Memorialization of Knowledge

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The phrase “higher education” is a simple title to a community that involves a plethora of subjects, years of history, and is the epitome of an intellectual life. World renowned universities revolve around some kind of center of knowledge, in many cases a library. But the development of research and how we do research has evolved many places like a library, and its purpose. At the University of Southern California one of the most prominent buildings that erects from the center court yard is the Doheny Memorial Library. It is a center of knowledge for the intellectually savvy, and a getaway for the avid reader. Doheny Library and its Romanesque atmosphere is an inspiring sight, but as the years have progressed, since its inauguration in 1932, it has since turned from a place of study to a commemorative monument. While Doheny Library has served as a second home to intellectuals, over the years it has transformed into a memorialization of archaic learning mannerisms and values; this is because of its acute detail to traditional collegiate design and its competition with other modern systems that provide knowledge.

The history of Doheny Library comes from an unexpected incident which gave birth to one of the most prominent establishments of knowledge in its decade. Edward L. Doheny Jr. was a USC graduate and later elected to the Board of Trustees and President of the Alumni Association. Needless to say, Edward L. (Ned) Doheny Jr. had roots that ran deep in the university. Early in his life tragedy struck, when he was assassinated in his Beverly Hills home in February of 1929. (University of Southern California)The death of Edward L. Doheny Jr. did not go unrecognized by the Dohenys. After losing his son’s mother to suicide, the Dohenys decided that their son’s name was to be remembered in a fashion that no one could match. Edward L. Doheny Sr. tied his son’s name to one of the most admired libraries in the history of the “Great Depression”. A contribution of one-million dollars was made to the University of Southern California for the construction of such a facility. The Dohenys saw to it that the Edward L. Doheny Jr. Memorial Library became a landmark building in Southern California as one of the most advanced libraries ever built.

From tragedy and death one of the most beautiful sights was born in the Los Angeles area. A place with a wealth of knowledge and advanced systems of its time was shining light to new scholars and aiding the experienced to new discoveries. During its construction the amount of detail that was put into making the superficial attributes of the library resembled the activities taking place within its walls. With its Italian Romanesque architecture, ornate windows, elegant chandeliers, arches, and high ceilings, the library evoked passion in the arts, literature, and sciences. This facility bears its resemblance with cathedral design only to venerate the practice of many forms of study. From its dedication on September 12th, 1930, Doheny Library epitomized the meaning of research. All of the pupils of the university were quick to embrace the abundant study halls of its interiors.

Although the two hundred and seventy foot tall building remained standing against the adversity of the crisis of “The Great Depression”, it was able to empower young minds to develop themselves as knowledgeable individuals. Doheny Library might have served its purpose back in the day, but in its present state it is near impossible to tell what the purpose of the building is. The practice of truth seeking is a never ending process, yet Doheny closes after hours. Unintentionally, Doheny carries the resemblance of many cathedrals, but also the intendance. Visiting Doheny during its hours of operation is like walking in to a cathedral in the middle of the day; only a sparing few kneeling and praying, or in this case sitting and studying. If one were to have the curiosity of exploring Doheny past ten at night, one would find itself staring up at a large heavy door, which looms over you as if it were protecting precious information within its walls. Accessibility is not a prevailing theme of Doheny Memorial Library.

USC’s first freestanding library still stands for the prestige of higher education, but it does not embody the same type of atmosphere that its interiors provided many years ago. As the years have progressed Doheny Library has turned into a building that serves more as a memorial. As time has progressed an anomaly has occurred within the walls of Doheny. This anomaly is solitude. Its detachment from the academic discourse community has been an ignored occurrence. There is no immediate explanation as to why this has happened, but we can be sure that a revolutionary idea is in our presence. As technology has advanced we have relied less and less in places such as Doheny. Gradually, Doheny has left the paradigm of libraries, as places that serve as primary sources of information, to a paradigm of a memorial, which revolves around the preservation of values.

