Food for Thought - Growing Up in Santa Cruz

Prebiotics vs. Probiotics

growingupsc — Sun, 01 Mar 2020 11:22:00 +0000

Veggies, yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut are among the things your kids should fit into their diets to keep their bellies healthy.

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Get Artsy With It

growingupsc — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 18:43:00 +0000

Get Artsy With It Twelve Benefits of Exposing Your Children to Fine Arts By Jan Pierce As our school classrooms become more and more focused on reading and writing excellence, our children may be missing out on some of the most important skills they can learn—appreciation of and active participation in the arts! Fine arts can include much more than drawing and painting. They include music and drama. They encompass many kinds of artistic expression such as working with clay, creating mosaics, three dimensional paper creations, puppetry and making mobiles. They include photography, cooking, flower arrangement—any activity in which self-expression bursts forth. Children naturally love to engage in art projects. The creative process is motivating in itself—an invitation to create something unique. There isn’t just one answer in artistic endeavors, rather there are infinite possibilities. And that’s good for children. Child development specialists tell us that the left hemisphere of the brain is used in logical thinking and analytical processes—basically our math, reading and science lessons. The right hemisphere of the brain is used in our emotional, intuitive and creative activities—artistic types of activities. Ideally our children need to develop both sides of the brain and the sides must work together for optimal learning success. It’s not only beneficial to expose our children to the fine arts, it’s fun. And you might be surprised at the learning that takes place while a child paints or molds playdough or plays the part of Peter Rabbit in a simple play. Here are twelve benefits of engaging in artistic projects: Children will improve their fine motor skills. Handling paintbrushes, drawing with a pencil, cutting safely with scissors, all these require precision. Correct placement of fingers on piano keys, learning to play a scale, and strumming a guitar all build motor skills. Language skills are enhanced. Children learn a whole new vocabulary when they enter the world of the arts. They learn names of famous painters, color and shape words, they learn to describe the items in their drawing and identify various artistic processes such as shading, adding focal points and concepts such as perspective. Visual-spatial skills are developed. Children learn how to place items on a piece of paper, how to connect pieces of a three dimensional work, and how to move their clay into the shape they desire. In art appreciation, children will learn about the vast diversity found in artistic expression around the world. They’ll build cultural awareness as they compare African masks with those created by Alaskan natives. Decision making will develop. In creating any piece of art, there is a series of decisions made. What color, what shape, how big or small? Should I use watercolor or tempera? Art lends itself to experimentation that can spill over into creativity in other areas of life. Children who sing, act or create art learn to express their feelings either with or without words. They learn to express themselves in many different ways. Children who might tend to be shy or fearful develop confidence when taking part in the arts. Singing with a group, reciting a poem with classmates, taking a chance on the bright purple paint all work together to build confidence in the decisions they make. Because there is not just one way to create, children in the arts learn to embrace multiple points of view. If ten children draw the same apple, there will be ten different apples. And that’s okay. Art helps children learn to observe, describe, analyze and interpret. These critical thinking skills will be necessary in academic subjects such as math, science and writing. Children in the arts will learn to reflect on a project and see ways to improve or change. They will envision how they might say a line or how they might project their voice in the next performance. They’ll brainstorm ways to sculpt the clay so it looks more like a giraffe the next time. Children learn collaboration. Working in a singing group, acting a part in a play or working on a class mural are all projects that require communication, shared goals and working side by side to achieve those goals. Children who participate regularly in the arts have been found to achieve better grades and win more awards than those children who don’t have that luxury. (As reported in a ten year study by Shirley Heath of Stanford University.) Providing experiences for your children in the fine arts can be as simple as supplying an art corner in your family room. It can be singing songs together or reading poetry aloud. You can make homemade playdough or use old socks to make puppets. It doesn’t have to cost money or take a lot of time. You may also choose to enroll your children in music lessons, art lessons or drama classes. You may take them to local art museums and introduce them to folk art, sculpture or oil paintings. Whatever efforts you make to expose your children to the arts will pay off in their motivation, expertise and joy in creative learning. So get artsy with it and watch your children bloom. Jan Pierce is a retired teacher and freelance writer. She is the author of Homegrown Readers: Simple Ways to Help Your Child Learn to Read. Find Jan at www.janpierce.net Sources The Importance of the Creative Arts for Children and Teens, Jay Davidson, The Child Development Institute, July, 2001. Benefits of Arts to Kids, raisesmartkids.com, 2016. The Importance of Art in Child Development, Music and Arts Education, PBS Parents. Preparing Students for the Next America: The Benefits of an Arts Education, The Arts Education Partnership, April, 2013. Youth Development and the Arts in Nonschool Hours, Shirley Brice Heath and Elisabeth Sorp, 1998.

