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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THAT DAMNED CONFERENCE CENTER. These so called public discussions concerning the Dream Inn Conference Center and Parking Garage all seem to turn into fast sell opportunities for City Staff members. Since when is it ethical for City Staff members to lobby the Planning Commission concerning financial benefits to the city from this project? The Planning Commission doesn't deal with finances. And how come the architect was there to pitch his eyewash drawings but there was no one present to discuss the huge traffic problems from this hotel scheme at the Santa Cruz Neighbors meeting last week? Traffic is the biggest problem in the deal and the Redevelopment Agency and developers have only puny and poor answers, and no solutions. More than that, this Coast Development (that will be 75% larger than the Dream Inn) is being railroaded through very fast. They're probably doing it fast because it's the Holiday season and it'll take a while for all the residents on the Westside to become aware of how large a plot this is.
GONE TO LA. (AS OF TUESDAY AM.) I'm even passing up the installation of the new City Council to spend Thanksgiving with all three grandsons and related relations in Los Angeles. That means I'm writing this before we know who the next mayor and vice mayor will be. If manipulations continue, Rotkin will get the mayor's seat Tuesday. The only good thing about Mike Rotkin being mayor is that he doesn't talk so much when he's mayor, or so I'm told. So hearty congratulations to Ryan and Tony for a race well run. I'm hoping that Emily becomes mayor and Ed or Tim becomes vice mayor. However, if I was betting, the unseen and serious council maneuverings that go on behind public view will probably have Rotkin back in the center chair.
FUTURE CITY POLITICS. As previously mentioned, the defeat of Scott Kennedy and Mark Primack has changed the entire attitude of the progressives in Santa Cruz. The City Council election of 2006 will really be a hot one. Katherine Beiers is already putting her name out there as a City Council candidate. Micah Posner says he's first going to get married, and then he'll think even harder about running in 2006. At the victory party for defeating the widening of Highway 1 the talk and laughs were about how Mike Rotkin will now be racing around trying to be nice (and trying to look progressive) so he can get his name on the 2006 progressive door hanger. All bets are on.
NICHOLAS von HOFFMAN ON KERRY AND CHRIST. Tired of reading the same old opinions on why we lost the national elections? Read too about John Kerry the jerk, Want to be reminded on why von Hoffman is such a good writer and commentator? Then read what he says about God being a Republican, read his remarks on the failure of the Christian clergy, read this column on "NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR NATIONAL UNITY" it's from the New York Observer November 17, 2004 click here http://www.observer.com/pages/observer.asp. It'll get your juices running again.
A NEW COUNCIL, AN OLD IDEA. Paul Cocking who owns Gabriella's Cafe still thinks the idea of a Plaza at Church and Pacific is a good idea, so do I. Paul said in an email that it's unthinkable that a city would put up with Rittenhouse's shabby treatment of our most important corner. He asked me to forward the email to Ryan Coonerty hoping that maybe he'd take up the cause, so I did. It seems to me that for a much smaller investment in Louie's property our city would attract more people downtown by having a beautiful Plaza than by having that conference center right in the middle of the boardwalk neighborhood. Maybe LOBA would look into this??
NATIONAL TREASURE. This is one very goofy movie. Nicolas Cage stumbles his way through a script that has more plot holes than it does mine shafts. There's an attempt at a love affair with a blonde bimbo that's scarier than the evil treasure hunters. There's some kind of car chase that is funny it's so poorly timed. More than that, it is dull like nothing you've seen before. Avoid it. Instead go to see Sideways it is a perfectly funny film and a good way to kill time with those Thanksgiving visitors that are here now.
POLAR EXPRESS. Tom Hanks does voices for at least six characters in this piece of holiday fluff and it doesn't matter. Polar Express is still a mercenary, Hollywood attempt to pull out all kitsch stops and make money by becoming a Christmas tradition. It failed and only opened in fourth place on its first weekend. It won't do any better later either. The animation is creepy, and the characters eyes give you the willies. This is worth renting when it's on special, say around $1.98 per week. Very disappointing, especially after all the hype that went into selling it.
