First Things First: Hypocrisy At The US Open -- September 17, 2020

Later today we're going to see all sorts of social distancing and masks at the US Open.

But right now, during the practice sessions on the driving range, "no one" is wearing masks and dozens of folks milling around with no consideration for social distancing. I did see one person wearing a mask -- well below his nose. [Later: no social distancing among the gallery behind Tiger Woods teeing off at 7:08 a.m. CDT but everyone religiously wearing masks. Prior to the "official" start, during practice and warm-up, "no" masks were seen.]

And so it goes. 

Wow, there is no social distancing now, and no one wearing masks. The golfers aren't wearing  masks, the caddies aren't wearing masks, and the strap-hangers aren't wearing masks. 

More:

• Cintas ad: no social distancing, no masks -- none whatsoever
• workday ad: ditto

More:

• there must be some money involved
• golfing has begun but there is no live filming of those already off the first tee
• all we get is an occasional "highlight" and narration
• finally, at 6:34 a.m. CDT, some live golf; love it

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In A Lonely Place

I watched In A Lonely Place twice last night. I've watched it a couple times before. I had forgotten how really good it is/was. Bleak, bleak ending. One doesn't watch it for a "fun night out."

The commentary is very, very good. Maybe great. 

1950. Humphrey Bogart. Howard Hughes really blew it by not promoting Gloria Grahame following this movie. What a great performance. Ms Grahame died way too early. Sad. Easily out-Bacalls Lauren Bacall. I know I'm in the very, very small minority, but I've always felt Lauren Bacall was over-rated. Humphrey Bogart, not. Wow, he's good.

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Distance Learning
For The Archives

Yesterday was the busiest day yet for Sophia and me for distance learning.

About half of her first grade class is physically starting school; the other half is/are streamers. I am judging that based on the number of muted heads I see on WebEx when Sophia first signs in.

It's quite an experience. She starts at 7:30 a.m. when she signs in. Her oldest sister Arianna and her dad help her in the morning. I don't get much feedback from the morning session but based on what little I'm told or what little I see, it seems to go very well.

At 11:50 a.m. I drive over to her house to pick up Sophia for the afternoon session. She is generally finishing lunch. 

Back at the apartment:

• ten minutes of YouTube video at her request
• 12:30 to 2:10: finish up homework assignments on line; SeeSaw is incredible
• she loves physical education; it takes about twenty minutes
• the music module is in credible; her teacher really put a lot of work into this; I'm surprised how much Sophia is really, really learning about music
• the arts section is similarly very, very good; Sophia has a good foundation in drawing and painting, so this works out very nicely;
• when she gets caught up with her school subjects, she and I have a long, long checklist of things to review; we don't always get through the checklist, which includes:
• flashcards, of course
• geometry
• reading: 100-book challenge; Bob's Books, sight words; independent reading
• abacus: my favorite; she is coming along quite nicely
• coins: in addition, to everything else, she has learned to count by 10s and 5s using dimes and nickels
• At 2:10 p.m., we sign into her class on WebEx using a QR code (Sophia taught me how to use that method)
• she puts her headphones on and then relaxes, usually coloring with her gel pens
• at 2:12 p.m., the "alarm" goes off; she "jumps," puts her gel pens down, and starts checking in; seeing who is all on line; who's at school
• at 2:15 p.m. her teachers show up: first the specials (art, music teachers; alternating on various days) and then her first grade teacher; for about thirty minutes the teacher puts the students through their paces; it's very superficial; the education really occurs on SeeSaw but the teacher uses the thirty minutes to assess each student;
• the students use dry-erase boards -- the size of "clip-boards" -- to show their teacher their writing skills and their knowledge by answering questions; it's amazing how far these first graders have come in less than a two full weeks of school; they did have three weeks of a "soft-open" in which all students checked in from home each day
• at 2:45 p.m. the students say "good-bye" to their teacher and sign off
• from 3:00 p.m. to 3:25 p.m., Sophia has enough time to read book for her 100-book challenge
• 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.: lots of physical activity with her after-school friends at TutorTime
• 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with her close friend Anika in the apartment complex
• 7:00 p.m. back home to her own house a few blocks away

Corky waiting to pick up Sophia after TutorTime: