One Moment, Please.

Deer In Headlines

By Gery L. Deer

It’s been said that times change, but moments don’t. The Cambridge Dictionary defines a moment as an indefinitely short period of time or particular occasion. In life, a moment generally represents an instant we can’t get back, one that we either cherish or regret, depending on its personal significance. Together, the moments we experience weave an intricate tapestry of our past, a delicate collage unique to each of us.

A single moment in life can challenge us forever, define us in completely new terms, open doors, or close the path to opportunities. It can be simultaneously life-changing and heartbreaking, glorious yet gut-wrenching.

We usually take those moments for granted, even when we should be paying more attention. Sadly, we are rarely given advance notice of the importance of any given moment. When a moment in life truly changes us and alters our perception, it’s usually either joyful or tragic, forever burned into our memory and our psyche.

Young children may be the luckiest of us because they live in the moment, constantly meeting the world with new wonder. Even if they don’t appreciate its significance, they experience every minute, the “now,” with unaware abandon. Unfortunately, maturity sometimes robs us of that wonder, replacing it instead with the day-to-day problems of life.

Wouldn’t it be great, though, if we could manage to slow time a bit, live more in the moment like kids, and better recognize the meaning and noteworthiness of one instant? As adults, the trick is first to recover the childlike vision that may have faded. Then we have to learn how to recognize the significance of a mere instant in the whole of our lives.

As they whiz past, like blurry telephone poles along the highway, recognition becomes increasingly difficult. But, while trying to capture the most important moments, we may completely miss them because we’re too busy trying to get a video of it on our mobile devices.

This big, bright, world is presented live, in 3-D, and high definition. Still, we stare through artificial eyes at a 3-inch screen in awe of the events unfolding before us. Unfortunately, while we’re trying to capture a digital memory, we’re missing the nuance of the moment. Genuinely seminal moments deserve our full attention.

It reminds me of people who are constantly snapping pictures during a fireworks display or their child’s school play. I get wanting a quick photo or video clip. But holding the phone up the entire time to watch through a screen minimizes the importance of the moment. Personally, if I’m there, I want to experience and appreciate what’s going on right in front of me.

With all their attention focused on some gadget, they miss the “IRL” visuals, the sounds, the reactions of those around them, and, most importantly, the company. These are meaningful, shared moments that will never come again. By the way, if you’re not up on your text-speak, IRL means “In Real Life.”

Staying in the present can be hard, no matter what we’re doing. A moment cannot be measured on a stopwatch or added as a calendar event. It’s here, you’re in it, then it’s gone, all at once. It’s up to each one of us to determine what it means, hopefully during but, at least after we have experienced it. We all have our own values system for guidance.

So the question remains, how do we create more mindful awareness in our daily lives? How do we appreciate those life-altering moments as they happen? I suppose I could just spout the same stuff you’d find if you Google all the self-help gurus. They’re going to say to do things like slow down, meditate, eat healthier, exercise, take in nature, put away your technology, and so on. There is certainly a place for all that. We should probably be doing all those things anyway.

Instead, I will only say this, paraphrasing one of the prolific producer Norman Lear’s television theme songs. “This is it, this is life, the one you get, so go and have a ball.” And it’s fine to snap a photo, but remember to be in the moment. Be present, put away all the tech, and experience life – IRL.

Author Yvette Keller announces the publication of “Douglas Adams’ London” literary guide.

Yvette Keller is a lifelong fan of the British writer, Douglas Adams, best known for the 5-book, science fiction humor “trilogy,” The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. The Santa Barbara, California-based writer now invites Adams fans and London tourists to experience all things Adams through a new literary guide, “Douglas Adams’ London,” published by Herb Lester Associates. Pre-orders are now available at www.herblester.com with a ship date of March 11, chosen because it is Adams’ birthday.

Adams lived and worked in London for decades. “Douglas Adams’ London,” is a hitchhiker’s guide to 42 places (chosen honor of Hitchhiker’s reference to the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything) drawn from the reality and fiction of Adams’ life. On one side, a stylized map pinpoints relevant sites across London. On the reverse, detailed information about each site spotlights its significance to the author.