The thought of Doheny Library as part of a paradigm of a memorial involves concepts which have nothing to do with its role as a library. Needless to say, there is and always will be individuals who hold up Doheny as their main source of information. The role that Doheny plays in today’s world is much more fitting to a paradigm of a memorial. A memorial has a concept of preservation and its purpose isn’t teaching, its acknowledgement. Doheny now harbors and protects main USC values, namely The Role and Mission of the University of Southern California. Specifically, Doheny Library now embodies this quote from the first paragraph of the mission statement, “The development of human beings and society as a whole through the cultivation and enrichment of the human mind and spirit.” It symbolizes this creed by the aforementioned descriptions of Doheny’s visual components. These visual components are what inform new comers about USC’s determination for excellence in higher education.

Places such as The Coliseum and Von Kleinsmid Center Library for International and Public Affairs also serve as good examples that work in harmony, along with Doheny, in the paradigm of memorialization. The Coliseum as any true Trojan would know is a place where excellence in athletics is celebrated. Along with that, the Von Kleinsmid Center and its tower, with a globe hovering over us, serves as memorial to how diverse USC is and how we all come together as one academic community.

Doheny’s paradigm shift reflects a worldly view of higher education today. It is important to note that the definition of higher education and its practices have evolved with time. With this said, Doheny Library and its shift in paradigms functions as a standing metaphor for the transformation of higher education today. With the development of new technologies and studies, higher education is not even remotely similar to what its counterpart was 18 decades ago. In terms of a paradigm, the tools that we use have changed over time, and the questions we ask have changed over time. Doheny which used to serve as a tool back in the day has transformed into a relic which admires the olden days but keeps alive its values. It is no longer a prominent tool. Doheny‘s transformation as a metaphor provides a good understanding of what higher education entails in today’s society. Not only is higher education evolving as the days go by, but also the tools that we use in order to attain knowledge also evolve. If Doheny library could magically evolve as higher education evolves it would look a lot like Leavey Library. When juxtaposing the two libraries, both give off different vibes of what they are trying to accomplish. Leavey library is not lavish and ominous as Doheny is; rather it represents the cutting edge society that we are stumbling into day by day. The rooms are filled with all sorts of technology, internet access, and cubicles that provide privacy. The ceilings are not high and the interior of the building bleeds modernization. Both libraries are mirror images of each other. The only difference is that Doheny library is stuck on the past side of the mirror, and Leavey is on the present side of the mirror.

Higher education has evolved with the development of numerous technological advances, and studies; Doheny Library serves as a reminder of the values that don’t change in higher education. The transformation into a paradigm of memorialization reflects the detachment of higher education from materialistic means (books, encyclopedias, articles). Doheny Memorial Library serves as a reminder of the traditional importance of education by its preservation of timeless beauty in the physical features of Doheny Library that instill awe.  

Works Cited

University of Southern California. “USC Libraries.” n.d. Univeristy of Southern California. 6 September 2011 <http://www.usc.edu/libraries/locations/doheny/history/>.

USC Board of Trustees. “The Role and Mission of the University of Southern California.” February 1993. University of Southern Califonia. 7 September 2011 <http://www.usc.edu/private/factbook/USCRole_and_Mission_Statement_1993.pdf>.

Let us recap the true story of the sighting of a giant unidentified flying object over Greater Los Angeles.  In the early morning hours of a day in February, 1942, a huge disc-shaped object triggered a wartime blackout in Southern California.  The artillery opened fire, scoring hit after hit on the UFO.  However, no damage was done to the strange craft.

The “Los Angeles Times” took a high quality picture showing the spotlight beams, tracer fire and a disc-shaped object.  The UFO turned away and disappeared when fighter planes approached.  Hundreds of people watched the battle which may have been the largest mass UFO sighting of all time.

Reports from the military about the incident were contradictory.  First, the Army Western Defense Command stated that no enemy aircraft had been sighted.  Second, other military spokesmen claimed that one to 50 planes were seen.  Third, Secretary of the Navy  Frank Knox said that no planes had been seen.

The military finally admitted that there was one indestructible, unidentifiable, enormous object.  Meanwhile, the press answered with scathing editorials denouncing the use of artillery to fire at “phantoms”.

Wartime jitters were high in Southern California.  A Japanese submarine surface close to shore 12 miles north of Santa Barbara 36 hours before the Los Angeles incident.  After the submarine event, West Coast defense units were on high alert.

