Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Brief Time of Sanity

Earlier this week the TPS School Board voted 4-2 against dismissing the lawsuit they had filed last year against the Oklahoma State Department of Education regarding the constitutionality of the Oklahoma Charter School Act.

The brief time of sanity came when Brian Hunt, who made the motion, and Lana Turner-Addison voted to dismiss the lawsuit. Alas, the other 4 Board members voted against the measure. Insanity still reigns.

Friday, November 07, 2008

Wisdom and Perspective

The following is an email I received earlier from a Texan that I thought I should pass along.....

As chairman of the Bastrop County Republican Party, it is fitting
for me to be the first to speak to you, the Republicans of Bastrop
County, regarding our national loss of the Presidency. I am aware
that many of you have reacted with tears, anger, numbness,
disbelief, or a sense of resignment that this is what we deserve. I
endeavor here to speak to those reactions and give direction for the
days ahead.

For those who may read this who do not consider themselves
Republicans, let me first briefly articulate why we feel as we
do. Our present mortification over the election of Barack Obama as
President is based on the conviction that the policies he has
espoused will not work and on fear of the result of implementing
those policies. We are convinced that peace must be secured, and
cannot be won by vacating a present conflict. If we leave a field
of conflict unresolved, that field will only follow us unless we
fully capitulate. We are further convinced that prosperity does not
come through taxation and wealth redistribution. Wealth acquired
without work is squandered, and work not commensurately rewarded is
abandoned. The result therefore is the extension of misery, not the
relieving of it. Look across the globe and across history, and you
will not find the economy that flourishes while penalizing the
productive so as to reward the unproductive. Based on these
convictions, we fear that Mr. Obama's policies will only deepen our
present difficulties.

With these convictions and fears in mind, I turn now to console
you. If you take Scripture at its word as I do, then let me remind
you of these truths:

1. Although we have a duty to vote, it is ultimately God that
establishes our leaders, and we are to submit to them. "Let every
person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is
no authority except from God, and those which exist are established
by God. Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the
ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will received
condemnation upon themselves." Romans 13:1-2 These words were not
spoken by an American Patriot living under the just rule of the
Founding Fathers. They were spoken by the Apostle Paul to the
Christians in Rome living under the vile and corrupt rule of Emperor
Nero. If God has lifted up Mr. Obama to be President, then we can
trust He has a purpose in doing so.

2. We are to pray for those in authority over us. "First of all,
then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and
thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who
are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet
life in all godliness and dignity." 1 Timothy 2:1-2

3. Even if our present distress deepens, God nevertheless provides
for us what we need. "Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall
we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe
ourselves?' For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for
your heavenly Father knows that you need all these tings. But seek
first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall
be added to you." Matthew 6:31-33

If you are a secularist, who puts no confidence in God's Word, then
let me console you with these truths:

1. Liberal policies do not work. Governmental redistribution
relieves economic strain with the least efficiency. In times of
distress, the people will not tolerate failure.

2. The tendency of mankind is toward freedom. Restrict freedom, and
those shackles produce hardship. The cauldron of hardship produces
a love and strain toward freedom. The hotter the cauldron, the more
the shackles are at risk of bursting from the strain toward
freedom. Hardship also produces virtue and vigilance.

3. A Presidential term is only four years. "By the frame of the
government under which we live, this same people have wisely given
their public servants but little power for mischief; and have, with
equal wisdom, provided for the return of that little to their own
hands at very short intervals. While the people retain their virtue
and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or
folly, can very seriously injure the government in the short space
of four years." Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural Address

With these consolations, let us now consider the future.

First, let us not be bitter or factious. I am tired of the last
eight years of the partisan smearing of President Bush. Let us be
better than our opponents have been and continue to treat the office
and office-holder with dignity and respect.

Second, let us congratulate our fellow African-Americans who without
regard to partisanship, cannot help but view this moment as a
significant milestone in their own storied history among us. Any
public figure makes a valuable contribution to society who inspires
in each of us commoners the notion that we can achieve no matter who
we are or where we come from. On January 1, 1863, the Republican
Party through its President Lincoln emancipated the slaves. May
President Obama's inauguration further emancipate our
African-Americans from the notion that they are in some way held
back in this society.

Third, with dignity, respect, and clarity, let us continue to
advocate for those principles we hold dear: limited government,
fiscal responsibility, return to Constitutional restraints, freedom
of speech, religion and firearms, and a profound respect for
innocent life. If liberal policies fail, as we believe they must by
their nature, the people must be hearing that a viable alternative exists.

Lastly, consider and take to heart the closing words of President
Lincoln's second inaugural address: "With malice toward none, with
charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see
the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up
the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle
and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and
cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."


Albert L. Ellison, Chairman
Bastrop County Republican Party

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

The End of Affirmative Action?

With the decisive win by President-Elect Barack Hussein Obama yesterday, one thing is now apparent. With an African American as President, and that being the most powerful position in the world, the argument for affirmative action is now gone. All the wrongs of the past have now been righted.

Monday, November 03, 2008

Remember Bells


As all Texans know, "remember the Alamo", still stirs the emotions over 150 years later.

To all Tulsans, "remember Bell's", or perhaps "remember Zingo" should stir our hearts as we prepare to vote in our election tomorrow.

Let that battle cry resound in your mind as you vote for county commissioner.

Let Sally Bell's margin of victory leave no doubt what the will of the people in Tulsa is and will forever be.

It's Time to Vote


It's time to vote!

The Tulsa Chigger recommends:




John McCain for President of the United States

Sarah Palin for Vice-President of the United States
Jim Inhofe for U.S. Senate
John Sullivan for U.S. House of Representatives
Sally Bell for County Commissioner
Dana Murphy for Corporation Commissioner
Jeff Cloud for Corporation Commissioner

Yes to the wine question and Yes to the hunting question

NO to both the sales and property tax questions to fix the streets of Tulsa

Friday, October 10, 2008

Wacky Priorities

Do we still have a Federal government?

