Category Archives: Tulsa

The Heat is On Downtown, Politics and Energy

Its’ been hot here in Tulsa. Especially downtown Tulsa. The main diversion here at lunch used to be dodging the tumbleweeds. Now all sorts of things are happening.

John Sullivan, our local US Representative was strolling the main mall Tuesday with his handlers and body guards and a KRMG radio reporter talking to local voters. He lost the election. So, if he calls you looking for a job, take the call ok? He really is a decent guy, I think voters were wanting change.

There was also a demonstration down by the Federal Courthouse. I walked down and chatted with this lady a while. She is of course is against the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline that will be built to take tar sands oil from Canada down to refineries on the gulf coast. She has a lot of concerns about the extraction of the tar sands oil and the air and water pollution involved. She is also worried about the integrity of the pipeline and potential leaks and the effect on the environment. I neglected to ask if she was a part of an organization. Check out the Natural Resources Defense Council to see what they have to say. She and I parted friends. I’m just glad that she and her friends were taking advantate of their right of peaceable assembly.

I walked across the street to see these guys. I didn’t talk to them very much. Anyway, these guys and gals above are from LiUNA, the Laborers International Union of North America. They are for the pipeline for the jobs it will create.

I think the Keystone Project is one of the biggest no-brainers I’ve ever seen. I don’t want to dismiss the concerns of the anti partisians but I think they have been addressed. Energy is what makes our economy go. I would rather get our energy from a close friend and partner like Canada instead of the Middle East. Anyway both pro and anti groups were downtown trying to influence the Army Corps of Engineers who are considering a permit for the Oklahoma leg of Keystone XL. I didn’t want to be the big know it all and tell them that Corps hasn’t been downtown for years. They are in east Tulsa, hunkered down with the IRS behind a big iron fence.

I hadn’t had as much fun downtown since the Occupy Tulsa folks last Fall.

Tulsa World article on Tuesday’s protests.

What do you think? Are you for or against Keystone XL?

Graffiti Wednesday – Updates from the Permission Zone

I went by Tulsa’s only Graffiti “Permission Zone” at Mad Dog Liquors at 9347 East11th Street and there were already new works from just a few weeks before. My favorites were the “Sunday Demons” above and the scariest doorway I’ve ever seen below.

I really love the bright colors and imagery in both pieces.

Have you seen any good graffiti lately?

Our World – Boston Avenue Church

Boston Avenue Church is one of my favorite subjects and used to be the Yogi family church. It is an art deco design structure completed in 1929. The architects of the church are Bruce Goff and Adah Robinson. The interior is just as beautiful as the interior. If you want to see it the Church offers tours after the 11 AM service on Sundays.

Our World Tuesday

Skywatch Friday – Sunset on the Arkansas

An after dinner sunset stroll on the river.
Skywatch Friday

Graffiti Wednesday – Downtown Finds

I was headed home from work the other day and I caught the writing below out of the corner of my eye. I was on a one way street and so turned off and went up an alley back to it and took a picture. I got home and saw my big ole fat thumb on the edge of the photo. So I went back the next morning to try again.

It looks to me like an overlapped work judging by the background. The core area of downtown is pretty much devoid of graffiti. Lots of big empty walls and they are just blank. Actually I’m thankful. A little bit of graffiti goes a long ways.

If you look closely though you can spot micro Graffiti. (I just made that name up. Feel free to use it though.) I found the above and the following in the “Blue Dome” District of Tulsa’s downtown, just east of the core downtown area.

This was pasted on paper. I have no idea what it means, do you?

More signs just a few inches tall on a street sign. I like how the colors of the sticker and the sign are similar. You can bet that the writer’s belt and shoes match, and his murse.

Even the standpipes have stickers on them.

Another example of sticker graffiti.

I also found a micro poster on an electrical junction box cover. I’m all excited about all this micro-subversion (another term I invented, please by all means use if you feel led) going on in here in Oklahoma. It is going on right under our noses. Ironically the micro poster and and micro graffiti above are all within about 100 feet of the first geocache that SuperPizzaBoy and I planted a few years ago Tulsa Time which has been found 370 times so far. I hate to admit this but it is a “microcache” ( I didn’t invent that term.) Does that make me part of the microsubversion going on in the Blue Dome District?

Check out Graffiti Wednesday by my friend Jen, she posts about Graffiti quite frequently on Wednesday.

One last thing, from the Broken Arrow, OK “Chalk it Up Festival” this past weekend.

THUNDER UP!

