HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST • DECEMBER 2006 ...

Serving • Boyle Heights • Eagle Rock • El Sereno • Glassel Park • Glendale • Highland Park • Lincoln Heights • Mt. Washington • Pasadena and South Pasadena
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62nd Northeast
Holiday Parade 6
Building in Eagle Rock For Sale at
$4,850,000
see page 16
The Alexander Co., Inc. is finally closing. Yes we are retiring. We have been in the automotive headlining business
in California since 1949. We’ve serviced over 9,000 upholstery shops nationwide with ready made headlinings, seat
covers, fabrics, vinyl’s & all the trimmings. We’ve also been a major player in the manufacturing for most of the
marine bimini tops. This large building with all its parking, right off the freeway, has really been good to us. We’re
really going to miss the neighborhood & the locals. Eagle Rock is growing & it’s time to move on.
Robert Alexander (General Manager)
•DECEMBER 2006
VOLUME 7 Number 12
NEWS NEWS NEWS
HOLIDAYS
HOROSCOPES
by Tara Rubano
Sagittarius
November 22nd – December 21st
One thing you can always count on during the holidays
is the movies. Of course there’s the untouchably
perfectly poignant prize A Christmas Story, or the
misty-eyed “Every time a bell rings and angel gets its wings” It’s A Wonderful
Life, but what doesn’t get the accolades that it deserves is Silent Night,
Deadly Night. A disturbed teenager, whose parents were murdered and thus
had to live at an orphanage only to be abused by Mother Superior, goes on
a murderous rampage dressed as Santa. If that doesn’t scream “family fun”
then I don’t know what does.
• Tip: If you can’t find this gem at the local video stores, use the default Black
Christmas instead. It involves sorority girls, need I say more?
Capricorn
December 22nd – January 19th
Well another year has come and gone, and like
many of us in an effort to purge ourselves of bad
habits, we’ll set ourselves up for failure by making
New Year’s resolutions that we’ll never keep. So instead of falling victim to
another year of hating myself, I decided to boycott this whole resolution
business. Go forth and lie about how you’ll lose weight or stop cheating on
your spouse, I’m not deluding myself anymore, I’m bad and I love it.
• Tip: If there’s nothing about yourself to love enough to carry you through
another year, just make it up. “I’m a wizard, wee!!” See how easy it is?
Aquarius
January 20th – February 18th
“Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa ra ra ra ra, ra
ra ra ra. Tis the season to be jolly, Fa ra ra ra ra, ra ra
ra ra.” Yeah, I know that’s not exactly how the song
goes but it is how it went in the much beloved Christmas classic, A Christmas
Story. Nowadays it isn’t too politically correct to make fun of other ethnicities,
especially when it’s stereotypical, which is why I vicariously live through my
grandmother. Having lived through World War II in Italy, and having spit on
Mussolini’s dead body, she’s earned the right to make a racist remark against
the Germans here and there, and though we tell her it’s wrong to say such
horrible things, inside we all laugh with pride.
• Tip: Unless you’re from another country where racism isn’t offensive, try to
keep it to yourself.
Pisces
February 19th – March 20th
For as long as I can remember we had a real
Christmas tree. We’d gather as a family, go to the
local Christmas tree farm, fi nd “our” tree, cut it down,
drag it through the snow back to our car and take it home. I have fond
memories of doing that with my family and I never really realized what it
meant to have a tree until I didn’t. Since I’ve moved out of my parent’s house,
I think I bought a tree for myself twice. Mostly I don’t bother because I travel
back to my parent’s house for the holidays and don’t feel the need to set fi re
to my apartment. So when I do go home I expect a real tree. Well now that
my parents live alone, with my dad getting old, he doesn’t feel like fi nding a
tree and chopping it down all by himself. So to make things easier, he bought
a fake one. I was so mad, I had a dream I punched him. Ho ho ho.
• Tip: If your parents are too lazy to get a real tree to keep Christmas alive the
one time of year you cough up $300 to see them, find a new family.
Aries
March 21st – April 19th
In keeping with the Christmas tree theme, if you
grew up in Connecticut like I did, or any other area
that has nature, you know how awesome it is to
chop down your own tree. The smell of pine, the stickiness of sap, the needles
that get every-freakin’-where, it’s great. But if you moved to Los Angeles
proper, the closest you’re getting to chopping down your own tree is in your
mind. It sucks. So this year I decided to convert to Judaism. Screw you Home
Depot!!
• Tip: Though a Menorah isn’t quite as dazzling, sprinkle a little garland on it.
Taurus
April 20th – May 20th
Christmas is the birth of Christ, which is what we’re
supposed to be celebrating, but somewhere along
the way St. Nick came along, sabotaged it and made
it all about him. He created a way to bring consumerism to an all time high
while simultaneously feeding his belly. So now, instead of “Praise Jesus!” we
hear nothing but “I want a new PlayStation 3, wah!!!” It’s pretty repulsive to
see people beating each other up when we should be high-fi ving over the
birth of our Lord, but if you don’t believe in Jesus Christ then I guess Santa is
as good a deity as any, considering that he doesn’t even exist. That’s right kids,
I totally ruined it for you, deal with it.
Tip: Most deities don’t exist but people need to believe in something, so in an
effort to waste more time on make-believe and less time on learning, take a tip
from L. Ron and create your own.
Gemini
May 21st – June 21st
Speaking of Santa, if you have bratty kids, chances
are they’re going to want to visit him. Since Santa
OCT.
HOME SALES*
SOLD AVERAGE PRICE
90042 26 $ 488,000
90041 9 $ 590,000
90065 25 $ 615,000
Call TODAY! 323•257•8141 or visit www.AskForTheBest.com *Per County Records
CONTINUE PAGE 23
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HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST • DECEMBER 2006 3
DECEMBER 2006
INSIDE STAFF/INFO
Publisher
James de Rin, Gina de Rin
Arts and Entertainment 4
Community Kids 6
Seniors 12
Local Shopping 14
Calendar 19
What Do You Think? 19
Neighborhood News 25
From The Publisher
First I would like to say Merry Christmas
to everyone in our community. A huge
thank you is in order to all our advertisers,
writers, readers and contributors,
without whom, we would be nothing. We
have now been in business for four years
this December. We have grown into selling
bus benches, billboards, and now television
commercials on Skylink
Television, Dish Network,
Champion and Time Warner
Cable systems. We’ve even
started a business networking
club called Sphere USA
Inc. which was featured
in Pasadena Star News, La
Opinion and LA Valley Magazine.
What started out in
Highland Park has defi nitely
spread into a multitude of
businesses. A special thanks
to Carrows, Shakers, 99 Cents
Store, Super A Foods, Bank
of America, Washington
Mutual bank, World Savings
Bank (Wachovia), Telacu,
and Citizens Business Bank
for letting us expand our
distribution.
This month we welcome our new editor,
Jenny Barbosa, and our staff photographer
and new investigative reporter, John L. Shinn
III. Jennifer hopes to bring an edgier content
style to the paper. John shot the 62nd Northeast
Holiday Parade this last Sunday and you
can see he is a talent to be reckoned with. His
fi rst investigative assignment will be in the
January issue! Our thanks to our designer, J.
Tony Fernandez-Davila in Delaware, who
keeps us looking sharp. To our cast of previous
writers and editors I say thank you. We are
defi nitely the Roger Corman of newspapers.
Obviously the internet is the future for
newspapers. The LA Alternative Press has
gone online only. The Pasadena weekly is in
conversation with its readers on its future
Editor
Jennifer Barbosa and James de Rin
Art Director
Tony Fernandez-Davila
Investigative Reporter
John L. Shinn III
Writers
Moses Avalon, Jenny Barbosa, David M.
Beach, Kristi Bertucci, Stella Binns, Billy Branch,
Seth Budick, Lauren Eaton, James De Rin, Gina
de Rin, Christina Hamlett, Terri Kauffman, Nelly
Kim, Marlena Martin, Susan Milam, Lisa Norris,
Gary Null, Mike Parrish, Tara Rubano, Elizabeth
Schuster, John L. Shin III, Shannon Vest
Calendar
Misty Iwatsu
Photography
David M. Beach, James de Rin, John L.
Shinn III, Allen Yap, Kris Zaycher
Advertising Sales
James de Rin
818-415-8187
Warren Hill, Sr.
323-478-9319
Distribution
Mark James, CWD
13110 Avalon Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90061
310-850-8222
Contact:
Highland Park News & Eagle Rock Post - A
Division of Sphere USA, Inc
225 South Lake Avenue Suite 300
Pasadena, CA 91101
Email: highlandparknews@yahoo.com
Website: www.uncutreport.com
Telephone: 818-415- 8187 / 818-720-7656
Fax: 323-375-1643
Highland Park News & Eagle Rock Post are published
every month. Any reproduction or use in the whole or part
or any content without written permission from the publisher
is strictly prohibited. Highland Park News & Eagle Rock
Post assumes no responsibility of authenticity for editorial
submitted or any claims made for advertisers.
© 2006/2007 All rights reserved
For all these articles and more go to www.uncutreport.com
(9,000 hits since launch!)
We print 20,000 papers per month with 8 pages
in color
In a New Direction
and the LA Times is for sale. With that in
mind our website www.uncutreport.com is
focusing on a whole new brand for Highland
Park. We are also working on a myspace
page: www.myspace.com/highlandparknews.
The days of fl uff, opinion, and pontifi cating
are fast coming to a close. The future is
investigations, blogs, and visual design. The
new wave of people have a hunger for news,
social interaction and making northeast Los
Angeles a great area for family, friends and
business. It would be great if the hogs let in
some fresh voices and talent once in a while
and the fi efdoms of David Lynch like “they
play favorites” could bury their egos, power
trips and delusional popularity contests and
fi nd some savvy, driven and “The Apprentice”
type leaders who could just get the job
done. But hey what would we investigate?
dog food?!
Horoscope: I think next year you will see
some brave moves in commercial real estate
as the pigeon buildings fi nally reincarnate…
See you in January have a Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year!
www.uncutreport.com

4
Highland Park News / Eagle Rock Post
DECEMBER 1/2006
Arts & Entertainment
By Moses Avalon
Jane is in a quandary. She loves a good
sale and Tower Records is practically giving
away music as they get ready to close their
doors forever. This holiday season people will
be heading in droves to what was once the
most successful music outlet in history to
pick its bones.
There’s just one problem. At twenty-one,
Jane, and many like her, have
never bought a CD in a brick & mortar
store. She has some anxiety about walking
through isles of product and then
there’s the pressure of making decisions
about what fits into her budget. CDs are
about $15 each, but she only wants one
or two songs off any given one. What
to do? “I usually buy music directly from
the artist’s website. I don’t like having
to carry a bunch of stuff home and then
there’s the shrink wrap to deal with.”
Is this the death knell for the CD?
