Most recent entries at the top:

Have not heard from anyone on anything other that Javier Arrevalo at the Lincoln Park site on the Cinco de Mayo parade.  Due to personal time limitations recently, there has not been to much time available to provide much of the current comings and goings locally.

But guess what, the Musician's Friend Newsletter, has a new look for the 5/22/02 edition- which still retains alll the elements, the news of this week in years gone by, and the birthdays and passings happening in Music history:  "This Week".  (if there are problems with this new setup, please let me know-  Click to E-Mail to rguevara@earthlink.net )

more sooner than later, rg.

    If you had a favorite show and have not seen it on the tube for awhile, one pretty fresh listing of the canceled series is TV Guide's Schedule Updates-Cancellations -if you see it listed, sorry.  Some once hot shows are in that list, along with the date the cancellation was announced.   A few shows have just called it quits, but at least they get to wrap up the show.  The other ones, if they were any good at all, end up just leave you hanging forever, without any resolution or conclusion.  I hate that.  But you know what?  In a few months, maybe right away, you'll forget all about it altogether.

    There is a website for all ages of television watchers which is called "www.jumptheshark.com" all about what point a show started to go bad.  This one was discussed on the Howard Stern Radio Show last week with the originator of the site.  About 2200 shows are listed, with opinions about whether the show was good and stayed good. or when it went bad and why.  Lots of variety here in the opinions.  You have to check it for yourself and see what you think.  Check out an old or current show to see what others thought about it.   One example, "JAG," a show about military lawyers, has some pretty interesting comments about the show from one  Navy man who watched the show.

    Now for equal time to RADIO.    The Howard Stern Radio Show had some interesting guests in the past week,  most of whom I missed.  Bernie Mac was one of his guests.  A report on each show is available through a fan website that has an incredible amount of information posted DAILY, summarizing the show with the time noted for various parts of the show.  Mark's Friggin' is the site which is loaded with information and links.  Since this is a New York tape delay, it is already 9 a.m. in N.Y. by the time the show starts the L.A.  replay at 6 a.m. from the beginning.  You can check this site to see if there are any especially interesting parts coming up to listen to if don't listen regularly.   Also available is the "live broadcast" version which begins at 3 a.m. L.A. time, going on to 6 a.m. when the replay (and occasional edits) begin.  If you are up that early, see the next paragraph.

    For early risers or insomniacs, I suggest the Doug McIntyre Radio Show on KABC-AM 790 from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., Monday night through Friday night.  He calls it "Red Eye Radio," an apt title.   He's an informed and humorous person who takes all topics from callers,  and, in a way much different from most of the other prominent radio personalities, he is very courteous to callers.  The show is very listenable, regardless of your tastes in or knowledge of politics, current events or history, and there is a lot of information and entertainment along the way.

    By the way, I heard on tonight's news that---  Tonight was scheduled night for the Garfield High Prom- except the hotel had it set down for two weeks from now.   I am glad it wasn't Lincoln in the news for this one.
    That's all. /rg.

    .... and the next one is really for last week, but we still will call it  "This Week"  for the week of 5/8/02.

    "Peace Officers Memorial Day" was yesterday - MAY 15th.  "What is that all about?" you might ask. This is a day to give tribute to the law enforcement officers of this country who have died.
    This week is NATIONAL POLICE WEEK.

Public Law 87-726, signed by President John F. Kennedy in 1962, was amended by the
103rd Congress as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.

President Bill Clinton signed Public Law 103-322 which directs that the flag of the United
States on all Government buildings be displayed at half-staff on May 15, National Peace
Officers' Memorial Day.

    I had to make some calls finally and see if anyone was paying attention to this day.  I called the Alhambra Fire Department since their fire stations were flying the flay normally.  A chief there recalled the day and agreed that it should have been recognized, but he had to convey the information to the chief.  Most people never heard of this day or of the flaq lowering.

    At Councilman Nick Pacheco's office, the woman answering the phone checked around and said that this was being followed, and that there were events scheduled in connection with this.   I contacted by e-mail LAUSD Board Member David Tokofsky to ask about whether the schools were recognizing this, since it's a bad role model and all that if the school people don't even know what's going on with current events.  I received a reply from him which said he is investigating the situation.
    I e-mailed an inquiry to Councilman Ed Reyes' office since Lincoln Heights is in his district and I wanted to see what he knows about this, but I did not get a reply to this time.

    Oh, a few hours later I passed by the Alhambra City Hall and the Police Department next door.  Each still had their U.S. flag flying full staff.   Oh well, if they don't care about such things for themselves, maybe we shouldn't bother, at least that's the message I get.  But maybe there was a reason.  Maybe it's just the "it's not my job" mentality, who knows.
    Pretty bad, huh?   Let's hope that people get things together by next year's observance.  Especially the police.  Oh yes, South Pasadena's large flag at Huntington and Fair Oaks WAS at half staff, which is what got me started in checking into this to begin with.

    Oh, the LAPD does have events scheduled since they do know about this.  See their web site.  www.lapdonline.org
------  --------    -------   -------- See http://nleomf.org/index1.htm  - The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Website for more information on this and other matters.

Another site which list officers who haved died with personal comments from their friends, coworkers and family is
at "Behind the Badge of a Deputy Sheriff" which, by personalizing the messages, gives a different perspective to each loss.

More soon. /rg.

    There was so much happening in the past week that I forgot to mention that comedian Rudy Moreno, LHS Cl. of '74, was hosting a Comedy Show at the Ice House in Pasadena on Cinco de Mayo, with two performances.  Eventually I should get to the point where the upcoming events announced will really be  "upcoming" events and not things that were missed.

    On Sunday, the Cinco de Mayo Parade was held, with some bands, horses, celebrities, politicians and groups.  Speaking of missed events, the Lincoln Cheerleaders/ Drill Team/ Band entries were right at the front of the parade with an ROTC Color Guard.... All of this, of course, I am assuming was from Lincoln, since I was too far away at the moment to be sure.  The beginning of the  parade sneaked up on me from my original vantage point at Dino's on Main St.   (Some photos to post for this activity will be coming up in a couple of days.)   Something that I found which was absolutely annoying was having to endure the huge gaps in the parade- like a block between entries-   and then a whole series of different entrants seemed to fly by really fast, then the parade stops, then it gets going again, back on the move.   It seemed that half of the time spent on the parade sidelines was just waiting for someone to pass by.

    If you don't see all the entries with the best views in the photos, that's because I was faked out, decoyed, or outright fooled into thinking the parade was done, and then I see more entries coming down-  while I was taking my break back at Dino's.  (Of course, I had been spoiled by having the Rose Parade to use as a reference for 2 of the last 4 years, and that runs like clockwork. One time on the street level with the Rose Parade staff, and another time in the photographer's scaffolding at Orange Grove and Colorado, about 40 feet up)  What? You want to see THOSE photos?  Why, I thought you'd never ask.   Mercifully, that will come another day for you.   It's better just to go there in person.

