Contempo May
2009
CULTURE / BUSINESS / POLITICS / FASHION / TECHNOLOGY / TRAVEL
MISS RGV USA PAGEANT 2009 MCALLEN TEA PARTY SPARKS AT ARCHER TEXAS MAKES GIANT SOLAR ENERGY MOVE ARE YOUR TEENS PROTECTED FROM HVP? BRAZIL’S IGUAZU FALLS the Valley’s No. 1 On-Line Magazine
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Greetings, The Miss Rio Grande Valley USA Pageant 2009 was a superbly run affair that was a pleasure to attend and document. With over 20 years of pageant experience, the organization has become a fixture of Valley Heritage. Debi, her staff and sponsors go all out, including variety entertainment, to make for a memorable event. All the young ladies looked truly elegant. They all projected poise, confidence, and style. Many of you in the McAllen and Sharyland areas have received Contempo Magazine at home. We will be converting over to a subscription service for home delivery over the next few months so that you can receive it in your mailbox and to enable us to expand our circulation. You've noticed that we try to run stand-alone articles of substance, whether on culture or penetrating business subjects or through discovery of Valley treasures. that means we must proportion fewer pages to advertisers. With your subscription we can better attend to this mission. For only $14 per year you will be certain to get your advance copy before it hits the public stands in limited number. We are offering to the first 50 subscribers a free PDF digital image of your favorite picture on a special Contempo Magazine cover (subscriber must provide photograph with subscription). You can print it, mount it, frame it, send it to a friend and have some fun with it. Standard 6 month subscriptions can be placed for only $8. Send a simple subscription request to ralph@contempomag.com with ship-to address for subscription instructions or mail in the subscription request in the magazine. We will also have throughout the year, subscriber contests from which you could win valuable prizes like a dinner for two at top area restaurants or a weekend at South Padre Island. Hope to see your subscriptions soon and that you enjoy this great issue. Have a happy Mother's Day! Ralph Magaña-Publisher Contempo is a publication of Contempo Magazine Inc. All opinions represented are of the authors & not necessarily the views of the publisher. The publisher makes no representations regarding advertising content. Contempo Magazine is a trademark of Contempo Magazine Inc. All rights reserved. All content published and constructed by Contempo Magazine is the property of Contempo Magazine Inc. Permission for reprint shall be granted only upon written request and authorized release from Contempo Magazine Inc.
President / Ralph Magaña Editor / Raul Cabrera Computer Technology / Michael Bilyeu Business & Latin American Affairs / Tony Magaña Women’s Medicine / Dr. Carlos Almaguer Fashion / Vanessa Valente Culture & Travel / Crystal Felici Personal Finance / Melissa Magaña City Beat / Shaine Mata Ad Sales / Adriana Fernandez 960.2453 Beatrice Casas 569.3134 / Ralph Magaña 467.7880 Chanel Riviello 305.394.7153 Distribution / Rosa Lopez Co-founder & Webpage Editor / Tony Magaña 956.467.7880 e-mail: wmagana@rgv.rr.com web site: www.contempomag.com Suite B, PMB#170, 2403 N. 10th. St. McAllen, Tx 78501
Printed in Mexico
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IN THIS ISSUE The Miss Rio Grande Valley USA Pageant 2009 Navigating Through Uncertain Markets Where Did All the Money Go? The AIG Impact Payday Loan Alternatives with Area’s Multibank McAllen Tea Party Gathers Crowd at Archer Park Texas Legislature Moves on Solar Energy Incentives High-Tech State Expected to Lead the Industry Why Hypermiling will be Habit Forming in the Valley HVP Vaccine Too Late? 50 Million U.S. Infected Both Men & Women. Are Your Teens Protected? Valley Traveler: Brazil’s Iguazu Falls Another Music Festival Entertains McAllen McAllen ArtWalk Picks of the Month Sensible Home Energy Savings Upper Valley Pioneers Stretching Their Wings Getting Around Contempomag.com Computer Corner: Store It, Stop It, Maximize It
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Contempo
Contempo May
January 2009
The Lifestyle Variety Magazine for the Upper Valley
2009
CULTURE / BUSINESS / POLITICS / FASHION / TECHNOLOGY / TRAVEL
A T. REX MINGLES AT UTPA KEEPING IT HOT WINTER FITNESS LATIN AMERICAN POLICY
HEART OF THE CITY SPARKS UP FOR NEW YEAR
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IS AMERICAN TECH SUPERIOR FASHION TRENDS with CRYSTAL McALLEN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT SHAPES UP
TRAVEL AMSTERDAM MLS SCORING LEADER CARLOS RUIZ BLUE DOG DEMS CATCH OBAMAS ATTENTION CONTEMPO PIONEER ASHLEY DAWN MOSS YEAR IN PICTURES
Contempo
politics
The Lifestyle Variety Magazine for the Upper Valley
June 2008
FINANCIAL MATTERS FOR OUR PARENTS
TV, Movies & what’s Next for UV Girl,
Shannon Sauceda Major Avila U.S. Marine Views Washington from Above
Cover: Allison Garza and Ivette Vargas at Cimarron Clubhouse overlooking No. 18. See more about the Rio Grande Valley USA Pageant on at www.contempomag.com
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We invite your comments and suggestions. Do you like our articles? What should we cover? Do you have someone in mind as a Contempo Pioneer? Some recent posts from our readers–
In This Issue STYLISH FOOTWEAR for the Latina Employee Free Choice Act Impact on Valley Business BUILDING Relationships in a STIFF MARKET Sharpen Your Selling Skills with PCA Diversified Portofolios in Turbulent Times
Dear Contempo, Nice cover, but that doesn’t look much like a pumphouse. Why is that? Jerry B., McAllen
UTPA Planetarium
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valley the Valley’s No. 1 On-Line Magazine
THE ULTIMATE South Texas Home Series VALLEY TREASURE
The Old Hidalgo Pump House
We will soon! It is a fantastic western valley treasure and we are eager to cover it. Send your comments and suggestions by e-mail to: ralph@contempomag.com
FINE DINNING GUIDE
February
2009
The Lifestyle Variety Magazine for the Upper Valley
Contempo Pioneer Brittany Rodriguez Valentine’s Day, Where it all Started Mexico City’s Chapultepec Castle Will Texas Democrats make a Comeback? Tequisqiapan Revisited Contempo Woman of the Year, Alida Hernandez
UTPA Spotlight Marianella Franklin Recovering Deleted Photos Fashion The New Latina Nidia Quintanilla & Christian Pop Diversity in a Turbulent Market Keeping Our Senior Drivers Safe
Contempo
November 2008
The Lifestyle Variety Magazine for the Upper Valley PIONEER KARLA SAAVEDRA CABAÑAS CHANGES OUR PARENTS FACE INVESTMENT PSYCHOLOGY RAISING KOI MODEL PROGRAMS FOR
EDUCATION
SPI MUSIC FEST IN PICTURES LATINA HIGHLIGHTS FASHION AT SPI ASTRONAUT MIKE FOSSUM AT McALLEN CHAMBER EVENT
A JEWELED WATCH FIT FOR A KING
HOW A FALLEN SOLDIER’S STORY TOUCHED A NATION STYLISH CASUAL WEAR WHEN & WHETHER TO
DECANT WINE
NHWN HOSTS FUNDRAISER AT ESPAÑA
Contempomag.com the Valley’s No. 1 on-line magazine / intros BlogTalk
A Look Behind The Fence Blog @ contempomag
How about an article about Falcon Lake? Jesse Madrigal, Pharr
The Eager Nostalgic HOLDING AN ON-LINE CONNECTION & VIRUS UPDATES
Contempo
IMMIGRATION POLICY & THE IMPACT ON VALLEY COMMERCE, DOES CONGRESS HAVE A CLUE?
