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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BARBARA SPRENGER IN SANTA CRUZ.There was a get acquainted meeting last week with maybe 15 Santa Cruzans from various groups who's names you know, but I won't tell you. Barbara found out the depth of feeling in the room against widening Highway One, and she still is in favor of it. She really thinks capitalism works, and supports rail trails. She's pro clean money campaigns, supports term limits, yes on redistricting, and thinks UC should pay full mitigation costs for impacts on all UC locations, including the loss from city taxes. It was a tough 2 hour session. We told her we all hoped she wouldn't be like John Laird and so many of our other locally elected officials who leave the voters behind and join the exalted elected who know so much more than the people who elected them do. Some of the group felt she was smarter than Emily Reilly, but agreed that Emily has done well by dropping some of her Polly Sunshine tap dance routines. I would imagine that Bill Monning will be our next guest.
ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH. Greg Palast, journalist for the BBC and for The Observer usually says things right and this time he nailed The Virginia Tech Massacre. He titled it The Accomplices: Sundance George and Butch Reid and the Virginia Tech Massacre.
EMAILBAG. Dan Dickmeyer emailed to tell us about opera, The Sentinel, and our old reservoir he said, "Another idea for the Sentinel building would be to move the County Office of Education there, if Michael Watkins somewhat controversial plan to move to the Ow bldg in Harvey West falls through. Not that that would appease the South County folks but it sure would bring tons of business downtown with both workers and workshop attendees.
Also now seems like the time for the City of Santa Cruz to abandon its Bay Street reservoir (which has to have a 1.3 million dollar roof) and develop or sell to developers that valuable piece of Land in the Upper West Side for homes. With the money they make they could find some other location or go in with the University on a storage facility on campus that could serve the needs of the University and the City. Is the city looking at the Big Picture?
I loved Lou Harrison's YOUNG CAESAR opera and (yes the gay turnout was terrible--only 15 people I knew for sure. No doubt they didn't know that Nicomedes would be such a hunk (what a voice) or the two male dancer soloists so "adorable"). I wished Nicole Paiement would have acknowledged the presence of Lou at the bows perhaps by bringing back the picture so we could have applauded him. I can still see him sitting three/quarters of the way back on the aisle with Bill as he usually did and standing up, raising his hand and smiling. Dan Dickmeyer."
SECRETS OF THE SENTINEL REACTION. Lee Quarnstrom, retired Mercury News staff writer replies via email from the deep south of LA, "The Mercury News has no ownership position vis a vis the Sentinel. The Mercury is just another entity owned by Media News, along with the Sentinel, San Man Mateo Times, the Contra Costa Times, the Oakland Tribune, etc. It's misleading to make the Mercury News the bad guy when, in fact, the employees there are suffering the same kinds of staff cutbacks as the Sentinel and the rest of them. Media News, the Dean Singleton company, is consolidating circulation, human resources (personnel) and other departments from ALL the papers into more-or-less centralized offices. I think it is a shame but Media News apparently sees great savings in having one personnel department, of instance, for all of its Bay Area newspapers instead of a dozen of them, one at each paper.
To Media News accountants it no doubt makes sense to sell off as many presses as possible and print the chain's various papers on as few presses, with as few printers to pay, as possible.
I assume that the bean-counters will eventually consolidate news-gathering, at least to the extent, for instance, that just one writer covers the 49ers instead of a dozen of them writing the same story for different papers. Ditto, one would imagine, for other local sports teams, for movie reviews and for any other beats where Media News -- not Mercury News -- executives see ways to cut personnel without eliminating the news, sports and cultural beats that are covered now by more than one writer. I am glad I got out of the newspaper business before this happened; but as a lifelong journalist who worries about the imminent death of newspapering as we've known it I find it hopeful that anyone at all can figure out a way to make a profit from daily newspapers. You know, of course, that a vast majority of younger and middle-aged people quit reading papers as the internet took over their lives; now they get their "news" free on-line and besides, I fear that many are much more concerned with who got kicked off "Dancing with the Stars" than what is happening in Iraq. And they don't use the classified ads, long the big money-maker for newspapers; they use Craigslist and other on-line sites to buy and sell cars, find jobs, look for romance, etc.
Santa Cruz is an anomaly; people in town seem still to care about politics and government and the environment. This is not true everyplace, believe me. I hate to say it, but the only hope for newspapers and the kind of journalism they can provide seems to lie with people like the new owners of the Mercury News, the Sentinel and the rest of those Bay Area-papers. They are cost-cutters but at least they are saving newspapers from the former owners who watched the business go down the drain and never thought to put a plug in it. Lee Quarnstrom."
SECRET SENTINEL SOURCE REPLIES...I sent Lee's email to my secret Sentinel source, who replied, "A quiet week at the Sentinel, only one more full week until the presses go dark. It's nice to hear some other points of view about the Sentinel situation. We seem to agree on most these issues except a few: You can't cost cut your way to a better and profitable product. You just end up hurting yourself. I believe readers do want more than Dancing with the Stars; many people in Santa Cruz don't even watch television. This place is different, for the better and you can run a profitable newspaper here.
What would be misleading is to think the SJ Mercury is an independent entity separate of the Santa Cruz Sentinel. The SJ Mercury is running the Sentinel now regardless of what anyone says The Mercury could have offered jobs to the some of the laid off people, but instead has decided to rehire for positions out of the San Jose office. They also choose not to inform the employees of the Sentinel what the plans are for Sentinel, even though they clearly know. This is not some sort of partnership between the Sentinel and Mercury; it is simply viewed as what can we take over and what must remain for now.
The Mercury clearly benefits from the Sentinel's demise, it gains job positions and market share and has no competitors. Oh except for the internet, this is the reason why our product hasn't been updated in 100 years. Ah but we have some color pictures now! It should also be pointed out that Santa Cruz is quite different from San Jose. They dress differently, speak differently, and generally have different priorities and values from each other.
So is the SJ Mercury the bad guy here? Well they make and execute the decisions about the Sentinel, and they benefit from absorbing the Sentinel operations, even though they are a subsidiary of a larger corporation. You could also say the current Sentinel management is not the bad guy either. My thought is that all of them play a role in this. I really don't think in terms of good or bad anymore about this situation, I wonder more about what will happen to Bob, Joe, or Mary, (not their real names but real people) who have lost their jobs while upper management continues to keep theirs. Something tells me the cost cutters are not the ones that will save this industry". End of Sentinel secret source email 4/22.
INSIDE NEW LULU'S. Between seeing Hot Fuzz and Fracture on Friday I stopped in the New Octagon Lulu's. A brand new hot spot, in 20 minutes max I saw Ellen Primack, Nancy Knudegard, Fred Keeley, Nancy Bertossa, Paul Figueroa and at least five other familiar faces. Figueroa told me that both Lulu's and Vinocruz the wine tasting shop will be putting tables and chairs out in the courtyard...and if/when you become a MAH member you get a discount at O'Lulu's ...great new place. In truth the most impressive thing about O'Lulu's is duh..the coffee! Each single cup is fresh ground, and fresh brewed. Really brings out the flavor...if you love coffee, black. I'll meet you there as soon as possible.
