SCOTTS VALLEY 1958. That’s Camp Evers at the lower left at the intersection of Mount Herman Road and Scotts Valley Drive by the Union Station. And yes, this is before all the high tech companies came…and left. And it’s before Highway 17 became so terrible. photo credit: photo courtesy Covello & Covello Historical photo collection Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

DESTRUCTION OF LA BAHIA OR, WHAT WILL THE COASTAL COMMISSION DO ….etc.

I asked Don Webber who’s been opposing Charlie Canfield’s Boardwalk and developer Barry Swenson building a too high condo hotel instead of saving La Bahia to write BrattonOnline a piece summing up where the history of Santa Cruz stands in view of the recent Coastal Commission’s staff report. You can read all of his reply here…among other items he says….” So the Coastal Commission staff has signed on to the city’s vision for La Bahia and has recommended to Coastal Commissioners that they approve the city’s application to amend our local coastal program to allow Barry Swenson Builder to demolish the La Bahia Apartments and to replace them with a replica six times the size.

This kind of thing isn’t allowed under current zoning, so the city’s is seeking Coastal Commission permission to create a new zone specifically for the La Bahia parcel allowing Swenson to build at an increased mass and scale. The Coastal Commission staff says that’s okay with them.

Their staff report also contains a slew of new policy provisions for the city to include in its local coastal program relating to the regulation of condominium-hotels and other matters. There will undoubtedly be a lot of talk about condo-hotels and these other matters in the staff’s presentation to the Commission; their staff report is full of it.

But the crux of the matter before the Commission remains these two questions:

Must we demolish a protected coastal resource, the La Bahia Apartments?

And if so, what is the proper mass and scale of the construction that replaces it?

After what can only be called a tortured analysis, the authors of the staff report come down on the side of demolition and maximum scale—just what the city asked for.

Whether their analysis will persuade a majority of Commissioners to agree with their conclusions remains in doubt until the morning of August 11 in the Watsonville City Council Chambers”.

Don tells many more ideas and possibilities then closes with…””One thing for sure, the Coastal Commission hates spot zoning, i.e., carving out one parcel for special treatment different from all others in a zone. It’s notoriously bad planning that undermines the integrity of a local coastal program. What good is having a program if landowners can exempt themselves from it and have their own zone within a zone? Ultimately this process thwarts the intention of local coastal programs because it allows the coastal zone to be changed parcel by parcel; like dominoes they fall, before you know it, the coast is transformed.

I’ve watched the Coastal Commission for a long time. Commissioners take their role as statewide protectors of coastal resources seriously. They are aware that developers and project boosters are always in support of the maximum development, and that it’s not at all rare for local government to share the boosters’ point of view. So, the jury is out until the Commissioners themselves address these issues on the 11^th. See you in Watsonville”. Don Webber.

Here’s a link to Webber’s take on La Bahia

GO HERE FOR SEARCH ON AREA’S LOWEST GAS PRICES. I just now found this, and yes, everybody else knew long ago…but just in case. Wow, Scotts Valley????

http://www.californiagasprices.com/GasPriceSearch.aspx

IN & OUT BURGER CONTINUED. No video clips, but an interesting article.

http://www.thedailymeal.com/n-out-burger-coming-town-near-you

URGENT: Sign Our Petition to Save Sharks! Kaitilin Gaffney of the Ocean Conservancy sends this…Over 70 million sharks are killed each year to meet a growing demand for shark fin soup—and we need to act quickly to make sure shark populations worldwide have a fighting chance of recovering.

Internationally, numerous governments have passed, or are considering bans on the trade in shark fins. The United States currently has a national ban on the brutal practice of finning in US waters —but a loophole still allows for the import of shark fins to California, which primarily enter the country through its ports. California now has the chance to join Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington State in banning the trade in shark fins. To protect sharks worldwide from massive declines and risk of extinction, we simply must eliminate the trade in shark fins in California. Please add your name before August 15th to our petition asking California’s State Senate to put an end to the shark fin trade. Sign the petition here!

UM…ER…AHHH. Morton Marcus almost had a corner on this speech improvement. Read the article here

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Here’s how Gary describes his KUSP broadcasts for the week.

Read them in full detail here.

(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 )

DAWN GABLE IN PROGRESO WEEKLY. Dawn Gable used to work and study at UCSC’s Predatory Birds Department. Then she went to Cuba, and Washington and is involved in politics (and even nastier predatory birds!!!), she writes this about a bill we need to watch closely. She writes, “Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and her right-wing friends in the House Foreign Affairs Committee had what Ranking Member Howard Berman reportedly called “a series of tantrums” that caused the committee to spend two straight days dealing with over 100 amendments to a bill that will never become law. While Ileana would like someone, not sure who, to believe that she is valiantly and courageously fighting against all sanity wherever it may lurk, she knew, as well as Berman, that it was nothing more than a cowardly show. The bill in question is the State Department Authorization bill”. Read the rest of it here…

VINTAGE DE CINZO. DeCinzo thinks about tourism in Santa Cruz scroll way down.

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Tim creates a genuine cliff hanger…in color as always. Scroll down, if you please.

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul writes in this week’s Progreso, “The reason we have a Department of Defense is to break things and kill people. The problem we have now is that so much of the money is not going to the people who are breaking things and killing people.” –Ret. Marine General Arnold L. Punaro, Member of the Defense Business Board, to the Washington Post (7-21-11). As strategic minds of Washington figure out nation building in Afghanistan while undermining the crumbling infrastructure at home, U.S. political culture focuses on gay marriage and debt ceilings. On his radio show Rush Limbaugh still severely stresses the President’s middle name, “Huuu—ssssein.” Millions righteously titter over Rush’s “subtlety” and, of course, continue to believe the radical Muslim Obama was born in Kenya. For Rush, Obama represents the left, a threat to our rights to choose our own doctors and keep all our money. Left and progressive circles have re-christened Obama: President Disappointing. There’s more…read it here…

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

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Our summer theater season continues with two new productions from Shakespeare Santa Cruz. Visit Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com/) to find out if Danny Scheie’s reboot of The Comedy Of Errors lives up to its predecessor, and whether The Three Musketeers is fit for a king. Also, expect the beginning of a beautiful friendship when the First Friday Art Walk launches the new August Wine Walk, and a few thoughts on the return (at last!) of Project Runway. Lisa Jensen has been writing film reviews and a column for Good Times since 1975.

OFFICIAL MAGIC TRIP MOVIE SITE… http://www.magictripmovie.com

MAGIC TRIP (NOT “THE TRIP”). Our Monterey Bay and San Francisco Bay areas have heard so many fables, lies, stories, facts, and dreams about Ken Kesey’ s legendary bus trip in his bus named “Furthur” that to see this documentary is at least revelatory. Kesey bought a 16 mm camera and took miles of footage of their trip to the World’s Fair in NYC in 1964. To watch these trippers in this film that took 40 years to assemble, is to put lies to fully ¾ of all the fables we’ve heard. You’ll see the west coast psychedelics meet the uptight east coast experimenters like Timothy Leary, Richard Alpert (Ram Dass), and Larry McMurty…they didn’t get along! Hear the Grateful Dead then known as The Warlocks, watch the busload go swimming in the “colored section” of a river in Louisiana and just a lot of good drugged fun. Neal Cassady drove and talked meth-odically and constantly. Ken Babbs, Paul Sundstren, and Jane Burton were onboard. As was writer Robert Stone, who was also in Shakespeare Santa Cruz’s opening play King Lear (but nobody was supposed to know that)!!! Local resident Ron Bevirt (from Swanton’s Last Chance Road) is in it too. No Hells Angels, no Paul Krassner, no Stewart Brand, they all came later. After this NYC trip that took off from Kesey’s place in La Honda, the bus and Ken took many trips around the USA and around the west coast doing what was called “Acid Tests”. There’s about 4 seconds of a trip to Santa Cruz if you watch closely. Just don’t miss it, it probably won’t play here long, and it needs the big screen to take in all the sights, fun and craziness. Ken Kesey died in 2001 from liver cancer.

CRAZY, STUPID LOVE. This movie would be 100% asinine if it weren’t for the few dramatic twists. Steve Carell loves and is married to Julienne Moore who loves Kevin Bacon, probably. But Carell’s kids love the wrong people and those people love the wrong people and Marisa Tomei is still very good. Go only if this lousy summer fog weather keeps up.

CRAZY, STUPID, DUMAS’ THREE MUSKETEERS. This relatively new play based on Dumas book is more or less a staged version of those goof ball relationship comedies some of us see opening every week. Shakespeare Santa Cruz’s production of THREE MUSKETEERS is good fun, signifying nothing, and has excellent costumes. It’s easy to imagine Ryan Gosling, Steve Carrell, Mila Kunis, Seth Rogen in this “swashbuckler” as folks call it. AND it’s good fun, especially in the outdoor Glen…go see it, and bring your visitors.

COWBOYS AND ALIENS. With all the names of writers, producers, and especially actors like Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, Sam Rockwell, and David Carradine this could have been a contender. Late 1800’s in Arizona and aliens visit cowboys…why not have a good story line…but it doesn’t. It’s just fun, really dumb fun, maybe for very young movie goers.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER.(repeat) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER. Each of these comic hero epics makes me miss Christopher Reeves as Superman more and more. Those first two Superman films with Marlon Brando and Margot Kidder were absolutely believable, fun and full of genius. Captain America was one of my comic book favorites back in the very early 40’s along with Captain Marvel and this film has terrific special effects and is better than almost all the other Marvel Comic Movies…but that’s not saying much.

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS. (repeat) Like the last six Potter films, I couldn’t keep track of curses, locations, worlds, villains and heroes’ names. Lord of The Rings was a classic compared to this series of scenes, proving nothing. We watch Harry, Ron and Hermione get older and the ending seems satisfactory, but give me the MGM Judy Garland Wizard of Oz any time…now, there’s a masterpiece.

PROJECT NIM. Political type fans must know by now that the chimpanzee that was trained and so cruelly treated in this film was named Nim Chimpsky. The entire film is or should be a testament to PETA. You’ll cringe over watching Nim’s intelligence grow and seeing just how his “owners” failed him. A fine but painful film to watch.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS PLAY BIG SUR. I’ve finally calmed down after hearing this anonymous tip about The Henry Miller Library and the peppers. But in case some of you didn’t hear…

HOSTETTER’S HOT STUFF. Paul H. is back from some secret places and these dates are long past (some of them) but it’s good to keep tabs on him anyways…”It has been awhile. Time to get organized. A couple of things are coming up immediately, or soon thereafter. Debo Band + Fendika makes its first real hit on the west coast soon, including the Bay Area, which is huge news. Not only that, there are the Honeydrops, and some out-of-control tamburasi, and an opera by Gertrude Stein and Virgil Thompson. Wow! Details are, as to be expected, here.

I lament the paucity of decent venues in Santa Cruz. Furthermore, I have a checkered history with Moe’s Alley and am at pains to exhort people to go there, but also have to confess that they are the only venue in town that presents certain good things, and one of them—this Wednesday night—is a singer from Saharan Africa named Bombino. I only know his music from YouTube and recordings and I really like what I have heard, and he’ll be here soon. Suck it up and try and see Bombino at Moe’s. More again very soon, as other worthy events will flood in no time. As ever, ph

CABRILLO FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC. Hopefully everyone’s learned about the free Festival Orchestra rehearsals at the Civic almost daily, right now. And for sure everyone is planning on the Art & Wine Festival on Church Street in front of the civic on Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 8 pm. The concerts and visiting stars are listed in ads nearly everywhere. You know what’s odd is that I’ve attended just about every single Cabrillo Festival concert for nearly 36 years and I have only seen one, maybe two elected local officials at any of them…why is that?? Go to www.Cabrillomusic.org to get details, times, locations, lecturers, titles and what have you.

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. New executive director of MAH Nina Simon will guest on August 2, telling us all about the new ideas happening at the Museum of Art & History. After Nina, Grey Hayes will talk about environmental issues and ideas for our bay area. Then on August 9^th local raker of muck Don Webber will detail the problems with the La Bahia plans followed by writer John Deck who will talk about his new book ” Joan Linville.. Seven Steps to an Acting Career“. Tuesday Aug 23^rd has Wilma Bonet from The San Francisco Mime Troupe in town and previewing. Sept. 13 KUSP’s Opera host Jim Emdy and I will discuss up coming Opera seasons. Christopher Krohn will discuss one of UCSC’s student programs then that same program, Rita Bottoms author of the new book “riffs & ecstasies” will talk about that book..Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in and keep listening.

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 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. Plus Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011. Hear them all!!!

BEST OF VINTAGE DeCINZO.

QUOTES. “Take what you can use and let the rest go by”, Ken Kesey . “In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes”, Andy Warhol.”Read it like popcorn; eat it like a novel”, Whole Grains.

BUILDING OUR MAIN POST OFFICE. JULY 1, 1911. Do note no Veterans Building and note the tall “Victory Pole” over by the Jamba Juice flatiron building. Those Victory Poles proved you were patriotic way back then. photo credit: photo courtesy Covello & Covello Historical photo collection Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES, LA BAHIA & DESAL. There’s not much of a secret as to who’s pushing to develop La Bahia and who’s pushing for the zillion dollar new desal plant. But I did get an anonymous email saying, “LOBA has called a meeting to all its members for this Thursday, July 28 at Clouds downtown at 7:45am. Item on their agenda: La Bahia and Desal .The message goes on to read “Pay close attention to who’s on LOBA and the folks who are pushing the Desal issue. Pay close attention just who they work for and why they are pushing Desal”. LOBA of course endorsed Terrazas, Lynn Robinson, and Hilary Bryant so you know they support whatever. Ryan is involved up to his neck. Lets see what if anything is announced after Thursday’s meeting.

ANCHOR IN ANTARCTICA, PART 2. Micaela Neus, our new correspondent from Antarctica is racing around preparing for her trip back to Palmer Station down there. She’s planning on sending us lots of material once she arrives. Stuff like her own back story, her interest/experience in Antarctica, etc. What Palmer Station is really like, the general history of humans in Antarctica, a list of recommended reading, How to pack and prepare, Ocean Search and Rescue training, abandon-ship drills, and more data that seems completely unbelievable. Stay linked, and stay warm as they say.

SILENT FILM FESTIVAL, RETAKES. One of the many fun parts of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival is/are the Santa Cruz connections. This year UCSC professor and film scholar Shelley Stamp was there to introduce and educate us about America’s first major female film director Lois Weber. Weber directed films all the way through 1934. We saw “Shoes” her film telling us of the plight of a woman earning a decent wage. I took Shelley’s class in Silent Cinema at UCSC and recommend it highly.

ABBOTT SQUARE PLAN REVISION. The opening date of Vino Cruz the revised wine shop has been changed, but is now finalized. The grand opening will be Saturday, August 20th. There’s going to be some music out side and Richard Alfaro of Alfaro Vineyards will be pouring and showcasing his wines. Steve Principe tells me that the Santa Cruz Mountain Appellation is the oldest wine growing region in California and, if not for prohibition, likely we would be the center of wine rather that Napa-Sonoma? There is a very rich history of wine here in our area. All of this should be a grand addition to Cooper Street.

RICHARD SNOW GONE. This is from Indy Bay… Richard Helliwell Snow died unexpectedly of a heart attack, July 5, at a Potter Valley meditation retreat. Read more here…

TRADER JOE’S…BEST BETS!! (AND LOUSY BETS). Taste tests of the Traders products. The team behind What’s Good at Trader Joe’s? have been reviewing and rating the store’s best and worst products since August of 2010. Twice this year, they ranked some of the 130 products they reviewed in different categories from Top 5 Vegetarian to “Worst. Stuff. Ever.”

