December 23, 2022

I had gone to visit friends in a care facility earlier this week and was surprised to see Santa walk through the door.  He spent time talking with the staff and then proceeded to go room to room saying hello and stopping to chat with those residents who greeted him.  I have also seen Santa in several parades and even at the Christmas celebration where I work.  While he generally looks the same, I have marveled at his ability to gain and lose weight, seemingly at will.  I guess it must come from the enormous amounts of cookies he eats on Christmas Eve.

When I looked online, I found Santa Claus, aka Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary character originating in Western Christian culture.  He is said to bring children gifts during the overnight hours on Christmas Eve.  These toys, candy, coal, or nothing, depend on whether the child was “naughty or nice”.   Santa is aided by Christmas elves, who make the toys in his North Pole workshop, and by flying reindeer who pull his sleigh through the air.  Santa is generally depicted as a round, jolly, white-bearded man, often with spectacles, wearing a red coat, trousers, and hat all trimmed with white fur, and black leather belt and boots, and carrying a bag full of gifts for the children.  This image became popular in the US and Canada in the 19th century due to the significant influence of the 1823 poem by Clement C. Moore, “A Visit from St. Nicholas”.  Caricaturist Thomas Nast also played a role in the creation of Santa’s image.  This image has been maintained and reinforced through song, media, children’s books, family Christmas traditions, films, and advertising.  The modern character of Santa is based on folklore traditions surrounding Saint Nicholas, the English figure of Father Christmas and the Dutch figure of Sinterklaas.

While Santa is venerated and enjoyed by many, some find this characterization objectionable.  Santa Claus has partial Christian roots in Saint Nicholas, particularly in the high church denominations that honor him along with other saints.  Other denominations hold views that vary from acceptance to denouncement.  The English Puritans and Dutch Calvinists of the 17th-century banned the holiday tradition as either pagan or Roman Catholic and the American colonies established by these groups did the same.  Following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 the ban on Christmas was lifted and was satirized in works such as Josiah King’s The Examination and Tryal of Old Father Christmas; Together with his Clearing by the Jury, in 1686.  Modern criticism centers around commercialization of the Santa Claus figure that began in the 19th century.  The original figure of St. Nicholas gave only to those who were needy, while today Santa seems to be more about conspicuous consumption.  With all the stress and criticism, it is no wonder the jolly old elf overindulges in sugar.

THOUGHTS:  Santa is one of the few characters who brings joy equally to children and adults.  The mere presence of Santa can bring a smile as memories of Christmases past flood our minds.  Life is the combination of memories (good and bad) and the expectation of events (and their memories) to come.  Plan to make good memories this Christmas that will last a lifetime.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

December 22, 2022

There is a wicked cold front arriving in our area this morning and we needed to prepare the outside succulent beds for the cold.  Forecasters have been warning all week to be prepared for bitter cold and the possibility of snow.  While it has been cold this week, the beds had not yet needed to be covered.  Melissa reminded me Tuesday night to be sure and cover the beds on Wednesday.  I forgot and instead took Zena on her first visit to a local dog park.  When I got home, I worked on other projects until Melissa reminded me that we needed to cover the plants.  I searched through the house and garage but could not find the mesh cloth we have used to cover the beds for the last two years.  I gave up and promised I would get up early this morning and get something over the beds.  Melissa woke me this morning saying she had covered the beds with blankets, but it was about to start to rain.  She suggested I use the drop cloths in the garage rather than cut more of our vinal sheathing.  As I crawled out of bed, I reminded myself this could have been done when it was warmer.

When I looked online, I found the definition of reminded is to make someone think about something again.  I also found an article from today’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that reminded readers of the incessant snow that piled up in January 1979.  The month began with 13.9 inches (35.3 cm) of heavy snow at Mitchell International Airport on New Year’s Eve, and another inch (2.5 cm) by the morning of New Year’s Day.  Drifts as high as 14 feet (4.25 m) piled up and temperatures dropped and stayed below 0F (-17.7C) for several days, with lows down to -15F (-26C).  On Jan. 13-14 a second winter storm dropped 14.6 inches (4.4 m), and again, the bitter cold returned.  By 8 am on January 5, the temperature had dropped to -15F (-26C), and The Milwaukee Journal reported a wind chill of -53F (-47C) that afternoon as another 4.9 inches (12.5 cm) of heavy snow fell.  From the night of January 23 through the following evening, another 9.5 inches (24 cm) of snow fell, for a monthly accumulation of snow at a record 33.7 inches (85.6 cm). 