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These Judges Judge Your Kids

growingupsc — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 18:23:00 +0000

These Judges Judge Your Kids By Bob Derber In a January GUiSC article, “Judges Matter”, author Annrae Angel was spot on: our Family Court judges impact Santa Cruz every day and in significant ways. Their decisions touch our basic fabric – family structure and the protection of our children when parents are in conflict. We are fortunate to have two ‘bench officers’ who are not just legal scholars. They bring significant life-experiences to the court. They are judges Paul Marigonda and Kim Baskett. Most divorcing parents don’t hire attorneys, and they often appear before these judges to ‘make a call’ when they cannot agree upon a matter. The two parents also often present very different pictures of the same circumstance. There’s a great deal at stake, and they know the judge may ask them questions when they are in court. But aside from being judges, who are these individuals? Firstly, both judges are parents themselves. Like us, they navigated their own children through our Santa Cruz school system and dealt in their homes the same issues that we face. They are husbands, wives, fathers, mothers and sons and daughters themselves. Both judges are now at or over 60 years of age and have a bundle of life-experiences that can help you understand where they are ‘coming from’. Do you recall Pacific Pack and Pants on ‘the Mall’ in Santa Cruz. Do you remember the tent it occupied when the ‘89 quake destroyed so many mall buildings. Well, it was Judge Baskett managing the business as her father could not. And while she ran the business, she was raising three children, attending night school and carried the worries of a mother whose husband, as a Santa Cruz Sheriff, faced danger daily. Keep this in mind if you appear before her. And Judge Marigonda? Perhaps he cleared your table at his parent’s Italian restaurant while he was in high school. And before he became a judge, he served us as a team-member of the Santa Cruz District Attorney’s Office for years. Scotts Valley residents will recall when he was a city councilman and mayor some 20 years ago. All the while, his shepherded with his wife their two boys through the Scotts Valley schools. Yes, the Marigonda names on the Scotts Valley High Falcon Football roster were his boys – and not all that long ago either! We are fortunate. Our Family Court judges are parents themselves. They know Santa Cruz and have faced many of the parental challenges we have. When you appear before either, keep this in mind. I can personally attest both judges are extraordinary legal scholars and bring significant professional skills to the bench. But first and foremost, they are personally vested in our community and to our families. When you need it most, they are there to help, and they have been there themselves.

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A Mother’s Grief

growingupsc — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 17:10:00 +0000

