Where Did It Go? by Gene Rutt

Inside of every older person is a younger person asking,

“Where Did It Go?”

Vol 3 Nr 1 January 2011

A Fun and Informative Rag for Those Who Have Been Around the Block and Attended at Least One Rodeo

VIVA! LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas Robin Hood

Sin City ReDux by Gene Rutt

Las Vegas was discovered by Spanish explorers in 1829. The city of Las Vegas was incorporated in 1911 and gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1931. I visited there with my family about 1955 but was not permitted in the casinos, most of which were in what is now referred to as downtown Las Vegas or the Fremont Street Experience. I’ve been back a couple of times since then but until last month it had been 10-12 years and things have really changed during that time. Probably the most significant changes are the replacement of smaller hotel/casinos with huge hotel casinos. Some have simply remodeled and changed names under new ownership but a number have been demolished and new ones rebuilt. The Frontier was opened in 1942 and is now gone. Bugsy Siegal opened the Flamingo in 1946 and it is still standing. Some of the others that I noticed gone include the Aladdin, Westward Ho, Dunes, Sands and Desert Inn (where Howard Huges took up residence in 1966). Caesars Palace which was conceived and started in the 60’s continues to grow and grow. The Mirage, owned by Steve Wynn, opened in 1989. He has more recently built the Wynn and the unbelievably beautiful Encore. The Excalibur,

modeled after an English castle was opened in 1990 and at the time was the world’s largest resort hotel. The MGM Grand, Treasure Island and Luxor hotels all opened in 1993. The Luxor is shaped like a pyramid and claims to have the brightest light in the world atop it. Treasure Island features pirate ship battles nightly. The Barbary Coast is now Bill’s Gambling Hall & Saloon. It is more typical of the “old” Vegas. One regret of mine is that on an earlier trip I did not take the opportunity to see Sam Butera & the Witnesses who played there regularly. Some of the other newer establishments are the Hard Rock Casino, Hooter’s, and Planet Hollywood.

At some point, the MGM Grand decided that their new hotel/casino needed a grand entrance way. The roaring lion had been MGM’s trademark in hundreds, maybe thousands of movies, so, they built a huge lion’s head with the mouth open. You would enter the building through the mouth.

Not long afterwords, the hotel owners discovered that certain nationalities of people were not staying at the hotel. After some investigation, they discovered that an open lion’s mouth was bad luck to some cultures. Not wanting a problem, they removed the big lion’s head and replaced it with a very impressive statue of a lion instead. (Rumor has it the lion’s head still exists in someone’s private collection.) The Bellagio, also constructed by Steve Wynn, features a dancing waters fountain in the lagoon out front. Synchronized with Andre Bocelli and Sarah Brightman singing “Time to Say Goodbye,” it was certainly one of the more moving experiences of the visit. The Paris Casino Resort, complete with Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triumphe is gorgeous. Perhaps even more so is The Venetian which contains gondolas navigating the Grand Canal and a spectacularly realistic sky throughout the building. It is easy to imagine yourself being outdoors in Italy. All of these hotels together have hundreds of exclusive shops, galleries and 5 star restaurants. I’m not much of a gambler so I particularly liked the sightseeing, one hotel outdoing the last. Vegas was one of the fastest growing cities in the country until the CONTINUED, PG. 2

A Las Vegas high stakes blackjack player has generated a truly inspiring story of charity and goodwill in a place and environment not normally associated with charitable giving. This anonymous and highly skilled player began his “Robin Hood 702” campaign last year by offering to risk his own money in high - stakes blackjack games and then handing over a predetermined amount of winnings to a selected needy family in a less fortunate position. The Robin Hood 702 campaign is based on this player’s intent to win from the wealthy casinos and pass it along to a needy family selected from among hundreds submitted to his website. The 702 tag is the Las Vegas telephone area code. Prospective candidates are filtered and selected by Robin Hood (RH) himself . The chosen are selected from families who have done good things with their lives but have fallen on verifiably legitimate hard times and owe creditors between $25,000 and $50,000. His selection is based on the family that touches his heart most and is indeed whom he believes is most worthy. Last year after filtering through thousands of respondents to his website, he selected a couple from Detroit who was $35,000 in debt because of medical bills associated with their daughter’s brain cancer. Last year, RH was also touched by the story of a second respondent as well. He eventually won over $55,000 (at Palazzo casino) and gave $35,000 to the initial family and $20,000 to the second woman from North Carolina. In addition to the winnings, RH also treated both recipients to a full - fledged high roller weekend with first class airline tickets to Vegas, a hotel suite, show tickets, fancy dining, and spa treatments. One of the more inspirational aspects of this arrangement is that RH guaranteed to pay half of the recipients debt regardless of whatever occurred at the blackjack tables (eg his potential of losing ). He is emphatic that he does not count cards or use illegal techniques in any fashion when he plays blackjack. He indicates that the core of his technique is the belief to win and then makes the statement “I’ve been blessed. I have some guardian angels up there. I’m very spiritual and God knows what I’m doing, what I’m trying to do, and he’s gonna be there sittin at the table with me”. The good samaritan was unable to convince any Vegas casinos to assist in this project but proceeded to stake his own games and efforts. RH has refused to reveal his identity , claiming that he doesn’t want to acquire any open celebrity status associated with the campaign.

2 WHERE DID IT GO January 2011

Sin City Redux page 1 recession hit andfrom the administrathe United States and one of the tion discouraged people from most exciting attractions among going there. Something like Las Vegas Strip hotels. 40-50 businesses immediately The Venetian canceled conventions and Vegas now has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. Parasol Down Lounge, Encore

OPEN MON -SAT 10am - 6pm

4104 NASA Pkwy, El Lago

Now bring the Tropics to your home with the greatest selection of tropical furniture, artwork, bedding and accessories in the area. It’s fun to shop at

Island Furniture & Interiors! TOPWATER grill SEAFOOD SPECIAL

SIGNATURE

DATE

TEXAS STONE CRAB CLAWS $17.99/POUND MONDAY 5PM - CLOSE RAW OYSTERS 25 Cents EACH MONDAY-FRIDAY DOZEN OYSTERS HALF/PRICE $4.99/DOZEN

MARGARITAS

Rita’s on the rocks

Patron, Fat Ass, Sauza Hornitos, Cuervo Gold, Cuervo 1800 frozen margaritas

The Strip is long and a tiring walk. We walked about half of it the first day and then back to Circus Circus, where we were staying. We were really beginning to drag. Taxis are not permitted to pickup fares right on Las Vegas Blvd but we discovered a bus pass for $7 a day. The next morning we rode it downtown to the Fremont Street Experience. This was definitely old Vegas but the Gold Nugget, now owned by Houston-based Landry’s, is the largest and nicest casino downtown, has been recently remodeled, was quite beautiful and dressed up the area. The rest of the places were fun in a nostalgic way but not too glitzy. We spent a morning there and then back to the strip. One interesting feature on the bus was a rack where you could bring on and store your bicycle. I found the bus trip educational too, observing some of the stores along the way that support the tourist industry, such as a showgirls store, costume shops and magic supply house. The National Finals Rodeo which came to Vegas in 1985 was going on during our stay and all the cowboys and cowgirls hanging out were reminiscent of Go Texan days in this area. A lot of the entertainment was country & western and the casino/bars had the live feed from the rodeo being pumped in nightly. New York-New York

Mango Rita, Raspberry Rita, Strawberry Rita the swim up bar

Pina Colada. Hurricane, Rum Runner, Banana Daiquiri I wanted to go back to New York-New York but didn’t make it this trip. It is a scale model of the Big Apple with fire boats out front, the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building. Inside it looks like the streets of Manhattan. One other hotel I have never visited is the Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower which soars over other Las Vegas towers. Jutting 1,149 feet into the Vegas skyline, the iconic Stratosphere Tower is the tallest freestanding observation tower in

The tower is not only recordsetting because of its height. It also houses the world’s highest thrill rides and the tallest controlled free fall in the world, SkyJump Las Vegas. Also at the top are the highest nightlife venues and restaurants of any Las Vegas hotel on the Strip, including the award-winning Top of the World, which rotates 360 degrees as you dine. Bellagio

Our hotel, Circus Circus, was opened in 1968. It is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International and features circus acts and carnival type games daily on the Midway. It has an award winning steak house and a smaller restaurant where I indulged myself with an all-you-can-eat prime rib dinner for about $15. It may well have been the best prime rib I’ve ever eaten. Both large slices.

