Friday, July 24, 2009

Mayor's school: A Spanish-only program in a Watts elementary school reported.

There is a summer program reported in the Wave local newspaper that John Ritter Elementary School in Watts, one of the Mayor's group of 10 schools that he's taken to improve, has a program of instruction conducted in Spanish exclusively. "The Bottom Line: At this summer session in Watts, Black students need not apply," By BETTY PLEASANT, Contributing Editor, Story Published: Jul 8, 2009.
http://www.wavenewspapers.com/opinion/50316762.html

The story mentions the fact that the local parents of Black children are left out and the teachers that do not speak Spanish were also left out of the picture. The idea of education to improve performance, to all of what I have seen over time, needs first to develop some competency in the English language to open the doors to the rest of achievement. This is not what they have in mind here at this school.

The Black parents say their children also need to be helped and it's pretty plain that they are not part of the scheme. Since the story was written, there has been a rebuttal, printed in the Wave, that defends the program. "Article is misleading on school’s summer program." Story Published: Jul 17, 2009, by a letter from Angela Bass, Superintendent of Instruction, Partnership for Los Angeles Schools.
http://www.wavenewspapers.com/opinion/letters/51044412.html

The Mayor's involvement in the Parnership plan has appeared to be very slight, as a personal matter, and it's been heavy on delegation of authority. The enthusiasm for this takeover by the Mayor has ebbed over the many months and much of the early support by teachers, especially reported at Roosevelt High, has changed to disillusionment and frustruation, with no progress seen by these teachers. Part of the complaints there were that they were not included in what has been going on. "Roosevelt High teachers give the Education Mayor a failing grade," by Steve Lopez, May 20, 2009. http://articles.latimes.com/2009/may/20/local/me-lopez20

Well, you can read the stories and consider that the idea of "dual immersioin" in language reall amounts to "no immersion" in anything. The idea of learning language by "immersion" is a concept that is completely impossible in Los Angeles, and here's why: First, to be "immersed" you have to be completely surrounded by all communitcation done in the single language, which would be English, for example. The use of Spanish would not and really "could not" be done at all in classes or anything in the hypothetical school program if this were to be the true approach applied. This forces the actual use of the second language for the practical funciton of communicating and then result is an acquisition of that language skill, slowly but surely.

This is something possible where, for example, you travel to another country and find no one uses English, forcing some quick study of the necessary words and phrases to get along with your basic needs. Effectively, you have no choice, and the "immersion"part similarly forces you to sink or swim in that language.

Contrast that with life in Los Angeles where you don't have to venture far to find someone who speaks Spanish and English with at least a functional level to allow the language gap to be bridged. The student in an English immersion program would not be able to experience "forced" use of English since there are so many around to provide "help" with the English-Spanish communication difficulties, even unintentionally, thereby reducing the "discomfort" level of the situation, but also eliminating the effectiveness of the concept.

So "dual immersion" can be the reality with a source present for either language to assist, but the function of the "immersion" in a single language is entirely lost as a tool to achieve the potential possible in the language area.

And if you have doubts, consider that where there is a crutch to use in the language situation, or really, in any area where help is welcomed, you will use it. But with some things, the "learning" is enhanced in this style, yet in language, for a real push to learn, it's something different that does benefit from "toughing out" the communication obstacles and arriving at the answers that way. It's not the only way, but just a very intense style that can produce large gains.

If you notice, people who use others to help get around the language barrier will really reduce the rate of acquisition of skills in the second language. The other part that you might consider is that if your source of instruction has weak grammar, you will pick up that, too, but that's no different than what we learn from others in a single language environment.

Read the stories and remember that the rebuttal comes from somebody who is in the business of justifying their existence and since there's a very heavy connection to politics (as if the role of the spokesperson is not political all by itself), you have to realize that truth and honesty are not the primary goals, and survival and perpetuation of their jobs might be a reason for the comments you will see.

