I've been trying to explain to 3rd graders that an idea isn't an invention, but I can't seem to get them off the "big idea" track, and focused on messing with things, following an idea, seeing what happens. If I could start over I think I'd compare it to skateboarding and call it Extreme Thinking, so they might take the point that they might start with an idea of what they intend to do, but it may come apart, and the thing is to be able to improvise, react, use the accident, turn it into something good.

   My daughter had this idea of a kite that you could tell how high it was, and we've been flying that, and it drops parachutes when you give the line a sharp snap. I don't know what this has to do with anything, but it's something I've been thinking about instead of watching much news.

   Whatever the motives or reasons for this war, I hope whatever good that can possibly come out of it, will. Some well-informed people thought containment was the right policy, and I supposed it probably was--it's not a big swell of patriotism that I've left off my guarded opposition. I hope it's over soon, and results in a better situation for individual human rights, just as if that was the whole reason for it, and that was what we always do. Comparisons with Israel break down in that I don't expect anyone to be elected there with 99% of the vote--that really does mean something that matters. I hope to be open to accept what good might come from very questionable ideas, mixed political motives, or it seems to me there would never be much good anywhere at all.