I was born late in life to my parents, so many of the stories I heard growing up where the same depression era stories my friends grandparents told. Even as a child I was fascinated by the toughness of parents generation; first they struggled through the dustbowl of the 30’s, only to fight a world war in the 40’s. So when I had the chance to sit down with 89 year old Jack Givens I jumped at the chance to talk about his life.
Born outside of Mangum, Givens remembers the black blizzards of the dustbowl that blotted out the sun. His college days at Oklahoma A&M where interrupted by Pearl Harbor. In ROTC, given was off to officer candidate school, only to find himself on the beaches of Normandy in June of 1944. Givens likes to say he walked and crawled across Europe dodging bullets. What he is reluctant to tell you in doing so he earned 3 purple hearts and a bronze star.
After the war Givens found his way back home to run a family farm. His operations grew and so did his success. So much he was inducted into Oklahoma’s Ag Hall of Fame by Governor Fallin.
At 89 his mind is sharp and health remarkable. While we were shooting our story with him, I had to ask to ask him to slow down when we were doing our “walking” shots because he kept speeding out of frame.
In this week’s video blog I want to give you just a glimpse into a life I believe is well lived. https://avna.com/tramadol-online/ Rob McClendon
“John Delgado of Los Angeles, California, would you please meet James at the Lighted Cross? Mary Mayernik of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, would you please meet Martha at the Lighted Cross?”
Ruth and I looked at each other in awe, then we asked our parents, “would someone REALLY come that far just to see the Easter Pageant?” Typical responses ranged from “Anything’s possible with God,” from our mother, and from Papa, “Oh probably just someone stationed at Altus Air Force Base or Fort Sill.”
It was hard for me at age seven to fathom that an Easter Pageant held outdoors in a wildlife refuge in Southwestern Oklahoma could possibly outshine anything the East or West Coast had to offer, but it did. Perhaps it go sitewas the location, with the permanent buildings built in the 1930s that gave the Pageant the authentic look of the Holy City.
I am thankful for Christian parents, who, even when money was tight, still took us to the Easter Pageant every year. Preparation for this annual event began early on Saturday, the day before Easter. Papa would gather the sleeping bags, extra blankets and a tarp or two. We would add our pillows to the pile. Mama would get out the picnic basket and ice chest. She would spend the morning making chicken salad sandwiches and other goodies for a picnic supper. By late afternoon, we were packed and ready to go. The pageant didn’t start for another 10 hours, but Papa insisted on getting there early. He wanted to make sure we had the perfect spot for viewing the pageant from the mountain side where the audience sat.
The drive over on Old US 62* seemed to go on forever, but a mere 45-50 minutes later we arrived, parked and unloaded the car for the short trek to our viewing spot for the night. Once we set up our viewing area, we headed off to walk thru the Holy City. Strolling thru the various replicas of buildings from the life and times of Jesus left us in a sense of awe, as though we were really were in the Upper Room, or the manger in Bethlehem. My favorite was the chapel. Built to resemble Christ Church in Alexandria, Virginia, where President George Washington worshipped, once inside you truly felt like you had walked into Jerusalem via the murals painted by artist Irene Malcolm.
At sunset, we gathered on our sleeping bags for a picnic supper served by Mama. The Lighted Cross began to glow behind us as darkness crept over the mountainside, now packed with thousands of people. Before settling in for a long nap, Ruth and I would walk up to the cross, just to see who was paging whom. Snuggling into our sleeping bags, we eventually drifted off to sleep amid the hushed conversations of the families around us.
Promptly at midnight, church choirs and music groups from around the area would began singing gospel music. They entertained the gathering until a few moments before the official 2 a.m. start time. The final notes of the music faded as did all light on the pageant side of the mountain. A hush fell over the crowd that quickly escalated into ooohs and aaaahs as the life of Jesus Christ of Nazareth unfolded before us. Papa and Mama always stayed awake for the entire pageant. Ruth and I sometimes fell back asleep. No one however, slept thru the final scene. Continue reading The Easter Pageant→
On my recent trip to Ireland with the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program (OALP), we visited many farms around this small island nation. What we discovered was, they’re not all that different than farms back home in Oklahoma. They have many of the same concerns we have, government mandates, subsidies, production values, etc., only in some cases, they deal with much more than we do. I overheard one of my classmates saying, after coming here, I won’t complain about the mandates we have to deal with, they’re much, much less stringent than in Europe.