Read more…

WEAVING TO AND FRO. Gunilla Leavitt, the webwoman who assembles this BrattonOnline every week, is now the proud owner of The Golden Fleece Yarn Shop. Gunilla has been a yarn and knitting expert for decades. The Golden Fleece is located right at the entrance to the Sashmill Street (Potrero Street) just as you leave Water Street. So whilst chatting with her the other morning, who should enter but long time friend Lois Trabing?! Lois is a long time knitter, but mostly we chatted about husband Wally and that nearly perfect article that Wallace Baine wrote about him. Wally’s doing absolutely fine. And we’re all fans of Mr. Baines.

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary talks about Redistricting here and in Monterey County. He follows that with warnings about the Ocean Street Area plan about to be discussed. Then he mentions that Monterey County will be working on allowing medical marijuana shops. Agricultural land development is being determined by CSAC. He closes by telling us about the Lincoln Institute of Land Use Policy. It’s right here…

(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 and Who let the Dogs out…see below!!

EAGANS DEEP COVER. The many sides of Rupert Murdoch…scroll down again, and again.

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul writes in his piece titled “Murdoch’s Knife in the Heart of Journalism”…« Rupert Murdoch finally got his you know what caught in the proverbial ringer – for his employees’ hacking, not for contributing to the prolonged murder of English-language journalism. Wars, revolutions, famines and disasters occurred and Murdoch’s “journalists” juxtaposed lurid “blood” photos with half naked “Zoozoos” who divorced “Googoos” to wed “HooHahs.” Stories on poverty, unemployment and foreclosures get dwarfed by reports of Lindsay and Britney making X-rated videos before going into rehab. And millions bought his newspapers and watched – and rely on – his TV “news.” In the name of freedom of the press Rupert’s Fox News and commentators spew verbal venom on notions that smack of socialist, pink or liberal thought – like taxing billionaires and regulating their corporate and banking behavior. Indeed, the Foxers promote billionaires not paying taxes as an example of virtue and freedom. “You don’t want your government squandering taxpayers’ money.” Sure, imagine life without cops, firemen, schools, road repair service, etc”. 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. This week on Lisa Jensen Online Express ( http://ljo-express.blogspot.com/), in honor of the new Shakespeare Santa Cruz production of The Three Musketeers, let’s take a look at Dueling Musketeer Movies, and see why some buckle their swash with more style than others. Also, further thoughts on the Passion of Harry Potter, evoked by the surprisingly emotional and fulfilling Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Thanks for reading! Lisa Jensen has been writing film reviews and a column for Good Times since 1975.

OUR FUNNY READERS. Jodi Frediani emails to say…” I will say that in the day when I ate the occasional burger while on the road, In and Out was head and shoulders above the competition. I agree with Dan Dickmeyer , that IF you are going to eat fast food, In and Out makes a better product. That is, if you don’t mind being proselytized while eating fries. Of course, I no longer touch the stuff”. Jodi. Before the next response go to the In & Out Website http://www.in-n-out.com does Santa Cruz really need one of these??? Then we learn as Catherine O’Kelly writes,” Dan Dickmeyer is right about In & Out Burgers. In & Out Burgers are better than the average burger. One of my grandsons works for them in Solano County, and they are really good people to work for. They bend over backwards to accommodate his availability to work [he’s their best “chef.”] PBS did a special on the company, wholly family-owned. They make everything themselves, I mean everything! All the signs, all the furniture, the buildings, it’s pretty amazing. Truly an “American Success Story.” I remember Dan from ‘way back when. We collaborated on keeping out a particularly bad piece of public sculpture. So he’s in Canada? I wondered where he went. Every time I drive or walk past Lighthouse Field, I plant it. I plant a Rose Garden, an Arboretum showcasing our California native plants, a lawn for picnics. I also build low-impact Asilomar buildings to accommodate guests for small conferences. I also imagine the Natural History Museum being brought there from its obscure spot by the Seabright beach. That the huge field is simply a vacant lot is such a waste! A very expensive piece of real estate that is used only by dogs and their owners. Yes, the butterflies have a corner, but the rest of the field should be put to better use. The dead trees are loved by woodpeckers, but they look like shit. I realize I’m speaking BLASPHEMY here, but I don’t care. The County is SURROUNDED by green space. We need to make better use of the assets we have, not just to improve the local economy, but for us residents, students and tourists. We quite desperately need more housing, and we also need more places to accommodate tourists besides the Boardwalk and the Mystery Spot. So glad they have that little shuttle bus going….that’s a good first step. I walked in Arana Gulch a few months ago for the first time: what a great place for condos!!!

Gotcha, didn’t I??? I can hear you growling………maybe even snarling…..Catherine O’Kelly.

FILMS, IN PARTICULAR ORDER (i.e. GOOD TO BAD) and some previously reviewed (but since archives aren’t available…a quick shot)

BUCK. Excellent film. Surprisingly touching and profound…it’s about a real horse whisperer, who’s also a very thoughtful and effective psychologist who grew up in an abusive family scene.

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS. Woody Allen’s best film in years. Not his greatest but funny, smart, starring Cole Porter, Hemingway and Owen Wilson.

BEGINNERS. Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer in a light saga aboutlove and closets and growing up.

TERRI. John C. Reilly is one of my favorite actors especially since “Chicago”. He plays weird Terri’s odd- ball high school counselor in this complex coming of age drama. The plot goes odder than odd but will keep you awake all the way through. A fine film.

THE TRIP. IF you love British films and have seen hundreds, you’ll go for this clever comedy. Two show biz buddies tour Northern England outdoing each other imitating both young and older Michael Caine, Anthony Hopkins and Brit film stars you’ve never heard of. Go for it.

SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN. A beautiful film but confusing plot full of flashbacks between generations of bonded “sisters” failing to ever connect. Director Wayne Wang has done better like Dim Sum, Smoke, Chan Is Missing and even Joy Luck Club.

THE TREE OF LIFE. Thedebate goes on over this over- inflated Thomas Kinkade type film. Only Kinkade and Terence Malick would try to depict life in this self indulgent muck. But the acting is ok by Brad Pitt and Sean Penn.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER. Each of these comic hero epics makes me miss Christopher Reeves as Superman more and more. Those first two Superman films with Marlon Brando and Margot Kidder were absolutely believable, fun and full of genius. Captain America was one of my comic book favorites back in the very early 40’s along with Captain Marvel and this film has terrific special effects and is better than almost all the other Marvel Comic Movies…but that’s not saying much.

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS. Like the last six Potter films, I couldn’t keep track of curses, locations, worlds, villains and heroes’ names. Lord of The Rings was a classic compared to this series of scenes, proving nothing. We watch Harry, Ron and Hermione get older and the ending seems satisfactory, but give me the MGM Judy Garland Wizard of Oz any time…now, there’s a masterpiece.

CARS 2. Just chalk this up to PIXAR’s ego-driven mistake. It proves that even though you call Emeryville home, you can’t rest on your laurels.

SHAKESPEARE SANTA CRUZ’S COMEDY OF ERRORS. Director Danny Scheie’s up to his old director’s tricks in this year’s re-vision of Comedy of Errors. He’s got an excellent cast, Shakespeare’s dimmest plot, and once again, he makes it funny, fast, and insanely foolish. Who cares if you can’t understand a lot of the lines, there’s a door slam and a sex change every 21 seconds. Take your visitors to see it, they’ll love it.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are archived…(see next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. July 26 has Sean Van Sommeran talking about our shark neighbors, suitably followed by Emily Glanville from Save Our Shores. New executive director of MAH Nina Simon will guest on August 2, telling us all about the new ideas happening at the Museum of Art & History. After Nina, Grey Hayes will talk about environmental issues and ideas for our bay area. Then on August 9^th writer John Deck will talk about his book ” Joan Linville.. Seven Steps to an Acting Career“. Looking ahead, Rita Bottoms author of the new book “riffs & ecstasies” will be on September 20.Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in and keep listening

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 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. Plus Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011. Hear them all!!!

BEST OF VINTAGE DeCINZO.

QUOTES. “The wrongest thing one can do is shut oneself off to new things“, Susannah York. “WE should be trying to listen to the voice that can’t be heard”, Van Dyke Parks. “We must first become human before seeking anything superior”, Rene Daumel.

SOQUEL 1955. This is looking east towards Watsonville on Soquel Drive. One of the many times Soquel lost its bridge. photo credit: photo courtesy Covello & Covello Historical photo collection Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

16^TH ANNUAL SAN FRANCISCO SILENT FILM FESTIVAL.I haven’t been able to document just how many years I’ve been attending the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, probably about 12 years….and it keeps getting better. Well the films keep getting better. There are about 14,000 tickets sold each year, with most of us going to most or all of the more than 18 events/screenings. This year had some fine examples of early Hollywood hits such as Lon Chaney in “He who gets Slapped” co-starring Norma Shearer and John Gilbert. There was a very early Douglas Fairbanks in “Mr. Fix-it”, and a surprisingly sexual pre “Blue Angel” appearance by Marlene Dietrich.

For me the real excitement came from seeing, for the first time, Yasujiro Ozu’s “I Was Born, but…” a 1932 masterpiece (and silent too). Clarence Brown’s 1925 deeply affecting”The Goose Woman” with Jack Pickford and Louise Dresser. At least three quarters of us were crying through most of this tear-jerker, and loving it. Two triumphs of the silent screen I’d never seen were the Russian 1931 classic “The Nail In The Boot” directed by Mikhail Kalatozov who also directed “The Cranes Are Flying” and “I Am Cuba”. The Boot Nail film is right up there with Alexander Nevsky and Battleship Potemkin. Then there was “The Great White Silence” a 1924 documentary of British Captain Robert Scott’s failed expedition to the South Pole. Seeing Antarctica almost 100 years ago was a surprise, and learning so much in one viewing was the surprise of the weekend. I’ll keep weaving Film Festival reporting in future columns, but you should definitely plan on going next year.

ANCHOR IN ANTARCTICA.( COMING ATTRACTION) As some variety of luck would have it Micaela Neus sat next to me at the Silent Film Fest starting with “The Great White Silence” and during most of the rest of the Fest. Micaela Neus lives and works in Antarctica!!! She is a mechanic, hails from Truckee, and her job is to keep machines running to support the scientists who are there. She’s working on a project called Open Antarctica, and is going to be writing exclusive reports weekly for BrattonOnline. Micaela completely changed everything I thought I knew about Antarctica in those few minutes between Festival films.

Who owns Antarctica? Which penguins are the meanest? How come all field and sign poles are bamboo? How do you get to Antarctica? Are drugs and alcohol big problems there? Is it true compasses just spin any-which way down there? What about human relationships when you live in a group of just 40-50 people? You don’t refer to years, or winters or summers there, as we do here. Global warming a hot topic in Antarctica? Did you know there was a murder in the Russian community a while back? Micaela has been going back to her job for four tours now. That means she leaves again in September and stays until April. She’ll be writing weekly, we’ll probably call her column Anchor in Antarctica or News-Knowledge-and Nature, something like that. She’ll answer all your questions, write to her here (bratton@Cruzio.com) and aside from all she’s learned in those four seasons there, Micaela just turned 30 last Saturday. Happy Birthday again Micaela and welcome to BrattonOnline.

ANTARCTICA…ACCORDING TO WIKIPEDIA.Antarctica, on average, is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent, and has the highest average elevation of all the continents.^[5] Antarctica is considered a desert, with annual precipitation of only 200 mm (8 inches) along the coast and far less inland.^[6] The temperature in Antarctica can reach -89 degrees Celsius (-129 degrees Fahrenheit). There are no permanent human residents, but anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 people reside throughout the year at the research stations scattered across the continent. Only cold-adapted organisms survive there, including many types of algae, animals (for example mites, nematodes, penguins, seals and tardigrades), bacteria, fungi, plants, and protista. Vegetation, where it occurs is tundra.

WHAT’D I MISS??? Damnation, I’m gone for only four days and I see this piece about The Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce and Lighthouse Point and Wingspread being topics involving future development?? I see that Jondi Gumz didn’t attach any specific Chamber names to those development ideas. Then I keep hearing about a proposed Riverside Street Sign welcoming folks to the Boardwalk and adding the number of existing parking spaces left on Canfield Island? One would assume that the Boardwalk would pay for such an ugly idea BUT only if the citizens would allow such poor taste.We know that our Mayor Coonerty and The Boardwalk PR Flack guy Chris Reyes are the best of buddies and that Charlie Canfield has never had and never again will have such a supportive City Council but isn’t this getting near the furthest the council will bend and for what??? We all know that this stupid Riverside Street sign won’t add one more tourist doing any more shopping downtown or cause one more tourist to stay overnight in this little town. Once again I gotta say be honest where would you or your tourist friends rather stay or shop… here or Monterey/Carmel?

SAGE WORDS FROM CEDAR. Cedar Geiger sent this bit o’wisdom.. “I found these words in the “Alternative Magazine” published here in the Northwest. Thought I’d share…”Every purchase is political. Every purchase is a vote. Every purchase affects the environment. Every purchase is your conscience. Every purchase is a prayer. Every purchase matters. Buy local. Buy lovingly. Buy organic. Live in the world you want to create. Create the world you want to live in. “Richard Baynton” Alternatives Magazine.

IN ‘N OUT BURGER. New-Canadian Dan Dickmeyer keeps Canadian taste alive by writing, “But I love In and Out. One of the first places I hit when traveling. They make their own fresh cut fries from potatoes, believe they make their own patties (don’t know the quality of meat), are super friendly compared to other places, milk shakes seem healthy and they have a limited menu without all the gimmicks. i.e. triple south of the border, Tuscan double jalapeño cheese burger, etc. The kitchen is out in the open so you can see what’s going on. They used to give you a little Christian prayer with every meal but no more. Don’t like the Drive Through window though. And they are pretty cheap. Have you been to one? I think the corner of Ocean and Water would be the perfect location. Or Fulford Harbor village where I live”. Gee, thanks Dan

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary talks about Marina and The Coastal Water project. He syas that the Whispering Oaks project is more aptly titled Dying Trees. Capitola is working on their General Plan and that means changes to 41^st avenue…get involved. Then he talks about Santa Cruz’s Ocean Street plan and how that is developing.

(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.Motorcylists…it’s a problem in breeding. Check out this week’s sling and arrow.

LANDAU’S L.A. PRESENTATION. Saul Landau has a special showing of his film , »Will the Real Terrorist please stand up?” in L.A. Saturday July 26. Read the details

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul writes about how Danny Glover and he visited Gerardo Hernandez again. He writes….”A handle-less door opens. Danny, Saul and five women enter another chamber. An unseen prison guard inside a heavily sealed, thick glass office electronically closes the heavy metal door; another guard passes an ultra violet light machine over the invisible stamp on our arms. We wait. Moments later the invisible guard electronically opens another solid metal door.

The visitors stand outside in a naked passageway between grey concrete bunkers and enough barbed wire to seal some national borders. The scorching desert sun alerts us to the surroundings and the contrast between what the prison architect has done and the landscape on which the immense concrete bunkers got built: brooding mountains, desert, cactus, and unseen bones of dead pioneers and Indians. One electronically sealed chamber later, we enter the visiting room – and wait”. 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.
In honor of Shakespeare Santa Cruz’s upcoming live production of The Three Musketeers (opening this weekend), visit Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com/) for a look at Dueling Musketeer Movies, and why some buckle their swash with more style than others. Also, further thoughts on the Passion of Harry Potter, evoked by the surprisingly emotional and fulfilling Deathly Hallows Part 2.

