Review: The Hows and Whys of Science Kit

Well, we finally opened our box, almost a week after we got it. And a busy week it has been, but I won't go into that right now.

I ended up working on the kit with my 3 year old and 5 year old, as the others were outside enjoying the unseasonably warm weather we were having. They loved it! There is a neat little telescope, a hand-crank flashlight (they loved that one), and some magnets, among other things. There are a lot of activities in the book as well that really look like a lot of fun, and once the weather warms back up a bit, we are going to go do some of them.

I really wish I had been able to take some pictures, but my camera decided it didn't feel like cooperating this week, so I will have to wait for a bit to get some pictures. I am very much looking forward to trying many of the experiments out though, and will be adding some activities to my kids' work boxes for school. I'm sure they'll love that idea.

My overall opinion of the kit is that it's fairly straightforward and very simply covers a wide range of topics. There were bits about magnets, soil, bugs, rocks, and a few other things. We haven't gone through everything in the book, but most of it seems very easy to do without a lot of extra work.

Let The Propaganda Begin Continue

Not only will the White House be in charge of televising a push for Socialized Healthcare, he is apparently planning on leaving out any opposing voices.

This is blatant propaganda, and yet millions of Americans will swallow it hook, line and sinker. We have been so indoctrinated in the ways that our benevolent government would have us follow, that we don't even realize that we have been programmed to believe what we are told, no matter how absurd.

***Here is yet another example that this is blatant propaganda.***added 6/18/2009

When will we wake up and start asking questions? When will we realize that we have been lied to repeatedly, while we are patted on the head and told to trust, while our livelihoods are taken right out from under us? We need to think, use the brains that God gave us, and realize that we are being led like sheep to the slaughter, and we're dancing along the way. We need to question policies like Spend Money To Save Money, or taking money away from one group simply to fund Socialized Healthcare (which in the end, everyone will be one whether they want to be or not, because the more you take money away from a person to give to someone else, the quicker that first person will end up like the second). We are logical creatures and yet we ignore the facts in front of us.

Study, research, ask questions. Before you become the sacrificial lamb.

Do Not Buy From Hot Book Sale

I recently bought a book from www.hotbooksale.com. While the book did arrive in a reasonable amount of time, and the price was decent, you are automatically signed up for a program that takes out $12.00/month whether you want it or not. According to the person I spoke with, you cannot complete your order without signing up for this "trial". I read the terms, and there was no mention of any charges that would be made to me for this "membership". So I call, and the person of course barely speaks English and is very difficult to understand. When I say I want the charges removed, she tells me it will take up to a week, and she will email me the cancellation number "later". After about 5 minutes of insisting that I get the cancellation number immediately (at which point she keeps trying to explain that she can't give me the number until she cancels it, and I keep trying to explain that I'm happy to wait until she can give me the number), she finally puts me on hold for all of a minute and comes back with the cancellation number. Oi. Such a headache over buying one little book. Don't buy from this company. It's not worth it. Thankfully the email arrived pretty quickly, with the same confirmation number that she told me, so at least they're keeping their word about cancelling it. Hopefully it will be done though. I will definitely be doing a lot more research next time I try buying from one of these supposed discount book places though. Lesson Learned.

Who'd Have Thought?

Peta Kills Animals

Really, none of this is surprising though.

Digital Grammar

I just read a great article about the use of digital penmanship. If you have a few minutes, take the time to read it.

If you have a few more minutes, this video was linked at the bottom of the article, but it's pretty cute on it's own.

Of Course, It's At 3 AM

A nice little lunar eclipse is scheduled tonight, between 3 and 4 am. It will start a little earlier than that, but that's when it will be in total eclipse. The cool thing, is that we're supposed to get a cool red hue. Check out the information here.

Alright, I did a little more research, and found out that for us in CST, the eclipse will start just before 8 pm. Check it out here.

H/T Sunspot Mike

Nature Art

Recently, I discovered that we had an abundance of mushrooms growing in our yard. They are everywhere. Now, being ever the opportunist, I remembered a craft I did as a child, involving mushrooms and hairspray. After some extensive searching on the internet, I managed to find one that seemed familiar.

Take your little white garden variety mushroom, and remove the stem. Place it gill side down on a piece of paper, and cover it with a glass. Allow it to sit over night, and voilà, you have spore art! Spray the paper with a non-aerosol hairspray, to preserve the spore art. Have the kid color the pages, or just put them on the fridge as is.


Be sure to pick mushrooms with a firm, round cap, and remove the skirt if necessary to reveal the gills. This will give you the best spore art. Also, be sure to avoid poisonous mushrooms, and I wouldn't let the kids eat them, just in case.

Alternatively, you can purchase store-bought mushrooms, with the same results.