If I gamble, I like to play low stakes blackjack but didn’t have time to refresh my basic strategy so what little gambling I did do was on the poker machines. If you like to drink, all of the casinos provide complimentary cocktails, beer and wine while you are gambling. Considering that many of the casinos have penny and nickel slot machines, you can nurse your way along to breaking even but there is always the possibility of hitting a jackpot or even a progressive jackpot which continues to grow until someone hits it. That’s what keeps the folks coming back. Works for me!

January 2011 WHERE DID IT GO 3

Stuck in a Rutt

Letter from the Editor

SLIMMING DOWN IN THE NEW YEAR Well it’s the New Year and along with the excellent kindness resolution on the facing page, I am once again planning to slim down. We’re gonna start by slimming this January issue. A lot of advertisers are holding back waiting so see what’s going to happen with the new congress or if people are going to start spending again or just what. I am personally optimistic but like many, also maintain a wait and see attitude. Business people have simply been under so much bombardment these last couple of years they are a little shell shocked and uncertain. One prominent financial advisor, Stuart Varney, thinks the housing bottom is getting close and since housing is such a large part of our economy that might lead the

way. Mostly I just hope our government will stop spending money we don’t have. Let’s just see if the Republicans do any better than the Democrats. Sometimes I am just amazed by how stupid our leaders are and wonder who elected them and why? I think that they think they’re smarter than us but I haven’t seen much evidence of it myself. We seem to have a lot of enthusiastic supporters out there so if you know anyone interested in kickstarting their business, tell them about us. In spite of everything, we have a lot to be thankful for, so let’s count our blessings and have a Happy New Year.

Timely advice from an Ambit Energy Consultant Your name Rutt here Darrin

“Stop paying too much for electricity.” Join the growing base of Ambit Energy customers who are saying NO to high electricity bills.

Ambit Energy provides an attractive alternative to your incumbent provider. Ambit is approved by the Public Utility Commisssion of Texas as a Retail Electric Provider (REP) that you can choose to save money on your electricity bill.

Savings!

When you choose Ambit Energy, you can save an average of 10% to 20% on your energy bill every month. There’s no cost to switch to Ambit and no risk. Ambit is backed by a world-class service guarantee.

Free Energy! Ambit Energy customers can reduce or eliminate the amount of their energy bills

every month simply by referring people they know to use our service.

Convenience! There’s no complicated paperwork to start saving. Simply complete a short online order form and Ambit will take care of the rest. Nothing will change in the way your service is delivered. Your incumbent will still supply the energy to your home, and will restore it in case of an outage. Free Travel! Enroll today and you’ll receive a FREE travel voucher good for a two-night, three-day stay at over 20 exciting destinations.

Join me in saying NO to high energy bills today. I’ll show you how. Contact me: Darrin Rutt 832-410-3753 Voice: E-mail: rutt2k@hotmail.com tryout.joinambit.com Online:

Gene Rutt - Publisher/Editor

Where Did It Go? P.O. Box 1460 Dickinson, TX 77539 PHONE: 832-265-5691 FAX: 281-385-9085 WDIG2009@gmail.com

AD RATES - Effective Jan 1, 2011

Full Page $399 per insertion for 3 months 1/2 Page $263 per insertion for 3 months 1/4 Page $149 per insertion for 3 months 1/8 Page $ 99 per insertion for 3 months 1/16 Page $ 59 per insertion for 3 months ADD 10% FOR SINGLE INSERTION

Groundhog Day Feb. 2, 2011 This year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union address occur on the same day.

“One involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to a creature of little intelligence for prognostication, while the other involves a groundhog.”

The Smart, Lower Price Way to Purchase

High Quality Flooring Increase your personal pleasure and property value with new flooring... First eliminate: The middle man - storefront & warehouse Then add: 10 years experience in flooring and Professional Design Consulting, bringing the same choices of samples to your home or place of business for a better match. Resulting in ... The best job possible at the best “price! ”

Flooring by Price

carpet | tile | wood | laminate | granite Low overhead means savings for you!

281-451-1427

4 WHERE DID IT GO January 2011

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION TO CHANGE THE LIVES OF OTHERS It’s that time again. Another year has passed and we find ourselves looking forward to another new year. With the new year comes hopes for change, a new year to mend our broken past, and change our lives for the better. It is a chance to start all over and make the necessary changes that we failed to make in years past. But what about making resolutions that can actually benefit the lives of others by doing them all year long? Instead of making some narcissistic resolution that you probably won’t keep, why not try something that would actually help other people. The most rewarding things in life are often the selfless acts that a person does for the benefit of others. This year, my resolutions have changed. I have a few resolutions that will still change my own life, but I am looking for the bigger picture now. In 2008 I want to see a change in the world, no matter how minuscule...I just want to positively affect the lives of others. My New Year’s Resolution this year is to not set a New Year’s Resolution, it is to do as many random acts of kindness as possible throughout the entire year and to spread the word in my community and get others involved. There is no time like the present to make a positive in the world. When you change the lives of others, you can’t help but change your own life. Make your New Year’s Resolution count this year and do a random act of kindness for a complete stranger.

Computer Tips Marlene Jones Owner - Friendly Computers

What are all the extra keys on the keyboard for? We all know the basic letters and punctuation keys, but there are many other keys that can make life easier once you are familiar with them. We teach ourselves how to move around and access our favorite tasks, but there are many shortcuts right on the keyboard to simplify things. As we know, each letter key has a lower and upper case that is determined by the position of the “shift” key. In the same manner, depressing the “control,” “alt,” and “Windows” keys change the function of other keys. Keys that move the cursor around a document allow you to keep your hands off the mouse while typing. The arrow keys move one space at a time. Hold down Control with an arrow key and move one word at a time. “Home” takes the cursor to the beginning of the line, and “End” moves to the far right. Page up and Page down skip through the document. Online, go to www.SEOConsultants.com/windows/keyboard/ to find a helpful tool. This page has a clickable keyboard with a description of the functions of each key. It is worth the time to check it out and discover the shortcuts that are right under your fingertips. As an example, in order to cut, copy or paste, simply highlight the word or selection, then hold down “control” and press x, c, or v. To switch between your current work and the desktop, hold down the “Windows” key (near the spacebar) and press “D.” The F keys across the top of the keyboard perform various tasks specific to the program you are using. F1 accesses the Help menu. In Internet Explorer, F11 toggles between full screen and normal viewing mode. My favorite shortcut when I am web surfing is the backspace key. Press it to go back to the previous screen without using the mouse. Use Page Down and Page Up, Home and End to move quickly through the site. Customize your copy of Microsoft Word to meet your needs and make life easier. Click on the icon in the top left corner, or on “File” and go to “Word Options” near the bottom right of that drop-down. Browse through the options there to find new shortcuts and features.

