Wealth of Elon Musk
2012: $2,000,000,000
2023: $248,900,000,000

Wealth of Jeff Bezos
2012: $18,400,000,000
2023: $153,100,000,000

Wealth of Mark Zuckerberg
2012: $17,500,000,000
2023: $104,900,000,000

Federal Minimum Wage
2012: $7.25
2023: $7.25

Three words: tax the rich.

As some of you have probably noticed, I’m hanging out in rural Maine visiting my mother and doing assorted chores. Today a friend of hers came by, along with her 8 year old grandkid. I’d been working outside and was sweaty, so I was watching from the door when my mother went to greet them. And I immediately noticed two things.

1. The kid was was wearing a t-shirt that said “Equality” with a rainbow.
2. Their grandmother referred to them as “she” and then corrected herself to “they”.

So I popped inside, took off my sweaty shirt, and put on my “Some Kids Are Trans. Get Over It” t-shirt and came out to greet them.

Super bright kid. I had a nice time chatting with them and showing them around. And they were awesome with my mother’s dog, who is afraid of kids.

I did my level best to get my mother to use the right pronouns. But despite myself and the grandmother using them, she didn’t get the hint. Then when folks were out of the room, I told her specifically. She said she’d never heard of such a thing. Later she was talking to my uncle and she said it was silly and she wouldn’t do it. As silly, she said, as all the fuss over using “he” and saying it didn’t automatically include women. Later over a lunch, I had a knock down/drag out fight over it that left me shaking. What’s frustrating is that it’s not non-binary or trans she’s complaining about, she just thinks anything that makes her change is silly and not worth the effort, and no stats will change her mind. Plus, she absolutely denied she had told my uncle she wouldn’t do it. And then when backed into a corner, claimed that she hadn’t meant what she said! *****CW SUICIDE: SKIP HERE***** It doesn’t help to remind her (didn’t have to, she brought it up) that as a teen back she had a close Native American friend who transitioned but later killed themselves. (In the 40’s, good lord, poor woman). But she refused to put two and two together. Left me absolutely shaking with anger. ***SAFE TO KEEP GOING***

Oh well. Maybe some of will sink in eventually once she’s gotten over my telling her “No”. She doesn’t like it when I do that.

But lets hear it for trans and non-binary eight year olds! Absolute breath of fresh air.

HOW TO SPOT A RIP CURRENT:

IT'S WHERE THE WATER LOOKS EASIEST AND SAFEST, with no waves breaking or rolling in.

NEVER ENTER THE SEA HERE.

If you get caught in a rip, DON'T FIGHT IT. You can't swim back to shore against it; you will become exhausted and drown.

Instead, SWIM ACROSS IT, parallel to shore. You'll soon be out of the current and can then easily swim back.

Boost, please, and make sure your friends and family know this when they hit the beach.