. Gary has his own website, “Two Worlds / 365”www.gapatton.net)

VINTAGE DE CINZO. Ever vigilant DeCinzo takes a peek at Santa Cruz High School. Scroll downwards.

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Father Eagan takes a relatively “Christian” point of view….see below.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “Cabrillo Stage celebrates marriage equality with a fizzy production of La Cage aux Folles, and Pedro Almodóvar turns a disaster movie premise into a frothy comedy in I’m So Excited, 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.

BYZANTIUM. An intelligent, sensitive, feminine vampire story that works. It’ll leave quickly so go immediately. The bloodsucking is minimal, well done and even thoughtful. The acting is nearly perfect, so many flashbacks it’s tough to follow, but it all works out in the end…..go see it…today.

PACIFIC RIM. IF (and that’s a large “IF”) you like Godzilla monsters and Transformer monsters this is an excellent movie!!! Director G. Del Toro makes great movies and this crushing, stomping, “bigger than thou” film has enough plot so that you actually care about the people, and the plot! See it only on the big screen and if possible in 3D!!

HIJACKING.A one week only Nick wonder film. (a distributor decision). This almost documentary has background and concepts behind pirates hijacking ships that you never thought or read about. And it’s got tension that would make Hitchcock jealous. Another absolutely excellent film. Forget what you saw in the trailers, it’s much better and more intelligent.

I’M SO EXCITED. Pedro Almodovar is one of the finest directors working in the world today. He’s openly gay and so I suppose he can throw gay stuff all through this film. It gets tiresome and trite, and less fun than Le Cage aux Folles. It probably is more daring in Spain. Don’t go expecting to see Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas in it…they aren’t onscreen long enough to call it a cameo shot. With the S.F. Airport crash two weeks ago I didn’t think a comedy about an airliner about to crash was all that necessary. I didn’t like the part where some passenger ended up covered up in emergency foam on the runway either. Rent this one about a year from now, when plane crashes might be funnier.

Still playing at a theatre near us!!

UNFINISHED SONG.If you like sobby movies about old people Terence Stamp is 75 and Vanessa Redgrave is 76 and she’s dying and he’s taking care of her. Only he’s very snotty and nasty and she’s a saint. She dies and he finally gets happy anyways. Stamp was much better as General Zod in an earlier Superman movie. Go if you like crying and feeling sorry for old people.

TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM.This documentary makes Stars out of the faceless, nameless back-up singers on hit pop albums. I suppose there’s a point to it, but how about documentaries featuring the recording engineers, the producers, and the musicians who also make a song a hit? Making hits is a very collaborative; sharing process…it ain’t just the back-up singing. But it’s a fun film.

THE LONE RANGER.The SF Chronicle’s film critic Mick LaSalle called this mess “the worst film of the year”. It’s bombing terribly and Mick’s right, no-one should spend a dime, or their time to see this FLOP. Johnny Depp plays Tonto as another insanely odd character, and the Lone Ranger is portrayed and played as a jerk and doofus who hates guns!!! It’s got horse manure jokes, and racist American attitudes. Here’s a quote from Marley Brown of PolicyMic.com….”While the relationship between the ranger and Tonto was supposedly one of mutual respect, the stereotypical portrayal of Indians in The Lone Ranger has been a source of anger and disappointment to many Native people, including the writer and filmmaker Sherman Alexie, who told the Los Angeles Times: “In the movies, Indians are always accompanied by ominous music. I always feel that something bad is about to happen. I am always aware of how my whole life is shaped by my hatred of Tonto. Whenever I think of Tonto, I hear ominous music.” p.s. I just learned that when Columbus landed in America they didn’t name them “Indians” after the country of India! There wasn’t any country that was named “India” in 1492!!!

WHITE HOUSE DOWN.If you can believe Jamie Foxx as President Barack. H. Obama, then this action flick isn’t too bad. Bad spies, secret troops, storm the White House, they kill lots of people, they hold hostages and things like that. Now if you can believe that Channing Tatum (who was also the producer) can rescue our non-smoking president you could actually enjoy this dumb summer flick. It certainly shouldn’t be on anyone’s must see list.

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY.It was cool to see my old UC Berkeley campus buildings in this latest Pixar flick. It has Stanford scenes too but it certainly isn’t up to Pixar’s high standards of film making. It’s boring, but Pixar has succeeded in that computer generated challenge of how to make hair or fur look real…it may be overdone but it’s clever. The plot of teaching ways to scare kids runs very thin in minutes but damn, Pixar animation techniques especially in 3D look more real than real does!!!

WORLD WAR Z.As luck would have it, I had an echo cardiogram and saw this movie on the same day. Believe me; the echo cardiogram was more interesting and more fun than this “Brad Pitt saves the world” mess. Not that it matters, but there are more and larger plot holes in this film than you could possibly count. Zombies that run, gnaw, puke a lot and bash their heads into windshields do not a good film make. Save your money.

SUPERMAN (MAN OF STEEL).Super hero films can really only be critiqued by comparing them to other super hero films. It’s a special genre. The plots, the acting, the visuals, direction, editing etc. are like no other film types. This Superman is not funny, no cutesy Clark Kent-“changing in a phone booth” stuff. No funny Gene Hackman or Marlon Brando villain/dad figures. Man of Steel starts and ends dark. Henry Cavill makes a great Superman. The rest of the cast is strange. Kevin Costner and Diane Ladd as Supe’s earth parents, Laurence Fishburne as Perry White!!, Russell Crowe as Jor-el ??? And of course Michael Shannon as General Zod. Don’t pay extra for 3D glasses there aren’t that many special effects. Plus we learn that the “S” on Supe’s shirt doesn’t stand for Superman it stands for hope. I could go on for pages talking about the religious stuff in this film. Like Clark in church praying with a background shot of Jesus kneeling before he was crucified, etc, etc. Go see it (big screen only) and only if you really like superhero films.

BEFORE MIDNIGHT.I definitely see too many action films. About 30 minutes into this part 3 of this Julie Delpy-Ethan Hawke piece of precious, boring fluff I was hoping Hawke would shoot Julie Delpy right between the eyes, or at least cut her throat so she couldn’t talk anymore. (Speaking cinematically of course). All the two of them do in this tedious, meaningless, piece of tripe is argue…and not well either. If you’ve seen their previous junk… Before Sunrise, Before Sunset or 2 Days in New York and 2 Days in Paris, you know what I mean. Besides that Julie Delpy is even worse when she’s topless. And she’s topless a lot in this Midnight flick.

NOW YOU SEE ME. Woody Harrelson, plus Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg, and Morgan Freeman try hard to make this “magicians rob a bank” movie into a film worth buying tickets for, especially at today’s box-office prices. The idea is silly; none of these actors can convince anybody that they are magicians. 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 sometimes old programs are archived…(see next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. Assemblyman Mark Stone will be on July 23 bringing us up to date on Sacramento and his job He’s followed by Attorney Bob Taren rapping on local issues. Ed Holmes talks about The San Francisco Mime Troupe’s annual visit on August 6. Kevin Newhouse will talk about the new Aptos History picture book on August 13. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always at bratton@cruzio.com

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 5 years here’s a chronological list of just this year’s pod casts. Click here http://kzsc.org/blog/tag/universal-grapevine then tap on “listen here” to hear any or all of them… all over again. The update includes Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson-Darrow, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Conpany. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011. Hear them all!!!

QUOTES. “When men have to do with one another, they are like verbs…almost all verbs are irregular“, Soren Kierkegaard. “Why doesn’t everybody leave everybody else the hell alone?”, Jimmy Durante. “It took me a long time to discover that the key thing in acting is honesty. Once you’ve learned to fake that, you’ve got it made“, Peyton Place

COLUMN COMMUNICATIONS.

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BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off on July 17 – July 30, 2013

July 11 – 17, 2013

COOPER HOUSE aka. SANTA CRUZ COUNTY COURTHOUSE This magnificent structure stood at the corner of Pacific and Cooper Streets (now O’Neills). It became our Cooperhouse, a center of community and cultural attractions until the quake of ’89 caused minor damage and it was torn down for greedy profit, even though it was retrofitted before the quake.

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

MORGAN FREEMAN & OUR DECLARATION.Apparently this was filmed in 2006 and has Mel Gibson in it, but it’s still worth watching.
A FAIRFIELD INN COMMERCIAL. Is this what we want?

RYAN COONERTY’S SUPERVISOR CAMPAIGN.Ryan did admit to me last week that my early announcement of his running for County Supervisor “speeded up his timeline”. Other reactions say it really flummoxed his campaign. Folks now wonder if Papa Neal Coonerty’s wheelings and dealings had a long time plan. First we have Daddy Neal in as our City Mayor followed by little Mayor Ryan. Now we have Pops leaving his Supervisor job early and plotting to get boy Neal in his seat. Fred Keeley also told me in no uncertain terms that “Yes” I’m supporting Ryan for Supervisor. Now we can do some deep wondering about Keeley’s heavy involvement in Bruce McPherson’s very recent Supervisor campaign and his equally serious work now on behalf of Ryan. Makes some of us wonder just what Keeley is up to? Yes as you can imagine it really does weaken Neal’s power, commitment, and influence on the Board of Supervisors being a lame duck. By the way Don Lane isn’t running for Supervisor in case you heard those rumors.

FAIRFIELD INN & A DESIGN REVIEW…WHAT’S THAT?? As you probably read The Santa Cruz City Planning Commission not only approved a new 86 room FAIRFIELD INN out on Mission Street near Moore Creek & Western Drive. Not only that but they said this cookie cutter Best Western-Holiday Inn-Super 8 copy was “well designed”!!! If anyone has ever wondered why the entrances to Santa Cruz are so ugly and why Ocean Street’s structures are so terrible looking it’s because Santa Cruz has no design committee. No-one in our city structure ever says no to developers…it’s as if we want to look like San Jose. This 3 story hotel was proposed and approved years ago. Then it had 103 parking spaces now the city allowed Lotus Management of San Jose to cut that back to 83. Go here to see what and how the Fairfield Inn will look like.

A VERY TALENTED PUPPET. Again, cousin Dean Hagen sent this absolutely amazing Little Richard puppet.(Actually it’s a marionette).

SANTA CRUZ COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION’S GREEDY “POLICY“. Our once friendly “community centered”, “community owned” now charges $15 each time they verify a low income senior’s bank account. Mindy Gardner, the branch manager of the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union Front Street office told me it’s their “policy”. It seems greedy, mean, corporation like, and not at all in the spirit of folks like Margaret Cheap who was a key creator of our Credit Union back in the day. I checked around about Verification of Deposit “policies”. Bay Federal Credit Union doesn’t do it, Dientes Community Dental Care doesn’t do it, even CVS and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation doesn’t charge when they too have to verify charges or account info, only our Santa Cruz Community Credit Union thinks it’s important to charge that $15. Boo!

MOTORCYCLE MENACING & NOISY NEANDERTHALS. Eric Rice emailed to say, “Hi: Enjoy the column every week. I’m with you on the need to silence loud, obnoxious motorcycles. I don’t understand why the City Council doesn’t order the police to make citing them more of a priority. I suspect Mr. Lee Quarnstrom’s assessment of law enforcement’s point of view is correct. Ever try working a guide dog anywhere near some of those noisy Neanderthals? My wife has, and it about scares the dog out of its harness”. Eric.

