spotlight ep news april 23, 2010 no. 323

www.spotlightepnews.comwww.spotlightepnews.com

Published by E.P. MASS MEDIA ADVERTISING INC.Published by E.P. MASS MEDIA ADVERTISING INC. Vol. X No. 323 April 23rd., 2010Vol. X No. 323 April 23rd., 2010

SPOTLIGHT 323.APRIL 23,2010:SPL 4/21/10 4:33 PM

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS APRIL 23, 2010 PAGE 2

You gotta like

funny … and the three come-dians performing at the April24 show of the CentennialComedy Series are preparedto bring it!

Steven Juliano Moore, PatrickCandelaria and Marc Ryanwill take to the stage Saturdayfor a night of laughs at theCentennial Banquet and Con-ference Center on East FortBliss. Doors open at 6 p.m.and the show starts at 7 p.m.The show is open to the entireEl Paso community, so comeon out and share the fun. It’seasy to get on post: All youhave to do is present yourvalid drivers license, vehicleregistration and proof of in-surance. It’s that simple, andwith the great acts lined up,well worth the trip!

Moore has spent the last 20years headlining at comedy

clubs in the United States andCanada, performing at casi-nos from Las Vegasto the Bahamas,and ridingthe na-tionaltelevi-sioncir-cuit.He’sdonemorethan250 col-lege shoesand touredAmerican militarybases in Europe,Korea and Japan.Moore has gone on stage be-fore comics including BillyCrystal, Robin Williams,Rodney Dangerfield, BillHicks and Sam Kenison.

Is Moore or the audience hav-ing the most fun? It’s hard to

tell. He creates aneasy rapport with

the crowdand

makesthem

feel asgood

aboutthemselves as

they do about him.

Candelaria mixesstory-telling with one-linersto form a style everyone canrelate to. Known by GeorgeLopez as “pound for pound,one of the funniest comics outthere” and by Tommy Chongas a “very funny Mexican,”Candelaria’s career has been a

17-year ride that has takenhim over half a million milesaround the world, including12 overseas tours for the U.S.military.Those tours have put him infront of thousands of servicemen and women, in locationsfrom Officers’ Clubs in Koreaand Japan to a bunker in Iraq.Candelaria has helped ring ina New Year at a NATO basein Sarajevo and celebratedFourth of July in Tikrit.

Ryan has been workingthe comedyscenesince

win-ningan open-mic contestin 1989. In theyears since, hehas refined his style andfound his comedy voice whiledoing anything from car com-mercials to television shop-ping shows. Ryan has done everythingfrom writing a sitcom pilotfor NBC – a show called“Barely Makin’ It – to appear-ing on “Star Search.” He has

made appearances on Com-edy Central’s “Best of

the Improv” and“Show Me the

Funny,” andis regularlyfeatured onCMT andthe “Boband TomShow,”and “John

Boy andBilly,” syn-

dicated morn-ing shows.

Tickets to the show cost$6 each – or get two for just$10. Tickets may be pur-chased at the door on thenight of the event, or at eitherITR location on Fort Bliss:Main ITR in Bldg. 1743 onVictory Avenue, or the ITRkiosk in the new Post Ex-change at Freedom Crossing.For more information, call588-8247 or 568-7506.

Centennial Comedy Series offers ‘Moore’ laughs April 24

Patrick Candelaria

Steven Juliano Moore

Marc Ryan

He’s young, he’s highly intel-

ligent, and he has one huge ambition – tojoin the Intelligence Field in a way thatwill best serve his adopted nation.Jonathan F. Nogueira, 27, will attend aseminar at the Office of the Director ofNational Intelligence July 11-23, 2010 inWashington, D.C. Nogueira was one of40 college and university students se-lected from about 400 applicants acrossthe United States to attend the NationalSecurity and Intelligence Summer Semi-nar.

“I’ve always wanted to entereither the medical field, or do govern-ment work,” Nogueira said. “I startedworking on becoming an optometrist,but, changed my mind. Later, I changedmy major to Pharmacy, but, that didn’twork out either. I had many choices, but,I opted for becoming a part of the Intelli-gence Community (IC).”

Nogueira, who received hisBachelor’s Degree in Biology fromU.T.E.P. in 2007, should receive his Mas-ter of Science Degree in Intelligence andNational Securities in December, 2010.This heady major is relatively new, when,in 2005, the U.S. Government established

the National Security Studies Program tocreate professionals for the IntelligenceCommunity who are educated andtrained with the unique knowledge,skills, and capabilities to carry out Amer-ica’s national security objectives.

“I don’t know what’s going tohappen following that seminar in D.C.,”

Nogueira said. “I do know, however, thatduring this seminar, I will attend lectures,take exams, and I will be tested on howgood of an analyst I am.” Nogueira hasalready traveled to England, France,Italy, Mexico, Indonesia, Taiwan, andCanada. He practiced language trainingskills in France and Indonesia.

“I had the choice to studyabroad in Mexico or Canada. I choseCanada because I had never been there,”Nogueira said. “The Canadian Govern-ment had created a school of Intelligencein Ottawa, so that’s where I wanted to be.Called the Norman Paterson School ofInternational Affairs, I did three monthsfrom September to December, 2009.”

In August, 2010, this brightyoung man will travel to Brazil as an In-telligence Community Center for Aca-demic Excellence (IC CAE) Scholar. Hesaid he was looking forward to the expo-sure, and to increase his knowledge ofother nations.

According to the IC’s website,“the Intelligence Community’s five yearStrategic Human Capital Plan provides....Continues on page 6

El Paso man on the road to abright, challenging future

By Joe Olvera ©, 2010

Jonathan F. Nogueira



There have been many stories

about the number of uninsured peo-ple who live in El Paso County. Ac-cording to data provided by theoffice of Congressman Ciro Ro-driguez, our county has 281,540 in-dividuals under the age of 65 whohave no personal health insurance.Included in that number, there are57,253 individuals under the age of18 who are not covered under a

health insurance plan.In reality, if any those individuals have a medical

need, they will receive some treatment. I am not referringto colds or upset stomachs. Every one of us will have a mo-ment in our lives when an extreme medical ailment over-comes us. Without proper medical attention, a conditionthat normally is overcome becomes a debilitating experi-ence or worse results in death. In such a situation, therewill be medical assistance provided.

The uninsured for the most part are unable to paypremiums. For them it is a matter of prioritizing food or amortgage payment.

So what happens when the worst occurs. The pa-tient will receive whatever stabilizing treatment is neces-sary and will be billed. The inability to pay the highmedical bill may result in a mortgage foreclosure; or, it mayresult in a write off for the expenses. In any case, our cur-rent situation is not good for our community.

The residents of El Paso will experience the con-sequences in higher medical costs; or higher property taxesthat support the hospital district; or higher real estate costs.The high number of uninsureds in our county has a muchbigger cost to us locally than most understand.

Because of our situation, it is confusing whysome in our community are so vociferous against the re-cently passed health care legislation. El Paso stands to ben-efit tremendously by having so many of the currentlyuninsured covered by some form of health insurance.

Currently, high school graduates who go on tocollege cannot be covered under their parents plan. Theynow can continue their coverage until they reach age 26.That takes care of thousands of middle class students.

Many of the uninsured are those who are deniedcoverage because of pre-existing conditions. Chronic med-ical such as diabetes are costly. Now no one will be subjectto any insurance company denying them health care insur-ance.

Recently, a baby was born in Houston with a seri-ous heart defect. Three days after the baby was born, thefamily was notified by the insurance company that the cov-erage for the baby was denied because of a pre-existingcondition. The high cost of keeping that baby alive andhealthy would be passed on to the community; or the costwould be the babies death.

During the next few weeks, I will touch again onthe new health care law. With the help of our congressmen,I hope to provide some information that will help you ap-preciate the reforms.

We can either accept the new legislation and workthe kinks out in a bipartisan manner in the future. Or, wesettle for what was in place before. We have a choice be-tween a healthcare policy that addresses the health of mil-lions of Americans and a healthcare policy that addressesthe economic needs of healthcare insurance companies. Ihope we choose people over corporations.

Chente QuintanillaState Representative

Healthcare

www.spotlightepnews.com247

By Denis Hayes

Nuclear power has neverlived up to the promises of itsbackers. Their latest claim –that nuclear energy representsan easy answer to globalwarming – has as much valid-ity as that old industry chest-nut of producing energy “toocheap to meter.” Let’s not beduped again.

Four decades ago, when Iserved as national coordinatorfor the first Earth Day, mil-lions of Americans mobilizedon behalf of the environment.This year, we know that thecenterpiece of a healthy envi-ronment is safe, clean andsustainable energy. Climatechange was a phrase un-known back in 1970; today itis part of our popular vocabu-lary. Halting the advance ofglobal warming tops the pri-ority list of environmental is-sues that threaten our

well-being.

The nuclear industry – andsome in Washington – wouldlike us to believe that buildingnew reactors will solve thisthreat. To hear them talk, thenuclear option sounds allur-ing. Certainly the promise ofan energy source that is a lowgreenhouse gas emitter mightcarry some weight with thoseconcerned about climatechange. But let’s look at thefacts.

Economics: No nuclear reac-tor has ever been built ontime or on budget. That waswhat killed the market fornew reactors in the 1970s. Inrecent months, tens of billionsof dollars in taxpayer subsi-dies have been promised justto begin resuscitate the nu-clear industry. Tax money isneeded for this half-century-old technology because theprivate sector wants no part ofit – with good reason. It istoo risky. It is one more fed-eral effort to socialize all riskand privatize all profit.

Equally worrisome is thisfact: Nuclear is poised to soakup billions that could be in-vested far more prudently inhyper-efficiency and renew-able energy. Energy effi-ciency can be achieved at afraction of the cost of a newreactor, and produces imme-diate results. New reactorswon’t come online for at leastdecade or more, meaningwe’ll be that much farther be-hind in slowing global warm-ing. Renewable energyproduces no radioactivewaste, bomb-grade materials,or terrorist risks.

Continues on page 6

Earth Day & NewNuclear Reactors

Don’t Mix



Weather Trivia:When did Ski Apache, or as it was once known, “SierraBlanca Ski Resort,” first open?

A. 1949B. 1958

Answer: C – 1961. It was built andstarted by a wealthy oil man who

then sold it to the Mescalero IndianTribe in 1963.C. 1961

D. 1967E. 1970

As the mountain snow continues to melt, skiers

that hit the slopes at Ski Apache continue to reminisce about agreat year. Ski Apache received 235” of snow this year.

Many business owners in Ruidoso indicated that this yearwas head and shoulders above last year when they had only56” and had to deal with the terrible economy, compoundingthe problem.

Ski Apache typically gets about 180” of snow per year. Theresort ended up 55” above normal! This season ranks as thebest since 1998 when they had 322.” Notice the best year was1973 when they had 360”

The following data relates to the past 35 year’s and theamount of snow Ski Apache recorded. Notice the year 2006 – this was the worst season forsnowfall.

By: “Doppler” Dave Speelman

WEATHER 101Ski Apache – A Great

Season!

“Doppler" Dave Speelman is the chief meteorologist at KVIA-TV in El Paso. You can watchhis forecasts at 4, 5, 6 and 10 pm on ABC-7 (channel 6 cable). If you would like DopplerDave to address (explain) any weather issues you can email him at [email protected].



Continued from page 2....colleges and universitieswith the opportunity to im-plement curricula focusingon the critical IC skill setsneeded to strengthen theIC workforce and effec-tively meet mission re-quirements. Meeting thisneed required the IC to re-cruit and retain the bestand the brightest – thosewith diverse ethnic, cul-

tural, and professionalbackgrounds – especiallyfirst and second generationAmericans to protect ourcitizens and lead the coun-try into the 21st Century.” The group purports to pro-mote general competenciesin such areas as data col-lection, research, analysis,critical thinking, commu-nications, management,strategy, and operations.

Nogueira said that his ulti-mate goal is to enter na-tional politics, but, first, heplans to obtain his law de-gree. “I’m ready to workhard. Yes, the program isvery challenging, but, onemust be true to one’s goal.I need to take advantage ofthis opportunity. It’s notactually about me, it’smore about me represent-ing UTEP and, thereby, El

Paso. Iknow Ican’t runfor Presi-dent of the

United States, because Iwasn’t born here. But, Ican still run for nationaloffice. That’s my intent,that’s my goal. I will doeverything I can to accom-plish it, to make it a real-ity.”

Jonathan F. Nogueira

Mexicans in the U.S. illegally,love our nation too

By Joe Olvera ©, 2010

You could see it in her eyes. The fear. The frustration. The

confusion. She is one of millions of people who are in the UnitedStates illegally. Having lived here for years, she is afraid of what thefuture holds for her, her husband, and their two children – a boy, 14,and a girl, 9. The children were born here in the United States, soMexico, to them, would be a foreign country. They barely speak Span-ish.

This woman, who has struggled to maintain her family inthe best of all possible circumstances, understands what is happeningaround her. She bitterly blames President Barack Obama because, shesays, he promised to fix the immigration situation so that she and herfamily could live without the fear that they will be deported. Even ex-plaining that it’s not up to Obama alone to fix the problem, she isadamant about her anger.

“He promised he would make it possible for us to stay herelegally, without worrying about our future, but, only worrying aboutmaking the best life possible for my children,” the woman, who shallremain nameless, complained. “Why did he make that promise if hedidn’t intend to keep it? He’s just like any other politician who onlybrags about what he’s going to do, but, never does it.”

All the more bitter is this poor woman, whose struggles arenever-ending. You see, she, and her family live in Phoenix, AZ – oneof the worst places for people like her. In Arizona, the anger and fearagainst illegals is unprecedented. The entire state, it seems, is totallyagainst illegal immigration, to the point that the state is considering alaw that would allow police officers and other law enforcement per-sonnel to check for immigration status, for immigration papers, eventhough this is not their job. Tired of waiting for the feds to act, Arizo-nans are taking the law into their own hands.