From Shepherds Bush to Highgate, the map leads tourists along the streets that Adams knew and cared about, noting the rampant development of his beloved Islington, “Grim concrete monoliths, eyeing the new spaces in Upper Street where they hoped to spawn their horrid progeny.” Expressing the timeless joy Adams referred to Hyde Park as, “stunning except for the rubbish on Monday mornings.”

Keller’s pilgrimage to walk in Adams’ footsteps began very simply. It began with her 42nd birthday and a book, one she is writing to share her experiences with other fans. “By exploring the meaningful places in Adams’ life, you start to see how reality and fiction came together for him,” Keller explained. “Character, setting, and author intersect with reality, and, as Douglas said, ‘If you’re going to set it in London, you may as well set it where you live because you know it. There’s no point in setting it in Putney if I’ve then got to get a bus down to Putney to see what the layout is.’ “

Ben Olins is the director at Herb Lester Associates. He was intrigued by how real and imagined worlds overlap. So, to explore real places from the work of an author best known for Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was, in his words, “irresistible.” The publisher is no stranger to literary maps. The company’s “guides to the unexpected,” include Agatha Christie’s England, Occult Paris, and New Orleans Good Times.

“One’s first thoughts of places included in a galactic travel guide don’t include the north London estate agents and residential streets. But places he (Adams) knew are used throughout his books,” Olins said. “In charting all of that, I hope we bring to life the world Adams inhabited, and in doing so perhaps bring readers closer to a writer they admire.”

Those who pre-order the Douglas Adams’ London guide directly from Herb Lester Associates have an opportunity to order a set of six coasters gathered from fictional pubs and clubs across the Hitchhikers universe. (Check out the author’s unboxing video here.)

While supplies last, they will also receive a seventh, exclusive beer mat from Milliways – The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. The guide will be available to fans in the United States beginning April 15. For more information, or to order, visit www.herblester.com.

Coronavirus and caregiving. Tips for keeping healthy during the COVID-19 crisis.

(Reprinted by permission from the Old Nerd in the Gym Fitness blog)

As of the time of this writing, COVID-19, known as the Coronavirus, has become a pandemic and lives and countries affected are growing exponentially with no end in sight. As government and private medical resources scramble for a viable vaccine, Americans struggle with the idea of social distancing and isolation. Some of the most widely affected are those who care for others – medical professionals and, in our interest here, informal caregivers.

The isolation already felt by caregivers can be greatly exacerbated by further restrictions on respite time or visits from friends and family. It is difficult to know with whom people may have come into contact causes and the danger to your family member is unpredictable. Even in-home care providers create a higher risk for patients and their caregivers.

For those with family members in a nursing facility, there is now a greater feeling of separation. Nursing care guidelines have restricted visiting hours or cancelled them entirely for all but hospice patients. Whatever stress caregivers face on a day-to-day basis are now greatly multiplied.

During this difficult time it’s important that caregivers remember to practice additional self-care. Here are some tips that might help. 

Protecting Yourself and Your Charge

First and foremost is protecting yourself and your family member from potential infection. Nothing is failsafe, but there are things you can do to minimize the potential hazards and it all starts with factual information. (Here is information provided by the Washington State Department of Health)

How is the novel coronavirus that can cause COVID-19 spread?

Coronaviruses are primarily spread through respiratory droplets, which means to become infected, people generally have to be within six feet of someone who is contagious for an extended period of time, and have droplets land on them. This is very different from airborne diseases like measles, so the public health response is different.

To reduce your risk of getting any viral respiratory infection:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces.
• Stay at home away from others if you are sick.
• Cover mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.

Dealing With Isolation & Monotony

It might be tough to battle the day-to-day monotony and isolation of caregiving but now it’s going to be even harder. Respite becomes all the more important but, with social safety restrictions and countless event and activity closings, it will be fleeting at best. Rest and diversion are vital to mental stability and calm. 

