Politiks

This is a blog about Tulsa and the surrounding area, generally. We will, and often do, touch on subjects that aren't region/area specific, but still have some impact on us. One such issue is politics and national current events that could have some bearing on our lives as a collective.

Sally Kern's recent remarks (which will not be repeated here) do not represent the feelings of all Oklahomans. I would venture so far as to say those views of hers aren't even shared by a majority of the populace, but of a select minority. I agree that yes, she should be very ashamed of herself, but she isn't. And sadly, that's what passes as a Christian in this state. Be aware fellow citizens of Tulsa and the state, that our "demographic," will act in response to unjust, unreasonable classifications of those that lead their lives differently than the majority. However, in a free country, you're allowed to have complete idiots...and if you live in Oklahoma, you elect them to state congress.

The Reluctant Tulsan's political views are rather quite inconsequential. This is not a space to rant about Republicans and Democrats. Although we fully support and condone healthy conversation and debate, this isn't our soapbox on that issue in particular. We do care strongly about social, economic, and political issues (especially when they will or should have impact on us as Oklahomans), which we will touch on (see below)--but we encourage everyone to find their own passions.

Engage the system and participate in being a citizen, don't waste it.


ProCon.org
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Get My Vote!

Change Something

Here lately, I’ve found myself thinking about "change". And I don’t mean the word being tossed around by presidential hopefuls, but something bigger.

Every day we’re greeted by "change". Some for the better and some for the worse.

As a society, "change" has become something we have not only grown accustomed to, but it’s something we’ve really taken for granted.

Clothing, buildings, climate, enemies, friends, the way we watch movies and listen to music, our language, our beliefs, society, rules, tastes, climate, etc... All these things are changing while we sleep and as we live our days, and so much is changing we don’t even notice it.

When JFK took office, we had half the people on this planet as we do today, and that was less than 50 years ago. If that’s not crazy enough, briefly think about the technological age we’re in. Had you told me 10 years ago, I could get a phone with a camera, an mp3 player, the Internet, a touch screen and everything else an iPhone offers, I probably would have thought it was science fiction.

Tonight, I listened to a journalist/writer discuss how advertising as we have come to know it is dying a bloody death as fast as the newspaper in print. This is changing the way we live our lives.

Following his lecture, I came home and watched The 11th Hour, which is basically An Inconvenient Truth Lite. It not only has opinions from more than 50 experts on what is happening to our planet, but it also offers suggestions how we can reduce some of the problems we’re creating.

I don’t want to turn this into a tree-hugging lecture, but it is mind blowing to me that there are politicans who speak out against global warming. Some of these same politicans are currently discussing whether we should send our athletes to China where the smog is so thick marathon runners are already saying they won’t compete.

(By the way, there is video evidence of entire ice shelves breaking away and melting. This didn’t used to happen, Jim.)

What I like most about The 11th Hour is it makes a point to prove that nature will outlast us. We may be dumping millions of toxins into our water daily and creating desert like atmospheres in South America, but nature will ultimately win.

What I want to do is issue all of us a challenge. We all need to slow down. I recently realized this and quit wearing a watch.

We only have this life one life to live on this planet in this body. Enjoy it!

While that may be a challenge, the other I want to offer is that we all change one thing in our life.

It can be something small or something major. Just change something.

Be more friendly to strangers. Slow down when driving. Recycle. Smile more. Save more money. Question your beliefs. Eat better. Drink less. Go for a walk. Tell someone you love something nice. Start practicing what you preach. Say "no" to something.

Change something.

If we all change one thing in our lives, we will change the world we live in.

Sincerely,
Lando

Weather Madness

Why the fuck can't I ever watch a sporting event without some douche bag weatherman fucking my shit up? Every time some significant sporting event happens that I want to watch, be it the NCAA basketball championship, the NBA finals, a BCS bowl game, the World Series or the Super bowl; a thunderstorm will roll into town and I have people like Travis Meyer interrupting every couple of minutes just to tell me, "Yes, it's still raining...yes there is a storm...no, there probably won't be a tornado..."

Then what the hell are doing popping into my television? It's a goddamn thunderstorm! It storms here...ALL THE TIME! If we aren't in immediate danger, then go the hell away. Oh, and another thing--quit shrinking the picture to run your stupid weather crawl. There is no reason for a "severe weather alert" for a stupid, measly thunderstorm. Floods? Ice? Blizzard? Hurricane? Zombies? Alien invasion? Please, interrupt me. If not, shove your 4-D radar up your ass.

