Rob Brezsny’s Astrology March 8—14

 

ARIES (March 21-April 19): As soon as you can, sneak away to a private place where you can be alone—preferably to a comfy sanctuary where you can indulge in eccentric behavior without being seen or heard or judged. When you get there, launch into an extended session of moaning and complaining. I mean do it out loud. Wail and whine and whisper about everything that’s making you sad and puzzled and crazy. For best results, leap into the air and wave your arms. Whirl around in erratic figure-eights while drooling and messing up your hair. Breathe extra deeply. And all the while, let your pungent emotions and poignant fantasies flow freely through your wild heart. Keep on going until you find the relief that lies on the other side.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “I’ve always belonged to what isn’t where I am and to what I could never be,” wrote Portuguese writer Fernando Pessoa (1888-1935). That was his prerogative, of course. Or maybe it was a fervent desire of his, and it came true. I bring his perspective to your attention, Taurus, because I believe your mandate is just the opposite, at least for the next few weeks: You must belong to what is where you are. You must belong to what you will always be.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Nothing is ever as simple as it may seem. The bad times always harbor opportunities. The good times inevitably have a caveat. According to my astrological analysis, you’ll prove the latter truth in the coming weeks. On one hand, you will be closer than you’ve been in many moons to your ultimate sources of meaning and motivation. On the other hand, you sure as hell had better take advantage of this good fortune. You can’t afford to be shy about claiming the rewards and accepting the responsibilities that come with the opportunities.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Seek intimacy with experiences that are dewy and slippery and succulent. Make sure you get more than your fair share of swirling feelings and flowing sensations, cascading streams and misty rain, arousing drinks and sumptuous sauces, warm baths and purifying saunas, skin moisturizers and lustrous massages, the milk of human kindness and the buttery release of deep sex—and maybe even a sensational do-it-yourself baptism that frees you from at least some of your regrets. Don’t stay thirsty, my undulating friend. Quench your need to be very, very wet. Gush and spill. Be gushed and spilled on.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Would you like to live to the age of 99? If so, experiences and realizations that arrive in the coming weeks could be important in that project. A window to longevity will open, giving you a chance to gather clues about actions you can take and meditations you can do to remain vital for 10 decades. I hope you’re not too much of a serious, know-it-all adult to benefit from this opportunity. If you’d like to be deeply receptive to the secrets of a long life, you must be able to see with innocent, curious eyes. Playfulness is not just a winsome quality in this quest; it’s an essential asset.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You’re ripe. You’re delectable. Your intelligence is especially sexy. I think it’s time to unveil the premium version of your urge to merge. To prepare, let’s review a few flirtation strategies. The eyebrow flash is a good place to start. A subtle, flicking lick of your lips is a fine follow-up. Try tilting your neck to the side ever-so-coyly. If there are signs of reciprocation from the other party, smooth your hair or pat your clothes. Fondle nearby objects like a wine glass or your keys. And this is very important: Listen raptly to the person you’re wooing. P.S. If you already have a steady partner, use these techniques as part of a crafty plan to draw him or her into deeper levels of affection.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Let’s talk about a compassionate version of robbery. The thieves who practice this art don’t steal valuable things you love. Rather, they pilfer stuff you don’t actually need but are reluctant to let go of. For example, the spirit of a beloved ancestor may sweep into your nightmare and carry off a delicious poison that has been damaging you in ways you’ve become comfortable with. A bandit angel might sneak into your imagination and burglarize the debilitating beliefs and psychological crutches you cling to as if they were bars of gold. Are you interested in benefiting from this service? Ask and you shall receive.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Evolved Scorpios don’t fantasize about bad things happening to their competitors and adversaries. They don’t seethe with smoldering desires to torment anyone who fails to give them what they want. They may, however, experience urges to achieve total, cunning, dazzling, merciless victory over those who won’t acknowledge them as golden gods or golden goddesses. But even then, they don’t indulge in the deeply counterproductive emotion of hatred. Instead, they sublimate their ferocity into a drive to keep honing their talents. After all, that game plan is the best way to accomplish something even better than mere revenge: success in fulfilling their dreams. Please keep these thoughts close to your heart in the coming weeks.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “The noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world,” wrote Martin Luther (1483-1546), a revolutionary who helped break the stranglehold of the Catholic Church on the European imagination. I bring this up, Sagittarius, because you’re entering a phase when you need the kind of uprising that’s best incited by music. So I invite you to gather the tunes that have inspired you over the years, and also go hunting for a fresh batch. Then listen intently, curiously, and creatively as you feed your intention to initiate constructive mutation. It’s time to overthrow anything about your status quo that is jaded, lazy, sterile, or apathetic.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “Either you learn to live with paradox and ambiguity or you’ll be six years old for the rest of your life,” says author Anne Lamott. How are you doing with that lesson, Capricorn? Still learning? If you would like to get even more advanced teachings about paradox and ambiguity—as well as conundrums, incongruity, and anomalies—there will be plenty of chances in the coming weeks. Be glad! Remember the words of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Niels Bohr: “How wonderful that we have met with a paradox. Now we have some hope of making progress.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Lichen is a hardy form of life that by some estimates covers 6 percent of the Earth’s surface. It thrives in Arctic tundra and rainforests, on tree bark and rock surfaces, on walls and toxic slag heaps, from sea level to alpine environments. The secret of its success is symbiosis. Fungi and algae band together (or sometimes fungi and bacteria) to create a blended entity; two very dissimilar organisms forge an intricate relationship that comprises a third organism. I propose that you regard lichen as your spirit ally in the coming weeks, Aquarius. You’re primed for some sterling symbioses.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): If you normally wear adornments and accessories and fine disguises, I invite you not to do so for the next two weeks. Instead, try out an unembellished, what-you-see-is-what-you-get approach to your appearance. If, on the other hand, you don’t normally wear adornments and accessories and fine disguises, I encourage you to embrace such possibilities in a spirit of fun and enthusiasm. Now you may inquire: How can these contradictory suggestions both apply to the Pisces tribe? The answer: There’s a more sweeping mandate behind it all, namely: to tinker and experiment with the ways you present yourself . . . to play around with strategies for translating your inner depths into outer expression.


