The Twenty-Third Annual America’s Family Pet Expo offers many different things to Southern California Residents. Watch now to see what new things this year’s expo has to offer.
Restoring State Parks—- Earth Day 2012
In Celebration of Earth Day 2012 and as part of a statewide initiative of The California State Park Foundation, nearly 100 Los Angeles residents came out on the second Saturday in April to work on preserving and restoring the natural side of Los Angeles. They worked in groups to remove Fennal plants as well as nonnative California plants, cleaned up and preserved trees, removed dead trees and planted new trees and shrubbery for future generations to enjoy its beauty.
Santa Monica Pier: More Than Just A Beach
The Santa Monica Pier in Southern Calif. is more than just a place to relax next to the Pacific Ocean. The Pier was first opened September 1909. It was originally built to allow its residents to “walk above the waters of the Pacific Ocean”. Now, the pier offers residents as well as tourists the opportunity to visit unique shops, restaurants and a mini amusement park including the Heal The Bay Aquarium. In addition, some residents have chosen to make the beach their home.
Watch now, to see just what this unique beach in Southern California has to offer for all ages.
Life After College- A look into the professional life of a recent college graduate in California
Twenty four year old Jovi Hinojosa says his ultimate dream job is to be a crime scene investigator. Graduating from Cal State University Los Angeles nearly two years ago, he tells of his inspiration behind pursuing this career path despite the obstacles in his way.
A Musician With a Different Instrument
Roderick Muro is a musician of a different sort. His Musical talents lie within the magic of the computer and his fingers. Listen now to learn more.
For more Information, Follow him on Facebook.
The Ultimate Experience of a First Time College Student
Los Angeles resident, Roxana Jimenez, says living in the dorms is a way to experience life on CSUN’s (Cal State University Northridge) campus. She says it is easier for her to wake up and not have to worry about the two-hour bus ride from Los Angeles.
Jimenez lives with three other first time freshmen and says the biggest challenge is “getting used to habits.”
But she adds, glancing at her wall of inspiration, there’s a family aspect to dorm life. “We all motivate each other to do well,” she says.
Students, like Jimenez, are busy throughout the week with studying and other social life, and Jimenez says, “You don’t have time to pick up after yourself.” So on Fridays, she says, she likes to “clean up before going home to L.A for the weekend.”
Lewd Acts: How does one measure it?
“It’s called, they’re not getting an education right now, because (they’re) closing down a school that students have gotten used to having teachers in and a school that they’ve gone to, to where it’s not fair on the kids and it’s not fair to the kid’s parents because they’re used to the teachers that come to them, telling them the problems of their kids and it hurts the teachers more than it hurts anybody in the world.”
Nicole Johnson, a resident in North Hollywood Calif. says, in regards to the teachers that have been accused of lewd acts on minors, some of which have officially been charged.
Over the past month beginning January 31, news sites have reported a number of teachers and workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District that have been accused of committing Lewd Acts on young children. It started with a teacher at Miramount Elementary in South Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Times reported that former teacher Mark Berndt was charged with lewd acts on 23 children ages seven to ten. Using what he called to be a game, Berndt would tie the children up and fed them spoonfuls of semen and in some instances would blindfold students and put cockroaches on their faces.
From this accusation, more were soon to follow and the Los Angeles Unified School district made the decision to close down Miramount after a second teacher was arrested just four days after Berndt, for fondling a girl.
Residents, like Johnson, were unhappy about the superintendent’s decision. Johnson also said, she didn’t think the teachers should have been laid off, because, “there are still good ones even given the bad ones.”
Even more Los Angeles residents say they are disturbed at the number of teachers that are admitting to these crimes.
Judi Schmidt of North Hollywood Calif. says, “It’s disgusting.” She says, she first heard about the Miramount teacher during lunch, and she was so appalled that she couldn’t eat.
Similarly a local grandparent in Pacoima Calif., Bobbie Johnson says she is surprised at how many teachers have come out and thinks there should have been more signs of the abuse.
LAUSD’s Code of conduct states, no teacher is allowed to touch or have “physical contact with a student that is not age appropriate or within the scope of the individual’s responsibilities.” Teachers are expected to read and adhere to this strict code.
Subsequently, the California Penal Code says that anyone, even teachers, “who willfully and lewdly commits any lewd act on a child under 14 is guilty of a felony”. According to the standard dictionary definition, the term lewd is any acts that are deemed to be “crude and offensive in a sexual way.”