Exercise. Find exercises you can do at home. Most streaming services offer some type of free exercise videos you can follow. Yoga and meditation can help too, or just go outside and take a walk, even if it’s just around the house. If you can, take your charge with you. Avoid contact with others, but open air is good for everyone. Try to find something to get your heartrate up. 

Food. Be careful not to overeat. Ignoring the potential for supply shortages, if only to avoid the infection risk at the store, boredom will invite snacking and the potential to overeat. When you do shop, avoid buying chips or other unhealthy snacks and keep fresh fruit and veggies on hand. Citrus and other fruits will help to shore up your immune system. Provide the same to your family member if they’re able. 

Proper hydration is also a concern during these trying times. As has been mentioned many times in the Old Nerd articles and podcasts, staying hydrated is vital to health. Be sure to keep health drinks like low or no-sugar fruit juice and water.

Sleep. Proper rest is critical to mental and physical health alike. It’s difficult enough to rest when your mind is full of worry and fear as a caregiver. Now, adding the virus concerns sleep will be even more fleeting. Still, make every effort. Avoid screens within an hour or so before trying to sleep and don’t watch the news. Read a book you like or play a game with your charge or other household member. Do something to take your mind off of everything before you try to sleep. Build a routine around it and do your best to hold to it. 

KEY TIP: Avoid Social Media

It might seem, during such isolated times, that social media would be a great way to keep in contact with the outside world. But Facebook, Twitter and the like are far too full of false information, non-scientific nonsense and just flat-out negativity. None of this will be helpful to maintaining sharp mental focus and a calm emotional state. Turn it off. If you want to talk to family and friends pick up the phone or video chat so you can see and hear them. That will comfort you, not the ravings of crazy internet trolls. 

Hang In There.

Everyone must be in this for the long-haul. There is no vaccine for this disease yet in sight, but professionals are working hard. Follow the CDC guidelines and be careful. Proper hand-washing and advanced self-care will see it through. 

We will be releasing more advice and information as available. In the meantime, here are some resources that might help.

SOURCES & RESOURCES: 

CDC Definitions and Information on Quarantine and Isolation: https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/index.html

World Map of COVID-19 Infections:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/world-map.html

Women’s Health & Pregnancy Resources

Women’s Health Care Physicians Practice Advisory for COVID-19, ACOG

Inpatient Obstetric Healthcare Guidance, CDC

Coronavirus Disease and Pregnancy, CDC

Guidance on Breastfeeding for a Mother with COVID-19, CDC

ACE Healthy Products, LLC, of Dayton announces a deal with Cardinal Health for distribution of eco-friendly bed bug barrier/eliminator

Dayton Veteran / Minority-owned bedbug inventor/supplier lands national distribution deal.

ACE Healthy Products, LLC, (Ohio Sec. of State Entity #3962897) has announced Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) will distribute its one-one-of-a-kind, Eco-friendly Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator. After a 2-year vetting process, the company secured the distribution in May of 2019 and was featured at Cardinal Health’s annual product tradeshow this July in Nashville, Tennessee. The product will be available to more than 105,000 affiliates and partners in the Cardinal Health system in the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

Anthony Watson is ACE Healthy Products, LLC, founder, CEO and inventor of the Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator formula. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force and after years of serving as a registered nurse and medical technician, requiring he go in and out of bases and other areas infested with bed bugs, he knew he had to do something to protect himself. In 2016, he did just that and developed, after much research and testing, Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator.

“Our product was rigorously vetted and tested by Cardinal Health to ensure EPA compliance, effectiveness, FDA standards, pricing and quality,” he said. “It is unfair to have a calling to provide a selfless duty such as a nurse, or home care worker, but then to be forced into areas infested with bed bugs, without a real way of protecting ourselves.”

“Most commercial bed bug products are used in a reactionary state of elimination,” Watson said. “We are not exterminators. We needed to be proactive with a product that prevents the infestation from spreading in the first place.” The company is a Veteran and Minority-Owned Business.

