What A Difference A Few Generations Make

Away back in the early years of my life I made some interesting electrical devices powered by old fire alarm batteries (big 1.5 volt cells the size of a flashlight with terminals on the top) and various containers, lights, switches and things. I even made a "Reach for the top" game setup back in grade 3.

I wound my own solenoids and made buzzers and switches. Played with old tube radios and made amplifiers out of them. Zapped myself several times with the B+ voltages including one time with the 25,000 volts on a color TV.

Think what would have happened to me in today's world where an 11 year old student in San Diego and his parents have had counseling recommended because the authorities thought the student's science project was a bomb. It wasn't - it was a home-made motion detector.

They want the STUDENT to get counseling! And his parents!

As far as I'm concerned the various over reacting officials need the counselling.

Hey people. Give your head a shake. According to the US National Science Board report recently, the US is losing the "Right Stuff" in science and engineering. Maybe your paranoid tendencies - seeing boggie men everywhere and bombs in bits of child-produced science projects - just might have something to do with this.

You can't find a decent science chemistry set these days, they've all had the really serious chemicals removed. You can't play with mercury anymore. You can't purchase the makings for gunpowder at the local pharmacy anymore. No more big picture tubes to knock the neck off and make a big bang. I mean, what's a kid to do when he wants to really learn through hands-on experience eh?

I mean if that had happened to me I might have turned out "normal" - maybe I'd be an actuary or some other boring profession.