Our science this year will include astronomy. Nice, because it was a particular interest of mine (although my mathematical skills fell short when it came to advanced work). The girls have an interest as well, in part because we have a telescope (similar to this, but without the computer assist):
Unfortunately we lack the space to be able to keep it up and available, but we do set it up and drag it outside from time to time.
While inside, where it is warm, we can look at a couple of interesting web sites. First, a site for tracking satellites. My brother sent me this link when he knew SkyLab was going overhead. We could not see it because of our location, but I find the link fascinating. I usually click the "Satellite" setting on the Google map, and tracking the orbit also becomes a geography and geology lesson.
Next is NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day. They are not all masterpieces, but they are informative, and link to tons of information about the subject in question - for instance, the International Space Station.
First is an enterprising gent who decided that building Stonehenge should be no big deal, as long as you have a bit of engineering know-how (and the family to cheer you on):
When we were recently in Savannah, Georgia, I was fascinated by the size of the cargo ships that ran the river. Of course someone has to build them - not hard to picture. But getting them into the water... well, you don't back the trailer down the boat launch, do you. Not with a vessel that size:
Still not meaning to get political, I intend this next example to be a warning about looking at data. The fact is, anyone with an agenda can manipulate the presentation of data in this way. Students need to know not only how graphs work, but how the data set can be presented to appear to be something other than it actually is. This video examines a graph commonly used in AGW (Anthropogenic Global Warming) presentations.
Whether dealing with junk science, or with claimed rates of return for a mutual fund, or any number of situations, people need to know to ask questions. They also need to know which questions to ask. Skepticism is always healthy, and especially when someone is reaching for your wallet. More especially when they claim to be doing you good while reaching for your wallet!
Devoutly religious types are often accused of accepting faith over science. I think it an unfair characterization; I find that most of the devout people I know are highly educated, and understand science as well or better than the average fellow. Some may disagree with some current scientific theories, but have the historical perspective to understand that today's accepted science can become tomorrow's example of faulty or incomplete understanding.
Those who declare themselves to be intellectually above superstition and religion often lack a certain perspective. G. K. Chesterton described it thus: "When men choose not to believe in God, they do not thereafter believe in nothing, they then become capable of believing in anything."
I find this to be proven in today's culture, and specifically in the on-going debate about Anthropomorphically-caused Global Warming. When warming does not take place as expected, we change the term to Anthropogenic Climate Change (as though the climate of the Earth has never before changed). When questions are raised about observed effects, methodologies used, or possible alternative hypotheses are proposed, the "true believers" respond with fierceness, even calling in some extreme cases for imprisonment or death as a punishment for the heresies. These are the people who accept AGW on faith while assuming a cloak of scientism.
Following is an example of faith in the guise of science trumping true science. Lord Monckton (Christopher Walter Monckton, 3rd Viscount Monckton of Brenchley) interviews a young lady who is in attendance at the Copenhagen climate summit. Her responses to Monckton's questions are interesting; her obstinate refusal to question her beliefs in the face of contradictory scientific evidence is enlightening.
Considering that our kids are being force fed junk science in public schools, it is particularly important that some students (home schoolers and others) learn that the science is not settled. They need to learn skepticism. They need to understand that a new religion is being accepted in our culture, and they need to find ways to argue facts without attacking deeply held belief (evangelism in its essence). They need to understand how wicked men use this new religion (as they have, at times, used Christianity and other religions) to manipulate and control others, while they profit nicely. This whole episode can be instructive, and will prepare our children for future leadership.
We had a tremendous Thanksgiving this year. We started the day with pastry and the Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade was pretty poor - too much promotion, not enough parade. Then to church for Morning Prayer, and back home to get dinner ready.
The turkey was started the night before. We brined the turkey using a recipe from the Food Network. Alton Brown is one of our favorites, and this recipe produced a moist, flavorful turkey. The juices were used for a wonderful gravy.
The family came over, and we had a wonderful time. Lots to be thankful for.
For those student wondering how Thanksgiving began, they can read the original proclamation here. In fact, for American history, the entire site is worth the time spent.
This delightful lady gives us some cooking lessons and stories from the Great Depression.
It can be difficult for our kids to understand just how severe the Depression was (and I hope and pray that they won't have to learn the hard way). This gives one a taste of the experience.
Even without being in a Depression, learning to cook on the cheap frugally can be of great value. We will often figure the cost of a meal, or perhaps the number of meals that can be made with one purchase ( a turkey or a ham, for instance). Let your kids contrast the cost of feeding the family at home with the cost of feeding the crew at a restaurant. For our family, a trip to a restaurant is a rarity - in part due to financial considerations, in part because we generally produce better meals than most restaurants (I hate spending $60 - $80 bucks to feed the crew just to be disappointed with the meal).