Homework: For an hour, act as if you’re living the life you’ve always wanted to. Testify at freewillastrology.com.

Venus Retrograde

Venus is retrograde in Aries. Retrogrades are times of re-evaluation and review. Venus represents our possessions, values and relationships (lovers, partners, intimate friends). Aries is all things new. When planets retrograde, the past reappears often for completion. During retrogrades decisions are to be delayed, plans set aside for reflection, contemplation and assessment. We follow the same rules for Mercury retrogrades when Venus retrogrades. We pay more attention to our money, resources, finances and relationships. Know that in Venus retrograde times, the values of things are not known. Therefore, it is especially important to not purchase anything of value during this time.

Venus, retrograde until April 15, returns to 27 degrees Pisces (sign of “saving the world”). This 40 days and 40 nights of retrograde Venus follows the us through tax time and through Lent, culminating (stationary direct) on Holy Saturday in the early morning and Easter (Resurrection) Sunday morning. The simultaneity of Lent and Venus retrograde is purposeful. Venus rules the Aquarian Age. Venus is Earth’s elder sister. Our God came from Venus. There is an awakening happening within humanity. We ponder these things during the Venus retrograde. Venus brings forth the “appearance of expanded awareness and consciousness to all of humanity—the awareness of group responsibility to ‘save our world.’”  


ARIES: There is a focus upon the self. This self-focus is an important and needed developmental stage. One must know the self, one’s needs, behaviors, abilities, gifts, etc. before we can know others. There will be a looking inward to assess how you present yourself to the world. You might redefine yourself, create a new image, change your appearance, seek the Soul’s essence of yourself. And see that you are valuable as a self.

TAURUS: Spiritual values, religion, things behind the scenes, veiled and hidden come into internal view. Venus will penetrate into these depths, find secret desires and aspiration and gradually unfold them, like a lotus, to your inner heart. The world may seem quite nebulous for you for about six weeks. This is good. You’re not to be looking outward. You’re to be looking inward, discovering yourself as a resource for the world to come.

GEMINI: You ponder upon friends (old, new, present ones), groups, hopes, wishes, dreams. You assess who your friends really are, the quality of your social life and what groups you are part of, asking yourself who belongs to you, who doesn’t. Things surface from the past in order to complete themselves. Do it with love. You must select like-minded people now creating the new world. You don’t want to be left behind.

CANCER: There’s a need to be thorough and responsible in all things you accomplish in the world. You ponder upon your life’s purpose, reconsider your career, and think upon the past when you were in a place of power and recognition. You think about your parents—the gifts they offered. And all of the people in the past who helped you climb the ladder. Now you help others.

LEO: There’s a reconsideration of things in your life. Your ideas on justice, travel, the past and people you believed in and trusted. You think on those you neglected or didn’t treat well. We learn through retrogrades. Remembering helps us become sensitive and compassionate. Sometimes there’s a crisis of awareness where we make life changes and remedy all situations where perhaps we fell short. We didn’t know then. But now we do.

VIRGO: Finances and resources are to be evaluated. Shared money, loans, gifts, stocks, insurance, inheritances, too. Consider past uses for money and resources. Do you want to change how you use money and resources now? Are there resources not tended to? Now is the time to care for them. Interest in things psychological, sexual, mysterious and occult may be renewed. Is there something that needs research?

