Santa Monica Daily Press, June 14, 2008

WEEKEND EDITION

INSIDE SCOOP

COMMENTARY

BENEFIT CONCERT CALLED OFF PAGE 3 VICE PRESIDENT BILL? PAGE 4

JUNE 14-15, 2008

Visit us online at smdp.com

Volume 7 Issue 183

Santa Monica Daily Press BREAK TIME SEE PAGE 18

Since 2001: A news odyssey

THE BACK TO SCHOOL ISSUE

‘Initiation’ a dying tradition at MHS

BY MELODY HANATANI Daily Press Staff Writer

MALIBU HIGH SCHOOL There’s an occurrence that takes place here toward the end of nearly every academic year, a rite of passage of sorts for the incoming freshmen about to embark on the final chapter of their K-12 educational journey.

Many call it “initiation,” some might clas-

sify it as a form of hazing. Regardless, some Malibu High School parents say the welcoming that some incoming seniors have traditionally given to incoming freshman is a cause for concern.

In a message blast to the school community through its eMHS mailing list, Liz Cowgill, an eighth grade and ninth grade counselor at Malibu, warned parents about the upcoming “initiation,” stressing that the

activity is neither condoned nor sponsored by the school.

“The 11th graders, much to our disappointment, have always instigated initiation every spring,” Cowgill states in the e-mail.

“Initiation is illegal because it is hazing.”

The initiation for girls usually involves the seniors throwing condiments on the eighth graders as they roll in the sand, much more violent for boys who might get pad-

dled or forced to fight, according to Cowgill.

Perhaps most concerning about the initiation is the after party thrown by the juniors, Cowgill continues, though she did not elaborate on details.

Her initial posting was followed by several messages by parents expressing concerns of the activities, taking place outside of adult SEE INITIATION PAGE 11

Despite hype, a poor showing at superintendent search meeting

BY MELODY HANATANI Daily Press Staff Writer

REMEMBER THE FICUS

Morgan Genser news@smdp.com Jolie Wolff (center) and her grandfather Bob Wolf (right) attend a memorial service Friday for the ficus trees that were recently removed from the downtown area. The event was organized by Santa Monica Treesavers, a group of activists that have been battling city officials to save the trees that were removed as part of a beatification plan. A total of 23 ficus trees were cut down as part of the project.

SAMOHI In an effort to gather public input for the interim superintendent search, school district officials hosted a series of community workshops on Thursday, the meetings surprisingly poorly attended considering the hype surrounding outgoing leader Dianne Talarico.

Roughly 12 people attended the afternoon and early evening meetings held at Santa Monica High School, only seven of whom offered their opinions on the qualifications in which they believe the interim leader should possess. The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District announced the workshops, which were held concurrently at Malibu and Santa Monica high schools, on Monday, just days after the Board of Education hired Leadership Associates to head the search.

At the two meetings in Malibu just 10 people showed up.

“I am somewhat disappointed,” board member Barry Snell, who attended the Samohi meeting, said. “I had believed more people would show up.

“Those who did show up gave us some insight into the qualifications needed for a superintendent.”

Talarico, who has served as superintendent for nearly two years, will oversee the Burlingame School District in Northern California starting July 1. School officials have said they would like to secure an interim superintendent by the time Talarico leaves but are open to more time if it means SEE SEARCH PAGE 12

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Calendar 2

WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

A newspaper with issues

New Year’s in June 1211 Fourth St., 7 p.m.

New Year’s in June? Don’t wait until next December for an evening of audience favorite songs, dances, comedy and other delights, complete with complimentary buffet supper and fabulous door prizes. For information, call (310) 394-9779 ext. 651.

Monthly musical 601 Santa Monica Blvd., 3 p.m. — 5 p.m.

Jane Austen's classic gets the Bollywood spin in “Bride & Prejudice,” a 2004 film screening in the Main Library's Monthly Movie Musical series. Free program. Seating first come, first served.

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Food as medicine 1704 Montana Ave., 2 p.m. — 3 p.m.

Dr. Robert Krochmal will lead a discussion about the medicinal qualities of certain food.

Sunday, June 15, 2008 Down the rabbit hole 1211 Fourth St., 6:30 p.m. — 7:45 p.m.

Take a wild tumble down the rabbit hole in this madcap contemporary reworking of Lewis Carroll's classic adventure. Sip from the elixir of fantastical dreams, swim for your life in the vale of tears, and awaken to the bizarrely ungraspable chaos that is the warp and woof of your daily existence as the Young Professionals' Company at Santa Monica Playhouse stirs up the looking glass sensibilities of old to up-end the tumultuous conditions of our modern existence. For more information, call (310) 3949779 ext 651.

‘Unbeatable Harold’ 3000 Airport Ave., 2 p.m.

Anything is possible for a guy who dreams big. Life seems full of potential, and Harold is about to pop the question after five months of dating (and working with) Wanda.

He lets her know that he has been training hard, his grades are competitive, and he “has more personality in my little finger than most of those others guys have in their little fingers.” That’s key in hand puppetry. How could anything go wrong? The fun of this story is in the way it will make you feel. For information on this Ruskin Group Theatre produciton, call (310) 397-3244.

The other Jerry's kids 1348 14th St., 7 p.m.

Cubensis brings the sights and sounds of a live Grateful Dead concert to 14 Below every Sunday. Cubensis is known for whipping its faithful crowd into a swirling psychedelic mass for three hours straight.

Get it while its fresh Downtown Mar Vista, 9 a.m. — 1 p.m.

Head out to lovely Mar Vista for the weekly Farmers’ Market. Located at the corner of Grandview and Venice boulevards, the market includes fresh fruits and vegetables as well as some prepared foods.

For more information on any of the events listed, log on to smdp.com and click the “Events” tab for the given day’s calendar.

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Inside Scoop Visit us online at smdp.com

WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

3

Memorial benefit concert cancelled

BY ALICE OLLSTEIN Special to the Daily Press

DOWNTOWN Saturday night at the Orpheum Theater, students, parents and community members would have been lining up for a rock concert honoring the lives of Eddie Lopez and Dillon Henry, both of whom would have graduated next week. On June 6, the concert was canceled “due to unforeseen circumstances.”

Lopez, who attended Santa Monica High School, was mistaken for a gang member and shot to death on Feb. 28, 2006. He was 15 years old.

Henry, who went to Palisades High School, died in a car accident on July 6, 2007.

He was 17.

Friends and family have done much to honor both boys in the past few years, such

as holding memorial services and tree planting ceremonies, as well as starting charities, but little could be called a celebration.

“Everything we’ve been doing so far has been sad, with a tone of grief and mourning,” said Samohi senior Josh Miller, a former friend of Lopez who helped plan the Orpheum concert. “But Eddie was a fun guy who loved music, so we wanted to celebrate his life for once.”

Lopez and Miller met while playing Little League baseball at age 10, and later became pitchers on the Samohi team.

“I hit my first homerun off him,” Miller said. “We used to joke about that.”

According to Miller, the time was right to plan a memorial event. The foundation he started for Lopez in 2006, Resilient Youth, had been getting a flood of donations and

media attention, all of which is necessary for executing a successful event. Then Los Angeles promoter Bill Silva took on the event because, according to Miller, he was moved by the story of Lopez and Henry.

“When [Silva] was young, some big promoter helped him do an event, so he wanted to give back by helping us,” Miller said. “I also think the story of Eddie really touches people.”

Silva approached the Orpheum, a 2,000 seat venue in Downtown L.A., and explained the story of Dillon and Lopez. The Orpheum agreed to host the concert, and included several discounts. Later, they waived the cancellation fee. The tickets were originally priced at $55, but were lowered to $30 when students complained that they couldn’t afford a ticket.

Ticketmaster also chipped in, waiving their online purchasing fee for the first time since the

Hurricane Katrina benefit concert. They will now reimburse all ticket purchases at no cost.

While the concert was originally planned as a benefit for Lopez alone, Miller later joined forces with Henry’s mother, Harriet Zaretsky, to plan the event. Zaretsky had been thinking of planning a concert herself to honor her son, and there was, as Miller described, “a lot of friend overlap” between the two boys. A mutual friend introduced Miller and Zaretsky, and they set to work on publicity and promotion.

A week before the concert, however, after placing ads in L.A. Weekly and all over both high school campuses, those planning the concert decided to cancel due to low ticket sales.

SEE CONCERT PAGE 13

Mars lander probes first microscope information

BY ALICIA CHANG Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES The Phoenix lander sent back the most detailed view of the Martian soil to date, showing clumps of fine grains mixed with possible minerals, scientists said Friday.

Much of the dirt that Phoenix scooped up and sprinkled on its microscope appeared as a reddish-orange hue that’s typical of the Martian landscape.

Zooming in, scientists noticed green particles that could be olivine, a mineral usually associated with volcanic eruptions. The soil also contained round, black glassy specks that could be volcanic glass, said mission scientist Tom Pike of the Imperial College in London.

It’s too early to make any generalizations about Phoenix’s landing site, but scientists were intrigued by the latest images.

“What we are looking at here is a part of history of Martian soil,” Pike said at a news conference in Tucson, Ariz.

The mineral olivine was previously dis-

IN THE GREEN

Brandon Wise brandonw@smdp.com Pamela Emery (right) of the California Fertilizer Foundation is given a tour of the John Muir Elementary School community garden by a group of first graders on Friday. Emery presented the school with a $1,200 grant donated by farmers and ranchers for winning the statewide School Garden Competition. John Muir was one of 12 schools to be awarded a grant to improve their gardens. CFF is a non-profit organization that has been working with farmers and ranchers from across California teaching students about the nation’s agricultural system.

SEE MARS PAGE 13

BACK or UNFILED TAXES? ALL FORMS • ALL TYPES • ALL STATES

SAMUEL B. MOSES, CPA

(310) 395-9922 1000 Wilshiree Blvd.,, Suitee 1800 Santaa Monicaa 90401

OpinionCommentary 4

A newspaper with issues

WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Modern Times

Send comments to editor@smdp.com

Lloyd Garver

Big things, small packages Editor:

I’d like to applaud the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board for the new alternative high school that is being proposed for the district. I want to speak in favor of this model of education. For the last 70 years, St. Monica Catholic High School has been a smaller, secondary institution that has also been alternative, service-learning, and environmentally conscientious.

As pastor of St. Monica, I can vouch for the great atmosphere and community that such institutions bring to education and to the students who attend them. So bravo to the SMMUSD, and best wishes in this endeavor.

Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson Santa Monica

Might as well vote for Bush Editor:

When can our troops come home from Iraq? “ … that’s not too important,” said John McCain when he was asked this month on NBC’s “Today” show. But how does that sound to families who have a loved one serving in Iraq, who live for the day when they can see their child, spouse, or parent again, alive and in one piece?

From what McCain has said about continuing his war in Iraq, he does not care one bit about what most of us want. Most Iraqis want us out of their country, too. But he has said he would keep us in Iraq for another five years, or as he excitedly told one reporter, maybe “a hundred years” or “a thousand or million years.” What mood swings the man has.

McCain said in March of this year, “No one has supported President Bush on Iraq more than I have.” Yet now he conveniently tries to distance himself from Bush. If McCain is elected president, we will be dragged down by another four years of Bush policies.

Doug Long Rio Rancho, N.M.

What a waste of space Editor:

Mr. (Steve) Breen is no credit to the Post Office. I assume he works in Santa Monica. I think the postmaster needs to put a muzzle on him. I am a retired federal employee but not the [with] postal service. I can’t believe the article he prints and why the SMDP caters to him. He is not an asset to your newpaper. I put him and Ron Lowe in the same category. If he’s this obnoxious in his writings I can imagine what he’s like to work with.

Jacqueline Kestler Culver City

PUBLISHER Ross Furukawa Send comments to editor@smdp.com

Could it be Bill, not Hillary who becomes vice president?

WE’VE HEARD A LOT OF PLEAS OF

sympathy for Hillary Clinton ever since she conceded that she didn’t win the Democratic nomination. We were told that it was going to be necessary for there to be some time for “the healing process.” “Newsweek” even suggested that candidates who lose presidential elections generally suffer from a kind of post-traumatic stress disorder. If this is true, I have the utmost confidence that Hillary will triumph over these difficulties. She has certainly demonstrated her strength and resiliency during the campaign. The one I’m worried about is Bill.

More than ever, during the interminable campaign for the nomination, the former president demonstrated his love of the limelight. For several years, he had seemed content to be off the front pages and the evening news. He appeared to be happy doing both philanthropic work and making a fortune giving speeches about being philanthropic.

But then he got a taste of it again, and he remembered what he’d been missing all those years. It was publicity, feeling important, and having cute young reporters writing down every word that he said.

If he couldn’t be president again because of some silly little Constitutional thing, he’d be the closest thing to it. He could be the First Gentleman. Not only that, but he’d be the first First Gentleman.

However, the more obvious it became that Sen. Clinton wasn’t going to win, the more desperate Bill became. “Hey, this isn’t fair,” he probably thought. “I’d make a better First Spouse than Michelle Obama. She doesn’t even know how to signal to the Secret Service guys to look the other way.” If Bill hadn’t acted so unprincipled in those final weeks of the campaign, he would have seemed pathetic. So let’s not ask that question about Hillary anymore. Instead, let’s ask, “What’s Bill going to do now?”

Is he really going to be able to go back to the shadows after people made all this fuss about him again? I don’t think so. His kind of “attention deficit disorder” happens when

the world gives him a deficit of attention.

It’s not out of the question, but I doubt that he’ll do the reality show, “At Home With The Crazy Clintons.” (Note to the Fox Network: When you steal this idea, I’ll sue but I’ll settle out of court). I don’t see him as an all-star for the Yankees, he’s not going to run for the mayor of Hope, Arkansas, and I don’t see him as playing his saxophone on the Third Street Promenade. So what can he do that will satisfy his appetite for approval?

As I was worrying about poor Bill, I happened to hear that former basketball player/bridal gown model Dennis Rodman, and child star/do anything guy, Danny Bonaduce were going to be on a new television show called, “Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Wrestling.” I immediately thought this might be just the thing for Bill.

He’d get plenty of attention, he could show off his reduced body, and he’d have fawning female fans. But my insanity was only temporary. Bill Clinton is not Danny Bonaduce — and he can quote me on that.

Bill doesn’t just want the spotlight. He desperately wants to be remembered respectfully. They might not always act like it, but presidents apparently care what the history books will say about them.

I gave it some more thought, and then realized that Bill had not made a fool of himself for at least a week. He hasn’t tried to upstage anyone lately. And he has stopped saying anything negative about Obama.

This last fact is what made me finally understand what Bill is up to. Why is he behaving himself? Why is he cozying up to Barack Obama? It’s simple. Bill has figured out what he’d like to do next: He wants to be vice president.

LLOYD GARVER has written for many television shows, ranging from “Sesame Street” to “Family Ties” to “Home Improvement” to “Frasier.” He has also read many books, some of them in hardcover.

