Tulsa Chiggers

Republicans Take Note

2010-11-02T07:32:00.000-07:00

These mid-term elections are not about the American public suddenly falling in love with the Republicans. It is more about a vote against the policies and the procedures of the Democrat Party. The people want to check the uncontrolled Federal expansion in its size and scope, and its intrusion into our daily lives.

Do not misinterpret the clear message that is being sent today. If you do, you will literally blow it over the next two years. We do not need compromise. We do not need gridlock. WE NEED LEADERSHIP!

Travel Alert for U.S. Citizens

2010-10-06T06:29:00.000-07:00

UNCLASSIFIED STATE 00103096
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RUEHSK
DE RUEHC #3096 2761221
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 031211Z OCT 10
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHFSI/DIR FSINFATC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEPTRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA IMMEDIATE 8717
RUCPDOC/ALL USDOC DISTDIR COLLECTIVE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/CDRAMC FT BELVOIR VA//AMCMI-SS// IMMEDIATE
RUEAHQA/HQ USAF WASHINGTON DC//XOXXI// IMMEDIATE
RUZDADI/HQ AFOSI DOQ ANDREWS AFB MD//IVOA// IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC//ACI-400// IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/COMNAVAIRSYSCOM PATUXENT RIVER MD//AIR1031B// IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/NRC WASHINGTON DC//INFOSEC// IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ2-JIT// IMMEDIATE
RUCPCIM/CIM NTDB WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/COGARD INTELCOORDCEN WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI IMMEDIATE 0034
INFO RUESBKC/ATO ASIA IMMEDIATE 2195
BT
UNCLAS STATE 103096

SIPDIS

E.O. 13526: N/A
TAGS: CASC, PTER, ASEC, EUR
SUBJECT: TRAVEL ALERT: EUROPE

1. The State Department alerts U.S. citizens to the
potential for terrorist attacks in Europe. Current
information suggests that al-Qa'ida and affiliated
organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks.
European governments have taken action to guard against a
terrorist attack and some have spoken publicly about the
heightened threat conditions.

2. Terrorists may elect to use a variety of means and
weapons and target both official and private interests.
U.S. citizens are reminded of the potential for
terrorists to attack public transportation systems and
other tourist infrastructure. Terrorists have targeted
and attacked subway and rail systems, as well as aviation
and maritime services. U.S. citizens should take every
precaution to be aware of their surroundings and to adopt
appropriate safety measures to protect themselves when
traveling.

3. We continue to work closely with our European allies
on the threat from international terrorism, including
al-Qa'ida. Information is routinely shared between the
U.S. and our key partners in order to disrupt terrorist
plotting, identify and take action against potential
operatives, and strengthen our defenses against potential
threats.

4. We recommend U.S. citizens register their travel
plans with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy
through the State Department's travel registration
website. Travelers may obtain up-to-date information on
security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free
in the U.S. and Canada, or on a regular toll line at
1-202-501-4444 from elsewhere in the world.

5. For information on general crime and security issues,
U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of
State's Country-Specific Information as well as the
Worldwide Caution, which can be found on the Bureau of
Consular Affairs website. For further information on
safety tips while traveling abroad, U.S. citizens should
also consult the following website:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/tips_1232.html

6. This Travel Alert expires on January 31, 2011.
CLINTON
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#3096

Obama Out of Step

2010-05-19T11:29:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama is seriously out of step with the will of the American citizenry in his stance on illegal immigration. According to an Associated Press/GfK poll conducted this month, 42% of the public opposes an amnesty bill, versus 24% in favor and 29% are neutral. By the way, what happened to the remaining 5%?

In arrogant fashion, dripping with hypocrisy, Mexican "President" Calderon stated for the U.S. and Mexico to work together to solve the complex, politically sensitive immigration issue. "We can do so if we create a safer border, a border that will unite us instead of dividing us, uniting our people," Calderon said. "We can do so with a community that will promote a dignified life in an orderly way for both our countries."

The Mexican-American War fought from 1846-1848 included our formal annexation of Texas, invading and conquering parts of what is now New Mexico, California and Northern Mexico. A second army invaded and conquered Mexico City. The defeated nation of Mexico agreed to sell large parcels of land to the U.S., and so we paid for them and this helped to define much of what is now the Southwestern U.S. This is virtually a forgotten war, having been overshadowed by the War Between the States and since then it has been practically omitted from our history textbooks.

Unable and unwilling to simply prove his own citizenship, President Obama seeks to cheapen my U.S. citizenship to nothing more than a prize giveaway in a box of cereal. Having either miserably failed to secure our borders, or even worse, choosing to do nothing about it, the states now are taking matters into their own hands, led by Arizona. No one I know has any problem with legal immigration, but just about everyone I know has a problem with illegal immigration. The solution is not to decriminalize the criminals.

Gwyneth Paltrow in T-Town?

2010-02-02T06:24:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, the Tulsa Chigger spotted Gwyneth Paltrow sipping her coffee at Starbucks. I had met a friend there and we were also sipping coffee and having an extended conversation, when Gwyneth showed up. Incognito, dressed in designer jeans with high boots, very stylish but definitely not overstated. She is a beautiful woman! For over an hour she drank her coffee, ate some trail mix and surfed the web on her laptop. She seemed intent on what she was doing and most likely enjoyed being a "regular person" in Tulsa, Oklahoma, even for just awhile.

I put two and two together this morning when I heard that celebrities are in town for the extreme makeover home edition show. You never know who you will see in Tulsa!

State's Revenue Woes

2009-11-10T07:31:00.000-08:00

Later today the revenue report for October's results for Oklahoma should be made public. In September, general revenues fell about 30% from the same time last year. Experts are blaming low oil and gas prices and a depressed economy.

I really question the judgment of our legislators who apparently expected the blowout oil and gas prices from the first half of 2008 to be the norm for 2009. And by the way, oil and gas prices plummeted in the fall of 2008. By September 2008 everyone knew that our economy was in for a rough ride.

I think that the legislature lacked the discipline to plan for these corrections and are now governing us using fear tactics as they have to slash services in the face of declining revenues.

The use of a 3 or 5 year average of revenues would go a long way to smooth out the bumps we inevitably see in our economy.

Will There Be No America?

2009-10-30T12:58:00.000-07:00

The warning has been sounded. By a Briton, no less. Is America about to give up its sovereignty to a UN created government? Check out this video.

