There are those moments in life when you just stop for a moment and go "Wow!" Well, that happened last week.
I was walking through the living room and saw my daughter, Livy, with five kids books in her hands. (I didn't think she could read. She'd been sounding out words and reading road signs a bit, but not actually sitting down and READING.)
I said, "He Liv, what's you doing?"
"Reading."
"Oh." (pause). "Are you reading those books?"
(Look of incredulity at my stupid question.) "Uh, yeah Dad. ... These are my favorite books."
"Yeah, I know. Those are the ones that I used to read to you when you were, like, three and four and five. Remember?"
"Yeah."
"Will you read them to me sometime soon?"
"Yeah." (nonchalant)
I watched her read for a moment, in wonder at her ability to learn how to read virtually on her own by the age of 8.5 years old, which is what she is now. She, of course, is unschooled, which means no formal teaching and no pushing on my part to get her to read or do anything else she doesn't want to do.
The human mind and volition are wonderful things to behold. And my lovely child likes to read ... sometimes.
Saturday, June 02, 2012
Sunday, March 06, 2011
C17H21NO4 and C7H8N4O2
The first formula in this blog post title is for cocaine, which derives from a plant: the coca.
The second formula is for the primary alkaloid of the cocoa plant (or tree), which is the primary ingredient in chocolate.
The government tells us we cannot ingest the first formula. The government gives us permission to ingest the second formula.
The Supreme Court of the United States (let's call them the "high court") is now deliberating seriously about whether some cocaine derivatives have enough C17H21NO4 to actually be illegal for human beings to ingest. I say "human beings" because certain insect larvae absolutely adore C17H21NO4 and ingest it with reckless abandon -- not doubt having unprotected sex and being altogether loopy and excited afterward, causing larvae traffic accidents and unwanted pregnancies.
The high court has no problem with larvae ingesting C17H21NO4, but not rational beings.
That tell you anything about where the high court believes we humans reside in the animal kingdom?
The second formula is for the primary alkaloid of the cocoa plant (or tree), which is the primary ingredient in chocolate.
The government tells us we cannot ingest the first formula. The government gives us permission to ingest the second formula.
The Supreme Court of the United States (let's call them the "high court") is now deliberating seriously about whether some cocaine derivatives have enough C17H21NO4 to actually be illegal for human beings to ingest. I say "human beings" because certain insect larvae absolutely adore C17H21NO4 and ingest it with reckless abandon -- not doubt having unprotected sex and being altogether loopy and excited afterward, causing larvae traffic accidents and unwanted pregnancies.
The high court has no problem with larvae ingesting C17H21NO4, but not rational beings.
That tell you anything about where the high court believes we humans reside in the animal kingdom?
When nothing is something
The latest hubbub in Washington and the circle-jerk media is over a government shutdown if Republicans and Democrats can't agree on a 2011 budget. We've heard horror stories about welfare recipients not getting their checks, about regulators not getting paid to regulate, about forestry officials lacking funds to do forestry (whatever the hell that is), about highway projects coming to a halt, about stolen cash not making it by the billions to schools, etc.
To which I say, "My god, let's do a shutdown NOW. Hell, let's keep the government shut down!"
I have to say, I'm a bit embarrassed at having not thought of this whole shutdown thing before. Every year, the rat pack (that is, Congress) swarms around this time to figure out the right way to pick at the bones of the American cadaver.
"Who can we steal more from? Who can we give that loot to so that we can get more votes? How many pats on the back can I get for stealing from people in other states for boondoggles in my state?"
So, let's do a permanent shutdown, Americans. Nothing is better than something when criminals are in charge.
To which I say, "My god, let's do a shutdown NOW. Hell, let's keep the government shut down!"
I have to say, I'm a bit embarrassed at having not thought of this whole shutdown thing before. Every year, the rat pack (that is, Congress) swarms around this time to figure out the right way to pick at the bones of the American cadaver.
"Who can we steal more from? Who can we give that loot to so that we can get more votes? How many pats on the back can I get for stealing from people in other states for boondoggles in my state?"
So, let's do a permanent shutdown, Americans. Nothing is better than something when criminals are in charge.
They want me BACK
I filed for bankruptcy last year (2010) after two miserable years of trying to keep my booming real estate business from collapsing when the U.S. government sabotaged the economy with its altruistic housing welfare programs.
In 2009, I'd called all the mortgage companies for my 10 homes and all seven credit card companies for my personal and business credit cards in an attempt to stave off bankruptcy and to readjust the terms of the loan/credit payments, so that I could get the money back to the credit holders eventually.
At the time, the resounding unanimous answer from all of the above was "hit the road, Jack, and don't come back no mo', no mo', no mo'."
Well, they want me BACK.
