REVENGE OF LIBERAL TALK

AH, HAVE WE SEEN a trend that, like the weather, will start in the West and creep Eastward? My apologies, but I haven’t blogged for a few days, and I felt like putting this entire piece here for your edification. Perhaps the day will come when we can hear the melodious sound of Randi on the radio without having to dial her up online. Enjoy…

The Arbitrends for Los Angeles came out today, and Richard Mellon Scaife will probably want his money back - his messengers have lost listeners by the boatload. These are month-to-month extrapolated ratings (not rolling three-month average) for listeners 12+. Limbaugh drew a 4.1 last month. This month he dropped to a 3.3.*
Sean Hannity was at a 2.7 last month. He's now at a 1.8.*
Laura Ingraham: 1.1 to 0.8.
Dennis Prager/Michael Medved: 1.2 to a 0.7.*
Hugh Hewitt: 1.3 to 0.7.

*These are 10am-3pm ratings. Limbaugh is on 9am-noon. Bill O'Reilly's on 9 to 11am on the same station Hannity's on (from noon to 3). How did KTLK, the Air America station do? Overall, 0.5 to 0.9, making it the only talk station in L.A. to score an increase. Stephanie Miller (mornings): 0.7 to 1.0. Franken (9 to noon) and Ed Schultz (noon to 3): 0.7 to 1.0. Randi Rhodes (3 to 7pm): again, 0.7 to 1.0.

KTLK's 7pm to midnight surged from a 0.2 to a 1.0. Not to diminish Seder, Garofalo and Malloy, but KTLK still runs Clippers basketball thanks to an old contract, and they've been on a tear. The fact that this station pulls these kinds of numbers with a HORRENDOUS signal is a small miracle.

By the way, don't write this off as being liberal ol' Hollywood. The GOP stronghold of Orange County is included in this, too.

UPDATE: Here are the L.A. numbers from "the money demographic" - 25-54 year olds:

Limbaugh: 3.3 to 2.9.
Hannity: 1.8 to 0.5. (Ouch)
Ingraham: 0.9 to 0.6.
Prager/Medved: 1.4 to 0.3.
Hewitt: 1.4 to 0.9.

KTLK (Air America):
Miller: 1.1 to 1.1
Franken/Schultz: 0.7 to 0.7
Rhodes: 0.9 to 1.3. (That's my girl!)
Garofalo/Seder/Malloy/Clippers: 0.3 to 1.0.

Ouch! Indeed.

OPEN THREAD! OPEN THREAD!

GET A TAILOR, SOMEONE! We've never tried this before, but Warwick seems to like it at Arktimes. Been a little slow lately, so maybe we'll turn this open thread over to you -- post at will, maybe we'll take up the cause...

MORNING NEWS BRIEFING

TIME ONCE AGAIN to peruse the morning papers statewide, courtesy of Pat Lynch of WAIradio.com. Our unending thanks for the service, sir. We've added emphasis for stories we're following.

Patrick Hall of Gravett has been ousted from American Idol.

The largest-ever domestic hunger study was released today, and it shows that 11 percent of Arkansans (291,500 residents) receive emergency food assistance each year. Half of those are children or the elderly.

Hospitals in Arkansas lost $64 million in 2004 because state Medicaid reimbursement rates haven’t increased in 10 years, officials from a hospital trade group told legislators Thursday

According to the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas, farmers in the Illinois River watershed could have the soil in their fields, the water running off them and the poultry litter spread on them tested for pollutants this spring, if a federal judge approves a request filed by Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson.

The Sushi King restaurant in Bentonville has voluntarily closed, and state health officials are investigating 89 cases of possible salmonellas reported to the county in mid-February. One victim needed an appendectomy several have been hospitalized, according to reports in the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas.

Claiming a "political witch hunt," St. Francis County sheriff candidate Shelly Bieber recently disputed a report that purports to show a money shortage from the defunct Widener Police Department during the time he was chief.

An 11-year-old Bentonville boy accused of bringing an explosive device to school has entered a not guilty plea and is set for trial in May. His parents will also fight the school’s expulsion plan.

7 year-old Charity Whittle suffered bruises on her arms and some puncture wounds, along with cuts and scratches on her face after she was attacked by as many as six pit bull dogs while walking to her school bus stop just outside the Rogers city limits. Stacy McCloud, the bus driver, chased the dogs away with the lid of a trashcan. Christy Lane was cited for six counts of possession of a vicious animal, a misdemeanor.(Liz Hogan of KNWA did the best job on this story)<br />
Even though Russellville hosted a recent legislative meeting trying to show it needed increased state school money, the Courier reports today that the local district’s capital outlay fund has more than tripled over a year to more than $600,000 and $500,000 in additional federal money is now on hand.

A merit pay proposal that would give some elementary teachers bonuses of up to $10,000 next year was approved Thursday night by the Little Rock School Board and will now go to a vote of the teachers.

The Walnut Ridge School Board has approved the administrative consolidation of its district and the Black Rock School District, to be effective on July 1, officials with both districts said Wednesday.

Billionaire media mogul Robert F.X. Sillerman was in Memphis Thursday touting his plan to turn Graceland into an international attraction on par with Disneyland and double the 600,000 visitors who annually visit Elvis' former home in Whitehaven. Sillerman paid $114 million for an 85 percent stake in Elvis Presley Enterprise late last year.

THE PORT CONNECTION

OK, SO WE’LL CONTINUE with the Port story. This is a transcript from CNN’s “Lou Dobbs” program a night or so back. Seems Michael Moore’s assessment of the Bush family connections with mid-eastern powers has moved into a more conservative arena. Wonder if he’s sitting somewhere chuckling, that Cassandra!

DOBBS: President Bush's family and members of the Bush administration have long-standing business connections with the United Arab Emirates, and those connections are raising new concerns and questions tonight in some quarters about why the president is defying his very own party leadership and his party in defending the Dubai port deal.

CHRISTINE ROMANS: The oil-rich United Arab Emirates is a major investor in The Carlyle Group, the private equity investment firm where President Bush's father once served as senior adviser and is a who's who of former high-level government officials. Just last year, Dubai International Capital, a government-backed buyout firm, invested in an $8 billion Carlyle fund.

Another family connection, the president's brother, Neil Bush, has reportedly received funding for his educational software company from the UAE investors. A call to his company was not returned.

Then there is the cabinet connection. Treasury Secretary John Snow was chairman of railroad company CSX/. After he left the company for the White House, CSX sold its international port operations to Dubai Ports World for more than a billion dollars.

In Connecticut today, Snow told reporters he had no knowledge of that CSX sale. "I learned of this transaction probably the same way members of the Senate did, by reading about it in the newspapers."

Another administration connection, President Bush chose a Dubai Ports World executive to head the U.S. Maritime Administration. David Sanborn, the former director of Dubai Ports' European and Latin American operations, he was tapped just last month to lead the agency that oversees U.S. port operations.

Go to Crooks and Liars and you’ll see vid of Dobbs laying out – simply and cleanly – the case against letting the UAE take over the ports.

MORNING NEWS BRIEFING

PAT IS WHERE "IT'S AT!" Here is today's morning news briefing, courtesy of radio legend Pat Lynch (listen to him on WAIradio.com)...(we've added emphasis to stories we like)

The Russellville Courier reports on the recent wave of rumors concerning a possible arrest in the murder of Arkansas Tech student Nona Dirksmeyer. According to prosecutor David Gibbons, no elected official or the family member of an elected official is a suspect in this case. There has been no arrest in the Dirksmeyer homicide, nor has there been a confession.

The Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metropolitan area was named Wednesday to Milken Institute's 2005 Best Performing Cities Index, a measurement of where the most jobs are being created across the United States. The growing Northwest Arkansas urban area was listed as the eighth best performing region among the nation's 200 largest metropolitan areas.

U.S. Rep. Marion Berry, D-Gillett, says the chances of Congress offering disaster relief to the agriculture community soon are not good. “The political winds are just not blowing our way,” he said at a joint meeting of the Rotary clubs of Pine Bluff and West Pine Bluff.

The Jonesboro Sun reports on Senator Blanche Lincoln’s visit to Northeast Arkansas. Lincoln was very critical of administration cuts in funding to American farmers. Specifically, she criticized the attempts to promote free trade with countries violating guidelines American farmers follow. "We go to foreign countries and say, 'Our farmers will do what is right,' but turn deaf and dumb when those countries do not play by the same rules," she said.

State Senator Jerry Bookout of Jonesboro, a member of the General Assembly for over three decades, is dead of cancer at 72.

Lieutenant governor candidate Drew Pritt said Wednesday he can't afford a $7,500 filing fee and will collect the necessary signatures needed to get on the Democratic primary ballot.

Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson said taking poultry litter and water samples this spring will strengthen his case against Arkansas poultry companies.

An inflation adjustment to Arkansas' public school funding formula for this school year and next would cost $122 million. Lawmakers are preparing for a possible special session to comply with the latest Supreme Court Lake View rulings.

The Democrat-Gazette reports that the Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission approved an intricate deal involving six entities that launches a company backed by the Stephens Group to compete with Central Flying Service to refuel, serve and repair the corporate aircraft that fly in and out of Little Rock National Airport, Adams Field. SuperMarine of Little Rock, as the center will be known, initially will invest $10.7 million in the first phase of its operation and employ at least 54 people.

A 37-year-old Jacksonville man accused of raping a teenage girl and sexually abusing her younger brother was sentenced to life plus 40 years in prison Wednesday after jurors watched a 29-minute video of him having sex with the girl. Eugene Ray “Gene” Callaway said the girl was a willing participant in the video encounter, arguing she was at least 18 at the time. The girl, now 20, testified she was 16 or 17 at the time.

A man who videotaped himself in the act of raping a 14 year old boy was sentenced in Sebastian County Circuit Court to 40 years in prison. Mathew Anthony Meyer, 25, was scheduled to stand trial on two counts of rape, but avoided trial and the possibility of a life sentence by pleading guilty to both counts.

The Pine Bluff School District has hired Nabholz Construction of Conway as construction manager of the district’s $28.8 million renovation and restructuring program.

What is being called the "Call of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker Celebration" begins today at the Convention Center in Brinkley.

Arkansas Times’ blog notes that George Strait's recent show at Alltel is the No. 5 gross on Billboard's latest list of top grossing music shows. The capacity crowd at Alltel Jan. 21 grossed $995,576.

Moving day for the Mulberry library began early Tuesday with students and library officials pushing carts of books from the city office complex to a new 2,400-square-foot building across Main Street. The volunteer workers, including some Mulberry and Pleasant View students, will continue working on getting the facility ready to open to the public next week.

PORT PUNDITRY

WE HAVEN’T HEARD much disagreement on the Port story. Not good. However, Matt has commented on this blog about the appearance of racism among everyone objecting to this proposed takeover of American Ports by the governement of the U.A.E. Those who criticize the “criticism” of the plan make some good points, however, this snippet, courtesy of the Spook probably points out the source of the problem…

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - For almost five years President George W. Bush has warned Americans to fear terrorism, but now those words may come back to bite him. The president, who has cast himself as America's protector against terrorism and Islamic militancy, has been thrown on the defensive by a bipartisan revolt over his administration's approval of a state-owned company from the United Arab Emirates assuming operation of six major U.S. seaports.

Again, no racism there, and a logical popular reaction. We still think it’s a bad idea politically. Normally, if Tom DeLay supports something, we’d on principal oppose it, but not this time. Uh-oh, have we become more conservative?

HEALTH – AND WEALTH

OUR ESTIMABLE FRIEND David Sanders at the Morning News has an interesting column this morning on the still imprecise idea of a nationalized system of health care. We think he’s been hitting C-SPAN’s Sunday night “Prime Minister’s Questions” program from the British Parliament. He cites recent questions from one such session as a good example of the problems inherent in a nationalized system of healthcare. To wit:

For those who want a national solution for American health care: Be careful what you wish for. It's no solution.

