Roemerman on Record

The Medlock and Brogdon Radio Show

2010-09-01T09:32:00.002-05:00

The Medlock and Brogdon Radio Show?!!! Ohh awesome, I can't wait!!! I'm totally going to...(uhh, Steven...there's no such thing).

Wait what? (Yeah, it's just an idea right now..)

Dang it! (I know right? It would be awesome!)

Well...okay, if it is just an idea, what can we do to make it a reality? (Good question Steven, you need to go to this facebook page, "like it" and then share it with all your friends. If we can show that there is enough interest in the kind of thoughtful local talk radio program that Medlock and Brogdon would provide, it might get picked up!)

Nice, I'm going to do that right now...(Uhh, you already did like 10 hours ago... Not only that, but you already knew all this. Who are you talking to? I'm not even real!!!)

Ohh..crap... Hey, Phil I'm hearing voices again. (Phil is not real either...)

DANG IT!!!

Free/Reduced Lunch Correlations

2010-08-25T11:01:00.000-05:00

[UPDATE]
I had a request to add spending per student...so I did
What we see is that the less you spend, the better the scores in 3rd grade reading and math seem to be. Also spending seems to be directly tied to free/reduced price lunch...

FYI...I'd like to point out that that just because two things are correlated does not mean that one causes the other...
[/UPDATE]

[UPDATE2]
Added Berryhill, Glenpool, and Sand Springs, changed highlight colors, and made the numbers into percents. 70-79 percent is yellow, 80-89 percent is orange, 90-99 percent is red.
[/UPDATE2]

Using data from my last post and adding three more local school districts(Bixby, Owasso, and BA) I created a Google spreadsheet to show how the data is or isn't correlated. (Interesting correlations are highlighted)
For a stronger case I would need a lot more districts represented, so anything less than 90% correlation is sort of questionable.

Regardless, what we see is that NOT being qualified for the school lunch program is highly correlated with 3rd grade math and reading, and later with SAT scores.

It doesn't look like volunteer hours per student counts for much...which is really surprising. I'm also blown away by how many hours TPS has....I would have assumed that their hours per student would be really low.

We see that 3rd grade math achievement is highly correlated with 3rd grade reading.

We see that (of course) ACT scores are correlated with NOT having to take remedial college courses.

It seems that the reduced price/free school lunch is a big predictor of academic failure. Question is why? Is it because it’s a proxy measure of the wealth and stability of the home?

(scroll to the right to see highlights and correlations)

The following columns have been abrevated in the spread sheet

Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Lunch
Patrons' Volunteer Hours per Student
1st-3rd Graders Receiving Reading Remediation
Third grade Math (% satisfactory or above)
Third grade reading (% satisfactory or above)
Average GPA of HS Seniors (2009 Seniors)
Average ACT Score (Class of 2009)
Oklahoma College Freshmen taking at least one remedial course
in Math, English, Science, or Reading ('06~'08)
Spending per Student (based on Average Daily Enrollment)

Free Lunch Vs Scores in Tulsa/Union/Jenks

2010-08-23T15:44:00.005-05:00

The following data for 2009 was obtained from http://www.schoolreportcard.org/

Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Lunch

State	56.3%
Tulsa	76.9%
Union	41.0%
Jenks	24.9%

Patrons' Volunteer Hours per Student

State	3.1
Tulsa	15.1
Union	3.0
Jenks	6.2

1st-3rd Graders Receiving Reading Remediation

State	34.3%
Tulsa	46.2%
Union	44.0%
Jenks	22.6%

Third grade Math (% satisfactory or above)

State	70
Tulsa	66
Union	74
Jenks	79

Third grade reading (% satisfactory or above)

State	71
Tulsa	66
Union	77
Jenks	79

Average GPA of HS Seniors (2009 Seniors)

State	3.0
Tulsa	2.8
Union	2.9
Jenks	3.1

Average ACT Score (Class of 2009)

State	20.8
Tulsa	19.7
Union	21.7
Jenks	23.7

Oklahoma College Freshmen taking at least one remedial course
in Math, English, Science, or Reading ('06~'08)

State	37.2%
Tulsa	56.9%
Union	32.3%
Jenks	24.0%

Union Changes Tone on Free Lunch Application

2010-08-22T05:00:00.000-05:00

Last year I received this note from Union Public Schools, encouraging me to sign up for free/reduced priced lunches...even if I didn't need it. The idea, I guess, was for me to get free lunches for my kids and $1.95 a month phone service, while Union gets a few cheap bucks from the Feds in the process.

This is Lisa Griffin, Director of Union’s Child Nutrition, calling to tell you about an important opportunity. Meal prices this year are $1.00 for breakfast, $1.75 for an elementary lunch, and $2.00 for a secondary lunch. Your student will receive an application for free and reduced price meals during the first week of school. If your family qualifies, it could save you up to $525 per child, and provide our district more revenue to use for teacher salaries, books, and supplies. Even if your student does not intend to eat in the school cafeteria, an approved application will benefit the district. Other benefits for you include qualifying for Sooner Care insurance, discounted telephone rates, and school test fees. Please seriously consider completing this application and fill out only one per family. Return it to your child’s school. For more information, call 357-6134.

I was greatly saddened to see this note coming from Union Public Schools. While I don't, in theory, have a problem with this federal program, I reject the outright plea for parents to sign up for it. I saw this same thing at Tulsa Public Schools (see Please Fill Out Our School Lunch Form...Please and The Welfare State Starts at School). It is one of the reasons we moved out of TPS, "The District of Choice" and into Union.

Aside from the obvious moral implications of asking parents to take government money that they don't need, I worried about what a massive boost to free/reduced price lunch enrollment would mean for Union in the long run. I asked myself, what is the ultimate goal for Union, for every student to qualify for a free lunch? Do we really want every school in Union to be a Title 1 school? Getting that kind of federal money carries a terrible price. The simple fact is that parents looking to move in to Union will pass it by, scared off by high numbers of kids getting free/reduced lunches. Unfortunately, it won't end with families passing Union over; as free/reduced lunch enrollment rises, more and more people will flee the district for "greener pastures". Unchecked it would constitute an escalating probability of disaster*. It is a problem that will feed on itself until Union is no better than TPS (or even scarier...no worse)

So, last year I called Lisa Griffin and politely protested. Apparently she listened to what I had to say, because the tone of this year's note was quite a bit different.

This is Lisa Griffin, Director of Union Public Schools Child Nutrition, calling with a friendly reminder. Please consider completing and sending back your application for free and reduced price meals this week, if you have not already done so. These forms were sent out through the mail the middle of July. Getting this form returned before school starts will allow your students to eat without any charges and will remove one more thing from your list of “to-dos” for school. Call 357-6134 if you would like another form. Thank you!

Ms. Griffin told me that she thought of me when she wrote it...I'm not sure if that is good or bad. All I know is I'm happy we aren't pushing so hard for folks to sign up for free/reduced priced lunches.

DIY Neighborhood Graffiti Removal

2010-08-08T19:32:00.001-05:00

This is our neighborhood playground. It represents in investment of thousands and thousands of dollars. Because I want to protect that investment, and because I don't want my children to be exposed to the words d*#k, f*#k, n*gg*r, or to a crudely drawn phallus(or an accurately drawn one for that matter), we decided to clean it up.

To that end, my wife purchased Mötsenböcker’s Lift Off® #4 Spray Paint Graffiti Remover

All I can say is wow this stuff really works!!!! check out the before and after pictures below.

If you have some graffiti in your neighborhood, you could report it...you could wait for someone else to take care of the problem. Or, you can take care of it yourself. It's not that hard, and it works, and your kids wont have to look at filthy words or get a crash course in male anatomy.

Scratchin' me where I itch

2010-08-05T09:14:00.004-05:00

Yall may nor may not be followers of internet memes, but there is a new one floating around the intertubes where a man jacks up an old washing machine by throwing a brick in it during the spin cycle.

This is my favorite version of this meme...It scratches me right where I itch, and is perhaps a small window into the darker regions of my soul.

918 area code change starting this week

2010-08-02T03:39:00.002-05:00

Well...kinda. Starting Saturday Aug 7th, so called "Permissive Calling Period" begins. This means that folks in the 918 area code will be able to dial local 918 numbers with either a 7 or 10 digit number. I.E. you can dial 555-1245 or 918-555-1234.

You don't have to make a change if you don't want to. After the 7th, you can still dial the same 7 digit number you always have....or if you want to get a jump on programming your cell phone or land-line speed dials to contain all 10 digits, you can. (Although I don't think there is anything preventing you from putting the 10 digit number in your cell phone right now...whatever.)

