Oklahoma Liberties Continue

Oklahoma Liberties continue in spite the bitterness I hear coming from around our Nation. I am around people each day in different places that show a fear concerning the state of the Nation. These fears are not fictitious. There are forces at work trying to turn our Government into a power that would determine what our liberties would be. This evil exists in all countries. Please take a moment to thank our troops for what we have.

Without blaming or taking sides with any particular office leader, political party, or religion, I would like to focus on the liberties we still have.

Like so many others, I don't want to loose my freedom of choice. Freedom is probably something that we don't think much about, because we are so engulfed in the fruits of our freedom. This thought came to me as I was trying to decide what shirt to wear. We still have the freedom to wear an out of style coat and tie. We have the freedom to wear an obnoxious t shirt from the 1960's. Anyway, most of us in Oklahoma are thankful for this freedom. Sure, many of us have to wear uniforms if we are fortunate enough to have a job. Some religions, which we have freedom of, mandate their believers to wear certain clothes. People incarcerated in Oklahoma have little choice of what to were, and I guess some of the private schools have special dress codes, but in general, we wear what we feel is appropriate without facing the consequences of breaking the law.

A lot of our freedoms and liberties are determined by what we do with our time and our life style. Freedom of speech is a powerful tool. It can be just as devastating as it can be constructive. The news ratings depend on how the facts are put into perspectives. Facebook is a good example of freedom of speech.

I probably listen to too much talk radio. I also watch Oklahoma TV stations and listen as they display a perception of events that are taking place in the Oklahoma City area where I live.

I know there are many people in Oklahoma that are struggling and hurting for jobs, health assistance, and keeping their homes. As in all of the United States, we may have seen better times. I also know there were far worse times that I haven't had to live through.

What I do know is. I've never heard the Liberty Bell ring any louder that it is now. Oklahoma will speak up. We will fight to preserve our freedom, liberty, and justice for all.

I hope all the states in this country will support each other and still remain united to the cause that our Forefathers put together so well. I stumbled across a couple of videos on You Tube that related to Patrick Henry's famous quotation,"Give me liberty, or give me death". What a concept? Are we afraid to speak up, or are we just too polite?

From the Desk of: Rick and Nancy Jackson

As residents and Realtors of Oklahoma City, we just want to keep you informed as we see it. We would love to hear from you and what it's like in your area. Feel free to post a comment.

Oklahoma City's First Day of Spring

Here we are, living in Oklahoma City with snowfall on the first day of spring. Just yesterday I was out in a long sleeve shirt taking pictures of the construction of I-40 and enjoying the sunshine. I was thrilled about the progress of Oklahoma City's new bridges, walkways, and overpasses. Oklahoma City's I-40 project seems to be going really well in spite of the harsh winter we've had. Just a couple of weeks ago, I got up on Saturday and went down town and took some pictures of Oklahoma City's new Devon Tower as it is being built. The weather was great that day. I think all the good weekends we have had since 2010 started can be easily counted on the fingers of one hand.

This morning I get up, and there is snow on the ground and the temperature has dropped below the freezing mark. The poor robins look confused. This has been a very cold and wet winter in my book. I'm ready for a nice weekend that will allow some motorcycling, tennis, or any type of outdoor recreation. Luckily we got some steaks grilled yesterday while it was still nice.

I'm not going to complain. I'm just expressing myself to keep from shouting. I am enjoying the time with my granddaughter playing WII. Taking a break now and then to check out face book or post a blog. Looking at some of those pictures we took on vacation might help.
Oh, the memories of the good times. These are the memories. These are the good times.
The one thing you have to love about Oklahoma is the weather is never the same very long at a time.