Perhaps it’s not a solution for you if you can afford the skyrocketing cost of insurance and medical bills – but it might just do the trick for the increasing number of Americans not covered by insurance, or for the increasing number of us facing bankruptcy because getting a broken arm fixed costs as much as buying a new Lexus SUV.

Could America do it differently than Britain?

Sure – take a look at the VA medical system, which, when not facing budget cuts from Congress and everyplace else, could serve at least as some model for service. It ain’t frilly, but it’ll keep you healthy – I speak from personal experience. You’ll get the drugs you need, the x-rays, the doctors’ attention – you just don’t get to stay in a “spa environment.” And hey, when every other hospital lost medical records on the Gulf Coast during the storms, the VA system stayed up-and-running.

One other thing – David, what about the negativism? Conservatives love to ding progressives about always complaining about things, but never suggesting a fix. This time, the shoe’s on the other foot, amigo. We at least know the solution isn’t to throw more financial largess at the insurance and pharmaceutical industries, and the solution isn’t to leave it up to Congressional Republicans right now, because they’ve done next to nothing to fix things. Medicare prescription drug plan? Let’s talk about how that’s worked so very, very well. Privitization doesn’t answer all the problems we have as a society – especially this one. Don’t you think medical care ought to be considered a basic human right? A true entitlement, something provided to everyone based on need? I know there are long arguments about that, but can we at least provide a minimum of care? We provide a (somewhat) free public education to our kids, we provide a national defense, we provide social security…why not provide a way for everyone to stay healthy and get much needed medical treatment? Uninsured often means undertreated. We don’t need British parliamentarians to explain that.

Har-de-har-har! This thing is goin' down in flames.

The White House scrambled to rescue a deal giving a state-run Arab firm control of operations at six major US ports and to limit the political fallout from the controversial arrangement.President George W. Bush's chief spokesman, Scott McClellan, said Bush had only learned about the deal "over the last several days," once it was completed, saying questions about it "didn't rise to the presidential level."But "the counterterrorism experts looked at it. The intelligence community did an assessment to make sure that there was no national security threat," McClellan told reporters.One Republican congressional aide, who requested anonymity, said the White House should have realized that the agreement raised uncomfortable questions about national security -- a key issue ahead of November legislative elections.

MORNING NEWS BRIEFING

TIME FOR YOUR MORNING ROUND up of all the news fit-to-print, courtesy of radio’s very own Pat Lynch. You can, of course, catch Pat’s radio show on WAIradio.com, or visit his blog, here. (we’ve added emphasis for those stories we’ve focusesd on)

The United States Supreme Court has refused to intervene in a lawsuit by Oklahoma against poultry interests in Arkansas for discharges into the Illinois River. Attorney General Mike Beebe told listeners to Pat Classic that his office is still considering its’ options and he also said that properly treated chicken manure is not a “hazardous toxic material.”

Federal Judge Leon Holmes has refused to immediately reinstate former Pine Bluff police chief Daniel Moses, who is suing for reinstatement under the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act. A trial is set for June 26.

Bentonville school officials evacuated a section of Old High Middle School on Tuesday after a sixth-grader brought an "explosive device" and showed it to other students. Police and fire departments were called in addition to the local bomb squad. The student was taken to the juvenile detention center and will be recommended for expulsion for the remainder of this school year.

Northeast Arkansans For Animals Director Wannda Turner is featured in the HBO film "Dealing Dogs," a documentary on the inhumane and illegal treatment of dogs. Turner and NAFA volunteers are featured bathing and preparing for adoption dogs that were confiscated from the Martin Creek Kennel in Sharp County.

A plan by the Palestine-Wheatley School District to consolidate all schools onto one campus in Palestine will be the topic of discussion Thursday evening at a public hearing. in Wheatley.

The Pine Bluff Commercial has word of an ambulance war. Monticello Ambulance Service, that city’s long-time ambulance service provider, is asking for an exclusive service contract while another ambulance service, Southeast Arkansas Medical Services, asked the city to “leave well enough alone” and allow both companies to operate in the city.

Max and the gang at the Arkansas Times blog report that Governor Mike Huckabee’s number for the Little Rock marathon has been assigned. It is “2008.”

The Missouri Legislature has passed a bill to ban protesting at funerals, echoing a similar measure by lawmakers in Kansas and probably inviting a court challenge. The measure, aimed at a Kansas church group that pickets funerals with anti-gay signs and expletive-laden chants, would make it a crime to conduct such protests. That church has conducted protests in Arkansas.

Need low-cost, high-quality news for your online or commercial broadcast? Simply visit RNS Radio News today! Have a news tip, but want to stay in the shadows, keep your ID secret? Drop us a line at anonymous news tips.

Listen to this week's (Nov 4) program (mp3 2 hr)

“WHITE” BLOGS "TOO" WHITE?

WE SAW AN INTERESTING post this morning. Seems some people complain that the blogs are overwhelmingly the property of white people, with very few people of color getting involved. We can’t say as we find that a false assessment. Professional journalists actively work on diversity of race, and diversity of voices. Different views and a different background and set of eyes can do wonders for editorial and for reportage. Any bloggers of color out there in the Arkansas blogosphere? Wonder if NAACP or anyone else in the state has either set up a blog, or has plans to do so. Check out this post for a little more on the topic.

Need low-cost, high-quality news for your online or commercial broadcast? Simply visit RNS Radio News today! Have a news tip, but want to stay in the shadows, keep your ID secret? Drop us a line at anonymous news tips.

Listen to this week's (Nov 4) program (mp3 2 hr)

BUSHWHACKED ON PORTS

THIS IS ALMOST THE FINAL WORD on the port story. CNN's Jack Cafferty, in his usual curmudgeonly fashion, whacks the bejesus out of President Bush over the Port Problem. If you believe Jack, this could mean very, very bad things for both the Prez and his party. Courtesy of Crooks and Liars.

Need low-cost, high-quality news for your online or commercial broadcast? Simply visit RNS Radio News today! Have a news tip, but want to stay in the shadows, keep your ID secret? Drop us a line at anonymous news tips.

Listen to this week's (Nov 4) program (mp3 2 hr)

WAL-MART NUMBERS OUT

THE WLRT (WORLD'S LARGEST RE-TAILER) posted quarterly earnings yesterday. Never shabby, but in this case, still below analyst estimates. The most-excellent Roby Brock from Talk Business has this update...

Wal-Mart reported that its fourth quarter earnings rose 13.4 percent after aggressive holiday advertising helped boost sales by 8.6 percent. Net income rose to $3.6 billion, or 86 cents per share, for the quarter ended January 31 from $3.2 billion, or 75 cents per share, a year ago.

Earnings in the latest quarter included a $103 million net tax benefit that boosted net income by 2 cents per share. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had projected earnings of 83 cents per share. Wal-Mart reported total fourth-quarter sales of $89.3 billion.

The U.S. Wal-Mart Stores division, the retailer's largest unit, posted quarterly sales growth of 8.6 percent. Operating profit rose 11.1 percent. At Sam's Club, sales were up 6.8 percent and profits rose 6.2 percent. In the International division, sales were up 9.6 percent, while profits increased 14.1 percent.

For the full year ended January 31st, Wal-Mart said sales were up 9.5 percent to $312.4 billion and net income rose 9.4 percent to a record $11.2 billion, or $2.68 per share.

Wal-Mart's stock still continues to suffer, but again, the company has to deal with scale unheard of in the world of business. Pretty good for investors.

Need low-cost, high-quality news for your online or commercial broadcast? Simply visit RNS Radio News today! Have a news tip, but want to stay in the shadows, keep your ID secret? Drop us a line at anonymous news tips.

Listen to this week's (Nov 4) program (mp3 2 hr)

CYBERMOUTH -

February 21, 2006

In the Name of Security

The question at hand is this: With everything going on under the guise of protecting you, do you feel safe?

Polls during the 2004 presidential election showed that the reason a majority of people voted for GW Bush was because they believed he was the man who could best offer them protection from those evil terrorists – the ones GWB and party kept relentlessly reminding us about. If you’re reading this column, chances are you haven’t been killed by Osama bin Laden. Deductive reasoning works this way: Bush said he would protect you if he got elected. Bush got elected, and you’re not dead. Therefore Bush protected you. Simple as that, right? A perfect, indisputable mathematical statement.

Isn’t this fun? Here’s another one:

Bush said he would stop terrorist attacks on America. Bush invaded Iraq, and there have been no more terrorist attacks on America. Therefore, attacking Iraq stopped the terrorist attacks on America.

And this:

After 9/11, Rick drinks only Mexican beer. Since 9/11, there have been no more terrorist attacks on America. Therefore, Rick is protecting America by drinking only Mexican beer.

OK. You caught me, you math wiz. Those statements above are not “deductive reasoning”. They are, rather, “inductive reasoning” – otherwise known as “philosophy”. And, more specifically, “weak inductive reasoning”. In other words, “Just take my word for it.”

It seems to work. The Bush arguments above, or strikingly similar ones, can be heard daily, straight from the mouths, or keyboards, of just about every rubber-stamp supporter of the Administration’s policies. You’re actually the first people I have tried the “Mexican beer” logic on, so I’m interested to see how it flies.

Earlier this month, according to the Washington Post, “Two uniformed men strolled into the main room of the Little Falls library in Bethesda (Maryland)…and demanded the attention of all patrons using the computers. Then they made their announcement: The viewing of Internet pornography was forbidden. The men looked stern and wore baseball caps emblazoned with the words ‘Homeland Security.’ The bizarre scene unfolded Feb. 9, leaving some residents confused and forcing county officials to explain how employees assigned to protect county buildings against terrorists came to see it as their job to police the viewing of pornography.”

Inductive reasoning. Terrorism is bad. Pornography is bad. Therefore, pornography is associated with terrorism.

Everybody knows about the NSA’s wiretapping of American citizens. Some (surprisingly few) wonder how our government has any right to tap the phones of American citizens without a court order, as mandated by law.

Inductive reasoning. People inside the US could communicate with terrorists outside the US by phone. People inside the US are making phone calls to places outside the US. Therefore those people are communicating with terrorists.

NSA is looking for terrorists. I’m not a terrorist. Therefore, I should have no problem with the NSA tapping my phone.

Each of us is connected by virtue of circumstance or acquaintances through social linkages that involve six or fewer people (Six Degrees of Separation). In other words, everybody on the planet (including terrorists) is separated by no more than six other people. So the government could be justified in its search for terrorists to track the phone calls made by anybody, to anybody else.

Sounds reasonable.

The President has now said he will veto any attempt by Congress to stop American sea ports from being turned over for management to a company that is owned by the United Arab Emirates. And here, it all comes to a screeching halt. Not even the weakest inductive logic can explain this. In fact, no form of logic known to man (excluding Mr. Bush and his hired hands – who think what they are told to think) can offer any justification for the President, who was born of the 9/11 tragedy, turning over control of six (possibly eight) major ports to Arabs. Of the 19 known hijackers and conspirators, one was from the UAE, and another 13 were from Saudi Arabia – right next door. All were Muslim. 96% of the people who live in the UAE are Muslim.

Oh, wait. Perhaps this line from the first paragraph of Wikipedia’s article about UAE can introduce some logic into the argument: “The country is rich in oil.”

What a coincidence! So is the Bush family! Birds of a feather, as it were. Now, how bad could they be?

So, as good Americans, you should all do the following:

1. Don’t go whining because your phones are being tapped.

2. Only view approved material on the Internet.

3. Pressure your Congressmen to yield to the President’s wishes, and allow an Arab nation to control your seaports.

4. Sleep peacefully in your beds, warmed by Arab oil, secure in the knowledge that your President is protecting you – just like you hired him to do.

. Maa asalaama.