At the top of the front page of the January 25, 1979, Sentinel, Milwaukee Mayor William Janz issued a joking/not-joking proclamation: ” … Be it resolved, that the County of Milwaukee, the City of Milwaukee, all of its suburbs, and any other communities in southeastern Wisconsin that want to affix signatures hereon, do, with snow shovels in hand, officially and unconditionally SURRENDER to the winter of ’79 … ”  With snow forecast for Christmas, the article in today’s Sentinel seems to suggest its readers need to be reminded of the negative affects of large amounts of snow.

THOUGHTS:  Melissa and I watched White Christmas last night.  This movie features Bing Crosby singing the namesake song as he wistfully dreams of snow at Christmas, and I am reminded of past Christmases when I felt the same.  Now the temperatures have dropped and the light mist that had begun as I covered the succulent beds has turned to snow.  While the sun glinting off snow covered branches and pristine fields is beautiful, like Milwaukee I am reminded there are other effects as well.  Snow and cold are especially hard on those without proper shelter or adequate heat.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

December 21, 2022

This week’s newsletter from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission included news on removal of one of the low-water crossings in the southwestern part of the state.  Many of the manmade low-water crossings, bridges, and dams can impede the movements of fish to spawning areas, especially smaller fish species.  Thanks to a partnership with Weyerhaeuser, one of these dilapidated low-water crossings was removed to help promote fish movement and improve safety for recreational floaters and anglers in southwest Arkansas.  Removal of the crossing was necessary as the structure presented dangers to those on the water, and because it was in such poor condition it was unsafe for vehicular traffic.  The blockage caused by the structure also caused a major restriction for stream species along that stretch of the river and the feeder creeks to it in the watershed upstream.  Removal was made possible by an EPA-319 grant through the Arkansas Department of Agriculture.

When I looked online, I found the first Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA) was enacted in 1948 but was completely rewritten as FWPCA Amendments of 1972.  Major changes were later introduced via amendments, including the Clean Water Act of 1977 (CWA) and the Water Quality Act (WQA) of 1987.  The CWA is now the primary federal US law governing water pollution.  Its objective is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters, and was one of the first and most influential modern environmental laws in the nation.  Its laws and regulations are mostly overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in coordination with state governments.  Section 319(h) of the CWA provides funds designated for state and tribal agencies to implement their approved management plans. These were the funds allocated for removal of the low water crossing.

A low water crossing provides a bridge when water flow is low.  Under high-flow conditions, water runs over the roadway and blocks or makes vehicular traffic hazardous.  This approach is cheaper than building a bridge to raise the road above the highest flood stage of a river, particularly in developing countries or in semi-arid areas with rare high-volume rain.  The collapsed low water crossing was removed and the banks on either side of the river were restored.  Native shrubs and trees were planted to reestablish the riparian area and riprap was placed to prevent shoreline erosion along the old roadbed.  The grant is intended to remove all potential fish passage barriers in the Lower Little River watershed, and at least three more barriers will be removed.  The barrier removal opened at least 25 river miles of connected habitat below Dierks Lake to native aquatic species, and more miles can be restored through continued work on the watershed.

THOUGHTS:  Migratory freshwater fish are among the most threatened animals on the planet, declining by 76 percent between 1970 and 2016, a much higher rate of decline than both marine and terrestrial migratory species.  Many of these freshwater species are bait fish for the larger predators we like to catch or eat.  Low-water crossings were quick to build and provided access to rural areas where high water flow was seldom a problem.  Unlike bridges, these structures dam the rivers most of the year.  As these crossings degrade and collapse, they no longer serve for vehicular traffic and remain an impasse for migratory species.  Like many of our past shortcuts, this problem will take time and money to resolve, but if we do nothing the problem will only get worse.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

