tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340829292024-03-13T10:12:18.368-05:00Jim MathisJim Mathis is a photographer, musician, and writer. He is the owner of Mathis Photography, a photo restoration studio in Overland Park, KS.Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-23477779214468979222020-05-20T14:53:00.000-05:002020-05-20T14:53:22.482-05:00Preserving Memories<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWk7CNbLbpdYbwTZGNgGf0Gourv_WR68TNR2fPtKExze6yR7zfer5674lknz3yuxsNgZn7ebDoCu3unUIQsdSCo5umNHqn5dZp6sSCl4zO9LtUspVMJ5ykSBZTK5nxXFg5P8yC/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWk7CNbLbpdYbwTZGNgGf0Gourv_WR68TNR2fPtKExze6yR7zfer5674lknz3yuxsNgZn7ebDoCu3unUIQsdSCo5umNHqn5dZp6sSCl4zO9LtUspVMJ5ykSBZTK5nxXFg5P8yC/s320/422783-4x6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #f4fdd9; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_editor-image x_OneColumnMobile" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; table-layout: fixed;"><tbody style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><tr style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><td align="center" class="x_mobile-hidden" height="5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; height: 5px; line-height: 1px; padding: 0px;" valign="top"><img alt="" border="0" data-imagetype="External" height="5" hspace="0" src="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/sys/S.gif" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; display: block; font: inherit; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" vspace="0" width="1" /></td><td align="center" class="x_mobile-hidden" height="5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding: 0px;" valign="top" width="5"><img alt="" border="0" data-imagetype="External" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/sys/S.gif" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; display: block; font: inherit; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="x_text-container x_galileo-ap-content-editor" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #f4fdd9; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In order to make my catalog of old photographs more accessible, I have been digitizing and filing my old slides and negatives, the ones I made from about 1965 until 2001 when I switched to digital.</span></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Kodachrome slides all look just like they did when they came back from Kodak. When I was selling film, the understanding was that Kodachrome gave vivid permanent color, but was picky about exposure and even harder to get good prints. Slides were made to be projected. Color negative film was invented to be easy to print with lots of exposure latitude but was not permanent and faded quickly as did the prints made from it.</span></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Black and white film and prints have always been stable which is one reason fine art photographers gravitated toward black and white. If we wanted our photographs to be enjoyed for generations, we shot black and white. There was no other choice. Kodachrome was hard to print involving inter-negatives and other time-consuming techniques such as dye-transfer. Color negative film was not permanent and not even very good.</span></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Now we are in the digital era and everything has changed. Digital files are as permanent as the medium they are stored on. That may be a long time as in the case of a flash drive or it may be extremely short if they are in a smartphone with a life of only two or three years. The only long-term solution is to make archival prints. Ink on paper is still the most permanent media there is.</span></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ansel Adams is famous for saying, “The negative is the score, the print is the performance.” I contend that this is still true, especially if we consider that the final “print” might be in a magazine or on a web page. The digital file has replaced the negative.</span></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In the modern era we are able to bring back those faded color prints made from color negatives, repair damaged black and white images, but even more exciting is the fact that we can make prints from Kodachrome slides that are better and more permanent than any processes that were available when Kodachrome was being made. If I had known what advances in photography the digital era would bring, I would have shot more Kodachrome 40 or 50 years ago.</span></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">From 1973 until 1996 we owned a custom black and white photo lab dedicated to making the highest quality black and white prints possible. Since 2008, I have turned that dedication to quality to digital imaging, especially restoring old, faded or damaged slides, negatives, and prints. </span></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">If you have photographs that need attention, that you want to pass on to future generations, please call. 913-269-6709.</span></div></div></div>Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-78984645667416234652018-01-05T13:09:00.001-06:002018-01-05T13:09:08.950-06:00Generational Segregation<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Generational Segregation</span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
A few years ago, I was having lunch with a
friend in a well-known restaurant. I looked around and noticed that we
were the youngest people there. The next day I was having lunch with
another friend in another restaurant and realized that we were the
oldest people at that place. I hadn't realized until that week how
segregated by age our lives have become.<br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
A few generations ago, in a more agrarian
and less specialized society, generations often worked together in the
fields or in the shops. Young people learned from their elders and older
people benefited from the enthusiasm and energy of younger people.
Today older people are often unwilling or unable to share their years of
wisdom, and all too often younger people do not seek it out, or
discount the idea that they may have much to share.<br />
</div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
Since I have become aware of this situation,
I have made a concerted effort not become one of the "old-gray-beards"
that sit around and complain about everything. I started reading books
written by younger authors and subscribed to magazines that are clearly
aimed at millennials. <br />
</div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
We later changed churches to a congregation
with attendees with an average age at least twenty-five years younger
than our previous church. This means making friends and developing
strong relationships with people much younger than we are is far easier
than before. <br />
</div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
This has been extremely encouraging.The
generation of people born between 1978 and 1998 are some of the best
yet. Not only are they comfortable with technology (it is normal to them
and not novel like it is to me), but they are highly energetic and
capable leaders. They value relationships and see kindness as important
in all areas of life.</div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
There is great value in maintaining
long-term relationships with friends and co-workers, and family we have
enjoyed for many years.There is, however, a need to recognize the value
in crossing age barriers that our culture wants to build around us to
experience life at its best, with all age groups represented for all
that they can add to our life.</div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
I just want to live long enough to see what happens next.<br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<strong>Jim Mathis</strong></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<br />
</div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-12472705110335897682018-01-02T15:02:00.002-06:002018-01-02T15:02:33.561-06:00World History and Western Movement<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The study of world history reveals an interesting pattern.
