Lawmaker: Don’t cater to extreme animal rights’ groups
Recent decisions by Oklahoma State University officials appear designed to curry favor with extreme animal rights groups and are damaging the school’s academic reputation, a state legislator said.
As a result of those actions and the questionable legality of several appointments to the OSU Board of Regents, state Rep. Phil Richardson said several regents may have to be replaced.
“I bleed orange as much as anyone, but I am deeply concerned by the actions of OSU officials, which appear designed to cater to animal-rights fanatics instead of providing a sound education in agricultural sciences,” said Richardson, a Minco Republican who received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from OSU in 1967.
Beginning in the 1990’s, Richardson noted the OSU College of Veterinary Sciences launched a plan to become a leader in infectious disease research, which included the development of facilities and a laboratory that would allow for the research. The effort has been transparent and was implemented with the full knowledge of the OSU administration. However, that work was dramatically undermined when OSU officials recently announced the cancellation of National Institutes of Health (NIH) research to test anthrax treatments after complaints about the use of animal test subjects.
The decision to cancel the anthrax study is one of several questionable calls by the OSU administration, Richardson noted.
“This decision is consistent with several made in the past year to curry favor with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the wife of the university’s major donor, an avowed animal rights activist,” Richardson said.
He noted HSUS is a humane society “in name only” and does not operate animal shelters and should not be confused with the Oklahoma Humane Society or other legitimate animal welfare organizations that provide a valuable service to animals.
“The HSUS spends millions of dollars on programs that seek to economically cripple meat and dairy producers, eliminate the use of animals in biomedical research, and eliminate hunting,” Richardson said. “It is impossible to follow all the tentacles of the organization, but its underlying goal is to destroy animal agriculture.”
The Minco lawmaker said the decision to cancel the anthrax research, along with similar actions, runs contrary to the founding mission of OSU. “Oklahoma State University is the land grant institution of this state, which means it was established to help ensure that this nation has a plentiful supply of food, fiber, raw materials and fuel,” Richardson said. “This is directly accomplished through studies, research and technology related to agriculture - the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. As a land grant university, OSU bears the major responsibility for agricultural research and teaching responsibility, as well as a major outreach or extension education mission to the public.”
Under state law, several members of the OSU Board of Regents must make a living through agriculture - a qualification that several members do not meet today, Richardson noted.
“Because OSU is a land-grant school, it remains important that the regents’ membership includes individuals who are actually involved in agriculture for a living,” Richardson said. “If the board’s membership were legally qualified, I believe many of these controversies would have been avoided and I believe the Legislature should address this issue as soon as possible.
“If you are involved in agriculture, believe it is okay to hunt animals, agree that animal research has advanced man’s medical knowledge and treatment of disease through the use of vaccines, or if you simply appreciate the fact that you live in a country that provides the most low-cost and abundant food supply in the world, then you should be concerned that OSU’s current administration appears to be more attuned to appeasing its donor base than fulfilling its mission to the citizens of this state.”
Emerson String Quartet on Jan. 17
Chamber Music Tulsa will present the Emerson String Quartet live in Tulsa at the Williams Theater in the Tulsa Performing Arts Center on January 17 at 3 p.m.
Recently announced as the 52nd Annual Grammy Award nominee for Best Chamber Music Performance, the Emerson is known as “America’s greatest quartet,” according to Time Magazine.
The Emerson stands alone in the history of string quartets with a list of achievements over three decades: 30 acclaimed recordings produced with Deutsche Grammophon since 1987, eight Grammy Awards (including two for Best Classical Album, an unprecedented honor for a chamber music group), three Gramophone Awards, and the Avery Fisher Prize.
The Emerson String Quartet was formed in 1976, the bicentennial year of the United States. The group took its name from the American poet and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, and is now in its 30th sold-out season in residence at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
The ensemble consists of violinists Eugene Drucker and Philip Setzer, violist Lawrence Dutton, and cellist David Finckel, who Tulsans may remember from his 2007 Chamber Music Tulsa performance with his wife, pianist Wu Han.
Those interested can purchase single tickets to the Sunday performance by calling the Tulsa Performing Arts Center at 918-596-7111 or at www.myticketoffice.com.
Get cars ready for icy conditions
When streets become covered with ice and snow, motorists should make sure their vehicles are ready for what this year’s Oklahoma winter weather may dish out.
AAA urges motorists to get ready.
Before you drive long distances, check the weather conditions along your route. As a safety precaution, remember to bring a cellular phone and a winter driving kit that includes the following items: a flashlight with fresh batteries, a small snow shovel and brush, traction mats, an ice scraper, booster cables, a warm blanket, flares or triangle warning devices, heavy gloves, window washing solvent, snacks, paper towels, simple tools and a first aid kit.
