Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Lead in our water - how can this be? by Tony Green
Our water sources are currently being adjusted in response to the
variations in the water supply as the effects of climate change have become
more pronounced. As a result occurrences of “snafus” in providing safe drinking
water will become more commonplace.
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| Rusted Water pipes |
The declaration of a water emergency
A water emergency was declared a few weeks ago in Flint, Michigan
as a result of evidence of increased levels of lead in the potable water which were
having pronounced effects on the health of the area’s children.
In my current position I periodically test the water used to
cool HVAC systems and process equipment for lead. Why? I am verifying corrosion
of the stainless steel piping is not occurring.
Once piping corrodes lead is leached into the water. Even if this water is found to contain lead
this water is not designed for human consumption. Potable water is designed for drinking
consumption.
The City of Flint Michigan recently disconnected its water
supply from the City of Detroit’s to the Flint River which was designed to save
money for the financially strapped city. The use of the Flint River was intended to be
temporary, set to end in 2016 after a pipeline to Lake Huron’s
Karegnondi Water Authority was completed.
What “lead” to this?
Lead is a common metal found throughout the environment in
paint, air, soil, household dust, food, certain types of pottery, porcelain,
pewter, and in drinking water. In spite of its various uses lead can pose a
significant risk to your health when ingested or inhaled.
Lead can be introduced into drinking water from the plumbing
and fixtures in your house as a result of corrosion. Lead levels in your
drinking water are likely to be highest if your home or water system uses lead
pipes, if the house is less than five years old, or the water is naturally soft
water (low level of minerals). Typically, lead gets into water after water
leaves your local treatment plant.
Other ways lead
enter into your drinking water include well parts made of lead, or from a nearby
industrial waste facilities or municipal landfills.
Federal standards limit the amount of lead in water to 50
ppb. While the EPA sets an action level of 15 ppb initial testing from the EPA
indicated many of the resident’s homes had levels in excess of 20 ppb.
I am sure the scientists will figure out the source of the lead.
Without testing, I will say the end result will be either the lead came for the
lead piping connecting the water supply to people homes after the water was
pulled from the Flint River or the Flint River, which has a history of poor water quality due to unregulated
discharges by industries and municipalities will be proven to be contaminated.
For decades, the river was used as a dumping ground for untreated waste from
industrial businesses and towns among these wastes
were lead which seeped into ground and into the river. In both cases the
testing failed to catch the increased lead levels which were being supplied to
the residents of Flint.
The sad underlying
truth
Regardless which one of these two scenarios will be proven perhaps the
underlying truth is when utilities choose money over health of their
constituents without oversight this is what happens. Perhaps I should test my
water for lead. I never thought I would
need to test for lead in my drinking water, then again, neither did the
residents of Flint, Michigan.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Kindle for you. Kindle for me by Tony Green
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| Image of Kindle Library |
I learned to read by reading a book with a front and back cover with words
printed on paper pages.
Flash forward 40 + years and with the onset of E-Book technology I am
hard pressed to consume a book if I can’t
read use a Kindle.
The Decline of
Hard Cover Books?
What happened? Did the quality of hardcover books degrade to where they
were no longer worth reading? The content in books other than trending topics
had not changed. A novel which started out slow will still not be read to
completion while a book which tell a captivating story will still be read cover
to cover. As I have reached Middle Age I
need to use my reading glasses regardless if I sat down in bookstore or if I read
an EBook while relaxing on my couch on a Sunday afternoon.
Why EBooks
What gives? Well, the difference is the portability and convenience
using electronic reader brings. No need
to do spring cleaning on the piles of old books in your closet. There is now no
need to make the trek to a conventional book store to wait in line when you can
purchase and begin reading within seconds after finding the desired content via
an Amazon search. No need to consume the good trees required to make the paper
on which to print the words and no wasting shelf space storing these book
assuming someone will buy them at all.
Fun and Easy
I enjoy reading in any fashion is provided I am reading something of
interest while reading with a Kindle is fun AND easy. Why shouldn’t I take the
easiest path to any desired destination including reading?