He can be reached at lloydgarver@gmail.com. Check out his website at lloydgarver.com

ross@smdp.com

EDITOR IN CHIEF Kevin Herrera editor@smdp.com

MANAGING EDITOR Daniel Archuleta daniela@smdp.com

STAFF WRITER Melody Hanatani melodyh@smdp.com

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Brandon Wise brandonw@smdp.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bill Bauer, David Pisarra, Meredith Carroll, Kenny Mack, Jack Neworth, Lloyd Garver, Seth Barnes, Taylor van Arsdale, Dane Robert Swanson, Ryan Hyatt, Steve Breen, Elizabeth Brown, Maria Rohloff, Merv Hecht, Mike Heayn, Brian Hepp Mariel Howsepian and Cynthia Citron

NEWS INTERNS Alexandra Bissonnette news@smdp.com Alice Ollstein news@smdp.com Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz news@smdp.com

PHOTOGRAPHY INTERNS Geoffrey Dunn news@smdp.com

Morgan Genser news@smdp.com

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Rob Schwenker schwenker@smdp.com

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Julie Martinez juliem@smdp.com

Robert Hertel roberth@smdp.com

ADVERTISING TRAFFIC FACILITATOR Amber Kessee amberk@smdp.com

OPERATIONS MANAGER Connie Sommerville connies@smdp.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER Robert Summa summa@smdp.com

A poem for Mother Earth Editor:

Space Travel?

Earthlings yearn to travel far, To fly around in outer space, To see what lies beyond a star, To find somewhere an alien race.

But stop a moment humankind!

This old planet needs you here.

Look around and you will find Enough to make you shed a tear.

Polluted air and oceans wide, Warming winds and melting ice, Wars and famines side by side, Mean streets overrun by vice.

Let’s concentrate on mother earth And heal the wounds that we create, To bring about a grand rebirth And commandeer or planet’s fate.

When you long for worlds afar, Just raise your eyes and look up high.

Behold the moon and every star, The universe is our own sky.

CIRCULATION Keith Wyatt Osvaldo Paganini circulation@smdp.com

A newspaper with issues 410 Broadway, Suite B Santa Monica, CA 90401 OFFICE (310) 458-PRESS (7737) FAX (310) 576-9913

Visit us online at smdp.com

The Santa Monica Daily Press is published six days a week, Monday through Saturday.

19,000 daily circulation, 46,450 daily readership. Circulation is audited and verified by Circulation Verification Council, 2006. Serving the City of Santa Monica, and the communities of Venice Beach, Brentwood, West LA. Members of CNPA, AFCP, CVC, Associated Press, IFPA, Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce.

Helen Fiske

Published by Newlon Rouge, LLC

Santa Monica

© 2006 Newlon Rouge, LLC, all rights reserved.

OPINIONS EXPRESSED are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the Santa Monica Daily Press staff. Guest editorials from residents are encouraged, as are letters to the editor. Letters will be published on a space-available basis. It is our intention to publish all letters we receive, except those that are libelous or are unsigned. Preference will be given to those that are e-mailed to editor@smdp.com. All letters must include the author’s name and telephone number for purposes of verification. Letters also may be mailed to our offices located at 410 Broadway, Suite B, Santa Monica, 90401, or faxed to (310) 576-9913. All letters and guest editorials are subject to editing for space and content.

Commentary Visit us online at smdp.com

WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

5

S T R a Y talk A CENTER-CUT, NO-FAT REVIEW OF WHAT WAS SAID THIS PAST WEEK BY FOLKS THE WORLD OVER AND RIGHT AT HOME

Hypnotherapists are not licensed by the state of California as healing arts practitioners; for your benefit and protection, work on some issues may require a written referral from a licensed physician or mental health professional.

We still have hope. I can’t emphasize how much we want to find him, no matter what the outcome is.”

— Jennifer Argenti, a Santa Monica resident who went surfing with missing hiker Kevin Gale every morning. Gale was reported missing to the Santa Monica Police Department on June 4, last spotted en route to a hike in the Santa Monica Mountains on May 27.

Anyway, I really am sorry you’re having such a rough time. Maybe you should go see the “Sex and the City” movie. It’s all about second, third and 19th chances. A topic close to your heart, now in more ways than one.”

— SMDP columnist Meredith C. Carroll writing to Sen. Hillary Clinton in “Meredith Pro Tem.”

I got to wearing them all the time, and would only take them off to sleep or to shower. Now I only wear one when I perform because if I didn’t people might say, ‘Who is that guy up there?’”

— Latin Jazz percussionist and band leader, Poncho Sanchez regarding his propensity to wear his signature Kangol hat. Sanchez plays the Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend.

I wish I weren’t so hooked on the Lakers but I’m powerless. I probably should be going to L.A. meetings — Lakers Anonymous. Laugh, but who knows there isn’t such a thing? On the plus side, at least I use the Lakers games to work out down in the gym. I even bring my own universal remote with me, as if people didn’t think I was weird enough. But when things go awry for the Lakers (too often for my tastes) I have to be careful not to swear. One could get the impression I was obsessed. Who, me?”

Prices good with this coupon only

Recycle for CASH CRV Aluminum Cans $1.75/LB. (Over 100LBS) $1.80/LB.

Hours: Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM Saturday: 8AM-2PM Prices include CA Redemption Value Scrap price subject to change

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expires 6/30/08 Santa Monica Recycling Center 2411 Delaware Ave./Cloverfield & Michigan Directions: Turn East on Michigan off of Cloverfield, First Street is 24th. Right on 24th St. to Delaware

Santa Monica 310/453-9677 City of Santa Monica Santa Monica Police Activities League PAL

Free Trip For Kids Ages 6-17 Years

— SMDP columnist Jack Neworth writing in “Laughing Matters.”

What we’re bringing reflects many thousands of comments and ideas. We have tried to bring together a whole range of perspectives from both ends of the spectrum.”

— Planning and Community Development Director Eileen Fogarty regarding the process to update the city’s Land Use and Circulation Element.

You are made out of meat. You may be friendly toward the polar bear but a polar bear thinks of you as an entrée.

Existentially speaking, I would like to place an environmentalist and a Washington lawyer on a shrinking ice floe with a polar bear for gladiatorial purposes … on pay-per-view. I’ll bet the lawyer would come in a close second. The enviro-bozo would be sprinkled with parsley and have an apple stuck in his mouth.”

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Los Angeles Angels Friday June 27, 2008 Bus will leave PAL Youth Center (1401 Olympic Blvd) At 5:30 p.m. and returns to PAL at 10:00 p.m.

SPACE IS LIMITED!

— SMDP columnist Steve Breen writing in “Going Postal.”

INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING IN THE ONLY LOCAL DAILY PAPER IN SANTA MONICA? A friend of mine at a Chevron station in Carson had 4,000 gallons stolen in one weekend.”

— Bill William, operations manager of a Union 76 station in Santa Monica. Thieves stole 200 gallons from William’s station on May 31.

Fran Pavley beat out Lloyd Levine to be the Democratic nominee for the 23rd Senate District. I received eight, glossy, color brochures from Levine (and nothing from Pavley) although I’m registered as a ‘nonaffiliated’ voter. I don’t know who managed his campaign but the sheer volume of increasingly malicious and petty attacks on Pavley must have cost him beaucoup votes. Negative campaigns don’t work here and Levine should have known this” — SMDP columnist Bill Bauer writing in “My Write.”

Call us at (310) 458-7737

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A newspaper with issues

WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

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PICKING PARTNERS This past week, Q-line asked: Now that Barack Obama has wrapped up the Democratic presidential nomination, it is time for he and Republican candidate John McCain to start thinking about running mates. Who should McCain and Obama choose as vice presidential candidates and why?...

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“EVERY NATION IN THE WORLD IS RATED by the power and intelligence of that nation’s leaders. John McCain should select a younger person with a solid knowledge of national and international affairs — a strong right-hand person to carry the nation should John McCain fade in the stretch. Barack Obama should chose a more mature person for the same reason.”

“MCCAIN WILL PROBABLY PICK somebody like Romney, not like there’s anything wrong with Romney, but maybe he should go with Colin Powell. As far as Obama’s concerned, anybody but Hillary Clinton for vice president.”

“NOT HILLARY UNLESS HE’S SUICIDAL, which I don’t think he is. Hillary would be a better choice for McCain.”

DO YOU HAVE COMMUNITY NEWS? Submit news releases to editor@smdp.com or by fax at (310) 576-9913 Visit us online at smdp.com

“MCCAIN IS TOO OLD, A WARMONGER and fascist. Obama is too young, inexperienced and liberal, so they both need opposites for their vice presidents. McCain should get Miley Cyrus or Chris Rock and Obama should get McCain.”

“OBAMA’S VICE PRESIDENT SHOULD BE The Rev. Wright, his gay lover. That would be good for him. Rev. Wright, his gay lover.

McCain should have Condoleezza Rice for his v.p. That would be the best for McCain.”

“MR. OBAMA’S REQUIRED HARVARD University political reading list of ‘Das Kapital,’ ‘Mein Kampf’ and ‘It Takes a Village’ means my first choice would be that of former lifeguard Ted Kennedy, too old and too sick. Next would be Jesse Jackson, great choice for getting back at whitey. The best choice would be Oprah Winfrey. Half the hillbillies that watch her show would vote for her. She could buy any country that gives us problems and she could end slavery in America. For McCain the first choice would be Colin Powell.

Here’s two guys who know the real world and the great cost of freedom. I also like Ron Paul, but that puts two geezers on the ticket and not progressive enough ideas.

Hey, wait a minute, flat tax, don’t spend more than you tax, pay down the $10 trillion debt, sounds pretty new to me. Only Oprah has that kind of money. Me and all the hillbilles need a new car. Thank you Miss Vice President.”

good one.”

“MICKEY MOUSE AND DONALD DUCK. It doesn’t matter which vice president is assigned to which presidential candidate.

Anyway it promises to be a disastrous presidency. Neither candidate knows a thing about our economy or national relations or anything else. They are both liberals who will open our borders, increase our taxes and the size of the federal government.”

“HILLARY, HILLARY, HILLARY. WE NEED someone to take on health care.”

“FROM AN OBJECTIVE STANDPOINT, I would consider Obama’s best possible vice presidential pick to be Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia. Bill Richardson and Joe Biden would also be vice presidential picks who would greatly benefit Obama, helping him to win the general election. In regards to McCain, his best choice would be Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida. That would be an extremely formidable ticket for the Democrats to contend with. I would consider, from an objective standpoint, the worst possible pick that Obama could make for his vice presidential candidate would be Hillary Clinton. And for McCain, the worst possible pick would be Mitt Romney. Both of those tickets would be very detrimental to the fortunes of either candidates.

However, given that I am a Democrat a McCain-Romney ticket would be enjoyable to see because that would mean McCain would lose in a landslide to Obama.”

“CONDOLEEZZA RICE IS THE ONLY partner we need to pick for John McCain.

He’ll need her. He needs help making very important choices for our country and Obama, I don’t know him.”

P R O U D LY B R O U G H T T O Y O U B Y

“DEFINITELY NOT HILLARY FOR V.P. Maybe a cabinet position for her. How about Bill Richardson for v.p. He’d be a

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Food Visit us online at smdp.com

WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

Kitchen Vixen Elizabeth Brown

Send comments to editor@smdp.com

Sushi can go vegetarian, too SUSHI AND DATING — THEY GO TOGETHER,

at least they use to, until I realized that if I went to a sushi restaurant on a first date, there was never a second. The lack of date number two was my choice so I could not help feel that perhaps the pretense of a high end sushi restaurant skewed my decision to go out again. Was I really giving these gentleman a fair shake by putting them under the gun of the sushisphere; the atmosphere whereby beautiful people eat raw fish, drink sake and attempt to make conversation over the unyielding clamor in a restaurant where you use chop sticks instead of silverware? What would make a sushi restaurant so noisy anyway?

Perhaps it’s the nutrients one consumes in the two hour dining period, or possibly the arrival of the hefty bill after a couple strips of sashimi, which makes the crowd more boisterous. Sushi can be a wonderfully healthy choice for those who wish to watch their weight and obtain those coveted Omega-3 essential fatty acids.

I was inspired to write about sushi this week, not because of another failed first date but because I ate sushi twice in one day. On

my way home from the gym I ran into a friend who invited me for happy hour half price sushi and later that evening before seeing “Sex in the City,” which I loved BTW, I again ate half price sushi on the Promenade.

My choices: tuna, salmon and California rolls. When dining out at full fare I go for sashimi, the pure raw unadulterated fish sans rice, perhaps topped with jalapenos and ponzu (a citrus based sauce) and dipped in wasabi laden low-sodium soy sauce followed by a pickled ginger slice.

Since I am not yet well versed on the safety of raw fish, I am going to start you off with a Vegan sushi recipe to try in the comfort of your own home, with or without a date — your call. If you feel so inclined, add some cooked crab, smoked salmon or steamed shrimp to increase the protein and Omega-3’s per roll.

ELIZABETH BROWN is a registered dietitian and certified holistic chef. See her Eat2Liv pilot on her YouTube channel: The Kitchen Vixen. For more information please contact her at eat2liv@earthlink.net

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Bamboo rolling mat 1 cup dry short grain brown rice, cooked in 3 cups water or brewed tea 10 sheets dried Nori 1 Tbsp brown rice vinegar 1/4 cup tamari 1 Tbsp sesame or canola oil Shiitake mushrooms, finely diced (soak in warm water if dehydrated) Sesame seeds or Gomasio (a Japanese seasoning: sesame seeds, sea salt & sea vegetables ) 1/4 cup Dulse flakes 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes 1/4 cup pickled ginger, finely diced (see recipe) Prepare the pickled ginger first so it can marinate or “pickle” while you prepare the other ingredients Cook rice, bring to boil, reduce to low; 3540 minutes. Add liquid as needed.

Remove from heat. Steam uncovered until all liquid has been absorbed. Dice shiitakes. Heat oil in skillet on mediumlow, add shiitakes and 1 Tbsp of tamari, ‘heat’ mushrooms 5 minutes.

Add rice to 9 X 13 baking dish to spread out, cool and add other ingredients: vinegar, tamari, sesame seeds or Gomasio, dulse, nutritional yeast and shiitakes.

Remove ginger from marinade. Finely

dice. Add ginger and “pickling” juice to rice mixture.

Place nori sheet on bamboo mat and spread rice mixture 1/4 thick over sheet, leave two inches at the top (end away from you) for sealing off roll.

Grasp side of the mat closest to you, rollit-up and away toward the top. Press log tightly as you move it towards the end.

Do not “roll” mat within sushi. Use the mat to press sushi as you roll. When sushi is all rolled up, wrap the mat around it and grasp firmly to press it together.

Moisten “top” end with vinegar to seal it.

Place sushi on a cutting board. With sharp knife, slice in one inch segments.

Serve with wasabi, tamari & ginger.

PICKLED GINGER 2 to 3 inches fresh ginger (may double recipe, reserve some for serving) 1 tablespoon honey 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 4 tablespoons brown rice vinegar Peel the ginger and slice it paper thin Bring a pan of water to a boil, turn off heat and soak ginger slices in water a few seconds.

Pickling Mixture: Mix together honey, salt and rice vinegar. Stir until honey has dissolved.

Drain ginger from water. Place slices in pickling mixture. Let sit for 30 minutes in the fridge.

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287 S. Robertson Blvd., Ste. 513 Beverly Hills

310 . 2 0 3 . 9 2 8 2

7

8

WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

YOUR GUIDE TO DINING IN

Santa Monica, Brentwood, West LA and Venice Beach MONTANA AVE 17th St Cafe 1610 Montana Ave.

(310) 453-2771

BABALU Excellent Carribean dining featuring a fresh menu focusing on seafood, burgers, salads and world famous homemade desserts. Open daily from 11:30 to 10pm. Wine and beer menu, take out available.

