February 28, 2005
Spotsy Schools Suck
Since the local weather forecasters were screaming STORM OF THE CENTURY for the last two days, the brain surgeons in the Spotsy school system closed the schools today. The fact that it wasn't actually snowing this morning didn't seem to bother them. In fact, at no time today were the roads ever covered with snow. We didn't get enough snow to sled or build a snow hobbit, let alone actually make the roads dangerous.
4-H follows the school schedule. Delaney was not a happy camper.
Now we just heard that school is canceled tomorrow too. Now both kids are mad as that cancels Boy Scouts and Brownies tomorrow. It's not snowing, the roads are not covered with anything except sand and salt. There is absolutely no reason to shut down the schools tomorrow.
I'm not even part of the damn system and it still manages to screw up my life.
Permalink | Comments (1)American Idol Update in one sentence
Bo knows Greg Allman.
Permalink | Comments (0)Slow site?
Several readers have reported that ODonnellWeb has been slow, and I too have noticed time outs when loading the site. My web host doesn't see anything that should be causing a problem right now. They were the victim of several denial of service attacks over the weekend though.
If anybody notices it and has the technical ability to run a traceroute, please do so and email me the result. It will help us pinpoint what is happening.
Thank you.
The Management
Update: I checked my CSS, it validates without a single error or warning. I was actually surprised by that! I think we can rule out the CSS file as causing the problem. It has seemed much better to me so far this week.
Permalink | Comments (4)Michael Farris Rambles
Farris' editorial in the Washington Times is a rambling mess in which he;
mistakes HSLDA members for "most" homeschoolers;
Most people are concerned about the nation's education system. How is America going to compete in the 21st century if it doesn't have a highly educated work force? Will a new generation have an accurate picture of the Christian influence on the founding of the nation?
rightly decries states attempts to impose testing requirements on homeschoolers;
Once a child is following the state curriculum, the only real difference between a home school and a public school is that the parent is providing the labor, rather than a public school teacher. Few parents choose home-schooling to re-create the public school
while unfortunately using those same tests as justification for not regulating homeschoolers.
So much more learning can take place in the home, which is the main reason home-schoolers score an average of 20 to 30 percentile points higher on standardized tests than public school students.
He also apparently lives in some bizzaro world where state legislators care about the cost of anything.
Just the financial costs of educating the estimated 2 million home-school children in the public system, at an average of $7,000 per child per year, should give most legislators pause. Why would state lawmakers even consider this course of action?
And he thinks the Founding Fathers schooling methods are relevant today.
The vast majority of the Founding Fathers were home-schooled or received private one-on-one tutoring.
He does end the editorial by making sense on the recent abuse cases. However, by then the only people reading will be HSLDA members, and idiots like myself ;)
Let me summarize for Mr. Farris.
- The Christian influence on our founding is debatable. Franklin, Jefferson, and others often showed more Deist tendencies than Christian tendencies. Most people in this country do not lay awake at night worrying about the lack of instruction in Christian principals in the public schools. The public schools should teach junior to read, so he can read the Bible himself and decide for himself if he believes any of it.
- We can't have our cake and eat it to. If you are going to issue a press release every time a study shows HEK's do better on standardized tests, it should not be a surprise that the state will try to impose mandatory testing.
- State legislators spend taxpayer money like drunken sailors on shore leave in Singapore. Money is power and control to them. The fact that public-school-at-home might add to the cost of education is a benefit to them.
- The founding fathers were homeschooled? I thought we got past that silly argument years ago.
- Home-schooled? What's with the hyphen?
via Homeschool Buzz
Permalink | Comments (0)February 27, 2005
En Garde!
Breck and I start fencing lessons next week. I'm such a bad parent ;)
Permalink | Comments (1)Bill Gates says America's High Schools are Obsolete
America's high schools are obsolete," Gates said. "By obsolete, I don't just mean that they're broken, flawed or underfunded, though a case could be made for every one of those points. By obsolete, I mean our high schools _ even when they're working as designed _ cannot teach all our students what they need to know today.
I think some of us already knew that.
He was speaking to the first National Education Summit on High Schools, a gathering of US Governor's where they whine about how bad the schools are and discuss how much more money they want to spend on a failed institution.
