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Saturday, August 27, 2022 at the Banc of California Stadium was a date my son and I looked forward to for many years...the return of The Killers on tour...post Covid. Lead singer, Brandon Flowers, said the concert would be a "Super Spreader event! We will spread love, peace and rock and roll!" There is something about their melodies and lyrics that strikes the core of my soul. Their music makes my head nod, toes tap, knees bounce and sometimes even cry tears of joy. On this day, I had reasons to cry tears of joy...twice. Crying Reason #1: The second song of the night was "When You Were Young". I introduced my younger son to The Killers about 12 years ago. This was one of the first songs we would blare in the car as we ran errands around town. Therefore, it was no surprise that I love to reminisce of my times with my son as a young boy...and cry tears of joy during the concert. By the way, my son was also crying during this song as well. :) Crying Reason #2; Midway through the concert, Brandon Flowers noticed a fan holding a poster above his head. The poster mentioned that he was fighting cancer and he wanted to play drums with the band. Brandon pointed to the fan, asked him if he knew how to play the song and told him to jump the barrier, and get his butt on stage. The sea of fans parted and he was lifted over the front barrier by security. Several seconds later, he walks along the back of the stage, pounds his chest like a linebacker that just sacked Tom Brady during the Super Bowl, shakes hands with band members, is handed drum sticks and sits on the stool behind the drum kit. Bandon then joyfully introduced the newest member of The Killers, "Say hello to Joel everybody!" He's almost hyperventilating as he attempts to catch his breath. Joel looked up over the cymbals, sees the thousands of people in the stadium and it finally hit him...this is actually happening. You can see him mouth, "Oh my gosh" (1:13 seconds into the video below). Joel clicked the sticks four times and they embark on a spontaneous and beautiful rendition of "For Reasons Unknown". It was not on the set list and it didn't matter (cut to the 55-year-old dude in the first row of left loge crying tears of joy). For 5 minutes, Joel didn't worry about medical bills, side affects of chemotherapy, or whether he would see tomorrow. For 5 minutes, he was cancer free. I expected to share music, sing-alongs, and other memorable moments with my son on a Saturday night in Los Angeles at The Killers concert. We were only a few miles from Hollywood, but spontaneous moments like this could have never been scripted, I'm thankful I was there to experience Joel's performance. Bravo Joel! But what the heck do I know...I'm just Joe.
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 University students are typically 17-23 years old, prepared to succeed academically and motivated to succeed in the classroom. The beauty of being a professor at a California community college is that the classroom is filled with non-traditional college students. Students age could be between 14-65 years old. Some students are still in high school, some are right out of high school some are single moms coming back to school, some have graduated from a university but have decided to retrain for a new career, and (believe it or not) some go to school for personal growth.
It's 1998 and I'm 31 years-old. I'm ready embark on my second year as a Biology professor teaching the non-major's Biology GE course. A student in the class, Sammy (name is changed to maintain his anonymity), is about 10years older than me and extremely excited about the class. I learn that he is from the poverty stricken area of Bakersfield called Oildale or the "Oh-8" for it's zip code (93308). He's a golf coach but his a passion is to be a college Math professor. Sammy speaks with an Oildale drawl that lends to a persona of genuine kindness, a sense of humor and approachable personality. He's also very intelligent...and the guy can TALK your ear off. I'm usually very concise with my conversations, but conversations with Sammy could easily go on for hours. I loved hearing his silly jokes, perspective on current topics and obstacles he had overcome. We would always exchange pleasantries when we would see each other at the golf course or the grocery store. It's now December 2020 and I saw Sammy at the driving range working with one his golf prodigies. He lacked the normal twinkle in his eyes and smile. He told me that he was recently diagnosed with malignant kidney cancer. It had spread to his stomach, intestines, spleen and vertebrae and his prognosis was not very good. He was scheduled to have half of his kidney removed in combination with several drug treatments. It had been months since I'd seen Sammy at the driving range or the golf course. I would send him a text, "Hi Sammy. Hope you are doing well my friend". My fear would be that I would not receive a response. Each time, I would receive a text that would say, "I hanging in there. Thanks for checking