Will they become roof shingles? Many
music business experts say yes. I used to
be one of them. But not anymore. Sure,
the Tower thing is dead. But have you
been to Amoeba Records on a Saturday
night, packed with bargain-hunting
hipsters who love music? There you can
get the same CD for about half price. It’s
a used CD, sure. But so what? CDs sound
the same after a thousand plays.
“I don’t buy too many CDs these days,”
says Jane, “I find I don’t listen to them. Instead
my friends make me mp3 mixes.”
Yes, yes. We call that copyright infringement
in the music business. No one gets
paid from copies your friend makes and gives
out as holiday gifts and we have to listen to
record companies whine that they’re losing
money. But regardless, piracy is how many a
music lover is introduced to new songs these
Is The Death Of Tower Records Really
The End Of The End Music Business?
days. It’s the radio of the new millennium.
This will never change. Is it hurting the music
business at large?
The trade organization for the major
record labels has called the file-sharing of
music, “a public rapping.” The RIAA is the
group that certifies records as gold and platinum.
They are also the ones who sue 12 year
old girls and grandmothers for download-
ing music and sharing it with peer-to-peer
networks for free. It’s a tough job, but they say
someone has to do it. They claim that piracy
has cut sales by almost 30% over the last few
years. But I’ll tell you a secret. Here’s what
they don’t count when they bitch about lost
revenue:
They don’t include CD sales of independent
artists, only a decline in sales of titles on
major labels.
They don’t include the approximately
two billion legally paid for downloads from
iTunes, Yahoo and others. These are not CD’s,
technically, so they don’t count them even
though record companies are getting tens of
millions in new revenue from these sales.
They don’t include used records sales
from Amoeba and other stores. These sales
(about 100,000 units a week) are under the
radar of most marketing reports. Record
companies and artists don’t get paid off
the sale of used CDs. So in the mind of the
RIAA it’s not a real sale.
So, is the closing of a major CD chain,
like Tower, really the end of the music business
as we know it? Will downloads kill the
radio star?
I think not. Did the closing of Woolworths
stop people from buying cheap
crap? No. Chains close all the time without
it meaning Armageddon. And I can assure
you that the closing of Tower Records
will have just about zero negative impact
on Best Buy, K-Mart, Virgin and Wal-
Mart—where about 90% of America buys
its music; or iTunes, Yahoo, AOL, Napster,
E-music and Rhapsody, where the other
30% buys their music. Transition and evolution
is the name of the game.
When record executives grant interviews
that bemoan the death of the music
business they just sound like old school
farts to me. We don’t have cobblers anymore
either, but we still have a shoe industry.
Jane looks at her toes. “I love music but
maybe today I’ll buy some shoes instead. I
never have enough of those.”
That’s the spirit.
Moses Avalon is former record producer and recording engineer who
has worked with several Grammy winning artists. He is now the one of nation’s
leading music business consultants and artist’s rights advocate. He is also a
Silver Lake resident. He is the author of the top selling music business reference,
Confessions of a Record Producer. More of his articles can be seen at www.
MosesAvalon.com.
www.uncutreport.com
How Great Thou Art:
Vintage Tattoo
Art Parlor
By: Lisa Norris
“We have more celebs coming to
Highland Park than anyone else!” That’s
what Baba says. Here in Highland Park, in
a little bohemian type of neighborhood,
lies a well known artist extraordinaire.
He is known as Baba and he is one of the
designers and owner of the Vintage Tattoo
and Art Parlor on York Blvd.
The store first opened in Burbank
in 1995 and was an appointment only
studio.
The vision was to have a traditionally
styled tattoo shop that people could
go to, and get the feeling of nostalgia
that the fifties, sixties, and seventies
brought in. “A place where people still
talk to you,” says Baba. A former graffiti
artist, he decided the best place for his
shop would be his old stomping grounds
here in Highland Park. He set up shop in
1998, and has done over 2000 tattoo’s a
month.
Baba got his first tattoo at 18, the
typical girl on the arm sort of thing. Right
now however, stars and koi fish are the
most popular. The clientele consists of
celebrities and 22-28 year old professionals.
Women make up about 70 percent of
the clientele at Vintage Tattoo, and about
30 percent are men. “I like designing
tattoos, because I can bring someone’s
vision to life, and place it in on their body
forever,” Baba says.
Business at the Vintage Tattoo is
mostly word of mouth. People come in
from all over Los Angeles to visit the designers,
because they have a solid reputation
for taking their art seriously. Baba
and his co-worker, Dave, used write columns
in “Skin” and “Ink” magazines and
have been featured in dozens of shows
and publications including “Inked,”
“Tattoo,” “Skin Art,” and most recently,
Continued On Page 4
HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST • DECEMBER 2006 5
The Persute of Hapeeniss:
A Review of the New Will Smith Movie
By Terri Kauffman
I am a film critic, but it is my philosophy of
critiquing that it’s unnecessary to waste time actually
seeing most of the movies I review. That may seem lazy
or unprofessional, but I think it’s lazy and unprofessional
of Hollywood to keep crapping out all of these
sub-par movies. It has been said that you can’t judge
a book by its cover, but just because a phrase is catchy
and has been repeated over and over through time
doesn’t make it true. If we didn’t judge books by their
covers, after all, we would have to just read whatever
book we randomly selected off the shelf. Instead, we
read the title and the synopsis, take note of the author
and their previous work, and then decide whether or
not it’s worth our time to read the whole book, and the
truth is that most of the time that initial judgment is
fairly accurate. Just as a book can and should be judged
by its cover, so too should movies be judged by their
trailers. After all, what good is the
knowledge that a movie sucks if
you’ve already wasted $11 and
two hours of your life that you
can never have back? I’m here to
pass that information along to
you before it’s too late, but I’m no
saint and I’m not willing to waste
my time or money either.
In The Pursuit of Happyness,
Will Smith plays real-life Chris
Gardner, a homeless man who
was also enrolled in a competitive
training program at the
prestigious Dean Witter while
living with his young son in a
shelter. Or maybe a bathroom
stall, I can’t be entirely sure. Either
way, he’s so poor he can’t even afford to pay for his son
to have a haircut. The most obvious reason to avoid this
film is that the filmmakers (and originally the author of
the book) refuse to spell the word “happiness” correctly,
which is currently infuriating spell checks around the
world. While Michael Richards might suggest that
the title reflects a general lack of literacy among all
black, homeless people, I am sure the reason for the
misspelling is far more pretentious in nature and
therefore a better indicator of a film you might want to
avoid. My guess? The kid in the film misspells the word
“happiness” at some point in the story and Will Smith’s
character learns from that that “happiness” isn’t always
packaged the same way for everyone. While there may
be more than one way to experience the concept of
“happiness,” there’s only one way to spell it. The right
way.
Another reason to avoid this film is you already
know the ending. Even if I had seen the whole movie,
I still wouldn’t be able to ruin it for you because the
conclusion is inherent in the premise. Nobody’s going
to make a movie about a homeless man who pursues
his dream of becoming a stockbroker at Dean Witter
The most obvious reason
to avoid this film is that the
filmmakers (and originally
the author of the book)
refuse to spell the word
“happiness” correctly,
only to fail miserably and have to send his son to foster
care. This is a feel-good movie, and since nobody feels
good watching a failure, you can assume that he will rise
from the ashes of his homeless shelter and become a
successful business mogul in his own right. Actually, you
don’t even have to assume, since this is a true story and
Chris Gardner now runs a Chicago-based brokerage
called Gardner Rich & Co., so chances are things work
out okay for him in the end.
So what exactly is “happyness?” To Chris Gardner,
it’s a red Ferrari, and when he sees a bald white guy driving
one, he decides he wants to be a rich stock broker.
To Will Smith it’s being able to double your income by
casting your own son in your movie, that way he can
have his own trust fund and won’t need to dip into your
stash. Seriously, wasn’t there just one hard-working and
also underprivileged eight-year-old actor out there to
cast in this role? I guess not. To Jaden Pinkett-Smith,
happyness is getting the street
cred of pretending to be poor
without ever having to experience
it for real. And finally, to
me, happiness is knowing the
difference between fluff and
substance.
So what do I have against
inspirational movies? Nothing
really, it’s just that it’s so easy.
It’s like playing the “Smoke on
the Water” riff on your guitar.
Sure it sounds great, but any
idiot can play it. Where are all
the stories about the kids that
worked really hard in high
school and made “A’s” instead
of illegitimate babies, worked
their way into a good college, and then sent out a
hundred resumes and finally landed a good job? Even
though that’s the way life really happens 99.99% of the
time, it’s just easier to tell a Hail Mary story than it is to
tell a story about hard work. It’s likely there will be some
Oscar nominations for this film, but the members of
the Academy should ask themselves whether they’re
voting for a great performance or great filmmaking, or
whether they’re rewarding the filmmakers for choosing
a subject matter that easily translates into an emotional
payoff. It’s a feel-good movie, and it therefore makes
people feel good when they watch it. It’s easy to mistake
that experience for watching a good movie.
I think there’s a time and place for feel-good movies
like this one, but it’s not a dark theater that cost you
$11 to enter. I suggest you wait for a rainy day when you
got kicked around by your boss or yelled at by your parents
or your teacher or your spouse, and then go rent
this movie from the cheapest video rental place you
can find. Even at Blockbuster’s highest rates, it’ll still be
cheaper to rent this movie than to buy a shot of tequila
in order to make yourself feel better, and the best part is
you won’t even have a hangover.
12/31/06
www.uncutreport.com

6
Highland Park News / Eagle Rock Post
DECEMBER 1/2006
How can we help
our children in
need?
Nov 27, 2006, Pasadena, CA – During the holidays,
we often ask, How can we help our children in need?
Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services
has two simple ways that will help bring a smile to
a child’s face – Grant a special wish for a child in
need, or purchase a 2007 calendar featuring artwork
created by children with emotional challenges. Both
are easy and inexpensive; each one will make an
immense difference this holiday season.
For those children who reside at Hathaway-
Sycamores Child and Family Services, the holiday
season can be an emotionally difficult time. To make
their season a little brighter, the agency works with
the public to fulfill holiday wishes for the children
served by the agency. If you are interested in
donating to the Hathaway-Sycamores Holiday Wish
Tree, please contact: Andi Sica at (626) 395-7100
ext. 2516. (Note: JPG attached of calendar cover art)
The 2007 Hathaway-Sycamores Children’s
Art Calendar featuring ceramic column sculptures
created by boys, ages 14-18, who have participated
in the agency’s Masters-In-Residence art therapy
program, is available for sale, and makes an ideal
holiday gift. The calendars may be purchased for
$10 by calling: (626) 395-7100 ext. 2516. Proceeds
from the calendar sales benefit the children served
by Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services.
