What A Week!

It's been a fun, exciting, and challenging week and I thought I would take a few moments to share some of the excitement with you!

First, Signal 8 Band (my band) is starting to really come together with the new members.  We are pumped up and looking forward to our maiden voyage at the Blowout Club in Guthrie, July 15.  We have an intense set list, great entertainment, and a group of guys who are chomping at the bit to perform for you.  If you can clear your schedule, you're invited to come out and watch us jam the night away with classic rock, contemporary country, and even some pop tunes by folks like the Gin Blossoms.  

Second, you have no doubt seen the Fox 25 report about the County Clerk's race wherein the incumbent Carolynn Caudill had former Governor Frank Keating on a mailer endorsing her.  The truth of the matter is that she did not, in fact, have Governor Keating's endorsement or anything like it.  She also listed endorsements from a couple folks who are actually deceased.  Of course, this isn't the first time that she's run into trouble; she was arrested for DUI and leaving the scene of an accident and had most recently tried to get the record expunged.  In my not-so-humble opinion, she has become the poster child for everything that is wrong with politics.  This is not an ad hominem attack, but rather stating the facts.  One can only hope that the taxpayers and voters of Oklahoma County realize that it's time for a change and will vote for someone with private sector and public sector experience who won't be an embarrassment to Oklahoma County.  Which is why I support Charlie Phillips whole heartedly.  She is the real deal and I don't toss that kind of a statement around.  There is more to the story about some of Caudill's shenanigans and will be reported on Monday on Fox 25.  Phil Cross is the only television reporter with the stones to report this stuff.

Third, floods on the east coast have cost people their lives and then, the news of the Duncan boy with autism came out that his body was recovered and that he is deceased.  It's tragic and horrifying and to hear of a young child losing his life is nothing short of heartbreaking.  Seeing his picture on the news brought forth images of grieving parents, friends, and supporters and it makes one wonder just what in the heck is happening to us as a nation and as human beings.  We can only hope that the boy is now with the Father and that his parents will somehow find a way scratch and claw their way back.

Fourth, I don't know if you know about this cool little place by downtown where there is music on the weekends, food trucks and a light atmosphere.  We saw a friend perform some folk music there and it was absolutely amazing.  It's located just north/behind the OKC Farmer's Market and it is most assuredly a family-friendly environment; some people even brought their dogs.  Highly recommend it to you and the family.   These types of places are popping up all over Central Oklahoma and in my estimation, it is a good thing for the City.  There is an added element of culture that one comes to expect from much larger metropolitan areas.

Lastly, do yourself a favor and shake the hand of a veteran and tell him or her thank you.  We have so much hero worship in this country and have a disgusting propensity to forget the ones who lay down their lives for our freedoms.  There are a lot of idiots in politics, but it's because of our veterans that we can even have idiots in politics.

These are just my opinions and I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt it.

Ron "Gorilla" Black

Carolyn Caudill Makes DUI Laws Look Silly

In Oklahoma, if you get a DUI, you're pretty much screwed for a while.  You're going to pay a hefty fine, you're going to probably spend the night in jail, you're going to fight to keep your license (which is unlikely), and it will be on your criminal record for a very, very long time.

This is, of course, unless you are an elected County official who works in a building just across the alley from where the judge who handles your case will be hanging out.

According to a shocking story on NewsOk.com, Carolyn Caudill's attorney W. Shawn Jefferson (wonder what the "W" stands for and from his Facebook page, you can see something about the running of the bulls) filed a motion to have Caudill's records of her DUI arrest sealed, expunged, cast into the sea of forgetfulness just in time for her to run again for Oklahoma County Clerk.  This election would giver her a sixth term.  A sixth term.  That's right, a sixth term in  office.  Take a look at this little morsel from NewsOk.com and see if it doesn't

make your blood boil:

In a petition to the Oklahoma County District Court "for expungement and sealing of records," attorney W. Shawn Jefferson states she is eligible under state law to ask that the case records be removed from public view and sealed.

