October 31, 2004
Two Cow Garage
With a name like Two Cow Garage I just had to check them out. It's loud and sloppy bar room rock and roll with country or roots undertones. Just my kind of music. Alphabet City, off their new album is the sample.
Click it - you know you are wondering what the heck a band with that name sounds like.
Permalink | Comments (0)13 Going On 30
Yeah, it's a chick flick. But I did watch it with a hot chick, so I'm cool right? Right?
Actually, it's surprisingly enjoyable. The 13 year old that woke up 30 gags are played well, and Jennifer Garner is on screen almost every moment of the movie.
And that is always a good thing.
Permalink | Comments (0)The Blob
Our pre-Halloween horror fest ended up being just one movie. (thanks Netflix). We watched The Blob, the original 1958 version starring Steve McQueen, who looked 40 years old even back then. He was playing a teenager.
It's good clean wholesome fun, with just the right amount of creepy for the pre-teen set.
Permalink | Comments (0)Hollywood Capitalists
I'm not sure, but I think these guys think Horseshues.com is somehow connected to the actor Chris O'Donnell. Go read the post and let me know what you think.
Either way, it's another link for Horseshues, so it's good.
Permalink | Comments (3)We need better spokespeople
I know many intelligent, well spoken homeschoolers. Unfortunately, they are never the subjects reporters pick for their stories.
When Marla Schwartz started home-schooling her son nine years ago, it was still an oddity.
So, we were odd 9 years ago and aren't now? I wonder what changed?
"What was really hard was when we would go to a place like the dentist or doctor's office and people would ask my son what school he went to," Schwartz said. "He would put his hard down and say, 'I'm home-schooled' and act really embarrassed."
I've met hundreds of homeschooled kids - I've never seen that reaction a single time. I wonder where he got the sense of shame?
And he doesn't feel that way anymore. Part of the change in attitude, she says, is that many more people are opting to home-school and was once an anomaly is now much more accepted.
But now everything is fine, since it's accepted? You don't often see a homeschooled kid (or parent) so concerned about what everybody else thinks. Usually, it's just the opposite.
In a recent story for the Associated Press, Ted Feinberg, assistant executive director of the National Association of School Psychologists, said that home-schooling parents must address several issues. Among them: Do parents with no formal training as teachers know how to handle a variety of subjects or to tailor instruction for children of different ages? Do students get the same materials they would have at schools, from books to science labs? Are families with two working parents prepared to live off a single income so that one parent can teach at home?
I have a few questions for Mr. Feinberg...
1. Why do so many teachers with all that formal training fail so miserably at their jobs? Can you produce any objective data that actually shows a causal relationship between teacher training and student achievement? Do you even understand the term causal relationship? If there is a relationship, it is probably negative. (less formal training = better student performance).
2. Why would we want the same watered down textbooks, 20 year old lab equipment, and Pentium 233 PC's?
3. Are families with two working parents prepared to accept the consequences of allowing a government employee to be the primary influence in their children's life? (Sadly, the answer seems to be yes).
Also, Feinberg said, parents must consider whether their children will emerge from home-schooling with limited exposure to other children and various cultures. More federal research is needed to help resolve such questions about home-schooling, he said.
Actually, Dr. Feinberg, no research is needed. It's none of your damn business. There are no unresolved questions about homeschooling. We don't give a damn what you and your band of pointy headed government leeches thinks.
Parents who home-school also have to work harder to find social opportunities and extracurricular activities for their children and to keep the curriculum challenging, particularly for teenagers, Schwartz said.
Actually, I would argue that schoolie parents (the ones that care) have to work harder to counteract the negative influences of peer pressure and pop culture.
Why can't HS'ers just say no? You have nothing to gain by being filler material for the local fish wrapper. The next time a reporter wants to talk to you about HS'ing - just say no. Let's get back to being Under The Radar.
Permalink | Comments (3)October 30, 2004
Atomic Raygun Attack
1. Skim Slashdot headlines in Bloglines.
2. See your hometown mentioned.
3. Read article - read comments.
4. See interesting post from somebody in F'burg with a really catchy URL
5. Click on link.
6. Discover F'burg has a punk rock band (sort of) that did a cover version of I Think We're Alone Now, most recently made famous by professional mall rat Tiffany.
