Over two years ago Sue Parker, librarian at Himmel Park Branch Library decided to start up a Senior Games program (age 50 plus) for patrons interested in getting together and socially playing games such as chess, checkers, rummikub, scrabble, etc. I suggested we play Chinese Mahjong, which I play at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, but which I also learned back in Hawaii decades ago from Japanese-American friends on the Big Island. Sue had never played Mahjong before, but she was willing and enthusiastic to learn.

(This program is also an offshoot of the now defunct Sam Hughes Cares for Seniors program which I founded in 2005, in the Sam Hughes Neighborhood, where the library is located).

Two years later, we have taught numerous Seniors (and some younger friends), and now have 3 regular tables of four players each – patrons, neighbors, visiting “snowbirds”. Some of these Seniors learned American Mahjong style first (utilizing pre-printed cards), which is being played at the Tucson Jewish Community Center and Oro Valley Library, as well as taught at Oasis on River Road.

Know anyone interested in learning Hong Kong Simplified style or other games, please contact librarian Sue Parker at at 520-594-5305, or just show up on Mondays, 12 noon to 3 p.m. at Himmel Lbrary’s large meeting room, 1035 N. Treat Ave. (SW corner of E. 1st St.) No Senior Games when the library is closed for holidays. (Incidentally Himmel is the oldest branch library, built in 1961).

The lead teacher is now MJ Talbot, a Chinese-American immigrant from Hong Kong, assisted by myself, and Sarah Stephenson, who used to live in the People’s Republic of China. We are all members of the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, 1288 W. River Rd., phone 520-292-6900, which promotes Chinese culture and history.

More about Mahjong (sometimes spelled Mah jongg) read wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahjong. The version we play uses 144 tiles, but other versions (such as the Hawaiian style) uses 4 more, including animals – cat, rat, chicken, & worm. It is a game of luck and skill, similar to rummy, where you have to match sets of 4 grouping of three (or sometimes four) tiles, plus a pair of two tiles to attain “mahjong” & win. A Mahjong set (in a case) can cost about $50 or more (pictured below).

Here’s their list (and see if you agree with the results):

71% of gas pump handles

68% of sidewalk mailbox handles

43% of escalator rails

41% of ATM buttons

40% of parking meters

35% of crosswalk buttons

35% of vending machine buttons

The article says this research was done by Kimnberly-Clark Professional. Six major cites were studied in which testers checked for ATP (adenosine triphosphate, which exists in all bacteria.)

Noticed that the study did not include faucets of public bathrooms, which are reportedly quite dirty.

Now I know why we probably should be carrying those hand sanitizers, towelettes, or using gloves when we touch anything that other people touch. Public libraries in Pima County have those sanitizer stands to use after you touch the keys of the library computers, utilized by many patrons over the course of one 10 hour day.

Tucson doesn’t have a lot of sidewalk mailboxes left, nor a lot of escalators since we don’t have that many high-rises, but we do have elevators (whose buttons are probably just as germ covered).

Readers — do you agree with the results? Will this knowledge change your behavior in public places such as washing your hands more frequently? Yesterday I touched a pedestrian button to cross a street, and recoiled afterwards thinking of the germs on that button.

TUCSON – Former judges, academic historians and elected officials from the City of Tucson will gather on February 12th to engage in an interactive discussion about the expansion of civil rights and liberties in Arizona over the past 100 years.

“When the ACLU was founded in Arizona in 1959, there were laws prohibiting people of different races from marrying and banning the distribution of birth control information,” said Tod Zelickson, president of the ACLU of Arizona’s Southern Chapter. “But the ACLU has led the fight to expand civil rights and liberties throughout much of Arizona’s history and since those early days, the principles of due process of law, equal protection and separation of church and state have permeated our society and become enshrined in our state Constitution and laws.”

The public forum, which is hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona’s Southern Chapter in cooperation with the Second Saturday and Centennial Committees in Tucson, will be from 2 to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 12th at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, 160 S. Scott, Tucson, Arizona.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call Paul Barby at 520-299-3778.