Yes, I know we still have all three branches of government, executive, legislative and judicial. We still have a great military. But our confidence level in all branches of government are at extreme lows and it seems no level of government intervention into our free markets makes any difference (except the stock market has gone straight down since they passed the bailout package).

Our sense of frustration is due in large part to the wacky priorities of our Federal government. Instead of allowing our markets to let things shake out, they bailed out our financial industry. And they picked those companies who will survive (AIG, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac) and those considered expendable (Lehman, Bear Stearns).

What about a bailout for our manufacturing industry? Not that I agree at all with this government intervention, but it now begs the question. Who allows you to pick and choose?

In the meantime, we are not being protected, which all agree is a legitimate function of government. Limited government inspections led to food supply scares in tomatoes and peppers. With the price of oil tanking every day and today 44% less than the July 2008 highs, our gasoline prices in Tulsa should be under $2.50/gallon. Gouging now exists and our government is looking the other way.

In Tulsa, we are about to vote on a street package of over $450 million over 5 years. This has little chance of passing in the current environment. It amounts to enabling our local elected officials a large pot of money and the excuse to not reduce spending or streamline services.

This is a time of reflection that will lead us back to the basics.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Federal Government Nationalizes Insurance Company

With a tactic reminicent of Venezuela instead of the U.S.A., our federal government effectively nationalized its largest insurance company, AIG. In exchange for an $85 billion bridge loan for 2 years with 8.5% interest, we the people got an 80% equity participation stake in a once public company.

We have no business doing this. I don't care what the implications to the financial markets might be. Like Chrysler before, now we are saying that AIG is too big to fail. Let me assure you, AIG has a tremendous amount of assets that could be liquidated rather quickly to fund any short-term liquidity problem.

They passed on Lehman, but pulled the trigger on AIG...what's the logic in that? Our federal government is stacked and controlled by to few "fat-cats", and it's well past time to clean house.

This is not representative of our free market economy. It is representative of a totalitarian economy.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Go Pokes!


All I can say is WOW! OSU philantropist, T. Boone Pickens has just announced his $100 million donation to OSU for endowing academic chairs.

GO POKES!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

El Jefe de Tulsa dice que esculelas necessito mucho dinero mas

Sorry about the broken and incoherent Espanol.

Mayor Kathy Taylor was quoted to say that she, "is sad that Tulsans do not appear ready to invest in education." But wait, we already give over $31 million per year to TCC from existing property taxes (OKC gives about $3 million a year to its community college). And we gave TCC another $8 million in Vision 2025 sales taxes. Not to mention what goes to OSU-Tulsa, NSU-Broken Arrow, OU-Tulsa, Langston-Tulsa, Tulsa Technology and all the public school districts in the county.

Where does the taxation for education end, Mayor Taylor?

Incredible tax increases over the years to fund our current system. And for our secondary and elementary education purposes, what did we get for our investment? An F according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

One national metric for performance does exist, the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The NAEP is a series of tests administered under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics. Known as the Nation’s Report Card, the NAEP tests measure proficiency in reading and math among 4th and 8th graders nationwide as well as in every state. The NAEP sets its proficiency standard through a well-established, if complex, technical process.


And Oklahoma is only one of three states to be given an F.
Three states—Georgia, Oklahoma, and Tennessee—expected so little of students that they received the grade of F. The state of Georgia, for instance, declared 88 percent of 8th graders proficient in reading, even though just 26 percent scored at or above the proficiency level on the NAEP.

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Tulsa Community College Tax Increase

Next Tuesday the voters of Tulsa County will have the opportunity to vote up or down on a proposed increase (both permanent and temporary) in millage for Tulsa Community College. This is to fund expansion of buildings and operations and maintenance.

Did you know that space is available, especially at the Northeast Campus?

Did you know that the people of Tulsa County fund our community college at a rate of 10 times more than the people of Oklahoma County are asked to fund their community college?

Did you know that if we vote in this tax increase, we will enable our state legislature to appropriate even less to TCC than before? (Tulsa will be short-changed by the state again!)

Did you know that if we vote in this tax increase, your property taxes will be permanently increased?

Did you know that TCC has been operating with a surplus for years?

Did you know that the voters gave TCC an additional $8 million with Vision 2025?

I like TCC. But they must learn to tighten their belts like we all must do.

The Tulsa Chigger will vote no on this permanent tax increase. The wrong tax at the wrong time!

The Peter Principle and Politics

The 2 party system will ultimately elect a nominee for the election this fall, but almost two years into the election process there are no favorites.

With the Democrats effectively split and Obama's delegate count only a shade above Billary's, even the Republicans are having trouble. It seems that in North Carolina and in Indiana John McCain the apparent nominee had 26% and 22% respectively, Republicans voting against him!

Have both parties reached the Peter Principle? Have they elevated these people to their level of incompetence? I think so!

Is this the best this nation can do?

Has our nation, so defined to suffer under a strong Federal government since the outcome of the War between the States, reached its Peter Principle, and is now at its level of incompetence?

This election is ripe for a darkhorse candidate to come racing from the wings. Katy bar the door!

Thursday, May 01, 2008

Happy Anniversary to Braum's

Today is Braum's 40th anniversary in Oklahoma. I have loved their dairy products since I was in high school way back in the '70's. While playing football for Nathan Hale, a friend and I would go to Braum's and eat banana splits hoping to gain some playing weight. But high metabolisms and all that extra work just burned off the extra calories.

One of the first girls I dated worked at Braum's just east of Sheridan on 31st Street.

Happy Anniversary!

