Monthly Archives: September 2010

The Smashing Pumpkins to play to sold-out crowd

Billy Corgan and crew are back on the road and if you are one of the lucky ones to score tickets you will be able to see them at the historic Cain’s Ballroom on Friday night. Tickets for The Smashing Pumpkins, who are making their first appearance in Tulsa in 14 years, sold out in less than a half hour. 

The Pumpkins formed in Chicago in 1988. Corgan, the front-man and co-founder, has been the one constant for the band throughout the years. The group broke into the mainstream in the early 90’s with their debut album titled "Gish". They went on tour in support of the album, opening for bands such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction and Guns N’ Roses.

The band’s biggest success came from their 1995 double-album titled "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness", which debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and has been certified nine times platinum. Hits from the album include "Bullet with Butterfly Wings", "1979", "Zero" and "Tonight, Tonight". The group decided to call it quits at the end of a 2000 tour.

The Pumpkins re-formed in 2007 with three new members during a concert in Paris, France. The crowd on Friday will see another revamped lineup for the group, after Jimmy Chamberlin – the only original member besides Corgan departed in 2009. 20 year-old drummer Mike Byrne replaces Chamberlin on drums while Jeff Schroeder takes over for group co-founder James Iha on guitar and Nicole Fiorentino, formerly of Veruca Salt, handles the duties on bass.

In December Corgan began releasing the band’s latest album "Teargarden by Kaleidyscope". The 44-track album is being released for free, one song at a time, on the internet. The full album will them be released as a box set.

Los Angeles based Cherri Bomb, described as "uniquely explosive all girl teen rock band" and Oklahoma City’s The Pretty Black Chains will open the show. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. 

Dr. Coburn Calls Food Safety Bill to the Floor

Staff Report

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK), a practicing physician, released the following statement today regarding the status of food safety legislation in Congress.  

“Today’s House hearing illustrates why the American people have lost patience with Congress’ incompetence, excuses and partisan demagoguery.  Congress’ response to years of its own failed oversight and fiscal irresponsibility is to steal money from future generations and repeat the same failed regulatory policies of the past.  More money and more regulations solve nothing when Congress lacks the discipline to hold agencies accountable,” Dr. Coburn said.

“I was also disappointed that Chairman Waxman refused to allow a fellow member of his committee, Rep. Michael Burgess, to explain why various arguments made about Senate procedure were false.  Waxman and others are arguing with the wrong Senator.  Senate Majority Leader Reid alone is responsible for not bringing this bill to the floor for a full and open debate.  Only the Majority Leader can explain how he found time to debate gays in the military, immigration and campaign finance – pet priorities of his political base – ahead of food safety.  The schedule certainly suggests Congress is more interested in its political safety than food safety.  

“If the Majority Leader believes this legislation is a matter of life and death he should agree to advance a version that is paid for.  I intend to give the Majority Leader such an opportunity this afternoon.  With our national debt at $13.5 trillion and unemployment near 10 percent we can’t tolerate the borrow-and-spend status quo any longer.  It is nothing less than laziness and incompetence to argue that it is impossible to find $1.4 billion of waste in a $3.5 trillion to pay for this bill.  The rest of America has to live within its means.  It’s time for Congress to do the same,” Dr. Coburn said. 

School District Websites Show Improvement

Staff Report

Oklahomans for Reponsible Government today released its first update in the Blueprint for Transparency series.  A year ago OFRG looked at the website of every district in the state and assessed it in ten categories of transparency.  This year, every website was checked again and the results were presented in an easy-to-read format.

There was significant improvement in the amount of information available overall.  Of the 527 districts in the state, 233 had at least one improvement to their website.  And while last year only 15 districts fully met five or more criteria, that number more than doubled to 33 this year.
 
“It’s good to see so many districts taking steps to improve their websites,” said Brian Downs, OFRG Executive Director.  “We designed the original report to be a blueprint in the hope that districts would use it as a guideline to provide more information.”
 
The update found 48 districts – about nine percent – still have no website, down from 79 last year.  Another disappointment is that 244 districts either showed no improvement or actually got worse in the amount of information they present. 
 
“A website is only as good as the information on it and if it is out of date, it’s no better than having no website at all,” said Downs.  “We hope that taxpayers will use the update to ask their school board members and district officials about the issue of transparency.”
 