ELERICK’S INPUT. Paul’s back from vacation, obviously…

Michigan Trip Report

Returned from a great trip to Michigan last Tuesday. Had the enjoyment of attending a class reunion in Rockford, no longer a small town where I grew up, but a huge bedroom community for the City of Grand Rapids. Politics in that part of the state are old-time conservative, best to stay away for these discussions with relatives. But Michiganders continue to be a considerate, friendly people, their current state government not withstanding. I can recommend the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum as a place to visit in Grand Rapids. Very tastefully done for Grand Rapids’ native son. I can also recommend spending some time at a Grand Rapids west side Polish Social Club that’s open to the public two days a week. Great prices! Great burgers and drinks to go with them. Public education in the town of Rockford has reached the highest level I’ve seen. They have new high school, just graduating over 600 students. Curriculum is too large to cover but their language program includes Chinese, Japanese and Russian. Their new building also includes a performing arts theater, a TV station and an attached, lighted athletic stadium. When I asked how they pay for such a facility, nobody blinked, they just said they wanted the best education for their kids. Things have changed since 1955, the year I graduated along with 64 others. They consolidate their high school reunions with a lunch for everybody that graduated over 50 years ago. This even drew over 300 alumnae. It was fun.

Returned to Aptos in time for the July 4th parade that was bigger than ever (as usual). But it was sad to see one entry near the front of the parade sponsored by a Boy Scout troop. It was a mock-up of an army tank, complete with a cannon belching real fire, bringing back memories of napalm in Viet Nam. I have no idea why they drew such applause. It doesn’t speak well for the scout leader who let it happen, or the parade watchers who thought it was neat. But the parade was great, and well covered by the local media.

(Paul Elerick is co-chair, along with Peter Scott, of the Campaign for Sensible Transportation, http://sensibletransportation.org , and is a member of Nisene 2 Sea, a group of open space advocates).

PETER THE ELEPHANT PLAYS RAG TIME!!!

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary reports on his KUSP program, “The land use decisions we make, though our local government process, will have a big impact on the future of our local economy, on our ability to achieve our social equity goals, and of course on the natural environment that sustains our human civilization and everything else. To me, our self-government system is really a three-layer cake. The “people” are the ultimate source of political power, but our system has the people delegating their power to elected representatives. Those elected officials, then, hire staff people who actually do most of the work involved in government. In this way of looking at the governmental process, it is vital that the elected officials forcefully and effectively transmit to the staff the demands, and the questions, and the concerns of the public. The elected officials are supposed to require the staff to be responsive to whatever concerns are uppermost in the public’s mind’. Read the rest of Gary’s weekly report at his KUSP Land Use scripts http://blogs.kusp.org/landuse (Gary Patton is “Of Counsel” to the Santa Cruz law firm of Wittwer & Parkin, which specializes in land use and environmental law. The opinions expressed are Mr. Patton’s. Gary has his own website, “Two Worlds / 365”www.gapatton.net)

VINTAGE DE CINZO. DeCinzo visits Big Sur…with a point to make. Look below a few pages.

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Tim shows us four versions of Democracy….scroll down a bit.

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Bob Taren, a close friend of Saul Landau’s told me that Saul Landau has cancer of the bladder. We probably won’t be reading his columns any more. Saul Landau is an Institute for Policy Studies fellow whose films are on DVD from roundworldproductions@gmail.com

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “How bad can The Lone Ranger really be? What new twist can the great Neil Jordan bring to the vampire movie? Find out 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.

UNFINISHED SONG.If you like sobby movies about old people Terence Stamp is 75 and Vanessa Redgrave is 76 and she’s dying and he’s taking care of her. Only he’s very snotty and nasty and she’s a saint. She dies and he finally gets happy anyways. Stamp was much better as General Zod in an earlier Superman movie. Go if you like crying and feeling sorry for old people.

FILL THE VOID. An Israeli filmabout very orthodox traditions, arranged marriages, love, religion, rabbis, bris ceremonies, and you leave thinking about women’s rights, the existence of God and things like that. Heavy, serious, debatable.

TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM.This documentary makes Stars out of the faceless, nameless back-up singers on hit pop albums. I suppose there’s a point to it, but how about documentaries featuring the recording engineers, the producers, and the musicians who also make a song a hit? Making hits is a very collaborative, sharing process…it ain’t just the back-up singing. But it’s a fun film.

THE LONE RANGER.The SF Chronicle’s film critic Mick LaSalle called this mess “the worst film of the year”. It’s bombing terribly and Mick’s right, no-one should spend a dime, or their time to see this FLOP. Johnny Depp plays Tonto as another insanely odd character, and the Lone Ranger is portrayed and played as a jerk and doofus who hates guns!!! It’s got horse manure jokes, and racist American attitudes. Here’s a quote from Marley Brown of PolicyMic.com….”While the relationship between the ranger and Tonto was supposedly one of mutual respect, the stereotypical portrayal of Indians in The Lone Ranger has been a source of anger and disappointment to many Native people, including the writer and filmmaker Sherman Alexie, who told the Los Angeles Times: “In the movies, Indians are always accompanied by ominous music. I always feel that something bad is about to happen. I am always aware of how my whole life is shaped by my hatred of Tonto. Whenever I think of Tonto, I hear ominous music.” p.s. I just learned that when Columbus landed in America they didn’t name them “Indians” after the country of India! There wasn’t any country that was named “India” in 1492!!!

Still playing at a theatre near us!! ……………..

DIRTY WARS.An amazing and very upsetting film that reveals a lot of the secret wars that the USA is fighting all over the world. It’s painful to realize just how much of a role we all play in this. And how much we are now, and have been lied to by Obama and our past presidents. I almost forgot to mention that the music in “Dirty Wars” is by and from The Kronos Quartet…and is brilliant.

KINGS OF SUMMER.This film could have been great, but it’s lacking focus, direction, a point….something. It’s about three boys escaping their crappy home lives and building a house of their own in the woods. It’s almost trite and cute, but it isn’t. It’s almost deep, moving and very personal, but it isn’t. You could rent it later and it wouldn’t be so bad.

WHITE HOUSE DOWN.If you can believe Jamie Foxx as President Barack. H. Obama, then this action flick isn’t too bad. Bad spies, secret troops, storm the White House, they kill lots of people, they hold hostages and things like that. Now if you can believe that Tatum Channing (who was also the producer) can rescue our non-smoking president you could actually enjoy this dumb summer flick. It certainly shouldn’t be on anyone’s must see list.

THE BLING RING.I believe Sofia Coppola has directed much more of a film than most viewers and critics are seeing. The film is based on a true story of young Hollywood teens robbing celebrity homes. They rob Paris Hilton’s palace and Lindsay Lohan’s place and have a great time doing it. They fool their parents, the police, and have created an exciting and very unique, illegal, thrilling and creative life style. The audience of young teens that I saw the film with, I’m sure watched it as a “How To” lesson and envied how much fun the real life young thieves were having. It’s a deep and well done comment on part of our culture, go for it by all means; it’s a very good movie.

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

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY.It was cool to see my old UC Berkeley campus buildings in this latest Pixar flick. It has Stanford scenes too but it certainly isn’t up to Pixar’s high standards of film making. It’s boring, but Pixar has succeeded in that computer generated challenge of how to make hair or fur look real…it may be overdone but it’s clever. The plot of teaching ways to scare kids runs very thin in minutes but damn, Pixar animation techniques especially in 3D look more real than real does!!!

WORLD WAR Z.As luck would have it, I had an echo cardiogram and saw this movie on the same day. Believe me, the echo cardiogram was more interesting and more fun than this “Brad Pitt saves the world” mess. Not that it matters, but there are more and larger plot holes in this film than you could possibly count. Zombies that run, gnaw, puke a lot and bash their heads into windshields do not a good film make. Save your money.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.This is just about the absolute worst Much Ado I’ve ever seen…on screen or on stage. These Hollywood television fools have absolutely no sense of Shakespeare’s words. They have no sense of the rhythm, the love, the depth and the wry humor that this play contains. No timing, no appreciation or understanding of what Shakespeare achieves when his works are performed properly. It’s as if these Hollywood second string actors said, “let’s stop snorting for an afternoon and film some Shakespeare. Don’t go by any means.

SUPERMAN (MAN OF STEEL).Super hero films can really only be critiqued by comparing them to other super hero films. It’s a special genre. The plots, the acting, the visuals, direction, editing etc. are like no other film types. This Superman is not funny, no cutesy Clark Kent-“changing in a phone booth” stuff. No funny Gene Hackman or Marlon Brando villain/dad figures. Man of Steel starts and ends dark. Henry Cavill makes a great Superman. The rest of the cast is strange. Kevin Costner and Diane Ladd as Supe’s earth parents, Laurence Fishburne as Perry White!!, Russell Crowe as Jor-el ??? And of course Michael Shannon as General Zod.Don’t pay extra for 3D glasses there aren’t that many special effects. Plus we learn that the “S” on Supe’s shirt doesn’t stand for Superman it stands for hope. I could go on for pages talking about the religious stuff in this film. Like Clark in church praying with a background shot of Jesus kneeling before he was crucified, etc, etc. Go see it (big screen only) and only if you really like superhero films.

BEFORE MIDNIGHT.I definitely see too many action films. About 30 minutes into this part 3 of this Julie Delpy-Ethan Hawke piece of precious, boring fluff I was hoping Hawke would shoot Julie Delpy right between the eyes, or at least cut her throat so she couldn’t talk anymore. (Speaking cinematically of course). All the two of them do in this tedious, meaningless, piece of tripe is argue…and not well either. If you’ve seen their previous junk… Before Sunrise, Before Sunset or 2 Days in New York and 2 Days in Paris, you know what I mean. Besides that Julie Delpy is even worse when she’s topless. And she’s topless a lot in this Midnight flick.

NOW YOU SEE ME. Woody Harrelson, plus Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg, and Morgan Freeman try hardto make this “magicians rob a bank” movie into a film worth buying tickets for, especially at today’s box-office prices. The idea is silly; none of these actors can convince anybody that they are magicians. Don’t go.

UNICYCLYING & JUGGLING. They’d get busted if they tried this on Pacific Avenue. I can’t embed the video, but it’s worth a click to check it out. Here’s where to click.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are archived…(see next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. Audrey Stanley talks about Shakespeare Santa Cruz season on July 16, followed by Carolyn Swift discussing the brand new Capitola Picture book by Arcadia. Assemblyman Mark Stone will be on July 23 bringing us up to date on Sacramento and his job He’s followed by Attorney Bob Taren rapping on local issues. Ed Holmes talks about The San Francisco Mime Troupe’s annual visit on August 6. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always at bratton@cruzio.com

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES.In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 5 years here’s a chronological list of just this year’s podcasts. Click herehttp://kzsc.org/blog/tag/universal-grapevine then tap on “listen here” to hear any or all of them… all over again. The update includes Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson-Darrow, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Conpany. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011. Hear them all!!!

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

QUOTES. “A dead atheist is someone who’s all dressed up with nowhere to go“, James Duffecy. “What he lacked in depth as a preacher he made up for in length“, Mark Twain. “What do people say when God sneezes?”, Henny Youngman

COLUMN COMMUNICATIONS.

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

Snail Mail: Bratton Online
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BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off on July 11 – 17, 2013

July 2 – 8, 2013

THE ALMOST HISTORIC “PALO ALTO” CONCRETE SHIP. This photo was taken in 1947. The “Palo Alto” was built of concrete by the U.S. Government in 1918, and it cost $2 million. It was towed to where it is today (Seacliff Beach) in 1930. It broke in half during a storm in 1932, and just sort of rots there as we peek.