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Feds Should Raise Interest Rates

When will the Federal Reserve pull their collective heads out of the sand and realize that it is past time to raise interest rates instead of continuing to cut them?

They need to stabilize our currency now!

Further interest rate cuts fuel a weaker dollar and a weaker dollar translates into higher commodity prices, especially gasoline and fuels. If the Fed cuts interest rates further, then expect a further increase in gas and energy prices. As those prices increase, so too does the price of everything else.

The are on a policy of cutting interest rates (that banks charge to banks) and hurling us into inflation on basic goods and necessities that we have not seen in some time. The stagflation years of Jimmy Carter come to mind here.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Medlock Moves to Afternoons


Radio station KFAQ is still tinkering with their morning show. After the departure of Michael Del Giorno last year and Gwen Freeman earlier this year, the morning show continues its metamorphosis with the hiring of Pat Campbell. Chris is to move to a new afternoon program. The morning show will then be from 6:00 to 9:00 each weekday morning.

I am thinking that this will be a very good move for Chris as he will have a time slot in the afternoon better suited to his strengths and his audience. There will be enough time for the whacky things of local politics to occur and then for Chris to comment on them.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Obama as President?


There are roughly 240 days until the election. I believe that as Election Day approaches and the magnifying glass focuses on a nominated Obama, that he will not pass scrutiny of his beliefs and his activities.

Already today, it was revealed that Wright was a former Muslim himself, and although he has received an orthodox theological Christian education, has been pictured more as a purveyor of vengeance and hatred than of atonement and salvation. His true beliefs are unknown, the public information indicates a level of apostasy from true Christian faith.

The Democrats are self-destructing. Roughly 20% of all Obama and all Clinton supporters have indicated they will sit out the election if the other candidate is nominated and their own candidate is defeated. McCain is centered to be competitive in the crucial 20% of the electorate that identifies itself as Independent, neither Democrat or Republican. This swing vote is where elections are decided. Republicans have no place to go and with the scary proposition of an Obama nomination, will get off their hands and work hard to get McCain elected.

Even though there is a strong undercurrent of dissent among disaffected racial and special interest groups, the monied interests grounded in the United States are not about to allow an Obama presidency. The question is whether internationalist monied interests, such as George Soros, have sufficient power to outspend the traditional American oligarchy in taking the presidency. The wild card is the world economy, the ripple effects of the credit market shrinkage poised today on a precipice of a meltdown or recovery, and stabilization of energy and commodity prices.

We no longer see the mesmerizing visions of Obama on the screen, of people "passing out" from the swoon of his articulations (pardon me for being a cynic but that whole "act" smells of a political prank to heighten Obama's perception as a "great" leader). In fact, over the weekend, Michelle Obama's support team was searching for more "white people" to station behind her at her speech to show the cameras of the "coming together" of the rainbow. Her rhetoric is more a reminder of National Socialism in Germany in the 1930's than Jeffersonian democracy of 1776. (I have sample MP3 of her speeches if you wish to hear them).

As time and events develop, I believe the racial character of the Obama effort will emerge. Leftist "Bushie hystericals" from MoveOn.Com and other white organizers will not be able to convert "Main Street" through the "herd mentality" without more substance from Obama.

Obama gives flowery prepared texts when done on his terms. But the Left strained credibility in comparing Obama's speech on Wright to Dr. Martin Luther King's "I have a Dream" speech. Many whites took heart to Dr. King's call to judge people on the "content of their character and not the color of their skin". No such lofty ambition emanated from Obama. In his defensive speech he painted the common fears of his own aged grandmother as equivalent to the damnation of America from a pastor, a figure of moral authority, from the pulpit.

Obama comes across tongue tied and unprepared when questioned closely. His extemporaneous comments are often disjointed and not "on message". His questioning of General Petraeus at yesterday's hearing was shallow and he had no follow up other than what was prepared for him. Obama demonstrated in talking with Petraeus and in his call for direct talks with Iran as being hopelessly naive and "just doesn't get it".

I believe the average American still has enough common sense to see through Obama as he looms larger on the election stage. If they don't they will resort to vote their pocketbook as they have the last 28 years. Obama's candidacy is still formidable and should not be taken lightly. He offers a more cynical deceit than the unobtained hopes of recent administrations.

His election will cause a step backwards, not because of the color of his skin, but because of the content of his character.

Gary Bonner

Monday, April 07, 2008

R.I.P. Chalton Heston


Saturday marked the passing of a truly larger than life American, Charlton Heston. He had such memorable roles in countless films, and he played even more impressive roles throughout his long lifetime.

Heston was a major contributor, fund-raiser and activist for the civil rights movement of the 60's.

And he was the President of the National Rife Association for 5 years.

I'm sure he was nothing like the roles he played in the movies. But I have nothing but respect for this man. He was married to the same woman for 64 years! And he did not just talk about our individual liberties, he actively sought to protect them! What a man!

Can this nation still produce men of his caliber?

Only now can someone pry his gun from his cold dead fingers.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Patriotic Act Gets Albuquerque Man Sentenced

Peter Lynch of Albuquerque was sentenced for tearing down a Mexican flag flying inappropriately over the ROTC building on the campus of the University of New Mexico. You can read more about it here.

Lynch said he felt compelled to do something about the flag flying all alone, presumably for some type of campus event. The university said there was a communication breakdown that allowed the flag to fly alone most of the day.

For his patriotic act, Lynch was branded as a racist, and that he committed a racist act.

Hogwash!

Anyone knows the flying a symbol such as a flag over another nations flag is provocative, to say the least.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Lights On and the Cockroaches Scatter For the Corners

Tulsa Academic Center

The Tulsa Academic Center, which is in the former Lindsey Elementary School facility at 2740 E. 41st St. North, is a two-part alternative school for grades six through 12. The program was launched in August 2007. Students who are suspended from school can be referred to the Term Academic Program, most for 30 days or less. The most troubled students can be referred to the Performance Training Program (PTP). Superintendent Michael Zolkowski has described PTP as a kind of boot camp designed to improve students’ reading and social skills. PTP students must earn their way back to their home schools by amassing points for attendance, behavior and work completion.

