The California Citizen’s Redistricting Commission has released their first draft of proposed California congressional districts. The commission, formed by Proposition 11 in 2008, could mean the return to sanity of California Politics. But don’t hold your breath.

District lines must be redrawn every ten years to account for changes in population. Under the previous law, districts were drawn by the state legislature who were more concerned with power than the people’s business. So the redistricting process turned into an incumbent protection plan. An entire group of elected officials who were writing the rules for their own election. They write all the other rules for their own election why not let them draw their own districts?

Because of this California’s congressional districts have always been oddly shaped to connect areas of strong support and to average out areas where support is weaker. It’s called gerrymandering and it makes perfect political sence.

During the last round of redistricting in 2000 the 46th district was concocted though the connection of conservative Huntington Beach and Rancho Palos Verdes by way of dirty, liberal Long Beach allowing Orange County Republican Dana Rohrabacher to win and hold office.

There were apparently too many dangerous minorities in Long Beach who wouldn’t buy into Mr. Rohrabacher’s hyper-individualist-fuck-you-I-got-mine-jack philosophy. So the only part of the city that was added to the 46th district was East Long Beach (which might as well have been Orange County anyways), the Port of Long Beach, and a narrow strip of everything south of First St. Anyone who lives here can tell you that there’s only one street south of First and there’s more feral cats than people in the Port.

The district, which is probably one of the most gerrymandered district in the state, was designed to protect Mr. Rohrabacher’s congressional seat so he could conduct the people’s business such as suggesting that Iraq pay for services we’ve rendered (like creating piles of rubble, or blowing up those piles of rubble) or implying that decaying wood and leaves is a more dangerous source of global warming than your car (just kidding, global warming isn’t real!)

And it’s not like Long Beach’s other congressional representative, Democrat Laura Richardson, is any better. Her district stretches from Long Beach all the way up to the low income neighborhoods of Willowbrook and Lynwood. She was named one of the most corrupt members of congress two years in a row by liberal open-government advocacy group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

These problems affect California at the state level as well. The state Democrats can’t even convince one Republicans to vote for the budget so they can overcome the ridiculous budget requirements that our current governor put into place in the 70’s. Thanks Jerry!

But like gerrymandering this makes perfect political sense. We shouldn’t expect the Republicans to want to actually do something because they come from districts where the people who live there believe they could live better without the government interfering in their lives (unless it’s the war on terror). And the Democratic districts never saw a program they didn’t like.

Everything becomes a crisis and the system lives on chaos. Constantly on the brink of collapse, we don’t have the time to interpret information and make an informed decision. If we wait the economy will collapse! The state government will shut down! Grandma won’t get her medicare or social security check! The terrorists will attack! And don’t forget about whatever China’s doing, I’m sure it’s scary.

I don’t have much hope that this round of redistricting will change much but it can’t be any worse than the way things are currently done. The government is fundamentally flawed but at least this is a step in the right direction. And anything that gets Dana Rohrabacher out of Long Beach and stuck into Orange County is a good thing in my book. Hopefully, he’ll lose the election and stay there.

Things You’ll Need:

1. 2 Tire Levers – Tire removal can be done with just one, but two levers makes a hard job easy.
2. 1 New Tube – In a pinch, this can be a patched old one, but beware the slow leak.
3. 1 Way to Inflate the Tire – Floor Pump for home, Hand Pump or CO2 Gun on the road.
4. 25 Practices – Nobody is good at this overnight.

Remove the Wheel

Many modern bicycles come with quick release skewers to make it easier to remove wheels. But a lot of us need to bring along an extra 15mm box wrench to get our wheels off. Fixed gears, cruisers, and older road bikes are all going to require a little more work. Make sure you know which kind you’re riding!

Remove the Tire

Tire levers have two ends. Use the side that looks like a spoon to scoop up under the edge of the tire. Then, use the other end that looks like a hook and stick it behind a spoke. This will hold your place and give you time to pick up your second tire lever. Repeat the same process as the first lever. Now, if you have yet another lever, feel free to use this one as well. Most of us will barely have two, but you can play leap frog with the levers, slowly pulling up more of the tire’s bead. After enough of the tire is lifted up, you can swipe the lever along the bead of the tire, quickly removing the rest.

