Episode 118 Notes
[Cue synth intro]
[Cue Nancy Kulp…]
Banter: Welcome to the 6 days ‘til
Christmas, shopping overload Daddycast!
After 2 solid days of combing the big-box megastores, looking for that
‘perfect gift’…ahh, well, who am I kidding.
They say women go shopping, but men go BUYING. I think that’s accurate. Here hon, here’s some welding gloves for your
mom…huh….knowing her she may like those…
The other
activity occupying my time is the ever-productive garage-cleaning process. Its like going back in time, peeling back
layer upon layer of debris, each one triggering deep long-forgotten snippets of
your past. That’s not the point to the
exercise, just a consequence. I’m trying
to get rid of mountains of stuff that accumulated last Christmas, so we have
room to accumulate another mountain of stuff this Christmas, as well as make
room in the house for all the extra stuff – the tree, the wrapped gifts, the
in-laws…
You know,
you have just the right stuff-to-space ratio for your family, then Christmas
comes around and you have to adjust. So
you move furniture and other stuff out of the house, into the garage, so
there’s more room for everybody. Of
course, that furniture and stuff never seems to make its way back into the
house, and so you must return to the garage to re-examine your life as it was. I equate it to one of those little slide
puzzles; you slide one piece over here so you can move this one over here to
position that one there, etc. etc. until you achieve organizational nirvana. We don’t really ever achieve nirvana…I’m
organizationally challenged actually. We
just rent a dumpster bin.
[Cue News_Theme]
Headlines: VAWA Passes Committee, Cable TV
gets Family Friendly, Parents TV gets cable un-friendly, Take Two Teasspoons
and Call me in the morning, More Drivers are talking on Cell phones, FDA sits
on Rotavirus Sidelines,
[Cue ELEMENT_2]
[Cue Girl Advice]
PSA Ad
Copy: There are currently 523,000 children in the public child welfare system,
of these almost 118,000 are waiting for an adoptive family. The campaign issues
a call to action to prospective families asking them to consider adopting a
child from foster care.
[Cue Important News]
[Cue Synth News Intro]
News: Breaking News from
Feminist4Fathers.blogspot.com…Teri Stoddard, who is a good friend of the
daddycast and a guest on this show, sent this in over the transom;
The
Senate/House Conference Committee approved the final version of the VAWA. The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 was
the first legislation to address violence against women. VAWA was reauthorized
in 2000, adding services for immigrant, rural, disabled and older women, and
was due to expire this year. Many people are relieved today, knowing women and
children in abusive situations will continue to have services in times of
crisis.
Once at
odds with Father’s rights groups, the VAWA has been amended to use ‘Gender
Neutral’ language. Many in the Father’s
rights movement, also referred to as the ‘Family Rights movement’ are happy
with the amendments, There are still
some loopholes that may prevent equal application of the law. Here’s the quote from David Burroughs, author
of the changed language;
"Through the hard work and support of many dedicated supporters of
equality we have succeeded in having language inserted in the VAWA that makes
it clear to the DOJ [Department Of Justice] VAWO [Violence Against Women
Office] that it can no longer circumvent the original intent of Congress that
this legislation provide shelter and services to all victims of domestic violence
regardless of their gender.
It is a first step in excising the radical feminist model of domestic
violence which asserts that only women can be victims and only men perpetrators
and replacing it with the real world model that recognizes that domestic
violence is committed by individuals who lack the ability to navigate
relationships in a healthy mutually beneficial way and as a consequence resort
to emotional and physical abuse through the use of emotional manipulation and
intimidation and/or physical abuse. These characteristics derive from
psychological shortcomings and are not unique to any one gender.
A lot of wonderful dedicated people made this effort successful. The
list is long but I must say that without the organizational work of Michael
Robinson as well as his daily support for this effort it would not likely have
succeeded.
While there were a number of individual Senators and Congresspersons
from both parties who stood up for justice and equality we must acknowledge the
extraordinary leadership of House Judiciary Chairman Sensenbrenner as well as
Ranking Member Conyers and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Specter and
Senator Hatch."
David R.
Burroughs, Esq.
Legislative
Consultant, (SHCFC)
Safe Homes
for Children and Families Coalition
Burroughs0@aol.com
North
East,MD 21901
410-392-8244
(o)
302-540-1723
(c)
Cable Industry Gets Family Friendly
By JENNIFER
C. KERR
Associated
Press Writer
Under
pressure from the government, the nation's two largest cable companies and
several others announced Monday a plan to offer packages of family friendly
channels to give parents another option to shield children from sex, rough
language and violence.
