Sunday, July 20, 2008

Happy Summer

I'm not online much, or posting, because my 7 year old computer is so full I can't download my camera or reliably get email without deleting stuff off the two maxed out hard drives. So I'm working on backing everything up, slowwwwwwwwwwly, manually, and then hopefully I can get this dinosaur running...

We're having a great summer so far. Lots of time spent at the local swimming hole, where Mikro is taking swim lessons, and playing outside in the yard. Field trips to things like the World Science Festival, Prospect Park Zoo, local historic sites, and I forget whatall else. Since I can't download the camera (which substitutes for my short term memory), it's all rather a blur.

We have a new pet-- a tiny little frog for whom I am learning how to make fruit fly cultures. Homeschooling definitely leads one down some unexpected paths! We released the mantids a while back, and were a household sans creepy crawlies or critters for a few weeks before Tiny Blue Hopper (who is tannish greenish, but named by a 5 year old) took up residence.

Will check in when I can, but until I get this machine to behave, it will be sporadic...

Monday, July 7, 2008

Why a Parental Rights Amendment Isn't Such a Good Idea

Why do so many people have fundamental misconceptions about the fact that the United States Constitution limits the authority of the United States Government, rather than limiting the rights of The People to those specifically enumerated? The recently proposed parental rights amendment is likely to result in legislative attempts to codify and limit what is now a broad and fundamental right, which has been recognized by the United States Supreme Court. See Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510, 534-35 (1925).

Here's a much longer analysis by Home Education Magazine of the folly of this proposal.