Author Archives: Admin

Egypt’s Islamic TV talks with iron Salafist

Staff Report

A Muslim cleric hosting an Egyptian television show recently outlined his version of Islamic instructions for wife-beating. In another show, a cleric claimed that the Muslim Brotherhood, now governing Egypt, one day will rule the world.

“If not through peace, there is nothing preventing war. We welcome war,”
said the second cleric, who added that “one of the tenets of the Muslim
Brotherhood, which they cannot renounce,” is the goal of global
dominance by an Islamic caliphate.

The shows aired on Egypt’s Al Nas network, a hard-line Salafist Muslim outfit that for years has flown largely under the radar of international observers.
 
The network was thrust into the spotlight last week when it broadcast Arabic-dubbed movie clips from what it described as an English-language film insulting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. Riots and protests erupted throughout the Middle East and other parts of the Muslim world.
 
Protesters breached the walls of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo on Tuesday, destroyed the American flag and raised a black banner used by Islamic extremists.
 
In Libya, terrorists killed U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and others in an armed attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi.
 
Protests continued Sunday when hundreds of Pakistanis clashed with police as they tried to storm the U.S. Consulate in Karachi. One protester was killed and more than a dozen were injured.
 
U.S. officials last week cited Al Nas‘ attention to “Innocence of Muslims” — a crudely made independent film produced in the United States — as a flash point behind the wave of anti-American unrest.
 
Like Al Jazeera, CNN Arabic and other international satellite stations, Al Nas broadcasts live on YouTube and is piped into millions of homes across the Middle East.

Click here to read more: Egypt’s Islamic TV talks with iron Salafist – Washington Times

Key Wins

David Arnett, Founder

Pat Key’s victory in the recent County Clerk runoff election was upheld by Tulsa County District Judge William Kellough on Friday thus ending a contentious battle within Tulsa County’s Republican Party that threatened to politicize a County office known for nonpartisan service.

Floyd Dean Martin had challenged for the office with the endorsement and active support of Tulsa County Assessor Ken Yazel and former-State Senator Randy Brogdon who now works for the Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner.

Key is currently the Chief Deputy in the Clerk’s office and will assume the elected post after 13 years with the office and 11 years as Chief Deputy. 

The Clerk’s office is responsible for; recording and archiving County property
records, managing the County wide payroll system, administering the
retirement system, processing payment for all County bills and producing
the County’s annual financial report. 

Key has a degree in government from East Central University and a member of the Oklahoma County Officers and Deputies Association, the National Association of Clerks and Recorders and other professional associations.  A longtime Republican activist, Pat Key has served as both treasurer and president of the Republican Women’s Club of Tulsa County.

Prior to moving to Tulsa County, Key owned and operated a John Deere dealership and a cattle operation in McAlester, Oklahoma.

Martin had asked for a new election or that he be declared the winner because of what attorney John DesBarres called "a totality of defects that bring into question the validity of the absentee voting process in this particular election."

Martin and his team originally challenged not on the ballots themselves, but on the accompanying affidavits and the way the ballots and affidavits were processed.  Because the actual ballots weren’t being challenged, Martin needed Kellough only to rule at least 184 affidavits invalid to create mathematical uncertainty about the election’s outcome.

Kellough ruled out a handful of affidavits, but said the problems were insufficient to call a new election.

Kellough threw out seven affidavits for reasons that included signatures that did not match the name of the voter, missing notary information and failure to obtain valid witness signatures on nursing home ballots. He said he allowed other affidavits even though they contained minor defects.

Key’s attorney, Donald Bingham, argued that case law allows considerable latitude for absentee ballot irregularities and that to throw out the Aug. 28 results would not only disenfranchise all of those voters but have a chilling effect on absentee voting in the future.

Martin, represented by DesBarres and Jim Goodwin, indicated that an appeal of Kellough’s decision is unlikely.

Key said she "felt like the case law was on our side, but when you get to court you never know what’s going to happen."

The Tulsa County Election Board is expected to meet Wednesday to certify the election results.

Both Yazel and Brogdon are known as Radical RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) frequently associated with angry disputes with other elected officials.  Click here to read the details of debate between Tulsa County Commissioner John Smaligo and Yazel. 

Observers suggest Yazel desperately campaigned for Martin with the objective to grow his political and media leverage on the Budget Board.  Yazel often makes outrageous claims of Tulsa County malfeasance without proof.  As this writer noted in the Smaligo vs. Yazel debate analysis, “Words like bribery, lying, [officials] ought to have their butts kicked, misuse of your dollars, frequently float from Yazel’s mouth like flatulence.”  Both Yazel and Key will serve on the Tulsa County Budget Board where Yazel is consistently outvoted 7 to 1.  

