The Hydrogen Project - Kids

Kid Stuff

nospam@example.com (mkb) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:52:00 -0500

As a kid, I got started on computers early. My first computer was a Texas Instruments model 99/4A. I originally used it primarily as a gaming console, but we also had two books full of BASIC program listings to type in. My pre-school had the same computer and even had the TI Logo environment. At other times in my childhood I got to play with other BASIC and Logo environments, mostly on Apple II-series computers. There were plenty of story-telling and other software over the years that blurred the line between gaming and programming. I can't remember any of them besides Mario Paint and Story Machine.

I would love to get my daughter started on computers early, but I obviously can't start with stuff like C++ before she can even really read or type. Most of the kid-type stuff that I grew up with is long gone. Modern Logo environments do exist, though. and there are other child-friendly languages and tools, to boot. So, here's a list of the ones I've found. They're free unless marked otherwise:

Logo: FMS Logo (Windows); MSW Logo (Windows); ACS Logo (Mac OS X); KLogo(Linux)
AgentSheets (Windows, Mac OS X, $)
Squeak/Smalltalk: Squeak Etoys (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux); Tweak (under development, Windows)
Scratch (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux)
Alice (Windows, Mac OS X)
ToonTalk (Windows)
StageCast Creator (Windows, Mac OS X, any UNIX that can run Java, $)
Qimo (Linux)
Edubuntu (Linux)
Kneebouncers (Flash)
CBeebies (Flash)

Cat Maintenance

nospam@example.com (mkb) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:44:11 -0400

Every time I try to write this entry, something else happens.

Last Sunday, while my mother-in-law was visiting, we had let the cats outside to run around. Usually this is not much of a problem; at worst they would bring us back injured mice or birds and let them loose in the house. But this day, my wife noticed that Les, our boy cat, was ferociously cleaning one spot on his belly. When she approached him, he ran away, which is very uncharacteristic. Eventually she got a look at him and saw a huge gash, and came running to get me. I attempted to pick him up which provoked a violent response, but my wife was able to coax him into his carrier with the promise of catnip. I called our usual vet, who was expectedly closed. I didn't listen to the full instructions and ended up calling the local 24/7 emergency vet hospital. They told me to bring Les in, where they cleaned out the wound, gave him antibiotics, gave us three days' of pain medication, and put him in an e-collar.

Unfortunately, the antibiotics did not prevent the stitches from getting infected. Two days later, my wife noticed swelling and redness in the shaved area and thus she brought him to the Feline Hospital in Salem. They reopened the stitches and kept him for 4 days. This past Saturday, we watched the vet bandage the huge, gaping, bloody hole in our cat, then brought him home. He was fine most of the night afterwards, except at one point, when he got spooked by his bandage and flipped out.

This flipping out occurred again the next morning. Les actually managed to pull out a gauze pad from under another layer of gauze AND a layer of Vetrap while jumping and flipping and slamming his head into the footboard of our bed. We called the vet again, this time listening to the entire message and beeping her. When she called us back, she told us to bring him in for rebandaging.

This morning, after I left for work, he once again managed to tear out the pad. He's at the hospital now, and he's staying until they suture him back up tomorrow.

Welcome Emily Yvonne Kane

nospam@example.com (mkb) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:57:17 -0400

Born 6/18/2009 at 1:27PM (or so) 8lbs. 9oz. 19 inches long!

Cute as hell IMHO. Pictures forthcoming for when I get my camera attached at home.

But who are they to judge us simply 'cos our hair is long

nospam@example.com (mkb) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 20:01:14 -0400

Assorted small updates, since it's been a while:

- Picked up some stuff at the Salem Record Exchange: Mr. G, Nitzer Ebb, King Crimson, Stewart Copeland, CTR, David Sylvian and Holger Czukay, SAW, Baby Ford, and DAF. Going through all the records strewn about my office. If I know what it sounds like, it goes back in the boxes, otherwise it gets played. Not all of my records are surviving this process. I will be selling some records on Craigslist soon, and for cheep.

- If you're a WZBC person reading this, I am still looking for people to do Test Pattern this summer. Contact me for more information. You can just leave a comment below if you like.

- Tomorrow is another grand cooking day. I have a 5 pound pork loin that will turn into pork chops and the magnificent apple-sausage stuffed pork loin, possibly on the grill if it doesn't rain. I am also making baked beans from scratch using the recipe from Peace, Love, and BBQ (minus the bacon). Although I would like the rain so I don't have to water the lawn (I won't bore you) I would love to finally get the chance to do some BBQ this summer for the first time since October!

- Baby is coming any day now. We've had a number of false alarms, but no actual baby yet, or there would have been an announcement.

- The next capoeira batizado is the weekend of September 24th.