Praying for Tucson

Posted on January 10, 2011 by MikeShawTV

Originally posted at MikeShaw.tv

Saturday’s shooting in Tucson (technically Pima County) is heartbreaking.  How do you make sense out of what doesn’t make any sense?  All you can do is shed a tear and pray.  There has been a lot of both in Tucson and around the country since Saturday.  The prayers continue even as the victims start to heal and the families of those killed mourn.

Since the shooting occurred only a mile from my apartment, I did want to describe what happened in my little world on Saturday.  I received calls from family and friends because they know that I have been to some of Congresswoman Giffords’ events in the past and they wanted to know that I was OK.  This tragedy underscores once again how important our relationships are with those we love.  Another reminder to never take our friends and family for granted.

Saturday morning I went to my LD (Legislative District) meeting, LD26 at 9am.  It was there before the meeting started that someone mentioned that Gabrielle Giffords had an event planned at the Safeway at Ina and Oracle.  Our meeting went as planned.  At the very end a lady stood up in the back and said that there had been a shooting at Ina and Oracle and to stay away from the area.  She didn’t have any more information.  Immediately I thought, “I hope the Giffords event hasn’t started yet and I hope she wasn’t there.”  I had no idea what time her event was scheduled for, but naturally I was concerned.  Our meeting ended and some of us were visiting when one of our state representatives came in with the bad news.  He had been in contact with police and they had told him that Gabrielle Giffords was among those that had been shot, but he had no information on her condition or if the gunman had been caught.

Immediately some of us began to cry.  Many of us have met Gabrielle Giffords, and some knew her pretty well.  All of us were stunned.  Some of us huddled together for a prayer for Giffords, the others who had been shot and their friends and families.  Then I left for Pima County Republican Headquarters.

I had already planned to go there for the LD28 meeting scheduled for Noon.  Now I was headed there to see if there was anything I could do in my role 1st Vice Chair of the Pima County GOP.  We spent he next few hours making phone calls, answering phone calls, praying, crying at times, and watching the news unfold.  We were devastated when we heard that Giffords had died.  We were devastated to learn that a 9 year old girl had been killed.  We were relieved to learn that Giffords was alive!  More prayers for her recovery and for God to comfort those who lost family members.  Those prayers continue.

It was an emotionally draining day and weekend.  It’s an emotional start to the work week.

It is surreal to drive by Ina and Oracle and see the Walgreens that I frequent and the entire Safeway shopping center surrounded with yellow tape.  Police cars guard every entrance with their lights flashing, and satellite trucks are parked across the street.

All eyes are on Tucson and all hearts cry out to God for healing and comfort even as we try to understand the evil that was carried out through a very disturbed young man.  I have confidence that God will bring good out of this tragedy.  It is His nature.  I also know that He is close to the brokenhearted.   His Word says so.

Posted in Mike Shaw TV, Political, Spiritual | 2 Comments

10 Things you May not Know about Hawaii – The Good, The Bad, and the Just Plain Funny

Posted on January 8, 2011 by Brandi

1. Homeless People
- There are a lot of homeless people in Hawaii. Some parts of the island have tent cities, and although there are laws against it, the authorities let them stay unless it gets out of hand. I would personally say 2 miles of beach on the west side full of makeshift houses is a bit out of hand. I suppose homelessness is something of a sensitive subject, but I feel as if I can’t go anywhere alone because of it. People sleeping on almost every bus stop bench, in all of the gazebos at the local park. I am not exaggerating. It’s a sad truth about Hawaii. They certainly don’t show this on the postcards do they?

2.  Speed Limit
- The highest speed limit is 60mph, and that is only on one little stretch of the H-1, and another stretch of the H-3. The H-1, H-2, and H-3 are like interstates here. They are the 3 major roads on the island. After looking it up, the speed limit in those two areas was just raised in 2002 after ‘public outcry’. The typical speed limit on regular highways is 35MPH, 25MPH on side roads.

3. Traffic
- There is more traffic here than I have ever seen before. Every morning and afternoon the traffic on the H-1 comes to a standstill. There is so much traffic at the oddest hours that you would think nobody on the island works.

