"BIG TEN" APACHE SHARING CORNER (FOR "ALL" CENTENNIAL HIGH ALUMNI) (PHOTO GALLERY)!!

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Permalink Reply by Phoebe Macon on October 17, 2010 at 11:52pm

THE "2ND" CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI "RED & WHITE" JOINT CLASS CELEBRATION!!!!!

To All Centennial High Alumni:

It was a pleasure seeing everyone last night at the "2nd" Centennial High School "Red & White" Joint Class Celebration. Many new faces as well as the same that attended the "1st Joint Class Celebration" were in attendance.

We sincerely appreciated you marking your calendars and coming out and celebrating with many new & old familiar faces that you have not seen over the past decades.

We hope that you were able to catch up, talk story & that you had a good time. We hope that you had loads of fun!!

We the Joint Class Reunion Celebration Committee (Wayne Ware "Webmaster & Chairperson" c/o '75, Steven Windom, Co-Chair c/o '76, and Phoebe Macon, Treasurer & Co-Chair c/o '75) appreciate all of your thoughts of appreciation, and we will take into consideration all the suggestions (re: food, giveaways, speakers, DJ, etc.) that we received for future Celebrations.

Thank You to Greg Majors & Wayne Ware "Webmaster" for the Photography photos. Thank You to Carl Hill for the Centennial High School Apparel/ Clothing. Thank You to the DJ and Thank You to Steven Windom c/o '76 for starting the Red & White Event off on the right note with Prayer!!

Thank You to Wayne Ware "Webmaster", My Son Reggie Hall and Thank You to the Windom Family (Steven, Steven's Wife Rhonda, Steven's Daughter Briana & her friend) for working the Registration Table and helping with the Gift Bag(s) set-up!!

We hope to see all of you and more at future Celebrations. Hopefully at the next Joint Class Event we will have as many in attendance as we did in 2008 at the very "1st" Joint Class Event. We the Committee were very thankful that ("90 Alumni") of you were able to purchase tickets; especially during this financial recession. Hopefully at the next Alumni Joint Class Event we will have as many in attendance as we did in 2008 at the "1st Joint Class Event; or better yet even more."

We encourage everyone to pass the word on, and let your Alumni Classmates from your various Classes know about the centennialhighalumni.com website. This website is where "All Classes" will be able to not only stay in touch with one another; but it is also the website where "All Centennial Alumni" will be able to log on and find out when their various Classes will be having their prospective Class Reunion Events.

God bless!!

Sincerely,

Phoebe Macon c/o '75
Joint Class Celebration Committee Co-Chair & Treasurer

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
P.S. Big "Shout Out" to my Fellow Class of 1975 Classmates who were in the "House Last Night" and to my Classmates who purchased tickets but fell ill or had medical accidents prior to last night's Event. "We Love You All & You Know That" and Thanks Again For Your Continual Support!!

01- Wayne Ware "Webmaster & Event Chairperson
02- Phoebe Macon " Event Co-Chair & Treasurer"
03- Janet Williams (Received the 1st To Pay Award)
04- Larry Williams (Could not attend due to Wife's Illness: please keep the Williams family in your prayers))
05- Jerlilia Lela Ryan (Could not attend because she slipped, fell, and hurt her back: Please keep her in your prayers)
06- Natanya Nelson-Blakely
07- Oceal Green-Victory
08- Anthony "Tony" Benford
09- Kevin Hall
10- Patricia Kline-Thrower
11- Karen Fletcher-Jones
12- Carter Spruill
13- Melton Potts (Long Distance Award)
14- Myra Reed
15- Mary Watson-Bender
16- Eartha Morris
17- Sidney Spear (Long Distance Award)
18- Michael Washington (Long Distance Award)
19- Herbert Wadsworth (Long Distance Award)
20- Richard Hill (Was too ill to attend: please keep him in your prayers)
21- Rudolph "Ronnie" Forrest
22- Enis Gilbeau
23- Charlene Williams
24- Cynthia Fountain (Was too ill to attend: please keep her in your prayers)
25- Sheila Smith-Williams
26- Jacqueline McCaster
27- Eugenia Fisher-Jones
28- Bayette Davis-Diassy
29- Clence Berry
30- Lloyd Langie

(LOOK FOR A PHOTO SLIDE SHOW BY WAYNE WARE "WEBMASTER" TO BE POSTED THIS WEEK FROM THE OCTOBER 16, 2010 "RED & WHITE JOINT CLASS CELEBRATION"!!)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Permalink Reply by Phoebe Macon on October 28, 2010 at 1:53am

POEM: "KINDNESS"
Author: Gordon Rosenberg

What could be greater than to realize this?
That kindness is the way to all gain and all knowing
That kindness is the only thing that ever matters
What else is there to be which takes us further
Than being kind to someone for no reason?
Other than to be kind!