Pull out the Tube

Be careful of glass, thorns, etc. that might still be lurking there inside the tire. Mark which way the tube comes out if you have a pen. This will help you not to be confused about which side is which when trying to find the culprit for your flat.

Find the Culprit

See if you can find the hole in the tube. If you have a floor pump handy, inflate the tube to about the size of a cucumber. This will expand the hole in the tube large enough for you to find it easily if you listen closely. If you don’t have a pump and you only have a CO2 cartridge, don’t waste the cartridge, just be careful about the next step. In the event that you have that pen from before, make a circle around the hole. Now, by matching the tube up to the tire, you can find exactly what caused your flat.

The Usual Suspects

Reinstall the Tube

Start by inflating the tube a little so that it can hold its shape. With presta valve tubes, you can simply inflate them with your mouth. Don’t waste the CO2! Now, place the valve of the tube through its destined hole in the rim. Next, lift the tire up over the tube and begin stuffing the tube up into the tire. You may have to stretch the tube a little to get it up around the rim but you should be able to knead the tube (kinda like bread) up into the pocket made by the tire.

Remount the Tire

Starting opposite the valve stem, begin by rolling the bead of the tire up into the hook made by the rim. With both hands, working in opposite directions toward the valve stem, work the bead up onto the rim. The last 1/4th of the tire bead will be VERY tight. When this happens, take out the little bit of air you put in the tube. This will make the bead just loose enough so that you can roll the last bit of the bead onto the rim. Try your best not to use tire levers as this can very easily cut your tube, but if you must, you must. Try pulling both sides of the tire away from the spot we started towards the stem and wiggling yourself a little bit extra room. Practice makes perfect with this. Some tires are NOT easy. For really tight beads or for new tires, try putting the tire out somewhere in the sun for a few minutes so that it can warm up and more easily stretch.

Inflate the Tire

Take your time with this. Sometimes I take more time to inflate my tires than I do to install the tubes in them. Nothing sucks worse than blowing out the only tube you had before you’re even done inflating it. It’s embarrassing and it means you have to take another trip to the bike shop. Inflate to 20 psi and stop to check the tire that the bead is properly mounted. The “mounting line” will show you whether the bead is seated correctly into the hook. This mounting line should be evenly parallel to the rim all around its circumference. Finish inflating the tire to its recommended psi rating.

Reinstall the Wheel

Shift into your highest gear on your rear shifter. This will tell you exactly where to put the chain when guiding it past that pesky rear derailleur. Remember, the cogset goes on the INSIDE of the loop created by the chain. You’ll get the hang of it!

So, it’s not that hard and practice makes perfect! I can remember the time (Not so long ago!) when half the tires I changed went flat as soon as I got back on the road. I’ve had a good few tires blow up in my face, but it happens less and less. The only difference between a good mechanic and a great mechanic is how many mistakes they’ve made, and I’ve made plenty! So get out there and get some flats so you can change them. If you know how to do this, get out there and teach your friends. Or teach me even! The only schooling I ever had was my friends teaching me how to do things!

Have questions? Suggestions? I’d love to hear them! If you have specific “How To” questions, email them to pedalmovement@gmail.com or icheckthisemail@gmail.comand you may just get a video answer!

Happy wrenching,

Bike Guy

#3 Favorite: Long Beach Thai Restaurant

Long Beach Thai Restaurant

I love hole in the wall places. There is something about finding a diamond in the rough that just makes the experience that much better. Long Beach Thai Restaurant is the true definition of “hole in the wall” This is not a place that most people would go out of their way to visit if they were just driving by. Located on Anaheim and Redondo right next to the Mcdonalds this place is difficult to find. Long Beach Thai Restaurant is caddy cornered in between a non descript nail salon, and what seems to be a watch repair shop.

Even for the most adventurous of restaurant explorers this place is a bit of a stretch to want to go into. The parking is terrible, the sign looks crappy, and the neighborhood isn’t the best in Long Beach. Don’t let looks deceive you, this place is bombtastic. As soon as you walk in you will notice this place is packed with Asian people. To me that is a good sign of an authentic restaurant. I would have never gone and checked this place out if it hadn’t been for a good friend’s recommendation, but I am forever grateful I did.

