A writer's Random ramblings
Oh, no! The solar eclipse is almost here, and I don’t have the special glasses to view it. What do I do now? Is there even a home remedy for this, considering I don’t plan to stare at the entire event?
Yes, if you have some solar film. I used Gila window film, found in the hardware store and generally used on homes to cut down glare. I cut a small rectangular piece to place over the camera of my cell phone, and a larger one for the telephoto lens of my Pentax K-50. The former one I placed under the protective case of the phone. As for the camera, I needed to hold that piece of film in place with a rubber band. Only one corner of the film came loose and needed to be pushed back under the rubber band once during the entire two hours I remained outside photographing the solar event. This allowed me to take short looks through the lens of whichever instrument I chose to use. I only looked long enough to be sure the sun appeared in the middle of the frame. Then, I looked away while pressing the shutter in rapid succession. This bracketing process allowed me to capture several hundred images. Having this many allows me to show the event before the moon covered the sun, during the 80% coverage in my area, and afterwards. In some photos, we can see the various planets that normally do not appear during the day, while others show simply the various crescents of the moon travelling across the sun’s face. I even achieved some artistic interpretations, where the outline of the camera’s telephoto lens can be seen framing the sky around the eclipse. My daughters and I also tried more conventional ways of trying to view shadows of the eclipse. However, we could not find the proper angle to aim the shadows from the sky to our sidewalk. We tried a colander and the hole in a lid method mentioned on television to no avail. For this reason, I found myself glad that the window film over the various lenses yielded useful photos. Right after looking through the film, I was even able to come inside and look at the photographs on my computer screen without problems. Now, I have both my sight and pictures of how an eclipse happens to use in helping people learn about the event. Thus, although doctors and other experts may not recommend it, the photographer in a pinch can use “home remedies” to capture a solar eclipse. Even in areas where it does not appear total, solar window film can provide sight-saving shade. Simple techniques such as cutting small squares of this to cover a lens gives one a chance to observe using technology something many may never experience. Celestial events such as solar eclipses can then inspire more generations to enter scientific professions such as astronomy and weather forecasting.
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When we call it history, we must learn every context and nuance of it. Revising “offensive” events and people from its hallowed halls takes away from our ability to do so. Recently, many places seek to appease various groups by taking away statues and other artifacts that people need to evoke these lessons. How else do we plan to teach recent immigrants and the next generation?
Many times, as 2017 news states, cities and towns across nations of the world seek peace rather than education. Here in the United states, even Southern cities remove such monuments to appease various groups. This dulls society’s ability to learn about the Civil War (1861-1865) outside of sanitized lessons in school. Everyone loses in this case, as history proves time and again that those deprived of learning its lessons do the same as those who set the lessons. How many times throughout history classes have students witnessed patterns of power and disagreement creating war and other socioeconomic difficulties in humanity’s existence? Why not have statues and museums where they can learn all of the influences that make society what it is and not only sanitized versions of our story? Of course, leaving statues in their original positions allows the most people to learn from them. Responsible cities and towns can leave leaders of movements where artists originally put them. When historians add plaques with the proper context, all may learn what they need to know. Perhaps the plaques could also mention addresses or websites where visitors can find more information. By seeking this “more,” the curious can learn to spread important lessons. Such curiosity can inspire new generations to become historians and teachers for those who come after them. At the moment, Civil War battlefield sites in Maryland and Pennsylvania seem to have the best handle on leaving the statues alone. This shows their commitment to teaching others through the information available at the locations and the expertise of the park rangers and historians. To continue these ideals, schools need to bring those studying the history to the locations. If distance does not permit this, or weather stalls a trip, why not use technology to beam in the lesson? Skype and close-circuit television can allow people to see the site from afar. The experts at the site can tour the group to all of the monuments and statues, explaining them as they would in person. Then, they could recommend more resources for students to write a paper on the experience, as they might in person. Cities and other places with statues deemed “unfit” for the public could send them to museums dedicated to the era represented by the statues. That way, people could still visit and learn important lessons from these artifacts whether or not they attend school or are able to visit a historical site. Museums fill this role by existing in places far from the locations of seminal events and allowing more experts to work in the field. By adding these ideas, we can better educate our world. Through better education, we can learn to achieve inclusivity and understand of diverse points of view without resorting to revisionism. Society cannot operate and educate without citizens who see how all historical events combine to bring us to where we are today. In both my own experience of education and observing my children’s, I have noticed techniques that keep them engaged in long term projects. The best teachers and educational programs do this by combining methods of learning. A little creativity always goes a long way to making sure projects get done.
