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1/31/2020 4:58:28 PM
Eastern Oregon Contemplative
Remaining calm, aware, and ready to act in the face of adversity is a practice that can be learned.
Active Shooter Preparedness
I don’t think of myself as an alarmist, but do believe active shooter preparedness is necessary for people living in a politically divided, trigger happy country that provides inadequately for those suffering from mental illness, permits extremists to threaten church goers, is unwilling to tackle gun control legislation, and has replaced “pardon me” and “I’m sorry” with “fuck you” and “shit.”
How people acted in the wild west in the seventeen and eighteen hundreds was more restrictive than now. Tombstone, Dodge City and many other towns required visitors to disarm when they entered, either at a hotel or a lawman’s office. Saloons had the right to bar guns from their establishments and criminals were run out of town. Today, we live next to people who take the right to bear arms as a right to invoke fear and act independent of the law.
As a member of a center city church that emphasizes the commandment to “love thy neighbor as thyself,” I don't like to think badly of others. But we were tested when extremists blocked the entrance, shouting obscenities and bible passages condemning us to hell. Choir and congregants handled it well by surrounding the agitators and serenading them with songs of love and peace. The UU church in Washington, DC had a similar experience just two weeks ago. They found the experience frightening.
Over the years, a great many intimidating situations threatened my equanimity.
- My physician father, his office nurse, and a patient were made to lie on the floor at gunpoint by a patient looking for drugs. After the incident was over, he installed dozens of security buzzers throughout.
- A close friend was held hostage by men hoping to receive a disgracefully large amount of ransom money. The woman had composure enough to push an alarm alerting the police.
- My sleep was shaken by men shouldering our door in an effort to break into our home at 2 am. While I cowered, my partner became instantly alert and was able to frighten them away.
- On the East Coast, my cousin’s son, a psychiatrist, was shot by a mentally ill patient he was counseling. Thankfully he lived by knowing how to protect himself.
- While still a business owner, my facility was burglarized several times. Fortunately, guns were not used. One year, several men broke into my warehouse the day after Christmas and stole hundreds of toys. On another occasion, after being alerted by my security system, I drove in the middle of the night to find a semi truck without plates parked by the facility’s overhead doors. Fortunately, the incident was resolved without violence, but it was a close call.
- A more violent incident occurred while president of OMSI. A manager fired an employee who instantly turned against the manager, punched him and continued beating him up. We worried about the disgruntled employee returning armed.
- My granddaughter traumatically surviving the horrible 2017 shooting at a music concert in Las Vegas took away the last remnants of my naivety. Thankfully, someone in the audience knew to shout commands of when to duck and later run. Without that person’s awareness, she and others might have remained frozen in place.
I am an ordinary woman who lives and worked in a "safe" neighborhood . We don’t have drive by shooting. Yet, my family and I were victims of ugliness. I imagine many of you have similar stories you could share.
People do not always abide by the laws of love, kindness and fair play that were instilled in me as a child. Recognizing this, I asked myself what I needed to know to respond appropriately to threatening situations, without becoming fearful or paranoid. What would help me think clearly if I found myself in such a setting? The federal government provides advice; “Remember during an active shooting to RUN. HIDE. FIGHT.”
Be Informed
- Sign up for an active shooter training.
- If you see something, say something to an authority right away.
- Sign up to receive local emergency alerts and register your work and personal contact information with any work sponsored alert system.
- Be aware of your environment and any possible dangers.
Make a Plan
- Make a plan with your family, and ensure everyone knows what they would do, if confronted with an active shooter.
- Look for the two nearest exits anywhere you go, and have an escape path in mind & identify places you could hide.
- Understand the plans for individuals with disabilities or other access and functional needs.
DURING, run and escape, if possible.
- Getting away from the shooter or shooters is the top priority.
- Leave your belongings behind and get away.
- Help others escape, if possible, but evacuate regardless of whether others agree to follow.
- Warn and prevent individuals from entering an area where the active shooter may be.
- Call 911 when you are safe, and describe shooter, location, and weapons.
HIDE, if escape is not possible.
- Get out of the shooter’s view and stay very quiet.
- Silence all electronic devices and make sure they won’t vibrate.