It was suggested that some of the lights in the sky were caused by Japanese-Americans signalling approaching enemy aircraft.  Local law-enforcement authorities arrested suspects and called in the FBI.  The Long Beach Press Telegram reported that all inquiries indicated no one was signalling the enemy from the ground.

The “Battle of Los Angeles” remains a mystery.

Boom Boom: No way! I was so hoping she would be mine…who’s the father?!

Boo boo: Nick Cannon…who else!

Yeap, thats right! Mariah Carey is now a preggo!

The 40-year-old singer was treated at the Southern California Reproductive Center where Jennifer Lopez, a hotter babe… received her treatment.

Congratz!! Mariah!

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Scams drain your pocketbook and wreck havoc on your credit score. You have to be careful. When someone requests your personal information,activate your scam radar. Be wary and don’t tell them anything. Scammers are seedy people. Those who swindle and target Social Security beneficiaries are the worst of the lot.

In Southern California, scammers are targeting beneficiaries. The new scam to watch out for is the “stimulus  payment” scam. You get a call. A scam artist tells you a stimulus check is yours. All you have to do is give the scammer your personal and bank account info.

 The scammer will promise to deposit your non-existent check for you. Next, the scammer will call Social Security and request that your benefits be deposited into a new account. All the scammer needed was your social security number. Guess whose account gets a spanking new deposit? You got it! The scammer ran a con game. Your left without a check.

Social Security will never call you to ask your social security number or bank account info. When you get a call requesting said info, clamp the phone down hard. Never, ever give personal information over the phone.

You should never give personal information to anyone over the phone. You did not win a vacation. You did not win the Alaska lottery. And you did not get chosen to receive an introductory American Express card. These bogus offers are all phone scams.

Never give personal information over the phone. If for some reason, you think a call is real, verify it with the Social Security office before giving your personal info.

Always keep your Social Security card in a safe place. Keep your important documents locked away. Be wary of anyone who request personal information. Don’t give, just anyone, your personal information. If you do theirs a good chance, you’ll be a victim of a con game. Protect yourself. Don’t let scammers make a fool of you. Be wary, be careful, be cautious. You owe it to yourself.

It’s a good idea to check your earnings record from time to time. Some scammers who have you Social Securty number may be working under your name. It can happen and has happened to others. Call Social Security and check your earnings report. Request correction if needed.

If you have been victimized by scammers, call your local police right away. Tell them where the identity theft or scam took place. Make sure to keep a copy of police records. This is the evidence that proves a crime took place.

Always be sure to be on the alert when your personal information is requested. Be wary of dealing with such people. Don’t give your birth date, bank account info, Social Security number etc. Protect yourself from scammers. They can’t scam you unless you give them the info they need, to rip you off.

Be good to yourself. Be careful.

I was searching today for something to write about, something just anything.  And I realized in my search just how hard it can be to become inspired. I mean here I am a 20 year old Californian male who has experienced a lot in his lifetime and he can’t be inspired enough to write a simple article to post online. I went to Google trends like normal when I came across a hot search about a 16 year old from southern California.  Now people this girl is inspired, she is out there at sea right now sailing around the globe!

How come as bloggers we’re not staying inspired? How come as people we’re not staying inspired? We live in America, the land of the free so why can’t we free our minds to more ideas and possibilities?

Abby Sunderland is a sixteen year old from southern California. She is a phenomenal teenager, and I’m very proud to say that she is from California. She is not only representing herself and her family but also the state of California the country of America and well the American people. She is stepping up to the plate in a big way. She is voyaging around the world, which will take her a whopping six months at sea. But that’s not the amazing part, she plans on doing this entire journey without any pit stops. Her brother just a year ago made the same journey at 17 but he stopped at islands and ports to make repairs and re-stock on supplies. Even that to me is incredible and mind blowing, I’ve got to say that we have some pretty cool teenagers here in California and also in the U.S.

See now this is what I’m talking about these kids are out there living life, taking these big leaps and risks, they are setting out on adventures and making life happen.  So why aren’t we seeing more stories like this one in the news on a daily basis? Yeah we see a lot of tragedy in the news on a day to day basis but I want to see something more out of the American people. I would love it if I could see many more stories like this one daily, more people out there need to be doing bigger and better things! We as a people need to get off our buts and make life happen, get out there and live life, Inspire!  

