Arkansas Blog

Welcome home Max. Though it's hotter I bet the air is cleaner.
.

JONESBORO - Arkansas State University is participating in a history research project on the "braceros" guest worker program that brought Mexican laborers to the United States to address a labor shortage, beginning in World War II.

In 1942, the United States and Mexico entered agreements to address the U.S. wartime labor shortage and allow Mexicans to work in the U.S. legally as temporary contracted labor. Most of their work was in farming.

More than four million Mexican men entered the U.S., initially in California and Texas, but eventually reached the Mississippi River Delta. At its peak, the program provided a quarter of the cotton labor in the delta region in Arkansas. The number of braceros declined as mechanized cotton picking replaced workers in the 1960s.

"This was a time of significant economic and social transformation in eastern Arkansas," says Brady Banta, associate director of the university's heritage studies program.

Youtube: John McCain (after Hurricane Rita) speaking about "Brownie" and Katrina.

Nothing gets past you, Max! :-)

Max, Aren't you from Lake Charles?? The path of the Hurricane looks like in might go straight through it? I hope your relatives are safe.

Palin on the Pledge of Allegiance

11. Are you offended by the phrase "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance? Why or why not?
JB: No.
SP: Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its good enough for me and I'll fight in defense of our Pledge of Allegiance.

hahahahahaha
Look at the 2006 Gubernatorial Candidate Questionnaire on Alaska's Eagle Forum before it is scrubbed like Palin's Wikipedia page:

http://eagleforumalaska.blogspot.com/2006/07/2006-gubernatorial-candidate.html

For those of you out there like me having as exciting a 3 day weekend as a person in an iron lung, there is lots and lots of fine and fun and funny reading out there on Sarah Palin if you'll hit the ole wwws. They are really coming out of the woodwork with new information about how dumb she is and with new clips of her displaying how dumb she is. The new Palin jokes are outstanding! This pick of Miss Wasilla is a beautiful thing for Democrats. From laughing at a cancer survivor to saying in a 2006 candidates questionnaire, if In God We Trust was good enough for our Founding Fathers, it's good enough for me.....she's the good looking Phyllis Diller of our times.

And for you no information voters out there....what makes her defense of In God We Trust so funny is that In God We Trust first appeared on US coins in 1864. It was on and off up to 1956 when it was made the official US motto. So someone get a big Crayon and explain to little Sarah that Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Franklin....you name it.....had been worm food for decades before In God We Trust came along. Nice try, but WRONG Lil Sarah. That's almost as good as the woman who said in the 1890s that if English was good enough for Jesus, it was good enough for Texas school kids.

There is right and wrong, good and bad, and correct and incorrect. Every American should strive to be right, good, and correct...especially if you're running for public office. Sarah gets an F.

Folks this happened in the USA just 3 short yrs ago.....

think if those folks had lily white skin and a zillion dollars in the bank that would have
happened???

I still get so mad I could throw the rope over the tree limb.

clicky

>>Look at the 2006 Gubernatorial Candidate Questionnaire on Alaska's Eagle Forum before it is scrubbed >>like Palin's Wikipedia page:

>>http://eagleforumalaska.blogspot.com/2006/07/2006-gubernatorial-candidate.html

In the past ONE HOUR it's been scrubbed. Now is a McCain-Palin campaign website.

Those Repubs had their work cut out for them. If you find another juicy Palin site, SAVE THE ENTIRE PAGE. Any government that can come in a search your home and take stuff without a warrant and without notifying the owner or any one else can get any website erased.
.

It's still there, eLwood-scroll down.

At work today my pt was doing well and I had some quite time and was able to watch coverage of the hurrican and the impact on the Republican convention.

So, what do you all think the impact will be?

I personally think that the Republicans are happy to not have 5 nights of focus on their convention. There won't be 5 nights to pick apart and examine their agenda.

They could play this thing right and develop some respect, but I kinda doubt that since people still have very vivid memories of how the government handled the last major hurricane.

Welcome home, Max.

