A Veteran's Personal Tribute

Late in the afternoon of D Day we received a text from a friend that her neighbour opposite had put put out a little but touching display consisting of his army boots, a flag, and a poppy. She thought that I should take a photo.

Sometimes, I am reluctant to comply with such requests because one cannot always meet people's expectations. The items were, after all, at the foot of a driveway, and who knows if the big camera would do any better than a phone shot under the circumstances.

But one likes to oblige friends, so off we went.

I later decided to do a mono version to make the image look more vintage. I added some textures to increase the effect, but I left colour in the flag and poppy.

Sue knocked on the door to make friends with the household, or actually to see if we might post the images on FB. Well, they were friendly, and they wold be fine with FB; in fact, they seemed to appreciate the gesture.

The lady brought out her husband's jacket and told us that he had served in five separate deployments. Though he wasn't home at the time, she thought he would appreciate the acknowledgement.

Although I am leery of some situations, both photographically and socially, it was good that I went. The friend who texted was pleased that we responded, and the veteran's wife seemed very pleased. So, if a camera can bring a little joy, why not, eh?

A Reaction

I shake my head at the FB commentary that ensued when this video was posted. (Apologies if it doesn't play properly, but I describe it below.)



Just in the last week or two, a cyclist was killed in Ottawa by a hit-and-run driver.

Yesterday, a video was published of a motorist passing all sorts of stopped traffic on the right by using the bicycle lane. No, there weren't cyclists using it at the time, but it speaks of a cavalier attitude about safety and privilege, or perceived privilege at least, where you are more important than the rules that others adhere to.

So, when this was posted on FB, down what rabbit hole did the discussion descend?

Why it was, "Well cyclists sometimes are reckless too."

How does a photo about a motorist taking the law into his own hands (of course, it had to be a him) devolve into a ranting about cyclists? Where is the logic?

I wanted to post, "Stay on topic people. Your rantings are irrelevant to the post."

But I didn't ... because, as I have written here previously, I do try to remain out of the pointless fray on that medium.

While I suppose some might also call this post pointless, I think editorializing in my own space beyond a hit-and-run, pithy sentence is just fine.

Beyond that, I would also like to offer the small observation that when a cyclist is reckless, he endangers himself. But when a motorist is reckless, as in this case, he endangers the cyclist, and the results can be life-ending.

There are not exactly two equal things.

Melange

I am posting a bit of a melange today. First, two photos from a drizzly Sunday morning.

Believe it or not, these photos were taken not far from each other from the car. I tried to navigate the car to a propitious spot for the photos but to keep myself out of the rain.

In the afternoon, we drove the kids to Perth to their mother's open house, or I should day, the open house for the seniors' residence where she will be working come late summer. She is doing ad hoc work there right now, but her contract begins in August when the residence is closer to its opening. As it was on the weekend, they had a few model suites ready for viewing, but I didn't try to take pictures inside: just the kids by the back door when we left.

Finally, the forget-me-nots have been blooming for awhile now, but last night the wind died down enough for me to get a photo. These flowers are so small that, even with a macro lens, I have to crop in quite a bit. When I did, I saw a tiny bug on the flower to the right. (I have left the photo somewhat larger than usual, so you might be able to see it better if you click.)

As I post every year, these are descendants of flowers that my dad transplanted to our garden about 35 years ago. That garden was hundreds of miles away, but seeds made the trip across province about 15 years ago, and the descendants flourish. Dad has been gone for 20 years, but I see these flowers as an annual tribute to him.

A Math Problem

I came across this video of a teacher explaining how to multiply 35x12 using modern techniques which the video identifies as Common Core.

While she goes through the explanation, the person of the right side of the split screen solves the problem in the old-fashioned way and then makes coffee.

Common core is a disaster. pic.twitter.com/iso5C1ka7P

— Yara🥑 (@iStanAristotle) May 29, 2019

What I find puzzling is that the kids still have to know the multiplication table in the new method. They still have to know that 30x10=300 and so on and so forth. So, I'm not sure what the advantage is. (Although I have to admit that 30x10 is easier than 2x35, for example.)

Perhaps there is something about the process that is good for brain development and the problem solving process. Or perhaps not. I just don't know.

But can you imagine sitting down in later life as an adult and having to take the time to go through this process?

As a bit of an aside, I have to say that I am also not sure of the teaching technique which is all lecture with no feedback from the class. I can well imagine the average child going well off into daydream land. At least I think I would have.

Here's ↓ one supportive response from the original thread. I am not sure that I agree with it, but I guess it states the pedagogical theory.

They’re teaching number sense instead of just an algorithm for solving the problem. The way on the right is way faster, but it isn’t teaching them to learn fluency with numbers. The way on the left teaches kids to think about how numbers can be manipulated to solve problems.

My follow-up to ↑.

Does this imply that that those who learned the old way are not fluent with numbers? Who developed this system if it wasn't people who had been taught in the old way?