Tarzan

Lord of the Jungle

The first movie I ever saw was Tarzan and the Amazons at the Avalon theater in Houston so I must have been about 4 years old. It was Johnny Weissmuller’s ninth Tarzan movie. Like Sean Connery’s James Bond, there was only one Tarzan and it was Weissmuller. Tarzan is a fictional character, a feral child raised in the African jungle by the “great apes”; he later returns to civilization only to largely reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer. Created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan first appeared in the novel Tarzan of the Apes (magazine publication 1912, book publication Weissmuller’s Tarzan Victory Cry 1914), and then in twenty-five sequels, three authorized books by other authors, and innumerable works in other media, authorized or not. Tarzan is the son of a British Lord and Lady who were marooned on the West coast of Africa by mutineers. When Tarzan was a year old, his mother died of natural causes, and his father was killed by Kerchak, leader of the ape tribe into which Tarzan was adopted. Tarzan’s tribe of apes is known as the Mangani, Great Apes of a species unknown to science. Kala is his ape mother. Tarzan (White-skin) is his ape name; his English name is John Clayton, Lord Greystoke (the formal title is Viscount Greystoke according to Burroughs in Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle; Earl of Greystoke in later, non-canonical sources, notably the 1984 movie Greystoke). In fact, Burroughs, as narrator of Tarzan of the Apes, describes both Clayton and Greystoke as fictitious names – implying that, within the fictional world that Tarzan inhabits, he may have a different real name. As a young adult, Tarzan meets a young American woman, Jane Porter, who along with her father and others of their party is marooned at exactly the same spot on the African coast where Tarzan’s parents were twenty years earlier. When she returns to America, he leaves the jungle in search of her, his one true love. In later books, Tarzan and Jane marry and he lives with her for a time in England. They have one son, Jack, who takes the ape name Korak (“the Killer”). Tarzan is contemptuous of the hypocrisy of civilization, and he and Jane return to Africa, making their home on an extensive estate that becomes a base for Tarzan’s later adventures. In Tarzan, Burroughs created an extreme example of a hero figure largely unalloyed with character flaws or faults. He is described as being Caucasian, extremely athletic, tall, handsome, and tanned, with grey eyes and black hair. Emotionally, he is courageous, loyal and steady. He is intelligent and learns new languages easily. He is presented as behaving ethically, at least by Burroughs’ definitions, in most situations, except when seeking vengeance under the motivation of grief, as when his ape mother Kala is killed in Tarzan of the Apes, or when he believes Jane has been murdered in Tarzan the Untamed. He is deeply in love with his wife and totally devoted to her; in numerous situations where other women express their attraction to him, Tarzan politely but firmly declines their attentions. When presented with a situation where a weaker individual or party is being preyed upon by a stronger foe, Tarzan invariably takes the side of the weaker party. In dealing with other men Tarzan is firm and forceful. With male friends he is reserved but deeply loyal and generous. As a host he is likewise generous and gracious. As a leader he commands devoted loyalty. In contrast to these noble characteristics, Tarzan’s philosophy embraces an extreme form of “return to nature”. Although he is able to pass within society as a civilized individual, he prefers to “strip off the thin veneer of civilization”, as Burroughs often puts it. His preferred dress is a knife and a loincloth of animal hide, his preferred Continued Page 7

January 2011 WHERE DID IT GO 5

Libations for January

BEAUTIFUL NEW HOMES IN TUSCAN LAKES Ready in January 2011

Please Drink Responsibility

$6,000 Seller contribution to closing costs.

Tiki Drinks - What better for January? Mai Tai The quintessential Tiki Drink is more hotly debated than virtually any cocktail other than the martini. Even if you aren’t such a fan of the flavor, you’ll forget about that once you down a few, thanks to the fairly strong liquors that make up most of the ingredients. 1 oz. rum ½ oz. Orgeat ½ oz. Orange Curacao ¼ oz. Simple Syrup (equal parts sugar and water heated and stirred until combined) Juice of one lime Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake gently. Pour into a highball glass full of ice and garnish with some fruit. Or maybe a nice paper umbrella.

The Zombie Celebrate the undead by raising a glass of the cocktail that supposedly contains enough alcohol to add any man or woman to the ranks of the walking dead, or at least the severely hung over. The Zombie is complicated, with a variety of fruit juices and a hefty slug of no less than seven different types of booze. Not a drink for the faint of heart. 3/4 oz. Lime Juice 1/2 oz. Grapefruit Juice 1/2 oz. Falernum tropical syrup) 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup 1 ¼ oz. aged rum 1 oz. Demerara 151 1 oz. dark rum 1 oz. spiced rum – 1 oz. oak aged rum 2 dashes Angostura bitters 1 dash Absinthe 3 dashes Grenadine 3/4 oz. Maraschino Liquor Combine all the ingredients in a shaker full of ice and shake briskly. Pour into a tall glass filled halfway with ice and decorate with whatever fruit you feel appropriate. This is the drink to go over the top with, so if plastic monkeys, half a banana, an orange wedge and a bowl of maraschino cherries find their way into the drink, more power to you.

The Rum Runner A latecomer to the party, the Rum Runner was developed in the early ‘70s by the mad genius bartender John Ebert at the Holiday Isle Resort in the Florida Keys. One couldn’t ask for a better summer drink, especially within stumbling distance of home. ½ oz. black rum ½ oz. 151 proof rum 1 oz. blackberry brandy 1 oz. banana liqueur 5/8 oz. grenadine Fill your blender with the ice. Add all of the liquid ingredients. Blend the contents until smooth. Pour into a Hurricane glass and garnish with an orange slice. Add the 151 floater!

2881 Aurelia Lane Beautiful 2 Story Home with Covered Patio, Master Bay Window, Extended Master Bath, & 5 ft Garage Extension. This home has a Large Open Kitchen that opens up to the Family Room, 3 Bedrooms Up with Game Room & Master Suite Down. Reduced $228,804 to $203,804

$6,000 Seller contribution to closing costs. 2887 Milano Lane Charming 2 Story home on a corner home site with one side brick fence! 3 Car Garage, Covered Patio, Master Bath Extension, Master Bay Window & Elevation 2 with Front Porch. This home has 3 large bedrooms upstairs with a game room and the Master Suite located on the 1st Floor. Granite Countertops in Kitchen, Hardwood Floors in Formal Dining, 18 x18 Tile Through Out Family Room & Much More! $239,365 to $214,365

Kala Garcia, Realtor 832-721-7121 kalarealtor@gmail.com Gulf Coast Realtors

6 WHERE DID IT GO January 2011

FANTASTIC KITCHEN & NEW DINING AREA Steaks - BBQ - Seafood - Burgers - Fries - Onion Rings

FABULOUS NEW BUFFETS WEDNESDAY - BAR B Q FRIDAY - SEAFOOD SUNDAY - HOMESTYLE COOKING

The Haka

Only $8.98

Billiards Digest has named Casper’s one of the top ten new billiard halls in America! It is a clean, comfortable place for pool players and spectators alike to gather and enjoy the sport of billiards. Two story establishment with 14 tournament tables and regular tournaments. Smoking & Non-Smoking Areas