In a series of recent articles inspired by former students, anonymous teachers and various other insiders, the Tulsa Whirled has successfully "turned on the lights" and exposed the debacle that is the alternative school, Tulsa Academic Center. Apparently everything but an education was going on before, during and after school.

The allegations were brought forward and boiled over during a recent school board meeting. Allegations include: Among other things, they described daily physical fights among students, frequent attacks on staff, student enrollment two times the size for which the school was designed, limited classroom materials, and no access by classroom teachers to special education students' Individual Education Programs, which include critical information about the students' unique needs.

It sounds like this place is now a public nuisance and should be closed immediately.

Watch closely and see how a bloated bureaucracy reacts to these charges.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Are You A Minuteman?

The second amendment to the U.S. Constitution states in its entirety:

"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed"
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear an important case regarding the second amendment. Interestingly, this case is brought by a citizen from the District of Columbia, which is not a State.

Especially during the last 50 years, we have seen a steady erosion of the constitutionally guaranteed right. And this is certainly an individuals right. The historical minuteman was the citizen-soldier always ready to grab his rifle at a moments notice to protect himself, his family, and his community.

Notice that it says the right is to keep (own, have possession of), and bear (carry on your person), arms (plural, multiple). And that right shall not be infringed (impeded, encroached, invalidate, violate).

This right has been attacked and infringed on every level. Right now the main discussion is the right of an individual to just have a firearm. The right to bear it is already severely restricted. Waiting periods, conceal-and-carry permits, etc. all certainly infringe this right.

We are like the frog in a pot of water that is beginning to boil. If the Court determines the second amendment applies to the States instead of the individual, this right will have been removed from individuals. Combined with the Federal Governments refusal to protect the States from invasion, we are between a rock and a hard place.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Tulsa, The Oil Capital of the World?

I really like the representation I'm receiving from my District 7 City Counselor, John Eagleton.

It seems he has an innovative and out of the box potential solution to the city infrastructure problems: Let's see if T-Town still holds the mineral rights to drill for oil and gas underneath the thousands of acres of land owned by Tulsa.

Read more about it here. Focusing at first on Mohawk Park, wouldn't it be great to see a gusher? And perhaps once more Tulsa would assume its historical role of the Oil Capital of the World.

We could thumb our collective noses at the idiots who block the further development of our natural resources, either at Anwar or off the Pacific coast.



Friday, March 14, 2008

Tulsa Bombed! No One Injured.

Following an evening of thunderstorms, Tulsa awakened to find that they had been inadvertently bombed by our own Oklahoma Air National Guard F-16!

Officially an accident, the cynical Tulsa Chigger cannot help but think the real story is that as part of the Federal Government's war on drugs, this was intended to be dropped approximately one more mile to the west (51st & Peoria).

From KOTV:

A military rocket crashed into a Tulsa building late Thursday night, knocking out a nearby apartment wall and power to the apartment complex.

The incident happened at the Canyon Creek Apartment complex at 51st and Lewis.

The rocket was discovered when a couple returned to their apartment Thursday night.

Tulsa Police say the couple found a big hole in a wall and the rocket, some of which was buried in the foundation. The rocket had knocked out power to the complex.

Officials say the rocket had a dummy warhead on it and came from an Air National Guard jet. The pilot thought he had lost the inert rocket over a field in Kansas during a training mission Thursday.

Tulsa Police say because of the power outage, PSO crews were called to repair the problem.

Agents from the FBI and the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are investigating.

No one was injured in the incident.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Why is Barack Obama Black?


The race card has now been played in the Presidential race. Geraldine Ferraro has resigned from the Clinton campaign amid a firestorm resulting from some off-handed comments she made regarding the race of Barack Hussein Obama, Jr.

The pictures you see are of a recent photo of Senator Obama in the top left corner, an old picture of his mother, Ann, to the right, and an old picture of his father, Barack Obama, Sr. And as you can plainly see, his father is mostly black and his mother is mostly white, in today's terms. So, what does that make the Senator?

In anthropological terms there are three races, Mongoloid, Negroid, and Caucasoid, or a mix thereof. Senator Obama is then a mixed race person.

The Senator's father was a Kenyan educated in the U.S. His parent's divorced when he was two years old. His absentee father returned to Kenya to work in the government there. Here are some quotes from the Senator about his absentee father:


"All my life, I had carried a single image of my father, one that I had sometimes rebelled against but had never questioned, one that I had later tried to take as my own," the brilliant scholar, the generous friend, the upstanding leader -- my father had been all those things."

But, as an adult, he learned there was a darker side to his Harvard-educated father.


"A bitter drunk? An abusive husband? A defeated, lonely bureaucrat? To think that all my life I had been wrestling with nothing more than a ghost!"


Barack Obama Sr. was born in Kenya in 1936. He met Obama's mother while both were college students in Hawaii. But the marriage broke up when the senior Obama went to study at Harvard.


"He and my mother divorced when I was only two years old, and for most of my life I knew him only through the letters he sent and the stories my mother and grandparents told."


The senior Obama was also essentially a polygamist.


The way Obama describes it in his book, his father had two children by a woman in Kenya before meeting Obama's mother in Hawaii. Then, when the junior Obama's parents' marriage dissolved around 1963, the senior Obama returned to Kenya with another woman he met in the United States and had two children by her. But that didn't stop him from resuming his relationship with his first wife.


I certainly understand a young Barack wanting to discover his roots. But upon discovering those roots and seeing that he was chasing a ghost, it would seem that he would tend to distance himself from that.


