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.

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.

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.

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

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

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?

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.

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.

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 7^th annual Grapevine Birthday appearance occurs on June 25^th, 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

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

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 7^th 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.

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 13^th, 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.

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.

“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 11^th The Winners of Bookshop Santa Cruz’s Short Story Contest read their stories. County Supervisor Neal Coonerty’s 7^th annual Grapevine Birthday appearance occurs on June 25^th. 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

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!

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 30^TH 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.

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.

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 4^th 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 11^th The Winners of Bookshop Santa Cruz’s Short Story Contest read their stories. County Supervisor Neal Coonerty’s 7^th annual Grapevine Birthday appearance occurs on June 25^th. 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.

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!

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.

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

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 21^st 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 4^th Davis Banta & April Bennett talk about SideReal Theatre followed by Joan Antwerp talking more about local theatre. On June 11^th 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.

MORE ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE LOCAL LOGGING. Again back in the 1890’s these loggers probably used the same justifications for their clear-cutting as our local foresters do today. What would Santa Cruz County look like IF someone prevented this “selective forestry”? photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 21^st 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 4^th Davis Banta & April Bennett talk about SideReal Theatre followed by Joan Antwerp talking more about local theatre. On June 11^th 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.

HISTORIC “CLEAR CUTTING” PLUS. Dating around 1900 these hard working guys felled everything that vintage “selective harvesting” would allow. We are living in the heritage of those timber practices. I have no clue where in our mountains this epic photo was taken…and it sure is impressive. photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

DOUBLE ISSUE.Constant readers of BrattonOnline know that Gunilla Leavitt (owner of The Golden Fleece Yarn Shop (http://thegoldenfleece.com ) and husband Thomas Leavitt (former city council candidate) work hard every week to get this column online. It’s been 10 great years that we’ve been online. As we’ve all become accustomed to…. the internet system broke down last week…there was no BrattonOnline!. Even if you went online to Google (as many of you , and me too did) there was no link to BrattonOnline. A server problem I’m told. So anyways stuff is back to operating “normally”. I’ve up-dated last week’s bits and pieces and edited accordingly. Sorry about that, and thanks for all your inquiries. Please try subscribing again. That too screws up a lot and subscribers get lost to the ether. It’s the only way you can keep up with the changing days (or nights) that Gunilla can get this all online and running. Thanks again…and still.

THE GOOD OLD LA BAHIA BOUNCE BACK. Sunday morning’s Sentinel had a real headline when they related Craig French & Charlie Canfield’s new plans for La Bahia. It’ll take a while and more than a Sentinel article to understand what’s happening.

So none of us need to take positions just yet on what it really means. I asked Don Webber of the La Bahia neighborhood what he really thinks…he said and I quote..

“Supporters of the previous (Swenson) design sometimes assume that the problems with it could be boiled down to one word: height. That’s because the City amended the zoning law to accommodate proposed increased building heights.

However, nearby neighbors (and others) were critical of the massing and absence of setbacks and view corridors as much as (and maybe more than) the increased building heights. The California Coastal Commission was critical of these elements as well. They judged the proposed development to be visually incompatible with the surrounding area based on all of these elements, not just the building heights”.

“We continue to believe that it makes a lot of sense to develop this property within the existing zoning law, and we believe in this site for hotel use. We look forward to a great new hotel for our main beachfront. We look forward to meeting with Craig French in the hope that we can help shape a development that works for everybody.”

COUNTY SUPES CHANGING OUR TIMBER HARVEST LAWS. ( PART ONE) I asked Jodi Frediani ( Forestry Consultant Loma Prieta Chapter, Sierra Club and Director of the Central Coast Forest Watch) what the recent 3 to 2 vote by our Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on AB 904, the Working Forest Management Plan Bill really meant. The main reason I was curious is because John Leopold and Bruce McPherson were on the same side and were the two votes opposing the bill.

She wrote…”AB 904, the Working Forest Management Plan Bill, is another gift of regulatory relief to timberland owners. This bill would provide a vehicle for landowners of up to 15,000 acres to get a single permit, good forever, to harvest their forests. Neighbors would lose the right to comment on, or receive notice of future logging, and this bill takes away more of the little power counties still have to oversee logging operations.

Our County would lose the ability to review or appeal future harvests on these properties as well as any amendments to the plan, including the addition of new acreage, change in harvest methods, and use of helicopters. Forever is a long time.

Voice your opposition to Assembly members Mark Stone and Bill Monning.

COUNTY SUPES AND TIMBER HARVEST LAWS. (PART TWO). Jodi was kind, very kind, and wrote more on this issue. She wrote such statements as…”So ten years down the line, 20 years on, the owner conducts his logging operation, and the neighbors find out by hearing the sound of chain saws, and the rumble of loaded log trucks.

“And there are other identified problems with NTMPs including lack of adequate protection for endangered and listed species, over-cutting rather than meeting sustained yield requirements, damage to streams and water quality”. Plus, “in exchange for giving up the little power we have left regarding timber harvest operations”. “What may be good for Mendocino or Humboldt Counties is not good for Santa Cruz. As Supervisor’s Leopold and McPherson voted, Santa Cruz and the southern sub-district should be excluded from AB 904. Forever, is a long time”.. It’s an excellent critique on our timber issue…. read all of it here [expanding link, click again to collapse]

MONEY & POLITICS FORUM.There have been discussions, battles, fist fights and more for decades over the amount of money spent on local, state, and national political campaigns. There’s a forum happening in two weeks we should all attend, especially our Santa Cruz City Council members who refuse to limit their campaign spending.

