Serf City Times - Year of the Ox and Community Helps Save Homeless Camp

Volume 1 Issue 35, January 22, 2021

Photo by TARMO HANNULA

Police and National Guard are present in large numbers in front of the California State Capitol, Jan. 20. Pink smoke rises from anti-fascist protestors who chanted, "No cops, no prisons." Below right, is their poster for the event.

Inauguration Day in Sacramento

By SARAH RINGLER

On Jan. 20, the day of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s inauguration, there was fear around the country that the violence and deaths from the Jan. 6 invasion of the Capitol Building in D.C. would be repeated. State houses around the country went on the defense.

Be assured that the California Capitol Building in Sacramento was well defended. Fencing that had been installed since early June when the city witnessed days of demonstrations against the murder of George Floyd was reinforced. On Jan. 20, California Highway Patrol and police from around the state were socially distanced around the Capitol inside the fence. National Guard with big rifles – I really don’t know about weaponry - were stationed outside the perimeter of the Capitol and in front of state buildings and at corners up to seven blocks away in all directions. Workers and elected officials had all relocated. Highway patrol and police cars patrolled the area and not so camouflaged military vehicles were visible.

The day turned out peaceful. According to a Sacramento Park’s employee, Sunday, when violent demonstrations had been feared following the Jan. 6 invasion, there were only about six pro-Trump demonstrators.

Sacramento has seen a lot of protests and some destruction over the last year. Large demonstrations protesting police violence against George Floyd’s murder resulted in plywood being installed over many downtown store windows. The downtown was filled with many homeless living in doorways of businesses with their windows covered with plywood.

The only excitement was from a march called by an anti-fascist group, that had met at 10 am at John C. Fremont Park, a few blocks from the Capitol. Around noon, a group of about 80, about the same number as there were journalists who had been prowling around the area since early morning, marched to the capitol. Journalists who had begun to get restive because of the lack of excitement jumped into action. The anti-fascist group marched around the fenced Capitol, made their presence known by setting off some pink smoke, chanted "no cops and no prisons" and largely dispersed by 2:30pm according to a CBS Channel 13 report.

Shinnen Omedeto Gozaimasu - Happy New Year!

By MAS HASHIMOTO

“Happy New Year, Cougar! It’s the Year of the Ox, and that’s no bull.”

I asked my 1968 Mercury Cougar car and friend, “How come a cougar isn’t one of the animals listed in the Asian Zodiac calendar?” The Cougar and I have talked to each other for years. He speaks to me on his car radio. And if he wants my attention, he’ll honk the horn.

“It’s OK,” answered the Cougar. “The Tiger is listed, and he’s a dear cousin of ours.” He went on to explain the animals in order. “There’s the Rat (2020), Ox (2021), Tiger (2022), Rabbit (2023), Dragon (2024), Snake (2025), Horse (2026), Sheep (2027), Monkey (2028), Rooster (2029), Dog (2030), and Boar (2031).”

“If this is an Asian Zodiac calendar, why isn’t the Kung Fu Panda represented? That’s a terrible oversight!” I said. “He should be added, and if a 13th animal isn’t permitted, then maybe Panda could replace the Dragon.”

“The Dragon? Why the Dragon?” the Cougar was puzzled.

“Well, isn’t the Panda, the famous Dragon Warrior”? Then, I began to think of other animals that should, or could, be added. “For us Americans, what would we add, the buffalo, the bald eagle, or the turkey?”

The Cougar answered, “The bald eagle, of course! He’s a majestic bird!”

“No,” I replied. “It must be the turkey, a native bird! That’s what Benjamin Franklin wanted as the symbol for America. The turkey sustained the lives of the early pioneers and continues to this day at Thanksgiving and other festive holidays. It’s a most noble bird.”

Tooting the horn with approval, the Cougar chimed in, “And, in Australia, would it be the Koala bear, kangaroo, or the Tasmanian devil?” But, before I could answer, the Cougar said, “No! It would be the Duck-billed Platypus for it defies categorization.”

I laughed, and then asked, “What would be Japan’s contribution to the list? The blue or yellow tailed tuna? You know sashimi is big the world over.”