So why is Barack black when he is as much white as he is black?

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Good Ole Boy Network Active Again

In a 6-1 Board vote, Tulsa Technology has elected a successor to Dr. Gene Callahan. Who is it? None other than Dr. Kara Gae Neal, the wife of Tulsa Whirld editor Ken Neal. The beat goes on.....

New York's Bad Apple



Democrat Governor Eliot Spitzer is the latest version of corruption and is a bad apple for New York. It appears Oklahoma is not alone in this regard.

You can read about it here.

He was caught in a net cast by Federal agents investigating corruption. Caught red-handed arranging a night with a high priced call girl in the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, he used the alias of George Fox (his picture is to the right of the Governor's). What a joke! Read about the real George Fox here. Eliot Spitzer is no George Fox!

I am really sad for his attractive wife, Silda. Her picture is to the far right. She looked miserable and who wouldn't be?

The Governor initially refuses to step down. At that point, in righteous indignation, a group should have stormed the podium, physically removed him, found some tar and feathers and tried to restore a sense of decency to a high elected office.

Corruption sears the conscience so that they don't think either they have done anything wrong, or it really wasn't that bad. But he has brought shame to the high office of Governor for New York. Especially since he came to power as a crusader for doing things right.

If he won't remove himself, I say the electorate should remove him. Perhaps impeachment is more appropriate to our society today. But a rail and some tar and feathers would make a lasting impression and accomplish the same thing.

Friday, March 07, 2008

Easter Tidbits


Do you realize how early Easter is this year?

As you may know, Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the,1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

Based on the above, Easter can actually be one day earlier, (March 22) but that is pretty rare. Here's the interesting info. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives!! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier!

Here's the facts: 1) The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!). 2) The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

Hat tip to Gary Bonner

One Bad Apple Can Spoil the Entire Barrel



The tentacles of corruption run very deep in Oklahoma. My theory is that due to the nature of how we became a state, Oklahoma attracted some very unsavory people, and let's just say the the apple never falls far from the tree.

Pictured are just a few examples of corruption. First is convicted former State Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher. Second is the infamous Gene Stipe currently charged with numerous crimes of corruption. Third is former Governor David Hall who plea bargained his way out of a jail term. Fourth is the Kingfish, Huey Long, not of Oklahoma fame, but certainly associated with Louisiana corruption on a large scale. And lastly is former Governor David Hall, who I personally met briefly as he was helping his daughter move into Bennett Hall at OSU in 1974 just a few weeks before he was to start serving his sentence.

According to the FBI, Oklahoma has the distinction of having the largest political corruption scandal in the history of the United States. During the 1970's a majority of the county commissioners were convicted of corruption, including taking bribes and kickbacks. To this day, there are still few controls on each county's 3 county commissioners!

In Oklahoma History, I learned that Oklahoma had impeached so many of our territorial governors, that one more would have jeopardized our status as a state.

Just like a spoiled apple or potato will spoil all the rest in the bag it comes in contact with, so too does political corruption. As with the bag of potatoes, sometimes it becomes necessary to throw out the whole bag and get a new one.

We know that corruption is a reality in our politics. Now the rot continues to spread. It is commonplace to see someone charged with embezzlement. Banks, churches, businesses, schools, you name it and its there. We see long time politicians get term limited out of office and suddenly they get cushy jobs that take a political appointment. Or they turn right around an start a PAC and become a lobbyist. We also see it when the same contractors are awarded contracts for public projects. And the list goes on and on.

Term limits have helped flush out some corruption. It was a start. We should ban any retirement programs for "public service". It should be just that, service. I don't mind that they get paid something reasonable, but it should never be considered a career with retirement benefits. I think our society as a whole would be better served and we would have better checks and balances, if we saw regular turnover in all levels of politics.

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Unscientific Poll Results

The results are in. The numbers were not great, nor are they statistically significant, but the readers of Tulsa Chiggers voted 8-2 that they are not satisfied with their "choice" for public schools in the Tulsa district.

The numbers were extremely low in light of over 1,400 people who visited Tulsa Chiggers over the time the poll was open. I guess that most of my readers don't like on-line polls, or perhaps they did not like my question. And after all, it is at the bottom of the page, so it could be easily missed.

Now I have posted a new poll question regarding the decision by the TPS Board to file suit against the Oklahoma Charter School Act, claiming it is unconstitutional. Please take the time to vote.

Monday, March 03, 2008

Illegal Immigrants Cost the U.S. More Than the Iraq War

The URL's are included for verification of the following facts:

1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year.http://tinyurl.com/zob77

2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English!http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.0.html

5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare and Social Services by the American taxpayers.http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html

9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens.http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two-and-a-half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US.http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html

11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroin and marijuana, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border. Homeland Security Report. http://tinyurl.com/t9sht

12. The National Policy Institute, 'estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period.'http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf

13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin. http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm

14. 'The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States'.http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml

Total cost is a whooping... $338.3 BILLION A YEAR!!!

Snopes is provided for doubters:http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/bankofamerica.asp

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Gwen Freeman on Sabbatical?

Clearly Gwen Freeman has been off the air for over a week now over at the Morning Show on KFAQ. However, if you go to the KFAQ website, and click on the link to Elvis Polo, suddenly there is a link to Gwen Freeman. However, the link to Gwen Freeman has been removed from the home page. Interesting?

Perhaps Gwen is just taking some time off after all? This is maddening to Morning Show listeners, considering the future of the show. With Chris, the show has taken an even sharper turn toward politics, something we all get a belly full of anyway. Chris will need to move toward a broader range of information and entertainment if he is to make a go of it.

