You're the best gift of all

If you would die tomorrow, what would people tell about what you meant to your world? This is a question which haunts most of us throughout our lives. We all want to have a meaningful life. Of course, a meaningful life has a different meaning for every person. Most of us will not be remembered by the nation or the world. Many will not even be really remembered in their city or town. We can be remembered by our family, who will carry memories of you for many years to come. Hopefully, your story will have an impact, maybe it will motivate.
I had an uncle Bill who left a legacy of jokes and fun times. I can't even think about him without smiling. His death also had an impact on me because he died of restrictive lung disease  which came from smoking and jobs which exposed him to occupational pollutants. I am glad that I had an opportunity to know him.

That is the same impact we can all have. We can create great memories by telling your life stories. During the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, I hope you will sit in the living room or at the dining room table and tell some of your tales. I can assure you the kids and others will love them and it will open you up to closer family relationships.

Stop Child Sex Trade

The child sex trade is a huge problem in the US and abroad. No country is immune. In the US kids are often lured via the internet or corrupted neighborhood kids and adults. Girls and boys are bullied or lured with promises of love, money or other things. Usually the kids who are targeted are from broken homes and demonstrate emotional problems. The child may have already suffered issues of abandonment, neglect, low self-esteem, and physical and/or emotional abuse. The child may be in the foster care system or even disabled. She or he may be looking for food, money, self-worth, and shelter.
What the child finds is more violence and abuse when the man takes the child to a hotel room where he/she is beaten, sedated and confused with drugs and raped.
Then child is then sold via the Internet, transported to various areas around the country and the world, and sold to other pedophiles.
This is sex slavery and it even happens to adults, especially people who audition to be models.
Of note, churches often send their pedophile priests to foreign countries, like Africa, where they can escape American laws and continue to interact with children under the guise of priest.
I even heard of one country that incarcerated an American in a dungeon-like prison. The American was surprised to find he could buy a child in the prison to be his slave. He bought a child.
We must protect our children from these abusers of children.

Congress adjourns for week with no help to citizens

Congress is unable to function and will lead our country into further disaster.The dysfunction and political division has made Congress a place for grandstanding and hot rhetoric, but at the cost of national unemployment and no confidence in the economy. Politicians can't even decide if the federal government should give FEMA money to help citizens who are victims of national disasters. Republicans say they will vote to fund FEMA, if the money comes from current programs that help US children and the poor.
I think most Americans want to help people who suffer from natural disasters. The stagnation in Congress is hurting us all - a different type of national disaster. Republicans had hoped they could force Senate Democrats to accept a partisan budget cut on the threat that disaster victims would otherwise be deprived of assistance for days or even weeks.
We in the valley must assuredly work to get Denham out of the valley as a representative. We will never get a reduction in the deficit via the congressional super-committee with this group in office - that means cuts in Medicare, social security, medicaid, etc.. We must vote the obstructionist Republicans out in 2012, so we can move forward.
Then, after spending billions of dollars fighting whether to fund FEMA or fighting  to suspend clean air and water regulations and spend billions on studies to see if clean air improves health, the Congress adjourns for a week-long vacation.
This Congress takes too much time arguing and needs to spend more time in DC in session working and attempting to come to some needed agreements.
Americans are suffering, but congressmen are deaf to the cries.

Happy Mother's Day! Unfortunately my mother died a couple of years ago, so I must revive good and fun memories. Hence, I hope you will make great memories with your kids today.

Denham admits he will get nothing done. No casino for North Fork Rancheria. No High Speed Rail for California. Denham says his goal is to save money and return to 2006.

Hmmmmm. 2006 .....Bush was president and Wall Street corruption and greed was at its peak. In 2006 large corporations were scamming the public and over-extended, sending jobs and American money abroad...and California had been fending off bankruptcy for about ten years with increased borrowing. In 2006, Madoff was a hero.

Denham's idea, more roads and maybe in 6 years....
Goodwin looking GREAT right now.

FRESNO BEE LIES TO GET HMONG EMOTIONAL APPROVAL

FRESNO BEE LIES TO GET HMONG EMOTIONAL APPROVAL

       FRESNO BEE GOES FOR RACISM AND LIES TO CUT MINORITIES


The Fresno Bee printed that the "Obama Administration" denied General Vang Pao the honor of burial at Arlington Cemetery..

The TRUTH is that President Obama's administration had nothing to do with the denial that was presented at General Vang Pao's funeral on February 5th. The decision to deny General Vang Pao was based on a decision by the white generals who oversee the military cemetery. President Obama does not select who is buried at Arlington, he is busy with a few actual wars.