The center of thought, creativity, innovation, and understanding is slowly
moving west.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Starting about 1,000 years ago, China was the center of
innovation. The Song Dynasty Chinese invented paper, paper money, gunpowder, a
process for making fine porcelain that will still call “China,” and a host of
other everyday things.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Slowly the center of creativity moved to the Arab world. The
Arabs wrote the first medical textbooks after getting paper making from the
Chinese. They developed higher mathematics. An Arab named al Jebra invented a
system of math based on balance and equations that was named after him:
“algebra.” We get our modern numerals and numbering system from them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eventually, the center of culture shifted westward again to
Italy with people like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. The Medici family
invented the modern banking system. Further west and a hundred years saw the
invention of the printing press in Western Europe and artists like Beethoven,
Bach, and Brahms; musical instruments like the piano and organ and painters
like Rembrandt came along and theologians like Martin Luther.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Still later, Great Britain became the heart of the
industrial revolution with the invention of the steam engine, railroads and
mass production. The British Empire spanned the globe due their economic
strength.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By the twentieth century it was the United States’ turn with
advances in electric lighting and electronic communications. The US invented
Jazz and Rock and Roll and forged ahead in space travel. Artists like Woody
Guthrie, Bob Dylan, and Andy Warhol thrived. Advances in civil rights and
education made the twentieth century the Golden Age for the United States.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the twenty-first century the US is slowly turning its
back on education and creativity. Intellectuals are called elitist or nerds,
education and the arts are being marginalized, and innovation is slowing to a
halt.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Meanwhile the center for learning and creativity continues
to move west with China, Japan, and South Korea once again emerging as the
world leaders in education, manufacturing, and design. If the thousand-year-old
pattern continues, the Far East will dominate world thinking for another
hundred years or so. </div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-88475135975160864642017-10-19T09:51:00.000-05:002017-10-19T09:51:41.356-05:00The Library Lets Loose<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4X9E_8guFTpeIfSFhQO9hqPTLAhGDhZ7w9bsnnmwoHbzKdyw1jc440Tygzb23XLgAYR-Z_LOpCMv8lZGr6Vk_4Mr_0oCjCwx9PqeEn4BfIry32t6kx7MiJWTL5tIUikavVMra/s1600/LLL-2017-118-4x6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4X9E_8guFTpeIfSFhQO9hqPTLAhGDhZ7w9bsnnmwoHbzKdyw1jc440Tygzb23XLgAYR-Z_LOpCMv8lZGr6Vk_4Mr_0oCjCwx9PqeEn4BfIry32t6kx7MiJWTL5tIUikavVMra/s400/LLL-2017-118-4x6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
Thomas
Jefferson said that a well educated populous was essential to a
functioning democracy. Ben Franklin established the first US lending
library in Philadelphia and the first library supported by tax payers
was in New Hampshire in 1833. </div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
Recent research has shown what
most of us already knew. That a person with a wide knowledge on a
variety of subjects, who is well read, is more creative and makes better
decisions and has demonstrably better brain functions than someone with
only specific knowledge on one subject or a person with more limited
experiences. Obviously, reading improves your brain.</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
I was fortunate to fall in
love with public libraries at an early age and have been a supporter of
libraries all of my life. I became a regular patron of the Johnson
County Library when I moved here in 1974. More recently the Johnson
County Library has become a client.</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
Last Saturday, October 14, was
the annual fundraiser for the Johnson County Library Foundation and
Friends of the Library - "The Library Lets Loose."</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
There was great food supplied
by area restaurants, music, art, and even a poetry stage. My good
friend, Dave Cedillo, was there as a performance artist. My friends
"Betse & Clark" played, as did another great band, "My Brothers and
Sisters."</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
I posted a number of photos on my gallery site: <a href="http://jimmathisphotography.com/">JimMathisPhotography.com</a>.</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
Here is the direct link to the "<a href="http://jimmathis.zenfolio.com/libraryletsloose" target="_blank">Library Lets Loose</a>" photos. </div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
Please take a look and support your public library. And more importantly, read every thing you can.</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<b></b>Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-82676421460893248312017-10-10T15:40:00.002-05:002017-10-10T15:40:16.094-05:00Vinyl LP Records<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
I have a few thousand LP's.
For you younger folks that would be "vinyl." For you older folks,
"records." The correct term is LP for Long Playing records. Vinyl LP
records came out in the mid 1950's and were replaced with CD's in the
mid 1980's. That means that all of the music recorded in the classical
era of rock and country was originally released on vinyl records.</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
The advantage of CD's was that
they were cheaper to make and could be sold at a premium price, so the
profit was much higher. A side benefit was that the manufacturing
process was more consistent, so on the average, the sound quality was
better. They were also easier to handle and store than LP's and CD
players could be made smaller and shake resistant so they could be
installed in automobiles. The down side for us visual artist types was
that the cover art of a 5 inch CD was less than a fourth the size of a
12 inch LP.<br />
</div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><br />
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
So now I have thousands of
vinyl records, all of which I have owned for over 30 years, that I am
trying to decide if I should digitize. When people call for a quote to
digitize all of their old slides or negatives, I ask them why they want
to do that. If it is to preserve them, I usually talk them out of it
because they already have a permanent original. If it is for easy
access, great. Digital is much easier to share, print, or use in a
publication.</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
It is the same decision I need
to make with my old records. The original vinyl records are valuable
artifacts, but if I want an easier way to access, share, or listen to
music, having the whole collection cataloged on a hard drive would be
amazing. Having all that music on a USB drive to play in my car would
also be very cool.<br />
</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br />
</div>
Just need a few hundred spare hours to get this completed. Wonder when that will be?Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-24224857302574292042017-10-09T14:22:00.000-05:002017-10-09T14:22:02.017-05:00My Birthday<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
As I celebrate living on this
planet another year and life's odometer ticks over another digit, it is
good to glance in the rearview mirror to see where I've been and maybe
look out the windshield to see what is ahead.</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
For one thing, I have been
blessed to share the road with an amazing woman for 47 years. Together
we have seen a lot of places, met a lot of wonderful people, and heard
some really cool music. I have read hundreds of books and have written a
handful as well. I have also written a few half-way decent songs.</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
I have spent my life making
photographs and have tens of thousands of them in my files, which mean
several hundred of them are pretty good.</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
I now realize that I have
clothes in my closet older than some of my friends. I remember when
gasoline was a quarter a gallon, but two hours of work still would
barely get you a hundred miles down the road. But what matters is that I
have worked hard and traveled a lot of miles. The people I have met
along the way have made life worth living.</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
For the majority of my life I
have been a follower of Jesus. I take His life and teaching seriously -
love God, love one another, seek joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, gentleness and self-control.</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
I now know that there are more
miles in the rearview mirror than through the windshield. The Bible
doesn't say anything about retiring, but it does say for the older
people to teach the younger. As we get a few miles on us, teaching what
we have learned to those behind us becomes our most important job.</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
The road ahead looks bright.
