Bruce Bratton hosts University Grapevine, linking local and campus issues, every Tuesday 7:30-8:30 p.m. on KZSC 88.1 fm.
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UC BERKELEY AND TOWN GOWN PROBLEMS. It should be a simple matter for you to go to the San Francisco Chronicle for Saturday, June 12 and read Charles Burness' article on "Berkeley Cal's cost to city estimated $11 million per year." Try www.sfgate.com then enter "berkeley cals cost" in the search box. The piece goes on to tell how this new study "adds fuel to the long-smoldering town-gown conflict. This two year study says that providing fire, sewer and other services to UC that the campus costs the city much more than it receives. UC costs Berkeley about $13.5 million a year. The city gets about $2.1 million in sales tax and about $500,000 in mitigation payments but now that UC Berkeley is planning on expanding that cost to the city will add another million and a half to that gap. The daily on-campus population is about 46,000 or about half the number of residents in Berkeley. Berkeley is tired of supporting a city within a city and wants the campus to pay its share. Most of the costs in Berkeley are due to the fire and providing water and UC Santa Cruz does have its own fire department but what about the water lines and water maintenance costs? Now that there's a new chancellor up there let's open the books and check on just what is fair for our Silly On The Hill.
SAME TOPIC BROUGHT LOCAL. Gordon Pusser called a sage by some and called rarely by others, was remarking the other day on what Westwood was like being so close to UCLA, and what Telegraph Avenue has become being so near the UC Berkeley campus. Pusser remarked on how little the University system did or does to resolve the problems of those urban centers. So now we're going to go to UCSC's new chancellor and ask, or tell, or demand, or hope, that UC Santa Cruz will do more for Santa Cruz in terms of housing, on campus parking, and solving traffic problems than they have in the past? Do not hold your breaths for more than a year; Doctors say it's bad for you.
PRICES ON DRUGS. Once again the San Francisco Chronicle helps us out. This time they printed in their Tuesday June 15 issue a website that San Francisco unveiled that "makes it the first city in the country with a dedicated Internet location where people can go to buy drugs from Canadian pharmacies. It's www.sfdph.org/sfrx . You'll find three Canadian Pharmacies that have been approved by Minnesota, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. They say prescription prices are 40 to 75 % cheaper than in the United States. I tried it on a current prescription for a generic medicine for which I paid $77.01 at a locally owned drug store. I found one at $46.23, one at $34.39, and one at $42.59. Shipping of these ran from $9.95 to $15.00. So there are savings from Canada. Then I tried Costco. Friends told me you don't have to be a member (I'm not) to use the pharmacy. Costco's price was an absolutely amazing $15.99. That's a saving of $61.02 for 30 little generic pills. They told me at Costco that for independent drug stores, marking up the generic prescriptions is the only way they can make money. Don't ask where I got my prescription, just don't ask, that's all.
RAY BRADBURY AND MICHAEL MOORE? In case you missed it, Science Fiction writer Ray Bradbury asked Michael Moore to change the name of his film Fahrenheit 9/11 because Bradbury is involved in remaking the film Fahrenheit 451 from his original book. Michael Moore says he named his documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 as homage to Bradbury. Bradbury went on to say "who cares?" "Nobody will see his movie anyway, it's almost dead already." It's too bad to get a reaction like that from Bradbury... We'll just have to remember him from his earlier, saner days. Remember his books The Illustrated Man, Dandelion Wine, yes, I Sing The Body Electric was terrible, but there was The Martian Chronicles and Something Wicked This Way Comes? He had a stroke a few years ago, and is in a wheelchair so some slack is probably necessary. But why he wanted to bug Michael Moore doesn't make much sense.
MICHAEL MOORE'S FAHRENHEIT 9/11. Michael Moore sure gets his shots into the Bush administration in Fahrenheit 9/11. The film is detailed and even funny as we learn more about Bush's reasons for getting us into this war. I predict that very few undecided voters will see this film and that's a shame. It's also a shame that our mass newspapers, television and radio in the United States are so politically and economically controlled that we have to learn world shaking facts from film documentaries, and of course the internet. Fahrenheit 9/11 will show you Bush's stupidity, it'll show you the Bush family ties to Iraqi oil, you'll watch our administration tell death defying lies, you'll be reinforced in every terrible opinion you've ever had about how bad our Nation's politics are today. And you need to see it, even if you know all of the above because Michael Moore has uncovered many more details than you can, or want to imagine. Please take a friend. It's at the Del Mar.