- Lock and block doors, close blinds, and turn off lights.
- Don’t hide in groups- spread out along walls or hide separately to make it more difficult for the shooter.
- Try to communicate with police silently. Use text message or social media to tag your location, or put a sign in a window.
- Stay in place until law enforcement gives you the all clear.
- Your hiding place should be out of the shooter's view and provide protection if shots are fired in your direction.
FIGHT as an absolute last resort.
- Commit to your actions and act as aggressively as possible against the shooter.
- Recruit others to ambush the shooter with makeshift weapons like chairs, fire extinguishers, scissors, books, etc.
- Be prepared to cause severe or lethal injury to the shooter.
- Throw items and improvise weapons to distract and disarm the shooter.
After
- Keep hands visible and empty.
- Know that law enforcement’s first task is to end the incident, and they may have to pass injured along the way.
- Officers may be armed with rifles, shotguns, and/or handguns and may use pepper spray or tear gas to control the situation.
- Officers will shout commands and may push individuals to the ground for their safety.
- Follow law enforcement instructions and evacuate in the direction they come from, unless otherwise instructed.
- Take care of yourself first, and then you may be able to help the wounded before first responders arrive.
- If the injured are in immediate danger, help get them to safety.
- While you wait for first responders to arrive, provide first aid. Apply direct pressure to wounded areas and use tourniquets if you have been trained to do so.
- Turn wounded people onto their sides if they are unconscious and keep them warm.
- Consider seeking professional help for you and your family to cope with the long-term effects of the trauma
To this list I add,
Run over scenarios in your mind, and imagine the best way to respond. Envision yourself staying calm, alert, and looking for an opportunity to escape and call for help. This exercise will help you react rather than remain frozen in passivity when confronted with an ugly situation.
Make sure your doors and windows at home have locks and check that they are used over night.
When walking alone be aware of your surroundings. Keep your distance from people nearby who might threaten your safety. Look in the back seat of your car, ensuring that it’s empty before entering.
Thinking of possibilities in advance, and deciding the best way to react strangely enough is calming. When prepared to the best of your ability, worrying stops and muscle memory steps in. No one wants to live in a state of constant fear. If you do so, you may never step into a car or plane again.
To deny we travel through uncertain times, is foolish—to be prepared as best one can, is wise. My assumption is that most people are kind, helpful, and well meaning. My hope is that with tenderness even the most difficult hearts can be reached. I share these thoughts with caring and love that I greet you this Valentine season.
Resources:
`Jancer,M. (2018) Gun Control is as Old as the Old West. Smithsonian Magazine. retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/gun-control-old-west-180968013/
`Disasters and Emergencies, Ready. retrieved from the web site at https://www.ready.gov/active-shooter
`RUN. HIDE. FIGHT.® Surviving an Active Shooter Event - English (video)
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Please share your thoughts below on my blog site.
Art is always for sale. Contact me at [email protected].
Eastern Oregon Contemplative Acrylic on Canvas/ 21’ by 25/ gold frame - $ 389
1/24/2020 4:02:58 PM
Mystery
A DNA Story
Biology is certainly different than it was when I studied peas in high school. I find it exciting to be a witness to changes in the field of bio-genetics. Genes are responsible for human traits, including health, behavior, and disease. Contemporary research influences forensics, medicine, agriculture, pharmaceutics, and what we know about our ancestors. Scientists discovering new genetic markers are rapidly filling gaps in understanding. Our personal stories will eventually take us back to the beginning of human existence-a fascinating thought.
Over the years, I've had three DNA tests. The first was for medical reasons while the next two were for fun. Fortunately, I was told I did not carry genes for a type of cancer common in people with Jewish heritage. Without need for additional medical help, I happily turned my attention to my ancestors. I was delighted when my partner gave me a gift that allowed me to participate in the National Geographic Genome study.
The Genome Study's mission was to track the diaspora of humans who left Africa approximately 180,000 years ago. Due to overpopulation and depletion of natural resources tribes were forced to move in search of better hunting and agricultural land. Just as today, thousands of people escaped to the north.
