RR: Kids today

"Dean A. Stepper" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:bP87c.47377$506.37355@fed1read05...

Quoted message said:

Was taking a quick run in the hills behind my house in
Laguna Beach (El

Moro

Quoted message said:

and Laguna Wilderness Parks) and came upon a group of 4
boys staring at an upside-down Gary Fisher...I guess their
ages to be about 14. They were trying to change a flat
tire and could not figure out how to do it. I stopped and
helped them fix the flat, showing them they need to take
the rear tire off the bike first. They had tools and spare
tire but no knowledge. I don't remember being that
mechanically impaired when I was that age.

Me too at least by age 14. I got into everything as a kid
though, really took stuff apart out of curiosity. I don't
think that kids are less mechanically inclined these days. I
think that those boys weren't mech inclined or they were
just generally not that bright. Sounds harsh but hey not
everyone is a bright person regardless of how well they do
in school.

Scott said:

"Dean A. Stepper" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:bP87c.47377$506.37355@fed1read05...

Quoted message said:

Was taking a quick run in the hills behind my house in
Laguna Beach (El

Moro

Quoted message said:

and Laguna Wilderness Parks) and came upon a group of 4
boys staring at an upside-down Gary Fisher...I guess their
ages to be about 14. They were trying to change a flat
tire and could not figure out how to do it. I stopped and
helped them fix the flat, showing them they need to take
the rear tire off the bike first. They had tools and spare
tire but no knowledge. I don't remember being that
mechanically impaired when I was that age.

Me too at least by age 14.

Those kids from behind the Orange Curtain just have their
butler fix flats for them. This was probably the one time
they decided to ditch him to do some freeriding.

Greg

G.T. said:

Scott said:

"Dean A. Stepper" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:bP87c.47377$506.37355@fed1read05...

Quoted message said:

Was taking a quick run in the hills behind my house in
Laguna Beach (El

Moro

Quoted message said:

and Laguna Wilderness Parks) and came upon a group of 4
boys staring at an upside-down Gary Fisher...I guess
their ages to be about 14. They were trying to change a
flat tire and could not figure out how to do it. I
stopped and helped them fix the flat, showing them they
need to take the rear tire off the bike first. They had
tools and spare tire but no knowledge. I don't remember
being that mechanically impaired when I was that age.

Me too at least by age 14.

Those kids from behind the Orange Curtain just have their
butler fix flats for them. This was probably the one time
they decided to ditch him to do some freeriding.

Greg

hehehe, that was actually pretty funny :-)
--
Slacker

Dean A. Stepper wrote: <snip>

Quoted message said:

I don't remember being that mechanically impaired when I
was that age.

I bet that they could show you a thing or two on the
Playstation though... ;-)
--
Westie (Replace 'invalid' with 'yahoo' when replying.)

"Westie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Dean A. Stepper wrote: <snip>

Quoted message said:

I don't remember being that mechanically impaired when
I was that age.

I bet that they could show you a thing or two on the
Playstation though... ;-)
--
Westie (Replace 'invalid' with 'yahoo' when replying.)

Er... well someone but not me. I would own them on PS. ;-)

Dean A. Stepper said:

Was taking a quick run in the hills behind my house in
Laguna Beach (El Moro and Laguna Wilderness Parks) and
came upon a group of 4 boys staring at an upside-down
Gary Fisher...I guess their ages to be about 14. They
were trying to change a flat tire and could not figure
out how to do it. I stopped and helped them fix the flat,
showing them they need to take the rear tire off the bike
first. They had tools and spare tire but no knowledge. I
don't remember being that mechanically impaired when I
was that age.

Hey, at least they were out on their bikes and not smoking
dope, making out and shoplifting at the mall....

At my house mechanical ability is directly related to
interests. One kid can take apart and rebuild a computer
blindfolded, the other makes chain mail.

Penny

Too many video games. Tv is a kids babysitter. At 10 I used
the handle of my mom's butter knives to get the tire off the
rim. Monkey Grip Rubber Patch Kit to fix the tube. 40 years
later I still use Monkey Grip but I moved up to tire levers.
A set in every Camel- back. And a spare tube can fix a flat
in under 10 minutes. Mom or dad didn't teach me these
things. I watched tire repair at the local gas station on my
way home from school. By 13 I started my education in auto
repair. By 16 I built a 283 bored to 302 57 Chevy Vette
killer. Today kids whip me on Playstation and show me how to
operate a DVD player.