(310) 458-5350 (310) 451-0616 (310) 395-5589 (310) 393-0458 (310) 587-0771 (310) 393-8282 (310) 576-0499 (818) 427-1796 (310) 829-7757 (310) 829-0031 (310) 453-0477 (310) 394-3800 (310) 393-9335 (310) 394-6210 (310) 394-5550 (310) 451-4277 (310) 395-1241 (310) 395-6252 (310) 434-2468 (310) 801-0670 (714) 251-5409 (310) 664-8722 (310) 458-2828

(310) 395-2500

Blue Plate 1415 Montana Ave. Cafe Dana 1211 Montana Ave. Cafe Montana 1534 Montana Ave Di Dio's Italian Ices 1305 Montana Ave. Father's Office 1018 Montana Ave. Il Dolce Cafe 1023 Montana Ave #B Le Marmiton 1327 Montana Ave Locanda Portofino 1110 Montana Ave. Louise's Trattoria 1008 Montana Ave. Marmalade 710 Montana Ave. Montana Restaurant & Lounge 1323 Montana Blvd.

Patty's Gourmet Take & Bake Pizza 625 Montana Ave. Pradeeps 1405 Montana Ave. Ristorante Vincenzo 714 Montana Ave. Rosti 931 Montana Ave. Spumoni 713 Montana Ave. Sushi Sho 1303 Montana Ave. Via Dolce 1627 Montana Ave. Vincenzo Ristorante 714 Montana Ave.

(310) 260-8878 (310) 394-0815 (310) 829-3990 (310) 393-2788 (310) 393-2337 (310) 458-4880 (310) 393-7716 (310) 394-2070 (310) 394-8888 (310) 829-0093 (323) 330-8010 (310) 576-6616 (310) 393-1467 (310) 395-6619 (310) 838-4900 (310) 393-2944 (310) 393-0035 (310) 458-1562 (310) 395-6619

Broadway Deli 1457 Third Street Promenade Brunos Italian Rest Deli 1652 Ocean Ave. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co 301 SM Pier Buca Di Beppo 1442 2nd St. The Cafe 445 Pacific Coast Hwy Cafe Crepe 1460 Third Street Promenade Cafe Paradiso 2408 Wilshire Blvd Cafe Presto 2425 Colorado Ave. #107 B Cafe Sol 2425 Colorado Ave. California Chicken Cafe 2401 Wilshire Blvd California Crisp 13 Santa Monica Place California Pizza Kitchen 214 Wilshire Blvd Callahans Restaurant 1213 Wilshire Blvd Capo 1810 Ocean Ave. Carousel Cafe 1601 Ocean Front Walk Chez Jay 1657 Ocean Ave. Comfort Cafe 420 Broadway Cora's Coffee Shoppe L P 1802 Ocean Ave. Crepes Company Inc 213 Arizona Ave. Dennys Restaurant 1645 1560 Lincoln Blvd Fast Taco 2901 Ocean Park Blvd #115 Fritto Misto 601 Colorado Ave.

(310) 586-7469 (310) 453-8919 (310) 828-4001 (310) 828-3191 (310) 453-5442

FUNNEL MILL The Funnel Mill features imported, organic coffee and teas from around the world. If you eat McDonalds, drink two buck Chuck, and think Starbucks is gourmet, this place is not for you.

Discover what coffee and tea should really taste like to the discerning palate. Try our traditional tea ceremony to truly appreciate the flavors of the East. www.funnelmill.com

MID-CITY

BISTRO 31 Bistro 31, the culinary student-run restaurant of The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Los Angeles, offers an incredible dining experience at a reasonable price. Students prepare sumptuous international cuisine and deliver it in an elegant setting. Lunch and dinner.

2900 31st St

(310) 314-6057

Bizou Garden 2450 Colorado Ave. #1050 Bread And Porridge 2315 Wilshire Blvd Buon Giorno Caffe 1431 Santa Monica Bl Cafe L'etoile D'or 2311 Santa Monica Blvd Chandni Vegetarian 1909 Wilshire Blvd Coogie's Cafe 2906 Santa Monica Blvd The Corner Cafe 28th St. #121 The Cutting Board 1260 15th St. #105

(310) 472-6020 (310) 453-4941 (310) 260-0073 (310) 315-4375 (310) 828-7060 (310) 829-7871 (310) 452-2905 (310) 434-9924

DAGWOODS Pizza lovers love DAGWOODS for its real hand tossed authentic NY Style Pizza.

Others come for the delicious Italian food: custom made calzones, 100% semolina pasta dishes, giant subs and zesty salads and side dishes. Whatever you choose, it comes at great prices with friendly service. Free Delivery.

Visit us online at smdp.com

318 Santa Monica Blvd.

1002 Montana Ave

Akbar Cuisine Of India 2627 Wilshire Blvd Back On Broadway 2024 Broadway Bergamot Cafe 2525 Michigan Ave. # A3 Big Jos 1955 Broadway Bistro Of Santa Monica Santa Monica Blvd

FOR INQUIRIES ON P R E M I U M L I S T I N G S ,OR A D V E R T I S I N G ON THESE PAGES, CALL [310] 458-7737

Californian flair. A cozy inviting atmosphere makes this a great place to relax and meet new people. Our friendly staff provides you with excellent service for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner or Cocktails. We also offer live music, karaoke, pool and an unbelievable jukebox. Once you visit you'll want to anchor!

820 Wilshire Blvd.

(310) 899-3030

Daily Grill 2501 Colorado Ave. #b-190 Drago Restaurant 2628 Wilshire Blvd Dragon Palace 2832 Santa Monica Blvd El Cholo 1025 Wilshire Blvd Fromins 1832 Wilshire Blvd House Of Billiards 1901 Wilshire Blvd I H O P 1920 Santa Monica Blvd Casa Escobar 2500 Wilshire Blvd

(310) 309-2170 (310) 828-1585 (310) 829-1462 (310) 899-1106 (310) 829-5443 (310) 828-9203 (310) 829-9100 (310) 828-1315

IZZYS DELI Where the stars meet the locals. Izzys features 10.95 dinners nightly. Since 1970, Izzys has been serving hungry locals the world famous Reuben sandwich and generous omeletes for generations.

1433 Wilshire Blvd

(310) 394-1131

J P's Bar & Grill 1101 Wilshire Blvd Kaido Japense Cuisine 2834 Santa Monica Blvd Kay 'N Dave's 262 26th St. L A Farm Ltd 3000 Olympic Blvd Lee's Chinese Food 1610 Santa Monica Blvd The Lincoln 2460 Wilshire Bl Lucys Lunchbox 710 Wilshire Bl #100 Maya Japanese Food 2840 Santa Monica Blvd Manhattan Bagel 2216 Wilshire Blvd Nawab Of India 1621 Wilshire Bl Networks Cafe 2700 Colorado Ave. #190 Noma Restaurant 2031 Wilshire Blvd Norms Santa Monica 1601 Lincoln Blvd O' Briens 2226 Wilshire Blvd Our Cafe 2104 Wilshire Bl Overunder 1333 Santa Monica Blvd Pacific Dining Car 2700 Wilshire Blvd Pot & Pan Thai Food 2315 Santa Monica Blvd Santa Monica Pizza 1318 Wilshire Blvd The Shack Restaurant 2518 Wilshire Blvd The Slice 915 Wilshire Blvd Sizzler 2025 Wilshire Blvd Snug Harbor 2323 Wilshire Blvd Sunshine Cafe & Grill 2021 Santa Monica Blvd Sushi King 1330 Wilshire Blvd Tacos Por Favor 1406 Olympic Blvd Taqueria Chihuahua 1909 Lincoln Bl Tazzina 1620 Wilshire Blvd Thai Dishes 111 Santa Monica Blvd Toi On Wilshire 1120 Wilshire Blvd Wilshire Restaurant 2454 Wilshire Blvd

(310) 394-7660 (310) 828-7582 (818) 782-6196 (310) 449-4007 (310) 828-5304 (310) 828-2217 (818) 762-6267 (310) 453-2612 (310) 828-3228 (310) 829-1106 (310) 315-0502 (310) 453-4848 (310) 395-6310 (310) 829-5303 (310) 828-5313 (310) 899-0076 (310) 453-4000 (818) 439-7083 (310) 393-4554 (310) 449-1171 (310) 453-2367 (310) 453-3250 (310) 828-2991 (310) 449-7777 (310) 395-0120 (310) 392-5768 (310) 874-2057 (310) 413-4270 (310) 394-6189 (310) 394-7804 (310) 586-1707

DOWNTOWN 3 on Fourth 1432 4th St. #A Abode Restaurant 1541 Ocean Av #150 B O A 101 Santa Monica Bl Baja Buds 1315 Third Street Promenade Bangkok West 606 Santa Monica Blvd

(310) 395-6765 (310) 394-3463 (323) 655-3372 (310) 393-6060 (310) 395-9658

BENIHANA Traditional Japanese teppanyaki room. Featuring a full sushi bar, happy hour and full bar. Open daily from 11:30 am to 10pm.

Reservations suggested 1447 4th St.

(310) 260-1423

Bookmark Cafe 601 Santa Monica Bl Bravo Cucina 1319 Third Street Promenade

(310) 587-2665 (310) 394-0374

BRITANNIA PUB Britannia Pub has been a favorite for years for locals and visitors alike. This English pub has a traditonal charm with a

930 Broadway Suite A

(310) 597-4395

Gate Of India 115 Santa Monica Blvd Gaucho Grill 1251 Third Street Promenade Georges Bistro 1321 Third Street Hedwigs Cafe 1509 4th St.

(310) 656-1665 (323) 468-0220 (310) 451-8823 (310) 394-3956

THE HIDEOUT The Hideout is Santa Monica's best lounge! We pay attention to details, so you don't have to. Whether you want to come alone, as a couple, with a group of friends, or throw an unforgettable party, we've got you covered!

112 W. Channel Road

(310) 429-1851

Hot Dog On A Stick 1633 Ocean Front Walk

(760) 930-0456

HOUSTON'S Upscale steak and seafood. Live jazz on thursdays upstairs lounge. Full bar, open 11:00 to 11pm daily. Reservations suggested.

202 Wilshire Blvd

(602) 553-2111

I Cugini Restaurant 1501 Ocean Ave.

(310) 451-4595

IL FORNAIO In the tradition of Italy's trattorias, the sight, sounds and aromas of authentic Italian cuisine are recreated everyday at Il Fornaio.

Mornings bring crisp crusted bread hot from the oven accompanied by the scent of fresh brewed espresso. During lunch and dinner, pastas and flavorful sauces simmer while meats and vegetables roast over hot coals.

1551 Ocean Ave.

(415) 945-0500

Infuzion Cafe 1149 3rd St. #100 Interactive Cafe 215 Broadway Ipanema Cafe 150 Santa Monica Place Ivy At The Shore 1535 Ocean Ave. Jinkys Cafe 1447 2nd St. Jiraffe Restaurant 504 Santa Monica Blvd Johnny Rockets 1322 Third Street Kaiten Restaurant 1456 Third Street La Botte, Inc. 620 Santa Monica Blvd #A La Salsa #44 1401 Third Street Promenade La Serenata 1416 4th St. Le Merigot Hotel 1740 Ocean Ave. Leonidas 331 Santa Monica Blvd Light House Buffet 201 Arizona Ave. The Lobster 1602 Ocean Ave. Locanda Del Lago 231 Arizona Ave. Loews Santa Monica 1700 Ocean Ave. Manchu Wok 11 Santa Monica Pl Mariasol 401 Santa Monica Pier Michaels 1147 3rd St. Musha Restaurant 424 Wilshire Blvd Newsroom Santa Monica Inc 530 Wilshire Ocean Avenue Seafood 1401 Ocean Ave. Ocean Cafe 100 Wilshire Blvd #B1-10

(310) 393-9985 (310) 395-5009 (310) 838-8586 (310) 278-2908 (818) 981-2250 (310) 917-6671 (949) 643-6100 (310) 451-8080 (310) 576-3072 (310) 587-0755 (310) 204-5360 (310) 395-9700 (310) 417-8851 (310) 451-2076 (310) 458-9294 (310) 451-3525 (310) 458-6700 (310) 458-3558 (213) 626-5554 (310) 395-7911 (310) 576-6330 (310) 451-9444 (310) 437-8824 (310) 260-6010

THE ORCHID Asian fusian at it’s best. This Thai restauraunt blends eastern spices and traditional Thai ingredients to make a unique and special dining experience, just a block from the ocean.

119-121 Broadway

(310) 801-5240

P F Chang's China Bistro 326 Wilshire Blvd Panera Bread 501 Wilshire Bl Perrys Pizz 930 Ocean Front Walk Perrys Pizza 2600 Ocean Front Walk Perrys Pizza 1200 Ocean Front Walk Perrys Pizza 2400 Ocean Front Walk Promenade Cafe 321 Santa Monica Bl R A W 609 Broadway Real Food Daily 514 Santa Monica Blvd Renees Court Yard 522 Wilshire Blvd Rustic Canyon 1119 Wilshire Blvd

(310) 395-1912 (714) 241-7705 (310) 372-3138 (310) 372-3138 (310) 458-3975 (310) 372-3138 (213) 700-2373 (310) 451-4148 (310) 393-0804 (310) 451-9341 (310) 560-7787

RUSTY’S SURF RANCH Rusty's Surf Ranch on the Santa Monica Pier is a multi-use facility, featuring the best in live music, dancing and awardwinning cuisine in a California beach environment. With an extensive collection of historic surfboards and memorabilia, Rusty's pays homage to the "Surfing '60s", the Golden Era of California Surf Culture. Rusty's lunch and dinner cuisine are consistent award winners, but great meals share the stage with great music at Rusty's when the Dining Room stage welcomes live music and dancing with top area bands and national acts. Rusty's is available for Special Events during normal operations or as a restricted facility for Private Parties. Rusty's Surf Ranch is a perfect reminder of a simpler time in California's beachfront history, with good food in a casual environment, live music and FUN. Open daily at noon. Happy

westside

Hour 4-7p.m.

256 Santa Monica Pier

(310)393-PIERS

Scarboni 312 Wilshire Bl Stefano's 1310 Third Street Promenade Sunset Bar & Grill 1240 Third Street Sushi Mon 401 Santa Monica Blvd Sushi Roku Santa Monica 1401 Ocean Av Sushi Shogun 1315 Third Street Sushi Teri Express 1551 Ocean Ave. #130 B

(310) 704-8079 (310) 216-7716 (310) 393-3959 (310) 576-7011 (310) 655-3372 (213) 500-4989 (310) 394-2189

SWINGERS The local diner, serving traditional diner fare with a southern california twist. Open 24 hours, the crowd in Swingers will change from late night clubbers to early morning coffee drinkers around 4am.

802 Broadway

(323) 656-6136

Tandoor Cafe 395 Santa Monica Place #009 Tastie16 Santa Monica Place Thai Dishes Restaurant 1910 Wilshire Blvd Tokyo Kitchen 15 Santa Monica Pl T's Thai 1215 4th St. Tudor House 1403 2nd St. Victoria Pizzeria 1607 Ocean Front Walk Villa Italian Specialties 8 Santa Monica Pl Wahoo's Fish Taco 418 Wilshire Blvd Whist 1819 Ocean Av Yangtze 1333 Third Street Promenade Yankee Doodles 1410 Third Street Ye Olde Kings Head 116 Santa Monica Blvd

(310) 435-3845 (310) 770-6745 (310) 828-5634 (310) 451-5385 (310) 395-4106 (310) 451-8470 (310) 394-6863 (310) 451-3031 (949) 222-0670 (310) 260-7509 (310)260-1994 (310)394-4632 (310)451-1402 (310)451-1402

PICO/SUNSET PARK 310 Lounge & Bistro 3321 Pico Blvd.