SCAN ISSUES AND MEMBERSHIP MEETING. The Santa Cruz Action Network or SCAN will have its annual Issues meeting on Tuesday, June 29 at London Nelson Community Center. (SCAN spelled it wrong in their mailer.) They're going to consider a resolution regarding widening Highway 1. They'll also work out a resolution regarding Home Depot and numerous other progressive issues. If you're new to town or simply fed up with the way things are run around here come to this SCAN meeting and meet other progressives. Oh sure there'll be some poseurs present that used to have SCAN's support because they acted progressive for a little while, but you don't have to talk to them if you don't want to.
MARK PRIMACK AND HOME DEPOT. I mentioned to Steve DeCinzo the other night at the showing of Commandante over at the Rio Theatre that folks are trying to decipher what exactly Mark Primack meant in his response to DeCinzo's Metro cartoon about Primack being Pro Home Depot. So some folks, me included, are trying to reach Mr. Primack to see whether or not he's in favor of Home Depot. That's the Home Depot out on the Westside about 500 feet from Primack's office door. So far he's returning no phone calls or emails on that topic.
HOME DEPOT TO OPEN AT KMART SITE ON 41ST? Now this is just another rumor. As you know by now (29 years) I write an opinion column. And my opinion is that rumors are worth repeating especially this one. This gives us time to react and think about whether or not we'd like a Home Depot out on 41st where KMART now sits. More rumors have it that the 41st Ave. Safeway hasn't been doing too well, so Home Depot will take that over too. Then we have to consider if the turnoff lanes to both Soquel Drive and 41st can take the huge crowds that the Home Depot traffic studies must have produced, or else they wouldn't be considering moving in there. Are you getting the idea that Home Depot really sees big bucks to be made from Santa Cruz?
SUZANNE PAIZIS DIED LAST WEEK. Suzanne was a great campaigner as she ran for California State Senate, back in 1972. We became good friends back then because I was running Henry Faitz's campaign for State Assembly. Suzanne fought tremendous odds even within her Democratic party only because she was a woman. She was the first woman to run for State Senate. She was very qualified for the State Senate and she was qualified for lots of whatever life offered her. During the campaign I hated to have my candidate speak after Suzanne because she made him look like such a doofus. Besides that she'd get me all riled up and I ended up spending as much time on her campaign as I did for my guy. Well, she's gone now, heart attack and pneumonia. She'll have a fine celebration at the Unitarian Fellowship out at 6401 Freedom Boulevard in Aptos at 2pm July 5 which is one day before her 80th birthday. She should have been elected.
CARANDIRU. This excellent and at the same time tortuous film is one you can't stop watching. It's a Portuguese (as in Joao Rodrigues Cabrilho) film. It's directed by Hector Babenco who did Pixote and Kiss Of The Spider Woman. It's not a documentary but it gets under your skin as only well made documentaries do. Carandiru is the story or back-story of the Carandiru prison in Sao Paulo, Brazil. There is much sex, violence, tenderness, brutality and humanness among the inmates. It ends with a bloody attack by the guards and the militia. We get to see how these military become worse than animals and more cruel and insane. It has to remind us of our own military and what they did in that Iraqi prison. Be sure to see Carandiru.
QUOTES TO CLOSE BY. I made a mistake last week, I should have added that "I Don't Feel Good." were Luther Burbank's last words before he, you know what. Just saying I don't feel good isn't much of a statement. How's this two part coupling? "Men are not disturbed by things, but the view they take of things." -Epicetus (55-135A.D.) and the great reply..."What about things like bullets?" -Herb Kimmel, Behavorialist (1981). "The Gods too are fond of a joke." -Aristotle.
Bruce critiques films every Friday on KZSC-FM (88.1) on The Bushwhacker Breakfast Club at 8am.
It's free! Click here.
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ONE INTERNET YEAR. Today marks one year for brattononline.com. Time never goes so fast as it does on the internet. Many, many thanks for all your emails, kind words, rumors, and other things that make this column so much fun to write. Very special thanks to the businesses that have been supportive and more special thanks to Gunilla Leavitt, aka godmoma.com, and my daughter Hillary Bratton, both of whom work extra diligently to make the column readable. Keep the cards, letters, and electronic submissions coming!