© 2006 Rick Baber

DHS PORNO POLICE

CALL THIS, IF YOU WILL, THE OUTRAGE of the week. Don’t think the Patriot Act or DHS want to infringe on your free speech or your rights in this country? Yes, you even have the right to view “questionable” material. It all depends on “community standards” and not on Homeland Security. When did they get into the morals-policing game? This comes from the Washington Post (Friday)…

Two uniformed men strolled into the main room of the Little Falls library in Bethesda one day last week and demanded the attention of all patrons using the computers. Then they made their announcement: The viewing of Internet pornography was forbidden.

The men looked stern and wore baseball caps emblazoned with the words "Homeland Security." The bizarre scene unfolded Feb. 9, leaving some residents confused and forcing county officials to explain how employees assigned to protect county buildings against terrorists came to see it as their job to police the viewing of pornography.

After the two men made their announcement, one of them challenged an Internet user's choice of viewing material and asked him to step outside, according to a witness. A librarian intervened, and the two men went into the library's work area to discuss the matter. A police officer arrived. In the end, no one had to step outside except the uniformed men.

They were officers of the security division of Montgomery County's Homeland Security Department, an unarmed force that patrols about 300 county buildings -- but is not responsible for enforcing obscenity laws.

Overkill, my fine felonious friends. Keep your eyes on Al Qaeda, and off your garden variety perverts. And remember, today it’s “porn” tomorrow – The ArkFam blog or Rush Limbaugh.

HALTER IN STUDIO

FRESH FROM A ROUND WITH the "Political Animals" in Fayetteville, we'll have Democrat Bill Halter for half-an-hour. I'll try to boost this thing up on the site so you can listen to it sometime today. Got questions for him you'd like to ask? Simply email those to me and I'll toss them in the mix. The program will air on Saturday night, and again Sunday. Trying to get Asa Hutchinson in as well in the next couple of days.

Need low-cost, high-quality news for your online or commercial broadcast? Simply visit RNS Radio News today! Have a news tip, but want to stay in the shadows, keep your ID secret? Drop us a line at anonymous news tips.

Listen to this week's (Nov 4) program (mp3 2 hr)

MORNING NEWS BRIEFING

OUR CONTINUED THANKS to big Pat Lynch for his daily read of all the news fit-to-print, though it has been sparse the last couple of days. As always you can check out Pat at his website, or listen to him on WAIradi.com.

Washington County will see the first death penalty case in the county today since 1981. Fernando Navarro of Springdale is accused of slaying David E. Edwards of Fayetteville. Jury selection begins this morning in Circuit Judge William Storey's court.

FecEx is expanding its’ Harrison operations and expects to add 500 jobs there.

Jefferson County and the City of Pine Bluff have settled a long-standing jail dispute in which the city will resume making payments on its’ 24 beds in the county lockup.

Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee authorities will conduct public hearings this week concerning possible construction of a new Mississippi River Bridge. The $500 million span would be located somewhere between the Shelby-Tipton county line and Mississippi 304 in DeSoto County.

Advanced Auto Parts is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who shot one of their night managers. Little Rock police say it is the 10th. Homicide of 2006.

Arkansas Business reports that a 3,000-SF condo on the 14th floor of the First Security Center in downtown Little Rock tipped the scales at $1.3 million. Robert Hixson Jr. bought the urban residence from real estate developers Joseph and Brenda Blankenship.

SURE, THEY'LL KEEP YOU SAFE...

THIS IS THE SUREST indicator of the insanity that has overrun the White House. Our government now wants to contract with a company in Dubai to guard American ports. What???? First of all, why don't we give the contract to an American company? Secondly...oh, jeez, just read what a Republican Congressman has to say about this malarky...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. terms for approving an Arab company's takeover of operations at six major American ports are insufficient to guard against terrorist infiltration, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee said Sunday.

"I'm aware of the conditions and they relate entirely to how the company carries out its procedures, but it doesn't go to who they hire, or how they hire people," Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican, said.

"They're better than nothing, but to me they don't address the underlying conditions, which is how are they going to guard against things like infiltration by al Qaeda or someone else, how are they going to guard against corruption?" King said.

This is simply outsourcing gone too far. Oh, yes, this comes from the Department of Homeland Security -- the guys that couldn't even handle Katrina without losing millions of dollars and thousands of lives. Smooth move, Chertoff.

GRUMBLINGS.. All over Springdale today (Saturday) as I venture out among the masses to do all that shopping you gotta do, basically, because what the hell else are you going to do on an icy day like this? Seems folks are more'n a little dissatisfied with all the work done (or, not done, as the case may be) by the Springdale Street Department to make the roads more passable. IF there were any streets bladed, or even chatted, in Springdale, I, and all of the people I spoke with, were unable to find them. Of course, that didn't stop most everybody from getting out and attempting to drive - which may be a good thing for Yours Truly. The more insurance claims the merrier.

SNOW UPDATE

IT SNOWED HERE, FINALLY, WITH PLENTY on the ground. Tonight on the radio, we'll have a replay of one of our past programs, because yours truly has to attend "Pigcasso" the "kiss-a-pig" gala at the Fayetteville Town Center for the Diabetes Foundation. I'm afraid you can all relax, I will probably not be kissing the pig.

Also, we've finally hooked up our video blogging software and we're ready to start "vlogging" so we'll try to start slapping up those each night (more like every night or so).

Wanna welcome the ever-interactive Rick Baber as our first team member other than the "collective we." You'll notice Rick posting from time to time here -- yes, Rick, I'll try to give you a hand with the formatting so we don't hurt the precious format (which is actually in the process of changing again soon.)

If you'd like to become a member, we're interested in having you along...drop us a note and we'll consider you for "member" status.

So, I've got a ton of things to do today, and you probably do as well. Gonna run for now.

(one more comment -- I'm touched, appalled, amazed and thrilled at the comments I continue to get from those of you in Pittsburgh about the Michael Fortino story. I'd very much like to talk with one of you at length about your experience for an exclusive article here. We don't very often hear from victims of this kind of thing -- it's about time to speak up.)

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Listen to this week's (Nov 4) program (mp3 2 hr)

TATTLE TALES NOT APPRECIATED

US OFFICIALS are a little miffed at the Aussies for releasing new photos of mistreatment of detainees at Abu Ghraib.

From CNN.com: "Those pictures were pictures of criminal acts that took place many years ago, rogue soldiers doing activity that wasn't supported by their chain of command," Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch said. The pictures are reflections "of what happened before," not "of what's happening now," Lynch said. Nevertheless, U.S. officials have said the pictures and video should not have been released, with Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman telling The Associated Press their airing "could only further inflame and possibly incite unnecessary violence in the world." The newly broadcast images do not appear to show any new perpetrators. So the question remains, as we have heard so many times before: "Why you gotta bring up old stuff?" Anybody got an opinion on this??

HOWDY, MIKE!

AH, WE’VE LONGED FOR THE DAY when Mike Masterson would take his trusty axe to those in political power, as he is wont to do from time to time. Mike’s columns on the subject of morality are fantastic, and drive us up the proverbial wall – we’re convinced no one could be more wrong about books and a laundry list of other things. But, when he’s right – he’s reaaaaallly right. Today, he tees off on Governor Huckabee’s haughty disregard of the media when it comes to the “planegate” story. OK, we’re stealing that one from our friends in the right-side blogosphere – they used it against Mike Beebe, we’ll rehabilitate it, and tell you it sits firmly as a sub-chapter of this year’s “big focus” on political ethics. Senor Masterson, would you do the honors?

The governor refused to be interviewed for Blomeley’s story, so there was no explanation of why he needed to take all those trips inside and out of our little banana republic. It seems Huckabee wasn’t explaining these trips to the Democrat-Gazette because, well, His Highness (forgive me ) is greatly displeased with how, in his opinion, Blomeley and political editor Bill Simmons have “edited, twisted and distorted” his responses in previous news stories that questioned his other “official” actions.

He also apparently doesn’t care much for those inquiring folks over at the Arkansas Times. He wouldn’t speak with them for their story, either, later telling a television audience that the Times had “never been responsible with the truth whenever it relates to me.”

Well, now, there’s some sound and logical reasoning for not explaining one’s preference for the high-pitched drone of twin propellers.

All we can say is that Mike always gives a reader a good column for that 50-75 cent investment.

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Listen to this week's (Nov 4) program (mp3 2 hr)

FOLLOW THE MONEY

MONEY BEING THE MOTHER’S MILK of the political game, we must keep tabs on the race for the Governor’s office. Today, this article, courtesy of the DemGaz says the winner to-date is Mr. Beebe (who is in Fayetteville today and Friday – we’ll try to grab him…)

Beebe, a Democrat, raised $ 152, 860 in January, compared with $ 85, 373 for Hutchinson, a former Republican congressman from the 3 rd District in Northwest Arkansas. Last year campaign reports were required to be filed quarterly. But in an election year they are required monthly.

The primary is to be May 23 and the general election Nov. 7.

Beebe filed two reports, one for collections for the primary and one for the general election. For the primary report, Beebe showed $ 131, 860 in contributions and $ 126, 215 in expenditures for the month.

In total in his primary account he’s raised $ 2. 29 million and spent $ 790, 436, leaving a balance of $ 1. 51 million.

For the general election account, Beebe reported $ 21, 000 in contributions and zero expenditures for the month. For the general election account, he’s raised $ 254, 200 in all and spent zero, leaving a balance of $ 254, 434.

Hutchinson filed a report for the primary.

For the month, he spent $ 78, 657. In total, he’s collected $ 1. 09 million and spent $ 508, 266, leaving a balance of $ 573, 550.

The conventional wisdom said a combination of WinRock and local politics might make it hard for Hutchinson to get the money he needs in this race. Regardless, he seems to be doing fine, if a little “outdone.” The Hutch Campaign says it expects a bump when Sen. John McCain visits for a fundraiser on April 10th. By the way, McCain is a former shipmate of mine – different era – the old U.S.S. Forrestal (CV-59) – (trivia)

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MORNING NEWS BRIEFING

AS ALWAYS, THE ALERT EYES AND flying fingers of Pat Lynch keep you up-to-the-minute on what’s happening in the state papers…listen to Pat’s show on WAIradio.com…we’ve added emphasis to the items we like.

Greenwood’s preferential compensation package for its’ head football coach has been noticed in the state legislature. Senator Jim Argue, chair of the Senate Education Committee told the Southwest Times Record “I think it’s a fairness issue, and I don’t think there’s anymore justification for enriched benefits for a coach as compared to a math or science teacher.” Lawmakers have begun gathering information on athletic department salaries.

State Senator Shane Broadway, in an interview with Pat Lynch on WAI, says that there will likely be a special session to deal with school funding issues and it will probably be in March.

Jonesboro School District Superintendent Steve Singleton is expressing concern that local government may encourage segregation in schools and in the community, and has shared his comments with local officials. In a letter dated Feb. 9, Singleton told Mayor Doug Formon and Jonesboro City Council members that he is concerned about some zoning issues in the nearby Valley View School District. If low-income properties are approved and developed in the Jonesboro and Nettleton districts, he says, the same should be true for other districts within the city limits. Jonesboro contains portions of four different school districts.

Anthony Sanchez awaits sentencing after being convicted of first degree murder, rape and sodomy by an Oklahoma jury in the 1996 death of Benton ballet student Julie Buskin.

The mother of Kevin Ives, one of the two boys murdered near the railroad tracks in Saline County in 1987, is calling upon prosecutor Robert Herzfeld to question former Lonoke Police Chief Jay Campbell in connection with that case. Campbell was mentioned in connection with the case in the “Obstruction of Justice” video release.

Russellville Prosecutor David Gibbons believes there is substantial evidence in the murder of Nona Dirksmeyer, but he was unwilling to give the Courier reporter information on results of a polygraph test, whether the assailant forced his way into the victim’s apartment, whether there was a murder weapon seized, or tests on the suspects clothing.

Alfred Craft of Monroe, Louisiana will serve five years in prison and pay a $50,000 fine for poisoning a bald eagle and two vultures at a farm he owns in Izard County and then threatening people to keep it from coming to light, a federal judge ruled.