On the same subject though there is an upside. The drivers here are for the most part very considerate. They will let you in when you need to change lanes, or pull out into traffic. The only exception I have found is old Asian men. Every time I get cut off, almost sideswiped or nearly rear-ended I look in the mirror to see a little old Asian man grimacing at me. Remember this if you ever visit the island and end up in the wrong lane, and believe me, you will end up in the wrong lane.

4. Metrosexual Men
- It is not uncommon to see a man walking down the road in his skinny jeans carrying a shoulder bag. They range in style from masculine leather briefcase to metallic with rhinestones. I even saw a man with robin’s egg blue toenails yesterday. No skirts as of yet, but I’m just biding my time for that day. I get a nice giggle when I see a couple walking together and his purse is nicer than hers!

5. Language
- Obviously being in Hawaii you would expect to see some Hawaiian written and spoken. But, you see and hear just as much Japanese. On the mainland it is common to have signs written in English, and below that in Spanish. In Hawaii, everything is written in English, with Japanese below.

6. Hello Kitty
- Hello Kitty is everywhere! There is a big Sanrio store in every mall, and even a huge hello kitty section at the Navy exchange. People here just can’t get enough of that cute kitty! I imagine that is largely because of the Japanese influence on the island, but I love it too!

7. Street lamps
- I did say some things were just plain funny. All of the street lights on the island match! At night, they look like golden stars dotted across the mountainside. Each light is the same size and same color. It is actually one of my most favorite things about Hawaii.

8. Rainbows
- The Hawaii license plate shows a rainbow, and that is no coincidence. I have never seen more rainbows than I have since we moved here. Something about the way the rain falls over the mountains, and the sun shining creates the perfect conditions needed for a rainbow. Sometimes they last the afternoon, and sometimes you only catch a glimpse for a few minutes before the clouds shift. If there really is a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow then either 1) There is a lot of gold on the island or 2) the leprechauns are very very busy moving the pot around from one rainbow end to the next.

9. Pitbulls and Chihuahuas
- Everything costs more in Hawaii, and the dogs are no exception! You can expect to pay double the amount on the mainland for a purebred on the island. That’s not terribly surprising though. The funny part about dogs on the island is the two most popular breeds–Chihuahuas and Pitbulls. Almost every dog at the pound is mixed with one of these breeds, if not both. I fear that dog fighting is prevalent here (with the pitbulls, not the Chihuahuas), which is extremely sad.

10.  Large families
- According to statistics the average family size in Hawaii is 3.23, while the average family size in the US is 3.14. In numbers that doesn’t seem like too much of a difference, but in personal experience I see as many families with 5 children as I do with only one child. During a trip to the store, it is common to see at least 3 families with at least 3 children and often one on the way. As a matter of fact, I have never seen so many pregnant women as I have in Hawaii, both military and local families alike!

Perhaps some of you already knew a few of these tidbits about Hawaii, but many took me by surprise. My only knowledge of the island before we moved here was what they show on TV or in books. These little quirks about the island begin to show a larger picture of what island life is really like. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows, but sometimes it is!

~Brandi

Posted in Brindi | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Tucson Snow!

Posted on December 31, 2010 by MikeShawTV

Winter Rules Golf

Winter Rules Golf

Well, it was close.  Click on the pic to go to my TucsonWeather.us site to see more pics.  It snowed at the apartment, but didn’t stick at 2,650 feet.  However, a 15 minute drive north (and up another 1,300 feet) and I was in an inch or two of snow.  Follow this link to see a series of video reports I did yesterday morning as the snow was falling.  When news breaks, we fix it!

Posted in Mike Shaw TV, Phortography, Weather | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

No Illegal Left Behind

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Tracy

Did you know that the population in the United States has increased by 27 million in the last 10 years? Most of this increase is through immigration. We are a country of immigrants. I view legal immigration to America as a good thing. It helps us attract knowledgeable people that want to contribute to our society.  People that come with the attitude of “what can I contribute”.