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

NEAL COONERTY OUT, RYAN COONERTY RUNNING.According to unimpeachable sources it was the out-and running news this weekend, Ryan is chasing around trying to gather supporters and endorsements and is running for Dad’s County Supervisor job. Earlier and well planned rumors had it that Lynn Robinson was going to run for the Supervisors job…nope. We can bet that Ryan’s going to his long time Developer Donators such as Bill Brooks, Craig French, Charlie Eadie, Jesse Nickell, George Ow, and Louis Rittenhouse. And he’ll go for his continuing Beach Boardwalk backers like Charlie Canfield and Chris Reyes. Anti-Desal folks need to remember that it was Ryan and Dad Coonerty who brokered or shuffled the UCSC Growth- City Water- “Bring on De-sal” deal. In case you’ve forgotten check out Ryan’s old City Council campaign website, read such endorsements as Joe Appenrodt, Bob Bosso, Scott Daly, Darrell Darling, Ken Haber, Tom Honig, George Newell, Mark Primack, Peter Prindle, John Burroughs, Robert DeFreitas, Carol Fuller… all of which means that there’ll be lots of big bucks spent on this next Supervisors Race. What we really need, instead of Ryan Coonerty is a woman on that all male, right leaning and very important Board of Supes.

FIREWORKS, HOW THEY’RE MADE!! It’s a bit stupid video , but so’s the holiday!

LAST WEEK’S FLOOD PHOTO. Scroll down to last weeks flood photo taken at Soquel and Seabright…Jeff Hawkins was kind enough to tell us “That Studebaker is a 1948 Champion, so I’m guessing the pic is from ’50-’54”.

MIKE ROTKIN NOT RUNNING, EVER. Mike said I could quote him when he said that he’s definitely not running for City Council, not running for the Board of Supervisors, and not running for State Assembly either. He said he’s happy with his job with the Union. I asked him about that and about the rumors that he was using his union work to make sure the proposed de-sal plant would use union labor so that the unions would come out in favor of De-Sal. He replied… “Bruce, I don’t know that my job is of any general interest, but I am Vice President for Organizing for the University Council of the American Federation of Teachers. We represent all of the lecturers and librarians in the UC system. I am paid hourly up to half time. My work involves service on the union Executive Committee, Helping coordinate organizing efforts on ten campuses, including teaching organizing skills, and I am the Chief Negotiator for the Librarians and on the bargaining team for the lecturers. I also advise on grievances and other contract enforcement issues but my work on that overlaps with many others” Mike continued, “There is no connection to any of my community work on desalination, but to answer your specific question, I’d love to see any and all jobs be union jobs, so, of course, I hope that the desalination project, if approved, would use union labor. But I wouldn’t be charging any work I did in advocating for that on that to my union. That’s just volunteer work as a community activist”. There we have it.

PHIL SLATER. According to Phil’s longtime friend Andy Schiffrin, Phil died peacefully after a lot of years of suffering from non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. The Chronicle and The Sentinel had fine obituaries, and Andy said the NYTimes was excellent. Here it is…

DOWNTOWN MOTORCYCLE SICKNESS. Chip from The Downtown Association wrote, “Bruce, I’ve actually done a bit of digging on the motorcycle thing. I’m sure it’s a much more interesting story that the cops love noisy bikes, but what I have learned is that the California Vehicular Code trumps our city noise ordinances and unless the mufflers are illegal (Which I’m sure some of them are) PD can’t really do much. Also, as you can imagine it’s not the easiest thing to enforce being the problem is three blocks away a second after the pollution occurs.” That’s got to be one of the lamest excuses I’ve heard. You’d think The Downtown Association would be a leader in trying to promote our downtown ambiance.

ANTON LaVey INTERVIEW. I’d had Anton on a few of the CBS and ABC radio programs I produced in San Francisco. We became friends and our Goodtime Washboard 3 trio even played at one of Anton’s Halloween Celebrations. He had a great sense of humor and we had fine times together.

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Once again, land use attorney and former Santa Cruz County Supervisor Gary Patton sums up the De-Sal issue…” The City of Santa Cruz and the Soquel Creek Water District are planning to build a 2.5 million gallon per day desalination plant, expandable to a 4.5 million gallon per day desalination plant.

Both the City and the District have real problems. The Soquel Creek Water District relies on groundwater, and faces groundwater overdraft and seawater intrusion. The City relies mostly on surface water, and has water supply problems in drought years. Both agencies decided some time ago that desalination is their best option. Both agencies have been members of Cal Desal, an industry support and lobbying group devoted “solely” to desalination. The Water District recently quit Cal Desal, but the City of Santa Cruz continues to be a member, and to fund the group. Skeptics, including members of the Community Water Coalition, a community group I represent as an environmental attorney, want to take a very hard look at the cost and other impacts of desalination, and thoroughly to consider alternatives” Gary also tells about Affordable housing and the law, about CPAD a great online resource, and about our Central Coast water problems.

Read all of above at Gary’s KUSP Land Use scripts http://blogs.kusp.org/landuse (Gary Patton is “Of Counsel” to the Santa Cruz law firm of Wittwer & Parkin, which specializes in land use and environmental law. The opinions expressed are Mr. Patton’s. Gary has his own website, “Two Worlds / 365”www.gapatton.net)

VINTAGE DE CINZO.Summers here and so are the Boardwalk Concerts….see a few pages down.

EAGANS DEEP COVER. T. Eagan depicts the adventures of Mindy Moderate, scroll below.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes “Looking for something fun to do with the kids this holiday weekend? Why not sign up for a summer refresher course at Monsters University? Read all about it 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.

THAT IS THE QUESTION

DIRTY WARS…THE OFFICIAL TRAILER

DIRTY WARS.An amazing and very upsetting film that reveals a lot of the secret wars that the USA is fighting all over the world. It’s painful to realize just how much of a role we all play in this. And how much we are now, and have been lied to by Obama and our past presidents. See the film now at the Nick..quick…then Join local patriots in the spirit of Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden on The Fourth Of July to call for freedom for all Political Prisoners and freedom from War, the National Security State, Corporate Rule, Drone Strikes, Torture, Guantanamo, Monsanto, Nuclear Power, the Trans Pacific Trade Agreement, Hunger, Occupation, ICE, and Austerity Economics (this list is ever expanding). There will be large signs, displays and handouts to greet the morning traffic coming into Santa Cruz.

Declare Independence – Demand Freedom- July 4th Protest

10 A.M. – Noon

Ocean at Water Street

Santa Cruz

A growing list of sponsors includes: Peace and Freedom Party-SC, Women in Black, WILPF-SC, Code Pink-SC, People United for Peace, Palestine Israel Action Committee (PIAC), and Santa Cruz Against Drones (SCAD). Contact info: oflaherty@cruzio.com

I almost forgot to mention that the music in “Dirty Wars” is by and from The Kronos Quartet…and is brilliant.

KINGS OF SUMMER.This film could have been great, but it’s lacking focus, direction, a point….something. It’s about three boys escaping their crappy home lives and building a house of their own in the woods. It’s almost trite and cute, but it isn’t. It’s almost deep, moving and very personal, but it isn’t. You could rent it later and it wouldn’t be so bad.

WHITE HOUSE DOWN.If you can believe Jamie Foxx as President Barack. H. Obama, then this action flick isn’t too bad. Bad spies, secret troops, storm the White House, they kill lots of people, they hold hostages and things like that. Now if you can believe that Tatum Channing (who was also the producer) can rescue our non-smoking president you could actually enjoy this dumb summer flick. It certainly shouldn’t be on anyone’s must see list.

PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED HOLDOVERS -WORTH SEEING IN THEATERS

THE BLING RING.I believe Sofia Coppola has directed much more of a film than most viewers and critics are seeing. The film is based on a true story of young Hollywood teens robbing celebrity homes. They rob Paris Hilton’s palace and Lindsay Lohan’s place and have a great time doing it. They fool their parents, the police, and have created an exciting and very unique, illegal, thrilling and creative life style. The audience of young teens that I saw the film with, I’m sure watched it as a “How To” lesson and envied how much fun the real life young thieves were having. It’s a deep and well done comment on part of our culture, go for it by all means; it’s a very good movie.

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

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are archived…(see next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG.

On July 9 Ellen Primack talks about The Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, then Scott McGilvray talks about his film “Water for Santa Cruz” and the big de-sal event happening at the Rio on July 11. Audrey Stanley talks about Shakespeare Santa Cruz season on July 16, followed by Carolyn Swift discussing the brand new Capitola Picture book by Arcadia. Assemblyman Mark Stone will be on July 23 bringing us up to date on Sacramento and his job. Ed Holmes talks about The San Francisco Mime Troupe’s annual visit on August 6. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always at bratton@cruzio.com

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES.In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 5 years here’s a chronological list of just this year’s podcasts. Click herehttp://kzsc.org/blog/tag/universal-grapevine then tap on “listen here” to hear any or all of them… all over again. The update includes Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson-Darrow, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Conpany. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011. Hear them all!!!

QUOTES. “On the fourth day of July following, a party of about two hundred Indians attacked Boonsborough, killed one man, and wounded two”, Daniel Boone

“Your mind must always go, even while you’re shaking hands and going through all the maneuvers. I developed the ability long ago to do one thing while thinking another”, Richard Nixon. “The true profession of man is to find his way to himself”, Hermann Hesse.

COLUMN COMMUNICATIONS.

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

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

Direct email: Bratton@Cruzio.com

Direct phone: 831 423-2468

All Technical & Web details: Gunilla Leavitt @ gunilla@thegoldenfleece.com

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off on July 2 – 8, 2013

June 26 – July 2, 2013

RAINY DAY AT SEABRIGHT AND SOQUEL STREETS.I’d guess at the date of this photo but car enthusiasts (like Paul Elerick) can, and I hope will tell us what year (years?) this could be. But I do know that second car is a Studebaker.

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

ROARING MOTORCYCLES IN DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ. From last week’s column…”Considering all the complaints about how offensive panhandling is why doesn’t our City Council direct the Santa Cruz police to ticket those really offensive non-muffled motorcyclists that roar up Pacific…especially on weekends when the tourists are here. Why don’t they ticket that stand up tubbo on the 2 wheeled scooter with the phoney chromed twisted exhaust pipe? These deviants create far more pollutants and bad vibes than any panhandlers. Lets see some action here…this is a decades old problem. Out City Council has never addressed it”. Lee Quarnstrom erstwhile reporter and columnist for decades in our County replied, “About 20 years ago, for my column in the Mercury News, I asked a Santa Cruz cop why officers don’t write tickets for exceeding noise standards when obnoxious Harley-Davidson drivers roar down the street. His answer: “Most police officers either own a Harley-Davidson, have owned a Harley-Davidson or want to own a Harley-Davidson. That’s why.”

Then former Santa Cruz city council person and Mayor Chris Krohn emailed, “I am definitely with you on muffling the motorcycles. My bro had a bike for years. He even went to the famous Harley gathering in Sturgis, Utah. He says it is DEFINITELY an enforcement issue. Every one of those loud bikes has been modified and usually against the law. He believes police in general are sympathetic to these loud Harley bikes and riders. And, in defense of the council I was on…we definitely talked about these loud machines. Even got that irrelevant NO loud motorcycles sign put out there at the head of the mall near Tampicos…does anyone pay attention? No, but I thought once you had the sign up then you can enforce. Police used to say they needed a sound meter to record the decibel level…I think they can cite if the motorcycle has been modified…but I would check that”.

We need to realize that these loud bikers hit Pacific Avenue almost always on weekends, when most of our “visitors” are here. It’s like Hollister and Hells Angels back in the day. Regarding the sound meter recordings, why don’t the police site with probable cause and force the offenders to report to the police station? The nuisance alone would end this needless insult and offending destruction of our Downtown environment that locals and tourists love so much. Get on it…City Council!!!

