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Volume XXVII Number 29 July 18, 2003

FrontPage Stories

In a Time of War, There is Elena

By Raymond R. Beltran

“The performance is the outcome of reality!” is what theater director William Virchis bawls out to the actors who are fitted in swinging 1940s zoot suits. “Find a goal for yourself tonight, and go for it! I want to see you bright and focused,” he continues, while the lights dimmer, the semantics become jazzy, and it’s the summer of 1943 all over again. At least, maybe it is on stage ... or maybe not. Wartime craze and youthful rebelliousness aren’t confined to the history books. And the racism flooding the streets, the people’s needs to grasp onto culture, and the hope for a peaceful future aren’t ancient ideas encapsulated in legends told from zoot suit veteranos either. This could be the “performance coming out of the reality.”

Danny Valdez (left) and Bill Virchis

Currently, this reality-driven performance is due to Sweetwater High School’s Department of Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) working on it’s premiere, bare bones production of Charles and Luis Aragon’s play Elena. The play is directed by theater veteran William Virchis, and is starring a cast of culturally and professionally diverse actors from Mexico City’s Alejandra de Maria y Campos (The Little Mermaid, and various plays in Mexico) to Teatro Campesino’s Daniel Valdez (Zoot Suit, La Bamba).

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Bush Visit Ends, Africa’s Ills Remain
 By Earl Ofari Hutchinson
 Africa was in big trouble before President Bush’s recent five-day trip to the continent, and of course it still is now. But Bush could have done more. A few platitudes about the crime of slavery, the devastation of AIDS and other diseases, doublespeak on a possible U.S. peacekeeping force in Liberia and the saber-rattle of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe did nothing to point the way toward solutions to Africa’s colossal problems.

Legislation Introduced to Improve Relations with Mexico and Keep America Safer
 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Working to make the country’s borders more secure and improve critical foreign relationships, Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) introduced legislation last week that would help address Mexico’s rural economic crisis. The legislation passed the Senate with bipartisan support soon after it was introduced.

ADIOS A LA GUARACHERA DE AMERICA CELIA CRUZ
 1924 - 2003
La cantante cubana Celia Cruz falleció hoy a los 78 años en su hogar en Nueva Jersey, informó su portavoz, Blanca Lasalle.

Stories

Congress Looks To Narrow The Digital Divide, But Bush Administration Balks
 Capitol Hill is looking to help shrink the so-called digital divide by considering legislation aimed at bolstering the computing and networking infrastructure available at colleges and universities that traditionally serve minority populations. But the National Science Foundation (NSF), which would administer the program formed by the bill, opposes the proposal.

La Casa de la Lengua de la Lluvia
 Esfuerzos por lograr que el idioma mixteco pueda escribirse
Por Eduardo Stanley
FRESNO – Durante la conquista, los españoles usurparon las tierras y la religión de los indígenas y también intentaron destruir sus idiomas para consolidar el dominio‹además de convertirlos en parte de un sistema de explotación sin paralelo en la historia. Pero la mayoría de los idiomas indígenas, como el mixteco, sobrevivieron.

La Prensa Persa
In The Name of Peace: From Cycling to Running!
 By Kathy Hadizadeh
 It is almost a year since the U.S. started practicing new rules for U.S. borders especially the US/Mexican border. Those days before Sep.11 and even a few months afterwards you could cross the border just by showing your California ID/Driver license. Nowadays things are way different.

De lo invisible a lo opaco
 Por Yhamel Catacora
Ya no es ningún secreto, el censo de los Estados Unidos ha vertido la oficialidad de nuestras cifras, los hispanos, latinos o como guste llamarnos, somos el increíble Hulk demográfico; somos la minoría más numerosa, la más colorida, la más propensa a convertirse en el centro de atención.

LA COLUMNA VERTEBRAL
Por Diego Alvarez
Del Riesgo a la Oportunidad
No es nuevo para nadie el hecho de que la educación entre los hispanos siempre ha sido motivo de debate y de discordia. Lo que sí es nuevo es que ahora más que nunca se necesita que los hispanos reaccionemos ante hechos que cada vez son más preocupantes.

Breast Health Outreach and Education Targets Under-Served Population
 Mujeres en Accion/Women in Action (WIA)-Scripps Breast Health Outreach and Education Program, in collaboration with the Scripps Otay Family Health Center and Operation Samahan Clinic, is working to educate and increases access to care for women on the importance of clinical breast exams and mammograms through outreach efforts and public awareness campaigns.

Lower your Cholesterol and get paid!
 Heart disease - the number-one killer of Americans
By Susan Haine
Drugs such as Pravachol and Zocor have been proven to help Americans lower their cholesterol, decreasing their chances of developing cardiovascular disease.

Editorials

Editorial:
Chicano Community Insulted
 With the tacit approval of Captain Craig Short as acting Police Chief for the city of National City, the city council insulted the Chicano/Hispanic community.

Analisis
 Lecciones de las Elecciones
 Por Jorge Santibáñez Romellón
Concluido el proceso electoral del pasado 6 de julio y más allá del análisis de los resultados que decenas de analistas hacen y seguirán realizando a lo largo y ancho del país, quisiera retomar algunas cuestiones relacionadas con las características del proceso en sí mismo y no en función de los ganadores o perdedores.

Commentary
 Two bills affecting the border - Two very different results
 Hunter and Domenici bills illustrate Congress’ bipolar approach to border affairs.
By Garrick Taylor
Bipolar disorder is a medical condition that causes extreme mood changes that alternate between episodes of deep depression and extreme happiness. That condition’s political equivalent, Bipolar Border Disorder, is a condition in which two Members of Congress from the same political party can introduce legislation affecting U.S. borders wherein one bill can induce fits of happiness, while the other induces great sadness.

