Clifton Taulbert's Surprising Climax
I went to a two-hour long talk by author Clifton Taulbert tonight. It was very unusual. Taulbert, the author of several great books like "Once Upon a Time When We were Colored" and "The Eight Habits of the Heart" lives in Tulsa but gives lectures all over the world - as he will often remind you.
tonight's lecture was at a church and thus the theme was to tie his Eight Habits of the Heart book to a Christian message. You have to respect Taulbert's apparently sincere religious feelings and his success story. He's a very good speaker - a quiet voice that reasons with the audience. But after almost two hours I was ready to go when it seemed that he was bringing the lecture to an end. I was standing up ready to go when he launched into "singing in tongues".
Some of you will be familiar with Pentecostal "speaking in tongues" and some of you won't. It's when God gives you a joyful language with which to talk to him. To others it sounds like gibberish. Well, Taulbert went on singing and talking in "gibberish" for a good ten minutes while the audience stood. Some joined in and others stood politely waiting, and waiting, and waiting for it to end. Can you see that picture? A crowd of several thousand standing and watching/listening to Taulbert walk around in front of them for ten minutes singing unaccompanied, "in tongues". If this had been in New York he'd have been arrested.
I remember the first time I went to a church that practiced speaking in tongues. I was a teenager. I had never heard of speaking in tongues. Suddenly, halfway through the hour, at an unseen signal, everyone (except me) started babbling incoherently and gesticulating wildly. I was scared $%#@less!! What the hell was going on? Had everyone on earth suddenly been zapped with an alien signal that caused them to go berzerk? How had I been spared?
After living in Oklahoma for many more years I'm used to this now. I respect the practicioners for their sincere beliefs but it still seems - well, really hard to believe. But it's harmless isn't it?
Saturday, August 16, 2003
Word on the Street on Vision 2025
The pro-Vision 2025 campaign in Tulsa seems to be gaining steam as more and more Tulsa County voters realize what is at stake for the county. Just judging by what I overhear in the city my perception is that people that don't normally get politically active are finally determined to put a stop to the decline of Tulsa and the surrounding cities. One elderly lady I overheard today said that she had voted against the previous two efforts but was going to vote "yes" this time because her children asked her to "for my grandchildren's sake."
Some of the reasons I've heard for voting "no" on Vision 2025 leave me cold. My neighbor said she was going to vote "no" because her children have already grown up and moved away. "Why should I pay for other people's kids?" she said. When I asked her why her kids moved away from Tulsa she said it was because they couldn't find the jobs they wanted in Tulsa. She doesn't see the connection between quality of life and jobs - or between infrastructure and quality of life. I think her attitude displays an all-too-common selfishness among us. If it doesn't directly benefit ME then I'm against it. Where is the sense of community with these people?
Another blogger expresses sympathy with the "no" folks because he thinks Tulsa should be unique and not seek to duplicate what Oklahoma City has done. What is left unsaid is that Oklahoma City, by investing in its infrastructure over the past decade, has succeeded at improving its quality of life and spurring economic development. Just take a look at the number of quality companies that have opened new operations in OKC this last year - and compare it with Tulsa. Tulsa should not be too proud to want to duplicate that kind of success. To be uniquely underdeveloped is no vision for a great metro area like Tulsa.
There are two kinds of businesspeople, those who invest in their business and grow it and those who don't - and slowly kill it. A city or county is no different. You've got to invest in it if you plan on maintaining it or handing it off to your children someday.
The pro-Vision 2025 campaign in Tulsa seems to be gaining steam as more and more Tulsa County voters realize what is at stake for the county. Just judging by what I overhear in the city my perception is that people that don't normally get politically active are finally determined to put a stop to the decline of Tulsa and the surrounding cities. One elderly lady I overheard today said that she had voted against the previous two efforts but was going to vote "yes" this time because her children asked her to "for my grandchildren's sake."
Some of the reasons I've heard for voting "no" on Vision 2025 leave me cold. My neighbor said she was going to vote "no" because her children have already grown up and moved away. "Why should I pay for other people's kids?" she said. When I asked her why her kids moved away from Tulsa she said it was because they couldn't find the jobs they wanted in Tulsa. She doesn't see the connection between quality of life and jobs - or between infrastructure and quality of life. I think her attitude displays an all-too-common selfishness among us. If it doesn't directly benefit ME then I'm against it. Where is the sense of community with these people?