SAFEWAY IN APTOS UP TO OLD TRICKS.You can just tell that the Aptos Safeway developers are up to their old tricks. They’ve stopped talking (and pretending to listen to) the businesses next door that will be the most affected. No news on any existing leases. And just like they did when they built the monster store on Mission Street they have really junked up the Aptos store. Signs and ugly banners everywhere, crowding the aisles with large end caps, stashing boxes and product way too high along the aisles. I didn’t check the lighting at Aptos Safeway but on Mission Street they would let the fluorescent lights burn out and not replace them to add to the “We need a New and much larger Store” pitch. It’s corporation power at its worst. You’d think that Charles Eadie, their local “face man” would have more community pride than to let Safeway pull these tricks all over again. I’m also betting that we’ll see the same thing happen at the Morrissey-Soquel Safeway site once the lease battle with the Staff of Life’s old site owner is settled.

COUNCIL CAMPAIGNERS UP TO OLD TRICKS TOO.More bets are possible that Michael Bethke is plotting, planning and hoping to get the Lynn Robinson backers when her term is up in November 2014 . Hilary Bryant and David Terrazas terms end then too.

APTOS ACADEMY CLOSING.The Academy has been open since 1994, and recent news has it that it’s closing. Now we’ll never find out the connections it has or had with Scientology. Director Shea Pase, Doctor Duncan McCollum and all those Academy connected folks rarely mention their Scientology links.

TOP TEN BRAD PITT MOVIES. World War Z certainly isn’t one of them

ADJUSTING MAH AND COOPER STREET RUMORS.I wrote this last week… “Whatever grant it was that MAH applied for to revivify Abbott Square isn’t happening. Plans to create a spouting play around fountain and to add a deck around the Octagon Lulu’s aren’t occurring either. Nor will plots to make Cooper Street a pedestrian walk-around space happen. Geez!!!” That was last week!!!

This week MAH director Nina Simon replied, “The Abbott Square project is very much ON – we just didn’t get the first grant that we applied for to support the design/build. We just completed the concept plan and we are psyched to raise money to make it happen over the next couple of years. We are also working closely with the City to get some of the artistic pathway elements that affect Cooper Street started as soon as possible. It’s true that we did not receive the money to accelerate the project, but it is still absolutely happening and so far, happening on schedule. Because the Abbott Square report is very large, you can download it from the web at this link .I’m excited about how this report captures the spirit of what we are trying to accomplish in Abbott Square, while highlighting the opportunities to layer in powerful artworks and creative experiences.

Because of my impending baby, I expect it will be the fall before we jump back into action and fundraising to make this vision a reality. Thanks for your continued interest in the project. Please feel free to get in touch with me anytime you want to know where things are at”, Nina. Well, that’s great news and it just shows you just never know!!!

THE BIG DEBATE.The main issue locals have to decide is…was our 2013 summer on Wednesday or Thursday this year??

MICHAEL BRYANT RETIRING FROM KZSC. KZSC 88.1 fm won’t be the same after Michael Bryant retires as station manager in June of 2014. He continues to pull off miracles in dealing with the 100’s of students, the UCSC admin, and us “community member” programmers. He’s sort of a cross between Mother Theresa and Steve Jobs and replacing him ain’t gonna be easy.

THE REEL (real) LONE RANGER.

MORGUE NEWS, or WHERE’S THE MORGUE? (from last week) Speaking of Universal Grapevine… Sheriff Phil Wowak was my guest a few weeks ago. In researching for the show I realized our Sheriff is also our County coroner. So I asked him (I didn’t know) if we have a morgue? If so where is it? Since hearing his answer I’ve asked several friends….no one knew about any local morgue….do you know about any local morgue? ANSWER…many folks sent in guesses, answers, and more questions. The truth is that yes we do have a county morgue. It’s over in the Emeline Avenue County Complex.

A SURE WINNING BET.Speaking again of Universal Grapevine…on last week’s program Joe Jordan of Sky Power Institute either reminded or informed us that…THE EARTH IS CLOSER TO THE SUN IN THE WINTER. Check it out, and then go win big bucks from your friends at the bar.

ELERICK’S INPUT. Paul Elerick went to Michigan on vacation for a few weeks.

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary talks about Monterey County’s land use issues, and a possible new Business park. Then he says, “I would like to make a report on two meetings being held Thursday day and evening in Santa Cruz. One is about the Ocean Plan and one is about the Ocean Street Plan. The topics are quite different, and only one of the meetings is open to the public.

If you care about the future of land uses along the Ocean Street corridor in the City of Santa Cruz (and I hope lots of people do care about that) you should consider showing up at the meeting of the Santa Cruz City Planning Commission, scheduled to begin at 7:00 o’clock Thursday evening at the Santa Cruz City Hall. On the agenda is consideration of the Draft Ocean Street Area Plan and a Local Coastal Program amendment, calling for the development and improvement of the Ocean Street area. The intention of the Ocean Street Area Plan is to create a more welcoming environment along Ocean Street, which is the main entrance to Santa Cruz for visitors from over the hill, and particularly those bound for the beach. According to the City staff, there won’t be any environmental impacts! The “Ocean Plan” is something else. It is a state-adopted plan intended to protect water quality in our marine environment. Today, representatives of the State Water Resources Control Board are meeting at UCSC, in a meeting not open to the public, to discuss possible amendments that could regulate and/or facilitate desalination facilities. I will keep you posted when any formal Ocean Plan amendment is proposed”. Read all of above at Gary’s KUSP Land Use scripts http://blogs.kusp.org/landuse

(Gary Patton is “Of Counsel” to the Santa Cruz law firm of Wittwer & Parkin, which specializes in land use and environmental law. The opinions expressed are Mr. Patton’s. Gary has his own website, “Two Worlds / 365”www.gapatton.net)

VINTAGE DE CINZO.More serious than sex, De Cinzo shows us genuine horror. Scroll down wards.

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Tim Eagan dares to depict SCANDAL in our political system…see below.

LISA JENSEN LINKS.Lisa writes: “Say hello to summer this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com), get nostalgic for the drive-in movie culture of yore, and watch what happens when Shakespeare meets screwball comedy in the entertaining new Joss Whedon film “Much Ado About Nothing“. Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

THE BLING RING.I believe that Sofia Coppola has directed much more of a film than most viewers and critics are seeing. The film is based on a true story of young Hollywood teens robbing celebrity homes. They rob Paris Hilton’s palace and Lindsay Lohan’s place and have a great time doing it. They fool their parents, the police, and have created an exciting and very unique, creative life style. The audience of young teens that I saw the film with, I’m sure watched it as a “How To” lesson and envied how much fun the actors were having. It’s a deep and well done comment on part of our culture, go for it by all means; it’s a very good movie.

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY.It was cool to see my old UC Berkeley campus buildings in this latest Pixar flick. It has Stanford scenes too but it certainly isn’t up to Pixar’s high standards of film making. It’s boring, but Pixar has succeeded in that computer generated challenge of how to make hair or fur look real…it may be overdone but it’s clever. The plot of teaching ways to scare kids runs very thin in minutes but damn, Pixar animation techniques especially in 3D look more real than real does!!!

WORLD WAR Z.As luck would have it, I had an echo cardiogram and saw this movie on the same day. Believe me, the echo cardiogram was more interesting and more fun than this “Brad Pitt saves the world” mess. Not that it matters, but there are more and larger plot holes in this film than you could possibly count. Zombies that run, gnaw, puke a lot and bash their heads into windshields do not a good film make. Save your money.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.This is just about the absolute worst Much Ado I’ve ever seen…on screen or on stage. These Hollywood television fools have absolutely no sense of Shakespeare’s words. They have no sense of the rhythm, the love, the depth and the wry humor that this play contains. No timing, no appreciation or understanding of what Shakespeare achieves when his works are performed properly. It’s as if these Hollywood second string actors said, “let’s stop snorting for an afternoon and film some Shakespeare. Don’t go by any means.

Previously REVIEWED HOLDOVERS -WORTH SEEING IN THEATERS

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

FRANCES HA.If you watch HBO’s series “The Girls” starring and written by Lena Dunham “Frances Ha” will seem like a sequel. These are not your Woody Allen NYC funny residents, the Frances Ha 27 year olds are hip, odd, homely, clever, brilliant and non-directed 27 year old teen agers. These characters are an acquired taste. You either dig their point of view and appreciate it as is…or you’ll detest every minute. Go for it.

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

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are archived…(see next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG.

Jane Gregorius and a friend talk about the Pajaro Valley Arts Council “4F” show on July 2 followed by Anita Monga from the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. On July 9 Ellen Primack talks about The Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, then Scott McGilvray talks about his film “Water for Santa Cruz” and the big de-sal event happening at the Rio on July 11. Audrey Stanley talks about Shakespeare Santa Cruz season on July 16, followed by Carolyn Swift discussing the brand new Capitola Picture book by Arcadia. Assemblyman Mark Stone will be on July 23 bringing us up to date on Sacramento and his job. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always at bratton@cruzio.com

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES.In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 5 years here’s a chronological list of just this year’s podcasts. Click herehttp://kzsc.org/blog/tag/universal-grapevine then tap on “listen here” to hear any or all of them… all over again. The update includes Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson-Darrow, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Conpany. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011. Hear them all!!!

QUOTES. “After all is said and done, more is said than done”, back of a van parked on Chestnut Street last Sunday. “In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer”, Albert Camus. “Being a child at home alone in the summer is a high-risk occupation. If you call your mother at work thirteen times an hour, she can hurt you”, Erma Bombeck

COLUMN COMMUNICATIONS.

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

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

Direct email: Bratton@Cruzio.com

Direct phone: 831 423-2468

All Technical & Web details: Gunilla Leavitt @ gunilla@thegoldenfleece.com

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off on June 26 – July 2, 2013

June 19 – 25, 2013

OFFICIAL OPENING OF OUR MUNICIPAL WHARF. This was in 1918; little did these folks know how we would beautify our wharf with our fabulous commercial enterprises. Do note the northern angle the wharf takes…that’s what’s saved it from the monstrous waves and storms over all these decades (nearly a century!)

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

AMAZING IN MOTION. If you’ve been to the Nick or DelMar anytime in the last few weeks you’ve seen this great “Amazing In Motion” commercial for Lexus.

WHERE’S THE MORGUE? Speaking of Universal Grapevine… Sheriff Phil Wowak was my guest a few weeks ago. In researching for the show I realized our Sheriff is also our County coroner. So I asked him (I didn’t know) if we have a morgue? If so where is it? Since hearing his answer I’ve asked several friends….no one knew about any local morgue….do you know about any local morgue?

HOW AMAZING IN MOTION WAS MADE. Here’s behind the scenes on that Lexus commercial, titled “Steps”.

THE RED BALL OF MAH. You know that big Red Ball next to the huge M at the corner of Front and Cooper right by Octagon Lulu’s??? The logo for MAH??? I learned last Saturday that graphic artist Jim Faris designed it. Jim is the son of Jim and Paula Faris, they’ll be on Universal Grapevine next Tuesday talking about their film and early TV work at MGM, Paramount and assorted Hollywood institutions.

ABBOTT SQUARE , SAME OLD, SAME OLD. Whatever grant it was that MAH applied for to revivify Abbott Square isn’t happening. Plans to create a spouting play around fountain and to add a deck around the Octagon Lulu’s aren’t occurring either. Nor will plots to make Cooper Street a pedestrian walk-around space happen. Geez!!!

