Tell Tell Tales

At school, they had a butterfly farm and let the butterflies free this week. The egg, the caterpillar the chrysalis and the butterfly. When they let the butterflies out Cutie's words of advice was "Be careful of the cars.

That brings me to Snow White. I understand where the story comes from. It's not that the mother is so vain she wants to be the fairest in the land. It's just that she would like to stop entertaining Snow White every moment of the day. (they didn't have computers back then) She never had time to take a shower or blow dry her hair. You'd think if she was the Queen, they would have had nannies.

Cutie's Brilliance

Cutie was playing a makeup and dressup computer game. First she had to select her model. She said "mommy why aren't their any children in school with brown skin?". I let that one slide. She picked the brown skin model.

I hope there are brown skin children in summer camp.

Happy Mothers Day - Whatever

As you fair readers know I'm not a fan of holidays. Today is no different. Who cares?

My mom watched cutie last night. I showed up at 10pm to sleep over as well.

In the morning my mom and I had an annoyance moment. You know - when you want to do something your way and the other person wants to do it theirs. Among friends it's easy to adjust. With moms - it's like you are talking a different language. Cutie said "grandma why don't you listen to mommy?". Now that was a precious moment.

Cutie had a nice day with grandma. They had their nails done. Cutie was a pro. She pick out her pink nail polish and when they went to put clear on her fingers first - she wiped it off - "I want the pink color that I picked". She was so good they painted flowers on her thumbs. They were supposed to go to a movie but Cutie was hungry so they went out to eat. They picked out two videos from Blockbusters. Water Horse and Barbie. She told me the story of Water Horse in the car. Unfortunately I don't remember it. It's funny my mom said she really wasn't interested in that movie. Then it was on to dinner and a bath followed by bed.

When I asked My mom if she would watch Cutie next week. There was an I'm too busy on her face.

When I was younger we had an apple tree in the backyard. It died a few years after I left home. They removed it and my dad planted a flower where the tree used to be. The flower never bloomed. He died about a year later. While we were sitting shiva my brother pointed to the newly bloomed flower and told us the flower story. The tree and flower spot have been filled in with grass.

But I will always remember.

Israel At 60

Things are not looking well for the Jews in the world. I somehow believe this is the beginning of the end. Israel has become a nation without a vision. Polls in Israel suggest that there's too much income inequality, inept and corrupt leadership, inter-communal strife and intolerance between secular and religious Jews.

It's the intolerance between secular and religious that is the biggest indicator of the beginning of the end. I don't know how to change this. It's too big for me to handle. I just need to prepare.

Hilary or John would be the US candidates if we as Jews were acting like we have peace in the family. But we don't. And Obama will be elected and will do nothing to stop Iran from attacting Israel. Once Israel falls, life as Americans know it will change. Taxes will go up. The Jews will be blamed. Americans will embrass the Arab world. It's a classic history story against the Jews. Yes we will survive, but at what cost.

What to do - What to do.

Gen Z

I've written about the Generation trends. Cutie, I'm guessing, is going to be a Gen Z. What is Gen Z going to be.
The most influential item I can guess is that they will learn how to take the test. Yes. I'm not a fan of government testing in the schools. Teachers are forced to teach the test and not much else.
I heard that the way they teach math today is absurd. They have cute names for functions. And roundabout ways for figuring things out. What was wrong with the old way? I managed quite well. Wait - I had great math teachers and 18 children in a classroom. Let's pay the adminstrators to come up with stupid ideas that help public school children learn to pass the test.

I'm guessing that children who are in private schools will be so far ahead of public school children. It's the private schools that will lead the way in the future. Public Schools are dead. I feel bad for the teachers. A lot of them are quite good.

More on Gen Z as I think about it. Dizney will play a role.

Saint Joan

Several years ago we had friends over to our apartment. We watched a taped the PBS movie Saint Joan by Arther Miller. The tape ended abruptly about 2 crucial minutes before the movie had ended. Does she lie and say she practiced witchcraft to save her life or does she tell the truth and say she didn't.

I remember reading this book in 10th grade. Going to a liberal Jewish School they of course left the decision up to us. It was at that point my comprehension of the world was established. You must learn the ins and outs of telling the truth in order to survive.

Why this post now. Here's the headline

Teacher fired for refusing to sign loyalty oath
By Richard C. Paddock
Another Cal State instructor who objects on religious grounds to a pledge adopted by California in 1952 to root out communists.