Author / Jim Cota

Posts by Jim Cota

Jim lives in Indianapolis with his wife and four kids and feels lucky to work with the fine folks at Rare Bird. An occasional writer, tweeter, and shooter. If you need to know anything else about me, this should do it...

I Guess it's Time to Move


According to the Department of Homeland Security, Indiana tops the list as a target-rich environment for terrorists. Yikes!

Turns out our 8,591 potential terrorist targets makes us ripe for the picking. This number is 50% greater than New York and twice the number of California. The list was generated by the Department to help allocate resources for protecting the sites. From the beginning, problems were rampant: unclear or incongruent definitions, lack of proper oversight, etc. (In other words, a typical government boondoggle.) As if that weren’t bad enough, it appears that funding from the Department was based in large part on this list, leading to some questionable allocation of money. After all, we’re talking about securing things like petting zoos, flea markets, bean festivals, mule day parade (pictured above) and a popcorn factory.

From the New York Times article:

One business owner who learned from a reporter that a company named Amish Country Popcorn was on the list was at first puzzled. The businessman, Brian Lehman, said he owned the only operation in the country with that name.

“I am out in the middle of nowhere,” said Mr. Lehman, whose business in Berne, Ind., has five employees and grows and distributes popcorn. “We are nothing but a bunch of Amish buggies and tractors out here. No one would care.”

But on second thought, he came up with an explanation: “Maybe because popcorn explodes?

[Read the entire article]

Forgiveness by Alice Walker

I came across this a couple of days ago and was so struck by the first stanza… I just had to share it.

Looking down into my father’s
dead face
for the last time,
my mother said without
tears, without smiles,
without regrets,
but with civility
“Goodnight, Willie Lee, I’ll see you
in the morning.”

And it was then I knew that the healing
of all our wounds
is forgiveness
that permits a promise of our return
at the end.

Prayer of an Unknown Confederate Soldier

I asked for strength that I might achieve;
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.

I asked for health that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.

I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.

I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing that I asked for
but everything that I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered,
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.

Man's Best Friend, Part II

A few months ago I relayed the story about an Indiana man whose dog saved his life. To dog-loving readers, it will probably come as no surprise that it’s happened again. (Well, different dog; different man.)

Kevin Weaver, of Ocoee, Florida, says the last thing he remembers from the day he almost died was walking his dog, Belle. If you asked her, Belle would tell a different story. You see, Belle has been trained to keep a close eye on Kevin, who is diabetic, and to call for help should anything unusual happen. (Belle periodically licks his nose to take her own reading of his blood sugar levels.) When Kevin suffered a seizure brought on by a sudden drop in blood sugar, he fell and hit his head. Belle retrieved his cell phone from the table and called 911.

[Read the story from the Orlando Sentinel]
[Read more about Dogs4Diabetics]