So, learn to be frugal, use everything you can (eh, I don't use the gizzards), let your kids learn that some terrific meals can be made from very little. An eight dollar turkey can provide a Thanksgiving feast, sandwiches for the weekend games, and that turkey carcass can join a few veggies and some rice to make enough soup to last several meals.
Click the link above to visit Clara's YouTube page for more videos; better yet, visit her web site and buy the book and DVD!
Slow motion photography and videography can reveal some very interesting phenomena. Here we see a drop of water bouncing on a larger volume of water - an unexpected sight.
This reaction reminds me of the Leidenfrost Effect; of course, the physics behind each is quite different.
When one first sees such an unusual effect, being contrary to what one might believe would happen under such a circumstance, a strong spark of interest is ignited. What fun.
Ah well, travel followed by illness has delayed my posting again. So, to return with a bang, how about a wonderful pasta dish.
This is part of our Italian language coursework. I decided that Italian would be a good language for study, and so a trip to the Italian market is a great start.
The place to go? Carmine Lonardo's in Lakewood. They have a great little market, and make some of the best sausage in the area. Very helpful and friendly family-run company.
So what will we make? Something Italian, of course. How about a Pasta Bolognese? I chose this recipe because the flavors are developed through the main ingredients. My girls are somewhat experienced in choosing spices (my oldest daughter makes one of the best Italian-style meat sauces I've ever had), so I thought a recipe with no spice except salt would be a nice change.
Enter Epicurious.com, and a delightful recipe and instruction video (linked above). Epicurious is an essential website for any cook. My wife and I subscribed to Bon Appetit Magazine back in the day (when we could afford it), and found it to be a fantastic resource for recipes. Epicurious has an archive that includes recipes from Gourmet, Bon Appetite, and other magazines. A definite must-have link!
Result? Man, my mouth still waters when I remember that fantastic dinner! My youngest (age seven) learned to make a simple hot appetizer, and my oldest (age eleven) made the pasta with minimal assistance. Faboso! Squisito!
I like clouds. I find their shapes and formation beautiful and fascinating. I am not one who sees images in clouds - maybe I am not imaginative enough - but I do like spectacular clouds. In the days when I was a more serious photographer I usually incorporated clouds in my images. Tricky business, that. Sometimes clouds can add to the mood, sometimes distract from the subject.
Here is an interesting discussion of different cloud types, the mechanism of their formation (when known), and some striking images as well.
Normally I am an optimist. However, there are times I get cynical - sometimes it seems there is so much drek out there that it is difficult to see the positive side of a story. This will be three posts in a row in which I point out the negative side of public education. I will post some upbeat pieces next. Meanwhile, here is another example of why we home school: the way in which history is taught, as exemplified by a story on Columbus day.
"...the whole Columbus being the founder of the United States, doesn't sit well with a lot of people, myself included," said Paul Prussing, deputy director of Alaska's Division of Teaching and Learning Support.
Perhaps Mr. Prussing should take a history course before opining on history. Christopher Columbus, of course, did not found the United States, the U.S.A. being a political entity that was not founded until nearly three centuries after Columbus' journey to the Americas. And whatever opinion Prussing has of the man, he should still encourage history to be taught factually, and see to it that the actions of historical figures are taught in context with the culture of their times, not through the filter of a different age and culture.
From the same story, "Every hero is somebody else's villain," said Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, a scholar and author of several books related to Columbus.... "Heroism and villainy are just two sides of the same coin."
Alright, so let's look at an extreme example. I'm sure that the firefighters who gave their lives rescuing people from the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, were villians in the eyes of some people. But can you truly say that selfless heroism in the effort to save lives is the offset to the mindless hate that villainizes these heroes because they prevented deaths?
Moral relativism has no place in teaching. Sure, Mussolini was a vicious dictator, but he made the trains run on time! This type of attitude attempts to bridge the gap between good and evil; it minimizes accomplishment and excuses atrocity. It judges action and intent from the court of political agenda.
Children taught by the incompetent and the activist will suffer a terrible loss of perspective- they will be unable to perceive the currents in the world and will make faulty decisions based on the inaccurate data they have been given. To refer back to Dr. Sowell, they should be taught how to think, not what to think.
Thomas Sowell has an interesting comment on the recent problems we've seen in the schools. This link leads to Townhall.com, a fine political web site, but be warned that sometimes the readers comments can be rude and crude.
I normally don't quote articles at any length, but this section is well worth it:
The mindset that sees children in school as an opportunity for teachers to impose their own notions, instead of developing the child's ability to think for himself or herself, is a dangerous distortion of education.
