Volume XXVI Number 37 September 13, 2002

FrontPage Stories

Hispanic Heritage Month: Sept 15 - Oct. 15

Mexico and the U.S.A. Entwined by History and Fate

By Daniel Muñoz

Mexico is a nation where the past plays a prominent role in shaping its present day development. Mexico is often seen as a bewildering country that is hard to understand by Norte Americanos. Its past differs from that of the U.S. in many aspects but is yet inseparably intertwined.

When “discovered” in 1519, by the Spanish Conquistadores, Mexico was already a home to an estimated 10 million native inhabitants living in a highly organized society, with a well defined culture and with a large body of knowledge accumulated over the past 50,000 years. It was a disciplined, organized society with a form of government that adhered to its own disciplines.

Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, el Padre de la Patria.

They could not be completely conquered or ignored. They became the foundation upon which the Spanish conquerors built their colonial empire. In the process they created a Mestizo race that survives to this day. It not only exists but rules Mexico.

For the past 154 years Mexico has been overshadowed by its neighbor to the north. The relationship has wavered between blatant intervention, to total ignorance, to a growing sense of interdependence. Nowhere in the world do two countries of such distinction share such a common border. Proximity to the U.S. by Mexico has generated a peculiar acculturation on both sides of the border. Extensive “cultural borrowing,” has occurred. An example is the prevalence of a bilingualism that is neither English nor Spanish but a hybrid with its own sense and meaning. From the beginning of the “contacto” between North and South America the cultures of both countries have became entwined and created its own particular ethos. Mexico has become an integral part of the United States and North America has become an integral part of Mexico creating a rich ethnic diversity to an otherwise bland European and Mestizo society. We can no longer exist without each other.

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Candidate 79th Assembly District
Youthful Libertarian Wants Vargas Out of Office
 By Daniel L. Muñoz
 Joshua Castro is a 24-year-old, single, Mexican American. A member of St Charles Catholic Church and admirer of Sister Theresa, he is eager to bring change to the scandal filled political system by removing one member - Juan Vargas, from the 79th Assembly District seat.

No ‘Morals’ — With Iraq, U.S. Has Never Held High Ground
 By Larry Everest
National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice recently told the BBC, “There is a very powerful moral case for regime change” in Iraq. On Thursday at the United Nations, President Bush made a similar case for an attack on Iraq, calling liberty for Iraqis a “great moral cause” and justifying a regime change on the grounds that “Saddam Hussein attacked Iran in 1980” and “gassed many Iranians and 40 Iraqi villages.”

Latin Grammy’s Hide the Big, Uncool Truth
 By Gustavo Arellano
HOLLYWOOD — While singer Gloria Estefan and actor Jimmy Smits welcome the world to the Latin Grammy awards here, what’s hottest with Latinos themselves will remain unknown to most Americans.

Stories

Fiesta del Barrio Carlsbad
A Celebration of the History and Culture of Barrio Carlsbad
 In the early 1900’s, Mexican pioneers came to Carlsbad to start a new life. They created their own neighborhood, Barrio Carlsbad. Barrio is the beautiful Spanish word meaning “neighborhood.” The pioneers of this neighborhood and their descendants have made considerable contributions to Carlsbad’s commercial and cultural growth. Descendants of these pioneers still live and work in the area on properties that have remained in the same families for generations.

Hispanic Hertiage Month Calendar of Events:
 “El Festival del Grito”
 Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation celebrates tradition beyond the border this Sunday with the 4th annual “El Festival del Grito,” taking place September 15 at the Coors Amphitheater in Chula Vista!

A&E Television Networks Celebra el Mes de la Herencia Hispana
 Con el fin de contribuir a la celebración de la rica herencia cultural del pueblo hispano en América, los canales de TV A&E, The History Channel, The Biography Channel y History International se han unido para presentar conjuntamente 40 horas de programación sobre temas latinos.

Antropólogo de UCR Recibe Prestigioso Premio Internacional por Investigaciones Acerca de la Migración Latina
 RIVERSIDE — El antropólogo Carlos Vélez-Ibáñez fue seleccionado ganador del premio 2003 Bronislaw Malinowski que otorga anualmente la Sociedad de Antropología Aplicada, en base a su labor investigativa y esfuerzos para mejorar las condiciones de vida de las comunidades latinas en Estados Unidos.

Former Teachers’s Assistant Takes the Helm in the Classroom
 In a state where 300,000 new teachers will be needed over the next decade, para-educators (individuals who work in the classroom assisting teachers while earning their credentials) make ideal teacher candidates themselves.

Antiguo Asistente de Maestro Ahora Guía su Propia Clase
 En un estado donde hay una carencia de 300,000 maestros nuevos para la siguiente década, los paraeducadores (personas que trabajan en una clase ayudando a los maestros mientras obtienen sus credenciales) representan indudablemente los mejores candidatos para maestro.