A Mother’s Grief Losing a Child By Erin Beck Maver Yesterday at the gym, I saw one of the nurses who helped deliver Phoenix. She gave me the most heartfelt hug, and in an instant it all came flooding back. I’ve been struggling recently; the holidays were shockingly difficult. On the one hand, I was trying feverishly to absorb each precious moment and feel the joy. On the other hand, every moment felt like a loss– a magical experience that wasn’t as I’d expected or hoped. I missed Phoenix acutely. It was just so much. Since the New Year I’ve been on a “self improvement” kick–healthy food, zero alcohol, reading every night, writing. I’m even sticking to the routine of washing my face every morning and evening. Seems so innocuous, but self care hasn’t been my strong suit for the past many months. Last Sunday marked six months since I last held her. But, in my pursuit of happiness (?), I have been inadvertently squelching my grief. I have found myself avoiding all painful feelings, like I was afraid they might suck me in. Tonight I attended the monthly grief support meeting through HAND. I had a pit in my stomach, and I almost didn’t go, but some part of me pushed through. I’m so glad I went, because I’ve discovered something. Since losing Phoenix, I’ve waffled back and forth between feeling nothing and feeling everything. It’s exhausting! Not to mention the need to live life “normally” and to be “OK”. It’s a crazy-making roller coaster, and I desperately wanted off! So, in these past weeks I’ve jumped into my self care, and I’ve been pushing my grief into some distant abyss, or maybe just way down deep in my soul? But tonight I cried. Thick air filled my lungs and I allowed myself to just hurt. It was awful, and perfect. And I discovered this most important thing (it was a shock and a revelation)– I found myself standing ankle deep in my pool of grief, and then I just sat down in it, and… I didn’t drown. I cried, and I relived the pain, and I talked about all of the smaller ways in which life keeps smacking me with the reality of this loss. And then I drove home (as I cried some more), and I walked upstairs, and I washed my face. I discovered that I don’t need to stand on the edge of my grief in order to be okay. I can sit down and put my feet in the pool, and I won’t get swallowed up! I can cry and I can wash my face. I can take care of me and I can still hurt because I miss my baby. I don’t have to feel nothing or everything. Phoenix Rose, I miss you every day. The lens through which I view the world is colored by beautiful you– my Phoenix Rose colored glasses. Some days I’ll be so sad I cry. Some days I’ll go shopping or get coffee with friends. But always I’ll carry you in my heart. I can love you and miss you, and love this beautiful and precious life. And I won’t drown. Erin Beck Maver is a native of the Santa Cruz Mountains. She is a wife, mother and advocate for normalizing grief. If you or someone you know is struggling through pregnancy or infant loss, HAND (Helping After Neonatal Death) of the Bay Area is available for support. Visit www.handsupport.org for more information. The author owes a debt of gratitude to the staff at Sutter Maternity and Surgery that can never be repaid. Special thanks goes to Rachel Groleau R.N, Jodi Crowther R.N, Tierra Owen R.N., Margaret Moore M.D and Cheryl Northey M.D. You’ll never know the depth of your impact, thank you is not enough.

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California Gets an A for College Saving Plan

growingupsc — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 16:11:00 +0000

California Gets an A for College Saving Plan By Steve Dinnen A new review by Morningstar has ranked California’s college-savings plan as one of the best in the nation. Morningstar, which tracks the performance of mutual funds, said that California’s ScholarShare College Savings Plan was upgraded to its highest ranked Gold category after the state program’s board voted to enhance management of its age-based portfolios. More than 320,000 people are taking advantage of California’s college savings plan. Starting in February, 2020, those investments will be put on a progressive glide path – an industry best practice, said Morningstar – as “it smooths the transitions from stocks to bonds and reduces the risk of making a large shift out of equities just after a market dip, when there’s a potential to lock in losses.” The plan’s portfolios also rank among the most affordable in the industry within their respective categories. College savings plans offered by most states allow people to set aside money in mutual funds that grow free of taxes when used for qualifying education expenses for a child. While they are branded as college savings plans, recent changes in federal legislation now allow ScholarShare money to be used on qualifying K-12 expenses, as well. ScholarShare, www.scholarshare529.com, offers a number of index and actively managed funds, similar to what investors would see in a workplace 401(k) plan. The program is run by the state treasurer’s office, while most of its $8.3 billion in assets are managed by firms such as TIAA-CREF. When you contribute to the ScholarShare College Savings Plan, any account earnings are federal and California income tax-deferred, according to its website. In addition, up to $10,000 annually per student, in aggregate from all 529 plans, can be withdrawn free from federal tax if used for tuition expenses at a public, private or religious elementary, middle, or high school. Contributions to a ScholarShare account may help you reduce the taxable value of your estate. Contributions to the Plan, together with all other gifts from the account owner to the beneficiary, may qualify for an annual federal gift tax exclusion of $15,000 per donor ($30,000 for married contributors), per beneficiary. More than 20,000 new ScholarShare 529 accounts were opened this year, bringing the total number of accounts to more than 327,000. Plan assets approach $10 billion, and nearly $3 billion of qualified withdrawals are made for higher education since the plan’s inception. Morningstar said it annually rates plans across five key pillars: Process, People, Parent, Price, and Performance Only four state plans besides California’s merit that Gold rating. If there is a weak link in ScholarShare’s chain it lies with its tax deductibility. While most states grant a tax deduction for contributions, California has not allowed that practice. It also taxes withdrawals (though not earnings as they are being accumulated.) The San Francisco Chronicle reported earlier this year that a bill had been introduced to allow state taxpayers a deduction of as much as $10,000 for money they put into ScholarShare. Similar legislation has failed in the past.

