"HAPPY LABOR DAY"

Happy Labor Day!
Namaste to those union workers who still work 40 hours a week, eight hours a day, lunch time and during their break periods. This also allows us time to remember my mother and father who were fighters and recipients of civil and human rights that so many of us take for granted.
My grandfathers were railroad workers during the 1929 strike.
I (Minerva) can remember the stories that my maternal grandmother told me the short summer in 1996 and I will cherish our brief walks and long talks through the Pensacola Mall. She also shared with my cousin and me how she, a Porache Creek Indian, went to school to learn how to “balance a book on her head, sew while her braids were tied to wall wire, and ask for permission to go to the bathroom”. Back then, there were no 40-hour work weeks, eight hours days, lunch and breaks.
What amazes me still are those that wish us to return to a system when these concessions did not exist. I thank a society that will allow us twelve weeks to care of our immediate family members with an assurance our jobs will still be their when we return. I thank the many heroes and sheroes before us whose shoulders we can stand on. What is so sad, are those employers whose greed, selfishness, and inability to see beyond their “capitalistic gains” don’t allow them to realize that love of family, country, and having a morale standard is more important than anything money can buy.
We believe it our responsibility to keep the fight ongoing, even if we don’t work for a union.
Minerva Leah Williams, Vice President and Event Planning
The Democratic Club of the Santa Clarita Valley

Don Bustany on the Middle East

With everything going on nowadays in the Middle East, it's a wonder the entire region doesn't erupt into one massive war zone. With the recent uprising in Egypt with Mubarak, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Kadafi's gross mistreatment of the citizens of Libya and the seemingly endless violence and military intervention in that part of the world, are we on the brink of another World War? If such questions are troubling to you, please hear the opinion of a true expert on the subject, Don Bustany.

Don Bustany was Born in Detroit to Lebanese-American parents. He and Casey Kasem were co-creators of the syndicated radio program "American Top 40" and "American Country Countdown". Camera coordinator of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", "The Bob Newhart Show", and other MTM shows. He produced local talk shows on several LA stations. He has a BA in Liberal Arts, Wayne State University, and an MS in Communications from Syracuse University. Bustany is a Palestinian right of return activist. Since 1996, he has produced and hosted the radio program "Middle East in Focus" on KPFK FM, the LA Pacifica radio network.

His mission is to fill the many gaps left by the mainstream media in their coverage of the Middle East. A member of the advisory committee of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in the 1990's, he served four terms as president of the organization's Los Angeles chapter.

The event will be held at El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant, 19132 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country, CA 91351 on August 18th at 6:30pm.
For directions, see:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?address=19132+Soledad+Canyon+Rd&city=Canyon+Country&state=CA&zipcode=91351

For more details, please see:
http://www.scvyoungdems.org/events/081811-BustanyAmericasTop40s.pdf

Please bring your questions and inquiring mind...

PORCUPINES and other Imperfections

Submitted by Rosemarie Sanchez=Fraser. . .

The parable is worth sharing. But have you ever seen a baby porcupine?!
I would pass it along just for this!

Fable of the porcupine
It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realizing the situation,
decided to group together to keep warm. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one
wounded their closest companions. After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and
they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or
disappear from the Earth. Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. They learned to live with the little wounds
caused by the close relationship with their companions in order to receive the warmth that came from the others.
This way they were able to survive. Moral of the story: The best relationship is not the one that brings together
perfect people, but when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other
person's good qualities.
The real moral of the story......
LEARN TO LIVE WITH THE PRICKS IN YOUR LIFE.

Obama urges compromise, Republicans set to vote

Please be sure to click on this link for more recent updates regarding the "debt ceiling debate".

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/29/us-usa-debt-idUSTRE7646S620110729

RHUNIA MOORE May she rest in peace . . .

Good Afternoon All,

We lift up our hearts and prayers
for the family of Rhunia Moore.

Rhunia passed last week. Her
celebration of life will take place
Thursday, July 21st at 11:00 am.
The services will be held at the
Reseda Church of Christ, 7806
Ingomar Street, Reseda, CA.
(South of Roscoe Blvd and North
of Saticoy).

The wake is scheduled for
this afternoon at Rucker’s Mortuary
from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm.

Rhunia is a life time member of the
San Fernando Valley NAACP. She
last served as a member of the
Executive Committee, we resolve.

We also want to be prayerful for
her grandson Russell Baldwin who
has cared tremendously for her in the
past years and her great grand daughter
Jetaya who also lived with Rhunia.

Cards and condolences can be sent to:
The Moore Family
12436 Claretta Street
Pacoima, CA 91331

Sharon Y Garrett
(818) 470-9643

CARMAGEDDON July 16, 17

Just for the laugh . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S0H6sFIqr0&NR=1

We can only hope that the 405 Freeway closure that has received national news, will be opened on the 18th in spite of the $12,000 per hour penalty that is being fined to the contractors (if not done on time).

It isn't that there isn't enough traffic already, Friday for me was an hour and 1/2 drive from Stocker/Crenshaw to Oakdale Drive in Chatsworth and that was a regular Friday.

We can only pray that Caltrans and their crew members can encourage the contractors completion of the Westside bridge.

Please thank Rosemarie Sanchez Frazier for the posting.

"VOTE FOR THE DOG OF YOUR CHOICE"

Suggested by Rosemarie Sanchez-Frazier of Friendly Valley,
38th Assembly District Representative wrote:

You are asked to put in your vote for the "Hero Dog Award". Follow the link

http://www.herodogawards.org/

and put in your bid. She offered . . .

I met this woman today at the Doggy Clippery, she was taking her Yellow Lab , named "Atticus," home and was telling the person behind the counter to be sure
to vote for him as a Guiding Eyes hero! Well, you know I could not not get curious so here is the web site to vote for Atticus as a Hero Dog! Once you
get to the web site click onto Vote, then to Category "Guide Dogs." Atticus is coming in 3rd at this time, if you click on the picture of him, his story will
come up. He is a big beautiful sweet dog! Hope you can vote for him and pass this onto your friends.

XXXOOO

Rosemarie