Bass Pro Shop is proposing to spend at least $75 million to redevelop the Pyramid in Memphis and pay $1 million dollars annyally over the life of a 20-year lease. The Missouri retailer also promises not to open a similar store within 100 miles. Shelby County and the City of Memphis still have around $25 million of outstanding debt on the Pyramid.

Patrick Hall of Gravette is on to the next round of American Idol.

The pilot for a Fox television drama series will be shot next month in Memphis. “Southern Comfort” is the story of a suburban mother who is suddenly thrust into running her husband’s criminal activities while he goes to jail.

Casino developers are pushing real estate prices up in Biloxi, Mississippi, where gambling has been allowed inland since Hurricane Katrina. New resorts, condos, and hotels are planned.

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COULTER WIMPS IT UP IN FAYETTEVILLE

AW...ANN, WE THOUGHT YOU HAD MORE FIGHT IN you! The Coulter-beast spoke last night at the U of A. The students paid a cool 20K for the visit. It got precious little attention. For this you pay 20K? Here's how Chris Branam at the DemGaz described it...

Republicans and the Bush administration drew her fire, as well. Coulter complained about the White House’s handling of Vice President Dick Cheney’s weekend hunting accident.

“I don’t know if any of you have watched Scott McClellan, but he’s a moron,” Coulter said, referring to the White House press secretary. “The reason we are winning is because liberals are insane, not because we are a smooth-running operation.” Coulter criticized the media for “overkill” in their reporting of the Cheney story. She admonished Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Republican who is considered a 2008 presidential candidate in some circles, for “spending a little too much time with Bill Clinton for my taste.”

The talk was sponsored by UA’s College Republicans, Associated Student Government and University Programs office.

The Morning News handled the story in the most convenient way -- boiling Ann of Hades down into her component soundbites...

On a heckler who kept yelling from the balcony and who was later removed:

"Yes, I'm sure you're a big hit in the transgender room."

No, no death threats for anyone on the Supreme Court this time. Those who got to go to David Pryor's retirement ceremony at the Clinton School probably had a much better time.

One other interesting point...a colleague of mine says he took a straw poll of college age people and found that only one out of a dozen even knew who Ann was...curious.

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LOCAL IDOL MAN WINS

OK, OK – ALL YOU “PATRICK HALL OF GRAVETTE” Google search freaks, here’s what you wanted last night, but I didn’t have it. Your man made it to the next step in “American Idol.” Here’s part of a much, much longer article about the story.

Hall’s wife, Laura, agreed. "We were married last July 4 th," she said. "I have signed an agreement with the show that I won’t discuss anything about his appearances, but I can tell you that I’m very, very proud of him. This is great to have so many people cheering for him."

Hall’s sister Caroline Martinez said she, of course, was proud, too. "He’s been singing since he could talk," Martinez said, smiling. "He’s a good singer, songwriter and an accomplished pianist. I’m so glad America will get to see the talent we’ve seen Patrick’s whole life."

Hall’s dad, Billy Hall, M. D., shook hands with just about everyone at the watch party and accepted all the good wishes on behalf of his son.

There – your pop culture update for the state, for the day.

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BABER BLOGS HERE

It's Wednesday, nearly 11pm. So far, no word of violent protests, pies fights or birdshot blasts from Ann Coulter's scheduled appearance at the Walton Arts Center. But then, I had to go get dogfood and missed the 10 o'clock news.

AN A.P.B.

HAS ANYONE HEARD FROM JOY? We're checking her usual haunts, but Girl Arkansas seems to be missing in action. The Arkansas Media website seems to have vanished, this time completely. Joy -- your blogging family misses you and wonders where you've gone. Call home, we'll have cookies and milk (or something a little fizzier) ready...hope things are going OK for you.

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A WARM WELCOME?

WE GOT THE MEMO A DAY OR SO back about R. Shawn McGrew entering the House 95 race in Rogers. Yes, it made us scratch our heads and say "go figure." We've heard what some of you had to say about it. Now, our esteemed colleagues at the ArkFam blog weigh in on this head-scratching development...

Well, we just got word that another “Republican” has filed for office in Northwest Arkansas. Shawn Mcgrew of Rogers announced that he will run for the State House of Representatives as a Republican. He has run for office as a Democrat and was the head of the Democrat Club of Benton County.

We don’t like this new practice that NWA Democrats have developed, and we don’t think that most of the primary voters up in the hills will either. If you are a Democrat admit it. Don’t hide what you believe from the voters. Being dishonest is not way to inspire confidence in your candidacy.

As purveyors of all things "right of right," we often take the things we read on ArkFam with the proverbial grain of salt. However, this time, they did make a point about a strategy of winning Northwest Arkansas at all costs...intriguing, and we have to admit, we wondered the same thing when we heard about the fence-crossing. On the other hand, that could be the equivalent of blaming Karl Rove for masterminding every bad thing that happens to Dems on a national level? Has Mr. Willett started to approach Rovian status? Your two cents appreciated.

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MORNING NEWS BRIEFING

AH! AT LAST! PAT has read the morning papers so we don't have to! Does he know he's enabling the GenX'ers among us to do what we like most? Slacking? It's the perfect round-up of Arkansas News...(our emphasis for our interest)

The sale of Beverly Enterprises to a subsidiary of a California investment company, Filmore Equiry, is now complete. The $2 billion deal includes $220 million in “severance costs.” Filmore has threatened to move the corporate headquarters and 600 jobs out of Fort Smith without special legislation to prevent nursing home residents from suing to recover damages for injuries received in its’ facilities. Arkansas has already passed general tort reform laws.

Legislators have heard that it may not be necessary to call a special session this year to deal with the recent Supreme Court Lake View ruling.

The state will continue paying the shortfall resulting from the new Medicare drug benefit program through March 17. So far, costs are approaching $5 million.

Pine Bluff voters, by a 62% margin, have approved a millage increase for public schools. The measure will allow the district to consolidate its campuses from 15 to 10, and construct an honors academy building at Pine Bluff High School.

Helen Walton has donated $20 million to the College of the Ozarks.

The Van Buren School Board voted unanimously Monday to uphold the superintendent’s recommendation to terminate Steve Jones, a Coleman Junior High teacher and the father of Jacksonville Jaguar Matt Jones, for missing a meeting over a year ago and leaving a meeting early in January. Jones sent an email critical of school administrators to a state lawmaker.

The Villonia school district has included a new $20 million high school in it’s ten year facilities master plan. Officials say that might be addressed in 2009. The district will have about $600,000 in immediate projects.

The trial of Anthony Sanchez in Norman, Oklahoma for the 1996 murder of Benton ballet student Julie Buskin continues with testimony about athletic shoes supposedly worn by the killer. Two jurors have been dismissed from hearing the case and replaced by alternates.

A group of bankers will study funding options for the city to build a minor league ballpark. The Springdale City Council will allow bond underwriters to study a cost for the ballpark and possible public funding. The park is estimated to cost between $25 million and $30 million and could attract a AA minor league baseball team.

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DOES THAT WORRY HIM?

A TIP O' THE HAT TO OUR friends at the ArkTimes blog for letting us know about this piece in the NY Times. Seems Candidate Hutchinson would rather not dwell on his past in the Clinton impeachment proceedings. Oddly enough, the idea that talking about this might cause him discomfort could also ensure that he'll end up having to yak about it at length. Good or bad? Depends on the person(s) responding -- but still an interesting concept. Haven't yet seen Arkfam weigh in on this...

Now that Hutchinson wants to be governor of Arkansas, his role in Clinton's impeachment doesn't even rate a footnote in the Republican candidate's official campaign biography or a mention at most political gatherings.

''It's something that's a historical fact, but it's also something that's in the past,'' the former congressman said in a recent interview. ''It's a burden our country had to bear. But it's the future I'm focusing on.''

Because of the enduring affection for Clinton in his home state, however, some Democrats want Arkansans to remember Hutchinson's past.

''I just know I'm going to remind him of it everywhere I go,'' said state Democratic chairman Jason Willett, who calls Hutchinson ''Mr. Manager.'' ''This is a thing I think most people in Arkansas still resent.''

Resent, ignore, whatever -- but sure enough, it will become something we'll have to discuss and "clear up" because someone wants to make an issue of it. And, anything that smacks of avoidance always brings undue attention...

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PIGS AT THE TROUGH -- YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK

(If we gave an "Enron" award, this would be in the running...)

IF THIS IS THE WAY BUSINESS IS done in DC, then you, Mr. and Mrs. U.S. Voter, need to kick the living daylights (substitute your own word there) out of the people who enjoy telling you they're running things. Again, for the bazillionth time, the Bush Administration gets caught mismanaging federal dollars. First, we saw no-compete contracts to Halliburton, which ridiculously overcharged troops for everything from laundry to soda pop. Then (and yes, I'm leaving lots out) we find out they've charged the Army for water purification never performed, exposing American forces to what amounts to a possible death sentence out in the desert -- then, we see the morons who've wasted millions of dollars leaving mobile homes to rot on the runway in Hope. That doesn't even get to the story about the rotating shipments of ice, moving across the road endlessly because it cost more to store it than it does to simply ship it from place to place...Now, we've got a good one for you here from the NY Times.

The Pentagon's inspector general last month opened an audit of Lincoln Group's contracts there, according to two Defense Department officials. A separate inquiry ordered by Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the top American commander in Iraq, after disclosures late last year that Lincoln Group paid Iraqi publications to run one-sided stories by American soldiers, has been completed but not made public, military officials said.

A spokesman for General Casey, Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, declined to comment on Lincoln Group, citing the ongoing investigation.

Essentially two men the paper described as rip-off artists who crafted a big company out of government bids for propaganda work in Iraq. You've heard about their work -- paying Iraqi papers to print "positive" stories written by American soldiers. Pricetag? Yep -- part of the big $2 billion dollar bill for PR to the White House. Now these whiz-kids find themselves under investigation by the same government that gave them the money. Any suggestions as to a) what we should do with people like this and b) what in the name of Sam Hill is going on in DC right now? And these guys have proposed millions upon millions of dollars worth of cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and other so-called "entitlement" programs while throwing more cash at the military? Boy, where is a special prosecutor when you reallllllly need one? Someone get ol' Jack Cafferty on the line and have him smack Blitzer around over this one today, capice?

MCGREW RUNS AS REPUBLICAN

OK, THIS ONE GRABBED ME the other day as I suffered from delirium, so I wasn’t sure I’d seen it correctly. I’ll just copy it here so you can read it yourself. I’ve noticed several former Dems running as Republicans lately up in the great white north. R. Shawn’s a good guy with us…love to hear more about this decision.

(Rogers, AR)- R. Shawn McGrew of Rogers announced today his candidacy for the Republican nomination in District 95 for the Arkansas House of Representatives.

"I feel that voters are looking for an intelligent leader with integrity and a vision for this district and Northwest Arkansas." stated McGrew. "I want to protect Arkansans property as well as promote education at all levels while continuing secure economic growth for our area and the great state of Arkansas."

McGrew, 33, has been involved with Northwest Arkansas communities through his participation and leadership with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). He has also volunteered as a basketball coach through the Rogers Activity Center. Additionally, he has also volunteered as a WatchDog D.A.D.S. and with the Boys and Girls Club of Benton County- Rogers Unit.

McGrew works for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc based in Bentonville, AR as Travel Technology Manager in the Global Travel Services division of the company. He is an eight and a half-year associate. Prior to his current employer, he worked in Radio Broadcasting for 9 years including KFAY-AM and KFAY-FM in Fayetteville, AR as a Program Director and On-Air Personality.

McGrew is a 10-year resident of Northwest Arkansas. Before to moving to Arkansas, he lived in San Antonio and Laredo, TX. To learn more about the campaign, please visit: www.shawnmcgrew.com

So, (we ask naively) why the change in party, Shawn? (or did we miss something? not like it hasn't happened before...)Need low-cost, high-quality news for your online or commercial broadcast? Simply visit RNS Radio News today! Have a news tip, but want to stay in the shadows, keep your ID secret? Drop us a line at anonymous news tips.

