April 14th news article “My son wanted an octopus. Eventually 50 more were added. ”
The story of an Oklahoma family who succumbed to their child's irrational desire to keep a pet octopus, only to later discover that “he” was “she” and she was pregnant with 50 more eggs. I learned that This story inspired me in many ways. Taking octopuses and selling them for profit is more irresponsible than a lifelong lesson.
Instead, why not embrace and encourage your son's passion for marine science in a more sustainable way? You know they live in a landlocked state, but you're not sure where the nearest aquarium is. I don't know, but why not do a little research and go to the aquarium as often as possible? Find out if there's a volunteer program and sign up your child. We're sure there's an app that lets you raise and raise your very own digital octopod.
There are so many lessons that could have been taught here instead of giving in to your kids or worrying that you'll be a “worst father” if you don't coddle them. Teaching them that it is cruel and inhumane to keep wild animals (or any living thing, for that matter) in aquariums for fun could have been a lesson in respecting the world around them.
Or you could turn the script to him and say something like, “If aliens came to Earth and scooped you up and locked you up in a tank to keep as a pet, how would you feel about being in a glass tank?” Direct the content to him.
Perhaps if such lessons had been taught earlier in life, we would be living in a much different world.
Robert Posman, Healdsburg, California
One of the ocean's most fascinating sentient creatures, a young boy's whims, was trapped in his bedroom aquarium and gave birth to 20 surviving octopuses, who were then relegated to individual plastic containers before being captured. It was painful to read such an uncritical description in our communal aquarium. Anyone who has seen the wonderful Oscar-winning documentary “My Octopus Teacher” will wonder why it is worth abusing a magnificent wild creature to indulge a child's enthusiasm . Certainly, this boy, like the Monterey Bay Aquarium officials cited, could learn more about octopus biology by watching the video.
And what a contrast to the same day's article: “A silent killer stalks sea turtles. A small town is trying to stop it.” — Venezuela tries to save endangered turtles in their natural habitat About the brave efforts of our community.
Laura Ingersoll, Washington
Probably wise (phone) advice
I couldn't agree more with George F. Will's April 7th editorial, “Want Smart Kids?” Prohibit the use of smartphones at school. ” The contrast between my childhood and adolescence experiences today and my experiences in the 1970s is striking.
As with all reminiscences, I was certainly predisposed to positive experiences, but I distinctly remember playing outdoors as much as I was allowed. This includes near-constant direct interaction with peers and some adults. This required them to acquire basic social skills, sometimes with great effort, and to engage in a large amount of physical activity, which was sometimes painful. We weren't “in a bubble.” From these experiences, a person learned how to treat himself.
As I walk through my neighborhood, the streets are empty of children and adults, the only exception being dog walkers. Nowadays, I rarely go inside the school grounds, but I often see elementary school students waiting at the bus stop in the morning. They are all studying their mobile phones, ignoring the person nearby. I know that in my youth we used to talk to each other at the bus stop. Did we discuss very important issues? Probably never. But we were developing the ability to have live conversations with people of different personalities and different backgrounds.
While Will and author Jonathan Haidt are right to suggest that the proliferation of smartphones and unrestricted access to the internet is suppressing the mental development of adolescents, I would go a step further and say that the I would like to suggest that there is a similar effect on Fitness, as evidenced by the childhood obesity epidemic.
Daniel W. Kuiper, Falls Church
DC's risky decision
Regarding the April 13 Metro article “District puts brakes on divisive bike routes”:
The decision by Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) and the D.C. Council to cancel a proposed bike lane on Connecticut Avenue NW is disappointing and dangerous.
Few drivers abide by the 25 mph speed limit on the north side of the bridge over Rock Creek. Bicycle and scooter riders use sidewalks to ensure their safety, but many of them are narrow.
This decision is frightening for pedestrians who frequently pass through Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, and the Chevy Chase Circle area north of the bridge. Pedestrians can't hear the bikes and scooters, and cyclists weave their way through elderly residents and families to the National Zoo, and perhaps to some of the businesses that influenced this short-sighted choice. Head towards.
For safety's sake, I hope Congress restores the bike lane plans they promised.
“The power to energize people”
Regarding Reginald Dwayne Betts' April 16 op-ed: “I was a teenager in a Virginia prison. Books were my lifeline.”
While I admire Betts for portraying the transformative power of literature in the context of incarceration, it is vitally important to address systemic issues within the prison system. He rightly emphasizes the resilience that literature instills, but we are also faced with broader issues such as limited access to education and rehabilitation programs, disproportionately harsh sentencing, and insufficient support for reintegration into society. I have to stand up.
Literature can bring peace, but many people in prison have no access to reading materials, exacerbating their sense of isolation.
As an avid reader, I found the author's stories powerful and thoughtful. Although I have never experienced the hardships of being incarcerated, I feel like I can relate to the belief that literature has the power to uplift people, no matter their circumstances. We live in a world where access to knowledge is leveraged, and more people are seen with a mobile phone in hand than a book. Reading is not only a source of intellectual enrichment, but also a means of self-discovery.
Betts' story highlights the importance of diverse perspectives in the criminal justice reform conversation.
Isabella Heilbron, Boston
All of the Nationals pitchers quoted in the Post's April 13 sports article, “Seeing the Game Through a Pitcher's Eye,” about where pitchers focus their eyes before throwing a particular pitch, I hope you're lying. Please tell me this is an elaborate disinformation campaign. Otherwise, they may end up announcing the pitch to the batter. I understand that his two requirements for playing in Major League Baseball are (1) good eyesight, and (2) the ability to remember pitchers in incredible detail. Keen and observant batters who benefit from reading this article will be one step closer to “guessing” what will happen.
Thomas M. Snealinger, Washington
Problematic bridge over water
Regarding the April 11th Metro article “Inside the massive three-phase cleanup of Baltimore's Key Bridge”:
The world's eyes are focused on the collapse of the Key Bridge, which blocked the Port of Baltimore. Some in its eyes have bad intentions for the United States and see this disaster as a cost-effective way to damage the economy. To make matters worse, one of our nation's strategic military triad is vulnerable.
Most of the East Coast ports have entrances from the Atlantic Ocean with huge bridges. For example, New York's harbor has the Verrazzano and Bayonne Ponts at its front and back entrances. Even more ominous for our safety is the New London Submarine Base on the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut. There, if the twin truss bridge and the Amtrak lift bridge were to fall, these submarines would be blocked in the harbor with 22 bases as well as 8. An unlucky cargo ship is trapped in Baltimore. The United States only has about 70 submarines worldwide, so losing a few submarines would be a significant loss.
Excavation to deepen the channel under all such bridges by an additional 50 feet or more should begin immediately, at the cost of a small fraction of productivity and safety losses. Baltimore's entrapment was caused by perhaps 10 to 20 feet of debris, and the waterway clearance rose from 50 feet to perhaps 30 feet. An additional 50 feet of depth would mean that the remains of the collapsed bridge would lie beneath the 48-foot draft of the supermax container ship and submarine. Abutments can be strengthened by deepening them if necessary. The remains of the bridge may then be removed piecemeal during the ship's navigation.
Let's hope this unlikely concern does not remind us of the conviction of September 10, 2001, that planes should always stay away from tall buildings.
John F. Corkill Jr., Bowie