I MTB 2004

Not so with mine. She is 9, rides a full size mountain bike,
does 30 mile road/trail rides with me, is an avid peak
bagger having done 1000-5000 ft peaks regularly, prefers
hiking the deserts to watching tv or playing with dolls,
does all this carrying her own junior camelbak with water
and food for a day. Just last night, nagging me to get out
somewhere today.

IMO, its not the kids, its the parents who don't take the
time to grow strong, healthy kids, intelligent kids.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message news:12189-405DA8E0-11@storefull-
3214.bay.webtv.net...

Quoted message said:

Too many video games. Tv is a kids
babysitter. At 10 I used the handle of my
mom's butter knives to get the tire off
the rim. Monkey Grip Rubber Patch Kit to
fix the tube. 40 years later I still use
Monkey Grip but I moved up to tire levers.
A set in every Camel- back. And a spare
tube can fix a flat in under 10 minutes.
Mom or dad didn't teach me these things. I
watched tire repair at the local gas
station on my way home from school. By 13
I started my education in auto repair. By
16 I built a 283 bored to 302 57 Chevy
Vette killer. Today kids whip me on
Playstation and show me how to operate a
DVD player.

I MTB 2004

"Penny S" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hey, at least they were out on their bikes and not smoking
dope, making

out

Quoted message said:

and shoplifting at the mall....

Hey now don't put dope smoking in the same catagory. Not
every kid who tries pot can blame pot for their problems.

As far as getting ready for future adult success goes just
about anything has the potential to help or hurt a person.
Too much of anything is bad EVEN SCHOOL.

loluster said:

"Penny S" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hey, at least they were out on their bikes and not
smoking dope, making out and shoplifting at the mall....

Hey now don't put dope smoking in the same catagory. Not
every kid who tries pot can blame pot for their problems.

A bit defensive? My comment is based spefically on what my
8th grader reports that some other 8th graders are doing.

Quoted message said:

As far as getting ready for future adult success goes just
about anything has the potential to help or hurt a person.
Too much of anything is bad EVEN SCHOOL.

yawn.

penny

"Penny S" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

A bit defensive? My comment is based spefically on
what my 8th grader reports that some other 8th graders
are doing.

OK 8th grade is too young to be experimenting with pot.
Agreed. I am defensive because because to my people it is a
sacrament.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

As far as getting ready for future adult success goes
just about anything has the potential to help or hurt a
person. Too much of anything is bad EVEN SCHOOL.

yawn.

Hey I am not perfect and not everything works for everyone.
I can accept that. Can you? Please just give it a second
thought. Have you ever met anyone who had a high level of
education but was not able to function outside of the
school environment. So they had to become a teacher?
Teaching a subject that they mainly studied in a classroom
(maybe some field experience) but had no actual real world
experience with. I.E. they went out and made rain. So their
knowledge is more pedestrian like and the common sense
relationships that expose themselves with actual life
experience is lacking.

If you posses the ability to teach yourself anything and
also can go out and apply it you are a minority (in my life
experience). I realize that most people don't (based upon my
life experience and world travels). Parents say to their
kids (and I am a parent) "you can do anything you put your
mind to". The truth is that is not literally true. Some kids
are born with that ability some are not. Doesn't mean you
shouldn't encourage them. My point is many are led to
believe that if you conform and spit out test answers they
way the system wants you are somehow intelligent and
therefore you are deserving of "more than" others. At least
in 1st world countries that are capitalistic. I have seen
this for decades all over the world over and over.

Again anything and everything can be good or bad.

alex887 said:

Not so with mine. She is 9, rides a full size mountain
bike, does 30 mile road/trail rides with me, is an avid
peak bagger having done 1000-5000 ft peaks regularly,
prefers hiking the deserts to watching tv or playing with
dolls, does all this carrying her own junior camelbak with
water and food for a day. Just last night, nagging me to
get out somewhere today.

IMO, its not the kids, its the parents who don't take the
time to grow strong, healthy kids, intelligent kids.

Sweet...

