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On Tue, 23 May 2017, The Real Bev wrote:

> On 05/23/2017 01:52 AM, Martin Gregorie wrote:
>> On Mon, 22 May 2017 20:45:48 -0700, The Real Bev wrote:
>> 
>>> On 05/22/2017 07:05 PM, RS Wood wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Reuben is using his computer skills for good: he has already founded an
>>>> organisation[4] to educate children and adults about cybersecurity.
>>>> Considering that he is also the youngest Shaolin Kung Fu black belt in
>>>> the US and reportedly has excellent gymnastics skills, I’m getting
>>>> serious superhero vibes from this kid!
>>> 
>>> We don't expect enough of children.  Reuben is clearly exceptional, but
>>> even "ordinary" children have far more capability than we give them
>>> credit for.
>> 
>> Its partly nanny-statism now - a friend of mine and life-long model flyer
>> was designing, building and flying F1C class competition models in his
>> mid-late teens. These beasts span 2m+, weigh around 750g and have a 2.5cc
>> motor on the front spinning a sharp composite prop and, even then,
>> producing well over 0.3 HP, 225 watts at 24,000 rpm. I wonder how many of
>> today's kids would be allowed anywhere near such a nice toy, let along be
>> encouraged to learn how to build, operate and maintain one.
>
> Before my kids started school they could read.  At some point we gave my son 
> a chemistry set (remember back in the dark ages when there were real 
> CHEMICALS in them?).  He made gunpowder!  Not much, of course, but still...
>
> I guess that shows that humans are intrinsically destructive.  Or that they 
> just like loud noises :-)
>
> I'm always pleased when I see little kids skiing, riding motorcycles, playing

> instruments, etc.  SOME parents are doing it right!
>
When I was ten, I was at a bookstore and my mother saw a pile of books 
being cleared out and bought me a copy "Montreal Adventure".  It was 
published about 1967, and clearly didn't do well.  It's about two kids who 
build radios, then hear some odd messages, and end up causing some thieves 
who stole from a museum to be caught.  It's set here, so I know exactly 
where the kids rode their bicycles all over the city.

ANd it is odd, since everything in the book happened, except not together. 
The summer of 1970, I did ride all over town with friends, which caused 
two of us to have a petition for a bike path.  One important event that 
summer was going to a hobby shop, on our bicycles, without adults, so I 
could buy a morse code set (in anticipation of getting a ham license). 
And on Labor Day weekend in 1972, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the 
one mentioned in the book, was robbed of some art, it's never been 
recovered.  They even went in through the skylight, just like in the book.

It's a great book, since it reflects my life around that time, around that 
age.

But yes, it does seem like things have changed dramatically now, kids 
driven around so much.  Gee, after a few trips with my mother to the 
electronic parts store when I was 11, I started going by myself, first by 
the subway, then I decided I'd rather walk, which means even today, 46 
years later, I am more likely to walk somewhere than use some other 
method.  And I was out in the greater world, I saw someone immolate 
himself when I was 14.

   Michael

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