BILLION DOLLAR BORDER FENCE MAY ONLY STOP THE WILDLIFE
Adult Stem Cell Back Surgery
www.contempomag.com / the Valley’s leading on-line magazine
GO GREEN WITH HOME AUTOMATION
THREE SIMPLE LONG TERM FINANCIAL STRATEGIES FOR BOOMERS
Dr. Trey Fulp First S. TEXAS
Boomer Income Strategies
4088
NO PLACE LIKE HOME FOR NIP & TUCK
COMPUTER LAG, SLAG & DRAG SOLUTIONS
Cover photo-Gabriela Uresti at the Old Hidalgo Pumphouse
Best of Show
Valley Life after HR
QUERETARO BIRTHPLACE OF THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION
FASHIONABLE EVENING WEAR with OPTIONS
BOOK REVIEW
Fashionable Fall Tops
UPPER VALLEY PIONEER CRISTINA ELIZABETH MAQUEDA, EARNS FIRST HISPANIC MISS LUBBOCK USA & GRADS PHI BETA KAPPA
Dear Contempo, Very good and thoughtful articles of substance. In particular I like the ones written by Tony Magaña. Keep up the good work! Juan Gonzalez. Weslaco
On Politics Hard Shift Left? DEALING with IDENTITY THIEFT e mails & docs
UV Pioneer Jamie-Lynne Brown on Higher ED ACCESS
Hibiscus
May 2008
The Lifestyle Variety Magazine for the Upper Valley
Gabrela Uresti
September 2008
Sorry about that. Most copies of Contempo are circulated in the same residential areas each month but we don’t always have access to gated communities. You can now subscribe to the magazine. We will be phasing out non-subscription residential distribution in the future. You can still get copies at our public distribution drops but most magazines disappear from the racks within a day or two.
people computing
UTPA Folkloric DANCERS ON STAGE Contempo Pioneer
The Lifestyle Variety Magazine for the Upper Valley
Thanks for the comp. The cover was shot in the garden area. The Old Hidalgo Pumphouse is a restored steam engine irrigation pumphouse– now museum, that supports a nature trail, bird and butterfly center, a lake, an amphitheater and well preserved relics of early Valley life. For more information about the pumphouse visit our September 08 issue, page 53 at the www. contempomag.com archives.
Just a quick note to express my appreciaContempo tion for your magazine. It is so colorful, so well done, but my favorite sections are the editorials and news stories. You are “right on” about many issues, please continue. Respectfully, Ms Faye Cook
Border Security Do We Need the Military?
Contempo
Great magazine. Nice pics. I get them at home but didn’t see your last issue. Can I pick up a copy somewhere? Edmundo Garza, Mission
entertainment
2009
Contempo The Lifestyle Variety Magazine for the Upper Valley
May 2008
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March
UPPER VALLEY CULTURE / BUSINESS / POLITICS / FASHION / TECHNOLOGY
UPPER VALLEY PIONEER CRISTINA ELIZABETH MAQUEDA, EARNS FIRST HISPANIC MISS LUBBOCK USA & GRADS PHI BETA KAPPA QUERETARO BIRTHPLACE OF THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION NO PLACE LIKE HOME FOR NIP & TUCK GO GREEN WITH HOME AUTOMATION FASHIONABLE EVENING WEAR with OPTIONS COMPUTER LAG, SLAG & DRAG SOLUTIONS THREE SIMPLE LONG TERM FINANCIAL STRATEGIES FOR BOOMERS
IMMIGRATION POLICY & THE IMPACT ON VALLEY COMMERCE, DOES CONGRESS HAVE A CLUE? A Look Behind The Fence Blog @ contempomag BILLION DOLLAR BORDER FENCE MAY ONLY STOP THE WILDLIFE
Contempo The Lifestyle Variety Magazine for the Upper Valley
July 2008
culture echnology
Protect Your Computer from Electrical Storms
Contempo
Readers Forum
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Men’s Wear The New Meaning of BLACK TIE Detection=Prevention Medical Advances in Preventative Care
Contem
The Lifestyle Variety Magazine fo
UV Pioneer Crystal Doyle, Critical Care Veterinary Student, has a passion. The HYBRID a car built for Valley Mileage 5 Ways to Reduce Home Energy Demand
Fashion The Power of Pants & Eco-Friendly Fabrics Madrid by Metro Computers with Dueling Monitors?
page 5 ContempoMag.com
UV Pioneer Crystal Doyle, Critical Care Veterinary Student, has a passion. The HYBRID a car built for Valley Mileage 5 Ways to Reduce Home Energy Demand
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Miss RGV USA Puts Valley on the Pageant Map
Ivette Vargas, Miss RGV USA 2009
Allison Garza Miss RGV Teen USA 2009
What a night!
Music, wonderful young ladies in beautiful gowns. The Miss RGV USA and Miss RGV Teen USA Pageant now celebrates over 20 years
the Valley’s No. 1 On-Line Magazine
page 7 ContempoMag.com
The Miss Rio Grande Valley
USA Pageant has always been a lovely affair that seems to get better each year. This year, contestants from around the Valley competed for thousands of dollars in prizes and awards in what has become the most celebrated of Valley pageants. Guided by the area’s best instructors, the ladies participate to develop poise, style and confidence–and maybe, just maybe, a chance for fame.
Miss Texas Teen USA 2008, Britt Moreno, Channel 5 News Reporter, Billy Mercer of Billygirl Cosmetics, Santos Gonzalez Hinojosa, Miss Texas American Teen 2002, Sommer Jsdale, Miss Texas Teen USA 2007, Brad Cherry Model/Commercial Talent and Richard Hinojosa from UTA. Ashley Hughes, Miss RGV USA for 2008 and Laura Gonzalez, Miss RGV Teen USA 2008 set the bar high for these young ladies, both of whom placed high at state competition. Ashley placed in the top 15 at the Miss Texas USA and Laura was 2nd runner up at the Miss Texas Teen USA Pageant, putting the Valley on the pageant map!
Debi Chavez, President of Debi Lou Productions, is the official recruiter for the Miss Texas Teen USA and Miss Texas USA Pageants for the Rio Grande Valley who selects the celebrity judges for the event from around the country and from here in the Valley to make sure her girls place well in state and national competi- Laura is so photogenic it is hard to imagine her without a smile, and Ashley is a bundle of entions. ergy and whit. They spend a lot of time preparFor the 2009 pageant the judges were: Jennifer ing the judges and serving as ideal role models Fairbanks, Miss Hawaii USA 2006, Elizabeth for the contestants during the pageant. Crawford, Miss Michigan USA 2008, Annette Baker, Miss Weslaco 1980, Laura Guzman, Laura and Ashley appeared in hundreds of page 8 ContempoMag.com
the Valley’s No. 1 On-Line Magazine
page 9 ContempoMag.com
events across the Valley throughout the year and helped make many worthy charity events successful with their appearances. But now, as it is with all pageants, it’s time for the crowns to pass. The Magen Ellis, Miss Texas USA 2004 and Alex Treviùo of Channel 5 News hosted the event. There were musical appearances by Caitlyn Taylor Love, Steve Lopez (2008 South Texas Talent Grand Prize winner), and Chelsea page 10 ContempoMag.com
Gonzalez (2009 South Texas Talent grand prize One reason many young ladies choose to parwinner) throughout the night along with staged ticipate is not the likely one, the desire to place musical performances by the contestants. at national level. All also want to develop a strong sense of confidence during the rehearsThe featured highlights of the pageant were als and ultimately on the big night of the pagthe swimsuit and gown competition. In each eant which was evident in their performances the girls, escorted by tall young men, walked and during the one-on-one interviews. gracefully about for the judges. Everyone enjoyed a large following of supporters in the au- These days the judges are looking for much dience that made the event more fun with their more than a pretty face. They are searching for interactive applause and cheers. intellect and the ability to address an audience.