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The OK Symbol or a Symbol of White Power?

growingupsc — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 15:51:53 +0000

The OK Symbol or a Symbol of White Power? By Jillian Miller Humans have different ways of communicating with each other; We can communicate through words, actions, and gestures. But sometimes there can be major miscommunications on what someone’s intent is and what they are trying to convey to those around them or the media. The “White Power Symbol” or also commonly known as the “OK Symbol,” a gesture where the thumb and forefinger are joined together to form a circle, and the remaining three fingers are splayed out behind, is an example of that. This specific gesture has gathered a lot of controversy over the past few years. Educators now have to be aware of whether a student the OK sign or a white power symbol. In 2017 the gesture became popularized on the internet as an apparent hoax, but from that, it spread to the world of politics, news channels, and those who use it as a symbol of hatred. The New Zealand mosque shooter, a known white supremacist who killed fifty people in early 2019, was shown in court flashing the gesture while handcuffed. The “OK Symbol” has lost its innocence. Now when it is spotted being used by politicians it can lead to questioning of their moral stances. Our own President, Donald Trump, uses the sign when he is speaking, one of his most popular signature tics. This does not mean he is signaling white power, but it has stirred up some controversy. Among some of his supporters have One High School in Illinois, Oak Park and River Forest High School did not distribute their yearbooks due to several students that showed the symbol in some of the pictures. Their superintendent, Dr. Joylynn Pruitt-Adams, sent out a statement for their reasoning on not giving the yearbooks out: “We’ve been made aware that this year’s yearbook, which has not yet been distributed, contains several photos of students making a hand gesture that has different meanings. In some cases, it’s in what is known as the circle game. However, the gesture has more recently become associated with white nationalism. Regardless of intent, the potential negative impact of this gesture has led us to decide that we cannot distribute the yearbook as is.” I spoke to Steven Sofranko, a teacher at San Lorenzo Valley High School about the symbol to get a teacher’s perspective and what it means to him when he sees students using it, “As a high school teacher I see it as an innocent gesture. My assumption is always that the student doesn’t know what it means, and there is that harmless game that they play sometimes that involves the same [OK] symbol. I’ve seen counts in the media of people in position using that, but with what intent I’m not sure.” Most of the students I have spoken to on the topic of the symbol’s controversy have stated that they either choose to use it innocently, meaning OK or that they were completely unaware of the significance it carries to others that view it as something hateful. I would say the majority of students don’t understand how it can be taken by others when they flash the sign. I did not know it had that negative connotation until this year. Although the lines on what the gesture means are very clouded and unclear, most of the time it depends on who is flashing it and what their true intent is. Some white nationalists have started to use the sign unironically. But there are also a lot of young kids and some teenagers do not understand that there is that negative connotation or people who are just using it to innocently sign “OK.” Educating those who are unaware of how it can be taken will lead them to be more understanding of when to use it and how to bring back its positive connotations. Jillian Miller is a junior at San Lorenzo Valley High School and has been apart of the school’s newspaper staff since her freshman year and is currently an editor. Jillian wishes to continue expanding her journalistic writing in college and is hoping to major in journalism or political science.