Here, in Arizona, the infamous murderous Sheriff, JoeArpaio, is on a vendetta. He hates Mexicans and hates what he thinksis happening to his sun-burnt state. He declares himself a tough sher-iff, who will do anything to rid his community of what he considersinterlopers, vagrants, law-breakers; you name it, if it’s negative, it’sgot to be Mexican.

No one who isn’t here illegally can ever understand whatthat feels like; to be persecuted, to be hounded; to be constantly on thelook-out for those green-colored jeeps, trucks, and other Border Patrolvehicles is not a pleasant existence. Yet, these unfortunates taketremendous risks because they want to work to provide for their fami-lies. They want nothing more than to be able to live in peace in what,to them, is a peaceful nation. They want to send their children to aschool where they can go beyond the 9th grade, where they can attendcollege on scholarship, where they can reach for the highest star, andgrab ahold of it. Yes, this nation affords everybody who wants it, theopportunity to excel, to live in relative peace and harmony with theirneighbors.

No one who isn’t here illegally can even begin to under-stand what living in the shadows consists of; can never understandthat they’re not all here to create mayhem, but, they are here becausethey also love the United States. Would they be here if they didn’tlove our nation? But, to Joe Arpaio and his ilk, these illegals violatedthe law by jumping the border and by daring to live among legal resi-dents and citizens.

Yes, you can see it in her eyes. They radiate a fear - a nerv-ousness - about going even to the corner grocery store. Yet, at theonce, her eyes radiate a hope, a never-ending wish that, someday, theytoo may walk among the populace; their children need never fear thattheir parents will be deported; they live with hope – albeit, there does-n’t seem to be too much of that. But, she is here with her family, and here she’ll stay until life im-proves for her and her brood, or until worse comes to worse and sheand her husband are deported. “If only President Obama would helpus,” she muses, “life would be much better for us and for everyonelike us. Please, Mr. President, keep your promise!”Sin [email protected]

Continued from page 4Environmental responsibility: Green-house gases are the waste from ourunchecked consumption of fossilfuels. The nuclear industry has skill-fully wrapped itself in a mantle ofgreen, but it has a massive wasteproblem of its own. We must notswap one problem for another.

Nearly 63,000 metric tons ofhighly radioactive nu-clear fuel currently sitsat “temporary” stor-age sites in 33 states.Plans to dispose ofthis waste at YuccaMountain in Nevadahave been abandonedafter 35 contentious years.The U.S. is now back at the startingline in finding a place that will ac-cept this deadly garbage.

Enough waste already exists to fillone Yucca Mountain. How responsi-ble is it to talk of building new reac-tors that will produce tons morewaste when we don’t have a place toget rid of what we’ve already got?

Security: Last week, PresidentObama warned that the risk of nu-

clear materials falling into the handsof terrorists is on the rise. Globalleaders have pledged to reduce ac-cess to those materials which, evenin minute amounts, could be used tofashion a deadly bomb.

The expansion of nuclear power,here and abroad, raises the very realthreat that terrorists will see the

trade, transport and storageof fissile materials as a

tempting source forbomb-making. Evenin the U.S., securityof spent fuel is laxand experts warn it is

a prime target for ter-rorists. Until the waste

problem is permanently andsafely resolved, that threat remains.

Four decades of environmental ac-tivism have produced tangible resultson many fronts. The one problemwe have yet to wrestle to the groundis energy. We started down a vigor-ous path of efficiency and renew-ables in the Carter Administrationbut the Reagan Administrationcrushed the effort.

Forty years ago, when invited to

rally to the defense of their environ-ment, Americans rose to the occa-sion. The last four decades havebrought revolutionary changes in thehealthiness of our air and water andthe vitality of our natural areas.

We’ve been offered a lot of falsepromises and greenwashing duringthose years, and we have acquiredwhat Hemingway called the indis-pensible “crap detector.” Only themost gullible are buying what the nu-clear industry is selling.

The climate clock is ticking. Achiev-ing a safe, self-reliant, prosperous fu-ture now will be more expensive andmore painful than if we had simplystayed the course 30 years ago. Let’snot hop from the climate frying panto the nuclear fire. Let’s not wastemore time and money on an outdatednuclear technology that has alreadyflunked the market test.---------------------------------------------Denis Hayes is the InternationalChairman of Earth Day 2010---------------------------------------------Copyright © 2010 by AmericanForum. 4/10

One of only 133 certified Rose Gardens in United States

Who: City of El Paso Parks and Recreation What: El Paso Rose Garden When: Everyday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.Where: El Paso Rose Garden, 1702 N. Copia St.

The El Paso Rose Garden, 1702 N. Copia St. managed by theEl Paso Parks and Recreation Department continues to be one of themore beautiful gathering destinations for family and friends in the cityand even more so for Mother’s Day.

The daily hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. except for offi-cial holidays until closing on October 30 for the winter season.

The Garden is available for rentals such as Wedding Ceremonies andfeatures a waterfall, palm trees, thousands of roses and is a walkingwonderland of beauty as the pictures attached will attest to.

For more information call (915) 541-4331.

Earth Day & New Nuclear Reactors

El Paso Rose Garden A Special Place in the City



LifeSharon Mosley

What's an instant

way to transform your

wardrobe and your attitude? As

some of our Southern mamas

use to tell us: "It's time to suck

in your stomach and put some

color on!"

"Color is an incredible fashion

tool that's often taken for

granted," says style expert Andy

Paige, author of "Style on a

Shoestring." "We are all natu-

rally attracted to color," she

says, "and it stimulates emo-

tional, physical and even behav-

ioral responses. Every fashion

decision we make has a color

connection that sends a message

to others and reflects our per-

sonality."

Indeed, there is a whole array of

"science" behind how we inter-

pret certain colors and wear

them in our wardrobes, accord-

ing to Paige. "A stunning purple

blouse reflects a passionate vi-

sionary. To-die-for red shoes

communicate energy, determi-

nation and charisma.

"Your chocolate-brown suit tells

your boss you are stable, earthy

and reliable. The beautiful

turquoise scarf you never wear

could be telling the world you

are motivated, active and dy-

namic, and the fantastic yellow

handbag that you were so at-

tracted to before you opted to go

with the black instead would

have declared you optimistic,

playful and enthusiastic."

So, how do you electrify your

personality and your wardrobe

with color? Here are a few tips

from Paige:

— Deliberately use colorful

pieces as your style statements.

If you are a girl who is most

comfortable swaddled in black

(is she talking about moi?),

show your adventurous side

with a chartreuse handbag, bold

jade earrings or a stack of color-

ful bangles. If you live in a gray

fog and frolic in tones of stone,

charcoal and slate, make your

unique style statement with a

fuchsia wrap, sea-green coat or

cognac boots.

— Pale colors rarely do any-

thing for your skin tone; they

are usually perceived as a little

mousy. Saturated colors look

more expensive and can elevate

the look of a very inexpensive

garment. Choose richer colors

like peacock blue, fuchsia,

pumpkin, emerald green and

deep purple (one of this season's

most popular colors) to send a

strong, confident message.

— Keep your anchor pieces

dark, neutral and adornment-

free. Then use colorful tops and

accessories to highlight your

upper half

and de-emphasize your lower

half, naturally making you look

taller and leaner. This is also

known as fashion color blocking

— strategically using light and

dark colors to minimize figure

flaws and showcase the good

stuff.

— And what colors do most men

like to see women wear?

Paige says that men pre-

fer solid colors compared

to patterns. Men are

most attracted to a woman

in a sugary coral tone. Red is

another color many men

equate with a confident

woman. Women are most at-

tracted to guys who wear

blue, she notes. And if you

want to avoid the color that

most "repels" every one of

us ... be sure to leave that

"puke green" color behind

on the racks!

— One more tip: Use com-

plementary colors with your

tops and accessories. In this

case, opposites do attract:

pair cool "water" tones

(blues, greens, purples and

lavenders) with "warm" tones

(reds, yellows, oranges and

pinks). When your top is a cool

tone, choose warm-toned acces-

sories. And when your top is a

warm tone, choose cool-toned

accessories. Think turquoise

earrings with a red top and

gray pants. Or try a yellow

handbag with a blue, floral

print dress. Your mama will be

so proud!

Sharon Mosley is a former fash-

ion editor of the Arkansas

Gazette in Little Rock and exec-

utive director of the Fashion Ed-

itors and Reporters Association.

To find out more about Sharon

Mosley and read features by

other Creators Syndicate writ-

ers and cartoonists, visit the

Creators Syndicate website at

www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2010

CREATORS.COM

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DEAR ABBY by Abigail Van Buren

COLLEGE NEATNIK SACRIFICESFUN FOR A SQUEAKY CLEAN

APARTMENT DEAR ABBY: I have beenoverly neat since I was inmiddle school. I am now incollege and feel I havereached the breaking pointbecause I'm such a neat freak.I love having everything neatand tidy, but I now spend lesstime being a 22-year-old andmore time cleaning, scrub-bing and organizing. I can't sleep if I know there isclutter somewhere in theapartment. I have passed upgoing out with friends if myapartment isn't perfect.Everything has a place and alabel. It's getting tiring be-cause I realize I haven't hadany good wholesome fun in along time. I wish I could relaxand be OK with clutter likeeveryone else, instead ofwasting my life cleaning. Anyadvice? -- OVERLY OR-GANIZED IN TEXAS

DEAR OVERLY OR-

GANIZED: Yes, I do.March yourself to the studenthealth center and discuss thiswith a counselor there. Whenthe compulsion to have yourapartment "perfect" trumpsyour ability to enjoy your life,it's time to accept that youhave gone from neat to obses-sive. There is treatment forthe problem, and once it be-gins you will be able to relaxand let go of your anxiety. Soplease don't wait to get thehelp you need.

**

DEAR ABBY: I'm a 20-year-old female who has beendating my boyfriend, "Will,"for three years. Our long-dis-

tance relationshipwas going alongjust fine until thetopic of his 21stbirthdaycameup re-cently.Will mentioned in passingthat he's planning on going toa strip club with friends tocelebrate this momentousbirthday. Will says he justlikes to look at women, thatall men do and it's completelyfine. He didn't seem to carehow I felt about it. His mindwas already made up. Hewants me to be more accept-ing of who he is, but it turnsmy stomach to think of himhanging out at a strip club.Abby, is a young man in acommitted relationship goingto a strip club to drink andview naked women "nor-mal"? Should I not take thisso personally? Or am I rightto see this as a lack of com-mitment to me? -- OF-FENDED IN FORTCOLLINS, COLO.

DEAR OFFENDED: Ifyour boyfriend had attemptedto hide his plans from you, orif he was planning on fre-quenting strip clubs alone andoften, I'd say you should feelthreatened. But he was openabout going out to celebratehis "momentous" birthdaywith his friends -- and plentyof women have been knownto visit clubs with maledancers. So calm down. Thishas nothing to do with his"commitment" to you.

**

DEAR ABBY: I am 42years old and being marriedfor the first time in October.My parents divorced morethan 20 years ago and bothremarried. My father willwalk me down the aisle. Dad lost my stepmother twoyears ago, and is still having ahard time with it emotionally.Because of my age, I don'texpect anything from my par-ents except their emotionalsupport. If it's all right withmy parents, do you think itwould be appropriate to puton the invitations, "In lieu ofgifts, please make a donationto the American Cancer Soci-ety in memory of (my step-mother's name)"? -- LOVINGDAUGHTER IN ARLING-TON, TEXAS

DEAR LOVING

DAUGHTER: You are asweetheart to think of it, butdoing so would be a hugebreach of etiquette. In fact,any mention of gifts on awedding invitation is a no-no.The way to handle it is, whenasked where you are regis-tered for gifts, to verbally in-form the questioner whatyour wishes are.

**Dear Abby is written by Abi-gail Van Buren, also knownas Jeanne Phillips, and was

founded by her mother,Pauline Phillips. Write Dear

Abby at www.DearAbby.comor P.O. Box 69440, Los An-

geles, CA 90069. **

COPYRIGHT 2010 UNIVERSAL

UCLICK

DearAbby

Study finds patient outcomes among nation’s bestfor overall Maternity Services

Providence Memorial Hospital Receives Top Quality Recognitionfor Maternity Care Services from

HealthGrades

El Paso, TX April 13, 2010

– Providence MemorialHospital announced todaythat the nation’s leading inde-pendent healthcare ratingscompany recognized themamong the top 10% of hospi-tals in the nation for Mater-nity Care with a five-starrating and the 2009/2010 Ma-ternity Care ExcellenceAward™.

The Sixth Annual Health-

Grades Women’s Health in

American Hospitals studyfound that best-performinghospitals had 52% fewer ma-ternal complications amongwomen who had vaginalbirths compared to poor-per-forming hospitals and 76%fewer complications amongwomen who had C-sections.Patient-choice C-sections hadthe largest difference at 84%between best- and poor-per-forming hospitals.

“It’s an honor to be rankedamong the top hospitals inthe country for maternity careby an independent sourcesuch as HealthGrades,” saidJohn Harris President ofSierra Providence HealthNetwork. “The award repre-sents the dedication of ourstaff and physicians to ourpatients.”

Study findings include the

following:

• If all hospitals, among the19 states studied, performedat the level of the best-per-forming hospitals from 2005through 2007, 182,129women may have avoideddeveloping one or more inhospital major obstetricscomplications.

• Best-performing hospitalshad a 56% lower weight-stratified neonatal mortalitycompared to poor-performinghospitals.

• C-section rates average ap-proximately 32% among the19 states studied.

• Quality inconsistencies areseen when comparing states;those with the lowest compli-cation rates have almost halfthe complications comparedwith states that had the high-est complication rates.

“For many women, having ababy is their first experiencewith hospitalization, and asthis study shows, it reallymatters which hospital ischosen.” said Dr. Rick May, asenior physician consultantwith HealthGrades and astudy co-author. “But nowwomen have a way of identi-fying hospitals with outstand-ing track records in terms ofthe outcomes of other newmothers. That’s a powerfultool for all women as theyplan for their birth.”

HealthGrades analyzed ap-proximately 13 million hospi-tal delivery and neonaterecords from 2005 through2007 in more than 1,500 hos-pitals in 19 all-payer statesfor this study and identified218 hospitals as being five-star rated in maternity care.