The food is affordable, and delicious. My favorite dish there is the chicken watercress. The sauce is sweet, rich, and spicy. I still remember the first bite I took, I was hooked.  All of their food here is amazing, and its a great place to take a friend, or visitor to Long Beach to show off your prowess at finding hidden gems in Long Beach.

#2 Favorite: Star Of Siam

Star Of Siam

This place is legendary in Long Beach. This place has been in business for over 17 years.  There is nothing “hole in the wall” about this place. Their curb appeal is great, and they are nestled in a beautiful part of Long Beach just blocks away from the beach. There is nothing better than taking a long walk  down the beach and ending the walk with a pineapple fried rice and a large Singha.

The interior is beautiful, and I can tell the owner has a lot of pride in her restaurant. The employees are very professional, and my food always comes out very quickly. The quality of the food is unbelievable for the price. I love the environment inside the restaurant. This place is a perfect place to take a date to or just enjoy the company of a close friend. I really appreciate how clean they keep this place. Cleanliness is a huge pet peeve for me, and this place is on top of their game.

I don’t have a favorite dish here because every time I go to this Thai restaurant in long Beach I want to try something new! They are very well known for their pineapple fried rice, and their curry’s are amazing!

#1 Favorite: Dragon Cafe

Dragon Cafe Long Beach

Dragon Cafe is hands down my favorite Thai restaurant in Long Beach.  The first thing I noticed when I walked in was how clean this place is. Like I mentioned earlier cleanliness is very important to me when I eat at a Thai Restaurant in Long Beach. The moment I walked in the door I was greeted by the owner with a huge genuine smile. Her personality and charm is so amazing; Ever since the first time I visited she has remembered my name and the last thing I ate.

The first thing I ordered at Dragon Cafe was Pho. The Pho here is amazing, and comes in huge porportions! My girlfriend and I will order one large pho, split it and still have leftovers! To me what makes this place standout above every other Thai restaurant in Long Beach is their attention to details. In their pho they used real crab legs instead of imitation crab. Instead of bringing out the Sriracha sauce, they have homemade chili sauce.

The prices here blow me away because the quality of their food is so high! Nothing on their menu is over much $10 and most of their menu is kept at around $6. The portions are huge, and I can tell they don’t use cheap ingredients. I have since recommended this place to all of my friends, and all of my friends agree with me that this place is now their new favorite Thai Food in Long Beach.

Every time I walk in I feel like I am family. The owner whose name is Thaworn is one of the most beautiful souls I have ever met. She is so kind, and generous I can’t help but feel happy when I’m around her. She tells me stories of how she learned how to took in Thailand, and how she came over to America. Check out this video of their restaurant online!

I hope that this guide to Long Beach Thai food has been helpful for you. Love me or hate me leave comments below and let me know what you think. Do you have a better recommendation for a Thai Restaurant in Long Beach? Let me know!

Fixed Gear in Long Beach has become huge in the past 4 years.  You can find fixed gear bike riders in every corner of Long Beach.  A fixed gear bike is a single speed bike that doesn’t coast. That means that you have to keep your feet moving at all times. A lot of fixed gear riders ride without brakes which has sparked recent controversy in the city of Long Beach.

To the untrained eye you may think that all fixed gear bikes are the same, and all fixed gear riders are the same. The truth is that there are all different type of fixed gear riders. Steven Dunnuck is a fixed gear freestyle rider.  Fixed gear freestyle riding is unique, these riders take a lot of there cues from BMX riders, and a lot of these riders tend to be BMX riders as well.  Fixed gear freestyle riding is an entirely new thing however.

The internet has made it possible for the average fixed gear rider to produce a video, and post it on youtube and get thousands of people from all around the world watching and improving on their techniques. In a very short amount of time this style of riding is getting very popular worldwide. Long Beach happens to be one of the breeding grounds for innovation and inspiration in the fixed gear freestyle scene worldwide.

Blogs like “Prolly is Not Probably” and  ”Trackosaurusrex” have brought a lot of attention to whats going on in Long Beach. The central breeding ground for this phenomenon is City Grounds located on 435 East 1st Street. If you have ever been around that block you will notice packs of fixed gear riders practicing in front of their beloved store.

