May 29, 2013

Why Teaching the Tulsa Race Riot Is More Than Just Teaching History

http://www.good.is/posts/why-teaching-the-tulsa-race-riot-to-students-is-more-than-just-teaching-history?utm_medium=tdg&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=readon&utm_content=Race%20Riot%20Amnesia%3A%20Why%20the%20History%20You%27ve%20Never%20Heard%20of%20Matters%20Most


Learn in Education, Race and History
May 28, 2013 at 4:00 AM
Linda Christensen

None of my mostly African American 11th graders in Portland had ever heard of the so-called Tulsa Race Riot, even though it stands as one of the most violent episodes of dispossession in U.S. history.

The term "race riot" does not adequately describe the events of May 31-June 1, 1921 in Greenwood, a black neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In fact, the term itself implies that both blacks and whites might be equally to blame for the lawlessness and violence. The historical record documents a sustained and murderous assault on black lives and property. This assault on Greenwood was met by a brave but unsuccessful armed defense of their community by some black World War I veterans and others.

During the night and day of the riot, deputized whites killed more than 300 African Americans. They looted and burned to the ground 40 square blocks of 1,265 African American homes, including hospitals, schools, and churches, and destroyed 150 businesses. White deputies and members of the National Guard arrested and detained 6,000 black Tulsans, who were released only upon being vouched for by a white employer or other white citizen. Nine thousand African Americans were left homeless and lived in tents well into the winter of 1921.

snip.. (a very good read)

May 29, 2013

Crazy-eyes did not WIN the Iowa Straw Poll.. she BOUGHT it..

It's a meaningless thing anyway..just started to increase revenues for the community that hosts it.

It's irritating me to no end, how many who should know better are on tv all day long saying that she won it...

I remember watching & how some people she PAID to come there didn't even vote.. She paid them carted them there, fed them..and they didn't even vote for her..

May 29, 2013

Kansas Memory website.. (nice detour from daily hair-pulling politics)

I found this by accident & have been listening to readings from pioneer diaries.. Very interesting..

http://www.kansasmemory.org/categories

podcasts:

http://www.kshs.org/p/podcasts-of-the-kansas-historical-society/10092

May 27, 2013

In the trash can feature within My Account

I have hidden every version of "pitt bull" I can imagine, and those damned threads still show in GD..

Is the feature buggy/broken?

May 24, 2013

NOAA Predicts Extremely Active Hurricane Season

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/noaa-predicts-extremely-active-hurricane-season-2/


May 23, 2013, 9:27 pm Comment
NOAA Predicts Extremely Active Hurricane Season
By JENNIFER PRESTON

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued its 2013 Atlantic hurricane outlook on Thursday, with a warning that the United States could be hit by up to six major hurricanes this year. The seasonal average is three.

Oceanic and atmospheric conditions in the Atlantic basin are expected to create stronger and more hurricanes, setting the stage for an “above normal and extremely active” season, said Gerry Bell, lead seasonal hurricane forecaster for NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, who explained the underlying reasons in a NOAA video.

“These conditions include weaker wind shear, warmer Atlantic waters and conducive winds patterns coming from Africa,” Mr. Bell said.

snip

May 22, 2013

On May 1, Oklahoma did not love teachers quite so much

http://newsok.com/public-pension-reform-cant-be-ignored-forever-in-oklahoma/article/3804953

Public pension reform can't be ignored forever in Oklahoma

The Oklahoman Editorial | Published: May 1, 2013

With one month left in the legislative session, groups opposed to making changes in state pension fund systems are ramping up efforts to see that they succeed.

The Oklahoma Education Association is among those urging members to tell lawmakers to leave pension plans alone. State Rep. Mike Brown, D-Tahlequah, for one, has bought in. Brown says he's gotten several emails from teachers “terrified they are going to lose their retirement.” In a news release, he acknowledged that Oklahoma's unfunded pension liability merits attention, but “jeopardizing the retirement of our teachers and public employees is not the answer.”