The full HealthGrades studycan be found atwww.healthgrades.com.



Why Wine? Uncork Your Creative Juices!Marilynn Preston

Living a healthier,

happier lifestyle isn't justabout the miles you run or thegreen beans you eat. It's aboutletting go of stress, relaxingwith family and friends, andtaking time to do the thingsthat bring joy, passion andbalance into your life.

I'll drink to that. And soshould you, accord-ing to a splashy newbook called "WineDrinking for In-spired Thinking"(Running Press) byMichael Gelb, theauthor of 11 bookson creativity and in-novation, includingthe best-selling andstill compelling,"How to Think LikeLeonardo da Vinci."

Michael's a pastmaster of the mind-body AlexanderTechnique, a blackbelt in aikido, a pop-ular and persuasiveorganizational con-sultant, and a friendof mine. Even if he weren't,I'd want to toast his latest ven-ture because it offers adults aneasy and pleasurable way toaccess our right brains, andfrom that place of inventive-ness, empathy and intuition,personal growth and creativ-ity will emerge.

His tool of transformation?Good

wine.The best

you can af-ford. In moder-

ation. Sniffeddeeply, sipped

slowly, savoredmindfully.

"When you open a bottle ofwine and share it with friendsor colleagues you are express-ing your connection with anancient, vivifying culturalpractice," writes Gelb. "Youare linking with a traditionthat has inspired many of thegreatest minds in human his-tory, including Socrates andPlato, Leonardo andMichelangelo, and Franklinand Jefferson."

Yes, but what about BettyFord? Isn't wine drinking partof that slippery slope toabuse, addiction and alco-holism? The most responsibleanswer is no. Gelb is wellaware that too much wine canbe a problem, and people withcertain medical or emotionalissues certainly need to stay

away.

But for most ofus, a glass ortwo of wine is awise and healthychoice. In a chap-ter that sparkles

with cheerful research called"Wine and Health: The Powerof Positive Drinking," Gelbgoes into great detail aboutthe health benefits of moder-ate wine intake, going back toHomer, to Hippocrates and —who knew? — all the wayback to the Jewish Talmud:"Wherever wine is lacking,"the ancients revealed, (but notto my parents), "drugs be-come necessary."

The known healthbenefits of red winecould make yourhead swim: Moder-ate consumptionhelps preventAlzheimer's and de-mentia, avoid heartdisease, reduce therisk of certain can-cers and decreasethe incidence oftype-2 diabetes.Resveratrol — acompound found inred wine — is thenewest darling ofthe anti-aging ac-tivists. And thesweet pleasure ofsharing a glass ofwine daily withfriends is one of the

secrets of those who live ex-ceptionally long and healthylives, according to the BlueZone researchers.

Wine is also a delicious wayto deepen your everydaysense of beauty, joy and cele-bration, and that's where"Wine Drinking for InspiredThinking" really pops. Gelbhas spent a good 30 years —a very good 30 years — help-ing people discover a multi-sensory, right brain approachto experiencing wine, so thatdrinking with purpose has apurpose: It makes you a hap-pier, more creative, moregrateful human being. Andafter two glasses, Gelb insists,it makes you a poet.

"The appreciation of finewine is a passport to the pres-ent moment," writes Gelb,who delights in helping hisbusiness clients and fearlessreaders get there, step-by-step, sip-by-sip, poem-by-poem. His book is filled withvery practical advice about

tasting wines, finding bar-gains and great food-and-wine pairings.

What do you do when you'rehanded the cork? How do youbuild a wine cellar? Why doesdry wine with sweet foodtaste like battery acid? Butbeyond his tips, Gelb keepscoming back to the transfor-mative power of wine, the op-portunity wine drinking givesus to relax the brain and in-spire the muse.

And that's the part that in-

spires me. The world is filledwith suffering. Many of us arejoylessly locked into logical,organized, analytical left-brain thinking. It's importantto our survival, but tappinginto our under explored right-brain helps us thrive. Thetrick is to find a balance, andif a really good glass of some-thing red and robust can leadthe way, I say, pour it on.

ENERGY EXPRESS-O!GELB THINK: THERE ARENO WRONG ANSWERS

Marilynn Preston — fitnessexpert, personal trainer andspeaker on healthy lifestyleissues — is the creator of En-ergy Express, the longest-run-ning syndicated fitnesscolumn in the country. Shehas a website, http://marilyn-npreston.com and welcomesreader questions, which canbe sent to [email protected].

COPYRIGHT 2010 ENERGY EXPRESS, LTD.

“If this wine werea style of music,what would it be?If this wine werea painting, whowould be theartist?” —

Michael Gelb,www.michaelgelb.com



Energy Express

Nose Running? Eyes Burning?Fear Not the Neti PotMarilynn Preston

One of my bravest NewYear's resolutions this yearwas to learn to use the netipot. A dozen people in myyoga class swore it was a sen-sational way to head off aller-gies, especially this time ofyear, but I confess, I hadfears. I thought I'd lift the lit-tle pitcher to my nose, tilt myhead to the side, pour warm,slightly salted water into onenostril ... and before it pouredout the other, I would gag,choke and drown.

But no. Fear not. I am tickledwith the results. The sinuspassages really are all con-nected, and once I relaxed mybrain and got my head tiltjust-so, in I poured and outthe water flowed, carrying allsorts of pink, yellow andbasic black nasal gunk withit.

I don't meanto gross you out.If I did, I'd tell youabout another ancientmethod of nasal cleansingthat involves a long threadand a man in a turban, butlet's stick to the neti pot fornow.

The simple healthy lifestyletruth is: It's extremely benefi-cial to wash away your nasalgunk on a daily basis. Indiandoctors have known this forages, and in the last 30 yearsor so, many U.S.-trained doc-tors have caught on.

If you were to pick apart yourmucus — interesting, but notrequired — you'd find allsorts of irritating agents in-side: pollen, dust, pollutants,bits of engine parts, flecks ofcheap water bottles and otherforms of toxic ickiness thatare better off outside of youthan inside.

And that's what the ancientAyurvedic practice of nasalwashing is all about. Itflushes that irritating stuffaway, using gravity and com-mon sense instead of costly

steroids, sprays and pills.Nasal washing has proven tobe a safe, effective alternativemethod for easing and possi-bly ending all sorts of sinusproblems and allergies.

What? Your doctor nevermentioned using a neti pot?Get a smarter, more savvydoctor. Integrative medicineis nothing to sneeze at.

The neti pot — neti is San-skrit for "nasal cleansing" —has turned into one of the su-perstars of self-care. You canfind plastic versions in drugstores everywhere these days,and neti pot use will onlygrow as U.S. health care re-form kicks in and preventionpractices accelerate.

While simple nasal washingmay not work for everyone

— what does? — it's safe totry and inexpensive to con-tinue, and it has none of thenasty side effects of some ofthe Big Pharma remedies fa-mous for substituting one setof symptoms for another. I re-member my first Sudafed. Ithought my head was goingto explode. Then it did.

Could nasal washing helpcalm your allergies and pre-vent your chronic, costlysinus problems? The Internetis filled with testimonialsfrom former sufferers whosay yes, yes and yes.

"It's a lifesaver!" KateMaeposted on www.iReport.comjust moments ago. "With con-sistent use, the results can bedramatic!" says neti pot spe-cialist Dr. Carrie Demers.

The neti pot is working formillions, including the editorof this column, who is sleep-ing better, breathing easierand converting his allergic

friends to neti potting as fastas he can. You won't know ifyou'll be helped until you try.

But before you do, know this:It's best not to wing it withthe neti pot. It's a skill youcan learn in less than aminute, but if you don't knowwhat you're doing, it won't befun or effective.

My neti pot — a shapelywhite ceramic model trade-marked and sold by the Hi-malayan Institute — camewith a very clear set of in-structions, and I followedthem precisely. It's 8 ouncesof warm water to a quarter-teaspoon of pure, non-iodizedsalt — sea salt, not table salt— mixed well in warm water.Breathe through your mouth.Expect a sensation.

To learn more, especiallyabout that all important head-

tilt, go to www.netipot.organd watch the Hi-malayan Institute's ex-cellent 2-and-a-half

minute instructional video.It features an attractive

woman dressed all in pinkwith a beehive hair-do fromthe '60s — but ignore all thatand follow her directions tothe tee, and you'll be bliss-fully flushing out that nasalgunk in no time at all.

ENERGY EXPRESS-O! AL-WAYS GOOD TO LET NA-TURE RUN ITS COURSE

"If it weren't for the neti pot,I'd be dead." — L.L., bad al-lergies, does yoga next to me.

Marilynn Preston — fitnessexpert, personal trainer andspeaker on healthy lifestyleissues — is the creator of En-ergy Express, the longest-run-ning syndicated fitnesscolumn in the country. Shehas a website, http://marilyn-npreston.com and welcomesreader questions, which canbe sent to [email protected].

COPYRIGHT 2010 ENERGY EXPRESS, LTD.



Sustainable Living

Shawn Dell Joyce

"May there only bepeaceful and cheerful EarthDays to come for our beauti-ful Spaceship Earth as it con-tinues to spin and circle infrigid space with its warm andfragile cargo of animate life."— United Nations Secretary-General U Thant, 1971

April 22, 1970, the first EarthDay, came on the heels of theVietnam peace movement.This was a volatile era ofmonumental social change fu-eled by sit-ins and teach-ins,demonstrations, rallies and achanging political conscious-ness. Wisconsin Sen. GaylordNelson modeled the first U.S.Earth Day as an environmen-

tal "teach-in." Over two thou-sand colleges and universities,roughly 10,000 primary andsecondary schools, and hun-dreds of communities acrossthe United States participated.

It was also the first time wesaw the famous picture of theEarth from the moon taken bythe Apollo astronauts. It wasthen that many of us first saw

the Earth in its entirety, andlikened it as Secretary Gen-eral U Thant did to a space-ship. Or even more eloquentlyby astronomer Carl Sagan,who remarked:

"... every young couple inlove, every mother and father,hopeful child, inventor andexplorer, every teacher ofmorals, every corrupt politi-cian, every 'superstar,' every'supreme leader,' every saintand sinner in the history ofour species lived (here) — ona mote of dust suspended in asunbeam. Our planet is alonely speck in the great en-veloping cosmic dark. In ourobscurity, in all this vastness,there is no hint that help willcome from elsewhere to saveus from ourselves."

Earth Day "brought 20 mil-lion Americans out into thespring sunshine for peacefuldemonstrations in favor of en-vironmental reform," notedNelson. Legendary singer ac-tivist Pete Seeger performedand was the keynote speakerat the Washington, D.C.,event. Ali McGraw and PaulNewman attended the NewYork City event.

Nelson gave credit to the firstEarth Day for persuading U.S.politicians to pass importantenvironmental legislation.

Many important laws werepassed by the Congress in thewake of the 1970 Earth Day,including amendments to theClean Air Act, and laws toprotect drinking water, wildlands and the ocean. Many ofthese laws are being attackedright now in Congress.

"Earth Day worked becauseof the spontaneous responseat the grassroots level," Nel-son said. "That was the re-markable thing about EarthDay. It organized itself. EarthDay has become the largestsecular holiday in the world,celebrated in 175 countries bymore than 5 million people.

Earth Day is a day for vision-ing how we humans want tointeract with our motherplanet. Imagine what ourworld would look like if all ofus 5 million people put ourminds together:

— Grocery shopping wouldbe weekly trips to local farmsto meet the people face-to-face who feed us.

— Buildings would be energyefficient, and some even pro-duce their own electricity.Perhaps whole neighborhoodsproduce their own electricityand food, and share a "cul desac community garden andwind turbine."

— Cars are traded in for bicy-cles, as public transportationimproves, and downtowns be-come more vibrant and walk-able.

— Farmers plant wind tur-bines in farm fields for a sec-ond harvest of renewableenergy.

— Recycling becomes a wayof life, as public receptaclesappear on street corners andin schools.

— Asthma becomes a diseaseof the past, as air quality im-proves and buildings aremade from materials thatdon't pollute.

— Local economies thrive, as"green collar" jobs create op-portunities for native sons anddaughters to find lucrative ca-reers and affordable homes intheir own hometowns.

Shawn Dell Joyce is anaward-winning columnist andfounder of the Wallkill RiverSchool in Orange County,N.Y. You can contact her [email protected].

COPYRIGHT 2010 CREATORS.COM

Buzz Aldrin took this photo of the Earth from the moon, which coincided with the firstEarth Day in 1970.

Earth DaySPOTLIGHT 323.APRIL 23,2010:SPL 4/21/10 4:33 PM


FOCUS ON THE FAMILY with Dr. James Dobson

A TOUGH CHILDHOOD CAN LEAD TOSUCCESS LATER IN LIFE

QUESTION: Do childhoodtraumas inevitably twist andwarp a person in the adultyears? DR. DOBSON: No. It is wellknown that difficult childhoodsleave some people wounded anddisadvantaged, but for others,they fuel great achievement andsuccess. The difference appearsto be a function of individualtemperaments and resourceful-ness. In a classic study called"Cradles of Eminence," Victorand Mildred Goertzel investi-gated the home backgrounds ofthree hundred highly successfulpeople. The researchers soughtto identify the early experiencesthat may have contributed to re-markable achievement. All ofthe subjects were well knownfor their accomplishments; theyincluded Einstein, Freud,Churchill and many others.Thebackgrounds of these peopleproved very interesting. Three-fourths of them came from trou-bled childhoods, enduringpoverty, broken homes orparental abuse. One-fourth hadphysical handicaps. Most ofthose who became writers andplaywrights had watched theirown parents embroiled in psy-chological dramas of one sort or

another. The researchers con-cluded that the need to compen-sate for disadvantages was amajor factor in the drive towardpersonal achievement. One ofthe best illustrations of this phe-nomenon is seen in the life ofEleanor Roosevelt, a formerfirst lady. Being orphaned atten, she underwent a childhoodof utter anguish. She was veryhomely and never felt she reallybelonged to anybody. Accordingto Victor Wilson, NewhouseNews Service, "She was a ratherhumorless introvert, a youngwoman unbelievably shy, un-able to overcome her personalinsecurity and with a convictionof her own inadequacy." Theworld knows, however, thatMrs. Roosevelt rose above heremotional shackles. As Wilsonsaid,"...From some inner well-spring, Mrs. Roosevelt sum-moned a tough, unyieldingcourage, tempered by remark-able self-control and self-disci-pline..." That "inner wellspring"has another appropriate name:compensation! Obviously, one'sattitude toward a handicap de-termines its impact on one's life.It has become popular to blameadverse circumstances for irre-sponsible behavior (e.g.,

poverty causes crime, brokenhomes produce juvenile delin-quents, a sick society imposesdrug addiction on its youth).There is some truth in this as-sumption, since people in thosedifficult circumstances are morelikely to behave in destructiveways. But they are not forced todo so. To say that adverse con-ditions cause irresponsible be-havior is to remove allresponsibility from the shoul-ders of the individual. The ex-cuse is hollow. We must eachdecide what we will do withinner doubt and outer hardship.The application to an individualfamily should be obvious. If achild has gone through a trau-matic experience or is physi-cally disadvantaged, his or herparents need not give up hope.They should identify his or herstrengths and natural abilities,which can be used to overcomethe hurdle. The problem thatseems so formidable today maybecome the inspiration forgreatness tomorrow.