Has anyone seen any commentary on the irony of James Dobson's ineffectual praying for rain that would ruin the Democrats' ouotdoor event and the impact of Gustav on the Republican conventikon? Could God be a Democrat?

I get a D-, it is Under God and not In God We Trust. Same difference, but I should have paid 100% attention to what I was doing. It's dog washing day at my house. When you have a dog who hates baths and she weighs about 30 lbs than you do......it's not fun. But we did it!

Dbi
one nation, "under God" was added during Eisenhower's administration.

I see Ron Paul is still holding his Rally for the Republic in Minneapolis. That would certainly be an interesting show - anyone we know attending?

Hey Max, so I notice that up in Maine they have a container deposit, or "bottle bill" law that has been in place since 1978. Any thoughts on the possibility of that happening in Arkansas anytime soon? Is anyone else out there feeling like we should get a bottle bill here to help deal with all these plastic (and other) bottles? I'm concluding from my own research that we need a comprehensive approach that includes curbside and other recycling, as well as container deposit legislation.

Well, jazzy, this happened about 18 years ago. Click on Cato. Then if interested, you can use your search engine for "Franklin Coverup." Cheers.

Via The Hill today (clicky)

Rep. Paul bemoans government role on Gustav

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL - Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) complained Sunday about the notion that the government "must bail everybody out" and said Hurricane Gustav will not change his plans to hold rallies in Minneapolis this week.

Paul and his supporters will be gathering this week for a three-day rally in the backyard of the GOP convention at the Minneapolis Target Center, home of the pro-basketball team Minnesota Timberwolves. Hurricane Gustav "won't change our plans any," the critic of the Iraq war told Fox News.

The lawmaker said he is closely monitoring Gustav, but said any changes to his rally will not affect the hurricane or hurricane-relief efforts. Paul's Texas district is expected to be affected by the hurricane.
SNIP

Cato.....are you saying it runs in the family? It would explain Jeff Gannon/Guckert wouldn't it?

elwood,
I wouldn't count on the air in Maine being cleaner than here in Arkansas. The lack of montoring by the Arkansas agencies who should be doing their job might make it seem cleaner on paper, not in our lungs. You won't see an increase in monitoring in Arkansas, because they are afraid they will find results that will make it more difficult to attract industry.

And here's something I have found:
no where is hypocrisy more evident than on a liberal blog.

Hypocrisy? Yeah, like how you whine, cry and shout about how the "good ole' boys" system is alive and well. Then, you bash Palin who has taken on the good ole boys system and won.

Hypocrisy? Yeah, like how you blame people like Rush and Hannity for Gwatney's death because of their "hate speech". Yet, when I listen to Hannity, Rush, et. al., more often than not they speak of all things great about America....not exactly hate speech. You want hate speech? Scroll though this blog. Never have I heard so much hateful, vile, most of the time not even half way intelligent by the way crap spew from people's fingers. Everything EVERY THING I read on here is full of hate and prejudice. Your Presidential nominee has little experience and runs around with known terrorists, but we can't talk about that, we can't talk about his friends, voting record, what he says. Our VP pick has as much experience as your PRESIDENTIAL candidate, and has far more accomplishments....Obama's only real accomplishment seems to be voting present more than anyone else in IL and being the first black candidate of a major party. It is not okay to question Obama's voting record but it is okay to attack Palin on rushing to her home ot have her child that she knew was going to be special needs?

REALLY? Get a grip. Well all I gots to say, is it is on. We can't question Obama or we are racist? Well he can't question Sara or he is sexist...which of course has been proven time-and-again especially with his not even vetting Hillary. Have fun trying to attack a read down to earth woman, who take her own party on to clean up corruption. Yeah, attack her on how she got her brother-in-law fired for threatening people's lives and attack her on having a down syndrome child.

We will be talking about Biden's plagerism. But since he is only the VP pick, we will more likely be looking at Obama's lack of experience, lack of a voting record, poor judgment, his finding a way to pay his wife $350,000/year while her hospital dumped insurance lacking patients at other hospitals....all while talking about our health insurance system.

