EDUCATION, BUSINESS, AND PSYCHOLOGY

A CLOSER LOOK …

with Anthony Newcombe

***Let’s take a closer look … @ EDUCATION, BUSINESS, AND PSYCHOLOGY!***

Area(s): Education, Business, Psychology

Topic: Reliance on remote technology for school, work, and emotional well-being …

Issue: Are we putting so much emphasis on virtual technology that we may find ourselves paralyzed when it’s time to ‘come back into the real world?’ Let’s get something straight from the outset. I have no special insights or secrets for what the heck we are expected to do from 2021 onward. However, like nearly all of you out there, I find myself thinking, discussing, and, occasionally, well, fretting about the repercussions of this new world we’ve had to carve out for ourselves in order to move forward however quickly or slowly we perceive we are.

ZOOM/ GOTOMEETING/ TIKTOK

The most recurrent thought is about this Zoom/ GoToMeeting/ TikTok ‘stuff.’ Whether we’re trying to get through a lecture, business meeting, family call, or, creating the next (wink, wink) viral video sensation (we’re all at some point toying with our 15 minutes of fame, right?) – we should also wonder what exactly all of this means. We instead seem to mindlessly download, log in and share every nook and cranny of our lives with – well, who knows who?! In other words, are we potentially exposing ourselves to future legal matters (IP/ property theft, civil liability, etc.) while making use of this technology?

A Closer Look …

with Anthony Newcombe

Topic: PLAY BALL!! (just don’t spit or argue…and get Covid tested often!!)

BASEBALL AND SPITTING: AN AMERICAN TRADITION

I guess it’s a valiant effort to think we can “field” a troupe of MLB players and count on them to refrain from spitting before, during, and after a game. However, do you think it’s perhaps a bit far-fetched we can achieve such a lofty goal?

I mean, these guys (I do know a little bit about them) have been “takin’ a dip,” “puttin’ in a chaw,” and otherwise hockin’ loogies since practically tee ball. In fact, I could tell you some stories about guys who filled up 2-liter soda bottles with the “after-sauce” of Apple Jack, Skoal, Copenhagen, or … well, take your pick, big boy.

BASEBALL AND ARGUING: ALSO AN AMERICAN TRADITION

The point is that a good argument can be made that spitting is just as (if not more) linked to baseball than both apple pie and hot dogs are to the American culture. Baseball players spit … period. Even the ones who don’t chew tobacco. It’s part of the game folks.

To add insult to injury, players will also be commanded to “not argue” with the field umpires and be available for plenty of Covid testing. Baseball and testing?! C’mon, man! Did you see what happened during the (steroid era) 90s and early 2000s? Again, testing and baseball haven’t mixed too well in the past. Let’s just leave that argument for a different day.

Okay, so even if we can clear the above hurdles, we must also understand that, in lieu of screaming and adoring fans, the stands will be filled with … cardboard cutouts of fans. Yes, I said it, cardboard! If ever there was a reason to spit on something, this may be it.

In this technological age, couldn’t we have come up with something more life like? How about holograms that are programmed to behave like regular fans? Or how about cartoons of fans who drink gallons of beer, scream obscenities at the top of their lungs, and hurl batteries (and other unmentionables) onto the field – without provocation? Sounds kind of fun, huh?

Or, how about this? How about making the holograms, well, (fake) spit! That way, the players will feel more at home for the opener … wait a second, did the rules committee just tell baseballers that they can’t adjust their, uh, “pant legs” either? What is this world coming to?!!

What do YOU think?

-A.N.

P.S. – Seriously though, stay safe my readers!

PROFILE

Anthony Newcombe is a 4-time entrepreneur, published author & narrator, and full-stack web developer. He can be reached for appearances via our CONTACT PAGE.

A Closer Look

with Anthony Newcombe

Topic: Reopening vs. Testing (Covid-19)

Issue: Is it better to risk an economic collapse using a more deliberate approach in reopening America (with a broader national testing program), or, try to get us ‘back to normal’ as quickly as possible and risk another spike in infections and deaths?

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/09/trump-reopening-america-coronavirus

What do YOU think?

Let us know …

A Closer Look …

with Anthony Newcombe

Topic: Lockdown (and its aftermath plan)

Issue: Is an “Around the World Itinerary” next?

After this lockdown ends (sometime before the end of time, I imagine), I’ve decided to book a trip around the world. Who’s with me?! Nope, just pulling your leg, but sounds pretty tasty, huh?