Storms, roadblocks and detours are sure to come, but we press on toward
the final destination. I hope to see you there.</div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span><br />
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-67465201759252688842017-10-04T14:53:00.002-05:002017-10-04T14:53:20.716-05:00Khan Academy<div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Our
education normally starts when we are about 3 or 4 years old with our
parents reading to us. If they do this regularly, we develop a love of
books and a love of learning which gives us a running start for school.
Elementary age through high school we develop basic skills in reading,
writing, math, science, and an introduction to things like history and
geography. A college degree demonstrates that we are willing and able to
learn. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif,Arial,Helvetica,serif,"EmojiFont";">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif,Arial,Helvetica,serif,"EmojiFont";">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The real indicator of success in life is a desire for </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">continued education and </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">life-long
learning. The government appreciates this fact to the point that we can
take a tax deduction for tuition, get cash back credit for college
expenses, and are allowed legitimate business deductions for continued
education costs.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif,Arial,Helvetica,serif,"EmojiFont";">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif,Arial,Helvetica,serif,"EmojiFont";">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> Followers
of Jesus know that his full-time occupation was as a teacher. He taught
in synagogues, small groups, and spoke at large seminars and
conferences. Any place there were people willing to hear, he was willing
to teach. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif,Arial,Helvetica,serif,"EmojiFont";">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif,Arial,Helvetica,serif,"EmojiFont";">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Through
much of history, education was elusive and a mark of class distinction.
Now educational opportunities are available to everyone. Every
community of any size has a library and most of the world's knowledge is
available at our fingertips. All we need is an internet connection and a
device to connect.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif,Arial,Helvetica,serif,"EmojiFont";">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif,Arial,Helvetica,serif,"EmojiFont";">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The
internet age has proven that access to knowledge is not enough though,
we have to have a conscientious plan, a desire to learn, and wise
discernment. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif,Arial,Helvetica,serif,"EmojiFont";">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif,Arial,Helvetica,serif,"EmojiFont";">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">One outstanding resource is <a alt="https://www.khanacademy.org/" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00130an1kplSaj9Lao9HqK0PRky8JKF3Fgn9u6azfcx6UlyKb65S4X6PzqV_-4mwYDXG3OqBNUbiXD330P1xtpZw5_Psquq7Ghym6fzaFytOVJu2bs_OdaYbZ4gsLAJ7kbw8NPoOnNKtBhtm8nfC_gintp4ZJAu_79Ut5wGS-22BQUC4AkUcNCbvw==&c=nxl1U5rJJVvV6PKwHCnswVg7EtLYnShQ7wqY9kZeIhVs2BcFq2QPXA==&ch=mliJ51DNpPFdrGaqGV43d9ETqBVR06wdg5KTKvj5i7XXE4pxLF4e5g==" rel="noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Khan Academy</a>.
Salmon Khan started tutoring his cousin in math and ended up developing
an online college with thousands of classes on a huge variety of
subjects available free of charge. I am currently taking a class on
World History and have Art History and Macroeconomics coming up. I am
really enjoying it. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif,Arial,Helvetica,serif,"EmojiFont";">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
Proverbs 2:10-12 says, "<span>You will become wise, and your knowledge will give you pleasure. </span><span>Your insight and understanding will protect you </span><span>and prevent you from doing the wrong thing." Can't get any plainer than that.</span></div>
</span>Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-84073958580838559882017-09-12T16:16:00.002-05:002017-09-12T16:16:47.072-05:00Relics<div>
Keith Richards once commented that you can't play rock and roll
with a guitar that looks like your parents just bought it for you for
Christmas. That comment fueled the demand for vintage guitars. As prices
soared and the supply dried up, people started buying new guitars and
beating them with chains and sanding down the finish to make them look
old and beat up. Soon the manufacturers got into the game and started
selling "Relic" guitars, new guitars that came from the factory already
beat up and worn.</div>
<br />
<div>
This seems right in line with pre-ripped jeans and new scruffy
looking jackets. To those of us who throw away our old and ripped jeans
and carefully polish our guitars after each gig, this seems kind of
bizarre.</div>
<br />
<div>
Now I am seeing apps that make your photos look like poorly
processed film from the sixties. I spent most of my photography career
trying to minimize grain, trying to keep highlights from blowing out,
and shadows from blocking up. Now that look is in style along with beat
up guitars and ripped up jeans.</div>
<br />
<div>
I have to admit, however, a certain appeal of "Rat Rods." These are
cars that look like that were put together from a few old junk yard
parts for nothing, when in reality they costs tens of thousands of
dollars and thousands of hours to build.</div>
<br />
<div>
Could the automobile manufacturers start building pre-wrecked cars
and home builders start building homes that look like they were already
hit by a hurricane? Remember you saw it here first.</div>
<br />
<div>
However, if you see me out on a photography job, I probably got
there in a shiny new car and I will be using a new camera with the
latest technology. Just saying.</div>
<div>
</div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-36076786601220358142017-09-05T15:00:00.001-05:002017-09-05T15:00:04.927-05:00College Education<div>
It is off to college time again for many families. There seems to
be a lot of discussion about the value of a college education and what
types of things should be taught. Also, what about trade or technical
school?</div>
<br />
<div>
I went to trade school to learn to be a television repairman and
then to college to study electrical engineering. It seemed like a
logical transition to me. I repaired TV's for a couple of summers and
then realized that I didn't care for televisions or engineering, so I
transferred to Finance, which was sort of trade school for people who
wanted to be bankers or CFO's.</div>
<br />
<div>
Since I have been self-employed my whole life, I never worked in
any of those industries, but I have found that a basic background in
both of those things to be somewhat helpful, even though many of the
things I learned quickly became obsolete, if they were even true then.</div>
<br />
<div>
Since my college days I have spent almost all of my leisure time
trying to learn the things I should have learned in school: history,
art, and literature for example. In other words, I got a Liberal Arts
Education on my own after I left college. The important thing I learned
in college was how to stop being a kid and start being an adult,
something too many people never learn. I also learned how to be a friend
and the kind of person that people want to work with. I developed
curiosity and a desire to learn new things. That desire for continued
education has made all the difference. These are all things I learned
from classmates and the environment, not in a classroom.</div>
<br />
<div>
Is a college degree worth the money? It would certainly be better
if it didn't cost so much, and you could certainly learn all the
technical stuff just by spending a few days a week at the public library
for a few years. College should make you tougher and more open to other
people and cultures, not isolate you from the world for four years.