About Cardinal Health, Inc. — Based in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. is a global, integrated healthcare services and products company, that provides clinically-proven medical products and pharmaceuticals and cost-effective solutions that enhance supply chain efficiency from hospital to home. Cardinal Health connects patients, providers, payers, pharmacists and manufacturers for integrated care coordination and better patient management. Backed by nearly 100 years of experience the company ranks among the top 25 on the Fortune 500.

      About Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator — Humans and animals give off a carbon dioxide signature that bed bugs prey on. They smell you, they wait, they bite, and they travel. Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator spray provides a protective barrier and prevents them from being attracted and traveling with you, all using a combination of essential oils and other natural ingredients. Safe for skin, adults, children, pets, and fabric and other materials

Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator Availability — Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator is available for consumer and commercial purchase online at https://eaglewatchproducts.com or by calling 866-891-5338. ACE Healthy Products, LLC and — Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator are trademarks of Ace Healthy Products, LLC in the United States and/or other countries.

Western Ohio Writers Association Discontinues Operation After 11 Years

Writing workshops, live reading events to be offered publicly by parent organization

Dayton, Ohio August 8, 2019 — The executive editorial committee of the Western Ohio Writers Association (WOWA) has announced the organization will cease operation as of August 31, 2019. The group will hold a final, private author reading in mid-August to celebrate the successes of its members and provide a platform for one, final event they call “Beatnik Café.” Fee-based workshops and live readings will continue to be offered through the organization’s parent company, GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., but will now be open to the public.

About WOWA — From inception in October 2008 through August 2019, the Western Ohio Writers Association (WOWA) was a member-based, not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting writers of all genres throughout the southwestern Ohio region. Through workshops, critique sessions, educational and networking opportunities, WOWA offered writers an outlet for support and creative feedback unmatched in the area.

Writer and entrepreneur, Gery L. Deer, is the co-founder and executive director of WOWA. “While discontinuing the organization was a difficult decision, we are proud of the work we have done over the last decade and,” he said. “Our parent organization, GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., will continue to offer fee-based writing and professional workshops previously provided through WOWA.”

Deer explained that the organization has been thriving over the last several years but the increase in expense of operation, time and level of participation has made it difficult to maintain. Many of the educational programs will still be offered through the parent company, at a limited cost, in the near future, without membership fees or obligations.

WOWA’s authors have experienced a variety of successes over the years, from individually published works to some becoming highly-paid, professional authors. In 2013 the organization published an anthology of fiction titled, “Flights of Fiction.” Made up of 11 original short stories by member authors, the book sold more than 200 copies on the first day of its release and is still available from Amazon.com.

For more information on the transition of writing workshops and other services now moving to GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., call 937-902-4857 or email gdeer@gldenterprises.net.

WOWA, Western Ohio Writers Association, and its affiliated logos, icons, and referenced content are trademarks of and copyrighted by GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd. All rights reserved.

Greene County Performers Headline Wild West Shows at 2019 Annie Oakley Festival

Greenville, OH – Entrepreneur and professional whip artist Gery L. Deer and Xenia thrown weapons expert, Kirk Bass, will lead a full troupe of Wild West arts experts during the 2019 American Western Arts Showcase at the Annie Oakley Festival, July 26 and 27 at the Darke County Fairground in Greenville, Ohio. The event is free and open to the public.

Presented in the spirit of the stage-style Wild West shows of the late 19^th Century, each production will include some detailed history about how these arts came to be and who still practices them today. In addition to performing, Gery Deer is also the show’s producer and chief backer.

“This is a one-of-a-kind show in this region,” Deer says. “We have some of the best Wild West arts entertainment anywhere in the Midwest with real practitioners of each skill,” says Deer, who started the event in Jamestown, Ohio, in 2002. “These are talented performers with genuine ability, no fakery, no tricks. Everything you see in our show is real and all of our shows are in 3-D and high definition!”