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ON THE RADAR THIS MORNING

OK, SO I’M STILL EMERGING from a narcotically induced two days of sleep. My apologies if anything here seems a little “off” – at least I’m no longer seeing and hearing things that aren’t really there (fever tends to do that to me and I just don’t know why – it’s a little “trippy”) – I’m awake, seem to be functioning fairly well, but had to put the kibosh on anything yesterday after getting up at about 5 a.m. and going to work only to realize – surprise! I was still not well. So, I’ll take another swipe at things today, and maybe we’ll get back into it. Good luck to you if you catch this stuff – it doesn’t seem to last long, but it’ll do a number on you when it visits. Think I caught if from my daughter.

First, a look at the VP’s ticket for hunting without the right stamp (should he have had one as well for hunting Republican campaign donors – truly “big game?”)

President George has spent some 2-billion bucks on PR work…

A bi-partisan group of Senators says it thinks VP “Shoot-em-up” needs a closer look during the Libby investigation…

Brummett mixes rock and politics (Beebe politics)

Big Doug Thompson has his own take on the ethics thing, turning it around by way of an old criticism about journalists…

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MORNING NEWS BRIEFING

AS ALWAYS, COURTESTY OF OUR FRIEND LYNCH-O, who rabidly scours the papers for anything worthwhile stealing. We appreciate that, and present his work to you here...

Voters in Pine Bluff will decide on a school millage today. If the measures pass, the cost to taxpayers will be 25-cents a day for the owner of a house valued at $100,000. Patrons are being asked to vote for an additional 4.5 mills for debt service and to extend 10.2 mills reserved for retiring existing indebtedness by 18 years.

The bake sales paid off for Midland. That school district will stay open thanks to patrons generosity and a recently passed millage. Eudora will be merged with Lakeside.

The Fort Smith Board of Directors will review a proposed $168 million bond package today and discuss setting a May 23 election date for voters to decide on its fate. While the package totals about $168 million, voters will be presented five items on the ballot to be voted on separately.

Kelsey Gadberry, a cheerleading captain and homecoming queen at Little Rock Central High School, had a blood alcohol content of 0.282, more than three times the 0.08 legal limit, and cocaine in her system when she crashed her silver Chevy Tahoe on Feb. 2.

Eddie Sutton may have coached his last game, a 35-year career possibly ending six victories short of 800 because of a traffic accident in which he was injured and cited for driving under the influence.

The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas has a story based on its’ Freedom of Informaiton request on an internal investigation into the hiring of a clerk in the Rogers Police Department, despite her admission of drug use and stealing on previous jobs, and having failed one pre-employment lie detector test. Sheila Villalpando is accused of stealing $2,000 in cash fines.

Attorney general candidate Robert Herzfeld called Monday for changes to a state tax-increment financing law that was passed in 2005 and sponsored by another candidate for attorney general, Rep. Dustin McDaniel, D-Jonesboro. Tax-increment financing, or TIF, can be used by city or county governments to divert some of the property taxes to real estate developers.

Seeking to defuse a potential “negative attack” against him, lieutenant governor candidate Tim Wooldridge said he regrets introducing a bill 11 years ago to institute public hangings on courthouse lawns and wouldn’t do it again.

The Conway Log Cabin Democrat reports on Monica Strack, possibly the oldest active volunteer in Arkansas. At 101, Ms. Strack can still be found helping people at the Conway Regional Medical Center.

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Listen to this week's (Nov 4) program (mp3 2 hr)

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF -- AGAIN

-- Rick Baber
-- "Cybermouth" column

You know that whole “history repeats itself” thing? The eerie list of coincidences regarding Presidents Lincoln and Kennedy? Sure you do. Everybody’s heard that.

Well, it has happened again. This Dick Cheney hunting accident thing was written in the stars. Nothing anybody could have done would have prevented it.

Dig this.

Vice President Dick Cheney shot a 78 year old Texas lawyer in the face Saturday while “quail hunting”. Creepy. That’s almost like “Quayle”!

Dan Quayle was a lawyer known for his pretty face. The man Cheney shot in the face was a lawyer.

Cheney is Vice President to a man named George Bush. Dan Quayle was also Vice President to a man named George Bush. Both men are members of the Republican party. The man Dick Cheney shot in the face was a contributor to the Republican party.

Both of the Bushes were from Texas. The shooting happened in Texas. Both Bushes had the first name “George” and lived in a white house in a town named after “George” Washington.

The first Bush was president before a guy named Clinton. The second Bush was president after a guy named Clinton and possibly before another gu….er … person named Clinton. Quayle was VP just before a guy named Gore. Cheney was VP just after a guy named Gore.

If you substitute “quail” for “Quayle”, both James Danforth Quayle (forget the “III”) and Richard Bruce Cheney have exactly 18 letters in their names.

Cheney and Quayle’s birthdays are 6 years and 5 days apart. Exactly that long ago, Cheney was exactly the age Quayle is now.

Cheney excelled academically in high school. Quayle couldn’t spell “potato”. When Quayle misspelled “potato”, he blamed it on the teacher. When Cheney shot a man in the face, he blamed it on the man for being there.

Quayle compared himself to Jack Kennedy and was chastised by Democrats. Cheney, for not reporting his accident, is being compared to Jack Kennedy’s brother, Ted, and will be chastised by Democrats. Kennedy is a Democrat and Cheney is a Republican. Lincoln was a Republican and Cheney was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. Lincoln and Kennedy had a lot of weird coincidences about the two of them - which we won’t go into here because, well, you’ve all heard that before.

Quayle, VP of Bush #1, made a lot of goofy statements that were later erroneously attributed to Bush #2 - who also makes a lot of goofy statements - under whom Dick Cheney serves as VP.

Dick and Dan both start with a “D”.

Quayle, in 1992, blamed the LA riots on a television show called “Murphy Brown”. Murphy Brown was played by Candice Bergen, who now plays a lawyer on another TV show called “Boston Legal”. The man Dick Cheney shot in the face was a lawyer. Candice Bergen’s father was a ventriloquist for Charley McCarthy. Dick Cheney has been said to be a ventriloquist for George W. Bush, who some people think is a lot like another man named McCarthy.

Cheney was the first Vice President to shoot a man since Aaron Burr shot Alexander Hamilton. Alexander Hamilton was a lawyer, like Dan Quayle and the guy Cheney shot in the face while quail hunting. Cheney was VP to GEORGE Bush, who succeeded Bill CLINTON as President. One of Alexander Hamilton’s primary political opponents was GEORGE CLINTON. Hamilton was Secretary of the Treasury under a man named GEORGE Washington, and was bitterly opposed regarding his position in the French Revolution by a man named Thomas JEFFERSON. William JEFFERSON Clinton opposed Cheney’s position on war in Iraq. Clinton, like Hamilton, Quayle, and the guy Cheney shot in the face, was also a lawyer. “Aaron Burr” and “Dan Quayle” both have 9 letters in their names. There were 9 bird shot pellets that actually struck the guy Dick Cheney shot in the face (I don’t know that for sure, but wouldn’t it be cool?)

I could go on and on, but it’s 2am.

Just wanted you people to know that nothing happens by chance.

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Listen to this week's (Nov 4) program (mp3 2 hr)

OK, FALSE START HERE...

SEEMS OUR FRIENDS with the University of Arkansas Baseball team have a game tonight which started at 4:30 p.m. CST. They're in the seventh inning now. Not sure when we'll go on -- U of A has blocked the webcast. We expect that to return when our show starts, so, guess we'll catch up when the game ends, and we start. Some good sound tonight, if we ever get going.

LIVE TONIGHT

YES, WE'RE DOING A LIVE SHOW tonight on Newstalk 1030, KFAY-AM. You can listen there in Northwest Arkansas, or you can tune us in with live, streaming Windows Media at www.kfayam.com, starting at 6 p.m. CST.

If you'd like to call the show and voice your opinion, just dial us up. Locally, you can call (479) 521-5329 or toll free 1-888-521-5729. If the toll free gives you a hard time, just dial us long distance. Talk to you in half-an-hour.

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Listen to this week's (Nov 4) program (mp3 2 hr)

THE FIRST JACK/GEORGE PIC

Photo from Time Magazine -- Lobbyist Jack Abramoff, circled in red, is visible to the left as President Bush greets Indian tribal leader Raul Garza, while Bush adviser Karl Rove, right, looks on.

Here's a longer part of the NYTimes Article...

White House had initially said there was no record of disgraced lobbyist at 2001 meeting

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 — After weeks in which the White House has declined to release pictures of President Bush with Jack Abramoff, the disgraced lobbyist, the first photograph to be published of the two men shows a small, partly obscured image of Mr. Abramoff looking on from the background as Mr. Bush greets a Texas Indian chief in May 2001.

By itself, the picture hardly seems worthy of the White House's efforts to keep it out of the public eye. Mr. Abramoff, a leading Republican fund-raiser who pleaded guilty last month to conspiring to corrupt public officials, is little more than a blurry, bearded figure in the background at a gathering of about two dozen people.

But it provides a window, albeit an opaque one, into Mr. Abramoff's efforts to sell himself to Indian tribes as a man of influence who could open the most secure doors in Washington to them. And it leaves unanswered questions about how Mr. Abramoff and the tribal leader, whom he was trying to sign as a client, gained access to a meeting with the president on the White House grounds that was ostensibly for a group of state legislators who were supporting Mr. Bush's 2001 tax cut plan.

The White House confirmed the authenticity of the photograph. It was provided to The New York Times by the Indian chief, Raul Garza of the Kickapoo tribe of southwest Texas. Mr. Garza, who is under indictment on federal charges of embezzling money from his tribe, said he was eager to demonstrate that he had "nothing to hide" in his dealings with the White House and Mr. Abramoff.

Is seeing believing?

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MORNING NEWS BRIEFING

AS ALWAYS, OUR FONDEST THANKS to Lynch-O for his fantastic round up of the morning headlines -- you can listen to Pat at WAIradio.com or read him on his blog. As always, our emphasis added for the NWA audience.

Kay Johnson, the Greenwood School Superintendent, is quoted in the Southwest Times Record defending the decision to pay dependent health care for the high school football coach, a benefit not available to other faculty members. She asked if any school board members watched the Super Bowl and explained that a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl cost $2.5 million. “Our society places a big emphasis on sports,” Johnson said. “We’re just a reflection of our community and our society.” The district is also spending $600,000 on Astroturf for the football field.

The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas reports 49 school districts failed to apply for a federal program last year, and have left an estimated $4 million in money for new telephone and computer connections to go to other states since 1998.

State Treasurer Gus Wingfield will not seek re-election to a second term

The gunshot that killed Benton ballerina Julie Buskin was touch her skin when it was fired according to testimony in the trial of Castillo Sanchez who is accused of the 1996 murder in Oklahoma City.

A police officer posing as a deliveryman for FedEx arrested four people on drug charges Wednesday afternoon after they accepted packages containing marijuana. The snitch was a drug dog at the FedEx hub in Texas.

Keiser Police Chief Jimmy Bohannon Jr. was arrested in Osceola on felony drug and burglary charges

An employee at Adult World at Palestine, who was arrested twice last year, was arrested again Wednesday for violating the same state laws regarding the sale of obscene films. In December, the company that owns Adult World entered a guilty plea and was fined $40,000 in an agreement to protect employees.

A Little Rock mother who stabbed her boyfriend to death about two years ago needs to start setting a good example for her children, Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Chris Piazza said Thursday in sentencing her to five years of probation, a $500 fine and anger management classes after a guilty plea to manslaughter. She could have gotten 10 years.

The Jefferson County jail is expected to open on schedule in November with beds to accommodate 304 prisoners.

The U.S. Postal Service facility on Race St. In Jonesboro will soon be named for Hattie W. Caraway, the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate and the first Arkansan to appear on a commemorative stamp.