Choosing a major based on starting salaries is total folly as is going
into massive debt to come out over-degreed and undereducated.</div>
<br />
<div>
In our society, a college education has become a necessity to be
considered for many occupations. One's ability and desire to continue
learning and to be adaptable and productive is difficult to measure but
so vital to life in today's world. We need to work to make a good
education accessible to everyone. </div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-63610673165378038402017-08-31T14:01:00.000-05:002017-08-31T14:01:02.742-05:00Woodstock<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I’ve been watching the Woodstock movie again. I have watched
it several times over the years and every time I see it, or another documentary
about the late ‘60s, I ask “What happened?” What happened to the ideology, the
naiveté, the good music? Why didn’t this peace and love thing catch on? </div>
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Many people say it was the drugs. I don’t think so. The drug
thing was just a side show, a distraction. That is not why so many people
turned from the ideals of peace and love and helping one another to materialism
and distrust. I believe that most people of the Woodstock generation didn’t
really want to change the world; they were just there to party. When the party
was over, they started building houses that were three times as big as their
parents. The average new house today is more than three times the size of the
average house built in the 1950’s and ‘60s. They eventually returned to the
materialistic lifestyle they learned from the previous generation.</div>
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For some of us, we found the true source, faith in Jesus
Christ. Often the traditional church was slow to accept these folks who had
little regard for stained glass and 19<sup>th</sup> century hymns, so they
started their own churches. The Bible lists the whole list of ideals in
Galatians 5: “<span class="text">love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness,</span> <span class="text">gentleness and self-control.” That is it.
That is how you identify a follower of Christ. Except for maybe the
self-control part, that pretty much describes the hippies of 50 years ago.</span></div>
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<span class="text">I have often thought about what Jesus would
have said and done had he walked on earth during that time. That is the subject
of my book, “Jesus of Kansas.” It is available as a free download at
<a href="http://jesusofkansas.com/">JesusOfKansas.com</a>. Check it out.</span></div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-32061346815600527712017-08-31T13:59:00.004-05:002017-08-31T13:59:21.573-05:00Texas Flood<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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It is hard not to be touched by the catastrophic flooding
unfolding in southeast Texas. I heard from a friend in Houston who said they
were dry but their house is now on an island. That is probably not unusual.
When I hear of a disaster like this, I naturally think about what my response
would be and what my level of preparedness is for myself and family. At what
point do you decide to persevere and when do you make the decision to evacuate? </div>
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This is both a practical and a metaphorical question. Our
culture puts a lot of emphasis on perseverance and being steadfast and strong
in the face of disaster. There is not a lot of talk about knowing when to flee,
close the business, or evacuate the area. One definition of wisdom is to “Know
when to hold them, know when to fold them.” The history of business is littered
when names of companies who held on to a losing hand too long: Eastman Kodak,
Montgomery Ward, Border’s Books. All stood firm as the tides of change arose
around them. </div>
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In the face of a storm, do we know of a trigger point where
we would say, “I am out of here?” It might be a real storm like a hurricane,
tornado, flood, or forest fire, or a metaphorical one like a bad relationship,
bad job, or living in an economically depressed area.</div>
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The Texas flood gives those of us on higher ground an
opportunity to think about our own situation. Is it time to evacuate this job,
this business, this product line, or even this town? Knowing when to run is a
sign of wisdom. Keep praying for wisdom and safety for our friends in southeast
Texas.</div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-82644984215222242552017-08-12T20:05:00.000-05:002017-08-12T20:08:22.877-05:00A Short History of Stage Monitors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4iQYzunsKQud6awW1ONdVvHMFL2x-eZrPzb0I4lPtpyfmVP8hLSOl8SV7CttsspbEUSEqhMXFy0SbegOIiNkb4bi4exEUv_Cd-mZshcmLxLu7PY6O7mzO4wsQK7afZ84cNTi/s1600/Woodstock-1969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="800" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4iQYzunsKQud6awW1ONdVvHMFL2x-eZrPzb0I4lPtpyfmVP8hLSOl8SV7CttsspbEUSEqhMXFy0SbegOIiNkb4bi4exEUv_Cd-mZshcmLxLu7PY6O7mzO4wsQK7afZ84cNTi/s400/Woodstock-1969.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
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<b>A Short History of Stage Monitors.</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For most of civilization there was no need for stage
monitors. Musicians just listened to each other and tried to blend in. My first
experience with monitors was in a radio station. Bands often played live and
there was a speaker hanging on the wall so you could hear the announcer and know
when to play. They killed the monitor when the music started to prevent
feedback.</div>
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<br /></div>
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By the 1960’s, when I started playing a lot louder, in
bigger venues, and often outside, it became very hard to hear the rest of the
band. Different bands tried different techniques. One of the most famous was
the Grateful Dead’s Wall of Sound. They put all of the speakers behind the band
and eliminated feedback with out of phase microphones.</div>
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<br /></div>
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We decided to go with two separate sound systems, one with
the speakers facing the audience and another with the speakers facing the band.
The goal, as always, was to be able to hear exactly what the audience is
hearing. If the band is hearing the same thing as the audience, you can play
with dynamics, sing or play louder or softer as appropriate, always aware of
what the other band members are doing. This was the setup used at Woodstock. By
most accounts, the sound system was the only thing that worked right there.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Most bands started using this system and some started laying
the speakers on the floor in front of them. Speaker manufactures picked up on
this and started making wedge shaped speakers.</div>
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<br /></div>
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At some point, musicians figured out that they could customize
the mix to each speaker and the phrase “more me” was born. Mike Finnigan was
always complaining to the sound guy that he couldn’t hear when he was playing
to organ. The sound man built a little speaker with its own amp and sat it on
the organ and the personal monitor was born.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was a short step from there to in-ear-monitors - ear buds
that each musician can control themselves. It is now possible to totally tune
out everything but yourself. You can even listen to the ball game if you wanted.