Vote For Mark Perkins

2009-10-28T07:39:00.000-07:00

After careful contemplation I have decided to lend my support to Mark Perkins for Mayor of Tulsa. You can find out more about him by following this link.

I listened to Chris Medlock's endorsement of Bewey Dartlett, emphasizing our need to come together as Republicans in order to have a "seat at the table". I understand that, but at this stage of the game, I don't want to sit at the table with people from either party who tow the party line and carry the water for a 2 party system, both of which have failed us miserably. No, it's high time we elect someone new, with fresh ideas and no entangling alliances.

Tom Adelson sounds like a scared kid and his contrived TV ads pollute the airwaves throughout the day. We certainly don't need this annoying brat born in privilege with a silver spoon in his mouth. He would be bad news for Tulsa.

Bewey Dartlett's job as a Republican is to unite the party by moving toward the center to have any chance to be elected. Good luck! Bewey is definitely left-of-center as a Republican. Maybe that's not necessarily a bad thing. But I cannot shake 2 issues: His affirmative vote to approve Kathy Taylor's $7 million expenditure of my tax funds to settle an obligation with BOK created by the airport trust authority who pledged city assets on the now defunct Great Plains Airlines (and got their butts bailed out by Kathy Taylor); and his endorsement of Kathy Taylor earlier this year when she was running for mayor.

Mark Perkins is a registered Republican running as an independent. I think he has good ideas and a fresh perspective on issues surrounding Tulsa. I especially like his concern for education in our fair city. He also represents the increasingly important young professional class of people in Tulsa, who are our future. Mayor of Tulsa is not an easy job and I believe Mark has the stamina, the integrity, and the common sense it will take to get us through these difficult times.

Vote for Mark Perkins for Mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Time For a Few Laughs

2009-10-27T07:06:00.000-07:00

Guns in our Schools

2009-10-26T07:41:00.000-07:00

I can hear the yawns from those reading the headline.

But if you have a student at TPS, you aren't yawning, you're knees are knocking. I know many parents that have a real fear for the safety of their children in Tulsa Public Schools.

TPS has responded with security guards, metal detectors, lock-down procedures, locker searches and its very own police department complete with a chief of police. But, alas, it is a pervasive problem as you can see from this story from Fox23.

Let me hear your thoughts on how best to tackle this problem.

A Laugh About Obamacare

2009-10-21T20:46:00.000-07:00

Let's see if I have this straight.

We're going to pass a health care plan written by a committee whose head says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it but exempts themselves from it,
signed by a president that also hasn't read it, and who smokes, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's nearly broke.

What possibly could go wrong?

Hat tip to Bryan

America the Beautiful!

2009-10-16T07:03:00.000-07:00

With everything going on in our country right now, it's good to take time out to reflect on something good about our country. Click on this link, you'll be glad you did!

Hat tip to Gary.

Real Solutions for Public Education Reform in Tulsa

2009-10-07T08:41:00.000-07:00

Axiom: It is easy to criticize a situation, but a leader will find solutions.

I know that I have fallen into this trap as it is definitely easier to make critical remarks about a topic like public education, than it is to offer concrete solutions. So here are a few solutions that represent potential real reform to Tulsa's public education:

1. Separate sports from education. Have all sports handled by booster clubs made up of parents and private citizens and businesses who actively support their teams. Booster clubs could set salaries, hire staff, rent facilities from schools, etc. This would end the situations where the football coach also teaches history, or whatever. With sports expenditures out of the general budget, more existing dollars could be focused in the classroom. Over time, the focus of the school would shift from pride in sports programs to pride in academic achievement. Sports could still be a source of school pride, but in the meantime, it could be a revenue generator for the schools as the booster clubs could pay rent for facilities and pay the schools for the rights to use the school name, etc.

2. Expand the number of charter schools statewide. Since charter schools are public schools, they provide a public option that gives taxpayers more "bang for the tax buck". As they are also schools of choice meaning, students go there because they want to go there. This is a critical point and one that is absent from the traditional public school. They tend to be much safer schools too since the schools can set policies that allow the students to weed themselves out if the school is not a good fit. With smaller enrollment, smaller class sizes, and a group of students who choose to go there, you tend to get a rather tight-knit group and one where a student will not fall between the cracks.

3. Consolidate the number of existing traditional public schools. This would be the natural outcome for an expanded charter school network in a district. Charters can use retail space, a church building, you name it. This would also have a benefit to the city of utilizing unused retail spaces and a sense that something is now going on. Taxpayers would save millions each year and perhaps some of the school property could be sold to private developers and put into the tax base.

4. Limit the amount of the budget spent on administration. Cap larger districts at a lower percentage than the smaller districts. This would force districts to focus on the classroom education and not in self perpetuation.

5. End all English as a second language classes. Get this out of the school budget and have churches or concerned citizens offer English classes to immigrants. Or with a charter school, they could form their own school and teach Spanish as a second language.

6. Tie High School graduation to social services benefits. This reform would be to address the falling graduation rates across the state. If you do not graduate or get your GED, then you would be denied access to social services. I'd bet we would see an immediate turnaround in graduation rates. It's only right since the Oklahoma Constitution requires that we provide a "free and appropriate" public education. If that is the requirement by our State, then we have the right to expect that our children take full advantage of it and take graduation as a responsibility on their side? If that is our premise, then it must have some consequences.

7. Require community service as part of the curriculum. We need to develop a sense of community pride and spirit. And it can start with elementary students. We invest in them and they invest themselves in the community. It's a win-win.

8. Allow non-certified teachers to teach certain classes. Wouldn't it be great to have a teacher in say accounting, who has actually been an accountant? Think of the examples and real life experiences that kind of teacher could bring to a classroom. Have a professional photographer teach photography. Novel idea, don't you think?

These are just a few things from off the top of my head. I reserve the right to post more in the future.

For Janet Barresi

2009-10-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

I whole-heartedly endorse Dr. Janet Barresi and her campaign for the office of Oklahoma State Superintendent of Schools. She is an experienced reformer with the right set of priorities. I have personally worked with her on some charter school issues in years past.

You can follow the link here.

City Council Makes the Right Call

2009-10-02T07:45:00.000-07:00

Although it was not unanimous, the Tulsa City Council yesterday voted 7-2 in favor of taking the "Community Oriented Policing Services" grant of $3.5 million. This will pay for 18 new TPD officers for 3 years with the stipulation that the city pay for them for at least one additional year.