LIBRA: You may feel the need to restore a magical presence to all relationships and interactions, especially intimate ones. You can do this with a whisper, a smile, a touch, small gift, or with your presence. Allow no doubt to come between you and your intimate “other.” Instead, review and then renew the past, asking each other how to deepen the commitment. For those unattached, do not make long-term commitments. So much changes after Venus retro is over.

SCORPIO: There’s a review of all the relationships you’ve been in, encountered, hoped for and remained in for too long. All relationships and your desires (fulfilled and unfulfilled) were important developmental stages. In reviewing past relationships, we can complete them with good wishes, goodwill, forgiveness (self and others) and gratitude. Every relationship teaches us something. Every relationship is valued and valuable. Every relationship heals us.

SAGITTARIUS: There may be creative plans, projects, ideas, that fell by the wayside in the past years. Perhaps they were put aside for the future, perhaps considered not valuable, important or worth it. Now is the time to review and renew what was set aside and bring them to the forefront. There needs to be some sort of romance brought forth, too. And a bit more fun. What is in the past can inspire a greater beauty and creativity to emerge.

CAPRICORN: Are there childhood events being remembered? Perhaps a home or grandparent from long ago. Were there plans for your present home put on hold? It’s good now to study research home design plans, your personal creative design work (art) and garden designs for the areas around the home. There may be thoughts about mother and/or father. And childhood situations affecting present relationships. A family member may need special loving care.

AQUARIUS: We communicate according to Mercury in our charts. And how we experienced communication in early family life. Proceed slowly with all communications. Attempt to observe if others are understanding you. Ask them. It’s a good time to be in touch with siblings, relatives, friends. It’s also good to fix things—bikes, boats, cars. Make no major purchases at this time. Focus on your creativity. And loving more.

PISCES: It is important to consider, in detail, what you value in your life—physical, emotional, mental, material, spiritual. Create a Values Journal during the six weeks of this Venus retrograde. Write down all things of value to you and explain why. This includes people in your life and material objects that surround you. When something is of value we cherish it. When it is not of value, it’s best to give it away. During this retro time, create a practical monetary budget. Save money for a rainy day. And tithe generously.  

Opinion March 1, 2017

EDITOR’S NOTE

1984 has been my favorite book for a long time, so the marathon reading of the book that Steve Kettmann writes about in our cover story this week seemed like a brilliant idea to me right away. What had surprised me over the course of talking about the reading these last couple of weeks is how many other people also consider Orwell’s dystopian novel their favorite.

What is it about this book? Perhaps it has something to do with when we first encountered it, which for most of us was sometime in our formative high school or college years. For me, reading 1984 opened a door into a world of literature that used imagined societal nightmares to explain real-life ones. After that came Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, Yevgeny Zamyatin’s We and Philip K. Dick’s Man in the High Castle, but as I got older and more familiar with how the world works, it was 1984 that continued to ring the most true.

For a lot of people, it seems to be ringing truer than ever since the election. Kettmann’s story explores why 1984 has become a phenomenon again, almost 70 years after it was published. What I particularly like is how he looks deeper than the “Big Brother” level which the book is most famous for; there’s so much more about 1984 that better describes the world we live in—now, unfortunately, more than ever.

STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Read the latest letters to the editor here.

Null Service

Lily Stoicheff dedicated her article about “six up-and-comers” who are shaking up the Santa Cruz culinary scene (GT, 2/15) to chefs, each with a unique path. Restaurants have become a launching pad for those chefs who seek a farm-to-table menu or a Pacific Rim adventure to try and appease the local community. Missing from this equation is service. Table service and customer service etiquette.

I would rather drive to Palo Alto, San Francisco or Napa Valley to be greeted by food captains and back-servers who actually live by a dress code rather than someone disguised with plainclothes. The longsleeved white shirt and black pants have disappeared, along with details on table service. Culinary masterminds do not have time to train the front-of-the-house employees. So the dedication of balance in a restaurant is lost. Paying a handsome price for lunch or dinner other than Santa Cruz is real.

Lou Barnes, Jr.

Santa Cruz

Climate Changes

Santa Cruz County has been affected over past years by drought with water restrictions, concern about fires and saltwater intrusion. This season, we have experienced flooding, landslides, infrastructure and housing destruction. All of this chaos has been predicted by climate scientists, yet we as a nation and community are resistant to making changes in our policies and personal lives to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

The federal government is advocating increased fossil fuel production and pipelines, with no regard for the communities affected by pollution, poisoned water and climate destruction. We must resist these policies.
 Locally, vehicle travel comprises 60 percent of our greenhouse gas emissions. Yet Highway 1 will be widened, and insufficient funds will be allocated to METRO by Measure D to improve service. In addition, there is a new proposal to build a five-story parking garage above a new library in the parking lot of the current Farmers Market.

Carpooling, bus ridership, biking and walking are ways we can all significantly decrease our carbon footprint and the need for more vehicle infrastructure. If local communities fail to change radically, each succeeding year will be hotter than the next and the temperature of the Earth will make it uninhabitable for life as we know it. I fear for my children and grandchildren if we do not make hard choices now to change our 1950s way of viewing 21st century reality.