Abbots Pizza Company 1811 Pico Blvd Acapulco Restaurant 3360 Ocean Park Blvd.

Air Conditioned 2819 Pico Blvd Ameci Pizza Pasta 2218 Lincoln Bl B B Q Garden 1707 Pico Blvd.

The Bread Factory Inc 1900 Pico Bl Buddha Boba 1701 Pico Bl Bud's Famous Deli & Desserts 2727 Ocean Park Blvd.

Cafe Bolivar 1741 Ocean Park Blvd.

Campos Mexican Food Inc 2008 Pico Blvd Classic Pizza 2624 Pico Blvd The Counter 2901 Ocean Park Bl #102 The Daily Pint 2310 Pico Blvd El Indio 2526 Pico Blvd El Pollo Loco Restaurant 1906 Lincoln Blvd El Torito 3360 Ocean Park Blvd.

El Texate 316 Pico Blvd.

Fresh & Natural Cafe 1900 Pico Blvd Ocean Park Pizza 2819 1/2 Ocean Park Blvd Georges Burgers 3101 Lincoln Blvd Gilbert's El Indio Mexican Food 2526 Pico Blvd.

Hotel Casa Del Mar Restaurant 1910 Ocean Way The Hump 3221 Donald Douglas Loop South The Hungry Pocket 1715 Pico Blvd Il Forno Caffe & Pizzeria 2901 Ocean Park Blvd Josie Restaurant 2424 Pico Blvd La Playita 3306 Lincoln Blvd Lazy Daisy Inc 2300 Pico Blvd Le Pain Du Jour 828 Pico Blvd #2 Mandarin Food Service 2618 Pico Bl Michael D'S Cafe 234 Pico Blvd Miyako 2829 Ocean Park Blvd

(310) 453-1331 (310) 314-2777 (310) 450-8665 (310) 829-3700 (310) 314-0090 (310) 450-6494 (310) 434-4653 (626) 674-8882 (310) 450-6860 (310) 581-2344 (310) 450-4477 (310) 399-0452 (310) 399-8383 (310) 450-7631 (310) 450-8057 (310) 392-9800 (310) 450-8665 (310) 399-1115 (310) 392-0516 (310) 450-9949 (310) 452-0445 (310) 450-8057 (310) 581-5533 (310) 390-3177 (310) 458-5335 (310) 450-1241 (310) 581-4201 (310) 452-0090 (310) 450-9011 (310) 399-4870 (310) 396-9559 (310) 452-8737 (310) 396-5588

THE OP CAFE A Small Neighborhood Place With A Family Feel – Serving Breakfast and Lunch Daily. The Freshest Foods, Friendly Service At Unbelievable Prices! So when you want to be treated like family and enjoy some delicious food –The OP CAFÉ is the PLACE!!

3117 Ocean Park Blvd

(310) 452-5720

One Pico Restaurant One Pico Blvd.

Panchos Tacos 2920 Lincoln Blvd Pedals Cafe One Pico Blvd.

Raes Restaurant 2901 Pico Blvd Santa Monica Bar and Grill 3321Pico Blvd Santinos 3021 Lincoln Blvd Sheraton Delfina 530 Pico Blvd The Slice 1622 Ocean Park Spitfire Grill 3300 Airport Ave. Star Of Siam 3133 Lincoln Blvd Subway 2901 Ocean Park Blvd Sunset Grill 1701 Ocean Park Blvd Tandoor India 2622 Pico Bl Tom's No 1 Pico 2350 Pico Blvd.

Typhoon 3221 Donald Douglas Loop UnUrban Coffeehouse 3301 Pico Blvd.

Valentino Restaurant 3115 Pico Blvd

(310) 587-1717 (310) 452-2970 (310) 587-1707 (310) 820-1416 (310) 453-5001 (310) 779-1210 (310) 399-9344 (310) 453-2367 (310) 397-3455 (310) 396-9511 (310) 396-3004 (310) 450-7546 (310) 581-9964 (310) 396-4481 (310) 390-6565 (310) 315-0056 (310) 829-4313

RICHIE PALMER’S PIZZERIA Owned and operated by Richie Palmer, founder of the worldfamous Mulberry Street Pizzeria in Beverly Hills. Palmer says he had to open in Santa Monica so all the people here would stop calling Beverly Hills for delivery. Same great pizza and Italian food.

1355 Ocean Ave

(310) 255-1111

Vitos 2807 Ocean Park Blvd Windows Restaurant 530 Pico Blvd.

Yongs Cafe 3020 Nebraska Ave. Yuni Sushi 1928 Lincoln Blvd Zabies 3003 Ocean Park Blvd

(310) 450-4999 (310) 399-9344 (310) 828-4775 (310) 396-4039 (310) 392-9036

MAIN STREET Amelia's 2645 Main St. Bravo Pizzaria & Deli 2400 Main St. Chinois On Main 2709 Main St. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Ocean Park Blvd.

Creative Sushi 2518 Main St. Dhaba Cuisine Of India 2104 Main St. Elvira's Cha Cha Chicken 1906 Ocean Ave. The Enterprise Fish Co 174 Kinney St. Euphoria Loves RAWvolution 2301 Main St. Finn McCools Irish Pub & Restaurant 2700 Main St. Groundwork Coffee Co. 2908 Main St. The Galley 2442 Main St. Holy Guacamole 2906 Main St. It's All Good Bakery 2629 Main St. Joes Main Street Diner 2917 Main St. La Vecchia Cucina 2654 Main St Library Alehouse 2911 Main St. Lula Cocina Mexicana 2720 Main St. Main Street Bagels 2905 Main St. Malia 2424 Main St. Mani's Bakery & Cafe 2507 Main St. O'Briens Irish Pub Oar House 2941 Main St.

(310) 396-9095 (310) 392-7466 (310) 392-3038 (310) 396-6706 (310) 396-2711 (310) 399-9452 (310) 581-1684 (310) 392-8366 (310) 392-9501 (310) 452-1734 (310) 930-3910 (310) 452-1934 (310) 314-4850 (310) 260-0233 (310) 392-5804 (310) 399-7979 (310) 314-4855 (310) 392-5711 (310) 392-6373 (310) 396-4122 (310) 396-7700 (310) 396-4725

OCEAN PARK OMELETTE PARLOR The best breakfast in town, featuring locally grown vegetables from the Farmers Markets. Sinc 1962, the Omelete Parlor has been a staple for Santa Monica locals. 6:30 am to 2pm daily.

2732 Main St.

(310) 399-7892

WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Oyako 2915 Main St. Panini Garden 2715 Main St Rick's Tavern 2907 Main St Schatzi On Main 3110 Main St Shoop's Delicatessen 2400 Main St Sparky's Fine Frozen Yogurt 3110 Main St. #12 Urth Caffe 2327 Main St. Via Veneto 3009 Main St. The Victorian Baker Cafe 2640 Main St. Wildflour 2807 Main St. World Café 2640 Main St. Yose Restaurant 2435 Main St.

(310) 581-3525 (310) 399-9939 (310) 392-2772 (310) 399-4800 (310) 452-1019 (310) 399-4513 (310) 749-8879 (310) 399-1843 (310) 392-4956 (310) 452-7739 (310) 392-1661 (310) 255-0680

9

R olll Housee Lunch h Special $4.99 - CAL + Miso +Salad $5.99 - CAL or Spicy Tuna + Miso + Salad + Coke

Buy 2 rolls, get 1 free 11a.m. - 3 p.m. only

VENICE 26 Beach Restaurant 3100 Washington Blvd.

Abbot's Habit 1401 Abbot Kinney Blvd Abbot's Pizza Co 1407 Abbot Kinney Blvd Agra Indian Kitchen 2553 Lincoln Blvd.

Axe 1009 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Azteca Restaurant 835 Sunset Ave. Baby Blues BBQ 444 Lincoln Blvd.

Beechwood 822 W. Washington Blvd.

Benice 1715 Pacific Ave. Big Daddy and Sons 1425 Ocean Front Walk The Brig 1515 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

The Brick House Cafe 826 Hampton Dr. Cafe 50's 838 Lincoln Blvd.

Casablanca Restaurant 220 Lincoln Blvd.

Chaya 110 Navy St. China Beach Bistro 2024 Pacific Ave. Danny's Deli 23 Windward Ave. French Market Cafe 2321 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Great Western Steak & Hoagie Company 1720 Lincoln Blvd.

Hal's Bar & Grill 1349 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Hama 213 Windward Ave. James Beach 60 N. Venice Blvd.

Joe's Restaurant 1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

La Cabana Restaurant 738 Rose Ave. La Meditrina 1029 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Lands End Restaurant 323 Ocean Front Walk Lilly's French Cafe & Bar 1031 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

(310) 823-7526 (310) 399-1171 (310) 396-7334 (310) 396-8749 (310) 664-9787 (310) 396-6576 (310) 396-7675 (310) 448-8884 (310) 396-9938 (310) 508-2793 (310) 399-7537 (310) 581-1639 (310) 399-1955 (310) 392-5751 (310) 396-1179 (310) 823-4646 (310) 566-5610 (310) 577-9775 (310) 450-4545 (310) 396-3105 (310) 396-8783 (310) 823-5396 (310) 399-5811 (310) 392-6161 (310) 396-5000 (310) 392-3997 (310) 314-0004

727 LINCOLN BLVD. VENICE

LINCOLN FINE WINES Now open in Venice. We offer the Best Selection of Wines on the Westside. We have warehouse pricing with friendly service.

Come by and let us find the perfect wine for the perfect occasion! Open 10-8pm and Sun. 11-6pm.

727 Lincoln Blvd.

(310) 392-7816

Maos Kitchen 1512 Pacific Ave. Piccolo Ristorante 5 Dudley Ave. Primitivo Wine Bistro 1025 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Rose Cafe 220 Rose Ave. Shima 1432 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Siam Best Restaurant 2533 Lincoln Blvd.

Stroh’s Gourmet 1239 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Szechwan Restaurant 2905 Washington Blvd.

Uncle Darrow's 2560 S Lincoln Blvd.

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Scientists: 115-year-old’s brain worked perfectly

BY ANRICA DEB Associated Press Writer

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands A Dutch woman who was the oldest person in the world when she died at age 115 in 2005 appeared sharp right up to the end, joking that pickled herring was the secret to her longevity.

Scientists say that Henrikje van AndelSchipper’s mind was probably as good as it seemed: a post-mortem analysis of her brain revealed few signs of Alzheimer’s or other diseases commonly associated with a decline in mental ability in old age.

That came as something of a surprise, said Gert Holstege, a professor at Groningen University, whose findings will be published in the August edition of Neurobiology of Aging.

“Everybody was thinking that when you have a brain over 100 years, you have a lot of problems,” he said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Friday.

He cited a common hardening of arteries and the build up of proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease as examples.

“This is the first (extremely old) brain that did not have these problems.”

Van Andel was the oldest living person in the world at the time of her death in 2005 in the Dutch city of Hoogeveen, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

In 1972, the then 82-year-old Van Andel called the University of Groningen in order to donate her body to science. She called again at age 111 because she worried she might no longer be of interest. At that time Holstege began to interview her, testing her cognitive abilities at ages 112 and 113.

Though she had problems with her eyesight, she was alert and performing better than the average 60- to 75-year-old.

Dr. Murali Doraiswamy of the Center for Aging at Duke University, not associated with the study, said it is unusual and valuable.

In the first place there are few “super-centenarians” — people 110 and older — alive at any one time, a slim proportion of the world’s population and a scant number even compared to those who reach 100 years.

As a result, he said, there are few chances to study brains as old as hers.

“It’s very rare to be able to do not only a post-mortem, but also be able to have tested her two, three years before she died,” said Doraiswamy.

“For a scientist, getting the opportunity to study someone like that is like winning the lottery.”

Doraiswamy, an Alzheimer’s expert, said that the proportion of brains with some buildup of proteins associated with the disease increases with age. As a result, experts theorize anybody who lives long enough will get them eventually.

When Van Andel died, the director of the elderly home where she was living declined to give a cause of death, pointing to her extremely advanced years.

Holstege said she died of cancer.

“She died from stomach cancer, and you and I can also die from stomach cancer,” he said, adding that her case demonstrates that very old people die of diseases, not simply old age.

“It is very important to treat the elderly as normal people, as if they are 50 or 60.”

He noted that Van Andel was operated on at age 100 for breast cancer and survived 15 more years.

When she was born in 1890, she weighed only 3.5 pounds, and her mother expected her to die in infancy. Van Andel’s husband died in 1959. She had no children.

Longevity was in her genes, as all her siblings lived past 70, and her mother died at the age of 100.

Asked what advice she would give to people who want to live a long time, she once quipped: “Keep breathing."

Zimbabwe leader warns of violence if he loses election THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HARARE, Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe said Friday that his supporters are ready to fight if the opposition wins an upcoming presidential runoff election, hardening the rhetoric of a campaign that already has seen widespread violence against government opponents.

“I’m even prepared to join the fight,” the 84-year-old Mugabe told a conference of his party’s youth wing.

Mugabe said the veterans of the war of independence in 1980 had approached him after the first round of voting in March and threatened to take up arms again if opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai wins the June 27 runoff.

Tsvangirai finished first in a field of four in the first round but failed to win the majority needed to avoid a runoff.

“We can’t allow the British to dominate us through their puppets,” said Mugabe, returning to a campaign theme of portraying Tsvangirai as a pawn of Western powers, a charge the opposition denies. “A vote for the (opposition) is a vote for the British to have once again not just a foothold but real power.”

A High Court judge, meanwhile, ordered

police to bring No. 2 opposition leader Tendai Biti to court Saturday and explain why he should not be immediately released, according to opposition lawyer Selby Hwacha.

Biti was arrested Thursday upon returning to Zimbabwe from neighboring South Africa. The United States was among the governments that said the arrest of the top aide to Tsvangirai only deepened concerns the runoff would not be free and fair.

Since picking up Biti at the airport Thursday, police have refused to say where he was being held or when they might bring him to court. They have said he faces a charge of treason, which can carry the death penalty.

Tsvangirai, speaking on the campaign trail Friday, called the charge Biti faces “frivolous.”

“Tendai has not committed any crime, he has not committed any offense to warrant the arrest,” the candidate said.

The party said Tsvangirai himself was released overnight after being detained by police. Tsvangirai was stopped twice by police as he tried to campaign Thursday, according to the party, which said he was held for about two hours the first time and late into the night the second time.

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WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

11

Initiations have taken place at Samohi in past FROM INITIATION PAGE 1 supervision, some calling it pointless.

Neither the exact location nor the time are usually made directly available to the school’s administration but the information is often picked up through conversations and rumors. The event this year was believed to have taken place on June 6.

Administrators said they take every step necessary to prevent the initiation, contacting the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station when they do learn of a possible location and time, asking sheriffs to check on the event.

The buzz for initiation usually starts in the early spring when some eighth graders begin inquiring about whether the occurrence will continue, according to Malibu Principal Mark Kelly.

