Shows
WHAT A LIFE! with Paul BaturaPaul AsayWho would receive your vote for the most legendary movie star of all time? Paul Asay is a senior member of Plugged In, Focus on the Family’s award-winning movie review site. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew - and terrible B-grade movies. But he also has a great fix on what actors and actresses have transcended the industry – and why. We talk about these legends - and what must see classic movies you don't want to miss with your family.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2024-02-2550 min
Frontier Freedom HourPaul "Steely Scribe" Batura - Focus on the Family - The Daily Citizen Paul Batura discusses the origin and purpose of the Daily Citizen, a digital product produced by Focus on the Family that provides a faith-based perspective on current issues. He highlights the decline of trust in traditional media due to its biased reporting and lack of transparency. Batura also emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and discernment when consuming news in the digital age.
2023-10-0711 minFrontier Freedom HourPaul "Steely Scribe" Batura - Focus on the Family - Mission & GoalPaul Batura, discusses the work being done at Focus on the Family, a Christian organization that focuses on helping couples with their marriages, parents with their kids, and defending the sanctity of life. He highlights the importance of addressing the challenges faced by couples in public life, such as the strain on marriages caused by the demands of political careers. Paul also introduces the Hope Restored program, which offers intensive counseling to couples on the verge of divorce, with a success rate of over 80%. He emphasizes the need for political leaders to prioritize their families and maintain healthy relationships...
2023-10-0712 min
Four C's Podcast2. Paul Batura on Lessons from The Dead, living a fulfilled life, and how he stays curious.What can we learn from the lives of others? What does it mean to live a fulfilled life?
Paul Batura is Vice President of communications for Focus on the Family. Paul has 2 decades of experience between news, media, broadcast, journalism, publishing, and nonprofit administration. Paul has been at Focus on the Family since 1998. Prior to his current role he served under Dr. James Dobson who is the founder of Focus on the Family and now currently works alongside current President Jim Daily.
He is Author of Chosen for Greatness: How Adoption changes the world. Good day: The Paul Harvey Story. M...
2023-05-2340 min
What a Life!89: Theodore KanamineGeneral Theodore Kanamine, 93, was the first Japanese-American General in the United States Army. He died Thursday March 2, 2023. Quotable Quotes “My awards and citations were for various tasks associated with my numerous assignments. I simply did what was necessary in the very best manner I could.” “My conditions in Korea and Vietnam were somewhat primitive – but other soldiers were much more uncomfortable.” “War is no fun! We must do all we can to avoid war - but if war is the only choice - we must win!” “Life is not always 'peaches...
2023-03-0707 minWhat a Life!88: Barbara Bryant, Ph.D.Barbara Bryant, Ph.D., was the first woman to ever be appointed Director of the United States Census. She died Friday March 2, 2023. She was 96. Quotable Quotes: “I was always the editor. The editor of the church newspaper, the editor of the Michigan League of Women Voters’ newsletter.” “I came from a company that did a quarter of a million telephone interviews a year. One thing we learned is that 20 minutes is about as long as you can stretch the telephone interview. There are instances where you could go further if the person is...
2023-03-0606 minWhat a Life!87: Greta AndersonGreta Anderson, 95, was an Olympic and Marathon Swim Champion. She died February 6, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “You just don’t think about it. You forget about it and you just swim.” “So life goes on. Find something else and get happy,” she said. “Whoever has a perfect life from the beginning to the end?” “What woman doesn’t get extra satisfaction out of beating the stronger sex at anything?” she said. “I always want to beat everybody else in any race against me, but I always feel better when I finish ahead of some men.”
2023-03-0305 minWhat a Life!86: Bob Richards“One of the great lessons I've learned in athletics is that you've got to discipline your life. No matter how good you may be, you've got to be willing to cut out of your life those things that keep you from going to the top.” “It may sound strange, but many champions are made champions by setback. They are champions because they've been hurt. Their experience moved them, and they pulled out this fighting spirit, making them what they are. Sometimes in life, God gives us a difficulty in order to bring out the fighting spirit. Everything that h...
2023-03-0205 minWhat a Life!85: Albert OkuraAlbert Okura, 71, the founder of the Juan Pollo chicken franchise in California. He died January 27, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “I learned to pace myself, not to panic, and stay calm in the face of hundreds of customers.” “I didn’t want to be 50 years old and tell people that I worked for Burger King.” "I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't know how to cook chicken. I didn't even like chicken. But I told myself I was going to do this, and I was going to stick with it no matter what. I ma...
2023-02-2408 minWhat a Life!84: Red McCombsRed McCombs, 95, was a billionaire entrepreneur. He died Sunday February 19, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “I was an entrepreneur before I knew what the word was and certainly before I could spell it,” Mr. McCombs said in a 2006 radio interview. “New deals, new opportunities, new ventures are always a part of my life.” “Instead of wanting to win, we expected to win,” he said. “There's a lifetime between wanting something and expecting something. When you expect something, it means you've prepared, done the work, and EXPECT TO WIN!!” “I would never have thought I...
2023-02-2305 minWhat a Life!83: David OreckDavid Oreck, 99, was an entrepreneur and founder of the Oreck Vacuum Cleaner Company. He died February 15, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “You have but a fleeting moment to touch somebody on the eyeball and get their attention. Don’t blow it.”