Kyle
McSlarrow, head of the main cable trade group, said Monday that industry leader
Comcast Corp., No. 2 Time Warner Cable, and a handful of other companies would
start offering 'family choice' tiers, most likely by spring.
Details
will vary by company, McSlarrow, president of the National Cable &
Telecommunications Association, told the Senate Commerce Committee. He did not
have an estimate on the cost.
The
industry has come under increased scrutiny for raunchy programming, most
recently from the head of the Federal Communications Commission. Chairman Kevin
Martin urged cable executives at an indecency forum earlier this month to give
parents additional tools to help navigate the hundreds of channels available to
consumers.
Without
endorsing a specific solution, Martin offered several suggestions, including
family friendly tiers and so-called 'a la carte' pricing, which would let
customers pick and pay for only those channels they want.
Most cable
executives have wholly dismissed the idea of a la carte, saying it would drive
up costs and lead to the demise of channels that can't attract enough
advertising dollars.
McSlarrow
told lawmakers that he hoped the industry's announcement would stave off
government intervention.
'I really
hope that we can take mandates off the table,' he said. 'If the government
intrudes into this space, it will get it wrong.'
And now, the rather pointed response
from the Parent’s Television Council…
LOS ANGELES
(
“It is
perfectly obvious Time Warner is deliberately offering a product designed to
fail. Any family wanting family programming and which would subscribe to Time
Warner’s ‘family tier’ would not be allowed to watch:
History
Channel, QVC, Turner Classic Movies, Home Shopping Network, TVLand, Biography
Channel, Animal Planet, The Learning Channel, Hallmark Channel, Game Show
Network, ESPN, ESP2, ESPN Classics, MSNBC, Fox News Channel, CNBC, Outdoor
Life, Golf Network, Speed Network, WORD Network, Eternal Word Television
Network, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Inspiration Network, Travel Channel,
CMT, Sprout,
GAC
“The
average family would find most programming on these networks to be appropriate
for family viewing. But not Time Warner. According to Time Warner, no family
should want to watch sports. According to Time Warner, no family should want to
receive any news channel other than Time Warner’s CNN. According to Time
Warner, classic movies are not appropriate for families. And neither is religious
programming.
“Time
Warner’s ‘family tier’ proposal proves beyond a doubt that it is families, not
the industry, that should decide what is appropriate family programming. Cable
choice remains the only serious idea.
…They
listed a whole bunch of channels that are NOT part of Time-Warner’s so-called
family tier proposal. I think that PTC
is playing bully politics, and while I’m in favor of more choice and more
control over which channels I’d like to see, the fact that the cable networks
are making concessions is a good thing.
If quibbling over which channels to include is what’s left, chalk one up
in the win column, calm down and negotiate – don’t blast-off!
PTC Stats: Interesting Statistic of
the Week
Nearly 70
percent of young children have TVs in their bedrooms today; nearly half (49
percent) have videogame systems in their bedrooms; 46 percent have VCRs; 37
percent have DVD players; 35 percent have cable or satellite TV service; 24
percent have PCs and 18 percent are hooked up to the Internet in their
bedrooms. (Nickelodeon survey, "The New Normal") (Associated Press,
Expert Helps Parents Understand
World of Video, Computer Games
Newswise -
Adults who are not familiar with video and computer games should be cautious
about what they buy children this holiday season, says a
"In a
perfect world, video games would be rated in terms of content and
complexity," says Samantha Blackmon, an assistant professor of English who
studies representations of race and gender video games. "But the content
of video games can be surprising. I recently played a football video game that
was rated mature, which is similar to an R rating for a movie, and I never
thought a football game would receive that kind of rating. But it did because
of the foul language used by the commentator."
Blackmon
says young children will often imitate the language they hear, and they also
will draw conclusions about how they should see women and minorities
represented in the games.
"That's
why it is important for adults to take an interest in the games children
play," says Blackmon, who owns more than a dozen video game systems and
hundreds of games. "Plus, video games can be used as a teaching tool. In
my house, we play games with closed captioning and turn the sound off. The
subtitles not only improve reading comprehension but also help with reading
speed."
Here are
some other buying tips:
* Visit the
game developer's Web site to view trailers for specific games. These trailers,
just like for movies, will give you a good feel about the game.
* When at a
gaming store, ask if you can play the game. If you are not a video game player,
then ask someone who works there to demonstrate the game for you.
