Reviews: Bakersfield.com

Wracraft Paladin Guide

"These trinkets, using various types of gems and such, were excellent for their various specs, and also had one unique feature: they were Bind on Pick Up."When it comes to gold farming, Paladins are an amazing class and you know what you are doing. People are forced to take up wow Jewelcrafting if they wanted access to those items.You can earn insane amounts of wow gold with the right combination of strategy, location and know-how. This was a big turnaround from ""vanilla wow"", people had a very good reason to change professions. First things first, you can choose the right race to an assiduous break-down of every single stat and its effects the fundamentals of the class in a matter of minutes. The entire world of warcarft professions got a bit of a boost, with items ranging from massive swords from Blacksmithing to alchemical trinkets from Alchemy.If you got a good grasp of paladins already, exact formulas and equipment guidelines help you make the step from good to great. Playing a paladin in groups, you should know these three things such as ""How to fight, how to tank and how to heal"". The wow crafting professions also gained in the way of money making.If you want to play a Paladin that enjoys frequent and repeated group invites you really need to know what you're doing. Wow Gold was more freely available, so the items that were bind on Equip could be sold to players who had other world of warcarft professions, or had none at all. It is a must that you must get the right paladin gear and weapons. In the end, the majority of these items were quickly over by raiding items or PVP items, and they were left in banks or just plain destroyed.What's the right two-hand weapon for your current build and level. buy cheap wow gold There was no real longevity in the items and this really needed to change if people were to bother with their professions much more than making items that would remain useful in wow raids. How should you choose which armor piece to buy or camp. Wow Professions had to evolve to fit the times and had to evolve properly, not just an occasional stat flung to the masses. Get a thorough understanding of items and how to judge them from a paladin's perspective. gold wow One might argue that Alchemy was also a good wow profession to have in a raid.Be sure not to waste any time or potential of your class by hunting with anything but the best equipment for your character. At best, it is better for you to level a paladin to 80 in the right way. This is possibly true, but then, why would the fact that you're a wow Alchemist make it automatically more likely for you to have potions.You don't want to lose any further time grinding through the levels while your raiding friends complete their epic sets. wow gold When I was raiding Black Wing Lair, everyone had to bring potions, and we did. This exact leveling break down will help you reach your goal. Yes, we had a couple of world of warcarfrt guild alchemists, but other than that, they didn't get much of an actual bonus.With ten days playing is all it takes to reach level 80 if you know the right spots, spend your talents wisely and have the right battle tactics at hand. wow gold cheap The Burning Crusade changed all this. A well-played Paladin dominates 80% of all duels with ease. World of warcarft professions became more general and less focused on what the players could use from them.In months of research the most efficient strategies have been tuned to perfection and are now available in this one of a kind reference. wow gold kauf Many crafted items became Bind on Equip (BoE) rather than Bind on Pick up (BoP) and these items catered to a much wider group of classes.The perfect ways to take down every single other class gets described in an easy-to-follow tactical outline. For example, when my Feral Druid started the Burning Crusade, he was an wow Herbalist and an Enchanter.Be sure to have the right talent build, the right equipment and most important of all - the right strategy - to utterly devastate your opponents. If you are stuck with a quest or don't want to rely on unverified advice the Warcraft Paladin Guide helps you out with a thorough guide to all important quests in a Paladin's life. As you should get to know that every single paladin talent gets analyzed in regards to its benefits, drawbacks and opportunities. wow level Because of this, he didn't have access to the Heavy Clefthoof Armour pieces, which were basically a necessity for a tanking Druid.Catch up to the best paladins on your server in terms of know-how and never worry again about the right build. However, since these items were BoE I could buy them from a friendly Leatherworker for a good price! The Burning Crusade expansion also brought a new world of warcarfrt Profession into the fray: Jewelcrafting.The best PvP, raiding and soloing builds are listed and explained. After all, you'd better not to lose valuable seconds in PvP fights and be sure to handle raid encounters like a pro with the most efficient macros and UI add-ons. wow power leveling Along with these weird new sockets on our armour, came the introduction of various stat-granting gems. How does a Paladin defeat every single class regardless of their build in a duel. Jewelcrafting, it seemed, was the new Enchanting, and everyone and their grandmother gravitated toward it. Or whether you just started playing and want to reach level 80 as fast as possible or seek insiders to get you to the leading-edge of PvP, we best hope that the above-mentioned content is beneficial and useful for all of you. wowgold It was new and interesting and it could earn you money at a drop of a hat. "

“Brad Paisley Walks the Streets of Bakersfield”

Brad Paisley rolled back into Bakersfield during his “American Saturday Night,” tour to not only rock Rabobank Arena, but to make Bakersfield and Country-music history.

If you’ve seen any of Brad’s live performances before, you know the gives a no-sitting down concert. A songbook spanning a decade of heart-felt, realistic music, Brad’s performance spanned his career and even touched upon a few Buck Owens classics.

Opening the show was Jimmy Wayne and Dierks Bentley. Both sang their hearts out to an audience that came to party all night long.

The crowd went wild as soon as Brad graced the stage with an acoustic opening of Buck Owens’ “I’ve Got a Tiger By The Tail.”

The 2009 six-time-CMA nominee paid beautiful tribute to his “good friend, Buck,” and took care of a little unfinished business for the late Buck as well.

In the middle of Brad’s set, he called Dierks back on to stage to discuss Buck Owens and Buck’s fondness for Dierks music and ambition on the country music scene. After hearing of Buck’s interest in Dierks, Dierks grew sheepish. From out of the blue, Brad announced one of Buck’s last wishes was to give Dierks one of Buck’s signature Red, White and Blue guitars. Although Buck wasn’t able to give it to Direks himself, the excitement of the crowd and the sincerity of Brad, Buck’s spirit was alive inside the arena.

Brad closed the show with true-to-heart cover of Buck’s “Streets of Bakersfield,” with the help of Jimmy Wayne and Dierks Bentley, donning his shinny new guitar!

Icon Eyecare and Dr. Alain Nguyen

I ordered glasses over 2 months ago. I have 1 legally blind eye and when the dr asked what I wanted to do with the lens over that eye, I told him to make it the same so it would look even. The Dr changed the prescription without informing me after I placed my order with the sales people out front. 3 weeks later, they came in and I saw the prescription was not the same for both lenses. I refused delivery and demanded they give me what I paid for. So they send it back and another 3 weeks later, it came back and after 1 day of wearing them, I knew something was wrong. I took it back and after 10 mins of arguing with the dr because he would not believe me when I told him it was not clear, he put them in the machine that measures prescriptions and when the prescription popped up different than my prescription, he snatched it off the machine and said he couldn't get a good read and would send them back only because I requested it. 3 more weeks later, they come in again and one lens is sticking out 1/4" from the frame, and flush on the other. For $550, I was not going to accept a defective pair of glasses. See attached pic.

This whole time, they would not call me to let me know the glasses were in. I had to keep calling them to ask. A few times I called from work and they would say can we call you back at this number with an update and then they'd call my house number to avoid talking to me.

I asked for my money back because I was dissatisfied with their service and didn't want to wait another 3 weeks for them to send the glasses back and MAYBE get it right. The salesperson told me I had to take it up with my insurance company. So I specified that I was willing to take a hit on the lenses. I just wanted a refund on the frames. They said there was nothing wrong with the frames, so I couldn't return them. Again, "nothing wrong with them so I can't return them." What kind of policy is that? At this point, I had already checked with the attorney general's office because I was already enraged and wanted my money back. The law clearly stated that if a merchant does not offer a refund, it must be posted at the entrance and at the register and that a stamp on the receipt is not sufficient. There were no signs anywhere in the shop. I informed them it was against the law to not let me return the frames, but they continued to refuse.

I took lots of pictures with my phone of the glasses, the register, and the store entrance to document their lack of posting a no return policy. I've contacted my credit card company to dispute the charges, filed a complaint with the state Attorney Generals office, the BBB, and posted all over the internet to make sure others don't get shafted. In my search to post my review, I came across several other people who were angry enough to post bad reviews too. Understanding that not every dissatisfied customer is going to run home and post on the internet their bad experience, the fact that there are other reviews up already leads me to believe this shop and doctor's poor practices are common.

Furniture Center on White Lane Complaint

I purchased a sectional couch on August 31st and picked it up Tuesday September 1st for $1450.00 at the Furniture Center on White Lane. It wasn't until Friday night that I noticed the metal underneath the recliner was rubbing against the side of the couch and ripping the mesh fabric underneath. I called Saturday morning to notify them of the problem and they replaced it with another piece that I picked up. Before we took it into the house we tested it and this piece was too broken and would not even open all the way. I called to tell them it was broken and that I wanted to return it because it was obviously of poor quality. We took the sectional down to the store in the trailer and they preceeded to tell me that they would not take it back. We then told Dave (the manager) we were calling BPD out and he said fine and gave us the number right of the top of his head. He obviously has dealt with this before. The cop arrived a knew what the salesmen was trying to rip us off. He then told me I was sold a floor model which I was never notified of. I would not have paid 1,450 for a floor model couch. When I told him the salesmen never told me that all he said was that the salesmen pulled a fast one on me then. The only solution we could come up with is that I would leave the broken sectional there and he would order a new couch for me and not open the wrapping until I was there and then if there is a problem with that one he will order another one. He didn't even want to keep the broken couch there that we already had loaded up. He wanted me to take it home put it back in my house reload it and bring it back when he got the new one in. That is when the cop intervened because he knew that was weird and that he would probably say we damaged it when we brought it back. He was supposed to call me back on Wednesday the 9th or Thursday the 10th, but I have still not heard anything from them. The point is that this company is selling furniture that they swear by when making the sale, but will not swear by it after you take it home. I am still out $1,450, do not have a couch and have not heard back from this store. I found other reviews from this store and ALL of them have been people with the same bad experience that I had. I don't want anyone else to walk into a huge furniture store get told by a nice salesmen how great and how many of these products they sale and then get ripped off. The BBB even had a complaint on their website about them and gives the store a C- grade.

Avoid 7-11 on Rosedale and Allen

My next door neighbor and I usually go for about a two and a half mile walk every night around the neighborhood. But tonight since the temperature was still in the upper 80's, we decided to go for a walk down to the nearest 7-11 to get a cold drink to quench our thirst in the warm weather. So when we arrive there, the store clerk said the customary hello when you walk into a convenient store, which was fine. My neighbor and I then walk over towards the soda fountains, and notice next to them there is a new iced coffee drink for 99 cents. So we thought why not give it a try, we don't have anything to lose. Well apparently we did have something to lose, because after I dispensed my drink into the little plastic cup, I discovered there was a little black bug in my drink. After seeing this black intruder in my drink, I suddenly lost my appetite for the beverage, so of course I poured it out. Apparenty the store clerk saw me pour it out, and abruptly rushed around the corner and started yelling at me in a different language. I told him I did not understand what he was trying to say, but I did try to manage to tell him that the reason for pouring it out was that there was a bug in it. He glared at me for a few awkward seconds, then walked back around to the register. Me and my neighbor looked at each other in confusion, and then proceeded to make a different selection. My neighbor ended up getting the iced coffee drink, but in a different flavor. I on the other hand got an iced tea out of the soda fountain, which I was hoping was safe. So then we proceeded up to the register after making our final selections. When we get there, we place both of our drinks down on the counter, and he had the nerve to scan my neighbors iced coffee twice, and then my iced tea. My neighbor told be not to say anything because it was only one dollar, and she was the one buying the drinks tonight. It wasn't necessarily the money that is my concern, but the lack of customer service skills that this clerk had, and was rude on top of it! The drink was being sold for 99 cents, and it probably cost them no more than five cents for that one small cup I filled with ice, then the liquid. No wonder we were the only people in the store. I also used to buy my gas there, but that is all history now. Fastrip across the street has cheaper drinks and gas anyways. The customer service is a lot better at Fastrip also.

Twenty Reasons to Visit Imbibe Wine

Over the past twenty years I have traveled to Napa Valley in excess of one hundred times. My goal of each visit is to find and make some new friends. Many of you who read this story will learn about wineries you've never heard of before. We at Imbibe Wine and Spirits work hard to inform you about the latest new releases and producers that come to market. We're asking where the grapes coming from and who is making the wine. Without great grapes you can not make great wine and you need a talented wine maker as well to make great wine. The following is a list of who I feel is doing a great job at the art of wine making. When you’re out dining or shopping for wine I would encourage you to try some of the new guard represented on this list.

Neal Family Vineyards. Owner Make Neal has been farming Napa Valley for sometime now and what he puts in his bottles is OUTSTANDING. Look for his Napa Cabernet along with his Vineyard Designates and if you are lucky enough to find his Petit Syrah or Sauvignon Blanc, grab it.

Paradigm Winery. Owners Ren and Marilyn are as good as it gets. Their vineyards are the same. Located in the Oakville appellation, Paradigm Cabernet and Merlot is on the top tier of quality. With great grapes and help from Heidi Peterson-Barrett, how can you go wrong. LOOK for these wines.

Larkmead Vineyards. Owners Cam and Kate Baker have some of the finest dirt in Napa Valley and with great people like Colin MacPhail and Andy Smith it is sure to be at the top of everyone’s list.

Rudd Oakville Estate. No one is more committed to making the finest wine possible than Leslie Rudd, period.

Madrigal Vineyards. Owners Chris and Jess Madrigal (The real deal). Chris is the Mayor of Napa Valley in my opinion. Look for their Petite Syrah - the best in the valley, along with their Zin and Cab.

Revana Family Vineyards. Very limited and very good. Always one of the wines of the vintage. Another fine effort of Heidi Peterson-Barrett.

Stanton Vineyards. A great farmer of grapes and we all know it takes great grapes to make great wine. Look for his Cabernet and Petit Syrah.

Tamber Bey Vineyards. Owner Barry Waitte and the Tamber Bey wines are one of my recent finds. An outstanding Cabernet from Oakville. They also produce a great effort from Yountville.

Wolf Family Vineyards. I have been a fan of these wines and of winemaker Karen Culler for sometime now. Karen does an outstanding job with this estate. A beautiful property that produces some of the Valley’s finest wine.

Versant Vineyards. Owner Richard Martin has some of the finest grapes in the valley. Each time I put a Versant Cabernet in a blind tasting it is the winner. Very limited! One taste and you will know why it is a winner.

Karl Lawrence Cellars. Owner Michael Karl Trujillo is a prince. I have know Michael for some time now and his label is one of the most consistent and mouth watering Cabernets in the world.

Ladera Vineyards. Owners Patrick and Anne Stotesbery have come to the market with a great product and a great team. Another fine wine made by Karen Culler. Look for this outstanding Cabernet that comes from Howell Mountain. You will be glad you did.

Dumol. Partner Kerry Murphy has put a team together that is second to none. Dumol produces the finest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in California. Now that is saying something.

Cloudview Vineyards. Always a favorite of mine. I have known Linda and Leighton for sometime know and each year they make a outstanding blend of Cabernet and Merlot from Prichard Hill. The wine is limited but well worth the effort to track down. Some of the finest people in the world.

