desert local news dec. 13, 2010 issue

The Desert’s People Magazine • News • Politics • Entertainment Price: $3.95

December 13, 2010 No. 50

ANNIE America’s favorite red-headed orphan brings her dog Sandy, and a chorus of lovable moppets and dancer/singers

from a New York City orphanage, to the warm and sunny climes of Palm Springs in time for the Holiday Season.

Desert Local News December 13, 20102

Singers Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. ~Photo Pat KrauseSingers Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. ~Photo Pat KrauseSingers Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. ~Photo Pat KrauseSingers Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. ~Photo Pat KrauseSingers Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. ~Photo Pat KrauseSingers Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. ~Photo Pat KrauseSingers Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. ~Photo Pat KrauseSingers Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. ~Photo Pat Krause

Desert Local News December 13, 2010 3

Guest Speaker Amber Boggs with husband Rick and children Sean and Gemma and guide dog, Hamlet~Photo Pat Krause

©

Wishes You a

Wind is our Friend

Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays

The 4th annual Heroes Brunch was held at MiraMonte Resort and Spa on Sat. Dec. 11th. Guide Dogs of the Desert honored Jim Casey as “Hero of the Year”.

Guest Speaker Amber Boggs with husband Rick and children Guest Speaker Amber Boggs with husband Rick and children Guest Speaker Amber Boggs with husband Rick and children Guest Speaker Amber Boggs with husband Rick and children Sean and Gemma and guide dog, Hamlet~Photo Pat KrauseSean and Gemma and guide dog, Hamlet~Photo Pat KrauseSean and Gemma and guide dog, Hamlet~Photo Pat KrauseSean and Gemma and guide dog, Hamlet~Photo Pat Krause

The 4th annual Heroes Brunch was held at MiraMonte The 4th annual Heroes Brunch was held at MiraMonte


Resort and Spa on Sat. Dec. 11th. Guide Dogs of the Resort and Spa on Sat. Dec. 11th. Guide Dogs of the Desert honored Jim Casey as “Hero of the Year”. Desert honored Jim Casey as “Hero of the Year”.


Guest Speaker Amber Boggs with husband Rick and children Guest Speaker Amber Boggs with husband Rick and children Sean and Gemma and guide dog, Hamlet~Photo Pat KrauseSean and Gemma and guide dog, Hamlet~Photo Pat Krause

The 4th annual Heroes Brunch was held at MiraMonte The 4th annual Heroes Brunch was held at MiraMonte Resort and Spa on Sat. Dec. 11th. Guide Dogs of the Resort and Spa on Sat. Dec. 11th. Guide Dogs of the Desert honored Jim Casey as “Hero of the Year”. Desert honored Jim Casey as “Hero of the Year”.

Happy

Holidays


With football time in full swing, and family and friends gathering to cel-ebrate the season, the pressures to host this year’s best game-day or celebratory party can be stressful. Avoid a staid, run-of-the-mill celebration and try the new entertaining trend that is certain to add a taste adventure to your next get-together. Move over, wine and cheese ... hello, beer and jerky.

Instead of old party pairing stand-bys like “chips and dip” or “crackers and cheese,” a beer and jerky get-together offers your guests the palate-pleasing experience of tasting an assortment of ice-cold brews paired with a bevy of jerky. Not your grandpa’s jerky any-more, today’s meat snacks are offered in an array of flavors and forms from traditional-style jerky to soft and tender nuggets in beef, turkey, chicken and pork varieties. When making your beer selections, try unique options from local and regional craft or microbrewer-ies.

There is a certain artistry to pairing the perfect flavors, and Brian Carter, Jack Link’s Beef Jerky flavor expert, has chosen his meat snack favorites to be paired with the beer selections of a cer-tified master brewer, resulting in four quick, yet tasty beer and jerky pairings.

Let the taste adventure begin.

Barbecue bliss: Barbecue beef jerky and full-flavored, dry stout. For a big, full-bodied blast of flavor, noth-ing beats the combination of beer and barbecue. But forget the grill; just tear open a few bags of ready-to-eat, tender jerky. Strongly flavored jerky, like bar-becue, hickory-smoked or steakhouse-style, has multiple dimensions and is recommended for pairing with a fairly complex, rich beer with some of the same characteristics. A full-flavored dry stout with a good body works best. The burnt, roasted notes of the stout

provide the flavor to accompany the barbecue, grilled or smoky jerky taste.

East meets west: Teriyaki jerky and German kolsch or U.S. golden ale. If the tempting taste of teriyaki beckons you

to the table, enhance the experience with a traditional German kolsch-style beer or American golden ale. The low hopping of this style of beer allows the aroma and umami of the teriyaki to remain present, while the fuller body complements the flavor of the beer. Avoid overly hoppy or malty beers with this flavor of jerky.

Taste of home: Ham or turkey jerky and doppelbock or medium-bodied lager. Who can resist the down-home flavor of tender, oven-roasted turkey or perhaps maple-glazed, baked ham? The honeyed and savory tastes of turkey or ham jerky pair wonderfully with the rich, full-bodied traits of a doppelbock. The slight caramel notes of the bock couple well with the sweetness of the jerky, while the maltier, sweeter notes of the beer contrast with the savory nature of the meats. A medium-bodied lager such as an Oktoberfest or marzen-style beer is recommended. These beers

are brewed with spicier German hops and work well with poultry or pork dishes.

Spice it up: Peppered or spicy jerky and English ale or English India pale

ale. Pick up a package of buffalo-style chicken or peppered beef jerky to spice up the party. The robust seasonings of hot- and spicy-style jerky pair well with English-style ale or English India pale ale. The assertive presence of the hops helps balance the spiciness of the peppery notes, especially at the finish. English Ale or India pale ale are both full-bodied beers that hold up well to the flavor of the peppery beef or spicy chicken, while the fruity, spicy hops complement the peppery, spicy overtones.

Whether your party includes just one of these flavor pairings or all four, a “beer and jerky tasting” gathering is certainly a twist on the ordinary enter-taining fare. For more tips on how to host a beer and jerky tasting adventure, visit www.jacklinks.com/beerandjerky.