Bottom-line, if you want to ignore this whole 918 area code overlay until the last possible second, you can safely ignore the "big change" this week and keep on keepin' on. Mandatory 10 digit dialing doesn't start until March 5, 2011.

Why my water bill is over 200 bucks...

2010-07-30T17:23:00.004-05:00

...or how I learned to make sure the toilet is NOT running before I go on vacation.

When we went on a 10 day vacation last month, I performed the standard checks just before we left:
Doors locked - check
Strategic lights left on - check
Water heater on vacation mode - check
AC set to 80 - check

What I've since learned to add to that check list just before I walk out the door is: No water or toilets are running. Had I done that, the result would have been - FALSE!!

When we came back home the first thing I noticed was that the toilet was running... and my first horrified thought was "Oh my gosh!, the toilet has been running for 10 days!"

Our water bill said that we used 68000 gallons of water and that I owed $165 in water charges. With the other fees for trash and sewer and the bill tops out at $206.53

To check the validity of the bill I determined that my tank held 3.17 gallons of water, and that it took 45 seconds to fill it up. 3.17 gallons in 45 seconds equates to 253.6 gal/hr .

253.6 gal/hr for 10 days equals 60864 gallons of water, quite literally flushed straight down the toilet. OUCH!

Fallin for Governor

2010-07-30T16:00:00.000-05:00

Please to note the shinny new page element to the top and right of this page..

I grabbed a the header photo off a Fallin for Governor email and shrank it a bit. I'm particularly satisfied as to how well the colors match my blog. It is almost as if Mary put on that red jacket and told her web guy to use colors that matched my blog on purpose. That is what I'm going to assume happened.

Anyway, click on the pic in this post, or on the new side badge to get to the Fallin for Governor website. Check it out.

Tulsa's Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Capital Project Funding

2010-07-29T15:49:00.002-05:00

I received this document at a recent STOC meeting and thought I'd pass it along.

(click the above link to download the document, or see the embedded document after the break)

Why I’m thinking about buying a Jari Askins t-shirt

2010-07-29T10:06:00.001-05:00

Do you know what the following campaigns have in common: Largent for Governor, Medlock for Mayor(1), Medlock for Mayor(2), Brogdon for Governor?

Well, yeah, they all lost, but not just that.

Republicans? Yeah...but no.

What...no, seriously? No I have no idea who wears boxers or briefs...eww gross. Now your just being silly seriously on purpose. I can tell I'll have to cut this game of 20 questions short.

No, these are all campaigns where I bought a t-shirt. In fact, these are the only campaigns where I’ve purchased a t-shirt. I’m starting to wonder if the act of me getting a campaign t-shirt causes the candidate to lose. If so, perhaps I should procure the t-shirt of the opposition…right? I think I just might give this a try, well see if it works. If it does work, perhaps I could find a XXL Obama shirt...hrm...

VOTE TODAY!!!

2010-07-27T06:42:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to vote today!

Here is a printer friendly version of my picks.

For Governor: Randy Brogdon
For Lieutenant Governor: John A. Wright
For State Auditor and Inspector: Gary Jones
For Attorney General: Scott Pruitt
For State Treasurer: Owen Laughlin
For Superintendent of Public Instruction: Janet Barresi
For Commissioner of Labor: Mark Costello
For Insurance Commissioner: John Doak
For Corporation Commissioner: Dana Murphy
For U. S. Senator: Tom Coburn
For U. S. Representative, District No. 1: John Sullivan
For County Assessor: Ken Yazel
For County Treasurer: Dennis Semler
For District Judge, District No. 14 - Office No. 3: James M. Caputo
For District Judge, District No. 14 - Office No. 13: Bill Musseman
For County Commissioner District No 3: Fred Perry

My July 27th Voting guide

2010-07-26T13:20:00.002-05:00

While I don't presume to think that there are flocks of folks waiting with bated breath to find out who I'm voting for tomorrow, I know there are at least two or three who are. So to keep them happy here are the folks I'm voting for tomorrow.

I arrived at this list based on, my knowledge of the candidates, my research into their campaign literature, and I looked at who my fellow bloggers/people I trust were endorsing. If I was in a genuine toss up situation, where I couldn't decided, I'd either side with the incumbent (if applicable) or I'd see if the Tulsa World had made an endorsement in that race and do the opposite. I didn't plan on this happening, but my list is pretty much an exact match of Michael Bates' list.