Jefferson wrote that the harm to Caudill's "privacy and/or the dangers of unwarranted adverse consequences … outweigh the public interest in retaining the records."

Jefferson is asking that the Oklahoma City Municipal Court and departments including the Oklahoma City police be directed to seal records related to the incident.

In the petition, he also requests an order "mandating that the subject official actions shall be deemed never to have occurred."

You need to check out her lawyer here and here. 

No, it isn't a clipping from a Lost Ogle satire, but it is real and what the attorney is asking.  Caudill could be in danger?  Danger?  The only danger would be her getting busted again and being beaten in the primary by Charlie Phillips.

Adverse consequences?  Wait...should would have to pay like every other citizen?  Heaven forbid.  The real adverse issue I am sure that she's worried about is having her rear-end handed to her in the primary by Charlie Phillips.

The people are once again being boondoggled, bamboozled, blinded, and fooled with the ultimate in trickery bred from the loins of long-term, career politicians.  Caudill should be ashamed of herself and just retire with some sense of dignity left.  If you haven't decided whom you will vote for in this GOP primary, I suggest you vote for a real Republican who understands (and can spell) transparency; Charlie Phillips.  

My support is behind Charlie Phillips and for good reasons; she is a small business owner, she has ten years of experience in the Clerk's office, and she has been nothing but candid with me.  It's refreshing to talk to someone running for office who isn't a narcissistic, egomaniac with the personality of a Barbie or Ken doll.  Charlie is the real deal for Oklahoma County Clerk.  

Of course, this is just my opinion and I could be wrong, but a intensely doubt it.

Gorilla

 

Anheuser-Busch Shenanigans

Casually watching the news last evening, I saw a story on News 9 about Senator Clark Jolley's bill to bring the state into the 21st Century by allowing real adult beverages in convenience stores and grocery stores.  Jolley had his argument down solidly and the naysayers had to resort to the fear of "the loss of jobs" as a result of a bill.  

First, when an advocacy group opposes a bill that makes sense and is more progressive in nature and they start rending their clothing and dress in sack cloth and ashes, you can pretty much rest assured that they are full of crap.

Second, Anheuser-Busch responded on the same network of the story with their opposition advertisement.  They, of course, found a less than flattering photograph of Sen. Jolley and proceeded to completely twist what Jolley had said on the news report just seconds previously.  What does that tell you?  The ad was not, by any stretch of the imagination, straightforward and it was designed to simply scare the people of Oklahoma that there could be "job losses."  With Devon and other energy companies laying off people, AB knows that the people are terrified of more of the same.

They are playing to the lowest common denominator:  Fear.

Sadly, much of the media is playing up to that fear.  Lawton station KSWO opens their headline with:

"A provision to a bill looking to change Oklahoma's beer laws could force Anheuser-Busch out of the state."

This is a desperate act of a television station that is begging AB for some of those advertising dollars.  Absolutely pathetic.  It makes one want to say, "Get off your knees, KSWO, you're embarrassing us."

The story goes on to quote AB executives but fails to even mention the author of the bill or the number of the bill.  This is corporate propaganda being slung out there by a bleeding media who is clamoring for every single advertising dollar they can muster.  Gone are the days of legitimate, objective news reporting and these shenanigans prove that the media is not to be trusted and that it's always best to do much of your own homework.

I did my homework and the aggregate result was that my bovine fecal material detector went nuts as soon as the AB commercial appeared on the television.   We're so far through the looking glass on this issue that Alice is shaking her head at us.  We expect politicians to spin their news, but local media has been the last stronghold of true journalism and now, they are mouthpieces for advertisers.  Talk radio is a dismal failure, the newspaper hard copy sales are deplorable, and apparently television news is now taking the lead in propaganda pushing.

It's bloody pathetic.  Jolley's resolution is a good one and will no doubt get some tweaking.  Watch and mark your calendars because the fear tactics of AB will once again be proven unwarranted.

Of course, it's just my opinion and I could be wrong; but I seriously doubt it.

Your Gorilla