Honoring the Kings of Soft Money
Leadership Oklahoma is honoring Chesapeake Energy Corporation of Oklahoma City as an outstanding company at their sixth annual Excellence in Leadership Gala on February 19th in Tulsa. Did Chesapeake buy this award like they've bought US Senator Tom Coburn and US Congressman Tom Delay? These are the people that spend millions in soft money contributions to buy rightwing Repubs. This is not a corporation that should be honored.
Friday, January 21, 2005
The Gambinos of Oklahoma
The Native Times reports:
In response to an alleged conspiracy by figures in the East Coast underworld that reached all the way to an Oklahoma Indian reservation, the New York Racing Association is severing ties with four active wagering sites. One of those is on the Tonkawa Indian Reservation in Tonkawa, Oklahoma.
This is one of those stories you wonder what's behind the story. What could the Tonkowa Tribe of Oklahoma be doing with the Gambino Family of New York? Who scammed who in this deal? Will the Oklahoma press pick up on this story?
The Native Times reports:
In response to an alleged conspiracy by figures in the East Coast underworld that reached all the way to an Oklahoma Indian reservation, the New York Racing Association is severing ties with four active wagering sites. One of those is on the Tonkawa Indian Reservation in Tonkawa, Oklahoma.
This is one of those stories you wonder what's behind the story. What could the Tonkowa Tribe of Oklahoma be doing with the Gambino Family of New York? Who scammed who in this deal? Will the Oklahoma press pick up on this story?
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Moon Over the White House
Looks like anybody, including a self-proclaimed messiah can buy their way into the Inauguration and the inner circle of American government. See the details at I Approve of this Messiah.com
Looks like anybody, including a self-proclaimed messiah can buy their way into the Inauguration and the inner circle of American government. See the details at I Approve of this Messiah.com
Moon Over the White House
Looks like anybody, including a self-proclaimed messiah can buy their way into the Inauguration and the inner circle of American government. See the details at I Approve of this Messiah.com
Looks like anybody, including a self-proclaimed messiah can buy their way into the Inauguration and the inner circle of American government. See the details at I Approve of this Messiah.com
Moon Over the White House
Looks like anybody, including a self-proclaimed messiah can buy their way into the Inauguration and the inner circle of American government. See the details at I Approve of this Messiah.com
Read the January 6th post at I Approve of this Messiah regarding who Bush is considering for the top US trade job! Yeesh.
Looks like anybody, including a self-proclaimed messiah can buy their way into the Inauguration and the inner circle of American government. See the details at I Approve of this Messiah.com
Read the January 6th post at I Approve of this Messiah regarding who Bush is considering for the top US trade job! Yeesh.
Monday, January 17, 2005
Spanish Broadcasting in Oklahoma
The Sun-Sentinel reports that Telemundo has expanded its national coverage with a new affiliate in Oklahoma City.The network began airing its programming on full-power station KTUZ-Ch. 30 on Dec. 31.KTUZ, owned and operated by Tyler Media, is the first full-service station to serve the booming Spanish-language market in Oklahoma City, which is currently ranked the 54th largest Hispanic market.
The Sun-Sentinel reports that Telemundo has expanded its national coverage with a new affiliate in Oklahoma City.The network began airing its programming on full-power station KTUZ-Ch. 30 on Dec. 31.KTUZ, owned and operated by Tyler Media, is the first full-service station to serve the booming Spanish-language market in Oklahoma City, which is currently ranked the 54th largest Hispanic market.
Oklahoma Gains from Outsourcing
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that a software development company in Colorado is setting up an operation in Oklahoma City to outsource work to. Lower wage Oklahoma (and Arkansas etc) was preferred over India because of the security and stability of the workforce.
I'd add that we Okies are easier to understand. You'd know what I mean if you've ever had to try to discuss your credit card bill with a "customer service technician" in Bombay.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that a software development company in Colorado is setting up an operation in Oklahoma City to outsource work to. Lower wage Oklahoma (and Arkansas etc) was preferred over India because of the security and stability of the workforce.