I am sure it has happened. The whole idea seems pretty <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=narcissistic&spell=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiYpZ_Q5dLVAhXHNiYKHe89Dg4QvwUIJSgA"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">narcissistic</span></a> to me and not
enough team play.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The idea of needing to hear what the audience is hearing so
you can adjust accordingly seems to have gone away. We have given artistic authority
to the sound crew which are probably not musicians and usually have no idea
what the artist would like to sound like.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are signs of change. Bose is making a portable sound
system that sits behind the band so everyone is hearing the same thing. I hope this idea grows to bigger systems, and we can get back to musicians being in charge of their sound,</div>
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<br /></div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-64193780312826859082017-08-08T15:54:00.002-05:002017-08-08T15:54:37.049-05:00Mobility<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFyb5LQHCZ4WPH3Fp2ksBOM7PUWU1dHwms0bHFe6pl8M_Rw1pTAxPZXktQvbqytBtg5gPkP5PFQhGGUdSBsKGMZwZNln5QZTUdbt5sKDPNYLBgaam-T8-8OLyGaXX4ISsBA5D/s1600/Berts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFyb5LQHCZ4WPH3Fp2ksBOM7PUWU1dHwms0bHFe6pl8M_Rw1pTAxPZXktQvbqytBtg5gPkP5PFQhGGUdSBsKGMZwZNln5QZTUdbt5sKDPNYLBgaam-T8-8OLyGaXX4ISsBA5D/s400/Berts.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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One of the things that has confused me for some time is how
there can be so much economic diversity in a relative small area. For example,
one town can have a labor shortage with employers begging for people and a
nearby town can have very high unemployment. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This question was addressed in an article in the Wall Street
Journal last week. It seems that American’s mobility is at an all-time low.
People are less likely to move to another town than they have ever been before.
We are no longer a mobile society and it is hurting the economy in all sorts of
ways.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Journal article interviewed several people to try to
understand why this is so. Some of the reasons made sense. People didn’t want
to move away from family or friends, or they had strong ties to the local
community, church, or businesses. But the surprising thing was that a large
number of people are just plain scared of the unknown, or are unwilling to
accept or adjust to different cultures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some people had gone away to college, but dropped out and returned home
within weeks because their comfort and customs had been challenged. They were
then mentally doomed to stay in their own town regardless of the economic
situation.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My wife and I and many of our friends, grew up in small
towns, went away to college and settled in large cities. But for many people,
and more all the time, this is just too big of a leap. The culture barrier has
become too big. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The conventional wisdom is that TV and the other media have
homogenized the country, but that isn’t the case, it has just made many people
more fearful. Fear is a real emotion, but everyone has to decide if they will be
paralyzed by it, or motivated to action so that it does not stop all
that they can become and achieve.</div>
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<![endif]--><br />Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-62886561157865864402017-07-26T11:12:00.002-05:002017-07-26T11:12:34.037-05:00Doing the Right Thing<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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In 1962 a trumpet player in Los Angeles wanted to record a song
he wrote. He didn’t have much money so he convinced some of the top studio cats
to record the song for $15 each. The trumpet player’s name was Herb Alpert and
the song was “The Lonely Bull.” The trumpet solo became a top 10 hit in the
fall of 1962 and made Alpert an instant millionaire. </div>
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He then went to the musician’s union and paid a fine for
recording without a union contract and then paid the musicians their fair share
earning him high respect among the musicians and technicians involved. They
then recorded the rest of the album and many more over the next several years
as “Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.” In 1964, Alpert formed another band to
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The success of the TJB project allowed him to form A&M
Records with Jerry Moss. A&M went on to become the largest independent
record label in the United States, signing dozens of top stars with dozens of
hit records before they sold the company in 1989. Herb Alpert and his wife of
44 years, Lani Hall, are now major supporters of the arts and environmental issues
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I like this story because it reminds me that having high integrity
and doing the right thing always wins in the end. Always having the highest
integrity and doing the right thing by our customers and employees was the goal
when we formed Mathis Photo, Inc. in 1973, Homer’s Coffee House in 2001, and
Mathis Photography in 2008.</div>
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There has always been a wide range of people from scam
artists to people with very high integrity in all kinds and sizes of
businesses. Always try to do business with the best people. It is not hard to
tell which is which if you pay attention.</div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-58487216315388759662017-07-24T09:13:00.000-05:002017-07-24T09:13:59.512-05:00Spiritual Growth<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I recently began rereading M. Scott Peck’s classic 1978
book, “The Road Less Traveled.” Peck defined Spiritual Growth as moving from a
microcosm view of the world toward a macrocosm view. A microcosm worldview
would be one defined by our experiences with our family, our workplace, the
news sources we watch, along with the accepted views of our “tribe,” the
friends and family who have had similar experiences as we have.</div>
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Moving toward a more macrocosm view requires that we actively
meet and befriend people who are different than us, people from different
experiences, different ethnic groups, religions or education. It requires that
we travel, read, and seek out a variety of sources of information and broaden
our education. </div>
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The ultimate goal of spiritual growth is to begin to see
things from God’s perspective. He sees the world without the constraints of
time, place, or national boundaries. He sees every person as important and of
equal value.</div>
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When my wife and I were in our mid-twenties, we developed a mantra
of “Expanding our Horizons.” We were getting in a rut and needed to see new
things, develop new interests and make new friends. This quest led to a church,
a new relationship with Christ, new friends, and a larger worldview. We became
almost frantic to travel, meet new people, and understand the world. Decades
later we are still expanding our horizons, going places and meeting people and
trying to understand. </div>
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Oddly, we know other Christians who seem to have an opposite
idea of spiritual growth. Their idea of growth is to become more and more
isolated, to have a more narrow source of information, and relate only with
people with a similar microcosm worldview.</div>
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To draw near to God, we must begin to see things from His
perspective, which is a very macrocosm view, the big picture, understanding
many people’s experiences and understanding, and seeing people as unique and
