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The Actions of a Few

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The Actions of a Few

And I fell into another rabbit hole, but a good one this time.

K. Latham
Apr 24, 2023
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The Actions of a Few

blogoklahoma.substack.com
Photo by Tengyart on Unsplash

The Actions of a Few Make the Whole Look Bad

I’ve been following the news out of McCurtain County since I first learned about it from TikTok, of all places. Here it is a good week later, and I’m still following this story. It’s a story of local politics that leaves an unfortunate impression about an entire state. When the national media picks up a story like this, it’s not local officials caught making heinous and racist comments; it’s Oklahoma officials caught making heinous and racist comments. In the eyes of many, Oklahoma gets broadly painted by the actions of a few. I guess the same can be said about statewide politics in general. The actions of a few make the whole look bad. How do you convince people that Oklahoma isn’t an ignorant backcountry full of bigoted asshats? It’s a heavy lift, to be sure. I’m certain people in states like Florida or Montana are asking the same question.

I’ve shared more news about McCurtain County below in In The News. If you want to go back and read the news from the start, I used the tag #IdabelOK on Mastodon.

I’m sure we’ll discuss these issues more in the future. Right now, let’s change the subject to something more fun.

Metallica Rabbit Hole

Do you remember a couple of newsletters ago, I said to beware of rabbit holes? Well, I fell into another one. At least this one was music related.

Metallica released a new album called 72 Seasons. I wouldn’t say I liked it. It sounded like Metallica but in a generic form of them.

That got me thinking, when did I last like a Metallica album? I remember really disliking St. Anger (2003), but after that, nothing. So, to ensure my memory isn’t faulty, I went back through their catalog on Spotify and listened to all the albums again, skipping EPs and live albums.

I'll use an emoji scale for my review of each album: 😎😀🙂😐🙁

  • Kill 'Em All (1983) 😀

  • Ride The Lightning (1984) 😎

  • Master of Puppets (1986) 😀

  • ... And Justice for All (1988) 🙂

  • Metallica (1991) 😎

  • Load (1996) 😎

  • Reload (1997) 😎

  • Garage, Inc. (1998) 🙂

  • St. Anger (2003) 🙁

  • Death Magnetic (2008) 😐

  • Lulu (2011) {a collaboration with Lou Reed} 🙁

  • Hardwired...To Self-Destruction (2016) 🙂

  • 72 Seasons (2023) 😐

I should really listen to myself when I say beware of rabbit holes, but you know what, I’m glad I didn’t this time. Metallica is still one of my favorite bands. This was one rabbit hole I really enjoyed. I hope you did too.

This Week

This week will be a busy one. I have a new client project that will take up much of my time. I learned how to manually install WordPress for IIS for this project. What a royal pain that was. Not something I recommend doing if you absolutely don’t have to.

If I can squeeze in some time, I’ll be working on the podcast's next episode. However, it’s not looking like I’ll get one out this month. Might be a week late again. I’ll just have to see how this week plays out.

Oh, on a side note, I think I can recommend Markdown Monster as a good replacement for Markdown Pad 2. I’m using it for this newsletter, and it seems to match my workflow so far. Ghostwriter was good, and I think I’ll keep it as a backup, but it just doesn’t work for me.

Remember, you can follow what I'm working on on the Blog Oklahoma Projects board on Trello.

More later. Time to listen to some cool Metallica covers.

In The News

  • Stitt's office considering McCurtain County sheriff impeachment | KGOU

  • Oklahoma county worried about fallout from racist recording | KTEN

  • Oklahoma Lawmakers Signal Support for Congressional Term Limits | Oklahoma Watch

  • Oklahoma state leaders to address CVS Caremark “misinformation” | KFOR

  • This spring brings worry rather than rain for some parts of the Great Plains and Midwest | KOSU

  • Organizations concerned about proposed Title IX rewrite focused on trans athletes | KOKH

  • Graphic memoir 'Gender Queer' tops U.S. library group's list of most challenged books | Public Radio Tulsa

Listening In

So when I wasn't listening to Metallica last week, I found a new lofi playlist I've been enjoying, Lofi Classical Collection. The only issue with some lofi music, is you can get lost in it and relax to the point of sleep. Not so great when you're at the office. Ha!

I still listening to Titan by John Varley on Audible. I'm a little over halfway though the book.

I finished binge-watching The Mandalorian on Disney+ this weekend: all three seasons, plus the Book of Boba Fett. I really enjoyed it, I can highly recommend it. I’m looking forward to the upcoming Ahsoka series, and I’ve started watching Andor. However, I think I'll leave Star Wars for a little bit, cross universes to Paramount+, and binge some Start Trek.

Something To Watch

Four-Byte Burger | Ahoy

Good Morning, Captain | The History Guy

Words That Hide the Truth - George Carlin | After Skool

How the Victorians Faked Tiny Waists (without fainting!) | Bernadette Banner

3 Years Living In An Abandoned Ghost Town! | Ghost Town Living

Feedback Welcome

If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to email me at blogoklahoma@blogoklahoma.net or connect with me at Mastodon at @blogoklahoma@social.tulsa.ok.us.

Have a great week.

– K.

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The Actions of a Few

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