Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Ceralbus Online

Classmates.com has put some of our yearbooks online and here is the link for the Class of 1967 but you can also access the other years too: http://www.classmates.com/yearbooks/Burbank-High-School/82633

The other years are:
1942
1943
1946
1954
1959
1960
1961
1962
1973
1974
1982
1983
1984
1985

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Frank's is Closing - Article by Don Ray (BHS '67)

Sad to see it close... thanks for the update, Don...

Tom Hanks' 'Larry Crowne' Restaurant Location to Close its Doors

Don Ray's photo
LA People Examiner

The movie location for Tom Hanks' film "Larry Crowne"
Frank's Restaurant closes its doors after more than 60 years in business. Credit: Don Ray
Jose Lopez at his Frank's Restaurant
Jose Lopez has worked 12-hour days, seven days a week for nearly four years. Credit: Don Ray

When Tom Hanks went looking for the perfect coffee shop to use as a location for his film, "Larry Crowne," he ended up at Frank’s Restaurant in Burbank. It was the perfect California setting for his down-on-his-luck character to flip burgers to make ends meet. It was just the right place for Larry Crowne to bump into and have some flirting time with his college teacher, Mercedes Tainot, played by Julia Roberts.

When the film came out in 2011, tourists from all over the world added Frank’s to their vacation itineraries. The regular customers are accustomed to seeing fans of Hanks and Roberts snapping photos of themselves in the booth where Tom Hanks served Julia Roberts. Some of them want a picture of themselves with owner Jose Lopez — especially when they see his photo with Hanks, and learn that he was the actor’s “hand double” when the actor had to chop onions or slice tomatoes on camera.

But such encounters are likely to come to an end when the Burbank landmark closes its doors on Friday, March 30. It was a combination of the unrelenting slump in the economy, Lopez says, and the rent increase he was facing, that forced him to close the business. The building’s owners have not said what they will do with the empty restaurant.


“I tried everything I could to keep the place open,” Lopez said, “if for no other reason than to keep my wonderful employees from losing their jobs.” He also says he feels a responsibility to the customers, many of whom followed the popular chef when the owners of the last kitchen he ran closed down. For years, he was the head chef at Genio’s Restaurant, also in Burbank, until it closed five years ago.

"Frank's Restaurant is a long time legend in Burbank," long-time customer Judy Beers said. "Everyone knows where Frank's is. We were so happy when Jose took it over. The food is great, the hospitality is fabulous. Everyone is very sad that this legend restaurant has to close. Jose gave it his all. I wish we could have worked it out."

Lopez says he’s negotiating with the owners of a building very close to Frank’s where he plans to open a new restaurant.

“I want to bring all of my employees and customers to the new place,” he said. “Some of my staff have been working at Frank’s for more than 20 years.” More than 300 customers left their contact information with Jose so that they will know when and where he will be able to feed them again.

“I’ve been coming here since 1955,” one of his customers wrote on the card he left with his address. Another wrote, “I’ll follow Jose wherever he goes.”

Frank's is at 916 W. Olive Ave. in Burbank, California.

You can e-mail Don Ray at donray@donray.com

http://www.examiner.com/la-in-los-angeles/tom-hanks-larry-crowne-restuarant-location-closes-its-doors

Article on Burbank Vet, Martin Small

With veterinarian's help, Burbank animal shelter thrives

Veterinarian Martin Small prepares to microchip a cat.
Veterinarian Martin Small, center, prepares to put a microchip in Simba the cat during the Burbank animal shelter's annual vaccination event. Volunteers Lindsay Neumann, left, and Kristen Klegseth flank him. (Cheryl A. Guerrero, Burbank Leader / March 26, 2012)

By Kelly Corrigan, Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-veterinarian-20120326,0,5296925.story

March 26, 2012
After more than 50 years as a veterinarian in Burbank, there's nothing small about Martin Small's contribution to Burbank's animal shelter.

"I have never done anything more satisfying than what I've done since I've been here," he said.

After spending the last several years working full time to establish the shelter's medical program, Small, 82, is now an on-call surgeon.

Before he set foot in the shelter in 2004, cats suffered from contagious respiratory diseases and dogs were prone to kennel cough and parvovirus. Animals were routinely put to sleep.

Small initially vaccinated every animal that entered the shelter and taught the staff to remain sterile when moving from room to room. Euthanasia rates dropped drastically. Impressed with the turnaround, city officials carved out a medical budget for the shelter that's still in effect today, supporting two part-time vets.

Growing up in South Los Angeles, Small said he knew by middle school that he wanted to become a veterinarian. After serving in the Army during the Korean War, he studied at UC Davis and then settled in Burbank with his wife, Judy. They raised four children, and he operated his veterinary practice from 1960 to 2000.

Judy died in 2003, but Small remains in their large Burbank house with Lupe, a Chihuahua he rescued and named after the actress Lupe Velez, whom he was "madly in love with" as a teenager.

