Your "Local Sunday Newspaper" Seven Days a Week!

Writers

Lauren Forcella

Girl’s Mother Too Grumpy To Talk To

www.StraightTalkForTeens.com

Dear Straight Talk: I'm 15 and I live with my mother and her boyfriend. My mom doesn't let me go anywhere. Not that I ask — I already know she will get mad and say no. I’m not sure where her stress comes from, maybe money, but I'm always in trouble for stupid stuff, like not cleaning things well enough, or forgetting, (never real trouble, like at school or anything). Because she’s always so mad at me, I’m afraid to talk to her and I keep everything inside. I long to talk to her about personal stuff, mother-daughter stuff, but no matter what topic I attempt, everything always gets switched over to her stress, and I never get to tell her about me. I really want to let her know about problems I'm having. How can I get her to listen? — “Annie”

From Emily, 15: Being a mother seems like a hard job, and if all you talk about is what you want, I can see how she could take offense. Is it possible that she holds everything in at work, then vents at home? Or does she have too much to do? Try asking how her day went. If she snaps, don't take offense, just ask again the next day. Cleaning the house may seem stupid to you, but it would probably brighten her day, and doing it before she asks will really help things. For the moment, put your needs aside and attend to hers. In the end, you and your mom will have a better relationship.

From Katrina, 15: When my step-mom moved in, the situation was a lot like yours. She always seemed angry or disappointed in me and I got in trouble for the small things as well. I eventually started writing notes to her, that way I could talk without her anger and stress interfering. Eventually we grew fairly close and now we are very honest with each other and can talk about almost anything.

From Ashley, 20: Tell her exactly what you said in this letter — or better, write her. Writing will help you get more of your own feelings out, and because she can't interrupt you, it can soak in. Writing was very effective for me when I needed to talk to my parents during difficult times.

From Jennifer, 14: My dad is like this with me and I’m glad I don’t live with him full-time. He is deaf to my needs and feelings. It’s “his way” or the “highway.” I once wrote him a letter, on the advice of my mother, and he just laughed while he read it. I don’t have advice other than to find someone else you can talk to, and find a healthy way to vent your frustrations

Dear “Annie”: The advice from your peers is excellent. Please don’t let Jennifer’s experience stop you from writing your mother a letter. Jennifer made the mistake of delivering her letter in person. Instead, place the letter (or send the email) such that your mother will receive it in your absence. Like Ashley says, the message needs to “soak in.”

Apart from the advice given, there is little you can do to change your mother. Her behavior is her trip, not yours. We only have two real freedoms in this world: how we deal internally with the things that happen to us, and what we decide to give our attention to. So, focus your attention on what you can do right now, in both attitude and action, to ensure your happiness. I advise getting a job. Babysitting is in high demand, transportation is usually provided, and it gets you out of the house. By saving your income for a car, you will have transportation to a better job and/or to college. It’s your life. Work with the two freedoms you have and make something of it.

Write to Straight Talk at www.StraightTalkForTeens.com or PO Box 963, Fair Oaks CA 95628.

Poppoff!
Mary Jane Popp

Health First Aid

www.poppoff.com

YOU can survive anything. That comes from the man in the know…Dr. Cass Ingram. The survival range? How about Poison Gas and Nuclear Exposure to Fleas…naturally! Dr. Ingram says it’s so in his book, “Life Saving Cures.” Dr. Ingram is a Physician and Medical Researcher who seeks the safest and natural remedies for a wide range of illnesses. He goes for the natural substances to work quickly, safely, and reliably. He actually told me on the “POPPOFF” Radio Program that these remedies saved his life, and the lives of his friends. And when he says natural, he’s not kidding. He refers to inexpensive stuff like Raw Honey, Garlic, Onions, and maybe a bit more sophisticated cures like Oil of Oregano.