Within one month of getting all my debt discharged in August 2010, my mailbox was sullied almost daily with entreaties from the same credit card companies. The message was uniformly similar: "Oh, David, you poor boy, you've been through some tough times, haven't you? Goodness gracious. Oh, um, hey! Would you like a new credit card with us now that you're making money again and all your debt is gone? Pretty please, with sugar on top? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze?!"
My answer over these last several months, today, tomorrow, and until the day I lie in a pine coffin is, "hit the road, Jack, and don't come back no mo', no mo', no mo'."
In 2009, I'd called all the mortgage companies for my 10 homes and all seven credit card companies for my personal and business credit cards in an attempt to stave off bankruptcy and to readjust the terms of the loan/credit payments, so that I could get the money back to the credit holders eventually.
At the time, the resounding unanimous answer from all of the above was "hit the road, Jack, and don't come back no mo', no mo', no mo'."
Well, they want me BACK.
Within one month of getting all my debt discharged in August 2010, my mailbox was sullied almost daily with entreaties from the same credit card companies. The message was uniformly similar: "Oh, David, you poor boy, you've been through some tough times, haven't you? Goodness gracious. Oh, um, hey! Would you like a new credit card with us now that you're making money again and all your debt is gone? Pretty please, with sugar on top? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze?!"
My answer over these last several months, today, tomorrow, and until the day I lie in a pine coffin is, "hit the road, Jack, and don't come back no mo', no mo', no mo'."
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Excellent ARI column on Fox News web site
ARI's Alex Epstein's column on "Why Businessmen Should Say Happy Birthday to Ayn Rand" is on the Fox News web site to celebrate Rand's birthday.
It's a well-written piece explaining the morality of capitalism, so that businessmen can understand the concept and no longer feel guilty about their profound right to make profits.
It's a well-written piece explaining the morality of capitalism, so that businessmen can understand the concept and no longer feel guilty about their profound right to make profits.
Go to Paris first to go around the universe
Livy's friend Ethan (6) concluded today that the universe is 10 feet wide. I asked him to confirm that number and he said he was "confirming" that number and that "yes" the universe is 10 feet wide.
He paused for a moment and then continued: "And since the universe is round, you have to go to Paris first and then go around the universe. ... Maybe you go to China, too. ... No, you have to go to Paris definitely."
"What do you think, Uncle Dave?"
"About what?"
"Do you have to go to Paris or China first?"
"Hmm. Don't know for sure, but I'm thinking you're right about Paris."
"Yep, you have to go to Paris first."
He paused for a moment and then continued: "And since the universe is round, you have to go to Paris first and then go around the universe. ... Maybe you go to China, too. ... No, you have to go to Paris definitely."
"What do you think, Uncle Dave?"
"About what?"
"Do you have to go to Paris or China first?"
"Hmm. Don't know for sure, but I'm thinking you're right about Paris."
"Yep, you have to go to Paris first."
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
14-year-old unschooler takes tour on dark side
A 14-year-old unschooler goes to a public high school for one year to see what it's like.
Here's a quote from his poignant account: "I also understood why public school kids act like they do. It's called loss of motivation."
Here's a quote from his poignant account: "I also understood why public school kids act like they do. It's called loss of motivation."
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The IRS dressed as Lady Liberty
As I drive to my part-time job each day in Alpharetta, GA, Lady Liberty waves vigorously to me and other drivers.
She's dressed in that pale green dress, wearing a crown and holding a torch. She stands outside a tax preparer's office hearkening those who've been the victims of tax theft to come inside and review the amount of the theft -- for a price.
We are to pay Lady Liberty's employers our hard-earned money to discover how much liberty was stolen from us during the previous year. Irony, my friends, doesn't often come served so bounteously. The tax preparers, most likely, had some other intent in mind, but each day, as I see the muscular man inside the Lady Liberty costume wave at me, I'm reminded again that the tax preparer is preparing something in my mind far more dangerous than tax theft.
It is revolution.
She's dressed in that pale green dress, wearing a crown and holding a torch. She stands outside a tax preparer's office hearkening those who've been the victims of tax theft to come inside and review the amount of the theft -- for a price.
We are to pay Lady Liberty's employers our hard-earned money to discover how much liberty was stolen from us during the previous year. Irony, my friends, doesn't often come served so bounteously. The tax preparers, most likely, had some other intent in mind, but each day, as I see the muscular man inside the Lady Liberty costume wave at me, I'm reminded again that the tax preparer is preparing something in my mind far more dangerous than tax theft.
It is revolution.
My Texas and 7 other states defy ObamaCare
In the spirit of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, Texas and seven other states are making it illegal for any authority or private entity to execute provisions of ObamaCare inside their borders. Attempting to do so could result in five years in prison.
