What’s Scoop with Poop?

A local museum’s ad reminded me of a family vacation we took years ago. I told our kids that, during the trip, we visited a museum that focused on wildlife and conservation. On an outdoor exhibit walk around the building, we saw animals living in the grasses, bushes, and in the river. Signs along the elevated walkway displayed pictures of the animals’ “output.”

One of our kids wondered why our local museum advertised an exhibit on “output.” I explained that you can identify an animal by it, and added that the museum thought the topic would attract kids who giggled at that sort of thing. I thought the conversation was over until one of our kids asked, “Are we kids or barbarians?” Barbarians—like the ones from the Roman Empire?  Someone paid attention in history class. Maybe this helps explain the museum’s topic choice:

                                          https://youtu.be/bk0oWCiUob4    

The scoop on poop: Is it entertainment or education? Who knew output deserved so much scientific attention? It can be helpful to discuss the scoop on poop, or any other topic. How we say things and why we’re mentioning them will show whether we’re speaking like decent people or barbarians.

Political correctness shouldn’t force us to bury controversial topics, but it should encourage us to speak on them without using pie-in-the-face words. What national conversation do you want to defend without it turning into a big stink?          

When A Dream Comes True

Can you answer the $2.5 billion question? I’ll give you a hint. An expensive rover space craft named Curiosity touched down on Mars this week.  If I were a genie, able to grant wishes with a blink of an eye, I would have popped into space and left a sign on the red planet. When the rover landed here’s the message it would photograph: No one’s here. Go home. Back on earth, that might confuse the scientists who dream about the possibility of past, present and future life forms on Mars.

I liked the 1960-70s “I Dream of Jeannie” show about a genie who tried to use her powers to solve her astronaut-master’s problems. She usually created messier situations, but like many old shows, everything turned out for the best. In real life, our wishes don’t always turn out the way we expect and our greatest wish may be the very thing what we don’t need. See if you agree with any of the third graders in this video:

Did you notice how none of the children wished for money? Perhaps the book they read beforehand influenced their answers, perhaps not. Perhaps they believe that money can’t buy happiness. Well, let consider what it can buy.  Imagine your wish for $2.5 billion came true, what would you do with the money?