Paradigm Shift

05/15/2026

Just some of our nightly shenanigans!

05/13/2026

You know you’re getting old when you are excited about something like this, lol! I’ve wanted a plumeria for years. It is a Hawaiian plant that grows 4 to 6 feet tall and develops big long green leaves that sort of umbrella, similar to a Shefflera, in a way, with big blooms on top of the leaves. The blooms on this one will be a pretty pale pink. Finally bought one yesterday and paid $30 for this stick! That, plus $13 more for a special potting mix. Sure hope it thrives. I’m probably going to bore y’all to death with pictures of it as it grows, but bear with me. It makes me happy!

05/12/2026

Of course dump is lying about this, just as he lies about everything. It’s been 10 years (maybe more?) since he came down that escalator. Anyone who still believes him is beyond stupid.

Secret new assessments say Iran has operational access to 30 of its 33 missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting that its military remains far stronger than President Trump has asserted.

09/03/2024

MindPal

10/10/2023

If you get the feeling something smells when it comes to Texas schools, you're right. Right now, they're in a third special session this year, with Abbott's and Dan Patrick's intent to pass a school voucher program that would give $8000 per student per year of your tax money -- the thousand you pay every year to fund PUBLIC schools where most of our children get their educations -- to parents who can use it to send their kids to private schools.

The takeover of Houston ISD stunk to high Heaven when it was announced -- why take over a whole school district, the largest one in Texas, when only one school out of 270 is underperforming? Now we are beginning to see why. It's part of Republican state officials' drive to move children into private schools paid for by taxpayer dollars -- private schools where they can set their own (Right-Wing) curriculum, ensuring children learn what Republicans want them to learn rather than the truth. Diversity? Nope. Inclusiveness? Nope. The truth about our nation's race history? Nope. Let's just raise a bunch of nice little pre-programmed Republicans who will keep White Republicans, mostly men, in control.

But this article is about charter schools, you say, not private schools? What is a charter school? :Charter schools are independently managed, open admission, public schools funded by the state. First approved by the Texas legislature in 1995, charter schools are run by private operators and boards, much like private schools, and can offer a more specialized range of curriculum.

Get that:
--funded by the state (our tax dollars)
--run by private operators (Republican donors)
--specialized range of curriculum (see paragraph 2 above)

We HAVE to stop this Republican takeover of our public education system and our children's minds!

Republicans are the majority, but there are still some Republicans in the Texas Legislature (mostly the House) who have joined all Democrats in stopping vouchers in the past. We also have the advantage of House Speaker Dade Phelan, who is Republican but a sane Republican and has the guts to stand up to Dan Patrick and Greg Abbott. Phelan lets the House members vote their conscience. After all, they represent We the People. Drop Speaker Phelan a note, while you're at it, and tell him how much you appreciate that.

Commissioner of Education Mike Morath has repeatedly waived expansion requirements for charter school networks, allowing them to serve thousands more students, even when they don’t meet academic performance standards.

10/10/2023

TEXAS TAXPAYERS TAKE NOTE: Our public schools are in great danger from the special session that began yesterday. Gregg Abbott and Dan Patrick want to use the school tax dollars you and I pay to give $8,000 per student per year to parents who want to send their kids to private schools. WE PAY OUR SCHOOL TAXES TO SUPPORT AND IMPROVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NOT SUBSIDIZE PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITIONS! If parents want to send their kids to private schools, let them pay the tuition themselves.

As usual, Republicans backing vouchers are up to their old smokescreen tactics, telling half-truths to make us believe school vouchers will not hurt public schools:

"Creighton says that the program will not siphon money away from public schools as the funding comes from general revenue,"

May be true, but it will definitely siphon money away from public schools long term by reducing the number of children in public schools. The state's contribution to school districts is based on the number of students.

DON'T FALL FOR IT. Democrats in the House and Senate have been holding the line against Abbott's and Patrick's voucher programs for years. Tell them you appreciate them and want them to continue to do just that.

CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND TELL THEM YOU DON'T WANT SCHOOL VOUCHERS!

Please repost this on your FB page, email it to friends, talk it up -- pass it in any way possible. WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN.

The proposal would give families who exit the state’s public education system access to $8,000 of taxpayer money each year to pay for their children’s private schooling.

06/10/2023

Let’s Make America Great Again — by getting Trump out of politics.

06/09/2023

TRUMP INDICTED
Trump Is Charged in Classified Documents Inquiry
HALLELUJAH.
PUT HIM UNDER THE EFFING JAIL.