It’s titled, “Forum: Democracy for the Rest of Us…Leveling the playing field in national, state, and local politics“. The sponsors are: Freedom Forum, CALPIRG, UCSC Democrats and Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom (WILPF)

The Keynote Speaker is Derek Cressman of Common Cause, speaking on “Across the U.S.: getting money out of politics”, Austin Price of CALPIRG and Overturning Citizens United. Nancy Abbey of WILPF about, “Increasing transparency in elections with the CA Disclose Act”, Chris Finnie of Move to Amend – Santa Cruz speaks on
“Corporations are not people and money is not speech”. Micah Posner, Santa Cruz City Councilmember on Public Campaign Finance in Santa Cruz. The moderator is Manu Koenig of Civinomics. For More Info or to arrange childcare please Contact Stacey at 421-9367 or staceyffalls@yahoo.com . It’ll happen 7:00 PM, NEXT THURSDAY May 23, 2013 Santa Cruz High School Auditorium. Find out what you can do! It’s time for action!! Let’s get big money out of politics!!! As they say.

HERITAGE TREES. Gillian Greensite wrote a fine summary about what’s happening to our Heritage Trees :

HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCE…. REVISIONS: 2013.

The S.C. City council will soon vote on a set of revisions to the current Heritage Tree Ordinance (HTO) which was last revised in 1994. The revisions gut the HTO of its standing as law to protect the urban forest. They replace the first 3 pages, which provide the rationale for urban forest protection, with a new chapter 9.56.001 entitled “Purpose.” This new chapter is subtle in its shifts but it essentially places private property rights ahead of public policy on heritage trees. Emergency is redefined as an “imminent” rather than an “immediate” danger. The current ordinance allows removal of big trees only if they are impacting the structural integrity of a building or are a danger. The revised grounds for removal are broadened to include allergies; objectionable insects; “unreasonable” financial burden and other subjective categories. The revisions loosen the protection under new construction with the following change (in bold): a heritage tree can be removed if, “a project design cannot reasonably be altered to accommodate existing heritage trees.”

The revisions take blue gum eucalyptus and all acacia out of protection. The blue gum is one of the largest and oldest of tree species in our urban forest. Song birds, honey bees and butterflies depend on this species for over wintering and survival. Big trees sequester the most carbon. The revisions include no environmental review of the impacts of taking these big trees out of protection. Re-planting is not adequate to compensate for the loss. The appeal process is changed so that most tree appeals will fall under the Planning Dept. rather than Parks & Rec. The cost to appeal a city permit for heritage tree removal under Planning is $1,000 if that appeal goes to council. Current cost under Parks is $50.If you want to check out the proposed revisions to the HTO contact the Parks and Rec. Dept. or Planning. Ask for a copy of the original 1994 edition to so you can see the changes in proper context“. Gillian Greensite

LYDON ROAST NEWS.It was a grand evening at “The Roasting of Sandy Lydon”. Last Friday night (5/10) at the Cocoanut Grove Ballroom. The Roasters were such luminaries as Sheriff Phil Wowak, Judge Bill Kelsay, author Geoffrey Dunn, Business guy and publisher George Ow, Mike Rotkin and Madelyn McCaul, Seymour Marine Sciences Director Gary Griggs and Assemblyman Mark Stone were all there and roasting, but mostly toasting. I helped organize the event and did my share of roasting with back-up humming by Nikki Silva, Katherine Minott and Rachel Hill. It was sponsored by the Capitola-Aptos Rotary. You can see, and sense more of the event by the fine coverage from Brad Cava’s Santa Cruz PATCH. Go here for it…

PACIFIC AVENUE BREEZES. One rarely mentioned fact is that if, just if, Santa Cruz ever does get de-sal water it’ll be the Westside that gets it 100%.Ever taste de-sal water? Folks who have tell me there’s a genuine miserable and lingering difference between de-sal and the real thing. It’s only a rumor that Nina Simon is planning on giving birth in MAH’s Atrium as part of an exhibit called “Everything’s Art”. Besides that, she probably isn’t naming the baby “Art” anyways. Speaking of drinking too much de-sal water, about two weeks ago I watched from the porch at Lulu’s Octagon while Bill Kocher walked out of Laili’s Restaurant after his luncheon date there. He complete forgot his sport jacket only to be chased seconds later going east on Cooper Street by the alert waitress. I asked him about it , he said it was the first time it ever happened (that he remembers!)….Only eagle eyed film goers noted that Downtown Chip was cut out of the Nick-Del Mar trailers advertising Chocolate, the restaurant. Other cinema buffs cheer or jeer every time they see that other Nick trailer where Ryan Coonerty gives his keys to the city to that spacey man,” Too Late” they sing in unison.. Susan Hillhouse Leask former art curator at MAH is going onward to curatea lot more art at The San Jose

Museum of Art or “SJMA” which is tough to pronounce.The SJMA website says they exist “for a growing permanent art collection, impressive international exhibitions, and an ambitious mission that bridges tradition and innovation” That’s not bad either.

