TEACH ME SOMETHING Sometimes it takes the perspective of youth to realize accomplishments and recognize the miracles. Joseph mentioned, while perusing a graphic novel, that when he was "little" he did not know how to read and then all of a sudden he could! The amazement in his eyes as he reached that conclusion was joyful to behold. I certainly do not remember at what point those black squiggles suddenly formed words, sentences and paragraphs. Course the trick is to also understand what you read. I used to devour these little 100-page blue books in grammar school that were biographies of famous people which has given me a weird trove of trivial knowledge to this day. Joe is a visual learner as well. Just ask him to describe a favorite movie, story or dream to you. His memory of details is extraordinary.
Back when school was a place to learn new things and broaden one's horizons (I'm talking to all you haters of things woke/truth) I do remember in 2nd grade demonstrating for parents at an open house a "new" projector that helped children read and perform math. I was also part of an experimental group that were taught french to confirm the theory that the younger the student, the easier it was to learn a different language.
PROGRAM NOTE: It appears there is a small window when a ton of learning can take place when students are young and spongelike. Eager to learn and retain new things. When do we lose that?
Though I took two years of french in high school, I still believe my early introduction to the language was what stuck as it focused on thinking and speaking the language not reading and writing it. Upon traveling to France with my daughter in 2000 I was able to dredge up those early lessons and at least understandably order a ham and cheese sandwich, ask for water and a bathroom. Useful indeed (BTW- hotels have the best bathrooms; the ones on the street not so much) However in traveling the British Isles, I struggled with English spoken by the British, Gaelic Scot and Irish folk. Don't even get me started on the slang when bangers and mash can mean money or sausages. Obviously, misunderstandings can occur. I also maintain that swearing in a foreign language can be extremely satisfying and oddly elegant. "Allez a l'enfer" is much more polite than it's english equivalency and it did get "un mec" from bothering me in a store.
TWO STEPS BACK/NO FORWARD Well I see DeSanctimonious is outlawing intelligence again. Pretty soon Florida will be a total wasteland of the biased and clueless. After ten years of development, the pilot AP class on African-American history has been cancelled due to historical inaccuracies. No doubt the parts about kidnapping africans from their country, reducing them to less than human status by using them as slaves and then fighting a war to keep them in that odious position. Not to mention the incredible prejudices that have continued to this day for black Americans. The things that were not said out loud are now common vernacular with "some". Odd the "party" that wants personal freedom is all about restricting everyone elses' by re-writing history and tamping down knowledge. As DeSe pushes his white male supremacy agenda I don't imagine there will be too many takers for professorships at Fla's colleges. But that is probably a-ok with people who had the privilege and education of knowing better.
The difference between today's R's and D's is very apparent. We are appalled at the President's apparent mishandling of doucments and say so and he accepts responsibility. When the ex Pres does it, even more egregiously, they find excuses and cover it up or say nothing. Where are the moderates in the party? Oh yes, they capitulated to the tea party-money talks.
PODCAST WORLD Well got my latest podie "in the can". There is a pretty incredible HazMat training center over by the Michigan State Police post that I got to discuss with the manager last week. If you ever want to tip over a rail car, blow holes in a tanker truck or "fake" spread dangerous chemicals all over the ground and clean it up this is the playground for you. Plus you get credit and certificates for playing! My new laptop (cheap) froze partway through but I left enough room to edit that part out. My internet keeps dropping and since I pay the bill on time, I'm not sure what the issue is. But it does add a certain level of anxiety to the discussion.
DIGRESS: Speaking of protection; were we? Remember when that nasty covid spread its arms across the world and the pexiglass manufacturers made a lot of money providing little shields, basically, anywhere anybody breathes? I was way ahead of the game at the City. You know how excited you are when you get your first or 22nd parking ticket and you have to go the parking office to pay it or go directly to jail, do not pass GO. Exactly. Most people are not in the best of moods when doing their duty. Amazing the amount of spit generated and the distances it can travel when someone is really nerved up. Not to mention reaching across the desk to throttle the poor parking cashier. So we got less than friendly by installing the magic plastic walls under my regime. Though it was pointed out it probably would not stop a bullet, we figured it would at least slow it down.
Being a safety skate is not an occupation where "book learning" answers all the questions or provides a blueprint for the challenges that come on a daily basis. Constant state of consternation in the chicken coop I like to say. Though the hardest part for me was determining when action was required and when just "letting them vent" is the proper response. Explaining this and more in our student podcast is the next challenge. I am working with the student committee of the MSC to create a meaningful program for them to: 1) get interested in the occupation; 2) help them get started in the field; 3) explain what to expect as a shiny new EHS professional. (It ain't a whole lot of atta boy/girls and gratitude). (Pods for Safety Spectrum are on the Michsafetyconference.org website and a few other places)
AND THEN Interesting that the country who rained war down on another country for existing apparently (and is losing) is threatening to destroy the multitude of countries arming the country who did not start this war. If you can't defeat one country with your advanced weaponry, war crimes against civilians and cowardly drone attacks (which you keep losing) what makes you think you can sword rattle the rest of the world? This dude needs a reality check or a short drop off a tall cliff..... Peace out....💛💙
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