Counselors visit with each eighth grader to speak about the practice, telling them they don’t need to participate in order to achieve a high social status on campus, often accompanied with an 11th grader who didn’t go through initiation.

“It’s nice to have students speak to other students about not participating,” Kelly said.

Volunteers are also enlisted to contact every eighth grade parent to make them aware of the initiation.

The origin of the tradition is unknown but did begin sometime during former Principal Mike Matthews tenure between 1993 and 2004. The first senior class at Malibu High School graduated in 1996.

“There were some instance of it and we took a lot of action,” Matthews, currently the district’s assistant superintendent for human resources, said. “It’s communicating with the eighth graders and communicating with the soon-to-be seniors and doing everything possible to quell it.

“It’s not an every year thing, we heard rumors of it and did everything possible at

that point forward to stop it.”

The induction is considered to be a dying tradition at Malibu with the number of participants reportedly dwindling at every event.

Kathy Wisnicki, a Malibu parent and school board member, said that she heard there were only about a handful of students who participated this year. Neither of Wisnicki’s children participated during their eighth grade years.

“I think that the eighth graders get afraid and don’t end up going,” Wisnicki said.

At least one student is trying to reverse the tradition and put a positive spin on initiation.

“It’s one of the things that can happen when you mix two groups and I don’t think the Samo 12th graders have as much access to the incoming freshman in that way,” Wisnicki said.

The initiation issue at Malibu has reportedly never reached the Board of Education, some members saying they were unaware that it even existed.

“I don’t remember coming to our radar screen,” Jose Escarce, the board vice president, said. “It’s never been mentioned as an issue.

“I have never heard it being a problem, but if there is, then I’m certain we will address it,” he said.

The reasons why students subject them-

THE TRUTH IS NO ONE WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN HAZING, BUT IT’S A PEER PRESSURE THING.” Vanessa Van Petten Teen Counselor

Following Cowgill’s post, a member of the class of 2009 said that the incoming senior girls are hoping to instead start a new practice of bonding, assigning a “big sister” senior with a “little sister” freshman, much like in sororities.

The new tradition will involve only slight humiliation at worst and will not involve drinking or drugs. All drivers will be juniors who have had their driver’s license for more than a year, given them the legal ability to carry a passenger, the student continues.

Wisnicki said a reason why initiation is an occurrence at Malibu and not the other two high schools in the district is because of the small close-knit campus, which includes grades 6-12.

selves to the humiliation that can accompany hazing is to have a sense of belonging, according to Vanessa Van Petten, a teen counselor who attended the Santa MonicaMalibu schools.

“The truth is no one wants to participate in hazing, but it’s a peer pressure thing,” she said. “A lot of kids feel the physical pain is better than the emotional pain of not being included and that is what’s so sad.”

The problem with hazing is that it is cyclical in nature, those who were hazed feeling the need to inflict the practice on another.

“A lot of time it’s the power hungry preying on the weak kids,” she said.

She suggested that teenagers stand their own ground, ignore the hazing tradition and

TheAgentDirectory Heather Nesis

PAST INCIDENTS AT SANTA MONICA

Incidents of initiation have not been isolated to Malibu, Samohi experiencing its share in the past several years in the athletics and marching band departments. Such activities are not known to currently occur.

“We don’t have any kind of rite of passage or initiation because it’s against the law,” Principal Hugo Pedroza said in reference the California Education Code that bans hazing.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s not allowed and it’s not practiced in the district.”

Pedroza added that starting this year, the high school will sponsor a freshman camp where the new students will be given a tour of the campus.

Norm Lacy, the athletic director at Santa Monica High School, said that there is a zero tolerance policy with hazing and initiation in this department.

“Anything that would consciously influence an athlete that wouldn’t be positive wouldn’t be tolerated in this office,” Lacy said.

Lacy meets with coaches every year to be clear that any induction-related activities are not allowed if it can be perceived as denigration.

One of the teams that have engaged in a hazing-type activity in the past was the cheerleading squad, Lacy said, activities including “kidnapping,” though the parents were always notified beforehand.

“We say you can’t do that, (even) as innocent as it may seem,” he said.

The band experienced an incident about a year about when a sophomore was reportSEE INITIATION PAGE 12

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WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

Hollywood protest tries to Few show for search meeting send message on gas prices FROM SEARCH PAGE 1

BY SOLVEJ SCHOU Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES A handful of protesters delivered a message Friday to big oil companies: “kiss my gas!”

The five protesters representing a newly formed grassroots group chanted and held signs reading, “Will work for gas money.”

They were outnumbered, however, by media at a Mobil station in Hollywood, where regular gas was selling for $4.75 a gallon.

The group hopes to launch a nationwide boycott targeting a different oil company each month. Its first target was Exxon Mobil Corp.

Beth Snyder, a spokeswoman for the company, said it respected the group’s right to freedom of speech but hoped customers weren’t interrupted by the protest.

Jasmyne Cannick, 30, said she founded the “Kiss My Gass!” campaign to channel “road rage” about rising fuel prices.

The protest was the latest in a series of often-quirky demonstrations against pump prices around the nation.

Practice troubles some FROM INITIATION PAGE 11 edly hazed.

Tina Harris-Rouquette said her son, currently a junior, was hazed as a freshman when he joined the band’s saxophone section, surprisingly hazed again his sophomore year.

The student, who no longer is in the band, was walking through the Pico Neighborhood en route to haze a few freshman when a group of students jumped from behind trash cans and threw eggs at him, Harris-Rouquette said.

finding the best possible candidate.

The temporary leader will likely serve well after the beginning of the 2008-09 academic year as the search for a permanent replacement is not expected to begin until after the November election. There are four board member seats up for grabs.

School board members said they were surprised by the attendance but that all comments, regardless of the amount, will be taken into consideration.

“I think it was important that we gave the opportunity to the public to come,” Jose Escarce, the school board vice president, said after the second Samohi session. “I had hoped more people would come … but every opinion matters and everyone’s opinion will be listened to.”

Escarce pointed out that several parents provided input at the school board meeting last week when Leadership Associates was hired.

A common theme among those who commented is that the interim superintendent be a healer, helping to guide the district through the aftermath of a number of controversies in the past few years.

“I just think it would great if that person could help people

The reason given for why the former band member was hazed was because he had not fulfilled on the initiation his freshman year, she added.

Several students have since apologized.

Harris-Rouquette added that her son had been bullied growing up.

There have been varying versions of the actual incident, according to Terry Sakow, the marching band director at the high school. Sakow added that he doesn’t believe initiation has occurred since the incident, which he said left some bitter feelings.

“Nobody wants to go near that,” Sakow said.

The initiation always occurs outside of

come together,” Santa Monica resident Betsy Hiteshew said.

The opinions ran the gamut.

Sheila Forsander, who was once the PTSA president at John Adams Middle School, said she would like to see a superintendent who thinks outside the box, while Lee Jones, the co-chair of the Special Education District Advisory Committee, said she would like a leader who has the ability to work with different groups of people.

“Even though this is an interim (decision), it is coming at a crucial time,” Jones said in reference to the changes being made in the district, including the special education department.

She added that the superintendent should be an honest individual, a person who demands transparency. “(We need) someone who clearly is a strong leader and has a track record of showing that,” she said.

Among the participants in the community workshops were teachers, including Sharon Hart, who plays double duty as a teacher and parent of a student at Lincoln Middle School.

Hart stressed that the interim superintendent should pay more attention to the needs of teachers, adding that there has been a lack of communication and professional development.

“I’m a teacher with 17 years in the district and I’m not losing my mojo, but I could certainly use some inspiration,” Hart said. melodyh@smdp.com

the band room, Sakow said, and he is not aware of the activities until well after it happens. He recalled seeing a photo of a trombone section player blindfolded underneath the LAX sign early in his teaching career.

“I always go over with the section leaders that these are the guidelines,” Sakow said.

He added that parents will sometimes know about the initiation and will not inform him.

Samohi parents said that hazing is absolutely out of the question and believes the high school does a good job of keeping the activities under control.

Leslie Wizan, whose son is on the water polo team, said she has never heard of any

initiation-type activity.

“Certainly kids will be kids, but when it becomes things with humiliating, degrading and mean, then it can’t be tolerated,” she said.

Harris-Rouquette said that she would prefer to see a more positive initiation practice whereby the students would engage in bonding that doesn’t involve humiliation. She said her husband attended a school in France where initiation involved community service.

“Something like that would be fine if it’s a way to integrate the younger kids with the older kids,” she said. melodyh@smdp.com

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WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

WHY WASTE?

Brandon Wise brandonw@smdp.com Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl on Thursday tosses a plastic bottle into one of several blue recycling bins recently installed along Ocean Front Walk in Venice to help keep trash out of the Santa Monica Bay. Homeless individuals, through Chrysalis Enterprises, will maintain the bins and collect recyclables from the receptacles.

Students, parents disappointed, but grateful FROM CONCERT PAGE 3 “We weren’t doing that badly [with sales], but we weren’t getting enough kids,” explained Miller. “It would be awkward to have tribute aspects if the majority of the audience would have no idea who Dillon and Eddie were.”

“We thought we’d have a better market with the kids, but they thought it was sold out and didn’t buy for different reasons,” said Zaretsky. “There were a lot of costs involved with the Orpheum and in the end, we had not sold enough tickets to go forward. It would have been a deficit.”

She further noted that 2,000 seats is a lot to fill.

Miller explained that while RJD2, the headline act, is “huge for the high school scene” and “a steal” for $30, he understood why many couldn’t purchase a ticket.

“A lot of Eddie’s friends have prom going on, so they have to get tickets and tuxes, which cost a lot,” Miller said. “And a lot of students couldn’t afford it no matter what.”

On Friday night students held a “Dance for Life” at the Marina del Rey Marriott to benefit Dillon’s List and the Children’s

JPL manages mission FROM MARS PAGE 3 covered by the rover Spirit, which has been roaming the Martian equatorial plains since 2004.

Since landing near Mars’ north pole on May 25, Phoenix has been busy digging shallow trenches in the permafrost and delivering scoopfuls to its microscope and a test oven that is baking and sniffing the soil for traces of the chemical building blocks of life.

The first results from the oven experiment won’t be available until next week.

Miracle Network. A tribute video about Henry and Lopez was screened, one that would have been shown at the Orpheum concert.

“It was an incredible event-to-be for two incredible boys,” Zaretsky said of the canceled concert. “We did everything possible to make it happen, but it was an ambitious undertaking. I’m sure it’s not the first concert that’s ever been canceled.”

Students felt the loss as well.

“It would have been a night in which both senior classes at Palisades and Santa Monica High School could have come together and celebrated these two extraordinary lives that we have lost,” said Daniel Gerena, a close friend of Lopez. “My sincerest apologies to both the Lopez and Henry families for not being able to deliver the night their sons deserved.”

Zaretsky expressed appreciation for all the events planned to honor her son and benefit his new charities, including a bike ride for children, an American Idol spin-off and the Orpheum concert.

“I want to thank everyone who worked on the concert to support the foundation and make the world a better place,” she said.

Phoenix’s main task during the threemonth mission is to dig into an ice layer that’s believed to be lurking inches below the surface. The lander cannot directly detect life, but it will study whether the arctic region has the raw ingredients to support primitive life.

The $420 million mission is led by the University of Arizona and managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

ON THE NET ■ Phoenix Mars http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/index.php

13

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A newspaper with issues

WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

Judge under scrutiny declares mistrial in L.A. obscenity case

BY LINDA DEUTSCH AP Special Correspondent

LOS ANGELES A federal judge under scrutiny for posting

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ODDS OF A CHILD BEING DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM: 1 in 166

sexually explicit material on his own Web site declared a mistrial Friday in an obscenity trial over which he was presiding.

Judge Alex Kozinski said he would ask the case to be assigned to another judge.

Kozinski is chief judge of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals but was serving as a trial judge in a federal obscenity prosecution of a man who distributed videos showing bestiality and extreme fetishes.

“In light of the public controversy surrounding my involvement in this case I have concluded that there is a manifest necessity to declare a mistrial,” Kozinski wrote in his order. “I recuse myself from further participation in the case and will ask the chief judge of the District Court to reassign it to another judge.”

The postings on the judge’s Web site came to light earlier this week when opening statements were under way. The trial was suspended Wednesday after jurors had already watched some of the videos.

Kozinski on Thursday asked an ethics panel of the 9th Circuit to conduct an investigation of his own conduct and pledged to cooperate fully. He also asked Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to assign the inquiry to a panel of judges outside the 9th Circuit’s jurisdiction of nine western states.

In the obscenity case, the U.S. Department of Justice is prosecuting Ira Isaacs, 57, on four counts, including importation or transportation of obscene material for sale. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and forfeiture of assets if convicted.

Defense attorney Roger Jon Diamond said he was very upset about the mistrial and was considering his legal

options.

He said it was unclear whether the case could proceed with the same jury and a new judge.

Diamond accused the Department of Justice of “intimidating Judge Kozinski into doing this.”

“We all have to be nervous and concerned when the executive branch can do this to anybody, including the sitting federal appeals judge,” Diamond said.

Diamond said there had been meetings with the prosecutor, Justice Department lawyer Kenneth Whitted, and with Brent D. Ward, the head of the government obscenity task force, since the controversy erupted.

“I made a proposal for a stipulated mistrial, providing the retrial would not take place until early next year and that was flatly rejected by Mr. Whitted and Mr. Ward,” Diamond said.

“They wanted to disqualify Kozinski and go ahead immediately with the same jury and a new judge Monday morning.”

Department of Justice spokeswoman Laura Sweeney in Washington, D.C., declined to comment on any aspect of the case.

Diamond said he was certain jurors knew of the controversy but he had favored allowing the trial to proceed with Kozinski presiding, rather than simply changing judges.

“If we were to come back to court with a new judge, it would send a message to the jury that Judge Kozinski did something wrong, which is not true. The jury would get the impression that something naughty had occurred, which is not the case.”

The images on Kozinski’s Web site were reported Wednesday by the Los Angeles Times.

Cyrus Sanai, a Beverly Hills lawyer who has had a longrunning dispute with the 9th Circuit, told The Associated Press he discovered the sexual content while monitoring the judge’s Web site in December. Sanai said he downloaded the files then started contacting reporters to bring attention to what he called widespread ethical problems on the 9th Circuit.

STATE BRIEFS LOS ANGELES

School official pleads not guilty in alleged cover-up To learn the signs of autism, visit autismspeaks.org

A Los Angeles school official has pleaded not guilty to covering up an affair between a colleague and a 15-year-old student.

In pleas Friday, Alan Hubbard, the dean of Foshay Learning Center, denies charges of obstructing justice and being an accessory after the fact.

A judge has reduced his bail from $120,000 to $10,000 and says Hubbard is cooperating with investigators.

The judge has barred Hubbard from contact with the girl, now 18.

Prosecutors contend Hubbard tried to dissuade the student from reporting her relationship with Foshay’s former assistant principal, Stephen Rooney.

Rooney has pleaded not guilty to 13 felony charges of having illegal sex with the student and two girls at another school.

LOS ANGELES

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chicago, NY branches of SAG upset about tactic The Chicago and New York branches of the Screen Actors Guild are upset the Hollywood leadership is targeting a sister union in contract talks.