California Sees First Case of West Nile Virus
 Local health officials on alert; residents encouraged to take precautions
The West Nile virus still has not been detected in the San Diego area, however state health officials announced today that there is a probable case of the virus in Los Angeles County.

La Directora del Departamento de Salud Anuncia la Probabilidad del Primer Caso del Virus del Nilo Occidental en California
 SACRAMENTO — La directora estatal de salud Diana M. Bontá, R.N., Dr.P.H., anunció hoy que se está investigando un posible caso del llamado virus del Nilo Occidental en una mujer en el condado de Los Angeles en California. Si este caso se confirma, este puede ser el primer caso detectado en California. La mujer se ha recuperado y ha reasumido completamente sus actividades normales.

LA COLUMNA VERTEBRAL
Por Elbio Rodriguez Barilari
La cumbre de las frustraciones
La Cumbre Mundial sobre desarrollo sostenible, que acaba de terminar en Johannesburgo, Sudáfrica, marca un capítulo más en la escala de frustraciones que vive el mundo.

Community Notes:
 Arts Funding Workshops Presented by Carlsbad Cultural Arts Office
The City of Carlsbad Cultural Arts Office will hold a series of workshops in September on how to qualify for arts funding by the city. The annual Community Arts Grants Program awards funds for projects taking place in Carlsbad. Not-for-profit organizations, schools and school-related organizations and individual artists in partnership with community groups may apply. Funding for the Grants Program amounts to $19,000 for the year 2003.

Editorials
Editorial
Reflection on Sept. 11, 2002
 The deliberate crashing of two passenger airliners into the top floors of the World Trade Center Twin Towers was a traumatic event for millions of Americans, who saw the event unfold before their eyes on Sept.11, 2001. The instant and constant re-showing of the deadly incident re-traumatized them.

Commentary
A School System Barren of Love is What We Really Want for Our Children?
 by Ernie McCray
I turned my TV to Channel 16 the other night just in time to catch Ed Lopez, the board of education’s vice-president, bragging about the district’s improved test scores.

Commentary
In the States: Football and the Local Business Community
 by Raymond J. Keating
Some will paint their faces and shout warlike screams. Others will don the jerseys of their favorite teams. Money will be waged in office pools. The National Football League (NFL) 2002 season is upon us.

Zasueta Saga Continues...
 Memorandum of Accusations against Superintendent President Serafin Zasueta
 Jim Bachman, President Chapter 524 CSEA at Southwestern College on the 2nd of September 2002, made the following comments.

Political Notes:
 Congressman Filner Seeks City Ethics Investigation into Plans for San Ysidro Library
On August 30, 2002 Congressman Bob Filner submitted a formal request that the San Diego City Ethics Commission investigate the application for state funding of the San Ysidro Library.

Tezozomoc Speaks
 Que vida loca! Que pasa con Phil Lopez, a part time instructor, and a loose cannon from the SCEA Teachers UNION? This guy has the nerve to question Dr, Zasueta’s salary who puts in 10-12 hours daily, working for the betterment of the students. Meanwhile el maestro Lopez, only teaches 3 hours per week (His class: Career and Life) and is paid $75,676 in base salary plus $5,200 in Health Welfare benefits, in addition to $2,000 in retirement contributions. This adds up to $82,876 dollars that Southwestern College pays him per year! Not bad for a guy with only a masters degree and who hasn’t attended a college in the last 15 years!

The Public Forum ... El Foro Publico
 ¡Qvole raza at la Prensa!
Am drinking a little tequilita from Penjamo, Guanajuato that I received in kind by my uncle who lives in Chula Juana during a sojourn paid to my old backyard backs in May. Then, I remember being stopped at the airport at Chicago O’Hare ‘cause the migra couldn’t believe seeing a raza boy bearing a Swedish passaport.

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

Frida, A Biography of Frida Kahlo.
 Por Claudia Hernandez.
 El Universo gira gracias al sonido pretexto, el cual nos permite mantener el movimiento generador de vida. Todo nuestro alrededor se pinta, se dice y se escribe por un pretexto. Y ¿cuál es éste?. Pues todos y cualquiera y al final el mismo: Tú.

Mexico: Magia y color
 As surrealistic as Frida Kahlo’s art, Mexico’s spirit came to life at Ballet Folklórico del Pacifico’s performance
By Rosalba Ruiz
It was a Mexican fiesta, a celebration where the spirit of our southern neighbor arose and joyfully danced around the full-to-capacity Ford Amphitheatre of Hollywood. The Ballet Folkórico del Pacífico embodied that spirit, allowing it to reveal some of its truest nuances.

Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández to Perform in Escondido
 ESCONDIDO - Direct from the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City, the “Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández” returns to the United States to celebrate its 50th Anniversary with a 22-city tour that will include a performance at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido on Thursday, September 19.

