Macroclemys temmincki - A turtle recognizable by its three rows of ridges on its shell. They spend most of their time on muddy lake or pond bottoms. This is the only turtle species with a fleshy wormlike lure in its mouth that it uses to attract fish. It can lunge out its triangular shaped head in an instant and close its powerful beak on its prey. This species has no teeth. Needing air infrequently, they are excellent swimmers and remain underwater for 20 to 40 minutes at a time. Alligator Snapping Turtles have been measured at over 200lbs and nearly a yard long. They are believed to be able to live over 100 years.

Americium, a radioactive element discovered during the Manhattan Project in 1945. It is created in nuclear reactors as a decay product of Plutonium-241. Americium is a silvery metal, which tarnishes slowly in air and is soluble in acid. Its atomic number is 95. Its most stable isotope, Am-243, has a half-life of over 7500 years. Am-241 has a half-life of 432 years. One gram of Americium Oxide is enough for five-thousand smoke detectors. The Americium 241 emits low-level gamma waves and alpha particles. The alpha particles ionize oxygen and nitrogen particles in the air. A low-level electrical current in the detector collects these ions, effecting a steady rate current. When smoke enters the detector, it changes the rate of ionization, disrupts the current, and triggers the alarm. These Ionization detectors are more sensitive than the photo-electric versions. The radiation ouput is considered effectively absorbed by the detector and surrounding air, but some groups are trying to ban the detectors. Officials in France were horrified to learn days after a shipment of detectors were burned in a fiery accident, that there was radioactive material in that fire. Most people don't know about the radiation in their own homes. Even if swallowed, the 1/5000th of a gram of Americium Oxide should not prove harmful, unless swallowed in soluble form, whereby it would concentrate in the skeleton, and continue to emit radiation for four centuries.

A Norse God, son of Odin, and husband to Idun. As the God of Poetry, he was described as an eloquent speaker. Loki called him a braggard and a coward with a big mouth. For some reason, the video game Age of Mythology attributed him the power of flaming weapons, but I still have not found a mythological basis for this. Bragi never turned into a bat in Norse Mythology. That was something I made up. Gods taking animal forms was quite common. Frigg turned into a falcon. Loki turned into a female horse and got pregnant and gave birth to an 8 legged horse named Sleipnir. Odin turned into a snake so he could spend three days making love to a spellbound giantess and steal her mead. While escaping, he became an eagle. There is very little about Bragi in the ancient myths. The reason I chose him, was because Poetry was often associated with Runic magic. Odin obtained the Mead of Poetry, and from it gained magical wisdom. His wisdom was listed in the form of 18 charms, including: healing, protection, unlocking locks, dowsing flames, etc. Charms like these would be engraved/carved on staves or rocks to enchant them.

The Caddoan Language Group is distantly related to the Iroquoian languages, and even more remotely related to the Siouan. The Caddoan Language group showed a gradual departure from the primary, Caddo language. The first break was a split between Caddo and Northern Caddoan. Northern Caddoan disseminated into Wichita, Kitsai, and Pawnee. At that stage, Pawnee split into Pawnee and Arikara groups. Pawnee further split into Skiri and South Band. In Roughes, the inhabitants of Spiro Mounds speak Caddoan, and teach it to the Vikings. Archeologists do not know which tribes lived at Spiro with certainty. Very little is known about the Kitsai, and there are cultural differences with the Wichita that may lean against those as the inhabitants. Because of similarities and coincidences I have noticed between Spiro and the Pawnee tribe, and because Pawnee was the only Caddoan Language group tribe to have an efficient, internet based, language guide (with proper pronunciation), I chose to use Pawnee words for Caddoan. Specifically, the Skiri Pawnee. The Skiri(Skidi) Pawnee, when discovered in the 16th century by explorers continued the tradition of human sacrifice, as well as possessing accurate star charts. Their creation myth, and religious views seem to be in accordance with the highly developed astrological traditions of Spiro. A coincidence involves the estimated decline of Spiro (1300C.E.-1450C.E.) and the appearance of Pawnee sites in Kansas and Nebraska which occurred around the same time. The Caddo Tribe claim Spiro as part of their history, and they may rightfully be the descendents of those people.

