FrontPage Stories

Trained to Live Behind Bars

By Katia Lopez-Hodoyan

The questions were direct and personal. How could a reporter endure the hardships of life in prison? Could she overcome the violence, commotion and solitude of life behind bars? Better yet, could she survive all the unwritten rules inmates live by? One by one, these questions were asked and slowly, after a series of deep breaths and lip biting, they were all answered. The client was a brown haired, 120-pound woman who stood 5’3’’ tall. The sentence she was about to face however, was much higher.

With a nonchalant vibe, that seemed more fitting for a cocktail party, Brian James kept on asking these questions. He, more than anybody, knew the correct answers. After coming in and out of prisons for more than a decade, life behind bars had become second nature to James. So much so that recently, he and his partner Steve Scholl decided to create a business out of his experience.

Mr. Scholl showing a Dr. Prison booklet.

They both prepare soon-to-be-prisoners for jail under their San Diego based consulting firm Dr. Prison. During a close-knit meeting, James, Scholl and a client go over a few files that describe the felon’s crime, sentence and personality traits. With this information at hand, Scholl, the businessman and James the ex-convict, make recommendations of what the client will need to be aware of as an inmate in prison.

During a mock session, for instance, a reporter’s body language showed too much emotion. A characteristic that was sure to instigate trouble in jail. Her direct eye contact and listening skills however, showed one of the most important tools needed in prison: respect.

“Trust nobody, don’t be talkative or people will think you’re a snitch,” says James. “Don’t tell anybody what you’re in for or show any type of frailty because inmates pray on the weak. And remember, you have no friends…. only allies.”

As far as being locked up with women, one recommendation was clear. “Be careful, women are ruthless.”

For the rest of the story, please follow this link:

California Rejects “Anti-Immigrant” Amendments
By Juan Esparza Loera
July 14, 2005 — The days when anti-immigration proposals were used to create a divided California are over, said Assembly Speaker Fabián Núñez last Tuesday after the state Assembly’s Judiciary Committee rejected proposed constitutional amendments that would have denied some benefits to undocumented immigrants and created a state border police.

The Candidates, For Mayor, Nobody Talks About
By Pablo Jaime Sainz
Matthew Moncayo.
Shawn McMillan.
You probably have never heard of these two men.

Viewpoint
Susie Lopez is Dead
...and a mother asks for justice
By Rodolfo F. Acuña
Susie Lopez is dead. She was 19 months old and all that people are asking for is why?

Stories

Memorial Academy in the middle of controversy
Critics question the legality of board election process.
By Pablo Jaime Sainz
A group of community members and teachers at Memorial Academy Charter School, in Barrio Logan, calling themselves “Friends of Memorial” are questioning the process that elected several members of Unión del Barrio, a political organization in San Diego, to the school board.

Memorial Academy en medio de una controversia
Criticos cuestionan la legalidad del proceso de elección de la mesa directiva.
Por Pablo Jaime Sainz
Un grupo de miembros de la comunidad y maestros de la Memorial Academy Charter School, en Barrio Logan, llamándose “Friends of Memorial” están cuestionando el proceso usado que seleccionó a varios de los miembros de Unión de Barrio, una organización politica, a la Mesa Directiva.

Hispanic group wants tough questions for court nominee
By Ansley Haman
WASHINGTON – One group of Hispanic leaders wants the next nominee to the Supreme Court to be heavily scrutinized – even if the nominee is Latino.

Los “Invisibles” Logran Modificar Leyes
Por Eduardo Stanley
CIUDAD DE MEXICO—En 1980, se inicia en Perú una aventura político-militar que durante dos décadas marcaría a fuego la vida de aquel país sudamericano. Es entonces cuando aparece el grupo guerrillero maoísta Sendero Luminoso, de reconocidos métodos sanguinarios en sus internciones de tomar el poder. La represión no fue menos brutal, y como resultado quedaron casi 70 mil peruanos muertos o desaparecidos, 79 por ciento de las cuales vivían en zonas rurales y tres de cada cuatro era de origen indígena—según datos de la Comisión de la Verdad y Reconciliación, 2003.

México del Norte
Por Jorge Mújica Murias
Ciudadanos ilegales
“Uno de 4 niños es de madre inmigrante”. Así comienza una nota informativa de la semana pasada, y destaca que nunca antes en la historia de Estados Unidos habían nacido tantos hijos de mexicanos.

Ted Godshalk Receives the 10News Leadership Award
10News honor Ted God-shalk, who has volunteered his time to Paradise Creek Educational Park, Inc. (PCEPI) for the past six years. PCEPI is a non-profit organization that works toward the preservation of Paradise Creek in National City through community involvement. Paradise Creek is a salt marsh behind Kimball Elementary that has been in National City for hundreds of years. It provides an ecosystem of birds, crabs, horn snails, and wetland plants.

LA COLUMNA VERTEBRAL
Por Beverly Lyles traducida al Español por Karina Hurley
Latinas Sexualmente Activas Necesitan Tomar Ácido Fólico Todos los Días
Las mujeres Hispanas presentan doble riesgo de dar a luz bebés con defecto de tubo neural (NTD, por sus siglas en inglés) que cualquier otra mujer en edad reproductiva en los Estados Unidos. Una de las razones de esta situación, es la falta de consumo de ácido fólico por parte de las mujeres Latinas. El ácido fólico, una Vitamina B, puede reducir los defectos de tubo neural hasta en un 70%, si se toma antes y durante las primeras semanas de embarazo.

Cafecito de San Ysidro despierta de nuevo
Por Pablo Jaime Sainz
Todas las mañanas yo llegaba al café ambulante de Pedro Zamora en la estación del trolley en San Ysidro.

In Memoriam
William “Poogie” Hultz
April 15, 1940 -- July 5, 2005

Editorials

Editorial:
Murphy out, “strong mayor” form of government in?
Today is the last official day of the Dick Murphy’s reign as Mayor of San Di-ego. In a way, it is very sad that his term in office had to end this way. From his first day, as the elected Mayor of San Diego, it was clear that he was not cut out to be the political leader of the City of San Diego. It didn’t take long for the political vultures to close in and destroy any chance for him to succeed as Mayor. The City of San Diego has been left in shambles by those who took advantage of the vacuum created by the lack of leadership. The wealthy Oligarchies wasted little time in sucking the City dry of all available resources. They cared little that their actions would strip the City of all ability to survive as a respected member of the State of California and the Nation.

Editorial:
It didn’t take long for school board members to disappoint!
Talked to a friend about being disap-pointed in how politicians vote. This friend noted that with politicians, it is not a question of being disappointed, but a question of when a politician will disappoint you. For the newly elected San Diego Unified School Board members it didn’t take long for them to disappoint en mass. In fact, they lied to all the people that voted them into office.

Commentary:
Blood in London
By Fernando Suarez del Solar
Today (July 7, 2005) we awoke to the chilling news of the deaths caused by terrorist attacks in London - innocent people killed by immoral killers whose only recourse is violence and destruction. Unfortunately this will continue to occur as long as leaders like Bush and Blair refuse to reconsider their unethical acts of military assault and economic exploitation in those poor nations rich in natural resources.

Comentario:
Sangre en Londres
Por Fernando Suarez del Solar
Hoy (Viernes 07 julio 2005) amanecí con una noticia desgarradora: “Muertes en atentados terroristas en Londres”; personas inocentes han muerto a manos de personas sin ningún tipo de escrúpulos, que la única voz que tienen para hacerse oír es la violencia, destrucción y muerte. Desgraciadamente ésto será el pan de cada día alrededor del mundo mientras personas como Bush, Blair y otros dirigentes no recapaciten en sus acciones inmorales de expansionismo y terminen de acosar, tanto económicamente, como militarmente a las naciones ricas en recursos naturales.

National City Spotlight:
It’s Time to Dissolve the Corporation
By Ted Godshalk
In the previous commentary, we saw the pattern of behavior by the redevelopment corporation known as the Community Development Commission. Poorly organized meetings, oppressive urban planning and a general disregard for the public’s input strike observers as tactics used to control the process and the decision makers. We pick up the story as the New Year began.

Commentary:
Sickness in America ...
By Robert H. Linnell
We have a national health care crisis in the U.S. but few seem to care. The numbers are damning. Over 45 million Americans (15.6% of the population) without health care insurance, a number that is increasing by over 1.4 million per year. A third of the population under 65 (when Medicare becomes available), nearly 82 million, were without health insurance sometime during 2002 or 2003. Health insurance is provided by fewer companies now, down to 61% from 70% in 1987 and some employees choose to be uninsured as employers require increasingly large copayments. Young people, ages 18-24, were most likely to be uninsured (30.2%) and Hispanics (32.8% uninsured) had the lowest insurance coverage. The lack of health insurance has been estimated to cause 18,000 excess deaths amongst uninsured adults aged 25-65. What is happening to our alleged best health care system in the world? And what are the economic implications?

Commentary:
El nuevo giro del caso Plame
Por Humberto Caspa, Ph.D
El guión de la novela virtual con relación a la agente secreto de la CIA, Valerie Plame, cambió de argumento. Hace pocos días atrás el caso se había polemizado en torno al tema de la “libertad de expresión”. Ahora que uno de los presuntos acusados, Matthew Cooper, reportero de la revista Times, decidió abrir la boca, el guión se tornó en “traición a la patria” o en una “historieta de encubrimiento”. ¿Ud. elija?

Commentary:
CAFTA would be disastrous for natural resources
By Father Jose Andrés Tamayo Cortez
The U.S. Congress is preparing to vote on the ratification of the Dominican Republic - Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA). In their hands lies the destiny of the forests, the water, the air and the lives of millions of people from Alaska to Costa Rica. In Honduras, my native country, they have already ratified the agreement against the will of the people. Through marches we demanded that they listen to the opposition, but the government, instead of listening, responded with fierce repression. This agreement was approved in the same way it was written; behind closed doors, contradicting the democracy that they tell us exists in our country.

Notas Politicas...
The Special Municipal Election is nearly upon us. Don’t forget Tuesday July 26, 2005 is the date set for the Election of the next Mayor of San Diego.

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

California Center for the Arts Announces Four New Exhibitions
ESCONDIDO – One hundred photographs that have captured historical figures and events, from Babe Ruth, the Wright Brothers’ first flight, President John F. Kennedy, the World Trade Center to numerous other people and occurrences, will be part of Live With History: Photographs from the ‘New York Times’ Photo Archives at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido Museum from July 22 through September 4, 2005. The Museum will also have on view the exhibitions Piece Me Together With a Needle and a Thread: Quilts by Patrice Longmire, a display of quilts by the Escondido-based artist; 10 North: An Artists Group, watercolor works by ten North County-based artists; and Alcancia de Coco en Mexico, finely carved coconuts that are thought to have been crafted into coin banks by Mexican prisoners in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Sixth Annual Cal State San Marcos Guelaguetza Celebrates Oaxaca
For the sixth year, the culture and traditions of Oaxaca, Mexico, will be celebrated at Cal State San Marcos during Guelaguetza, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun., July 24, 2005, on the campus’ lower field (corner of S. Twin Oaks Valley Road and Craven Road).

¡Sexta Guelaguetza Anual en la Universidad Estatal de San Marcos, Celebrando a OAXACA!
La Universidad Estatal de San Marcos celebrara la Cultura y Tradiciones de Oaxaca, México, durante la sexta Guelaguetza, de 11:00 a.m. a 5:00 p.m. el 24 de Julio en el campo localizado en esquina con S. Twin Oaks y Craven Road.