Courtesy of ARA

Move over wine and cheese, a new party pairing is in townStaff


America’s favorite red-headed orphan brings her dog Sandy, and a chorus of lovable moppets and dancer/singers from a New York City orphanage, to the warm and sunny climes of Palm Springs in time for the Holiday Season. ‘Annie” is a perennial Holiday favorite of theatres all over the country. It has a heartwarming message that audiences especially take to their hearts at this time of the year. And, besides, who can resist adorable little waifs ranging from four to fourteen, who sing and dance their hearts out?

“Annie” written by Thomas Meehan, with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charmin is based on the famous comic strip character “Little Orphan Annie” and features a cast of 42 performers who are lovingly directed by long time desert actor/director, and audience favorite, Steve Fisher.

Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last fifty years almost everyone, by now, knows the story of Annie. The show ran for a combined 1485 performances (that’s almost six years) on Broadway and London’s West End winning two Tony Awards along the way. It’s scheduled to return to a Broadway stage revival in 2012.

“Annie”, is the classic rags to riches story. During the depression (the one set in 1933 not the one we’re in now) a spunky, young orphan girl lives in a miserable New York City orphanage run by the tyrannical Miss Hannigan. Her seemingly hopeless situation changes dramatically when she is selected to spend a short time at the residence of wealthy billionaire industrialist, Oliver Warbucks. Quickly, she charms the hearts of the household staff and even the seemingly cold-hearted Warbucks cannot help but learn to love this engaging little girl.

Warbucks decides to help Annie find her long lost parents by offering a reward of $50,000 if they would come to him and prove their identity. However, Miss Hannigan, her brother Rooster, a shady quick-buck artist, and his girlfriend Lily, plan to impersonate Annie’s “parents” in order to claim the reward for themselves; putting Annie in harm’s way.

Heading the large cast at the Palm Canyon Theatre is eleven-year old Shelbey Mae as Annie (little girl, big voice). Young Miss Mae is more than capable of carrying the show. She relishes the spotlight and delivers a professional Annie characterization, with a winning smile and a confident

stage presence. David McLaughlin as Oliver (Daddy) Warbucks, Nikki Hock as Grace Farrell, the faithful secretary to Warbucks, Amanda Burk as mean Miss Hannigan, and Anthony Nannini as Drake, Warbucks’ major domo, whose dancing talents are quite evident from his first entrance, also provide some nice moments. Tom Warrick shines in a neat bit part as President Roosevelt, and nice support comes from Kelley McLean as Lily, Luke Rainey as Rooster, Penni Thompson, Marge Harris, and, if you look very closely, you will see Theatre Founder Dr. William Lane in the roles of Roosevelt cabinet members Henry Morganthau and Louis Brandeis.

J.W. Layne as Set and Lighting

Designer, Musical Director David McLaughlin, Choreographer Se Layne, and Costumer Designer Derik Shopinski and his assistant Kathryn Ferguson provide the technical credits for the show. “Annie” performs on Thursdays at 7 pm , Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through December 19th.

For tickets and reservations call the box office at 760-323-5123.

Theatre Review – “Annie”Palm Canyon Theatre

Palm Springs, CA

ANNIEBy Jack Lyons Theatre and Film Critic Reviewer

stage presence. David McLaughlin as


I recently received my monthly edition of Reason magazine. Reason is a great source of articles from writers and journalists dedi-cated to preserving and expanding freedom in America. Their articles are detailed but easy to understand and serve no political party, just the pursuit of freedom. Each issue has its share of instances where our govern-ment, at all levels, is out of control and the politicians that run it are out of touch with reality, often making for some humorous but tragic wastes of taxpayer money and resources.

Below I have picked out some of these examples for you to laugh at and cry about:

- Katherine Mangu-Ward wrote about the bagel situation in the state of New York. Apparently, in New York state if you go to a bagel shop and buy a bagel, it will cost you $.08 more if the bagel shop slices the bagel in half for you. The $.08, of course, goes to the state government in a form of a tax for your convenience of having a sliced bagel. More confusing, if you eat an unsliced bagel at home it is untaxed but if you eat that same unsliced bagel while still in the bagel shop you are subject to tax. Thus, to avoid bagel taxation in New York state you should never ask the bagel shop to slice it for you or dare to eat a whole bagel while still in the shop.

- The same article goes on to point out that in several states, if you purchase a Hershey chocolate bar you have to pay tax on the purchase. However, if you purchase a Kit Kat bar, another type of candy which is covered in chocolate you do not have to pay tax because the Kit Kat bar has flour in it.

Both of these situations are examples of out of control government. These stupid rules take up valuable time and energy from business owners who have to under-stand and implement these requirements, time and energy that could be better spent serving their customers, expanding their businesses and maybe actually hiring more workers, reducing the high unemployment rate in this country. And who is responsible for these out of control government regula-

tions? It is the out of touch politicians who concoct these stupid rules and laws with no sensitivity or experience on how the waste ripples through the economic system, hurt-ing everyone in the process. Madness.

- The Milwaukee school system had to lay off hundreds of its teachers due to a budget shortfall. At about the same time, the teachers union had taken the school board to court. The reason for the suit? To force the school system’s health insurance plan to cover ED drugs for teachers. The school board estimates that the benefit would cost about $786,000 a year. How many more teachers would have to be laid off, and how many kids would suffer as a result, if the school board actually loses this case? More madness.

- We have done this type of economic stimulus math before but a short article by Peter Suderman updates the numbers and confirms our previous math exercise. Accord-ing to the Department of Energy’s reports, it spent $1.9 billion of the stimulus money it received to create 10,018 jobs, resulting in a cost per job created of $194,213 per job. Since the wages of most of these jobs were probably far less than $194,213, we see yet another example of what a dismal and in-sane failure Obama’s economic stimulus plan was. However, this is probably a best case scenario. Mr. Suderman goes on to explain that “jobs created” is probably a misnomer. As the economic stimulus money was spent and jobs were not “created,” the administra-tion solved the problem by just changing the definition of jobs created. That category was expanded to include new full time jobs created, new temporary jobs created, jobs saved, and the most ludicrous of all, “lives touched.”