7. I doubt it'll do as much for their career as it did for her, but it's still a fun song.
October 29, 2004
Probabilities in Monopoly
Now you have no excuse to lose.
Permalink | Comments (0)Parenting is not cool
Great rant from a blog I found 5 minutes ago. This will really resonate with homeschoolers, as most of us are as far from cool as you can get. Most of us are also quite proud of that fact!
...Because parenting is not, and never has been, about being cool. Cool is quite simply not a legitimate child-rearing paradigm. And to hold up it up as such is as silly as parenting according to the principles of phrenology or astrology.
However, I do blame the author for the unfortunate fact that I now have Huey Lewis Hip To Be Square stuck in my head.
Permalink | Comments (1)Attn: Brighton MI Parents
If your child attends a government school for the purpose of taking core classes like English and math, you are not homeschooling.
Although I don't think highly of the practice, I can sort of see the argument for HS'er participation in band, sports, etc. That stuff isn't core to education in the first place, and I would argue should not be run by the schools, but rather by the community if tax dollars are going to be involved.
But there is no way you can justify yourself as a homeschooler if your kid goes to a public school to take English or math. There is absolutely no reason to continue the charade at that point. You aren't homeschooling.
I'm not going to get into the "diluted diploma" comment. How do you argue with somebody that thinks a high school diploma has any value in the first place?
Permalink | Comments (2)October 28, 2004
Best.Picture.Ever
If you have to ask - you'll never understand the answer.
Bambino's Curse (the website) is no more
Ed, proprietor at Bambino's Curse, has announced that today will be the final post at Bambino's Curse. As he put it so succiently, "My work here is done."
I have no doubt he'll turn up next baseball season doing something. However, I'm going to miss my daily dose of baseball angst, peppered with pop culture and classic literature references.
Thank you Ed, for 4 years of some of the best writing on the Internet.
Permalink | Comments (0)World Champion Boston Red Sox
God, I like the way that sounds. I think I'll just sit here and say it over and over.
World Champion Boston Red Sox
World Champion Boston Red Sox
World Champion Boston Red Sox
World Champion Boston Red Sox
Dad, Grampy - I hope the view was good from the Skybox. It was damn good in my basement.
Peace Out.
Permalink | Comments (0)October 27, 2004
Dirt Dogs get Schilling
The Boston Dirt Dogs scored an email Q&A with Curt Schilling. He both compliments and slams the media, talks about his faith, Game 6, lots of good stuff here.
Permalink | Comments (0)The Truth About The Curse of The Bambino
Henry Ford, anti-semitism, and presidential aspirations. The truth really is stranger than fiction.
Permalink | Comments (1)October 26, 2004
PSA: Don't accept flu shot from guy in unmarked van
Is there anybody really that stupid?
Never mind. Stupid question.
Permalink | Comments (1)Pedro el magnífico
What curse? Red Sox 4, Cardinals 1. Pedro retired the last 14 hitters he faced in what was probably his most dominating outing of the year.
I sure wish I was in Boston this week. It's going to be one hell of a party.
Permalink | Comments (0)Great Speeches of American History
Very Cool. Audio files of 100 great speeches in American history. JFK, Reagan, FDR, MLK, and more.
Permalink | Comments (0)GlucoBoy
It's a blood glucose meter that attaches directly to a Gameboy. Because no six year old boy (diabetic or not) would ever lose his Gameboy.
Brilliant.
Permalink | Comments (0)October 25, 2004
New Shues
We have new Shues in the house.
OK, I promise not to turn ODonellWeb into a 24 hour infomercial for Horseshues.com
In other news, I am once again a productive member of the economy. I've joined a start up in the VoIP space. I've got a new phone in my home office that actually runs linux, with a web server, DHCP server, switch, and firewall built into the phone. How cool is that?
Oh, and Curt Schilling is my hero. The guy couldn't even walk yesterday morning, yet he somehow pitched six solid innings in the World Series. If the Red Sox do indeed win this, Schilling will, in only one year, have achieved that hero status that Boston reserves for greats like Ted Williams and Larry Bird.
Permalink | Comments (1)October 24, 2004
All Work and No Play...
Proof that the CEO of Horseshues.com does find time to get out and play. (Click on picture for larger image.)