February 26, 2005
A Very un-PC Birthday Party
Military themed birthday cake and accessories - $30.00
Paintball for 6 kids and 2 adults - $30 each
Nailing your son in the chest from 30 yards....priceless.
Both my kids' birthday parties this year required liability waivers from the parents.
The paintball field was a mud bog. It just added to the fun.
I'm not sure how we top it next year. Maybe skydiving?
Permalink | Comments (5)HS'er Civil War era ball
Permalink | Comments (0)Say What?
Inspired by Tim's post at HE&OS, I've started a new feature on ODonnellWeb, Great Quotes in Home Education.
Our initial entry is a public school at home mom (PSAHM) that thinks she is homeschooling.
"Our school allows us to purchase Christian curriculum. I like that freedom," Danielle said.
Permalink | Comments (0)February 25, 2005
RRSL Links
The new Rob Russell & The Sore Losers CD, Lucky On The Side, is getting some good press. The CD release party is Saturday night (the 26th). If you happen to be reading this from a locale within driving distance to Johnson City, TN, I highly suggest you click the ad to your left for details on the show.
I'm taking six 11 year old boys to shoot paintballs at each other tomorrow, otherwise I'd be road tripping to TN for the show.
My review of the CD is coming. I'm holding off until closer to the March 5 official release date. However, its good. It's very, very good.
Kingsport Times-News/GoTricities.com
The East Tennesseean (ETSU Newspaper)
Permalink | Comments (0)February 24, 2005
Battlestar Galactica Gets It
Not only is Battlestar Galactica about the best show on TV right now, executive producer Ron Moore is blogging and taking fan questions on a regular basis. In today's post, he pulls a bulletin board post out where a fan questions a flaw in the plot, and then answers it in a surprisingly honest manner.
This a great example of the TV folks using a blog to add to the viewer experience, and draw us in closer to the show.
The show was picked up for season two. Sweet.
Permalink | Comments (2)Why would a non-Christian homeschool?
This blogger is confused about why any non-Christian would homeschool.
I'm sure there are plenty of people here that can help clear that up for her. That is me as anonymous commenter #1.
Permalink | Comments (1)Travel Trip
Note to self: Plan trip to Lafayette, IN this summer to view the Frog Follies, a display of large, decorated, fiberglass frogs.
Permalink | Comments (2)Rated W for World Series Champs
Relief pitcher Mike Timlin shot hours of video during the Yankees and Cardinals series, then had it professionally edited and sent it out with his Christmas cards.
I don't have to tell you just how bad I want to see that video.
via Beth
Permalink | Comments (0)February 23, 2005
OxyMORON of the day
Permalink | Comments (1)Tsunami victim's final pictures
This is freaky. A rescue worker found the camera of a couple that didn't survive the tsunami. The memory card was salvaged.
I find looking at those pictures to be very creepy. It feels intrusive somehow.
More - I was reading through the Metafilter thread on this, and this picture really hit me hard. Look at the individual in the photo. She is about 30 seconds from death, and doesn't appear to have a clue.
Chilling.
Permalink | Comments (0)Evenout: Video & New Tune
Evenout, the DC areas best unsigned band, has posted the video for their song Look Back at their Myspace.com page. They also have a new song titled On To Me posted.
Check it out.
Permalink | Comments (0)Cost of the Civil War
Read the comments at his site, there are some very interesting repudiations of his numbers.
Cost of the Civil War:
* In perspective, it would have cost $90 per capita to buy and free all the slaves
* Cost of Civil War to North: $140 per capita (including only economic damages for dead and wounded)
* Cost of Civil War to South: $340 per capita (including only economic damages for dead and wounded)
* "Indirect" additional cost of Civil War to South: $450 per capita
February 22, 2005
28-27
Once again, we fall short in the final four. Oh well, Breck has already told me he is playing next year, so I'll be coaching next year.