A MOTION TO TABLE. Why and how come our newly focused & “economic driven” City Council replace the four or more sets of tables and chairs that vanished from the parkette with doggie statue between The Del Mar and New Leaf Grocery. How can we attract tourists and business downtown and have no place to sit??? It looks terrible..Tsk, Tsk, and shame.

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary says on his KUSP program, that greenhouse gases are being studied by our educational institutions…He says that it’s not only land but water and stream issues that need planning. He talks about the Ocean Street Area Plan and the Coastal Watershed Council tour..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 teenagers…they never change! Scroll down a few pages.

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Check out Tim’s take on Sequestration…and ponder. Then (being a Double column) check out his latest prayer to the almighty…See below a bit…

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul Landau states, »Birth Defects U.S. Legacy in Iraq »

Amidst other things he says, “It’s almost amusing (like watching vampire films) when U.S. officials brag about how wonderful our country is, and how the rest of the world should take lessons from us on democracy (don’t count the vote in Florida – Gore v. Bush), the rule of law (and human rights at Guantanamo Base). If law had meaning in the USA, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney would stand trial after a law enforcement officer had cuffed them and read charges against them for having committed war crimes and other major felonies (like murder and torture) against Iraqis and citizens of other countries”

Saul closes with, “Those screaming for war with Iran should study the results of the last war before sending more death and destruction to that oily region we depend upon, but cannot control. As we mourn for the dead in Boston, let us remember those we continue to kill in Iraq, babies who don’t deserve defects to accompany their birth, defects that derive from U.S. residual weapons contaminating their environment. Who takes responsibility”? 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: “Moms get a sweet deal at the 6th Annual Art & Chocolate Mothers Day art tour, and Laurie King leads a Mysterious Regiment of Women in a panel on crime fiction and theology, this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). Also—enjoy the tall tale that is Mud, and the entertaining hooey of Iron Man 3, and find out what I have in common with Woody Allen and Ebenezer Scrooge. ” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

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 7^th Rebecca Jackson provides details on her Music In May concert. She’s followed by Fred Keeley our out-going County Treasurer talking about his job. May 14^th is when we’ll learn about Lifespan from Saundie Isaak then Pat Lerman is coming from Aromas to tell us what’s happening on the Fracking scene in her neck of the shale.

Micah Posner talks about the May 23 money and politics forum on the May 21 G’Vine. Judge Paul Burdick returns on May 28 to talk about our court system. On June 4^th Davis Banta & April Bennett talk about SideReal Theatre followed by Joan Antwerp talking more about local theatre. On June 11^th 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. “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’, Robin Williams.

“In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours”, Mark Twain. “Isn’t it sad to go to your grave without ever wondering why you were born? Who, with such a thought, would not spring from bed, eager to resume discovering the world and rejoicing to be part of it?”, Richard Dawkins

CHUCK ABBOTT & FRIENDS PLANTING A TREE, June 3, 1965. I have no idea who the other folks in this photo are. But it’s Chuck Abbott caring how “his downtown” looks by planting a tree in the front yard of his Lincoln street home. The tree is still there. Chuck and his wife did more for beautifying our community than anyone I can think of. photo credit: editor’s photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

SAVE THOSE TREES. Saving those 4 very tall and healthy Canary Island pine trees at 918 Center Street across from The Goodwill Store and the 1001 Art Center may well be a decision between what’s more important… a 1942 Streamline Moderne stucco Dental Office or the trees. It appears so far that the City thinks buildings have priority over the trees.Speaking of which, it’ll be interesting to see if the Downtown Association and the Chamber of Commerce get involved because this sure has an impact on the overall beauty and uniqueness of our Downtown. Remember the Spain’s Canary Island Tenerife is where our Sister City Santa Cruz de Tenerife is located!!!

Former Mayor and City Council person Chris Krohn said,” So I filed the appeal to save the trees. They accepted my check for $50 and they said it was unclear when the Parks and Rec. Commission would meet to hear it. They told me it CAN NOT be on their next agenda…and they have been meeting every two months, so it might not be for awhile. The bright side is that the trees have a few more days, weeks, months (?) to live. I am pretty certain had not one appealed the trees would have been cut immediately”. Krohn added, “In filing this appeal, I am citing Sec. 9.65.040 of the Santa Cruz Heritage Tree Ordinance (a), (b) (1), (c) (1), (3), (5). These four 80-foot pine trees are healthy. They are uniquely beautiful and distinctive. These trees are a significant visual resource in this downtown neighborhood. In addition, there is insufficient documented factual information to support a finding that the structural integrity of the building at 918 Center Street requires removal of all 4 trees”

EXPERT OPINIONS ON THOSE PINES ON CEDAR STREET. Gillian Greensite has been studying and working hard for many years to preserve the really special trees in our community. I asked her for some words on these and our other Santa Cruz Heritage Trees. She wrote, “Santa Cruz seems the sort of town that would want to protect and preserve its big trees. After all, we have a Heritage Tree Ordinance, have been a Tree City USA for a number of years and have many people who profess to care deeply about the natural environment. But when it comes to protecting our heritage trees, it is more image than reality”.

Consider the following data: last year, 2012, the city Parks & Recreation Department and the city Planning Department approved permit applications to cut down 175 heritage trees. Only 13 were denied. That was a typical year according to the city arborist who supplied the data. So in the past decade, the city has approved the cutting down of approximately 1,750 heritage trees. This does not include heritage trees cut down illegally without a permit. Add to this figure, the numbers from 1995-2,000. According to the spreadsheets from the city arborist of that time, 2,350 heritage trees were approved for cutting down out of a possible 2,500 applied for. For anyone who loves trees, these figures are staggering! The four heritage Canary Island pine trees at Center and Union Streets, recently permitted for removal, are just the latest in a long line of city-sponsored heritage tree eradication”.