Kevin Myers, a La Canada native, is Hathaway-
Sycamores’ 2006 Master-in-Residence, who has
been working with the boys on the ceramic column
sculptures featured in the 2007 calendar. The
Masters-In-Residence art therapy program, funded
in part by Citibank/Pasadena, provides structured
year-round art for the boys, ages 6-17, who reside at
the Altadena campus. Citibank is the official sponsor
of the 2007 Children’s Art Calendar.
Over the years, the Master’s-in-Residence
program has resulted in dramatic visual results as
well as in the individual growth of each child. The
creative and structured use of art in the rehabilitation
process assists in reconciling emotional conflicts,
promotes self-awareness, develops social skills,
and promotes self-expression, which can reduce
anxiety and improve the child’s outlook. Designed
to engage the youngster’s interest and build
on their individual strengths, the Master’s-in-
Residence program provides a creative outlet for
emotions, increases self-esteem, problem solving
and social and communication skills. It is proven
fact that programs, which encompass art, are an
effective means of preparing youth to be productive
participants in society. Most compelling is the
marked success that art programs provide the
disadvantaged and at-risk populations.
For more information on the agency, please visit:
www.hathaway-sycamores.org
Community Kids
Children’s Old Fashioned Christmas
Around 400 families turned up to see
the Children’s Old Fashioned Christmas at
the Eagle Rock City Hall.
The Patsy Metzger Dancers performed
as well as Eagle Rock High School. Jose Huizar
was in attendance with his wife and kids
for the lighting of the Christmas tree. Santa
arrived on the big red fire truck with gifts,
hot chocolate and cookies. Merry Christmas
from the Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce
and Councilman Jose Huizar’s office who
sponsored the event.
HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST • DECEMBER 2006 7
62nd Northeast Holiday Parade draws
thousands to Highland Park
by: Nelly Kim
The 62nd Northeast Los Angeles Holiday Parade brought in
the holiday season on Sunday, December 3. It began at noon with a
very low fly over by an air sea rescue helicopter, so low in fact that
heads turned to the thundering chopper blades above our heads.
60 entries in all from throughout Los Angeles and hundreds of
participants remembered the theme of Holidays in Old L.A.
This year’s crop of entries was better than other years with
entries from companies like Wells Fargo Stage Coach., and Coca
Cola. Crowds were also treated to a Los Angeles Fire Department
antique fire truck with Santa Claus, a vintage 1958 Metro bus and
other surprises.
The Northeast Los Angeles Holiday Parade is the city’s second
oldest annual holiday parade. In years past, there have been crowds
as large as 20,000 gathered to see it. This year, there were around
10,000 spectators, still a very large crowd for Highland Park. The decline
in attendance is attributed mostly to less promotion this year.
The quality of the entries was considered the “best ever,” according
to many spectators, many of whom have made seeing the parade
an annual tradition.
The parade traditionally offers the best of family entertainment
including marching bands, equestrian units, dancers and
musicians representing diverse cultures, drill teams, floats and
celebrities. Even though Highland Park is not exactly close to the
ocean, an ocean going boat was in the parade. Children were encouraged
to bring their letters to Saint Nicholas and deliver them to
a very special post master.
The volunteer - organized community parade was a collabora-
tion between the Highland Park Chamber of Commerce, the North
Figueroa Association, MTA, Coca-Cola, the Honorable Ed Reyes,
Councilmember, 1st District and Honorable Jose Huizar, Councilmember,
14th District and the City of Los Angeles. The parade
program proceeded from North Figueroa Street and Avenue 60,
southbound to Sycamore Grove Park on North Figueroa Street.
The festivities continued at Sycamore Grove Park where Winterfest
continued with bands and a carnival. Well done Pamela S. Selevich
on being a great Parade Chair.
Franklin High
School a great
cherishment
In Franklin High School there
seems to be a great cherishment for all
sports teams and any other competitive
teams. Franklin High has a great pride for
its band, basketball team, soccer team,
volleyball team, and overall its football
team.
Yet none stop to ponder about the
JROTC program and what they have
done for the community and pride of the
school. With having eighty-seven years of
history in Franklin High, people have yet
to witness its importance and its triumph.
Overall in the JROTC program our
Mighty Panther Battalion’s main priority
is to prepare our cadets to graduate
and give to our community, or like in our
mission statement, “To motivate young
people to become better citizens.” We
often demonstrate this when we perform
and volunteer work around the neighborhood
and community. We offer our help in
the local elementary schools that include
Aldama and Monte Vista.
We often help as translators during
their parent/teacher conference days or
perform Color Guards for an elaborate
ceremony. We participate in Veteran’s Day,
Memorial Day, Multi-National Independence
Day, and Christmas Day ceremonies
and parades. We also help out by presenting
our teams in competitions. One of
course being the pride of our program is
the recent competition held at Hollywood
High School.
Out of the seventeen schools, Franklin
was awarded 1st place. For months our
four-man Color Guard worked tirelessly to
win what our school has never won. With
confidence, determination, and four pairs
of shiny boots they’ve accomplished just
that. You all may think that our JROTC program
is to recruit and enlist students into
the military, but it’s quite the opposite; we
ensure our cadets do well in their academics
to achieve a place in college. JROTC is a
regular high school class that teaches leadership
and helps build up: self-confidence,
self-esteem, and citizenship. If you don’t
believe me, than just look at our new 1st
place trophy.

8 HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST • DECEMBER 2006
www.uncutreport.com
Financial
From the desk of Harvey Greenberg
The 10 Commandments of Successful
Marketing
OK, these Ten Commandments didn’t
come from the Mountain, and they’re not
carved on clay tablets, yet any marketer
worth his or her salt must follow these commandments
in order to find the Promised
Land.
I. Thou Shall Not See Marketing As A
Department
When you get right down to it,
everyone in your company is a marketer.
From the receptionist whose voice is the first
thing your buyers hear, to the service person
whose rear-end may be the last thing they
see, every one of your employees plays a
pivotal role in the orchestration of your marketing
efforts. Good companies imbue every
employee with healthy reverence for the customer
so that the company, from every point
of contact it has with its potential customers,
knows how to market.
II. Thou Shall Follow The Ninety Day Rule
Your customers, prospects and champions
(those who refer business your way)
should hear from you every 90 days. People
are just too busy to remember you otherwise.
If you don’t follow the 90-day rule, you
risk getting shouted down by any competitor
of yours who does.
III. Thou Shall Honor The Concept Of
Tinkering
If you’re a 70’s child, you remember
the hugely successful rock group
Fleetwood Mac. But I’ll bet you didn’t
know that their seemingly overnight
success came only after years of tinkering.
That’s right, before the release of
their monster album “Rumors”, they endured
no less than 14 personnel changes
across 10 years. In marketing, as in rock
and roll, success seldom happens
with your original line-up.
IV. Thou Shall Not Quit
Moses and the Israelites
wandered the desert
for 40 years without giving
up. You owe it to yourself
(and maybe Moses too)
to try any new marketing
“THE COMMUNICATOR”
initiative at least three times before throwing
in the towel. Repetition is a marketer’s best
friend.
V. Thou Shall Feed Thy Prospecting Funnel
Suspects become prospects, who
then become customers. And these customers
then generate referrals that create more
prospects and the cycle begins anew. For
thousands of years, this marketing process
(also known as the prospecting funnel) has
governed marketing activities for all companies,
and I feel safe saying that it will continue
this way for another thousand years.
VI. Thou Shall Remember Marketing Time
Successful marketing campaigns don’t
take the slow periods off, nor are they created
“when I have the time”. You must make
the time. I’ve found it’s helpful to consistently
carve out the same day and time each week
to work on marketing tasks. For me, it’s Friday
afternoons; for you, it may be different. But
whatever day and time you choose, honor it
with all your heart.
VII. Thou Shall Jettison One Program Every
Year
I can’t count the number of stressed
out marketers I’ve seen over the years. As
task after task is added to their plates, nothing
is ever removed. Stop
this madness at once, and
identify one marketing
task each year to
eliminate. Too often,
someone keeps doing
the same task, yet
it’s not adding value.
Eliminate one marketing
task a year; your
company’s health
depends upon it.
VIII.
Thou Shall Not Cut Marketing Spending
During Slow Times
From 1980 to 1985, the Wall Street
Journal analyzed 600 companies and their
marketing spending. After 1985, they concluded
that those firms which had maintained
or increased their advertising during
the recession in ‘81-’82 boasted an average
sales growth of 275% over the next 5 years.
Those companies who cut their advertising
saw paltry sales growth over the next 5 years
of just 19%. When is the right time to market
your business? All the time.
IX. Thou Shall Honor Exiting Employees
I once had a home improvement industry
client run a report that showed where
their new referrals came from. Surprisingly,
one of the categories that kept re-appearing
was ex-employees. It turns out potential clients
were asking these ex-employees where
they could remodel their home just like the
neighbor’s and the ex-employees were referring
them back to their old employer. When
you treat your departing employees with
a dose of good will, they may just turn into
your unpaid sales force and refer business
your way.
X. Thou Shall Thank Often
Sadly, we live in an age of boorishness
but a savvy marketer can do his part to bring
civility into an otherwise uncivilized world.
Among the countless ways to thank customers
are thank you notes, gift certificates and
appreciation lunches/dinners to name just
a few. These “thank you’s” don’t have to be
showy; just make sure the thank you is classy
and considerate and the kindness will eventually
be repaid. Sure, we all break these commandments
from time to time and end up
seeking forgiveness. But if you consistently
break these Ten Commandments of Marketing,
you risk an exodus.. .a customer exodus.
Have A Happy Shooping Experience
Harvey G. Greenberg,
President
Strategic Marketing Consultants, Inc.
www.whatwherehow.net
818-458-8856
www.uncutreport.com
HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST
• DECEMBER 2006 9

10
HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST
• DECEMBER 2006 Health
& Beauty
www.uncutreport.com
HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST • DECEMBER 2006 11
Coming From Page 4
“The New York Times.” Rick Walters, another
artist at Vintage Tattoo, has also appeared on
Discovery and
History Channel specials, but he is most
recognized as “Pappa” from the A&E show
“Inked.”
You can’t go out partying one night, and
decide to walk in there drunk, wanting a
tattoo. They only deal with the type of
person who knows what he wants, a person
who wants a work of art on his body. That
is why you can find Vintage Tattoo popping
up in so many magazines, and newspapers
these days. They even did a VH1 “Set in Skin”
episode with Carmen Elektra, and Dave
Navarro.
Christmas is right around the corner,
and believe it or not someone has already
received a Grinch tattoo. The parlor will design
everything and anything for just about
www.uncutreport.com
anybody, as long as it isn’t negative or offensive.
No swastikas here! No mentions of race
or power symbols. But as far as placement is
concerned, this is America. You can have a tattoo
designed just about anywhere you want
on your body. “That is your constitutional
right,” Baba said.
