Volume XXX Number 04 January 27, 2006

FrontPage Stories

Lowriding: changing with the times

Rigo Reyes, a local legend talks about the golden era and the future

By J.D. Hawk

A famous urban myth buzzed around work-place water coolers years ago about a speed-loving man in Arizona who somehow got hold of jet engine parts and successfully merged them with his car.

He broke the sound barrier, so the legend goes, but when he tried to slow, the unstoppable force of the speeding car the brakes melted away as it thrust into the side of an impenetrable object – a side of a cliff. The ungodly impact obliterated man and the car.

Group photo of AMIGOS CAR CLUB: From left to right: Ralph Palacios, Rigo Reyes, Tony Herrera, Loie Diaz, Ray Ulloa (white hat),Toby Martinez (light blue hat), Alex Cervantes, German Sandoval, Memo Magana, Toby Martinez Jr., Robert Carrillo (Tall man), Jaime Machorro, Paulino Gutierrez, Marcos Arellano, and Marcos Arellano Jr.

The legend has since been debunked. Yet the story epitomizes man’s fascination with cars and technology, and the insatiable desire to build something great.

But there’s also a local legend here in San Diego’s lowriding community. This legend’s name is Rigo Reyes. As the oldest active member of San Diego’s oldest active car club, the Amigos Car Club, he could probably tell you many fascinating stories of cars and car technology that are really true. At 48 years old, Reyes has been lowriding for over 30 years now – You could say he’s the last of the Low-hicans.

During the decades-long cruising time, he’s witnessed lowrider technology grow by leaps and bounds from when he belonged to his first car club, The Casinos, in the early 1970s.

“Man, back then, if you could hop a 12 oz can of Budweiser, you were really cool,” he said. “You could beat anyone.”

Reyes laughed as he recalled his youth because he knows that modern lowriders can now do things with their cars once undreamed of—things like hopping up to five feet off the ground and raising and lowering individual sections of the car and simply making the vehicle look like it’s convulsing or dancing.

For the full story please follow this link:



Evo Morales and the Roots of Revolution
By Roger Burbach
COCHABAMBA, Bolivia—The inauguration of Evo Morales as the first president of Bolivia of indigenous origins marks a watershed in the history of the Americas. The “caras,” whites and mestizos who have dominated Bolivia for centuries, are being replaced by an Indian who represents the country’s true majority.


Mexican migration investigator nominated for a Nobel peace prize
By Luis Alonso Pérez
The Mexican investigator Jorge Bustamante, an expert on Mexico – United States border issues, and a native of Tijuana, was recently nominated for a Nobel peace prize by members of the Mexican Congress, honoring more than thirty years of social research in this important subject, making him one of the most renowned experts and an important immigrant rights defender.


Investigador mexicano especialista en migración nominado a Premio Nóbel de la Paz
Por Luis Alonso Pérez
El investigador mexicano Jorge Bustamante, especialista en el tema de la migración México – Estados Unidos, fue recientemente nominado al Premio Nóbel de la Paz por miembros del Congreso mexicano, en honor a sus más de treinta años de trabajo de investigación social en este importante tema, que lo han llevado a convertirse en uno de los especialistas más destacado a nivel internacional y un importante defensor de los derechos humanos de los migrantes.



Stories

Humanitarian Aid Volunteers Face Possibility of Prison
By Kaira Espinoza
A trial that could set a precedent for volunteers who offer humanitarian aid to undocumented migrants has been postponed until after a federal judge in Tucson, AZ decides whether or not to dismiss the charges.


Mexico’s Important Presidential Campaign: Behind the Smiling Faces and Big Talk
By Michael Lettieri
Analysis
On January 19, Mexico’s five presidential hopefuls kicked off a six-month campaign for the country’s highest office. In both a regional and domestic context, the election carries tremendous significance. Some analysts have suggested that the early strength of populist candidate Andres Manuel López Obrador – Mexico’s contribution to the “pink tide” now sweeping the region – might make the July 2 vote a potential watershed event with hemispheric implications.


Velázquez considers challenging Baca in potential CHC race
By Josephine Hearn
The usually placid leadership elections within the all-Democratic Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) could be heating up this year as Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) considers a challenge to Rep. Joe Baca (D-Calif.) to become chair of the caucus in the next Congress.

Few blacks coaching in NFL, despite league pressure on owners
By LaRue Cook
WASHINGTON — Ten coaching vacancies, nine new faces, no new black coaches.


