Did you know?: KernLife.com

How to Win A Halloween Costume Contest

With Halloween right around the corner, costumes are on every ones mind right now. Everyone wants to have a unique costume that blows people away, however, most people fall short. Well grab a drink, take notes and relax because whether you're competing at a friend's party, or at a night club costume contest we've got the inside secrets for you on what the judges are looking for.

Rule number one:
Forget the idea of going to your local party store for the latest Halloween costume like Cat Woman, Iron Man or any such nonsense. Now this is not to say the party store or local costume shop is completely worthless, use it for ideas to the start of your costume. Not only do the costumes sold there look cheap and you look cheesy wearing them, but they are completely unoriginal and boring. Focus more on finding an idea from the combination of their costumes that's new and exciting.

Rule number two:
Pick a costume that fits your personality AND your body. You may want to dress up as a stripper nun, but there's nothing more displeasing than seeing a person who spent more time getting into their costume than they did making it. There are plenty of wonderful ideas for the people who don't fit the Barbie mold, don't stress over it, accept reality, and spend your time finding the right costume for you. (like thinking of costumes that can mock the Barbie mold).

Rule number three:
Avoid dressing up like unknown characters/people or making your costume hard to "get".

Rule number four:
Run your costume by at least 5 people before the big event. No, not your mother she doesn't count. Get the opinions of at least 3 to 5 people who will not lie to you. If they don't get it, think its stupid, or just too cliché, take their advice and try mixing it up.

Rule number five:
Cute only works for kids. Grown up costume contests don't have to be all serious, but stay away from "cute" ideas. A five year old in pig tails dressed up like a baby is adorable, a grown up doing the same is just lame. Know when you're too mature to pull it off.

Rule number six:
This one is for all the couples out there picking out Halloween Costumes. Couples costumes are probably the hardest of all to make unique. Please avoid the popular yet utterly unoriginal ideas of going as things such as Romeo and Juliet or a pimp and a hooker. Try for something that is not usually a "couples" theme. You don't have to be a man and a woman or even something that people would normally associate of going together.

Rule number seven:
Making fun of popular culture is a gold mine. The more hilarious your costume is and the more it mocks a famous person that has been in the spot light recently the better. Just make sure it's someone and something lots of people know about. Do not however make fun of people's horrible misfortune like a disease or handicap for some good ideas watch this video from knots scary farm Halloween haunt the hanging (Knots Berry Farm)

Rule number eight:
Popular costumes that seem unoriginal can be a success. You just have to know how to put a new twist on them. The favorites can be a good thing when used correctly; you just have to come up with your own unique concept of them.

Rule number nine:
Be the character you're portraying. If you don't like your costume no one else will either. This rule especially applies to horror costumes; they are the hardest to pull off. In order to fully win people over with your costume they have to believe it. Anyone can dress up like Freddy Kruger but don't try unless you can seriously scare someone by doing it.

And last but certainly not least...
Rule number ten: HAVE FUN! All in all, costumes are supposed to be fun and exciting. It is a chance for you break out of yourself and put on someone else persona for a while. No one likes a spoil sport and even if you don't win, you'll still be happy if you had a blast doing it!

karaoke

Kern County's Top Employers

Kern County public schools: 27,000

Edwards Air Force Base: 11,285

County of Kern: 9,339

Grimmway Enterprises: 6,300

China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station: 6,192

Giumarra Vineyards: 4,000

Catholic Healthcare West: 2,952

Esparza Enterprises: 2,915

Wm. Bolthouse Farms: 2,350*

Sunview Vineyards: 2,000*

Sun World: 1,600

City of Bakersfield: 1,420

Bear Creek Production Company: 1,250

Chevron USA: 1,200

San Joaquin Community Hospital: 1,100

Paramount Citrus: 1,096*

Cal State Bakersfield: 1,069

State Farm Insurance: 1,020

Community Action Partnership of Kern: 924

U.S. Borax: 900*

Kaiser Permanente: 900

Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream: 853

Aera Energy LLC: 850

Sears Logistics: 725

Frito Lay: 706

Target Distribution Center: 653*

*2006 data

Source: Californian research and Kern Economic Development Corp.

Kern County's Oil and Gas Facts

Kern County is a major oil producer. In fact, most of California’s oil production comes from Kern County — 76 percent as of 2006, to be exact.

Here are some highlights of the local oil industry:

• The industry has a long history. The Sunset portion of the Midway-Sunset oil field was discovered in 1890, followed by McKittrick in 1898, Kern River in 1899 and the Midway section of Midway-Sunset in 1900. All three fields, and dozens of others in Kern County, continue to churn out oil, helping fuel the region’s economy, as well as the cars and trucks we drive.