Designs at the Vintage Tattoo run
$150.00 an hour, and last a lifetime.
That’s dirt cheap when you consider a
massage runs about $75.00 an hour with
a tip, and lasts a day or so. Stop on in
and ask for “Baba” not Bubba, or any of
the other fine artists, to get your next
great work of art that you can carry with
you wherever you go. They are located at
5115 York Blvd. Los Angeles, CA. 90042. For
additional info., call 323-254-6733 or visit
www.vintagetattooartparlor.com and www.
myspace.com/vintagetattoo

12
Seniors
GREED:
WHY YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS
ARE SO EXPENSIVE:
An exclusive interview by Gary Null
Gary Null PhD, is a nationally syndicated talk show host,
consumer advocate, investigative reporter, New York Times
best-selling author and award-winning documentary filmmaker.
Dr. Peter Rost is a former vice president of marketing of
Pfizer and author of the book “The Whistleblower: Confessions
of a Healthcare Hit Man.” In the following interview, Gary asks
Rost about his experience with the rising cost of health care
in America.
Gary Null: Let us begin with a serious and important
challenge, and that is: today many Americans face the
dilemma of not being able to buy food or other necessities
and buy medications they may need that can help save their
lives. I find this disturbing. I’m concerned that someone
should have to make that choice. Your position, please.
Dr. Rost: Well my position is that I think this is outrageous.
We are ones of the wealthiest nations on the earth
yet we have between 49 and 67 million Americans with out
insurance for drugs. They pay full price - cash, no rebates - and
what that means is that they pay twice as much as all the
other people around the world - in Europe in Canada - twice
as much, and these are the ones that can least afford it.
But it gets worse. Here in America today, the other people
who have insurance and various programs, they have pharmacy
benefit managers negotiating on their behalf [or] they
have the Veterans Administration. Those drugs are sold at the
same price as we’re selling them in Europe and
in Canada. So really the only ones that we
charge these high prices to are the one
who can’t afford it.
And what that means is many of
them can’t take the drugs they need.
And we know that drugs save
lives. So, when you can’t afford
your drugs, you might die or
you may stay very sick. And
it might also force you to go
on buses to Canada or Mexico
or to go on the Internet to try to
find a cheaper drug. But going on the Internet, while it’s one
solution and there are lots of very good pharmacies on the
Internet, there also bad ones. So there is a risk there, if you end
up with the wrong merchant. And this is what we re doing
to the people who built this country. It’s usually the elderly
in this situation. This is what we are doing to the parents, the
grandparents that built this country for us. It’s outrageous.
Gary Null: Let’s continue on. A few years ago I had an
opportunity to interview the commissioner of the FDA. And I
asked him, “why do we have drugs that are so much more expensive
than in other countries?” And without blinking an eye
he said, “Safety. We at the FDA value the safety of our products
HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST
• DECEMBER 2006
and we’re
concerned
about Americans
only getting the
best quality products.”
And I asked,
“Well doesn’t
Germany, Israel,
Italy, France, Belgium, Austria,
England - they also have outstanding
scientists and concerned bureaucracies
and they have something similar to
our own FDA.” And it was as if no
one else in the world has the quality
of science nor the meticulous
sense of detail for safety and efficacy
that does our FDA. So no country,
literally none would be considered acceptable
to take a drug that’s used in those countries that helps those
people and bring it into the United States.
And I said, “Well are you saying then, let me be very clear
on this, are you saying that no scientist, no government, nothing
in the world compares with us?” He said, “That’s correct.”
I thought, that’s very arrogant, to assume that since we
also have the highest iatrogenic rate, we have the most drugs
that have been reclassified, relabeled, or banned because
of adverse drug events after FDA approval, we’ve had more
Americans die or be injured because of medical mistakes, that
we should also be then be assuming that we are the gold
standard for safety and efficacy against the rest of the world
where many people are not suffering the same consequences
in other places as we are. Now you’re in a unique position. As
one of the higher ups at Pfizer, one of the America’s leading,
and the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, you can
give us a perspective that other people cannot. So give us
your idea of why these drugs are not being allowed into the
United States, and is it true that only in America do we make
the safest drugs and we could not trust that any other country
could make drugs as safe. Your thoughts please.
Dr. Rost: Couple of different issues. Number one, the
drugs that we get in the U.S. are the same drugs, manufactured
by the same company, the same factory as people get in
Europe and in Canada. There is no difference there.
Second issue, America, unfortunately, while being a wonderful
country, and being at the forefront in many areas, some
of the areas we’re not. We actually have, in my opinion, one
of the unsafest drug supplies, but of course, the FDA doesn’t
want to talk about that.
It’s very simple. In Europe they require drugs to be prepackaged
in individual bottles and blisters. Nobody touches
your drug after it leaves the factory until the patient gets
it. In the U.S. we sell drugs the way we sold sugar or flour a
hundred years ago - in loose weight. What happens here is we
have big, big containers with thousands of pills shipped from
the drug manufacturer to the wholesalers in the U.S. There are
thousands of wholesalers - they are not regulated by the FDA,
but by the states. It takes a thousand dollars and a driver’s license
to become a wholesaler. Anyone listening can become
a wholesaler. The wholesalers then take the big drums with
drugs and force them into smaller bottles. Those bottles go to
the pharmacist. But it doesn’t stop there. The pharmacist then
has to pour those drugs into the very little bottle the patient
takes home. Lots of entry points for contamination, mistakes,
terrorists, whatever. Again, it’s shameful, the FDA has been
looking at this for many years - they have not changed anything,
but they are very concerned about re-importation.
Gary Null: Thank you. I appreciate your answer and
your candidness.
Another issue. And that is, there was a time when we
could trust our physician. You went to your physician it was
almost a sacred ceremony between the openness of what you
had to say, the trust you gave the physician, and the advice
the physician gave you back to help you with your medical
condition.
Today all of that has changed. Today, with HMOs people
spend very little time with most physicians, and more often
than not you’re likely to get prescription for medication
whether you like it or not. And in some cases you’re getting a
prescription because your insisting to the physician you want
what you saw on television. You saw someone who had a
condition that you have and they were happy and jumping in
the air after taking the medication and you put pressure upon
the physician. And in the time it takes to write a prescription,
you now have an opportunity to benefit also from that, so you
think.
The nature of the relationship of the physician and
patient has changed because I believe, and I’d like for you to
challenge me if I’m wrong, the relationship between the pharmaceutical
company and the physician has changed. Where
CONTINUED ON PAGE 22
Pull Out Section
HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST • DECEMBER 2006
www.uncutreport.com www.uncutreport.com
Center For The Arts
pictures by John Shin III of the parade
13

14 • HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST
Lethay Vega Owner Of Girl Foolish
-On The Road
To success
by James de Rin
Lethay Vega is a dynamo of enthusiasm and talent. A driven Latina
business women, homegrown from Highland Park, Franklin High School
and Woodbury College for business. Lethay’s dream was to be a stock
broker in New York. Her goal was to educate the Latino community
about investing. She decided to become a tax expert, a DWP employee
and then a small business owner.
Still young and learning from the hard knocks of the business world
, Lethay recently opened her fi rst boutique store called Girl Foolish. Its
not her fi rst business, her fi rst business was a franchise that gobbled up
nearly all of her $250,000 in real estate equity from when she bought a
house in El Sereno at only 25 years of age!. “It sucked,” she said, “it was my
business school!” “If only I’d opened Girl Foolish years ago she laughs.”
For the last
three years people
came to her house
in Highland Park , it
was so busy and the
clothing product line
was so popular that
it was only a matter
of time before Lethay
took the plunge and
opened her store.
This October she
opened for business.
Her idea was to buy
wholesale clothing
that was trendy in
the workplace and that could be worn in the work place. James, she says
“Let’s face it 5902 Monterey Road is not a high traffi c zone, but it is a respectable
address and it is close to Monterey Hills, Highland Park, South
Pasadena and Eagle Rock.” “And its affordable rent.” “Nestled next to Thai
Fantasy, a supermarket and in the Hermon shopping mall, it’s destination
shopping.” “Already she has a cult like following.” “Its funny she says one
day I decided to start a business, the next day I got this idea and here I
am.” “Her store Girl Foolish has vibrant new colors, her clothing line is
extremely popular with trendy urban professional women who need to
look sharp and her prices can’t be beat.”
The main line of clothing she sells is called Collective Clothing
its more of the Melrose hip clothing, as well as accessories,
shoes and jewelry. Lethay’s niche is celebrity inspired trends.
What that means is for around $80 Lethay will make women
look like they wear celebrity looking clothing. Lethay
calls it “dare to dream…dare to express yourself…dare to
be…Celebrity inspired trends for every stylish girl. What
I learned from Lethay is that you need a four point
business plan. You need a store to meet the
customers and look professional, you need
a product line that people want to buy,
you need a website presence to market
and spur sales and you need to go on
location into rivers of people who
shop. Lethay travels all over the
East Coast selling her clothing line
on college campuses, and at “Girls
Night Out Shows.” “Around 2,000
women turn up to shop at these events,
which take place at clubs and halls.” “Very much like an
expo,” says Lethay, “it lasts from 5.00pm - 10.00pm at night.” “There are
free drinks for women and its usually sponsored by a drinks company.”
“The girls get a goody bag and they get to shop.”
If Lethay doesn’t end up being a Millionaire or on Oprah or written
up in Business Week I will be really, really surprised. You don’t meet many
people like Lethay in Highland Park. Driven, smart, intelligent and on the
road to success. Beaming with smiles contagious at what she does, this
interview made my day! Brilliant…As I left, I asked Lethay if she would
start a clothing line for Highland Park called Highland Park. “If we do it
like, beach cool ware, Highland Park in Quicksilver writing” she said, “then
it would travel…”
To contact Lethay Vega Girl Foolish
5902 Monterey Road, LA CA 90042
email: girlzfoolish@yahoo.com www.girlfoolish.com
Telephone: Fax: 323-221-2218
Open Noon - 8.00pm
Crop Salon
By: Jennifer Barbosa
Crop, located at 515 North Avenue 64
in Highland Park is a hair salon. If you haven’t
heard about it, it’s because it’s tucked away a
few blocks west of Figueroa and owner, Debbie
Kantner, like many Highland Park store owners,
relies primarily on word of mouth for advertisement.
Having worked as a hairstylist in the
entertainment industry for 6 years, she decided
to open an independent salon last year, launch
an organic, hemp oil based product line, and as
she says, “reach out and meet the community.”
You weren’t raised in California, but
you chose Highland Park as the place to buy
your fi rst home and open your fi rst salon.
Why the HP?
I chose Highland Park to live and have
my salon because it feels like home here
and I love the diversity and creative energy I
feel in HP. I love Los Angeles, and HP is the
reason I fell in love with the area.