Gillian has a lot more to say. She talks about the weakening of the tree ordinance, how the city hires experts to assist in tree removal, and you can

read it here…

She concludes by saying…” Unless there is a huge outpouring of support to save our last big trees, it is likely the council will support the revised ordinance. If that happens, the city of Santa Cruz will have a future skyline devoid of big trees, devoid of many bird species and a lot more carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. If you are keen to help in this effort, email me at gumtree@pacbell.net. There is a local group called “Save Our Big Trees!” whose numbers need swelling to be effective. It’s really up to you.

On the other hand Judy Steen who has worked just as hard to save our historic buildings, says save the 1942 Historic Streamline Moderne Building! She told me (over the phone) that both the trees and Christie’s Dental office were both planted and built about 60 years ago. She says that Canary Island Pines usually last between 50 and 150 years, so these trees are ½ way there, and that it’s probably the roots that are undermining the Dental Building, not so much the limbs or girth.

KUSP STALWART IN HOSPICE. Dale Owen, a very essential part of KUSP over many decades is in Hospice Care. It was sudden, according to Johnny Simmons. It’s not easy to visit or communicate with Dale right now, but try 831-325-9649 or gjs@cruzio.com

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary talks about items like DOGGR and fracking in Salinas Valley. He relates items such as water problems allaround our Central Coast. He tells of Fort Ord horse racing plans and Veterans opposing concepts. He ends with news about our City Planning Commission meeting this Thursday (5/2)

Go here for the rest…

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. The Rolling Stones can’t really be touring again…ha, but they are ! See vintage DeCinzo’s take on it, just a scroll downwards.

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Tim jumps in and looks at the all too present Rage…see a few pages below.

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul Landau writes, “US Cuba Policy is Fruitless, Stupid, Mean and Cruel”. He states, “In their 54-year-old effort to bring down Cuba’s revolutionary government and restore obedience in our Caribbean neighbor, U.S. officials have compiled a spectacular record of failure, overshadowed only by the determination to persist in their pursuit of wrongheaded polices, further damaging U.S. interests”. He ends his article with….” Washington has forced 52 plus years of broken relations on Cuba, combined with a tough embargo to punish Cuba’s people. Indeed, U.S. presidents have tried to dislodge Cuba’s government in every way short of direct military invasion. Fruitless, stupid, mean and cruel policies simply do not work in our national interest!” Read all of it here… Saul Landau is an Institute for Policy Studies fellow whose films are on DVD from roundworldproductions@gmail.com

HBO GREAT UNKNOWN DRAMA SERIES. “Praemar” is the name of an original drama series that takes place on the beaches of Rio de Janiero. “The series follows the story of João Ricardo Velasco, a successful businessman that lost everything in the financial market. The only thing left is his beachfront apartment in “Ipanema”. Drugs, thongs, mobsters, more thongs, plus murder and it’s all in Portuguese (English Subtitles) Its 13 episodes are available in hour long stories free, now through July. Read Wikipedia about it…

PINTER PLAYS AT THE JEWEL THEATRE. If you like good live performances of good plays go see the two Harold Pinter Plays being jointly presented by Shakespeare Santa Cruz and The Jewel Theatre. The Lover (1962) is part comedy and part drama. It’s about love, marriage, commitment, the roles we play in our relationships, British class structure…and it’s good fun too. One For The Road (1984) is totally a political 2 person story centering on human rights. It deals with rape, murder, verbal abuse and it’s Pinter at his serious best. Paul Whitworth, Julie James, Marco Barricelli, Mike Ryan and Cristina Anselmo are all involved and are excellent. See it, you won’t see any better plays and performances in Santa Cruz.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “Celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday month with my Five Fave Bard-Worthy adaptations of his life and work, discover some persons of Pinterest in the new Jewel Theatre Company/Shakespeare Santa Cruz co-production, and find out why I’m doing the happy dance 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

FILMS (IN DESCENDING ORDER…)

DISCONNECT. This from Rotten Tomatoes… “Murderball director Henry Alex Rubin explores the destructive potential of the internet in this ensemble drama starring Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, and Alexander 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. It’ll probably be at the Nick just one week, so go quickly, don’t blame them if it’s gone when you get around to it.

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.

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. Read this Wikipedia article on what really happened with SDS and the Weathermen. Read about how they left out the Timothy Leary and the Chicago 7 story and how they actually bombed Federal buildings and then go see the film.

PAIN AND GAIN.This is a dumb film about dumb people. To justify making such a dumb film the credits say it’s based on a true story. Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and also Ed Harris add gross and cruel humor to this tasteless, unfunny attempt at showing us how ignorant people cope with life. Take a nap instead.

42. THE JACKIE ROBINSON STORY, PART 10. 42 is another genuine Hollywood film bio, that goes over all the same old sad story and adds Harrison Ford at his heavy “Andy Devine” hammiest. Why didn’t they tell how Jackie gave up baseball and became an exec on the Chock Full O’ Nuts Board of directors? Or how he was in favor of the Vietman war, supported Nixon over JFK,? Again, go to Wikipedia and check him out… In addition Jackie and I went to the same John Muir High School- Junior College in Pasadena. His picture was on the wall, but we were 20 years apart.