THE TRIPPER. Wallace Baine got it right in Friday's Sentinel, this is a terrible movie. I saw it at the Nick. It's a blot on the Santa Cruz name even though none of it shows the city of Santa Cruz. It goes even further in darkening the Santa Cruz Film Festival's reputation and also hurts Scarborough Lumber by mentioning their assistance. It should never have been screened. It's isn't camp humor, it has no political relevance and is one of the worst acted, directed and scripted films ever released. More than that it forced Paul "Pee Wee Herman" Rubens to sink to the lowest depths possible, and that man was once a genius.
HOT FUZZ. A British attempt to parody our Hollywood cop action films. They shoot up one of those only in England wee towns, and it does have laughs for us yanks but not as many as say an old Alec Guinness more subtle Brit comedy.
FRACTURE. Good old reliable Anthony Hopkins turns on the previously used Hannibal character's evil, plotting, charming and attempted control of a young professional (Ryan Gosling) and it is one fine intelligent film. Just see it. Don't read anymore about it.
PATHFINDER. This computer generated live action film was purposefully shot in dark settings so they'd save money by not having to pay more for showing details. The film banks heavily on whether or not you knew that the American Indians drove off the Vicious Vikings. We'd all be named Olaf and Ingrud if it wasn't for our old Indian protectors...don't see this film. It's like a Conan meets Geronimo film, don't even think about it.
PERFECT STRANGER. Halle Berry does her best job of acting in this loser film, and if you can believe Bruce Willis with a new toupee could possibly be the CEO of a top ad agency, you are undoubtedly the only person who should pay full price to see this film about computer dating with a surprise twist ending.
IN THE LAND OF WOMEN. A very tender coming of age story but it lacks depth of any of its characters. Olympia Dukakis gets a lot of laughs at her own expense by playing a Alzheimer's geezer. Meg Ryan develops breast cancer and 26 year old Adam Brody almost falls with both mother and daughter. You'll pay attention all through it but it won't leave any impression at all after you leave.
GARY PATTON'S PROGRAM. The return of J. Mathew Sleeth, read how our Sen. Joe Simitian will chair two land use bills, one that favors housing developers. Read about Santa Cruz Supes facing timber land rezoning (TPZ) issues. Monterey County and their June 5th elections are happening...News on Friends of the River. Then some notes on how Scotts Valley and Capitola are incorporated cities but Soquel, Aptos, Live Oak, Felton, and Boulder Creek aren't...and what that means. As always, it's right here.
PAUL ELERICKS INPUT. Paul gives us a history lesson in the Monning McPherson race of 94. He reminds us of McPherson's skinny win in "96 and the disaster known as Democrats for McPherson. He gives us a link to his candidate (and mine) for Assembly Bill Monning. Try this link if you don't find Paul's. Ask yourself if you've ever seen a list of qualifications for any office like Bill Monning's. www.mbay.net/~kentmonn/curriculum.htm
TIM EAGAN'S EFFULGENCE. Mr. Eagan illustrates the application of Don Imus and "Ho's" to our society...scroll downwards.
SAUL LANDAU'S PROGRES. Saul Landau writes about "Keep Facts In Mind On Iraq", in the latest issue of Progreso Weekly, and covers all the bases, click here www.progresoweekly.com
CHRISTINA WATERS WEIGHS IN. Christina doesn't like Ryan Gosling in Fracture. She does like Randall Grahm's latest wine dreams and somehow managed to locate more chocolate bars from heaven. Click here www.christinawaters.com
HARRY PARTCH AND UDAY BHAWALKAR CONCERTS. The UCSC Music Department presented two concerts last week that were so beautiful, so educating, so well performed that your world was enlarged if you heard them. The Ensemble Partch played an evening of Harry Partch's music on Thursday night. Partch was a friend of Lou Harrison's and John Cage and other American Music mavericks. It was as ethereal as it was brilliant. The Indian Classical Concert Series from the UC Music Department presented vocalist Uday Bhawalkar, he sang two songs, each over an hour long in the rarely heard dhrupad style and transfixed the audience. UC's contributions to the community like these can't be overlooked.
EXONERATED. Pisces Moon Productions is presenting a play titled Exonerated. It's six stories from Death Row of innocence, injustice and redemption. It opens Friday April 27 and plays through May 26 at The Broadway Playhouse. Pisces Moon has always produced the most thoughtful plays of any group in Santa Cruz, this evening should be no exception. You can get tickets online right here.
REEL WORK FILM FESTIVAL. This is the most community-oriented group run film festival in our county. It opens Wednesday April 25 and goes through Friday, May 11. It plays at 11 venues from one end of the county to the other, has vital and involved speakers and is sponsored by more community based organizations than all the rest of the film festivals combined. Go to www.reelwork.org or call 469-3306 for info.
UNIVERSITY GRAPEVINE. Every Thursday from 4-5 p.m. I host University Grapevine on radio station KZSC 88.1 fm. This Thursday I'll be talking with Ken Dickerson of The Live Oak Grange we'll discuss the long and colorful and mostly unknown history of the Grange movement in the USA. Then Susan Myer Silton, director of Pisces Moon production's newest play Exonerated opening Friday April 27 running until May 26 at the Broadway Playhouse. For tickets online go to www.smarttix.com/show.aspx?showCode=EXO0 or call toll free 877 238-5596.
QUOTES. "Start off every day with a smile and get it over with. -W.C. Fields "I always prefer traveling in non-British ships. There's none of that nonsense about women and children first." -Somerset Maugham "I should like one of these days to be so well known, so popular, so celebrated, so famous, that it would permit me to break wind in society and society would think it a most natural thing." -Honore De Balzac.
Deep Cover
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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SENTINEL SECRETS. Here's this week's anonymous email from deep inside the Sentinel. I received it Saturday morning.
"Well Bruce, the proverbial you know what has hit the fan this week. If this is an indication of things to come, it looks like STORMY WEATHER! So the SJ Mercury executives came over in their fancy suits and expensive sunglasses with an attitude to match, they are a rude and cocky bunch.
Here's the news: 17 to 24 people have been laid off this week; all of the jobs are related to distribution and circulation. Their positions have been replaced by new titles and they have graciously allowed them to apply at the SJ Mercury for the new jobs or what's left of them. Perhaps working for the Sentinel before will give them a slight advantage in the interview process.
The layoff process involved informing one group in the early morning and another group in the afternoon. That was quite "enjoyable" for the employees who were laid off in the afternoon. It amounted to a slow torture before learning their fate. I speculate they must have gone to lunch before starting the second round, but wait, that's not where it gets nasty. There is a third group of employees (of the 17-24 total), that have NOT been informed of losing their jobs. Meanwhile, everyone else knows and feels thoroughly disgusted that it's just a matter of time before they learn they have been laid off through office gossip. "Oh, didn't you hear? You don't have a job anymore!". I guess we should cut the management some slack, they don't really have any experience in this type of thing, but maybe as human beings they could exercise some common sense and compassion. When they will inform them is ANYBODY'S guess.