1 down, 3 to go
Red Sox 11, Cardinals 9. I am not going to be getting much sleep over the next week. Schilling, with his ankle held together with duct tape, is up tonight.
Permalink | Comments (0)October 23, 2004
The Homeschoolers Growing Up
My favorite Christian rock band is going back into the studio to record a new album. An album, they promise , that will get away from the pop punk sound of Putting The Cool Back in Homeschool, and go for a more classic rock sound.
That sounds encouraging. The sold 700 copies of the first disc. Not bad at all for a self produced effort with no distribution. Not bad at all.
Permalink | Comments (0)ABC & DirecTV sucks
Purdue - Michigan is starting right now, but ABC has decided that people in Virginia would rather watch FSU - Wake Forest. I get my local stations via DirecTV. In years past, you could sometimes find the alternate ABC feeds on DirecTV for free. Not today. What is with the lame regional crap anyway? It made sense 20 years ago, when there was no technical way to show more than 1 game in an area. Today, it's just frigging stupid.
In past years I routinely bought the Purdue games on pay per view for $12.99. However, (as I just learned 10 minutes ago) DirecTV raised the price to $20. Screw that. No matter how much I want to see the game, I'm not paying $20 to watch it on TV. I don't think end zone seats cost that much at the stadium.
Purdue is undefeated when I don't watch this year, so maybe it is all for the better.
Permalink | Comments (1)October 21, 2004
Boston Red Sox - 2004 American League Champs
Red Sox payroll - $120 million
Yankees payroll - $180 million
Celebrating in the middle of Yankee Stadium after completing the greatest comeback in the history of sports.
Priceless
Permalink | Comments (3)October 20, 2004
Ladies Home Journal Homeschool Quiz
The Ladies Home Journal (didn't realize they were even still publishing) has a quiz to help you decide if homeschooling or public schooling right for you. It told me...
A public school might be the most appropriate school for your child and your family. Public schools offer many benefits, including a broad curriculum, exposure to other cultures and lifestyles, and a feeling of community. When parents stay active in their child's education (helping with homework, attending meetings with teachers), a child can get her personal needs met through a public education system.
And this is after I answered that I fundamentally disagree with public education, my kids are well above or below normal intelligence, they do well in 1 on 1 situations, and that my local schools have serious drug, gang, and alcohol problems.
I did get the quiz to spit out a recommendation to homeschool or private school, but I had to answer in the most negative, anti-social way possible for each question to get that result.
Permalink | Comments (5)Scary Movies For Kids
With Halloween fast approaching, here are some recommendations for horror movies that a pre-teen will enjoy.
I am doing a horror fest with Breck - and Delaney if she wants to watch. I think we are going to do a couple of the 50's sci-fi monster classics, like The Thing and The Blob.
Permalink | Comments (0)Cathy Cuthbert comes out of the closet
The years of hiding and denial are finally over. She is a homeschooling, libertarian, vegan. And raw vegan at that.
No. I'm not a vegan, not even close. Although I should eat way more veggies than I do.
Permalink | Comments (0)Flu Shots are plentiful...
...for the privileged class on Capital Hill.
Personally, I think the entire Congress being in bed sick with the flu would be a huge plus for our economy.
Permalink | Comments (1)On The Yankees and Cheating
Cheating is a part of baseball. Pitchers have been scuffing balls since there were balls to scuff. However, with the attempt to cheat comes the responsibility to take it like a man if you are caught.
A-Rod is no man.
In the 4th, when Bellhorn's homer bounced off a fan back into the field, Matsui played it like it hit the wall. The call originally went his way. When the umps conferred and got the call the right by granting Bellhorn his home run, Matsui stood quietly with dignity in left field.
Compare that to the 8th inning. On a slow roller to first, A-Rod very clearly uses his arm to swipe at the pitcher and knock the ball loose. A clear and obvious case of runner interference. The umps, after a conference, got the call right and called A-Rod out, and returned Jeter to first base. A-Rod immediately went into a "what did I do?" act that was embarrassing. He knows damn well what he did. He got caught, and he should take it like a man.
Note - I'm not faulting A-Rod for trying. I would do the same thing in that situation. It's the "what did I do" act after he was busted that irritates me.