The Cougar, “Absolutely not! It must be Godzilla! He’s big the world over, too!”

In the westward movement from Independence, Missouri to Oregon or California (“California or Bust”), the first choice of settlers was a team of oxen for while slower, they were stronger and could last the six- month journey.

Mules were their second choice. What was the last choice? Horses. So, which animal did Hollywood movies select for their epic western films? Horses.

In the West, the expression, “dumb ox,” is often heard, while Asians consider the ox a noble animal. In Poston II, oxtail soup was a delicacy, and beef tongue was a novelty. Mutton, to us it was decaying lamb stew, and salt pork were not favorites.

Are you or someone you know an ox person? Ox years are: 1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, and 2009.

The Ox is the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work. He/she is dependable, calm and modest. Like the animal namesake, the Ox is unswervingly patient, tireless in work, and capable of enduring any amount of hardship without monku-ing or complaining.

The ox person needs peace and quiet to work through his/her ideas, and when he/she has set his/her mind on something it is hard for him/her to be convinced otherwise. The ox person has a very logical mind and is extremely systematic, in spite of a total lack of imagination. He/she can be very stubborn. These people speak little, but are intelligent, and when necessary, they are both articulate and eloquent.

The ox person is not extravagant, and the thought of living off credit cards or being in debt makes him/ her nervous. The possibility of taking a serious risk could cause the ox person many sleepless nights. The idea of wheeling and dealing in a competitive world is distasteful to them. It would be right to mention that people born in the ox years are rarely driven by the prospect of financial gain.

These people are always welcome because of their honesty and patience and have many friends who appreciate the fact that the ox people are rather introverted and wary of new trends. Although every now and then, they can be encouraged to try something new. It is important to remember that the ox people are sociable and relaxed when they feel secure, but occasionally a dark cloud looms over such person and he/she takes on the worries of the world and tries to find solutions.

Although practical in other ways, the ox person can be very naive about affairs of the heart. It takes time for him/her to develop intimate relationships and show his/her feelings, but once such person is committed, the partner will be totally loved and trusted.

The ideal partner for the ox person is truthful and gentle but knows how to cajole and tease him/her. Of course, there may be times when the ox person misinterprets light-hearted remarks or fails to see the humor in a situation, but at the same time, people will find that he/she is able to throw off his/her worries and begin to enjoy him/herself. They must also have the enthusiasm to introduce him/her to new interests but at the same time not take risks that threaten the ox's security. The ox person can take as a matter of course his/her partner's weaknesses, and when there are emotional upheavals the ox will consider whether the blame lies with him/her; on the other hand, such people do find it hard to forgive if they have been deceived.

Ox people are observant; they have remarkable memories and are good at reporting on absolutely everything they observe. They will likely remember meeting someone at a party held months ago.

As a rule, the ox people approach work seriously, and as long as they are not forced into the public eye and they are able to think clearly and plan meticulously. They may not be too fast when it comes to making decisions, but they are skilled organizers and logical thinkers, and as the years pass their determination is likely to be rewarded. They have no difficulties with accepting authority as long as he/ she knows that the business is established on firm foundations. It is suitable for the ox to know his/her schedule or timetable and although he/she can rise to challenges and, to some extent, deal with the unpredictable, the ox would rather be well-informed and work within a fixed framework.

Ideal jobs for the Ox would be composer, landlord, doctor, cook or chef, farmer, police officer, soldier, teacher, judge, banker, insurance broker, gardener, and actor. President should not be listed.

Community Support Yields First Victory for Homeless Camp

By LAURA CHATHAM

In an historic ruling, on Jan. 200, Federal Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen granted the unhoused camping at San Lorenzo Park in Santa Cruz, California injunctive relief from City Manager Martin Bernal’s Executive Order 2020 -24 for his Holiday Eviction. This is the first such victory in the legal effort to protect the health and rights of those who live in transitional homeless camps.

If it was not for community members taking nonviolent direct action to successfully blockade the second phase of the city’s sweep of Camp Freedom this case would have been moot.

Housed and unhoused people linked arms and used the fencing the police had erected to secure the area they had cleared in the December 21 phase one eviction to stop the second sweep giving the campers and their allies enough time to get their case before Judge Susan van Keulen.