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.

Julie James talks aboutthe excellent Harold Pinter One Act plays at The Jewel Theatre on April 30, followed by UCSC’s Chris Wilmers discussing the research they are doing on Pumas. On May 7^th Rebecca Jackson provides details on her Music In May concert. She’s followed by Fred Keeley our out-going County Treasurer talking about his job. Pat Lerman is coming from Aromas to tell us what’s happening on the Fracking scene in her neck of the shale on May 14^th. Do remember, any and all suggestions and requests 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.

“What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another,” Mahatma Gandhi. “The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. Some see nature all ridicule and deformity… and some scarce see nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself, “ William Blake. “God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools”, John Muir

“NEW” HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPH. These four “heritage” or historical trees could be killed if Dentist Bill Christie has his way. They are very prominently located at 918 Center Street at the intersection of Center Street and Union Street across from The Goodwill Store. UCSC almost always goes to great trouble to preserve trees and has built many structures in and around trees. Doc Christie should do the same. photo credit: editor’s photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

SAVING IMPORTANT DOWNTOWN TREES.

Wondering where our “urban canopy” (formerly known as trees) is going? Me too. It is phenomenal, and frankly unconscionable, that so many trees, “heritage trees” as defined in the city ordinance 9.56, have been demolished in our fair city over the past five years. (If you know of any please send me a before and after picture.) There was a time we were trying to achieve “Tree City USA” status, up there with the City of Davis, Calif.. Now we are vying for an infamous place on the “Stump City USA” site.

The most remarkable event of attempted tree murder is currently underway. The dentist, Bill Christie, has applied and received a permit to cut down four large, healthy, and by the looks of it, happy pine trees in front of his office at 918 Center Street, across from the Goodwill store (see picture below). Please go by and check out the trees and let Dr. Christie know how much they mean to you. If you want to appeal these Heritage trees go to the Parks and Recreation office, pay $50 and fill out the form. You will have until 5pm on April 25th (that’s THIS THURSDAY!) to file the form. But maybe a nice conversation with Dr. Christie can avoid this disaster in the making. Besides that, if all of Christie’s patients told everyone else who wants to save the trees to go to other more environmentally minded dentists, he’ll probably feel bad.

DE-SAL, THE CITIZENS FIGHTING THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, THE CITY MANAGER AND THEIR STAFF.

As oft and previously mentioned, I write these columns early Monday mornings. It takes that long to get them posted online. Rick Longinotti, leader of the battle to make sense of what we as a City and County need to know about buying into a de-salination system wrote this during the week. He titled it, “Beyond Curtailment” It applies to the City Council meeting on April 23…but the battle will go on long after this Tuesday.

“On Tuesday, April 23, the Santa Cruz City Council will consider a recommendation from the Water Department to implement a Stage 1 drought curtailment, intended to result in a 5% drop in water consumption during the dry season. The Water Department estimates that this modest reduction in water use will result in a Loch Lomond Reservoir level of 75% at the end of the dry season on October 1st. We think this reservoir level borders on too risky. Desal Alternatives has recommended a target of at least 80% reservoir capacity on October 1st, in order to be prepared should the next winter be critically dry. That means we need to conserve more than 5% this summer.

INVENTING HISTORY. Sandy Lydon was my guest on Universal Grapevine last March 5th. This is us at KZSC just before going on-air to pull off another Pledge Drive. We were not talking about his Roast that’s happening Friday, May 10th at The Cocoanut Grove.

Why wouldn’t the Water Department ask for a higher level of conservation this summer, just to be safe? One contributing factor may be the unpleasant task of policing water restrictions. “We don’t want to have a water-police state,” is how one official put it. To offer an alternative to an authoritarian approach to water conservation, we reprint an excerpt from “Beyond Curtailment”, which was part of an 18 page set of recommendations on alternatives to desalination we submitted to the City in 2011. One public office holder who enjoys keeping his lawn green told me that he would rather be allocated an amount of water in accordance with the community’s drought constraints, and decide himself on how to achieve that goal, rather than have to follow various rules on how to use water”. –Rick Longinotti. Go to www.DesalAlternatives.org to see where you stand in our battle against City Hall.

CABRILHO’S SOCIAL JUSTICE CONFERENCE. Linda Burman-Hall co-organizer of the conference sent this report…

“Cabrillo College’s 7th Annual Social Justice Conference (4-20-13) brought together a wide spectrum of people from all continents, all socio-economic and educational backgrounds, and all gender and religious orientations into an intense and productive dialogue on local, regional and global topics ranging from agriculture and food justice to prison arts to transgendered visibility and much more.

The conference opened with an indigenous blessing by Ohlone-Rumsen elder Lloyd Rodriguez and a welcome from Cabrillo Governing Board Trustee Margarita Cortez. An inspiring keynote address was given by the renowned political activist Bettina Aptheker of UCSC’s Feminist Studies Department. Since Cabrillo College has just launched a new Social Justice Journal, the principal honorees at the luncheon reception included the SJJ’s production team (editor Yaming Shen and many volunteers), Melanie Stern, the widow of civil rights activist Tony Hill (in whose memory the first SJJ issue was dedicated), and Shirley Ancheta, the widow of nationally-known Filipino poet and

Cabrillo writing instructor Jeff Tagami (in whose memory the second SJJ issue will be dedicated). The closing ceremonies featured a high-energy multi-sensory ‘Kinesthetic Learning Program’ highlighting numerous social justice issues through poetry, dance and theater, with Cabrillo Dance faculty Yasmina Porter and members of UCSC’s Rainbow Theater, among many other multi-cultural talents”.