in on me". It's now early February (14 months later) and I decided to go hit some golf balls at the range. I walk towards the far end of the range and I see...Sammy. His smile and twinkle were back. We saw each other and gave each other a huge hug (Covid be damned). Sammy told me of his medical journey consisting of several surgeries, multiple organs removed and two chaplain visits to provide his last rites. But life has taken a turn for Sammy. He's a new grandpa. His daughter (also a former student of mine) gave birth to twin girls two weeks ago. Sammy is also currently part of an experimental immunotherapy treatment for his type of cancer that has shown positive results: Shrinking in all tumors the disappearance of one tumor. We spent two hours sharing stories and laughs. We finished our conversation with him mentioning how people consistently ask him, "How's your cancer?". I replied, "Well there's good news when someone asks you that question." Sammy looked confused, "Why's that, Joe?" I said, "This means you're alive...and you can answer that question." We laughed and gave each other one more hug. We said our "good byes" and as he walked with his golf bag over his shoulder, I yelled out to him, "How's your cancer?". He gave me a thumbs up, a huge smile and yelled back, "It's goin' great". I look forward to asking the question and getting a response again and again. But what do I know...I'm just Joe.  The California Gold Rush, Hollywood and the Silicone Valley are all synonymous with California's history of economic opportunities and prosperity. Yet, according to the Public Policy Institute of California, 12.8% of Californians lacked enough resources—about $25,500 per year for a family of four—to meet basic needs in 2018. (Please note that this data not not cover the economic impact of COVID-19). Poverty rates across southern San Joaquin Valley counties are significantly higher than the state average;
Moving from my hometown of Porterville, CA in 1985 (population in 25,000) and going to Fresno State (Fresno, CA population 300,000) for college was an amazing experience. Besides the passion for teaching by the amazing science faculty and staff, my college experience allowed me recognize that not everyone thinks like people in "Porterville". I met students and faculty from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Texas, New Jersey, Spain, Nigeria, England, China, India and Iraq. These interactions forced me to question the stereotypes, thoughts and opinions that had developed over the first 18 years of my life. Although quite fulfilling, I don't know how much these interactions with diverse students, faculty and staff has had on my financial future. There are many variables that contribute to poverty rates. A constant for greater economic success is literacy and education. California Governor, Gavin Newsom and the California State University (CSU) system collaborated to revise the CSU General Education curriculum. According to the August 17, 2020 LA Times, "The decision (for curriculum revision) comes amid a growing push for ethnic studies in public education following Black Lives Matter protests and calls to dismantle systemic and unconscious racism, starting in schools. The bill signed by Newsom, AB 1460, requires all CSU undergraduates to take at least one three-unit course in ethnic studies, defined as having a focus on African Americans, Asian Americans, Latino/a Americans and Native Americans." Will a 18-week, 3.0 unit course to instill diversity in a student's life have a significant economic influence on the future of the student? My hypothesis is...no. There is good news regarding steps to decrease the probability of poverty. Research from the American Enterprise Institute has discovered the factors that dramatically decrease poverty:
In 2019-20, the Bakersfield College student body was nearly 38,000 students. There were 1609 students that transferred to a 4-year university. A large proportion of these students (81% , or 1,314 out of 1,609 students) transferred to one of 23 CSU campuses. All CSU students, (approximately 481,000 students) will be now be required to take an Ethnic Studies course to meet the graduation requirements. But wouldn't a personal finances be considerably beneficial to the student's future? The student would be able to;
True empowerment of our lives comes from basic academic and financial literacy. The requirement of a Personal Finance class will have a lasting impact on the student's and community's future. But what the heck do I know...I'm just Joe.  My wife, Christine, and I were invited by some close friends for dinner on a Tuesday in October in California...this means Taco Tuesday. Our friends mentioned that they were going to Cabo San Lucas for a relaxing vacation. Friends of theirs had to cancel and they asked us to join them on their vacation. The flight to Mexico was only 4 days away. Fifteen minutes and a combination of four smart phones, a credit card, WiFi, Hilton points, two margaritas...and we are ready for a relaxing seven-day Cabo vacation.