December 20, 2022

Front page of my local newspaper this morning described a venerated symbol of Christmas as a tree killer.  Sprigs of this vine hang from lentils, swing from lights and chandeliers, and hang above door passages.  The first written reference comes from a 1820’s story by Washington Irving as the “kissmas-time” berries were “hung up to the imminent peril of all the pretty housemaids.”  Mistletoe can grow year-round but it tends to bloom in the late fall and winter.  The sprigs become more pronounced as the tree drops its leaves and the bright green leaves of the vine are visible.  The article stated while this may brighten the yard, it is a warning sign for the tree and a “certified arborist” should be called for an assessment.  If the tree can be saved, it will require removal of the mistletoe.

When I looked online, I found Mistletoe is the common name for obligate hemiparasitic plants in the order Santalales.  All species in the order are attached to their host tree or shrub by a structure called the haustorium, which they use to extract water and nutrients from the host plant.  While a parasite, the green leaves can use photosynthesis to produce their own food if necessary.  Mistletoe originally referred to European mistletoe (Viscum album) which is the only species native to the British Isles and much of Europe.  A related species (Viscum cruciatum) with red rather than white fruits, occurs in Southwest Spain and Southern Portugal, as well as in Morocco in North Africa and in southern Africa.  The genus Viscum is not native to North America, but Viscum album was introduced to Northern California in 1900.  The mistletoe of eastern North America (Phoradendron leucarpum) belongs to a distinct genus of the family Santalaceae.  European mistletoe has smooth-edged, oval, evergreen leaves borne in pairs along the woody stem, and waxy, white berries that it bears in clusters of two to six.  The eastern mistletoe of North America is similar, but has shorter, broader leaves and longer clusters of 10 or more berries.  The term has been broadened over the centuries to include many other species of parasitic plants found in other parts of the world with similar habits that are classified in different genera and families.

Another warning about mistletoe is while it is a favorite food for many birds, it can be poisonous to humans.  The 1500 species of mistletoe vary widely in human toxicity.  European mistletoe is more toxic than American mistletoe yet concerns regarding toxicity are more prevalent in the US.  The effects are not usually fatal and in parts of South Asia, mistletoe is frequently used as an external medicine.  The active substances are Phoratoxin (in Phoradendron) and Tyramine (in Viscum) and their effects include blurred vision, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, and less commonly cause cardiac problems such as seizures, hypertension, and even cardiac arrest.  The toxins are more concentrated in the leaves and berries of the plant, with teas prepared from the plant being particularly dangerous.  While adults may suffer little effect, these symptoms are more pronounced in small children and in animals.  Despite its toxicity, mistletoe has been used historically in medicine for its supposed value in treating arthritis, high blood pressure, epilepsy, and infertility.  While mistletoe may illicit a kiss, eating or drinking the sprig is not advised.

THOUGHTS:  I was introduced to mistletoe as a young child as a sprig was always hung over the arched divider between our living and dining rooms.  I was too young to consider using the sprig, but since the mistletoe was hung over the large furnace floor grate I was often “under the mistletoe” to keep warm.  The custom of kissing under the mistletoe was popular among servants in late 18th-century England, and one of the earliest references to mistletoe traditions in popular music is “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” released by Jimmy Boyd in 1952.  Sneaking a kiss with a loved one is not a bad tradition to keep.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

December 19, 2022

When I opened my email this morning it was flooded with ads for all the latest and greatest gift I could purchase for my friends and loved ones.  Some even suggested I skip my loved ones and get the gift directly for myself.  One of the better suggestions was from a pizza shop.  The beauty of this gift was I did not have to worry about wrapping the present.  It would come in a brightly colored box and all I would have to do is order and pay for the pizza, have it delivered, and then wait for the happy response of the recipient (plus tip).  While I was not sure about ordering a pizza for my friends (anchovies?), it did make me want to order one for myself.

