Making Children Cry

I don’t know what to think of these (scroll down on the page to the 3 YouTube videos).  They are trailers for a program on Belgian television called “Blocks,” a popular trivia and tretris combination game for adults. The message at the end translates to: “Life without blocks is not worth living”. The channel they were made …

Green Diapers: SAP, biodegradability, chlorine, woodpulp

Introduction The choice of a “green” or “ecological” diaper is not straightforward. In my previous review of Seventh Generation diapers, Whole Foods Private Label 365 diapers and gDiapers, I tackled the following issues: Comfort, leaks and diaper rash Chlorine Plastic, latex, TBT, polyurethane/polypropolene Biodegradability (vs. flushability) gDiaper hands-on aspects Price SAP or Sodium polyacrylate After …

“Amie is all finished”. And a picture (not by me)

This morning, after a rare full night’s sleep (and blissfully no hypnopompic sightings for me!), we cuddled for 15 minutes before getting well and truly up. Amie was enacting “Baby Amie”: she cuddles and coos and you have to hold and shush her like a baby. Then I asked her: “Do you remember what Baby Amie used …

Diapers Review: Seventh Generation, WF 365, gDiapers

For those of you who want to be less polluting with the diapers, but don’t want to go “all the way” to cloth diapers, here’s a comparison of the diapers we have experience with. We used Seventh Generation diapers for a long time (about 16 months) Four months ago we switched over to the Whole …

Reading Up and Chelsea Green Publishing

Book knowledge and experience  As you all know, I’m putting together The Plan. It’s quite a Plan so quite a Task. Never one to spontaneously jump into the unknown, I feel I need to prepare thoroughly. Being an academic, the first thing I reach for is book knowledge. I’m reading up on biology, ecology, agriculture, husbandry, energy, construction, as well …

Where the Manushes live

Meet the Manushes Amie has a set of 1-2-3 Playmobil guys (and one gal) called the “Manushes” – “Manush” is the Bengali word for “human”. From left to right in the picture: Pilot Manush, Baba Manush, Sailor Manush, Engineer Manush, Mama Manush. Pretend play She is getting into real pretend-play now: a new stage in …