2023-02-2204 minWhat a Life!82: Reverend George M. DochertyReverend George M. Docherty, 97, was the longtime pastor of New York Avenue Baptist Church in Washington D.C., and a popular pastor to many presidents. He died November 27, 2008. Quotable Quotes: “I came from Scotland, where we said, ‘God save our gracious queen,’ ‘God save our gracious king.’ Here was the Pledge of Allegiance, and God wasn’t in it at all.” “There is something missing in the Pledge, and that which is missing are the characteristics and definitive factor in the American way of life,”
2023-02-2006 minWhat a Life!81: Tim McCarverTim McCarver, 81, was a Major League Baseball veteran and National Baseball Hall of Fame Announcer. He died Thursday February 16, 2023. Quotable Quotes: "Ballplayers, they're making more money than ever, but I don't think they're as happy. Not too many guys look like they're having a good time. It's a conundrum." “When Steve [Carlton] and I die, we are going to be buried in the same cemetery, 60-feet 6-inches apart.” “If somebody told me back in 1980 that I would have a 32-year career, and that I'd be [elected into the Hall of Fame], I'd sa...
2023-02-1706 minWhat a Life!80: Dr. Shoichiro ToyodaShoichioro Toyoda, 97, was the second generation owner and president of the Toyota Motor Company. He died Tuesday February 14, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “We felt we suffered from large-corporation disease, … so we embarked on a cure. We have a saying: ‘A large man has difficulty exercising his wits fully.’” “We owe a great deal of thanks to America for our sense of the importance of quality.”
2023-02-1604 minWhat a Life!79: Theodore Lerner Ted Lerner, 97, was a real estate developer and owner of the Washington National baseball club. He died Sunday February 12, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “True measure of excellence is not what we’ve achieved for ourselves – but what it enables us to do for others.” “Striving for excellence, building for future generations – that way it’s not about the properties. It’s about the communities. It’s about the future.” “The highest honor is to have your family involved in the family business.”
2023-02-1506 minWhat a Life!78: Saint Valentine Saint Valentine was a Catholic priest who was beheaded for secretly conducting marriage ceremonies. He died February 14, 269 AD. Quotable Quotes: “Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes. "Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in a love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the mornings, what you will do with your evenings, how you spend your weeke...
2023-02-1407 minWhat a Life!77: John J. BoyerJohn J. Boyer, 86, was a blind and deaf software developer whose multiple companies developed numerous products to assist people with various disabilities. He died January 17, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “To be respected in this society, you have to have a job, and that’s as it should be. But I know what it’s like to be labeled unemployable, and I really want to see other handicapped people gainfully employed.” “My working relationship with the Lord is that I do what is possible. And He will do the impossible.”
2023-02-1306 minWhat a Life!76: Marianne MantellMarianne Mantell, 93, was the co-founder of Caedmon Records. She died on January 22, 2023. Quotable Quotes: On her first recording: “What we heard was like a thunderbolt, transforming with its electricity,” “We were not just out to preserve celebrity voices (to the extent that a poet is a celebrity). Our purpose was literary: to capture on tape as nearly as possible what the poet heard in his head as he wrote.”
2023-02-1005 minWhat a Life!75: Robert OrbenRobert Orben, 95, was a comedy writer and White House speechwriter. He died February 2, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “The secret of writing comedy is to know where it’s all going, then get ahead of it.” “If you can't get there first, better never than late.” “Sometimes I get the feeling the whole world is against me, but deep down I know that’s not true. Some smaller countries are neutral.” “Let us never forget that no man is perfect - until he writes his resume.”
2023-02-0910 minWhat a Life!74: Turkey/Syria Earthquake VictimsIf you feel compelled to donate to earthquake relief, Convoy of Hope is one trustworthy, faith-based agency: https://convoyofhope.org/
2023-02-0802 minWhat a Life!73: Steven Carl TuckerSteven Carl Tucker, 64, was president of Circle Y Saddlery. He died on January 17, 2023.
2023-02-0702 minWhat a Life!72: Melinda Dillon04Melinda Dillon, 83, was an actress best known for her role as “Mother Parker” in “A Christmas Story.” Quotable Quotes: “I was offered a lot of shows that I didn't do—musicals, the part of Eve in ‘Applause,’ and ‘Beekman Place’ and others; Irwin Shaw wrote a play for me that I didn't do—I didn't want to. In my life, at that time, I wasn't ready for a career; 1 wanted to be protected and married, so that's what I did.'’ “I had had the American dream—to go to New York and study with Lee Strasberg. I gu...
2023-02-0602 minWhat a Life!71: Dr. Dennis O’LearyDr. Dennis O’Leary, 85, was the Dean of Clinical Affairs at George Washington University Hospital, and who became the spokesperson following the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. He died January 29, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “It was blinding. They put me at the podium from which microphones of every imaginable size and shape extended in every direction. It was definitely showtime.” “I looked out over that classroom where I had many times put medical students to sleep, and it was blinding. They put me at the podium from which microphones of every imaginable size and shape ex...
2023-02-0302 minWhat a Life!70: John AdamsJohn Adams was a diehard Cleveland baseball fan whose drumming at games became a fixture for the Indians and Guardians for nearly 50 years. He was 71. Quotable Quotes: “God didn’t give me the reflexes to play on the field. Every time I swing, I get a hit, so it’s like instant gratification.” “There’s nothing like being down at the ballpark. Because it’s more than just the game; it’s all the people around you and all the people you see. It makes the experience of a baseball game way above just sitting at...
2023-02-0202 minWhat a Life!69: Ira “Bob” BornIrv “Bob” Born was “the Father of Peeps” and the owner of “Just Born Quality Confections.” He was 98. Quotable Quotes: “He was a kind person, he was generous with his talents, sharing his abilities. He was very fair minded: he wanted to embrace differences rather than just tolerate them.” – Ross Born, son and CEO. “The candy business was kind of catchy. It was interesting to him. He enjoyed the science, the technology, the processing. He was very much into the equipment.” – Ross Born “Bob will be remembered as a tireless and passionate advocate for the candy industry and...