**Dr. Dobson is founder and Chair-man Emeritus of the nonprofit or-ganization Focus on the Family,Colorado Springs, Colo. 80995(www.focusonthefamily.org).

COPYRIGHT 2010 JAMES DOBSON INC.



By Dr. Marty Beckerand Gina SpadaforiUniversal Uclick

Does a renewed in-terest in “green”products mean the

economy’s improving? We’renot sure, but we’re still de-lighted to see retailers and petowners again trying to reducethe “carbon pawprint” of pets.

Recently, the national chainPetco put on an event at itsmore than 1,000 stores to pro-mote products that are moreeco-friendly — an event inwhich the PetConnection teamwas involved. But, of course,it’s possible to do a lot withwhat you have by making afew good decisions.

Here are a few tips: • Go for green products.

When looking to buy pet-careitems, look for items madefrom recycled materials (suchas toys made from recycledwater bottles or cat litter madefrom recycled newspaper) orfrom renewable materials (suchas collars made from hemp orlitter made from wheat, corn oreven green tea leaves). Alsoconsider switching to a pet

food that’s made locally fromsustainable or organic ingredi-ents, a move that cuts down onthe “food miles” (fuel used tomove merchandise) and thewaste issued from concentratedanimal feeding operations.

• Meat protein is a must forcarnivores — especially cats —but if you’d like a pet who cango completely green when itcomes to food, adopt a bunny.They thrive on veggies, andwill love your kitchen trim-mings. (Not to mention, rabbitwaste is great for superchargingthe compost pile!)

• A few of the pet-productcompanies that have made aneffort to “go green” includeWest Paw, Planet Dog, Castorand Pollux, and Earthbath —and the number is growingevery day.

• Pay attention to packaging.Pet food, pet toys, pet supplies,pet cleaning and groomingaids, pet medications — prettymuch all of these have one seri-ous environmental problem:packaging. Look for alterna-tives, such as bulk buying thatreduces throwaway containers,and use products that come inrecycled and recyclable pack-aging.

• Toss with caution. Alwaysdispose of drugs, pesticides,shampoos, chemicals and thecontainers they come in safely.Flea-control products, as wellas many pet shampoos anddips, need to be disposed ofcarefully as well, according tofederal, state and local guide-lines. (As for those flea-and-tick products, don’t overdo it,and follow directions careful-ly.)

• Handle the “do” responsi-bly. Biodegradable poop bagsare a must, otherwise the poopyou pick up will still be in thelandfill decades from now. Asfor scooping the yard, considera “pet septic system” like thewidely available DoggieDooley or the new Doggie DooDrain ($45;DoggieDooDrain.com). Thelatter fits onto your sewerclean-out and sends the mess tothe treatment plant. Keepingcats from roaming keeps theirwaste in a litter box, where youcan dispose of it properly.Usually, that will mean baggingand putting it in the trash.(Check with your local munici-pal authority for guidance.)

• Take a hike, or a bike. Ifyou’ve gotten in the habit of

driving to the dog park, consid-er that six legs in motion —yours and your dog’s — is goodfor you both. Put your walkingshoes on, snap the leash to yourdog’s collar and get your exer-cise in your own neighborhood.Walking (or jogging) is great,and if you want to add twowheels to the mix, look for ac-cessories that allow you to safe-

ly take your dog biking withyou. Be careful though:Exercise in the cool morningonly, and don’t let your dogoverheat.

• Don’t litter — and doadopt. Remember to consideradoption when it comes tochoosing a pet. Great pets canbe found at any shelter, anddon’t forget to check out rescue

groups as well — Petfinder.orgcan be a great resource forlooking. And do make sureyour own pet isn’t accidentally“littering.” Fences, leashes andneutering can all prevent“oops” litters.

These tips should give you astart on a greener life for youand your pet.

An easy way to create and enjoy a cleaner environment: Walkwith your dog for exercise. It’s good for you both.

Easy Earth-friendly tips for animal lovers

For many people, a goodnight’s sleep is hard to comeby, for reasons as varied asstress, caffeinated beverages,snoring spouses and one thatrecently took researchers at theMayo Sleep Clinic by surprise:pets.

More than half of the peoplecoming to the famousRochester, Minn., medical cen-ter for help sleeping reportedsharing their bedrooms — and

often their beds — with theirpets. The physicians started rec-ommending tossing the petsout, but pet lovers don’t usuallylike doing so.

Top veterinarians say thereare other options. Their advicecan be summed up succinctly:Keep your pets clean, keepthem lean and get them onyour sleep cycle. With helpfrom your pets’ veterinarian,chances are you’ll soon be en-

joying sleep instead of count-ing sheep.

Getting pets on the samesleep cycle can actually be fun,says Dr. Gary Landsberg, a vet-erinary behaviorist in Thornhill,Ontario. When a pet sleeps allday, it’s no surprise the animalmay want to play all night. Dr.Landsberg says exercising pets,both physically and mentally,will help them to settle downwhen you do.

Dr. Landsberg says pet own-ers can enjoy keeping their petsactive. That means sharedphysical activity — play, inother words — but it alsoshould include keeping catsand dogs busy when you’re nothome.

“That can be as simple asgiving pets their meals out offeeding toys,” he says. “Youwant something that will givethem food rewards as they

chew on it, or roll a ball andfood falls out. These can keeptheir brains and bodies quiteoccupied.”

And when they nudge you inthe night? Dr. Landsberg says iftheir medical, physical and

mental needs have been ad-dressed, you should ignorethem, so pets don’t get the ideathat you’ll play with themwhenever they want. — Dr.Marty Becker

THE SCOOP

Exercise helps get sleeping pets to settle

Getting a pet on the same sleep cycle can help everyoneget a good night’s sleep.

Pets Go Green, Again


George Varga

Jazz, classical and rock don't intersect for Brad Mehldau so much as they co-exist as happyequals that provide him with endless inspiration and sustenance. Justly hailed as one of thegreatest jazz pianists of his generation, he reaches across idioms whenever the spirit moves him.

"Anything that I love musically, I listen to obsessively. For pleasure, spiritual fulfillment and ed-ification. In that order," said Mehldau, who is embarked on a North American duo tour with topsaxophonist Joshua Redman that runs through late May.

Make that listen to and perform, since his impressively varied resume includes intriguing collab-orations with such renowned opera singers as Renee Fleming and Anne Sophie von Otter. In2007, he was accompanied by the Orchestre National d'Ile de France for the world premiere ofhis whimsically titled piano concerto "The Brady Bunch Variations." More recently, Mehldau,39, was named to the Richard and Barbara Debs Composer's Chair at Carnegie Hall, where hewill succeed such contemporary classical icons as Elliott Carter and John Adams.

In jazz, Mehldau's collaborators have included Wayne Shorter and Charlie Haden. Among hismany recording credits are the soundtrack to the 2000 Wim Wenders' film "The Million DollarHotel" and album dates with Willie Nelson, frequent U2 collaborator Daniel Lanois and StoneTemple Pilots' singer Scott Weiland. The Florida-born pianist is as comfortable reinventingsongs by Radiohead, Nirvana, Nick Drake, Soundgarden and The Beatles as he is at transform-ing jazz standards into something fresh and riding his own, finely crafted compositions to newimprovisational heights.

So, while some may still regard jazz and classical as aesthetic opposites — never mind rock —the question of these idioms being at odds with each other is one Mehldau politely dismisses.

"I don't know anyone who only listens to one kind of music, so I can't relate," he said in an e-mail exchange from Holland, where he was nearing the end of a European tour and lives part ofthe year with his Dutch wife and their two children. "I think — not to belittle the question — (it)becomes more and more moot. I don't know how to address it because I don't make a division inthe first place."

Perhaps the best example of his catholic tastes is contained on his ambitious new double-album,"Highway Rider" (Nonesuch).

It teams him and his excellent drummer and bassist, Jeff Ballard and Larry Grenadier, respec-tively, with saxophonist Joshua Redman (in whose jazz quartet Mehldau rose to prominence inthe 1990s) and a chamber orchestra conducted live in the studio by Dan Coleman. Seven of the15 compositions also feature drummer Matt Chamberlain, who has recorded with Fiona Apple,Keith Urban and Liz Phair.

The producer of "Highway Rider" is Jon Brion, whose past clients range from Kanye West andDavid Byrne to The Crystal Method and Tom Petty. Brion and Mehldau previously teamed onthe pianist's 2002 album, "Largo," which proved highly influential in many music circles with itsstriking blend of jazz, psychedelia, classical, funk, heavy metal and touches of Indonesian game-lan.

But "Largo" was very much a studio creation, in which Mehldau's sterling piano work was oftenelectronically filtered and manipulated, sometimes underpinned by insistent beats rarely heardon non-rock recordings. Conversely, "Highway Rider" was designed to leave as much as possi-ble to chance, so much so that the chamber orchestra and the core jazz instrumentalists didn'tmeet or perform together until recording was under way.

Continues on page 19

Brad Mehldau, one of the greatest jazz pianistsof his generation, has recently released a newdouble-album called "Highway Rider." Photocourtesy of Augusta Quirk.



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7:45pm 10:20pm

CLASH OF THE TITANS – 2D (PG-13)

10:15am 12:50pm 3:25pm 6:00pm 8:40pm

DATE NIGHT (PG-13) 10:35am 11:35am

1:00pm 1:50pm 3:05pm 4:05pm 5:20pm

6:20pm 7:35pm 8:35pm 9:30pm

DEATH AT A FUNERAL*(R) 9:55am

12:15pm 2:35pm 4:55pm 7:15pm 9:35pm

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON - 2D

(PG)10:25am 12:55pm 3:20pm 5:45pm

8:10pm 10:35pm

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON - REAL

D 3D (PG)9:30am 11:55am 2:20pm

4:50pm 7:10pm 9:40pm

KICK-ASS*(R) 10:30am 11:25am 1:15pm

2:10pm 4:00pm 4:55pm 6:45pm 7:40pm

9:30pm 10:25pm

THE LAST SONG (PG)11:30am 2:00pm

4:45pm 7:20pm 9:45pm

*ALICE IN WONDERLAND 3D- DIGITAL

(PG)10:00a 12:50p 3:35p 6:40p 9:45p

*BOUNTY HUNTER- DIGITAL (PG-13)

10:15a 11:15a 1:15p 2:15p 4:10p 5:10p

6:55p 7:55p 9:50p 10:35p

*CLASH OF THE TITANS 3D-

DIGITAL (PG-13)10:00a 10:45a 11:15a

1:05p 1:50p 2:20p 4:00p 4:55p 5:25p

7:05p 7:45p 8:30p 10:05p 10:30p

*CLASH OF THE TITANS SUBTITU-

LADA- 35MM (PG-13)11:00a 1:50p 4:35p

7:25p 10:15p

*DATE NIGHT- DIGITAL (PG-13)

10:00a 11:20a 12:40p 1:55p 3:20p 4:25p

6:05p 7:00p 8:20p 9:45p 10:35p

*LETTERS TO GOD- DIGITAL (PG)

10:35a 1:20p 4:15p 7:05p 9:50p

*THE BACK-UP PLAN- DIGITAL (PG-13)

10:15a 11:15a 1:00p 2:00p 3:45p

4:45p 6:30p 7:30p 9:15p 10:15p

ALICE IN WONDERLAND 2D-

DIGITAL (PG)11:00a 1:50p 4:35p 7:40p

10:30p

HOT TUB TIME MACHINE-

DIGITAL (R)11:15a 1:55p 4:55p 7:55p

10:30p

OUR FAMILY WEDDING-DIGITAL (PG-

13)10:45a 1:50p 4:25p 7:20p 10:10p

THE CRAZIES- DIGITAL (R)10:45a 1:30p

4:15p 7:00p 10:00p

THE GHOST WRITER- 35MM (PG-13)

10:20a 1:20p 4:20p 7:20p 10:20p

WHY DID I GET MARRIED TOO?-

DIGITAL (PG-13)10:30a 1:30p 4:30p

7:30p 10:30p

* -- denotes Pass Restricted features

Premiere Cinemas 6101 Gateway West S.15

AVATAR 2-D (PG-13)12:00 | 3:05 | 6:10 | 9:20 COP OUT (R)12:35 | 3:10 | 5:20 | 7:40 | 9:55 FROM PARIS WITH LOVE (R)5:05 | 9:30 GREEN ZONE (R)12:20 | 2:35 | 4:55 | 7:25 |9:45 PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF (PG)12:15 | 2:40 |5:05 | 7:30 | 10:00 REMEMBER ME (PG-13)12:40 | 2:50 | 5:10 |7:20 | 9:35 SHERLOCK HOLMES (PG-13)12:25 | 2:50 |7:05

THE BOOK OF ELI (R)12:30 | 2:55 | 5:15 |7:35 | 9:50 THE CRAZIES (R)12:10 | 2:20 | 4:25 | 7:10 |9:15 THE SPY NEXT DOOR (PG)12:55 | 2:45 |4:45 | 6:40 | 9:05 THE WOLFMAN (R)12:45 | 2:35 | 4:30 | 6:50 |9:00 THE TOOTH FAIRY (PG)12:50 | 3:00 | 5:00 |7:00 | 9:10 VALENTINE'S DAY (PG-13)12:05 | 2:30 |4:50 | 7:15 | 9:40

EAST POINTE MOVIES 12I-10 & Lee Trevino Schedule good for 04/23 - 04/29/10

Schedule good for Friday April 23rd

Schedule good for 04-23-10

Now Showing

Coming Soon

Schedule good for Friday April 23rd

Death at a Fu-neral

04/16/10

A day in the life of an Americanfamily who come together to put abeloved husband and father torest. As mourners gather at thefamily home, shocking revela-tions, festering resentments, uglythreats, blackmail and a misdi-

rected corpse unleash lethal mayhem.