Such learning needs to begin at an early age. Children during our age of technology can do this most easily. Schools can integrate technology, business oriented ways of presenting information, and the arts quite easily. Children now use computers and tablets to make slideshows of the informative, research-driven side of a project. In useful terms, this occurs at Fountaindale Elementary School in the second grade magnet learning program. Youngsters pick a natural disaster to learn about and do research the traditional way. They read books and articles, found either in the library or online. From there, they pick either a traditional style poster or a computerized slideshow done in one of several programs to present any maps, photos, and relevant points to the class. This helps the youngsters learn whether they prefer making presentations with or without technology. It may even propel some into business or teaching careers should they enjoy the techniques of preparing and presenting information. This project also, since the school focuses on integrating the arts into all aspects of learning, has an arts side to it. This appeals to different children in different ways. Each one picks from song, dance, musical composition, visual arts, theatre, or writing to express the project theme. This, naturally, can also involve computer use. Some will write poetry or stories on a words processor, or compose original music on a program for that. Others may use the computer to combine pieces of music for a dance or theatre program to present what they have learned. The acting or dancing of the natural disaster theme will help it stick in the young mind of an arts student. Of course, many students will bounce between several types of art in figuring out how to communicate the scope of the disaster in the report. This will benefit the child by helping her or him learn to which art forms he or she has the greatest draw. Older students in history or literature based courses can also use creative projects to their advantage. They can write papers or slideshows alongside the project detailing how they came upon the idea. For example, the student can learn psychology in finding out why a person started a certain historical movement or what motivated a book character to act as he or she did. A short paper on one of these ideas could take the form of a creatively set up memo from the desk of the character’s psychologist. Setting up a project like this shows that the student really understands the character. Others in the class may want to act out a scene from the story, in their own words or set to some music representative of the time from which the even or literature comes. Dancing, singing, and acting can all go hand in hand toward showing understanding of the times, while a paper explaining the choices involved would make this option more academic. Visual art students can paint or sculpt a piece representative of the times, then write a museum style description of what the art object is and how it stands for the culture of the time. These ideas work for English, social studies, and foreign language classes to bring curiosity back to the learning arena in which it belongs. For these reasons, art integration works well in education. The arts need to find their way back to all of society, beginning at the earliest ages. Making education arts and technology integrated will help our young people find themselves more easily, and possibly nail down their future careers. Another almost but not quite grocery day? Bored and looking for more ideas? Even when the kitchen’s running close to empty, a few basic items can become a meal without a lot of stress.
For homes with macaroni and cheese fans, sauce comes more simply than many realize. When butter and flour have run out, cheese sauce takes only 2 ingredients. Those who keep any sharply flavored cheese and whole milk on hand have the luck here. Heat 2 cups of the whole milk to almost boiling so it thickens. Then, add one 2-cup bag of sharp cheddar, Mexican, or mac and cheese blend slowly, stirring constantly to melt the cheese. This will make the cheese appear stringy at first. Almost traditional tasting macaroni and cheese comes when the cook stirs in a pound of cooked pasta in the family’s favorite shape. It can turn into casseroles by adding any cooked proteins or vegetables the family desires. This cheese sauce can also top hot dogs, vegetables, or anything else one coats in cheese. After stirring in the other ingredients, the resulting dishes also freeze well to use as quick meals at later dates. Is it time to run the slow cooker? That works for small ingredient list cooking as well. With only some beans of any type, a little ketchup, barbeque sauce, and hot dogs, burger meat, chicken, or pork, dinner can bet set and cook itself while people do other tasks. Simply place the protein, even if it is frozen, in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour in two 15-ounce cans of whatever beans are available. Mix one cup of ketchup into about 3 of barbeque sauce, and add hot sauce to taste. Set the slow cooker to Low, and in about 5 hours, a no-hassle casserole awaits. Ever wonder about breakfast? Those who make homemade waffles, pancakes, and other such items can easily adapt to family flavors or empty-fridge days. When flour runs slightly low, substitute in ¼ cup of any type of cocoa or carob powder. Low-oil days call for some thawed shredded zucchini or carrot, even in a dessert cake. Thinking more of a sweet or fruity flavor in the waffles or pancakes? Try replacing one cup of the milk or water with syrup or melted jam. Anything goes from strawberry or peach preserves or jam to caramel or chocolate syrup. Should the spice rack have a larger abundance, add in some cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla to the mix, or even chocolate chips, sprinkles, or dried fruit for a fun element, especially for kids. Thus, even the cook whose kitchen runs low can feed the family. Trying new combinations can be a fun way of bringing nutrition to loved ones. Knowing such simple ways of doing things also prevents stress and brings people together. After all, isn’t that what home cooking is all about? |
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June 2020
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