Ford Flops While Toyota Takes Off in Baja
US automaker Ford’s announcement this week of 14 plant closures and the lay-off of almost 25 percent of its North American workforce signalled further shifts in the global auto industry. While US communities in the Midwest struggled to cope with the bad news for their local economies, officials in Baja California celebrated good news on their end of the global auto assembly line. Joined in a press conference by Toyota executives Robert Reid and Jun Umemura, Baja California Governor Eugenio Elorduy Walther announced a new $37 million-dollar investment by Toyota in its El Gandul Tijuana assembly plant.


México del Norte
Por Jorge Mújica Murias
La justicia ciega
“La justicia es ciega”, reza el refrán popular, queriendo decir que la justicia no debe fijarse en la persona a la que se le aplica la ley, en sus posesiones o bienes materiales, en su riqueza o su pobreza.


LA COLUMNA VERTEBRAL
Por Karina Flores-Hurley
El Trabajo Ideal con el Gobierno Federal
Muchos de los profesionales Hispanos de hoy en día nos sentimos orgullosos de lo que hemos podido alcanzar a través de nuestras carreras: un trabajo estable y la oportunidad de seguir creciendo profesionalmente a través de nuestro esfuerzo diario.

¡Denuncie la explotación sexual infantil!
Una campaña binacional lucha por los derechos de los niños.
Por Pablo Jaime Sainz
En el poster se mira a un tiranosaurio rex tratando de hacerle daño a un pequeño dinosaurito.

Report child sexual abuse!
A binational campaign defends children’s rights.
By Pablo Jaime Sainz
On the poster you can see a T-rex trying to harm a young dinosaur.


Point of view:
How about a slipper Olympics?
By Al Carlos Hernandez
It seems to me that many of the competition reality shows on TV has ignored a significant part of the population. There should be a major network event leveling the playing field, helping ethnic urbanites acquire fame, fortune and even larger gold medallions.

First Person: What a blessing; La Despedida
Part Four
By Heriberto Escamilla
After breakfast, I helped Don Marcelino and Luciano load their luggage into the trunk of the blue Taurus. One of them, a huge black valise put up a noble fight but eventually resigned itself to the car’s cozy confines. It carried the artwork. Luciano, like many Huicholes produce beautiful yarn paintings and colorful beaded figurines. The paintings are simple pieces, brightly colored yarn attached to thin wooden panels. They invariably depict religious ceremonies, with the deer-mara’akame singing or performing rituals, hummingbirds, eagle feathers and jicuri (peyote) buttons. On the back of his panels, Luciano tells the reader about the ceremony or event. The figurines are carved in wood and covered with a veneer of wax into which the artists embeds tiny beads. They typically take the form of wolves, jaguars, deers and other sacred animals.


Estudiantes Exhortados a Solicitar Dinero para la Educación Superior
Talleres de la Ayuda Financiera en San Diego Ofrecen Apoyo para Estudiantes y Padres
Estudiantes y sus familiares pueden recibir ayuda GRATUITA en llenar las solicitudes de la ayuda financiera en los talleres Cash for College de San Diego. Los talleres comienzan en todo el área de San Diego el 28 de enero y el lanzamiento del primer Cash for College San Diego será celebrado en el Centro Scottish Rite a las 9 de la mañana hasta las 12 del medio día.


Don Diego Scholarship Applications from Del Mar Fairgrounds Now Available
Applications for the annual Don Diego Scholarships are now available! The scholarships are made possible through the Don Diego Fund, a non-profit corporation established in 1986 at Del Mar Fairgrounds to honor outstanding high school seniors who participate in the activities and events at Del Mar Fairgrounds.


2006 Ford Motor Company CHLI Leadership Program
Eight college students will be selected to participate in the 2006 Ford Motor Company CHLI Leadership program. Participants will travel to Washington, D.C. to take part in a six-week internship program consisting of professional leadership development workshops while learning about local and state government, federal government, national advocacy organizations, and policy development. Interns will have the opportunity to interact with appointed and elected officials, as well as other community members and leaders from across the country.

State Tax Filing Season Kicks Off
More taxpayers will qualify to e-file state tax returns and efforts have been stepped up to make the tax system more fair in 2006, according to the franchise Tax Board (FTB).


Editorials

Editorial:
National City in a Financial Crises
National City is in a financial crises and the city leaders are desperately wringing their hands trying to figure out what and where they can cut to make up for the $7 million dollars they are not getting from an increase in the sales tax that was recently rejected by the voters of National City.


