ON PURELY CHASTE, PRISTINE AND RANDOM THOUGHTS XXV

September 1, 2017

Sorry, but it’s time for another “random ramblings.” Here are two dozen one-liners to celebrate the silver anniversary of the “random ramblings.”

  • Just finished reading Chernow’s  Alexander Hamilton.   I recommend it.
  • Prior to “Hamilton,” I read The Last Chicago Cubs Dynasty by Hal Bock. This 2017 book is a must if you are a baseball fan. Incidentally, Hal is an East Williston resident.
  • I really miss Bill O’Reilly. His show was fair, impartial, interesting, informative and entertaining.
  • Defense plays second fiddle to offense in nearly every sport, particularly basketball.
  • I’ve become a fan of TCM (Turner Classic Movies). Can I attribute this to old age?
  • Traveling is no longer fun. Florida is the only place I look forward to going to.
  • Terry Collins (Mets) is unquestionably the worst manager in baseball. Maybe the Mets can lose the rest of their games and management will get wise and fire Collins.
  • The USEPA has thankfully come to its senses about global warming…or is it climate change?
  • A second edition of Basketball Coaching 101 is in the works and it will unveil my umbrella offense.
  • Just returned from our annual Easter visit to Sarasota, Florida. It was our 40th straight year of vacationing at the fabulous Sandcastle Resort. Unfortunately, I fractured a vertebrae slipping in the bathroom.
  • Planned on attending the Annual International Air & Waste Management Association (AWMA) Conference in Pittsburgh in June. It would have been my 50th consecutive year in a row of either presenting a technical paper or giving a seminar, or both. Unfortunately, the fractured vertebrae eliminated my travel plans.
  • Just celebrated Mary’s 50th wedding anniversary. Planned on visiting Ireland again to also celebrate Mary’s family reunion. Unfortunately, Mary fractured her femur which eliminated all travel plans. Not the best of summers for the Theodore clan.
  • Noted sports historian Arthur Lovely celebrated his 89th birthday this past April 23rd at the 4½ star restaurant L’Econtra in Astoria. The party of 8 included handsome (that’s yours truly), the irrepressible Danny Doyle, Ed “The Glider” Charles of the fabulous 1972 Mets, and TV fight analyst/former boxer Tommy Gallagher.
  • The indifference and incompetence of government officials continues to amaze me – particularly here in Nassau County.
  • The indifference and incompetence of government employees also never cease to amaze me; I could write an article on my experience with the USEPA and the Albertson Post Office.
  • I keep preaching that defense is as important as offense in basketball, and all my “expert” friends keep agreeing with me. But do they really? Other than Bill Russell (and possibly Dennis Rodman), name one Hall of Famer in Springfield who was selected for his defensive play.
  • Capitalism (along with democracy) is what has made our nation great. But there are times when capitalism has to be harnessed for the common good.
  • Liberty and freedom? Somehow, there is need to balance these against anarchy and disorder.
  • Manufacturing runs has become a lost art in baseball. Everyone is trying to hit a home run.
  • Every batter who regularly faces the infield “shift” should be required to learn how to hit to the opposite field.
  • Lost another of our gang – Zack Mehale. He was one of the good guys who made us laugh and who everybody loved. We’ve become depleted; there’s only a handful of us left.
  • Visited Saratoga in late August (my 61st straight summer visit) – NYRA’s THE place to be if you want to get ripped off. And what does that say about me?
  • A couple of people complained about my June 1 article titled “On Great Eats.”
  • I hope most of you read Ron Roel’s ACT 2 Page three page feature article about me in Newsday on June 25th. It modestly describes my successes during my illustrious career, more in next month’s posting.

 

Once again, this is the silver anniversary edition of the “random ramblings.” Thanks are due to friends, relatives, colleagues, etc., for their interest and support for this unique category of article; my indebtedness is also extended to those individuals in this group who are currently incarcerated or institutionalized.

 

Visit the author on his Facebook page Basketball Coaching 101

 

NEXT POSTINGS:

OCTOBER:                 On Newsday’s June 25 Act 2 Article

NOVEMBER:             On Barack Hussein Obama (Revisited) VI

DECEMBER:             On 2017-2018 Hofstra Men’s Basketball

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ON THE EAST WILLISTON SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET VOTE

May 1, 2017

May 1, 2017

Here is my opening paragraph from last year’s newsletter on the budget vote:

“East Williston School District (EWSD) residents are annually requested to vote on a school budget and this year is no exception. Each voting member of the community will have an opportunity to either vote for or against the budget. Every parent, every senior, every taxpayer, and every youngster of voting age should consider voting NO on the budget. Why? Two reasons come to mind:  (A) Waste and (B) Senior Citizen Exploitation.”

 

I then proceeded to provide detailed comments on both above reasons which was followed by detailed proposed solutions to both problems. Guess what?  I not only didn’t hear from anyone but I also received no acknowledgements of my proposal. Isn’t this just great? I’m a taxpayer with no voice. You can thank Kamberg and his brood, Kanas, the teachers, the teachers’ union, and, of course, the pitiful PTO, for this sorry state of affairs. And, let’s not forget that it was the Bergtraum (incompetence)/Israel (greed) era that started the EWSD’s decline.

 

In any event, here’s what’s coming down. Per capita student cost is up (>$36,000). Enrollment is down. Hiring is up. School ranking is down. Student performance is down. College choice for students almost certainly is down. Waste has increased. Senior exploitation has increased. Student/parent exploitation has increased. You want proof? Try to FOIL these parasites in control for information. You’ll get what I got…NOTHING! What a wonderful state of affairs.

 

The community should be aware of the EW Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) 3/22/17 report to the EWSD Board of Trustees. I’ll spare you the details but here are the six FAC’s specific spending recommendations.

 

  1. Adapt recommendations to fund Program, Administration & Capital efficiencies
  2. Develop a framework to measure student achievement/investment
  3. Wages: take steps to continue to limit wage growth
  4. Healthcare: Increase employee contributions/eliminate opt-out
  5. Place a moratorium on contractual lifetime healthcare benefits
  6. Review opportunities to increase non-tax revenue

 

But, here’s the key.  Buried early in the report is “The Board has the responsibility and discretion to implement the FAC’s recommendations.”  Translated into simple English: they can, and will, ignore the recommendations as they have done in the past (I’ll comment on their action next year).

 

Regarding (1), the word efficiency is not in the Board’s vocabulary.  The teachers and their union have always opposed (2). The teachers and their union, the PTA, the Board, and Superintendent Kanas oppose (3). Obviously, the teachers and their union plus their stooges oppose (4) and (5).  Point (6) is a great recommendation that could be implemented by the brain trust in the FAC, but with teachers and their union, the PTA, Superintendent Kanas, and (in particular) the Board, there resides a group that is clueless on business/financial matters. Obviously, not a good situation since the FAC has wasted its time.

 

Here are my comments on reading the FAC report for the year 2017.