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Five New Year’s Resolutions You Might Keep

growingupsc — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 15:32:25 +0000

Five New Year’s Resolutions You Might Keep By Jan Pierce When January 1st rolls around, most of us look for fresh starts. This year we’ll lose weight, quit smoking or drinking too much, get along with family members and….the list goes on. Check in with folks about January 20th and most have either given up on their resolutions already, or have forgotten what they were. Change doesn’t come easily. But what if we made some resolutions for 2018 that were things we really want to do, not just things we think we should do? The first resolution isn’t don’t make resolutions. These are simpler, positive steps. What if we made a list of resolutions that we could actually look forward to trying? It might still take a bit of discipline, but it could be fun. Here are five categories most of us can identify with. Let’s make it simple—something we can accomplish without gritting out teeth. Before we know it, we’ll have incorporated good habits into our daily schedules and stand proud as we say, “I kept my New Year’s Resolution.” Choose one or two items from each checklist or write your own. Give yourself permission to change your goal as the year progresses. Keep the goals simple and measurable. Celebrate at the end of each month if you’ve accomplished them. Exercise Spend fifteen minutes outside each day Take the stairs and not the elevator Monitor your daily step count. Set a goal and track your progress Ride your bike x times per week Take the dog for a walk x times per week Make a home exercise workout and do it while watching a TV show Giving Volunteer once a week in your community Donate money regularly to a legitimate cause Send cards, letters or e-mails to loved ones Spend time with friends Pay it forward anonymously to those in need Visit a shut-in or other lonely person Clear out clutter and little-used items to local clearing houses Relationships Take time for coffee or lunch dates Listen to a friend’s problems Do a kind deed for an acquaintance Give a compliment to someone at least once a day Overlook annoying habits Refrain from gossip or criticism Phone or visit an elderly friend or relative Diet Drink x number of glasses of water per day Eat half portion desserts Add more whole grains or fresh fruit to your diet Sign up for healthy fruit or veggie deliveries Learn to make healthy smoothie drinks Observe meatless Monday Try one new grain recipe Reduce Stress Listen to music Limit television time Plan a vacation to a place you’ve always wanted to go Declutter your living space Take a class—music, dance, art, cooking List the things you love and include them in your daily life If you’re a paper and pencil person, you might enjoy tracking the progress for the items you select. When you are ready for a new challenge, feel free to move on to new goals. Setting simple, doable goals and achieving them is a satisfying experience. You’ll find the resolutions aren’t so hard to keep when you enjoy doing them. Jan Pierce, M.Ed., is a freelance writer and the author of Homegrown Readers and Homegrown Family Fun. Find Jan at www.janpierce.net.

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Chimney Fire Safety Tips

growingupsc — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 13:24:00 +0000

Chimney Fire Safety Tips Fireplaces are dangerous if not kept up By the Fire Safe Council Fall is here and many rural residents are turning to their fireplaces and woodstoves to heat their houses. Dirty chimneys can cause chimney fires, which damage structures, destroy homes and injure or kill people. Structure fires related to dirty chimneys may also spread and cause damage to adjacent structures or even ignite a wildland fire. Fireplaces and wood stoves are designed to safely contain wood fires, while providing heat for a home. The chimneys that serve them have the job of expelling the by-products of combustion – the substances produced when wood burns. These include smoke, water vapor, gases, unburned wood particles, hydrocarbon and tar. As these substances exit the fireplace or wood stove, and flow up into the relatively cooler chimney, condensation occurs. The resulting residue that sticks to the inner walls of the chimney is called creosote. Creosote is a black or brown residue that can be crusty and flaky…tar-like, drippy and sticky…or shiny and hardened. All forms are highly combustible. If it builds up in sufficient quantities – and the internal flue temperature is high enough – the result could be a chimney fire. Slow-burning chimney fires don’t get enough air or have fuel to be dramatic or visible and they often go undetected until a later chimney inspection, but, the temperatures they reach are very high and can cause as much damage to the chimney structure – and nearby combustible parts of the house – as other kinds of structure fires. Chimney fires can also burn explosively – noisy and dramatic enough to be detected by neighbors or people passing by. Flames or dense smoke may shoot from the top of the chimney. Homeowners report being startled by a low rumbling sound that reminds them of a freight train or a low flying airplane. However, those are only the chimney fires you know about. Indications of a chimney fire have been described as creating: loud cracking and popping noise a lot of dense smoke, and an intense, hot smell Conditions that encourage the buildup of creosote: restricted air supply unseasoned wood cooler than normal chimney temperatures Air supply may be restricted by closing the glass doors, by failing to open the damper wide enough, and the lack of sufficient make-up air to move heated smoke up the chimney rapidly (the longer the smoke’s “residence time” in the flue, the more likely it is that creosote will form). A wood stove’s air supply can be limited by closing down the stove damper or air inlets too soon or too much. Burning unseasoned wood – because so much energy is used initially just to drive off the water trapped in the cells of the logs– keeps the resulting smoke cooler, than if seasoned wood is used. In the case of wood stoves, overloading the firebox with wood in an attempt to get a longer burn time also contributes to creosote buildup. The National Fire Protection Association Standard 211 says, “Chimneys, fireplaces, and vents shall be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances.” Even if you heat with a gas fireplace, chimneys can still harbor bird nests or other combustible material that needs to be removed prior to having a fire. Additionally, a chimney inspection can reveal structural issues that may enable a fire. Many Santa Cruz Mountain houses have cracked chimneys due to earthquakes. This can lead not only to a chimney fire, but unsecured masonry on a rooftop can be a major safety threat in the case of a future earthquake when it might fall through the roof onto occupants below. Finally, just as it is advantageous to consider the timing of purchasing fuel for your fireplace, it is important to consider the timing for your annual inspection and cleaning. Inspectors are typically very busy in the late fall and early winter and may be hard to schedule at that time. The following are some good best practices for the use of fireplaces: Get an annual chimney inspection. Be sure vegetation is not overhanging your chimney. Have a cap on your chimney to prevent animals and debris from entering it. Use well-seasoned hardwood for your fires. Do not use liquid fire starters. Only use fire starters designed for fireplaces and wood stoves. Keep all combustibles at least 36 inches from your fireplace or wood stove. Use a screen in front of your fireplace to prevent flying sparks from igniting nearby combustibles. Be sure that you have functioning carbon monoxide and smoke detectors in your home. Do not leave fires unattended. Pick a reputable company to service your fireplace or wood stove.