¡Bravo! ¡Bravísimo! Indiscutible Exito en el Festival de Opera en la Calle
Por: Paco Zavala
A las 12:00 pm. del pasado sábado 9 de julio inició el Segundo Festival “Opera en la Calle” en la colonia Libertad de la ciudad de Tijuana.

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego Presents Third Annual alt.pictureshows
On Thursday, July 21, 2005 at 7pm, San Diego’s premier short-film showcase, alt.pic tureshows returns to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego’s La Jolla location (700 Prospect St.). The Third Annual alt.pictureshows will transform portions of MCASD’s exhibition space into a cinematic funhouse featuring short films by independent filmmakers from the San Diego and Tijuana region, as well as selected works from the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. The one-night-only exhibition alt.pictureshows is free to the general public with a $3 suggested donation.

Calendar of Events:
Idiosyncratic World of Artist Richard Reyes Revealed in Library Exhibition
The City of San Diego Public Library will present more than 30 graphite-on-paper drawings by San Diego artist Richard Reyes in “In Search of Neverland,” from July 18 to Aug. 28 at the Pacific Beach/Taylor Branch Library. To date this is the most comprehensive exhibition ever organized of the artist’s work. The public is invited to a reception for the artist on Sunday, July 24 from 1 to 4 p.m.

VAMOS AL CINE
Excéntrica simpleza
Tim Burton recrea un cuento para niños en “Charlie and the chocolate factory”
Por Jose Daniel Bort
Para poder entender la nueva versión de Tim Burton del clásico de Roald Dahl “Charlie and the chocolate factory” hay que revisar su antigua filmografía. Esta nueva película se puede leer como la conflagración de su estilo, la pieza más audaz, hermética y alucinante y quizá el riesgo más grande de toda su carrera.

Grandes Festividades para Celebrar un Aniversario más de la Casa de la Cultura de Tijuana
Por: Paco Zavala
En el marco de las celebraciones que se realizarán en el LXXV Aniversario de la Construcción del Edificio de la Ex-Escuela Alvaro Obregón, hoy, Casa de la Cultura de Tijuana, se han organizado una serie de eventos que inician el próximo sábado16 de Julio.

Remembranzas a Diez Años de la Partida del Compositor y Poeta Tijuanense Raúl Castillo
Por: Paco Zavala
Cuando se arriba a este mundo, se es bien recibido por la familia, lo cubren en un ambiente amoroso con abrazos, felicitaciones, besos y buenos deseos. Pero la vida depara para el recién llegado muchas sorpresas, algunas agradables, otras no tanto, pero la lucha comienza a darse, y así llega el enfrentamiento con la realidad.

Guerra’s Triumph Over Adversity Benefits Surf Dawgs
By John Philip Wyllie
In 2003, during his junior year at San Jose State USDHS alumnus Nick Guerra was faced with a double whammy. First, one of his closest friends unexpectedly passed away. Then, in the same week the promising star catcher blew out the elbow on his throwing arm. It was a lot to deal with for a 22-year old and at first Guerra didn’t handle it well.

U.S. Draws Costa Rica 0-0, Wins Gold Cup Group
FOXBORO, Mass. — The U.S. Men’s National Team closed out Group B play on Tuesday night in the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup with a tough 0-0 draw against regional rival Costa Rica at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., in front of 15,211. The shutout for the U.S. came behind yet another strong performance in goal from Kasey Keller, who now has an astonishing 12 shutouts in 18 all-time Gold Cup appearances.

Bullfight World
By Lyn Sherwood
Fabulous Afternoon in Tijuana
Mano-A-Mano
On Sunday, July the 10th, in “El Toreo De Tijuana,” aficionados were treated to one of those rare afternoons in which all of the toreros recorded big triumphs. It was the culmination of the week long celebration of the 116th birthday of the city of Tijuana.

Return to Archieves Page