Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Where is cyber terror when you need it?
Some days I almost WISH those threatened cyber terrorist things WOULD happen so that the kids would learn that they can’t “get everything on line” in a library -- that they can write letters and send US Postal Service mail. I want kids to understand that you need “money” to buy things, not credit, and you have to wait until checks clear to use the money from a deposit. This takes patience and some advanced planning - neither of which seem to be in the vocabulary of today's youth. And better yet, maybe they would learn to express themselves in a manner intended by the use of their native language - yes using verbal exchanges instead of relying on punctuation marks and smiley faces to express joy, pain, suprise, outrage, anger and happiness.
I want kids who work in retail and restaurants to know that the cash “register” doesn’t do all of the adding for you all of the time and sometimes you have to USE MATH to actually add, subtract, multiply and divide things IN YOUR OWN HEAD (in other words, that you might have to THINK and use your brain.) Then they might realize the value of those dumb classes they have to take in school and that doing homework is just practice for what happens in real life. They aren't called "problems" for nothing, you know.
I want kids to know that not all food is available all of the time. That in the great scheme of things there are seasons for apples, pears, plums, peaches, tomatoes, squash, etc. In other words, I want them to learn to enjoy the times they can get the food they like so they learn to appreciate it and enjoy it more. Maybe then kids won't be so damned picky about what they will and will not eat because if you can't buy fruit out of season you eat what you have available.
I want kids to be tied to an old fashioned analog land line telephone , not have some earplug available at a moments notice to reach them digitally whenever some other kids have some “important” stuff to tell them. I want no availability to any camera phone, no text messaging, instant messaging and yes, even no computer e-mail for a while, so that people actually have to talk face to face in an office or a social setting or even a FAMILY setting. I realize this would require yet again, advance planning and patience. AS would listening to a telephone ring and not be able to identify the caller before even picking up the receiver.
I want kids to actually know that seeing a movie requires them to leave home, go to another building and purchase a ticket to enter a theater and watch it, instead of having to download it and watch it on a computer, or worse yet, an iPod.
I want all Ti- vo, DVD and video players to not function, so that people have to see a program as it it aired. Again this requires some advance planning on the part of the person who wishes to see a show at 7:30 on a Tueaday evening. You will actually have to SIT in front of the TV set and watch it then, not plan on recording it and watch it later. No putting the show on pause for bathroom and snack breaks, heck that's what commercials are for, you've got 2 to 4 minutes to rush off to the other room and do what needs to be done so you can come back and watch the show when the commercials are over.
I want no remote controls for anything. Nothing pre-programed for your convience. If you want something done do it manually. This means MOVE off your fat behind and actually walk over to the TV or stereo or radio and change the channel, station or "record" should you find one available.
Right now our kids are fat from lack of physical exercise. Soon they will be ignorant from lack ot mental exercise too.
Maybe if kids do without what they come to see as everyday things they will learn that not everyone has what they consider normal and they might learn to appreciate that they really don’t “need” all the junk they think they do.
Now I am off MY soap box.
I want kids who work in retail and restaurants to know that the cash “register” doesn’t do all of the adding for you all of the time and sometimes you have to USE MATH to actually add, subtract, multiply and divide things IN YOUR OWN HEAD (in other words, that you might have to THINK and use your brain.) Then they might realize the value of those dumb classes they have to take in school and that doing homework is just practice for what happens in real life. They aren't called "problems" for nothing, you know.
I want kids to know that not all food is available all of the time. That in the great scheme of things there are seasons for apples, pears, plums, peaches, tomatoes, squash, etc. In other words, I want them to learn to enjoy the times they can get the food they like so they learn to appreciate it and enjoy it more. Maybe then kids won't be so damned picky about what they will and will not eat because if you can't buy fruit out of season you eat what you have available.
I want kids to be tied to an old fashioned analog land line telephone , not have some earplug available at a moments notice to reach them digitally whenever some other kids have some “important” stuff to tell them. I want no availability to any camera phone, no text messaging, instant messaging and yes, even no computer e-mail for a while, so that people actually have to talk face to face in an office or a social setting or even a FAMILY setting. I realize this would require yet again, advance planning and patience. AS would listening to a telephone ring and not be able to identify the caller before even picking up the receiver.
I want kids to actually know that seeing a movie requires them to leave home, go to another building and purchase a ticket to enter a theater and watch it, instead of having to download it and watch it on a computer, or worse yet, an iPod.
I want all Ti- vo, DVD and video players to not function, so that people have to see a program as it it aired. Again this requires some advance planning on the part of the person who wishes to see a show at 7:30 on a Tueaday evening. You will actually have to SIT in front of the TV set and watch it then, not plan on recording it and watch it later. No putting the show on pause for bathroom and snack breaks, heck that's what commercials are for, you've got 2 to 4 minutes to rush off to the other room and do what needs to be done so you can come back and watch the show when the commercials are over.
I want no remote controls for anything. Nothing pre-programed for your convience. If you want something done do it manually. This means MOVE off your fat behind and actually walk over to the TV or stereo or radio and change the channel, station or "record" should you find one available.
Right now our kids are fat from lack of physical exercise. Soon they will be ignorant from lack ot mental exercise too.
Maybe if kids do without what they come to see as everyday things they will learn that not everyone has what they consider normal and they might learn to appreciate that they really don’t “need” all the junk they think they do.
Now I am off MY soap box.
