The Buzz

From J.H., definition of Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration: Ineptocracy (in-ep-toc'-ra-cy) – a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

***

Sign the petition to stop SB 48: Our public schools are academic institutions, not a place for politicians to force their agenda on children. SB 48 does absolutely nothing to reduce bullying, improve the state of our education system, ensure that students graduate or prepare them for global competitiveness. Instead, it diverts precious classroom time and resources away from science, math, reading and writing to promote the radical political agenda of a few. There is a way to get rid of this overreaching and inaccurate teaching of history. Sign the petition to pass the CLASS Act. What does the CLASS Act do? The CLASS (Children Learning Accurate Social Science) Act advocates an accurate teaching of history. This initiative ensures that people included in social science curriculum are included for their contributions to society, not their sexual orientation.

***

Sent by E.S. and worth repeating: Did you know that if you sell your house after 2012 you will pay a 3.8 percent sales tax on it? That's $3,800 on a $100,000 home, etc. When did this happen? It's in the health care bill, and it goes into effect in 2013. Why 2013? Could it be so that it doesn’t come to light until after the 2012 elections? So, this is “change you can believe in.” Under the new health care bill, all real estate transactions will be subject to a 3.8 percent sales tax.

***

The Capistrano Dispatch reported a need for volunteers who enjoy working with horses. The Shea Center is looking for help during the summer. “The San Juan-based equestrian site aims to help improve the lives of people with disabilities through therapeutic riding and other horse-related programs. Volunteers must be 14 years and older, should be available from June until August and will receive training prior to any work. In the past, volunteering at the Shea Center has been a popular way for high school students to fulfill community service requirements. For more information, call 949.240.8441, ext. 127. http://thecapistranodispatch.com/bookmark/18716963

***

The issue of Obama’s birth certificate is resilient, despite media claims it has gone away. From Donald Trump’s interview with Lloyd Grove last week ( http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/05/25/mitt-romney-s-new-bff-donald-trump.html ):

“A book publisher came out three days ago and said that in his written synopsis of his book … he was born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia. His mother never spent a day in the hospital.”

Actually, Obama’s literary agency at the time, two decades ago, published a recently discovered catalogue of clients and their projects that included erroneous information about Obama and a prospective book about race that he ended up not writing. An agency assistant back then, Miriam Goderich, said last week that she was mistaken when she wrote that Obama was born in Kenya.

But Trump isn’t buying it.

“That’s what he told the literary agent,” Trump insisted. “That’s the way life works… He didn’t know he was running for president, so he told the truth. The literary agent wrote down what he said… He said he was born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia… Now they’re saying it was a mistake. Just like his Kenyan grandmother said he was born in Kenya, and she pointed down the road to the hospital, and after people started screaming at her she said, ‘Oh, I mean Hawaii.’ Give me a break.”