Illegal immigrants who bypass the system, overstay their visas or sneak over/under the border come with their hand out or with a gun in it.  The fact that some of our politicians want to grant amnesty just to obtain more political power is shameful.  We have established legal ways where people can apply for citizenship. People that have gone through the process and become naturalized citizens should be insulted by Homeland Securities response to illegals.

Our government needs to take up the mantra of “No Illegal Left Behind” . I have heard excuses from Homeland Security that it costs too much to deport them. How much more is the cost of not deporting them? Just in medical alone the figure is staggering. The people that are in this country illegally should be  deported immediately and our borders should be  made secure. Then if they want citizenship they need to get in line. But understand the line starts in their country!

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Tucson Weather. Will it Snow?!

Posted on December 28, 2010 by MikeShawTV

Those of you that know me well know that I LOVE weather.  Not just a little, but a LOT.  It is true that I was a TV weather guy for many years and although I am not anymore weather is still a hobby that I am somewhat obsessed with.  Combine my love for weather with my intense love of snow and my love for new media (that’s a lot of love) and you get “Coffee and a Forecast” presented each morning on one of my blog sites, TucsonWeather.us.  Specifically, you get this morning’s “Coffee and Forecast” that has snow in the forecast for Tucson!  But will it be enough for a snowball fight?

Posted in Blogging, Mike Shaw TV, Technology, Wheelchair | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Christmas Poems

Posted on December 23, 2010 by five dogs

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. This is beginning to be one of the happiest Christmases in my lifetime. Getting in the spirit of the moment, I thought I would post my most recent attempt at rhyme.

The Sounds of Christmas

Whispers of Christmas are everywhere.
The rustle of leaves in the frosty air;
Church bells pealing hymns over there
Welcoming the Christ Child with lamb and mare,
Bringing grace and loving care
into our lives for us to share;
Whispering “Merry Christmas,
Dear friends,” with a heartfelt prayer.

The Scents of Christmas

The scents of Christmas are all around,
Pine and cedar boughs abound;
A breath of snow is in the air.
Smoke from chimneys everywhere,
Apple pie and pumpkin, too,
Divinity and chocolate just for you!
Cider spiked with Red Hots wafting pungent
Cinnamon and yeast lurking for a hint
Of things to come, bringing Christmas cheer,
My very most favorite time of the year.
Merry Christmas to all both far and near!
May the Christ live in your heart so dear
And bring blessings for all who will hear.

Merry Christmas 2010 and in the words of Tiny Tim, “God bless us everyone.”

Posted in Poems | Tagged , | 3 Comments

The Cloud is Coming – Is it going to be nice, white, and puffy or an overwhelming black storm?

Posted on December 23, 2010 by Tracy

Cloud computing is defined literally as internet based computing – where the program data is run from a server located on the internet. Your data can be accessed using a web browser or an App from anywhere as long as you are connected to the web.

 We have seen huge advances in this arena, mainly  because of phones and hand held devices like the Apple‘s  iPad. Other companies will be pushing it even harder in the future. Microsoft  has Office360 in beta that really looks promising as well as new phones using their operating system . Google Apps is also a big contender.

The benefits for companies and governments to switch to the cloud are many; they can throw away all their server farms, outsource their IT department, employees can collaborate on projects much easier and it should allow them to be more productive. The hardware required to access their data would be greatly reduced as well.

Cloud computing is becoming  more and more popular and some feel it is the natural evolution to computing. But at what price?  Let me share with you one instance of my personal experience with the cloud.

Many years ago, my wife and I took Dave Ramsey’s course “Financial Peace“. We enjoyed the course and for the most of it we have practiced what it teaches. One of  its cornerstones is “Planned Spending” (shhh it’s really a budget in disguise).  At the time I was using Quicken to help manage my finances but it is pretty tough to budget with and does not use an envelope type system. I soon found myself looking for something a lot easier, primarily envelope based and  would import my data from the bank so I don’t have to retype it all. So I turned to the Cloud and did a few searches.