2023-02-0102 minWhat a Life!68: Cindy WilliamsCindy Williams, 75, was an actress best known for her role of Shirley Feeney in the hit sitcom, “Laverne and Shirley.” She died January 30, 2023. Quotable Quotes: "He [God] was always present. So, if it was imbued in my spirit; I mean, it gets really heady.” “If it was Sunday, I was in church." "I learned all of my Bible stories. I loved all of the powerful images and escaped into them. Jesus and Moses and the great people of the Bible … For that hour in Sunday school, I was safe.”
2023-01-3102 minWhat a Life!67: Gregory Allen HowardGregory Allen Howard, 70, was a Hollywood screenwriter best known for “Remember the Titans.” He died January 27, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “At Princeton, I fell in love with history, American history. I didn’t know what my path would be, but it had to involve reading and writing history.” ''For a lot of people, high school was the apex of their lives. It was when everything worked. There was an innocence about it, a sense of community. So anytime you get back into that realm, it's fine.'' ''Remember the Titans'' strike a nerve simply because...
2023-01-3002 minWhat a Life!66: Billy PackerBilly Packer, 82, was a longtime college basketball television analyst. He died January 26, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “Look, I'm abrasive. I've always pushed the edge, but the positions I've taken are not off the top of my head.'' “It's time to emphasize the facts concerning the academic accomplishments of the athletic departments in relationship to the general student body. The perception of the dumb jock is not a reality.” “In life, you gotta have some fun,”
2023-01-2701 minWhat a Life!65: Lloyd MorrisettLloyd Morrisett, 93, was co-creator of “Sesame Street.” He died January 15, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “My dissertation [at Yale] was on whether or not it was possible to improve performance by thinking about it.” “I said, ‘Joan, do you think television could be used to teach young children?’ Her answer was, ‘I don’t know, but I’d like to talk about it.’” “It was a lot of to do. Everybody was committed, excited, we worked well together. We were involved in something new, and it was really fun.”
2023-01-2601 minWhat a Life!64: Dr. J. Richard SteadmanJ. Richard Steadman was a renowned orthopedic surgeon who pioneered procedures and treated both elite athletes and ordinary patients. He died January 20, 2023. Quotable Quotes: "I take every opportunity that I can [to ski]. But I do follow my own rules, such as conditioning myself before skiing. And I try to ski in control." On treating Bode Miller: “I recognized that ligaments didn’t just go away, that if they were torn close to the bone, sometimes they partially healed. The same technique I used to form cartilage at the end of the bone, if I...
2023-01-2502 minWhat a Life!63: Lord Randolph ChurchillLord Randolph Churchill, 45, was Leader of the House of Commons and the father of Winston Churchill. He died January 24, 1895. Quotable Quotes: “The duty of an Opposition is to oppose.” “Talking jaw is better than going to war.” “Commanders and senior officers should die with troops. The honour of the British Empire and the British Army is at stake.”
2023-01-2401 minWhat a Life!62: Joseph A. Hardy IIIJoseph A. Hardy II, 100, was a business magnate who started the 84 Lumber Company – and lived a very colorful life. Quotable Quotes: “The only guy I need to keep whipping is myself. I really am tough on myself but that’s the way it has to be.” “I always wanted to be a big shot. It’s a bunch of crap to think I was some sort of visionary.” “As you get older, before you cash in, you wonder — lumber. It’s pretty good. But is that all there is?” “I get a kick out of life.
2023-01-2301 minWhat a Life!61: Hody Childress Hody Childress, 60, was a farmer in Alabama who anonymously supplied medicines for fellow residents in Alabama. He died January 1, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “Don't tell a soul where the money came from - if they ask, just tell them it's a blessing from the Lord.” – Hody Childress “His kindness motivated me to be more of a compassionate person. He was just a good old guy who wanted to bless his community, and he certainly did. He established a legacy of kindness.” – Brooke Walter, pharmacist “If what he did could touch one person and let them k...
2023-01-2001 minWhat a Life!60: Carl HahnCarl Hahn, 96, was an automobile executive and former CEO of Volkwagen who championed the export of the Beetle. He died January 14, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “I learned, apparently very fast, to get to know and understand America. And I loved it.” “The unification of the two German states puts an ultimate end to the chapter of horrors of World War II and its consequences,” ''The people who bought the Beetle were customers with a very high education level. They liked its driving qualities.”
2023-01-1901 minWhat a Life!59: Sister Andre RandonSister Andre Randon, 118, was a French Catholic nun who had the distinction of being the oldest person in the world. She died January 17, 2023. Quotable Quotes: ‘I’m not afraid of Covid because I’m not afraid of dying.” "People say that work kills, for me work kept me alive, I kept working until I was 108." "People should help each other and love each other instead of hating. If we shared all that, things would be a lot better."
2023-01-1801 minWhat a Life!58: Robbie KnievelRobbie Knievel, 60, was a stunt performer and son of the famous daredevil, Evel Knievel. He died January 12, 2023. Quotable Quotes: "I'm tired of doing shows where people come up to me and say, you know, 'Always respect your father.' I don't need people telling me what our relationship is, between me and my father." "I wanted to beat every guy who beat my dad, and I beat them all." “When I made the jump (over Caesar’s Fountains) and said, ‘That was for you, Dad,’ he (Evel) ran up and hugged me, with...
2023-01-1701 minWhat a Life!57: Paul Johnson “The creation of the United States of America is the greatest of all human adventures. No other national story holds such tremendous lessons, for the American people themselves and for the rest of mankind.” “Ronald Reagan looked, spoke, and usually behaved as if he had stepped out of a Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post cover from the 1950s. More important, he actually thought like a Rockwell archetype. He had very strong, rooted, and unshakeable views about a few central issues of political and national life, which he expressed in simple and homely language. Like [Margaret] Thatcher, Reagan...