Sunday, May 31, 2015
My View of America - A county in transition by Tony Green
America then and now
I was raised in Philadelphia, as like many of the larger cities on the East Coast, was ethnically divided. The various races, which included African-Americans, Latinos, Whites and Asians, who resided in close proximity, worked and attended school together but existed separately within their own communities. After I joined the Navy after college many of my shipmates came from all over the country. I discovered as Americans we had a lot more in common than I thought. Upon reflection, the America I grew up in before my enlistment and the America I returned to when I began my professional career was changing drastically. |
| Map of the United States of America |
People are people
I realized several of the problems people had co-existing in peace resulted from an absence of culture sensitivity due to lack of exposure to people from different backgrounds than yourself. People are people if they come together and get familiar with each other on a personal level. With that said, I am observing as a country we are moving toward being a more multi-cultural society.Transition in Progress
The proof times are changing is clear, the year 2000 census provided choices for the first time for people to identify themselves as being a member of more than once race. The state of Hawaii’s minority population is greater than its non-minority and in California the Latino populace has matched the number of white residents and in a few years, will be like Hawaii, where the non-minority citizens will soon be the majority of inhabitants living in the state.Conclusion
Our children will need to able to function in a more cultural and diverse world. How we prepare our children to navigate this changing landscape is in our hands. The challenge should be embraced.Image courtesy of fotolia.us
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Heterosexism in our workplace by Tony Green
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| Image of a lesbian wedding |
I attended a workshop in the City of San Francisco earlier this week. As with most workshops the facilitator directed the participants introduce themselves before the meeting. One of the attendees happened to be an accountant who also admitted to being a lesbian. Since the San Francisco Bay Area is famous for its large number of its residents who are either gay, lesbian or transgender this was not surprising.
The workshop involved addressing the challenges the
participants expected to encounter while seeking employment. The facilitator asked the accountant about
her challenges and when she reported her primary challenge to be homophobia
and/or hetero-sexism after overhearing anti-lesbian rhetoric after
working hours from the HR team at her firm. I found this surprising and
alarming.
The backlash has two separate versions. The first one version,
homophobia involves an unjust fear of gay/lesbians while hetero-sexism can be
described as those who are dogmatic about the superiority of the traditional
male/female relationship.
Our facilitator mentioned this blatant case of
discrimination violated employment laws and inquired why the incident failed to
be disclosed to her manager or any one else. She did not want to bother with the
stigma being a whistle blower. Even more alarming was, in her view, no action
could be taken against the employer due the perceived superiority of management
in the legal system.
The thought which stuck in my mind was, if I am in the San
Francisco Bay Area which is well-known for its tolerance and these statements
are coming from HR people what is being said in other “less opened- minded”
parts of our country? What does this say about how tolerant we (or aren’t
depending on your perspective) toward those who are different from us.
I am not lesbian but as a minority, an African-American this
makes me nervous. Does this make you uncomfortable?
Image courtesy of fototalia.us
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Maintaining a blog by Tony Green
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| Blog Key on QWERTY Keyboard |
A personal blog is another
matter. These are typically maintained
as a hobby or an interest the author wants to share with the blogosphere. Here
are some of the reasons people often stop maintaining personal blogs on a consistent
basis.
A full-time job, which is a requirement, if you are not
fortunate enough to be able to make a living writing is most likely the biggest
reason. If you work in an office a daily commute will be expected, on occasions
will be overtime requires in addition to possible travel requirements. More
ever, the mental bandwidth which is consumed in many professional position makes
pushing blogs forward in your spare time a challenge.
Another reason is, which I will describe as: “life”. Emergencies
arise in any family which need to be addressed from time to time, non-emergencies
which require energy, in addition to cleaning and maintaining the house.
There
are instances where Illness can take a huge role. The flu season is active time
during the winter months which results in lost time from either getting over
flu or taking care of loved ones while they get over their illnesses. We all have
gone into the office to work on key deliverables while being under the weather,
as this is sometimes necessary, however, is a little more difficult when using
energy on tasks which are not required to be completed.
