Last night James Durbin fans got a special treat. Durbin sang not one but two songs on the American Idol episode devoted to songs from the year you were born. Now, given the tender age of the Idol contestants, it should come as no surprise that this was no trip down memory lane. I have underwear older than most of those songs. Still, it was a chance for James et al to go back to kinder, simpler times. Most of all it was a chance to see those embarrassing photos of James in his cowboy suit and that adorable video of him playing with his doll—the video that his mother takes so much pride in, even if James, not so much. Mothers can be so embarrassing.
Acoustic Africa at The Rio
The Acoustic Africa tour started as a vehicle for introducing some of the continent’s most exciting artists to Western audiences. But it’s evolved into a showcase for Africa’s biggest stars.
Accusations of Anti-Semitism Too Common
The other day I reported on allegations of anti-Semitism being investigated at UCSC. The Department of Education (not the Department of Justice) has an Office for Civil Rights, which decided to look into a complaint made by a lecturer, Tammi Rossman-Benjamin, which can be traced back to an incident that actually occurred three years ago, in 2007. Ms. Rossman-Benjamin contends that at a conference that took place on campus that year, “Speakers claimed that Zionism was an illegitimate ideology and argued for the elimination of the Jewish state.” She immediately went on to define that conference as “unscholarly, political, and anti-Semitic.” As I wrote in my own news blurb, she went on to claim that “no other group on campus has been subjected to ‘such hostile and demonizing criticism’ as Jewish students.”
DNA Links Suspect to 2008 Rape Case
At 6am on March 19, 2008, a man accosted the barista of the Kind Grind Coffee Shop at the harbor as she was opening up for money business. Holding a knife to her throat, he led her to the kitchen, where he raped her. When he was done, he took her to a walk-in refrigerator, forced her inside and barricaded the door. Three years later, the case may have been solved, according to the Sentinel.
Santa Cruz Poets, Santa Cruz Inspiration: Beau Blue
Three poems from the Boulder Creek poet Beau Blue.
PLATED: I Screamery!
Equipped with a double scoop cone—one of cardamom, pistachio and chocolate, the other of honey walnut—I pause to find out how business is going at the chic Penny Ice Creamery. “We couldn’t make enough olive oil, chocolate and sea salt ice cream,” admits Kendra Baker, who along with her partner Zachary Davis is experiencing the breakneck pace of success. “And we ran through candycap mushroom ice cream immediately—which is an unusual flavor.”
Symposium Asks: What If Happiness Were King?
All over the world, communities are making efforts to localize their politics in attempts to rebuild their starving economies. This Friday, March 18, Santa Cruz goes local when the film The Economics of Happiness screens at the Rio Theatre. Following the screening will be a discussion with local experts Ross Clark, City of Santa Cruz Climate Coordinator; Michael Levy of Transition Santa Cruz; Irene Tsouprake, CEO of ITL Events and Gross National Happiness Advocate; Ocean Robbins, author, speaker and activist; and Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, researcher, author and activist.
Opting Out Of The Yellow Pages
Have enough Yellow Pages already? Here are the numbers to call and websites to visit.
Last Call For The Yellow Pages
It was the final straw. After coming home to yet another stack of Yellow Pages blocking the entrance to her apartment building last year, Aimee Davison couldn’t take it anymore. “I’m breaking up with you, phone book,” she posted on Twitter after stepping over the pile of unsolicited books. “Stop coming to my house, you tree killer.”
Pollution In The Harbor
The number of liveaboards in the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor complicates the cleanup effort, says Laura Kasa, the executive director of Save Our Shores. “Everything that they owned was on these boats that went down, so there may have been cleaners, whatever they used to clean their boat—any of those toxins are going to be leeched out.”