 

  • The District’s reputation is understandably on the decline (see later paragraph).
  • Tenure has created many of the problems. These positions should only last 5-years but can be extended if the individual has continued to demonstrate the freshness and enthusiasm of the early years of teaching. You know the teachers would never embrace this recommendation.
  • Need to spend time on converting thoughtless children to caring and thinking individuals.
  • Generate better relationships with students in order for them to maintain lifelong ties to the EWSD.
  • Teacher/community relations are at an all-time low.
  • I believe the rumors that all school boards have adopted illegal practices to undermine the school tax cap.
  • For goodness sake, do something positive about the WASTE.

 

The landscape has changed. My experience suggests that today’s students leave high school more aware of what they want to do and what they hope to accomplish in the future. Nobody I know feels the EWSD is doing enough to adjust to this change.

 

I’ll close with some general thoughts. The EWSD continues to do damage to our community with both excessive waste (particularly at the administration level) and indifference toward the taxpayer (particularly with seniors). Increasing numbers of incoming high school students are opting out of Wheatley in favor of private schools. This “migration” has gone uncontested by the Board-perhaps for good reason. The mode of delivery of education is changing, and changing at a near exponential rate, at all levels – and the EWSD has not attempted to adopt to these changes. I have been involved with several programs that have reduced or essentially eliminated the need for teachers. There is a need for accountability for not only these upstart programs but also for traditional programs such as at Wheatley. Unfortunately, there is little to no accountability at Wheatley. To further exacerbate this point, the EWSD teachers count has increased despite the drop in enrollment. On the positive side, I believe absenteeism has decreased; although there are more cars in the North Side parking lot, there is less of a reduction of cars on Monday and Friday. Finally, I stand by my earlier statements that at least two members of the Board simply cannot be trusted; the Community should not expect them to act in the best interests of the students and taxpayers.

 

You don’t have to believe me regarding much of the above material.  Here is the 4/25/2017 Newsday headline:  “7 LI Schools in the Top 200.”  Guess who didn’t make the top 200 nationally.  Guess who also didn’t make the top 50 statewide (there were 14 LI schools who did).  We also didn’t make the top 100 STEM schools in the state.  These are the FACTS, and the numbers don’t lie.  And yet, many of the uniformed parents refuse to accept that the self-serving EWSD Board, the teachers, the PTA, etc., have failed and betrayed both the students and the community.

 

 

Remember, it’s OK to vote NO on the budget. A NO vote represents a call for better education for our students, fair and responsible treatment of seniors, a call for new leadership for both the Board and the District, and a rejection of the corrupt self-serving policies currently in place.

 

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com or on his Facebook page at Basketball Coaching 101

 

NEXT POSTINGS:

 

JUNE 1:                      On Great Eats II

JULY 1:                      On Six Months Later

AUGUST 1:                On Purely Chaste, Pristine and Random Thoughts XXV

 


ON THE DELPHI PANEL

June 1, 2023

June 1, 2023

Delphi? A city in Greece? Yep. But this isn’t about a city in Greece. It’s about a unique and simple way to solve complex problems. So, this article is for all the readers, not just my people. And please, stay with me on this one.

Let’s start with Delphi. It was a town in ancient Greece and site of a celebrated oracle of the god Apollo and Earth goddess Gaea, situated on the slope of Mount Parnassus, about six miles inland from the Gulf of Corinth and considered by the ancient Greeks to be the center of the earth. According to mythology, Apollo defeated the monstrous serpent Python that guarded Gaea and expelled her from the sanctuary, which he then shared with the god Dionysus. The priests at Delphi developed an elaborate ritual, centered on a chief priestess called Pythia. Her utterances (often with multiple meanings) were regarded as the words of Apollo, and the oracle was consulted by private citizens and public officials alike for solutions to various social, business, personal, military, etc., problems.

The Delphi Panel Approach (DPA) has its origin based – there are numerous versions – on the aforementioned oracle at Delphi in Greece (home of the author’s ancestors) that foretold the future. It is rumored that Alexander the Great violated the sacredness of Delphi by forcing Pythia to relent and provide the answer he desired. Since the middle of the late century, this method has been employed by a host of technical individuals – including your author – to solve complex analytical problems. Your author has modestly referred to it as the Theodore Panel Approach; most others refer to it as the aforementioned Delphi Panel Approach.

Here is how it works. Consider a complex risk calculation. At the simplest level, a group of experts are brought together to discuss a risk valuation in order to reach a consensus as to its most appropriate value. The procedure is iterative, with feedback between iterations and involves five steps once the experts have been chosen. These five steps are as follows:

  1. Select, in isolation, independent estimates of the risk and reasons for justification for the selected value.
  2. Provide the initial results and reasons of each expert to the other experts.
  3. Allow each expert to revise his or her initial estimate and provide the reasoning for any change to the initial value.
  4. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 until a “consensus” value is approached.
  5. Use the average of the final estimates as the best estimate of the risk.

In effect, the experts get locked in separate rooms, providing independent judgements, until some approach to convergence is achieved. Naturally, the experts (panelists) must be willing to share their knowledge, experience, and information with each other if this effort is to be successful. The experts are usually given at least one opportunity to reevaluate their original solution based upon an examination of the other group member’s response. The approach does not lend itself to precise analytical techniques but benefits from subjective judgements on a collective basis; Time and cost can make frequent group meetings unfeasible, but the efficiency of face-to-face meetings can be increased by a supplemental group communication process.

A more recent approach replaces the panel members to a large degree by a computer which has been programmed to carry out the compilation of the panel results. This has the advantage of eliminating the delay caused in summarizing the results of each round from the panel, thereby turning the process into a near real-time communications system.

There are a host of present and past applications. A partial list is provided below.

  1. Generating current and historical data not accurately known or available
  2. Exploring urban and regional planning options
  3. Delineating the pros and cons associated with potential policy options
  4. Developing relationships in complex economic or social phenomena
  5. Obtaining priorities of personal values
  6. Obtaining priorities of social goals
  7. Quantifying budget allocations
  8. Justifying budget allocations
  9. Obtain priorities of military options

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. How about an example of the DPA? Here’s one that might presently be under consideration at the Pentagon. It concerns the monitoring tension(s) between the US and China. The military would like information on the probability China will launch a surprise nuclear attack on us. Obviously, there is no data, no past history, no source, and no references to refer to. What to do??? Hello DPA!

Here is another example. Both China (more recently) and NASA now claim that water is in a relatively pure state on Mars. The question we need answered is (because of potable water problems existing on planet Earth): provide a best estimate of the quantity of water on Mars. Once again, hello DPA!

Can you think of an application that applies to you (the reader)?

To summarize, the Delphi approach may be characterized as a method for structuring a group communication process so that the process is effective in allowing a group of individuals, as a whole, to deal and solve a complex problem.

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

and

Basketball Coaching 101 @ Facebook

NEXT POSTINGS

JULY 1:                      On Purely, Chaste, Random, Pristine Thoughts XXXII

AUGUST 1:                On a Broadway Musical Play Revisited

SEPTEMBER 1:         On Technical Writing

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IT’S INTERVIEW TIME

May 1, 2023

May 1, 2023

Many of the younger set in my reading audience are now fast approaching crunch time regarding employment. In effect, it’s job time.