Once convicted in California, under the Megan’s Law, sex offenders will be publicly registered so that the community will know where they are at all times.
Animals stars or Animal Exploitation? Should animals really be working or is it cruel to keep them from being a “Regular” animal?
It’s been debated since animals first started being used in movies in the early 1900’s.
Peta (or People for the Ethical Treatment of animals) is an animal rights organization, dedicated to investigating the unfair practices and abuse of animals.
This includes the use of animals for…
- 1. Food
- 2. Clothing such as fur or leather
- 3. Experimentation or animal testing
- 4. Abuse of any way
- 5. And, use in the Entertainment industry.
Peta Investigation into Ringling Brothers’ Treatment of Elephants
(Video courtesy of Peta website)
One of the forms of entertainment is in the circus. An investigation by Peta was done on Ringling Brothers, and found the elephants were repeated beaten with bullhooks prior to performing. Additionally Peta is also against Animals being used for entertainment, such as Greyhound Racing. The Greyhound Racing Association of America says the breed loves to run and thus are breed at a early age. They say the dogs are well taken care of and most live to the typical age of 12.
But The ASPCA argues. They say “each year thousands of young, healthy greyhounds are killed due to lack of racing potential or being injured or no longer competitive. ASPCA say, the living conditions of a typical greyhound is massively small, with little or no social contact.
Other less conspicuous groups like Animal Actors of Hollywood are more responsible and actually adopt most of the animals that are used for work in the TV and Entertainment Industry. The Trainers say, all of the animals are placed in loving homes, both during the animals work schedule as well as upon retirement.
Just the same, no matter how well their intentions are, there are always Peta groups to insure that all animals are treated right and justly so. According to a petition done on change.org, the following findings were reported.
- 10 billion domesticated land animal are slaughtered a day for food, including 250 million chicks and five and a half million calves
- Between 25 and one hundred million animals are used in testing in the U.S. each year
- Six to eight million dogs and cats enter shelters and half never leave alive
- 80 percent of purebred, AKC puppies are born in puppy mills and sold at local pet shops
- And one hundred percent of all circuses have been cited for animal cruelty
Distractions: Is Texting REALLY To Blame For Reckless Driving?
A debate in Florida has the senate and house quarreling over whether texting and driving should be ban.
As we reported earlier, studies report drivers that text are more likely to be in an accident, however Florida officials who are against the ban, say they are against the “silly laws” not the safety.
A study by the Highway Loss Data Institute shows, in fact, that accidents increased in states where bans were put up.
Subsequently officials both agree, “the problem stems from distracted drivers.”
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) defines driver distractions under three types.
- Visual (Eyes of the road)
- Cognitive (Minds of road)
- And Manual (Hands of steering wheel)
Just Drive, a program designed by Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin did a survey to find the top five driving distractions. They include,
Additionally the report went on to say “90 percent of these distractions resulted in accidents, however 50 percent say, ‘they will not be giving any of these things up any time soon’.”
Homelessness In LA: What It Will Take To End Homelessness
“Homelessness isn’t universal. It’s unique to the person who’s experiencing it at the time.” (Herb Smith, Los Angeles Mission President)
While the U.S. is currently facing high homeless rates, in Los Angeles, Calif, other statistics show, men in their forties are more likely to make up the homeless
population.
Additionally, the study by the Weingart Center show African Americans make up about half of the homeless population, most, of which, reside in the downtown Los Angeles, Skid Row. Skid Row, by definition, is geographically “a run-down, dilapidated area with a large, impoverished population.” For Los Angeles, it is one of the largest areas where the homeless population live, but Los Angeles MissionPresident, Herb Smith says, “Skid row used to be that kind of a place, but today, that lead to something else, a change in the culture and a change in the individuals and interestingly enough we are now seeing people who are saying, ‘skid row is my home of origin… this is my community’.
One of the largest missions in the country, the L.A Mission provides homeless in and near Skid Row with many services including,
- Hot meals, served 3 times daily,
- Overnight shelter,
- Clean clothing,
- Showers,
- Shaves,
- And temporary baggage storage
The Los Angeles Christian Health Centers works with the mission to provide free medical services, such as,
- TB screening and follow up therapy,
- HIV Education,
- Counseling,
- Testing and follow up,
- Dental care,
- Chiropractic care
- And other general health services.
Many people, Smith says, that come into the mission are “non-skilled”.
Additionally, he says, the mission sees “education as a critical component to the solution of homelessness long term”.