* Unless a
child is going to be supervised, avoid role-playing games utilizing the
Internet to connect the players. You don't know what the other players are
going to do, which can very quickly change the content of games.
* Even if
buying a game for a specific teenager, be aware if there are other children in
the house. A game may be suitable for a 17-year-old, but chances are the
8-year-old will be playing it, too. Look for games that are appropriate for all
ages.
* Pay
attention to the video game rating system. It is more complicated than the
motion picture code. The Entertainment Software Rating Board explains the
ratings at http://www.esrb.org/.
* Look for
video games that involve puzzles or quests. These types of games teach and
offer logic challenges rather than just entertain.
* Before
buying the latest system, make sure age-appropriate games are available for
that console.
…OK some
good advice here…at least until I got to the ESRB part. Yes, the ESRB ratings can help – by
completely dismissing AO rated games for kids.
But only as a guide – play the games your kids play – in the store
before you buy is a great idea. That
last one is kinda tough for you early-adopter tech geeks out there. I confess to being one myself. You can’t wait to get your hands on the X-Box
360 or PSP or whatever, so you buy it when there’s only 13 games for it, half
of which are already AO rated…but for your kids sake, wait a bit.
X-Box has
always been focused on older age demographics.
I like the Nintendo Gamecube and GameBoy portables myself. I have others, but my son had those because
of the kid-friendly game choices.
A Spoonful of Sugar Makes Some Kids Feel Good
Newswise -
It's no secret that children like sweet-tasting foods and beverages. It's also
known that sweet taste acts as an analgesic in children, reducing their
perception of pain. – REALLY??
Now
researchers at the
"Some
children like sweets not just because they taste good, but also because sweets
make them feel good," explains senior author Julie Mennella, Ph.D.
"This study further reveals that for children, sweetness' effectiveness as
an analgesic is related to liking for sweet taste and also to weight
status."
In the
study, sucrose preferences were determined for 198 children, ranging in age
from
There were
individual differences across both age groups, with approximately half of the
children and one quarter of mothers preferring sucrose concentrations of 24
percent (14 teaspoons per 8-ounce water) or greater.
To evaluate
response to pain, the researchers used a classical model known as the cold
pressor test, measuring how long subjects were able to keep their hands in a
cold water bath maintained at 50 degrees F (10 C). The cold pressor test was
repeated twice, once with the subject holding a 24 percent sucrose solution in
the mouth and again with water in the mouth.
In normal
weight children, palliative properties of the sweet sucrose taste were related
to the children's sweet preferences: sucrose reduced the experience of pain in
children with higher sweet taste preferences, but not in children who preferred
lower concentrations of sweetness.
However,
when the child's weight status was taken into account, sucrose's effectiveness
as an analgesic was blunted in overweight and at-risk-for-overweight children
who preferred higher levels of sweetness.
Mennella
comments, "This intriguing finding may reflect differences in brain
chemistry systems. Additional studies clearly are needed to evaluate how
dietary habits and individual differences contribute to preference for sweet
taste in children and its physiological consequences."
Unlike for
children, sweet taste was not an effective analgesic for mothers, regardless of
their preferred sweetness level.
"Even
women who preferred high levels of sweetness similar to that selected by the
majority of children did not evidence an analgesic response to sucrose. Thus,
the lack of an analgesic response to sucrose during adulthood apparently is not
due to the lowered sucrose preference observed in adults overall," states
lead author Yanina Pepino, Ph.D.
"Children
and adults differ with regard to a wide variety of physiological and endocrine
differences, and future studies should identify variables that promote or
impede the ability of sweet taste to act as an analgesic in both children and
adults."
…I hope
they do a follow-up with the kids in this study to find out if any of ‘em
become diabetic….next story…
Questionnaire
may predict eating disorders
…OK dads –
ask your daughters some questions! If
you think they’re hiding an eating problem, ask the questions, “Do you like the
feeling of an empty stomach”.
Or, more important,
if you think your kid may have a problem, get ‘em evaluated – and then get a
second opinion anyway.
More
Drivers Than Ever Talk on Cell Phones
By KEN
THOMAS
Associated
Press Writer
More people
than ever are turning their cars into personal phone booths, with a million and
a half drivers gabbing on cell phones at any given time. Women and young people
are the most common yakkers.
About 10
percent of the people on the road during the day are using cell phones, up from
8 percent in 2004, the government reported Thursday.
Six percent
of drivers were holding the phones to their ears, up from 5 percent last year.
