Fifty years ago today, March 29th, 1973, the last U.S. combat troops left the Republic of Vietnam. Along with the troops who made their grand exit after turning over their duties to ARVN forces came the last group of Prisoners of War. This marked the official end of U.S. involvement in the armed conflict that…
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Insult, injury and rebranding of Oklahoma Football
As with love and politics, much can happen in the world of college football in one week’s time to completely alter the image of a program and the outlook for its future. The dark clouds created by actions of individuals may not pack the forthcoming gloom and doom they typically represent. Here along the Mother…
Continue Reading50 years of desegregation: Tulsa edition
One claim any American born in the 1940s, 50s and 60s can make that can never be refuted is that we have lived in not only interesting but changing times. While it may be true the technology and wherewithal required to live day to day as a fully engaged citizen in 2021 is a great…
Continue ReadingA move southeast
Many major life-changing decisions present with little if any warning and are often made with a minimum of deliberation and sometimes in outright haste. Some of the most lifestyle-altering selections are made by parties far removed and above and beyond control of most of those affected by them. Some choices may seem impromtu on their…
Continue ReadingThe United States of Oceania?
We have survived into the second week of President Trump’s America and to say this has been a newsworthy few days is an understatement. In just over one week there have been over a dozen Presidential Executive Orders including some that impose unconstitutional overreach on specific segments of the population. Through it all, the President…
Continue ReadingNew year, new era, newspeak
Regular readers may have noted that I have on occasion made the statement “let it never be said we do not live in interesting times.” I will now add to that particular train thought to never let it be said that America is not unique among nations. The USA is indeed the occupant of a…
Continue ReadingFreeOK 2015
Imagine if you will a camp meeting of atheists, agnostics, humanists, freethinkers and pagans. Focus on that conceptual image for a moment and you can grasp the essence of the fifth annual Oklahoma Freethought Convention. FreeOK 2015 was held on Saturday, June 20th at the Cox Business Center in Tulsa. This is another of those…
Continue ReadingA gutted budget, lofty platitudes and good stuff, too!
Will Rogers once waxed philosophical on the subject of the Congressional budget: “The budget is like a mythical bean bag. Congress votes mythical beans into it, then reaches in and tries to pull real ones out.” Oh Will, you have no idea how creative the legislature of your beloved home state has become in paying its bills. Earlier…
Continue ReadingArming our public schools
The deeply ingrained firearm culture has expanded yet again, this time to Oklahoma public schools. Governor Mary Fallin signed off on House Bill 2014 earlier this week. This new law authored by freshman representative Jeff Coody of HD 63 (Lawton) is intended to provide an extra level of security by allowing a trained school employee to carry a handgun on school…
Continue ReadingThe Oklahoma Hall of Shame rapid expansion week
Since the late evening hours of this past Sunday when the infamous OU Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity racist chant video went viral, I have had to stop myself multiple times from making this post. There have been other news items this week worthy of admission to this expansion of the Hall of Shame. They include the passage of HB 1125…
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