Scientists use markers to identify the paths they traveled through Northern Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe. How they do this is by using genetic markers identified through DNA passed on from generation to generation with little change. Occasionally they find mutated markers. These are then mapped to show how people diversified into separate genome groupings. This enables geneticists to plot evolutionary trails that show when a person's ancestor evolved from hunter-gatherers to farmers.
My kit arrived with easy-to-follow instructions. All I had to do was rub cotton swabs inside of my mouth, put them in an envelope and return it for analysis. Getting the result took longer than the promised six-week turnaround time, but I was able to follow their progress online. Four months later, I had a story to tell. My family traveled through the Middle East - Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and then went north through eastern Europe and England. I was surprised to learn I had a minuscule amount of Neanderthal genes, proof of intermingling between Neanderthal and Homo Sapiens in the area around Jordan.
Results were interesting but didn't provide as thorough an understanding as I wished. One problem was that by being a woman with two X chromosome only the female side of my ancestry was followed. It would have been more informative if by brother was the one tested, for my history is the same as his. The Y chromosome is special in that it links men back to their common male ancestors. He would have obtained information about my father's side of the family as well as my mother's.
The other disappointment was that the information gave a story that ended about 5,000 years ago. Happily, my daughter filled in some of the gaps with a gift that led me back in time from today. Ancestry.com introduced me to my European heritage. They even provided a list of people who might be related. I found my grandparent's Ellis Island documents and located the family on early U.S. census roles. If I had the time, I could dig more deeply and develop a family tree. The study has made me quite curious about Riga, Latvia where my father's family resided for many generations.
As in all things, good and bad come from innovation. Genetic information can easily be subject to misuse if we act naively and do not consider ethical implications. Concerns around such things as genetically modified food, sharing of medical information without consent, and cloning human beings, abound. With that in mind, if you decide to participate in a genetic study, it is wise to understand how your personal information will be used.
The first phase of the National Geographic Genome Project ended on December 31, 2019. The study was considered a great success. Over one million people participated from over 140 countries. Researchers are able to apply for access to the massive amount of data amassed since 2005.
Have you ever received gene therapy or participated in genetic experimentation of any kind? How about genealogical research based on your DNA? Were you surprised by your results? Do share your experiences and concerns on my blog site.
References:
The following youtube videos are informative.
Video about the National Geographic Genome project (12 years ago) -https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-adk-adk_sbnt&hsimp=yhs-adk_sbnt&hspart=adk&p=national+geographic+human+genome+project#id=1&vid=3be39ca0ddf5d1edbc1b342eb9195ff1&action=click ( this tells about the start of the project and what they hope to find)
Video about DNA Mysteries The Search for ADAM National Geographic Documentary (2 years ago) https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-adk-adk_sbnt&hsimp=yhs-adk_sbnt&hspart=adk&p=national+geographic+human+genome+project&_guc_consent_skip=1579819131#id=15&vid=b13b46f11908e3c8e8a7e25dc5785c31&action=view (This shows a search for the scientific Adam that leads to the roots of humanity’s family tree)
Lessons from the Human Genome Project ( one year ago) https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-adk-adk_sbnt&hsimp=yhs-adk_sbnt&hspart=adk&p=national+geographic+human+genome+project&_guc_consent_skip=1579819131#id=23&vid=26221d12f9a27a500058e51a41eea431&action=view
Takezawa, Y., Kato, K., Oota, H. et al. (2014) BMC Medical Ethics. BMC part of Springer Nature.Article number 33 retrieved from https://bmcmedethics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6939-15-33
For information about Ancestry’s DNA Program go to - www.ancestry.com/DNA
Art is always for sale: Contact me at [email protected]
Mystery is a 38" by 12" acrylic painting on deep canvas. Cost is $ 399.
1/17/2020 6:03:23 PM
CLARITY
To Look, To See, to Envision.
What does it mean to see well, to see the world clearly, as it is, and to envision the future? A newborn discovers her hands and spends hours fascinated by their shape and movement. A mother turns a switch on a mobile above her sons crib so it will rotate to the sound of a lullaby that helps him fall asleep. As the days go by, a fog lifts slowly from the children’s eyes. The mother’s features sharpen as the infants study her closely while held against the warmth of her body.