Parents send their children to school to acquire the knowledge that has come down to us as a legacy of our culture-- whether it is mathematics, science, or whatever-- so that those children can grow up and go out into the world equipped to face life's challenges.
Too many "educators" see teaching not as a responsibility to the students but as an opportunity for themselves-- whether to indoctrinate a captive audience with the teacher's ideology, manipulate them in social experiments or just do fun things that make teaching easier, whether or not it really educates the child.
The commentary is well worth reading. Whether we home school, or choose private schools, we, as parents, will have greater influence over the education of our children. We cannot leave their education to the discretion of others, "experts"or not.
It seems odd, but I have trouble working up some righteous anger over this - it has gone so far that it is now in the realm of being ridiculous.
You may have seen the classroom video (since removed from YouTube) of children singing (chanting) their praises of our President. Well, really, they are singing what the instructors taught, as I truly doubt these young children would sing songs about equal work for equal pay.
The religious imagery used is just silly. Taken from the children's hymn ("Jesus Loves the Little Children"), the verse is changed from: Red and yellow Black and white They are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children Of the world.
To: Red and yellow Black and white They are equal in His sight. Barack Hussein Obama.
The Principal of the school, on learning of this controversy, was justifiably outraged. Outraged, that is, that the video was leaked without permission. The indoctrination and pseudo-religious motif were not, evidently, problematic.
Let us forget the political aspect of this event; we can only laugh at the religious implications of these teachers using slightly altered Christian hymns to make obeisance to any political figure. But we can ask ourselves these questions: What did the teachers think they were going to accomplish? What did the teachers think the students would gain from the exercise? After all, isn't school about the kids, not the teachers? Why did they think this was in any way appropriate in a public school setting?
Of course, if we lack a Masters Degree in Education, we are told we are not qualified to second guess these educational experts. As parents, however, we are qualified to make decisions on whether this type of activity, rare as it may be, truly meets the educational needs of our children. That is why we home school.
Man, what a month. Not much time to post new stuff - been testing the kids (standardized tests required by the State of Colorado, assessments for St. Thomas Aquinas Academy), been dealing with church-related stuff, and... well, we are now dog people. More on that later.
Meanwhile, just to get back into posting... is that Alan?
An interesting site - not very pretty graphically, but it is, after all, a research site. University of Southampton received a grant to research medieval soldiery, and is compiling a database of profiles of soldiers of the time.
More of interest to older, history-oriented students, I am sure, but another layer of our improving historical knowledge. And, yes, I was one of those geeky students. I admit that when my friends were playing with their plastic soldiers (U.S. of A. standard issue Army men), I had a set of medieval warriors - knights, archers, yeomen, pikemen, as well as the necessary siege machines - ballistae, towers... yeah, it is a wonder I ever got a date when I was older.
Yeah, the Earth has craters. Big craters. Huge honking craters. So, this question can evolve into a lesson in astronomy, geology, and erosion, with some uber-cool pictures, and a book recommendation thrown in for good measure.
The folks working at the FTC (Federal Trade Commission), having not much else to occupy their time, have decided that bloggers represent a clear and present danger to the safety and financial well-being of consumers throughout this land. As of this writing, they have not done much beside bluster, but I will take this opportunity to disclose all of the financial benefits I realize through this lucrative enterprise.
First, I am not paid to blog. I understand that some bloggers are paid to write about various things - products, vacations, and the like - and are either paid directly or else receive said products, vacations, etc. I am not paid, but... if anyone would like to send my family on a fully paid world cruise, I would be happy to write about it. I assure you, if that becomes the case at some future point, not only will I disclose the fact that I was paid to blog about the cruise, I will in fact brag about it to anyone within hearing distance.
Second, you will find almost every blog entry has a link of some sort. For the most part I am not paid to provide these links. The exceptions are the obvious ones: if I provide a link to a book at Amazon.com, or a product at buy.com, I will get paid if you follow the link and purchase the book or item*. So far the earnings are non-existent. But that's not really why I write about these books and products. Yes, some bloggers are paid to write about a book they may not have otherwise read. I write about books that I enjoy, that have proven to be important in our home school (or in my own studies), and that I think may be useful for you, the reader. If I can also (eventually) earn some small pittance from these recommendations, great. If not, I have still recommended a book someone will enjoy.