Apparently from what I’ve been reading on the internet young Abby has come into some trouble out there on the open seas. Of course we all had hoped that her 24,500 mile journey would have been without any trouble but life happens. Abby, when all the trouble happened was or even is 2,000 miles from both Australia and Africa. Apparently there were 30 foot swells involved and her emergency beacon was manually turned on. Now her brother believes that she’s not submerged because there is another beacon that would turn on at a depth of 15 feet.  

Things are unclear as of right now. Authorities don’t know just exactly what has happened but were all hoping that she makes it home safe and maybe she can even complete her journey.

The Southern California and Baja Earthquakes

Well, the activity has really picked up today. There is no way to predict what will happen, but I wanted to share the data for people that live in the area. I think its pretty significant. I’m only listing the 2.5+ magnitude earthquakes from California and Mexico. There are MANY more that have registered under 2.5. This list is from newest to oldest in the last 24 hours.

The following data was obtained from USGS

MAP     3.4      2010/04/22 17:52:27       32.635      -115.803      5.7      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

MAP     3.4      2010/04/22 17:35:45       32.018      -115.270     10.3      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

MAP     4.7      2010/04/22 17:12:12       32.659      -115.803     6.9      SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

MAP     2.7      2010/04/22 17:03:43       32.639      -115.808     5.3      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

MAP     2.7      2010/04/22 16:58:44       32.633      -115.810     4.2      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

MAP     2.5      2010/04/22 15:32:14       32.648      -115.773     2.8      SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

MAP     2.5      2010/04/22 14:58:17       32.688      -115.945     6.2      SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

MAP     2.7      2010/04/22 14:32:21       32.631      -115.801     7.4      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

MAP     4.6      2010/04/22 14:22:03       32.663      -115.802     7.4      SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

MAP     2.7      2010/04/22 13:49:08       32.676      -115.953     4.3      SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

MAP     2.7      2010/04/22 11:55:14       32.679      -115.856     6.9      SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

MAP     2.7      2010/04/22 11:40:07       32.661      -115.850     5.2      SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

MAP     2.5      2010/04/22 11:21:48       32.229      -115.456     29.9      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

MAP     3.1      2010/04/22 11:10:31       32.115      -115.406     10.0      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

MAP     2.9      2010/04/22 10:50:37       32.631      -115.757     2.3      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

MAP     2.9      2010/04/22 08:18:19       32.660      -115.789     6.8      SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

MAP     2.5      2010/04/22 06:59:30       32.583      -115.777     1.5      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

MAP     2.7      2010/04/22 06:08:00       32.605      -115.743     1.0      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

MAP     3.0      2010/04/22 04:43:47       32.464      -115.605     10.0      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

MAP     2.8      2010/04/22 02:09:43       32.206      -115.368     0.9      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

MAP     3.4      2010/04/21 22:45:19       32.615      -115.760     0.7      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

MAP     2.7      2010/04/21 22:05:05       32.660      -115.751     10.8      SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

MAP     3.3      2010/04/21 21:43:21       32.474      -115.616     4.0      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

MAP     2.6      2010/04/21 20:07:35       31.967      -115.100     10.0      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

MAP     2.7      2010/04/21 20:02:40       31.990      -115.087     10.0      BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

The Southern California and Baja Earthquakes

So Many Earthquakes, So Little Time

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When I think of the census, I think of a scene from Inglourious Basterds. I think of how dictators have used forms of national census’s to round up certain groups of people. That may sound silly to some, but it just doesn’t give me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. 

I think a good amount of people really don’t like being told what to do. I know, because I’m one of them. In America, for the most part, we willfully hand over many rights, for many reasons. But when it is done willfully, it is different because it is your choice, and that my friends, is sweet freedom.

When my president and congress spend 340 million dollars to complete the census, it honestly freaks me out. To me, there are only a few things worth spending 340 million dollars worth of tax payer money on, and this is certainly not one of them.

So, let me get this straight…they spent over a quarter billion dollars to find out my household details. They tell me if I don’t fill it out, you’ll send some thug (or grandma, you never know) to my door. Oh, and I almost forgot the best part! When I refuse to open my door to a stranger, they’re gonna fine me!