BRIDGET JONES: The edge of Reason. The money must have been good for Renee Zellweger to take a year and gain all that weight to do this sequel to her earlier Bridget film. It must be a woman's film, because it isn't anybody else's'. The director seems to take delight in making Bridget look even fatter and dumber than before. The jokes are forced, obvious, and cruel. All "Love Your Body Day" supporters should boycott this film. It is not a feel good film.
POSTMEN IN THE MOUNTAINS. If you're feeling like this is a Hallmark feel good film and you don't like treacle you could call this "Dad, Dog and Do-good Delinquent meet the Dong Women." It's about a Chinese mailman in southern Hunan who has a 140 mile route that takes more than three days to cover. He's ordered to turn the route over to his son. It all works out ok and the photography is spectacular. A genuine family pleaser, no problems.
RIOT AT THE HYATT. Nov. 27. We got to hear Watsonville boxer Carina Moreno of the Tacos Marino family at the Riot at The Hyatt press conference. She's got 6 wins, no losses going into her fight with Julie Rubalcava who has 4 wins and no losses. Carina took time off from her studies at Cabrilho College to tell us all how she had been training and why this fight is so important to her. This'll be a very exciting night of fights with a six bout card and seven undefeated boxers. All of Jerry Hoffman's 12 Sports Broadcast Productions' Riots at The Hyatt sell out, every one. This one will too. Right now you can still get tickets with Visa or MasterCard by calling (831) 688-1604.
QUOTES. To help make this weekend as cheery as possible, here's a bunch of great quotes. Use them at THE dinner it'll keep you from talking politics. "If she were cast as Lady Godiva, the horse would steal the show." -Patrick Murray. "There is only one way to find out if a man is honest-ask him. If he says "yes" he's not honest." -Groucho Marx. "Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day." -Harry S. Truman. "One, two, three Buckle my shoe." -Robert Benchley. "Go, and never darken my towels again." -Groucho Marx. "What happens to the holes when the Swiss cheese is eaten?" -Bertolt Brecht. "They are not really fixing the streets. They are just moving the holes around so the motorists can't memorize them." -Herb Shriner.
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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COAST HOTEL, CONFERENCE CENTER AND PARKING GARAGE MEETING. This is the time for someone to light their lantern and ride their horse up and down Bay Street shouting "the hotel is coming", "the hotel is coming". This seriously flawed plot put together by the former city council person Scott Kennedy and Ceil Cirillo of our Redevelopment Agency would be a financial, environmental, and traffic disaster if we allow it to be built. Consider any or all of these problems with the hotel plans. The new Coast Hotel would be 75% larger than what is there now. (Kennedy tries to tell us the footprint would be smaller!!) There hasn't been allowance for bicycles and pedestrians on the same sidewalk. Delivery trucks will be backed up unloading right on Bay Street. The existing painted sidewalk between the parking lot and the hotel will be eliminated, and you'll have to go up and over the new elevated walkway. That's just for starters. How the city can afford to become financial partners in this scheme? When will the car parking fees ever be enough to pay back what the city has to invest? There's an enormously important Planning Commission meeting Thursday night at 7pm in the City Council Chambers. This will be a public hearing so you can give your comments. Just to realize that the developers and Scott Kennedy want to reduce setback requirements, modify parking requirements, adjust property lines, remove heritage trees and amend both the Zoning ordinance and the Local Coastal Implementation should clue us in to the scope of this project. Remember we're talking about an all new 270 room hotel, restaurant, a 1000 seat conference center and a six level garage. And that's all on our most famous panoramic skyline. Be at the meeting Thursday night, speak your piece, call your new city council members and tell them how you feel. If you wonder how locals ever allowed the ugly and invasive Dream Inn to be built "way back in history", how will you be able to explain to your grandchildren how we let this even larger raging sore to be built in public?
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY CONFERENCE AND VISITORS COUNCIL RESPONSE TO ABOVE. Maggie Ivy, the CEO/Executive Vice president of The Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council thinks the Coast Hotel and Conference Center are "the only two economic development proposals currently offered that would begin the process of providing economic recovery top the city's budget and our community". She mouths the usual Kennedy, Rotkin, Matthews pitch that they've used for years to justify runaway development "we have to pay for social services". She goes on to say I'm an irresponsible journalist and that I indiscriminately oppose the only hope etc., etc. You can read her letter by clicking here. Beyond that she asks me for thoughtful alternatives!! Aside from ceasing to beg our already strapped cities for money to run the Santa Cruz County CVC, which certainly isn't shared equally now between cities, I think the tourist attractions that benefit the most should pay the most, if you catch my drift. But I've said that many times before. What is particularly annoying is that our city administration, the professionals that are on our city and county dole can't "Offer up some thoughtful alternatives". Where are these geniuses? Other small towns create solutions without caving in to any and every new developer that seeks to make millions from our little town. If building the Coast Hotel Conference Center and parking garage is the best our Redevelopment Agency and professional planners can come up with throw them out of there and get new thinking. We could even have community input on how to best replace the Dream Inn. How could we lose?