COMING OFF THE HILL. Trink Praxel, she of First Night Santa Cruz fame, just announced that she's leaving her position as director of UCSC's Arts and Lectures program. She'll be working with the City Parks and Recreation Department with Dannette Shoemaker, as chief systems analyst and as we all know, those systems need analyzing.
SINCE 1989. It's nearly 15 years since the earthquake and still Ron Lau's property next to Lulu Carpenters remains empty. Stories vary wildly as to the reason. The latest rumors have it that Ron has been offered a fair-market price for the land and that deluxe town units will be built there.
1010 PACIFIC. I went on a tour of this "...where the avenue meets your doorstep" six story apartment building last Saturday. The tour was hosted by the Pacific Union Commercial Development people. They also commercially develop the new Shaffer Road rentals and work with Woodmont Rentals on both properties. Project manager David Whitfield told me that yes; Quiznos lo-carb sub sandwiches took two retail spaces and will be right on the Cathcart-Pacific corner facing the Taqueria across the street. Jumpin' Juice & Java will be on the Pacific street side and there'll be a candle shop and sunglasses store on the Cathcart street side. There will be 58 parking spaces in the basement and there are 113 apartments the developers are buying spaces in the nearest parking garage for the renters. I didn't ask him how long these parking spaces will be paid for. In all honesty it's not a very exciting building inside or out and the apartments are about average but it will bring varying income residents to our downtown and that's not all bad.
THE STEPFORD WIVES. The best I could come up with is that this new version is a comedy made exactly for Stepford Wives mentality. In terms of scathing sociological satire there are a few snickers and some polite jabs at aol.com and Microsoft but that's about all. We don't even get to see Bette Midler be funny, she's just sort of odd. You end up wondering why she was in it at all. Christopher Walken plays the most normal character of his career!! And that's odd too. Nicole Kidman is brilliant of course even with the mediocre material she has to work with. W & R (wait and rent it.)
GEOFF DUNN AND COMMUNITY TELEVISION. For the last three or four weeks rumors have been flying about Geoff Dunn's leaving Santa Cruz Community Television as Executive Director. Geoff called on Monday and told me the real story about his leaving. He says it has been a 28 hour per week job and he didn't want to change it to work full time. He's also taking a sabbatical from his UCSC teaching job. He simply decided "not to renew his contract" at SCCTV. He said the board was ready to offer him contracts of 5 plus another five years but he wants to spend more time with his family. Community Television is looking nationwide for Geoff's replacement and he'll stay on until they find somebody. He's going to Sao Paulo, Brazil with his Calypso film courtesy of the U.N. pretty soon. He's also been offered some part of a documentary that Saul Zaentz is producing. So he's still busy just not as busy and that's the way he wants it.
BOXING MATCHES IN MONTEREY. I'm more than aware that not everyone likes or even approves of boxing matches but Jerry Hoffman of 12 Sports Productions creates some very exciting matches twice a year in the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Monterey. They have sold out every one of the last 15 matches and this next one on July 3rd will sell out too. Jerry's been able to sign James Buggs from Oakland so it'll be Buggs vs. Ryan Davis as headliners. Carina Moreno, Ricardo Junez, and Jose Perez jr. will all be there battling and belting their way to victory. Go to www.12sportsonline.com and click on "Riot", as in "Riot at The Hyatt", or call 831-688-1604 for more ticket info. Doors open at 6:30 fights start at 7:30. It does get pretty intense down there.
THE CORPORATION, CONTROL ROOM AND FAHRENHEIT 9/11. There's no denying that these are the worst of times. Wherever we look politically, environmentally, financially or just in the sense of human behavior these are not great moments of history that we are living and enduring. These three films all contain two messages 1. That the situation is bad and, 2. We can and must do something to change and save our lives and the planet. I've only seen The Corporation and it is an eye opener as to how corporations are controlling the world. It evens mentions Odwalla juices and their $1.5 million dollar fine. The Control Room is about the Arab-run Al Jazeera network and how we must reevaluate our sources of news. Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 needs no introduction, we just need to see these films and be thankful that there are still folks who care enough, and know enough to produce them. And then go through the living hell of selling them and getting them distributed.
