The Barb Stanton Show: Dr. Ralph Baker says what!

SOC MEETING - SATURDAY NIGHT...SEE YOU THERE!

SOC MEETING THIS SATURDAY AT 6:30 PM

Our guest speaker is: Scott Eckert - co-founder of Citizens for Sensible Development

Scott represents High Desert citizens who oppose the building of a Walmart Super Center near the entrance of Spring Valley Lake. This is the same community that has been adverserly affected by the Nutro Dog Food Plant.

Scott has been extremely active and involved in High Desert growth issues and brings interesting facts for all of us to consider.

Don’t miss this meeting….Farmer Boy’s…Hesperia Rd. at Nisqually, Victorville…6:30 PM

We will also discuss the recall of Assessor Bill Postmus…petitions will be available for you to sign. Let’s clean up government in this county…be part of the cleansing!

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Dr. Ralph Baker says what!

Since George Air Force Base closed it seems that there has been more than just the closure of the base to think about.

More than a dozen years ago the school population at the Victor Elementary School District were those children of military personnel stationed at the base.

Today: The majority of the children belong to parents who are affiliated with the prisons in the high desert and not as employees but as inmates!

Dr. Ralph Baker referred to the children as 'clients' as he discussed major changes in the school.

“The well-disciplined and orderly part of our population has been replaced with a percentage of our population that are either attached to somebody within the prison, or that person has been released from a prison to this area,” Baker said. “They tend to be more anti-authoritarian." Baker explained this to Daily Press reporter, Rachel Byrd.

In the Hesperia school district, there are more than 5,000 'English language learners' and 56 percent of the population is Hispanic.

The times they are a-changin my friends....

Blue Fridays

Blue Fridays......

Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing blue every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the 'silent majority' We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing.

Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our tr oops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that .. every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear somethi ng blue. By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of blue much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in BLUE and it will let our troops know the once 'silent' majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on. The first thing a soldier says when asked 'What can we do to make things better for you?' is ..'We need your support an d your prayers.' Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, b y example, and wear something blue every Friday.

Veterans ashes stored in rusted cans, forgotten on shelves

Recently, volunteers in Missouri and a handful of other states discovered the cremated remains of war veterans inside small canisters and cardboard boxes. Instead of receiving their promised military burial, these war heroes have been forgotten and left on mortuary and hospital shelves for decades.

A national effort is underway to give these veterans a proper and dignified burial.

Missing in America Project, MIAP. The MIAP works with the Patriot Guard, the American Legion and Veterans Affairs, to identify the abandoned cremated remains of forgotten veterans. They work to ensure that veterans are properly laid to rest.

I AM THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

"The things that the flag stands for were created by the experiences of a great people. Everything that it stands for was written by their lives. The flag is the embodiment, not of sentiment, but of history."

Woodrow Wilson, June 14, 1915, Flag Day

Whether it be nylon, polyester or plain cotton, the American flag is more than fabric and thread. It represents each of us, our past, present and future. Great sacrifices and national pride are stitched into its stars and stripes, and it stands as a symbol of hope, opportunity and freedom. The flag is not an inanimate object. It flies freely with a life force powerful enough to unite an entire nation.

Since every person has the right to own and display the American flag, it's important to treat it with respect. Representatives of 68 national organizations including the Army and Navy came together to create the United States Flag Code, which became public law about a year after the attack on Pearl Harbor. This code formalizes and unifies a set of instructions on handling, displaying and caring for the American Flag. It also indicates inappropriate use and disrespectful behavior. By following these rules, you are showing the flag and our nation your reverence and pride.

USA - FLAG HISTORY

Our flag carries American ideas, American history and American feelings. It is not a painted rag. It is a whole national history. It is the Constitution. It is the Government. It is the emblem of the sovereignty of the people. It is the NATION.

-Henry Ward Beecher, 1861

From its controversial beginnings, the American flag has been an important part of our culture. It has survived over 200 years and two World Wars. The flag has evolved physically and symbolically in times of crisis and achievement. During the Vietnam War, the flag took on conflicting meanings that split the nation, and by the Gulf War, the flag was again a uniting force. September 11, 2001, the flag became a symbol of hope and pride. Though tattered and dirty flying above the rubble of the World Trade Center, it, like our country would prevail.

Unlike other countries, America only has two national symbols, the bald eagle and the American flag. While the bald eagle is internationally recognized, the American flag is a symbol known worldwide. The flag has been the inspiration for holidays, songs, poems, books, artwork and more. It has been used to show nationalism, rebellion and everything in between. The flag is so important that its history tells the story of America itself.