Over the years, my students have often asked for advice on employment and careers. My response to them centers on four questions:

  1. What are you looking for?
  2. What is the company looking for?
  3. What about the interview?
  4. What is needed to succeed?

Each of these questions are briefly addressed below, with more extensive information provided for (3).

Regarding (1), only you can answer this question. The applicant / student should know something about what he/she wants for the job. Quite frankly, I find it difficult for anyone to really expect a youngster to know what they really want regarding a job or career.

Here are a few tips on what might help you land the job (2&3)… perhaps of your dreams.

  1. It is important to prepare an impressive and up-to-date resume that truly reflects you. Put your best foot forward, and don’t lie. Exaggerate? Be careful. Shield the truth? Perhaps, but definitely don’t lie.
  2. Prepare for the interview by researching the company. Check them out on their website or review an annual report. This will enable you to ask informed questions during the interview.
  3. Attire is important, so dress appropriately.
  4. The interview does not begin when you meet the interviewer; it begins earlier at the front door.
  5. Turn your cellphone off and avoid texting and phone conversations earlier while in a waiting room.
  6. If you are shown into a room to meet the interviewer, wait for the interviewer to tell you where to sit. Remain standing until the interviewer sits. Don’t plop your feet on the interviewer’s desk and start picking your nose or ear(s).
  7. Stand up to greet anyone you subsequently meet and shake hands confidently.
  8. During the interview, sit on the edge of the chair and lean forward slightly to let the interviewer know you are attentive.
  9. Thank the interviewer for his/her time and shake hands before leaving.
  10. During the interview meal, generally follow the interviewer’s lead. Place your napkin in your lap and begin eating when the interviewer does.
  11. Start with the utensils on the outside and work your way in toward the plate.
  12. Order something familiar that is neat as opposed to messy.
  13. Taste the food before seasoning.
  14. Keep on the same eating pace with your interviewer.
  15. Do not mix food on your plate into a pile of hash.
  16. Do not order alcohol if your interviewer does not.
  17. Be extra courteous to the waiter and busboy.

As the old saying goes, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression,” so make the most of it. Prepare and rehearse for the interview. I also believe it is appropriate to either send the recruiter a thank you letter or follow with a call or e-mail the following day.

Well, what about (4). Over the years, I had the privilege of maintaining close social and professional ties with many of my successful graduates in our profession. In thinking about what character traits likely contributed to their success, I found the following to be the most common.

  1. Communication abilities.
  2. Appearance.
  3. Self-awareness.
  4. Self-regulation.
  5. Self-motivation.
  6. Empathy.
  7. Social Skills.
  8. Creative leaders have an ability to innovate and “think outside the box.”
  9. Self-depreciation.
  10. Action-oriented is most important; leaders are doers and have an ability to make things happen, even when the odds are stacked against them.

Interestingly, I have found that technical ability (or the equivalent) and GPA (Grade Point Average) correlate weakly with successful leaders.

I close with a tale that appeared in a number of my earlier publications, one authored by a former student, Anthony J. Buonicore. The moral of the tale may register with a few of the readers concerned with their future.

One stormy night many years ago, an el­derly man and his wife entered the lobby of a small hotel in Philadelphia. Trying to get out of the rain, the couple approached the front desk hoping to get shelter for the night.

“Could you possibly give us a room here?” the man asked. The clerk, a friendly man with a winning smile, explained that there were three conventions in town.

“All of our rooms are taken,” the clerk said. “But I can’t send a nice couple like you into the rain at one o’clock in the morning. Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It’s not exactly a suite, but it will be good enough to make you folks comfortable for the night.”

When the couple declined, the young man pressed on. “Don’t worry about me; I’ll make out just fine,” the clerk told them. So, the couple agreed.

As he paid the bill the next morning, the elderly man said to the clerk; “You are the kind of manager who should be the boss of the best hotel in the country.” The clerk looked at them and smiled. As they drove away, the elderly couple agreed that the helpful clerk was indeed exceptional.

Two years passed. The clerk had almost for­gotten the incident when he received a letter from the old man. It recalled the stormy night and enclosed a round-trip ticket to New York, asking the young man to pay them a visit.

The old man met him at a corner in New York City. He then pointed to a great new building, a palace of reddish stone, with tur­rets, and watchtowers thrusting up to the sky. “That,” said the old man, “is the hotel I have just built for you to manage.” “You must be joking,” the clerk said. “I can assure you I am not,” said the old man.

The old man’s name was William Waldorf-Astoria, and the magnificent structure he built was the Waldorf-Astoria hotel. The young clerk who became its first manager was George C. Boldt. The clerk never foresaw the turn of events that would lead him to become the man­ager of one of the world’s most glamorous ho­tels.

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

and

Basketball Coaching 101 on Facebook

NEXT POSTINGS

JUNE 1:                      On the Delphi Method

JULY 1:                      On a Broadway Musical Play Revisited

AUGUST 1:                On Purely, Chaste, Random, Pristine Thoughts XXXII

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ON NAMES AND NICKNAMES

April 1, 2023

April 1, 2023 

Nearly 20 years to the day, I penned an article titled “On Names and Nicknames.” I think we all know what a name is. But a nickname? Here what Webster has to say:” a name given instead of the one belonging to a person, place, or thing, usually descriptive and given in sports … to misname.”.

In any event, and to be sure, names and nicknames have always fascinated me. Their origin and ability to survive the test of time is a tribute to the importance we place on names. Some are shocking, some simply do not make sense, and others are as appropriate as one would expect. Take my last name for starters: Theodore. It is a Greek name that means “gift of God.” I have told my wife Mary on numerous occasions that a loose interpretation of the name is “God’s gift to women.” I will pass on her comment.

At the local level, many of my neighbors live in either Williston Park or East Williston. Now, East Williston has several parks, but I am still trying to find a park in Williston Park, although I am told there are some.

There are also names associated with other towns, cities and village, Here’s a few in our country: Boring (Oregon), Bland (Missouri), Pray (Montana), Due West (Georgia), and Hell (Michigan). To add to the mix, Baby Island can be viewed from Honeymoon Bay in the State of Washington, while in Iowa, the town of Fertile is adjacent to Manly, and then due north and east of Iceland, there’s ice-covered Greenland.

Here are some anomalies: Learned, Mississippi has no public schools. Ballplay, Alabama lacks a baseball diamond. Bottom, North Carolina sits at the top (northern) end of the state. Zigzag, Oregon lies on a perfectly straight stretch of road. The temperature in Cool, Texas once reached 115°F.