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New Movie Villains Want to Destroy People to Save the Environment

growingupsc — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 12:11:00 +0000

New Movie Villains Want to Destroy People to Save the Environment Comic book movies take a new turn By Jordy Hyman Avengers, Kingsman, Venom, Aquaman: comic book movies almost always have a big bad guy who wants to destroy civilization, but there’s a new trend developing in Hollywood. The villains of these movies want to kill us to save the Earth. We live in an era of entertainment where straightforward heroes are considered poor form and antagonists are written with the utmost empathy. It’s raining coins, cell phones, cameras and stopping some coasters. Photo by EriK Chalhoub So it makes sense that villains need a compelling reason to commit genocide, other than because that’s what it takes to get the Avengers out of bed. And what better reason than a profound grief and fury over the despoiling of this one, miraculous, living planet? “I think it’s always been true that the most interesting villains have complexity in their thinking, that they express things that we can’t always express,” said David Sullivan, professor of film studies, screenwriting and poetry at Cabrillo College. Sullivan said the entertainment industry is tapping into a deep cultural well of fear by exploring ecological crises. “There’s this consciousness that young people are pissed off in a way they never have been,” he said. “It’s that nihilistic feeling, that end-of-the-world, nothing matters, we have to take drastic action feeling, which I think could only be pictured (coming from a villain). They’re realizing it can be not only a good device in terms of telling a story, but it puts things out in the world and the zeitgeist that we need to hear.” Marvel and DC both have a rich tradition of environmentalist antiheroes and villains. Poison Ivy is a deranged botanist who believes plants are the superior life form and uses her seductive charm and poison kiss to bring about their dominion on earth. Swamp Thing is a living embodiment of nature who fights to preserve the wilderness. But superheroes used to fight for the environment, too. When was the last time we saw a masked vigilante stand up to an evil mining operation? Does Aquaman stop a bottom-trawler or clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in his movies? No, it’s his half-brother Orm who throws all our trash back to shore and tries to conquer the surface world to avenge Atlantis for all the pollution we’ve dumped on it. “It’s a way of manifesting,” said Sullivan. “It’s hard to imagine that in the future, forces of nature are going to begin to kill us off, and if a superhero movie personifies that force into a villain, it’s also personifying something that is real–” making it tangible to the audience. These new eco-villains see the destructive nature of humanity as unforgivable, irredeemable, past the point of no return. They give long, compelling monologues tying their heartfelt backstories in with their motivation to cleanse the earth, and everyone buys it. They quip in circles around the good guys, effortlessly embarrassing them and foiling all their plans. In fact if they weren’t almost all hideous in some way, we might confuse them for antiheroes, right up to the point where they murder the necessary girlfriend or sidekick to inspire the heroes to a revenge killing. Take the villain of Venom, genius billionaire Carlton Drake, who believes that climate change and overpopulation will render the earth uninhabitable in less than a generation. “I’m not insane,” Drake says. “What’s insane is the way humans choose to live today. Think about it. All we do is take, take, take. It can’t go on. We’ve brought the planet to the brink of extinction. We’re parasites.” His solution is to cross humans with the predatory alien symbiotes his company found on a comet so some of us will be able to survive on other planets. Unfortunately but not surprisingly, Drake’s plan backfires when he joins forces with the symbiote called Riot and decides to let him bring the rest of the symbiotes to earth to eat us all. Often it is with a heavy heart that these villains conclude that there is no reasoning with the human race, that we are inherently zombie consumers incapable of sparing the earth to spoil our children, but they push