The controversy stems from our current and near-future expected budget shortfalls, resulting in city employee furloughs and cuts in city services. This move requires our cash-strapped city to come up with about $400,000 immediately to cover the cost of hiring and training the new officers, and over $1 million at the end of three years to pay for the one additional year. So how will we pay for it?

Well this much is certain, we all agree that public safety is something that our government should be in the business of doing. And we agree that crime is an issue in Tulsa. The addition of 18 new officers will be a big boost to public safety in Tulsa. And remember, Tulsa Public Schools now has their own police department, complete with a chief of police. More police equals more criminals off our streets.

A safer Tulsa will be a place that people want to come. With Tulsa as a destination point, we will gradually see our sales tax base rise. More unchecked crime will see just the opposite.

Our courts and justice system have a pivotal role to play too. We must not only get criminals off our streets, but keep them off. It's high time the pendulum of justice swing back to punishment for offenses from the current mantra of rehabilitation and coddling.

This was a tough decision, but the right decision and it shows the direction of leadership Tulsa desperately needs.

Mayor Taylor Will Flee Tulsa

2009-09-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

As it was just announced, Mayor Kathy Taylor, in a genuine carpetbagger style, will pack her bags and "flee" Tulsa at the end of her term as mayor on December 7, 2009.

I have always contended that she is not a Tulsan. She is a transplant from OKC and parts beyond. Now that she will no longer be Tulsa's mayor, she can't wait to get back to OKC.

At least during this mayoral election we have choices between Tulsans. People who were raised here and now choose to live and work in our great city.

Governor Brad Henry has tapped her once again, but this time in the area of Education. WHAT??? Exactly what did she do for public education in T-Town? (Sound of crickets chirping)
For that matter, since she was Oklahoma's Secretary of Commerce before she became Mayor of Tulsa, what businesses did she/has she brought to Tulsa during her tenure?

Judge Upholds Oklahoma's Charter School Law

2009-04-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

Vowing to appeal a recent judges decision about the constitutionality of the Oklahoma Charter School Act, Doug Mann, attorney for TPS says an appeal is likely. This is a complete waste of taxpayer education dollars by Tulsa Public Schools.

As I have blogged before, the OCSA is constitutional, until a judge rules it's not.

In this case a judge from OKC ruled it is constitutional.

Since 2001 there have been a number of attempts to start some more charter schools in the Tulsa district. All have failed, mainly by the cloud this lawsuit has created in the minds of potential sponsors.

As a result, OKC without a cloud has more than twice the number of charter schools as Tulsa. Tulsa has had three since 2001.

You can read more about it here.

Meaningful public education reform has been thwarted. Every Tulsan has lost out as a consequence. It is amoral to continue to take taxpayer dollars to fund a system that is incapable of reforming itself.

The History of Gun Control

2009-04-18T17:15:00.001-07:00

A LITTLE GUN HISTORY

In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
------------------------------

In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.
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China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated
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Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
---- ------------- -------------

Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.

2009 or 1934?

2009-04-11T09:50:00.001-07:00

This political cartoon is from the Chicago Tribune in 1934 in response to FDR's New Deal policies. Strangely similar to our situation now isn't it?

Tea Party 4-15; Patriot Day 4-19

2009-04-09T07:26:00.000-07:00

Awake from your slumber!

Lame Duck Governor Out of Step With Electorate

2009-04-09T07:02:00.000-07:00

Henry vetoed a bill that would require some type of identification to vote. At the same time the state legislature apparently knowing what Henry was about to do, passed another measure that now by-passes the governor and allows we the people to vote on this measure this fall. I can't wait. You can read more about it here.

The Chigger is not a fan of Governor Brad Henry. This was a common sense bill. He is in his last term as governor.

How can you drive, cash a check, etc without producing some identification. How could it possibly disenfranchise anyone? Even the illegals can obtain a photo id at any tag office for a small fee.

Long lines at the polling booth? Are you kidding me?

Voting is not only a right, but even more it is a privilege. Casting an uninformed vote is irresponsible and a fradulent vote is unacceptable. At this point in our history, we need to do whatever it takes to keep/restore our faith in our voting system. This bill would go a long way to do that.

KFAQ Sans Chris Medlock

2009-03-16T06:41:00.001-07:00

As previously reported by other Tulsa Bloggers, Chris Medlock has been summarily dismissed from his afternoon radio show on 1170 KFAQ. Without a hint or warning, his image and record has been expunged from the on-line record. Now, it will be more Laura Ingraham and a new live show with Elvis Polo.

Chris used to host the morning show now hosted by Pat Campbell.

In my opinion, KFAQ should have let the higher priced Campbell go and keep Medlock. Campbell is undoubtedly a slicker host, however, he still struggles with local issues. He has lost me as a listener due to his choice of regular guests like Mens Health Magazine, and Ernest Istook, boring!

Elvis is getting better, but no one knows Tulsa politics like Chris.

Instead of more Laura, how about Michael Savage? KRMG keeps preempting Savage Nation for any sports game down to high school football.

Why Was Ben Bernanke Not Arrested?

2009-03-04T06:52:00.000-08:00

Incredibly the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, refused to answer a direct question from a U.S. Senator yesterday during hearings in Congress. Mr. Bernanke was asked to disclose which banks have received bailout funding from the American taxpayers. He refused to answer saying in essence that it would undermine the confidence in those banks. I ask you, do you have confidence in our banking system?

It appears that gentle Ben has only just bailed out his friends and acquaintances. This former Princeton economist has presided over the largest banking fiasco in my lifetime. He should have been fired long ago. These banks are the ones centered in the Northeast, the ones he rubs shoulders with.

His comment rings strangely hollow in the Obama era, supposedly an era of transparency and accountability. But not, I guess, when it comes to our banking system.

Enough about the failed policies of Washington, D.C. and New York City.

I understand from my source at Valley National Bank that the regional banks in the Tulsa area (the ones that dot our landscape) are all in really good shape and have money to lend. And don't forget your local credit unions. For the average "Joe" things are really pretty good here in T-Town.

Insanity!

2009-02-23T19:22:00.000-08:00

I am sick to death of the crazy spending binge by Congress. It continues to snowball. Now the proposal is to spend $900 million in Gaza. You've got to be kidding.

We have no business piling this debt on top of an almost insurmountable mountain of debt. Congress has lost touch with reality and the American public.

On top of it all, it is to be funneled through the UN. You can read more about it here.