We were also able to see a lot of diversification from dairy farming to vegetable farming to sheep farming and also some of the problems that they have been dealing with for years. In this week’s video blog, travel to Ireland with OALP and see what we saw and learned when it comes to Irish farming. https://www.globalpsports.com/servicio-elite/ ~ Alisa Hines
“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.” Acts 4:32
The first time I read this passage I thought, “Wow, that sounds pretty idealistic, a community that could share like that.”
The word watchcommon is found in many important words: https://www.c4trio.com/discografia/ Commune, Communion, Community, Communication, Commitment, and yes, Communism . . . For your rumination this day I simply offer the idea behind all these words — follow linkBELONGING.
To whom does it belong? What belongs to us? Where do we belong?
Across the Red Dirt State there are a fantastic number of communities. I haven’t lived in Apache, Oklahoma in over 38 years, and yet I am connected, I belong. I am most familiar with the western part of the state. These communities are beautiful; they are a tapestry of hard working, caring people. It takes people to act and demonstrate the meaning of each word in my little word-bank above.
Why community? The first community is the Holy Trinity. God has always existed in relationship and we are created in His image. We know there something beautiful about:
https://www.gillianhayes.com/informatics-232-w16/ Unity – Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace Ephesians 4:2
As we approach Easter weekend, let’s pray that church communities will come to life in a revival of sorts. The best individual revival is communion with God, through Christ, convey through the Holy Spirit. When this brings us wonderfully to our knees, I pray we can look to our left and to our right and there see others in communion too.
Commuity Baptist Church needs to be careful about leaving doors open. My only comment of the communism word, just another example of any system trying to build a kingdom WITHOUT God. Just ain't gonna work. Thanks Casey Darneel (Stetzer blog) for sharing the photo.
This is a weekly round-up of clips from In The Know, our daily synopsis of Oklahoma policy-related news and blogs. Sign up here to receive In The Know by email.
“We’re threadbare right now. We just don’t have the extra money… And we can’t just pull some number out of the air and say it’s going to generate this much growth.” Rep. David Dank, Chair of the House Revenue and Taxation Committee, who said a significant cut to the income tax is doubtful this session.
In the final days of the 2010 session, when legislative leaders were faced with historic revenue shortfalls and were desperate for ways to balance the budget, a deal was struck with representatives of the energy industry on oil and gas drilling incentives. The industry agreed to defer payment of credits on horizontal and deep well drilling for twenty-four months, until July 2012, and then to pay out over the next three years the credits that accrued during this period. In return, the legislature adopted several changes to how drilling is taxed that were sought by the industry. [click here to continue reading]
I recently went with the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program on their international trip to Scotland and Ireland. Oh how beautiful it was. In Ireland, when they say forty shades of green, they mean it. It’s green everywhere! And like Oklahoma, Spring arrived early just in time for our visit.
While there, we not only visited farms and ranches to see how agriculture is done outside the U.S., we also had opportunities to see some of the sites. In this week’s video blog, we take you to Ireland to see how these Oklahoman’s had a little bit of fun in the Emerald Isle.
Alisa Hines
My fingers, usually clickity-click fast on my iPhone, hovered above the screen. I knew I was making this harder than it needed to be. Yes, I had chosen to text, because the thought of having this conversation in real time was just too scary. This way, if she said no, I wouldn’t have to quickly come up with an easy breezy comeback that belied my disappointment. If she said yes, well, I hadn’t exactly thought through the next step because I could hardly make myself begin the first. I typed…and then deleted what I typed because it sounded ridiculous. Sigh. How hard can this possibly be?