Lisa Jensen has been writing film reviews and a column for Good Times since 1975.

HISTORIC CHURCH PHOTO. Carey Casey amends last week’s photo comments, “According to John Chase, in ‘The Sidewalk Companion to Santa Cruz Architecture’, this wooden church was built in 1857, next to the original 1794 mission church, after the adobe structure was partially destroyed by earthquakes. The remainder of the adobe was given a new wooden front and roof (presumably that’s it, to the right of the church in the photo). That structure was torn down in 1885 to make room for the present church building. The 1857 building stood where the rectory is today, and was torn down in 1898″. Thanks Carey, I needed that.

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. Michael Warren will give us an in depth Shakespeare Santa Cruz preview on July 19 and Sue Heinz will return to tell us even more about Tarot, The Qabalah, and of course astrology on that same program. July 26 has Sean Van Sommeran talking about our shark neighbors, suitably followed by Laura Kasa or Colleen Badnarz or somebody from Save Our Shores. New executive director of MAH Nina Simon will guest on August 2, telling us all about the new ideas happening at the Museum of Art & History. After Nina, Grey Hayes will talk about environmental issues and ideas for our bay area. Author. Then on August 9^th writer John Deck will talk about his book ” Joan Linville.. Seven Steps to an Acting Career”.Any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in and keep listening

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 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. Plus 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. “If a pick pocket meets a Holy Man, he will see only his pockets“, Hari Dass Baba. “There is no place to go, and so we travel! You and I, and what for, just to imagine that we could go somewhere else”, Edward Dahlberg. “Man is a blind, witless, low-brow, anthropomorphic clod who inflicts lesions upon the earth”, Ian McHarg.

HOLY CROSS CHURCH. 1880. That little girl in the photo is Rose Rostron the daughter of C. Aichberg the photographer who took it. This church was dedicated in 1794. It was torn down in 1885. photo credit: photo courtesy Covello & Covello Historical photo collection Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

REUNION AT BIG CREEK. Marcia and Bruce Mc Dougal had a huge Big Creek Pottery Reunion Sunday July 3^rd. I couldn’t make it, and asked Marcia to tell you, me, and all of us, what it was like. She wrote…”We began receiving guests (90 approx) at 2 pm up at the house. It was hot, 96 degrees. We had all the doors open, tables outside on the decks with colored umbrellas everywhere. Same down by the pool, ready for swims. Stephanie Raugust had hors-d’oeuvres and a great meal. Nino Bachar and Jack Herman had arrived at 4:30 a.m. and started a big fire in the pit the guys had dug the day before that they had lined with fire bricks. They placed Nino’s volcanic rocks from Hawaii in it and the pig, and lowered it over the coals, lined it with banana leaves and dirt, and let it roast until 5 p.m. By that time people were happily getting reacquainted and emotional and peaking (peeking) at several slide shows here and there on computers, placed at appropriate places. Everyone was on overwhelm and really joyous.

We ate the pig and Steph’s food, listened to a great band, The Hucklebucks, down by the pool, exchanged endless stories and was presented emotionally, with a Big Creek Pottery Cookbook (available at the MAH Museum) which Linda Babcock had been responsible for putting together with the cookhouse recipes from the core group. . Everyone was bonded and left so happily. A very special occasion for us, filled with an abundance of love and appreciation from everyone. Certainly a day to remember.

FOURTH OF JULY FOLLOW-UP. Karen Kefauver wrote to say…

“I could NOT AGREE MORE about our Fourth of July- I was disgusted by the fencing and crazed policing that went on this year – I feel like it was ramped up even from last year. I would LOVE to know the cost of the fencing, overtime, police hours – I feel certain that money could go towards a decent city sponsored fireworks display that would fill (most) beaches with an audience. I feel like we should have just CLOSED all highways and beaches and said: DON”T COME TO SANTA CRUZ”. Well said Karen

RUPERT MURDOCH AND SANTA CRUZ. Many new arrivals may not know that the ever-notorious Rupert Murdoch was once the owner of our very own Good Times paper. I doubt that he even knew it, but he did buy and later sell the corporation that owned it. Now Mainstreet Media owns it, they say,” Since its inception in 2004, MainStreet Media Group’s commitment to publishing is grounded in the belief that a publication’s relevancy literally begins on MainStreet. We are creators of hyper-local communication conduits, paved with interactive portals that invite and incite public debate, both in print and online. Our publishing teams proudly serve 48 demographically-rich California communities through traditional newspapers, alternative magazines, various niche publications, and dynamic web sites”.

NEW HISTORICAL MURAL AT MAH. If all goes well, Marvin Plummer who paints dogs as well as painting that the Jazz Wall on lower Pacific and the Wave Mural over at 820 Swift Street will be painting a new historical mural in the lobby at MAH. Ann Thiermann’s just finished working on her beautiful 1911-2011 historical dream mural behind the Sockshop & Shoe store on Locust. It’s a dream because she painted both Fred Swanton who died in 1940 and Tom Scribner who didn’t move to Davenport and Santa Cruz until the mid- 1960’s. Be sure to see it, and show your friends.

MORE LOCAL HAPPENINGS NEAR MAH.Both The Downtown Association and The Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce will be moving to that big business building between MAH and Lulu’s Octagon next month. Then Vinocruz, the wine shoppe located back there by MAH will change hands as they say. New owner Steve Principe of Network Mortgages swears they’ll remain very true to the cause and feature only Santa Cruz Mountain wines. If the biggest plans of all happen, Warmth will be playing for the grand opening Saturday August 6^th. Tables will be added. Fun will be had, and most importantly, we’ll have some action back in Roy Rydell Square ( aka Abbott Square)

BAD COP SANTA CRUZ. Check out this website if you haven’t looked at it before.

http://badcopsc.blogspot.com . I received an email from “The Spoon” that says, “Bad Cop focuses on police accountability, know your rights education, and the dissemination of effective tactics to utilize while documenting police in Santa Cruz County. We seek to document the abuse of authority and highlight the double standard that some grant to those with badges. By documenting police actions – whether they are illegal, immoral or just a waste of time and resources – we encourage transparency and hold police accountable. If you are familiar with CopWatch projects, this is a way of documenting what we see when we are watching. You are invited to document your own CopWatch activities and file your own Bad Cop Reports here. Additionally, if you are fighting police in criminal or civil court, the police abuses documented here may be useful in proving an officer’s (or an agency’s) history of abuse, excessive force, discriminatory prosecution, brutality, perjury, or incompetence. This is the accountability arm of a larger Police Obsolescence project, working toward a world without police. Some of the efforts of this project include CopWatch, know your rights education, police accountability, alternatives to calling the police, and education about police, courts, and jails. http://badcopsc.blogspot.com Please spread the word, especially among your acquaintances who are members of vulnerable populations. Contact us at badcopsc[at]gmail.com

IN & OUT BURGER.We need a show of hand (HAND) by whomsoever’s pushing to get an In & Out Burger into Santa Cruz. Isn’t there enough information out there about bad food, dangerous meats, and fat and nutrition in general to convince everybody we shouldn’t allow more burger stands anywhere?

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary discusses that proposed cutting of 4000 oak trees on Fort Ord. Then there’s the proposed shopping center at highway 68 now trimmed down a very little bit. Vacation Rentals in Santa Cruz are the Coastal Commission’s topic in Marin County this week, better watch out!!! Corralitos may have a large rural parcel divided into 7 developable parcels (ie.development) and then there’s The regional Transportation Commission that Gary is working to get more air and transparency into…Like go to Santa Cruz County Transportation Commission Website – http://www.sccrtc.org/ Read all his stuff here XXXXX (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 )

WHAT CABRILLO HIGHWAY??? Carey Casey agreed and wrote…”I had the same thought the other day. The only Spanish explorer who deserves to have anything named after him around here is Gaspar de Portolà. We do have Portola Drive, but considering that he was the only early explorer who set foot in our county, where he gave names to Santa Cruz and the San Lorenzo River, there ought to be more things named Portola. Cabrillo (or his successor) completely missed the Monterey Bay (eventually discovered and named by Sebastián Vizcaíno). Sure, Cabrillo may have sailed past our bay, 200 years before Vizcaíno and Portolà, but that’s not much of a connection to our local history”. C.C.

VINTAGE DE CINZO.You really can’t miss our daily launchings from Canfield Island. Scroll below.

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Tim deals us a political Four Pack…and it’s generic scroll the only way you can…down.

BROADSIDE FROM BROOKLYN. Doug Pomeroy of middle Baltic Street, Brooklyn shares… Many people who are obese and continue eating like nothing else matters, expect Medicare to “take care of them” when they get deathly ill. Personal responsibility (something the Republicans rightly urge) IS important, along with a compassionate concern for the general populace as a whole, which we Liberals have always advocated. I have a copy of photographer Weegie’s famous photo of the bathers at Coney Island in the 1940’s – you don’t see ANY obesity! So, something has happened, and if you ask me, capitalism has A LOT to do with it (not just the advertising which cleverly tricks people into eating what’s not good for them, but also the anxiety which living in a capitalist society breeds – the disappearance of the American Dream for most middle-class Americans, etc.).Just my 2¢.

Laugh, damnit, laugh!” Doug Pomeroy.

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Mr. Landau’s article is titled, “Simul-opts and Simul- Speaks

He says and I quote…” Does Washington possess a consistent set of foreign policy principles? Presidents make war – without having Congress declare it as per the Constitution – and re-assure the public that they have chosen military interventions based on moral values. The public tends to back Presidents who make wars without analyzing their motives – like creating an image of strength, useful in re-election campaigns.

In Obama’s re-election quest, he seems to return to a method of President Kennedy’s: simulopting. “Simulopting,” my friend Marcus Raskin explained, was Kennedy’s decision-making process. He promised, for example, not to withdraw U.S. military advisers from Vietnam, so as not to appear weak. Simultaneously and secretly requesting plans to downsize out of that Asian “mess” – after he won the 1964 election. Withdrawing from war would have inspired Republicans to label him “weak.” All the rest of it is here… Saul Landau is an Institute for Policy Studies fellow whose films are on DVD from roundworldproductions@gmail.com

LISA JENSEN LINKS. This week on Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com/), come along on a multi-media “Journey Fantastique” with the Scotts Valley Performing Arts Youth Shakespeare Program and the artwork of James Aschbacher. Also, let’s check back in with Cabrillo Stage: its last call for The Full Monty, while a couple of virtuoso performances make The Last Five Years, an affair to remember. Lisa Jensen has been writing film reviews and a column for Good Times since 1975.

THE RECESSION ? Valerie Lasciak snickers just a bit and opines,

“The Recession hits everybody.…..

I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.
CEO’s are now playing miniature golf.
Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen.
A stripper was killed when her audience showered her with rolls of pennies while she danced.
I saw a Mormon polygamist with only one wife.

If the bank returns your check marked “Insufficient Funds,” you call them and ask if they meant you or them.
McDonald’s is selling the 1/4 ouncer.
Angelina Jolie adopted a child from America .
Parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies and learned their children’s names.
My cousin had an exorcism but couldn’t afford to pay for it, and they re-possessed her.
A truckload of Americans were caught sneaking into Mexico.
A picture is now only worth 200 words.
When Bill and Hillary travel together, they now have to share a room.
The Treasure Island casino in Las Vegas is now managed by Somali pirates.

Congress says they are looking into this Bernard Madoff scandal. Oh Great! The guy who made $50 Billion disappear is being investigated by the people who made $1.5 Trillion disappear!
And, finally… I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, wars,
jobs, my savings, Social Security, retirement funds, etc., I called the SuicideHotline. I got a call center in Pakistan and when I told them I was suicidal, they got all excited, and asked if I could drive a truck!! Thanks Valerie.

HAPPY TRAILS JOE KIMBRO. Ron Sandidge sent this item because a lot of us remember Joe and of course Edna Kimbro. It is with a most heavy heart that I bring you the sad news of the passing this week of local music icon, mentor and dear friend Joe Kimbro. Joe fronted and performed with The Bear Creek Boys, first bluegrass band that I ever saw live. In later years he played with Western Pacific, The Surf City Boys and western band Lone Prairie. Shortly after moving out this way (from his native Alabama) to attend the Language Institute in Monterey, he formed the seminal local bluegrass band The Bear Creek Boys (with Jeff Hawkins, Mark McCornack, Stanley Meidinger & Billy Rudock). Bluegrass music itself was barely 25 years old when these guys were sharing the stage with the founding legends of the genre such as Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, Jimmy Martin, Jim & Jesse McReynolds, Bill Monroe (the father of Bluegrass himself), as well as country music stars Merle Haggard, Ernest Tubb and many, many more. It was an exhilarating time to be young and exposed to such powerful music. Inspired, kind and generous to a fault, Joe and his late wife Edna often hosted music parties on the Fourth of July. They will both be sorely missed in the local music community. Goodbye Old Pal.

FILMS. Last week I stated, “I haven’t seen a film on screen in two weeks. I’m seeing Cars in 3D, Transformers in 3D and Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks) this week. You’ll be the first to know next week”. Well I saw those 3 films, and they all sucked. Miserable, nada films. Don’t go…but read on.

PAGE ONE: A YEAR INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES. This is a wonderful update on not just The New York Times and how they may go broke, but it’s a rapid survey of what’s new in the world of online media, and how it all competes. You can learn a lot from this film, links you don’t know about tricks you haven’t heard of, sneaky media plots by Murdoch, and it’s all in this film. If you read news anywhere, see this film. And, imagine the USA without The New York Times. Think about what that means.

BUCK. A documentary about a horse whisperer and philosopher named Buck who has been to Santa Cruz many times. Horses are my least favorite beast, but this film teaches us that even nags can be nudged to niceness. (I’m not at all sure why I wrote that). But see the film.

CARS 3D.This poorly written film proves that even Pixar can make dumb films. It’s a flop, no fun, not very clever and certainly not up to Pixar’s reputation. Owen Wilson’s and Michael Caine’s voices plus the 3D effects are about the only saving graces in this speedy mess. Emeryville should fly their flags at half mast.

TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON. Maybe you think that with John Malkovich, Frances McDormond and John Turturro you’d have a reason to see this part 3 of the Hasbro inspired Transformer movies. Stay away. Don’t go see Larry Crowne either, but that’s probably why they opened them both at the same time. No plot, no humanity, no emotions, just machines and destruction and it’s 2 and a half hours long!!! One critic said it’s not a movie…it’s a sentence.

LARRY CROWNE. Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts have brought light to dozens of films. They can sparkle, can make us laugh, cry, fantasize, project, identify…they are among only a few stars today that have that ability. This is a miserable film. Hanks directed it and he shouldn’t have. It’s dull, poorly timed, not funny, they both do their best…a poor plot, blah photography, even bad make-up add up to a big mistake, don’t bother, you’ll end up in a bad mood.

“REPEATED REVIEWS”.

BEGINNERS. Ewan McGregor plays the very cute son of out-of- the- closet dad Christopher Plummer. They have a thinking dog which you probably saw in the trailers. The film has plenty of solid and clever laughs and is about as real deep or profound as The Kids Are Alright or Tree of Life…if you catch my drift.

SUBMARINE.Quirkywell written, perfectly directedWelsh semi-dark comedy about a dysfunctional family. Sally Hawkins is in it, but plays against her earlier screen roles …and it works. She’s one of my favorite actors. Whatever you do, see this film asap.

BRIDESMAIDS. More than a few friends have asked me about Bridesmaids saying how much they liked it…I want to emphasize that I really liked this film too, and critiqued it weeks ago. Do see it if at all possible.