I'd add that we Okies are easier to understand. You'd know what I mean if you've ever had to try to discuss your credit card bill with a "customer service technician" in Bombay.
Friday, January 14, 2005
C-SPAN Moment
I enjoy watching some of the events shown on C-SPAN. For policy wonks C-SPAN is a boon. When good speakers speak you can both learn a lot about a new subject and simultaneously study the art and craft of public speaking. Today, C-SPAN was even more interesting than usual. I was watching a few minutes of a speech being given by a feminist when the camera cut away for a shot at the audience. The camera zoomed in on a man peering down the blouse of a woman seated in front of him. He'd snatch a look, look at his program, snatch a look, look at his program. This went on a few seconds until he noticed the camera pointed at him. At this point he slid back in his chair and behind another person. It would be interesting if his wife was watching C-SPAN.
I enjoy watching some of the events shown on C-SPAN. For policy wonks C-SPAN is a boon. When good speakers speak you can both learn a lot about a new subject and simultaneously study the art and craft of public speaking. Today, C-SPAN was even more interesting than usual. I was watching a few minutes of a speech being given by a feminist when the camera cut away for a shot at the audience. The camera zoomed in on a man peering down the blouse of a woman seated in front of him. He'd snatch a look, look at his program, snatch a look, look at his program. This went on a few seconds until he noticed the camera pointed at him. At this point he slid back in his chair and behind another person. It would be interesting if his wife was watching C-SPAN.
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
Speeding Legislators
The State Legislature started up this week - you didn't have to read the paper to know this. All you had to do was pull over and stay out of the way of the speeding Legislators on the turnpikes. Those tags with the "S"s and the "H"s were zipping down the pikes at 80-95 mph. All the new legislators must have gotten word already that Oklahoma Legislators made a law that exempts them from speeding laws if they are going to or from a Legislative session or meeting. I think they call it the Gene Stipe Law.
I'm afraid the only way the Legislators will ever repeal this stupid law is after one of them kills some innocent family on the road. Even then, I doubt if they'll give up this "perk".
The State Legislature started up this week - you didn't have to read the paper to know this. All you had to do was pull over and stay out of the way of the speeding Legislators on the turnpikes. Those tags with the "S"s and the "H"s were zipping down the pikes at 80-95 mph. All the new legislators must have gotten word already that Oklahoma Legislators made a law that exempts them from speeding laws if they are going to or from a Legislative session or meeting. I think they call it the Gene Stipe Law.
I'm afraid the only way the Legislators will ever repeal this stupid law is after one of them kills some innocent family on the road. Even then, I doubt if they'll give up this "perk".
Surprise!: Don Nickles Hooks Up with Energy Firm
According to the Tulsa World outgoing US Sen. Don Nickles has been elected to the board of directors at Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy Corp. The election of Nickles to the company's board puts him in the company of former Republican Governor Frank Keating and Aubrey K. McClendon and Tom L. Ward, the company's co-founders and largest individual shareholders. Aubrey and Ward are the same two men who recently bought (with $1 million in soft money campaign donations) newly elected Senator Tom Coburn - the Republican that replaces Nickles in the Senate.
McClendon is quoted as saying, "We are extremely pleased to have Don join Chesapeake's board. In a time of growing political debate about the country's energy policies, we will particularly appreciate his in-depth knowledge of energy public policy." Or maybe "Don" can lean on buddies in government to get us what we want? The cozy revolving door relationship between fossil fuel energy interests and the Republican Party leadership gets cozier everyday.
According to the Tulsa World outgoing US Sen. Don Nickles has been elected to the board of directors at Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy Corp. The election of Nickles to the company's board puts him in the company of former Republican Governor Frank Keating and Aubrey K. McClendon and Tom L. Ward, the company's co-founders and largest individual shareholders. Aubrey and Ward are the same two men who recently bought (with $1 million in soft money campaign donations) newly elected Senator Tom Coburn - the Republican that replaces Nickles in the Senate.