DOG LEASH LAWS. County Supervisor John Leopold reports that the reaction to our local dog-leash laws has been catastrophic ;-). He said that the letters and emails on just this one topic have been way more than the total responses on gun laws, homeless or pot stores combined.

POLICE AND PACIFIC AVENUE MOTORCYCLES. Considering all the complaints about how offensive panhandling is why doesn’t our City Council direct the Santa Cruz police to ticket those really offensive non-muffled motorcyclists that roar up Pacific…especially on weekends when the tourists are here. Why don’t they ticket that stand up tubbo on the 2 wheeled scooter with the phoney chromed twisted exhaust pipe? These deviants create far more pollutants and bad vibes than any panhandlers. Lets see some action here…this is a decades old problem. Out City Council has never addressed it.

ESPRESSO BOOK MACHINE LEAVING TOWN. Somebody’s plans changed and after printing over 6,000 books that Espresso Book Machine is leaving Bookshop Santa Cruz pretty soon. The Bookshop has already developed new publishing techniques and facilities for author patrons to replace even more than what the machine offered.

VETS BACK INTO HALL IN SEPTEMBER. Word on the streets has it that our local veterans will be moving back into the restored Vet’s hall in September. That may not qualify as a scoop, we’ll see.

ELERICK’S INPUT. Paul Elerick forwarded this…

PDC Needs You!

And you need the PDC!

The progressive wing of the Democratic Party in Santa Cruz County

Next Meeting: 7pm, Thursday June 20

Where: Democratic Party Headquarters

The Galleria – 740 Front Street

Santa Cruz

Why: Participate in the election of officers for the coming year. Hear the latest news about immigration reform, desal alternatives, and public banking. Help take the next step for campaign finance reform in Santa Cruz City elections. People’s Democratic Club of Santa Cruz County More information: www.pdclub.org

(Paul Elerick is co-chair, along with Peter Scott, of the Campaign for Sensible Transportation, http://sensibletransportation.org , and is a member of Nisene 2 Sea, a group of open space advocates).

Ralph Davila has a special eye for humor, and he sent this one Watch this especially if dogs are meaningful to you….or not!!!

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary talks about celebrating the Carmel River. He gives details on a tour this Thursday of the Cemex property above Davenport. Then he talks about a Public Water meeting in Monterey where the water is owned by CalAm. Read all of above at Gary’s KUSP Land Use scripts

(Gary Patton is “Of Counsel” to the Santa Cruz law firm of Wittwer & Parkin, which specializes in land use and environmental law. The opinions expressed are Mr. Patton’s. Gary has his own website, “Two Worlds / 365”www.gapatton.net)

VINTAGE DE CINZO. DeCinzo show dogged determination to arrive at the truth about our community….scroll below…

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Eagan goes deep to uncover the real you…or us. See below

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “What’s the deal with the Man of Steel? Read all about the good, the bad, and the ugly in the new Superman movie 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.

SUPERMAN (MAN OF STEEL). Super hero films can really only be critiqued by comparing them to other super hero films. It’s a special genre. The plots, the acting, the visuals, direction, editing etc. are like no other film types. This Superman is not funny, no cutesy Clark Kent-“changing in a phone booth” stuff. No funny Gene Hackman or Marlon Brando villain/dad figures. Man of Steel starts and ends dark. Henry Cavill makes a great Superman. The rest of the cast is strange. Kevin Costner and Diane Ladd as Supe’s earth parents, Laurence Fishburne as Perry White!!, Russell Crowe as Jor-el ??? And of course Michael Shannon as General Zod. Don’t pay extra for 3D glasses there aren’t that many special effects. Plus we learn that the “S” on Supe’s shirt doesn’t stand for Superman it stands for hope. I could go on for pages talking about the religious stuff in this film. Like Clark in church praying with a background shot of Jesus kneeling before he was crucified, etc, etc. Go see it (big screen only) and only if you really like superhero films.

SHADOW DANCER. It’s the British Government fighting the I.R.A We see flashes back to the 70’s then family loyalty, oppression, killing, secrets, and trust. It’s all about family and trust, and The Irish versus the Brits. Clive Owen is great as the Brit agent and we can only imagine a civil war like this one. Go see it, and hurry it won’t last long.

EAST. Secret intelligence people, huge pharmaceutical corporations, dumping bad products on the market, Occupy-like groups trying to stop all of this. Ellen Page (not so cute anymore) and Patricia Clarkson are in it. I got lost in all the ethical details, couldn’t figure where the plot was going, and didn’t care much. Tricky and intricate, go see it IF you’ve seen all the better films out and around.

BEFORE MIDNIGHT. I definitely see too many action films. About 30 minutes into this part 3 of this Julie Delpy-Ethan Hawke piece of precious, boring fluff I was hoping Hawke would shoot Julie Delpy right between the eyes, or at least cut her throat so she couldn’t talk anymore.( Speaking cinematically of course). All the two of them do in this tedious, meaningless, piece of tripe is argue…and not well either. If you’ve seen their previous junk… Before Sunrise, Before Sunset or 2 Days in New York and 2 Days in Paris, you know what I mean. Besides that Julie Delpy is even worse when she’s topless. And she’s topless a lot in this Midnight flick.

PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED HOLDOVERS
-WORTH SEEING IN THEATERS

STORIES WE TELL. Actor Sarah Polley directed this documentary, which isn’t like a documentary. It’s about her own mom and dad and the complex questions of the lies we live with, and how we bend the truth to make life bearable. Wonderful, complex and intense. Well worth seeing.

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

FRANCES HA. If you watch HBO’s series “The Girls” starring and written by Lena Dunham “Frances Ha” will seem like a sequel. These are not your Woody Allen NYC funny residents, the Frances Ha 27 year olds are hip, odd, homely, clever, brilliant and non-directed 27 year old teen agers. These characters are an acquired taste. You either dig their point of view and appreciate it as is…or you’ll detest every minute. Go for it.

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

MOSAIC. This is a dance concert about peace, justice, culture, and conflict in the Middle East by Karl Schaffer. Karl Schaffer, Maria Basile, Saki and other well regarded area dancers will join forces with the women’s a cappela choir Zambra and Fattah Abbou of the Moroccan fusion musical group AZA to cast an artistic light on the struggles, culture and politics of the Middle East, with a sharp focus on the conflicts between Palestine and Israel. Mosaic will include the premiere of Karl’s latest solo choreography, performed by himself. The piece combines the personal and the political and is based on Karl’s awakening to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict while he was growing up Jewish in the segregated Birmingham, Alabama of the 1960’s. It happens Friday June 21 & Saturday 22, 2013 at 8 p.m. at Motion Pacific 131 Front St. Santa Cruz. for more information and to buy tickets on line, go to www.schafferstern.org &/or http://www.motionpacific.com/event/karl-schaffer-mosaic/

STARLITE DRIVE IN THEATRE. Ron Sandidge (president of the Watsonville Rotary Club) sent this great tribute to our own departed Starlite Drive In. Featured on the vocals is Breanna Eddy one of the winners of the 2013 Bookshop Santa Cruz’s Short Story Contest.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are archived…(see next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG.

County Supervisor Neal Coonerty’s 7th annual Grapevine Birthday appearance occurs on June 25th, then Jim and Paula Faris talk about their days at MGM creating Tom & Jerry Cartoons. Assemblyman Mark Stone will be on July 2 bringing us up to date on Sacramento. Anita Monga from the San Francisco Silent Film Festival follows Mark that night. On July 9 Ellen Primack talks about The Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, then Carolyn Swift talks about the brand new Capitola Picture book by Arcadia.. Audrey Stanley talks about Shakespeare Santa Cruz season on July 16. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always at bratton@cruzio.com

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 5 years here’s a chronological list of just this year’s podcasts. Click herehttp://kzsc.org/blog/tag/universal-grapevine then tap on “listen here” to hear any or all of them… all over again. The update includes Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson-Darrow, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Conpany. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011. Hear them all!!!

QUOTES. “Skiing combines outdoor fun with knocking down trees with your face“, Dave Berry. “What a terrible round. I only hit two good balls all day and that was when I stepped on a rake in a bunker”, Lee Trevino.” Remember, it doesn’t matter whether you win or lose: what matters is whether I win or lose“, Darrin Weinberg

COLUMN COMMUNICATIONS.

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

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

Direct email: Bratton@Cruzio.com

Direct phone: 831 423-2468

All Technical & Web details: Gunilla Leavitt @ gunilla@thegoldenfleece.com

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off on June 19 – 25, 2013

June 10 – 16, 2013

Lovely Downtown Santa Cruz 1894. Those mass transit trolley tracks were in stalled in 1891. Note the two direction buggy lanes. That tall white pole in front of where Jamba Juice is now was a “Victory Pole”. Way down the street you can just barely see the ODD Fellows tower, which is of course our Town Clock now.

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

James Elmore sent this link…He thinks it’s better than war….and it’s sort of Gilbert & Sullivan meet The Red Army. It’s the

The India and Pakistan Border Crossing. Watch it in full screen!! A CULTURAL EXPERIENCE! Daily Closing of India and Pakistan Border Crossing…This is both fascinating and hysterical. This is how the border between India and Pakistan is closed every evening!This is not a Monty Python comedy skit, but it does resemble one. Keep in mind that each of these countries has nuclear weapons! [Note from the peanut gallery: Also, imagine this ceremony on the border between the US and Mexico… or Canada! 😀 -Gunilla]

WATSONVILLE & MEASURE T. It was such great news about the people of Watsonville voting in favor of preserving their land for agriculture instead of copping out for development, by defeating MEASURE T. It’s no different than the people of Santa Cruz voting against a de-sal plant instead of allowing all the growth and development that would come with it here in North County. Three cheers for Watsonville.

TANNERY THEATRE TO OPEN & CABRILLO THEATRE STAYS CLOSED??? Any local theatre company and any actor in the vicinity will tell you that the City and County of Santa Cruz has a terrible shortage of available theatre stages. Yet the Cabrilho Community College stage has sat vacant for years now. Meanwhile our County is spending huge sums of money to build a new theater and stage at The Tannery. Answer me this one…why was our Community Television Station not able to move into The Tannery facilities, but yet they’ll probably be moving into Cabrilho’s deserted stage? Is anybody in charge here??

BILL KOCHER’S MILLIONS DOLLAR BUILDING. Otherwise normal people who work deep within the Santa Cruz City Hall system have asked and are still asking why did, and does Bill Kocher’s Water Department deserve not just the size of, but the millions of dollars spent on re-habbing the Water Department’s Locust Street building. How many other departments get the bucks and attention Kocher gets???

OH SAY…CAN U.C. ??? Yes UC can do pretty much as they like…but according to the latest issue (June 6) of City On The Hill news 16.4 % of the 2013-14 students are from out of state or are from other countries. Also the Student Union Assembly voted not to divest from 5 companies that sell arms, machinery, building supplies and electricity to Israel. Lastly, of all campuses, UCSC had the largest decrease in freshmen admittance numbers.

LIVE OAK DAY WORKER CENTER. Mireya Gomez-Contreras the program director at The Day Worker Center at 2261 7th Avenue in Live Oak writes to say the center is doing excellently, and they want more folks to contact them. One of the biggest surprises at the new Center was when so many women signed up offering services, and looking for work. She said, “We are registering more and more workers each week and we are also continuing to get calls from new and returning employers”. Go here… to get more information. Or call 831 475-9675. Let me know. This would be a great opportunity.

DIXIE RITUERFORD DIED. Dixie died in her sleep last Wednesday night. She was a long time advocate for World Peace and a long time member of WILPF. She was plagued by heart problems. She will be missed.

