For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for April 20, 2012

Uh, how did we get to politics again?

This candy bar thing is turning into a major disaster!!

Michael, when you’re an adult, you can say those words too as long as you say them rarely and appropriately.

School fundraisers benefit all the children in the school, and they aren’t always just for sports. By selling these candy bars, Michael may very well be giving a child—a classmate—living in poverty with a horrible home life the opportunity to participate in an extra-curricular activity he otherwise would not have had the money to join. That participation will help him get into college (because colleges care about what you do outside of class almost as much as what you do in class, I know from personal experience). The kid will go on to get an education, and a good job, and become a productive member of society who then himself gives to charities, both abroad and domestic, and supports school fundraisers, breaking the painful cycle of poverty. Stop focusing on the trees and check out the pretty forest.

>"and remember Good Morning is OBAMA’s fault".Good one!

He’s a Canadian. They’re lucky. The only Republicans there are on vacation and can’t vote.

these school sales a disasters for the kids and families. How many end up buying at least 1/4 of a box? how many lose the money and have to make it up to the school? This just puts the wrong kind of pressure on the kids. Have them do a car wash or mow lawns for the money. Sending the out to beg for money by selling a highly inflated product(where, I suspect the manufacturer makes more than he would if he sold it in stores with outside competition). This is a niche business, that, like school and children’s sports photography, that takes advantage of the relatives feelings.

one for dad

A good start would be to stop indoctrinating kids into the organized sports culture as soon as they are old enough to chase a ball or wave a pom-pom. Teach them some logical thinking, civics, and personal responsibility first. It’s all about having and supporting an elite home team, the We vs. They mindset, competition instead of cooperation. Recall that for a week or so after 9-11, all professional sports games were canceled, and yet the world didn’t end. People finally realized that there was something more important. Too bad it didn’t last. God help you if you suggest at a school board meeting that something like yoga and chess would be more useful to a student throughout his lifetime than indoctrinating him into being a fan of organized sports and building an expensive stadium. By age 30, most of them will be reduced to drinking cheap beer in front of a TV instead of fulfilling their potential as human beings.

I saved this from a comment by someone else on another board:“Sports and the military definitely go hand in hand. Hero worship and territorial struggles are essential elements that the state needs to instill in its population in order to insure that the common people will fight their wars. Ingraining the ideas of “team spirit” and “physical conflict” within the masses helps the elite focus the energies of the working classes so that they will accept the order to fight another country or creed. In this way the rulers of every country can ensure that the restless energies of the masses can be turned against foreign citizens rather than focused at the rulers themselves. Kings and religious leaders remain wealthy and removed from the battles that they encourage their subjects to fight.Go Team!!!!!"

I was told that in my old college town, when the news of Bin Laden’s death was announced, they were burning couches in the street and practically rioting, just as they would have done after winning or losing a football game

I miss the days when the fund raiser candy bar was less than a dollar.

The image of Homer Simpson choking Bart comes to mind!

Good additions, hcr1985 and Susan! I have never cussed in front of my children, although I know people who can’t seem to stop unfortunately. One of them has a daughter who said cuss words at age 4. Even that couldn’t even get them to stop. I would have been mortified. Having said that, I can curse with the best (worst) of them, although I have matured enough to only curse when I’m alone or really, really angry and away from children. Even when I fell down the stairs, I only yelled “Owwww!!!” Not bad…

A brother-in- law bought $1400 worth of donuts so his daughter could go to Australia. Still in the freezer after 8 years…………..

When I helped my kids sell things for their fundraisers for school, I always carried along a small manilla envelope to put the money inside. It was safe and secure then. Too bad Elly and John didn’t know to do this. :(

I don’t know who you’re talking to but that’s not a nice thing to say to anyone! Just because you don’t agree with something someone says doesn’t make them a moron and you an Einstein so I flagged your comment!