It was a great game, close all the way. We had a good shot at the buzzer that just wouldn't fall. We could of won, probably should of won. The ref let them play, to the point that it looked more like a rugby scrum than a basketball game at times. That always work against me because I teach the kids to play defense with their feet, and if the other team is allowed to hack away with no penalty it hurts us. Ultimately we had a personnel advantage in the 4th quarter and some lazy defense led to 6 points that ultimately cost us the game. I can't play the game for them. If you can't keep track of your man on defense that is what happens. If you don't want to play hardcore man defense you should not be on my team :)
One thing I noticed, or at least I'm telling myself this. I think my kids are improving at a much greater rate than a lot of the other kids in the league. My system may not lead to county championships, but it is leading to fundamentally sound basketball players, at least for the kids that listen to me.
I have no doubt that if I were to check in a few years, the kids I've coached will be starting for their junior high teams. Fundamentals always win in the long run.
On to baseball season.
Permalink | Comments (0)A note to Bethel AME Church
Please stop calling me with automated telemarketing calls. I'm not black, so I don't fit your demographic, and I live 120 miles away. I won't be joining you on Sunday morning, no matter how persuasive your recording may be.
If God does choose to appear before me and command me to attend an African Methodist Episcopal Church, I'll probably find one a little closer to home.
Thank you.
Permalink | Comments (0)Kottke Goes Full Time
Uber blogger / personal publisher Jason Kottke has quit his job and will be blogging full time. He is hoping to pay the rent and buy cat food (hopefully for the cat and not himself!) via reader donations.
Brilliant? Gutsy? Stupid? All of the above?
Should I be mean and start the When will Jason go back to work pool?
I'm kidding...I hope he does fantastically well.
Permalink | Comments (1)February 21, 2005
24 Questions
How do I get a cell phone like the one Jack Bauer has? It works 3 stories underground in a basement, and it apparently has some sort of mini nuclear reactor for a battery. He is never in the office or home to charge it, yet it never seems to go dead.
Maybe he changes batteries every time he puts a new clip in his gun.
Permalink | Comments (1)The unwritten code of homeschool blogging?
Sarah brings up the interesting question. Do homeschoolers (primarily women) tend to tone down their blogging to fit an unwritten expectation of calm, wise, measured, mature, supermoms?
Where does that unwritten expectation come from? Who decided homeschool moms were all Mary Poppins?
A couple of homeschool moms that write more like Dooce or Michele would definitely add a little spice to the blogroll.
Permalink | Comments (4)February 20, 2005
Homeschool playgroup assaulted by police
Daryl has the scoop on homeschoolers in SC that are apparently a victim of excessive police force.
The short version. They are at park. Somebody calls police claiming a kid is brandishing a knife. An plain clothed cop rushes then without identifying himself and tackles a teenager who is doing nothing threatening. The mom who interceded, not knowing this was a cop, has been charged with assault on a police officer, and the kid charged with possession of a deadly weapon. All for a hunting knife that the adults say never left the sheath.
If there is any justice in SC (and I wouldn't get my hopes up), there will be opening on the police force very soon.
The fact that a public school teacher made the call that instigated all of this is either evidence of a conspiracy, or incredibly ironic. I'll lean towards ironic until I see evidence otherwise.
Permalink | Comments (6)Fantasy Baseball League
I've got openings in my Yahoo fantasy baseball league. The price is right (free). Leave a comment or send an email if you are interested and I'll send you the league ID and password.
Permalink | Comments (3)News flash: Home Educators are a net gain for the taxpayer
I think most of us knew this instinctively, however George Mason University Economist Don Boudreaux reports on a study in Nevada that quantifies just how much money homeschooling and private schools save the taxpayers.
It's big bucks (over $25 million for homeschoolers, and over $125 million when private schools are included).
And that is just for Nevada.
Permalink | Comments (1)John Taylor Gatto in Maryland
John Taylor Gatto will be the keynote speaker at the Maryland Home Education Association conference in Annapolis on April 30.
Permalink | Comments (1)February 19, 2005
A Harbinger of Spring
It's 28 degrees outside.
Snow is forecast for tomorrow.
And I just stood in line (outside) for 15 minutes at a walk up custard stand.
This can only mean one thing.
Carl's has opened for the season.
Permalink | Comments (1)February 18, 2005
The Great American Birdcount
The wife asked me to remind ya'll that this weekend is The Great American Birdcount. Download your forms and keep an eye on the backyard this weekend.