Got a cold? Dr. I says try Oil of Oregano, Raw Honey, and Flavin-C to dry up that snooty nose. The little one has colic? How about Oil of Fennel, Oil of Oregano, and Oregano Juice.? And there’s that…we all whisper it…constipation problem. The good Doc says go for Red Grape Powder, Nutri-Sense, and Bromo-Zyme. Ladies, this is always a hot one we need to cool off…hot flashes. Dr. Ingram claims Royal Kick, Oil of Fennel, and Oil of sage will cool you down. Nerves got the better of you? Seek out the Wild St. John’s Wort, Oil of Lavendary, and Oil of Rosemary. You think I was kidding about the Nuclear Catastrophe thing? No way. Juice of Oregano, Juice of Rosemary, Kelp/Iodine, Oil of Cumin, Oil of Rosemary, Resvitanol, Oil of BayBerry, Oil of Sage, Selenium, Nuke Protect ™ and Folic Acid will help your survival. Naturally, Dr. I goes into how much and how often in the book.

From abdominal pain and Aids to Yellow Fever, Dr. Ingram has a natural cure. I did notice he mentioned Oil of Oregano a bunch of times. Seems he discovered the antiseptic powers of the Wild Herb and crude essential oil in 1995 as a result of a personal illness. This led to a grass roots movement. No pun intended. So his reference to Oil of Oregano refers to the high quality mountainous Wild Oregano. Also the neat part of this book is that half the book addresses the illnesses and the other half addresses the natural remedies and how they can be used.

Naturally, this book is not intended as a substitution for Medical Diagnosis or treatment. It was written by Dr. Cass Ingram to provide vital information in the event of catastrophes…especially in light of September 11 and the subsequent events. Unfortunately, that threat may be with us for a long time to come. Dr. Ingram is the author of some twelve books, including “The Cure Is In The Cupboard” and “Supermarket Remedies”. “Life Saving Cures”…How To use the latest and most powerful natural cures for the 21st Century…is available at Bookstores everywhere. It’s time we take responsibility for our own health and well being! LIVE LONG AND WELL!!!

Eric Hogue

TRICKY 93 PROPOSITION, CAREFUL CONSERVATIVES

There is an important message to send, and we have little time to lose in getting out the message to voters. We the voters must stop Proposition 93 on the February Presidential Primary ballot.

Titled “Limits on Legislators’ Term in Office”, Prop 93 is easily the most deceptive ballot measure Californians have faced in a generation. While it’s described as ‘term limits reduction’, what it would really do is give the current crop of free-spending, big-government lawmakers even more time in office.

Prop 93 was crafted by the same lawmakers who moved California’s Presidential Primary from June to February, at the cost of millions of dollars for the added election. The excuse for moving up the election was that California would have more say in the selecting the Presidential candidates.

Well, have you seen the Presidential candidates, or even their campaign workers knocking on doors in your neighborhood? The truth is, during a period of record budget deficits created by the current lawmakers in Sacramento, we now get to pay for an expensive, extra February election, an election forced upon us by the same legislative ‘fat cats’ who brought us the deficit in the first place – Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and Senate President Don Perata.

So if Prop 93 passes, these same ‘Capitol Fat Cats’ will have time to file re-election papers and get on the ballot in time for California’s real primary come June.

This deceptive labeling was no accident. All ballot measures are submitted to the Attorney General, who has final say on each ballot measure “title and summary” – The name and short descriptive that appears on the ballot and the voting materials we receive before each election.

Attorney General (and Democrat loyalist) Jerry Brown went right along with the Prop 93 bunch, agreeing to call it a term limits reduction. Why? Because Brown and his cronies Nunez and Perata know the people who are likely to turn out and vote in California don’t trust the legislature, and know that political corruption goes hand-in-hand with too much time in office.

So, when you read voters “Limits on Legislators” on your sample ballot and in the voting booth, don’t fill in that “YES” box, don’t do it, it’s a trick.

Preying upon the voter’s negative attitude toward the legislature is the lawmakers’ strategy, and it’s working. Although the latest Prop 93 polls show support for the measure is slipping, a majority of conservative voters still support it. This is why I’m releasing this statement: We must STOP PROP 93 in February, or we’ll have more budget deficits with “raise the taxes solutions” in the near future.

Tell a friend, a co-worker, and a fellow church member that we must be sensible, we all want a better legislature, but this is not the way to go about it. We must STOP PROP 93 in February. Just say NO to 93!