2023-01-1602 minWhat a Life!56: Lisa Marie PresleyLisa Marie Presley, 54, was a singer-songwriter and the only child of Elvis and Priscilla Presley. She died January 12, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “Anytime I was in Memphis with my dad and at the house, I was happy. That was, like, a given. It was what I lived for. And I still feel the same excitement and warmth.” "Leaving my first marriage, for the person that I left it for — that was probably the biggest mistake of my life," she would later say. “It's hard for me to be happy because I'm always worried about so...
2023-01-1301 minWhat a Life!55: Joan Cummings BaturaJoan Cummings Batura, 80, was a wife, mother, grandmother, homemaker, writer and very curious person. She died January 12, 2012. Quotable Quotes: “A little learning is a dangerous thing.” “Good things come to those who wait.” “Pride goeth before the fall.” (Proverbs 16:18) “We are wonderfully and fearfully made.” (Psalm 139:14)
2023-01-1202 minWhat a Life!54: Ron LabinskiRon Labinski, 86, was the founder of the architectural firm, HOK Sport. He died January 1, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “Before Arrowhead, all the stadiums were built to compromise both football and baseball. Arrowhead was the first modern stadium built solely for football. What we did here in Kansas City revolutionized the way people think about stadiums and stadium design.” “It didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that there was a market out there.” "The world's our future, I believe," he said. "If there's one thing I really feel good about, it is the fact...
2023-01-1102 minWhat a Life!53: Adolfo KaminskyAdolfo Kaminsky, 97, was a French spy whose ability to forge documents saved thousands of lives during World War II. He died Monday January 9, 2023. Quotable Quotes: Having “Jew” stamped on anything meant you were in danger.” “The neighbors thought we were painters. We had paintings on the walls and paintbrushes and all kinds of colors.” “The risk was the same if you did nothing. So at least working in the resistance, I could fight. I was fighting for humanity.” “If I couldn't have saved so many people, I wouldn't have survived myself...
2023-01-1001 minWhat a Life!52: Jack HayfordJack Hayford, 88, was the longtime pastor of The Church on the Way in Van Nuys, Calif. He died Saturday January 7, 2023. Quotable Quotes: “The Bible is ... as necessary to spiritual life as breath is to natural life. There is nothing more essential to our lives than the Word of God.” “Breakthrough happened around me when breakup happened within me.” “The words that come out of our mouths are a direct indicator of what is in our hearts.” “Rule with the heart of a servant, and serve with the heart of a king. This i...
2023-01-0902 minWhat a Life!51: Kenneth RoweKenneth Hill Rowe, 90, was a North Korean Air Force pilot when he defected with his Soviet-made MIG to the United States in 1953. He died December 26, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “[In North Korea] You flew until you died. I almost lost my life many times.” On the risk of defecting: “I figured I had a 20 percent chance of success. I thought that was good enough.” “Nobody seemed to know what to do. I shouted ‘Motorcar, motorcar, motorcar,’ which was about the only English I remembered from high school, hoping that someone would bring an automobile to drive me to...
2023-01-0602 minWhat a Life!50: Joyce MeskisJoyce Meskis, 80, was the former owner of the famed Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver, Colorado. She died December 22, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “I grew up in an ethnic neighborhood where you had your little grocery store and your bar on the corner. And you had your little book shop and local library down the block. Retail was different then. The first change we saw was the supermarket phenomenon, which forced many shops out of business.” “I’m a bookseller who still, 50 years after my first bookselling job, gets a thrill out of seeing a person’s eyes lig...
2023-01-0501 minWhat a Life!49: Walter CunninghamWalter Cunningham, 90, was a member of the first manned Apollo mission. He died January 3, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “We carried the nation’s hope with us. Twenty-one months before, a fire on the very pad from which we launched had killed three of our teammates. One more setback now, and the prospects of landing a man on the moon before 1970 would be gone forever.” “The task wasn’t only technical. We also had to address any psychological barriers that still remained.” “I consider it a spectacle I took part in. I came away thinking there...
2023-01-0401 minWhat a Life!48: James MerrittJames Merritt Ives was an American lithographer. He died on January 3, 1895. Quotable Quotes: When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.” – Ansel Adams “Taking an image, freezing a moment, reveals how rich reality truly is.” – Unknown “I don’t trust words. I trust pictures.”— Gilles Peress “Every artist has a central story to tell, and the difficulty, the impossible task, is trying to present that story in pictures.” — Gregory Crewdson “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; But his heart is n...
2023-01-0401 minWhat a Life!47: Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVI, 95, was head of the Catholic Church between April 19, 2005 and February 28, 2013. He died December 31, 2022. Quotable Quotes: "Truth is not determined by a majority vote." "We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is the result of a thought of God.” "The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness." “The world needs people who discover the good, who rejoice in it and thereby derive the impetus and courage to do good.”
2023-01-0202 minWhat a Life!46: The Year 2022The number of deaths in the United States in 2022 are expected to fall by 7%. Quotable Quotes: “Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.” – Jim Rohn “Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.” – Henry Van Dyke “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.” – Ben
2022-12-3001 minWhat a Life!45: PeléPelé was an international soccer star sensation who transformed the game around the world. He died Thursday December 29, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” “The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning.” “I don't believe there is such a thing as a 'born' soccer player. Perhaps you are born with certain skills and talents, but quite frankly, it seems impossible to me that one is actually born to be...