Education Issues Loom over Legislature

The number of bills winding there way though this legislative session that seek to tweak our educational system indicate that education remains a critical issue for Oklahomans. As we spend several billion dollars each year on it, and we continue to see mediocre results, it's no wonder.

Bills include one that would allow Indian tribes to sponsor charter schools. Another one would give you a tax credit for providing tuition to low-income students to attend a private school. Another one to raise teacher pay. Yet another to extend the school year and re-define it to measure hours of instruction, instead of days of instruction. And no doubt, there are more.

It doesn't do us any good to drop out or opt out of the political system. This is where reforms can be made, even if it is ever so slowly.

What has been foisted upon Oklahoma taxpayers is immoral. To take our tax dollars and give us sub-par results in return is outrageous. Get educated and get involved!

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Oklahoma Academic All Staters Announced

The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence has announced the recipients of its prestigious 2008 Academic All-State Awards. These are 100 of the top public high school seniors in Oklahoma.
David L. Boren, chairman and founder of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, describes the selection of the scholars as “Oklahoma’s most rigorous academic competition.”

To be nominated for Academic All-State, students must meet one of the following criteria: an American College Test (ACT) composite score of at least 30; a Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) combined critical reading and math score of at least 1350; or be selected as a semi-finalist for a National Merit, National Achievement or National Hispanic Scholarship.

The Tulsa Chigger salutes each and every one of these future leaders.

How did our local high schools fare? Let's take a look, shall we?

Booker T. Washington High School

William Chyan
Susanna Michael
Meredith Nelson


With an enrollment of 1248, BTW has 1 all-stater for every 416 students

Jenks High School

Mary Lyn Graves
Christina Jackson
Conghua Ye


With an enrollment of 2129, Jenks has 1 all-stater for every 710 students

Union High School

James Buchanan
Elaine Shan

With an enrollment of 1932, Union has 1 all-stater for every 966 students

Memorial High School


Duncan Staggs

With an enrollment of 1249, Memorial has 1 all-stater for every 1249 students

AND THE WINNER IS:

Tulsa School of Arts & Sciences (Charter School)

Catherine Roberts

With and enrollment of just 274, TSAS has 1 all-stater for every 274 students!

TSAS continues to prove that it has the best academic performance of all the area high schools.

Don't you think its time we break the monopolistic hold on public education by Tulsa Public Schools, and demand that Tulsa have more charter schools?







Saturday, February 23, 2008

A Three Year Itch

Hooray! Yippee!

Today ends the third year of my blog, Tulsa Chiggers. Neither the first nor the last blog about local issues for Tulsa Oklahoma.

TPS Board Approved Early Termination of Deborah Brown Charter School Contract


The founder and director of the absolutely outstanding Deborah Brown Community School is the person pictured at right. Her charter school is the first one granted in Tulsa. It has a long and distinguished record of achievement and progress. It is a bright and shining star on the city's north side when it comes to public education.

It appears that Deborah Brown Community School has already taken steps to end the sponsorship of their charter with TPS and may instead be sponsored by Langston University-Tulsa. The TPS Board approved the early termination this week and you can read about it here. This became possible when our state legislature passed an amendment to the Oklahoma Charter School Act in 2007 which allows certain higher education institutions to become sponsors for charter schools.

The TPS lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the OCSA has cast a cloud of doubt over the future of charters in the state. As a result, there have been no new charter applicants step forward. Until the TPS suit is settled, I don't foresee any sponsor stepping up to the plate.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Answering 6 Common Criticisms Against Charter Schools

Here is an excellent article from the Center for Education Reform:

SIX COMMON CRITICISMS FROM OPPONENTS…AND PROOF THAT THEY ARE UNFOUNDED

1) Creates Balkanization in Education
(The “Charter Schools Segregate” Argument)

More than 22 studies demonstrate that charters are over serving those
traditionally
under served by failing schools, such as low socio-economic
populations and students at
risk of dropping out. Three studies suggest
that the charters examined serve essentially
the same population as the
surrounding area.


Charter schools either serve the same demographic characteristics as in
traditional
public schools, or focus on students in danger of failing.
Variations, which may exist,
depend upon the neighborhood where the
schools are located, but in all cases mitigate
in favor of serving larger
numbers of minority and ethnic populations.


The reason for larger service to minority children is not owing to
“Balkanization,”
but to the fact that where traditional schools fail to
serve their students, the parents
want out, and nowhere is this more
prevalent than in failing urban public schools
serving mostly
African-American and Hispanic students.


2) Competition Has No Impact (The Anti-Ripple Argument)

The combined research of five districts by the State University of
New York, by
University of California scholars and by both state
and national institutions finds
extensive evidence of changes in
programs, approaches, behavior and an increased
responsiveness
to consumers as a result of charters. In some places the impact is
muted
by policies advocated by opponents of charter schools that
protect districts and schools
from harm when children choose to leave.

Competition has had the greatest impact where there are strong charter
laws; the
weakest impact where there are weak charter laws. Prior to
the passage of strong
charter school laws and the establishment of the
resulting charter schools, real reforms
moved slowly - or not at all.

3) Innovation Is Lacking (The Prove It's So Different Argument)

Numerous studies cited show that innovative practices and programs
are being
implemented in charter schools. The flexibility these schools
enjoy has not prompted
them to make risky experiments, but rather
allows them to use programs that are often
not permitted or not extended
to teachers because of oversight from distant
bureaucracies.

Charter schools also prompt traditional school districts to substantively
reform
classroom instruction. This impact includes such improvements
as adopting instruction
programs used by charter schools, developing
and building thematic schools to meet
the community demand
demonstrated by charter schools and partnering with
community colleges
for better instruction and program expansion.


The “No Innovation” argument relies on a vague definition that ignores
the local
variations that exist in public education. Because each charter
school responds
essentially to local conditions, what may be innovative
in one area (i.e., block
scheduling or year-round schooling) may be common
in another. A charter school
offers the opportunity to employ new practices
that may otherwise be blocked by
bureaucratic or political considerations
of the traditional public school district.