A Four Year Itch

2009-02-23T19:09:00.000-08:00

Man, the time sure flies! Today ends my 4th year of blogging at Tulsa Chiggers. I must admit I have lost some steam and focus on blogging over the past year. My goal is to get back into it and blog more consistently. There should be plenty of things to comment on.

Weekend Roundup

2009-02-16T06:37:00.000-08:00

Let's see...

Some of the things happening in and around T-Town lately are: A Broken Arrow church teaching The Shack to tickle the ears of attendees. What happened to teaching the Bible?

This follows a story in 2008 of a church (gathering) of people in Jenks teaching life principles derived from the Andy Griffith Show reruns. I would prefer reruns from Green Acres once the Andy Griffith shows are exhausted.

Eleven bank holdups so far this year. We gave banks a $700 billion bailout, I guess the crooks want to be shown the money!

Mayor Kathy Taylor announced her intentions to run again for mayor of Tulsa. The filing period isn't until July. With the Dollar Thrifty stock in the dumpster, she will need to depend on the kindness of strangers instead of using her own immense wealth to buy this important position. The Chigger strongly suspects Mayor Taylor will be tapped by the Obama administration for business development, she has done such a great job here.

Blatent Fear Mongering

2009-02-10T06:41:00.000-08:00

Listening to the rhetoric of an impending catastrophe and that we are in a disaster, I can't help but think that this is nothing more than fear mongering. Fear is an effective, but utterly useless form of motivation. And President Obama is only continuing the drumbeat started by former President Bush and his Treasury Secretary. We passed the $700 billion TARP funding using the same arguments. And we can already see how that performed. Shaping up to be a gigantic waste of our future tax dollars.

I recall a phrase that my mom used to say, "I'm going to do something, even if it's wrong!" I firmly believe that is the current mantra from our Federal government.

Mark my words. This path of a dominant Federal government, combined with it's socialistic economic policies will result in the near term with increased inflation, the governments best friend.

Tara Vreeland at KOTV

2009-02-05T07:07:00.000-08:00

KOTV has quietly slipped in a new weekend anchor named Tara Vreeland. She most recently came from the CBS affiliate in Cheyenne, Wyoming KGWN Channel 5. Interestly, the KOTV website still does not have her bio listed as part of the team. Does this mean she is on probation?

On her first broadcast here in T-Town, she was poised and professional. She did an outstanding job with no appearance of nervousness. She is a keeper.

Welcome to Tulsa, Tara!

Tulsa Public Works Reforms

2009-02-02T06:53:00.000-08:00

Mayor Kathy Taylor has hired a high-priced accounting firm to conduct a forensic audit of the Tulsa Public Works Department. This is in response to the explosive revelation of bribery and corruption in the Department, perhaps to the tune of $4.2 million.

Over the past week news has leaked out about exactly how the bribes and kickbacks were accomplished. It was not just one way, but several ways. Having some first hand experience as the victim of embezzlement, I too discovered that it was not done in just one way, but in several. I also learned from that experience that any system can be improved, but it is nearly impossible to guarantee that it won't happen again.

Two of my best suggestions to the Mayor are: a) have all contracts bid competitively, and b) have all construction contracts be fixed priced bids.

And it is always a great idea to have more people involved in the process, for better internal control and less likelihood of collusion.

And by the way, what is Tulsa doing to get our $4.2 million back?

Let's do SOMETHING, even if its wrong

2009-01-28T16:51:00.000-08:00

Against President Obama's wishes against partisan politics, the House of Representatives voted to approve the "Stimulus" bill. Not one Republican voted in favor of this bill. Is it any wonder?

You can find the full text of the bill, H.R. 1 at http://www.rules.house.gov/111/LegText/111_hr1_text.pdf

Here is a sampling of what is found:

$44 million for construction, repair and improvements at US Department of Agriculture facilties

$209 million for work on deferred maintenance at Agricultural Research Service facilities

$245 million for maintaining and modernizing the IT system of the Farm Service Agency

$175 million to buy and restore floodplain easements for flood prevention

$50 million for "Watershed Rehabilitation"

$1.1 billion for rural community facilities direct loans

$2 billion for rural business and industry guaranteed loans

$2.7 billion for rural water and waste dispoal direct loans

$22.1 billion for rural housing insurance fund loans

$2.8 billion for loans to spur rural broadband

$150 million for emergency food assistance

$50 million for regional economic development commissions

$1 billion for "Periodic Censuses and Programs"

$350 million for State Broadband Data and Development Grants

$1.8 billion for Rural Broadband Deployment Grants

$1 billion for Rural Wireless Deployment Grants

$650 million for Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Program

$100 million for "Scientific and Technical Research and Services" at the National Institute of Standards And Technology

$30 million for necessary expenses of the "Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership"

$300 million for a competitive construction grant program for research science buildings

$400 million for "habitat restoration and mitigation activities" at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

$600 million for "accelerating satellite development and acquisition"

$140 million for "climate data modeling"

$3 billion for state and local law enforcement grants

$1 billion for "Community Oriented Policing Services"

$250 million for "accelerating the development of the tier 1 set of Earth science climate research missions recommended by the National Academies Decadal Survey."

$50 million for repairs to NASA facilities from storm damage

$300 million for "Major Research Insrumentation program" (science)

$200 million for "academic research facilities modernization"

$100 million for "Education and Human Resources"

$400 million for "Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction"

$4.5 billion to make military facilities more energy efficient

$1.5 billion for Army Operation and Maintenance fund

$624 million for Navy Operation and Maintenance

$128 million for Marine Corps Operation and Maintenance

$1.23 billion for Air Force Operation and Maintenance

$454 million to "Defense Health Program"

$110 million for Army Reserve Operation and Maintenance

$62 million for Navy Reserve Operation and Maintenance

$45 million for Marine Corps Reserve Operation and Maintenance

$14 million for Air Force Reserve Operation and Maintenance

$302 million for National Guard Operation and Maintenance

$29 million for Air National Guard Operation and Maintenance

$350 million for military energy research and development programs

$2 billion for Army Corps of Engineers "Construction"

$250 million for "Mississippi River and Tributaries"

$2.2 billion for Army Corps "Operation and Maintenance"

$25 million for an Army Corps "Regulatory Program"

$126 million for Interior Department "water reclamation and reuse projects"

$80 million for "rural water projects"

$18.5 billion for "Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy" research in the Department of Energy. That money includes:

$2 billion for development of advanced batteries

$800 million of that is for biomass research and $400 million for geothermal technologies

$1 billion in grants to "institutional entities for energy sustainability and efficiency"

