What's In A Name: Adolf Hitler Campbell?

It seems the Campbell family in Holland Township, NJ chose their kids' names very poorly, for the following reasons;

(1) They cannot get a personalized birthday cake for their son Adolf at the local supermarket, (msnbc link) and
(2) It appears that the kids have been taken from their parents by the state Division of Youth and Family Services for the "Nazi cannotations" their names carry (msnbc link).

I for one think little Adolf's parents are idiots - cruel idiots - to tag their precious son with a name like "Adolf Hitler Campbell," knowing full well the historical baggage a name like that pulls with it. And little "JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell" is going to have some steep hills to climb in her future with that moniker, as is her sister, "Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell."

Lapses in name selection judgement aside, I think there'd better be more to the story of these kids being removed from their home than their strange names alone. Otherwise, kids like the little boy living down the street from my folks, 'Wolfenstein Lawrence Gibson," runs a risk of winding up in state custody.

At least Heath and Deborah Campbell have probably managed to secure unique user names on Facebook, MySpace and RocketMail for their children.

Episode 401: Stalkers, And Cancer, And Bears -Oh, My!

News Headlines:
Infection in fluid linked to preterm birth
Older fathers blamed for bipolar in their kids
Sleep deprivation for kids with TVs
Digital drugs delivered to your earbuds
SPECIAL INTERVIEW SEGMENT:
Barbara Probst, author of "When The Labels Don't Fit", shares some of her helpful tips and advice on raising a challenging child, and teaches us how to properly employ "the magic coin!"

We have a new ToonTest, and a contest to win Barbara's book! Listen to the podcast to learn more...

Evan's Mommy in 'Battle of The Band Games'

Cindy was recently a guest on Tech Talk For Families, a tech podcast we've had the privilege of corresponding for a bit.

Digital Dale hosted a roundtable discussion about the various band games for all the popular game consoles, called 'Battle of The Band Games'. In this installment, they discussed Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and Cindy discussed her true wish: Guitar Hero Bassoon Edition.

Mark Rogers: Hero and Father In Need

THIS LINK is to a news report of a man who risked his life to save his wife and two children from their car, involved in an 8-car wreck. The car was full of fire, burned to the ground, but not before Mark, a 2-tour Iraq War veteran and explosives expert, used his training and bravely kicked out the windshield with his knees and pulled his family out of the inferno.

This daddy needs our help. He's in a burn unit, undergoing surgery to repair burns covering 60% of his body. His family is also being treated, all will make it...but they need your help.

Please follow THIS LINK to their MySpace page, where a donation button has been set-up to help cover expenses during this traumatic experience.

Props to a real hero, and one great dad, Mark Rogers. Get better soon, buddy! Our prayers are with you.

Happy Birthday, Evan!

This amazing illustration was drawn by a co-worker of Evan's mommy as a gift to celebrate Evan's 8th.
(click to enlarge)

It is something we know he'll treasure for sure.

Pictured is Evan - if he were anime - with the Pichu Brothers and Pikachu in his lap (for you non-Pokemon folk).

A very special thank-you to Nanette for sharing her immense talents and making Evan's birthday a special one. And a personal thank-you from me for lightening Cindy's spirits while Evan is away at the ranch.