Third, you will see ads on this site. They are of two types. One set are affiliates. These are companies who do not pay me to place their banners, but which will pay a commission should someone follow the link and actually purchase something. As of this writing, this arrangement has profited me somewhere in the range of zilch. The companies I select (and that accept my application) are companies that I either have used myself (with an acceptable result) or are companies that I think will be of benefit to home schoolers. The other set are Google ads. I do not have control over what ads are displayed, but they generally relate to whatever I am posting. These have been more profitable - I believe that, as of this writing, I have earned just over $0.20. I am sure I would do better if I were to post the ads more prominently, but that is not the main purpose of this blog.
Well, I hope that this eases the minds of readers and bureaucrats alike. Now hopefully the FTC can move on to more pressing matters, like what to have for lunch.
* Please note: The geniuses that are the Colorado State Legislature have decided that, in an effort to raise revenue, they will chase more business out of the state. Now, maybe I'm not in politics because I don't understand how chasing businesses out of the state will increase tax revenue. I'm hoping for an explanation from some of the brighter minds in Colorado Government.
Basically, these Statesmen decided to make businesses like Amazon collect taxes on the huge sums (as noted above) their affiliates earn. Amazon decided it did not need the hassle, and pulled out of affiliate relationships in Colorado. Thanks, Governor Ritter! Thanks, Senator Shaffer! Thanks, Representative Carroll! (Funny - all three are lawyers, none are businessmen. Curious thing, isn't it?)
At any rate, for you folks in the FTC - rest easy. You'll have less of that pesky affiliate income to chase down in Colorado! And for Gov. Ritter and the brain trust in the state house - how is it that tax revenues increase when bloggers in Colorado are paid nothing instead of something?
OK, so I am not a car aficionado - if it runs, I drive it. If it breaks, with a few relatively easy exceptions, I take it to the mechanic. When I do work on cars, it is usually with the assistance of a series of expletives I would rather my children not hear.
And knowing the terminology? Well, I think the doomaflogit is connected to the thingamabobber.
But I do have a strong interest in things mechanical (coupled with poor mechanical ability, a dangerous combination!), and my youngest daughter, even at age seven, is very much interested in how things work.
So I found this video very interesting and easy to understand.
In searching for an image of a volcano (you know how these questions arise during the school day), I came across this powerful image of a newly formed mountain:
Contrast that with a classic figure of a volcano, Mt. Fuji:
This was a great beginning to a discussion on geology, but the greater find was the website of Yann Athus-Bertrand. Primarily aerial images, he has some stunning photographs on-line. My girls can spend a lot of time looking at the different patterns, learning a bit about different countries as they go.
Well worth the visit. And even better, these images are available for download (no charge) as wallpaper for your computer desktop. If you are interested in fine art photographic prints, they can be ordered through this same web site.
And no, it is not all volcano based. In fact, there are a wide variety of images, some quite serene:
For fans of medieval Europe and the Near East, this short look at walled cities is pretty interesting. The aerial photography is nice, there are old maps to peruse, and links to investigate further.
By the way, this photo was taken by Klaus Leidorf - look at his site as well. It is not in the English language, but is easy to navigate, and has some superb photography.
A neat little page crammed with a ton of information, SpaceWeather.com is well worth the trip. I first came across this site when looking for a report on sunspot activity (yes, I am one of those who believe the sun has more of an effect on Earth's climate than does my car). Well, there on the front page is an image of the Sun with the latest sunspot activity (none, as of this writing).
Poke around a little, and you will find all kinds of interesting information and links. For instance, how about a link to the NASA web site, and a ground level view of the lunar lander Challenger lifting off. Or, how about a wake-up call the next time the Northern Lights are visible (there is a charge for this service)?
This is a great site for daily information for serious amateur astronomers, and a fun site to explore for anyone interested in astronomy.
I start by reminding myself that this is not a political blog - and yet, I have to admit to varying degrees of upset and frustration as I see the current Congress and Administration move us rapidly down a disastrous road.
To concentrate on one aspect of this disturbing push, the "debate" over the health care system provides a lesson that we do not have to glean from history; we can watch it and experience it in person.
Economics: one side claims they will reduce health care costs, cover more people, and improve services; the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office claims the plan will actually cost over a trillion dollars; the opposing side claims the cost will be much higher than that, or else rationing will be necessary. Can we know the truth?
The history of our own country could be a guide. Ask your student to research the debate over Medicare and Medicaid. Both were touted as cures to the problems of our health care system. Compare the cost estimates generated by their proponents in Congress, the estimates of cost generated by the CBO, and the actual costs. For a more advanced economic comparison, consider that Medicare and Medicaid underpay hospitals and doctors, who then shift those costs onto patients covered by private insurance. What does Medicare/Medicaid really cost?
Now jump forward, and apply the factor by which Medicare/Medicaid costs were underestimated to the current cost estimates for the plans being proposed by Congress and the administration. How much will this experiment cost? And, considering there will be no private insurers to shift the costs onto, how much revenue will have to be raised (through increased taxes) to pay for this new system?
