The First Nominee: Gene Stipe

Allen February 20th, 2005

This weekend, the Scouts and I went on backpacking trip at Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas.  I ended up not being able to backpack  — cave exploration and weak ankle leading to sprained ankle, nuff said.  But the views were fantastic and I really enjoyed myself.

I was driving back to Norman when one of the adults (a former 777 Scout now in college)  noticed that one of the correctional facilities was named after someone.  We decided that only a sewage treatment plant would be a poorer honor.

This lead to thinking up a new way to raise money for cities.

You go to a prominent citizen in your community and tell them that the city has decided to name the sewage treatment plant after them.  Of course, they would prefer that the plant not be named after them and then you tell them that you’ve already signed the contract and it will take a significant amount of money to break the contract and they will have to pony up the money.

Just keep repeating.

And why Gene Stipe?  For those who are not Okies, a quick background.  Gene is a prominent state senator who recently was caught with his hands in the "fundraising cookie jar".  The trial was delayed over and over and then the sentencing was delayed over and over.  Gene, worth over $47M, finally showed up and received 1,000 hours of community service.

I was writing this up when Channel 4 just announced that the time Gene spends as a paid lobbyist will count for his community service hours.

Sometimes when you are thinking of a title for your post, something happens that just fits the bill.

Only I think perhaps in Gene’s case, we should drop the fund-raising portion of this idea.

8 Responses to “The First Nominee: Gene Stipe”

  1. # MikeHon 21 Feb 2005 at 9:49 am

    And I read in one of the Sunday newspapers that part of Stipe’s community service was lobbying for a taxpayer subsidzed biofuels plant at a site that happens to belong to a relative.

    Nothing like good old boy Okie justice.

  2. # unixdudeon 25 Feb 2005 at 12:30 pm

    Jeez, between Stipe and Cock Boxing, it’s little wonder the rest of the world sees us as inbred, backwater hicks. It just gets really frustrating sometimes.

  3. # Allenon 25 Feb 2005 at 12:32 pm

    Speaking of cock boxing — I can’t draw worth a lick, but can do animation using Flash. I tried to get my wife to draw a chicken for an animation I had in mind. Still hasn’t come to fruition.

    At least we’re keeping those evil tatooers at bay.

  4. # Chaseon 26 Feb 2005 at 10:13 pm

    Ever been to Philmont?

  5. # Allenon 26 Feb 2005 at 10:57 pm

    Nope. My son went on a horse trek a few years ago. I hope that we can go together somday, but it will have to be when he is a Venture Scout. He turns 18 this summer.

  6. # Lifeon 21 Mar 2005 at 12:59 pm

    Acorns from an Okie: The First Nominee: Gene Stipe

    Link: Acorns from an Okie: The First Nominee: Gene Stipe. Not entirely a bad idea. :O)

  7. # Lifeon 21 Mar 2005 at 1:00 pm

    interesting way to raise money

    Link: Acorns from an Okie: The First Nominee: Gene Stipe. Not entirely a bad idea. :O)

  8. # BRADon 06 Jul 2006 at 11:24 am

    caught with his hands in the “fundraising cookie jar”? HE BROKE THE LAW BUY GIVING AND ILLEAGAL CONTRIBUTION TO ANOTHER POLOTICIAN.

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