These books will change your life

The late Zig Ziglar often encouraged people to develop an attitude of gratitude.

That is excellent advice, especially as we head into Thanksgiving Day. Gratitude is just one of many virtues Ziglar extolled. I know this because I have listened to many of his audiobooks over the years. Throughout my life I have always been a voracious reader, but since 2008 I have become an even more voracious audiobook “reader.” Most of that has to do with lengthy commutes to work that I’ve had, and now it’s habit. Even my daily Bible reading has shifted to the audio format.

Whatever format you consume books (paper, digital, audio), there are some that I’ve come across that I cannot recommend enough. I’m incredibly grateful to the authors for producing such well-written, life-changing prose. I think you will be too if you read any of these.

 

Weight loss

If you are interested in losing weight or healthy eating, the book you absolutely must read is “Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?” by Dr. Mark Hyman. He is a proponent of what he calls the pegan diet, which is a cross of the paleo and vegan diets. It relies heavily on organic, non-starchy vegetables and grass-fed, organic meats. He sums it up simply as, “If God made it, eat it; if man made it, leave it.”

 

Personal finance

I highly recommend any book by Dave Ramsey, but particularly “Financial Peace” and “The Total Money Makeover.” The principles are the same in all of his books. Live on less than you make. Pay off all debt from the smallest amount to the largest. Save money, invest, and give generously. A lot of churches and other organizations often host his Financial Peace University program. It’s eye-opening and life-changing.

 

Society today

Written around the time of the 2016 election, Tom Nichols’ “Death of Expertise” gives a meaty, insightful look at why so many people are rejecting facts and knowledge and accepting opinion and falsehoods in their place. Although Nichols touches on Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, most of his research and information predate the election. I’m eagerly awaiting the chance to read his next book, which is already out, called “Our Own Worst Enemy: The Assault from Within on Modern Democracy.”

 

Leadership

There are so many great books out there that I cannot begin to list but a fraction of them. My favorite leadership books include “EntreLeadership” by Dave Ramsey, “The Wisdom and Teachings of Steven R. Covey” (and any book by Covey), “Extreme Ownership: How the U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win,” by Leif Babin and Jocko Willink, and “Zig Ziglar’s Leadership and Success Series.”

 

Character and personal development

Once again, the list of books and authors in this category could fill pages. For me, however, it begins and ends with Ziglar. Among his many books on selling, motivation, and leadership are “Better than Good,” “Born to Win,” “Goals,” “How to Get What You Want,” “How to Stay Motivated,” and “Over the Top.”  Other authors I recommend are Dale Carnegie, Napoleon Hill, and Tony Robbins.

 

Novel series

When it comes to non-fiction, my preferences tend to be action thrillers. I’m currently going through the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. I also love the Scot Harvath books by Brad Thor. Ever since I was a teenager I have been reading the Dirk Pitt books by the late Clive Cussler, along with all the other series he has done with co-authors. My friend Brad Meltzer has put out many non-fiction thrillers, most as one-offs, but including the Culper Ring trilogy and now “The Lightning Rod,” his second in a new series based on his characters Zig and Nola.

I keep telling the Brads that they need to collaborate on a book featuring Meltzer’s Nola Brown and the ladies from Thor’s “Athena Project.” So far they haven’t taken me seriously.

One other book series that I thoroughly enjoy is the Harry Potter series. Forget the movies, read the books by J.K. Rowling.

 

The end

I would love to go on talking about favorite books and authors, but I’m out of time and space. I bring them up now because it is a way for me to continue to share valuable knowledge and insight after I am gone. You see, by the time you read this I will have reluctantly left the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post and returned to my home in the Houston area.

I absolutely hate to leave and don’t want to go, but God has other plans for me. After 10 months (and searching much longer than that), my wife has been unable to secure employment in her field up here. After the last door closed, we asked God to show us where he wants us. Shortly after that, I was contacted by a paper in the Houston area to see if I was interested in being their editor. One door closes and another door opens. The message was clear.

