Infant cramming

I thought Nightline's "Fast Tracking Toddler's" was just a fluke, but it seems that LiveScience story at Yahoo has "Infants Have 'Amazing Capabilities' That Adults Lack," to fan the flames.

However, if you read the article carefully it only really looks out language acquisition not about all kinds of intelligence. Which means that for a parent to expect their young charge to become the next Einstein is a bit naive, in my opinion. [On the other hand, how many Einstein's do we need in this world?]

In Japanese, there's a saying "oya-baka" or stupid parent syndrome or "my child is the smartest, greatest, strongest, most beautiful, most talented person in the world" self-duplicity. And I have a feeling that they (the parents, if not the children themselves when they get older) will probably regret in the long run.

Why do I write this? Because yours truly was raised by a "kyoiku-mama" or educational mom who pushed her children along and although I didn't crack and I did keep up my grades I do recall my relief when we moved out after 8th grade (i.e., to start my high school) such that I could no longer take both American and Japanese classes during the weekdays. I guess I continued to push myself during high school and college because of the momentum my parents provided in me (I guess to please my parents?). It was only during graduate school did I learn about homeschooling which helped me start to question my goals and purpose and, over the years, question everything from why testing, to why college/degrees and why government? My "brainwashing" took years for me to absorb and then many decades to undo.

I hope to not take my sons through such brain twisting that I've gone through. But only time will tell if I am successful or not....

Copyright 2007, DannyHSDad, All Rights Reserved.

Job Change

I've accepted a full time job in Orange County so off to another county I go (I'm living in San Bernardino County and the commute would be about 2 hours one way). I'm starting end of next month so I have 4 weeks to find a place and move -- hopefully before I start work.

The only pain will be to pack up and move again. Just when we thought we got settled, we have to move again. We haven't settled in a place yet but we'll lock in a place hopefully this coming weekend (June 1 or so).

Copyright 2007, DannyHSDad, All Rights Reserved.

Firefighters are not to protect you

"Deaths challenge firefighting strategy" has the following interesting quotes:

A blaze that killed five federal firefighters last year has emboldened those who question the cost of saving the ever expanding number of homes on the fringe of wilderness.

[...] However, the deaths also were blamed on social and political pressures and decisions to put homes before the safety of firefighters, according to a report last week from the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection.

[...] "We are not going to die for property," said Tom Harbour, national director of fire and aviation management for the Forest Service. "It's time for homeowners to take responsibility for the protection of their homes."

So, not only are police not there for you, firefighters aren't going to be there for you, either: you're on your own. So much for your tax dollars....

Copyright 2007, DannyHSDad, All Rights Reserved.

Happy National Police Week!

In case you've missed it, last week was National Police Week. You can see your tax dollar at work

Happy Mother's Day, esp if you're unborn

(The words read "I promise to give you flowers .... and hugs and kisses... ...next mother's day... ... if you let me.")

(click here to view)

Gordon Campbell Inland Valley Bulletin May 12, 2007 EditorialCartoonists.com

Plug for Ron Paul for President

Here's one man I'd vote, if I was still registered to vote: Ron Paul who seemed to have been written off by MSN (main stream news).

Copyright 2007, DannyHSDad, All Rights Reserved.