2022-12-2901 minWhat a Life!44: Herb KelleherHerb Kelleher, 87, was the founder of Southwest Airlines. He died January 4, 2019. Quotable Quotes: "Your people come first, and if you treat them right, they'll treat the customers right." "You don't hire for skills, you hire for attitude. You can always teach skills." "If you don't treat your own people well, they won't treat other people well." One piece of advice that always stuck in my mind is that people should be respected and trusted as people, not because of their position or title.
2022-12-2801 minWhat a Life!43: Arnold FultonArnold Fulton, 91, was an umbrella manufacturer in the United Kingdom. He died October 6, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “There were six people who risked their lives to save mine, including one priest who was shot by the communists in 1969 because he was too outspoken.” “I hold no grudge against the German people.” “I knew if I could develop a colorful range [of umbrellas] with superior quality I would have my niche.” “I can be quite impulsive, and I think in business you must seize opportunities.” “I wouldn’t say I was the best business...
2022-12-2701 minWhat a Life!42: Don ChristopherDon Christopher, 88, was best known as the “Garlic King.” He died December 12, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “We’ve made garlic fun. You’ve got garlic festivals everywhere. And all those health considerations. It’s always in the news.” 'The last thing we would ever have thought of doing was to make an odorless garlic. We say: 'Brush your teeth. Use mouthwash. Eat a lemon. But get rid of the odor altogether? Never.''
2022-12-2701 minWhat a Life!41: Robert L. MayRobert L. May, 71, was a copywriter for the Montgomery Ward Department Store, and best known for writing, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” He died August 11, 1976. Quotable Quotes: "I was heavily in debt at age 35, still grinding out catalogue copy. Instead of writing the great American novel, as I'd always hoped, I was describing men's white shirts." “I needed Rudolph more than ever. Gradually, I buried myself in the writing.” "Nobody wanted him (Rudolph), not with 6 million copies already distributed. Finally, I found a publisher, a little guy with a big nose, who said he...
2022-12-2402 minWhat a Life!40: Franco HarrisFranco Harris, 72, was an NFL Hall of Fame running back with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He died December 21, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “How you look at a situation is very important, for how you think about a problem may defeat you before you do anything about it.” “When you get discouraged or depressed, try changing your attitude from negative to positive and see how life can change for you.” “Remember, your attitude toward a situation can help you to change it. You create the very atmosphere for defeat or victory.” “It’s not a thing of h...
2022-12-2201 minWhat a Life!39: Stanley DruckerStanley Drucker, 93, was the principal clarinetist with the New York Philharmonic, where he served for 60 years. He died Monday December 19, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “You absorb the personality and talent of whoever’s up on the podium.” “You learn all of this stuff. And after a point, somebody has to tell you, ‘Forget it all, just go out and play.’” “You give and take; you don’t only take. It’s a chamber music situation. You play to enhance. [You need to know] what you have inside, what your sensitivity is.”
2022-12-2101 minWhat a Life!38: Jay H. LeveJay H. Leve, 66, was the founder of SurveyUSA. He died on December 5, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “We could do for pennies what they were doing for dollars, and we could do in hours what they were doing in days.” “I revolutionized the public opinion polling business by eliminating the single largest cost of conducting research; by shortening turnaround time; by changing how survey research is priced; by changing how questions are asked; and by re-thinking how best to collect data.” “Unbounded creativity combined with an ability to synthesize, write and edit is what made me success
2022-12-2001 minWhat a Life!37: Frank ShakespeareFrank Shakespeare, 97, was a television executive whose sharp relationship and communication skills helped change history. He died on December 14, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “When people everywhere can see, read, and hear everything that happens—at the time it happens—there will be little incentive to absorb officially distributed material, except in closed societies.” “I know of no effective substitute for the exchanges of exhibits, concerts, theater productions, and other cultural events or face‐to‐face meetings with opinion‐makers, artists, scientists, and tourists.” “I am hopeful that with the massive development of communications we shall be able to...
2022-12-1901 minWhat a Life!36: John/Jane Q. PublicOver 180,000 people die every day around the world. That’s over 2 deaths per second. Of course, most of them we’ll never meet or know anything about – but everyone single one of them meant the world to somebody. Quotable Quotes: "The value of life is not in the length of days, but in the use we make of them; a man may live long yet very little." - Michel de Montaigne "If you truly believe in the value of life, you care about all of the weakest and most vulnerable members of society." - Joni...
2022-12-1601 minWhat a Life!35: Walt DisneyWalt Disney, 65, was an animator, film maker and theme park pioneer. He died December 15, 1965. Quotable Quotes: “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” “I'd say it's been my biggest problem all my life. It's money. It takes a lot of money to make these dreams come true.” “Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language.” "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."
2022-12-1501 minWhat a Life!34: Frances HesselbeinFrances Hesselbein, 107, was the former CEO of the Girl Scouts of America. She died December 11, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “The purpose of life is to love and be loved. In that order.” “To serve is to live.” “We should be engaged and involved in moving across sectors.” “It’s the quality and character of the leader that determines performance and results. All of us lead in our own way, and when we don’t see ourselves as categories, we are far more effective.”
2022-12-1401 minWhat a Life!33: Anna Mary Roberts, AKA Grandma MosesAnna Mary Roberts, 101, was an American painter who famously took up her crafted at the age of 77. She died December 13, 1961. Quotable Quotes: “Life is what you make it.” “I would never sit back in a rocking chair, waiting for someone to help me.” “A strange thing is memory, and hope; one looks backward, and the other forward; one is of today, the other of tomorrow. Memory is history recorded in our brain, memory is a painter, it paints pictures of the past and of the day.”