I've been told by a DirecTV subscriber on a DX radio hobby email list that New Orleans TV station WDSU is being relayed temporarily for continuous hurricane coverage of a "local" angle. Its on ch361 on DirecTV only, not Dish Network.

DBI, anyone else: In June, 1954, "Under God" was added to this pledge that a socialist preacher concocted in the 1890s. One year later, in July, 1955, "In God We Trust" became mandatory on all US currency. One year later, in July, 1956, the motto of the United States that Washington's generation created for us was changed. E Pluribus Unum was eradicated as the US motto and replaced with "In God We Trust."

Any one else notice the changing of our history and of our heritage by our own people during the Eisenhower administration?

"The greatest threat to our rights are from within the country."
--Daniel Webster

P.S.

A man from Camden, Arkansas, Matthew Rothart, Sr., is responsible for the "In God We Trust" on all our currency. An Internet search will provide the information.

Gosh, MAK, why don't you tell us how you really feel? In our defense, read through this entire thread and see who sounds most hate-filled...
As for lack of experience, it might have been nice for Obama to have a little more, but give me someone who was president of Harvard Law Review over someone who thinks the Founding Fathers enshrined "Under God" in the pledge of allegiance any day. I'm tired of idiots running the country.

>>You won't see an increase in [air]monitoring in Arkansas, because they are afraid they will find results that will make it more difficult to attract industry. <<

Jim, I've made three (3) calls so far to see if EPA ever set up the monitoring station at Springdale Airport.
No one with the airport knows, no one at the city, and all tell me to contact Ark Dept of Environmental Quality. The station was promised a couple of years ago because there is not an air monitoring station between Tulsa and Little Rock.

It makes me wonder how assessments are made that state Fayetteville is the 7th best place to live in the USA for those with breathing problems? Can't recall which group, org, etc made the assessment but I recall reading it in the local paper earlier this year.
.

Our public "rush to God" is just another example of how we over-correct/react - the 50's anti-Communist knee-jerk was hastily enacted when behind every blade of grass there lay a Commie Pinko. We're good at that sort of thing - see the re-election of PMbSfBBL or the "Patriot" Act for more recent examples - or maybe attacking Iraq as our "response" to 9/11.

"All fear, all the time" is what SHOULD be our motto now! We're still afraid of black men and gays, mostly...
|

>Has anyone seen any commentary on the irony of James Dobson's ineffectual praying for rain that >would ruin the Democrats' ouotdoor event and the impact of Gustav on the Republican conventikon? >Could God be a Democrat?

Of all places,Fox News roasted Dobson. They had some fun with him over the incident. He had little choice but to laugh it off. Think it was on Friday, late in evening.

I have no choice but to laugh off the religio-freaks every day. Keeps me sane as I must remind myself how they make decisions and perceive the world.
.

Dang Cato, you brot that Franklin coverup rushing back into my memory. I first heard of
it on a late night liberal talk show, back when we still had *fair and balanced* talk radio.
Tried to tell my dingbat wingnut cousin what I had heard and she left my home in a huff........
we all know about Neil Bush and all the Asian sex *forced* on his tender body.

I listen to WWL, 870 am...all night........all Gustav all the time.

......and now Grandpa and Cunt 2 will go to the Gulf to be crowned king of the world....
when I heard that I rushed to the potty...even worse, the creepy ones will adore & love it.

Oh, yeah Pavel - God is not a Dem. The co-ink-y-dink of Gustav and the St. Paul gropefest (sorry gals, males only!) provided the PERFECT cover for Monkeyboy Shit.for.Brains and Darth to skip out on the convention. "God" gave them the excuse, except Huck won't allow her/him to be blamed for storms, so it's just ALL SO CONFUSING...

Hurricane time - Bush Lite will be partying out, and Darth will be at his "undisclosed location." Ain't IRONY just a light kick in the ass?!!
|

I believe most hateful of this particular thread perrobravo...would be DBI. I hate to give him what he will surely see as a flattering mention...but yea. And this particular thread may not be filled with hate as it is open and random, but a quick check through any of the what.... 6 of the top stories all concerning Palin are fairly petty, ugly, hateful, etc. However, the fact that they are so petty and mindless makes me chuckle out loud.