Tulsa County is one of only five counties in the nation to be rated A+ by the Sunshine Review Project for Openness and Transparency and Pat Key was an important part of achieving that high standard.

Netanyahu: I’m not interfering

Staff Report

In an exclusive interview with The Jerusalem Post, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu dismissed as “completely groundless” allegations he is manufacturing a crisis with US President Barack Obama just before the November 6 American election to influence the outcome in favor of Republican candidate Mitt Romney.

Netanyahu, in a Rosh Hashana interview that will appear in full on Sunday, said his call for the United States and the international community to set red lines for Iran was not at all connected with the US political campaign.

“It has nothing to do with the American elections, because the Iranian nuclear program doesn’t care about the American political calendar,” the prime minister said.

“If the centrifuges stop miraculously, if they stop preparing enriched uranium to make atomic bombs, then I suppose I wouldn’t have to speak out.

“But the Iranian nuclear program proceeds unabated and they don’t care about the internal American political calendar. For me this is a policy issue, a security issue, and not a political issue,” he said.

Netanyahu characterized his post-midnight telephone call Wednesday with Obama as a “good conversation.”

“We spoke about our common goal of stopping Iran from developing its nuclear weapons program, and our desire to closely coordinate our efforts,” he related.

When asked whether Obama referred to his comments that those who do not place red lines in front of the Iranians cannot place a red light in front of Israel, Netanyahu replied that he was “not going to get into details of this discussion.

“Obviously I have my views and am not exactly shy about expressing them when I think that Israel’s vital security concerns are involved,” Netanyahu said. “This is my responsibility as the prime minister of the Jewish state.

We are facing the greatest security challenge of any country on the face of the earth, and when I feel I need to speak out, I do.”

Click here for more from The Jerusalem Post.  

OK Supremes spike Libertarian candidates

Patrick B. McGuigan

The Libertarian Party’s candidates will not appear on the Oklahoma ballot for the Nov. 6 general election.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Thursday (September 13) denied a temporary injunction the Americans Elect party sought to regain a ballot line for Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson and his running mate, James P. Gray.

The court upheld a state Election Board decision removing Johnson and Gray from the ballot.

A formal written opinion was not available late Thursday afternoon. Chief Justice Steven Taylor leads the Oklahoma court.
 
Americans Elect gained ballot status in March after a successful petition drive, but this summer national leaders of the group killed organizational efforts in all 50 states. That action came shortly after the state Americans Elect group had chosen a slate of seven electors pledged to Johnson and Gray.
 
You may contact Patrick B. McGuigan at Patrick@capitolbeatok.com and follow on Twitter: @capitolbeatok.
 

Local author “Journaling with Jesus”

Staff Report

Have you taken the challenge to become more intimately acquainted with God?  Christian columnist and author Carol Round will be signing copies of her latest book, “Journaling with Jesus: How to Draw Closer to God,” and the new companion workbook, “The 40-Day Challenge,” at Tiny Cakes & Truffles, located at 1229 W. Will Rogers Blvd. on Tuesday, September 18 from 4:30 – 6 p.m.

Round’s book, released by Westbow Press, a division of Thomas Nelson, is a creative call to an authentic, intimate relationship with Christ through the art of prayer journaling. The companion workbook challenges readers to try prayer journaling for 40 days and offers daily scriptures and reading prompts to get started on the journey.

Readers and reviewers are giving “Journaling with Jesus” five-star reviews. “‘Journaling with Jesus’ is a must read for anyone who wants a more intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” says Alecia Roberts, author of “The Pursuit of Purpose: A Journey to Forgiveness and Healing.”

Patricia O’Neal, Amazon book reviewer, says, “Some might choose to read ‘Journaling with Jesus’ in one sitting. I found taking this book in chunks, or small bites, works quite well. It gives the reader time to ponder the various scriptures given and ideas offered. No matter which way you choose to experience this book, do read it. It is well worth the time invested.”

Another Amazon reviewer, Patsy Dyer, had this to say about Round’s book. “After only a few days of ‘Journaling with Jesus,’ I can see (and feel) the difference. If you are seeking a deeper relationship with the Savior, I definitely recommend this book.”

Ms. Round, who is also a self-syndicated columnist and inspirational speaker, has been keeping a prayer journal for 11 years. She was encouraged by other Christian women to compile her experiences as well as other women’s testimonies into a book.

Her weekly column, “A Matter of Faith,” runs in 12 Oklahoma newspapers and a California publication with an international audience. Ms. Round’s column takes an honest and sometimes humorous look at the struggles we all have with fears, uncertainty, self-esteem and relationships, as well as life’s joys and surprises.  The column has been in syndication since 2005.

For more information about “Journaling with Jesus: How to Draw Closer to God,” check out her website at www.journalingwithjesus.com or her blog at www.carolaround.com.