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Thursday, 04 February 2010
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Death of the Bo Language
The BBC just published and article about the death of 85 year old Boa Sr from India's Adaman Islands. The full article and a short .wav of Boa Sr speaking the melodic/haunting language can be found here:The Bo language was among one of the world's most ancient, perhaps as old as 70,000 years.
What strikes me about this is that language is much more than words. It is the vocal and aural way we humans use to communicate and connect with each other. Our language conveys the meanings of symbols, thoughts and ideas that are not self-evident. Our language (for better or worse) segregates us into familiar sub-groups. Our language helps us to understand the powerful, but unseen forces and beliefs of life, such as God, law, love and memories. Our language is unique to our culture - it is filled with idioms and nuances that never translate well. Imagine how "Cat got your tongue?" or "That's the bee's knees!" would translate outside of English.
Some languages stay briefly and depart with little more than a whimper. Others, like Latin, rise to world prominence and then die. But like a beloved or historic family ancestor - its mark ripples through generations who live and die long after the language itself.
I know nothing of the Adaman people or the meanings of Bo. Nevertheless, the death of a language and culture so long with humanity deserves a moment of tribute.Farewell Boa Sr
Farewell speakers of Bo
Farewell to the loves you stir
Farewell to the ideas you know
Nevermore your words for song or tear
Thank you, still, for the time spent here
Wednesday, 03 February 2010
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The Power of Fear
I follow a life axiom that says: "If you try, you might fail. If you don't try, you will fail."
I remind myself of this anytime I'm worried about a situation in front of me. The power of fear is amazing. Most of you are aware that I'm teaching a course on radiation detection & measurement at our local community college.
The following is an excerpt from our text: (Basic Radiation Protection Technology 5th Edition, Deaniel A. Gollnick)
[Psychological Stress] can greatly alter some of the numerical results presented in the [clinical effects of acute radiation] chart. An actual occurrence may serve to illustrate this.
A group of police officers were examining a recovered stolen car for evidence. In the course of the search, they pried open the vehicles' trunk. Inside they found a cardboard box with a "Caution - Radioactive Materials" label attached. In a short time they began feeling nauseated, at which point they hurried to a local hospital. Upon arrival at the emergency room they proceeded to vomit. Reference to the biological effects chart would indicate exposure to at least 300 REM (5 REM is the legal, one year limit). When health physicists arrived at the scene, they soon determined that the box was completely empty and there was no radioactive contamination present.
So - just seeing the radioactive symbol was enough to evoke symptoms of stress to the point of vomiting.
Next time you hear a politician or boss using fear as a tool, or if you are "afraid" of being embarrassed about trying something you know you should, I hope you'll remember this little story and the famous exhortation of Franklin Roosevelt.
"The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself."
PS: My apologies to those of you for whom the radiation symbol is scary. I encourage you to scroll quickly past this entry. If you do not, I hope you have a nice basin or toilet nearby.
Friday, 29 January 2010
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A Paranormal Outing
So, let's assume all paranormal activities are real. Which of the following would you be most interested in experiencing?
1) Alien abduction
2) Ghostly encounter
3) Bermuda Triangle experience
4) Bigfoot in your tent
5) Vision of a critical future event
6) Out of body / near death experience
7) Reincarnation
Monday, 18 January 2010
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The Golden Galaxy Award
'Tis the season for awards.
How about a Golden Galaxy Award for all time favorite Alien?
Here are the finalists:
The amiable and interesting "Uncle Martin" from My Favorite Martian.
The ubiquitous Close Encounters alien.
The tough and teethy Alien "alien."
The beloved E.T. who just wants to "phone home."
The relentless Cylons from Battlestar Galactica.
The ever logical and resourceful Mr. Spock from Star Trek.
The wicked Serleena from Men in Black II.
The cagey, cat eating Alf from "Alf."
The hyper-helpful Mork from Ork.
The Fifth Element - Leeloo.
The vicious, interplanetary big game hunter - Predator.
The Super Good Superman.
The powerful Jedi Master, Yoda from Star Wars.
Who are the TOP 3 in your sci-fi book?
Tough time choosing? Here's how to thin it out.
Pick 6 to start with.