The Boeing Co. says that it will close its Melbourne operation, which has 103 employees, later this year.

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Listen to this week's (Nov 4) program (mp3 2 hr)

BRUMMETT BOOSTS BLOGS

SEEMS THE MIGHTY JB has upset some of the wingnuts in the local blogosphere. Check out the NWA Politics site for some fun reading. We perused his column here, and feel he pretty much hit the nail on the ol' head. Here's more...

If Democrats want exclusively Democratic news and commentary, they'll need to set up their own blogging circle and get the newspaper publishers to hire some of their aides as columnists, which would only seem fair.

As yet, this new universe is rather small and closed, its noise exceeding its numbers.

In the olden days of the daily newspaper war, aggressive reporting to hold politicians accountable would land on the front page and get read by thousands, then, likely as not, get regurgitated on the evening local television news programs, which were more journalistic in those days.

This new culture engages perhaps hundreds, and it makes most of that noise talking to itself, or shouting to itself.

That's not to say it doesn't sometimes serve a purpose and have a point.

And, now some reaction from the right on being variously complimented/dinged...

Your column is a little sad. It whines and cries about the lack of accountability. Even though there is no real proof of accountability in the news media today. You are not held accountable by your editor unless you step on his toes, spell something wrong, or write something so profound that he is scared to publish it.

Not only that, but you completely ignore the blogs out there that generally hold themselves accountable purely for integrity's sake. Did you ever think that blogs by Republicans were a response to the worthless left wing garbage that the news media produces today under the guise of so called "accountability."

Give me a break!

What's even funnier about your article is that you first complain, then you do an about face and say, "Oh well, luckily no-one really reads those blogs." Sounds like someone losing a battle to me.

I believe you and your newspaper buddies are aware that the Internet is taking over, and people are tired of reading your "rags." I do buy a newspaper once in a while, but it's usually for the classifieds. Maybe you should quit complaining, and ask yourself why so many are just like me.

(tip o' the hat to Maddox)

Only an accurate description of the situation would elicit that kind of reaction. We do, however, agree with your assessment of the ascension of blogs...they've got more cred these days, and they'll get better -- but probably because of journalists. Guys, what does he have wrong about the situation? We read the Arkansas right-side blogs on a daily basis, and Brummett has you guys pinned. The content is great stuff -- but the editorial stance is shrill. Don't think you really worry about that, do you? So what did he do wrong? You still read his stuff every week...

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Listen to this week's (Nov 4) program (mp3 2 hr)

TAYLOR UPDATE

OUR OLD FRIEND Richard Drake says hello. He also tipped us about a fine post on the website of White Supremacist David Duke (Lousiana Looney) lauding the work of local mom Laurie Taylor and her efforts to ban books in the Fayetteville public schools. I don't have the link handy, but a quick search on Google ought to hook you up. All we can say is, with friends like that...

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Listen to this week's (Nov 4) program (mp3 2 hr)

FORTINO UPDATE

WILL HE DO TIME, OR WON'T HE? UPDATE -- SENTENCING, Oct. 2, 2007 -- visit the homepage for details and a mugshot - We haven't forgotten about Pittsburgh, PA "inspirational speaker" Michael Fortino, busted on kiddie-porn charges in Fayetteville. Our eyes and ears are everywhere, and one of our spies in PA keeping tabs on Fortino contacted us. Apparently the child-porn charges haven't done any apparent damage to Mr. Fortino's marriage...the spies spotted him with his lovely spouse at the Steelers Super Bowl victory parade the other day. We've also had a lot of questions about what will happen to Fortino next. If you recall, Washington County prosecutors turned the case over to the Feds. When asked about what was happening, the Feds told us "nothing." A source tells us Fortino will help investigators who might have bigger concerns about the case, will reach a plea bargain and do very little time in prison. We can't confirm that, but that's the scuttlebutt on the street. If you hear anything more, tip us off.

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Listen to this week's (Nov 4) program (mp3 2 hr)

A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

-- Don Elkins
-- "In Focus" Col., Fri. Feb. 10, 2006
-- Northwest Arkansas Times

The way I see it, Congressman John Boozman finds himself between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Word on the street this week was about a warning from Karl Rove for Republicans about the domestic spying issue — you’re either with us, or you don’t exist. Wags in Washington say Rove sent a message to members of his party that they’ll either tow the White House line on that issue, or end up on a "blacklist." That would never by the game plan for lobbying party members over the new budget, would it?

Maybe the budget doesn’t matter as much, isn’t as ‘sexy’, but it wouldn’t be going too far a field to imagine the pressure at work in the Capitol this week.

Whatever "blacklist" really means, it can’t be good, especially if you come from a small state and don’t have a lot of seniority like the representative from the Third District.

So, how could pressure of that kind hurt?

The congressman has a pretty tight record of voting with the administration on nearly every issue crossing his desk. I’m sure he wouldn’t disagree with me on that too much, (I think he’s proud of it) but that could mean problems for Boozman because of all the cuts on the table.

Among other things, the new budget would cut just about all federal funding for fighting the meth problem in the Natural State, or so say Arkansas officials who explained that we get about $3 million a year to clean up meth labs and take this stuff off the highway — money that would "go away" under the proposed budget.

Rep. Boozman has actively, publicly and rightly campaigned to increase federal attention to the problem and to increase federal funding. He even brought members of Congress to Northwest Arkansas for a well-publicized committee meeting to learn more about the problem. He said he doesn’t like this proposed cut, and that Congress could still vote those funds back into existence. Sounds like he has a fight on his hands.

So, does he vote for the budget, or against the White House on this one? problem. Pritchard lost a family member to drug abuse and spends a lot of time, energy and effort trying to help others get straight and reclaim their lives. I’m not sure Rep. Pritchard would approve of the budget cuts to fight the problem, though I haven’t had a chance to ask him. If the congressman needs more reasons to break with Mssr’s Bush and Rove, a non-profit, non-partisan group called the National Priorities Project has a laundry list of very good reasons indeed. Maybe after reading them, you’ll feel compelled to share your thoughts with your duly-elected representative... so, get out the paring knives, and get ready to cut!

NPP says we’d lose $2 million in WIC funding — sorry, hungry kids. Those same little ones would lose 229 slots in Head Start.

Arkansas would lose $6.3 million in Community Block Development grants, some $200,000 of that in Fort Smith, all money to create affordable housing and jobs. We’d lose $1.5 million for the state’s Clean Water Revolving Fund. You’ll just have to drink soda.

We’d lose more than $500,000 in LIHEAP money to help the poor offset those big heating bills, while ExxonMobil posts record profits. And, talk about education funding! The budget would foreclose some $12.6 million for vocational training — thought we wanted to find more money for education, right?

And, just to make you feel safe, the budget would also cut all of the state’s $4.2 million dollars for community policing.

Convinced yet? Last week, I told you about other "budget cuts" on the table, cuts for which the congressman already voted. Again, he was the only member of this state’s congressional delegation to do so. Those cuts include decreases to federal money for enforcement of child support payments, increases in Medicaid and Medicare out-of-pocket expenses, all items opposed by respected groups including the AARP. This new round of cuts just makes the situation worse.

What did the congressman have to say about his vote?

This past week, while visiting the district, he described his vote as one for "slowed increases" instead of "budget cuts."

I found that interesting and just a little bit "semantic," until a friend of mine managed to nail it down for me.

Lesley has a way with words, and put the whole argument in a way — as a parent — I could understand. She wrote me to make an analogy, "My children keep complaining about how hungry they are." She went on to say, "‘ how can you be hungry?’ I ask... ’ I’m not ‘cutting’ the amount of food I give you — I’m only ‘ reducing the rate of growth!’"

Touché, and point well made, Ms. K.

No matter what you call it, no matter how you spin it — it’ll mean less money for needy and underprivileged children, no money to fight meth, less money to help the poor find a job and an affordable place to live and a tougher time for anyone who doesn’t make more than $100,000 dollars a year.

Do you fall into any of those categories or love and care for someone who does?

You know what to do... and the congressman should have a good idea what he should do if he wants to truly do some good for his constituents.

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Listen to this week's (Nov 4) program (mp3 2 hr)

GOOD JOB, BROWNIE!

BROWNIE (MICHAEL BROWN) APPEARS ready and willing to "spill the beans" on what happened in D.C. during the botched Katrina response. A Senate committee plans to grill him soon, and he says because he no longer works for the White House, he'll talk. Here's a little bit more about it...

Some administration officials have refused interviews by Senate investigators or have declined to answer even seemingly innocuous questions about times and dates of meetings and telephone calls with the White House.

The leaders of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee have accused the White House of crippling their inquiry after FEMA lawyers prohibited Brown from responding to some questions during a January 23 staff interview.

At that interview, Brown told investigators he was aware of management problems at the agency that were highlighted in a consultant's report months before Katrina. He attributed some of the problems to the agency's merger with the Homeland Security Department in 2003.

"What I wish I had done was, frankly, just either quit earlier or whatever and gone to certain friends that I can't talk about and said we got to fix this -- I mean, what's going on is nuts," Brown said, according to a Senate transcript of the meeting.

But, does he ACTUALLY know of anything that might help the Senate investigation? Seemed like he was pretty much in the dark the entire time, more worried about his clothing and his meals than saving lives...ought to give us something to talk about.

MORNING NEWS BRIEFING

HERE WE HAVE THE MORNING News update courtesy of Pat Lynch, wizard of WAIradio.com. We've added emphasis for the things on our radar screen.

United States Senator Blanche Lincoln calls the newly discovered plan in the Bush budget to privatize Social Security “un-American.”

The Democratic Party of Arkansas questioned whether Republican gubernatorial candidate Asa Hutchinson complied with federal law when he entered into negotiations to work for a lobbying firm before he left his job at the Department of Homeland Security.

Although Lonoke Mayor Thomas Privitt was arrested on misdameanor charges directly related to his duties as mayor, he would not comment on the alleged misuse of state prisoners with which he is charges. Also at the special city council meeting last evening, Chief of Police Jay Campbell, who is facing numerous felony charges, resigned.

Aaron Sadler of the Stephens Media Group reports Former U.S. Sen. Dale Bumpers has called for public financing of political campaigns as a way to curtail corruption in Washington, D.C.

There will be a Federal Court hearing in Little Rock Friday seeking to stop Pine Bluff from hiring a new police chief to replace Danny Moses, who claims the city discriminated against him when it learned that he had cancer.

Today’s morning News of Northwest Arkansas reports that Rogers police officers didn't use force very often last year but, when they did, Hispanics bore the brunt. A review of 36 use-of-force reports involving 39 civilians filed by officers last year showed 24 of those civilians were Hispanic.

A joint investigation by Clarksville police and the Johnson County Sheriff's Department led to the arrest of three X-Mart Adult Supercenter workers for allegedly promoting obscene material, a Class D felony punishable by a possible six years in the Arkansas Department of Correction sentence and a fine up to $10,000.

Nine Faulkner County gas wells on the Fayetteville Shale Gas play are already flowing, according to the Log Cabin Democrat. Nearby Van Buren County already has a dozen producing gas wells.

From the Dallas Morning News: Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn are quietly urging airline and government leaders in North Texas to come up with a compromise on allowing long-haul flights at Dallas Love Field. The Texas Republicans have delivered a clear and sober warning: Figure out a solution that is acceptable to the region, or Congress might overturn the Wright amendment in a fashion that could be distasteful to almost everyone.

Singer Patrick Hall of Gravette performed on American Idol in the first round last night, and he’s through to the group part of the competition in Hell Week.

From the Pine Bluff Commercial: A Pine Bluff man who apparently tried to run after being involved in an accident was jumped on by a dog, hit a fence, ran head on into a police car and was sprayed with pepper spray, all in the same incident. Franklin Columbus Jr. told officers he was afraid of being extradited to Georgia, where he was wanted on numerous warrants for assault, aggravated assault and domestic battery.

A SHORT EXPOSITION ON FREE SPEECH

What happened to America? Where did it go?