Loving those around us is the only way to anything
Because there’s no distinction between them and us
When we give to someone, we give to ourselves as well
Not because giving might bring us some nice reward
But because that person is us and we are them!
Not just similar to us, for that's not enough
We're each guided by the same force
And made of the very same stuff!
Kindness is our greatest gift to ourselves
Kindness is our birthright and our responsibility
Kindness is our way home
Kindness is the true religion of all the universe!


Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. And do not judge and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.
(Luke 6: 36-38)

HAVE A GREATLY BLESSED WEEK & WEEKEND ALUMNI FRIENDS & GOD BLESS!!

Love and Blessings, Phoebe Macon c/o '75

Permalink Reply by Phoebe Macon on December 2, 2010 at 1:11am

Photos of the 2010 Christmas Room Decorations at the White House

Permalink Reply by Phoebe Macon on December 2, 2010 at 8:28pm

Michael Jordan's New Home Built in Jack Nicklaus's Development

This is the first look at Michael Jordan's swank digs in Jack Nicklaus' new "Bear's Club" development in Jupiter, Fla.

Analysis by Cary Lichtenstein of PGA National Real Estate indicates that Jordan paid $4.8 million for the land and $7.8 to build the mansion, and will likely have a total commitment of $20 million in the property when all is said and done. And while Woods' property comprises three lots with both ocean and Intracoastal Waterway access, Jordan's has neither, which could compromise its resale value. (See if you can bargain him down!)

The Jordan estate has 11 bedrooms, a two-story guard house and an athletic "wing" with a basketball court (of course). You'll note that the property isn't far from the golf course, but we're betting Jordan won't have to sneak onto the course at twilight to get in a few holes.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tiger Woods Newly Built $50 Million Bachelor Pad

Permalink Reply by Phoebe Macon on December 2, 2010 at 8:55pm

7 Ways To Save Money On Your Mortgage

----------
Your mortgage payment is most likely your largest monthly expense. But there are ways you can decrease your monthly payment and pay off your loan faster.

Let's walk through the tips using this mortgage example:

•$200,000 mortgage
•30-year fixed rate mortgage
•6% interest rate
•$1,199 monthly principal and interest payment
Savings will vary based on your actual loan facts and timing of the change
----------

1. Make an Extra Payment Each Year

If you have the means, the easiest way to save money on your mortgage is by making an extra mortgage payment each year. These extra payments are automatically applied on your principal, not interest. Not only does your remaining balance drop, but you will not have to pay interest each month on that principal for the remainder of the loan term.

Savings: $47,000. By making one extra payment of $1,199 each year and applying it to your principal, you could save over $47,000 in interest and cut 5 years off the life of the loan.



2. Create Bi-Weekly Payments

Another way to pay off your loan early is by creating a bi-weekly payment plan. Put half of your monthly mortgage payment in a savings account every other Friday (or, on your pay day). Each month, pay your mortgage from the account. At the end of the year, you will have made 26 half payments, which is 13 full payments. This will leave with you an extra payment that you can put toward your principal. Most people manage the separate accounts themselves, but there are companies that you can hire to act as an escrow service and manage the payments for you.

Savings: $47,000. Same as extra payment.



3. Cut your PMI

Many people are forced to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI) because their down payment is less than 20 percent. If you are in this boat, you can petition your lender to cancel the insurance as soon as your mortgage balance falls below 80 percent of the home's appraised value. This can happen if your home's value has gone up or you have repaid some of the principal. This may require a new appraisal but could shave hundreds of dollars off your monthly payment.

Savings: $130 per month. If you only put down 5 percent and had a PMI rate of .78 percent, you could save $130 per month.



4. Fight Your Property Assessment

Property taxes can be thousands of dollars a year. If you think your home's value has decreased in the last year and it was not properly accounted for in your tax assessment, you can petition your assessor and fight your assessment. Lowering your tax assessment will lower your yearly taxes.

Savings: Varies. Depends on your local tax rate and home adjustment, but could be hundreds of dollars a year.



5. Recast Your Mortgage

Some lenders are willing to recast (reset) your monthly payment when you make large payments toward the principal of your mortgage. Usually, when you put money toward your balance, your monthly payment stays the same but the term of your loan shortens. When the loan is recast, your monthly principal and interest is recalculated so you end up with a lower monthly payment over the existing term of the loan.

Savings: $120 per month. Putting $20,000 into the loan would reset the payment to $1,079, saving you $120 per month.



6. Loan Modification

If you are late on your payments and are going through a financial hardship, you may be eligible to modify terms of your loan (such as rate, term, or principal balance) to make it more affordable. The goal of these programs is to allow borrowers to stay in their homes and continue making their monthly payments. Not everyone qualifies for these types of programs, but if you do, they can save you a lot of money. To find out if you qualify, contact the servicer of your mortgage or visit the Making Home Affordable eligibility site.