Wait a minute (I hear you say) - the President and Congress have said that private insurance will still be allowed. But.. let us shift to a civics lesson now. How do politicians assure you that you will have what you want, while they take it away from you? This editorial in Investors Business Daily (highly recommended, by the way, for any students who are of an age to begin investing [and yes, I admit that my girls watch the financial channel with me, and have more than a nodding acquaintance with the stock markets even though they are not yet out of grade school]) is an excellent lesson in the duplicitous nature of the political beast.
More civics: what happens to a government when there are no longer checks and balances? When the Congress and the Executive are in lock step with each other, and the party in control has a majority of sufficient size to block dissension, where are the checks and balances?
The Judicial is supposed to be the final check, but is the nationalization of a portion of our economy unconstitutional? If there is a chance for court intervention, would any particular citizen have standing before the court? OK, this may be getting into questions most homeschoolers will not be able to answer, because I think scholars will be divided on the answer. It makes for an interesting thought experiment, though.
Ah, but the final check and balance comes from the so-called Fourth Estate. No, not the conventional press, as few in the legacy media seem to have an interest in providing detail in this debate. Yes, they publish the press releases and cover the media events, and perhaps add a little editorial comment disguised as news, but have they provided us with a look at how these proposals work in other countries? Surprisingly, no! However, there are those enterprising folks in the so-called New Media who have. Take this young fellow, who was raised in Canada and has friends in Canada. He has given us a patient's-eye view of the Canadian system:
An entertaining look. For a more general look, taken from various British publications, try this list of links. Harry Erwin's "Letters from England" cover a variety of topics, but he often has reports on the British health care system. This is from a Google search of Jerry Pournelle's blog - another site with some tremendous information on it.
So, we have a lesson for our students. A lesson in looking beyond the speeches, diving deeper than the press releases, ferreting out the lies and distortions. A lesson in using the resources that are now easily available through the Web, and a lesson in critical thinking. And the lesson for the home school teacher? Perhaps for most a reinforcement than a lesson; we can provide our children with mental tools, with critical skills, that the public schools (and many private schools) will not encourage or develop in their students - much to the detriment of our society and our culture.
For older students, the story of the Iranian election and the protests following may be fascinating. Living as we do in a country founded by revolution, one may try to find parallels here. For instance, an aspect seldom considered is the economic consequence of these protests. We see people marching in the streets (even though little information is allowed out of the country right now), we consider the personal risk taken by the marchers, but how often do we consider what this does to the economic structure of the country? This may inspire students of history to dig a little deeper into the economic consequences of the American revolution. Of course, the economies of early America and of modern Iran are vastly different; still, the impact of the revolution went well beyond what the fighting men experienced.
It may be that nothing in Iran will change. It may be that we are witnessing history in the making.
I cannot help but root for anyone fighting for liberty, and I wish these protesters success. This link is to a YouTube video highlighting some scenes from the Iranian protests underway. The soundtrack is great, and the scenes stirring. However, I did not embed the video because some of the scenes are bloody. Use your discretion in following the link.
For space fans (and most kids are fascinated by space) this is a cool look back in time - well, a relatively short time for some of us. This is the first image of the Earth taken from a lunar orbit. If I recall, the image was sent using technology similar to that used by fax machines - you can see the lines left from the printer.
This is from Nasa's web site, which provides details about the image and links to much larger images.
Well, one, at least. This is a nice story about two kids meeting a Supreme Court Justice while flying coach. Hey, do you think he would speak at our graduation? Nah... well, yeah!
By the way, the story is great - the rude and sometimes racist comments that accompany the story are not fit for young ones. I wish NBC did a better job of filtering such comments.
Kids seem interested in business. Whether spending part of the day with Mom at her job, learning how to work in a larger company, or wanting to help Dad with his small business, kids are interested in business.
My oldest has been hounding me to help her start a business. Not yet eleven years old, I suspect that the business will be more work for Dad than for her. Yet, I want to cultivate that desire to work, to earn, to succeed.
I have not yet fully explored this site, but it seems interesting. As I am able to explore it further, and possibly get my tweenager involved, I will report results.
Funny story - My oldest loves to dance, and told us she'd like to work at the dance studio. Of course we encouraged her - nice way to earn your way through college! That's when our youngest popped up and said "I want to own the studio!" Bless her little pea-pickin' heart (name that entertainer).
My youngest always has another easy-to-answer question! With her talent for math, and her interest in how things work, I suspect we may have a budding engineer.
