Last summer they showed up looking scary and vicious. They have reddish-brown wings, black bodies with yellow stripes. We thought they were hornets, but they are Cicada Killer Wasps. Last year, they were a nuisance, this year they were a plague of not quite biblical proportions. The male of the species cannot sting. The females are twice the size of the male and they have a wicked sting. They build nests in dirt. We have a deck in the back yard and they opened the North Texas Cicada Killer Wasp University in our back yard.  We couldn’t go out in the back and cook on the grill. The dogs wouldn’t go out and . . . well – you know. I decided it was time to deal with these things. I started first by covering my deck with plastic. I dressed for war - even tied one of those Rambo things on my head. I decided I would gas them. So I pulled the plug on a couple of fogger bombs. They seemed only annoyed by my first assault. 

I talked to my nephew (a professional exterminator) and he explained how they nest and how to get rid of them. The next step for me was to take the top of the deck off and find the hole that indicates the entrance to their nest. I found it on the first night. I sprayed an entire can of foaming wasp killer inside the hole. The next morning – they were still swarming! I took more of the deck top off and found two more nests. I bombed them as well and the next morning – still swarming! Now I have had enough. I walked into the back yard and did the normal Saturday drill, pick up the dog. . . well – you know. Next, trim along the fence and around the deck. All the while, the wasps are all around me. A few got too close and I tried to do the Light Saber bit with the weed whacker, but it’s too cumbersome to be an effective weapon. But it gave me an idea. 

I again dressed for battle. I found my racquetball racquet in the garage and I went to war. It took a little while to get the feel for it, but for over an hour I did hand to wing combat with the swarm of Cicada Killer Wasps. In the spirit of Luke Skywalker, I swatted the attacking hordes down with my Jedi skills. They continued to show up throughout the day. Like a soldier of Nehemiah, I worked with a screw gun in one hand and my racquet in the other. I struck down the enemy while my family safely watched in hysteria safely from inside the house.  I’m sure it looked ridiculous to the neighbors, but it had to be done. I was tired of talk, smoke and foam. I needed results. What are the Killer Wasps in your life? Are there habits, people or places that you need to eradicate from your scene? Stop doing things that wont work. Do you need to get serious about a new job or new relationships? Do you need to get your body in shape and your health on track? It may be time for you to get your Skywalker on and go to war. May the Force be with You. telemicus out

I love the movie, The Postman. It got a bad rap. The year is 2013; there is no government and no communication. There are militias that rule over various territories. The Postman (Costner) is a drifter trying to survive. He finds a bag of mail and a skeleton wearing a postal workers uniform. He assumes the identity of the Postman to get a meal. Then he made up a story that the United States have reorganized and a new President has been elected named Starky. He tells the people, “Starky has this thing he always says, ‘Things are getting better.’” He gave them hope. 

Guess what. . . these are NOT bad times. These are challenging for some, difficult for others, but they are not bad. We live in a time of opportunity. We are free, strong, prosperous and resourceful people. Unemployment is low, interest rates are still very low, outside of the fake price of oil driving the cost of fuel and goods higher, the economy is stable. We are winning in the war against the fascist enemies.  

It is here that we teach our kids balance. We “keep our heads when everyone around us is losing theirs,” it is in these times that we display strength and confidence in God and country. It’s now that we teach trust in God, to believe what is good, to stand on principle and refuse to buy into the panic and fear that the media promote every day.  

No, I’m not unaware of the price of gas, the condition of the economy, the financial institutions, the price of food or the mortgage crises. But the truth of all this is that every entity that exists in the context of abuses requires correction. This is true in small business, sports teams, churches, government, corporations and even families. Those that don’t make corrections fail – every time. 

Failure is sometimes the right thing. The government (we the people) shouldn’t bail out failing businesses. If they fail, it is on them. The day will come when these oil companies will be asking for help because they are failing. Their abuses will be visited back upon them. Just as the savings and loans in the 80s, the over valued dot-coms of the 90s, and all the other failures we’ve seen when wisdom is abandoned and abuse is tolerated. I’m not without compassion. I know that when an organization fails it hurts people. I’ve been in businesses and churches that failed because of foolishness and abuse.  

So, here is my advice. Don’t wait on the government to fix things. They only know how to mess things up. Turn up your thermostat (if you need to), drive less (if you want to), be wise, look for solutions and opportunities to change your life. Dream big! Take risks! Believe in the gifts that God gave you and don’t buy into the Chicken Little panic that you hear blasting from your radio and T.V. We are the children of God. We live in the greatest country on the face of the Earth. We stand firm with American resolve and confident faith. Things are getting better. 

telemicus out