ELERICK’S INPUT. Paul Elerick writes…

MID-COUNTY DESAL DOG AND PONY SHOW-A HARD SELL FOR DE-SAL.

The public was invited to a presentation of a “Regional Seawater Desalination Project” at Seacliff Inn in Aptos on June 3. Presenters were polished professionals, as were the handouts at the meeting. It was as if the public had actually voted for desal, and the information was the implantation plan. The SRO audience didn’t seem to agree with that. Over 100 people attended the meeting and 26 signed up to speak after the presentation. Two people spoke in favor of desal, one appeared neutral, and the rest spoke against the “project”. Opponents living on the west side of Santa Cruz were unanimously against, having concerns about just about everything you could expect if a planned seawater desal plant was dumped into your neighborhood.

The meeting was supposed to be about how to read and comment on the draft EIR, and to the consultants credit, a two page document showing how to do this was part of their pitch. It was what people need to plow through the hundreds of pages, and how to comment on them. The show will be repeated on July 1, 2013 at First Congregational Church (900 High Street, Santa Cruz) from 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Before you go, check out www.scwd2desal.orgwhich also contains the complete Draft Environmental Impact Report. or DEIR.

(Paul Elerick is co-chair, along with Peter Scott, of the Campaign for Sensible Transportation, and is a member of Nisene 2 Sea, a group of open space advocates).

HELEN KANE & BUSTER KEATON. Somebody took Helen Kane’s (Betty Boop) vocal and added Buster Keaton’s great moves…take a sneaky peek…

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary talks about dog leash laws in both Live Oak and in Carmel. He discusses the city of Greenfield (just off highway 101) and their possible development and taking over valuable farmland. Then he talks about a….

DE-SAL Meeting…The City of Santa Cruz and the Soquel Creek Water District are proposing a desalination project that they sincerely believe is necessary to provide what might be called “water security.” The Soquel Creek Water District serves its customers from underground aquifers that are being over drafted. The City of Santa Cruz mainly uses surface sources, which are inadequate during sequential dry years. Having a “supplemental water supply” could help address these problems. The law firm with which I am associated represents the Community Water Coalition, a community group based in Santa Cruz, which is skeptical about desalination. Another group that is active in the discussion is called Santa Cruz Desal Alternatives. The Desal Alternatives group has identified a number of cost-effective alternatives that they think would meet water security needs at a lower cost, and with a lot fewer environmental impacts. The environmental review process now underway is supposed to provide a fair examination of the issues.

If you would like to start learning more, think about attending a meeting, Thursday, June 13th, to be held at 7:00 p.m. at the Quaker Meetinghouse, located at 225 Rooney Street in Santa Cruz. That is where Morrissey Boulevard meets Highway One. James Bentley, retired City Superintendent of Water Production, will discuss alternatives to desalination. Read all of above at Gary’s KUSP Land Use scripts http://blogs.kusp.org/landuse (Gary Patton is “Of Counsel” to the Santa Cruz law firm of Wittwer & Parkin, which specializes in land use and environmental law. The opinions expressed are Mr. Patton’s. Gary has his own website, “Two Worlds / 365”www.gapatton.net)

VINTAGE DE CINZO. DeCinzo shows us the real terrorists in our midst, scroll down a little.

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Tim reveals an honest politician.(snicker, snicker) see below.

FANCY WRITING DESK. My cousin Dean Hagen sent this clip. He lives in Florida, so that explains it. And it probably didn’t have an instruction book, a pdf operations download, or a support phone number either.

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul Landau looks back at FDR in his article titled, “Fear Itself After 80 Years“. He writes, “My parents, like many millions more who voted for Franklin Roosevelt and ousted Republican Herbert Hoover, sat glued to their radios to hear FDR’s first Inaugural Address (March 3, 1933) hoping to understand how this witty and affable member of the elite was going to help them get over their depression, a product of the country’s economic depression. FDR had not said much of substance during the campaign, but that changed dramatically when he told the radio public “that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” And Saul ends by saying…”FDR affirmed his faith in “the future of essential democracy. The people of the United States have not failed. In their need they have registered a mandate that they want direct, vigorous action. They have asked for discipline and direction under leadership. They have made me the present instrument of their wishes. In the spirit of the gift I take it.” What could Obama’s speechwriters do with a new version of Fear Itself? Lay out a modified version of FDR’s promise to help the poor? Could we expect such a commitment from President Deeply Disappointing? It would be nice, but don’t hold your breath”. Read all of it here…

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

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “Ever wonder where writers get their ideas? The answer may surprise you 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.

…THAT IS THE QUESTION

WE STEAL SECRETS: THE STORY OF WIKILEAKS. Alex Gibney directed this documentary. He also did the wonderful and absorbing “ENRON” and “The Smartest Guys In The Room”. There’s a lot of background of Bradley Manning and Julian Assange, and of course we all love these two heroes for their courageous stands against our Governments secrecy and their terrible anti civil rights actions. BUT…and a large BUT I had to remind myself that documentaries (or biographies or auto biographies) do not represent truth, they are only the opinion and choices of the author/director of what part of the truth do you include?? I wonder why for instance Gibney had to include any of the sex life of Bradley Manning? Is Manning’s homosexuality and miserable childhood necessary to the understanding of this case? Did we need to know about Assange’s extra-marital affairs (those did surface as a distraction in his legal battle) But see this film. We didn’t know one –half of this story, the mass media never printed it, NPR sure won’t deal with it. See it quickly; it’ll leave in a week or less, if you don’t go now. Just remember it’s a documentary, and that doesn’t mean it’s true.

THE PURGE. Ethan Hawke stars in this odd horror film, It’s the old save the family against the crazed neighbors. But there are many political gimmicks thrown in. A Black homeless man is the hero savior, when the film finally ends.. The mob looks like Occupy crowds, the acting is lousy, and it’s based on the idea that for 24 hours once per year it’s ok to do any and all violence with no penalty. The local connection for Santa Cruz is that Melanie Paizis Jones former local, and who directed Blue Like The Morning was production designer on this film. Melanie’s the daughter of Suzanne Paizis who ran for California State Senate back in 1972….when women weren’t supposed to be in politics. We were good friends.

SYRUP. It may be an attempt to satirize the advertising/ marketing business. They create new supposedly clever brand names like Fukk or Coqq high energy drinks. The lead actors are named “Scat” and “6”. It’s not hip, smart, clever, nor does it have any meaning whatsoever!! Avoid it at all costs or even if it’s free.

THE INTERNSHIP. Why Google would allow this movie to exploit their name and reputation is beyond me. Maybe this internet giant is so out of touch with the movie going public…they remained ignorant of how stupid Google appears (and for what reason???) Vince Vaughn (whom I have never liked in any film) and Owen Wilson (who has created about three minutes of solid acting on screen) play very dumb jerks trying to get jobs at Google. Just don’t go, it isn’t funny.

ONCE REVIEWED HOLDOVERS – WORTH SEEING IN THEATERS

WHAT MAISIE KNEW. This heart ripping film is based on Henry James novel. Julienne Moore plays Maisie’s screwed up, unlikable mother, and is a perfect horror. It’s an amazing movie that will grab you in some unexpected ways. Little Onata Aprile who plays Maisie is one of the finest child actors I’ve ever seen. At least 10 stars (out of 5)

IN THE HOUSE. Directed by Francois Ozon means it’s a sensitive, clever deeply absorbing film. A teen age boy manipulates adults and we’ll never know why. It’s in French with subtitles and don’t miss it.

STORIES WE TELL. Actor Sarah Polley directed this documentary, which isn’t like a documentary. It’s about her own mom and dad and the complex questions of the lies we live with, and how we bend the truth to make life bearable. Wonderful, complex and intense. Well worth seeing.

SIGHTSEERS.Veddy British dark humor. Loving but insane couple take a tourist route around England and kill several people. More grimaces than laughs, and it’s still worth seeing because you’ve never seen one like this one.

FRANCES HA. If you watch HBO’s series “The Girls” starring and written by Lena Dunham “Frances Ha” will seem like a sequel. These are not your Woody Allen NYC funny residents, the Frances Ha 27 year olds are hip, odd, homely, clever, brilliant and non-directed 27 year old teenagers. These characters are an acquired taste. You either dig their point of view and appreciate it as is…or you’ll detest every minute. Go for it.

ICEMAN.You couldn’t pick a more looney, crazed cast than Winona Ryder, Ray Liotta and Michael Shannon to tell the story of a real life gang-land killer who “did in” over 100 victims. The movie is excellent, acting is superior, it’s a wonderful film. But, caveat emptor be sure you want to see a film that has a lot of killing. Not a documentary, not a Hitchcock and definitely not a Hollywood sensational exploitation. Michael Shannon’s role as the killer Richard Kuklinski makes Clint Eastwood look like David Terrazas or Ben Stiller.

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

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

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

THE COMPANY YOU KEEP. What a cast Jackie Evancho (don’t worry she doesn’t sing…but she acts like it!) plays Robert Redford’s youngest daughter. Julie Christie and Redford fight in a botox battle, Susan Sarandon has just a little part, and every other Hollywood democrat liberal you’ve heard of is in it too. AND it’s a fine Hollywood film. Full of just enough ethics, politics, facts and fiction to make it a fine film.

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE GET TOGETHERS.Make plans now to see Helen Mirren as The Queen in London’s National Theatre Live telecast Sunday morning June 16 at 10:30 a.m. Santa Cruz audiences are growing fast for these theatrical treats. On 6/16 the Osher Lifelong learners group will be attending this screening…join them for some entertaining discussions before, during and after the telecast at the Del Mar.

“TOUCH” AT CENTER STAGE. Touch is a relatively unknown play by Toni Press Coffman. The Sidereal Theatre Company is producing it and Bill Peters from S.F. State is directing it. It plays June 14-23 at The Center Stage Theatre 1001 Center Street. Davis Banta and April Bennett are the leads. It’s about love, tragedy, the stars, and the human connection. It sounds really good. I’ll save you a seat.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are archived…(see next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG.

On June 11th The Winners of Bookshop Santa Cruz’s Short Story Contest read their stories. County Supervisor Neal Coonerty’s 7th annual Grapevine Birthday appearance occurs on June 25th. Assemblyman Mark Stone will be on July 2 bringing us up to date on Sacramento. Anita Monga from the San Francisco Silent Film Festival follows Mark that night. On July 9 Ellen Primack talks about The Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, then Carolyn Swift talks about the brand new Capitola Picture book by Arcadia.. Audrey Stanley talks about Shakespeare Santa Cruz season on July 16. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always at bratton@cruzio.com

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 5 years here’s a chronological list of just this year’s podcasts. Click here’http://kzsc.org/blog/tag/universal-grapevine then tap on “listen here” to hear any or all of them… all over again. The update includes Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson-Darrow, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Conpany. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011. Hear them all!!!

QUOTES. “Chastity: the most unnatural of the sexual perversions”, Aldous Huxley. “The sexual revolution is killing us“, Mel Hocker (nudist camp owner), “There are many ways of proving you’re a man, and shifting your own gears is one of them“, Mort Sahl

COLUMN COMMUNICATIONS.

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Snail Mail: Bratton Online
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BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off on June 10 – 16, 2013

June 5 – 11, 2013

ST. CHARLES HOTEL. This was in Downtown Santa Cruz at the corner of Mission and North Pacific Avenue about 1890. That’s the Bavaria Brewery just to the left. Note the horse driven streetcar.