Casper’s Billiards 21st Street & E. Bayshore San Leon, TX 281-559-1400

HOURS Mon Closed Tues-Thurs 12 -10PM Fri-Sat 12-12PM Sun 12 -8PM

FULL BAR HAPPY HOUR

Mon-Fri 11-7 $2.75 Well $2.00 Domestic Longnecks $1.50 Domestic Draft Tues & Wed $2 Ritas Sun $2 Well Vodka (from 12 noon - 7pm)

Live Music 6 Nights a Week - NO COVER See our musical line up at:

www.katiesbar.com

HAPPY NEW YEAR! OPEN AT 6:00PM - MARK MAY AT 9:00PM. JOIN US FOR MARK’S LAST SHOW IN TEXAS!! WE’LL MISS YOU MARK! Sunday Jam W/The Amigos, Acoustic Jam W/Lynn & Cisco, Chad Ware Band, James Reese Band, Benny Brasket Band, Luther & The Healers, The House Rockers, The Groove Kings 1/15 - TONY VEGA CD RELEASE PARTY!! 9:00 PM Slide Effect, JJ Dynomite, Scott McGill & Old Dog Mac

’Exceptional music in an intimate setting’

315 Grand Ave * Bacliff, TX * Phone: (281) 559-3773

CLEAR LAKE TEA PARTY Thursday, January 13, 2011

“The Eyes of Texas“ Town Hall Meeting

Date: Thursday, January 13, 2011 Location: Webster Civic Center 311 Pennsylvania Ave. Webster, TX. 77598 Time: 6:30 PM Bring your family, neighbors and friends!

New Zealand All Blacks Rugby Team perform the Haka See performed on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GpTsPNwwms&NR=1

Having (1) recently attended a luau at which the entertainment included Hawaiian and South Seas dancing with audience participation, including a Maori war dance; (2) watched an episode of 60 Minutes about the large number of football players from Samoa in the NFL, during which the players performed a pre-game war dance; (3) remembered an earlier movie entitled Whalerider about the Maori tribes learning these dances and (4) more recently seeing the movie Invictus, in which the New Zealand Rugby team performed this same type dance before playing Nelson Mandela’s South African team, I was some what aware of rugby and Maori when I saw a rather large young man at a casino in Las Vegas wearing a Maori Major League Rugby tee shirt. Perhaps my mind makes connections that others don’t but it seemed like quite a coincidence to me so I stopped to talk to him a few minutes. His name is Dane Ngahuka and he is the President of the Major League Rugby Association USA. In our limited time he briefly explained the war dance called “The Haka” to me and I learned a little about him. Dane grew up in a village known for traditional Maori ceremonies and performers. His Whakapapa (the Maori tradition of describing a person’s genealogy) extends back before the Treaty of Waitanga of 1840 when the Maori homeland became a British colony. Oral traditions trace the origins of the Maori to ancient migrations of seafaring people who voyaged thousands of miles across the South Pacific to make their homes in Aotearoa, Land of the Long White Cloud, today known as New Zealand. Now a resident of Las Vegas, Dane performs and teaches Maori songs and dances, explains their meanings and cultural significance, and shares the history and language of the Maori. He introduces audiences to Kapa Haka – the Maori term used to refer to the traditional Maori performing arts. Kapa Haka integrates singing, dancing, facial expressions, and other elements to tell stories. All of the movements seen in a Maori dance have meaning. One such gesture is the wiri – a rapid, side-to-side movement of the hand – representing all of the natural elements of the world that surround us. Dane also fronts a 9 piece band which performs mostly Maori, Reggae and R&B called “The Whaleriders.” (A movie I highly recommend) Haka (singular is the same as plural: haka) is a traditional dance form of the Māori of New Zealand. It is a posture dance performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment. Although the use of haka by the New Zealand All Blacks Rugby Union team and the Kiwis rugby league team has made one type of haka familiar, it has led to misconceptions. Haka are not exclusively war dances, nor are they only performed by men. Some are performed by women, others by mixed groups, and some simple haka are performed by children. Haka are performed for various reasons: for amusement, as a hearty welcome to distinguished guests, or to acknowledge great achievements or occasions. War haka (peruperu) were originally performed by warriors before a battle, proclaiming their strength and prowess in order to intimidate the opposition. Today, haka constitute an integral part of formal or official welcome ceremonies for distinguished visitors or foreign dignitaries, serving to impart a sense of the importance of the occasion. Various actions are employed in the course of a performance, including facial contortions such as showing the whites of the eyes and the poking out of the tongue, and a wide variety of vigorous body actions such as slapping the hands against the body and stamping of the feet. As well as chanted words, a variety of cries and grunts are used. Haka is a kind of symphony in which the different parts of the body represent many instruments. The hands, arms, legs, feet, voice, eyes, tongue and the body as a whole combine to express courage, annoyance, joy or other feelings relevant to the purpose of the occasion. d

January 2011 WHERE DID IT GO 7

From Tarzan page 4 abode is a convenient tree branch which happens to be nearby when he desires to sleep, and his favored food is raw meat, killed by himself; even better if he is able to bury it a week so that putrefaction has had a chance to tenderize it a bit. Tarzan’s primitivist philosophy was absorbed by countless fans, amongst whom was Jane Goodall, who describes the Tarzan series as having a major influence on her childhood. She states that she felt she would be a much better spouse for Tarzan than his fictional wife, Jane, and that when she first began to live among and study the chimpanzees she was fulfilling her childhood dream of living among the great apes just as Tarzan did. Tarzan’s jungle upbringing gives him abilities far beyond those of ordinary humans. These include climbing, clinging, and leaping as well as any great ape, or better. He uses branches and hanging vines to swing at great speed, a skill acquired among the anthropoid apes. His strength, speed, agility, reflexes, senses, flexibility, and swimming are extraordinary in comparison to normal men. He has wrestled full grown bull apes and gorillas, lions, rhinos, crocodiles, pythons, sharks, tigers, man-size seahorses and even dinosaurs. He learns a new language in days, ultimately speaking many languages, including that of the great apes, French, English, Dutch, German, Swahili, many Bantu dialects, ancient Greek, ancient Latin, Mayan, the languages of the Ant Men and of Pellucidar. He also communicates with many species of jungle animals. The famous Tarzan victory cry was introduced to the world in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ first Tarzan novel, Tarzan of the Apes. But the actual sound of this jungle cry was left open to interpretation. In all likelihood the first Tarzan yell was created in 1918 by the first screen actor to portray the Lord of the Jungle on film: Elmo Lincoln. Unfortunately this was a silent film and the sound of Elmo’s original yell will probably remain a mystery forever. Tarzan the Tiger (1929) had a crude soundtrack (sound films were just starting to appear) and so it was Frank Merrill who was the first to voice a Tarzan yell. Unfortunately, it came off sounding as if an elephant had stepped on his toes. The next known Tarzan yell was voiced by James Pierce in the 1932 Tarzan radio serial. The cry actually sounded like “Taaar-maaan-ganiiii,” which is means “white ape.” ERB was quite involved in this production and since Pierce was his son-in-law there it is quite possible that this is the cry the Ape Man’s creator had in mind. This cry was also used by Herman Brix (Bruce Bennett) in the ERB produced film The New Adventures of Tarzan. For many years Johnny Weissmuller claimed that he had personally created the yell that has become most identified with Tarzan. He gave many versions of how the yell came about, but the one he told most often was that he said he had been inspired by the yodelling of his German neighbours and by his success in a yodelling contest he had won as a boy. He explained that the same recorded version was used over and over to save his voice. Maureen O’Sullivan and Johnny’s son have always supported Johnny’s story. The popular MGM/Weissmuller version has been dubbed in for a long string of later actors who couldn’t perform it themselves. Johnny went on to devise an alternate yell for his later RKO Tarzan films but the live version he was known to perform regularly was always the one from the MGM days. It became so famous that it was even recorded for broadcast to the soldiers on the

