In Our Community
Rin-Tin-Tin was one of the first and last adventure shows of the air, with a gap of two decades in between.
The first Rin-Tin-Tin was heard on NBC Blue in 1930 as a 15-minute Saturday show for Ken-L Ration. That ran until 1934 (for CBS Sundays in its last year). It featured the exploits of the marvelous German Shepard wonder dog who battled badmen and the elements in the name of his master, and had been starred in movies as early as 1932. By Janary 2, 1955, three canine lifetimes had passed since the initial series, but Rinty was resurrected for another series, replacing The Shadow in a 30-minute Sunday format for Milk Bone and the Mutual Network. This time he was owned by a frontier lad named Rusty, who rode with the 101st Calvery out of Fort Apache. It opened with a still bugle call and Rusty’s pre-adolescent cry, “Yo, Rinty!” near the story’s end, Rusty put Rinty through his paces. In whatever adventure they finished, inevitably ending with, “Okay Rinty, you’ve earned your Milk Bone.” This series only ran one season. There are only two episodes that have survived to date. The series made a very successful transition to television with the same story line. None of the 15-minute episodes have been found. Listening to 1370 KDTH’s Big Broadcast on Sunday nights from 6 to midnight, you might hear “Rinty” barking for a Milk Bone. When the Punishment Does Not Fit the CrimeI had to read the sentence three times before I understood that it really did say what I thought it did: A Department of Veterans Affairs nurse stole pain drugs from dying patients and got a slap on the wrist.
The name was familiar, and I realized that yes, I’d written about this nurse earlier this year when she pleaded guilty to diverting the drugs. I said at the time that the maximum possible sentence of four years was way too short for the crimes. Specifically, this nurse would take the pain drugs intended for patients in intensive care and only give a partial dose. She would take the rest of the dose herself and falsify the medical records. She did this to one patient alone 19 times in nine days. She even volunteered to care for a certain patient so she could steal his drugs. The three drugs in question were hydromorphone (which is two to eight times stronger than morphine), fentanyl (which is 50-100 times more potent than morphine and heroin) and oxycodone — all high-power medications for serious pain. Can you imagine being the patient who needed the pain relief and didn’t get it? As someone who once had surgery that required morphine afterward for pain control, I can’t imagine the horror of experiencing pain and not getting relief from medication that your doctor has ordered ... because the nurse is stealing it. And I said at the time, four possible years in prison for these crimes would not be enough. But now she’s finally been sentenced, and what did she get for punishment? Two years of probation. And that’s what I had to read three times, because surely it didn’t really say that — except it did. And of that two years, the first six months will be home confinement. I wish someone would explain to me how hanging out at home for a few months and then being on probation is anywhere near the right punishment for these crimes. © 2025 King Features Synd., Inc. |
Look to Do an Act of KindnessAbbie Rutledge was pulled over for speeding by Alabama state trooper J.T. Brown. She lamented to Brown that she couldn’t afford a ticket, that she was broke and in a dead-end job. Officer Brown suggested they talk about that. After about a ten or fifteen-minute conversation concerning possible career paths, it was concluded that she would make a great nurse. The officer let her off with a warning, writing on the warning ticket, “Promise me you'll go to scrub or nursing school, and slow down, and I won't give you a ticket.”
After that encounter, Abbie started pushing herself toward that career. Two years later she graduated from the two-year surgical technology program at Bevill State Community College. Officer Brown attended the graduation ceremony. Abbie is now a surgical technician at the University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital. Abbie gives full credit to Officer Brown for where she now is. She said, "Five minutes talking to anybody, even if you don't know them, can make the largest impact of their life, ever…You never know when it could happen." Officer Brown said, "She made my entire career worth it." This story, told by Steve Hartman on a CBS On the Road segment, is a great reminder that a seemingly small act of kindness can reap big results. Most of everyday living consists of ordinary circumstances which require seemingly unimportant decisions. Officer Brown’s stop of speeding Abbie could have been one of those ordinary stops for the officer, but it wasn’t. Opportunities abound and the possibilities are nearly endless for us to act kindly every day. Abbie said, “It was the right person, right time and the right words.” One of the characteristics of God is that He is sovereign. That means He is in control of everything. When we put ourselves at His disposal each day He can have us be the right person, at the right time, in the right place to say or do the right thing for someone. How about being intentional about this? When we get up in the morning let’s determine to carry out acts of kindness that day which God sovereignly puts before us. When heading out the door we can do so with the anticipation that God will have us cross paths with someone who needs a listening ear, an encouraging word, or some tangible help. Look to do an act of kindness today. What a great way to live, to go about doing God’s good! Scripture says that Jesus “went around doing good” (Acts 10:38). I guess most people have scheduled appointments that are kept no matter what might come up unexpectedly. Actually, I never want to miss my weekly hair day at the beauty salon. I look forward to my Friday fun day. Now, if I were to write a story about my hair day on August 13, 2024 I would title it, “A Trip to the Salon.” But I am only going to share an actual and truthful account of my day.
The Beauty Salon I go to is located in a department store. You have to go to the second floor and walk a distance both when coming and when leaving. As I started on the long walk to the Salon, a lady stopped me to comment on the colorful top I was wearing. She was probably around 45 years of age and was wearing a top almost the same color as mine. We visited just for a few minutes. And then before I reached the salon a clerk that had once helped me buy a garment in her department waved me over and we also had a nice talk. I know she was 55 because we had discussed ages last time we talked. Finally, I got to the salon and both the stylist that do my hair greeted me warmly and I gave them my best smile. These girls are both in their early 20's. After I left the salon I visited the food court and had a cup of coffee and a half cookie at Starbucks. I usually sit at a round table where I watch people walking by. The clerk who waited on me was very polite and asked if I wanted my cookie zapped in the microwave for a few seconds. She was probably 35 years of age. After my cookie teased my appetite I went to Chick- fil-A and had a sandwich, their special fried potatoes, and a cup of cold water. Piggy me! Nope! My days’ adventures continued. There are two doors that have to be opened to leave the store. As I left the store a nice gentleman, about 30 years old, helped me get thru both doors and then stopped the traffic at the crosswalk going to the parking lot. Now I will end this short happening in my life by drawing some attention to how messed up the world seems to be. When there are so many nice people in the world I see day light in our Nation’s healing. The kindness of so many people I met in just a few hours was wonderful. All ages, sexes, and cultures were involved in my happiness. I might mention that because of the distance I have to walk to get to the salon I bring my walker on wheels. But I don’t think that made a difference to the people who greeted me with kindness. They are just nice people. America is a great place to call home. |