Shepherds without a flock

Reverend Victor Orta, pictured here with two cohorts, must be a shepherd without a flock to guide. Otherwise, he should be ministering to his congregation and keep his reverend's nose out of blatant politics.

If his church has 501 c(3) status from which he is paid, the Treasury Department should investigate his church and consider revoking the tax exemption for a church engaging in political behavior to influence legislation.

He has the right of free speech, but leave off the reverend. Victor Orta should be voicing his own opinion, and not that of his church.

Education Lottery Rolls the Dice

Since the first lady of Oklahoma, Kim Henry, is an educator, and certainly much better looking, it would seem that the spin doctors at the governor's mansion should allow her to be the spokesperson for the Oklahoma Education Lottery.

Only a scant few years ago Gov. Henry touted the Education Lottery as a significant new funding source for education in all its phases in Oklahoma. They projected an additional $150 million per year for education.

It has never come close to that projection. And now the director wants to lobby the state legislature to remove the mandatory 35% payout to education for the third year of the lottery. He thinks the payouts are too small and so people don't play.

Alternatives:

Streamline your organization
Joint marketing efforts; a free lottery ticket with each Tulsa State Fair ticket
Fire the director
Advertise in niche media for target marketing
Research your market
Provide more interesting games
Hold Governor Henry accountable for touting this funding source.

Where's the Parade?

Sinclair Tulsa Refining

Located at 902 W. 25th

Sinclair has 260 full-time employees.

Sinclair bought the refinery in 1983 from Texaco U.S.A.

The refinery was built in 1910 by Texas Co., later called Texaco.


A huge ($1 billion) expansion will increase output and lower emissions


"This is huge for Tulsa. It's astronomical and potentially the largest private capital investment this community has had in decades, if not ever," said Mike Neal, chief executive officer of the Tulsa Metro Chamber.

Officials who study the industry "estimate this expansion to be in the $1 billion range or more," Neal said.

"We will significantly boost our output of gasoline and diesel fuels, provide for cleaner air in the city of Tulsa, employ a substantial increase in full-time work force and provide business opportunities to local companies who serve
the oil industry," said Kevin Brown, the refinery's executive vice president.

Neal said Sinclair's expansion bolsters Tulsa's global presence and "is proof the energy industry is alive and well in the Tulsa region."

This is the type of economic development that Tulsa needs. We get more jobs, cleaner air, and a more abundant future supply of gasoline and diesel. And we did not have to invest one dime of public money.

This story is perhaps the biggest to ever hit Tulsa in terms of private dollars invested.

WHERE IS THE DOWNTOWN PARADE?????

River Tax Revelations from Randi Miller

I attended a meeting today where Commissioner Miller spoke at length about the river tax. Some of the things she said stuck with me, as I have not heard them before in this debate.

First, the City of Tulsa has $200,000,000 right now in tax funds to fix the streets of Tulsa. This is tax revenue from 3rd penny extensions as well as a passed street bond issue in the recent past. She says the problem is that there are not enough contractors to spend all this money to fix the streets, and it will take years to get through the backlog.

Second, she said that the resolution that was passed to back up the river tax has sunset provisions and an early out provision if all projects are built and funded early, and if $50 million is received from the Federal government to help with river development.

Interesting..........

The Fruit Falls Near the Tree

Norman Hsu


Gene Lum


With the recent revelations regarding Norman Hsu and his money laundering and influence peddling with the Clinton's, I am reminded of something else that happened long ago right here in Tulsa.

There was another Oriental with tons of money who suddenly appeared in Tulsa with his own oil & gas company, seemingly out of nowhere. His name was Gene Lum. PBS produced a show about this called the Fixers. The Lum's were suspected of corruption and funneling money to the Clinton's while Bill was president. It also involved Ron Brown, Mac McClarty and other Clinton cronies. And oh, btw, it also involved ONG our beloved gas monopoly here in Oklahoma.

Here are some examples:

Charles Chidiac

An attorney who claims Nora Lum bribed politicians on behalf of the Japanese mafia and took phone calls from the White House as the director of a shady Democratic fund-raising agency.

"She pays for power; she buys power."

Michael McAdams

A former Oklahoma gas company employee who claims Gene and Nora Lum said Nora was working for late Commerce Secretary Ron Brown when they allegedly fronted a transaction to protect high-ranking Democrats.

"This thing is so corrupt and so big, everybody is wanting to keep secrets quiet. Everybody's got secrets."

Ronald G. Miller

A former Oklahoma gas company executive who claims Gene and Nora Lum fronted a buyout of his business to avert a potentially explosive court case and protect high-ranking Democrats.

"When they'd sit down and meet with our employees, practically the first thing that would come out of their mouth is, `We're from Washington, and we're here to help.' My secretary came to me and said, `Ron, we're getting faxes from the White House.'"

Corruption runs deep in the Clinton political machinery.

A apple tree produces apples. Corruption produces corruption.