Several years later, those same infants were thrust into the reality of every day life in a struggling household. They move through their small apartment, admonished not to wake their sleeping father exhausted from a demanding night job. Their mother, absent by day, returns home after spending eight hours on her feet cleaning houses. She too would like to rest and be left alone but she has to make dinner.
These parents love their children and work without complaining, hoping to provide a better life for their offspring. Unfortunately, money is tight and there is little time to show the children wonders of the world. They cope instead by closing the shades and turning off lights, allowing the glow of children’s cartoons to permeate the living area. Television, the third parent in the home, raises their children, keeping them safe though mindlessly occupied and physically passive. Cartoon images flash with high pitched voices twenty-four-seven, maintaining a continuous backdrop that puts them sleep and greets them awake.
I’ve observed numerous families like the one I write of above and have seen how the developing brains of their children are affected by the family’s limited finances. They become visually handicap, looking without really see. They don’t have to process the information they see on TV and have few with opportunities to try, fail, persevere, and succeed at challenging projects. It is easier to give up than to make an effort to learn something new.
Interacting with them made me think about the difference between looking, observing deeply, seeing clearly, and envisioning connections between old and new information. Spending time with children makes me wonder how to inspire them to be curious and to search for truth. What is the best way to help them see and process what they are seeing.
Several wise mentors helped stretch my vision. One interested me in the scientific method and demonstrated how to bring observations into the microcosm of the intellect. Another coached me to recognize edges. I studied a drop of dew on a leaf, learned to visualize rainbow colors in flashes of sunlight, and smelled the perfumes of everyday objects. A third, showed me subtleties of nature. I was taught to search for the movements of animals and birds against a background of camouflage.
These teachers made me aware that learning of evolves with stops, starts, twists and turns and influences how I envision the future. They helped me notice that the rocks we stand on, the homes we build, the air we breathe, and the people we love are an interconnected part of nature.
In thinking about what presents to bestow on youth who cross my path, I decided it is not money or material things they need but rather the gift of curiosity. If I can influence them to look beyond the surface, to search for truth, to see details and nuances, they will never be bored. If they can develop the courage to try, fail, and try again, they will be content, for life is a process, not an end in itself. As they assimilate all that they see and learn, they will be better able to envision a future filled with hope and opportunity.
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Art is always for sale. Contact me at [email protected]
Clarity - acrylic on canvas / 45” x 36” / silver frame / $699
I look forward to reading your comments below.
1/10/2020 5:26:17 PM
On Top of it All--but does he know it all?
What is an Educated Person?
Schools teach, and students presumably learn. When I interact with recent graduates, however, I wonder how well educated they are. I realize that notions of what makes an educated person have changed through the ages and that I have to “get with the new,” but it is not easy to do.
The Sparatican Greeks considered the gymnasium as essential to Greek culture. They saw the purpose of education to develop well rounded warriors. They made education available to males and non-slaves through public schools and private tutors who included music and dance as ways of enhancing maneuverability as soldiers. Youth learned poetry and musical lyrics to focus attention on beauty, nobility, harmony and rhythm. Children were taught to read and write with a stylus on wax-covered boards and made to memorize and recite legends of old. By the time a boy reached adolescence formal education ended and human experience took over.
It was not until about 420 BC that higher education emerged in Athens where philosophers and teachers like Socrates holding forth. Intellectual attainment began to be held in higher regard than physical capacity. It was a democratic city subject to the votes of adult male citizens. The Athenians believed that education should develop the whole man. To that end, studies included mathematics, astronomy, harmonics and dialectic. They thought it important to learn rhetoric and techniques of persuasion to get the assembly to act as they desired. Skill training and academic subjects came later. The goal of learning was to develop philosophical insight, a necessary tool for using knowledge within a framework of logic and reason. Does that makes sense to you? It does to me.
Society’s needs have changed, and notions of what makes an educated person is fraught with factionalism. Eleanor Dickey Professor of classics at the University of Reading, “Spartan king Agesilaus once said that what matters in education is that children must learn the skills they will use when they grow up.” Though still quoted, public schools don’t design curricula with that purpose in mind.
Several years ago students at Harvard were warned that professional credentials will count for less when measured against real world training. They compiled a list of the skills they thought were needed.
- The ability to define problems without a guide.