Krupp Brothers Estates. Brothers Jan and Bart Krupp farm what has turned out to be the biggest undertaking in all of Napa Valley. Most men would never take on such a challenge. The Brothers Krupp have been justly rewarded with a waiting list a mile long for their grapes and the keep the best for themselves.

Dierberg Estate Vineyard. Owners Jim and Mary Dierberg have come to California in a big way. With over 230 acres planted and 26,000 square feet of caves, winemaker Nick De Luca has all the tools to make great wine and if he has any questions he can ask his consulting winemaker David Ramey, who is one of the finest in the world. I love this wine and you will too. Also look for the Three Saints Label.

Audelssa Estate Winery. Audelssa in my opinion is the finest Cabernet and Syrah coming out of Sonoma. Winemaker Erich Bradley is making some of the finest wine in California. He has worked under Richard Arrowood and David Ramey, two American icons in winemaking. One of my greatest finds.

Cristom. If Pinot Noir is your favorite wine - as it should be - then Cristom is your wine. Winemaker Steve Doermer is Mr. Pinot Noir in America. I have tasted great wine from around the world and the wines of Cristom are as fine as any in the world. Taste for yourself, you will be glad you did.

Anselmo Vigne. My latest find in Napa Valley. Anselmo Vigne is located in the Stag’s Leap AVA and is making some outstanding wines. With the addition of Karen Culler to the team owners Steve and Cecilia have got into the big leagues in a big way. The wine is very limited but worth the effort to search out.

Altamura. Frank and Karen have been in the Napa Valley most all of their lives. Frank made a name for himself as wine maker at Caymus Vineyards for close to ten years. After leaving Caymus, Frank started Altamura Vineyards and has been making the finest Sangiovese in America, along with am outstanding Cabernet that is starting to get some press. I have been talking about Altamura for over ten years and it’s about time you start asking about them.

Woman Overcomes Devastating Drug Addiction to Share her Music With the World

Contact: Christine Giordano

352-551-9087,

deadlinewriter@gmail.com

What:

When & Where:
Wednesday, July 15. Show times in California from 6 - 9 a.m.
Or find national local showtimes on:
Woman Overcomes Devastating Drug Addiction to Share her Music With the World, Former Addict Ruth King on nationally syndicated Daily Buzz Show
MEDIA ADVISORY

www.DailyBuzzNow.com

Why:

Ruth King, recovered addict, who recently helped to raise thousands of dollars for children’s education, is about to release a new CD and live DVD.

Ruth King was once so addicted to drugs that they almost robbed her of her future.

“It was devastating. They took away my dreams,” she said.

The blues artist used her music to pull herself out of the depths of addiction and now wants to share her music with the world.

On Wednesday, July 15, she will get that opportunity. Ruth King and her band are about to be broadcast to 29 million viewers on The Daily Buzz television show.

The syndicated news show is a CW affiliate that reaches more than half the country through its 160 markets.

Long loved for her acoustic blues sound and intensely soulful songs, King is a skilled vocalist and guitarist, who has gained an avid following through her live performances at the House of Blues / Downtown Disney in Orlando, college concert tours, nightclub venues and music festivals across the nation. She will perform two songs from her upcoming CD. National local listings for the show is on the website:

Woman Overcomes Devastating Drug Addiction to Share her Music With the World

Queen of Acoustic Blues Ruth King Band to Perform Nationally on The Daily Buzz Show

www.DailyBuzzNow.com (more)www.Ruthkingblues.com, and twitter and face book.

After education budgets were slashed across the nation, King raised thousands of dollars this year to benefit various scholarship and children’s education funds

As a performer, King brings a wealth of expertise to her music. A product of two jazz musicians and a blues musician, she was born in Virginia, lived in Plattsburgh, NY, and sang her way to a scholarship at Florida State University. Her skill with blues and jazz has enabled her to make her living and gather a loyal following for decades. King has released three CDs to her name: If By Now, Amazed and Attache. Each CD represents a different style in her evolution as a musician. Her soon to be released CD contains King’s most heartfelt music yet, with songs such as Is it Love and Shadow. The CD contains a mixture of acoustic blues, R&B and jazz songs with sharp, soulful and funky vocals, and original guitar work by Ruth King and her four band members.

Ruth King has headlined for various music legends including the Little River Band, the Rippingtons and Kenny Rankin. King’s early career established her as a songwriter and music publisher. On the multinational scene, her music, published through His Promise Music (BMI), has reached Europe, Asia, the Netherlands, Canada, and the U.S.A. She resides in Central Florida

Also see:

Note: Following the weeklong saga of the late Michael Jackson, this is a wonderful story of hope.
. She joined forces with a local café owner for the sake of a Rotary scholarship fund, volunteered her talents to benefit a nursing scholarship, and donated a private concert to be auctioned off for the sake of a local private school..

“I’m glad for the chance to perform on The Daily Buzz show, which is known for its enthusiastic audience. I‘ll be sharing songs from my new CD. As an artist, my music grows every time I perform and the prospect of singing in front of an audience like that of The Daily Buzz morning show is thrilling,” said Ruth King.

There is a distinctive lilt in Ruth King’s melodic and throaty voice that connects with her audience. She is becoming known as a blues musician who is a voice of hope in the Central Florida region. King is a living example of how a single person can make a difference in a community on a grassroots level.

Dog Sees God: Confessions Of A Teenage Blockhead

'DOG SEES GOD: CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE BLOCKHEAD'

Written by: Bert V. Royal Directed by: Michael Pawloski

The peanuts gang have grown up and become all surly, full of angst and struggling to learn what life is all about. After all, they are now teenagers in this modern, unauthorized, update of Charlie Brown and gang! It all starts off when C.B.'s dog dies. Without giving too much away, the play then delves into an assortment of issues, from cliques, to homosexuality, to suicide and just general teenage rebellion. Fun stuff you know?

Do you remember how C.B (Charlie Brown) and his dog Snoopy were inseparable in the old days? Now that this beloved dog has passed, C.B., in true caricature, journeys deeply into soul searching about the meaning of life and doggie heaven and along the way discovers he and his warm and sympathetic friend Beethoven (Schroeder) are closer than they both care to admit. And then there’s C.B.’s sister (Sally) who went goth, and Matt (Pig-Pen) is a pathological neat-freak, and Tricia York (Peppermint Patty) and Marcy are a pair of partying "mean girls", Van (Linus), always the philosopher in childhood, is now a pothead with a worldview to match. And the world's greatest fuss-budget Van's Sister (Lucy) has been institutionalized for setting the Little Red-Haired Girl's hair on fire. The wickedly funny premise that Royal explores in this off Broadway hit is zany, yet often poignant and is a treat for lovers of these very ‘adult’ kids from the past.

This warm hearted production has a fast pace and the laughs keep on coming. If you love fringe theatre and high quality performances, Royal’s irreverent play has cuddly comedy versus edgy elements and the two blend with ease.

Bakersfield Community Theatre
2400 South Chester Avenue
Bakersfield, California 93304
(661) 831-8114

August Dates: Friday August 7^th 8:00 pm, Saturday August 8^th 8:00 pm

Friday August 14^th 8:00 pm, Saturday August 15^th 8:00 pm

Sunday August 16^th 2:00 pm

Tickets at the door: $12.00 General Admission

$10.00 With Student ID

$10.00 Senior Discount

Advanced Tickets $10.00 All Classes

(available from the cast, friends of the show and by calling BCT)

Bakersfield Community Theatre is a non-profit 501c3 that depends upon the generous support of the community for the past 84 years. Thank you and remember we are not cheap we are just poor, please help support Community Theatre!

Please visit www.bakersfieldcommunitytheatre.com for more information

BAKERSFIELD NIGHT LIFE

I have had one of the worst weekends ever going out here in Bakersfield this past weekend. And I've decided I want to share what I experienced in case there are any other people out there who have been going through the same. First of all I am a well established 24 year old local female who works monday through friday owns a home and is a respectful person. But I have come to a point that I am just sick and tired of the way the club owners, bartenders, and bouncers treat women in Bakersfield. I like to go out on my weekends I dont have children I like a chance to unwind and have drinks. But i really am not sure what my next step is to do that because I am completely DONE with the bar scene here.

Friday night a friend and I went to a bar we have frequented regularly for the last few years. The name of the bar is Martinis inside the Regency Lanes bowling alley. We arrived around 9:30ish that night and took a seat on one of the four white booths the bar has. We were in the corner watching videos having a few drinks and talking. Around 11:30pm, one of the security guards who we normally converse with on each visit to the bar walked over to us. He stated that he was sorry but the owner would like for us to move from our seats. When we questioned why he stated, the owner had a few people from France coming in and wanted them to have seats. I literally felt like Rosa Parks, I couldn't believe that this was ACTUALLY happening to us. Especially after being regular customers for so long. We got up closed our cards at the bar and quickly left of course. I started to think about it and was really angered. I don't understand by what process of elimination the bar owner decided we were the only two people who needed to move out of our seats for his "French" visitors to have the option to sit. Out of all of the people in the bar. A few underlying factors came to mind. After going to this bar for so long I do know the owner has a track record of liasions with female customers, caucasion, blonde, and very petite, is preferred. He also requires his all female bartending staff to wear mini skirts to each shift. My friend and I are not skinny, not blonde, and not promiscuous. I would sum that up to a few very strong possibilites as to why we were chosen to move.

Saturday night, round two of the Bakersfield ignorance. After leaving another local bar, a small group of our friends decided to head to the glorified Cabana Palms. Which if anybody has any sense they know is actually just a mediocre attempt at being a west hollywood UNDERCOVER GAY CLUB. They are doing a very good job at disclosing it though. Now I myself have SEVERAL gay friends and don't discriminate on race, sex, age, or sexuality. What bothers me is that this man working at the door, who appeared to be wearing more foundation than any woman standing in line, was EXTREMELY RUDE. I was asking to use an atm, in order to pay the $15.00 cover charge, although it was 1:30am. The male who was wearing a "Plunging V" neckline tshirt, probably "Affliction" and a poorly done mohawk stated that the "ATM MACHINE" was broken, when I asked if I could just have the cashier slide my card he said that was broken too. I told him I found that hard to believe seeing as how I was just there on Thursday night and there were no issues to speak of as far as the atm, or card machine. He then said "they are not broken, you people need to know if you want to go to clubs, BRING CASH". I then shared some choice words with him. When I did that he snapped his fingers and asked the very large tatooed bald headed security guard, who to be completely honest STRONGLY resembled a German Nazi Soldier, to "handle me". I just cannot figure out why on earth this man would ask this huge guy who had to be at least 250 plus to in other words "rough me up". This is getting very sad and very out of hand. I am tired of being treated differently based on the bouncers opinions of whether or not im "attractive" in comparison to just treated me as any other paying patron at these bars/clubs.

I am going to move forward with filing any possible complaint on Martinis as well as Cabana Palms. If there is anyone else out there who has experienced something similar I would really like to speak with them. I've decided to handle this the correct way instead of getting angry and yelling or arguing with them. I think its time to make sure these places lose as much business as possible. The final end result just may be that they are CLOSED. If you cannot operate in an equal opportunity, non discriminatory way. Then you DO NOT deserve to be in business.

The Gurus, the Young Man, and Elder Paisios

I just finished a magnificent book. It is titled The Gurus, the Young Man, and Elder Paisios

www.stherman.com/Catalog/Elder_Paisios/guru_book. htm

It is the gripping and true story of a young man and his search for the truth. Like many people, the young man was a product of a secular environment and in his search for true spirituality; he encountered many bizarre people who were peddling many strange philosophies. However, he was blessed to have met Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain. A true Holy man and modern Saint. Although he was instructed in the Christian Faith by a Saint. The young man traveled to India to compare Orthodox Christianity and its faithful to yogis and their devotees. I will finish the discription here because, I do not spoil the enjoyment of future readers. However, I would like to share this part were the young man experiences for himself the allure of darkness, and the blessing of the Light. Enjoy;)

One day, sometime after my experience with “my friend” ( the demon that was possessing him that Elder Paisios exorcised ) in the elders yard, I asked the elder about the yogis. By that time, I had become convinced that the yogis worked in cooperation with demons – but I couldn’t understand how it was possible for anyone to make such a choice. “Elder, I just can’t understand why they would want to be evil men. They are intelligent, educated people with many abilities. They don’t have any reason to be evil.” The elder looked at me and shook his head, but didn’t say anything. Shortly afterwards, as planned, I left the Holy Mountain ( Mt. Athos the monastic republic in Greece) in order to be with my family for Pascha ( Easter ) which we would spend in my childhood home of Florina, to which my parents had returned in their retirement.

& nbsp; One afternoon at the beginning of Holy Week ( the week preceding Orthodox Easter ), having made a stop in Thessaloniki, I was by myself in our home there, when, suddenly, my surroundings vanished. There were no images to be seen, sounds to be heard, or objects to be touched. My five senses had ceased functioning. It was as though the light switch had been flicked and the room plunged into total darkness.

& nbsp; My mind turned its full attention to a spiritual realm that it found utterly riveting and captivating. In one direction, I saw a soft but intense light – brilliant but gentle. In the other direction, I saw a thick, cavernous darkness. Initially, I turned my attention towards the awesome, yet fearful, darkness. It made my flesh crawl, but I was overcome by curiosity, the desire to understand what it was. My mind advanced towards the darkness. It had vast power and, if I dare put it this way, a certain grandeur. It represented a negative perspective on reality, unhesitatingly extending into reality as depth, even as the light stretched infinitely into reality as height. On one side , there was immense love; on the other immense hatred. The light was overflowing with unconditional altruism, while the darkness pulled away in utter self-centeredness.

& nbsp; Though I couldn’t see into the darkness, I could feel the presence of souls in it, leaping about, and shrieking with insane, wicked laughter as they were pulled deeper and deeper into the ocean of darkness, until the sound of their voices disappeared altogether. Frightened by this savage madness, I headed towards the light, seeking it’s protection. Just reaching its outskirts, I felt the relief of having been rescued from a grave danger.

& nbsp; Although I didn’t advance very far at all into the darkness, I was able to feel the depths of its evil ocean. I could understand the very essence of the enticing power of sin to tempt, as well as its laughable powerlessness, utter dependence, and shadowy nonexistence. The darkness, I saw, is fearsome when it has won you over, but it is absurd and feeble when you reject it --- it can not defeat even a small child if he does not fall on his own. In the same way I didn’t advance far into the light --- only so to speak, skating its edge --- but even there I felt confident and comforted by a fullness of life, peace, joy, and knowledge. The light loved me greatly in spite of my unworthiness and granted me its gifts I never dreamed existed. At this point, I realized that the light created the world and every living being. The existential space in which each person dwells is itself a creation fashioned by the light, which also fills and permeates these spaces. On being decided to stay outside of the existential space created by the light, thus creating a sort of space for itself, though only by denying the light, turning from it, and driving it away. The darkness has no existence of its own, but only denies the ever-existing and sovereign light. That is to say, the existence of darkness would have been impossible without the existence of the light; though the light had no need of the darkness for existence, for its existence is self-sufficient. The light respected the free decision of its creation to reject it, and so kept its distance. In this way, a dark existential space made its appearance---the darkness, in this sense became a reality.