The world's highest hill. At 1,999 feet tall, it is 1 foot short of being classified as a mountain. As a reminder of the early French influence on Oklahoma, its name, like many other names in the area, is of French origin. It is home to a geocaching site, if you know what that is. And there's some internet rumor about black robed figures dancing around a fire there.

The "Dena Lagu," or Dane Law was the region of England controlled by vikings through the 9th and 10th centuries. It was established by the Treaty of Wedmore, after Alfred the Great defeated the Dane Guthrum at the Battle of Edington. The Norse established settlements on nearby islands as well, and it was not uncommon for them to take Celts as slaves.

In Norse myths, there were no Ghosts as we know them. When the dead walked the earth, it was literally as the walking dead. Their bloated (but otherwise untouched by decay) corpses, imbued with supernatural strength and some mystic powers, defended grave mounds or roamed the countryside. They were described as riding livestock to death, and getting on rooftops, shaking them violently. Their powers ranged from precognition, weather control, to shape-shifting into seals, cats, horses, and trolls. Another ability allowed them to "swim" through soil. Their motivation was two-fold. In one sense, some were depicted as occupants of their burial mounds, jealously guarding their treasure. They were also said to have an insatiable hunger, which lead to them to assault any living thing.

One of Oklahoma's many man-made lakes. Situated in Eastern Oklahoma is this 26 mile long body of water with 26 parks and recreation areas. The funding for this and other similar projects, was obtained in large part by Senator Elmer Thomas, who once said, "I can get money for a dam easier than for my own breakfast." The Dam was Constructed by the US Army Corps of Engineers starting in 1942, work halted during the war. The project was finally completed in 1953 when the hydroelectric generators were operational. The lake, in addition to being a source of recreation, also is part of a larger flood-control plan for the region.

The Scandinavians invented an alphabet called the Futhark to use with their Germanic language. The Elder Futhark of 24 characters is the oldest. Extra characters were added to be able to write Anglo-Saxon/Old English. This was called the Anglo-Saxon Futhark, and is the alphabet used in Roughies. It was in use until the 11th century. In other regions, the Elder Futhark evolved into the Younger Futhark, which had only 16 characters, and survived until the Latin alphabet was adopted after Christianity replaced the old customs.

Northeastern Oklahoma, the location of the garbage-strewn field where most of Roughies takes place.

a town in Eastern Oklahoma

A 55 acre Oklahoma State Park on Poteau Mountain dedicated to the preservation of the Heavener Runestone. Second-hand accounts of the mysterious stone date back 200 years, but the first written account was written in 1874. The stone stands 12 feet tall, 10 feet wide, and 16 inches thick. On its face, runes are carved, but there is no consensus of what they mean or when they were carved. It was originally called "Indian Rock," despite the fact that none of the native tribes had a written language. The person responsible for the State creating the park is Gloria Stewart Farley, an epigrapher who believes that Europeans came to America in the far past, carving images of Egyptian gods in an Oklahoma cave, named in the Iberian language using Celtic scratches called Ogam. Epigraphers have been accused of racism in suggesting that Native American cultures could not have grown on their own without assistance from Europeans. Four other Runestones were found in the area, Runestone #2, Runestone #3, Shawnee Runestone, and Poteau Runestone. Dates for the carvings range wildly from 600C.E. to 1200C.E. to the 19th Century. The only evidence are cuts on rocks. Most archeologists and anthropologists reject the theory that Vikings or Celts ever reached Oklahoma, but it makes for an interesting tourist attraction, even if it is a historical hoax.

(still working on it, will be a separate page)

The basic principle behind Indiglo is Electroluminescence, the conversion of electricity directly into light. It is much more efficent than traditional incandescent bulbs that generate light from heat. A layer of phosphors sandwiched between two conducting layers combined with 100 to 200 volts of alternating current is all that you need to energize the phosphors, and they will emit photons. How does a tiny watch battery manage to do that? Um... a Transformer and transistors and stuff. Its complicated.

A successfull oilman, the first Oklahoma-born Governor of the state, US Senator, and one time candidate for President. A brilliant debator, and possibly Oklahoma's greatest leader. His name survives on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, that he helped enact.