I annually hosted a pre-Super Bowl reunion with my Astoria gang that came to be defined by my family as the “animal” party. The group consists of Damon Runyon characters with nicknames like Willie the Buff, Louie the Lob, the Hawk, The Big Guy, Marty Cool, the Phantom, Jake the Weightlifter, Bobby the Rat, the Creeper, Superman, Steve the Greek, the Great One, Tony the Snake, the Scavenger, Zack the Animal, the Gaylord, etc. Even the girls had nicknames: Marie the Dancer, Betty the Booper, Mary Gloves, etc. Everyone, and I mean everyone, had a nickname. Mine was the Gaylord. How I came upon the name must be buried in my subconscious. I have no recollection of its baptismal founding, but many of my friends still (affectionately?) call me “Gay” and / or “Lord.”

Earlier in my career, I would often make tough-to-get reservations using my last name – Theodorakis – prior to it being changed. I would also claim I was with the Greek Embassy. Believe it or not, it often helped.

The racetrack is also notorious for unique names and nicknames. The group I hung out with carried such monikers as : Johnny Stash (moustache), One Punch Vito, Nunzie, Frankie Budweiser, Stretch, Joe the Cutter, etc. I always thought Joe had been in a knife fight, but it turns out he worked as a cutter in the garment industry. Vito was never in a fight; however, he was notorious for making large bets on one horse, with the teller only punching out one ticket. Frankie as you might suppose, drove a Budweiser truck.

Now a lot can be done with names. I  often pick up a phone and announce “this is Bruce Willis” or “this is Tom Sellick” or “this is Denzel Washington” or “this is Horatio” or “this is Felix.” Some people believe me initially. Many years ago, I called a colleague at the USEPA in RTP, NC. The secretary answered: “May I ask who is calling?” “This is Dan Quayle for Charley Pratt.” There was a long pause and I heard the phone drop with the secretary yelling hysterically: “It’s the vice-president!” Several years later, Charley’s secretary would announce with a wink “The White House is on the phone.” “What in hell do you want this time?” Charley asked. Believe it or not, it was the White House calling to invite Charley, the newly elected President of the International Air and Waste Management Association, to a dinner in Washington.,

So much for names…and nicknames.

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

and

Basketball Coaching 101 on Facebook

NEXT POSTINGS

MAY 1:                      On It’s Interview Time

JUNE 1:                      On the Delphi Method

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WHAT HAPPENED???

March 1, 2023

March 1, 2023

The United States of America, popularly referred to as America, is a federal republic. The total area of the U.S. is over 4 million square miles and it has an enormous variety and quantity of physical and chemical features plus a wide diversity of animal and plant life.

It is also fair to say that the U.S. is blessed with natural resources. The country’s climate is favorable for a diversity of crops and forest products. The Corn Belt, a region stretching from western Ohio to central Nebraska, is the largest expanse of prime farmland in the world. Significant deposits of many important minerals are also present within the country’s borders.

Let’s start with media bias. Bias? Here’s what Webster has to say about this word: “tendency, prejudice, influence, presupposed…” Elsewhere we have: “prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.” The main function of the media – newspapers, radio television, movies, plays, etc. – is to report the news. It is a significant force throughout the world for informed people in helping mold their opinion. Most of the media compete for advertisement (income and readers / viewers). To cope with the competition associated with “instant” news and information, some of the media, e.g., newspapers, have become more analytical by providing background and analysis material on the news. However, the freedom employed by the media has been attacked in recent years because of concerns associated with the aforementioned bias.

What a great nation for anyone to be born into. At least, I always felt that way. But something very negative has occurred since the turn of this century. Here are the two major concerns that now have me worried:

  1. The integrity of elections has now legitimately come into question. But even worse, elected officials have been voting in blocks, not as individuals. This was brought on by Pelosi’s effectively mandating that Democrats ostracize Republicans and vote solely on the Party’s interests (not the electorate’s interests). The Republicans have understandably recently followed suit, producing a polarized state, for which there appears no solution. Thank you, Pelosi. The end result is that the Democrats have put our nation on a very dangerous course.
  2. The media has bought into a new liberal progressive policy that in a very real sense violates not only the intent but also the rule of the Constitution. I read the headlines in the New York Times and Newsday every day and it is disgusting; I occasionally watch some of the progressive TV programs, and I find the presentation sickening. But make no mistake, we are a product of the media. I for one believe what is reported on Fox because of the video replays and because they have been proven right time and time again.

What does all of this mean? Our nation cannot survive without fair elections and / or with a biased media. When was the last time the present Administration and the liberal progressive media had a positive thing to say about Trump? About Republicans? About guys like me? I’ve been labelled un-American, a Nazi, a hater, a racist…you name it. Here’s some of the lies we have experienced over the last 6 years because of the media: obstruction of justice, collusion with the Russians, stealing the election, hatred for minorities, hatred for illegal immigrants, hatred for America (!), exploitation of workers, etc., etc. At the time of the preparation of this article, it was the media’s squelching news on the Biden crime family, Hunter Biden, the President’s mental incompetence, Kamala’s incompetence, the Administration’s incompetence, COVID-19, China’s invasion of our air space, etc. etc. 

In the meantime, a spoiled billionaire egomaniac playboy (who some of us–including yours truly–used to laugh at) somehow overcame insurmountable odds to win a primary, win the 2016 election, and deliver on his promises to the electorate – all despite opposition from unions, liberals, the Democratic party, the Republican party, the cesspool in Washington, some truly crazed women, Hollywood, foreign leaders, sports heroes, idols, etc. And further, and still in the meantime, the corrupt media has mounted nonstop attacks (with no credence) on not only the past president regarding his physical health, mental health, adult sons, daughter, in-laws, younger child, wife, associates, appointments, lying, womanizing, etc., but also your favorite author.

Will we follow the same path as so many other great nations in the past? It’s easy to say yes. After all, Biden has eliminated any chance for energy independence, is content to see gas / home heating oil prices soar, and thanks to the media, successfully blame others for what has happened. At this point in time, however, there is a new kid on the block: a Republican House. The question now is whether the Republicans will follow Pelosi’s gameplan. I hope so, at least for the time being. It’s what is called fair play. Let’s get to the bottom of the Biden crime family, Hunter Biden, the Afghanistan debacle, the COVID-19 debacle, the earlier 574 riots, the southern border debacle, the FBI, the Attorney General, key news not reported by the media, the 2-tiered justice system, etc., etc., and put an end to these relentless attacks on Trump, Fox News, … and those of us who came to love and appreciate what a great nation we were prior to this Administration.

Bottom Line: What will come of our once great country?? What about our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren? Do others not see what has happened? Why are responsible individuals catering to illegals, prisoners, murderers, illiterates, rioters, etc., and not to the working class? And then there is the $64,000 questions – who the hell is running our country and transforming the trajectory of our great nation? Help %&$#?@!

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

and

Basketball Coaching 101 @ Facebook

NEXT POSTINGS

APRIL 1:                    On Names and Nicknames II

MAY 1:                      On Its Interview Time

JUNE 1:                      On the Delphi Method

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ON A HYDROGEN ENERGY ECONOMY: AN INSANE IDEA

February 1, 2023

 February 1, 2023

Sorry folks. This is another one that is technical in nature. Why? I’ve just finished up a book (for John Wiley & Sons) titled Hydrogen Energy: Principles and Applications. Why did I write it? Because I was told it was a hot topic, and that it might sell. I say might because all my books have one thing in common: they simply don’t sell.