Steven Dunnuck is an up and comer in this scene. He is quickly rising the ranks is starting to develop a reputation for himself. He was sponsored by Livery Bikes, and is now currently testing a bike created by Black Market.  I would definitely recommend keeping an eye out for him, and cheer him on because he is repping Long Beach.

There are many different volunteer opportunities in Long Beach that give back to the community. From “Foods not Bombs” to “Green Long Beach.”  It seems like there are so many different groups to join that it can be overwhelming to choose which one you want to spend your valuable time committing to. There is currently a program in Long Beach called the Neighborhood Leadership Program (NLP) that operates out of the Neighborhood Resource Center over on 4th and Atlantic in Long Beach California.

The Neighborhood Leadership Program is offered by the City of Long Beach Neighborhood Services Bureau. This five (5) month multilingual program assists grassroots residents and provides you with the skills, knowledge and resources you need to make a difference in the quality of life in our community. This program is free to participants and is partially funded through the Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program – City of Long Beach Website

I have had the pleasure of participating in this program for the last 4 months. The thing that is interesting about this program is that you are randomly put into groups of people with an extremely diverse background, age group, philosophy and personalities. For a lot of people including myself, it makes you confront how well you actually work in a group, and are able to be flexible, and be a true team player.

Your Group is given a project to complete in a certain part of the city. The groups have to apply for grants, gather volunteers, petition the neighborhood and make sure that their project will not only be successfull on the day of launch, but also something that the neighborhood themselves are actively engaged in maintaining after completion.

There are 4 different groups that are all split up with projects like trash cleanups, health fairs, garden plating, and tree planting. All of the projects this year are taking place in the Santa Fe Corridor which is in West Long Beach nestled between the Port of Long Beach and the 103 freeway. This area of town is often forgotten by most Long Beachians!

A current group of participants this year calling themselves “Trees Please” are undertaking a tree planting in this neighborhood.  Freeway connections have high levels of air pollutants from traffic, and trees function as a natural air filter, improving air quality. More trees in this area improves not only curb appeal for homeowners and businesses, but improves the quality of health and life for residents.

Team “Trees Please” plans on meeting at Hudson Park located on Hill & Webster right next to the 103 freeway and planting 20 Purple Orchid Trees in the surrounding neighborhood. The reason why the Purple Orchid tree was chosed is because they are low maintenence, drought tolerant, low cost, and beautiful.

Purple Orchid Tree

“I have committed myself to the Neighborhood Leadership Program because I believe that our neighborhoods need more people that are willing to volunteer their time to improving our community. this group has pushed me, and made me realize profound things about myself and my ability to work with a group of people that are extremely diverse, and very different than me” stated Ronnie Sandlin participant in the 2011 Neighborhood Leadership Program

If this seems like a project you may be interested in please contact Dawn at (562) 313-1291. They are meeting at Hudson Park Saturday July 30th 2011. They will be providing free food and beverages for volunteers. They will provide all of the necessary gardening equipment, however if you have your own it may be a good idea to bring it. This is a good opportunity to be out in the summer sun, be around other community minded people, and give back the the city that you love.

Bill Paige Robert Gitterman and Ed Allum

Aids Life Cycle is a 545 mile trek for a good cause. Today I am talking with Ed Allum a ride participant about why he wants to do this ride, and what it meas to him. If you want to learn more about Aids Life Cycle you can visit http://www.aidslifecycle.org/. Ed and his fellow riders are planning an AIDS Lifecycle Fundraiser on Thursday, May 19, 2011, at Cowboy Country in Long Beach.  Doors open at 5:45 for an evening of country music (mostly!), line dancing,  2-stepping, drink specials and fun!  Line dance lessons at 6pm.

1. Tell me a little about yourself… what are your day jobs?

(Ed Allum) I’m a  Manager, Supply Chain Logistics, at Kenwood USA Corporation, with a passion for life in general. Best times spent out with family/friends and laughing ’til you can’t breathe. I love to move and I’m crazy about the outdoors so cycling is a perfect fit for my personality. A little reserved to start but once you get to know me, you’re hard pressed keeping me quiet.  I could spend hours talking about all of the different forests of trees, the vineyards and ocean views we’ll see… The AIDS/Lifecycle event is a working vacation, no doubt, but from what better vantage point can you enjoy the beauty of California than from the saddle of your bike… I’ll add that as a Training Ride Leader for the event, I especially love working with people that are starting from scratch and my getting to watch them improve, grow stronger and ride SAFER!!!