Thus, many of the 10,018 jobs created in the Energy Department could have included people who worked on an Energy project for two hours. That situation was given the same weight as if an unemployed American was given a 40 hour a week job. Seems the politicians were spending more time on con-cocting job definitions than actually creating

jobs. Even our usually out of control govern-ment recognized the insanity with the Fed-eral General Accounting Office calling the Energy Department’s job estimates unclear, problematic, confusing, and potentially mis-leading. No kidding. When government calls the bluff on itself you know it is madness you are dealing with.

- The United States government has maintained a ridiculous trade embargo with the island nation of Cuba for about 50 years in an attempt to force Fidel Castro from power. However, 50 years later, Castro is still in power, many of the Presidents who con-tinued the embargo are themselves dead, the United States deprives itself of a good sized economic market right off its shores, and the Cuban people have lived in poverty for 50 years, especially since the fall of the Iron Curtain when the support from Russia dropped dramatically. Typical U.S. govern-ment program: never ending, never accom-plishing its goals, and the people of both countries worse off for the experience.

Why is stopping the trade embargo an important step? First, the United States should never condemn a group of people to a live of poverty because of who is ruling them. Second, as pointed out in this edition of Reason magazine by Ms. Mangu-Ward, opening the Cuban market to American goods and services could lead to American farmers annually exporting over $360 million a year of American food crops to the island, in the process feeding a hungry nation. It is madness that this has not happened.

- Talk about true madness, consider another article by Peter Suderman. This one concerns the health care reform package that Obama forced through the back door of reconciliation in the spring and the fact that a new Congressional Research Services (CRS) report stated that it is impossible to count or estimate the number of new government entities, boards, commissions, and organiza-tions that will be created as a result of the legislation. Talk about out of control. Even

Continued onPage 7

by: Walter “Bruno” Korschek

Out of control government, out of touch politicians and other madness

7Desert Local News December 13, 2010

Continued fromPage 6

Debbie McGowan

Merry ChristmasHappy Holidays

from

Happy Holidaysthe government cannot now estimate how big it will become as a result of politicians being out of touch with the root causes of rising health care costs. Specifically, the CRS reported that “the pre-cise number of new entities that will ultimately be created pursuant to PPACA (i.e. Obama care) is currently unknowable.”

The report went on to say that it is unclear how the General Accounting Office will be able to audit the new creations, it is impossible to deter-mine how much power many of the new entities will have, and it is currently impossible to know how much influence the new organizations will have. Again, this is Congress talking about itself. We have created an out of control government monster with this legislation that is self reproduc-ing, eating up taxpayer resources without solving any problems. The worst part of this monster is that many in the government bureaucracy and the political class will be part of the problem but no one will be accountable for the tragic results.

- If the latest CSR report shows an out of con-trol government, then Health and Human Serv-ices Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is the perfect example of an out of touch politician. If experts in the Congressional Research Service cannot explain what is going on in the health care reform legislation after an extensive study, what chance does a single bureaucrat like Sebelius have of explaining everything going on as a result of the legislation? If Nancy Pelosi, who helped ram the bill’s approval through, has publicly stated that we will not know everything in the bill until it was passed, a truly ignorant statement for a politician to say for a piece of legislation he or she is advo-cating for, how will anyone else know?

Apparently, however, Ms. Sebelius has got it all figured out since she was recently quoted as stating: “We have a lot of re-education to do” as it pertains to the legislation. If she has an education plan ready to go, maybe she should start over at the CSR since they have not figured it out yet, despite their best efforts. Madness.

- One last example of out of touch politi-cians, people who never understand the ramifi-cations of their actions. The health care reform legislation is one example, an attempt to fix a problem spawns out of control government control and bureaucracy, among other catastro-phes. A Reason magazine report by Brian Do-herty discussed the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to Mr. Doherty, the out of pocket costs for these two conflicts has so far reached about $800 billion. Thus, each American family, on average, has paid about $7,000 each to support both war efforts, $7,000 that could have

been spent within the economy, contributing to economic growth and employment growth.

However, the $800 billion is just the current operating cost. According to the article, two economic and financial experts from Harvard and Columbia universities have estimated the true cost over time to the American public of both wars closer to three TRILLION dollars. Their analysis shows that the country was still paying for the effects of the first world up until about 1965 and for the second world war up until about 1980 as veterans and disabled soldiers needed to be cared for and interest payments on borrowed money spent to execute the wars was paid off. Just another example of out of touch politicians rushing off to do something without under-standing the root cause and the true cost to the Treasury and the country’s taxpayers.

Silly and sad at the same time. Just these few examples illustrate how, in a wide set of fields, we have allowed our political class, which has no grounding in reality, to create madness and an out of control government that results in lost freedom, wasted money, and non-solved problems. Besides stopping the Cuban embargo, other steps such as term limits that remove out of touch politicians before they can do real damage and a step that would implement procedures to punish existing politicians for the out of control and non-effective government programs they create are needed to stop the madness.

However, it is up to us to stop this madness by electing leaders, not politicians, regardless of what party they are from, that can understand all of the implications of complex problems and their proposed solutions, that can look at stupidity (e.g. Kit Kat is not taxable, a Hershey bar is taxable, a sliced bagel is treated one way, and unsliced another way) and say enough with the madness, and who have the fortitude an cour-age to focus on real issues affecting real Ameri-can families. Until then, Reason magazine will continue to have endless material to talk about, material that unfortunately reduces our freedom every day

About The AuthorWalter “Bruno” Korschek is the author of the

book, “Love My Country, Loathe My Government - Fifty First Steps To Restoring Our Freedom and Destroying The American Political Class,” which is available at www.loathemygovernment.com and online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Our daily dialog on freedom in America can be joined at www.loathemygovernment.blogspot.com

Out of control government, out of touch politicians and other madness


Founder and President of Act for MS Gloria Greer ~Photo Pat Krause

9

Fred “the Hammer” Williamson and tree Designer Linda Williamson ~Photo Pat Krause

Co-founder Norma Greer Fishbind standing, with Lee Ames and Barby Barnett ~Photo Pat Krause

Anthony Vadala bought Connie Stevens ~Photo Pat Krause

Pianist Bill Marx ~Photo Pat Krause

The 10th annual Christmas Tree Lane Auction and Dinner

Desert Local News December 13, 2010Desert Local News December 12, 201010

Jackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat Krause

Author Andrew Neiderman -V C Andrews-and wife Diane ~Photo Pat Krause

Radio Show host on 102.3 Jim “Fitz Fitzgeral and their tree designed by his wife Wendy ~Photo Pat KrauseTree Designers Tim Clark and Daniel Wright ~Photo Pat Krause

Jackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat KrauseJackie Lee Houston, Connie Stevens and Jack Jones ~Photo Pat Krause


T he 10th annual Christmas Tree Lane Auction and Dinner was held at the Renaissance Esmeralda on Dec. 7th.