For Governor: Randy Brogdon
I whole-heartily endorse Brogdon for Governor. He is a constitutional conservative and a godly man whom I trust. Of all the candidates this election cycle he is the only one with whom I have no reservations.

For Lieutenant Governor: John A. Wright

For State Auditor and Inspector: Gary Jones

For Attorney General: Scott Pruitt
I like Pruitt alot, and the Tulsa World wants Ryan Leonard...

For State Treasurer: Owen Laughlin

For Superintendent of Public Instruction: Janet Barresi
Her campaign literature really speaks to me and made it easy for me to pick Barresi

For Commissioner of Labor: Mark Costello
♫ Vote for Mark Costello ♫ Wow that song got stuck in my head. Good thing I like what he stands for, and am impressed with his qualifications.

For Insurance Commissioner: John Doak
I had a hard time with this one, Bates tipped the scale for me.

For Corporation Commissioner: Dana Murphy
I've always liked Dana Murphy

For U. S. Senator: Tom Coburn
Dr Tom!!!

For U. S. Representative, District No. 1: John Sullivan
This one was very hard for me. I've been critical of John Sullivan, and given the opportunity in a primary, I have in the past not voted for him.

Aside from the areas where he has made me angry or I've disagreed with him, there has always been something about him that has just rubbed me the wrong way. It's hard to explain, but if you've ever just had a feeling about someone for no good reason other then you just have it, you know what I'm talking about. However after his return from rehab, and this is hard to explain rationally, but he seems like a different man to me. I don't know if he seems more humble, or if I have a new found respect for him or what, but I just see him differently and it makes me want to support him. I know he has screwed up with some of his votes, but I really believe that he will, from this point on, be the unquestionable conservative that I want for a congressman.

With that said, my new found, hard to put a finger on, view of Sullivan might not be enough to keep me from voting for Dahm, but I've got to give the edge to Sullivan for his experience. My incumbent rule tips him over to the vote for column...despite the Tulsa World endorsement!

[update] Ohh yeah, I forgot, my wife is voting for Sullivan tomorrow, and I find it difficult to not agree with my wife in politics..

For County Assessor: Ken Yazel
I love Ken Yazel!!!

For County Treasurer: Dennis Semler
I could go either way on this one, my incumbent rule gives him the edge here.

For District Judge, District No. 14 - Office No. 3: James M. Caputo
I liked his radio ads. I also leaned on Michel Bates for this one

For District Judge, District No. 14 - Office No. 13: Bill Musseman
The endorsement by DA Tim Harris and by Joy Mohorovicic carry a lot of weight with me, but the clincher for me was seeing the Tulsa Police in my neighborhood with Musseman signs in their yard.

Last but not least, my most difficult pick...

For County Commissioner District No 3: Fred Perry
Wow, so Fred Perry DID NOT score points with me with his handling of a recent open records request by Ruth Hartje. (Google it)

Also I really ,really do not like how Perry has attacked Tulsa Council's attorney Drew Rees (his opponent), for his council to the council regarding the recent open meeting act controversy. (again...Google it) I may not be voting for Drew Rees, but I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. I've always been extremely impressed with Drew's professionalism and dedication to the law. I've been watching him give good advice to the council for many years now; Rees would never give advice to the council that he thought was illegal. I believe that these attacks are unfair and unfounded. On this basis alone I just almost want to vote for Drew Rees.

However, Drew Rees is using Jim Burdge to run his campaign, and if that wasn't enough he is being endorsed by Randy, "You're Toast" Sullivan.This is not good! And then if that weren't enough, I was not impressed with how he answered some of the questions from the OK Safe Voter's guide questions. I felt that he was parsing on some of his answers. And really, I like him where he is. Is is doing great work for the City!

And then there is Michael Masters. He wisely took the following off his web site. But I'm a huge nerd, and am not thwarted by such tactics. You can find the following text by looking at Google cache.

Masters initially filed to run for State House District 80. Upon discussing this effort with a number of elected officials as well as Representative Ritze, the current State Representative for District 80, Masters was encouraged in refocusing the campaign efforts to Tulsa County District 3. "I felt that I would have a larger, more positive impact within the county. Speaking with Dr. Ritze, encouraged me that his efforts are solid and as a constituent of district 80, I support him in his re-election bid."