2. Why is this ride of personal importance in your life?

(Ed Allum) I have to say my first time out on this adventure it was all about whether or not I could prepare myself mentally and physically – Riding 545 miles from SF to LA is not exactly a walk in the park. However, my reasons for coming back over this five year journey were somewhat unexpected. While we’re on the ride, we’re surrounded by a community of about 5,000 people from, very literally, every walk of life and for those seven days, we live in full support of one another and our common purpose; we’re quick to offer a hand or a smile or just the right amount of encouragement while someone’s knocking out hills the likes of “Quad Buster or The Evil Twins.” For one week, there’s an obvious focus, less on what  makes each of us so different, more about how each of us can make a difference in other people’s lives – You can’t do this ride and not walk away with a sense you just experienced genuine “community.” It’s a pretty awesome thing…

3. How many times have you done this ride?

(Ed Allum) This will be my 4th time riding – I tried my hand as a “Roadie,”  on the Gear & Tent Team, on the ALC8 event (had a complete BLAST) but my  heart is so much into the cycling side I had to get back on my bike.

4. How much money do you hope to raise on this ride.

(Ed Allum) I rolled over my $3,000 minimum goal this week (Yeah!!!), however, I’ll continue to raise money through the end of May. Our beneficiaries are the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the LA Gay & Lesbian Center. Together, these organizations have been leaders in the fight against  AIDS since the very first cases reported 30 years ago and have been modeled after in creating testing, education and treatment policy across the globe.  Another of our beneficiaries many measures of success is that 63-65% of every dollar raised goes directly to paying for much needed HIV/AIDS  services . Over the last four years, together we’ve raised in excess of $44 million.

5. What is the event that you guys are planning at Cowboy Country?

(Ed Allum) I originally partnered with DJ Rosa, the promoter at Cowboy Country, four years ago; she invited me to use the venue in support of my efforts with AIDS/Lifecycle and to help generate much needed foot traffic at  the club so we’d be able to keep the doors open long term (1st and 3rd  Thursday of every month). Over the last three years we’ve raised in excess  of $4,500 through raffle ticket sales alone and thanks to DJ Rosa and the  generous giveaways donated by several Long Beach/Lakewood/Cerritos business owners, we’ve been able to do that with very little overhead. I’ve since  combined efforts with Bill Paige and Robert Gitterman; we had a very successful garage sale earlier this season and we’ll be co-hosting the upcoming event on May 19, 2011.

6. What inspires you to ride?

(Ed Allum) I’m proud to be a part of something that can play such an important part in people’s lives; whether it be helping to provide free or discounted medical or mental health services, educational programs and/or community outreach. I’m committed to the fundraising side of the equation but that part is a struggle for me (I genuinely dislike asking people for money) so to mix things up a bit, I often spin my events to the awareness  end. I’ve partnered with the Long Beach Health & Human Services, in years past, providing information about HIV/AIDS and SAFER sex. We’ve handed out condoms and dental dams and have provided opportunity for people to do on-site confidential risk assessments, etc. At this year’s event we’ll make it about  Bike Maintenance – This is the part where Graham and his “wrenches” from  Pedal Movement will play such a cool part in everything – We’re so hoping people take advantage of the opportunity and bring their bikes with them for  their FREE 15-minute tune up… I’ve met several of your guys – They’re  knowledgeable and very easy to talk to – A perfect fit!!!

Amber Noelle - Vintage Hair Stylist in Long Beach CA

Flappers, Mods, and Greasers…Oh My!  Retro looks are coming back in a big way from celebrities like Dita Von Teese to hipsters on scooters. A good retro look can bring an air of cool sophistication, or make you look like a glamorous beauty straight off of the silver screen walking down the red carpet.

My name is Amber Noelle, and I am a vintage/retro hair stylist out of Long Beach California. If you live in the area I would love to set up a free consultation with you to design a unique hairstyle for you.  I’m going to show the different types of styles and methods used to give you that vintage look that will turn heads, and help you stand out against a crowd of bleach blonde highlighted tarts.