And here's another defense of the method ↓.

Two-digit multiplication is hard for kids to understand when they first learn it. This method uses skills they already know (1x1 and multiplying by 0) to teach it. Eventually, they’ll be able to breeze through the standard algorithm because they have a concrete understanding.

My response to this ↑. Again, more of a question than a refutation.

Is there empirical evidence to support the claim that this method is easier to learn? And, if it's a temporary step in the learning/solving process, when do they transition? Is the transition difficult?

As I have said I don't know the answers, but I am skeptical that this method gets kids to where we want them to be easier, better or faster.

I asked Danica (grade 6) if this is how she does it. Not exactly, apparently. She said that they are taught several methods, and they can pick the one that suits them best. Now, that sounds better.

Needless to say, better minds than mine have developed these methods, but there's still no harm in asking questions.

Potting the Plants

Although we have the family over for dinner almost every Monday, we don't have the kids all that much anymore. Not like we used to anyway. They're growing up, which is exactly what they are supposed to do.

But they did come over for an extended time on Saturday because Mom was needed at work. I suppose that they could have stayed on their own, but maybe not just yet. That time will come too.

So, they came over and grandma put them to work. It probably would have been easier to do it herself, but it's good to get them to do things. In this case the thing was planting some bedding plants in pots — geraniums and petunias to be exact.

Grandma gave them lots of help.

The forget-me-nots are very exuberant, but they won't last much longer.

And it got done.

Temperatures are unseasonably low. In fact May was our 8th consecutive below average month. But hopefully, the plants will flourish and bloom until sometime in October.

Car Washes: Then and Now

One morning last week, I drove along some muddy rural roads. I was looking for blossoms but didn't find any. All I accomplished was to make a total mess of the car.

Consequently. a few days later, I took it through the local, touchless car wash where there was no human in sight and robotics took care of the whole wash, something like the following two images.

As we were proceeding through the wash in the car, I recalled my first experience with car washes. We didn't own a car until 1962. We hadn't needed one in Montreal where public transportation was very good. While it would have been nice to have one, we got along well enough via streetcars and buses.

But then we moved from Montreal to Toronto, except that it wasn't really Toronto but well out on the fringes, even past the suburbs or most of suburbia at least.

Further to that, we lived on a nursery about 2 miles from the centre of the nearest settlement.

So ... we needed a car.

Car washes were a bit different in 1962.

Just look at all of the wash guys, or actually drying guys, in this photo that I found.

All through the car wash were stations where guys did this or that from hosing, to soaping,  to washing, to tire cleaning, and onto rinsing as we walked through the parallel corridor watching with interest.

I can't quite say how many guys (always guys) that it took to do the wash from beginning to end. Was it 20? It's just not clear in my mind at this point, but it must have been at least a dozen.

My vague impression is that the cost was around $2.50 - $3:00, but since I wasn't the one paying it doesn't stick out in my mind too much. Whatever, it was enough to pay all of those workers, along with a separate person (I think a woman) to relieve the customers of the requisite amount of cash in those times before inflation went through the roof.

My most recent wash cost $10 with nary a person involved, not even to take the money, which is no longer actual money but a plastic card.

4 hours

Sometimes, I don't know quite what to do with myself. I slept for about 4 hours last night, despite taking my usual sleeping pill. I'm tired but my attempt at nap #1 failed (it's 11:30, and I've been up for 7 hours). I may try again later.

I've edited last nights photos, which I'll post below.

So what do I do now?

It's cold and windy out, and I can't garden or do much else yet anyway.

I could read, and maybe I will, but I feel a little bleary-eyed to be too enthusiastic over the possibility.

There's not that much else that I can do. Other than blog, I guess.

Let me state that sleep seems to be more problematic lately. There are times past when I could have several consecutive nights of 7 hours, but my maximum lately is 6. Unfortunately, too many nights now are well below that.

Perhaps when I can be more active, I will sleep longer and better.

I'm not depressed but a little confused about what is going on.

Sue will head to exercise class this afternoon, the one that I also used to go to, but I need to stay clear for now.

But we are to meet friends for coffee later this afternoon. So that is something.

Meanwhile, I went to the park last night. I was specifically looking for a photo op that I had passed by on the previous day. There was a clump of dandelions with a tree in the background. I thought the setting might make for a good photo. Alas, the dandelions were gone.

So, I wandered down to the river where the sun was settling behind the trees on the far bank. It seemed like the kids of sky that might produce something worthwhile if I waited for sunset.

I waited, and it did. It's not the best view of a sunset ever. I mean the sun is gone behind the trees and not exactly dipping into the ocean. But it is something.

I lined myself up with the boathouse which the sun set directly behind.

From almost the same spot, I looked to my right downriver. There, the colours were less dramatic but very pleasingly more pinkish than orange.

We are never in a position for the most scenic sunsets around here, but last evening was nice enough.

Then I went home for my 4 hours of sleep.