In the 9th inning, the umpires felt the need to call in the riot police to line the field. Enough said about that.
Game 7 should be fun.
Update: Here is a very good explanation of the rules involved. It also points put that ARod was clearly guilty of unsportmanslike conduct and could have been ejected from the game.
Permalink | Comments (7)October 19, 2004
I can name that game in 5 notes
Play name that game - audio version. I got 13/18.
Permalink | Comments (2)Announcing Horseshues.com
It is my distinct pleasure to announce the launch of Horseshues.com - your source for unique and personalized gifts created from recycled horseshoes.
The idea was the brainchild of my eight year old daughter and all net proceeds from the venture go into her savings for the first horse in her herd. I did the web site, all the product development work is done by Delaney.
Following in Daryl's footsteps, we have structured her start up capital as a loan that will be paid back. She is responsible for keeping the books too.
If both my regular readers would trackback to this it would be great. We've tried to set her expectation low so that she won't get discouraged if she doesn't sell something in the first couple of days. However, free PR will be great as her marketing budget is zero at the moment!
Permalink | Comments (2)October 18, 2004
Mock The Vote
More goofy flash fun, this time set to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with the frightening image of John Kerry in drag.
Throwing rice at your monitor is optional.
via Darby
Permalink | Comments (0)When PB&J's are outlawed...
only the outlaws will have PB&J's.
A local public school was evacuated due to a "suspicious" package that turned out to be a peanut butter & jelly sandwhich that had been lost by a six grader.
I'm surprised peanut butter is still allowed at school. After all, it kills more kids each year than anthrax does.
Permalink | Comments (0)Hail Purdue
This weeks MP3 is Hail Purdue, performed by The Purdue All American Marching Band.
No real reason for it - I was poking around the alumni website and stumbled into an audio archive of Purdue songs.
Permalink | Comments (1)Desperate Housewives who homeschool
Are you watching Desperate Housewives? I have to admit to getting sucked into the show. It's a dark comedy about suburban life with a Twin Peaks / Northern Exposure vibe to it.
Last night we met a new character, a overweight, not at all cute, grumpy, 9 year old girl who happened to see her neighbor trimming the hedges with the gardener. The girl's mother explains that she doesn't talk much. So, of course, she blackmails her new neighbor for a bicycle and riding lessons. Quiet, yet devious. When the adulterous neighbor comments that can't practice riding tomorrow because you'll be in school, the girl answers, "I'm homeschooled, I'm always around."
Great. At least they didn't play up the clean cut Christian stereotype! I have no idea if she will be a reoccurring character, but given how sensitive many homeschoolers are, I'm sure we'll be hearing about it.
Any bets on how long it will take HSLDA to make a statement?
Permalink | Comments (1)The Flu vs Anthrax
Annual U.S. Deaths Due to the Flu: approx 36,000. Annual U.S. Deaths Due to Anthrax: ~1.
Spending on R&D to fight Flu: $283 million. Spending on R&D to fight Anthrax and other biological agents: $5.6 billion.
Something seems amiss here, unless your argument is that the spending on Antrax research has been effective and this proves it.
How do you think the free market would allocate research money on the Flu and Anthrax?
via Marginal Revolution
October 15, 2004
Desktop Search
The Web is buzzing over the new Google desktop search tool. It's officially the new hot thing.
Scoble is talking about it.
Dana loves it
Search Engine Watch is all over it
O'Reilly explains it.
My reaction? BFD. I can count on one hand the number of times I've even tried to use Windows search in the last year. The Google desktop search tool is treating the symptom, not the problem. The problem here is that people save too much crap to their hard drive, thereby making it difficult to find something when they need it. Maybe it's because I was into this stuff way back when bytes were very expensive, but something has to be damn interesting or important for me to save it locally. I'm much more likely to bookmark something for later use, than download and store it locally.
Same thing with email too. My default condition is to delete email after I read or respond to it. I have to have a reason to save an email.
In reading the O'Reilly stuff, I learned that the Google desktop search tool only works if you are using IE, Outlook, and AIM, no other email clients or browsers are supported at the moment. To be fair to Google, it is a beta, so maybe that stuff is coming. But still, even if I wanted to use it, I couldn't, because I don't use IE, Outlook, or AIM. I use GAIM, Firefox, and Pocomail.
