Vacation, part 6

The four pictures above were taken inside the Blue Belle Bar, which is a block to the west of the Pollard.  For two years the actor Tom Mix worked as a bartender here.  Notice the stained glass above the doorway in the second picture.  Another impressive metal ceiing is shown in the third picture.  The waitresses were dressed in period costumes, as you can see in the fourth picture.

Vacation, part 5

The picture at the top shows the metal ceiling in the breakfast room at the Pollard Inn.  This kind of ceiling is found in other buildings dating back to the first decade of the twentieth century.  The next photo was taken in out room at the Pollard Inn.  The ceiling was very high.  Notice the distance from the ceiling fan up to the ceiling.  I would guess the ceilings were 16 to 20 feet above the floor.  The next photo shows our car parked in front of the Pollard Inn.  The Pollard Theater is where the green awning is.  Above the awning are the rooms of the Pollard Inn.  The three windows with the curtains open is where we stayed.  The breakfast room is to the left (on the corner).  The last photo in this series was taken inside a store that sold a hodge-podge of things, including deer heads.

Mainstream Baptist: Robin Meyers on the Attempt to Repeal Affirmative Action in Oklahoma

Mainstream Baptist: Robin Meyers on the Attempt to Repeal Affirmative Action in Oklahoma

Vacation, part 4

The top picture was taken from our room at The Pollard Inn looking down on our car.  The next picture shows the view looking southwest out a window.  We were on the second floor of the inn.  The third picture shows the flowers which were in our room.  Not shown is the box of chocolate candy and the bottle of apple cider.  The last picture shows the grand piano in the breakfast room.  It actually works and was in tune.  I sat at the keyboard and played for a bit.  This building was at one time a bank.  Notice the vault behind the piano.

Vacation, part 3

The two pictures above show something called Gravitram 2.  This is one exhibit that I remember from previous visits to the museum.  Two separate devices lift steel balls the size of a large marble to the top and release them.  The balls then travel to the bottom my means of gravity.  Along the way they pass through switches and gates which affect their speed and direction of travel.  It is facinating to watch the balls as they travel to the bottom.  Sometimes the balls go so fast you can barely see them.  Other times a ball may get delayed by having to wait on another ball before proceeding.

While in OKC we stayed at the Best Western on Santa Fe in north OKC.  The hotel has a restaurant inside where we enjoyed a catfish dinner that evening.  Also staying at the hotel was a black vocal group.  We caught just a bit of the group singing gospel music as they were about to go out to a concert.

The next morning we packed up and headed toward Guthrie.  Along the way I saw a music store.  I had to go inside and see what they had.  They had a good selection of sheet music.  I bought four books of music.  The store is comparble to Saied's in Tulsa. 

When we arrived in Guthrie, we noticed the Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival was about to start.  We bought tickets for that day and went inside the grounds.  In the picture above, you see a group of five musicians.  It seemed as if it was about to rain, but it never did that day.

Vacation, part 2

Here are four more pictures I took during my recent trip to the Science Museum in Oklahoma City.  The top picture shows a play area for children.  This must be a tree house to top all tree houses.

There is an area in the museum dedicated to space exploration.  The next picture shows a space capsule painted orange and white.  As to the words "F 6 Adios MF,"  I don't have a clue about that.

Next picture shows a rocket engine which is used to lift rockets into space.  To get some idea of its size, look are the artwork hanging on the wall at the center left.

The last picture shows the planets Saturn and Jupiter as models.

Vacation, part 1

 We got up last Wednesday morning, went to Braum's for a sausage and egg biscuit, and then got on the turnpike for Oklahoma City.  We drove directly to the Science Museum, formerly called the Omniplex.  We had visited the Omniplex several years ago.  It was completely transformed from the way it used to be.  Many of the exhibits have changed from the past.
The picture above was taken from the cafeteria inside the building looking out a window at a garden.  If you look carefully, you can see the reflection of my fingers and the camera.  The picture below, taken from the same spot, shows the back wall of the museum and a greenhouse.

 The picture above is of a railway coach.  How did they get that in the building, I wonder?  The picture below is of the rogue's gallery.  Shown are four notorious outlaws:  Pretty Boy Floyd from Sallisaw, Machine Gun Kelly from Tulsa, and Bonnie Parker and Cylde Barrow, better known as Bonnie and Clyde, who while not from Oklahoma, terrorized many Oklahomans, especially citizens of Commerce, Miami, and Joplin, Mo.  They were stopped by a hail of bullets in northern Louisiana in 1934.  They are buried in Dallas, Texas. 

I think it was last year that we went by the grave site of Ma Barker and her sons who are buried not far from Vinita, just to the east of a small community called Welsh.  Only one of the graves has a stone; the others have only paper tags.

 

There is a lot to see in the Science Museum in Oklahoma City.  We saw the planetarium show, a physics demonstration, and an IMAX film title "Tornado Alley."  The film was quite impressive shown on the big screen.  You get the feeling you are close to a tornado.

More to come later.

Frank Schaeffer quoted

The whole unwashed mob that is now the "Republican Party" -- a theocracy movement dedicated to imperial world domination, greed and gated communities, all in the name of a half-baked "Jesus" serving "his" masters on Wall Street who hate the rubes who vote for their bought and paid for "family values" candidates -- is struggling in the grip of their collective God-delusion. Or they are pretending to share that delusion even if they believe in none of it so they can stay in good with the mostly evangelical fact-deprived "Tea Party" crowd.
They don't want gay people to marry in case God doesn't like it. They don't want peace in the Middle East in case it screws up God's timetable for his "return." They don't want to believe our President is a "Real American" because he's black and he's the "wrong sort" of Christian. They won't believe that global warming is real because the two groups they hate and fear most -- scientists and the US government -- say it is. They believe in a vengeful retributive nasty god who will send everyone not like them to hell.

