http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2012/12/30/the-open-line-on-fixtures-and-fixing-blame Comments On: The open line: On ice cream, fixtures and fixing blame 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 18:30:00 -0500 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
If it has corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, carrageenan, or gelatin in it, then it isn't real ice cream to me.
Posted by deltaqueen]]> Mon, 31 Dec 2012 16:26:09 -0600 Arkansas Times Sorry Citizen about the tree.
I was luckier than I knew when I earlier posted that our power was out 52 hours and Comcast for 3 days.
Posted by Verla Sweere]]> Mon, 31 Dec 2012 05:17:05 -0600 Arkansas Times
Speaking of ice,the last of it is almost gone from around here. There's a couple of little spots on our back deck,and maybe just a tad on the roof. Good riddance,and we never lost power like a bunch of other folks even on our street did.
Posted by AllenK]]> Mon, 31 Dec 2012 01:41:14 -0600 Arkansas Times
It lists many examples. Here's a few snippets from its summary:
"Why are the only two choices in US politics the responsible center-right and the barbarian nationalist extreme?"
"The more social class is involved, the further to the right America has swung. Poverty was once a social disease to be cured; it is now an individual crime to be punished. Put it down to individualism, conservatism, neoliberalism, or whatever -ism you want, America is now the world's greatest reactionary force."
"The mid-late twentieth century may or may not turn out to have been the highpoint of human civilization. Progress may yet return. But if it does, it will not be led by the United States. It will be resisted by the United States."
http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/13567-th…
----
Leaving you with those cheerless thoughts, I'll catch up on my online reading.
Posted by YossarianMinderbinder]]> Mon, 31 Dec 2012 01:01:57 -0600 Arkansas Times http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/31/…
http://tinyurl.com/ahnfe2z

Faux news and its idiot fellow travelers contended that Clinton's fall and concussion earlier this month was faked in order to avoid kangaroo court congressional hearings. I'm waiting to see how the repug quack medical team will spin this.
Posted by YossarianMinderbinder]]> Mon, 31 Dec 2012 00:35:49 -0600 Arkansas Times FAIR.org (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) presents its end of year negative awards for shoddy journalism: the P.U.litzer Prizes:
(Fox news is disqualified, because its egregiousness would sweep all prizes.)
--Factchecking the Dark Arts Award: Alex Altman, Time
--CEOs Know Best Award: CBS Evening News
--Factchecking Your Friends Award: David Gergen, CNN
--Half-Baked by the Heat Award: George Will, ABC
-Killing Their Four-Year-Old Girls to Save Ours Award: Joe Klein, Time
-Hunky Wonk Award: Michael Crowley, Time
-Anonymous Smears Award: Scott Shane, New York Times
-A Game That Needs Changing Award: PBS
-Strange Problems in Distant Lands Award: New York Times
-Fake News Award: New York Post
-Apocalypse Non Award: Gloria Borger, CNN
-Asked and Answered Award: David Gregory, NBC

An example under the "Strange problems in a distant land category:"
"A New York Times story (6/18/12) reported that "the television revolution has...in some respects been bad news for Pakistan":
"Some shows have given an unchallenged platform to extremists.... Conservative clerics have used the airwaves to reinforce prejudice and even urge violence against minorities. Editorial independence is sometimes curtailed by the businessmen who own the stations and unashamedly use them to peddle their interests.
Controversy also surrounds the anchors, some of whom view themselves as players on the national stage rather than impartial observers of its machinations."

http://fair.org/take-action/media-advisori…
http://tinyurl.com/ccv3xnz
Posted by YossarianMinderbinder]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 23:54:49 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Christopher Diaz]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 23:35:22 -0600 Arkansas Times
1 Super Storm Sandy
2 Related to Sandy, the direct effects of sea level rise…
3 The Polar Ice Caps and other ice features experienced extreme melting this year.
4 Sea Ice Loss Changes Weather …
5 and 6 Two major melting events happened in Greenland this summer.
7 Massive Ice islands…
8 More Greenhouse Gasses than Ever
9 It Got Hot
10 …and that heat brought extreme, killer heat waves
11 For many areas, this was the year without a Spring.
12 There were widespread, unprecedented and deadly wildfires…
13 There was a major drought…
14 River Traffic Stops
14 Very, very bad storms.
17 Biodiversity is mostly down…
18 Unusual Jet Stream Configuration and related changes to general climate patterns…
19 The first climate denial “think” tank to implode as a result of global warming…

from scienceblogs.com :
http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2012/12/…
http://tinyurl.com/9wt3h36

Be sure to check the hyperlinks under each entry in the scienceblogs story.
Posted by YossarianMinderbinder]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 23:30:03 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Nanc]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 23:26:07 -0600 Arkansas Times
I'm doing naked cartwheels down Kavanaugh that my elderly neighbor has been out of our house for 26 hours now, which leads me to my final installment of "The Thing That Wouldn't Leave.'' Yellowdog Daughter, I tried to think of a better title for my saga, but am still brain-dead from the emotional trauma from the whole ordeal.