& nbsp; The darkness resulted from the inclination of a conscious being, called Satan, who chose such a form of existence though he had no reason to. And this denial made the darkness a reality. Although this act of denial may have resembled God’s act of creation, it was not creation, but an imitation of creation performed in reverse. That is the devil tried to behave like God, but, since he did not have the ability to create on his own, he was capable of only denying God’s creation, energies, light, and grace. He pulled away from the very borders of reality and made non-existence a way of being, thus “creating” death and darkness, but all things are filled with light and life.

& nbsp; Just as the light ‘s love wishes to unite all things, being the source of existence and creation, so the hatred of the darkness wants to divide all things, being the source of nonexistence and destruction. Just as the light extends out into infinite beyond, so the darkness seems to extend into its infinite beyond. Just as there is a grandeur about the simple, yet infinite light of God, with all His attributes and energies, so there is a certain grandeur about the blunt, yet apparently infinite darkness of the devil, with all his deep- rooted and ferocious self-destructiveness, full of stubborn and manic rage.

& nbsp; Having come to such realization, I found myself as with a flip of a switch, surrounded again by familiar sights and sounds of my room. Within a matter of minutes, I had a lesson of immeasurable depth. It was not only a revelation beyond word, of subtle differences of profound meaning and great importance, but also --- and even more --- a test and a trial of the deepest inclinations and intentions of my heart, to see whom I would follow and who I would leave behind. Fortunately, although my heart initially moved towards the darkness, it ultimately found repose in the light --- and fortunately, the light still accepted me.

& nbsp; This experience taught me that, just as God surpasses the human mind, so do His works, His creations, and His gifts. On its own, the human mind can only acquire a relative idea about these realities, producing hypothesis, conjectures, opinions, and imaginary presuppositions to justify its views. However aided by the grace of the Holy Spirit, it can begin to fathom these mysteries.

& nbsp; I also received from this experience a deep appreciation of the mystery of human and angelic freedom, a divine gift beyond human understanding. My experience of light and dark helped me to grasp the fact that God endowed angels and men with free will so that they could move independently, freely and without compulsion in the moral sphere. The elder once told me. “God would forgive the devil if he would just say one ‘Lord have mercy.’ There’s a dear old monk near here who used to pray for the devil, because he felt compassion for him. After all the devil was one of god’s creatures --- in fact, he was an archangel before he fell into such a sorry state. While the elder was praying for him, the evil one appeared in the corner and started to make fun of him. The devil is unrepentant.” He concluded. As I would learn latter, this elder was actually Father Paisios. & nbsp;

Bakersfield (Kern County) Family Law Courts

This post is more of a calling out to the good parents of Bakersfield California (Kern County) who feel that they have been treated unfairly or unjustly by the Kern County Court System primarily Judge Judith Dulcich, CPS (Child Protective Services), Child Advocacy Lawyers within Bakersfield (Kern County) or other officials within the Bakersfield Kern County Family Law Courts.

Please only respond if you or your loved ones have been directly involved or affected in a child custody battle and you felt like just another number or an inconvenience to Judge Judith Dulcich never allowing you to speak or have a voice.

The system is suppose to do what is in the best interest of the children which means someone is not going to sit on the judges bench and rush people through the courtroom like cattle. If you are not interested in being involved in an investigation on the results of your case or how your case was handled by the Bakersfield Kern County Family Law Courts, please do not respond and I wish you the best of luck in your future. If you are interested in being involved with a possible investigation with possible media exposure please contact the following email address with as many details as possible about the case, the outcome and how you felt you did not receive a fair and impartial hearing. kerncountytruth@gmail.com

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf

A contemporary and darkly funny satire performed and crewed by local non-profit theatrical professionals and amateurs. This play was about 3 hours long and worth every minute. It came in three acts, each of which had unique characteristics and pacing. The play included emotional and serious adult themes, sarcastic and biting comedy, and impressive makeup, all wrapped up in an amazing non-profit package.

The interesting and witty play started with a cutting yet comedic introduction of two of the four cast members of this ensemble, Jaclyn Taylor as Martha the daughter of the college chair and her under achieving husband George that is also a member of the college history department and played by Ron Warren. It continued with the introduction of the other pair from the ensemble. Ronnie Hargrave, portraying an up and coming collegiate biologist Nick and Lacey Maples, as his simpering wife, Honey, join the other pair on stage and the comedy and tragedy ensue. As the play progresses, the experienced and cynical older married couple have exciting and fast-paced dialogues that play against the foil of the dour and monotonous college newcomers. The fun does not stop as the two couples get drunk and snipe at one another with vivid emotional ups and downs which supply ample opportunity for satiric and feeling laced interactions.

Jaclyn Taylor’s role as Martha was the crowning jewel of this entertaining and complex show. She portrayed the character of Martha very convincingly with cosmetic and characterization aging of approximately 30 years. Her dialogue and tones were utterly impressive and clearly presented. She captivated the audience with her personality and force as the devilish and unpredictable wife of George. Martha’s randy acts of conjugal infidelity are both funny and sad as the actress shows her professional acting skills and her soliloquies are emotional and evocative. Jaclyn gets high marks for bringing professional experience and skills to an amateur venue. Martha’s lewd and lascivious character is more fun and more deeply and emotionally stunted than anyone would expect in real person and yet the actress brings it off perfectly believably.

The show was deceptively, deliciously, and darkly entertaining and well worth the suggested donation of $15 per person for a seat at the Empty Space located at 706 Oak St (327-PLAY). You may even feel like donating extra after the terrific show. The theater does have an Adopt-An-Actor program that allows audience members to show their enthusiastic approval in a monetary way. Although the Empty Space is a wonderful non-profit theater with a very personal and inviting environment, this play and Jaclyn’s portrayal could easily support a larger venue.

Porterville McDonalds review

The restaurant review that I did was on a chain restaurant, which is the McDonalds of Porterville at 1355 West Henderson Avenue in front of Target. The restaurant review that I did with McDonalds was like a date because it was amazing, unbelievable, and excellent.

The first thing that I notice while I was walking toward the entrance of McDonalds is that it’s a very clean place. It seems like if the crew that works there treats McDonalds as if it was their own house, because seriously I couldn’t see any bit of dirtiness in the restaurant. The floor seem to be mopped just a few seconds ago after I came in, it seem like if McDonalds was expecting me to arrive. When I walk towards the line there were three people in front of me and it hadn’t even past a minute, when I was the next customer and ready to take my order. There first words were “Hi, thank you for choosing McDonalds, how can I help you”. Then I took my order, “The two Cheeseburger Meal”, which comes with a medium fresh coke, medium well cooked french fries, and two delicious cheeseburgers. The employees at McDonalds were really polite, friendly, and kind to me. They gave me a smile from ear to ear and it made me smile back with joy, and there last words were “Enjoy your meal and have a nice day”. At this moment I was feeling like if I was at home, really enjoying being there.

Well I picked the place where I was going to sit. The tables and the seats were really clean; they even shine like a golden star shining. I had the most magnificent view ever where I was sitting at. There was this beautiful painting of these children playing in a playground and they were surrounded by green trees and huge pines. It seem liked the children had rarely eaten a delicious meal of McDonalds, because close to them was a little road that took them to the restaurant and they seem really happy. This painting view took me to the mountains and I said to me “its incredible to be at the fresh mountains about to eat a McDonalds meal”.

The moment had come, I took my first drink of coke and it was so fresh it reminded me of the commercial on television were the white bears get a drink of their coke and make that sexy sound. My fries were so fresh, warm, and delicious. They had the correct amount of salt, not like other places were there fries are all salty. But the best part was those yummy cheeseburgers that I ate. I could still feel the delicious taste of the 100% pure beef and there‘s no percent better than that. Those burgers were so amazingly good, that their fine flavor keeps me going to McDonalds every time I get a chance to go.

It’s a very quiet place and I am pretty sure that you would love to be at McDonalds right now. They have two televisions so that people could enjoy their meal while watching television and the best part is that you have control of lowering or raising the volume. They also have the best service ever because the McDonalds restaurant never rushes their customers to get their food and leave ride away. In case of a refill you don’t even have to worry of paying for another drink, it’s free for the customers as much soda as they need for their meal. They have variety of fountain drinks, so that customers could choose their best flavor drink.

I can assure you that if you go to this McDonalds of Porterville at 1355 West Henderson Avenue in front of Target you won’t regret going to it. You will love the food and your kids will have a great time. I as a customer of this McDonalds restaurant recommend you to try it. There are variety of meals that you could try and I am 100% sure that you well be satisfied and happy when you are done with your meal. If you come you will notice how great they treat their customers and of the fine quality of food that they have at that McDonalds.

IHOP on Rosedale Highway review

Let's face it, it's hard being a college student. Money is tight, and the food most often consumed costs less than a dollar. Top Ramen, Hot Pockets, Mac and Cheese, it's costly spending money to eat out every night, or even once a week.

I walked into the IHOP [International House of Pancakes] accompainied by my boyfriend. We visited the IHOP in Rosedale located by the Target shopping center. Parking is reasonable and spacious and plenty of room to park.

We weren't too hungry, and I've always been more of a Dennys person mostly because they’re great prices and their 24 hour diner hours, but I decided to give IHOP a chance.
    My boyfriend and I walked in and were greeted by a young girl wearing a black, glittery, halloween t-shirt with a glowing pumpkin. Not too uniform, but still, the tackiness was quite festive. We were seated right away and had a choice between a booth or table. We were seated in the booth conviently next to the bathroom. I ventured through part of the kitchen to reach the bathroom. I noticed the bathroom floors were a bit dirty, but everything was stocked and the counters and toilets were clean. I washed my hands, then went back to my booth.
    At this time, it's about 8:30pm and the place looks deserted. A couple sits near the corner laughing, and a small child accompained by their father sits right behind us. The child was obnoxious to say the least. Every other word out of his mouth that interrupted my conversation started with a "BRRRAPPP" or a "VRRROOOMM" and ended in a horrifying crash sound. He rolled his toy monster truck all over the backside of my booth, and would occasionally stare at my hair(which is known to scare small children). I know this isn't the restaurants fault, but it did effect most of my meal time.
    IHOP of course is known for their pancakes and different flavored syrups. Three out of four syrups were on the table. I wasn't sure which one was missing, but from what I could tell, they all looked the same dark color and I figured if I wanted to try the syrup, I'd just ask.
    IHOP like Dennys, serves breakfast all day, along with lunch and dinner specials. From fruit crepes to T-Bone steaks, IHOP pretty much had a variety for any particular craving.
    My boyfriend started off with a garden salad with blue cheese dressing. When his salad arrived, it looked just like the picture! The blue cheese was a tad bit runny, but was the best blue cheese dressing I have ever tasted. The salad was pretty well proportioned and included heaps of cold lettuce, tomato slices, onions and croutons.
    When it came time to order, I decided on the Chicken Fajita Omelette, and my date felt a craving for a T-Bone Steak. Sadly, they were out of T-Bone, so my boyfriend settled with the Sirloin.
    The wait for our food took about fourty-five minutes. You can look at this situation in two ways. One way to think, is it's just the right amount of time if you are relaxing and enjoying your meal and visiting with your family. However, if one was in a hurry, and was on a tight schedule, the waiting time could be frustrating. And considering there were only four other people in the dining room, the wait was a bit much.
    The Chicken Fajita Omelette finally arrived. I was salivating at the mouth. I'm pretty sure the waitress saw the drool dripping down my chin. She sat the plate in front of me, and I immediately felt satisfied. The Omelette was HUGE, too much food for me. The eggs were fluffy and light. On the inside, melted cheddar cheese, bell peppers, onions, and wonderfully seasoned grilled chicken neatly compiled together. In addition to the omelette, three buttermilk pancakes the size of my face lay on a second plate. Once again, way too much food for me.
    My boyfriend's food came seconds later, and by the look on his face, I could tell he wasn't going to be disappointed. The plate was literally full of food. You could not see one bit of white porcelin from the plate. A generous sized piece of tender medium-rare steak was piled high with grilled onions and mushrooms. A side of cooked carrots, so perfect, he described them as "soft and sweet" and of course he added, "just like you!" Awe! A huge mound of fries accompanied the massive amount of food. My boyfriend wanted to try the buttermilk battered shrimp, so in addition to his steak meal, ordered a side of shrimp. The shrimp was interesting. I had never tasted anything like it! It had a lime tangy flavor to it, and was surprisingly good! His meal also came with bread, which was toasted and was loaded with a thick layer of butter and garlic spread.
    After picking at each other's food, we decided it was time to recieve the bill. The waitress , who was sweet cleared off our table, and kept refilling our drinks so we could sip on them until our food was settled and we were ready to leave. She dropped off the bill and we looked in amazement. Both of us ate a huge meal for under $25.00. The bill was a whopping $23.88 including the $2.99 for a side of Buttermilk shrimp.
    We both requested boxes, and put away our uneaten food. We paid, and the kind hostess thanked us, and wished us a great night. I took a mint, and a toothpick, and left IHOP feeling full and satisfied. I most definitely recommend going to the IHOP on Rosedale Hwy. You won't be disappointed.

Thai House review

With the aroma of traditional Thai cuisines filling the room any customer would start to feel the need to take a seat. As each dish passes your nose I began having flashbacks of my trip to Thailand and its amazing cuisine that you could buy right off the street corners. From then on my experience at the Thai House did not get any worse and only better.

The Thai House is one of the three Thai food restaurants in Bakersfield and is known for its customary style of cooking. With its great dishes like its Pad Thai or Pad ki mow, the Thai house attracts many customers due to their cuisines wonderful mixtures of spices, herbs, and rice noodles. The noodle dishes are known not only for their taste but also the way they are prepared. Most Thai food noodle cuisine is known for the noodles to be slathered with a large amount of sauce, which takes away from the dish itself. At the Thai House each noodle dish is prepared perfectly with the right amount of moist rice noodles and mixed with the right amount of vegetables and sauces. The pad ki mow was filled with giant pieces of broccoli and chicken making the dish a guaranteed plate that requires a box for tomorrow’s lunch or a late night snack. Not only does this restaurant have a large selection of noodle dishes but it is also known for its great seafood cuisines as well. The seafood broiler is a large dish filled with shrimp, mussels, crab, and many other types of meat. Each piece had its very own flavor as it was filled with a orange curry sauce. The seafood broiler is a great dish when a side of white rice accompanies it. Make sure you take plenty of rice with each serving of noodles because the rice is unlimited for only two dollars.

The only problem while eating at the Thai House is its spices. When it comes to the spices, it is a good choice to go with the mild due to the amount of spice that is fused in each piece of meat. You have three levels to choose from: mild, medium, and hot. What really should be the classifications of the spices are hot, hotter, and insane. I came to realize how hot the spices truly were after I had to ask my waitress for another glass of Coke. Do not worry though, you have unlimited glasses of water or any other drink you have chosen from this large menu. With many selections of dishes, drinks, and appetizers the choices are endless making each visit a new experience for your taste buds.

This restaurant is a diamond in the ruff and is known for its amazing prices and great food. The maximum dish price is 24 dollars but is worth its weight in gold. Even the service is great. When I asked what was good on the menu I was quickly given a detailed description of their three top dishes; the pad ki mao, pad thai, and the seafood broiler which are all reasonable cheap. The service was quick and my two waitresses always made sure that are drinks were topped off due to the amount of spices in each dish. They even got a laugh out of it because I could not stop taking large gulps off my glass of Coke. I will definitely make sure I give my mouth a break at my next visit and order mild instead of medium.