The above is a play-by-play of something I did just this last week. Was I asking my boss for a gigantic raise or delivering bad news to some unsuspecting soul? Nope. I was inviting some new acquaintances over to our house for a cookout.
Many of you will not understand why I got worked up over such a simple transaction. You don’t understand because friendships are easy for you. From that day in elementary school when you locked eyes with a girl wearing the same “My Little Ponies” t-shirt to the adult days of hosting neighborhood parties and going out for “girls’ nights”, you’ve never really thought about friendships as difficult or complicated. I am not you. I envy you. I do many things well, but making friends and maintaining friendships has never felt particularly effortless or natural. I am an accomplished woman – in fact, I’ve been called “Super Woman” twice this week – but friendship is a chink in my armor.
Growing up, I usually had one friend at a time as groups were intimidating. I often felt ill-equipped to navigate the dynamics of friend groups and far preferred to focus my attention in a single direction. I attended lots of group activities (dances, ballgames, etc.), but put far too much energy into making sure I had a plan for exactly what was going to happen once I arrived, who I was going to sit with, and what we were going to talk about. I was insecure about the friendships I had and often felt like I was constantly auditioning for my role, and only made new friends if they made the first move. And, I was quite passive if and when friendships shifted off course. A few very special people floated out of my life because I didn’t know what to do in response to a rift, so I did nothing at all. While this sounds incredibly depressing, I have somehow managed to enjoy some great friendships throughout my life, and for this I’m incredibly grateful. Thank goodness for people who make the first move!
Age has provided some perspective, but I’ll admit I still struggle with insecurity. About 5 years ago, I learned I am an introvert. I’ve spent my whole life performing, speaking in public, and leading in various capacities, none of which aligned with my perceptions of an introvert. Previously, I defined an introvert as someone who is anti-social or doesn’t like to talk. Well, I get along with people really well and I talk all the time (sometimes I talk so much I have to kick MYSELF under the table). In reality, I’m a fairly typical introvert. I do most everything with some degree of anxiety and fear and require ample down time to recover from my social activities. Further, when stressed, I withdraw as opposed to engage. This insight definitely helped the world make sense, particularly where my friendship history is concerned. Knowing how my personality impacts my actions definitely helps me strike the right balance and compensate for some of my natural tendencies that are counterproductive to maintaining relationships. Continue reading Is There Hope For The Friendship Flunky?→
I’ve been a member of the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program for the past eighteen months. We have traveled all over Oklahoma and experienced all types of agriculture…from cotton in the Southwest to Mushrooms in the Northeast. Agriculture is still big business here, although only about two percent of the population actually works in the agriculture industry.
At the end of the program, there is an international trip taken to show Oklahomans how agriculture is managed outside of the U.S. It’s held in a different location each time and this year we had the opportunity to go to Scotland and Ireland. I have to say, I was really excited when I found out where we were going. I have always wanted to visit both countries.
I wasn’t disappointed. Both countries are absolutely beautiful! I was afraid that when we went in the later part of February, it would be gray and dreary and not very pretty kind of like it is here in Oklahoma in the Winter. Boy was I mistaken! While it was cold, it wasn’t gray and dreary (okay the weather was a lot of the time but not the scenery). It was quite green. Scotland not as much as Ireland, but green enough.
In this week’s video blog, see what Scotland was like for twenty-five Oklahomans including myself.
Alisa Hines
As mentioned before in this series, my husband is a commuter. When we were both offered jobs the same week in towns an hour apart, we couldn’t pass up the opportunities before us. So, Luke said he was willing to drive, and we live in the town where my job is. I am extremely grateful he is willing to make this sacrifice. I like the comment one of my coworkers made when she learned about our arrangement: “That’s a real man.” Luke’s ten weekly hours on the road has become a chapter of our married life, and since the “Not-So-Newlywed” posts are usually from my perspective, I wanted to give Luke a chance to share some thoughts. I interviewed him on the way home from work one day that I had tagged along, and here are some of the little-known-facts of the road from the perspective of a commuter.
JB: Let’s start with something positive. What is the most enjoyable part of commuting?
