By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer Earlier this summer after we had finished harvesting our wheat crop and wrapped up planting the rest of our fall crops, my husband casually mentioned that fall harvest would take a while this year. At that time, we had a lot of acres of corn, soybeans and sorghum growing that would all need to be harvested before the end of the year. &nbsp; As the summer transitioned to fall, the machines were brought out of the sheds, and I mentally prepared myself for the long harvest ahead.&nbsp; &nbsp; While the summer wheat harvest for us is an incredibly busy two-week stretch requiring our undivided time and effort to get the grain out of the fields, our fall harvest is much more drawn out.&nbsp;I generally describe the summer wheat harvest as a sprint, whereas fall harvest is definitely a marathon.&nbsp; &nbsp; As August rolled into September, my family transitioned into the long days of fall harvest. September moved into October, and the combines and grain cart continued to traverse the dirt roads to the next fields awaiting their harvest while our trucks methodically delivered the grain to local elevators. Lower temperatures and less daylight ushered October out and we settled into a colder November while the harvest continued. &nbsp; The food delivered to the fields for the noon and evening meals were intentionally warmer than the meals we started out with just a few, long months ago. The shorts and T-shirts some of us wore at the start of fall harvest have been traded in for coveralls and sweatshirts. The air conditioning in the combine was turned off and the seat warmer turned on. Satellite radio tuned to baseball and football broadcasts earlier in the season now occasionally plays Christmas music. &nbsp; Yes, this year’s fall harvest absolutely fits that “marathon” description. But my family has much to be thankful for today as we will not be in the field this Thanksgiving. Our crew has crossed that finish line and this year’s harvest is now complete! &nbsp; We have wrapped up this year’s long harvest with the help of many hands who dedicated their days and nights to keeping the machines and trucks moving the grain out of fields. Our crew remained safe and healthy during these long days and nights that easily and often become a blur over a three-month period. Our days were long, yet productive, and harvest was bountiful. We have so much to be thankful for this year. &nbsp; And much like someone who has just completed another marathon, we will now rest and recover before preparing for the next race that’ll be here before we know it. Until then, we will enjoy each other’s company and be thankful for all that we’ve been afforded.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="Kim Baldwin" />
 <figcaption>Kim Baldwin</figcaption>
 </figure>By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer Earlier this summer after we had finished harvesting our wheat crop and wrapped up planting the rest of our fall crops, my husband casually mentioned that fall harvest would take a while this year. At that time, we had a lot of acres of corn, soybeans and sorghum growing that would all need to be harvested before the end of the year. &nbsp; As the summer transitioned to fall, the machines were brought out of the sheds, and I mentally prepared myself for the long harvest ahead.&nbsp; &nbsp; While the summer wheat harvest for us is an incredibly busy two-week stretch requiring our undivided time and effort to get the grain out of the fields, our fall harvest is much more drawn out.&nbsp;I generally describe the summer wheat harvest as a sprint, whereas fall harvest is definitely a marathon.&nbsp; &nbsp; As August rolled into September, my family transitioned into the long days of fall harvest. September moved into October, and the combines and grain cart continued to traverse the dirt roads to the next fields awaiting their harvest while our trucks methodically delivered the grain to local elevators. Lower temperatures and less daylight ushered October out and we settled into a colder November while the harvest continued. &nbsp; The food delivered to the fields for the noon and evening meals were intentionally warmer than the meals we started out with just a few, long months ago. The shorts and T-shirts some of us wore at the start of fall harvest have been traded in for coveralls and sweatshirts. The air conditioning in the combine was turned off and the seat warmer turned on. Satellite radio tuned to baseball and football broadcasts earlier in the season now occasionally plays Christmas music. &nbsp; Yes, this year’s fall harvest absolutely fits that “marathon” description. But my family has much to be thankful for today as we will not be in the field this Thanksgiving. Our crew has crossed that finish line and this year’s harvest is now complete! &nbsp; We have wrapped up this year’s long harvest with the help of many hands who dedicated their days and nights to keeping the machines and trucks moving the grain out of fields. Our crew remained safe and healthy during these long days and nights that easily and often become a blur over a three-month period. Our days were long, yet productive, and harvest was bountiful. We have so much to be thankful for this year. &nbsp; And much like someone who has just completed another marathon, we will now rest and recover before preparing for the next race that’ll be here before we know it. Until then, we will enjoy each other’s company and be thankful for all that we’ve been afforded."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: The marathon of fall

By MAX MCCOY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/21/love-rage-cranberry-sauce-welcome-to-the-week-that-has-it-all/">For the Kansas Reflector</a>

It’s that time of year again when we’re supposed to gather together 
and count our blessings, but a lot of us aren’t feeling particularly 
thankful on this second pandemic Thanksgiving week.

I don’t have any particular gratefulness metric to share with you, 
other than what we’ve all observed: a smoldering anger burning American 
life, beginning with the driver behind you leaning on his horn and 
screaming bloody murder because you’re not pulling away quick enough 
from a four-way stop. In the rear view you can almost feel his spittle 
flick the back of your neck from the mouthed curses that are the Supreme
 Court definition of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/fighting_words">fighting words</a>.
 There’s the freedom fighter who, seeing your mask, becomes agitated and
 generally tries to exhale as much unvaccinated carbon dioxide as 
possible in your direction, through cursing and shouting. And of course 
we can’t forget our current political amoral majority at the Kansas 
Statehouse, which has forced a historic <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/11/kansas-republicans-force-special-session-to-deal-with-federal-vaccine-mandates/">special session</a> of the Legislature this holiday week for a rage festival to fight federal COVID vaccine mandates for large employers.

We got a preview of what to expect during <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/12/kansas-hearing-on-vaccine-mandates-provides-stage-for-holocaust-comparisons/">public testimony</a>
 recently before the Special Committee on Government Overreach and the 
Impact of COVID-19 Mandates. Try saying the name of that committee 10 
times fast. There was more medical misinformation disseminated at the 
hearing than in any junior high school boys’ locker room in the land.

In addition to the typical anti-science, fear-mongering claptrap from the usual suspects, including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kshf.org/">Kansans for Health Freedom</a>,
 we were also treated to the spectacle of anti-vaxivist Daran Duffy and 
his family sitting in the front row wearing yellow Stars of David on 
their chests, as if they were about to be hauled off to the gas 
chambers. Nope, Duffy said, he didn’t consider visual Holocaust 
analogies offensive because “we’re definitely moving in that direction.”
 His claim is wrong and offensive, but consistent with the authoritarian
 playbook. It’s another Big Lie told in service to a political 
objective, and it was widely employed by — you guessed it — the Nazis. 
Although the concept of the Big Lie has often been attributed to Joseph 
Goebbels, the Third Reich’s minister of propaganda, it probably 
originated with Hitler himself.

People will believe a big lie sooner than a little one, Hitler believed, according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/joseph-goebbels-on-the-quot-big-lie-quot">psychological profile</a>
 compiled by the American wartime intelligence services, the Office of 
Strategic Services. If you repeat the lie frequently enough, people will
 sooner or later believe it.

“His primary rules were: never allow the public to cool off,” the OSS
 profile reads, “never admit a fault or wrong; never concede that there 
may be good in your enemy; never leave room for alternatives; never 
accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for 
everything that goes wrong.”

Our majority lawmakers in Kansas — and those in Florida, Missouri, 
and Tennessee — are not going to let the public cool off or let us 
forget that everything bad is the fault of Joe Biden and his 
Satan-worshipping cabal of Democrats. There’s a lot of talk about 
freedom and Jesus surrounding these special sessions, just so no 
political capital is left on the table. Never mind that the vast 
majority of the lawmakers beating their breasts about God and Country 
were themselves vaccinated against mumps, measles, rubella, and 
sometimes smallpox in elementary school, or that in red letters Jesus 
urged us to love (and presumably care for) our neighbors.

Instead, we’re going to be treated to more political spectacle, more 
medical quackery, and yet more calculated comparisons to the Holocaust. 
The anti-science dark side of the Force is so strong in Kansas that even
 the state’s governor, Democrat Laura Kelly, has caved.

“While I appreciate the intention to keep people safe, a goal I 
share, I don’t believe this (Biden administration ) directive is the 
correct, or the most effective, solution for Kansas,” she said in a <a target="_blank" href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-laura-kellys-statement-addressing-new-federal-vaccine-mandate/">statement</a>
 early this month. “It is too late to impose a federal standard now that
 we have already developed systems and strategies that are tailored to 
our specific needs.”

This, from the governor whose efforts to mount a coordinated, 
statewide effort to contain the virus was hamstrung by a hostile 
Legislature that demanded “<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/25/house-senate-gop-leaders-pledge-to-derail-new-kansas-mask-order-if-re-issued-by-kelly/">oversight.</a>”
 The result was them crumbling under the anti-science, faux freedom 
lobby. The only need Kelly’s statement addresses is her own need for 
re-election, as she’s facing a tough campaign next year against expected
 GOP nominee Derek Schmidt, the state’s attorney general, who already <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/05/kansas-governor-attorney-general-both-oppose-federal-vaccine-mandate/">came out against</a> Biden’s mandate.

Kelly believes she needs to retain her office in order to do good. 
But at what point do you stand up for what you know is right, instead of
 talking nonsense about “systems and strategies” tailored to specific 
needs? Why aren’t our leaders talking about the vaccine “mandate” in the
 same way we talked about the need to ban smoking in the workplace? 
Kansas has had the Clean Indoor Air Act for 10 years. There were no 
yellow star photo ops in protest. If the government can regulate smoking
 at work and public places for the sake of public safety, why balk at a 
“vaccine or testing” requirement for employers?

It’s because our leaders lack the courage to speak the truth. Most 
seem to fear medical fact will thwart our state’s specific emotional 
need to believe in hogwash. The pandemic has dragged on in Kansas 
because of vaccine refusal, and we may be facing a brutal fourth wave 
this winter. By the time we sit down to Thanksgiving dinner, our state 
may have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">recorded</a> 7,000 COVID deaths.

Nationally, we’ve logged more than 760,000 dead. It will be a million or more before it’s all over. I remember the <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/26/we-need-to-see-more-names-and-faces-of-kansans-lost-to-covid-19/">first column</a>
 I wrote for Kansas Reflector, in July 2020, when the death toll was 
326. It’s now 21 times that. I still believe we need to see the names 
and faces of the coronavirus dead, run in local newspapers, just as news
 outlets ran the names and faces of the dead during the Vietnam War.

But I’m wondering now if death isn’t the attraction, however 
unconscious, for a large segment of vaccine deniers. I’ve been trying 
for months now to make sense of the resistance to vaccines that in any 
other circumstance would be hailed as medical miracles. Where is the 
irrational anger — the cathartic, liberating rage — coming from? I talk 
about this over the breakfast table with Kim, who is weary of my trying 
to find logic in irrational beliefs. You can’t argue with crazy, she 
tells me, because crazy plays by its own facts and will win every time. 
So instead of trying to find logic in crazy, I’ve been thinking about 
psychological factors that might explain things.

Americans will choose freedom, or the illusion of it, over life every time.

Way back in the 1920s, Edward Bernays, the father of modern public 
relations, was hired by the American Tobacco Company to sell cigarettes 
to an untapped market — women. Bernays had experience influencing large 
swaths of people. He was hired by the United States, for example, to 
prepare France for the influx of Doughboys during World War I and was so
 successful that when Woodrow Wilson visited at war’s end the president 
was hailed as a “liberator.” Bernays was smart and talented — imagine a 
Don Draper of the Jazz Age — but he had something going for him that his
 competitors didn’t.

Bernays used his uncle’s ideas about how human beings are driven to 
things that are bad or even deadly to us and turned them into campaigns.
 For the American Tobacco Company, he staged a publicity stunt at the 
1929 Easter Sunday parade in New York. At an appointed signal, young 
women in the parade brought out cigarettes and lit up in public. The 
cigarettes, the press was told, were “torches of freedom.” The idea of 
smoking and liberation were, for generations of women, forever linked, 
even after it was shown that, when used as directed, cigarettes would 
kill you.

My mother smoked from the time she was a young bride in the 1940s to 
the week of her death, of cancer, at age 58. I still remember the red 
pack of Pall Malls that was never far from her reach. Pall Malls were a 
brand of the American Tobacco Company, and are still produced by its 
successor, the R.J. Reynolds Company.

In his 1928 book, “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Propaganda-Edward-Bernays/dp/0970312598">Propaganda</a>,” Bernays lays it out:

“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits 
and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic 
society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society 
constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our
 country.”

