Back here on Earth Space X is showing the world that a private company can
do something just as good or better than the government. And a lot cheaper.
Whether we agree that we should be in space or not, we do agree it is good
business for us here in Central Texas. Between Space X and the L3 call
center they plan to employ to 6,000. Can you believe the population of
McGregor is only 5,000.

Here’s a letter from a good reader about the Mars gamble.
In light of the recent Mars rover news, I wanted to highlight the hard work
of a Waco native and Lockheed Martin employee, Maya Cooper,
Cooper is a scientist serving on NASA’s Advanced Food Technology Project at
Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In this role, she is exploring
options for the astronaut menu for a potential Mars mission, says Lindsay
Wilson, Communications & Public Affairs for Lockheed Martin IS&GS.

You can say her meals are out of this world. And now, sports fans, It takes
six months to get to Mars from California. How is Ms. Cooper going to pack
her meals so they won’t be spoiled in the six months it takes to get to
Mars.
She doesn’t expect to get there before 2030, so I guess most of us won’t
have to worry about these problems.

Here are some articles in which Maya has been featured if you want to look
into them.:
–

http://www.npr.org/2012/07/24/157313902/nasa-already-planning-meals-for-2030-mars-mission

–

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/nasa-builds-menu-planned-mars-mission-2030s

Email her at: lindsay.e.wilson@lmco.com

billfoster@wacocitizen.com
254-754-3511

We are getting a lot of press about feeding the children this summer. While it is not the children’s fault. I wonder where the parents are?. And now even the grand parents?. Why should we be feeding them?
While the kids are exuberantly shouting, “School’s out!” many parents may be worrying just how they’re going to feed their kids all summer long. USDA Joins Nation’s Communities to Feed Children during Summer Meal Gap. Where is the gasoline to get them to the schools.
USDA Secretary Kevin Concaon, wants to assure those moms, dads and caregivers that USDA has a program that can help. And another problem. How do they get to the schools when the buses don’t run. Who’s going to take them?
All it takes is a toll free phone call to find a USDA Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) site where children in low-income areas can get a free meal during the summer months when the schools is closed. The National Hunger Hotline (1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-866-348-6479) can give you locations of Summer Food Service Program sites open in your local area. Just provide your zip code and the Hotline operator will tell you if there is a site near where you live. This information is also available to Spanish speakers, 1-877-8-HAMBRE.

Summer meals are free for children 18 and under at open sites. In
addition to a healthy meal, the program offers enjoyable learning
activities held in a safe place where kids can play with friends and make new ones. Summer meal sites are located at libraries, schools, family centers, youth drop-in centers, park and recreation centers, faith-based organizations, day camps and food banks, and many other locations where children come together during the summer months. Sites offer activities such as arts and crafts, drama, sports, computer training, music and reading that keep kids interested and coming back day after day. I’ve personally visited many sites and know that the kids have a great time and enjoy good meals, says the secretary. Maybe some other good will come out of this. Like they learn something new. Meet new friends. Learn how to stay out of trouble. .
Our newspapers are helping to spread the word so that more families, parents and children know about this program and can find a site in their community. ” I encourage parents and sponsoring organizations to work with their schools to send Summer Food Service Program flyers and other outreach materials home with students before the end of school. Our Website, www.summerfood.usda.gov includes templates for creating these materials, says the secretary.
SFSP is vitally important to the millions of kids who eat school lunch and school breakfast during the school year but have no nutritious alterative in the summer. Only 3 million of the 22 million students who receive free or reduced price meals in the National School Lunch Program participate in a summer feeding program either through SFSP or through their school.

Summertime should not be a hungry time for these kids. SFSP fills that gap. Healthy food gives kids energy so they can enjoy all the summertime fun, but also maintains their nutrition so they feel well and do well once they’re back in school.

At USDA, we’re committed to ensuring that all students have access to “food that’s in while school is out.” We are here to help parents and communities make that a reality this summer, says the secretary.. Do the parents and grandparents get to eat free since they have to bring them to the schools.