    An Alumni Association meeting was held last night and a follow up meeting for Reunion Planning is set for May 20, Monday at 7 p.m. in the Cafeteria, developing a workshop approach to organizing the events.  We are  using the experiences of the rest of us, past and current, which is hoped will make it easier to get some reunions off the ground and moving to completion.   Classes of 1976, 1982, and  1993 Reunions are in the works.  Come on by if you want to see what is involved, or if you have ideas you want to share.

Enough for now. /rg.

   NEWS and VIEWS - There has been a lot in the past week in the L.A. Times concerning: 1. L.A.'s Public Schools and Education , 2. Gang Violence in L.A., especially the Eastside, and, connected to this, 3. The Police Situation, which I will note here for your reading.   Commentary will be held for the next web site entry date.
 

    Just a small part for you to consider now, the L.A. Times' Editorial section supplied the 2 parts on gang violence: "No More Duck and Cover" (May 2, 2002) (alternate text of same), and "Reclaiming A Neighborhood", (May 3, 2002) (Alternate text of same).
 

    Another editorial/opinion item was about the LAPD's Hollenbeck Division, which include the Lincoln Heights, Boyle Heights and El Sereno areas- "The Heat's Off", (Alternate text)  which offers some explanations why crime is up and morale is down, among other things.
 

    Is this accurately describing the situation?  Now that Chief Parks is gone, things may improve.   Community Policing was weakened by the Parks' removal of the Senior Lead Officer approach.  Many of the LHS grads have moved on to law enforcement, and you may know some of them yourself.  Of this, there are lots who joined the LAPD.  If you know someone in the LAPD, you might be able to get a first-hand opinion of things and learn about whether this is accurate for yourself.  Whatever the reason, the gang problem continues, and it continues to affect everyone else around, with deadly potential.

   (Way back in the '60's, when the cops were tired of complaints about their conduct, especially a bad scene after the '68 Democratic Convention in Chicago, there was a phrase thrown out by the police supporters in response to all this disapproval, "When you need help, call a Hippie."   So now we can see the next incarnation coming around, "When you need some help, call a gang banger," as not being too far off..  Let's hope things improve all around.)

    There is a Teacher Dress Code considered by LAUSD:  "Dress The Part, Teachers", (Alternate text)- (May 5, 2002).  Do you think that this could improve the situation in schools?   Casual is comfortable, but maybe not the most effective environment.  Consider it.   Think of  what you remember when you were in school and when you go to school to see teachers for your own kids. [I think right away to one teacher, Mr. (Robert) Thompson (math), and how unusual it was to see him WITHOUT a suit and tie when he taught at Oxy for Upward Bound in the summer of '66. - Nowadays it's the other way around and you are used to the casual look in general.]

More to come. Note:  Alternate text, to be adjusted, in event Link not accessible./rg.

    Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council ("LHNC") prevails at a Saturday city hearing a week ago, keeping the Brewery within the "Lincoln Heights" boundaries.  Last weekend's meeting resulted in a decision in favor of the LHNC and against the vocal element of the Brewery facility seeking to join with the Downtown Neighborhood Council. As a matter of accurate recognition of geographic boundaries, which is what is supposed to guide the decision, the result was the only one that made any sense.   Thanks to the efforts of many people who made an enlightening presentation Saturday on behalf of the LHNC's position.

    Lincoln's Cheerleaders and Tall Flags unit had some good results at another competition last month, See "LHS Cheer".   Sorry, Wads, for being so late to finally include this good news in the website.  I will be looking forward to any future events and pass them along to let you have a chance to see what their performances are all about instead of just reading here about the outcome.

     I refer you again to the www.chanfles.com site to find out more about the neighborhood-"Guide to Lincoln Heights"- and more from the author's point of view, which I linked last week regarding the Brewery and the boundary issues, but there were not links there to other parts of the site to visit.  This is one of the more interesting Anarchist sites around, socially relevant and with a definite point of view.

More soon. rg/

Lincoln Park - This weekend is the Cinco de Mayo celebration at Lincoln Park, which includes a Parade tomorrow and lots of carnival rides running through this weekend.
    See Lincoln Park's web site - and click on "Events" for more info.
    On Sunday's Parade will run from Lincoln High, on North Broadway, over to Griffin Avenue, and then turn left, continuing until Main Street where it will turn left again, heading to Lincoln Park.  The starting time for the parade will be 11 a.m.

This weekend- Pet Adoption Special Reduced Rates At All 6 City Animal Services Shelters.
 

    Please check the Shelters for pets and save a life.  There are many dogs and cats of all ages, and some birds and fish (Yes, some betas.)  (Next week Birds- Right there at the Shelter on Lacy St., off Avenue 26, there's going to be a Bird Adoption Event... all kinds- Parakeets are plentiful, but more to be brought in for this event.)
 

    You can even find some pure breeds often times if you check there from time to time.  Not all were strays.  Lots of the older dogs were abandoned by their owners.  At the North Central Animal Shelter in Lincoln Heights, which, like all of them, is open on Sundays, the population changes.

   Today, I saw a really friendly bull terrier mix, "Sumo," whose owner dumped him.  This is the pit bull type with a big head, that type can be tough, but they  behave well like any dog, depending on how they are treated.   Free training lessons are offered by a volunteer group specifically for Pit Bulls (and mixed Bull lines) so as to perform a service- helping to dispel the reputation Pit Bulls have been burdened with.
 

    (Why don't I help?  Guess what?  I already did and have several rescue doggies, from tiny to big,  now- I can't take anymore.  But placement and promotion activity  is something that would help, so that's why you see this here.)
 

    Next Pet thing that helps lots- spaying and neutering.  The pets coming from shelter will have this done by a vet before you take them home.  It's part of the fee and it's got benefits for the health of the animal, along with preventing babies that may become unwanted fast.  (How many friends can a person find to "take" the kittens?, or how many puppies become will ultimately become future residents of the shelter? or even worse, abused, neglected, or sold for animal experimentation.  (Pets should not be lab animals.)

    Save a life, adopt a pet.  The fees this weekend are really cut down.   Los Angeles City Animal Services Website.  If you don't live in the local area, there are pet adoptions going on in all parts of the County and Southern California Area.    And think about an older dog.  There are some really smart animals and you don't have to guess, usually wrong, about how big he or she will grow.  After a year, nearly all but the most huge breeds are full grown.
That's all for now. /r.g.      [Ed. Note:  See photo  "Sumo, with more information about shelter dogs, which was linked in a later entry, rg, 8/30/02]

    Still late but here it is:
    Review some Music history from the Musician's Friend Newsletter, with the Section 2.a reviewing news, birthdays and passings happening in Music history:  "This Week"  for the week of 4/17/02,

    .... and last, but not least, "This Week"  for the week of 4/24/02.