written by:
Rick Jackson
www.OkcRick.com

Oklahoma Facebook fans tired of change

The Change. (to alter, make different, to transform) Many people don't like change. In the U.S. people are upset with the change that is taking place. Facebook users don't like the new way it looks. The old saying, "change is bad", or is it "change is good", still sticks in my head.
One of the many things I like about Oklahoma, is that the state is not quick to change. Many changes can be more productive, if more time and thought are given before action is taken.
Change is not always bad. The first seat belt law was a federal law which took effect on January 1, 1968. It has saved many innocent passengers from loosing their life. However, some people will never wear their seat belt, and a lot of people only wear it to avoid being fined for not strapping it on.
This change did not come without expense. It started a new trend in auto safety that has raised the average cost of a new car in 2009 to $27,958.00 according to Wiki. That is as much as my first house in 1990. From seat belts, to padded dashes, airbags, anti-lock brakes, motion sensors, auto dimmers, and back up alarms, these changes have gradually taken place while the American public trusted our legislators and auto makers to build a better car. Then there is the pollution prevention safety devices that have been tacked on due to the heavily populated states, that the entire nation has to pay for.

Granted, these new expensive cars my go many more miles than the that of the new 1976 Camaro Rally Sport that I purchased for less than $7,000 after my high school graduation. Most of the expense is for safety and environmental protection. If you have a slight accident, and the airbag deploys, it will cost thousands of dollars to repair the fiberglass bumper and return the air bags to a certified state that will meet requirements.


I'm not putting the safety change down, but I do believe that it goes along with the mood about change. I'm positive that a safe V-8, with plenty of power can be built for a lot less than what we are paying for them. When running correctly, it won't pollute the environment or use a lot of imported fuel. A lot of new technology has came from change. In fact, I would like to build my next car. Maybe restore an old Chevrolet Nova, or something like that. I never did like the Camaro that much. I think the best year for the Camaro was 1967.
With all that said, car prices are just the tip of the change ice-burg. Tires are another story. You have to pay your tire dealer to take your old tires weather they keep them or not. This is another change, that I don't remember voting on.
Our public officials put rules and regulations together, and if we don't stay on top of it, they soon pass as laws, and we have to live with it.
One of the great things about facebook, is that it allows the American Public to express themselves and even start groups. It allows politicians to speak up and express their thoughts and concerns. Facebook is an avenue for our Freedom of Speech. It is not the only one, so I hope it's owners are proud United States Citizens, and continue to support out country in all ways possible.

written by: Rick Jackson

Happy Birthday Vince

Hey Vince,
I just wanted to wish you a very special Happy Birthday. I want this to be your special day. You have made so many people laugh when they didn't feel like laughing. You have given your life over to the title "Entertainer" when you are much more than that. Besides being an excellent keyboardist, singer, writer, and performer, you have great people skills.

You are a real person, just like all of your fans. You are also a patriot, something America needs now more than ever. You have been blessed, and you give credit where credit is due.

This blog is usually about life in Oklahoma. You have played many times here in the state. I have never seen a bad performance. No matter how big or how small the crowd, you are never disappointing. You always put all you have into every show.
So today this blog is about Vince Vance, the entertainer that Oklahoma loves to see. So have a Happy Birthday from all of Oklahoma, and come back soon.


Sincerely,
Rick

Elderly without Electricity in Oklahoma

Oklahoma City residents didn't experience the power loss that was projected when the last icing took place. However, the residents in smaller communities south and southwest as well as southeast of the Oklahoma City Metro have had a lot of outages. My parents that live near Chickasha were told it might take four days before REC can restore power to their small farm home. This company is telling it's customers to relocate if they have health problems that require electricity. The backbone of Oklahoma lives in these small towns and in the country nearby. A lot of our elderly live there and have fought for our country in the years past. They are still appreciated and loved by many, and play a part in our community. There wisdom and experience are greatly appreciated and not replaceable.
I know the last time Oklahoma had a large power outage, that there were Power Companies from other states and areas that came here to get things going again.
I am finding that the Coops and independent electric companies don't play well when it comes to state wide outages. O G&E works together nation wide to support other workers when it comes to natural disasters and power outages. I would think that this would really make them popular and be really good for the corporate reputation. The are also offering walk in centers for customers to report power outages.
I don't always support large corporate companies and believe that sometimes they set standards in pricing. I do support independent companies because I think that the competition is good to have and they can promote jobs for local communities.
I believe that everyone working together is what this country is all about. Whether or not it's an independent, or a corporate business, the public welfare should be the number one priority. Lets help one another anyway we can. It's not always about competition. Damage done by ice to power lines is a non profit situation for all the companies. Your electric bill remains the same, no matter the cost to get the lines back up.
If you know of someone that lives in the outage areas, please take the time to give them a call and check on them. I'm sure they would love to hear from you.

