Palm Springs Buzz

Mormon Church Goes Political

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:51:28 -0400

The leadership of the Mormons, LDS, have made a political announcement to their congregations in California and use the media to get the message out. The LDS church has officially told their members to seek a constitutional ammendment in California to make marriage only between a man and a woman. There is a movement in California to have a proposition on the November ballot for this measure. So, the leadership in Salt Lake City wants to interfere with the Politics in California and have begun a campaign to persue their agenda. I think this is wrong on so many levels. I can understand that the LDS church says that they are against gay relationships and feel they are sinful, but keep it to your own congregation! I don't want ANY religion dictating the laws of the land no matter if I agree with their doctrine or not. Religious institutions should stay out of politics. If the LDS Church wants to get involved in Politics they should register with the Government like all other political organizations and pay taxes on the contributions and tithes they receive. The LDS Church is currently the wealthiest, per capita, religious group in the U.S. and perhaps the world and owns more media outlets then anyone else in this country, including Fox, NBC, ABC and CBS. Scarey, don't you think?

Who Else Is Running For President

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:00:36 -0400

The two party system has produced two candidates ready to be nominated for the November election for President of The United States of America. Is that it? The primary elections have ended and it seems that two candidates emerged eager to face-off next November, that's right isn't it? What was that? Democrats and Republicans aren't the only parties that have Presidential Candidates. Well, then can anyone tell me why I only read about or see on TV the Dims and Repugs(Oops, Dems and Repubs ;) but almost never even a mention of any other party? This exclusive coverage goes way beyond the media being fair to the non-conformists that are the so called "third party" which is a lable that gets affixed to all of the other parties. I have begun to think of all sorts of conspiracies and back room dealings as a result. I often wonder if any on the pundits on TV ever question the fact that all they do is keep repeating the party line over and over and over... Sure, they try to repackage the message and they do use lots of Experts and witnesses to validate their incessant narrow self-righteous self-serving robotic (you get the point) reportage. And if the reporters realize what the score is, do they have the courage to try and fight against the program or will they capitulate for the sake of their career and bank account? As you may or may not know, whenever someone appears on the media scene that wants to play by different rules, they are shunned and exiled. Still not convinced? Consider something that we all can agree on that over 70% of the people polled want the Iraq War ended as soon as possible. No delays, no excuses just pull our guys out and send them home. The war has not been popular for years and the Rupugs have been voted into a minority party in both houses of Congress and election after election the Dims have beat out their opponents by using an anti-war stand. Yet, Congress just passes another war funding bill over $160 Billion for the next year and no hint at all of ending the war or even cutting back a little. What I'm saying is there have been no changes in the government even though the People have spoken again and again. If you are a regular voter and you are convinced that your vote matters, which in theory it does, and you wonder why only about 25% of the eligible voters bother to vote, I believe that it's because no matter whether a Republican or Democrat wins the people lose in the end. The last time a true leader for the People was elected President of The United States of America he was shot in the head, in broad daylight, right in front of the entire World.

Bush Farewell Trip to Europe or a Pre-war Summit?