The new Miss RGV USA will, over the next year, participate in charity fund raisers and many official functions and should be ready to project herself as a fine ambassador for the Valley. For this reason and others the interview is a large factor for the judges to consider. All of the contestants were great–they did well on the interview portion and throughout the gown and swimsuit segments but, it came down to the top five selections by the veteran the Valley’s No. 1 On-Line Magazine
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“They are searching for intellect and the ability to address an audience.� judges who took their good time. Sitting just across from me center first row, they seriously worked through the criteria between performances and were wide eyed during them. Then the result were in for the five finalists. Felicha Chapa, Jessica Garza, Laura Maldonado, Ksenia Samvel and Ivette Vargas stepped forward along with lingering hopes. The finalists appeared again in their evening gowns. The all looked fabulous but it would take another round of interview questions to come up with only one Miss RGV USA, Miss Ivette Vargas. Ksenia Samvel was chosen First Runner Up, Felicha Chapa-Second Runner Up, Laura Maldonado-3rd Runner Up and Jessica Garza4th Runner Up. Also crowned, The Miss Rio Grande Valley USA Teen 2009, Allison Garza. The pageant has become and remains one integral aspect of our culture describing who we are. It has become one among many traditions that in the spring celebrates renewals. We see these still ever so young but more confident titleists and the bright young sub-generation that follows, wishing to be the princess ambassadors of the Rio Grande Valley by competing in the Miss RGV and Miss Teen RGV USA pageants. C page 12 ContempoMag.com
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Securities and Insurance Products: NOT INSURED BY FDIC OR ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY • MAY LOSE VALUE • NOT A DEPOSIT OF OR GUARANTEED BY A BANK OR ANY BANK AFFILIATE Wachovia Securities, LLC, Member NYSE / SIPC, is a registered broker dealer and a separate nonbank affiliate of Wachovia Corporation. ©2008 Wachovia Securities, LLC 89868 0508-8
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Navigating Through Uncertain Markets Provided By: Melissa Magaña, Financial Advisor Wachovia Securities, LLC, Member NYSE/SIPC 4900 North 10th Street North Towne Center Building D1 McAllen, TX 78504 (956) 345-3530
While changes in the economy occur regularly, what we have experienced recently is anything but a “normal” change. The challenges of the current economy haven’t been seen or experienced in our country in decades. Like most investors, you may wish you could figure out some way to know when economic conditions were about to change, or what adjustments you should make in your portfolio based on current conditions. It’s a tricky topic, and even economists disagree about the nature and causes of economic cycles. But we can at least take a look at some of the issues you need to be aware of, and help familiarize you with how the economy works. Some people tend to refer to changes in overall economic conditions as “economic cycles” or “business cycles.” However, it could be a misnomer to label these changes this way. Because they are not, in fact, predictably cyclical, some economists prefer to call them “economic fluctuations.” Regardless of the terminology you choose to identify them with, changes in economic activity generally follow four phases: Advance or expansion. When times are good and the economy is growing, we typically see indications such as falling unemployment rates and factories taking advantage of excess capacity, to name a couple. While the news during this phase is typically positive, you may soon start to see signs of problems ahead. If inflationary pressures begin to creep in, this is typically when the Fed raises interest rates in an attempt to help keep the economy from overheating. Peak. By the time we get to this point, the economy tends to be operating at full employment, factories have generally used up their excess capacity, and inflationary pressures are usually building. When rising labor and materials costs squeeze companies’ profit margins, the Fed will usually move more aggressively in an attempt to slow growth by raising rates to help ease inflationary pressure. Decline, slowdown or recession. Ideally, action by the Fed to tame inflation should allow the economy to gradually adjust to a sustainable long-term growth rate without the threat of inflation. In reali-
ty, however, the combination of the Fed’s tightening and the need to correct accumulated imbalances in labor and materials supplies typically slows growth to a level that’s actually below the economy’s longterm potential. Unemployment rises, factories slow down, and inflationary pressures ease. Trough. At this point in the cycle, inventories are depleted. The Fed lowers interest rates in an attempt to help stimulate the economy, and businesses and homeowners may consider refinancing mortgages to take advantage of lower rates. Companies will eventually purchase new equipment and expand operations, helping inventories to grow and marking the beginning of a new expansion. As you can see, there are some telltale signs that can at least give some idea of where the economy is in its cycle. However, to make matters more complicated for you as an investor, the stock market tends to move in advance of the economy, usually in response to investors’ anticipation of what they see down the road. The biggest challenge is knowing when the shift to the next phase will occur, because predicting the market and the economy is a bit like forecasting the weather. As an investor, your level of concern for economic fluctuations will depend on several factors. You may pay less attention to them if you have a long term approach and your portfolio is positioned to weather the ups and downs. Alternatively, you may see this as a time of opportunity to reposition holdings or even add attractively priced securities to your portfolio. Working with a financial advisor could prove valuable if you decide to employ such a strategy. ©2009Wachovia Securities, LLC. 628 words Compliance Approval Number 0309-4124 This article was written by Wachovia Securities and provided courtesy of MELISSA MAGANA in MCALLEN,TX at 956-345-3530. Wachovia Securities is the trade name used by two separate, registered broker-dealers:Wachovia Securities, LLC and Wachovia Securities Financial Network, LLC, Members SIPC, non-bank affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company. Investments in securities and insurance products: NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANK-GUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE C
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Business & Finance
with Tony Magaña
AIG and the Ultimate Impact. Where Did All The Money Go? When Did We Find Out About It? The mistake to not declare
AIG bankrupt initially has resulted in billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars going hastily and unobstructed to foreign banks who were reimbursed dollar for dollar for their losses instead of a negotiated settlement to a reduced rate typically mandated by bankruptcy proceedings. This could have saved billions of American capital. The decision not to use bankruptcy was not a universally shared opinion. Andrew Grossman of the Heritage Foundation, Wall Street executive John Rodgers, and conservative House Republicans were among the significant number of dissenters to the government bailout plan.
who favored bailout over bankruptcy would cause a calamitous world wide economic catastrophe. Therefore, it was felt that bailing out AIG was in fact bailing out many other institutions. Some have argued that the urgency of the situation did not allow a complete investigation of all the alternatives at the time the decision was made. But regardless of whether bankruptcy or bailout was used there should have been more diligence on the government’s part. This potential scandal involves not millions, as did the recent fray over bonuses, but instead billions of dollars. In a column written by James Kwak of the Wall Street Journal on their website, The Baseline Scenario, he has examined several writers who are now saying that a controlled failure of AIG would have been possible if this study and evaluation of AIG creditors had been carried out.
“...but a larger portion, $56 billion went to foreign banks with German banks getting $17 billion and French banks $19 billion.” “...the United States bailed out the whole world at face value inappropriately. Payments were given mostly for credit swaps...”
of those counter parties before a blank American taxpayer check was given to literally all of the world’s banks. Michael Mandel of BusinessWeek reports that $44 billion of taxpayer bailout that went through AIG went to domestic U.S. institutions including state governments and Wall Street firms such as Goldman Sachs, but a larger portion $56 billion went to foreign banks with German banks getting $17 billion and French banks $19 billion. What has happened is the United States bailed out the whole world at face value inappropriately. Payments were given mostly for “credit swaps” between banks which had invested in unsecured high risk financial instruments that the banks of the world made a poor choice. Unlike just about everyone else in the world, these banks got full reimbursement for their losses, not a negotiated settlement.