Written by:
Rick Jackson

Snow Chains in Oklahoma City

As I got up this morning and looked outside, I was hoping for a phone call that would tell me the office was going to be closed today. As the clock ticked on by, I lost hope that the call would come.
The night before, the preparation for the wild ride had already begun. I installed the tire chains that Nancy had picked up for me. I took the back streets to downtown Oklahoma City, scooting over the ice and light snow that had accumulated the day before.

I got home today in about 28 minutes, as apposed to the 5 hours that it took Christmas Eve to reach the house from my day job. I owe all to the the snow cables/chains that we purchased prior winter mix moving into Oklahoma Wednesday night. I figured that, once was enough as far as being unprepared for bad road conditions in the OKC Metro area. I was able to comfortably stop at lights on hills, and proceed before the light turned red again.
If taken care of, I intend to keep these on hand for as long as I own the Nissan Titan that these snow cables fit. They are easy to install, and have a handy carrying case that will fit nicely behind the seat.
Hopefully, I won't be blogging about Blizzards in Oklahoma any more this year.



written by: Rick Jackson

The Brighter side of Oklahoma

It's been three weeks since the 15" blizzard in Oklahoma City, and I believe there is only one little patch of snow left in our neighborhood. It's been a very long time thawing out due to the cold temperatures we have had in Oklahoma. 2010 is here, and it's finally warming up to around 45-50 deg. each day. The raging blizzard is already just a memory, with a few patches of snow that remind us of how plans can change.



Just like the weather in Oklahoma, the economy can change. The local businesses are starting to see some hope in customer spending, and the Oklahoma City housing market is slowly but surely picking up. With all the damage done to the streets from the ice, snow, and snowplowing, there will be more work for road crews, auto repair centers, and tire stores.
Sometimes I wonder if we have to have difficult circumstances to help our state and cities grow. I ask my self "if it were a perfect world, would I appreciate it as much if it was not for the difficult times"? I would like to think so, but I don't think it will ever be perfect enough to answer that question.
Never the less, life goes on in Oklahoma. The new Maps project has passed, and will continue to change our city into a vision that looks pretty good from the pictures. Businesses are coming to Oklahoma City to take advantage of the benefits the city continues to offer. We have some of the best hospitals in the nation, and a lot of medical professionals continue to move here.
The new Devon 51-storey premier corporate skyscraper broke ground for construction in downtown October 2009 and it is estimated to be in use by 2013.
There are exciting things happening in the Greater Oklahoma City area. The nearby smaller towns are also flourishing as well.
Sometimes we become overwhelmed with negative things that happen around us. At least that is true for me. But looking ahead, and not behind gives us a fresh start. After all, everything crumbles at sometime, but putting it together is what going forward is about.
Now that there is only one little patch of snow, I remember that I never did get all the leaves picked up. I always dislike having piles of moldy leaves to deal with in the spring time when starting to get the yard in shape for the summer. We will probably have more winter. In fact, we usually don't get snow until as late as February or March. But no matter what the weather, life in Oklahoma continues to keep us all on our toes. I'm looking forward to many exciting things this year. It's much better than being disgusted with the things that didn't turn out the way I hoped last year.
Oklahoma City, where Dreams Do Come True.

written by: Rick Jackson