His pioneering work in public relations — good and bad, but 
undeniably effective — set the stage for the marketing explosion of the 
20th century, particularly after World War II when most families had a 
little disposable income. His uncle’s ideas about the human fascination 
with death became a staple of marketing. The death drive, as Freud saw 
it, results in anger, compulsion and self-destructive behavior. These 
ideas may seem primitive to modern psychoanalysts and marketing experts,
 with their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.healthline.com/health/mmpi-test">MMPI</a> and social media algorithms, but Freud’s insights have been used for decades to sell us things that are bad for us.

I suspect it’s also being used to sell us ideas that are bad for us.

In 2006, the cultural anthropologist Clotaire Rapaille published “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/139174/the-culture-code-by-clotaire-rapaille/">The Culture Code</a>,”
 a book that describes his work as a marketing guru for upscale brands. 
Rapaille is a little too glib to take everything he says without a 
generous dose of salt, but he writes clearly and has some compelling 
anecdotes. When Chrysler came to him in the 1990s to ask why Jeep 
Wrangler sales had stalled, Rapaille’s research told him it was because 
they’d changed the headlights to square. Change them back to round, he 
told them, because the code for Jeep was “horse,” and horses have round 
eyes. It worked.

Rapaille keeps his narrative positive, but he does have interesting 
things to say about the collective American mind. Our code for 
perfection, he says, is “death.” We’re an adolescent country and we fear
 getting things right the first time. We don’t like experts telling us 
what to do or holding us to their standards.

But what worked on the frontier isn’t a great strategy for public health.

The GOP of 2021 has an advantage over any reality-based political 
philosophy because it has completely surrendered to the irrational 
impulses that make us act against our own best interests. They have no 
need for new ideas or compelling solutions because the narrative they 
push is hardwired into the American brain. Freedom is about doing what 
you want because if it feels good, praise Jesus, and damn the 
consequences.

So, this Thanksgiving should be interesting.

Last year, the pandemic kept many of us apart, only sharing dinners 
with out-of-town family through a Zoom screen. Now, we are likely to be 
at the same table again. And along with the turkey and dressing and 
cranberry sauce will be love, anger and even rage. For most families, 
there will be plenty of eggshells to tiptoe around. But inevitably, 
after a glass or three of wine, politics will come up.

There may even be talk of JFK Jr. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/11/02/qanon-jfk-jr-dallas/">returning</a> from the dead.

Here’s my suggestion on how to handle it.

Show some kindness. Treat the loved one embracing political delusions
 or spouting medical misinformation or advocating an authoritarian 
worldview with the tolerance you would if they were heavy smokers who 
just hadn’t yet made the decision to quit. Don’t let them smoke at the 
table. Refuse to take a puff on their torch of freedom.

Then, on Black Friday, urge them to give the stuff up. Go back to 
rational arguments. Ask them to see a doctor for help with that cough. 
Don’t cave by allowing that yes, there may be some point to their 
vaccine denial, that voter fraud could be rampant, or that JFK Jr. just 
might return. You’re going to lose those arguments, because rage trumps 
fact every time, but at least you’ll have memories of one good holiday.

Then prepare yourself for the fourth wave.

Max McCoy is an award-winning author and journalist. A native Kansan, he started his career at the Pittsburg Morning Sun and was soon writing for national magazines.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637687459867.png" alt="This Thanksgiving, there will be plenty of rage to go along with the cranberry sauce. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>This Thanksgiving, there will be plenty of rage to go along with the cranberry sauce. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MAX MCCOY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/21/love-rage-cranberry-sauce-welcome-to-the-week-that-has-it-all/">For the Kansas Reflector</a>It’s that time of year again when we’re supposed to gather together 
and count our blessings, but a lot of us aren’t feeling particularly 
thankful on this second pandemic Thanksgiving week.I don’t have any particular gratefulness metric to share with you, 
other than what we’ve all observed: a smoldering anger burning American 
life, beginning with the driver behind you leaning on his horn and 
screaming bloody murder because you’re not pulling away quick enough 
from a four-way stop. In the rear view you can almost feel his spittle 
flick the back of your neck from the mouthed curses that are the Supreme
 Court definition of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/fighting_words">fighting words</a>.
 There’s the freedom fighter who, seeing your mask, becomes agitated and
 generally tries to exhale as much unvaccinated carbon dioxide as 
possible in your direction, through cursing and shouting. And of course 
we can’t forget our current political amoral majority at the Kansas 
Statehouse, which has forced a historic <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/11/kansas-republicans-force-special-session-to-deal-with-federal-vaccine-mandates/">special session</a> of the Legislature this holiday week for a rage festival to fight federal COVID vaccine mandates for large employers.We got a preview of what to expect during <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/12/kansas-hearing-on-vaccine-mandates-provides-stage-for-holocaust-comparisons/">public testimony</a>
 recently before the Special Committee on Government Overreach and the 
Impact of COVID-19 Mandates. Try saying the name of that committee 10 
times fast. There was more medical misinformation disseminated at the 
hearing than in any junior high school boys’ locker room in the land.In addition to the typical anti-science, fear-mongering claptrap from the usual suspects, including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kshf.org/">Kansans for Health Freedom</a>,
 we were also treated to the spectacle of anti-vaxivist Daran Duffy and 
his family sitting in the front row wearing yellow Stars of David on 
their chests, as if they were about to be hauled off to the gas 
chambers. Nope, Duffy said, he didn’t consider visual Holocaust 
analogies offensive because “we’re definitely moving in that direction.”
 His claim is wrong and offensive, but consistent with the authoritarian
 playbook. It’s another Big Lie told in service to a political 
objective, and it was widely employed by — you guessed it — the Nazis. 
Although the concept of the Big Lie has often been attributed to Joseph 
Goebbels, the Third Reich’s minister of propaganda, it probably 
originated with Hitler himself.People will believe a big lie sooner than a little one, Hitler believed, according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/joseph-goebbels-on-the-quot-big-lie-quot">psychological profile</a>
 compiled by the American wartime intelligence services, the Office of 
Strategic Services. If you repeat the lie frequently enough, people will
 sooner or later believe it.“His primary rules were: never allow the public to cool off,” the OSS
 profile reads, “never admit a fault or wrong; never concede that there 
may be good in your enemy; never leave room for alternatives; never 
accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for 
everything that goes wrong.”Our majority lawmakers in Kansas — and those in Florida, Missouri, 
and Tennessee — are not going to let the public cool off or let us 
forget that everything bad is the fault of Joe Biden and his 
Satan-worshipping cabal of Democrats. There’s a lot of talk about 
freedom and Jesus surrounding these special sessions, just so no 
political capital is left on the table. Never mind that the vast 
majority of the lawmakers beating their breasts about God and Country 
were themselves vaccinated against mumps, measles, rubella, and 
sometimes smallpox in elementary school, or that in red letters Jesus 
urged us to love (and presumably care for) our neighbors.Instead, we’re going to be treated to more political spectacle, more 
medical quackery, and yet more calculated comparisons to the Holocaust. 
The anti-science dark side of the Force is so strong in Kansas that even
 the state’s governor, Democrat Laura Kelly, has caved.“While I appreciate the intention to keep people safe, a goal I 
share, I don’t believe this (Biden administration ) directive is the 
correct, or the most effective, solution for Kansas,” she said in a <a target="_blank" href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-laura-kellys-statement-addressing-new-federal-vaccine-mandate/">statement</a>
 early this month. “It is too late to impose a federal standard now that
 we have already developed systems and strategies that are tailored to 
our specific needs.”This, from the governor whose efforts to mount a coordinated, 
statewide effort to contain the virus was hamstrung by a hostile 
Legislature that demanded “<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/25/house-senate-gop-leaders-pledge-to-derail-new-kansas-mask-order-if-re-issued-by-kelly/">oversight.</a>”
 The result was them crumbling under the anti-science, faux freedom 
lobby. The only need Kelly’s statement addresses is her own need for 
re-election, as she’s facing a tough campaign next year against expected
 GOP nominee Derek Schmidt, the state’s attorney general, who already <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/05/kansas-governor-attorney-general-both-oppose-federal-vaccine-mandate/">came out against</a> Biden’s mandate.OK, I get it.Kelly believes she needs to retain her office in order to do good. 
But at what point do you stand up for what you know is right, instead of
 talking nonsense about “systems and strategies” tailored to specific 
needs? Why aren’t our leaders talking about the vaccine “mandate” in the
 same way we talked about the need to ban smoking in the workplace? 
Kansas has had the Clean Indoor Air Act for 10 years. There were no 
yellow star photo ops in protest. If the government can regulate smoking
 at work and public places for the sake of public safety, why balk at a 
“vaccine or testing” requirement for employers?<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637687524277.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>It’s because our leaders lack the courage to speak the truth. Most 
seem to fear medical fact will thwart our state’s specific emotional 
need to believe in hogwash. The pandemic has dragged on in Kansas 
because of vaccine refusal, and we may be facing a brutal fourth wave 
this winter. By the time we sit down to Thanksgiving dinner, our state 
may have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">recorded</a> 7,000 COVID deaths.Nationally, we’ve logged more than 760,000 dead. It will be a million or more before it’s all over. I remember the <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/26/we-need-to-see-more-names-and-faces-of-kansans-lost-to-covid-19/">first column</a>
 I wrote for Kansas Reflector, in July 2020, when the death toll was 
326. It’s now 21 times that. I still believe we need to see the names 
and faces of the coronavirus dead, run in local newspapers, just as news
 outlets ran the names and faces of the dead during the Vietnam War.But I’m wondering now if death isn’t the attraction, however 
unconscious, for a large segment of vaccine deniers. I’ve been trying 
for months now to make sense of the resistance to vaccines that in any 
other circumstance would be hailed as medical miracles. Where is the 
irrational anger — the cathartic, liberating rage — coming from? I talk 
about this over the breakfast table with Kim, who is weary of my trying 
to find logic in irrational beliefs. You can’t argue with crazy, she 
tells me, because crazy plays by its own facts and will win every time. 
So instead of trying to find logic in crazy, I’ve been thinking about 
psychological factors that might explain things.Americans will choose freedom, or the illusion of it, over life every time.Way back in the 1920s, Edward Bernays, the father of modern public 
relations, was hired by the American Tobacco Company to sell cigarettes 
to an untapped market — women. Bernays had experience influencing large 
swaths of people. He was hired by the United States, for example, to 
prepare France for the influx of Doughboys during World War I and was so
 successful that when Woodrow Wilson visited at war’s end the president 
was hailed as a “liberator.” Bernays was smart and talented — imagine a 
Don Draper of the Jazz Age — but he had something going for him that his
 competitors didn’t.His uncle was Sigmund Freud.Bernays used his uncle’s ideas about how human beings are driven to 
things that are bad or even deadly to us and turned them into campaigns.
 For the American Tobacco Company, he staged a publicity stunt at the 
1929 Easter Sunday parade in New York. At an appointed signal, young 
women in the parade brought out cigarettes and lit up in public. The 
cigarettes, the press was told, were “torches of freedom.” The idea of 
smoking and liberation were, for generations of women, forever linked, 
even after it was shown that, when used as directed, cigarettes would 
kill you.My mother smoked from the time she was a young bride in the 1940s to 
the week of her death, of cancer, at age 58. I still remember the red 
pack of Pall Malls that was never far from her reach. Pall Malls were a 
brand of the American Tobacco Company, and are still produced by its 
successor, the R.J. Reynolds Company.Such is the reach of irrational desires.In his 1928 book, “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Propaganda-Edward-Bernays/dp/0970312598">Propaganda</a>,” Bernays lays it out:“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits 
and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic 
society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society 
constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our
 country.”Bernays lived to 103, dying in 1995.His pioneering work in public relations — good and bad, but 
undeniably effective — set the stage for the marketing explosion of the 
20th century, particularly after World War II when most families had a 
little disposable income. His uncle’s ideas about the human fascination 
with death became a staple of marketing. The death drive, as Freud saw 
it, results in anger, compulsion and self-destructive behavior. These 
ideas may seem primitive to modern psychoanalysts and marketing experts,
 with their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.healthline.com/health/mmpi-test">MMPI</a> and social media algorithms, but Freud’s insights have been used for decades to sell us things that are bad for us.I suspect it’s also being used to sell us ideas that are bad for us.In 2006, the cultural anthropologist Clotaire Rapaille published “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/139174/the-culture-code-by-clotaire-rapaille/">The Culture Code</a>,”
 a book that describes his work as a marketing guru for upscale brands. 
Rapaille is a little too glib to take everything he says without a 
generous dose of salt, but he writes clearly and has some compelling 
anecdotes. When Chrysler came to him in the 1990s to ask why Jeep 
Wrangler sales had stalled, Rapaille’s research told him it was because 
they’d changed the headlights to square. Change them back to round, he 
told them, because the code for Jeep was “horse,” and horses have round 
eyes. It worked.Rapaille keeps his narrative positive, but he does have interesting 
things to say about the collective American mind. Our code for 
perfection, he says, is “death.” We’re an adolescent country and we fear
 getting things right the first time. We don’t like experts telling us 
what to do or holding us to their standards.That checks out.But what worked on the frontier isn’t a great strategy for public health.The GOP of 2021 has an advantage over any reality-based political 
philosophy because it has completely surrendered to the irrational 
impulses that make us act against our own best interests. They have no 
need for new ideas or compelling solutions because the narrative they 
push is hardwired into the American brain. Freedom is about doing what 
you want because if it feels good, praise Jesus, and damn the 
consequences.So, this Thanksgiving should be interesting.Last year, the pandemic kept many of us apart, only sharing dinners 
with out-of-town family through a Zoom screen. Now, we are likely to be 
at the same table again. And along with the turkey and dressing and 
cranberry sauce will be love, anger and even rage. For most families, 
there will be plenty of eggshells to tiptoe around. But inevitably, 
after a glass or three of wine, politics will come up.There may even be talk of JFK Jr. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/11/02/qanon-jfk-jr-dallas/">returning</a> from the dead.Here’s my suggestion on how to handle it.Show some kindness. Treat the loved one embracing political delusions
 or spouting medical misinformation or advocating an authoritarian 
worldview with the tolerance you would if they were heavy smokers who 
just hadn’t yet made the decision to quit. Don’t let them smoke at the 
table. Refuse to take a puff on their torch of freedom.Then, on Black Friday, urge them to give the stuff up. Go back to 
rational arguments. Ask them to see a doctor for help with that cough. 
Don’t cave by allowing that yes, there may be some point to their 
vaccine denial, that voter fraud could be rampant, or that JFK Jr. just 
might return. You’re going to lose those arguments, because rage trumps 
fact every time, but at least you’ll have memories of one good holiday.Then prepare yourself for the fourth wave.Max McCoy is an award-winning author and journalist. A native Kansan, he started his career at the Pittsburg Morning Sun and was soon writing for national magazines.&nbsp;