If Bloglines would quietly track what blogs I've read in the background, and then give me an interface to search recently read blogs when I'm trying to recall up something I read last week....now that would be cool.
Permalink | Comments (0)On Voter Registration Fraud
We are going to hear a lot about voter registration fraud in the next few weeks. It's as if the Kerry campaign has already thrown in the towel on winning the election and is now concentrating on Plan B.
What do all these cases have in common? In every case, a group of people are out trying to register voters who would otherwise not bother on their on accord. How is this a good thing? I think the real fraud is the effort to round up people who don't give a damn. If you are too lazy or stupid to register to vote on your own you shouldn't be voting, because it's a very good bet that you are clueless on the issues.
Permalink | Comments (0)October 14, 2004
Even flaming liberals homeschool
Showering in a junior high locker room remains one of the most traumatic experiences of many people’s lives. Why do we take children at the most self-conscious, awkward time of their lives and force them to get naked in front of one another? The only other time in your life you will have to shower with a group of strangers is in prison.
I had never thought of that issue in quite that way, but she is absolutely right. The rest of the article is just as good.
The author is a Kansas State senior, her 15 year old homeschooled son is a freshmen there. That must be weird. I'll bet homeschooled and public schooled kids can agree that they don't want to be bumping into mom at the Student Union!
via Daryl
Permalink | Comments (3)The Command Post Wants You!
The Command Post, the Internet's best site for news, is looking for a few good men...or women. Specifically, they want a correspondent in each state to cover election day. Interviews, pictures from the polls, breaking news, Democratic legal shenanigans, whatever happens, they want YOU to cover it.
I'd volunteer for VA, but I'll be about 2 weeks into a new job on election day so I'll be working.
Permalink | Comments (1)The Flu Vaccine Market
Ogre explains the market for flu vaccines. It goes something like this.
Government Involvement = Higher costs + supply problems.
Permalink | Comments (0)Welcome Amado
The newest colt at Tamarack Stables has been named Amado. Take a look at who named the horse.
Permalink | Comments (1)October 13, 2004
The lost art of Mixtapes
Cause you gave me the best mixtape I have
And even all the bad songs ain't so bad
I only wish there was more than that
About me and you
Mixtapes are a lost art. In the old days, resources were limited. You only had 45 minutes per side on your cassette, and time was an issue since it generally took at least 2 hours to create a 90 minute mixtape. Not quite the same thing as click, drag, and burn.
However, when you click and burn, all the meaning gets lost. Since taping was usually a real time activity, you had plenty of time to read the liner notes, contemplate the meaning of the song, or look for hidden symbolism in the cover art. I doubt kids today even know what what liner notes are. When you have 40 GB on your Ipod and are limited only by the throughput of your firewire connection, you don't need to put much thought into the song selections.
I've gotten so lazy I usually buy my new music from Itunes. I've noticed the difference. I can listen to a CD a dozen times and still have no clue what most of the song titles are. I never engage that second sense of vision to make the connection with the material. I only hear it, and I think you lose something when you only experience music that way. I'm not talking about listening with headphones, which is a completely different level of listening and one I sadly never have time for either.
By the way, I never made a mixtape for a girl. Mixtapes were personal for me. I made them for myself.
Permalink | Comments (2)ODonnellAds®
If you are not seeing text ads at the top of the page - please let me know in the comments. I think everything is working properly.
ODonnellAds® are totally self sufficient. I'm hosting the server, and I'm keeping all the proceeds, less Paypal's cut. So start buying! With ad packages starting at $3 it's almost as good as free.
Permalink | Comments (4)October 12, 2004
You can afford to homeschool
Alice in Texas (who I thought had quit blogging - guess I was wrong) has a nice rant up on the financial reality of homeschooling. It's not just for people who can "afford" it. It's for people who choose to put their children's well being ahead of a new car, house, or whatever.
More frequently, I wonder how people can afford not to homeschool. A big, very big, part of schoolie culture is keeping up with the Jones'.
Permalink | Comments (5)October 11, 2004
Mark Cuban takes a swipe at homeschoolers
Billionaire Dallas Mavericks owner and The Benefactor Mark Cuban takes a couple of completely unnecessary shots at homeschooling in this blog entry.