Champion knife thrower Kirk Bass, of Xenia, Ohio, is co-producer of the event. He and his daring wife Melodee are among the performers to take the open-air stage for a series of western arts perform the suspenseful Bass Blades impalement show, and much more.

Whip marksmanship competitions headline the afternoon show beginning with the Whip Speed and Accuracy Exhibition Competition, the world’s first Bullwhip Fast Draw contest. Plus, there is a brand new contest taken straight from the big screen.

The Masked Man will make an appearance on Saturday during the contest events from Noon – 2 PM!

In the spirit of Dr. Jones’ proficiency, this year’s Showcase competition will include a special “blind fast draw,” where whip artists must mimic the move used in the film to turn, draw their holstered whip and shoot at a target with speed and accuracy. In 1981, a fedora-wearing, leather-clad archaeologist threw the crack heard round the world when he “whipped” a pistol from the hand of a jungle guide. At the beginning of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Indiana Jones demonstrated his skills with the holstered fast-draw of a 10-foot bullwhip, all while having to spin around to take aim first. Watch a video clip!

“With the popularity of Indiana Jones among western performers, particularly whip artists, it’s odd this hasn’t been done before,” says Deer, who holds multiple, national whip speed and accuracy titles and is the director of The Whip Artistry Studio, the only permanent whip training facility in America. Contests begin at 1 p.m., followed immediately by a matinee performance at 2PM and evening show at 5PM.

The event is sponsored by GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., The Whip Artistry Studio and the Annie Oakley Festival Committee. All performances are family friendly and presented on the grounds of the Annie Oakley Festival. For links to the festival and sneak previews of the performers plus more information go online to ohiowesternarts.org.

Production video from a few years ago showing some of the event.

 

Las Vegas Prop Company Hosts Whip Crackers, Trick Ropers and More at 1st Annual Wild West Arts Fest

Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2, 2019 – Western Stage Props, a stage and film prop supply company based in Las Vegas, Nevada, is sponsoring the 2019 Wild West Arts Fest, May 2^nd through the 4^th at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The festival consists of three full days of classes focused on the four classic Western art forms of gun spinning and handling, knife throwing, trick roping and whip cracking. The festival will also include open practice time, skill sharing sessions, lighthearted competitions, nightly events including a dinner show, and more.

The Western Arts are the performance skills that developed in the Old West, made famous since the earliest days of Wild West shows and cinema. While training in traditional variety arts such as juggling, dance and circus are now easier to find than ever, training in the Western Arts is limited to a select few who happen to be in the right place at the right time. This is where the organizers feel this festival is incredibly important.

Now under new ownership and management, Western Stage Props in Las Vegas has provided film and stage props for nearly three decades and specializes in Western Arts products such as whips, rope, throwing weapons, prop guns and trick saddles, as well as educational material. Their products have been featured in movies and theatrical productions including Indiana Jones and the world-famous Cirque Du Soleil. They are working to develop new products designed to bring the love of the Western Arts to a broader audience. Still, they have maintained the same high-quality items that make them the leader in Western performance equipment, that’s why they chose now to resurrect a long-loved tradition – the Wild West Arts Fest.

“Our event is all inclusive so anyone from an enthusiast to professional can participate and we believe having a place to meet up once a year to share and grow is vital to the Western community,” said Kyle Peterson, Western Stage Props manager. “We aim to unite the older generation and their deep history with a generation of newcomers looking to learn, grow and become a part of history. Even more important, our select teaching staff has grown out of the former Wild West Arts Conventions that originally brought so many wonderful performers together, where experts are thrilled to teach a new generation.”

The event is open to the public as either a full participant or a spectator. Discounted room rates are also available at the hotel by mentioning the event. Complete details are available by calling Western Stage Props at 702-873-1100 or online https://www.westernstageprops.com/Wild-West-Arts-Fest-s/1920.htm.