OPINION: Love, rage, cranberry sauce — this week has it all

By SARAH MEITNER Heartland Community Foundation executive director

Look closely at many of the furniture pieces at Custom Creations – the new downtown Hays storefront staffed by individuals with disabilities through DSNWK’s Employment Connections program. There are intricate cut and engraved wood pieces amid the refinishing work in all shapes and sizes.&nbsp;

Thanks to a $6,990 grant from the Heartland Community Foundation, DSNWK staff purchased a GlowForge machine for the store. With it, artisans with disabilities can create intricate embellishments and details for the furniture and other pieces. Staff have been able to create new merchandise – increasing sales for the store and sparking new, creative ideas. The sense of pride among the staff with disabilities is especially priceless!

This story, along with the countless others like it, demonstrates the importance of U.S. community foundations, which are uniquely situated to improve their regions by enacting innovative solutions and creating powerful partnerships. From November 12-18, we celebrate National Community Foundation Week -- a time when we can share and reflect on stories of local impact and human connection over the past year. Though you may not yet know your local community foundation, you’ve likely felt its impact!

That’s because Heartland Community Foundation and more than 750 other community foundations across the country help to bring donors and residents together. Community foundations work to support the efforts that will help the places we call home continue to flourish and grow.

By the end of 2021, Heartland Community Foundation will have granted more than $360,000 to nonprofit organizations in Ellis, Rooks, and Trego counties for new and innovative charitable projects. The impact from that investment is enormous, with immeasurable ripple effects. But beyond our grants, the staff and board members at Heartland have also strived to be community leaders – contributing to community development meetings about childcare, arts, housing, sustainability, schools, and more. We are striving for transformation, not merely transaction.&nbsp;

As we enter the giving season, millions of people from every background will be looking to give back to the communities that have supported them. They’ll also look to ensure that their heartfelt giving—however they choose to give—will have the most impact.

That’s why so many of them will choose to give to their local community foundation! A gift to the Ellis County Legacy Fund, which is an endowed fund, will have an impact forever. The more it grows, the more we can grant from the investment income to charitable groups exclusively in Ellis County.&nbsp;

Additionally, Heartland Community Foundation houses many other types of funds specific for local organizations and causes. We also are uniquely equipped to receive non-cash gifts -- such as stocks, retirement distribution, bonds, grain, real estate and more -- at a tax savings to the donor. With the donor’s help, those gifts can be directed to the causes or organizations they select.&nbsp;

An annual gift or estate gift to your local community foundation is an investment in the future of your community. We like to say that community foundations are “here for good.” At Heartland Community Foundation, we don’t think about the next election or business cycle, we think about the next generation and the next after that.&nbsp;

That can seem a daunting task, but it’s one that we all share. During National Community Foundation Week, I hope you’ll join us in recognizing our collective impact and the difference we can make together.

For more information about Heartland Community Foundation, contact Sarah Meitner at 785-621-4090 or <a href="mailto:sarahmeitner@gscf.org">sarahmeitner@gscf.org</a>. Learn more at <a href="http://www.heartlandcommunityfoundation.org">www.heartlandcommunityfoundation.org</a> or follow us on Facebook.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By SARAH MEITNER Heartland Community Foundation executive director Look closely at many of the furniture pieces at Custom Creations – the new downtown Hays storefront staffed by individuals with disabilities through DSNWK’s Employment Connections program. There are intricate cut and engraved wood pieces amid the refinishing work in all shapes and sizes.&nbsp;Thanks to a $6,990 grant from the Heartland Community Foundation, DSNWK staff purchased a GlowForge machine for the store. With it, artisans with disabilities can create intricate embellishments and details for the furniture and other pieces. Staff have been able to create new merchandise – increasing sales for the store and sparking new, creative ideas. The sense of pride among the staff with disabilities is especially priceless!This story, along with the countless others like it, demonstrates the importance of U.S. community foundations, which are uniquely situated to improve their regions by enacting innovative solutions and creating powerful partnerships. From November 12-18, we celebrate National Community Foundation Week -- a time when we can share and reflect on stories of local impact and human connection over the past year. Though you may not yet know your local community foundation, you’ve likely felt its impact!<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600726153080.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>That’s because Heartland Community Foundation and more than 750 other community foundations across the country help to bring donors and residents together. Community foundations work to support the efforts that will help the places we call home continue to flourish and grow.By the end of 2021, Heartland Community Foundation will have granted more than $360,000 to nonprofit organizations in Ellis, Rooks, and Trego counties for new and innovative charitable projects. The impact from that investment is enormous, with immeasurable ripple effects. But beyond our grants, the staff and board members at Heartland have also strived to be community leaders – contributing to community development meetings about childcare, arts, housing, sustainability, schools, and more. We are striving for transformation, not merely transaction.&nbsp;As we enter the giving season, millions of people from every background will be looking to give back to the communities that have supported them. They’ll also look to ensure that their heartfelt giving—however they choose to give—will have the most impact.That’s why so many of them will choose to give to their local community foundation! A gift to the Ellis County Legacy Fund, which is an endowed fund, will have an impact forever. The more it grows, the more we can grant from the investment income to charitable groups exclusively in Ellis County.&nbsp;Additionally, Heartland Community Foundation houses many other types of funds specific for local organizations and causes. We also are uniquely equipped to receive non-cash gifts -- such as stocks, retirement distribution, bonds, grain, real estate and more -- at a tax savings to the donor. With the donor’s help, those gifts can be directed to the causes or organizations they select.&nbsp;An annual gift or estate gift to your local community foundation is an investment in the future of your community. We like to say that community foundations are “here for good.” At Heartland Community Foundation, we don’t think about the next election or business cycle, we think about the next generation and the next after that.&nbsp;That can seem a daunting task, but it’s one that we all share. During National Community Foundation Week, I hope you’ll join us in recognizing our collective impact and the difference we can make together.For more information about Heartland Community Foundation, contact Sarah Meitner at 785-621-4090 or <a href="mailto:sarahmeitner@gscf.org">sarahmeitner@gscf.org</a>. Learn more at <a href="http://www.heartlandcommunityfoundation.org">www.heartlandcommunityfoundation.org</a> or follow us on Facebook.&nbsp;

LETTER: Make a lasting impact on the future of your community

It has always pleased me to be part of a church where so many guys and gals are hunters, fishermen, outdoorsmen and shooting enthusiasts. The dedicated upland bird hunters were easy to spot at my churches annual trap shooting get-together on Sunday, as most clay birds had little chance of survival when those shooters were on the firing line. Our small but diverse group consisted of an ex-soldier with extensive marksmanship training, an electrician, an engineer, a golf-course manager, a large farmer, the youth pastor, a couple high school kids and a few retired duffers like myself. Ages ranged from upper 70’s to 14 years young.

A 12-volt clay-bird thrower was set up in the farmers lawn overlooking a corn stubble field. Pickups parked with tail-gates down on the other side of the lawn against a tree row became staging areas for each shooter’s guns, ammo and equipment. After a brief meeting to explain safety expectations and a prayer, thanking God for our time together and asking for His control over the afternoon, we were off. The rules were simple; no loaded shotguns behind the firing line, and constant awareness to keep all guns, loaded or unloaded pointed downrange. Each shooter took a pocketful or a box of shells to the firing line with them and loaded their guns there. Someone ran the thrower with the remote control while two shooters, one on each side of the thrower took turns as targets were thrown. After ten or twelve shots each, shooters changed until each shooter had a few turns on the firing line.&nbsp;

It all reminded me of “turkey shoots” when I was a kid, where shooters shot one round at a paper target, and the shooter’s target with the most BB holes won a turkey or canned ham. My buddy always took his beat-up, scratched-up old twelve gauge single-shot that was so dilapidated it actually fell apart into two pieces to load. He’d walk to the firing line amidst chuckles and guffaws from shooters around him sporting twelve-hundred-dollar professional skeet guns, but you could hear a pin drop when his straight-shootin’ old cannon won every time.

After we tired of breaking clay birds thrown from the thrower, semi-automatic handguns and revolvers emerged from cases and bags. Targets became clay birds hung low to the ground from cornstalks, and paper plates stapled to leftover yard signs from a recent school board election campaign.&nbsp; Our soldier’s marksman’s expertise was invaluable as he was able to help those of us not really good with a handgun, and paper plates began filling with holes and clay birds began breaking.&nbsp;

Again, I’m proud to be part of a family, community and church congregation where numerous guys and gals are hunters, fishermen and outdoor enthusiasts. One of the guys at the trap shoot remarked that he had just taken the last of his pheasant meat out of the freezer to grill, making way for the bounty from this year’s pheasant hunting season which opened Saturday. I thank God every day for His marvelous Creation, and for trusting us to manage His wildlife. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>It has always pleased me to be part of a church where so many guys and gals are hunters, fishermen, outdoorsmen and shooting enthusiasts. The dedicated upland bird hunters were easy to spot at my churches annual trap shooting get-together on Sunday, as most clay birds had little chance of survival when those shooters were on the firing line. Our small but diverse group consisted of an ex-soldier with extensive marksmanship training, an electrician, an engineer, a golf-course manager, a large farmer, the youth pastor, a couple high school kids and a few retired duffers like myself. Ages ranged from upper 70’s to 14 years young.A 12-volt clay-bird thrower was set up in the farmers lawn overlooking a corn stubble field. Pickups parked with tail-gates down on the other side of the lawn against a tree row became staging areas for each shooter’s guns, ammo and equipment. After a brief meeting to explain safety expectations and a prayer, thanking God for our time together and asking for His control over the afternoon, we were off. The rules were simple; no loaded shotguns behind the firing line, and constant awareness to keep all guns, loaded or unloaded pointed downrange. Each shooter took a pocketful or a box of shells to the firing line with them and loaded their guns there. Someone ran the thrower with the remote control while two shooters, one on each side of the thrower took turns as targets were thrown. After ten or twelve shots each, shooters changed until each shooter had a few turns on the firing line.&nbsp;It all reminded me of “turkey shoots” when I was a kid, where shooters shot one round at a paper target, and the shooter’s target with the most BB holes won a turkey or canned ham. My buddy always took his beat-up, scratched-up old twelve gauge single-shot that was so dilapidated it actually fell apart into two pieces to load. He’d walk to the firing line amidst chuckles and guffaws from shooters around him sporting twelve-hundred-dollar professional skeet guns, but you could hear a pin drop when his straight-shootin’ old cannon won every time.After we tired of breaking clay birds thrown from the thrower, semi-automatic handguns and revolvers emerged from cases and bags. Targets became clay birds hung low to the ground from cornstalks, and paper plates stapled to leftover yard signs from a recent school board election campaign.&nbsp; Our soldier’s marksman’s expertise was invaluable as he was able to help those of us not really good with a handgun, and paper plates began filling with holes and clay birds began breaking.&nbsp;Again, I’m proud to be part of a family, community and church congregation where numerous guys and gals are hunters, fishermen and outdoor enthusiasts. One of the guys at the trap shoot remarked that he had just taken the last of his pheasant meat out of the freezer to grill, making way for the bounty from this year’s pheasant hunting season which opened Saturday. I thank God every day for His marvelous Creation, and for trusting us to manage His wildlife. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Zoar Trap Shoot 2021

	The United Nations (UN) completed the COP26 climate talks in November 2021 in Glasgow, UK.&nbsp; Sadly, the highlights were more of the same old hysterical alarmism.