The resort in Cabo was beautiful. The property had several infinity pools, a man-made breaker for safe swimming in the warm ocean waters, comfortable loungers by the pool, sea-side dining and our room had a beautiful view of the Sea of Cortez (see picture above). Is there a better place to hold Zoom office hours? Our average day was, wake up, have breakfast, grab a lounge chair by the pool, have great conversations in the pool while drinking fruity beverages, drive into Cabo San Lucas or San Jose del Cabo for some sight seeing and dinner, dessert at the resort...and do it all over again the next day. It can't get any better than this. What can go wrong? Several days into the vacation, our friends received a phone call from their 21 year-old daughter. She said she was having horrible headaches. Her dad told her to go to the doctor for a check-up. She was given medication for migraines and an I.V. to help with dehydration. The headaches continued for two more days. Her dad told her to go to the hospital for another check-up. The test results showed some abnormalities in her nervous tissue with a potential of meningitis (inflammation of the membranes surrounding the spinal cord or brain). Continued tests revealed that their daughter actually had several brain aneurisms (an enlargement of a blood vessel caused by a weakening of the vessel walls). Swimming in the infinity pool and eating fresh ceviche was now transformed into getting next flight out of Mexico. They packed their bags and we immediately sped away to the airport to catch the last flight out of Cabo. The 20 minute drive to the airport felt like several hours. They were on the phone with several physicians as we hurried to the airport. The first doctor's recommendation was to send their daughter to Los Angeles for the best care possible. He said, 'This is what I would do for my daughter". Several minutes later, we arrived at Cabo San Lucas Terminal #2 and a second physician recommended, "Time is of the essence. We need to operate on her immediately. Delaying the surgery to transport her to Los Angeles is too dangerous. This is what I would do for my daughter." Our friends said, "Okay...do what you think is best". Christine and I gave them a huge hug as they ran off to catch their flight home to be with their daughter. One minute, we are dipping their toes in the Sea of Cortez and the next minute our friends are wondering if their daughter will make it to tomorrow. The initial surgery was not going well. The doctors quickly decided to transport her to Los Angeles for emergency surgery. They kissed their daughter on the forehead thinking this would be the last time they would see her alive. Their daughter had multiple aneurisms, including one that was bleeding. Although the chances of survival were very low, recent surgical advancement (Coil Embolization) made it possible to save the life of their beautiful daughter. As a matter of fact, she miraculously went home nine days after surgery with no lingering symptoms. She still has a few hurdles she will have to overcome, but their daughter is home. One of the interesting conversations me and my friend had was about the lack of appreciation for a "normal" life. All he wanted was a "normal" life again. I've experienced several situations that have enlightened me on celebrating a "normal' life. Here are several "normal" events that I try to appreciate every day:
 Nurses, physicians, police officers, fireman, engineers and educators have consistently been considered noble and respected professions. For the 18th year in a row, the most recent Gallop poll has Nursing as the most honest and respected profession. The Covid-19 pandemic, #BLM, cancel culture, police brutality, online education and removal of statues and monuments should make next year's Gallop poll very interesting. My guess is that nurses will still hold the top spot, but the rest of the 2020 list of respected professions will look like Gallop put the names of each profession on a ping pong ball and randomly pulled them out of a Bingo Ball Hopper.
I was honored to be hired as a college Biology professor at Bakersfield College in Bakersfield, California in 1997. A college professor is a position of prestige and considered an expert in his/her field. Faculty are entrusted by the community and society to provide students course content, listen to dissenting opinions, and argue for or against a topic using evidence through the use of research and critical thinking. Things have changed dramatically over two decades. Consider recent events that have occurred on college campuses:
There is an "implicit bias" on campus. But it is a different bias I more concerned about. This is a "faculty bias" that students are naive and faculty need to ensure that students think properly. These dangerous ideas include, but not limited to;
As a scientist, I've been trained to be skeptical and pragmatic. I look for data and evidence. Data and evidence have consistently pointed the advancement of our society towards the truth...and the truth will set you free (John 8:32). To my fellow colleagues...quit being egotistical and narcissistic. Admit we don't have all of the answers. Quit treating students and the community as unsophisticated, ignorant or naive. Let's provide the student body with course content, allow dissenting opinions, and argue for or against a topic using evidence through the use of research and critical thinking. What would happen if we allowed this to happen on our campuses? Anarchy? Chaos? I disagree. The result would be empowered students transformed into community members and leaders that would find the truth and/or solutions to...
But what the heck do I know...I'm just Joe. By the way, the California Community College State Chancellor has sent out a "call to action" to the entire California community college staff, faculty and administrators. This is the direction of the Californian Community College curriculum.  My oldest son was scheduled to graduate from high school graduation this year. Unfortunately, the Covid -19 virus had other plans. Graduation is canceled until further notice. There would not be an opportunity wear his graduation regalia, walk across the stage to receive his diploma, move his tassel from the right side of his mortar board to the left side of his mortar board, and throw his mortar board up into the night sky with absolute joy.