Phil Cowan

Mobster, Thy Name is Assemblyman

Not long ago, something happened in the halls of California’s capitol that left me believing more than ever that our government is nothing more than a bunch of jack-booted, extortionist thugs, bent on controlling every dollar this economy can produce as if they were entitled to it. The sad part is, I doubt many of us even noticed.

The extortionist is this particular case was Assemblyman Joe Coto (D-San Jose), who had a bill pending that would have forced large charitable foundations to publicly disclose the ethnic, racial and gender compositions of their boards and staffs. The bill, AB 624, would also have required these foundations to publicly disclose how much of their money was granted to minority organizations. Faced with the threat of being branded “racist,” ten of the largest foundations, including the Packard Foundation, the Annenberg Foundation, and the Hewlett Foundation, reached an “accord” on a multiyear, multi-million dollar investment in “minority communities.”

If that doesn’t sound like extortion to you, this quote from Assemblyman Coto should make it a little clearer: “They saw this as an opportunity to do what we were suggesting and we’ve worked out this agreement that I think will be positive for everyone.” Brando as Don Corleone couldn’t have said it better.

It was a strong-arm job right out of the Jesse Jackson playbook, this time executed by the chairman of the Latino Caucus, and if it doesn’t send a chill down your spine, it may be that you don’t have one.

Government collectively controls about half the wealth this nation produces, much of which it already redistributes to minority communities. Now they want to direct the budgets of charitable foundations as well, because those dollars weren’t being redistributed to their liking. They justify it by virtue of the foundation’s tax-exempt status. Government goons like Joe Coto make the argument that tax-exemptions cost the state revenue, so those exemptions should benefit everyone, not just a few. In Joe’s mind, he’s as entitled to the exempt money as he is actual tax revenue.

If this doesn’t seem like a big deal to you, if you think the charitable grants given away by the world’s billionaires have no direct impact on your life, think again. Your charitable contributions, those checks you write to the causes you believe in, national and neighborhood, even the dollars you donate to your church, are tax-exempt. Is it such a ridiculous leap of logic to envision a time when Joe Coto and his ilk decide that because the government allows you to write those donations off your taxes, they’re entitled to tell you who you should give it to? Or tell your favorite charity how many minorities it should employ, or have on its board?

People sometimes ask me why I’m a registered Libertarian. Because this is what big government gets you, folks, and neither major party seems committed to scaling it back. Massive and insatiable in it’s thirst for more money and more power, this is where unrestrained government ends up, with an elected official like Joe Coto using the weight of law to commit legal extortion. Ronald Reagan had it right: “… government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem.” When did Republicans forget about that?

Catherine Moy

Move America Forward Takes Action Against 'Counter-Recruitment'
by Catherine Moy
Posted: 03/14/2008

A well-organized campaign of anti-war, anarchist groups and homegrown terrorist groups has caused an escalation of violent attacks on military recruiting centers across the nation, according to an in-depth report by Move America Forward, the nation’s largest pro-troop nonprofit organization.

Attackers since Sept. 11, 2001, have used bombs, human blood, feces, chains, guns and other weapons to destroy government property, block individuals trying to enter recruiting centers, close down recruiters, and terrorize the general public, according to the Move America Forward report being released today.

“This report took a lot of work, but it was necessary to show to the public that the attacks are well-planned, well-orchestrated and they are a threat to our society,” said Melanie Morgan, chairman of Move America Forward. “The conspiracy has reached all the way to Berkeley City Hall where the City Council encourages radicals to impede recruiters and even pays their way to harass U.S. Marines.”

Move America Forward (MAF) will release the report and a related TV commercial at a press conference this morning at the Press Club in Washington D.C. The commercial focuses on the growing problem of attacks on recruiters.

The report highlights more than 40 recruiting sites across the nation that protesters have attacked. Some of the sites have had more than one incident, such as Berkeley, Calif., where the left-wing group World Can’t Wait has assaulted and battered people entering a Marine recruiting center and employed juveniles in masks to beat elderly people with skate boards and picket signs, set fires and hit police officers.