Thanks for the information, eLwood.

Oh MAK... you bloviate, yet cite no examples or facts to back up your arguments. Cute, but all to familiar form - from Republicans since the Reagan years.

McCain now tells you all Palin's PTA experience qualifies her for VP more than his experience qualifies him to be president... and y'all eat the whole thing up... and you expect others to take that seriously? HA!

Mrs. McCain says Palins home in AK, right next to Russia qualifies her foreign policy experience.

And yet... had a Democratic woman (pro choice or pro life) leaked amniotic fluid from Texas to Alaska... you all would be way past ready for an internationally televised lynching! And Dobson who praises Palin would be leading the charge against a D woman who did the same thing.

Your party is a sham... has been for years. So are your talking points. It's only a matter of whether or not a whole lot of people are going to finally admit it to themselves and do something about it. Primarily, not vote for Republicans, no matter what you do.. or make sure your hard headed-ness makes things much much worse for everyone, including yourselves.

McCain threw away his last illusion of his experience being worthy this week.

No matter how we all sound... what you fail to hear the most is how loud we are laughing at you!

elwood and jim, thanks for confirming (unfortunately) what we already knew about ADEQ. So Jim, in your opinion is the guv's Global Warming Commission going to be able to set any wheels in motion, or was that all just a courtesy that won't amount to squat? BTW, I do know a handful of smart, capable, caring employees at ADEQ, and they've all expressed their frustrations at the inefficiencies in their specific departments - what a shame!

Personally, I think there are so many violations of the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts nationwide, that EPA can't possibly investigate, much less enforce or identify out-of-compliance communities. There are supposedly multiple water quality violations being "overlooked" in Little Rock as we speak. It doesn't surprise me that similar air issues exist statewide.

Elwood, check out the EPA/Enviroflash website for air quality monitoring.

Oh my friend Cato, do I recall the FRANKLIN COVERUP!

Anyone too young to recall it really should read the link which I included on my name. I had QUIT being a
Republican a few years earlier because they had abandoned their fiscal policy of conservatism and I was suspect of why Raygun had met with fundamentalists. Then when this Gay Probe of the White House began and was "covered up" most of us realized that TV media was squarely in the back pocket of the Repubs.

.

WELL OF COURSE IF WE ARE RUNNING FOR AN IMPORTANT PUBLIC OFFICE.. WE NEED TO BE ON TOP OF THINGS.. LIKE

50 NOT 57 STATES. CK THIS OUT DBI OR ELWOODEE THERE ARE 57 ARAB STATES... WE KINDA GOT MIXED UP HUH. TIRED. RUN DOWN.. OUT OF GAS.. LETS NOT DRILL ANWAR.. LETS DO. AND KEEP THE CARIBOU HAPPY AT THE SAME TIME. CALL NANCY BACK FROM HER OPLASTIC SURGEONS APPT GET SOMETHING DONE AND QUICK ABOUT THOSE GAS PRICES. BY THE TIME OBAMA DRAMA GETS THRU STUTTERING AROUND ABOUT HOW HE IS GOING TO "CHANGE" IT AGAIN. WE WILL ALL BE ON MEDICARE. DAM HE'S SLOW. WHY CANT YOU JELLY BEANS SEE IT. ONLY KNOWS WHAT HIS WHITE ADVISORS TELL HIM TO SAY AND HE SAY CLARENCE THOMAS IS AN UNCLE TOM...( HIS CONNOTATION) WHAT A LAUGH.

What we've got here is a failure to communicate boys. Anyone half paying attention to the papers IN Alaska and the other media can destroy every line of what MAK truly believes in his heart to be the truth. But MAK will never see it...he's right...nuff said.

