A Master’s Degree in Pictures (Day 8:684)

Busy day yesterday and thus the longer post to make up for yesterday, where I attended a wonderful retirement party for our co-worker Becky. It was held on the fresh green-side of an Avon Lake golf course, and the late afternoon made the place glow from below the trees. We had perch for dinner, which honestly wasn’t all that great (except for french fries and funnel cakes – which I thoroughly enjoy but eat sparingly – I’m not a big fan of fried foods.)

So, this work week is officially over, and only 2.5 to go until I step down. Nostalgic…

Today will be our last Dungeons & Dragons session with our great team, and THAT is going to be a sad note to play…. alas.

Only 1 year, 10 months, 14 days to go!

Today’s Note: I’d like to remember…

- feeling the twangs of loneliness that take me back to my first days at college, having to see my family go. I can imagine these twangs will be ever more present over the next 5 weeks.

- the sad feeling upon writing my resignation letter: My Resignation Letter

- remembering my co-workers at Cuyahoga County Board of Health swarming around and singing “For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow” on my last day of work. That was so very touching…

- being skeptical about the ability of new financial reform legislation to effect any greater protection than walling off one now historically damaging type of security risk. In part, I feel that as long as consumers are fiscally ignorant enough to not save for down times, to diversify their investments, and to live below their means, Congress can pass all the bills it wants; Wall Street is always ready to tempt those who are not balanced in the above three. However, while the legislation itself might not prevent a future crisis, I do feel that it is our responsibility as a citizen to know the investment practices of the assets we choose to hold, and in that way, accountable and responsible investment conduct is as much a necessity to achieve financial security: but it is just as much OUR responsibility to reward those who are responsible and neglect those institutions that are not as it is a matter of appropriate congressional rules. Much of that information is out there if you know how to read a balance sheet, but perhaps the best legislation would be to invest in financial literacy programs.

Public Health Snip-it: An insightful response to this article – Reusable grocery bags can make users sick: study – by simply watching this clip: Bacteria are everywhere.  Please note two things about the above… (1) kids learn that bacteria are everywhere, (2) the main recommendation from the first article is to wash your bags.

And as a calming note on the presence of E. coli in your trusted tote, I submit to you two quotes – a very credible one from the CDC, used to support another interesting quote from the Organic Trade Association:

CDC: “Escherichia coli (abbreviated as E. coli) are a large and diverse group of bacteria. Although most strains of E. coli are harmless, others can make you sick. Some kinds of E. coli can cause diarrhea, while others cause urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia, and other illnesses. Still other kinds of E. coli are used as markers for water contamination—so you might hear about E. coli being found in drinking water, which are not themselves harmful, but indicate the water is contaminated. It does get a bit confusing—even to microbiologists.”

OTA: “What is E. coli?

E. coli (Escherichia coli) are bacteria that normally live in the intestines of animals, including humans. In fact, the presence of E. coli and other kinds of bacteria within our intestines is necessary to help the human body develop properly and to remain healthy (see web site: http://www-micro.msb.le.ac.uk/video/Ecoli.html). There are approximately 100 strains of E. coli, most of which are beneficial.

Are all E. coli equal?

No. Although E. coli inhabit the intestinal tract as beneficial microorganisms, there also are strains of E. coli that are known to produce toxins…”