Southeastern Oklahoma

A poetess born in Mississippi, and raised in Oklahoma. She was lauded by H.L. Mencken, and encouraged by him. She was included in his acclaim for the Oklahoma Manner. She translated Latin American works and was investigated for Un-American activities.

Oklahoma Values are real, but few people seem to have a firm grasp on what they are. When Republicans run for office in Oklahoma, they claim they represent Oklahoma values. Senator James Inhoffe claims that these "values" include "less government, less regulation, lower tax rates, fiscal responsibility and strong national defense." Those seem like Republican issues, not Oklahoma values. Inhoffe is also the senator that was outraged by all the "do-gooders" who were tarnishing America's image by exposing (and focusing on) torture and abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Oklahoma (statehood 1907) didn't have a Republican governor until 1962, so to contort "Oklahoma Values" to mean merely Republicanism is out of touch with reality. Other people have categorized Oklahoma Values thusly: integrity, accountability and opportunity... humility, hard work... believe in yourself and you can succeed... Okies are real good at doing everything themselves, maybe a sense of independence about it. It's natural, and honest, and about real life."

To understand Oklahoma Values, one must realize a few things first. Oklahoma was previously, the land reserved for Native American tribes. While, many Oklahomans celebrate the hardy pioneers who settled Oklahoma Territory during the Land Runs, other Oklahomans (particularly Native Americans), see the Land Runs as a series of Invasions into their territory. Senator Dawes, upon visiting a Cherokee village and seeing there was no poverty, no strife there, remarked, "...the defect of the system was apparent. They have got as far as they can go, because they own their land in common... there is no enterprise to make your home better than that of your neighbors. There is no selfishness which is at the bottom of civilization." The Dawes Act set in motion, the allotment process that divided up Indian lands further, and opened up more for white encroachment.

The Oklahoma of today is not the same as when the state was founded. Our State Constitution was described by Taft as a "curious mix of Socialism and Bourbonism." During the Constitutional convention, anti-corporation and pro-union provisions were included in the Bill of Rights, as well as the ability of the State to enter into business. During the first years of Oklahoma Statehood, socialism, populism and progressivism were integral. In 1914, there was a larger percentage of Socialist Worker's Party supporters in Oklahoma than in any other state. Churches have always played a large role in Oklahoma. Someday, I plan to read Agrarian Socialism in America: Marx, Jefferson, and Jesus in the Oklahoma Countryside, 1904-1920 but I haven't gotten around to it. Its so amazing that the churches of our state would swing so widely within a century. Conservative Evangelicals prior to WWI, were supporting outright Socialism; today, they are as right-wing Conservative Republican as they come.

I will add more later, including examples of famous Oklahoman's citizens. Right now, I can't condense it into something simple...

Also called Anglo-Saxon, a West Germanic language very similar to Old Norse. The language borrowed from many other languages including Celtic, Latin, and Old Norse.

A Germanic language, spoken by the Norsemen. Modern Icelandic is very similar.

A transitional mound center of the Arkansas Valley Caddoan Tradition, believed to be dominant after the Harlan site, and before the Spiro Mounds site. WPA excavations in the 1930's and "salvage" excavations in the 1940's reveal what little is known about this site, because some of it today sits under Ft. Gibson Lake. Recently, I was informed that the remains of some mounds can actually be seen above the water's surface.

An unbound printed work. The word came via Middle English "pamflet" or "pampfletus" referring to a love poem. From the Latin, Pamphilus. This originated from the Greek pamphilos, meaning beloved by all.

A town in Eastern Oklahoma.

Kerr family home, converted into a museum. Located near Poteau.

A sub-genre of Exploitation films that appeared during the 1960's. In simplest terms, the Roughie was a film that combined sex and violence. Its attributed that the success of Russ Meyer's Lorna in 1964 cemented the foundations for the genre. A typical Roughie delved into the sordid, sexual aspect of society that was often ignored or glossed over by mainstream movies. Topics like Depravity, Pornography, Prostitution, Perversion, Domestic Abuse, Kidnapping, Rape, and Sexual Slavery were explored. Usually, these films promised much more than they delivered in terms of sex. Lurid Titles, gave heft to films that were quite tame compared to modern hard-core pornography. Examples: Bad Girls Go to Hell, The Defilers, Olga's House of Shame, Too Much, Too Often, etc.

