It seems that there are a lot of life lessons that we all have to re-learn. Okay, maybe it is just me but it seems like every summer I have to re-learn that Johnsongrass is a favorite hangout for chiggers. About once a summer I have to get that sunburn. Those things are painful or itchy or inconvenient however, the one that gets me the most actually costs money. You see friends and neighbors, about once every summer I have to ruin a cell phone. I guess as technology has advanced and phones have become smaller, it has gotten easier and easier to put them in your pocket and to forget they are there. Who would leave the house without one these days? I know I sure don’t because we or at least I have become so dependent on that constant connection that, yes I’ll admit it, I freak out a little if I cannot immediately put my hand on my phone. I’m pretty sure it is a sickness and that I need medication but I bet I’m not the only one out there.
I remember my first cell phone was a bag phone. It was analog, actually got pretty good reception and I sure didn’t drop it in the water because it stayed in my pickup plugged in. As we moved away from the bag phone and into the more mobile devices that were about half the size of a brick, we sure thought we were high-tech. Some of them could store up to 99 phone numbers! Who in their right mind would ever need that many phone numbers saved? We couldn’t text, we couldn’t e-mail, all we could do was talk. We weren’t far enough along for that phone to become small enough to fit in shirt pockets. Oh, we had every variety of holsters. In fact, a lot of my cowboy friends along with myself would have some leather craftsmen make us one with our brand in it to incorporate the new technology with the Old West. Everyone knows when that thing rings, you have to clear leather and fire. We still couldn’t text or e-mail but as we progressed, the phones got smaller and more complex, that is when my summer tradition began. I can remember one time feeding a bunch of cows in wet ground, dropping my phone in the middle of about 30 head of momma cows with their calves. That time I got lucky because with all those hooves (you do the math), none of them planted any in the middle of that phone. Of course, I had to have someone call my phone so I could find it. It is amazing how much you can do with a cow manure coated phone with a toothpick and q-tips as far as clean-up is concerned. That phone always smelled like feed lot after that but it didn’t bother me, it smelled like money.
Over the next several summers, I learned that phones would not bounce, could not float, were not waterproof, and as we progressed very rapidly in technology, that phone became evermore important to stay in contact with the world. It is amazing to me that from the days of the bag phone, we have come to the point where your personal computer is now in your hand. I actually spent all last week on the move and all the while proofing e-mails, sending and receiving auction ads, not to mention the occasional phone call. All that ended Saturday morning at about 9 a.m. as I reached into a 6-foot water trough to clean out some muck and just like if you had greased it, my phone shot out of that shirt pocket and into that water like a heat-seeking missile. I am not so sure communists do not put some kind of phone magnets in the bottom of every water trough that is ever built to try to get our cell phones. Ah heck, I guess it is still just my fault because I have to do it about once a summer and I am a slow learner and maybe one day they will build phones for guys like me but until then, I guess it’s a good thing we have insurance because when you have embraced technology like I have, the best way to cause yourself to hyperventilate is to totally submerge that technology in muddy water. I even ruined my Blackberry phone to the point where we could not get the numbers. Thank goodness my legislative assistant has it all saved on her computer because remember back to that phone I told you about that would hold 99 numbers? Well I kinda hate to admit this but last time I had a phone switched over, the phone tech kid at the handy dandy phone store, yeah that’s the one, the one with no express lane, told me that I had over 900 numbers in my phone. That shocked even me. As you might imagine, in my business, I probably have some numbers that do not need to be out there so I guess I’ll take my SIM card down to some eye doctor’s office and have them shoot it with a laser beam and blow it completely up so nobody will ever know all the top secret high-level double-naught spy government bidness that happens on my high-level handheld computer. No matter how high-tech we get, I can still trash one by dropping it in the water or having it in the pocket of my shorts while I launch the boat or just dropping it amongst some hungry cattle. I guess the only answer is going to be some kind of microchip implanted behind our ear because until we get to that point, I will probably do it once a summer.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Technology makes it possible for people to gain control over everything, except over technology” –John Tudor
Friday, June 24, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
The Dog Days May Be Here Already
It is the middle of June but it sure seems like August. We have had enough rain to stay alive but certainly not enough to survive until late summer. I am really hopeful that I will not have to sell some cows. The four plus inches of rain that we received a few weeks ago bought us some time but it did not get us out of the woods. Typically if you look at the rain patterns in Southwestern Oklahoma in prior years, we have had some rainy Fourth of July time and sometimes we can catch some during the Lawton Rangers Rodeo. That seems to be either/or but when there is a dome of high pressure sitting on us like what we have right now, it sure does not look very promising where moisture is concerned. I have a friend in Missouri who griping about how muddy it was and I think I would like to try that. The wheat crop was nearly non-existent for many. Thank goodness for insurance and risk management. It will be interesting to see if we get a stand of cotton or not. I have not been over to Altus but I have heard that the irrigation district only has enough water in the lake for about one watering in what is probably the best cotton ground in Oklahoma. If their water is that limited, it could even be a major wreck for Jackson County. We will have to pray as hard as we can because it is going to take more than just a cotton shower to get us out of this drought.