$6.2 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program

$3.5 billion for Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants

$3.4 billion for state energy programs

$200 million for expenses to implement energy independence programs

$300 million for expenses to implement Energy efficient appliance rebate programs including the Energy Star program

$400 million for expenses to implement Alternative Fuel Vehicle and Infrastructure Grants to States and Local Governments

$1 billion for expenses necessary for advanced battery manufacturing

$4.5 billion to modernize the nation's electricity grid

$1 billion for the Advanced Battery Loan Guarantee Program

$2.4 billion to demonstrate "carbon capture and sequestration technologies"

$400 million for the Advanced Research Projects Agency (Science)

$500 million for "Defense Environmental Cleanup"

$1 billion for construction and repair of border facilities and land ports of entry

$6 billion for energy efficiency projects on government buildings

$600 million to buy and lease government plug-in and alternative fuel vehicles

$426 million in small business loans

$100 million for "non-intrusive detection technology to be deployed at sea ports of entry

$150 million for repair and construction at land border ports of entry

$500 million for explosive detection systems for aviation security

$150 million for alteration or removal of obstructive bridges

$200 million for FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter program

$325 million for Interior Department road, bridge and trail repair projects

$300 million for road and bridge work in Wildlife Refuges and Fish Hatcheries

$1.7 billion for "critical deferred maintenance" in the National Park System

$200 million to revitalize the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

$100 million for National Park Service Centennial Challenge programs

$200 million for repair of U.S. Geological Survey facilities

$500 million for repair and replacement of schools, jails, roads, bridges, housing and more for Bureau of Indian Affairs

$800 million for Superfund programs

$200 million for leaking underground storage tank cleanup

$8.4 billion in "State and Tribal Assistance Grants"

$650 million in "Capital Improvement and Maintenance" at the Agriculture Dept.

$850 million for "Wildland Fire Management"

$550 million for Indian Health facilties

$150 million for deferred maintenance at the Smithsonian museums

$50 million in grants to fund "arts projects and activities which preserve jobs in the non-profit arts sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support during the current economic downturn" through the National Endowment for the Arts

$1.2 billion in grants to states for youth summer jobs programs and other activities

$1 billion for states in dislocated worker employment and training activities

$500 million for the dislocated workers assistance national reserve

$80 million for the enforcement of worker protection laws and regulations related to infrastructure and unemployment insurance investments

$300 million for "construction, rehabilitation and acquisition of Job Corps Centers"

$250 million for public health centers

$1 billion for renovation and repair of health centers

$600 million for nurse, physician and dentist training

$462 million for renovation work at the Centers for Disease Control

$1.5 billion for "National Center for Research Resources"

$500 million for "Buildlings and Facilties" at the National Institutes of Health in suburban Washington, D.C.

$700 million for "comparative effectiveness research" on prescription drugs

$1 billion for Low-Income Home Energy Assistance

$2 billion in Child Care and Development Block Grants for states

$1 billion for Head Start programs

$1.1 billion for Early Head Start programs

$100 million for Social Security research programs

$200 million for "Aging Services Programs"

$2 billion for "Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology"

$430 million for public health/social services emergency funds

$2.3 billion for the Centers for Disease Control for a variety of programs

$5.5 billion in targeted education grants

$5.5 billion in "education finance incentive grants"

$2 billion in "school improvement grants"

$13.6 billion for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

$250 million for statewide education data systems

$14 billion for school modernization, renovation and repair

$160 million for AmeriCorps grants

$400 million for the construction and costs to establish a new "National Computer Center" for the Social Security Administration

$500 million to improve processing of disability and retirement claims

$920 million for Army housing and child development centers

$350 million for Navy and Marine Corps housing and child development centers

$280 million in Air Force housing and child development centers

$3.75 billion in military hospital and surgery center construction

$140 million in Army National Guard construction projects

$70 million in Air National Guard construction projects

$100 million in Army Reserve construction projects

$30 million in Navy Reserve construction projects

$60 million in Air Force Reserve construction projects

$950 million for VA Medical Facilities

$50 million for repairs for military cemeteries

$120 million for a backup information management facility for the State Department

$98 million for National Cybersecurity Initiative

$3 billion for "Grants-in-Aid for Airports"

$300 million for Indian Reservation roads

$300 million for Amtrak capital needs

$800 million for national railroad assets or infrastructure repairs, upgrades

$5.4 billion in federal transit grants

$2 billion in infrastructure development for subways and commuter railways

$5 billion for public housing capital

$1 billion in competitive housing grants

$2.5 billion for energy efficiency upgrades in public housing

$500 million in Native American Housing Block Grants

$4.1 billion to help communities deal with foreclosed homes

$1.5 billion in homeless prevention activities

$79 billion in education funds for states

Major Media Bias In Plain View

2009-01-22T07:52:00.000-08:00

It was widely and repeatedly reported on Tuesday, inauguration day, that 75% of Americans were watching the inauguration. I found that to be to high to believe at the time. I kept on hearing the same number reported, much like they were all reading from the same script.

Today there is an article that the inauguration of Barack Obama did not even come close to the number of people who tuned in to the inauguration of Ronald Reagan in 1981. And there are certainly many more people in the U.S. now that in 1981.

Care to Speculate?

2009-01-22T06:58:00.000-08:00

Watching the evening news last night, there was a teaser on KOTV about a press conference sometime today from the IRS and FBI people regarding a special announcement on public corruption.

Would you care to speculate?

Here is my list of potential suspects:
Tulsa County Fairgrounds Trustees/County Commissioners (Again?)
Tulsa Technology
Governor Brad Henry
Mayor Kathy Taylor
Tulsa Community College

Did I leave any out?

Election Fatigue

2009-01-19T13:57:00.001-08:00

It was news in Tulsa today that so far not one Republican opponent has filed for or declared their candidacy for Tulsa's mayor. But wait just a minute. The filing period is not until this July! That's six months away.

Never mind that Kathy Taylor announced her candidacy for her first term during the filing period.

I think many people share my opinion that the recent Presidential election was way too long. We all suffer from post-election fatigue. Give it a break!

We need some time to forget about politics, if that is possible. There is plenty of time to announce and run a campaign for mayor.

It's All About Advertising

2009-01-16T06:57:00.000-08:00

"Show me the money!" should be the by-line of this blog entry. In an apparent fit of envy, the Tulsa Whirld has sued Urban Tulsa and fellow blogger Michael Bates for libel stemming from an article written on January 15th. You can link the the article here.