Back from vacation

We were away on vacation last week.  I took a lot of pictures and will post some as soon as I can get around to it. 

We went to Oklahoma City and then on to Guthrie.  I will go into some detail next time I post.

Oklahoma Knowledge: Science and Nature

Here is the sixth and final quiz over Oklahoma Knowledge.  I have taken the questions from the book Oklahoma Trivia by Ernie Couch.

1.  Situated near Tulsa, what was the first sizeable oil deposit discovered and developed in the state?

2.  In 1929, what oil company acquired the Marland Refining Company in Ponca City?

3.  In the south central part of the state, what mountain group covers an area approximately 20 by 60 miles?

4.  What Oklahoma town is known as "The Pipeline Crossroads fo the World"?

5.  Where was astronaut Gordon Cooper born?

6.  What lake serves as a water supply for Norman, Midwest City, and Del City?



(Scroll down for answers)

















1.  Glenn Pool Field

2.  Continential Oil Company (Conoco)

3.  Arbuckle Mountains

4.  Cushing

5.  Shawnee

6.  Thunderbird

Oklahoma Knowledge: Sports & Leisure

1.  What gaming center in Tecumseh offers-state-of-the-art bingo, simulcast horseracing, a Las Vegas roon, and even bowling?

2.  What is the name of the "biggest pep rally in Oklahoma" held each September at Oklahoma State University?

3.  What is the name of Tulsa's AA baseball team?

4.  What is the name of Tulsa's minor league hockey team?

5. In the 1912 Olympic Games, what Oklahoman became the first to win both the decathlon and the pentathlon?

6.  What Oklahoma City para-mutual facility offers almost year-round racing?


(Scroll down for answers)





















1.  Fire Lake Entertainment Center

2.  Orange Peel

3. Drillers

4. Oilers

5. Jim Thorpe

6. Remington Park

Video find

http://onetermmore.com/video_subtitles.html

Oklahoma Knowledge: Arts & Literature

1.  Where did anti-booze crusader Carrie Nation publish her prohibitionist newspaper, The Hatchet, in 1905?

2.  What Oklahoman composed the classic folk song "This Land Is Your Land"?

3.  Shawnee's first newspaper, the Shawnee Chief, was renamed and moved to what adjoining town?

4.  What nationally famous pottery works was founded in Sapulpa in 1933?

5.  Where is the State Capital Publishing Museum, which features vintage printing equipment and newspaper memorabilia?

6.  What Tulsa facility is home to the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of American western art?




Scroll down for answers.






1.  Guthrie

2.  Woody Guthrie

3.  Tecumseh

4.  Frankoma Pottery

5.  Guthrie

6.  Gilcrease Museum

Oklahoma Knowledge: History

1.  Where did William Wrigley manufacture his first package of chewing gum?

2.  In the 1920s, what Oklahoma town had more milliionaires per capita than New York City?

3.  What WWII submarine is on display in Muskogee?

4.  Consisting of 400 city blocks and some 2, 169 structures, where is the largest urban historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places?

5.  What notorious Apache chief was sent to Fort Sill in 1894, where he remained under military supervision until his death in 1909?

6.  Following statehood in 1907, what did the first law passed by the Legislature establish?


Scroll down for answers.








1.  Guthrie (113 North Division Street)

2.  Okmulgee

3.  USS Batfish

4.  Guthrie

5.  Geronimo

6.  Segregated public transportation

Oklahoma Knowledge: Entertainment

1.  What nickname did Will Rogers receive early in his career, while working in wild west shows?

2.  Prior to pursuing an acting career, Tom Mix served as deputy town marshall in what community in 1912?

3.  What 1970 song with an Oklahoma theme was a country hit for Merle Haggard?

4.  In 1958 what western-styled theme park opened on the northeastern side of Oklahoma City?

5.  What is the hometown of country superstar Garth Brooks?

6.  Okeema is the birthplace of what activist folk singer of the Dust Bowl era?


Scroll down for answers.











1.  The Cherokee Kid

2.  Dewey

3.  "Okie From Muskogee"

4.  Frontier City

5.  Yukon

6.  Woody Guthrie

Oklahoma Knowledge: Geography

Check your knowledge of Oklahoma Geography by taking this six-question quiz:

1.  Where was the Creek (Muscogee Nation) Council House constructed in 1878?

2.  In Pontotoc County, what town is named for the daughter of the area's pioneer mail carrier and settler?

3.  Where is the Chisholm Trail Museum?

4.  What town served as the capital of the Territory of Oklahoma?

5.  The 1933 Creek settlement of Adams Springs was the precursor of what present-day town?

6.  Where is the largest Scottish rite temple in the world?






(Answers below)





1. Okmulgee

2.  Ada

3.  Kingfisher

4.  Guthrie

5.  Sand Springs

6.  Guthrie

Tomorrow's quiz will be on Oklahoma entertainment.

Lyrics

Lyrics from an old song:

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away

Not a great week for us

Monday went fine.  Gail came over for our weekly duet practice.  We went over the piece we plan to play at the next humanist Sunday service on October 7.  The piece is titled "Festival Suite."  It was written by Robert D. Vandall.

I was sick this week, but am getting better now. 

Later that evening, we noticed the freezer was not keeping the food in it frozen.  It turns out there was a build-up of ice at the bottom preventing the door from closing properly.  We defrosted the sucker, and it seems to be working well now.

John Olson on healthcare (video)

Catch this response from Jim Bridenstine on the Affordable Care Act.  He is being questioned by John Olson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D0eEegRzso

Progressive Book Club first meeting date set

The Progressive Book Club will hold its first meeting on Thursday, Sept. 20, at 7 pm. at Church of the Restoration, 1314 N. Greenwood Ave.  We will discuss the first two chapters.