All is not doom and gloom at the Armes’ place. One of the bright spots this summer was that my youngest daughter Kelsey just got home from Washington D.C. along with many other FFA members who made their way to the nation’s Capitol for the FFA Washington Leadership Conference. She said she even got to see the President. It was funny when she sent us a text and said “Obama drove by and waved at us. If it would have been George Strait it might have been cool”. I told her “Kelsey, that is the President of the United States”. She and the other kids from across the state went and had a great time and it ended up being a good, educational trip, which I knew it would be. She had moaned and groaned about not wanting to go but as we watched her Facebook posts and read her texts, it wasn’t long until she didn’t want to come back home.
Like most years, we have some short trips to see family and things like that. We hope to spend a week or two at the lake and there is, of course, the big Fourth of July weekend coming up. It has really been tough this year to get recovered from session. I think I am feeling everyone of my almost 50 years. I was in my early 40’s when I started and I guess, a lot more resilient.
I appreciate all the feedback on last week’s column. I had several calls and e-mails about the Jerome Ersland case. I think a lot of people agree that there was not anything right about it.
Until next week, keep praying for the good soaking rain and remember, hot summers are just kind of how we roll. Do not let it keep you from enjoying your family or cooking a few burgers on the grill because we are Southwest Oklahomans and we are tougher than most. We can take the heat.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.” -Russel Baker
All is not doom and gloom at the Armes’ place. One of the bright spots this summer was that my youngest daughter Kelsey just got home from Washington D.C. along with many other FFA members who made their way to the nation’s Capitol for the FFA Washington Leadership Conference. She said she even got to see the President. It was funny when she sent us a text and said “Obama drove by and waved at us. If it would have been George Strait it might have been cool”. I told her “Kelsey, that is the President of the United States”. She and the other kids from across the state went and had a great time and it ended up being a good, educational trip, which I knew it would be. She had moaned and groaned about not wanting to go but as we watched her Facebook posts and read her texts, it wasn’t long until she didn’t want to come back home.
Like most years, we have some short trips to see family and things like that. We hope to spend a week or two at the lake and there is, of course, the big Fourth of July weekend coming up. It has really been tough this year to get recovered from session. I think I am feeling everyone of my almost 50 years. I was in my early 40’s when I started and I guess, a lot more resilient.
I appreciate all the feedback on last week’s column. I had several calls and e-mails about the Jerome Ersland case. I think a lot of people agree that there was not anything right about it.
Until next week, keep praying for the good soaking rain and remember, hot summers are just kind of how we roll. Do not let it keep you from enjoying your family or cooking a few burgers on the grill because we are Southwest Oklahomans and we are tougher than most. We can take the heat.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.” -Russel Baker
Monday, June 13, 2011
Afraid of Our Shadow
The recent trial of OKC pharmacist Jerome Ersland has stirred up a tremendous amount of controversy. It is almost surreal that something like that could even happen. He was found guilty of first degree murder for daring to cross an invisible line and to go farther than a jury thought was acceptable and to use deadly force. Many who saw the video said that he went way over the line by going back and getting another gun and making sure that the robber was dead. I think the issue is what amount of deadly force is acceptable when there is a deadly assailant involved. The fact of the matter is that Jerome Ersland was being robbed by an armed intruder and evidently had been robbed before. It just came to the point where he had enough. I think a question we have to ask ourselves is what we would do in the same situation.