I am incredibly grateful to my publisher, Ken Esten Cooke, and all of the staff here at the Standard for their hard work, friendship, support, and encouragement. I am thankful for all I have learned here and am hopeful that I leave the paper in better shape than I found it. I’m also grateful to you, the readers of this paper, and all the people of Fredericksburg and Gillespie County for being so welcoming and friendly. Y’all have been great and I will miss you. Hopefully our paths will cross again.

Shopping at home is important to locals

Black Friday is next week. For those thinking about Christmas gifts, Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) is the traditional start to the holiday shopping season. We strongly encourage everyone to shop local this year.

Supporting local businesses is very important to maintaining a vital community, but this year in particular we need your Christmas dollars to stay home. We are still recovering from the pandemic shutdowns and local merchants really need your support.

Remember, they are more than just merchants, they are your friends and neighbors. Their children go to school with your children. Their children are probably in the same sports leagues your children participate in. You may share a pew with them on Sunday mornings. You likely support the same charities and social or political causes. They often help underwrite many of the festivals and events we so frequently enjoy here.

Local businesses also employ local people. They’re the heart and soul of our economy. Every time you shop at a big box store or from a company online, think about the impact here in Fredericksburg and Gillespie County.

Is the object you’re buying available locally? If so, please buy it locally. Even if you have to pay a little more, it’s worth it to keep local businesses in business.

We think it’s much better to support your neighbors than the billionaires running mega corporations. When was the last time Amazon sponsored a local Little League team or underwrote a local festival?

One of the benefits we have of being a tourist destination is there is no lack of unique and creative gift possibilities. A stroll down Main Street will give you endless ideas.

Local wines make for great gifts, not only at Christmas and New Year’s, but for special (and not-so-special) occasions throughout the year. So too do products made from peaches and pecans grown here.

Another thing people can do to help out is to take seasonal or permanent jobs here. There is a huge shortage of service industry openings that urgently need to be filled. In all likelihood, many businesses here would benefit more from being fully staffed than they would by having a crush of shoppers they cannot adequately serve. That’s an opportunity to help your neighbors and make a little money on the side.

Additionally, when you eat out at any of our fine, local restaurants, please be generous with your tips. The cost of living here is high and many of these wait staff, cooks, etc., are working long and difficult hours for not much pay. They are very often understaffed and overworked. Be thankful they are there to make sure your dining experience is the best it can be.

So, instead of chasing cheap products at out-of-town retailers, take some time to shop at home and help make the holidays happy for everyone. – J.S.

(This editorial appeared in the Nov. 17, 2021, edition of the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post.)

Celebrate the holidays, don’t swim in the sewer

We’re Americans. It’s time to act like it. It’s that time of year when the usual holiday garbage begins to recirculate on Facebook and other social media platforms – does it ever really stop?

Let’s clear the air and flush the fertilizer that clogs up our social media feeds and fuels anger and frustration instead of providing holiday cheer.

There is no war on Christmas. There never was. You can say Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, or whatever you feel like. The First Amendment gives you that right. You can also call it X-mas. It’s not hurting anyone and it’s not disrespectful. It’s not taking Christ out of Christmas. It is an abbreviation. The X comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word Christós, which became the English version of Christ.

Although I personally don’t like it, it’s OK to play Christmas music before Thanksgiving. It’s not against the law (unless it’s “The Christmas Shoes,” “Santa Baby,” “Last Christmas,” or anything by Mariah Carey).

Stop saying certain songs and holiday programs are banned (unless they’re on the aforementioned list). They’re not. News flash: You can listen to any song and watch any TV special you want (unless it’s “Elf” with Will Ferrell – I will judge you!). Trust me, the PC police are not coming.

And if the networks and radio stations don’t play your favorite holiday fare, guess what? This is America. They don’t have to. That doesn’t mean they’re banned or the broadcaster is banning anything. It may be something as simple as they can’t sell advertising for it or its declining ratings are no longer worth airing it. Or maybe it’s so lame that nobody else cares about it.