Saturday activities

About 30 supporters of John Olson met this morning at the Democrat Headquarters of Tulsa County on the 10th floor of the Sun Building in downtown Tulsa.  We started at 9:00 am and finished around 2:00 pm, breaking for lunch which was catered in for us.  This was a day of training for precinct chairs.  I am the chair of precinct 855. 

John Olson is a veteran of Afghanistan who is opposed by Jim Bridenstine.  Bridenstine is supported by the Tea Party.  Bridenstine has called for the elimination of the capital gains tax and the estate tax.  Both actions would benefit primarily the extremely wealthy.  He would replace the loss of revenue by imposing a 30% national sales tax.  Such a draconian tax would likely cause the economy to come to a grinding halt.

I have been reading a fantastic book written by Thomas J. Mooney titled Live Forever or Die Trying.  As soon as I finish the book, I will have more to say about it.

The Progressive Book Club

Please reserve the date September 20, a Thursday, 7:00 pm for a new venture at Church of the Restoration: a Progressive Book Club.

The first book we will read and discuss is Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States.  Please read the first two chapters prior to our first meeting.  They are: (1) “Columbus, The Indians, and Human Progress,” and (2) “Drawing the Color Line.”  I will prepare some discussion questions prior to our first meeting and send them to you by e-mail.

We will need to talk about future meeting dates.  It may be that the third Thursday is not the best time to meet.  We are open changing our meeting date and time so as not to conflict with other obligations you may have.

I am sending this e-mail to my list of progressive friends, but after the first meeting, I will set up a list for the Progressive Book Club.  If you cannot attend the first meeting but would like to be included on the list, please send me your e-mail address.  Vanessa says that www.zinnedproject.org may be a useful site for our discussions.

The first meeting will be held at Church of the Restoration, 1314 N. Greenwood Ave., at 7:00 pm on Thursday, September 20.

In the news

Last week was something of a busy week for me.  I was still in bed when the phone rang last Tuesday.  I let the call go to voice mail.  It was Erin Christy from Channel 2 wanting to do a television interview.  I went walking at the fitness center.  While I was there I got calls from KWGS and KRMG radio stations, both of which interviewed me over the phone.  I got another call from KTUL (Channel 8) asking for an interview.  I agreed to let them come to my house at 11:00 am.  I walked only for 30 minutes then left for the house.

I took a shower and put on clean clothes.  Soon the cameraman and Latoya Silmon showed up.  We talked about my plan to give the invocation at the Thursday Tulsa City Council meeting.  I suppose they read the article in the Tulsa World which had a headline something like “Atheist to give prayer at city council meeting.”  Seeing the piano in the living room, the crew asked me to play.  I played piano for them.  The interview (including me playing piano) was shown on the local news at 5 pm and at 6 pm and again at 10 pm.  At the end of the interview, the reporter said there would be extra security at Thursday’s City Council meeting.  Not wanting to put my life in danger, I decided to let future calls go to voicemail.  In all, I did two radio interviews and one TV interview.

I thought there might be people at the City Council meeting to protest, but nothing happened.  The invocation went off without a hitch.  Two of my friends were there to observe the proceedings.

In reporting the story, a Christian online newspaper mistakenly reported that I was a former Baptist preacher, and that the Humanist Association of Tulsa is a chapter of the ACLU, instead of a chapter of the American Humanist Association.

Walking report

I have now reached 314 miles walking so far this year. When it gets cooler, I plan to walk the Keystone YRE a few more times before we get to the end of the year. The last of the hot days are probably behind us now.

Quoted

Conservatism may be our default ideology. When detached from deep thinking, we tend to support the status quo. --from "Why You're Voting That Way," Pacific Standard, September/October 2012

Dan at piano

Quoted

We are seeing the conscious and deliberate creation by the corporate state of a permanent, insecure and terrified underclass within the wider society. They have had a lot of practice in refining these techniques in the sacrifice zones, such as West Virginia, we wrote about. The corporate state sees this permanent and desperate underclass as the most effective weapon to thwart rebellion and resistance as our economy is reconfigured to wipe out the middleclass and leave most of us at subsistence level. Huge pools of unemployed and underemployed effectively blunt labor organizing, since any job, no matter how menial, is zealously coveted. The beating down of workers, exacerbated by the refusal to extend unemployment benefits for hundreds of millions of Americans and the breaking of public sector unions, the last redoubt of union power, has transformed those in the working class from full members of society, able to participate in its debates, the economy and governance, into terrified people in fragmented pools preoccupied with the struggle of private existence. --Chris Hedges

Torrential downpour

We have gone some two months with very little rain.  Wildfires destroyed some 1,600 structures in the state this summer.  Coming out of church this afternoon, it was raining so hard visibility was severely limited.  At times, I had to drive slowly.  We have been in a drought and probably still are since the rain lasted only a short period of time.

I had a full day today what with R. E. at 10, then the service at 11, lunch at church at 12:30, then the HAT meeting at 1.  At the HAT meeting I proposed we start a Progressive Book Club with Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States as the first selection.  Several members showed support for the idea.  When Vanessa returns from Europe, I will set up a time for the initial meeting.

Last Friday, J and I went to AMC20 theaters in Tulsa and saw a movie featuring Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones.  Hope Springs is the title.  Seeing the movie came up rather quickly.  We had not talked about it.  J just said we are going.  So we went.

After the movie we went to Red Lobster where I had the endless shrimp.  I did not go overboard with eating.  I have lost 15 pounds over the summer, and I don't want to gain it back.

Live Forever or Die Trying

Live Forever or Die Trying was published last year.  The author is Thomas J. Mooney.  I would like to quote two paragraphs from this book.

Like it or not, major Life Extension is going to occur.  The pace may be incremental, but it is inevitable.  Some will embrace living much longer, others will demonize it.  Profound religious and philosophical beliefs will be challenged; many will try to prevent it, but the dream of indefinite life extension will become a reality.