McClendon is quoted as saying, "We are extremely pleased to have Don join Chesapeake's board. In a time of growing political debate about the country's energy policies, we will particularly appreciate his in-depth knowledge of energy public policy." Or maybe "Don" can lean on buddies in government to get us what we want? The cozy revolving door relationship between fossil fuel energy interests and the Republican Party leadership gets cozier everyday.
Governor's Home in Need of Sprucing Up
The Governor's Mansion needs some linens, a flat screen computer, and a refurbished family dining room - or so says the Friends of the Mansion. A recent wish list sent out to Oklahomans lists a range of improvements and gadgets they seek donations for. The list ranges from $5,000 for a play area to a mere $800 for two 3-gallon coffee urns. A letter was sent out, under the signatures of Governor Brad Henry and his wife Kim, on December 16th inviting people to become a member of the Friends of the Mansion for a minimum of $1,000 per year.
I found $8.50 in my pocket that I'm sending along in case they need a can of Pledge.
The Governor's Mansion needs some linens, a flat screen computer, and a refurbished family dining room - or so says the Friends of the Mansion. A recent wish list sent out to Oklahomans lists a range of improvements and gadgets they seek donations for. The list ranges from $5,000 for a play area to a mere $800 for two 3-gallon coffee urns. A letter was sent out, under the signatures of Governor Brad Henry and his wife Kim, on December 16th inviting people to become a member of the Friends of the Mansion for a minimum of $1,000 per year.
I found $8.50 in my pocket that I'm sending along in case they need a can of Pledge.
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Where's Charles Thompson?
Ever wonder what happened to Charles Thompson? The Sun-Sentinel has the story.
Ever wonder what happened to Charles Thompson? The Sun-Sentinel has the story.
Monday, December 27, 2004
Moratorium on Hate Radio Pays Off
Two months ago I went cold turkey when I stopped listening to extremist radio programs like Limbaugh, Savage, Hannity et al. I cut out both the far right and the far left (pretty much limited to Air America). The results? I feel great. I find that I am much more relaxed and less irritable. I feel like the red and blue toxins that were in my mind/body have dissipated. A day without hearing Rush's voice is a day in Heaven.
Sure, I don't know what story they are trying to blow up out of proportion to try and get listeners all upset about but ... I find I can get along without that quite nicely. I just stick to the legitimate media (the ones that employ fact checkers) and I feel both informed and healthy.
Try it.
Two months ago I went cold turkey when I stopped listening to extremist radio programs like Limbaugh, Savage, Hannity et al. I cut out both the far right and the far left (pretty much limited to Air America). The results? I feel great. I find that I am much more relaxed and less irritable. I feel like the red and blue toxins that were in my mind/body have dissipated. A day without hearing Rush's voice is a day in Heaven.
Sure, I don't know what story they are trying to blow up out of proportion to try and get listeners all upset about but ... I find I can get along without that quite nicely. I just stick to the legitimate media (the ones that employ fact checkers) and I feel both informed and healthy.
Try it.
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Oklahoma Man Dies After Getting Swept Out To Sea
HONOLULU -- Authorities say a 33-year-old visitor from Oklahoma died after he was swept to sea at South Point on the Big Island.
HONOLULU -- Authorities say a 33-year-old visitor from Oklahoma died after he was swept to sea at South Point on the Big Island.
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Renting a Car in Miami
OkiePundit just returned from a biz trip to Miami, Florida. Nice weather but too much inefficiency. My adventures at the rental car place epitomize Miami for me. To begin with the taxi driver didn't listen to me (English wasn't his first language) and took me to the wrong branch of Alamo. Once inside Alamo it was pure chaos. The lobby looked like a third-world airport just hours before the rebel troops were set to entire the capital city. The lines were long and unmoving. Angry customers were fuming. Cranky bored children were wailing.