OK, seriously, if you really want to run for State House, then by all means, but if your passion is not County Government, and this race is your second choice then you will remain my third choice!

My toss up incumbent rule strikes again, and I'll vote for Perry.

So there are my picks, for what they are worth. All the info you need to find your polling place, or to look at a sample ballot is here. GO VOTE TOMORROW!

Iron Werx Tulsa

2010-07-19T13:55:00.002-05:00

Need some custom, high-quality, iron/welding work done for your home or business? Iron Werx is a independently owned Tulsa business that can get the job done. Check out some of their awesome work.

Iron Werx does some amazing things with metal; if you need their services you can find their contact information on their main page under "contact us."

Tulsa County Commissioner Dist 3 Campaign Lit

2010-07-17T19:13:00.002-05:00

On Friday I received one flier from Drew Rees and one from Fred Perry. Drew Rees' has two endorsements on it, one from Clay Bird, and the other from Randy Sullivan....Really? Randy, "You're Toast" Sullivan?

I've never had a piece of campaign lit so thoroughly convince me not to vote for someone before, while at the same time making me hungry for the sweet sweet combination of chocolate and peanut-butter (Which is brilliant by the way. One of my friends the other day said she was going to vote for that peanut-butter cup guy....although I doubt she will actually take the effort to go to the polls on July 27th...so maybe it would be more brilliant during a general election)

Fred Perry has an endorsement from Steve Largent.

Michael Masters has sent me no campaign lit, and apparently no one is endorsing him, except for maybe State Representative Ritze who convinced him not to run against him in a bid for State House District 80.

Hrm...who to vote for....who indeed.

Anniversary

2010-07-04T08:04:00.000-05:00

Today I have been married to Stacey Powell Roemerman for 4383 days (aka 12 years).

They have been the best 4383 days of my life. Stacey is an amazing woman and I love her very much.

Time to Opt-Out of TotalCare

2010-05-28T21:20:00.001-05:00

The City of Tulsa's TotalCare ambulance program in theory covers all emergency ambulance service requiring no out of pocket costs by you. If you live in the City of Tulsa and do not opt out a mere $3.64 is added to your monthly water bill.

With the exception of Councilor Bill Christiansen who voted against TotalCare, I want to thank the Tulsa City Council of 2007 for creating a system, where by Tulsa's citizens must opt-out of instead of into TotalCare. It is a great way of creating the illusion of choice whilst at the same time ensnaring the unobservant masses into a government sanctioned insurance plan. Your council, in all of its infinite wisdom, was way ahead of the curve. Who would have guessed that a mere 3 years later Obama and the Democrat Congress would be following in their footsteps. If there is one thing I've learned from the 2007 City Council, Mayor Kathy Taylor, and from Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and President Obama is that it is the government's duty to make sure we all have health coverage (whether we want it or not), and that a single government approved insurance plan really is best. God Bless you guys!

If you hate your fellow Tulsan who is counting on your participation in TotalCare, and so choose to opt-out of TotalCare, you may do so by calling (918) 596-9511 by the end of June. If you love Tulsa and want to pay your fair share and choose not to opt-out, then you agree to the following:

I acknowledge that my insurance provider and/or I am responsible for payment of ambulance services provided to me by EMSA. I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to provide EMSA, within 60 days of the date of service, with any valid insurance and third-party payer information pertaining to me or anyone living in my household who receives EMSA services and that failure to do so nullifies this agreement. In addition, I agree to furnish any information requested by my insurance company in order to facilitate payment of ambulance claims for me or anyone living in my household. In consideration for payment of the membership fee, I hereby assign to EMSA all ambulance benefits that any covered family member or I may otherwise be entitled to receive from any insurance or other third-party payer for services provided under my TotalCare membership. EMSA will accept this assignment as payment in full for emergency transports, and for non-emergency transports if insurance or other third-party payer coverage provides benefits for the transport. I understand that EMSA will file my ambulance insurance claims for each covered person and is entitled to receive payment from all insurance or other third-party payers up to the amount of EMSA’s usual charges. If no insurance or other third-party payer benefits are available or if the insurance company or other third-party payer denies payment for non-emergency service, I understand that I will remain responsible for payment of EMSA’s reduced fee for TotalCare members (40% off EMSA’s standard non-emergency rate). Any insurance or other third-party payment I receive related to EMSA’s services provided under my TotalCare membership must immediately be delivered to EMSA, if there is an outstanding balance on my account. Violation of the terms of this agreement will result in termination of this agreement, and the patient (or responsible party) will be billed for all charges related to services provided.