Some will be shocked, appalled, saddened, or outraged, but progress is occurring, as many brilliant scientists worldwide are increasingly undertaking life extension experiments, working tirelessly to unravel the human genome and life's many hidden secrets hidden within.  We are on the path to a longer, healthier life for those who choose it.

Recent pictures

This is a bookcase which I put together at the headquarters of John Olson, Democratic candidate for the First Congressional seat in Oklahoma.

These colorful eggs were produced on the Jim Lovelace farm in Missouri.  These eggs are not dyed.  This is their natural color.

This is the fellowship hall of the Sand Springs United Methodist Church.  People brought used colthing here in response to several families being burnt out during the wildfires which struck the area between Mannford and Luther.  I worked one afternoon sorting clothes here. 

Several bottles of water were donated to the residents whose homes were destroyed by wildfire.

The Jesus Budget

http://www.markfiore.com/political-cartoons/watch-jesus-budget-paul-ryan-gop-congress-budget-deficit-animated-video-mark-fiore-political+animation

Quoted

Lately, like at a recent lunch with Steve Schwarzman, who has likened Obama to Hitler, Greene’s been trying another tactic. Now I appeal to them selfishly, he says. Don’t you realize that if you don’t take care of this kid when they are 10 years old, you’ll take care of them when they are 20 and 100 instead? We just have to pay a little more taxes. It’s not going to kill us. You buy car insurance. Why not buy some democracy insurance?’ People think that Obama is this leftist, socialist guy, he says. But I don’t think they understand what people can go for when they are at the end of their line.

--Jessica Pressler, The Other Barbarians at the Gate

Waiting for a bowl of trickle-down stew?

http://mainstreambaptist.blogspot.com/2012/08/waiting-for-bowl-of-trickle-down-stew.html

Hot days

We have had some hot days recently.  Coming back from Tulsa this evening we were on the Creek Turnpike.  The turnpike was closed before the Highway 97 exit.  We had to get off early due to the closure.  Earlier today the turnpike was closed between OKC and Chandler.  These closures were due to smoke from wildfires.  There have been many wildfires and several homes have burned down.

We were in Tulsa where we took Luke and Ayla (and Jennifer) to Bounce U.  It is a fun activity for kids.  I sat outside (in the foyer) while the others went back to bounce.  I read my Kindle during this time.  Afterwards, we went to a nearby Panera Bread for food.

Catching up

I just noticed I have not posted anything in more than a week.  I have been reading the blogs of others but have neglected to post anything myself.  I appreciate seeing all the pictures posted by Galen.  He is a dedicated blogger.

Last week I was getting over a cold, so my activities were limited.  I missed duet practice and didn't do a whole lot during the week. 

This past Saturday was Food & Fellowship day.   Ten of us met at Chopsticks for a noon meal.  As you might imagine, Chopsticks is a Chinese restaurant.  After that was over, we went to Braum's where I bought two 3-pint containers of ice cream for the Ice Cream Social sponsored by HAT.  We hosted a meeting for Move On and talked politics after we had our fill of ice cream.

On Sunday, during the religious education portion of the morning, we discussed ethics.  About eight people were present for that.  Following that, Debra Garfinkle, a UU minister from All Souls, preached a sermon based upon some text in the Bible about Jesus.  I have forgotten now just which story it was.

Monday, Gail and I played duets at the piano for a couple hours.  We will be doing the special music this coming Sunday at Restoration. 

I am still awaiting the arrival (by mail) of a DVD titled "The Singularity is Near."  After I receive it and view it, I will post some comments on it.

I am nearing completion of an online course on building your vocabulary offered by the Tulsa Library.  I have begun another free online course offered by Coursera titled "Listening to World Music."

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

This video is a hoot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jwkpd2nAto&feature=share

Update

Well, it's not tomorrow.  It is now Saturday.  I have been working on an index all this week.  I missed piano practice with Gail last Monday since we did not get back until late Monday evening.  Come to think of it, she had something she had to do that day. Next Humanist Sunday we plan on playing "The Comedian's Galop" by Kabalevsky and "Boogie for Two."  A galop is a lively dance in duple meter, not to be confused with a "gallop," which is something you might do with a horse.

I just now signed up for an online course in World Music.  The course starts next Monday.  The course is free.  You, too, can sign up and take the course.  Go to the website "Coursera" and sign up.  Read about Coursera, and you may discover other courses you would like to take.  All coursera courses are FREE.  Check it out.

I am still taking the free course titled "Build Your Vocabulary" through the Tulsa Library.  I have just three lessons remaining.

Back home from St. Louis

We got back home tonight from St. Louis.  We flew out of Tulsa last Friday and went to St. Louis via Dallas (Love Field).  Coming back we had a direct flight from St.Louis to Tulsa.  It was a good trip, and I will say more about it tomorrow.

Baptist watching

The following is from the blog of Jacob Lupfer.  The blog is called "Saving OBU."  That's OBU as in Oklahoma Baptist University.  This is just a small portion of one post.
-------------------------------------

Anyway, I have not paid attention to SBC politics in many years, but this year's convention seemed pretty typical. It was mostly white, mostly old, and (like many denominations) mostly driven by clergy and denominational staff rather than laity.

The highlight was, of course, the historic election of Luter as the first black SBC president. The main event was the unending circle of SBC elites patting themselves on the back for finally finding a black person who will go along with their social/political agenda atoning for all the racist sins in the SBC's past. One prominent sideshow was the kerfuffle over whether or not LifeWay stores should sell a inspirational movie about race (The Blind Side). (With Luter's support, LifeWay discontinued selling the movie.)

There was also a debate over the efficacy of the sinner's prayer, whether it is an advisable evangelism tactic, and whether it is followed with sufficient discipleship. I don't want to open that can of worms here, though many Baptist blogs covered the debate.