It took an hour to get waited on by a dismissive clerk that never acknowledged my existence. When I tried to find my car it was not in the designated slot so I had to re-endur the refugee scene but none of the clerks would help me. They kept shunting me off to someone else and ignoring me as other angry customers vied for their attention. Finally I started yelling at the only managerial-looking person behind the counter and got his attention for a millisecond. He yelled something in Spanish to someone else and they promptly resumed ignoring me.
After a lot more screaming and abominable customer non-service I got a car and left - having wasted an entire afternoon just trying to get a car in Miami.
Now I understand more about the hanging chads.
OkiePundit just returned from a biz trip to Miami, Florida. Nice weather but too much inefficiency. My adventures at the rental car place epitomize Miami for me. To begin with the taxi driver didn't listen to me (English wasn't his first language) and took me to the wrong branch of Alamo. Once inside Alamo it was pure chaos. The lobby looked like a third-world airport just hours before the rebel troops were set to entire the capital city. The lines were long and unmoving. Angry customers were fuming. Cranky bored children were wailing.
It took an hour to get waited on by a dismissive clerk that never acknowledged my existence. When I tried to find my car it was not in the designated slot so I had to re-endur the refugee scene but none of the clerks would help me. They kept shunting me off to someone else and ignoring me as other angry customers vied for their attention. Finally I started yelling at the only managerial-looking person behind the counter and got his attention for a millisecond. He yelled something in Spanish to someone else and they promptly resumed ignoring me.
After a lot more screaming and abominable customer non-service I got a car and left - having wasted an entire afternoon just trying to get a car in Miami.
Now I understand more about the hanging chads.
No Remorse
About 10 years ago the case of the rape and murder of Sri Sedjati Sugeng, an OSU student from Indonesia, was news. She was found dead in the bathtub of her off-campus apartment in Stillwater. Her family back in Indonesia was devastated of course. Can you imagine learning that your child has been brutally murdered on the other side of the Earth and there's not a thing you can do about it?
Lloyd Edward Mollett was found guilty of the murder and rape and was sentenced to death. The punishment was overturned by a Colorado judge because the District Judge Donald Worthington had foolishly refused to answer a question from the jury. I wonder what the victim's family thought about the American judicial system when they learned that the death penalty conviction had been overturned?
This week Mollett was resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The Tulsa World reports that Mollett has shown no remorse. I've seem the state pen at McAlester (on a tour) and the thought of spending the rest of a life locked in those tiny cells would possibly be worse than death. Just the thought that one's life has been wasted would be bad enough. As awful (and deserved) as that outcome is, the victim is a young lady from a far off land that came to America to pursue a dream. No one other than Mollett, no one else in the world, is responsible for snuffing out her possibilities and the hope of her family. Mollett needs to apologize to her family.
On a hopeful note, I'm reading a book by Noah Levine, "Dharma Punx", his story of his descent into drug addiction and crime and his turnaround to become a Buddhist teacher and writer. From not caring about his victims (which included his family) to a life of profound compassion. How does one get from one point to another? Read the book.
About 10 years ago the case of the rape and murder of Sri Sedjati Sugeng, an OSU student from Indonesia, was news. She was found dead in the bathtub of her off-campus apartment in Stillwater. Her family back in Indonesia was devastated of course. Can you imagine learning that your child has been brutally murdered on the other side of the Earth and there's not a thing you can do about it?
Lloyd Edward Mollett was found guilty of the murder and rape and was sentenced to death. The punishment was overturned by a Colorado judge because the District Judge Donald Worthington had foolishly refused to answer a question from the jury. I wonder what the victim's family thought about the American judicial system when they learned that the death penalty conviction had been overturned?
