Life
Crossing the Amelia Earhart Bridge
Son, Atchison, Kansas, is a nice place to visit. But I live in Missouri and that usually means that I have to cross the Emelia Earhart Bridge. The bridge spans the muddy Missouri River. It is a steel truss bridge, built in 1937 by the WPA – the Works Progress Administration. As I drove the […]
23Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Crossing the Amelia Earhart Bridge | Continued
Payday Loans and Bounce Rates
Son, The Payday loan business is just that, a business. They are like any other business. They make money by having a steady stream of customers. And, like other businesses, they measure their success. I would sure like to see their statistics. We write essays for this online magazine. We measure our success in the […]
22Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Payday Loans and Bounce Rates | Continued
Boston Legal on Predatory Lending
Son, I enjoy the TV program Boston Legal. Their stories are right out of the headlines. Last evening one of their ‘legal’ cases surrounded home foreclosure. Clarence, an employee of Crane, Pool?, and Schmidt, was two months behind on his mortgage payments because his interest had ballooned to 12%.? He had originated the 100% loan […]
21Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | 1 comment | Continued
Sacred Cows
Son, Look out. We are challenging Sacred Cows. Challenges to Sacred Cows are often met with personal attacks in an effort to discredit the challenger. We have a right to our opinion – and they have a right to disagree. But some folks can be really nasty. Our magazine of social commentary has put choice […]
19Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Sacred Cows | Continued
Local YMCA’s lose perspective
Son, Our local YMCA Board has lost touch once again, or perhaps I should say have never gained perspective. They had some sort of unexpected financial problem, I think with building maintenance, so they have decided to just charge all members double their normal monthly rate in January. That should raise about $60,000. They are […]
19Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Local YMCA’s lose perspective | Continued
Google, searching for self
Son, Google is pretty cool. I entered my own name in the popular search engine. I entered my full name, Ohg Rea Tone, not knowing what I was hoping for. The results are rather enlightening. Historically people were named for their professions. Blacksmiths, those powerful men who forged steel by hand, became Smiths. File clerks […]
17Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Google, searching for self | Continued
Catholics Saved Christianity
Son, Without the Roman Catholic Church there would be no Christianity. The Catholic Church has been criticized for about 2000 years. This probably began when Jesus chose to expose himself to a woman. Perhaps I should rephrase that statement. When bodily resurrected after death, Jesus revealed himself to Mary Magdalene before revealing himself to the […]
16Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Catholics Saved Christianity | Continued
Pride and independence
Son, The past few days have caused me to reflect on pride. My pride. My pride of being an independent person. The ‘never surrender’ attitude served me very well in sports – at other times my pride has caused some real pain. When I bought this house a few years ago I had some help […]
15Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Pride and independence | Continued
Ice Storms and Male Pride
Son, The Great Ice Storm of 2007, as it has become known, swept through the Midwest last Monday evening. Northwest Missouri was particularly hard hit, and that is where I live. Our electrical power was out very early in the morning on Tuesday. I woke up to a cold house. There are several strategies to […]
14Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Ice Storms and Male Pride | Continued
Ice Storms and Fireplaces
Son, An Ice Storm came visiting last Monday. It is now Friday and power was just restored last evening. The weather forecasters had properly warned me of the impending storm and the probable loss of electric power. So I was prepared. I went out Monday and bought a load of hard wood, all walnut. I […]
14Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Ice Storms and Fireplaces | Continued
Old Dogs and Ice Storms