2022-12-1301 minWhat a Life!32: Joseph KittingerAir Force Colonel Joseph Kittinger, 94, held the world record for decades for freefalling from the edge of space. He died Friday December 9, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “Life is an adventure, and I’m an adventurer. You just have to go for it. That’s the American way.” “As I jumped, I prayed, ‘Lord, take care of me now.’ That was the most fervent prayer I ever said in my life.” “Everybody wants coconuts, but nobody has the guts to go up there and get them.”
2022-12-1201 minWhat a Life!31: Mills LaneMills Lane, 85, was a Nevada judge and well-known boxing referee. He died Tuesday December 6, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “Let’s get it on!” “My window of time is about a quarter of a second. That’s how long I’ve got to make a lot of decisions. How hurt is the guy? Can he defend himself? Basically is he in real trouble? It’s not long.” “We must focus on people as people, regardless of race, creed, color or gender.” “Do you realize marriage is a life sentence, no parole?”
2022-12-0901 minWhat a Life!30: Gary RasorGary Rasor, 83, was an Army veteran and Home Depot clerk tragically killed trying to stop a shoplifter. He died on November 30, 2022. The Rasor Family has established a GoFundMe campaign “to help raise funds for medical expenses, funeral expenses, family travel expenses, and some reward money so we can speed up the process of bringing his assailant to justice.” Click here for more information.
2022-12-0801 minWhat a Life!29: Sal DuranteSal Durante, 81, gained fame for catching Roger Maris’ 61st home run on October 1, 1960. He died Thursday December 1, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “I watched the pitching motion, the release of the ball, and I had my eye on the ball all the way to Roger’s bat.” “I thought it was a million-to-one-chance.”
2022-12-0701 minWhat a Life!28: Nicholas BollettieriNicholas Bollettieri, 91, was a Hall of Fame tennis coach who ran the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He died Sunday December 3, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “You can't be patient if you're not strong.” "Believe in yourself and never never doubt your ability to do it." “Only a few, determined individuals possess the resolve and focus to become the best at anything; and I wanted to be one of them.” “With dreams comes responsibility.”
2022-12-0601 minWhat a Life!27: Bob McGrathBob McGrath, 90, was a children’s television performer who starred for over 50 years on the PBC classic, “Sesame Street.” He died December 4, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “Bottom line, I got my job from 5-year-olds.” “Not only is it a great job working with great people, but knowing the impact that ‘Sesame Street’ has had on millions of kids all over the world has to be the most gratifying thing that anyone could possibly hope for. Having the opportunity of doing this has been phenomenal,” “I’m really very happy to stay home with my wife and children a...
2022-12-0501 minWhat a Life!26: Hiroshi MiyamuraHiroshi Miyamura was the first Japanese American to be awarded the Medal of Honor. He received it for his gallant service in the Korean War, during which time he was a POW for 27 months. He died November 29, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “I didn’t want to see my men killed. I didn’t think I was doing anything heroic.” “To me, the flag represents the men and women who defended this country. … Throughout history, it has been the symbol of this country.” “In combat, you have to make decisions, and you don’t know whether it’s right...
2022-12-0101 minWhat a Life!25: Freddie RomanFreddie Roman, 86, was a comedian and former dean of the New York Friars Club. He died November 26, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “My humor is basically exaggeration of real life.” “I took a cholesterol test. My number came back 911.” “The one thing about the Jewish audiences in the mountains, you had to be good. If you weren’t good, they let you know. They didn’t boo. They were very respectful. They just got up and walked out. And if you were no good, at the end of the night you were working to 200 chairs.”
2022-11-3001 minWhat a Life!24: John Brown Jr.John Brown Jr. was a Kentucky business mogul best known for purchasing Kentucky Friend Chicken from Colonel Harland Sanders and serving one-term as the state’s governor. Quotable Quotes: “Let me be free; let me be myself. I am different.” “Colonel Sanders is an artist, and like all artists he is a perfectionist and he has painted a dream for all of us.” “I worked hard for my money. I made it legally, and I paid taxes on it. If I want to take it out of a...
2022-11-2901 minWhat a Life!23: Michael MaccobyMichael Maccoby, 89, was a business psychologist and author, perhaps best known for his book, “The Productive Narcissist.” He died November 5, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “I think a sense of humor is the emotional equivalent of a sense of realism. One should not take everything seriously, and everybody takes some things seriously.” “Why would you ever rest from what you love?” “Promising young leaders should be given responsibility early on. Even at the top, leaders should keep learning. Perhaps, especially at the top when they think they know it all.”
2022-11-2801 minWhat a Life!22: Alvin SegalAlvin Segal, 89, was a Canadian American businessman whose company, Peerless Suits, made private label suit brands for numerous department stores. He died November 4, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “No one is more surprised than I am by the events that have taken place during my eighty-three years of life.” “My heroes weren’t baseball players or movie stars. They were Franklin Roosevelt, General Dwight Eisenhower, and General Douglas MacArthur.” "Don't look back - you'll only get a crick in your neck."
2022-11-2301 minWhat a Life!21: Robert ClaryRobert Clary, 96, was a French born actor , who despite being held captive in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II, would go on to gain fame by playing a POW in the hit sitcom, “Hogan’s Heroes.” He died November 16, 2022. Quotable Quotes: "The whole experience was a complete nightmare, the way they treated us, what we had to do to survive. We were less than animals. Sometimes I dream about those days. I wake up in a sweat terrified for fear I'm about to be sent away to a concentration camp. Bu...
