A Right to an Education...If You Can Afford It

Do you remember back in the day, when you were in school and you got to go on field trips? You brought home the permission slip, your parents signed it, you turned it in and you were golden. Now it's different. This blows me away...

We live in supposedly the richest country in the world. We give foreign aid for cripes sake! And this might seem small and petty to you, but it matters to me; I had to pay $16 to go towards the cost of the use of the school bus for my son's field trip! What about the kids that can't afford the 16 bucks? Public school is free for all, but if you want to go on a learning enriched field trip to a museum and lava caves, cough up some dough. I'm glad that when I was a kid, field trips were free. Otherwise I would never have gone on a single one. Coming from a family with eight kids in it, tells you right there, that we had no money to spare for stuff like that.

I guess it shouldn't surprise me much. Whenever I take a look at my son's homework I just sigh. He has no books. Just photocopies of pages from books. I asked one of his teachers about his once. I was told that there isn't enough books to go around so instead of some having books and some not, they photocopy them for everyone. Now I understood why at the beginning of the year when we got our list of school supplies to purchase, a package of printer paper was on it. On the first day of school, the teachers collect all the packages and put them in the store closet for the classroom. It's just plain sad. But it makes me mad too.

Recently in my school district a ballot measure was put to a vote. A measure to decide to raise the property tax to help pay for more teachers and school supplies like books. It was a hard thing to try to pass. Not only was it about the public forking over more money, but over 50% of the registered voters in the district have to vote on it, but then it had to win by a 50% or more margin. Gee, guess what? It won by more than 50%, but unfortunately the voter turnout wasn't the greatest. So it did not pass.

My son starts high school next year. Bigger school, more kids...I wonder if he'll have books or not? Or just maybe all his classes will be lecture and his quizzes and test will be oral. That would save money on paper, books and pencils for sure.

Day Dreams, Ugh...

I hate taking naps in the middle of the day. I always end up having very weird ass dreams. Today was no exception.

I dreamt I was on The Jay Leno Show, or whatever the heck it's called. At first I was just standing in the green room wondering who else was on the show...there seemed to be an awful lot of security around. Some really big dudes. I figured that Mr. Leno must be pretty paranoid to have so much security. There was a guy in a pith helmet and a tranquilizer gun standing in the corner. I thought to myself, "Maybe Jack Hanna is on the show. I like zoo animals. Maybe there are some exotic animals on the show." I think I'm gonna be petting some koala bear or something, but no. It's freakin' Mike Tyson! Just sitting in a chair, salvatating, waiting to take a chunk outta me.

During this whole dream, I never sat actually sat down. That is something I strangely remember quite clearly. I went out there and Leno is sitting at his desk, or as I was really thinking: a potential shield. Mike Tyson was sitting next to me with absolutely no type of barrier whatsoever. No weapon, no obstacle, nothing. So I had to make sure I didn't sit down all the way. I had one cheek on the edge of the chair at all times. So if something broke out, I was heading for the nearest emergency exit. I was like an Olympic sprinter. I was in the blocks. I was looking at Leno like, "Ok, as soon as this guys snaps, just give me the sign. And I am outta here."

I felt like that lady from, "When Animals Attack" videos. Remember when that bear jumped that woman? That's what I felt like. Any minute this man is going to maul me to death. And I didn't want to look at him either. He's got that weird-ass tattoo on his face. He looks like a Borg from Star Trek. Then he started talking to me. I don't remember the whole thing, but I think he said he liked my socks, and I wasn't wearing any. I'm thinking, "Did I hear the starting gun? Because I'm about to take off."

During the commercial break he actually talked to me. He wanted to know what kind of guys I like. Oh crap. I didn't think I should say what I wanted to say, which was, "Not you." So I told him I liked albino midgets. That was as far away from describing him that I could think of. Then I woke up.

That had to be one of the weirdest dreams I have ever had. But I am so glad that's all it was. By the way; I have no idea why I was on the Leno show in the first place. Just thought of that. Weird.

Wouldn't Two of Me Be Great?

I want a clone. That would be so cool. Somebody to hang around with when I don't feel like being bothered with anybody but myself. Somebody that I could relate to, who'd always love me no matter what. Like a sister, but with out any of the crap that sometimes goes along with siblings. Boy, we'd get along great, Clononia and me. That's what I'm gonna name her, Clononia.

What a great alibi she'd make. Or a witness. "Your Honor, that wasn't me driving that truck. I was miles away. At home. Alone. Ask Clononia."

Some say that cloning is a sin. But where's the sin in having your very own "occational" decoy if necessary? For protection. The Lord helps those who help themselves. I'd be helping myself two times over. What if some crazy person started stalking me? Well, I would just send out Clononia like bait. That's what I would do. Then I could do whatever I wanted without worrying about being bothered. I wouldn't even tell anybody I had a clone. I could literally be in two places at once.

Plus, if anything ever went wrong with me physically, like with my kidneys, heart or liver, I'd have all those parts available. Sure, some people think mankind would create great sins by only using our clones to harvest new body parts. To that I have two rebuttal comments.

1. "Not me. Clononia and I would be great friends. I could never do that."
2. "And?"

A clone would be like an organ savings account. If my liver was ever overdrawn, I would just deposit another one from my account. So what is up with the research and development of clone research? I want my clone. If I find out that the sheep was just another sheep and not a clone, (because we all know that they all look alike) I'm gonna be pissed.

(Interesting read)