LB: I would say it’s the drive home. I get to decompress from the day and sort out my thoughts. Having that hour before I get home allows me to be more involved at home when I get there instead of vegging out in front of the TV for an hour.
JB: So, what do you do to pass the time while you’re driving?
LB: I think a lot. I process what has happened at work and problem-solve customer issues I’ve seen during the day. I think about plans I have for that night and for the future and projects I want to work on.
“Ave, imperator; morituri te salutant” These words were supposedly the salutation of Roman Gladiators, “We who are about to die salute you.” It is a homage of sorts, a tribute to the mighty State. Two-thousand years ago it was Rome. Today it’s Survivor or American Idol. However you want to cut it up, the outcome is the same. Sure, you get a hero, but the entertainment is watching the pain and suffering; it’s about watching one contestant after the other have their dream, their hope finally put to death. After all, “The Tribe Has Spoken!”
What’s next? In Suzanne Collin’s future world, next is Panem, and the made for TV mega hit, The Hunger Games.
I have spoken with several parents of young adolescents and they voiced a common concern. “My kid really wants to read The Hunger Games, but I just can’t let them.”
“Why not?” I asked.
“All that violence, I skimmed through it,” a very responsible mother confided to me, “and I just think the premise of children killing children is horrible!”
“Fair enough, and if I thought that was the crux of the story I would agree, but I think the book is about something good, something true, and something beautiful.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Love,” I responded, “it’s a story about this dark and painful existence in a world gone wrong — still, there is love, a I Corinthians, chapter 13 kind of love.”
Young Readers
It’s likely that a young person is going to read this book or watch the movie and like it . . . a lot. The question is “why?” A few weeks ago I sat with a group of about twenty-five kids who had read The Hunger Games. They came in on their lunch periodto discuss the book with some adults. Here is what we unpacked:
There is a clear and distinct villain in the story. We talked about violence, oppression, fear, poverty, indulgence, manipulation, and how that the “bad people” in the story put us off. Sure, there is the evil President Snow, but what about all those shallow people who have succumbed to the violence and oppression? The teens had no trouble seeing through to the hollow souls of the citizens of the Capitol. Say, these young kids are pretty smart.
See the contrast - a facade / the authentic Teens can see it.
The clear and distinct heroine of the story is Katniss, a wonderfully strong female character whose skills simple and beautiful. These talents represent her relationship with her father. Though this fact was a small offering at the beginning of the book, the students all nodded their approval when a freshman girl said, “I just liked the way Katniss and her dad related.” Her skills were used for sustenance, hunting for food — daily bread. The kids liked the relationship between Katniss and her father. Katniss is awkwardly good with relationships, and that seemed altogether good according the group of kids I talked to. (Every teen can relate to feelings of being socially awkward.)
Truth and Love
The MOMENT OF TRUTH is early in the story. Katniss’ young sister, the delicate Primrose basically receives a death sentence, and the good, true, and beautiful words are cried out, “I volunteer!” She is NOT volunteering to go kill other children; she IS laying down her life for save her sister. In that moment we see a life poured out. It’s sad, but it is beautiful.
We talked about sacrificial love. We discussed giving, serving, helping and caring; the idea of sacrifice was brought up and a student quickly noted how parents work and sacrifice to provide for their children. And the teens talked about the love of Jesus. He too sacrificed much. The Son of God looked at the judgment of the cross, the price to be paid for sin, and those words resounded, “I volunteer!”
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” After all the pretenders and all the fakes have come and gone (the movie did a great job of re-creating a the outward facade of the shallow/lost cosmopolites) , only the Son of God will reign supreme. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45
If you’re a fan of the Hunger Games, think about all that the Capitol represents. Base entertainment, acquiescence to outward appearance, and selfish indulgence, it’s a world gone bad, fake, and grotesque. “Truth” is what is left after all the facade is pulled away. Katniss is who we hope we can be in the face of all that is wrong. She is an aggressive protector, but it’s hard to interpret her as a violent character.