I left my reply on his blog.
Permalink | Comments (3)Don't click this link
Whatever you do, do not play this game. Sure, it looks simple and only takes 2 minutes. You've been warned. I take no responsibility for the hours you end up wasting.
Permalink | Comments (3)October 10, 2004
Is anybody paying attention at Blogger?
I know Ev is quitting, but somebody needs to pay attention there. Blogspot is being spammed hard. I'm getting hundreds of hits in my Bloglines "homeschool" search on Blogspot sites with the exact same verbiage trying to sell just about everything under the sun. It's damn annoying.
Permalink | Comments (3)Netscape Composer Lives!
Netscape Composer, the WYSIWYG web page editor in Netscape / Mozilla, is being developed as a stand alone Open Source application named Nvu. The Windows version is plenty good to use now.
Permalink | Comments (0)An Ode to diagramming sentences
Author Kitty Burns Florey writes an ode to the joy of diagramming sentences.
There was nothing I hated more in school than diagramming sentences. It combined grammar (never my favorite subject) with art (which I didn't like due to a lack of talent). Do the schoolies still diagram sentences? I'll bet many homeschoolers do. It probably works quite well for what it is trying to teach.
via Joanne Jacobs
Permalink | Comments (2)October 09, 2004
Marriage is Good Work to do
Don't put your marriage on autopilot.Words of wisdom from Real Live Preacher.
We did the long adult weekend away...once. Damn that seems like a long time ago. Probably because it was. It was so long ago that I apparently never blogged it. We referred to it as our no chicken nuggets weekend.
Permalink | Comments (1)Camping Out For Flu Shots
Well, I'm not sure if anybody really camped out. However, on the advice of the pharmacist, Michelle got to the grocery store at 7 AM this morning to get in line for flu shots that start at 9 AM. She is 130th in line, which is fine because they have 270 shots. Our doctor had zero. The store is supposedly only giving shots to people in high risk groups, but I'm not sure how they are going to verify that. Anybody could lie and say they had asthma or something else.
This is a great example of the free market properly rationing a scare good. The people willing to pay the most (in time) get flu shots. The market reacted by rationing shots only to those in high risk groups that really need it. The government didn't mandate anything.
I've never had the flu or the flu vaccine.
Permalink | Comments (6)October 08, 2004
The debate
My 10 year old son watched the entire debate with me. A policy wonk in the making. I'm so proud :)
Interestingly, the very first comment he made was that Kerry wasn't answering the questions. I pointed out to him that almost all politicians skirt the issues when asked a direct question.
While they were discussing Iran and Iraq, Breck mentions that Iran has missiles that can reach Israel now. That's not something we've ever discussed, and the only news we let him watch is ESPN - so I'm not sure how he knew that. He then adds, he thinks it will be easier for Israel to negotiate if they destroy Iran's missiles first.
I'm so proud at this point I'm ready to cry.
When the Patriot Act came up, I explained to Breck that this was an issue I agree with Kerry on. Which led into an extended discussion of the gray areas of politics, and how I don't believe President Bush is a great President, just that he will better than Kerry. He is still confused. The world is very black and white to a 10 year old. Bush good, Kerry bad. Red Sox good, Yankees bad.
Kerry of course, then proclaims that he supports the Patriot Act, except for those parts he doesn't support. Fucking waffler, he totally ruined my point with Breck. Ultimately I tell Breck that I disagree with President Bush on many issues, but that national security is the most important issue and on that issue I trust Bush more than Kerry, and that is why I will vote for Bush.
Breck, "Who do they think is going to invade the US? Is it North Korea?
Me, "Why do you ask that"?
Breck, "Well, they keep talking about Homeland Security."
During the tax discussion, Breck asks what is wrong with raising taxes on the rich if they have all the money. I ask him who builds the factories and who starts new companies that create jobs. Breck answers the people with all the money.
Exactly. And how will they do that if the government takes all that money away?
Breck, like Kerry, has no answer. Unlike Kerry though - I think Breck understands.
For the record, I think Bush slightly won the debate, but I don't expect it to have a material impact either way.