Commentary
 Child Tax Credit Unjustly Leaves 4 Million Latino Children Behind
 By Deena Lahn
Later this month, millions of parents will receive a check from the federal government as child tax credit checks are mailed out. Approximately 2.8 million Californians will have a little “extra” money to spend - a cash advance, if you will, on next year’s tax return. If all goes as the Bush Administration hopes, spending these checks will help fuel the nation’s spiraling economy.

Commentary
 It’s Not The Fault of Proposition 13
 by Richard Rider
For 25 years, one of the most enduring canards is that “Prop 13 gutted local California governments.” Every imaginable failing by local government has, at one point or another, been blamed on Prop. 13.

Commentary
 Fiscal neglect consuming VA health-care system
 By Ronald F. Conley
It is my duty as a leader of America’s military veterans to share a vivid portrait of the nation’s Dept. of Veterans Affairs health-care, a paragon of quality in so many ways, but which is being consumed by fiscal neglect. I’ve presented this information to those who have the power to change it. Now I want to bring this situation to the attention of all Americans who may be largely unaware a problem even exists.

TEZOZOMOC SPEAKS
 Holly Molly: Elections are here, how can you tell? Los Republicanos y Democratos are trying to out Hispanic each other. Every day este Indio receiving smoke signals from each party saying how good they are for Hispanics and how bad the other party is. Man enough smoke already – how about a little action and let the people decide.

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

Con ganas de arrancar
La nueva comedia española se queda en el 0 del kilometro.
 Por Jose Daniel Bort
Las buenas comedias españolas se cuentan entre las mejores hechas en el cine. El humor ibérico traspasa fronteras, lenguajes y convenciones, dando lecciones en sus posibilidades cinematográficas. Desde Buñuel hasta Almodóvar, las comedias son las seguras herederas de la época de Oro del teatro español, donde el lenguaje alcanza el nivel Shakesperiano, moliéresco o Goldoniano. Y benditos los oídos que entienden las minucias del español, ya que las cadencias del lenguaje dan lugar a un sin fin de permutaciones de la imaginación.

Películas de esta semana
 Por Jose Daniel Bort
Bad boys II: regresa la segunda parte del hit sorpresa de 1995, que embarco las carreras de Will Smith como galán de acción, Martin Lawrence como contrapartida y Michael Bay como director de vehículos gigantescos de masas (lease: The Rock, Armagedón, Pearl Harbor).

Ring of fire:
Omnimax re-released classic volcanic tale
 By Mariana Martinez
The smoke starts up in a thin, harmless line and quickly turns into a nasty cloud of ashes that fills the sky with grey. Then, the flowing lava comes as a joyful fountain that sizzles down the edge of a mountain, killing all with its golden magma touch and moving towards the rims of the earth. It falls into the sea, evaporating the waves and creating a new land with a god-like splash: the youngest land of them all was build by fire.

La Guelaguetza en Tijuana
 Por: Paco Zavala
El Centro Cultural Tijuana se viste de gala al presentar el próximo lunes 21 de julio, una de las celebraciones más tradicionales y de arraigo en la población zapoteca del estado de Oaxaca, “La Guelaguetza” Este evento se verificará en la Sala de Espectáculos a las 8:00 pm.

MACUILXOCHITL KIVA
 Jumbo
Teleparque
The band’s third release on BMG is another major step forward for the quintet from Monterrey, Mexico. The power-pop, rock heavy sound is full and mature sounding. Listening to the group’s previous efforts, Restaurant and D.D. Y Ponle Play individually does not give one the sense that either presents much room for improvement, but a listen to Teleparque provides one with a sense that this group has honed its skills to a high level of achievement.

Mosaico de Actividades Culturales en Tijuana
 Por: Paco Zavala
Tijuana celebró un año más de haber sido fundada, fueron diversos los eventos que se realizaron con este motivo. Ya se acercan los festejos patrios, prepárese para asistir a estas celebraciones con su familia y amigos.

Gane $1,000 en el Concurso Nacional del Cartel del Festival de la Hispanidad
 El festival de la Hispanidad invita a artistas, amateurs o profesionales, a participar en el Concurso Anual del Cartel Conmemorativo. El cartel ganador será utilizado para la promoción local, nacional e internacional del Festival de la Hispanidad celebrado en Miami, Florida. Desde hace catorce años el concurso tiene una proyección nacional, habiéndose recibido el año pasado más de 100 obras de artistas de todas los Estados Unidos.

Ricardo Mayorga: Bring On The Champions
 By Fiona Manning
Nicaraguan superstar Ricardo “EL Matador” Mayorga retained his WBA/WBC welterweight championships in a definitive 12 round majority decision over former WBC champion Vernon “The Viper” Forrest on Saturday night.

The U.S. Postal Team Ready to Usher Armstrong to his Fifth Straight Tour Championship
 By James Raia
As Lance Armstrong rode to his fourth straight Tour de France title last year, the French sports newspaper L’Equipe dubbed the U.S. Postal Service team “Le Train Bleu.”

Bullfight World
By Lyn Sherwood
BIG TRIUMPH FOR RAFAEL ORTEGA IN TIJUANA
Some 8,000 fans turned out, July 13, in Plaza El Toreo de Tijuana to see a good herd of Begoña bulls presented for Matadores Eulalio López “El Zotoluco”, Rafael Ortega, and José Maria Luevano. Following the entrance of the toreros into the arena, a brief ceremony was conducted by Jimme Petrich, of the club Los Aficionados de Los Angeles, who honored our national treasure, author/artist Barnaby Conrad.

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