Raven Jake Dawes

The Arroyo Chub (Gila orcutti)

Arroyo chub

Ever notice how people get all excited about endangered panda bears and such not, but could seem to care less about a critter that's going extinct in their backyards? Let’s change that…

 

The fish species is named for Charles Russell Orcutt (1864-1929), a San Diego-based pioneer naturalist who first began collecting the fish in 1889. UCs’ Mosquito Research Program is putting some effort into studying this fish as a natural mosquito abatement technique – totally non toxic – and said “The California Department of Fish and Game declared the arroyo chub "a species of special concern" in 1995. The fish is absent or rare in much of its native range, which includes the Los Angeles, San Gabriel, San Luis Rey, Santa Ana and Santa Margarita rivers and to Malibu and San Juan creeks. Urbanization threatens its habitat, as does introduced minnow species, including the red shiner.”

 

The chub has even been found fossilized at the La Brea Tar Pits, so we can’t just have upstarts like the red shiner displacing it. There has been a program to re-introduce the arroyo chub to the Arroyo Seco, where it went extinct a while back. In 2009, the Arroyo Seco Foundation added 300 of the little fish to the stream south of Devil’s Gate Dam and north of the Colorado Street Bridge. Apparently they’re doing well, although I have yet to see one.

Original Habitat of the Arroyo Chub

The Desert Fishes Council is keeping pretty exhaustive lists for research purposes http://www.desertfishes.org/na/index.shtml

 

 

Robert Culp has left the Stage

Robert Culp

Hey, folks.  Just a brief note on a sad event.  An Old Friend passed away yesterday. Actor, Writer, Director, Robert Culp, well known for his many roles in film and television made his final exit at his home in Hollywood.  We shared a passion for things Western.  He had a great wit, dry as the desert wind and sharp as a straight razor.  He was a regular guy, a good guy. Bob, we'll all miss you. Thanks for everything.

The census is coming!

I know that if an agent of the federal government comes out to your house and starts askin' you all kinds of questions about how old you are, and how much money do you make, and who else is livin' with you and what're there names and are they related and all that... Well, you could be forgiven for thinkin' it's a mite suspicious. And you might be tempted to lie. I'm askin' you not to. I know for a fact that folks have been lying to the census takers at least as far back as 1840 and I also know it hasn't done anyone a bit of good. If anyone cares to look up your ratty ol' ass in 100 years (it could happen - most likely a relative, but you never know) you owe them The Truth. And in the shorter run, we could get some federal funds back into the educational system (like up to $3,000 per student), have better planning for social security and health care and whatnot. Just fill out the card and send it in - it'll take about a minute and a half. And yes - Michael White's wife, Maria del Rosario, just got younger with every census. Quite amazing. http://www.census.gov/

Hey Los Angeles, You're on Indian Land!

You know that sayin' "You're on Indian land?? Well, we all are, even here in LA. If you look at where So Cal's cities are today, and where the villages (the Spanish called them Rancharias) were back when, it's pretty much the same spot - wherever there was water and farmable land. Some of the old names, like Tujunga, are still in use, but most have been renamed. By the way, $ contributions for Tongva culture would be most appreciated by http://www.keepersofindigenousways.org

 

Tongva Villages in So Cal

Now this whole thing got me thinking about how repetitious and boring the street names are in L.A. - you folks in Pasadena who have to deal with "Villa," "Sierra Madre," Sierra Madre Villa" and all really feel the pain. So I'm gonna suggest to all you real estate developers that instead of reusing all the old SoCal cliches, that you mix it up a bit with some good ol' Tongva names. Like "Junubabit Street" or "Sibanga Court." To this end, I grabbed this list out of an old mission book, and I think you oughta keep this handy at namin' time.

SAN GABRIEL INDIAN RANCHERIAS

 

Ajuibit Ajuinga Acuxabit Acnrabit Acuranga Amupubit Atababit Achochobit Amuscopiabit Asuesabit Ajuimiabit Acatabranga Batequitos Bonoquin Cabuepet Chaubit Cacayibit Cucamobit Cupsabit Ohibanga Comurabit Comicrabit Chaguayabit Choquayabit Corobonabit Coyubit Guapiabit Guinibit Gebit