Susan Cavalieri

Santa Cruz

Online Comments

Re: Rides for Vets

Good stuff, every little bit helps. There are way too many in need and more needs to be done.

— Barry Williams

Re: #DeleteUber

Yes, you are right, and I damn agree that rideshare firms Uber and Lyft are charging a large amount in the form of fees and other expenses, which is not fair. Age restriction is also a disappointing feature of Uber services.

— Julia Tsu

Clarification

Shortly after our story “Menu Generation” was published, the name of Santos Majano’s new restaurant was changed from The Kitchen at Abbott Square to The Kitchen at the Octagon.


PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

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GOOD IDEA

AFTER THE FLOOD
The Santa Cruz County government is asking locals to immediately report flood damage suffered to their homes, businesses and properties to help themselves and others across the county qualify for federal aid to rebuild. A SurveyMonkey link has been posted to the county’s webpage, co.santa-cruz.ca.us, with a 10-item questionnaire. Residents may also call 211 to report damage and have someone assist them with the report.


GOOD WORK

WINGING IT
The World Wildlife Fund and the Carlos Slim Foundation, founded by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helú, have been working together to fund protections for Monarch butterflies, which migrate each year from Canada to Mexico (many of them making an autumn stop in Santa Cruz). The time for action is nigh, as the foundation just announced that the area occupied by the butterflies decreased 27 percent this winter, compared with the previous year.


QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”

-George Orwell

5 Things To Do This Week

 

Green Fix

‘PlantPure Nation’ Screening

popouts1709-greenfixPlants are healthier than meat, we know this. But do we? The documentary PlantPure Nation tells the story of three people on a journey to inform the world about the biggest health breakthrough of all time: that a plant-based diet can prevent, and, in some cases, reverse many of the most deadly diseases in America. Filmed across the U.S., PlantPure Nation features editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine, Steve Forbes Jr., Dr. Neal Barnard, founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and a host of world-renowned experts, doctors and authors. Pre-registration suggested, admission is free and popcorn will be served.

Info: 6-8 p.m., Thursday, March 2. New Leaf Market, 1101 Fair Ave., Santa Cruz. newleaf.com/events. Free.

 

Art Seen

Standing Rock Presentation

popouts1709-artseenFor the past several months the North Dakota Access Pipeline has been all over the news: celebrities openly voiced their opposition, some joined protests, President Donald Trump advanced the pipeline with an executive order, and recently, on Feb. 23, Holly Miranda and Ani DiFranco released a Standing Rock protest song. Recent coverage of Standing Rock has shown camps being burned down and the remaining holdout protesters being arrested. This Sunday, March 5, Curtis Reliford and Spotted Elk invite the community to hear what locals saw at Standing Rock, what they learned, and what they brought back. There’ll be an open discussion, drumming, dancing, a slide show, and snacks.

Info: 1-3 p.m. Sunday, March 5. Peace United Church, 900 High St., Santa Cruz. Free.

 

Thursday 3/2

Live Marathon Reading of ‘1984’

opinion1709-1984The term “Orwellian” was an adjective long before “alternative facts” were cited to justify a sitting U.S. presidents’ misinformation. Sales of George Orwell’s groundbreaking 1984 have spiked, making the chilling dystopian classic a sudden bestseller 68 years after its first publication. That’s why Bookshop Santa Cruz is hosting a one-day marathon reading of the book, featuring local authors, educators, activists, youth and others all reading a 20-minute portion of the book aloud. Come and go, sit and listen, or even make postcards with 1984 to send to elected officials.

Info: 10 a.m. Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. bookshopsantacruz.com. Free.

 

Saturday 3/4

Light Up the Night Bike Ride


Listen up bicyclists: Riding in the dark without any lights or reflective gear is dangerous, especially during this stormy season. So don’t be a ninny—learn all about nighttime safety with Bike Santa Cruz County and the Bicycle Trip with their third annual Light Up the Night community bike ride. And it’s not all serious doom and gloom—learning about bike safety doesn’t have to be a drag—there’ll be a pre-ride festival with free bike lights donated by Bell Helmets and others, plus bike and helmet decorating, and a free raffle. Groove through town with tunes and show up prepared for prizes for best costume, brightest bike and brightest rider.

Info: 4:30 p.m. Bicycle Trip, 1001 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. bikesantacruzcounty.org. 425-0665. Free.

 

Wednesday 3/8

‘I Am a Girl’ Screening International Women’s Day

popouts1709-i-am-a-girl-documentary-revealsWhat does it mean to be a girl in 2017? In celebration of International Women’s Day this Wednesday, Feb. 8, the Nickelodeon is screening I Am a Girl, a full-length documentary that explores the answer to that question. With feminism in all of its shapes, forms, and waves, the term has taken on new meanings, yet the disparity between the sexes in technology, science, discrimination, and violence, persist. I Am a Girl shares the stories of courageous girls who found ways to persevere. Ten percent of the proceeds benefit the National Women’s Law Center.

