One reader explains why she gave up on both political parties and found hope elsewhere instead. Others discuss Occupy’s place in Santa Cruz and money’s place in our lives. Plus: An update about Matt Groening’s (first) famously silly cartoon.
News
7 Questions for A Startup: Mike Spinak
“A lot of children’s books are made in a way that doesn’t respect children much,” says Mike Spinak. “They’re often designed for the lowest common denominator, made to appeal only through bright colors, cuteness, talk about candy, and the like. Very few children’s books treat kids as the brilliant beings they are.”
Roswell Hour at Bonny Doon Vineyard
Getting Doon cheaply is what’s in store if you stop by the Tasting Room from 3pm to 6pm, any day but Saturday. During those hours you’ll be able to savor a glass of Bonny Doon Vineyards wine at half price—51 percent off, to be precise. It doesn’t take a conspiracy theorist to know that this is a bargain of extraterrestrial proportions, and another reason to consider the Ingalls Street watering hole as Santa Cruz’ answer to Area 51.
Occupy Santa Cruz: Down But Not Out
With a reluctance to engage local government and little coordination or strategy, some wonder what sort of impact the Occupy movement will continue to have here and on the national stage. Appealing to public anger over wealth disparities has carried the movement so far. But without a strong blueprint or vision to inspire more people, can the movement continue to capture the sympathies and energy of local communities and become the grassroots democratic movement it hopes to be?
New Bill Would Ban ‘Ex-Gay’ Therapies
I knew something was wrong when the retreat guide pulled out a baseball bat. A young man—let’s call him Tony—had just shared a bad memory with our small group of men as we stood inside a ranch cabin in northern Arizona. When he was a kid, Tony explained, he tried to get his dad’s attention while he read the newspaper. Dad pushed him away.
Letters to the Editor: June 27-July 3
One reader connects an agricultural cover story to Watsonville’s developing plans. Others shed light on possible water supply solutions and the best way to study them.
The Man Who Doesn’t Use Money
Daniel Suelo, 51, has just finished sewing himself a summertime sleeping bag out of a flannel sheet and some dental floss. It’s not the first thing he’s resourcefully scraped together for himself. Over the past 12 years of Suelo’s moneyless existence, he’s made many things.
Local Nonprofits Benefit from CSA Shares
To visit the Homeless Garden Project’s Natural Bridges Farm is to step into a simpler world. Just blocks away from the unending flow of traffic on Mission Street and the chaos of downtown Santa Cruz, the farm sits away from it all. Bursting with life, it’s a collage of colors, scents and sounds.
Time Banks Use Services as Currency
As the global economy continues to ebb between obstinacy and upheaval, the potentially prescient among us are taking measures to strengthen local resilience however possible.
Time banks are one such way, and Santa Cruz now has its first. It works like this: for each hour you spend doing something for a member of the network, you earn a TimeCredit. You can then spend that TimeCredit by receiving services from any other TimeBank member.
Bacteria in our Beaches
A couple of weeks ago, while blazing temperatures and azure skies drew thousands of people to Santa Cruz beaches, the Santa Monica-based group Heal the Bay threatened the summery good vibes with a press release headlined “Top Ten Beach Bummers.” In its annual Beach Report Card, the group gave Cowell’s Beach, right next to our beloved Steamer Lane, an “F” and listed it as one of the two most polluted beaches in California.