Designer decorated Christmas trees for celebrities were on Display for a week before the auction. People could closely inspect each tree during that week. They could bid on the trees during the week with the final auction at the dinner. Many trees had a very high bid before the auction began. All proceeds from the sale of these trees benefits Act for MS. Singer Jack Jones co-hosted the event with Actress Connie Stevens.

Founder ofAct for MS, Gloria Greer mentioned that Dec. 7th is also Pearl Harbor Day. We should always remember this day and Sept. 11th. Gloria noted that Connie Stevens has been all over the world entertaining our troops. Other celebrities attended to tell about the tree they had put their name onto. She thanked Merv Griffin as he was instrumental in starting the Christmas Tree Lane Auction event 10 years ago.

Jack Jones started the festivities by singing a Sammy Kahn Christmas Carol.Bill Marx and Tibor Lesko provided music during the Reception. Jack Jones introduced his co-hostess Connie Stevens. Then the Christmas Tree Auction began. Trees sold for hundreds of dollars knowing the money would go to this very worthwhile charity. A pine wreath decorated in Silver,Blue and Gold was included in the auction.

Trees were designed with the celebrity in mind. Trees had autographed CDs photos and books. Many had a theme attached as part of the Celebrities life and career. Others included tickets to shows with back stage passes, Gift Certificates, Massages, antique and expensive ornaments,teddy bears,toys, Movies, Clothes and even Candy to name just a few of the items on the trees.

A Carol Channing tree was all in pink. Fred “The Hammer” Williamson added an Autographed football and a golf outing with him for his tree. Andrew Neiderman’s tree was in purple and black for his new book, Daughter of Darkness” and had as an incentive, putting the bidders name in his new book.

Andy Williams tree included Wine Glasses, Apron, Sweater, Cap and Bracelet. Barry Manilow added 2 tickets to his Las Vegas show along with a T-shirt,watch and a Fragrance. Jim’Fitz Fitzgeral and Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr, both included tickets to shows and memorablia. Jerry Vale and Congress woman Mary Bono-Mack added Autographed photos. Suzanne Somers put Her cosmetics, books and jewelry in her trees gift basket. This was just a sampling of the many celebrity adorned trees and the many extras added to the decorations of each tree.

Co-Hosts Jack Jones and Connie Stevens took the stage to talk about their tree, Norma Greer FishKind, co-founder and inspiration for Act for MS, took great pride in the Hand Blown and Painted ornaments aong with healthy gifts. Each tree has a sponsor and a very talented designer. They make Christmas Tree Lane a success. Some trees are designed by Celebrities wives and guests while others are from outside businesses. Each tree a true work of art. Everyone would be proud to own one of these trees and cherish them for years to come.

Act for MS is dedicated to helping people with MS with physical therapy, Mobility devices, Financial and Emotional support. MS is not curable at this time and this charity helps Coachella Valley Residents with much needed assistance. April 2, 2011 will be the 12th anniversary of Act for MS. They will celebrate with a Spring Gala so be sure to save that date on your calendar. For more information, go to www.actforms.org.

Story and Photos by Pat Krause


on your calendar. For more information, go to www.actforms.org.

Designer decorated Christmas trees for celebrities were on Display for a week before the auction. People could closely inspect each tree during that week. They could bid on the trees during the week with the final auction at the dinner. Many trees had a very high bid before the auction began. All proceeds from the sale of these trees benefits Act for MS. Singer Jack Jones co-hosted the event with Actress Connie Stevens.

mentioned that Dec. 7th is also Pearl Harbor Day. We should always remember this day and Sept. 11th. Gloria noted that Connie Stevens has been all over the world entertaining our troops. Other celebrities attended to tell about the tree they had put their name onto. She thanked Merv Griffin as he was instrumental in starting the Christmas Tree Lane Auction event 10 years ago.

singing a Sammy Kahn Christmas Carol.Bill Marx and Tibor Lesko provided music during the Reception. Jack Jones introduced his co-hostess Connie Stevens. Then the Christmas Tree Auction began. Trees sold for hundreds of dollars knowing the money would go to this very worthwhile charity. A pine wreath decorated in Silver,Blue and Gold was included in the auction.

mind. Trees had autographed CDs photos and books. Many had a theme attached as part of the Celebrities life and career. Others included

Story and Photos by Pat Krause

12 Desert Local News December 13, 2010

Celebrities Connie Stevens, Jack Jones, Jerry Vale, Carol Connors, Gloria Greer, Merrie Lynn Ross, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. sang a Christmas Carol ~Photo Pat Krause

13Desert Local News December 13, 2010 Desert Local News December 13, 2010



Patrick Swarthout with puppy Weeko in family training ~Photo Pat Krause

Jason Altieri with Hero of the Year, Jim Casey, holding award and Barbara and Jerry Keller ~Photo Pat Krause

Bob Neiz, Mel Neiz, Penie Belger and Joy Stadler from Founders Club ~Photo Pat Krause

Co-Chair Patrick Mundt, Shellie Reade, Michael Davis and Kay Hanson ~Photo Pat Krause

Ruth Schumaker , a 20 years Marine Corps veteran and her

Guide Dog


T he 4th annual Heroes Brunch was held at MiraMonte Resort and Spa

on Sat. Dec. 11th. Guide Dogs of the Desert honored Jim Casey as “Hero of the Year”. Event Co-chairs were Peggy Greenbaum and Patrick Mundt. The theme of the day was Making Miracles Happen. Event proceeds benefit Guide Dogs of the Desert.

