On Tue, 23 May 2017 13:13:22 -0400, Michael Black 
wrote:

>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

It's difficult not to worry about our children more than our parents
worried about us when this can happen two miles from here
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/manchester-
arena-bombing-live-attack-13075807


--

Graham.
%Profound_observation%

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