As a more cynical and pragmatic observation, you have to consider that parents often treat school as a form of day-care to account for some of their children's activity while they go to work, and some parents would have to find alternate means of child care for their children for the time there is no school, regardless of whether they speak English, Spanish, or both. But that's not the primary concern here, so let's move on.

And let's see, just whose program is this all about? Oh, that would be Antonio Villaraigosa, the "all-about me" mayor.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

LHS Alumni Summer Picnic this Saturday

The Lincoln High Alumni Association will be hosting the Summer Picnic for 2009 this Saturday at Schabarum Regional Park in Rowland Heights MAP

All Alumni and friends invited, see Flyer and come on over. The time is from Noon to 6 pm (but printed as "5pm".

Hope to see you there.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Will the MTA bend to pressure to give AnsaldoBreda the contract?

"MTA chief recommends against Italian firm's rail cars; Agency staffers report that the cars being built by AnsaldoBreda under an existing contract are too heavy and years behind schedule." L.A. Times story by Maeve Reston, July 21, 2009. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-rail-car21-2009jul21,0,7988438.story

The Italian company, AnsaldoBreda, is favored by the mayor and the union really wants the Italian firm to get the deal, even though it may not be the best deal for the city's money and future. A $300 million expense for 100 light rail cars to be built would really have to be considered in light of the past performance of AnsaldoBreda, and it's not been making the grade.

The idea of a company making jobs, regardless of whether the expectations may be accurate, is all that matters to the union and to many on the City Council, too. Just claiming membership on the Council does not ensure that the best for the City's interest will be done by them. There's been plenty of goofs in the past. And by "goofs," I mean mistakes and bad choices, and not a characterization of the members of City Council, thought it may be fitting. It may be that the costs may not be a good deal, but when you deal with unions, that's not their concern, only that there's jobs present to use by, or to produce, union membership. That's their business. The welfare of the city and it's limited finances are not best left to be judged by any union.

There's even less credibility with politicians. They just want to be re-elected and keep running for offices so what ever gets them the most votes is their baby. With some, when the City Council is involved, you just mention jobs and you've got Ed Reyes and Bill Rosendahl already moving to your side. Now whether there's any jobs with futures of any sort attached to them can be an entirely different matter, and usually the details seem to me to be treated too lightly by the decision makers. Pitching "jobs" with any project is a good move that is a good way to get results to go your way, and you bet that that's always something that is tried to be woven in for the best reception.

Well, we will see if there's any integrity there or if the pressures that the special interests and assorted lobbyists used will get this deal to look good enough to vote for, even if it's just wishful thinking or - and this could be what it is- if it's really just a plain, out and out, bad deal for the city that puts money into important pockets.

Monday, July 20, 2009

City Council's Tuesday Meeting to address City expenditures connnected with Michael Jackson's Memorial event at Staples Center

City Council had put off all the matters for the Michael Jackson Memorial event to Tuesday to be heard at the same meeting, allowing all the parties involved to be a little more informed and prepared. Council member Dennis Zine has already voiced his positon, to find out who authorized the expenses and to try to get reimbursement to the city.

The amounts spent by the City are in dispute. The $1.4 million spent for the 3,500 police called out for duty is only about that, but another sum, nearly $4 million is the figure given to Zine by the city sources for all the city services and personnel involved.

Mayor Villaraigosa has shown his colors on this and they don't match the city's. He said, in a widely covered press conference turning on the staff and the general sentiment of officials, that the web site (that he was supposed to have authorized) to collect donations was ridiculous and that AEG the owners of Staples Center and promoters of Jackson's events would NOT be asked for ANY money. So there.

Tony is still a little off-base as far as public opinion and his choice not to run for Governor was really based on the fact that he has low popularity, and this move fits in with what he's done all along in the past 4 years of his first term.