It breeds creativity and draws a more
creative, forward thinking, conscious type
crowd. I want to build on that and invite the
community to check out Crop. So what better
reason to live and have my business
in Highland Park?
Why did you name your salon Crop
and choose hemp oil for your products? Are
you a pothead?
(laughs) No, I opened Crop with my best
friend and business partner Laura in Nov. 2005.
I wanted a name that had to do with hair, but
also had a deeper, more holistic feel behind it.
The word “crop” for me sums up what I want
the salon to stand for - eco-friendly, crueltyfree,
and organic. Then I started researching
different ingredients to put in my products
and found that hemp is the ultimate, perfect
crop. Hemp oil is made of 80% essential fatty
Blue Chips
Blue Chips sits hidden in plain sight on
North Figueroa right next to Cinnamon Vegetarian
Restaurant; if you see the mural of The
Virgin on the corner you’re headed in the right
direction; if you see Elvira Records, turn around
you’ve passed it. Until today, I was largely unaware
of the Highland Park neighborhood. For
Anglos it’s the kind of place you go to because
someone told you there was a good Mexican
food place there; the kind of area where you
can feel good about your high school Spanish
because you can translate most of the signage.
Like Broadway downtown next to the Grand
Central Market, it appears to have a thriving
economy and culture that exist in a vista I, as
a middle aged white woman, can know only
vaguely.
Blue Chips itself rests under a non-descript
blue awning. The only streetwise clue that
something different may be going on inside
the store is the wooden bench festooned with
stickers sitting outside. If you walk in, though,
it is apparent that someone has put a lot of
thought, time and effort into the store. Fresh
containers of Sochi tea and pots of Gavina
coffee sit next to the front door. Used books
and magazines are displayed in boxes on
the shelves facing the front window. New
books line the wall to the right; Hispanic
CDs occupy the shelf on the left. Tee shirts
are neatly folded in bins. Art is everywhere.
Large Latin fl avored murals spot the walls as
do framed pictures. A center glass display
case and register dominate the center rear
of the store, moveable racks fi ll in the space
behind the register. The novelty of a working
silk screen machine speaks of the workshops
that take place at Blue Chips.
In this location, Blue Chips is an unexpected
store with an unexpected rather
high end concept: Clothing, visual art, music
and books all by local talent with their
names and/or symbols displayed even more
prominently than the name of the store. In
support of this stable of talent, Blue Chips
hosts a variety of gallery oriented events
and gives over its walls to art. Currently the
walls boast paintings by Germs, Peter Carrillo,
Leo Limon and Omar Ramirez amongst others.
Even the clothes and accessories are works of
art. The Blue Chips tee shirt line is sold for only
one season and then closed out. The Bumble-n-
Bee baby tees are hand cut and hand sewn by
their creator. The stock of green leather handbags
are crafted by Dean. While the craftsmanship
and creativity behind all of the artwork and
acid, the highest
amount of any
other plant.
hemp’s oil so
closely matches
our own skin
lipids, its able to
penetrate and
moisturize the
hair and skin
with amazing
results. Using
hemp seed oil is
a great way to get soft, smooth, hydrated skin
and hair. I have formulated a hemp based hair
oil for chemically processed hair and also for
hair extensions to help with shine and moisture.
So that’s why we decided to use hemp oil
in our products.
Hopefully, the more people understand
the value of hemp, not only for skin and
hair, but for its abundant possibilities, a stronger
concern for the legalization of industrial hemp
can arise.
Are all the products you use biodegradable
or made with organic ingredients?
Yes, all of our products are packaged
in recyclable plastic. .Our business cards are
printed on hemp paper, with soy based ink, and
our oils and scrubs are made of the highest
quality, organic ingredients. We really pride ourselves
in using the best quality oils and herbs
in our products. Most skin care products are
made of man-made, synthetic chemicals that
are harmful to our bodies and the environment.
Yet, there is nothing more benefi cial to the
skin than natural plant essences. Studies have
shown that synthetic, man made ingredients
are skin irritants, allergens and substances that
our bodies do not recognize, process, break
down or eliminate. I am always researching
www.uncutreport.com
local Shooping Section local Shooping Section
clothes are readily apparent,
one has to wonder if a store
sandwiched between a good
but moderately priced restaurant
and a $5.00 store will fi nd
many buyers for twenty-fi ve
dollar tees, purses at more than
a hundred dollars and paintings
in the multiple hundreds. After
all, the vibrant street art and
music and the cutting edge
attire of the neighborhood’s
residents attest to a more readily
affordable populist art that
already exists.
From behind the counter
one of the owners, Karla Lopez,
greets me but doesn’t hover
over my inspection of the store.
She works steadily on organizing
merchandise, occasionally
going to the back to pull more
items. Two years ago Ms. Lopez
and her friend Herbert Gonzalez
opened Blue Chips with the
idea of establishing a foothold
for the artistic community in
Highland Park much as other
artists have done in Silverlake,
Atwater Village and
Eagle Rock. They had not
expected that some twentyfour
months later making the
store a viable entity would
still be so hard. Ms. Lopez
spoke earnestly, articulately
and, at times, with a touch
of frustration at how hard it seems to entice
people to buy the wares of local artists as
opposed to the mass market items found
not far away in the Eagle Rock Target. While
not ready to give up on the challenge, she
wonders if perhaps it should take another
form: A smaller space? A different location?
A more cooperative approach where several
merchants share one space? Maybe a move
to another community altogether?
Ms. Lopez’s quandary encapsulates the
conundrum faced by the owners of many
small businesses based on the arts. How
many artistic communities can thrive within
a certain proximity and how much support
should a neighborhood be expected to lavish
on its artisans? Conversely, how much
loyalty does a business owe to the community
which was the seed ground for its
talent? At the moment Ms. Lopez and Mr.
Gonzalez are still contemplating the evolu-
the latest products
and ingredients.
Some hair products
do require some
chemicals, but I do
my best to avoid the
ones that can be substituted
with natural
or organic ingredients.
When I can’t fi nd
what I’m looking for
in a product, I create
my own.
What services do you offer?
I give free consultations with every service.
My haircuts start at $25 for men and $35
for women. Color starts at $65. I also offer hair
extensions and use genuine hair from India,
applied with keratin glue. Since keratin is what
your hair is made of, it’s really easy and gentle
on your hair.
For the holidays, Crop offers eco-friendly
gift baskets. They also showcase work from
local artists. Currently, paintings by longtime
Highland Park resident, Kris Zaycher, are on
display. .
I have tried almost everything at Crop
because Deb likes to give out samples of her
products. I especially enjoy a hair formula she
mixed for me after I told her the qualities I
was looking for in a conditioner. I’ve tried the
extensions, too, and was pleased with how well
they blended in with my natural hair. The most
important thing, though, is a great haircut, and
that’s what keeps me going back to Crop. Until
Crop moved in, I would drive to the other side
of the city and pay more than $100 for the right
haircut. Now, with Crop, I don’t have to. Neither
do you. Call for an appointment.
(323) 344 – 7038, Deborah@cropsalon.com
The interior walls of Blue Chpis are decorated by local artists. Blue Chips is also the
fi rst place in Highland Park to sell some of the independent publications seen here
- the type of magazines you’d normally have to drive to Silverlake to buy.” photo by:
Kris Zaycher
tion of Blue Chips; it may be that it will not
continue in its present form. The workshop format
is one interesting and hopefully energizing
concept they are introducing. In late November
and early December they will host a silk screening
workshop. The three sessions are very reasonably
priced at $50 for the lot. For $20 per
session there will be a Crochet & Hot Chocolate
with Lindsey Rangel workshop; sessions are
scheduled for December 3, 10 and 17.
Whatever future form Blue Chips may
take, Ms. Lopez and Mr. Gonzalez have made a
concerted and commendable effort. They have
not forsaken their vision when it didn’t turn out
exactly as they fi rst thought; indeed, their efforts
have actually created an ongoing retail work of
art that has changed with the demands of its
environment. I, for one, look forward to seeing
how Blue Chips will continue to evolve. Blue
Chips is located at 5505 Figueroa Street, Highland
Park, CA 90042. For more information, call
323.550.1400 or visit www.bluechipshlp.com
HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST • 15
Sugarbutterbex:
DIY Craft Making to Crime Fighting
By: Jennifer Barbosa
Okay, so you open a shop dedicated
to the joy of arts and crafts. You don’t
expect to be chasing a purse bandit down
York Boulevard, but that’s exactly where
Sugarbutterbex’s
owner, Rebecca Quesada,
found herself,
shortly after opening
her store at 5110 York
Blvd in Highland Park.
One night,
a man walked in,
grabbed a purse and
attempted to drive
away. Apparently, he
targeted the shop,
and others like it,
thinking it would be
an easy way to steal
women’s belongings.
Ha! After everyone in
the store took off after
him and Rebecca
narrowly avoided being run over by his
getaway car, they got the license plate
number, and he was charged with assault
and robbery.
Let this be a testament to the
tenacity of a movement among some of
Highland Park’s long time residents and fi rst
time shopkeepers to change the face of
Highland Park. She and her husband, Matt,
took an abandoned shop and turned it into,
as she says, “a place to relax, have fun, and
learn something new.” Initially they considered
opening a bakery because Rebecca
Electronics • Television • Rims • Stereos
10% 10 10%
OFF!
enjoys baking. That’s why “sugar” and “butter”
are in the name (“Bex” is a nickname).
Matt already works in a restaurant, though,
and the overhead and time demand of
opening a food business are tight. So, she
decided to make Sugarbutterbex a place to
offer classes in sewing,
jewelry making, crafts,
drawing and painting.
They range in
cost from $0 to $25 and
there are special events
throughout the month.
This month, they have
holiday sewing classes
and will be doing a
free gift wrapping
ideas workshop on
December 8th from 6
to 8 pm. There is also a
“Craftmas” bazaar on
Saturday, December
9th from 12 to 8 pm,
featuring handmade
crafts from LA based
artists/designers/crafters. During the event
there will be free kids projects, a slide show,
carolers and a photo booth for holiday
pictures. Also, Sugarbutterbex participates
in the NELA (Northeast Los Angeles)
Second Saturday art walk. The next show is
December 9th and will coincide with other
activities taking place that day in York Village
(York Blvd. between Ave 50 and Ave. 52).
Reservations for all classes are recommended
and you can either pick up a schedule at the
shop or go to www.sugarbutterbex.com for
more info.
Christmas Special!!
Call Now!
323• 258•2726
FAX: 323-258-0071 • 5140 York Blvd., L.A. CA 90042
www.uncutreport.com

16
By: Christina Hamlett
Where can a stressed out mom go for a quiet cup
of coffee? It was a question that Patricia Neal asked
herself seven years ago as she was pushing her son’s
stroller down the streets of Eagle Rock. I’m really a lover
of good coffee,” she relates, “and I remember feeling so
frustrated there was nowhere in town I could just pop
into and grab a cup.”
