Join us on Wednesday, June 9 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm CT as we discuss yesterday’s primaries and how this year is proving to be the year women energize politics and get the chance to clean House. We’ll discuss the latest information on the Gulf Oil Spill disaster. Then, I will interview Kirk Strong of Smart Interactive Media about what it takes to be a successful small business owner today.
Last week on Critical Thinking in the Real World, I interviewed Mariaemma Willis who co-wrote Discover Your Child’s Learning Style with Victoria Hodson. Willis says that the key to each child’s success is understanding the unique way he or she learns.
As adults we have some understanding of the best way we gain and retain knowledge. Perhaps it is by hearing the same thing over and over. It could be that we must write or read something multiple times. Others prefer to see the process and then do it themselves. We have learned to cater to our unique learning style over the years, but we often forget that our children may not learn in the same way.
Ellis says this book is a parenting book in that it encourages parents to take charge of their children’s education journey. In the introduction, she writes, “The more success and accomplishment young people experience based on their unique styles of learning, the better equipped they are to deal with learning and life in general.”
What I love about Discover Your Child’s Learning Style is that this book is applicable for students of all ages and that includes both preschoolers and adults returning to college.
The reality is that many people form lifelong self-images by how successful they are in school. If you didn’t have a positive school experience, you probably understand this very well. As a first grader in 1977, I was selected for the “gifted and talented” program. I was excited by this even though I didn’t quite understand what it meant. I felt smart though and was pleased the teacher seemed to recognize it. The special group was given a test to determine whether or not we’d be admitted to the “gifted and talented” track and we were told to place our answers on a Scantron form. I’d never seen a Scantron form before and had no idea how to fill it out. I kept filling bubbles until the line was full and then moved on. It was quickly determined that I couldn’t be that smart if I was unable to fill out the form correctly. I remember feeling shame and anger. If only the teacher had asked me the questions or allowed me to write down my answers, I was sure I would be “gifted and talented” too. There were no second chances, however.
Thankfully, I had a family who encouraged me and I was later blessed with great teachers who recognized that I was in fact quite smart especially when I was allowed to speak or write my answers. I never did well on multiple choice tests because that didn’t fit my unique learning style. Today I am a college instructor and mother of three who is re-learning every single day that each person learns differently, but we are all capable of learning.
For more information or to complete an online self-portrait of your or your child’s learning style, go to http://www.aselfportraionline.com and enter the code: RLHINZ for $5 off.
It’s Day 50 of the Gulf Oil Spill crisis. Americans are angry. We’re angry with British Petroleum’s (BP) handling of the situation and we’re frustrated with President Obama’s inability to force a solution. No one seems to know what they are doing.
James Cameron is an award winning filmmaker who has decades of experience with deep ocean technology. In addition to Avatar and Titanic, he’s also filmed two documentaries about the Titanic. He’s offered help to BP and has been turned down. Despite that rejection, Cameron has assembled a team of experts, formed a working group and together they have completed a comprehensive report.
Like so many of us, Cameron was motivated by frustration watching the growing devastation over the past four weeks of this disaster with seemingly no solution in sight. Unlike most of us, Cameron has resources and connections. He decided to call upon the experts and asked them to come together for a brainstorming session. The meeting took place recently at the Washington, DC headquarters of the Environmental Protection Agency and included 23 experts from around the world that Cameron gathered. This report of recommendations and will be submitted to the EPA and the Department of Energy this week.
The problem is much more complex than many think. It isn’t merely a plumbing issue. Cameron is right to call for transparency when it comes to how BP is handling the Gulf Oil Spill. The government does not have independent capability right now and is relying on the oil company for all of its imaging and information. Of course the oil company has its own interests to protect, so we have to be skeptical of whether or not we’re seeing the entire reality of the crisis.
In an interview with Matt Lauer on the Today show June 7, Cameron asked an important question. He asked, “Does the government want to rely on BP or another oil company for all of its intel coming out of the site or do they want their own independent capability to go in and see what’s happening? We have that ability. We have submergibles. We have ROVs. We have all kinds of vehicles that can get down there and we have experienced operators. Why doesn’t the government have that kind of capability independent of relying on the oil company?”