        Still lots more to come, /rg.

        As usual, there is weak promotion of this event.   Teachers at Lincoln were apprised of this on Friday.   This is an example of lots of what is wrong with the schools generally.  ( And Belmont Learning Center's future safety depends on the School District coordinating the proposed safety devices FLAWLESSLY FOREVER to keep everyone safe?  As one editorial letter complained, noting how some school facilities are kept up:  ..."they can't even keep their boilers working.")  The short notice to the "public" may be understandable to some extent, but the TEACHERS were not even told about this.... And this is an event for District F's schools.    Lincoln is in District F.

  But back to the event-  Art.  It's about time, but honestly, there is no promotion of any art, drama, music or anything that would operate to give your mind's creative abilities a work out.  This is a start and we will see how it goes from here.   Again as usual, time moves relentlessly fast and meanwhile, students miss out on what could have been.   In 2 months, the school year is over, another class graduates, and we try again.

    An observation overheard -  "How  is life like a roll of toilet paper?  Because the closer you get to the end, the faster it goes."  (It sure seems that way.)
 
 

Adoptathon 2002: Open Your Heart and Adopt a Shelter Animal-

                 L.A. Animal Services joins the North Shore Animal League and over
                       2,000 shelters in 29 countries on May 4th and May 5th in an
                       international push to boost shelter adoptions worldwide.
                 Click here for more details about this event  (Opens in Adobe Reader PDF form)

   Los Angeles City Animal Services Website has lots of information ---   More choices than a pet shop.   Not just pups and kitties--- and some are already trained by a past owner- adopt and save a pet from being added to the thousands of unwanted cats and dogs killed in the shelters each year.

For your information--- Lincoln High Alumni Association will be meeting on the Second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in Room 2001.  May 8th will be the next meeting on this schedule.  Included on the Agenda: Reunion(s), October Parade, Alumni events and participation, Football Boosters.

Note to web visitors:  The information and comments on this website are my opinions and observations.  If my facts are wrong or there is another viewpoint, or, if maybe, someone AGREES with me, let me know.  I would like to keep the factual part of these pages as accurate as possible.   I would also put in readers' information or opinions (being within good taste, among other factors) if you have the urge to write.

I have already invited students (of Lincoln, of course... but other students also invited, due to lack of response) and teachers to comment, inform or otherwise let us know what's going on in school or life, or anything for that matter so you won't have to rely solely on my ramblings to fill up these pages.  To this date, only Mr. Wadsworth has given me information on the events.  (I still will post these events on the Cheerleaders section to be up to date very soon.)

I already can see that teachers have limits on what they can express publicly as there is not much bureaucratic tolerance of people who are "not with the program."   That's fine.  Still, not every topic is controversial.

But students and outsiders still can comment, even just a little bit.
/rg.   Write an E-Mail message to this website

    I just learned of the following in one of my excursions into the neighborhood looking for more information to bring to you so you can be up to date on what's happening back in Lincoln Heights without actually being here (for those who are not around Lincoln Heights anymore, or who are around, but just didn't get notified).  The Lincoln Heights Chamber of Commerce held a Mixer at the meeting area of the Goodwill Industries on San Fernando Road.  More on the details of this later.  Urgency brings us to this matter now...   I was enlightened at this mixer, albeit, with short notice, of the next urgent item:

    The Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council ( Call 323- 281-0600 for shuttle bus info and details) is asking for attendance at a Certification Hearing to help persuade City officials to INCLUDE the "Brewery" (formerly "the Pabst Brewery") in the Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council.

It's happening on Saturday, April 27, 2002, going from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Holy Hill Community Church
111 Sunset Blvd.  (it should be "Chavez" Blvd., if it goes that far)
Los Angeles, CA 90012

( I don't know if a certain time is carved out for LH's presentation, but sign ups there for attendees who want to speak will give you a 2 minute chance to say what your viewpoint, experience or observations are that lead you to have whatever opinion you want to voice......if you are not looking to be vocal, show up anyway..... lots of decisions wind up influenced by just the active few who take time to be visible and vocal!

There are current factions within the Brewery which want to keep it out of the Lincoln Heights Council and join up with the Downtown Council, based on really just how much influence can be wielded at these meetings.  The Brewery, which was located at Main and Avenue 20, a block down from Our Lady Help of Christians Church and School, houses a large group of artists and others working and living within the acres and acres of the site.

    MAIN ISSUE: Is this geographically within Lincoln Heights?  SUB ISSUE: Should this contingent be included in the Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council based on geography and history, OR, should it be included in the Downtown Council where other Artistic interests are focused?
    The guidelines followed to now in setting up dividing lines for the various neighborhood councils was supposed to be "historical and geographic" boundaries.  Now it looks like the trade/artistic affiliation is being considered to determine boundaries.

For your examination, see the  web site focusing on the Brewery viewpoint: http://www.mousethatroared.com/
Try this next site for an opposing opinion, and as a source of collected L.A. Times news stories on the topic.
Brewery, in the www.chanfles.com website (itself another adventure into opinions and information about people and things in town that should be read... there's lot's of information that local residents might not know about with some notes on local eateries that are pretty accurate.)

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE- Lincoln Park SPECIAL EVENTS coming very soon, check the INFORMATION.

That's enough for now.  /rg.

Thursday, April 4, 2002:  Everyone's back to School now from Spring Break--- almost back.  There's a Bus Driver Strike. Some of the LAUSD students (and parents) were caught off guard by the labor strike undertaken by the Laidlaw bus drivers who are responsible for a part of the bus transportation of students.  LAUSD has it's own drivers who are in a different union and are not on strike.  Students were hours late for class and for their return in many cases.  Some were virtually stranded and had to call for rides to or from school.  The problem, of course, is what the drivers want and what Laidlaw offers as to benefits and salary.
    Since Laidlaw's employees get paid less than LAUSD drivers, it looks like no one is going to be happy very soon.  The bidding for the bus contract goes to the lowest bidder who is undercutting the competition to come in at a lowest figure, so there is not much room for better benefits and salaries.  The District also hires the Laidlaw drivers from time to time when it needs new drivers, which gives it a trained driver, and leaves Laidlaw with one less driver.  There are more items involved, but meanwhile the students and their efforts to attend school suffer.
    The way that this strike hit, with little notice, was close to a surprise, and did not win the hearts and minds of the parents, which was bad strategy by the union, which could have tried to make a better attempt to get some positive p.r.  Who knows how long it will last or who will "win" if there is such a thing.