Permalink | Comments (2)The Commercialization of Homeschooling
This article presents industry's sudden interest in selling to us as a good thing. I'm not so sure...
With more kids getting their lessons from Mom and Dad, the marketplace is responding. A vast range of products and services to create a learning environment at home have cropped up, from science kits to home-school consultants. So have the trappings of traditional school: home-school yearbooks, class rings, T-shirts.
Yes, all those things are so important to growing up educated and well adjusted. I just don't know what I would have done without a class ring.
Home-schooling parents say such offerings, no matter whether they contribute meaningfully to the educational experience, show increasing awareness and acceptance of home-grown scholarship.
Here we go with the acceptance thing again. If you want the world to accept you - then do what the rest of the world does. Turn your kids over to the government. Personally, I think the lack of "acceptance" is a benefit of homeschooling. People leave you alone when they think you are weird ;)
"There's an identity to them," said Laura Derrick, Austin, Texas-based president of the National Home Education Network and home-schooling mom of two. "Most kids go to school. They have a teacher and classroom. And there's a culture around being in a school."
Kids in school can buy T-shirts, pencils, bumper stickers and other merchandise adorned with their school names. And now, so can home schoolers.
I thought we were trying to avoid public school culture? How is emulating it a good idea. I wonder if Laura was quoted out of context? I've read enough of her stuff that I'm somewhat surprised that she would go on record as stating homeschoolers emulating public school culture is a good thing.
Triple Dog Christian Apparel of Greencastle, Ind., embroiders T-shirts with stick-figure drawings of families above the name of their home school and year launched. "We saw there was a need out there we thought that wasn't being served well," said co-owner Tara Normington. "The kids are proud of their home schools."
What is this homeschool they keep speaking of? I look around my house and all I see is a home. The whole point of homeschooling is that education is integrated into daily life. It's not this separate entity - it's just life. No separate name required. Most of the homeschoolers I know that ever named their homeschool only did it to qualify for a teacher discount somewhere.
And, Derrick added, "Most home-schooling families don't build miniature schoolrooms" at home but do consume a growing variety of home-school teaching aids and lesson plans.
Now that sounds like Laura....
Parents looking for more direction can call on home-school consultants, like Rivka Seeman of New York City. She typically starts by interviewing the child and parents. She gets a feel of what kind of teaching style best fits and determines the parents' ideal approach.
Homeschool consultants? Now I know homeschooling is trendy - we have consultants :) However, paying somebody to tell you exactly what to do seems to defeat the whole point of homeschooling - which is to share the learning journey with your children. So what if you don't know exactly what style of math will work best on day 1. You'll try different things and figure it out.
"Not everybody wants to do everything from scratch," said Seeman, who started advising families three years ago. "They don't want to do all the curriculum planning themselves. It's a lot of work."
It's the trendy thing again. People what to homeschool without actually, you know, homeschooling.
I'm telling you - we were much better off out of sight - out of mind.
Permalink | Comments (2)On Youth Sports
Bernie DeKoven found this fantastic article on the problems with the ultra competitive year round youth sports culture that is in vogue. (log in required for the article)
``If what we're trying to do is prepare kids for success in life, I think that for the vast majority of kids, playing in a variety of sports is the way to go,'' said Thompson. ``One of the things we advocate is asking parents where the drive for athletes to play comes from. . . . Is it from the child?''
I see this a lot coaching both basketball and baseball. I'll bet in 95% of the cases, the kids will quit sports when they get a little older and gain the self-confidence to say no to dad. The frustrated jock living vicariously through his child is the bane of youth coaches everywhere.
Too few parents understand that there are far more academic scholarships available than athletic scholarships. Nor do they appreciate the odds against their child playing major college or professional sports.
I remember my mother asking me why I didn't go out for baseball at Purdue. Apparently, the fact that I really wasn't that good at the game never dawned on her as she sat through countless Little League games :) I doubt I could have made a team at a Community College - let alone in the Big 10!
Only one Little Leaguer in about 3,000 ever makes it to the major leagues. Basketball is no better. Only one out of every 10,000 youth basketball players makes it to the NBA.
I've never seen real numbers on this before. Those odds seem a little better than I would have expected.
Soccer? There isn't much money in the men's pro game in the United States; the women's pro league died last year. College scholarships are relatively scarce -- and many parents discover too late that foreign players are also recruited along for those scholarships that are available.