Mom is here to save the day. She breaks into action by purchasing graduation decorations, purchasing a PA system, designing invitations and preparing an online graduation ceremony. Within a week, she has organized a "virtual" graduation ceremony that everyone (grand parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends) will be able to attend in the safety of their own home. The program included Pomp and Circumstance, flag salute, and graduation speeches from mom and dad to the graduate and it all culminated in a "Silly String" fight. Here is a copy of my speech to the my son and the 2020 graduates: How does a baby screw in a light bulb? The baby holds the light bulb while the world revolves around him. Likes, hearts, retweets, selfies and the hope of going viral on Tic Tok or becoming an “influencer” is the current measure of success in the world of social media. Let me let you in on a little secret…nobody really cares about you. You are insignificant. As a matter of fact, I’m insignificant. Every single one of us is insignificant, until… In high school and your 20’s, you worry about what others think of you. In your 40’s you stop worrying about what others think about you and lastly…you know you’ve matured when you recognize nobody ever thought about you in the first place. In psychology, this is called the “Spotlight effect”? Every single one of us is insignificant, until… There are 7.4 billion people on Earth. And every single one of those 7.4 billion (including me) were either cut out, pulled out or fell out of our mom’s uterus. Therefore, having a birthday is not that special. Heck, thousands will graduate with their Ph. D., tens of thousands will graduate with a BA or MA and millions will graduate from high school this year. Every single one of us is insignificant, until… One of my favorite writers, Mark Twain said, “"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." My birthday on July 12th. But I also know why I was born. I was born to be a loving husband to my wife Christine, be a father to my sons, be a teacher and mentor for students and actually do things with and for my friends, family and community instead of simply typing “Thoughts and Prayers” on my phone or computer. Sebastian…and the graduating class of 2020, we only have a limited amount of time on this Earth. Happiness and satisfaction do not come from selfies of the duck lips portrait, the over the shoulder turn and scoliosis of the back or the “hold the phone above my head and let me look sexy picture”. Sebastian and fellow graduates…every single one of us is insignificant. But you will reach true happiness, satisfaction and freedom whey you realize why you were born. This is when you actually become significant. Congratulations to the graduates. Love you Sebastian. Here is link to the graduation ceremony: https://www.facebook.com/christine.saldivar/videos/10223279743848425/ Them moral of this story is...never underestimate the power of Mom. Not even a worldwide pandemic can stop her. But what the heck do I know...I'm just Joe.  The explosion of YouTube, Spotify and streaming services has given me the opportunity to relive childhood TV shows, movies and music. It's unimaginable to think about the amount of information and entertainment available at my fingertips. This has also allowed me to identify and understand context.
Previous generations always believe their generation is better than the current generation. I'm sure Cro Magnon man said, "What's wrong with these kids today?". I'm sure you've heard it from your grandparents, your parents and your teachers. Yes...I'm guilty of uttering the phrase as well. I have come to two conclusions about the television shows and the music of my youth...
My definition of progress is based on improvement. The US and the world have made extraordinary progress towards issues of civil, women's and LGBT rights. And these changes have happened in a relatively recent and short time period of time. As recent as 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down all state bans on same-sex marriage, legalized it in all fifty states, and required states to honor out-of-state same-sex marriage licenses in the case Obergefell v. Hodges. I would argue that the past few decades have been as socially improved and transformative as any time in human history. Unfortunately, other individuals define progress as movement. This movement does not necessarily mean movement towards freedom. Their definition of progress (movement) is fluid and restrictive that includes the banning of books, the muzzling of language and speech and anything else that may be deemed offensive. This is progress (movement). Legally, is there such a thing as hate speech? What if a band wanted to name their group "The Slants"? The US Patent and Trademark Office denied the band's name because it could be disparaging to Asians. In October 2016, the US Supreme ruled in Matal v. Tam...
