Well, I just calmly asked DS when he got home about the math project, he started crying and said that he was afraid that if he didn't do well it would bring down his grade. I told him we'd email the teacher and ask, but I thought that this was an opportunity for extra credit, and that it wouldn't hurt his grade if he didn't do well. He agreed that it sounded interesting, and even after she emailed back that it would be graded, wouldn't tell us how much weight towards final it would be, he still thought he'd try it. We have never put much emphasis on grades, I don't know where he gets his anxiety and perfectionism from but as I said it's been from a very young age, well before school. But it's like anything he's afraid to do - once he tries it, and does well, it'll give him confidence. I told him if he doesn't do well on this project, he doesn't have to do any more "challenges" this year. I think DS did well on the tests and in school b/c we do take time to explain things to him (again from a young age), read to him (and now he reads by himself) all the time, and take the kids to places like the science museum and the art museum, not just "children's museums". Really I don't want to push him to take tests and do more work, but this was an opportunity to do a research project, gather data, analyze it, and draw conclusions from it - much more challenging and "real-world" than rote arithmetic. The teacher said that it would take the place of up to 2 nights' HW per week for the next 5 weeks, so it was not "extra" work piled on. My kids love learning and are definitely opinionated, but DS tends to be a bit "lazy" (maybe b/c he hasn't found his passion - except Pokemon?) and I'm just trying to challenge him to go beyond the bare minimum he needs to do in school - not that he does just "passing" work but it could easily slip into that as the coursework gets harder, if he doesn't get excited about *something*. If he never learns to study and research, what's he going to do in HS and college when he finds that he can't pass a test just by having done his HW up to that point? "Good enough" is good enough in some things, but there should be something that he can get passionate about (like when he was little and devoured the whole "100 Things You Should Know About..." series on his own). Maybe by extensions and modifications to the easy (boring - he never talks about school) classes he's taking now, he can *find* something to get excited about. Maybe not this year, but maybe in Jr High or HS? Maybe in a summer program? I don't know. I'm just afraid he's already gone on academic autopilot. He asked us to stop reading him bedtime stories when he was about 6-7. I have to screen a lot of the books in the Teen section of the library for him, b/c the content is too mature. But when I find a good book or series (he loves fantasy series) I get them for him. As I said, he found The Hobbit on his own, he read Narnia years ago, he's read Twain and T.H. White (was really into Merlin about 2-3 years ago). Occasionally I'll hand him a nonfiction book - he read A. Lincoln and Why Evolution is True this summer. He's still very interested in paleontology, archaeology, and astronomy, whenever I find an article in the WSJ on a new discovery or theory I point it out to him and sometimes we'll do research online to find out more. But it's not like he'll just pick up a nonfiction book on his own anymore. So I'm hoping that by requiring more research of him for his science and social studies classes, he can be motivated to explore more and maybe rekindle those interests (or find new ones) without me having to "find" interesting stuff for him. The kid is a walking encyclopedia - I don't think he forgets a single fact about nature or science or history once he's read it. It's just that "commitment to exploration" that's missing. And it's been creeping up on him for the past few years - seems like the longer he spends in public schools, the less interest and effort he puts into anything. When he was a toddler, preschooler, kindergartner, even 1st-2nd grade I'd say, he was just interested in *everything* and always wanted to find out "more". Now he seems apathetic about learning most of the time, unless DH or I point out something about a new scientific discovery and then help him research it. Most of the time he just wants to read (or re-read) fantasy books and play Gameboy. I hate that thing! My mom got him a used one at a yard sale last summer, then he begged us to let him use his own $ to buy a DS (but we gave it to him for Xmas instead), and now he takes it *everywhere* (except school). He plays it in the car on a 15-minute drive to go out to dinner, to my parents' house, etc. and plays it all weekend and nights after dinner, except for when he's reading. Of course I don't mind him reading LOTR, but I think he can stop re-reading Redwall and Warriors and other series that he read years ago and find something *new* and maybe a bit more advanced? I mean, I have my favorites I used to like to read over and over again (anything by Michener!) but I'd go a year or more before rereading a book - there were so many *new* books to read!

>> But the point I was making is whether you should be buying it with foodstamps. I may be out of line, but if you're buying on someone else's dime, you should make that dime stretch as far as you can.Why do you automatically assume that food stamp recipients are buying food on someone else's dime? You don't know why they are receiving FS and you don't know for how long. For all you know, the FTR could be employed but still eligible for FS. They could be members of the the Armed Forces Services. Heck, they could have just been laid off from a long term job/employer. They could be seniors/or not on Social Security.. or SC Disability. All of those examples paid taxes, too. So, where do you get the idea that you should feel ripped off, somehow? And maybe it's none of those things. I don't think it is your business what they buy to eat. I find this attitude to be stingy, mean spirited and very very judgmental. Do you have kids? I don't, and yet, my taxes go towards lots of GS only kids use. >> I would think you could buy a lot more chicken than lobster for the same amount of money. Lobster might be healthy, but it ain't cheap! Even here in Boston! ;)They probably could, that's true. But it's still their choice, not yours. And FWIW, lobster can be had cheaply in the summer time here. Last summer we were able to buy chix at 2.99 per pound. Once or twice we managed to get it at 1.99 pound. And our local north shore restaurants had triples for 15 bucks as a special run twice a week. That's 5 bucks per lobster...not expensive at all. I don't know if you've lived here all of your life. I have. I do think that you have most likely never had to suffer the humiliation of food stamps. Or endured the looks and stares of disapproval, as strangers feel entitled to survey the contents of your grocery cart. Often they will even have the gall to make comments, quite frequently those comments are said in front of small children. Lastly, you would be amazed to see the most vocal anti welfare folks in this neighborhood rant and rave how "those" people get everything for nothing. All the while these folks who have very good paying municipal jobs (with fine benefits) that they got solely based on some sort of connection.. and that connection doesn't just give them one good job. Nope, I know families who have firefighters, cops, EMT'S and crossing guards... not to mention uncles or aunts working at city hall and have been told that any one of their kids that have served in Iraq or Afghanistan, they need only place a call letting the PTB know that they are now in need of a job. And despite of this.. these favored and connected families not only justify but brag about their kids getting free lunch.. and LOUDLY scream about "those welfare cheats" at the same time.As far as I can see, there are many more cheats with city jobs. Theft is theft... stealing is stealing. Those with connections just get a pass. It's legalized theft and it is so ingrained that the connected have a total disconnect..they don't see what they do as thievery. Hey, this wasn't anywhere near as bad as a post I saw on another forum that basically said, birthday cake and even cupcakes for little kids BD'S paid for with FS put her over the edge... turned her into a republican from a life long democrat. Really, if a cupcake for a little kid put her into such a tizzy.. well, I say she was just livin' in the closet of denial. Me? I say you all spend way too much time feeling entitled to scrutinize "CERTAIN TYPE" folks grocery carts. Admit it... you know you do. I find all of this sad, very sad. Silly ~~~although, nothing silly about any of this