The event started with an outdoor reception and Silent Auction. There was Puppy Hugging and an Ask the Trainer booths for guests during the reception. Tom Davis, Chair of the Board of Directors welcomed guests to a delicious Brunch.

Rocci Hill, Executive Director, made opening remarks and showed a Video of a blind woman from Utah. She waited 5 years to be able to get her Guide Dog. A very heartwarming video with a very happy ending. It takes a full dog kennel and breeding center to make this work. There are over 20 million people that have lost their sight including many of our military personnel. Very few have access to a Guide dog to make life easier.

A puppy is given to a volunteer family for raising until it is one and a half years old. The family then relinquishes the dog to the Training center where the work really begins. Not all the dogs make the grade and are accepted into training.

The dog must learn how to guide its owner on City streets and traffic, Riding on a bus, in hotels, businesses and Restaurants. When the Dog is fully trained,an other step in the process

continues. The lucky Person getting the Guide

Dog comes to the center for a bonding and training period of 28 days. The dog is trained to become a part in the lifestyle of his owner. All services are provided free of charge to the blind clients.

Harold Matzner was to present the award to Jim Casey. Mr. Matzner is another Hero to our community. He felt ill but still came to make the announcement. He asked Barbara Keller to make the presentation.

Jim Casey felt beyond honored to be made Hero of the Year by such an incredible organization. Jim told how he became involved with Guide Dogs of the Desert. He credited his Partner Jason Altieri for always being there to support him in all his endovers. Jason always said, Yes Jim, You can do it, whenever Jim wanted to start his business, Integrated Wealth management or expand the business and when he decided to become involved filming movies.

Guest Speaker Amber Boggs got her Guide Dog in 2009. She and her husband are both blind and have 2 children. She spoke about the prejudice people have towards the blind. Life has been a lot easier since she got her Dog. It is a part of her family and loves the children. She thanked everyone for their support to Guide Dogs of the Desert.

To find out more visit www.gddca.org

The 4th Annual Heroes Brunch

Story and Photo by Pat KrauseJason Altieri with Hero of the Year, Jim Casey, holding award and Barbara and Jerry Keller ~Photo Pat Krause

Bob Neiz, Mel Neiz, Penie Belger and Joy Stadler from Founders Club ~Photo Pat Krause

Co-Chair Patrick Mundt, Shellie Reade, Michael Davis and Kay Hanson ~Photo Pat Krause

Ruth Schumaker , a 20 years Marine Corps veteran and her

Guide Dog

Guest Speaker Amber Boggs with husband Rick and children

Sean and Gemma and guide dog, Hamlet


Every year, taxpayers miss out on hundreds or thousands of dollars in tax breaks simply because they don’t know the benefits exist.

“Figuring out what tax breaks are available, whether you qualify, and what forms you need can be tricky,” says Jessi Dolmage of TaxACT, makers of tax preparation software. Dolmage offers some tips for taking advantage of com-monly missed deductions and credits:

* If you paid for child care in 2010, you may be eligible for the Child and Dependent Care Credit. Day care, pre-kindergarten, before-school and after-school programs and summer day camp for children 13 or younger qualify. The care must have been provided so that you, and your spouse, if filing jointly, could work or look for work (exceptions apply for full-time students and the disabled).

The credit amount varies based on filing status and adjusted gross income, but the maximum benefit is 35 percent of expenses for joint filers with an ad-justed gross income of $15,000. Eligible expenses are reduced by dependent care benefits provided by your employ-er that you deduct or exclude from your income. Payment for care cannot be paid to a spouse, a dependent on your return, or to a child who will not be age 19 or older by the end of the year even

if he or she is not your dependent; thus, care provider(s) must be identified on your return.

* 2010 is the last year to claim the Nonbusiness Energy Credit, worth up to 30 percent of the costs for many en-ergy-efficient home improvements. Up to $1,500 for 2009 and 2010 combined can be claimed, but only for the year during which the improvements were made. Other green improvements like solar hot water property, geothermal heat pumps and wind energy property may qualify for the Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit.

* If you travel in order to provide services at charitable events, you may be able to take a miscellaneous de-duction. Deductible expenses include transportation costs, out-of-pocket expenses for your car, taxi fares or other costs of transportation between the air-port or station, and your hotel, lodging and meals. The trip should include little to no personal recreation or vacation. Be sure to keep receipts and detailed documentation.

* Be rewarded for contributing to your employer-sponsored retire-ment plan or an individual retirement arrangement (IRA). The Retirement Sav-ings Contributions Credit is worth up to $1,000 for taxpayers born before Jan. 2, 1992 ($2,000 for joint filers). The non-

refundable credit is a percentage of the qualifying contribution amount minus distribution amounts, with the highest rates given to lower incomes.

* If you spent money looking for a job in the same field during 2010, you may qualify for a miscellaneous deduc-tion. Employment agency fees, resume printing and postage costs and travel to and from the area (if the travel was pri-marily to look for a new job) are eligible. You aren’t eligible if you’re looking for your first job or there was substantial time between the end of your last job and the time you looked for a new one.

“Affordable, do-it-yourself tax software and online solutions make getting all your credits and deduc-tions easy and fast,” Dolmage says. “The program walks you through each credit and deduction, and completes the necessary forms. Solutions like TaxACT also guarantee your biggest refund and make getting every credit and deduc-tion you deserve easy.”

Details about these and other 2010 tax breaks can be found at www.irs.gov. TaxACT Free Federal Edition, available at www.taxact.com, guides you through these tax benefits, and allows you to prepare, print and e-file your federal return free.

Don’t overlook these tax breaks on

your 2010 returnBy Staff


Going Greenfor the SeasonECES

All year long we look forward tothe holidays and the merriment withfamily and friends that comes withcelebrations. Unfortunately, thesegatherings often tempt us withoverly decadent dishes that caninflate waistlines and put our healthat risk. Incorporating healthy snacksinto our holiday routine, such aspistachios, can help us avoid some ofthe party pitfalls. Powerhouses ofvitamins and antioxidants, pistachiosare a festive, flavorful and a fantastic“green” to add to your meals. Hereare five tips from TheGreenNut.orgto help you through the holidays in ahealthy way.• More Than a Handful: When

your body goes into hibernationmode, try snacking on pistachios.At 49 nuts per serving (yes, that’smore than any other snack nut),The Green Nut delivers a filling,healthy snack you don’t have tofeel guilty about!