I would like folks to know who the people are that deliver their newspaper or work for the Sentinel. They are folks who don't get hired on full time, only part time. That means no health insurance, no vacation, no sick days, low wages, etc. The other group are "Independent Contractors" - folks who "contract" with the Sentinel to deliver the newspaper - i.e. paper routes. They aren't even Sentinel employees. Visit the Sentinel parking lot around 1 or 2 am you won't find any of the Sentinel photographers or reporters for that matter, this is Santa Cruz's own little Wall Mart, happening right under our nose. What you'll find is a group of "contractors" assembling to prepare the newspaper for delivery. They don't work inside the comfort and safety of the Sentinel building, the parking lot is their office. In fact, they are technically not allowed into the building even to use the restroom. I recall the first time I walked through the parking lot, one late night, it was like I was in another world. On some occasions, the contractors must bring their children along to sleep in the car. This is one story of worker exploitation that doesn't get reported.
The reality is the Sentinel relies on a lot of low wage part time employees to get the paper out. I can't recall the exact number of employees at the Sentinel - I think about 120 people. So far half have been laid off - part time and full time.
The parking lot is clear and empty by the time the regular staff arrives, no trace of anything. For what little the Sentinel gives them, they remain hard working, honest, dedicated employees - and yes, that's what they really are - employees of the Sentinel.
Here's what gets me - how can someone one flight up in the same building rant on about "How They See it", when they can't look below and see what's going on in their own organization? Do you think they could print ONE "As We See It" - that says something about the character of the Sentinel employees? That is, make a stand for the Sentinel employees? Do you think management will resign as a protest? Or at least pretend to? We would hope they would stand up to the Mercury, instead they hand the keys over with ease.
Other notes: (scuttlebutt - not confirmed, but reliable)
Santa Cruz Medical Clinic is looking into moving into the building or bidding with the others. The Sentinel hasn't found a new location, but Scotts Valley is a consideration. Hey, the Scotts Valley Sentinel, run by the San Jose Mercury, reporting on issues in Santa Cruz!" end of Sentinel secret email.
WHOLE FEUDS, EVEN MORE. My friend who works in the natural food business sends this, "I just found a website for whole foods workers, some of who are trying to organize a union and such. http://www.wholeworkersunite.org". Look it over, it's a group of Whole Foods workers who talk about organizing and forming a union. It tells about Whole Foods growth at the expense of workers respect and lack of fair pay.
In another part of my friends email he adds," Posted by leela at 02/25/2007 - 04:34
"I've been a team member for about two years now as a side source of income, while I attend college, and although I've largely had good experiences with Whole Foods, I see oh so many flaws in its corporate structure and the ways it can and has dealt with other employees. I think its opposition to Unions is appalling, and a real Union drive and drive to positively evolve the company from the bottom up is so extraordinarily important, especially as the company is evolving in ways that could potentially devolve the little bits of goodness it has going for it.
I don't know about you, but this Wild Oats merger freaks me the fuck out. I mean, Whole Foods has always had corporate tendencies that are more than slightly disconcerting, and the way it has increasingly bought out smaller independent chains of natural food stores and has built a monopoly is a great deal less than wonderful. But I feel that the acquisition of 110 or so stores (Wild Oats is the second largest natural grocer in the US I believe...) just lends itself to a Wal-Mart like presence and homogeny within the natural food world that is so undesirable and frightening.
I mean, I don't want there to be countless numbers of WFMs everywhere offering the same old everythings in the same old ways with the same old jacked up prices, while diversity in the natural food world slowly disappears, and eating healthfully really becomes a class-defined activity. It's really amazing the amount of power a monopoly gives a corporation in shaping the market it dominates, and WFM's domination of the natural food world really is disturbing to me.
Anyway, I could ramble on. And I'm tired. The point is I want to see sites like this active and filled with passion. I want people to make a ruckus. Because there is plenty to ruckus about. Please come out of the woodwork, WFM critics, union-organizers, and activists, and do something. I want to see action. I want to take action". End of friend's email.
SHOPPER'S GUIDE - BUY ORGANIC & AVOID THE "DIRTY DOZEN" FRUITS & VEGETABLES. BrattonNote...I found this article on Food News.org an excellent news site....
"According to the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) analysis of data from over 43,000 tests on pesticides in conventional produce, over 90% of ingestion of pesticides in foods can be eliminated by avoiding the most contaminated foods. The "Dirty Dozen" most contaminated foods are peaches (97 percent tested positive for residue), apples (92 percent tested positive), sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce and potatoes. The "Consistently Clean foods" are onions (90 percent tested negative), avocados (90 percent), sweet corn (90 percent), pineapples, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli and papaya. "Federal produce tests tell us that some fruits and vegetables are so likely to be contaminated with pesticides that you should always buy them organic. Others are so consistently clean that you can eat them with less concern." Says EWG Senior Vice President Richard Wiles. Download your wallet-sized shopper's guide here: www.foodnews.org
THE PEOPLE OF SANTA CRUZ FORCED TO FIGHT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. The battle between the neighbors of the proposed Swift Street school bus maintenance yard and the School District makes you wonder just who the School District thinks they are representing. Here's an email and a link from the Friends Of the Westside
"Dear Neighbors,
It is now certain, the Santa Cruz City School District has appealed the Planning Commission's decision to deny the School Bus Depot/Maintenance project on Swift Street (beside PCS & Derby Park). The appeal will be heard by the Santa Cruz City Council on Tuesday, April 24, at 7:00 pm in City Council chambers (809 Center St).
The plan that the School District has submitted has been modified as follows:
- "Recycled lumber" fencing from 6 to 10 feet in height would surround the property on its south and southwest perimeter (rather than chain link fencing).
- A recycled lumber-sliding gate at the Swift St. entrance.
- A recycled lumber pedestrian gate (for Derby park access) next to the Swift gate.
- "Landscape buffer" plantings along the fence (some unspecified variety of ivy)
- Eight "36 inch box trees" (unspecified type) to be placed along the fence line.
- A 4' all weather (decomposed granite) pedestrian walkway from the site to Derby.
- A sliding gate on the west side of the site accessing a temporary (3 year lease) easement to Delaware.
- Drainage and runoff detention features including catch basins/oil and grease traps and "bio-swale" detention facilities.
- While it appears these mitigations at least partially address some of the concerns expressed by the Planning Commissioners when they denied the permit, the project is still seriously flawed.
- It still puts an industrial activity in an area surrounded by schools, parks, and residences.
- A 6-10 foot wooden fence does not constitute an effective sound wall, nor does it visually screen out 12' tall busses or a 22' tall metal shop building.
- The easement to Delaware is extremely limited. It would only be available between 6:00 and 7:30 am, and it would be a temporary arrangement subject to elimination after 3 years.
- It still places a 2000 gallon bio-diesel tank on the premises.
- It still is large enough to accommodate twice the number of busses that are currently in use.
- It still decreases "park land" for the neighborhood below the level targeted by the current City General Plan.
- It still is essentially the same plan the School District introduced last year. Finally they have adopted some of the proposals that neighbors made then, but only because the project was denied once already.