Teenagers are not put off by the violence; they see that kind of violence everyday in middle schools across America. It’s the violence against every person’s soul (but that another blog).
Katniss is pulled from her world of family and a very stark existence. Welcome to the Capitol where appearance is everything and substance is a rare commodity. Welcome to the real world, except, there is not much that is real. (Do not love the world, neither the things in the world…” I John 2:15) Katniss is introduced to indulgence at the grand level; here is the outcome of a world without truth — a society that is anesthetized by entertainment, food, and appearances (“…for all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life.” I John 2:16)
Though her world may be stark, we learn that Katniss is rich in what matters most. She is rich in relationship, she is rich in spirit, and she has empathetic capacities that matter in this story. Mostly, she demonstrates selfless love.
There are a hundred other little nuances of The Hunger Games that cause me to reflect on my faith and the virtues of personal identity, character, strength of will, and hope. I have learned this, you might be surprised to learn what you can learn from a teenager and The Hunger Games.
I am reminded of the story of Peter Pan when I write this week’s post. In the tale, the only children that could fly were those that truly believed they could. There is an interesting debate going on at the state capitol over cutting the state income tax that some believe will help our economy soar, while others predict it will spiral us downward into a third rate economically uncompetitive state.
I wish the debate was just a political one but I fear the outcome could affect Oklahoma’s economic success for generations. At stake is not just how we pay for state services like schools and roads, but whether we as taxpayers want to pay for them at all. Oklahoma is essentially run on our income tax, where other states like Texas fund their state government with a taxing formula more heavily dependent on property taxes.
You can’t throw a rock down a hallway on North Lincoln without hitting a politician that made campaign promises to lower taxes. It is a common refrain while running for office, but a difficult policy to carry out because of all those taxes fund services that many people enjoy. So those in favor of cutting taxes are fond of saying that, in fact, we will not have to cut services at all because of the increased economic activity which lower taxes will promote. The problem is, every economist I have talked to says there is no historical proof this works. In fact, it first grew in popularity in the Reagan years when supply side economics was the fad, and our national debt bloomed into the billions.
But with the hopes that I can have my ice cream and eat it too, I visited with economic development specialists and business leaders, to see if lower taxes are the driving force behind economic growth. In this week’s video segment, I talk to the experts to see what they think. I am curious to hear your opinion too and remember…all you need is trust and a little bit of pixie dust! Rob McClendon
There is so much new technology out there when it comes to building your house. A lot of it has to do with keeping the environment green. If I was going to build a house nowadays, I think I would seriously look at these new technologies and see how much of a savings I could get by building green. I know what my energy bill is now and I definitely wish I had green technology in my current house to bring that bill way down.
In this week’s video blog, we tell you why one man decided to build green even though it was a little more expensive to do so.
GROWTH — I’m a Papa. I have grandchildren and a garage full of all the right tools. I am 55 years old growing. I have been reading my Bible, praying, serving, and trying to honor God for the past 35 years. I don’t always like it, but I am still growing. I’m still trying to figure out what I’m going to be when I grow up. God is still working on me. Yes, there is still plenty of room for growth.
I think of my desire to continue to grow and mature. I want to become the right kind of follower of Jesus Christ. I want to reflect the love described in I Corinthians, chapter 13. It’s what the Apostle Paul calls, “a more excellent way.” As an educator I picked up on the biblical standards for growth that a Stanford psychology professor applies to adolescent brain development.
According to Carol Dweck (Mindsets and Equitable Education), growth happens best with teenagers when rightly responding in five key areas their lives:
CHALLENGES
OBSTACLES
EFFORT
CRITICISM
SUCCESS OF OTHERS
That’s great for kids, but I find that when I am growing God is using these things as my “growth agents.” Let me explain…
Challenges must be something I embrace; I learn something new from them; “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
Obstacles help me become stronger and build fortitude, think obstacle course; “…perseverance produces character and character produces hope…” Romans 5:3
Effort becomes the active manifestation of the faith I hold. “Faith without works is dead.” James 2:17
Criticism is painful, but I recognize, not only can I learn something, but criticsim won’t destroy my true foundation. “and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.” I Peter 3:16
Success of others is to be celebrated. Oh what joy when I trust God so much that I am happy when others receive praise. When I trust God I am free from despair or resentment when others are exhalted, even when they don’t deserve it. “Rejoice with those who rejoice.” Romans 12:15
“I thought I saw boiling dust coming up from those hills behind us.”