    Dodger Stadium Opening Day April 2nd:   Down North Broadway a bit from Lincoln, and up behind Cathedral High, the Dodgers returned.  For a moment the Dodgers were tied for first place... until they started to play their schedule.  The rival San Francisco Giants have done a lot to show that this may be the worst Dodger team in years.  Losing their first two games doesn't do much for the fan enthusiasm.  If the Stadium was not such a nice place to visit all by itself, there would be little to enjoy in Chavez Ravine.  Barry Bonds, who slugged 2 home runs for the Giants in each of the first two games, is on his way to a record pace of 300 home runs this year, except that he will not be facing Dodger pitching for the entire schedule.  The Angels may be the better team this year, but this will be a long season and anything can happen, and for the Dodgers, some changes have to happen or there will be lots of room in the stands this season.

    Meeting Tonight at LHS: By the way, there is a meeting scheduled tonight at 7 p.m. in the Cafeteria for the October Parade planning and such.    Since last minute changes of the meeting date have historically dampened attendance, it would be prudent ot call in to confirm it at (323) 225-0030 at Lincoln, or just drop by if you are in the neighborhood.  The meetings are open and free, so don't feel you will be stuck with something you don't want if you show up. 

Sunday, March 31, 2002:  Music News for your information, Musician's Friend Newsletter for 3/27, with the Section 2.a reviewing news, birthdays and passings happening in Music history  "This Week" .

Saturday, March 30, 2002:   Proposed Tax on Snacks.     Remember when actor Rob Reiner was going around to get the tax raised on cigarettes?  This extra 50 cents-a-pack tax that was collected was supposed to go to help save people since tobacco causes harm.  Meanwhile the price of cigarettes jumps up a lot and the pinch is felt.  Cigarettes can cost $3.50 a pack.   When I was at Lincoln, you could buy a carton of 10 packs for less than this, and even less,  $2.00 a CARTON, at the px.  In the military service cigarettes were part of the materials sent to the soldiers.  Now, lots of smokers are people who really feel the financial pinch of their addiction.  Times and attitudes have changed.  I haven't smoked since '81 and less people do now.  We all knew that it was not good for you, it was just a matter of whether you would be the one hurt.
    The compelling justification for this added tax was to "educate" people on the harm of smoking  and to make it more expensive (this part was achieved).  I think schools might have been one of the planned recipients of some of this money.   Well, now the idea behind this way of thinking  is spreading to other things that people do and enjoy.

    Now, State Senator Deborah Ortiz (Dem) of Sacramento proposes to sodas- Cokes, Pepsi, Mountain Dew and the rest- because they are not nutritious, and kids drink too much of these.  She wants to get people to avoid "excesses" in the consumption of these sugared drinks.  What is all this about?  This means that the sodas that are sold in schools (like Lincoln, and most other high schools around, which all have soda machines on campus) will be affected, along with everyone else.
    This is not a good idea.  It will harm, economically, the students whose families generally are not rolling in money.   Really, this is telling people that they are too stupid to know what is best for them, and the government has to step in for their own good, by taxing.  This tax will punish the poor the most.   The ability for people to choose what they want to do is being removed by this type of taxing arrangement.
    Ortiz says that there needs to be "moderation" and drinking too many is bad for your health.  What?  That is just another method for getting money at the expense of the public, to fund other things.
    Of course, too much junk food is not good for you- usually adding to your calorie intake in high dosages which often results in a few more pounds, a bit higher of everything else bad for your body, and so on.   But the taxes are not going to push us to exercise, to join health clubs, or anything else.  What they are telling you is that the poor, if they cannot afford it, should not buy junk food, sodas, or anything else which is determined to be "bad" for you.   The candy bars and other food are also in the sights of the lawmakers.
    You can see from the background of Senator Ortiz that he real motivation for this is to get money to put to school programs and other things which are pet projects of the proposing lawmakers.  Her website Deborah Ortiz shows her active involvement Senate committees on  HEALTH,  EDUCATION and BUDGET subjects.   She has found a way to affect all these.
    The problem here is that  personal choice and personal responsibility are taking a back seat to your lawmakers' elitism.  It is "elitism" when someone thinks they know what is best for you and you need to be directed for your own good by their judgment and not your own.   So she knows what is best for you?  Sure, lots of things are bad for you, but they are not "evil" things.  Holding up a store, shooting at innocent people, these are "evil" things.
    The money  poor people have is important and expenses are more important here, more so than for persons with higher incomes.  The impact of taxes like those discussed here which affect the poor is inescapable.    If you have the money, so what?... you are not gong to be kept from buying what you like, but you will pay more.  If you don't have the money you might not be able to get what you want.  This is the control that is attempted to be applied in these taxation devices.
    Do we need this?   To some extent, maybe.  But where does it stop?  Hamburgers taxed to keep you from taking in too much fat?  Could be coming.   There is talk of imposing fees for SUV's for their lack of fuel efficiency, consuming more of the oil products, etc., making us more dependent on oil.  Then we need more oil which comes in big part from where?   The Middle East.... We see rising gasoline prices by suppliers' (who are they?)  manipulation of the supply.     I don't have too much of a problem with this particular vehicle tax since the auto makers will probably pay tons of money to block these attempts in the end and it will never happen.  But the "sugar" tax impacts directly and most harshly on the poor.
    Don't we elect people to try to help us and not hurt us?   Another reason why voting should be done when you can, and then see what happens.
    Oh, there's more, but if you've reached this part, I thank you.  I will end this for now.  You just need to be aware of what is happening if don't pay attention.  If someone doesn't like it, they will tax it.  You don't have to have it.  That judgment on FOOD doesn't need to be done by the lawmakers.  Oh, yes, the money is to go to the schools.  I really would like to know how much of any tax for the schools gets to the schools.
rg.

Again we have some flashbacks in the form of the Musician's Friend Newsletter for 3/20, with Section 2.a giving you the news in Music history for "This Week" in the years past.

The Lincoln Heights Parade and related events for October 2002 is the subject of a meeting to be held on Thursday, April 4th at Lincoln High School, 7 p.m. in the Cafeteria.  This is an open meeting and anyone may attend to see if there is anything of interest to you.... you can add your ideas, as well. 