Info: 7:30 p.m. The Nickelodeon, 210 Lincoln St., Santa Cruz. 426-7500. gathr.us/screening/19465. $11.

How would you like to see immigration policy change?

“I think we’re all aliens and we need to let the aliens in.”

Mike McCarthy

Santa Cruz
Bicycles

“I think it’s more complicated than most people treat it … and it makes some people seem like haters when they are just concerned about security.”

Anne Breiley

Santa Cruz
Bookseller

“As long as the people want to make this country better, they deserve to be here. ”

Luca Viara

Santa Cruz
Executive Chef/Owner

“I hope our community stands up for those people.”

Steve Fall

Santa Cruz
Stunt Man

“Immigrants made America great. But more importantly, they made America.”

Richard Carey

Santa Cruz
Busser

Santa Cruz Music Picks March 1—7

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WEDNESDAY 3/1

FOLK

CHICKEN MAMA

Chicken Mama is the moniker for local singer-songwriter Kasia Kugay, an SF transplant who was raised on Eastern European and world music. The daughter of Turkish and Polish immigrants, Kugay blends her musical heritage with elements of American jazz and R&B; the resultant folk is unique and intricately crafted, well-suited to Kugay’s deeply emotive voice, which ranges in scope from clear and bright to dramatic and sultry. Influences include Joanna Newsom, Ingrid Michaelson and Bill Withers. Chicken Mama will be performing songs from her recently released EP, The Advocate. True to her earthy aesthetic and naturalist spirit, Kugay recorded the EP in an old redwood tree in Nisene Marks. KATIE SMALL

INFO: 8:30 p.m., Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $7/adv, 10/door. 479-1854.

 

THURSDAY 3/2

NEW ORLEANS/FUNK

REBIRTH BRASS BAND

There’s no shortage of fantastic brass bands in New Orleans, but the Rebirth Brass Band is a favorite among favorites. With deep grooves that don’t quit and rhythms that inspire parade-worthy rump-shaking from even the shyest of audience members, the band holds down the rich tradition of Crescent City funk and soul while its youthful exuberance introduces the sound to new generations. If you need to shake off the cobwebs or forget your worries, this Grammy-winning band will help you get it done. CAT JOHNSON

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 479-1854.

FOLK

FERRON

To lesbians of a certain generation or two, Ferron is a beloved kindred spirit—a master poet telling stories of our shared experiences better than anyone else. But the Canadian singer-songwriter’s fanbase doesn’t end there. Ferron appeals to anyone who finds comfort in embracing life as it is; beauty, struggles and all. Over decades of making music, she’s explored the joys and pain of being an outsider, while creating a space where everyone belongs. I was afraid that last time Ferron came to town might be her final Santa Cruz performance, but, luckily she’s coming back for what promises to be a sing-along celebration of love, diversity and unity. CJ

INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $27/adv, $32/door. 427-2227.

 

FRIDAY 3/3

PSYCH-FOLK

GREAT AMERICAN CANYON BAND

“Crash” sounds like a dream. It’s a potent track off Great American Canyon Band’s 2016 LP, Only You Remain. The duo, Paul and Krystal Jean Masson, who are partners in life as well as this band, sing “Don’t let me fall through, as I crash into you” in an almost hypnotic chant. The mood is tranquil yet oddly romantic, a fitting vibe to the twosome’s world-weary take on psych-Americana, with influences pulling equally from ’70s California folk-pop and middle America rustic roots rock. The band hails from Baltimore, but has spent years traveling and calling wherever its members lay their heads home for the night. The eclectic music reflects that. AARON CARNES

INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

 

SATURDAY 3/4

COUNTRY GOSPEL

BIRDS OF CHICAGO

Blues-rock collective Birds of Chicago is centered around founding vocalists Allison Russell and JT Nero. The group draws heavily on gospel tradition, producing a country-twang, rock ’n’ roll secular gospel that varies from soaring and joyful to raw melancholy. Power-vocalist Allison Russell’s simmering restraint is deeply refreshing to a landscape scorched by post American Idol vocal gymnastics and over-emoting. The band is touring its sophomore album, Real Midnight, released in mid-February and recorded by Grammy award winner Joe Henry. KS

INFO: 8 p.m. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $18/adv, $20/door. 335-2800.

