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It Wasn’t Me!

  • Posted on November 6, 2016 at 6:04 pm

Whenever anything breaks in my art classroom, my students will all say, “It wasn’t me.”  I always find it fairly funny that no one wants to take responsibility for their actions when something goes wrong in my classroom.  However, my students have learned this behavior from what they see happening in the real world.  I have avoided writing on my blog for some time because I have just been so damn mad at the Democratic Party and the rigged primary election…that I just had nothing to say.  Words escaped me for many months.  I have decided to just let everyone know that regardless of what happens on Tuesday, it wasn’t me.

I am not voting for the lesser of two evils: Clinton or Trump.  That is like asking me if I want to be swindled or groped.  I will pass.  I am voting for Jill Stein, someone that I really have great respect for and admire.

I really don’t know what will happen although I suspect with all of the powerbrokers on Clinton’s side that they will manage to get her the election through hook or crook.  It is shocking to me that no matter what she does, no one sees what she does as illegal, corrupt, and/or dishonoring of the office of the presidency.  The fact that she can even run is shocking to me.  She can let her maid look at her documents for printing or she can sell arms to countries that will probably put them into the hands of people that will kill American troops and get her payback through the Clinton Foundation.  She can mishandle and ungodly number of documents that any teacher knows shouldn’t be done in a school setting let alone a government setting where people’s lives may be at risk.  She can make every poor decision from Iraq, to Libya, to Syria, and still be called the “most qualified person” to ever run for office.  She can get questions from Donna Brazile before a debate with Bernie, showing just what a cheater she is and nobody seems to care.

I feel like my party, my Democratic Party, has abandoned me.  So, I left them this summer.  It was a mutual breakup.  They said they didn’t need me.  They really despised those Bernie supporters and decided they would court the Republicans.  Now, it is interesting to see them coming to Michigan trying to get all those voters to get in line to vote for the most corrupt politician of modern times.  I refuse to line up for that one as I have some self respect left.  I finally figured out that the Democrats have been making us all swallow a bitter pill for many, many years.  I just have to give a shout-out for Jimmy Dore because he really does tell it like it is.  He pulls that scab off really fast.  It is only painful for a moment and then you are left with the thought of how damn stupid you have been all of these years voting for the lesser of two evils.  It didn’t really get you anything.

I think our country is in a very bad place.  Both parties have lost their way.  Neither of them properly represents the American people.  If they did, we would not have so many poor and one paycheck away from being poor people in this country.  This article is a real eye opener and everyone knows how expensive it is to live today.  http://www.alternet.org/economy/real-numbers-half-america-poverty-and-its-creeping-upward

Healthcare for the average person is unobtainable if it isn’t paid by his or her employer.  After this election, is it going to change?  We seem to want to put all of our money into war or war goods.  We aren’t taking care of our people, infrastructure, or anything else that really matters to most people.  Education has become a testing nightmare being taken over by private corporations.  Higher education is becoming unobtainable for many, as it is so expensive.  So, what are people to do?

I think we need a third party.  I am voting for Jill Stein in the hope that she can get that magic 5% that will help get the Green Party federal funding and be allowed to be on all state ballots.  I encourage others to do the same.  My vote does mean something.  I am trying to break the duopoly of the two parties that are a cancer on our country.  If more people would realize that we can take our country back, if we revolt from this system that has been set up to provide a feeding ground for corrupt politicians; then maybe we will survive.  However, if we keep going like we are our environment won’t last let alone ourselves.  I am begging people to think about another alternative.  Hillary has been beating a drum for war with Russia.  Troops have been readied for this.  She will not stand up for us.  She will stand up for those corporations that keep giving her money.  To think that she will magically be someone different than she has been her whole life is to be a fool.  I am not a fool and my vote will count for what I want, not what the Democratic Party wants and not what Hillary wants.  Just remember, she was a Goldwater Girl. I will vote for Jill Stein and I hope someone reading this will also think about doing it as well!  Regardless, pray for peace people! It is mind boggling to think that we could have had a President Sanders!  Just remember…it wasn’t me!

The Summer of Trump

  • Posted on August 27, 2015 at 4:50 pm

This summer has been an interesting one for politics.  I have always had an interest in politics and I love watching what Senator Bernie Sanders has been doing.  However, according to the media treatment and attention, it is the summer of “Trump”.  I don’t know if Donald Trump will sustain his lead but he has managed to keep his name in the news on a daily basis.  None of the Republican candidates seem to have any conceivable idea of how to take him on, so he wins!