The report includes 22 districts that had the best websites, although no district fully met all criteria.  It also acknowledges the ten districts that showed improvement in the most categories: Plainview in Ardmore (improved in 8 categories), Oolagah-Talala (6), Sapulpa (6), Amber-Pocasset (5), Bishop (5), Edmond (5), Lindsay (5), Nowata (5), Pawhuska (5) and Ponca City (5). 

“It’s encouraging to see districts make such great strides in transparency,” said Downs.  “We believe every district could make similar improvements for next year’s Blueprint.”
 
Note: A .pdf of the Blueprint can also be found online at www.ofrg.org.

Costello Charges Fields Misleading Over Partisan Harassment Settlement

Staff Report

Republican nominee Mark Costello this week charged Labor Commissioner Lloyd Fields with politicizing the Labor Department by making employment decisions based on partisanship.

In a televised interview on OETA’s Oklahoma Forum, Fields denied that a former employee forced from her job was partisan harassment while acknowledging he obtains knowledge of the political affiliation of prospective employees.

In May 2009, Fields settled a federal lawsuit for $200,000 when the judge ruled that a former Fields campaign worker Marcus Hayes testimony would be permitted. In a deposition Hayes stated that Fields and Mannix Barnes (then Fields Campaign Manager and now Chief of Staff) talked "of getting rid of the people … loyal to Reneau because … ‘we can’t trust them.’"

In the OETA program, Fields denied engaging in partisanship at the Labor Department stating, "It’s not true."

Costello responded, "It is true. It cost the taxpayers $200,000 to settle your lawsuit of political harassment."

Fields stated, "Actually, I’ve hired more of the other party, than what I’m, party I’m in."

According to Costello, "This is clearly an admission by Commissioner Fields that he continues to use party affiliation in the hiring process. This is wrong and could lead to more lawsuits if he does not discontinue such bad behavior."

Costello pledged to run the agency in a non-partisan manner where "competence" and "productivity" is the measure of employment, not political affiliation.

"Fields refuses to accept responsibility for his bad behavior. He has already cost Oklahoma taxpayers $200,000 for politically harassing a career female employee of the Department of Labor and now he wants the citizens of Oklahoma to award him with another term in office. I promise that I will end the partisanship at the Labor Department, " stated Costello.

A copy of the warrant issued by the state in the unlawful employment practices of Labor Commissioner Lloyd Fields is available at http://www.markcostelloforlabor.com/lloyd-fields/200-000-settlement/

This is not the first time Lloyd Fields has been proven untruthful.  Tulsa Today published the story "Guitar stealing politican?" in February 2008, Click here to read that story.


 

Golden Hurricane soccer team victorious in double-OT

altThe second-ranked University of Tulsa men’s soccer team survived a scare Tuesday night when Austin Neil netted the game winning goal in double-overtime to complete a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Missouri State at Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium. Missouri State goalkeeper Alex Riggs made a save on an Ashley McInnes shot, only to see Neil power home the winner seconds later.

Missouri State (2-4)  got on the board first when Edin Sabic scored unassisted on a free kick from near midfield at the 13:43 mark. The Bears held the lead through the first half and well into the second before the Golden Hurricane evened the score. Matt Boullt sent a crossing pass to Adrian Klammer at the 73:41 mark that Klammer sent into the back of the net. 

Tulsa goalkeeper Ray Clark stopped a break-away shot by Missouri State’s Jordan Hoffman in the final minute of play to send the game to overtime. The Golden Hurricane out-shot the Bears 17-6 as both teams worked through a scoreless first overtime period before Neil hit the game-winner in the 107th minute. Tulsa posted a 9-4 advantage in shots on goal as they improved to 6-0 on the season.

"We knew this game was going to be a tough game, but we battled it out for the win," said Hurricane Head Coach Tom McIntosh.

The Hurricane now prepares for one of the biggest matches in program history. Tulsa will take it’s highest ranking ever into Akron, Ohio to take on the top-ranked Akron Zips (5-0) on Friday. The Zips will present a challenge for the Hurricane as they have not allowed an opponent goal this season.

"Obviously it is going to be a difficult game, but one we are looking forward to," said McIntosh. "We are going to get rested first and foremost, as this game (Missouri State) was a very physical contest and it is a quick turnaround. We will work out our tactics over the next several days and get ourselves ready to go against Akron."

Friday’s contest with the Zips will be televised live on the Fox Soccer Channel at 7:00 p.m. Hurricane fans can tune in to Cox Cable channel 262 to catch all of the action.

Tulsa’s next home game, against South Carolina, is scheduled for a 7:05 p.m. start on Saturday, October 9.