We love to ask questions. Do you know why?!

Yesterday at my friend's retirement party, I heard this story about a Mexican Fisherman and an American Businessman. Each has a dream for life. Do they want the same thing? Which dream do you want yourself and your kids to have?

An American businessman was standing at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish.

"How long it took you to catch them?" The American asked.

"Only a little while." The Mexican replied.

"Why don't you stay out longer and catch more fish?" The American then asked.

"I have enough to support my family's immediate needs." The Mexican said.

"But," The American then asked, "What do you do with the rest of your time?"

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, senor."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds you buy a bigger boat, and with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats."

"Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the consumers, eventually opening your own can factory. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will this all take?"

To which the American replied, "15-20 years."

"But what then, senor?"

The American laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO (Initial Public Offering) and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions, senor? Then what?"

The American said slowly, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos..."  

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I (almost) Killed a Man on September 11

I had to make a business travel on September 11 this year. Before that day, my son came to me and asked me not to fly, as the TV showed TWC video again and reminded him it's the 6th anniversary. I told him that I had to work, and he did not need to worry.

Instead of taking the public transit (we called "T" in Boston), I drove my car to the airport - it's unusual for me. When I got to the airport in the morning, everything looked normal and easy for me. Without much of the delay I went through the security and later found my seat on the airplane. I was going to Washington DC.

Just before the door was shut, a dark-skin man came in and looked around. He did not have a ticket in his hand, and said nothing, but indicated the seat near the window was his, so I stood up from my aile seat and let him move in. Before we all sit down, one hard thing around his belt touched me. Oh, my god, I was sure he had a gun hidden.

What am I going to do? (What could you do, if you were in my situation?) I sit there quietly and watched the man sit next to me on the right. I was considering my options when this man would pull out his gun? When the plane is in the air? Then, the speakers told us the plane was about to move, and everyone has to bulk up. Soon the airline was in the air...

Finally the speakers told us that we are free to move about... just as I stood up, I saw an old man came toward me, so I sit down. When he was about to pass me, he tripled by my feet and fall down on the ground. I raised my hand to support him, at the same time, he put his hand on my head rest (the top of my chair), with a few fingers scratched on my forehead. My head was pushed back against the chair, my hands were on this man's chest, and his knees were about to hit the ground. Finally this old man kept his balance and slowly he stood up.

I said to myself "I almost killed this man." So I helped this man stand up, then I saw the person sit next to me stood up, and also ask the old man if he could help. Later the flight attendants came to check this man's condition. They called the person sit next to me "Paul." They knew him. Later I realized this person with a gun was one of the plain-cloth Air Marshal Officers who escort the airplanes. I felt relieved and told him that we were safe to fly on September 11.

This fictional story illustrates the tension caused by the media and psylogical effect of September 11. Share your feeling, your comments and your stories with Newton Kids! >>>  

What is the key to your happiness? New research shows the true benefits of helping others: making you feel better, then you are getting better after helping others.

"No one is happy all his life long."  - Euripides (Greek tragedian who penned "Alcestis," "Medea" and "Electra").

"The purpose of our lives is to be happy." - Dalai Lama (Eastern spiritual leader).

"Whoever is happy will make others happy, too." - Mark Twain (American satirist and novelist with a taste for adventure stories).

Former President Bill Cliton just published a book on "Giving: How each of us can change the world." The book shows us how to: give time, give things, give skills, give gifts, give to good ideas, and organize the giving organizations, etc.

More discussions can be found at: Newton Kid's Google Group Page >>>

What Happens to the Gifted Kids

Two years ago, I saw a report on "A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America’s Brightest Students" by Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development (College of Education, The University of Iowa): http://nationdeceived.org/index.html .

Then I read Boston Globe about Massachusetts State Government provided zero budget for the gifted students. A group of people called themself "MAGE - Massachusetts Association of Gifted Education" were talking to the governor for establishing a budget for our smart kids. More information can be found at: http://www.massgifted.org/

3/15/2007

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This year I heard some schools received federal funding for starting pre-school or extended school-day programs, but none reported to have money for the gifted education programs. The closest one I can say is the in-school and after-school programs on foreign languages. To my surprise, French and Chinese are taught in some towns (some by parent volunteers).


The gifted kids need more supports. They could learn more if we give them more opportunities. If you know a good school program that is designed for the gifted students, please write to us or put your comments here >>>