Boards, agencies, and institutions gave their typical reports. Nothing seemed especially newsworthy (though please correct me if I'm wrong). The demographers reported continued membership decline (the SBC is below 16 million members for the first time in over a decade). White church decline continues and nonwhite congregations appear to be something of a growth industry in the SBC. I don't know how many legitimately mixed race congregations there are, but a few Latinos and a black person in the choir do not make your lily white church "mixed-race." There is definitely a trend toward acknowledging the importance of "ethnic ministry," though when white people refer to everyone else as "ethnic," you wonder how much progress will ever be made.

Hot days

We have been through some hot days recently.  Last Wednesday, the Fourth of July, J and I went to the west bank of the Arkansas River where people were assembling to watch the big fireworks display held each year on the 23rd Street bridge.  The bridge is closed off around 11 am on the 4th.  Workers set up the fireworks. 

We were there around 5 pm.  I did not see anyone I recognized.  I attempted to call another supporter, but I accidentally dialed Galen, who lives in California.  But he might have been in Shawnee, OK visiting relatives.  Anyway, when I saw his name on the display, I hung up. 

Already there were many people there who came early to claim a spot from which to watch the fireworks.  Our reason for being there was to pass out literature for John Olson, who is running for Congress.  We gathered up a handful of flyers and walked among the crowds passing out the materials.  It was around a hundred degrees, and after an hour of distributing literature, we decided to call it a day.  We returned home to our air conditioned house, not staying to watch the fireworks.

Recent events

This week we took a trip to Springfield.  We left on Thursday and returned home on Friday.

Saturday morning, I drove to Bixby, a suburb of Tulsa on the south side.  I marched in the Green Corn Festival parade.  It is an annual event.  I was with the John Olson entry in the parade.  Olson is the Democratic candidate for Congress from the First District.  The parade route was fairly short -- less than two miles, I would estimate.  The parade started about 10:00 am and was over by 11:00 am.  His Republican opponent in the contest had an entry in the parade, but was not personally at the parade.

Saturday evening, we went to the Storey residence and had dinner with Glenn and Gail.  After the dinner we all got in my car and we drove to Fellowship Congressional Church to hear the Council Oak Men's Chorale.  If you have never experienced this vocal group, check out their YouTube videos.

Today was Humanist Sunday at Restoration.  Gail and I played "Original Rags" by Scott Joplin as the special music.  Steve Nunn gave the message.

Update

I did not get back to my blog as soon as I thought I would.  I was reminded tonight that I had not posted anything in a while.

Humanist Sunday will be coming up next Sunday.  Steve Nunn will be giving the talk.  I need to plan the remainder of the service.  I will try to do that tomorrow.

Tonight we watched a movie here at the house.  We saw "The Distinguished Gentleman" -- a comedy starring Eddie Murphy.

We have been going to the Case Community Center to do our walking this week.  Their track is elevated above the basketball court.

Today was another scorcher, with the temperature reaching above 100.  Hot weather will be around for a while, says the weatherman.

Events of the day

I am typing this blog on a laptop which we bought just this week.  It will take some getting used to.

At noon, I was at the Tulsa office of Rep. John Sullivan.  I expected a large crowd to be there as we (Tulsa Move On) presented petitions asking the Congressman to support efforts to overturn the Supreme Court ruling on the Citizens United case.  However, we had a poor showing.  Only three people were there: myself and two others.  There were only 303 signatures on the petition.  That was another negative, in my opinion.  If I were running the show (which I'm not), I would insist on having at least a thousand signatures and a representative group of at least six.  As it was, we had racial diversity (one black; two white), but we were all up in years.  I was probably the oldest of the three.  We also had gender diversity (one female; two males).  I felt we made a weak showing.  I did not know what to expect, but we can call it a learning experience.

We spoke with one of Sullivan's office workers.  Sullivan was in DC.  The worker seemed a bit concerned about the Republican primary, which will be held later this month.  We chatted for about 15 minutes and then left.

I next went to Saied's Music Company.  I looked through much of the piano duet music.  They had much that was new since I had last been in the store.  I bought three books of duets: "Jazz, Rags, & Blues for Two," "American Portraits," and "Dances for Two" by Catherine Rollin.  In all -- a dozen new pieces.

There's more to tell, but it's now time for bed.  I will continue tomorrow.

More pictures

Movie: The Singularity is Near (trailer)

I am glad this movie has been made.  If you saw Transcendent Man, you will want to see this movie also.

http://singularity.com/themovie/

Back from Bartlesville

We made a trip to Bartlesville Friday morning.  We got up early and was in Bartlesville by 10:00 am.  We took a tour of the Foster Mansion, also known as the La Quinta Mansion on the campus of Oklahoma Wesleyan University (formerly Bartlesville Wesleyan University).

The view above is of the entrance to the mansion, with the doors being behind the camera.  The ceilings are painted.  In this view you can see in the background the area where the luncheon was held.  The luncheon was called "A Symphony of Flavors" in keeping with the theme of OKMozart.  OWU is small, but they have a beautiful campus with Spanish style architecture.  Oilman H. V. Foster (1875-1939) built the La Quinta Mansion.  He was but 64 years old when he died of pneumonia in San Diego.  (Same age as I am presently.)  Were he living today, his condition could have been treated.  Despite his millions of dollars from oil revenues, science had not yet come up with penicillin.

That afternoon at the high school we heard a string quintet perform for about an hour.  After that we went to Dink's Barbeque.  That's a great place.  We spent that night in a motel.  Next morning, we heard Susan Herndon sing and play the guitar.  Then it was a jazz trio from Austin, TX.  The young woman at the piano could really improvise.  Next, we heard the Council Oak Men's Chorale (of Tulsa).  Among the songs they sang were "Stand by Me," "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother," and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?"  As an encore they sang "Dancing Queen."  The group is made up of about 20 men.  Later that evening we heard Virginia Campbell sing and play the piano.  She played Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," among many other pieces.

