Saturday Mailbag

We received an email from a reader who was concerned that the City of Claremont's Winter 2012 recreation and activities guide has a cover with some of Claremont's children throwing down gang signs:

DATE: Wednesday, November 9, 2011 4:45 AM
SUBJECT: Are those gang symbols?
TO:  Claremont Buzz

Sorry for my ignorance on the matter, but looking at the cover of the recently arrived in the mails Recreation & Activities Guide from the City of Claremont...

Are the girls in the cover photo, in the back row, right side trying to communicate something?

http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1ui7a/ClaremontHumanServic/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=

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Here's the cover:

Well, it turns out the kids are communicating something, but it's nothing sinister.  The hand signs are called "chuckin' the deuce" or "chuckin up deuces."  It's origins are attributed to hip-hop star Chris Brown.  Here's how the website rapgenius.com defines the term:

“Chuckin' the deuce” is a term that originated in the Southern part of the United States. It’s what someone does when they’re just passing by, or leaving. People used to say “peace” instead of goodbye, now they just do it with their hand signals

(cf. Chris Brown’s “Deuces”)

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And we got this note from a former Claremont who read our post about the planned expansion of the Wilderness Park/Thompson Creek Trail parking lots:

SUBJECT: RE: Claremont Insider
DATE: Friday, November 11, 2011 4:04 AM
TO: Claremont Insider

I feel sorry for the Meyers Family. Are you Stealing their land, TOO ???

So much Government intrusion in Claremont since the days that I grew up there. I truly feel sorry for the citizens of Claremont who are now being bamboozled by a bunch of corrupt council members, and city politicians. They (they City Council), should ALL be put down like a pack of rabid Coyotes !!!

Let's see if THIS letter makes it to print? LOL !!!! I SERIOUSLY doubt it!