Pechanga wristband in The Simpsons

As the Pechanga Casino tweeted:Pechanga Casino ‏@PechangaCasino Nov 9
Pechanga was mentioned on @TheSimpsons last night on @FOXTV! #Pechanga #simpsons #thesimpsons #fox #foxtv

The context is this:

Episode Fact File: Friend with Benefit[T]his Sunday, November 8th, 2015, Fox aired “Friend with Benefit,” the 6th episode of Season 27, and the 580th episode to date.

Episode Description:

Lisa makes a new pal at school named Harper, whose internet billionaire father becomes buddies with a different Simpson: Homer. Soon, though, Lisa becomes worried that Harper is a little too entitled.

Plot:

At night, Homer gets angry about the [self-lifting] chair, complaining that he never gets the finest things in life. That’s when Lisa asks him to take her to an Australian boy band concert with Harper, as her father has bought the seats. Feeling unconfident, he takes Lisa to the show.When the concert runners give Homer a wristband, he shows the one he already has. Apparently the producers have a thing for Pechanga, as they mentioned it in Pechanga Muffins in The Simpsons.

Inaugural iGaming Legislative Symposium

If you follow Indian gaming at all, you know the biggest subject in the gaming world is online or Internet gaming (iGaming). Until iGaming goes national, the biggest prize in the field is the California market. And opening the California gaming market to iGaming means dealing with Indian gaming tribes.

I flew to Sacramento Wednesday for the inaugural iGaming Legislative Symposium. One of the sponsors was Pechanga.net, the website where I work. I had a front-row seat, literally, for the event Thursday.

Since gaming isn't the subject of this blog, I won't bore you with the details. If you're interested, you can read about them here:

Sacramento gaming symposium: a review via Tweets

California Assemblyman: Still a Chance for Online Poker in 2014

Online Gambling Imminent, But Concerns Remain

California Symposium Brings Competing Interests Together

California Poker--iGaming Symposium

For those of us who look at gaming as a means to an end, perhaps the most important comment was this one from Chairman Mark Macarro of the Pechanga tribe. As tweeted by lawyer Chris Stearns and retweeted by me:Chris Stearns ‏@stearnsseattle Feb 27
Macarro: gaming has allowed Indian tribes to be Self-Reliant for the 1st time since we became a labor force for the missions. #iGLS14

Indian Country Online 2013

Here's where I was Monday and Tuesday:

Online Poker Discussed at California Tribal Conference

By CharlesA tribal conference was held the past two days in California that centered on issues pertaining to tribal interests in the legalization of online poker.

Indian Country Online: The 2013 Congress touched upon many topics that are crucial to California tribes and the prospects of expanding their current online gaming operations to include Internet poker. The conference was co-presented by Pechanga.net and the Spectrum Gaming Group at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula.

Much of the discussion focused on whether state or federal legislation would be more beneficial to tribal interests. Some tribes are said to prefer an intrastate model that would keep the nation’s most populous state from forming compacts with other states. Other tribes believe that a federal scheme may prove more worthwhile in the long run.

Most tribal groups seemed to be in agreement that previous federal bills that have been drafted have not done well in fully representing the interests of tribes. This is an important matter of concern, as it may cause California to opt out of any federal online poker legislation that finds approval in the future. Naturally, the rest of the country would love to include California and its more than 38 million residents in an interstate poker model to increase liquidity and profits.Comment:  My pal Victor organized and oversaw this conference, which took place June 3-4. I attended as an employee of Pechanga.Net.

I didn't get to see much of the actual conference. I was tasked to man our booth and update the website during the day. But the conference was an unqualified success according to all reports.

Some photos of the conference:

Indian Country Online: The 2013 Congress

For more on gaming conferences, see NIGA 2013 (Day 3) and NIGA 2013 (Day 2).