	COP26 climate summit was expensive, energy-burning theater.&nbsp; One hundred eighteen private jets flew into the airport and President Biden’s motorcade had 24 vehicles.

	The 20,000 wealthy diplomats, Wall Street financiers, and activists who attended claim that the world’s future is their priority, but their actions reveal a disdain for humanity that should undermine any ideas they propose.&nbsp; The main message was people should use less and do with less.

	President Biden should have touted America's successes in reducing emissions.&nbsp; From 2005 to 2018, total U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions fell 12% while global energy-related emissions increased nearly 24%.&nbsp; Since 2005, national greenhouse gas emissions fell by 10%, and power sector emissions by 27% — as the US economy grew by 25%.&nbsp; Biden should have compared that to China's announcement of 30 new coal-fired power plants and China being the world's biggest polluter.&nbsp; The president should have stood up for his people. Our people.

As winter approaches, Europe is getting cold.&nbsp; Low energy supplies, mortgaged to Russian control of the Nord Stream II gas pipeline (given the go-ahead by Biden), and shortages of wind power are jacking up energy prices and making leaders there nervous.

Winter is approaching in the United States as well.&nbsp; Gasoline prices have been rising steadily and they are about to be joined by heating oil and natural gas heat.&nbsp; President Biden should be rethinking permits for the Keystone Pipeline.&nbsp; Instead, the president asked - demanded – that OPEC pump more oil and shipping it halfway around the world in diesel or coal powered ships to American ports with offloading problems.&nbsp; OPEC has said no.&nbsp; That is not surprising to anyone but, perhaps, the president.

In an effort to woo Iran, the administration came into office deriding Saudi Arabia and what it called "the Saudi war in Yemen."&nbsp; More correctly, that war is the Iranian-fostered Houthi war in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, in which Saudi cities and oil production facilities have been attacked.&nbsp; But in September, the administration pulled American Patriot Missile batteries out of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and some from Jordan, leaving those countries exposed to increasingly long range and accurate missiles supplied to the Houthis by Tehran.

In what universe would Saudi Arabia pump more oil, lower the price, and help out the United States?

Americans have had fairly stable energy prices for the past few years, and fairly low ones, in part due to the tremendous increase in energy production in the United States – both oil and natural gas.&nbsp; In 2018, the U.S. produced 95% of its domestic energy requirements, the largest share since 1967.&nbsp; Gas prices, the marker Americans watch almost to the exclusion of everything else, averaged $2.60/gal in 2019, 4% lower than in 2018.

Then in 2019, Russia and Saudi Arabia colluded oddly, not to keep the price up but to outdo one another in production to drive it down to where it would bankrupt American producers, looking for market share for when they drove us out.&nbsp;

President Trump used the situation to fill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which President Biden is now considering tapping.

The truth of the climate summit and energy policy is that people don't want high energy costs or to be cold, and their governments have to respond – in China, in Europe, or in America the ramifications of high energy costs and cold citizens are politically dangerous whether they go to the ballot box or have revolutions.

For all the high-minded talk at the climate summit, the reality is it is all about production.&nbsp; And for Americans, it should be domestic production for domestic consumption.

America's president is failing the people.&nbsp; Our people.

Ed Cross is president of the Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584027001010.png" alt="Ed Cross is president of the&nbsp;Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association." />
 <figcaption>Ed Cross is president of the&nbsp;Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association.</figcaption>
 </figure>	The United Nations (UN) completed the COP26 climate talks in November 2021 in Glasgow, UK.&nbsp; Sadly, the highlights were more of the same old hysterical alarmism.	COP26 climate summit was expensive, energy-burning theater.&nbsp; One hundred eighteen private jets flew into the airport and President Biden’s motorcade had 24 vehicles.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>	The 20,000 wealthy diplomats, Wall Street financiers, and activists who attended claim that the world’s future is their priority, but their actions reveal a disdain for humanity that should undermine any ideas they propose.&nbsp; The main message was people should use less and do with less.	President Biden should have touted America's successes in reducing emissions.&nbsp; From 2005 to 2018, total U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions fell 12% while global energy-related emissions increased nearly 24%.&nbsp; Since 2005, national greenhouse gas emissions fell by 10%, and power sector emissions by 27% — as the US economy grew by 25%.&nbsp; Biden should have compared that to China's announcement of 30 new coal-fired power plants and China being the world's biggest polluter.&nbsp; The president should have stood up for his people. Our people.As winter approaches, Europe is getting cold.&nbsp; Low energy supplies, mortgaged to Russian control of the Nord Stream II gas pipeline (given the go-ahead by Biden), and shortages of wind power are jacking up energy prices and making leaders there nervous.Winter is approaching in the United States as well.&nbsp; Gasoline prices have been rising steadily and they are about to be joined by heating oil and natural gas heat.&nbsp; President Biden should be rethinking permits for the Keystone Pipeline.&nbsp; Instead, the president asked - demanded – that OPEC pump more oil and shipping it halfway around the world in diesel or coal powered ships to American ports with offloading problems.&nbsp; OPEC has said no.&nbsp; That is not surprising to anyone but, perhaps, the president.In an effort to woo Iran, the administration came into office deriding Saudi Arabia and what it called "the Saudi war in Yemen."&nbsp; More correctly, that war is the Iranian-fostered Houthi war in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, in which Saudi cities and oil production facilities have been attacked.&nbsp; But in September, the administration pulled American Patriot Missile batteries out of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and some from Jordan, leaving those countries exposed to increasingly long range and accurate missiles supplied to the Houthis by Tehran.In what universe would Saudi Arabia pump more oil, lower the price, and help out the United States?Americans have had fairly stable energy prices for the past few years, and fairly low ones, in part due to the tremendous increase in energy production in the United States – both oil and natural gas.&nbsp; In 2018, the U.S. produced 95% of its domestic energy requirements, the largest share since 1967.&nbsp; Gas prices, the marker Americans watch almost to the exclusion of everything else, averaged $2.60/gal in 2019, 4% lower than in 2018.Then in 2019, Russia and Saudi Arabia colluded oddly, not to keep the price up but to outdo one another in production to drive it down to where it would bankrupt American producers, looking for market share for when they drove us out.&nbsp;President Trump used the situation to fill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which President Biden is now considering tapping.The truth of the climate summit and energy policy is that people don't want high energy costs or to be cold, and their governments have to respond – in China, in Europe, or in America the ramifications of high energy costs and cold citizens are politically dangerous whether they go to the ballot box or have revolutions.For all the high-minded talk at the climate summit, the reality is it is all about production.&nbsp; And for Americans, it should be domestic production for domestic consumption.America's president is failing the people.&nbsp; Our people.Ed Cross is president of the Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association.

CROSS: Biden energy policies failing the people — our people

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;

If you have a sore foot, you don’t want your doctor to treat you for a headache. If you have a stomachache, you don’t want your doctor to put a cast on your hand.&nbsp;

The treatment should be driven by the precise diagnosis.&nbsp;

Such is the case in modern agriculture, where farmers are recognizing that different types or amounts of soil treatments can be applied more precisely exactly where they are needed. Today we’ll meet a company that is helping farmers use data to apply their inputs in a more efficient, effective and environmentally friendly way.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Landon Oldham is the founder and owner of Heartland Soil Services, headquartered in Cunningham with representatives in several other Kansas towns. Landon grew up in Cunningham, working for multiple farmers in the region. He met Vicki in grade school and they would eventually marry. He earned a degree in agribusiness at K-State.&nbsp;

During and after college, he worked for a Missouri company installing precision agriculture equipment. “It seemed to me that there was a missing link,” Landon said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Farmers needed more data in order to use those systems to their full potential.” &nbsp;

He saw how more information would help farmers use this equipment more effectively and thought there might be a business opportunity there.&nbsp;

“It was the end of 2009,” Landon said. “My wife was eight months pregnant with our first child and we had signed a contract on a house. I told her my idea and she said, `Yes, it could work.’ I said, `Well, I hope it does, because I quit my job today.”&nbsp;

It was a leap of faith, but that was the beginning of Heartland Soil Services. Today, Heartland Soil Services&nbsp;specializes in soil sampling, yield mapping, imagery, irrigation management tools, variable rate seeding and fertilizer prescriptions, and end of season data analysis. This is useful for precision agriculture, which means applying precise amounts of field inputs only where needed and in the amounts needed.&nbsp;

In previous decades, farmers might apply blanket amounts of fertilizer to their fields.&nbsp;&nbsp;Heartland Soil Services can gather the data to enable farmers to adjust their field applications according to nature’s needs. The process begins with testing soil samples from a field.&nbsp;

“Unless you test, it’s just a guess” is a Heartland Soil Services motto. The soil tests indicate what nutrients are needed where.&nbsp;

“Our field technician will physically drive the boundary of a field, lay out a grid map, and pull (soil) core samples for testing,” Landon said. The samples are tested in a lab and the results are entered into the Heartland Soil Services software system.&nbsp;

“From that, we create a soil surface nutrient analysis and product recommendation,” Landon said. “Those recommendations are specific to that crop, that field, that grower, and that acre,” he said.&nbsp;

The analysis covers both major and micro-nutrient needs. Furthermore, he said, that information can be loaded onto a thumb drive that can be plugged into the equipment so that inputs can be applied at various rates as needed in the field.&nbsp;

When Heartland Soil Services’ system was first developed in 2013, the data files were too large for practical use. “We built our own file storage and transfer system,” Landon said. Now, Heartland Soil Services offers several services including DataFarm, which allows producers or co-ops to download files into a tractor or to control a spreader or sprayer.&nbsp;

“The data is accessible on a cell phone,” Landon said.&nbsp;

Heartland Soil Services works with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service on a program called FarmComp, which compiles and formats data that farmers need to submit in order to comply with soil and water conservation programs.&nbsp;

All this creates a modern, high-tech way of farming that is good for the producer and the environment. It’s great to find this cutting-edge business in a rural community such as Cunningham, population 454 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.heartlandsoilservices.com/">www.heartlandsoilservices.com</a>.&nbsp;

