Friday, October 10, 2003

Bill O'Reilly, Unfair and Imbalanced

I know this is not surprising either, but if you happened to be listening to the program "Fresh Air" on NPR yesterday you heard the host, Terry Gross, interview Bill O'Reilly and you heard him cut off the interview. Seems Bill wasn't happy that Terry was not limiting 100% of her questions to the topic of his new book. He got angry and hung up on her.

I listen to Fresh Air all the time and Terry Gross is one of the best interviewers around. She asks intelligent questions in a calm and rational manner. During the interview yesterday I thought she was giving O'Reilly an opportunity to answer some of the accusations thrown at him by Al Franken and others. I thought he was doing a good job of answering those accusations and he was winning some points with me. He was typically humorless and cocksure of himself but all-in-all he was proving himself to be human. Terry was doing him a favor I thought - because she had interviewed Al Franken earlier and this was O'Reilly's chance to set the record straight. I saw nothing wrong with Gross' interview but suddenly O'Reilly became quite nasty and a little abusive and then hung up. That night he went on to further derogatory statements about Gross and NPR on his TV program.

O'Reilly has a few good ideas but I gave up listening to his program because he is so mean-spirited and abusive to his guests. I just won't support that kind of programming or behavior. To her credit, Gross ran the interview with O'Reilly even though O'Reilly said she wouldn't have the guts to do so. She did. She's a class act. He's behaves like an obnoxious bully.

Pat Robertson Says Something Stupid

I know this is not surprising, but he is entertaining. His latest foolish statement came in an interview on his 700 Club program on CBN. Robertson interviewed Joel Mowbray about Mowbray's new book, "Dangerous Diplomacy." The book concludes with the assertion that if Mowbray could just set off a nuclear device in Foggy Bottom, the world would be a better place.

Robertson, TV evangelist that he is, agrees with Mowbray. Here's the
transcript of the conversation. I'm sure Robertson doesn't really advocate blowing up the State Department but he doesn't appreciate their work. But thank goodness they are handling diplomacy and Robertson isn't.

I have some problems with the insular and elitist culture within the State Department but I believe there is increasing evidence that if the professionals at State had been listened to that we would not have half the problems we are having in Iraq now. If you watched the PBS program Frontline last night you'd know what I mean. More on that soon.

Thursday, October 09, 2003

Muskogee Schools Crack Down on blatant Scarf Wearing

Unsatisfied with the national attention received when they expelled a young boy last year for pointing his finger and saying "kapow", Muskogee schools today expelled a young Muslim girl for wearing a head scarf. The parents of the girl explained that the head covering is required by their religion but school authorities rejected the claim. "Who ever heard of makin' someone wear a rag on their hay-yed fer church purposes," said Goober Monks, principal of the Muskogee school. "We aren't half as stoopid as these people think we are. The headscarf is gang in-sig-nee-uh and she's got to take it off."

Tuesday, October 07, 2003

So Long Don Nickles, Hello Kirk Humphries

The pragmatic Don Nickles is leaving us after many years in the US Senate. Announcing he would not run for re-election today - the Ponca City native said he wanted to return to the private sector. Although Nickles was extremely conservative he also had a pragmatic streak to him - not a complete idealogue. I'm not sure we'll end up with anyone better.

The Oklahoma Publishing Company (Daily Oklahoman) is not-so-secretly behind Oklahoma City mayor Kirk Humphries and the word is that they want Humphries in Nickles' vacated seat. More on Humphries later.

Any moderates out there wanting to run?
Tulsa Community College

The Tulsa World broke a story today about the Regents for the Tulsa Community College system quietly voting very generous "golden parachute" deals for the top four or five executives. According to the World, President Van Trese is set to carry off about $1 million when he retires in the next few years. The Regents call it a "retention package" so these valuable assets won't leave. TCC faculty and workers call it an extraordinarily selfish nest lining by the guys at the top.

The fact that the TCC leadership didn't tell anyone about their cushy deal until they found out the Tulsa World was onto the story says they thought they could get away with keeping it a secret. I don't blame them - I'd be ashamed too. Especially when faculty is paid so poorly. One adjunct professor told me he gets a whopping $1600 per semester for teaching.

Now I think public servants often get shafted and are underappreciated and should be paid better and more in line with the private sector - but copying the selfish greed of Enron-type CEOs is not what I have in mind. I'm sure Van Trese deserves a good retirement after serving the community for decades - but $1 million on top of years of a decent salary? No. Not when everyone in the middle and at the bottom of his organization get shafted.

I'm almost shocked that the Tulsa World actually did some investigative reporting. The World is a good paper but not known for good investigative reporting. It's about time.
Disfunctional Design

I've had it with the designers of televisions and VCRs. Surely, after a few decades they would figure out that placing the coaxial cable inputs and outputs within a few microns of a protruding edge makes it impossible to get your fingers positioned to screw or unscrew the cable? Have you noticed this? Why don't the manufacturers make their TVs and VCRs so you can actually get your fingers around the cable? This is a no-brainer folks.

Monday, October 06, 2003

State Fair Story #1

I saw Elvis on the trolley at the Tulsa State Fair. He was 55-ish,dressed in black leather, had the big black shades, pompadour, sideburns, rings on every finger, gold necklace, the works - and he was with his family. His wife didn't look like Priscilla Presley though - more of a Ruth Ann. His low-cut black undershirt that almost revealed his nipples was off-putting. He had a weary, "I'm so sick of being recognized" look on his face.

Elvis' wife seemed pleased to be married to Elvis - she made a point of calling after one of their offspring. "Roy Orbison!, you git yoor butt on thet be-unch!" What came to mind was the torture little Roy Orbison must go through on Parents Day at school.
California, Enough!!

I've heard about all I want to hear about California for at least a couple of years. I'm so sick of the medias frenzy over the election I could just - turn it off. Which is what I did. I'll turn it back on in a couple of days hoping that their looney election thingy is over and done with. Then maybe we can hear about some other matters - silly little things like war and peace.