The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which issued the report,
recommends that motorists use cell phones while driving only during an
emergency.
Cities such
as
Researchers
have tried to figure out the possible risks of driving and dialing. A study
published by the British Medical Journal in July found drivers using cell
phones were four times as likely to get into a crash that could cause injuries
serious enough to land them in the hospital.
But the
study, conducted by the Virginia-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety,
suggested that using a handsfree device instead of a hand-held phone may not
necessarily improve safety. Researchers found that both phone types increased
the risk.
Industry
officials contend cell phones are just one form of distraction: many drivers
eat fast food, push buttons on their stereo, apply makeup or talk to other
passengers.
'Talking on
a cell phone is one of many possible distractions and by narrowly focusing on
just this one could create a false sense of security with drivers,' said John
Walls, spokesman for CTIA _ The Wireless Association.
The survey found
that 10 percent of drivers between 16 and 24 were holding cell phones to their
ears, compared with 8 percent in 2004. Only 1 percent of drivers ages 70 and
above were using handheld cell phones.
Many states
have sought restrictions for young drivers using cell phones. Ten states and
the
The
National Transportation Safety Board, meanwhile, voted in September to
recommend that all states make it illegal for teenagers and new drivers to talk
on the phone while driving.
Women were
more likely than men to use handheld phones behind the wheel, with 8 percent of
women driving and talking into their cell phone, compared with 5 percent of
men.
For the
first time, the government examined drivers manipulating hand-held devices at
the wheel, including dialing, typing a text message or playing a video game.
Only 0.2 percent of drivers were observed fiddling with the gadgets.
…DWI used
to stand for ‘Driving while intoxicated’…new definition: Driving while
internetting. Or maybe, DWO, driving
while online. Geez people, get a headset
if you MUST talk on a cell phone while in the car. If you’re driving with your kids, you already
have them distracting you, don’t add to it.
Humans aren’t real good at multi-tasking. Concentrate on driving when your kids are
with you in the car.
FDA Mulls
Rotavirus Vaccine for Infants
By JOHN J.
LUMPKIN
Associated
Press Writer
An
experimental vaccine to prevent a sometimes deadly diarrheal infection in
infants appears to be effective and free from a dangerous problem associated
with an earlier vaccine, Food and Drug Administration reviewers found.
But an FDA
reviewer said the agency needs more information on one trial from manufacturer
Merck & Co. before it can fully gauge the effectiveness of the new vaccine,
RotaTeq, according to documents posted Tuesday on the agency's Web site. A
Merck spokeswoman said the company has supplied all requested data to the FDA.
Still, the
reviewer wrote that RotaTeq is 'highly likely' to be effective in protecting
children against rotavirus.
In the
In
developing countries with less medical care, rotavirus is much more dangerous,
killing one child in 250.
An expert
FDA advisory panel was expected to discuss the experimental treatment Wednesday.
The agency and its advisers may be cautious about approving it in the face of
problems tied to an earlier vaccine, RotaShield, which manufacturer Wyeth
pulled in 1999 after 20 out of 1 million infants developed a potentially fatal
twisted bowel condition within a month of receiving it.
But
researchers looked closely for cases of children developing the condition,
called intussusception, in the RotaTeq trials studied by the FDA, and found it
did not occur more often than it did in children who received a placebo instead
of the vaccine.
The vaccine
would be given to infants as a liquid during regular vaccinations at the ages
of two, four and six months.
Dr. Penny
Heaton, who helped develop the vaccine for Merck, said the company's studies
show the vaccine reduced gastrointestinal illness caused by rotavirus by 74
percent in infants in the first year after taking the vaccine, when compared
with those given a placebo. It reduced severe cases of the illness by 98
percent.
In infants
studied for a second year after taking the vaccine, gastrointestinal illness
caused by rotavirus was reduced by 62 percent compared with placebo; severe
cases were reduced by 88 percent, Heaton said.
Company
officials said the vaccine is meant to be effective for two years, because an
older child who gets rotavirus is much less vulnerable to dehydration and other
severe consequences of the illness, and therefore less likely to need
hospitalization. Children would still probably catch rotavirus and develop
natural immunities to it.
A third
vaccine, GlaxoSmithKline's Rotarix, has been licensed in
…FDA means
‘Feds Delay Again’ – Let’s get on the ball, here. If its effective, its effective. Let doctors and us – parents – decide if we
want our kids to have it or not.
I haven’t
trusted the FDA since the saccharin debacle….