Panelists are:

University of Arizona Law School Dean Emeritus Charles E. Ares, who represented the ACLU of Arizona’s first client, Henry Oyama, a native Tucson resident of Japanese descent who, along with his Caucasian fiancée Mary Ann Jordan, was refused a marriage license by the Pima County Clerk. Ares was instrumental in challenging Arizona’s discriminatory miscegenation law and securing an injunction requiring the Pima County Clerk to issue the marriage license;

Retired Arizona Chief Justice Stanley Feldman, who volunteered to handle cases on behalf of the ACLU in Arizona;

Former Tucson Mayor George Miller, who previously served on the board of ACLU of Arizona’s Southern Chapter; and

ACLU of Arizona Founding Board Member Cornelius Steelink, who served as a volunteer during the 1960s and 1970s who lobbied the Arizona Legislature to repeal the miscegenation law, create public defender offices in Maricopa and Pima Counties and ratify the constitutional amendment abolishing the poll tax.

The mission of the ACLU of Arizona is to protect the civil liberties contained in the state and federal constitutions through litigation, legislative and public education. The ACLU is funded primarily through private donations and offers its services at no cost to the public. The ACLU does not accept any government funds. Nearly 3,000 ACLU members live in Southern Arizona. They’re represented by volunteers who serve on the board of the Southern Chapter of the ACLU of Arizona. The ACLU of Arizona is an affiliate of the national ACLU, which boasts a membership of 550,000 with approximately 7,000 members and supporters in Arizona. For more on ACLU’s accomplishments over the past five decades, visit: http://www.acluaz.org/about-us/accomplishments.

Contact:

Tucson: Paul Barby, ACLU of Arizona Southern Chapter, at 520 299-3778 or pmbarby@earthlink.net; or

Alessandra Soler Meetze, ACLU of Arizona, at 602-773-6006 (office) or 602-301-3705 (cell) or ameetze@acluaz.org

INFO: www.acluaz.org.

Justice Feldman and Dean Ares were interviewed on KUAT Channel 6 (click here) about the Arizona Constitution.

According to the Quail Creek Republican Club newsletter, Carroll’s challenger for the District 4 seat is Sean Collins, a U.S. Air Force veteran who owns the Vail Dairy Queen with his wife Tracy. “Collins was in the Air Force for almost 22 years, stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base from 1999 until he retired as a senior non-commissioned officer in 2003.” (He’ll be speaking at the group’s meeting on Friday, Feb. 17, 9 a.m. at the Quail Creek Madera Clubhouse).

I hope to update this blog with campaign info/photo of Collins.

Supervisor Carroll was first appointed to his District 4 position in May, 1997, and prevailed in the 3-way Republican primary of September, 1998 with 43% of the vote (against Brenda Even & Ken Marcus). He then won the 1998 General Election against Libertarian Gay Lynn Goetzke (79% to 21%). Carroll has run unopposed in both the primary & general elections of 2000, 2004, and 2008.

Carroll is seeking re-election and will be having a campaign meet & greet event on Sunday February 12, 2 p.m. at the American Legion Hall Post 66, Duval Mine Road, Green Valley/Sahuarita. His campaign website is www.electraycarroll.com, campaign phone 520-570-7007. Carroll announced his re-election bid today on the Buckmaster radio show (click here).

4 of the 5 Pima County Supervisors are up for re-election, except for District 1 Supervisor Ann Day who is retiring. 4 Republicans (Mike Hellon, Stuart McDaniel, Ally Miller, & Vic Williams) are running for that seat in the primary on August 28, and one Democrat Nancy Young Wright (so far) will face the Republican winner in November. I’ve written about these incumbent Supervisors last year “Pima County Board of Supervisors – incumbency matters” (click here).

Trail Dust Town 50th Anniversary Celebration
February 12, 2012
6541 E Tanque Verde Rd # 22 Tucson, AZ 85715-3806
(520) 296-4551
http://www.traildusttown.com/

Scheduled Events

11:00am – Posting of the Colors – Town Square – U.S. Cavalry Color Guard Trail Dust Town’s Own 4th U.S. Cavalry Band
Men representing U.S. Cavalry in authentic uniforms will post the National Colors bearing 48 stars to celebrate Arizona’s joining the Union on February 14, 1912.