The Los Angeles Times says New York members of the guild’s national board criticized the move to oppose a tentative contract deal reached by the smaller American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

The members say the guild campaign will waste $150,000 in funds and is unconscionable.

The New York division represents about a fifth of the guild’s 120,000 members.

Todd Hissong, president of the guild’s Chicago branch, says the move is inexcusable and against the spirit of unionism.

The Chicago and New York offices did not immediately return messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

SAN FRANCISCO

AP

Appeals court denies oil giant’s tax refund request A federal appeals court has denied Texaco Inc.’s bid for a $101 million tax refund after paying $1.25 billion to federal authorities to settle an overcharging complaint.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court’s decision on Friday and said Texaco, which is now owned by the Chevron Corp., is not entitled to the refund.

Texaco paid the Department of Energy $1.25 billion over several years in the late 1980s and early 1990s to settle claims that its oils sales between 1973 and 1981 exceeded price ceilings set by federal regulators.

A Texaco lawyer didn’t immediately return a telephone call.

SAN MATEO

AP

Doctor to stand trial in Prozac death of college student A Colorado doctor accused of illegally prescribing generic Prozac to a Stanford College student who later committed suicide will stand trial in San Mateo County this fall.

AP

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WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

15

NorCal wildfires destroy homes, force thousands to flee

BY DON THOMPSON Associated Press Writer

PARADISE Firefighters on Friday were battling several wildfires across Northern California, with one wind-whipped blaze in Butte County destroying at least 20 homes and forced thousands of residents to leave the area, including an elderly evacuee who died in the process.

Authorities in Butte County closed all roads to Paradise, a town of about 30,000 residents some 90 miles north of Sacramento, and ordered 9,000 residents to leave their homes. An evacuation shelter was set up in nearby Chico.

A woman, whose identity was not immediately released, suffered a heart attack during the evacuation and died, said Ruben Grijalva, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

It’s the only fatality associated with Northern California fires this month.

The fire, which started Wednesday, had grown to more than 20,000 acres and threatened 4,600 structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Twenty homes were confirmed to be destroyed, but officials said that number likely could double once crews were able to better assess the damage.

More than 1,500 firefighters were trying to contain the blaze, which was only 16 percent contained by Friday morning. Five firefighters have sustained minor injuries.

Fed by strong, erratic winds on Thursday, the fire spread to the hills of the Butte College campus, where officials had set up

an incident command center, said Cal Fire spokesman Joshpae White.

“The winds have calmed down significantly,” White said Friday morning.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to make significantly progress today.”

Firefighters, however, needed to move quickly. Winds from the southwest were expected to pick up in the afternoon, which could push the flames closer to Paradise, said White, who was one of the firefighters injured a day earlier.

White said he was escorting reporters through the fire area in a pickup truck when the flames quickly began closing in. After safely evacuating the reporters, he helped nearby firefighters escape and was forced to drive through a wall of fire.

“It looked like a million blowtorches across the road,” White said. “We were taking significant heat. The heat was so intense, the windshield began cracking.”

White and another firefighter were treated for minor burns.

In recent days, hot temperatures, steady winds and tinder-dry vegetation have fueled a series of destructive blazes from Butte County to the San Francisco Bay area to the Los Padres National Forest.

But 900 firefighters in Santa Cruz County caught a break Friday as cooler temperatures and increased cloud cover helped them battled a wildfire that had destroyed at least 10 homes in the Bonny Doon community, according to Cal Fire. It was 25 percent contained Friday morning and had scorched 600 acres — a revised estimate from 700

acres, after crews were able to map the blaze.

More than 1,500 residents have been told to evacuate their homes in the heavily forested hills about 10 miles northwest of Santa Cruz since the fire broke out Wednesday afternoon. The fire flared just two weeks after another blaze two miles away scorched 4,200 acres and destroyed at least three dozen homes in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

James Eason, 28, a full-time caretaker for his quadriplegic dad Jim Eason, 63, said they spent Thursday hanging out with other evacuees in a supermarket parking lot after spending the night in a Red Cross shelter in Felton, several miles from the blaze.

On Wednesday, they evacuated their $1,300-a-month yurt, a nearly uninsulated wooden-framed structure covered in canvas where they have lived for the past three months. They weren’t able to check on their home Thursday and planned to spend another night at the shelter, which was moved to a middle school in nearby Scotts Valley.

“It’s stressful and frustrating. It makes you anxious not knowing if you’re going to have a place to go back to,” James Eason said. “All of a sudden, with the fire, the yurt doesn’t seem so bad. We’ve started to like it a whole lot.”

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Santa Cruz County early Thursday to free up additional firefighting resources. He declared one in Butte County late Wednesday.

Farther south, another wildfire had charred more than 18,600 acres in the Los Padres National Forest in Monterey County.

It was nearly 40 percent contained Friday.

That fire had spread east to a remote part of the Army’s Fort Hunter Liggett base Thursday, but winds were driving the flames away from inhabited areas of the military base, said Manny Madrigal, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service.

Four families with homes near the base were evacuated, but the 5,000 military personnel who live there were not in immediate danger, said Fort Hunter Liggett spokeswoman Helen Elrod.

Several firefighters have suffered injuries while fighting the wind-stoked fires over the past few days.

Three firefighters were burned near Lincoln, about 25 miles northeast of Sacramento, when they were caught in a 65acre grass fire burning in a dry rice field.

All three were taken to the University of California, Davis Medical Center regional burn center. Two of them had moderate to severe burns to their faces and arms.

“They are both stable and able to communicate. They have significant swelling,” said Battalion Chief Greg Guyan. “They’ll probably be in the burn unit another week.”

The third was released from a hospital after treatment for minor facial burns.

The burn center was also treating a firefighter who was severely burned Tuesday while trying to protect a mobile home near a wind-blown grass fire southeast of Sacramento. Capt. Steven J. Eggiman, a 21year veteran of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, was in good condition Thursday after undergoing surgery burns to his hands, arms and nose.

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National 16

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WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

Multiracial Americans see attitudes evolving

BY TODD LEWAN AP National Writer

Rachel Lerman is the embodiment of melting-pot citizenry: Born in 1967 in Boston to a blonde, blue-eyed, Roman Catholic white woman and a black man from Nigeria, she was placed in foster care and shortly thereafter adopted by a white couple and raised Jewish.

After college, she met Alex Diaz-Asper, a Catholic born in Miami of immigrant parents from Spain and Cuba. At 33, she married him, then settled down in Washington, D.C., in Adams Morgan, a “multi-culti” neighborhood where folks can find Ghana on a map or, at the very least, a Ghanaian eatery around the corner.

Three years ago, the couple had twins: Alejandro, a brown-eyed, curly haired boy, caramel-colored from head to toe — “People say he looks like a kid in a Gap ad: very ‘ambi-ethnic.’” — and Miguel, a tot with straight, blonde hair, ice-blue eyes, and the ruddy cheeks of a windburned Irishman.

Their momma, who is brown-skinned and curly haired herself, couldn’t be prouder. And yet, when she and the boys are at the playground or the grocery store, she still draws puzzled looks, curious stares and the questions ...

“Are you the nanny?”

“Is Miguel adopted?”

“What are you?”

Even today, at a time when immigration and changing social attitudes are helping to swell the numbers of multiracial Americans at 10 times the rate of white population growth, multiethnic people are still struggling to avoid being labeled and marginalized by a society they say is far from entering a “post-race” era.

Clearly, the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama, son of a black man and a white woman, has revived a national conversation on racial attitudes. Likewise, it has drawn new attention to the unique perspectives and experiences of the roughly 5 million multiethnic people living in America.

Ask multiracial Americans whether things are changing, and you’re likely to hear there’s more outward acceptance now than in decades past for biracial couples, adopted children who don’t share the ethnicity of either parent, and so-called “non-mixed” members of multiracial families.

Still, activists who campaign to raise understanding of multiracial people say that acceptance is uneven, varying widely across regions, social classes and generations.

“Appearance is still how people judge you, categorize you,” says Heather Tarleton, 28, a biology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, and president of the Interracial Family Circle, a support group founded by her mother, who is black, and her father, who is white.

“You spend most of your life trying to explain to people ‘what you are.’ And then, once they know what you are, you still are identified with the race you look most like ...

So, it’s never so much that you’re one complete individual with multiple sides, but a fraction of a person that society selects.”

Which leads multiracial people to ask some questions of their own.

Is it possible, they wonder, that this nation — its history steeped in slavery, terrorism by groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, and illicit eroticism between black and white — is ready to embrace not just white or black, but shades of brown?

Why is it, they ask, that multiracial people, from the time they leave the stroller to time they go to their graves, are verbally poked and prodded to choose their “primary” ethnicity — lest it be chosen for them by their peers, based on a glance?

How is it that even today, when a highway patrol trooper spots a motorist with European and African heritage he sees a black man, not a white one?

At a more basic level, why are terms such as “race” and “mixed” — leftovers, sociologists say, from the misguided “racial science” of the 19th century — still widely used to describe genetic, cultural and social variations within our one human race?

Why are concepts such as the “one-drop rule” — the arbitrary, Jim Crow classification of anyone with any African heritage as black — still accepted by many blacks and whites, even as they serve to deepen racial divisions?

Rachel Lerman contemplates such questions, of course. Life as a biracial mother with a Spanish-speaking spouse in 2008 America doesn’t come with a laugh track as did the ‘70s sitcom, “The Jeffersons.” But she has two boys to raise, groceries to buy, trips to the playground to make.

So, to avoid confusion when she’s out with her light-skinned son, she recently bought Miguel a T-shirt from a site called “multiculticutie.com.”

It reads: “She’s my mommy, not my nanny.”

A YEAR OF CHANGE

The year 1967 was particularly memorable for multiracial America: Hollywood came out with the Sidney Poitier film “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” a comedy built around white parents’ acceptance of an interracial couple; and, the U.S. Supreme Court knocked down a Virginia statute that barred whites from marrying nonwhites, a decision that overturned bans in 15 other states.

Since then, the number of interracial marriages has steadily risen, from 67,685 in 1970 to 440,150 in 2005, comprising more than 7 percent of America’s 59 million married couples, according to the most recent census figures.

Likewise, attitudes toward interraciality appear to be growing more tolerant.

In 1972, nearly 37 percent of Americans said marrying someone of a different race should be illegal; by 2002, only 9.9 percent felt the same way. In 2003, more than three-quarters of adults said it was “all right for blacks and whites to date each other,” up from 48 percent who felt that way in 1987, according to the Pew Research Center.

Not everyone signs off on interracial unions. Bob Jones University in South Carolina only dropped its prohibition on interracial dating in 2000. The following year, 40 percent of voters in Alabama objected when officials removed a non-enforceable ban on interracial marriages in the state’s constitution. And there are occasional incidents involving taunts and threats.

Nonetheless, says Michael Rosenfeld, a professor of sociology at Stanford University, as interracial unions increase, “there is a growing acceptance of this in American society.”

One sign of this came in 2000, the first year the Census Bureau allowed Americans SEE RACE PAGE 17

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WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

NC couple face murder in death of son tied to tree

BY MIKE BAKER Associated Press Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. A couple accused of tying their 13-year-old son to a tree for two nights to punish him for disobedience has been charged with murder in his death, authorities said Friday.

Brice Brian McMillan, 41, of Macclesfield, told a deputy that the child was being disobedient and was forced to sleep outside Tuesday while tied to a tree, the Edgecombe County Sheriff ’s Office said. The teenager was released Wednesday morning but again tied up that night for bad behavior, authorities said.

The boy was left tied to the tree until the following afternoon when his stepmother found him unresponsive, Sheriff James Knight said. Knight said authorities believe the boy was bound to the tree with plastic ties and possibly other kinds of material.

“An adult couldn’t get out of those,” he said.

Temperatures in the area rose to above 90 degrees on Thursday afternoon, with a low of 73, according to the National Weather Service. Knight would not discuss any details on the cause of death, saying an autopsy was being conducted at the state chief medical examiner’s office in Chapel Hill.

The sheriff also didn’t have details on why the boy was being punished, although he said deputies were investigating whether he had run away.

Dwight Jefferson, an emergency responder with Pinetops Rescue Squad who was first on the scene, said he did not know the cause of the child’s death.

“What we found was a 13-year-old laying on the ground — CPR being done by his father,” Jefferson said. “Then we took over.”

Knight said the boy was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

McMillan and Sandra Elizabeth McMillan, 36, also have been charged with felony child abuse. Two other children at the home, ages 7 and 9, have been placed in the custody of the Department of Social Services, authorities said. Knight said he does not know of any past allegations of child abuse in the family.

He also said he could not release the name of the boy.

The McMillans are being held in the Edgecombe County Detention Center under no bond and are scheduled for a first appearance in court Monday. The sheriff ’s office said they did not know if the couple had an attorney.

Macclesfield is about 90 miles east of Durham.

Attitudes change FROM RACE PAGE 16 to identify themselves as multiracial by checking as many boxes about race as there were distinct branches of their family tree.

Some traditional civil rights organizations such as the NAACP and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund opposed the change, fearing that fewer self-identified black or Asian people would diminish their constituencies — and thereby make it more difficult to raise funds and monitor discrimination.

Those fears haven’t panned out, as it happens: As of July 1, 2007, the number of Americans who identified themselves as being of “two or more races” in the government’s annual Population Estimate shot up 3 percent from the previous year. That exceeded the growth rate of the white population by 10 times.

And although multiracial Americans still only represent 1.6 percent of the nation’s 302 million residents, the intense spotlight focused on celebrities such as Tiger Woods, Halle Berry, Derek Jeter and Jessica Alba is a clue that

17

Foreclosures pile up

BY ALAN ZIBEL Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON Soaring foreclosures are continuing to raise questions about the mortgage industry’s claims that lenders are making a dent in the housing crisis.

Foreclosure filings last month were up nearly 50 percent compared with a year earlier. Nationwide, 261,255 homes received at least one foreclosure-related filing in May, up 48 percent from 176,137 in the same month last year and up 7 percent from April, foreclosure listing service RealtyTrac Inc. said Friday.

The latest grim foreclosure news comes as criticism mounts that efforts by government and the mortgage industry to stem the tide of foreclosures aren’t keeping up with the rising number of troubled homeowners. Critics say a Bush administration-backed mortgage industry coalition, dubbed Hope Now, is falling far short.

“It’s clear that these voluntary efforts in and of themselves cannot really make a dent,” said Allen Fishbein, director of credit and housing policy at the Consumer Federation of America. “Government intervention is going to be necessary.”

Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Economy.com and an adviser to Republican John McCain’s presidential campaign, wrote earlier this week that “the Bush administration’s efforts to encourage loan modifications and delay foreclosures are being completely overwhelmed.”

A Credit Suisse report from this spring predicted that 6.5 million loans will fall into foreclosure over the next five years, reaching more than 8 percent of all U.S. homes.

Sobering statistics like these are leading to more calls for government intervention, especially from lawmakers pushing a plan for the government to guarantee as much as $300 billion in new loans to help borrowers refinance into cheaper, fixed-rate mortgages.

A new government report released Wednesday found that among mortgages held by nine large banks, including Bank of America and Citigroup Inc., foreclosures climbed to 1.23 percent of all loans in March from 0.9 percent in October.

In a speech, Comptroller of the Currency John Dugan said the federal agency conducted its own examination of foreclosures and loan modifications after finding “significant limitations” with data collected by trade groups like Hope Now. “Virtually none of the data had been subjected to a rigorous process to check for consistency and completeness,” Dugan said. “They were typically responses to surveys that produced aggregate, unverified results from individual firms.”