Friday, March 15, 2002:  Plans are underway to find out if the Belmont Learning Center can be completed.   The idea is to see if they can wind up with a school that will be safe from the hazards posed by the seeping gases and other materials present on the land.  You remember the situation, this whole area was once an active oil field, with oil pumps operating.  Then, the plans are laid out for the school but no one remembers or bothers to check the history of the land, so when gases are discovered coming out of the ground, it's a big surprise to the people in charge.
    So, after spending about $160 million on this so far, the school board is paying for consultants to determine if the project can be finished.  A figure I heard is $48 million more.
    If it can't be made safe, whatever that definition may be, then the School District has a very expensive white elephant on its hands.  Lots of students from Belmont wanted it finished of course, so that they could go to a new school and stop being bussed out ot the area.  These students will probably not get to attend a day of school there, considering how long the process can take, even with a decision to go ahead and finish the job.
    If the consultants do not come up with a workable plan to make the site safe for school use, then no school will be finished.     Lots of political pressure here to use the site as a school.   But if a safety problem arises, if a student or teacher there contracts some illness that MAY be connected to the problems, who will take the responsibility?  Of course, its the school district that will pay off claims if something happens, but will any official do anything other than deny they personally took part in making a mistake?  I expect everyone (if they are still around if and when this situation occurs) will  wash their hands of all responsibility for causing it, and instead, point fingers at each other for the blame.  This is simply my opinion.  I don't think anything can be made 100 percent foolproof, especially if a bureaucracy is responsible for handling it.  We will wait and see what happens next in this stage of the adventure.

    Places to go to eat and enjoy.  Lincoln High's Alumnus Anthony Fanara (Cl. of '67) runs the Palermo Restaurant on Vermont Avenue near Franklin in the Los Feliz area.  Anthony hosted a dinner for our 1967 classmates last year which was was a thoroughly enjoyable evening in all respects for everyone able to attend.  Well,today, Palermo's name comes up in the survey of L.A. Radio People's subscriber section which asks for favorite restaurants which you would show to your special friends who might visit you.   The choice by Freddy Snakeskin, ex-KROQ d.j.,  was "Palermo."  I did some checking and found that there are lots of people who liked it and posted their reviews at L.A.Citysearch review's.   There is a lot of information on  restaurants of all types in this part of the site.  The reviewer who wrote the main review had a puzzling opinion.  I could not tell if he liked the restaurant, but was not impressed by the food, or if the food was o.k. but not as good as the environment.  The 21 reader reviews were nearly all very good and they tell you why.  Read them and see for yourself.  By the way, the address is 1858 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027-4215.  Phone: (323) 663-1178.

    Not to forget the music side of things, here's the Musician's Friend Newsletter for 3/13, with Section 2.a giving you the news for "This Week" in the years past.

     Reminder:  If there are announcements, news items, opinions or comments, please send them in and I will see what I can do.

    The State of the School: An guest book entry shares an opinion by Jesus Salgado, Cl. of W'62, which might put more blame on the members of the present student body than they deserve.  It gives us all something to think about.  I have seen the campus on a pretty regular basis and I do agree that lots of mess is made by throwing trash on the ground, and not in the trash cans which are present.  If you are one who throws trash down,  its all your own fault, students.  This is a pretty clear cut call.
    On the other hand, I think the campus looks pretty good as it is now, but it is not as good as it used to look when we were there.  Earthquakes, Lunch shelters and a new bridge and building to replace the 400 building happened.   That is the fault of progress, not the students.  The lunch area in front of the cafeteria used to look fine with the center fountain trees and hedges, but it was lost when the structure went up.  (Remember the sweet rolls and other items sold at nutrition time?  There was that little shack that was between the cafeteria and the trees that was one source of the goods).
    The halls and interior areas still look to be standing up well against time.  I walk through the halls and they look like they did thirty years ago.  Sometimes its an eerie feeling.   There could be some more attention to the rose beds and overgrown hedge borders in the quad area, but that's a job for the administration to assign, and remember there is a lot of school for a just the small staff handling the gardening chores.  The trees and other shrubbery have been kept up to fairly good proportions.

    As for the other conditions on the campus, the students are not responsible for budget cuts, for foul-ups in the spending.   This goes for the air-conditioning job which has been stuck in mid-stream ever since there was a decision made to improve the appearance of the installation, which has been all the more apparent since the electrical conduit surrounding the buildings is still part of the scene.
    The bathrooms and other facilities should not be abused and vandalized, but aside from that issue, they should all be in a functional condition.  The physical plant, I think that's the jargon used, is not in the students realm of responsibility-- unless they damage it, which always part of an individual's responsibility to help out and not screw up the place.

    Morale is the worst part of the situation and that accountability can be shared by the students and teachers.   This is another element that would help the rest of the school situation if it improved.  Among the alumni, what passes for morale seems to be here one day and gone the next.   School Spirit needs some work.   That is something to bring back.  Most of what gets done by the alumni members is done by the same handful of people on the front lines and another small regular group in the background as supporting by donations of materials and funds.  Even among this group, there is not a uniform pattern of sharing information or work which could make things come out better.  And if not better, at least with more continuity and coordination so everyone who wants to participate can do so.

    Send in other opinions, observations or suggestions-- or just more questions.....about the viewpoints on students, campus conditions, morale, or whatever you want to focus on and share.  Let's do more thinking about what we have now and what might need to be changed, and also give yourself a moment to  reflect on what we had before and what was so good about it.   There is a lot to consider and you may help us all to reach some level of improvement.   We have not even begun to consider the "academic" climate to this point.  That too is open to more examination and comments.
/rg.

And since not too much has been found out about the goings and comings at LHS in the past week, I will give you the most recent(3-06) Musician's Friend Newsletter, with some music history in Section 2a,  as well as birthdays and deaths of notables in the field. This Week.  Did you know that is was this week in 1978 that "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees was bumped from the Number 1 spot by their other hit, "Night Fever,"  ....?  Yes, that long ago.  Think back to those days (of course, that is if you are old enough), and remember when the songs from the movie  "Saturday Night Fever" were all that were played over the radio.
Thanks, /r.g.

Monday, March 4, 2002:   LHS Cheerleaders compete in Finals this past Saturday at Magic Mountain.  Another excellent day for the members and supporters.   More details in LHS Cheer.

    More reunion activities with Classes of 1948, 1949, & 1950 holding their event on Saturday, October 5, 2002 at beginning at 6 p.m.   The site of the festivities will be the Double Tree Hotel in Ontario, CA.  More information will be posted on the Reunions Page.

    The Class of 1976 will be working on plans for their 25-Year reunion event.  Classmate Carlos Reyes will be providing more details for posting here.

    As yet, the 1967 Classes- Winter's "Celestians" and Summer's "Thebians"- reunion plans for a 35-year event remain uncertain, with a committee meeting coming up to discuss business.

    Comments or contacts from classmates are welcomed by the organizers for the groups.

