cj Sez: Don’t know what’s happening where you are, but
Mobile County Schools open for business on August 6.
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| That could just as well be a student. |
I used to have to go back (in Michigan) the first Wednesday
after Labor Day, whatever the date of that Wednesday. What do I wish for students affected by these
extra days and weeks?
I wish every student will have Civics, American and
International History, Reading, and of course, writing, which they call “cursive”
now. You know how sad it is that longhand/cursive/handwriting is not part of the curriculum, or if it is, not being reinforced?
A few
years ago, a young woman, age 17 or 18, testified in court that her boyfriend had written her
a note saying that he was afraid of the man who followed him. He was afraid he
would be harmed. When the defense attorney produced the note and asked her to
read it aloud to the court, she admitted that she did not read “cursive.” Forget about the lie to protect her boyfriend and condemn his assailant. Perjury happens in many courts.
The awful scary part is . . . She. Did. Not. Know. How. To.
Read. Cursive.
I used to quip that if I kept up my shorthand, I could start
a secret code that no one could decipher. Now I think if I simply write in
longhand (cursive), I can accomplish the same thing.
I see interviews with college kids who don’t even know how
many states there are.
The education system is failing, profoundly failing, our
next generation because they don’t want the conflict of teaching all the students the
same information. They are often prevented by boards of education from failing
a student.
The buck stops with us.
Okay, off the soap box. Here’s a quick science lesson:
Did you feel the tug of a full moon on Friday?
Friday’s total lunar eclipse lasted the longest of any in
this century (never mind that there are a lot of years left in the 21 st
century, and how does anyone know how long they will last?). Unfortunately, the
eclipse wasn’t visible in all of the United State but much of Europe, Much of
Asia, Australia, Africa, South in North America, South America, Pacific,
Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and Antarctica saw at least some parts of the celestial
show. Now I have to say, I live in “South in North America,” but only a partial
eclipse was visible.
A little Google research reveals why a total eclipse is
called a “blood moon.” The Moon does not have any light of its own—it shines
because its surface reflects sunlight. During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth
moves between the Sun and the Moon and cuts off the Moon's light supply. When
this happens, the surface of the Moon takes on a reddish glow instead of going
completely dark.
Scientifically, the reason why the Moon takes on a reddish
color during totality is a phenomenon called Rayleigh
scattering. It is the same mechanism responsible for causing colorful
sunrises and sunsets, and for the sky to look blue.
Fun fact: If you
were ever lucky enough to see a total lunar eclipse from the moon, you'd see a red ring around the Earth. In effect,
you'll be seeing all the sunrises and sunsets taking place at that specific
moment on Earth!
You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the
same.
cj
And there’s still a few days left for some fun and fast
vacation reading…stop by Amazon and pick up copies of DEADLY STAR and CHOOSING
CARTER, and I shall be forever grateful. (Just click on the covers.)
Choosing Carter
Qrtly newsletter sign-up:
cjpetterson@gmail.com
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