- The ability to ask hard questions which challenge prevailing assumptions.
- The ability to quickly assimilate needed data from masses of irrelevant information.
- The ability to work in teams without guidance.
- The ability to work absolutely alone.
- The ability to persuade others that your course is the right one.
- The ability to conceptualize and reorganize information into new patterns.
- The ability to discuss ideas with an eye toward application.
- The ability to think inductively, deductively and dialectically.
- The ability to attack problems heuristically (learn something for yourself).
Josh Kaufman, noted author of the Personal MBA, added to this compilation a list of what he calls “Core Human Skills.”
- Information-Assimilation – how to find, consume, and comprehend information and identify what’s most important in the face of a problem or challenge.
- Writing – how to communicate thoughts and ideas in written form clearly and concisely.
- Speaking – how to communicate thoughts and ideas to others clearly, concisely, and with confidence.
- Mathematics – how to accurately use concepts from arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, and statistics to analyze and solve common problems.
- Decision-Making – how to identify critical issues, prioritize, focus energy/effort, recognize fallacies, avoid common errors, and handle ambiguity.
- Rapport – how to interact with other people in a way that encourages them to like, trust, and respect you.
- Conflict-Resolution – how to anticipate potential sources of conflict and resolve disagreements when they occur.
- Scenario-Generation – how to create, clarify, evaluate, and communicate a possible future scenario that assists in decision-making, either for yourself or another person.
- Planning – how to identify the necessary next steps to achieve an objective, account for dependencies, and prepare for the unknown and inevitable change via the use of contingencies.
- Self-Awareness – how to accurately perceive and influence your own internal states and emotions, including effective management of limited energy, willpower, and focus.
- Interrelation – how to recognize, understand, and make use of key features of systems and relationships, including cause-and-effect, second and third-order effects, constraints, and feedback loops.
- Skill Acquisition – how to go about learning a desired skill in a way that results in competence by finding and utilizing available resources, deconstructing complex processes, and actively experimenting with potential approaches.
Not to be outdone, Princeton University also made list. Though it incorporates much of the above, it is more philosophically nuanced.
- The ability to think, speak, and write clearly.
- The ability to reason critically and systematically.
- The ability to conceptualize and solve problems.
- The ability to think independently.
- The ability to take initiative and work independently.
- The ability to work in cooperation with others and learn collaboratively.
- The ability to judge what it means to understand something thoroughly.
- The ability to distinguish the important from the trivial, the enduring from the ephemeral.
- Familiarity with the different modes of thought (including quantitative, historical, scientific, and aesthetic.)
- Depth of knowledge in a particular field.
- The ability to see connections among disciplines, ideas and cultures.
I especially like Princeton’s #8, “the ability to distinguish the important from the trivial, the enduring from the ephemeral.”
Do you agree with the above lists and if so, do you think our classrooms are designed to produce educated children? Do we train them in ways to impact positively to the world positively or is their education aimed at boosting the economy. Do they graduate knowing how to participate in a democracy, to be inventive, to think independently and to evaluate the overwhelming onslaught of information they are subject to.
I talk to students studying for higher degrees who think of themselves, but give little thought to how their studies will benefit the broader society. I observe many youth living hermitic lives, spending untold hours playing computer games, communicating trivia to friends, and forwarding unanalyzed tweets as fact. They do the world little good.
My notion of an educated person includes the expectation that knowledge should be applied to improve civilization. I envision youth learning to recognize right from wrong, truth from lies, and be able to evaluate shades in-between. I would hope they treat their peers well and competently handle personal finances, their job, and relationships.
As the Spartans believed, educated people need to be physically fit, mentally alert and able to recognize beauty. But to society demands much more. It needs emotionally stable people to step forward assuming inspirational roles that use what they learned to impact others positively. Being grounded in the arts and history will help students climb on the shoulders of previous giants, understand their successes and failures, enabling them to see the way forward.