This week Mollett was resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The Tulsa World reports that Mollett has shown no remorse. I've seem the state pen at McAlester (on a tour) and the thought of spending the rest of a life locked in those tiny cells would possibly be worse than death. Just the thought that one's life has been wasted would be bad enough. As awful (and deserved) as that outcome is, the victim is a young lady from a far off land that came to America to pursue a dream. No one other than Mollett, no one else in the world, is responsible for snuffing out her possibilities and the hope of her family. Mollett needs to apologize to her family.
On a hopeful note, I'm reading a book by Noah Levine, "Dharma Punx", his story of his descent into drug addiction and crime and his turnaround to become a Buddhist teacher and writer. From not caring about his victims (which included his family) to a life of profound compassion. How does one get from one point to another? Read the book.
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Libraries and Hanging On
I almost didn't get back from OKC in time to vote in Tuesdays library bond issue in Tulsa - but I did. I voted for it of course. I wanted a much better library. Unfortunately, the negative nabobs, the anti-tax at all costs folks, outvoted the forward-looking citizens that remembered to vote. The result finds me again contemplating giving up on Oklahoma and moving somewhere more progressive. I know this is heresy - but I'm not the only one wondering if it's worth hanging on. Life is short.
I love Oklahoma so this is hard to admit.
I almost didn't get back from OKC in time to vote in Tuesdays library bond issue in Tulsa - but I did. I voted for it of course. I wanted a much better library. Unfortunately, the negative nabobs, the anti-tax at all costs folks, outvoted the forward-looking citizens that remembered to vote. The result finds me again contemplating giving up on Oklahoma and moving somewhere more progressive. I know this is heresy - but I'm not the only one wondering if it's worth hanging on. Life is short.
I love Oklahoma so this is hard to admit.
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Indian vs White Racial Tension
A story in the Native Times reveals that racial tensions may exist at a high school in Fairfax, Oklahoma. A former student of the school that has since moved to New Mexico is quoted as saying:
There was a definite undertone of racism there,” Stock said. “I would get into arguments with other students because they would always be saying things like ‘Indians need to stop complaining all the time’. Rebel flags are common on the trucks there.”Stock said that Scully was “not helpful” when it came to complaints about racial remarks. One thing Stock is sure about: New Mexico is much more tolerant when compared to Oklahoma.“If you are Indian here, people are interested in that. Maybe that is because there are so many reservations here. It seems like in Oklahoma people are really close-minded. They don’t try to hide the fact that they don’t like Indians.”
I'm a bit surprised by the situation described by Stock but if it is an accurate assessment then Fairfax needs to find out what's behind it. Having grown up in an area of Oklahoma with a very large Indian (or Native American if you prefer) population I never witnessed any racial tension between the whites and Indians (there were no blacks). I had many 100% Indian friends but I never thought of them as "Indian friends" - just as friends. Maybe the reason was that there was so much mixed blood - nearly every family (including my own) had intermarried. It's pretty hard to hate a piece of yourself.
There were the usual child-on-child cruelties but anti-Indian talk was just something I never heard. People got along very well. Is Fairfax an isolated incident or a disturbing trend?
A story in the Native Times reveals that racial tensions may exist at a high school in Fairfax, Oklahoma. A former student of the school that has since moved to New Mexico is quoted as saying:
There was a definite undertone of racism there,” Stock said. “I would get into arguments with other students because they would always be saying things like ‘Indians need to stop complaining all the time’. Rebel flags are common on the trucks there.”Stock said that Scully was “not helpful” when it came to complaints about racial remarks. One thing Stock is sure about: New Mexico is much more tolerant when compared to Oklahoma.“If you are Indian here, people are interested in that. Maybe that is because there are so many reservations here. It seems like in Oklahoma people are really close-minded. They don’t try to hide the fact that they don’t like Indians.”
I'm a bit surprised by the situation described by Stock but if it is an accurate assessment then Fairfax needs to find out what's behind it. Having grown up in an area of Oklahoma with a very large Indian (or Native American if you prefer) population I never witnessed any racial tension between the whites and Indians (there were no blacks). I had many 100% Indian friends but I never thought of them as "Indian friends" - just as friends. Maybe the reason was that there was so much mixed blood - nearly every family (including my own) had intermarried. It's pretty hard to hate a piece of yourself.