11:20am – Ribbon Cutting – Town Square Bandstand/Gazebo – MC John P. Langellier, Ph.D.
Noted sculptor and Trail Dust Town“Trail Boss” Dan Bates joins distinguished guests (including former horse soldiers) to cut the ribbon rededicating Trail Dust Town in commemoration of its 50th year as an Arizona icon.

11:30am – Territorial Band Concert – Town Square Bandstand/Gazebo – 4th U.S. Cavalry Band
Frontier military posts echoed with the strains of martial music. Today, the 4th U.S. Cavalry Band keeps alive this tradition. Step back in time to enjoy the band’s rousing repertoire the way it was when bold troopers in blue rode forth with pride to help to win the West. Afterwards, meet the band members, purchase one of their CDs, and take the experience home.

12:00pm – “Hell’s Belle” Wild West Stunt Show- Pinnacle Peak Pistoleros- Dragoon Street
The not-so-infamous Johnny Outlaw and his rival Deputy Dan take aim to win the heart of Belle, the Marshal’s daughter. Belle, on the other hand, has her eye on something more bankable than love. Find out who’ll win the day and who’ll bite the dust in the action-filled stunt show. This show contains loud gunfire, cowboy-style fights, and explosion effects. The show lasts 30 minutes.

1:00pm–10:00pm – Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse Open
We invite you to come in and get a taste of the Old West at Tucson’s original cowboy steakhouse. Enjoy world famous mesquite grilled Cowboy steaks, ribs, chicken or fish in a relaxed and authentic western atmosphere.
No ties allowed!

1:00pm – Territorial Band Concert – Town Square Bandstand/Gazebo -4th U.S. Cavalry Band
Frontier military posts echoed with the strains of martial music. Today, the 4th U.S. Cavalry Band keeps alive this tradition. Step back in time to enjoy the band’s rousing repertoire the way it was when bold troopers in blue rode forth with pride to help to win the West. Afterwards, meet the band members, purchase one of their CDs, and take the experience home.

1:20pm – Statehood procession in front of Bandstand/Gazebo – Trail Dust Town Actors (any other event participants encouraged to join). Join the residents of Trail Dust Town as they celebrate Arizona being brought into statehood.

1:45pm – Meet Theodore Roosevelt – Savoy Opera House – Thomas D. Grinnell
Blue blooded Easterner, Harvard graduate, rancher, Rough Rider, and President of the United States—Theodore Roosevelt was all that and more. Thomas Grinnell gives a bully impersonation of TR’s colorful personality on the stage of the elegant Savoy Opera House.

3:30pm- Loop Rawlins Wild West Show- Savoy Opera House
Pistolero Alumnus Loop Rawlins returns to celebrate this very special occasion. At fourteen, Loop became the first Trick Roper at Trail Dust Town. Trail Dust Town is where Rawlins grew as a performer and began training in Bullwhip cracking and in trick gun spinning. Today, Loop Rawlins is one of the most versatile western performers in the world.

4:00pm – Gun Fight Reenactment- West Side of the Train Depot
Performers reenact the 1907 gun fight between Arizona ranger Harry Wheeler and JA Tracy. The show contains loud gunfights and gunfight violence. The show runs 15 minutes.

5:30pm – “Hell’s Belle” Wild West Stunt Show – Pinnacle Peak Pistoleros- Dragoon Street
See 12:00pm show for description.