The good Lord must have wanted me to get a radar ticket so I could write
this story about On Line Driving school.
You know I wasn’t really guilty. The posted limit on Franklin was 40 MPH
then 30. Of course the officer wasn’t at the 40 sign but at the 30. I was
going same speed everybody else does on Franklin.
But it’s a real experience — this new state of Texas approved driving
school. There is a choice of many and it cost $25 up front. The goal is to
get your ticket
dismissed. Also discount on your insurance.
Long time ago when I took the test I went to Ryan’s and had a free supper
then went to the two hour course. Now at a restaurant it is two days, three
hours each and you still get a free meal.

The driving test has come a long was since then. You can take it on line
at your own speed. Its really a smart computer program. You can work at it
awhile and then give up. It remembers where you left off. Just put in your
email address and password and you are back where you left off.
I didn’t particularly like the segment about drunk driving, because I don’t
drink. Anyway there are questions about how alcohol affects your driving. A
video pops up and you watch it for 30 seconds, then answer question about
what you learned, I kept failing the questions. Each time you had to play
the video again, but this time new questions come up. Like what was the name
of the man that was killed in the alcohol related crash. Finally on the
third try you get simple yes or no question. Each time you miss you get a
lecture from the state about what you should have learned.
I struggled off and on with the test..
Just when I thought I was thru another whole segment pops up. I believe the
program takes 8 hours to complete.
This is better than a big bad mark on your driving record. It still wasn’t
free. It cost over a $180.

The program seems to be up to date because it talks about the new lights
being installed at intersections. The ones that tell you how many seconds
till the light turns green for you to walk across the road. Brighter lights
are being installed at intersections. The highway departments are finding
ways to make the highways safer for you. Like signs everywhere, and stripes
on
the street. And how you should pay attention to them. Get into the right
lane when making a change. The new autos have a lot of safety gadgets in
them.

A section in the course talks about bad driving conditions, Also city
driving and highway miles. What to do if you get stuck in the mud. What to
do if you break down on the highway. Driving in bad weather. It talks about
new, safer highway construction now being installed.
But the hard part was getting through those video tests. Like how many
seconds does it take to pass an 18 wheeler What lane should you drive in on
the highway.
A lot about driving in crowded cities. Of course, try not to run over a
pedestrian. What to do if your car breaks down. What to do if you can’t get
around having a crash.

Even if you didn’t get a ticket I recommend taking the course to get a
better rate on your insurance and to learn about all the things the state is
dong to make driving safer for you.

There’s things to do after completing the course. Like paying $10 to get
your driving record Then what to do after you “graduate.”

We reported about the city of Waco jumping on me because some hoodlums
dumped some discards on my lot. What started it was our decision to have a
bigger trash, trying to be a good customer. Apparently the bad guys
thought it was a new dumping station. They dropped mattresses, an old bed,
rugs and other stuff. We decided for $75 a month we didn’t need a big trash
container plus the hassle that goes with it. So the city pulled it, but
didn’t give us time to put these discards IN the trash can.
We got a threatening letter from the city about the liter.
To make a long story short Sherri Street, with Keep Waco Beautiful, was able
to persuade the city to hold off till Stepping out day. They did and we did.
The city brought a dumpster out and it wasn’t long before we cleared the
debris and neighbors brought their discards. With the help of 15 Baylor
students participating in the twice a year Steppin’ Out program, we had it
all cleaned up by 3 p m. Even had some limbs cut and put in the rolloff.

Wiley Stem has been moved over to solid waste and he was concerned about our
problem. The city council had a big
discussion about what to do about littering and why some residents are not
using the four different types of containers for what they are designed for.
For Saturday, we can say residents and the Baylor students saved the city at
least 10 trips to dump by city trucks.
Our thanks to our Baylor group Global Community, Living & Learning Center,
Evan Chori. Coordinator for the Baylor project was Craig Abee who came out
early to see about our projects.

Sherri says she had 180 volunteers at the Lake Waco cleanup Saturday. Thanks
Sherri and Baylor Steppin’ Out.

The vacant lot connected with the 25th street theatre
has long been a problem. At night apparently neighbors picked that spot to
celebrate and throw their trash and bottles on the ground with no thought of
who was going to clean up after them. And that’s with no business open
around there. So now a 6 foot fence has been put up on the lot. Let’s see if
that stops the littering and partying.