Permalink | Comments (0)February 17, 2005
Metallica + The Beatles = Beatallica
This is amazing A mash up of Metallica and The Beatles. Sample songs include
- Sgt Hetfields Motorhead Pub Band
- ...And Justice For All My Loving
- Hey Dude
- I Want To Choke You Band
They've been served by Sony Music, so the site may vanish at any moment. However, it's a Bit Torrent now, so it should be available.
Permalink | Comments (1)A Mediocre Satan
The Zero Boss publishes a piece detailing his high school dalliance with satanism.
Who knew satanism could be so funny?
The Onion is on fire
This article on the Teach For America program is satire at its absolute best. This is hilarious.
Hat tip: My favorite psycometrician
Permalink | Comments (0)Mommy Dearest
Much like Michele, I've been silently composing a rather involved response to this ridiculous article. However, after reading Lileks today, I've lost all motivation to even try.
I wish I could write like that.
Update: Michele wrote, and it is damn good, maybe better than Lileks.
Permalink | Comments (0)February 16, 2005
Home Educrat Defined
- Home Educrat
- Any home educator who attempts to use the police power of government to restrict the freedom of another home educator.
Usage: Howard Richman of PA Homeschoolers is a home educrat.
Permalink | Comments (1)The Barenaked Family
They are known by thousands as the Barenaked family. And no, they are not nudists, but they do have a lifestyle different from most. Greg White worked at Dell for 10 years, then had a vision. This vision led him to pack up his family and hit the road, not just for a short vacation, but indefinitely. The name Barenaked comes into the picture because the family traded most of their material possessions for a worldly experience. Now the family's home is a 1992 Winnebago. The kids Austin, Sunny and Kesley are all home schooled, so for them almost every day is a field trip. So far they have visited 40 states and two countries in last three years. And everything is documented on the family Web site, barenakedfamily.com
It sounds cool and all - but I think I'd get sick of the traveling pretty quick. I'd rather have my own 1000 acres and get to know every square inch of it very well.
Permalink | Comments (0)Spring Training Officially Opens Tomorrow
Spring training hasn't even started and the Red Sox - Yankees sparks are already flying.
"Like Rodriguez says," [Trot] Nixon said, "his running stairs at 6 in the morning while I'm sleeping and taking my kids to school. I'm like, well I'm not a deadbeat dad, Alex."
I had that exact same thought when I first saw that Arod quote. I don't think the guy quite understands this fatherhood thing.
This is going to be a fun year.
Permalink | Comments (1)February 15, 2005
5th grade basketball
I have not written about the basketball team at all this year. Now in my third year of coaching, I've got the system down. Hard nosed man defense, and a motion offense. It led to a 6-2 record and the 4th seed in the 15 team playoff that starts this week.
Our results this year:
W 27-13
L 28-20
W 27-12
W 20-9
L 13-10
W 29-16
W 24-15
W 41-7
Again, I'm the only coach teaching man to man defense exclusively. One other team did play a half-game of man against us, but he went to zone when he fell behind.
We held 7/8 opponents under 20 points. Our goal every game is to hold the opponent under 20. Not too shabby...
I teach them to make the proper pass and take the proper shots, regardless of who is involved. The fact that the kid wide open under the basket is our weakest player is no excuse to not make that pass. My kids make that pass. To me, the play is successful at that point, the resulting shot going in the basket is a bonus.
Pass to the open guy and then move, take only good shots, stay between your man and the basket at all times, pressure the ball, and pounce when they pick up their dribble. It really is that easy at the 5th grade level.
I have had some success this year getting them to help each other on defense. They've gotten pretty good at switching on screens, and the inside guys are getting better at helping cut off drives into the middle. 3 years of teaching man help defense and finally a few of them start to get it.
I'll update through our playoff run. We do have the talent to win out. Maybe it will happen :)
Permalink | Comments (2)Tulsa World doesn't get it.
Tulsa World, the sole daily newspaper in Tulsa, OK, is threatening legal action against Bates Online.