    Why are so few reunions happening? A little more interest by members of these and other classes would help reunions to develop.  It's hard to figure out what plans to make when you don't have any idea of who is interested and who is not, and of those interested, will they actually come through with an early commitment and BUY a ticket.   Last minute sales are both good and bad.  Nice to have more attending, but it give the organizers headaches as far as planning.  The silence of classmates makes the job very tough.    If you want a reunion, make your choice known.  A recent grad (2001) made his wishes known in the Guest Book.  Only a year out and he's ready for a reunion.

    Many alumni may think that these reunions are things that just happen.   You know, like rain.  Those of you that have not seen a reunion of your class in many years know differently.   Congratulations to the planners who make the extra effort, spending more hours than they thought would be called for just to bring their classmates together for several hours of memories and fun, and renew contacts with our old friends and classmates.  Keeping in touch in between the events is the hard part.

Now again back to the tie that binds, the music of our times.   You can see the what happened this week in Music history in the 2-27 Musician's Friend Newsletter,  in Section 2a,  as well as birthdays and deaths of notables in the field.   This Week.
Thanks, /r.g.

    Coming Reunion:"The Rebels,"  Class of Summer 1955 Reunion is set for July 20th 2002.  The location:  Claremont Inn and Conference Center, 555 W Foothill Blvd.,  Claremont, CA  91711.  Thanks to Bill Kemp, Cl. of S'55, for the update.  For now, check with him for details;  e-mail:  "Bill Kemp" <stampstudio@earthlink.net>

    L.A. Boys and Girls Club Fundraiser was held this past Sunday at the Montebello Inn on Whittier Blvd. from 1 p.m. to closing time.   A few photos from the event appear in the "Photo" section of these pages.  I was only able to stay for a very brief time in the late afternoon, but you can see that there were lots of people there to enjoy the event.  Among the people there at that time were some names you might remember. Jimmy Espinoza, an original member of  "Thee Midniters" was there as well as David "Sancho" Castro, former host of the Sancho Show on the weekends on KPCC-FM, [Ed. Note:  "Sancho" had been holding down the weekend evening gig for about 15 years until a couple of years ago when the entire Pasadena City College broadcasting operations were taken over by Minnesota Public Radio which eliminated all music programs from the lineup, as well eliminating as other locally originating  programs from the air, as well.]
    Rudy Salas and Steve Salas were among the many performers scheduled to appear later in the evening.   Another LHS grad, comedian Rudy Moreno was expected at the festivities that evening, too.

That's all for now.  More to come soon. /r.g.

 Hope you saw the information earlier on this page and in the GuestBook, and can be there to support the effort, at $10.00 a ticket, you are risking little to have a good time and help a good cause.  It's going 'til late tonite, just dropping by will help them out.
    If you can't make it, you can send in a donation to the Boys and Girls Club for whatever you can.  When we used to go there, the L.A. Times sponsored the Club, but that big benefactor has long since left and the fundraising is important to have another positive outlet for the area young people.  Direct all Donations to:  Christina Martinez at the club- 323-221-9111

Lincoln Cheer:  LHS Cheerleaders attended another competition at Magic Mountain yesterday, according to e-mail from LHS instructor and activity sponsor Ben "Wads" Wadsworth:  "On Saturday, February 23, 2002, Lincoln High placed in the top 10 at the Magic Mt. competition.  Approximately 37 groups were in competition, only 12 groups were choosen.  We won't know our exact scores for a couple of days.  We will return to be in competition with the top 12 this coming Saturday [Mar. 2nd].  We should be on sometime between 11 AM and NOON."
              A thanks to Wads for the news.  If you happen to be thinking about going ot Magic Mountain soon, make it Saturday, early, and show your support.   If you were not planning on going there soon, give it some thought.
 

And for now, again late but getting better, This Week in Music History, by way of Musician's Friend Newsletter......  This Week.  Birthdays, passings, and other events that happened this week in years past.

Over the weekend, Jackie DeShannon, 60's singer at age 15 and songwriter, was on the Doug McIntyre radio show (KABC-AM 790) Friday night (really Saturday morning at 1 a.m.) and reflected on her the past and present state of her career.  Jackie  has a new CD out, the first in 20 years, and still sounds as good as ever, keeping with a contemporary style.  Her old hits were "Needles and Pins", "Put A Little Love In Your Heart," " What the World Needs Now,""When You Walk in the Room," and she has written over 700 songs.

    Jackie toured with the Beatles on their first American Tour in Summer 1964, opening for them, 32 shows in 34 days, along with the Righteous Bros. and the Bill Black Combo. She wrote "Bette Davis Eyes" sung by Kim Karnes and later again recorded by Gwyneth Paltrow.   Doug McIntyre's show relaxes from its usual topics on Friday nights and has musical guests, many of them local jazz and big band artists (for L.A. as a major music business city, this could be anyone, big or small.).
/r.g.

Thursday, February 21, 2002:  Just a quick note... the Steve Harvey Radio Show on 100.3 FM gave Lincoln High and the Tigers a  brief and boisterous acknowledgment this a.m. over the air.   This show, if you haven't heard it, is pretty upbeat and funny.  Steve is the same guy that had the television show.   Since George Lopez left the air in July after the format change at MEGA, this show gives the listeners some of the same funny real life humor along the lines that George did.
    The interesting thing here is that Steve starts out the show at 6 a.m. by giving thanks to the Lord for another day of life and opportunity to do something with it.  He offers encouragement to people much like you used to hear on The Sancho Show where Sancho used to give out the message to stay in school and get an education so you can do something with your life. 

   Not much happening for LHS now at the moment to report, but LAUSD is trying to get the Belmont Learning Center to be an active topic.  It requested more studies on the feasibility of completing the project, already the most expensive high school at $200 million.   You remember the location, right off Beaudry, just a few block from Sunset / Cesar Chavez Blvd.  The planned school is on top of an old oil field.  Oops, a minor oversight.  Actually the whole area had oil wells operating until very recently.  There was, for example, an oil well pumping by Dodger Stadium right next to Academy Road where it turns up by the Naval Armory, at the Pasadena Freeway.
 

