Monday, May 5, 2008

open forum 13

I was at a chinese buffet restaurant the other day and we sat at what should have been table 13. But, bowing to superstition, they did not have a table 13 but skipped straight to 14.

I find it highly ironic that the 13th open forum is the one I neglected to put at the start of the month.

:)

Better late than never, here it is.

For those new to my blog, this is your chance to bring up any subject you wish, ask any question that is on your mind, chat amongst yourselves, leave notes for each other. Whatever you wish to do.

:)

You have the floor.

31 comments:

Half rabbit said...

Where did you get the picture of the phoenix at the top of your blog. Did you make it yourself?

Half rabbit said...

And are you an anarchist, or did you just add the anarchy sign for decoration?

Sean Wright said...

Which football team will you be barracking for when you get to Australia?

In the bum sniffing code and the aerial pingpong version.

Fiery said...

Hello again Half Rabbit! :)
I actually found the phoenix in a google search. It used to pop up as the second image when you typed in phoenix. But the person unfortunately removed the image shortly after I found it, saved it, and linked to it.

I would love to give the artist credit for it. I've even had someone email me asking if they could use it for their band.


And you, Half Rabbit, are the FIRST to ask about the Anarchy A. :) I've got a good friend who calls himself an anarchist... or was that anti-christ. anyway, i googled it, saw the A and liked the rebellious look of it.

Do you suppose the anarchists will object? ;)

Fiery said...

Aw Sean, mate, did you forget already? You already called dibs on which team I'd be barracking for. Did you know in America it's considered rooting? "Which team do you root for?" Completely different meaning in Australia.
:)

The only caveat was that I wanted a t-shirt. I can get you the mailing address if you can't get yourself to Perth in June.

fejkat said...

Hi Fiery, I'm a secular homeschooler in Aus. and have been reading your blog for a few months. I was wondering if you're planning to catch up with any homeschool groups while you're down here?

Green-Eyed Momster said...

Why have you chosen to homeschool your kids?

When did you know that you were an athiest?

Are you currently together with your mate? This might seem stupid but I just don't know. I'm a new reader, remember?

As if you didn't have enough to do before going down under. Now I'm making you answer stupid questions. Hope you don't mind!! Thanks and Hugs!!

Protium the Heathen said...

Are you looking forward to tasting Vegemite while your here?

Actually I want you to be a guest speaker at my June Atheist Meetup... Can you make a 30 min talk about your Lutheran background, becoming an Atheist and religion in the US of A from a sepo perspective?

I'll take you to Rottnest Island :)

Half rabbit said...

fejkat, where abouts in NSW are you?

Fiery said...

Hiya Fejkat! :) Thank you for popping up to say hi! I would love to meet up with homeschoolers down in Oz! Though I hadn't made any specific plans to meet up with homeschoolers. I think I might be attending Perth's Atheist meetup in June. Provided dear Protium can sort the date out and people will show up. Right now it's scheduled on a 3 day weekend and something tells me that might make it a bit sparse.

Sean Wright said...

Can you email me with you shirt size ;)

You may not want to wear it while in Perth. Carlton flogged West Coast and they might not have got over it yet. :)

Fiery said...

Tracey :)

1- I knew I would homeschool my daughter after reading The Comprachicos by Ayn Rand. (Anyone interested drop me an email and I'll pop it off to you.) She was 3 at the time. For convenience and out of fear of our inability to do it, we sent her to kindergarten and first grade. 1/2 way through first grade during a parent/teacher conference her teacher (fresh from college on her first teaching assignment) said Rachel had Attention Deficit Disorder because Rachel liked to talk during class, was bored because she already knew how to read and do all the math they were learning and wrote the letter "a" like you see here instead of the ball and stick method. She was also sounding out words phonetically instead of using the whole-word/guess method and kids were teasing her about it.

In North Dakota if you refuse to get your child treated for ADD you are accused of medical neglect and social services can step in. That was her last day of public school.

Plus, as a homeschooler I set the school schedule and we can go to my folks' house at the drop of a hat and not have to explain ourselves to the principle, superintendent or their teachers.

My son was never in public school.

2- yes, it's complicated. Isn't it always? :)

3- Actually I find open forum questions to be a tremendous ego stroke. Somebody cares enough to actually want to know something about me. Who wouldn't be flattered?

:) Thanks for asking! :D

Fiery said...

Protium-

1- Yes I am actually. I hear it's quite good scraped very thinly on hot buttered toast. :)

2- I would love to.

3- Ian is going to have that happy privilege. And I for one can't wait! :) However, I hear there is a totally rad SciTech Discover Centre in West Perth that sounds really awesome, could we do that together instead? :) Unless of course your goal was to get me on an isolated island in which case, yessirree bob! lol

Fiery said...