Pu’eska Mountain Day

Temecula City Council proclaims ‘Pu’eska Mountain Day,’ celebrates community milestones

By Kerri S. Mabee[I]t was a full house—many donning the orange shirts of those with the anti-quarry movement—that cheered the council’s official proclamation that Nov. 15, 2012—and every Nov. 15 thereafter—was officially Pechanga Pu’eska Mountain Day.

The decree was made in honor of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indian’s stunning announcement on Nov. 15 it had purchased the Liberty Quarry land, effectively putting an end to the years-long battle to repel the proposed construction site from Temecula.

Expressing relief that the battle was over, Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro, joined by other Pechanga tribe members and representatives, accepted the thanks of the council.

“All of us that live here in the valley are special. Our histories are intertwined,” Macarro said.

Councilwoman Maryann Edwards added: “We occupy the same space, we breath the same air. We are one community.”Comment:  For more on the Pechanga tribe, see Pechanga to Sponsor LA Film Festival and Bill Walton Basketball Camp at Pechanga.

Below:  "Temecula City Council members offer praise and thanks to Pechanga tribe leaders at Tuesday’s meeting." (Kerri S. Mabee/SWRNN)

Adam Beach the comedian

Pechanga:  Chiefs of Comedy perform during pow wowJust in time for the Pechanga Pow Wow, the Chiefs of Comedy will perform at the Pechanga Casino Comedy Club next week.

The Chiefs are a Native American stand-up comedy troupe made up of JR Redwater (Standing Rock Lakota), Jim Ruel (Bay Mills Ojibwe), Shishonia (Navajo) and, at left, Adam Beach (Ojibwe). Their credits are wide ranging: Ruel was an electrical engineering student at Stanford University who performed at the "World Stands Up" comedy show in London.

Shishonia, who is also of Italian ancestry, has comedy club experience and has taught improve both to high school and university students at UCLA. Redwater, "the Reservation Sensation," is a motivational speaker and Navy vet who just finished work on a comedy special for TV. And Beach is a familiar face to fans of the HBO series "Big Love" and the Clint Eastwood film "Flags of Our Fathers."Comment:  For more on the subject, see Adam Beach's Health-Related Videos and Adam Beach as Superman?

Pechanga to sponsor LA Film Festival

Pechanga Resort & Casino to Serve as New Premier Sponsor of 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival, Presented by Los Angeles TimesToday the Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by Los Angeles Times and supported by L.A. LIVE, announced its sponsors for the 2011 Festival. The Los Angeles Film Festival will run from Thursday, June 16 to Sunday, June 26 in downtown Los Angeles. The Premier Sponsor for the Festival is Pechanga Resort & Casino.

Premier Sponsor Pechanga Resort & Casino will be hosting the Gala screening of Green Lantern and presenting an exciting casino experience in the VIP hospitality area, with table games and chances to win resort getaways and free slot play at the largest casino in the Western USA. The Four-Diamond resort, located in the Southern California Wine Country of the Temecula Valley, offers: 517 newly-renovated guest rooms and suites; a world-class golf course rated as one of the best in California; eight award-winning restaurants; five bars and nightclubs, including Silk, the largest club in Southern California; a rejuvenating spa, fitness center and pool; superstar entertainment and much more.Comment:  This doesn't necessarily help Native actors or filmmakers, but it's good to see a tribe getting into the arts.

For more on the subject, see Gaming Tribes Must Take the Lead, Tribes Need Better PR, and Tribes Should Make Movies.

Bill Walton Basketball Camp at Pechanga

Bill Walton Camp a success for Inter Tribal Sports and San Diego Surf

By Darren FeeneyNearly 200 kids participated in a youth basketball camp this past weekend at the Pechanga Recreation Center in Temecula, hosted by Inter Tribal Sports (ITS). It's safe to say it wasn't difficult to distinguish the camp's speaker amongst the youth.

Bill Walton, NBA Hall of Famer and three-time College Player of the Year at UCLA, helped inspire and motivate the youth from 12 tribes across Southern California at the inaugural Bill Walton Basketball Camp at Pechanga.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Lakers Practice at Pechanga.