THE GIGABEATS BIG GIG. Ken Koenig, and his jazz group, The Gigabeats, are performing next Friday night at 7:30 p.m. at the Backstage Lounge (next to the Rio Theater). If you’re craving a night of cool jazz, bossa nova, and more in a wonderful new venue, this is the time and place for you. For more on The Gigabeats: www.thegigabeats.com

For more on the Backstage Lounge: http://www.backstageloungerio.com/

MUSICAL SAW FESTIVAL. Advance warning, The Musical Saw Festival will happen August 13 & 14 at the Bookshop Santa Cruz and at Roaring Camp . Click here for necessary information…http://www.sawplayers.org

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. Shary Farr (of the Carmel Farr family) talks about elders, death, dying and positive preparation on Tuesday July 12 after that author, historian, Geoffrey Dunn will tell us all about “The LIES of Sarah Palin”, (his newest book) and her latest breaking news. Michael Warren will give us an in depth Shakespeare Santa Cruz preview on July 19 and Sue Heinz will return to tell us even more about Tarot, The Qabalah, and of course astrology on that same program. July 26 has Sean Van Sommeran talking about our shark neighbors, suitably followed by somebody from Save Our Shores. Any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in and keep listening.

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 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. Plus 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. “Ronald Reagan is a triumph of the embalmer’s art“, Gore Vidal. “They think that whenever anyone in the White House now tells a lie, I get a royalty”, Richard Nixon. “President Calvin Coolidge was the greatest man ever to come out of Plymouth Corner, Vermont”, Clarence Darrow.

HORSECAR # 1. Ed Ely at the horse car reins, May 1890. This speedy and dependable public transportation is shown here at Soquel Road and Doyle street. It ran from Ocean Street to Arana Gulch. It was owned and operated by the East Santa Cruz Street Railroad Company. photo credit: photo courtesy Covello & Covello Historical photo collection Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

WAGNER’S RING OPERAS (FOR GENERAL CONSUMPTION). Richard Wagner was born the same year as Verdi (1813) he died before Hitler was born, which is important to note. Wagner was anti-Semitic long before Hitler thought about it. But Hitler did like Wagner’s operas. Wagner’s four operas that make up the Ring story (Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung) are only produced as a complete set by the biggest Opera companies about every 10-20 years. So seeing a complete Ring is not easy. The story that the four operas tell is a mix of Norse legends, fate, destiny, the power of Gods, incest, devotion, and an almost infinite set of internal plots, that literary experts have tried unraveling for decades. The operas take a total of about 17 hours to perform. The Ring has been called one of mankind’s greatest artistic achievements, and I agree. Operas are serious musicals, you might say. I refer below to the character Brünnhilde. She’s the one you see in cartoons with horned helmet, breastplate and shield and is just about the most important person in the Ring. Nina Stemme is now the talk of the opera world, for her ability to sing the role so well. And of course unlike so many musical productions today no one in the world of opera productions ever uses or would ever allow the use of microphones. Opera singers know how to sing AND project their voices out over a full orchestra into an opera house seating at least 3,000 people!!!

WAGNER’S RING OPERAS (FOR TRUE FOLLOWERS). Nina “Brunnhilde” Stemme is and was as absolutely great as critic’s world wide have been saying. She looks like a serious Carol Barnett, or a long haired Ceil Cirillo or an older Tina Majorino (if you watched Big Love). S.F. Opera’s Ring director Francesca Zambello has a Santa Cruz connection….Norma Del Gaudio is hercousin or aunt or a relation of some kind and Norma saw and loved Siegfried in 2008. Francesca’s localizing of Wagner’s classic work left me and many others very cold in a few spots. Like having a couple in bad watching a super sized led tv complete with a remote, or soldiers carrying new photos of American troops killed in Iraq…whew!!! She added some jerky little boy in a toga planting a potted tree at the every end where Wagner had written the ending as having no hope for Gods, humans or earth forever. But still it was the most exciting, best acted, all around best sung, of the six Ring productions I’ve seen so far. My seat mate for Siegfried and Gotterdammerung was a guy from the NPR station in Hawaii who had seen 67 complete Ring productions in his lifetime. He thought this was a great Ring too (except for the “localizations”). By the way The Chron’s Joshua Kosman told me he is definitely coming to the Cabrillo Fest O’ ContempMusic.

SOQUEL WATER DISTRICT’S ENERGY MITIGATION WORKSHOP. I asked Jean Brocklebank to tell us about attending this “closed to the public” workshop, she writes…

Jean Brocklebank’ s summary of their attendance at the Soquel Water District’s Energy Mitigation Workshop.

Members of Santa Cruz Desal Alternatives asked the Soquel Water District Task Force (aka sqwd2) at their June 15th meeting, if we might be able to observe the Energy Mitigation Workshop, scheduled for June 23rd. We were told “no” by the Task Force Chair, Don Lane. We reiterated that we simply wanted to observe the Workshop, not participate. After all, we noted that the Workshop, like the Task Force meeting, is financed with public money, to address a project that will be built with public money, to produce public water. It seemed only natural to allow the public to observe the proceedings of its publicly financed workshop. We were told “no” a second time by the Task Force Chair. Next day, we wrote to the City Council and the sqwd2 program director, as well as to Bill Kocher. Another formal “no” came from sqwd2 officials. We decided to attend anyway”.

Six of us showed up the morning of the Workshop and were met outside the ABC Room of the Civic Auditorium by Susan O’Hara of the City Water Dept. She explained that the workshop was closed to the public. We explained courteously that we wanted only to observe, not to participate. She asked us to wait and went into the workshop room. Next to come out to speak to us was Melanie Schumacher, and we had the same conversation. Finally, Bill Kocher approached us and we explained again. He listened, as he does well, and then said no. I tried one more time, offering to limit our participation to only two of us, as a courtesy. And I insisted that we would be observers only and not speak. He thought a moment and then said yes. It was a good compromise, we thought. Paul Gratz and I went into the workshop room and sat down at the far end.

The workshop was interesting to observe. A few minutes into the workshop proceedings, I passed Paul a note: “We did it!” And indeed we had done. We both stayed an hour, then had to leave because of other commitments. I returned at 2:30 and stayed until 4:00 pm.

There were approximately 20 participants, including three form sqwd2, some from UCSC, some fro Soquel Creek Water Dept., Ross Clark, the City’s Climate Action Plan director, one invited from Ecology Action, Joe Jordan, a local solar techie guy and teacher, and others whose names hopefully will be listed soon on the sqwd2 web site. As the workshop began, Susan O’Hara, the City’s engineer in charge of energy mitigation strategies announced to the participants that “two members the public are here to observe.” They all looked our way, smiled and that was that! Clearly they were comfortable with us there.

Susan introduced the project and its timeline, noting that CEQA is why “mitigation needs to be researched and dealt with.” She said they were going to use the Dot Process to narrow down the 46 possible mitigation projects to 10 – 15. She expressed her opinion about how good the Dot Process is and why “we think this is a great way to move this project.” She also made another interesting comment about those gathered for the workshop being a “group of people hopefully being reflective of community values.”

The biggest surprise was hearing that the Soquel Water District is now thinking in terms of 2.5 to 4.5 mgd capacity. That is almost a doubling of the original proposal and the price tag is now estimated at approaching $140 million. Of course, readers should keep in mind the Brocklebank Corollary of Murphy’s Law: any proposed development always takes twice as long and costs twice as much as the initial proposed budget.

The Dot Process worked: sqwd2 got their top 10 – 12 projects, whittled from 46. It was difficult to see everything from the back of the room and so we will have to wait for the workshop report to the Task Force on July 20th. I will say that I was very pleased that one of those 46, buying a forest and not cutting it down, was NOT chosen. It didn’t even get one dot.

Interesting reason that they wanted to reduce the number studied for the EIR is that it will take 20 hours per project analyzed @ $175/hour ($3500 per mitigation project X 12 = $42,000).

Kirsten Liske of Ecology Action was amazing. Intelligent, relevant questions and comments. There was much group discussion about the desal project being able to take carbon credits for a dam that is already built (not passing the smell test). One participant questioned carbon sequestration because it can’t be proven that it comes from the source (i.e., electrical energy consumed by desal plant…who can say the carbon sequestered actually came from PG&E’s power plant?!). Joe Jordan kept coming back to solar and why not?!!

In short, it was a good day for public participation. After all, in a democracy the first thing to do is show up! Be sure to bookmark the Desal Alternatives web site and stay engaged because they are on a fast track to build this ridiculous project. Katy bar the door.

ARHOOLIE RECORDS STRACHWITZ’S 80 BIRTHDAY PARTY. In between those four Wagner operas we had Saturday off so I went to old college buddy Chris Strachwitz’s 80^th birthday party. I recognized Maria Muldaur, Barbara Dane, County Supervisor John Leopold, and old friends Robert Armstrong, Al Dodge and Tony Marcus of the Cheap Suit Serenaders. I asked Chris to supply us with more attendees and performers he said… “Hi Bruce – the first group out in back was Los Cenzontles – my favorite Mexican dueto of Lucina & Fabiola singing in that pure Mexican duet tradition! That ranchera music just gets to me – I love it! Then we had Cookie Siegelstein the fantastic Yiddish fiddler from the group called Verezki Pass with her accordionist Jack and Julay Brooks sitting in on guitar since the bass player was in Poland. Following them in the Down Home Store was the Savoy Family Band: Marc, Ann, Wilson, and Joel Savoy from Eunice, LA who are the most incredible Cajun band ever! Those three groups were the highlights – and then the jams in back – jazz with Barbara Dane, Bob Mielke, Richard Hadlock, the superb soprano sax (I forgot his name) who is part of the Saxophone Quartet and who is married to Hilda Mendez (who used to work for Arhoolie) and who has two wonderful little daughters – plus the band also contained Bob Armstrong on lap steel guitar, Nina Feldman and other luminaries! It sure was a memorable party!! Best – Chris.” I spent most of my time there talking with Wayne Pope washboard player from our Goodtime Washboard 3 and Barry Olivier who invented folk music festivals, we hadn’t seen each other in at least 45 years!! What a party!

OUR TWO WHARVES. Ryan Morris sent this link to our wharf history. Re last week’s historical photo.

Frank Perry has this to say about the perpetuation of the Gharkey wharf becoming the railroad wharf: http://researchforum.santacruzmah.org/viewtopic.php?t=24. Great research on the topic but Frank and everybody in this thing spells Gharky wrong!!!

CABRILLO HIGHWAY. Each time I drive back from S.F. and see the Cabrillo Highway road signs I am amazed. There isn’t one shred of proof that Cabrilho/Cabrillo was even alive and not buried at Santa Cruz island before his ship may have sailed past these shores. Who named that highway anyways? Wally Trabing named our favorite college Cabrillo but why Cabrillo Highway?

SPEAKING OF THE FOURTH OF JULY. In the more than 44 years of driving Highway 1 between San Francisco and here I’d never seen as much traffic as last Sunday. Cars were lined up literarily for miles waiting to drive over 92 out of Half Moon Bay to San Mateo and beyond. I’d also never seen such frightening police/sheriff’s fencing, policing and set ups along the beaches between 1/2 Moon Bay and here. dreadful and hostile. I’m betting (Monday at 1:30p.m.) that this will go down in firework history as the worst battleground ever. People can’t afford to go anywhere else so they go to their beaches and the police spend all that time and money to stop them. A shameful way to maintain a community.

PAUL DRAGAVON’S OBIT FROM CHICO. Gina Dragavon and Claire Braz-Valentine sent links to Paul’s obit in The Fourth Of July edition of the Chico paper.

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary pays huge tribute to Monterey County Supervisor Jane Parker. He talks a lot about the Fourth of July and celebrates our role in local politics. He tells of the plight of 4000 oak trees in Whispering Oaks and their looming possible death by development. The Pajaro Basin needs attention he says. He pays more tribute to The League of Women Voters and why we need them. Then he closes with The Coastal Act and the Coastal Commission which is coming our way again in August!!!

(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.Our New Haunted Lighthouse ride at the Boardwalk!!!

Read it all below…

EAGANS DEEP COVER. It’s all about Recovery Now…or when. Scroll beneath…

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul wrote “Attack Libya Farewell republic” and opened with “Right wing Republicans want to “save” the Constitution, the Republic’s framework, at a time when the USA has enmeshed itself in foreign wars and international military alliances. They cite reverently the framers’ intentions, which did not include excluding Congress from basic information about U.S. policy. Unelected officials have now “classified” (hidden) tens of millions of documents from the people’s elected body. After the “Evil Empire” vanished in 1991, “terrorists” emerged as the pretext to hide “executive affairs” from citizens and Congress. 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. If your life was a book, what would the cover look like? This week on Lisa Jensen Online Express, say hello to artist Tina Short’s vibrant new mural at Bayview Elementary that celebrates books and reading, featuring fantasy book covers conceived and painted by the Bayview fourth-graders. And speaking of heroic reads, as we prepare to say goodbye to the Harry Potter film franchise (the final installment opens this week), let’s sing the praises of J. K. Rowling’s fabulous books and why we love them”. Lisa Jensen has been writing film reviews and a column for Good Times since 1975.

FILMS. I haven’t seen a film on screen in two weeks. I’m seeing Cars in 3D, Transformers in 3D and Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks) this week. You’ll be the first to know next week.

MUSICAL SAW FESTIVAL. This will be the 34^th year of the Festival. You can catch a little part of it at Bookshop Santa Cruz on August 13. Most of it happens at Roaring Camp on August 14^th click here for details…

http://www.sawplayers.org/festinfo.html

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. July 5^th Ellen Primack details this year’s Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music followed by a return of Anita Monga of the now legendary San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Shary Farr (of the Carmel Farr family) talks about elders, death, dying and positive preparation on July 12 after that author, historian, Geoffrey Dunn will tell us all about “The LIES of Sarah Palin”, (his newest book) and her latest breaking news. Michael Warren will give us an in depth Shakespeare Santa Cruz preview on July 19 and Sue Heinz will return to tell us even more about Tarot, The Qabalah, and of course astrology on that same program. July 26 has Sean Van Sommeran talking about our shark neighbors, suitably followed by somebody from Save Our Shores. Any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in and keep listening.

(NEW SECTION) UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 5 years on Universal Grapevine on Tuesday nights here’s a chronological list of just this year’s available 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 Great Morgani on Street performing, Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sand hills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Company. Plus 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. “I’ve taken LSD 38 times. The reason I keep talking it is to get over my compulsion for counting the trips”, Paul Krasner. “A hundred doses of happiness are not enough: send to the drugstore for another bottle-and when that is finished, for another”, Aldous Huxley. “America, I’m putting my queer shoulder to the wheel”, Allen Ginsberg.

SANTA CRUZ WHARF (just being built) AND THE GHARKY RAILROAD WHARF, circa 1913. The railroad wharf was gone in 1922. As Rick Hamman says in his book on our trains, “Lumbering, lime, fruits, vegetables and tourists and fish used the railroad wharf around 1906”). photo credit: photo courtesy Covello & Covello Historical photo collection Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

SWANTON ROAD REVISITED. Sandy Lydon has been leading tours around local sites for decades. Friday night and Saturday afternoon I was part of his Secret History of Swanton Road Tour. About 40 folks filled all available spaces and we gathered an awful lot of history, art and culture together in those few hours. Having lived on Swanton Road for around 13 years I’d gathered some pretty wild stories. Stories involving Marilyn Monroe, Ishi, Clark Kerr, Ed Abbey, Ray Bolger, Chris Mathews, Bill Everson, Lynn Robinson, Jim Houston, Morton Marcus, Orchard Supply Hardware, 1915 Pan Pacific Exposition, Graham Nash, early Indian middens, Charlie Canfield, Daniel Rhodes, Page Stegner, and of course Scott Creek and Big Creek Potteries. You should have been there. Check out Sandy’s website to find out about his next available tour, you won’t forgot it. There’s one almost every weekend in the summer. http://www.sandylydon.com

EXIT INTERNATIONAL. I tried to copy all of this from their last email…

Exit International ‘Peaceful Pill’ eForum welcomes

Dr Ted as our new Forum Expert.