 

SUNDAY 3/5

ROOTS

WOOD BROTHERS

Chris and Oliver Wood grew up around folk music. With a guitar-playing father and a poet mother, the brothers were never far from the creative impulses that drive American roots music. They grew up to become musicians themselves, with bassist Chris going on to form avant-jazz-funk band Medeski, Martin and Wood, and Oliver playing guitar in bluesman Tinsley Ellis’s touring act, among other things. In 2004, they joined forces with multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix to create the Wood Brothers, a boundary-pushing roots outfit that blends blues, folk and rock to create a sound that’s at once familiar and fresh. CJ

INFO: 7 p.m. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $28.50. 423-8209.

METAL

RED FANG

Red Fang continuously gets the “stoner metal” label, but for my money, that genre tag usually refers to bands that are aggressively slow. Not so with Red Fang. These guys kick out some head-banging, heavy-blues riffs, and some sweet, soulful vocals. Forget any talk about stoner metal, and call these guys what they really are: kick-ass, fist-pumping rock ’n’ roll. Since the group formed in 2005, that’s what it’s done. Last year, the band released its fourth album, Only Ghosts. It’s got just a little bit more polish than the previous three, but it’s not short on raw power. AC

INFO: 8 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $16/adv, $18/door. 429-4135.

 

MONDAY 3/6

ACID JAZZ

RONNIE FOSTER TRIO

A brash young innovator accompanying established stars. An acid jazz patriarch introducing a new sound. A producer responsible for albums by stars like Stanley Turrentine, Grover Washington, Jr. and David Sanborn. Hammond B-3 organist Ronnie Foster has ably filled all of these roles over the years, and now he’s an old-school master himself, proving he still has plenty to say. He made his mark with two early-’70s albums for Blue Note, sessions overlooked at the time but widely sampled by hip-hop artists in recent years. He went on to accompany heavyweights like Grant Green, George Benson, and Stanley Clarke. His excellent new trio features drummer Jess Gopen and well-traveled guitarist Jake Langley, who spent five years touring and recording with B3 king Joey DeFrancesco. ANDREW GILBERT

INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 427-2227.

 

TUESDAY 3/7

FOLK

DAVID FRANCEY

Torn Screen Door, David Francey’s debut record, is a nearly flawless folk record: haunting melodies, with lyrics that perfectly evoke the plight of the working poor and the heartbreak of love. It shouldn’t be too shocking that Francey went out the gate with such a fantastic album—he was 45 when it was released, and these songs had been gestating for decades. If there’s one thing that makes a folk singer great, it’s life experience. Originally from Scotland, he moved to Canada as a teenager, and spent 20 years of his adult life working in construction. Since transitioning to music, he’s become a star in folk circles, but remains relatively unknown to the rest of the world. It’s a shame. AC

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Ugly Mug, 4640 Soquel Drive, Soquel. $18/adv, $20/door. 477-1341.


IN THE QUEUE

ADRIAN LEGG

Renowned English guitarist. Wednesday at Don Quixote’s

TREVOR HALL

Spiritual-minded singer-songwriter. Saturday at Catalyst

WILD IRIS

Local acoustic duo. Saturday at Crepe Place

JOHN JORGENSON QUINTET

Gypsy jazz led by guitarist Jorgenson. Saturday at Kuumbwa

BRAZILIAN CARNAVAL

Samba Do Rio Project, Pato Banton and more. Saturday at Moe’s Alley

Giveaway: Andre Nickatina

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A fixture of Bay Area hip-hop since the early ’90s, Andre Nickatina launched his career as Dre Dog, releasing two albums—The New Jim Jones and I Hate You With a Passion—under that moniker. The rapper then changed his name to Andre Nickatina and proceeded to drop numerous albums, including Cocaine Raps, Tears of a Clown and Daiquiri Factory: Cocaine Raps, Vol. 2, that have secured his place as a Bay Area legend. On March 11, Nickatina heads back to Santa Cruz for his annual birthday bash.


INFO: 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 11. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $23/adv, $27/door. 423-1338. WANT TO GO? Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11 a.m. on Monday, March 6 to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the show.

Love Your Local Band: Isaac and the Haze

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The original lineup of Isaac and the Haze didn’t have anyone named Isaac in the band—then again, it wasn’t called Isaac and the Haze yet, either. There was a lot about the band that was very different in those early days.

In its earliest, pre-gig stages, it was a throwback deep-cuts soul cover band. Then Isaac Tayrien joined the band as the lead singer, and by the time the band booked its first show as Isaac and the Haze, it had already scrapped the old soul sound for modern R&B, pop and hip-hop hits. The response has been great.

“We wanted to play what the crowd wants to hear. What people want to hear are popular songs that get people out of their chairs and on the dance floor,” says bassist Kevin Enos. “We do some Michael [Jackson], some Prince and stuff, really not going further back than that.”

They sometimes even do straight-up rap tunes—ones that have a soulful sound—or they’ll mash together a popular rap song with the original soul song they are sampling (Like Kendrick Lamar’s “I” which samples the Isley Brothers’ “Who’s That Lady”). That way, they can squeeze just a little bit of the old soul music into their set. This all started when they heard the song “Feel Right” by Mark Ronson, which features rapping by Mystikal. Enos volunteered to do the rapping.

