Heard on the Street

SBJ CELEBRATES

Besides the 21st birthday for Springfield Business Journal this past week, we at SBJ congratulate reporter Eric Olson and wish felicitations to his new bride, Aubrey, ne Mariage, on the occasion of their wedding July 21. The couple devised a nifty way to entertain wedding attendees as the obligatory wedding photos were taken the lights in the church dimmed, a screen appeared, and with love songs in the background, guests viewed slides of childhood and family photos. Before we knew it, they were done with photos and ready to cut the cake!

LIGHTNING MYTHS

You know to avoid water, high ground and open spaces in the electrical storms that frequent the Ozarks, but did you know that lightning does strike more than once? In fact, the Empire State Building in New York City is hit between 22 and 25 times a year, according to the National Weather Service. If you're caught out on the water, head for shore, but don't stay on the rocky outcropping of a shoreline or under a tree, because that may be more dangerous. Seek out clumps of trees of a uniform height or take cover in ditches or low ground.

It takes about 10,000 volts to create a one inch spark, so, lightning, with its millions of volts, can easily jump 10 to 12 feet. Lightning rods are great devices, if you're not standing near them. They are considered "preferential attachment points" to actually draw lightning. A cave is not such a great place to hide either, especially if it's a shallow one or an old mine with a metallic roof. Finally, a person who has been struck by lightning doesn't carry a charge and can be handled safely. Lightning survivors commonly have memory deficits and loss, sleep disturbance, attention deficits, dizziness and numbness, depression, inability to sit long, external burns, severe headaches and fear of crowds.

TRACKING BRACELETS

When a special needs child or Alzheimer's patient has wandered off, minutes count. With the newly acquired Care Trak Mobile Locator, the Greene County Sheriff's office and Highway Patrol can cut the average time to find those lost from nine hours to 30 minutes. Three children and one adult now wear the plastic bracelets that carry the transmitting device and battery, according to Judy Hays, chairman of the Seniors and Law Enforcement Together Council, which advocates the use of the bracelets. SALT "is an educational organization designed to bring seniors programs and education so they don't become victims of crimes and scams," Hays said. If a person with a Care Trak bracelet is reported missing, law officers monitor a special frequency emitted by the bracelet. The bracelet unit costs about $250, Hays said. For more information, contact the Greene County Sheriff's Office.

TROOPER HUMOR

Next time you're pulled over by a Highway Patrol Officer, you might try out these jokes, by Trooper C. Mason of Troop D, gleaned from the June Patrol News.

You know you're married to a state trooper if:

You receive phone calls at home from strangers who want to know how to title an abandoned vehicle;

You have never heard the statement "The customer is always right";

A family friend has ever stated, "I was going to come over but my tags are expired";

You are able to tell when license plates are expired;

At gatherings you attend, someone always walks up and starts a sentence with "I got stopped by a cop once ...";

You have heard the statement, "Why do all these people need to get out and drive when the weather is bad?"

SLICE OF NICE

Like his brother Mike, Tim O'Brien "was just one of those people that always went out of his way to do things for other people," said Mark Nelson, one of the organizers of the 11th annual Tim O'Brien Memorial Golf Tournament. Registration starts at 12:30 p.m. Aug. 6, with tee-off at 1 p.m. at Highland Springs Country Club. Prizes valued at $3,500 will be awarded. Nelson and Ron Looney, of Merrill Lynch, grew up with Tim O'Brien, who 13 years ago suffered a head injury and later died. Last year's tourney raised about $15,000 for the Tim O'Brien House, an independent living facility for young people with head injuries. "This ... is a fitting tribute to Tim's life, to ... benefit people (with) injuries similar to his," Nelson said. A big push from Looney "turned into something to provide help to people who otherwise live with their parents or in nursing homes. Call Nelson or Looney at Merrill Lynch for more information.