Savings: Varies. It can reduce your interest rate to as low as 2 percent, extend your term to 40 years, or reduce your principal.



7. Refinance Your Mortgage

The most common way to save money is by refinancing your mortgage to a lower interest rate. Reducing your rate can lower your monthly payment and help you save on interest payments. However, there are costs associated with refinancing so you want to be sure you are going to save enough to cover the refinancing fees. Zillow Mortgage Marketplace allows borrowers to shop for the lowest mortgage rates, without sharing any personal contact information with lenders. Borrowers can compare rates, loan programs, and lender ratings and reviews, and then calculate if refinancing makes sense before contacting a lender. With rates at historic lows, if you can refinance, and you haven't already, you should.

Savings: $126 per month. By lowering your interest rate to 5 percent, you would have a payment of $1,073 which would save you $126 per month. If the refinance costs $5,000, you would recoup the fees after 40 months.

Permalink Reply by Phoebe Macon on December 4, 2010 at 1:46am

The Best Christmas Shopping Deals by Forbes.com

Jeans, toys and PCs lead a slew of products retailers are slashing prices on.




The Best Christmas Shopping Deals

Yes, the economy is a bit better. Compared to a year ago, the market is up and employment is holding steady. So is this what the Christmas retailers have been waiting for?

No, not really. Employment rates aren’t dropping they way they were, but they’re not climbing either. Shoppers are still cautious. And so, say industry experts, 2010 is shaping up as another big discounting year at the major retail chains.

To get shoppers in and merchandise out, there’s no other way. Price cuts are already underway, a barely interrupted extension of back-to-school season. Among those items showing the biggest markdowns through the fall: denim clothing, toys and winter wear like sweaters and flannel shirts.

Most major retailers began heavy discounting in October. Specific sales often vary from week to week, so the latest deals may differ from what will be out there later in November and in December. But don’t expect the overall level of discounting to change much as Christmas draws closer--most of it on mass-market gifts like kitchenware, jeans and kids’ stuff.


Denim
Abercrombie & Fitch touted 40% off jeans in October; most are now $10 off, along with jeggings. A Gap special allowed customers to trade in their old denim and get 30% off 1969 jeans; Facebook fans could get an extra 10% reduction.


Winter Outerwear
Sweaters at Old Navy, some normally priced as high as $39.50, were going for $10, while $10 to $15 fleece vests were marked down to $5.


Flannels
During parts of October, they've been going for 40% off at Hollister, with various sales elsewhere.

Toys
The $69 Homestyle Kitchen at J.C. Penney is now $29. Amazon.com is showcasing a host of 20% to 70% off sales on items like Buzz Lightyear dance figures, Matchbox trucks and Star Wars indoor flying sets.


Flat-Screen TV Sets
A soft year for manufacturers, so look for sub-$500 prices for the 42-inch class. Best Buy is already offering the Samsung 42-inch set for $499, a $100 discount.


Computers
Industry followers say Walmart has lots of PCs to dump onto the market, which should trigger price reductions at most outlets. Walmart is currently selling the HP Black Pavilion desktop for $448, down 50 bucks.


Jewelry & Accessories
Go to musicboxattic.com and find several $200-plus music boxes and jewelry boxes for $129 to $139. Various fine jewelry at Macys.com is marked down by hundreds of dollars.


Baby Clothes
Tyke winter jackets at Macys.com are marked down to $48 from $80, while dresses and pants sets are 25% to 40% off.


Kitchen Gadgets
Check out J.C. Penney's "Red Zone Clearance," offering up to 80% off on items like copper cookware sets and press cook pans for burgers and pancakes.


Home Furnishings
Sears has several mattresses marked down by hundreds, and a $649.99 Country Living leather recliner going for $399.99. Bed-in-a-Bag sets (basically comforters with matching with pillows, sheets, etc.) are on sale all over the place, including Target and Linens 'n' Things.

Permalink Reply by Phoebe Macon on December 20, 2010 at 3:45am

BRINGING LEIMERT PARK BACK

By Louis Sahagun, Los Angeles Times
December 20, 2010

 

Once a vibrant hub for African American culture, the community is hoping the Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center will help rejuvenate the neighborhood.

 

 

"This center is going to be a launching pad for new artists," said Barbara Morrison of her nonprofit venue, set to open next month. (Francine Orr, Los Angeles Times / January 8, 2000)

 

 

Jazz and blues singer Barbara Morrison recalled the heyday of Leimert Park Village, a 1-square-mile center of African American art and culture south of downtown that locals like to say is "as close to Harlem as you're going to get in Los Angeles."

That was back in the 1970s, when the Crenshaw district community's shady streets were lined with trendsetting nightclubs, art galleries and restaurants. "There was a creative vibe in the air that I've only felt in a few other places in the world," Morrison said.

