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Archive for November, 2009

First, The Good Autism Treatment News

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Even though it's small, a new autism study from the University of Washington published in Pediatrics is being hailed as a "landmark." It finds that early diagnosis--as young as 18 mos--and intensive socialization therapy can "vastly improve" key ASD-related symptoms and behaviors. So yeah, Early Start Denver Model!

On the other, more depressing, hand, the Chicago Tribune no doubt ruined quite a few Thanksgiving dinners last week with its blistering, critical report on alternative autism treatments such as chelation, pressure chambers, blood infusions, and on and on. They basically paint a picture of an autism quackery industry that preys on the desperate hopes of parents by conducting dangerous, "uncontrolled experiments on vulnerable children."

Sounds absolutely horrible, frankly.

Autism treatment works in kids as young as 18 mos. [ap/yahoo via dt reader sara]
TRIBUNE WATCHDOG DUBIOUS MEDICINE | Autism treatments: Risky alternative therapies have little basis in science [chicagotribune via tmn]

Posted in News, autism, health, meds, quackery, science | Comments Off

As Like-A-Bike As You Can Get
Monday, November 30th, 2009

It's taken a few years and a pile of knockoffs, but Kokua has reached the ontological limits of the Like-A-Bike:

Inches in Germany? Like-to-Bike 16-in. children's bike, by Kokua [liketobike.de via dt reader nelson]

Posted in bicycle, gear not strollers, germany, likeabike, rideontoys, toys | Comments Off

Changing The Changing Table: Kalon Studios Changing Trunk
Monday, November 30th, 2009

First things first: I love Kalon Studios. They came up with beautifully made bamboo cribs with excellent detailing a couple of years ago, and they're still at it. And they've expanded.

The IoLine Changing Trunk. Not a table, a trunk. Awesome. As it turns out, we've changed K2 on our industrial tool cart changing table approximately two times in almost two years. Instead, we use the sofa, the carpet, the bed, the kid's bed, wherever works. We've been liberated from the changing table paradigm, and so I'm glad to see other options on the market.

If the Changing Trunk thing takes off, perhaps the Changing TV Tray, the Changing Coffee Table, the Changing Dining Table won't be far off. It'll be fun at parties!

IoLine Changing Trunk, $520 or $740, depending on whether you get Kalon Studios' signature, laser-etched motifs [kalonstudios.com via swiss-miss]

Posted in awesome, bamboo, changingtable, eco, furniture, losangeles, parent company, storage | Comments Off

The Journey Begins
Monday, November 30th, 2009

Today’s post is really a beginning. I’m a neurohacker at heart and by profession. I design behavioral software. That means I create media designed to “install” beliefs and behaviors into people just like you would install a new app onto your computer. I enjoy it. I’m good at it. And I believe that one day soon it will change the world in wonderful ways.

However, what’s most important to me is that I use what I know to raise Miles, my little boy, into someone who is happy and healthy. Someone who has meaning and purpose to his life. Who knows that freedom is everything and all the rest is love.

Because I’ve spent so much of my time helping others learn to be ‘at their best’ I am particularly aware of how new information gets encoded into our minds and our behaviors.

Which brings me to my son and this post.

After nearly seven years of raising him against the cultural grain, I’ve decided that I want to start sharing the adventure. I know there is a growing number of intentional and intelligent parents that want more than what’s obvious. So do I. And, since there are no channels offering the kind of parenting I want to see, I figured I’d create my own.

This is the beginning of a journey. I hope you enjoy it. And I hope you participate. Everything is better with friends.

Here’s to raising children that become adults still vibrant with wonder and awe.

Big Love,

Devon

Related posts:
Adultitis: Are Kids the Cause or the Cure? (PodCast) Adultitis is a chronic condition that plunders laughter, burns people...

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Posted in Article, Devon White, Evolution, Fatherhood, buddha, buddha nature, dumbing us down, enlightenment, indigo children, intelligence, intentional parenting, john taylor gatto, joseph chilton pearce | Comments Off

Raccoons at the Door
Monday, November 30th, 2009
It ain't the Fantastic Mr. Fox, but it's a wild animal(s) for a neighbor.

Please note, on the other side of that door are two very loud and anxious dogs (owners of the food bowls, pictured). Raccoons. Do. Not. Care.