More
extracurricular involvement may be better, say researchers
…OK this
story directly contradicts a story I reported in October, which stated that
studies had shown declining academic results with increased extra-curricular
activities. That study linked the
decline to stress!
So – what
we have here is a situation where there is no perfect formula for how to raise
a kid – sorry academia. You’re gonna
have to leave it up to the parents to figure out what’s best for their kids.
Article
published
Judge left
to rule on caged kids
NORWALK
(AP) -- A five-day custody hearing provided an exhaustive look into a family
accused of harming their 11 adopted children by making some of them sleep with
only blankets in wooden cages. Now a judge must decide whether the couple
abused or neglected the special-needs children.
Juvenile
Judge Timothy Cardwell is expected make a decision in two weeks. If the
allegations are not proved, Michael and Sharen Gravelle, who live near rural
Wakeman in northern
"They're
about upbeat as you can possibly be," their attorney, Kenneth Myers said
Saturday. "This was a very rough week for everybody. It was long. It was
grueling. There were some difficult gut-wrenching things
said in
open court. There are things that family members shouldn't have to hear about
other family members."
The hearing
concluded Saturday with Elaine Thompson, a social worker hired by the
Gravelles, saying she approved of the cages but never asked the children how
they felt about them during her weekly counseling sessions with them.
She
described the unruly behavior of the children, which included urinating and
defecating throughout the house and out windows. Some of the children were
physically abusive to the others, she said.
The 11
children, ages 1 to 15, have health and behavioral problems such as fetal
alcohol syndrome and a disorder in which children eat nonfood items.
The
Gravelles have not been charged with any crime and deny abusing the children.
The hearing
ended without the Gravelles testifying. Myers said he decided not to put them
on the witness stand because their children were upset about hearing their
public statements earlier in the week, Myers said.
He said he
was also told by the judge that if the hearing didn't conclude Saturday, they
would have to wait until February to continue it.
"I
want the judge to make a decision quickly so that we can either move on to the
next step or so these kids can come home," he said.
The
children slept in cages with alarms that would go off if the children got out
of them at night.
One expert
hired by the county testified that 11 special-needs children were too many to
have in one home.
But Robin
Jacob, an employee from the agency that helped place the 11th child in the
Gravelle home, testified that 11 was not excessive and she had no reason to
believe the couple couldn't handle the children. Jacob didn't learn of the
cages until August when
Thompson
criticized
"Removal
is the worst thing they could have done," she said. "They were ripped
out of the home with no notice and no ability to say goodbye."
Sharen
Gravelle shed a tear and wiped her nose with a tissue during Thompson's
testimony, one of the few times either she or her husband showed emotion during
the hearing.
…This
courtroom zoo went on for a week, the judge basically threatened the defense
with delays if he called more witnesses (like the parents) the parents still
have not been charged with ANY CRIME, and their kids are still not with
them. And people wonder why I don’t
trust the government.
Purdue Security Experts: 'Patch' to Protect New Computers
Newswise —
To protect the millions of computers flying off store shelves this Christmas
shopping season,
Many new
computers come with anti-virus software installed. If a new computer does not,
Information Technology at Purdue recommends installing a common brand, such as
McAfee, Norton or Symantec. Because such protection is so important, Purdue
provides anti-virus software to its students and employees free.
ITaP's
chief information security officer Mike Carr said it's important to run scans
with the software at least once a week to detect viruses, more often if the
computer is connected to the Internet, and to update the anti-virus software
regularly.
"Anti-virus
software is only as good as its latest update," Carr said. "Most
vendors release regular updates to meet the latest computer virus
threats."
The patches
issued by makers of operating systems, such as Windows XP and MacOS, will
repair or improve the makers' software. Whether the patch is for an operating
system or for a program application, such as word processing, Carr recommends
obtaining and installing it.
"Many
times these patches address security vulnerabilities that have been found after
release of the software," Carr said. "Most computers come with
documentation to teach users how to obtain update features."
…Good
advice – If you’re buying a new computer, patch it up before turning your kids
loose on it. I’m a real stickler for patches, updates and keeping anti-virus
and anti-spyware up-to-date. I’ve spent
lots of time cleaning up friends PCs this year.
Family and
friends always wrestle with what to get college-age folks on their Christmas
list. Here's advice straight from the students' mouths.
Newswise —
Here’s an inside scoop for the college student on your Christmas gift list:
I-Pods, CDs and money are a sure bet, it’s sometimes the little things that
count, and while most students have a preferred list of gifts they want, they’d
really enjoy a surprise under the tree.