Commentary:
What a difference a year makes
by Fabian Núñez, California Assembly Speaker  
The budget that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled last week represents a radical departure from his proposal a year earlier. Out: slights to the state’s public employees and the shelving of transportation projects. In: a warm embrace of the Democratic legislative agenda.


The Public Forum . . . El Foro Publico
Eminent Domain Not Welcome in the South Bay
Despite overwhelming public opposition to the use of eminent domain to transfer private property from one property owner to another private property owner, and citizen sponsored ballot measures in both National City and Chula Vista designed to curb this power, city officials in neither city are willingly giving up their power to use eminent domain as they see fit.


TEZOZOMOC SPEAKS
Ben Hueso called El Jefito of La Prensa last week, seems he is in need of office staff. Seems he didn’t want to keep any of the Inzunza gang around! Can you blame him???


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

Bajito y Suavecito…….Lowriders of Southern California
The San Diego Automotive Museum presents “Bajito y Suavecito…..Lowriders of Southern California” from January 27th through March 27th 2005 in Balboa Park.


Entrevista:
Convoca y Prepara Eventos para el Año 2006 el Ballet Folclórico “Ticuán”
Por: Paco Zavala
Lo digo y lo repito, Tijuana, es una ciudad rica en cultura y con artistas de gran calidad en todos los géneros del arte, es una ciudad que no olvida que fue fundada primordialmente por inmigrantes de todo el país y de diversos entornos del mundo y que cada cual ha traído consigo los razgos de la cultura de su orígen, el mexicanismo está muy arraigado en sus tradiciones y costumbres y estas se manifiestan en todas sus acciones.


Reseña:
Nuevas Ediciones Bibliográficas
Por: Paco Zavala
“Usted es más inteligente de lo que cree”, un libro escrito por Tony Buzan, escritor, cuyos libros son publicados en más de 30 idiomas. En este libro se expone que el hombre posee 10 super inteligencias, entre las que se encuentran clasificadas la inteligencia creativa, la social, la física y la sexual. En esta edición se demuestra como se es más brillante en todos los aspectos, poniendo en práctica ejercicios y técnicas fáciles y sencillas de practicar y obtener excelentes resultados. Encontrará la clave para su bienestar, en forma completa y vital. Entérese que existen diez formas de despertar su genio natural, descúbralas, conózcalas y aplíquelas. Un libro sensacional. Es una edición de Urano Publishing con ISBN: 84-7953-560-1, en un texto de 224 páginas.


Un programa de música para bilingües
“Mex 2 the Max,” que toca videos y entrevistas de música regional mexicana, inició transmisiones en KUSI este mes.
Por Pablo Jaime Sainz
Aunque a simple vista no pareciera, Patricia López conoce muy bien el genero de la música regional mexicana.


A music show for bilinguals
“Mex 2 the Max,” which includes Mexican regional music videos and interviews, began airing on KUSI this month.
By Pablo Jaime Sainz
Even though at first sight it doesn’t seem like it, Patricia Lopez knows Mexican regional music to its core.


VAMOS AL CINE
El poder del tesón
Ocho años le tomó a Wilmer Calderón forjar una carrera en Hollywood. Ahora nadie puede evitar su ascenso a las ligas mayores
Por Jose Daniel Bort
Nada puede ejemplificar el dicho: “Dios aprieta pero no ahorca”, que lo que le pasó a Wilmer Calderón hace dos años. En el punto de rompimiento de su agotamiento físico, su jefe en el restaurante donde había trabajado como mesonero durante cuatro años le dijo que ya estaba cansado de sus continuas faltas para ensayar en el teatro y para ir a audiciones de cine y TV, y que lo iba a despedir. Esa misma semana, y en medio de lidiar con las cuentas por pagar ese mes, Wilmer recibió la llamada telefónica que tanto había esperado.


U.S. MNT Opens 2006 Schedule with 0-0 Draw vs. Canada
The U.S. Men’s National Team opened up their 2006 campaign with a tough 0-0 draw against Canada on Sunday evening at Torero Stadium on the University of San Diego campus.


Decision Time for Eastlake’s Ortega
By John Philip Wyllie
Decisions, decisions. That is what talented Eastlake High School football and soccer star Daniel Ortega will be facing in the next few months. His performance on the field and in the classroom has given him many options. Now he must consider each one carefully and decide which path to follow.


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