The village isn't what it used to be. On a recent weekday, the storefronts looked a little run-down and things were so quiet that it was hard to miss the commotion at the new nonprofit Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center at West 43rd Street and Degnan Boulevard.

 

In preparation for its grand opening next month, musicians were tuning instruments. Technicians were installing computer stations. Crews were hanging stage curtains and decorating the walls with framed portraits of jazz legends. And Morrison was looking pleased.

"This center is going to be a launching pad for new artists," she said.

Local business leaders point to the center as one of several new developments that could help put the village back on the map as an arts and events destination.

Arts patron Eileen Norton opened an art gallery a few doors down from Morrison's center two weeks ago. Around the corner on Crenshaw Boulevard, extensive renovations were being completed at Maverick's Flat restaurant and nightclub, named a Los Angeles historic cultural monument in recognition of the role it played in the city's pioneering black music scene.

The low-rise business district rich with Art Deco buildings, Spanish colonial homes and post- World War II bungalows hosts an annual book festival and is the last stop on the Martin Luther King Day Parade. The local businesses recently agreed to contribute to a special assessment for streetlights, surveillance cameras, tree trimming and street cleaning services.

"Lots of hard work is starting to pay off in ways which will, in the long term, broaden our economic base," said Brenda Shockley, president of Community Build, a community development corporation under contract with the city of Los Angeles to manage the area's business improvement district. "The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau designated the village as a recommended destination.

"Our vision: a robust intersection of commerce and African American art and culture," Shockley said, "for the community and the city to build on."

Developed in the late 1920s, Leimert Park Village was initially restricted to whites and known for its golf courses and several airstrips. Howard Hughes learned to fly there.

The area began attracting African American musicians, writers and artists in the wake of the 1965 Watts riots. The civil unrest of 1992, however, triggered an exodus of customers from the village, which made it more vulnerable to the economic downturn.

A boom cannot happen soon enough for Obinne Onyeador, who recently hung a "Big Sale — everything must go" sign over the entrance to his African art gallery.

"I'm closing the place down," Onyeador said with a frown. "A few years ago, I was selling $5,000 worth of art a month to people who wanted to make their homes look nicer. Now, many of those same people are unemployed and losing their homes, and I can't make the rent anymore."

If the community has had anything like a blockbuster in recent years, it would have to be the reopening Tuesday of Maverick's Flat.

In a rethinking of the club's funky 1970s ambience, developer Curtis Fralen mirrored the ceilings and put up vintage posters of entertainers who got their start there, including the Fifth Dimension; Earth, Wind and Fire; the Commodores; and Parliament. He also expanded the square footage, added a patio and installed a stainless steel kitchen to lift the quality of its dining experience and attract new customers.

"We're going to reopen for dinner on Dec. 22, and for entertainment in February," Fralen said. "People around here are not going to have to drive to Beverly Hills for a good steak and fine wine anymore."

Permalink Reply by Phoebe Macon on December 22, 2010 at 5:26pm

Hello Alumni,
This is cute. It was e-mailed to me today so I would like to share it with all of you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UP:  (A Two Letter Word With So Many Meanings)!!


Read until the end.....you'll laugh....

 
This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word
is 'UP.' It is listed in the
dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky
or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we
wake UP?

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do
we speak UP, and why are the
officers UP for
election and why is it UP to the secretary to
write UP a
report? We call UP our friends,
brighten UP a room, polish UP the
silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We
lock UP the house and
fix UP the old
car.

At other times this little word has real special
meaning. People stir UP trouble,
line UP for
tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one
thing but to be dressed UP is
special.
And this UP is confusing: A
drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.

We
open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at
night. We seem to be pretty mixed
UP about UP !

To be
knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary.. In a desk-sized
dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about
thirty definitions

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time,
but if you don't give UP, you may
wind UP with a hundred or
more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is
clouding UP . When the sun comes out
we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it
soaks UP the
earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on & on, but I'll wrap
it UP, for now ........my time is UP !

Oh....one more thing:
What is the first thing you
do in the morning & the last thing you do at
night?

U
P !

Did that one crack you UP?

Don't screw UP. Send this on to everyone you
look UP in your address
book..or not...it's UP to you.

Now I'll shut UP

Permalink Reply by Reginald "Reggie" Hall on December 22, 2010 at 7:58pm

Nice one. Thanks Phoebe!

I'm going to cut and paste it and pass it on.

 

-Love Reggie

 

Permalink Reply by Phoebe Macon on February 22, 2011 at 12:31am

L.A. TIMES ARTICLE: FARMING IN THE CITY OF COMPTON (RICHLAND FARMS)

 

Permalink Reply by Phoebe Macon on February 22, 2011 at 12:32am

L.A. TIMES ARTICLE: FARMING IN THE CITY OF COMPTON (RICHLAND FARMS)

 

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