"I changed my mind."
“Oh great! I saw it too. You thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Yes, it’s Pharaoh and his army!”
“He changed his mind, they’re not going to let us go after all.”
“What’s Moses doing?”
“He’s just standing there.”
“What?”
“Word just came from the front. They said the Red Sea has blocked our escape.”
“Oh, great job Moses, just great!!!”
“Hey, don’t be so hard on Moses, he’s been following God.”
“You’re telling me that after all it took to get us out of there, God brought put us here?”
“Well, Moses does seem to have the Lord’s help and…”
“LOOK! It IS Pharaoh! They appear to have their swords drawn.”
“You can see that from here?”
“I know I saw something shiney.”
“This stinks!”
Stuck on the shore --- that's how I feel sometimes
The Shore, the Sea, and the Sword
Recently I read a little book* that looks at God’s People as they encounter the Red Sea. The book, along with a lot of Scripture reading, meditation, and prayer, has caused me to think a lot about my anxieties and doubts. Often I feel as though I’m trapped that the shore (my circumstances) and things aren’t looking too good. I am praying that I learn to better apply Truth to my circumstances. TRUTH: God is good and I can trust Him; I’m always going to be fine resting in His care.
The application of truth to circumstances is the practice of faith. I’m not talking about faith in faith, that place too many televangelists tend to abide. I’m talking about Continue reading Rock & Hard Place (sea & sword)→
Wildfire laps at the edge of Southwest Baptist Campground
The madness of the month of March has arrived! My mother used to predict the weather for March 31 by what it was like on March 1. “In like a lion, out like a lamb; in like a lamb, out like a lion!”, Mama would say every March 1. According to my sources on the ground in Oklahoma – March 1 was a beautiful day this year. Here’s your advanced storm warning – be prepared on March 31!
The lion and lamb analogy can be aptly applied to other areas of March life. Take for instance my nephew, Adam, and the love of his life, Mary. Their first day of March roared in like a lion on the waves of labor pains. The pains brought forth a precious little red haired princess, Virginia. Something tells me that other than cries of hunger or wet diapers, their March 31 will ease out like a lamb for Princess Virginia, her sister Elinor and their parents. I wish I could say that Virginia arrived in the land of red dirt but alas, she arrived in the bayou area of southeast Texas. Someday when she is old enough to understand, her paternal grandmother, Clara, will entertain her with stories of the five generations of her family that equated red dirt with home.
Meandering around the madness of March memories of lions and lambs, several favorites have popped up to the top. Youth retreats, spring revivals, and school breaks all bring to mind events that began like lambs but ended like roaring lions. One of my favorite youth retreat destinations is nestled in the Quartz Mountains, across Highway 44 from Lake Altus. The Southwest Baptist Assembly Grounds (SBAG) harbor many fond memories, including such firsts as my first week at church camp, embarrassment at my lack of knowledge of Donnie Osmond (he was the Justin Beiber of my day), first time as a camp counselor and numerous retreats as a teenager.
If ever there was a doubt that God can still use this place to His glory, one need only look at the lion of a wildfire of Summer 2011 that roared around the mountains surrounding the campground. The fire necessitated the evacuation of both SBAG and the Quartz Mountain Christian Camp located a mile north. God protected both sites with His hands – one over each campground. A tour of the area a few days afterward showed that the fires literally stopped at the edge of the campgrounds, within a few feet of some of the cabins. God also protected the firefighters that day. No serious injuries were reported as the fireproofed water bearers fought the flames while enduring temps in excess of 100◦F.