 I found  two programs that would fit my needs. One of them, called Mvelopes is a perfect example of cloud computing.   You pay a monthly fee and access the program and your data through a browser. The program itself is  very good and can be accessed from any web device connected to the internet.

The other software I found is “You Need A Budget” (YNAB).  With this program you pay a onetime fee and install it on your computer. It cannot be accessed from anywhere on the web. But they have an App that runs on your phone that can be wirelessly synced with the computer that runs it.

Of these two packages I chose Ynab for a few reasons. First – security, with the program on my computer, I controlled who can see and access it. With it in the cloud Iwould  have to depend on the companies. Another reason was price. Within four months of paid services from Mnvelopes I would own Ynab and not have to continue paying for it. The last reason was accesability. I live in the country and my data connection isn’t that reliable. Ynab is always accesable to me either from my pc or the data synced to my phone. Mvelopes – even though totally cloud bassed was not always accesible.

Will the personal computer go the way of the dinosaur and we use small access type devices? I sure hope not.

Posted in Computer, Finance | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Good Morning from Oro Valley (Tucson), Arizona

Posted on December 22, 2010 by MikeShawTV

Posted in Mike Shaw TV, Phortography | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

How good is your math?

Posted on December 22, 2010 by Tracy

It never ceases to amaze me the lengths spammers will go to.  When I set up this blog I had no idea that there were computer bots out there that roam the Internet looking for places to register.  Sounds like something from the movie Tron.  All they do is register a fake user name and email address.  It’s not a person doing it but an automated bot computer that someone has programmed to do it. Within 24 hours of turning on the blog there were over 50 of these registered users with names like “LKJnbwdh@gmail.mu” .

 This site is set up where they can’t really do any damage since they can’t log in. But it is annoying. The user base was filling up with garbage and the mail engine was slowing to a crawl trying to continually send a password to someone that doesn’t exist.

 To stop this I had to add one of those pesky math questions to the registration page.  This at least ensures it is a real person on the other end registering. It looks like these computer bots failed elementery math.

Posted in Blogging, Computer | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

My Mamaw – Hero of the Faith

Posted on December 21, 2010 by MikeShawTV

This was originally blogged on one of my sites, EmbraceGrace.org:

I could start this quote from Hebrews 11 from the beginning of the chapter, but I’ll link it here so you go back and read it if you like.  For space sake, I’ll start in verse 13 and go through 16:

13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14 Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15 If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. 16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

My Mamaw died before she saw me come to faith in Christ, but I know she knows even as she celebrates with God.  Here is just a part of my story…

I was just a kid living in rural Oregon.  We lived about 4 miles outside of the little town of Canby, which lies on the Mollala and Willamette rivers about 22 miles south of Portland.  We were not a church going family but we had a good life on our 2 acres there in the Great Pacific Northwest.

When I was about 9 years old, Mamaw came to visit from Mississippi.  Mamaw was Southern Baptist and the sweetest woman you would ever want to meet.  Even sweeter than her famous caramel cake!  My heart was always so full of love for her, probably because her heart was always so full of love for me, and all of her grandchildren.

Sunday came and we all got dressed up for church.  Mamaw and all of us headed into town to the First Conservative Baptist Church of Canby.  I still remember parts of the service.  Mostly the warm feeling I had there.  After Mamaw went back to Mississippi, I decided that I wanted to keep going to church there.  They had a bus that went around picking kids up and so I started riding the bus.  It’s possible that I may have ridden with the next door neighbors some weeks, but I’m not sure.

I really enjoyed Sunday school and I remember the Sunday school teacher showing me a scripture that talked about springs in the ocean and how scientists were only starting to discover that that was true.  I loved science even as a little kid.  I realized that if the Bible was right about science it was probably right about a lot of other things… like Jesus!  I prayed to receive Jesus into my heart.

I remember that as I prayed, in my minds eye I saw light bursting from my heart.  I felt like a scoop scooping out the gunk.  I felt such joy!  It was wonderful!

However, over time, I stopped going to church.  I was the only one in the family going and I guess I just sorta stopped.  I can’t remember why or if there was really a reason.