An
overlooked factor is sleep. The medical profession states seven hours are needed
to allow your body and mind to get the proper rest. When dealing with multiple activities a
consistent night sleep can be crucial to avoid burning yourself out.
Another
reality is we all need downtime. Any schedule should include time to relax.
Neither of these are valid excuses for
not working on things which you believe is worthwhile, however, in many circumstances
“it is what it is”.
Some of things I will try to do
moving forward to post with greater frequency include utilizing technology as
much as I can. Since I am on the go often my IPad with its cloud storage
capabilities are wonderful tools to write when you get a few minutes.
Focusing
on the benefits of what I get out of my writing this will help to keep working.
I always enjoy receiving comments to by blog postings, Hint. Also, I would like
to try plan effectively, for example, taking advantage of available time
example time in airport in between flights. In the end, I should focus on simply
getting it done.
In conclusion, many of the blogs and
books from established authors who write for a living and many express being a
part a community of writers. In many cases, writers, even those who write on a
part time basis, are part of their community. It is, after all what we do.
Friday, December 26, 2014
Why my goal as a parent is not to produce more minority engineers by Tony Green
I recalled my participation in the Philadelphia Regional
Introduction to Minorities in Engineer (PRIME) program while I was in high
school and, later, in the University of Delaware’s Resources to Insure
Successful Engineers (RISE) program. The
programs were designed to ensure prospective engineering students are provided
resources to maximize their chances of success with success being defined as
graduating from an undergraduate engineering program.
I would be proud if my daughter chose to study engineering
but only if she is interested. I recall during my time as an undergraduate I
recalled many of my classmates who started off in engineering who did not enjoy
their coursework and changed their majors to disciplines which interested them
and lived happily ever after.
The part of me that used to work as an engineer for over 10
years has seen the lack of diversity in many engineering fields first hand.
Particularly alarming are the scarcity of those of color and of women.
There is another part of me realizes the overall purpose of
being a parent is to set your children up for success in things they are
interested in and not what you are fascinated with since when I am long longer
alive it will be their lives.
I am grateful her teachers believe she can study engineering
or any hard science but if she is not interested in studying these subjects with
the goal of making a living then what is the point? So I declined the gracious invitation
from Alameda County. As much as I believe in the group’s mission and the benefits
of the program. Is this the right
decision?
Image Courtesy of Minority Engineer Magazine @ www.eop.com
Friday, September 5, 2014
Fireworks - past and present by Tony Green
I was sitting in downtown Livermore on the 4th of July in
picnic chairs waiting as my children used their IPad’s prior to the beginning of
the fireworks display. Traditionally, I
attend the yearly celebration with my family when they are not visiting their
in-laws in Japan. This year’s participation was, for the most part, a “no-brainer”
since they were being held in the downtown area which was walking distance from
my house. I looked out among the people
who had gathered and the unseen others in attendance at many locations
throughout the country asked the question,” How did it come to this?”
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| Image of fireworks exploding |
Interestingly enough, Bamboo
is extremely strong and grows in a series of hollow segments. You may ask what
does that have to do with fireworks? Bear with me, when bamboo is dropped into
a fire and the air pockets inside will heat and expand until the bamboo
explodes resulting in a loud sound. This phenomenon was first discovered in
China around 200 B.C.
Moving ahead to the 9th
century A.D., an unidentified alchemist, mixed sulfur, charcoal, and potassium
nitrate and by accident created gunpowder. A little gunpowder in a bamboo shoot
produced the world’s first firework.
As for its connection with our nation’s independence on July 2, 1776 a day after Congress
voted on separating from British rule John Adams reportedly wrote in a letter
to his wife,”[The day]
ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns,
bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the
other, from this time forward forever more”.
Sure enough, the next
year, in Philadelphia, Congress authorized a fireworks display for the first
commemoration of July 4, leading the way for fireworks to come to symbolize the
day.
So now you know. With the history lesson behind us, the time had come
for us to get out of the crowd and make my way back to my house. I, and many of you, will in all probability
not think again about how fireworks came to be, but it still does not take away
from the enjoyment we get from spend time without families.