When I looked online, I found gift giving is not just a way to increase holiday sales.  These sales can obscure the traditional reasons for giving a gift at Christmas that illustrates the human need to express thanks and affection.  While the motivations vary by individual, there are common themes for gift giving.  The biblical nativity story has a significant influence on the tradition of Christmas gift-giving as the Magi brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus in the manger.  This gift showed the respect and reverence of the givers and bestowing presents on family members, friends, and the needy is a way of remembering that gift.  Christmas presents can be a time of surprise and delight, and once wrapped the giver gets to watch the receiver’s face as they unwrap it (now by Facetime).  A gift under the tree provides anticipation for children and allows adults to reflect with nostalgia on their own childhood Christmases.  Businesses are more practical and use this time for marketing by giving gifts to promote the company name.  For many, this is a time to say thank you to all those who provide services throughout the year.  Whatever the reason, each gift can bring joy.

When I was visiting mom over Thanksgiving, my brother and I recalled the gift that we anticipated under the tree when we were young.  We went through a phase where sets of plastic army men were our greatest expectation.  I later learned for several years these sets were bought the previous year at the after Christmas sales and stored until they were given the following year (I found it one summer).  What I did not know is another trick my parents used.  One of the catalogue stores had a warehouse outlet in the big city located not far from where we lived.  Mom said she and dad would take a day and drive to the city to shop at warehouse prices.  This was an early version of the big box stores where a gift may be purchased today.

THOUGHTS:  My brother and I talked about how we would sit for hours staring at the large boxes under the tree.  We would check and recheck, making sure which gift had our name on it.  When mom was not around, we would hold and shake the brightly papered boxes imagining what might be inside.  I learned early that underwear and socks do not rattle.  Several years ago, it was estimated that over 33,000 (40%) of vulnerable children in the US will not get a Christmas gift.  We can feel inundated by charities asking for donations at this time.  Research a good charity, get involved with the organization, and consider making a gift.  Find your motivation and bring joy to a child who otherwise would have gone without.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

December 16, 2022

Melissa and I decided to spend our “date night” listening to a presentation by Dr. Paige Ford, Station Archeologist at Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park and sponsored by the Ark-Homa Chapter of the Arkansas Archeological Society (and yes, we did go out to eat after the presentation).  The 18-mound Plum Bayou complex is the largest and most complex mound site in the state and has the tallest surviving prehistoric mound in Arkansas.  The site was used as a ceremonial ground by the Late Woodlands culture from 650 to 1050 CE.  An interesting aspect of the presentation was the name change that just occurred in November.  Formerly Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park, Plum Bayou is one of four National Historic Landmarks in the Arkansas State Park system.  

When I looked online, I found on November 2, 2022, the Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park’s name was officially changed to Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park and the Arkansas Archeological Society (ARAS) research station was renamed the Plum Bayou Research Station.  After a lengthy process involving meetings and discussions with Tribal Nations, a public comment period, and successive approval by State Parks commissioners, the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism officially changed the name to Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park.  This was not the first name change for the site, as it was initially referred to as the Knapp Mound Group, referencing the Knapp family who owned the land throughout the latter half of the 1800’s.  During this time there were many theories regarding who built the mounds in the southeastern US, and supposedly the Knapp family supposedly the Toltec civilization of Mexico built the mounds on their property (one of the theories) and the site became known by locals as Toltec Mounds.  When the property was acquired by the state in 1975 this common name was used, despite the researchers knowing it was not associated with the Toltec culture.

Martha Rolingson was the first station archeologist and conducted research on the site beginning in 1966 and continuing for the next 30 years.  Rolingson named the people associated with the site the Plum Bayou culture and identified this ceremonial mound site as a “type site” for the Plum Bayou culture, meaning it is the place where the characteristic artifacts of this culture were first identified.  When presented with changing the name of the park itself, it naturally follows to name the site after the Plum Bayou people who built it.  The Native Garden exhibit at the park was already named the Plum Bayou Garden, attributing the Woodland varieties of plants to the very culture in this region who interacted with and used them.