In the 1847 novel, The Mysterious Island, Jules Verne amazingly envisioned the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier. “Yes, my friends, I believe that ordinary water will one day be employed as fuel, that hydrogen and oxygen, which constitute it, used singly or together, will furnish an inexhaustible source of heat and light.” Today, Verne’s dream is being taken seriously by many practicing engineers and applied scientists. Hydrogen has the necessary properties and can fulfill the role of an energy carrier that can be derived from either methane or water, but unfortunately, the economics are not there.

Increased stringent regulations and demand for zero-carbon and zero-sulfur fuels has dramatically increased interest in hydrogen as a source of energy. And, hydrogen may well emerge as a very important fuel toward the middle of this century, but your author doesn’t think so. Since hydrogen is not a basic energy resource (except in the sun), it must be supplied by using some other basic energy resource to separate hydrogen from water or other hydrogen-containing chemical compounds (like methane). Unlike carbon-based fuels, hydrogen used directly as a fuel produces only water and no carbon dioxide. Thus, hydrogen fuel is viewed by environmentalists and politicians as an ecologically friendly fuel.

Today, our nation’s energy requirements for producing electricity and heat are primarily derived from fossil fuels (natural gas, oil, and coal) which when burned, produce carbon dioxide, a supposed pollutant, that can impact the climate. This concern with carbon dioxide has created a free-for-all for the technical community in its quest to replace the traditional fossil fuels. Industry is recklessly (from a financial perspective) pouring money into not only research and development (R&D) but also advertising that this as an energy solution. But, ultimately,  the basic laws of engineering and science are untouchable and non-negotiable.

Here’s the insanity with what is going on. Pure hydrogen does not occur naturally; it takes energy to manufacture it. Once manufactured, it is an energy carrier (i.e., a storer for energy first generated by other means). Energy is required to isolate the chemical bound hydrogen. If a fossil fuel is employed for this purpose, it would require depleting an irreplaceable natural resource and produce carbon dioxide. Thus, the production of hydrogen depends on the availability of a source of energy to assist the process. After the hydrogen is produced, there are companion costs associated with storage, transmission, and conversion, which is then followed by its use. If water (H2O) is employed as the source of hydrogen, a significant amount of energy must be employed to initially separate the hydrogen from the oxygen. High energy “losses” occur no matter what the source of hydrogen. Therefore, producing hydrogen by any means simply does not make sense. As I said in the title of this article – it’s INSANE!!

What about a solution to the energy problem? Your author is a believer in geothermal (preferably) and nuclear energy. Geothermal energy refers to the heat stored in the Earth’s crust, i.e., the Earth is hotter the deeper one drills below the surface…and, this energy is limitless. Nuclear energy – unfortunately, much maligned by the uneducated and environmentalists – is energy obtained from the nucleus of an atom where fission energy is liberated when an atom is split. This energy corresponds to the loss in mass that occurs because the fragments are less than the mass of the original form. Nuclear fusion occurs when two or more atoms are fused into one larger one without long-lived radioactive waste. Here’s more on fusion – Livermore Labs announced on December 12 that they produced a nuclear fusion reaction that resulted in a net energy gain … a monumental breakthrough that is certain to impact all other applications involving energy.

The present fossil fuel energy economy must be replaced. But it has to be done gradually over several decades, and hopefully, with one of the two above sources of energy.

In conclusion, the implementation of a hydrogen energy economy by the government would be an economic disaster and negatively impact capitalism. The many advantages of traditional and other forms of energy are not well understood by the general public, and mercilessly demeaned, particularly by those (politicians are at the top of the list) for their own agenda.

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www.theodorenewsletter.com

and

Basketball Coaching 101 @ Facebook

NEXT POSTINGS

MARCH 1:                 ZZZABUU VII

APRIL 1:                    On Great Eats VII

MAY 1:                      On Purely Random, Pristine Thoughts XXVII

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ON THE ULTIMATE QUIZ VII

January 1, 2023

January 1, 2023

You are asked to provide the correct answer to the following 20 questions. Credit 5 points for each correct answer. A grade of 80 indicates that you are brilliant. There are a couple of tough ones in this quiz.

  1. The first game played at Yankee Stadium occurred in what year?
  2. What is the age of the Sun?
  3. What was the earlier name (before 1846) of the city now called San Francisco?
  4. True or false: U.S. ground forces invaded Okinawa on April 1, 1945.
  5. True or false:  Elvis Presley recorded his first song in 1963.
  6. What was the name of the planet Uranus prior to 100 years ago?
  7. John Glenn orbited what planet?
  8. The Bay of Pigs invasion occurred in what year?
  9. Who played for the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Dodgers, and New York Rangers during the 1950-60 time period?
  10. Who played Samson in Samson and Delilah?
  11. What two New York baseball teams played their last game in New York City in 1954?
  12. Name the author who recently initiated work on a book to be titled Hydrogen Energy.
  13. Name the newly elected Supervisor of the Town of North Hempstead.
  14. Who was the star of the movie The Wizard of Oz?
  15. What is the mathematic relationship between °F and °C?
  16. What is thoroughbred horse racing’s showcase race run on the first Saturday in May?
  17. Water boils at what temperature?
  18. What are the chemical symbols for hydrogen and helium?
  19. What Yankee baseballer was called “old reliable?”
  20. What two brothers from Rockaway Beach played basketball for the New York Knicks?

Answers:

  1. 1923.
  2. Approximately 4.5 billion years.
  3. Yerba Buena.
  4. True.
  5. False, it was 1953 and the song was “My Happiness.”
  6. George; it was named after King George by a British astronomer.
  7. Earth on 1949.
  8. 1950.
  • A tough one but a great trivia question. The organist Gladys Gooding.
  • Victor Mature.
  • New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers.
  • Yours truly, of course. Naturally, I don’t know anything about the topic.
  • Jennifer DeSena. TNH is now home to your favorite author.
  • Judy Garland.
  • °F = 1.8(°C) + 32
  • The Kentucky Derby.
  • 100°C or 212°F, but only at 1 atmosphere pressure.
  • A Chemistry 101 question. H and He, respectively.
  • Tommy Henrich.
  • Dick and Al McGuire.

I’ll return with VIII later this year.

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

or

Basketball Coaching 101 @ Facebook

NEXT POSTINGS

FEBRUARY 1:          On A Hydrogen Energy Economy: An Insane Idea?

MARCH 1:                 ZZZABUU VII

APRIL 1:                    On Great Eats VII

MAY 1:                      On Purely Random, Pristine Thoughts XXVII

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ON POTABLE WATER / DESALINATION

December 1, 2022

December 1, 2022

The number one global environmental problem carries the label of potable water. I believe it is or will soon be the number one global problem. At a minimum, it will achieve greater significance in the years ahead this century.