Her solution? As soon as a space at the corner of
Colorado and Eagle Rock came on the market, she recognized
its potential as a coffee bar and rented it. Six
months later, Swork officially opened its doors. Today,
this eclectic, caffeine-infused corner cafe is filled with
young moms turbo-charging on espressos, political
science majors debating the results of the last election,
and even occasional screenwriters on laptops mentally
rehearsing their Oscar acceptance speeches.
Neal explains that the funky name came about
entirely by accident. “I was on the Internet and registering
domain names when I hit a wrong key. There
was something about the name that intrigued me so I
registered it and built my business plan around it. The
name, to me, is the synergy of ‘success’ and ‘work.’ As we
continue to grow, I’m hoping it reaches a lot of people
in a positive, fun way.”
Sold
HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST
• DECEMBER 2006
SWORK: Brewing Success One Cup at a Time
For Sale
and Lease
1490 Colorado Blvd.
$815,000 - 1,600 SF
Last summer, Neal opened a second Swork in
Montrose. “Both locations are a terrific place to bring
your kids. In fact, we’re one of the first coffee bars in this
area to cater to moms who want to socialize, enjoy a
latte and watch their kids play.” For the younger set, the
menu board includes such teasers as “Honey Bunny
Boo”, “Hola Kitty”, “Princess Potion”, and “Mint Chocolate
Dinosaur.” Adults can choose from “Sworkuccinos”,
“Gelatoccinos”, smoothies, lattes, coffees and a variety
of fresh pastries, bagels and cookies.
Neal attributes the positive
atmosphere to a great staff that
brings a lot of energy to its job.
At present, she has 30 employees,
twice the number she started
with when Swork was launched. “I
really love the diversity of customers
who come here,” she says. “I
get to hear the trials and tribulations
of college students, talk to
new moms about their children,
and get to know the regulars
who come in to read the paper,
make new friends, or just surf the
internet in a place where they can
relax. Coffee “and an interactive
environment like this one - really
bridge the gap between people
from different walks of life.”
She also cites some unique
aspects which have won Swork its own loyal following.
“I think we offer the absolute best vanilla latte. All
of our espresso is still pulled by hand which makes a
huge difference in the taste. You know you’re getting
something fresh and that hasn’t been sitting around
in a pre-measured drum. Our milk is hand-steamed,
too. What this means is that it takes us a little longer to
make a latte but the taste is well worth that wait!”
Swork is open seven days a week from 6 a.m.
until 11 p.m. The Eagle Rock store is at 2160 Colorado
Blvd. (323-258-5600). In Montrose, Swork can be found
at 2140 Verdugo Blvd. (818-248-3700). Readers are also
invited to drop into the calorie-free website at www.
swork.com which includes Swork’s menu, merchandise,
online coffee ordering, and franchise opportunities.
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FOR SALE AND LEASE
Leased
ANDREW BERK / MARK EVANOFF
EAGLE ROCK’S MOST ACTIVE COMMERCIAL BROKERS
Available
$4,850,000
$ 4,850
7350 North Figueroa
This Development / Rehab project features a two-story 29,404 square foot
commercial building on a large lot at the busy Figueroa/Colorado Blvd intersection.
The building is fully sprinklered and is ideal for a Single or Multi Tenant Retail or
Office conversion.
930 Colorado Blvd.
Fully Leased
Available
5111 Dahlia Drive
$775,000 - 1,959 SF
local Shooping Section
Sold
1621 Colorado Blvd.
$1,483,000 - 4,215 SF
Andrew Berk / Mark Evanoff
aberk@ramsey-shilling.com
(323) 851-6666
Sold
1053 Colorado Blvd
$1,155,000 - 4,800 SF
HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST • DECEMBER 2006 17
www.uncutreport.com

18 HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST • DECEMBER 2006
www.uncutreport.com
HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST • DECEMBER 2006 19
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CREDIT
W e e k l y E v e n t s
•Live Jazz Rock Rose Art Gallery, 3:00 to
5:00
REPAIR
pm, 4108 N. Figueroa St., Info:
Rosamaria Marquez 222-4740
CONSULTANT
•M.O.M.'s Project Making Others Matter,
• BRING YOUR FICO SCORE UP!
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WE CAN
HELP YOU
• Se Habla Español
310-621-8484
6:00 to 8:30 pm, 1649 Yosemite Dr., info:
Debbie Jones 255-5723
•Tutors American Legion, 4:30 to 7:00 pm,
2109 Merton Avenue, info: Annette at 344-
0277 or Tom at 256-0540
TUESDAY
•Eagle Vista Seniors 10:00 am, 1100 Eagle
Vista Dr.
•Old L.A. Certified Farmer’s Market, 3-8
p.m., Every Tuesday, Rain or Shine, Corner
HOUSE
$0
We Will find you
What do you a Think?
home and help
you pay your
by David. M. Beach
that hazing is inappropriate and often times
totally demeaning. C’mon it was a little dog
DOWN closing costs!
Jerry Kramer
food and a little prank. They should have had
I think its ridiculous. Abso-
to apologize, but 2.7 is a lot of
lutely, totally ridiculous.
money
Animal pet food is better
controlled; better health-wise
Jomel Villamil
than a lot of I people will food. They sell your house I think its ridiculous. and All I give
do, they take better care of pet
want to say.
food then they do people food.
Theodore Brown
He was involved in
hazing himself and it was dismissed
yesterday. I don’t know
if he got anything or not.
It is kind of exorbitant
but given the recent situation
that happened at the comedy
club, racial slurs and things
like that, can you really put a
price tag on that sort of racial discrimination?
Maybe he is worth that kind
of money.
John Imig
I think it’s an awful lot
of money for some dog food
in spaghetti. I understand
Call Right Now!!
www.uncutreport.com
Buy Your
•Lions Columbo’s, 7:30 pm, 1833 Colorado
•BINGO Merrymakers Club, 1:00 to 3:30 pm,
Highland Park Senior Center, 6152 N.
Figueroa St., info: 256-6866
WEDNESDAY
•Debs Park Advisory Board meetings are
open to public and scheduled for the 4th
Wednesday at 7:00 pm, Ramona Hall, 4580
FR I DAY
N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90042
SUNDAY
MONDAY
•Computer Technology Center ( C T C )
ROCK Teen Center, 9 am to Noon, FREE to
•BINGO Happy Highlanders Club, Highland
Park Senior Center, 1:00 to 3:30 pm, 6152 N.
Figueroa, info: 256-6866
•Poetry readings Rock Rose Art Gallery,
7:00 pm, 4108 N. Figueroa St., Info:
Rosamaria Marquez 222-4740.
•Teen Game Day 4:00 to 5:30 pm, Eagle
Rock Public Library, 5027 Caspar Ave., info:
THUR SDAY
•Historic Highland Park Neighborhood
Council, 1st and 3rd Thursday, Franklin High
School Cafeteria 820 N. Ave. 54.
•Highland Park Neighborhood Watch held
the 2nd Thursday. 7:00 pm Historical Police
Museum 6045 York Blvd. Everyone welcome.
senior citizens, 1597 Yosemite Dr.
Tom Johnson 258-8078.
you 1/3 of my commission check
and give you better service than
almost all realtors.
Martin Vega
I think he deserved it
because it was kind of a discrimination
act.
marv@aainternationalcorp.com
• Se Habla Español
Elizabeth Will
I think that’s a lot of
money. I don’t know. I have
nothing against dog food. I’m
fine with dog food. Dog food
in my spaghetti is fine.
of Ave. 57 & Marmion Way, Info 323-255-
Special Events
310-621-8484
5030.
• Eagle Rock/Highland Park 4H Club,
Eveyone Welcome from ages 5-18, 4-5:30
p.m. Meets at Good Shepherd Lutheran
School, 6338 North Figueroa St., 90042, 323-
255-2786
WEDNESDAY
•Dance to the Rhythm Makers Band
Highland Park Senior Center, 1:00-3:00 pm,
$2, 6152 North Figueroa St., info: 256-6866
THUR SDAY
• Eagle Rock/Highland Park 4H Club,
Eveyone Welcome from ages 5-18, 4-5:30
p.m. Meets at Good Shepherd Lutheran
School, 6338 North Figueroa St., 90042, 323-
255-2786.
SATURDAY
•Open Mic Rock Rose Art Gallery, 9:00 pm,
4108 N. Figueroa St., Info: Rosamaria
Marquez 222-4740.
marv@aainternationalcorp.com
• Good Shepherd Lutheran School is
accepting application for Kindergarten to 6th
Monthly & Bi-monthly
CORPORATE CENTER Grade, 6338PASADENA North Figueroa St., Call 323-
TUESDAY
255-2786. Everyone Welcome.
•Highland Park HPOZ Public Hearing 6:30
225 pm. South Ramona Hall Lake 4580 N. Figueroa, Ave. Info: #300 Pasadena, CA 91101
213.473.3929. 2nd and 4th Tuesday.
•The Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council
board meetings 1st and 3rd Tuesday at the
ER Library from 6 to 8 pm, ERNC, call (323)
257-6381.
• Good Shepherd Lutheran School is
accepting application for Preschool and Pre-
Kindergarten, 6338 North Figueroa St., Call
323-255-2786. Everyone Welcome.
December 1-30
• Tales of Wonder, Tales of Woes, Final
Exhibition, Transport Gallery, 1308 Factory
Place. Call 310-956-5344 or transportgallery.com
December 3
• Northeast Los Angeles Holiday Parade,
Starts 12 noon on North Figueroa & Ave. 60
and ends at Sycamore Grove Park.
Produced by Highland Park Chamber of
Commerce & North Figueroa Assoc., Call
323-255-5030.
December 7
• Happy Birthday Misty Iwatsu,
Executive Director, North Figueroa Assoc.
December 13
• Andrews Bad Stuff & Deadbeat Sinatra,
9pm, Buccaneer Lounge, 70 W. Sierra
Madre Blvd. 626-355-9045.
December 14
• Highland Park 3rd Annual Christmas
Party, 6-8:30, Ebell Club 131 S. Ave. 57,
Free but bring a pot luck dish. Entertainment
Harvey Simpson, Magician, 323-256-
1024.
December 25
• M e r r y C h r i s t m a s
24/7
Calendar items email to highlandparknews@
yahoo.com. All submissions must be received by
the 20th of the month, No Exceptions. On subject
line please put: calendar listing. Be sure to
include telephone number. Due to limited space,
not all calendar submissions can be printed.