This is astounding and gratifying news. It is a welcome return to a republic, as our Founders designed it, with the federal government being scolded and warned by states when it attempts to breach the boundaries of the Constitution.
The current Tea Party environment is also a welcome one, in which average Americans are now reading and understanding the Constitution, as well as the thoughts of our Founders concerning the intent of provisions in the Constitution.
I am daily feeling more proud to be an American.
This is astounding and gratifying news. It is a welcome return to a republic, as our Founders designed it, with the federal government being scolded and warned by states when it attempts to breach the boundaries of the Constitution.
The current Tea Party environment is also a welcome one, in which average Americans are now reading and understanding the Constitution, as well as the thoughts of our Founders concerning the intent of provisions in the Constitution.
I am daily feeling more proud to be an American.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Homeschooling almost as bad as public schooling
To keep up to date on recent activities by homeschoolers and unschoolers, I'm a member of several lists on the subjects. But the homeschool lists are virtually worthless, outside of a few suggestions on good museums to visit or somesuch. The parents themselves are awash in the "schooling" mentality and have essentially nothing worthy to offer on the parenting of children.
The homeschooler parents continually complain about "problem" kids and "rebel" children. One "respected" homeschooling mom recently penned a long article on how to handle such children (evidently not understanding that ALL children are rebels when their lives are dictated to them).
The article outlined in great detail the manipulation (er, "handling"), giving extensive guidelines under the following titles: "intervention," "distractions," "breaking the procrastination cycle," "bad habits," "the reward in raising a rebel," "recognizing the triggers of rebellion," "making a disciple," etc.
At one point this concentration-camp guard, er "homeschooling mom," gives the following "helpful hint": "When your rebel is young, give your rebel the least amount of choices possible. Making choices can frustrate him and you. You make the choices for him."
This, my friends, is the nadir of parenting, the low point, the abysmal mindset of the schooling mentality, the skeptic of children's hegemony and rationality, the hater of all things good, the lover of ruling instead of rational rules of conduct that we all must abide by.
The very thing that enriches life, choices, is the very thing that this homeschooling "expert" wishes to deprive her children and other children of. She makes clear that homeschooling is different from public schooling only in the identity of the concentration-camp guard: parent or strangers.
If this woman and the other millions of schooling parents around the world would be honest about the "rebellion" and the efficacy of their children, they would see that the real solution is wrapped up in one polysyllabic word: unschooling.
Unschooling is the honoring of freedom and self-determination. It is the honoring of the child's choices in life. It is the recognition that our children are their own sovereigns, that what they make of themselves and their lives is on their lively shoulders.
To find excuses to send one's kid to any school or to homeschool means that you don't truly honor your child and his/her happiness. Whether it is convenience or an immoral conviction doesn't matter.
The only true honoring of another life, their lives, is to let them be free to explore this wondrous world at their leisure and initiative.
Then sit back, my friends, and watch a flower blossom into colors you could never have dreamed of. Watch the blossoming of an individual, not a rebel.
The homeschooler parents continually complain about "problem" kids and "rebel" children. One "respected" homeschooling mom recently penned a long article on how to handle such children (evidently not understanding that ALL children are rebels when their lives are dictated to them).
The article outlined in great detail the manipulation (er, "handling"), giving extensive guidelines under the following titles: "intervention," "distractions," "breaking the procrastination cycle," "bad habits," "the reward in raising a rebel," "recognizing the triggers of rebellion," "making a disciple," etc.
At one point this concentration-camp guard, er "homeschooling mom," gives the following "helpful hint": "When your rebel is young, give your rebel the least amount of choices possible. Making choices can frustrate him and you. You make the choices for him."
This, my friends, is the nadir of parenting, the low point, the abysmal mindset of the schooling mentality, the skeptic of children's hegemony and rationality, the hater of all things good, the lover of ruling instead of rational rules of conduct that we all must abide by.
The very thing that enriches life, choices, is the very thing that this homeschooling "expert" wishes to deprive her children and other children of. She makes clear that homeschooling is different from public schooling only in the identity of the concentration-camp guard: parent or strangers.
If this woman and the other millions of schooling parents around the world would be honest about the "rebellion" and the efficacy of their children, they would see that the real solution is wrapped up in one polysyllabic word: unschooling.
Unschooling is the honoring of freedom and self-determination. It is the honoring of the child's choices in life. It is the recognition that our children are their own sovereigns, that what they make of themselves and their lives is on their lively shoulders.
To find excuses to send one's kid to any school or to homeschool means that you don't truly honor your child and his/her happiness. Whether it is convenience or an immoral conviction doesn't matter.
The only true honoring of another life, their lives, is to let them be free to explore this wondrous world at their leisure and initiative.
Then sit back, my friends, and watch a flower blossom into colors you could never have dreamed of. Watch the blossoming of an individual, not a rebel.
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