Equal amounts of hate

When one thinks of bad parents, one would think of names like Joan Crawford, Casey Anthony, and Amy Chua. But there is a new kid on the block: Seattle-area foster mother Ellen Kovach. She recently told reporters that she doesn’t play least favorites, claiming that each of the minors placed in her home is provided with an equal amount of deep, seething animosity. “They’re all my least favorite,” said the state-certified caregiver of 14-year-old Jeffrey, 12-year-old Claire, and 8-year-old Trevor. “I really don’t ignore or resent one more than the other. All three are a huge pain in my ass. Sure, sometimes it might seem like I spend more time arguing with Claire, but believe me, a good part of my day is devoted to reassuring Jeffrey and Trevor that they mean nothing to me. Those kids definitely know I hate them all the same.” Kovach, who receives monthly checks of $400 per child, was adamant in refusing to say which of the three juveniles she despised the most, insisting that Jeffrey, Claire, and Trevor were “all especially irritating in their own unique ways.” I respect her for having the balls to come right out with such negative things about her own foster children. How she ever managed to become certified to begin with is beyond me, as is how a Frenchwoman who crashed into a taxi in Queenstown can expect to assign blame on the New Zealand authorities. She was driving on the wrong side of Frankton Rd when her vehicle collided with a taxi at 4.40am on Tuesday. Her explanation was she was adhering to the French road rules and since New Zealand authorities permitted her to drive, they must take some responsibility. This argument is flimsy and will not hold up. If you want to come to another country, you have to respect their laws, even if this means driving on the other side of the road.