Fast forward a few years to my 12th birthday (I think it was my 12th birthday).  I remember Mamaw got me the lamest gift.  It was an album of “Songs from Calvary” or something like that.  So lame.  I remember putting it on the top shelf in my closet never to be seen again.  (I wish I had it now.  Not for the music so much, but for what that present represents.)

Fast forward to my teenage and young adult years.  I don’t want to get into great detail, but slowly my life was spiraling downward.  I quit football my Junior year so I could party more with my friends.  I got kicked off the track team my Junior year for skipping school.  I was the first (and probably still only) Student Body President at Canby High School to resign, again, for skipping school.  A promising student and student leader, I dropped out of school my senior year and took my GED.  I was drinking, smoking pot, and partaking in other drugs.  I guess I was trying to escape and at the same time I was killing myself.

I eventually got my life together somewhat and moved to Roswell, NM to start my career in broadcasting.  By the time Mamaw died, I was a weatherman on the local news.  She was always so proud of me.  I remember how sad she was after Papaw died.  Mamaw and I could always talk about such things.  I remember asking her on the phone one time what it was like getting old.  After she said, “Bless your heart,” she told me that it’s like your mind wants to do something, but your body can’t anymore.  I am realizing more and more that she was right.

So yes, Mamaw died.  I drove to Mississippi from Roswell, NM for the funeral.  There are many things I remember from that visit, but for time sake I’ll just mention that during the funeral they played her favorite hymn, “Amazing Grace.”

About 7 years later, I was living and working in Lubbock, Texas.  I was divorced.  My son and daughter lived 350 miles away near Dallas.  I was still drinking a LOT and other things were going on in my life, but God was drawing me back to Him.  I remember driving to Dallas scanning the radio during that 5 hour trip and listening to part of a sermon and actually being interested in it.  God had placed some godly people in my life, including my now good friend Don Webster who managed a Christian radio station in Lubbock.  God also brought a wonderful (and beautiful) woman into my life.  She was having some medical problems and I was concerned for her.  Then I did something that I hadn’t done since I was a little kid.  I said a sincere prayer.

It was probably the fall of 1999.  I was all alone in my house.  At around 10:30 or 11 at night.  As I prayed, God gave me that same feeling in my heart that He gave me when I first prayed to accept Him into my heart all those years ago.  Joy was bursting from my heart!  but this time it didn’t stop!  Soon I was laughing and I knew.  Jesus IS real!  He IS the answer to all of the questions ever asked.  I was a Christian again (still?)!

So I asked my friend a day or two later, “what do I do now.”
She said, “You go to church!”  Then she said something very interesting.  “God’s gonna wow you.”
“What?” I asked.
“God’s gonna wow you,” she repeated.

I had no idea what she was talking about.

The next Sunday I put on my suit and went over to Trinity Church.  It was only a mile or so from my house and it was packed.  I sat up in the balcony and actually saw a couple of people I knew.  I felt very welcome.

Then it happened.  At the end of the service they had us all stand for one more song.  “Amazing Grace.”  I started singing and I closed my eyes and it hit me.  It was Mamaw’s prayers that were being answered that day!  I knew in my heart that she had never given up in her prayers for her precious grandson.  The tears were streaming down my checks and I said to God, “Tell her thank you!”

He told me, “She knows.”

More tears.  My heart full of joy!

I got baptized that Summer at Trinity Church.  I started volunteering at that Christian radio station with my new friend Don and my life has been so different in so many ways ever since.  Of course those are stories for other blog entries.

Back to Hebrews 11:12.  Mamaw’s had Faith.  Even though she died before her prayers concerning me were answered, she didn’t give up.

Mamaw is one of my heroes of the faith!  You probably have some of your own, whether you know it or not.

And while I don’t want to leave this Earth before I accomplish whatever it is that God has me to accomplish, I am so looking forward to hugging Mamaw’s neck as we celebrate in God’s presence together forever!

Posted in Mike Shaw TV, Spiritual | Tagged | 2 Comments