20 HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST • NOVEMBER 2006
by James de Rin
Imagine there is a person who has trained most of
the plumbers, who do the bulk of the re-piping
work in Southern California. Well, he exists and his
nickname is, “the father of plumbing”. At 47 years
of age Art Hovsepian is that rare craftsman, who
loves what he does, and who invests time in education
and training and whose background is second to none,
as a “Copper Repiping Specialist.” His company # 1
State Plumbing is on track, to being the fastest growing
copper re-piping company in Southern California
with 841% growth in one year alone. Now with his own
operation he shares his knowledge and skill with the
general public. James he says, “at 15 I left school.”
“Across the street from my school was a plumbing
business, I learnt my craft the old school way, first as an
apprentice and then as a seasoned professional.” “For
18 years I did service calls which are the most challenging.”
“My career has been in copper re-piping and it’s
what I do.”
Art tells me of one such story, “when an inspector
from the city came to one of our job sites, he called it
book, which means it was flawless, the quality of the
work had been performed exactly like it would be in a
manual, it was perfect and that James is a great feeling.”
“I learnt this way, from the ground up.”
“It is very rare that a plumber will leave me, but if
they have to for some reason, then any other plumbing
company, will say, if he worked for #1 State Plumbing,
then he must be very skilled.” “We’ve even been asked
to help other plumbing companies on certain jobs.”
I ask Art about his company’s philosophy and he
says, “people work hard for their money and we respect
that, and we have to do the same thing.” Art offers a
lifetime guarantee for the work they do. “Copper is for
life,” he says. His company focuses on copper re-piping
for residential houses.
Talking with Art you can sense his enthusiasm for
Copper Repiping Specialist
“The Father
of Plumbing”
the re-piping business and the challenges faced every
day. He puts it this way, “we feel we’ve done something,
that not every plumber could’ve done.” After starting
with one crew and one truck in 1994, Art’s company
now has five trucks and five crews. I ask Art, “why
should people pick up the phone and call # 1 State
Plumbing, why are you different from any other company
out there?” Art ponders the question, “because of
our supervisors and the relationship we have with our
customers.” “We work with a quality check list, so we
know what is going on at anytime with the job.” “Also
we are like a family, take a look at the pictures around
our office, we work together, we even have a football
team.” “We vacation together.” “We go to each other’s
wedding.” “Everyone is equal in this company.”
“The last person we hire…we respect him as much
as the first person we hired.” “We are all like brothers.”
“We trust each other when the phone rings, from the
job site, there is no miscommunication, just one chain.”
“Our strongest asset is the foreman on the job, that
he will communicate with the customer in a friendly, relation
type atmosphere and show what we did and how
we did it.” “We hold their hand and explain the process.”
“Most people want quality and to trust people
working in their house.
” I ask, Art, “how long does it take to re-pipe a
house?” Art replies, “it varies, one or two days.” “We
don’t like to promise, but we are capable of doing it
in one day, if everything goes smooth.” “The areas we
serve are, from Burbank to about 50 miles in range.”
“This includes, Thousand Oaks, Ontario, North
to Castaic, Santa Clarita, and South to Orange
County.” “50% of all our customers are referrals.”
“Recently in one street, we did a re-pipe
job on one house and that customer was so
happy that their referral led us to do six more
houses in that one block.” “If you would like to
be a happy customer contact.”
12/31/06
Art Hovsepian
# 1 State Plumbing
Copper Repiping Specialist
400 N. Glenoaks Boulevard
Burbank, CA 91501
Tel: 818-566-1390 www.numberonestateplumbing.com
HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST • DECEMBER 2006 21
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SYCAMORE GROVE SCHOOL
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LOS ANGELES, CA 90042
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www.uncutreport.com www.uncutreport.com
Happy Christmas from
5 R Health
Recently Sophia Kim, a talented designer, from the publishing and media business,
launched her first foray into the health business. She bought 5R Health, next to
Bank of America on the Figueroa Business Corridor. Gushing with enthusiasm Kim
guides you through the 5R Health fitness gym. The five R’s stand for Relax, Refresh,
Reshape, Realign and Restore. As you enter 5 R Health you immediately notice how
new and clean it is. First you are offered a cup of water which has a detox formula
called Oakey. Then for free you can try the Vibexer which literally shakes your body
with enough intensity for you to begin to lose weight. I even tried it on my elbows
and it freed up the knot in my neck. Last week Channel 7 profiled the machine which
is a must for movie and music stars like Madonna. Next up if you join, is the Biosphere
which will tell you your body fat and a health snapshot. From this Kim can put you on
a health program to lose weight. With obesity at an all time high it is 5 R Health that
is making a difference in member’s lives. Most people who join want to lose weight.
With 5 R Health one customer lost 4 lbs in a week, and it made them so excited. After
the machines comes a massage which can last for 30 minutes. It is a massage bed and
Kim says that it is so relaxing some customers relax into a semi sleep. There is even a
sauna which is infrared so you don’t sweat too much. But summing up Kim agrees it
is the machines in conjunction with healthy eating that brings the most success. With
fifty members and growing you can easily get on a machine. Before I left Kim offered
me some ginseng root and I must say that my energy was restored, my neck pain
pleasantly gone and my weight a little less. Welcome Kim and if you’d like to contact
Kim for your free trial on the Vibexer give her a call at 323-550-8800 or pop in to 5509
N. Figueroa St. next to Bank of America.

20 HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST • NOVEMBER 2006 HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST • DECEMBER 2006 23
Coming from Page 12
GREED: EXPENSIVE PRESCRIPTIONS
today it’s an incestuous relationship
between the pharmaceutical companies
nurturing, guiding, stroking that physician
from medical school right through till
today - so that the physician becomes one
extension, the biggest supported of the
pharmaceutical industry.
Show me where I’m wrong.
Dr. Rost: Well unfortunately, as a
physician myself I have to admit, and I’m
not doing that with an easy heart, that I’m
very, very saddened by the state of healthcare
and the way physicians act today.
Being a physician has become more of being
a businessperson than actually being
somebody who cares for peoples’ lives.
There was a recent study where they
used actors to make thousands of calls to
doctors pretending to have a depression
and asking for a particular drug. Almost all
of those who showed the symptoms of depression
got the drugs. But the worrying
part was that the other half of the actors
who didn’t pretended to have any symptoms,
half of those got the drug as well.
And here we’re talking about pretty strong
stuff - antidepressants - and the patient
got it because they pushed for them.
So clearly, direct to consumer advertising
works, and the physician very often
just wants to satisfy the patient. But many
physicians today have stopped practicing
good medicine. And we also have so many
physicians just standing with their hands
out waiting for the next trip from the drug
company, the next dinner, the next freebie.
So the whole system has become so corrupted.
We shouldn’t expect this to be
normal. The fact that we have freedom and
anybody can bribe anybody else - that’s
not freedom, that is not good society
and most countries do not allow drugs
reps to visit doctors as often they do here
and they do not allow drug reps to bring
doctors pizzas and bagels and everything
else. I mean they are pretty much stewardesses
in those offices bring them gifts
- bearing gifts. You create the relationship
that way. So we can change this - we don’t
have to have a system like this.
Gary Null: I’ve recently interviewed
a drug rep who was one of the most
popular in the United States and for two
years was in the top five most successful
drug reps in the United States out of over
100,000.
And she said that she had to understand
the psychology of using her sex
appeal, using her sense of care and concern,
how she would approach the doctor,
how she would set up a coffee table with
donuts for his patients. And that in time
no one even questioned anymore they
almost expected when they went in the
office - in his office - that there would be
something there, pizzas or whatever, given
out free to his staff. And I said, “Did he at
any point recognize that this was just a
different way, a more clever way, of getting
him to where he will prescribe your
drug?” And she said, “No. That never came
up. Sure he prescribed the drug. And the
drug I was selling, from my company, was
the drug of choice for the condition that
he was a specialist in, heart disease, that
he would give. It wasn’t that my drug was
better, that I had studies proving it was
better, it was just that I was better able to
connect with him.” Your thoughts on this.
Dr. Rost: Well there is a great book
out there by Jamie Reidy, called “Hard Sell:
A Former Pfizer Sales Rep,” who describes
exactly this and he had a very funny sentence
in the book, basically saying male
doctors, who were very busy, as soon as
they got a whiff of female perfume - their
innate reproductive desire made them
drop everything else and very willingly listen
to these beautiful women. I don’t think
that we should have our drugs prescribed
based upon male doctors’ desire for sex.
Gary Null: But that’s happening.
Dr. Rost: That’s the situation we have
today. It works equally well for male sales
reps who can charm the office staff.
Gary Null: The next area and I only
have two more questions for you because
I know you’re on a short schedule. But
it’s a very important one. I own a food
store. It’s a natural food store. There are
about twelve different departments - from
produce, organic produce, whole grains,
breads, the deli, and groceries. At the end
of the day I know my markups and they
range from about 25% to as high in some
areas as about 75%, but average about
40%. That’s not a lot and it’s real hard to
make a living. It’s hard to stay in business
with the rent you’re paying, the staff, the
insurances, taxes, etc., but you manage to
etch out a living. It’s not going to make
you rich.
I’m also an author and I’ve published
a lot of books, and I’ve been fortunate
enough to have some very popular selling
books. But I know exactly to the penny
how much that book costs my publisher. I
know how much the binding, the ink, and
everything and I know the markup. I know
if I want to buy my book I get maybe a
40% discount unless I buy a humungous
amount then I get 50%. But I know the actual
cost of the book because I frequently
buy a lot of those books and give them
away free to the poor and for years to noncommercial
radio stations I gave books.
And then recently I did some research
on pharmaceuticals because I was listening
to a debate, this goes back about a
year, and the debate was this: The reason
we have the most expensive drugs in
the world in America is because so much
money goes into research and development
- upwards of a billion dollars and I’m
thinking, “Is that possible?” I didn’t know
- I wasn’t going to make a decision until I
had my facts. And I began to look carefully
at this and here’s what I have and I’m
willing to put this on the record and have
it challenged.
Let me take a few products. Let me
take, for our arguments sake, take two.
I’m going to take Prozac, 20mg, 100
tablets. Retail price currently is $247.47.
The actual generic active ingredient for
100 tablets, for all hundred tablets for
Prozac is 11 cents. Do the math - that is
a 224,783% markup. One more, Xanax
- 1 mg, 100 tablets, currently as of today
$136.79. The actual cost for those 100
tables of the generic active ingredient
is two tenths of 1 penny. That means the
markup is 569,858%. Let me say that again
-569,000% markup from the cost of the
generic active ingredient in
that 1 mg dose of Xanax to
$136.79 for the actual retail
price. I have never in my life
seen markups like this. I know
of no other business that has
markups like this and as a
person who knows something
about pricing and economics
I’m absolutely flabbergasted
by that. Your thoughts please.
Dr. Rost: Well this is what
you get when you don’t have
a free market. Drug companies
claim that the U.S. is the
only free market. That’s really
untrue. The U.S. drug market
is a monopoly - they can
charge whatever they want.