    The School Board wants to see if it can salvage the project which was stopped after gases were found to be still coming out of the ground, posing a health and safety hazard.   The additional cost to finish it is now estimated at $80 million, according to newspaper reports.  In the past some of the Belmont parents and others who supported the completion of the new school claimed the project was halted in large part due to the Latino constituency.  They were disappointed, so why not think of something that was used in the past to explain problems.
    Well, if this school construction is completed, the lawsuits from anyone, be they a student, teacher or administrator who develops cancer ever, will make the millions spent on the construction look like peanuts.   And this may not even really have to be caused by the environment there, just claimed to be caused by it.   And, you know all this history will be brought up and the LAUSD will be accused of wilfully or negligently exposing the people there to all these risks.  The question then will be, "Why did they go ahead and finish this project and put our children and teachers at risk.?"
    And God help us all if there is ever a fire or explosion from the gases venting up through the soil.   Who will be blamed then?   Should the school try to get special releases from people who have to go to school there or teach there to say they know about the risks, however large or small, and they hold the LAUSD free from responsibility, and so on?  Think again.
    This was a bad deal, and the ones in the LAUSD who got us to this point are all free and clear, either retired or promoted, leaving the whole mess to the current Administration.   The potential risks could be made safe by measures that could be built into the site, or so consultants say.   If there is ever a problem in the future, you can bet all these people will be long dead or otherwise be washing their hands of  the responsibility for any harm that results.    Let's see what develops with this item.

Congratulations to Mrs. Arriola on her 80th birthday.  Many friends and relatives were there at her party this past weekend, with her children (all LHS alumni), Gloria, Petra, Paul, Carlos, Mona and Steve able to be there.  We missed Gilbert.  (Did I forget anyone?)  It is always good to see everyone and we had a great time.  It seems like it was only a few years ago that we were all at Lincoln.  Time sure goes by fast...  it always felt like it took forever to go from one year to the next in school, and now that's not the case.

Coming next time up will be an update on the Reunion information that has been received.  If you have news, please send in what you know.
/r.g

    Los Angeles History:   Zoot Suit Riots-   KCET- Channel 28's "American Experience"  had a program on this topic this evening that brings out some of the details about the events in June 1943, the middle part of the World War II years, which pitted U.S. military personnel, mainly sailors, against youthful Mexican males  in  Los Angeles, identifiable by the distinctive "Zoot Suit" style they wore.   The local area was the scene of most of the events, which exact locations were very near Lincoln Heights- Alpine, Boyle Heights, Chavez Ravine, Boyle Heights, East L.A.

It ended with the arrests and trials against the local defendants.  Although the program has already aired for this date, there should be another air date coming up.  The website is very enlightening, and gives us an idea of how different things were at that time for local residents.   This is the same period when U.S. citizenship did not prevent Americans of Japanese ancestry from being force to leave their homes and businesses on the West Coast to be held in "relocation camps" as the country was fearful of an invasion and spies.
    Oddly enough, there was never any rounding up of persons of German descent or citizenship that would have seemed called for at the time.  The fact that they "looked like us" is pointed out by some as the reason for this- they either were "o.k." ("not a threat") or they just could not be separated easily in the population.   Japanese and Mexican people were, on the other hand, not much of a challenge to visually identify in general.

    Please see the Guest Book entries for informaton on the Dance and Cheerleader members' latest successes.  LHS information is hard to come by.... there is usually lots of white space on the school marquee at the corner of North Broadway and Lincoln Park Avenue.... what a waste most of the time.   It seems that LHS suffers from lack of promoting the good things that are happening there, and that's something that needs to improve for the morale of students, faculty, and alumni.   We will have to come back to this a little later.

    Leaving that for now, it is again time to post late, again, not one, but two newsletters containing "This Week in Music History" and more.      Week of Jan. 23 NEWS      Week of Jan. 30 NEWS.
r.g.

        TEST SCORES:    The Los Angeles Times has an item in today's web site about test scores, and you can see Lincoln's results at TEST PERFORMANCE   Some good things and some not so good, but still improving from where it was recently.   It would be interesting to determine for comparison how the school rated for each year on the test scales, for whatever that would be worth.   I do not think I am alone in holding the opinion that more and more students are less and less able to read and write simple English sentences and ideas.  This is for the most part something that can be changed, but lots of it has to do with the students and what goes on at home as well as school.
    What personal reading is done by most students?  (and possibly the question might be, too, "What amount of any assigned reading is done?")  What do they do to improve writing.... and spelling, while we're on the topic?    Is it a "culture" item ?    Do parents push the kids, even slightly?  And does that pay off later for their kids?   I think so.   What can we do individually  or in a group to help out?    If any comments, share.  (And this is not to say there are not good students already, since we know there are, but the "problem" is the rest.)

   Also in the L.A. Times today is an article about LAUSD budget cutting activities, and this round of cuts was directed mainly to the administrative part, the headquarters.   The budget still is in need of more cuts and we would be wise to be aware of what is being affected.
    Bad news in the courts for LAUSD, L.A. Times today has an article about the District losing a malpractice lawsuit against the law firm hired for advice, O'Melveny & Meyers, a biggy, for malpractice concerning ..... yes, the Belmont fiasco.

    On the lighter side, THIS WEEK IN MUSIC HISTORY, really, this week.   See e-mail 1-23.
/r.g.

Tuesday, Jan. 23rd:    Friday's TIERRA Concert a Hit.   The effort it took for Steve and Rudy Salas to put aside any lingering hostilities for the evening was well worth it.  They may not be models of conciliation and tolerance, but these brothers and the original members put on an excellent show and played great music.   (They have each performed well with their separate bands, and reuniting for this show was very likely to  work out well.)  See Augustin Gurza's review from Monday's L.A. Times.  Rivalry Is Set Aside for High-Spirited Tierra Reunion.

"This Week in Music History" - well, actually last week in music history, since I did not post it when received- See e-mail Jan. 16,  at Part 2a , and check the BIRTHDAYS in the following section.
/r.g.

Monday, Jan. 21, 2002:   Support LHS Cheerleaders- Finally something for you about what is happening at Lincoln High - and it was buried in Classmates.com... The Cheerleaders, some of whom are in the present photo postings (more to add soon), seem to be LAUSD District Champs for the past 2 years.  Who would have known, as I have never seen any promotion from the school.... but here you have it.  Congratulations.   But to the IMPORTANT PART-  This coming Saturday, Jan. 26, 2002 at Wilson High in El Sereno, another competition will take place, according to posting of Enrique Miramontes, Jr., Cl. of '94.   See Posted Message.  Since this is a classmates.com posting, any replies or new postings can only be made by members, otherwise you are limited to reading the sites...  Registering on Classmates.com is free, but becoming a member is $29.00 or thereabouts, for each year.
****Time and Place? Call Lincoln at telephone below, or even fax request for more information - and request that there be more publicity, to LHS Principal, Ms. Lupe Sonne, LHS Tele: (323) 223-4021 , Fax: (323) 223-1291

   The Official LAUSD Lincoln High Web Site has changed, for the better, as far as locating teachers and e-mail, which I thought was not made an easy task in the past.  Still not a breeze, but locating faculty on the site seems much improved.  (See LINKS above for site link.)  I still could not find any additional information about the cheerleader status or competition upcoming (or past history), but you have it here.