But what the heck do I know...I'm just Joe.  My wife recently purchased an 8-pack of Kleenex On-The-Go Facial Tissue (see picture above) since it happens to be spring time and allergy time in the San Joaquin Valley of California. The product that is used to capture mucus will also provide me with inspirational guidance for life and success. Who needs Oprah, Tony Robbins, DJ Khaled or 'self-help' books to help you battle through life's barriers and obstacles when the answers to your self-doubt and personal struggles are printed on travel packs of facial tissue. As a matter of fact, I suggest that you find the transcripts or actually listen to the words of Oprah, Tony Robbins when they attempt to assist individuals become the "real you". What does "Believe in Yourself" actually mean? How do I "Summon my Strength"? Here is a link to video of DJ Khaled being interviewed on a web show. This show has guests eat hot wings as they are being interviewed. Don't focus on him eating the hot wings, but listen to what he is saying (or not saying) as he struggles to eat the hot wings; Tony Robbins, Oprah and DJ Khaled are social media geniuses. They have been able to use their hard work and marketing skills for personal and financial success. More power to them...but do these self-help gurus actually say anything? As a matter of fact, would you be able to tell the difference between Oprah, Tony Robbins, DJ Kaleds or Kleenex's suggestions for success in life you simply read their quotes? Guess who said the following phrases:
The answers are 1 = Oprah, 2 = DJ Khaled, 3 = Kleenex, and 4 = Tony Robbins Tony Robbins will guide you to "create a life that is filled with passion, achievement and reward, the most effective solution is through self-improvement and personal growth. But before you can successfully make a positive change, you must better understand what influences and drives you forward. Tony will be able to develop the understanding and skills to create change and defy your own limitations. Winners find a way and Tony Robbins can help you find yours at Unleash the Power Within." The cost to attend the Tony Robbins experience...$695-$2995. It must be worth it...it includes a "Fire walk Experience". If Tony's workshops are a bit too expensive, how about listening to the queen of media and motivation...Oprah Winfrey. She launched a US arena tour in January aptly named the “Oprah’s 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus”. The nine-city tour is ready to make 2020 “the year of transformation and triumph because 2020 is a time to have your vision in focus and to live up to all the dreams you’ve made for yourself,” So how much does it cost to “...come together to support a stronger, healthier, more abundant life–focused on what makes us feel energized, connected and empowered?": Ticket prices are...$69.50-$299.99. Unfortunately, the current Covid-19 pandemic has postponed the Tony Robbins and Oprah life experiences. How in the world are the thousands of people planning on improving their lives supposed to find their "true self"? Well, for the price of a Starbucks Venti Caffè Americano, you can purchase an 8-pack of Kleenex On-The-Go Facial Tissue with inspirational quotes printed on each pack. I would consider these more useful than an evening with Oprah or a weekend with Tony Robbins. At least you can blow your nose into Kleenex. But what the heck do I know...I'm just Joe.  I celebrated my 50th birthday in 2017. My wife threw a great party for me. It was an evening filled with family, friends, wood fired pizza and dancing. What else should happen at the age of 50wdeq?...the American Cancer Society also recommends a screening for colon cancer via colonoscopy. Happy birthday to me!!!
I first need to set the timeline. My wife, Christine, made my appointment for my colonoscopy weeks in advance for Monday, December 11, 2017 at 8:00 AM. Friday, December 8, 2017: Two friends (Jay and Nick) of mine decided to have breakfast and play a round of golf. Jay was really excited to tell me about his new investment in cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency is basically digital money. Individuals can sell, buy or transfer currency using "digital" technology that is virtually non-traceable. Cryptocurrency is also a very risky investment. I had heard of Bitcoin three years earlier as an alternative to gold, silver and the mighty dollar. The price of one Bitcoin jumped from $800 to $11,000 in three years. Jay mentioned that he had invested money in a new type of cryptocurrency called Litecoin. The price of one Litecoin was $97.00 when we started our round of golf. Jay continued to see the price of Litecoin creeping up as we continued to play our round of golf. Litecoin was at $108 by the time we finished our round of golf. This was an 11% increase in about 5 hours. I came home and started doing some research about the potential role of cryptocurrencies in financial markets and the potential risks/rewards of investing in digital currency. I decided to purchase $600 (of my own savings) of Litecoin that afternoon. To my surprise, Litecoin was now at $113 per coin. But I didn't tell my wife. Saturday, December 9, 2017. The price of Litecoin is now nearing $200 per coin. Cha-ching! Sunday, December 10, 2017. I start drinking the fluids required to clean out my digestive system for my colonoscopy the next morning...and those fluids really cleaned me out. I would keep checking the prices of Litecoin as I sat on the toilet and as I watched NFL football (it's Sunday). The price per coin was $290 per coin by Sunday evening. Christine will be so excited when I tell her about my investment. I'll surprise her with an amazing trip around the world. We're gonna' be rich! Monday, December 11, 