On Saturday around 11 a.m., WIES and I heard Entergy trucks barreling down the street. I couldn't contain my glee. It was as if WE had been without power for 4 days.

I'll try to give you a visual of our neighbor. Anybody remember the character "Ralph'' from Green Acres? She looks just like her though neighbor lady has white hair.

I said, "Ralph, you're going to get your power back on today!'' She merely smirked without looking up while eating the bacon, eggs and toast we had prepared.

Within minutes, our power then went off (we assumed they turned off power for everybody while they worked on the downed power line a block down the street). I guess I hadn't noticed some other weird things about Ralph since I had the volume on the TV cranked from non-stop bowl games. When the house was dead silent, it was unmistakable that she talked to herself and burst into laughter for no reason.

At the time, I was doing a crossword puzzle while WIES was playing a game on the ipad. At the third spontaneous burst of laughter from Ralph (she was reading a catalog), WIES and I made eye contact and I mouthed, "I can't do this anymore.'' She blew me off and went back to her game.

This went on for 2 hours. Ralph then got up and announced she was going to visit her friend in the nursing home (remember, Ralph is not an invalid and has a car. She could've gone anywhere - like to visit her friend who offered her a place to stay). She left her surly chihuahua behind and was on her way.

Our power was restored around 3, prompting tears of joy. I turned on my bowl games and WIES headed to Home Depot. I couldn't wait to tell Ralph to go home!

She pulled up at 4 and I greeted her with the great news. Here's the dialog...

Me: You can go home now. Your power is on!

Ralph: I'm going to stay at your place until my house warms up.

Me: The power has been on for an hour. Why don't you go inside and crank up your heat.

Ralph: No. That's not necessary.

She then came in our house, poured some milk, got some cookies, plopped herself in the recliner, took off her shoes (revealing her pasty white feet and long toe nails) and asked me whom I was betting on.

I think I had a mini panic attack. I thought my nightmare was over but was faced with the fact that it would go on longer. Honestly, my heart started beating faster and I was becoming irate, though I didn't reveal it to Ralph. I texted WIES and got the predicted reaction from her..."oh, be nice.''

I watched my games and wasn't rude, although Ralph tried to engage me in conversation and I gave rather curt "yes'' and "no'' answers. She finally packed her stuff and left 4 hours after her power had been restored. WIES and I got in a spat because I wasn't "nice to my elders'' in those last hours.

Yes, this woman is lonely and this was the best thing to happen to her in years. I get that. But as I was trying to explain to WIES, she is not family and she wouldn't be in our lives at all unless she lived across the street (and we were nice). WIES thinks I'm the "bad guy'' because I wouldn't have her spend the night again even though her POWER WAS ON!

My WIES has a soft spot for users...Ralph and her step-dad. Married life is fun:)

Happy New Year, blog buddies

Mrs. Sistertoldja

P.S. Durango, can we go to the Caribbean again? I need a vacation.
Posted by Mrs. Sistertoldja]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 22:33:09 -0600 Arkansas Times
cbb....no rise in the water levels yet, but we have a lot more melting to do up here. Please keep us posted on your surgery.
Posted by mountaingirl]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 22:30:13 -0600 Arkansas Times
First household chore for Judge Ellen is explaining that you're bedding down with the dog tonight.
Posted by Doigotta]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 22:00:39 -0600 Arkansas Times
BTW, the sheep are loving this lousy weather. Now hold off on lambs until I get past the shoulder surgery this week and the 6 weeks in the sling. Not worried about experienced mothers but the new ones can never figure where that small animal came from and why it won't leave her alone.
Posted by couldn't be better]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 21:36:29 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Nanc]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 20:55:25 -0600 Arkansas Times
For 4 + days I have been concerning myself with with plugging a hole in the roof/ceiling/floor before the ice on the roof starts melting.

Chargin phones in the car so we can leave messages or get on hold to tree trimmers. (we are experienceing a high volume of calls)

3 nights with worry of if I can keep the dog warm INSIDE the house. He never would let us put a quilt over him on camping trips in the Rockies or Grand Canyon but now he comes and gives me a stare that says either y'all let me cuddle up with y'all or get a quilt to warm my a$$.