I think there is a percentage of our society who would put up their hands and beg for their life and give the robber whatever he wanted. If you have been paying any attention to Don Armes over the years, you know that I do not fit into that category. I go back to my school teaching experiences when kids would get into fights in the hallway or somewhere on the school grounds. Many times over the years I have had to pull a couple of knuckle heads apart who decided to square off. I can tell you that even though that pales in comparison to the fear that would come from an armed robbery, your adrenaline kicks into high gear. I think you go into some kind of self-preservation mode and teachers are always at risk when they go into that situation, not only of personal harm but also of being reprimanded if in the process of pulling students apart to break up a fight, you jerk an earring out of some little dumplin’. I was always taught by older, wiser teachers never to run to a fight but in an armed robbery, you do not have that option. It comes to you very quickly and the fight or flight instinct is automatic. It is hard to tell what action can be spurred from fear and it is hard to know when that adrenaline is pumping. I feel like in Jerome Ersland’s case, he was pretty hyped up, was sick of being a victim, and just got to that point of “you know what, that is enough”. Once he shot the robber, it stopped him and all agree that was probably enough. But again, we are talking about a business man who had been robbed many times before. He drew a line in the sand that day and yes, that young robber caught the full force of a victim’s fury but dead is dead. It is a sad day for America when a guy can get first degree murder for shooting a robber “too much” but that is exactly what we are dealing with. I think any home owner or business owner has the fundamental right to defend their property and their life from some jackwagon with a gun. It seems pretty basic to me. Mr. Ersland may have gone a little overboard but somewhere in here we run the risk of turning this poor innocent little robber into the hero or some kind of a twisted Robin Hood and I think it is wrong. I wish that kid had made better choices through his life because he did not need to die. But when you pick up a gun, walk into a business and point that gun at someone, it is too late. The guy across that counter may be willing to take your life to protect his employees or his hard earned money. You take the chance of losing your life when you make that decision.
From what I am reading and hearing from the news, there is a petition circulating around the state to ask the Governor to pardon Jerome Ersland. The fact that the question even has to be asked is a pretty scary thing. Unfortunately, here we are once again, afraid of our shadows. Afraid to stand up and say “that’s just wrong”. I know a bunch of you are gonna read this and jump on me. That’s okay because if nothing else, I hope I made you stop and think.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Among the natural rights of the colonists are these: First a right to life, secondly to liberty, and thirdly to property; together with the right to defend them in the best manner they can”. –Samuel Adams
I think there is a percentage of our society who would put up their hands and beg for their life and give the robber whatever he wanted. If you have been paying any attention to Don Armes over the years, you know that I do not fit into that category. I go back to my school teaching experiences when kids would get into fights in the hallway or somewhere on the school grounds. Many times over the years I have had to pull a couple of knuckle heads apart who decided to square off. I can tell you that even though that pales in comparison to the fear that would come from an armed robbery, your adrenaline kicks into high gear. I think you go into some kind of self-preservation mode and teachers are always at risk when they go into that situation, not only of personal harm but also of being reprimanded if in the process of pulling students apart to break up a fight, you jerk an earring out of some little dumplin’. I was always taught by older, wiser teachers never to run to a fight but in an armed robbery, you do not have that option. It comes to you very quickly and the fight or flight instinct is automatic. It is hard to tell what action can be spurred from fear and it is hard to know when that adrenaline is pumping. I feel like in Jerome Ersland’s case, he was pretty hyped up, was sick of being a victim, and just got to that point of “you know what, that is enough”. Once he shot the robber, it stopped him and all agree that was probably enough. But again, we are talking about a business man who had been robbed many times before. He drew a line in the sand that day and yes, that young robber caught the full force of a victim’s fury but dead is dead. It is a sad day for America when a guy can get first degree murder for shooting a robber “too much” but that is exactly what we are dealing with. I think any home owner or business owner has the fundamental right to defend their property and their life from some jackwagon with a gun. It seems pretty basic to me. Mr. Ersland may have gone a little overboard but somewhere in here we run the risk of turning this poor innocent little robber into the hero or some kind of a twisted Robin Hood and I think it is wrong. I wish that kid had made better choices through his life because he did not need to die. But when you pick up a gun, walk into a business and point that gun at someone, it is too late. The guy across that counter may be willing to take your life to protect his employees or his hard earned money. You take the chance of losing your life when you make that decision.