Image: Courtesy of fotolia.us
Sunday, August 31, 2014
How can a man make a country cry? by Tony Green
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| Image of a soccer pitch with Brazilian flag |
During the 2014 World Cup in Brazil various programming was shown on
cable television related with the theme of soccer.
ESPN produced a show called “30 for 30” which caught my attention. The
program profiles certain sport stories exposing the human side of the athletes
portrayed. One episode profiled the story
of Moacir Barbosa who at the time happened to be one of the world’s best the goal
keepers. He had been chosen to handle
the goalkeeping duties for the 1950 Brazilian national team which had been
favored to win the World Cup the last time the tournament was hosted in Brazil
prior to this year.
Barbosa surrendered a “soft” goal in the final against Uruguay which allowed
the country to win one of its two World Cup titles. The disappointment caused
many people in Brazil to openly weep in despair and many others to express open
hostility toward him. Despite a
brilliant career the defeat followed him like a shadow for the rest of his life.
Fast forward to 2014 and the scene of Julio Cesar, the 2014 goalie of
the Brazilian national team, opening crying after his interview after Brazil
survived penalty kicks against Chile would seem extreme upon initial glance.
However, given the history of soccer in the country and the impact of the
result to a nation of millions maybe I’d fold up like a cheap tent under such
intense pressure.
The ‘beautiful’ game stands as a symbol as a global celebration of
culture and competition. Yet, as
passionate as many fans are about their team and their countries and the game
is, by far, the planets most prominent sport. The importance cannot be
overstated of keeping mind that futbol is still only a game.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Not as green as I thought by Tony Green
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| Image of grease in a cooking pan |
Any new position whose technology touches any part of your everyday
life is sure to change your view on some things once insider industry knowledge
has been obtained.
Before I started working at a company who manufacturers equipment for
the waste water treatment industry I never thought about where the cooking
grease goes after I pour it down the drain. Now I know the fats, oils, and
greases go into the waste water treatment system where these by-products cause
massive problems once the material re-solidifies.
I usually pour my used grease down the drain after running hot water on
the pan. Once down the drain the greasy substance was out of sight and, in my mind,
no longer my concern. The reality was the leftover product of my cooking would
become some else’s predicament. Frankly, I should have been aware that grease,
and any other fatty oil, does not disappear once melted. From my studies in
college I was well aware once cooled the oil would return to its gelatinous
form.
Frequent readers of this blog know I am a strong supporter of
alternative energy but in this instance I had fallen short of observing green living
practices. In short, I was not as green as I thought.
Maybe I should reach out to my locality and ask them about recycling
grease to use as biodiesel, in the same fashion plastics and organic materials are
recycled.
Until then since the placing my used grease in the trash does not seem
like a viable option, what should I do?
Image courtesy of fotalia.us
Friday, April 4, 2014
Why I would want a personal logo for myself by Tony Green
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| Tony Green logo |
A business logo is
the symbol which represents your company's identity. Its image will, over time,
become the most recognizable representation for your company. A logo is
designed to bring your company to a prospect or customer’s mind. The image
attempts to capture the essence of what the company is about.
Companies create
logos with the help of graphic artists under the direction of the marketing
department who manage their companies’ brand to ensure a constant message is
communicated, which with any luck will differentiate them from their
competitors.
Now think of the
concept on personal level. My thinking was a person represents an image to any
one he/she meets. Every person is their
own brand regardless if they realize it or not. In my case, I'm
technical/mathematical, but sharp, detailed and to the point with a clear
creative side. Why not try to create an image to describe what I am about?
Does my decision to
get a personal logo to put on my updated website as well as this blog seem a little
less crazy? More importantly, how did I
do?
Monday, March 31, 2014
A thought on volunteering by Tony Green
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| Image of volunteer |
One
of the largest obstacles for many people to volunteer as much as they would
like is the amount of time required in some non-profits. If you are employed
full-time or running a business, there are limits to the time available
regardless of how worthy a cause might be.
Once
a commendable organization is identified and the proper contacts are made after
a certain period of time the volunteer activities begin. The beginning or working with a non-profit often
start where you do not know anyone and, in many instances, a road-map of how to
complete the required tasks does not exist.