AIG went through a bailout instead of bankruptcy because authorities hypothesized that the many financial institutions that were secondarily insured for losses with AIG would flounder if the giant did as well. A significant portion If the bankruptcy route had been choof these so called “counter parties” exist in other countries under other gov- The government needed to identify sen instead of the bailout, several imernments. This in the eyes of those and determine the relative importance portant functions would have been put page 18 ContempoMag.com
in place that could have saved taxpayers potentially billions of dollars. First of all, contracts with employees and all debts to creditors would have been rendered immediately renegotiable. In recent Congressional hearings both Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Geithner were asked why the government did not review not only the employee contracts but also the debts of AIG. They both answered they did not have the power to do so. If bankruptcy had been filed the payouts to the worlds banks could have been negotiated at a reduced percentage. By the way, none of the other foreign governments volunteered to help in this matter. Mr. Bernanke even admitted to Congress that if AIG had declared bankruptcy and been put into “receivership,” none of these problems would have existed. Now Mr. Geithner is asking Congress for special powers to change AIG contracts and to create an organization similar to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which currently is just for banks but this new “Resolution Authority” would have domain over non-banking financial entities. A new regulatory body for non-bank financial entities may seem reasonable but many seem to be missing the point–that they really are asking for the power they would have had with bankruptcy. Thanks for reading Contempo Magazine blogs at @contempomag.com Tony Magaña grew up in McAllen Texas, attended Texas A&M University, served as an officer in Army Reserve, and holds a doctorate from Harvard University. The co-founder of Contempo Magazine has participated in Valley business for over 20 years. He is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and also writes for the American Daily Revew. C
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City, Valley and State
with Tony Magaña
Payday Lender Program Forming Up Through Rio Grande Valley Multibank Corp.
This program will include consumer education and financial literacy training to teach workers how to budget their spending and use credit wisely. The goal of the program will be to prepare these workers to eventually use traditional mainstream banking. The program will start in Cameron County initially but hopes to expand to the whole Valley. Fernando De La Cerda, an officer with IBC Bank in McAllen, points out that many lower income workers have misconceptions about traditional banking. Many may go to payday institutions because they think they will not qualify for a checking account at a regular bank which would allow them to some cash from their paycheck. He points out that his bank and others frequently offer free checking to low income wage earners as long as they can keep a very minimal balance in the bank. This is the reason IBC is involved in the Rio Grande Valley Multibank project.
The real answer to stopping the exploitation of low income wage earners by predatory lenders be they unscrupulous payday lenders or subprime mortgage schemes is education. South or working class white neighborhoods. Currently these busi- Texas Congressman Rueben Hinojosa has been a leading pronesses operate in 41 states out of which 16 and the District of ponent of the concept of financial literacy throughout his career Columbia have passed regulations which try to cap interest rates and had to this to say on the subject today when we contacted and stop the process of stacking loans on top of one another. his office: The Payday lending industry makes enormous profits off high interest rates charged low income workers. The Texas legislature is considering implementing regulation and Congressman Hinojosa (D-TX) wants to see these workers steered to mainstream banking. Some local bankers are putting together alternatives as well.
Up to now the State of Texas which has seen a phenomenal growth of these businesses has not been able to regulate them. According to the Dallas Morning News these lenders take an advantage of a legal loophole to function as “credit service organizations” which implies they are helping to improve consumers credit ratings rather than lending money. The Texas legislature in May is set to take up several bills including that of Sen. Eliot When one thinks about America’s financial institutions it would Shapleigh of El Paso which will eliminate the loophole for payseem a natural conclusion to think of an industry in trouble es- day lenders and also put caps on the interest rate of 36%. pecially if it deals with America’s poorest workers. However, for the businesses known as payday lenderstimes have never been Defenders of the industry point to the fact that they provide a better but many are asking is it at the expense of a vulnerable needed service that traditional banks and other institutions do group in society. Probably most people reading this article take not and call the “predatory lender” labels unfair. They are not in for granted having a bank account which allows them access to favor of national legislation because they say they are under state an ATM or bank teller to collect cash. Unfortunately at least 10 legislation in many states which will complicate regulations. The million workers in America who live paycheck to paycheck are industry now has profits in the hundreds of millions of dollars unable to maintain a steady bank account with a positive bal- with some large companies reporting three digit growth rates in ance. a short span of years. Their invasion of Texas has included not only their business establishment but also in spending cumulaOver the past ten years a controversial industry has grown ex- tively as an industry several million dollars in campaign contriponentially from a few hundred locations to thousands nation- butions and political campaigns. wide. Desperate workers use this institutions to get short term loans to pay off unexpected bills such as car repairs, doctor vis- Those that defend payday lenders say that the relatively low its, or delinquent mortgage payments. The industry claims that number of complaints filed against them speaks to the fact that the loans are setup to be paid back with the next paycheck but they are serving a need. They justify their high interest rates bereports and investigations by multiple sources including gov- cause they say about 5% of all loans default. Finally, they point ernment and consumer agencies have found out that the ideal out that no one else is providing this service. I spoke with Matt situation and reality are far apart. According to the Center for Ruszczak, Vice President of Business Development and GovResponsible Lending a typical payday loan of $325 usually is ernmental Affairs for the McAllen Chamber of Commerce who paid back with $793. Instead of paying back the loan in a couple noted that at least two such businesses in McAllen are members weeks, many loans take months or longer to be paid back such in good standing and to date have had no formal complaints that they are often rolled over at least 10 times. Contempo has against them. learned that interest rates exceeding 300% have been paid by poor Hispanics who have been given such loans in South Texas Payday lending companies were created to fill a niche that tradiregion called the Rio Grande Valley. tional banks did not but now that may change. In South Texas a group of banks including Wells Fargo, Compass Bank, J.P. MorThe industry has been getting the attention of many state agen- gan and Chase, Bank of America, International Bank of Comcies as well the Federal government. Currently there is a bill merce McAllen and Brownsville, Frost National Bank, National before Congress called the Payday Reform Act of 2009 which Cooperative Bank Development Corp., and Lone Star National requires lending institutions to clearly state to potential clients Bank created an identity called the Rio Grande Valley Multithat these loans are short term and offer referral for financial bank Corporation in 1995 which is a certified Community Decounseling, but some critics does not go far enough. Michael velopment Financial Institution. This organization partnered Calhoun of the Center for Responsible Lending says under the with Brownsville Community Redevelopment Organization to proposed law effective interest rates could still go up to 48% provide loans and education to residents of Cameron County and the requirement that the borrower pay back the loan with who fell below the 60th percentile of income. They have been a single paycheck is still unfair. able to institute successful programs for affordable housing and colonia improvement for low income families who before A major criticism is that these payday loan schemes drain com- could not get credit. munities of profits and do not serve the community in the way of traditional banks. The Center for Responsible Lending notes Now Director Nick Mitchell says they are planning to create a that payday loan businesses are usually located in poor minority program to give workers who use payday lenders an alternative. page 20 ContempoMag.com
“Throughout my life, I have been dedicated to moving my constituents away from payday lenders, predatory lenders, check cashiers, and into mainstream financial entities such as banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. Consumers are paying billions in usurious rates for loans that undermine scarce family resources, risk bank account ownership, and compound cash strapped consumers’ financial problems. Payday lending and other similar products should be reformed substantially. It is my continuing hope that by moving them into the financial mainstream, my constituents and others across the United States will be able to open checking and savings accounts, establish credit and eventually realize the American dream of home ownership.” “In these tough economic times, it has become quite clear that improving the financial literacy rates for all individuals across the United States during all stages of life is essential. Financial security is one of the most important issues for most Americans whether it involves saving enough for their children’s college education, saving for an unforeseen emergency, a house, or their retirement. In 2005, I co-founded and currently co-chair the Financial and Economic literacy Caucus in the House of Representatives Through this Caucus, I have been able to move the financial literacy cause forward to address financial literacy and economic education of our children and grandchildren and future generations to come.” The working poor of America and our Rio Grande Valley deserve the right to reasonable banking services and protections from exploitation. If their only exposure to personal financial management and credit is through payday lenders I do not see how the community or a family is benefitted in the long run. America has always been about economic competition of products and services for the benefit of the customer. Payday lenders stepped in to meet a need that traditional financial institutions had neglected and their profits show it can be a profitable business. However, just in the subprime scandal of late there is a reasonable need for regulation and improving competition between companies so that more competitive rates for these loans naturally occur. Hopefully, projects like the Rio Grande Valley Multibank project will lead to more competition coming from banking organizations which have traditionally supported their community. This competition and the education proposals like those of Congressman Hinojosa can perhaps someday make payday loans obsolete. Tony Magaña is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and also writes for the American Daily Review. C
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McAllen Tea Party Attracts Larger Than Expected Crowd
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Residents of McAllen, Texas joined a multitude of fellow Americans in a peaceful protest of government fiscal policy which they called the McAllen Tea Party. The event was part of a national movement specifically scheduled on the day Americans must submit their annual income tax return designed to focus on the lack of confidence and disappointment felt by average Americans in the way their government is being run.