Anyway, I've shown her a variety of YouTube videos on modern manufacture, some older newsreels (they tend heavily toward a pro-labor movement emphasis, not so much the actual assembly), and the like.
Here is an interesting video about manufacture for the 1939 World's Fair - animation, color, and 3-D effects. Must have wowed them in '39!
The top winners of a contest sponsored by the Neural Correlate Society are presented on the American Institute of Physics web site - including a stunning visual demonstrating baseball's "Breaking Curve"!
When I would hear announcers talk about the breaking curve ball, I knew that the ball could not suddenly change direction in mid course. Not being a player, I didn't understand what the pitcher was throwing, or what the batter was seeing. This illusion explains both quite nicely.
Another illusion I found interesting was one of a face made to look more feminine or more masculine by controlling contrast. As a sometime photographer, the idea intrigues me - it may explain a lot of the images we see in advertising, and the blurring of genders through Photoshopped images.
I found this math-oriented site when looking for some information on isometric projection. My youngest was trying to draw a picture of a Popsicle-stick log cabin that she made. She was getting frustrated, and I showed her a free-hand method of 3-dimensional drawing. It wasn't clicking, so off we went to the internet to research. The site has some interesting flash games, activity packs, and such.
This short video is an interesting look at our federal budget, and the effect of cutting what one would think is a very large amount from that budget. Fact is, these numbers are so large that few can visualize how much money is involved, or how one huge number relates to another.
The concept behind this visualization is the same used by the math program we use here (Math-U-See) -- use manipulatives, that is, tangible/physical items that bring a material representation to an intellectual concept.
I, Pencil is a great story of economics. Looking at a simple item every school kid knows, the author describes the intricate working of the market place that allows a pencil to exist. The point is made that no one person could make a pencil - the efforts of many, many people across the world, working in a co-ordinated manner not dictated by anything except enlightened self-interest, are necessary to gather all the raw materials and put them into a workable form.
This is easy for even grade-school aged children to understand, and it will give them a foundation for understanding market forces.
This link takes you to a download of this marvelous audio book presentation. This link takes you to a written version, with an introduction by Dr. Milton Friedman (who used this essay in an episode of Free to Choose).
Early in our courtship I found my wife could defend herself. She studied a little Kung Fu, which helped, but more importantly she knew to stand up for herself, was aware of her surroundings, and was (and is) self confident. Sometimes she doesn't know when to back down (remind me to tell the tale of the drunk who was urinating in the bushes), but I normally feel confident she can protect herself. Oh yeah, she is also a better shot than I am.
Having firearms required some serious thought on our part. Having a gun in the house means that you may use it - sounds obvious, I know, but if you are required to use that firearm, you will likely injure or kill someone. One must know that in advance, accept it, know the ramifications it will bring, and pray that you will never need to use it. Having a firearm for self defense and having children in the house adds another dimension entirely. The firearm is for self defense - in other words, it is a safety issue - but the children need to be protected from the possibility of injury due to misuse - in other words (again), their own curiosity. One tool is the Eddie Eagle program that the NRA sponsors. It is a good starting point. Another tool is the dulling of the child's curiosity - if the weapon is not a mystery, and the child can handle it (with supervision, after the weapon has been rendered inoperative), then curiosity is lessened, as is the chance that the child will gravitate toward the weapon unsupervised. I've also taken the girls to an outdoor range - not so they could fire the weapon, but so they could hear the noise (with ear protection, of course) and see how destructive a bullet can be. I would recommend Cornered Cat as a web site worthy of note for anyone, but especially women who may be considering (or already have) a firearm for self protection. My daughters will study the information here when they reach the right age.
My daughter's little Nikon Coolpix 2100 has been a great camera, but the plastic latch that the battery door slides into broke. Nikon wanted $95 + shipping to repair the darn thing, which is more than we paid for it!
This is the offending part - cheap plastic holding a spring-loaded door. A poor design, one which affects the 2100, 3100, and 3200 models - and one which Nikon changed in later models.
A glob of JB Weld, an epoxy with metal mixed in for extra strength. The stuff is versatile, easy to use, and strong.
This is a piece of silver wire I just happened to have on hand - I bought a roll to repair my Rosary a while back (yes, I really am cheap... er, I mean frugal). I attached it to the remaining latch with the epoxy, and tested it once the epoxy set. I then used more epoxy to fill in around and beneath the wire, so that the door would close and latch properly. An inexpensive and relatively elegant solution (I've seen some repair efforts that involve all sorts of external clamps and screws). My daughter is thrilled to have her camera back.