Wow data can last!!!

2010-05-28T12:28:00.000-05:00

Looked what popped up on my phone's calendar the other day.

Wow data can last!!!
Mon 5/24/2010

I created this to see how long I can carry data with me. What software and equipment will I use in 2010?

I'm using a Palm 5 syncing with Outlook 98 in Feb 2000

see you in 10 years.

That's pretty cool!

To answer answer my question, I'm now using a Motorola Droid that syncs my Outlook 2003 calendar with my Google Calender via Google Calender Sync.

I think I'll add something to my Google Calender to go off 20 years from now...stick around and I'll let you know how it goes.

Father Was Never There!

2010-05-28T10:56:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately some children are forced to endure a single parent household. Often the stories behind the loss of the parent are as sad as the repercussions in the lives of the children. Fortunately, in the case of the Three Little Pigs (click the pic to watch the video), the story has a happy ending*.

*Especially for whoever got to eat that sausage!

I Do Not Heart Apple...

2010-05-13T09:22:00.002-05:00

...However Adobe, the makers of Flash still do. Despite the fact that Apple has rejected Flash on it's devices like the iPad, the iPod Touch, and the iPhone,and despite the fact that Steve Jobs has said some not so nice things about Flash recently.

We believe that consumers should be able to freely access their favorite content and applications, regardless of what computer they have, what browser they like, or what device suits their needs. No company - no matter how big or how creative - should dictate what you can create, how you create it, or what you can experience on the web.

When markets are open, anyone with a great idea has a chance to drive innovation and find new customers. Adobe's business philosophy is based on a premise that, in an open market, the best products will win in the end - and the best way to compete is to create the best technology and innovate faster than your competitors.

We believe that Apple, by taking the opposite approach, has taken a step that could undermine this next chapter of the web - the chapter in which mobile devices outnumber computers, any individual can be a publisher, and content is accessed anywhere and at any time.

In the end, we believe the question is really this: Who controls the World Wide Web? And we believe the answer is: nobody - and everybody, but certainly not a single company.

Apple's attitude that we know best, is nothing new. The original Apple Macintosh did not have arrow keys because Steve Jobs decided that people didn't need them. Apple said we don't need more than one mouse button, they said we don't need disk drives, they said that iPhone owners didn't need multitasking, or cut and paste, and now they say we dot need Flash. Ohh yeah, Apple pretty much controls which apps you may or may not run on your iPhone, iTouch, or iPad. Never mind what people want, Apple knows best.

And don't get me started on Apple's Developer agreement, which dictates what you may or may not say in public, where you must sell your application, how much you can make, what compiler you have to use, and so on.

This is the primary reason that I reject all Apple products. It is this arrogance regarding "their devices", and "their user interfaces", I say "their", because I get the feeling that you don't ever really own an Apple product, you are just borrowing it. It is really Apple's, and they are gracious enough to let you use it...as long as you obey their rules. I'm not going to accept that control. I don't want use use use Apple products the way they want me to. I want to be in charge of technology, not the other way around. I do not heart Apple.

(via Engadget)

A Noble Inheritance

2010-05-10T10:29:00.002-05:00

Let the American youth never forget, that they possess a noble inheritance, bought by the toils, and sufferings, and blood of their ancestors; and capable, if wisely improved, and faithfully guarded, of transmitting to their latest posterity all the substantial blessings of fife, the peaceful enjoyment of liberty, property, religion, and independence. The structure has been erected by architects of consummate skill and fidelity; its foundations are solid; its compartments are beautiful, as well as useful; its arrangements are full of wisdom and order; and its defences are impregnable from without. It has been reared for immortality, if the work of man may justly aspire to such a title. It may, nevertheless, perish in an hour by the folly, or corruption, or negligence of its only keepers, THE PEOPLE. Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall, when the wise are banished from the public councils, because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded, because they flatter the people, in order to betray them.

Joseph Story, "COMMENTARIES ON THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES" Chapter XLV. Concluding Remarks.

South Tulsa Bridge Discussed for Bixby?

2010-05-07T15:38:00.000-05:00

Google was kind enough to let me know about this story out of the Bixby Bulletin, Bixby bridge still being discussed.

