Most year-end charitable givers can't hold a candle to the generosity of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The charitable foundation headed by Gates' father has made a $100 million challenge grant to the Rotary Foundation's campaign to help end polio in the world.
Those too young to remember the scourge of polio may have trouble comprehending the scope of the disease. Before Rotary Internation's eradication effort began in 1988, about 1,000 children a day were paralyzed by the disease.
Today, according to Rotary president Wilfrid Wilkinson, there are only four countries -- Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan -- that are still polio-endemic. Instead of 1,000 cases a day, the disease now strikes about 1,000 a year.
The foundation has raised about $600 million to support polio eradication efforts in 122 countries. The effort is at a critical juncture. Mass immunization efforts through the World Health Organization and UNICEF will continue.
Opinion
The end is in sight
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Gov. Fallin’s tax plan is one big mistake
Editor, The Transcript: Well, it’s official now. In her State of the State message, Gov. Fallin confirmed that she hopes to reduce the state income tax now and totally eliminate it later. Big mistake, for two compelling reasons....
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Another Library Vote? Good grief!
Editor, The Transcript A new library on the west side? With hardly any books? With a dumb name above the entry as shown in your rendering? Infoplace? The library bureaucracy must think Norman voters just fell off the turnip truck....
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Show them some love
Oklahoma joins bus drivers and riders throughout the nation in the “Love the Bus” campaign to raise awareness and appreciation for the thousands of school bus drivers and aides who safely transport children to and from school each day....
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Eliminating state taxes places burden on poor
Editor, The Transcript: Your editorial on Feb. 8th that expressed your pleasure that the bill by Jim Wilson that would have removed the sales tax exemptions from newspapers was killed in committee was disconcerting. I can agree that the ...
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Not time to experiment with state taxes
Editor, The Transcript Governor Fallin proposed more cuts to the state income tax in her State of the State speech Feb. 6. This comes on the heels of a House Tax Reform Task Force that also proposed phasing out the state income tax over a ...
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Cuts in mental health short-sighted at best
When state budgets tightened up three legislative sessions ago, mental health and substance abuse treatment appropriations amounted to low-hanging fruit. It was easy for lawmakers to reduce treatment for mental health consumers and ...
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Local investment is better for Norman
Editor, The Transcript Americans from all walks of life and political ideologies are asserting their voice to tell Wall Street “Enough is enough!” Occupy Norman members spoke at the Dec. 13 Norman City Council meeting, urging the city to ...
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Decline in unions harmful to economy
Editor, The Transcript Remember sometimes you get what your ask for? Let’s see, what could that be? I know, destroy those evil unions which are compromised of the middle class....
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Tobacco ban comes as shock
Gov. Mary Fallin’s State of the State contained few surprises. The tobacco ban, however, came as a total shock to many legislators and state agency heads. “It was a surprise,” the governor told state press association members this week at ...
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‘Flavor of the month’
State Republicans have invited all of the GOP presidential candidates to Oklahoma. Former candidate Herman Cain came to Oklahoma City in early December, just days after he suspended his campaign. Rick Santorum brought his charged-up ...
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Gov. Fallin’s tax plan is one big mistake
