What is appropriate when it comes to hugging? It is complicated and potentially risky to invade the space of others. I am wondering if a prominently displayed pin with a emoji could help – of course the international red circle and cross would mean a hand shake or a head nod may be in order. I picked Hank up this week after school and he and his classmates were showing me the book about Hugs they read. We went out to the playground to see the new equipment and Hank was ready to go. One of his boy classmates screamed “huggie” next thing I knew the entire class was in a circle of hugs chanting “Hank don’t go”! I can’t tell you if his red cheeks were from the swimming pool or a bit of embarrassment but it was great to witness. The next day Hank was very anxious to go back to school. The kids have this issue under control while I am of the opinion that I best be “Biden” my time while I determine best practices in spacial relations.
I watched an interview this week with a college Professor discussing the impacts of climate change. There are many recent frightening reports that should be heightening our anxiety and sense of urgency for our planet. Her concern is that Science has lost credibility in the face of the current political discourse. The Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, measured carbon dioxide levels at 415 parts per million last week. This is the highest level recorded there since analysis began in 1958. Oh and by the way, it is 100 points higher than any point in the roughly 800,000 years for which scientist have data on global CO2. Popular Science reports it is 40% higher than ever in human history. That measurement “directly correlates with issues like global temperature and is further proof that humans are changing the environment at an unprecedented rate”. If you go the bottom of the Marianna Trench in the Pacific Ocean, deeper than the top of Mount Everest, you are not likely find the lost city of Atlantis or a prehistoric creature. Victor Vescovo descended to 35,853 feet in a special submarine and discovered what appears to be garbage – no surprise it is plastic. I guess it is important that we push toward Space again, with the goal of putting a woman on the lunar surface for the first time. I believe most women would encourage us to clean up our own house first.
As a reminder, “science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about our universe.” Wikipedia. I am encouraged that we may be returning to solid science and facts to direct our focus. “There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew.” Marshal McLuhan
Enjoy the week end. Mike