CUBAN "Talent" DEFECTIONS. It is nearly impossible to get truth out of American media regarding any news that deals with Cuba. Early this week we read and heard about those supposed talented individuals who are defecting from Cuba. For starters this group got visas, even though other scientists, more talented musicians and researchers have been denied. The visas were obtained from our government by Dennis Hays, coordinator for our state department's Office Of Cuban Affairs and a member of the right wing Cuban American National Foundation. Sensing there just may be another side to that story I asked our local Cuba Study Group of Santa Cruz to learn what had really happened. I got an excellently written background piece from Karen Wald who is a journalist who lived and worked in Cuba for 20 years. She lives in San Jose; I met her when she came to Santa Cruz last month with author Isaac Saney. You can read the entire story by clicking here. Remember too when the USA refused to let Grammy Nominees Chuco Valdes, and Ibrahim Ferrer from the Buena Vista Social Club into this country? Now they welcome this coochie-coochie act, doesn't that strike you as odd? Read too in the N.Y. Times, about Kevin Costner and Siegfried and Roy working on this group's behalf. You don't suppose that Costner is going to play Roy in a new bio pic?? Naw, that's sick.
KINSEY. Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, and every actor in this film manage not to act too sexy in this dramatic biopic. The film was boring in spite of the fact that it was mostly about sex. After all it's about sex research and just a little bit about Alfred Kinsey himself. There are all the predictable laughs and very predictable situations involved with a topic like this and not revealing insights, or shocking revelations, or deep areas to explore. I left the theatre thinking... so what? But go to see the acting, maybe even some Oscar caliber in this one.
ENDURING LOVE. Now here's a shocking love story that is full of surprises. It's very full of surprises and makes Hitchcock's films look puny. Death, murder, suspense, and a well developed creepy quality that works beautifully. Watch for Rhys Ifans (Reese Ee-vans), you've seen him many times in things like Shipping News, Notting Hill, Vanity Fair but his role here is really out there and professionally done. Plus Samantha Morton is a leading player in Enduring Love; you'll love it, go as soon as possible.
BEING JULIA. Annette Bening gets to act the stage diva role of the century in this Somerset Maugham period piece. It's only a movie not a deep psyche incision, and set in a very theatrical world but it is lots of fun to watch. This is a film and a story that reminds you of the good old days of how well story telling can come across in film. Jeremy Irons and Michael Gambon also give lessons on the theatrical tradition. See it.
FLYING DUTCHMAN. Nina Stemme sings the finest Senta I've ever heard in the current production of Richard Wagner's The Flying Dutchman at the San Francisco Opera there are performances on November 20, 23, and 26. It's early Wagner but the music is sublime and the voices are all excellent. If you've never seen a Wagnerian opera this is one to go to. It's only two hours and twenty minutes long and one act. They have supertitles. Go to www.sfopera.com, check into student rush seats at $15 or senior or military rush tickets or they even sell standing room tickets for $10 check it out and call (415)864-3330 from 10 am to 6 pm.
QUOTES. Enough politics here's some sex quotes in honor of The Kinsey Report. "I've never yet turned over a fig leaf that didn't have a price tag on the other side." -Saul Bellow. "My fiancée and I are having a little disagreement. What I want is a big church wedding with bridesmaids and flowers and a no-expense-spared reception; what he wants is to break off our engagement." -Sally Poplin. "Anybody who says he can see through women is missing a lot." -Groucho Marx.
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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CITY COFFERS. Now that we don't have to deal with Scott Kennedy's poorly thought out schemes such as the Coast Hotel and Conference Center, we can only hope, pray (well maybe not pray) but tell our new City Council better ways to fund the many social services we want in Santa Cruz. I'll never give up on saying that the Boardwalk with its 3 1/2 million tourists annually has never paid a fair share of the burden it forces on our city. The last City Council kowtowed to The Boardwalk attorneys over collecting fees from the city owned car lot at the bend of the river that they've made millions from over the many decades that they've cheated the city. Can this council do more? Can we investigate and determine how much water the Boardwalk uses for those 3 1/2 million visitors? Should that water be taxed the same as what locals pay just for resident use? There needs to be an examination of the property rent the Seaside Company pays, and we need to hear it publicly. We should start at the Seaside Company, get them on the level and proceed from there.
CURIOUS TIMES. I'm curious... how many of you worry about a retaliation attack during this invasion of Fallujah striking somewhere in the USA. Anybody besides me think about the Golden Gate Bridge and trucks full of explosives? Other than that, no problem.
THE UNION FOREVER. We need to let Tony Madrigal know that just because Unions promise a few low level jobs in exchange for invading our community with a new box store or franchise operation, that isn't necessarily the best for our communities' future. After dealing with obtaining a living wage in every possible job we need to focus on making the jobs that already exist in the County into Union jobs. Orchard Supply, Lowes, Home Depot openings aren't going to change our employment statistics.
ELECTION OPINION. There are almost too many interpretations of THAT election but read what UCSC Professor Daniel Wirls has to say about last Tuesday's election. It's on UCSC's excellent weekly online paper Currents. Click right here... http://currents.ucsc.edu/04-05/11-08/opinion.asp. After that, read Saul Landau's take on the elections http://www.progresoweekly.com/index.php?progreso=Landau&otherweek=1099634400.
MUSING ABOUT MAYORS. Wouldn't it be great if Ed Porter nominated Emily Reilly to be our next Mayor and Ryan and Tony seconded that nomination and with Tim Fitzmaurice's support Emily as top vote getter would be Mayor. There's an often broken sort of tradition that says Rotkin would fall into the next mayor seat and Cynthia would be vice mayor, but putting Emily in there would create a whole new excitement on the Council. I hope that we'll see a lot happening on Tuesday November 23 in those chambers.
CRUZIO'S SMALL BUSINESS FAIR. New, old or any business that needs inspiration or advice should attend Cruzio's 6th Annual Small Business Fair. The two evenings will be Wed Nov 10th and the 17th. Both evenings will be at Cruzio's Internet store, 903 Pacific Avenue. The theme is Art & Technology and there'll be panels. There's a $35 admission and you'll hear such topics as Web Basics, Marketing your Art, and Business Survival Skills and there'll be chances to get your questions answered after each panel. The Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, Central Coast Small Business Development Center, Cruzio, Kapiolani Design, and Real Color are some of the sponsors. The evenings go from 4:30 to 8 p.m. call 459-6301 ext 247 for information or go to www.smallbusinessfair.com .
THE HOT DAMN STRING BAND STRIKES AGAIN. The Hot Damn String Band has played for Bookshop Santa Cruz's birthday parties since long before the 1989 Earthquake. We even played at the street relocation fund raiser before The Bookshop moved into the tent. We'll be back playing at the party this Friday night from 7:30 onward. Annie Steinhart will be on fiddle, Jim Reynolds on guitar, Dick Hough banjo, Todd Kimball mandolin, Matt Bohn bass, and yours truly on washboard. There'll be cake and ice cream and we'll play Hail to the Chief in honor of Ryan Coonerty's city council victory.
HONNEGER'S KING DAVID ORATORIO. Nicole Paiement will conduct the UCSC Orchestra, the Chamber Singers, and the Concert Choir in Arthur Honegger's King David Oratorio. It'll be performed two nights only in the UCSC Music Recital Hall, Friday and Saturday November 19 and 20 starting at 7:30 p.m. Honegger died in 1955 after writing music for more than 40 films including Napoleon, Les Miserables, and Pygmalion. Patrice Maginnis, Brian Staufenbiel, Michele Rivard, Audrey Stanley and Reg Huston are all part of these two rare evenings. Tickets at UCSC ticket office 459-2159 or go to http://events.ucsc.edu/tickets.