Tomorrow's meeting may be a show down, or a lot of backpedaling. Tim Leiweke, President & CEO of AEG, says he has no responsibility for the expense and did not cause the City to act as it did. And on top of all that, he is buddies with the mayor, who for all his talk of a "World Class City," still does favors for people that have put out dollars for his campaigns and activities. After all, that's what politics is all about. They all deny it, but you can see what makes sense as the stories unfold.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

"Noche Tropical"- on Saturday Night, 7-18, Dance at Guadalupe School


"Noche Tropical" on Saturday, July 18, at the OLG School Grounds, 4-10 pm, Tribute to the Fathers Club Members.

INFORMATIONAL NOTE: The Guadalupe School ("Our Lady of Guadalupe School") is an elementary school that goes up to 8th grade.

This event was brought to my attention by another LHS alum several weeks back, with the accompanying letter below providing a comprehensive report. Of course, time moved faster than I expected and this late posting is the result, with the date here already. The Chico Band, a versatile and seasoned band that provides something for everyone, will be playing. That alone is worth the ticket price. Some of you may remember them as the band that played for the 1998 LHS Gala at the Biltmore Hotel where they did an outstanding job as a dance band.

"Dear Alumni and Friends:

We are so excited for our upcoming event, “Noche Tropical” on Saturday, July 18, at the OLG School Grounds, 4-10 pm, that we have decided to pay Tribute to the Fathers Club Members that for so many years served the children of OLG and the community with their hard work and dedication. We now need to thank them and recognize their efforts. If you have one of these great gentlemen in your family, please get in touch with us so that we can add his name to our guest list.

Everyone is working together to make this night amazing and just as special and memorable as our last event in May. Our purpose to provide Our Lady of Guadalupe School students with resources that will give them the opportunity to realize their dreams and become leaders in our society is now becoming a reality. We did well in our last event but that was only the beginning!

Please invite your friends, relatives, and other classmates so that they may also experience these life changing experiences with us. We all are very grateful for the support and love that was shared by many at our beloved OLG School.
Putting on these events takes special acts of kindness and generosity to make them profitable. We encourage you to help us by donating any amounts of cash that will go toward the following items:
music
stage
dance floor
tables and chairs
tarps or umbrellas
food, raffle items, bottles of alcohol, mixers
cases of sodas and
drinking water
Whatever you can give to support us in our efforts to make this event a success will be greatly appreciated. We have already been blessed with the support for a few items and that has given us momentum to receive more. Please send your checks made out to OLG to the school c/o OLG Alumni, 436 North Hazard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90063. We also encourage you to go out into your communities and seek donations and sponsorships from your local vendors or from your places of employment.

If you attended our last function, you saw that it takes many people to make it a successful event. So if you would like to volunteer to help us make it much more effortless and smooth for everyone, please let us know.

Please share the information of this event and get for us updated contact information from other alumni and send it to us so that we can include them in our invitations and mailing lists.

Please visit and encourage others to visit our website at http://www.olgalumni.com/ . Our website is updated with news about the school, the alumni association, pictures and stories from our last event, we are selling OLG apparel, and see for yourself the positive stories of progress made in our journey to make a difference at the school and in our community

Please continue to network with other alumni and invite them to “Noche Tropical.” Tickets can be purchased by calling Paul Villarreal at 626-324-1864 or Bob Razo 323-229-6487. We are here with open arms to welcome you to where you once belonged.

As I reflect on the work we are doing and thinking about our alumni, it excites me to hear the new and positive experiences our young and older alumni are having at this time in our lives. Being able to hear and experience these things with you, makes me more eager to serve you, our community and our school. It states in the Holy Bible that you must be able to "Give to Receive." There is no doubt that we have been given the best gift of all by being able to attend our beloved OLG School. The families of OLG are truly special because our history, tradition, and culture are evident in the parents and grandparents that sacrificed to send us to our school.

On behalf of the children, staff and faculty of Our Lady of Guadalupe School, we thank you and we look forward to seeing you at “Noche Tropical.”

