28 June 2012

Crazy Comment Monday: Healthcare Edition!

Bob: Hi, insurance company. I'd like to buy some health insurance.

Insurance company: No. You had cancer when you were 3 years old, and the cancer could come back. We're not selling you health insurance.

Bob: It's not my fault I got cancer when I was three! Besides, that was years ago!

Insurance company: If we sell insurance to you, we'll probably lose money, and we're not doing it.

Bob: But I need insurance more than anyone! My cancer might come back!

Insurance company: We don't care. We're not selling you insurance.

Obama: Hey, that's totally not fair. Bob is right, he does need insurance! Sell Bob some insurance.

Insurance company: If we have to, I guess.

Mary: This is cool. Obama said the insurance company has to sell insurance to anyone who needs it.

Sam: Hey, I have an idea. I'm going to stop paying for health insurance. If I get sick, I can always go buy some insurance then. The insurance company won't be able to say no, because Obama's told them they have to sell it to anyone who needs it!

Dave: that's a great idea! I'm not paying for health insurance either, at least not until I get sick.

Insurance company: Hey! If everyone stops paying for insurance, we'll go bankrupt!

Obama: Oh come on Sam and Dave, that's not fair either.

Dave: I don't care. It saves me money.

Obama: Oh for god's sake. Sam, Dave, you have to keep paying for health insurance, and not wait until you're sick. You too, Mary and Bob.

Mary: But I'm broke! I can't buy insurance! I just don't have any money.

Obama: Mary, show me your piggy bank. Oh, wow, you really are broke. Ok, tell you what. You still have to buy insurance, but I'll help you pay 95% of the cost.

Mary: Thanks for covering that for me!

Doctor: Hey, now that Obama's paying for Mary's doctor bills, we can jack up our rates. Obama's got lots of money!

Obama: Here we go again.

Doctor: No really, medical care is getting more expensive all the time. In fact, it got more expensive about 15 minutes ago. So now our rates our double. Pay up!

Obama: Ok, this is crap. I'm happy to pay for Mary's medicine, but I'm paying a reasonable amount, and that's it.

Glenn Beck: Hey look, Obama's rationing health care!

--excerpted from a pretty neat comments thread on reddit. I amended the cussing.  :)

Summer School Update.

So my tiny blondie boy can apparently take down a kid twice his size on the playground, sit on him, pummel him and rub his face in the dirt.  Here I had missed the school's phone call and was sad for Woodjie yesterday when he got off the bus that his knee was dirty and he didn't get his "lining up nicely after recess" sticker.  Not getting that sticker was really a big deal and Woodjie was pretty sad about it.  He also was telling me about the horror of having a dirty knee, very upsetting.  Not a word about the fight.

The school says "maybe they need to give Woodjie more support on the playground," which is a nice way of saying, "We cannot leave this kid alone for ONE STINKIN' MINUTE or he's going to run off or otherwise cause trouble."  Which.  I agree with.  I live with him. 

I love this little guy very much, but he can't tell us what started it all.  His speech isn't even very understandable to family.  I don't know.  The other kid could have said or done about anything before he got taken down.  Or it could have been a misunderstanding.  Or (unlikely) my kid coulda just decided it would be an interesting challenge to try to bully someone the size of a fifth grader.

I am into the autism acceptance thing and all that but realllly wish I could more fully communicate with Woodjie.  I don't know how to make him completely understand that this is not ok and to get an adult.  Maybe it doesn't matter because now?  He will be under constant supervision anyway.  Which.  I want.  But.  Wish I didn't have to want.

26 June 2012

Adultery is Like an Ice Cream Choice.

Old people were all sexxxy before they got dementia.  So now that they have dementia they should be able to go on with their sexxxy lives!  Just, you know, make sure it's consensual and all and then let Gramma go at it!  Go Grams!

Oh.  She's married?  Well, that's ok.  See, decisions about when and how and with whom to have sex are not serious decisions, like deciding whether to have a surgery.  It's more one of those not-so-serious decisions like what kind of ice cream to have after dinner.  So these old people who have dementia should be able to act out their feelings and whatever and have (ahem) fulfilling lives in the nursing home.  Nevermind that Gramma isn't sure what year it is.  She's horny!

