IEEE Consultants' Network of Long Island

Fixation - John Dunn, Consultant, Ambertec, P.E., P.C.

Remember the good old days of Y2K?

Back then, a very close family friend and I were discussing the onset of the new millennium. I mentioned that many people thought that the year 2000 was the beginning of the twenty-first century but that it was actually the last year of the twentieth century.

"Well, that's a matter of opinion." came the reply.

I tried to explain that each century lasts for one hundred years, that the first century began at the start of the year 1 and ended at the conclusion of the year 100, the second century began with the start of the year 101 and ended at the conclusion of the year 200 and so on. The starts of the succeeding centuries were 201, 301, 401,....., 1801, 1901 and the then imminent year of 2001, and not the year 2000.

"Well, that's still a matter of opinion." came the reply.

I guess this would be an example of fixation.

This person was firmly fixated on the contradictory beliefs that the first century began with the year 1 and that the twenty-first century had to begin at the start of the year 2000. Perhaps someone, somewhere, at some long forgotten moment may have offered that mistaken view which then got taken up as an irrefutable gospel.

I gave up trying to bring enlightenment.

Today however, there are people out there espousing that face masks and social distancing are unnecessary intrusions into their personal lives because COVID-19 isn't really a serious medical threat, that there have been massive voter frauds committed throughout the United States, that no astronauts ever traveled to the moon and that the earth is flat.

Similar fixations.

Dendrobium - John Dunn, Consultant, Ambertec, P.E., P.C.

No kidding!!

Please see: 

https://www.chicagobotanic.org/plantcollections/plantfinder/dendrobium_micro_chip--micro_chip_dendrobium

Driveway Feathers - John Dunn, Consultant, Ambertec, P.E., P.C.

I came out of the house this morning and found feathers scattered all over my car, all over my driveway and all over the front yard on the driveway's west side.

It seemed pretty clear that while I was safely tucked in and fast asleep, something in my yard had fallen prey to something else. There was no carcass anywhere to be found so I'm guessing a dove got taken by a hawk, very much the way I saw that same thing happen in my back yard some years ago.

I guess that humankind has achieved some measure of isolation from at least some of the forces of nature, but those forces are still there all around us and now and then, we get reminded.

 

 

 

The Anti-Tesla - John Dunn, Consultant, Ambertec, P.E., P.C.

I spotted this a few days ago.

(Sigh)

Medical Treatment Authorization For A Minor - John Dunn, Consultant, Ambertec, P.E., P.C.

We have wonderful grandsons. They are hale, hearty and thriving. However, there is always the possibility of illness or injury so our family has taken various precautions which include authorizations of myself and my wife, the grandparents, to make any medical decisions that might be needed if Mom and Dad just happened for some reason to not be available at some crucial moment.

In the event of such a situation, we have the following document:

Both mother and father sign on the two lines.

Of course, there may be variants. If there is only one parent, then only that one person is named and only one person signs. Also, this document may include any number of children, not just two. In fact, my grandchildren number three.

I am NOT an attorney so this essay is NOT to be treated as legal advice. However, it is a step that we as a family have chosen to take and it is only presented in that way. Your own family situation may differ in various ways from our own so you would be well advised to seek appropriate professional guidance.

For example, similar authorization(s) might be applicable in the case of an elderly relative or someone with disabilities.

Just make the proper decisions. Don't let things go by default.

Oblivious - John Dunn, Consultant, Ambertec, P.E., P.C.

I saw another example today of sheer, mind bending stupidity that could have resulted in serous injury or even loss of life. The setting was a local supermarket parking lot.

The lot was pretty full so when this one car came to a vacant parking spot, it was like finding treasure. The driver of that car positioned his vehicle so he could back into that vacant spot. Just as he was starting to very slowly move in reverse, a pedestrian walked right in back of his car as if nothing was there.

The driver slammed on his brake so nobody got hurt but it was a close call and that pedestrian seemed totally unaware that he'd come rather close to meeting his creator.

Pete Seeger sang in "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" the lyric "When will they ever learn?"

That is a very good question.