KENNETH TURAN IN CAPITOLA. Kenneth Turan has a new book out titled "Never Coming to a Theatre Near You: A Celebration of A certain kind of Movie." Turan has been writing on films in the Los Angeles Times for decades. He writes about how mega screen monopolies prevent good films from being seen, or even being available to most movie goers. There's a huge problem in our not being able to see good new films. It's mostly due to financial reasons, but at least we have the Nickelodeon and the Del Mar's seven screens but that isn't enough to screen all of the finest releases. He'll be at The Capitola Book Café Tuesday, November 30 at 7:30 p.m.
CUBA FILM PRESENTATION. Great Day in Havana is a documentary about the cultural life in Cuba. Painters, poets, dancers, sculptors all talk about the artistic and spiritual life that flourishes under Fidel. It was written and directed by painter and photographer Casey Stoll in 2001. It'll be shown at 7 p.m. Thursday, November 18 at the Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th avenue between Capitola Road and the freeway. It's sponsored by the Cuba Study Group of Santa Cruz County.
SPEAKING OF CRUZIO. Cruzio's home page has a new feature. On the lower left hand corner you'll find Cruzio Staff picks. James their sales manager has linked a bunch of his favorite sites. It took close to an hour before I remembered I had other things to do. Check any/all these sites out, some are beautiful, others are total fun, others are necessary but do check them out.
RAY, ONE MORE TIME. I used the word mimic last week to describe what Jamie Foxx was doing in the Ray Charles film. He really did little acting, there wasn't any need to. Isn't it odd that like Duke Ellington in his last years of performing couldn't draw audiences even when they played Santa Cruz, as soon as they die they are loved and revered by all. Next time you hear somebody say how much they love Ray Charles ask them if they went to his last concert here. On second thought, the film Ray amounted only to being a cheap shot and not really a serious film at all. Everybody loves films about handicapped people like Station Agent, Ray, Rain Man, and Shine. It'll win an Oscar for sure.
SIDEWAYS. Rarely if ever, have I heard a theatre full of critics laugh as much as the local ones did for the Sideways screening at The Nick last week. Paul Giacometti from American Splendor stars in this clever, beautifully written comedy about two guys in Santa Barbara wine country. Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh have never been better or funnier and Thomas Haden Church is absolutely mesmerizing as the aging film hunk. It doesn't matter, but Church once played a role called Schwee in Apocalypse Cow in 2001. You'll never drink merlot again or go to Buellton, and you'll never laugh as much as you will when you see Sideways, trust me on this one.
SAW. I thought there just might be a moment or hopefully two of exciting film in this sad mess of footage, I was wrong. Plot, acting, photography, and everything else about this film are terrible. Don't rent it just forget it entirely.
ZELARY. Yes, it does rhyme with celery but it is a fine Czech film. It's about what happens to the innocent people, the civilians that become involved with war. It comes close to being melodramatic, and over the top, and it almost won the Oscar for best foreign language film last year. Go see it and I predict you'll think about the civilians who try to live in Fallujah. It's the same story over and over. And it is a wonderful film.
ALFIE. The first third of this film Jude Law plays Alfie as such a despicable creep that it takes guts just to stay in the theatre. As Alfie's facade and life begins to fall apart the film gets better and more interesting. Jude Law is an excellent and wide ranging actor, and he gets to pull out all stops in Alfie. Michael Caine played Alfie very differently and much more likable in the earlier film and they both work. But wait and rent this one, what with the weather and high admission prices you'd be much happier seeing "Sideways".
INCREDIBLES. This is another Pixar hit. They just keep coming, and I keep wondering what it is about these animated cutesy flicks that make them so popular. Yes they have voices like Holly Hunter's which is a sophisticated and clever choice, but other than an event to take your kids to and be relatively sure it won't damage their little minds Pixar could stop making films tomorrow and the world wouldn't change much. Just a touch of smart, one or two inside adult jokes, and not much else. If the kids will let you, wait and rent the DVD later.
AROUND THE BEND. Michael Caine, Christopher Walken and some wonderful little kid act their hearts out in this tear jerker but that's all they do is act. Except for the kid Jonah Bobo, who must have been seven when they made the film, everybody else just acts. Bobo is one of those miraculous children who are naturals at acting that means they don't act. See the film just to watch him.