Of those 6, which five would you want with you on a cramped spacecraft for a 6 month intergalactic travel?
Of those 5, which four would you want with you when facing a horde of rogue aliens?
Of those 4, which three would you want to go to the Restaurant at the end of the Universe to celebrate your victory?Are you a one alien kind of person?
Of those 3, which two would you share a bed with?
Of those 2, which one would you co-sign a spacecraft loan for?
Sunday, 17 January 2010
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Currently
Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew
By Bart D. Ehrman
see relatedAnother Page
2010.
Seems like just yesterday that my fretful friends thought Y2K was heralding the advent of Christ's Second Coming. I tried to reassure them that it was largely a huge money-making scam for software updates.
Anyway ... that was then. This is now.
In December, our site restarted our Unit 1 reactor and put it back online after 15 months of being shut down from a major turbine "failure." (busted blades, fire, foundation and supporting system damage) The methods used in the recovery were noted throughout the power generation industry. We had an all hands meeting where our CEO came and gave us words of love and appreciation. Being a practical sort of people, someone asked if that meant we would see a bonus this year. The answer: "No guarantee and don't get your hopes up. We should all be thankful to have good paying jobs."
And we are.
But nothing? The failure was determined to be caused by a manufacturing flaw, not operator error. Huge praise for the recovery in a timely fashion for the extent of damage. How about a gift card to Wal-Mart?
Anyway.
Seems like everyone is loaded with 115% work load. I'm mentally taking the position that this is just how 2010 will be. I read a recent survey that said job dissatisfaction is at a 22 year high with 55% of Americans being dissatisfied with their jobs. (55% Dissatisfied with their job) They attribute a lot to the 'do more with less' attitude of American business. Of course, I saw another survey that job satisfaction is increasing. It states that 86% are satisfied with their current job position (2009 Employee Job Satisfaction). Wow. Almost 9 out of 10 Americans are satisfied with their job??? How often do 9 out of 10 Americans agree on anything?Lies, damned lies and statistics.Planning Commission
Pretty quiet for now. Next month were going to start looking at the Village Master Plan. It should be done every 5 years, but it's been neglected for a while. Since the Township around us is modifying theirs and has already paid for resident surveys, this seems an opportune time to get this updated.Ministry
Our ministry at nursing homes continues to thrive. The three of us (Brett, Donna, Chuck) work very well as a team. It's kind of nice to say that we all attend different churches and do not represent a specific outreach ministry. We do this because we feel called to do it and we enjoy doing it.
Looks like the Rolling Thunder choir's time has come and gone. Most of the people who started it have passed away. The remaining 3 or 4 are approaching points in their lives where singing with strength is too difficult. They enjoy our Wednesday rehearsals, as do we, but aren't able to participate well in the service. So, we're in prayerful consideration about this ministry. We might continue to keep the practice time as a sort of mid-week sing-a-long. There is also a possibility that Donna's church might start a Wed evening event. We'll just see which direction the Lord takes.College
I achieved a life goal this past week. I taught my first class at a Community College. I'm the instructor for a course on Dosimetry. The topic covers how we measure the amount of radiation people receive when they are working at a nuclear plant. It's part of a new series of degrees that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has been encouraging for the past 4 or 5 years. The average age of a worker at a nuclear plant is in the mid 40's. This means that the retirement curve is going to deprive the industry of a lot of qualified workers if there isn't some sort of pipeline to encourage young people or displaced workers into the industry. Our local community college is one of a handful around the country that are offering an "Energy" degree of one sort or another.
I have 8 students in my class, as this part of the curriculum is rather specific to those people who intend to be Radiation Protection Technicians. The teachers for basic electricity, basic nuclear theory, etc have 18 - 35 students. I'm just as glad to have a small class. It makes for an easy start in the collegiate teaching field.What else?
Snow. And more snow. Only busted my butt once, so far. No damage other than pride. Not sure when I'll see my flower garden again.
Been watching the NFL Playoffs. SNORE!!!! So far, only the Arizona - Green Bay game from LAST weekend has been interesting, and that didn't fire up until mid-way through the 3rd quarter.