I think Haltis and Gentle Leaders are great devices - if they are effective with your dog. We had to get a prong collar for Capone, as well. He was an excellent walker and responded well to verbal commands as well as signaling -BUT- he's got prey drive that's getting out of hand. Until a month ago, it was hardly worth mentioning. He would get his 'alert' face while watching birds, but never get up from his spot or get too focused. Now he's tensing up, ready to get up every time he sees a small animal - and if they're close enough, he will attempt to chase them. (He met his first rabbit while we were in IL a week or two ago. He pulled my boyfriend [6'1", 200lb, and no slouch] 20ft across a parking lot.) The prong collar has been the only thing that has worked so far. I think the most important thing with prong collars is that you use them only if you need them, correct swiftly - don't yank and hold the leash... that makes it more than just a pinch, which is what you want. Oh, and we have a harness, too. We bought it specifically for light pulling exercises. He pulls me on rollerblades, and pulls a spare trailer tire across the yard sometimes. He comes up to me as soon as he hears me getting it down from the coat hooks, then sits, ducks his head, and lifts his left paw to get into it faster. I think nothing pleases him more than going rollerblading with me. One thing I'd suggest, Sammy: a tired dog is an easy dog to deal with. Expending some of his energy may help to make him more receptive during training sessions. Capone is still in 'puppyhood' mode - and much too large to go about the house like a bull in a china shop - so we rollerblade about a mile and half every morning, then go for a walk.

Why Uniforms should be banned Why? Why should we the children of Calderstone (or any other school) endure this torment! For doing nothing but just practicing our constitutional rights as a citizen or our independence as people. Is our error that we wish to communicate our selves through our outfits? If uniforms are going to be placed then you are removing our free will of expression. I demand a stop I will give three logical justifications on why we shouldnt have uniforms. The foremost reason concentration within the classroom, the second reason the cost of placing this/purchasing this "so-called helpful rule", to finish I would want to state the behavior inside the school as well as outside. Firstly I would want to clearly state my first reason which is concentration within the classrooms. How does concentration increase due to wearing a school uniform compared to a normal outfit? There is no research testifying in favor of higher levels of concentration but there was a research conducted by David.L from the University of Alabama which was a experiment of concretion and the relationship of clothing the result of the experiment was a fail that uniform didnt raise concentration or raise academic levels. Research aside many Principles of schools assume wearing a uniform increase concentration because a child doesnt have to worry what to wear etc. This is bunch of rubbish, children focus better in a comfortable environment and also a comfortable outfit which they will have a decision too. In addition concentration is a choice of a person its a persons own will to concentrate and focus clothes dont make decision people do. It is already hard to for a child to keep his concentration does wearing uniform have a special power that makes kids in to obedient robot? Lastly I would want to say uniforms will only make a child more aggravated and really getting them mad to due the fact of wearing the same thing every day. Secondly I would like to discuss about the money wasted on something so useless. From a finical point of view the argument in favor of having school uniform doesnt make sense either. Believe it or not to make a custom made uniforms cost a lot of money due to the fact that they are produce in limited numbers and that they are made by polycotton and not by cotton. Also many parents are saying that because their childs school has uniform they dont need to buy as much clothes. Well they are wrong because not only does the parent have to purchase the school uniform for winter, summer, and sports but has to buy other clothes for social gathering and going to the mall etc. So you are spending more money rather than saving it! Plus school also tries to make a profit out of the sale it creates. So therefore from a consumers point of view it a huge loss. Lastly I would want to state that the behavior issue with some people say has been resolved with uniforms. Many teachers as well parents say that bulling issues have been solved well they are wrong like I stated in my first paragraph clothes do not control what a person does it is the person own will to decide what to do. In addition many school have uniform to stop kid from showing gang colors or any other misconduct well I would like to say again they are fully wrong it is proven that kid are more often to join a gang due to represent a school, or a city they are from. Furthermore to my argument kids will try to rebel against this act and will try rebel until they get it their way. I can agree if a stranger were to come in the school you can easily tell if he was a stranger because he isnt wearing a uniform. But with all the staff and janitors in the school dont they need to wear a uniform too. It really seems unfair that the staff doesnt have a uniform and we do. I would like to conclude that have a school with uniform would have huge disadvantages. If you want all kids to have the same clothes why dont you make our hair color the same to. They way I would descirbe a school uniform is a disciplinary fashion. Thank you for you time on reading my essay im only 13 and i strongly disagree on uniforms.