http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2012/05/11/friday-night-line Comments On: Friday night line by Max Brantley en-us Copyright 2013 Arkansas Times. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, Arkansas Times readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact Arkansas Times. robert@arktimes.com (Arkansas Times Webmaster) Sun, 19 May 2013 00:00:01 -0500 Sun, 19 May 2013 01:15:00 -0500 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
And I understand the economic impact on schools and professional athletes and the numerous people employed in the endeavor who depend upon stadium-produced income to support themselves and their families.

So please leave those out of the argument and consider this: Athletic events for entertainment, as opposed to things people do for personal development such as hiking, swimming, mountain climbing, etc., are just that: entertainment.

When the game/contest is over, one person, or one team, won, and the other person, or team, did not win. In what way has the community, society, or humanity been improved?

Yes, I watch the olympics. Yes, I occasionally watch a football game. But when it's over, someone won and someone didn't win, and that's about all there is to it.

So why should sports reporting rank in significance with main-line journalism?

Are there human-interest stories? Of course. Are those human-interest stories "news"? That's another question.

Maybe I'm an eletist. Maybe its because I wasn't athletic enough to make the team. Or maybe it's just a weird way of looking at the world. But it doesn't seem to me that an athletic event compares in importance to what's going on with the American economy, what's going on in legislatures in Washington or the states around the country, or what's going on in international relations, or what's going on in city, county, state, federal, and international government.

Personally, I don't think the Super Bowl compares in importance to a clerk's being shot at the local convenience store. And I don't think any super-star's being abused by her spouse or boyfriend is any more newsworthy than the woman who lives down the block from you whose abuse is never reported, and if it were would hardly catch your attention in the newspaper. I realize I've digressed from athletics and sports reporting, but I think you catch my drift. I rmember a local TV personality's murder attracting a lot more media attention that the "unknown" people who were killed around the same time.

But then, I'm just weird, so that's just me.
Posted by SkyPilot]]> Sat, 12 May 2012 15:36:54 -0500 Arkansas Times Posted by plainjim]]> Sat, 12 May 2012 13:23:51 -0500 Arkansas Times
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/…
Posted by the outlier]]> Sat, 12 May 2012 09:20:43 -0500 Arkansas Times
Good grief, plainjim — what condescending assholes. No wonder Bailey never wanted to join them over there on “the news side.”

Spectacular nighttime photos, NVR, and thanks for sharing ‘em. Tis sad that light pollution deprives us city dwellers of such beauty.

rc, great link on photography theft. Have sent it to a young lady in eastern Arkansas who got into the bidness about three years ago. Her work is outstanding and would be attractive to such thieves. Thanks to you, she’s been warned.
Posted by Durango]]> Sat, 12 May 2012 09:02:24 -0500 Arkansas Times Posted by the outlier]]> Sat, 12 May 2012 08:15:20 -0500 Arkansas Times
However, he did promise to out-gay Ted Kennedy in his 1994 Senate race against him.

http://newsone.com/2006845/mitt-romney-gay…

Failing memory seems to afflict conservatives. Now Scott Walker can't remember his "divide and conquer" statement to Wisconsin billionaire, Diane Hendricks who gave him a cool half mil.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/11/s…

Video cameras. How do they work?
Posted by the outlier]]> Sat, 12 May 2012 08:08:21 -0500 Arkansas Times
http://enticingthelight.com/2012/05/10/ste…
Posted by radical centrist]]> Sat, 12 May 2012 08:06:13 -0500 Arkansas Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/12/opinion/…

I don't know if the administration of Wind Sock's toney prep school administered any punishment for any of the pranks, but I read somewhere that a boy was kicked out for smoking. One must maintain standards and keep one's priorities straight, mustn't one?
Posted by the outlier]]> Sat, 12 May 2012 07:38:00 -0500 Arkansas Times Posted by Self Appointed Arbiter]]> Sat, 12 May 2012 00:48:40 -0500 Arkansas Times Posted by Sound Policy]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 23:59:34 -0500 Arkansas Times Posted by evil monkey sez]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 23:07:06 -0500 Arkansas Times
http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/…

Posted by NeverVoteRepublican]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 23:03:10 -0500 Arkansas Times '
http://www.niu.edu/~rfeurer/labor/chronolo…
Posted by eLwood]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 22:02:24 -0500 Arkansas Times It begins with a tract by Richard Hakluyt done in 1584 regarding the Crown's strategy regarding "Norumbega," or New England.
Posted by eLwood]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 22:01:39 -0500 Arkansas Times
Source: http://www.npr.org/2012/05/09/152250525/mi…