THE SEX LIFE OF DOLPHINS!!! Muralist Peter Bartczak recently moved back to Santa Cruz and almost immediately landed a commission to paint some murals at Vallejo’s Six Flags Park. He writes, “The advantage of working on two 200’x20′ backdrops for the dolphin shows at the Sea World at Vallejo’s Six Flags is going behind the scenes with the trainers and having a one on one with the dolphins (not the sports team). They are so smart and happy – the dolphins, too. Their skin/hide/whatever feels like very thick plastic, stuffed. They weigh about 500 pounds, can be up to 9 feet long, and are worth about $500,000 each. They don’t have to perform if they don’t want to. Supposedly, they’re like high school kids – everything changes all of the time – who loves who, who has broken up, who’s popular, etc. They’re supposed to be real sex fiends, which ruined my high minded impression about them. Isn’t it a little weird to have a mammal living in water? Or is that just me?”

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary talks about Aromas being a fracking target and how Assemblyman Luis Alejo didn’t vote at all on the bill to increase The Coastal Commission’s enforcement potential. Assemblyman Mark Stone did vote for it, as you’d expect. Gary talks some more about UCSC and their invulnerability to land use controls. He states, “The University of California at Santa Cruz is not subject to local land use controls. Local General Plans and zoning restrictions don’t apply to lands owned by the University of California. Instead of being subject to local land use authority, the University follows a Long Range Development Plan (or LRDP) adopted by the University Regents. The Long Range Development Plan for the Santa Cruz campus proposes a very significant expansion of development into the “North” or “Upper” Campus area, an area that was previously set aside as a natural reserve.

This plan has always been controversial, both on campus and in the community, and no actual implementation of the plan has yet occurred. If you would like to see what all the discussion is about, you might want to go on one of the “Forest Walks” that are being held over the next couple of months. These “Forest Walks” are intended to give members of both the campus community and the larger community a chance to see for themselves exactly what is at stake. Tomorrow evening, for instance, “Cosmic” Joe Jordan of NASA and the SETI Institute will guide what he is calling a “Walk Through The Universe,” taking place on the North Campus, but especially exploring the sky. The walk begins at the North Remote Parking Lot at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 25^th. A full moon is promised! You can get more information at kusp.org/landuse. Or Facebook Group – Save Upper Campus

Forest Walks Flyer – Facebook Group

UCSC – Long Range Resistance

UCSC Campus Map – Parking Lot Locations

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. Steven dealt with violence in our schools a long time ago. Scroll downwards…

EAGANS DEEP COVER. I’m now caught up on Eagan’s shots across the bow…this is his real reaction to “The Skies Will Burn“, (as mentioned last week). See below.

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul writes, « Obamas Syria Horror. In this week’s articlehe says, “President Obama has fueled Syria’s civil war flames and lied to Congress about his “modest” role in that conflict. Between 2002 and 2007, I visited Syria four times. I drove through the fertile valleys that parallel the Mediterranean coast, and to the Golan Heights’ barbed-wired border with Israel. Obama feigned outraged when the media reported chemical weapons use in Syria. Did he forget the tons of Agent Orange U.S. planes dropped on Vietnam, when he warned Assad against even thinking of using chemical weapons? Syria had actually accused the rebels of using the chemicals, which Washington dismissed without investigating. Syrian rebels, however, admitted they had used chemical weapons to kill 16 Syrian government soldiers and 10 civilians. The rebels then claimed the government had accidentally bombed themselves with those chemicals. Obama has not responded to claims of rebel atrocities against the Syrian population. Why should Washington get so invested in the Syrian war? To weaken Iran, Syria’s ally, and strengthen NATO’s sordid Middle East partners? In his quest to overthrow the Assad government, Obama has focused exclusively on the strategy “to weaken Iran’s strategic position, and incite a movement to spark the Islamic Republic’s overthrow.” Read all of Saul here… Saul Landau is an Institute for Policy Studies fellow whose films are on DVD from roundworldproductions@gmail.com

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “Step into an Impressionistic painting in Renoir, visit a bleak, dystopian future (is there any other kind?) in Oblivion, and discover what a “full flat” is in publishing lingo 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.

OBLIVION.In spite of all his jerky ways, I still enjoy watching Tom Cruise make adventure films .Actually; he’s made several excellent non-action films too. Oblivion seems to be about how Thetans came to earth andtook their e-meters to kill almost everybody. Only L.Ron Cruise could save them etc, etc. No, I jest, but if you aren’t tired of sci-fi earth survivors like cigar-smoking Morgan Freeman vs. the awful invaders from somewhere, go see it, I liked it more than I should have.

UPSTREAM COLOR.The first viewer to figure out this film should win something. So far no one has deciphered any part of it. It’s sort of aboutleeches, tapeworms, your intestinal track, true love, sperm, and lots of maggots. Here’s a link, but all it shows are pigs, escalators, and what looks like a plot but it really isn’t. Only go IF you’ve seen everything else.