had witnessed socialism under Castro in Cuba and was afraid the U.S. was going in that direction. Local radio DJ Sergio Sanchez acted as the master of ceremony and also commentator.
Today at Archer Park the security professionals who oversaw the event which lasted from 5:30pm to 7:30pm with an estimated attendance of 1200. Others estimated the attendance over 2500. There was no counter demonstration or any significant disruption. A few demonstrators across the street arrived at the same time as local news stations.
Sandra says they want to work to educate young people on the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and government. She sees the organization as a reflection of disappointment with all current political parties.
The crowd attending the event reflected the demographics of McAllen: the proportion of Hispanics, young, old, higher, lower, and middle income everyday folk. Some activist youth organizations including the Young ConserThe event was held in downtown McAllen at Archer vatives of Texas, several students from UTPA and others Park and was organized by a group of citizens who, for were present. the most part, were newcomers to political activity. Two individuals–Sandra Propst and Phil Corzine began the Organizer Sandra Propst says the event has led her process a few weeks ago when they started a website group to become even more inspired to get involved. The and recruiting people for their cause. At the first meet- group will seek to become the Rio Grande Valley Tea ing they had 30 people and by the second meeting the Party Association. Organizers of the McAllen event have number of people wanting to be involved in organizing been working together with Sue Goldberg who organized the event had doubled. the Brownsville event.
McAllen Tea Party organizers did not want any politicians involved as their goal was to establish a platform for everyday Americans to discuss their concerns. Contrary to reports by some in the media, there was no sponsorship or organization by the Republican party or any politically active group.
In the short time they have been together she notes they have learned a very important lesson–that people can come together and form a grassroots organization by themselves. They do not need a leader from Washington. Politicians, she says, “make things too complicated so that they think the average person won't understand them but they are wrong.” Average Americans know how to solve problems and know what the issues are.”
Sandra sees the movement as just beginning. Like many Glen Hagenbach was the keynote speaker who likened others in other parts of the country, they are planning to the situation to the sinking of the Titanic false sense of hold more events and projects including most likely a security that made people think it was too big and mod- July 4th event. C ern to sink. Cuban born Orlando Perez discussed how he
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TECHNOLOGY for the Valley
with Tony Magaña
Solar Energy Advances in Texas with New Legislation The Texas Senate took a major step forward for the future of the state today by passing a solar energy bill. The new law will create an incentive program for the installation of solar energy in homes and buildings which will be able to sell excess energy into the electrical power grid. Solar power panels would no longer be excludable from developments and new developments must offer solar power as an option. The $100 million a year program which will offer the incentives for the first five years would be combined with federal tax credits to help homeowners, businesses, and schools go to solar power. Fees ranging from less than a dollar per month for homes to an average $20 for businesses will be used to pay for the school program. The state of California leads the nation in the number of homes with solar power and is aiming to reach 33% of all electrical power coming from renewable energy by 2020. California’s plan started in a similar way to the proposed Texas plan and, in fact, they are now experimenting with an option where credits on property taxes can be exchanged for installation of solar power in existing homes. In Texas, combining the wind power projects with West Texas and the domestic solar power panels on new homes will likely make Texas a contender if not the leader in renewable energy sources in the next few years. A 2008 study by the Texas Public Utility Commission estimates at least 23% of energy needs could be reduced by solar power. The U.S. Department of Energy has done research that indicates that Texas has the most potential for all sources of renewal energy followed by Montana, Kansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota in decreasing order which includes biomass, wind, and solar energy.
Retrofitting solar panels over clay tile roof the cost of putting solar power panels in new homes is relatively very low. The current Texas plan calls for those that qualify to a third of the equipment and installation costs paid for by the Public Utility Commission. A 30% Federal tax credit will also apply.
The solar energy bill was sponsored Sen. Troy Frasier, R-Horseshoe Bay, and Senator Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio. Only 4 Senators voted against the bill . The bill will allow homeowners to receive the market price for electricity when they contribute to the grid. In addition, solar products that are manufactured in Texas will qualify for reThe initial placement of solar energy in existing bates. homes expensive, usually costing several thousand dollars which puts it out of reach of many moderate Texas Environment Director Luke Metzger was and low income existing homeowners. However, quoted recently in the Dallas Morning News saythe Valley’s No. 1 On-Line Magazine
ing “This bill would put Texas on the map when it comes to solar power…We have the sun, we have the technological know-how. Now we’ll have a market that can make Texas a world leader in solar power.” Already there are companies designing, manufacturing, and installing solar energy equipment in the state which will only be tremendously helped by this legislation. Tony Magaña grew up in McAllen Texas, attended Texas A&M University, served as an officer in Army Reserve, and holds a doctorate from Harvard University. The cofounder of Contempo Magazine has participated in Valley business for over 20 years. He is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and also writes for the American Daily Review. C
page 25 ContempoMag.com
Of all the proposed energy crisis solutions nothing comes close to–
Hypermiling For Long Valley Commutes Hypermiling is the human effort rid of excess cargo—but others pracof minimizing the use of energy needed ticed by some devotees go well beyond to propel a vehicle from one place to the obvious: another but it has evolved into much more than that. Worldwide interest has Hypermiling Techniques grown since the idea first surfaced in 1. perfect traffic light timing 2004 when Wayne Gerdes coined the 2. routes based on timing term. He maintains a web site at www. 3. keeping RPMs below 2000 cleanmpg.com dedicated to fuel effi- 4. no reverse parking spaces 5. accelerating below 2000 RPM ciency. Valley Commuter Needs
For the Valley, the term should be come a household word, because we all know the $4 per gallon prices will be back soon and because we are and will always be a community of commuters. We can only hope someone drills more oil or we can get a handle on it ourselves by Hypermiling the long Valley commutes. Hypermilers driving hybrids tend to achieve tremendous mileage, with some even exceeding 100 MPG according to Wayne. Studies further indicate that hypermiling, once perfected, can reduce gasoline consumption by up to 40% depending on the users previous driving habits. The nice thing he points out is that “It’s helpful no matter what vehicle you drive”, you can reduce fuel consumption in any vehicle.