Around noon we had lunch at "2 Sisters," and for dinner that evening we had turkey sandwiches in the concert hall.  This morning we left early, stopping for breakfast at Eggbert's in Bartlesville.

We got back to Tulsa in time for the Sunday service at Church of the Restoration.  The theme for the service this morning was Father's Day.  There were about 15 people present.  At 1 pm, the Humanist meeting started.  Today our guest was John Olson.  John is a Democrat running for Congress in the First District.

When we got back to the house, my topsy-turvy planters were full of ripe cherry tomatoes.  I picked about 60 tomatoes. 

A visit with the optomitrist

Yesterday I had another practice session with Gail.  We are planning on playing "Original Rags" by Scott Joplin at the next Humanist Sunday service, which will be on July 1.

In the afternoon, I went to my optomitrist to have my vision checked.  I had noticed in the last few months that my distance vision was not as sharp as it used to be.  I have cataracts in both eyes.  It is not something that causes me any problem usually.  When Dr. Riggins told me about the cararacts back in 2010, I didn't know anything was out of the usual.  She sent me to Tulsa, but the clinic in Tulsa will not operate unless you complain.  Since I didn't complain, they didn't operate.

I learned yesterday that my vision has changed since I was in to see Dr. Riggins last November.  I got a new prescription for eyeglasses.  I went to Eye Mart that afternoon to get fitted for glasses.  I will pick up the glasses today.

This weekend

Friday evening we went to the Flag Day gathering sponsored by the Tulsa County Democratic Party.  The event was held at the Jazz Depot.  The Jazz Depot was formerly the Union Station in Tulsa.  It's right by the main line between Springfield and OKC.  There were two speakers at the event: Eric Proctor and Michael Wallis.  Proctor represents District 77 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and Wallis is a well-known writer and storyteller who has won several awards for his writing.

Hamburgers and hot dogs, along with potato salad and beans, were served at the event.  A few items were actioned off to raise money for the Party.  A female singer who played guitar entertained during the event.  We parked the car at OSU-Tulsa and walked from there.  We walked past the Oneok Field as a game was about to start and then on over to the Jazz Depot.

The next day, Saturday, I went to the headquarters of John Olson.  Olson is running for the first district Congressional seat presently held by John Sullivan.  We were given some instruction about registering people to vote, and from there were went in pairs to locations where people were gathered and asked them if they were registered to vote.  If not, we offered to sign them up to vote.  Keith McCartney was there.  Keith and I went to the Brady District where the Tulsa Tough Bicycle Race started.  We parked close to Mt. Zion Baptist Church.  From there Keith and I rode in Keith's car to the location of the race.  We noticed that it sounded as if something was dragging from Keith's car.  After we parked, we looked under the car and saw that something under the engine had come loose and was dragging on the pavement.  Keith gave me his clipboard and left shortly after we had arrived.  I spent about an hour talking to several people at the event.  Most said they were already registered to vote.  However, I was able to register five people who were not registered.  I haven't heard how the others with the campaign faired.  It was a hot day, and I was getting thirsty.  I walked back to my car and phoned the campaign manager.  She was in a restaurant on Cherry St.  I drove over and gave her the registration forms.

Today is Sunday.  I went to church this morning.  The topic of the talk this morning was "Juneteenth."  That is June 19th, 1865.  The date that slaves in Texas learned that they were now free.  The Emancipation Proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863.  But keep in mind there was no radio or television in those days.  Few slaves could read a newspaper.  Word did not get around quickly.  The last slaves were not freed until June 19, 1865.  The date became known as Juneteenth.

Chautauqua in Tulsa

The annual Chautauqua performances are this week in Tulsa.  The venue is once again under the big tent on the campus of OSU-Tulsa.  We have been to two of the five performances so far.  On opening night we saw an actor portray Jack Warner, the movie mogul.  We went again tonight (the third night) and watched an actor portray Bob Hope.

Attendance is down this year as compared to earlier Chautauquas.  There were many empty seats. 

One note of interest to nature lovers.  On Tuesday night as the performer was speaking, a fox trotted from right to left behind the speaker as he spoke.  Several people noticed the fox, and the speaker must have wondered what was going on.  Perhaps someone told him about the fox after the performance was over.

Minister makes major transition

Here is the story of a minister who was helped by The Clergy Project.  What is The Clergy Project?  You can read (or listen) about it here:

http://www.npr.org/2012/04/30/151681248/from-minister-to-atheist-a-story-of-losing-faith

Frog portrait

Here is a small frog.  He surfaced after I watered this topsy-turvy tomato plant.  The same thing happened last year.  What is it with topsy-turvy plants and frogs?  Let me hear from you if you have had a similar experience.

Inside a cafe in Leslie, AR

We had lunch at this small restaurant in Leslie, Arkansas, population less than 700.  At one time Leslie was much larger: around 10,000.  The railroad was key to the economic prosperity.  We stopped in Leslie to search for a cache.  The old depot is still in Leslie.

From the auditorium at OFC

 These photos were taken in the main auditorium at the Ozark Folk Center

Scenes from the Ozark Folk Center

 The Cobb brothers were the daytime musicians on the day we went through the village.  The daytime musicians change each day.  They perform several times during the day at the central location in the village.

This picture was taken at one of the evening performances in the large auditorium at the Ozarks Folk Center.  All of the instruments used have to be acoustic, and all the music has to have been written prior to January 1, 1941.  The mission of the OFC is to preserve the ways of the Ozarks culture from years gone by.