Son, Your sister married a while back and I inherited her 14 pound dog, Sadie. Sadie is half cocker spaniel and half schnauzer. She just turned fourteen years old. An ice storm came through town last Monday and knocked out our power. Sadie is pretty smart – probably as smart as a two and a […]
14Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Old Dogs and Ice Storms | Continued
we continue to miss the point of the John Lennon Legacy
Dad, I just read on Yahoo News that a lock of John Lennon’s hair sold for $48,000 dollars. It is the Christmas season, so I can’t help but stand in the face of our obsession with excess and indulgence. Most of the time I can manage a passive conversation about it and talk about little […]
13Dec2007 | bryan | Comments Off on we continue to miss the point of the John Lennon Legacy | Continued
Ice Storms highlight desperate measures
Readers, Ohg is out of commission. He lives in one of the midwestern cities that has been hit the worst with the latest ice storms. The picture at the right is about two blocks from his house. He is without power, huddled in fron of his fireplace for warmth, trying to decide whether or not […]
13Dec2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Ice Storms highlight desperate measures | Continued
this video about freegans…
Dad, Back to the conversation about freegans. I know that there are responsible, practical ways to change the world, and that one should follow the appropriate channels, but I am glad for the people who don’t worry about that and just do what they can to make a difference, even if it is only in […]
11Dec2007 | bryan | Comments Off on this video about freegans… | Continued
having kids and making decisions
Dad, We are faced, as a family, with more life change. We have moved every year and even changed states three times in our short 5 year marriage. We are expecting our third child this summer, and we will have to figure out how to live in this little two bedroom apartment or upgrade to […]
10Dec2007 | bryan | 2 comments | Continued
10 things to do when starting a wordpress blog
Dad, I thought that some of our readers might benefit from the foot work that we have done in getting this blog off the ground. I will talk more about content and writing in future posts, but first I want to address the basics of getting a WordPress blog up and running. Here are ten […]
10Dec2007 | bryan | 4 comments | Continued
Nebraska Mall Shooting
Son, Another tragedy in America, this time in Nebraska. A nineteen-year-young man walked into a mall with his step-father’s assault rifle and killed eight people before killing himself. The young man had a troubled life; the state estimated that it had invested $265,000 on his previous ‘treatment.’ This is not the first troubled youth to […]
9Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Nebraska Mall Shooting | Continued
The Mormon Bible – and Mitt Romney
Son, Mitt Romney has said that he will ‘put his hand on the Bible” and take the oath of office. My question is simple, which Bible is he going to put his hand on? I think it is a fair question – he is taking an oath to defend you and me, your children and […]
7Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | 6 comments | Continued
The politics of admitting mistakes
Son, Several candidates for President have long histories. Many of them have run for other offices like Senator, or Governor, or Mayor. In the process of seeking those offices they necessarily catered to the limited population of their respective ambitions. Romney and Giuliani were pro-choice. Giuliani has been married three times. Huckabee raised taxes. Clinton […]
4Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on The politics of admitting mistakes | Continued
Bush, bewildering logic
Son, President Bush is live on TV as I write. “Iran was dangerous. Iran is dangerous. Iran will be dangerous if they have the ability to have nukular weapons. Who is to say that they don’t have a covert operation to have a nukular program” This in response to a new finding by the National […]
4Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Bush, bewildering logic | Continued
Mom sings the doo doo song
Son, Your Grandma is a character. She is aging and has lost some of her height. When she was in her thirties she was almost five foot tall, but not quite. As she ages she is getting shorter. There were seven children in my family, my father worked two jobs outside the home and my […]
2Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Mom sings the doo doo song | Continued
Gays and Aids, A Connection?