Guibabit Guijabepet Geverobit Guaipet Guachpet Guibanga Gorumuga Gonopeapa Guanchia Juiubit Jaibepet Jaisobit Jntucabit laisobit Jajamobit Japchibit Jayabit Jajobiahit Jautbit Jaibenga Juiunga Jutucunga Jeberobit Jurupe Junubabit Jaiocopeabit Judamobit Julagunot Lomquin

Mairobit Mamaita Mujimam Maromabit Mapitbit Naasin Nosabit Nonobit Najayabit Ojiibit Pafbenga Pi mub it Paparabit Pububit Pimocabit Pajbepet Pomoqnin Peotopa Pimicha Pamaibit Picubit Piamubit Paboeoya Pachechero Quisaobit Quinquibit Quinibit Sibapet Seobit

Sapchibit Satucubit Sotaibit Soabit Sibanga Tobpet Topisabit Tucubit Totabit Toibepet Tochonabit Tibajabit Tusicabit Tobanbepet Tameobit Tochajana Toibina Tobimobit Timijahit Tobonga Tobizcanga Taisobit Tomecupna Tujubit Uchubit Ttucubit Vabit

 

Atlas Obscura Day March 20, 2010

Barbara Harris at Giant Rock

Our friend Barbara is gonna be giving tours of the Integratron and Giant Rock on Saturday as part of a world-wide effort to promote those strange little obscure places that every town outta have at least one of. Coincidently, Friends of Giant Rock are having their clean-up day on Saturday, March 20 as well, so you'll get the benefit of seein' that rock lookin it's best (and don't even get me started on what I think about taggers... the last time I saw ol' Giant Rock, he was covered in graffiti with shell casings all around) There's probably somthin' weird happening where you are too, so check out the Atlas Obscura site for listings:

http://atlasobscura.com/obscura-day

Levels Below 'Zine

Our friend Chris Caplan has been getting us into the DIY music scene lately, and I've got to say it's been a real treat. Do-it-yourself anything is usually far superior to the store bought alternative, and I gotta say that goes for music (and homebrew - thanks, Theater of Work)  too. So Demonora's Mike Wetzel has just launched this totally homemade 80's retro 'zine with music, rants, poetry, activism, vegan lifestyle tips and pretty much anything else he and his friends care to write, and he's got a music showcase goin' on at the Steel Pit in Tujunga on the third Thursday of every month.

Do I wholeheartedly agree with all that appears on the pages of Levels Below? Hell, no (and I doubt even Mike does) but free expression is just that, and I'm pleased as punch that someone's out there doing it. So good for you, Mike.  Someone needs to have the vision to take a middle-aged guy who plays Secret Agent Man on the ukele and give him a place to shine - and that's DIY music night at the Steel Pit. (Along with a lot of other new musicians who need to stretch their stage legs a little) Beats the crap out of the Jonas Brothers and all that over-produced boy band stuff.

My only beef (or tofu) with Levels Below is the paper format. It's time to join the 21st century and get a good website going. You'll reach a broader audience, save some trees, and get music samples right there on the pages. And, needless to say, you get the Raven Jake endorsement for contributions to the independent, non-commercial music scene. Good luck, D-Eye-Why and Levels Below!

San Marino School Board Meeting

Folks, I'm going to have to send a shout out to the San Marino School District's Board of Education. They were very receptive and supportive of the work that the Friends of the Michael White Adobe task force has been doing over the last three months, and while they've refused to take demolition off the table, they have put it firmly on the sidelines. And they granted another stay of execution.

Now we're gettin' somewhere. We're talkin'. Karen Preston even bought "California All the Way Back to 1828" on EBay, and that's put us a damn sight further down the trail than we were in October.

Now the board has their hands full with a bunch of problems that aren't related to the Michael White Adobe - they've had about $5 million cut from their budget, and a third of their teachers have been put on notice that they might not have a job in September. So it ain't like being a board member is all about PTSA luncheons and tearing down old buildings - they've got a hard row to hoe too, and I don't envy them one bit.

But savin' the San Marino School District ain't my business and savin' the Michael White Adobe is, and that's why the school board is in my good books - they're getting behind the project. First off, the next board presentation in in August - six months away, and you know a lot can happen in half a year. Second, everybody, inluding newcomer Nam Jack, recognized that finding a way to accomodate the building was a consideration - like I said, we're coming along and I'm feeling optimistic - I think we can reach a solution where everybody wins.

So kudos to the board - Dr. Jeng Yen, Karen Preston, Chris Norgaard, C. Joseph Chang and Nam Jack, for giving the adobe another chance.