WHO VOTED FOR SIMITIAN? Remember when most of our city council was campaigning for Joe Simitian for State Assembly? And the progressives I know voted for Ted Lempert? And they tried to convince us there wasn't any difference?? Go read the LA Times June 9 article by Staff writer Robert Salladay titled "Mod Squad" of Democrats Reins in Assembly Liberals. The article says that Joe Simitian is a solid member of The Mod Squad (Mod for moderate) group of Democrats in the assembly who has become much stronger since Arnie got into office. The Mod Squad votes pro business and anti environment when issues covers both those topics. The squad has met with Arnie and meets behind closed doors every month or even daily when legislation appears to threaten their business interests. The next time you see Ted Lempert ask him how he feels about the Mod Squad or ask John Laird his opinion on how much stronger the Squad will become.
THE SADDEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD. This is a film enthusiast's film...period. It is a comedy starring Isabella Rossellini and that's about all you need to know. A majority of American film critics in the newspapers have rated it number one film since it's been released, and that's not too shabby. It's all in black and white and it's grainy and looks like Doctor Caligari and Metropolis with bizarre jokes and funky music. You will never see another film like this one, what more can I say? It's almost an all Canadian film and playing at the Del Mar.
ELECTRON SALON #8. Veronique Larcher has produced, created, presented and done everything humanly possible to allow us to see and hear eight Electron Salons. You shouldn't have missed them but in case you did, Electron Salons are concerts of new, very new music. Most of the music has either performance elements or screened visual parts to watch as you listen. With full cooperation from The Rio Theatre these Salons contain some of the furthest out music you've seen in years. Benjamin Hamon from France produced a multi-media operetta that appeared like some John Cage work mixed with a Beckett short play, it was excellent. Amy X. Neuburg does a sort of Laurie Anderson song cycle with complex programmed rhythms and she would be worth an entire evening, don't miss her next visit. Go to www.elsaproductions.com to learn more about future Electron Salons and get on her mailing list so you don't miss any more of them.
A GRAIN OF SALZ TANNERY. Highly trained spies reported that Tom Nordyke of the Redevelopment Agency and Jeremy Lezin of Tannery family led a group of highly trained Researchers on a tour of the past and future Salz Tannery Saturday. Purchase of the Tannery will be a $45 million dollar deal, which should come from state and federal sources. There'll be a three acre parking lot next to Central Home Supply and a tunnel dug under highway 1 to let cyclists and pedestrians get there. They plan on three theatres with 100, 150, and 250 seats. These'll be for live productions with some projection equipment as well. Paul Figueroa the new director of MAH is excited about this plot. There'll be retail shops to sell the art produced in the 100 living units. The units will be rented to artists and will run between 800 and 1200 square feet each. How and who determines who's an artist and therefore qualifies for a space or how much rent they pay has yet to be figured out. Our good old neighborhood Devcon will be both the architects and do the construction. Remember the nagging questions about all those toxic poisons and acids used in tanning...well there will be some remediation done and the developers are waiting for the State to respond to their filing. The Santa Cruz Art League is still listed as an onsite participant, so maybe they changed their minds? The developers and the Redevelopment agency say this Salz Art Factory will bring tourists/visitors from all over and that the Tannery will be a financial draw. My question is why? And who wants to see where artists live, and do artists like producing for tourists on demand?
COMANDANTE. Just an important reminder to be sure to see Comandante at the Rio Theatre this Thursday (17th) at 7 p.m. This is that portrait of Fidel Castro that HBO wouldn't screen on their network. You can't buy the DVDs or videos in this country so this will be your once in a lifetime chance to see it. I'll be introducing the film and leading a discussion right after the showing. Donations at the door. Call 465-8272 for information.
THE STORY OF THE WEEPING CAMEL. This is like a National Geographic film. It's about a white camel whose mother doesn't love it very much. It is really about how modern life is intruding and forcing nomadic shepherds in the Gobi desert to adjust to the trappings of our world culture. The kids want TV sets, the adults are wearing machine made clothing, and they keep time with a flashy gold battery wall clock. It's a sad film but certainly worth spending your money on.