6:00pm – Viva Arizona! Savoy Opera House – Ballet Folklórico Tapatío
Since 1997 South Tucson’s Ballet Folklórico Tapatío has entertained and educated the public about Mexican culture and history through traditional regional dances. Currently under the direction of Jose Luis Baca, the dance group has over 135 members who participate in four different levels of traditional dance. Ballet Folklórico Tapatío performs throughout the United States and Mexico and is gaining recognition as one of the finest folklórico programs in the nation. For more information, visit http://www.purotapatio.org

7:00pm – Encore Presentation of Western Performer Extraordinaire Loop Rawlins- Savoy Opera House

7:30pm – “Killer Miller” Wild West Stunt Show – Pinnacle Peak Pistoleros- Dragoon Street
There’s a new Deputy in town- not! The completely incompetent goofball, wannabe Deputy Dawgard tries to help old Marshal Richardson take on the West’s most notorious gunman: Killer Miller! Will Dawgard and Richardson find the nerve to face Miller, or will they find themselves pushing up daisies? This show contains loud gunfire, cowboy-style fights, and explosion effects. The show lasts 30 minutes.

Ongoing Activities and Attractions
11:00am-7:00 pm – Living History Displays – Museum of the Horse Soldier
Living historians bring the past to life by interpreting Arizona’s history. Meet characters from Arizona’s colorful times gone by.

11:00am-6:00pm – Classic Cars Show – Main Plaza
Vehicles from Arizona’s past recall the early days of the Grand Canyon’s State when horses outnumbered horseless carriages.

11:00am-6:00pm – Military Horsepower – Front Parking Lot – Southern Arizona Military Vehicle Collectors Club
What better way to recognize Arizona’s military heritage than military vehicles from the past and present?

11:00am-6:00 pm – Adobe Plaza – Presidio San Agustín del Tucson
What was it like to serve at Tucson’s Spanish outpost over two centuries ago? You’ll find out when the members of El Presidio del San Agustin’s living history group help us travel back in time to the 18th century.

1:30-8:00pm – Museum of the Horse Soldier
Museum is under construction, although part of the museum will be open for viewing.
Experience this extraordinary collection of military horse equipment, weapons, uniforms, and exciting new exhibits. Informal tours conducted by guides in period U.S. Army uniforms of many eras, ongoing screenings of classic Hollywood portrayals of the U.S. Cavalry, and book signings by Dr. Langellier—author of numerous publications on American military history—continue throughout the day in this not to be missed museum. (See posted schedule at the Museum’s entry for tour times and other details.)

1:00pm-10:00pm – C.P. Huntington Railroad Ride
The miniature train is fun for all ages! Enjoy a ride around the town and see sites that are often missed.

11:00pm-8:00pm – Town Square – Mini-Street Fair
Various local artisans display their crafts available for purchase.

11:00pm – 10:00pm – The Wagon Wheel – Behind Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse
Take a spin on Trail Dust Town’s newest attraction, a Covered Wagon Ferris Wheel.

11:00pm – 9:00pm – Trail Dust Town Boutiques – Throughout the town
Trail Dust Town is home to several shops and businesses. Here you can find unique gifts, fun accessories, delicious food, and more. Be sure to stop in and see what our vendors have to offer.

11:00pm – 9:00pm – Western Carnival Games – Carnival Section behind Ferris Wheel
Calling all Ropers, Sharp Shooters, and Contenders, prove you’re no greenhorn and win a prize. Challenge your skills with a variety of amusements, including: Electronic Quickdraw, Rolling Roper, Western Carnival games.

As most of you know I tend to write about events downtown, but here’s a new event uptown at the Four Corners of Campbell & Skyline, on Feb. 11 and 12. Check it out — sounds like lots of activities to choose from…fine art galleries, wine tasting, fashions, music.

Free admission but you can also purchase a $20 wine/food “culinary arts” tasting ticket for more than 10 restaurants.

For more info: www.fourcornersfest.org.

There is something for everyone at the Joel D. Valdez Main Library‘s Centennial Celebration:

When: Saturday, February 11, 11am to 5pm
Where: Joel D. Valdez Main Library, 101 N. Stone Avenue (south of Alameda)
Who: All ages!
Learn more about the Arizona Centennial at AZ 100 Years.