Well, you know what? This is not Nazi Germany, the last time I checked, and I will not (expletive) comply!

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The Southern California and Baja Earthquakes

New Evacuations in Iceland at Eyjafjallajokull

- A powerful earthquake rocked buildings from Los Angeles to Tijuana, killing 2 people in Mexico, blacking out many cities, forcing the evac. of hospitals and nursing homes, and prompting a California  town to shut down its downtown area.

The 7.2-magnitude earthquake epicentered just south of the U.S. border near Mexicali was one of the strongest earthquakes to hit region in years.

Sunday afternoon’s earthquake was felt the hardest in Mexicali, a bustling commerce center along Mexico’s border with California, where authorities said the quake was followed by at least 20 smaller aftershocks, including three of magnitudes 5.1, 4.5 and 4.3. The initial quake had a shallow depth of 6 miles.

 A powerful earthquake struck Sunday afternoon, swaying buildings from Los Angeles to Tijuana, killing two people in Mexico, blacking out cities, forcing the evacuation of hospitals and nursing homes, and prompting a California border town to shut down its downtown area.

At least 100’s of people were injured, most of them struck by falling objects. Power was out in virtually the entire city and the blackout was expected to last at least 14 hours.

All 300 patients had to be evacuated from the Mexicali General Hospital to private clinics because the building had no electricity or water. But the emergency generators powering the private clinics might not last long and authorities might have to move patients to hospitals outside the city, he said.

There were growing reports of damage just across the border from Mexicali in Calexico, California, a city of about 27,000. The Calexico City Council met and declared a state of emergency. There were no reports of injuries.

Law enforcement vehicles guarded downtown streets in Calexico, where windows were shattered and bricks and plaster had fallen from some buildings.

Calexico police Lt. Gonzalo Gerardo said most of the damage occurred in the city’s downtown where buildings that were constructed in the 1930s and ’40s and not retrofitted for an earthquake of this magnitude.

“Downtown is going to remain closed until further notice. I honestly doubt that it will reopen soon,” he said. “You’ve got a lot of cracks. You’ve got a lot of broken glass. It’s unsafe for people to go there.”

The southeast portion of the city lost electricity for about four hours.

Rosendo Garcia, 44, said he was driving his daughter home from work when the quake struck.

“It felt like I was in a canoe in the middle of the ocean,” he said.

He said homes in his trailer park were seriously damaged, including one that was knocked off its foundation

The Fire Department responded to several calls to transport sick and elderly people to hospitals because of power outages and gas problems. A senior living center built in the early 1900s was evacuated and the people were moved to a shelter by the American Red Cross.

Lights shattered, ceiling tiles fell and shelves collapsed at a Subway sandwich restaurant in Calexico, said manager Rosie Arellano.

“Everything is shut down, the whole town,” Arellano said. “All the stop lights and the street lights are out. We have no power.”

Strong shaking was reported across much of Southern California. The earthquake rattled buildings on the west side of Los Angeles and in the San Fernando Valley, interrupting Easter dinners. Some stalled elevators were reported, water sloshed out of swimming pools and wine jiggled in glasses.

More than 100 miles west of the epicenter, San Diegos Sheraton Hotel and Marina was briefly evacuated after minor cracks were discovered in the floors, said Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Maurice Luque. All guests were allowed to return.

Susan Warmbier was putting away her groceries in the San Diego suburb of Chula Vista when her husband asked, “Is the house moving?”

“We turned and we looked at the house, and it was actually moving. You could see it slightly moving left to right,” she said.

Elsewhere in San Diego, there were reports of shattered windows, broken pipes and water main breaks in private buildings, but no reports of injuries, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Maurice Luque said. Coronado Bridge over San Diego Bay was briefly closed by the California Highway Patrol as a precaution.

Across the border in Tijuana, Mexico, the quake caused buildings to sway and knocked out power in some areas. Families celebrating Easter ran out of their homes, with children screaming and crying.

No tsunami warning was issued, but hundreds of people on Tijuana’s crowded beach feared the worst and fled when they felt the ground shake, said Capt. Juan Manuel Hernandez, the city fire department’s chief of aquatic rescue. The beach filled up again within an hour.