The world’s total water supply is enormous compared with the presently conceivable needs of man, yet there is a growing potable water concern. Approximately 98% of the 320 million cubic miles of water in the Earth’s crust is salty and useful neither for irrigation by present techniques nor for the majority of man’s other needs. Precipitation provides many times the world’s annual water needs, but fresh water supplies vary widely not only over the Earth’s surface but also from time to time in a given region. This accounts for what has come to be referred to as the “water problem.”

An obvious way to increase water availability is to recover fresh potable water through desalination from seawater or from some other source. Your favorite author has recently and is currently investigating new processes for producing potable water. This month’s article introduces the reader to the desalination process and reviews the essence of two recent potable water patents.

In the overall desalination process, feed water is introduced to the desalination unit where – following the application of some form of energy – it is separated into (relatively) pure potable water, and a more concentrated brine solution.

Of all of the desalination processes, the only ones which are known to currently be economically feasible are: (1) evaporation, (2) reverse osmosis, and (3) crystallization (freezing). At present, the economic feasibility of all other processes is considered doubtful. Each of these three processes is briefly discussed below.

The oldest and best developed process for saline water conversion is the evaporation method. In many desalination technologies in use or being developed today, desalination began using evaporative processes. These evaporative desalination techniques were recognized over 2,000 years ago when Aristotle wrote in 320 B.C., “saltwater, when it turns into vapor, becomes sweet and the vapor does not form saltwater again when it condenses.” It remains one of the major methods today for commercial production of fresh water from seawater. In principle, seawater is boiled in an evaporator by passing hot steam through an enclosure (a steam chest) where the steam condenses on the inside of the tubes of the chest and is usually returned to a boiler. The vapors rising form the seawater feed are cooled in a condenser and thus converted into pure liquid water which is collected in a storage vessel. The accompanying resulting concentrated brine solution is continuously or intermittently withdrawn from the evaporator.

Electrodialysis was the membrane separation process employed for desalination a century ago. However, in recent years, reverse osmosis (RO) has displaced electrodialysis as the primary membrane separation desalination process, leaving the latter as the choice for medical kidney applications. An RO system consists of an intake, a pre-treatment component, a high-pressure pump, a membrane apparatus, remineralization, and pH adjustment components, as well as a disinfection step. Generally, a pressure of about 1.7 to 6.9 MPa is required to overcome membrane resistance to flow. The aforementioned pressure must be applied to the solvent or water and the membrane must be relatively impermeable to the solute or order to make water pass through the membrane in the desired direction (i.e., away from a concentrated salt solution). The membranes used for RO processes are characterized by a high degree of semi-permeability. These membranes may be configured into a variety of geometries for system operation, including: plate and frame, tubular, spiral wound (composite), and hollow fiber.

Crystallization processes were also employed over 2,000 years ago. Today, these processes are important industrial operations that are often employed in the preparation of a pure product, e.g., sugar, coffee, etc. A crystal usually separates out as a substance of specific composition from a solution of varying composition. There are several different ways that crystallization can occur. The three most often encountered in practice are

  1. Cooling.
  2. Evaporation.
  3. Cooling and evaporation.

Process 1 is the most commonly employed.

World-wide development of potable water techniques in the last half century has been driven out of necessity due both to water scarcity and population growth. The private sector has primarily led the investment in research and development since water has begun to be seen not as a commodity, but as a product to be sold at a profit. With this in mind, your favorite author recently developed two processes that are presently utility patents. The two processes are described below.

1. The WOFF (Water Obtained from Fossil Fuels) Process, Patent #17,579,045:

A process of producing potable water by combining a hydrocarbon-containing fossil fuel with oxygen in a combustion device such as a utility boiler or home heating to produce a flue gas of water vapor and carbon dioxide, and condensing the water vapor in the flue gas to yield potable water. The combustion device can produce heat or electricity. The water vapor can be condensed with one or more heat exchange devices. The source of oxygen can be air, pure oxygen, or nitrogen reduced air. The source of oxygen can be humidified, such as with a non-potable water source , or non-potable water can be added to the flue gas. The carbon dioxide and / or nitrogen in the flue gas can be reduced or removed before the condensation step(s). The pressure of the flue gas can be increased prior to condensation of the water vapor. Natural gas is the preferred fuel.

2. The THEOGEO Process (Theodore Geothermal) Patent #17,736,235:

A system and method for converting non-potable water into potable water employing  Geothermal energy. Non-potable water, such as seawater or non-potable ground water, and the like, is fed down a conduit into a deep underground enclosure. Due to its extreme depth, the enclosure is geothermally heated above the boiling point of water at the pressure within the enclosure. The water boils and creates water vapor. The water vapor rises and can be drawn up through a vapor conduit to the surface. The water vapor can be condensed (and further purified, if necessary) into potable water. The steam can be used in a hybrid system where it is condensed after being used for heating purposes or the production of electricity.

Your thoughts on the two patents would be appreciated. I can tell you that no individual or business entity has yet expressed an interest in either patent, both of which have cost me a pretty penny. HELP!

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

or

Basketball Coaching 101 @ Facebook

NEXT POSTINGS

JANUARY 1:             On the Ultimate Quiz VII

FEBRUARY 1:          The 2022-23 College Basketball Season

MARCH 1:                 On That First Job

APRIL 1:                    On Purely Random, Pristine Thoughts XXVII

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ON OHI DAY VI

November 1, 2022

November 1, 2022

This one may be primarily for those readers who refer to themselves as “Greek” or “Greek-American.”

Greeks first started to immigrate to the United State4s in large numbers soon after 1900. The main characteristics of these travelers were their high character, belief in God (most are Greek Orthodox), and their industriousness. My parents fit that description. They successfully managed to pass their traits onto their children…and I believe it applies to me. Today, the children and grandchildren (and great grandchildren?) of the immigrants are our leaders in business, industry, education, and government. The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) reported 13 years ago that Greek Americans rank 2nd in per capita wealth (Jews are first) and first in earned doctorates (Jews are 2nd). Truly a success story that all Americans can be proud of.

My parents emigrated from the Peloponnese region of Greece. It is a legendary place, especially from an historical perspective. This is the peninsula where ancient Sparta was located. Paris of Troy escaped here when he and Helen eloped. The Peloponnese is also where some of the most memorable of Greece’s locations can be found, including ancient Olympia, the site of the original Olympic games, and many others.

On to the main theme of this article. It’s been 3 years since I penned my fifth article on the OHI Day. This is a special day in Greek history as it regards Greece’s heroic involvement in WWII.

My ancestors have a long history of battling and suffering with evil elements and opponents. Unfortunately, history repeated itself in 1939. The 83rd anniversary of the resistance of fascist forces by the Greek Armed Forces was recently celebrated several days ago on October 28. The day came and went without a whimper here in the United States. OHI (an emphatic no in Greek!) was Prime Minister Metaxas’s response to Hitler’s order to peacefully surrender. What followed Metaxas’s response was 219 days of fierce battles. That in turn was followed by intense guerrilla warfare that resulted in a brutal occupation that included executions, sufferings, famine, and severe inflation; 10% of the population died. The rest is now history for some people and all Greeks.