What are you going to do? If
you have a car that costs too
much you can walk away, but
when you’re sick you can’t
walk away. You need the drug
to survive, to live, to go on.
And when you don’t have a
good partner, a strong partner
to negotiate with, as you
can imagine, you’re going to
pay the highest prices.
Where does this money
go? Very simple - it goes
into two areas. Number one
- profits. Number two - into
marketing and selling even
more drugs. As a mater of
fact in 2002, if you look at the fortune
500 list of the largest 500 companies, you
take just the drug companies, the top 10
drug companies, together the top 10 drug
companies had a higher profit than all the
other 490 largest U.S. corporations. That’s
what you get.
Gary Null: Wow. That I was not aware
of - I appreciate that insight. My final question
for you - why is it that the board of
directors, the top executives of these
pharmaceutical companies are not put
to the task of acting, not just responsibly
for their company and their products,
which they have a responsibility both
fiduciary and a moral responsibility, but
also the issue should they not charge a
reasonable price to make a reasonable
profit so that the public that may need
that drug can actually afford it instead
of having to not be able to afford it. Why
isn’t there some moral equation that is
not discussed? And as a medical doctor,
as an executive of one of the largest
pharmaceutical companies in the
country, I’m sure at some point this issue
has arisen somewhere in the corporate
headquarter system. Has it not?
Dr. Rost: Well, you know, the problem
we have is that when you are that
wealthy, you’re also equally powerful
and there are many people and many
politicians with their hands out asking
for assistance. One example is the Medicare
drug bill, which was going to give
free drugs to the elderly in 2006 - it’s
still going to cost $3000 out of your own
pocket for the first $4000 of drugs. But in
addition to that, that drug bill included
legislation that made it illegal for the
government to negotiate drug prices.
You know it’s so completely counterintuitive.
Why should the taxpayers pay
full price when the government could
have negotiated? When you have a
powerful industry that can buy its way
into a democratic government that’s
what you get.
Gary Null: I want to thank you for
your candor, your openness, and your
honesty. It is a refreshing discussion
instead of the normal propaganda and
defensiveness that I would hear from
other individuals from within the industry.
Dr. Rost I thank you very much.
Dr. Rost: You’re very welcome. It
was really a delight.
Gary Null: That was Dr. Peter Rost.
He is also senior vice president at Pfizer,
medical doctor and answered some
very important questions for me. So I
hope you enjoyed that
Dr. Rost was speaking on behalf of
himself, not Pfizer.Gary Null can be heard
locally on KPFK 90.7 FM Wednesdays from
Midnight until 5:30 AM. For more info. visit
www.garynull.com
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24
HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST
Restaurants
•DECEMBER 2006
12/31/06
www.uncutreport.com
HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST
Neighborhood News
25
• DECEMBER 2006
Old L.A. Market
Quality products Always!
by: Seth Budick
One of the great things about the geography of
Southern California is the diversity of microclimates.
From San Luis Obispo, where fog shrouded canyons
often see frost just a few miles from the Pacific,
to the Oxnard plane, one of the most temperate
places on Earth, to the low deserts, one of the few
areas outside of the Middle East and North Africa
where dates
are grown.
At the Old LA certified farmers
market, we benefit from our location
at the center of all of this agricultural
diversity, not least from the presence
of ZRanch, based in Brawley in the Imperial
Valley. High temperatures allow
ZRanch to bring fruits and vegetables
to the market at times of year when
they’re out of season virtually everywhere
else. ZRanch had the first
asparagus of the year in early October,
months ahead of growers in coastal
areas (and half a year before our friends in the
midwest and northeast). Asparagus is an extremely
nutrient rich vegetable containing high amounts of
folic acid, potassium and fiber, while being virtually
calorie free (4 per stalk). Asparagus is one of the
oldest cultivated vegetables, appearing in the earliest
existing cookbook from 3rd century Rome, and
is yet another vegetable that loses its flavor quickly
after being picked, making us even luckier to be able
to buy it fresh at the market.
While ZRanch travels a substantial distance to attend
the Old LA market, this month we welcomed a
new vendor from the opposite end of the spectrum,
Frog Dog Farms, located, amazingly, just down the
road in Atwater Village! Only 4% of LA County is
still agricultural land, but you can count Frog Dog
Farms in that small but important fraction. Frog Dog
grows an amazing variety of herbs, bringing a great
new comprehensive selection to the market of just
about everything a cook could need. In October,
Frog Dog had oregano, sage, thyme, tarragon, mint,
rosemary, curry, lemon grass, cilantro, chives and
basil, and all for great prices, unlike many herb vendors,
who price their spices more like gold than the
standard ingredients they should be in everyone’s
kitchen. Frog Dog also produces a wonderful blend
of chopped fresh herbs packaged and ready to mix
with roasted vegetables or maybe with just some
olive oil and salt on your pasta.
I was so eager to try Frog Dog’s herb blend that
I came straight home from the market, chopped
four fresh Yukon Gold potatoes from Gama Farms,
tossed them with some
olive oil, salt, and Frog Dogs’
mixed herb blend and simply
roasted them for 30 minutes.
I’m a little embarrassed to
admit it, but those roasted potatoes,
some delicious fresh
tomatoes from Tamai Farms
and a glass of homemade
honeydew agua fresca made
for a wonderfully simple and
satisfying dinner, especially
with fresh raspberries from
Santiago Farms for dessert.
Other new fall produce at the market in November
included guavas, persimmons, jerusalem artichokes,
tangerines, yams and sweet potatoes. For
a complete list of what’s in season each week, along
with recipes and nutritional information, take a look
atwww.friends4oldlafarmersmarket.org.
You can also always pick up delicious fresh bread
and other baked goods, along with artisanal cheese
and fruit preserves at the market. And if you come
hungry, you need not go home that way, with roasted
chicken, corn and potatoes, along with Korean
barbeque and tamales vying to fill you up. As
residents of Northeast LA, we’re incredibly lucky to
have this market, but no market can thrive without
the support of its community, so please make an effort
to come down Tuesday afternoon and be a part
of this vibrant, diverse community.
The Old LA (Highland Park) Certified Farmers
Market is located adjacent to the Highland Park
Gold Line station at Marmion Way between Ave. 57
& 58 and operates Tuesdays from 3-7 PM.
ASNC Meeting
and Holiday Mixer
• Monday, December
4, 7 - 10p
Ramona Hall,
4580 N Figueroa St
626.831.7970
• 2nd Saturday
Presentation/Virgen
de Guadalupe Exhibit
Saturday, December 9, 5
- 7p // 7 - 10p
Rock Rose Gallery, 4108 N Figueroa
St, 323.222.4740
Virgen de Guadalupe Altar/Rosary
• Tuesday, December 12, 7 - 10p
Rock Rose Gallery, 4108 N Figueroa
St, 323.222.4740
www.uncutreport.com
All are welcome & invited
to attend the following:
Holiday Fair / Posada for
Immigrant Rights
• Sunday, December 17,
12noon - 6p Posada:
4p
The Acorn Gallery,
135 N Avenue 50
323.850.8566
Avenue 50 Studio,
131 N Avenue 50
323.258.1435
• Holiday Heritage:
A Southern California Christmas
Exhibit
Saturdays/Sundays, Thru January
15, 12noon - 4p
Heritage Sq Museum, 3800
Homer St 323.225.2700 x222

22
26
HIGHLAND PARK NEWS/EAGLE ROCK POST
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•DECEMBER 2006
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Coming from Cover
ais not real, a lonely, sweaty fat man will be donning a suit and playing him.
Most of the time they’re harmless, but sometimes they’re drunk, vulgar, bitter
men who’d rather be undressing your kids than listening to them whine about
toys. If you happen to get one of these perverts, make sure you give your kids
extra juice boxes and remove their diapers just before sitting on Santa’s lap.
Tip: Sometimes Santa’s little helpers, the elves, are equally disgruntled. To teach
them a lesson as well, toss the previously removed diaper on the ground. Hopefully
your kid made a doody making it an extra special find.
Cancer
June 22nd – July 22nd
Home For The Holidays. If anyone has seen this Jodie
Foster directed movie, you know what I’m talking
about. Nothing means quality time with those you
love more than traipsing across the country only to listen to your grandmother
fart at the dinner table. I know that the holidays are all about being with those
you love – your family - but let’s face it, most of us hate our families and would
rather spend the holidays with Crackhead Bob. Yes, yes, I know, our families are
that bad, but whatever, I’d still rather do crack.
Tip: If you can’t handle 24 hours of being around kin, self medicate by any means
necessary.
Leo
July 23rd – August 22nd
If you actually like your family, it’s terribly hard and
depressing being apart from them during the holidays,
especially if you’re poor and can’t afford a plane ticket
home. In these times, I like to gather up the rest of the misfi t toys and host
a holiday dinner where, even though we can’t be with those we’d rather be
with, we can at least not spend another holiday alone in the dark talking to
the Care Bears.
Tip: If you don’t have any friends to spend the holidays with and not even your
stuffed animals want you around, volunteer. At least you’ll get to eat a decent
meal while you point and laugh at the homeless.
Virgo
August 23rd – September 22nd
God’s chosen people: the Jews. They’ve gotten the
short end of the stick since their creation. It makes
me wonder why, if their God’s chosen, he consistently
blows them off. Not even during the holidays do people care. Actually that’s
not true. I used to work at a literary agency and all the partners and agents
were Jewish so we’d get off almost every single Jewish holiday, I felt like I was
back in school. Go Jews!! So this year, spread a little tolerance around and hug
a Jew. They don’t always feel special because most of the world hates them.
Tip: If you don’t know any Jewish people to hug, find an Arab or other ethnicity
whom we’ve gone to war against.
Libra
September 23rd – October 22nd
Whenever my mom asks me what I want for
Christmas, I tell her nothing. I just want to be home
with my family and enjoy the little time I have with
them each year. Secretly I hope she sees through me, because I’m completely
lying, and through osmosis, assumes that what I really meant was that I want
a new iPod or digital camera. I swear, if she doesn’t it get it for me this year, I’m
going to SCREAM!!!
Tip: You are never too old for temper tantrums.
Scorpio
October 23rd – November 21st
Much like Thanksgiving, the remaining December
holidays are usually accompanied by mass amounts
of food and weight gain. If you haven’t had gastric
bypass surgery like most lazy overweight Americans, chances are you’re going
to put a few on this holiday season. To avoid that, eat your holiday meal at
someone’s house who’s an incredibly bad cook. It’s an extra bonus if they have
a dirty house or ugly kids.
Tip: If you can’t find anyone who’s a bad cook who’s willing to invite you over, visit
a homeless shelter. Usually the E. coli will kill any appetite you’ve had and you
might even lose weight, if you don’t die.
Tara Rubano is an aspiring writer living in Los Angeles. She
is the co-creator and co-editor of the online humor website
www.ducttapeandrouge.com.
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