The Misanthrope – Sunday’s Lighter Side

God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.
Jewish Proverb.

Bravo Daughter. Daughter found out Friday morning that she was invited as one out of 26 students in California’s State University system, to attend the Panetta Institute, which as the site says, serves as a non-partisan center for the study of public policy aimed at helping our communities and our country meet the challenges of the 21st Century.

She was the only one out the entire university of 15,000 plus students to receive such an honor. Not only did she have to be approved by the political science department, she also had to be approved by the president of the university. She selected her university with the goal of attaining this internship four years ago.

As you may recall, Daughter recently returned from studying aboard where she met former President Bill Clinton, who shook her hand and even while late for a dinner posed for a picture. Democratic strategist James Carville who was also with Clinton took a few minutes to chat with Daughter. After sending her parents the pictures, she also sent them to her Political Science Department Chair, who has been nothing but encouraging to Daughter since her arrival on campus.

Daughter will attend the institute’s Congressional Intern Program that begins with an intensive two-week course at California State University, Monterey Bay with Leon Panetta and other seasoned veterans explaining how the legislative process actually works. Then each intern is assigned to a Capitol Hill office of a member of the California congressional delegation to work for two and a half months.

This is the part Daughter’s parents really like: The Institute covers all program costs including air travel, housing in Washington, D.C. Daughter will earn 20 semester credits and receive a stipend to help cover other expenses.

Mother’s Day. Just like the athletes on TV, “hi mom.” I would write about you and tell everyone how wonderful you are, but I know you are rather particular about your privacy, so you will have to settle for a card and dinner today.

One of my absolute favorite sites Bitch.Ph.D. has a nice piece titled “Mother’s Day Weekend” on the origin of Mother’s Day. She points out:

Specifically, Mother's Day was originally a pro-life holiday in the true sense of the word: it claimed mothers as life-givers not in order to deny them rights over their own bodies, but to advocate against killing their sons in war.

Freeway Shooter. There have been five or six freeway shootings on the Southern California freeways, which is a very serious problem. However, in order for me to deal with this, since I drive 80 miles a day on our congested highways; I have to have some fun with it.

I mentioned to a friend about how the L.A. Shooter should aim at cell phone users who inconsiderately slow traffic while they gab. If that were the case, he said he would immediately enlist like the minute men on the Mexican border. I think many of us would like to see open season on cell phone users.