We commend Landon Oldham and all the people at Heartland Soil Services for making a difference with their innovative, high-tech approach to farming. Can their system help a farmer and the environment?&nbsp;&nbsp;Precisely.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637157513181.png" alt="Landon Oldham" />
 <figcaption>Landon Oldham</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;If you have a sore foot, you don’t want your doctor to treat you for a headache. If you have a stomachache, you don’t want your doctor to put a cast on your hand.&nbsp;The treatment should be driven by the precise diagnosis.&nbsp;Such is the case in modern agriculture, where farmers are recognizing that different types or amounts of soil treatments can be applied more precisely exactly where they are needed. Today we’ll meet a company that is helping farmers use data to apply their inputs in a more efficient, effective and environmentally friendly way.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Landon Oldham is the founder and owner of Heartland Soil Services, headquartered in Cunningham with representatives in several other Kansas towns. Landon grew up in Cunningham, working for multiple farmers in the region. He met Vicki in grade school and they would eventually marry. He earned a degree in agribusiness at K-State.&nbsp;During and after college, he worked for a Missouri company installing precision agriculture equipment. “It seemed to me that there was a missing link,” Landon said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Farmers needed more data in order to use those systems to their full potential.” &nbsp;He saw how more information would help farmers use this equipment more effectively and thought there might be a business opportunity there.&nbsp;“It was the end of 2009,” Landon said. “My wife was eight months pregnant with our first child and we had signed a contract on a house. I told her my idea and she said, `Yes, it could work.’ I said, `Well, I hope it does, because I quit my job today.”&nbsp;It was a leap of faith, but that was the beginning of Heartland Soil Services. Today, Heartland Soil Services&nbsp;specializes in soil sampling, yield mapping, imagery, irrigation management tools, variable rate seeding and fertilizer prescriptions, and end of season data analysis. This is useful for precision agriculture, which means applying precise amounts of field inputs only where needed and in the amounts needed.&nbsp;In previous decades, farmers might apply blanket amounts of fertilizer to their fields.&nbsp;&nbsp;Heartland Soil Services can gather the data to enable farmers to adjust their field applications according to nature’s needs. The process begins with testing soil samples from a field.&nbsp;“Unless you test, it’s just a guess” is a Heartland Soil Services motto. The soil tests indicate what nutrients are needed where.&nbsp;“Our field technician will physically drive the boundary of a field, lay out a grid map, and pull (soil) core samples for testing,” Landon said. The samples are tested in a lab and the results are entered into the Heartland Soil Services software system.&nbsp;“From that, we create a soil surface nutrient analysis and product recommendation,” Landon said. “Those recommendations are specific to that crop, that field, that grower, and that acre,” he said.&nbsp;The analysis covers both major and micro-nutrient needs. Furthermore, he said, that information can be loaded onto a thumb drive that can be plugged into the equipment so that inputs can be applied at various rates as needed in the field.&nbsp;When Heartland Soil Services’ system was first developed in 2013, the data files were too large for practical use. “We built our own file storage and transfer system,” Landon said. Now, Heartland Soil Services offers several services including DataFarm, which allows producers or co-ops to download files into a tractor or to control a spreader or sprayer.&nbsp;“The data is accessible on a cell phone,” Landon said.&nbsp;Heartland Soil Services works with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service on a program called FarmComp, which compiles and formats data that farmers need to submit in order to comply with soil and water conservation programs.&nbsp;All this creates a modern, high-tech way of farming that is good for the producer and the environment. It’s great to find this cutting-edge business in a rural community such as Cunningham, population 454 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.heartlandsoilservices.com/">www.heartlandsoilservices.com</a>.&nbsp;We commend Landon Oldham and all the people at Heartland Soil Services for making a difference with their innovative, high-tech approach to farming. Can their system help a farmer and the environment?&nbsp;&nbsp;Precisely.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Landon Oldham, Heartland Soil Services 

The Small Business Development Center, supported by our Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship, exists to increase economic prosperity in Kansas by helping entrepreneurs and small business owners start and grow their businesses. Headquartered in Topeka, the Kansas Small Business Development Centers throughout the state are funded through federal grants, local colleges and universities, and the state of Kansas. It is a system of 12 centers – several located on university campuses. All 12 centers are overseen by Fort Hays State University.

I recently visited with Rick Feltenberger, the director of the SBDC at Fort Hays State. I learned that as of August 2021, the state of Kansas started 174 fewer businesses than during all of 2020. This makes retaining critical infrastructure businesses (grocery stores, veterinary clinics, pharmacies, lumber/hardware stores, etc.) essential to economic prosperity. Rick also shared some information specific to businesses in rural Kansas, including:&nbsp;

• 50% of business owners are 51 or older.

• Only 30% of family-owned businesses successfully transition to the second generation.&nbsp;

• 20% plan on closing and conducting an orderly liquidation of assets.&nbsp;

Rick believes that one potential solution lies in careful business exit or succession planning. This process ensures business owners are fully prepared to transfer the single largest financial asset they have to a new owner, whether it be a family member or a third party. Rick cautions that many business owners confuse the successful transition of their business with the simple act of selling the business. A successful transition occurs on the owner’s terms, their timeline, and their price. It takes planning to get there. Focusing on “selling” doesn’t put the owner in a sound financial position.

Typical mistakes business owners make as they look toward exiting the business:

• Underestimating the amount of money required to meet their retirement or post-business lifestyle. Our heritage, work ethic, and upbringing in rural America make us unique. It also makes us very modest in our outlook. To maintain a retirement income of $30,000 per year requires a nest egg of about $750,000. If personal savings and investment can’t cover this, owners will need to maximize the net proceeds from their business.

• Assuming that their business will naturally be attractive to a potential buyer. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and prospective buyers may evaluate the value of a business very differently than the current owner.&nbsp;

• Overestimating the actual value of their business. Valuing a business that is preparing for a transition is slightly complex, but the formula is very simple: Earnings x a market multiple factored for risk = Value. Earnings are the cash flow generated from the business. Market multiples are determined in the private equity markets, and every industry has a range of these multiples based on the relative risk level of the business. While owners can’t control the multiples, they absolutely can control where they land in that range of multiples by making their business less risky to a buyer. The lower the risk, the higher the multiple and the greater the value. It really is that simple.&nbsp;

Essential first steps in business succession planning

• Organize your financial reporting. This would include developing a personal financial statement, a detailed view of the owner’s assets and liabilities. The process isn’t difficult, and the owner’s financial planner or a certified exit planning advisor can usually help.

• Ensure your business financials are clean and accurate. The best way to do this is to have your accountant prepare income statements and balance sheets along with business tax returns for the past three years, plus detailed statements for the last 12 months.&nbsp;

• Communicate your intentions to your customers and potential buyers. The path to attracting a potential buyer can be tricky, so you will need a well-thought-out plan and a good team of advisors. The good news is that your buyer might be living in your community. The bad news is that no one will know that you are looking for a buyer unless you tell them. Forget the myths about losing customers or employees; it doesn’t happen if you properly communicate your intentions.&nbsp;

• Contact your local Economic Development Office and Chamber of Commerce. They may know of an interested person. If nothing else, they can quietly get the word out for you.&nbsp;

• Find an apprentice who would like to own your business. This isn’t a quick option as it could take two to three years to train an apprentice, often even longer. This is why it makes so much sense to start the process long before you face an event that requires you to leave the business.

Feltenberger is one of three certified exit planning advisors in Kansas. He can help any business owner in the state of Kansas plan for a successful transition. The Kansas SBDC also hosts the Kansas Center for Business Transition (ksbiztransition.com), a web resource where business owners can find an array of do-it-yourself tools to get started on the process. If you want to learn more about partnering with the SBDC, visit <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/ksbdc/">https://www.fhsu.edu/ksbdc/</a> or contact <a href="http://Rick%2520at%2520RickFelten@ksbdc.net">Rick at RickFelten@ksbdc.net</a> or 785-628-5615.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>The Small Business Development Center, supported by our Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship, exists to increase economic prosperity in Kansas by helping entrepreneurs and small business owners start and grow their businesses. Headquartered in Topeka, the Kansas Small Business Development Centers throughout the state are funded through federal grants, local colleges and universities, and the state of Kansas. It is a system of 12 centers – several located on university campuses. All 12 centers are overseen by Fort Hays State University.I recently visited with Rick Feltenberger, the director of the SBDC at Fort Hays State. I learned that as of August 2021, the state of Kansas started 174 fewer businesses than during all of 2020. This makes retaining critical infrastructure businesses (grocery stores, veterinary clinics, pharmacies, lumber/hardware stores, etc.) essential to economic prosperity. Rick also shared some information specific to businesses in rural Kansas, including:&nbsp;• 50% of business owners are 51 or older.• Only 30% of family-owned businesses successfully transition to the second generation.&nbsp;• 20% plan on closing and conducting an orderly liquidation of assets.&nbsp;Rick believes that one potential solution lies in careful business exit or succession planning. This process ensures business owners are fully prepared to transfer the single largest financial asset they have to a new owner, whether it be a family member or a third party. Rick cautions that many business owners confuse the successful transition of their business with the simple act of selling the business. A successful transition occurs on the owner’s terms, their timeline, and their price. It takes planning to get there. Focusing on “selling” doesn’t put the owner in a sound financial position.Typical mistakes business owners make as they look toward exiting the business:• Underestimating the amount of money required to meet their retirement or post-business lifestyle. Our heritage, work ethic, and upbringing in rural America make us unique. It also makes us very modest in our outlook. To maintain a retirement income of $30,000 per year requires a nest egg of about $750,000. If personal savings and investment can’t cover this, owners will need to maximize the net proceeds from their business.• Assuming that their business will naturally be attractive to a potential buyer. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and prospective buyers may evaluate the value of a business very differently than the current owner.&nbsp;• Overestimating the actual value of their business. Valuing a business that is preparing for a transition is slightly complex, but the formula is very simple: Earnings x a market multiple factored for risk = Value. Earnings are the cash flow generated from the business. Market multiples are determined in the private equity markets, and every industry has a range of these multiples based on the relative risk level of the business. While owners can’t control the multiples, they absolutely can control where they land in that range of multiples by making their business less risky to a buyer. The lower the risk, the higher the multiple and the greater the value. It really is that simple.&nbsp;Essential first steps in business succession planning• Organize your financial reporting. This would include developing a personal financial statement, a detailed view of the owner’s assets and liabilities. The process isn’t difficult, and the owner’s financial planner or a certified exit planning advisor can usually help.• Ensure your business financials are clean and accurate. The best way to do this is to have your accountant prepare income statements and balance sheets along with business tax returns for the past three years, plus detailed statements for the last 12 months.&nbsp;• Communicate your intentions to your customers and potential buyers. The path to attracting a potential buyer can be tricky, so you will need a well-thought-out plan and a good team of advisors. The good news is that your buyer might be living in your community. The bad news is that no one will know that you are looking for a buyer unless you tell them. Forget the myths about losing customers or employees; it doesn’t happen if you properly communicate your intentions.&nbsp;• Contact your local Economic Development Office and Chamber of Commerce. They may know of an interested person. If nothing else, they can quietly get the word out for you.&nbsp;• Find an apprentice who would like to own your business. This isn’t a quick option as it could take two to three years to train an apprentice, often even longer. This is why it makes so much sense to start the process long before you face an event that requires you to leave the business.Feltenberger is one of three certified exit planning advisors in Kansas. He can help any business owner in the state of Kansas plan for a successful transition. The Kansas SBDC also hosts the Kansas Center for Business Transition (ksbiztransition.com), a web resource where business owners can find an array of do-it-yourself tools to get started on the process. If you want to learn more about partnering with the SBDC, visit <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/ksbdc/">https://www.fhsu.edu/ksbdc/</a> or contact <a href="http://Rick%2520at%2520RickFelten@ksbdc.net">Rick at RickFelten@ksbdc.net</a> or 785-628-5615.&nbsp;

MASON: Business succession planning, economic vitality  in rural Kan.

BY GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher In a few short days we will all sit down and celebrate Thanksgiving. The holiday that is meant for us to reflect and decide what it is for which we are thankful. We have a lot to be thankful for in this great nation, not the least of which is our farms and ranches. This is so appropriate because Thanksgiving is associated with food. My guess is most of us will have the traditional feast of turkey and all the fixings, right down to the pumpkin pie. No matter what you include for your Thanksgiving dinner, without a doubt it will be one of biggest feasts of the year. All of this great food is brought to you by a fellow farmer or rancher, even the yams. While I do not know any yam farmers and, to be honest, I am not even sure what a yam is. I do know the people who grow them are good. Those of us involved in agriculture are part of the fabric that is the foundation of this great nation. At the core of every great society is a robust, self-sufficient food supply. We are so blessed in the United States to have the safe, abundant, wholesome food supply within easy reach.. Most of us have never really faced empty shelves. Sure, there are times like right before a predicted snowstorm the shelves may be a little low. But very few of us have ever faced a real shortage of food. We got a little glimpse of this during the pandemic, but any deficits were short lived. We are also fortunate to spend a relatively small portion of our earnings on food. We are used to having the shelves full and the prices at a reasonable level and that is all because of the hard work we put in as farmers and ranchers. The price of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner has undoubtedly gone up because of inflation. But it is still a feast that comes at an amazing bargain, and one we do not take enough credit for. This coming week is when we, as farmers and ranchers, should be sticking our chests out with pride and letting the world know about the remarkable things we do to put food on tables around the world.. This is true every day but especially the day when we are to give thanks, and our way of giving thanks is centered around a great meal. See what I mean about food being at the center of our society? We have a lot to be thankful for in this great nation, but at the top of that list is our food supply. It is OK to take pride in the fact that all of us do our part to provide the safe, abundant, wholesome food we all need. That is also something to be thankful for, and I wish you all the happiest of Thanksgivings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576508626397.png" alt="Glenn Brunkow" />
 <figcaption>Glenn Brunkow</figcaption>
 </figure>BY GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher In a few short days we will all sit down and celebrate Thanksgiving. The holiday that is meant for us to reflect and decide what it is for which we are thankful. We have a lot to be thankful for in this great nation, not the least of which is our farms and ranches. This is so appropriate because Thanksgiving is associated with food. My guess is most of us will have the traditional feast of turkey and all the fixings, right down to the pumpkin pie. No matter what you include for your Thanksgiving dinner, without a doubt it will be one of biggest feasts of the year. All of this great food is brought to you by a fellow farmer or rancher, even the yams. While I do not know any yam farmers and, to be honest, I am not even sure what a yam is. I do know the people who grow them are good. Those of us involved in agriculture are part of the fabric that is the foundation of this great nation. At the core of every great society is a robust, self-sufficient food supply. We are so blessed in the United States to have the safe, abundant, wholesome food supply within easy reach.. Most of us have never really faced empty shelves. Sure, there are times like right before a predicted snowstorm the shelves may be a little low. But very few of us have ever faced a real shortage of food. We got a little glimpse of this during the pandemic, but any deficits were short lived. We are also fortunate to spend a relatively small portion of our earnings on food. We are used to having the shelves full and the prices at a reasonable level and that is all because of the hard work we put in as farmers and ranchers. The price of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner has undoubtedly gone up because of inflation. But it is still a feast that comes at an amazing bargain, and one we do not take enough credit for. This coming week is when we, as farmers and ranchers, should be sticking our chests out with pride and letting the world know about the remarkable things we do to put food on tables around the world.. This is true every day but especially the day when we are to give thanks, and our way of giving thanks is centered around a great meal. See what I mean about food being at the center of our society? We have a lot to be thankful for in this great nation, but at the top of that list is our food supply. It is OK to take pride in the fact that all of us do our part to provide the safe, abundant, wholesome food we all need. That is also something to be thankful for, and I wish you all the happiest of Thanksgivings."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Giving thanks to farmers, ranchers