I listen to Trump and the things he says flabbergast me.  He has no filter and that seems to be what the people following him like about him.  He appears openly racist towards Mexican people by referring to the children born here of undocumented Mexicans as “anchor babies”.  He wants to change the 14th Amendment so that birthright doesn’t necessarily happen.  He also seems to have issues with women and a variety of other people that try to call him out on his behavior.  Whatever he says and does seems make him stronger; no matter how ridiculous he sounds to me or anyone else that finds his behavior disturbing.

With all of this, I wanted to share what has been on my mind and it is somewhat funny.  I see Donald Trump as being a lot like Vladimir Putin.  They are both powerful men that are full of themselves.  As a woman living in a patriarchal society, to me, they come from the same cloth.  This past year our country has been perturbed with Vladimir Putin for all of his antics.  Many times the media tries to make fun of him.  It might be his antics of running around shirtless or some other form that they show to convince us he is horrible.  I don’t personally know what either of these men is truly like.  I just know how they both come across through the mass media and that is what I will share with you.

When I see Trump looking smug, I also see Putinvp courtesey vanity fair looking like this.

THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE -- Episode 912 -- Pictured: Donald Trump -- Photo by: Ali Goldstein/NBC

THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE — Episode 912 — Pictured: Donald Trump — Photo by: Ali Goldstein/NBC

Trump with an eagle, Putin with a leopard.putin with animal

martin schoeller courtesy of time mag

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trump’s view of women, Putin’s view of women.

darren decker, miss universe organization120+putin+approve+femen+at+hannover+my+gawd+dat+putin_f89cf3_4528458

 

Okay, not Trump but his kids swimming with dolphins. Putin swimming with dolphins.trumps kids swimming with dolphins

courtesy of buzzfeed
Trump on Time, Putin on Time.donald-trump-01-435

courtesy time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trump at the Central Park Horse Show, Putin on a horse.trump at the central Park horse show

vladimir-horse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trump with puppy, Putin with Puppy.donald-trump-435

VLADIMIR-PUTIN-WITH-DOG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trump with gun, Putin with gun.

Trump-gun

Picture taken on September 14, 2009 shows Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin examining a rifle during a visit to a weapons manufacturing facility in Tula. Putin made a routine working visit to the town and surrounding region.                     AFP PHOTO / RIA NOVOSTI / POOL / ALEXEY DRUZHININ (Photo credit should read ALEXEY DRUZHININ/AFP/Getty Images)

Picture taken on September 14, 2009 shows Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin examining a rifle during a visit to a weapons manufacturing facility in Tula. Putin made a routine working visit to the town and surrounding region. AFP PHOTO / RIA NOVOSTI / POOL / ALEXEY DRUZHININ (Photo credit should read ALEXEY DRUZHININ/AFP/Getty Images)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trump shirtless (Sorry, this one is photoshopped.), Putin shirtless (Not photoshopped).donalld-trump-shirless (1)

epa01091304 Russian President Vladimir Putin enjoys fishing on the Khemchik River in Republic of Tuva 15 August 2007.  EPA/DMITRY ASTAKHOV RIA NOVOSTI/KREMLIN POOL

epa01091304 Russian President Vladimir Putin enjoys fishing on the Khemchik River in Republic of Tuva 15 August 2007. EPA/DMITRY ASTAKHOV RIA NOVOSTI/KREMLIN POOL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trump with Bush #1, Putin with Bush #2!from getty image

chinadaily.com.cn

 

 

 

 

 

Trump with Hillary, Putin with Hillary.
trump_clintonfrom mir-politika.ru

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trump on Mexicans.

Putin on Gays.

ABC Latest News | Latest News Videos

Maybe with these images and videos you can now understand why Trump merely reminds me of Putin!

I posted this here just for a laugh, although the election is really, in my mind, no laughing matter.  However, in the mood of what this post is about, here are two final images brought to you from the minds of photoshoppers online that show you just how silly Trump and Putin can be made to look.

Trump on a lion (photoshopped), Putin on a bear (photoshopped or not?).trump on lion

putin on bear

Class Warfare

  • Posted on March 15, 2011 at 8:11 pm

When I was a kid one of my many brothers would climb up on our huge Maple tree and throw sticks and stones down on anyone that tried to claim his roost in HIS tree.  I mention this here today because it’s a good analogy for Republican politicians and their huge attempts at limiting the power of the poor and the middle class.  The buzzword is “reform”.  However, the reform is ONLY about limiting the power and ability of the poor and the middle class.  There is no mention of any kind of reform that really will have an effect on the wealthy or upper classes.  These reforms can be anything from workers’ rights to health care to even the judicial system.  The tort reform we always hear them talk about is set up to limit the ability of the disenfranchised to make a claim against anyone above their stature, which would be most people and corporations.  The Republicans have tried for years to limit the amount that can be received in a lawsuit for inadequate health care claiming that this is the reason health insurance costs so much.  I noticed the steep change in the cost of health insurance right after September 11th 2001.  Do you really think it had something to do with the changes in our health care providers or was it something to do with the drop in revenue the insurance companies felt from investments that tanked after that time?  Just remember that the health insurance industry is a for “profit” industry.  They exist to make a profit.  There may be some like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, my company, which are supposed to be non-profit.  However, they still pay their CEO a huge compensation. http://blogpublic.lib.msu.edu/index.php/2008/05/19/are-blue-cross-blue-shield-of-michigan-o?blog=5