One of the baseball leagues I've coached in actually looked at soccer as the enemy because so many parents were steering their kids to soccer, since it is the sport of the future and all.
Another thing that worries me is the total lack of pick up games. I honestly have never seen the kids in my neighborhood playing baseball in a yard or on the street. I did see a backyard football game recently, which was somewhat encouraging. Pick up games were my life when I was a kid. We followed the seasons - baseball in the spring or summer, football and basketball in the fall and winter. It's pretty much all we did.
Related - I signed Breck up for basketball this week (and myself as a coach). The rim height is 10 ft this year. Are they smoking crack? 10 year olds have to play on a regulation rim? Most of the kids had enough trouble getting the ball to a 8.5 foot rim last year.
On the bright side, this should make for very low scoring games - which will play right into my defense first philosophy. Heh. Seriously though - I bet this is the year that a lot of kids quit playing basketball. There is going to be a lot of frustration in trying to play with the rims at NBA level.
Permalink | Comments (1)October 07, 2004
Unemployed
Did I mention I was unemployed? The start up I joined in June shut the doors last week. No severance package either. If my career was a professional baseball player I'd be Dave Kingman. Always swinging for the fences - usually striking out. :)
So, if you happen to have a connection to anybody who might be looking for a techie sales rep in the DC area....now would be real good time to speak up.
Of course, my resume is online (and has been since 1995!)
Note - I'm going to alter the date of this post to keep it on top for a while.
Permalink | Comments (2)October 06, 2004
The National Indoctrination Association
Borderline hysterical right wing rant against the NEA. Not that the author isn't mostly correct - but her tone sort of hinders her credibility. Interestingly, her list of suggestions does not include opting out by homeschooling.
Every policy and every plan laid by the NEA is intended to expand its own power and influence in pursuit of its goal of total control over education in this country — and total control over the mental and moral development of our children.
But you already knew that, right?
Permalink | Comments (0)When Teachers Homeschool
Interesting essay profiling several "professional" teachers in Canada that chose to homeschool their own children. It appears to be a college writing assignment from back in 2000, and the author was very careful to not criticize the education establishment while extolling the positives of homeschooling.
Permalink | Comments (0)October 05, 2004
MP3 of the week - The Silos
I should probably relabel this category MP3 of a Randonly Determined Time Period, since I'm nowhere near weekly with these. Hopefully I'm trading quantity for quality.
This week I bring the very happy news that The Silos are back with a new albumWhen The Telephone Rings. These guys were roots rock before roots rock got cool, and they still put 95% of the newer acts to shame.
(Real Audio Files)
The Only Love
Ready For Anything
11 10 to go
11 10 wins. That is all that stands between The Red Sox and the championship.
Bill Simmons previews the Angels series.
I think it will be Red Sox - Cardinals in the World Series. And thanks to the Roger Clemens meltdown in the All Star Game, the Red Sox will have home field advantage. How sweet is that?
The scheduling gods have placed game 7 of the World Series in the American League park on Halloween. Game 7 at Fenway on Halloween. You'd think Stephen King wrote this script or something.
Play ball.
Permalink | Comments (1)I love ebay
Michelle sold the kid's halloween costumes from last year for $61 and $56 respectively. I think we paid about $25 each for them brand new last year.
October 03, 2004
Purdue 41 - Notre Dame 16
What's that scent in the air? I'm not sure, but I think it is the sweet smell of roses. Purdue won under the gaze of Touchdown Jesus for the first time since 1974, and I think the Heisman is Kyle Orton's to lose. The odds are against it, but with Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin at home this year, Purdue could ( I stress could) conceivably run the table and end the season undefeated and in the National Championship hunt.
A Top 10 season, a Rose Bowl victory, and the school's first Heisman winner. Probably won't happen, but it sure is fun to think about.
Permalink | Comments (3)October 01, 2004
Debate Analysis
Somebody at Harvard put their education to good use. They loaded the debate transcripts into Excel and wrote a macro that allows you to search for the number of instances of any word.
Interestingly, Kerry didn't use "nuance" a single time.
This probably has no practice value - but it is cool in a geeky sort of way.
Permalink | Comments (1)