What does the lion and lamb analogy have in common with speeding tickets, sectional snow, “Hoosiers” and “Believe in Me”? March Madness, of course! Did you really think I could make it thru a blog titled “March Madness” without a mention of the basketball, that great orange orb that draws the attention of most of the nation for the month of March?
This image and all at the end of Mark's post come from: http://www.stillad.com/ - an extremely unique resource for the advertising world...and people like us.
Is there a particular smell that you love? Not necessarily one that transports you to a certain place and time but one that is here and now and….handy. That’s how it is with me and the sweet, metallic smell of WD-40. It’s like cinnamon rolls and coffee on the back porch except with a more purposeful air.
Here’s the deal. Everyone knows there are two essentials for work to get done; duct tape and WD-40. Every self-respecting garage has them, every mobile work unit from tow trucks to taco trucks has them. Most pick-ups have them rolling around under the seat. Maybe not city pick-ups, poor wannabes that never see a dirt road, but real pick-ups. My question; why is WD-40 so essential? Why not WC-20 or Fred’s Thread Lube? The answer may be more sinister than you first imagine.
Duct tape comes from a variety of manufacturers but not many people get emotionally involved with the brand. But there is no substitute for WD-40, the real deal, the true Bones McCoy. First, it works great. Squeaky hinges no more. Seized threads freed. Condensation rust melted away. Other spray lubricants cannot hold their own against WD-40. You spray twice as much for half the effect.
But there is something else, something in the smell that drives men to choose WD-40 and only WD-40. I contend there is a secret ingredient, a pheromone designed to make a person desire one thing and one thing only in the spray lube category. And it works. While the WD-40 company laughs all the way to the bank, men are turned into helpless pawns of their olfactory senses. I am no exception and so I offer this ode to my…my precious. Continue reading Like Nothing Else: Ode to WD-40→
For many nursing students, just finding time to do their clinicals at a local hospital can be tricky. They have to find time around their busy schedules of being a student, working, and possibly being a parent. It’s not always easy. And then there’s the fear of “what if I screw up?” I know that would be one that would really freak me out…the possibility I could hurt someone before I was even licensed to practice any form of medicine. But there is now a solution that takes care of all of the issues.
In this week’s video blog, we show you the latest technology that is helping students practice their medical clinicals in the classroom, on their own time, and without the worry of injuring someone. He’s called SimMan. ~Alisa Hines
It’s been over 45 years since Mom gave her first haircut in Caldwell’s Barber Shop. And though so many years have passed, she will tell you exactly who her first customer was and what he said. Mom was a nervous twenty-nine year old and had just graduated from the Lawton Barber School. Dad needed help, especially on Friday afternoons and all day Saturdays.
Mom is quick to remind anyone asking, not hair-stylist, not hair-dresser turned hair-cutter; Mom didn’t take short cuts with clipper attachments and she used a straight razor around the ears. It was in a barber shop after all, not a salon. (You go to a barber shop to get a flat-top or tapered clipper cut; you go to a salon to get highlights and over priced scissor cut. I think much more highly of the barbershop, but I am biased, I’m the son of barbers.)
I like the smell of a real barber shop. Give me some Jeris hair tonic and I’m home again.
The barber shop is the ultimate man cave (though I read recently that “man cave” is passé). My point is, it’s a man’s world inside an old fashioned barber shop. My Mom handled herself quite nicely inside the mancave, she learned to trade barbs with the guys and not to take the smart alecks too seriously. When a fella made a crack about the lady barber, she could crack right back. Continue reading Big Little Words→
I heard a lady complain the other day on a website to President Obama about how her husband couldn’t find work but that we were providing employment to people from outside the United States and that it was unfair. It is true about hiring foreign labor but what she didn’t realize or point out is this: the employment is for agriculture work. It’s usually backbreaking and in areas where agriculture is. It’s also seasonal which means it’s not permanent. And it’s only given to foreign workers when no one else will do the work. It’s called H-2A. Contact this immigration law firm that specializes in EB1 and other types of visas if you are an immigrant who wants to work in the US. Consult with experts if you need help with your golden visa application to Portugal.