wonderful.</div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-12799816474882420502017-07-18T12:07:00.001-05:002017-07-18T12:07:40.303-05:00The Great Depression<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0xyj8jGyiZ4OyFoBP4tlXQPOTbAwM2od20KR-VbBs1ihmFBWFcj3QX7fPy8urcx24dIXFgXZk5M-DaGwVhncw_KK3sitQV2p4GOgSu1ozBuYibNsWIQlvdDdXA9bk2eqOkU-/s1600/DustBowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="960" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0xyj8jGyiZ4OyFoBP4tlXQPOTbAwM2od20KR-VbBs1ihmFBWFcj3QX7fPy8urcx24dIXFgXZk5M-DaGwVhncw_KK3sitQV2p4GOgSu1ozBuYibNsWIQlvdDdXA9bk2eqOkU-/s640/DustBowl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Not many people are still alive that remember The Great
Depression of the 1930’s. I remember it through stories my parents and
grandparents told. It was very vivid to them.</div>
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The Great Depression was a perfect storm of two man-made
disasters. The first was a financial crisis brought about by unregulated
banking and financial markets run amok. The whole thing collapsed on October
29, 1929. The solution was to shut everything down, banks and everything, and
start with a new system of regulations, a strong central bank and regulated
markets. The federal government then had to step in with massive spending to
basically jump start the economy again.</div>
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The second man-made disaster which happened about the same time
has been called the “dust-bowl.” This was a massive erosion of topsoil caused
by poor farming methods. The solution here was a huge soil conservation program
which led eventually to the Environmental Protection Agency and the environmental
movement in general.</div>
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We have not had similar disasters since then because of
government regulations led by agencies such as the SEC, EPA, Department of Agriculture
and so forth. We came close to the financial part of the disaster in 2009 when
banking regulations were backed off. Because of the lessons learned during the
Roosevelt administration in the 30’s, the Obama administration was able to jump
in and save the economy from a more serious collapse.</div>
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Hopefully we have learned our lessons about lack of
regulations from this experience that started 88 years ago.</div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-8693631504264922292017-07-17T13:20:00.002-05:002017-07-17T13:20:25.418-05:00Life Long Learning<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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This week was the first session of my class at Johnson
County Community College, “Black and White Photography in the 21<sup>st</sup>
Century.” The second session will be this Thursday. I am also teaching a class
this Wednesday at Village Shalom on The History of Photography. </div>
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<br /></div>
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In a few weeks I will be starting a 13 week introduction to
Income Tax for H&R Block. I have been an instructor for H&R Block for a
number of years, but I have always taught advanced classes for tax pros. This
class is open to anybody who would like to work for Block or would just like to
learn more about our tax system.</div>
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<br /></div>
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In case you hadn’t heard, there is a people shortage in just
about every area of the economy. Tax preparation is no exception. H&R Block
is in need of tax professionals, office managers, and receptionists. The Income
Tax Course is the front door. If you, or anybody you know, might be interested,
let me know and I will give a referral.</div>
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<br /></div>
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You may have noticed a theme to this article. First that I
am heading into a phase of life where passing along knowledge and experience is
becoming more important. As we get older we have an obligation to share wisdom
and experience with those not as far down the road. The second theme is
continuing education. Life-long learning is the greatest gift we can give
ourselves. I have heard that if you are self-employed or doing some sort of
freelancing that you should be spending approximately half of your time
learning new skills, reading, attending seminars, trade shows, and so forth. If
you are an employee, your employer should be encouraging your continued
education, or you may be on your own. At any rate, life-long learning should be
a high priority.</div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-20690407428453512302017-07-11T16:38:00.002-05:002017-07-11T16:38:39.398-05:00Money or People<br />
<br />
<div>
Money or People?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
When I worked in retail many years ago, I quickly learned that
there were regular decisions about whether to sell the customer a
product that was best for them or one that made the most money for the
store. I learned that selling them what they wanted or needed resulted
in happy customers and a long term relationships.<br />
<br />
</div>
<div>
Later when I owned my own business, we decided to always put the
customer first and know that the money would take care of itself. That
was a strategy that kept us satisfied with our business for many years.<br />
<br />
</div>
<div>
It seems that the further management is from the customer, the more
likely they are to make decisions based on short term financial gain,
rather than long term relationships.</div>
<div>
Jesus said, "You cannot serve both God and money." He implied that
there was a decision to be made, a priority that has to be set. We want
to make it clear that one way we serve God is by serving people.<br />
<br />
</div>
<div>
Business people have a clear choice because serving people and
making money are pretty much related by cause and effect. When I visit
online business forums my comments are always along the lines of giving
people what they want or need, or serve the client first, then figure
out how to make it profitable.<br />
<br />
</div>
In my photography business, the first priority is to figure out what the
customer wants, then set pricing that is fair and reasonable to
everyone.Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-16206826173907799842016-04-20T07:27:00.001-05:002016-04-20T07:27:37.940-05:00My Thoughts on Education<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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On Education.... </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Before the Civil War, the idea of public education was still
controversial. Conservatives argued that education was the responsibility of
parents not the government. The result was that rich families sent their kids
to private schools, or hired tutors, and poor families sent their kids to work.
And guess what? The rich got richer and the poor got poorer. Liberals argued
that a better educated populous would help everybody.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When Kansas became a state, the idea of free education was
written into the state constitution. Settlers flocked to Kansas with the
promise of hundreds of free public schools within walking distance of everyone.
People have been moving to Kansas because of the outstanding education system,
including state sponsored colleges and universities, ever since.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Along with education comes things like better health, lower
crime, higher per-capita income and better quality of life in general.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The subjects that are taught have often been controversial.
Industry was generally opposed to universal education until they realized that
teaching people to read and follow instructions and show up on time would be
helpful for productivity.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since World War II we having been moving away from the
industrial economy toward a knowledge based economy. Those whose education
consisted of learning to show up and follow directions are being left behind.