QUOTES, II. Sage and wit Simon Kelly emails these winners for the week. If you've got favorite quotes send them in...we need all the cheering up or good advice we can get. "Advice for the day: If you have a lot of tension and you get a headache, do what it says on the aspirin bottle: 'Take two aspirin' and 'Keep away from children.'" -Author Unknown. "The problem with the designated driver program, it's not a desirable job, but if you ever get sucked into doing it, have fun with it. At the end of the night, drop them off at the wrong house." -Jeff Foxworthy. "Sometimes I think war is God's way of teaching us geography." -Paul Rodriguez. "Our bombs are smarter than the average high school student. At least they can find Afghanistan." -A. Whitney Brown.
FINAL QUOTE. Scott MacClelland sent this one in. Scott said, "Sometimes "The Sage of Baltimore", as H.L. Mencken was known...captured it... On July 26, 1920, HL Mencken wrote in The Evening Sun: "As democracy is perfected, the office of President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."
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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NATIONALLY SPEAKING. What more can be said about the state of our nation? Electing Bush, defeating same sex marriages, stocks going up because he's in office again, all national news is bad today. It shows you just how fortunate and smart we are to live where we do. Besides that there never was a good reason to go to any of those states that voted for Bush.
BUT LOCALLY WOW! Decinzo had it right again and the voters agreed with his Mark Primack "statement" in The Metro. Primack has now lost both his attempt to be a County Supervisor and to remain on the City Council. You could just hear developers, realtors, box stores, Charlie Canfield, the Boardwalk, Ceil Cirillo, Jim Conklin, Dick Wilson, Mike Rotkin, and Cynthia Mathews all groaning when Scott Kennedy was defeated in the election. The voters were not fooled by Kennedy's posing as a progressive, and let's hope that's the last we hear of him. Will the real progressives now go after Mike Rotkin and Cynthia Mathews so we can at last have a City Council that will listen to and work with the people? I would imagine so.
ELECTION AFTERMATH. It is too bad that LOBA (Locally Owned Business Association) went and listed New Leaf Market as supporting highway 1 widening. But we did get to see just who the members of LOBA are. It doesn't take long to figure out, in case you didn't know, that these are nearly all the conservative (not progressive) owners of downtown businesses. LOBA didn't just support widening highway 1, but they also endorsed Scott Kennedy and Mark Primack, ha! We also saw in the last minutes that the Watsonville Pajaronian came out against widening one. We do need to thank New Leaf Market for being against the widening plot. Remember that it the only City Council person to want highway 1 widened was Mark Primack. It's too bad too that Scott Kennedy, Daryl Darling and Carol Fuller had to put out a door hanger and full page ads in City on The Hill and UCSC's Fish Rap that looked like a Sam Farr/John Laird piece just to get Scott Kennedy's name on some list. The other progressive political groups in town voted specifically to keep Kennedy's name off their endorsements. This door hanger then, had both Kennedy's and Primack's names together. That must have struck some voters as odd. Small town politics again smacked of Kennedy dealings, what a shame, and an embarrassment and Kennedy got what he deserved...finally.
SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL NEWS. I was surprised to read Editor and Publisher online (11/02/04) to see that the Santa Cruz Sentinel only has, according to recent ABC figures a daily circulation figure of 26,136. While Good Times as an example has 45,230 and The Monterey County Herald has 34,813. The Sentinel did indeed endorse Kerry, Farr and Laird but lost still more readers when they endorsed Kennedy, Primack and widening highway 1, lest we forget. On the same point, Godmoma.com, my webmistress tells me that, according to her latest investigation, BrattonOnline.com had around 200,000 visits from May through September. I want to thank all of you very much for that. Now if more of you would just click above and actually subscribe (for free) it would increase my standing in internet ratings.
MORE GLOATING. I am very pleased that all four of the city council candidates I endorsed all won. Yes, I was surprised The Metro endorsed Kennedy instead of Porter. They may be a story behind that one, but we'll never know.
EMINEM'S MOSH ON BUSH. There's no need to go into Eminem's political past but if you didn't hear or see his new MTV video titled Eminem's Mosh you've missed something. Go to http://gnn.tv/content/viewer.html. It takes a long time to download, but as a political statement and as a short film it is powerful and poetic and very courageous, especially during Bloodthirsty Bush's administration.
