Simi Valley Soap Box

Military Family Appreciation Day

Put it on your calendar and RSVP. See the flyer for details.

posted by Paul Coambs @ 5:32 PM 0 comments

Simi Valley Days Are Here

Go to Simi Valley Days for all the particulars.

posted by Paul Coambs @ 5:24 PM 0 comments

Blue Star Mothers in Simi Valley

Chapter 8 of the Blue Star Mothers were at the Simi Valley Wal-Mart on Saturday and they will be there on Sun between 10 AM to 4 PM.

From the Ventura County Star,

Blue Star Mothers evolved out of the World war I practice of displaying a Blue Star flag in the windows of homes where loved ones were serving in the war. The practice continues today. Blue Star Mothers conduct packaging events and letter-writing campaigns, attend memorials and visit veterans hospitals.

Chapter 8 has monthly meetings at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month. For more information, call Mary Richardson- Pettit at 646-2827, or e-mail vcbluestarmoms@earthlink.net.

Also, see my blog on the Blue Star Mothers in the Simi Valley Sophist.

posted by Paul Coambs @ 11:41 PM 0 comments

Team Simi Night At the SV Hudson’s Grill

Team Simi, that great group of ladies training and raising funds for the San Diego 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk, is holding a fund raiser at Hudson’s Grill, 2900 Cochran, Simi Valley, on Monday, 8/29/05, from 5-9 P.M. Read about it here and here.

Update: There was a good turnout. One waitress explained that normally she does not work on Monday night. She donated her night's tips, $31.00. That's great. Thanks for the support everyone.

posted by Paul Coambs @ 11:12 AM 0 comments

Local Commercial Burglary Arrests

See my Simi Valley Sophist blog, Welcome to America, Now Please Rip Us Off.

posted by Paul Coambs @ 10:16 PM 0 comments

Ronald Reagan Library Sacks Docents

The Ronald Reagan Library has an active docent program. Each docent, normally a senior citizen, volunteers his or her time to make the library an enjoyable experience for the library’s multitudes of visitors. The docents are always well groomed and polite to a fault. They are giving back to their community and doing something very important for their own health and welfare. Their volunteer job provides them with an important avenue to stay connected and active. These people, often well advanced in years, are not whiling away their years in non-productivity. The docent program is, therefore, a symbiotic relationship wherein both the library and the docent are benefited.

Now comes the question; what is the library to do when a docent is no longer cutting the mustard? The Library’s solution is a retirement with an “emeritus” status.

Twenty-seven docents at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum received letters, dated July 19, saying they've reached docent emeritus status, which, aside from exempting them from annual membership dues, also releases them from the most coveted work for a docent: conducting tours. These 27 docents will not lead tours of the new Air Force One Pavilion, scheduled to open this fall.

Some of the pink-slipped docents are angry and feel that they have been discriminated against on the basis of age. A library spokesperson responds:

"It has absolutely nothing to do with age," said Kirby Hanson, director of business development, who was the creator of the new emeritus program. "It's our responsibility to improve the volunteer program. The eyes of the world are on the Reagan Library.

"We could have dismissed them, but we didn't want to dismiss them," Hanson said. Each of the docents had served at least five years, she said. Most of them were in their 70s, but one was the youngest docent, Hanson said.

Hanson said evaluations have been conducted throughout the year, but six docents contacted by The Star said none of them was given an in-person evaluation.

All of this controversy has apparently resulted in some docents meeting and discussing things. A letter to all docents reveals that Duke Blackwood, executive director of the library, has opted to use a nuclear option:

The letter was written in response, as he said, to some "rumormongering," accusations and secret meetings among some of the volunteers, and aimed to stop any negative behavior.

"Because of the actions of the select few, I have been forced to take a swift and decisive action. PLEASE NOTE: If I learn of detrimental behavior, I will personally confront the individual(s). If I deem them a negative influence on the volunteer organization of the Library I will exercise my authority to remove those individuals immediately. This behavior will not be tolerated."

That’s pretty tough talk. I would say the docents have been fairly warned. Free speech is suspended upon admission to the docent program.

posted by Paul Coambs @ 10:32 AM 0 comments

Michael Clark Was Remembered

See my posting in the Simi Valley Sophist on the remembrance of the death of SVPD Ofc. Michael Clark.

posted by Paul Coambs @ 10:41 AM 0 comments

"Make no mistake about it, we are at war."

Pres. Bush and some of his advisors seem to be at odds over the nuances about what it is we are actually doing in response the attacks upon this country. Ever since 9/11/01, Pres. Bush has said that we are in a war against terrorism. That is technically not correct since terrorism is an act and you can’t go to war against an act. You can only go to war with an entity, a people or a country. This nuance is not lost on the President,

“Mr. Bush made a nod to the criticism that "war on terror" was a misleading phrase in the sense that the enemy is not terrorism…”

“"Make no mistake about it, this is a war against people who profess an ideology, and they use terror as a means to achieve their objectives,"…”

I was criticized in a previous blog when a writer thought that I did not know what constituted a war. For the edification of my reader:

Merriam-Webster: War Defined:
“Etymology: Middle English werre, from Old North French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German werra strife; akin to Old High German werran to confuse1 a (1) : a state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between states or nations (2) : a period of such armed conflict (3) : STATE OF WAR b : the art or science of warfare c (1) obsolete : weapons and equipment for war (2) archaic : soldiers armed and equipped for war2 a : a state of hostility, conflict, or antagonism b : a struggle or competition between opposing forces or for a particular end…”

Since war is an act directed toward people, let’s say it as it is. We are in a war against Islamo-fascism. The President knows this,

“"Make no mistake about it, this is a war against people who profess an ideology, and they use terror as a means to achieve their objectives,"…”

This is not a war against the Islam that is practiced as a peaceful religion, despite the Koran’s aggressive language. What the President needs to say openly and clearly is that we are at war with Islamo-fascism. Make no bones about it. State it as it is.

posted by Paul Coambs @ 5:01 AM 0 comments

SV Officer Murdered 10 Years Ago

Today is the anniversary of the death of Ofc. Michael F. Clark. Here is the link to the Simi Valley Sophist story.

posted by Paul Coambs @ 4:23 AM 0 comments