The alleged crime? Excerpting and, if you can believe it, linking to stories on the Tulsa World web site. Can you just imagine the audacity of this guy? Writing criticism of the local fish wrapper, and then linking to the source material so his readers can decide for themselves. We just can't have that kind of open communication in America. It's bad. We need media conglomerates to tell us every thing we need to know.
Let's shine a light on this cockroach. The more people that know about Tulsa World's despicable behavior, the better.
via Ogre
Permalink | Comments (1)February 14, 2005
The Legend of Obvious Man
This is great, and all too true.
via Darby, posting at HE&OS
Permalink | Comments (0)February 13, 2005
When A Full House isn't enough
From the things that suck dept....
Going all in with a full house, against somebody that has pocket 9's, and just pulled the 4th nine on the river. Grrr...
Mike, who won?
Permalink | Comments (1)School interfering with hippie trip plans
Parents in San Francisco are upset that the new school schedule will interfere with their plans to travel to the 20th anniversary Burning Man Art festival in the Nevada desert.
The vision of these burnt out hippie parents upset that the government they so regularly use to impose their ideals on others is now working against them is quite funny. I'd like to think there is a lesson here, but I doubt they'll get it.
YARTHE (Yet Another Reason to Home Educate)
If I want to take the family out to the desert to uh... burn one and run around naked, there is no school schedule to stop me :)
Really, given the choice between a week in government school and a week at Burning Man, I think Burning Man holds way more educational potential.
via Jeremy Zawodny.
Permalink | Comments (2)February 10, 2005
Battlestar Galactica
If you aren't watching Battlestar Galactica on the SciFi channel you are missing one good show. It's not at all campy like the original, it's a real drama with charactor and plot development. It's darker and grittier, it seems more like how humans might react if they really were being chased across the galaxy by robot overlords.
Permalink | Comments (1)Man locks girl in kennel
A man (not her biological father) locked a teenager in a dog kennel and only let her out for school and chores.
The teachers at school never suspected a thing.
I've noticed that the vast majority of abused kids are public school students. We simply can not let this abuse continue. Since the school system can't be trusted to ferret out all cases of abuse, stronger measures are required. I propose that the police start conducting monthly interviews with all public school students. This will give the kids the opportunity to report either parental or teacher abuse before it's too late.
It's for the children, so it must be a good idea, right?
Home Education & College Sports
This profile of home educated Miami Dolphin Jason Taylor discusses how the NCAA has changed it's eligibility requirements to accommodate homeschoolers that lack the traditional piece of paper labeled "diploma."
The NCAA awarded athletic scholarships to about 120 home educated students this year.
I've checked, there are equestrian scholarships available :)
Permalink | Comments (1)February 09, 2005
No friend of homeschooling
Whenever a truly evil parent makes national news these days, it seems that they were homeschooling. Just 6 weeks ago a former homeschool mom was arrested after she was accused of butchering a pregnant woman in order to steal her baby.
I used to think that such cases were just isolated, but in November two writers for the Akron Beacon Journal conducted a systematic search of newspaper articles about murders and found that a relatively high proportion of homeschooled children have been murdered by their parents in recent years. It is becoming more and more apparent that some of the most evil parents are homeschooling.
These words, it's sad to say, are not from some misguided reporter or school administrator. Nope, these are the words of scum far lower on the evolutionary chain. These are the words of Howard Richman, alleged homeschool advocate in PA.
You see, PA has crappy homeschool laws that require annual personal evaluations. Howie has set up a nice little business selling out homeschoolers to the State by consistently opposing all efforts to allow PA parents to exercise their God given right to raise their children without interference from the State, or Howard Richman. Freedom would be bad for business, so Howard is opposed to homeschool freedom. Just like every other parasite clinging to the tit of mother government for business, Howie needs those oppressive laws to force homeschoolers to do business with him.
Daryl's comments here.
The American Homeschool Association's comments here.
No, your not imaging things - the AHA post is almost identical to Daryl's post. If it is more than a coincidence somebody at AHA really should acknowledge Daryl as a source. It's how the blogosphere works. Although with that quote to work with, there really is only one way to go. This post probably sounds like Daryl too.