Hendrix
College senior Marli Kaufmann of Weaverville, Calif., recently quizzed 1,100
fellow Hendrix students via an email survey asking what they wanted for
Christmas or Hanukkah, if they tell their family what they want for Christmas
or would prefer to be surprised and what’s the most meaningful gift they’ve
ever received.
While items
like an I-Pod, DVD boxed sets, digital cameras, warm winter clothing and money
and gift cards topped most students’ wish lists, many of the 54 students who
responded to the survey were most excited about reunions with loved ones.
“I want
nothing more this Christmas than to see my family,” said junior Lizzy Price of
Little Rock, Ark. “I’ve been studying abroad since September, so it’s been a
few months since I’ve seen them.”
Sophomore
Alicia Owen of Tulsa, Okla., said she will be happy just to be out of school
and with her family.
Still,
gift-giving is a big part of their holiday season, and most students have very
specific wishes.
“I want
cowboy boots, books, a warm coat and some DVDs and money,” said sophomore Liz
Blackman of Dallas, Texas. Freshman Rita Rein of Mountain View, Ark., wants
clothes, shoes, an I-Pod (the original) and a new cell phone.
Junior
Chris Kreitlein of Russellville, Ark., who is asking for “a pair of jeans that
will make me look like I have a butt,” among other things, said he doesn’t
always get what he asks for.
“Well, you
can tell them what you want until you are blue in the face, but I always get
disappointed whether I tell them or not. I got a dust buster last year.”
[Cue Drop_1]
[Cue
[Cue Mailtime]
Y’know, I
need to be careful what I wish for!! I
opened my big fat mouth and asked for mail…and boy did I get some! Keep ‘em coming. I don’t respond to all of ‘em, and I don’t
use all of ‘em but I do enjoy reading one and all. Thanks to everybody for listening, and
subscribing, and thanks to Teri, Bryan, Greg, and Cat for writing in. Comments, suggestions, general rants etcetera
can be sent to: submit at 101usesforbabywipes.com.
From
Some
thougts on #117
Sorry about
your light mail bag last week, I'll give it a stuffing today.
I like the
piano at Nordstroms also. I don't typically shop there, I'm no yuppie, but I
like the piano. Ours was staffed last year, but I haven't seen it this year.
I am,
admittedly, in an odd position on the whole Christmas/Holliday issue. Christmas
has alwasy been my favorite time of year. Maybe it's the gifts, the songs, the
decorations, the time off from school, or the proximity to my birthday (New
Year's Eve). But, anyway, I love Christmas. Here's the catch, I am an athiest.
Despite this I continue to celebrate the traditions I have grown to love as a
kid. Last year I had a catholic coworker ask me how I could do that. Another
coworker who is a Jehova's Witness and I
had to explain that much of Christmas is an artifical construct having nothing
to do with christianity. I explained that I celebrate giving, family, love,
peace and all that other good stuff without religion.
I don't
blame businesses for playing it safe with Happy Hollidays, after all, they want
to sell to everyone, right? I don't
think anyone should take offense to being wished the wrong holliday unless they
wear a tag indicating their preference, and even then I don't konw if it's
appropriate for me to wish a Jew a Happy Haunaka. However, the part that is
bugging me this year is the the whole "Holliday" tree thing. Can
anyone show me another holliday, celebrated in December, that revolves around
an evergreen decorated with lights and ornaments. If they can't then it is a
"Christmas" tree.
My wife and
I both have iPods. She has a Mini and I have a 30GB color. Of course, being my
son, my son is a total gadget/tech geek like me. So, at 8 he inherited my old
Shuffle. He love it because he can listen to his mother's Chipmunks album and
his Lenny Kravitz album. We try to make sure he keeps the volume down so he
doesn't damage his tender ears.
I am with
you, I rarely use abbreviations or the like when I use IM with my family and
friends. I tend to type in, gasp, full, properly capitalized, puncuated and
spelled sentences. I am able to do this as I can touch type ~45WPM thanks to
excessive screen time since about age 12. (I am now 33)
My wife and
I stay very involved in our son's life and have been working on anti-smoking,
drinking and drug messages for him since he was able to talk. It was sometimes
embarassing having our 4-year-old shout out "Smoking is bad" in
public when he saw someone with a cigarette.