One group of siblings just decided not to tell Mom that Dad was carrying on with some other wrinkly chick in the home she was using their life savings to pay for.  So what if Dad has lost most of his faculties and never would have done that before?  And so what about their marriage?  We need to empower senior living and, you know, the patient choosing when and how to engage in the act and all that.  Plus it's a "fundamental human right" to do the nasty.

I'm serious.

24 June 2012

Here We Go Again...

A ten-year-old is locked in a closet, sitting in her own waste.  She weighs only 32 pounds (!!) and now they want to investigate whether the kid ever went to school.  That's really important; find out how much reading the kid can do and her mathematics grade level.  First thing to think of, right???   I hope they're not investigating this so that they can use it as a political wedge to advocate for tougher homeschooling laws. 

The fact of the matter is, there were plenty of other people who could have said something about this abuse but didn't.  Like the children's hospital little "LP" visited in 2006 when she was five.  She was only 26 pounds then.  26.  Hello, my eight-month-olds were about that size.  Don't even say she's small for her age... 26 pounds?  Means starvation or chemo.  You pick.  

Why didn't they call?

And another question.  Yes, I'm going there.  Bet you this family was on Medicaid.  No problem for the kid not to see the doctor for years?  No checkups?  I mean, I'm paying taxes for people like this to see the doctor, so does no one look ever over those papers and say, "This kid hasn't seen a physician according to our records in five years?"  Really?  "Go to the doctor once a year" is not too much to ask, is it?

And the neighbours interviewed on other websites look like normal people who had NO CLUE this girl was in the apartment.  I don't know what to make of it all.  How could it happen?

The article goes on and on about how if you even sorta kinda maybe maybe maybe think there is abuse going on, just go ahead and call the social worker pitbulls in and you could save a life!  This message brought to you by the brilliant people in Jackson County, where this-all took place.  Of course.  Because usually Jackson County is a really swanky area and it doesn't have enough serious child abuse cases to deal with.  They need to start investigating the "I sorta think somebody might be abused because I just have a bad feeling" variety of reports now for kicks. 

I'm sorry.  How about we just report the OBVIOUS child abuse cases?  Huh?  And what is wrong with the lady's "boyfriend" that some kid is in a closet for maybe days on end and he doesn't report that?  Or he just thinks she's confined to her room because she's in trouble?  What, for days or weeks? 

And the kids.  Come on, eight-year-olds can talk.  They have at least some common sense.  By now they have to realize "Mom locks my sister in a closet like a rabid animal" is not so normal.  No report?

SO who reported this chick?  HOW did "anonymous" find out there was a child trapped in the closet?  And seriously, why didn't they try to do something THAT MINUTE?  Because if I were a repairguy or something, I'd be opening the closet with one hand and calling the cops with the other.  No way I'd wait around and give a "tip."  Crazy people.

Can you imagine a child that old at 32 pounds at ten years old, what they did to her?  It gets me angry to think on.  I have a ten-year-old myself.  He now weighs 103 pounds and that's the low end of normal.  Emperor grew out of his 4Ts when he was something around 12 months old.  Normal year-old babies are about 32 pounds, not ten-year-olds.

One way or another, this kid is likely messed up for life. I'm thinking of all the things my ten-year-old can do, all the places he's been, all the friends he has and... I just can't imagine what life was like for this little girl.  Somebody's butt should be on a platter, and this has zero to do with homeschooling, or not homeschooling, or much of anything except maybe (and I'm conjecturing here) meth.  Yeah.  Look at this.  And then look at the mugshot of the mom and tell me what you think.

A Short Post.

Rose will not eat bagels without flowers.
I'm writing this post instead of doing housework.  Guess it will be a short one!  The weather here has turned hot and muggy, so not much outdoor work gets done.  I've found that we're not even really keeping up with the large trees growing everywhere in the fence and bushes, let alone going for that manicured look.  Oh well.