- The limited mitigations noted above were grudgingly accepted only because the Planning Commission denied the project. It is now time for us all to step up our efforts to make sure that this bad idea does not become a reality.
- What can you do?
- Contact City council members: Make an appointment to see them; Phone them; Send Email or Letters to them.
- Talk to your friends and neighbors: Encourage them to contact the Council and attend the hearing.
- Volunteer your time by contacting us via email: Help to pass out flyers; Circulate petitions.
- Direct people to our "ipetition" at www.ipetitions.com/petition/smart_planning_now/index.html
- Most Importantly - Attend the hearing. The number of attendees is even more important at the City Council. Even if you choose to not speak, your presence there will help send a message that Westside Park and school space must be preserved!
One suggested use of the property has been to create affordable housing for teachers and service workers at the project site (Our thinking would be a project in keeping with the character and density of the surrounding neighborhood).
Housing remains an alternative to a Bus Depot that has a high likelihood of resonating with the City Council.
Please know that we feel preserving the land for school educational use (i.e. a place for kids to learn and play) should still be our priority, but we want to know how you feel about the housing alternative. Please let us know.
Many thanks for your continued support
"Friends of the Westside" neighbors@westsidefriends.com
HISTORICAL PHOTO NEWS. Alyce Vestal and David Cadwallader emailed from Redding, CA to say that last week's historic photo of downtown Santa Cruz would be dated 1960 by looks of the cars.
REVIEW OF CABRILHO' 8 10 MINUTE PLAYS. I can't think of many reasons to attend Cabrilho Theatre Arts production of eight one act plays. Loyalties a 1984 play by Murphy Guyer is interesting and has a real surprise ending because you think it's about us living and dealing with Bush as our president but it isn't. George Kaufman's The Still Alarm would have been funny IF the timing had been better. It's community theatre, see your neighbors engage in their acting hobby, and most of the acting and directing is terrible.
HARRY PARTCH MUSIC AT UCSC. The ensemble Partch will be bringing their Partch instruments to UCSC's Recital hall this Thursday April 19 at 7:30. Partch was way ahead of his time and composed music for unique instruments. I was lucky to have heard a few evenings of music played by Harry and friends He lived in Marin County. Great memories. Harry was Virgil Partch's uncle, better known as VIP noted cartoonist for True, The Men's Magazine. Call 459-2159 for tickets, SCCivic Box Office or online at; SantaCruzTickets.com
INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC AT UCSC SATURDAY APRIL 21. Uday Bhawalkar is one of a few performers singing the Dhrupad style. He plays the veena, a kind of lute and has toured London, Berlin, Holland, Spain, France and more. He records on Nimbus, Rhythm House and Sony labels, and this is a rare chance to hear him. He goes to Seattle and LA after Santa Cruz then back home to India. It says to go to http://arts.ucsc.edu but nothing happened so call 459-2159 for tickets.
MADAMA BUTTERFLY. Repeating myself but..... if you've ever thought of seeing an opera this is the time and place to do it. Puccini's Madama Butterfly has all beautiful and famous music, the California Theatre in San Jose makes a fine opera location, it's small enough to be accessible and large enough to contain operatic voices..and the prices are right. More than that they have supertitles so you know what they are singing, and there are free pre opera talks before every performance. There are only eight performances between Friday's opening night (4/21) and closing 5/6. Call (408)437-4450 or www.tickets.com or the San Jose Opera company's website at www.operasj.org
YEAR OF THE DOG. Don't go expecting Molly Shannon from Saturday Night Live to be funny or expecting you'll laugh a lot and you will really like this sensitive look at a terrified woman dealing with the friendless world. Peter Sarsgaard is excellent as a dog trainer in this subtle, surprising film.
DISTURBIA. Yes you have to think about Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window when you see this one, but there's much more to it than that. It's what's going on in the neighbors house type film and it's taut, suspenseful and some well placed laughs, and I liked it. Way above the usual teen age thriller, and it sent the Tarantino trash flick way down the numbers charts.
WINDS THAT BLOW THE BARLEY. Ireland 1916, should tell you enough about this film of the collateral damage behind the Irish vs. British rule. It won best film at Cannes, Ken Loach has been an excellent director and Cillian Murphy is a marvelous actor. Aside from that the Irish dialect could cause you to miss some words so sit up close, but do go see it. INTER PRESS SERVICE NEWS AGENCY. In looking at the story about top US Sushi company linked to Japan's whale killing industry I came across IPS http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=37307 Click on it and see if it doesn't look like a very reliable world wide news source.
TIM EAGAN'S EFFULGENCE. Tim takes on George W. Bush's hearing problem... and Bush loses.
PAUL ELERICK'S INPUT. If like me, you lack understanding of what's been happening in Aptos over the 9 acres of land at Highway One, State Park Drive, and McGregor Paul spells it all out. He talks about SNAP too. There are 3 projects, the Republican Central Committee got involved and so on. Paul also reveals stats about Seacliff Beach State Park.
GARY PATTONS PROGRAM. It's true that J. Mathew Sleeth sounds like a Groucho Marx or W.C. Fields moniker but according to Gary he's real and he's preaching the gospel of Christian caring of the environment and the 11th commandment, "thou shalt keep watch on land use policies"... Patton talks about the endangered Coyote Valley in San Jose, and news about some members only birding walks at Antonelli's Pond on our Westside and another at Elkhorn Slough. See below about Todd Newberry's book on birdwatching. SAUL LANDAU'S PROGRES. Read about The White House deciding on releasing spy, would be assassin, and bomber Luis Posada Carriles. Read Saul Landau writing about "Whining Imperialists". Click here.
CHRISTINA WATERS WEIGH IN. Christina decants her recent wine dinner at Bonny Doon Vineyards, finds more chocolate and shares a few food discoveries.
UNIVERSITY GRAPEVINE. Every Thursday 4-5 pm I host the University Grapevine radio program on KZSC 88.1 fm and you can hear it online at www.kzsc.org This week my first guest will be Ann Simonton, from www.mediawatch.com we'll talk about sexism and mass media. Todd Newberry author of The Ardent Birder will talk about the craft of birdwatching and a new chapter he's working on about the birds at UCSC. Not those birds, the real birds.
QUOTES. Good friend Scott MacClelland sent this excerpt from Kurt Vonnegut's "A Man Without a Country-a memoir of life in George W. Bush's America" (2005). It says more than anyone could say regarding Kurt's absence.
Deep Cover
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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BILL MONNING WILL RUN AGAIN....IF!!! Bruce Van Allen sent an email on Easter saying "In case other candidates are downplaying the possibility to you, I just
wanted to make sure you knew that Bill Monning is definitely running for Assembly. See a Monterey County Weekly interview from this week's April 5th issue: www.montereycountyweekly.com/issues/Issue.04-05-2007/news/Article.news_3
What the IF is...IF John Laird is forced out by term limits. That's good news; I think Monning would make a good Assemblyman. I'd sure support him.