Us ugly old Liberals are picking on this poor masturbation worthy little mother who chose to birth an infant who will suffer his whole life because he's got Downs. Her choice is none of my business. But to frame it as bravery on her part sorta sucks because she will be dead someday and will leave behind an adult with Downs who will be at the mercy of caregivers. So he better get some kind of bravery and courage to face his future life....his Mom has it made in the shade......except for being embarrassed in front of the world over the next few months because she is a gnat just about to hit the big windshield of political reality.

I just spent 2 happy/sad hours watching an old documentary on PBS called The 60s: The Years That Shaped a Generation. It appears to have been made in the 90s...watch it if you can...we are in 1968 all over again but without the drugs, free love, great music, or the draft to wake up the college kids. Though the names of the players are different....the roles are the same today. The authority loving Republicans haven't changed a FK'ing bit. The goals of our government haven't changed a FK'ing bit. Actually the cops up in St. Paul are acting like gentlemen compared to the skull-cracking 60s cops, but the week ain't started yet.

Ed Meese, Pat Buchanan, Henry Kissinger and Robert McNamara were on this 60s thing saying the same thing MAK is saying...oh those horrible people...such dirty mouths....oh it's awful what they say. And yet Buchanan should still be in prison for things he did for Nixon and Kissinger and McNamara should be executed for killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people. So...tell me if there is even a contest between ugly talk and mass murderers?

Yet our wingnut buddies are ever so willing to vote in a 3 term of mass murderers. How can that possibly be explained? How can they be so blind...so misguided....so dumb....so rotten in their hearts. This is not the Razorbacks vs West Illinois.....I'm not trying to win one for my team....I'm trying to save the world with my vote.

Our world would be totally different if JFK had not been killed, if RFK had lived to win in 1968. No Nixon, no Ford. No Ford, no Reagan, no George the 1st or George the 2nd. With today's technology and science....we'd all be living in heavenly peace, comfort and prosperity instead of the giant steaming mess we're in today.

If every generation or 2 we forget the mistakes and lessons we learned the hard way 40 years before......I hardly think it's worth fighting for...because the basic problem is: our country is populated half by religious authoritarian goose-steppers and half live and let live types who want to buy the world a Coke.

The goose-steppers have the guns and get up an hour before the rest of us, so they always win in the beginning, lose in the end, and are remembered by history as evil assholes. But once beaten, they don't stay that way and keep coming back to bring misery and death to the world.

Nah Nah Nah....as Rev. Wright said....it just might not be worth fighting them again, unless Americans can find a way to get smarter, do better, and quit blowing in the wind rushing from the likes of Rush's mouth.

Good morning! Today is a great day to THINK!

DBI, ... with oozing sarcasm,
Your postings have become more "strange" lately, high in invective and low in reason. Would have, could have musings have little to do with reality today. The glossing over of history is something I'd expect of the right-wing trolls on this blog. RFK, the Joe McCarthy assistant, and JFK, who voted against the 1957 civil rights act and expanded the Viet Nam war, may not have become icons if they had not been targeted. If they had survived, who knows if the earth would now be a lifeless cinder.

I guess I'm a hopeless idealist. If we are going to attack our opponents, let's do it with facts not rumors. If Palin used her political positions, as mayor or Governor, for personal pay-back, as rumored, let's get the facts from the victims. If she used her teen daughter's hidden pregnancy for political benefit, let's get the DNA results to prove or dispel, before going on a tirade that would cause even a Fox "news" commentator to blush (if that's possible).

If Palin's international inexperience was limited to knowing a Siberian Husky (dbi, stop those Biblical references) it couldn't be any worse than McCain's saber-rattling misrepresentation of the South Ossetia incident 3 weeks ago. You have to remember that longevity is not equivalent to useful experience. The knowledge of how to train and groom sled dogs would be an improvement over the current foreign relations skills of the current administration.

Jim Lendall gets it--use Palin's limited experience to highlight what an incredibly irresponsible person McCain is--and so, belatedly and in his own way, does Howard Wolfson. Click my blue name to see.

Has the GOP determined which stall at the Minneapolis airport that Larry Craig will occupy during the convention?