2022-11-2201 minWhat a Life!20: Budd FriedmanGerson “Bud” Friedman, 90, was a promoter who pioneered the modern-day comedy club. He died November 8, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “I’ve always been a ham.” “Richard Pryor once said I had taken advantage of him because he was Black, and I was absolutely heartbroken. When I got home my wife said, ‘You should have told him you take advantage of all performers, regardless of race, creed or color.’”
2022-11-2101 minWhat a Life!19: Robert KernRobert Kern, 96, grew a small business selling generators out of his garage into a $1 billion empire. His motto? Solve big problems! He died November 8, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “If you are only working to solve problems you can accomplish in your lifetime, you are solving problems that are too small.” “A company is not defined by its bricks and mortar. It is defined by its people.”
2022-11-1801 minWhat a Life!18: David DavisDavid Davis, 86, wrote and produced “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” as well as “The Bob Newhart Show.” He also created “Taxi.” He died November 4, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “The key to the show, believe it or not, was that we wanted to give him [Bob Newhart] a life at home. We wanted to do a show like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, where he lives and where he works. … We did not want to do a show with kids. We did not want to do a show with dogs and pets like the old situation comed...
2022-11-1701 minWhat a Life!17: Mehran Karimi NasseriMehran Karami Nasseri was an Iranian refugee who lived in Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport for nearly 20 years. He passed away November 12, 2022. Quotable Quotes: ''The airport is not bad, is very active and functions every day. I see different passengers every week from all over the world and it is quite interesting.'' “I realize I am famous. I wasn’t interesting until I came here.”
2022-11-1601 minWhat a Life!16: Leo GallagherLeo Anthony Gallagher Jr., was a comedian who became a household name in the 1980s, largely attributed to his physical style of presentation – primarily smashing things like watermelons on stage. He was born July 24, 1946. He died November 11, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “I was watching comics, and I felt like I could do it better. So I just stated, and I did it.” “If ‘pro’ is the opposite of ‘con,’ is ‘progress’ the opposite of ‘congress’”? “I have so much fun being a new dad. Everyday would be a new joke especially seeing the...
2022-11-1501 minWhat a Life!15: Fred HickmanFred Hickman was a popular sports television broadcaster. He was born October 17, 1956. He died November 12, 2022. “The best kids are usually in athletics. That benefits the kid and the community.” “One of the biggest compliments I get is ‘I really don’t like sports, but I like watching your show.’” "What job could be more fun? I think I'll keep it."
2022-11-1401 minWhat a Life!14: Edward C. PrescottDr. Edward C. Prescott was a Nobel Prize winning economist. He was born December 26, 1940. He died November 6, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “You can’t spend your way to prosperity.” “Sometimes pessimism or optimism gets popular, and it's contagious.” “There is an old maxim which states that good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from poor judgment. I think something similar can be said of government policy, to wit: Good policy comes from experience, and experience comes from poor policy.”
2022-11-1101 minWhat a Life!13: George PazGeorge Paz was the chairman and former CEO of Express Scripts. He died October 23, 2022 at the age of 67. Quotable Quotes: “It’s critical to surround oneself with a strong team.” “The cost and quality of health care is a great concern to all Americans.”
2022-11-1001 minWhat a Life!12: Dr. Samuel KatzDr. Samuel Katz was a pediatrician and virologist best known for helping develop the measles and polio vaccines. He was born May 29, 1927. He died October 31, 2022. Quotable Quotes: "Every time a mother holds her healthy infant to be immunized, she is demonstrating great faith in the potential benefit and safety of the vaccine and trust in the clinician who recommended it." “I came along at the right time, in the right laboratory, with the right colleagues.”
2022-11-0901 minWhat a Life!11: Ray GuyRay Guy was an NFL Hall of Fame punter. He was born December 29, 1949. He died November 3, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “As I look back on what I've achieved in my life, I realize it all started growing up in a very warm, loving and caring family life.” “You have to respect people – and they got to respect you.” “A God-given talent is one of the greatest gifts an individual can be blessed with. But to use a God given gift for just one's self is not the answer...
2022-11-0801 minWhat a Life!10: Mary SheppardMary Hoffman Sheppard was a teacher, mother and the deeply devoted wife of New York Yankees public address announcer, Bob Sheppard. She died August 6, 2022 at the age of 95. Quotable Quotes: “Always pray before making a decision and keep balance in your life.” “Bob’s advice is good advice. When communicating, always be clear, concise and correct.”
2022-11-0701 minWhat a Life!09: Steve DouglassStephen B. Douglass was the former president of CRU/Campus Crusade for Christ. A graduate of MIT and Harvard Business School, he was convicted to utilize his gifts and talents in service of the Lord. He died Saturday October 29, 2022 at the age of 77. Quotable Quotes: “God can use you probably more than He already is. If you are open.” “There are many ways to make a difference in people’s lives. But none is more significant than helping people establish a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.”
2022-11-0401 minWhat a Life!08: Msgr. John MeierMsgr. John Paul Meier was a Roman Catholic priest perhaps best known for his multi-volume work, “A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus.” He was born August 8, 1942. He died October 18, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “Education is the process by which you unlearn everything you once knew.” “Who did Jesus claim to be? He apparently was quite sure of who he was, although no one since has been. The crux of the problem lies in the paradox that although Jesus rarely spoke about his own status, he implicitly made himself the pivotal f...
2022-11-0301 minWhat a Life!07: Jerry Lee LewisJerry Lee Lewis was a legendary American musician. He was born on September 29, 1935. He died October 28, 2022. “Faithfulness in small things leads to faithfulness in great things, and never the other way around.” “I work to please my audience.” “My momma always said, 'You and Elvis are pretty good, but y'all ain't no Chuck Berry.”