We also have new neighbours.  I've only seen them briefly, but it doesn't look like the contractor/house flipper I was afraid would buy the house (and rent it to partying losers) or the couple with the "14 kids crawling all over the place" my neighbour feared.  Young couple.  Maybe a kid, I forget.  Hopefully they don't drink or like music of any kind.  And they don't have friends who come over and make noise.  Pray for hermits who like home improvement projects.  Thanks.

Continued prayers are appreciated for Patrick.  He never did take the crazy "walk across town, work all night, and walk all the way home" job for minimum wage everyone on earth begged him not to get.  The deal is, two applications a day.  He has a year from graduation date to get his "stuff" together and find a full-time job or a college home.  We're not supporting him indefinitely.  Also?  Nothing is stopping him from putting in four applications, or six, or getting on the phone and begging people for a job.  Or getting a haircut (Mom will even pay).  Long story short, I'm grateful he's not walking across town, but I'd really, really like some peace in this area.  Thanks.

Lastly, what is wrong with my kid?  Rose colours INSIDE THE LINES.  I have never, never seen any of my children do this.  And I never taught her to do this.  D fears we are raising a little conformist.  I really don't think so:

No, I am not feeding my kid acid.




22 June 2012

That New Car Look!

Our new 2012 Ford Fusion!  Fresh off the lot.  New car smell.  It's a weird car and when you press on the brakes the car STOPS.  Last car?  You had to jump on those brakes and leave half a mile clearance (slight exaggeration but yeah).  Yep, the 2001 Taurus we bought new from the same dealership bit the dust after a bit over 130,000 miles.  Guys at the dealership KNEW we were having problems with it and still gave us $1500 on a trade in.  Twelve-year-old car.  Over 130,000 miles.  $1500.  Oh seriously, used cars must be really pricey if they're gonna do that.  Maybe they were hoping to make up their losses on the new car purchase? 

When I brought the Fusion to my agent to be inspected and insured, he was in awe of the paperwork.  D got a really, really good deal on it from Very Bossley Ford.  About $6,000 under sticker price, and weird financing in which the "incentives" mean we really aren't paying any interest at all.  Over a 60 month period.  I don't know why they let him do that.  Our agent said seriously, D should help people buy cars as a part-time job.  He is that good.  I made sure to stay home during the entire purchase process because I do NOT want to be the one the salesguy looks at to "convince" D of anything and/or the one who is manipulated into getting emotionally attached to a car.  D investigates prices, models, etc. and even which cars are on which lots before he walks in.  He walks out and gets followed, not sure if I don't want to just take the old car home, the whole drama thing.  Whatever.  He took the day off to play this game and I'm just glad it is over.

D cleaned out his car and brought home bags and boxes FULL of mostly useless stuff.  Going to the curb next week:  12-year-old car seat.

Also going to the curb:  D's fave ice scraper.  I'm thinking it's just time.  D has already loaded his Slim Dusty CD into the vehicle and I have preprogrammed the hits of the 80's Sirius radio station to the dashboard.  Hey, going to use every day of the 6-month "free trial."  Martha Quinn, Nina Blackwood and all your 1980's V-Jays (they were called that before people said V-jay jay ok??) from Mtv are on.

21 June 2012

Bad Parenting? Or Bad Schools?

** I couldn't watch more than 30 seconds when it popped up on my facebook feed.  A school bus aide is taunted and bullied until she's left in tears.  Read the article and see the video here.
"That is what happens when you let kids socialize kids in a school system that is dedicated to the notion that truth is relative," wrote Michael Farris on HSLDA's facebook page. "The formal definition of socialization is passing the values of society from one generation to the next. These kids should be listening to this woman for her wisdom. Instead, they abuse her in the extreme. Who wants their kids socialized in THAT atmosphere?" 
 Okayyy, Mr. Farris.  So.  What if I had a video of the young men who used the church TV/VCR rolly cart combo to watch pornos a few years back at the church up the street?  Would it be a fair deduction for me to post it and say that the socialization one gets in church is bad and "who wants their kids socialized in THAT atmosphere?" rather than going, "R***** Church stinks!  They really aren't watching their kids very well there!"   
The kids on this bus should be punished, and really more than that, the first person to act out should have been handed a consequence right there.  Allowing the aide to be verbally abused simply emboldened the other students to think of more harsh words and cross the line into physical abuse.  I submit to you that the problem should be dealt with by the parents, the police and guess what?  The SCHOOL.  I firmly believe the school is NOT the parent of these children, and it does NOT teach religious values.  It doesn't follow that the school can't set consequences for socially unacceptable and harassing behaviour, however.
Everyone should be ashamed of this video, really.  I notice at least there is no blustering about the "no video recording on school property" at least.  Maybe the school will take this seriously.
 

19 June 2012

Geometry!

 We're sticking with Teaching Textbooks this year for Emperor's Geometry.  Teaching Textbooks curriculum comes with computer discs for viewing lessons and problem solutions.  Unlike many traditional textbooks, EVERY problem is fully explained thoroughly. The answer key contains reproducible tests, so if you keep the key away from the child, he won't see his test before he takes it just like "real school."  I make him write all his answers in a notebook each day so that I can save the textbooks for the next child who might need them.  Our Algebra textbooks just got tucked away last week.  :)

Social Studies 2012 - 2013

One unique thing about The Story of the World series is that each book in the series has a higher reading level than the last, and so it can be used as a nice backbone for elementary through early middle school social studies learning.  We've already completed the Ancient Times volume, covering prehistory through the Roman Empire. And then we took nearly a year to study the Roman Empire at its zenith.  This year, we're delving into the second SOTW volume on the Middle Ages.

I've bought the test and the activity books that go with it.  It's great to have projects to do and further reading ideas, but wow.  If I do a tenth of what's listed in there... well, who are we kidding... no way I'm even getting to a tenth of it.  It would take years.  So if I wanted to, I could return to the same volume and have Emperor study it on a higher level, with additional reading projects and book reports and the like.

Another thing I enjoy very much about this series is that it doesn't look at world history as happening almost entirely in Europe until suddenly *zing* settlers appear in the New World.  It includes chapters on the Aborigines of Australia and the Maori of New Zealand, the first people of North America, happenings in India and Africa, and so on.

I also have invested in Kingfisher's History Encyclopedia and I can easily see myself handing this book over to Emperor often and asking him to just look at it.  The pictures in it are of very good quality and that is the ONE thing that SOTW lacks.  All of its pictures are simple line maps and drawings. 




American Schools are NOT Declining!

In fact, they're just the same as always, really.  Getting better teachers and changing the curriculum won't do jack diddly.  It's been done before in the 1960's, so might as well forget it unless you're willing to actually spend more money on teachers AND make children actually practice their math and science more.  In other countries, failure is perceived not as a lack of aptitude, but of effort.

I'm not sure that I agree with many of the premises of this article, and I've only outlined a couple here.  It seems to me that the "new" or "fuzzy" math is actually quite harmful, especially to boys.  We've gone from "Add 3 +2" to "Write a number story about 3 +2."  My homeschooling child is actually quite advanced in math, but I think he'd FAIL these classes.  You could pay his teacher a billion dollars and he'd still fail if that sort of curriculum is used.

Though I can't say that I necessarily agree with others, especially in the homeschooling community, that we should just dig up some textbooks from 1842 and use those instead.  You know the type.  Everything after about 1909 is just morally bad.  Colonial or prairie settings in every book and good, wholesome plotlines involving dinner buckets and spotted cows abound.

Meh.

17 June 2012

A Hairy Post.

He had to bend down so I could take his picture.
G has exactly the sort of hair I'd always wanted.  Ring-y curls all over the place.  The kind of hair  that I paid $60 to perm (and this was back in the 1980's) to get.  The kind that he hates.

Judging from the way everyone treats him, I guess I don't blame him.  Strangers - even old ladies! - ask to touch his hair.  I've heard a lot of racial remarks, too, about his "Afro."  I'm really not sure whether to be insulted or mad that here people are dragging race into my kid's hairdo.  He has tried using a straightener before but literally he would look like some London Guard wearing his hat without the funky chinstrap.