The comptroller’s report found that 2.7 percent of seriously delinquent mortgages had been modified as of March, up from 1.8 percent in November 2007.

The industry has continued to favor repayment plans,

corporate sponsors and marketers sense a shift in attitudes toward multiethnicity.

Jerome D. Williams, a professor of advertising and African American studies at the University of Texas at Austin, says advertisers remain skittish about backlash from consumers over black-and-white couples in romantic ads. Still, he’s noticed more “ethnically ambiguous” models in TV commercials.

“You’re trying to straddle the fence, to get someone to appeal to an ethnic audience while at the same time making sure you don’t turn off a mainstream, white audience.”

One thing is apparent to Williams: The younger you are, the more likely you are to know someone who is multiracial — and the more likely you are to accept people of different ethnic and racial backgrounds.

Opposition to multiraciality, he says, is aging out.

OBAMA EFFECT

It’s not gone unnoticed among America’s multiethnic population that the mainstream media — indeed, a broad swath of Americans — tend to refer to candidate

which help borrowers get back on track after missing a few payments, rather than permanent loan modifications, such as lower interest rates.

Faith Schwartz, executive director of Hope Now, said in an e-mailed statement that the group’s statistics “encompass more member data and provide a broader view of the range of solutions delivered by a larger number of mortgage servicers.”

Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., said this week that Dugan’ analysis shows that “much more aggressive action is needed.”

The combination of weak housing sales, falling home values, tighter mortgage lending criteria and a slowing U.S. economy has left financially strapped homeowners with few options to avoid foreclosure. Many can’t find buyers or owe more than their home is worth and can’t get refinanced into an affordable loan.

Making matters worse, mortgage rates have been rising, reflecting increased concerns about what the Federal Reserve might do to battle inflation. Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, reported Thursday that 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 6.32 percent this week, the highest level in nearly eight months and up sharply from 6.09 percent last week.

According to the RealtyTrac report, one in every 483 U.S. households received a foreclosure filing in May, the highest number since RealtyTrac started the report in 2005 and the second-straight monthly record.

Foreclosure filings increased from a year earlier in all but 10 states. Nevada, California, Arizona, Florida and Michigan had the highest statewide foreclosure rates.

Metropolitan areas in California and Florida accounted for nine of the top 10 areas with the highest rate of foreclosure. That list was led by Stockton, Calif. and the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area in Florida.

Irvine, Calif.-based RealtyTrac monitors default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions. Nearly 74,000 properties were repossessed by lenders nationwide in May, while more than 58,000 received default notices, the company said.

In Nevada, one in every 118 households received a foreclosure-related notice last month, more than four times the national rate. In California, one in every 183 households faced foreclosure.

Rick Sharga, RealtyTrac’s vice president of marketing, said foreclosures are unlikely to peak until sometime this fall, as more loans made to borrowers with poor credit records reset at higher levels. “I don’t think we’ve seen the high point,” he said.

About 50 to 60 percent of borrowers who receive foreclosure filings are likely to lose their homes, Sharga said. The rest are likely to be able to sell or refinance.

As foreclosed properties pile up, they add to the inventory of homes on the market and drag down home prices. The trend is most dramatic in many parts of California.

Obama as the first serious “black” contender for the White House.

Jennifer Noble, 31, a psychology professor at Pasadena City College (and the daughter of a Sri Lankan woman and an AfricanAmerican father), says some may use this to pigeonhole him as JUST black: “Whatever you look like to us, that’s how we’re going to treat you.”

Obama himself has said: “I self-identify as African-American — that’s how I’m treated and that’s how I’m viewed. I’m proud of it.”

Multiethnic Americans wrestle with terms that others casually use to categorize them. They wonder whether “mixed” may have a negative, rather than neutral meaning to some people (as in, “mixed up"). Is the term “African-American” appropriate for black immigrants from, say, Haiti?

Megan Hughes, 32, a white woman who is raising a biracial daughter with her black husband in Washington, confesses that, “We are still searching for a term that identifies our relationship and our family. ‘Blended’ works for me but my husband thinks that sounds like a smoothie.”

Michael Cooley, 17, a high-school senior

in Raleigh, N.C., has a white mother and a black father. At Wakefield High School, he has a group of black buddies, and a group of white buddies.

They don’t mingle much, he says.

“I’m the only intermixer. I’d say it’s like balancing time between them. Because if I hang out with one of them, well, my black friends will say, ‘I guess you got to hang out with your white friends tonight, don’t you?’”

The road to understanding may be full of bumps, but at least multiethnic people are seen less and less as anomalies, says Susan Eckert, 39, a Long Island, N.Y., writer.

Her ancestors included a Spanish conquistador, an African slave, a Cherokee woman, and an Irish woman who was disowned by her family for marrying a halfblack, half-Blackfoot man.

As a result, she says, “I am often taken to be black or Indian — depending on the individual’s particular lens — and have been mistaken for Ethiopian, Indian, Pakistani, Turkish, Sicilian, and others.”

Doesn’t that get tiresome?

Not at all, she says.

“I’m open to learning about other cultures, and I’m respected for that.”

Sports 18

A newspaper with issues

WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

NBA

Lakers take a break after their colossal collapse

BY JOHN NADEL AP Sports Writer

EL SEGUNDO A day after the Lakers’ colos-

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sal collapse in Game 4 of the NBA finals, coach Phil Jackson canceled practice.

For psychological reasons.

“You know, just in the checking out of how the guys were and how they felt, I just felt it was a good idea,” Jackson explained Friday at the team’s practice facility. “We have two days to work on the things we need to work on.

“We have guys that are well-conditioned at this time, and we need rest and recuperation in this situation, probably more psychologically than we do physically.”

Jackson said he sent the players home after a brief get-together that included watching some of Thursday night’s debacle against the Boston Celtics.

“I told them that the series is not over and we want to force the action,” said Jackson, whose opportunity for an NBA-record 10th championship ring as a head coach appears to be slipping away — at least for now.

“We watched some tape, we looked at the first half. Obviously we were successful in the first half and did some things that got a lead for us, and I wanted to explain to them that they were the same ballclub, the same personnel that went out there in the second half, and if they can get that kind of a lead, they can maintain that kind of a game if they really put their minds to it.”

As Jackson said, the Lakers played a terrific first half Thursday night, and that extended halfway through the third quarter, when they held a 70-50 lead. A second straight victory seemed assured, and the Lakers would have all the momentum heading into Game 5.

Suddenly, the Celtics turned the game around, an especially shocking development since the Lakers were playing at Staples Center, where they had a 9-0 record in the postseason and hadn’t lost since March 28.

The Celtics outscored the Lakers 47-21 to finish the game for a 97-91 victory and a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. That’s an obstacle no team has overcome in the finals.

Now what? Apparently no lineup or rotation changes.

“No, not at this point,” Jackson said. “But we’re likely to do — pull out everything as this series goes along.”

No telling how long that will be. The

Lakers need a win Sunday night at Staples Center and two more in Boston to win their 15th championship and enable Jackson to surpass former Celtics coach Red Auerbach, who also had nine championship rings as a head coach. Auerbach died in October 2006.

Jackson said he’s counting on the resilience of the players to help them bounce back from the biggest collapse in finals history since the Elias Sports Bureau began keeping detailed records in the 1970-71 season. The Lakers led by as many as 24 points, 45-21, in the second quarter.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt that if we had to play this morning, we probably wouldn’t feel that great about playing this morning, but fortunately, we’re not playing until Sunday, and we’ll be back ready to go

by Sunday,” Jackson said. “I just told them as a team, they had their hearts ripped out. It’s tough to recover from that, but they will.”

Jackson also said he told his players that everybody involved probably feels they have some responsibility, including equipment manager Rudy Garciduenas, who “probably thought he put the wrong Tide in the uniforms.”

“That’s what you mull as a coach over in your mind at 1 or 5 in the morning after a situation like that, what could have we done differently,” Jackson said. “But the other aspect is that you’ve got to give credit where credit is due.”

Jackson said some little things jumped out when he watched the game tape.

“Pau (Gasol) had a situation where he had a dunk and it came out, or it was blocked or there was a foul; there’s action in that situation,” the coach said. “He didn’t go perhaps hard enough to the basket in one of those situations. But that turned out to be a critical play. That’s right where we could have gone from 12 to 14 and instead we go from 12 to 10.”

“There’s some little key plays right there at the end of the third quarter that changed the energy that they were able to bring, the hope that they were able to bring. Any team that’s down that deep says, ‘Let’s just get it back to 10 points, let’s not try to make it up all in a row or in a hurry.’ Not only were they able to get it back to 10 points, they were able to get it back almost entirely by the end of the third quarter.”

The Celtics outscored the Lakers 21-3 in the last 6 minutes of the third period to draw within two points, and weren’t behind by more than four after that.

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You Don’t Mess With The Zohan

The Happening (R) 1hr 31min 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 2:00, 3:00, 4:30, 5:30, 7:00, 8:00, 9:30, 10:30

(PG-13) 1hr 53min 10:10 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 12:40, 1:40, 3:30, 4:30, 6:40, 7:20, 9:10,

Iron Man (PG-13) 2hr 6min 11:00 a.m., 1:50, 4:40, 7:30, 10:20

Kung Fu Panda (PG) 1hr 31min 10:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 12:45, 2:15, 3:15, 4:45, 5:45, 7:15, 8:15, 9:45, 10:45

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (R) 1hr 52min 11:05 a.m., 1:45, 4:20, 7:00, 9:40

LAEMMLE’S MONICA FOURPLEX 1332 Second St. (310) 394-9741

Kung Fu Panda (PG) 1hr 31min 11:10 a.m., 1:35, 4:00, 6:30, 9:00

The Edge Of Heaven (NR) 2hr 1:20, 4:10, 7:00, 9:45

54min

AMC 7 SANTA MONICA 1310 Third St.

The Visitor (ZPG-13) 1hr 48min 1:30 p.m., 4:20, 7:20, 10

1:50, 3:40, 4:40, 6:30, 7:30, 9:20,

10:10, 11:45 Sex and the City (R) 2hrs 15min 12:00, 1:00, 3:00, 4:05, 6:20, 7:10, 9:30, 10:30 The Incredible Hulk (PG-13) 1hr 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:50, 10:20, 12:00

For more information, e-mail news@smdp.com

Say yes to an invitation, Taurus ARIES (March 21-April 19)

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

★★★★★ Listen carefully to a partner or friend.

Though this might be the second time the idea has been presented, you'll hear it for the first time. Be willing to let go of restrictive thinking and pride. Consider a trip in the near future.

Tonight: Try different.

★★★★ Be sensitive to another's desires. You might want to demonstrate your appreciation in the near future. If you are purchasing a special item, play it conservative. You don't need to break the bank. OK? Tonight: Your treat.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) TAURUS (April 20-May 20) ★★★★★ You could be surprised by one particular person who looks at life differently. Listen, and you might see life differently too. Do you want to incorporate some of this person's perspective? Tonight: Say yes to an invitation.

★★★★★ You could be surprised by what comes up for you if you simply relax. Sometimes you try too hard to make a point. Note when someone shuts down and no longer wants to listen.

Open conversations rather than close them.

Tonight: Time to wish upon a star.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

★★★ Everyone needs to slow down. Why are you surprised that you need some time off? Be clear on how you handle an invitation that you might prefer to pass up. Someone seems to return to his or her former self, for better or worse. Tonight: Choose with an eye to relaxing.

★★★ Be sensitive to what might be going on behind the scenes. A different perspective is always interesting, to say the very least. A talk might be overdue but feels extremely awkward.

Relax if you can. Tonight: Do your own thing.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) CANCER (June 21-July 22) ★★★★★ Recognize your limits, and you might be happy. If you stretch your imagination, you could be even more content. Help others enjoy themselves in the same manner. Loosen up and relax with company. Tonight: Fun and games!

★★★★ Don't stall; march up to the plate -- you deserve what you want. Don't have any reservations about the time of day. Head in and zero in.

You draw many people because of your Cheshire cat smile! Tonight: Say yes to living it up.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) ★★★★ You might want to rethink a personal decision that could be uncomfortable. Listen to someone with an open mind. Investigate an investment with open eyes. You could be surprised by what emerges. Tonight: Order in.

★★★★ Once more, others come to you for answers and feedback. You might not have all the answers, and you simply might not care either. Your ability to move through problems emerges. Tonight: A must appearance.

CITY OF SANTA MONICA NOTICE INVITING BIDS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Santa Monica invites sealed bids for the: Pico Area Resurfacing, a CDBG (Federally) Funded Project SP2097 Bids shall be delivered to the City of Santa Monica, Office of the City Clerk, Room 102, 1685 Main Street, Santa Monica, California, not later than 2:30 p.m. on Monday, June 30, 2008, to be publicly opened and read aloud after 3:00 p.m. on said date in City Hall.

Each Bid shall be in accordance with the Contract Documents.

ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE: $400,000 – $500,000 CONTRACT CALENDAR DAYS: 90 LIQUIDATED DAMAGES: $1,500 per day COMPENSABLE DELAY: $500 per day

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) ★★★★★ Get together with friends, if possible.

A leisurely meal after a movie or some other fun happening allows everyone to catch up on news. Know when enough is enough. No sign can realize this as quickly as you. Tonight: You don't have to go far.

Happy birthday

★★★★ Allow your creativity to bubble forth.

You might be amazed by what happens when you leave a situation and refuse to be triggered. Anything becomes possible, and suddenly at that. A boss or parent becomes a concern once more. Tonight: Where your mind can escape.

JACQUELINE BIGAR’S STARS The stars show the kind of day you’ll have: ★★★★★Dynamic ★★ So-So ★★★★ Positive ★ Difficult ★★★ Average

You witness a change in a key relationship once more. The good news is, this transformation won't be long or grueling. By 2009, the partnership will start to stabilize. Success comes to you because of your willingness to deal with people on a one-onone level. Others trust in your ability to handle a situation, project or whatever comes up. If you are single, someone quite exotic could appear suddenly in your life. You will want to get to know this person much better. If you are attached, the two of you will want to spend more special time together. SAGITTARIUS can make life complicated.

Contract Documents may be obtained at the Office of the City Engineer or by mail for an additional mailing charge (check or money order payable to the City of Santa Monica).

Cost of the documents shall be $50.00. Additional mailing charge shall be $10.00. Contract Docu-ments may also be examined in City Hall, at the Civil Engineering and Architecture counter, phone number (310) 458-8721. Additional information may be obtained on the City's website at www.santa-monica.org/engineering. The Contractor is required to have a Class A license at the time the Construction Contract is awarded.

Bidders should be aware that the project is funded with grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Therefore, the City shall require the successful bidder to comply with all applicable Federal Law and regulations, including, without limitation, the Federal Requirements, Federal Labor Standards and Federal Wage Determinations attached to the Bid Documents and incorporated as part of the Construction Contract. You are urged to review copies of these laws and regulations prior to submitting a bid.

Pursuant to Public Contracts Code Section 22300, the Contractor shall be permitted to substitute securities for any monies withheld by the City to ensure performance under this Contract.

Comics & Stuff 20

A newspaper with issues

WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

Janric Classic Sudoku

Girls and Sports

By Justin Borus and Andrew Feinstein

Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row, column, and 3x3 block. Use logic and process of elimination to solve the puzzle. The difficulty level ranges from Bronze (easiest) to Silver to Gold (hardest).