The Thai house is a great place for a casual dining and can make any dinner an appetizing experience. Each wall is decorated with Thai design making your eating experience feel like you are sitting in an actual restaurant in the city of Bangkok. From traditional pictures of Buddha to camera shots of Thailand’s king you are provided with some cultural background of the country while cooling down your mouth with a Thai tea (a creamy tea with coconut milk and cream) and listening to the sounds of Thai Piphat, a Thai traditional style of music that uses flutes, drums, chimes, and string instruments. Piphat is usually used for group dancing or theatre but is always great to hear while sitting and enjoying your meal.

This is one of the few places in California that actually brings the Thai experience to each and every one of its customers. I was provided with great food, excellent service, and a comfortable feeling while I sat amongst pictures and paintings of Thailand. Having been to Thailand already I have been a huge critic of all Thai food restaurants. This is by far the best one and actually tastes like the noodle dishes they sell in the streets of Thailand. The Thai house is a great place to take a lunch break or a place to take out the family for a fantastic dinner. With its red flashing sign the Thai house cannot be missed when heading down Ming Avenue. I will for sure be visiting the Thai House again and am positive each visit will be a fulfilling one.

Crustacean restaurant review

It’s like walking on water, an incredible experience at Crustacean in the famous Beverly Hills. Not to mention you literally do walk on water, a Koi aquarium at least, as you enter this restaurant, which is very appropriate considering the seafood/French/Vietnamese atmosphere. A very warm welcome is given to you right away, just as our table was with our reservations. Although if we had had no reservations I would not have minded waiting in the bar area, it is the first thing that is seen when entering the restaurant and is very inviting, as well as crowded.

The hostess escorts us to the table, while wearing her five inch heels, yet warning me to watch my step going down three steps that ended the Koi fish path way, but leading the way to the dining room. It is an open room with very tall ceilings. This place makes you feel like a million bucks, the mood is loud but romantic with soft dim lights, lights lining the floor, a band playing and people laughing everywhere. The waiter acts as if he is your best friend, and is quick to tell you what the specials are and what his favorites are. In his tie and jackets, he is our butler for the night. The romantic mood of the place must have gotten out because are couples everywhere including the one right next to us, and we can hear everything the lady is saying (and she seems to be the only one talking). So this place should not be chosen to break up with someone, or to have a serious conversation with someone and definitely not a business type meeting place.

Our “best friend” comes back to the table with wine in hand, he waits expecting you to twirl the wine, taste it and accept it. (A little to high class for the average Bakersfield family, but a nice treat if you’re not the one buying. ) There is not a single child to be seen here, but it is well around ten o’clock, and in Beverly Hills…Everyone is very dressed up as if they’re going to a black and white affair, and almost everyone has a glass of wine in their hand.

There are people seated outside and even they can hear the band playing, this band is playing a bit of everything, which is appropriate because Crustacean’s menu has a bit of everything, from steak plate’s, seafood, Vietnamese garlic noodles, and spilt pineapple shrimp. It is family style or ale carte so don’t be surprised if you get carried away ordering sides and appetizers and the portions are not small! The food comes out and you just know it is yours because the steam coming off the top creates a pathway of aroma and makes your mouth water. The noodles, I couldn’t get enough of, the shrimp was massive, fresh and amazingly smothered in some garlicky buttery sauce.

The waiter comes and completely clears the table and uses his crumb scraper and scrapes off the crumbs, and then gives us new forks and asks what we want for dessert, there are not many options, but the ones that are offered sound good after a large intake of seafood. The sherbet was our choice, and those portions are small, our sherbet ice cream came with three different scoops but they are the size of small golf balls. Our server suggests a dessert wine and brings it out again waits for you to test it, then pours more. The bill comes and I give it, the bill, a $$$$1/2. They accept credit cards, thank god or I people wouldn’t know what to do.

The band, the bar, and the people make you want to stay and hang out for hours, it is such a fun and fine dining experience. We finally left almost two hours later, back to the car in valet parking, That is the way to go because our car comes right to us, no hassle walking or finding parking, not to mention there is no designated parking for this restaurant. It is great place to visit and I can’t wait to go back.

Crustacean
9646 Santa Monica Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

(310) 205-8990

Black Angus restaurant review

As you pull up to Black Angus your eyes gaze upon a very new, well kept restaurant that grabs your attention at first sight. The outside of Black Angus is very appealing with the outstanding landscaping and clean building. Upon entrance of the restaurant you immediately get the distinctive smell of the great American steak. You’re then greeted by a girl who really defines “a hostess with the mostest,” being very kind and spontaneous. Before my parents and I were seated we had to wait about fifteen minutes for a table to open up. Considering the fact that there would be a wait at any good restaurant on a Saturday night, fifteen minutes was not that long of a wait.

After the short wait came time to be seated. There was an abundance of options; you’re able to sit at the bar where you find friends watching a sports game while enjoying a couple beers. Or on the main floor of the restaurant there are tables and booths available for all number of parties. We chose to sit in a booth and as we started walking I saw more of a family and business environment. The restaurant had a very good atmosphere in which it was not to loud, and you were still able to converse and be laid back. When we took our seats we were immediately handed menus and asked what we wanted to drink and if we wanted any appetizers. Although we did not get an appetizer we were served delicious warm bread that kept us satisfied until our main course came.

The menu was filled with many appealing foods which made it hard to choose exactly what to get. The menu consisted of many steak choices that could come with a variety of things such as mashed potatoes, baked potato, fries, salad, soup, and vegetables. Although they suggest their all famous steaks, they still serve very appetizing dishes like pastas, salads, hamburgers, and ribs. I along with my parents went with their suggestion and decided to try the steaks. Along with our steaks we got vegetables and baked potato which was smothered with cheese, sour cream, bacon, and chives. As we divulged into our food it immediately put a smile on our faces. The steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned to perfection. The baked potato was also delightful, as it melted in your mouth with every bite.

During our wait I was able to further observe the environment inside the restaurant. With the dim lights all throughout the restaurant it makes it creates more of a relaxed environment. All the tables and floor is kept very clean, and as people leave they have a buster immediately clean the table and floor surrounding the table. Along with being very clean there is a great aroma of grilled streak that roams all throughout the restaurant that will make you salivate. After only twenty minutes our food was ready.

Our waitress who was very cute and outgoing served each of us our dishes while being very talkative making us feel very comfortable almost like we were eating at our own dinner table. As we divulged in our dinner it was nothing less than what we expected. With every bite brought happiness and satisfaction. And through the whole meal we were constantly sought by the waitress to make sure everything was perfect. It was really nice being checked up upon by the waitress because we then knew that they were truly trying to satisfy their customers. After a very delicious dinner where I could not ask for a better steak we were quickly asked nicely if we would like any desert. Although they had a very delicious desert menu, which included items such as apple pie, mud pie, and other various deserts, we were far to full to have desert. So we quickly received the receipt along with great thanks from the waitress for coming to Black Angus. Surprisingly for all the great food we had ordered the bill was very reasonably priced.

Overall the Black Angus was an exceptional restaurant with a great reasonable price. It’s the perfect restaurant for a family dinner, business get together, prom dinner, or any other event. With the fun atmosphere you’re able to come casual or formal and be satisfied. The customer service is excellent and you’re constantly assisted by the wonderful waiters and waitresses that make sure your dinner is exceptional. If you’re looking for a tasteful meal that will get your taste buds watering for a very reasonable price, the Black Angus is the perfect restaurant for you.

Famous Daves

Vegetarians Beware: Large amounts of meat consumption beyond this door. Not for the weak.

This is what should have been on the door to the meat eating Famous Daves. As soon as I stepped out of my car in the parking lot of Famous Daves, an aroma of barbeque entered my nostrils. It was a spicy and Smokey smell, yet sweet and tangy. It was soothing, like waking up in the morning to smell your mother cooking breakfast. Walking up to the door, the smell got stronger and stronger. As I walked through the door, I was greeted by a very cheerful and nice lady. The first thing I noticed was a table with several trophies, awarding them the best ribs in the world. From then on, I had high expectations that later would be filled. I took a seat with two of my other friends at the bar. It was a wooden table with high stools. There were plenty of T.V.’s showing football and rodeo, a real Texas/American vibe. The non bar seating had the red and white checkered table cloth to make it seem a bit more family picnic oriented, while the bar was more fun with all the games going on. There was western country rock on the radio. They definitely had a vintage feel with all of the decorations going on. Our waitress soon came up with a smile on her face asking us what we wanted. I was still undecided and she was very helpful and willing to give some suggestions. I decided to go with the St. Louis Rib-N-Meat barbeque combo. This meal was about $20 and came with a 1/3 slab of spare ribs, a beef brisket, cornbread, corn on the cob, sweet potatoes, and finally to top it off were beans. The meal was a bit of a wait but trust me it was worth every second. The ribs were full of meat and had a great Smokey flavor. If you wanted a certain kind of barbeque sauce, they had plenty to choose from. There were five different kinds of sauces, ranging from spicy to sweet and tangy. My favorite was the sweet and zesty sauce. It was as if the flavors were wrestling inside my mouth. The beef brisket was cooked to perfection, just as my waitress had promised. The meat was mouth watering and juices spilled into my mouth with every bite. I did not even want to use any sauce on my brisket, as the taste of the juicy meat was enough to satisfy anybody in the right mind. This was my favorite part of my meal. Next was the cornbread. I was expecting the worst when it came to the cornbread because so many times I have had cornbread and it has been overcooked and crumbly. Famous Daves did not disappoint as they delivered the most delicious, sweet, and perfectly cooked piece of cornbread I have ever had. It melted in my mouth, and the amount of butter on this bread was in perfect harmony with the sweetness. The cornbread was a homerun in my books. Now on to the baked beans. The only thing I have to complain about this perfect recipe was not getting enough. Even though it was a small bowl, it was worth the whole trip itself. Blended with pieces of bacon and bits of onion, it was genius. I did not get around to trying the corn on the cob due to over consumption, but the sweet potatoes were something I simply could not miss. Mixed with a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon, it was the perfect side to go with all the barbeque. It really hit the spot. The sweet potatoes seemed to not fit in on the menu, bit fit in perfectly when it came to my taste buds. I believe it is safe to say that Famous Daves is the best barbeque restaurant I have had in Bakersfield, and the best barbeque restaurant I have had ever. Period. The only thing Famous Daves does not do is warn you to not wear a white t-shirt! If I were to give Famous Daves a rating I would give it five out of five stars. Hey, it’s famous for a reason right?

Restaurant Review on Tenoch: A Chinese Restaurant in Lamont

“Tenoch” is by far the most unusual Chinese Restaurant I have ever come across. It is located in Lamont, California, which is about forty-five minutes from Cal State Bakersfield. Tenoch is left to a gas station, and right to Billiards, where the people can be entertained afterwards. It stands in front of Lamont Elementary School, so kids can be dropped off before you enjoy a nice meal, and nearby a Kern Credit bank, whenever anyone is in need of cash. Being surrounded by these businesses and school, Tenoch is just the place where any “Lamont-ster” can delight themselves with Chinese cuisine.

The service rates about average; grading on a scale of one to five, five being the best, I would rate it a three, for the workers were patient and generous; but they were still holding their notepads instead of seating the guests first. Maybe this is a new type of restaurant etiquette. The menu and side dishes were all pictured on the counter at the customer’s ease. Even though I am vegetarian, I noticed that the restaurant did not serve any meals that had pork. Some Chinese restaurants serve hot dogs with any type of food, such as spaghetti, but this one just had the standard Asian dishes. Tenoch is similar to In-N-Out restaurants because the menu was short and simple. Customers have a choice of a number one, two, or three. Of course, three having the most grub, it is more expensive.

My boyfriend, Ernesto, and I started ordering our meals: he ordered meal number three, which includes chow mein, a side of teriyaki beef, and orange chicken; and I ordered a medium bowl of chow mein with vegetables on top (there was no vegetarian meals at all so that was my only alternative). The waiters offered a menudo special, which was ironic for a Chinese restaurant to serve. Ernesto commented that the owner would not be Chinese if he listed menudo in his menu. In addition, most Chinese restaurants would serve egg noodle soup as an appetizer, but this restaurant certainly did not. It did not serve hot ginseng tea either. There was no egg noodle soup, no hot dogs, no ginseng tea, but there was menudo? What a modern and creative Chinese restaurant!

Ernesto and I began searching for a table to sit in and all were empty, so we decided to sit in the very middle of the restaurant at the very back. There were no windows to view the people and traffic moving outside, but I suppose it was to add shading in the dining area. The decorations were somewhat oriental: a few palm trees here and there; they took place of the bamboo trees. The walls were brown stucco that gave it a western feeling and pretty tiles were entrapped in the floor with exotic floral designs. I placed some of my homework on the table to take note of the surroundings but I found myself smudging my papers from what I believe is grease. Unfortunately, there were hardly any napkins in the napkin dispenser.

When the food had finally arrived, the waiters (dressed up with jeans, baseball caps, and aprons instead of starched, white collared shirts, and ironed black pants) carried the dishes on their bare palms. My bowl of chow mein was exothermically cold while my boyfriend’s plate was steaming hot. Despite that I ordered vegetables with chow mein, all the vegetables I received were just cabbage, which obscured the rest of my meal. We ate with plastic forks and spoons, and our drinks were bought in glass bottles; compared to Super King Buffet, we had refillable drinks! My food tasted a little bland, and I felt I needed to add Kikkoman soy sauce, the most amazing soy sauce in the world! Ernesto’s food had a mixture of spicy red and green chili in it, and needed his drink to cool down. Plus, while we ate, there was Spanish music playing in the background.

When we finished, there was no fortune cookie to finish off the meal, and we did think that the sound of the door flying open and shutting close was distracting. But that did not affect our enjoyment of the restaurant. The lunch was at a good price; it was neither too cheap nor expensive, but enough to have a taste of an integrated Spanish-Chinese restaurant. Even if all the appetizers weren’t missing and the decorations were in theme, I would still return to have another try at the delicious chow mein (soy sauce will be included).

Time Machine at Granada Theater

I stepped back in time to 1920 at the Granada Theater in East Bakersfield Saturday afternoon. It was an awesome trip. As I munched popcorn, I watched Buster Keaton’s “One Week,” a 20-minute Keaton romp, released in 1920. Jim Spohn played his 25-ton Wurlitzer theater pipe organ built in 1928 and it became like the Professor’s “Way Back Machine” from the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.

There was a full house there to enjoy the 90 minute time warp back to the silent movies. Jim Spohn’s marvelous Wurlitzer filled the theater with a montage of sounds. They ranged from train whistles to “Phantom of the Opera” music. Jim bowed to a thunderous applause as the curtain closed.

I hope he can raise funds to bring this theater back to life more often.

T-Bones Steak House

My husband and I just had a wonderful experience dining out. We went to TBones located on District Blvd. Not only has it changed drastically from the original Amigos, it is a great experience in dining. I will have to say that for the first time in a very long time, I can not find one complaint. The service was great, the food was wonderful. The servers were around often took good care of you.