Son, The HIV virus is non-discriminatory. It does not care about your race, creed, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. Sadly, many people have viewed the result of HIV, AIDS, as largely a phenomenon of gay sex. Why? When AIDS hit the scene in the early 1980’s it was predominantly in the gay men community – […]
2Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Gays and Aids, A Connection? | Continued
Imus and Sharpton – still haggling
Son, Good for Don Imus. He has overcome adversity and is returning to the Radio airways. I am not an Imus kind of guy – I may be a smart-alack like him – but our philosophies are different. But this is not about me – it is about redemption from the pettiness of Al Sharpton. […]
2Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Imus and Sharpton – still haggling | Continued
The Alamo – The Tigers get no respect
Son, There is a big game tonight in college football. You know that I am only a casual observer of college sports – but even casual observers have to take note of this game. The Missouri Tigers haven’t won a conference football championship since 1969. They were not even ranked when this season started. Today […]
1Dec2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on The Alamo – The Tigers get no respect | Continued
Republican CNN YouTube Debate – November 28
Son, A new event is happening in America. The CNN YouTube Presidential Debate. I am skeptical but hopeful. I remember the first televised debate between Kennedy and Nixon in 1960. That event ushered in a new technology – we are seeing another. I’ll try to keep up. A question to Giuliani on Immigration – the […]
29Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Republican CNN YouTube Debate – November 28 | Continued
Oprah and Barack – transcending race
Son, A curious phenomenon is taking place. Oprah Winfrey is going on the stump for Barack Obama. So what? It is not unusual for celebrities to endorse candidates for political office. But this phenomenon is unusual, for several reasons. Oprah does not normally do this. Oprah has been on television for 25 years and has […]
26Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Oprah and Barack – transcending race | Continued
Media Hosts fail as Celebrities
Son, A tragedy has befallen American Journalism. Cable and satellite feeds have created monster celebrities in the field of journalism. Everyone wants to be Walter Cronkite. The problem is that hey have not earned the stature. Wolf Blitzer, Chris Matthews, Tim Russert, Bill O’Reilly, Shawn Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, to name a few. These people have […]
25Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Media Hosts fail as Celebrities | Continued
Mizzou – Show Me State heroes
Son, This was a big night in Missouri. The MU Tigers are going to the first Big 12 Championship Game in their history. They managed a win over the formidable Kansas Jayhawks. When I say managed, I mean that they took a forceful early lead and then managed the game. I don’t think the general […]
25Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | 2 comments | Continued
Maslow and dumpster diving
Son, Abraham Maslow was something of a management scientist. He published a work in 1943 describing a ‘hierarchy of needs’ which he used to describe human motivation. Dumpster diving is generally thought of as meeting the basic need of subsistence. For this reason dumpster diving is considered a function of the poor, the homeless, […]
24Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | 2 comments | Continued
Step 9 – Justice
Son, Step Nine of Twelve is very clear. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. We are talking about Justice. Justice is not easy. This concept seems reasonable and most of us believe that we are fair and honorable people. But many of us […]
23Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Step 9 – Justice | Continued
Border Wars – MU and KU
Son, Many years have passed since that last great border wars between Missouri and Kansas. The previous height of conflict was 150 some years ago. The United States Civil War smashed the last barriers of civility and the borders were on fire. Today’s conflict will be settled, we hope, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. […]
22Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Border Wars – MU and KU | Continued
Exercise – jog-a-long in the snow
Son, I just did my first winter jog-a-long of the season. It is 30 degrees outside with a wind chill index of twenty degrees. The wind is from the north and there is mixed snow and rain. The snow is sticking on the grass but not on the pavement. I have not made this sort […]
22Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Exercise – jog-a-long in the snow | Continued
Dumpster Diving to save the world.
Son, What is dumpster diving? That depends on perspective. Are you the diver or the divee? (The divee is the business that fills the dumpster with ‘waste.’) Everyone in our country should slow down for a day or two and reflect on our use and abuse of our material wealth. The size of our economy […]
21Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | 2 comments | Continued
Old ladies and dumpsters
Son, Our discussions about dumpster diving is cause for reflection. Cause to reflect back to the 1950’s, when I was a boy. How times have changed. I remember when I was a child, my mother’s Aunt Ann was in her fifties when her husband died. They had no children. Aunt Ann was that slobbery mouth […]
21Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | 3 comments | Continued
Of Mental Illness, church, and family
Son I wrote recently about depression. Meriwether Lewis was my inspiration – a man of undaunted courage who also suffered from depression. As noted, my case is mild, requiring a daily mental and physical discipline to keep all systems balanced. The discipline also requires staying connected socially. After all, at our primitive core, we are […]
21Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Of Mental Illness, church, and family | Continued
Step 8 – Responsibility
Son, Step Eight of Twelve is where the rubber begins to hit the road. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. The essential character trait is Responsibility. In the process of working these steps our candidate for sanity has already done a ‘fearless moral […]
18Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Step 8 – Responsibility | Continued
MU and KU – Show me the money
Son, A very big event is unfolding for Missouri and Kansas. The 2007 Thanksgiving weekend in Kansas City is unfurling a Super Bowl event. The MU and KU football programs are meeting at Arrowhead Stadium for bragging rights. But this is much more than just bragging rights. This is about very BIG money. Ka-Ching. Ka-Ching, […]
18Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on MU and KU – Show me the money | Continued
Who is Lindsay Lohan?