Once
the volunteer gets up to speed organizational issues similar to those at work
or in a family, in many cases, needs to be addressed, such as individual
agendas and personality clashes between members.
The
result is that over time the volunteer become less involved. Eventually the honeymoon” ends and after less
and less participation they drop out of site. Ultimately, more new volunteers
are required to replace the ones who have decided to do other activities with
their spare time. Why?
In
my view, the primary factor which keeps volunteers motivated and involved is
the feeling of being appreciated. Various methods exist for communicating
appreciation to a volunteer such as buying gifts or public recognition but
simplest way I have noticed is a sincere thank you.
In
the long term, more folks might be led to volunteer, which in the long terms
moves the cause forward, isn’t that why a person volunteers to begin with?
Image Courtesy of http://www.helplife.org
Image Courtesy of http://www.helplife.org
Saturday, March 15, 2014
The texting world we live in by Tony Green
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| My daughter texting as if there is no tomorrow |
Texting has become a very
convenient method of keeping in touch. Last year, I decided to purchase mobile
phones for my children in spite of the data charges I might incur on my phone
bill. I thought, as a responsible
parent, I should be able to communicate with them in real-time if needed.
After one of our typical texting
exchanges my daughter paid me a complement.
She mentioned the text messages I send to her were, for the most part,
grammatically correct. The interesting point was she was not trying to flatter
me in attempt for favors to be named later.
I told her this was by design. I
am of the belief that even when texting on a casual basis proper English should
be used. I explained to her complete
sentences are preferable regardless of if you are texting your friend, composing
an email or
writing an essay for an English class.
In my view, it is too easy,
especially when you are still learning the nuances of the written language, to
include these abbreviations in your professional /academic written
communications.
Perhaps, I am showing my age
since while I view myself as being technology savvy I still did not grow up in
the texting age. My only point is in the world we live in there are various
methods of messaging which depending on the time and place are appropriate. The
key is able to keep in mind when to use each communication method. JS. Or for those of use using proper English
and not texting vernacular, just saying.
Monday, February 3, 2014
It is what it is by Tony Green
Note:
this posting was intended to part of a blog based on my experiences as an
employee in a Japanese company which was never launched.
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| Image of Yen Note |
In a
past position my sales team and our CEO were discussing what the customer’s
reaction would be to an impending price increase and how we might present our
case so the higher cost was more palpable. At one point he said, “It is what it
is”.
Indeed,
there are instances in sales where it might be better not to try and spin the
situation and just be honest and work with your customer to get where you need
to go.
Most customers
appreciate when salespeople are being sincere with them even though they are
discussing unpleasant things. Conventional thought dictates getting the
ugliness out on the table benefits both parties.
From
my time as a gaijin employee the saying would need to be adjusted to be
consistent with reality. The perfect phrase escapes me but some ideas I had
were,” “It is what we would like it to be” or “It is what we think it should
be” or “It is what wanted it to be.”
When some
form of customer issue existed management wanted to ignore the issue hoping the
problem will go away. Stated another way, if a direction which been established
and the market place changes resulting in different tactics becoming
appropriate the inclination is to start the hoping things will work themselves
out.
While
this works on occasion typically it makes the long term solution more
difficult.
I
understand the concept of cultural difference and how entrenched these can be
at many companies, however, at the end of the day people are people and most folks
want to know the truth and have the facts presented in an upfront fashion. This
leads to identification of the true problem and begins the required dialog
ultimately generate solutions agreeable for both parties. The most important
party of all, our customer, would be included.
I have
learned from my brief time in sales a companies’ customers are the end game. In
the end, it is what it is. Isn’t that the way things should be?
Friday, January 10, 2014
ObamaCare – why are we forgetting this is about affordable health care? by Tony Green
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| Doctor examining young girl |
The first portion of the Affordable Healthcare Act or
ObamaCare was enacted a few months ago.