The Fresno Bee struck a low blow to inject racial hatred against President Obama into the decision. Also it shows that these valley republican newspapers are prone to lie in order to get public sentiment on their side. We certainly can not trust what we read in the Fresno Bee or the Modesto Bee.

The TRUTH is that the burial issue will eventually come before President Obama, after the Hmongs appeal this decision by the generals. Amazing as it may seem, President Obama does not even handle the first appeal, so the next decision will also be made by a military review committee.  Eventually, the issue will reach the President - but it will be months because the military has a policy of following the "chain of command" and you can not circumvent the process.

The Hmong community understands the truth and will not be deceived by cheap political antics by the Fresno Bee.
See:  Youtube:  CentralValleyCd19 (posted today - 2/6/2011)

DO WE WANT ANOTHER LARGE CASINO?

Article from ABC30 Website:
Shannon Handy
More: Bio, Articles by Shannon Handy, News Team
FRESNO, Calif. -- Hundreds gathered in Prather Wednesday to share their opinions on a proposed Vegas-style Indian casino to be built in the Fresno County foothills.

The "Big Sandy Casino" would be located off Auberry and Millerton Roads.

On Wednesday, supporters and critics got a chance to talk about the newly released environmental impact statement. More than fifty people got up and spoke during the public meeting.

Those who support the project say it will benefit the local economy, but opponents aren't sure if valley residents can support another casino.

A standing room only crowd packed into Foothill Middle School's auditorium in Prather Wednesday night.

For nearly three hours, representatives from the Bureau of Indian Affairs listened as valley residents voiced their thoughts on the proposed construction of Big Sandy, a $250 million casino near the town of Friant.

Concerns included the project's affect on the local water supply. "I'd like to know how this is going to impact the residents in the local area with their water."

Others, like Rachelle Bedwall of Clovis question the casino's sustainability. "There's already a casino real close and so I don't think it can support two casinos."

Many in the crowd cheered whenever supporters talked about the more than 1500 jobs the 48 acre project would bring to the area.

Eddie Clement said, "It is gonna have the ability to give people career, as well as the construction industry on the build."

The Big Sandy Rancheria announced plans to build the casino in 2004. A switch in development partners initially delayed the project. But, now another claim may delay it even more.

Table Mountain, a casino located about a mile from the proposed site, argues part of the land Big Sandy wants to use is a sacred burial ground.

Big Sandy, however, says that claim is based more on competition than facts.

Loretta Tuell said, "And we believe it is a historic ancient village with many burials with many pounding rocks, with many issues you can't litigate very easily."

John Peebles said, "I think there's a real concern on Table Mountain, members and their leadership that they will have a substantial reduction in income which will affect their quality of life. It's economics."

At this point, no public meetings are scheduled in the near future. But, you have until March 28th to send in a comment about the environmental impact statement

MUSD SEEKS NEW SUPERINTENDENT - MEETING TONIGHT

MUSD SEEKS NEW SUPERINTENDENT

Please attend the MUSD Superintendent search session TODAY at 6:30 PM at Desmond School (Find location in Yellow Pages Maps).

I feel we need a person who actually lives in Madera. All of the MUSD administrators live in Clovis because the MUSD is so Bad and they want their kids to have a good education which can be provided in the Clovis School District. None of these administrators have buy-in for helping MUSD. MUSD is stuck in "mediocrity" and needs to recruit excellence. Most of the MUSD administrators are over-paid...and they want more. If you want to live in Clovis, get a job in Clovis. A person who lives in Madera will support our Madera businesses and schools, not the Clovis businesses.

If we citizens must pay for the MUSD administrators, I want to see some EXCELLENCE.

In addition, we have "white flight" in Madera where the white students are attending private schools and MUSD is left with 60% to 80% Hispanic students. Since our schools are mostly Hispanic, we need to recruit a minority Superintendent.

I expect the new Superintendent to have a DOCTORATE and be a well-rounded professional in education.

The only person I am familiar with at MUSD who could possibly be the next Superintendent is Deborah Woods. Anyone else currently in the district is unacceptable, unless they work for a greatly lower salary. Hence, that would mean we would get significant financial savings in return for a less-educated MEDIOCRE Superintendent. I know Porterfield wants the job but, for a number of reasons, he is not a good choice and does not provide the ROLE MODEL needed.

Please attend the meeting tonight - 6:30 PM, Desmond - or tomorrow at Madera High School, 6:30 PM.

Our kids can not succeed unless you demand EXCELLENCE.