RENOIR. It should have been titled “Sundays with The Renoirs” or more accurately Very Dull Sundays with The Renoirs”. Renoir actor Michel Bouquet looks so much like local painter Will Saar it was stunning. Dull, and rich, old Auguste Renoir just keeps painting and dealing with his women servants, his luscious models, and of course his famous film director son Jean. They should have focused on the son and his film techniques. It’s a beautiful film but blah and so what?

TO THE WONDER. Even with his local Santa Cruz connections Terrence Malick doesn’t deliver any message in this mess of a film. Ben Affleck stumbles around like he’s waiting for a script to arrive. Olga Kurlenko who is perfect in Oblivion with Tom Cruise just keeps spinning around a lot. Everybody like Rachel McAdams also spins around in this vague guess at art. Javier Bardem is in it too and even he can’t bring any focus to whatever it is Malick tried to accomplish. It’s a terrible, artsy, ego-driven waste.

2 PINTER PLAYS @ JEWEL THEATRE.
The Jewel Theatre Company is doing a collaborative production with Shakespeare Santa Cruz running from April 25-May 19^th. (that’s 4 weekends!!). Two Harold Pinter one-acts – ONE FOR THE ROAD directed by Marco Barricelli and starring Paul Whitworth, and THE LOVER directed by Julie James and starring Mike Ryan. Advance word has it that these are genuine Pinter Plays. One for The Road is, “This powerful drama is a mesmerizing, terrifying, and brilliantly organized piece of theatre that will resonate long after the play is over”. The Lover is, “Sexy, unsettling and funny, this play sheds creative new light on the world of the paramour”. Go to http://www.jeweltheatre.net/santa-cruz-performing-arts-Road-archive.php

Or call 425-7506 for tickets.

PIANIST ANG LI TO PERFORM CONCERT. Ang Li is ranked among the top 30 pianists in the world by The 2009 Cliburn Competition. She has appeared at Carnegie Hall in New York, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C., and at The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York.

Piano Recital 8 PM. She’ll play Mozart’s Sonata in C, K. 330, Schumann’s “Scenes from Childhood”, Debussy’s Preludes, Liadov‘s “The Music Box”, Granados “Allegro de Concierto and Chopin‘s Polonaise No. 6 in A-Flat Major “Heroic”. Saturday, April 27, First Congregational Church 900 High St. Santa Cruz.

Tickets at Brown Paper Tickets, here

Information at www.distinguishedartists.org & www.anglipiano.com or call 831-539-0000.

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 April 23 Jennifer Colby talks about The Reel Work Film Festival and environmental activist Pat Matecjek returns to bring us up to date. Julie James talks about Harold Pinter One Act plays at The Jewel Theatre on April 30, followed by UCSC’s Chris Wilmers discussing the research they are doing on Pumas. .Do remember, any and all suggestions and requests 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. “Friendship and money: oil and water”, Mario Puzo. “I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it”, W. C. Fields “Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all”, Nelson Mandela

RONALD REAGAN AT THE CIVIC AUDITORIUM. This was taken October 8, 1966 when he was running for Governor of California against Pat Brown. Brown was trying for a third term after having to deal with the Watts riots and UC Berkeley anti-Vietnam demonstrations. photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

SANDY LYDON ROAST. The Capitola Aptos Rotary stages a fund raiser every year, and does some fine things with the funds they raise. This year six of us are going to do a Roast of historian and good friend Sandy Lydon at the Cocoanut Grove. Gary Griggs, Geoffrey Dunn, Bill Kelsay, George Ow, Phil Wowak and yours truly are revealing stuff about Sandy that few humans ever imagined. Check out his History Dude site at www.SandyLydon.com. It’ll tell you about his nearly legendary trips and hikes to places like The Rio Carmelo, China, Cambria, and naturally his Monterey Bay walks, plus “new” material on area fracking!! But the Roast will be very different from all that, I promise you. Read about the roast and see if any tickets are left… It will happen Friday, May 10 at 6 P.M. I’ll save you a seat.

BIHN WAS BACK. Tom Bihn used to sit creating and sewing backpacks in his little shop on Locust Street across from the parking ticket window way back starting in the 70’s. Now he runs a 30 employee factory in Washington State and advertises in the New Yorker. We’re old friends and over a Palomar lunch got to laughing and reminiscing about them early Santa Cruz political days. (Tom convinced me to get appointed to the Downtown Committee) We got to mutually missing The Resource Center’s Doug Rand and how influential and how funny he was. Tom told me a great story about how he and Doug almost fooled the BART station in Fremont. Ask me the next time we’re together, and I’ll tell you about it. Tom still hasn’t any grey hairs or any at all, and just like almost everybody who moves away, he misses Santa Cruz.

TINY CORRECTIONS. Shen Hong writes to say, “One minor thing: The picture of the Santa Cruz Chinatown is actually a picture of the fourth and last Chinatown in Santa Cruz, not the first. You are right that it was off of Front Street at about the location of the Galleria today though. Actually, the Front Street Chinatown wasn’t the first one either: that distinction would go to the one located on what is now Pacific between Walnut and Lincoln, which lasted from 1862-1877. Source: Lydon, Sandy. Chinese Gold: The Chinese in the Monterey Bay Region. Capitola: Capitola Book Company, 1985.

