Writer Wells Tower will be reading from his book, Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned, Wednesday night in a BookSmart Tulsa event.
Tower's book is a collection of short stories. The book was named a Notable Book of 2009 by the New York Times. The reading will be held at Tulsa's Ambassador Hotel at 7 p.m.
James Watts published a good story about the event in today's Tulsa World. A link is here.
A link to the BookSmart Tulsa website is here. A New York Times review of Tower's book is here.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The Embarrassing Mr. Inhofe: More Clap-Trap from Tulsa's Own
As much as we hate to admit it, Sen. Jim Inhofe is one of our own. That's right, Sooner fans, Jim Inhofe is a Tulsan. In fact, he's the former mayor of our fair city.
Unfortunately for Tulsa and the state of Oklahoma, Inhofe is a partisan political hack. Instead of leadership, thoughtfulness or vision, we get reactionary clap-trap and partisan salvos.
On global warming and climate change, Inhofe is a true believer—he truly believes the whole thing is a hoax. It's made Inhofe a national laughing stock, but the man himself is proud of his stubbornness and defiance.
Never one to consider facts or actual evidence, Inhofe persists in believing what he wants to believe. It's the Inhofe way—he don't need no stinkin' science!
So when the snow comes as it does every winter, Inhofe and his allies claim that this supports their position, notwithstanding actual weather patterns.
Think Progress has more on the latest Inhofe blunder. Read it here.
Unfortunately for Tulsa and the state of Oklahoma, Inhofe is a partisan political hack. Instead of leadership, thoughtfulness or vision, we get reactionary clap-trap and partisan salvos.
On global warming and climate change, Inhofe is a true believer—he truly believes the whole thing is a hoax. It's made Inhofe a national laughing stock, but the man himself is proud of his stubbornness and defiance.
Never one to consider facts or actual evidence, Inhofe persists in believing what he wants to believe. It's the Inhofe way—he don't need no stinkin' science!
So when the snow comes as it does every winter, Inhofe and his allies claim that this supports their position, notwithstanding actual weather patterns.
Think Progress has more on the latest Inhofe blunder. Read it here.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Tea Party Values: Birtherism, Homophobia, and Repressed Racism
The know-nothings were in Nashville this weekend and they showed their true colors. We're speaking, of course, of the Tea Party convention, a meeting of supposedly ordinary folks who seem extraordinarily gullible.
Talking Points Memo has examined some of the convention's most memorable moments. Not surprisingly, some of the speeches celebrated the worst ideas of the 1950s.
Among the Tea Party crowd, this is cutting-edge stuff. Details and paranoia here.
Talking Points Memo has examined some of the convention's most memorable moments. Not surprisingly, some of the speeches celebrated the worst ideas of the 1950s.
Among the Tea Party crowd, this is cutting-edge stuff. Details and paranoia here.
A Great Gospel Voice: NPR Highlights The Terrific Mahalia Jackson
What makes a great voice? That's the question that NPR asks in its series, "50 Great Voices."
Today's installment featured the incredible Mahalia Jackson, gospel singer and civil rights activist. We admit that we didn't know too much about Jackson's music or her civil rights work with Martin Luther King Jr.
Thanks to this NPR series, we know a lot more now. And we love Jackson's voice. Check out the audio story here.
Today's installment featured the incredible Mahalia Jackson, gospel singer and civil rights activist. We admit that we didn't know too much about Jackson's music or her civil rights work with Martin Luther King Jr.
Thanks to this NPR series, we know a lot more now. And we love Jackson's voice. Check out the audio story here.
Truth-O-Meter Time: Palin's Charges Again Prove False
Sarah of Alaska is at it again. Devoid of substance but free with her political clap-trap, ex.-Gov. Sarah Palin has made claims about the president that can't be supported. In short, she invents "facts" and passes them off as truth.
The good people at PolitiFact have checked her claim that Obama often voted present when he served in the U.S. Senate.