2022-11-0201 minWhat a Life!06: John SheaJohn Shea was a prolific home builder and chairman of J.F. Shea Company. He was born September 29, 1926. He died October 16, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “If you really want to help inner-city families, the best place to put your efforts and your dollars is in Catholic schools. They are very, very effective.” “That [working with laborers] was probably the best learning experience I ever had,” he said. “I learned the way they think. When I got to be a supervisor, I didn’t yell at guys or go after them in too tough a way.”
2022-11-0101 minWhat a Life!05: Jules BassJules Bass was a famed director, producer and composer. He was born September 16, 1935. He died October 25, 2022. Company: Rankin/Bass Entertainment Quotable Quotes: “If you're judging any creative effort, longevity is the reward.”
2022-10-3101 minWhat a Life!04: Red AuerbachRed Auerbach was an NBA Hall of Fame coach and general manager with the Boston Celtics. He was born September 20, 1917. He died October 28, 2006. Quotable Quotes: “Take pride in what you do. The kind of pride I'm talking about is not the arrogant puffed-up kind; it's just the whole idea of caring - fiercely caring.” “Everyone is born with a certain potential. You may never achieve your full potential, but how close you come depends on how much you want to pay the price.” “I don't believ...
2022-10-2801 minWhat a Life!03: Roger WelschRoger Welsch was a professor of anthropology turned storyteller born November 6, 1936. He died September 30, 2022. Quotable Quotes: “My life is a series of stories, so I have to tell you a story.” “In Lincoln academic circles everybody around me is the same. They’re all professors. In suburbia, everybody pretty much has the same income. But in Dannebrog, I sit down for breakfast and converse with the banker, the town drunk, the most honest man in town, a farmer, a carpenter and my best friend.” “My little t...
2022-10-2701 minWhat a Life!02: Dr. Beryl BenacerrafBeryl Benacerraf was a pioneering radiologist born April 29, 1949. She died October 1, 2022. Quotable Quotes: "Because of dyslexia, my brain works differently, and I can see these patterns. I do have a gift that other people don’t have, and I will always stay ahead of the crowd and see more in an image than other people. You can’t overcome it; you can work around it and make it work for you, but it never goes away. That’s probably a good thing, because if dyslexia went away, then the other gifts would go...
2022-10-2601 minWhat a Life!01: Dietrich MateschitzDietrich Mateschitz was an Austrian billionaire businessman born May 20, 1944. He died October 22, 2022. Company: Red Bull Quotable Quotes: “I don't believe in 50 friends. I believe in a smaller number. Nor do I care about society events. It's the most senseless use of time.” “It’s a must to believe in one’s products.” “The most dangerous thing for a branded project is low interest.”
2022-10-2501 minWhat a Life!WHAT A LIFE! Lessons from Legends - Trailer EpisodeWhat a Life! Lessons from Legends Podcast is a daily commentary featuring 90 second (or so) obituaries of interesting people who lived interesting and meaningful lives. Bestselling biographer Paul Batura believes we can and must learn from those who just died. In fact, we often learn as much or even more from their successes as we do from their mistakes. The best life is the life that makes the most of this one – and yet reaches happily and faithfully for the next.
2022-10-2510 min
FCA+: Sport and Faith MediaS2 Ep 1: The Sweat Room- A Strong Man Stands Tall ft. Paul Batura (Vice President of Communications for Focus on the Family, Author, Writer)Why are stories important? What are life lessons that Paul has learned from people such as: John Wooden, Paul Harvey, Arnold Palmer and others as well? Paul Batura, Vice President of Communications for Focus on the Family, Author, Writer, stops by The Sweat Room to talk about Stories, Running, Conversation, and much more.Check out all of Paul’s books including: Good Day: The Paul Harvey Story, Chosen for Greatness: How Adoption Changes the World and others as well at https://www.paulbatura.com/ and on Amazon!Check out Paul's writing for the daily citizen at ht...
2021-10-211h 09
Pastor Writer: Conversations on Reading, Writing, and the Christian LifePaul Batura — Writing, Adopting, and Focus on the FamilyPaul Batura is vice president of communications for Focus on the Family. In his role, Paul is responsible for media and guest relations.He has more than two decades of experience in the news media, broadcast journalism, publishing, and non-profit administration. Paul has been with Focus on the Family since 1998. Prior to serving in his current capacity, he served as a top writer and adviser to both Focus’ founder, Dr. James C. Dobson, and its current president, Jim Daly.He’s authored books including Chosen for Greatness: How Adoption Changes the World, Good Day! The Paul...
2021-05-2036 min
Bradley Wright, Life Purpose Lab#23: Write Your Own Story of Purpose-Tribute Writer and Adoption Advocate Paul BaturaWhat story will people tell about you after we're gone? Is it a beautiful, powerful, meaningful story?Paul Batura writes tributes and biographies of people who have lived impactful lives. This includes his book Good Day!: The Paul Harvey Story. He has a knack for telling stories about what matters in a person's life. These stories point to purpose. Paul and his wife adopted three children and actively advocate for adoption.In this episode, you'll learn about:The power of writing your own obituaryA radically different definition of successHow life prepares us for our...
2021-02-1048 min
Community SpotlightSocial Media Use in Tense Times with Paul Batura from Focus on the FamilyThis week, join Braxton in learning how we can use social media to lift up and encourage others even during an election with Paul Batura from Focus On The Family. Paul even gives you practical steps that will help you teach your kids how to use their social media.
2020-10-1914 min
KoinoniaPaul Batura - MullyFocus on the Family's Paul Batura talks about inspiring life story of respected Kenyan humanitarian and father to 12,000 rescued children showing on October 3, 4, and 5th through Fathom Events in partnership with FOR GOOD.
2017-09-2813 min
2016-11-0213 min