Among the 40-plus cities and incidents in the report are:

• Bremerton, Wash.; Jule 29, 2007: A 19-year-old Bremerton man slashed 42 government tires at a recruting center to protest the Iraq. He was charged with a Class B felony in Kitsap County Superior Court.
• Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Oct. 6, 2006: Jeb Bush, brother of President George W. Bush and governor of Florida at the time, was harassed near a demonstration at a military recruitment station and forced to flee. Police tasered two people. After the march left, the front door of the station was smashed.
• Lufkin, Texas: July 3, 2007: After a spate of attacks at a recruiting center which included vandalizing recruiters cars and breaking windows, somebody shot up recruiters’ cars in an escalation of the attacks.
• Santa Cruz, Calif.: April 2006: Military recruiters were forced off the U.C. Santa Cruz college campus when a mob of attackers surrounded them.

Specifics on attacks in the report also include more on the Times Square bombing last week, a firebomb at a Texas recruitment office, a “Molotov cocktail” bomb at a Buffalo, N.Y.; recruitment office; and gunfire at a Denver, Colo., recruiters’ office.

“Counter-recruitment” is so popular with anti-war activists that entire Web sites have been set up to describe the activity that often turns violent and destructive.

Anarchist groups and anti-war organizations such as the radical Code Pink encourage others to attack and vandalize recruiting centers in action they call “counter-recruitment.” After completing their violent acts, the groups often post about them on web sites.

Very few people are caught and prosecuted for the offenses, the report shows.

“We cannot sit by as this violence continues,” Morgan said. “Law enforcement has an obligation to our society to stop these actions by capturing the suspects and prosecuting them. Lawmakers must ensure laws are in place to properly punish these deviants of society.”

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), who has introduced legislation to strip the city of Berkeley, Calif., of its federal earmarks for designer lunches and other pork because the City Council encourages forceful protests of the city’s sole recruiting center -- will speak at MAF’s press conference at 9:30 a.m. at the Press Club in Washington D.C.

DeMint has been an outspoken critic of “counter-recruitment” and especially the ongoing incidents in Berkeley, where the City Council gave free parking and sound permits to Code Pink and enacted a resolution labeling the Marine recruiters there unwelcome intruders.

The anti-war groups continue their siege on recruiters’ centers across the country. The fifth anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq War, March 19, 2008, will mark more attacks, according to Web sites of radical groups. The Pittsburgh Organizing Group (POG) plans to hold a “torch-lit march to a modern day castle of abominations -- our local military recruiting office,” according to its website.

The POG will try to shut down the office and evict “everything inside of it.” The group will bring a “movable cage” to capture recruiters and hold them.

“This violence will not stop until good Americans, lawmakers and law enforcement work together to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of these attacks,” Morgan said.

MAF is calling on U.S. Attorneys to investigate all of the incidents and prosecute the criminals participating in the violence.

Catherine Moy is a nationally recognized award-winning journalist and coauthor of America Mourning: A story of two families.

Joyce Marcroft

An Interview at William Jessup

I wish everyone could visit the campus of William Jessup University! My previous times on the campus had been to attend a concert, a dinner, or a meeting with colleagues to plan an event. This time I arrived about 2PM during school hours to interview a student who is a senior and has attended William Jessup since her freshman year.

As I entered the quad area a group of students were talking and exchanging books but stopped long enough to smile and say "hello" to an obvious stranger. A couple minutes later, approaching the door of the administration building, I saw two faculty members talking. Both turned and smiled and asked if they could help me find a specific office or person. I said that I had an appointment and had been in the office before. They then held open the door and returned to their conversation. Everyone I met had a gracious, friendly courteous demeanor that is so refreshing in this hurried, harried life we live.

My interviewee, Erin O'Sullivan was waiting with a warm handshake and smile- a very poised young lady with obvious Celtic charm. With her was Christy Jewel, a William Jessup administrator. I explained that I was interested in talking to Erin about her experience at William Jessup University, reasons for her deciding on attending, and her future plans.

Erin comes from a family of five- her father Mark, mother Patti, and two brothers. Dan is 37 and Mike is 34 years old so Erin was able to experience some of the "only child" feelings and yet have two older brothers to provide support and guidance. She became interested in the "generational gap" that existed not only between herself and her parents but also between her older siblings and herself. She has long been interested in the psychological differences determined by age. This explains her double major of Bible/Theology and Counseling Psychology.