battlefront during World War II. Legend has it that when Castro’s forces were about to take over Cuba in 1959, rebels ambushed Johnny’s car on the way to a Havana celebrity golf tournament. Johnny convinced them that they weren’t rich Cubans by giving the famous movie Tarzan yell. The rebel soldiers immediately recognized the movie hero and gave him and his party safe passage to the golf course. Johnny always swore that his Tarzan yell had saved his life in this situation. In the 1970s Johnny attended a gathering of Edgar Rice Burroughs fans in Los Angeles, and standing on a balcony overlooking the hotel lobby, he let loose with the immortal yell; and everyone within earshot stopped what they were doing to look up at him because they instantly recognized it, whether they were hotel clerks, bellhops or tourists. And when they saw that it really was him and not an incredible simulation, they smiled and applauded elatedly. Weissmuller actually became so attached to his Tarzan yell, that his last request was for a recording of it to be played at his funeral. The Internet Movie Database lists 89 movies with Tarzan in the title between 1918 and 2008. The first Tarzan movies were silent pictures adapted from the original Tarzan novels, which appeared within a few years of the character’s creation. With the advent of talking pictures, a popular Tarzan movie franchise was developed, which lasted from the 1930s through the 1960s. Starting with Tarzan the Ape Man in 1932 through twelve films until 1948, the franchise was anchored by former Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller in the title role. Weissmuller and his immediate successors were enjoined to portray the ape-man as a pidginspeaking noble savage, in marked contrast to the cultured aristocrat of Burroughs’s novels. Only in 1959, with Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure (starring Gordon Scott and produced by Sy Weintraub), was the character allowed to return to speaking educated English. The Tarzan franchise films before the mid-fifties were mostly black-andwhite films shot on studio sets, with stock jungle footage edited in. The Weintraub productions from 1959 on were shot on foreign locations and were in color. There were also several serials and features that competed with the main franchise, including Tarzan the Fearless (1933) starring Buster Crabbe and The New Adventures of Tarzan (1935) starring Herman Brix and was the only Tarzan film project for which Edgar Rice Burroughs was personally involved in the production. Tarzan films from the 1930s on often featured Tarzan’s chimpanzee companion Cheeta, his consort Jane (not usually given a last name), and an adopted son, usually known only as “Boy.” The Sy Weintraub productions from 1959 dropped the character of Jane and portrayed Tarzan as a lone adventurer. Later Tarzan films have been occasional and somewhat idiosyncratic. Disney’s animated Tarzan (1999) marked a new beginning for the ape man, taking its inspiration equally from Burroughs and the 1984 film Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes.

PET OF THE MONTH

Micah is a domestic shorthair orange tabby male. He’s a little shy but very sweet and playful. Micah is just 10-months-old so he has a LOT of kitten left in him. Please consider adding him to your family.

“There are two kinds of people. Those who love cats and those who have never owned one.” Our animals are shown at Petco (Bay Area Blvd. at Space Center Blvd.) every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and at Petsmart (Baybrook Mall) the first and third Sunday of the month from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. PLEASE SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR PETS Second Chance Pets 281-286-3535 www.secondchancepets.org

ridgette enefield

Queen of Decor

Elegantly Enchanting Ultimate in Event Planning Services Offered

• Wedding and Bridal Showers • Banquets, Galas and Aniversaries • Baby Showers • Children and Adult parties • Holiday Decor - Interior and Exterior • Commercial and Home Decor

409-770-4022

8 WHERE DID IT GO January 2011

Tropicalattitude

Kala Garcia, Realtor 832-721-7121 kalarealtor@gmail.com

“Celebrating the Waterfront Lifestyle” Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

San Leon - (14th Street) Wonderful 3 story on huge corner property. 3/2-1/2/ + extra room, work shop with bay doors, 3 balconies with beautiful views, recent A/C and flooring. Approx. 1800 sq ft. $175,000.

Tale of the Tiki

Waterfront condo with a 30 ft boat slip - Clear Lake Shores. This is a large sought after 2/2-1/2 with 2 covered parking spaces. Excellent view of the Clear Lake and the pool area. 2 balconies. split plan. Beautiful round windows, storm shutters and double paned windows. Must See! (FM 2094) $149,900

624 Castle Cove S Shore Harbor 3/2/2 Landscaped curb appeal,

bricked porch. Open kitchen. Master suite with garden tub. 8x15 closet. $161,000 House #1

Seabrook waterfront - 1.32 acres on Pine Gully. Fully updated in style, gourmet kitchen custom, cabinets, S/S appliances, double convection ovens, sub-zero refrigerator, handscraped maple floors. Beautiful views throughout. (Surf Oaks) $299,000.

House #2

Bacliff - TWO for the price of ONE! Income producing property. Low Property Tax Rate! Owner Finance Available. Seller will look at reasonable offers. (Baker St.) $107,000. Waterfront

League City Waterfront Condo, beautiful views. elevator - 2/1 , Open, high ceilings, Gorgeous bamboo floors, all appliances included, pool, workout room. 50 ft Boat Slip included (Davis Rd) $98,000.

WaterView Condo Clear Lake Shores 2/2+Loft and 30 ft. Boat Slip 2 covered pkng spaces. Low Maintenance, Lots of recent upgrades. (Moon Caye)$117,999.

Gulf Coast Realtors

312 FM 517 W 832-721-7121

Dickinson, Texas 77539 www.gulfcoastrealtors.net

In the years before high speed internet Americans thought of Polynesia as a strange and savage place, filled with scowling tiki statues and smoking volcanoes. The origin of the tiki bar dates back to the late 1800’s when America’s elite became fascinated by primitive art from the South Seas, since at least the paintings by Paul Gauguin. After the First World War the great age of travel began and the islands of Polynesia became a prestige’s destination, America’s interest was pricked. The first Tiki bar appeared in 1934, Don Beach (a.k.a. Don the Beachcomber, born Earnest Raymond Beaumont Gantt) opened a Polynesian themed reastraunt in Hollywood California. They served Cantonese cuisine and tropical rum punches with decor featuring tiki carvings, tiki masks, flaming torches, bamboo or rattan furniture, flower leis and brightly colored fabrics. It was Don’s inclusion of authentic Polynesian Tiki carvings that ultimately separated him from the popular beach themed reastrauntes of the time. Don’s restaurant started off in the popular beach theme, but when Don Beach decided to add real artifacts to his decor (such as diving masks, spears, and most importantly carved idols from Polynesia), his restaurant became different from all of the other island-themed establishments. Don selected rum as a base for his drinks, not only because it was what he found in his travels to a variety of islands but also because Don was an astute businessman and rum was the cheapest liquor. This was the first introduction of the tiki to the bar and it caught on, Don was soon running a chain of over a dozen restaurants. Others, like Trader Vic, began to copy the Polynesian theme. When American soldiers returned from the South Pacific after World War II they brought back tiki artifacts, pictures, Hawaiian tattoos and tales of Polynesia. These soldiers led the way to the Polynesian themed reastrauntes and soon Tiki was in full boom. The ancient, scowling gods allowed tribal pleasures under their furrowed brows. Tiki nightclubs, tiki bars and tiki lounges began springing up in every American city. Some had huge budgets, featuring active volcanoes, hula dancers, giant tiki statues and waterfalls. The Mauna Loa, located in Detroit, cost $1.6 million to build in 1967 dollars. Tiki drinks, like Mai Tais and Zombies, where delivered with wild fan fare by “mystery women” or groups could drink with straws from scorpion bowls. Couples of the 50’s and 60’s would dress in their finest or through on a Hawaiian shirt and head out to escape reality for a night. American popular culture embraced the new tiki culture. Tiki’s romanticized version of Polynesia spilled over into other aspects of life in America. It affected home décor, music, fine art, clothing and architecture. Polynesian music fused with jazz to form sounds like “jungle”. In films Polynesian pop culture appeared in such forms as The Jaguar God and started a tribal genre that included films like Tarzan. In theatre tiki cultures effect could be felt in such hits