My apologies to Miami Heat Fans. The Oklahoma City Thunder is the only major league professional sports team we have, if you don’t count the University of Oklahoma Football Team that is. I’m a huge Thunder fan, have been for days.

Let me ask you: Have you seen any micro-graffiti where you live? How about micro-subversion? I want to know!

River Parks Reflections

Tulsa’s River Parks System on the Arkansas River has lots and lots of free bikes for you to use courtesy of Tulsa Townies. They are all pink and they are well used.

Weekend Reflections

Permission Zone Revisited

Yesterday I went by Tulsa’s only (as far as I know) permission zone for Graffiti, Mad Mike’s Liquor Store in east Tulsa near 11th and Mingo. I went there this past March and was amazed by the graffiti. I was interested to see how much was new.

I’m guestimating that about 60% of the graffiti from March had been painted over. I’ve found that graffiti doesn’t age well. The colors get dull and flake off fairly quickly so turnover is a good thing.

My favorites of the new stuff is the Hulk. He’ s not as cuddly as the Hulk has become in popular culture. I love how his hands are coming out of the wall.

I also liked this piece although it seems a little disturbing.

There were several pieces with writing. I have no idea what any of this says but love the colors and vibrancy.

The one above might say “Peace” maybe, what do you think?

I noticed some partially painted over work like the above in my last visit. It is hieroglyphics to me. But I like it for some reason.

I notice that some work had been added to since my last visit. Yesterday’s “Sunday Demons” is above, March’s is below. the outline of the demon has been filled in with white paint.

Some work was similar in style to what I saw in March.

The above is evocative, so is below (from March, now painted over). The colors are totally different.

Here are the tools of the trade.

Blame my friend of JenX67 has got me interested in graffiti. Check the link to see what she is up to.

Weekend Reflections – CityPlex Towers

Late Wednesday evening I finished my weekly run on Turkey Mountain. When I saw the CityPlex Towers brilliantly reflecting the low sun at my back.

It was at the perfect angle to reflect right back at me. The towers are the site where in 1980 the evangelist Oral Roberts claimed to see a 900 foot tall Jesus. (The building is about 600 feet tall.)

Now that would be a picture!
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Weekend Reflections

Van Halen in Tulsa at the BOK Center

Monday night Sweetie and I went to see Van Halen in downtown Tulsa at the BOK Center.

Van Halen is now, left to right, Wolfgang Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Eddie and Alex Van Halen. Eddie is Wolfgang’s dad. I love that name Wolfgang.

It was great to see David Lee Roth. I know he is a pain in the butt, but without him, I lost interest in Van Halen. Kind of like when Michael Jordan quit basketball you know.

The rocked and rolled, they have been at it for 40 years now.

Everybody seemed to be playing along nicely.

I bet it is great for Eddie to be on stage with his son.

Wolfgang is going to be great. Right now he is in the background.

But he looks like a rock star doesn’t he.

The stage was very simple. New gewgaws or anything but they had the biggest screen I’ve ever seen, outside of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium screen.

(from setlist.fm)

They played all their hits. Ain’t Talking About Love is the most thrilling rock anthem I’ve ever heard live. Here is the music from it. Sorry, even though it is Youtube it is just a static picture while you are listening to the music.

Van Halen gets five out of five stars for their performance. Go see them when they come to your town.

Our World – Seeing for Miles and Miles

Fellow Blogger and Geocacher Baloney of That’s Baloney and her husband Doc invited Sweetie and I to a fundraiser on the 60th floor of the Citiplex Tower in south Tulsa.

CityPlex Tower (Photo credit: alnbbates)

The building is 60 floors tall. One of the tallest buildings in the state and there is nothing really close to it anywhere close.

Cityplex Towers started out as Oral Robert’s medical school and hospital. Now it is a huge office building with a banquet room on the top floor. You can literally see for miles from up there. You can see for yourself just how flat Oklahoma is.

The big round building is the Mabee Center where the ORU basketball team plays. Sweetie and I saw Huey Lewis and the News in concert a few years back. There is a plaque in the lobby that talks about Elvis playing there once.

There is the famous Praying Hands. Sorry about the blurry picture. I thought it would be too nerdy to take my brand spanking new “nice” camera to the event. So I took my point and shoot.

ORU was playing baseball Friday night.

And my favorite, the Prayer Tower. Whatever you think of Oral Roberts you have to admit that the prayer tower is a striking building. It is basically a three dimensional modernistic cross. I didn’t realize that on my own, I had to read it before it sunk in.

Our World

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