Ok, so technology doesn’t actually frighten me.  I love it!  What frightens me is the use of some forms of technology by children, specifically my children.  Yours are  your problem.  I have enough to worry about, thank you very much. 

There is a revolution brewing in our home.  The two factions involved in this potential war are hubby and I (henceforth referred to as, “Parents”) and our two sons (henceforth referred to as, “Rugrats”).  The topic of what is (so far) only a heated on-going debate is cell phones.  Rugrats (ages 8 & 11) want them.  Parents don’t think they need them. 

Both parties do agree that Rugrats cannot afford them, based on an in-depth audit of their combined financial portfolios.  Rugrats believe that they need cell phones and that Parents should pay for them.  Rugrats argue that everybody else has one.  Parents respond that everybody else doesn’t live here.  That we know of.  We don’t like to go into their rooms often.  There are a lot of things to trip on in there.

Rugrats are also attempting to distract Parents from the main issue of cell phones by discussing the possibilities of laptops and MySpace pages.  Parents will not be budging on the laptop issue until said Rugrats have earned a full ride to an Ivy League college.  MySpace is also non-negotiable due to the creeps, weirdos and pervs (oh my!) out there on these here interwebs.  You know who you are.

Possible Perv (no, not a Creep or Weirdo) on what qualified as a cell phone back in the day. No wonder we didn't want one!

The cell phone is the real issue and I’m struggling a little bit with our stance on this issue (please don’t mention this to other Parent).  With our oldest Rugrat going out into the big bad world that is middle school, I would kind of like to be able to call him whenever I want.  They both go to friends’ houses, etc. and again, it would be great to know that we could all reach each other anytime.  I wouldn’t consider giving them internet or texting and would want to put all the parental controls on so that only certain numbers can be called and can be received. 

I don’t know.  What do you think?  Do kids need cell phones, or at least, is it a good idea for them to have them at these ages?  Or is it just more “stuff” for our spoiled youth to bug their long-suffering Parents about?

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember this Dateline NBC series with Chris Hansen?  Adults posing as children would create online profiles and then, allegedly, wait for predators to solicit them.  Apparently chatting online with a minor about sexually explicit subjects and/or sharing sexually explicit pictures is a crime in itself.  Once that line had been crossed, the decoys would tell the predator that they were home alone and arrange for them to come over.  When they arrived, Chris Hansen would greet them, armed with transcripts of their online conversations and interview them if they agreed.  Once they left the house, police were waiting to arrest them.

I loved this show and Chris Hansen.  I went looking around the internet to find out why it hasn’t been on in such a long time.  I had heard something about a lawsuit but didn’t know any of the details. 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nI9zUkRMw4]

According to Wikipedia and The Huffington Post, a district attorney in Texas was chatting with one of the decoys.  Apparently, he did engage in sexually explicit conversations and photo exchanges with the decoy but would not agree to a meeting in person.  A SWAT team was sent to his home to arrest him and he committed suicide as they barged in the door.  His sister sued NBC and the case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.  The show has not aired since the Kentucky episode in December 2007.

MSNBC does still have To Catch A Predator site.  Chris Hansen hasn’t blogged about the show since December 2007.  I can’t find anything definitive from NBC about the future of the show.

Also according to Wikipedia, there was quite a bit of controversy about the show, even before the suicide in Texas.  There have been allegations of entrapment, conflicts of interest, the show crossing the line between journalism and law enforcement and even accusations of Chris Hansen impersonating a police officer. 

I’m no legal expert, law enforcement official or news journalist.  I’m not qualified to determine if the show crossed any legal lines.  All I know is that I liked the show.  I liked that they caught perverts who were out to harm children.  I liked Chris Hansen’s dry delivery when reading their nauseating online chat transcripts back to them.  I wanted to be one of the online decoys to help catch these animals. 

I have very little, if any, sympathy for any of the men that showed up at the house or for any of them that chat online with kids.  This is going to sound harsh, but if the DA in Texas who killed himself actually was a sexual predator, then his suicide means only that we have one less of them in this world and good riddance.

I have always felt sorry for the families of these men.  Imagine seeing your brother, father, son or husband caught in the act on national television.  It would be humiliating, painful and shocking, to say the least.  I have always also felt sorry for any children who have been harmed by any adult in any way. 

The bottom line is that these men made bad decisions for which there were consequences.  If the show saved even one child from being harmed then I believe it was worthwhile, hope they can work out the problems and bring it back.

Thanks for stopping by!