The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.&nbsp; The opportunity opened up when the Packers’ star quarterback Aaron Rodgers could not play after testing positive for COVID-19.&nbsp; Previously, Rodgers had said he was “immunized,” but under scrutiny he admitted he had used homeopathic treatments and drugs not approved for COVID, including one used to treat people and animals for parasites.&nbsp; Ivermectin is neither approved nor effective as a COVID vaccination, and its misuse can lead to hospitalization and even death. Rodgers claims to be allergic to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines but will not say why.&nbsp; Even if true, he is still eligible for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, which he has not received.

Social media lit up with jokesters having a ball at Rodgers’ expense.&nbsp; One New Jersey mom volunteered to play quarterback in Rodgers’ place.&nbsp; She acknowledged that she has never played and knows little about football, but “I did my own research, so I’ll be fine,” she wrote.&nbsp;&nbsp;

At least she was kidding.&nbsp; Most people who use that phrase are deadly serious — and dead wrong.

Looking up un- or improperly fact-checked nonsense on the internet and taking it for truth, all under the auspices of “doing my own research,” has become the bane of teachers, health care workers, researchers, and government officials alike.&nbsp; It disrupts classrooms and town hall meetings and makes effective policy making nearly impossible.&nbsp; It even leads to the occasional death threat.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It is just as bad in the political arena.&nbsp; Politicians who should know better continue to spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 elections, certified by Trump appointee Christopher Krebs as the most secure in U.S. history.&nbsp; Many of these politicos know they are lying, but they must placate their party’s base.&nbsp; Meanwhile, people die needlessly because of anti-vaxxer nonsense, and the deranged QAnon conspiracy theory refuses to go away.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Conspiracy theorists justify all this by claiming that traditional news media reporters and editors show bias.&nbsp; Sometimes, this is true.&nbsp; However, reporters also rigorously check their stories using reliable sources and professional journalism training.&nbsp; This is the difference between information and disinformation.&nbsp; Information is not perfect, but it is credible.&nbsp; Disinformation is neither.

We all want to be experts on things about which we know very little.&nbsp; Many of us would probably like to play quarterback for the Packers, too, but we are not qualified.&nbsp; It takes talent, luck, discipline, and practice to become a football player, and years of schooling and practice to be a good epidemiologist, doctor, or nurse.&nbsp; When it comes to election analysis, we read countless books, articles, depositions, and reports, serve as expert witnesses, and spend months deep-diving into elections data using advanced statistical programs and methods training.&nbsp; Some findings surprise me, for example when I discovered that photo ID laws do not suppress Democratic votes as is widely believed.&nbsp; Sometimes, we have to admit that our hypotheses are not confirmed by the data.&nbsp; It takes a long career of education, successes, and even a few failures to get here.&nbsp;&nbsp;

None of this can be summed up in a TikTok video or viral Facebook post.

Aaron Rodgers did not do his own research.&nbsp; He fell for ridiculous conspiracy theories that put himself, his family, his team, and the opposing teams at risk.&nbsp; He also handed a badly-needed win to the Chiefs, who have one of the highest vaccination rates in the NFL.

Thanks, Aaron. Now get off social media and go get vaccinated.&nbsp; Go Chiefs!

Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576785940426.png" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University." />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.&nbsp; The opportunity opened up when the Packers’ star quarterback Aaron Rodgers could not play after testing positive for COVID-19.&nbsp; Previously, Rodgers had said he was “immunized,” but under scrutiny he admitted he had used homeopathic treatments and drugs not approved for COVID, including one used to treat people and animals for parasites.&nbsp; Ivermectin is neither approved nor effective as a COVID vaccination, and its misuse can lead to hospitalization and even death. Rodgers claims to be allergic to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines but will not say why.&nbsp; Even if true, he is still eligible for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, which he has not received.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Social media lit up with jokesters having a ball at Rodgers’ expense.&nbsp; One New Jersey mom volunteered to play quarterback in Rodgers’ place.&nbsp; She acknowledged that she has never played and knows little about football, but “I did my own research, so I’ll be fine,” she wrote.&nbsp;&nbsp;At least she was kidding.&nbsp; Most people who use that phrase are deadly serious — and dead wrong.Looking up un- or improperly fact-checked nonsense on the internet and taking it for truth, all under the auspices of “doing my own research,” has become the bane of teachers, health care workers, researchers, and government officials alike.&nbsp; It disrupts classrooms and town hall meetings and makes effective policy making nearly impossible.&nbsp; It even leads to the occasional death threat.&nbsp;&nbsp;It is just as bad in the political arena.&nbsp; Politicians who should know better continue to spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 elections, certified by Trump appointee Christopher Krebs as the most secure in U.S. history.&nbsp; Many of these politicos know they are lying, but they must placate their party’s base.&nbsp; Meanwhile, people die needlessly because of anti-vaxxer nonsense, and the deranged QAnon conspiracy theory refuses to go away.&nbsp;&nbsp;Conspiracy theorists justify all this by claiming that traditional news media reporters and editors show bias.&nbsp; Sometimes, this is true.&nbsp; However, reporters also rigorously check their stories using reliable sources and professional journalism training.&nbsp; This is the difference between information and disinformation.&nbsp; Information is not perfect, but it is credible.&nbsp; Disinformation is neither.We all want to be experts on things about which we know very little.&nbsp; Many of us would probably like to play quarterback for the Packers, too, but we are not qualified.&nbsp; It takes talent, luck, discipline, and practice to become a football player, and years of schooling and practice to be a good epidemiologist, doctor, or nurse.&nbsp; When it comes to election analysis, we read countless books, articles, depositions, and reports, serve as expert witnesses, and spend months deep-diving into elections data using advanced statistical programs and methods training.&nbsp; Some findings surprise me, for example when I discovered that photo ID laws do not suppress Democratic votes as is widely believed.&nbsp; Sometimes, we have to admit that our hypotheses are not confirmed by the data.&nbsp; It takes a long career of education, successes, and even a few failures to get here.&nbsp;&nbsp;None of this can be summed up in a TikTok video or viral Facebook post.Aaron Rodgers did not do his own research.&nbsp; He fell for ridiculous conspiracy theories that put himself, his family, his team, and the opposing teams at risk.&nbsp; He also handed a badly-needed win to the Chiefs, who have one of the highest vaccination rates in the NFL.Thanks, Aaron. Now get off social media and go get vaccinated.&nbsp; Go Chiefs!Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Aaron Rodgers and the folly of 'doing your own research'

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;

Let’s hit the hardwood. No, I’m not referring to chopping firewood for winter.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In this case, hardwood refers to the hardwood floor of old-time basketball gyms across Kansas. Today we’ll meet a Kansas author who has written a book about classic basketball gyms in towns small and large across the state.&nbsp;

Brian Stucky is a retired teacher, author and artist in Goessel. He grew up on a farm near Goessel and attended Liberty Rural Grade School. He credits his parents, Ransom and Mary Stucky, for spurring his interest in basketball.&nbsp;

“Dad taught us fundamentals and mom was our number one fan,” he said. The senior Ransom even made the all-conference team while playing for Bethel College in 1948.&nbsp;

Brian carried on his father’s interest in basketball. At Moundridge High School, Brian played on the school’s first state champion team in 1971. He went on to play at Bethel College himself, including the tournament team of the 1973 KCAC champions.&nbsp;

Brian pursued a long and successful career in teaching and coaching basketball, volleyball and track at high schools and junior highs in Buhler and Goessel before retiring. As a track coach, he coached 13 individual state champions and two AAU national champions. In 1984, he carried the Olympic torch in the torch relay.&nbsp;

Brian had great memories of the classic old basketball gyms of yesteryear. As schools modernized their facilities, Brian observed that some of these antique gyms were lost.&nbsp;&nbsp;He began a six-year journey around Kansas to find gyms that had been built before 1950 and that were in nearly original condition, and to photograph them with a related legendary old coach, player or personality.&nbsp;

In 2003, he published those stories and photos in a book titled “Hallowed Hardwood – Vintage Basketball Gyms of Kansas.” It is a collection of vignettes, each two pages with multiple photos of the gyms and the stories of the players, coaches and notable fans who participated in them. The book has been reprinted and revised twice since then.&nbsp;

“I had no idea I would catch lightning in a bottle like this,” Brian wrote. He received an award from the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association for preserving the history of the game of basketball.&nbsp;

The book includes stories of 25 small town gyms, 15 larger school gyms, five community buildings and six college gyms. Among those were stories of Roy Williams at Allen Fieldhouse and Ernie Barrett — known as Mr. K-State — at Ahearn Fieldhouse.&nbsp;

The small town stories span the alphabet, from Appanoose to Zenith. They are the tales of championship teams, white-hot rivalries, dusty trophy cases and games played in cracker box gyms so small that the free throw circle overlaps half court. There are the antique gyms where a balcony hangs over the court and the wall is out of bounds.&nbsp;

There are also stories of the Tescott team that went undefeated in 1957, and Jackie Stiles setting the state scoring record at Claflin with her tenacious work ethic.&nbsp;

There’s the incredible tale of the coach at Clements in 1951 who disciplined his star player by making him sit out a game. The player’s father, who had recently gotten out of jail for murder, threatened to kill the coach if his son didn’t play. The coach stuck to his guns, so to speak, and benched the player when they played at rival Cedar Point.&nbsp;

Clements fans were so mad that they mobbed the coach as he left the gym. Just then, some other fans from Clements showed up with pitchforks and baseball bats to support the coach and escort him to safety. Brian Stucky wrote: “He was saved by peasants with pitchforks.”&nbsp;

These classic gyms are found in places as small as Plevna, population 98; Wallace, population 57; and Cedar Point, population 28 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

For more information or to order the book, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hallowedhardwood.com/">www.hallowedhardwood.com</a>.&nbsp;

