Another kid, this one a little girl of fourteen, Laura Dekker, wants to sail around the world alone. She wanted to try at 13. Her goal is to be the youngest person to perform the stunt, and her parents say, yes. This kid is from Holland, and the Dutch courts blocked her for a year from attempting this reckless stunt, but yesterday, against the advice of the child protective agency, the court lifted its restrictions.

Adults are going to do foolish and reckless things, children should not be allowed to. Some folks think it should be up to the kid and her family, as if the world community doesn't have a stake in this. If the kid runs into trouble, the world is expected to respond with a rescue attempt. The decision to allow a little kid to sail around the world alone is selfish. She and her parents are all for this, for the glory that may come if the kid is successful. The parents put their child at risk for money, fame, that may come to her. But if she runs into trouble, rescuers would be expected to put themselves at risk rescuing her.