As designed, Americans without access to reasonably priced health
insurance can enroll with federal and state run insurance exchanges to select
plans where financial assistance is available to help cover the cost. In light of
bipartisan bickering people seem to overlook the reason the Affordable Health Care
Act was drafted and legislated. The reality is many people cannot access to
health care for themselves and their children. This, in the end, costs everyone
since medical providers are required to care for insured patients and in many
cases the expenses are absorbed by those who have health insurance.
Is health care a right? The rest of the world thinks so. Canada,
Australia, Europe and Japan all have national health insurance programs. Interestingly
enough, the exchanges which were recently rolled out are similar to the
Japanese systems on providing health care for its citizens.
Japan’s National Health insurance created in 1958 by its National
Health Care Act which was designed for people who are not eligible to be members
of any employment-based insurance programs. All Japanese citizens, permanent
residents, and any non-Japanese residing in Japan with a visa lasting one year
or longer are required to be enrolled.
The program is administered by local governments. Patients
are free to select physicians or facilities of their choice and cannot be
denied coverage. When the insured person uses a medical facility or hospital
which accepts the National Health insurance, the patient pays a portion of the
cost. The medical facility will then send invoices for the remaining amount to
the National Health Insurance Federation, which reviews and pays the medical
facility or hospital.
Hospitals, by law, must be run as non-profit and be managed
by physicians since for-profit corporations are not allowed to own or operate
hospitals.
The United States is
the single major power without universal basic health care for its citizens. The United States takes pride in being one of the world’s
most progressive thinking nations is the rest of the world entirely off base by
providing, at the least minimum health care at some for all of its citizens??
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Accountability vs. Responsibility by Tony Green
Note:
this posting was intended to part of a blog based on my experiences as an
employee in a Japanese company which was never launched.
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| Japanese businessman |
The
management in Japan clearly stated the expectation of meeting the goal of
penetrating our company’s products in the North America where currently we had
no market share. No Problem.
The
problem was the folks in charge did not tell me the entire decision making and
authority process would be based in Japan. The insight into the market place
which I was hired to provide is appreciated, however, the team leader makes the
call from the home office. Perhaps, I should have recognized a “gaijin employee”
like me would never be allowed to possess any true authority. In my own
defense, this was my first experience working for Japanese company.
In
many companies you are compelled to take instruction/direction from management.
My concern is what happens when all does not go according to plan? The foreigner
gets singled out that he was not doing his job and takes the “bullet” so the team
does not lose face.
I
think ultimately the issue comes down to accountability versus responsibility.
The expectation is you will manage our clients to where the business is
profitable while maintaining a satisfied customer. As the customer
representative your job is to make these activities happen. Responsible and
accountable. Keep in mind you have no decision making authority in managing the
specific accounts which you are responsible for. At least I am still
accountable. Seems quite fair to me.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Why have I been through so many jobs by Tony Green?
Yes, my resume lists the many jobs I have had since I
left the Navy over 13 years ago. I take some solace since, in many cases, I needed
to move on and obtain other positions sooner than later since my family relies
on me to keep the bills up to date. Through all of my professional turmoil I am
current with my mortgage; own both of my vehicles and my children are finished
with their braces. In another sense, I am embarrassed since, in many cases; if
you are laid off someone else has been chosen to keep around rather than you.
More ever when you interview for the next position no one asks the company why they let you go. You always need to explain why they should hire you.
My longest stint between positions was nine months which was
during the depth of the latest recession while my shortest lapse was six weeks
from leaving the previous position to my first day at the new job. I cannot
blame my previous employers in every case. Can I be at fault? Perhaps, or there
may be other factors out of my control.
During the interview process misrepresentations exist on
both sides. The interviewee is pressed to get back to work so a strong tendency
exists to tell the prospective employer what he/she wants to hear. On the other
hand, if I can be honest, the reasons the employer are looking to hire is to get
someone deal with tasks they would prefer not to deal with. Think of the issue
this way, if a boss had a function which he/she truly enjoyed would they be
thinking about bringing in someone else?
Therefore, it is of no surprise by the first ninety days on
the job after the employee gains a full understanding for what they were hired
for and the employer’s tactic to hide the true nature of the position has
resulted in disillusionment on both sides.