I have to ask myself that question these days because of the never-ending problems some people have had with freedom of speech and expression. And, to make matters worse, the problem seems to have spread.

First, why would Congress, the “House of the People” expel two women for wearing t-shirts making political statements? These women weren’t causing trouble; they apparently weren’t even speaking loudly, much less waving banners and yelling in megaphones.

First, Cindy Sheehan gets the boot for wearing an anti-war shirt, then a woman wearing a “support the troops” shirt got the bum’s rush out the door right before the State of the Union address. The capitol police later apologized to both, revealing that no rules exist to prohibit t-shirts on the floor of the House, or in the gallery. Didn’t the U.S. Supreme Court make a ruling about that sort of clothing years and years ago? Have we forgotten?

And our elected leaders seem to have a real knack for messing up on the wrong side of freedom, which confuses me because they love to rant and rave about how much it means to them to bring freedom to Iraq. Would you let those guys teach anyone about freedom? I’m not sure I buy that particular bridge in Brooklyn right now.

Another disappointment came when the State Department last week essentially stood up and joined those who have decided to kill, take hostages and burn embassies over a series of political cartoons depicting Mohammed (as in “Islam.”)

The Danish government understood – they refused to issue any retraction or apology to Hamas, Fatah, Hezbollah or any other two-bit group without any notion of the negative side of censorship. Most conservative pundits took the Bush Administration to task for that – but at the same time, fully supported criticism and attempts to silence American editorial cartoonist Tom Toles for a cartoon he authored in the Washington Post. That cartoon squarely and effectively smacked Defense Secretary Rumsfeld for shortchanging the military during a news conference.

It gets even worse. This past weekend, word came out that a 24-year old political appointee at NASA had been giving senior scientists at the space agency a tough time over the Big Bang and climatology.

This young hooligan graduated from a Texas journalism school in 2003, and boasts of his time in the Bush-Cheney reelection “war room” as credentials. He managed to tell senior scientists that they would have to always refer to the Big Bang with the word “theory” tacked on the end. In a note to those same senior, doctorate, accomplished explorers of earth and space, this knucklehead tried to tell them they were only telling everyone “half the truth” by failing to qualify the Big Bang as a “theory” – this D.C. gangster also tried to let his betters know this was an issue of “religion.” The Administration felt the heat from national newspapers, and changed the policy – a close call. Oh, they also fired the guy…just an update.

Huh?

I’m incredibly confused. In the America where I grew up – and I grew up in a very conservative state – people frowned upon things like this. Censorship and religious interference in the government were by many considered “déclassé” and beneath contempt. Only the most rabid and unstable among us participated in that kind of thing.

Even here in Northwest Arkansas, we seem to have an overabundance of those who think their time has come – a new dark-ages for America where every television program can be shut down, every editorial cartoon can be yanked from the printed page, every mention of God has to be in agreement with one particular group’s view of that deity. Every questionable library book has to end up locked behind some steel door at the whim of a small handful of hyper-vigilant (“uh-oh, the sky is falling!”) citizens who waste more of our time, energy and effort on homegrown repression than any of us have to spend.

Add to that the fact we live in a much smaller world because of instantaneous communication online and you have the makings of a public embarrassment.

As a nation, we’ve traditionally looked back at periods of time like the McCarthy era and its blacklists and Ed Meese’s ridiculous tour of duty trying to shut down Playboy Magazine, and John Ashcroft’s juvenile decision to cloak the statue of blind Justice at his office in D.C. with disgust, and shame.

Who let this cat out of the cage again, and how do we put it back in?

Have we just let ourselves become so frightened as a society after 9-11, that we actually deem it fit to listen to the alarmists who would curtail our civil rights, and in the process, damage the Constitution? Is all this the result of deep and unthinking fear?

I served my nation honorably in the Armed Forces.

I remember, perhaps naively, telling myself one of the admirable things we did in uniform was to help the oppressed gain freedom. I thought we were the arms and troops of open thought and freedom, people fighting to uphold and defend (raise your right hand…) the Constitution, which has, as it’s very First Amendment a guarantee of freedom of conscience and expression.

I thought we enjoyed those freedoms so much here that we collectively decided all humanity might one day enjoy that same natural right.

When did we change our minds?

MUSLIM CARTOONS, RIGHT -- AND WRONG

TED RALL GETS IT RIGHT in this column about the "muslim cartoons." Some strange stuff going on. Those who usually approve of censorship are screaming "free speech" right now. Muslims who don't get it want to burn buildings. Secretaries of State and Representatives of foreign countries alike have been going on TV to tell the American people that "with free speech comes responsibility." I actually agree with gambling freak and im-moral moralist Bill Bennett -- nowhere in the First Amendment does it say free speech requires responsibility. That would make it less-than-free-speech. The only restrictions we allow have to do with time and place, not content. And, we even look askance at time and place requirements. Rall kicks 'em in the teeth...

Hypocrisy abounds: Everyone supports the free speech they agree with.

Which is why, in a nation with a truly free media, there is no line. To hell with the nanny media. Free speech is like a Ferrari: What good is it if you don't use it or if you barely use it, only driving it in town, in stop-and-go traffic? It's useless until you can head out to the Arizona desert and push it past 150 mph. Short of libel, slander and impersonation, anything goes--that is, if you believe in the First Amendment.

What if millions of people take offense? What if some of them turn violent, even murderous? So what? No one can make you angry. You decide whether or not to become angry. If journalistic gatekeepers worry about the mere possibility of prompting outrage, they'll validate mob rule and undermine our right to a free press, one that covers the controversial along with the bland.

While deciding what goes into the paper and the evening news, good journalists ought to be guided by only one consideration: Is it news? If the answer is yes, send it out. Even if it's tasteless as all f---.

Postscript: A European Muslim website has posted a cartoon depicting Anne Frank in bed with Adolf Hitler. "If it is the time to break taboos and cross all the red lines," the site explains, "we certainly do not want to fall behind." It's an idiotic cartoon. Breaking taboos, on the other hand, is something our nanny media ought to try.

I'll say it again -- in America, we like to say, "free speech for me, but not for thee." Remember, this is what the ACLU is fighting for...your freedom of speech, Rush Limbaugh's freedom of speech, freedom of speech for the Nazis and for Ted Rall and for Churches and for you. As soon as you take someone's free speech away, we've all lost it -- as soon as you tell them they can only exercise it with "responsibility" you've killed it -- welcome to the dictatorship. Condi Rice needs a refund on the meth she's using for saying something like that. Buy a Danish flag and fly it today! At least I've found one thing I agree with the conservative whackos on until they begin making this a little battle about religion and not one about free speech. Rall is right, this dingbat has it wrong...(this is from "conservativepetitions.com" -- and yes, we are sick of petitions, but if you have to be a moron, might as well do it that way and not with an AK-47)

Rev. Rusty Weller is heading up a petition drive at conservativepetitions.com to get Americans to stand in solidarity with Denmark for their right to publish free speech cartoons.

Commenting on the worldwide riots by irate Muslims, Weller didn’t mince words, saying, “More than the fact that they can dish it out but can’t take it, Islamists are in a murderous uproar designed to force Western nations to outlaw newspapers printing the truth about their blood-thirsty religion.”

During your Talk Show interview with Rev. Rusty, he opines that coerced appeasement is the goal of the destructive protests calculated to intimidate European and American media into censoring writing challenging Islamic hypocrisy, such as the free speech cartoons depicting Muhammad. As Norway's Mullah Krekar aptly put it: "It does not matter if the governments of Norway and Denmark apologize, the war is on."

That's nuts. Again, the central idea here is content. Speech is one thing -- the content is another. You can't censor content, or shouldn't. Condemning an entire religion or people for the behavior of a few doesn't work, anymore than it works for those few to burn down buildings because of a lousy cartoon. What happened to sanity? What "Rusty" is saying is tantamount to the actions of the Klan and other hate groups. It's one thing to condemn an action -- but a "bloodthirsty religion?" Have you looked in the mirror lately, Rev? Jeez, someone get that guy smelling salts...he thinks he's on our side, he's really playing for the other team, he's just too stupid to realize it!

HELLO, REP. BOOZMAN?

DON'T EXPECT US to let this one go. When we talked about the "Budget Reconcilliation" bill supported by the Third District Congressman, we asked for an explanation. What did we hear? Mr. B said the bill didn't cut benefits, it only "slowed growth." John, you never sold used cars for a living, did you? That's a wholly unacceptable answer, especially when "slowing" means raising out-of-pocket expenses for retirees and others on Medicaid and Medicare. How about easing up on the tax cuts for awhile? How about finding out about all that money that simply "disappeared" in Iraq? How about pulling the funding for that freakin' "bridge to nowhere" in Alaska? Have we done that yet...then we see this...

President Bush's budget proposal to dramatically cut funding for methamphetamine enforcement and lab clean-up threatens Arkansas' effort to combat the drug. Arkansas relies on federal grants to pay for 19 anti-drug task forces and receives about $3 million annually.

How will you vote on this? You couldn't possibly support this because it'll hit our meth awareness efforts in NWA, along with all the anti-meth programs you've supported personally with multiple personal and public visits, including a Congressional hearing that took place here. In the words of the chick who sang with Meatloaf, "What's it gonna be, boy?"

MORNING NEWS BRIEFING

COURTESY OF LYNCH-O. Here's your morning news update, with our emphasis added.

School districts will soon be paying more into the state teacher retirement system. Starting July 1, the rate will increase one full percentage point to 15% of total payroll. That will bring in an additional $20 million each year.

Mayor Thomas Privett has called a special meeting of the Lonoke City Council for late this afternoon to discuss the arrests of himself and the chief of police earlier this week.

Conway’s City Council may consider “impact fees” to pay for expanding sewer service. Conway already uses those fees to pay for some street extensions.

A proposal to charge LeFlore County inmates for their time behind bars potentially will mean thousands of dollars for the new jail trust authority, but not enough to erase an expected $400,000 shortfall, officials say. The charge would be about $36 per day.

President Bush's budget proposal to dramatically cut funding for methamphetamine enforcement and lab clean-up threatens Arkansas' effort to combat the drug. Arkansas relies on federal grants to pay for 19 anti-drug task forces and receives about $3 million annually.

The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas reports that a little known Canadian firm = joined the growing list of drillers, independent producers and wildcatters snapping up leases in the Fayetteville Shale, the booming natural gas play that stretches across much of western Arkansas. Storm Cat Energy Corp., based in Vancouver, British Columbia, has entered an agreement with an unnamed "privately held company" to buy oil and gas leases in Van Buren, Searcy and Pope counties.

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour says he won't run for president in 2008 because his time is occupied with Hurricane Katrina recovery.

The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association has named sports columnist Harry King 2005 Arkansas sportswriter of the year. Paul Eells of KATV in Little Rock, the football play-by-play voice of the Arkansas Razorbacks, is the state's sportscaster of the year.

Linda Caillouette has this tid-bit in today’s Democrat-Gazette’s Paper Trails column. Singer, songwriter and pianist Patrick Hall of Gravette recently auditioned in Las Vegas before American Idol’s judges and he is one of 175 hopefuls going to Hollywood. No word yet on whether Hall is one of the final 24, but the Jan. 16 People magazine quotes Abdul as saying one of the strong male contenders is a guy named Patrick.

BEEBE COMPLAINT FILED

SEEM'S BELLA VISTA'S OWN "Gadfly" has decided to put his proboscis into the "ethics" case, which, we're afraid to say, seems at this point to be very much manufactured. The guy used a computer to re-write a speech. Are we going too far with this? Might as well run it past the Ethics Commission. Oh, and one more thing -- as fans of the Arkansas Family Coalition website -- guys, you've got to vary your content just a bit. We're getting tired of the endless drumbeat of questionable "ethics" stories, and we don't think what you've got "has legs" right now. Can we get some other kind of bomb-throwing in the mix? It's turning into a boring read...here's more from Roby Brock about Parsons.