And scene:

Remember kids, if a raccoon knocks on your door and it isn't wearing clothing it is most likely REAL and therefore DANGEROUS. If it is wearing pants you can let it in. Enjoy your absinthe.
Visit. Punch. Cookies. Comment. Leave.

Posted in DadCentric, Movies, neighbors, outdoors, raccoons | Comments Off

Molto Richard McGuire!
Monday, November 30th, 2009

Longtime DT readers and early New York club music aficionados will know of our abiding interest in the work of Richard McGuire. It's one of the mysteries of children's book publishing that even as the artist's signature illustrations were front and center on PBS and Noggin and in the New Yorker, the four awesome titles McGuire created just a few years ago had all dropped out of print.

Well, the mystery has been cut in half. Corraini, the specialty Italian publisher, has added McGuire to their author list [right between Enzo Mari and Bruno Munari!] by rereleasing two titles, The Orange Book and Night Becomes Day. We have them both, they are both awesome, we've been giving clean old/dead stock copies as gifts all the time. When we can find a place to buy the Corraini editions in the US without paying DWR's 100% markup, we'll start giving those, too.

Day Becomes Night and The Orange Book, in italian or english, EUR16 [corraini.com]
Order both McGuire books and a sweet silkscreen print by the artist for EUR120 [corraini.com]

Posted in Books, animation, art, awesome, hiphop, illustration, italy, richardmcguire | Comments Off

Eminem First, Death Star Second
Monday, November 30th, 2009

Hi there! I hope you had an awesome Thanksgiving weekend. Unfortunately, I’ve not yet learned when to say when on our annual day of gratitude and gluttony. Perhaps next year I’ll do better.

One of the highlights of the holiday was Max blowing up the Death Star. Yep, you read that right. He flew his X-Wing right to the end of the trench, unleashed his proton torpedoes and…

BLAMMO!!!

He’d been trying for weeks. After his introduction to Star Wars a few months back, we also showed him Rogue Squadron for the Nintendo Gamecube, and he’s been trying to blow up the Death Star (the first level of the game) ever since.

Tomorrow I’ll tell you all about it. In fact, he might want to share in the honors himself.

Today, I’d like to send you over to Copyblogger.

One week back, I wrote a post for Copyblogger, “The Eminem Guide to Becoming a Writing and Marketing Machine.“ As of this morning, the post has earned a perma-spot on the sidebar for “Popular Posts.” Surprising to me is that even though I’ve written about one of the most controversial characters of our time, there is little if any dissent among the 100+ comments currently posted. I wasn’t looking forward to controversy, but I did expect to defend my position at least a little. I’m been blown away by the open minded writers from all walks of life sharing their thoughts on the post. Please feel free to share your own

The post was tremendous fun to write. Click on continue and check it out.

Thanks!

______________

Ten years back, my soon-to-be wife, Cindy, and I first noticed the bombarding beat for Marshall Mather’s “My Name Is.”

“What an ass,” I said as the two of us sat to watch the Grammies a year later. “It’s sad he can sell so many records just by being vile. Really, how much talent can that possibly take?”

“Have you heard the record?” Cindy asked.

Click to continue…

No related posts.

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Posted in Writing | Comments Off

Baseball Blast! For Wii Lives Up To Its Name
Monday, November 30th, 2009

I know it’s America’s national pastime, but I’m going to come right out and say it: I don’t like baseball. I played for fun when I was younger, but the game ended up being the end to my amateur athletic antics when I tore an ACL playing for a work league softball team. I’ve since had the ligament replaced (thanks to my now thinner hamstring), but baseball took me down when years of full contact football, hockey and lacrosse netted nothing worse than bruises and a broken nose. Besides, I’m Canadian, so I don’t have to toe the line. All of which helps to explain why, when a copy of Baseball Blast! from 2K Sports showed up, it didn’t exactly make it to the top of the review heap. My knee ached just looking at it. But the other day, the boys were bugging me to try it out, so we cracked it open.