The number of well-paying jobs that require only high school are getting to be
few. The result, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Creativity is the
new “must have” skill. Schools must be teaching people to think clearly, learn
how to solve problems, and most importantly, giving them a desire for life-long
learning. This generally happens only at the college level or at the best high
schools.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The next step the government needs to take is to move to
provide free or affordable college level education for all. Community colleges
and state universities are already in a position to make this happen. But there
is a problem. People who have gone into debt or worked hard to pay for a
college education are not going to be open to suddenly making this free to
others. The legacy idea of having to pay for an expensive education will take
much political effort to overcome and is probably not possible in one generation.</div>
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<br /></div>
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It took many years for the idea of free elementary and high
schools to be accepted and then only happened on a state by state basis. If
Kansas really wanted to give the state economy a boost, offering free college
tuition to all residents would be the best thing we could do. Reducing funding
to schools would be the absolute worse thing.</div>
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<br /></div>
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An underlying question that begs to be answered is “What is
the purpose of college?” Is it to teach a marketable skill such as medicine,
engineering, or accounting? Is it to make contacts and build relationships that
will be helpful and fulfilling all through life? Is it just a prestige thing
that you can point to open doors? Or maybe it is to open our minds to art and
literature that will enhance our entire life. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I think it is all of those things. I've always contended
that the main purpose of higher education is to show us what we don't know.
This gives us a desire to learn more, and the more we learn the more we realize
what we don't know. A common characteristic of uneducated people is that they
think they know it all.</div>
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<br /></div>
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In today's culture, to be successful we need to have a
desire and ability to be continuous learners, be flexible problem solvers, have
the ability to work with others, and be able to relate to a wide variety of
people and situations. This might happen in 12 years, but with our current
education system, at least 16 years is required. </div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-21293194581372681942014-01-13T12:05:00.000-06:002014-01-13T12:06:09.698-06:00The War on Poverty<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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It was 50 years ago that Lyndon Johnson announced his “War on
Poverty.” John Kennedy had visited Appalachia and was appalled at what he saw, but
Johnson knew poverty first hand and decided that would be the big issue of his presidency.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The debate is still going on whether the war was won or
lost. To me, it is still going on. To Johnson the problem was simple, too many
people didn’t have enough money and the government could help. His programs
such as food stamps and Medicaid have gone a long way to keep people from
starving to death. Newer programs such as school lunches and Earned Income
Credit certainly help as well.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We now know that just giving people money doesn’t solve the
problem. It is obvious to me that there is a “culture of poverty” that is
extremely complicated and deep rooted. Some even deny that it exists and attribute
poverty to racism or lack of education. Racism is a separate issue and may be
an contributing factor in some situations, but the problem is deeper than that.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Education is closer, but part of the culture of poverty is a
lack of interest or even disdain for education. <br />
<br /></div>
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I have been involved with homeless shelters for several
years and have some familiarity with businesses that cater to the poor.
Businesses such as payday loans, buy-here-pay-here car dealers, rent-to-own
stores, and to a lesser extent pawn shops, not only exploit the poor, but contribute
to that culture. My direct experience is working in a pawn shop. Pawn shops are
on a slightly higher plain than the others in this category, but we dealt with
some of the same people, so I had first-hand experience.<br />
<br /></div>
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We cannot expect the governments or Congress to deal
effectively with this issue because they have problems understanding issues far
simpler than poverty.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is really everybody’s concern, especially churches and
the Christian community who are particularly commissioned by Jesus to help the
poor. Organizations such as The Salvation Army and the various Rescue Missions understand
this and are generally overwhelmed. They need our help.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I see the most basic problem of poverty as lack of trust in
the education system or in any big organization such as a bank. For example,
many believe that it is better to cash your paycheck at a check cashing service
than it is to open a bank account. An amazing number of people see no value in
going to school and openly criticize those that try to learn or do well in
class.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Surveys have shown huge differences in the way the poorest people
and the wealthier people approach basic things like diet, exercise, health
care, learning, and even transportation. Poor people regularly spend the most
with the least benefit, not because of lack of availability, but because of their understanding of how things work.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A basic concept of the poverty culture is instant gratification.
In fact, helping people get past this issue may be the key to helping them out
of poverty. Starting a business or investing in the future is a totally foreign
concept to a large portion of the population.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus said that the poor will be with us always. He did not
mean that we couldn’t do anything about it, but rather that this was going to
be an ongoing problem for millennia and that we had our work cut out for us.</div>
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<br /></div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-37514211540405345962014-01-06T09:41:00.000-06:002014-01-06T09:45:56.427-06:00The Value of a College Education.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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There has been a lot of talk in the media about the value or
non-value of a college education. With the skyrocketing costs of college and
the less than stellar outlooks for some recent graduates, this is a good time
to take a closer look. </div>
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On a strictly dollars and “sense” level, it may be a wash.
If you come out of college with tons of debt and a job that you could have
gotten right out of high school, you have to seriously look at how you spent
your time. But this misses the whole point of going to college. </div>
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The value of a college education is not just “book-learning,”
after all you could do better spending eight hours a day for four years reading
in the public library for free. The value is in the relationships and experiences
that come from the rarified atmosphere of a college campus that you can’t get anywhere
else.</div>
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The years I spent at Kansas State University and later at
Mid-America Nazarene University were life changing in all kinds of ways. Only a
few were things I learned in a classroom. Sure I picked up some good economic
theories and learned a lot of calculus that I’ve never used; but the bulk of my
education came over a cup of coffee, hanging out with people from all over the
world and all walks of life, exchanging ideas about music, art, architecture, and
literature. </div>
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I just finished reading J Paul Getty’s memoir. He attended
Oxford in the early part of the 29<sup>th</sup> century. He admits that the
best part was that classes were only six weeks at a time, four times a year,
which gave him plenty of time to travel and get to know people. His travels to
Italy, Greece, and France help make him one of the world’s foremost authorities
on Renaissance art. His degree from Oxford in Economics may or may not have
been helpful in the Oklahoma oil fields where he made his fortune.</div>
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I recently talked to a bank president. The bank is family
owned. The current generation of owners were his friends in college. When they
needed a president, because they already knew him, they gave him a call. Do the
relationships we have in college matter? They certainly can.</div>
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This all brings into question the value of online or other
alternative forms of higher education. I take all kinds of online courses to
stay up to date in business, but this is not the same as being on a college
campus and being submerged with like-minded people 24 hours a day. An online
degree misses the whole point and probably dilutes the whole idea having a college
degree.</div>
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Forget all the gibberish about whether or not a college
degree will make you more money. It may or may not, that is up to you, not the
degree, but it will definitely make you a different, and usually better,
person.</div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-39749100103074275122013-06-27T08:11:00.000-05:002013-06-27T08:12:02.440-05:0040th Anniversaries<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11goXjeDgfLTTTkrohi1NZ7E_VpFXIF33Z6TrugAVoXah_e3rvlggq9TyryuVWTyvA2TZwl0LjfeiRXstlOMM8L0GgZ8lDAX1APPcnbPF68oRFiQCTab0cCkM6TNAS_Bin8wj/s600/40Years-600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11goXjeDgfLTTTkrohi1NZ7E_VpFXIF33Z6TrugAVoXah_e3rvlggq9TyryuVWTyvA2TZwl0LjfeiRXstlOMM8L0GgZ8lDAX1APPcnbPF68oRFiQCTab0cCkM6TNAS_Bin8wj/s400/40Years-600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We just completed the 39<sup>th</sup> Annual Bike Across Kansas.