WHOLE FEUDS. ANOTHER ANONYMOUS INSIDE LETTER. This week's email from a friend in the natural food business says that Santa Cruz is an excellent victim for Whole Foods killing behavior patterns. As an article in a January 2007 Sentinel article stated "A county-by-county study released Friday shows Santa Cruz had the highest proportion of healthy food options like grocery stores, farmers markets and produce stands — and thus the lowest proportion of unhealthy options like fast food restaurants" My friend's email said, "Some food industry people were saying Whole Foods entering this lucrative Santa Cruz market is an example of'predatory marketing' similar to Starbucks opening right across the street from Santa Cruz Roasting, or Borders opening just down the street from Bookshop Santa Cruz. They said this is a new trend, because developing a market and new customers is so expensive these days. Instead of going somewhere with a potential new market, the big corporations decide to just enter an already crowded market, and use their corporate muscle (extra discounts, free fills, volume purchases) to try and steal customers from established businesses. They said that Santa Cruz was known as having more square feet of health food sales per capita than anyplace in the country.... into this small area how we are going to fit this big Whole Foods without serious results to existing locally owned businesses? This reminded me of an article in the Sentinel from January that talked about Santa Cruz's health consciousness: www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2007/January/20/local/stories/01local.htm ".
GOODBYE HILDA WHITEHEAD. Everyone will miss Hilda who died last Saturday. She was 95 and had a weak heart. Her son Nick says a service will be held in about a month. She belonged to many groups, helped out everybody she met, and added very much to our way of life around here.
SENTINEL SECRETS. Once again, we hear from our anonymous inside Sentinel source. "It's been quiet this week. We did have a San Jose Mercury executive visit this week with, what appeared to be a real estate agent, he was taking pictures of the building. The Sentinel finished remodeling the inside of the building last year. That was money well spent. As you probably already know, they brought Dave Regan back to run things. Someone mentioned to me how Dave has changed since coming back to work from retirement. He is much more relaxed and casual in appearance and demeanor. I suspect he has very little to worry about these days.
I was just thinking about the Sentinel, even when we were sold from company to company in the past, we still could be sold in one piece. After the presses are shut down and the remaining pieces sold off, and we have been cut further and merged with the Mercury, it will be impossible to ever be an independent operation again. It looks like this sale will be final for what is left of the Sentinel. I predict that most if not all of the operations will be moved to San Jose or outsourced. They will initially keep a large staff of reporters and photographers here, but as time goes on, this will be reduced as well". End of email.
UCSC ARTS & LECTURES UPDATE. Nuts and darn Bruce Labadie isn't going to be a permanent hire at UCSC's Arts & Lectures. As he says, "Bruce Labadie here. I saw a bit in your column about me running the UCSC arts and lectures program. It's not quite true. I'll be helping program the 2007-08 series, but the University will be looking for a permanent replacement. I'm quite busy with my other duties: Jazz on the Plazz, Los Gatos...Director, Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival...Festival Director, San Jose International Mariachi Festival...Programmer, Music in the Park and Music in the Other Park, San Jose plus a few smaller things". That's the trouble with busy people. I emailed Labadie admitting that even though I thought I had my moles well trained, you can just never tell.
WEBMD, the Magazine. Luckily I read the March/ April 2007 issue of WebMD while at my doctors office. It's the "waiting room companion created for your doctor's office". It contains several warnings that apply directly to our Santa Cruz problems. For starters it says that according to Danish medical researchers cell phones do NOT cause cancer. They sampled people who have been using cell phones for as long as 21 years. No increase in brain cancer, leukemia, eye tumors, or salivary glands among cell phone users. Another item says that Americans drank 23.2 gallons of bottled water in 2004 and in 1980 consumption was only 2.7 gallons. But another big warning in WebMD was that if you are a man you may not "be savoring your sexuality to the fullest if you ride a bike. That's because "some bicycle seats can restrict blood flow to the penis and cause problems with achieving or maintaining an erection". That's probably why they shave their legs and wear funny clothes too. Once you get over those shocks WebMD goes on to state that "Overall, chickens labeled as organic or raised without antibiotics and costing $3 to $5 per pound were more likely to harbor salmonella than were conventionally produced broilers that cost more like $1 a pound". You can click here www.webmd.com but I couldn't find those articles from the magazine. Let me know if you can.
MARIJUANA LAWS AND LOCAL ENFORCEMENT PROBLEMS. Doesn't it seem possible that just like Bush creates a war to help his friends make vast fortunes and keep our military budget as huge as it is... that police, sheriffs, prison guards unions and our Federal authorities use the war on marijuana to justify their large budgets and keep our prisons full? Most folks know just how much of a danger marijuana truthfully represents to our society and yet we turn the other way as this so called war continues. Locally Theodora Kerry, Thomas Leavitt and Robert Norse all reminded me that as Kerry stated, "Although nearly two-thirds of Santa Cruz city voters supported making private adult marijuana activities the city's lowest law enforcement priority, only two people have applied to join the community oversight committee whose purpose is to:
1) track marijuana arrests in the city, to ensure that they are being treated as the lowest law enforcement priority.
2) Take commentary from members of the public who think that the policy set forth by Measure K is not being adhered to.
3) Prepare a report with the above information and analysis thereof twice a year to share with the city council.
The committee is appointed by the city council. Each council member will directly appoint one city of Santa Cruz resident to serve on the committee. If our allies don't apply to serve on this committee, then the city council members will need to recruit people to serve, some of whom might be less than supportive of the policy.
If you are a Santa Cruz city resident and would like to make sure that the will of the people expressed through Measure K is implemented, please consider applying for the committee. If you can't apply for the committee, please pass this on to anyone you know who might be interested. It is up to us, the supporters of marijuana law reform, to secure our recent victory by filling this committee with members who want to make Measure K a verifiable reality in Santa Cruz.
So please download a form today. You can visit http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/advbod/advbdappl.pdf to download an application. Fill in "Measure K Oversight Committee" after the "other" blank. Applications are also available in the city clerk's office, located at 809 Center Street, Room 9. After you've applied, please write me, Theodora Kerry, at thekerry@comcast.net, so that we can track whether or not supporters of Measure K are being appointed". As of March 29 no City Council member had appointed any members.
CABRILHO COLLEGE PRESENTS EIGHT 10 MINUTE PLAYS. Cabrilho College's Theatre Arts presents an evening of Eight 10 minute one act plays April 13 -29. Friday and Saturday 8pm and Sunday 3pm. Eight directors, ten designers, 21 actors, 24 crew members and they are all under the artistic direction of Joseph Ribeiro. One play is by George S. Kaufmann and another is by Wilma Marcus Chandler. Call 479-6331 or go to ticketguys.com.
GARY PATTONS PROGRAM. Gary talks about Alan Chadwick and UCSC's Garden Project and Paul Lee's talk about both. He tells us that the California Coastal Commission now webcasts its' meetings...and how to see them. Marina has an UGB Urban Growth Boundary. He ends by talking about ALBA and how it teaches farm workers good farming techniques. Click here.
PAUL ELERICK'S INPUT. Paul updates the Transportation Funding Task Force battle between the Wideners (Sentinel) versus the majority of us. He tells of the funding measure almost certainly being on our Nov. 2008 ballot, check it out.