SDMA Presenta Innovadora Exposición de Arte Contemporáneo Mexicano
 Axis México: Objetos comunes y acciones cosmopolitas Septiembre 14, 2002 a marzo 9, 2003
Este otoño, el San Diego Museum of Art presenta una innovadora exposición colectiva de artistas contemporáneos mexicanos quienes se encuentran en la intersección de las tendencias artísticas globales y el entorno nacional actual. Intitulada Axis México: Objetos comunes y acciones cosmopolitas, y como tal, presenta algunas de las nuevas tendencias que emergen del ámbito artístico mexicano. La exposición se organizó por el San Diego Museum of Art, curada por Betti-Sue Hertz, Curadora de Arte Contemporáneo del museo, y con el apoyo de The Rockefeller Foundation y The Andy Warhol Foundation.

Sundance Channel Reprises “Arte Latino”
 Sundance Channel returns to the world of Latin American cinema with its Arte Latino FilmFest from September 15 to 22, 2002. The third edition of Arte Latino™ finds Latin American cinema hotter than ever, with an ever-increasing number of lively, entertaining films finding appreciative audiences worldwide. This year’s series brings viewers the television premiere of eight recent feature films and eleven short films from all over Latin America, with works from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Cuba and Venezuela. In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, Arte Latino™ kicks off on September 15th with Marcelo Piñeyro’s film Burn Money at 9:00pm ET/PT.

Music Review:
Macuilxochitl's Kiva
 By Francisco H. Ciriza
Saul Hernandez’s plan to fight the same intolerance plaguing so much of today’s world takes quite a different shape compared to the approaches of world leaders. The leader of Mexico City’s Jaguares, arguably one the world’s most important rock bands, has decided to take up instruments, not of war, but rather of the musical type in order to begin a campaign toward mutual respect and solidarity among American music fans.

Thursday Night Thing - TNT
 by Raymond R. Beltran
 ‘Electronica’ music beat down from the ceiling at Tania Candiana’s “El Gorda Show”. As I sat in a stuffed vinyl, three-layered circular couch titled “Lonjas,” the walls were furnished with images of grotesque truth about human repulsion, and counter imaged with the beauty of pleasure and acceptance. People sat or stood in amazement at the painting of a woman crouched over, regurgitating the disgust she has for her body, while others enjoyed another image of immense satisfaction of a woman sculpting her next meal with clenched fingers.

“Alter Ego” extraordinario Cuarteto de voces que proviene de Cuba
 Por: Paco Zavala
 Alter Ego (en latín “Otro yo”), es un grupo de artistas vocalistas compuesto por cuatro miembros Lizet, Pedro, Maykel y Jesús originarios de la bella isla de Cuba.

Mosaico de Actividades Culturales en Tijuana
 Por Paco Zavala
Si le gusta a Ud. el sonido que proyectan los tambores, la batería, los bongos, las congas, y todos estos espectaculares instrumentos, anímese a participar en el mejor y más completo curso de percusiones africanas, este curso ya inició pero aún está a tiempo de inscribirse. Este curso se desarrolla en un año y lo imparte el Profr. Rodrigo Vázquez. Informes al (664) 686-4156 o al www.PLANETABAJA.COM/ICN.

Calendar of Events . . .
 The Man-In-Law
The critically acclaimed comedy-tragedy play that has played to sold out audiences in Guyana, South America. The Man-In-Law has a universal theme of the complexities of love, marriage, power and the consequences of infidelity will be playing to San Diego audiences September 13-15 at Spreckles Theater, 121 Broadway, Downtown San Diego. Tickets $25.00-$30.00. Call (619) 220-TIXS group and student discount of $5 off. Groups of 10 call (619) 687-1242.

La Aclamada Película Corazones Rotos Tendrá su Estreno en San Diego
 Media Arts Center San Diego se enorgullece en anunciar el siguiente fascículo de su Cuarto Evento Anual de Cine Mexicano: Serie de Películas Mexicanas 2002. La serie de este año continua con el estreno en San Diego de la altamente aclamada película Mexicana Corazones Rotos.

Ortiz Makes Most of Aztec Opportunity
 By John Philip Wyllie
Of the more than 100 players on the San Diego State Aztec football roster, only 20 are local products. Of those, just a few have Hispanic heritage. Former Horizon standout and current Aztec wide receiver Robert Ortiz is one of them.

Bullfight World
By Lyn Sherwood
El Calesero Dies in Mexico
 The legendary “poet of the cape,” Alfonso Ramirez “El Calesero,” died, last Sunday, in Mexico City, at 88 years of age. The matador, who was once gored seven times by one bull, and whose story was published in Reader’s Digest as “Mexico’s Mild Mannered Matador,” was born in Aguascalientes on Aug. 11, 1916.

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