Below:  "Bill Walton addresses the youth at Pechanga Recreational Center." (Christine Foster).

Poet writes about Dancing Louisa

Tears, poem flow after Temecula writer meets dancing woman

By Carl LoveRebecca Farnbach says she wrote her prize-winning poem in about 10 minutes. Sometimes inspiration works that way.

She was at a Pechanga Powwow in July 2008 when she and her husband, Darell, came across an elderly woman resting between dances. They started talking and, for about 15 minutes, the woman told how she had to abandon her American Indian heritage as a child.And:"I couldn't wait to get home to put it on paper," she said. "It was working in my head so hard that I was literally shaking."

So she produced "Dancing Louisa," a poem about a woman who grew up in a time when American Indian children could be whisked away from families and sent to schools far away by authorities who thought they were doing the right thing.Comment:  For more on Natives and poetry, see Mohawk Spoken-Word Poet and Vanished Mound Builders in The Prairies.

Below:  "Temecula writer Rebecca Farnbach has won several awards for her poem, Dancing Louisa, about a woman she saw performing at a Pechanga Powwow."

Kathy Griffin in a headdress

Kathy Griffin takes aim, fires

Nothing is sacred for the 'D-List' comedian, and that's the secret to her success. Her Bravo special airs Tuesday.

By Yvonne VillarrealThe flame-haired 49-year-old comedian known for her acerbic humor—and her Bravo series "My Life on the D-List"—holds a nebulous place in the celebrity pecking order. She's the star of a reality series in which she mocks stardom, while her own Hollywood life lends itself to plenty of material. Especially on this September day: Griffin was between two comedy sets at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, which has been edited down into the one-hour Bravo comedy special "Kathy Griffin: Whores on Crutches" that will air Tuesday.

"I'm not doing Caesars. Palace—that'd be too easy," she said backstage. "We're doing it Temecula style and, frankly, I deserve an Emmy for the drive alone. You can't come here unless you witness several accidents and get caught in several brush fires."In other words, Griffin hints that Indian reservations are remote and dangerous places.In Tuesday's special, Griffin warns, "I'm going to discuss things that should not be discussed in a tepee," with Bristol Palin, Paris Hilton, Tiger Woods and "The View's" Elisabeth Hasselbeck coming under fire.Stereotype alert! The Pechanga didn't use tipis.As Griffin analyzed her live set in retrospect, her brain was clearly moving at warp speed, pegging the opening—in which she appears with a Native American headdress—as "really strong cause it was visually funny and silly—it could be the commercial." But she admits she didn't hit her stride until much later in the act, when she blathered on about the VH-1 series, "The OCD Project."And:"If you'll excuse me, I have to put on my headdress," she said. "I bet Joan Rivers has never had to say that."Comment:  Anyone who isn't an ignoramus never had to say that.

Spare us any comments about how the headdress was part of Griffin's comedy routine. Or how she was satirizing our ignorance about Indians. I've already dismissed those excuses as invalid.

For starters, I'd place a large wager that she doesn't know anything about the Pechanga Indians. In particular, I'm betting she doesn't know if they wore headdresses or lived in tipis. If I'm right, that alone eliminates the "satire" argument.

As for the "part of the show/it's just a joke" rationalization, it doesn't work. Everyone who wears a headdress is "putting on a show" for the public. It doesn't matter whether they're professional entertainers or not. They're making a statement about something: that they think Indians are "cool," they consider themselves "tribal," or whatever. That's why we use the term "fashion statement."

What's the statement?

So the question isn't whether the headdress is meant to make a statement or not. It is. And the magical power of intent assures us that no one ever intends to mock or belittle Indians. We know that because they tell us so, and they would never lie.

What the headdress tells us about the wearer--that they're hip or ironic--is a secondary and unimportant message. What the headdress tells observers about Indians is the primary message. And that message is loud and clear: that all Indians are the same, like Plains Indians. That they're primitive people of the past who used to kill white folks and now have mostly vanished.

