Dick Cheney Kills 70
As reported by the HSUS:
Upon his (Cheney) arrival at the exclusive Rolling Rock Club in Ligonier Township, gamekeepers released 500 pen-raised pheasants from nets for the benefit of him and his party. In a blaze of gunfire, the group—which included legendary Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach and U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), along with major fundraisers for Republican candidates—killed at least 417 of the birds. According to one gamekeeper who spoke to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Cheney was credited with shooting more than 70 of the pen-reared fowl.
Saturday, December 20, 2003
PETA
The group called the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and OkiePundit share a general interest in humane treatment of animals but PETA's tactics are very detrimental to the humane movement. They use shocking tactics that do nothing but fuel the erroneous stereotype of the misanthrope humanitarian (talk about oxymoron). I know a lot of humanitarians, animal-rights activists, vegetarians, etc in Oklahoma and I don't know any that would fit in the universe of PETA. The ones I know care about both humans and animals (non-humans).
PETA seems to be a Hollywood-oriented group of people whose hearts are in the right place but have not a clue about persuasion or a shred of common sense. I sometimes wonder if PETA isn't secretly funded by the NRA in an effort to discredit humanitarians. For the reasonable person I would refer you to the Humane Society of the United States - a much larger, and saner organization.
The group called the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and OkiePundit share a general interest in humane treatment of animals but PETA's tactics are very detrimental to the humane movement. They use shocking tactics that do nothing but fuel the erroneous stereotype of the misanthrope humanitarian (talk about oxymoron). I know a lot of humanitarians, animal-rights activists, vegetarians, etc in Oklahoma and I don't know any that would fit in the universe of PETA. The ones I know care about both humans and animals (non-humans).
PETA seems to be a Hollywood-oriented group of people whose hearts are in the right place but have not a clue about persuasion or a shred of common sense. I sometimes wonder if PETA isn't secretly funded by the NRA in an effort to discredit humanitarians. For the reasonable person I would refer you to the Humane Society of the United States - a much larger, and saner organization.
Rising Tide of Vicious Blogs
Have you noticed the growing number of really vicious blogs out there? It's great to have strong opinions voiced through blogging but some bloggers don't even pretend to reason. An example of the kind of blog I'm talking about can be found at Dog Snot (aptly named). It's full of foul language (warning) and hate but it's the kind of blog we see more of these days. While political extremists on both the left and right are falling into this genre an unscientific survey indicates that bloggers on the extreme right are most numerous. There's a lot of angry people out there but the depth of the viciousness we see in these blogs is enough to be worrisome.
Have you noticed the growing number of really vicious blogs out there? It's great to have strong opinions voiced through blogging but some bloggers don't even pretend to reason. An example of the kind of blog I'm talking about can be found at Dog Snot (aptly named). It's full of foul language (warning) and hate but it's the kind of blog we see more of these days. While political extremists on both the left and right are falling into this genre an unscientific survey indicates that bloggers on the extreme right are most numerous. There's a lot of angry people out there but the depth of the viciousness we see in these blogs is enough to be worrisome.
Thursday, December 18, 2003
Tar Creek
Wow! The Tulsa World is all over US Senator Jim Inhofe on his opposition to buying out the residents of Superfund Site Tar Creek. The World has run a five-part series on the controversy and at least two editorials in recent days. According to the World Inhofe wants to spend $45 million more to try to clean up the site or sell the homes to some company that for some unexplained reason wants to buy homes in a Superfund site. Governor Henry seems to want the feds to buy out the Tar Creek residents but Inhofe says the Governor doesn't really want that. Congressman Brad Carson (who is running against Inhofe's buddy, Kirk Humphries, for US Senate) also wants a buyout for the residents.
The very suspicious part of this story is how Inhofe brought Bush's new Secretary of the EPA into the Tar Creek site the day before Thanksgiving - all in secrecy and without meeting with any of the locals - because Inhofe didn't want them embarrassing the new EPA chief. Like that's the most important thing to worry about while hundreds of families are living in a toxic waste site.
Wow! The Tulsa World is all over US Senator Jim Inhofe on his opposition to buying out the residents of Superfund Site Tar Creek. The World has run a five-part series on the controversy and at least two editorials in recent days. According to the World Inhofe wants to spend $45 million more to try to clean up the site or sell the homes to some company that for some unexplained reason wants to buy homes in a Superfund site. Governor Henry seems to want the feds to buy out the Tar Creek residents but Inhofe says the Governor doesn't really want that. Congressman Brad Carson (who is running against Inhofe's buddy, Kirk Humphries, for US Senate) also wants a buyout for the residents.
The very suspicious part of this story is how Inhofe brought Bush's new Secretary of the EPA into the Tar Creek site the day before Thanksgiving - all in secrecy and without meeting with any of the locals - because Inhofe didn't want them embarrassing the new EPA chief. Like that's the most important thing to worry about while hundreds of families are living in a toxic waste site.
Travelling PR Man
Word on the Street is that Jim East, formerly of Tulsa Mayor Susan Savage's office, then Government PR man for the Benham Group, then PR "consultant" for the Tulsa Vision 2025 campaign has a new job - working for the husband of Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism Kathy Taylor. He owns a couple of rental car companies. Word in the public sector is that they're glad East is back in the private sector.
Word on the Street is that Jim East, formerly of Tulsa Mayor Susan Savage's office, then Government PR man for the Benham Group, then PR "consultant" for the Tulsa Vision 2025 campaign has a new job - working for the husband of Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism Kathy Taylor. He owns a couple of rental car companies. Word in the public sector is that they're glad East is back in the private sector.