It was a wonderful experience and I would like for all of Bakersfield to know this. I had the halibut which was the best I have had in a long time, my husband and his friend had the t-bone special and my friend had the prime rib. We would all go back and look forward to our next time. The atmosphere is wonderful.

I would say the prices are comparable to any good steak house, but this one is unique. I think this restaurant can stand up there with the Outback or any other place that is know for their steaks. They have a piano player that plays while you dine which only makes it more fun. He is not overbearing and can do many songs and takes requests. He is quite good.
I would advise anyone who wants a great dinner to go there and experience it. I promise you, you won't go wrong.

Pete, this is one you don't want to miss.

They start out with bread, butter and salsa. They bring the salad which is served family style. It is also very good and has a tasty dressing. They they bring you beans that are to die for with fried cornbread. That, too is great. Then comes your main meal. They bring a caddy to your table of topping for your baked potato. It has many things to choose from like fresh bacon pieces which was a nice change.

The atmosphere is good and the owners take the time to come around an see how you are doing. It is just a very nice place to go.

Pamela Dustin

Author David Kulczyk at Russo Books on September 27th

Author David Kulczyk will be signing and speaking about his book, California Justice - Shootouts, Lynchings and Assassinations in the Golden State (Word Dancer Press) at Russo Books (9000 Ming Ave) on September 27th .

Two chapters of the book happened in Bakersfield. A Hard Road into Bakersfield is a look into vigilante injustice in Kern County in 1879, when five Californios and two successful businessmen were lynched.

Chapter 11

A Hard Road into Bakersfield

Death Toll: 9

May 28, 1879, Bakersfield - Kern County

Justice was thwarted in the following case of the Yoakum brothers,

as in one trial, they were exonerated, and in another, they were convicted

on the basis of highly partial testimony, testimony provided by the victims’ relatives and friends. However, based upon exasperation at the lengthy

and multiple trial proceedings, and upon the dubious degree of

impartiality provided by the judge, some citizens of Bakersfield took the

law into their own hands. They drew their own verdict and administered

a much quicker form of “justice” than the courts were providing.

The city of Bakersfield is situated at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley on the Kern River, and it gained a well-deserved reputation as a tough town almost from its founding. Maybe it’s the heat.

Bakersfield was settled in 1858, and it was named after an early settler, Colonel Thomas Baker. Colonel Baker ran a sort of campground for immigrants who were moving from southern California looking for a place to settle. By 1871, the settlement had a telegraph office, two stores, a newspaper, two boarding houses, one doctor, a wagon shop, a harness shop, one attorney, a saloon, and fifty students who attended a one-room school. Bakersfield quickly became the center of agriculture and industry for the region.

Five Californios were charged with the ever-popular crime of rustling on December 22, 1877, in Kern County. Whether they wee guilty or not, Bessena Ruiz, Fermin Eldeo, Miguel Elias, Francisco Ensinas, and Anthony Maron were all strung up together in one of the biggest Lynchings in California history. Nobody was ever charged with the murders.

Bill and Tom Yoakum were successful miners and businessmen in the area. Their land was located about twenty-five miles northeast of Bakersfield and the property included the Long Tom, the New Years Gift, and the Long Hank mines. The brothers also ran a general store, a blacksmith shop, and a mill. They employed thirty miners at their various excavations. The brothers defended their property against claim jumpers and thieves and thought nothing of suing anyone who challenged their right to their lands. Bill Yoakum even ran for sheriff once, although he lost the election.

The Yoakum brothers were not to be messed with, and their success in the mines and the courts angered many citizens of Kern County. Hamilton J. “Tug” Tucker and his partners. Johnson, Bronough, and Wegg, were involved in a long-running lawsuit over the Long Tom mine. The lawsuit became convoluted, and the Yoakums filed a court case against Tucker, Johnson, Bronough, and Webb. Little is known about the relationship that

Tug Tucker and William Johnson with the partners. But we can be reasonably sure that the extended lawsuit against the Yoakums drained the capital of both parties.

On April 13, 1879, Tucker and Johnson were driving their wagons along the road approximately a half mile from the Long Tom mine. They were returning from Granite Station, where the thirty-year Tug had established his family home. Johnson and Tucker’s sister, known only as Mrs. Burdett, were in the front wagon, with Tucker, his wife Harriet, and their two children in the second wagon, when two shots rang out from a rock outcropping on the hillside. Tucker was shot through the heart and died instantly. Johnson was also hit, and he died almost as quickly. People living nearby heard the commotion and came to their aid, but there was nothing they could do. Also, the men had been shot from a distance that was too far for anyone to have seen their assailants.

Harriet Tucker and her sister-in-law attended the coroner’s inquest the next day in Bakersfield. Both women were dressed in black. Mrs. Burdett’s face was badly bruised from her fall from the wagon. The Yoakums’ attorney, a Mr. Gregg, asked Judge Colby to clear the courtroom for the inquest, and the judge agreed. This riled the dead men’s friends, and as they stood outside the courthouse, they conjured up explanations as to why the courtroom had been cleared. A few hours later, Coroner A. A. Mix released the results of the inquest. Sheriff W. R. Bower’s investigation showed that the shots came from a large boulder with a natural hole in it that served as a gun port for the sniper. The boulder was located two hundred and fity yards from where the men were shot. The inquest dubiously concluded that the men were probably shot by the Yoakum brothers. Bill and Tom Yoakum were charged with murder, solely because of their ongoing lawsuit and the location of the shooting.

Completely disregarded by the inquest panel was the fact that Tucker and Johnson had successfully sent a miner to prison for stealing their gold. The miner had sworn revenge, and he had been seen around Kern County at the time of the ambush.

The Yoakums’ attorney asked for a change of venue for the trial, but Judge Philip Colby refused, although, ironically, before Colby had become a judge, he had represented William Yoakum in an unsuccessful lawsuit against a man named Thomas Baker. Although Bill and Tom Yoakum had huge investments in the area and a payroll to meet, they were detained in the Bakersfield jail while awaiting trial.

The Bakersfield newspapers stirred up passions with stirring editorials that suggested that good citizens of Kern County take the law into their own hands and become the judge, jury and executioner.

Bill Yoakum’s trial started on January 13, 1879. Yoakum was represented by three law firms. The attorneys again requested a change of venue, supported by a document signed by three outstanding Bakersfield citizens. The judge once again refused the request. Harriet Tucker testified first and added new details about the shooting. She now remembered that she recognized Tom and Bill Yoakum running from the ambush site. It was hard to believe that in the commotion, with her husband shot dead while sitting next to her, with their children on their laps and frightened horses pulling their wagon, she had possessed the mindset to look up to see who was shooting at them.

Tucker’s sister, Mrs. Burdett, testified that she saw a Yoakum running up the canyon just after the shooting, carrying a rifle. Bill Yoakum’s only alibi came from his wife Callie, who told the jury that Bill was home that day, taking care of their sick child while she did the washing.

The jury deliberated for only a few minutes before they came back with a not guilty verdict. Sheriff Bowers had to protect Bill Yoakum from the crowd, which was hell bent for blood, albeit not justice. Bill still had to face another trial on February 13 for the murder of Johnson. The brothers were pallid and baggy-eyed from their long imprisonment while awaiting trial and they had almost had enough. However, they hired additional attorneys from San Francisco for the next trial. The Bakersfield newspapers spread hate via editorials insinuating that the Yoakums had bought off Judge

Colby, completely omitting that Yoakum was found not guilty by a jury of his peers and not the judge.

The Johnson murder trial lasted ten days. Even thought Bill had been found not guilty in the first trial, he was found guilty of shooting Johnson. The jury heard the same witnesses and evidence as in the first trial. Yoakum’s attorneys immediately filed for a stay of sentencing so that they could appeal the verdict.

Any subsequent appeal trial was scheduled to be moved away from Bakersfield. Unfortunately, the Yoakums were still being held in the Bakersfield jail.

At half past midnight on the morning of May 28, 1879, a mob broke down the door of the jail and grabbed guards George Reed and William H. Coons. They took the keys from the jailers and went looking for the Yoakums. Sheriff Bower and a friend were nearby, but they were stopped by the mob and brazenly held at gunpoint.

The Yoakum brothers were in their cells when the lynch mob entered. Bill, who was in leg irons because he wasn’t a model prisoner, fought his attackers like a wildcat, until someone shot him in the chest. They then hung him by the neck in his cell. Tom was murdered the same way.

The jailers were released and they ran for their lives into the night. A few hours after the mob left, the frightened guards entered the jail and found the Yaokums beaten, lynched, and shot.

Even though only a handful of the mob word masks, and the sheriff and jailers all saw who was involved, the coroner concluded that “unknown persons” had lynched the Yoakums.

Evidently, the supporters of the victims had their own opinions

as to the events that had led to the ambush murder of Tucker and

Johnson. When “justice” flows from the barrel of a rifle, the “law”

sometimes becomes irrelevant.

Judas Priest, Heaven & Hell, Motorhead, & Testament Destroy San Bernardino, Sat Aug 30th

Ok, I am about recovered from Saturday night's 'Metal Masters' show at the Glen Helen Pavilion in San Bernardino, at least enough to write a review at least. I almost did not go because of my truck situation, but I finally said 'screw it' and went anyways, even though I had to borrow somebody else's car.

I had a killer seat - Orch 2, Row w, seat 30 - dead center! Just a bit further back than when I saw Priest at Irvine Meadows in 2005, but still good enough. The bands included Testament, Motorhead, Heaven and Hell (in actuality 80s era Black Sabbath with Ronnie James Dio out in front), and the mighty Metal Gods themselves, Judas Priest.

Testament took the stage while people were still entering the venue and getting their drinks & finding their seats, but they put on a good show. I've seen em once before but am not totally familiar with their stuff. Sound was good. Pretty basic stage setup. Large artwork behind em, slightly elevated drum riser, no true props.

Motorhead came on and blew out everyone's ears of course - what else would you expect? LOL. "We're Motorhead and we play Rock n Roll" was their motto for the night. Another simple stage setup, except their drummer was a lot more elevated than was Testament's. Excellent drum solo! Set list included Ace of Spades, Metropolis, Killed by Death, and Overkill. Not sure I knew the rest of the songs.

Heaven and Hell was next, and their stage set was a lot more elaborate. Winged gargolyes to each side, with gates on each side of another elevated drum riser. Light show was fantastic, mostly to simulate the fires of hell, etc. Dio can still sing with the best of em. Setlist included Die Young, Sign of the Southern Cross, Falling off the Edge of the World, "I", Time Machine, Mob Rules, Heaven and Hell (ext version!) and Neon Knights. Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler did an amazing job, and we got the night's 2nd drum solo from Vinnie Appice. This was my main reason for coming - how many times will you get to see the two bands considered to be the Godfathers of Heavy Metal, on stage in the same night??

Judas Priest took the stage about 9:35, beginning with Dawn of Creation and Prophecy, from the new 'Nostradamus' cd - which is a masterpiece - if you haven't picked it up yet - go grab it! Rob Halford began the night dressed up as kind of a Heavy Metal Pope, with his long silver hooded trenchcoat. He remained hooded throughout 'Prophecy' and removed it in time for 'Metal Gods', which just kicked!! One of the greatest metal anthems of all time, and even better when performed live, and at the right speed, which they are definitely doing this tour. The last couple of tours I've seen them, they've played it just a bit too slow.

"Eat Me Alive" and "Dissident Aggressor", two of of the handful of songs that have never been played live before, were big highlights of the evening. Rob did appear to be using the teleprompter a lot, which is kind of a bummer to see, but still, he has The Voice. Just amazing. He struggled only on "Painkiller". KK and Glenn were in top form, Ian was at his usual post, and Scott seemed to be getting into the show more than usual. He's known for looking a little bored at times during shows, but not Sat night.

Other songs included Between the Hammer/Anvil, Hell Patrol, Rock Hard Ride Free, Angel, Devil's Child, Electric Eye, Breakin the Law, Hell Bent, Green Manalishi, and Rob bantered back and forth with the crowd just before going into Another Thing Comin as the usual show ender.

Priest is planning to come back around and play Nostradamus in its entirety in 2009. Don't miss it!

My Thai food experience

It was my grandmother’s 71st birthday celebration and my sister Mallory picked the restaurant - The Orchid Thai Fusion Restaurant at 9500 Brimhall Road, Ste. 501 in the Brimhall Square.   So the night before, my mom got out the world map. We found Thailand, which is south of Laos and Burma. Then, of course, you have to know my mother, we went online to read up on Thai food. One of the most important things we learned is you don’t eat Thai food with chopsticks. You eat Thai food with a fork in your left hand and a spoon in your right hand. You’re supposed to scoop the food with the fork into the spoon. The other thing I learned was that Thai food is spicy, sour, sweet, salty and bitter and served with steamed rice.

When we got to the Thai Fusion, and after searching the menu for about 10 minutes, my mom asked me what was I going to have. I had no idea, then my sister Mallory showed up. She’s been to the Thai Fusion four times and it’s her favorite restaurant. Mom asked Mallory to suggest something to me. Mallory suggested the Mango Chicken (her boyfriend Mike had that dish with coconut rice), Seafood Spaghettini or Salmon Filet with Garlic Noodles. But, I wanted to pick something off the Specialties section of the menu. Mom pointed to the Trio Flavor Eggplant (she ordered that), but I had my eye on the Roasted Duck in Curry Sauce. It is slices of roasted duck breast topped with pineapple red curry sauce, served with steamed rice and grilled vegetables. Everybody at the table warned me that the curry might be too spicy. But I wanted to try duck.

When my dinner was served, the sauce was spread all over the plate. The slices of duck, grilled asparagus and squash were piled in the middle of the plate. I took a bite of duck. I REALLY LIKE THE DUCK!
The curry was a little bit spicy but it didn’t burn my mouth. The duck didn’t taste like anything I’ve ever eaten. The curry had a strong flavor but not too strong to overpower the duck.   I told mom she should make this at home. Mom asked the server for spoons because the table was only set with forks and knives.

I did what the internet said and scooped some rice and curry sauce into the spoon and ate it. I think this curry makes everything better! This is really really good! The internet also said to make rice balls, so I did and swiped them through the curry sauce on my plate.   Mom finally reached over and stabbed a chunk of pineapple covered in curry sauce and she especially liked the sweet and spicy flavors.

I shared two slices of duck with my mom and ate the rest. I could have eaten the vegetables left on my plate but Mallory said the words “ice cream.” “Let’s go to Daddy O’s it’s right down the sidewalk from here.” So I stopped eating and noticed the light fixtures. They were big balls of glass trumpets. They looked like the rubber balls with suction cups on the end that stick to the window when you throw them. The fixtures looked like they could start making noise. Mom told me later that somebody seated behind us was popping champagne.

Well, this was the first time I tried curry and the first time I tried duck. It was really good, exaggerate the word “really!” Since I’m trying everything else ---- bring on the scorpions!

I told my mom as we left, if we ever go back there, she should try the Seafood Inferno I saw it on the menu and it sounded good.

By Frank Gary, 7th grader at Tevis Jr. High and his mother, Theresa Gary.