Oh—that evil Obama. Always pulling the wool over the eyes of the unsuspecting public. Except, of course, he didn't.
PolitiFact concludes with a definitive statement:
The good people at PolitiFact have checked her claim that Obama often voted present when he served in the U.S. Senate.
Oh—that evil Obama. Always pulling the wool over the eyes of the unsuspecting public. Except, of course, he didn't.
PolitiFact concludes with a definitive statement:
Palin's statement is incorrect in two ways. She initally appears to suggest that Obama had only 150 days of experience in the U.S. Senate, which is inaccurate. She then says he voted present many times, which also is not correct. He never voted present in the U.S. Senate. So we find her statement False.
Rein of Error: Fact-Checking Palin's Tea Party Speech
Sarah Palin wowed the Tea Party Convention in Nashville Saturday night, but she did it by making claims that weren't quite true.
Her statements about the Obama Administration's national security policies turned out to be fiction, not fact. Indeed, Palin said what she wishes were true, not what actually is. In short, she lied.
Naturally, the Tea Party crowd lapped it up. They weren't about to question the Gospel According to Sarah.
Media Matters checked some specifics from Palin's speech. The gory details are here.
Her statements about the Obama Administration's national security policies turned out to be fiction, not fact. Indeed, Palin said what she wishes were true, not what actually is. In short, she lied.
Naturally, the Tea Party crowd lapped it up. They weren't about to question the Gospel According to Sarah.
Media Matters checked some specifics from Palin's speech. The gory details are here.
Dana Perino: Making Up Stuff and Hoping No One Notices
Dana Perino, former Bush White House shill, is still spinning the news. Or, more accurately, lying.
As part of the continuing effort to criticize the Obama Administration as soft on terrorism, Perino repeated the claim that the Christas Day "underwear" bomber bought a one-way ticket to Detroit. This was a "red flag" that security officials missed, She said.
Except that it's not true. In fact, as many media outlets have reported, he bought a round-trip ticket.
As the old adage goes, "Never let the facts stand in the way of a good story." Check out the details here.
As part of the continuing effort to criticize the Obama Administration as soft on terrorism, Perino repeated the claim that the Christas Day "underwear" bomber bought a one-way ticket to Detroit. This was a "red flag" that security officials missed, She said.
Except that it's not true. In fact, as many media outlets have reported, he bought a round-trip ticket.
As the old adage goes, "Never let the facts stand in the way of a good story." Check out the details here.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Frank Rich on Gays in the Military and the Right's Curious Silence
Frank Rich, columnist for the New York Times, is a thoughtful writer who knows his way around the issues. That's why his commentary on the repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is worth reading.
Here's the opening paragraph:
Here's the opening paragraph:
A funny thing happened after Adm. Mike Mullen called for gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military: A curious silence befell much of the right. If this were a Sherlock Holmes story, it would be the case of the attack dogs that did not bark.Read the entire Rich column here.
Dead Blogs: Some Tulsa Blogs Fall Silent
Tulsa bloggers come and go—that's the nature of the digital medium. People and groups start out with a bang and, in time, slowly fade away.
Not so long ago, for example, a group of local scribblers went online collectively as Tulsa Bloggers. If we recall correctly, the group had ambitious plans, including video podcasts and the like. Their homepage included several prominent voices, several of which are now lost in cyberspace.
Former city councilor Chris Medlock made a splash for a while with Medblogged, a political site now dormant. Another local blog, MeeCiteeWukor, provided news from the perspective of a Tulsa city employee. It too has vanished.
Then there was Our Tulsa World, a blog not connected to the local newspaper (despite its name). OTW can't be found on the web these days either.
On the plus side, new blogs continue to emerge in T-town and around the Sooner state. For a list, check the Blog Oklahoma website here.
