Opinion

The first Southern Oklahoma Leaders Luncheon of the season will be April 14at the Ardmore Convention Center from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. Following President Biden’s March 21 statement reinforcing the urgent need for all organizations, large and small, to act now to protect themselves against malicious cyber activity (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/), the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Cybersecurity Advisor Mike Jackson of the Cybersecurity Information Security Agency (CISA) of the Department of Homeland Security to speak on cybersecurity.

Most of us know a friend or family member who will be peeking through the blinds to see who it is when we pull up in their driveway. People peek through the blinds because they want to know what is going on in their neighborhood.

In a classic Monty Python sketch, Michael Palin tells the receptionist, “I’d like to have an argument please.” After paying the fee, Palin opens a door expecting an argument, but before he can say a word, an angry man yells, “WHADDA YOU WANT?” As he tries to explain, he is cut off by the angry man shouting, “DON’T GIVE ME THAT, YOU SNOTTY-FACED HEAP OF PARROT DROPPINGS!” “What,” asks Palin in surprise; which evokes the following response. “SHUT YOUR FESTERING GOB, YOU TWIT! YOUR TYPE MAKES ME PUKE! YOU VACUOUS TOFFEE-NOSED MALODOROUS PERVERT!!!” After explaining that he came for an argument, the angry man politely responds, “I’m sorry! This is abuse,” then explains arguments are next door.

The much-anticipated comprehensive study of Ardmore-area housing was released a couple of weeks ago. On Thursday of last week, Steve Spillette of Community Development Strategies was in Ardmore to present the findings and recommendations of the study. (As a reminder, the CDS team spent a week in Ardmore in September 2021 interviewing employers and multiple groups that deal with housing-related issues. Following their visit, an online survey of people working in Ardmore was made available.)

Parents who say no often hear some version of “everyone else is doing it,” and may respond by asking if they would jump off a cliff if everyone else was doing it. That conversation has become something of a cliché because parents have a duty to teach their children the dangers of following the crowd without thinking of the consequences.

I have worked with many of our small and large businesses in southern Oklahoma. All have been caring and hard workers, eager to do business that helps this community thrive and grow.