"Baby" explores the miracle of life...with singing!

Having recently experienced a variation of the story ourselves, my wife and I jumped at the chance to see Stars latest show. Baby explores the consequences of life's most universal miracle...pregnancy. The musical follows three couples at different stages of their lives as they grapple with the task (successfully or not) of bringing a baby into the world.

The audience follows thre three plot lines as the couples encounter situations that range from comical to downright moving. The comedic style and awkward predicaments reminded me of films such as 9 Months and Father of The Bride Part II (both hilarious, by the way).

The on-stage conflicts are perhaps not quite as ground breaking as they would have been in 1983 (when the show debuted on Broadway) but the incredible musical numbers and biting comedy will certainly be a delight to anyone who has been a parent...or was raised by one.

Thank you, Stars, for all that and the delicious key lime pie as well.

"Baby" continues Aug. 28-29. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Call 325-6100 or go to www.bmtstars.com.

Tilted Kilt Opening

Just was wondering if anyone has gone yet to the Tilted Kilt on Calloway? I'm going tomorrow, I think it just opened yesterday. Beer, football games, and (hopefully) pretty girls. What could be better? Well, then Hooters is opening up soon too. But I think my allegiance will be with the TK, my brother in law is Scottish, haha. :)

Dining Review

Tacos Las Salsas

10818 Rosedale Hwy.

Bakersfield, CA. 93312

(661) 829-2014

My husband has been eating tacos from Tacos Las Salsas for a while but a couple of weeks ago we went in and sat down for lunch, We could not believe how great everything we tasted was. The flavor is wonderful and the prices are a delight. If you like mole it is the best I have tasted. This is a must try for the mexican food lovers in Bakersfield.

Arizona Cafe

If you're looking for authentic Mexican food, look no further than Arizona Cafe. The menu features a dazzling selection of tantalizing dishes, all made with the most scrumptious cheese available. The beans and rice alone are enough to drive anyone insane. The cheese enchiladas, as mentioned in a previous review for this same establishment, are pure legends. I cannot give proper description to that plate, and I always order it whenever I partake of the establishment's goodness with my family. I proudly admit that I am married to the cheese enchiladas.

Aside from the wildly delicious food, the service is generally top-notch. The staff members are friendly, and always willing to make you comfortable. My family and I enjoy ourselves everytime we enter the Arizona Cafe, and we pretty much order the same dishes everytime we visit. We're mesmerized by our first choices, so ordering anything else would be taboo!

Every other Mexican restaurant in Bakersfield should be ashamed of themselves. Arizona Cafe has risen our standards for this particular cuisine. We were once avid friends of the El Adobe staff, but now, thanks to a certain Cafe, we haven't seem them in I don't know how long. We were also visitors to Don Perico and La Colonia. They haven't seen us either.

If someone knows of a greater place for Mexican food, I would like to know about it. You'll be hard pressed to find one, though. Good luck.

Brn Rosander Young Artist Competition Winner 2008

Bryn Rosander:Young Artist Competition Winner

submitted by Lindsey Carlson

What is a typical week in the life of Tehachapi High School Sophmore, Bryn Rosander? "I go to school, attend ballet lessons two times a week and practice my violin. I attend Bear Valley Church, youth group activities and complete my homework everyday, maintaining a 4.0 GPA." Quite an active schedule for someone fifteen years young, in addition to weekly community orchestra practice and violin lessons!

Her dedication to this round of activities has paid off, as Bryn Rosander looks forward to being the featured soloist performing the first movement of Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3 with the orchestra in May. Through its annual Young Artist Competition, the Tehachapi Community Orchestra offers a $500 scholarship to a promising young Kern County musician between the age of 14 and 22. Bryn will be awarded this cash prize at the May 11, 2008 concert and she will tuck it away toward her college dream of attending Westmont College in Santa Barbara. Bryn's goal is to major in liberal arts to be an elementary school teacher and to minor in music.

Bryn, the daughter of Christy and Dan Rosander of Tehachapi, has had the support of her entire family throughout all of her musical endeavors. Having had instruction in violin for the past five years under the orchestra's first chair Gayel Pitchford, Bryn is already a seasoned performer. She has played for two seasons with the Tehachapi Community Orchestra, two years with the Kern County High School Honors Orchestra, the Adult Praise Band at Bear Valley Church, with the Tehachapi Junior Orchestra, and with the Roseburg Quintet on special occasions. Her awards range from the genre of old time fiddling to recital awards of "Sweetest Tone, Best Quality Practice, and Best Intonation."

A young lady of many talents, Bryn has also studied classical ballet for ten years with the Tehachapi Dance Studio and Joy Handy, Dance Specialist.

The upcoming concert will feature Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 in addition to the Young Artist's performance on May 11, 4:00 pm at County Oaks Baptist Church, 20915 Schout Road in Tehachapi. As always, the presentation is free of charge with donations deeply appreciated to further the work of the orchestra.

Also, the annual Spring Raffle Prizes will be given away at the May concert.

Grand Prize is $1,000 and tickets are now available at $5.00 each from Mountain Music, The Apple Shed, or any Tehachapi Community Orchestra or Symphonic Chorus member. Please phone Gayel Pitchford at 661-821-7511 for more information. The orchestra is enjoying its tenth season of free concerts in Tehachapi due in a large part to the contributing efforts of area residents. Anyone who is interested in helping the orchestra behind the scenes by becoming a "Supporting Note" is welcome to join the orchestra family and to sign up during the postconcert reception.

Tehachapi is known as the land naturally flowing with water and acorns. Because of the presence of the Tehachapi Community Orchestra, it is fast becoming known as the land flowing with music! Its most promising natural resource, American youth, is sure to inspire the audience on May 11, 2008 as the orchestra accompanies the beautiful talent of Bryn Rosander.

Note: Photo to follow immediately by email

Review: Cuban Flavor restaurant

Hello Everyone,

So this is my review on the new Cuban restaurant located on California and Chester Ave. Why is my review important? Well, I can say it isn’t. BUT, there is a reason to my madness, really! Cuban and Puerto Rican food are alike. And well.. I am Puerto Rican! We may have different names for the food that is served, but it is basically almost the same ingredients/preparation. Now the difference between Cuban/Puerto Rican food and Mexican Food is that Mexicn Food is all about making it "spicey", where as Cuban/Puerto Rico food is all about using "spices". The food is all about Flavor.

Ok, down to the serious grits. My first visit at the Cuban Restaurant was not “outstanding”. My mother and I decided to go around 7-8 pm, which for the Cuban Restaurant is around closing time. As most restaurants that are based on buffets (large quantity of food sitting in trays), they make the food in the morning and lunch, and to not waste food, around closing time its just.. “whatever is left over”. The food was still warm, and delicious, but it could have been better. The first night, both managers (brothers) stop by our table and said hello. The Cuban/Puerto Rican/Dominican Culture is based on friendly people (am I friendly?). The two brothers sat next to us and had a talk about the food, why they made the restaurant, and the likes! So the company was really nice. And in the background while we ate, they played Salsa, and Merengue music. You know I was in heaven.

The downfall is the restaurant was not “built” but it was really taken over from the previous Mexican taco “fast food joint”. So the “taco bell” tables and chairs still exist, and the ghostly image of a drive thru still exists. Now with that “mirage”, you expect the prices of the food to be “fast food”. Well it isn’t, for two people it’s around $25.00. That includes a large meal (rice, side dish, and main dish), and a drink (Malta India for me!). I’m estimating due to the fact that my mother wanted to try every dish, and well it cost more than the average $25 dollars plate for us that night.

Ok now this is how the Buffet Line works. No it’s not “all you can eat”. They have about 15 different buffet trays to look at, you point out which rice you want, which beans, which side dish and the main dish. I had the arroz con pollo (rice and chicken). The food was delicious! My mother had.. a lot of other things. Bacalao (fish) was one of them. But my mother was not disappointed! As a matter of fact she went again on Friday!

Now, I had my second visit today for lunch. Wow.. There were so many people! The rumor truly gets around. J So today I had the white rice, black beans, sweet plantains (yes, it’s a banana) and meat from a pig’s leg (Penir is the Puerto Rican word). Mmmmm. I finished the whole plate! By the way, there are other things you can choose instead of just the Buffet Line, they offer breakfast plates, and sandwiches and I think other stuff too. Food that the restaurant staff can actually cook right there and then for you. I haven’t tried them yet, but if you do, can you please send me your review on which you liked, and I will try it for my next visit.

So as my review, I think if you want to eat a well rounded “restaurant” lunch (maybe breakfast!), then the Cuban Restaurant is the place, but if you want a romantic “dinner” place.. You are still better off going to BJ’s. And the food? I was not disappointed, I am by all means happy that a restaurant was made that resembles Puerto Rican food. You just don’t know how crazy we are about “sweet plantains!”.

Location: A++

Food: A+

Restaurant: A

Hospitality: A++

Music: A++

Overall: A+

Sincerely,

Raine

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Post your own review on Bakersfield.com's Inside Guide: http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Business/CubanFlavorSaborCubano

Show review

Theater: The Empty Space

Show: Eleemosynary

This play is a poignant and eclectic view of three generations of women and their comedic and touching relations. All three women are exceptional and intelligent and the story races along like a rollercoaster with DVD multi-angle views.

The actors are invested in their roles and bring the story off in a wonderful and witty manner. They accomplish this with only lights and a few set items. This show is really cosmetic effect free, special or otherwise. The dialog was complex and intricate and the actors still appeared very polished. Everyone in the production was excellent and yet there are a few that stood even from this rarified group.

Jennifer Sampson (Artie) played the role of the conservative, middle generation and she (Jennifer) had the most evocative, expressive and empathetic representation of the character while still carrying the subtle undertones. Her portrayal of the stubborn and restrained character fills the viewer with sadness for the character. This can only be a reflection of the skill of the performer. The shots of comedy are timed perfectly and not over-the-top. Her excellent acting brings the emotional content forward (both cheer and challenges) while still allowing the complex story to evolve.

Samantha Gonzales (Echo) did a fantastic job with considerable and complex dialog. While all the women portrayed strong and highly intelligent (genius) roles, Samantha actually showed her own genius. She giggled exactly like a three-month old. She portrayed a young girl. She did a teen. She did a young woman. All this was accomplished with intermission, make-up or costumes. Especially enthralling was the excellent diction and accuracy with her long dialogues.

The venue, The Empty Space, is a civic theater focused on donations for its existence and the entrance is around in back (in the alley). This was my first experience with this production and this venue and the layout was a little confusing but efficient and the show was fantastic!

There are two more shows this Friday and Saturday, March 7-8, at 8:00 pm. The show is free, but has a suggested donation of $10.00 for adults. The information line is 327-PLAY.

Alecia Thornton is a first grade teacher in Bakersfield.

Big Popy’s Deli

Today was the opening of “Big Popy’s Deli”. It is a nice dinner-esque deli that has a hint of coffee/tea house feel. I love all the things on the wall. There is even a replica of the leg lamp from A Christmas Story, and the tables are authentic looking fifties kitchen tables with matching chairs. They remind me of my grandmothers’ kitchen.

The service was great. The cream of asparagus soup was good. My husband ordered the tuna sandwich, of which I took a bite — it was tasty. My daughter ordered the chicken noodle soup, she loved it. I can’t wait to have more time to stop in and sample more of their food.

They make vegetarian sandwiches as well as hot and cold sandwiches (with meat) and at about $7.00- $7.50 a sandwich is not too bad, I want to try their pastrami. They have hot and cold tea, coffee, fountain and bottled soda, $1.75-$2.50, freak’n sweet they have bubble up. I haven’t had bubble up since I was a kid.

Big Popy’s Deli also sells cakes, salads, soups, chips, cookies and tea loose by the ounce. It looks like a real nice place to have lunch and glimpse back in time. I can’t wait to go back.

Parkening Concert Huge Success

On Sunday, February 24, the Tehachapi Community Orchestra provided the polished setting for a gem of the world of classical guitar, Christopher Parkening. The protege of Andres Segovia attracted a capacity audience to an evening of American music at Country Oaks Baptist Church.

Accomodated by seating in an adjoining hall, the overflowing numbers listened through the open doors as Elmer Bernstein's Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra filled the air. Mr. Parkening performed the introductory movement "Guitar" through the subdued and thoughtful "Reflections" to the the lively "Celebrations" with impeccable agility. The virtuoso was hailed with a standing ovation to which he generously responded with two encores.

It was soul-stirring as he tenderly played Americana; My Country Tis of Thee by Philip Lester, expressing exquisite beauty and national pride. Next, Mr. Parkening selected Carlo Dominiconi's work Koyunbaba; The Shepherd which showcased the technical mastery for which the soloist is famous. Both of these encore pieces as well as his concerto are available on his recordings. Mr. Parkening graciously signed programs and personally met with members of the audience after the concert.

This American Classics concert was an evening that raised Tehachapi's music scene to an even higher level and one that the young people present will be telling their grandchildren about someday! Having attracted such world class talent, this packed event underscored Tehachapi's need for a permanent building for the performing arts.

In addition to showcasing guitarist Christopher Parkening, the Tehachapi Community Orchestra performed works by American composers George Chadwick and Edward Macdowell. Chadwick became the first composer of concert music whose works show the wit and independence of the American. Suite No.1 in D minor by Macdowell was clearly representational music from his Haunted Forest to his Forest Spirits: the audience could imagine the flight and songs of birds and the excitement of an autumn day in the delicate wind instrument and percussion touches throughout the movements. Both of these composers works ended in a feeling of optimism, demonstrating the indomitable American spirit.

Maestro Dr. David Newby chose as the orchestra's encore : The Magnificent Seven by Elmer Bernstein which was enthusiastically applauded by the hundreds present. The Tehachapi Community Orchestra continues to delight audiences with unexpected masters and masterpieces!

The orchestra is grateful to the community for its support of this latest concert and extends the invitation to join them again on Sunday, May 11, 2008 when Young Artist Competition winner 15- year- old Bryn Rosander will be performing with them Mozart's Violin Concerto 3 in G; Movement I. A feature article about Bryn is soon to be released, giving her interesting background and emphasizing the talent to be enjoyed here in the Tehachapi Mountains.

Lindsey Carlson is the Publicity Chair of Tehachapi Community Orchestra.

Prime Cut or Famous Dave's?

Though I said I didn't want to go to Famous Dave's this early in the opening of the restaurant, my family decided to make a trip to the newly renovated barbecue joint on Rosedale Highway. Prime location? Of course. Prime Cut? Not a chance.

Don't get me wrong, Dave's had a good barbecue. The meals I saw were large (two sides, corn on the cob, cornbread, and an entree), and the chicken was bragged on by many at my table. The choices of the hot barbecue sauces were interesting, and we all had fun taste testing before the meal arrived.