Whether you're a comedian, a hipster, or some other wannabe, your intent doesn't matter. Your secondary message--"look how clever I am!"--doesn't matter. What matters is the primary message you're sending to the public. And that message is stereotypical.

It's also arguably racist. You wouldn't dress up as an outdated black or Asian person, but you will dress up as an outdated Indian. Picking on one race to the exclusion of others is racism.

Did the Indians laugh?

Let's recall one more point. Griffin's audience included many Pechanga Indians. They didn't need to hear that most people have stereotypical views of Indians. That it's "ironic" that people think Indians wear headdresses. They're living proof of that.

Would you go in front of a black audience in blackface to make a point about blackface? Are blacks likely to consider that funny? No. Then why would you do the same thing in front of an Indian audience? Because you're an ignoramus, I guess.

From what I heard, some people in the audience were uncomfortable with Griffin's redface minstrel shtick. And understandably so. Whether she realized it or not, Griffin mocked Indians in front of Indians.

For more on the "it's just a joke" rationalization, see:

Why minstrel shows are wrong
Irish band is just harmless fun?
The Dudesons, Polish jokes, and minstrel shows
Dudesons too "stoopid" to matter?
Okay to stereotype in "satires"?

For more celebrities in offensive outfits, see Paris Hilton as a Sexy Indian and Khloe Kardashian in a Headdress.

Below:  "Comedian Kathy Griffin performs at Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula." (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

NFL stars to golf at Pechanga

NFL stars to play golf at Pechanga to support Marshall Faulk Foundation

Celebrity guests include Terrell Davis, Eric Dickerson, Warren Sapp, Sterling Sharpe and many others.Gridiron great Marshall Faulk is set to once again bring his Celebrity Extravaganza to Southwest Riverside on Nov. 5-6 at Pechanga Resort & Casino.

Celebrity guests include Terrell Davis, Eric Dickerson, Warren Sapp, Sterling Sharpe and many others.

Pechanga will serve as the presenting sponsor of the Extravaganza, which gets underway with a pairings reception at 7 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the Eagles Nest at Pechanga. Tickets are still available.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Golf Pro at Pechanga Course and Pix of Pechanga Golf Course.

Below:  "The Marshall Faulk Foundation will tee-up its 15th annual golf tournament at Journey at Pechanga Resort & Casino Nov. 5-6."

Lakers practice at Pechanga

Pechanga Hosts Lakers Shoot-Around; Tribe Presents $10k Donation to After-School All-Stars with Kobe BryantThe Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians today hosted a team shoot-around for the back-to-back NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers at the tribe's new recreation center.

The Lakers stopped at Pechanga following their Thursday night game against the Golden State Warriors in San Diego. They held their pre-game shoot-around at the tribe's recreation center before heading to Ontario for their final exhibition game. Nearly 300 members of the Tribe were allowed to view a part of today's practice.

"This was a truly unique opportunity for a Native community to host the back-to-back NBA champion Lakers," said Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro. "The team was very kind and gracious with our people and our guests. We hope to do more with them in the future."

Pechanga tribal leaders also presented a $10,000 donation to After-School All-Stars (ASAS), which provides comprehensive after-school programs to nearly 80,000 children in need on over 450 school sites in 13 different cities, including Los Angeles. Celebrity Ambassador Kobe Bryant was on hand to accept the donation on behalf of After-School All-Stars.

"It wasn't that long ago that our Native children were beneficiaries of programs like After-School All Stars," said Macarro. "We are deeply humbled to be in a position to support their important work of providing kids with after-school activities."Comment:  Because of Phil Jackson's well-known interest in Indians, I made the following suggestion to my pal Victor, an enrolled Pechanga:Tell 'em your culture has a tradition of giving things (autographs, jerseys) to earn the Creator's blessings. If they're generous, their spirits will soar like eagles and they'll score many baskets.For more on Phil Jackson and the Lakers, see Smudging on Tonight Show and "X" Cap Benefits College Fund. For more on Natives and basketball, see Foxwoods Logo on Liberty Jerseys and Clippers Cursed by Indians?

