Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

This is one of five departments I run with a free hand to manage as I see fit.  Because, of course, I report to only one person – myself.

Therefore, the Department of Inquiring Minds is open again.

How do actors play corpses? 

Actors play dead by mastering breath control, going completely limp to eliminate muscle tension, and using shallow breathing techniques, often focusing on back ribs rather than the chest to minimize movement. The actor may hold his or her breath for 20–30 seconds, use specialized makeup for a pale look, or rely on dummies for longer scenes. 

Why did I think of this question?  Who knows?  But it may be, these days, so many shows focus on scenes in morgues.

That said, as I have watched actors playing dead, I have tried to see if there was only a small amount of movement on camera.  So far, haven’t seen anything.

What is the significance of the Artemis mission?

The successful mission around the moon and back to earth brought back a lasting memory for me – when, now about 50 years ago, Americans landed on the moon…and I watched on TV.

A story in the Washington Post captured another reason for the Artemis mission, one normal folks like myself would not understand until someone defined it for us.

“I did not expect to get drawn in by news and footage of the Artemis II mission a few weeks ago.  But soon enough, I was clicking on every new photo, watching videos, and searching for confirmation of a safe return home.  “Our readers were watching closely, too, and sent in some really interesting questions.  I shared them with my long-time colleague Sarah Kaplan, a climate and science reporter here at The Washington Post, and she called them ‘fantastic.’ “We’re starting with one I’ve actually considered a few times:  Why explore the other side of the moon?  Other than just curiosity, how is this important? “Sarah wanted to launch this with really ancient history, so I’m turning it over to her for a lesson here at the top.  “Let’s start by going back in time about 4.5 billion years.  “Back then, the infant solar system was crowded with would-be-worlds, called protoplanets, that were constantly colliding and combining with one another.  Out of this chaos, a massive, Mars-size protoplanet smashed into Earth.  The impact shattered both bodies, causing their materials to swirl together.   Most of this mixture coalesced back into our planet, but a fraction was flung into space and became the moon.  “We only know these facts about the moon because of material collected by the Apollo astronauts more than 50 years ago.   When Neil Armstrong brought back the first samples from the lunar surface, scientists were stunned to discover that they had almost the exact same chemical makeup as rocks from Earth.  “Before that discovery, researchers couldn’t agree on where our only natural satellite came from. But now the moon’s cataclysmal origin story, known as “the giant impact hypothesis,” is part of every textbook.  “This is just one example of how space exploration can open up whole new opportunities to understand the universe.” Where do all the yard trimmings go in Palm Springs, California?  Given that I live five months a year in Palm Springs, I often wonder where all the yard and tree trimmings go. Well, it’s relatively to find out.  All you do is consult Mr. Google.  I did and here is the answer: “Grass and tree trimmings are collected by Palm Springs Disposal Services via residential green carts and taken to composting or processing facilities, rather than to a landfill.  These organic materials are recycled into compost or mulch, in compliance with mandatory local organic waste recycling regulations.” When I have time between golf games, I may visit one of the composting or processing facilities. I also wondered roughly how many people work in the business of yard and tree trimming.  But, to this question, there appear to be  no statistics. Well, now you know, and I do too – given my inquiring minds quest.