I like his hair.  But it weirds me out that SO MANY otherwise NORMAL people feel compelled to touch his hair and talk about it.  I think maybe G should set up a booth with "Your Hair Questions Answered!  $1/minute" in the front yard.  Who needs a summer job if he gets a steady business, right?

PS.  Ironically, he is very shy and I paid him $2 for the ability to do this post.  :)

15 June 2012

!! Overwhelmed!!

I'm looking at all the stuff I have lined up for Emperor to get done next year and I'm thinking it won't all get finished.  I'm scared to death that there is no way that this huge pile of books on my shelf is going to get read through, that all the science the kid needs to get into his brain is going to make it there, and Latin?  Is he even going to have time to crack that book?

Instead of having that happy "new pencil and notebook" feeling each summer, I get anxious. Why?  We've faced some tremendous challenges as a family during these past two years and still most of the schoolwork is done by February. 

How far ahead does my child have to get before I can feel I can relax and slack off a little?  How can you tell whether your concern is disproportionate?  Because I know people who (in my opinion) slack of tooooo much and their children suffer for it.  Then again, I also am good friends with a mom who literally blocks out her kids' days in fifteen minute increments - I mean every waking hour! - and the children don't seem the least overanxious.  

One thing I've noticed is that when things are really awful in one area of my life, that I find myself getting into "organization" mode in homeschool.  Especially if I know I'm going to be down for a while.  When I got my hernia surgery last year, I knew I'd be hepped up on drugs for almost a month (really).  So.  I sorta had to over-rely on worksheet centered stuff and "here is a book" sort of learning experiences for a bit.  I was too loopy to even discuss a plotline for a while there.

Do you know what?  Some of the best learning happens from "here is a book."   I wouldn't structure my child's entire education around it, but I think I'm going to just pick a few weeks and do that sort of thing later on this coming school year.  I think it's one of Emperor's favourite homeschool times as well.

11 June 2012

Sex Offender on School Board!

It's a distinct possibility.  Usually I say it really doesn't matter who is on the school board because the feds are going to ramrod so much junk through that the board just decides what the school colours and mascot are gonna be when the next elementary is built.  But I'll make an exception to my nonchalance in this case.

Maybe I'm just unforgiving or whatever.  It isn't like he's likely to molest bunches of kids right at the school whilst doing school board stuff, you know?  But then again... just why is someone who has trouble keeping his hands off kids running for the school board.  He can't channel those altruistic feelings into litter cleanup or serving food at a food bank?  Just why?   

08 June 2012

You're Not Special

David McCullough Jr. recently told graduates that they are not special.  His speech is reprinted here.

And you know, objectively speaking, the speech is not that awful.  Basically this guy is telling the graduates that they are not all that and a bag of chips.  Plenty of other people are graduating from great schools.  Plenty of other people have achieved what you have and so much more.  Get over yourselves and do something kind for others because the way we are measuring achievement individually is not really what we want to see reflected in society at large.

I think he's rude to say these things during what should be a joyous event for these young men and women, though. 

Only imagine if I went to some guy's fancy birthday party and were asked to give a speech about the honouree in front of his entire family and all his friends.

"Franco is a really great guy," I'd say, "but he isn't special."

"There are six billion other people on this planet, and millions of other people have a birthday on this very day.  My advice to Franco would be to direct the rest of his life toward serving others and consider moving to Guatemala to open a hospital.  I mean, his being average and all means there are at least three billion people just as nice as he is, but here we're all sitting around and eating cake and exchanging Hallmark cards at $5 each as though he really accomplished something besides getting another year older."

And then... imagine I published my speech in the Boston Herald and got accolades for it.  You see my point, right?

Sorry.  I can't say his message is wrong, exactly, but it seems very out of place. Graduation is to be a celebration honouring graduates, most of whom have just spent 13 years in the system.  Let them feel special for a few hours.  Good grief.

07 June 2012

Prison or School? You Decide.