Children will enjoy the family storytime at 11am followed by a craft and Happy Birthday Arizona cake. Don’t forget to take the opportunity to check out books on Arizona’s history, famous people, sports teams, and so on!
Teens will be interested in the games available in the teen room and in the display of the art, essays, letters and scrap book pages that teens have contributed to a time capsule to be sealed and not reopened again until 2062!
Adults will have an opportunity to see the debut of 18 pictures of historical Tucson barrios that will go on permanent display in the Joel D. Valdez Main Library. There will be talks by local historians on the history of Tucson and Arizona place names. Enjoy a reception between the talks with refreshments provided by local barrio businesses such as El Charro and La Caves.

On Saturdays parking is free on the streets and in the city garage beneath the library, accessed via Alameda Street.

As part of the celebration, we will also be unveiling a new photo exhibit honoring the history and heritage of Tucson’s barrios. This exhibit has been made possible through a collaboration with the Arizona Historical Society and this program is made possible by the Arizona Humanities Council.

Saturday, February 11, 2012
11:00am – 1:00pm
In celebration of the Centennial, we will have a Family Storytime beginning at 11 am with Happy Birthday Arizona cake afterwards!

1:00pm – 2:15pm
Dr. Lydia Otero of The University of Arizona’s Department of Mexican American Studies will discuss Tucson’s barrios and her book La Calle. A book signing will follow.

2:15pm – 3:30pm
Enjoy a gala reception with refreshments from local business such as El Charro and Le Caves.
3:30pm – 5:00pm
Place names are like fossil poetry – they afford a kind of folk history, a snapshot in time that enables us to read them and reconstruct how members of a culture in the past assigned names to the places they saw. The U.S. has over 3.5 million place names, and there is no part of the world where nomenclature is so rich, poetic, humorous, and picturesque – a tradition to which Arizona has had more than its share of contributions. In this presentation, Gregory McNamee examines the history of Arizona place names, from Ali Shonak to Zephyr, using lively anecdotes to discuss the little-known stories behind names on the land.
A Second Saturdays Event. An Arizona Centennial Event.

For more events downtown on February 11 (plus 2nd Saturday Downtown) and February 12, read my blog from yesterday (click here).

Happy Early Birthday Arizona on February 14, 2012.

La Pilita Museum 420 S. Main Ave., 11am-2pm, also offering Barrio walking guide books

Presidio San Agustin del Tucson 133 W. Washington, 10am-4pm

Southern Arizona Transportation Museum 414 N. Toole, 10am-5pm

Tucson Museum of Art 140 N. Main Ave., 10am-6pm

Science Downtown: “Mars & Beyond” 300 E. Congress St., 9am-9pm

Sacred Machine 245 E. Congress St., 4pm-11pm

Jewish History Museum 564 S. Stone Ave., 1pm-5pm

Children’s Museum Tucson 200 S. Sixth Ave., 10am-5pm

MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) 265 S. Church Ave., 12pm-5pm

Great way to see these art, history, science exhibits for free. Thanks to all the sponsors that made this happen for families and adults in Tucson, as I know there are normally fees at some of these museums (i.e. Science Downtown, Museum of Art, Children’s Museum Tucson, MOCA).

And read my other blog about all the rest of the events happening downtown on Feb. 10, 11, and 12 for the Arizona Centennial birthday celebrations (http://tucsoncitizen.com/community/2012/02/08/3-days-of-celebration-for-arizonas-100th-birthday-feb-10-11-12/).

Info from 2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com website. I’ve listed a few of the events below, but go to that website for the full schedule.

Friday, Feb. 10:

4pm: GRAND OPENING, hosted by KOLD Channel 13 and Chuck George. Mayor Jonathan Rothschild will open the festivities to an antique airplane fly-by and the raising of the 1912 American Flag originally flown over the Arizona Capitol. This event will take place at the main stage on 6th Ave., just south of Pennington.

Plus lots of musical entertainment on two stages (6th Ave x Pennington, and Scott Avenue Stage x Broadway), 4:15 pm. to 9:30 p.m.

…and more events along Congress Street including Cinema La Placita’s 6 p.m. showing of 1963 movie “McLintock!” (starring John Wayne) filmed at Old Tucson Studios.