Scenes from the Ozark Folk Center

 In the left side of this picture you can see a portion of one of the many buildings housing a craftsperson.  In the center background is an old structure that reflects the housing of people from this area more than a century ago.

This woman is working inside the pottery shop

Knifemaker

This is a view inside the knifemaker's shop.

Broommaker

Here is the broommaker at the Ozark Folk Center.  In the background you can see his assistant.

Recent events

On Saturday I attended a Move Om meeting at the Agora Coffee House.  A regional coordinator was present, and she spoke about efforts to overturn the Citizens United decision which the Spreme Court handed down in 2010.  This decision opened the floodgates allowing unlimited corporate money to be spent in elections.  We decided to contact each national level politician from Oklahoma to find out where they stand on a Constitutional Amendment to, in essence, overturn this decision.

Later that evening, we had a showing of the film Koch Brothers Exposed at Church of the Restoration.  There were about 15 in attendance at this event.  We later talked about the problem of the corrupting influence of money in elections.

The next day, I spoke at Church of the Restoration.  Gail and I played the special music.  We played Dvorak's Slavic Dance No. 8.  My topic was "Robert Reich and the American Economy."  There were about 15 people present this Sunday.

Today Gail came over and we practiced piano duets.  We are leaning toward playing "Original Rags" by Scott Joplin at the next Humanist Sunday.

Humanist Sunday Speakers

June: Dan Nerren

July: Steve Nunn

August: Larry Roth

September: Will Poire

October: Larry Roth

November: Dan Nerren

December: Will Poire

We visit the Ozark Folk Center

Last Wednesday we packed up the car and drove over to Harrison, Arkansas.  We spent the evening there and also went out in search of a few geocaches.  We stayed in a motel with a nearby all you can eat Chinese buffet.  We had excellent weather for our drive over to Harrison.  The next day my parents and my cousin Vicki from Houston drove down to Harrison, having spent the previous day in Branson.

The next morning we got back on the road for the short jaunt over to Mountain View.  It is about an hour and a half away from Harrison, but due to the mountains, sometimes you can drive only 40 MPH.

In the fall of this year, both my parents will turn 90 years old.  Dad is still driving.

At the Ozark Folk Center we walked through the crafts area, observing craftspeople plying their trade.  In the evenings, we went to the music performances.  I enjoyed hearing the Ozark mountain music.  I was able to hear three performances while we were there.

The food on the grounds of the state park was good.  The Skillet Restaurant is a full service restaurant from wich you  can observe squirrels cavorting outside the windows.  From the breakfast buffet you can eat your fill of scrambled eggs, sausages, biscuits, fruit, etc.  For lunch, one day we drove up to JoJo's on the banks of the White River, a few miles to the north.  On Sunday, my parents drove back to Springfield, while J and I drove back to Sand Springs, after searching for more geocaches along the way.

I took some pictures which I may post later.

We have plans for a couple more vacation trips later this summer.

Weight loss

In the last couple of months I have been able to drop about 12 pounds.  What have I done?  One thing I have been doing is for lunch eating fruit, mainly bananas, apples, and grapes.  Some days I will substitute a weight loss shake for a meal.  I am still walking about four days a week.  My total for the year so far is just over 200 miles.  That is dedicated walking where I keep track of my miles.  I also bought a pedometer to see how many steps I take in a day's time.  Today my reading was 10,100 steps, or roughly five miles.

Pictures from Owasso

Owasso's Centennial Park is quite large for a city the size of Owasso.  The entire 5 K walk was layed out inside the park.  In the picture at the bottom you can see two disc golf receptacles.   

Music at the Mansion

On Thursday, J and I went to Music at the Mansion at the Tulsa Historical Society building (formerly a mansion) on Peoria Ave.  It is next to Woodward Park.  We heard three pianists play: Don Ryan, music professor at Oral Roberts University, his son Barron Ryan, and a third pianist just 20 years old, whose name I do not recall.  They played a variety of music including classical and ragtime.  That evening we returned to the mansion and heard a lecture about Chet Baker, a jazz musician from Yale, Oklahoma.

On Saturday, I did a volkswalk in Owasso.  The walk took place in Centennial Park (northeast Owasso).  I took a few pictures and will post one or two later.

Tuttle pictures 3

These pictures were taken at Pops in Arcadia.  Hundreds of bottles line the windows at this restaurant.  The picture below shows the bus we traveled in and the "bottle" in the background.

Tuttle pictures 2

The picture at the top is the side view of the restaurant where we ate.  Below that is a baby kangaroo wearing a diaper.

Tuttle pictures

The colorful drawing in the top picture is found on the outside of the restaurant in Tuttle.  The entire exterior wall is fulled with drawings such as this one.  The bottom picture is of a cockatoo at Tiger Safari.  This bird could mimic English phrases.

More on our trip

After lunch at the Mexican restaurant, we got back on the bus and drove a few miles to Tiger Safari, a privately owned and operated zoo about five miles southeast of Tuttle.  Being a private operation, it lacked the conveniences of a city or state operated zoo.  It was pretty bare-bones.  Walkways were dirt paths.  They had maybe 30 to 40 species of animals there.  It was pretty hit and miss -- lions, tigers, monkeys, and a cockatoo.  We saw some baby tigers born just a few days earlier.  There eyes were not yet open.

Once back on the bus, we headed toward Tulsa.  The bus took the Wellston exit and we went west to Arcadia.  Arcadia is the home of Pops, a store noted for its wide offering in soda beverages.  The giant stylized soda bottle in front has become an Oklahoma icon.  It is best viewed at night when it is illuminated with colored lights.  Google it and you can see what I mean.  I have been there on three occasions, but all three were in the day time.  During the day it appears white.  Also in Arcadia is the Red Round Barn, also on Route 66.  We drove past the barn but did not go inside.  I bought a tee shirt with a drawing of the barn on the back of the shirt.