THE DOG BANNER??? Giselle Tsering emailed to ask about the photo of Horsnyders Drug Store we ran in the June 2 Bratton Online column. What Giselle wants to know is-why is there a banner with a dog's head on it strung across Pacific Avenue. If you go back in the archives, or click here, to enlarge that Horsnyders photo you'll see a German Shepherd dog's head on a banner. Who knows? It was 1947, WWII was over, and so no anti-German propaganda was intended. The photo looks like it was fall, maybe Labor Day but why a German Shepherd? I haven't a clue. Maybe it was the 40 Thieves who put it up there?
QUOTES TO CLOSE BY. "I don't feel good." -Luther Burbank. "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." -Mark Twain. "Men have become the tools of their tools." -Henry David Thoreau.
Bruce critiques films every Friday on KZSC-FM (88.1) on The Bushwhacker Breakfast Club at 8am.
It's free! Click here.
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HEFTY BAG COMPANY TO WESTSIDE SANTA CRUZ. This is only a rumor, just a rumor. You can clear up this rumor by calling Jesse Nickell at Barry Swenson Developers. I would, except I know what the answer would be. As The Sentinel would say maybe Barry Swenson Developers is talking to the Pactiv Corporation who make Hefty Bags about moving into the Westside instead of Home Depot!! Pactiv is centered in Lake Forest, Illinois. They have operations in 14 countries. They make many plastic type packaging products. The good or great news is that another manufacturing plant would bring no traffic problems. However the potential pollution problem would need dealing with. As I mentioned this is only a rumor, let me know if you hear anything.
RONALD REAGAN REACTION. Far be it from me, etc.,etc. but in case you've forgotten just what Ronald Reagan was responsible for and what he gave America read what David Corn wrote for The Nation back in 1998. You can read the article, "66 Unflattering Things About Ronald Reagan" at The History Network; go to www.hnn.us/roundup/entries/5516.html - that's the June 7th online edition.
PRIMACK OPPOSES HOME DEPOT. I was among the surprised and delighted group to find out that City Councilmember Mark Primack was opposed to Home Depot. I assume that you read last week's Metro where Mark reacted to Decinzo's clever penwork that had Primack apparently on the wrong side of the battle.
SEARS FOUGHT HOME DEPOT IN WATSONVILLE. Just when you think the playing field is complex we find out that one of the financial contributors to the battle to keep Home Depot out of Watsonville was good old Sears. We call them Orchard Supply Hardware around here. Naturally it was solid business thinking that got them into the anti Home Depot battle. No, I haven't heard anything about them funding the current Westside battle.
HARRY POTTER, THE III. I only read the first Potter book and loved it and this newest film Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban is even better. It's dark and goes into those scary childhood places that we still think about. The effects are excellent and the new director Alonso Cuaron adds a depth and seriousness to Potter and his friends. The first director made the first two films more Disney-cute, quaint, removed and precious, and they worked just fine but go see #3. Especially on the big screen.
MICHAEL MOORE'S FAHRENHEIT 9/11. See a sneak preview here: http://www.fahrenheit911.com/trailer/
SCHOOL TAX ON BALLOT? Applied Survey Research just called. They're doing a survey asking if we'd vote for taxes to help school teachers afford housing, and if we'd vote for parcel taxes to improve teacher's salaries or improve school facilities and seven minutes more of things like that. How can you vote no on any measure to help our children and our schools? Remember when the State used to give us money to do that?
15 MINUTE MOVIE REVIEWS. India Joze Schultz who wowed the audience last weekend at the New Music Works Avant Garden Party with his tasty, spicy creations sent a letter to the editor. Go to the letters section and check out the blog site that Joze recommends. It's nasty, funky, funny, and hilarious unless you liked Troy. This blog group does 15 minute dialogue reviews of Troy, Van Helsing, Hidalgo, The Day After Tomorrow and even Hannibal. I do warn you that these aren't film reviews for people who take their films too seriously.
WAR REENACTMENTS. The New York Times just did an article on war reenactments. Locally Roaring Camp makes big bucks from these hideous and cruel events. The Times says that most reenacters around the country are mostly white guys. One third of them have some military experience, a few are WWII, Korean, and Vietnam veterans. All those reenacters who were interviewed say they don't want to actually be in the military or any real war, they just want to reenact battles. The late and still very much missed Doug Rand, former director of the Resource Center for Non Violence used to get me all riled up over Roaring Camp's faux blood baths each Memorial Day and I'd write a few sentences about this glorifying of gore locally. Now according to the N.Y. Times, some places recreate the Nazis, Vietcong, and World War 2 scenes. The Times goes on to say these recreations are nothing but amateur dramatics, and hazy, manipulated titillations that trivialize the past. At some point shouldn't we be hollering shame? Isn't the issue of decency involved here? How about recreating the death scenes of some of our Santa Cruz soldiers in Iraq? Throw in a torture or two!! That would really go over big.
