Rocket Science

I've watched A LOT of kids in my time.

My first full time job, besides little baby sitting jobs here and there, was watching a 6 month old all summer. I was 13.

I look back at that sweet baby, and those poor parents, who had to hire me, and hope they're all doing well today.

This I know is true.
Babies are tiny people.

FUCKING ROCKET SCIENCE

A study came out a year ago, saying talking to babies will increase their intelligence. That's nice. That's great, actually. Why the fuck did this take so long? Who does these studies? Helen Keller?

When you meet a baby, if you get right down to their level and make eye contact, they will engage with you.
Talk to them.
AND
Talk back to them, when they "talk" to you.
Have a glorious (yet, maybe private) babble gab fest with the tike. They frickin' love it. You are speaking their language!! They may look at you like, "Great, Dad/Mom's an idiot." But soon enough they'll catch on and be ready to dish!!

When they get a little older, you know, sitting up in that petri dish called a grocery cart, they are ready for the action! Tell them what you are buying and what you will be doing with that. Tell them about the looney behind the register and have a good laugh! Let them put in their toothless two cents.

Meet the babies you run into. I see dinky people,... they're everywhere. They're NOT Scary. Talk to them.
Look those little blobs of joy in the eyes and say hello.

Say hello to their parents too, they probably need a little engagement themselves.

I know, groundbreaking.
Sadly, it kinda is. It definitely should NOT be anymore!

Seriously,

FUCKING Duh,
It's NOT rocket science.

Some Food is Racist

I do not define my culture with food.
AND
That sucks.

I didn't grow up in a tight knit community that came together to enjoy community, love, and food.

We had two meals annually as a family. Together.

These moments will forever be in my memory as the times we came together and enjoyed our little home community, love (and some INSANE fights), and food.

I can't eat turkey or ham without thinking about those people I grew up with.

I don't have culture, but I have created it.

The summer means my potato salad. The first sign of fall is a hearty bowl of my famous soup! Winter means leftover sheppards pie. The spring is the second coming of lamb, we usually have it once in the winter too.
I have peppered other food traditions throughout our lives, to create what I no longer have.

I don't understand why any culture would stop this because their food is racist? You wont eat or advertise eating certain foods from your community? Made with love? Delicious food? I can't even mention making it for you for all the same reasons. If I do, I am racist?

That sucks.

I hope if anybody wants to acknowledge and celebrate my food with me, I will celebrate and enjoy with them. I would happily reciprocate.
I WOULD!

I can't.

I can't, because some food is racist, and I am not.

Sorry.

Peaches? It's What for Dinner.

Growing up, mom worked at Campbell's Soup.
Sometimes she would bring home a box of unmarked cans.
They were a mistake or lost their label so mom could buy these super cheap.
This was NOT our favorite way to eat a meal.
Mom stopped doing it soon enough though, Cheap as it was,
NOBODY wants a bad surprise at dinner.

Without the labels we would have no idea what was inside.

Cans need labels.

What about people?

Labels on people are bad, because we can communicate with them.

We can find out what's inside, by reaching out and having a conversation.

What if we can't find out what's inside?

Are labels ever good?

I think good or bad, they're necessary.

I go out into the world, knowing I have to wear a label.
When I go out, looking like I Forgot there is a public, I expect people to respond to me as such.
Homeless? Lazy? No Job? Why does she look like she does not belong anywhere?

So then there is the debate about wearing certain types of clothing.
People want to yell from the fences how it isn't right to judge a book by it's cover.

Your cover is not your skin. Your cover, your label is what you put on. You're telling people what is inside.

If you look scary, or like you don't care,
I'm gonna put you in the damaged cans box,
I really don't want anything to do with you.

You might ruin my dinner

Pork for Lunch

It's been said over and over. Why don't we pay teachers what we pay pro-ballers? We should.
The counter argument is always, we live in a capitalist society. The demand is great enough for pro sports that people will PAY to go see these pro-ballers play.
Or is it?

How many Pro games did you go to last year?

Did you send a kid to school?

How does your budget work?

I didn't go to any pro games in 2014.
I sent 2 kids to school last year, yes I paid for parts of their education.
My budget works like this:
I pay all the stuff I have to pay first, i.e. bills, mortgage, education, and food. I, then, use what is left for extracurricular, i.e. sports and fun.

Your government sees it different.

The government spends YOUR money on extracurricular and forgets to pay the education bill!

How many schools in your city have closed down, lost funding, no longer have extracurricular activities (NO SPORTS for them!! Ha Ha, good one government!), or are just out and out CRAPPY!

BUT, just think of ALL the revenue you're getting from that dazzling arena!!

Pro Stadiums bring in construction jobs, and visitor money, and tax dollars, AND it is OWNED BY YOU!!
Hmm, owned by me. I DO LOVE MY BOX SEAT!! ... Fuck you, do you really think I am THAT stupid.
I may be, I was educated in California, after all.

What does lack of schooling bring in?
Lack of schooling brings in construction jobs too!!
Construction of new prisons.

They bring in visitor money!!
NOT just visitors, we get both locals and Visitors selling sex, drugs, and crime! Bonus! (sarcasm, duh)

Lack of education brings in tax dollars!!
Um, no, not really.

Education is OWNED by you. Well, no. Your tax dollars count, as long as you live in a great school district. You will pay MUCH HIGHER property tax (you can afford it, right?) If you can't afford it, well, tough shit!

I have battled a lack of education my whole life. I was NEVER diagnosed with dyslexia. I graduated (although late) high school with a 6th grade education. I have family members who are keeping the streets and prison cells warm.
They have never seen the inside of a box seat.

How about your kid? Does it matter?

Well EVEN if it does, YOU DON'T GET TO SAY SHIT.
That's right, we (the MONEY, aka, the taxpayer) does not get to VOTE!! NOPE, not in this "democracy".

Your tax dollars are "added on" to other bills, it's called PORK.

What is PORK (or pork barrel)?
 - A bill or project requiring considerable government spending in a locality to the benefit of the legislators constituents.
 Let's break that down.
It's an ADDITIONAL, LARGE, FEE your politicians ADD (WITHOUT A VOTE) to another bill, that they KNOW WILL PASS, that funds a project they deem neccessary.

That's good. Wait, what?
My Democracy is NOT a democracy?

Somebody else is sitting in my box seat?

But hey, we ALL want this right?

I say NO NO NO
Give us education...

let the politicians and pro franchise owners and proballers EAT PORK!!


change.org

cato.org

Jonathan Kozol (Education Hero!)

StartSTOP

Pro/Con Sacramento
Pro/Con Sacramento (very slanted PRO) get a good laugh here


Kansas City

thinkprogress.org