January 2011 WHERE DID IT GO 9

IRISH TRAVELERS

A few years ago, a young woman was taped by security cameras beating her child in an Indiana department store parking lot. The tape went national. After a confusing investigation because she had driver’s licenses in Indiana, Missouri, Texas and New Jersey, the woman was apprehended at which time she revealed herself to be an Irish Traveller, which brought some unwanted attention to this mysterious and sometime misunderstood culture. . In the early 1800’s the ancestors of the Irish Travelers lived in Ireland and were known there as the “tinkers,” a term still applied to their distant cousins remaining on the Emerald Isle. Traveling over a land of large, green pastures, skirting around “loughs” and past bogs, the Tinkers were itinerant peddlers and artisans, specializing in the work that gave them the name “tinkers”, i.e., tinsmithing. They made drinking cups, funnels, pots of sundry kinds, and even fiddles of that metal. Competent artisans when they wanted to be, the Tinkers seldom cared about their workmanship and their products were often shoddy, hence the phrase “not worth a tinker’s damn.” Like most communities in Ireland that experienced poverty, Irish Travelers have their history of emigration, which took place predominantly to the UK and the US. during the potato blight that was to devastate crops for five consecutive years. Between 1846 and 1851 nearly a million people died of starvation and the diseases that plague malnourished populations. More than a million other people emigrated, predominately to the United States. Among those emigrants were the ancestors of the Irish Travelers. Working out of Boston, New York City, and, later, Pittsburgh, the Travelers found much of the year far too cold for a migrant, camping people. At the end of the Civil War many made their way south, tinkering, trading in horses and mules, swindling, and stealing. For this reason, many of their activities today are questionable and involve fraud and con games, usually involving home repair work. Law enforcement officials describe the Irish Travelers

as a culture of con men and scam artists. The Travelers main enclave is now in Murphy Village, Georgia but there is also a large group in White Settlement, TX near Fort Worth, South Carolina and Memphis. The communities where Irish Travelers live serve their citizens as comfortable havens and refuges in the short, southern winters. In the spring, however, those communities are more like military staging areas from which forays of pickup trucks and vans depart to raid the rest of the nation. The communities are temporarily decimated each spring as the men depart for a summer’s scavenging, leaving wives, children, and the elderly behind to keep the home fires banked and the air conditioners churning until the men return at the end of the school year. At that time the entire family will take to the road. In addition to leaving their families behind, the departing men usually leave their identities at home, assuming new names that are documented by bogus social security cards, driver’s licenses, credit cards, etc. Should legal mishaps occur on the road, they certainly don’t want their identities traced to their home community. Once they have crossed the state line, Travelers are likely to pull into the first “rest area” and change license plates. The Irish Travelers work as house and barn painters, driveway dressers, lightning rod installers, and so on. They can bring tears to the eyes of their victims when they explain the tragic circumstances which force them to sell trailers or campers made in Indiana. They will prune your trees, seal your roof, exterminate your termites, and keep you engaged while a cohort steals your nest egg and makes off with the Colonial Twist silverware that has been in the family for five generations. The Travelers are often compared with the traditional Romanian Gypsies with their Nomadic and dishonest ways but where the Irish Travelers are unique among other Travelers or Gypsies, however, is that they are also merchants of flimsy, dangerous shop machinery produced by the Rebel

Tool and Equipment Company of South Carolina. Like the Gypsies, the Travelers have a dual set of ethics, one set for dealing with other Travelers and a second for relating to country folk (non-Travelers). While a Traveller may not ethically exploit others of his own kind, any relatively safe exploitation of country folk is legitimate and, in fact, highly laudable. As far as the Traveller is concerned, country folk were created to be taken. The Travelers are universally Catholic by faith and profess to be devout in their beliefs. Religious statuary is common throughout the community and virtually every home has its Catholic icons. The Travelers have a long tradition, a rigid set of morals, and a way of life that has been handed down from their ancestors. All that is true and sounds commendable until one questions the nature of the traditions, the content of the morals, and the implications of that way of life for others. Most noticeable in Traveller culture is the lack of formal education and short life span. Children seldom go past the 6th grade and are often on the road working with their parents on whatever projects or schemes are being performed. It has long been recognized that the health of Irish Travelers is significantly poorer than that of the general population in Ireland. This is evidenced a 2007 report published in Ireland states that over half of Travelers do not live past the age of 39 years. From birth to old age, they have high mortality rates, particularly from accidents, metabolic and congenital problems, but also from other major causes of death. Female Travelers have especially high mortality compared to settled women. Travelers make a substantial income from all their various endeavors and much of that income is invested in housing. While many of the families of Travelers live in large, luxurious, permanently situated house trailers or “double-wides,” more than a quarter of them live in what can only be called mansions. Every year new mansions are erected in and the manifest opulence of their communities grows. It fosters a resentment among nearby non-Travelers or “country folk.” The Travelers are aloof and reclusive, having little to do with the encysting community. They interact with outsiders rarely, reject overtures of friendliness or neighborliness, and refrain from participating in the social activities of the area. In doing so, the Travelers have made themselves easy to dislike. Building houses well above the means of others about them simply fuels the antagonism.

Aft-ter Thoughts:

by Captain B. G. Willie A friend of mine recently passing by his son’s bedroom was astonished to see that the bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then he saw an envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow that was addressed to ‘Dad.’ With the worst premonition he opened the envelope with trembling hands and read the letter:

Dear Dad: It is with great regret and sorrow that I’m writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you. I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is so nice. But I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercing, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am. But it’s not only the passion...Dad she’s pregnant. Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children. Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn’t really hurt anyone. We’ll be growing it for ourselves and trading it with the other people that live nearby for cocaine and ecstasy. In the meantime we will pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Stacy can get better. She deserves it. Don’t worry Dad. I’m 15 and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I’m sure that we will be back to visit so that you can get to know your grandchildren. Love, Your Son Jim PS. Dad, none of the above is true. I’m over at Bobby’s house... I Just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than a Report card That’s in my center desk drawer. I love you. Call me when it’s safe to come home.

10 WHERE DID IT GO January 2011

Scams, Schemes and Fraud If it seems to good to be true, it probably is not true!

