http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2012/11/21/top-of-the-morning-arkansas-travelers-more-sports Comments On: Top of the morning: Arkansas Travelers, more sports, lottery, Obama 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) Sat, 18 May 2013 00:00:01 -0500 Sat, 18 May 2013 08:45:00 -0500 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
Yes, the Mennonites and Quakers are known for their quiet good works. And there are other church groups who are similarly organized to Southern Baptists. Although no longer a Southern Baptist, I have roots and contemporary connections, so happen to see figures on some of their projects. The Catholics have a similar program--at least at some local levels. Crews from a local church worked in neighborhoods following some of our Arkansas tornadoes a while back.

It just happens (well, maby not "just happens," but anyway . . .) that Southern Baptists, by virtue or their size and organization and some of the equipment they've been able to develop, connect with the Red Cross and go largely at their request, direction, and supervision. When you take a multi-thousand-dollar self-contined feeding unit into a disaster area, it helps to have some coordination about where it can best be deployed and most beneficially operated. Same thing for their shower units. Of course, most of the chain-saw crews are small-number groups who work much more on an individual basis, each person attacking one tree at a time--more or less.

And then there are individual church groups who go in later to assist with tear-down and rebuild. Most of those function under local coordinators.

I occasionally see some of these reports and am pleased to know that there are SOME Christians out there trying to be the hands of Christ in the community in a time of crisis rather than attempting to enact their theological views into civil statutes, but it distresses me somewhat that the bad stuff makes headlines while the good stuff doesn't merit even a single line on the back page.

Maybe some people are just more inclined to bad-mouth than they are to compliment and acknowlege goodness when it occurs.
Posted by SkyPilot]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 16:41:16 -0600 Arkansas Times
As for bumper stickers, I don't have any. Why invite vandalism or the ire of the insane?
Posted by MarcKyle1964]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 15:27:48 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by eLwood]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 14:02:33 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Sound Policy]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 13:34:54 -0600 Arkansas Times
Its good to be home for Thanksgiving, and I have also noticed the dearth of Willard yard signs and stickers here in central AR. In fact, I have seen more "W" stickers than "Romney" stickers.

Your Obama sticker is a mark of courage my friend! Display it proudly, and may the Patron Saint of Parking Lots protect you car from all intentional acts of random petulance and assholery.
Posted by arkansastraveler]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 12:12:27 -0600 Arkansas Times
If God hadn't have wanted them sheared He wouldn't have made them sheep.
Posted by FullThrottle]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 11:23:37 -0600 Arkansas Times
I am so sad.

There is nothing to say so I won't try.
Posted by Citizen1]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 11:08:07 -0600 Arkansas Times
About 20 years ago when the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers both flooded in the summer (partly from late snow melt), we heard about it in Ct from a chiropactor who had a sister in a small town on the MO River and the only working phone was in the volunteer fire department. Our VBS sort of adopted the town after my wife, who was missions chair, was asked to speak on it. She had the church secretary dump a 5-gallon bucket of water over her head and walked in to speak to the kids with our Grayhound on a leash. She told the kids there had been a flood and she had no place to go and the kids responded about shelters and she told them that she couldn't take her dog to a shelter and it went from there. By the end of summer, hay had been sent south as well as the local volunteer fire department sending equipment and the town adopting the town in MO for Christmas. What got their attention was that their white wood church in town was an exact copy of the 150-year old one in CT and it had been flooded and I wrapped our entire church all around to show how high the water had come on their windows. That really caught the town's attention. What made it work-both were small towns, agriculturally based, and had a lot in common. And all of this was based on a random comment from my wife chiropractor to her while undergoing treatment. They didn't have to know the people involved, because, except for the Grace of God, they WERE those people.
Posted by couldn't be better]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 10:49:13 -0600 Arkansas Times
One thing I noted in the weeks/months before the election was the dearth of Willard bumper stickers on vehicles. It was like his supporters had to hold their noses and vote for "that Mormon" because otherwise Obama would benefit, but they didn't want to advertise it for all the world to see. Gotta love it!