Republicans like to claim that it’s all about personal responsibility and the need for people to pick themselves up by the bootstraps and of course that they, themselves, never had a helping hand.  We all know that is ludicrous because so many of them have been groomed for the positions and posts that they currently hold.  Sometimes it’s not what you know but who you know that gets you to the top of that tree.  Most of us sitting under the branches of that proverbial Maple tree are lucky enough if we can get a small perch we can claim as our own.  However, those at the top aren’t very willing to share their perch because they feel a sense of indignation that anyone would want to claim what is rightfully “their” perch.  They earned it!  They are the self satisfied, bloated, corrupt individuals we all know that don’t care about what is in the best interest of the common good of all the people.  It’s what is in “their” best interest that really matters.  By golly they clawed their way to the top and you better too.  However, once they get to the top they work very hard at taking all of the supporting branches away that helped them get to the top.  You know those things like low interest student loans, Pell grants, public education, and any aid programs like heating assistance for the poor.

Many people have talked about class warfare for years.  The Republicans have accused Democrats of creating this warfare to get votes.  That part might be true because Democrats always talk about these things around election time.  However, neither party has done enough of what they could to elevate our society so that everyone can get a little branch on that tree.  True class warfare is really happening right now and it is being instigated by Republican politics.  We have been pressured into believing that we all have to “share” in some kind of sacrifice for the good of the country.  We have been living way beyond our means and we must pay the piper what is due.

No one has really pointed out something that I can see so clearly.  Most of us people sitting under the Maple tree don’t use much resources of any kind in our country.  Most of us are not flying off in our private jet wasting tons of fuel.  Most of us haven’t been to a government created airport in the last month.  We might fly once in awhile for a family vacation but we aren’t the ones using that airport like it’s our own home base.  However, we are paying for it.  Most of us aren’t living in gigantic houses sucking up our natural resources with our rich and famous lifestyles.  Most of us live quite conservatively by shutting off our lights and dialing down our furnace in the winter and up in the summer months.  Most of us pay our bills and do everything we can to not declare bankruptcy.  However, for the rich and famous, it can be done any time they get in a tight pinch.  The rest of us will pay for it because the banking industry will get their money back one way or another.  That famous rich guy will eventually think he should run for the presidency because he knows how to run a business, so how about doing the same with our country.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump

In my opinion the great leveler in society is a good education.  If you have a good education, you can go far in life.  You may not become a millionaire sitting at the top of that proverbial Maple tree but more than likely you will be able to create a decent life for you and your family.  The true key to solving poverty is in education.  The statistics here from my state are interesting.  As the education level goes up the poverty level goes down.  That makes a lot of sense, so why do all of these new Republican governors seem to want to take away from education to pay for their tax breaks for the corporations?  It just doesn’t make any sense to me.

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/STTable?_bm=y&-state=st&-context=st&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S1701&-ds_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_&-tree_id=309&-redoLog=true&-_caller=geoselect&-geo_id=04000US26&-format=&-_lang=en

You can check your own state levels at these next two websites:  http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/STGeoSearchByListServlet?ds_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_&state=st&qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S1701&_lang=en&_ts=317767762496

http://www.justneighbors.net/poverty-facts-your-neighborhood-who-my-neighbor

43 million people are below the poverty line in this country.  If you head on over here you will find some fascinating things to read but it won’t be surprising to most of you.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gini_coefficient

The Gini coefficient is a mathematical equation that basically shows the disparity between the income of the rich and the poor.  The closer the number is to zero, the more equal things are.  The closer the number is to 100, the more unequal things tend to be.  In 1929, you know during the times of the stock market fall and the beginning of the great depression the estimated number for the United States was 45.  We had a period after World War II when this number declined considerably.  This was a time when the middle class was really built and unions were a big part of that.  Since around 1980 we have gone back in decline with numbers as high as 46.9.  Most of us know there has been a change in who has more money and who has less.  This site just makes you think about things.  The rich just keep on getting richer and the poor keep trying to figure out how to strap those gold laced boots on to get to the top of that proverbial tree.