A confidence trick or confidence game (also known as a bunko, con, flim flam, gaffle, grift, hustle, scam, scheme, swindle or bamboozle) is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. The victim is known as the mark, the trickster is called a confidence man, con man, confidence trickster, grifter, or con artist, and any accomplices are known as shills. Confidence men or women exploit characteristics of the human psyche such as greed, both dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility, and naïveté. Confidence men or women have victimized individuals from all walks of life. This list of confidence tricks

and scams should not be considered complete, but covers the most common examples. Confidence tricks and scams are difficult to classify, because they change often and often contain elements of more than one type. Get-rich-quick schemes are extremely varied; these include fake franchises, real estate “sure things”, get-rich-quick books, wealth-building seminars, self-help gurus, sure-fire inventions, useless products, chain letters, fortune tellers, quack doctors, miracle pharmaceuticals, Nigerian money scams, and charms and talismans. Variations include the pyramid scheme, the Ponzi scheme, and the Matrix sale. Count Victor Lustig sold the “money-printing machine” which could copy $100 bills. The client, sensing huge profits, would buy the machines for a high price (usually over $30,000). Over the next twelve hours, the machine would produce just two more $100 bills, but after that it produced only blank paper, as its supply of hidden $100 bills would have become exhausted. This type of scheme is also called the “money box” scheme. Salting or “salting the mine” are terms for a scam in which gemstones or gold ore are planted in a mine or on the landscape, duping the greedy mark into purchasing shares in a worthless or non-existent mining company.

During gold rushes, scammers would load shotguns with gold dust and shoot into the sides of the mine to give the appearance of a rich ore, thus “salting the mine”. Following are some frauds from the FBI explaing the nature of the scheme and how to avoid it. The FBI website is also included at the end to find out additional information. Telemarketing Fraud When you send money to people you do not know personally or give personal or financial information to unknown callers, you increase your chances of becoming a victim of telemarketing fraud. Here are some warning signs of telemarketing fraud—what a caller may tell you: ■”You must act ‘now’ or the offer won’t be good.” ■”You’ve won a ‘free’ gift, vacation, or prize.” But you have to pay for “postage and handling” or other charges. ■”You must send money, give a credit card or bank account number, or have a check picked up by courier.” You may hear this before you have had a chance to consider the offer carefully. Nigerian Letter or “419” Fraud Nigerian letter frauds combine the threat of impersonation fraud with a variation of an advance fee scheme in which a letter mailed from Nigeria offers the recipient the “opportunity” to share in a percentage of millions of dollars that the author—a self-proclaimed government official—is trying to transfer illegally out of Nigeria. The recipient is encouraged to send information to the author, such as blank letterhead stationery, bank name and account numbers, and other identifying information using a fax number provided in the letter. Some of these letters have also been received via e-mail through the Internet. The scheme relies on convincing a willing victim, who has demonstrated a “propensity for larceny” by responding to the invitation, to send money to the author of the letter in Nigeria in several installments of increasing amounts for a variety of reasons. Identity Theft Identity theft occurs when someone assumes your identity to perform a fraud or other criminal act. Criminals can get the information they need to assume your identity from a variety of sources, including by stealing your wallet, rifling through your trash, or by compromising your credit or bank information. They may approach you in person, by telephone, or on the Internet and

ask you for the information. The sources of information about you are so numerous that you cannot prevent the theft of your identity. But you can minimize your risk of loss by following a few simple hints. Tips for Avoiding Identity Theft: ■Never throw away ATM receipts, credit statements, credit cards, or bank statements in a usable form. ■Never give your credit card number over the telephone unless you make the call. ■Reconcile your bank account monthly, and notify your bank of discrepancies immediately. ■Keep a list of telephone numbers to call to report the loss or theft of your wallet, credit cards, etc. ■Report unauthorized financial transactions to your bank, credit card company, and the police as soon as you detect them. Advance Fee Schemes: An advance fee scheme occurs when the victim pays money to someone in anticipation of receiving something of greater value—such as a loan, contract, investment, or gift—and then receives little or nothing in return. The variety of advance fee schemes is limited only by the imagination of the con artists who offer them. They may involve the sale of products or services, the offering of investments, lottery winnings, “found money,” or many other “opportunities.” Clever con artists will offer to find financing arrangements for their clients who pay a “finder’s fee” in advance. They require their clients to sign contracts in which they agree to pay the fee when they are introduced to the financing source. Victims often learn that they are ineligible for financing only after they have paid the “finder” according to the contract. Such agreements may be legal unless it can be shown that the “finder” never had the intention or the ability to provide financing for the victims. Tips for Avoiding Advanced Fee Schemes: If the offer of an “opportunity” appears too good to be true, it probably is. Follow common business practice. For example, legitimate business is rarely conducted in cash on a street corner. ■Know who you are dealing with. If you have not heard of a person or company that you intend to do business with, learn more about them. Depending on the amount of money that you plan on spending, you may want to visit the

business location, check with the Better Business Bureau, or consult with your bank, an attorney, or the police. ■Make sure you fully understand any business agreement that you enter into. If the terms are complex, have them reviewed by a competent attorney. Health Care Fraud or Health Insurance Fraud Medical Equipment Fraud: Equipment manufacturers offer “free” products to individuals. Insurers are then charged for products that were not needed and/ or may not have been delivered. “Rolling Lab” Schemes Unnecessary and sometimes fake tests are given to individuals at health clubs, retirement homes, or shopping malls and billed to insurance companies or Medicare. Services Not Performed Customers or providers bill insurers for services never rendered by changing bills or submitting fake ones. Medicare Fraud: Medicare fraud can take the form of any of the health insurance frauds described above. Senior citizens are frequent targets of Medicare schemes, especially by medical equipment manufacturers who offer seniors free medical products in exchange for their Medicare numbers. Because a physician has to sign a form certifying that equipment or testing is needed before Medicare pays for it, con artists fake signatures or bribe corrupt doctors to sign the forms. Once a signature is in place, the manufacturers bill Medicare for merchandise or service that was not needed or ordered.

Ponzi Schemes

Ponzi Schemes promise high financial returns or dividends not available through traditional investments. Instead of investing the funds of victims, however, the con artist pays “dividends” to initial investors using the funds of subsequent investors. The scheme generally falls apart when the operator flees with all of the proceeds or when a sufficient number of new investors cannot be found to allow the continued payment of “dividends.” This type of fraud is named after its creator—Charles Ponzi of Boston, Massachusetts. In the early 1900s, Ponzi launched a scheme that guaranteed investors a 50 percent return on their investment in postal coupons. Although he was able to pay his initial backers, the scheme dissolved when he was unable to pay later investors. ww.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud

January 2011 WHERE DID IT GO 11

as the musical South Pacific. Tiki popularity was hitting its zenith with Hawaii becoming a state, in 1959, and marked by some very bad Elvis movies. Tiki bars had moved into people’s homes along with scowling Tiki gods. Attractions like Disney’s Enchanted Tiki room where drawing thousands, Tiki had become a cultural powerhouse. So why were the tiki gods still angry?

Hearing Is Our Concern

End of the Golden Age: Tiki Dusk

By the early 1970’s over exposure had began to make Tiki cliché or kitsch. Plastic hula dolls and mass production had caused a lameness to settle over the former savageness of the Tiki gods. The generation that had originally gone wild over Tiki culture had grown older. Even worse, younger Americans came to see tiki as an insensitive diversion from America’s serious problems. Sitting around a vacation like nightclub while others fought in Vietnam struck a soar cord. The great age of Tiki had passed. All but a very few of the once plentifully and mighty Tiki bars turned into regular Chinese Restaurants or simply closed their doors. Then, to ad insult to injury, disco nightclubs where spring up across America, poor tiki gods.

Half the joy of the holidays is hearing them. Starkey’s new S Series iQ, the world’s top-selling hearing aid, has undergone recent technology breakthroughs – featuring Starkey’s Voice iQ and InVision Directionality. These amazing technologies are designed to preserve speech understanding in noise so you can hear companions clearly, comfortably, and easily – even in the noisiest environments. Another breakthrough is the introduction of OtoLens, the only 100% custom, invisible, digital and fully programmable hearing aid.