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

LATTÉ BREAKING NEWS.Has anybody noticed that 3/4 of American males of all ages wear Levi (blue denim) pants? Forgetting individuality, has anybody ever thought what would happen if a law was passed saying 3/4 of American males HAD to wear Levi’s? What kind of fashion statement is this? Can anyone remember when any other clothing item was so invasive or so accepted? The Loomis Money trucks we see all over Santa Cruz all show Milpitas as the company headquarters. That’s because nobody would ever go to Milpitas, even to steal money, or love!

MAGIC STAIRWELL. Valerie Lasciak sent this clip. I have watched it probably 10 times and still can’t figure it out. Do watch it, and send me your best guess, please???

BROCKLEBANK QUOTE. Jean Brocklebank, erstwhile proponent of all things environmental, gave us a great quote. Referring to her long time battle to preserve Arana Gulch from bridge builders and folks who want to destroy the central fields by laying a very wide bike highway across them said, “I’ll be long dead before they build Arana, and I’m planning on living ’til I’m 90”.

CURATOR CAROLYN SWIFT RETIRES. It was just last week or maybe a bit before that Carolyn Swift the director of the Capitola History Museum announced she is retiring. Go check out the museum asap. The current exhibit “Picture This-Capitola-by-the-Sea” is a good chance to see some of the 200 historical photos that’ll be in the Arcadia Picture book which’ll be out around July. They don’t know who’s taking over the museum. I’ll let you know as soon as I do.

GRAVAGO IN LOS GATOS. Barbara Horscraft formerly owner of Gravago has now opened a store on Santa Cruz street in Los Gatos. It’s called Samana
Check it out here….and there too.

CEDAR STREET VIDEO’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY. Sami Abed opened the first of his three locally owned video stores over on Portola Ave. in Live Oak. He’s celebrating 30 years in business this month. In the movies at home business, digitalizing is the next big scare and threat. Sami will weather it. I can say personally that I’ve rented well over a thousand films from his three stores, and he’s got gems that exist nowhere else. Try Cedar Street Video, East Cliff Video and Video 9 in Boulder Creek. Much cheaper than any other rental source.

PATRICK STEWART TALKS ABOUT MALE VIOLENCE

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary talks about Measure T and what’s going to happen to Watsonville if It passed on Tuesday. There’s discussion and news about affordable housing in Salinas. Water news about “Public Water Now” move in Monterey. A big deal re the Planning Commission meeting about developing Ocean Street in Santa Cruz.

Read all of above at Gary’s KUSP Land Use scripts http://blogs.kusp.org/landuse (Gary Patton is “Of Counsel” to the Santa Cruz law firm of Wittwer & Parkin, which specializes in land use and environmental law. The opinions expressed are Mr. Patton’s. Gary has his own website, “Two Worlds / 365”www.gapatton.net)

VINTAGE DE CINZO.Oh those pesky homeless…see DeCinzo’s view below.

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Tim gets Serious in re. SYRIA. Scroll downwards.

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul writes, “Home in The United States Permanent War for The Empire”. He says, “This country has officially taken on the rest of the world. As U.S. military units fight, or threaten to fight, alleged foes belonging to jihadist groups most Americans have never heard of, a Defense Department official informed Congress that the Pentagon now considers the whole world as America’s battlefield’. Read all of his article here…

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

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “This week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com), get ready to welcome the Cultural Council to its new (permanent) home in The Tannery, among other pleasures of this month’s First Friday Art Tour. Also, take an armchair tour of the mysterious doors of Europe with the Inconstant Traveler!” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

WHAT MAISIE KNEW. This heart ripping film is based on Henry James novel. Julienne Moore plays Maisie’s screwed up, unlikable mother, and is a perfect horror. It’s an amazing movie that will grab you in some unexpected ways. Little Onata Aprile who plays Maisie is one of the finest child actors I’ve ever seen. At least 10 stars (out of 5)

IN THE HOUSE.Directed by Francois Ozon means it’s a sensitive, clever deeply absorbing film. A teen age boy manipulates adults and we’ll never know why. It’s in French with subtitles and don’t miss it.

STORIES WE TELL. Actor Sarah Polley directed this documentary, which isn’t like a documentary. It’s about her own mom and dad and the complex questions of the lies we live with, and how we bend the truth to make life bearable. Wonderful, complex and intense. Well worth seeing.

SIGHTSEERS.Veddy British dark humor. Loving but insane couple take a tourist route around England and kill several people. More grimaces than laughs, and it’s still worth seeing because you’ve never seen one like this one.

FRANCES HA.If you watch HBO’s series “The Girls” starring and written by Lena Dunham “Frances Ha” will seem like a sequel. These are not your Woody Allen NYC

funny residents, the Frances Ha 27 year olds are hip, odd, homely, clever, brilliant and non-directed 27 year old teen agers. These characters are an acquired taste. You either dig their point of view and appreciate it as is…or you’ll detest every minute. Go for it.

BLANCANIEVES.Remember “The Artist”? Silent, black and white and a parody of stylized acting???….well, the same goes for Blancanieves. It’s a Spanish film version of Snow White and has the dwarves, poisoned apple, evil stepmother, and lots of bullfighting. Clever, tricky, beautiful…but without soul, even a funny soul.

NOW YOU SEE ME. The late Woody Harrelson, plus Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg, and Morgan Freeman try hardto make this “magicians rob a bank” movie into a film worth buying tickets for, especially at today’s box-office prices. The idea is silly, none of these actors can convince anybody that they are magicians. Don’t go.

AFTER EARTH.Speaking of egos, Will Smith was such a box office star he believed he could do no wrong so he and his wife got M. Night Shyamalanto direct Will and his son Jaden in this dull, trite mess. It takes place on earth 1000 years after developer Barry Swenson and Mike Rotkin destroyed our planet with de-Sal plants. There’s no life left on our planet or in this dopey film that got about a 12 on Rotten tomatoes.

HOLDOVERS -WORTH SEEING IN THEATERS

ICEMAN.You couldn’t pick a more looney, crazed cast than Winona Ryder, Ray Liotta and Michael Shannon to tell the story of a real life gang-land killer who “did in” over 100 victims. The movie is excellent, acting is superior, it’s a wonderful film. But, caveat emptor be sure you want to see a film that has a lot of killing. Not a documentary, not a Hitchcock and definitely not a Hollywood sensational exploitation. Michael Shannon’s role as the killer Richard Kuklinski makes Clint Eastwood look like David Terrazas or Ben Stiller.

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

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

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

THE COMPANY YOU KEEP. What a castJackie Evancho (don’t worry she doesn’t sing…but she acts like it!) plays Robert Redford’s youngest daughter. Julie Christie and Redford fight in a botox battle, Susan Sarandon has just a little part, and every other Hollywood democrat liberal you’ve heard of is in it too. AND it’s a fine Hollywood film. Full of just enough ethics, politics, facts and fiction to make it a fine film.

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE GET TOGETHERS.Make plans now to see Helen Mirren as The Queen in London’s National Theatre Live telecast Sunday morning June 16 at 10:30 a.m. Santa Cruz audiences are growing fast for these theatrical treats. On 6/16 the Osher Lifelong learners group will be attending this screening…join them for some entertaining discussions before, during and after the telecast at the Del Mar. .

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are archived…(see next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG.

On June 4th Davis Banta & April Bennett talk about SideReal Theatre followed by Land Use attorney Gary Patton giving us the entire history of local water and the De-Sal issue. On June 11th The Winners of Bookshop Santa Cruz’s Short Story Contest read their stories. County Supervisor Neal Coonerty’s 7th annual Grapevine Birthday appearance occurs on June 25th. Assemblyman Mark Stone will be on July 2 bringing us up to date on Sacramento. Anita Monga from the San Francisco Silent Film Festival follows Mark that night. On July 9 Ellen Primack talks about The Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, then Carolyn Swift talks about the brand new Capitola Picture book by Arcadia.. Audrey Stanley talks about Shakespeare Santa Cruz season on July 16. 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

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES.In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 5 years here’s a chronological list of just this year’s podcasts. Click herehttp://kzsc.org/blog/tag/universal-grapevine then tap on “listen here” to hear any or all of them… all over again. The update includes Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson-Darrow, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Conpany. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011. Hear them all!!!

QUOTES. “Death is psychosomatic“, Charles Manson. “I want to shake this habit that I’ve become”, Taylor Mead. “If I seem free it’s because I’m always running“, Jimi Hendrix.

COLUMN COMMUNICATIONS.

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

Snail Mail: Bratton Online
82 Blackburn Street, Suite 216
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Direct email: Bratton@Cruzio.com

Direct phone: 831 423-2468

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BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off on June 5 – 11, 2013

May 28 – June 3, 2013

THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD. You want to bet that back in the 1890’s when this was taken in our Aptos hills and mountains, that the lumber company (Loma Prieta Lumber Company) had some answer to the tree-huggers. who thought that just maybe clear cutting wasn’t the best idea in the world?

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

SOMETHING’S ROTKIN IN DENMARK. Once upon a time Mike Rotkin claimed he was for people’s rights. He said he was a Socialist, and even a feminist. Now as a shameless huckster for Santa Cruz building a de-sal plant he has taken arms against every environmentalist, water experts, and citizens who want to vote to stop de-sal from happening here. Rotkin said in last weeks Sentinel things like,” Too bad that desalination opponents now have to directly confront a detailed, scientific environmental document that demonstrates the need for desalination and that the program can be implemented without triggering any of the dire consequences they have imagined. Read Rotkin’s rant here… you won’t believe an former elected Santa Cruz Mayor would say such things. .

There have been many responses to Rotkins DICTATORIAL proclamations…Here’s Gary Patton’s response… Former Mayor Rotkin “doth protest too much.” And Mike is way ahead of himself in claiming that the Draft EIR for the desalination plant “shows unequivocally that the desalination plant … can be constructed with no significant negative environmental consequences.” The recently released document is a “Draft.” The Final EIR that will be the decision document is the Draft, plus comments on the Draft, plus responses to the comments. The Draft document is simply the assertion made by the City about environmental impacts. Those claims about “no impacts” have yet to be tested by the process. And let’s remember who is making the assertions. The City is one of the prime movers in, and uses our money to finance, CalDesal, an industry-support group focused “solely” on advancing desalination in California. Is the City’s Draft EIR objective and fair? Let’s wait until the process is over before we draw that”.

Activist and environmentalist Aldo Giacchino responded to Rotkins oration… “It is mightily peculiar and intellectually sloppy for Mike Rotkin to contend that the Draft EIR’s for the proposed desalination project shows “unequivocally” that there will be no significant negative environmental consequences. “Unequivocally” literally means “no equal voices.” In fact, the very purpose of a draft EIR is to bring out “equal voices” in the analysis of the project’s impacts. There have been and there will be plenty of equal voices to expose the absurdity of the desal proposal and its environmental consequences — to say nothing of the financial folly that the project entails. So, Mr. Rotkin, sharpen your listening skills as the flaws in the desal proposal’s basic assumptions and impacts will be given an even bigger airing than they have received already. The same can be said for the City Council which has been deaf to “equal voices” from the community and instead has spent millions on partisan promotions of the desal folly”, Aldo Giacchino.

Gary Patton also says on his KUSP program, “If I understand it correctly, The Draft EIR says that water demand associated with expected growth in the Santa Cruz Water Service Area will be 500 million gallons per year over the next twenty years. The desal plant would produce 912 million gallons per year. If that were split 60% to the City and 40% to the District3, the City would be getting just over 500 million gallons per year from the new plant4. The City says, however, it’s not about growth. I hate to recommend that readers and listeners start reading this bulky document themselves, but that’s probably a pretty good idea!

LANDFILL HARMONIC. Alyce Vestal Caudill sent this clip. It’s way too touching to contain any dubbing…so just enjoy.