4) More Accountability is Needed (The Process Versus Progress Argument)

Critics argue that charter schools lack the oversight of publicly accountable
boards
and institutions. As proof they point to the fact that charter schools
close when they do
not serve their mission and to personnel policies that do
not mandate district oversight.
In reality, that is the kind of “accountability”
that has long been absent from public
schools.

In teacher surveys, freedom from procedural rules and related constraints
is
often cited as what charter teacher’s value most. Charter school
accountability is based
on goals set and the extent to which parents who
choose those schools believe the
school is meeting their expectations.
Traditional public schools that consistently fail to
meet goals (in those
rare instances when they are set) are propped up and continue to
do a
disservice to the children attending them. Charter schools that
consistently fail to
meet goals (which are always set) are closed;
this is an important, powerful measure of
accountability.

5) No Evidence That They Work (The Double Standard Argument)

In his report for the National School Boards Association, Thomas
Good argues that
there is no achievement evidence and therefore,
the claim that charters will be better
does not hold up. Later, he
says that the research is not credible for purposes of
comparing
student achievement. In reality, many charter schools are not
comparable to
similar public schools because of the time in which
children have spent there and the
benchmarks are not always the
same among all schools.


However, research is building in states that administer statewide
objective tests
based on proficiency in key standards. Fifteen
studies show positive achievement and
gains among charter
schools which, while preliminary and not comprehensive, in fact

do show that there is evidence that many work. Nearly every
study demonstrates that -
although the charter schools reviewed
focused on “at-risk” students who entered the
school performing
significantly below grade level – students’ progress was at or above

the progress recorded by students in surrounding traditional
public schools,
demographically comparable schools, or the
state average.


6) The Common Good Is Undermined, Sort Of (Choice Is Bad For
Democracy
Argument)

Critics say that the common good of public education is undermined
when
people choose to associate with people whose values they share.
The values most
identified by parents as reasons for their choosing
charters is the value of a good
education. Charters are a response to
failing schools and deficiencies in traditional
public schools.
Therefore charter schools should be judged on how well they satisfy
the
need and desire for alternatives and not on some larger notion
of public good that
doesn’t necessarily manifest itself in good schools.

Charter schools are based largely upon accountability. They must be
approved
by a state agency designed to review the quality and
effectiveness of these schools. If
the applications cannot clear the
bar, or if the schools do not meet their contractual
obligations,
the public good is not served and the school will not be approved
or will be
shut down.

Can traditional public schools make the same claim?

The Center for Education Reform is a national, independent, non-profit
advocacy organization
providing support and guidance to individuals,
community and civic groups, policymakers and
others who are working
to bring fundamental reforms to their schools. For further information,

please call (202) 822-9000.

One Proud Reaganite

I am certainly old enough to remember the lampooning by our entire national media of President Ronald Reagan's proposed missile defense shield in the '80's, they dubbed as "Star Wars". Thank God he was too principled a man to allow this to deter what he knew to be the right course for the defense of our nation.

I feel pride in our military accomplishment, with the U.S. missile strike against our defective spy satellite. With its decaying orbit, hurling around the earth at 17,000 mph, our navy fired a single missile from a cruiser, and by all accounts, it found its target and accomplished its mission. Well done!

I sleep better at night knowing that we have this defensive shield in place.

And I chuckle at the egg on the face of the media. Shame on you!

KFAQ Sans Gwen Freeman

Why is Chris Medlock smiling? Could it be because he is the last man left standing on the KFAQ morning show?

As noted yesterday, Gwen Freeman the co-host of the morning show has apparently left KFAQ. All of this transpired rather quickly over the past week.

Events on air last week seem to be the straw that broke the camels back, as far a Gwen was concerned. An on-air tiff during a discussion about Terry Simonson last week, led to Medlock hitting the microphone. The next thing we know Gwen was gone and Chris was covering for her absence with an excuse that she wasn't feeling well.

This week they announce that she is gone. What?

There must be more to this than meets the eye.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Freeman Gone?


Gwen Freeman the popular host of the KFAQ morning show has apparently left the station. She follows the departure last year of Michael DelGiorno. This leaves the morning show in the hands of Chris Medlock and a cadre of minions including, Michael Bates, Charley Biggs, Elvis Polo, among others.

The Chigger will miss Gwen and her perspective on local issues. We hope that the conservative voice in Tulsa will still have an outlet on the morning show at KFAQ.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Necromancer Searches SE Tulsa

I really am shaking my head on this one.

Over the radio and TV news today is the report that an admitted necromancer, or a consort with the dead, has caught the fancy of the local media. It is unbelievable to me that this is even a story, or newsworthy. This is sheer fantasy and lunacy.

If by some stroke of luck they do find the body of the missing teenager, it would only be because the alleged murderer talked to the necromancer and spilled the beans.

I am only sorry that the TPD has not completely solved this crime yet, and the family certainly needs some closure.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Tulsa Taps Bunney


The Tulsa Chigger is glad to hear the Mike Bunney wants come come back to his roots here in Tulsa.......

Only a scant 3 weeks ago, Mike Bunney retired (was retired?) from Boeing. The exact same man who led the national site selection for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The exact same company for the exact same purpose the uninformed voters of Tulsa passed the 4/10's of a cent sales tax that never went into effect, since Boeing passed us up for a more lucrative package in Washington state.

Bunney states, "I'm in this to give public service to the Tulsa community that gave me so much." As a 30-year veteran of the aerospace industry, perhaps Mike can breathe some new life into the already important aerospace industry here in T-Town. Make no mistake, Bunney may have an attitude of public service, but as Director of Economic Development, he will be paid his $125,000/year salary, which should help him cover his chamber dues, his policital donations, and his country club dues.