I always wonder why the wealthy seem to always want more.  They are already at the top of the tree, so you would think they wouldn’t mind letting some of that wealth trickle on down like Reagan assured us it was supposed to.  However, it turns out most millionaires don’t feel wealthy.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110314005921/en/Fidelity%C2%AE-Survey-Finds-Millionaires%E2%80%99-Outlook-Economy-Highest

I want all of you to stop laughing.  I know you are because it really is unbelievable.  Even those workers at Ford are sharing in the profits these days.  That would sound great if they hadn’t already given up so much.  The real slap in the face for Ford workers is that CEO pay!  Just check this article out.  The rich get richer and the rest of us get whatever happens to land our way and we thankfully take it!

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/03/mulally-bill-ford-share-fords-profts-big-time/1

Finally, here is more information that those Bush tax cuts really aren’t all their purported to be.  It turns out if you are in the top 10%, you probably did all right.  The rest of us, not so much!  This has the gap in income tax and it’s a great site to really research.

http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=106

Unfortunately, we do have class warfare in this country.  The politicians take care of the corporations and the wealthy with the many tax loopholes and tax incentive plans while the rest of us are left to “share a sacrifice”, whatever the hell that means.  What it really means is that we will get less and the rich will continue to get whatever they want and need built off the backs of the middle class and dare I say the poor.  Those of us in the 90% are the ones that prop up everyone else.  We do our jobs whether it is teaching children, policing the world, scanning goods at the airport so the wealthy can continue to feel safe, or assisting them in their pursuit of more wealth.  We are factory workers, nannies, waiters and bus boys but the one thing we all have in common is proportionately we are greatly under paid, over worked and abused by a system that asks for continual sacrifice from us when the rich are expected to just get richer!

Interrupting Martha

  • Posted on July 13, 2010 at 12:14 pm

So with the summer off I have watched some television that I wouldn’t normally get to see.  Today I was watching “Martha Stewart”.  I’ve watched it a few times this summer and I have come to one conclusion about Martha that may surprise some people.  I think Martha is an extremely rude person.  I can’t figure out why anyone would watch her on a consistent basis.  She is constantly interrupting her guests.  They may be in the middle of a sentence or train of thought but to Martha it is so much more important for her voice to be heard.  I know our society has become extremely rude over the years but I can’t understand why people like to watch this type of behavior.

Today she had a man on that has a “farm”, if you call 9300 acres a farm, in Tennessee.  He raises lamb, grows a variety of different vegetables and fruits, and makes cheese and jams and so on.  He was making some kind of lamb dish with the neck of a lamb that takes ten hours to braise in an oven.  When Martha asked him about the products that he brought to the show she just wouldn’t let him finish his sentences.  I felt sorry for the poor guy except I know he was glad to be on television “hawking” his goods.  This must be why these people put up with her.  I’ve watched her with some young “stars” make something in the kitchen that the star doesn’t really know how to do and she is overwhelmingly condescending.  Some may view it as the “teacher” in her but I know you don’t have to be condescending to teach well.  In fact, many students would be put off by that kind of teacher.

When she tried that show that was her version of Donald Trump’s “Apprentice” it didn’t go over so well and her contract wasn’t renewed.  At that time I was a fan of Martha Stewart until she took the fledgling“apprentices” up to her farm.  That was so over the top “overbearing” that I started to look at Martha in a different way.  In my memory of what I didn’t like it felt like she was the queen and the apprentices were her underlings, “little bees” that would never attain the level of the queen bee.  A true teacher would love their students to be so inspired that they attain a new level of expertise that shines beyond anything that the teacher would have dreamed for them.

Martha is not alone in her bad behavior.  Donald Trump is just as obnoxious.  Simon Cowell couldn’t be meaner when he stomps on the dreams of some young would be singer.  There are many others that we seem to watch and love that exhibit this same obnoxious, rude behavior.  I just don’t understand why the public loves these people.  What are we, as a society, getting out of this rudeness that we see exhibited on a daily basis on our television sets?  I find myself disappointed with this woman.  I think it’s time for her to retire and yet as I watch her I can see that her audience loves her.  I also see many new products continually being showcased on her show or out in the stores so people must be “buying” what she is selling.  Over the years I have purchased many Martha Stewart items including my patio set.  She has a brand that is huge.  You can’t miss it.  Even though she was tarnished a few years ago with her prison stint, she has bounced back.  She is resilient.  I just don’t like how absolutely rude she is to her guests.  I think she is used to being the center of attention and it is difficult for her to allow anyone else to shine.  She probably sucks out the air of any room she enters.  She is like an amoeba engulfing every new apprentice, designer, etc. and taking what she needs and wants from them.  For her it is probably just business but for me it is personal when I watch her being rude and obnoxious.  I cannot help but wonder what our world is coming to when we can love these mean, rude and obnoxious people that we see on television.