Saturday Feb. 11:

2nd Saturdays Downtown usual excitement & events, plus music starting at 12 noon at 6th Ave. x Pennington stage. Scott Avenue/Broadway stage starts up at 1 p.m. with puppet shows for the kids, plus more exciting groups like Brazilian Batucaxe at 4 p.m. and Japanese Odaiko Sonora (taiko drums) at 5:15 p.m.

AND don’t miss the events over at the Joel D Valdez Main Library , 101 N Stone (11 to 5 p.m.), or at UA Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. for an “AZ 100 & Counting” free event (3 to 5 p.m.)

Over at the Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street:

1:30pm-3:30pm: “A Special Chat with Noted Tucsonans of the Past,” presented by the Downtown Centennial Committee. This historic event will present reenacted interviews with a few of the famous men and women who helped create the State of Arizona and build The Old Pueblo, from 1912 to present. After the historic re-enactments the audience will enjoy films of Southern Arizona life in the early part of the twentieth century. This film is a composite of several travel logs gathered from 1920-30 by the “The Sunshine Climate Club,” an early Tucson tourist promotion group.

Cinema La Placita will be showing at 6 p.m. the classic 1940 movie “Arizona” (starring William Holden), also filmed at Old Tucson Studios.

Sunday Feb. 12:

Several events starting with an early 9 a.m. downtown bike ride, ending up with an 8 p.m. Dweezil Zappa (son of Frank) Concert at the Rialto Theatre (see below)

9 a.m.Celebrate the Centennial with a 1.5 hour bike ride, discovering Sonoran Desert street trees. Learn to identify different low water native trees in the Downtown streetscape, planted by volunteers, neighborhoods, the City of Tucson and the Downtown Tucson Partnership as part of the 1,000 Trees Please campaign. This easy bike ride through downtown and neighborhoods meets at the SE corner of Broadway Blvd. and Scott Ave

Scottish Rite Cathedral, 160 S. Scott Avenue:
2pm-4:30pm: ACLU presents “Arizona Civil Rights Memories”, a panel discussion moderated by former Tucson mayor, George Miller. Retired Arizona Supreme Court Justice Stanley Feldman, retired UA Law School Dean, Professor Emeritus Charles Ares will be on the panel, as well as ACLU of Arizona Founding Board Member Cornelius Steelink.

Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress Street:

8pm: Zappa Plays Zappa All Ages. After taking more than three years off to study the physical performance and technical compositional techniques of his father, Frank Zappa, Dweezil Zappa began his search to create a combo that could, according to Dweezil, “accurately execute Frank’s music in the most authentic way humanly possible.” Rather than creating what he called a “circus” of Frank’s former bandmates, Dweezil’s focus was on providing an avenue for the elder Zappa’s music to new generations of listeners. (Tickets: $26-$56)

Enjoy the many festivities downtown and around town, all birthday celebrations for Arizona.

One of my friends is an extra in this movie, filmed right here in the Old Pueblo. This Arizona Theatrical Premiere will show at the Loft Theatre (3233 E. Speedway) on February 9, at 7 p.m.

Plus free souvenir give-aways of the talking bottle opener (as featured in the movie), while supplies last, so don’t be late to this showing!

“It only takes one idea.”

INGENIOUS is a hilarious and heartwarming comedy drama, based on a true story and filmed right here in Tucson!

Two lifelong friends, a small-time inventor (Dallas Roberts, 3:10 TO YUMA) and a silver-tongued salesman (two-time Oscar-nominee Jeremy Renner, THE HURT LOCKER) overcome hard times in Tucson, Arizona with hope and humor. Thanks to a series of comical mishaps and misadventures, the duo hit rock bottom before eventually striking gold with an “ingenious” invention that just might be their ticket to the big-time!

Also starring Ayelet Zurer (MUNICH) and Richard Kind (CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM). Directed by Jeff Balsmeyer (DANNY DECKCHAIR) and written by Mike Cram, who based the story on his own experiences as one of the inventors of the talking bottle opener, as seen in the movie.

Sounds like hard times in Tucson can turn to gold. See you at the movies.