I agree. I didn't get TONS of attention, but I never had a
TV either. I read TONS of books and at 10 was tearing down
and re-assembling bottom brackets and hubs.

my 16 month old son has a little tryke that he rides
around on already, and loves to tool around the drive way
with dad =)

I don't know about the not smoking dope part...me thinks
that was part of the problem.

"Penny S" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Dean A. Stepper said:

Was taking a quick run in the hills behind my house in
Laguna Beach (El Moro and Laguna Wilderness Parks) and
came upon a group of 4 boys staring at an upside-down
Gary Fisher...I guess their ages to be about 14. They
were trying to change a flat tire and could not figure
out how to do it. I stopped and helped them fix the
flat, showing them they need to take the rear tire off
the bike first. They had tools and spare tire but no
knowledge. I don't remember being that mechanically
impaired when I was that age.

Hey, at least they were out on their bikes and not smoking
dope, making

out

Quoted message said:

and shoplifting at the mall....

At my house mechanical ability is directly related to
interests. One kid

can

Quoted message said:

take apart and rebuild a computer blindfolded, the other
makes chain mail.

Penny

Even if a kid is smart, enculturation goes a long way. Lots
of parents never indicate to their kids that they could fix
something on their own. And, kids who perform well on tests
aren't necessarily good problem solvers.

I know someone who moved to the U.S. from Japan after WWII
because he was unsatisfied with Japanese studies. He says
that Japanese education focuses so much on rote memorization
that kids who learn calculus in their eighth year of school
couldn't creatively solve a worded math problem to save
their lives.

Ever see someone struggling down the path with a rusty
chain? I think it never occurs to them that if they just oil
the chain, they might enjoy their ride better!

Naw - they're just idiots.

"Scott" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:5197c.31436-
[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Dean A. Stepper" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:bP87c.47377$506.37355@fed1read05...

Quoted message said:

Was taking a quick run in the hills behind my house in
Laguna Beach (El

Moro

Quoted message said:

and Laguna Wilderness Parks) and came upon a group of 4
boys staring at

an

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

upside-down Gary Fisher...I guess their ages to be about
14. They were trying to change a flat tire and could not
figure out how to do it. I stopped and helped them fix
the flat, showing them they need to take the rear tire
off the bike first. They had tools and spare tire but no
knowledge. I don't remember being that mechanically
impaired when I was that age.

Me too at least by age 14. I got into everything as a kid
though, really took stuff apart out of curiosity. I don't
think that kids are less mechanically inclined these days.
I think that those boys weren't mech inclined or they were
just generally not that bright. Sounds harsh but

hey

Quoted message said:

not everyone is a bright person regardless of how well
they do in school.

loluster said:

"Penny S" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

snip

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

As far as getting ready for future adult success goes
just about anything has the potential to help or hurt a
person. Too much of anything is bad EVEN SCHOOL.

yawn.

Hey I am not perfect and not everything works for
everyone. I can accept that. Can you? Please just give it
a second thought. Have you ever met anyone who had a high
level of education but was not able to function outside of
the school environment. So they had to become a teacher?

Who "has to" become a teacher? Maybe you "have to" mop
floors at Walmart because you can't find a better job. Are
you a teacher?

Quoted message said:

Teaching a subject that they mainly studied in a classroom
(maybe some field experience) but had no actual real world
experience with. I.E. they went out and made rain. So
their knowledge is more pedestrian like and the common
sense relationships that expose themselves with actual
life experience is lacking.

Since when is being in a classroom teaching not an "actual
life experience"? You try it. If you want novelists to teach
English class, or politicians to teach Political Science
(Ha!) you better be willing to pay.

Yawn, I mean <snip>

My point

Quoted message said:

is many are led to believe that if you conform and spit
out test answers they way the system wants you are somehow
intelligent and therefore you are deserving of "more than"
others. At least in 1st world countries that are
capitalistic. I have seen this for decades all over the
world over and over.

[censored]. The system evolved this way over many years for
historical, political, and economic reasons. Its a crappy
system, but don't just blame "The System" at least not the
teachers. Educators know that binge-purge education is a
poor method, but in the U.S. the desire to break from this
tradition is lacking outside of the education system, but
the desire for "Improved Test Results" isn't, so you get a
teaching to the test educational system. NCLB Yee haw.