• The top five oil-producing fields in the state are all located in Kern County. Midway-Sunset leads the pack, followed by South Belridge, Kern River, Cymric and Elk Hills. Elk Hills is also the largest natural gas field in California.
Regional activity in 2006

• Crude oil produced: 170.2 million barrels.

• Natural gas produced: 170.7 billion cubic feet.

• Number of producing oil wells: 39,883. (That’s out of 49,879 statewide.)

• Number of producing natural gas wells: 183.

• Number of wells drilled: 1,811.
As of 2006, the top five oil producers in this area were Chevron, Aera Energy, Occidental of Elk Hills, Plains Exploration and Production and Berry Petroleum. They produce most of the oil in this area.

• Most of the oil that comes out of the ground in Kern County is characterized as heavy. It has the consistency of molasses. Steam is injected into the ground to loosen the oil and make it easier to retrieve.

• Bakersfield is home to three oil refineries: Flying J’s Big West of California refinery on Rosedale Highway, San Joaquin Refining Co. on Standard Street and Kern Oil & Refining Co. on East Panama Lane.

• The deepest onshore oil well drilled in California was drilled in 1987 in Kern County by Occidental of Elk Hills. It reached a depth of 24,426 feet.

• Taft Union High School is home to an oil and technology academy, designed to prepare students for a career in these industries.

You can learn more about the local oil industry, including its history, at the West Kern Oil Museum in Taft and “Black Gold,” a permanent oil exhibit at the Kern County Museum in Bakersfield.

Sources: California Department of Conservation, Division of Oil, Gas & Geothermal Resources; California Energy Commission; Californian research.

WarmLine - Another Parent to Talk To

WarmLine is a parenting helpline offering free telephone support for parents of children from birth to 6 years of age.

WarmLine offers a confidential listening ear, helping parents and care-givers deal effectively with the crucial and often difficult situations that occur when raising children. We are here to provide support and guidance to anyone who needs it.

It's not only parents who benefit from WarmLine's services. Callers also include grandparents and other relatives who care for children, as well as Day Care providers and community childcare professionals. All callers are listened to with respect and objectivity by trained volunteers.

Look what WarmLine callers are talking about now!

temper tantrums aggression picky eating difficulty sleeping discipline teething bedtime crying pre-school sibling rivalry napping new baby returning to work feeling overwhelmed breastfeeding separation anxiety potty training postpartum activities emotions nutrition normal development support groups behavior backtalk

Call WarmLine today to talk about your child!

Monday - Friday
8:30 am to 4:30 pm PST
(excluding holidays)

661-323-3531
or 1-888-955-9099
outside Bakersfield California

e-mail support: warmline@earthlink.net

WarmLine is a not for profit organization of trained volunteers that serve as a telephone outreach to families in Kern County, California.

Love Football?

The Bakersfield Flag Football League runs year round and provides an exciting avenue for adults to play organized flag football. The league provides stats, quality equipment and a full schedule. Players and teams will experience highly competitive games of flag football with opponents that show great respect for each other and the sport. The age demographics range from 18 to 40, with the majority of players being in their mid 30's.

The games are played at Liberty Park in Bakersfield, California. The league fees break down to approximately $20-25 per player.

For more information, click here.

The Bakersfield Theater Addict

If you enjoy the arts, check out Theater Addict's Blog about the Bakersfield Theater scene. Find out about performance calendar and theater listings.

The Bakersfield Californian

The Bakersfield Californian is the premiere source of local news, events and the issues that shape the lives of our city's residents. From local columnists who address all aspects of city life, to our investigative reporting on topics affecting our daily life, The Bakersfield Californian is the definitive guide to life in Kern County.

NEWCOMER SPECIAL! If you are new to Bakersfield, please call us for a special offer that's just for you! You can receive a FREE 4-week trial of The Bakersfield Californian! Some restrictions apply. Please mention promotional code NEW2BKFD.

Sign up for your subscription today by calling (661) 392-5777 or (800) 953-5353.

Land area occupied by Bakersfield

The total land area occupied by Bakersfield is 224 square miles.

PFLAG (Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays)

Meets 7 p.m. the first Thursday of each month at First Congregational Church, 5 Real Road.

P.O. Box 42135, Bakersfield, 93384, www.pflag.org.

PFLAG offers support for loved ones of people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered. Advocates for people in the gay community to foster a safer environment.

DId you know?

With a size equivalent to 13 football fields and by many accounts the world's largest ice cream plant, Dreyer's in Bakersfield churns out some 70 million gallons of ice in nearly 100 different types of frozen treats per year.

Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)

SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" is America's premier source of free and confidential small business advice for entrepreneurs.

Take advantage of SCORE's unbiased, confidential and FREE one-on-one business counseling each Wednesday. SCORE volunteers can help you target your business plan, improve your marketing or increase your cash flow.

Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE): Golden Empire chapter, located within the Small Business Development Center, 2100 Chester Ave., 861-9249,
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10 Things to Know About Bakersfield

1. We’ve got mountains. They run down the middle of the county and across the southern border. You can’t actually see them, so you’ll have to trust us.

2. In the mid-1960s most people around here (as well as several prominent farm animals) had bit parts in a reality TV show starring Buddy Ebsen. That’s why the towns have names like Weedpatch, Pumpkin Center, Greenacres, Buttonwillow and Pixley. There’s not actually a Hooterville here, but some of us are still holding out for a Hooters.

3. Virtually everybody here plays the banjo. A few people were able to get the accordion exemption.

4. Learn the local pronunciations if you don’t want to stick out. DELL-uh-no is the middle name of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Duh-LAY-no is the name of the town just south of the Kern-Tulare (too-LARRY) county line. Wasco is pronounced WAH-sco, not WAY-sco, and Oildale is pronounced OIL-dale unless you drive a pre-1970 truck, in which case it is pronounced OLL-dale. Tehachapi is pronounced Teh-LOO-luh-bell.

5. Buck Owens is dead. Country music has been canceled until further notice.

6. There is not a moving body of water wider than 30 feet within 100 miles and yet we have surf shops. No one has been able to explain this.

7. No one actually eats the pickled tongue served in local Basque restaurants. It’s only prepared for the benefit of out-of-town visitors, who are invariably dared to try it. No one actually knows what it is. No one actually knows what this so-called “Basque” ethnicity is, either, but we like the food so we’ve all agreed to keep quiet about it.

8. The Bakersfield City Council selected the city slogan, “Life as it should be.” Coming in a close second was “We like to think we’re better than Fresno but we don’t have much evidence.”

9. Spring lasts about 31⁄2 hours on the afternoon of April 23. Autumn lasts about 15 minutes just before noon on Oct. 16. By “fall colors” we mean the sunburn on your kid’s neck that starts to heal about that time.

10. The official headwear of Bakersfield is a foam trucker’s ballcap. Get yourself one.

Youth Services, Child Development and Family Services

Kern County Superintendent of Schools
2000 24th St., Bakersfield, 861-5200

Under this umbrella are:

KCSOS Child Development Services
1100 Ming Ave., Bakersfield, 835-7284.
Operates 16 sites, serving more than 1,200 children throughout the county. Offers full- and half-day preschool with encouraged parental participation for some classes. Assistance is available for children whose families meet income-eligibility requirements. Also offers private- and employer-sponsored child care at the Downtown Development Center.

Community Connection for Child Care
2000 24th St., Suite 100, Bakersfield, 861-5200, 877-861-5200.
Free referrals and information for parents seeking child care. Partner in the CalWORKs welfare-to-work reform, provides assistance with child-care payments. Also coordinates the county¹s child-care waiting list, trains child care providers, offers a resource and lending library, sponsors children¹s concerts and other community events, and participates in other programs benefitting children and families.

Kern County Network for Children
2000 K St., University Square, third floor, Bakersfield, 636-4488

Other Services

Bakersfield Police Activities League
301 E. Fourth St., Bakersfield, 283-8880

Boys & Girls Club of America
801 Niles St., Bakersfield, 325-3730
Offers after-school enrichment for individuals ages 5 through 17. Operates 22 locations around Kern County.

Haven Counseling Center
730 Chester Ave., Bakersfield, 327-4711

Head Start
336-5236, 800-701-7060

Henrietta Weill Memorial Child Guidance Clinic
3628 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, 322-1021

La Cresta Foundation Counseling Program
3308 La Cresta Drive, Bakersfield, 323-0055.
Provides support, therapy and counseling to enable parents to interact with their children of all ages. Also a therapeutic play group for children.

Bakersfield Speedway

The West’s Fastest 1/3 Mile High Banked Clay Oval Track is located right here in Oildale, at 5001 N. Chester Ave.! Races feature a variety of stock car and open-wheel racing from March to November. Admission varies. 393-3373, www.bakersfieldspeedway.com.

Pick up the latest race results, get schedule information and more at the Bakersfield Speedway website.

Riverlakes

Offering a family-oriented atmosphere, Riverlakes is a desirable neighborhood located in Northwest Bakersfield. The Riverlakes Ranch golf course, boating facilities, water views, shopping, and schools make this a popular neighborhood.

Building of the Riverlakes began in the late 1990s. Riverlakes is a popular neighborhood, since as its name suggests the homes are built around small man-made lakes. The community also features community pool.

Riverlakes offers single family homes and villas built in the 1990s to 2000s. Prices are affordable, starting in the $350,000s to the $500,000s.

View a virtual tour