The community pulled together to provide solid evidence supporting the rights of those at the camp and the possible dangers of such a sweep during the COVID-19 crisis. The campers can remain until March 9 when a status report will need to be filed.

For more information please contact the National Union of the Homeless Lead Attorney Anthony Prince at 510-301-1472. Here is the order.

Photo by TARMO HANNULA

An orange-crowned warbler scours a plant on the north coast for food. The bird typically winters in small numbers in our area, and is present in far greater numbers during migration and in spring/summer breeding season.

Amy Newell sent in a correction for last week's bird. It was a Snowy Egret, not a Great Egret.

"The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything. They just make the most of everything."

Mas Hashimoto

County Covid-19 Report

By SARAH RINGLER

The Santa Cruz County Health Department regularly releases data on the current status of Covid-19 in the county. As of Jan. 21, there were 12,533

cases that tested positive. That is an increase of 11% from last Thursday. 120 people have now died, an increase of 8%.

We are under Regional Stay-At-home-orders based on the availability of Intensive Care Unit beds in our region, the Bay Area, that includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma counties. For information on the Stay at Home Orders, go here.

The county has reordered age groups so I've omitted that data because it no longer correlates. They also added a new category of Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. Although 20-29 year olds have the greatest number of cases at 21%, 84% of deaths occur in those who are 70 or older. The distribution of data has remained mostly stable over time with percentages rarely changing by more than one point.

The county's Effective Reproductive Number approaches one. See chart below which is continually updated. Numbers above one show the spread of the virus is increasing. Below one means the spread is decreasing.

To get tested without a doctor’s request, call 1-888-634-1123 or go online at https://lhi.care/covidtesting. The testing clinic is at at Ramsay Park in Watsonville. Other testing sites that may have restricted access can be found here .

Vaccines are now available in Santa Cruz County. For more information, click here.

Tested positive by ethnicity/% of population:

Multi-Race - 2%/3%

White - 18%/58%

Latinx - 54%/34%

Black - .4%/.9%

Asian - 2%/4%

Hawaiian/Pacific Islander -.2/.06

Other - 12%/.4%

Unknown - 13%

% of deaths in county by ethnicity:

White - 59%

Latinx - 32%

Black - 1%

Asian - 8%

Tested positive by gender/% of population:

Female - 52%/50%

Male - 47%/50%

Other - 0%

Under Investigation - 1%

Tested positive by region/% of population:

Mid-county - 20/12%

North county - 18%/60%

South county - 60%/29%

Under investigation - 1%

Weekly increases in positive tests:

June 12-19 - 7%

June 19-26 - 23%

June 26 to July 3 - 22%

July 3-9 - 23%

July 9-16 - 40%

July 16-23 - 20%

July 23-30 - 27%

July 30-Aug. 6 - 13%

Aug. 6-13- 12%

Aug.14-20 - 16%

Aug.20-28 - 10%

Aug. 28-Sept. 3 - 10%

Sept. 3-10 - 6%

Sept. 10-17- 8%

Sept. 17-24 - 7%

Sept. 25- Oct.1 - 5%

Oct. 1 - 9 - 4%

Oct. 9-15 - 4%

Oct. 15-22 - 5%

Oct. 23-29 - 4%

Oct. 30-Nov. 5 - 6%

Nov. 5-12 - 10%

Nov. 12-19 - 11%

Nov. 19-26 - holiday

Nov. 19-Dec. 3 - 29% 2 weeks of data for this week only

Dec. 3-10 - 16%

Dec. 10-17 - 17%

Dec. 17-24 - 14%

Dec. 24-31 - 19%

Jan. 1-7 - 13%

Jan. 7-14 - 14%

Jan. 15-21 - 11%

Labor History Calendar for January 12:

1849: Birth of Terrence Powderly, leader of the Knights of Labor.

1905: Czarist troops kill 500, wound 3,000 in St. Petersburg's Bloody Sunday

Labor History Calendar has been published by the Hungarian Literature Fund since 1985.