From what I am reading and hearing from the news, there is a petition circulating around the state to ask the Governor to pardon Jerome Ersland. The fact that the question even has to be asked is a pretty scary thing. Unfortunately, here we are once again, afraid of our shadows. Afraid to stand up and say “that’s just wrong”. I know a bunch of you are gonna read this and jump on me. That’s okay because if nothing else, I hope I made you stop and think.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Among the natural rights of the colonists are these: First a right to life, secondly to liberty, and thirdly to property; together with the right to defend them in the best manner they can”. –Samuel Adams
Monday, June 6, 2011
Memorial Day: A New Meaning For the Armes’ Family
Just coming off of what was probably the most brutal session of my career, I was gathering my thoughts as I looked through my calendar for Memorial Day celebrations which started on Sunday and ended on Monday evening. As I organized my schedule and planned my route, it kind of hit me that my first stop would be the Veteran’s Cemetery in Elgin. Always before, I went and paid my respects as we all do, to many faceless grave markers with brief histories of each serviceman. All of a sudden, it hit me like a ton of bricks, one of those is my dad. He rests in one of the hundreds of spots in the cemetery, most of whom I never knew. As always, we gather to honor them for their service to our country. It dawned on me all of a sudden that not only am I going to go out and honor many veterans who gave their lives for our freedom, but at the same time my dad is one of the many. It puts a whole new perspective on that visit and on that cemetery. I have been so wrapped up in the legislative session that I have not even had time to think. Many of you mourned with us last November through this column when we buried dad after a long stay at the Veteran’s Center. We received lots of cards and love from our constituents and neighbors. Those thoughts and prayers were very much appreciated.
It took on a sudden realness when I stopped and thought about the fact that one of my many stops on Sunday and Monday would be to see and honor my dad, along with the many of veterans who served our country. It does change your perspective when you realize that it is one of your own. I have been so busy that I have not visited since January. It is not that I had forgotten, I just have not had time to think about much else. As I mapped my route, it took on a whole new meaning and, as you might imagine, brought back a lot of memories. I have always been proud of my dad’s service to our country. As I said earlier, he served during the Korean War, was on a destroyer in the Sea of Japan as well as an air craft carrier. I remember growing up seeing the cigar boxes full of pictures and trinkets from his days at sea, but they took on a whole new meaning as we made the video for his funeral. Those old grainy black and white photos tell his story of his service to our country. One of dad’s favorite stories was about the time he rode out a storm in a flat-bottom shell vessel. He would always brag to my buddies, some of whom were hurling over the side of the boat, that he was a seasoned seaman and never got seasick, except the time that he did. We still laugh about that trip when we went to the Gulf of Mexico chasing tuna 60 miles out, and he hung over the side of the boat like the rest of us. Dad, as with most people, wasn’t perfect but I was always proud of his service to our country. He did his part and his job and earned his placed in one of the most beautiful veteran’s cemeteries anywhere around. He did his part so that we can live in a free country. I have always been very proud of that. To many people, Memorial Day is a very special day. From here on out, it will always have more of a special meaning for the Armes’ family. As they say in the song “all gave some, some gave all”. I will always be glad of the part my dad played in securing our freedom. So, thanks dad to you and the many, many others for doing your part so that we could live in this great country that we call home.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a soldier!”
It took on a sudden realness when I stopped and thought about the fact that one of my many stops on Sunday and Monday would be to see and honor my dad, along with the many of veterans who served our country. It does change your perspective when you realize that it is one of your own. I have been so busy that I have not visited since January. It is not that I had forgotten, I just have not had time to think about much else. As I mapped my route, it took on a whole new meaning and, as you might imagine, brought back a lot of memories. I have always been proud of my dad’s service to our country. As I said earlier, he served during the Korean War, was on a destroyer in the Sea of Japan as well as an air craft carrier. I remember growing up seeing the cigar boxes full of pictures and trinkets from his days at sea, but they took on a whole new meaning as we made the video for his funeral. Those old grainy black and white photos tell his story of his service to our country. One of dad’s favorite stories was about the time he rode out a storm in a flat-bottom shell vessel. He would always brag to my buddies, some of whom were hurling over the side of the boat, that he was a seasoned seaman and never got seasick, except the time that he did. We still laugh about that trip when we went to the Gulf of Mexico chasing tuna 60 miles out, and he hung over the side of the boat like the rest of us. Dad, as with most people, wasn’t perfect but I was always proud of his service to our country. He did his part and his job and earned his placed in one of the most beautiful veteran’s cemeteries anywhere around. He did his part so that we can live in a free country. I have always been very proud of that. To many people, Memorial Day is a very special day. From here on out, it will always have more of a special meaning for the Armes’ family. As they say in the song “all gave some, some gave all”. I will always be glad of the part my dad played in securing our freedom. So, thanks dad to you and the many, many others for doing your part so that we could live in this great country that we call home.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a soldier!”
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