bravely onwards in their search for a final solution. Case in point: Thanos, arch-nemesis of Avengers: Infinity War, is just worried about the limits of growth, in the Malthusian sense. His home planet was destroyed by overpopulation and resource depletion, and all he wants is to find the six magic crystals of something or other that will give him the power to end half the life in the universe, to ensure that there are enough resources left for future generations to build a sustainable civilization. “Little one, it’s a simple calculus. This universe is finite, its resources, finite… if life is left unchecked, life will cease to exist. It needs correcting,” he tells his daughter Gamora. Never mind that the human population doubles roughly every 60 years, we’ll burn that bridge when we get there. Eco-villains don’t always want to wipe out the species, sometimes they just want to topple the civilization they see as the source of all evil. In the Dark Knight trilogy, most of Batman’s central adversaries belong to the League of Shadows, a secret society of assassins sworn to restore balance to the environment where humans have ruined it. Bruce Wayne trains as one of them in Batman Begins before discovering that their leader, Ra’s al Ghul, plans to destroy Gotham to end its corrupting influence on humanity, and in The Dark Knight Rises his daughter returns with Bane to finish what he started. Similarly in the beginning of Justice League, a group of terrorists try to blow up a bank as part of a vague plan to end civilization, but Wonder Woman foils them. “Down with the modern world, back to the dark ages and the safety of holy fear,” their leader says. But because of the brinkmanship of modern cinema, a lot of villains feel the need to erase all the humans from the world and start from scratch. Well, almost all. Genocidal plans often get into the territory of eugenics, which makes everyone super uncomfortable. Whether it’s their ideal human specimens (Moonraker), the purebloods (Voldemort), or their mutant brothers and sisters (Magneto), these antagonists always envision a utopia that follows the apocalypse, filled with the people they’ve chosen to be better than us. It seems that they can never accept that they’re part of the problem. In Kingsman: The Secret Service, Richard Valentine is an eccentric tech billionaire who is so concerned about climate change, he develops and distributes SIM cards that will make everyone in the world psychotically homicidal, then retreats to an underground lair with only the richest and most powerful to watch everyone else kill each other off. (Donald Trump recently tweeted a violent scene from the movie with himself killing enemies, including reporters and Democrats.) “Global warming is the fever, mankind is the virus. We’re making our planet sick. A cull is our only hope,” he explains with a heavy lisp – and the audience gets it. We don’t even need to see it in the film, this is just exposition about the world we live in. Now let’s get back to Sword-Legs. Sullivan said that giving time for a villain to make a compelling speech criticizing society can make the audience consider the point from a new angle. If we empathize with nature, humanity becomes the villain. “It pulls you out of the story in a way and says, I am talking about bigger issues beyond this theater,” he sid. “When you walk out and pass a homeless person on the street, you’re making a decision, and you have to be awake to that decision.” And if humanity is the villain, what does that make the superheroes? Why are they always trying to save everybody? Do they want us to live just to drown in our own landfills? Why are they always off looking for some ultimate weapon–the trident, the hammer, the suit, the crystal, the one thing that can save the whole world and avenge their fallen brethren and tie everything up in a nice, neat ribbon? Don’t they know who they sound like? Maybe what we need are stories of the apocalypse that help people understand that the real enemies are inequity, overconsumption, growth capitalism, pollution. Movies where climate change becomes our Independence Day and the whole world unites and mobilizes to fight it. Movies where there’s more than a lone hero or a final solution, where every character is equally important to accomplishing the goal, where the work is ongoing. Please. Let’s make those. Or let’s make it happen in actual fact.