SENTINEL'S POSITION. Doesn't it seem to you that The Sentinel is getting even more distant from our community? Last Monday (06/07) they reached for new heights in their statements about the protesting of the honoring of former UCSC chancellor M.R.C. Greenwood at the Cocoanut Grove. The Sentinel editorial contained statements like, "Public awareness is probably a good thing." or, "The (strategy of) protest was stolen by the right." The editorial goes on to say they "think the people inside the Cocoanut Grove were more bothered than impressed" by the demonstrators who protested M.R.C Greenwood's $200,000 earnings while programs are being cut. Hasn't The Sentinel learned even that much about protests? And that protests are planned to annoy, bother, and hopefully awake people. Do they think that M.R.C. Greenwood herself wasn't embarrassed? Do they think that the topics of conversation inside the Cocoanut Grove didn't include the affects of the protestors? The contents of the rest of the editorial were typical of recent efforts. Try counting all the "But we wonders", "Perhaps its time", "Maybe well-thought, "we think that", "might want to" ad infinitum. They mealy-mouth an issue and make no declarative statements of their own. Besides that, they know they're going to lose the Highway One widening issue that they're pushing so hard for.
WIDENING HIGHWAY ONE, EVEN FARTHER AND FURTHER. The City Council meeting in The Civic Auditorium last week displayed just about everything you needed to know about widening highway one. We learned that there is no answer when you ask "where has highway widening ever worked?" It never has. We learned that as soon as there's any semblance of more car space on a freeway many more cars change routes and fill the new freeway up immediately. I experienced that personally using Highway 85 in San Jose. We learned that Supervisor Ellen Pirie is completely committed to widening highway one. I'm betting that just as Robley Levy went all out for that sleazy Wingspread development and got voted out of office at the next election, so to will Ellen be ousted next time around. The Sentinel likes widening the highway because they think it will improve business flow, make deliveries of product faster and improve the advertising economy. We learned too that Mayor Scott Kennedy sees that he's losing the widening battle and has to face the fact that a very vocal and majority opposition is going to sink this latest plot of his. Of course behind all this looms the proposed sales tax to fund the widening. We're talking about a half a billion dollars and probably a lot more on this hastily thrown together plot to magically fix our traffic problem. The widening won't speed our travel time, and there hasn't even been any study done to determine where the cars are coming from, where they are going, would the present auto occupants use alternate transportation, and many basic questions that have never been asked or answered. There isn't even an EIR that would tell us what the impacts of a wider highway would be. Go to www.sensibletransportation.org that site will tell you the many alternatives to widening, and many more statistics than I can include.
THE TRACKER. Go see this film as soon as you can, it's at the Nick. Remember when you see it that it's not a true story and the paintings are not old but were painted on the sites as the film was being shot. The Tracker is played by a very familiar face David Gulpilil who played the aborigine in the 1971 film "Walkabout" you'll know him immediately. The film is at least an allegory, a treatise on racism, a simple story of racial hatred. You won't forget it and it is a very beautiful film.
COMMANDANTE (Fidel Castro) This is the interview or documentary film with Fidel Castro that Oliver Stone filmed and that HBO refused to show on their network. I got to see it last week. It is Fidel Castro as we've never seen him. Happy, joking, meeting lots of people and just being himself. Some folks have said by way of criticism that Stone either doesn't ask the hardball questions or fails to dig into any of Castro's answers. But what this film is is a friendly portrait of Castro. It's not meant to be an in depth knock down attack of the man. So you see warts and all even some joking between Oliver Stone and Fidel on the topic of Viagra. Remember Castro managed to escape over 400 assassination attempts by Cuban expatriates. He is quite a guy. Go see this film, now it'll probably be the only chance you'll ever get. Even the DVD is coded not to play on American players. It'll be at the Rio, Thursday night June 17th at 7 p.m . it's sponsored by The Cuba Study Group & The Meridian newspaper. Call 465-8272 for information.