• Control Overeating: Hydrate,hydrate, hydrate. Drinking aminimum of eight glasses ofwater a day will help keep youfeeling full. Many people oftenmistake hunger for thirst.

• Delicious Decor: Impress yourguests with color coordinatedholiday-themed dishes. Trysprinkling pistachios atop anydish to add a touch of festivegreen.

• Curb Blood Sugar Spikes: Eatingpistachios with some highcarbohydrate foods (as mostholiday dishes are) may help youmaintain a lower-than-expectedblood sugar level.

• Feel the Burn, Even asTemperatures Plummet: Don’tfall victim to giving up yourexercise routine just because of alittle winter chill. Look foractivities like dancing or afavorite work-out DVD to keepyour metabolism burning allwinter long.

The proof is in the pistachiopudding, or actually research!According to research published bythe Federation of American Societiesfor Experimental Biology Journal2007, eating pistachios with acarbohydrate-rich meal may resultin a lower than expected bloodglucose level, in a dose-dependentmanner. In other words, the morepistachios in your diet, the moreblood sugar may go down, as longas you don’t increase your calorieintake.

Another later study, alsopublished in the Federation ofAmerican Societies for ExperimentalBiology Journal 2010, found thatindividuals with type 2 diabeteswho regularly eat nuts, such aspistachios, may have a lower levelof HbA1c, a long-term marker ofblood sugar control, and a lowerlevel of LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Recipes and photos courtesyof TheGreenNut.org

Spicy Holiday Nuts Courtesy of dLife

Prep time: 15 min. • Total time: 30-35 min.11⁄2 cups pecan halves 3/4 cup pine nuts3/4 cup pumpkin seeds 1/3 cup pistachios 3 Tbsp vegetable oil 3 Tbsp sugar 3/4 tsp to 1¼ ground cayenne pepper1/2 tsp salt

Cooking spray1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.2. In a large bowl, combine pecans, pine nuts, pumpkin

seeds, pistachios and oil. Mix in sugar, ¾ tsp of groundcayenne pepper and salt; make sure all nuts arecovered. Season with additional cayenne pepper ifdesired.

3. Grease a 10 X 15-inch baking sheet with cooking spray.Spoon nuts evenly across pan and place in oven. Cookabout 15 to 20 minutes or until nuts are brown, shakepan frequently. Remove from oven and cool.M a k e s20 servings

Calories 179, Fat 18g, Saturated Fat 2g, Unsaturated Fat 16g, Sodium59mg, Potassium 23mg, Carbohydrates 5g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 2g,Protein 4g, Dietary Exchanges 1 Fat

Holiday Nut Bread Courtesy of dLife

Prep time: 10 min. • Total time: 1 hour1 cup all purpose flour, unbleached, sifted 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1/8 cup sliced almonds, chopped 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, chopped 1/8 cup raw sunflower seeds, shelled 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder 1 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup seedless raisins 1 Tbsp grated orange peel 1 medium egg, beaten 1 cup low-fat buttermilk 2 Tbsp walnut oil

Cooking spray 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray two small loaf pans with

cooking spray. 2.Mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, nuts, dry milk, whole wheat

flour, raisins and orange zest in a bowl. 3.In a separate bowl, mix together the egg, buttermilk and walnut oil.

Combine with the flour mixture. 4.Transfer the batter into loaf pans and bake for 50 minutes.

Makes 12 servingsCalories 123, Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 1g, Unsaturated Fat 4g, Sodium 334mg, Potassium115mg, Carboydrates 17g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 2g, Protein 5g, Dietary Exchanges 1 Fat,1 Starch

Chocolate Bark with Pistachios & Dried Cherries Courtesy of EatingWell

Prep time: 40 min. • Total time: 1 hour3/4 cup roasted, shelled pistachios

(3 oz), coarsely chopped3/4 cup dried cherries or dried cranberries1 tsp freshly grated orange zest24 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, divided

1. Line the bottom and sides of a jelly-roll pan or baking sheet with foil. (Take care to avoid wrinkles.) Toss pistachioswith cherries (or cranberries) in a medium bowl. Divide the mixture in half; stir orange zest into 1 portion.

2. Melt 18 oz chocolate in a double boiler over hot water. (Alternatively, microwave on low in 30-second bursts.) Stiroften with a rubber spatula so it melts evenly.

3. Remove the top pan and wipe dry (or remove the bowl from the microwave). Stir in the remaining 6 oz chocolate,in 2 additions, until thoroughly melted and smooth.

4. Add the pistachio mixture containing the orange zest to the chocolate; stir to mix well. Working quickly, scrape thechocolate onto the prepared pan, spreading it to an even 1/4-inch thickness with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle theremaining pistachio mixture on top; gently press it into the chocolate with your fingertips. Refrigerate, uncovered,just until set, about 20 minutes.

5. Invert the pan onto a large cutting board. Remove the pan and peel off the foil. Using the tip of a sharp knife, scorethe chocolate lengthwise with 6 parallel lines. Break bark along the score lines. Break the strips of bark into 2- to 3-inch chunks. Makes 4 dozen pieces

Calories 79, Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 2g, Monounsaturated Fat 0g, Sodium 0mg, Potassium 26mg, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 11g, Dietary Fiber 2g,Protein 1g

Goat Cheese Kisses Courtesy of EatingWell

Prep time: 35 min. • Total time: 35 min.3 Tbsp shelled pistachios, finely chopped6 oz creamy goat cheese6 dried apricots or dried figs, each cut into quarters

1. Line a plate or small tray with wax paper.2. Place nuts in a shallow dish.3. Scoop a heaping ½ teaspoon goat cheese and press a piece of

dried apricot (or fig) into the center.4. Wrap the cheese around the dried fruit to form a ball.5. Roll the ball in the chopped nuts to create a crust; set on the

plate or tray. Repeat with remaining goat cheese, dried fruit andnuts. Makes 2 dozen pieces

Calories 28, Fat 2g, Saturated Fat 1g, Monounsaturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 3mg,Sodium 26mg, Potassium 23mg, Carbohydrates 1g, Dietary Fiber 0g, Protein 1g


Grandparents across the country are falling victim to a new and surprisingly effective scam: They receive phone calls from people claiming to be their grandkids, frantically asking for money.