Not so long ago, for example, a group of local scribblers went online collectively as Tulsa Bloggers. If we recall correctly, the group had ambitious plans, including video podcasts and the like. Their homepage included several prominent voices, several of which are now lost in cyberspace.
Former city councilor Chris Medlock made a splash for a while with Medblogged, a political site now dormant. Another local blog, MeeCiteeWukor, provided news from the perspective of a Tulsa city employee. It too has vanished.
Then there was Our Tulsa World, a blog not connected to the local newspaper (despite its name). OTW can't be found on the web these days either.
On the plus side, new blogs continue to emerge in T-town and around the Sooner state. For a list, check the Blog Oklahoma website here.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Oklahoma's Bad Teeth: Tulsa Dental Clinic Helps Those in Need
The Sooner state ranks low in dental care. Very low. Out of 50 states, Oklahoma is fiftieth.
Fortunately, some folks in the dental business—dentists and their staffs—came to the rescue this weekend with a free (yes, free!) dental clinic in Tulsa.
Based on the huge turnout, we'd say the clinic was a success.
The turnout also shows the need for health care reform, since reform could go a long way toward more affordable and more accessible medical and dental care.
The NewsOn6, has the details. The story is here.
Fortunately, some folks in the dental business—dentists and their staffs—came to the rescue this weekend with a free (yes, free!) dental clinic in Tulsa.
Based on the huge turnout, we'd say the clinic was a success.
The turnout also shows the need for health care reform, since reform could go a long way toward more affordable and more accessible medical and dental care.
The NewsOn6, has the details. The story is here.
Nashville Update: Tea Party Convention Protested by Tea Party Members
The Tea Party Conference in Nashville isn't without problems. In fact, the conference has been plagued by questions, especially about the substantial (read: profit-making) conference fee.
Never pass up a chance to make a buck.
Now Politico is reporting that some Tea Party members themselves have protested their own convention.
It's not a pretty picture. Read it here.
Never pass up a chance to make a buck.
Now Politico is reporting that some Tea Party members themselves have protested their own convention.
It's not a pretty picture. Read it here.
WorldNetDaily Editor: Pushing the Birther Nonsense at Tea Party Meeting
At the Nashville convention of the Tea Party, yet another reason to take the Tea Party folks with a large grain of salt:
WorldNetDaily Editor-in-Chief Joseph Farah gave a 40-minute dinner speech to the National Tea Party Convention and spent at least 10 minutes of it on jokes and meandering observations about the citizenship of President Barack Obama. [...] Then Farah shared his ambition to make sure that "signs saying 'Where's the Birth Certificate'" appear at every Obama campaign stop in 2012.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Every Two Years: Lying About Who They Are
Talk show host Jimmy Fallon speaking this week:
Everyone’s talking about the military’s 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell' policy. Admiral Mike Mullen said it’s wrong to force people 'to lie about who they are' in order to serve their country. Then Congress was like, 'Who cares? We do that every election.'
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Bad Blogs: Tulsa Tea Party Has Nothing to Say
The Tea Party folks are usually loud and highly opinioned. Okay, they're mad. Really mad, in at least two senses of the word.
The Tulsa Tea Party has a blog where you might expect over-the-top rhetoric and a slew of half-baked political ideas.
No such luck. Their blog is weak. It includes nothing more than a few links, mostly to the site of State Sen. Randy Brogdon, who wants to be governor. (If name recognition counts, he's got a snowball's chance.)
So there's little to recommend the local Tea Party blog, not even the usual comic relief provided by the ordinary Tea Party zanies.
Check it out here.
The Tulsa Tea Party has a blog where you might expect over-the-top rhetoric and a slew of half-baked political ideas.
No such luck. Their blog is weak. It includes nothing more than a few links, mostly to the site of State Sen. Randy Brogdon, who wants to be governor. (If name recognition counts, he's got a snowball's chance.)
So there's little to recommend the local Tea Party blog, not even the usual comic relief provided by the ordinary Tea Party zanies.
Check it out here.
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