QUESTIONABLE QUOTES. "He had delusions of adequacy." -Walter Kerr. "I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." -Mark Twain. "Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go." -Oscar Wilde.
Bruce critiques films every Friday on KZSC-FM (88.1) on The Bushwhacker Breakfast Club at 8am.
It's free! Click here.
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HIGHWAY ONE AND THE TOURIST TRAIN. Make no mistake folks, these are going to be the big issues in our next election. The People's Democratic Club had standing room only last Thursday at London Nelson Center to hear Ellen Pirie tell why she wants to widen the highway, and Scott Kennedy tell why he wants so desperately wants the prop 116 money to purchase the Union Pacific rail line. The crowd got plenty excited and Bill Malone managed to contain even the kookiest of rowdies. Anti railite Robert Jones represented all that's typical of NIMBY's and bemoaned the fact that even though he moved next to a rail road line he didn't expect it to be used! A miserable point of view and he got no sympathy from the crowd. Ellen Pirie pulled out how she can't visit her grandmother in Scotts Valley; she got little sympathy and much pain from a crowd that expected more from her. She later went on to tell someone in the group that train rides will cost between $40-50 each in subsidies. It was a night like that. Paul Elerick spoke against widening the highway and stated that after 30 years of taxes and over a billion dollars spent that the widening won't touch the Fish Hook curve, and would cause even more people to use the freeway until it is completely jammed. He wants to build the rail trail project.
MORE ON THOSE TOPICS. Scott Kennedy called himself a Progressive without laughing, but others did. He went on to say that "we progressives" haven't provided any alternatives to highway crowding. So we need to get those prop 116 funds and widen highway 1 and build that rail trail. Dave Wright showed how Rail trails are working all over the country and gave statistics proving it. Silly Robert Jones who I bet was, or is an attorney, told how dangerous railroad trains are after learning everyone in the room had put pennies on train tracks when they were little. They had obviously lived to tell their tales. He then called the Rail Trail a "stealth project", and compared the project to Iraq's hidden weapons ad nauseum. His group should keep him hidden someplace, he doesn't help their cause. Micah Posner of Ped Ex spoke for Rail Trails and told how the Santa Cruz Business Council is pro widening and fighting Rail Trails, which is no surprise.
LOVE ME IF YOU DARE. This is a tricky film. You'll love it for five minutes and hate it for ten, then love it again. All in all it's about love; real love not just the kinky, tricky one that writhes across the screen. It's certainly not a date film, and it's even existential, and believably acted. Go see it by all means.
JUST A REMINDER. Now that Highway One widening and the rail trail issues are getting so much attention we mustn't forget about Home Depot forging ahead, and getting their permits and minimal super quick surveys finished and filed while we are just sitting around wondering about John Kerry. Let's hope City Council member Ed Porter is keeping those Depot ducks in order for us.
PLAN WAY AHEAD. John Hibble of The Aptos Chamber of Commerce and Kate Minott of the S.C. County Parks Commission are planning ahead. This event is so far ahead you'd think they knew the results of the November election!!! On Saturday, March 19, 2005 (Next march) Kate and John are plotting a special event to honor John Montgomery. Who's John Montgomery you ask? Well John Montgomery back in 1884, 15 that's 15 years before the Wright Brothers flew their thing; John built and flew his monoplane glider, that had curved wing surfaces, for 600 feet near San Diego! John built and flew larger versions in Aptos over near where Seascape is now. Daniel Maloney, a parachutist, went up with the glider attached to Fred Swanton's hot air balloon and in 1905 with newspaper reporters observing he dropped and flew for 18 minutes. Hibble and Minott are putting on this 2005 event to celebrate this major aeronautic event. If you want to volunteer to help or learn more about what's going on contact the Aptos Chamber at 688-1467.
ZANOTTO'S ZANINESS. So the word is out and Sentinelized that Santa Cruz Downtown Zanotto's is out and Trader Joe's is coming in right? So last week I asked one of the Downtown Zanotto stalwarts about their job futures. He says, "W, but most of us have new jobs other places." So today (June 1st) I ask another Zanotto minion when's closing day? She says, "Well nobody knows about any date. It looks like there's some negotiating problems so, nothing's sure." What's that all about? And why doesn't The Sentinel keep closer tabs on these changes?