It’s easy to see why many people don’t hesitate to open their wallets in this situation. When you hear that your loved ones are in trouble, your first instinct is to help. Unfortunately, that’s just what scam artists are counting on.

In what’s known as the “grandparent scam,” calls often come late in the night, and the callers are in a panic, saying that they’re in an emergency situation, like a car accident or having been arrested. Posing as grandchildren, the con artists often beg their victims not to call their “parents,” and ask them to transfer money as quickly as possible.

The sense of urgency that the con artists create is what makes concerned grandparents act quickly, without verifying who is calling. Con artists will pull in others to impersonate attorneys, law enforcement personnel or others of authority to create the sense of urgency. With the availability of information on the Internet, the scam is even easier to pull off - cons can look up names, phone numbers and more and find out the right things to say to their victims. And with background noise and muffled phone lines, it can be hard to distinguish between voices.

“The best protection from this scam is awareness,” says Denise Jaworski, vice president of consumer protection at Western Union. “There are other, similar scams in which fraudsters call or send e-mails claiming to be friends or relatives who need help. These scams change daily, so it’s important to verify any emergency situation before sending funds.”

Keep these tips in mind to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud:

* If you get an e-mail or a phone call from a family member or friend claiming to need money urgently, take the time to mentally review the situation to see if it makes sense.

* Tell the caller you’ll call them back at a known number, not a number that they give you. In the mean time, call a mutual friend and ask if they are aware of the situation.

* Contact your friend or family member and let them know you’ve received an e-mail or call claiming to be from them. If you discover that someone is trying to defraud you, contact your local police immediately.

* Be suspicious. Because “emergency” scams are becoming more commonplace, you need to be aware of the potential dangers and take them seriously. Don’t feel bad about verifying the information you’re receiving.

* If you did send a money transfer through Western Union before realizing it was a scam, call the company immediately at (800) 448-1492. If the transfer hasn’t been picked up, it will be refunded to you. Also, file a report with your local police department.

Some extra communication can help prevent scams like these as well. For example, travelers should make sure that their friends and family are aware of any international travel dates and destinations. You should also be vigilant about the information available about you online, which scammers might try to use against you or your loved ones. Help protect others by sharing this information with them. For more information about scams and for more tips on how to protect yourself from fraud, visit www.WesternUnion.com/consumerprotection.

Courtesyof ARA

Don’t be tricked out of money by the grandparent scam

By Staff

19Desert Local News December 13, 2010Desert Local News December 13, 2010

Political correctness is loosely defined as “avoidance of expressions or actions that can be perceived to exclude or marginalize or insult people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against.”

In other words, millions of Americans have willingly allowed themselves to be placed in the losing position of continually being forced to prove a negative. “I’m not a racist,” “I’m not homophobic,” “I’m not a greedy capitalist”...ad nauseum.

Political correctness is a hugely successful campaign that has effectively altered traditional standards of behavior in order to advance the political agenda of mostly left-leaning groups. From gay rights, to feminism to open borders, PC rules dictate that you conform with the prevailing group-think at the risk of social ostracism.

The amazing thing about PC is that no-one has yet fought back against the complete idiocy and transparent manipulation that is its very essence.

Until now.

I have decided to quit enabling useful idiots by continuing to mouth the politically correct group thoughts that threaten to snuff out opposing opinions under the guise of tolerance and compassion. I never voted for these idiotic rules. I never agreed to them. And I refuse to abide by them.

I will not let others dictate manners to me. I was brought up to be respectful of others and to live by the Golden Rule. In other words, I have good manners. So why should I allow others to impose their “manners” on me? Especially when their “manners” only apply to favored groups.

Conservative women can be called whores, and the Virgin Mary can be covered in dung and called art, but God forbid anyone acknowledge that many

blacks have willingly let themselves be enslaved to the government entitlement system. Or that some people will always be poor because they are just plain stupid and lazy - and subsidizing them with my tax dollars only encourages more stupid and lazy behavior. The majority of them have chosen to rely on others for their existence - but that doesn’t mean I must grant them “oppressed” status.

Acquiescing to political correctness

only serves to enable it. And I will no longer enable arbitrary rules whose main goals serve only to contradict traditional values and undermine American and individual exceptionalism.

Here are a few basic facts. America is

the greatest country the world has ever known. We have equality of opportunity, not outcome. Respect must be earned, not granted, and promoting self-esteem is just a subtle message that it’s OK and even desirable to be selfish.

Most politically correct “elites” who

purport to speak for you have been educated way beyond their intelligence. Life isn’t fair and everyone is not equal. If any of your “rights” are paid for by others, they not rights, they are entitlements. And redefining words to make them politically correct does not change the underlying reality. A rose is a rose and a jerk is a jerk.

Shakespeare once said, “There is no right or wrong, only the definition that makes it so.” I have decided that I will no longer allow politically correct idiots with a vested agenda to define my words for me. I am not willing to adopt someone else’s definition of right and wrong at the expense of my own.

With a black man in the White House,

I have also decided that I will no longer lower my voice when discussing race. And since I graduated from high school long ago, I’ve decided that I will never refer to words by their first letter. Those that refer to “the n word” or “the p word” are

people who have willingly allowed others to set the rules. They are sheep who have acquiesced to group-think in a vain attempt to appear “with-it.”

From now on, I will call a lie a lie, not a

misstatement. Just because many people lie does not make it right. And I will not allow my opinions to be called judgments. I will not allow debate to be redefined as argument, and I most certainly will not have anyone tell me that my point of view is invalid unless they can prove it.

Instead, I will do as Thomas Sowell

does when faced with politically correct statements made by self-righteous busy bodies. I will ask myself these four questions that will determine the validity of any statement: 1. At what cost?2. Compared to what?3. According to whom?4. What hard evidence do you have?

By Sowell’s standard, pretty much every politically correct statement and/or idea doesn’t pass this simple test. All the main shibboleths of the left are shown to be lacking in both substance and foundation if put to this test. But political correctness demands that you not question crucial assumptions for fear of being branded stupid. How stupid is that?

