Podcast on Lead Poisoning

A short report on the current dangers that exist for lead poisoning.

Reflections on the Power of Voice

It is interesting to read Mr. Romano's work, in that he really justs represents what has been known for quite some time, he simply presents it with his own kind of flair. He surrounds the ability to write in a clever of veil that he calls "voice". But as early as Mrs. Blout's freshman English class in high school I was always familiar with this concept. Phyllis Blout said it quite simply, " Before you can write something worth reading, you must have something worth saying."

Education is the process of providing us with the tools to express what we want to say. Life, and all its experiences, is what gives us "something" to say. Voice comes from within, on this I am in complete agreement with Romano. What always seems to frustrate me is this continual need among educators to make it seem as if this is some secret that they have uncovered and now are able to reveal to us. Phyllis made it simple, open the theater of your mind and let the stories unfold. Read all you can, TV and movies should serve to supplement and help reveal images and experiences that are beyond your reach at a given time, but should never serve as replacements for the truths that real life and real literature can reveal to us.

The presence on the page that Romano speaks of must first begin as a presence in our lives. All the other aspects, information; narrative; perception; surprise; and humor, are reflections of who we are or we desire to be, any other fabrication will be exposed for the false nature that it will be.

Reflections on Blogging

While the "kids" have all had experience with this blogging phenomenon, I am a throw-back to the 60's when communication was verbal and personal. Being no stranger to computers and the Internet, the idea of posting thoughts for any and all to see is a little uncomfortable for me. I prefer the direct interactions and instant feedback of one-to-one conversations. Even the environment of the discussion boards is tolerable, in that the audience is controlled, but still somewhat frustrating in that the delay and even absence of responses is difficult to relate to. But in life and in classwork, we all must venture into areas in which our comfort zone is challenged and so here we go with my first blog. (As a note I also don't do chatrooms)