tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-344006012009-07-19T03:27:22.994+08:00This is the true story of scientific child prodigy, and former baby genius, Ainan Celeste Cawley, written by his father. It is the true story, too, of his gifted brothers and of all the Cawley family. I write also of child prodigy and genius in general: what it is, and how it is so often neglected in the modern world. As a society, we so often fail those we should most hope to see succeed: our gifted children and the gifted adults they become. Site Copyright: Valentine Cawley, 2006 +Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.comBlogger1096125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-32153359252201632382009-07-18T23:34:00.003+08:002009-07-18T23:45:50.528+08:00

As much as one tries, I think it is impossible to please everyone at any one time. It is also, sadly, impossible to please anyone, at all times. Meaning, that at some time, one is bound to displease someone.I have written many posts over the past few years. I have come to notice that whenever I write anything that expresses a clear opinion, that it always excites a variety of responses. Some like

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-21967748840364540102009-07-16T10:33:00.002+08:002009-07-16T10:38:27.999+08:00

I note that hundreds of readers are arriving from Malaysia, today. Welcome.Now, such a surge in readers usually means that an article has been printed somewhere: could you let me know where so that I might be able to secure a copy? Thanks...please just tell me in the comments below.If you are new to my blog, you might be unaware that there is a guide. Please go to: http://

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-21544062327617551212009-07-15T10:57:00.004+08:002009-07-15T15:43:30.135+08:00

The IMDb Starmeter is a very interesting idea. It is found on the Internet Movie Database. What it does, quite simply, is measure the interests of the global internet audience - more specifically, WHO they are interested in, and by how much.Everyone who is included on IMDb, the Internet Movie Database, has a Starmeter reading. This ranks them in relation to every other celebrity, tv and film

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-38067283469685318472009-07-14T10:02:00.005+08:002009-07-14T10:29:46.827+08:00

"The Knowledge" is a term used to describe the detailed understanding of the streets of London that London cab drivers (taxi drivers) have. Cabbies spend sometimes years learning their way around the streets of London before they are allowed to become London cab drivers. The Knowledge involves memorizing 320 routes through London, allowing them to take the shortest route between any two points in

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-44287221412698558232009-07-13T22:53:00.004+08:002009-07-14T09:56:04.997+08:00

I overheard part of a conversation, on the bus, the other day, between two Singaporean teenagers. I thought it most revealing of attitudes that permeate this society."He is not one of us.", said one of the boys to the other. Both boys were a little chubby, so I had to wonder what "One of us" meant.I found my ears pricking up, in attention.They were a bit far to hear perfectly, so the conversation

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-3958929603804597232009-07-12T12:34:00.004+08:002009-07-12T21:03:56.702+08:00

Singapore is a land that has both many queues, and quite a few queue jumpers. Contrary to its international reputation for being law-abiding, I have often found that some Singaporeans ignore social rules, for selfish momentary gain. They think, in short, of nothing and no-one but themselves.Yesterday, I was returning books to the library. I had about eight on me. In front of me there was a queue

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-73447981058559222362009-07-11T12:25:00.003+08:002009-07-11T12:41:52.924+08:00

Ainan is ever surprising - and that, in itself, is the most surprising thing about him. One would have thought that he would have run out of surprises by now...but no, he hasn't.One of Ainan's surprises is his ability at computer programming. Yesterday, for instance, my computer was behaving in odd ways. It was "talking" to me, in written words, in response to my typed entries. Furthermore, it

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-3987472067824879732009-07-10T23:44:00.003+08:002009-07-11T00:08:35.046+08:00

"Who is the richest Cawley in the world?" was a search which arrived on my blog, a couple of months ago. At the time, I ignored it and didn't remark upon it - but now, upon reflection, I think it is time to remark.My recent post on Macaulay Culkin (odd that he has the sound caulay/cawley in his name!), brought to mind what it is that people find interesting in others. In the case of Macaulay

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-60461764547825012822009-07-09T23:17:00.004+08:002009-07-09T23:40:26.272+08:00

Hollywood is dying. The signs are clear. All you have to do is to have had the misfortune to watch Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. I did. I wish I could get those hours of life back - for I sure did waste them.Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen is a very distinguished movie. It distinguishes itself by being, in fact, the worst film I have ever seen. Since enduring it, I have tried very

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-59946010809720049132009-07-09T00:35:00.004+08:002009-07-09T07:32:02.926+08:00

Macaulay Culkin is, in my eyes, a tragic figure - but not for any reason that anyone else, would necessarily know, before I write of it. Indeed, he is doubly tragic. I shall explain.Firstly, there is the obvious fact that Macaulay Culkin's greatest successes are behind him. The peaks of his life all lie in childhood. Unlike some who achieved renown, whilst very young, Macaulay Culkin did not go

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-23845655683195076392009-07-07T07:41:00.003+08:002009-07-07T08:20:10.064+08:00

IMDb is the Internet Movie Database. It is the world's greatest cache of film and tv information. If the information you seek is related to film or tv, it is likely to be on IMDb.Two or three months ago, I accidentally stumbled on the fact that someone had started an IMDb page, for my son, Ainan Celeste Cawley. This was because of an appearance of his, on tv, in the UK. It was probably the

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-90252608807404601232009-07-06T10:35:00.004+08:002009-07-06T10:49:28.194+08:00

Tiarnan, three, is curious about the world, as many young kids are. Yesterday, however, I was surprised at just what he was curious about."Daddy...what is lightning?", he asked, his elfin face full of intent.I explained. When I had done so, he turned his mind to another question."How about neutrons?", my three year old son, asked, saying the word "neutron" as if it were most familiar.This rather