Sean- I'm an adult size large. And not one of those curvy girly t-shirts either. And I'll wear it as a jammie top as all proper fans do so they can dream of their teams arse kicking victory over the inferior. :D

How'll that be? ;) And if you mail it to Protium, it'll be there when I get there. Though it would be much better if you delivered it in person!!!!!! *HINT HINT HINT HINT!!!!!*

Sean Wright said...

Fiery,

I am working on the being there at the same time but don't want to get your hopes up.

Time off from work is the problem...I owe work some time already. But I have been told there maybe a course I can go to there at around the time you will be in town.

When will you be in Perth specifically?

Protium the Heathen said...

Crikey... I'd better stock up on beer.

Sean Wright said...

Evil, evil man

Fiery said...

Sean that would be absolutely fabulous. Will send you details. :)

Half rabbit said...

I only have read part 1 of The Comprachicos so far. As such my opinions are without much thought or consideration. (will read and think more in a few days when I finish writing a paper) But since Ayn Rand presented such a negative view of Montessori education I was wondering if she had any proof. (I only skimmed the other parts but couldn't see any footnotes) I don't know much about Montessori education since it seems to be most popular in America, but the Science journal has a quite positive article on it and its benefits.

or if that doesn't
work click here for a plain pdf

(sorry for no link with just text. But you have to pay for it or have a subscription)

fejkat said...

Half Rabbit, I am on the rural outskirts of Sydney. How 'bout you?

Half rabbit said...

fejkat, a town near Tamworth (400-500km's away from Sydney)

Fiery said...

Half Rabbit- to my knowledge, Ayn Rand isn't opposed to Montessori education especially for young children. I think she had reservations about the older years perhaps, but really Richard needs to address this issue.
Which he would do I'm sure but he is having Internet Service Provider issues at the mome and hopefully will turn up in a day or so. *fingers crossed*

For example, in the article it said, "For a presentation of the essentials of the Progressive nursery schools' theories and practice —as contrasted to the rationality of the Montessori nursery schools— I refer you to "The Montessori Method" by Beatrice Hessen in The Objectivist, May July 1970

(emphasis mine) Ayn Rand is all about reason and rational approaches to knowledge and against progressive education and the anti-conceptual.

Poodles said...

OK, a few posts back you mentioned a new fundy. You said they were from Canada, did Protium say where in Canada? I have lovely comment from an anonymous over on my old Atheist Rants site. They are from Canada.

T T Eyes said...

Waaaaaa I totally missed your open forum....busy for a coupla days and it all happened when i wasnt looking....hey I've always liked your phoenix symbol too and never got around to asking you where you found it....and love the new colour scheme...so calming...not fiery at all bwahahha...

Sean, how exciting that you might make it back to Perth for the arrival of our fiery guest :)
(yes Protes, better stock up on beer for Sean, or maybe he would prefer wine *gasp* better get some buckets:)

Fiery said...

Poodles- Protium just googled "Xzithlan" and said everything pointed to the name being used in canada.

Thump- it's never too late for the open forum. :) Sure hope Sean can adjust his trip so that he arrives after the 29th!!!!!!!! :D

T T Eyes said...

Oh yes we would have the time of our lives...all us dogless ones together, imagine the conversation, imagine no lerigion
:) whoops my dyslexia is showing, or my brain's gone haywire.. LOL

Fiery said...

or your hip deep in the hops and herbal supplements.

is it THAT kind of a weekend, Thump dear? ;)

T T Eyes said...

No no I was heading off for a spot of shopping with my youngest thumper at the time...and then later today we got together with my eldest thumper for a lovely Mothers Day afternoon with chocolate treasure cake and cups of tea. We laughed and reminisced a lot, it was a wonderful day actually...now I'm home and Protes and I are relaxing for five minutes before we get ourselves together and go to an engagement party in Cottesloe...havent been to an engagement party for a very long time...so it could be fun :)

WOOO HOOOOOO ONLY 16 DAYS TO GO !!!!!!!!!!! :-D

Fiery said...

*giggles* Ah my dear Thump, "relaxing with Protes for 5 minutes" WHILE reading and commenting on my blog. *shakes head*

Ya sweet thing you.

I am so excited about coming to Australia I am positively giddy!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Don't go near the vegemite!
I think you have to be born here to like the stuff, I can't stand it (could be because I'm an ex-Pom?)

Football? Pity you're not coming during cricket season, Protium could have taken you to the WACA to see a real sport.

Are you visiting anywhere besides Perth? (Rottnest island doesn't count)

Fiery said...

I would have loved to see a cricket game. Send me your email address and I'll pop you off an itinerary. :D Any chance you live in Perth?

Funny you should mention Rottnest Island...I've already got somebody taking me there. :)