Posted by Viper]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 21:45:57 -0500 Arkansas Times Posted by Perplexed]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 21:33:29 -0500 Arkansas Times
http://margaretandhelen.com/

Posted by NeverVoteRepublican]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 21:23:47 -0500 Arkansas Times Posted by plainjim]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 20:11:33 -0500 Arkansas Times
Also if you are taking them and are planning any oral surgery procedures---extractions, implants, periodontal surgery---talk to your dentist about maybe going off of them first.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/jan-…


Posted by the outlier]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 19:59:08 -0500 Arkansas Times Posted by plainjim]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 19:29:57 -0500 Arkansas Times
None of the Free-Market Wingnuts like socialism until it comes to saving their ass:

Scott Walker Using $100 Million Of Taxpayer Money To Fight Off Recall?

(in Forbes no less)

....
"The effort kicked off ten days ago when, after fifteen months in the Governor’s chair where Walker has consistently cried poverty in the state budget as the rational for his many controversial moves, the Governor miraculously came up with $100 million to fund economic development in Milwaukee’s poorest areas—money Walker claims will come from the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Board.

Even more surprising is the astonishing resemblance between the Walker scheme and the series of measures put forth by President Obama as the Governor’s proposal involves reoccupying foreclosed and vacant properties while making loans and venture capital money available to small businesses and industrial developers.

Of course, Scott Walker had been a vocal opponent of such proposals when uttered by the President."
....
http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012…
Posted by eLwood]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 19:20:40 -0500 Arkansas Times Sorry for our wingnuts if they missed out on Trevor Martin Gun Range targets.
They've sold out.

http://gawker.com/5909587/seller-of-trayvo…
Posted by eLwood]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 19:04:28 -0500 Arkansas Times
Apparently, they look at the Right Wing lies and rumors on the web as true when they wouldn't believe whatever they are told about priests and altar boys. Rove and his minions (I like the word-sort of like little 6 inch tall people who do evil stuff) and their rumors of Girl Scouts supporting Planned Parenthood and teaching girls how to become strong women creates fear in grown men that AG's investigating the Bishop's own failures doesn't.

Sort of puts the Catholic Church's bishops and the Taliban on the same side? Scary?
Posted by couldn't be better]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 18:58:34 -0500 Arkansas Times Posted by Sound Policy]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 17:29:00 -0500 Arkansas Times I don't know what it takes to get Max's attention on a hot topic now happening in Washington County. I sent the story to David as well. Maybe this should just be the Little Rock/Huckabee/blog.

After three readings and votes on a public transit tax the ordinance was sent to the voters for approval/disapproval during May 22 election. NWA Council attended at least one WashCo Quorum Court meeting to protest the ordinance, perhaps fearful of it interfering with a proposed tax on Washington County to build a bypass around Bella Vista in Benton County.

Yesterday, a group composed of tea party and other interests filed an injunction to stop the vote. They claimed state law wasn't followed because the "amended" ordinance didn't have three separate readings and Court votes:

"FAYETTEVILLE — A group called Citizens for Effective Transit and a local attorney sued Washington County officials Thursday to stop the May 22 election to fund public transit in Washington County.

The group, along with attorney Coleman Taylor, asked a circuit court judge for an injunction to stop the election. The lawsuit alleges the Quorum Court’s March 8 decision to call the sales tax election didn’t follow state law and other procedures."

Too Late, says county attorney:

"I think they’ve waited too late,” said George Butler, county attorney. “The election has already started. There’s ample precedent that when elections start, the courts are not going to interfere with an election.”
...
Butler said state law 26-73-111 is more specific in dealing with transit and sales tax. That law, which doesn’t contain a three-fifths requirement, overrides the general law quoted by Lester in the lawsuit, Butler said.

“The Quorum Court has no choice. If they adopt it, it has to go on the ballot and there’s no discretion,” Butler said. “I’ve known this all the time. The more specific statute controls over the more general statute.”

http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2012/may/11/…

Some observers think it's possible the Good Suit Club in Benton County (NWA Council) has joined WashCo Tea Party for this last ditch effort to thwart democracy.
Posted by eLwood]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 17:24:11 -0500 Arkansas Times