You can put up a nativity scene on your front lawn. Unless you are in a homeowners’ association that prohibits all lawn decoration, go for it. If your neighbors can put up Santa or the Grinch, then by all means, put Jesus in the manger.

While we’re at it, don’t vilify the Pilgrims at Thanksgiving. They didn’t come here to subjugate or annihilate Native Americans. They came here to find religious liberty and a new start.

A day of giving thanks is not the time to beat the war drums in protest of European settlement of America. What European settlers did to Native Americans is tragic and a point of national shame, but that has nothing to do with Thanksgiving.

If a day of recognition and mourning for Native Americans is needed, I suggest moving the focus from Thanksgiving to Nov. 29, the day in 1864 when hundreds of peaceful Cheyennes and Arapahos were brutally slaughtered in the Sand Creek Massacre. Or maybe the Dec. 29, 1890, Wounded Knee Massacre. Those events more than anything exemplify the crimes of whites against the native people.

 

Know the real enemy

To borrow from cartoonist Walt Kelly’s 1970 Pogo comic, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Facebook has made that abundantly clear.

It’s disheartening to see how easily people are manipulated into anger and offense by memes, half-truths and lies. I don’t know what is worse, the fact that people would put such garbage out there or that people would be so quick to eat it up and turn on one another.

I continually flirt with the idea of getting off Facebook and most all other social media platforms, but the need to stay connected to family and friends keeps me going. Then someone will post nonsense about politics or the pandemic and everything gets all riled up again.

So here’s the deal. If you really value Thanksgiving, Christmas and all the holidays this time of year, let’s act like we believe in the messages of gratitude, peace, and love.

Stop commenting on the negative. Feed the positive. Flood your feeds with beauty, joy, gratitude and contentment.

Celebrate and have fun. Life is too short to swim in the sewer. That is the American way.

 

joe@fredericksburgstndard.com

Out of thin air: Filtration system could be a key in combatting COVID

Bill Tillman, left, and Paul K. Carlton Jr. discuss
the Killer Filter that could eliminate COVID-19
and other contaminates from the air.

“Whatever you do, don’t call it a COVID killer,” cautioned Bill Tillman, a Fredericksburg engineer who created a highly efficient, low-cost air filtration system that does just that.

Coming out of retirement to team up with his longtime friend, former Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. (retired) Paul K. Carlton Jr., MD, Tillman has revived his company, Isolate, Inc., which produces air filtration systems that clean viruses and just about everything else out of indoor air.

Tillman doesn’t want his system to be called a COVID killer because it has not yet been scientifically tested against the virus. It has been proven to “kill all airborne mold and bacteria, including the hard-to-kill surrogate for weaponized anthrax,” Tillman said, noting the anthrax surrogate is “10 times harder to kill than any virus.”

The multi-prong approaches the men use to filter indoor air is also effective against allergens and other airborne contaminates.

Isolate was incorporated in 1994 and has been “involved with HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) air filtration projects including clean rooms for semiconductor plants, pharmaceutical facilities, hospitals, medical clinics, and anywhere clean air is essential,” according to its website.

“The Isolate engineers developed in-room 100% HEPA exhaust air filtration units to create negative pressure isolation exam rooms for the Diagnostic Hospital (of Houston, now part of the Methodist Hospital System)” the website says.

When Carlton saw what Tillman was doing back then, he knew he was onto something big.

“We finally found somebody at the University of South Florida, who would test it against the surrogate for weaponized anthrax, and it killed it cold, period,” Carlton recalled.

Carlton, who was a professor at Texas A&M for 10 years, retired in 2012. Tillman retired and closed down his business in 2015. When the COVID-19 pandemic began shutting everything down in 2020, Carlton realized that Tillman’s product might hold the key to combating the disease.

“I called Bill and said, ‘Come out of retirement, we need to get this into major production.’ I then put together a briefing that I took to a variety of people that accepted it,” he said. “But the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) said, ‘this is not airborne. This is a surface transmitted disease.’ And I never understood that until Dr. (Anthony) Fauci made one statement. And the statement was, ‘we will never say anything that we have not proven to be true at CDC.’ Well, that’s a recipe for disaster in war. You always have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C. No plan survives first contact with the enemy.”

