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Coffee talk
“The best part of waking up is Folger’s in your cup.” “Folgers is specially blended and mountain grown.” These quotes are from the 1965 to 1986 coffee commercials featuring Virginia Christin...
Trapped with nowhere to run
Enjoy feeling anxious and blue? Concentrate on what is happening in the world now, that’ll do it for you – the impossible price of food and housing, crooked politics, illegal drugs, riots,...
The SEC wants to be a climate regulator
After two long years of anticipation and the receipt of thousands of comment letters, the Securities and Exchange Commission has approved its final climate disclosure rule – carrying with it a regulatory punch in the nose to Main Street America....
Today's opportunities are gone tomorrow
Last evening I was watching television, specifically a movie showing a father driving his family home after a long weekend, and upon getting home late at night the father carried his young daughter...
Spirited debates on Facebook
Sometimes I have spirited debates with some of my Facebook friends over political and social issues. You who know me are probably saying “DUH” right about now. What you may not know is I only post about 15 percent of what goes through my head....
Oklahoma Profile: Albert Brumley, part 1
Albert Brumley was born on a farm near Spiro, Indian Territory, in October 1905. His parents were poor sharecroppers, raising their children and eking out a meager living working on a cotton farm...
Well, the race is over for presidential candidates, I guess
We are already down to the same two Bozos we had four years ago to choose from. Keep in mind that it is over eight months to Election Day. Depending on which news channel you watch, Trump is going to...
Carl's Capitol Comments
My House Bill 3194 passed off the House floor last week with a two-thirds majority vote. I have had numerous conversations with all those that had questions about this bill, addressing all concerns....
Senate Review
Session is in full swing, and we have heard over 100 bills during this session. Most of our committee work has been completed for the senate bills for consideration, except those with a fiscal impact...
Census survey asks very detailed questions
Things have been difficult in the newspaper office the past month. Office Manager Linda Toone fractured her wrist about a month ago and has been recuperating at home. Instead of callers being greeted...
Don't call it cancer
“Renaming the lowest-risk prostate cancers cuts down on overly aggressive treatment.” – Sumathi Reddi. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, a doctor’s bedside manner suffers...
You definitely are not Gibbs
How do you navigate in this scary world? The way I see it, for most of us it is a matter of one of three possibilities. You either walk by sight – looking at what is in front of you and making a dec...
The distinction between happiness and fulfillment
Often when I write an article, I generally know the answer to the question I am asking … in this case I do not have the answer, or at least all of it. Rather, I know the question, and I know the...
Supporting 4-H excused absences and patient's bill of rights
This week, we crossed the first deadline of the year and completed hearing Senate Bills in committee. Those that received approval from their assigned committees are now eligible to be heard on the Senate floor. We will shift our focus heavily to...
Farmers and ranchers are a tough group
I was sure what I was going write about this week. I mean what else could I write about besides the fires? That was until Sunday school when I realized the two topics are more intertwined then one might think. Tuesday, hell was unleashed again on...
Full Cyrkle, part 3
Like most rock bands of the 1960s, The Cyrkle had a brief existence. As we noted last week, the group produced three albums and had six singles that made the rock charts. All of their hits were...
What was super about Tuesday?
Trump and Biden both got convincing wins. What amazes me is that people actually believe either of these men is fully capable of getting our country on the right path. Both have a shot at it and I'm...
Senate Review
This week was deadline week for all bills assigned to a committee to be heard in the chamber of origin. This week has kept me busy listening to legislation in Appropriations Subcommittees on Select...
Carl's Capitol Comments
At the time of this writing, over one million acres have burned in Oklahoma and Texas. I'm thankful that much of our House district has been spared so far. There has been one small wildfire in our...
The life of appliances
“Didn’t need no welfare state, everybody pulled their weight, gee our old LaSalle ran great, those were the days.” –All In The Family, 1971. The LaSalle was a great car, easy to work on and...
I yam who I yam
Remember the old TV cartoon “Popeye The Sailor Man?” He had a favorite saying: “I yam what I yam and dat’s all I yam.” And poor old Olive Oyl could never get him to see himself any other...
Spiritual challenges
While my articles often touch on moral and/or societal issues, I usually try to avoid explicitly discussing religion. However, as we have just begun a new year and are expected to have forgiveness in...
Is it spring already?
The elm trees at home are budding out, so spring has officially sprung, right? I don’t know if I believe that 100 percent, but we started some tomato and pepper seeds this weekend and man it felt good. The winter blues seem to drag on sometimes, pr...
Full Cyrkle – part 2
When members of the rock group The Cyrkle began making music in 1966, fame came quickly. The band’s first album peaked at No. 47 on the Billboard charts while producing two hit singles. Their first...
Carl's Capitol Comments
I had lots of visitors stop by my office at the Capitol last week, several I got to introduce from the House floor. On Tuesday we hosted FFA Day, and I spoke with students from across the state. On...