Another blogger expresses sympathy with the "no" folks because he thinks Tulsa should be unique and not seek to duplicate what Oklahoma City has done. What is left unsaid is that Oklahoma City, by investing in its infrastructure over the past decade, has succeeded at improving its quality of life and spurring economic development. Just take a look at the number of quality companies that have opened new operations in OKC this last year - and compare it with Tulsa. Tulsa should not be too proud to want to duplicate that kind of success. To be uniquely underdeveloped is no vision for a great metro area like Tulsa.
There are two kinds of businesspeople, those who invest in their business and grow it and those who don't - and slowly kill it. A city or county is no different. You've got to invest in it if you plan on maintaining it or handing it off to your children someday.
Republican National Committee hires India-based Telemarketers?
As Juscuz notes "In what can only be a test of voter loyalty in the face of an economy suffering from massive job loss the RNC has hired a firm in India to do their fundraising calls." Juscuz points out the irony of President Bush running around the country calling for job creation and his RNC simultaneously hiring a telemarketing firm in India to call Americans and ask them to contribute to the President's campaign. If this is true, the RNC decision-maker has some explaining to do.
I have nothing against India or Indians or international free-flow of services but to have citizens of another country hired to do fundraising for our political parties is inappropriate in the extreme. How callous can the RNC be?
As Juscuz notes "In what can only be a test of voter loyalty in the face of an economy suffering from massive job loss the RNC has hired a firm in India to do their fundraising calls." Juscuz points out the irony of President Bush running around the country calling for job creation and his RNC simultaneously hiring a telemarketing firm in India to call Americans and ask them to contribute to the President's campaign. If this is true, the RNC decision-maker has some explaining to do.
I have nothing against India or Indians or international free-flow of services but to have citizens of another country hired to do fundraising for our political parties is inappropriate in the extreme. How callous can the RNC be?
Friday, August 15, 2003
Early Primary Brings Oklahoma a Little Attention
Oklahoma has been ignored by presidential candidates for decades so in one of its rare moments, the Legislature moved our 2004 primary to February 3rd - one week after the New Hampshire primary, the nation's first. As the Washington Post notes from Stillwater:
STILLWATER, Okla., Aug. 12 -- Democratic presidential hopefuls visited a state today that has been virtually ignored in past races, bringing with them their criticism of the Bush administration.
Oklahoma has been ignored by presidential candidates for decades so in one of its rare moments, the Legislature moved our 2004 primary to February 3rd - one week after the New Hampshire primary, the nation's first. As the Washington Post notes from Stillwater:
STILLWATER, Okla., Aug. 12 -- Democratic presidential hopefuls visited a state today that has been virtually ignored in past races, bringing with them their criticism of the Bush administration.
Oklahoma City has competition for Base
As reported in the Christian Science Monitor, Warner Robins, Georgia is in competition with Oklahoma City to keep their Air Force Bases - and the Georgia town has a war chest and a dedicated organized effort to go to battle. Is Oklahoma ready to fight to keep Tinker Air Force Base?
As reported in the Christian Science Monitor, Warner Robins, Georgia is in competition with Oklahoma City to keep their Air Force Bases - and the Georgia town has a war chest and a dedicated organized effort to go to battle. Is Oklahoma ready to fight to keep Tinker Air Force Base?
The Oklahoma Connection to Space Wedding
You probably heard about the first wedding in space this past week when orbiting Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko exchanged marriage vows with grounded Ekaterina Dmitriev. What you might not know of is the Oklahoma connection to the story. The bride's father is a professor of Russian at Oklahoma State University.
Dmitriev was born in Russia and moved to the Houston area when she was 3-1/2 years old. She received her US citizenship in 1995. Her mother works at NASA. Dmitriev first met Malenchenko five years ago at a social gathering in Houston, and the two started dating in 2002. She will reportedly be returning to Russia to live with him when he returns.
You probably heard about the first wedding in space this past week when orbiting Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko exchanged marriage vows with grounded Ekaterina Dmitriev. What you might not know of is the Oklahoma connection to the story. The bride's father is a professor of Russian at Oklahoma State University.
Dmitriev was born in Russia and moved to the Houston area when she was 3-1/2 years old. She received her US citizenship in 1995. Her mother works at NASA. Dmitriev first met Malenchenko five years ago at a social gathering in Houston, and the two started dating in 2002. She will reportedly be returning to Russia to live with him when he returns.
Thursday, August 14, 2003
Will CITGO leave Tulsa?