“None of us had rapped before, other than some karaoke. I’ve been a fan of hip-hop since the ’90s. I thought I’d give it a try, and it sounded good,” Enos says.


INFO: 9 p.m. Friday, March 3. Crow’s Nest, 2218 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz. $6. 476-4560.

New Water Storage Design Could Pave Way for Water-Neutral Homes

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A 46,000-gallon rainwater tank made entirely of stainless steel hides behind a grove of oak trees atop the highest slope on John Haskins’ 5-acre Corralitos property. If all goes according to plan, that tank and two others will make the Haskins home water-neutral, which is why he wanted to install it after so many dry years.

This winter’s historically high rain levels, however, filled up Haskins’ new rainwater storage system quickly, and have left it consistently full. Still, these storms only reassure Haskins that he’s made a good investment as he resists temptation to call the five-year California drought over—no matter what the meteorologists say.

“Nobody predicted all this rain,” he says, noting that last year’s El Niño winter was slated to bring massive levels of rainfall to California, and didn’t. And this season, a La Niña year, was supposed to be rather dry. “Weather patterns are only becoming more unpredictable.”

The tank is 27 feet in diameter, and holds enough rainwater to supply his family of four with the water they need year-round, so long as they remain frugal with their usage and cut back on irrigation during the summer.

The Haskinses hope to eliminate their impact on Santa Cruz County’s groundwater, which has been under stress from over-pumping since the 1950s.

Last year, the family used an average of 600 gallons of water per day during the summer months and 200 gallons per day during the winter, including household use, drinking water, irrigation, and filling their living swimming pool—a chemical-free alternative to the backyard amenity.

Haskins’ property is still connected to a well, which used to be the home’s primary source of water before the rainwater catchment system was built. And with the simple flip of a lever, Haskins can still draw from the well just as easily as before.

But in theory, if the Haskinses follow through with their plan to cut back on summer water use, they should have enough rainwater in the tank to shut off flow from the well year-round, something that would help out their many neighbors.

Water in the Pajaro Valley aquifer below—the Aromas Basin—has fallen well below sea level due to decades of over-pumping, causing seawater intrusion along the coast, which could permanently contaminate the groundwater source.

Haskins almost certainly won’t ever experience seawater intrusion on his property in Corralitos, but Chris Coburn, executive director of the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County (RCD), says that drawing from any groundwater source in the county contributes to the overdraft problem. So by going off the water grid with his project, Coburn says Haskins has provided an “excellent example of what individual homeowners can do to help.”

Jack Schultz, a civil engineer with experience on what he calls “unconventional projects,” designed Haskins’ system—his second rainwater system in Santa Cruz County. Schultz hopes his design will inspire other locals to consider curbing their groundwater use by catching rainwater.  

Schultz built solar water heaters beginning in 1974 with his company, Solar Utilities, long before home solar use became popular in the United States. Since then, he’s worked on a variety of projects—from protecting creek banks from erosion in Scotts Valley and Aptos with redwood-log cribbing to repairing water systems damaged in Sumatra after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

Schultz says rainwater systems designed for drinking water purposes are rare in Santa Cruz County, in part because the regulatory codes do not normally allow for them. He’s designed Haskins’ system to meet EPA requirements for water purification, which he hopes will eventually be approved for permitting in Santa Cruz County.

Regardless, the county still granted a permit to Haskins’ storage tank because his property has access to a well, and the new disinfection system is considered an addition, not the primary source of the home’s drinking water.

Schultz’s design uses three tanks, allowing for maximum capacity and purification. Rainwater that falls on Haskins’ roof runs downhill into a transfer tank and then passes through a series of filters, as it is pumped back uphill to storage and has all of the pollutants removed along the way.

The large storage tank is high on the property’s slope, allowing gravity to send the water back down to a supply tank connected directly to the home’s water pipes. On its way to the domestic supply tank, the rainwater goes through the final stages of its disinfection process.

Water districts typically disinfect municipal water with filters and chlorine, which protects against any accidental contaminants. Because Schultz’s design doesn’t use chlorine, its water runs through ultraviolet light and back into the supply tank, completely re-purifying it, about once a day.

The storage tank is also linked to a fire hydrant, and home use shuts off if the water level goes below 5,000 gallons, which gives the fire department an emergency supply in the event of a fire.

Schultz—whose son Jozseph owns India Joze restaurant in downtown Santa Cruz—thinks of Haskins as a pioneer in sustainable living, especially because the project benefits the whole basin, more than it does his own family.

 

Grounded Solutions

Another way to ease the groundwater problem is with aquifer recharge.