I wonder if my resume would look better having longer gaps
between positions and being employed at those positions for more time rather than
having held more positions with shorter terms of employment.
My sister once told me she believes the career I seek is
waiting for me. I think there is something out I am ideally suited for, a
destiny I am not fulfilling by passing through various positions with limited possibility
for growth. If only I didn’t need to
pay my mortgage every month. Perhaps, I could explore my full potential without
ignoring my responsibilities as a father and a husband. Will you hire me if she’s wrong and I never
find the perfect position?
Sunday, July 7, 2013
A trip on the bus by Tony Green
I was
getting my car serviced on a Sunday a few months ago and since my wife was working
I needed another way to pick up my car from the dealership once the maintenance
was complete. Then the thought came to
mind, why not use the public bus?
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| Open seats on a public bus |
As a child
in growing in Philadelphia, as in many large cities, people depended on the public
buses and subways to get from one place to another. Now
that live in the suburbs, which by nature is very spread out, having an
automobile is almost a requirement to getting where you need to go.
At any rate,
I checked on the Internet and found a bus route whose route happened to be
within a block of my house which stopped within walking distance of the
dealership. I walked to the bus stop well before the scheduled time of its arrival. I would later discover as a result of reading
the schedule incorrectly I missed a bus and had to wait another ½ hour until
the next bus arrived.
Once I sat
on the bus I remembered the annoyance of riding the bus from my childhood.
I recalled
instances when passengers would get on the bus with large bags of what appeared
to be junk. By the time the person hauled their gear onto the bus and paid
their fare – almost five minutes had elapsed only to pick up one passenger.
Another
thing which boggled my mind was, in my view, if I planned to take a bus I would
make sure I know what the fare would be BEFORE I boarded. First you get the
clueless look and after the bus driver would inform the prospective rider what
the fare would be the person would gather what available change was in the various
pockets of her jacket. I almost felt compelled to give the person a dollar to
cover her fare just to get the damned bus moving.
Finally,
during certain portions of the bus route which went through heavy traffic. What
was the end result? The bus moved at a snail’s pace along the street which the
pedestrians walking on the sidewalk made better progress.
Once I
returned home in my newly serviced car, after having wasted half of the
afternoon, I came to the conclusion driving may not be best way of commuting in
all cases but in certain instances , especially this one, the public bus may
not be the way to go either.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
My last Undokai by Tony Green
 |
| Undokai flags |
For
the last few years on the first Saturday in June I have participated in the
traditional Japanese sports day known as undokai, For the last few years on the first Saturday in June I have participated in the traditional Japanese sports day known as undokai, ιεδΌ. Attendance is one a requirement since my daughter attends the Hoshiko Japanese school. The school, which is held every Saturday during the fall and spring, is designed to enable its students, many of which are the children of Japanese citizens living in the U.S., to read, speak and write Japanese at a native level.
The “undokai” is traditionally held on a Saturday or Sunday morning. The children are the primary participants, but their parents and friends attend in order to enjoy the experience. During the weeks proceeding the sports day, the students practice their events with the intention of showing off their prowess to their loved ones.
Since I was not participating in the events my job was to arrive early enough to reserve the spot within close proximity field where the event would occur. In addition, I pitched a tent and ensured the box lunches (bento) are ready for lunch.
The morning events began after the opening ceremonies are completed. After engaging in casual conversation with some on the other parents I used the opportunity to brush up on some on Japanese grammar all while being immersed in the various side conversations which were taking place in Japanese. I should mention I did take a moment to observe my daughter participate in one of the races where four children are paired off and run one lap around the track, with more of a focus on competition than winning and losing.
The break occurred at lunch where all of the parties take time to eat the carefully prepared bento lunches.
In the afternoon, I finally got a chance to actively participate taking part in the tug-of-war and a race where four people, two facing forward and the other two facing backwards hold two poles and raced as a team. The key was to ensure all four people kept in step which other which is easier said than done since the two of the people are looking in the opposite directions are not able to see each other. This year the race wound up being successful since we did not fall down in a heap like last year in the grass as the other teams raced past.