List of Teacher Performers Scheduled to Present at the 1^st Annual Wild West Arts Fest

AJ Silver was born and raised in The Bronx, New York. As a child, AJ was fascinated by the cowboy tales of the Wild West. Upon seeing his first rodeo at Madison Square Garden, he found his calling: He would be a rodeo trick rider! After graduation, AJ headed for the western trail and never looked back. Since AJ has traveled across the USA performing his western variety act combining trick roping, bullwhip artistry and boleadoras. His achievements include a lifetime of stage appearances, television spots on The Today Show, Good Morning America, MTV, ESPN, CNN, and most notably, the chance to trick ride at Madison Square Garden where his riding dreams were born.

David Adamovich better known as The Great Throwdini holds over 40 world records including being the world’s fastest and most accurate knife thrower.  A man of many talents David ‘s previous endeavors include a career as a paramedic, appearing at the 1967 World’s Fair as a partner acrobat with his twin brother and becoming an ordained minister. David began his knife throwing adventures as The Great Throwdini in his 50’s. He has appeared on Ripley’s Believe It or Not, America’s Got Talent, and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. And just when you thought his story couldn’t get any more interesting, David is the only knife thrower to ever perform The Veiled Double Wheel of Death (2 assistants behind a paper veil), no small feat.

Chris McDaniel is a long-time cowboy performing and teaching trick roping as well as delighting audiences with his whip cracking skills. Chris got his start on stage as a formally trained actor and singer, wanting to stand out in the crowd; he picked up a rope and fell in love with the Wild West. Chris has graced the stage in innumerable cabaret, variety and dinner theater stage shows across the county. His TV appearances include: Late Night with David Letterman and Best Week Ever with Neil Patrick Harris, but you may know him best from his career-defining role with the Broadway tour of The Will Roger’s Follies.

Paul Nolan is one of the county’s most revered whip artisans. Paul began the art of making whips as young adolescent learning from the best in the business. He spent countless years perfecting his craft. You can see him in action on The Discovery Channel’s How It’s Made as he takes you step by step through the labor-intensive process of making one of his beautiful art pieces. Paul has been commissioned by some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters to make whips including The Kingsman films, The Lone Ranger, Django Unchained, and the TV series Freakshow.

Loop Rawlins is a Wild West superstar. Launched to fame by his outstanding success on America’s Got Talent Loop has made an impressive career form rodeos to the red carpet. Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, as a youngster Loop loved adventure movies and always had a knack for entertaining.  When he saw trick roping for the first time, he was inspired to learn the technique. Nowadays Loop can do it all: he is a gunslinger, rope spinner and whip cracker. After a 3-year run with Cirque Du Soliel in Viva Elvis, Loop can be seen opening for country music stars, performing for celebrities and stunt doubling in the major motion picture The Kingsman.

Gery Deer is a world-renowned veteran whip artist and coach and the founder of The Whip Artistry Studio in Jamestown, Ohio. Raised on a cattle farm in rural Ohio, he opened the studio in 1998 as the only permanent facility in the United States dedicated to the non-combative study of the whip for sports, fitness and performance art. The facility provides training for whip handling, targeting, competition performance, and fitness. Students of the whip studio include hobbyists, stage and stunt performers, and many performers who have worked as “Indiana Jones” in the Universal Studios’ Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular. In addition to his work as a master whip coach, Gery has been a featured performer on stages around the country. He has appeared on countless television variety programs over his 30-year career including Steve Harvey’s Big Time, America’s Got Talent, The Bonnie Hunt Show, as well as the PBS series, Our Ohio. He also designs original whip holstering equipment and utility belts used by some of the largest production companies in the world including Universal Studios, Warner Brothers and 21^st Century Fox.

Greene County Security Company Celebrates Grand Opening of New Bellbrook Office

April 11, 2019 – Bellbrook, Ohio – Safeguard Data and Security, LLC, has announced a public ribbon cutting and open house event at their new office, 5:30-7:30 PM, Thursday, April 25, at 70 Bellbrook Plaza, downtown Bellbrook, Ohio. The event will include an official ceremony to dedicate the new space immediately followed by an open house with free refreshments and a door prize drawing.