A side benefit of our recent trip to Monte Vista was the purchase of some nice potatoes, which happened to be purple in color. I thought of our upcoming Friday evening soup and bread supper at our Parish (this normally follows Evening Prayer, and precedes the Stations of the Cross). I thought it might be fun for the kids, and certainly it would be the proper liturgical color!
The image above shows one uncooked potato with the skin intact, one peeled. I learned that to keep the color, the potatoes should be baked or microwaved, then added to the soup stock (in our case, for Lent, we use either just plain old water or a home-made vegetable stock). I found there is less waste if the potato is cooked skin on, then peeled before being added to the stock. Some herbs and salt, a little milk to make it creamier, and you have purple soup.
Most thought it tasted very good. One young lady wouldn't try it because of the color. The purple potatoes have a little different flavor, perhaps a bit sweeter.
Not normal home-school stuff here, but let me tell you a little story....
We took a long weekend to drive down into the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado. Sandhill Cranes migrate through this area in the spring, and it is a sight to behold. Hundreds, perhaps even thousands of the birds in the fields and in the air. If you have never heard their call, check out this video.
The festival is always fun, the kids get to eat, shop, view the cranes, and maybe even learn a little about birding. And, frankly, the trip down there is through some beautiful countryside, the sight of these magnificent birds against the snow covered peaks is awesome, and the entire experience is great! Don't expect to find gourmet food or five star lodging, but do expect to find friendly people.
So where does the Marine Corps fit into this story?
As we descended into the valley, my attention was on the road, as a driver ahead of us was pulling over to the shoulder. My wife exclaimed, "Did that just happen, or is it old?" I looked where she was looking, and saw the overturned car. It was still smoking/steaming, so I pulled over and called it in. She hopped out, and started back to the wreck, and I turned our car around and drove back to the accident site.
When I got out, I handed the phone to my wife, and headed toward the wreck, hoping that the first aid I learned a hundred years ago in Boy Scouts would suffice. There were two women at the scene, with one man laying on the ground. I was relieved when one of the women told the man on the ground that she was trained in emergency first aid and CPR. I asked if there was anyone else in the car, and yes, there was a woman in there. She was being helped out, so I escorted her up the grade to the side of the road.
When I returned, the first woman was trying to get the man to his feet. "Should we move him?" asked the second woman. "From my experience with overturned, smoking vehicles in the Marines - yes, we move him. If that car blows up, we don't want to be near it."
OK, if she wasn't in charge of this scene before, she is now. I helped her get this man to his feet. Once he was up, head bleeding, dazed, he looked at me and politely said "Hello". We must observe the proprieties, mustn't we. I grinned and kept him moving.
When we had him to the road side, another danger was evident - we are away from the possible fire, but the danger of a car hitting one of the parked cars was high, as we were just past a blind curve in the road. I sent my wife for our first aid kit, and our Marine started issuing more orders. She had already sent someone to a nearby house to phone emergency on a land line, and as she started to tend to this gentleman's head wound she said "I need someone to flag traffic." I took off - never in the military, but I know how to follow orders! When the emergency crews arrived they noted, pleased, that everything was already under control.
I regret I didn't get this woman's name, but I did shake her hand and thank her for her service. I also told her how lucky the injured man was to have her there. She humbly said she was just happy to be able to help. She is not currently enlisted, but she is a shining example of all the Corps represents.
As I told my girls, if I am ever in that kind of situation, send in the Marines!
I have committed to dancing at my daughters' recitals again this year. No, I am not a dancer - the instructor is patient, the dance fairly easy, and I pay attention, so I get by. Last year was a bit of James Brown (love the music, but I am as far from funky as you can get); the previous year was a Viennese Waltz to Chicago's Color My World.
At any rate, with that in mind, I came across a superb example of dance from a couple of fellows not normally known for dancing.
OK, another treat for those interested in mechanical devices - with an archaeological twist, as this mechanism is 2100 years old. It was designed to track cycles of the solar system, including eclipses, and as a bonus kept track of the four year Olympiad cycles. Read about its discovery and the amazing tools used to analyze the remaining fragments here.
We are starting a study of Italian. We know a bit of Mandarin Chinese, and some phrases in French and German, but in starting our foreign language course we decided on Italian.
I came across this site - not a comprehensive course by any means, but a neat little site with audio examples of pronunciation. Worth a look - and the links to music sung by Pavarotti and Bocelli are well worth the time to enjoy.
OK, this is a real treat. It is not as good as the print version, which of course has many fine images and maps, but this web site has the entire 1911 Edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica on line, searchable by subject or alphabetically.
The 11th Edition is considered by many to be the finest encyclopedia (to use the American spelling) ever published. Having it available in this format is a boon to students of all ages.