Permalink | Comments (3)Low Riders will cost you in VA
Wearing pants that expose your underwear in a lewd or indecent manner will cost you $50 if the bill becomes law. The House passed it 60-34. Hopefully the Senate or the Governor will show some common sense.
Here is the text of the law:
Any person who, while in a public place, intentionally wears and displays his below-waist undergarments, intended to cover a person's intimate parts, in a lewd or indecent manner, shall be subject to a civil penalty of no more than $50. "Intimate parts" has the same meaning as in § 18.2-67.10.
I wonder what happens if you aren't wearing any underwear?
Permalink | Comments (7)February 08, 2005
RIP Dean Wormer
Actor John Vernon, forever to be remembered as Dean Vernon Wormer in Animal House, died on Feb 1 after failing to recover from heart surgery.
He was 72.
Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son.
Permalink | Comments (0)WWHS: Freedom
Dateline: 7 Feb. 2005
It's an unusually warm 60 degree day with blue skys. The weather for Thursday (horse lesson day) is not so encouraging. So we check in with the farm and reschedule horse riding for today.
It'd be a shame to waste a perfectly good 60 degree winter day on school!
It's all about having the freedom to live our lives as we see fit. We'll never be slaves to a government mandated school schedule.
Permalink | Comments (1)Wil Wheaton is going to be on CSI
Permalink | Comments (0)Maps.Google.Com
The is so insanely better than Mapquest or Mapblast. How do they keep doing this stuff so well?
Permalink | Comments (1)February 07, 2005
Firefox Security Alert
This is scary, Firefox is vulnerable to a specific type of phishing attack. See demo at http://www.shmoo.com/idn/
Here is the fix.
1) Goto your Firefox address bar. Enter about:config and press enter. Firefox will load the (large!) config page.
2) Scroll down to the line beginning network.enableIDN -- this is International Domain Name support, and it is causing the problem here. We want to turn this off -- for now. Ideally we want to support international domain names, but not with this problem.
3) Double-click the network.enableIDN label, and Firefox will show a dialog set to 'true'. Change it to 'false' (no quotes!), click Ok. You are done.
4) Go check out the shmoo demo again and notice it no longer works
via Boing Boing
Permalink | Comments (7)February 06, 2005
Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?
The J-Walk blog started a fun meme, pick 9 bloggers that you'd like to have over for dinner. People you know are excluded. I'm defining know as anybody who'd recognize my email address. I also limited the list to people on my blogroll.
This list is not in any particular order.
- James Lileks
- Does this need any explanation? It will be his job to supply the after dinner cigars though.
- Glenn Reynolds
- He is the Godfather of blogging. It would sort of like having Michael Corleone over for dinner, without the implicit death threat if the pasta isn't perfect.
- Heather Armstrong
- Every dinner party needs somebody to drink too much and start cursing like a sailor. Heather would be perfect for that.
- Rob Malda
- He is the founder of Slashdot and really one of the original bloggers, although nobody called it that back then.
- Gordon Atkinson (Real Live Preacher)
- A great writer and a disc golf aficionado too. He could come into town early so we have time to get in a round or two of disc golf before dinner.
- Beth
- Beth is a hardcore Red Sox / Patriots fan and I'll need somebody to talk sports with at dinner.
- Bernie DeKoven
- If I get the urge to play with my food Bernie will know 30 different games to play with green peas. He will be in charge of the after dinner festivities for sure.
- Megan McArdle aka Jane Galt
- We need another woman at the table, and Jane is smart and funny. Always a good combination.
- Scott Ott
- Scrappleface is consistently the funniest satire on the Web. He'd be a riot.
February 05, 2005
When did I get old enough...
...to have a son who is a Boy Scout?
He bridged over from Cub Scouts this evening. I'm not sure he realizes he just went from top dog back to bottom of the pack. The Scout Troop he has joined camps every month of the year except December. Expect some good cold weather camping stories...if I survive.
He recieved the Arrow of Light, the highest award in Cub Scouts. Only about 25% of Cub Scouts get it. Now he gets to start working on Eagle Scout!
Permalink | Comments (3)
The USPS on the job
This is very funny, and interesting. They will deliver just about anything.
via The Daily Ping
Permalink | Comments (0)Samazdata Goes Statist
What is the world coming to when a noted libertarian blog calls for homeschoolers to appear at the local school for roll call, so the government can make sure the kids are all right.