TheReluctantTulsan.

Lando's Premiere

We at the Reluctant Tulsan would like to welcome a new contributor to the site:

Hey there.

About a month ago, I was approached by the Reluctant Tulsan to join him in the enlightenment of all things Tulsa and beyond. It took less than two drinks from my Jack and Coke to agree to join forces in the process of sharing the good word.

As a bit of background, I’ve known Mr. Tulsan for some time. We go back to a different city in a different time when the only thing that mattered was what you were drinking at the moment and where you were going after last call.

I have a background in writing, specifically journalism, so naturally the invitation was probably easy for him to ask me to join in web logging – also known as the current method of leaving our mark in the history that is the Internet.

OK, enough of the rhetoric.

I love to write, but for the past month I’ve been torn on what to write. It’s actually been a bit gut wrenching. I’ve been known to blog on my Myspace page, and I have a small following, but this is a different deal. I actually feel the pressure not to disappoint.

So I want to know what it is you want to read about. I could blab on about sports or what movies I think you should invest your time in. I can go on and on about the state of our politics. I could spend my time critiquing the music I believe you should be listening to and the stuff you should be avoiding.

Basically, I’m giving you the chance to dictate what it is I write about. I’m up for any format. I’m open to you to sending random questions with me giving my unique responses. I’d also be willing to take a topic and expand on it from my point of view.

The Reluctant Tulsan is writing great things, but I’m ready to branch out and take this into a different direction.

So feel free to click the comment button below and leave your suggestions. I’ll give it some time, but if this fails to work, be prepared for my random ramblings on the current state of anything I feel like writing about.

Either way, it’s going to be a good time, and I look forward to it.

Sincerely,

Lando

Returned From Hiatus...Why You Don't Give Rides to Strangers...

I've been on a 14 day hiatus or so and have finally returned with updates.

Last week, as I was leaving my apartment I see a rather large, bald-headed man running down the street. "No big deal," I thought. People jog around here all the time, I think. So he stops near me as I get in my car and he waves at me, I notice he isn't wearing shoes...I drive forward a little, his arms drop in frustration. So, I stop.
"What's up?"
"Dude, can you give me a ride? I'm only going two blocks, just take me down to 17th."

I did mention this man was huge, right? And kind of rather scary looking. Ok, so he gets in the car and he is shit-faced. My god, was the man drunk. This was evident because he told me to take him down to 17th...which was the street we were currently on, the same street he was previously running down; and he smelled quite strongly of alcohol. And, as previously stated, he wasn't wearing any shoes.

As we're driving he keeps saying, "It's a bad deal, man."
I ignore him. I do not want this drunken, redneck Hercules of a man telling me anything. He repeats, "It's a bad deal, man." I remain steadfast in my ignorance.

He then says, "I normally don't drink, but I just found out, about twenty minutes ago, that someone, this guy, has been molesting my daughter."
"Oh my god," I say.
"That's awful."
He agrees, because he then says, "So, I'm on my way to kill him."

The sincerity in his voice gave me chills. He then turns his head towards me and says, "but you didn't hear that, and you never met me, but you'll read about it. Here, you can let me out here. Thanks for the ride."

So, after a debate with myself, I decided to call the police. I have yet to hear from them, or any local news outlet, of the result. I am somewhat frightened of this man, having seen where I live and actually, physically being inside my car, barging over one night and expressing (violently) his disappointment with me alerting the authorities. But knowing the Tulsa Police Department, they probably drove through the apartments' parking lot where I dropped him off, decided there wasn't anything of interest, and then went and arrested some black kids.

Is this a great town or what?

Bombs Over Tulsa

For those of you who haven't heard, a practice bomb was dropped on a Tulsa apartment complex near 51st and Wheeling Thursday afternoon. My only comment, "What the fuck? Seriously?"
Word is though, that the douche didn't even realize it was gone until he went to drop it for real. I just can't even believe the US military (even the national guard) could do something so stupid. No one was injured.


Channel 2's News Report on the story.

Wilco Tonight!

Wilco tonight at Cain's Ballroom. See you there. Review of the show coming shortly.