Safeguard Data and Security, LLC, was founded March 22^nd of last year by Mike Pearson and Christina Pearson of Bellbrook. The firm specializes in residential and commercial video surveillance, alarm systems, 24-7 monitoring, access control, network cabling and more.

“We have been working hard to open an office and showroom space where customers can see for themselves the variety of security products and services we have to offer,” said Christina Pearson, co-owner and director of finance. “We specifically chose Bellbrook because we wanted to support and be more a part of the community where we live and where our kids go to school.”

Safeguard’s new showroom will include different versions of available Closed-Circuit TV (CCTV) cameras, home automation, and responsive lighting and alarm systems. Attendees of the grand opening will have the opportunity to win a number of door prizes, including a grand prize of a video doorbell system. This will give visitors the opportunity to learn about the company’s comprehensive offerings and dedication to the community.

Co-owner and president, Mike Pearson, said, “We offer our customers a vast knowledge of state-of-the-art products and personalized service,” he said. “We pride ourselves on providing an affordable solution for just about any security need, whether it’s an alarm inspection or a full security system for your commercial property.”

For more information, call Safeguard Data and Security, LLC, at 937-725-4204 or email info@safeguardyourworld.com.

Wild West show at Annie Oakley Festival to feature local performers

 

Greenville, OH – Jamestown whip artist Gery L. Deer and Xenia thrown weapons expert, Kirk Bass, will lead a full troupe of whip artists, trick ropers, knife throwers and other Wild West arts experts during the 2018 American Western Arts Showcase during Annie Oakley Festival, July 27 and 28, at the Darke County Fairground in Greenville, Ohio. The event is free and open to the public.

Presented in the spirit of the stage-style Wild West shows of the late 19^th Century, each production will include some detailed history about how these arts came to be and who still practices them today. In addition to performing, Gery Deer is also the show’s producer and chief backer.

“This is a one-of-a-kind show in this region,” Deer says. “We have some of the best Wild West arts entertainment anywhere in the Midwest with real practitioners of each skill,” says Deer, who started the event in Jamestown, Ohio, in 2002. “These are talented performers with genuine ability, no fakery, no tricks. Everything you see in our show is real and all of our shows are in 3-D and high definition!”

Champion knife thrower Kirk Bass, of Xenia, Ohio, is co-producer of the event. He and his daring wife Melodee are among the performers to take the open-air stage for two shows on Saturday, July 28 beginning at 1 p.m. with a series of western arts perform the suspenseful Bass Blades impalement show, and much more.

Whip marksmanship competitions headline the afternoon show beginning with the National Whip Speed and Accuracy Exhibition Competition, the world’s only Bullwhip Fast Draw contest. Plus, there is a brand new contest taken straight from the big screen.

In 1981, a fedora-wearing, leather-clad archaeologist threw the crack heard round the world when he “whipped” a pistol from the hand of a jungle guide. At the beginning of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Indiana Jones demonstrated his skills with the holstered fast-draw of a 10-foot bullwhip, all while having to spin around to take aim first.

In the spirit of Dr. Jones’ proficiency, this year’s Showcase competition will include a special “blind fast draw,” where whip artists must mimic the move used in the film to turn, draw their holstered whip and shoot at a target with speed and accuracy.

“With the popularity of Indiana Jones among western performers, particularly whip artists, it’s odd this hasn’t been done before,” says Deer, who holds multiple, national whip speed and accuracy titles and is the director of The Whip Artistry Studio, the only permanent whip training facility in America. Contests begin at 1 p.m., followed immediately by a matinee performance at 2:30.

At 5:00p.m., visitors to the festival will see the Grand Western Showcase hosted by the music and comedy of Greene County’s own, The Brothers & Co. Variety Show. “We pull out all the stops on Saturday evening,” says Deer. “The Brothers & Co. Variety Show is an Americana-styled musical variety show from a by-gone era, full of comedy, magic, and some of the best four-part music on stage today. There will be nothing else like this anywhere at the festival!”

