Sacramento Gavin Newsom was inaugurated as California’s 40th governor on Monday, taking over a general-fund budget that is flush with cash, and a state government that is in remarkably good shape – at least superficially – from a fiscal perspective. For all his flaws, outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown left Newsom with a large surplus and...
New governor of the People’s Republic of California wants to expand a dubious universal preschool plan. California’s new Governor Gavin Newsom envisions a future where the state will be involved in your children’s lives from conception to adulthood. Newsom told EdSource in September, “Our role begins when babies are still in the womb and it...
Los Angeles Unified is in financial trouble. Anyone following the recent developments, potentially leading to a teacher strike very soon, knows this. On September 11th the deputy superintendent of public instruction for the California Department of Education, Nick Schweizer, made an unannounced appearance along with Candi Clark, chief financial officer of the Los Angeles County...
Week 19 judging was particularly challenging. The two most timely featured a holiday theme – one post Christmas and one for the New Year. After due deliberation, Contessa Mendoza’s (Curvy_Doll13) extremely funny Wal-Mart entry was declared the winner based in part on greater social impact and in part on the fact that the warning sign literally affects...
With Week #18 falling during the Christmas week, it is no surprise that the two best entries featured a holiday theme. The winner is Contessa Mendoza’s Christmas tree ornaments. The judges particularly liked her ironic caption: “Oh Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree, how cancer causing are thee?”. Her caption led one of the judges to...
Week #17’s entries were so good that the judges based their decision primarily on social impact. There were in fact two excellent posts centered around White Castle burgers. Greg Chester’s amusing burger post wins – the judges in particular enjoyed the quip that a trip to Vegas solved the problem – as in only the...
In June 2018 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the Janus vs AFSCME case. The result of the decision is that public employees not only have the right to refuse membership in a union, but also the right to refuse to pay so-called “agency fees” to the union. Unions had been preparing for years for...
Shanae Chester wins Week 16 with a seasonal collage that would normally guarantee a smile – a happy baby, a gingerbread house, and the kit to build another house. Included in this heartwarming scene, however is a sinister Christmas message from the State of California. Ho, ho, ho – your Christmas Gingerbread house causes birth...
Contessa Mendoza wins this week’s contest with yet another absurd warning – apparently “furniture products” –the furniture itself? The polish to keep it dust free? The throw pillow accessory? – is very dangerous to your health – as in causes cancer and birth defects. Target’s warning certainly has all of the bases covered. If you...
Perhaps the “fake news” story of the year – actually the last 20 years – is that small class size is essential to learning. Under the leadership of its cantankerous president Alex Caputo-Pearl, the United Teachers of Los Angeles is planning to strike – very possibly in January. The union’s demands haven’t budged, even as...
Contessa Mendoza wins this week’s contest with what has to be the most absurd warning yet – fresh produce. Good grief. Even more absurd was the Proposition 65 sign’s placement – directly above the notice stating that the facility is inspected by the Department of Health. Does that mean the Department of Public Health judges as...
Imagine you’re hoping to support a candidate for local office who will enact reforms that will improve your city, maybe even save it. Someone who will fight tirelessly to eliminate work rules that force agencies to hire more people than are actually necessary. Someone who will insist that incompetent public employees are fired. Someone who...
In Standing Up to Goliath: Battling State and National Teachers’ Unions for the Heart and Soul of Our Kids and Country, teacher, wife, mother, devout Christian and Supreme Court plaintiff Rebecca Friedrichs (David) has written an informative, enjoyable and, at times, infuriating book in which she weaves revelations about her humble roots, marriages, problems with...
There were many excellent entries for Week 13 of our Proposition 65 Contest, and as a result, judging was again a challenge. The winner is Jamey Bower’s priceless “duh!” moment with the bag of pecan wood chips and the required warning. Yes, indeed pecan wood chips contain wood (dust) and are intended to be burned....