THOUGHTS:  I have been interested in sites like Plum Bayou since I researched the mound building Woodlands and Mississippian cultures in the central and southeastern US as an undergrad student.  One of Melissa and my early trips after we were married was a joint tour of several of these mound sites combined with key battlefields of the Civil War.  Along with fishing, visiting these sites is one of our shared joys.  Through the years I have found that sharing what you enjoy with a partner not only makes the experience more enjoyable, but it can also strengthen your relationship.  Spending time with others and creating shared memories builds bonds between spouses, friends, and can turn strangers and even enemies into lifetime companions.  This is especially good to remember during the holidays.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

December 15, 2022

Yesterday’s NY Times Morning feed reported on a recent breakthrough in creating fusion energy.  Earlier this month scientists at the Department of Energy announced they had carried out a fusion reaction that produced more energy than went into it.  This implies humans can tap into the process that powers stars to produce energy on Earth.  Fusion provides a clean source of energy that could replace the polluting fossil fuels and help overcome climate change.  There are still serious barriers but if the remaining challenges can be resolved fusion could produce more energy than any of our current energy technologies.  It is unclear if scientists can reliably replicate the test they achieved.  There are questions if they can do it more efficiently, quicker, and on a scale to make it a viable alternative.  If not, yesterday’s announcement may amount to little more than laboratory science.

When I looked online, I found Fusion power generates electricity by using heat from nuclear fusion reactions.  In a fusion process, two lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, while releasing energy.  Devices designed to harness this energy are called fusion reactors.  Research into fusion reactors began in the 1940’s, but to date the only successful design to produce positive fusion energy (more power out than in) is the inertial confinement laser-driven fusion machine at the US National Ignition Facility.  The fusion process requires fuel and a confined environment with enough temperature, pressure, and confinement time to create plasma for the fusion to occur.  The blend of these figures results in a power-producing system known as the Lawson criterion.  Hydrogen is the most common fuel in stars, and gravity provides extremely long confinement times that reach the conditions needed for fusion energy production.  Proposed fusion reactors generally use heavy hydrogen isotopes (deuterium and tritium, or a combination) to allow them to reach the Lawson criterion requirements with less extreme conditions.  Most designs aim to heat their fuel to around 100 million degrees, which presents a major challenge in producing a successful design.

Most nuclear fusion experiments have used doughnut-shaped reactors and magnetic fields to trap hydrogen, fuse it, and release energy.  Those experiments have yet to produce more energy than they used.  The Department of Energy’s lab is different.  It fired 192 lasers at a tiny hydrogen pellet to heat the pellet and cause it to implode, fuse into helium, and release a blast of energy.  The lab has been conducting this experiment for years, tweaking how and where the lasers are fired.  These changes paid off on December 5th.  The resulting nuclear fusion produced about 50% more energy than the energy from the lasers.  As exciting as the results are to scientists, they say it will require decades of work before this breakthrough leads to widespread commercial use, if ever.  It is typical for scientific breakthroughs to start in unrealistic lab settings before they are refined for public use.  At the very least, this discovery shows that nuclear fusion can be a source of energy. Now they just need to turn it into a usable technology.

THOUGHTS:  While fusion promises to provide unlimited energy for the future, it is unlikely to be a viable source of energy by the 2035 deadline to eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions in the US from its electricity sector.  This plan relies on a sharp increase in wind and solar energy generation, although it may get a boost from nuclear fusion.  What is clear is that the US, and the world, cannot rely solely on any single power source.  Our reliance on fossil fuel provided a cheap power source that caused us to abandon improvements in other sources, much to our detriment.  Wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal energy all need to continue to be researched and improved.  Then together with fusion we may begin to reverse the climate catastrophe that is on our horizon.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

December 14, 2022

Today’s AP article in my local newspaper reported on the effect of this year’s hurricanes on Florida’s orange crop.  According to the US Department of Agriculture the twin storms of Ian and Nicole will cause a drop of 56% in Florida orange production compared to last year.  The latest forecast calls for about 18 million boxes of oranges to be produced this year, while last October the Department had estimated 28 million boxes.  Each box weighs about 90 pounds (40.8 kg).  The Florida Agriculture Commission said Ian damaged about 375,000 acres of commercial citrus in late September.  While Nicole did less damage in November, it struck some of the same areas.  Other citrus forecasts are also down, with grapefruit production coming in 200,000 boxes fewer than estimated and tangerines and tangelos at 100,000 fewer boxes.  The decline in oranges would make this the lowest season since World War II.  The harvest was 67 million in 2020-2021 and 41 million boxes in 2021-22.  The University of Florida estimated overall orange losses from Ian was at least US$1.56 billion.