All your excellent insurance coverage of lodging if your home is un-inbitable don't mean squat if there ain't none available. We have had confirmed rooms and then haul a$$ there and not available since the people there aren't leaving. At least it got us out of the house.

I can begin to understand the "no room at the inn" problem we have heard about in past Christmases.

I thought we had it bad with a tree through the roof/ceiling/wall/floor but then I went one street over and saw that on Tally Ho we would be the lucky house.

Looking to rent an apartment for a couple months till the repairs can be made.

When claims adjuster said that, previously strong wife began weeping. Is it THAT bad damage? No, just contractors will be busy that long. Could have fixed in a couple weeks normally but now can't find someone available for a couple months.

Thinking we might try a loft in the River Market or maybe back in Riverdale where we had a condo 20 years ago. I am concerned wife might sell off the house in a down market and never come "home" if we do though.

Don't take my spewing as envy or anything but just to remind that we must appreciate what we do have.

Today my power came back on and I advised AP&L (I'm and older guy and Entergy just sounds odd) that my line was still pinned under a big pine and laying on my roof and fence.

They did a big corporate OOPS and off went the power again. 5 guys ran over and rebuilt the connection. One worker said people hate losing their power but work with you unless you turn it on THEN cut it again.

My side of the street is back up on power. Now I avert my eyes when I see the unfortunate on the other side. Before we were in it together, now I am part of the powerful and they are still powerless.

A couple have been seen sneaking dirty laundry across the street. (you can do a couple loads at my house but don't let the others see you or they will want to also).

The stuff I wish was hot, or even warm is now cold and the stuff I had had that was supposed to stay cold or frozen has is now mush and oozing onto the kitchen floor.

I used to take beautiful pictures that friends would oo and awww over of Rockie Mtn parks or Moab desserts or Alaskan glaciers. Now I take pictures of spoiling mayonaise bottles or thawed salmon for insurance claimes. Holes in shingles, sheetrock scattered across flipped beds. Pics of the tree trunk lovingly extracted from wall.

If a neighbor gives you some plywood to nail over wall hole, is it insurance fraud if I try to claim I bought it?

Wife and I have been scaling back over the last year or two in prep for retirement. Do I need every new tool or fly all around to see concerts or sporting events? Does wife need new boots every two weeks or so? We had been deciding not.

Now we have been given a moment to remember that you can get by with MUCH less. VERY much less.

The fiscal cliff thing, not high on my list of concerns. I used to spend a lot of effort and indigestion in groups and clubs showing up for gov't meetings to protect water, parks, poor, schools, children etc.

Now it is someone else's turn. I have enjoyed the people I have met in Sierra Club, Big Brothers, BACA and all but now I am rolling back.

Right now I vote for just plain old vanila ice cream. No organic aged vanila beans, no country style, or home style or hand crank style.

I can't wait for jsut plain old vanila.
Posted by Citizen1]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 20:11:02 -0600 Arkansas Times >A stomach-turning fake coloration.

LoL! And you put up a carton of "red" ice cream to signify peppermint. Wonder how many years it took food corporations to get you to equate coal tar food dye #3 red with peppermint?

Check your labels on any of the corporatized stuff. I use actual peppermint leaves daily.
Believe me, no matter how far you've drifted from actual food and natural ingredients,
all mint is green. Peppermint, spearmint, lemon verbena, all of it. Green and a cloudy, murky looking green at that.
Posted by eLwood]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 19:50:44 -0600 Arkansas Times
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/12/30…
Posted by Vanessa]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 19:35:33 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Laura McKinney]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 19:17:50 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Perplexed]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 19:14:32 -0600 Arkansas Times
Get well soon, Sec. Clinton.
Posted by radical centrist]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 19:14:12 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by jtsims]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 18:23:18 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by plainjim]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 18:21:59 -0600 Arkansas Times
Though it is unimaginable that Judge Ellen dresses provocatively, maintains a less than tidy domicile or acts arrogant, and the offspring have left the nest, but there you have it.

It's women's fault.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/12/30/ital…

Which kind of explains the whole Catholic Health Initiatives / St. Vincent Hospital thing, one imagines.

Peace on Earth, Good Will to All Men and the Women Who Know Their Place, in the upcoming Year of the Snake.
Posted by Norma Bates]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 18:04:24 -0600 Arkansas Times
I'd bet that she is a terrific writer on a wide range of topics, and if she could be persuaded to contribute an essay or two someday, the readers would enjoy that.
Posted by radical centrist]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 18:02:10 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by RYD]]> Sun, 30 Dec 2012 17:42:23 -0600 Arkansas Times