In October of last year, the Pajaro Valley Water District teamed up with the RCD and Andy Fisher, a professor of hydrogeology at UCSC, to launch their Recharge Net Metering program, the most recent step in a process Fisher has studied for years. The program provides financial incentive for landowners willing to retrofit their property to direct rainwater into the ground.

The five-year pilot program is the first of its kind in California, and aims to attract landowners whose properties are particularly favorable to groundwater recharge.

Qualifying landowners will provide upward of 100 acre-feet of water infiltration per year—roughly 32,600,000 gallons—and will receive a rebate from the district based on the amount they contribute. The program aims to serve as a model for future programs across the state of California.

The Scotts Valley Water District (SVWD) unveiled a groundwater strategy of its own last month, when it announced a recharge system at the Scotts Valley Transit Center.

Construction crews replaced portions of the concrete parking lot with permeable surfaces, allowing rainwater to percolate back into the Santa Margarita Aquifer, which provides drinking water to all of SVWD’s roughly 11,000 customers.

“The system is designed to add 1 to 1.5 million gallons of water to the Santa Margarita Aquifer on an average wet year,” says David McNair, the district’s operations manager who oversaw the recharge project. Construction is almost complete at the Scotts Valley Transit Center parking lot, and percolation into the groundwater store has already begun. “We’ll be monitoring it closely to see exactly how productive it will be.”

The Importance of Vitamin D, and How to Get It

The recent deluge of rain has filled our lakes and rivers, but has the sun-scarce streak of weather had an opposite influence on our bodies’ levels of vitamin D? Also known as the “sunshine vitamin,” because it’s produced via UV exposure on the skin, vitamin D is lacking in much of the U.S population.

“Vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as a pandemic,” said Dr. Michael Holick, one of the country’s leading vitamin D researchers, in a 2008 article published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. More recently, a 2011 study published in the journal Nutrition Research found that 42 percent of all Americans were deficient. Symptoms of deficiency vary and are nonspecific, including muscle weakness, bone pain, fatigue, and difficulty thinking clearly. The best way to check for a deficiency is by getting a blood test.

Since vitamin D is involved in many biological processes throughout the body—some health professionals believe it should actually be classified as a hormone—deficiency can have vast and serious health impacts. Because it promotes calcium absorption in the gut and helps maintain adequate levels in the blood, vitamin D’s most commonly accepted health impact is on bone health and associated diseases like osteoporosis.

But emerging evidence is showing that it can affect cancer risk as well. According to an article published on the National Institute of Health’s website, “Strong biological and mechanistic bases indicate that vitamin D plays a role in the prevention of colon, prostate, and breast cancers.” It is also thought to be linked to cardiovascular disease because it’s involved in immune function and reducing inflammation. The article also states that vitamin D might play a role in both the treatment and prevention of conditions like type 1 and 2 diabetes, glucose intolerance, and high blood pressure.

New evidence published in February 2017 in the journal The BMJ showed that vitamin D supplementation protected against acute respiratory infections like colds and the flu. These two conditions are not only most common in winter and spring, when vitamin D levels are usually at their lowest, but are also a leading cause of doctor visits and days off work. Said the study’s lead author, “This major collaborative research effort has yielded the first definitive evidence that vitamin D really does protect against respiratory infections.” One explanation for this effect is that vitamin D increases levels of natural antibiotic-like substances in the lungs.

Vitamin D may also play a crucial role in psychological health and well-being through its impact on serotonin. Often thought of as the “feel good” neurotransmitter, it is implicated in long-term love and companionship as well as being acted on by drugs like antidepressants, LSD, MDMA, and psilocybin. A 2015 article published in the FASEB Journal proposed a direct link between not only vitamin D, but also marine-based omega-3 fatty acids, and serotonin synthesis, release, and function in the brain. The study estimated that around 70 percent of the U.S. population has inadequate levels of vitamin D and that optimizing intake “… may help prevent and modulate the severity of brain dysfunction.”

Being that vitamin D appears so crucial to both mental and physical well-being and that so many of us aren’t getting enough of it, what do we do? For one, don’t shun the sun. A little goes a long way: Vitamin D researchers generally recommend around 15 minutes of direct unprotected sunlight two to three times a week for sufficient vitamin D production. But conditions like cloud cover, shade, and pollution can reduce UV light by around 50 percent and it does not penetrate glass. And the more melanin that’s in the skin, the less UV light that gets through, meaning that darker-skinned people may need even more sun exposure in order to meet their needs. But it can also be obtained through the diet, although its natural sources are few, including fish liver oil, fatty fish like salmon and tuna, as well as cheese and egg yolks. The best vegan source of vitamin D is mushrooms, but many foods like breakfast cereals, orange juice, milk, and yogurt are fortified with it, and supplements are also widely available.

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Love Your Local Band: Isaac and the Haze

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New Water Storage Design Could Pave Way for Water-Neutral Homes

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The Importance of Vitamin D, and How to Get It

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