After a long day of events all was well with the exception of one child who received a bloody nose during one of the competitions.
Since my daughter would be moving on to junior high next year this would be my last undokai. All told it was a long day after working all week but the opportunity to experience a true piece of Japan in San Jose all without having to endure the long flight was well worth it.
Attendance is one a
requirement since
my daughter attends the Hoshiko Japanese school. The school, which is held
every Saturday during the fall and spring, is designed to enable its students,
many of which are the children of Japanese citizens living in the U.S., to read,
speak and write Japanese at a native level.
The “undokai” is traditionally held on a Saturday or Sunday
morning. The children are the primary
participants, but their parents and friends attend in order to enjoy the
experience. During the weeks proceeding
the sports day, the students practice their events with the intention of showing
off their prowess to their loved ones.
Since
I was not participating in the events my job was to arrive early enough to reserve
the spot within close proximity field where the event would occur. In addition,
I pitched a tent and ensured the box lunches (bento) are ready for lunch.
The
morning events began after the opening ceremonies are completed. After engaging
in casual conversation with some on the other parents I used the opportunity to
brush up on some on Japanese grammar all while being immersed in the various
side conversations which were taking place in Japanese. I should mention I did
take a moment to observe my daughter participate in one of the races where four
children are paired off and run one lap around the track, with more of a focus
on competition than winning and losing.
The
break occurred at lunch where all of the parties take time to eat the carefully
prepared bento lunches.
In
the afternoon, I finally got a chance to actively participate taking part in the
tug-of-war and a race where four people, two facing forward and the
other two facing backwards hold two poles and raced as a team. The key was to
ensure all four people kept in step which other which is easier said than done
since the two of the people are looking in the opposite directions are not able
to see each other. This year the race wound up being successful since we did
not fall down in a heap like last year in the grass as the other teams raced
past.
After
a long day of events all was well with the exception of one child who received
a bloody nose during one of the competitions.
Since
my daughter would be moving on to junior high next year this would be my last
undokai. All told it was a long day after working all week but the opportunity to
experience a true piece of Japan in San Jose all without having to endure the
long flight was well worth it.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Discussing Table Topics on a Monday over lunch by Tony Green
In order to
polish my speaking skills I recently joined my local Livermore, California
Toastmaster chapter. On most occasions
at the beginning of the meeting the person acting as Toastmaster goes through
the assignments of the roles the attendees will perform during the meeting.
Since there
no formal speeches planned for this meeting the Toastmaster decided to go with
Table Topics which are topics on which you speak 1 ½ to two minutes off the
cuff. Today’s topics were current events and groundbreaking technologies which
have the possibility to change the future.
 |
| Ribbon cutting at Livermore Lunch Bunch Toastmasters |
The “current
event” portion opened with the recent story of the “blade runner“, the Olympic
athlete who had recently murdered his girlfriend. The next person talked about
Michael Jordan’s comeback and the OSCARS while the next person spoke about
Jimmy Carter in San Francisco and touched on the ARGO movie. The next participant spoke about Gun Control
and the killing of Charles Doerner Nick from Seattle. The next presenter
continued with the current event theme talking a subscription fee which was
being implemented or a web site that he had logged regularly for free in the
past. The topics changed to upcoming
changes in technology which led to a discussion of space mining of rare metals
and later nanotechnology. I piggy backed on the dialogue of nanotechnology by
explaining about the relation nanotechnology and how the size of the particle
related to the novel properties which could be created. The next speaker
started her chat with the words, ”Imagine a world” and touched on quick
transport ,using cargo airplane and
talked about the possible impact in our lives .
The last speaker was a new visitor chatted about finding a new passion.
In summary, one of the more senior members stated of “practicing talking to
people” is what Toastmasters was about.
We left 45
minutes after we arrived. The whole idea of Toastmasters is to use the
opportunity to practice your speaking skills. The reasoning is any time you work
to develop any skill on a regular basis over time improvement will occur. Mission accomplished. Every town has a local
Toastmaster section. Check it out if you get the chance. You’ll be glad you
did.
Photo Courtesy of http://www.toastmastersclubs.org
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