References:
Marelisa,F *(201920) 50 Characteristics of an Educated Person. Daring to live Fully, retrieved from https://daringtolivefully.com/educated-person
kaufman,J. (2020) What Must and Educated Person Know? Harvard University and Prinscton’s list. retrieved from https://joshkaufman.net/what-must-an-educated-person-know/
Fineman, J. (2016) What really Makes Someone an ‘Educated’ Person? Odyssey, University of California Santa Cruz, retrieved from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/what-makes-someone-an-educated-person
Education in ancient Greece. Wikipedia. retrieved from their web site at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_ancient_Greece
Dickey,E (2014)The ancient Greeks and the importance of education. Being Human. Retrieved from https://beinghumanfestival.org/ancient-greeks-importance-education/
Art is always for sale, On Top of It all is 23" by 19 "/ wood frame, Mixed media/ $399
Do share your thoughts about what an educated person should know.
1/2/2020 5:25:55 PM
The Firmament, Orchestration of LIFE
Stress Plays the Creeping Ick
The past two years were stressful, but I didn’t know it. I’m the type of person who enjoys challenging problems and become motivated by a certain kind of disquiet. For most of my adult years I was energized by the highs and lows that came from managing a demanding job and large family. and prided myself on being a multitasker able to cope with unexpected events.
I imagined myself a conductor keeping tempo for the symphony called LIFE. The orchestra tested of my capacity to tune into the nuances of their individual parts. Giving rapt attention to the various sections, insured they played to the best of their ability.
Children and grandchildren occupied the strings, creating lilting sounds at times but staccato more often. The harp kept me creative and floating on clouds while the godlike sounds of kettle drums, piano and cymbals called me to work. Their vibrations demanded full attention though I tried not to let their booms and clangs overwhelm other sections.
The haunting woodwinds were enticed to create lively melodies that let me dance and twirl with grace. Their flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons kept pace when making my way through difficulties. The brass section made sure I never wallowed in despair. Tones blasting forth from trumpets encouraged me to shout hopes and dreams for all to hear. They were strident, constantly pushing me forward despite setbacks. All the while, the mellow tuba kept me grounded while the french horn provided a soft carpet to roll on.
My job as conductor was to unify the sections and insure they harmonized well together. When players changed and shuffled positions I had to switch strategies. But, throughout the symphony, I stayed true to my goal of coaxing each section to become better than it thought possible. I strove to create a synergy making the whole better than the individual parts.
The challenge of conducting LIFE was absorbing and enriching. The symphony followed a score written by a collaboration of composers. The stress that came from playing was motivating. When it seemed overwhelming, it was cushioned by its virtuoso musicians and a personal routine that included exercise, meditation, painting, healthy eating, and solid sleep.
Unfortunately, several years ago, I was given a several new scores that were beyond my ability to conduct. I fell victim to the whims of the natural world that affected the health and security of loved ones. The stressors were no longer motivating and it was difficult to strategize with confidence that all would be well.
It took time to understand that stress creeps slowly and can cover you with its blanket of ick. It wasn’t until mine was lifted that I understood the depth of my agitation. I felt smothered until I recognized that there are situations beyond my control. When that happens, it is smart to ask for help from another conductor.
I learned from my experiences, and made a list for future use. I recognize I’m vulnerable when taking a risk and as I age.
- I can’t always be the only conductor, nor can every problem be solved. There are times to be strong and test my abilities and times to invite a doctor, engineer or friend to guest conduct.
- Though I’ve enjoyed playing superconductor, I am not. Sometimes yes, but more often no. Family and friends evolve and change to become capable of conducting their own LIFE symphony.
- There’s no sense in erecting a smokescreen of stoicism between me and musicians. It will only lead to loneliness and isolation.
- Health issues, changed relationships, household moves, and employment disruptions (good and bad) are stressful. They are triggers that shout - pay attention. Is it time to find someone who listens, who won’t tell me what to do, but will tune into my emotional and physical state to insure I’m able to cope with the score before me? I can’t wait until the person is needed, but must develop a relationship in advance with someone will to be there when called on.
- When you’re used to being the conductor, it is difficult to listen to someone who says the piece should be interpreted differently. Yet, it is necessary listen and evaluate what is said.
- Unless I become feeble minded, I remain the decision maker. I am responsible for finding ways to alleviate stress or accept what are likely to be unfortunate consequences.
Alondra de la Parra conducting in Mexico
The Oregon Symphony Orchestra