With a background in medicine, pharmacology, and organic chemistry, Dr Ted will be able to answer your end of life questions. Simply post them on the Peaceful Pill eForum:
http://www.peacefulpillhandbook.com/forum/
As an example, an Exit member recently asked how they could reconstitute Chinese powdered Nembutal, given that they had heard that pentobarbital was almost insoluble in water.
Dr Ted’s answer: The product from China is the soluble salt – “sodium pentobarbital” CAS No# 57-33-0 It dissolves readily in water, decomposes before melting. Store in a tightly sealed container (minimal air) or vacuum seal, dark place <20C
Administration is as simple as dissolving 10gm or more in ~ 50ml of water and drinking the clear liquid Sleep will follow in a few minutes – death shortly thereafter.
It is usual (but not essential) to take an antiemetic like metoclopramide beforehand to reduce the chance of vomiting. The ‘Mexican’ or ‘veterinary’ form of the drug is a solution of sodium pentobarbital in 100ml bottles at 60mg/ml i.e. in each bottle is 6gm of sodium pentobarbital. Here the liquid in the bottles is simply drunk. One bottle is sufficient, but many take x2 ie 12gm.
The ‘crystalline form’ or ‘acidic form’ is “pentobarbital” CAS No# 76-74-4
It is practically insoluble in water and has a melting point of 133C
This is not the form to take for a peaceful death!

Exit News and Forum
Provided free and sent out to over 5000 supporters of voluntary euthanasia in many countries.
To subscribe: please click here
For comments & News items to be listed – exit@euthanasia.net
To unsubscribe: please click here
To visit the Exit International website – click HERE
To visit the Peaceful Pill website – click HERE
To view The Peaceful Pill blog – click HERE

The Peaceful Pill eHandbook by Dr Philip Nitschke & Dr Fiona Stewart
Contains 300 pages, over 100 illustrations and 50 video segments
Available from www.peacefulpill.com
Print version banned in Australia & New Zealand
Copies available from ExitUS or from amazon.com

GONE WITH THE PAPERS. Pat Matecjek sent this piece from Truthdig by Chris Hedges…“Newsrooms today are anemic and forlorn wastelands. I was recently in the newsroom at The Philadelphia Inquirer, and patches of the floor, also the size of a city block, were open space or given over to rows of empty desks. These institutions are going the way of the massive rotary presses that lurked like undersea monsters in the bowels of newspaper buildings, roaring to life at night. The heavily oiled behemoths, the ones that spat out sheets of newsprint at lightning speed, once empowered and enriched newspaper publishers who for a few lucrative decades held a monopoly on connecting sellers with buyers. Now that that monopoly is gone, now that the sellers no long need newsprint to reach buyers, the fortunes of newspapers are declining as fast as the page counts of daily news sheets. Read all of it here and weep. Especially his last paragraph.

MONITOR MASTERPIECES – ASCII ART.. If you put your colon right next to your comma or your exclamation point between somebody else’s parentheses you can make art. Scroll down to last week’s column and note the “Rose” made from online punctuation. I asked if anyone had any other examples. Of course Welles Goodrich did, and he sent us this note… “About that Birthday Rose. It’s ASCII Art. Click on this first link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascii_Art to read that…” ASCII art is a graphic design technique that uses computers for presentation and consists of pictures pieced together from the 95 printable (from a total of 128) characters defined by the ASCII Standard from 1963 and ASCII compliant character sets with proprietary extended characters (beyond the 128 characters of standard 7-bit ASCII). Welles continues…” Here is one of my favorite examples… Cheers! Welles

          .-"""""""-.

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        /        /  \/  \

       |         \_0/\_0/______

       |:.          .'       oo`\

       |:.         /             \

       |' ;        |             |

       |:..   .     \_______     |

       |::.|'     ,  \,_____\   /

       |:::.; ' | .  '|  ====)_/===;===========;()

       |::; | | ; ; | |            # # # #::::::

      /::::.|-| |_|-|, \           # # # #::::::

     /'-=-'`  '-'   '--'\          # # # #::::::

jgs /                    \         # # # #::::::

                                   # # # # # # #

           H A P P Y               # # # # # # #

                                   # # # # # # #

   F O U R T H  O F  J U L Y       # # # # # # #

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BUT WAIT!!!That eagle is nothing compared to these portraits…

http://aa-project.sourceforge.net/gallery who knew???

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary works hard on land use issues this week he adds..

“The word “regulation” doesn’t sound warm and friendly. In fact, aversion to “governmental regulation” has driven a lot of our contemporary political debates. As frequent listeners will guess, my own view is that “governmental regulation” is in fact a positive benefit, at least if those regulations come out of a truly open, democratic, and participatory governmental process”.

He also talks about Monterey wanting to build second houses without public hearings. Then he talks about Economic Development Admin. EDA funding. Be sure to check out Santa Monica’s “Sustainability Bill of Rights”. (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. Professor DeCinzo extols the virtues of Nisene Marks State Park. (“Nisene” was Mr. & Mrs. Marks daughter’s name).Look downward angels!!!

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Tim gives us a look at 2035…whether we like it or not !!!scroll below

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul writes in his article titled, “Picture President Gingrich”, “The world’s people face transcendent issues: climate change (tornadoes, tsunamis, droughts, hurricanes), seemingly endless wars in Asia and Africa, mass uprisings, growing world hunger – and the ever present nuclear (weapons and power) threat. Given those overwhelming issues one would expect leaders to arise: wise and far-sighted men and women who would articulate and then pose the themes so citizens could respond to proposed remedies. Examine aspiring Republicans who convened last week in Minnesota to present themselves to Party activists. Newt Gingrich’s staff had just quit his campaign en masse as he sailed off on a cruise of the Greek Islands with his exotic wife – she needed to get away. He responded to her need rather than the nuts and bolts of campaigning, said his staff. He said he needed “to think.” .” The rest of it is here… Saul Landau is an Institute for Policy Studies fellow whose films are on DVD from roundworldproductions@gmail.com

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa emails…”Summer’s here, but before you hit the road, check out Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com/), for some packing and wardrobe tips from the Inconstant Traveler (that’s me!) Also, big kudos to Cabrillo Stage in their 30th Anniversary season; their audacious new production of The Full Monty delivers the goods. Lisa Jensen has been writing film reviews and a column for Good Times since 1975.

BEGINNERS. Ewan McGregor plays the very cute son of out-of- the- closet dad Christopher Plummer. They have a thinking dog which you probably saw in the trailers. The film has plenty of solid and clever laughs and is about as real deep or profound as The Kids Are Alright or Tree of Life…if you catch my drift.

SUBMARINE. Quirkywell written, perfectly directedWelsh semi-dark comedy about a dysfunctional family. Sally Hawkins is in it but plays against her earlier screen roles …and it works. She’s one of my favorite actors. Whatever you do, see this film asap.

BRIDESMAIDS. More than a few friends have asked me about Bridesmaids saying how much they liked it…I want to emphasize that I really liked this film too, and critiqued it weeks ago. Do see it if at all possible.

POLITICAL POTLUCK PICNIC PLANNED. Enjoy a picnic and politics at a Gathering of Progressives – 1:00 – 4:00pm July 10. Learn what other political progressive activists are doing and how you can be part of the action – find your niche at the level of involvement you prefer. Share a potluck picnic – bring a dish to share, your plate and utensils, your own drinks (no alcohol in SC County Parks but WILPF will provide filtered water), BBQ on site – we’ll provide charcoal. We’ll have musical entertainment with a political beat. So bring your voice to sing along and musical instruments to join the fun. All ages welcome. To reserve an information table for your organization: scmoveon@earthlink.net It’ll all happen on the Redwood Deck at Highlands Park in Ben Lomond (off Highway 9 between Felton and Ben Lomond.

BULLOCK & DRAPER PHOTOS.

During July, photographs by local artists Tom Bullock and Virginia Draper are on display at Louden (London) Nelson Community Center, Santa Cruz. Bullock’s expansive, awe-inspiring images depict “Stones of Ages Past” from his travels to distant lands. In “By the Coast,” Draper makes the familiar strange with her unpredictable Holga camera and by pairing found objects with landscapes of Natural Bridges State Beach. Located at 301 Center Street, the Center is open Monday-Saturday, 9 AM-9 PM. Free admission. Wheelchair accessible. All welcome to the First Friday Art Tour reception, July 1, 6-8 PM. More info: 471-9395.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are on “blog”) at WWW.KZSC.ORG. I’ll be in San Francisco for Wagner’s Ring Cycle on June 28, so it’ll be a re-play of Grey Hayes discussing his take on wetlands and land use problems, followed by UCSC’s Winifred Frick talking about bats. Ellen Primack details this year’s Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music on July 5^th followed by a return of Anita Monga of the now legendary San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Shary Farr (of the Carmel Farr family) talks about elders, death, dying and positive preparation on July 12 after that author, historian, Geoffrey Dunn will tell us all about “The LIES of Sarah Palin”, (his newest book) and her latest breaking news. Michael Warren will give us an in depth Shakespeare Santa Cruz preview on July 19 and Sue Heinz will return to tell us even more about Tarot, The Qabalah, and of course astrology on that same program. July 26 has Sean Van Sommeran talking about our shark neighbors. Any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in and keep listening.

(NEW SECTION) UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 5 years on U.G. on Tuesday nights 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 Great Morgani on Street performing, Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sand hills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Company. Plus Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011. Hear them all!!!

BEST OF VINTAGE DeCINZO.

QUOTES.

“Whenever I feel like exercise I lie down until the feeling passes“,R.M.Hutchins. “If it’s not one thing, it’s two”, James Ledford. “I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with a lot of pleasure”, Clarence Darrow

SANTA CRUZ HAS JAMES DURBIN, DAVENPORT HAS LAWRENCE FERLINGHETTI. (L to R in photo from Saturday June 18, 2011) Rita Bottoms, Tom Bottoms, Marcia McDougal, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Bruce McDougal, Kim Kempke (La Sirena mgr.) and Me. This was taken inside the La Sirena Antique Shop in downtown Davenport last Saturday. Read on for details. photo credit: new historical photo courtesy Kim Kempke Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

FAMED AUTHOR, ARTIST, CITY LIGHTS BOOKSTORE OWNER, PUBLISHER MEETS OLD FRIENDS IN DAVENPORT.

Former Head of Special Collections at the UCSC University Library, and now author Rita Bottoms plus her artist-husband Tom brought their old (92) friend Lawrence Ferlinghetti (read about Ferlinghetti if you are new ) to the positively marvelous and unique La Sirena Antiques & Gifts Shop (READ ABOUT La Sirena if you’ve never been there ) last Saturday. Shop owners Bruce and Marcia McDougal knew Lawrence from The Davenport Cash Store , that they once built and owned, when he’d stop by on the way to his cabin in Big Sur. I knew him from San Francisco 1950-60 days when our Goodtime Washboard 3 trio played across the street from his City Lights bookshop at the Purple Onion and down the block at the Hungry i. We laughed, reminisced, lied, and forgot a lot together about books, show biz, and Rita Bottoms’ new book “Riffs & Ecstasies” which is so far only for sale at La Sirena. Ferlinghetti’s doing very well for being 92…damn, he’s doing well for being 65!!!

WHO DOES THESE ONLINE BEAUTIES?

? . H A P P Y . ?
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¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯\)¯¯¯¯¯'\_„„„„\)
? . BIRTH DAY ?

I found this rose on somebody’s page…any other examples of this “art”? Send them in and we’ll print them…please?

FERLINGHETTI & THE BOTTOMS. Rita told me she and Tom knew Lawrence F. from meeting him in Warren, Ohio when they were there for the Kenneth Patchen Festival. (Wikipedia says about Patchen… “One of Patchen’s biggest literary supporters was the novelist Henry Miller who wrote a long essay on Patchen, entitled Patchen: Man of Anger and Light in 1946.^[7] Patchen also had a close, life-long friendship with the poet E.E. Cummings that began when they were both living in Greenwich Village in the 40’s.^[8] Later, in the 1950s, Patchen became a major influence on the younger Beat poets like Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and Dick McBride^[9] who visited Patchen when they were in California, participating in the West Coast literary scene”). Anyway, after that Lawrence took Rita to his almost secret art studio. Hardly anyone even knew he worked at painting. Rita loved his paintings and created the first show of his paintings at UCSC!!! It launched his art career and they’ve been buddies ever since. Also at Davenport fun fest was Giada Diano and her mom Maria Grazia from Italy. Giada was and is, Lawrence’s biographer and her book on him is selling very well in Italy…it’ll be translated here soon. A photo catalog of his paintings was done by our very own R.R. Jones, and I’ll let you know where you can see that when I find out. Rita has just begun taking her “Riffs & Ecstasies” book to local bookstores. La Sirena carries it, and even after a quick browse I can tell you it’s one hell of a piece of work.

PAUL DRAGAVON DIED LAST SATURDAY .Claire Braz-Valentine sent an email Monday am. saying our very long time friend Paul Dragavon died Saturday. He’d been doing chemo and blood changing things for a few years. Luckily he was here for his 76^th grand birthday party last April 3. We all got together in Soquel’s Blue Ball Park and guessed this was his last birthday. Aside from being a nearly perfect human he was a speech therapist for the county and even a member of The Santa Cruz City Parks Commission. He ran for City Council once, but never mind about that. To say he’ll be missed, doesn’t come close.

PARKING AT BURGER KING (CONTINUED). John Thomas replied to Dean Quarnstrom’s letter last week…” I wanted to respond to Dean Quarnstrom’s letter about the parking at Burger King. First of all I want to make it clear I have no connection or special interest in regards to Burger King. I am a local business owner that has a business that was once located downtown. I had two designated parking spaces that were clearly and legally marked for the use of my business only. The sign indicated that non-patrons would be towed at their expense. Other nearby businesses did not have enough or any designated parking for their own business. A large percentage of people that had their cars towed from our parking spaces acted like the biggest victims in the world. It’s as if the sign meant nothing or that they were invisible when they parked there. (They were eye level when you pulled into the space.) I never split a fee with the tow company and I suspect that kickbacks might be illegal. I’d like to see the money trail before I believe that part of the story. Tri-County Towing has been around quite a while and do have rules to follow in regards to towing cars off of private property. If Burger King has their parking lot properly signed, what are they doing wrong? Who pays for the repair of their asphalt? Not Staff Of Life. Agree or disagree with their business, they pay for the maintenance and privilege of having parking spaces for their customers, not Staff Of Life’s customers. I doubt very much that they reap any reward from Staff Of Life’s customers. I can’t really picture someone buying their organic produce and soy milk and then popping over to Burger King for a Whopper. Who’s really the bad neighbor here? Why is it when people choose to ignore signs that say they will be towed, that they are the victim when they are towed? I just thought the other side of the story should be shared. John Thomas

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary says that the Soquel Creek Linear Park will be discussed. Read here for info on that park . Then he talks about changes and possibilities dealing with 41^st avenue, which we should all care about. The Monterey De-sal forum was cancelled last week. Read here for details. The RTC is still wheeling and dealing to widen Highway 1 in spite of the losing of funds. And lastly there’s talk about re-building the old bridge in Pinnacles State park.