Finally, when all the votes have been counted and certified nationally, Willard will end up with- 47%. Where have I seen that number before? Where?
Posted by Sound Policy]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 10:39:59 -0600 Arkansas Times be sure to wear some.... clothes...

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S-F-…
Posted by radical centrist]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 10:33:38 -0600 Arkansas Times
I'm a little concerned about our local situation. When the INA systems went into a meltdown on the day of the property tax deadlines, it cost the counties millions in revenue. So far, I haven't seen much beyond a vague explanation from INA about why that problem occurred, but I have a hypothesis that it was an older system that lacked adequate management, resources and maintenance. I wish the Legislative Audit Committee would look into that, and issue subpoenas to INA if necessary to get the answers.

The good news about INA is they have an excellent web applications developer there who is a stickler for proper software architecture and data protection, so their newer projects should go better.
Posted by radical centrist]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 10:05:21 -0600 Arkansas Times
Sunday before the election I asked a whole passel of rightwingers if Obama or Romney would win.

ALL said Romney and it wouldn't even be close.

I then changed the subject.

It turns out they all must have been in self imposed isolation (Fox listeners).

Of course polls were all over but I put much weight in the Vegas betting lines (people with money on the line instead of just talk) and they were all heavy Obama favorites.
Posted by Citizen1]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 10:01:42 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by SimplyAmazing]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 09:51:18 -0600 Arkansas Times
We hear--and endure--the warranted gripes and criticisms about the bigoted efforts of the Rabid Religious Right, but when some church people go above-and-beyond . . . .

"The evil that men do lives after them, but the good is oft interred with their bones."

Just sayin'.
Posted by SkyPilot]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 09:43:52 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Verla Sweere]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 09:37:53 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by GDM]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 09:35:24 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by couldn't be better]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 09:32:09 -0600 Arkansas Times
Well, according to my long ago Southern Baptist memories, tain't Miz Cox, the preacher's wife. Off the top of my head (yeah, yeah, about all that's quickly accessible after 50-plus years), there's the thing about "judge not, lest ye be judged" (from the King James version). And good Southern Baptist ladies would NEVER swear. Swear, you ask? Yes, "heck" was a swear word. So was "dang" and "butt" and "crap" and plenty more I've forgotten about -- until I hear the words coming out of the mouths of present day good Southern Baptist ladies.

But let's forget the inconsequential details and go for the meat.

"And Colorado?" she said. "Who the heck is living in Colorado?"

Er, ma'am, the proper question then and today for the good southern lady, churchy or otherwise, is "Who would live in Texas?" (And considering Dallas and thereabouts, the answer is too dang, er, too many of 'em.)
Posted by Doigotta]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 09:10:26 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Doigotta]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 09:03:49 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by the outlier]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 08:47:04 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Yellowdogdaughter]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 08:46:09 -0600 Arkansas Times See by the morning D-G that the guy whose author intrusion in the Angel One story has been promoted.
Posted by Verla Sweere]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 08:38:58 -0600 Arkansas Times
How sexist is Gene Lyons?! My gosh.
Posted by ProCarry]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 08:24:58 -0600 Arkansas Times
http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots…
Posted by the outlier]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 08:16:16 -0600 Arkansas Times
Incredible. And here’s something else that’s unbelievable. And not a typo. Last week, the Little Rock Hall girls team beat the Little Rock Fair gals 88-0. That’s right, 88-0. Halftime score was Hall 58, Fair 0.

Tracy Steele and Joe Smith? Brummett nailed it the other day:

“Steele is perfectly suited to run for the job. Smith is perfectly suited to do the job.”

Viva the lotto! And the scholarships. Even when they’re downsized.
Posted by Durango]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 08:14:26 -0600 Arkansas Times