Denise Fleck, president of the Volunteers of the Burbank Animal Shelter, says Small's legacy is his compassion and no-nonsense approach.

Once Fleck's personal vet, Small put down her yellow Labrador, Sunny, saying, "She's with the angels now."

"I've unfortunately had to send other dogs since then on," Fleck said. "And most of the other veterinarians said, 'They're gone.' "

What Small said "has stuck with me for over 20 years," she said.

At a clinic Saturday, Small spent five hours vaccinating dogs and cats with the assistance of dozens of volunteers.

The low-cost clinic is one of the biggest fundraisers for the shelter's volunteers, who most recently bought a bone saw with money they raised so Small could perform amputations on animals that would otherwise die from their injuries.

This year the clinic welcomed cats for the first time, after Warner Bros. donated a dressing room trailer in which to treat the felines.

"This is so satisfying because it's a chance for me to give back to the community," Small said. "It's just a good feeling to give away your services."

Friday, March 23, 2012

Your New Cubicle

DUE TO BUDGET CUTS, THIS IS YOUR NEW CUBICLE

















Effective Immediately!

NEW OFFICE POLICY

Dress Code:
1) You are advised to come to work dressed according to your salary.

2) If we see you wearing Prada shoes and carrying a Gucci bag, we will assume you are doing well financially and therefore do not need a raise.

3) If you dress poorly, you need to learn to manage your money better, so that you may buy nicer clothes, and therefore you do not need a raise.

4) If you dress just right, you are right where you need to be and therefore you do not need a raise.

Sick Days:
We will no longer accept a doctor's statement as proof of sickness. If you are able to go to the doctor, you are able to come to work.

Personal Days:
Each employee will receive 104 personal days a year.
They are called Saturdays & Sundays.

Bereavement Leave:
This is no excuse for missing work. There is nothing you can do for dead friends, relatives or co-workers. Every effort should be made to have non-employees attend the funeral arrangements in your place. In rare cases where employee involvement is necessary, the funeral should be scheduled in the late afternoon. We will be glad to allow you to work through your lunch hour and subsequently leave one hour early.

Bathroom Breaks:
Entirely too much time is being spent in the toilet.
There is now a strict three-minute time limit in the stalls. At the end of three minutes, an alarm will sound, the toilet paper roll will retract, the stall door will open, and a picture will be taken. After your second offense, your picture will be posted on the company bulletin board under the 'Chronic Offenders' category. Anyone caught smiling in the picture will be sectioned under the company's mental health policy.

Lunch Break:
* Skinny people get 30 minutes for lunch, as they need to eat more, so that they can look healthy.

* Normal size people get 15 minutes for lunch to get a balanced meal to maintain their average figure.

* Chubby people get 5 minutes for lunch, because that's all the time needed to drink a Slim-Fast.

Thank you for your loyalty to our company. We are here to provide a positive employment experience. Therefore, all questions, comments, concerns, complaints, frustrations, irritations, aggravations, insinuations, allegations, accusations, contemplations, consternation and input should be directed elsewhere.

The Management

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Check out New Blog by Kent Barcus

Good for you, Kent... everyone should have a blog or two... or three... or...

Finally I've blogged (no comparison to the works by you and by Don Ray) some recollections about teachers and a few fellow students at George Washington Elementary in Burbank complete with run-on sentences and lack of coherent paragraph breaks http://severemiddleage.blogspot.com/2012/03/washington-school-days-1954-1961.html (and copying this to Heather Tobin who put me in touch with her dear late mother who taught Second Grade).

Looking forward to '67 Reunion this July but saddened by how many have passed away so far.. Beverly sends her love but will miss the upcoming gathering.

The Flag comes up again July 2-4 at the former venue of Concord Jazz Festival (Dave Brubeck Park in Concord) with no admission or parking charge, fireworks, and festival seating for up to 7500 each evening. And my Uncle Sam part is move an appearance than a performance.

Uncle Sam out of uniform

Monday, March 19, 2012

The Things I Owe My Parents

Received this today in an email from my sister - lol!

THE THINGS I OWE MY PARENTS:

**************************************

1. My Parents taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE .
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside.. I just finished cleaning."

2. My Parents taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My Parents taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My Parents taught me LOGIC.
" Because I said so, that's why."

5. My Parents taught me MORE LOGIC ..
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My Parents taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My Parents taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My Parents taught me about the science of OSMOSIS .
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My Parents taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My Parents taught me about STAMINA .
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My Parents taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My Parents taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My Parents taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.."

14. My Parents taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION .
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My Parents taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My Parents taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My Parents taught me about RECEIVING .
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My Parents taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."

19. My Parents taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My Parents taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My Parents taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT .
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My Parents taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My Parents taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My Parents taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. My Parents taught me about JUSTICE .
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Linda and Bill Tie the Knot!



Congratulations to the Newlyweds!


BHS '67


BHS '66