2017. It's go time! My lovely wife takes me to the doctor's office for my procedure. The nurse, anesthesiologist and doctor give me an overview of the process and off to "sleep" I go as they proceed to stick a camera up my butt (I mention that the drugs they used for the procedure were fantastic). The next thing I remember as I come out of my colonoscopy slumber is the following conversation: Nurse: Is this your husband? Christine: Yes he is. Nurse: He's keeping a secret from you. (Long pause) Christine: (Holds my hand and gently caresses my hip.) Hi honey. How are you feeling? Joe: I feel great. Is it over? Christine: Yup. You did great. Oh by the way...I hear you are keeping a secret from me. Joe: Yea. I bought $600 worth of Litecoin on Friday and it's now worth about $1900 in three days. I was going to surprise you with a trip around the world about five years from now. We're going to be rich. Christine: Oh is that it? (Nurse and Christine laugh) On the drive home, Christine said that I was mumbling on the hospital bed about how I was keeping a secret from my wife. The dang nurse "dropped a dime on me"! The moral of the story is...the person that drives you home from a colonoscopy should be a friend that can keep a secret because nurses can't keep a secret. By the way...I don't think we're traveling any time soon. Litecoin is currently at $44 per coin. (April 8, 2017) Second moral of the story...please see you doctor for regular physicals and check-ups. The best way to beat an illness or disease is early recognition. But what the heck do I know...I'm only Joe.  Panorama Bluffs; Bakersfield, CA Historically, a campus wide "Welcome Back" event to celebrate the beginning of the new semester is held on Thursday prior to the beginning of the semester at Bakersfield College. The Spring 2020 gathering was no different. Several hundred students, staff, faculty and administrators filled the Performing Arts Center. The agenda is usually several individuals presenting information and data of past accomplishments and upcoming goals...but this "Welcome Back" event was a bit different. A large portion of the event was dedicated to "Active Shooter" training. It started with a video produced by the Sandy Hook Promise. You can watch the video below. Although powerful and emotional, I was enraged. I was now sitting in the middle of hundreds of emotionally dazed students and colleagues. The theater that was originally filled with anticipation for the beginning of the Spring 2020 semester was now filled with students and colleagues thinking to themselves, "I'm going to die", "We are destined a horrible disaster" and "It's not a matter of if...but WHEN".
We live in the greatest country in the world. Our freedom provides opportunities for individuals to prosper, but freedom also comes with a price. Our free society also provides opportunities for individuals to commit illegal or horrible acts of violence. "Crazy" or "Emotionally Disturbed" can not be legislated away without abolishing freedoms. As a matter of fact, it's difficult to identify how or why a "disturbed" individual thinks because they are "disturbed". Why would people fly planes into the Twin Towers? Why would a person shoot towards hundreds of concert goers in Las Vegas? Why would a person shoot church goers in Charleston, South Carolina? Psychologists, academics, and law enforcement investigate post-mortem in the hopes of preventing future tragedies. There may be a few patterns or behaviors that were exhibited prior to the horrible event. Maybe he (Yes, most violent acts are committed by males) played violent video games, raised in a home without a father, was addicted to drugs, was abused as a child, listened to violent music or did not take his prescribed medications. But as science has shown us, correlation is not causation. Unfortunately, this also means that will be more shootings in the future and we will not be able to prevent future events. But I digress, this is not why I was enraged. I was enraged because people simply don't understand basic math and probabilities. Magician, Penn Jillette says, "Las Vegas was built for and by people that are really bad at Math." If we simply look at the probabilities of a shooting event at Bakersfield College or any school in the city of Bakersfield, the odds are extremely LOW. Students, staff, faculty and BC Administrators have a higher probability (although still extremely low) of being attacked by a mountain lion on the Panorama Bluffs. Are students and staff provided training against mountain lion attacks? Of course not, "What are the chance of that happening to any of us"? This is my point! An active shooter or a mountain lion attacks are equivalent to winning the lottery. As a matter of fact, studies show that school shooter simulations do much more harm than good to the psyche of kids. Here is a tip that has saved my life, my family's lives and the lives of others...and it only cost about $5.00: Drum roll please...a tire gauge. Data from US Department of Transportation reported 738 deaths in 2017 due to tire malfunction. Checking our tires is cheap, simple and quick. But let's not worry about things and events we can actually save lives versus random acts of chaos and violence. By the way, our world and country are currently in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. If you still believe adults are competent in math, take a look at social media posts and see how great adults are at interpreting data and graphs. But what the heck do I know...I'm just Joe. |
AuthorI am a husband, father, son, brother, uncle, friend and Biology professor. We are on this Earth for a limited amount of time. Let's think, laugh and love. Archives
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