With Love and respect,

Paul Villarreal
OLG Alumni President
Class of 1990"

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

The Alumni Association's monthly meeting for June will be held at 9:30 a.m. this Saturday. It's in the Student Cafeteria at LHS. Admission: Free (of course) and anyone may attend- dues-paying members or not, and other guests are also invited.

ALUMNI NEWSLETTER- check the Alumni Page on the LHS website for the recently issued 2009 Newsletter.

Upcoming events -
JULY:
Summer Picnic on Saturday, July 25th This is back after a one-year hiatus and you past attendees will remember the place, Schubarum Regional Park in Rowland Heights beginning at noon. It's an opportunity to have a relaxing time with alumni and families in a low-key setting for a nominal cost.

AUGUST
:
Dodger Night on Wednesday, August 19th at Dodger Stadium for 7:10 pm game.

Tiger Alumni Texas Hold’em fundraiser Saturday, 08/29/09

Did Michael Jackson's Death Help the L.A. City Economy?

TONY'S BACK
Well, the Mayor is back from Africa where he went with his new girlfriend, Channel 5 news person, Lu Parker, just one day after he was sworn in for a new 4-year term, promising to be that best mayor he could be, or words to that effect. Well, as if things did not hit the fan hard enough when Villaraigosa left Los Angeles by the events following the death of Michael Jackson, sendimg everyone and everything into near-critical mass with police assigned to just about every activity that occurred after the pop singer died.

EXPENSES TO THE CITY (AND THE TAXPAYER).
The whole series of events seemed to culminate in the memorial tribute last week at the Staples Center. The cost for the police and all the city services that the taxpayers have to cover amount to nearly $4 million dollars. Some have put the cost at about $1.4 million but that's really just the cost for police salaries used on these activities. Matt Szabo, the Mayor's spokesman and cover-up artist, tried to justify the expense as a city obligation last week and not something that should be paid for by the people who caused it. He did not make sense in the radio interview. He made a good try but it is not possible to make sense of it.

COUNCIL MEMBER JANICE HAHN SAYS THE EXPENSE WORTH IT.
Legally, there's not a real good basis for the city to charge anyone. There was no contract, there's no law on this to make it a chargeable item, and there's just the idea that the events brought money for the city by tourists. JANICE HAHN, Council member was totally nuts in saying that the costs that the city spent for this were actually GOOD for the city. She is just out of her mind if she applies her math skills in that way.

To take that any further, if you can have more of these celebrities dying and huge events happening, how would the city come out ahead? HAHN says it generates huge amounts of money for the city, so it was worth it. So are we spending $4 million or $1 million of city expense and then it all comes back to the city? She has to be just deluded beyond help.

Let's say people spent at hotels and for meals and renting cars or whatever they do to spend money, how much of that is HELPING the City taxpayers when the salaries of the city workers is paid up? There's your $4 million or the $1 million spent as tax dollars for the workers and the city services. Now where does THAT money come back to the city treasury?

True that there's lots of money to be made on the people, but WHY is the city supposed to supply the employees and services for SOMEONE ELSE, a private sector person or company to make money? The city still has the bill and the private businessmen are walking away counting their money and smoking their cigars, and maybe they say to the city, "Thanks for the help."

Does that make any sense? Janice Hahn is as nutty as often or more than she is noteworthy in her comments. This event has her totally looney.

AEG SETS UP THE STAPLES CENTER FOR THE MICHAEL JACKSON MEMORIAL
The expenses that seemed to use endless supplies of police and other city workers and services served to totally boost the Staples Center publicity for the event. It was broadcast around the world, had famous entertainers and the casket of Michael Jackson there, too, after the Hollywood Forest Lawn funeral was held at 8 a.m. that day.

Did you know that the Staples Center, operated by AEG, charged the television crews for the risers that they set up in front of the Staples Centers? $50,000 or more, depending on locations. The final haul was estimated to be about $500,000.00 for the risers. Everywhere there were making money off the Jackson death. The event was recorded and you know there is going to be a dvd for sale. Already there is a tour as a tribute to Michael Jackson, with the money, of course, figured out to be worth it all.