Of course it's not. Most of the groups covered by state pensions oppose the idea of making any changes to their current plans, which provide a defined benefit. Gov. Mary Fallin and state Treasurer Ken Miller are exploring a switch away from defined benefit plans, as about half the states have done. Why? Because Oklahoma's pension plans are unfunded by about $11 billion. That amount was greater a few years ago, before lawmakers changed the way cost-of-living adjustments are funded. Further pension reform is needed. It's unlikely to happen this session, due to the scope of the issue and the accompanying contention, but it can't be put off forever.

snip

This idea also has been met with opposition, but conservatives who champion smaller, more cost-efficient government should embrace it. And given their concerns about debt, they should be open to exploring further pension reform — if not this session, then certainly in 2014.

May 22, 2013

1.4 MILLION per school? for shelters? Are they on the crack-pipe?

According to a report on Morning Joe, this is the expected additional cost for shelters at schools..


http://www.containeralliance.com/informative-articles/shipping-container-prices/used-shipping-container-prices-and-costs/

I would guess that ANY parent would be glad to sign a waiver if each school had several buried containers (some as little as $1500 each)

For a few precious minutes, surely they would be better off in one, than hugging a wall or cowering under a sink..

There might even be parents who would volunteer the use of equipment them may have access to, and their labor to dig a space for burying them..

interesting link about saving school kids.. nothing fancy..just life-saving.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/killer-tornado-1928.html

May 22, 2013

The problem with insurance (after a disaster)

Companies are not solvent enough to do "justice" to all who are affected. (not solvent enough when they have to protect shareholder's expected profits)

There are many people who do not even have insurance.

The ones who do, will often face months/years of fighting with their insurers to even get paid.

Areas that have a history of being routinely devastated face the issue of insurers totally pulling out of the area when it comes to writing policies, and many will end up being canceled.

When people have a loss, they expect to somehow be made whole again... It's just fair, isn't it? Fairness has NOTHING to do with anything when disaster recompense is concerned.

A mass settling of claims may temporarily boost construction/clean up jobs after the event, but once things have been "restored", things return to the way they were before, only with the people affected, being pushed back a few notches.

Even the lucky ones who suffered no death/injury to their family, and who have the new house, will undoubtedly be paying more for the foreseeable future, and may lose THAT home to the next "event"..

The recompense for lost wages/sales, and for pain & suffering are nowhere to be seen for most people.

The psychic wounds to the children may affect them for a lifetime.

Every locality is vulnerable to something, whether it's wildfires, earthquakes, mudslides, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, blizzards, etc. There is no affordable way to insure against all of these (the one exception is perhaps the big farmers who have a sweet spot in the hearts of legislators).

What is really needed is a National NOT-FOR-PROFIT Catastrophe Insurance that EVERYONE pays into.

Oklahoma at least has a state income tax, but there are some states that brag about having no state income tax, and yet they are states that regularly experience ,major natural disasters.

A national catastrophe insurance plan would go a long way to getting those states to participate in their own welfare, and could result in less party v party bickering when it came time to pay out claims. Injured people should never be used as pawns for politicians to determine who is "worthy" and who is not.

May 22, 2013

The "money already set aside" that Coburn spoke of.. is it Sandy Money

that has yet to be spent?

If so, this could get UGLY...

May 21, 2013

If there are septic tanks in a community, there can be shelters underground

A viable underground shelter need not be a "traditional" basement


Anything underground can save your life.

They are not that complicated, and they surely save lives.

I am from Kansas, so I know a bit about tornadoes.. Our house was hit in 1968 .. (3 came thru between 1 AM to 3 AM)

You go below ground and you wait.. even if it's hot & sticky & there are spiders & bugs..or if it's a muddy dirt floor and there are no lights..and the kids are crying & the cat is yowling & the dog is whining & panting like a maniac..


if you value life, you have a BELOW ground shelter of some kind.. It's not a place you regularly hang out in,, you may never use it, and when you do, you may only be in the place for less than an hour...a wise use of your time.


Maybe you'll never use it, and it just sits there "mocking you" for "wasting" that money
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