Reprinted from POLITICO

JAKE SHERMAN | 1/31/11 9:14 AM EST

Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) caught lots of flak earlier this year for hosting a swank, rock ‘n’ roll fundraiser months after his freshman class was swept to Washington after promising a renewed commitment to frugality and economic restraint.

And all that ire was before the nearly $80,000 in expenses was disclosed.

The night before lawmakers were sworn in, the first-term congressman’s political action committee appears to have doled out $25,000 to have LeAnn Rimes perform in Washington at the W Hotel for an event that raised eyebrows in both Republican and Democratic circles.

The PAC paid the W Hotel $22,000 for catering and lights, and audio services ran up a $5,000 tab. It also paid $10,000 for “floral expense and event design.”

It was a particularly bizarre event, even by Washington standards. Denham invited the media to the W Hotel before the event, where he vowed that “we’re conservatives but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun.”

“Obviously this isn’t just about raising money, this is about having a good time,” Denham said to reporters before the fundraiser. “We have a great entertainer here in Grammy Award-winner LeAnn Rimes. And we’re excited about that, and excited about the event tonight.” Reporters were not permitted to attend the fundraiser itself.

The money that the PAC raised hardly covered the cost of the event — it took in $85,000. The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians donated $50,000 to the committee, and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians Native donated $25,000. Blue Shield of California’s PAC chipped in $5,000 and the American Association of Clinical Urologists and a Tennessee-based donor gave $2,500 each.

Although Denham was the face of the event, the political action committee raises money for a slew of first-term Republicans, including Reps. Scott DesJarlais (Tenn.), Robert Dold (Ill.), Renee Ellmers (N.C.), Jeff Landry (La.), Tom Marino (Pa.), Tom Reed (N.Y.), David Rivera (Fla.), Jon Runyan (N.J.), Steve Southerland (Fla.), Marlin Stutzman (Ind.) and Kevin Yoder (Kan.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/48487.html#ixzz1CdRE69JZ

Clovis, CA: Vets will sponsor dinner to honor fallen soldiers tomorrow, Saturday, from 4 to 6 PM. Cost is $10.00 for spaghetti dinner and the money will be used to build a memorial to soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq

SARGENT SHRIVER DIES AT AGE 95

Sargent Shriver, a former Peace Corps director and Democratic vice presidential candidate, has died at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. Sargent Shriver has suffered from Alzheimer's disease for many years and has been the foundation for a lot of fundraising and advanced medical research for the degenerative disease. Shriver was also the founder of the Special Olympics and The Peace Corps which, since the Kennedy years, allowed citizens to help impoverished communities abroad.

Recently the Peace Corps has come under fire for placing Corps volunteers in areas which were dangerous without any protection. Volunteers tell stories of violent rapes and murders of Corps volunteers by community members. 

Although the Peace Corps may be too dangerous for young volunteers in many areas, the Special Olympics is still going strong.

Help Loraine Goodwin and Al Franken Prevent Comcast/NBC Merger!

If you're concerned about corporate control of the media, Senator Al Franken needs you to take two minutes to view his video and sign the petition to the Federal Communications Committee objecting to the merger of Comcast with NBC.  The FCC and Department of Justice may be about to approve this deal. This would have serious consequences for consumers across America.  We don't have much time.  Pass the vido link on to others: 

http://www.alfranken.com/index.php/splash/fccopenletter

ARETHA SAYS SHE IS FINE

Just wanted to write this correction straight from Aretha. Aretha says she is fine and will reschedule her tour. She says she is housebound for 2 more weeks - then she will spend some time at the beach - maybe Hilton Head.

Thanks Aretha!!

NEW CONGRESS OFF TO BAD START

I don't feel great about this "new" Congress - looks like the same "old boys club " to me. Jeff Denham has been given the job of frat party thrower and fundraiser. Hence, on the day BEFORE he even gets into office, he throws a $2,500 a plate dinner at a luxury hotel in D.C.. I guess the economy is doing very well after all.

Next Boehner starts crying repeatedly. He is like an old depressed drunk. In fact, he has around eleven brothers and sisters. His sister said, “John is a little man and he has a big job ahead of him." With family confidence like that, it is no wonder Boehner started the, "my gavel is bigger than yours" contest. Yes, it sounds like a penile problem to me too. In fact, as Boehner was waving his gavel around with great pride about its size, the gavel began to resemble a "penis analogy" to me.  Let the frat party begin.