SAUL LANDAU'S PROGRES. Click somewhere around here to read what Saul says about the Whining Imperialists, Landau's new book, A BUSH AND BOTOX WORLD, was just published. His new film, WE DON'T PLAY GOLF HERE AND OTHER STORIES OF GLOBALIZATION, is available on DVD through roundworldmedia@gmail.com
TIM EAGAN'S EFFULGENCE. Scroll downwards to catch Tim Eagan's expose of the White House's Winds of Change.
CHRISTINA WATERS WEIGH IN. This week Christina deconstructs "The Hoax", gives us an art attack and plugs the new Lulu's - all at christinawaters.com.
ABOUT BERLIN ALEXANDER PLATZ. Darned if there wasn't a story about Berlin Alexander Platz in last Sunday's New York Times and Judi Grunstra emailed it in. I've been asking for information on this 15 1/2 hour long film by Fassbinder that we saw here in 1983 at the Sashmill Theatre. It'll soon be available on DVD as part of the Criterion Collection. Click here for the full story
THE HOAX. Richard Gere makes a very believable Clifford Irving in this film about the Howard Hughes hoax. IT doesn't matter if you care about Howard Hughes, this is a nicely entertaining film to satisfy your need to be entertained. Go for it.
GRINDHOUSE. No film could live up to the hype and hope this film had. And it didn't. Will Ferrell's Blades of Glory way outdrew it at the weekend box-office. The two mostly separate films in Grindhouse are supposedly take offs of early trash films had plenty of energy, except for all the boring parts but lacked the naïve and innocent honesty and inventiveness of those old classics. Tarantino's talky last half film Death Proof contained a great car chase and a fine performance by Kurt Russell but zip else. Robert Rodriguez' first half Planet Terror showed us nothing close to what he did onscreen before in Sin City and El Mariachi Give it about a 3 out of 5.
YOUNG CAESAR, LOU HARRISON'S OPERA. UCSC presented a 4 day event titled SYMPOSIUM or New Directions in Contemporary Opera last week. It opened with a performance of Lou Harrison's Young Caesar. It dates back to 1971 and is about the teen aged Julius Caesar and his gay affair with Nicomedes, the King of Bithynia. Like most of Lou's compositions the opera consists of beautiful music played on a world wide collection of instruments including a slide whistle and an ocarina. I agree with many critics who have said that the story (libretto) written 100 % by Robert Gordon is pretty dull, sounds like a history lecture and has no focus. There were seven other events formed around the opera. The Panel discussion with four new opera composers gave us enough opera ideas and questions to last for years. Kip Crenna from San Francisco Opera talked about how the SFO chooses and has chosen its commissioned operas for the last 20 years. The closing GALA concert featured four wonderful singers singing songs from new operas it was wonderful and I hope UCSC does this every year. Nicole Paiement and Brian Staufenbiel deserve very large thank yous from the community, and from the world of opera.
ASHWIN BATISH TO TEACH AGAIN. Long time East Indian classical music fans will be happy to know that Ashwin Batish is starting to teach Sitar and Tabla classes again. These are for beginners and advanced. Ashwin emailed to say you can go to YouTube and search for "Batish" to see some of his works. The classes start April 21, and will be on Saturdays and Sundays at the Batish Institute 1310 Mission Street. Go to or call at 1-800-RAG MALA or email at info@batish.com
FILM FESTIVAL FUN. I've lost track of all the Film Festivals happening in Santa Cruz and all at this same time. And there's no way to list all the details here. For certain there's the Reel Work Film Festival then there's the Seventh Annual Santa Cruz Film Festival. There's a huge banner at the entrance to UCSC announcing the Maiz Film Festival, but I can't get any more information on that one. The Kuumbwa Jazz Center is having one too. Don't forget the ninth annual Earth Vision film festival. There must be over 100 films and dozens of venues and 1000 starting times, google them. It does beg the question; why not spread them out a little?
UNIVERSITY GRAPEVINE. Larry Granger, music director and conductor of the Santa Cruz County Symphony and Carolyn O'Donnell president of the Cabrillo Chorus will be talking about the symphony's next season the first half hour. Jill Ginghofer, is the director of the Santa Cruz area Alzheimer's Association and we'll be discussing what's new and old in the Alzheimer's battle. I host University Grapevine every Thursday 4-5pm on KZSC 88.1 FM and you can also hear it live on your computer by going to www.kzsc.org and clicking on "listen now".
QUOTES. "The inventor of the bagpipes was inspired when he saw a man carrying an indignant asthmatic pig under his arm. Unfortunately, the manmade sound never equaled the purity of the sound achieved by the pig." -Alfred Hitchcock. "Schoenberg would be better off shoveling snow." -Richard Strauss. "If there is music in hell it will be bagpipes." -Joe Tomelty.
Deep Cover
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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MORE ON BRAD McDONALD AND JAMES DEAN. Ted Burke of The Shadowbrook Restaurant and the ever mysterious Santa Cruz Business Council emails to tell us, "That sure does look like Brad MacDonald in that Del Mar photo I believe Brad's brother (John) was more involved in the real estate business than Brad, as Brad was busy being the original owner and operator of the Shadowbrook and also of the Saba, the Polynesian Night Club in Capitola he opened that later burned, and after that he operated the Rio Del Mar Hotel in Aptos. Brad was also active in getting Capitola incorporated as a city and then served as its 2nd mayor."
A THOUGHT PIECE. Click here http://www.multinationalmonitor.org to read an interview in Multinational Monitor from September 2006.Stacy Mitchell of the New Rules Project is interviewed about her book titled The Big Box Swindle: The true cost of the Mega Retailers. It's a very scary story about what we are seeing in Santa Cruz as Target, Home Depot, Wal-Mart and other big boxes wait to pounce on our local businesses. It's a sad state of affairs that our local elected officials can't understand this broad view of what they are allowing to ruin our sense of place...and our economy.
SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL SELLING OUT FROM THE TOP? I hadn't heard anything about the Sentinel Building being up for sale when I ran Judi Grunstra' s email last week. (Scroll down past Tim Eagan's Strip to read it). Judi suggested The Santa Cruz Public Library move there, and replace the library with....a plaza!!! Actually I told Judi the Sentinel building site would make a more useable plaza location, according to the International Plaza experts we talked to years ago, but enough of that. I got one unsigned email last Friday from what appears to be a Sentinel employee saying, "Do you cover anything going on at the Santa Cruz Sentinel? They just told us today they are putting the building up for sale and moving. The employees are in constant fear and get very little comfort or information from the pathetic management. In fact, Honig just rants on in his blog, meanwhile back at headquarters, the troops just sit and wait for what's next. I wish someone could hold them more accountable".