 

An airborne enemy

After doing some research, Carlton concluded that COVID-19 is transmitted through air, in addition to touch. Knowing that the average person spends as much as 80% of their day indoors, it became apparent that the key to fighting COVID-19 could be through air filtration. Getting medical professionals to believe him, however, is difficult.

“The engineers said a long time ago, ‘it’s the air you guys,’ but the medics didn’t agree. And unfortunately, the medics won,” Carlton said. “And so this blinded us and the COVID experts, because we continue to believe as a medical community with Dr. Fauci, that it’s not airborne, it’s droplets, which then drop out within six feet, and it’s surface.”

Lessons from the past

Carlton looked back at studies from the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1919. He said 40% of patients treated indoors died compared to 13% of those placed outside in tents. Fresh air and sunshine made a difference.

That’s where Tillman’s air filtration system comes into play. Designed as portable room-sized units, he can also modify it to accommodate a building’s air conditioning unit, which is what he has done with his own Fredericksburg home.

“So, when Bill decided to retire and come here with his bride, then he designed his house so that when you walk in that house, you literally could build electric components, you could mix pharmaceuticals, you can build all the circuit boards you wanted to. Just like a cleanroom,” Carlton said.

Tillman offered a tour of the unit in his attic and showed a measuring device that indicated there were zero particulates being detected in his living room.

How it works

His UVC/HEPA “Killer Filter” system works backward from most standard air filtration systems. It brings dirty air in from the bottom and exposes it to ultraviolet light, which kills most microorganisms. The air then goes inside a cylindrical HEPA filter encased in aluminum coated wing fiber mesh.

“The dirty air comes in at the floor, which is where the all the particulate is going to fall,” Tillman said. “It’s sucked up in here. As it’s coming in. We’re killing it before it ever hits the inside surface. But when it hits the inside surface, it can’t go anywhere. This is a 99.97% filter. So we now have contained it and we’ve killed it. This one-two step is probably all we need. But there’s new technologies that have come up with.”

He said bipolar needlepoint ionization from a device in the unit pushed into the air stream causes particulates to have positive or negative charges and clump together, where they fall to the floor.

“It could be important with some aerosols,” he said.

Utilizing parts he still has warehoused in Houston and reopening his parts supply chains, Tillman has Isolate back in business. His units have been used effectively in a hospital in the Texas Panhandle as well as a school system in Puerto Rico, where the client said there have been no cases of COVID-19 since the units were installed.

He said the unit essentially creates a negative pressure isolation chamber in an ordinary room without throwing away heated or cooled air, which drives up electric bills. His unit recycles the air, taking in dirty air and returning it clean.

Carlton said the system isn’t 100% effective at eliminating microorganisms and other microscopic particles, which makes air exchanges an important component. He said studies are still under way, but it appears that about 10-12 exchanges (complete change of air in a room) per hour is what is needed. The men said their hypothesis about air exchanges is being borne out by competitors and others who are working on the problem.

Layers of protection

Carlton said air filtration alone won’t solve the COVID problem but said that the more layers of protection added increases the level of protection.

“I am not anti-vaccine. I am not anti-mask. I’m saying we haven’t used all the tools,” he said.

He said the vaccine will not prevent a person from getting COVID-19, but it will significantly improve their chances of survival and lessen their symptoms. He said masks have about a 60% effective rate at blocking the virus, which is why he recommends people use as many of the defenses as they can.

Although Carlton and Tillman are friends and have been collaborating on the project, they maintain a degree of ethical separation.

“So, there no financial involvement. Bill and I have kept separate financially, because I go and talk to government people all the time. And that I can’t do if I’m financially involved. So, I have no financial involvement,” Carlton said.

Locally, Tillman said his system is used by West End Pizza to help keep its staff and customers safe.

To learn more, visit www.isolate.com or call 713-937-9393.

(This story ran in the Nov. 3, 2021, edition of the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post.)