Baseball Blast! Image: 2K Sports

Once again, I learned the valuable lesson that I shouldn’t impose my likes and dislikes on my kids. They loved this game. Normally they’re a Lego Star Wars/Rock Band/ Mario crowd, so I expected them to lose interest pretty quickly, but despite an almost zero exposure to baseball, they picked it up immediately and spent the better part of a Saturday evening at it - holding the attention of seven year old twins for several hours at a stretch is no small feat. Baseball Blast! for the Wii consists of 20 mini games, all with a baseball connection (naturally) and most of which involve hitting, catching or throwing a ball (although there was also a variation on bumper cars). None of that complicated strategy of managing a team roster or fighting to control multiple players on a field. Which is perfect for young kids and casual gaming. Even though you can pick from major league teams for your jersey, the choice appears to have no real impact on game play and the characters are very cartoon-ish, so don’t expect to be instantly recognizing anyone. Again, this isn’t meant to reproduce a real MLB event of any sort, just the atmosphere. Bob Uecker and Rob Dibble are available for play by play to add a little more authenticity. The favorite mini game so far is probably Cannonballs, where your player attempts to sink pirate ships. Yes, they’ve combined baseball and pirates (not the Pittsburgh variety, either). Baseball Blast! supports up to four players and multiplayer mode is definitely its strong point. The game is nothing earth shattering, but it’s a fun, casual title and at twenty bucks, it’s a pretty good value.

Minigame mashup: Pirates and Sluggers Screenshot: 2K Sports

Baseball Blast! for Wii from 2k Sports
Rated E for Everyone (with Comic Mischief)
MSRP: $19.99

Wired: Multiplayer mode is a blast, a good assortment of mini games, kid friendly games and controls, inexpensive.

Tired: Single player mode not so fun, hitting can seem a little random.

Posted in 2K Sports, Armchair Geek, Bob Uecker, Electronic Geek, Major League Baseball, Rob Dibble, Toys and Technology, United States, sport, wii | Comments Off

Mission Accomplished
Monday, November 30th, 2009
Another NaBloPoMo in the books!

Yay me!

Posted in Meta | Comments Off

This Week In Space
Monday, November 30th, 2009

International Space Station as STS-129 Departs (Image Source: NASA)

Good day everyone. If you are from the US, hope you had a great Thanksgiving holiday. If you are not from the US, hope it was a great week all the same.

It was a great week in the space world as Atlantis successfully returned to Earth from the ISS on Friday, touching down right on schedule. Congratulations to the crew of STS-129!

Also, welcome back to Earth Nicole Stott, who returned with the STS-129 crew after an 87 day rotation on the ISS. Lets take a look at what is going on this week.

Launches (Sources: Spaceflight Now World Launch Schedule, Wallops Flight Facility Daily Range Schedule)

One update. The Intelsat 15 launch scheduled for last week was scrubbed and the new launch date is listed as To Be Determined (TBD).

Thursday December, 3 -

Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, USA

Launch Vehicle: Delta IV

Payload: Wideband Global SATCOM 3 (WGS-3)

Launch Window: 00:21 - 01:41 GMT

Notes: This launch takes place just after midnight GMT, so if you are in the US, it will be late evening on the 2nd.

Interesting Hubble Observations

In many ways, all of the Hubble observations are interesting, but here is a list of some of the standouts in the coming week. A more complete list can be found at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) This Week On HST Website.

Galaxy-Scale Strong Lenses from the CFHTLS survey

Hypervelocity Stars as Unique Probes of the Galactic Center and Outer Halo

The Architecture of Exoplanetary Systems

This is a small list of the overall observations. You may also see some of these observations popping up in other weeks as many observation programs consist of several observations over time.

International Space Station

A relatively quiet week on the ISS after the departure of Atlantis. There will be experiments ongoing with butterflies and caterpillars, as well as many other experiments. For a great overview of all the science onboard check out the ISS Science website.

Don’t forget to check out when the ISS will be visible over your area this week!

Thanks to my colleague Jessica for providing the Wallops Launch Schedule, I will start posting when sounding rockets, and other launches, will be scheduled for launch from Wallops. Also, if you noticed, there is no Mars listing for this week. That is due to the fact that the status there is about the same as it was last week. When there is news I will post it for multiple categories. Week to week items may come and go depending on activities as well as additional resource I find and use.

Have a great week everyone!

Posted in Science and Education, Space | Comments Off

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