(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 new travel urge hasn’t changed much …scroll below

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Knee deep in promises, promises and politics. Scroll below.

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul’s weekly article is titled, “Realism and Need Shape Cuba Policy in Cuba”. He says, “After more than half a century some myths need dispelling about U.S.-Cuba relations and Washington’s demand for “changes.” On the Cuban Revolution Ernest Hemingway said: “I think the people [of Cuba] now have a decent moment and I don’t believe that they ever had one before. (“Lo que dice el novelista Hemingway,” Noticias de Hoy, January 25, 1959). In Washington, Hemingway’s description amounted to naïve idealism, tolerating unacceptable behavior from an upstart bunch of rebels. Hemingway, however, lived in Cuba, and understood what the State Department feared. Fidel and company took independence and social justice seriously. To accomplish these agenda items, Cuba began to treat U.S. properties disrespectfully (real estate, agribusiness, utilities and telephone and banks). 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. This June week of Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com/), Lisa says, ” welcome summer (at last!), and summer produce with a fabulous new farmer’s market poster from one of Santa Cruz’s favorite printmakers. Also, let’s talk about the ambitious new Terence Malick film, The Tree Of Life, and why it grows on you. (Hint: it’s not nearly as scary or complicated as you might think.) Lisa Jensen has been writing film reviews and a column for Good Times since 1975.

PRODIGAL DICKMEYER. Dan Dickmeyer temporarily left his new digs in Canada and was shopping around here last week. He says that Vodka and all booze in Canada sells for stupendously high prices…like $55 per bottle!! There’s one movie theatre on the island he lives on, and he’s trying to get some good films to screen up there. We discussed the numerous changes to Pacific Avenue, and how much he misses the place.

TREE OF LIFE, MORE ABOUT.There’s more humanity, wit, genius, compassion and understanding in almost any 5 minutes of a Charlie Chaplin film than in all of Malick’s Tree Of Life. I defy anyone including Malick to tell us what the point, message or moral of the film was. And on top of that almost any filmmaker in the world could have told it more honestly, quickly, more beautifully and without the dinosaurs than Malick did. I stated last week, if you missed it…” This piece of pap from Terence Malick is just about the most foolish, pretentious, ultra cosmic, sermon, Hallmark -TEDx piece of junk ever filmed. Maybe TEDx people will like it, or Rosicrucian’s, or Scientologists but don’t go whatever you do. Paul Lee told me that Malick was his philosophy student at Harvard and later worked at The New Yorker. I thought Malick’s Badlands and The Thin Red Line were very good films but like Tree of Life his The New World was just as hyped and ego driven.

TEDx AT CABRILHO COLLEGE. I should have made it clear last week that I walked out of TEDx at Cabrilho College last week after not being able to stomach more that the first three “presenters”. Why did I walk out??? See the Tree of Life scathing in previous paragraph…same reasons.

THE TROLL HUNTER.Apparently the Norwegian director now claims this is a comedy, I’m guessing that since it doesn’t come close to being the scary works like Blair Witch or Paranormal he’s copping out. It doesn’t have many intended laughs either. Forget about it. Except that the Trolls actually do look unintentionally funny(the little bit you can actually see them).

GREEN LANTERN.One of the worst of the Marvel hero films. Just about insulting and condescending. And it’s pointless, poorly scripted, and no fun… even in 3D. Of course it’s #1 at the box-office…which proves my point.

OTHER FILMS. Go see Woody Allen’s Midnight In Paris, The Double Hour, L’Amour Fou, Incendies, Bill Cunningham N.Y. and for sure Cave of Forgotten Dreams even in 2D.

FROZEN DEAD GUY FESTIVAL. Judy Primavera sent this New York Times gem…”Celebrating the mortal remains of an 89-year-old Norwegian named Bredo Morstoel, whose body became stranded here in 1993, is already a big local economic engine. Upward of 20,000 people came this year over a three-day weekend in early March to mark its 10th year and its packed agenda — the coffin races, the parade of hearses, the crowning of an Ice Queen and the not-to-be-missed frozen salmon toss. Mr. Morstoel, or so local lore has it, died in 1989. His body, already frozen, was brought to Nederland by a family member who dreamed of opening a cryogenic-body-storage-in-the-mountains business. Local officials subsequently found two frozen bodies, including Mr. Morstoel’s, in the family’s possession and outlawed the practice of storing dead bodies. One of the bodies was relocated, but Mr. Morstoel’s was allowed to stay. The entire NY Times story here..

CLEAN OUR SHORES ON THE FOURTH. Plan now for this much needed tradition…Join Save Our Shores on beaches in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties to
reach out to visitors about taking their trash home with them off the beach. We will be walking the beach and offering guests their own trash bag so they can pack their trash. Join us in Santa Cruz County at Seacliff/Rio Del Mar State Beaches, Moran Lake Beach, Twin Lakes State Beach, Seabright State Beach, and Main Beach/Cowell Beach; and
in Monterey at Del Monte/ Monterey Municipal Beach at Wharf #2. For more information, contact volunteer@saveourshores.org.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are on “blog”) at WWW.KZSC.ORG. Joel Primack and Nancy Abrams will discuss their new book, “The New Universe and the Human Future. Then Pat Matejcek will bring us up to date on environmental issues. I’ll be in San Francisco for Wagner’s Ring Cycle on June 28, so it’ll be a re-play of Grey Hayes discussing his take on wetlands and land use problems, followed by Winifred Frick talking about bats. Ellen Primack details this year’s Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music on July 5^th followed by a return of Anita Monga of the now legendary San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Shary Farr (of the Carmel Farr family) talks about elders, death, dying and positive preparation on July 12 after that author, historian, Geoffrey Dunn will tell us all about “The LIES of Sarah Palin”, (his newest book) and her latest breaking news. Michael Warren will give us an in depth Shakespeare Santa Cruz preview on July 19 and Sue Heinz will return to tell us even more about Tarot, The Qabalah, and of course astrology on that same program. July 26 has Sean Van Sommeran talking about our shark neighbors. Any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in and keep listening.

QUOTES. “A publisher would just as soon see a burglar in his office as a poet”, H. de Vere Stacpoole. “If you can’t annoy somebody there is little point in writing”, Kingsley Amis. “James, why don’t you write books that people can read?”,Nora Joyce.

CAPITOLA “GAY 90’S CELEBRATION July 2, 1950.Great photo, you can see the Venetian Motel, The Edgewater Club, and that’s probably Carolyn Swift on the Capitola Lion’s float :-). photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

CLOSING OUR PARKS AND BEACHES.Again almost quoting Supervisor Neal Coonerty on last week’s Universal Grapevine the State is planning on our closing Twin Lakes, Mission Adobe and Castle Rock State Parks due to budget problems.

Can anyone see far enough ahead to foretell some problems especially with Castle Rock. Wikipedia says about Castle Rock, “Under Governor Brown’s current budget proposal this park will be closed. This doesn’t necessarily mean that visitors couldn’t enter the park, but it does mean that rangers will no longer staff the park. If the city of Santa Cruz doesn’t step in, garbage collection will cease and crime may increase without the presence of park rangers”. Twin Lakes State Beach (in case you’ve successfully repressed the memory) is the scene of our local police war zone on the Fourth of July weekend (less than 20 days from now). The State Of California now proposes to close Twin Lakes? CLOSE TWIN LAKES???I suggested to Neal maybe our local police working with the State of course could put up barbed wire, install land mines, and 2 or 3 gun towers…maybe, just maybe that would “cut down” some of the 1000’s of families that see our beaches as public property to be enjoyed by all. Remember Fourth Of July is less than 20 days from now. And to think this would have been averted by John Lairds idea of taxing license plates for park revenue.

PREVIEW OF COMING DISTRACTIONS.So far there hasn’t been much press/media talk about what UCSC is proposing out at Terrace Point/Long Marine Lab. Supervisor Neal Coonerty said on Universal Grapevine he hadn’t heard much. What I’ve gathered so far is that UCSC wants to build 322,825 square feet of new buildings and that there will be 152,000 sq feet of outdoor development.

Open this image to see the list of 604 parking spaces, 30 researcher overnight rooms, 10 student rooms, the 10×12 entrance kiosk and things like that.

The map is from the just released DEIR for the new coastal biology building. It shows what areas can be developed.

The table that follows it is from the CLRDP (coastal long range development plan), the roadmap for all development on Terrace Point. It tells how much building is allowable. Much. Much more on this as you can imagine.

REDISTRICTING TRANSLATED. Political pro and former Mayor Bruce Van Allen sent this email, “Just a quick note to make sure that everyone understands that Bill Monning may still run for another term in the Assembly — he’s now in his second of the allowed three terms.
The talk about others running is based on the idea that the new districts to be adopted this summer will provide a viable Senate district for Bill to run for. But that’s by no means a sure thing — some of the preliminary maps divide our region among Senate districts in ways even worse than the current districts do.
In case your readers are interested, the Citizens Re-Districting Commission is scheduled to certify final district maps August 15. Between then and now there will be three draft maps issued. Here’s the schedule:

June 10 – Release 1st Draft maps
June 24 – End of 14-day Public Review period – 1st Draft Maps
July 7 – Release 2nd Draft Maps
July 21 – End of 14-day Public Review period – 2nd Draft Maps
July 28 – Release Final Draft Maps
August 11 – End of Final 14-day Public Review
August 15 – Certification of Maps and Report to Secty of State

There are many contending proposals for district maps, and no matter how skillfully and fairly they are drawn, someone will not like them. And changes in some distant part of the state might affect how the district lines shake out for our region. So we can expect changes from draft to draft.
We are in for a wild summer!
Also, FYI, I’ll be discussing the maps and the re-districting process at the next meeting of the People’s Democratic Club, 7 PM, Thursday, June 23rd, at the Center for Change (Democratic Party HQ) in the Galleria at 740 Front Street in Santa Cruz. Guests welcome.Thanks”- Bruce Van Allen. Be sure to ask Bruce V.A. (or I will about re-districting of our Supervisor Districts in the county, which is happening!!)

PHIL COLLINS-COUNTY ARTIST OF THE YEAR. This hot scoop (On Monday 6/13… The Santa Cruz County Arts Commission is pleased to announce 2011 Artist of the Year Phil Collins in a Profile Performance on Friday, July 15, 7:00 p.m. at the Cabrillo College Recital Hall
Phil Collins has been named the 2011 Artist of the Year by the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission. Collins, an award-winning musician, composer and conductor, is the County’s 25th artist to be so honored. The high level of artistic production in this County is acknowledged through this award which goes to an artist who lives in Santa Cruz County, has a national and/or international reputation as well as having contributed to the cultural enrichment of the local community.
Join us for his Profile Performance on Friday, July 15, 7:00 p.m. at the Cabrillo
College Recital Hall. Local and Bay Area musicians will be performing several
of Collins’ works, including “Trojan Slave Aria,” “Seven Haiku,” and “Springing.” Soloists include pianist Sandra Gu and countertenor Jesse Buddington. For a complete program of the evening’s music, please visit www.scparks.com.
PROGRAM of MUSIC BY PHIL COLLINS (also the possible order of performances) timings approximate

Seven Haiku (1980) 12:00
Text by Ron Federighi,
Teresa Orozco-Petersen, flute
Jenny Bifano, violin
Beth Zare, French Horn
Stan Poplin, double bass
TBA, Narrator

Tonight, I Watched (1986) 8:00
Text by Sappho, translation Mary Barnard
Debra Spencer, alto
Jenny Bifano, violin
Phil Collins, guitar

Continuation (2009) 8:00
Phil Collins, guitar

Stream (2006-2011) 7:00 (world premiere)
Jennifer Cass, harp

Trojan Slave Aria (2011) 3:00?
Text by Euripides, translation Mary-Kay Gamel
Jesse Buddington, countertenor
Vocal quartet, singers & pianist, TBA

Springing (2010) 7:00
Sandra Gu, piano

Admission is FREE to the public. Advance tickets are not available. Seating
is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis the night of the
event.

BURGER KING TOW JOBS & GRrrANT WILSON. I’m not totally sure what Grant has in mind here…but that’s not at all uncommon. He says,” Re: Burger King towing Staff of Life. I consulted by oracle + my astrologist. It appears that it’s in retaliation for the outbreak of lethal e-coli food poisoning originating from Hamberg-errrr… Germany * 2800 people infected, so far… Perpetuating a deep, negative, karmic cycle as a result of decades of profound abuse, neglect and suffering of sacred- (yet anonymous) cows (and locally, in SC~ as a result of Das Kapitalism, mein herr). Of course, it’s always better to reach The Staff of Life by foot or bike, if possible, thereby breaking the karmic cycle & liberating one’s self while enjoying nature’s remaining birds and flowers, at the same time! I will consult my “Pocket Oracle” next time I see you in the streets, of this berg.
Grrr-Ant

* Obama is meeting with Angela Merkel, today, in Germany, in talks on Global Warming.
* In the parallel universe there is also the karmic cycle of Hamberg Iowa – the entire town about to go under… 8 ft of water as a result of the uprising of “Misseri” River and global warming/warning…Eco-Terrorists, of course!”

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary talks here about 4000 live Oak trees being cut down on Fort Ord land for the Whispering Oaks development. He discusses De-sal in Monterey which would be even bigger than what Santa Cruz- Soquel is pushing. Then he says our Supes are dealing with their new county district boundaries on 6/14. There’s the new Santa Cruz Marketing district which sounds like another Convention Visitors Bureau secret deal.

(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. Professor deCinzo explains the mystery behind City Council candidates…see below

EAGANS DEEP COVER.”Excuses For A New Decade” is Tim’s title for this weeks in full color DeepCover. Look about 3 pages below.

LANDAU’S PROGRES. In his weekly piece titled »The Honduran Accords”

Saul Landau states, “In 2009, the now celebratory Hillary Clinton tried to legitimate the Honduran coup. The State Department had lined up with neocons, Chiquita Banana, Honduran business tycoons and military brass to condemn Zelaya for overstepping the sacred Constitution. Hillary has forgotten her righteous condemnations and supports the agreement reached by her arch foe Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez (socialist), and her ally Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos (conservative), and Washington’s recently acquired Honduran puppet president Porfirio Lobo (conservative) to laud progressive Zelaya’s return”. 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. This week at Lisa Jensen Online Express http://ljo-express.blogspot.com you can ONLY reflect on her last column or two because she says, “I will be out of town all next week & not blogging. But we should be back by next Sunday (June 19).

Lisa Jensen has been writing film reviews and a column for Good Times since 1975.

E CLAMPUS VITUS FOREVER. Clamper Jim (aka XNGH #16) sent this…On Saturday, June 25th at San Lorenzo Park, 137 Dakota St, 10.00 AM. the local Chapter of E Clampus Vitus – “El Viceroy Marques de Branciforte Chapter 1797” will be unveiling a new bronze plaque set in concrete for the last known Bull & Bear Fighting Ring in Santa Cruz. This was part of Villa de Branciforte. The monument will be at the entrance, here. Hope to see you there”.

If you have never seen what Clampers look like up close this will be your big chance.

SUPER 8.For a main line audience pleaser this is a pretty good and exciting movie. There’s a great train wreck scene that everybody’s been talking about and to be honest I’ve seen at least four films since Friday and can’t remember anything else about Super 8…it’s that kind of film. Army, kids, government, small town, New Jersey, , making a film, Elle Fanning is cute, alien spaceship leaves earth, what else is new???