If you’re content to allow others to

define you, by all means, keep playing by the politically correct rules. If you’re OK with allowing others to manipulate your sentiments to achieve their own agendas, feel free.

If, however, you value individual freedom and common sense over group-think, maybe it’s time you joined me in starting to fight back against all this PC nonsense. It’s easy. Just say no.

Nancy Morgan is a columnist and news editor for conservative news site RightBias.com. She lives in South Carolina.

Taking a Stand Against Political CorrectnessBy Nancy Morgan

21Desert Local News December 12, 2010 21Desert Local News December 13, 2010

You’re seeing it everywhere, from runways to street style blogs to “it girls” who act as fashion muses: retro vintage style is making a refreshing comeback. Preppy must-haves, lady-like accessories and cuts inspired by classic retro styles have made their way back into the fashion consciousness.

As luck would have it, it’s easier than you think to be a part of the trend this season. Check out these simple tips for incorporating retro style into your wardrobe easily and affordably.

* Shop your closet. Did you hang onto your favorite cashmere twinset, Peter Pan-collared blouse or short-sleeve sweater from years past? These classic American sportswear separates are suddenly the must-haves of the season. It’s time to bring these basics back to the forefront of your closet. Have fun mixing and matching these pieces with on-trend accessories to create refreshing new looks.

* Focus on feminine details: Subtle accents like sparkly brooches, a classic

pearl bracelet and a lady-like, structured handbag will bring your look to life. Feminine details reminiscent of a bygone era are guaranteed to take your outfit to the next level. You’ll be able to find some easy-on-the-wallet options at vintage stores or by shopping your favorite discount store for deals on modern versions of these eye-catching styles.

* Think vintage when it comes to accessories. Many quintessential American accessory brands are experiencing a fashion revival, like Timex, which offers a variety of styles that are new takes on classic designs from the decades gone by.

“The Originals 1940s Inspiration watch features a vintage construction expansion band and a simple, clean design. I love this style because it’s so easy to wear and fits perfectly with the retro fashion trend,” says style expert Amy E. Goodman.

* Stick to a soft palette. The “it” shades of the season are soft neutrals: pale pinks, camel hues and heather grays. The way

to wear them is in accent pieces such as cardigans or blouses. Don them with your favorite jeans and a pair of versatile menswear-inspired shoes like penny loafers or brogues for an easy everyday look.

* Pull it all together: Remember these final tips to achieve the retro look: Figure-flattering styles were dominant in this era, so stay away from anything loose or baggy. Looking polished from head to toe is the key to pulling this look together. Pair a simple updo hairstyle with crisp, tailored clothing and snappy shoes to finish it off.

Remember that retro style isn’t about creating a costume. By incorporating retro touches into an overall modern look, you’ll capture the interesting details of vintage style while still keeping your look fresh and up to date.

For more style tips that will help you perfect your own vintage retro style, visit www.TimexStylewatch.com.Courtesy of ARA

Vintage: the year’s must-have fashion trend

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Meina’s Hair Salon


Twenty-five years ago, “craft beer” exploded onto the scene and literally redefined how people think about American brewers and their offerings. Today’s beer lovers are trading up to “better” beers for their own consumption and as gifts. A 12-pack of a world-class American craft beer is about the price of an undistinguished bottle of Champagne or wine. Beer has be-

come the beverage of celebration. In fact, according to a recent survey conducted by Wakefield Research for Samuel Adams, 60 percent of men would rather toast with beer than Champagne.

Whether a beer connoisseur or not, there are a number of ways to incorporate beer into this year’s seasonal celebrations. Here are four festive ways to celebrate with beer:

* Holiday Cheers with Beers. This is probably the best time in history to be a beer lover. Craft brewers are experimenting with styles that challenge people’s perception of what beer can be. For example, Samuel Adams is offering Infinium, a Champagne-like brew that is the result of a collaboration with the Weihen-stephan Brewery in Bavaria, Germany. Infinium is a completely new style of beer; it is brewed with Cham-pagne yeast, and offers beer lovers a unique drinking experience. Infinium retails for around $20, making it a great option for holiday gifting and toasting.

* Celebrate the season. A growing trend in the craft beer movement is the burgeoning availability of seasonal options. Whether at a fireside winter gather-ing, or getting ready to welcome spring, beer lovers are now seeking brews designed to suit the season.

* Cheese pairing 101. Clever hosts can change it up a bit by putting a new spin on the classic wine and cheese party and hosting a craft beer and cheese par-ty. Each guest brings a cheese to pair with a favorite beer (e.g. aged cheddar paired with an American la-ger, blue cheese paired with spicy, wintery brews, or aged goat cheese paired with fruit beers). Since beer is so versatile, guests won’t feel pressure to come up with precise matches, and everyone will be pleasantly surprised by the flavor combinations.

* Build your own mix-pack. It’s hard work, but the best way to learn about craft beer is through sampling. One popular idea is to ask each guest to bring a six- or 12-pack of their favorite brew. At the beginning of the party, set all of the beer out on a table and let the guests take turns picking different beers to sample, allowing every-one to try something new. For those who want a “guided tour” of craft beer, many brewers offer pre-mixed twelve-packs, like the Samuel Adams Winter Classics Variety 12-Pack that features six different holiday favorites.

For more information on Infinium and additional ideas for food and beer parings, visit www.samueladams.com. Courtesy of ARA

Craft brews are a festive way to toast the season

23Desert Local News December 13, 2010 Desert Local News December 13, 2010

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EditorialsJust the Fact’s Max

Matt WeyukerCONTRIBUTORS:

Jack LyonsDavid Mikelberg

Pat KrauseDr. Lisa Robyn Lawrence

Dr. Allen LawrenceBruce Montgomery

PHOTOGRAPHERSBruce Montgomery

Pat KrauseCatherine Jardine Max Liebermann

SPECIAL EDITORLeslie Andrews



[email protected]







Pat KrauseCatherine JardineMax Liebermann



[email protected]







Pat Krause

Merry Christmas

Max and the Desert Local News TeamHappy New Year


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guide dogs

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