6. driving without shoes 7. ridge riding when raining (staying clear of water filled highway ruts)
A growing number of Americans favor hypermiling as a sensible set of practices for all drivers who are concerned about their wallets, the environment, and fuel independence, not just for those on the No longer does using cruise control on fringe who are obsessed with increasing the highway have a noticeable effect on their MPG numbers. In California they fuel economy. In Edmunds.com’s test are now calling it “Eco Driving”. using a Land Rover LR3 and a Ford Mustang, the Land Rover got almost Other Benefits 14 percent better mileage using cruise 1. dramatic reduction in brake wear control set at 70 miles per hour rathand tear er than cruising at driver-controlled 2. greater observance of driving speeds between 65 and 75 miles per regulations and less tickets hour. The Mustang got 4.5 percent bet- 3. reduced likelihood of being ter mileage. involved in a auto collision
Using cruise control cuts down on unnecessary speed changes which can eat up gas and it prevents “speed creep”–the tendency for a driver’s average speed to gradually increase with time spent on the road. (In that way, it can save you Many of the methods followed by hy- from an expensive speeding ticket, as permilers are basic common sense— well.) drive the speed limit, avoid hills and Save Fuel and Money stop-and-go traffic, maintain proper tire pressure, don’t let your car idle, get It has been shown that even the average page 26 ContempoMag.com
driver in the average vehicle will save on average 20% less fuel by applying effective hypermileage standards. Stop and think about that for a second. It could represent a large sum of a lot of peoples money that doesn’t run off to the middle east. Quite frankly, I would rather give it to our government than to speculating middle eastern interests.
There are some hypermiling practices that are consider dangerous and should be avoided like “drafting” by following other vehicles too closely. But overall, you are a more relaxed and aware driver–one who no longer accelerates to make the yellow, but rather one who is always in the “green” when applying sound hypermiling techniques. By Ralph Magaña C
A Trusted Name in Women’s Health Care Dr. Carlos Almaguer has created a unique environment for women of all ages to obtain the latest, most advanced medical services designed to meet all your needs. Our facility is a one of a kind. It offers soothing comfort in a relaxing, pleasant setting. Our attention to detail and patient satisfaction has earned us a sterling reputation in the community. You can rest assured that you will be getting the best medical care available at Women’s Specialists of McAllen. We welcome you to our practice, and we thank for your trust. Evaluation and Management of: Pelvic Pain / Painful Intercourse / Painful Menstruation / Infertility Abnormal Pap Smear / Colposcopy / Contraception / STD Screening Tumor & Cysts of the Uterus & Ovaries / Tubal Ligation & Family Planning Management of Menopause & Osteporosis / Vaginal Prolapse / Endometriosis Urinary Incontinence Using Medical, Behavioral & Surgical Therapy Alternatives to Hysterectomy / Premenstral Syndrome & Hormonal Problems Management of Sexual Disfunction / Excessive Hair Growth & Weight Gain Abnormal Bleeding / Management of Normal & Abnormal Pregnancies Laparospic & Laser surgery / Pelvic Floor Disorders Excessive or Irregular Periods, Postmenopausal & Postcoital Bleeding
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page 27 ContempoMag.com
On the Health Front
with Dr. Carlos Almaguer, OB/GYN
Human Papilloma Virus Infects Over 50 Million U. S. Men & Women New Vaccine Getting Little Media Attention Human papilloma virus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection of both women and men that is growing rapidly in the United States. The HPV virus family has over 100 members. Each is given a number and called a subtype. Different subtypes cause different problems. Some of the subtypes, for example, cause cancer of the cervix, vagina, outer vaginal area, anus, mouth, and throat. Other subtypes cause bumps or growths called warts. Furthermore, certain subtypes cause both warts and cancer. The virus is highly contagious, affecting both women and men and can be passed from one to another by skin contact during a single sexual encounter. Because there are few symptoms and a lack of media attention, most are unaware that they are infected even though it afflicts more that 50 million Americans today. It is estimated that by the age of 50 about 80% of the people in the U. S. will have some form of the virus.
there is no currently available method for to protect partners from reintroducing the screening men who could be carrying the infection. virus over a long period of time with no symptoms. For anyone unyet affected by the HPV virus, a new vaccine has been developed For women, a special pap smear has been that prevents against certain cancers. It developed to detect the low risk, wart caus- is the only vaccination for the problem but ing and the higher risk, cancer causing has clearly demonstrated a low incidence virus. Vinegar and magnification will then of serious or even minor side effects and help detect the virus location and should is relatively inexpensive. Because of the be performed even with a “normal� pap degree of infection rates in young people smear where high risk HPV is present. and the lack of symptomology, it is recommended that young, pre-sexually active For both men and women HPV can not be women receive the vaccine which is readeliminated or cured. The infected skin can ily available locally and nationwide through be treated to prevent cancer. However un- primary health care providers like OB/ popular, abstinence is the only sure way GYNs and family physicians. to prevent infection. Whether for men or Dr. Carlos Almaguer is an women, there is mixed results of preven- OB/GYN physician in the tion with condoms and limited results with McAllen area. He is board limiting sexual partners since a single en- certified by the American counter can transmit the infection. On the College of Obstetrics & other hand, monogamy as a practical mat- Gynecology. He completed ter can reduce significantly the incidence his OB/GYN residency at University of Texas Medical of the infection. Branch at Galveston and is
Young women between the ages of 15 and 27 are at the most risk of getting infected but many young women in America today are not getting checked. Unfortunately,
Whether one has it or not, it is important to get checked since treatment could prevent a more serious problem like cancer. In addition to treatment, measures can be taken
page 28 ContempoMag.com
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"I am offering people a vessel with which they are to keep coming for graces to the fountain of mercy. That vessel is this image with the signature: 'Jesus, I trust in You.'" (Diary, 327) What God most wants of us is to turn to Him with trust. To trust God is to rely on Him who is Mercy itself. His mercy is always available to us, no matter what we have done or what state we are in, even if our sins are as black as night and we are filled with fears and anxieties. The message of mercy can be called to mind simply by remembering ABC:
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"The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to my mercy." (Diary, 723) page 29 ContempoMag.com
Beyond The Valley
with Crystal Felici
Brazil’s Iguazu Falls One of Seven New World Wonder Candidates
page 30 ContempoMag.com
Upon seeing Iguazu, The United
States' First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt reportedly said, "Poor Niagara!" And you might, too, if you venture to South America to the Falls of Iguazu.
With over 270 falls, the Iguazu Falls are some of the largest waterfalls in the world. They stretch over almost two miles along the Iguazu River in a semi circular shape where water thunders down almost 300 feet. The Falls are located on the border of the Brazilian state of Parana and the Argentine province of Misiones, and they can be reached from the the Valley’s No. 1 On-Line Magazine
page 31 ContempoMag.com
Crystal gets a grand aerial view of the falls, the largest in the Western Hemisphere.
two main towns on either side of the falls: Foz de Iguacu and Puerto IguazĂş. On either side of the borders, the National Park of Iguazu is a secret little paradise to nature lovers, hikers, adventure seekers, or anyone looking for an absolutely breath taking view. All activities in the park are meticulously organized, yet the tour guides are so laid back offering their 2 million tourists a year the best experience possible. Visitor Centers, tour guides, maps and trolley rides throughout the park allow you to feel safe and informed, never having to wonder aimlessly. Activities and options at the Iguazu National Park are almost endless but just enough for a full day of pleasure. If an exciting boat ride to the main fall, "The Devil's Throat," does page 32 ContempoMag.com
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not sound appealing, a relaxing helicopter ride with jaw dropping aerial views might suit you better. Walking through the forest surrounded with butterflies reminds you of how precious nature is. When finally arriving to the bottom of the trail, you feel gratefuleful to have been able to witness one of the most beautiful natural wonders of the world. C
Iguazu has three times the peak water flow of Niagara Falls.
