Stories

Hope for the Holidays
By Roberto Lovato
One of the many measures of the hardness of our times can be found in South Texas, where even the simple act of bringing Christmas cheer to children can sometimes require more than just a spirit of charity. In some cases, it often requires the kind of stonecutter’s determination one finds in a (Charles) Dickens tale, the determination of someone like Luissana Santinbañez.

Fox Gives Racist, Out of Control Cop His Own TV Show
By Angela Kelley
“Smile, You’re Under Arrest” — that’s the name of a new reality TV show starring none other than Sheriff Joe Arpaio of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO). Yet Maricopa County citizens aren’t smiling as Arpaio’s tactics have wreaked a lot of havoc, and fought little crime.

Seven Years Later: Is the US-Mexico Border Prepared for Environmental Disaster?
By Kent Paterson
The September 11 terrorist attacks sparked debate over the United States’ readiness to handle an attack involving weapons of mass destruction. In the days after the Twin Towers crumbled, concern was expressed about ocean ports and other border points of entry as possible avenues of assault.

Assemblymember Ed Hernandez Introduces Bill to Roll Back Parts of Prop. 209
Assemblymember Dr. Ed Hernandez, O.D. (D-West Covina) today introduced legislation that will amend California’s Constitution to allow public universities and colleges to consider race in their outreach and retention programs to help strengthen the numbers of qualified minorities in higher education.

One to Celebrate
Congresswoman Hilda Solis as the Secretary of Labor
By Roberto Lovato
In what will be the first progressive appointment of his administration, President-elect Barack Obama invited Southern California Congresswo-man, Hilda Solis, to join his cabinet as the Secretary of Labor.

Mi Carta al Otro Santa Claus
Por Javier Sierra
Querido Presidente Electo Obama:

My Letter to the Other Santa Claus
By Javier Sierra
Dear President-Elect Obama:

Ten Tips for Healthier Eating Habits at the Holidays
By Kathy Kim
Many of us feel overstuffed and lazy for days after the holidays. Every year we struggle with this “stuffed tamale” syndrome - feeling bloated, sluggish, and left slumped on the sofa. This syndrome makes us feel guilty because it decreases the likelihood that we will be physically active. To help prevent this syndrome this holiday season, make a few simple changes to improve your eating habits at holiday events.

Obesity among state’s low-income teens nearly triple that of more affluent peers
Poor neighborhoods have twice as many fast-food restaurants, fewer parks
By Gwendolyn Driscoll
California’s low-income teenagers have a lot in common: Sugary soda. Fast-food restaurants. Too much television. Not enough exercise. The result: Low-income teenagers are almost three times more likely to be obese than teens from more affluent households, according to new research from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

Hacer Resoluciones Financieras en Tiempos Difíciles
Por Jason Alderman
Muchas personas están contentas de ver al año 2008 desaparecer en la distancia. Entre la montaña rusa del mercado de valores, la restricción de la disponibilidad de créditos y los valores en descenso de los inmuebles, la mayoría de nosotros ha sido afectada financieramente.

Sweetwater Schools are Golden – Again
Hilltop High and Olympian High Receive Top State Honors
In keeping with a proud tradition, two more Sweetwater schools are golden.

Editorial and Commentary

Editorial:
Feliz Navidad -- Merry Christmas
Christmas is a time where we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The birth of Christ represents a new beginning, a sign of hope, and an opportunity for peace.

Commentary:
Latinos for Latinos
By Tom Barry
Identity politics get results in terms of the increased presence of the groups being promoted. But the election of an African-American president may signal that it’s time to leave identity politics behind when it comes to governance and embrace the politics of the common good.

Commentary:
A New Era of Hope for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
By Ali Noorani
Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff claimed credit for “reversing” illegal immigration, but the credit should more accurately fall to those in the Bush Administration who let the economy and our financial regulatory agencies collapse during the President’s tenure. As we have often said, the best way to slow immigration to the United States is to dry up all the pesky economic opportunity that has run rampant in this country for so long. The Bush Administration is well on its way to making sure there is no excess opportunity or economic security milling about. But we’re sure that President Bush, had he watched Secretary Chertoff’s press conference, would shout a hardy “Heck of a job, Cherty!”