Affordable Hearing Care has been in business for 25 years. We have helped X-Day Open House RSVP today! thousands of people in our community get their hearing and their lives back.

committed to helping learn aboutam your level of hearing loss, MonthWe’re Day – Day • youXX:XX – XX:XX pmand can introduce you to the latest advancements in hearing aid technologies.

During this event we will be offering the following FREE SERVICES:

Affordable Hearing Care 1-855-966-1989

Michael J. LeCompte, • FREE hearing H.I.S. consultation and evaluation. 30 years experience

S series IQ up to 50% Discount

• FREE examination of your ears to check for wax buildup. • FREE demonstration of Starkey’s new S Series iQ & OtoLens hearing aids.

• $XXX trade-in on a pair ofCenter S Series iQ hearing aids. * 401 West Fairmont Pkwy Ste E-2 LaMarque * Bayallowance Park Shopping LaPorte Hearing Center Name has been in • Experience latest140-B technology breakthrough 2600 FMOtoLens, 1764,the Suite LaPorte, TX 77571 business for XX years. We strive to from Starkey with a XX-Day Free Trial Period.* offer you the best hearing instruments LaMarque, TX, 77568 281-470-4722 available plus an exceptional patient HEARING CENTER NAME 409-986-8094 experience. We know how important ANY STREET NAME

ANY TOWN, ST XXXXX

your hearing is. Please call us today to begin your life of better hearing.

We Now Accept Medicaid

CALL US TODAY— X X X . X X X . X X X X *Deposit may be required.

ISSUE MONTH:

Rebirth of Tiki: Tiki Dawn II, Revenge January 2011 of the Tiki Gods! Starting in the late 1980’s all things retro came back in vogue. Vintage clothing, cars and tiki, of course. A new generation had discovered the power of the savage tiki gods. Tiki’s rebirth was moreREVIEW complexAD thenPROOF that though. Older VERY CAREFULLY: people from the original tiki boom got back into it and middle aged citizens became nostalgic for thereview tiki bars Please carefully yourand ad tiki parties proofwhere and return this approval their parents had when they young. Others form believe that ASAP. Make any necessary changes the postmodern movement has blurred the lines between eras, fax back 281.474.1443 allowing people to graband ideas fromto any times or orculture. A e-mail to Art@Baygroupmagazines. new crop of tiki carvers has arisen as well, more concerned com. Please return this proof when about tiki history and meaning then what modern art critiques your representative tells you. Our consider being proper fine art. Still others may just need an deadlines vary from month to month escape from the demands of our technologically so please return this form AS EARLYadvanced times, desiring to feel atAS onPOSSIBLE with mans inner tribal to ensure that your roots. Tiki seems to be an umbilicallatest cordedits through time that often comes make our deadline. It is the advertiser’s responsibility to returned. with rum. Whatever the reason though, tiki has check proofs carefully. This proof Artists are carving tiki statues, collectors are collecting and is for your major protection. IT IS YOURof the new tiki bars are reopening in every city. Some ONLY OPPORTUNITY to catch anyA tiki bar tiki bars are as grand as the tiki lounges of old. errors made during the processing in San Francisco even features thundershowers every twenty of this ad. BAY AREA HOUSTON minutes and a band playing on a raft stage in the middle of a MAGAZINE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE pool. Tiki is on the rise in America, Britain indeed across FOR ANY ERROR NOT and MARKED. the world. Yet, the Tiki Gods are astill generally an angry lot. This is NOT second opportunity It seems their scowling disposition assures they will never be to re-design the ad. Instructions forgotten! have been followed as closely

STEP 1:

as possible. Any design or copy change may result in an additional charge.

STEP 2: CHECK AN OPTION

NPAD1299-00-EE-ST-SL 10/10

Red Meat is Not Bad for you Fuzzy Green Meat is Bad for You

12â&#x20AC;&#x192; WHERE DID IT GO January 2011

Gulf Coast Realtors 312 FM 517 W Dickinson, TX 77539 281-534-GULF (4853)

gulfcoastrealtors.net Find out what properties in your area sold for: www.propertyvaluesinyourneighborhood.com

Residential Owner Very Anxious

201 Baily Brook-Dickinson 4BR/4 FULL Bath, 2 1/2 garage w/large game room or 5th bdrm upstairs..comes loaded w/many upgrades. Beautiful open kitchen w/granite tops, built in office nook, huge pantry. $234,500

3724 Armand - Dickinson 4BR Like New. Lots Of Cabinets In The Kitchen And Closet Space In Each Room. An Added Bonus Is No Mud Or PID Tax. $217,900

71 Tarpon Bayou Vista 4BR, elevator & chair lift, tile floors, open kitchen, granite tops $295,000

418 Quail Ridge 4/3.5 Lakes of Bay Area Dickinson on 1.29 acres,fireplace, den, granite counters plus office $430,000

1118 Rippling Springs

S Shore

4/2 Like New Perry One story. 3 car garage, extra-large bedrooms, beautiful wood floors. Open concept, many upgrades. Washer/Dryer included. $219,900

4612 Edgemore Santa Fe

3BR on cul-de-sac, covered patio,top line appliances, room for horse, storage building

$189,000

1909 W Carter Ln 5BR LaMarque

Island kitchen/stainless range top,built-in double oven,den/ bookshelves galore,fireplace,wet bar. Master is down. Landscaped. $205,500

3032 Longwood 4/4 Dickinson granite counters, SS appliances, travertine tile, mature trees, rear entry driveway w/parking area $149,000

2909 18th Ave 3/4 TX City Open space. Huge kitchen w/ breakfast bar, dining area. Den with wood burning fire place and gameroom/office. Back yard offers patio and storage building. $104,900

7802 Forest Stone 3/2 Baytown

Split floor & fireplace. Open. Tile in formal dining, den,and kitchen. Bedrooms carpet. Large backyard. $114,999

Condos/Townhomes Texas City--Gatsby Condoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s-$42,500 Galveston-26501 Mangrove-$119,000 Galveston-27030 Estuary- $158,900 Seabrook-4011 Nasa rd one-$79,900 League City-643 Davis-$138,000

Dickinson-2127 Casa Rio-$99k League City- 793 Davis- $89k Kemah-1140 FM 2094-unit 204--$117,900 Kemah-1140 FM 2094-unit 120--$149,900 Clear Lake-2323 Fairwind-$59,900

Commercial Building-Texas Ave, Texas City Office Building 3143 SF $ 40,000 Lost Coyote Grill -Texas City Bar/Restaurant 4908 SF $275,000 Chelsea Manor - Texas City $35,000 4547 Vicksburg - Bacliff Commercial bldg, living quarters 4000 SF $175,000 2512 Termini - Dickinson Retail across from Post Office 1700 SF $1.50/SF/per mo 801 Main - LaMarque Retail 193 SF $ 25,000 Hwy 3 -Dickinson land Approx. 5 acres $425,000 Hwy 146 San Leon land 1.36 acres $150,000 1401 33rd St- Texas City land 9.49 acres $949,000 Financial Institution - Broadway St - Galveston 2760SF $312,000 or Lease $3,000/mo

Rentals Seabrook Condo- 4011 Nasa Rd One- $700 Monthly Dickinson House- 5208 Cottonwood -$1300 Monthly Dickinson Waterfront Condo- 2127 Casa Rio- $1400 Monthly

League City Townhome- 643 Davis- $1350 Monthly San Leon - 1223 Island - $2000 Dickinson - 5619 Chisolm Trail - $1100 Monthly

Over 300 years agent* experience serving*Galveston County Investments