Sporting Concussions: Are We Too Violent?

In the March issue of Northern Connection magazine, I started the conversation on the violence in our society and wondered if it is because of the violence in the sporting industry - as with the illegal, dirty shot against Steeler, Antonio Brown. If you want to see the shot - take a look at the play via this youtube video: https://youtu.be/-tfLncD3pGM

As gut-wrenching as the cheap-shot was, it was compounded by the way the Bengal fans were reacting with the microphones picking up comments hoping he was actually dead! What kind of mind thinks that way? No matter how much money someone may have bet on the game, there is no justification for the psychologically demented comment.

Even scarier, is my fear of the impression all this violence has on the younger generation. Is this behavior and unethical even immoral thought-processes the new normal? Is the violence in professional sports merely a manifestation of the violence in our society? Do people not comprehend the finality of death and injury?

But as always, what do you think? Please leave your comment below or email me at Northcon@consolidated.net.

Technology, Children and Social Skills

For the 16^th Annual Education issue of Northern Connection magazine, I started the conversation on technology, children and social skills. I made the point that in many cases, we, as adults, can be just as bad as any child when it comes to using technology. Afterall, no one under 16 has ever been in a driving accident for texting. But then I wondered how do we set our own boundaries as well as boundaries for our children and how do we make dedicated face time for one-on-one relationships without slighting everyone else we are connected to?

One example of a rule that I gave is that instead of money for chores, children earn “digital time” on any device they choose. For example, cleaning their room or unloading the dishwasher might earn your children 15 – 30 minutes on their gaming system. Which may work for children, but what should we, as adults, do to maintain our social skills?

I know several couples that when they go out to dinner, they all pile up their cell phones in the middle of the table and the first to reach for his or hers, has to pick up the tab. Unless, they all make it to the end of dinner, and in which case, they simply split the bill.

But what do you think of rudeness for a techno fix? Do you have any suggestions for our readers? Feel free to leave comments below or email me at northcon@consolidated.net.

It's Okay to Wish Me a Merry Christmas

Received this wonderful message from the North Pole!

 

As I wrote in Starting the Conversation in December's issue of Northern Connection magazine, it's okay to wish me a "Merry Christmas!"

 

As I also mentioned, I never mind receiving a "Happy Holidays" or a "Season's Greetings" so won't you send us your favorite wish for the holidays?

 

 

 

 

 

Should Everyone Get a Trophy?

In the October issue of Northern Connection magazine, I started the conversation regarding participation trophies due to Steeler James Harrison being very public about returning his sons’ participation trophies. ESPN gives a great account of what happened: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13447657/james-harrison-pittsburgh-steelers-takes-away-kids-participation-trophies-says-awards-earned.

What do you think about Mr. Harrison’s viewpoint? After all, there is only one Vince Lombardi Trophy for the Super Bowl. Just as there is only one Mirror Ball Trophy awarded to the winner for Dancing With The Stars. Of course, baseball gets a bit confusing – even if you don’t win the World Series, you still get a pennant for winning the league, which depending on the stats for the two leagues, a team with more wins in a more difficult division may actually not make it to the World Series. Ultimately, making the World Series NOT a competition between the two best teams. This baseball discussion might have to be a future blog!

But getting back to the main point; Mr. Harrison feels participation trophies send a wrong message to children and leads to an entitlement attitude. Participation trophies did come from parents wanting their kids to get “something” for trying their best and giving their time and effort. But I believe the debate is whether the “something” should be a trophy which equates to an achievement. Why can’t the “something” be as simple as a ribbon or a team hat or “something,” does acknowledgement for participation really need to be a trophy?

Some competitions have even changed the “scale” of awards. For example, in many dance competitions, they have changed bronze, silver, gold medals, as in the Olympics, to gold, high-gold and platinum. I can’t help but ask, "why?" Every participant knows if they don’t get platinum, they aren’t eligible for top awards and scholarships, so why change the scale?

I think I’ll stick with my bake-offs – a blue ribbon is still a blue ribbon.

But, as always, what do you think? Feel free to leave comments below or email me at NorthCon@consolidated.net.

What do you think of the Cursive Controversy?

Is writing in cursive a thing of the past? In this month's issue of Northern Connection magazine, I point out that schools today just don't have the time to teach both cursive and keyboarding so they have been put in the difficult position of choosing the future over the past. Understandable, until you spend some time with the younger generation and realize that they can't read your writing - no matter how good or bad your penmanship is.

What does this mean for future generations? Are we cutting them off from the past?

And what does this mean for the whole industry of handwriting analysis?

As always, I am interested in your thoughts on the subject! Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below:

The Expense of Technology...Is it Justified?

In this month's issue of Northern Connection magazine, I started the conversation on the expense of technology and wondering when or how it is justified. In the article, I referred to the example that a 10-year old colleague of mine gave me regarding 3D movies and how they can be as much as $10 more a movie and how he "didn't feel that was fair."

By way of another example, let's look at SMART phones - you can get an Android phone for free, or a reasonable price, so long as you agree to a lengthy contract with the telephone carrier. Then, phones range all the way up to the latest iPhone from Apple, and depending on how much storage space you want is even more incredibly expensive. Why is the iPhone so expensive? Because it's popular, because it's trendy and people are willing to pay it. Me? Being a tech-head, I know how insecure both Android and iPhone are and so for me, like everyone in the CIA and the Secret Service, I go Blackberry all the way - hopefully soon the new Blackberry operating system will soon be available on certain Androids but until then, your phone is in serious jeopardy of being hacked. So, for me, I feel the expense of a Blackberry is justified.

Personally, I think the frustration over the expense of technology often comes from the fact that it doesn't last very long for the money or it is out-of-date soon after you buy it. Have you ever had the experience where you no sooner by a gadget or computer only to find out a newer version is coming out or now available?

What do you think? When is the expense of technology justified for you?

What's Fracking?

In this issue of Northern Connection magazine’s “Starting the Conversation,” I was wondering about your thoughts on the new drilling technology known as fracking.

This conversation seems to have two definite sides since so much money is involved either way.

For more information on the pros, check out www.pioga.org.

For cons, check out www.pennfuture.org.

Also, as I mentioned in the article, Oklahoma (not on a fault line) has started experiencing earthquakes that are registering 3.0 and more with some reaching as high as a 5.0 magnitude. According to an article in the New York Times, the Oklahoma government has just concluded it is due to the fracking: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/22/us/oklahoma-acknowledges-wastewater-from-oil-and-gas-wells-as-major-cause-of-quakes.html?_r=0

In addition, I heard that insurance rates are going up to any homes within a certain radius of the blast zone?

But most importantly, what do you think of fracking? Please feel free to leave comments below or contact me through the magazine!