A state park on Ft. Gibson Lake. Has trails, swim-beaches, docks, a golf course, a nature center, and a guest resort.

Religious population center of unknown origin. Described as the Arkansas Valley Caddoan Tradition. Mounds were built up over centuries with bucketfulls of dirt. The largest mound was 33 feet tall and 400 feet wide. Rectangular buildings with 2-4 central supporting posts were built on top of the mounds. Walls were wattle and daub, with thatched roofs. These buildings were temples or homes of the Caddo (chief), the Xinesi (priest-chief), their families, and the fire-tenders. Some buildings contained sacred fires that were kept burning constantly. The buildings were burned to the ground, then buried before rebuilding. The possible inhabitants include the Caddo tribe or Caddoan language group tribes such as the Wichita or Kitsai. Also possible, the Tunica. The site consists of 9 house mounds, 2 temple mounds, and 1 burial mound. Most of the mounds were looted in the 1930's. The burial mound, Craig's Mound, produced thousands of artifacts and roughly 600 burials. It was described as the "King Tut of the Arkansas Valley. Spiro is considered the Western edge of the Mississippian-Mound Builder culture of complex chiefdoms with a long-range, river-based trading network. Artifacts found here include materials imported from as far away as Cahokia in Illinois, and sea-shells from the gulf coast. Effigy pipes and iconographic shell necklaces/gorgets depict human sacrifice, feathered serpents, spiders, fire, raccoons, four-winds, and dancing. Arrowheads, Flint-maces, Flint-swords, Flint-hoes, Chunkey stones, Ear Spools, and other artifacts were also found. All of the religious buildings had their doors facing East to the rising sun. Unlike the Wichitas to the West and Cahokia in Illinois, Spiro was not surrounded by a wooden stockade wall, suggesting peaceful relations with neighbors. It is believed that the mound complex was used for rituals, while the majority population lived in the surrounding area and may have reached several thousand.

A tributary of the Verdigris River

In 1649, hired as housekeeper at the age of 24, in the household of the famous Rembrandt van Rijn. Rembrandt could not remarry without losing his dead wife's fortune, but that didn't stop him from having fun. Years later, Hendrickje was brought before a church trial and accused of "having committed fornication with Rembrandt" She later died of the plague.

(still working on it, will be a separate page)

Located in Sequoyah Bay State Park, it displays information about Oklahoma's natural inhabitants and history. It has venemous snakes, a box of bones, shells, and pinecones, as well as an assortment of caged animals that are cared for by park rangers and volunteers. They do not have a giant injured alligator snapping turtle, but they do have a red fox, opossum, raccoon, eagle, owl, deer, bobcat, etc.

King of Norway who participated in viking raids. He converted to Christianity in 994C.E. in England before returning to Norway. He was responsible for Christianizing Norway. His missionaries Christianized Iceland through violent threats. Leif Eriksson brought the new religion to Greenland.

Famous Dutch painter of the 17th Century. His paintings are characterized by luxuriant brushwork, rich color, and a mastery of chiaroscuro.

Its really only a hill

A tributary of the Arkansas River

There really are water-skiing squirrels, and they go by the name of Twiggy. There have been several Twiggies, trained to water-ski in a small pool, pulled by a remote control boat. Thank Chuck and Lou Ann Best for providing this spectacle, as they are responsible for training the squirrels. For official information on Twiggy, and where you can see her, check out http://www.royalshows.com/twiggy.htm or to see her in action, check out Scary Squirrel's Page. During the 2004, Democratic Presidential Primary, candidate Joe Lieberman attended the Tulsa Boat and Sport Show, where Twiggy was performing. The reporters covering his campaign were more impressed with Twiggy's performance that day, than Lieberman's. One CBS News correspondant reported, "Twiggy emerged from the warmth of the trainer's bosom," before proceeding to straddle the ski's and skiing several laps around the pool. Afterward, the Senator was asked about what kind of day it had been, and he remarked, "Y'know, when a day begins I always say I'm always excited about what I'm going to learn and see. And did I ever believe that I would see a water-skiing squirrel? In Oklahoma! Who would've thunk it?"

A double-aught or finer steel wool pad will burn when exposed to an electrical current. 9-volt battery will do.