There were the usual child-on-child cruelties but anti-Indian talk was just something I never heard. People got along very well. Is Fairfax an isolated incident or a disturbing trend?
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Good Message Derails
The sermon at my evangelical megachurch today regarded the worth of people. The pastor made the point, in a number of ways, that everyone is equal in the eyes of God. No matter your color, gender, physical condition, age - we are all equally valuable. He dwelled at length on abortion - his position being that humans in a womb are as worthy as a human out of the womb. I agree with him on that 100%. Where he lost me was when he made the ludicrous statement that evolutionism is the cause of the devaluation of human life and thus the legalization of abortion.
"If the world was created by accident as the evolutionists claim, then we are just a mass of flesh with no worth," he went on. "Stalin used evolution theory to justify the elimination of millions of people." Ok, now he is in outer space. It's hard to see how he gets from point A to point B and then on to point C. I'm no expert on Stalin but even if he did embrace social darwinism to justify his pogroms that in no way disproves the validity of the theory of evolution. If humans misuse a scientific reality to justify a looney and self-serving action that misappropriation of the reality does not make it less real. Nor does it make the theory evil. Ironically, both the pastor and Stalin may be guilty of knowingly twisting science to suit their needs.
Many religious fundamentalist leaders are telling their believers that evolution is false because their holy books, written thousands of years ago, don't jive with what we've learned since. Now at least one is telling them evolutionists are responsible for abortion and the devaluing of human life. This is truly ironic when you think about all the wars and horrors that have been loosed on the world by people who believe they are doing God's work. I'll take my chances with the scientists thank you.
The sermon at my evangelical megachurch today regarded the worth of people. The pastor made the point, in a number of ways, that everyone is equal in the eyes of God. No matter your color, gender, physical condition, age - we are all equally valuable. He dwelled at length on abortion - his position being that humans in a womb are as worthy as a human out of the womb. I agree with him on that 100%. Where he lost me was when he made the ludicrous statement that evolutionism is the cause of the devaluation of human life and thus the legalization of abortion.
"If the world was created by accident as the evolutionists claim, then we are just a mass of flesh with no worth," he went on. "Stalin used evolution theory to justify the elimination of millions of people." Ok, now he is in outer space. It's hard to see how he gets from point A to point B and then on to point C. I'm no expert on Stalin but even if he did embrace social darwinism to justify his pogroms that in no way disproves the validity of the theory of evolution. If humans misuse a scientific reality to justify a looney and self-serving action that misappropriation of the reality does not make it less real. Nor does it make the theory evil. Ironically, both the pastor and Stalin may be guilty of knowingly twisting science to suit their needs.
Many religious fundamentalist leaders are telling their believers that evolution is false because their holy books, written thousands of years ago, don't jive with what we've learned since. Now at least one is telling them evolutionists are responsible for abortion and the devaluing of human life. This is truly ironic when you think about all the wars and horrors that have been loosed on the world by people who believe they are doing God's work. I'll take my chances with the scientists thank you.
Don't Need No Stinkin' Helmet
KOTV reports that...
Oklahoma is one of 23 states with no helmet law for riders age 18 and older. Officials say only about one-third of Oklahoma motorcyclists wear a helmet. Neurological surgeon Stan Pelofsky says he can't conceive why there isn't a helmet law. Pelofsky says they're proven to save lives and reduce the cost of health care.
KOTV reports that...
Oklahoma is one of 23 states with no helmet law for riders age 18 and older. Officials say only about one-third of Oklahoma motorcyclists wear a helmet. Neurological surgeon Stan Pelofsky says he can't conceive why there isn't a helmet law. Pelofsky says they're proven to save lives and reduce the cost of health care.