Germany makes lighter cars, saving gas

I get a magazine from Germany called de. The Germans seem to be ahead of us
in many ways. Each month they have stories and pictures of the things they
are doing in Germany. For instance Mercedes Benz is coming out with a car
made of of lighter metal and has an electric type motor so it doesn’t use
gasoline.
Some of those same light, but strong metals are being used in airplanes. So
it
is the same — flying more using less aviation fuel.
It is always uplifting to read stories in the magazine about what the
Germans are doing.
Yes it is in good English. For the electric cars they are building electric
stop stations just as you would a gas station.
They are big in solar energy. They are putting them everywhere. And some
company is building them in America. One company is big in wind power.
Its been years since the wall has come down separating Berlin. But now it
has
been cleaned up and looking great. They show before and after picture. I
remember when zip was thee I took a Chance and went through Check ingot
Charlie to the Russian side. A mean looking Russian get on out bus to check
us
out before we crossed over. They wouldn’t trust our driver. They had to
have a Russian Driver. Fortunately nothing happened and they only let us see
a
well groomed park with a statue commemorating the state about the
separation.
The current magazine show a crane lifting the Check point Charlie booth high
for
removal.
There is some amazing clear writing in the magazine complete with pictures
or drawings.
There’s several pages about Factories of the Future. Autos and even large
boats. Airbuses are being built in Hamburg, Germany
Shipping is big sense they expect a lot of things they make. Volkswagen is
the
top selling automobile They made over 105,000 of them.
A question is asked what is best about German made products. The answer –
usually you can depend on getting the finest quality.
DHL is is their biggest shipping company.
Women are beginning to take more important rolls in Germany in every field.

 The stadium story is one you probably have never heard before. Who or
 what is this Lucas who put his name on the new stadium where the Colts 
play?
 I discovered it in a Fortune magazine.
 Forrest Lucas and his wife Charlotte are from Indianapolis. They were
 married in March 82.
 Forrest is president and CEO of Lucas Oil. He’s 70 now.

 He began by racing cars. He needed them to run better at less cost so he 
began
 inventing oil additives. In 1989 he started Lucus Oil Products. He bought 
his first semi truck at 21.
 At 13 he was showing registered cattle in breeder shows. He’d help his dad 
with logging. He left home at 15 because his dad was drinking.

 For 20 years he has been in the long haul trucking business based in
 California. Since California was a long way from his markets back East, he
 needed his trucks to perform better. Same deal. Use oil additives for the
 job
 Soon he began setting up oil refineries in California. One of his first 
was
 in Indianapolis. He and his wife went to a lot of trade shows to push 
their products.
 Money was tight so they lived on lean budget, but finally one day in 1995, 
they
 turned the corner. Only then did they feel they could splurge on an
 expensive car. It was a Buick Riviera.
 Today Lucas Oil is a world wide company. They have continued to grow right 
on through the recession.

In the meantime you’ll be glad to know that Mobile-Exxon an BP had record
profits. Could the much discussed pipeline from Alaska to Texas help. How
could it hurt? We have pipelines already all over put country side.
At the home products show Sunday Woody Butler had an electric Aveo
Chevrolet. The price $40,000, So no doubt many will wait till the price
comes down.

City of Waco booklet about the Brazos Corridor
After we wrote this column, I get this nice booklet in the mail from Rusty
Black who heads up Waco parks and recreation. The book outlines the dreams I
have had for a long time. Only exception — I think we could have bigger all
weather boats.
Look it over. The ideas in this booklet are a result of a two year planning
committee, starting with Virginia DuPuy who was mayor at the time.
The 64 page booklet is a little more than I envisioned. like counting the
wildlife up and down the river corridor.
Perhaps the biggest challenge now is for investors to come forward to put
boats on the river, since we lost at least three of them. Mainly this is
because we didn’t have a dam that would keep the water level up. Now we hope
we are past this problem and are ready to go forward.
He agrees with me This is Waco’s greatest treasurer.
If you want a copy go to www.waco-texas.com

Joe Paterno
I met Joe Paterno, when he flew into Waco to be a part of the celebration
for Baylor Coach Grant Teaff after he won a trip to the Cotton Bowl game.
Winning more games than any other coach will be a high mark that will ho
doubt stand forever. This must have been in 1988.