The event is sponsored by GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., The Brothers & Co. Variety Show, and the Annie Oakley Festival Committee. All performances are family friendly and presented on the grounds of the Annie Oakley Festival. For links to the festival and sneak previews of the performers plus more information go online to ohiowesternarts.org.

Plastic and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Deer In Headlines
By Gery L. Deer

Did you know that somewhere in the Pacific Ocean there is a gigantic patch of garbage that’s been growing for decades? According to a three-year study reported in Scientific Reports this month, it has grown to approximately 1.6 million square kilometers, 16 times larger than previous estimates. To put that in more familiar terms, it’s more than twice the size of the State of Texas.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch – Photo courtesy http://www.critfc.org/

Scientists used a variety of methods to measure the patch including aircraft outfitted with special sensors, crisscrossing more than 300 square kilometers of the ocean’s surface. Surveys estimate that half of the so-called, “Trash Isle” is made up of discarded, or “ghost,” fishing nets. About 20% of it is debris from the Japan tsunami of 2011, and the bulk of the trash is made up of large, plastic objects.

That’s a lot of garbage. For most people, it’s an incomprehensible scale and it’s just floating around out there. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch has been on the radar of scientists and environmentalists since the 1970s.

Plastic is one of the lightest and most versatile manufacturing materials ever created. To say that it’s durable could be an understatement. But, while that can be an advantage when considering consumer products, it’s a detriment once the product is discarded.

For example, in the ocean, it can take more than two decades for a plastic shopping bag to decompose. Those disposable plastic water bottles everyone carries around are estimated to take 450 years to degrade, and the fishing line could be out there for more than six centuries. It could actually take a lot longer. The fact is, there is no way to know for certain. Click to watch the NBC News story.

What is certain, however, is that the world’s tenants need to do something to reduce the amount of plastic dumped into Earth’s oceans and slow the growth of these trash isles. Otherwise, they’re just going to keep getting bigger.

Managing the trash not only helps to protect the environment and marine life but the economy of regions affected by its presence. Fishing is more hazardous in these areas and tourism can be dramatically affected – who wants to go to a beach where this junk is regularly washing ashore? For some areas in the Pacific, tourism accounts for the bulk of their income.

While politicians, diplomats, and environmentalists debate toward no useful resolution, there are things that individuals can do to help reduce the problem. Plastic straws, grocery bags, and one-use water bottles are reportedly some of the items most frequently tossed in the garbage can.

Recycle plastic products whenever possible. Instead of dropping a water bottle in the trash, use recycling receptacles marked for plastic and other consumer packaging.

First, water bottles. Nothing’s worse than a flat of those thin, flimsy discount store water bottles. So, why use them? If every person in every gym in America chose a reusable water bottle instead of a throw-away, just one time, there would be thousands less plastic bottles in the landfills and tossed into the ocean.

Reusable water bottles are inexpensive, as little as $2.00, and can last for years. Hint – go with a metal bottle instead of plastic but avoid ceramic-lined thermal bottles for daily hydration. They’re heavy and break easily if dropped.

Next, when a store offers the option between paper and plastic shopping bags, choose paper. If plastic is preferred, keep them and reuse them as many times as possible. Try to avoid using them as trash bags, however, because they can slow the decomposition of their contents.

A better option is reusable cloth or nylon shopping bags. It might take some planning to get into the habit of reusing them, but they are much stronger than their plastic counterparts and they’re washable.

Lastly, drinking straws. Strange as it may sound, some cities in America are banning the use of plastic straws; Malibu, Seattle, Fort Myers, and Miami Beach, to name a few. Paper straws are inexpensive and decompose easily. One downside, most don’t bend, so if that’s a required feature, reusable silicone straws might be a better option.

None of these will totally solve the plastic waste problem. But it can certainly make a difference if everyone does his or her part.

Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist and business writer. More at deerinheadlines.com.