The atmosphere was definitely a sight to behold. At first, I was quite overcome by the amount of detail that had gone in to the development of the scene, which was quite reminiscent of the old country fair with the tasty barbecue in the corner. Maybe it was the fact that we had to wait nearly 50 minutes to be seated as we watched multiple tables vacate only to sit and wait longingly for more patrons, or maybe it was the incessant standing because of the lack of any good place to wait. Whatever the cause, the sights and sounds soon became sensory overload. As the feasts, which were loaded on top of a shiny silver trashcan lid, quickly made their way around the place, the chanting by the employees almost became too much to bear. Was I trapped in some Orwellian nightmare? Were we seriously expected to revel in the oddly Neanderthal rhythms of "FEAST!" being yelled over and over again? The realization soon sank in that I was surrounded by people worshipping food on a trashcan lid. Unfortunately, my meal became slightly less desirous as I watched the food feverishly disappear from the trashcan lids in an obviously overindulged America's bacchanalian ritual.

Since I did not partake in the "FEAST!" or the Famous Dave's Two-Meat Combo, I chose the BBQ Chicken Sandwich with a side of garlic red potatoes. For $8.99, I received a hamburger bun with a thin layer of pulled chicken breast, a dollop of the house barbecue sauce, a small bowl of garlic red potatoes, and, of course, a moist towlette for good measure. Never had I been so disappointed with a meal than I was at that moment -- it was a chicken sloppy joe for $8.99. I literally walked out of the place wondering where my money went.

Now I already see the writing on the wall -- "What did you expect, going to a restaurant like that and not ordering 'FEAST!'" Or how about, "Of course you're not going to be satisfied -- you bought a paltry chicken sandwich, what kind of wimp are you?" I'm the kind of wimp who likes her steaks cooked rare, medium rare if I can't convince the server to complete it the way I like. I'm the kind of wimp who expects to go out to a restaurant and eat a sandwich that doesn't taste like something my seven-year-old niece could make. I'm the kind of wimp who desperately wished I had gone to the homegrown and locally owned Prime Cut that night.

I did find myself wistfully dreaming of the deliciously juicy Deep Pit Chicken sandwich only Merv and Michelle Crist can make. The sandwich has more meat than legally comes on a chicken, yet it is meat that one could actually box, take home, and save the next day. No purging from a trashcan lid. Instead, I have some of the best deep pit chicken in town to savor two days a week, not just one.

My mind also drifted to the famous Mervberger -- 3/4 of a pound of top-quality hamburger, ground in-store out of some the finest choice and prime steaks the shop sells. I imagined the medium-rare delight, the mustard, onions, and lettuce enveloping the perfectly seasoned patty, which is further encased by the slightly crisp homemade bread on the outside. Truly a burger, not just meat-in-a-bun. I also thought of the impressive value of the meals offered by the restaurant, feasts in themselves yet not so plebian in nature. My hungry eyes recently saw a plate -- yes, a plate! -- of succulent tri-tip (six slices, I believe), some of the best homemade chili beans in town, truly delicious Las Vegas potatoes, and one of the sweetest homemade rolls one can purchase -- all for $16.99.

I've heard the complaints of Prime Cut. They charge too much for a sandwich and they don't give any sides. I concede this point — one service they may do well to employ is providing free fries with their sandwiches, or creating a combo meal out of their burgers. I've also heard the service is problematic, though each time I've been in the restaurant, I've never had an empty glass, my servers have always smiled, and each person has gone out of his or her way to make sure my meal was satisfying, as was my experience.

I fear that the blind acceptance of the mega-food chains will only cripple our most beloved restaurants. Places like Prime Cut, which offer some of the best and most unique fare in our town, define our town. They make our town home, they make our economy thrive, and they make us proud to say we are from Bakersfield. As I sat in the disingenuous funhouse that was Famous Dave's, I was truly reminded of the reason why we love the town like we do -- the genuine people, the genuine stores, the genuine town that many of us grew up in.

Bacchus (and Dave), eat your hearts out. The real food rests in the hands of the real people of this town.

Appreciate "wit"

Just recently, Bakersfield has added "Mutha Shuckers" to our restaurant pages. What a shame, not about the food — haven't gone and won't — but the poor taste exhibited in the name.

It's not cute, funny or even witty — wit left town when we lost the hot dog restaurant "Franks for the memories." I'm glad my children are grown so I don't have to explain why people chuckle about the "new place" in town.

Mutha Shuckers

There is this cute little resturant connected to the Regencey Lanes. Its call Mutha Shuckers. And they serve the best King Size Crab legs. They also make other things but my personal fav, is the crab legs. When I go there I get the 1lb King Size Crab Legs and my two sides are Southern Fried Okra, and a Side Salad.

They give you Hushpuppies for a little something when you get there. They have some great food, and they are really looking to expand. So if everyone who reads this just go down and try a soda or something would help them out a lot. It's a small, family-owned business and wants people to see it.

Thank you

Jennifer Hudnall

Sushi Lunch

Sushi Lunch by Frank Gary

6^th Grade Student at Laurelglen Elementary School

My mom offered to take me to eat sushi. Of course I said yes! We went to Akira. When we walked in I saw explosions on the fry grill, the place was dark. We were seated at a table even though I wanted to sit at the sushi bar. I sat facing the window and saw the snowman wearing an American hat. That kinda ruined the whole Japanese decor. I did like how the rest of the restaurant was decorated.

My mom and I used three sushi order sheets to get our selection just right. We had to turn the waitress away a few times before we were ready to order. We kept getting distracted by the explosions coming from the fry grill. I wanted sashimi, so mom labeled one column on the order sheet "sashimi." We proudly handed the sheet to the waitress and she told us we couldn’t have the pieces I selected as sashimi. My mom looked at me frustrated and said "we can’t get what we want!" I assured the waitress it was okay, okay to make mine sushi.

After the waitress left, our mood started to gloom. Our Akira experience was going sour.

But, another explosion from the fry grill distracted us. This time it wasn’t so entertaining. Smoke shot everywhere so I covered my nose with my t-shirt to block it out.

We didn’t wait long to get the sushi. Wha la! The chef made mine sashimi! What a good guy. We tipped him $5. My mom told me to try the soy sauce with the green cap. I didn’t like it. It tasted entirely different than the soy sauce with the red cap. The sushi and sashimi was brought out on two wooden slabs and looked beautiful. I knew then this was going to be pretty good! The salmon roe was as big as the pieces. As we ate, my mom started writing down what I was saying so we pretended to be food critics. So far, I gave the food an A.

The sushi and sashimi pieces were two biters. In my excitement, I took a big bite of salmon roe. I chewed twice, excused myself, and headed for the restroom. When I came back my mom asked "did you spit it out?" I nodded. For clarification, my mom asked the waitress if what I ate was salmon roe and the waitress confirmed it. The tiny eggs on the other pieces were smelt eggs. I now realized those were the orange ones I liked. Because disliking salmon roe was a personal problem, I couldn’t count it against the restaurant.

I continued to eat and tried very hard not to eat with my hands - I was in public. But I had to use them. We didn’t have an eating plate, just the serving plate. So my mom asked the waitress for a small dish or bowl. We only got one between us. My mom used it first, but when she saw I was struggling not to use my hands so she swiped out the salmon roe and handed it to me. We ate till we couldn’t eat anymore. We took eight pieces home for later.

Then came the bill. It was $73.90. Wow, I thought that was expensive for sushi. Mom got out cash! My dad would have been proud she didn’t put it on a credit card. As we were leaving I was thinking that I could have possibly purchased two new games for my game systems with that money. But our experience was not over. As we approached the door I saw two little puddles of blue fire on the first fry grill. Then the chef poured a trail of oil from the puddles to a big puddle of oil in the middle of the grill and it made a huge explosion of fire. I could feel the heat as we walked out the door.

We drove past the Dollar Movie on our way out of the parking lot! Our date wasn’t over. Mom only had one dollar left from lunch so I hit the change in the ash tray. We got $9 out of it. Enough to go to the movie and get snacks! This was a good vacation day.

Review: R. Kelly's "Double Up"

I was curious about the R. Kelly latest CD because I knew he was in trouble so I assumed he would change the content of the lyrics of his songs. I was dead wrong.

The latest CD "Double Up" is outrageous. Musically his CD is fantastic but the lyrics are somewhat disgusting. I will mention a few songs and the suggestion for these young people minds to adventure in (wow).

The CD is very sexual in its connotation. One of the songs "Double Up", he is suggestion that you double up. Another song is "Same Girl", partners doing the same girl. The song that is the biggest hit on his CD is "I'm A Flirt", he's basically telling his partners don't trust me with your girl, wife, sister or any female.

I chose this CD to review because I believe a lot of young people listen to this music and replace reality with fantasy. The three songs I mentioned have some form of negative connotation toward women. These songs are more than entertainment, I believe some young people take these songs to a different level and believe this is what you are suppose to do.

This may be not believable but think of this. The shooting in the plaza was over a female. Was this young man flirting with the shooters girlfriend, did he want to double up or were they messing with the same girl. These are just suppositions but in reality could this be true? We need to listen to what these young people are listening to, some of these lyrics are "outrageous" and very "suggestive".

Conservative Teacher Publishes Debut Book From Behind Enemy Lines

America's public schools are sinking into a pit of socialist despair. Conservative teachers are forced to hide their thoughts and feelings or risk being ostracized by their Marxist peers and supervisors. Well no more! Local author and teacher, Marc Howard of Grand Terrace, Calif. (near Riverside) has exposed the world of the current generation of school age children, dubbing them Generation XXX. Through humorous anecdotal accounts of the modern American child, Marc has brought to light the world created by the implementation of liberal philosophies within our society in his debut book, Behind Enemy Lines: A Conservative Teacher's Observations of Generation XXX (216 pp., $14.95)

Behind Enemy Lines takes the reader into the world of the modern teenager and the young adult from a first person perspective. Howard deals with such issues as the effects mass media and the world of entertainment have on children, language, views toward sexuality, and how our youth treat their peers and those in positions of authority. In addition to pointing out the negative aspects of a generation he likes to refer to as Generation XXX, Marc Howard offers advice to care givers for raising their children to be self sufficient and honorable people.

Marc Howard's mission is simple; to educate parents, grand parents, and future parents on the current cultural conditions which influence our children on a daily basis. Marc wants to open the eyes of the American people, both conservative and liberal, who may or may not know what goes on in the modern world of American children. By exposing the current depravity apparent in the lifestyle of the modern American youth he hopes to empower parents, future parents, and all care givers, in order to reclaim their children from the world of Generation XXX.

Marc Howard is only one voice speaking for millions of others. Through a collective effort by Americans who wish to restore the United States to her once great glory, he believes we can once more make this nation a place we want our children to inherit. Furthermore, he believes before we can do this, we have to wake America up and expose the reality of the world we have created. Without honestly looking at our failures we can not overcome them, and the failures of our society are made apparent in the lifestyle of our children.

Marc Howard received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from California State Polytechnic University Pomona in 1998 and a Master of Arts Degree in Secondary Education from California State University San Bernardino in 2002. Marc has taught in California's public school system for over nine years. He currently teaches American History and AVID at a title one school and enjoys working with at risk students. Although he admits he was fairly liberal in his personal philosophies and politics as a young teacher, he credits his conservative views to years of teaching and working with students from extremely diverse backgrounds and value systems.

In addition to his teaching experience, Marc has coached youth soccer in both recreational and competitive settings with children ranging in age from four to eighteen. He has worked with hundreds of players over a twelve year period in a variety of socioeconomic settings. Marc has been married for seven years and has two sons.

Marc Howard welcomes your inquiries at Mhoward39@sbcglobal.net

AKA at Amigos Cantina 9 1 07

I must say right off, this band is very pro, They know what it is they're doing. From the moment I first saw them I knew they have been around, And the musicianship was apparent, and they shined, like a Diamond in a dark cave. All the songs were great, in tune, no mistakes, and they had a great banter with the people watching, Yes they are good and if ever get a chance to see them do it, just for me.

Being together now for 5 years, we have Sharon Gleason on everything, guitar, lead voice, keys, she even dances with people as she plays and sings, then there's Jim Robinson, a very talented pro player on guitar and lead voice, they're all pro, Dan Topping on lead guitar and he cooks, Roger Holnacki on drums and he sings as well and even finds the time to run the mixer, and Mark Bazzini on bass, One of the best bass players I think I've seen for a long time, They gell like grape jelly. They shouldn't be missed.

They showed great professionalism,, With simply great bass playing, Great singing, with great harmonies, most bands, if you get one guy singing it's a good thing but these guys have the vocal part done very well.They also have a great stage show with jokes and they even talk to the audience, I liked that, In fact I looked down at my drink and when I looked up, the lead guitarist was in front of me riffing to me, it was really good. , A great set of songs, a great Rhym section and leads, make this band one of the best in recent memory for me and I really enjoyed them.

The songs I really dug were, Gold Dust Woman , Sledge Hammer, Evil Ways cooked, Don't Speak, Stelly Dan's, Peg was great, Use Me Up, was also excellent. this band gets kudos from me. if you can, try to see them, if you like nice music and a good party band. The beer was good too. Angie was there serving up drinks and she had her hands full, make sure to tip her cuz she does a great job!

Well, see you next week

Vincent

http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=1197163

www.myspace.com/vincentleedsmusic

Bakersfield Underground News Syndicate

We here at Hectic Films have started a little underground news program making fun of local news. We come out with a new video every Friday talking about local news, new movies and local events.

If you want to find out more about BUNS

go to www.hecticfilms.com or you can check out the BUNS myspace at www.myspace.com/bakoundergound

Thanks SO much for watching!

Prisoners of Love at Amigos Cantina 8 18 07

Amigos Cantina District and Gosford 398 1300

Well, I gotta say this is probably the most pro band I've ever seen at Amigos, Man they sounded good, their sound mix was wonderful, Every player was truly pro. A great band, no two ways about it, yes, I'd see them anytime. Truly great!

With Jerry Carbajal, on percussion, Dan Mablot, on guitar, Nano Hernandez , on keys, Tim Murray ,the great singer, Art Carbajal, played the fat soundin'' bass, and Eddy Tevino, on drums.

People I can't say enough...on how good this band is! they play a mix of songs from Rancheras to Tower of Power music with great expertise. Had everyone there jumpin' in their seats, The singer is truly a great singer, interfaced with the audience so very well, The girls dancin' weren't fallin' on him!, as he claimed!! A lot of singers just say the words, Tim sings with a great vibrato and in tune and has a funny attitude in his performance that shines thru, although he doesn't like beer signs shinin' on him when he sings, but that's besides the point. he puts out, man!

For 11 years this band has been jammin' round town, they're from East Bakersfield. The standout songs included, Miss You, Get Your Back Against The Wall, Smooth, BiBiBomBom, Best of My Love, Santana's, Twisted and I think that was Samba Por Ti, and, So Very Hard To Know, Low Rider, and Brick House, but every song they played was simply great, with a bottom so thick one could walk on it ,and vocals so clear you could hear them thru the clickin' glasses, and the harmonies as well. A guitar player that sounded as good as Carlos Santana, and the keys of an angel, This band could be the NBC band on Jay Leno.

Tim is a great blues singer, They must have a lot of experience cuz it shows in how good they sound. and I'm not just makin' this up, you should have been there. "There may have been better songs played by different bands there, but never a song played better" That's what I say and it's true, I speak Spanish for a garbacho, so I dug the Spanish songs they played during the sets, My god their 1st set was 55 minutes long, from 7;30pm to about 12am they completely took over the place. I look forward to seeing this band again. Guess I'm tryin' to say they, ROCK!