Here are comments from two of the major players immediately following this war.

Winston Churchill: “The word heroism, I’m afraid, does not reflect in the least the Hellenes’ acts of self-sacrifice that were the defining factors of the victorious ending of all the nations’ common struggle during the 2nd WW for human freedom and dignity. If it were not for the bravery of the Hellenes and their courageous hearts, the ending of the 2nd WW would not have been clear.”

Franklin Roosevelt: “When the entire world had lost all hope, the Hellenic people dared to doubt the German monster’s invincibility, fighting back with the proud spirit of freedom. The heroic struggle of the Hellenic people against the German hurricane filled the American hearts with enthusiasm and won their sympathy.”

I dug this from my OHI files – a 11/21/1940 Newsday article.

“In a smashing drive at dawn, Grecian mountain fighters stormed the Italian defenses outside Koritza, drove the fascists back into the town and took over the new line from which they fired into the town…Despite desperate Italian efforts to stem the Grecian advances by flying in fresh reinforcements, Greek shock troops reportedly smashed through the Italian lines on the southern front, making another wide hole near Metyoni…Military observers here are of the opinion that if the present Greek progress continues, the Albanian port of Santa Quaranti itself will be threatened.”

Another reminder of the special day was a paper submitted by our 13-year-old grandson, 3 years ago, for his English class. It was titled VACHOS 1,5. Vachos is a small essentially deserted town build on a rocky terrain halfway up a mountain with no apparent means of sustenance itself. Vachos is located in Mani – the middle member of the Peloponnese peninsula – surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea on the south, the Ionean Sea on the west, and the Aegean Sea on the east, …Here was a part of Elias’s passage… “We had started our journey in Athens, and we were now in Mani, the region of the Peloponnese my great grandfather emigrated from…Excited and curious, my whole family had all been waiting for this part of the trip. As we drove into the hills, the sea disappeared. A sign ‘VACHOS 1,5’ told us to turn right and drive 1.5 kilometers to Vachos…It amazed me that my ancestors left this town for more opportunities in America, but a basketball hoop had traveled in the opposite direction…Nestled into a steep hills, the house was made of stone, most of it still intact, with a dilapidated clay roof. Trees obscured the view of the house so we walked down the hill to see it from another angle. Long, prickly brush scratched against my legs as I surveyed the place my Spartan family had lived in a century before…We wandered into the town cemetery, where we were greeted by marble stones with engravings, vibrant flowers, and food and drinks placed on graves. I share blood with all of these people…”

I talk to Elias nearly every night. He keeps asking me about revisiting Greece. Unfortunately, that kind of travel is no longer in the works for me. But we can always dream. Now a senior, I can’t wait for a follow-up paper, perhaps as a senior project.

Finally, I want the readers to know that as a first-generation Greek-American, I never forget the value of growing up in a country – The U S of A – whose economy is based on capitalism and is both democratic and free.

NEXT POSTINGS:

DECEMBER 1:          On Potable Water / Desalination

JANUARY 1:             On the Ultimate Quiz VII

FEBRUARY 1:          On Zzzabbuu VI

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www.theodorenewsletter.com


On Water Concerns

October 2, 2022

October 1, 2022

This one is not for all of the readers since it is a bit technical.

Water is one of the lightest of those molecules that are most abundant on Earth. In addition, being made of only three atoms, H-O-H or H2O, it has a simple configuration, one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms (at an angle of 104.5° to each other). This simple molecule has several exceptional properties that are all the result of the fact that one large oxygen atom forms a bond with two very small hydrogen atoms, the smallest atom that exists. Oxygen is the dominant partner and attracts the hydrogen electrons, which leads to the unusually strong polarity of the water molecule, which has definite positive and negative poles. The strength of the polarity of a molecule is expressed in the relative dielectric constant. Of all the natural substances, water has the largest dielectric constant. This, together with the small size of the water molecule, is the reason why water is the best known so-called “natural” solvent. It has also been referred to as the “universal” solvent because it is capable of dissolving many substances. This property of water arises from the aforementioned dipolar nature of water molecules. Water molecules effectively surround positively charged ions (cations) and negatively charged ions (anions), which serve to prevent them from precipitating as a solid. This means that wherever water goes, either through the ground or through one’s body, it carries with it various solutes such as dissolved minerals, nutrients, organics, and heavy metals.

Interestingly, the aforementioned hydrogen bonds are responsible for an additional physical property of water that is important for the Earth system: water’s extremely high heat capacity and high vaporization and fusion temperatures. Large amounts of heat are needed to melt or vaporize water and are stored in the water molecule. This high capacity for heat storage is important, not just in nature, but it is also used by humans, e.g., to cool machinery. To melt ice, 146 BTU/lb. (340 J/g) are needed and released by condensation or freezing, respectively. (It is this significant difference in energy level during a phase change that provides crystallization with an advantage over evaporation for desalination processes, a topic to be discussed in a later article.)

The story is a little different here at home in the USA. The USEPA (EPA), in partnership with state and local governments, is responsible for improving and maintaining water quality. These efforts are centered around one theme: maintaining the quality of drinking water. This is addressed by monitoring and treating drinking water prior to consumption and by minimizing the contamination of surface waters and protecting against contamination of ground water needed for human consumption.

The most severe and acute public health effects from contaminated drinking water, such as cholera and typhoid, have been eliminated in America. However, some less acute and immediate hazards remain in the nation’s tap water. These hazards are associated with a number of specific contaminants in drinking water. Contaminants of special concern to the EPA are lead, radionuclides, microbiological contaminants, and disinfection byproducts. These are detailed below.

The primary source of lead in drinking water is corrosion of plumbing materials, such as lead service lines and lead solders, in water distribution systems, and in houses and larger buildings. Virtually all public water systems serve households with lead solders of varying ages; and most faucets are made of materials that can contribute some lead to drinking water.

Radionuclides are radioactive isotopes that emit radiation as they decay. The most significant radionuclides in drinking water are radium, uranium, and radon, all of which occur naturally in nature. While radium and uranium enter the body by ingestion, radon is usually inhaled after being released into the air during showers, baths, and other activities such as washing clothes or dishes. Radionuclides in drinking water occur primarily in those systems that use ground water. Naturally occurring radionuclides seldom are found in surface waters (such as rivers, lakes, and streams). Water contains also many microbes – bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Although some organisms are harmless, others can cause disease. Contamination continues to be a national concern because contaminated drinking water systems can rapidly spread disease.

Half of all Americans and 95 percent of rural Americans use ground water for drinking water This includes residents of Long Island; in effect, this includes the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn plus the counties of Nassau and Suffolk. Pollutants were found in drinking water through testing water in different locations at different times.  Several public water supplies using ground water exceeded EPA’s drinking water standards for inorganic substances (fluorides and nitrates). Major problems were reported from toxic organics in some wells in almost all states east of the Mississippi River. Trichloroethylene, a suspected carcinogen, was the most frequent contaminant found. The .EPA’s Ground Water .Supply Survey showed that 20 percent of all public water supply wells (29 percent in urban areas) had detectable levels of at least one volatile organic. Furthermore, at least thirteen organic chemicals that are confirmed animal or human carcinogens have been detected in drinking water wells.

