Blowing a bubble, riding “no hands” and saying no to the 5th grade ladies.
Summer vacation begins in less than a month, and it’s time to assess whether your kid has learned all the lessons appropriate to his or her age. With the pre-schoolers, can they blow bubbles? Yes, it’s great that they’re going to robotics camp and curing cancer by the end of August but if they can’t take a hard piece of bubble gum, chew it into submission and then blow a monster bubble that gets on their glasses, they’re behind. Buy a bag of bubble gum and get them on it. Pre-schoolers should also be learning to make fart noises with their hands under their armpits. The truly talented will also figure out how to make fart noises with their hands at the back of their knees and my son, I am proud to say, can make fart noises with just his …
Do you agree where your tax dollars are going?
Takoma Park's taxpayers have paid out almost $85 million for the Iraq and Afghan wars according to the website Cost of War. We at Patch want to know what you think of that as Takoma Park residents. Patch reader Jay Levy already voiced his opinion in a recent letter to the editor in The Gazette. Levy lamented that Takoma Park residents have had to fork over that amount of money. So tell us, what do you think about the amount Takoma Park taxpayers have spent on the Iraq and Afghan wars?
The Washington D.C. music scene lost a titan today. How did Brown's music impact your life?
Update: 6:30 p.m. - Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker has issued a press release expressing his condolences over the passing of local music legend Chuck Brown. The statement reads in full: “My thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends and countless fans of Chuck Brown. It is a sad day for so many in Prince George’s County, the Washington region, and throughout the world. Chuck Brown left an indelible mark on our hearts and minds with his very distinctive voice and incredible genre of music that he created, Go-Go. He was an icon whose music inspired so many and become the sound that defined modern-day Washington, DC and Prince George’s County. He will be missed, but we are so fortunate that his music will be with …
7:23 pm on Sunday, May 20, 2012
I had the great joy of ushering Chuck Brown's show at Strathmore Hall a couple of years ago. It was my first exposure to his music and unforgettable! He was amazing. The whole building was dancing - in the concert hall and the atrium. more ›
Just relax and loll around, and don’t think about the pee
With warmer weather around the corner parents will soon be signing up for swimming lessons for babies and toddlers. It’s a laudable idea. Parents should make sure their child can swim the width of the pool comfortably because this means they will be drown-proofed. If they fall in a pool or lake, they’ll be able to handle it. They’ll get themselves to the side. And they’ll have fun (fun? no! ecstasy!) and get hours of exercise. But a class for babies or toddlers? Pointless. And often pretty dang expensive. I came to this conclusion as a person who swam competitively for half a decade, taught toddler classes, taught older kids to swim, coached smaller kids on our swim team and then taught my own kids to swim. I even signed my kids up once …
7:54 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Opps here is the link to the Griffin University study --- http://splashmagazine.com.au/2011/09/21/does-swimming-make-kids-smarter-4/ more ›
MoCo officials want the Maryland Court of Appeals ruling overturned.
Earlier this week Montgomery County law enforcement officials called on Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a Maryland Court of Appeals decision that bars police officers from taking DNA samples from a defendant charged with a crime. So we want to know what you think. Is taking DNA from a defendant an invasion of privacy or is a good tool to help law enforcement?
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11:11 am on Friday, May 4, 2012
Why is there a question about assisting law enforcement to get criminials off the streets? more ›
The event is Thursday night at the Takoma Park Community Center.
The indefinite military detention provisions of the recent National Defense Authorization Act will be the topic of discussion Thursday night when the Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition hosts at 7:30 p.m. in the Takoma Park Community Center. The NDAA’s dangerous detention provisions would authorize the president to order the military to pick up and indefinitely imprison people captured anywhere in the world, far from any battlefield, according to a news release about the event. Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition activists advocate a Takoma Park city council resolution urging repeal of the NDAA's indefinite detention provisions. The resolution has been endorsed by the Maryland ACLU and the Bill of Rights Defense Committee. WHEN…
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(But can we reconsider the snacks?)
In this age of obesity, videogames, cut-throat competition and ridiculously long drives to chilren’s soccer games in overpriced leagues, there is an oasis of sanity: Takoma Park soccer. Because of Takoma soccer, and the legions of volunteer organizers, coaches, assistant coaches, linespeople and referees, my kids have learned ball handling skills, not to give up when you’re losing and how to have fun with just a ball and another kid. All without my dipping into the college fund to pay soccer fees or, usually, even backing the car out of the garage. No more drives to Poolesville. And there’s good sportsmanship, usually by both kids and parents. One Monday downtown, a colleague was laughing because at his kid’s baseball game in Bethesda a …
Being tough means never again having a kid demand to know “who’s that?” on the phone.
On an ordinary day, my phone rang. I answered it -- a pleasant “hello” -- and got a shock: “Who’s that?” a young person demanded to know. I felt a little surge of anger at the rudeness but told who I am. “Is (son’s name) there?” the rude kid said, again in a demanding tone. I got my son but the next time a rude kid called, he got a lecture and a detailed spelling out of how you approach a telephone call. Because here’s the deal -- the kid involved is a really nice kid. And so are the other kids -- and there are a few -- who call and say “who’s this?” after they dial my family’s number. One by one they each got the lecture: When you call someone’s house, you identify yourself and state your business. And one by one, the kids got with the …
Tell us what you think.
Governor O'Malley signed the marriage equality act into law earlier this month, but opponents want a referendum on the November ballot to decide the fate of the same-sex marriage bill. What do you think? Should there be same-sex marriage in Maryland and should it be put to a referendum or is O'Malley's stamp of approval enough? Let us know in comments below. Also follow us on Facebook and Twitter and let us know what you think.
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What do you enjoy about spring?
Even though it has felt like spring in Takoma Park for the last few weeks, Tuesday marks the official start of the season. So we want to know: what's your favorite part of spring? Is it using the parks around the city or eating brunch outside on a sunny Sunday in Old Takoma? Let us know in comments.
Fran Pollner
10:30 am on Sunday, May 20, 2012
You might be interested in attending the next Takoma Park City Council meeting Monday night (the 21st), when they will consider a resolution to tell Congress to reduce the military budget and invest the savings in our state and local communities (and another one urging the repeal of the indefinite detention provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act). You can see the Council agenda at . more ›