Pechanga responds to The Simpsons

A followup to Pechanga Muffins in The Simpsons:

'The Simpsons' challenges Pechanga's muffinsPechanga took the joke in good humor, and as a challenge. Days later there were pictures on the Pechanga blog of a dinner-plate-sized blueberry muffin created by executive pastry chef Jean-Marie Verhoeven. The giant muffins are on sale for $25 in the food court cafe.Pechanga's Response to 'The Simpsons'When ‘The Simpsons’ aired their latest episode Sunday mentioning Pechanga and our blueberry muffins, we were excited to say the least.

But our VP of Food & Beverage, Dennis Khanh, and Executive Pastry Chef Jean-Marie Verhoeven wanted to show them that we really do have the largest blueberry muffins.

You can order one now at Caffe Cocoa (located in our food court) for $25.Comment:  This is a good example of how tribes should respond to and interact with the popular culture. By doing so, they gain a spot of positive and free publicity.

For more on the subject, see Indians in The Simpsons.

Pechanga muffins in The Simpsons

Sunday's episode of The Simpsons (airdate: 3/28/10) featured yet another reference to Indians. Here's the story:

The Greatest Story Ever D'ohedNed Flanders invites the Simpson family to join him a church retreat to Jerusalem. Homer is unappreciative of the culture, until a tour guide starts taking him around the city and Homer deludes himself into thinking he is the Messiah.When the Americans arrive in Jerusalem, Homer convinces them that a breakfast buffet is more interesting than the city's sights. The following exchange occurs:MRS. LOVEJOY:  These blueberry muffins are bigger than the ones we had at Pechanga.

REV. LOVEJOY:  Finally, something you like better than Pechanga.Comment:  As long-time readers know, I work for a Pechanga Indian on the PECHANGA.net website.

This is a minor reference, to be sure, but it's notable for several reasons:

Following Hopi Project in The Simpsons and Koyaanis-Scratchy in The Simpsons, it's the third Native reference in three weeks. This may be a record for a network entertainment series with no regular Indian characters or storylines.

It's the fourth Simpsons reference to Indians this season, which isn't a record but is pretty good.

This makes three nonstereotypical references in a row: no chiefs, teepees, or other Plains stereotypes.

This also makes three references in a row to tribes other than the usual ones: Lakota, Cherokee, Navajo, or Apache.

It's a rare instance of a real tribe's being mentioned by name. It's all the more unusual because the tribe is one of two or three dozen in Southern California. I can't recall any instances of a network entertainment series naming a tribe south of the Chumash in Ventura County.

It's possibly the first mention of Pechanga in any network entertainment series.

It's a reference to a gaming tribe without some snide or stereotypical comment about Indian casinos.

Clearly someone on the staff is trying to include Native references in The Simpsons this year. Let's hope it continues.

For more on the subject, see Indians in The Simpsons.

Summer program for Pechanga culture

Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians hands down traditions to their youth

By Jeff HorsemanA summer program run by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians teaches ancient skills and customs to tribal youth.

Besides making kiichas--houses made from brush--and arrowheads, those in the Traditional Knowledge Summer Youth Program say they learn to value each other as well as their culture.

"It's like a special bond they have with each other," said Art Masiel, the tribe's youth director. "You don't see that outside in the general public."