Son, I was in a Blockbuster Video Store the other day, rummaging around in the pre-viewed movies. Much to my joy I found a DVD titled A Prairie Home Companion. Garrison Keillor has been one of my favorite entertainers for twenty years, and the price of the previously viewed movie was right – so I […]
17Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Who is Lindsay Lohan? | Continued
Step 7 – Humility
Son, Step Seven of Twelve is the essence of the entire program. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. The essential character trait is Humility. Without humility adversity will overwhelm us. But first, some clarity about what humility is – and what it is not. Humility is actually a very healthy self-esteem. Humility recognizes that […]
16Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Step 7 – Humility | Continued
Democratic Debate – November 15
Son, The debate is on. Again, I will try to capture what is happening as it happens- sometimes this works – sometimes I should just go to bed. The commentators – Senator Clinton must reassert her self as the leader. They have to clarify their positions on Iraq and Iran. Campbell Brown – It will […]
16Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | 2 comments | Continued
Alcoholism and Drug Addiction – diseases
Son, Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, is a disease. The Fireside Post has many articles on addiction. We should be clear that we are talking about a pandemic disease. Here are some sticking points – is addiction self induced? Is addiction merely criminal behavior? Is addiction a moral dilemma – a sin of Biblical proportions? The answer […]
15Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction – diseases | Continued
Step 4 – Courage
Son, Step Four of twelve is a big boy – the success of this step takes nothing short of courage. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Addiction causes problems, no argument here. The problems are generally beyond what the addict understands. But the addict knows that to look closely at self means […]
15Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Step 4 – Courage | Continued
Step 5 – Integrity
Son, Step Five of twelve is a big boy – Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our wrongs. “Confession is an ancient discipline,” according to the AA 12 x 12. We are not talking about a Sunday chat during half time of the Chiefs Game. Addiction steals […]
15Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Step 5 – Integrity | Continued
Step 6 – Willingness
Son, Step Six of twelve is an exercise in attitude, separating the men from the boys – Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. The essential character trait is willingness. This encompasses everything essential for spiritual growth. The wording is challenging, the thought process even more so. Check it out: […]
15Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Step 6 – Willingness | Continued
Funny Quotes from a friend
Son, I have some goofy friends and they occasionally send me some goofy stuff. It is a slow news day so I thought – what the heck – share this with our readers. Sometimes, when I look at my children, I say to myself: “Lillian, you should have remained a virgin.” — Lillian Carter (mother […]
14Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Funny Quotes from a friend | Continued
marrying robots: what are the down sides?
Dad, I read an article recently on MSN about a guy who wants to legalize marriages between humans and robots. He thinks he has a chance in Massachusetts. I think that this is a great idea. Too long have we been restricted to marrying one another. Even Gay Marriage, so controversial, is restrictive in that […]
14Nov2007 | bryan | Comments Off on marrying robots: what are the down sides? | Continued
Step 3 – Faith
Son, Step Three of twelve begins a mental discipline. Made a decision to turn our will and life over to the care of God as we understood him. So three frogs are sitting on a log, one decides to jump in. How many frogs are on the log? Three – he made a decision – […]
13Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Step 3 – Faith | Continued
Step 2 – Hope
Son, Step Two of twelve states clearly – and with confidence: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. That is a mouthful, especially after the brutality of Step One. They tell us we are powerless – not much hope there. And our lives are unmanageable – if that […]
13Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Step 2 – Hope | Continued
Step 1 – Honesty
Son, Step One of 12 Step Programs states simply: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol (insert your own problem), that our lives had become unmanageable. I have said before that there are consequences to belief systems. Well, what would be the consequence of believing that you had become powerless, that your life had become […]
13Nov2007 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Step 1 – Honesty | Continued
Hyperbolic Jesus
Dad, I have been described, with flattery and contempt, as inflammatory and as one who lends himself to exaggeration. I have never given this much credence, because I know that the only thing I know for a fact is that I know almost no facts. In college I made great marks from listening to lectures […]
13Nov2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Hyperbolic Jesus | Continued