The whole circus - and the real circus, Ringling Brothers, performing at the Staples Center had to be postponed a day for the memorial event.

REIMBURSEMENT REQUESTED (DEMANDED) FROM AEG BY SOME ON COUNCIL AND OTHERS
The costs were not legally recoverable (so far) from AEG or the Jacksons or anyone, so the city was just SOL. Council member Dennis Zine was adamant in his claim for the city to be reimbursed for the money. He had some really comprehensive figures for the city services used up and also noted that the police were not able to respond to other work if there were there, so some things had to wait, although these might not have been emergencies, but the work was done in preparation and in assigning 3,500 extra police to the estimated throngs that were going to show up.

Then the police and event organizers announced that the Staples Center would not be accessible for anyone for two blocks around without a ticket to enter the area, so this was what I think explained a lot of the falloff in the people who were expected to be outside. Like the Academy Awards, you can't get in, but you can see the arrival of stars, but not here. You were not even going to be able to see anything, not even the building from where they were cordoning off the area. So why bother going? The way the I.D. bands were handled made it seem like a hopeless task for anyone wanting to slip in or counterfeit the bands. And so very few went out on the street since it was all going to be on television anyway, and the weather was hot to make hanging out in the street something not too enjoyable.

PAY PAL ACCOUNT OF CITY TO COLLECT VOLUNTEER DONATIONS.
In order to try to recover some of the money spent by the city , a website was set up to collect donations from fans (or anyone) for the Michael Jackson Memorial expense. It collected a total of about $17,000.00 at one point last week, hitting $35,000.00 when it was shut down last Friday. The whole site initially crashed when there were so many visitors that the site, specifically announced on news shows across country, couldn't handle it and that was it for about a day. Matt Szabo, while speaking for the Mayor's office in Tony's absence, announced this website as a means of collecting donations to the city when he was interviewed on the radio last week.

NEWS CONFERENCE BY MAYOR
The mayor really was excited about AEG after he said that the city had a responsibility for the event and expenses and babbled on about how the city is not going to charge for a funeral since this is a "World Class City." He said that AEG (owner/operator of the Staples Center and organizer of the "memorial" for Michael Jackson) is not going to be asked to pay any expenses. Mayor Tony was so agitated that he said he disagreeed with his staff and he thought that that idea of asking for donations was ridiculous. Obviously that idea did not come from him and it seems Jan Perry thought of it as a means to get some sort of recovery of costs.

The Mayor was typically full of his self-importance and presented several specious examples of why is was right for the city (that still is about a half-billion in the red on the city budget, by the way) to absorb these expenses. Maybe his trip made him forget such small details. The Mayor ranted on and on about AEG and the good that they have done for the city and money that was brought in by them. He did not mention that most of the money goes into the pocket of AEG ("Anschutz Entertainment Group") and AEG's owner, Phillp Anschutz.

In case you don't know, AEG and Anschutz were big contributors to the Mayor's campaigns, and have associated groups that paid for many of the trips that the Mayor has taken, have contributed to many of the ballot measures that the Mayor supported, and gave lots of money for the Yes on Prop. 1A measure to raise taxes which would have meant that taxes planned for sporting events would not be imposed. AEG did not want to see any taxes put onto their ticket prices, preferring that individuals pay them directly, it appears.

Well, Tony came back into town very arrogant and very rude to his own staff who have tried on many times to save his butt from many of his situations and statements. Dumping on Matt Szabo I suppose it is tolerable by Matt as a dedicated staffer in the Mayor's office who gets a pretty good salary to take the heat- he just didn't expect that the heat was going to be coming from his own boss.

The whole analysis made of the situation by Tony in the speech was, to use one of Tony's words, ridiculous. Absolutely and completely. He has no idea of how to make an analogy of any proper relevance or having any connection with the truth. Armed with the facts, just about all of the pitch Tony made can be dissassembled for the coverup that it is.