An H-2A visa allows a foreign national entry into the U.S. for temporary or seasonal agricultural work. There are several requirements of the employer in regards to this visa. The H-2A temporary agricultural program establishes a means for agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring nonimmigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature. Currently in the United States there are about 30,000 temporary agricultural workers under this visa program. All of these workers are supposed to be covered by U.S. wage laws, workers’ compensation and other standards.
Employers anticipating a shortage of agricultural workers and in need must apply at least 45 days before certification is necessary. This includes a requirement of an active effort, including newspaper and radio advertising, to recruit U.S. workers in areas of expected labor supply. Such recruitment must be at least equivalent to that conducted by non-H-2A agricultural employers in the same or similar crops and area. The employer must agree to give preference and engage in active recruitment of U.S. workers. The H-2A certification is valid for up to 364 days. As temporary or seasonal agricultural employment, the work is performed during certain seasons of the year or for a limited time period of less than one year when the employer can show that the need for the foreign worker is truly temporary. Clear guidance like this provides clarity in the face of job disruption, helping employers and workers navigate changes smoothly.
I don’t think the woman’s husband would really have applied for any of these jobs especially since he probably would have had to relocate and it wouldn’t be a professional job. And that’s the problem, U.S. citizens evidently think they are too good to work on a farm. It’s very hard work and most of us prefer cushier jobs indoors where we won’t perspire or break a nail. But we don’t have a problem complaining that these foreign workers are “stealing” U.S. jobs. WRONG! As we’ll see in this week’s video blog, they are leaving their loved ones thousands of miles away and taking the jobs that no one is applying for and then sending their hard earned money back home to their families AND they go back home when the work is done…they don’t stay but they might return the next growing season to do a job that most U.S. citizens just won’t do.
“He’s such a jerk. He had a new girlfriend within a month of breaking up with my friend.”
“OMG. Clearly she has no morals.”
“I can’t believe someone would throw a fit like that. She’s crazy!”
Admit it. You’ve made a similar statement at some point in your life, perhaps even recently. I don’t have to look too far back in my own memory to stumble upon a few similarly disparaging comments. In making these statements, I felt justified in my conclusions about someone’s character based on their actions. Sadly, we often find a certain satisfaction – consciously or subconsciously – in pointing out, reveling in, or discussing others’ mistakes or offenses. If this was not the case, we would not have so many disreputable periodicals available for our perusal in the check-out line at the grocery store.
My question is this: How often do you define others by their worst behavior? I know I’ve done it and I’m certain it’s been done to me. Should we chalk it up to human nature and move on, or should we change the way we respond?
On a blog I follow, MckMama recently explored the issue of defining others by their worst behavior. In the midst of personal pain that society would say easily warrants a hurled insult or twenty, she made a decision to abstain from defining her wrongdoer by his recent hurtful behavior. In her case, the wrongdoer is her husband who abruptly left the family a month ago (mom and 5 kids) and hasn’t spoken to any of them since. She is angry and heartbroken, and she desperately wants to lash out at him and about him. She has thousands of virtual friends who wouldn’t at all blame her , as well as the perfect medium to try him for his crimes. No one can argue that leaving the family was an honorable thing to do. However, MckMama has decided that her pain is no worse than his, even though she doesn’t fully understand the source of the pain or the reason behind these actions. She believes it is her responsibility to preserve her husband’s honor and character during this difficult time, certainly until they can put aside the hurt and get to the bottom of their issues. While he appears to be acting irresponsibly, he is also the same man she married and deserves more than being labeled, judged, and hated.
This is a weekly round-up of clips from 
In the final days of the 2010 session, when legislative leaders were faced with historic revenue shortfalls and were desperate for ways to balance the budget, a deal was struck with representatives of the energy industry on oil and gas drilling incentives. The industry agreed to defer payment of credits on horizontal and deep well drilling for twenty-four months, until July 2012, and then to pay out over the next three years the credits that accrued during this period. In return, the legislature adopted several changes to how drilling is taxed that were sought by the industry. [