A June 2 Washington Post article by Garance Franke-Ruta quotes Cameron as saying, “Because if you’re not monitoring it independently, you’re asking the perpetrator to give you the video of the crime scene.”
If BP has so kindly rejected Cameron’s offer, the government should seriously consider it as well as the questions he’s raised regarding the need for our government to survey the site and do its own investigation. Critical thinkers are left with many questions. Why not accept Cameron’s offer of assistance with his private team of deep-sea experts? When the disaster is this horrific, how can anyone reject such an offer?
Today’s show will be great! First, I’ll speak with Rebecca Kleefisch, former news anchor, who is running for Lieutenant Governor in WI. You can learn more at her website: www.rebeccaforreal.com. Then we’ll shift our attention to education. I’ll speak with Mariaemma Willis, author of Discover Your Child’s Learning Style about how learning your unique learning style can lead to success in school and in life. To learn more about learning success, visit www.learningsuccesscoach.com.
Join us on Wednesday, May 26 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm CT
I will discuss the hot topics in the news including the BP Oil Spill and the efforts to clean it up, the National Guard’s efforts to secure our border and political correctness. Additionally, I begin an ongoing feature profiling small businesses and entrepreneurs. My first interview in this new series is with Lynn of Just Kidding children’s hair salons and boutiques located in both Whitefish Bay and Mequon, WI.
Both the West Virgina coal mining disaster and the Gulf oil spill prove that there are devastating consequences to cutting corners.
Scientists are only beginning to investigate the devastating effects of the British Petroleum (BP) massive oil spill. The House Energy and Commerce Committee heard from experts on May 21 about the thousands of barrels of oil spilling into the Gulf.
Critics argue that the cleanup has been ineffective. The blame extends to both the oil company and the government. The Obama administration approved BP’s Gulf drilling bid in February 2009.
ABC News reported on April 29, “The massive oil spill off the Gulf coast has complicated President Barack Obama’s plan to expand offshore oil drilling in areas long out of bounds to energy development, forcing administration officials to promise a more critical look at the potential environmental risks.”
According to a May 21 CNN report, “This is not just a regional issue for the wildlife,” said Carl Safina, the president of the Blue Ocean Institute. Noting common migratory patterns, he warned that multiple forms of marine life from across the Atlantic Ocean “come into the Gulf to breed.”
An independent expert, University of California-Berkeley professor Robert Bea has been interviewing those involved and giving them confidentiality in exchange for their candor. He said on NBC Nightly News May 21 that this accident was preventable. Bea has 50 years of experience in the oil industry. He says that safety was compromised due to improper well design and missed early warning signs of kicks of gas among other things. Bea said, “Drilling and well completion operations did not meet industry standards.” Bea says these bad decisions were designed to save time and money at the expense of safety.
Just like the April 5 coal miner disaster at the Massey Energy Company’s Upper Big Branch South Mine in West Virginia, which was the deadliest mining disaster the U.S. has experienced in 25 years, cutting corners proves to have catastrophic consequences.
Similar to the BP oil spill, authorities will fully investigate what went wrong at the mine, but this particular mine has a history of safety violations. According to the Washington Post, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration cited the mine for 1,342 safety violations over the past five years. Massey Energy reportedly contested 422 of those violations, but paid $742,830 in fines.
The Associated Press reported that just last year “federal inspectors fined the company more than $382,000 for repeated serious violations involving its ventilation plan and equipment.”
There is little debate that offshore drilling is almost as dangerous as coal mining for the workers involved. The risky work environment for both jobs is rewarded with lucrative pay. Workers earn far more than they could make in other positions. While they knowingly accept the risk, the corporations employing them have an ethical and legal obligation to provide a safe environment that complies with existing government guidelines.
We must not forget the severity of these recent and ongoing tragedies and honor their victims by tirelessly working to make sure that mines are safer and oil drilling safety standards are enforced.
Critical thinkers must ask, what is the point of having safety standards if they are not followed and enforced? While there are those that call for a bigger government, what we need is an effective government.