Toucans and other tropical species flourish in the National Park.
Crystal Felici is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles, California. She has traveled the world and recognized a love for different cultures and languages just as much as fashion and style. While studying Business at the University of Dallas, Crystal returned to Europe living in Italy for two different years studying Italian, and working for a prominent Italian designer After extensive training and experience as a fashion forecaster and stylist in Florence, Crystal now enjoys writing her own fashion, travel and lifestyle articles.
Devil’s Throat Falls appeared in major films including Moonracker. page 34 ContempoMag.com
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Upper Valley Arts
“Another Music Festival” Entertains McAllen By Ralph Magaña
High above
what will soon be the Dirty Bottle Salon, a balcony sheds some idea about how the Entertainment District in downtown McAllen will look some day soon. The District continues to take shape as another handful of new establishments slice up available spaces that one only hopes generates a true mix of music venues. On April 18 and 19, the Heart of the City and the City of McAllen demonstrated their commitment to the area by hosting “Another Music Festival” sponsored by the McAllen Chamber of Commerce. The two day event began Saturday evening and continued through Sunday afternoon. The threat of rain loomed for several early hours on Saturday and again on Sunday morning, but it was all clear by the time they started cranking up the music.
formers that played in the clubs, the El Rey, and on a band stage at the far end of South 17th Street. The music tended to favor the younger set, but there were some local favorites like “The Kim Snyder Trio” who attract their own crowd. And although Saturday night proved to be a competitive night with several championship basketball games in the hunt for attention including Texan teams, the District collected a respectable crowd for the first attempt and indeed many establishments saw enlarged crowds indoors as some expected rain.
My biggest takeaway for the evening was that the quality of the musician’s performances was impressive on just about all stages. Mayor Richard Cortes and Heart of the City President, Alida Hernandez hung-out throughout the festival and considered how to make For this first event, the planners brought the next music event an even greater in many local and some regional per- success. C the Valley’s No. 1 On-Line Magazine
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Another Music Fest, April 18 &
19th gathered a broad mix of music lovers from around the Valley. Appearing in the Heart of the City Entertainment District, the music festival, sponsored by the McAllen Chamber of Commerce, afforded the crowd with 3 city blocks of live music performed by entertainers from all around South Texas.
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Upper Valley Arts Frida con Fruta-
ArtWalk Picks of the
Month
Franchute/Santander Gallery/ArtWalk-April. This piece jumps with vibrant colors and shapes that almost goes cubic. Most impressive is the distortion of height and the head tilt. One can imagine dancing shadows from the fruit base and chair indicating a low, brilliant light source, while contrasting colors compliment the composition.
Los Vecinos Y La Ciudad-
Angel Berrios/Arts District Business Center Gallery/ArtWalk-April. This impressionistic oil on canvas was probably fun to watch the artist paint because the final brush strokes around the pond are so dramatic, particularly the flowering trees. They seem to have flowered just in time to inspire the artist. In the distance, the city seems particularly undesirable in comparison. page 40 ContempoMag.com
La Musica-
Reefka/Santander Gallery/ArtWalk-April. Delicate pastels bring the subject to life as she embarks on an unaccompanied solo that is captured at just the right moment by the artist, the most meaningful aspect of the song. This work can be put into motion revealing a story line, in this case about the performer subject. I can imagine a soft, clear but somewhat shy voice that travels undisturbed in a crowded ballroom that would pause for only this performance.
Visit ArtWalk every first Friday of the month this Spring from 6 pm to 10 pm along the Art District corridor that runs from Business 83 to Pecan on Main Street in McAllen Texas, where most area art galleries are located. C Ray Zamora’s boy, “Rey” warming up on the Drums for an ArtWalk performance. the Valley’s No. 1 On-Line Magazine
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Escape the Ad Jungle. There is a way out. Stand Out in Contempo Magazine Get Results.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church 306 South 15th. Street McAllen, Texas
Mass Schedule Saturday: 5:00PM English Sunday: 8:00 AM Spanish 11:00 English 7:00 PM Spanish Monday & Wednesday: 8:15 AM English Tuesdays, Thursday, Friday 8:15 AM Spanish First Friday 8:15 AM Holy Days 8:15 AM & 7:00 PM page 42 ContempoMag.com
HOME IMPROVEMENT
Sensible Energy Savings
Stay Comfortable & Save with these Home Ideas $100 avg. savings per month Programmable Thermostat
$20 avg. savings per month Adjust Pool Pump Hours
Get or use your digital A/C thermostat to save over $100 a month by limiting A/C usage to essential, pre-planned periods of the day. Most homeowners leave an A/C unit running at least 20% longer than they should without compromising comfort.
Most swimming pool pumps do not neccesarily need to be on all day long. Some pools should only need the pump to run for up to 4 hours a day. It all depends on the size of your pump, filter and the cubic feet of water your pool holds.
$40 avg. savings per month Weather Striping
$100 avg. savings per month Insulate Attic Ceiling
Here comes the wind again. Check all windows and exterior doors for air infiltration. You may need to replace or repair the weather striping or threashold around exterior doors as we get ready for humid, summer heat in the Valley.
$25 avg. savings per month Toilet Tank Flapper Check toilet bowls for seepage and if necessary, change defective flapper in tank. You will hear the water passing through the wrinkled flapper telling you it’s time for a change.
$74 avg. savings per month Tankless Water Heater
Re-insulate your attic, but this time have it applied to the attic ceiling instead of the attic floor. Air infiltration from a hot attic will eventually find its way into your home if the heat isn’t stopped before entering the attic. This provides protection against heat gain that rivals structural insulated panels and is easily retrofitted.
$74 avg. savings per month EIFS Exterior Walls Our pick for leading exterior wall surface because of their extreme ability to stop heat penetration into an exterior wall are the EIFS array of products. The material can be applied over other surfaces and comes in an endless number of finishes. Several represent classic natural stone appearances. By stopping the heat before it gets in the walls, it can reduce your A/C usage by 40% or more. Leading up to a $400 savings per month on a large 6,000 square foot home.