Inspect your vehicle thoroughly. Ensure that your tires are properly inflated, fluid levels (including anti-freeze) are full, front and rear lights are operating, and belts and hoses are in good condition.
Keep in mind that one of the most common causes of cold-weather breakdowns is a weak or dead battery. Good indicators that your battery is weak and may need replacing include a starter motor that cranks the engine slowly when the ignition key is turned, or headlights that dim noticeably when the engine speed drops to an idle. If in doubt, have a qualified auto technician check it out.
Here are some winter driving tips to get to a destination safely.
When driving during slippery and icy conditions, slow down and keep a safe distance from other vehicles, minimize your brake use and bear in mind that traction is greatest just before the wheels spin. Gentle pressure on the accelerator pedal when starting is the best method for retaining traction and avoiding skids.
The most effective way to stop on ice and snow is to apply your brakes gently well in advance of the point where you intend to stop. If your vehicle has an antilock braking system (ABS), you may feel a vibration or pulsation in the brake pedal when coming to a stop. This means the system is operating as designed to prevent wheel lock up. Continue to apply firm pressure to the brake pedal until your vehicle comes to a complete stop. Do not pump your brakes if your car has ABS.
Keep your seatbelts fastened and make certain that all passengers are securely restrained.
When driving in falling snow or fog, lower your speed, use your low-beam headlights or fog lights and keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you.
Remember that overpasses and bridges will ice up before roadways do.
Keep your gas tank at least half full. Place extra weight in the trunk of a rear-wheel-drive vehicle or in the bed of a pickup to increase traction on ice and snow. And, never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
Bible translation work in Sudan
Wycliffe Associates, an international organization that mobilizes volunteers and resources in support of Bible translation efforts, is working to establish a permanent Bible translation center in Southern Sudan while a peace agreement with the North currently remains in effect for Sudan until 2011.
Bible translation efforts in Southern Sudan had been stalled for nearly 18 years as translators were forced to leave the country due to hostilities between the North and the South. In the translators’ absence, squatters occupied the translation facilities, which have deteriorated significantly. Upon their return in 2005, translation teams lived in mud huts until housing and office space could be repaired.
According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), “The many years of civil conflict ensured massive or near total destruction of the physical infrastructure in Southern Sudan. Most buildings lie in a very dilapidated state. . . .”
Bruce Smith, president and CEO of Wycliffe Associates, says the completion of a new translation facility within the next two years is critical to the future of Bible translation in the region.
With the expiration date of the peace agreement looming, ”We must establish a permanent translation center to ensure that Sudanese nationals will be equipped to translate God’s Word into the remaining languages that need it,” Smith said.
Wycliffe Associates has committed to renovating the existing Bible translation facility and construct a new Bible translation and literacy center in the city of Juba.
This past year, Wycliffe Associates has sent five teams of volunteers to help with the renovation and repair work. New plumbing and electrical wiring have been installed in the existing facilities and structural repairs have made the buildings functional again.
“Though much has been accomplished, there is so much work left to be done to provide these committed Bible translators with living quarters, classrooms, offices, and workstations,” said Smith.
More than one million people in Southern Sudan - representing 25 language groups - do not have the Bible in their language. But translation work cannot begin on new languages until there is room to train new national translators and provide them with office space.
Currently, translation training classes are filled to capacity.
In addition to limited classroom and office space, translation experts and advisors are facing a housing shortage.
Rent for a typical three-bedroom house in Juba averages $3,000 per month. These prices make it impossible to obtain housing, making it more cost-effective to build facilities that will be used by translators for the next 20 years and beyond.
Wycliffe Associates believes the new facilities will do more than provide living and working space for translation teams, however. “The work of Bible translation in Southern Sudan has the power to bring hope, peace and rest to a nation that has suffered upheaval and violence many times in its history,” Smith says.
Wycliffe Associates recently received $30,000 in a matching fund challenge for the Juba Bible Translation Center and hopes to raise an additional $30,000 or more over the next 30 days.
GOP Men’s Club meeting Jan. 13
Tim Gillespie of OK2A (Oklahoma 2nd Amendment) and David McClain, announced candidate Republican nomination for Senate District 10, an open seat in Pawnee and Osage Counties, will speak to the Tulsa County Republican Mens Club Jan. 13.
The club holds its regular meeting at noon on the second Wednesday of each monthat the Hong Kong Restaurant, 7315 So. Memorial Drive. In the December meeting, Gary Casey was installed as the 2010 club president and Debby Richardson was elected secretary. For more information, call Bob McDowell at 481-1051.