A crisis in this country is a plaguing our children, but it has received far less media coverage than controversy surrounding immigration and financial reform. It’s one that deserves our immediate attention because it can be averted.
Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has introduced legislation to halt “a massive wave of layoffs in our schools and institutions of higher learning that could weaken our economic recovery and cause serious damage to our education system.” These job losses would extend beyond public schools to colleges as well. The end of the two-year stimulus plan is readily approaching and the financial difficulties from the recession that began in 2007 will continue for many more years.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan sent a letter to congressional leaders last week that pleads for the federal government to extend some of the stimulus aid. If not, thousands of education jobs will be eliminated. Duncan’s letter sates, “ongoing state and local budget challenges are threatening hundreds of thousands of teacher jobs for the upcoming school year, with estimates ranging from 100,000 to 300,000 education jobs at risk.”
According to a May 19, 2010 Reuters report, “Harkin’s office said the education fund would cover compensation and benefits, and provide for hiring new employees. It could also pay for training.”
If you want to help schools avoid these devastating and drastic cuts, please tell Congress to pass the Education Jobs Fund. Let your congressional representative know how you feel about children’s education and supporting teachers. Taking action now is critical because next week maybe too late! Go to http://www.capwiz.com/nea/issues/alert/?alertid=15045411&type=co to forward a letter directly to your representative and be heard. More information on this important legislation can be found at http://www.educationvotes.nea.org.
Listen to Critical Thinking in the Real World on Wednesday, May 19 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm CT as we discuss yesterday’s primaries and the upcoming mid-term elections. National security is another focus of the show–from immigration reform to the alleged Times Square bomber’s other targets. The Supreme Court is another hot topic–from the nomination of Elena Kagan to recent rulings on sex offenders and juvenile sentencing.
You asked for another show on great customer service and I’m happy to deliver. Our last show on great customer service featured Frank Eliason, Senior Director of Comcast National Customer Service and Neroli Salon and Spa was such a hit that we’re going to do a second installment. Frank Eliason is revolutionizing the way customer service is using social media to reach its customers and the results are amazing. Neroli Salon and Spa shared its philosophy for delivering exceptional customer service as a means to be the best in the business and thrive when so much of its competition fails.
You told me that you love Hertz Car Rental. Hertz is known for its excellent customer service and we’re planning to speak about exactly what Hertz does to stay ahead of its competition. You’ve already told me you love how Hertz puts its customers first, helps make travel for families and business people as well easier.
Please let me know what other companies you’d like me to feature. Companies have to work harder to earn business and stay in business. Let’s reward those companies by praising them in public.
Ever since Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed an immigration bill into law on April 23, 2010 that is considered to be among the toughest in the United States, Americans across the country have been arguing over whether the law is legislating discrimination. A poll by the Wall Street Journal and NBC this week says that 64 percent of American adults support the Arizona law. Opponents of the law have called for a boycott of Arizona.
It’s clear that these opinions are translating into actions. A May 11, 2010 USA Today article reports, “tourism officials are growing increasingly concerned at the prospect of huge hotel and convention dollar losses because of fallout from the state’s new immigration law.” A financial impact as huge as this is quite worrisome given today’s fragile economy.
The USA Today article continues, “In Phoenix alone, David Krietor, a deputy city manager who is tracking the issue, said this week the city faces lost business worth about $90 million over the next five years.”
How many of those actively engaged in the debate actually read the bill?
Attorney General Eric Holder admitted, during a meeting with the House Judiciary Committee on May 13, that he hadn’t read the bill. Senate Bill 1040 is not a long or difficult bill to read. It’s available on the Internet in PDF format to anyone willing to take the time to read it and it should be read before being either criticized or praised. http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=read+the+az+immigration+bill&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=read+the+az+immigration+bill&gs_rfai=&fp=ca804df6b427d280
Holder is not alone in his failure to read the bill, but at least he was honest about it. How many of those actively engaged in the immigration debate (or any legislative debate for that matter) actually read it?
Critical thinkers can’t rely upon others’ interpretations of bills, interviews or events as fact. It takes more effort to do the work and actually examine the evidence. But the risks of not doing so are huge.
Critical Thinking in the Real World 