Discussion on newton-kids-summer-stories
Newton Kid
First Saturday we went to Blue Hill and Ponkapoag Pond, outside of
Boston, MA. The sun was shine and the wind was cool. We took the Red
Dot trial and hiked our way to the summit - 635 feet above the sea
level. When we got on the top of the tower and overlooked toward
Boston - we saw the tall buildings in distance, a few airplanes came
in and out of Logan Airport. The ships in the ocean did not move at
all. The world was very quiet.
When we came down to Ponkapoag Pond, there were so many kids running
on the beach - they were in and out of water, while lifeguards were
watching them from a high chairs. The water was warm.
Then we spotted some fish in the water. They were tiny black fish with
whiskers, we called them "cat fish." My friends and I tried to catch
them, but they were very fast. Finally we digged a long canal in the
sand, then run the fish into the canal. When the fish is in the canal,
we blocked the entrance. At the end of day we caught 20 tiny small
fish. We then released 10 and took 10 home for my aquarium.
I have a small aquarium from National Geographic. In the past we have
bought many different fish from pet store, but they all died after a
few day. I was wondering if I could keep these wild "cat fish" alive
in my aquarium. My dad helped to clean the tank, and waited the tab
water to warm. Finally we pour the fish together with the water from
the pond into my tank. The water was a little dirty and clam. I wished
they would like their new home. Before I went to bed, I counted them.
The 10 fish were alive although some of them were resting - they only
move occationally.
Next day morning, I came down to check my fish and I saw 4 fish came
up to the surface. I was so sorry about their lost lives. We took the
rest 6 fish to a pet store. The store manager could not take our fish,
but he asked us to buy an air pump to keep the water moving - so
oxygen can get into the water. We also bought some fish food.
When we got home, we installed the small air pump into the fish tank.
The pump made a jet stream on top of the water, and created a current
inside of the tank. The fish now have to keep swimming against the
current. So I asked my dad, "Will this make the fish very tired?"
My dad told me, "Some fish, like shark, cannot breath on their own,
they have swim against the current so that they get oxygen into their
bodies." They have to keep moving or they will die! This is why we
lost 4 fish in one night. Since then, all 6 fish are still alive - I
would say: they love move against the current and they love the new
home we created for them. I think they are happy to be alive.
Keep moving or you will die! Same goes with human. Keep moving my
friends!
NewtonKid
back to the wild.
Newton Kid
A helicopter landed on Countryside's football field in last night. So
many police cars and EMS trucks came to the rescue. Four police cars
parked on the four corners of the field, head lights pointed to the
center, where an emergency helicopter was landed. The sky was filled
with flashing lights and thounderous noises - I thought the aliens
have invaded the Earth when I woke up.
A hour before earlier, an youngman drove a white car (with a female
passenger), from Center Street, came down Dedham Street, out of
control, skip with speed, got off the curb in front of the baseball
field, and crashed onto a big tree. Policemen and fire fighters had to
use the "Jaws of Life" and other tools to remove the victims out of
the car. The 2002 Acura RSX was damaged badly - the driver-side front
was completely pushed in.
Both are students from Mount Ida College on Dedham Street. The driver
(23-year-old Takahiko Nagashima) was taken to Newton Wellesley
Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His passenger (22-year-old
Masaki Matsuguchi) was flown to MGH by the helicopter and died there
late.
This again proves Newton's Law of Motion: http://newtonkid.com/laws.aspx.
When a tree stops a speeding car, the driver and passenger continue to
"move forward" - a tragedy may begin. As my dad often says, "the
danger is just around the corner (when you don't think of it)." You
can still se the police's mark-ups on the road and the damage on the
tree today.
Newton Kid
When we got the road, we spent many hours listening to music. What
should we listen to and what did we really like?
On Radio, we often listen to:
- Radio Disney (AM 1260): http://www.radiodisney.com;
- Folk Music Radio (FM 91.9): http://www.WUMB.org;
- KISS 108 (FM107.9): http://www.kiss108.com.
- Boston's Classic Station (FM 99.5): http://www.wcrb.com.
On CD our favorites are:
- Superstar Kidz: http://astore.amazon.com/newtonkid-20/detail/B0001AVZ80/002-4344497-2408053
- Kidz Bop: http://astore.amazon.com/newtonkid-20/detail/B0001AU6ZI/103-3130707-1515824
- Songs from America's Heartland:
http://astore.amazon.com/newtonkid-20/detail/B0000041Z7/102-0365012-6864161
Disney Travel Songs: http://astore.amazon.com/newtonkid-20/detail/B000001M1J/103-3130707-1515824.
- Science Verse: http://astore.amazon.com/newtonkid-20/detail/0670910570/103-3130707-1515824
- High School Musical: http://astore.amazon.com/newtonkid-20/detail/B000I2J7M2/103-3130707-1515824
But, to our surprise, we really enjoyed some old songs the adults
like. The most interesting music for travel is from an English band,
UB40 - http://www.myspace.com/ub40, the best CD is Labour (Labor) of
Love: http://astore.amazon.com/newtonkid-20/detail/B00009KQBB/103-3130707-1515824
Not a lot of people know about this group, as many are confused with
another band, U2 (the lead singer came from Ireland). When we went to
our local library, the librarian let us to the section with many U2
music on wars. However, our parent told us that UB40 is a more
pleasant band to listen to. They are right.
