0913| Sep 13

Letters to the Editor for Sep 13, 2007

PANETTA NOT THE ANSWER “Panetta in ‘10” by Ken Peterson [Sept. 6-12], rightly states that our state government is broken, unlike the ‘50s and ‘60s. As a tenured teacher in the 1960s, I can relate ...

Post Bliss

Julie Delpy’s richly observed 2 Days in Paris details a collapsing relationship abroad.

From a distance, 2 Days in Paris seems to be constructed entirely of cinematic readymades. There’s the City of Light itself, renowned as a backdrop to romance. And writer-director Julie Delpy, playing a chatty, love-loving ...

DiscSpace

TERENCE BLANCHARD | A Tale of God’s Will (a requiem for Katrina) | Blue Note Trumpeter Terence Blanchard’s latest release, A Tale Of God’s Will (a requiem for Katrina), is a collection of pieces written ...

Back To The Drawing Board?

Oldtown Salinas hotel-and-condo project may shrink.

The most current development plan for the 100 block of Oldtown Salinas looks like this: 167 hotel rooms in an eight-story building; 104 condos in a 14-story building; tens of thousands of square feet of ...

Winning the War On Gangs

A new study finds no evidence that increased law enforcement has reduced gang violence.

>>FORUM When it comes to America’s criminal justice policy, the cure is often worse than the crime. Nowhere is this fact more apparent than in the war on drugs, which has inflicted more social damage ...

Little Samurai

A local kid becomes the youngest ever to earn special third degree black belt.

The scene is reminiscent of a Shaolin martial arts film, the atmosphere thick with the intensity that comes with intense, extended, systematic training.The large room is dressed in minimalist Asian décor; its vaulted ceilings run ...

Workin’ It

DIRECT HEADING...It’s the day before I leave with my Sweet Thing to go away on a four-day group therapy thing we do a few times a year. It’s a retreat-type setting where none of the ...

Tough Medicine

Healing our health care starts with a discussion of racism.

>>LOCALSPIN Current studies confirm that, while there have been overall advances in health care, racial/ethnic disparities remain. Recently, the Monterey County Herald reported that blacks “are more likely to die from chronic disease and… are ...

Gracious Lady

There’s a Hatton Fields house securely hidden from the street behind towering cypresses and tall, thick, leafy hedges that create an impenetrable screen. Perhaps it’s the subliminal hint of rich mysteries beyond and within that ...

The Battle For Hearts And Minds

Gangsters shoot up Salinas while city leaders vet peace strategy.

As much as Mayor Dennis Donohue wants to see his “city at peace,” the recent streak of drive by shootings show that Salinas is far from harmony. At least 18 people have been shot in ...

Good Helping

Pacifica Café’s new menu draws flavor from sustainable places.

When assigned to cover the new sustainable menu at Pacifica Café in Seaside’s Embassy Suites, I wondered what exactly defines sustainable. Organic vegetables? Low food miles? An actual menu printed on compostable hemp paper? I ...

Crown Cousins

Mary Stuart explores the complex relationship between two queens.

The pure notes of an Elizabethan canticle swell to quiet the chatter of an opening night crowd and fill the air with keen expectation. As the lights dim all eyes are drawn to the stage ...

Squid Fry for Sep 13, 2007

WINGED MONSTERS… Squid was in Del Rey Oaks on Sunday night, talking with Squid associates and sipping herbal tea, when a plane streaked low over the house. Minutes later the plane swooped overhead again, this ...

Songwriter Security

Homeland Serenity leader has rich cache of original songs.

While Mac Talley and his band Homeland Serenity cover songs by ‘60s legends like Bob Dylan and contemporary mainstays like Wilco, the songwriter can call on a wealth of original material. Talley’s compositions are generally ...

Talk Radio

Don Cheadle plays a charismatic talk show host in

There’s no question that Don Cheadle is one of the most interesting actors out there. The guy has such range and such charisma that we’re always collectively hoping someone will come along with a role ...

Trans Gender in the Name of Marilyn Monroe

Franco’s Norma Jean offers a scene like no other in the area.

Rommie strides towards a stage, revealing black lingerie and thigh high boots. As the mostly male crowd hoots, Rommie climbs up three stairs to the homemade, dining-table-sized platform. As the Latino music becomes more rhythmic, ...

Creative Economy

Monterey County’s first-ever arts and culture plan debuts Sept. 14.

The ripple of a new idea can create a sea of change. Decades ago, John Naisbitt’s Megatrends took a deep look at business and social systems worldwide in a simple, evocative book that had a ...

Big Sur Holiday

Holiday and the Adventure Pop Collective produce new CD/DVD in Big Sur

Al Jardine of the Beach Boys owns a recording studio located in a valley near the coastline near Big Sur. Known as Red Barn Studios, it’s the place where jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove recorded his ...

Who Is The Biggest Rat You Know?

Asked at Patisserie Bechler in Pacific Grove.

Follow up: What is the dirtiest thing a person could do?TAKAE BUTNICK | Waitress | CarmelA: A spider because every morning when I get up and the sunshine is happy, there is a spider. It’s ...

ArtListings for Sep 13, 2007

Chilly Reception

Bill aimed at reducing global warming through smart local land use policy stalls.

Things had been going pretty well for SB 375, an environmental bill geared to reduce global warming through better local land-use planning. Earlier this year, state Sen. Darrell Steinberg’s (D-Sacramento) bill breezed through the Senate ...