Grandmas Paddock and Mother Mary

Grandpa Tad and Papa Nathan

Olivia Jean Paddock October 16, 2008

IRS law changes

Our grandson, Nathan, is studying and Mesa State University in preparation to become a CPA. This fall he began a course in IRS law. At the beginning of class his instructor gave each student a huge packet of material written in fine print. The students were amazed at all the material and wondered what it was for. The instructor said, "These are the law changes that came about as a result of the $700 billion bailout." Anyone dealing with the IRS will have to be familiar with this entire new body of law! 

Serious Natural Gas Shortage

As we made our way from Glenwood Springs Colorado to Grand Junction we were again amazed at the number of oil/gas derricks that were in operation. One company reported the starting up of 20 wells and 15 wells were completed. As of September 47 of the 52 planned wells had been started. As of September 80 wells were producing on an average 4.1 MMcfednet (million cubic feet equivalent per day). The wells drilled in the Piceance basin were producing 58 percent natural gas and 42 percent oil.

At the same time there are significant projects going in Kansas around Arbuckle and Lansing with 17 wells started there. Also there have been eleven workovers/recompletions have been completed.

The bottom line is that there is a good deal of gas and oil being produced here in the US. The potential for more is there as well especially in the oil shale deposits in Western Colorado.

From a different direction as we came by Belleville and Leonard Kansas we saw the huge forest of windpower generators. Down the hill from the big boys was one old-fashioned farm windmill pumping away providing water for livestock. Perhaps the little windmill was dreaming of being a big one day some day.

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Several weeks ago Arletta bought me the book The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. The title comes from a guest lectureship that Dr. Pausch held at Carnegie Mellon University. Here is the blurb from the website:

On September 18, 2007, computer science professor Randy Pausch stepped in front of an audience of 400 people at Carnegie Mellon University to deliver a last lecture called "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams." With slides of his CT scans beaming out to the audience, Randy told his audience about the cancer that is devouring his pancreas and that will claim his life in a matter of months. On the stage that day, Randy was youthful, energetic, handsome, often cheerfully, darkly funny. He seemed invincible. But this was a brief moment, as he himself acknowledged.

Randy's lecture has become a phenomenon, as has the book he wrote based on the same principles, celebrating the dreams we all strive to make realities. Sadly, Randy lost his battle to pancreatic cancer on July 25th, 2008, but his legacy will continue to inspire us all, for generations to come.

This is a must read (or listen to) book. I want to see how I can incorporate this book into some of my classes. It is a work that challenges all of us in our day to day living. Dr. Pausch was a believer, but he does not make that point until the end of the book. That was probably wise. For many people to hear one more story about how God saves the day would have kept them reading any further.

 

Western Fellowship of Professors and Scholars 2008

Western Fellowship of Professors and Scholars

In Manhattan KS, October 3-4, the third annual theology conference was held. Dr. Mark Alterman, back from his sabbatical in Europe, led the program, although others accomplished the groundwork for the program this year. Dr. Alterman saw a similar program in St. Louis several years ago and encouraged others to consider doing a similar project at Manhattan Christian College.

This year the program enjoyed the facilities of Kansas State University. Excellent meals were served by the KSU kitchen and a comfortable room provided the backdrop for the presentation of several different papers.

A young scholar, Derek Maris, for the second year in a row, set the stage by presenting new ideas from Ray Anderson. Derek acknowledged that what he was doing was a work in process, but he wanted to bounce his ideas off others. Feedback lasted for 20 minutes.

Following Derek came Russ Dudrey from York, Nebraska. Russ always presents outstanding scholarship and dealt with the issue of interpreting the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament.

An Anglican priest, Andrew Grosso presented a paper on the situation of the Anglican Church today. My personal observation about Andrew indicated that he is very close to the Christian church position on the Bible, baptism, and the Lord's Supper. He personally believed in adult baptism and high respect for the Lord's Supper. It will be interesting to see what this man will do in the future.

A missionary to India, Lowell Bliss, dealt with the issue of global warming and its impact on missions. He belongs to the school that believes the latest trends on global warming as held by Al Gore and the Hollywood crowd. I personally was turned off by his rhetoric in that regard. But his greater concern caught my interest. Rather than trying to find someone to blame for global warming, he instead suggested that the church needs to be a significant part in helping people in the world deal with the problem. For example vast areas of Bangladesh are less the five meters above sea level. That means that whenever a typhoon hits the entire area is flooded and again when the rivers flood, the entire area is flooded. These are annual events and refugees from the area are trying to find a place to live. Not easy, because India does not want the refugees. Bliss reminded me of the Church Growth principle that says, "Areas that will be open to the gospel are areas that are going through change, whatever the cause." Certainly flooding and relocation are causes for change.

The program will be again next year at about the same time. It is possible that we will be able to meet in the newly refurbished Joliffe Hall on the MCC campus. Anyone interested in presenting a paper should contact Dr. Mark Alterman at alterman@mccks.edu.