UB40's music is a mix of blue parties, jazz, light rock, and
international travel songs. Their songs are mostly based on a Jamaican
or Caribbean tempers or beats, performed with many instruments from
South America and Africa. Wherever we are traveling, UB40 music brings
a felling for cruise or small islands vacation.
Our parents told us that UB40 is the code name for Unemployment
Benefit Form (UB40), when people filled when they lose their jobs. We
liked the music more, like they don't have to think of jobs when we
are on vacation. Later from the website on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UB40,
we learned that some UB40 musicians joined the band when they lost
their day jobs.
Luck for us, but bad for our parent, they have been working since the
day they landed in this country. Listening UB40 while on vacation is
the closest thing to unemployment. We are sorry they have to go to
work after we come home.
Newton Dad
notes at the site. Some left two cups of coffee, and a SMART magazine
(shown the Japanese girl). Yesterday someone put up a big sign: "SPEED
KILLS!"
Newton Dad
On 4th of July (English spelling - Independent Day), we started our
long march to Toronto, Cananda, through Upper State New York. We drove
over 1500 miles in three days. When we returned home, we saw a lot of
dead flies on the front bumper of our car. My dad must have driven
very fast at night when we were sleeping. We don't want to bore you
with details, but provide you with a travel log:
Day One: We left home around 9am and arrived Corning Museum of Glass,
1 Museum Way, Corning, NY around 1:30pm. The museum is free to all
kids this summer. They gave many live demonstrations on how vases and
flowers were made there. Interesting exhibition and gift shop. We left
the museum for Baffulo, and arrived Niagara Falls around 6pm. After a
dinner at the Tourist Information Center, we went down the park near
the American Fall and watched the fantastic fireworks over the falls.
Day Two: We crossed the border for Canada, and spent a morning at at
Canadian site of the falls. We drove on the Maid of the Mist (boat)
down in the river and watched the falls from blow. Then we drove to
Toronto, and had a lunch at Pacific Mall (the largest indoor shopping
mall for Asian culture and food). In the afternoon, we visited the
downtown Toronto, the Queen Park, Town Hall, and new built ROM Crystal
(Royal Ontario Museum's New Building). Before the day turn to dust, we
went on the CN Tower and had a good birdview of the city from sky
above.
Day Three: We left Buffalo in the morning, went up Route 81 north. We
arrived Alex (Alexandria) Bay near the Great Lake and the entrance to
St. Lawrence River between US and Canada. Then we took a sightseeing
boat called Uncle Sam Boat for 2-hour tour around the 1000 Islands
(there are 1-hour or ferry boats available). We saw many beautiful
houses on very small islands, and camping sites for travelers to
stay. The kids got to steer the boat and got their pictures taken.
They received a sailer's certificate from Uncle Sam's captain.
At the end of the tour, we landed on the well-known Heart Island and
went inside of Boldt Castle. We witnessed a wedding on the island,
then took a ferry back to Alex Bay, James Street. On our way home, we
went by Fort Ticonderoga (a very large historic site), but it was too
late/dark (probably closed) for a visit.
There is always a next time...
Newton Dad
Due to popular requests, we list the links for your future references:
Corning Museum of Glass: http://www.cmog.org/
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1+museum+way,+corning,+ny&sll=43.84468,-73.39062&sspn=0.16788,0.31929&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1
Niagara Falls: http://www.niagarafallsusa.org/
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=niagara+falls,+ny&ie=UTF8&ll=43.095468,-79.055901&spn=0.169975,0.31929&z=12&iwloc=addr&om=1
Pacific Mall - Toronto Shopping Center: http://www.pacificmalltoronto.com/
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=pacific+mall&near=Toronto,+ON,+Canada&fb=1&cid=0,0,5508455711040731685&ie=UTF8&z=17&iwloc=A&om=1
ROM (Royal Ontario Museum): http://www.rom.on.ca/
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=royal+ontario+museum,+toronto&sll=43.095468,-79.055901&sspn=0.169975,0.31929&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1
CN Tower - Toronto: http://www.cntower.ca/portal/
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=cn+tower&near=Toronto,+ON,+Canada&fb=1&cid=0,0,6753448187599054220&ie=UTF8&z=17&iwloc=A&om=1
Uncle Sam Boat Tours for 1000 Islands: http://www.usboattours.com/
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Uncle+Sam+Boat&ie=UTF8&ll=44.337923,-75.919304&spn=0.010405,0.019956&z=16&om=1
Fort Ticonderoga: http://www.fort-ticonderoga.org/
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ticonderoga+fort,+ny&sll=43.842823,-73.463345&sspn=0.083943,0.159645&ie=UTF8&z=12&iwloc=addr&om=1
Please share your travel stories with us - we may go the places you
have been this year. Email to IN...@newtonkid.com. Thanks!