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 09:48:23 -0400

I can't help but wonder if GW's trip abroad has implications beyond merely saying good-bye to old friends. Whenever I read or hear someone of knowledge relate how the real world of economics works, they always say the same thing: In bad economic times, provoke a war. Dwight Eisenhower warned the world about how the Military Industrial Complex would one day take over and rule the world. Well I think that day came long ago. Since GW began his tour abroad he has been conspicuous in his blatant pandering to the leaders of Europe and he has used the media to push what I believe to be his real reason for the trip. That reason would be to get support for an attack on Iran if Iran can't be provoked into starting a war with Israel or Iraq first. So, I wonder why the wars we are currently fighting around the world aren't enough to satisfy the greed of the big money people. Is there some reason that requires another conflict and will that conflict require more U.S. troops or will we only supply the guns and ammo? I am strongly against the war ethic that is being promoted by GW. This attitude must change or everyone will be slaves or worse, dead. Remember what happened in Europe during the 1930's and early 1940's? Either you worked for the "Party" or you were killed. The Party point of view was the only one tolerated and those in control were not benevolent masters. War and brutality were the first line of defense for those in power that wanted to remain in power. What will happen if GW gets his way as he parades around Europe with his saber out and rattling? I suppose and guess that a new war will erupt in Iran and the Shaw will somehow justify the whole thing along with the argument that we cannot allow the Iranians have nukes. First of all, if the Iranians didn't feel threatened by the U.S. and Israel they wouldn't need to have nukes. It's the same everywhere in the world, large threats require large weapons and what could be a larger threat then the U.S.? Next, Iran is already a democracy so we can't use the argument that they need to be liberated from a tyrant or something. It seems that the closer to the next election gets, the more I hear the clanking of swords. Where are the media watchdogs on this one?

McCain Vice Presidential Prospects

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:09:00 -0400

Who should be the VP for John McCain? Here's a twist: Hillary Clinton Do you really think that Hillary has given up? John and Hillary are close friends and I think it's a foregone conclusion that Barak doesn't want Hillary for his VP. Consider the impact that a McCain-Clinton ticket would have and talk about stealing the thunder of Obama! I think the campaign is just getting exciting.

Acoma Fire Roars In Yucca Valley

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 23:24:44 -0400

Helicopters and airplanes battle brush fire that threatened nearby homes in Yucca Valley. Three helicopters and at least two fixed wing aircraft douse the flames that began in Joshua Tree National Park. No homes were damaged but one out building was reported lost as the local residents were placed on a voluntary evacuation by the San Bernardino County Sheriff when the flames got close to homes on the extreme south end of Church St. when winds shifted to blow from the south. Firefighters were called from Riverside and San Bernardino to protect structures and many units were placed near the edge of town on alert in case the fire jumped into the residential neighborhood. Good fortune and hard work by the CDF and the aerial assult stopped the flames before they reached any homes. The fire started at about 1:30pm and by 6pm the fire was mostly out after burning over 100 acres.

University of Phoenix Seeks New Instructors, Event is June 13

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 07:00:26 -0400

The University of Phoenix, the university for working adults, seeks qualified working and retired professionals to become faculty members at its Palm Desert Learning Center. Specifically, instructors are needed for the learning center�s nursing, counseling, human services and business programs. Faculty candidates should have a master�s degree and current experience. Those wishing to teach in the counseling program are required to possess a Ph.D. or LCSW certification. The faculty positions are part-time and are paid. Interested candidates are required to attend a New Faculty Assessment event on Friday, June 13, 2008 at 5 p.m at the University of Phoenix Palm Desert Learning Center, located at 75-153 Merle Drive, Suite G in Palm Desert. At the event, candidates will participate in interviews, give a presentation and lead a group activity, all of which simulate a classroom experience. Registration is required to attend the event. For more information or to register, please contact Michael Grommo at 800-473-4346 ext. 34095 or michael.grommo@phoenix.edu. The event is open to residents of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. University of Phoenix, which has served working adults for nearly 30 years, has made its mission to remove barriers to education for busy adults by providing accessible scheduling and rigorous degree programs centered on professional goals. The University is the largest private accredited university in North America and is owned by parent company Apollo Group, Inc. As of February 28, 2006, 310,800 students attend Apollo Group, Inc., institutions. The University�s focus on small interactive classes, highly personalized teaching and comprehensive academic accountability systems has won praise and recognition by noteworthy academic and business leaders. The University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.