Reading a VERY interesting book titled "Lost Christianities: The battles of Scripture and Faith We Never Knew," by Bart Ehrman. I know a lot of people don't like him, but he really does do a good job at taking an objective and scholarly look at Christianity. He writes in a manner that is easy to read and doesn't seek to incite those who hold a Christian faith. In this book, he examines the different writings and groups that were considered Christian before the Council of Nicea put together the collection of books we hold as our Bible, and how that impacted the other groups. One thing (of many) I didn't realize was just how many writings were out there. Not counting the Biblical books:
15 Gospels
6 Acts
13 Epistles & related literature
9 Apocalypses & related literature
Interesting stuff.
And with that ... I'll turn the page.
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
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Atheist heaven
A lot of effort goes into trying to prove God exists. Since God is intangible, the best Christians can offer are hints and suggestions with regard to physical proof. The belief in God comes down to a matter of faith.
But let's say for the sake of argument that we finally came to a point where humans could physically prove ALL religions and ALL supposed supernatural occurrences (ghosts, E.S.P, UFOs, djinn, etc) were utter and absolute figments of human imagination.Atheist Heaven.How do you think society would change?
Marriage?
Charity?
War?
Drug use?
Social definition of "morality?"
Other?
Thursday, 07 January 2010
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What's more fun than 18" of snow?
Waiting under this light!
Does this bring back WARM and fond memories??
Thursday, 31 December 2009
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Currently
Chronicle of the 20th Century: The Ultimate Record of Our Times
see relatedThe Year (1909) in Review
Enough with 2009 ... let's take a flashback 100 years to 1909:
The women's fashion trend: Parisian gowns are relying on high busted corsets. American women, however, prefer the low busted version, which accentuates a smaller bust while tempering a larger one.
Geronimo Dies.
Before he died today (Feb 17) at age 80, Geronimo said: "I was living peacefully with my family ... perfectly contented. Now, there are few of us left."
CDR. Robert E. Peary planted the flag of the United States at the North Pole (Apr 6)
Reno, Nevada is US Divorce Center
Women nationwide are flocking there for divorces after a shamefully brief waiting period of 6 months. The Reno Legislature relaxed the residency requirement in hopes of attracting unhappy, extravagant socialites.
President Taft, resolving a controversy between the Navy and Army, has selected Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands as the principal naval base in the Pacific. The decision thwarts Navy plans for developing a major base at Subic Bay in the Philippines, an area the Army considered indefensible.
Football Deaths Up
With the revelation that the death toll in 1909 had nearly doubled from the previous year, the call was sounded anew for the reformation of the gridiron sport. Twenty-six players were killed and 70 seriously issued thus far this year (Nov 28), according to figures assembled by the Chicago Tribune. The rules committee is considering changes that would remove some of the perils of the sport, including one that would ban substitution of a player who has been ruled off the field for roughness.
Wright Brothers form million dollar corporation The Wright Company for commercial manufacture of airplanes.
Monday, 28 December 2009
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Currently
The Last Witch of Langenburg: Murder in a German Village
By Thomas Robisheaux
see relatedRadnom thoughts
Yeah ... I spelled 'Random' incorrectly. But it's because that's where my thoughts are as we close out the year.
In radnom order:
I stabbed my thumb with a nut picker. Okay ... DO NOT go there! I'm talking about one of these.
Brazil nuts are a bugger to get out of the shell.
Our nuclear plant finally put its second unit back on line. It was down for about 14 months because of a catastrophic turbine failure. These sorts of things are not too unusual for any sort of steam turbine facility, but the damage our did made many think it was beyond repair. Needless to say we employees AND our company are happy that are making 2200+ MW of power again. A thumb rule is that 1MW can power 1000 homes. You can do the math.
It is SO COLD outside!! Actually the temps are in the 20's but the wind feels like its also in the 20s mph.
SaintVi's battery died. We suspect a GPS left on too long. A jump start fixed it. On the upside, the GPS had enough time to find good satellite reception.
I have a middle ear infection. Must not be too bad, because the PA couldn't see it. A nurse had to do a pressure test to identify the problem. As for me, I could hear the fluid moving around in there ... so I KNEW there was a problem.
Weird circumstances surround my daughter. She'll be an old lady with many interesting tales to tell.