Next these guys, getting high salaries, decide to read the Constitution aloud on the House floor. Maybe these guys should have been reading the Constitution instead of partying, drinking and womanizing at the lavish party the night before. Yes, we got to pay to hear these inept congressmen read the Constitution aloud. It was sad to hear some of the congressional members stumble over the words. That reading exercise cost us citizens around a million dollars or more...our tax money.

The Republicans said the only idea they had for reducing federal spending was to cut the congressional budget. Later, it was revealed that actually the congressional budget would be too hard to cut, so the reduction will be greatly reduced and the congressional party can continue. 

Boehner said first job, as Speaker of the House, is to repeal health care reform legislation. The Congressional Budget Office says that will cost over $230 billion dollars with the investments already made - plus the Senate will not pass the repeal bill, so it is a waste of time and money - but a good show for gullible Republicans. On a news interview show when Boehner was asked what he planned to cut to reduce federal spending as promised during the campaign, Boehner said, in spite of all of his years in the House, he "had no specific ideas."

DENHAM SELLS OUT VALLEY AND SEEKS LOTS OF CASH
Denham rushes straight for the cash. What a CREEP!!! Denham is not my congressperson because he refused to talk to any Democrats during the past election. But for Republicans, your representative in Congress had a dinner costing $2,500 a plate in D.C. BEFORE he was even sworn in.
Why would anyone pay $2,500 for a Denham dinner?
As I said during the campaign, he is selling out the valley and the buyers came to look over Denham's weaknesses and priorities. He has gold in his eyes. No one would pay to hear Denham speak. He has no significant formal education, he ignored the Valley, so we end up with high crime, poor education, rotting infrastructure, illegal alien problems and many gangs.  Denham skips out and brought in Boehner for a $1,000 a plate LUNCH and started selling out the valley to Boehner before the November general election. Boehner took the money and ran, and Denham promised he would do more to fund the Republicans. This will be Denham's place in Congress. He will have no ideas or abilities to help the valley. He is the "dirty dog" or the thug next to the mobster.
Hold on to your pocketbooks and wallets!!!

Repuublicans Fight To Make America FAIL AND STEAL OUR MONEY

Repuublicans Fight To Make America FAIL AND STEAL OUR MONEY

John Boehner now becomes Speaker of the House

of Representatives -- and big banks, insurance companies and

Wall Street lobbyists across the country rejoice.

Money is king in D.C. again.

Boehner before even taking the gavel already laid

out an extreme right-wing agenda. It starts with

unraveling the last Congress and a vote to repeal health

insurance reform and includes gutting Social Security,

making tax cuts for the rich permanent and more.

John Boehner's House will empower

right-wingers like Michele Bachmann and Eric Cantor to roll back

progressive legislation and empower big corporations over the middle

class. Our money will go to the rich even faster and in larger amounts.

Let's just say what everyone already knows -- John Boehner's

agenda has everything to do with embarrassing President Obama and nothing to do

with creating jobs and getting America back on track. Boehner,

Denham, Rush Limbaugh and others want President Obama, our country and soldiers to fail.

 

Thanks to President Obama, during the December break while home in Hawaii, the President signed a financial help package for the 9/11 rescuers. The 9/11 World Trade Center Rescuers will get some money to help with medical care, death benefits, disability retirement benefits and other terrorist-related injuries. The President had a rough time passing this legislation because the Republicans in Congress did not want to pass it. The Republicans said it there was no plan to fund the bill, so they voted against it. Finally, there was a statement that the funding will come from overseas corporations..

I know our rescuers did not hesitate to search and rescue victims of the tragedy...and I would not have allowed them to suffer so long. Thanks President Obama. Rotten tomatoes to the Republicans in Congress.

MEXICAN GANGS TARGET FAMILY KILLING THE WOMEN

The tale of Marisela Escobedo continues after her murder. Marisela was a nurse in the U.S. who retired after her16-year-old daughter, Rubi Marisol, was found killed and dismembered in August 2008. The suspect, her live-in boyfriend, Sergio Rafael Barraza, escaped into Mexico, joined a gang and had Marisela killed outside the governor's mansion to stop her cries for justice. (see prior article)

Now the gang has targeted Marisela's husband by setting ablaze his lumber business in Ciudad Juarez.

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SOUTH KOREA SAVING FACE


South Korea says it will go ahead with one day of live ammunition military drills early next week. The North Koreans are threatening to blast the South even harder than it did on November 23rd, if the South goes ahead with the drills.

The South responded it has to go through with the drills due to their poor response to the North's assault on the 23rd in order to save face.

The North has numerous problems and has little to lose from future battles. This is where sounds minds must intervene.