Photo by TARMO HANNULA

Very rich Welsh leek tart

By SARAH RINGLER

If you're unfamiliar with leeks, they look like monster green onions. They have a gentle flavor and when sautéed, turned into a purée or confit, as it is referred to in this recipe from "The Epicurious Cookbook - More than 250 of our Best Loved Four-Fork recipes" edited by Tanya Steel.

Like a quiche, this is a savory pie with a custard base, vegetables and cheese. As you can see in the list of ingredients, cream, goat cheese, eggs and butter make this a very rich pie. I suggest serving it with a Spartan barebones salad of greens with a light oil and vinegar dressing.

The crust gets baked three times so keep an eye on it. That was my biggest challenge. I covered the edges with strips of aluminum foil so it wouldn't get burned or too hard. Watch the crust as it bakes and reduce the baking time if necessary. Of course, every oven is different.

Historically leeks are linked to Egypt and Babylonia. It is currently the national emblem of Wales. One of their kings, King Cadwaladr of Gwynedd, ordered his soldiers to wear leeks on their helmets as they were fighting the Saxons in a leek field in the 6th century according to the 1825 Volume 5 of "The Mirror of Literature, Amusement and Instruction. " Disguised as leeks, they won the battle. Leeks are also worn Wales with daffodils on Saint David's Day, the first day of March. Saint David was an early 5th century Celtic Christian whose name is now revered by the Welsh people.

Crust

4 tablespoon iced water

3/4 teaspoons cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter plus 1 tablespoon chilled unsalted butter

Filling

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup crumbled aged goat cheese

1 1/2 cup leek purée or confit

Leek purée/confit- makes 2 cups

1/4 cup unsalted butter

4 large leeks - use only white and light green parts

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Make the crust first. Combine ice water and vinegar in a small bowl. Blend the flour and salt in a food processor. Put in slices of butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. While the machine runs, slowly add the vinegar-water mix and blend until you have damp clumps. If dough is too dry, add a bit more water. Try to not over-mix. Gather dough into a ball and then flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

After 2 hours, put a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Roll out the dough into a 12-ich round and transfer to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom or a regular 9-inch pie tin. Press the dough onto the bottom and up the sides. Line the pan with foil and dried beans. Bake until the dough looks dry - about 20-25minutes. At this point, I would cover the crust with strips of aluminum foil as it is probably starting to darken. Remove foil and beans and bake another 10-15 minutes until the crust is pale gold. Remove from oven and cool.

Prepare the leeks by cutting off the bottoms with the roots and the top with the dark green leaves; you want only the white and light green parts. Cut the cylinder in half lengthwise. Then cut the halves into 1/2 inch slices. Immerse in a large bowl of cool water. Slosh around in the water with your hands to remove the dirt and sand that hides in the layers. Pour the leeks into a colander and drain. Shake dry.

While the crust is in the refrigerator make the confit by melting butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and stir to coat with butter. Add the salt and water. Cover the pan and reduce heat to low. Cook until leeks are tender, stirring often for about 25 minutes. Uncover and cook about 2-3 minutes to evaporate any liquid that is left. You now have made a confit.

Preheat the oven again to 375 degrees.

Make the filling by whisking milk, cream, egg, egg yolk and salt in a medium bowl. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese on the bottom of the crust. Spread the leek confit over the cheese and then cover it with the rest of the cheese. Pour the milk mixture over that. Bake until the filling is golden, has puffed up and the center is done. It will take about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool a bit. If you used a tart pan with a removable bottom, remove sides now and serve warm or at room temperature.

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Thanks, Sarah Ringler

Welcome to Serf City Times. Over time, our county has grown more stratified and divided with many people feeling left out. Housing affordability, racism and low wages are the most obvious factors. However, many groups and individuals in Santa Cruz County work tirelessly to make our county a better place for everyone. These people work on the environment, housing, economic justice, health, criminal justice, disability rights, immigrant rights, racial justice, transportation, workers’ rights, education reform, gender issues, equity issues, electoral politics and more. Often, one group doesn’t know what another is doing. The Serf City Times is dedicated to serving as a clearinghouse for those issues by letting you know what is going on, what actions you can take and how you can support these groups.This is a self-funded enterprise and all work is volunteer.