This is all about a continuing loss of advertising dollars, the life-blood of any print media. Tulsa is too big for a one-size-fits-all print media, like the Whirld. Urban Tulsa is a weekly paper that fits the arts and entertainment niche that is rapidly expanding here.

It is not surprising that the Tulsa Whirld circulation continues to decline, following a national trend. And it is not surprising that they are using this bullying technique on Michael Bates again. Yes, this is not the first time they have badgered him.

Knowing Mr. Bates, he is not in the habit of passing on untruths. He does publish the lead opinion-news piece for Urban Tulsa each week. His viewpoint is refreshing from the drivel found in our daily monopoly. He will either retract any misstatements, if indeed any are found, or he will be vindicated.

Brief Time of Sanity

2008-12-17T12:16:00.000-08:00

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.

Wisdom and Perspective

2008-11-07T11:50:00.000-08:00

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

The End of Affirmative Action?

2008-11-05T05:51:00.000-08:00

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.

Remember Bells

2008-11-03T18:58:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-03T18:40:00.000-08:00

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

Wacky Priorities

2008-10-10T07:02:00.000-07:00

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.

Federal Government Nationalizes Insurance Company

2008-09-17T07:07:00.000-07:00

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.

Go Pokes!

2008-05-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

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!

El Jefe de Tulsa dice que esculelas necessito mucho dinero mas

2008-05-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

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.

Tulsa Community College Tax Increase

2008-05-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

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!

Happy Anniversary to Braum's

2008-05-01T18:38:00.000-07:00

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!

Feds Should Raise Interest Rates

2008-04-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

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.

Medlock Moves to Afternoons

2008-04-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

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.

Obama as President?

2008-04-10T07:02:00.000-07:00

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

R.I.P. Chalton Heston

2008-04-07T07:04:00.001-07:00

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.

Patriotic Act Gets Albuquerque Man Sentenced

2008-04-02T14:27:00.000-07:00

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.

Lights On and the Cockroaches Scatter For the Corners

2008-03-25T17:29:00.000-07:00

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.

Are You A Minuteman?

2008-03-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

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.

Tulsa, The Oil Capital of the World?

2008-03-17T17:00:00.001-07:00

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 her e. 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.

Tulsa Bombed! No One Injured.

2008-03-14T05:59:00.000-07:00

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 51^st 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.

Why is Barack Obama Black?

2008-03-13T06:16:00.001-07:00

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?

Good Ole Boy Network Active Again

2008-03-11T08:28:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-11T06:34:00.000-07:00

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.

Easter Tidbits

2008-03-07T18:47:00.000-08:00

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

2008-03-07T07:20:00.000-08:00

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.

Unscientific Poll Results

2008-03-04T14:49:00.000-08:00

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.

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

2008-03-03T19:10:00.000-08:00

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

Gwen Freeman on Sabbatical?

2008-02-27T21:12:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-27T06:39:00.000-08:00

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!

Oklahoma Academic All Staters Announced

2008-02-26T17:12:00.000-08:00

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?

A Three Year Itch

2008-02-23T16:32:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-23T15:55:00.000-08:00

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.

Answering 6 Common Criticisms Against Charter Schools

2008-02-21T20:17:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-21T14:44:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-21T08:05:00.000-08:00

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.

Freeman Gone?

2008-02-20T06:56:00.001-08:00

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.

Necromancer Searches SE Tulsa

2008-02-19T12:23:00.000-08:00

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.

Tulsa Taps Bunney

2008-02-18T13:38:00.000-08:00

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.

Not Again!

2008-02-13T19:32:00.000-08:00

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

Where Did the Funds Go to Fix Our Streets?

2008-02-12T09:05:00.000-08:00

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?

Invest In The Future and Plant a Tree

2008-02-10T17:59:00.000-08:00

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.

Ramblings on Romney

2008-02-06T10:21:00.000-08:00

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

The Guru to the Stars is Dead

2008-02-05T18:34:00.000-08:00

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?

Super Tuesday on Tulsa Time

2008-02-05T07:08:00.000-08:00

At this stage of the political process, this chigger says it's Romney-baby!

What chiseled good looks! Executive governmental experience; self-made multi-millionaire; and his name is linked to the defunct American Motors Corp.

He says the right things, but in the political area, that's worth nothing. Is he really a closed moderate? Will America give us a chance to find out?

The most important thing you can do today as Tulsans is get out and vote.

Technologically Challenged

2008-02-05T06:52:00.000-08:00

Being a part of the baby boom generation (I'm in the middle), it goes without saying that for the most part I am technologically challenged. Having just gotten familiar with the iPod, is it now time for the iPhone?

As Americans, we have come to expect rapid technological changes since that has been the pattern for our lifetimes. I for one rarely buy the latest gadget, but wait for the market to absorb it a bit and to allow time to get the kinks out. By the time I'm ready to buy, things have become a real bargain.

I've noticed that my sons have a short attentions span with new technology. The Playstation 3 purchased with such enthusiasm a few months ago, now sits idle. Good thing we didn't get the Xbox 360!

But technology has been a great tool for me as an entrepreneur. It's amazing what one or two people can do in a business that would have taken 8-10 people 20 years ago. Most of this is possible because of technology and especially the internet. Oh, and PayPal helps too!

TPS-The District of (Limited) Choice

2008-02-04T06:42:00.002-08:00

This smiling group of elected volunteers, continues to perpetuate the myth that is public education in Tulsa Oklahoma.

Having made good on their previous threat to challenge the constitutionality of the Oklahoma Charter School Act, existing charter schools are fighting for their lives and new charter school initiatives have been stifled, while the taxpayers and citizens of Tulsa continue to get the raw end of the deal.

Hopefully this lawsuit will not languish in the courts, but will soon see the light of day. The Oklahoma Charter School Act states, if you care to read it, that it is a pilot program. The initial idea was to see how this reform would fly and then perhaps, if successful, there would be a broader application to the rest of the state. Well enough time has passed. And the charter schools have performed in a vastly superior academic way than its same-city counterparts.

Ken Neal of the Tulsa World predicted in an editorial last April, that passage of the amendments to the Oklahoma Charter School Act would mean a proliferation of new charter schools. Well, have we seen one new charter school since the amendments took effect last summer? NO! And this TPS lawsuit has stymied any such initiative. What higher education board in its right mind would take on the sponsorship of a charter school with this lawsuit still pending?

Its high time to do something. Contact your state legislators and communicate your support for charter schools, school choice in general, and vouchers specifically.