How would you like your kid to ride a prison bus to school?  Can you imagine anyone thinks this is a good thing?  I don't care if 75% of all inmates are high school dropouts.  What percentage of violent criminals are high school dropouts?  Because those are the people I'm scared of. 

Does the level of criminal activity actually decrease with an increase in education, or do people get better at hiding their crimes with more education/ access to CSI episodes?  Or do they just have money for a better attorney, thus not having to become an inmate at all?

Seems like a bullying form of coercion, painting a bus like that and implying that your little Greggie will get 20 to life if you let him stay home and play WarCraft or sleep in this morning.

By the way, there are now prison reviews online and you can compare your fave places to stay with the experiences of others.  Excerpt from a five star review of the Alameda County Santa Rita Jail:

"First off, you don't even need a ride here.  They pick you up from anywhere in the county.  Sometimes they even get you out of bed and bring you and its all free of charge.

"Upon arrival you will be relieves of your belt, your shoe laces or any other thing you can kill yourself with.  but don't worry, you can kill yourself with all that stuff when you get out.  You will get it all back."

 Classy.

06 June 2012

Door-to-Door School Harassment

Natomas Unified School District (CA) officials went with the news media door-to-door looking for "truants" and trying to force vaccinations on the spot.  Just imagine yourself at home, thinking the guy at your door is some salesman or something, and answering to find a camera in your face, your personal information being read aloud, and being grilled about your child's medical history.

One mom, who actually reacted about as nicely as could be expected under such a circumstance, is suing the school district.  Her daughter, Cayleh Morrison, was described on camera as needing the whooping cough vaccination and being out of compliance with the law.  No such legal obligation exists, as the family could opt out at any time. 

Of course, this was not stated on the broadcast.  We all know schools and medical professionals are generally INTENTIONALLY DECEPTIVE on this count.  I can't tell you of even one time that I've been given full disclosure of my rights NOT to vaccinate my children by school or medical people.  You have to somehow already know this.  I think the lying needs to stop if the schools/medical folks want the trust to start.

This is not OK.  None of the families of unvaccinated or "truant" students should have had their homes and personal data broadcast for the world to see (and for all eternity, really, via the wonders of the internet).

California has a serious whooping cough epidemic.  It isn't going to be solved this way.  By all means exclude unvaccinated children from public school during an outbreak if you feel you must.  If the kids' health is THAT important to you, and you realllly think vaccination works so well and that unvaxed kids carry cooties by their very nature, you'll be ok with losing that state funding for the day. 

Whatever. 

My take on it is that sick people spread stuff and we should REALLY come down hard on parents sending sick kids to school intentionally.  (We've all seen this.  Though I know sometimes the kids start getting sick at school and there's no helping that.) 

I think making families that don't vaccinate the enemy is unhelpful at best.  It makes people who don't want to vaccinate feel persecuted and form their own groups, support systems and information lines.  This cuts off any communication the medical community might have had with these families.  I also think that the medical folks need to realize that when parents flip out and say there are too many shots, maybe that's the time to push JUST the DtaP if that's what's going around, rather than push too hard and maybe see none done that day and/or win that day's battle, but find the parents are now playing herbal remedies when the kid gets appendicitis because that's more "natural" than surgery.  (I exaggerate only slightly.)

I'm biased in favour of personal choice, knowing that vaccines can be a net good societally but do not always work.  I also have vaccinated all my children against whooping cough (what, are the vaccines going to make the kids autistic twice?) and would encourage you do do the same. 

Good grief, but not this way.  I hope that mom wins a boodle of money and a court-ordered apology from the school district, to be posted at the upper right portion of its website, for one full school year.

05 June 2012

A Picture Post!

This was Patrick's "ghetto racket."  He bought it (in better condition) at a thrift store for $3 and was too cheap to spend his money on a new one.  His team-mates kinda made fun of him for it.  I finally bought him a new one, but everyone remembers Patrick as the "ghetto racket" guy.

Elf got a magazine from Hy-Vee grocery store in the mail and tried their strawberry-banana recipe.  He added a bit of topping as well.