Last year was the 40<sup>th</sup> Walnut Valley Music Festival in Winfield.
Music festivals, bike rides, and assorted fairs and unusual events all over the
country are celebrating their 40<sup>th</sup> anniversaries this year, last year,
or next year. Louise and I were married in 1971 and
started our black and white photography business in 1973. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The question is what was it about the early 1970’s that
spurred all this creative activity?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There were a large number of people who came through the
counter-culture of the late 1960’s, or were on the fringe of that movement, who
were and are committed to not living boring lives as they had seen their
parents doing.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Which brings up the question, what are young people doing
now? The obvious thing is paying off student debt. It is pretty hard to start a
music festival when you owe $75K in student loans. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Student debt and the high cost of higher education are right
up there with health care costs when it comes to national crisis. Both things
have the potential to wreck our quality of life for generations by sapping
resources that could and should go to more creative activities. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-52525037337314534682013-02-14T07:53:00.000-06:002013-02-14T07:53:54.276-06:00HAIR<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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My wife and I saw “Hair” last weekend at the Kauffman
Center. We had seen it before about 40 years ago. For the uninitiated, Hair is
a Broadway musical that was first produced in 1968. It was at the time a contemporary
snapshot of the emerging counter-culture, sometimes called the hippies.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I was not an active participant in this movement, but more
of an eye-witness, since I turned twenty in 1968. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There was a pretty good size group of people around the
world that actually thought we could build a better world around the values of
peace, love, happiness, and freedom. Some of these people were Christians who
desired to live a first-century Christian life-style of community, sharing, and
working together. Most were not Christians, but aspired to these same ideals.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Even though this period was short, from about 1967 to maybe
1973, it inspired some of the greatest music and art of the twentieth century.
The movement could have been more successful and long-lived but Satan realized
he had to squelch it in the bud to keep this “Peace and Love” thing from taking
off and brought out his biggest weapons. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He used drugs, and to a lesser degree unbridled
sex, to take out the heroes and disgrace the counter-culture.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I often wonder how the world would have been different if
drugs had not taken their toll. Would this country still have been involved in
almost continuance warfare since Vietnam? Would the people of this generation
still be so hedonistic and materialistic? It turns out that we are still human and
working for the benefit of each other, living in peace, love, and community can
only be accomplished through the faith and the grace of God.</div>
Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-38832657535311749932012-09-13T08:18:00.002-05:002012-09-13T08:18:58.821-05:00Pawn ShopsJerry Childers was a guitar picking friend who worked in a pawn shop. One day he decided to leave our band, quit the pawn business, move back to his home town, get married, and become a mailman. As far as I know, that was what he did because I never saw him again.<br />
<br />
Before he left town, he sold his Gibson Trini Lopez and introduced me to the owner of the pawn shop and recommended that I take his place. That was the beginning of my pawnbroker career and a steep education curve. I became the local "expert" on musical instruments and cameras.<br />
<br />
That is why I enjoy watching "Pawn Stars" and "Cajun Pawn" on the History Channel so much. Actually real life at Doug's Pawn Shop would have made a better TV show because of all of the bazaar things that happened there. I am also pretty sure that these "reality" shows are mellowed out a lot to make them palatable for TV viewers. A television show could never match the real life adventures that happen in places like auctions, pawn shops, and touring rock bands. Most people wouldn't believe it anyway. I know, I've done all those things.Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34082929.post-11620340210730212032012-05-27T16:14:00.001-05:002012-05-27T16:14:37.935-05:00Kansas Wind Turbines<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMeUwn9v7_jzD-YlmfmvNvNG6OheqDKOE_5gh8BLtrTesu4DDYAalAFYptmOzT3EEHe0-P1j1beJZoG1_cMbzoXyDh5CHdZl41CFxXPRiCWRCOF2ORZ0lRBAxpZgJpKKdbs6L/s1600/WindTurbineWings-843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMeUwn9v7_jzD-YlmfmvNvNG6OheqDKOE_5gh8BLtrTesu4DDYAalAFYptmOzT3EEHe0-P1j1beJZoG1_cMbzoXyDh5CHdZl41CFxXPRiCWRCOF2ORZ0lRBAxpZgJpKKdbs6L/s400/WindTurbineWings-843.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
If you think it is windy now....wait until they get things hooked up and turned on.<br />
<br />
Actually, with the oil producers scrapping the bottom of the wells and the governor signing a tax bill that will most likely bankrupt the state, the answer may be blowing in the wind. Wind is the major natural resource in Kansas that will never run out or go away.<br />
<br />
Some people think they are noisy or they kill birds. I presume that these people have never seen a strip mine or tried to figure out what to do with spent nuclear fuel.<br />
<br />
What do you think? Iis wind a good source of energy, especially in wind rich places like Kansas?Jim Mathishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04154815417305069684noreply@blogger.com