The main quake was initially reported as magnitude-6.9 and was centered about 38 miles southeast of Mexicali. The updated magnitude was still an estimate, but if it holds it would be California’s largest temblor since the 7.3-magnitude Landers quake hit in 1992, Jones said.

Image via Wikipedia Elizabeth Short “The Black Dahlia”

Elizabeth Short was her name and she was born in a town called Hyde Park, Massachusetts.  She was an ordinary girl.  Sickly as a child.  She was sent to Florida in her younger years because she suffered from asthma and bronchitis.  She would move back and forth between a place called Medford and Florida serving as a waitress.  She seemed to be an unassuming young women.  Raised by her mother Phoebe May Sawyer.

The father, Cleo Short skipped town faking is death after the 1929 crash.  He moved to California.  Later his daughter would find out he was alive and join him there.

She would encounter the law for drinking under age in 1940’s then be sent back to her mother and the authorities in Medford.  Her life would lead her down a different path later on in California.

She was a vagabond moving from one place to another.  Never staying in this apartment or that rooming house for very long.  She was in Southern California and dating around this time in July 1946.  Six months later she would be dead.

She would die a victim of one of the most savage murders of its day.  Her mutilated body would be found in a vacant lot.  One of the most descriptive cases of its day.  She would be forever known as the Black Dahlia.  It is one of the most unsolved cases of the century.  Never solved to this day.  Only speculation.  Most of the evidence destroyed from what the documentaries say on the television.

Many speculate how she received the name.  Some say before her death and some reports give an assessment that it was by reporters.  One thing is for sure the name stuck and she would be famous for one of the most gruesome detective stories of its time.

Many people are suspected of the crime.  The list includes two well known doctors in the lineup.  One of the doctors is the father of a retired detective as portrayed on one documentary.

Many rumors abound that she was a prostitute and that her murder was linked to other famous cases in the country at the time.  This is not true of course but part of the sensationalism of the case.

She was a young, vulnerable girl and perhaps a little naive as most are and she will be forever famous for an unsolved case.  She is frozen in the annals of historical detective crime.

Her mother stayed near her grave for many years but went back east and lived into her 90’s.  Elizabeth’s family has since gone on with their lives. 

Image via Wikipedia Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland California

Elizabeth is buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland California.  May she rest in peace.

And it also home to the largest Hispanic population north of the Mexican border, with roughly 35% of city’s nearly 4 million people claiming Hispanic-American heritage. Give another 10 years and Spanish may very well supplant English as the city’s most widely-spoken language.

But the fact that it is the most ethnically diverse city could also be a curse for the city. In recent years, it has been proven to be a primary destination for foreign fugitives, especially, not so surprising, fugitives from Latin American. They have easy access to high-quality fake documents here and can easily blend in with the city’s already enormous Hispanic population. Many hide in plain sight, with new names and appearances, and are able to hold jobs and even buy homes and start families.

Take Oliverio Grijalva Carrillo, who was suspected of fatally shooting a man in a bar in Guatemala, for instance. When finally caught, federal agents searched his home and found documents that identified him as Benigno Guevara Grijalva.

Perhaps the most notorious case is the one of Alfredo Rios Galeana, who was wanted in Mexico for escaping from prison and committing a string of killings, kidnappings and bank robberies. When he was finally apprehended he was running an office-cleaning business, had become involved in his neighborhood church and apparently had plastic surgery to make himself slightly less recognizable.

In the last three years, a total of 87 foreign fugitives have been apprehended in Los Angeles. Thousands more have also been apprehended by federal agents in other various parts of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Many are wanted in their foreign countries for murder, rape and other crimes. While some of the fugitives have been from countries around the world, including Korea, China and Hungary, most have been Mexico. That doesn’t exactly help the cause of those who insist that there is no need to do more to protect our very wide-opened borders.

Leads on cases come from foreign governments, local police and ordinary citizens. Many citizens watching Spanish-language television will notify the LAPD with suspicion that a suspect is a neighbor. Law enforcement agencies also regularly publicize a search for a foreign fugitive in an ethnic newspaper or check local post offices to see if a fugitive has been receiving mail.