Fickle Finger Of Fate Award Goes To Bonnie Garcia

Tue, 27 May 2008 16:32:25 -0400

Memorial Day celebrations are held throughout the country and in Palm Springs The VFP hold luncheon to honor Vets. Assemblyperson Bonnie Garcia gets the finger from the vets. The local chapter of The Veterans For Peace held their annual Memorial Day luncheon at the Rock Garden Cafe in Palm Springs to honor all of America's Veterans. JUSTIN BLAKE, Governing Board Member, Palm Springs Unified School District was awarded the Elected Official of the Year for his outstanding work on the Board. Justin was also the keynote speaker of the luncheon. DR. RODNEY L. TURNER, Dentist for HIV and Low-Income Veterans was awarded the Doctor of the Year Award for his work to provide quality dental care to the vets that have the least. The Casey Sheehan AMVETS Post Silver Helmet Award was given this year to JOE BEAVER, World War II veteran and Civil and Human Rights Activist. Singer Steve Petersen provided musical entertainment. The highlight of the afternoon was the final award given to elected Assemblyperson Bonnie Garcia (R). Bonnie was awarded the Fickle Finger Of Fate for supporting Bush's War and for her lack of compassion towards veterans, education and HIV patients in her district. Bonnie Garcia will not be able to run again for the Assembly as she has "Termed-out." As has been her habit, Bonnie failed to show to receive her award. The Veterans For Peace is a non-profit group that does not have any political party affiliations and always invites elected officials from all parties to their functions. However, the Republicans tend to not attend.

Is It Really True?

Wed, 21 May 2008 09:24:51 -0400

How do you know if the reports you get on TV, newspapers or the Internet are giving you the truth or simply repeating lies? When you listen to your favorite pundit or read your favorite column in your local newspaper, do you ever get the feeling that something is dreadfully wrong? Are the words you hear and read, that are shaping your opinion about world events, possibly based on false information? Do you even think about the fact that you may be being fed a bunch of bullcrap when watching your favorite "News" show? If you are a follower of politics you are aware that the candidates and elected politicians have a great deal of trouble maintaining their truthiness. The best politicians are quite convincing and I am positive that if they weren't politicians they would be con artists selling Ponzi schemes to under-educated retired middleclass Floridians. Yes, we all should be aware that the nature of the Beast is to say whatever is necessary to get elected, but I am getting increasingly impatient with the Media for reporting obvious lie as though the lies were true. It is easy to blame the Media for what is wrong with our political system, but there is also very strong evidence that points to the Media as one of the major reasons our system is out of control. This morning as I was watching MSNBC a quote by John McCain was repeated and the text was placed on the screen and then discussed at length. The quote was a comment about something McCain says Obama said, but if you watch the statement referred to you find that Obama said nothing of the sort and McCain simply took some of Obama's words and then made up a premise that had nothing to do with anything. I am sure that MSNBC knew this, yet they went ahead with their discussion of McCain's comments as though they were God's words and several pundits talked about the damage this would cause to Obama. Now, both parties, the media and the politicians, are lying to the viewers. Not only lies, but the pundits are telling the viewers what to believe and think, over and over and over... I can't help to re-run in my mind the clip that was shown of a "typical" woman in West Virginia who was asked why she supported and voted for Clinton. She said it was because she had had enough of "that Hussein fellow." She didn't want a non-Christian to become President. This clip was shown over and over and none of the pundits made any comment about how absurd this clip was, only that the woman reflected the values of most of the people in W. Virginia, thereby reinforcing the false notions about Obama. If you really think about it, the reason people may have misguided thoughts and beliefs about things is a result of their programming and education. The media in the US right now is LYING to us all. They lie openly and make no bones about it. If you report a lie and don't report that what you are reporting is a lie, then you are also lying. If you continue to repeat this lie over and over, then you are a malicious propagandist. If you also believe your own lies, you are insane and should be removed from society, not rewarded for being a good liar. Reporters should never report nor repeat lies, even if a politician says it and they want to repeat whatever the politician says. I believe that most pundits and reporters in the mainstream media are criminal liars that are trying to influence the minds of everyone to follow whatever their twisted agenda may be. I would like to see the Media actually become the Bastion of Truth and the watchers of our government to keep them honest, but they have become the opposite, mere agents of a corrupted government that has become afraid of the People so they want to confuse the People in order to maintain their power.

