New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman cites Muslim hypocrisy in insulting other religions, and another successful young man returns to Bakersfield to live and work

 * ... FRIEDMAN: The ongoing protests and violence in the Middle East that led to the death of the U.S. ambassador to Libya drew a strong response from New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman. Friedman is one of our nation's foremost Middle East experts and he spared no words in calling out Muslim protesters on their own hypocrisy when it comes to insulting other religions. "They might want to look at the chauvinistic bile that is pumped out by some of their own media — on satellite television stations and Web sites or sold in sidewalk bookstores outside of mosques — insulting Shiites, Jews, Christians, Sufis and anyone else who is not a Sunni, or fundamentalist, Muslim. There are people in their countries for whom hating 'the other' has become a source of identity and a collective excuse for failing to realize their own potential." More reasons why all of us should practice tolerance.

 * ... COMING HOME: Another successful youngster has returned to Bakersfield to work and live. Neil K. Gehlawat, a graduate of Stockdale High and later UC Berkeley, has joined the law firm of Chain, Cohn and Stiles as an associate attorney in its personal injury department. He graduated from Stockdale in 2005 and later earned a degree from Cal. He went on to attend The University of Texas School of Law, where he served as a Notes Editor for the Texas Law Review and was a regional champion in the National Appellate Advocacy Competition. He obtained his juris doctorate in
2012.

 * .... OVERHEARD: A young woman who just returned from Boston is overheard talking about coming home. "I am always amazing how friendly people are here," she said. "At the airport, at the car wash and even at Starbucks people are just so nice. Yesterday in the drive-through at Starbucks and woman two cars in front of me paid for the entire line. It's just great coming home."

 * ... SEXTING: If your teenager is using his or her cell phone for something other than emergencies - like sending suggestive flirty messages to others - chances are that she may be engaged in sex. That's the result of a survey as reported in The Los Angeles Times, which said teenagers who engage in "sexting" are seven times more like to be engaged in sex. (photo courtesy of The Los Angeles Times)

 * ... HISTORY: Several readers wrote with questions about the 1945 incident in which a B-25 Mitchell ran into the Empire State Building, killing 14 people including three crewmen. It happened on a Saturday morning when the B-25, headed from Boston to LaGuardia, was cleared to land in heavy fog and mistakenly veered right into the building. The plane hit the north side of the building between the 78th and 80th floor.

 * ... SNYDER: Congratulations to Toni Snyder who came home with a prestigious honor from the Radio Show convention in Dallas. Snyder was named "general manager of the year" in the 2012 National Association of Broadcasters and Radio Advertising Bureau competition. Snyder runs the seven American General Media radio stations in Bakersfield. Californian Radio, which runs weekdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., appears on KERN 1180, one of the AGM stations.

 * ... ASHBURN: Former state Sen. Roy Ashburn has picked up more endorsements in his bid to return to the Kern County Board of Supervisors in the First District. Among those endorsing Ashburn were Delano Mayor Grace Vallejo, Ridgecrest Mayor Ron Carter and McFarland Mayor Manuel Cantu Jr. Ashburn faces former China Lake Naval Weapons Station commander Mick Gleason in November.

Gas heads to $5 a gallon and Bakersfield leads the way, and noting the 150th anniversary of the Civil War

 * ... GAS PRICES: The average price for a gallon of gas across our nation is now $3.76 and may hit $5 by the summer. That's what some experts are warning, even as the long recession drags on and areas like the San Joaquin Valley continue to experience unemployment levels north of 16 percent. In one survey, broadcast by ABC this week, Bakersfield had the distinction of having the highest gas prices in the nation. 

 * ... COLLEGE BOUND: High school seniors across town are making their choices for where they will attend college and I'm always happy to put a spotlight on some of these high achieving kids. Over at Garces Memorial High, senior Gina Bell will be attending The George Washington University in Washington D.C. in the fall on an academic scholarship. Gina was accepted at Fordham, Seton Hall, Wheaton and Providence colleges but chose George Washington because of her love for American history and politics. Gina's proud parents are Kevin and Pam Bell: Kevin is a graduate of Highland High and Cal State Bakersfield and Pam is a graduate of Garces Memorial and Fresno State University. Kevin is employed at ATT and Pam is employed at Saint Francis Parish School in Bakersfield.

