http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0110/696548.html this is just one example of some of the stupid crap that is going on here now. oklahoma is usually last to be hit by economic recession, and last to show signs of recovery. right now things are in a serious bind … or so they tell us. most frequently in the news currently is municipal budget cuts and layoffs. i say currently. its been an ongoing battle since may of last year over who is getting cut and how much. a few years ago oklahoma finally got the lottery, and some of the money raised was supposed to be used for road repair. we have the worst roads around, with gaping potholes, and sandy asphalt to use in repairing them – its a whole new rant for that. well somebody stole the money and disappeared. of course. its just one thing after another here. tulsa was built on old money, and the corruption runs deep.
it isnt just city hall, either. the fire fighters are fit, and they always show up in a timely manner when called. the county sheriffs and the state troopers are as well. but the tulsa police department is deplorable. while there are those among them that care about what they do, and stay in good shape, more often than not they deserve to be called fat pigs. how many times have i or the beau seen over weight slackers in uniform at the local convenience store just hanging around ‘on break’. again. still. ive seen them speeding down the road, impatiently cutting around slower traffic, talking on their cell phones, heading for break – yes ive followed them a few times when opportunity allowed. theyre usually not on a call. ive seen very fat female cops struggle to get out of their cars, and behave rudely. several years ago i called 911 to report a man in the bushes next door around 9pm, and after the dispatcher argued with me about whether the man belonged in the neighborhood, it took half an hour for the patrol car to show up. by then the beau had handled the situation. good thing, because the cop never stopped to get our statement. he did a quick drive by and left. another thing – do you know tulsa is the only city with an ‘operation slick streets’ ? that means, when it rains, and people have accidents, they dont want you to call the police unless there is an injury. instead you are to fill out a report you can obtain at the nearest quik trip. they dont want to get out in the rain. what crap! this story, and the accompanying comments, shows you whats important to them, and how the people feel about it. http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0110/695058.html
then there is the tulsa zoo. already in financial straights of its own, but not making any changes that could make for a better zoo. there are a few paid staff, and then lots of volunteers. but what money they have could be better used if they rented out some of the animals while their habitats were improved. rather, we lost the sea lions for good because their spot was inadequate. the only polar bear died a few years ago from old age, and his spot sits empty. then last fall they brought in a young female giraffe, and her neck was severely injured en route. she died during surgery. the other female, in a terribly run down enclosure with holes and gaps, died of hypothermia during the last cold snap. now there is only the male. http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0110/694674.html
i am so ready to move!
I do not blame you feeling as you do about these topics. They are all worthy of plenty of grumbles. Trouble is with moving that 1. It still goes on regardless. 2. It will go on wherever you move to as well.
Cops are usually pretty sad but keep in mind how many calls they get on suspicious persons. Lots of them are neighbor disputes or domestice squabbles and or children. There only so many cops to cover so many calls. How much tax money ois wasted on frivlous calls and there are many people that make frivilous calls,,, oh do you have the eime.. a 911 call. As a result the cops are very skeptical. Fat and lazy there are bunches of them all over the country, we got an extra one could I send him your direction.Then take this to the accident reporting, when there are hundreds of accidents how many can the cops respond to what are the priorities. Colorado has the soething simlar, cold weather reporting when the roads get slick. They only respond to injurty or impaired accidents. It does get frustrating to watch tax dollars being wasted and what to do, a big question, how do things get changed?
ya true, i know other places have the same kinds of problems. im just tired of hearing about it. every one has to make sacrifices right now, and lots fo people are taking cuts or layoffs. but the people who make the most at city hall dont want to take too big a cut, preferring to cut the new cops and many of the firefighters out instead. and the whole BOC thing about ‘lets make sure we keep a good mix of black cops on the force’ thing ‘ – dont even get me started. there is no latino officer coalition, no asian officer coaltion, no native american officer coaltion … im not going there right now. i have soooo much to say about the whole racial card ;( k☼
We used to live in Tulsa in the early eighties…a different world in those days I think. From what I read of the states many people live in I think we’ve got it pretty good all in all here but maybe it’s ’cause I’m used to it at this point. Our zoo however is the most pathetic ever. We don’t even have many of our local animals here. The highlight is our one tiger and the two red pandas…finally last year we got a Russian bear…it’s always been in dire straits…ah well.
dealing with cuts in the budget is another story and I agree the muckie mucks do not want a pay cut, then I don’t blame them but the alternative should be lose the job or be demoted. City council will no stand up unless citzens get in their face at town meetings and corner them their offices or on the street. Citzens confronting city council members can have an impact. Most citzens just will not take the effort and or they lose their cool. We have two marshals and volunteer firemen. not big budget…
Kirstin, Kirstin, Kirstin, just calm down please it’s not worth it. JB is right. Go to the town Hall meetings. Better yet use the power of your vote. You wanna move come on down to Austin, visit our Bat Zoo . Love it when a woman gets all rallied up, especially one from Oklahoma
joe: although i love zoos, i never feel completely certain all the animals are always well cared for. not an activist, just a lover of animals. if its an endangered species, i like to see a few in zoos, to help protect themjohn: tulsa wouldnt have to face as severe of a problem if the money the city has wasnt so mismanaged. bixby, sand springs, jenks, all neighboring towns and much smaller, are not having the same problems. the deeper problem is the old money syndrome here. but we’re moving anyway, because i want to be closer to my family. i just get a little wound up over blatant ignorance. i hate politics.grandpa: never tell a woman whos ranting to calm down! lol 😉 i just had to get it off my chest. i do feel bad for the giraffe. and i would love to see your bat zoo! i love bats. we have a new bat house in our yard, but i dont think its occupied yet. lots of them around here. but move to texas? your saying that to an oregon coast girl … noooo i miss my rainy home ;)k☼
I have a feeling there is a pretty good class distinction among the people and that leads to losts of conflict and problems and nobody wins. One side blames the other and the whine goes on rather than doing something different to fix things.Oregon is great country, love meandering there. It has become californicated though it is no longer an easy going state.
its all around.. not just there.. so if you move, you just may move where its worse.. I do agree though.. I would love to move to another country.. its not that I don’t love my country.. for I do.. but there is so much unrest here.. but moving is not going to solve anything..didn’t know you had a blog.. its nice reading.. sending you lots of soft hugs~Hope