Beyond the Bonzais

Straying from routine walk and entering Lakeside Park by Lake Merritt in Oakland, I found the Arboretum and the Bonzai Garden were both closed, but revisited some special spots beyond:

Call Me Kuchu

Telling people about the documentary "Call Me Kuchu" is apt to elicit the response that they are glad they did not see it and that they hope they never will see it, but that would deprive them of seeing heroic people who, we must hope, will ultimately triumph against the murderous homophobia in Uganda.  Their efforts have so far blocked the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which would make homosexuality punishable by death.
While there is a wooden-headed bigotry in the country's government, it is also disturbing to see  a ranting American evangelist building up anti-gay hysteria among the Ugandans.
The beautiful spirit of the leader David Kato is cut down mid-way through the documentary -- here, from an article, is David Kato, with his mother in the background:

The more retiring Long Jones is forced to change his nature after Kato's death and become a leader himself.  When some of those associated with the film appeared on the Castro Theatre stage, after the film was shown at the 2012 San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, the standing ovation went on and on, and finally affected Long Jones -- such a tall figure -- so that he had to turn his back for a moment to cry, and was comforted by one of the directors.  My photos, attempted from the far back of the theater, are completely inadequate, but just to give you an impression of a very special and very moving event,  from left to right (If you like, click on the photo, you may enlarge it, while the warning you that the quality is primitive):

Left to Right:  Signer for the deaf; one of the directors, Katherine Fairfax Wright; two from the film:  Bishop Senyonjo and Long Jones; director Malika Zouhali-Worrall; a Festival official whose name I missed.  

The two women who made the film are amazing.  While both are identified as directors, and both may have helped direct, a friend seemed to know that Katherine Fairfax Wright, too shy to speak much, was more the cinematographer:

Identified also as a director, the friend said that Malika Zouhali-Worrall was also the producer:

Here she is listening to Long Jones:

Here Bishop Senyonjo (a compassionate force in the documentary, if somewhat long-winded as preachers can be, upon receiving this award) is honored with a proclamation from the city, and he will be one of the grand marshals at this year's Pride Parade:

Here are some more of the very rough photos, followed by one of the web sites about the film:

http://filmbalaya.com/2012/06/11/frameline-2012-film-festival-call-me-kuchu-jobriath-a-d-and-me-at-the-zoo-reviews-and-trailers

A Woman Named Judy -- Anyone Know Her?

While standing in line before seeing at the Castro Theatre the great but devastating documentary  CALL ME KUCHU, about Uganda's intention to kill all homosexuals, Don Mark and I enjoyed very much talking to this woman named Judy standing in the late sunlight:

Lonely Eilers, Noble Pioneer or Warrior King?

I suppose everyone has at some point searched the Internet for anyone with their same last name -- as I did with Eilers.  Today in my hot urban Oakland, California, environment, I need a breath of fresh air, scented with nature, from the northern woods, and I return again to my noble warrior king and humble pioneer, with a branch for his scepter, and with a royal loin cloth that is a bath towel -- but such noble bearing.  And I shall sing his chant (I guess it is a song well-known to Canadians where he alters the refrain somewhat)...
Blue lake and rocky shore
I will return once more
Boom-diddy-boom-boom
Boom-diddy-boom-boom
Boom-diddy-boom-boom
Bo-oo-oom

Lonely Eilers always cheers me up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja_674wlGAM&feature=plcp

HOUSES IN OCEAN AVENUES

World War II Rationing -- Food "Points"

As explained by Clifford Mishler, the World War red and blue OPA (Office of Price Administration) tokens in this picture (I have these two of them), that were produced in 1944 or 1945, "are of a sandwich-type fiber construction, consisting of a red or blue outer layer bonded to an uncolored (gray) core.  They are round, 16.4 mm in diameter, 1.4 mm thick, and weight about 4 grains.  Strictly speaking, they are not 'tokens.'  They are 'points' that were used in conjunction with, rather than in place of, money, when purchasing designated food items.  A specified number of blue 'points' were required to purchase specified amounts of crop foods, such as canned fruits and vegetables, fruit juices, soups, baby foods, dried peas, beans, and preserves.  Red ‘points’ were required to purchase animal foods, such as meats, butter, oleo, edible fats and oils, cheese, canned milk, and canned fish. soups, baby foods, dried peas, beans, and preserves."

They are collected, "usually with emphasis upon the distinguishing two-letter alphabet codes they bear. There are 54 documented alphabetical combinations—30 blue and 24 red—involving the letters C, H, T, U, V, X, Y, and occasionally W and M. The ‘rare’ tokens in the set are the red ones bearing MM and MV letter combinations."

I will have to see where I might sell the ones I have.  Or maybe I will go into a store run by someone even older than I and offer them in payment -- Perhaps they would count them as cash out of a sense of nostalgia.

Celebrating Jim Breeden's Work

Below are some of the photos I took on 20 May 2012 with the introduction on Alcatraz of Jim Breeden's 23-panel illustrations about restorative justice, but here also is a wonderful feature on Jim in the 5 June 2012 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/06/04/DD8C1OPLE6.DTL

Restorative Justice Exhibit

Jim Breeden completed his drawings that illustrate the sequence of events that lead -- in the best circumstances -- to the practice of restorative justice, not vengeance -- from the original crime, through confrontation between perpetrator and victim, and restitution.  Many involved in that work were present when Jim's work was at last completed and revealed on 20 May 2012.
I wish I remember the names of all who spoke at this event as shown in the attached slide show, from Jim to Dave Belden through Sujatha Baliga, but perhaps Jim will remind me so that I can add that information later.

The slide show is at http://www.flickr.com/photos/11410933@N08/sets/72157630063666742/show/

In San Francisco's Columbarium

Press link below for slide show
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11410933@N08/sets/72157630063601736/show/

Photos Posted on 5 June 2012

Click on link below for slide show:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11410933@N08/sets/72157630063473504/show/

Sculptor Arneson and his Moscone...

...are settled into SFMOMA where they belong -- too long suppressed and hidden.  (Click on title or link below  if you want to see slide show.)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11410933@N08/sets/72157630001204815/show/