Perhaps he should also be given a car allowance so he can drive through the dilapidated streets of Tulsa and see the absolute glut of empty retail and commercial space available throughout the city. There's where the economic development need lies. Not in some new retail development, but energizing the inner city base. Maybe some tax credits or temporary abatements for businesses locating in the inner city for a period of time.

Here's my advice, take it or leave it. You want economic development in Tulsa? First address the public school situation with real school choice (not what TPS provides), then address the rampant crime problem (focus on drugs and gangs), then fix the streets. Then and only then will businesses see Tulsa as the place to be.


Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Not Again!





When will this exodus stop?
When have you had enough?
Do you care one iota about Tulsa?
What are you willing to do?

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Where Did the Funds Go to Fix Our Streets?

With all the plans swirling around about fixing our streets and all the new taxes that will be required, I was wondering, where did the existing money go for fixing our streets?

As I blogged before, in a public meeting last fall Randi Miller stated to a group of about 30 business people that currently there were funds in excess of $200 million available to fix the Tulsa streets (she was referring to the City of Tulsa and not Tulsa County).

She said the problem was finding the contractors to do the job. With all the road construction downtown and on the myriad of other public projects in Tulsa, the labor to accomplish this is rather thin. And $200 million is quite a bit of money and would involve numerous projects that would keep contractors busy for years.

Perhaps our long term needs are in excess of $1 billion, but isn't that the infrastructure that was envisioned in the 3rd Penney sales tax? I suspect over the years that those funds have been siphoned off for other priorities.

Who can shed some light on this?

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Invest In The Future and Plant a Tree

The December ice storm and resulting damage to Tulsa's urban forest is an event that we will all remember for the rest of our lives. Now that the clean-up is well under way, and things are getting back to normal, we can now more clearly see the extent of the damage.

How sad it is to see the magnitude of the tree damage! Lot's of trees will struggle to get back to health, but many are far too gone. This would be a good time to consider pesticide spraying to give your trees a chance to fight off the critters.

And this year consider planting a new tree or two in your yard. Fall is the best time to plant a tree, since our summers are so hot and dry, the root system needs time to get a good start. Planting a tree takes some faith, and is certainly an investment in the future. It takes a long, long time to see a shade tree reach its majestic maturity.

Plant one as a young person and sit under it's shade as a senior citizen. In the meantime, you can enjoy the beauty that is a tree.

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Ramblings on Romney

My good friend and former Tulsan now living in California sent me this information shortly after Fred Thompson dropped out of the Presidential race. He is a wise political pundit and articulate to boot.

"I never saw Fred creating a "firestorm" of passionate support in South Carolina. He is a conservative, but was never serious about running. It takes a person of high energy and willingness to take risks to run for President. I mean, the job only pays $400,000 and any good CEO can rent a helicopter. The inner fire comes from thinking that "I have the answer and I must win to solve the problem".

I have my absentee ballot in hand for the February 5th primary here in California. I will be making a mark next to Mitt Romney's name. I look at the overall qualifications of all the people in the race and Romney can win against Hillary. People have had a lot of choices so far, but as organization and money becomes an issue, the focus will narrow.

A lot of people hold his Morman beliefs against him. I listened to his speech on his church and he announced without hesitation and in a clear, strong voice: "I believe in Jesus Christ as my personal savior" and restated that he worshipped Christ and not any other deity. That is good enough for me. I am not voting for the Head Priest, I am voting for the President. Romney has the values and will appoint the types of judges we need to serve the Constitution instead of inventing it as they go along.

The Reagan Era is fading. In 1979 he presented a program that was revolutionary. Unlike other Cold War presidents, he proclaimed we could negotiate through increased strength and overwhelm the Soviets. This happened. He was conservative on taxes and wanted to decrease Government spending but Tip O'Neil and the Democrats spent on social programs while appropriating the money needed for a 700 ship Navy and implementation of MX missiles. He signaled to the Soviets he would talk, but it was "trust but verify".

The Republicans had 12 years holding both houses of Congress to implement the Reagan formula for smaller government. They caught the aphrodisiac of power and Lobbyist money and went along with "No Child Left Behind" and the "earmarked" Agriculture subsidy bill of 2005. Those 2 bills really bloated the budget at a time when we were supplying Iraq and the Mid East. That was the trade off for Democrat support on the war. The deficits are pure politics, and the pork is still being distributed in this election year. I believe Romney will use the veto pen, and I think he will call the bluff on the Democrats regarding Iraq. We are past the worst there and a Romney can effectively work in building an infrastructure. I mean, the guy went to China when he was with Bain Corporation and tried to buy a small appliance maker company. Ultimately the deal
wasn't done, but he is the only Presidential candidate that has hadto deal with the Chinese infrastructure at that level. The rest of these windbags except Rudy have been sitting around pontificating and pronouncing and haven't done a lick of work in their lives.

I am using a cold eyed, pragmatic view of the world we live in and think Romney is the kind of poker player we need to play these high stake games. The great thing about this country is that we have the freedom to decide for ourselves. As Will Rogers said " a difference of opinion is what makes missionaries and horse races"...."

It would certainly appear that the Reagan Revolution is fading away, but it's not gone yet!

Thanks Gary

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

The Guru to the Stars is Dead


The Maharishi Yogi has died at a reported age of 91 in the Netherlands. Death was attributed to natural causes, or old age.

He apparently died "peacefully". As a proponent of Transcendental Meditation, I would have expected no other outcome.

Baby Boomers certainly remember him as the guru to the Beatles, during the drug phase of their stardom. The general public scoffed at this eastern mystic, but with the popularity of the Beatles, it suddenly didn't seem so strange.

I'm OK. Are you OK?