1.     Finger Waves

Finger waves are alternating waves which give you the authentic 1920’s flapper look.  The trick to a good finger wave is to wash the hair.  While the hair is still wet apply throughout the hair a good wet setting or stronghold gel like B&B Gelac.  Then part the hair for the look you want. The traditional side part is either on your left or your right side.  On the side of the part you put two fingers down with the palm resting on the back of the head (the crown) You then get the comb and line it up to your fingers, and push forward with the comb and start alternating the waves by going back on forth with the comb on the side of the head.

2.     Pin Curls

Pin curls are the same thing as a finger wave, but instead of waving with gel, you grab the hair with your two fingers, and wrap your hair around your finger as if it were a ribbon. Then when your hair is close to your scalp you clip it with a small hair clip, or bobby pin.  Then you alternate the pattern clockwise and counter-clockwise around your head.

3.     Wetsets

Back in the day people took their time to look good, and took pride in taking their time. Now with today’s modern lifestyles wet sets really almost disappeared.  A wetset will last until you wash your hair. Wetsets are important because it is a building block to a lot of vintage retro style.  The key to a good wetset is shampoo your hair and distribute setting lotion through-out the hair.  You then get the size of roller that you want to use. The size depends on the look you want to go far.  The smaller the roller the more volume and curl and the larger the roller the less volume and less curl. Set your hair with the rollers and go underneath a hooded dryer until hair is thoroughly dry then you take down the hair and style as desired.  The reason why this lasts so long is because when you wet your hair you are breaking down hydrogen bonds and you are now reforming them with heat which your style last longer.

4.     Blow Dry Sets

The Blow dry set is the same as a wetset but you use a blow dryer, a round brush and hair clips. Instead of using rollers you wrap your hair around the round brush to blow dry your hair. A blow dry set will give a nice retro look but its temporary. If you just want a quick style this will be your best option. A blow dry set will give you big sexy glamorous hair.

5.     Victory Rolls

A Victory Roll was really popular in the late 1930’s and in the 1940’s. The trick to a good victory roll is to part your hair in the middle, then you diagonally part your hair from your ear to the middle of your center part. You want to take that hair and back comb towards your scalp (backcombing is key to firm roll) then you are going to take your brush and smooth the front of the piece of hair.  Then you are going to take that piece of hair and roll It inwards towards the scalp and pin it with a bobby pin.

If you are interested in having a professional doll you up or you have any questions please feel free to email me at ambernoelle1@yahoo.com or call 562-987-1673. I currently work out of Trimmy’s Hair Salon located on 2750 Broadway Long Beach, California.

The Guys at Pedal Movement are at it again, and going back to their roots to bring Long Beach a bike tune-up night at a local hotspot.  Teaming up with Di Piazzas they decided to make this event all ages with drink & food specials along with music starting on  Wednesday May 11th 2011.

1.     No Entry Fee

As long as you ride your bike you can come in and enjoy all of the fun. The entry fee if you want to burn gas is at least $5. Who wouldn’t want to ride their bike anyway with summer just right around the corner?  It’s the perfect time to pump up some air in those tires, call up your friends  and take a leisurely ride to Anaheim and PCH.

2.     $1 Soft drinks & $1 Pizza (For the Under 21 Crowd)

Imagine having a night out with food, a drink and entertainment for only $2. That’s $4 for you and a date, and it sure beats paying $40 for dinner and a movie for two elsewhere.  Did we mention that includes a band?

3.     $1 Pabst & $1 Pizza (For the Over 21 Crowd)

I know times are tough but that shouldn’t mean you can’t be a baller on a budget.  If you have $6 you have a good chance you can get a buzz and a slice of pizza.

4.     Free Tune-Ups from the Pedal Movement Wrenches

It’s been a while since you had your bike inspected…those wheels are bit underinflated, your chain is a bit squeaky, and it could use some love. What better time to get your bike tuned than while you’re chowing down on some pizza,  having some drinks and hanging out with your friends while listening to live music.

5.     Bike Valet

You don’t need to worry about whether or not your bike is going to get stolen because the Pedal Movement guys are going to keep their eye on your bike with safe indoor parking on the patio.

If that hasn’t convinced you to ride your bike over to Di Piazzas for  “Bike Night”  then you are probably not into having a good time, cheap drinks, cheap food and free bike tune-ups.