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!