When I looked online, I found an orange is a fruit of various citrus species in the family Rutaceae, and primarily refers to the sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), to distinguish it from the related bitter orange (Citrus aurantium).  The sweet orange reproduces asexually, and varieties of sweet orange arise through mutations.  The orange originated in a region encompassing Southern China, Northeast India, and Myanmar, and the earliest mention of the sweet orange was in Chinese literature in 314 BCE.  As of 1987, orange trees were the most cultivated fruit trees in the world and are widely grown in tropical and subtropical climates.  The fruit of the orange tree can be eaten fresh, processed for its juice, or for its fragrant peel.  As of 2012, sweet oranges accounted for approximately 70% of the world’s citrus production.  In 2019, 79 million tons of oranges were grown worldwide, with Brazil producing 22% of the total, followed by China, and India.  Orange juice is a worldwide favorite, and 85% of all oranges produced are used to make juice.

Florida orange production was already in decline prior to this year’s hurricanes.  Florida has been hard hit by a bacterial infection called citrus greening.  The incurable disease is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) insect, which was first detected in Florida in 2005.  Trees affected by citrus greening produce smaller, bitter-tasting fruit.  Infected trees are cut down and burned to help stop the spread.  According to Statista, during the last growing season before citrus greening (2003-2004) emerged in a commercial context Florida produced 242 million boxes of oranges.  There is also a decreasing number of orange trees in Florida as land is developed that had been used by growers, and by growers deciding to just get out of growing oranges.  In 2006, there were 36.2 million Valencia orange trees in Florida, but that number has since fallen to 30.4 million trees.

THOUGHTS:  I enjoy eating oranges during the winter and usually buy a large bag to place in the refrigerator to keep them from spoiling.  The juiciness of the Valencia orange variety makes it best for juice, but I do not have a juicer.  I eat them and prefer the Navel orange variety as they are easy to peel.  While they are not as juicy as the Valencia orange, I do not like struggling to get the peel off, and usually lose a portion of a Valencia orange that I cannot get off the peel.  I try not to buy this orange but if I mistakenly buy a Valencia orange it tends to sit until it goes bad, and I throw it way.  There are dozens of different varieties of orange grown around the world and each differs in size, acidity, juiciness, peel thickness, and when they ripen.  Like the people who grow and prefer them, each has qualities that make them unique.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

December 13, 2022

AP Photo

Today’s NY Times feed commented on the potential for change in the winner of the World Cup.  Today marks the first of two semi-final games of the 2022 World Cup being held in Qatar.  All 21 previous men’s World Cups have only had finalists from either Europe or South America.  When Morocco qualified for the semifinals, it became the first African nation to get this far.  Today’s match features a more traditional lineup, with Croatia (Europe) and Argentina (South America).  The semi-final match tomorrow will feature Morocco (Africa) playing against the reigning champion France (Europe).  If Morocco can beat France, it will be the first country outside Europe or South America to make it to the final.  German Lopez of the Times said this is part of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

When I looked online, I found the game played at the World Cup is called Association football, commonly known as football or soccer.  This is a sport played between two teams of 11 players who use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field (pitch).  The object of the game is to score more goals than the other team by moving the ball into a rectangular framed goal defended by the other side.  The game is traditionally played with two 45 minute halves, or a 90 minute match.  There are an estimated 250 million active players in over 200 countries, making it the world’s most popular sport.  In the English-speaking world, association football is usually called “football” in Great Britain and most of Ulster in the north of Ireland.  People usually call it “soccer” in regions where other types of football are prevalent, such as Australia, Canada, South Africa, most of Ireland, and the US.  The term soccer comes from Oxford “-er” slang, prevalent at the University of Oxford in England from about 1875.  Initially spelled assoccer it was later reduced to the modern spelling.  The word soccer arrived at its final form in 1895 and was first recorded in 1889 in the earlier form of socca.