* ... PROSPECT: Keep your eye on Cruise Adams, a sophomore at Garces Memorial High School who played quarterback and kicker on the JV football team. ESPN recently singled him out as a hot college prospect for the 2013 recruiting class, noting that he had kicked a 50-yard field goal in a kicking camp. 

* ... REMEMBRANCE: This is the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, a topic that all Americans should be respectful of and well versed in. Was surprised to learn there is a chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy here (Mary Boykin Chesnut chapter 2634) and it is planning a moment of remembrance on Thursday, April 21, at Union Cemetery. The organization was started by the grieving mothers, wives, daughters and sisters of fallen Confederate soldiers who tended to their graves. They soon began tending to the graves of Union soldiers as well in a tribute to all the fallen men and women. Diane Allen is the local president of the UDC chapter and told me the ceremony is planned for 10:30 a.m. Everyone is invited.

  * ... SPOTTED: A young man riding his bike down Gosford Road in the bike lane, balancing
while he uses both hands for texting on his cell phone. Incidentally, the Legislature is now considering a bill to make this illegal.

 * ... CALIFORNIAN RADIO: If you get a chance, tune in to SmartTalk1230 (AM-1230) on Friday when I will be interviewing new CSUB Athletic Director Jeff Konya on the challenges facing the school's entry into Division 1 sports. If you have a Google (Android) phone or iPhone, download the free application Tunein and you can listen on your cell phone. Should be an interesting hour starting at 10 a.m. Konya recently hired a new basketball coach and has the daunting task of finding a conference that will accept CSUB.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Linda L. Welch wrote that you may be a Bakersfield old timer if you worked at the old J.C. Penney building downtown and knew the top floor was a brothel in the early 1900s and the basement was a bomb shelter.



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Bako Bits: Non profits hard at work in a Bakersfield spring and a tribute to a Marine

  * ... MAKE A WISH: Hats off to the  caring students at San Joaquin Valley College's Associated Student Body who raised $9,000 for the Make-a-Wish  Foundation. The money will go to cover the cost of a Disney cruise for the family of 6-year-old Kaleb, who has undergone two liver transplants. Foundation director Cathy Anspach told me the students became aware of Kaleb's struggles and went to work raising money through car washes, food sales, raffles and other events.

 * ... STOLEN FLAMINGOS: Remember the pink yard flamingos that were stolen out of yards recently? They were placed there by the girls Challenge Team at St. Francis Parish School to raise money to help fight cancer. Principal Cindy Meek contacted me to say she received an apology letter from one person who had stolen some flamingos out of a yard in Westchester. "She did not realize they were a fund raiser and she sent a cashier's check for $200 which we are donating to Relay for Life," Cindy said. "No word about the flock that was stolen off the corner of 21st Street and Spruce or the one stolen in the Bakersfield Country Club."THe Challenge Team "flocks" yards with the plastic flamingos in the home that homeowners will donate to the fight against cancer.

 * ... RADIO: Have you heard about "Californian Radio" on American General Media's 1230 AM station? Starting this week from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. you can hear columnist Lois Henry, Opinion editor Robert Price, Executive Editor John Arthur and myself five days a week. It's all part of AGM's rebranding of the station as SmartTalk1230 featuring consumer news, local news, opinion and financial news. The station will also feature Dennis Miller, Lou Dobbs, Dave Ramsey, Wall Street Journal Radio and Red Eye Radio, among others. We hope you tune in, or better yet, give us a call while we're on the air.

 * ... TRIBUTE: Received this touching note from Rick Isle on April 1: "My mother, Evelyn (Evie) Isle called me today to share that 66 years ago today, my dad Roy Isle, led a group of US Marines onto a beach on Okinawa.  A year later, September 9, 1946, he married mom here in Bakersfield. Dad passed away Jan. 11, 2000.  I bet those Marines were thinking of April Fools."

 * ... SPRING: You know it's Spring in Bakersfield if you find yourself anxious for the weekend to visit  White Forest Nursery or Bolles..

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're a Bakersfield old timer if you "remember the annual football games between Kern County Union High School and Phoenix high school in Arizona. The rivalry ended in the 1950s due to cost." Thanks to Anthony Bernal for submitting this one.