Tag Archives: Rob McClendon

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: He’s Called “Sim Man”

For many nursing students, just finding time to do their clinicals at a local hospital can be tricky. They have to find time around their busy schedules of being a student, working, and possibly being a parent. It’s not always easy. And then there’s the fear of “what if I screw up?” I know that would be one that would really freak me out…the possibility I could hurt someone before I was even licensed to practice any form of medicine. But there is now a solution that takes care of all of the issues.

In this week’s video blog, we show you the latest technology that is helping students practice their medical clinicals in the classroom, on their own time, and without the worry of injuring someone. He’s called SimMan.
~Alisa Hines

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: Temporary Ag Labor is NOT stealing U.S. Jobs

I heard a lady complain the other day on a website to President Obama about how her husband couldn’t find work but that we were providing employment to people from outside the United States and that it was unfair. It is true about hiring foreign labor but what she didn’t realize or point out is this: the employment is for agriculture work. It’s usually backbreaking and in areas where agriculture is. It’s also seasonal which means it’s not permanent. And it’s only given to foreign workers when no one else will do the work. It’s called H-2A.

An H-2A visa allows a foreign national entry into the U.S. for temporary or seasonal agricultural work. There are several requirements of the employer in regards to this visa. The H-2A temporary agricultural program establishes a means for agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring nonimmigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature. Currently in the United States there are about 30,000 temporary agricultural workers under this visa program. All of these workers are supposed to be covered by U.S. wage laws, workers’ compensation and other standards.

Employers anticipating a shortage of agricultural workers and in need must apply at least 45 days before certification is necessary. This includes a requirement of an active effort, including newspaper and radio advertising, to recruit U.S. workers in areas of expected labor supply. Such recruitment must be at least equivalent to that conducted by non-H-2A agricultural employers in the same or similar crops and area. The employer must agree to give preference and engage in active recruitment of U.S. workers. The H-2A certification is valid for up to 364 days. As temporary or seasonal agricultural employment, the work is performed during certain seasons of the year or for a limited time period of less than one year when the employer can show that the need for the foreign worker is truly temporary.

I don’t think the woman’s husband would really have applied for any of these jobs especially since he probably would have had to relocate and it wouldn’t be a professional job. And that’s the problem, U.S. citizens evidently think they are too good to work on a farm. It’s very hard work and most of us prefer cushier jobs indoors where we won’t perspire or break a nail. But we don’t have a problem complaining that these foreign workers are “stealing” U.S. jobs. WRONG! As we’ll see in this week’s video blog, they are leaving their loved ones thousands of miles away and taking the jobs that no one is applying for and then sending their hard earned money back home to their families AND they go back home when the work is done…they don’t stay but they might return the next growing season to do a job that most U.S. citizens just won’t do.

Alisa Hines

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: Battle Lines are Drawn

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As a person I believe we all should be respectful of one another. I know my beliefs do not align with everyone else’s, and that is alright. I have friends who have different religious backgrounds or political affiliations than I do. But we realize we have differing opinions, we can appreciate and respect others’ opinions, without fear of retaliation and that is what makes our country great.

What I have an issue with is when people with differing opinions have no respect for others or their views. What is worse is when those people or groups slander others, and their facts are skewed, made up or are simply false due to lack of knowledge. As a journalist we are constantly under pressure to fact check to get the story right. I feel if someone is going to “report” on something they should be held to the same standard.

The attack on Oklahoma hog producers by the Humane Society of the United States is a perfect example of this. They conducted one of their “undercover” missions to gather footage and information and claimed Seaboard, and other large hog operations, were conducting inhumane production practices. Their target was the use of gestation crates. In their gruesome video, HSUS claimed the sows are kept in the crates their whole lives. They went on to say that crates threaten the lives of the hogs.

Any person who has been around the livestock industry, especially hogs, will know how false these accusations are. The crates are used to protect sows from fighting. If you have been around sows you know they will fight for blood. Additionally, sows that farrow outside of crates are more likely to step on and lay on their pigs, resulting in severe injuries and death of piglets. To me that is much more inhumane.

The bottom line is if you do not know about production agriculture it is time to stop telling those who have been doing it all of their lives the “right way” to do things. Producers are tasked with the enormous responsibility with feeding and clothing the world. That responsibility will not be accomplished if everyone keeps sticking their nose in and offering their “expertise” when they are not aware of the whole situation. Are there bad apples in agriculture? Absolutely! But let’s not punish those who are doing it right.

In this week’s video blog we take a look at how the urban-rural divide affects production agriculture and what is being done to help bridge that gap.

~ Andy Barth

Oklahoma Horizon TV

Giving Our Vets a Fighting Chance

Too often you hear stories of our war veterans coming home to simply be forgotten. We welcome them with open -arms when they return, but often times we forget that these heroes may have trouble stepping back into civilian life.
A courageous program at Oklahoma State University, one of the few of its kind, is changing all that. The veteran entrepreneurship program brings disabled veterans from across the country together for eight intense days of training.

In this week’s video blog we meet program participants both new and old and learn how they are changing their businesses and lives for the better.

~Courtenay DeHoff

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: Should It Stay or Should It Go?

Tax reform is taking Oklahoma by storm and personal income tax is at the center of it all. Governor Mary Fallin detailed her plan to reduce, and eventually phase out, personal income tax in her recent State of the State address. While many agree tax reform needs to be on the table, not everyone is convinced reducing our state income tax is the way to go.

In this week’s video blog, University of Central Oklahoma’s, Mickey Hepner, says why we may want to think twice before reducing our income tax.
Rob McClendon