CITY COUNCIL WILL ACT NEXT WEEK ON MOTIONS.
Next week, Tuesday, the City Council will deal with the motions and reports that have been requested by various members in connection with the Jackson memorial and related events and expenses. At this time, only CM Dennis Zine is speaking out on the need to pursue the matter and get AEG to cough up the money for the work that they had the city put out.

As I mentioned before, CM Janice Hahn was totally in support of letting the city hold the bag on the expenses, justifying this event as one that brings the city lots of tourists and money. That was really something that would be difficult to assess in terms of real dollars. It really seemed that she was in on something on Friday, like hearing what Tony was up to on his way back from Africa with Lu Parker, and Hahn wanted to be loyal to the Mayor. A huge mistake as her contrived assessments and conclusion were difficult to quantify and prove, and entirely useless in restoring the dollars to the City treasury to pay for things like salaries and services.

CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS STILL SITTING ON THE FENCE WILL HAVE TO CHOOSE A POSITION BY NEXT WEEK.
As politicians, the CMs want to keep their jobs. Naturally, since it pays an outrageous sum ($15,500.00 or so per month) and they really don't do much they are held responsible for in the end. But they need to vote on measures and the votes will tell you where they are.

Dennis Zine has been very diplomatic under the barrage of criticism that the AEG people and Zine haters have heaped upon him. Nuch Trutanich, City Attorney, seems to be deterimined to find out the facts in the situation to see what money can be recovered and the rest of the CMs except Hahn, have taken no public position, typical of their weasel approaches to important issues. But when it comes time to give out plaques to their friends, you just can't shut any of them up. Tune in on Fridays for the awards presentations that hold up the meetings if you want to see what I mean.

THAT'S ENOUGH FOR NOW- LET'S LEAVE THE $50,000.00 LUNCHES ORDER FOR LATER.
Well, there's more to the story and I need to end it now as I began this when Tony finished his news conference Monday and most of the news has already covered a lot of what I wrote here. So much for any "news" aspect, but the idea of the PEOPLE of the city getting the short end of the stick because Tony does not want to upset his friends who expect him to do favors is the point.

I mentioned elsewhere that the AEG people, probably Anschutz himself, and Tony talked about this and Tony promised to call off dogs and leave AEG alone. I am afraid that is not an acceptable solution for the people of Los Angeles. Someone might introduce the Mayor to the concept of "fiduciary duty" and mention that he totally fails on that account. And the financial history of AEG contributions is worth another couple of paragraphs to sum up that very serious monetary involvement in influencing government, but needs to wait if this item is going to be posted this week, already Wednesday now.

Too much power, too much arrogance and too many bad choices all leaving the city still in tough straits moneywise. That pledge of Tony's about being the best for L.A. lasted what? Almost a whole day? Hard to imagine that things would be more strained when he returned and that Tony would mix up the people he's supposed to represent.

Friday, July 10, 2009

A KMET Friday arrives.

Some good news for a Friday. "KMET"- The old fm radio favorite of many that left the air when Smooth Jazz "94.7 The Wave" took over in 1987 is back for a day on 100.3 "The Sound." Here's some of that news as reported by Don Barrett's L.A. Radio.com,

"KMET Sounds Off. Legendary KMET returns to Los Angeles’ airwaves for one day today. The original djs, the jingles, the rock stars, and – of course – the groupies [now in their 40s] all will be there, on a day that host station 100.3 The Sound (KSWD) is calling, “Finally a KMET Friday"

‘Finally a KMET Friday’ will begin on 100.3 The Sound much like their weekday routine began for more than a decade, with top-rated morning DJ Jeff Gonzer and newsman Ace Young reuniting on the radio at 7 a.m. Joining them as the day unfolds will be djs Paraquat Kelley, Jack Snyder, David Perry, Rick Scarry, LA’s first female program director, Sam Bellamy, and sales manager Bob Griffith. The day will conclude with legendary KMET oddball Dr. Demento presenting his greatest hits at 7 p.m.