This is in reaction to the over sensationalized case of the FL couple that was apparently abusing and torturing the kids in their care. I say in their care because the news states that the couple were not the biological parents, and also makes mention of a foster care application.
Things that make you go hmmm....
(None of which excuses the adults actions, of course)
Permalink | Comments (2)February 04, 2005
More RRSL Goodness
I haven't done a MP3 of a randomly determined time period for a while...
This is an unreleased tune (Windows Media) from Rob Russell and the Sore Losers. It's a rocked up version of Success from the I Think We're Gonna Be Alright album.
BTW, I have it on very good authority that the new record Lucky on the Side is out. In fact, my copy should be here early next week. As soon as they update the website and add it to the store I will post something here and hound all of you to buy the CD. I've already heard about 1/2 the songs and I can assure you that this is one kick ass rock and roll record.
Just curious, does anybody ever listen to the songs that I link to? I rarely get a comment on these MP3 posts so I have no idea...
Permalink | Comments (0)February 03, 2005
Public School for babies
Littleton, CO school officials are opening a public school for kids ages six weeks to three years.
The Happy Homeschooler says this is one of most scary things she has read in a long time.
I think it sounds like child abuse.
Permalink | Comments (4)February 01, 2005
24 and Horseshues
New post up at Horseshues.com. If you want to help jump start traffic to the new blog by posting a link I'd really appreciate it.
Anybody else watching 24 this year? Is there a finer hour of entertainment available on the idiot box?
Permalink | Comments (1)Death to homeschooling?
I haven't fisked anything in quite a while.
But it seems to me that if we are truly committed to living a missional life, then we must enroll our kids in the public school. That is, we are committed to living lives fully invested in what I might call the "Jesus Ethic" or the "Kingdom of God Ethic," and also fully invested in the society -- in fact, you might say that we live according to the Kingdom of God for the sake of society.
God wants your kids in the public schools? If you believe that God had some personal hand in you becoming a parent, is He not also charging you with the responsibility to raise them into responsible Christian adults? How does sacrificing them to the government school system help accomplish that?
In his seminal work on education, Democracy and Education (1916), John Dewey made this point. In an increasingly industrial/technological society, Dewey argued, we learn in order that we may be able to learn.
In 1916 they were worried about turning out an army of worker bees for the factories. Public schools were the prefect vehicle for that. They still are, thus the primary reason my kids don't go there.
But things change too fast now for that kind of result-oriented education. Now we must learn how to learn so that we can adapt to our ever-changing environment (ever tried to teach your parent or grandparent to use a computer or an iPod?).
This is an argument FOR homeschooling. There is no way the bureaucracy of the government education system can change quickly enough to keep up with technology and society. Our education system must evolve into something more flexible if it hopes to remain relevant. I'm not getting my hopes up.
So it seems to me that to withdraw our children from public education is to not play our (God-given) role as missional members of our society -- like we can't just choose to withhold our taxes.
I think the responsibility is to raise your child into a responsible Christian adult, so that he or she may (if they choose) continual the missional life. I don't think God ever intended us as parents to put our children him harms way for Him.
"What education does is, in a word, to bring the child and society together. It increases one's participation in the common life. It puts the child into possession of the tools of social intercourse, such as language and numbers; opens his eyes to treasures of literature, art, and science that society has gradually accumulated through generations; causes him to appreciate such social organizations as the state, and develops habits appropriate thereto; prepares him to be a producer in some socially valuable field of labor, and evokes an inner control whereby he may judge and guide himself in the interest of social well being."
I have much higher hopes for my children than a common life as a producer in some socially valuable field of labor.
Maybe that is the real difference. Homeschoolers refuse to let their children's potential be constrained by the need of society to produce drones that appreciate such social organizations as the state.
I feel icky just reading that.
Permalink | Comments (5)You and your Esuvee
Reader Mike S sends this link to a truly bazaar public safety site. The site is promoting SUV safety with some sort of Mastodon inspired SUV animation. I don't even want to know how many tax dollars were spent on this.
Permalink | Comments (1)