Comentario:
Fetichismo navideño
Por Humberto Caspa, Ph.D
Si desglosamos la palabra navidad, encontraremos que sus bases etimológicas tienen raíces latinas y religiosas. El diccionario Larouse la define como el “nacimiento de Jesús”. Aparentemente es la llegada del ser divino, de aquel individuo que en su vida de adulto, que de acuerdo a los cánones cristianos, nos salvó de una condena fatídica en el fuego eterno.

Commentary:
The wisdom of pardons
By Kemba Smith
The nomination of Eric Holder as the next U.S. attorney general has renewed concerns about the end-of-term clemencies granted by President Clinton.

Comentario:
El Timo
Por José R. Uzal
Es imposible timar a un hombre honesto. Los estafadores dependen de la ambición del sujeto a quien quieren estafar. Si la víctima no tiene codicia no se involucrar en algo que es demasiado bueno para ser cierto.

Etc. Etc. Etc.
Entertainment, Reviews, Sporting news, and other tid bits

¡ASK A MEXICAN!
By Gustavo Arellano
SPECIAL YEAR-END EDITION
Dear Mexican: I was driving home on old King Road in San Jose, where a bunch of Mexicans live, and I noticed that almost every house has their Christmas lights still hanging from the rafters and reindeer and Santa Claus decorations weathered by the hot sun on the roofs. It’s the middle of May, ¿qué onda? I took it one step further, ‘cuz I figure I have to have another source for my research. I went down on White Road (but only browns live there!). Same thing—X-mas lights hanging. Is my gente so festive that it’s hard to get over the holiday cheer? I mean, my mom would give me nalgadas if I didn’t take ours down the day after the Reyes came and went. Your thoughts on this holiday phenomena?

First Person:
Dreaming of a Brown Christmas
By Al Carlos Hernandez
A flood of familial emotion that gains momentum throughout the year seems to pool into an alchemy stew of color, visceral pine, arroz, tamalianic scents, and surreptitious sounds during the Christmas holidays. Yeah, I made up the word “tamalianic.” Y qué?

Paz Vega becomes sexy femme fatale in ‘The Spirit’
By Kiko Martinez
Actress Paz Vega has played a waitress, a mother, a grocery clerk, and even a feminist mystic over the course of her 10 year career. In her most recent film, “The Spirit,” based on Will Eisner’s comics, the 32-year-old actress from Seville, Spain transforms into comic-book character Plaster of Paris, a murderous French nightclub dancer and ex-girlfriend of the title character.

El CECUT Contará Con Nuevas Publicaciones
Publicará cinco libros de autores regionales: Vianka Santana, Pablo Jaime Sáinz, Gabriel Trujillo, Elizabeth Cazessús y Roberto Castillo
Tijuana, B.C.- Con el fin de enriquecer su programa de difusión del libro y la lectura, el Centro Cultural Tijuana sumará cinco libros a su colección editorial durante el bienio 2009-2010, como resultado de la convocatoria de publicaciones lanzada este año en la que participaron escritores, académicos e investigadores de la región.

NAVIDAD EN LA MONTAÑA
Por Alfredo Trillo
Sentía el volante helado a través de los guantes, y oía la nieve compactarse debajo de las cadenas. Navidad, el tiempo de estar juntos, le animaba a enfrentar la montaña mientras la nieve se le venía encima haciendo espirales contra el parabrisas.

En Exhibición Diversas Exposiciones Despiden el 2008
Esaú Andrade y su exposición: “Mis derechos, mis colores”
Por: Paco Zavala
A pesar de las circunstancias difíciles y adversas que se han vivido en el presente año 2008, la actividad cultural nunca detuvo su marcha, parece ser que para estas actividades no han existido los problemas que han aquejado al mundo, estas han seguido su curso sin que nada detenga la itinerancia en su camino.

Visite Gratuitamente en el Día de Navidad el Museo de las Californias en Tijuana
Por: Paco Zavala
Ya es una tradición navideña que las puertas del Museo de las Californias, localizado en las amplias y modernas instalaciones del Centro Cultural Tijuana, con su nuevo Museo “El Cubo”, en la promoción del programa “Ven y conoce tu museo”, se abran gratuitamente al público que desee visitarlo el 25 de diciembre, de 10 de la mañana a 6:30 de la tarde.

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