TREE OF LIFE. This piece of pap from Terence Malick is just about the most foolish, pretentious, ultra cosmic, sermon, Hallmark –TEDx piece of junk ever filmed. Maybe TEDx people will like it, or Rosicrucian’s, or Scientologists but don’t go whatever you do. Paul Lee told me that Malick was his philosophy student at Harvard and later worked at The New Yorker. I thought Malick’s Badlands and The Thin Red Line were very good films but like Tree of Life his The New World was just as hyped and ego driven.

OTHER FILMS. Go see Woody Allen‘s Midnight In Paris, The Double Hour, L’Amour Fou, Incendies, Bill Cunningham N.Y. and for sure Cave of Forgotten Dreams even in 2D.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are on “blog”) at WWW.KZSC.ORG. Now for the Fourth year The top 3 Santa Cruz Bookshop Short Story Winners will read their entries for the full hour on June 14^th. Joel Primack and Nancy Abrams will discuss their new book, “The New Universe and the Human Future. Ellen Primack details this year’s Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music on July 5^th followed by a return of Anita Monga of the now legendary San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Shary Farr (of the Carmel Farr family) talks about elders, death, dying and positive preparation on July 12 after that author, historian, Geoffrey Dunn will tell us all about “The LIES of Sarah Palin, (his newest book) and her latest breaking news. Michael Warren will give us an in depth Shakespeare Santa Cruz preview on July 19 and Sue Heinz will return to tell us even more about Tarot, The Qabalah, and of course astrology on that same program. Any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in and keep listening.

QUOTES. “dames lie about anything-just for practice”, Raymond Chandler (Farewell My Lovely). “What is pornography to one man is the laughter of genius to another”, D.H.Lawrence. “Don’t admire wavy hair when your date wears a crew cut”, Tips to Teen Agers.

DAVENPORT’S OCEAN VIEW HOTEL. This structure was built in 1906. The photo was taken November 7, 1950. It was right there on Highway One facing the Ocean. It had 28 rooms, and it burned in a spectacular fire on March 28,1962. photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

OUR STATE ASSEMBLY RACE.More than a few local politicos are wondering and worrying about both Mark Stone and Ryan Coonerty running for State Assembly. Will they run against each other? What kind of platform could Ryan possibly come up with? What’s he done besides declaring Durbin Year and supporting every single development that has come across his desk? Lots of talk now…wait until the districting is announced!!!

GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS DANGEROUS?This is from an article in India Today that Fred Yukic sent in…”Fresh doubts have arisen about the safety of genetically modified crops, with a new study reporting presence of Bt toxin, used widely in GM crops, in human blood for the first time. Genetically modified crops include genes extracted from bacteria to make them resistant to pest attacks. These genes make crops toxic to pests but are claimed to pose no danger to the environment and human health. Genetically modified brinjal, whose commercial release was stopped a year ago, has a toxin derived from a soil bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis ( Bt).Till now, scientists and multinational corporations promoting GM crops have maintained that Bt toxin poses no danger to human health as the protein breaks down in the human gut. But the presence of this toxin in human blood shows that this does not happen. Scientists from the University of Sherbrooke, Canada, have detected the insecticidal protein, Cry1Ab, circulating in the blood of pregnant as well as non-pregnant women. Read it all here

BURGER KING PUNISHING STAFF OF LIFE CUSTOMERS. An email…

“The Burger King on Soquel Avenue punishes their neighborhood and increases the fast-food chain’s profits….when the Staff of Life’s new parking lot fills up, and there’s no available residential parking on nearby streets, some unfortunate local shoppers have been using the Burger King’s parking lot before crossing Darwin street to BUY LOCAL at the Staff of Life, or heading to other nearby destinations. BURGER KING is watching, and calls Tri-County Towing who immediately shows up and tows the unlucky vehicles away. The minimum weekend punishment vehicle towing fee is $389.00, which BURGER KING and the towing company split. Pure profit for BURGER KING, pure pain for our BUY LOCAL shoppers and friends. I know, as this happened to a visitor to my nearby house recently”. Dean Quarnstrom

OUR GOVERNMENT TARGETING CUBA’S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. Pat Matecjek sent this link to us…” The U.S. government’s half-century campaign to discredit and destroy Cuba’s experiment with socialism has had many ruthless aspects, but perhaps none more so than efforts to disparage and damage the Caribbean island’s widely admired health-care system. In January, the government of the United States of America saw fit to seize $4.207 million in funds allocated to Cuba by the United Nations Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for the first quarter of 2011, Cuba has charged. The UN Fund is a $22 billion a year program that works to combat the three deadly pandemics in 150 countries. [Prensa Latina (Cuba), March 12, 2011] “This mean-spirited policy,” the Cuban government said, “aims to undermine the quality of service provided to the Cuban population and to obstruct the provision of medical assistance in over 100 countries by 40,000 Cuban health workers.” Most of the funds are used to import expensive AIDS medication to Cuba, where antiretroviral treatment is provided free of charge to some 5,000 HIV patients. [The Militant (US, Socialist Workers Party), April 4, 2011] read it all here…

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary discusses Monterey and their de-sal plant proposal. He tells about a water transfer plan, then he plugs a special Garden tour happening Sunday all about Native plants..and he closes praising Stockholm’s public transit system. (Bratton note…ever notice when you go on vacation how their transportation systems are always better than ours???)

(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 goes back in time…to the 1800’s…scroll down

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Tim wades through the muck looking for sanity…see below.

LANDAU’S PROGRES. Saul Landau says “The United States is stuck in the past as Cuba changes”. He leads the piece with…”President Obama and his advisers share with most of the mass media the same visual weakness when it comes to Cuba: they don’t see the obvious, the crucial facts and context that stare them in the face. As Cuba begins to undergo basic changes to its economy and governmental structure, the reporting from western media follows predictably context-free and thus irrelevant standards. To think otherwise, reporters and advisers have learned, would be a bad career move. In order to invalidate Cuba’s attempt to change the social relation of its society and spread its word to the rest of the third world the western media has consistently failed to place a context around the events that led up to the revolution. Instead, Washington and the stenographers called “the press” judge Cuba’s revolution by U.S. standards and in the U.S. context. Cuba must always perform according to what the media assume are standards of democratic perfection. This criterion for judging, beyond its vagueness, leads one to wonder about values and priorities. President Obama and his advisers share with most of the mass media the same visual weakness when it comes to Cuba: 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. This week on Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com/), get ready to sing the praises of St. Cecilia with the Santa Cruz Chorale, and live every writer’s fantasy of time-traveling back to Paris in the 1920s in Woody Allen’s new comedy masterpiece, Midnight In Paris. Lisa Jensen has been writing film reviews and a column for Good Times since 1975.

FILMS. In descending order.

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS.(repeat) Woody Allen’s latest and one of his best. Funny, very funny, nostalgic, historic, touching…and the nicest Owen Wilson we’ve seen in years. At the Nick screening you could tell it was a hit all the critics stayed after and talked, laughed and almost outdid each other with which part was funniest. Go see it. Read up on just who Djuna Barnes was, I did. She was a friend of Mina Loy and Man Ray.

CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS IN 2D . I didn’t know the Del Mar would be showing a 2D version of this unique film, but they are. 3D would be much better but as I said last week, “ I wouldn’t kid you for anything…this is one film you can’t see by renting…it won’t be in 3D. And It must be seen in 3D. Werner Herzog has his crazed narration and silly extras tacked on it , but seeing these ancient cave paintings is important…if you like ART. Susan Hillhouse curator of MAH says that the prevailing thinking as to why did our early cave painters painted was because they wanted to capture or pay homage to the spirit of the animals. That’s why the paintings are so far into the interior of the caves. That’s why there aren’t any paintings of people, trees, and what we now call art. See the amazing thinking of these ancestors of ours and what their lives were like. See it quickly at the Del Mar or you probably will never see it at all.

INCENDIES. (REPEAT) One of the most thought provoking films in years. It’s about a brother and sister searching for their long lost brother, because their mom leaves them a letter after she dies. You shouldn’t know any more than that before you see it. Many plot twists and turns; some will leave you with jaw agape. A serious film and one you’ll remember.

THE DOUBLE HOUR. (repeat) I guarantee this well made Italian thriller will keep you guessing until the very end. It’s perfectly created,and will have you re-thinking about Hitchcock’s best works. I don’t think he could have created this puzzling epic… see it asap

L’AMOUR FOU.You may not know just how important Yves Saint Laurent was to the serious fashion business. I had no idea and didn’t care very much anyways. But this is an excellent documentary about a very courageous gay guy who completely changed that fashion world. Well worth seeing.

BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK.(repeat). I confess I’d never heard of Bill Cunningham before but after watching this documentary on the NY Times clothes photographer I know it’s been my loss. He photographs clothes being worn in the New York Streets and in the fashions houses but more than that he’s his own person…and you’ll love him for just that. Don’t miss it quickly.

X MEN: FIRST CLASS. I have to admit that I get big kicks (guilty pleasures) from watching Kevin Bacon and January Jones. Both of them are absolutely nutty screen personalities, and both probably act exactly the same off screen. This so called prequel tells how some genuinely bizarre super heroes grew up. One has big feet and can hang from trees, one can scream so loud he can fly on the sound waves, another babe can grow wings and hover, but she joins the evil Kevin Bacon for some reason. Never mind any of that, it’s all nonsense. My 12 year old grandson Henry Kloiber liked it and he has a taste for the visual and this film is 99% special effects. So go warned…if at all.

TED x. (Repeated for emphasis) This singular event, well one of a kind event, happens June 11^th at Cabrilho College’s Music Recital Hall from 9 to 5 p.m. Tickets are going fast. A day full of local speakers/presenters and more of the same is happening all over the world. Details are too much to print here go to http://www.tedxsantacruz.org/engage . I’ll get there early, and save you a seat. It’s one of those events that either you know about or you find out about too late. Go to that website and remember that ticket price includes lunch and afternoon refreshments!!!

SPECIAL GARDEN TOUR ON SUNDAY.I lifted this from Gary Patton’s weekly broadside… This Sunday June 12, the California Native Plant Society is sponsoring a “Native Plant Garden Tour.” As I’ve mentioned before, if you’d like to take part, you will need to register. Registered participants will get the addresses of the various gardens on the tour. If you don’t register, you won’t know where to go. “How to” information will be provided to participants, and I’m encouraging KUSP listeners and BrattonOnline readers to sign up and get some time outdoors, maybe with your kids, as you view these very pleasant, but somewhat unusual, residential landscapes. Using native plants has lots of benefits. Most important, from my point of view, is that the conversion of residential landscaping to schemes based on native plants can significantly address what is truly a water supply crisis in the Monterey Bay Region.

Water “supply” needs to balance with water “demand,” and as we look to the future, that equation doesn’t balance in our region. Hence, there are lots of new “supply” alternatives being proposed, most notably desalination proposals which can have truly horrendous environmental and global warming impacts. Another approach to balance is to reduce “demand” to meet existing supply. A huge percentage of our residential and commercial water use is devoted to landscape maintenance, and “going native” can make a big difference. Details at their website

OPERA IN THE LIBRARY.(Another repeat, plus correction) Four resident opera singers from Opera San Jose will be performing arias from the 2011-12 new season. That means we could hear a little something from Faust, La Traviata, Idomeneo, Pagliacci or La Voix Humaine…and they’re all great. That’s Saturday June 18^th at 2:00 p.m. in the meeting room upstairs….for free.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are on “blog”) at WWW.KZSC.ORG. Santa Cruz County Supervisor Neal Coonerty helps me celebrate 5 years of Universal Grapevine on June 7. After Neal, Jim Emdy of area radio notoriety presents a preview of Opera San Jose’s new season, and the San Francisco Opera’s current production of Wagner’s Ring. The Santa Cruz Bookshop Short Story Winners read their entries for the full hour on June 14^th. Ellen Primack details this year’s Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music on July 5^th followed by a return of Anita Monga of the now legendary San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Author, historian, Geoffrey Dunn will tell us all about Sarah Palin’s Lies and his new book news on July 12. Michael Warren will give us an in depth Shakespeare Santa Cruz preview on July 19 and Sue Heinz will return to tell us even more about Tarot, The Qabalah, and of course astrology. Any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in and keep listening.

QUOTES. All of these quotes are from the California Native Garden Tour Site…

http://www.californianativegardentour.org/index.htm

“It is utterly forbidden to be half-hearted about gardening. You have got to love your garden whether you like it or not”.

– W.C. Sellar & R.J. Yeatman, Garden Rubbish, 1936

“I always think of my sins when I weed. They grow apace in the same way and are harder still to get rid of”.

– Helena Rutherfurd Ely, A Woman’s Hardy Garden

“Paul Revere earned his living as a silversmith. But what do we remember him for? His volunteer work. All activism is volunteering in that it’s done above and beyond earning a living and deals with what people really care passionately about. Remember, no one gets paid to rebel. All revolutions start with volunteers”.

– Susan J. Ellis

“Let us a little permit nature to take her own way; she better understands her own affairs than we”.

– Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, 1533 – 1592

“The name Iceberg comes from the way the lettuce was transported in the USA. Starting in the 1920’s, it was transported on train wagons covered in crushed ice, making it look like icebergs.

– Unknown

COUNTY BANK BUILDING. Re-built after the 1894 fire wiped out half of this block on Pacific Avenue. It was listed on the National Historic Place Register in 1982. photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email photo@brattononline.com

UCSC GROWTH AND DE-SAL. The way it’s been planned is just about like this. UCSC is going to grow by 3000 students. Students who live on campus right now are each paying $1400 per month to share a room with three other students. That includes some kind of meal plan. Of course tuition is in addition to that figure. So naturally they work hard to move off campus where they will pay an average of $500-700 each per month. Remember that the University System can’t and won’t build anywhere near the necessary student residences for this huge increase. Now the impact of 3000 more students living in our neighborhoods and paying combined sums that are impossible for normal people will keep rents going higher and higher every year. That 3000 student population will need water, and by any/all figuring that water just isn’t going to be there. So UCSC and The City Of Santa Cruz made a deal….that’s Ryan Coonerty and Chancellor Blumenthal that we’d give them the water. You figure it out. You’ve seen all these plot plans in various forms over the last few years. That’s why Bill Kocher, Mike Rotkin keep beating the drums for De-sal…they know those students are coming.

STILL MORE COONERTY’S!!! I heard it on last week’s Bushwhacker’s Breakfast Club on KZSC in Ryan’s bi-weekly interview that Mrs. and Mr. Ryan Coonerty are expecting!!! Whether it’ll mean another attorney, jeweler, assemblyman, or book dealer is anybody’s guess. Ryan didn’t give Bushwhacker host John Sandidge a very direct answer to his question, “are you going to run for assembly?”. He’s running, you can tell.

BOARDWALK EMPIRE, II. Back in 1989 or 90 one of the top Amusement park trade magazines stated that Charley Canfield’s Boardwalk had annual rate of 3 1/2 million visitors. Whether that figure has gone up or down in these recent years we can only guess, because naturally the Boardwalk doesn’t have to provide those figures. Now would you figure that since the Boardwalk charges at least $10 per car and lord knows how much profit on beer, rides, and chocolate twinkies that their taxes must produce at least $1 per person or $3,500,000 per year for the city…that’s reasonable. Now someone tell me just how much in annual taxes the Boardwalk really, really pays and I’ll keep very, very quiet about it…or not!!!