Don’t replace water heater–convert it to a TANKLESS unit –that only heats water precisely when you need it...like for a shower. A “Whole House” model can heat up a shower just as quickly as your old water heater but shuts down for the rest of the day. the Valley’s No. 1 On-Line Magazine
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Contempo Pioneers of the Month
Nidia Quintanilla’s New CD Getting Play Time Nidia Quintanilla’s CD has been launched in the Rio Grande Valley successfully, beginning with the release party which took place on February 26th at the McAllen Chamber of Commerce. That evening, Nidia performed several songs from her album to a standing-room-only crowd. Cielo Abierto is currently heard on many of the local Spanish Christian radio stations like, Radio Esperanza, Radio Vida, Radio Manantial, and Radio Imagen, and is in the process of starting promotion with Dallas and San Antonio stations and Pandora Internet Radio. Nidia is singing in churches all across the Valley and Northern Mexico and is planning a short tour for this summer to Houston and Monterrey. Currently, she sings on Saturdays from 6-7 p.m. in Baptist Temple's "The Bridge." Her CD is available for purchase at Viva Life Christian Book Shop, or online at Amazon.com, iTunes.com, cdBaby. com, Digstation.com, Allmusic.com, and Napster.com. page 44 ContempoMag.com
Upper Valley Girl, Shannon Sauceda appears in The Red Queen. -The Red Queen is an action thriller 90 minute film shot in 27 days in the Rio Grande Valley mid summer heat! -The storyline follows a young woman on a journey to discover the family history and identity of her mother played by Shannon Sauceda. Shannon plays a pregnant woman who crosses the Rio Grande and gives birth. This is an important scene that is tied into the entire film. Shannon plays opposite Valente Rodriguez a veteran actor most notably known as "Ernie" on the George Lopez show. -Shot by screenwriter David Carren -The actors include Estephania LeBaron, Harley Jane Kozak, and Linda Bustamante. -The film premiered at Carmike theater in Edinburg and sold out 2 shows!
Singer/Songwriter Juli New Recordings From High-Tech Military Surveillance to Bodybuilding Danaji Gonzalez
individual, in a group of over 600 people, was “Fit to Fight.” Although being a woman in the military has its obstacles she saw them as challenges and quickly advanced in rank. While in the service she did marathon training, tried other sports like boxing while fulfillAt 19 Danaji joined the United States ing her service. Air Force, just after the September 11th strike. She wanted to do her part but she After completing her military service, Daalso wanted to find a way to get funding naji returned home to Alamo and continued for college and get into better shape. She working out, determined to improve and spent 4 years in the Air Force and special- find her limits. “I trained harder, smarter, ized high tech enemy surveillance and and put my absolute all on my diet. I was found the military environment was good determined to start bodybuilding and there was no turning back. I wasn’t prepared at for body building. all on the transformation. It was amazing. Just before basic training, she started a Ever effort I put in showed! I was amazed fitness program that she created herself. at the changes my body could make. I “I started by cardio and then moved on thought it was only achieved through surto weights. I had a couple of people from gery or only “famous” people could look the gym lead me in the right direction but like that. I did my first show and I won. It I mostly did my own research and found took me a while to take in what I just acout what I needed to do. I was so success- complished. I then wanted to do it again. I ful that I ended losing more weight than I wanted to take my challenge even further. needed and was one of the best athletes in I wanted to qualify for Nationals.” Which my group.” Later in the military, she was she did after placing 2nd in Women’s Open appointed Unit Fitness Program Monitor Bodybuilding in Plano last June. Look for and was charged with making sure each her at Nationals in October. the Valley’s No. 1 On-Line Magazine
Hola, mi nombre es Juli. Soy cantante, compositora e interpreto mi propia música. Mis canciones son inspiradas por los pasajes de la vida, el amor y el desamor. Mi sueño es que alguien del medio artístico musical se interese en mis canciones. Sería tan satisfactorio para mí escuchar algo de mi inspiración cantado por alguien en algún lugar. No es fácil llegar al éxito pero la lucha sigue todos mis logros y esfuerzos. Tengo fe, perseverancia y actitud. Desde niña cantaba en las fiestas de la escuela y en reuniones familiares. A los catorce años me gustaba componer poesías y canciones y hasta hoy sigo escribiendo y cantando–mientras tenga vida y salud seguiré insistiendo. Con la ayuda de Dios y las personas que me apoyan he participado en festivales. Pronto tendré un CD de Discos BGM Studios el cual produce mi esposo Barney Malone. BGM Studios también esta a la orden para apoyar cantantes, solistas, cualquier grabación, o grupos musicales que quieran hacer su disco. De antemano agradezco a la revista Contempo por imprimir algo de mis anhelos. Un saludo a todos los lectores, clientes de esta revista, mi familia, mi esposo y a todas mis amistades. C page 45 ContempoMag.com
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just getting better. www.contempomag.com with over 60 pages of Valley surf now gathers more than 1500 unique visits each day and well over 40,000 unique visits a month. Basically, at least 1500 different people visit us daily! It attracts visitors from all around the Valley, Mexico and beyond who find many ways to reach the Valley on the web through our site. Website Designer, Tony Magaña keeps it upto-date with fresh and interesting material every day. He is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and also writes for the American Daily Review. A number of special quest contributors also write for the site on fashion, gardening, politics, fine dining, and many other topics. Local talent is a growing interest at Contempomag.com. Now featured in entertainment see local artist music videos and hear their Mp3s. C
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Computer Corner
with Michael Bilyeu Maximize Protection with Windows Updates What you need for XP and Windows Vista to stop the “conficker” virus.
Stop the Broadcast of Your E-mail Address It’s all in the return address.
Store It Well. Protect yours from fire, theft and water damage.
E-MAIL SAFETY
Now for a little e-mail manners. When forwarding e-mails, make sure to forward the body of the e-mail, not forward the forward of the forward, etc. That way you don’t have to keep opening little envelopes to get to the e-mail. Also, be sure to delete all the previous addresses in the beginning of the e-mail, so as not to accumulate a huge list of addresses that can be hijacked by some spammer. That is how you get e-mails from people you know who didn’t really send the e-mail! If you do a lot of the Valley’s No. 1 On-Line Magazine
forwarding e-mails to a long list of people, you should consider using “bcc” for the list of addresses. This does not show the list of addresses you are sending to in the header of the e-mail.
BACKUP STORAGE
A little note on the backup drives I recommend: the Western Digital Passport or the Western Digital Book. These drives both come with software that you do not need. The one you want to use that is included is the “WD Sync” program. It comes with a 30-day trial, after that it is cheap enough and quite good. This program will back up your favorite places, e-mail, pictures, music and specific folders you designate. It performs a synchronization of all the files, so the first backup takes a little longer, after that it backs up only the changes. We are approaching hurricane season again, so make sure you have your backups and store them securely from fire, theft, and water damage. Also, check your surge protectors–if they are more than 3 years old you need to replace them or buy an “APC” battery. If an actual storm does hit your area, be sure to unplug all electrical devices you can from the wall for best protection. Get all sensitive equipment up off the floor where possible. If necessary, wrap in trash bags for protection from water damage. Ok, that is all for now, have fun and happy computing… Michael Bilyeu, Computer Doctor Computer_doctor@myctsonline.com
C
Hotel Villa Florencia
KEEP UP WITH UPDATES
I trust everybody heard about the “conficker” virus that ended up not creating many problems. This is good. However, to make sure you are protected from any future attacks, make sure you keep up with all of your Windows Updates. If you are on Windows XP, you should have Service Pack 3 installed. Windows Vista, Service Pack 1. You should also be using Windows Internet Explorer 7 or higher. To access Windows Updates, click on “Start” Windows Updates. You can also get there by opening Internet Explorer and clicking on “tools”, “Windows Updates”. You should also be using Norton Internet Security 2009 by now. Finally, if something does get by all these precautions, you can download a program I use for cleanup. It is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. It is located at http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam. php. It is a free trial download, which will be great for removing some spyware that got into your system past all your security.
Tequisquiapan, Qro. Mex. www.villaflorencia.com.mx 011.52.414.2733029
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The Most Exquisite Collection of Mosaics South Texas
New European Lines just in with incredible prices while they last!
Glass Granite Stainless Steel Marble Synthetics Wood Carpet Bamboo Leather Cork Exotics 614 N. 10th St. / McAllen / www.pangeafloors.com / 686-2990 page 48 ContempoMag.com