Tulsa Weather Forecasters Left Out In The Cold

2008-02-01T13:34:00.000-08:00

Once again, Tulsa's weather forecasters blew it. Universally forecasting 4-8 inches of snow, the Tulsa Metro area went into self-imposed hibernation. Local restaurants reported extremely slow sales on Thursday. Sporting events were rescheduled. Grocery store shelves were barren. People just stayed home, hunkered down for an impending blizzard that never showed up.

Despite the tremendous advances in technology and the massive spending on equipment and personnel by all local news stations, the weather in Oklahoma still holds the upper hand.

This was on the heels of missing the high temperature last Saturday by at least 10 degrees.

We must put TV weather forecasting in its proper place, a postscript to the more important local news, 3 to 4 minutes max.

John McCain Is the Best Republicans Can Come Up With?

2008-01-31T19:00:00.001-08:00

Have we all just forgotten that just a few years ago, John McCain came in a distant second to George Bush in the last Presidential race on the Republican side? So, the best we can do this time around is a Republican retread? I mean, he wasn't even as good as George last time around, in the eye of the public.

Just as conservative Republicans like myself have been sorely disappointed with George W. no doubt we will be if John McCain is elected. As he is a career politician with a very long and very public voting record, it would be hard to pin him down on his real stand on key conservative issues. To be elected, he is "moderating" or waffling on certain issues of particular interest.

Perhaps the overriding issue in the next President will be his/her ability to appoint judges. This power has an effect long after they leave office.

At this stage of the race, I feel rather isolated. With Fred Thompson out, no other candidate comes close to my political views.

Tulsa Chigger Is Back!

2008-01-24T08:05:00.000-08:00

After a two month hiatus, the Tulsa Chigger is back! Anticipating a number of local and national topics we all can sink our teeth into.

Taxes
Illegal Immigration
Political Corruption
Loss of Landmarks
Potholes
Downtown
Debates
Etc..

Oh, how could I forget? Public Education!

Oklahoma!

2007-11-13T07:10:00.000-08:00

Columnist Mark Steyn has a wonderful article about our fantastic state song. You can link to it here.

Yes, we have the greatest state song of any in the union. Its catchy, singable and widely known.

Thanks to my good friend Gary Bonner for the information. He's a transplanted Okie now residing in California.

Tell Us Something We Don't Know

2007-10-31T13:15:00.000-07:00

It's all over the news and in the Tulsa Whirld. Seven of our nine high schools are "dropout factories". You can read about it here.

I am frankly tired of constantly reminding you that we need more charter schools in Tulsa. Specifically, more charter high schools. And I can get one started. The problem is in finding a sponsor.

Tulsa's public education establishment is incapable of reforming itself in a real and meaningful way. They will hire more staff, reorganize, reshuffle, but the results will be limited.

Charter schools are also fully public schools that trade less regulation for total accountability. In other words, they introduce accountability into the public education system. Wouldn't that be nice?

Shepherds without a flock

2007-09-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

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?

2007-09-20T06:47:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-13T17:26:00.000-07:00

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.

TSAS Top Tulsa School in ACT

2007-08-15T21:23:00.000-07:00

Once again, TSAS shows its continued academic excellence by scoring 23.9 on the ACT. Next highest area high school was Jenks at 23.1.

See a video by KOTV here.

Tulsa needs more charter schools!!!!!!!!

Can Iraq Be Free?

2007-07-12T08:34:00.000-07:00

President George Bush has stated repeatedly that it is his opinion that freedom is a universal goal for all mankind.

With that statement, I do not disagree. That is because the desire or yearning for freedom is common to mankind. But there is a wide gulf between desire for freedom and the implementation and maintenance of liberty.

Our nation is a dramatic exception to most countries throughout time. Our founders created a different kind of nation based on the premise that certain rights (life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness) are given by the God of the Bible to people through the principle of government, which God established.

Only through Jesus Christ can mankind find true freedom. Jesus Christ fulfilled the Old Testament law and in John 13:34-35 gave a new commandment to; "love one another just as I have loved you, by this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." Paradoxically, he also commanded his followers to love their enemies, something that is impossible apart from the Holy Spirit.

It is only through this that our nation has continued to exist for the past 231 years. As we have moved toward a progressively secular society, we have seen our freedoms restricted or infringed. Drifting apart from the God of the Bible, it is increasingly difficult to hold on to our liberty.

Shift now to Iraq. The U.S. is bogged down in a valiant attempt to project our freedom and our bastardized form of government (we have helped them set up a democracy with no freedom of religion) upon a people who openly reject the God of the Bible. They hate us. They hate each other. They have rejected the true source of man's freedom, Jesus Christ and are therefore, incapable of implementing or maintaining freedom or liberty, regardless of their desire for freedom.

We would be better served as a nation by sending in Christian missionaries for a couple of generations, so they might then have a basis for self-determination, and the chance for holding onto it.

Blog Reader Survey

2007-06-29T07:26:00.000-07:00

I am a regular reader of Batesline.com. It was the blog that inspired me to start my own blog way back in February 2005.

Just as Batesline.com has encouraged you to take a blog reader survey, so am I.

Here is the link: Please take my Blog Reader Project survey.

Now I know it takes a few minutes, but what else do you have to do? Seriously, I would appreciated it greatly. Many of us in the blogosphere are slugging it out in the trenches, seemingly all alone. Is there anybody out there?

Please take the survey!

Keepin it in T-Town

2007-06-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

The Tulsa Metro Chamber is sponsoring a business program to ask local businesses to switch just 5% of their business to local vendors. With all the business in our metro area, this can add up to some significant additional revenue for our local government.

Will this be successful? Will our elected leaders use the additional money wisely?

Find out more about this program at this link.

Cops for Kids

2007-06-22T05:55:00.000-07:00

In its latest attempt to address the rampant crime in the public middle and high schools of Tulsa, the TPS Board is considering establishing its own independent police force. Sadly, this is what our society has degenerated into in order to have a safe school. The plan calls for a police presence in all middle and high schools in the TPS district.

This is contingent upon a $1.9 million grant from the Federal government. The grant has already been prepared. TPS is waiting on a response.

The Iconic 1957 Plymouth Belvedere

2007-06-16T06:18:00.001-07:00

I think that whoever ends up with the rusted Belvedere should donate it to the city with the stipulation that it be encased and on display prominently in front of the BOK Arena. That's right, an iconic car in front of an iconic arena.