Started seven years ago by the tribe's cultural committee, the program geared toward teenagers runs for six hours a day, five days a week for six weeks.Comment:  For some pictures of the Pechanga rez, see:

Pix of Pechanga golf course
Luiseño village reconstructed

Below:  "From left, Delia Villalobos, 21, Darla Morreo, 15, and Girl Munoa, 20, show off their kiicha shelters." (Frank Bellino/Special to The Press-Enterprise)

Ramona based on Pechanga Indians

Helen Hunt Jackson etched mark in local, national history

By Teresa LordenIn 1883, the year following the creation of the Pechanga Indian Reservation by President Chester A. Arthur’s executive order, widely renowned author Helen Hunt Jackson visited the Temecula Indians at their relocated homes in Pechanga Canyon. The rest, as they say, is history and literature.

Jackson was appointed as a special agent of the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. Along with Special Agent Abbot Kinney, she filed a “Report on the Condition and Needs of the Mission Indians of California.”

The report included information on many of the Indian villages and reservations of Southern California.And:The following excerpts are some of her reflections on the Temecula-Pechanga people during the area’s pioneer era:

This little band of Indians is worthy of a special mention. They are San Luisenos, and formerly lived in the Temecula Valley, where they had good adobe houses and a large tract of land under cultivation.

A portion of these Temecula Indians, wishing to remain as near their old homes and the graves of their dead as possible [after the eviction in 1875], went over in the Pachanga canyon, only three miles distant.

It was a barren, dry spot; but the Indians sunk a well, built new houses, and went to work again. In the spring of 1882, when we first visited the place, there was a considerable amount of land in wheat and barley and a little fencing had been done.

In the following May we visited the valley again. Our first thought on entering it was, would that all persons who still hold to the belief that Indians will not work could see this valley.

It would be hardly an extreme statement to say that the valley was one continuous field of grain. At least four times the amount of the previous year had been planted. Corrals had been built, fruit orchards started…So much for the stereotype of the lazy, good-for-nothing Indian. Nor are there any Plains chiefs, warriors, or tipis in this scenario.

The article continues:Jackson was so appalled at the treatment of the Southern California Indians that she incorporated many of their firsthand accounts into her famous novel, “Ramona.”

That seminal novel on Native American treatment and cultural issues was first published in 1884. It is believed to have been based on characters drawn from Temecula’s early days.

In writing this novel, Jackson’s hope was to elicit the same public response for the plight of California Indians as her friend Harriet Beecher Stowe had done for African-American slaves with her novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”Comment:  As I've said before, Jackson's report and Ramona are proof that (some) people knew about America's crimes against Indians back then. The information was available to everyone, at least.

If people chose not to know what was going on, they had only themselves to blame for their ignorance. This remains true today, of course.

Compare Jackson's writings with the contemporary writings of people such as Mark Twain, L. Frank Baum, and Teddy Roosevelt. Those who excuse these people because "they didn't know any better" or "they were just reflecting the attitudes of the times" are simply making excuses.

Coming full circle, a Pechanga Indian now operates PECHANGA.net, one of the leading websites for Native news. And he employs me, which lets me blog about the impact of Helen Hunt Jackson and Ramona.

For more on the subject, see The First Nonwhite Characters and Ramona Remains Relevant.

Below:  Accompanying Mrs. Jackson on one of her California trips was an artist-illustrator named Henry Sandham. This picture is one of his illustrations of Pechanga that appeared in the original edition of 'Ramona.'"

Fountain resembles Luiseño basket

Design of downtown Temecula fountain inspired by Luiseño history

By Jeff HorsemanThe Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians shaped Temecula's past and present--and now its future town square.

A fountain in the middle of the square is inspired by a Luiseño basket, an artifact from a culture with roots in the Temecula Valley going back more than 10,000 years.And:In seeking to tie Temecula's past to its future, Pardell said he visited the tribe's cultural center and looked at artifacts. One basket in particular caught his eye.

The result is a 20-foot diameter bowl--the fountain itself is 60 feet end-to-end--covered in mosaic tile to resemble a Luiseño grass-woven basket. Two granite walls flank the fountain. The basket design depicts the net used to cast the sun into the sky, according to Luiseño belief.

