Bill Gates Keeps His Kids Offline
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Just because you’re the daughter of Bill Gates does not mean you get to play on your computer all day long. Read more »
Film Review: The Bridge to Terabithia
Review by DaddyTips.comÂ
The Bridge to Terabithia is one of those tricky children’s movies in that it’s not exactly a children’s movie. In truth, it is more of a family movie (if there is such a distinction) and is not for everybody.
First off, it’s very sad and for many it will be surprisingly sad. The reason it’s so surprising is that knowing very little I was under the impression that this was a fantasy movie and in my opinion it’s not. What it is is a quiet thought provoking film that will leave your children (and most likely you) in tears. The kids in this movie are real and their lives are for the most part depicted realistically. Their parents are neither good nor bad. They’re just counterpunching the world at large and expecting their kids to get with the program of “life’s tough, so stiffen upâ€.
What the movie does do is it takes the oft-used children’s film theme of “if you dream it you can be it†and puts it in more practical terms. So for example if you imagine you are brave you can discover courage. This is something that most parents want to teach their children but all most movies show is a misunderstood dreamer who imagines up an AK47 to blow away all the monsters that have over run his town/school. Yawn. The kids in this movie discover what we want so desperately for our children to believe- that they can do anything (be and artist, not fly). That changing the world begins with their behavior and attitudes and that they can make a difference (change other kids behavior and attitudes, not cause an act of congress). To me this aspect of The Bridge to Terabithia more then anything makes it worthwhile for both dads and kids and is why I highly recommend it.
Bridget to Terabithia (Amazon.com)
Bridge to Terbithia (RottenTomatoes.com)
A Tale of Fantasy Rendered Different, at Least in the Trailers (NYTimes.com)
That old-time ‘ligion
My oldest son (hereafter referred to as “Thing 1”) received a CD-ROM of games from his computer class at school. On it was a little amusement called Smite Thee, in which you are God (looking like Zeus) and you either zap non-believers with lightning bolts or ‘bless’ your followers. The non-believers look like monks and move in to steal pieces of your temple. Once they do, the game is over.
Thing 1 tells me that they wouldn’t let him play this at school “because it shows God being mean to people. God isn’t mean to people, is he, dad?”
PS: the kid doesn’t go to Our Lady of Perpetual Wealth or Ye Olde Jewy Shul, just your basic elite private school. Got me thinking: what the he… sorry, the h-e-double hockey sticks are they teaching him there?
It gets better. While he’s playing, he calls out, “No one’s getting my temple yet, dad!” And my personal favorite: “I AM GOD!” Zap! Thunderbolt! A believer! Bless him! Anoit his head with oil! (Actually, there is no anoiting nor is there oil, but isn’t that the next step?)
This isn’t Pat Robertson territory, but still, it’s slightly disturbing. I can’t even imagine what my mother would have said if I’d brought home a game like this. Of course, it would have been with playing cards, but still.