    Today is the official Birthday holiday for Martin Luther King, Jr., although the real birthday was last week, January 15th.  Why is he famous?  Oldtimers:  If you lived during that time, you should know most of the history of his work, but still there is always more to learn.  Younger folks:  If you were not around during that time, you might not know what is so important about him, which, fortunately, is simply solved with the enormous amount of varied information available on the web.   A biography, brief, but very extensive in scope,  is found on a site for Nobel Prize winners.  Martin Luther King Jr. – Biography

    Asking some younger (read: school age)  will give you an idea of what knowledge of this part of history is known.  You may be surprised.   In response to the question about the source of the holiday, some people thought it was connected to Larry King.  Others thought that it was Rodney King.

    Do you remember when Dr. King was assassinated in April 1968 in Memphis, Tenn.?  Do you remember that Robert F. Kennedy went to his funeral, and then 2 months later, June 1968,  RFK was killed in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, just after finishing his victory speech on the day of the California Presidential Primary?  That was a long time ago, but it is not so hard to remember when you lived throught the events.  Otherwise, you just have to rely on history books, history writers to tell you what happened.

       Has anyone ever been on an MTA bus in the past few years (or even earlier)?  Getting a seat is one of the big problems, besides just getting a bus to come by.
    An article on the MTA by L.A. Timescolumnist Steve Lopez gets right to the issue.   The Lopez article examines the problem created by the MTA management in fighting the court decisions ordering them to get MORE buses (and put them on the street).   The MTA usually says, "no money," but they sure spent a ton of it on their high-rise headquarters located behind the Union Station - Terminal Annex part of downtown.  That has always seemed to me an abuse of their spending authority, but just try getting some accountability for that one.   Now they want to spend more (on legal fees, which aren't cheap) to fight the order. Decide for yourself.  Read the article by Steve Lopez, Points West: Sardine Packer Passes for Transit Agency, Jan 21, 2002.
r.g.

    Each of the Salas brothers has been separately performing as a band with its own contingent of original members of "TIERRA"  for years, along with newer regulars for each band, causing some confusion among those not familiar with the band's history.  Rudy is generally regarded as the founder of the band, continuing as the official group.  Meanwhile, Steve has performed with a band that often included Bobby Navarrete and Bobby Loya, among the  several players considered  original "TIERRA" members. Steve's band was appearing and playing well in prominent locations, but  Steve was regarded by Rudy's organization as an interloper of sorts.  But, for now, here is an opportunity for the fans to see a performance that many had long hoped would happen.  Any future reunion concerts may not be easy to come by, and if you read the L.A. Times article, you will see how tough it was for this one to happen.  As with many things that come about, be glad for what is and enjoy while you can.
/r.g.

    Latino Comedy on Tuesday Nights- Rudy Moreno, Cl. of '66, has confirmed by e-mail that he is hosting a "Latino Comedy Showcase" tomorrow night, January 15, 2002 at The Ice House .   Just off Colorado Blvd. at  24 Mentor Ave. in Pasadena.  Reservations (626) 577-1894   Starts about 8 p.m. but check.    These events will continue on most Tuesday nights at The Ice House.  Part of Rudy's message:  "You never know who will pop in... in the past months, we've been visited by celebrities like Arsenio Hall, George Lopez, Chris Tucker, Roseanne, Louie Anderson, Tommy Davidson, the list goes on & on ..."

    Coming Friday for "Tierra" fans at the Conga Room- "TIERRA" will be performing this Friday at 10:00 p.m., January 18th at the Conga Room, a venue featuring a variety of Latino entertainers.  The Conga Room is on Wilshire near La Brea Avenue (see Map).  Just to refresh your memory, this band had its origin in the local area with local talent, including its founder, Rudy Salas, Cl. of '67, along with younger brother Steve Salas featured on vocals.  There is some word, as yet not confirmed, that several of the original members of "TIERRA" will be performing.  See ticket prices and more on the Conga Room's calendar.   If you are a newbie or just have been out of touch with local musical history, see a very concise and informative summary, "Tierra:  Funkafied Salsa" , on musician Mark Guerrero's website.

Jan. 5, '02:   The Entertainment Scene:  Coming back on most Tuesday nights to start off 2002 is the Latino Comedy Showcase at the  world-famous Ice House Comedy Club in Pasadena.  Comedy veteran Rudy Moreno, LHS Class of 1974, is  scheduled as the host of the evening activities  which showcase an assortment of comedy on the latino side.  Check with the Ice House for dates and for reservations at (626) 577-1894.   Shows begin at 8 p.m.  The location is 47 N. Mentor, on the  north side of  Colorado Blvd.

    Computer Security: This past Wednesday night was usual time for the monthly meeting of the Pasadena IBM User Group ("PIBMUG").  One of the presenters was Steve Gibson, a computer security expert and the founder of Gibson Research.  He is a lively, funny and candid speaker who has created some free programs to check your computer's security setup.  See www.grc.com where he has provided for downloading "Shields Up!" and most recently, the "UnPlug and Pray" utility which deals with Microsoft's Windows vulnerablity to intrusion from outsiders, all because of what he says is a feature Microsoft has turned on by default which most regular users have no need to use.

    Users of  Microsoft's Windows XP are the ones most at risk of exposing their internet connections to access on the internet, but the "UnPlug and Pray" utility he created will download in a few seconds and allow you to turn off the feature (and on again, if you want to.).

    There was too much in his presentation for me to go over here, but he does not think that Windows XP is very secure, and he does have doubts about Microsoft's ability to make it secure.  The situation was determined so serious by the FBI that they issued a security alert about this risk about a week ago, but provided such a complicated process to disable the feature that Steve just wrote his own program to do the job ("UnPlug and Pray").  Besides that, he says the FBI's solution still did not work right anyway.

    As an Internet user, you should take advantage of the resources that are available for little or no cost.  Zone Labs gives you a free version of their software firewall called "Zone Alarm" and you can find this at www.zonelabs.com.  It controls the access to your computer on the internet and networks, allows you to decide which programs con connect and tells you about attempts to connect to your computer from outside.   All are very useful and effective at this time, which is to say "try it." and you will avoid a lot of exposure.  Is this 100% per cent secure?  Who knows, but it goes a long way towards that goal.  Your own computer probably has some programs that want to connect on their own, without you making the decision.  One example of such a program is Real Player which is always trying to connect when the computer is connected to the web.   "Zone Alarm" lets you make decisions on what is connecting and when it does.

    Check the information and see for yourself. "ShieldsUp!" tests the state of your computer's security, and if you have no firewall at all, you may show much exposure which can be changed very simply.

August 2001 to December 2001  To "Last Half of 2001"
January to July, 2001- LincolnHigh90031 - Part B
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