Shawn

"Shawn Curry" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:Apl7c.55290$SR1.101049@attbi_s04...

Quoted message said:

[censored]. The system evolved this way over many years for
historical, political, and economic reasons. Its a crappy
system, but don't just blame "The System" at least not the
teachers. Educators know that binge-purge education is a
poor method, but in the U.S. the desire to break from this
tradition is lacking outside of the education system, but
the desire for "Improved Test Results" isn't, so you get a
teaching to the test educational system. NCLB Yee haw.

I am not blaming the system and I am not blaming all
teachers. I used this as an example of how a person who
can't accomplish anything concrete has a place in the
system. It is true for some.

Anyway I think we agree here as I have re-read your post.

"Shawn Curry" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:Apl7c.55290$SR1.101049@attbi_s04...

Quoted message said:

Who "has to" become a teacher? Maybe you "have to" mop
floors at Walmart because you can't find a better job. Are
you a teacher?

OK, I am not a teacher (anymore). I currently don't mop
floors (I have). I actually make a lot of money designing
Telecom infrastructure voice/data/voip networks. I have done
this for 15 years all over the world. I have taught some
(500 to 600 series) IT/Telecom centric college courses.

Quoted message said:

Since when is being in a classroom teaching not an "actual
life experience"? You try it.

I have and there is no better teacher than experience. That
dimension has a high probability to be missing in the
classroom. It can be there but it almost never is.

Anyway I am talking about a certain population of teachers
not all of them. They do exist.

"loluster" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Shawn Curry" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:Apl7c.55290$SR1.101049@attbi_s04...

Quoted message said:

[censored]. The system evolved this way over many years
for historical, political, and economic reasons. Its a
crappy system, but don't just blame "The System" at
least not the teachers. Educators know that binge-purge
education is a poor method, but in the U.S. the desire
to break from this tradition is lacking outside of the
education system, but the desire for "Improved Test
Results" isn't, so you get a teaching to the test
educational system. NCLB Yee haw.

I am not blaming the system and I am not blaming all
teachers. I used

this

Quoted message said:

as an example of how a person who can't accomplish
anything concrete has a place in the system. It is true
for some.

Are you saying teacher's don't "accompish anything
concrete"? Or am I misreading?

If that's your intent it's one of the most ludicrous things
I've read here.

Chris

"Shawn Curry" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:Apl7c.55290$SR1.101049@attbi_s04...

Quoted message said:

[censored]. The system evolved this way over many years for
historical, political, and economic reasons. Its a crappy
system, but don't just blame "The System" at least not the
teachers. Educators know that binge-purge education is a
poor method, but in the U.S. the desire to break from this
tradition is lacking outside of the education system, but
the desire for "Improved Test Results" isn't, so you get a
teaching to the test educational system. NCLB Yee haw.

You know something just occurred to me about what you wrote.
I never realized it before but that is what it is like
working for a giant corporation. The bean counters want
everything explained via rigid metrics. Problem is the true
creative problem solver goes beyond that. Kind of like how
mathematical models never truly coral the essence of
entropy, or at least not for long.

I guess my solution is for those who can, think for
yourself. Take charge of you life and you may blow it or you
may rise above. If you can learn from your mistakes then
mistakes aren't bad. How does this relate to pot?

Here is how in my limited case I am speaking about my
teenage experience. My parents and all leaders of my
community demonized ganja my whole childhood. I believed
them until puberty hit. I decided to experiment but before I
did I went to the library to learn about addiction (physical
and psychological). I decided it was a risk worth taking. So
I did and I found I could handle it, it was like communion.

Now a lot of my friends took it to far because to us all
drugs were put in the same category. My research proved that
isn't true. So I didn't escalate my drug use. I learned from
it that not everything is true your parents/elders tell you,
sometimes they throw the baby out with the bath water. Even
though not everything they said was true allot of things
still were true. See I thought for myself and I still did
believe them about many things.

To this day I still believe that God put ganja here for us
to use (not abuse) as a sacrament. For many reading this
alcohol is a part of your communion process and that is IMHO
much more damaging than ganja. But as we see all over the
world some people can handle alcohol so therefore in and of
itself it is not a bad thing.