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-7821382999293435232009-07-04T15:52:00.004+08:002009-07-04T16:04:09.090+08:00

In life, every little milestone is worth a minor celebration, of a kind: after all, that is how we measure progress in all that we do. So, today's little celebration concerns the number of readers to this blog: at 3.54 pm on 4th July 2009, there were 200,126 readers, in total, of my blog, since the day it began.Now, just over 200,000 readers in less than three years may not seem like much, to

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-87542889685580684302009-07-03T22:47:00.004+08:002009-07-03T23:23:26.263+08:00

Who is the most famous man in the world? Indeed, who is the most famous man in history? There are many, many candidates, but, at this time, one comes to mind who really, really, really should not be there.Whom do you think is the most famous man in history? Most would say Jesus Christ. Others, more topically, might say Barack Obama. The founders of various religions, come to mind: Prophet

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-46722067649446884342009-07-02T17:34:00.004+08:002009-07-02T18:06:14.837+08:00

Is it flattery, or a crime, to have one's work imitated? I am led to wonder this, recently, because I have learnt something that should give any creative teacher pause.I once had the responsibility to teach a class of mainly Koreans (with a single Chinese student, too), oral English. There was no book to teach from, the school being of a mind not to source one. I was left, therefore, to my own

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-33773042293707989742009-06-30T20:56:00.004+08:002009-06-30T21:06:58.605+08:00

Yesterday, I was walking past a television, in Singapore, when I heard the news anchor announce that Michael Jackson's music had shown a jump in sales of 80% at HMV - higher than ever before in history.That stumped me. How could 80% be "the highest jump in history". I thought it remarkably low.Later on, in the day, from a different, online source, I found the same story referred to in the

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-36457452580404311002009-06-28T15:29:00.003+08:002009-06-28T15:55:52.590+08:00

Who owns a blog? You might think this a funny question, but recently, I have come to observe that the READERS think they own a blog. I shall explain.Not infrequently, I receive comments from readers, either approving of certain kinds of articles, and requesting more of them, or disapproving of certain kinds of articles and requesting fewer of them. Sometimes, however, I detect a proprietorial

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-59384710539121892552009-06-26T15:42:00.003+08:002009-06-26T15:52:25.512+08:00

Michael Jackson, the famed "King of Pop" is dead at 50. Initial reports say that he had a cardiac arrest and could not be revived. I have, however, some thoughts about that.Few men, these days, die so young as Michael Jackson has. I think, though, that, in Michael Jackson's life, there were many contributing factors. Firstly, it is hard to either imagine or overstate, how much long term stress he

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-25023163204071578522009-06-25T22:45:00.004+08:002009-06-25T23:00:53.498+08:00

H1N1 is busily making its way through the ranks of Singaporeans. Presently there are a couple of hundred confirmed cases (and no doubt quite a few unknown ones, too) and it is spreading throughout the community. The danger is, of course, that it could become very widespread. This would lead to many deaths, if so, because of its 0.37% death rate (according to the death rates observed in America,

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-46700539437271932682009-06-24T12:21:00.006+08:002009-06-24T13:58:45.860+08:00

The Kevin Bacon number has become a famous way to measure the linkage between actors and other performers, in Hollywood. It is based on the idea that there are "six degrees of separation" between any two people on Earth. This label actually arose in a play title by John Guare, and not, as commonly supposed, in an academic thesis.The notion that we are closely interconnected in a social network,

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-46929938365199586052009-06-22T23:03:00.003+08:002009-06-22T23:09:55.341+08:00

A couple of days ago, Syahidah my wife, made an interesting proposition to Fintan, five."Fintan", she began, with the air of something important to come.He looked up at her, hearing her tone and waited."If I sent you to a hospital and they could replace your arms and legs with metal ones - and made you superstrong, would you do that?"His consideration took but an instant."No. Because then I would

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-86529002728520388582009-06-21T16:41:00.005+08:002009-06-21T17:00:11.664+08:00

Happy Father's Day, all. At least, it is Father's Day in Singapore...I am not sure if other countries celebrate it on the same day.Syahidah and our children have been abundantly thoughtful today. I am grateful for all the surprise gifts - from each of them. Even Tiarnan, three, made something for me, so it was most pleasing. So, thank you to Ainan, Fintan and Tiarnan for your welcome

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-82007112239813760362009-06-21T00:58:00.003+08:002009-06-21T01:06:53.036+08:00

Tiarnan was being settled down for a nap, today, by his mother, when I entered the room.He looked up, in apparent fear and said, in alarmed tones: "Here comes a human being!"His mother looked along his line of sight to see me there. She didn't laugh. She played along with his imagined drama and let it unfold.I strode towards the bed, in weighty strides, to match the import of his introduction.As

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-3898414493697137332009-06-18T23:01:00.003+08:002009-06-18T23:24:55.580+08:00

I once had the displeasure of teaching a student from China, whose ego outmatched all others I can recall meeting. It was not, note, that he had anything special to feel special about - but that he found it in himself to so highly rate his own thoughts and worth, that no-one else's bore consideration.He had some contributing factors to his egotism: he was the only child of a rich Chinese family

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34400601.post-44823550302185360862009-06-16T22:56:00.003+08:002009-06-16T23:12:56.802+08:00

In Asian societies, traditionally, the old are looked up to - even when they are very short, if you know what I mean. However, do they always deserve this automatic respect? Two days ago, I encountered someone that made me think otherwise.I was in the queue to get on the morning bus, there being three people in front of me and quite a few behind. Suddenly, someone elbowed me to the left, pushing

Valentine Cawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03086966474154914172noreply@blogger.com7