A Day Trip to Tuttle

On Wednesday, we got up early in the morning and met with others behind the Eye Mart on Highway 97.  At 7:30 a.m. we departed Sand Springs for Tuttle, Oklahoma.  Tuttle is just a few miles southwest of OKC.  I had to wonder if the driver of the chartered bus was from Oklahoma since he got up on Highway 412 and drove east toward downtown Tulsa.  When he got to the interdispersal loop, he made his way south, eventually getting on the turnpike for OKC.  (Had he gone south on 97, he could have gotten on the turnpike at Sapulpa, saving time, fuel, and a portion of the turnpike fee.  I overheard one of the passengers tell him about the shortcut, which he took on the return trip.)

The trip was sponsored by the Sand Springs Senior Citizens Center.  I especially enjoyed this trip since I did not have to drive.  I brought my Kindle along with me and worked on puzzles while we rolled down the highway.  My favorite puzzle is called "Every Word: Crossings."  The object of this game is to take the letters (up to 7) which appear at the top of the screen and arrange them in such a way as to make words.  When you guess a word correctly, it appears in the grid portion of the screen.

We made our first stop at the McDonald's near Stroud.  We had breakfast there and was back on the bus by 9:00.  From there we headed toward OKC, swinging around the city on  I-44 which  takes you to Amarillo.  We exited on a road that leads to Tuttle.  Tuttle is about 30 miles southwest of OKC.  This was my first time to be in Tuttle.  Why take a trip to Tuttle?  Tuttle is the home of the Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Stores operation. 

I must say that Braum's milk tastes much better than other brands of milk.  Part of the reason must be because at Tuttle much of the water is extracted from the milk, making for a richer taste.  We went through the milk processing plant and the bakery.  The operation is largely automated.  While we were watching hamburger buns being packaged, there was a malfunction of some kind, which caused some buns to flip up into the air.  To get the operation running smoothly again, a worker had to trash about two dozen buns.

Braum's has some 10,000 cows.  Each has to be milked twice a day.  They also grow their own feed for the cows.  They sell their products in their own stores.  They make their own cones for the ice cream.  They control about every aspect of the operation.

Photography is not allowed in the plants which we visited, but I took pictures at the Mexican restaurant where we had lunch.  We ate lunch at Nachitos Mexican American Grill in Tuttle.  It has a colorful facade.  I will post some pictures later.  I will continue with the other two stops on the trip later.  They are the Tiger Safari, also in Tuttle, and the Pops restaurant in Arcadia.

The last few days

Last Sunday, I went to Church of the Restoration as is my custom.  In the R.E. hour, we continued our discussion of the immigration issue.  The talk at the 11:00 hour was on Mother's Day.  Following the service, I went to Nick's house where we had a birthday party for Luke.  He is now seven years old.  After the party, we went home for the evening.

The next day, Gail came over from 1:00 to 3:00 pm.  We worked on Dvorak's Slavonic Dance No. 8 for most of the time.  That will be the selection we will perform at the next Humanist Sunday service.

Poetry group

Tonight J and I went to Poetry Group at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Tulsa.  We read poetry by Conrad Aiken and John Crowe Ransom.  There were seven of us there.  Next month each of us will take a poet featured on some recent commemorative stamps.  I will be talking about and reading poetry by e. e. cummings.

Earlier in the week we went to the Van Trease Performing Arts Center on the southeast campus of Tulsa Community College.  We heard the TCC band and the TCC orchestra play several selections.  We met Gail there and we all sat together.

The day in review

Today was Humanist Sunday at Church of the Restoration.  Today's message was delivered by Larry Roth.  There were about 14 people in attendance.  Gail and I played the special music -- a piano duet by Johann Baptist Vanhal.  After Larry finished his talk, which was titled "The Humanism of Star Trek," I played the theme to "Star Trek" at the piano while the congregation sang the lyrics.

After the service was over, Joy asked me to play for her the following week.  She will be singing "Amazing Grace."  We all went to the fellowship room for a potluck dinner next.

I came back home and checked on my garden.  I have a few tomatoes forming on some of my plants.  So far I have in my garden tomatoes, cucumbers, and bush beans.

Noam Chomsky on the Occupy Movement

Actually, one piece of the media confusion has a basis because there really are two different strands in the occupy movement, both important, but different.

One is policy oriented: what policy goals [do we want.] Regulate the banks, get money out of elections; raise the minimum wage, environmental issues. They're all very important and the Occupy movement made a difference. It shifted not only the discourse but to some extent, action on these issues.

The other part is just creating communities — something extremely important in a country like this, which is very atomized. People don't talk to each other. You're alone with your television set or internet. But you can't have a functioning democracy without what sociologists call “secondary organizations,” places where people can get together, plan, talk and develop ideas. You don't do it alone. The Occupy movement did create spontaneously communities that taught people something: you can be in a supportive community of mutual aid and cooperation and develop your own health system and library and have open space for democratic discussion and participation. Communities like that are really important. And maybe that's what's causing the media confusion…because it's both.

Rev. Robin Meyers speaks

The following talk was posted on Mainstream Baptist blog.  I learned much about early Christian history by listening to this talk  It runs 44 minutes, but Meyers is such a good speaker that he will hold your attention.

http://mainstreambaptist.blogspot.com/2012/05/dr-robin-meyers-at-raindrop-turkish.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MainstreamBaptist+%28Mainstream+Baptist%29

A Piano Concert with Commentary

Today was the final Tulsa Town Hall presentation.  We saw and heard pianist John Edward Hasse, a music historian who works for the Smithsoniam Institution.  There were about 1,500 people there to see and hear him today.  We had good seats on the third row.  His lecture covered ragtime, blues and jazz.  Following the lecture, we had lunch in the PAC with many others who attended the concert.  Following the lunch, Hasse answered questions which had been submitted to him previously.