California Supreme Court Ruling Overturns Gay Marriage Ban

Sat, 17 May 2008 10:10:16 -0400

Will the recent ruling open the door to more Civil Rights, or will the battle continue? I must, as a straight man, state that I totally agree with the California Supreme Court Ruling on Gay Marriage. This is a landmark decision that may open the door to more rulings against political laws that inhibit individual freedoms. I view that laws such as bans against Gay Marrige as purly political and these kinds of laws should not exist, no matter what your affiliation may be. The religious leaders of this country have had too much influence on Government and have been able to push their political agenda into laws which force everyone to live under an unfair morality code that only serves to maintain the power of the Religious Right. The thing I don't yet understand is why, in this information age, there is so much duplicity from "Christians" when it comes to individual freedom. Do they not get it, or are they really talking to some higher authority that is confused about what freedom really means and how it should be applied? When religious bigotry interferes with common sense and individual liberties we end up with problems like the FLDS Church, red laws, the War On Drugs, etc. The way to end the endless fighting is for everyone to understand that freedom means that you stay out of my business, especially if you disagree with my lifestyle. I think we would all benefit from an education about the difference between Political Laws and laws designed to protect the good citizens of this great country. Political laws are designed to oppress people that don't agree with views and beliefs of those in power based on some belief system and has no real benefit to the population. Kind of like saying that because I don't like turnips, nobody else can eat them as opposed to saying that cyanide is deadly and you can't feed it to your kids. The power achieved by passing political laws is tenuous because it is against the natural order of things and the results are abuses. You can understand that when emotions overrule reason we get violence and/or bad laws. So, good luck to all of you on your new status and ability to get married to whomever you wish. Now you will be able to experience all of the joys and sorrows of wedded bliss.

Politics As Usual or A New Direction?

Sun, 11 May 2008 09:36:36 -0400

The Primary Season is drawing to a close and the obsessive pundits of the establishment media seem reluctant to fully back the obvious Democratic choice. Even so, there are endless discussions of who will be the best Vice Presidential choices for Barak and McCain. What more can possibly be said about any of the candidates? The lame attempts to ruin Obama haven't worked, so now focus has shifted to potential running mates, mostly Hillary Clinton. I don't have any particular preference for either of the presumptive candidates but I do want to share some of my feelings about the most talked about potential VP choice. The person most talked about right now for the Democratic VP candidate choice is of course Hillary Clinton. I just want Barak Obama to know that I think she would be a really bad choice for him. Sure, if Hillary and Barak were on the same ticket history would have two milestones and firsts to write about. The first Black (ok, he's only 1/2 Black) President and the first Woman Vice President. Imagine! Then why do I think Hillary would be a bad choice for Barak? Consider not only her past but the past of Bill Clinton as well. Whenever anyone has gotten in the way of the Clintons bad things seem to happen to them. I'm not saying that the Clintons are bad people, but I know that they are ruthless and determined and I wouldn't want them to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency, if I were Barak Obama. Another point against Hillary would be the signal that would be sent to the voters about future intentions of the Democratic Candidates, Barak in particular. Their intentions to end the war in Iraq would be in question, in my mind. I would not have the confidence that Barak would end the war if Hillary Hawk is the VP and would he be able to stand up against the Pentigon alone. After all, the war in Iraq is the main problem vexing this country right now. It IS the economy, but the economy won't thrive as long as we spend everything on a war that we cannot possibly come out ahead on. Stopping the war in Iraq as soon as possible is the prime issue I am thinking about. This made me think about Hillary's campaign and how she won't give it up even though there is no chance she can win the nomination. Is this tenacity or a mania? At this point it's too early for any of the candidates to decide on their running mate, but it's not too early to eliminate the ones that will not be on the A list. This country deserves leaders that will work for the benefit of the people and not just for themselves or for their close friends. Be sure you go out and VOTE!!