Let’s hit the hardwood – not firewood for the winter, but the old hardwood floors where basketball was played a half-century ago. We commend Brian Stucky for making a difference by preserving and chronicling such history. As a play-by-play announcer would say after a made basket:&nbsp;&nbsp;“It’s good!”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636557345818.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;Let’s hit the hardwood. No, I’m not referring to chopping firewood for winter.&nbsp;&nbsp;In this case, hardwood refers to the hardwood floor of old-time basketball gyms across Kansas. Today we’ll meet a Kansas author who has written a book about classic basketball gyms in towns small and large across the state.&nbsp;Brian Stucky is a retired teacher, author and artist in Goessel. He grew up on a farm near Goessel and attended Liberty Rural Grade School. He credits his parents, Ransom and Mary Stucky, for spurring his interest in basketball.&nbsp;“Dad taught us fundamentals and mom was our number one fan,” he said. The senior Ransom even made the all-conference team while playing for Bethel College in 1948.&nbsp;Brian carried on his father’s interest in basketball. At Moundridge High School, Brian played on the school’s first state champion team in 1971. He went on to play at Bethel College himself, including the tournament team of the 1973 KCAC champions.&nbsp;Brian pursued a long and successful career in teaching and coaching basketball, volleyball and track at high schools and junior highs in Buhler and Goessel before retiring. As a track coach, he coached 13 individual state champions and two AAU national champions. In 1984, he carried the Olympic torch in the torch relay.&nbsp;Brian had great memories of the classic old basketball gyms of yesteryear. As schools modernized their facilities, Brian observed that some of these antique gyms were lost.&nbsp;&nbsp;He began a six-year journey around Kansas to find gyms that had been built before 1950 and that were in nearly original condition, and to photograph them with a related legendary old coach, player or personality.&nbsp;In 2003, he published those stories and photos in a book titled “Hallowed Hardwood – Vintage Basketball Gyms of Kansas.” It is a collection of vignettes, each two pages with multiple photos of the gyms and the stories of the players, coaches and notable fans who participated in them. The book has been reprinted and revised twice since then.&nbsp;“I had no idea I would catch lightning in a bottle like this,” Brian wrote. He received an award from the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association for preserving the history of the game of basketball.&nbsp;The book includes stories of 25 small town gyms, 15 larger school gyms, five community buildings and six college gyms. Among those were stories of Roy Williams at Allen Fieldhouse and Ernie Barrett — known as Mr. K-State — at Ahearn Fieldhouse.&nbsp;The small town stories span the alphabet, from Appanoose to Zenith. They are the tales of championship teams, white-hot rivalries, dusty trophy cases and games played in cracker box gyms so small that the free throw circle overlaps half court. There are the antique gyms where a balcony hangs over the court and the wall is out of bounds.&nbsp;There are also stories of the Tescott team that went undefeated in 1957, and Jackie Stiles setting the state scoring record at Claflin with her tenacious work ethic.&nbsp;There’s the incredible tale of the coach at Clements in 1951 who disciplined his star player by making him sit out a game. The player’s father, who had recently gotten out of jail for murder, threatened to kill the coach if his son didn’t play. The coach stuck to his guns, so to speak, and benched the player when they played at rival Cedar Point.&nbsp;Clements fans were so mad that they mobbed the coach as he left the gym. Just then, some other fans from Clements showed up with pitchforks and baseball bats to support the coach and escort him to safety. Brian Stucky wrote: “He was saved by peasants with pitchforks.”&nbsp;These classic gyms are found in places as small as Plevna, population 98; Wallace, population 57; and Cedar Point, population 28 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;For more information or to order the book, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hallowedhardwood.com/">www.hallowedhardwood.com</a>.&nbsp;Let’s hit the hardwood – not firewood for the winter, but the old hardwood floors where basketball was played a half-century ago. We commend Brian Stucky for making a difference by preserving and chronicling such history. As a play-by-play announcer would say after a made basket:&nbsp;&nbsp;“It’s good!”&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Brian Stucky, 'Hallowed Hardwood'

I come from a family where many have served in the military in one way, shape or form. My dad was an infantryman in the Army during WW II and served in Italy for a time. His older brother served as Flight Engineer on a B-24, flying 13 missions over Germany during WWII. I was a Field Artillery Meteorologist, collecting atmospheric data for the artillery for 20 years in the Army National Guard, and was in Bosnia for 6 months. My wife Joyce spent 8 years in the Air National Guard as a photographer and as a plane cargo loader. Three of her uncles, all from Mennonite families, served in the army and navy during WWII and the Korean Conflict. Two of my cousins were in the Air Force, one of my nephews was a marine and another nephew is currently in the navy. When asked by her siblings, (all who are also Conscientious Objectors,) why she joined the military, my wife Joyce replied “Cause daddy never told me not to.”&nbsp; I say all this not to brag, but to say that we are a family who believes in and supports maintaining a strong military in the United States.

The person who suggested I write this column, told me of an office conversation discussing whether or not to do anything special this year for Veterans Day in their paper. One coworker replied “Yes, absolutely. Patriotism has to be taught.” That got me thinking about ways we can teach our kids and new citizens to be proud of our country and of our military, both current members and veterans.&nbsp;

First of all, by example, teach your kids respect for our flag, for the pledge of allegiance to our flag and for our National Anthem. When reciting the pledge of allegiance, honoring our flag as it is displayed or paraded past you or when singing the Star-Spangled Banner, stand, come to attention and face the flag with your right hand over your heart. Now, some will say the flag is only a piece of cloth, the pledge of allegiance only something we recite and the national anthem only a song. While those statements are true, these things are symbols of our freedom and of our country. Teaching our youth respect for these things will help teach them appreciation for God’s allowing us to live in a free country like the United States, appreciation for the soldiers that currently serve, soldiers that have served in the past and soldiers that have died protecting that freedom.&nbsp;

Most places you go, be it Walmart, the mall, a fast-food restaurant or some large event, you will see men and women wearing a hat or another item of clothing giving the appearance that they are military veterans. Ask those people if they are veterans, and if so, offer your hand and thank them for their service, and urge your kids to do the same. This is also a great gesture toward law enforcement personnel, firefighters and all manner of first responders, for they, like soldiers are the ones who run toward dangerous situations, allowing the rest of us run to safety.&nbsp;

I agree with the assessment that “Patriotism has to be taught,” and we as parents and grandparents must be the teachers. Be creative with other ways to honor our veterans this Veteran’s Day. Offer to pay for their Big Mac and fries, their morning coffee at Scooters or at the local café, let them go ahead of you in line at Dillons, etc. Also, take your kids and grandkids to church and be the example of wholeheartedly thanking God for these freedoms we have. As Lee Greenwood so eloquently sang, “God Bless the USA”

Steve Gilliland, Inamn, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>I come from a family where many have served in the military in one way, shape or form. My dad was an infantryman in the Army during WW II and served in Italy for a time. His older brother served as Flight Engineer on a B-24, flying 13 missions over Germany during WWII. I was a Field Artillery Meteorologist, collecting atmospheric data for the artillery for 20 years in the Army National Guard, and was in Bosnia for 6 months. My wife Joyce spent 8 years in the Air National Guard as a photographer and as a plane cargo loader. Three of her uncles, all from Mennonite families, served in the army and navy during WWII and the Korean Conflict. Two of my cousins were in the Air Force, one of my nephews was a marine and another nephew is currently in the navy. When asked by her siblings, (all who are also Conscientious Objectors,) why she joined the military, my wife Joyce replied “Cause daddy never told me not to.”&nbsp; I say all this not to brag, but to say that we are a family who believes in and supports maintaining a strong military in the United States.The person who suggested I write this column, told me of an office conversation discussing whether or not to do anything special this year for Veterans Day in their paper. One coworker replied “Yes, absolutely. Patriotism has to be taught.” That got me thinking about ways we can teach our kids and new citizens to be proud of our country and of our military, both current members and veterans.&nbsp;First of all, by example, teach your kids respect for our flag, for the pledge of allegiance to our flag and for our National Anthem. When reciting the pledge of allegiance, honoring our flag as it is displayed or paraded past you or when singing the Star-Spangled Banner, stand, come to attention and face the flag with your right hand over your heart. Now, some will say the flag is only a piece of cloth, the pledge of allegiance only something we recite and the national anthem only a song. While those statements are true, these things are symbols of our freedom and of our country. Teaching our youth respect for these things will help teach them appreciation for God’s allowing us to live in a free country like the United States, appreciation for the soldiers that currently serve, soldiers that have served in the past and soldiers that have died protecting that freedom.&nbsp;Most places you go, be it Walmart, the mall, a fast-food restaurant or some large event, you will see men and women wearing a hat or another item of clothing giving the appearance that they are military veterans. Ask those people if they are veterans, and if so, offer your hand and thank them for their service, and urge your kids to do the same. This is also a great gesture toward law enforcement personnel, firefighters and all manner of first responders, for they, like soldiers are the ones who run toward dangerous situations, allowing the rest of us run to safety.&nbsp;I agree with the assessment that “Patriotism has to be taught,” and we as parents and grandparents must be the teachers. Be creative with other ways to honor our veterans this Veteran’s Day. Offer to pay for their Big Mac and fries, their morning coffee at Scooters or at the local café, let them go ahead of you in line at Dillons, etc. Also, take your kids and grandkids to church and be the example of wholeheartedly thanking God for these freedoms we have. As Lee Greenwood so eloquently sang, “God Bless the USA”Steve Gilliland, Inamn, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Veterans Day

By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher Paid time-off for farmers is one of the intriguing ideas that caught the attention of our group during the recent Kansas Farm Bureau Casten Fellows international travel experience to the Baltics. One of the young farmers we met shared that the Replacement Farmers program provides subsidized, qualified workers to help during illness or time away on vacation. This first-generation farmer said she uses the Replacement Farmers for education and expertise because of the knowledge and experience required of the fill-in workers. That clear recognition of the mastery needed to succeed in farming was a lightbulb moment for our group. We realized that every farmer we met with in the Baltics has made a conscious decision with their career and business ownership. There is no multi-generational pressure because farm ownership is still in the first generation. People choosing farming careers take their work seriously; they seek out education and training opportunities to improve themselves because everyone there remembers how many people failed at farming after the region was liberated from Soviet occupation. Farming is a respected profession. Can a farmer be considered a professional? The status of being a professional probably seems like a silly question, but it’s worth pondering. The Oxford Languages dictionary definition of professional focuses on a person with “prolonged training or a formal qualification.” So many people in our world think farmers are people who lack intelligence and ambition. They definitely have no idea how many are college educated with degrees in everything from engineering and finance to chemistry and genetics. I always enjoy enlightening people who have never met a farmer and have visions of farmers being what they were portrayed as on television shows of the 1950s. I think most modern farmers could pass the litmus test of training and qualification. However, in direct conflict with the idea of farmers being professionals is the Merriam Webster definition specifically states, “an occupation that is not mechanical or agricultural.” That definition aligns with more medieval views that separate the learned professions (law, medicine and divinity) from other trades or farm laborers. However, if we are going to believe historical definitions we need to include ones that add the idea of professionals providing services for the benefit of the client or the public. Farmers definitely do that. As Americans, we enjoy the most abundant, safest and cheapest food supply in the world. That has allowed the public to detach itself from the realities of what it takes to ensure the security of this foundational need. The supply chain disruptions of the past 18 months are the first time in the lives of many generations’ that we have had even the slightest moments of scarcity. If you are one of the people just noticing farmers, I hope you see the way they have worked to improve their practices to ensure food safety; updated equipment and inputs to increase efficiency keeping costs low; and innovated and experimented to increase yields to keep up with global demand. They continue to plant their crops and care for animals whether prices are high or low. They wear dozens of hats and are continually learning to stay on top of their ever-changing industry. Maybe you have never thought of farmers as professionals and think they do not strictly fit into the dictionary definitions. But, I challenge you to consider the complex nature of modern agricultural systems, their benefit to the public and the required skills formed through prolonged training it takes to produce our food. In the big picture, I believe farmers have earned the designation of professional.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575406519723.jpeg" alt="Jackie Mundt" />
 <figcaption>Jackie Mundt</figcaption>
 </figure>By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher Paid time-off for farmers is one of the intriguing ideas that caught the attention of our group during the recent Kansas Farm Bureau Casten Fellows international travel experience to the Baltics. One of the young farmers we met shared that the Replacement Farmers program provides subsidized, qualified workers to help during illness or time away on vacation. This first-generation farmer said she uses the Replacement Farmers for education and expertise because of the knowledge and experience required of the fill-in workers. That clear recognition of the mastery needed to succeed in farming was a lightbulb moment for our group. We realized that every farmer we met with in the Baltics has made a conscious decision with their career and business ownership. There is no multi-generational pressure because farm ownership is still in the first generation. People choosing farming careers take their work seriously; they seek out education and training opportunities to improve themselves because everyone there remembers how many people failed at farming after the region was liberated from Soviet occupation. Farming is a respected profession. Can a farmer be considered a professional? The status of being a professional probably seems like a silly question, but it’s worth pondering. The Oxford Languages dictionary definition of professional focuses on a person with “prolonged training or a formal qualification.” So many people in our world think farmers are people who lack intelligence and ambition. They definitely have no idea how many are college educated with degrees in everything from engineering and finance to chemistry and genetics. I always enjoy enlightening people who have never met a farmer and have visions of farmers being what they were portrayed as on television shows of the 1950s. I think most modern farmers could pass the litmus test of training and qualification. However, in direct conflict with the idea of farmers being professionals is the Merriam Webster definition specifically states, “an occupation that is not mechanical or agricultural.” That definition aligns with more medieval views that separate the learned professions (law, medicine and divinity) from other trades or farm laborers. However, if we are going to believe historical definitions we need to include ones that add the idea of professionals providing services for the benefit of the client or the public. Farmers definitely do that. As Americans, we enjoy the most abundant, safest and cheapest food supply in the world. That has allowed the public to detach itself from the realities of what it takes to ensure the security of this foundational need. The supply chain disruptions of the past 18 months are the first time in the lives of many generations’ that we have had even the slightest moments of scarcity. If you are one of the people just noticing farmers, I hope you see the way they have worked to improve their practices to ensure food safety; updated equipment and inputs to increase efficiency keeping costs low; and innovated and experimented to increase yields to keep up with global demand. They continue to plant their crops and care for animals whether prices are high or low. They wear dozens of hats and are continually learning to stay on top of their ever-changing industry. Maybe you have never thought of farmers as professionals and think they do not strictly fit into the dictionary definitions. But, I challenge you to consider the complex nature of modern agricultural systems, their benefit to the public and the required skills formed through prolonged training it takes to produce our food. In the big picture, I believe farmers have earned the designation of professional."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: The professional farmer