The World Cup reflects the history of both the tournament and the sport.  The tournament was a European invention that began in 1930 after disagreements between FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) and the Olympic Committee’s handling of the sport.  The European powers also spread the game more widely in places they had colonized, and it quickly took off in South America.  The first World Cup was hosted by a South American country, Uruguay.  European and South American countries had historical roots in the World Cup and have performed better in the tournament, so organizers made room for more teams from those continents.  Money also plays a role as richer countries can spend more on developing players.  Based in some of the richest countries in the world, European leagues, teams, and governments can spend more on developing better soccer players and programs.  The world’s best players go to Europe to play in its lucrative professional leagues, which are widely seen as the major leagues of men’s soccer.  Based on its historical success, South America also has more infrastructure than other continents to develop players and host top-notch, competitive leagues.  It is another way the self-fulling prophecy has played out.

THOUGHTS:  Morocco’s success in this year’s Cup and Qatar’s hosting are both signs of the possibility of the European and South American centers loss of power.  The next World Cup could also shake up the game as the initial rounds will include 48 teams (not 32) allowing for more geographic diversity in who qualifies.  Still, other signs suggest little has changed.  The other three teams remaining in this year’s World Cup are from Europe or South America.  European teams have also won the last four World Cups since 2006.  If Morocco does make it into the final, it will be an anomaly.  It will have to happen again in four years to make it a trend.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

December 12, 2022

I came across an article by Jane Thier published last month in Fortune on a global study by the Workforce Institute that found 38% of workers said they would not wish their job on their worst enemy, and the figure jumped to 45% among US workers.  Nearly half (46%) of workers surveyed would not recommend their job or company to their children or any young person they care about.  While everyone surveyed said they wanted financial security for their kids, they all agreed they would urge their children to pursue work that gives them the chance to care for and spend time with family, is personally meaningful and makes them fulfilled, and ensures a successful career path.  More than half (53%) of global workers said if they could go back, they would choose a different profession and 40% said they wish someone had warned them not to take their current job.  Nearly two-thirds of workers said they would switch jobs “right now” if they could, and nearly half do not want to work at all.  More than three in five workers admit they work to collect a paycheck, clock out, and go home, while only 11% of workers feel their job is their “calling.”

When I looked online, I found a global Gallup Poll saying out of the world’s 1 billion full-time workers only 15% enjoy what they do, while 85% are unhappy at their jobs.  This comes while employers voice how they stress work-life balance, employee engagement, and company culture.  There are several reasons for this discrepancy.  A worker’s happiness can depend on the relationship with the boss.  If you do not like your manager, you are not going to enjoy the work.  How you feel about co-workers is another issue.  You will not get along with everyone, but if you do not like the people you work with you will not be happy at work.  The type of work can be another factor and if you work just to pay bills it will be harder to find satisfaction in your work.  The effect of commuting to work may impact happiness.  We spend around one-third of our lives at work, and a stressful or long commute is another big reason for people feeling unhappy, even if they love their job.  Doing the same task day after day can also grind on workers.  That is true for both blue- and white-collar jobs.  When there is no prospect for growth or progression workers will begin to resent their employer.  Other causes might be a poor attitude, overwork, ethics, or jealousy.

When I worked as an Historian for the State of Utah, I was able to spend some time researching old mining towns and sites.  I enjoyed this and would often take my son with me on the weekends as we traveled around the state documenting these locations.  He was sitting in the back seat as we drove when he said, “I want to have a job like you when I grow up.”  This was followed by a pause, and then a query, “What do you do for a job?”  While he enjoyed the trips and exploration, the main portion of my work was review and compliance of workers with state and federal regulations.  I responded, “I am a petty bureaucrat.”  There was another pause and then, “I think I want to be a paleontologist.”  Somehow being a petty bureaucrat did not sound like an admirable profession.

THOUGHTS:  A popular saying goes, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”  While some credit Confucius with this phrase it is unlikely as few workers had the option to choose an occupation in the 5th century BCE.   During the 1980’s, a Princeton professor used the saying to direct his students in their own job search and credited “an unnamed teacher” for the phrase.  Doing what you enjoy will help bring satisfaction, is not happiness, to workers.  It appears from the surveys most have not done this.  The closing words of Mr. Lizard the Wizard on every episode of the Touché Turtle cartoon were, “Be just what you is and not what you is not, those who do this have the happiest lot.”  Maybe Mr. Lizard knew Confucius.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.