Starring: Chris Rock,Regina Hall,Loretta Devine,RonGlass,Danny Glover

The Back-upPlan04/23/10Rated PG-13 for sexual con-tent including references,some crude material and lan-guage

After years of dating, Zoe hasdecided waiting for the rightone is taking too long. Deter-mined to become a mother,she commits to a plan, makes

an appointment and decides to go it alone. That same day,Zoe meets Stan - a man with real possibilities. Trying tonurture a budding relationship and hiding the early signs ofpregnancy becomes a comedy of errors for Zoe and createsconfusing signals for Stan. When Zoe nervously reveals thereason for her unpredictable behavior, Stan commits fullyand says he's in. But with the nine month clock ticking,both begin to experience cold feet. Anyone can fall in love,get married and have a baby but doing it backwards inhyper-drive could be proof positive that they were made foreach other.

Starring: Jennifer Lopez,Alex O'Loughlin,Eric ChristianOlsen,Noureen DeWulf,Donal Logue,MelissaMcCarthy,Harold Gould,Jennifer Elise Cox,LindaLavin,Michaela Watkins

Oceans04/22/2010 Rated: G Genre: Documentary

Nearly three-quarters of theEarth's surface is covered bywater and 'Oceans' boldlychronicles the mysteries that liebeneath. Directors Jacques Per-rin and Jacques Cluzaud divedeep into the very waters thatsustain all of mankind -- ex-

ploring the harsh reality and the amazing creatures that livewithin. Featuring spectacular never-before-seen imagerycaptured by the latest underwater technologies, 'Oceans' of-fers an unprecedented look beneath the sea in a powerfulmotion picture.

Starring: Pierce Brosnan

The PerfectGame04/16/2010 Rated: PG

Genre: Drama

Living amidst the grittypoverty of 1957 Monterrey,Mexico, a rag-tag group ofboys from the other side of thetracks discovers the joy ofsandlot baseball under theguidance of Cesar, an aspiringmajor league coach thwarted

by discrimination. Armed with the dream of playing a realLittle League game, the young team members defy a totallack of resources, disapproving parents, and widespreadprejudice to score their first Little League victory on U.S.soil and find themselves at the beginning of a once-in-a-life-time journey. Relying on their religious faith, a warm-hearted priest and their love of the game, the nine playersand their coach embark on an incredible, record-breakingwinning streak that leads them across the border to southernTexas, and all the way to the 1957 Little League World Se-ries in Williamsport, Penn., where a miracle will cementtheir place in history and change their lives forever. Basedon the true story of the 1957 Monterrey Industrials LittleLeague team, 'The Perfect Game' is an inspiring and heart-warming tale of faith and a testament to the resilience of thehuman spirit in the face of overwhelming odds.

Starring: Clifton Collins Jr., Cheech Marin, Emilie de Ravin,Lou Gossett Jr., Bruce McGill

Date Night04/09/10Rated PG-13 for sexual and crudecontent throughout, language, someviolence and a drug reference

Claire and Phil Foster are a subur-ban couple slogging through theirdaily lives and marriage. Even their"date nights" of dinner and a moviehave become routine. To reignite themarital spark, they visit a trendy

Manhattan bistro, where a case of mistaken identity hurtlesthem through the city at breakneck speeds, into non-stopadventure. Remembering what made them so special to-gether, Phil and Claire take on a couple of corrupt cops, atop-level mobster and a crazed cabbie as their date becomesa night they'll never forget.Starring: Steve Carrel,Tina Fey,Mila Kunis,JamesFranco,Mark Wahlberg,Kristen Wiig

A Nightmare onElm Street 04/30/10A group of suburban teenagers shareone common bond: they are all beingstalked by Freddy Krueger, a horriblydisfigured killer who hunts them intheir dreams. As long as they stay

awake, they can protect one another, but when they sleep,there is no escape.



Schedule good for 4/23- 4/29

PREMIERE MONTWOOD 7

2200 N. Yarbrough

Schedule good for 4/23 -4/29

AVATAR (PG-13)

*(12:00p 3:05p 6:10p 9:15p)

4:45 8:20 ONLY 4/23, 4/26, 4/28, 4/29

COP OUT (R) *(6:45p) 9:15p

FROM PARIS WITH LOVE (R)

*(12:25p 2:40p) 4:55p 7:10p 9:20p

REMEMBER ME (PG-13)

*(12:00p 2:25p) 4:55p 7:20p 9:45p

THE CRAZIES (R) *(12:10p 2:25p)

4:45p 7:05p 9:25p

THE SPY NEXT DOOR (PG)

*(12:05p 2:15p) 4:25p

6:35 ONLY 4/23, 4/26, 4/28, 4/29

THE TOOTH FAIRY (PG)

*(12:00p 2:15p 4:30p) 6:55p 9:15p

THE WOLFMAN (R)

*(12:10p 2:30p) 4:50p 7:15p 9:35p

*(ONLY 4/24, 4/25 & 4/27)

$TIMULU$ TUE$DAY$ - $1.00DRINK, $1.00 POPCORN

EVERY TUESDAY!MILITARY DISCOUNT @

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ADVANCE TICKETS NOWON SALE FOR IRONMAN 2!

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CONCESSIONS COMBOSWITH ANY “HOW TO TRAIN

YOUR DRAGON 3D” OR“CLASH OF THE TITANS3D” TICKET PURCHASE

KENNY CHESNEY SUMMERIN 3D 12:00am (4/23 only)2:00 (4/24&4/25 only)7:30 (4/28&4/29only) DEATH AT A FUNERAL (R)11:00 1:00 3:15 5:30 7:4510:00 (12:10 FRI/SAT)DATE NIGHT (PG-13)11:001:15 3:30 5:45 8:00 10:15 CLASH OF THE TITANS 3D*3D SURCHARGE APPLIES(PG-13)11:00 11:30 1:45 2:154:15 4:45 7:00 7:30 9:30 10:00(2:15 “Clash 3D” will not play4/24&4/25) CLASH OF THE TITANS 2D(PG-13)11:00 1:45 4:15 7:009:30 (12:20 FRISAT)TYLER PERRY:

WHY DID I GET MARRIEDTOO? (PG-13)11:00 1:40 4:257:15 10:00 (12:20 FRI/SAT)LAST SONG (PG)11:30 2:004:30 7:00 9:10 (11:45FRI/SAT)HOW TO TRAIN YOURDRAGON 3D *3D SUR-CHARGE APPLIES (PG)11:00 12:00 1:15 2:25 3:454:50 6:15 7:15 8:45 9:40(11:15 12:05 FRI/SAT) (7:15 “Dragon3D” will not play4/28&4/29)HOW TO TRAIN YOURDRAGON 2D (PG)11:00 1:153:45 6:15 HOT TUB TIME MACHINE (R)9:00 (11:35 FRI/SAT)DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (PG)12:15 2:30 4:45 7:00 9:20(11:40 FRI/SAT)ALICE IN WONDERLANDPRESENTED IN DISNEYDIGITAL 3D*3D SURCHARGEAPPLIES (PG)12:00 2:30 5:007:30 10:00THE LOSERS (PG-13)11:302:00 4:30 7:00 9:30 (12:00FRI/SAT)BACK UP PLAN (PG-13)11:00 12:00 1:30 2:30 4:005:00 6:30 7:30 9:00 10:00(11:30 FRI/SAT)OCEANS (G)11:00 1:30 4:157:00 9:30 (12:00 FRI/SAT)

Continued from page 17

The inviting music that re-sults contains elements ofjazz, classical and otherstyles, but is not bound byany of them. It is less a hy-brid than an organic blendthat mixes familiar elementsin unfamiliar ways. The com-bination of jazz spontaneityand classical precision, andtheir periodic inversion, didnot come quickly toMehldau, who as a boy heldVladimir Horowitz and OscarPeterson in equal esteem.

"I guess the short answerwould be (it took) almost 40years of life and listening andstudy, and absorbing andeverything gestating inside ofme," he said.

"Eventually, everythingmelds together and comesout. That's not to say it wasn'ta lot of work; I worked onwriting the music for 'High-way Rider' for more than ayear. I'm quite proud of it be-cause I feel like I did some-thing I haven't done before.But I also feel like it is theculmination of everythingI've absorbed for a long time.That's very satisfying."

So is the manner in whichMehldau extends the dy-namic, emotional and texturalrange of his chosen instru-ment.

"I don't even think of Brad asa pianist, because he plays insuch an orchestral way," saidguitarist Pat Metheny, one ofMehldau's longtime fans andperiodic collaborators. "He'sreally got one of the most de-veloped and advanced har-monic and rhythmic dialectsin improvisation of the last30 or 40 years. He's magnifi-cently loquacious as aplayer."

In any setting, improvisationis at the heart of Mehldau'smusic. But being able to fullyrealize his musical ideas onthe spur of the moment is asmuch a matter of constantpreconcert preparation as it issudden inspiration, especiallyat his solo piano concerts.

"I usually realize if there is aformal coherence to what I'mdoing in the moment," hesaid. "The funny thing aboutstructure and improvisation(is): You would think that thespecifically formal success ofa given performance wouldrest on something consciousand intellectual, somethingplanned or thought out. Butreally, when the music is for-mally coherent, it is simply amatter of inspiration. All thework — all the learning andanalysis, all the practice, allthe study — all of that takesplace offstage."

The ability to create thematic

variations and invent newsongs within existing songsare constants in jazz. Beforethe 20th century, the ability toimprovise was also a part ofclassical music, albeit to alesser extent.

"Did (previous classical) mu-sicians know how to impro-vise? I don't know. I wasn'tthere," Mehldau said. "Wehear anecdotal stuff abouthow some of the great com-posers were able to, but theywere the great ones, after all.Actually, what I'm seeing inthe last decade or so is an in-creasing number of classicalmusicians who can impro-vise.

"The thing about improvisa-tion is that it's not just somespontaneous, off-the-cuff in-spiration. You have to have alanguage to draw from, andthe only way that happens isif you study music deeply.But a great improviser has adifferent kind of talent. He orshe can take what he or shehas been studying and ab-sorbing — whatever genre itmight be — and then expressoutwardly again in a way thatis illuminating and different,not a mere regurgitation.Great improvisation in thatsense is the exception and notthe rule."

COPYRIGHT 2010

CREATORS.COM

Mehldau Crosses



Calendar of upcoming events for El Paso/ Southern New Mexico are from April 23rd thru April 29th. 2010If you want your upcoming event listed in SPOTLIGHT’S Out & About section, please send all your relevant data by e-mail to: [email protected]

NORTHEAST/CENTRAL

La Tierra Cafe — 1731Montana. Danzas Españolasperform Saturday, April 24.Doors open at 6 p.m., dinnerserved at 6:45 p.m., show at 8p.m. Cost is $32 for dinnerand show. Seating limited;reservations required. Infor-mation: 533-8890.

‘The Murder Room’– El Paso Playhouse, 2501Montana, presents the comicBritish whodunit by JackSharkey April 23-May 15.Directed by Fred Keyser.Showtimes are 8 p.m. Fridayand Saturday and 2 p.m. Sun-day. Tickets: $10 ($8 seniors,$7 military/students). Infor-mation: 532-1317, elpaso-playhouse.com. ‘The Subject WasRoses’ — El Paso Commu-nity College Theatre Ensemble presents the PulitzerPrize-winning comedy-dramaby Frank D. Gilroy at 7:30p.m. Friday and Saturday,April 23-24, in the EPCCTransmountain CampusForum Theatre. Directed byCornelia Patterson. Proceedsfrom ticket prices benefit the-atre scholarships. Admission:$10 general admission; $5students/military/seniors.Ages 7 and older welcome.Information: 831-3272, 831-2228 or epcc.edu. YoungTimmy Cleary returns fromWorld War II to find himselfconfronted with yet anotherbattlefront — the resurfacingwounds within his own fam-ily. ‘

Big Band on the RioGrande — Ladies of theOriental Shrine El MinyaCourt #46 presents a “Nightof Dancing” with the 17-pieceband 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday,April 24, at El Maida ShrineTemple, 6331 Alabama, withdancing, snacks, desserts,beer and wine. Learn ball-room dances including waltz,cha cha, rumba, polka andmore. Admission: $10 ($15with dance lessons; $5 ages12 and younger). Information:562-1444 or 204-9965.

Boy Scout Expo — TheYucca Council’s Boy ScoutsExpo 2010 is 10 a.m. to 4

p.m. Saturday, April 24, atCohen Stadium. The BoyScouts will celebrate their100th anniversary at thisyear’s event. The expo in-cludes sky divers, archery,games, crafts, scout exhibits,military vehicles, climbingwalls, remote control cars,trucks and planes, PinewoodDerby racers, carnival rides,various exhibits and more.Over 200 displays. Admissionis $2 (free if in Scout uni-form). Free parking. Informa-tion 772-2292 oryuccabsa.org.