I emailed the emailer back and asked for a name and address and received this email in response, "I was thinking the exact thing, it would be fantastic to have a decent library and it would make a wonderful focal point for the community (instead of a business). They could even add a meeting room(s) for public issues, guest speakers, readings, etc. Perhaps UCSC could partner up and actually give something back to the community and incorporate better into the community. The employees at the Sentinel (myself included) now get COBRA letters sent to our home address (several). It's not the type of letters that informs you of loosing your job; it reads your status has not changed, but then tells you your COBRA rights and about this company the Sentinel is using for this service. What a great warm feeling and of course no one at the Sentinel knows if we are getting the axe. At least have decency to let us know so we can get on with our life; instead we play this wait and see game.
Aside from the real possibility of more layoffs, what gets me is, we really have lost a big voice, good or bad, in the community. The current management has been reduced to puppets on a string. Sure, they will continue to write their, "As We See It" and other editorial pieces to make sure that readers think it's the same paper. It won't be and over time the changes will slowly filter through until they are unnoticeable. The management from San Jose Mercury are the ones that come over to inform us what is going on, they are clearly running the show.
The only thing the Sentinel wants to stress to everyone is that the paper will be the same. Funny thing is, what they are saying is their management jobs are safe but everything else is gone. These folks are in charge because they won't stick up for the Sentinel. They could easily argue or at least make an effort to keep operations here in Santa Cruz and save jobs. When you have been sold out from the top, there is not much hope for the people that work below.
Sorry for the long rant, but folks are scared and mad as hell. That combination of emotion doesn't leave much but a bad taste in your mouth. Thanks for listening Bruce".
WHOLE FOODS, THE INDUSTRY POINT OF VIEW. One friend who knows the organic food business, emailed about the business side of Whole Foods as an industry force." So now a lot of the old natural foods companies are owned by big Wall Street corporations. There is a lot of grumbling about this... as well as the recent merger of Whole Foods and Wild Oats, and the power that these big corporations have. For instance, when they open a store, in order to carry your product, they require a manufacturer to 'free fill' or provide a free case. So pretty much, they open a new store with no inventory cost. Another thing independently owned stores have been talking about, and started doing, is banding together, so that they have the same volume discounts available as the 'big boys' on fixed costs like health insurance, shopping bags, energy, etc. But I think a lot of manufacturers are getting burdened by the demands placed on them by Whole Foods, and there might be some kind of backlash. Eric Schlosser (who wrote "Fast Food Nation") recently spoke about not only the dangers of fast food, but fast food mindset or culture. He was speaking about the need to challenge yourself, not to conform, when you visit a new area, don't just go for the comfortable, and recognizable (Gap, Starbucks, Circuit City, etc.) Take a chance...try something new. He says he always eats at a Thai restaurant, as they are usually family owned. It is obvious when you visit the "Third Street Promenade" in Santa Monica...which you have written about before, and how the corporations have taken over. It is so bland there now, as compared to the past. Same thing as downtown Santa Barbara...the same stores, with the same window displays. Anyways, Schlosser was warning about the dangers of this conformity happening within the Natural Foods Industry, if the big companies take over. Everyone knew he was talking about Whole Foods, but he never used their name. Nothing is black and white. If we get more farms growing organic, it is good for the planet, no matter if The Food Bin or Staff of Life is selling the produce, or Whole Foods, or Safeway. And you know that "Local" is going to become the new buzz word. At some Whole Foods, they flash photos of 'local farmers' on the cash register screens as you wait in line to be rung up. They are scrambling to develop local relationships, as they have not focused much on that in the past, but they know it is a growing subject (they do tons of marketing surveys). Whether it is a real issue for them, or if they are just going to 'talk big and do small' like Safeway's 'local' campaign (which is a joke), we will have to wait and see". End of email.
MORE WHOLE FOODS FODDER. Old friend Patrick Casey emailed to say "Having only a short career in the grocery business and having volunteered at our Food Bank for many months I can say that nearly every grocery store donates to the food bank. It makes good economic sense to the grocery store; they get a tax write off for food they can't sell!!! So for Whole Foods to say, oh look at us we donate to the food bank is disingenuous at least.
I actually really like Whole Foods a lot, as for the "need" well of course we don't need another grocery store of any type really, seems to me we have plenty. I propose instead of fighting them we get the Staff of Life and New Leaf and Shoppers Corner to join together and thereby making a bigger local grocery that CAN compete with Whole Foods. The more we fight this- the harder W.F. will likely push. So band together grocery stores and Santa Cruz WILL support a local fight against a huge Texas Chain store (W.F.) If we make room for them and band together we have a chance to compete. If not I feel they will come anyway and take down anyone in their path. They have big money in Texas you know, that state has purchased two presidencies. Patrick Casey.
LONDON NELSON PROGRAM. For everyone who wants to know why I continue to battle to change the spelling of the name of our Community Center to LONDON Nelson please listen this Thursday from 4:30 -5pm to University Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm.
Historian Phil Reader and I will present all of the evidence proving that some misguided individual spelled London's name wrong a few years ago and that mistake has continued to this day. Probate notices, notices to creditors, and many newspaper articles from the Santa Cruz Surf in 1896 and The Sentinel in 1867, Leon Rowland's articles in the Santa Cruz Historical Society, and the annals of Santa Cruz ALL spell it LONDON. We should correct that mistake and pay proper respects to this generous Santa Cruzan.
WHO WAS THAT STRANGER? I have it on mostly reliable sources that none other than Lee Quarnstrom formerly of the San Jose Mercury and before that the Register Pajaronian was in town. Lee lives in Orange County and was here to say goodbye to his old friend Jim Huxtable.
MAY DAY LABOR FILM FESTIVAL. Go to: http://reelwork.org/schedule2007.pdfto read all you'll ever need to know about this year's Reel Work Film Festival. It's the complete schedule starting Wednesday April 25 through Friday May 11. Rare and great films shown all over the County...don't miss these.
HEROES DINNER. I mentioned this before but it bears repeating...there'll be an Unsung Heroes Dinner Saturday, April 14 at the First Congregational Church, 900 High St. Help purchase a bus that will challenge the blockade of Cuba with the Pastors for Peace this summer and honor five Unsung Heroes of Social Justice for Latin America.
The five Unsung Heroes are Santa Cruz County residents who have quietly supported and worked with Latin American people in their struggles to attain economic, political and social equality.
Colleen Crosby who died April 29, 2006, was owner of Santa Cruz Roasting Company and a tireless Fair Trade advocate. Her work with the coffee farmers of Central America raised the consciousness of Santa Cruzans to the inequity of the coffee trade and its consequences. Her work extended beyond the bounds of Santa Cruz when she testified before Congress at the behest of Congressman Sam Farr.
Takashi Yogi traveled to Cuba for the first time as a piano tuner with "Send a Piana' to Havana" and on his return co-founded the Cuba Study Group of Santa Cruz County. A self-described "nuts and bolts" type, Takashi is honored for his quiet, dependable support for social justice work by several groups – Cuba Study Group, Alliance of Guamá, Cuba and Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange, and WILPF Santa Cruz Branch.
Ramiro Madrano, a CSUMB student of World Language and Culture, is being honored by the Watsonville Brown Berets as a role model for Latino youth. Ramiro has done health and education outreach in the fields of Salinas and worked with out of school youth in Pajaro Valley Unified School District, getting them back into the educational system. He is one of the driving forces behind the newly formed, Migra Watch Collective.
