66 Years

The last time Oklahoma State beat Texas in Austin was in 1944. Here's what was going on in the world:

Franklin D. Roosevelt was President.

America was in the middle of World War II in Europe and the Pacific.

My dad was four years old.

I was 29 years from being born.

George Lucas was born on this year.

A gallon of gas was 15 cents.

Sunscreen was invented.

Kind of amazing, no? I think the Pokes are going to drop another football monkey off their back tonight! Go State! It's a good time to live Orange...

Oklahoma Land Run Monument

One of the sites J. and I saw on his trip here in Oklahoma City this weekend was the Oklahoma Land Run Monument, located at the south end of the Bricktown Canal. It was an amazing work of public art and from what I've read it's still in development. Though the work has been in progress since the Centennial in 2007, I had never wandered down that far from Bricktown to check it out! If you live in Oklahoma or are visiting here, it's definitely worth a visit, directly south from the Bass Pro Shop in historic Bricktown.

"The Centennial Land Run Monument commemorates the opening of the Indian land in Oklahoma Territory. The frenzied energy and emotion from one instant during the 1889 run is captured in bronze. Through Paul Moore’s masterful hand, a still and silent sculpture comes to life. When complete in 2015, the sculpture-in-progress will be one of the world’s largest bronze sculptures featuring 45 heroic figures of land run participants, frozen in motion as they race to claim new homesteads."

Yes, I'm a horses ass!

The South Shall Rise Again

"Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell on Tuesday signed a proclamation that re-instituted April as Confederate History Month for the first time in the Cradle of the Confederacy since 2001."

The past should be remembered but is this an appropriate way to do so? I think it's just conservative right wing kooks appealing to the crazy fringe of their base. Opinions?

Link

The Census

"A census taker tried to quantify me once. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a big Amarone." Hannibal Lecter

Or if you prefer the movie quote:


I think I prefer the quote from the book. Someone argued on another web site that Lecter would never drink anything as pedestrian as a chianti.

So I finally filled out my census survey from the government this morning after being harassed by several pieces of mail reminding me to do so. Now I know why the operation costs so much! It was easy to complete, it took me about two minutes. If you haven't filled out your form do so, it's the law. Or don't. I was reading that many people are not filling out the surveys as a kind of revolt against the government, usually in conservative leaning states/districts. Keep it up morons. Lose money for your state/district or even worse lose representation in Congress via a shift in Representative seats, there's only 435 of them to go around to the entire country.

"An Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct." Article 1, Section 2, the Constitution.

The South Shall Rise Again!

I don't have a Sunday Funday story this week since I did pretty much nothing over the weekend but recuperate from being ill. I did venture out to "the great state fair of Oklahoma" on Sunday morning with the parents. We went early enough to avoid the crowds and the heat. Here are a few observations I have about the fair:

Going early to the fair is great. Enjoy the cooler weather, beat the crowds and easier parking; however, if you expect to get a beer before noon, you're shit out of luck. Apparently there's an old liquor law on the books which prevents the serving of alcohol before noon either anywhere or at state functions. I'm still confused about the reasons the nice girl gave me when I tried to buy a beer at one of the food stands. Beer in Oklahoma is 3.2% alcohol by weight and considered a food product, I saw food being served before noon! Also I know there are restaurants around town that serve beer and/or alcohol between 10 and noon.

After running around most of the morning we took a break and sat down to enjoy a cold adult beverage (after 12PM of course). While people watching I noticed a flag pole near the needle (or is it a space needle?). It was flying a Confederate flag!!! I wasn't aware that Oklahoma was an integral part of the Civil War. In fact I'm not so sure Oklahoma would be considered a Confederate territory. I did a little research this morning and found some information here and here. Regardless of the status of the Indian Territory during the Civil War, I don't think we need to fly the Confederate flag under any circumstances. It's a racist symbol, period. Anyone who says otherwise, usually promoting the theory it's a symbol of the states rights over the federal governments power, is a redneck chump. I tried to get a snap shot of the flag with the camera in my phone but it didn't turn out too well.

Not to be entirely negative, I did find the fair to be cleaner than I remember (it's been a couple of years since I attended). The paid parking was a lot easier to deal with rather than what is usually a massive mud pit in the free parking areas. The crowds were manageable and there were plenty of food options to please just about anyone, albeit not very healthy ones.

Happy Independence Day!

Today we honor our declaration of independence as a colony from Great Britin. Here are some interesting facts about one of our most important holidays:

The Second Continental Congress approved a resolution of independence on July 2, 1776.

The Declaration of Independence was approved on July 4, 1776, though most delegates actually signed the Declaration on August 2, 1776.

Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two founding fathers and the only two men who signed the Declaration of Independence to become president, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the United States' 50th anniversary.

President James Monroe died on July 4, 1831.

Source

While I was aware that three Presidents had died on Independence Day, I did not know the interesting facts and dates surrounding the resolution of independence and the signing of the Declaration. Dad brought the July 2nd date to my attention which I researched tonight. Interesting stuff. I hope everyone had a safe, fun and patriotic 4th of July!