Water flowing from the flanking walls into the bowl symbolizes the Temecula and Murrieta rivers combining, Pardell said. Acorns in the fountain center not only hide lighting and pump equipment but represent the resources that the tribe relied on for survival, he said.Below:  "Danny Frey, of Riverside, works on the electrical wiring for the new mosaic water fountain in Old Town Temecula. Each tile of the fountain is cut by hand and resembles a Native American design." (Rodrigo Peña/The Press-Enterprise)

Sold-out casino shows

TEMECULA:  Music legend Dylan performs at Pechanga

Fans young and old thrilled to see icon perform close to homeBob Dylan, the iconic musician dubbed "the" folk singer-songwriter of the 1960s protest movement," performed Thursday night at Pechanga Resort & Casino.

It wasn't surprising that Dylan played to a packed house of 1,200 inside the casino's showroom; it wasn't even surprising that both presale tickets and general public tickets sold out in a combined 24 minutes.

What was surprising to many Dylan fans was that the music legend was even performing in Southwest County.

"My father-in-law called and said, 'You gotta see Bob Dylan once in your life,'" Temecula resident John Balland, 45, said. "This is a real treat to be able to see him here in town. I've been listening to him all my life. It is amazing."Miley Cyrus Foxwoods Show Sold OutMore than 3,000 people registered to buy tickets to the Sept. 27 Miley Cyrus concert at MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods, and the show was sold out by the end of the first day of sales on Wednesday.

For the first time, Foxwoods initiated an online registration process designed to minimize ticket-scalping, and it “worked very well,” according to Bruce Flax, director of tickets for Foxwoods and MGM Foxwoods.

“If you look on well known scalper web sites as of (Thursday) morning, you can see 200 to 300 tickets for sale for Miley’s show in California,” Flax said, “and none for our show.”Comment:  Bob Dylan and Miley Cyrus...two giants of American music. Available for you thanks to your friendly neighborhood Indian casino.

Golf pro at Pechanga course

Pavin to be touring pro for Journey at PechangaCorey Pavin has agreed to represent Journey at Pechanga as the new club's touring pro.

Journey at Pechanga is an upscale 18-hole public golf course located at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula. Pavin will act as a national spokesperson to create awareness for the course and he will participate in numerous events scheduled for Journey at Pechanga throughout the year.

"Original Pechanga" fibs about news site

In Educating "Original Pechanga" About News, I said that Original Pechanga touted touted the superiority of NDNnews to PECHANGA.net as a news source. She responded:Rob says I claimed that NDN news was a superior news source and I did nothing of the kind. I stated that it was easier to run a website when you had Pechanga money like Victor, rather than having to go out and work on something other than your website.In fact, she did several things "of the kind." She posted enough to make her feelings clear on the subject. Here's the evidence from Original Pechanga's own blog:

NDNnews Tamra Defends Her Site from Pechanga AttacksTamra patiently explains to Victor Rocha's lackey the difference between a casino tribe sponsored website/casino Indian website (of which, Victor is one, making $36,000 per month in per capita, now that Pechanga terminated 25% of its tribe)Original Pechanga didn't just say the money made Victor's job easier. She directly stated that PECHANGA.net is a "casino tribe sponsored website." This is a bald-faced lie, since the website is privately owned and independently operated.

She strongly implied that Victor's per-capita payments make him favor news about "casino Indians." Again that's a lie, since he basically posts every article, whether positive or negative, about all Indians, not just "casino Indians."

After this false and misleading introduction, she proudly reposted Tamra's comments as a standalone blog entry. Here's Tamra describing her NDNnews site:My website IS a NDN news source and has been for many years. ... I would also like to point out, in case it was over looked, that ICT and Indianz are operated by casino tribes. So, they certainly have the man power and funding to have top of the line sites, posting hundreds of items each day and considered the news "source." I would too if I made $20K+ a month or more, with all that casino money. I too could have a staff and spend all my time posting articles.Original Pechanga labeled this posting a "takedown" of me. That means she was contradicting my assertions that PECHANGA.net is an unbiased news site. The only way to "take down" this view is to promote the opposite view: that NDNnews is a less biased and thus superior site.