Actually the more I ponder it, the Plymouth is a metaphor for our beloved City of Tulsa. The true Tulsa has been sealed for decades, unknowingly collecting rust and muck. At the seemingly proper time, the rich and pseudo-famous, the media elites, all take us over and spin and spin and spin, trying to put a good face on a sad situation.

In doing so, they have taken over the details. They robbed the public of a clear view of the unearthing, and we too have been robbed by the carpetbaggers and robber barrons of Tulsa. Today, we have been robbed of the vision of our true Tulsa destiny and heritage.

What survived in the time capsule has somehow already been claimed! Where was it written that the contents of the time capsule would not also go the the winner of the car? The fat cats like to latch on to whatever looks good and take control. See here! "The items in the time capsule now belong to the Tulsa Historical Society..." who elected you the Pope?

Not that everything was perfect in Tulsa in 1957, but let's look at a few of our pressing issues. In '57, Tulsa had a street commissioner. A city employee whose job was to contruct and maintain our city streets. Today they are a disaster. 1957 saw Tulsa as a peaceful city, a fantastic place to raise a family. Today those who care have fled the city to the suburbs. Violent crime, especially homicides are an almost daily occurrence. I could go on.....

Also, I am reminded of what Jesus Christ said, some 2000 years ago. It is as true today and the day he spoke these words; Matthew 6: 19-20 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

Happy Fathers Day!

Survey on Charter Schools for Tulsa

2007-06-09T08:03:00.000-07:00

Am I tilting at windmills, or is there enough support for charter schools for Tulsa out there? Please click on the link for a one question survey.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE CHARTER SCHOOL SURVEY

Good News for Charter Schools!

2007-06-09T06:53:00.000-07:00

Unbelievably, Governor Henry signed HB 1589 into law on 6-4-07. This was the culmination of a herculean effort by a group of dedicated parents, leaders and legislators over the past three years. HB1589 significantly improves the Oklahoma Charter School Act of 1999.

The passage was given only cursory coverage by the Tulsa Whirled as reported here. They only point out that Universities in Tulsa and OKC are now potential sponsors for charter schools.

HB 1589 was opposed by the "establishment", or the entrenched bureaucracy as evidenced by this link to a blog by Roy Bishop, whose profile indicates he is President of the Oklahoma Education Association. It took a brave effort on the part of some key Democrat legislators to get this bill passed by the House and Senate, and then to have our Democrat governor sign it.

HB 1589 is effective on July 1, 2007.

Major points:

1. The charter school law now applies to only the Oklahoma City and Tulsa School Districts.

2. The bill adds Universities or Higher Ed as potential sponsors of charter schools. Now there will be 3 potential sponsors; the local school district, Career Tech/Tulsa Tech, and Universities.

3. Funding for the state aid portion of the finances for charters will continue to flow through the local school district if they are the sponsor, otherwise, this bill changes the flow of funding for charters sponsored by Career Tech/Tulsa Tech and Universities to come through the State Department of Education (SDE).

4. A last minute compromise was to limit the number of new charters created in each district to 3 per year. (I think slow and steady growth is better than too much too fast)

5. Charter school organizers will have to complete some training (to be developed by the SDE) for all applications submitted after 1-1-08.

With these changes, I think I would rate our charter school law in Oklahoma a solid B, up from a C. We can do more, but this is a significant step forward and should open the doors for improving public education in Tulsa.

The bill as passed should have taken away the "unconstitutional" allegation by the TPS school board. And perhaps the change in the flow of funding will invite others to move forward with plans to encourage and sponsor charter schools.

I tried to download the text of the bill signed by Governor Henry, but the downloaded file was corrupted. I will try later and if successful, will post that only another blog entry in the future.

Any of my fellow Tulsans or fellow Tulsa Bloggers out there ready to roll up your sleeves?

Do you support the creation of even one new charter school in Tulsa?

Tulsa's Lucky Number Reveals T-Town's Truth

2007-06-02T06:36:00.000-07:00

The good news is: The U.S. Census has revealed the population of Tulsa as of 6-1-07. This is the number that will be used to determine the winner of the buried 1957 Plymouth Belvedere.

The bad news is: The U.S. Census has revealed the population of Tulsa as of 6-1-07.

What?

The official number is 382,457.

In the 2000 Census T-Town had a population of 391,908. Our population has decreased by 9,451.

The ugly truth about Tulsa, Oklahoma is that people are still leaving. I want to turn this trend around.

Note to elected city officials and policy makers; Here is a list of real priorities to seriously work on to turn the population numbers around.

1. Economic Development (Job Creation)
2. Improved public school performance (More Charter Schools)
3. Serious reduction in all categories of crime (Especially Homicides)
4. FIX THE STREETS!!!! (Bridges Too)
5. Shrink the size and scope of local government(Empower People & Get Out of the Way)

Nothing earth shattering or new here, just back to basics good local government.

Too Few Police? or Too Much Crime?

2007-05-21T20:10:00.000-07:00

We hear the rhetoric every week. We don't have enough police.

I had a chance to have dinner with a police chief in a well known California city a few weeks back. He was just named as police chief, so naturally, the conversation turned to Tulsa's search for a police chief. He has kept up with Tulsa's situation, since he has family here.

During that conversation I told him that Tulsa has a police shortage. He was truly surprised that I said that and he quickly said he did not think that was the case. That got me to thinking, perhaps I have just accepted what everyone is saying at face value. So I decided to look a bit further.....

You can check out my research here. Maybe you would like to take the comparisons further. Let's see how Tulsa compares to other midwestern cities regarding police and total city government expenses.

First of all, Tulsa, population 391,908 has 739 police officers paid $3,246,350. We have police-other personnel of 144 paid $400,944. Tulsa spends $13,899,429 for 4,066 total city employees.

What about Wichita? Population 355,426. 601 police officers paid $2,248,042; Police-other personnel of 230 paid $608,381. Wichita spends $9,941,031 for 2,934 total city employees.

How about Omaha? Population 399,357. 775 police officers paid $4,265,264; Police-other personnel of 179 paid $568,203. Omaha spends $12,234,790 for 2,564 total city employees.

Lastly, how about Colorado Springs? Population 371,182. 644 police officers paid $3,411,068; Police-other personnel of 281 paid $1,042,973. Colorado Springs spends $27,760,295 for 6,504 total city employees.

Perhaps we are not as short of police as we have been told.

More than likely, we just have too much crime, or too many criminals in our midst.