FOREST ACTIVIST FREDIANI.I asked Jodi Frediani to comment on last week’s timber news. She says, “The recent acquisition of timber rights on 151 acres of the Redwood Meadows Ranch by Sempervirens Fund is a win-win-win. The previous owner of those rights, who had planned to log the forest, gets paid without having to cut any trees, the Home Owner’s Association and individual property owners who own the timberland get the redwood preservation they were seeking, and Sempervirens Fund protects upper watershed lands along Mill Creek, which provides drinking water to the town of Davenport. In addition, the newly protected forest includes some old growth redwoods, as well as providing habitat continuity to the adjacent Cemex and Coast Dairies properties”.

Jodi Frediani, Forestry Consultant Loma Prieta Chapter, Sierra Club, and Director Central Coast Forest Watch
831-426-1697 JodiFredi@aol.com

LIQUID ASSETS. Lois Robin sent this Here’s a Santa Cruz flavored film Ed Schehl and I have just released, Liquid Assets: Protecting our Creeks, Streams and Rivers? () 26 min. Nine engaging and inspiring local environmentalists provide insights into the process of nurturing our Santa Cruz waterways back to health. We designed the film primarily to influence those who live streamside, but we are finding that there is a general interest as well. Apparently many of us would like to see the return of the Coho salmon and steelhead. The video shows how this can be done.

ELERICK’S INPUT. Paul Elerick states in no uncertain terms
Aptos development and traffic hit head on

Three meetings concerning Aptos and mid-county growth were jammed into last week, two on the same night. One was the RTC’s Transit Corridors Plan at a Land use and Transportation Concepts Workshop at Mar Visa School. It was well presented by the RTC staff, the other sponsored by Rio Del Mar’s Improvement Association.

But of most interest was the meeting sponsored by Aptos Local Economies (ALE), their first meeting for those opposing Safeway expansion plans at Rancho Del Mar. The meeting, held at the Aptos Grange was attended by about 60 residents who all got a chance to state their objections to Safeway’s plan to demolish half of Rancho Del Mar Center in order to build a new Safeway Store. Space limits how many residents’ comments that can be published here. All but one of the attendees spoke against the project, the one being the uninvited Safeway consultant from Hamilton-Swift who was asked to leave, but didn’t after a close vote of those present allowed him to stay. Most often heard complaints were the loss of locally owned businesses and traffic increasing along with Barry Swenson’s Aptos Village project just down the street. ALE is doing organizing to fight Safeway; Email aptoslocaleconomies.com for more information.

The RDM Improvement Association’s meeting held in the Rio Sands meeting room was also packed, by about 90 people. The only two agenda items were Barry Swenson’s Aptos Village plan, already approved by the county, and the Safeway expansion project. The audience seemed familiar enough with the Aptos Village plan, but many had concerns about the cumulative traffic problems that will be generated by both projects, along with other development going on nearby. We did learn that the owners of the Bayview Hotel property have opted out of he Aptos Village plan to do something on their own. Supervisor Zach Friend was there to answer questions about the County’s position on the Safeway plan that has yet to be submitted.

It appears that both projects combined will add three more traffic lights. They are all between a new street being talked about by Safeway near the trestles and Trout Gulch Rd. Could it be that Aptosians are starting to pay attention to what’s happening to their community? I didn’t hear one person speak in favor of this kind of growth for our community.

(Paul Elerick is co-chair, along with Peter Scott, of the Campaign for Sensible Transportation, http://sensibletransportation.org , and is a member of Nisene 2 Sea, a group of open space advocates).

ADRIAN ROLLINI TRIO PLAYS OPERA. This clip isn’t as old as Don Mac Caslin, but it’s equally charming!!!

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary states on his weekly KUSP radio program such items as CEQA and Sea levels, All about Assemblyman Mark Stone’s helping to strengthen The Coastal Commission Powers. About the ECO Farm conference at Asilomar and about Supervisor John Leopold’s East Cliff Village planning meeting to get community input.Read all of above at Gary’s KUSP Land Use scripts http://blogs.kusp.org/landuse (Gary Patton is “Of Counsel” to the Santa Cruz law firm of Wittwer & Parkin, which specializes in land use and environmental law. The opinions expressed are Mr. Patton’s. Gary has his own website, “Two Worlds / 365”www.gapatton.net)

VINTAGE DE CINZO.Ever alert DeCinzo notes the old history of how we fund the tourist industry and how really pays….scroll below

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Tim gives it the Burma Shave treatment…remember Burma Shave??? See below just a bit….

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul Landau’s article in Progreso Weekly is titled, « Climate Change- The New Trojan Horse ». In it he concludes with, “The spike in valley fever contagion and related climate-caused infirmities will grow around the world, but will they help diminish the importance of trivia in our political pursuits? In the face of planetary disaster, a Republican Party faction in North Dakota recently passed the nation’s most severe anti-abortion law, declaring a fertilized human egg to have the same right to life as a fully formed person. Other headlines show more reliance on drone wars, complain of holding up government appointments, and reveal daily political corruption side by side with “news” of celebrity marriage, divorce and rehab,” the pettiness of which does not relate to impending global tragedy.

Scientists affirmed that climate change threatens future life. Some prophesize doom if we do not reform, but Apollo’s curse remains. “Beware of technology burning energy” might replace the warning of “Greeks bearing gifts.” Inside the new Trojan horse of development lies the mechanism that will doom our heirs, unless we make drastic reforms now – especially here and in China where the most greenhouse gasses get produced. Citizens need to make their own history by acting and forcing leaders to deal with climate change before it gets too late. Read all of Saul’s piece here..

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

LIBERACE WITH MICHAEL DOUGLAS AND MATT DAMON.HBO will play this for weeks…if you get HBO. It’s an amazingly touching drama with fine jobs of acting, and it’s slow moving. Once again Matt Damon surprises us with some acting talent never seen before. Don’t stay up too late watching it, but do make an effort.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes “This week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com), if you love fairy tales, don’t miss Blancanieves, a fresh and stylish take on Snow White with a decidedly Spanish twist!” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

GASLAND Part II: In 2010, the Oscar-nominated documentary GASLAND exposed “fracking,” an oil and gas extraction method that has led to a national environmental and public health crisis. Gasland made fracking a household word and catalyzed a worldwide movement of grassroots opposition that has led to local and state-wide moratoriums and bans. The film will be followed by a presentation and Q&A with director Josh Fox and local anti-fracking organizers. The fracking boom now looms over California, where oil companies have been buying up drilling rights in the Monterey Shale formation that underlies much of the Central CA Coast. Come to this screening to learn more about the national and international anti-fracking movement and how you can become involved right here in the Monterey Bay area.Advance Screening in Santa Cruz w/ Filmmaker Josh Fox to do Q & A.Monday, June 3rd – 6:30pm.@ Rio Theatre – 1205 Soquel Ave. Contact: centralcoastrising@gmail.com

ICEMAN.You couldn’t pick a more looney, crazed cast than Winona Ryder, Ray Liotta and Michael Shannon to tell the story of a real life gang-land killer who “did in” over 100 victims. The movie is excellent, acting is superior, it’s a wonderful film. But, caveat emptor be sure you want to see a film that has a lot of killing. Not a documentary, not a Hitchcock and definitely not a Hollywood sensational exploitation. Michael Shannon’s role as the killer Richard Kuklinski makes Clint Eastwood look like David Terrazas or Ben Stiller.

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE. Pierce Brosnan has a very fake accent in the beginning of this “sequel to Mamma Mia”. There are some nicely done sensitive moments, some poorly done comic attempts, and it’s a very sweet film. The female lead Trine Dyrholm is a genuine delight to watch. A definite feel good film, and that’s not all bad in today’s world.

SOMETHING IN THE AIR.A film aboutParis students revolting fast and furiously in 1971 France. It has a lot of heart and some confusing politics (for us Americans) and the plot twists, turns and gets lost. It needs a focus, a dramatic point,. You’ll leave the theatre saying “huh?”.

FAST AND FURIOUS 6.The editing and cuts don’t make sense and I’ll bet they made this film by figuring how many car flips, exploding buildings, leaps from trucks and tee shirt muscle groups they could fit into 2 hours. After that, they put some words in between and that was the plot. It’s a good F & F if you like F & F. It’s like; this is a good MacDonald’s Burger if you like Mac Donald’s Burgers.

LEONARD NIMOY TALKS”STAR TREK” FOR 15 MINUTES.

HOLDOVERS -WORTH SEEING IN THEATERS

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

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

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

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

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

THE COMPANY YOU KEEP. What a cast! Jackie Evancho (don’t worry she doesn’t sing…but she acts like it!) plays Robert Redford’s youngest daughter. Julie Christie and Redford fight in a botox battle, Susan Sarandon has just a little part, and every other Hollywood democrat liberal you’ve heard of is in it too. AND it’s a fine Hollywood film. Full of just enough ethics, politics, facts and fiction to make it a fine film.

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE GET TOGETHERS.Make plans now to see Helen Mirren as The Queen in London’s National Theatre Live telecast Sunday morning June 16 at 10:30 a.m. Santa Cruz audiences are growing fast for these theatrical treats. On 6/16 the Osher Lifelong learners group will be attending this screening…join them for some entertaining discussions before, during and after the telecast at the Del Mar.

COSI FAN TUTTI, THE OPERA. Mozart’s Heavenly Music.Da Ponte’s Comic Libretto.Disguised Lovers. Jealousy. Entrapment. Così fan tutte (“They’re All Like That”) Brian Staufenbiel and Nicole Paiement Direct Student Performers in

Annual Spring Opera at UC Santa Cruz.Live opera is a rare thing in this age of cinematic HD presentations. Not so at UC Santa Cruz, where every spring the UCSC Music Department produces a fully staged, fully costumed opera with live orchestra in the pit and student singers.The award-winning UCSC Opera Theatre has presented numerous diverse operas over the years, including Mark Adamo’s Little Women (winner of the 2012 National Opera Association’s “Opera Production Award”), Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love, Menotti’s The Consul, and Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. The dynamic producing/directing team of UCSC faculty members Brian Staufenbiel and Nicole Paiement — who also wow San Francisco audiences with cutting-edge contemporary operas with their work at Opera Parallèle — work closely all year long with UC Santa Cruz students to present productions of operas in their original languages.

May 30 – June 2, 2013

Thursday-Friday-Saturday: 7:30PM. Sunday matinee: 2:00PM.

Music Center Recital Hall UC Santa Cruz

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are archived…(see next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. On May 21st City Council person Micah Posner talks about the May 23 money and politics forum. Then Sheriff Phil Wowak discusses what his job entails. Judge Paul Burdick returns on May 28 to talk about our court system. After that Gillian Greensite discusses Santa Cruz’s Heritage Trees. and On June 4th Davis Banta & April Bennett talk about SideReal Theatre followed by Joan Antwerp talking more about local theatre. On June 11th The Winners of Bookshop Santa Cruz’s Short Story Contest read their stories. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always at bratton@cruzio.com

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES.In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 5 years here’s a chronological list of just this year’s podcasts. Click herehttp://kzsc.org/blog/tag/universal-grapevine then tap on “listen here” to hear any or all of them… all over again. The update includes Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson-Darrow, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Conpany. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011. Hear them all!!!

QUOTES. “Sometimes Nothing is a real cool hand“, Luke, in Cool Hand Luke. “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye“, Antoine De St. Exupery (the Little Prince). “People think love is an emotion. Love is good sense”, Ken Kesey.

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Santa Cruz, CA 95060

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BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

Posted in Weekly Articles | Comments Off on May 28 – June 3, 2013