"Aaaaaaammmm!"  Too bad the pic does not have sound effects.  It's part of the whole dessert experience.  Elf demanded I take this photograph and share it with you.

Woodjie's first day of kindergarten/summer school was Monday!  Woodjie is now a SHARK because that's the mascot of this elementary school  He is in their "integrate the disabled kids and hopefully not spend any money on them next year" program.  Ok, it has a nicer name than that.   But hopefully he does well!  I have no idea... there are no notes home in elementary.  I suppose I will call his teacher in a couple weeks and say "hi!" after the class is well-established.

Miss Rose is Vogue-ing a shirt I lengthened with a bit of fabric.  The pic doesn't do it justice; the shirt flares everywhere as she walks about and is really quite cute.

I hemmed in/made narrower a medium T-shirt I bought at the thrift store for a dollar.  I'm thinking to make the shirt more "dress" like that I will need a ruffle or something at the bottom.  Or.  With a little less smiling and the right footwear she can just be Emo.

04 June 2012

Assorted Thoughts

It's not enough to encourage your kid to do things for himself.  You have to be a free range parent, see?  And you're a homeschooler? Yawn. What we need parents to be goes beyond even your regular no-rules unschooling because it begins in infancy. It's called Elimination Communication or "undiapering." Crap you not (ha ha).  Eventually your child will decide on his own to use the toilet, but meanwhile, do not coerce or bribe your child.  Don't get all judge-y because that would be wrong or stifle his creativity or something.  Just think of it as a four-year-long game of "Hide the Nugget."

I do not want to share an apartment with these people, thankyouverymuch.

**

An earlier version of this story had the bookstore refusing to discuss the incident.  But basically, some old man is wandering about the kids' section and is asked to leave.  The new version of the story specifies that he is a doctor of some kind; the old simply stated he had EGYPTIAN descent.  The new story?  Leaves that fact out!!  Hm.  Ok, so what is the real story?  Was he taking too long browsing, and it creeped the mommies out that he might actually speak to their toddlers? Was he acting weird?  Was the clerk overly frightened of old Muslim guys who are interested in board books?  What gives?

Stories like this make me want to call the bookstore and Mr. Amin myself and figure out the mystery.  Except I have lots of other things to do with my day.  One of them is not googling "Shanghai Composite Index," reading the numbers backwards, and making my own political implications based on the numbers.  And seriously.  The Chinese government is spending time and money blocking their own citizens from seeing this?  Just whyy and do they really not have anything else to do?  

This makes me wonder what is being blocked HERE in America, but I'm too lazy to spew out odd terms and then read stuff backwards and make stuff up and then get upset that it's blocked after I got a billion of my friends to also read it backwards and think about stuff that happened over 20 years ago. 

Maybe if I wanted some excitement I could just say, "Pork team exercise snow China flu!" and see how much attention I get from my good friends at the government.  Really!  Welcome, Department of Homeland Security readers!  Be sure to click the "follow" tab on the side of the blog so you are sure to never miss an update.  Enjoy your visit!  :)

Best Childhood: Home or Hospital?



******** I have to conclude that people just don't understand the situation, because otherwise, I'd have to conclude that people are pretty heartless and would like to force families to part with the children they could otherwise care for in their own homes with help. Here's the deal: you're going to pay for these "medically fragile" children anyway. The state will pay once parents have exhausted their resources and institutionalized their kids. But it's cheaper - and more humane - to keep these children with their families and spend some money on home care. I'm thinking that Republicans should go for this because it's all about families staying together and the state not raising kids, and Democrats should be happy about it because it's all about helping people who really cannot do for themselves. I know many of our states are facing budget shortfalls, but we shouldn't be balancing our budgets on the backs of the disabled. For more direct information on the MFTD waiver and how you can help, click here.

02 June 2012

My Little Ponies

Rose is very, very happy that Woodjie and I found these ponies at our local thrift store.  They each have different names, personalities, and hairdos.  :)

Bringing Garbage Home

Some people up the street were throwing this table away. It was in pretty bad shape and one of the legs was off. I've glued the leg back...