Venezuela-owned CITGO has announced it may uproot its North American HQ from Tulsa and move it to Houston. This could be yet another blow to Tulsa and the state if it happens. CITGO has been a very positive corporate citizen in Tulsa and employs a thousand people in the state.
Until recently, CITGO was run by a Venezuelan that loved Tulsa and intended to stay. Unfortunately, he was replaced some months ago by a loyalist to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez who immediately ordered a study of whether CITGO should move to Houston.
At the same time that CITGO's pro-Tulsa president was replaced, Governor Brad Henry's Administration let the only Latin American specialist at the Department of Commerce go - a lady that had worked hard to establish a close relationship with CITGO and to assure they were happy in Oklahoma. With the state's primary link to the company's Venezuelan leadership gone - there was no one left that understood the company's inner culture. As the Miami Herald reports today, Houston moved quickly to stepup efforts to entice the new leadership to move to Houston. The leadership of the State of Oklahoma and Tulsa were apparently clueless about what was going on. This despite the common knowledge that the Houston Partnership (their Chamber of Commerce) continues to aggressively recruit Tulsa's remaining energy companies.
On the news tonight Governor Brad Henry was asked what he thought about yet another big company moving its HQ out of Oklahoma. Looking like a deer caught in headlights, the Governor murmured something about how CITGO really loved Oklahoma and that he'd be talking to CITGO. Belatedly, the Governor is now trying to meet with CITGO executives but CITGO seems in no hurry. Insiders at CITGO say they are frustrated the Governor had not moved earlier to court the new CITGO leadership. They also lament that Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce Kathryn Taylor had relied on her ties to the equally clueless American side of CITGO's middle-management - naively thinking they called the shots at CITGO. And they don't. The Venezuelans do.
Oklahoma might lose CITGO (I hope not!) but we'd stand a better chance if our leaders were savvy.
Venezuela-owned CITGO has announced it may uproot its North American HQ from Tulsa and move it to Houston. This could be yet another blow to Tulsa and the state if it happens. CITGO has been a very positive corporate citizen in Tulsa and employs a thousand people in the state.
Until recently, CITGO was run by a Venezuelan that loved Tulsa and intended to stay. Unfortunately, he was replaced some months ago by a loyalist to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez who immediately ordered a study of whether CITGO should move to Houston.
At the same time that CITGO's pro-Tulsa president was replaced, Governor Brad Henry's Administration let the only Latin American specialist at the Department of Commerce go - a lady that had worked hard to establish a close relationship with CITGO and to assure they were happy in Oklahoma. With the state's primary link to the company's Venezuelan leadership gone - there was no one left that understood the company's inner culture. As the Miami Herald reports today, Houston moved quickly to stepup efforts to entice the new leadership to move to Houston. The leadership of the State of Oklahoma and Tulsa were apparently clueless about what was going on. This despite the common knowledge that the Houston Partnership (their Chamber of Commerce) continues to aggressively recruit Tulsa's remaining energy companies.
On the news tonight Governor Brad Henry was asked what he thought about yet another big company moving its HQ out of Oklahoma. Looking like a deer caught in headlights, the Governor murmured something about how CITGO really loved Oklahoma and that he'd be talking to CITGO. Belatedly, the Governor is now trying to meet with CITGO executives but CITGO seems in no hurry. Insiders at CITGO say they are frustrated the Governor had not moved earlier to court the new CITGO leadership. They also lament that Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce Kathryn Taylor had relied on her ties to the equally clueless American side of CITGO's middle-management - naively thinking they called the shots at CITGO. And they don't. The Venezuelans do.
Oklahoma might lose CITGO (I hope not!) but we'd stand a better chance if our leaders were savvy.
Wednesday, August 13, 2003
Peeping Uncle Sam
As Cam Edwards alerts us:
"The US Postal Service may soon be tracking your mail. Yep, sounds like something out of "1984", but it's the proposal in a government report."
Read his comments and the link. This is an issue I think liberals and conservatives can surely agree on? Some in government are turning security into an overriding obsession - overriding liberty and our way of life. It's exactly what the terrorists wanted. We've got to put a stop to this.
As Cam Edwards alerts us:
"The US Postal Service may soon be tracking your mail. Yep, sounds like something out of "1984", but it's the proposal in a government report."
Read his comments and the link. This is an issue I think liberals and conservatives can surely agree on? Some in government are turning security into an overriding obsession - overriding liberty and our way of life. It's exactly what the terrorists wanted. We've got to put a stop to this.