Mayor Ray Bowen said he has met with the Tulsa mayor twice and has had a good discussion with the Tulsa team. Bowen added, however, that the topic has reached a point at which Bixby needs to meet with the Oklahoma Transportation Association.
...
“We have a place it can go, and we won’t bother anybody,” said Bowen, referring to a location within Bixby city limits near a bridge that fell in 1938. Establishment of a bridge in that area could also have a positive effect on the Leonard area.

An interesting development to be sure, although I'm not entirely sure what bridge they are talking about since I didn't live in Tulsa in 1938. However, I did find a reference to a bridge collapse in 1938 "December 9 - The collapse of the Bixby Arkansas River bridge on Highway 64." Which confuses me because there is still a bridge over the Arkansas on Highway 64. 64 turns into Memorial drive at E 171st St South. Maybe 64 took a different route in those days? Does anyone know where this proposed bridge site that, "won’t bother anybody" is?

There are some who call me...Tim?

2010-05-07T13:18:00.001-05:00

Tim had always been interested in secrets. Secrets like, which one of the town’s men is my father? Why do cherries float and not very small rocks? What makes fire work? But none of these seemingly impossible to answer questions compared to the largest secret of them all. What was that creepy little rabbit guarding at the mouth of The Cave of Caerbannog?

Many men had tried to figure it out, they tried and died. Tim had decided that perhaps the answer lay not with brute force but with magic. And so he poured himself into mystic arts of enchanting, and for 20 years gained mastery over fire and brimstone and smoke. The town’s folk were terrified of Tim’s ability to summon fire, so much so that instead of trying to put him on a giant scale with a duck they feared and shunned Tim. Banished from the town, isolated and alone, Tim spent his days trying to blast that rascally rabbit from a far. Alas it was no use, the rabbit just hopped out of the way.

Frustrated, Tim decided to let off some steam by blowing things up. This caught the attention of a man named Arthur. Arthur, a self-described king, seemed to have the favor of the Almighty, and Tim perceived that this man and his small army might finally be able to succeed where he and so many others had failed. Arthur was looking for some sort of mystical challis and Tim knew he could use that to his advantage. With the promise of the Arthur's prize, Tim led this King and his knights to The Cave of Caerbannog…and to the rabbit.

The battle over, the smoke cleared, Tim was embarrassed that the final solution had been but a small variation of his own, “Of course, a hand grenade…damn, I was so close.” Regardless, the bloodthirsty rabbit was dead and he was free to uncover its precious secrets. Unfortunately for Tim, the revelation that the rabbit was guarding another more cruel and foul tempered monster was enough for him. Having wasted 20 years on this stupid rabbit, he decided to cut his losses and get on with his life. On his way out of the cave he found the rabbit's remains, a single charred foot. Tim decided to keep it as a luck charm of sorts. As for what to do with the rest of his life, Tim had been seriously considering a career in the shrubbery arts.

The End.

Roemerman's patented Earworm Cure

2010-04-01T10:56:00.002-05:00

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ACTION ALERT: Call Judge William Kellough

2010-03-10T08:30:00.000-06:00

Perhaps you will remember the horrific story from June of 2008 where a man kidnapped three children from a South Tulsa tanning salon. Brandon Brixey, the suspect in this case was charged and went to trial facing two counts of first-degree rape, one count of lewd molestation, one count of kidnapping, one count of first-degree robbery, and one count of eluding an officer.

In a surprise move yesterday Brixey plead guilty to all counts, just days before the prosecution was set to rest their case, and after the ten-year-old victim took the stand to detail how she was brutally raped by Brandon Brixey.

Brixey, a previously convicted felon is eligible for multiple life sentences, and Tulsa County District Attorney Tim Harris, intends to ask for the maximum sentence so that, "he would take his last breath in prison."

Interestingly enough, the judge in the case, Tulsa County District Judge William Kellough, is eligible for re-election this year. We need to put the pressure on Judge Kellough, he needs to understand the the citizens of Tulsa County do not want violent child rapists on our streets. Call his office at 596-5200 and let him know that you want Brixey to get the maximum sentence that the law will allow. Kellough will decide Brixey's sentence at a hearing set for April 19th, so don't let up. Call his office, and make sure that everyone you know calls his office.

[UPDATE] Listen to DA Tim Harris talk about the case on Pat Campbell's show.