Via Tamra, Original Pechanga strongly implied that NDN News is an Indian news source...and PECHANGA.net isn't. She strongly implied that people need to consider PECHANGA.net's source of funding, which is "all that casino money." She all but said (again, via Tamra) that money corrupts the postings at PECHANGA.net, making the site worthless as a news source.

The only reason for Original Pechanga to repost Tamra's comments was to emphasize that she agrees with them. She proved this with her final comment:Tamra spells it out PERFECTLY.After all that, Original Pechanga would have to be daft to claim she hasn't touted NDNnews over PECHANGA.net as an unbiased source of news. She's linked PECHANGA.net to the corrupting influence of casino money as deftly as George Bush linked 9/11 to Iraq.

But wait, there's more

In the comments section of another posting, Original Pechanga reiterated her assertion that the Pechanga tribe controls PECHANGA.net:When Victor named his site to honor the tribe, do you not think that carried some responsibility? Do you NOT think that people don't think of the tribe when they see the site? That is not part of the tribe, even though the link is "small" as you said. Does a SMALL link work differently than a LARGE link? Or do the both send you equally as fast to the site?She also posted several comments from others who said similar things. For instance:PECHANGA.NET DOES'NT PRINT THE TRUTH ABOUT DISENROLLMENT'S AND MORATORIUM'S. THEY POST FEEL GOOD ARTICLES ABOUT THEMSELVES. ... PECHANGA.NET IS PUBLISHED BY A TRIBAL MEMBER WHO, IF HE SPEAKS THE TRUTH, WILL LOSE HIS PER CAP. CHECK AND MAYBE EVEN GET DISENROLLED. SOOO HE KEEPS QUIET LIKE A GOOD OBEDIENT DOG. ARF, ARF,LICKING THE HAND THAT FEEDS HIM.Original Pechanga's blog comments are monitored, unlike mine, so she has a choice whether to post these attacks or not. She chose to post them.

She also has a choice whether to let them stand unchallenged or to challenge them. Readers of my blog know that I never let false or misleading claims go unchallenged. Because not disagreeing with them is the same as tacitly agreeing with them.

Both factors--posting the negative comments and not challenging them--imply she agrees with these comments. No other conclusion is logically possible.

Coupled with the initial fib about PECHANGA.net's being casino-sponsored, it's clear what Original Pechanga believes: that PECHANGA.net is corrupt and biased. If she don't believe this, let her state it publicly in her blog or here. Otherwise, I'll rightly conclude that she does believe it.

P.S. The second posting is worth reading if you want to see a real "takedown." Readers can judge for themselves who won the debate.

Pix of Pechanga golf course

The Journey at Pechanga golf course--July 25, 2008

After attending the San Diego Comic-Con Thursday, I stayed overnight in Temecula. The next day we got a personal tour of the new Journey at Pechanga golf course.

As readers of this blog may imagine, my feelings about golf courses are mixed at best. Using all that land for a "sport" that barely requires physical exertion seems like a waste. It's not as bad as all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles that chew up the landscape and spit out pollution, but it's not environmentally correct either.

But this golf course--and others like it on Indian reservations--are about as good as golf courses get. They use reclaimed water and native plants. They minimize the gouging of the earth and the removal of trees. The artificial lakes attract water birds such as ducks and egrets. The winding pathways take you up into the hills--closer to nature than you'd be able to achieve on your own. And the touches of Luiseño culture remind you how Indians used to live and that Indians still own the land.

If I were the Pechanga tribe, I'd go even further with the cultural touches. It could add markers explaining tribal lore...replicas of artifacts such as grinding stones or baskets...even statues of Luiseño Indians going about their lives. For those who care, there should be enough culture that they actually may learn something about the Pechanga people.

Below:  The type of cultural reminder that would work well on the golf course.