The inquest began with Judge Valeriano Saucedo taking the stand in his own defense. Initial questioning centered around his background, and emphasized his many friends, family and colleagues who obviously care for and respect the man. Interwoven with Saucedo’s career is a particular thread of affirmative action against “whites” which predominates much of his path to the bench. As a child of migrant farm laborers, he […]
I’m writing this on my birthday–the 52nd–and it feels the most portentous yet. Twenty-one bounced off, for instance, and turning 40 was meaningless. It is not that I dread a beckoning mortality, or even feel–in fact–that it is approaching. As I have said before, there have been days when death has seemed the attractive option. Neither is it the […]
The famous question, posed in song, asks, “What will we do with the drunken sailor?” Apparently, there are only four acceptable options: The crew could “shave his belly with a rusty razor”–which sounds distinctly unpleasant–or, much more agreeably, “put him in a longboat till he’s sober.” The sailor, presumably, would sleep it off there. But […]
The recent coverage of the emerging problems inside Tulare County Animal Control (TCAC) is of public interest, where it resurrects issues significantly impacting county residents–particularly disabled persons relying upon service or support animals. From the November 20, 2014 Valley Voice article, “Tulare County Sued by Former Animal Control Employees”: “In 2013, Animal Control took in […]
Founded in 2008, the Tulare & Kings Counties Chapter of PFLAG continues to serve the parents, families, friends, and supporters of the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning) community in Tulare and Kings Counties. From its founding in New York City in 1972 by Jeanne Manford, a mother determined to support her gay son, […]
Dear Friends, Democratic commissioners on the FCC have adopted net neutrality rules, which will allow the FCC to regulate Internet Service Providers as public utilities. It’s hard to see the need for this action, since the Internet has been thriving without these regulations. Furthermore, these rules may stifle innovation and could be exploited to ram […]
California offers many benefits to its veterans. The College Fee Waiver Program offers children and dependents of service-connected disabled or service-related deceased veterans a waiver of tuition fees for California Universities, and State and Community Colleges. Benefits are awarded on an “academic year” basis, and are based on the student’s income. Students are required to […]
Back when I was a kid, at about the time one first reads the likes of Hemingway, I became aware not of the Spanish Civil War–that was old hat–but the idea that foreigners would actually migrate to fight in it. I knew that Germany used the conflict as a proving ground, of sorts, for its […]
I am more than perturbed by the fact that vaccinations–which in my childhood were not only free, but compulsory, and conveniently administered at school–are now something of a political hot potato, particularly for those on the right. Don’t get me wrong. There are liberal enclaves where the vaccination rates are not as high as they […]
In order to be eligible for benefits from the VA, a veteran must meet minimum active duty service requirements. For most veterans this means 24 months of continuous active duty. Non-duty periods that are considered excludable are not considered as a break in service for continuity purposes but are to be subtracted from total time […]