It’s just that, you know, being a lifelong “travelin’ man,’ I’m struggling with the “everyday backyard scene.” No, it’s not quite Groundhog Day, but pretty close.

In fact, I just posted a video of what appeared to be my full grown, ash tree uprooting and exiting my backyard. For reals…I think.

Okay, maybe it was my imagination or something. Anyhow, the point is that we are at the point of, well, seeing fleeing trees! And, no, it’s not worth the risk of contracting anything outside the home, but it’s something to take a closer look at, right?!

And, until then, I guess the only outdoor fun will be watering the plants…Woo….Hoo.

Hang in there, my friends. And I’ll try the same.

Let us know how you’re doing out there

-A.N.

A Closer Look

with Anthony Newcombe

Arena: Healthcare and Politics (and why they don’t mix), Vol. III

Topic: How do we manage to blame the ‘other party’ during a global pandemic?

I understand all too well that America in 2020 is in the midst of a political tug o’ war over, well, almost everything. We have demonstrated that we can brawl about just about anything: from guns and ammo, to impeachment, and just about every bit of minutiae worded in a congressional bill.

But, the coronavirus, seriously? I mean, do we really think that this little bugger even cares whether you are pro-life or not? Or, how about whether you have open carry permissions in your state? Or, whether you voted for Hillary or Trump in 2016? The obvious answer is NO, it does NOT.

It only cares about finding a way into your bloodstream (and mine, too) and causing enough harm to hopefully derail us from future family births, graduations, weddings, and the like. The virus is the real enemy, not your next door neighbor (with the Bernie bumper sticker you may despise).

Let’s try to bear all this mind moving forward. Remember, the people who #StayAtHome aren’t lazy, foolish or have an aversion to sunlight. They are, hopefully as you are too, trying to get this monster to go away. For good. So, let’s try to bury the egos, the bravado, and, in some cases, the reckless disregard for stay at home orders.

A Closer Look …

with Anthony Newcombe

Arena: Sports & Cheating

Topic: Why do we seem to care more today about cheating in sports?

I know a little bit about professional sports. In fact, without getting too far into the weeds, let’s just say I practically grew up in professional locker rooms, dugouts, and on and off fields, diamonds, and courts. However, since this op-ed is about something else and not about me, let’s just dive right in and get to the bottom of the matter.

Recently, we have been inundated (much more so than usual) with television/ radio shows, and online debates focusing on the issue of “cheating in professional sports.” In them, pundits rave and rage about how horrible it is that the Houston Astros (allegedly) stole signs in order to win a World Series Championship in 2017. They go on to argue that these same Astros (allegedly) continued to cheat in subsequent years – and perhaps, even as recently as just last year.

Welcome to the universe: an astrophysical tour – by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss and J. Richard Gott,

Welcome to the universe: an astrophysical tour – by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss and J. Richard Gott, 425 pages (2016)

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What I liked about this book

I liked the way these unbelievably skilled astrophysicists – moonlighting as very talented authors – were able to take the cosmic novice into a (mostly) reader-friendly journey of a world most us only knew tidbits from television shows like Star Trek or the Jetsons. We are able to grasp how the universe began (with a Big Bang – boom!), what has taken place since the Big Bang, and what we can expect to occur between now and…whenever it all ends.

What I learned from this book

I learned that when we become 31 years, 251 days, 13 hours, 34 minutes, and 54.7843 seconds (not adjusted for Leap Years), we have lived on this earth for exactly ONE BILLION SECONDS! Dr. Tyson shares a personal tale from years ago when he stopped what he was doing at this moment and drank a nice, long swig of champagne to celebrate his milestone. His point was that very few of us experience this number in any form – so, it may be worth our while to stop and recognize the “accomplishment.” I really appreciated learning this fact!

What I disliked about this book

There was nothing. It was one of the most comprehensive books I’ve come across in any field of science. All three authors did a tremendous job in relaying a very complex subject matter into something of which most readers should be able to gain a basic understanding (at least, in general).

To whom would I recommend this book

I would recommend this book to anyone who has any curiosity in space (there are many). Judging by the popularity of some of the recent series either broadcast on network television or streaming online like Dr. Neil Tyson’s Cosmos, I would imagine there are new generations of “space geeks” surfacing each and every day. Welcome!

Any thoughts?

-A.N.