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

Are you ready? Are you ready to advance your business in the race to a modern digital environment? Today we’ll learn about a new digital, online initiative to support rural businesses.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Last week we met Christina Long, strategic director for NetWorked – Partnership for Community Investment. She facilitates monthly online convenings during which participants can learn about resources to help businesses and communities. The get-togethers are conducted on Zoom and archived on the NetWorked website.&nbsp;

“We are bringing networks together that may not typically have a way to naturally connect,” Christina said. “We learn about resources and information that we can take back to our communities to activate strong community changes.”&nbsp;

Monthly topics have included&nbsp;the Kansas Community Investment Fund, the Kansas Leadership Center transformation grants and programs, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Healthify and Pathway grant, food access and food insecurity as addressed by the Rural Grocery Initiative, and the Kansas Healthy Food Initiative.&nbsp;

Along with NetWork Kansas and other partners, these programs have assisted and invested in small businesses across the state – even in communities as small as the store in the rural community of Mildred, population 28 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

Now there is another, brand new resource to help small businesses. It was highlighted during a recent online session.&nbsp;

“NetWork Kansas is partnering with Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and Verizon to offer this new program,” said Steve Radley, NetWork Kansas CEO. It is called the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready program. As of Oct. 1, this program is available for free online. Verizon has stated a goal that, by 2030, the company would provide 1 million small businesses with resources to help those businesses thrive in the digital economy.&nbsp;

Evelyn McKinney of Rural LISC explained the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready program at the NetWorked convening. LISC was founded by the Ford Foundation in 1979. Evelyn is part of the Rural LISC team.&nbsp;

“Rural LISC is focused on making our rural communities great places to live, work, play and innovate,” she said. LISC operates through a set of localized partners referred to as business development organizations.&nbsp;

“(NetWork Kansas) is one of our stellar rural-serving (business development organizations),” Evelyn said. “Now, NetWork Kansas and Verizon are bringing something special to all small business owners.”&nbsp;

The program is described as an integrated platform to provide curriculum, coaching and community, curated for small business needs. The guiding principles for this initiative are that it should be personalized, integrated, guided, scalable and authentic.&nbsp;

The program consists of online content and curriculum, one-to-one coaching and mentoring, small business community-building, and incentives, through a unified dashboard.&nbsp;

The service is free. The first step is for business owners to register online, at which point they will be taken to an introductory landing page. The second step is an onboarding page where the business owner provides information so the program can be targeted to the company’s needs. The third step is a customized learning dashboard that reflects a customized learning plan.&nbsp;

“Everything is addressed and delivered through a small business lens,” said LISC staff member Karleen Porcena. “You’re not going to feel like you’re in a classroom. These are bite-sized learning modules. You don’t have to sit through a two-hour lecture.”&nbsp;

The curriculum is focused on three elements: Customers, operations, and money.&nbsp;

Modules include branding, search engine optimization, online growth marketing, resiliency, cybersecurity, financing, and much more.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Content is great, but people need additional resources after getting that content,” Karleen said.&nbsp;

“Entrepreneurship is economic empowerment,” Steve said. “It is so critical that disadvantaged geographies and disadvantaged populations have the opportunity to be entrepreneurs and have the necessary resources available to them.”&nbsp;

For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion/small-business-training">www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion/small-business-training</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.networkedforchange.com/">www.networkedforchange.com</a>.&nbsp;

Are you ready? Are you equipped for your business to move forward in the digital world?&nbsp;&nbsp;We commend Christina Long, Steve Radley and all those involved with NetWorked and the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready platform for making a difference by bringing these new resources to Kansas.&nbsp;

To small business owners, we can say:&nbsp;&nbsp;Ready, set, go!&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635947435612.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural DevelopmentAre you ready? Are you ready to advance your business in the race to a modern digital environment? Today we’ll learn about a new digital, online initiative to support rural businesses.&nbsp;&nbsp;Last week we met Christina Long, strategic director for NetWorked – Partnership for Community Investment. She facilitates monthly online convenings during which participants can learn about resources to help businesses and communities. The get-togethers are conducted on Zoom and archived on the NetWorked website.&nbsp;“We are bringing networks together that may not typically have a way to naturally connect,” Christina said. “We learn about resources and information that we can take back to our communities to activate strong community changes.”&nbsp;Monthly topics have included&nbsp;the Kansas Community Investment Fund, the Kansas Leadership Center transformation grants and programs, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Healthify and Pathway grant, food access and food insecurity as addressed by the Rural Grocery Initiative, and the Kansas Healthy Food Initiative.&nbsp;Along with NetWork Kansas and other partners, these programs have assisted and invested in small businesses across the state – even in communities as small as the store in the rural community of Mildred, population 28 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;Now there is another, brand new resource to help small businesses. It was highlighted during a recent online session.&nbsp;“NetWork Kansas is partnering with Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and Verizon to offer this new program,” said Steve Radley, NetWork Kansas CEO. It is called the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready program. As of Oct. 1, this program is available for free online. Verizon has stated a goal that, by 2030, the company would provide 1 million small businesses with resources to help those businesses thrive in the digital economy.&nbsp;Evelyn McKinney of Rural LISC explained the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready program at the NetWorked convening. LISC was founded by the Ford Foundation in 1979. Evelyn is part of the Rural LISC team.&nbsp;“Rural LISC is focused on making our rural communities great places to live, work, play and innovate,” she said. LISC operates through a set of localized partners referred to as business development organizations.&nbsp;“(NetWork Kansas) is one of our stellar rural-serving (business development organizations),” Evelyn said. “Now, NetWork Kansas and Verizon are bringing something special to all small business owners.”&nbsp;The program is described as an integrated platform to provide curriculum, coaching and community, curated for small business needs. The guiding principles for this initiative are that it should be personalized, integrated, guided, scalable and authentic.&nbsp;The program consists of online content and curriculum, one-to-one coaching and mentoring, small business community-building, and incentives, through a unified dashboard.&nbsp;The service is free. The first step is for business owners to register online, at which point they will be taken to an introductory landing page. The second step is an onboarding page where the business owner provides information so the program can be targeted to the company’s needs. The third step is a customized learning dashboard that reflects a customized learning plan.&nbsp;“Everything is addressed and delivered through a small business lens,” said LISC staff member Karleen Porcena. “You’re not going to feel like you’re in a classroom. These are bite-sized learning modules. You don’t have to sit through a two-hour lecture.”&nbsp;The curriculum is focused on three elements: Customers, operations, and money.&nbsp;Modules include branding, search engine optimization, online growth marketing, resiliency, cybersecurity, financing, and much more.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Content is great, but people need additional resources after getting that content,” Karleen said.&nbsp;“Entrepreneurship is economic empowerment,” Steve said. “It is so critical that disadvantaged geographies and disadvantaged populations have the opportunity to be entrepreneurs and have the necessary resources available to them.”&nbsp;For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion/small-business-training">www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion/small-business-training</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.networkedforchange.com/">www.networkedforchange.com</a>.&nbsp;Are you ready? Are you equipped for your business to move forward in the digital world?&nbsp;&nbsp;We commend Christina Long, Steve Radley and all those involved with NetWorked and the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready platform for making a difference by bringing these new resources to Kansas.&nbsp;To small business owners, we can say:&nbsp;&nbsp;Ready, set, go!&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Christina Long, NetWorked

According to a national study published by the American Medical Association last month, 65% of Kansas children have elevated levels of lead in their blood — 15 points higher than the national average.

There is no safe level of lead, per the Center for Disease Control.

Lead exposure, especially early in life, can lead to brain and nervous system damage, slow growth and development, and learning, behavior, hearing, and speech problems.

While we have made significant progress over the past 40 years in reducing lead exposure via government policies that work to eliminate it from gasoline, paint, plumbing, and consumer products, there is still much to be done. Many older homes in low-income areas, especially minority-populated urban areas, still have an abundance of lead in paint and plumbing.

Health concerns associated with lead exposure invoke thoughts of Flint, Michigan where, in the name of financial savings, the local and state governments failed to appropriately treat the water supply and it poisoned thousands of children. The city’s kids will never fully recover.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2ffa58eb-8af6-40de-95c5-e28942a8cc65">RELATED:&nbsp;Report allows Kan. residents to see their drinking water contaminants</a>

But we can work to prevent it from happening elsewhere.

Lead exposure via water isn’t only a concern in states like Michigan. It’s a problem right here in Kansas.

Kansas has some of the highest numbers of lead service lines in the country. Per the National Resources Defense Council, Kansas has the third highest number of lead pipes per capita. These pipes carry water into our homes and buildings that our children then drink.

Appropriate water treatment can prevent pipe corrosion. But once service lines begin to corrode, they carry lead into our drinking water. Water that has high acidity or low mineral content is especially corrosive to fixtures and pipes. This is exactly what happened in Flint.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633377761670.jpeg" alt="Alexandra Middlewood, PhD, is an assistant professor at&nbsp;Wichita State University's Department of Political Science." />
 <figcaption>Alexandra Middlewood, PhD, is an assistant professor at&nbsp;Wichita State University's Department of Political Science.</figcaption>
 </figure>According to a national study published by the American Medical Association last month, 65% of Kansas children have elevated levels of lead in their blood — 15 points higher than the national average.There is no safe level of lead, per the Center for Disease Control.Lead exposure, especially early in life, can lead to brain and nervous system damage, slow growth and development, and learning, behavior, hearing, and speech problems.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>While we have made significant progress over the past 40 years in reducing lead exposure via government policies that work to eliminate it from gasoline, paint, plumbing, and consumer products, there is still much to be done. Many older homes in low-income areas, especially minority-populated urban areas, still have an abundance of lead in paint and plumbing.Health concerns associated with lead exposure invoke thoughts of Flint, Michigan where, in the name of financial savings, the local and state governments failed to appropriately treat the water supply and it poisoned thousands of children. The city’s kids will never fully recover.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2ffa58eb-8af6-40de-95c5-e28942a8cc65">RELATED:&nbsp;Report allows Kan. residents to see their drinking water contaminants</a>But we can work to prevent it from happening elsewhere.Lead exposure via water isn’t only a concern in states like Michigan. It’s a problem right here in Kansas.Kansas has some of the highest numbers of lead service lines in the country. Per the National Resources Defense Council, Kansas has the third highest number of lead pipes per capita. These pipes carry water into our homes and buildings that our children then drink.Appropriate water treatment can prevent pipe corrosion. But once service lines begin to corrode, they carry lead into our drinking water. Water that has high acidity or low mineral content is especially corrosive to fixtures and pipes. This is exactly what happened in Flint.There has long been a lack of political will to replace lead service lines. But after the Flint crisis, it has recently become a national priority under the Biden administration. The president’s infrastructure plan has proposed devoting $45 billion to replacing lead pipes, including the approximate 158,000 lead pipes in our state.Research by Dan Slusky, a health economics expert and Associate Professor at the University of Kansas, studies the economic impact of lead exposure. His analysis concludes that the benefits of the infrastructure plan would justify the costs.Cities across the country have recently faced lead-based public health crises. Are Kansas’ cities next?If the past two years have shown us anything it’s that health is a community issue. It has also shown us that scientific truths are often dismissed for political reasons.Government can protect rights, promote equality, and prevent historic injustice — but it often requires citizens to demand government use this power preventatively. A lead crisis would be too late for Kansas’ kids. No amount of exposure is safe.But we can — and should — pressure Kansas’ congressional delegation to prioritize replacing lead pipes as part of the infrastructure plan. This is our chance to protect the health and wellbeing of Kansas’ kids.Alexandra Middlewood, PhD, is an assistant professor at&nbsp;Wichita State University's Department of Political Science.

Opinion