Vincent Leeds

The Spazzmanians at Amigos Cantina 8 11 07

Well, I had fun there , They jammed and gelled, The group with the unique name, the Spazzmanian's, sound like an Armenian Restaurant, don't they? but in reality, are a rather tight Classic rock outfit.

Scott Lopez on guitar, keyboards and even sang some songs very well, Rick Hudgens on lead vocals and guitar, Mike Jones on bass, and David on drums and he even sang a few tunes.

The group had its 1st set jitters as all bands do but by the 4 th song, they sounded really good, I'd recommend anyone to see this group, as they are a good sight n sound musical group,

Being together about 2 years, the band plays many different styles and genres, all very well, From Duran Duran to the Beatles they give off a nice glow if you're into havin a good time and dancing or relaxing to a good band. We had excellent playing from all, but Scott Lopez was a bit out there, playin and singin, even doubling on keyboards, He did a kick ass job on it too.

The standout songs were, I Saw Her Standin There, by the Beatles, and Behind Blue Eyes, White Wedding, Surrender, one of my favs, Young Lust by The Pink Floyd, they shone like a diamond, Brown Eyed Girl also cooked last night as they played from 7;30 pm to after 11pm, Go see them Im tellin you, it's worth it and there was no cover charge last night! Cool

Vincent Leeds

The voodoDogs Rock Amigos Cantina 8 4 07

The 'Voodo Dogs' Rock, yea they do, They transfixed the crowd at Amigos Last night, And rock they surely did. from the moment I got there and Angie asked me what I was drinkin, to when i had to go I really had a good time, Kudos to jermeny for Bringing in such a fine group. he realy did us alla favor.

On vocals we had, Richard Lee, Bass was provided by, Rick Fox, Slamming drums by, Tom Baratta, and the great, John Sanchez on electric guitar. They were to start at 7;30pm and they did, how often do ya see that happening. they right into song and from the get go, they howled n rocked all night. They have been together 8years hails from parts unknown, but they said they're from Ventura. Nice town, i like it there, for one thing it's cooler there! These guys are total pros all the way, I heard only one thing that werent perfect, but im not going to mention it. Just a lil thing that nobody elese probally notised.

From 7;30pm to afyter 11pm they jammed and rocked the place. Much to the joy of those who were there, people danced and sang along, everyone had a grand time, even me.

Their best songs to me were, 'Miss You','Purple Rain', that was very good, 'Sweet Emotion', The Pink Floyd song, 'Time' and the Led Zep medley that they played, drove everyone there nutz, John on guitar shone like a Diamond, playing as close to Jimmy Page as anyone I've ever heard, The crowd went limp after he played a perfect copy of Jimmie's immortal lead solos on 3 songs. I loved it, They also did well on 'Bowie's, 'Fame" and "Feel Like Makin Love". This group is so very pro, from one song to the next without a break, no tuning up, no bull, just full throttle rock n roll old school, and they played the songs their way and it was good, 'Life in the Fast Lane" was cooking, "Man in a Box" was also a stand out. These guys don't just jam, they are consummate pros and they play songs, music, for those of us who dig this sort of old school stuff, But I still say how can Led Zep ever go out of style, Simply great. Hope they come around again.

Richard Lee on vocals drove all the points home with nary a bad note, his high energy out put was insane, It even tired me out to see how much he was putting out!, Rick Fox on bass and B/g voices really impressed me as his background vocals were spot on and his bass lines were in the pocket, he jammed like glass. Tom Baratta on drums laid down the most perfect drum beats, every roll was right on and he played his heart out, These guys earned every cent of whatever they got paid, if you ever get a chance to see them, check 'em out. They don't disappoint, They rock!

Vincent Leeds

http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fGroupID=2223

www.myspace.com/vincentleedsmusic

Wireless Security 101

You have an office or home where you might possibly have 1, 2 or more computers. You have broadband, and now you need a wireless router to sync everything together. You are sharing personal and sensitive information through file sharing, printers, and fax machines. How can you secure your data? How can you know for sure that your information will be secure even when you log onto Web sites and enter personal information?

The answer is simple, you can't. You will never know for sure 100% that nobody is gathering or stealing your sensitive data, but there are measures that you can take to drastically prevent this type of theft from ever happening:

1. Enable WPA2!! NEVER use WEP under any circumstances. Its algorithms are extremely weak and can be hacked within minutes. WPA has a flaw if you are using short, weak passwords. Your password should always be 72 characters long of mumbo-jumbo (ex. h*kP,3@c).

2. Shut down your SSID broadcasting. This will hide your network to those who are looking for it, it will show nothing. This can be bypassed rather easily. However, the more fences one must hop the better.

3. Enable MAC filtering. This will only allow certain computers that have a specific MAC address to connect. This is easily the weakest security of them all, because all an individual needs to do is spoof his/her MAC address. But again, enable it anyway.

4. Invest in a small, affordable and easy-to-use VPN (Virtual Private Network). This will route your traffic elsewhere and will keep prying eyes off your data with 256-bit AES encryption (the strongest available).

5. Miscellaneous - Switch to a different channel if you suspect that someone is breaking in. Also enable your Firewall, disable remote management, and I would not recommend using DMZ (which opens up all ports for a specific IP address).

6. Finally, set a password for your router/VPN/modem. Simple but frustrating to those trying to break through. Again, very easy to bypass.

Many of these options I've listed here are simple to break through. The whole point is to put up as many road blocks as possible in order to perhaps frustrate anyone trying to break into your wireless network. The best defense is to not let anyone in to begin with. So, enable WPA2 and use the longest and strongest password you can. And invest in buying a VPN. I recommend taking a look at www.iphantom.com. Phantom gateways has a very easy-to-use, affordable and powerful VPN that even the simplest of computer users can figure out.

The best security is to switch to WPA2 by far. Get rid of WEP, its security is almost as equal to nothing. And if you have information that needs to be kept secret, WPA2 is the best option by far.

This is a "Wireless Security for Dummies" guide and very simple, yet it is written so that even the uneducated user can apply it to protect their data.

The Noel Emmett Experence at Amigos Cantina, Index at Gosford, 7 28 07

The Noel Emmett Experence at The Amigos Cantina Gosford and Index,

Bakersfield , 398 1300, Friday Night 7 28 07

Noel Emmett.., "There will be Noel Emmett !", Clever hey?! I think So! This countyfried Rock group rocked the place! Sure they had problems in the 1st set, Who doesn't? Seems their sound man came a bit late, Took some time to tune up Emmett's voice and get it all to gel, but gel it did, they tried 2 different PA systems and finally got it good, The house speakers, to me are pointed the wrong way, they Don't point at the audience but back to the band, so they didn't cut thru. But they did come up with a good vocal sound.

We have Noel Emmett on Guitar, playing a beautiful Taylor jazz guitar with F holes instead of a sound hole. and Lead vocals, Derrick Rains on lead guitar, Mark Bazzini on bass, and Dean Tackett playin those electronic drums which they say is the last time, as they've bought a new acoustic set but the electronic drums sounded ok, except when they went off and started playin notes no one wanted to hear, but even that didn't take away from the song they were singin'.

I have to say Derrick Rains played some quite excellent guitar riffs, I don't think I heard a singe error on his part. Everyone was quite good at what they were doing.

No, I enjoyed them and the almost full house did as well, People danced to Noel's songs, and he even played an original song, "Minimum Wage" which was very good, Derrick shined on guitar, playing Led Zep and Aerosmith during the breaks between the songs, much to the annoyance of Mr. Emmett, I must add. One time, Derrick started playin and even sung, I think a Kiss song and the whole group joined in as Noel tuned his guitar, He is a very affable person, Noel, Telling very clever jokes in between the songs, and he reminded me allot of Mike Rowe of "Dirty Jobs" , he has that kinda of self deprecating kinda humor going for him. Dean was without a mistake on drums and Mark on bass provided the proper bed to lie the songs in. Very pro all 'round. I thought it was good entertainment. So did allot of the people in Amigo's. By the way, Amigos Cantina is such a great place to see local bands. They give people a chance to be heard. I like them for that and they have a good tortilla chip, light n crispy with a great salsa, but I digress.

From 7;30 PM to about 11;15 PM Noel and Company played charming folk and country and songs, even some rock songs, with much flair, and emotion, 'Sweet Home Alabama' was a stand out. Each song was unique thou, even when Noel forgot a word or a chord, it was still great. This band is true Americana. And very tight despite he lil problems during the 1st set. I would recommend anyone to see the, 'Noel Emmett Experience', as they are a cool, semi original Country Band. Don't miss them They have a web site, so google them for more info, Noel, Send me your CD! Please!?

thanx again!

Vincent Leeds evrdman@aol.com

http://www.lulu.com/content/1054821

The Token Oakies at Amigos Cantina last night 7 21 07

Gosford at Index 398 1300

BTW No I don't work there I just like music

The Token Oakies rocked this place last night to throngs of dancing people who all had a great time, I did as well, I was really impressed by the guitarist, he's a real guitar player, old school and knew how to rock and he well did, I liked his guitars too. When I 1st saw him, he looked rather sad, long side burns, a frown. I thought to meself, now this lad is depressed, but then when he started playin, he smiled came alive and even jumped into the dance floor and danced with the 15 girls who danced almost every song. Along with that very old and cool gentleman, dressed in black with a gold amulet 'round his neck, who I've seen there 2 nights running, See even when we are old we can still rock, as he well does!

this band does a rockabilly good, the singer is on key and a funny guy, the bass player was having fun allot of it, sippin something out of a giant Thermos jug, One can only guess what it was. The drummer on time but very hard for me to see. I really had a good time last night n I do recommend The Token Oakie to all. Very tight and very inspiring

Vincent Leeds

The Beagles

The Beagles At Amigos Cantina

July 14th 2007 starting at 7;30

Gosford at Index, Bakersfield 398 1300

The Beagles say they are they only Beatles tribute band in Bakersfield and they may be. Do you know any others? I don't. Note there's only one letter difference between the two names, This band is made up of 4 Latinos, Two great front men, the lead singer and the one guitarist, Both engaged the audience with much professionalism. This band has tons of experience, and talent.

Well, Im a Beatle freak, I must say I know every chord and lead line and all the words to every song, So I was extra weary of them, thinking I was going to see a cheap imitation, I was rewarded with a great true to the Beatles band, that even Ringo would be proud of !

The Beatles remain a very popular group, still one of the best selling groups on earth even thou they broke up 38 years ago, imagine that! Name one other group that can boast that!

The performance was excellent, every note was perfect, every line sung in tune and with gusto and much fun resulted, Everyone in the audience sang every song with them, including me. It was allot of fun and very entertaining. The 1st set were all Beatles songs, good ones too, the ones we remember best, the drums were right on and the bass as well, One could tell they were having fun on stage and told jokes to us. The lead singer also played key boards as well, with much aplomb , I must say, These men have talent.

During the 2nd set and then on, different they played songs from the 60's and early 70's to the all aged people dancing and singing,

They didn't play a bad song, Even when they played, "Birthday" By the Beatles, (really a Paul song) every one was thrilled, and they played it well, even though they didn't play it exactly the same as the Beatles but they played it good and everyone enjoyed the Beagles that night including me.

I'd recommend this band to anyone who wants a good clear exciting night out, I give 'em 4 out of 5 stars.

Vincent Leeds

Elevation 406

Elevation 406 At Amigos Cantina

July 14th 2007 starting at 7;30

Gosford at Index, Bakersfield 398 1300

This blues band packed the room last night, They look the part on stage, with a larger than life lead singer and 2 guitars, a bass and drums. There was much anticipation before they played and one could feel excitement in the air. I wore my cowboy hat and was glad to see lots of others donning the same head

gear. So I fit right in. I even had a hard time to find a seat even thou I came 20 minutes early.

When the Band started 15 minutes late, the 1st song wasn't as tight as it could be, as they didn't have sound man ( as far as I could see) they had the bass player, who was cordless walk around and see how it sounded in different parts of the room.

The mix to me was off just a bit, The great lead guitarist, who played a blue guitar and had a great looking Epiphone Amp, which I admired, but wasn't loud enough to cut thru, to me where I was sitting, Im sure if one was sitting on e the other side he was loud enough. On my side the rhym guitarist was too loud and was out of tune allot, He tried to keep it in tune by tuning every song break, he wasn't that much out. The drummer was right on and mixed good, The singer, to me was behind a 50's sheen of echo, One that reverberated 3 or 4 times on each word, He needed more treble, he just couldn't cut thru the wall of sound. Maybe it was just where I was sitting. He did a great job singing and was in tune all the time, and was backed up by the bassist and rhym guitarist in chorus. By the 3rd song they had tightened up pretty well, except for the mixing. The crowd didn't mind as many couples were dancing on the dance floor, the stand out being a extremely old gentleman, dressed in all black wearing a amulet around his neck, Girls were going up to him and asking him to dance, I swear, he looked 85 years old if he was a day.

I tapped my toes and banged my fists on the table with the music, this band is a great party band.

By the 2nd set they were much tighter and less self conscience of them self's. They jammed the house down. Everyone had a grand time. I liked the group. They played songs from the 60's to the 90's. I enjoyed everyone despite the troubles they were having at 1st. The lead guitarist never did turn up, but it was ok, no one can mix a band in such a odd shaped room like that. The free taco chips and salsa went well with the beer and a grand time was had by all, I recommend this group, they do rock...

I'd give them a 3.5 out of 5

Vincent Leeds

VIDEO PREVIEW - The History Of Rock & Roll Goes To The Movies

Don't miss the smash hit that sold out audiences on opening weekend, "The History of Rock & Roll Goes to the Movies!"

    A new tradition returns to the Spotlight Theatre this summer, as we present the sequel to last year's hit "The History of Rock & Roll" with this year's "The History of Rock & Roll Goes to the Movies!" While last year's production took us on a musical journey from the start of rock and roll to the present, this time around, we focus on songs from movies, dating all the way back to the early days of cinema!

    Excluding songs from established musicals, this year's production has songs that were made famous because of the movies they were in! The show includes everything from Shirley Temple and Judy Garland to Coolio and Eminem! And we also include famous scenes from movies like Casablanca, High Noon, Singin' In the Rain, The Graduate, Young Frankenstein, Animal House, 9 to 5, The Blues Brothers, Rocky III, Footloose, Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun, Moulin Rouge and more!

    Featuring performers like Abbott and Costello, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Audrey Hepburn, The Beatles, James Bond, Barbra Streisand, Isaac Hayes, the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Bob Seger, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Madonna, Oingo Boingo, Bette Midler, Whitney Houston, Leann Rimes, Trisha Yearwood, Celine Dion, the Soggy Bottom Boys, Peabo Bryson, Phil Collins, and more surprises!

    When our movie host meets our music host, the two combine for a show with acting, singing, dancing, and more! This show is fun for the entire family!

"The History of Rock & Roll Goes to the Movies" plays Thursdays at 7PM, and Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM, and runs through August 18th!

Tickets are $12 for students, seniors, and active military and $15 general admission. Tickets are $3 more on the day of the show.Last year we were sold out almost every night, so make your reservations now for this summer classic at (661) 634 0692! You can also visit us at 1622 19th Street in beautiful Downtown Bakersfield.