Os trabalhos da mao

Alfredo Bosi wrote a stunning review of the activities of the hands in Portuguese, "Os trabalhos da mao" and some time ago, I was lucky enough to be introduced to Rose Ann Reeser who translated Bosi's text into English at my request. I was reminded of this by a report (through eNable) in Brasil of the continuing problem of machine amputations in the workplace. Fingers and hands are lost to machines  when there are insufficient guards in place and workers are pushed to perform relentless labors. Here in the US, we have OSHA, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, to require manufacturers to insure safe working conditions, including protection of fingers and hands and I'm sure they must have something similar in Brasil. People may not like regulation, and conservatives in the US may have an unreasonable hatred for the government, but is it not best that best practices be brought into play to protect the hands?

Bosi's exquisite essay was written out of concern for Brasil's workmen. It can be read in English here: The Works of the Hands.  My thanks again to Rose Ann. Her translation contains a few translator's notes which I have left in place because they add dimension to the text.

Today I will prepare whittling materials for my students to take camping, and will work in my shop on tiny boxes.

Make, fix and create...