Health and SafetyFair — Northgate Optimist,4201 Skyline, will host itshealth and safety fair 9 a.m. to1 p.m. Saturday, April 24.Participants include UnitedBlood Services, Red Cross,Hospice of El Paso, ChildCrisis Center, Love of Life,Pro Action, Hanger Prosthet-ics & Orthotics, Western TechCollege, Police Department,Border Patrol, Lions for Vi-sion, Fire Department, EMSand Curves. Also featured aredemonstrations on bike andcar seat safety and children’sfinger printing. Information:755-2606.

LOWERVALLEY

Enrique Bunbury —One of Spain’s most respectedrock singers presents his “LasConsecuencias, Bunbury,U.S.A Tour, 2010” at 8:30p.m. Saturday, April 24, at ElPaso County Coliseum. Thetour features some of his mostwell-known songs from his“Heros del Silencio” andother solo albums. Tickets:$40 and $50, plus servicecharges. Information: 533-9899.

‘Dia de los Niños,Dia de los Libros’ —The 14th annual children’sday/book day 11 a.m. to 6p.m. Saturday, April 24, atWashington Park, next to theEl Paso Zoo. Admission isfree. Information: 543-5468or elpasolibrary.org.

‘Party for the Planet’— El Paso Zoo, 4001 E.Paisano, will host specialEarth Day exhibits and activi-ties 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Satur-day, April 24. Several

informational booths will beset up to learn all about recy-cling, how habitats are disap-pearing and what people cando to make a difference tosave the planet. Zoo admis-sion: $10 ($7.50 active dutymilitary and spouse with IDand ages 60 and older; $6 forages 3-12; free for zoologicalsociety members and ages 2and younger). Information:521-1850 or elpasozoo.org.

EASTSIDE

El Paso Artists Stu-dio Tour — El Paso artistsare sought for the 3rd annualtour Saturday and Sunday,April 24-25 throughout theEastside, Mission Valley,Northeast and Downtown(south of I-10). Information:833-0636 [email protected].

‘Hat Man Produc-tion’ — The play, involvingthemes of recovery and re-demption, is at 7 p.m. Fridayand Saturday, April 23-24, atVista Del Sol Baptist Church,11501 Vista Del Sol. Admis-sion is free. Information: 433-1926. “Hat Man”incorporates original songsand technology as it presentsa central plot and several sub-plots through short vignettesin 24 different scens, with alarge cast of over 30 actors,including singing angels anddemons.

Run/Walk For Re-spect — Arc del Paso willhost its 6th annual 1-mileMini-Walk, and 5K run at 8a.m. Saturday, April 24, atPonder Park, 7500 WHBurges. Mini-walk begins at8:15 a.m. The event raisesawareness of people withmental and developmentaldisabilities. Registration: $20.Race day registration: $25. In-formation: Sylvia. 494-7492or Pete 479-1902. On-lineregistration at active.com. Packet pick-up is 11 a.m. to 6p.m. Friday, April 23, at Upand Running, 3233 N. Mesa,Suite 205.

WESTSIDE/DOWNTOWN

FloraFest 2010 — TheUTEP Centennial Museum’sannual native plant sale is 9a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday

and Sunday, April 24-25, atthe museum, Wiggins andUniversity. Nursery-grownnative trees, shrubs, floweringperennials and other plantswill be sold. Proceeds benefitthe museum’s ChihuahuanDesert Gardens. Admission isfree. Information: 747-8994,747-5565 ormuseum.utep.edu.

‘La Cage Aux Folles’– The award-winning musicalversion of the comic collisionof gay and straight worlds isApril 9-May 16 at UTEPDinner Theatre. Showtime is7 p.m. Wednesday throughSaturday; dinner matinee per-formance is 1:30 p.m. Sunday,April 25; non-dinner matineesare 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 2,9 and 16. Tickets $26-$38dinner shows; $12-22 non-dinner matinee. Information:747-6060. A gay nightclubmanager and his drag queenpartner pretend to be astraight couple when the man-ager’s son brings home his fi-ancée and herultra-conservative parents.Written by Harvey Fiersteinwith lyrics and music by JerryHerman.

Of Mice and Men’ —The UTEP Department ofTheatre and Dance presentsthe John Steinbeck tale April23-May 2, at UTEP’s WiseFamily Theatre, 2nd floor ofFox Fine Arts Center. Di-rected by Joel Murray. Per-formances are 8 p.m. Fridayand Saturday, and 2:30 p.m.Sunday. Tickets: $12 ($10non-UTEP students, UTEPfaculty, staff and alumni, sen-iors, military, alumni andgroups of 10 or more; $9UTEP students). All seatsgeneral admission. Informa-tion: 747-5118 ortheatre.utep.edu. Clinging toeach other in a brutal, lonelyworld, the fiery and desperateGeorge and the simple-minded and terribly strongLennie struggle for the Ameri-can dream in a touching,funny and heartbreaking tale.

Alfresco! Fridays —The weekly outdoor concertseries begins early this year towelcome the U.S. BowlingCongress Women Champi-onships. The free outdoorconcerts begin at 5:30 p.m.

Fridays April 2 throughSept. 10 at Arts Festival Plaza(between El Paso Museum ofArt and Plaza Theatre). Theconcerts highlight some of ElPaso’s most talented musi-cians in a variety of genres.Presented by the City of ElPaso Museums and CulturalAffairs Department. No out-side food or beverages, orpets allowed. Information:534-0689, 541-4481, or al-frescofridays.com. • April 23:Radio La Chusma (LatinReggae)

Spring Ballet Con-cert — El Paso Conserva-tory of Dance presents itsannual spring concert at 7:30p.m. Saturday, April 24, atUTEP’s Magoffin Audito-rium. The concert featuresperformances by studentsfrom pre-ballet through ad-vanced including excerptsfrom the ballet “Paquita,” per-formed by members of ElPaso Youth Ballet and choreo-graphed by distinguishedguest artist Erick Campos.Tickets: $5. Information:Marta Katz, 252-5601.

EPSYO Season Fi-nale Concert — El PasoSymphony Youth Orchestras’season finale is Sunday, April25, at the Plaza Theatre.Ticket information: 525-8978or epsyos.org. Loeb, EP-SYOs founder, is steppingdown to pursue other profes-sional opportunities.

2010 Young Musi-cians Competitions —El Paso Summer Music Festi-val will host the first of theYoung Musicians Competi-tions in the El Paso BorderRegion. This event followsthe successful 2009 SummerSeason and the live-taping ofNPR’s radio show “From theTop.” Competition recital is 3p.m. Sunday, April 25, atUniversity PresbyterianChurch at 244 N. Resler.Recitals are open to the pub-lic. Tickets: $10 ($5 students).Information: 449-0619 orepsmf.org.

SOUTHERNNEW MExICO

Ruidoso Kite Festi-val — The Ruidoso Parksand Recreation Departmentand We Cree8 hosts the 3rd

annual family kite flyingevent is April 23-25, at cor-ner of Hull and White Moun-tain, near Kidz ConnectionPark. Participants may bringtheir own kites or purchaseone at the event. Hours are 1to 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m.Sunday, weather permitting.Donations welcome. Informa-tion: (575) 257-5575 or rui-dosokitefestival.com. Project in Motion:Wing Walkers — Theaerial dance troupe performsat 7 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m.Sunday, April 24-25, at theRio Grande Theatre, 211Downtown Mall, Las Cruces.Tickets are $25. Information:(575) 523-6403, (575) 523-0807 orRioGrandeTheatre.com. In-stead of a trapeze, the WingWalkers use strips of fabric topresent balletic mid-air dancethat delves into imaginedspaces. This year’s concertconsists of five aerial dancesinvolving various flying appa-ratus and three terrestrialdances, both new and old.Highlights include collabora-tions with local videographerRobert Yee and guest chore-ographers Billy Blanken andDierdre Morris. Information:ProjectInMotion.com.

British Car DaysShow — The British Motor-car Club of Southern NewMexico’s 18th annual carshow is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sat-urday, April 24, on the OldMesilla Plaza. Several Britishcars will be on display, in-cluding Mini Coopers, MGs,Jaguars and Morgans. Admis-sion is free to spectators. In-formation: (575) 526-2318. Other club events are sched-uled Friday through Sunday,April 23-25. Registration in-formation: George Duck-worth, (575) 526-2318 [email protected].

‘Requiem’ — New Mex-ico State University Choirs,conducted by Dr. Jerry AnnAlt, present Giuseppe Verdi’schoral masterpiece at 7:30p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Satur-day, April 23-24, in NMSU’sAtkinson Music Recital Hallin Las Cruces. Alt has assem-bled a nearly 100-voice..Continues on page 22



PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You're highly creative and alsoopen to influence. You'll be doing the rough work — sketch-ing out the plans in loose and messy lines. This process is ex-citing, and others will want to get involved. However, thereare some ideas you should protect and keep to yourself untilyou've figured out the main points.

Saturn is associated with the Greek god Cronus, and theplanet Uranus is named for the father of Cronus. This vio-lent father-son relationship was legendary for its complica-tions. But what followed the worst of their godly domestictroubles was a Golden Age of harmony. This week, an op-position between Saturn and Uranus will challenge us torise above the unrest of our forefathers and lay a foundationfor peace.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You know someone who talksabout himself or herself incessantly. The behavior is repellent,which is why this person has a very small audience. Yourcompassion will keep you listening for quite a bit longer thanmost people would. You'll learn something of value and willuse the information to your advantage.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You'll be reminded again whoreally controls your life — it's you, of course. A certain over-bearing person may seem to have an undue influence; how-ever, it's only because you let it happen sometimes.Ultimately, you do best when you remember that you areyour own person and you are in total control.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). The past has passed — and thisis no time to be nostalgic. That only zaps your energy, andyou need your energy now to make powerful new goals. Ifyou walk backward, you'll see where you've been, but you'lllose all of the lovely anticipation and excitement that comesfrom getting closer to your destination.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Silver linings are not just forclouds. The magical gilding can be found in a job you dis-dain, a person who makes you uncomfortable or a commit-ment that's not all it was cracked up to be. Look for the glintof valuable and precious metal in everything you do thisweek, and you will be extremely lucky.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You are accustomed to playingcertain relationship roles — often that of a caretaker, nurturer,assistant and confidante. Remember that ultimately you are incharge of the role assignments in your life and can change itup whenever you feel like it. All you have to do is decide whoyou want to be.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Although the word "sapphire"means blue, the stone comes in many colors — pink, orange,purple and all of the above in one rock. Like this hard gem,you will move outside your standard definition this week andaccomplish something brilliant, beautiful and unexpectedthat grabs the attention of admirers.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You need self-discipline inorder to achieve your goals. It's not a magic ingredient thatsome people possess and others do not. It's a skill to belearned. This week's events will fill in some missing infor-mation. When you know precisely what you need to do andwhy, you will have the discipline to do it.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). This is a week to stayrelaxed and flexible. When you feel yourself getting tense,take the broad view. Instead of focusing on the details oflife, think about the general shape your days are taking —the silhouette of your life and times. Things will go well aslong as you stay upbeat and project this feeling.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Drop the self-help booksfor a week. Consider that there may actually be nothingabout you that needs changing. Try on an all-inclusive atti-tude toward yourself. What you think of as negative may beyour greatest asset. Maximize your so-called faults instead ofhiding them. You'll be strangely liberated.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You're susceptible to flatteryand will get plenty of it this week. Praise will go to yourhead. You could get an overblown feeling of your own impor-tance — like you're the one who invented music and colors.And this heady egoism will work in your favor, increasingyour power and magnetism. Go with it while it lasts.

ACROSS1 U.S. law officer5 Victim9 Farmers’ concern14 Commotion15 Rant’s companion16 Pause17 Start of verse19 Wonderland girl20 Gold and silver21 Set a market value22 Silkworm23 Contradict25 Completion of 17Across32 Standstills33 Actor McDowall34 Boston-to-Bangor dir.35 Ancient OlympicGames site36 Stings37 On one’s toes38 Producer Ziegfeld39 Author of books forboys40 Struck41 Start of line two44 Surface depressions45 Ingest46 Add a supplement49 Male relative52 Trojan saga

53 Completion of 41Across56 “Divine Comedy” author

57 Prescribed medicine58 Sp. miss59 Paid60 Clerical title61 Lug

DOWN1 Superlative suffix2 Minute particle3 Met sopranoStevens4 Public demonstra-

tions

5 Secondary sports event6 Shouts of approval7 Night before8 Affirmative response9 Explain10 One kind of pitcher11 Ear-related12 Dark purplish brown13 Hastened18 Shelley and McCarthy21 Trudges23 Baby-shower articles24 Seniors25 Robbery26 Exultant shout27 “The Wasteland” poet28 Luminous29 Insect prefix30 Santa ___31 Put back in the corral36 Intermingle37 Violet gemstone39 Corrected40 Configuration42 Think43 Giggle46 Verdi opus47 Blueprint48 Measure of capacity49 Amtrak overseer: abbr.

50 Architect Saarinen51 Electrical unit53 Harem room

54 Watch chain55 Scottish explorer

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Energetic changes will physically in-vigorate you. Imagine that you can see the energy in the roomyou are in. Send the used up, tired and polluted energyswirling out the door, and imagine the room being filled withclear, bright energy. You don't even have to believe in this con-cept for it to work magic in your life.

Continued from page 20...‘Requiem’...choruscombining two student choirsand a community/studentchoir. Invited soloists includetwo Las Cruces natives nowbased in New York: AlexRichardson, tenor, and Jes-sica Medoff Bunchman, so-prano. Also performing areNMSU graduate JulineBarol-Gilmore, mezzo-so-prano, and Dr. Serdar Ilbans,bass. Orchestra is directed byDr. Stephanie Meyers of ElPaso. Tickets: $15, $20 and$5 for students (age 7 andolder welcome); available atPan Am Center Ticket Office(575) 646-1420. Information:(575) 646-2067 ormusic.nmsu.edu.

Rio Grande Theatre— The renovated historictheater is at 211 DowntownMall, Las Cruces. Informa-tion: (575) 523-6403, (575)523-0807 or RioGrandeThe-atre.com. • ‘A Day ofDance’— Branigan CulturalCenter will celebrate the2009 international day ofdance 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sat-urday, April 24. Community EarthDay Fair — The 16th an-nual event is 10 a.m. to 4p.m. Saturday, April 24, atAlameda Park Zoo, 1021 N.White Sands Blvd., Alam-ogordo, with hundreds of ex-hibits. Admission is free.Information: (575) 434-6296.

Tyrone Cowboy Po-etry & Music Gath-ering — The 3rd annualpoetry festival is 10 a.m. to 5p.m. Saturday, April 24, atTyrone Community Center inthe former mining town ofTyrone, N.M., north of SilverCity on NM 90. Admission isfree. Information: DianeKennedy (575) 534-0741,Tyrone Community Center,(575) 388-1543 or ty-ronecowboygathering.com.

WNMU Great Race— the 43rd annual race isSaturday, April 24, on theWestern New Mexico Uni-versity campus’s Old JamesStadium, in Silver City. Thecompetition features teamspushing their cars with oneteam member in the driver’sseat of specially-made racecars around the hills of cam-pus with pit stops and a waterhazard. (575) 538-6675 orwnmu.edu. Race registra-tion Thursday and Friday inWNMU’s Hunter Hall.

Spencer Theater forPerforming Arts —Airport Hwy 220 in Alto,N.M. (about 12 miles northof downtown Ruidoso). Freepublic guided tours are 10a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays(except show dates). Infor-mation: (575) 336-4800,(888) 818-7872 orspencertheater.com. • TheLegendary Drifters — 8p.m. April 24. The 1950sdoo-wop and R&B group oflore perform their timelesshits like “There Goes MyBaby,” “Under The Board-walk,” “Up On The Roof,”“On Broadway,” “This MagicMoment” and “Please Stay.”Tickets: $56-$59.

Las Cruces FluteOrchestra — The Or-chestra performs at 8 p.m.Sunday, April 25, at theBlack Box Theatre, 430 N.Downtown Mall in LasCruces. Tickets: $10. Infor-mation/reservations: (575)523-1223. ‘Big, Bad Mouse’ –The Las Cruces CommunityTheatre, in the city’s Down-town Mall, presents thePhillip King and FalklandCary comedy April 9-25. Information: (575) 523-1200or lcctnm.org.

‘The Inspector Gen-eral’ – American South-west Theatre Companycloses its season with theRussian comedy classic byNikolai Gogol April 16-May2 at the Hershel Zohn The-atre. Showtime is 7 p.m.Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday andSaturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.Preview night is 7 p.m. April15. Tickets: $15 ($10 pre-view night). Information: 1-800-525-ASTC (2782).

‘Vanities’ — No StringsTheatre Company presentsJack Heifner’s play, directedby Jim Eckman, April 16-May 2, in the Black BoxTheatre, 430 N DowntownMall in Las Cruces. Perform-ances are 8 p.m. Friday andSaturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday,April 25 and May 2, and 7p.m. Thursday, April 29.Tickets: $10 ($9 students andseniors over 65; $7 all seatson Thursday).Information/reservations:(575) 523-1223. “Vanities”is the story of the lives ofthree former Texas cheerlead-ers who reunite briefly inNew York and find their liveshave diverged greatly fromtheir early friendship.



7-DAY MENU PLANNERby Susan NicholsonFlav rs

SUNDAY (Family) -- Use

this simple marinade forGRILLED FLANK STEAK.In a resealable plastic bag,combine 1/2 cup dry redwine, 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce and 1/4 tea-spoon dried thyme. Add 1 (11/4- to 1 1/2-pound) flanksteak to bag, turn to coat andmarinate overnight. Removeand discard marinade; patsteak dry. Grill 17 to 21 min-utes for medium-rare tomedium doneness. Servewith BALSAMIC ROASTED

ONIONS. Heat oven to 300degrees. In a shallow roastingpan coated with cookingspray, combine 2 large redonions cut into wedges, 2 ta-blespoons balsamic vinegar,1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 tea-spoon salt and 2 tablespoonseach reduced-sodium soysauce and sugar. Toss to coat.Bake, stirring often, 40 min-utes or until onions are soft-ened and lightly browned.Add BAKED POTATOES, aMIXED GREEN SALADand APPLE TURNOVERS to

complete your meal. PLAN AHEAD: Grill anextra plain flank steak andbake extra potatoes for Mon-day. SHOPPING LIST: dry redwine, reduced-sodium soysauce, dried thyme, flanksteaks, cooking spray, redonions, balsamic vinegar,olive oil, salt, sugar, potatoesto bake, salad greens, appleturnovers.

MONDAY (Heat and Eat) -

- There will be no fuss, nomuss tonight with leftoverFLANK STEAK (slice thinlyand heat slightly). Serve withBAKED POTATO WEDGES.Cut leftover potatoes intowedges, coat with cookingspray and sprinkle with a lit-tle chili powder if you like.Bake 20 minutes in a 425-de-gree oven or until hot. AddFRESH BROCCOLI andWHOLE-WHEAT ROLLS.For dessert, FRESHPINEAPPLE is pleasing. SHOPPING LIST: cookingspray, chili powder if desired,fresh broccoli, whole-wheatrolls, fresh pineapple.

TUESDAY (Budget) --

Save some pennies tonightand serve TEX-MEX SOUP(see recipe). Serve the savorycombination with a LET-TUCE WEDGE and fat-freewarm FLOUR TORTILLASon the side. KIWIFRUIT isgood for dessert. PLAN AHEAD: Save enoughsoup for Wednesday. SHOPPING LIST: 93 to 95percent lean ground beef,onion, reduced-sodium

canned pinto and red kidneybeans, frozen corn, cannedno-salt-added tomato sauce,canned no-salt-added dicedtomatoes, canned diced greenchilies, less-sodium taco sea-soning mix, 50 percent re-duced-fat sharp cheddarcheese, fat-free sour cream,lettuce, fat-free flour tortillas,

kiwifruit.

WEDNESDAY (Kids) --

The kids can't resist SLOPPYCHICKEN PIZZA JOES (seerecipe). Serve the kid favoriteon toasted WHOLE-WHEATSESAME ROLLS and add aslice of provolone cheese tothe bottom half of the bun.Serve them with BAKED

CHIPS and CHERRYTOMATOES. For dessert, tryPLUMS. TIP: Substituteoven fries for chips if desired. SHOPPING LIST: canola oil,ground chicken or turkeybreast, jars pizza sauce,frozen sweet pepper andonion stir-fry vegetables,..Continues on next page

Wednesday's Sloppy Chicken Pizza Joes. Photo courtesy of Wiley Publishing.



Continued from page 23...canned diced tomatoes,whole-wheat sesame rolls,provolone cheese, bakedchips, cherry tomatoes,plums.

THURSDAY (Meatless) -

- For a no-meat dinner, tryPENNE WITH TOMATOES,KALAMATA OLIVES ANDFETA (see recipe). Serve witha SPINACH SALAD andGARLIC BREAD. Fat-freeVANILLA ICE CREAMtopped with fresh STRAW-BERRIES makes a gooddessert. PLAN AHEAD: Save enoughice cream for Saturday. SHOPPING LIST: penne

rigate or other pasta, olive oil,garlic, canned diced toma-toes, kalamata olives, crum-bled reduced-fat feta cheese,fresh parsley, dried or freshbasil, parmesan cheese, freshspinach, garlic bread, fat-freevanilla ice cream, fresh straw-berries.

FRIDAY (Express) -- For a

super-quick meal, buy one ofthe ubiquitous ROTISSERIECHICKENS. Serve thechicken with CORN-ON-THE-COB (sprinkle the cornwith fresh lime juice to perkup the flavor) and add a pack-aged GREEN SALAD.GRAPES are a simpledessert. SHOPPING LIST: rotisseriechicken, corn-on-the-cob,lime, packaged green salad,grapes.

SATURDAY (Easy Enter-

taining) -- SESAMEGRILLED TUNA is guest-worthy. In a large resealableplastic bag, combine 1/4 cupreduced-sodium soy sauce, 2tablespoons finely choppedgreen onions, 2 teaspoonstoasted sesame seeds, 2 tea-spoons sesame oil (dark ifyou have it) and 1 teaspoonchili oil. Add 4 (6-ounce)tuna steaks (about 3/4 inchthick). Toss to coat steaks;marinate at room temperature10 minutes. Remove tuna;discard marinade. Grill onmedium-high 2 to 4 minutesor until desired degree ofdoneness, turning once. Servethe tuna with BROWN RICE,ASPARAGUS, MIXEDGREENS and CRUSTYROLLS. Top leftover ICECREAM with BUTTER-SCOTCH SAUCE fordessert. SHOPPING LIST: reduced-sodium soy sauce, greenonions, toasted sesame seeds,sesame oil, chili oil, tunasteaks, brown rice, asparagus,salad greens, crusty rolls, but-terscotch sauce.

**

THE RECIPESTEX-MEX SOUP (Tues-

day) Makes about 10 cups Preparation time: 20 minutesCooking time: 7 to 8 hours onlow, plus beef

1 pound 93 to 95 percent leanground beef 1 medium chopped onion 1 (15- to 19-ounce) can rinsedreduced-sodium pinto beans(such as Bush's) 1 (15- to19-ounce) can rinsed re-

duced-sodium red kidneybeans (such as Bush's) 1 cup frozen corn 1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-addedtomato sauce 2 cupswater 2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes 1 (4-ounce) can diced greenchilies 1 (1- to 1.25-ounce) packetless-sodium taco seasoningmix Shredded 50 percent reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese forgarnish Fat-free sour creamfor garnish Heat alarge nonstick skillet onmedium; add beef and cook 6minutes or until no longerpink. In a 4-quart or largerslow cooker, add cookedbeef, onion, both beans, corn,

tomato sauce, water, toma-toes, chilies and taco season-ing mix; stir to blend. Coverand cook on low for 7 to 8hours. Ladle into bowls, gar-nish with cheese and sourcream. Per cup: 215 calories, 17grams protein, 4 grams fat(17 percent calories from fat),1.3 grams saturated fat, 32grams carbohydrate, 25 mil-ligrams cholesterol, 309 mil-ligrams sodium, 10 gramsfiber.

**

SLOPPY CHICKEN

PIZZA JOES (Wednesday)

Makes 8 servings Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 6 to 8 hours onlow, plus meat 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 to 2 1/2 pounds groundchicken or turkey breast(whichever is less expensive)2 (14-ounce) jars pizza sauce2 cups frozen sweet pepperand onion stir-fry vegetables(or other combination),thawed and chopped 1 (14.5-ounce) can undraineddiced tomatoes Heat oil in a large nonstickskillet; add chicken or turkeyand cook 5 minutes or untilbrowned. Drain if necessary.Spoon into a 4-quart or largerslow cooker. Add pizza sauce,vegetables and tomatoes.

Cover and cook on low 6 to 8hours. (Adapted from "BetterHomes and Gardens The Ulti-mate Slow Cooker Book";Jan Miller, editor; Wiley Pub-lishing; $19.95.) Per serv-ing: 207 calories, 28 gramsprotein, 5 grams fat (22 per-cent calories from fat), 0.6gram saturated fat, 11 gramscarbohydrate, 66 milligramscholesterol, 356 milligramssodium, 2 grams fiber.

** PENNE WITH TOMA-

TOES, KALAMATA

OLIVES AND FETA

(Thursday) Makes 8 servings Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: less than 5minutes, plus pasta 1 (13.25-ounce) box pennerigate or other pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 (14.5-ounce) can draineddiced tomatoes 1/3 cup halved kalamataolives 1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fatfeta cheese 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley2 teaspoons dried or 2 table-spoons chopped fresh basil 1/4 cup freshly grated parme-san cheese

Cook pasta according to di-rections; drain and return topot. Meanwhile, heat oil onmedium in a large nonstickskillet. Add garlic and toma-toes and cook 3 minutes oruntil heated through. Stir oc-casionally. Add mixture topasta along with the olives,feta, parsley and basil. Gentlytoss to mix. Sprinkle eachserving with parmesan. Per serving: 246 calories, 9grams protein, 6 grams fat(21 percent calories from fat),1.6 grams saturated fat, 39grams carbohydrate, 6 mil-ligrams cholesterol, 260 mil-ligrams sodium, 2 gramsfiber.

**Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and regis-tered dietitian. She can bereached by e-mail: menuplan-ner(at)mindspring.com. TheMenu Planner is also accessibleat www.7daymenuplanner.com.

COPYRIGHT 2010 UNIVERSAL UCLICK



Putt ing par t 2:IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR GAME

Unlike the full swing, putting is an upper-body-oriented mo-tion with limited wrist action. Therefore, the grip and stance arevery different from the ones you use on your full swing.

Start by placing the right side ofthe grip against the lifeline of yourright hand and resting your rightthumb on the top side of the puttergrip. In the same manner, place theleft side of the grip against the life-line of your left hand and put yourleft thumb on the top sideof the putter grip.

The finished product shouldlook like my grip in the photo atleft, with the right palm, the backof your left hand and the putterface all pointing in the same direc-tion. Please reverse the directionsif you are left-handed.

In order to roll the ball accurately,you should keep these relationships throughout your puttingstroke with only enough wrist action to maintain your touch.Notice that I havewrapped my leftindex finger overthe fingers of myright hand. This iscalled a reverseoverlap grip, andit also helps toquiet your wrists.

When you takeyour stance, bendfrom your hipsuntil your eyesare over the targetline. If your eyesare inside yourtarget line, youwill pull the puttto the left. If theyare outside yourtarget line, you’llpush it to theright.

Continueson page 27

This tour player is using his own reflectionin a mirror to check his eye position. The besteye position is directly over the ball, butwhatever it is, it should be consistent.



www.spotlightepnews.com24/7


And as you square your stance, pay special attention to yourshoulders. Your arms will naturally follow the line of yourshoulders during the stroke, so if your shoulders are open(pointing to the left of your target for a right- hander), yourputter head will swing on an outside-to-in path and roll the ballto the left. If your shoulders are closed (pointing to the right ofyour target), the path will be inside-to-out and the ball will rollto the right.