Bill Burtch, an 80 years plus social activist, worked for many years as the Santa Clara County Bureau Chief in charge of adoptions. In 1984, after travels to Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Bill became involved with Bert and Lois Muhly and the Coalition for Nicaragua carrying material aid to Central America. In subsequent years Bill drove loads of aid to Nicaragua, El Salvador and Cuba. He drove in the very first Pastors for Peace Caravans to Cuba and in the second caravan notorious for the U.S. Customs seizing of a "little yellow school bus" destined for donation to Cuba. Since that time Bill has driven humanitarian trips too numerous to count.
Oscar Rios, a labor activist and Watsonville City Council member, is being honored by Barrios Unidos for his work with other communities, especially communities in Central and South America. Rios has the ability to reach out as a representative of the City of Watsonville and find ways to bridge gaps in order to bring people and communities together.
Congressman Sam Farr will be the featured speaker discussing U.S. policy and the emerging left in Latin America. Enjoy a South American dinner by Joe Schultz and a Mojito or wine at a no-host bar. There'll be music by versatile and eclectic guitarist Bill Walker. A very special feature will be a Chilean ballad by classic Spanish vocalist Lorraine Sandoval. Tickets are $20 to $30 donation. Raffle and silent auction of items donated by local businesses. Fundraiser sponsored by Santa Cruz Cuba Caravans, Three Americas, Live Oak Grange and KUSP. Endorsed by Democratic Women's Club, People's Democratic Club, and Santa Cruz WILPF. More information: cubastudygroup@scshop.com or 465 8272. Call to make reservations and to get exact dinner time. I'll save you a seat.
BRUCE LABADIE TO HEAD UCSC'S ARTS AND LECTURES. UCSC'S Arts and Lectures has been going through some big changes lately. Michelle Witt was appointed director back in 2001. She resigned last year and became Associate Director of Stanford's Lively Arts program immediately. Attorney Enda Brennan filled in as Interim Director. It'll be announced soon that Bruce Labadie will be the new UCSC A & L Director. That's good news for everybody. Bruce was recently Performing Arts Director at The Montalvo Arts Center. He is presently the President of California Presenters and has in the past founded the San Jose Jazz Festival, was board member of the Western Arts Alliance and on the Arts Council of Silicon Valley. UCSC's A& L has brought Santa Cruz some of the greatest cultural events to ever grace our community. Labadie will undoubtedly continue that tradition.
MANNY SANTANA TURNED 80!!! About 200 friends watched Manuel Santana turn 80 last Saturday at his spectacular restaurant Jardines de San Juan in San Juan Bautista. Back in the 60's he also opened and still owns Manuels Restaurant in Aptos Manny has given as much to the arts as he has given to politics and equal rights struggles. He's been president of The Cabrillo Music Festival (aka The Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music), president of the Santa Cruz County Fair, and served on boards of many community organizations. He's an accomplished sculptor, printmaker, and painter. What's more... he's lost a lot of weight, looks great and don't ever think of asking about the belly dancer.
FRIENDS OF AL Di LUDOVICO NEWS. I had a great talk with Patti Di Ludovico last Sunday about how much we all miss the late and great Al Di Ludovico. Al was a key player in creating The Catalyst and in organizing the opposition to develop Wilder Ranch into a new city of 10,000 homes back in the early 70's. Patti and Al moved to 3051 Childers Lane in Santa Cruz (95062) from their hilltop home a few years back and since Al died she's afraid friends may have lost contact. She hasn't finished plans for celebrating Al's life yet, so give her a call at 475-1253, and we'll all help her out with some final tribute.
THE LOOKOUT. No familiar acting names in it but this is a superb bank robbery film. Tense, well written, nicely photographed, PLUS it has a plot that will hold you all the way through the film. A young boy with severe brain damage is used by thugs as a lookout while they rob the bank he works at. Just see it.
OLD JOY. This film apparently meant to show how two friends in their 30's chose different paths in life can't communicate anymore as they go into the woods to take a dip in some hot springs. It's pretentious, pointless, plot less, and 100% boring. See some other movie twice instead.
EMAIL CORRECTION. Last week I ran Barbara Tyger's note saying that Farley Granger had some kind of affair with Ava Gardner and they went to Capitola. That was incorrect says Barbara and she apologized for not proofreading. It was Howard Duff who had the affair with Ava. Howard married Ida Lupino and also starred in Naked City, All My Sons, Calamity Jane and Sam Bass, and many major TV shows. Then he died in Santa Barbara.
GARY PATTON'S PROGRAM. Read Gary's views about The Rancho San Juan development, which is proposed to be the largest development in Monterey County history. Read about the changes in "Viewsheds" versus the farmers who own them. He tells about Santa Cruz County's Regional Transportation Commission and spending $40 billion dollars in bond money. Then learn about Monterey's confusing ballot measure and who's behind it.
MORE ON MONTEREY'S DEALS ON BUTTERFLY VILLAGE. Margie Kay forwards these two articles from The Monterey Herald and the Salinas Californian that add more detail to what Gary Patton was saying about Rancho San Juan. Click freely, the links open in a new window.
PAUL ELERICK'S INPUT. Paul went to Manny Santana's 80th birthday party too, he tells about the good old days. Then he tells about The Transportation Funding Task Force and how the ever mysterious Santa Cruz Business Council is fighting against having an opinion poll taken to see how voters feel about Highway 1 widening. Read it here!
SAUL LANDAU'S PROGRESO. Read a message from Commander in Chief Fidel Castro dated March 28, 2007. Fidel tells of Bush meeting with US auto makers and about the possibility of 3 Billion people dying from hunger and thirst. Read too Saul Landau's article comparing two different men named Padilla, homosexuality and murder.
CHRISTINA WATERS WEIGH IN. This week at http://christinawaters.com look for Christina's trip to Monterey, what she thinks is the best new chocolate and her first visit to Bistro Al Mar.
TIM EAGAN'S EFFULGENCE. You are warned....Eagan takes on Liberal Rage. Scroll down past the quotes.
UNIVERSITY GRAPEVINE. I host University Grapevine every Thursday 4-5 pm. on KZSC 88.1 fm and you can hear it on the web at www.KZSC.org. I mentioned that Phil Reader and I will tell the real truth about LONDON Nelson from 4:30-5pm. From 4:00-4:30 Professor Emeritus Bruce Rosenblum will talk about his new book
Quantum Enigma-Physics Encounters Consciousness and his Emeriti Faculty Lecture on the same topic happening Monday April 9 at 7:30 pm.at UCSC's Media Theatre which is free and public is welcome. Bruce claims it takes no physics background to see the quantum enigma that still defies resolution...we'll see. Be sure to tune in.
QUOTES (Insults with class). Scott MacClelland sent these plus dozens of others that will follow shortly. "I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure." -Clarence Darrow. "He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary." -William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway)| "Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words?" -Ernest Hemingway (about William Faulkner) "He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up." -Paul Keating. "Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?" -Mark Twain.
Deep Cover
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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