Our goal as parents cannot be making the world safe for kids.  That is irresponsible because it cannot be accomplished and won't serve them well as adults.  Instead, the goal must be to keep our kids safe from the world until they have been prepared to face its challenges on their own.  For many of my conservative friends, this sounds like a dangerous and radical concept.  It's also true.

Different Drummer: Jim Henson

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One major generational shift from when I was growing up until now: the role of imagination in childhood.  When I was young, toys didn't often come with a story.  You made up the story using toys or even household objects.  Now, effort is required to provide similar opportunities for our young, future storytellers.  Has an entire generation of "imaginary friends" been left, abandoned and alone?

Different Drummer: Jerrold Freedman

Springfield (left) and Frank (right)

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Gameplan for upcoming Inappropriate Conversations

1. Child's play with vinegar, marbles, and Muppets
2. Looking back at a 9/11 response from within the first year of aftermath
3. 69 reasons (give or take) not to trust our "pure" view of The Puritans

While I'm playing music on my MP3 player, it is almost always set to shuffle.  I believe in variety and unexpected combinations, and radio stations have not provided that at any time in my memory.  When you hear "your station for variety" or other taglines, it never refers to a combination of rock, country, jazz, classical, spoken word, and other genre.  Why not?  A format with that challenging combination might never lead the market, but a program like that might prove to be the second choice for a very large set of listeners.

Different Drummer: Francis Picabia

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