I enjoyed our Christmas time this year. I had a good balance of the spiritual and secular. I also enjoyed seeing many of Joyous' friends as young women. I knew they were quality people when they were still girls. I'm glad to see they turned out as good or better than I expected. Curiously ... none are married or seriously dating. But then, I can't say I've seen a lot of quality guys their age. I'm glad they are working harder on their college degrees than their MRS. degrees.
Reading The Last Witch of Langenburg. It's documentary about the arrest and trial of a woman living in late 17th Century Germany. Lots of detail on the daily lives of people in that time and place. Life is MUCH better here and now.
Pondering goals for next year. Drinking more water each day is going to be one of them.
"Fan Boys" is one of the weirdest low budget movies ever. I laughed all the way through it. If you love Star Wars or know Star Wars geeks, you'll get some good laughs. If you don't know the difference between Solo and Sulu (And which one really IS gay!), don't bother.
The Boo dog eats nuts.
Go figure.
Thursday, 24 December 2009
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Currently
Styx/Gold: Come Sail Away
By Styx
see relatedLetter FROM Santa!
I received the following in the mail:
It reads:
Dear Brett,
Since you were generous enough to give your LOVELY wife clues about her Christmas gifts, I can do no less. Below is a list of songs your gifts would sing if they could. And who knows? Perhaps they can!
Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas!
Santa Claus
The clues are as follows, with my comments:
We Are Family - Sister Sledge
(Wow! Serious flashback, but I have a good idea about this one.)
Am I Blue - Ella Fitzgerald
(Catchy tune that I think about anytime I see something VERY blue. I have a couple of good ideas on this one, kind of depends on how the gift views itself.)
Roll Me Away - Bob Seger
(Don't recognize the song by title, but I have a fair idea on what it is.)
Billy - Celine Dion
(I enjoy Celine - but don't recognize the song by title. Can't come up with an idea on the gift either.)
Bye Bye Blackbird - Miles Davis
(Recognize the song, but both it and the artist were around before I was. Longshot guess on this one.)
Papa don't Preach - Madonna
("... and your mama don't rock and roll?" Ooops. Wrong song. I mess up lyrics all the time. Verses I'm better at. I have a pretty good idea on this one.)
Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
(How can you NOT whistle on this one? Thought I had an idea about this one ... but I think I'm hearing that gift singing a different song. No good backup guess on this one. But I DO have a theory I'll share at the end.)
My Little Runaway - Del Shannon
(How fast can YOU sing the word "runaway?" I have a smirking idea about what this one is. If I'm right, I first saw it in South Dakota.)
Come Sail Away - Styx
(Ahhh ... rockin' music from THE BEST MUSIC DECADE EVER!!! I have a good idea that this gift isn't only on the dock of the bay.)
Those Were the Days - Mary Hopkin
(Actually, I can't get the Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat version of this song out of my head. I have a very good idea about this one. It's a tradition I always appreciate.)
So ... my working theory is that these songs are actually blended to describe ONE big gift:
Am I Blue ... when it's cold and wintery in Michigan? YES!
So what I will do is say to the great white north ... Bye, Bye, Blackbird
... and get into a car to ... Roll Me Away
... and make people at the Nuclear Plant think of ... My Little Runaway ... when I don't show up after Christmas
... because I've driven to the coast and gotten on a ship to ... Come Sail Away
....until I'm on a warm tropical island drinking margaritas and ... Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay
... until VI and JoyousWind join me so that .... We are Family
... and hang out with ... Billy ... a minister who finally had enough and said "Hang it all! ...Papa Don't Preach"
... and we reminisce (hard word to spell, btw) .... Those Were the Days
... and watch the orange sun set over golden water and warm sand as the New Year rings in.
(Print available from Art.Com)
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About Me
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Theology, sociology and psychology fascinate me. Why do we hold the views we do?
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Pulse
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Seeing a lot of work frustration blogs out there. Is this National Work Sucks week?
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My ministry partner's mom died last night. She'd been ill for a while, but the end came abruptly. We'll miss you, Dot Giessler.
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It’s such a little thing to weep, So short a thing to sigh; and yet by trades the size of these We men and women die! E. Dickinson
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