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Celebrating Grandparents

growingupsc — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 13:48:47 +0000

Celebrating Grandparents By Linda Kay September 8th is Grandparents Day. While cynics may believe this day of celebration was created by Hallmark, the truth is that it was proposed by Congress to be celebrated the first Sunday after Labor Day. President Jimmy Carter signed the proclamation back in 1978. Grandparenting with a Passion Wes and Judy Wick of Scotts Valley, founders of YES! Young Enough to Serve, whose goal is to “Make life’s second half count” say, “Don’t settle for blasé ‘bland-parenting’ or over-the-top ‘spoiling the grandkids’. Step into that grand role with deeper value and purpose, quite possibly the most significant opportunity of life’s second half.” “The relationship with our four grandchildren has been one of the greatest joys of my life. They keep me young and up on things and their love and appreciation of me fills me with joy and gratitude. We’ve done on-line games for years from Webkinz to Minecraft. I’ve taken them to Music Together and Lil Chef classes. We go to plays and sporting events that they’re in. We pray for them daily.” – Mari Harrower “It is such a wonderful experience to be so much more relaxed with our grandkids than when we were raising our own kids. Examples of some of our special dates with our grandkids include Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Petroglyph, banana splits at the Mount Hermon Fountain, ‘She Is Beautiful’ races, hikes and fishing.” – Cay Thornley Distance sometimes can become a barrier, keeping grandparents from connecting with their grandchildren, but not for Rob and Terry Johnson, of Boulder Creek. They connect with their preschool granddaughters living in San Diego with a weekly puppet show via Skype with Hairy the puppet Marianne Waggoner, author of Camp Grandma, says, “I have come to understand and appreciate that grandparents come with a whole life of experience, along with wisdom and perspective. If our focus is primarily on amusing and entertaining, then we may be missing out on the greater opportunity to play a meaningful role in our grandkids’ intellectual, behavioral, and social development.” Voices of Beneficiaries “My mother-in-law taught my kids a love for museums. She instilled a love that they carry today, 20 years later.” – Michele Lafferty “To hear about historical events through the first-hand accounts of my grandparents, I have a better understanding of the world. My grandparents have introduced me to hobbies that define parts of myself. I learned how to shoot an arrow, work wood, play the ukulele, sail a sailboat, tell riddles, bodysurf, tell stories, be a host, and to love unconditionally all from my Grandparents.” – Luke Thornley “My mom’s voice is the voice that my children hear about themselves, the voice that quietly says you are loved, you are brave, you can do it, let God’s love shower in your heart.” – Kim Richards “My mom encourages vacations to places we wouldn’t have otherwise gone. She provides a portal and connection to the older generation’s life. My boys experience grandma as an everyday figure. They enjoy bowling, pool time, playing cards, and occasional vacations away without me!” – Jessica Sterns “My grandmother was my shelter between mom’s divorces.” – Barbara Lockwood “My mom retired when my oldest, started kindergarten, so she could pick him up from school every day. She volunteered in the school. She took him to swim lessons and spent quality time with him. At the end of that school year I had my 2nd child, 18 months later my 3rd and 15 months later my 4th. She baked with them, read with them, did and gardening. All of my kids are adults, 22, 23, 25 and 31 – they are wonderful, caring people and I know my mom was a big part of that.” – Linda Landers My grandparents were there for me during the years I didn’t have a voice. I used to hide and be silent and they would listen to my whispers. – Brianna Ralston

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