Comments on: Chemistry Sets a Casualty of War on Terror http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2007/11/chemistry-sets-casualty-of-war-on.html Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:18:14 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Lune http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2007/11/chemistry-sets-casualty-of-war-on.html#comment-1355 Lune Fri, 02 Nov 2007 02:32:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2007/11/chemistry-sets-a-casualty-of-war-on-terror/#comment-1355 Although some of the more esoteric chemicals might no longer be sold due to the all-encompassing War on Terror, I'd bet most of the dumbing down of chemistry sets is due to liability issues. Why? Because it seems *Everything* that could possibly harm a child is now being eliminated. Many community pools have closed down because they can't afford liability insurance in case a kid drowns, and the ones that are still open no longer have diving boards (I remember cannonballing off of 10-foot high dive boards as a kid -- along with the stern talking-to from the lifeguard about soaking the decks :-)<br/><br/>Have you been to the local jungle gym lately? Oh right. Those are extinct too, lest a kid fall off the rings and scratch an elbow (or, I suppose, break an arm). In their place are "kid-safe" structures that most kids get bored of after the age of 5.<br/><br/>Damn. I feel old writing this post :-) But thanks for the childhood memories that unfortunately kids these days won't be having (and what kid wouldn't sacrifice a broken tooth in exchange for endless summers at the community pool horsing around with school chums??) Although some of the more esoteric chemicals might no longer be sold due to the all-encompassing War on Terror, I’d bet most of the dumbing down of chemistry sets is due to liability issues. Why? Because it seems *Everything* that could possibly harm a child is now being eliminated. Many community pools have closed down because they can’t afford liability insurance in case a kid drowns, and the ones that are still open no longer have diving boards (I remember cannonballing off of 10-foot high dive boards as a kid — along with the stern talking-to from the lifeguard about soaking the decks :-)

Have you been to the local jungle gym lately? Oh right. Those are extinct too, lest a kid fall off the rings and scratch an elbow (or, I suppose, break an arm). In their place are “kid-safe” structures that most kids get bored of after the age of 5.

Damn. I feel old writing this post :-) But thanks for the childhood memories that unfortunately kids these days won’t be having (and what kid wouldn’t sacrifice a broken tooth in exchange for endless summers at the community pool horsing around with school chums??)

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2007/11/chemistry-sets-casualty-of-war-on.html#comment-1350 Anonymous Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:46:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2007/11/chemistry-sets-a-casualty-of-war-on-terror/#comment-1350 I had a Gilbert chemistry set as a kid. Source of my first set of sutures. (Safety glasses? I didn't wear shoes. Stepped on the fragments of a projectile test tube.)<br/><br/>Anyway, I grew up to be a mortgage banker. Maybe we'd better rethink this.<br/><br/>Tanta I had a Gilbert chemistry set as a kid. Source of my first set of sutures. (Safety glasses? I didn’t wear shoes. Stepped on the fragments of a projectile test tube.)

Anyway, I grew up to be a mortgage banker. Maybe we’d better rethink this.

Tanta

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2007/11/chemistry-sets-casualty-of-war-on.html#comment-1348 Anonymous Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:26:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2007/11/chemistry-sets-a-casualty-of-war-on-terror/#comment-1348 Thank you Yves,<br/><br/>My first chemistry set was a mid-1950s version which, by 1960, has transformed into a small home lab equipped with products from Fisher Scientific and with which I was able to perform many of Scientific American's 'Amateur Scientist' experiments such as production of artificial rubber.<br/><br/>Almost needless to say, the progression led to a Chem Engineering degree from Purdue and then employment in a large firm's R&D lab where practical, sometimes beneficial, results were obtained.<br/><br/>It feels 'sinful' that children today are being denied such possibilities in favor of a mythical security. Thank you Yves,

My first chemistry set was a mid-1950s version which, by 1960, has transformed into a small home lab equipped with products from Fisher Scientific and with which I was able to perform many of Scientific American’s ‘Amateur Scientist’ experiments such as production of artificial rubber.

Almost needless to say, the progression led to a Chem Engineering degree from Purdue and then employment in a large firm’s R&D lab where practical, sometimes beneficial, results were obtained.

It feels ’sinful’ that children today are being denied such possibilities in favor of a mythical security.

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