Growing up in Loomis, a suburb of Sacramento that has grown in population from what was once almost rural to one of the fastest growing area of California, Erin was able to experience the musical and artistic benefits of Sacramento and that of a quiet countryside. At Del Oro High School, Erin was a member of Talons- a chapter of the National Honor Society and was awarded the award of Golden Eagle of the year 2004.

During her high school years, Erin's involvement with Sports Medicine and Peer Helping she says "the Lord made it extremely clear what would be her calling in life. What first showed up was my passion for people, the deep care I felt for the emotional, physical, and spiritual well being for the people with whom I spent my time".

When father Mark suggested Erin think about attending William Jessup University, she was fairly resistant ( close to home, would rather experience a new area, etc.- all the reasons high school students have for selecting a college away from home). And she already had her life planned down to the most m minute detail!!!

"Coming to William Jessup was a large leap of faith for me" continued Erin. " I set down the plans I had to attend a university in Washington state, a place I love very much. But I felt so strongly that WJU was the place God wanted me to be...and since being at Jessup the Lord has helped me mature so much and brought me through so many rewarding experiences."

"I have been thinking a lot about graduation and evaluating my time here(at WJU) and have come to the conclusion that what I am going to miss most about being at this university is the professors! Jessup is flat out blessed. The faculty is a real gift from God. They will be truly missed and not having their influence on a daily basis will be the biggest shock for me. I have grown so fond of them and will miss them dearly... I am so thankful for the years spent at William Jessup University".

Attending college not far from home has given many advantages to Erin- being close to her family, watching her three nieces grow up, while she was able to find her own independence.

Erin has her post graduate studies all planned also. "I will be attending Alliant in Sacramento and getting my PsyD in Marriage and Family Therapy- and hope to practice there. It's obvious she "likes her space" and yet "appreciates the familiar".

Erin looks forward to having the closeness of family and her friends from William Jessup University. Being in Sacramento will also enable her to continue attending her church The Rock of Rocklin where she is the administrative assistant to the Youth Pastor.

This very mature young lade refers to her faith as a "gift from the Lord Jesus" and goes on to remark that she feels a relationship with Him that guides her through life.

Yolanda Knaak

Proposition 8 California Protect Marriage Act

Proposition 8 will be on California’s Ballot in November. There was an attempt to get it removed by the ACLU, although this was denied by the California Supreme Court. The Constitutional Amendment, also referred to as Same-Sex Marriage Ban, amends the California Constitution to provide that ‘only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California’. Last May the California Supreme Court ruled to allow gay marriage and overturned Prop 22 which had come into law in 2000 as a result of 61% of voters. Now it will be the voters of California that ultimately make the conclusive decision this November.

Common concerns with gay marriage are the fundamental change in order of the pillars of society (Marriage, Family and Faith) and a change of the foundational law of society. Homosexual behavior has existed throughout time, yet there is no common knowledge of any societal sanction of gay marriage (until recently). Making this recent change to gay marriage is new and different for civilization, and ramifications have not been explored.

The advertising opposing Proposition 8 has already begun. The first television ad portrayed a man standing at the alter and his bride walking down the isle, but someone with a stick was holding her back. The message was, “what if you could not marry the one you love?”

We can feel sympathy and compassion for homosexuals, but not necessarily feel compelled to change the marriage laws. Can those grappling with homosexuality make other choices? Those grappling with promiscuity or alcholism can choose not to act on their drives for such behavior. According to Exodus International, thousands of homosexuals have left the gay lifestyle, and many are happily married to a partner of the opposite sex. This indicates that a homosexual lifestyle can involve elements of personal choice.

We can compare this gay marriage dilemma to that of a woman who falls in love with a married man. She can not marry the one she loves. We may feel sympathy and compassion for her as she struggles, but that does not mean we ought to change our society and open the door for polygamy.

When we cast our vote this November, we need to consider our motivation. We need to decide whether we want to continue with such a foundational change to our society as gay marriage, or to make a decision for traditional marriage and vote Yes on Proposition 8.

For comments or questions, feel free to contact me at yk@skyq.com. About the author: Yolanda Knaak is a RN, has a Masters degree from UCLA, and works in home health. She is also an elected member of the Sacramento County Republican Party Central Committee

Archives...