My son
loves the Toon Test and gets excited when there is a new one. He generally gets
2-3 right each week. He tends to miss those aimed at <5 or >18 like Baby
Einstein and Family Guy. But, I also tend to average 3 a week right. I got two
right this week. :-) I will let my son listen tonight, I think he might get
three.
Please feel
free to excerpt from my rambling.
Dennis,
You're
right, "Artificial" isn't quite the right word. But I think you got
my point. I celebrate the modern secular holiday of Christmas which I see as
having no religion in it. Like the church stole the mid-winter pagan
celebrations to create Christmas, marketers have stolen it again to sell
XBoxes. I see the whole birth of Jesus thing as a subset or side-set of the
holiday. I like to think that we can all celebrate Christmas, and for some it
has additional meanings.
I still
love the Christmas music I grew up with. Silent Night, Little Drummer Boy, Do
You Hear What I Hear, etc. One of my favorite all time Christmas albums is the
1966 Henry Mancini Christmas album.
As for the
Christmas Tree issue, well we have that going on at work. We have a tree in the
loby sponsored by a group at work to help needy children. It's one of those
deals where you take a tag off the tree and return it with the gift wished for
on the tag. A worthy charitable endeavor. The problem is the poster next to it
said Christmas Tree, then a paper was put over Christmas that said Holliday, It
was removed, replaced, and as of this morning removed again. I think it should
say Christams, but I think the company is trying to be neutral.
I liked The
Polar Express book but I am not keen on the movie as it looks like a big
hollywood production that looses some of the original idea of the book. I
haven't seen it but have read reviews that match my suspicion. I think the book
falls into the category of Yes,
I am not
one of those militant athiests. I like to think I have more the mind set of
"it doesn't hurt me if you believe in something I don't, as long as you
don't force it on me" Where I have a problem is with the idea that NOT
having religious symbols in public things is somehow an infringement of
Christian beliefs. The same goes for the word "God" having to be in
the Pledge of Aliegance, it was added after the fact, it doesn't belong there.
I realize
that I am not as conservitive as you in some ways but I still appreciate the
work you do on your show, keep up the good work.
By the way,
last night my son got 3 out of 3 on the Tune Test.
From Cat in
Hi Denis,
I have been
listening to your show for a few weeks now, and really like it. I just didn't
want to be just a lurker!
I was
looking for your e-mail, but couldn't find it on the site!
Wanted you
to know that I mentioned your show in my last show (#82).
Keep up the
good work! Love the show.
Cat
Hi Dennis,
I've been meaning to write you but haven't
had much to say except your show has come a long way from its first episodes. Today your podcast sounds more polished
without sounding over produced like a lot of podcasts... If I want to hear a
Morning Zoo, I'll tune into one on my radio.
I have two boys, Nikolai (4 yrs) and Caleb (21 mnths). Nikolai would like you to know that he loves
your Toon Tests but says he can do
without the other stuff because it is boring.
I've told
him that it is news that parents can use.
He'd love it if you could put together a podcast of just the Toon Tests
which he loves to hear again, and again, and again...
So like I said I hadn't much to discuss with
you until I got a note from the principal at Nik's school in his take home papers. Nik is enrolled in a pre-school/daycare at a
Lutheran Church/School. He loves it and
we're glad he's there. Unfortunately,
like you at the beginning of his school year we were hit with a slew of
'school- sales.' This surprised me a
little since we pay tuition for him to go to his school. So on top of tuition we're stuck hitting up
our family and friends for more money. I
don't get it, but someone in their wisdom has figured that this makes sense and
I don't want to argue it because it would only give me a headache. So, I just let it slide. And then I got the note. Unfortunately, I don't have it in front of me
but for the most part it said because Christmas Gifts from the children in the
past have consisted of a plethora of
different candles, perfumes, after shave lotions, ties, scarves, etc., the teachers have requested that we
give them cash instead. Please use the
attached envelope. This cash will be
collected over the next couple of weeks and presented to the teachers at the Classroom
Christmas Parties. My jaw hit the
floor. Cash!?! Whatever happened to the saying, "It's the
thought that counts?" So, we don't
mind your thoughts as long as it is in the form of cash? To me
this is wrong on so many levels. First,
I don't know what's an appropriate amount to give. If I give too much, does that mean I'm trying
to buy extra attention for my son? If I
give too little, will that affect the
amount of attention that my son receives now?
