Who can forget Tommie Smith, the SJSU student who played wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals and was the first person to break the 20 second barrier for the 200 meter dash in the 1968 Olympics? Smith is best remembered for that race, but even more for the Olympic medal ceremony that followed. Both he and teammate John Carlos raised clench, gloved fists in a Black Power salute, that remains an iconic image of the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. Now he is auctioning off his gold medal.
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Liang’s is a California-based chain with four locations in Southern California. The Cupertino restaurant is the company’s only NorCal spot. Models of World War II–era fighter planes and a few modern jets dangle from the ceiling. The menu and walls are adorned with photos of military officials and family snapshots from the Chiang Kai-shek fighting days
‘Stompin’ at the Savoy’ opens up with the look and feel of a ballroom set in 1944. Backed by the 11-piece San Jose Jazz Orchestra, the 10 cast members not only sing and dance to the old tunes but also encourage the audience to get up and dance as well.
Goodwill of Silicon Valley is overhauling its image. The nonprofit no longer wants its name to be synonymous with thrift shopping and penny-pinching. Goodwill is jumping on the trendy green-living and sustainable community wave. It is now emphasizing itself as a champion of recycling and fashionable reuse, as well as a jobs program during the challenging economy.
Ikea announced that eight of its stores in California will be adding solar panels to their roofs to generate electricity. Among the stores is the East Palo Alto location, which serves the South Bay area.
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama and spiritual leader of millions of Tibetan Buddhists around the world, will be giving a talk this afternoon at the San Jose Convention Center. Tickets for the event, which begins at 2:00 pm, have already been sold out. The Dalai Lama will also be speaking at the San Jose State University Event Center.
The Office of Emergency Services is apologizing to residents of East Palo, after telling them to evacuate their homes. The county planned to send them a message about an upcoming meeting of the council and redevelopment agency, but accidentally sent them the same message that was sent to San Bruno residents after the gas pipe explosion last month.
About 3,000 people attended the Green Drive Expo this weekend in Richmond, amid questions about how green the cars are. At the center of the discussion was the Chevy Volt, which promises 280 mpg, but actually gets closer to 40 mpg under normal driving conditions. According to Scott Oldham of Edmunds.com, GM “lied to the world” about its new car.
Redwood City video game company Electronic Arts has finally released its controversial new game Medal of Honor. Responding to concerns by the public and the military, players will be able to assume the role of a member of an unnamed terrorist group and shoot down virtual American soldiers on a rescue mission. The group, however, will not be identified as the Taliban.
‘Superior Donuts’ is a celebration of friendship, community and the American melting pot, and you don’t have to be from Chicago to enjoy it, thanks to an excellent regional premiere at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, mounted by TheatreWorks.
