What The ...?
Alright, if anyone thinks this would be a great gift for my kids - No.
from the MindWare catalog - shop at your own freakin' risk (Aaaaargh!)
Encourage Engineers in Your Own Backyard
Jump-start some healthy (and safe!) youthful experimentation around the laws of science, math and even thermodynamics with this step-by-step guide. Detailed diagrams and photos show how to build tennis ball mortars, potato cannons and more. A great way to get kids excited about engineering, physics and chemistry. Strong emphasis on safety from an engineering professor who includes engaging facts and inventor profiles. 274 pages.
Ages 11 to adult (Close adult supervision recommended)
Comments
That's really sad. No one really gave that to your children, right? It was just something you saw on the Internet? God, I hope so. Whoever made that book is sick in the head or just plain stupid. :-)
Posted by: Mindie | November 29, 2004 2:52 PM
Oh course it's a wonderful idea! Why wouldn't we want a bunch of armed children running around the neighbourhood - it's good practice for when they're all drafted.
What a frickin' daft idea!
Posted by: Bec | November 29, 2004 4:29 PM
They used to make guns that shot little pellets of potato at 'targets' (people, birds, small animals)back in the 50's and so...I'm not sure the 'Junior Unibomber' manual is a good idea though! lol
Posted by: turtlemama | November 29, 2004 7:13 PM
Oh yes, let's please teach the children more ways to make stationary objects airborne. Lord knows there's just not enough of THAT happening 'round here.
The first thing they'd better be shooting out of their cannon is a fifth of vodka. Directly into my VEINS.
Posted by: Mir | November 29, 2004 7:30 PM
The only good thing about that is the firemen you could call if they burnt down the clothes line, shed etc.
Posted by: aussiemama | November 29, 2004 8:13 PM
For my kids? Heck no! For me? Yesssss! What more could a man want but a step by step guide to self-inflicted injury and a very likely chance of setting mine or my neighbors back yard on fire?
If you think I'm kidding, just ask another guy or two...
Posted by: Jeff | November 29, 2004 10:32 PM
What the heck is a Cincinati Fire Kite?
Sounds like a cocktail. In fact, I'm going to invent and name it that.
Posted by: Jacqueline | November 30, 2004 6:38 AM
Actually, I showed my husband after I posted, and he said "Yeah! That's COOOOOL."
Posted by: Jenny | November 30, 2004 7:04 AM
Well, one more example of my poor mothering skills--my son got that for Christmas last year, and he and his daddy have constructed several of the devices. What with everything else blowing up, I figured directions would be an improvement.
Posted by: TW | November 30, 2004 7:59 AM
Wooooooooow, I want that. Can never start too early teaching your kids how to make a tennis ball mortar!
Posted by: Tim Pintsch | November 30, 2004 8:21 AM
Holy crap, I just ordered a bunch of Christmas gifts from MindWare and I completely missed that! I wonder if they will let me change my order. *winks*
Posted by: Katie | November 30, 2004 10:04 AM
I seriously considered getting that for my 3 nephews who live on a lot of property with no neighbors in sight; I didn't.
Posted by: Stephanie C. | December 1, 2004 2:39 PM
Um, okay...for kids? Not so much. For me? Kewl! :-)
Posted by: Chris | December 2, 2004 6:13 AM
I want one! I want one!
And I have a huge back yard!
Yeah!
He he he, darn, how cand they come up with those things?
Posted by: Blex | December 4, 2004 9:36 AM