Second, my son had absolutely no participation at all in this gift to his
teacher. He didn't pick anything out and
he has no money. So who is this gift
from exactly? A few days later we got a
note from his teacher saying that the kids weren't going to do a gift exchange at
school, rather she wanted us to put the money we would have used for the gift,
once again, in the attached envelope and she will purchase some toys and art
stencils for the classroom. These of course will stay with the school. So, it's my understanding that the kids get
nothing except a party and maybe some party favors. Oh
yeah, and the kids are being asked to bring in the food for the party. Unfortunately or fortunately (I haven't
decided yet), my son won't be attending his classroom Christmas Party since he
will be out of town. Religious elements
aside has Childhood Christmas become the movement of cash rather than the exchanging
of gifts? I feel sorry for my son, not
being able to pick out a gift for a school friend or his teacher, or receiving
a gift from a school friend. Unbelievable.
So, I'm
interested to hear your thoughts on this.
Nik is my oldest, therefore I'm new to this school stuff as a
parent. So did I miss something in the
Guide to Being a Parent Manual? Best
wishes to
you and
your family during this Holiday Season.
Merry
Christmas,
Greg
I e-mailed
Greg back about the situation with the teachers, and I suggested that he help
his son make Christmas cards, handmade ones, and give those to the teachers in
lieu of money. He has a point: If
schools are asking kids for money for school supplies – especially preschools –
they know who they’re really targeting, don’t they?
I’m very
glad everyone has enjoyed the ToonTest.
I created it to be an indicator of (a) just how much TV are your kids
watching anyway, and (b) to see if you were watching the shows with your kids. What ceases to amaze me is how absolutely
amazing my son’s memory is for music. I
actually test him with the ToonTests before you get to hear them. If I stump him, I know they’ll be hard.
While we’re
on the subject, here we go…
[Cue ToonTest]
Answers: #3- CatDog, #2- Gigantor,
#1- Teen Titans
I have set-up
a humble little website where I have the all the ToonTests ready for
download. So check the website,
101usesforbabywipes.com and I’ll put a link to the page where you can find
them. I’m not gonna set-up a separate
RSS feed and officially podcast them, they are a part of this podcast, but for
all the parents – and kids – who like to listen to ‘em, this is my gift to you
for Christmas! Enjoy!
[Cue Wipes Use]
Wipes Use #35 – Choo Choo Track
Trail
If you’re a
regular visitor to my website, 101usesforbabywipes.com, you’ve probably seen
the picture of my son playing with his cherished, favorite holiday toy – the
really big, noisy train that encircles the Christmas tree. The train has been recreated quite faithfully
by the manufacturer, LGB - which improperly
translates into ‘Let’s Go Broke’ – you do that when you buy one of these train
sets. The detail is impressive. It has headlights, tail lights, the boiler
glows as if lit by a coal fire, it makes chuff-chuff noises, has a bell, and it
also smokes…notably a bad habit to be sure.
The smoke
is made by putting a few drops of magic smoke-stuff into the smokestack. Add a 5-year-old to this holiday recipe and
we have a mess just waiting to happen.
See, the smoke stuff is basically oil, that is very thin, almost like
that lamp oil you use for old fashioned oil lanterns. It works on squeaky hinges, too. I know – I tried it in a fir of panic. Cut me some slack, I was desperate when I
used it to silence squeaky hinges. It
was last Christmas Eve, late at night, my wife and I were preparing for the
next morning and didn’t wanna wake the prying curious eyes of my son…so I
grabbed the smoke oil from under the tree, dabbed some drops on the hinges to
the hall closet door and Presto – no squeaks and no weary child wandering
around asking too many questions.
Ohh…sorry…wrong
story…anyway, when the smoke oil is burned in the smokestack of the choo choo
train, neat little tufts of white smoke curl up from the train – only at high
speed of course – the oil doesn’t get hot enough to smoke at slower speed. And besides the smoke, you also get – right
down the center of the track, this dark, dingy crud that leaves a stain. It looks like a skid-mark, but its just the
crud from the smoke oil. We thought we’d
be smart and put down a mat to protect the carpet from the after-burned oil
BEFORE the tree got decorated. You can
see the red and green mat in the photo on the website. BUT – we found oh too late that the oil MELTS
the plastic mat…so now what do we do?
What any other baby wipes user would do, of course! Lay down a trail of baby wipes, still
pre-folded from the package, and lay the choo choo track on top of them. Now you have a protective barrier from that
smoke-oil stuff, and what other crud may fly off the choo choo as your young
engineer pilots his own Polar Express.
[Cue AlanJay]
[Cue Charlie Crowe – Joy –
Holiday-ish]
[Cue Xmaswish from 101uses]