THOSE DARNED EARTHQUAKES. Last Monday's 3.0 shaker felt more shocking than any of our other recent jolts. I wanted to remind you to go to http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/research/strongmotion/effects/shake/index.html to check out those many moves we've been experiencing lately. You also get to report and become part of the scientific evaluation that is going on forever. You'll also see that Monday's quake was 15 kilometers WSW of Boulder Creek wherever that is, and it happened at 2:02 p.m.
SAFEWAY NEWS. The Safeway representatives revealed at their last local public meeting said that their plans are to completely tear down the entire Mission Street/ Almar plaza store and turn it into a parking lot. They will build an entirely new store on their property just west on Mission. There was no talk about any new Safeway gas station going in.
SOME OUTSTANDING UCSC EVENTS
FREE KURT WEILL CONCERT. UCSC's Jewish Studies Program and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music are sponsoring a free evening that features the music of Kurt Weill and a panel discussion before the concert of how both Europe and the United States cultures shaped Weill's music. It is a celebration of the 350th anniversary of the Jews in North America. It will feature songs from his Broadway musicals and his "Violin Concerto". The evening starts at 7 p.m. and is in UCSC's Music Recital Hall this Sunday (Nov. 7). Call 459-2566 for info.
SONATAS IN THE POPULAR STYLE. Violinist Roy Malan and pianist Sylvia Jenkins will perform music by Ravel, Beethoven, and Schubert. Roy Malan is concertmaster of the San Francisco Ballet orchestra, and he and Sylvia were both part of the sorely missed Crown Chamber Players from a long time ago. The concert will be Friday night at 7:30p.m. (Nov.5) at UCSC's Music Recital Hall. Tickets at the door or at UCSC's ticket office, if it's ever open. Call 459-2159 if they ever answer.
SOUTH INDIAN MUSIC. Gayathri Rajapur Kassebaum will sing and play classical South Indian music for the gottuvadyam (a stringed instrument) Saturday, November 6 at 7:30 also in UCSC's Music Recital Hall. Ms. Kassebaum has a new recording of Classical ragas just released on Folkways label. Tickets at the UCSC Ticket office, or at the door or call 459-2159.
RAY. Jamie Foxx mimics Ray Charles to a T in this film. For the first third of Ray I thought this was absolutely the finest Hollywood bio picture I'd ever seen. Hollywood rarely if ever has figured out how to portray a talented individual on screen. But Ray at 2 1/2 hours is too long. The film depicts Ray's troubles and achievements in some well done scenes and the many, many songs (With Charles' voice dubbed) are certainly worth seeing. There'll be Oscar talk around this film and it's a good, not great, film, but honestly you wouldn't lose much if you wait and rent the DVD.
GRUDGE. I liked this haunted house film much more than I anticipated. I missed the original, but I thought this film had a quiet foreboding that few films can attain. Sarah Michelle Gellar has been miscast in every film and TV show she's been in, which is another way of saying she should give up show business entirely. But see this film if you like horror films, and I do.
P.S. This is without a doubt Laura Linney's best film to date. Gabriel Byrne and Marcia Gay Harden both give their best in a film that is miserable. Dylan Kidd who directed the subtle sledgehammer Roger Dodger a few ago couldn't or didn't get it together to make this film as potent. Linney's character is so flimsy you can't get a take on her and it's impossible to relate to any of her decisions. It's too bad because the P.S. script must have been much better than the end product.
BIRTH. Nicole Kidman is not just elegant and flighty and beautiful and superhumanly adaptable, she is one of the finest actors working today. She gives her role in Birth much more than it needed and turns this scary film into a tour de force of a woman going over the edge of sanity. Birth is better than any Hitchcock or Stephen King horror film - it's more like a subtle version of Rosemary's Baby. Don't miss it.
LEFTOVER POLITICAL QUOTES. "I never vote for anyone- I always vote against." -W.C. Fields. "All political parties die at last of swallowing their own lies." -John Arbuthnot. "You'll notice that Nancy Reagan never drinks water when Ronnie Reagan speaks." -Robin Williams. "Get all the fools on your side and you can be elected to anything." -Frank Dane. My own quote: "We will never be allowed to forget the results of re-electing George W. Bush."
Bruce critiques films every Friday on KZSC-FM (88.1) on The Bushwhacker Breakfast Club at 8am.
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