The school board voted Tuesday to allow charters to submit plans to run 250 Los Angeles Schools.  According to the New York Times the Los Angeles Unified School District oversees about 688 schools over a large, large area. 

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I'm curious... What do OSer's think of charter schools?

Tomorrow the LAUSD's board will vote on whether or not it will make fifty new school campuses available for operation by charters.  (The entire agenda is linked here-this resolution is on page 5 of the pdf)  

There are mixed reviews on… Read full post »

A little question tickled my mind one day.  I'd just taken out the trash.   I was walking back to my house from the dumpster.  It was spring and it was clear and just getting warm and my mind just went:

"Wouldn't if be great if I could somehow make some money… Read full post »

it's been a while since I saw this sign.  It just up and disappeared one day--which really sucks.  But not to worry.  Found it again:

Now I've got to go find those worm holes I've been hearing about.  Read full post »

I saw Humpday last night.   It's about 2 old friends who decided to make "the world's first straight guy-on-guy porn art film."  (This isn't a spoiler, it's the premise of the film.) It was a great movie-- a laugh a minute.

You  know how men are:  the bravado.  (okay, ok… Read full post »

"Your are beautiful and many people love you."

 Charlie had put a beige and red mat bag on the floor of the studio at the end of yoga class.  "Take an affirmation card--or don't, if you want.  I thought they'd be fun."

He plays music from my teen years and young… Read full post »

Inspired by Monte Canfield:

Would you believe Amy Winehouse?

First of all, before I even begin, my 12 1/2 year old (who is fractions of an inch shorter than me--I am about to become a short person, something I never dreamed could happen to me) got me to leave this computer screen to...

 "look at the sky!"

Ah sunset.  All… Read full post »

I was in line at Long's Drugstore today.

"That's quaint," I said of the box of film the elderly man in front of me was buying.  (He has more gray hair then I have, thats all--maybe I'm elderly too.)

"It's for my Leica," he said, "I'm not getting rid of it.… Read full post »

This could be just like a twitter--or what I think as a twitter, since I've not tweeted, nor read the sounds of birds (but right now I hear a trio of crows cawing from the top of the Chinese Elm on the corner across the street.   Of course, when the… Read full post »

I wrote an email to Lloyd Wirshba, Barclay's Bank US CEO, and it bounced back.  So I sent it back to the Juniper postmaster with a message in the subject to forward it.  

I was told to contact Mr. Wirshba about my $39 late fee by the supervisor of one… Read full post »

                                                                 Talk Nerdy to Me!  (Not me, I'm a red canoe.)

 My firs… Read full post »

My car thermometer said it was 103 outside when I left my job in Westwood today.  The thermometer was down to 88 when I reached the beach.  Not much cooling expected for tomorrow BUT

 April 21 is Ben and Jerry's free ice cream day!!!  

Go get a cone!

 … Read full post »

When I think of Evelyn, who had been a quiet, shy, skinny girl back in sixth grade--a high acheiver, a smarty who was also a sweetie-pie, I think of the girl in eighth grade, sitting with the other advanced English students, showing off her little portable DVD player which she… Read full post »

As I was driving from work, through Beverly Glen (a beatiful canyon road that runs through the hills--Beverly HIlls) it occurred to me that it's been really cold today--58 at 3:30 p.m. in Westwood said the local public radio reporter.  58.  Those Open Salon people would think I'm a baby.

We… Read full post »

How do you know if someone (other than yourself) is crazy?

I've concluded in the past year or so that EVERYONE is crazy--everyone. Some of us know this about ourselves (which puts you in a sort of "sane-ish" category of crazy) but most of us have no inkling that insanity everywhere,… Read full post »

One of the most shameful things I must confess about myself has been my total lack of interest in my financial well-being.  Fortunately I'm sort of like Jerry Seinfeld in that episode when he always comes out even.  

 My parents were born in the '30s to two gambling grandfathers (ahhh.… Read full post »

I've always considered myself a city girl.  The neighborhoods in which I lived as a child didn't have much wildlife.  I didn't even notice the birds when I was little--not a hummer, not a hawk, not a finch.  (Okay, I noticed  sea gulls and pigeons.  Sea gulls are at every sch… Read full post »

It's been a trying few days.  

I avoid writing about my work for several reasons.  The "workplace" extends throughout Los Angeles.  Los Angeles is almost endless.  Geographically it's a huge city.  And it's a county too (which is even bigger than the city.… Read full post »

My eyes are dilated.

I drove home, about a half hour after sundown in this state.

Headlights became stars exploding (almost)

I still can't really read very well.

(Look at those pupils!!!!) 

 I visited my eye doctor again today.  She has an Italian name so she just goes b… Read full post »

My favorite movie:  To Live (1994) starring You Ge and Li Gong, directed by Yimou Zhang.

 Why is this my favorite movie?  (I usually loooooove really dumb stuff like Life Aquatic!  I just saw Hamlet 2 and adored it)  Well.....

 This film from China tells th… Read full post »

I'm not much sentimental

I prefer to be astounded

Curious hummingbird observing me

Green parrots in my palm tree

The salt and seaweed scent floating in 

The moon slowly covered by earth's shadow

A mother holding a babe

The purple mountains at dusk

I'm not sentimental

But I can be pulled… Read full post »