Difficulty

GOLD

The Meaning of Lila

By John Forgetta & L.A. Rose

Š 2008 Janric Enterprises Dist. by Creators Syndicate Inc.

GETTING STARTED There are many strategies to solving Sudoku. One way to begin is to examine each 3x3 grid and figure out which numbers are missing. Then, based on the other numbers in the row and column of each blank cell, find which of the missing numbers will work. Eliminating numbers will eventually lead you to the answer.

The Other Coast

By Adrian Raeside

SOLUTIONS TO YESTERDAY’S PUZZLE

Garfield

Your ad could run here!

Your ad could run here!

Call us today at (310) 458-7737

Call us today at (310) 458-7737

Dog eat Doug

By Jim Davis

By Brian Anderson

Comics & Stuff Visit us online at smdp.com

WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

21

DAILY LOTTERY 8 9 14 38 44 Meganumber: 36 Jackpot: $56M 14 30 31 39 42 Meganumber: 15 Jackpot: $13M 9 19 25 32 37 MIDDAY: 6 8 1 EVENING: 7 1 1 1st: 06 Whirl Win 2nd: 04 Big Ben 3rd: 07 Eureka!

RACE TIME: 1.48.12

MYSTERY PHOTO

Brandon Wise brandonw@smdp.com

The first one to identify where this shot was taken wins a prize from the Daily Press. Send answers to editor@smdp.com.

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the winning number information, mistakes can occur. In the event of any discrepancies, California State laws and California Lottery regulations will prevail. Complete game information and prize claiming instructions are available at California Lottery retailers. Visit the California State Lottery web site at http://www.calottery.com

NEWS OF THE WEIRD BY

Strange Brew

By John Deering

Speed Bump

By Dave Coverly

CHUCK

SHEPARD

â– With rising prices paid for scrap metal come the increased threat of theft, and metal dealers are on alert, as well as power companies, which use valuable copper wire.

However, as the number of thieves increases, so does the number of clumsy ones who fail to respect that electrical substations are live. In May, at least three men were killed and three others badly injured in attempts to steal wire from substations in Lancaster County, Pa., Somerset County, Pa., Savannah, Ga., Chicago and Edmonton, Alberta. â– In April in Marion, Ill., an alert newspaper carrier discovered an 84-year-old woman who was alive but had been pinned to the floor for four days without food or water because her much larger husband, 77, had died of a heart attack and fallen on top of her. (In a notorious 1984 incident at a strip club in San Francisco, a dancer had been pinned down overnight underneath the body of club manager Jimmy Ferrozzo, who had had a fatal heart attack while having sex with her. She could not move because they were lying on top of a stage piano that descended on a pulley, for the dancer's grand entrance, and Ferrozzo, in the throes of ecstasy, had accidentally tripped the switch sending it back up, where it jammed against the ceiling.)

TODAY IN HISTORY The Continental Congress in Philadelphia adopted the Stars and Stripes as the national flag.

The Continental Army, forerunner of the United States Army, was created.

Former American Revolutionary War General and notorious turncoat Benedict Arnold died in London.

A group of U.S. settlers in Sonoma proclaimed the Republic of California.

The Republican National Convention nominated Herbert Hoover for president on the first ballot.

1777

1775 1801

1846 1928 WORD UP!

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apprise \uh-PRYZ\, transitive verb: To give notice to; to inform; -often followed by of; as, we will apprise the general of an intended attack; he apprised the commander of what he had done.

22

A newspaper with issues

WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

Classifieds

550 per day. Up to 15 words, 20 cents each additional word.

$

Call us today start and promoting your business opportunities to our daily readership of over 40,000.

YOUR AD COULD RUN TOMORROW!* Some restrictions may apply.

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CLASSIFICATIONS: Announcements Creative Employment For Sale

Furniture Pets Boats Jewelry Wanted Travel

Vacation Rentals Apartments/Condos Rent Houses for Rent Roomates Commerical Lease

Employment

VOLUNTEER TO Assist Travelers from all over the World at LAX! Travelers Aid Society of Los Angeles is recruiting for information booth volunteers at LAX. Assist travelers negotiating the airport; securing accommodations, transportation, & sightseeing info; directing people to professional social workers. Must be 18+ years old. Training/workshops begin September 16 & 17, 2008.

Parking provided. 310-646-2270 or volunteering@tasla.org.

SMALL 3-ATTORNEY Santa Monica law firm needs part-time legal secretary with knowledge of Legal Solutions Plus Version 4.1.0, WordPerfect 12, and Microsoft Office Outlook. Salary commensurate with experience.

Hours negotiable. Please fax or e-mail resume to (310) 449-0014 or bpotts@sspolinlaw.com.

Business Opps

WLA, $1385/mo large 1bdrm.On Barrington near National Very spacious, large closets, crown moldings, verticals, appliances, closed garage Charming older building in popular WLA area Walk to Whole Foods and Starbucks.Owner 310-828-4481 9am-6pm or 310-993-0414 cell after 6pm.

Employment

SERIOUS ENTREPRENEURS Wanted

Apartment Wanted

ARE YOU looking for experience in education, psychology, and social servicces? Call Esperance Center in Maliby, a non-profit day program for adults with developmental disabilities. Vocational trainer position available in Malibu and Santa Monica.

9am-3pm. M-F. Excellent benefits.

Experience preferred. (310)457-2026

No 1 internet marketing system with proven Leader.!! Free information: a very realistic $250,000 first year income potential with no selling ever. or making another prospecing call again ever.

I’M SEEKING A GUEST house in SM, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Venice area.Clean, quiet, non-smoking, responsible, working female.Excellent References Wendy (310)749-0787

CO-OPPORTUNITY; SANTA Monica’s Member-owned Natural Food Grocer now hiring a Health & Bodycare assistant.

Apply at 1525 Broadway or download app at www.coopportunity.com

FANTASTIC YARD SALE: SATURDAY JUNE 14TH: 8am-?.837 10TH STREET, just south of Montana, Designer Clothing, Bags, Shoes, Household Items, Books, CDs, Vacuum Cleaner, Mountain Bike, picture frames

COUNTER HELP needed. Cafe near 3rd St. Promenade 215 Broadway. Must be experienced. Immediate openings. Apply afternoons in person. (310) 396-9898.

GENERAL OFFICE help for Swartz Glass Co., permanent position, full-time w/ benefits.

(310)829-0251 GIVE OF YOURSELF volunteers wanted at the discovery shop. Help us contribute to the American cancer society by spending 4 hours per week assisting in our resale shop in Santa Monica. Contact Terry or Shaunna at (310)458-4490 ONE STATION for Rent hair stylist, small, busy, friendly salon off of Montana. Free parking. Call Andrea or Jen at (310)451-3710 SALES PROFESSIONAL Executive Level Income From The Comfort Of Home Don't Believe Don't Call 1-888-686-1364

Education

Yard Sales

MOVING SALE sofa’s, tables game table bookcase treadmill computer table & much more call 12-8pm only (310)393-5241

Furniture

EXECUTIVE OFFICE Set: 2 yr NEW. Dk, Cred, Hutch, file cbs., bkshlf., cabnt. $1,000. geoffrey@polisgroup.com or 310-828-5668.

Instruction

Your ad could run here!

Call us today at (310) 458-7737

TENNIS LESSONS by #1 female tennis player in Venezuela Olympic gold medalist has experience teaching all levels Nelly (310)407-9503

$5.50 A DAY LINER ADS! CALL TODAY

GET CONNECTED Renee Piane, The Master at Connecting People, Invites You th

Thursday, June 26

7-9:30 pm

Warehouse, Marina del Rey

RAPID NETWORKING FOR BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS Make Great Contacts Fast!

Register Online

15 or More 5-Min. Networking Sessions 7:00 pm - Appetizers, Mingling, Cocktails, Prizes 7:30 pm - Networking Sessions $ 35 in Advance . $45 At the Door

www.RapidDating.com 310-827-1100

Instruction EXPERIENCED SPECIAL Ed..teacher seeks to tutor all subjects, K-10, includ.

SAT prep/Spanish Ref available Please call (310)210-4415

For Rent

BEAUTIFUL

MONTANA GARDENS

Room and Board 401 Montana Avenue Your home away from home.

Daily meals, laundry, housekeeping, utilities, and cable. 1 Bdrm, 1 Bath.

Seniors and all ages welcome. Ask about move-in special 1 month FREE.

Starting at $2,500/MO

Wealth and Success Lost and Found Personals Psychic Obituaries Tutoring

Services Cleaning AFFORDABLE HOUSE CLEANING $40 by day, honest reliable, own transportation, references, L.I./L.O. nanny housekeepers. Low fees, been in business since 1988, open 7 days. Call, ask for Adeline (818)705-0295 or fax (818)705-0297

Flooring Tile Marble Solutions Wholesale Installation 25 years experience

4 WEST LA Office Spaces for rent.2566 Overland Ave, 7th floor From 124-190sq.ft, $785-$1200/month Class “A” reflective glass building.No services offered.Nearest cross street is Pico Blvd.Please contact Adriana: adriana@davis-stirling.com

New construction Remodeling Kitchen Floor Bath Pedro Hernandez 562.818.0963

DENTAL OFFICE SPACE IN SANTA MONICA Fully equipped modern dental office available for sub-lease 1-3 days per week. 3 operatories, lots of windows, large lab, located at 15th & Arizona.

Long or Short Term. Flexible arrangement possible.

Please call (310)451-1446

Gen. Contracting

A/C CONSTRUCTION General Construction Commercial & Residential

Remodel & Add ons Honest. Reliable.

Services

FREE ESTIMATES — Sabbath Observed—

310.278.5380

HOWARD MANAGEMENT GROUP (310) 869-7901

Lic# 804884 Fully Insured

1011 Pico Blvd. 1bdrm/ 1bath $1795 1011 Pico Blvd. 2bdrm/1bth +loft $2700√√ 1011 Pico Blvd. 2bdrm/2bth +loft $2950 PLEASE Visit our website for complete listings at: www.howardmanagement.com

Handyman

The Handy Hatts Painting and Decorating Co.

SINCE 1967 RESIDENTIAL/COMMERCIAL SPECIALISTS IN ALL DAMAGE REPAIR “EXPERT IN GREEN CONCEPTS” Free estimates, great referrals

MAR VISTA 12450 Culver Blvd. Unit 225 1bdrm/1bath, gated parking, intercom entry, stove, fridge, utilities included, laundry, parking, no pets. $1150/mo on site manager (888)414-7778 www.jkwproperties.com

THE FAIR SHARE Income Tax & Bookkeeping Services 12340 Santa Monica Blvd. Ste. 135 Los Angeles www.thefairshare.biz 310-207-5420 "PROFESSIONAL RESULTS WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH" Business & Personal Income Tax Return Preparation FREE Electronic Filing, Year Round Assistance Payroll Tax Compliance, Bookkeeping, Notary Public 30 % OFF Your Last Year Tax Preparation Fee (New Clients)

MAR VISTA 12610 CASWELL ave.unit 1, 1bdrm/1ba $1175/mo.$300 off move-in Lower, stove, fridge, carpet, blinds, parking,laundry, no pets.(310)578-7512 www.jkwproperties.com MAR VISTA, 11621 Braddock Dr. unit 9, 2bdrm. 1.5 bath, $1350, townhouse style, stove, carpt, w/d hookup, patio, gated parking, carpet, intercom entry, no pets.$300 off move-in (310)967-4471 www.jkwproperties.com WESTCHESTER 7023 Manchester 1bdrm/1bath lower unit stove, fridge,

458-7737

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Commercial Lease

FREE RENTAL Listings for SM/WLA/MVista Complete Listings: www.sullivan-dituri.com

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Real Estate

(310) 245-9436

CALL TODAY FOR SPECIAL MONTHLY RATES! Prepay your ad today!

For Rent blinds, onsite laundry, garage shed no pets $1225 $300 off move-in (310)578-7512 jkwproperties.com

IMMEDIATE OPENINGS

$450 OBO, Kessler Wrought Iron furniture grouping, one console, one square cocktail, and one end table. Finish color is rust with 1/2" tempered glass tops.

In very good condition. Retailed new at $2208.00. No return available! Local pick-up only, located in Venice, California! Can assist with moving a short distance!

Real Estate Real Estate Loans Storage Space Vehicles for Sale Massage Services

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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING CONDITIONS: REGULAR RATE: $5.50 a day. Ads over 15 words add 20¢ per word per day. Ad must run a minimum of twelve consecutive days. PREMIUMS: First two words caps no charge. Bold words, italics, centered lines, etc. cost extra.

Please call for rates. TYPOS: Check your ad the first day of publication. Sorry, we do not issue credit after an ad has run more than once.

DEADLINES: 3:00 p.m. prior the day of publication except for Monday’s paper when the deadline is Friday at 2:30 p.m. PAYMENT: All private party ads must be pre-paid. We accept checks, credit cards, and of course cash. CORRESPONDENCE: To place your ad call our offices 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, (310) 458-7737; send a check or money order with ad copy to The Santa Monica Daily Press, P.O. Box 1380, Santa Monica, CA 90406 or stop in at our office located at 1427 Third Street Promenade, Ste. 202. OTHER RATES: For information about the professional services directory or classified display ads, please call our office at (310) 458-7737.

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WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

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Services

Legal Services

AFFORDABLE HANDY MAN

Considering Filing for Bankruptcy?

Handy Repair Man Most jobs under $300 Senior Discount 20% (310) 963-1245 -unlicensed

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23

Classifieds

$ 50 5 per day. Up to 15 words, 20 cents each additional word.

“Your Local Santa Monica Attorney”

• Free phone consultation • Speak to your local Santa Monica Attorney • Get the facts now

A PROFESSIONAL LEGAL CORPORATION

2001 Wilshire Blvd Santa Monica CA 310 453 8320 www.lawgross.com

Handy Man • Carpentry • Frame/Finish • Foundation/Concrete • DryWall, Paint, Elec.

• Lighting Landscape • Hardscape Furniture • Architectural Design • Plans & Permits -Green & Sustainable -Free Consultation -Unlicensed

Massage BLISSFUL RELAXATION! Heal your body, mind, spirit. Therapeutic bodywork/energy healing. Strictly non-sexual. Introductory specials $68.00. Lynda, L.M.T. (310) 749-0621

10% off 1st Job 27 Years exp.

Call (310) 430-2806

WEST SIDE HANDYMAN All RepairsCarpentry- PaintingPlastering- Electrical Termite & Dry Rot Repair Not a Licensed Contractor

Call the House Healer

(310) 409-3244 Heating & A/C Repair and service new installation

HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING I All makes and models I Central heating and cooling I Condenser, furnace, and fan coil I Package units repair or exchange with new high efficiency energy saving units I Zoning system and Thermostat

Call (310) 951-4151 License # 498279

Therapy

STILL L SMOKING? Life is short — Why make it shorter

John J. McGrail, C.Ht. Certified Hypnotherapist (310)) 235-2883 www.hypnotherapylosangeles.com

RUN YOUR PERSONALS HERE CALL US TODAY AT (310) 458-7737 HOURS MONDAY - FRIDAY 9:00am - 5:00pm

LOCATION 410 Broadway, Suite B, Santa Monica, CA 90401

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WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 14-15, 2008

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