TRADER JOE'S TREMULOUSNESS. After returning last week's tuxedo out on 41st I stopped in Capitola Trader Joe's to get popcorn or actually popping corn i.e. kernels. A Trader Joe crew mate (all nautical theme) offers several flavors of popped corn but no kernels. It dawned on me that Trader Joes really specializes in expensive pre packaged, pre flavored little goodies for more like the Hummer driving crowd. New Leaf Markets sort of goes for the Volvo owners and in the old days Zanotto's aimed at the Toyota, Honda group and tried switching to the BMW, Mercedes gang and goofed. Oh by the way yes, Downtown Zanottos carries unpopped corn, I'll miss them IF or WHEN they go away.
OUR OWN BUMPER STICKERS!!! Christina Lopp has a catchy idea on helping to get Bush out of the White House. Go to www.bushbumpers.org download this week's anti Bush bumper sticker put it in your car window. Soon everyone in the USA will have the latest bumper sticker and we'll see how popular Bush really is. Send in your own ideas for stickers. Christina's idea is ingenious, and we all need to do something. Yes, I have my window sticker stuck in. Thank Christina when you see her.
THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW. As Sentinel film writer and editor Wallace Baine says "It's horrible and breathtaking and exactly the kind of thing summer movies should deliver." It is an excellent Hollywood summer movie. Like Seabiscuit and Hidalgo it's a simply told story. It has all the weather movie clichés (Perfect Storm, etc.) but it is great fun AND it jabs the USA president's policies and presents us with the real horror which is Dick Cheney becoming president if Bush freezes to death. Be sure to see it on the big screen.
PAPER THOSE FREEWAYS. Mark Halfmoon, Ruth Hunter, Christopher Krohn, Bob Guzley, Kathy Bisbee, and Mathilde Rand and yours truly received another superb website that gives us a way to state our beliefs that we have to get Bush out of the White House. Go to www.freewayblogger.com follow instructions and get the beat Bush message out to thousands of commuters.
KURT WEILL'S STREET SCENE OPERA. UCSC'S Brian Staufenbiel will direct Kurt Weill's New York opera Street Scene June 3-6 Thurs-Fri-Sat at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2 pm in the Recital Hall at UC Santa Cruz. Nicole Paiment will conduct the orchestra. Weill was an amazing composer. He studied under Ferruccio Busoni, taught Claudio Arrau and worked with Bertolt Brecht to write "The Threepenny Opera", Mahagonny, and "Lady In The Dark." His works angered Hitler (and probably would have been jailed nowadays by our Homeland Security Henchmen.) He Married Lotte Lenya and did a film score for Fritz Lang. The roles will be sung by UCSC students and Brian Spencer. Tickets at the UCSC Ticket office (831) 459-2159. You'll probably never get another chance to see this opera performed in the Bay area so don't miss this rare opportunity.
AVANT GARDEN PARTY. Don't forget to attend The New Music Works 25th Annual Avant Garden Party. It'll be this very Sunday (June 6th) $30 tickets in advance, $40 at the door. The door is at the estate of Rob and Sunny Fish, 300 Tolak Road, Aptos. Music by Erik Satie, John Cage, Steve Reich, Jon Scoville, Allen Strange and the UCSC Percussion Ensemble. Remember that I'm the auctioneer of 20 groups of wonderful items and things to do. And I'll save you a place and I'll make deals on the side so be there. Food by India Jozeph Schultz, Marc Westburg and David Jackman. Call 831 459-2159 for tickets.
BEING BRUTALLY HONEST. I try very often to write words to describe how I feel about the State of our United States nowadays. Like all of you I'm ashamed or our National actions and that man who bought his way into our White House. Hal Crowther, newspaper man, winner of the H.L. Mencken award, writer for Time Magazine, Newsweek and The Buffalo News and The Progressive wrote, "If a spotted hyena stepped out of Air Force One wearing a baby blue necktie most Americans would salute and sing "Hail to the Chief"." He went on to write a long piece on how he looks at our situation now. I agree with him. It isn't a pretty treatise and you won't feel any better after reading it but at least you'll know you aren't alone, and are in very good company. See what Hal Crowther had to say here: http://www.populist.com/04.10.crowther.html
FORGET CLEVER QUOTES READ Hal Crowther's column instead.
Bruce critiques films every Friday on KZSC-FM (88.1) on The Bushwhacker Breakfast Club at 8am.
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