The study of Dihydrogen Monoxide is vital for a solid understanding of the environmental disaster that awaits planet Earth. All home schooled kids should take some time to study this chemical, its effects on the environment, and the political ramifications of its continued use.
Yes, the study of Dihydrogen Monoxide (H2O, or water in the vernacular) gives our students an excellent picture of how environmental sciences have been perverted for political gain, how the most benign substance can be portrayed as dangerous, in other words, how modern advocacy works.
Just put a pile of money into my '83 Toyota Land Cruiser. This is one ugly truck - dented, rusted - in fact I bought it that way. I figured if I'm taking this up where I might bounce it off a rock or rub up against a tree, I would rather not be the first to dent it! That said, it runs, runs well, and gets me through deep snow and up mountain trails. My courage fails before it reaches it's limits. And it is fun to drive (my wife points out that opinions vary).
But you know politicians and bureaucrats. Vehicles with carburetors are bad, evil, planet destroying monsters. Never mind that I drive it fewer than 3000 miles per year, or that from an ecological standpoint it has a far smaller carbon footprint (factoring manufacturing costs, life of the vehicle, and ultimate disposal costs) than a Prius hybrid. No, old is bad, new is good. Easier to make blanket statements than to allow common sense or freedom to run amok in this country.
So, it is getting tougher to pass any carbureted vehicle through the local emissions test. Hence the rather substantial repair bill.
Now, the plus. The fellow who repairs my FJ-60 runs an independent shop here in Denver. I have never been disappointed in his work. After all the emissions work was taken care of and paid for, I find the extras: he's adjusted the clutch, lubed the door, even replaced my broken aerial. The truck runs better than it has in a long time. I find this even when I take it in for an oil change - the truck runs better than before. I appreciate the work he does, and the fact that he takes care of the small points as well as the big problems.
So, it may be a small chance that someone reading this blog is in the Denver area and owns a Toyota, but if you do, call Greg at The Toy Shop.
We attended the National Western Stock Show last night, and sat in on the Superdogs show. Tremendous fun, especially for our oldest, as she is helping her Grampa run his Golden Retriever through agility training. A highly recommended show, lots of fun for the family.
This image gallery is titled "Death by Volcano", and while not gory, may not be for the tenderhearted. For those kids interested in the natural sciences, and for those fascinated by the destruction that can be unleashed upon man, this is a nice tour of four volcano-caused disasters, and of the world-wide implications of the larger explosions.
My kids have two experiences with volcanoes. First and most direct, our family cabin is in Island Park, Idaho, which sits in a gigantic caldera, approximately 23 miles long and 18 miles wide. This is the Henry's Fork Caldera, which then sits inside an older and larger caldera that extends to Yellowstone. Each time we visit, we drive up the side of the caldera coming east from Ashton. Very impressive.
The second is our recollection of cleaning ash from Mt. Saint Helens' eruption. Yes, over 1000 miles away, we got a significant amount of ash. Pretty cool, when you aren't near the blast zone.
Took my oldest on a field trip today - Denver City and County Courts. We were able to watch about an hour of traffic court. I was surprised, but no major cases running on Friday afternoon. I guess that makes sense.
It was interesting, and peaked her interest in knowing more about the courts, and government in general.
A very important subject, one which I think gets short shrift in modern curricula, and one which is increasingly important, is basic economics. Many people roll their glazed eyes at the thought of subjecting themselves (or their kids) to some boring economics lecture or book.
If you are younger than I (and many are) you may not know of Free to Choose, a wonderful book by Nobel Prize winning economist Milton Friedman. Dr. Friedman helps explain in clear language what markets are and how interactions between the players in markets affects all that we do.
Even better than the book is the PBS series that the book spawned. Better in that Dr. Friedman relays in a short video the basic principles of a chapter of his book, not by lecturing, but by traveling the world and demonstrating examples of those principles. Then the action shifts to a university setting, where an audience watches Dr. Friedman debate the merits of his arguments with a variety of opposing views. My wife and I used to watch this as often as possible when it first appeared in 1980.
I was thrilled to learn that The Idea Channel has the DVD set available for purchase, and also has streaming video of each segment on line at no charge! Please, take the time to view one or two if you haven't already seen this tremendous series. It is well worth the time, and is an easy way to impart basic economic principles to your students.
Christian husband, father, sometime home school teacher, and business owner. Anglo-Catholic postulant, Acolyte, Licensed Lay Reader, Licensed Preacher, and Senior Warden. Most of the time a nice guy, sometimes a jerk, and often a pipe and cigar smoker - not necessarily in that order.
- and a great resource for catholic books, especially for your students. I particularly like the range of books on the saints that are geared toward the younger reader.