It’s also a good idea to pinch your knees toward each other slightly to guard against any exces-sive lower-body movement. Remember that a major difference between putting and your fullswing is the absence of lower-body action.

Spend time practicing these fundamentals because the fast track to lower scores is good putting.

Putting par t 2...

Dr. T.J.Tomasi is ateachingprofessionalin Port St.Lucie, Fla.Visit hisWeb site attjtomasi.com.

ABOUT THE WRITER

Impact labels are a handy way of accuratelygauging where the ball strikes the face of a club. Apressure-sensitive label applied to the face ismarked by the impact, but replacing the labels afterevery stroke can be a hassle. To the rescue comesStrike’NSwipe, a reusable label that can be wipedclean after each shot. You can record your longestdrives and even your shortest putts. A package oflabels in three different sizes to fit a variety ofclubhead shapes will set you back $9 atwww.dwquailgolf.com/training/strikenswipe.html.

DON’T MISS IT

That’s going toleave a mark

• Now that Phil Mickelson has $1,350,000in the bank from his Masters win, he can affordshirts that fit so we don’t have to see his tanline halfway up his triceps. Either one size big-ger or unbuttoning that top shirt button wouldwork.

• With all the goofy swings and the carelessquitting on the short putt at No. 14, Tigerlooked more and more like John Daly. Couldthere be a reality show in Tiger’s future?

•Freddy, those are great-looking shoes. Dothey make them for men as well?

• They added up Tiger’s Sunday score about43 times, but it kept coming up 69. Let’s see:one in the woods, two hit a tree, three on thegreen, four — yep, that’s a par all right.

• I’ve never seen a caddie grab the putteraway from his player and plumb-bob it, butthat is exactly what Lee Westwood’s caddie didat No. 17 on Sunday. Westwood should haverefused to take the putter back: “Hey — youtook it, you putt it!”

• It’s OK to hold hands as you come up the18th like Tiger and K.J. Choi did, as long as

you don’t skip. They started out on Thursdaytied, played four rounds together and finishedtied. I don’t believe the rumor that they stayedover on Monday for a playoff.

• Another first: Ernie Els blasted a downhillchip way too hard from the back of the 15thand was so sure the ball was in the water thathe pulled another ball out of his pocket andwas about to drop it into play when spectatorshollered, “Your ball didn’t go in!” For some reason, this is the first year they did not shavethe bank of that water hazard. Usually, a badshot is penalized at Augusta National.

• Matteo Manassero is the youngest playerever to make the cut at the Masters, and at 16years old, he is lucky he wasn’t in a playoff. Hehas to be home by 7.

• Whose idea was it to put that green out-house at the edge of the 18th green

• They tried to pass it off as a scorer’s tent.Hey, guys, it’s the Masters, andyou?

do the scoring in a porta-potty?

From the desk of thesurly golf writer

NOTES AND COMMENTS

“I thoughtI made it

untilI hit it.”—announcer

David Feherty

QUOTE OF THE WEEK



By RICK MINTER / Cox NewspapersBy RICK MINTER / Cox Newspapers

NExTUP...

Race: Aaron’s 312 Where: Texas Motor SpeedwayWhen: Saturday, 2:30 p.m. (ET)TV: ABC2009 winner: David Ragan

SPRINT CUP CAMPING WORLD TRUCKSNATIONWIDE SERIESRace: O’Reilly Auto Parts 250Where: Kansas SpeedwayWhen: May 2, 12:30 p.m. (ET)TV: SPEED2009 Winner: Mike Skinner

Race: Aaron’s 499Where: Talladega SuperspeedwayWhen: Sunday, 1 p.m. (ET)TV: FOX2009 winner: Brad Keselowski (right)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (left) speaks to Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle, after qualifying for the Samsung Mobile 500 last Friday at Texas Motor Speedway in FortWorth. (NASCAR photo)

Swapping drivers presents challenges and opportunities

TradingSpaces

The full details of Kasey Kahne’s move to Hendrick Motor-sports have yet to be revealed, but there’s a consensus inNASCAR circles about how things will work out in the end.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of the four drivers now running forHendrick in the Cup Series, summed up the feelings of many inhis comments to reporters at Texas Motor Speedway last week.

“I’m sure whatever Rick [Hendrick] chooses to do will be asmart way to take care of it,” Earnhardt said.

The complications come because Hendrick hired Kahne, nowdriving the No. 9 Ford at Richard Petty Motorsports, to take overhis No. 5 car beginning with the 2012 season. But Mark Martin,who is under contract to drive the car through next season, isdoing a very good job behind the wheel. That puts Martin in anawkward spot as, the way the situation looks now, he’ll be a lameduck in the No. 5 next year, while Kahne likely will be farmed outto a Hendrick-affiliated team, as many have speculated.

Hendrick said on a teleconference last week that it’s his respon-sibility to field a car for Kahne next year.CONT/PAGE 30



Honda and pickups are two

words that just don’t seemright together. Hondas areknown for their little cars andof course the super-popularmid-size sedan, the Accord.And pickups – big, gas guz-zling, earth stomping ma-chines, well, those are bestleft for Ford, Chevy, andDodge.

But sometimes even thosedrivers that own a Civic orAccord have a need for apickup, and Honda realizedwhy must they walk out oftheir dealership and head tothe nearest pickup truckdealer when instead they canoffer their loyal customers apickup of their very own.Yes, a Honda pickup. And sothe Honda Ridgeline wasborn.

The Ridgeline first hit theU.S. market in 2005 as a2006 model. This midsizepickup is built on the sameunibody platform as theOdyssey minivan and the pre-vious generation Pilot SUV.To hard core truck owners apickup should use a verytough and strong body-on-frame construction for it to betaken seriously, making a uni-body platform (like that usedfor a car) a no-no, but withthe Ridgeline, Honda makesit work real well.

The Ridgeline’s main featureis its 5-foot bed. Made out ofsteel-reinforced compositematerial, it can’t be dentedand it will never rust. And nobed-liner is ever needed. Al-though the bed falls a littleshort by full-pickup truckstandards in terms of size,there is still plenty of room tohaul big ticket items little ap-pliances or ATVs.

And there’s more to theRidgeline’s unique bed thanjust how it’s made. The tail-gate flips down like youwould expect in any otherpickup truck, but it can alsoswing open like a door. Andonce the tailgate is open, youhave access to a lockable, wa-tertight 8.5 cubic foot trunkthat hides beneath the bed

floor. The trunk can easilyswallow a couple of smallsuitcases and the fact thatthey can be stored and lockedoutside of the cab gives theRidgeline a feature that noone else has.

On the exterior, the Ridgelinehas the same basic shape as aChevrolet Avalanche but evi-dence of its unibody designcan be detected behind thecab – there is no gap betweenthe cab and the bed. That isbecause the Ridgeline is re-ally more car than truck, and

unlike a typical body-on-frame truck, the bed is part ofthe entire vehicle. Standardwheels are 17” alloys, but ifyou opt for the top-of-the-lineRTL you get 18” wheels.

Step inside the Ridgeline andit becomes evident that theRidgeline is indeed a Honda.The gauges are big, clear andeasy to read, as are most ofthe controls throughout theinterior. The dash is horizon-tal, and dare I say, “truck-like”. There are plenty ofstorage spaces throughout theinterior, and the 60/40 splitrear seat can fold for addi-tional storage. My only beefwith the cabin is Honda’s useof a column mounted shifterrather than a floor-mountedone.

Every Ridgeline uses thesame powertrain – a 3.5 literV6 engine that puts out 250horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque. That power issent to all four wheels by wayof a five-speed automatictransmission. This yieldsabout 15 mpg in the city and20 mpg on the highway. Notbad for a pickup truck.

If you want to put the Ridge-line to work, it can tow animpressive 5000 pounds.Continues on next page

Ridgeline: a different kind ofpickup from Honda

By The Numbers:

2010 Honda Ridgeline RTL with Navigation

Base Price: $36,780.00 (est)Price as Tested: $36,780.00 (est)Layout: front-engine / four-wheel driveEngine: 3.5 liter 24-valve SOHC V6 Transmission: five-speed automaticHorsepower: 250 hpTorque: 247 lb-ftEPA Fuel Economy:15 city / 20 highway mpg

[Questions/Comments/Suggestions can be sent via email [email protected]]




The scenario, on the sur-face, looks much like the situa-tion back in 2003-04, whenKahne first came on the Cupscene to take over the No. 9,driven at that time by anotherveteran, Bill Elliott. Lookingback, it seems that the driverswap was made a little toosoon as far as Elliott was con-cerned.

In his last seven races in the9 car, Elliott, who was 47 atthe time, had an average finishof 4.56, including a win atRockingham. And in his finalrun in the No. 9, he was lessthan a lap away from winningat Homestead in the 2003 sea-son finale when a tire wentflat.

Like Elliott back then, Mar-tin today, at 51, is still plentycapable of delivering wins andcompeting for championships,so the idea of him retiring afternext season is far-fetched.

He said so himself in hisweekly interview with re-porters at Texas.

“I’m not going to retire,” hesaid. “I’m going to race in2012. And so don’t even talkabout it. I’m racing in 2012.”

But he didn’t say where,and he may not know where.

“There will be an opportu-nity for me I’m sure, that willbe exciting and fun and that Ican help people,” he said. “Ifeel like I’ve done that. I feellike I did that in the No. 01 atDEI [after he left Roush Rac-ing and before he joined Hen-

drick], and I feel like I’vehelped the No. 5 team realizethat they can win races andcontend for a championship.

“And so I’ll find anotheropportunity that’s exciting tome, and I don’t want to com-mit to that now. I want to makesure that Hendrick is set, andthey are set. It’s such an in-

credibly perfect scenario.”One possibility might be

that he would own his ownteam, possibly with an affilia-tion with Hendrick, as his fel-low driver Tony Stewart didlast year.

“For the first time ever, Iwould consider an opportunitylike Tony Stewart had,” Martinsaid. “I don’t want to be anowner, but if I can be an ownerlike Tony Stewart maybe Iwant it.”

Often in NASCAR, as wasthe case when Kurt Buschwent from Roush to PenskeRacing, the swap was madesooner than expected thanks tosome behind-the-scenes deal-ing. But Martin’s commentsindicate he’ll still be with hiscurrent team next year.

“I feel so fortunate to have awhole year and a half yet infront of me to work with [crewchief] Alan [Gustafson] andthis team,” he said. “I’m sograteful for the opportunity.It’s been the gift of my careerto realize this and to be able todo this and be successful.

“It’s also exciting to donew things, and I love and em-brace the excitement of 2012and whatever that may bring.”

Continued from page 29That puts it in line with its ri-vals, the Avalanche, whichcan tow 5500 pounds, and theToyota Tacoma, which cantow up to 6500 pounds. Thebed of the Rideline can handleabout 1550 pounds.

But where the Ridgeline reallyshines is in the way it drives.

The fact that it is based off ofa car really shows with a sus-pension that provides decenthandling and a very smoothride. The V6, while not sup-plying tons of torque, hasenough power for in town use.

I don’t think anyone expectsF-150 or Silverado owners torun out and trade in their

trucks for a Honda Ridgeline.Instead, Honda owners thatfind that they need a truck andwould like to own one cannow look in the familiarHonda showroom and spot theRidgeline – and they will ap-preciate its all-around abili-ties. -- Christopher A. Randazzo

Trading Spaces

Despite a good season driv-ing the No. 5 Ford for RichardPetty Motorsports, Mark Mar-tin will be succeeded bydriver Kasey Kahne in 2012.(NASCAR photo)

Ridgeline...

A: Although many fans do complainabout the way TV commenta-tors and others tend tofocus on Johnson,it’s hard toargue againsttalking and writ-ing about a driverand team that havedominated the sportduring some of its mostcompetitive times.

It took Johnson justeight seasons to tielegends Junior Johnsonand Ned Jarrett, both ofwhom had 50 wins in theseries now known asSprint Cup. And Johnsonhas won an unprecedentedfour straight titles and trailsonly Richard Petty and the lateDale Earnhardt in career championships.They have seven apiece to his four.

As Johnson himself pointed out last week, it istough to say how his accomplishments stack upagainst Junior Johnson and Jarrett.

“The world that I live in today is so different,”he said. “There’s always the argument of the‘greats’ in any sport, who was better, how theywould do against each other. It’s impossible to putit together because of the gap in time and how dif-ferent the conditions are, and I think that applies toour world as well.

“Our world today is more competitive than theworld they lived in. At the same time, I don’t have

to do the work during the week that those guys didas far as working on the car and taking it to therace track --- in some case even driving it to therace track and driving it home as Ned Jarrett had to

do at times. It’s so different, it’s hard to say,but I certainly respect both of those men

and all that they’ve done. I’m very proudto be a part of the 50-win club.”

Johnson also pointed out that not all ofhis and his team’s media time has been fo-

cused on their successes on the track.“I’ve been through some things

where I’ve caused wrecks and havehad drivers in the garage areaupset with me at restrictor-platetracks, and the fans were harshon me for my moves,” he said.

“Those times of trying to defendyourself or the suspensions Chad’s(Knaus, crew chief) been through and try-ing to defend the race team and defendwhat he has done.

“Those deals are so tough. It’s reallyhard to describe how tough those are. We can all

talk for whatever reason, but the best reason tohave a conversation is after doing well.”

And Johnson said the way he deals with it all isto keep his focus on winning races.

“I feel like regardless of the situations, somepeople would argue and say that I’m a little tooroutine and others can view it other ways,” he said.“You get lost in everyone’s opinion, so I just keep itsimple and live in my world. Right or wrong, itmight be my own Fantasyland, but I just do myown thing and focus on my sport and my team andlet the actions on the track speak for me.

“We’ve been doing a good job at that lately.”

Got a question about NASCAR? Ask Rick! E-mail your question to [email protected]

ASK RICK!“Does Jimmie Johnson

get too much coverage in

the media?”

(NASCAR photo)

Is media obsession withJohnson justified?


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spotlight ep news april 23, 2010 no. 323

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