MORE ON LES BLANK. Mark Levy wrote, “Thanks for the nice tribute/acknowledgement of Les Blank. His wife Gail volunteered in my Ceramics classroom at SCHS where Harrod and Bo would get their hands in clay as well, for about a decade and she was wonderful to have around the students. Additionally her erotic art pottery was and is treasured by many of us who are lucky enough to have a piece or two.

Les showcased his film, “Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers” one night in the Santa Cruz High School auditorium (before the remodel) as a fund raiser for both the SCHS Ceramics program and more directly for Gail. The awesome talent of Gene Holton produced a fabulous poster for that fundraiser that was TOO GOOD (if that is possible) …as people were taking them down as collectables as fast as we could post them around town. Les had electric skillets of garlic roasting under the seats whose aroma enveloped the entire auditorium as the film played. It was an amazing effect and we all ate the garlic on bread when the movie ended!!! That was just a smattering of the quiet genius that Les possessed. Les allowed his films and their ambiance do the talking… that was Les. Again, thanks for calling attention to Les and now Gail, both of whom left us way too early in life”. Thanks to Mark for that.

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary talk, writes, and announces that our Board Of Supes will take on fracking this Tuesday (4/17) …lets watch how they vote. He talks about the EIR on the desalination project coming in May, and about the special task force to study it. He congratulates Peter and Celia Scott for their work in successfully re=establishing bus service to Big Basin. He concludes with interesting news about “Snapshot day”.

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.Speaking of dangers on campii…read way below and check out another classic DeCinzo…

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Tim Eagan shows us what’s behind “The Skies will Burn“. Scroll below..

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul asks, » When Will the Media ask Important questions“? Part of his article asks, “I find it disturbing that the press corps doesn’t ask obvious questions of high U.S. officials; rather, journalists plead for small details after they accept absurd administration assumptions. He concludes with…Until Obama can answer this question convincingly, U.S. media should push him and other war advocates to the wall with sceptical questions. We are still licking wounds from old wars. Vietnam vets still make up significant sectors of America’s homeless. Should we forget the damage our post WWII wars have done to the wounded, the families that lost children, the trillions of wasted dollars? A war with Iran will cost us, not only in money, but in national health and world prestige. It’s the media’s job to pose the facts and reason into the realm of policy, and to introduce scepticism into the fact and reason-free position of the warmongers. Where is the courageous journalist who will risk raising a challenging question at the next White House press conference?? Read it all here… Saul Landau is an Institute for Policy Studies fellow whose films are on DVD from roundworldproductions@gmail.com

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “What’s the best writing advice I ever got? What was Terrence Malick thinking with his impressionistic new film, To the Wonder? These and other burning questions grappled with 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.

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

TRANCE. It deals with hypnotism, art theft, many dreams, drug trips, and a plot that no one has figured out, yet. James McAvoy’s Scottish accent is one that only he can understand but it doesn’t matter much for his X-Men roles. I completely lost track of where the plot was going and where it went and still don’t care to find out. Trance was nothing compared to Trainspotting a superior film. But the again, Danny Boyle also directed Slumdog Millionaire for which he should be severely penalized.

AN ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING CONCERT.

Ensemble Pamplemousse is a five member musical collective that the UCSC Music Department brought to the campus last week to perform both new compositions by guests and their own works. They play and perform very new music in their own singular style. In one evening they played, and I learned their musical language and found myself more involved in listening to, and sharing their technique, humor, brilliance, musical talent in a way that I’ve rarely experienced in my lifetime. They played eight short compositions (with some composers in the audience) for the first half then returned and performed their own arrangement of those pieces in one extended performance. Tell the UCSC Music Department to bring them back many times. Click here and learn as much as you can about Ensemble Pamplemousse. You’ll see what I mean. Pamplemousse means grapefruit in case you’ve forgotten.

SANTA CRUZ CHAMBER PLAYERS. The Santa Cruz Chamber Players present
Divertemento: Entertaining Music for Winds and Piano,
featuring music by Mozart, Herzogenberg, Ibert, and Tansman. This concert will take place on Saturday, April 20, 8:00 PM and Sunday, April 21, 3:00 PM at Christ Lutheran Church in Aptos.

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.

The April 16 broadcast has Sarah Albertson talking about the Cabrilho Theatre Festival 2013, followed by Cecile Andrews author of “Living Room Revolution” (secrets of local community organizing). Jennifer Colby talks about The Reel Work Film Festival on April 23. Julie James talks about Harold Pinter One Act plays at The Jewel Theatre on April 30.Do remember, any and all suggestions and requests 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, then tap on “listen here” to hear any or all of them… all over again. The April update includes Dr. Paul Ware, Michael Tierra, Alexandra Kennedy, Ben Carson, John Orlando, Dr. Mark Wainer, Linda Burman Hall, Annie Steinhart, Julie James, Kathy Bisbee, Kimberly Jannarone, Sandra Nichols, Nancy Carlin, Laura Marcus, Lisa Jensen, Gary Patton, Joe Jordan, Betsy Herbert, Roberta Bristol, Steve Pleich, Marcus Cato, Brian Spencer, Brian Staufenbiel, Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, Anita Monga, 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.. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio.. 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.

“One should never be unnecessarily rude to a lady except in street cars”, O.Henry.

“I do not have to forgive my enemies—I have had them all shot”. Ramon Narvaez.

“Never murder a man when he’s busy committing suicide”, Woodrow Wilson.