The reader should also note that water is the original renewable resource. Although the total amount of water on the surface of the Earth remains fairly constant over time, individual water molecules carry with them a rich history. The water molecules contained in the fruit one ate yesterday may have fallen as rain last year in a distant place or could have been used decades, centuries, or even millennia ago by one’s ancestors.

Water is always in motion, and the hydrologic cycle describes this movement from place to place. The vast majority of solar energy heats water at the surface of the ocean, and some of it evaporates to form water vapor. Air currents take the vapor up into the atmosphere along with water transpired from plants and evaporated from the soil. The cooler temperatures in the atmosphere cause the vapor to condense into clouds. Clouds move around the world until the moisture capacity of the cloud is exceeded, and the water falls as precipitation. Most precipitation in warm climates falls back into the oceans or onto land where the water flows over the ground as surface runoff. Runoff can enter rivers and streams, which transport the water to the oceans, accumulate and be stored as freshwater in lakes, or soak into the ground as infiltration. Some of this water may infiltrate deep into the ground and replenish aquifers which store huge amounts of freshwater for long periods of time. In cold climates, precipitation falls as snow and can accumulate as ice caps and glaciers which can store water for thousands of years. Throughout this cycle, water picks up contaminants originating from both naturally occurring and anthropogenic sources. Depending upon the type and amount of contaminant present, water present in rivers, lakes, and streams or beneath the ground may become unsafe for use.

The reality is that our nation really does not have a water problem at this time. However, the world needs to prepare for an insufficient and potentially depleted water supply. In terms of conservation, one method of reducing a building’s water consumption is through the use of low volume toilets. The standard toilet uses as much as 5 gallons of water per flush, whereas some water-saving models use as little as 2 quarts. This can lead to substantial water savings, especially in public and commercial buildings. Another major source of water consumption is the irrigation of landscaped areas. This consumption may be reduced through the careful selection of landscape materials. Although conservation is here for the present, desalination (a topic to be addressed two months from now), disinfection, and nanoparticle-related treatment appear to be the major growth areas for the future. In any event, water will achieve a greater significance in the coming years and probably impact society in ways not presently imagined.

I close with a quote from my memoirs. “Water has always fascinated me; where it comes from, how we use it, … etc. I recently convinced myself that there is a viscous water cycle on planet Earth. What an unbelievable resource that – get this – is automatically recycled. It’s a shame nature didn’t bother to do the same with our other resources.”

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com or on his Facebook page at Basketball Coaching 101

NEXT POSTINGS

NOVEMBER 1:         On the OHI Day V

DECEMBER 1:          On My Two Patents

JANUARY 1:             On the Ultimate Quiz V

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ON INFLATION

September 1, 2022

September 1, 2022

Inflation! You have been hearing a lot about it since President Biden took office. Here is my take on this controversial issue.

Let’s start with what Webster has to say on inflation: “increase in the amount of money in circulation, resulting in a relatively sharp and sudden fall in its value and rise in prices.” The opposite is deflation, which is defined as “a lessening of the amount of money in circulation resulting in a relatively sharp and sudden rise in its value and fall in prices.” Thus, inflation and deflation are terms used to describe a decline or an increase, respectively, in the value of money and in relation to the goods and services it will buy.

Since inflation is the continuous rise in prices in goods and services, these price increases erode the purchasing power of money and other financial assets with fixed values, creating serious economic concerns. Repeated price increases were historically unique and often directly linked to wars, poor harvests, political upheavals, etc.

Effects? Inflation initially increases  business profits, as wages and other costs lag behind price increases, leading to more capital investment and payments of dividends and interest. Despite this temporary gain, however, inflation eventually disrupts normal economic activities, particularly if the pace fluctuates. Interest rates typically include the anticipated pace of inflation that increases business costs, discourages consumer spending, and depresses the value of stocks and bonds Higher mortgage interest rates and rapidly escalating prices for homes discourage housing construction. As noted above, inflation also erodes the real purchasing power of current incomes and accumulated financial assets, resulting in reduced consumption, particularly if consumers are unwilling to draw on their savings and increase personal debts. Business investment suffers as overall economic activity declines, and profits are restricted as employees will demand immediate relief through some form of automatic cost-of-living escalator clauses. It is fair to say that inflation is a major element in the prevailing pattern of booms and recessions that cause unwanted price and employment distortions and widespread economic uncertainty.

Impact? The impact of inflation on individuals depends on many variables. People with relatively fixed incomes, particularly those in the low-income groups, suffer during accelerating inflation, while those with flexible bargaining power may keep pace with or even benefit from inflation. Those dependent on assets with fixed nominal values, such as savings accounts and pensions, suffer erosion of real wealth. Borrowers usually benefit while lenders suffer, because all forms of loans are paid with money that loses purchasing power over time and interest rates tend to lag behind the average rate of price increases.

Stabilization measures? I have no answer since I am not an economist. However, it seems to me that any serious anti-inflation effort will be difficult.

I close with these thoughts:

  1. Politicians like to spend money because it gets them votes and power. They spend more than what is raised by taxes so they have to seek money elsewhere. They turn to printing money and / or borrowing money. Money is borrowed from government trust funds such as Social Security and Medicare and from the open market via Treasury Bonds. This assumes that the government can always borrow money without consequences. It also assumes that interest payments can also be borrowed. Elected officials know they must be right because this scheme has worked out pretty well since 1964 with the start of the Great Society and the War on Poverty. But now,  it appears that a day of reckoning may be fast approaching.
  2. The question of money always arises in inflation discussions. A nation can only create money of value when there are businesses creating useful goods at a profit. With these conditions, it is then a function of government to print money to facilitate commerce. As businesses prosper and trade increases, then governments, of necessity, print more money, However, if government prints money faster than the increase in business activity, then excess money will begin to chase the supply of goods available and prices will rise. Enter inflation.
  3. Our nation is blessed with an economic system which is very productive and efficient. It is able to take materials of low cost and make them into very valuable products. (The productivity of workers today is orders of magnitude higher than in those days of handcrafting.) As a result, workers are paid salaries that allow them to save money. These savings are a result of goods that have been made. If businesses borrow savings, it is usually to create more production and more money of value, and that is good. However, government spending rarely creates useful goods at a profit which would result in new money creation. In fact, the opposite happens. Most government spending destroys the value of money since government spending can result in the earlier statement of too much money chasing after a limited supply of goods. Once again, enter inflation.
  4. Treasury debt now exceeds 30 billion dollars and is still rising rapidly. Ouch!!

Note: Thanks are due to fellow Cooperite, colleague and friend Dick Graven for providing some of his thoughts on this controversial topic.

NEXT POSTINGS

OCTOBER 1:             On Water

NOVEMBER 1:         The OHI Day V

DECEMBER 1:          On My Two Patents