Free money! Come and get it!

http://oedb.org/grant/minority

The opening text on this website reads: 

"Because minorities often have great hardships- perhaps they live below the poverty line, come from single-parent homes or large families, have parents who don't speak English, or any number of other problems- there are a wide variety of college grants that are available to minorities, both ethnic and non-ethinic." 

The text continues: 

"As a member of almost any minority, you can find 'free money' for your college education." 

Apparently, white folks (the majority) do not have hardships. They are immune to any challenge, and funds are unlimited. As a white female, I am free of any financial difficulties, and it was a piece of cake to pay for my $140,000 undergraduate education, as well as my graduate degree, totaling approximately $33,000 more dollars. Simple as pie. 

Back to reality. How ignorant is this entitlement argument? How much longer will we assume it's so much easier for the majority to gain the funds to pursue an education? Why aren't the routes to financial assistance the same for each individual, regardless their color? 

Notice, if you're a member of almost any minority, you get "free money." Free. You don't have to do anything, except while you're in your mother's womb, fill out the request form for your ethnicity, and if you check minority, you can be granted free ____ (fill in the blank) your whole life for doing absolutely nothing. Great work ethics will be fostered, and the justice system will be anything but skewed...

PA isn't on the Cupcake Bandwagon

http://phoenixville.patch.com/articles/pasd-puts-the-kibosh-on-cupcakes

Check this out. Heck, while schools are demanding "hot" lunches or no lunches at all, why wouldn't they regulate birthday celebrations, too?

No more trading PB&Js for gummy worms...

"Nutrition wise, it is better for the children to eat at the school," Carmona said. "It's about the nutrition and the excellent quality food that they are able to serve (in the lunchroom). It's milk versus a Coke. But with allergies and any medical issue, of course, we would make an exception." -Principal Elsa Carmona, Little Village Academy in Chicago

This "academy" will do its part to protect allergies and medical issues (that's sweet), but apparently freedom isn't important. This is a perfect example of whacked-out desire to control anything and everything (how this is even legal is beyond me). How can you reason with people who think it's okay to take away a parent's and student's choice to pack whatever they darn well please and/or can afford? How can you make a student eat a cafeteria-prepared meal if they'd rather have fried Ho-Hos, Doritos dipped in full-fat ranch dressing, and a jumbo-size o' Coca Cola? Or, for a less extreme scenario, a PB&J, bag of grapes, yogurt, and chocolate chip cookie. How is it the principal's decision as to whether or not the student buys the gobbly-gook from the cafeteria, or if they tote their brown bag with them to school? 

What's next? Will the principal then say the tires are running bald on their bicycle and they need to be changed before they run into a mailbox, or else? Should the students be on some sort of monitor to ensure they're watching no more than 3 minutes of the Disney Channel, or they're served a detention? Grow up, people. 

This is absurd. End of story. 

I apologize, America the Beautiful.

My first post must be an apology. Though I still may be somewhat impressionable, I was way, way, way more easily-swayed when I was a junior in college. Watching Obama's pleas for presidential election, I figured he was super well-spoken. Was I even listening to what he was saying? Was I even considering he was just well-trained in reading a teleprompter? Was I even considering my own opinions, rather than being influenced by the hype of "Yes We Can" and the excitement of breaking the barriers on the president's race? No, no, no. So, for that, I apologize.

It has only been a handful of years since my regretful vote, but I have certainly tapped into my real views, not my influenced, malleable opinions. I've learned to find information on my own, and not by listening to "seasoned" communicators. I've been told a lot of people regret their vote for Barack. Maybe that's true, maybe it's not. But I would like to cordially apologize.

Ok, I'm done with my apology. Another thing I've learned: you can't change the past. The Serenity Prayer. I'm accepting I can't change my vote, but I'm taking the opportunity to start fresh, and apparently to blog about my amateur/valuable (I'm starting to gain confidence, too!) political views.

Enjoy.