A Clash of Cultures

September 29th, 2012 | Author: Dr. Ross Riggs

Most of us might be surprised at the vast number of sub-cultures within our own culture. Some would consider the point so off-handedly that, even if these subcultures exist, all that is necessary is to be aware of them, nothing more. We certainly do not need another genre for which we must be politically correct. Already the current lists have made it to the far edges of ad-nauseum. Why belabor yet another category that seeks to be recognized, romanticized, eulogized, and deified?

This, however, is a culture that has been with us since the beginning of our great country, indeed throughout the history of civilization. Yet, the American version of this culture is one that does not seek recognition. Most of the time, this culture prefers to be unnoticed. A simple tip of the hat in recognition of their sacrifice is enough because there is little our supra-culture can do. Perhaps the only way to benefit this culture is to keep the virtue of our American culture at its very best.

Regrettably, I have been as little mindful of this sub-culture as most others, at least until recently. Recent events have driven home to me their existence. It was not in some grandiose presentation that I was pricked at my conscience, nor was it at some hall of heritage that I was alerted to their presence. It was, of all things, a small sign in the parking lot of a grocery store. I had never seen such a sign before and unless any American has a chance to go shopping at a PX or BX (post or base exchange) on a military installation, you will probably never see one yourself. A small metal sign that drove home to me the hundreds of years of sacrifice, grief, pain and pride, (yes, pride) that the sign represents.

The sign simply read: “Reserved Parking Gold Star Families” and reading it I was struck with such a sense of astonishment. I was astounded that I had never given so much as a passing thought to the thousands of families that carry on in day to day life, after the ceremonies, after the condolences, after the cards and visits have stopped. The ‘Gold Star’ families, those who have lost someone in combat, keep on with life, with shopping at the PX, with bills and car repairs and every day with a hole in their heart where a loved one, a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine lives now as a memory.

Praise God for Gold Star Families and may we be reminded of them every day. When we are, may we ask God to bless them as they carry on, living a life Reserved for Gold Star Families. 

(For more information about the history behind the Gold Star, follow the link to Gold Star Mothers)

Our family proudly displays a ‘Blue Star’ emblem in our front window and a similar decal on my wife’s car. Praise God that it is now a Blue Star and if God should ordain that it ever be Gold, may we honor the work of these proud families with our own.

Holiday Safety and Security

 

December 14th, 2011 | Author: Dr. Ross Riggs

Recently I had a quick email from a company that I use and that I trust to help me keep my personal information safe and secure: LifeLock. Check them out at LifeLock.com.

Allow me to pass on some of the hints they gave regarding safety and security at the holidays (although we all “know” most of these things, we often don’t think about them, we are just too busy or we have the sometimes fatal “It will never happen to me” disease.) Still, reconsider some of these suggestions:

Shopping In-Store

1. Be aware of your surroundings and protect personal space at the ATM and registers.
2. Inspect ATMs and points of sale terminals and look for tampering before swiping cards.
3. Keep cards in sight when paying to deter dishonest cashiers.
4. Store all receipts and closely check your monthly statements to verify transactions.

Shopping Online

1. Be sure your anti-virus software is installed properly and up-to-date.
2. Shop with retailers you trust and who have positive Better Business Bureau ratings.
3. Avoid links and only visit shopping sites by directly typing in their website address.
4. Don’t purchase items while using public computers or shared wireless networks.

Thanks to LifeLock for those reminders. Did you know that it is very simple to put a ‘look alike’ card reader over the opening of an ATM that will copy all of your information as you use it? All the offender has to do is retrieve the card reader from the front of the ATM and download all the information it has stored while you used your card.

I struggle with having the desire to finish my shopping on-line even when I am on public access computers. I can be too trusting of my own anti-hacker software and forget that once the air is out in the electronic space it is free for the picking! I sometimes even trust LifeLock too much in those situations and say to myself, “Self, go ahead it will only take a second to ‘checkout’ besides LifeLock will tell you if someone intercepts my information. Well, that is true when it is happening on my computer, but what about while it floats around in space in the milliseconds it takes to do damage. Milliseconds are all it needs.

So, don’t let your kids unwisely use your card information, guard all your info lie it is vital to you, because even if it isn’t vital to you now, once it is in the hands of the bad guys, it will be!
If you can use a microchip reader blocking device to protect your credit cards like a lined wallet or card carrier, you should do so.

Just some ‘holiday safety thoughts’ to make your January bill payment easier, that is by at least making sure all those bills are truly yours!

Merry Christmas and a Safe & Secure New Year!