COONERTY CANFIELD BEACH???Actually Dr. Mark Bernhard sent in this great old photo of Huntington Beach or Surf City back in the day. (1928)

JAMES DURBIN AT THE BOARDWALK. Anyone willing to bet on how much money the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk profited when James Durbin drew those 30,000 fans to the bandstand?? Now, who’s willing to provide figures on how much money the City Of Santa Cruz LOST on that same appearance? Why, just why doesn’t that seem fair?

LOCAL DE-SAL DEBATE ON COMMUNITY TV. The Desalination vs. Alternatives Debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters in April and recorded by Community Television of Santa Cruz County is scheduled to play on Comcast Channel 25 and Charter Channel 71, and will also be streaming LIVE at www.communitytv.org on the following dates and times.
6/1/2011 at 2:30 PM
6/2/2011 at 1:30 PM
6/3/2011 at 10:30 AM
6/4/2011 at 10:30 PM
6/5/2011 at 3:00 PM
A video of the debate is also posted on Community TV’s website at www.communitytv.org. You should watch it. Mike Rotkin shows his pro de-sal side, does several “no brain” things and makes his pitch why he’s supporting UCSC growth by selling de-sal. Ridiculous.

ARANA GULCH, THE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY AND THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ. This is a press release BrattonOnline received just before the Monday deadline.

“During the past several months, the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) has been negotiating with City of Santa Cruz’s staff over proposed bicycle transportation corridors that would divide Arana Gulch into three sections and significantly impact the greenbelt’s scenic beauty and natural resources.

1) The Santa Cruz City Council will not guarantee funding for managing the Arana Gulch Greenbelt to heal impacts of construction of bikeways through the greenbelt’s meadows, creeks, and woodlands. Thankfully, City has secured millions of dollars to improve access, but unfortunately refuses to guarantee funding for conserving natural areas against the damage that always occurs with increased access.

2) The City is unwilling to commit to scientific accountability measures (success criteria) for the restoration that is required by regulations protecting the endangered Santa Cruz tarplant. CNPS feels it is critical that the criteria be made explicit before bikeway construction plans are approved by the Coastal Commission.

3) The City Council is unwilling to re-align and modify the design of a small portion of the trail system, on the proposed paved north-south bikeway, to safeguard one of the Greenbelt’s most sensitive habitat areas.

The mission of CNPS is to conserve California native plants and their natural habitats, and increase understanding, appreciation, and horticultural use of native plants. For decades CNPS has offered significant volunteer time, consultation, and funding to assist with management of the City’s greenbelts. The group is saddened that the City has refused its generous offer for compromise”. Vince Cheap, CNPS Conservation Committee Chair, Santa Cruz County Chapter.

WHOLE FOODS, OUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBOR???. This is from Organic Bytes a publication of Organic Consumers Association

Whole Foods Market Plays Dumb on Activists’ Arrests, Unlabeled Frankenfoods
Ask WFM to Respect Consumers’ Right to Know About GMOs…and Anti-GMO Activists’ Freedom of Speech! As OCA activists Alexis Baden-Mayer and Mike Durschmid await a June 7 court appearance resulting from their arrests at a Whole Foods GMO Food Dump in Chicago, the debate over whether food retailers should label genetically modified foods is heating up.On May 24, the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times published Monica Eng’s report, “Consumer Activists Seek Labeling of Genetically Modified Foods: They Have Become So Common That Even Organic Retailer Whole Foods Says It Can’t Avoid Stocking Some.” Eng writes: “Used in an estimated 70 percent of all American processed food, genetically modified crops make up 93 percent of all soy, 86 percent of all corn and 93 percent of all canola seeds planted in the U.S., which makes stocking only non-GMO products difficult, said Joe Dickson, quality standards coordinator for Whole Foods Market. “‘Until there’s federal government mandated labeling of GMO ingredients, there’s no way to tell if packaged products contain GMO ingredients,” Dickson said. “Our approach is to work in the spirit of partnership with our suppliers to encourage them to take active steps to avoid GMO ingredients.'” The idea that Whole Foods has no control over the unlabeled genetically modified foods sold in their stores is as credible as their initial claim that no anti-GMO activists had been arrested at their Chicago store. (Once they gave up pretending there was no arrest, they insisted they had nothing to do with it, even though police were on site before the GMO Food Dump began and could only have been alerted by Whole Foods employees or executives.)

We can’t let the “world’s leading natural and organic foods supermarket” continue to play dumb. It’s time Whole Foods’ took responsibility for the Frankenfoods in their stores and for trying to stifle anti-GMO activists! Tell Whole Foods to respect consumers’ right to know about GMOs and stand up for activists’ right to free speech. Take

HBO’S GAME OF THRONES & GREAT SCENE. Again, I’m hooked on an HBO Series. Not “Treme”or “True Blood” but “Game of Thrones”. It‘s a medieval fantasy, nicknamed “Stonehenge Sopranos” by one critic. Anyway aside from having Emilia Clarke, one of the world’s most beautiful women, it had a truly memorable scene last week…(which is rare, even for HBO series). So, there’s this evil king that nobody likes, who demands that he be allowed to wear his golden crown, which was taken from him by the good people before they tied him to the stake. They give him the golden crown, but first they toss the crown into a cauldron, melt it to burning liquid then pour in on his head!!! Memorable, and imaginative. I guess you had to have been there, but I liked it.

PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary’s still on vacation. Watch this space. (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. Dr. DeCinzo takes a sidewise look at our usual summer entertainment and ailments. Scroll down.

EAGANS DEEP COVER. Would Tim Eagan put the knock on our loyal elephants (tusk, tusk) look downwards about 3 pages.

LANDAU’S PROGRES. In his weekly article titled “Cuba: Facts and Realities” Saul Landau writes, “No hay peor ciego que el que no quiere ver” – Spanish saying (There is no worse blind person than the one who does not wish to see.) On May 13, Miami newspaper headlines and TV leads should have said: “Obama makes fool of himself.” The “leads” would have referred to his statement: “I would welcome real change from the Cuban government.” Obama’s conditions? “For us to have the kind of normal relations we have with other countries, we’ve got to see significant changes from the Cuban government and we just have not seen that yet.” A clever tabloid might have headlined, “Obama Goes Blind – Can’t See Changes Right in Front of His Eyes!” If Granma had a sense of humor its editorial would have begun with: “President Obama stands for ‘Change we can believe in,’ but does not stand for change Cuba’s leaders believe in.” Indeed, changes in Cuba have come fast and furious over recent months, but apparently Obama has his own definition of the word “insignificant.” Or, maybe his advisers did not inform him that Cuba has freed all the “political” prisoners it arrested in 2003 and some others as well. Read it all right here… Saul Landau is an Institute for Policy Studies fellow whose films are on DVD from roundworldproductions@gmail.com

LISA JENSEN LINKS. This week on Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com/), fall in love with Paris all over again in Woody Allen’s magical Midnight In Paris, revisit the season finale of American Idol to see how finishing just out of the top might be a great career move for James Durbin, and get ready to welcome the next generation of James Durbin’s when the White Album Ensemble brings three new young vocalists onstage in its annual concert of Beatles music with the Santa Cruz Symphony. Lisa Jensen has been writing film reviews and a column for Good Times since 1975

ALBERT HERRING, the opera. No joking…tickets are about gone and there are only four performances. It’s one of the best stage productions of all the events that UCSC presents each year. Nicole Paiement conducts a chamber ensemble of members of the UCSC Orchestra as well as student singers in a fully staged production of Benjamin Britten’s three-act comic opera from 1947. Directed by Brian Staufenbiel. It’s funny, newly set in Santa Cruz, guaranteed good voices from two separate casts, and reserved seats. June 2-3-4 at 7:30 pm (Thu-Sat) & June 5 at 2:00 pm (Sunday matinee)
Reserved seating and Performed in English with supertitles click link: Tickets on sale online at santacruztickets.com UCSC Ticket Office (831-459-2159)
Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium box office (831-420-5260) Parking $3. Please arrive early to purchase a permit and locate a parking space. NOTE: Guests may be directed to the Core West parking garage (free) and shuttled to the Recital Hall — on Saturday, June 4 in particular. Doors open 30 minutes before curtain. Reserved seating. Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the house manager.

NEW MUSIC WORKS & AVANT GARDEN PARTY. 30 years in the making and they are always good fun. Their press release says, “Come out and party outdoors in a beautiful garden for a beautiful cause, New Music Works! The 30th Annual Benefit Concert, the Avant Garden Party features extraordinary music, food, wine and a silent auction featuring many local Santa Cruz area businesses. All proceeds go towards New Music Works’ whose mission is to cultivate the creation and performance of new musical works that engage the public through innovative small chamber ensemble works with diverse cultural influences and contemporary guest artists. BTW, if you volunteer for at least 2 hours, you can attend for free! If interested, please contact volunteer coordinator, Zigi Heinz, at <volunteer@newmusicworks.org> or (831)335-3456.

TEDx. SANTA CRUZ. This singular event, well one of a kind event, happens June 11^th at Cabrilho College’s Music Recital Hall from 9 to 5 p.m. Tickets are going fast. A day full of mostly local speakers/presenters and more of the same is happening all over the world. Details are too much to print here go to http://www.tedxsantacruz.org/engage . I’ll get there early, and save you a seat. It’s one of those events that either you know about or you find out about too late. Go to that website and remember that ticket price includes 2 meals!!!

THE GOLDEN FLEECE: A GRAND RE-OPENING CELEBRATORY EXTRAVAGANZA. This news for knitters and crocheters just came in…The Golden Fleece, a locally owned yarn store, will celebrate a grand re-opening on Saturday and Sunday, June 4-5^th, at its store location (317 Potrero Street, Santa Cruz) which is on the corner of River and Potrero. The shop will open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm both days and there will be trunk shows, free spinning workshops, weaving demonstrations, raffles, prizes, and refreshments.

The Golden Fleece has been a fixture for fiber enthusiasts in Santa Cruz for over 15 years. The new shop owner, Gunilla Leavitt, is perhaps most notably known as the Knitting Doctor at Knitting Arts in Saratoga and Green Planet Yarn in Campbell, along with three stores in Santa Cruz County, over the last 7 or 8 years. Decorative changes aren’t the only new things at The Golden Fleece: Gunilla has set up a Pattern Station – a computer where customers can search for, purchase, download, and print online patterns; the shop stays open until 9:00 pm on Tuesdays for Social Knitting where knitters and crocheters can relax and work on their projects; and Knitting Doctor hours are Tuesdays from 2:00 to 6:00 pm where Gunilla is available to help solve any fiber arts problem – she hasn’t been stumped yet!

During the grand re-opening weekend, there are two trunk shows scheduled: Saturday, June 4^th from noon to 2:00 pm, Laura Schickli from Handwerks (www.handwerkstextiles.com) in Palo Alto will visit with her hand dyed yarns plus samples and patterns and local Spinner Extraordinaire Heather Bloom will be on hand Saturday from 3:00 to 6:00 pm and Sunday noon to 3:00 pm.

Raffles and prizes from Plymouth Yarn, Cascade Yarn, BeSweet, and more, as well as gourmet cupcakes from Starz Cupcakes in Capitola, round out the offerings of what promises to be an exciting weekend.

For more information, please visit www.thegoldenfleece.com or call 831-426-1425. Regular shop hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm; Tuesday from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm; and Friday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Starting this week, the shop will be open on Sundays as well.

Gunilla Leavitt if you’ve forgotten, is the most important person in the BrattonOnline machine. She’s the genius behind getting this column online and has been since it started online back in 2003. Watch for her ad in the column to the right next week.

GEOFF MORTEN GALLERY ONLINE. Jenny Morten has created an online gallery showing of the late Geoff Morten’s works…CLICK here

FILMS…. IN DESCENDING ORDER. (Actually it’s rare, but they’re all good films)

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS. Woody Allen’s latest and one of his best. Funny, very funny, nostalgic, historic, touching…and the nicest Owen Wilson we’ve seen in years. At the Nick screening you could tell it was a hit all the critics stayed after and talked, laughed and almost outdid each other with which part was funniest. Go see it. Read up on just who Djuna Barnes was, I did. She was a friend of Mina Loy and Man Ray.

THE DOUBLE HOUR.I guarantee this well made Italian thriller will keep you guessing until the very end. It’s perfectly created,and will have you re-thinking about Hitchcock’s best works. I don’t think he could have created this puzzling epic… see it asap.

CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS IN 3D. I wouldn’t kid you for anything…this is one film you can’t see by renting…it won’t be in 3D. And It must be seen in 3D. Werner Herzog has his crazed narration and silly extras tacked on it , but seeing these ancient cave paintings is important…if you like ART. Susan Hillhouse curator of MAH says that the prevailing thinking as to why did our early cave painters painted was because they wanted to capture or pay homage to the spirit of the animals. That’s why the paintings are so far into the interior of the caves. That’s why there aren’t any paintings of people, trees, and what we now call art. See the amazing thinking of these ancestors of ours and what their lives were like. See it quickly at the Del Mar or you probably will never see it at all.

BILL CUNNINGHAM; NEW YORK.I confess I’d never heard of Bill Cunningham before but after watching this documentary on the NY Times clothes photographer I know it’s been my loss. He photographs clothes being worn in the New York Streets and in the fashions houses but more than that he’s his own person…and you’ll love him for just that. Don’t miss it quickly.

INCENDIES.One of the most thought provoking films in years. It’s about a brother and sister searching for their long lost brother, because their mom leaves them a letter after she dies. You shouldn’t know any more than that before you see it. Many plot twists and

turns; some will leave you with jaw agape. A serious film and one you’ll remember.

PAULINE KAEL, THE BEST OF FILM CRITICS. Every once in a while I’ll read one of Pauline Kael’s books just to remember what she stood for in film criticism. My favorite is “I Lost It at The Movies”. She remains one of the most honest, no bullshit film critics of all time. Her writings on Last Year at Marienbad, Charade, and Marlon Brando remind you of what straight writing can be like. I knew Pauline in Berkeley when she and her husband ran the Cinema Guild. Her one paragraph film descriptions in the Guild mailers, and lots of party arguments, are what started me on all this film stuff. Read “Lost It” if you can find it.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are on “blog”) at WWW.KZSC.ORG. Frank Lima, aka The Great Morgani reveals just some secrets to his success on May 31, then Paul Whitworth fills us in on the plot behind Krapps Last Tape which he doing for Jewel Theatre Co. 6/2-6/5 . Santa Cruz County Supervisor Neal Coonerty helps me celebrate 5 years of Universal Grapevine on June 7. After Neal, Jim Emdy of area radio notoriety presents a preview of Opera San Jose’s new season. The Santa Cruz Bookshop Short Story Winners read their entries for the full hour on June 14^th. Ellen Primack details this year’s Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music on July 5^th followed by a return of Anita Monga of the now legendary San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Don Young, author of Battle For Snow Mountain opens the show on July 12, followed by author, historian, Geoffrey Dunn who’ll tell us all about Sarah Palin’s Lies and his new book news. Michael Warren will give us an in depth Shakespeare Santa Cruz preview on July 19 and Sue Heinz will return to tell us even more about Tarot, The Qabalah, and of course astrology. Any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in and keep listening.

QUOTES. “Mausoleum, noun. The final and funniest folly of the rich”, Ambrose Bierce. (Sent in by Jane Bruce Munro, and thanks). “You can tell how bad a musical is by the number of times the chorus yells “hooray”, John Crosby. “One of my chief regrets during my years in the theater is that I couldn’t sit in the audience and watch myself”, John Barrymore.

BEST OF VINTAGE DeCINZO.

De Cinzo visits the boardwalk.