An Arkansas Republican activist filed an ethics complaint Tuesday against Attorney General Mike Beebe, accusing him of using a state computer for his Democratic gubernatorial campaign. The complaint, filed with the state Ethics Commission by Jim Parsons of Bella Vista, accuses Beebe of using a computer in his state office to revise a campaign speech. Campaign laws ban the use of state resources for political work.

Last year, Beebe's campaign admitted to using the state computer to edit a campaign speech. Beebe said a campaign volunteer, who also works in the Attorney General's office, made the mistake and it won't happen again.

Parsons said Beebe should follow the letter of the law. "Of all people, he should set the example for everyone else," the complaint says.

Right...doesn't seem like the guy is trying to hide what happened...your party never makes mistakes?

MORNING NEWS UPDATE

AS ALWAYS, YOUR MORNING NEWS Update brought to you by Lynch-O. We, as always, highlight those things we think might pique interest in NWA...

Today’s Morning News of Northwest Arkansas reports that Legislators expect to learn enough from three upcoming hearings to design sufficient legislation to respond to the state Supreme Court's latest school finance ruling. Members of the House and Senate Education Committees have scheduled three meetings this month - the first meeting is scheduled Tuesday - to hear testimony about the high court's December decision declaring public school funding unconstitutional.

Jerry Dingman, commander of the Special Investigations Unit of the Arkansas State Police, says that state and federal charges will likely be filed as the result of a recently completed investigation of corruption in the Marmaduke School District. Last year, the superintendent unexpectedly retired and the elementary school principal was fired.

The number of Arkansas college and university students who require remedial course work last fall is the lowest in more than a decade, but still more than half of first-time students were placed in the catch-up classes.

Con-Agra is selling its’ plants in Ozark, Huntsville, and Jonesboro as part of a nationwide corporate restructuring which will take the Omaha, Nebraska based company out of the refrigerated meats business. The sale includes the Butterball, Eckrich and Armour brands.

Gov. Mike Huckabee led the nation's governors Friday in protesting federal Department of Defense consideration of forced reductions in the Army and Air National Guard.

Federal wildlife officials say they won't relocate Florida panthers to Arkansas without public support and Arkansas wildlife officials have said the panther wouldn't be welcome.

A former employee of Anderson’s Discount Pharmacy in Fort Smith is accused of bilking more than $400,000 from the company during the last four years. Patsy Ann Norton, the store’s former office manager, was arrested on suspicion of theft by deception.

The Pine Bluff Arsenal and the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program will be conducting an exercise Wednesday to simulate an emergency scenario involving chemical weapons at the arsenal.

MORE (LACK OF) MUSLIM HUMOR

AND MORE LACK OF respect for freedom from our very own government -- the harbinger, ney, "defender" of freedom and democracy in the world! Seems we've now jumped in with Hamas, Fatah, Al Qaeda and everyone else threatening to take hostages in outrage over those European cartoons! Should we be surprised, after we voted with a country like Iran in the UN to ban gay groups from having a chance to observe UN proceedings? Of course not! Your freedom now ends at someone else's religion, just like in the Mid-East! This is from Reuters about how we've caved. Also, yes, we've now become a colony of the Denmark, the country that won't apologize for the cartoons! We'll start running the Danish flag, symbol of freedom of speech...here's AP...

Islamic law, based on clerics' interpretation of the Quran and the sayings of the prophet, forbids depiction's of the Prophet Muhammad and other major religious figures — even positive ones — to prevent idolatry. Shiite Muslim clerics differ in that they allow images of their greatest saint, Ali, the prophet's son-in-law, though not Muhammad.

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in a meeting with Egypt's ambassador, reiterated his stance that the government cannot interfere with issues concerning the press. On Monday, he said his government could not apologize on behalf of a newspaper, but that he personally "never would have depicted Muhammad, Jesus or any other religious character in a way that could offend other people."

While recognizing the importance of freedom of the press and expression, U.S. State Department press officer Janelle Hironimus said these rights must be coupled with press responsibility.

"Inciting religious or ethnic hatred in this manner is not acceptable," Hironimus said. "We call for tolerance and respect for all communities and for their religious beliefs and practices."

Early Friday, Palestinian militants threw a bomb at a French cultural center in Gaza City, and many Palestinians began boycotting European goods, especially those from Denmark.

"Whoever defames our prophet should be executed," said Ismail Hassan, 37, a tailor who marched through the pouring rain along with hundreds of others in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

"Bin Laden our beloved, Denmark must be blown up," protesters in Ramallah chanted.

An imam at the Omari Mosque in Gaza City told 9,000 worshippers that those behind them should have their heads cut off.

We so rarely agree with Fox's Tony Snow, but he decided to go ahead and publish all the cartoons on his website...also, you can see them on the Citizen's Blog here in Arkansas. It's pretty simple -- it's not political. Free speech means when you see something or read or hear something you don't like (AFA, we're looking at you) you should speak up, write a letter to the editor, do that sort of thing. Fiscal and physical blackmail and intimidation just don't work. Your God doesn't need that kind of assistance. Long live Denmark, Tom Toles and Ted Rall! Oh, yeah, just because Malkin has run a Danish flag doesn't mean anything -- she'll be deported as an undesirable immigrant immediately who only supports free speech when it benefits her.

AMAZING STUFF TODAY, this from the Arkansas Times website. Seems our very own Acxiom, from LR, once upon a time decided it could make some big bucks spying on the likes of websites like this one, and others. The company thought it could catalog "extreme" sites and turn the information (including ownership and contact info) over to the Dept. of Homeland Security. Keep an eye on us, make sure we don't say "bomb" or "jihad" or "abortion" or any un-American things like that...wow. Hope their stock drops. Here's some of what ComputerWorld said about it...

In November 2001, Acxiom Corp. proposed to the U.S. Department of Justice that it conduct an Internetwide surveillance of Web sites touching on topics such as "abortion, racial superiority, politics, religion, immigration, and foreign affairs," using technology designed to extract business contact information from dot-com sites. Information about the proposed surveillance was included in documents (download PDF) released Thursday by the Electronic Privacy Information Center. The documents stated that information thus obtained could be used for both terrorism-related data analysis and an "Identity Verification System to be used by airlines, rental car agencies, and other business and government agencies."

The research proposal, jointly authored by Little Rock, Ark.-based Acxiom and the University of Arkansas' Department of Computer Science, was released to EPIC this week as a result of a 2004 Freedom of Information Act request.

No matter how you slice it, this is just wrong, and even smacks of prior restraint. Someone needs to get their values straightened out. They've got great power -- now, will they use it for evil?

TROUBLE ON THE HORIZON?

AN INTERESTING PIECE in the NY Times this morning by Adam Nagourney on the worries of the Republican party as we approach election time. Some food for thought.

White House officials have grown increasingly anxious about the prospect that Democrats could regain control of the House this November, even as they have become less worried about holding on to the Senate. Their concern is particularly pointed because if Republicans lose control of either house of Congress, it is difficult to see what Mr. Bush could accomplish in his last two years in office.

After 12 years of Republican control of the House, the White House views House Republicans as vulnerable to precisely the wave of voter discontent that gave them control of the House in the first place in 1994.

"If they are not worried about next November, they are whistling past the graveyard," said Joe Gaylord, a Republican consultant who helped engineer that 1994 Republican sweep that led to the election of Newt Gingrich as the Republican speaker.

Mr. Gaylord said he did not think it would be enough for Republicans to reject someone closely identified with Mr. DeLay. To get through to voters, he suggested, the new leadership must change the way it does business after years of, for example, pushing legislation through on party-line votes.

MORNING NEWS BRIEFING

OUR ESTIMABLE BUDDY OF THE radio airwaves has the morning round-up of all the news fit to print. Emphasis, ours.

Despite predictions to the contrary, Arkansas state revenue is up 8.7% in January, as compared to last year.

In the first full year that the Clinton library was open in Little Rock, the city’s hospitality industry set records. Collections of Little Rock’s 2 percent tax on restaurants and hotels were up about 10 percent from a year earlier.

25 Greenwood teachers are complaining because the football coach has the full coast of his monthly family health insurance paid by the district, a benefit which is otherwise unavailable. Coach Rick Jones’ annual salary is over $71,000. Superintendent Kay Johnson told the Southwest Times Record, “Our football program is going in the right direction and we don’t want that to shift into reverse.”

Fort Smith has conditional approval from the Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services to temporarily draw drinking water from the Arkansas River.

For the third time in six weeks, U.S. Rep. Mike Ross has asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency why nearly 9,000 manufactured homes are parked at the Hope Municipal Airport.

Bob Hussey, Sr. Vice-President of Community Health Systems, is assuring people in St. Francis County that the transfer of the local hospital, which will be known as Forrest City Medical Center, will be accomplished seamlessly.

Canadian National Railroad will invest $100 million in the next several years to beef up capacity in Memphis, easily its most important U.S. city behind Chicago.

Employees of two Forrest City convenience stores are under arrest for selling drug paraphernalia. The "set ups" contain a glass tube with a miniature rose, a piece of Chore Boy copper scrubbing pad and a disposable cigarette lighter, and were being sold as a package. Forrest City Police Department Criminal Investigation Division Lt. Dwight Duch said the items are "perfectly legal" when sold separately.

A former Elm Springs police officer admitted Thursday he extorted money from drivers he pulled over while on duty. Timothy Payne pleaded guilty to felony theft of property and will receive two years' supervised probation under a plea agreement.

DOWNING MEMO NUMBER TWO

SEEMS ANOTHER LEAKER in the UK claims to have another memo of a discussion between Mssrs. Bush and Blair, indicating the President didn't really feel the need to come up with a reason to go to war...this is from the UK Guardian...

Tony Blair told President George Bush that he was "solidly" behind US plans to invade Iraq before he sought advice about the invasion's legality and despite the absence of a second UN resolution, according to a new account of the build-up to the war published today.

A memo of a two-hour meeting between the two leaders at the White House on January 31 2003 - nearly two months before the invasion - reveals that Mr Bush made it clear the US intended to invade whether or not there was a second UN resolution and even if UN inspectors found no evidence of a banned Iraqi weapons programme.

"The diplomatic strategy had to be arranged around the military planning", the president told Mr Blair. The prime minister is said to have raised no objection. He is quoted as saying he was "solidly with the president and ready to do whatever it took to disarm Saddam".

ASKING FOR AN EXPLANATION ON BUDGET CUTS

-- Don Elkins
-- "In Focus" Column, Fri. February 3, 2006
-- Northwest Arkansas Times

The Administration has repeatedly come under fire for presiding over a federal deficit that continues to set record numbers. This week, Congress decided to do something (anything!) about the problem by coming up with a new set of budget cuts that gained narrow approval and traveled on to the President for a signature.

The “Budget Reconciliation” bill had some heavy opposition. The AARP didn’t like it, saying cuts included in the bill would effectively deny health coverage to Americans who gave money to churches or charities any time over the past five years. AARP also said it may force some of us to sell homes or even family farms to get long-term health care service. Top that off with the assertion that the newly passed bill will deny necessary medical care to millions who may not have the wherewithal to pay higher new premiums and copays. That could lead to more of us becoming uninsured, and more visits to expensive emergency rooms – the final resort of those who have fallen through the safety net of Medicaid.

But of course, those who support the bill called all of that “reigning in entitlement” programs.

The bill would save $39.5 billion dollars by putting the weight of doing that squarely on the shoulders of the poor, elderly and needy.

At the same time, Congress has started to debate extending some $70 billion dollars worth of tax cuts to upper middle class families in the form of an extension of the alternative tax. Without it, those higher-income families would end up paying the tax rate of the super-rich.

The math – and the logic on this – doesn’t seem to add up.

If the government extends $70 billion in tax cuts, it seems like an expenditure.

Some will argue with the semantics on this, because they’ll say it sounds as if the Government is entitled to your tax dollars.

The bottom line still comes out the same – when it all balances out, it’ll still look like government spending to the tune of an additional $30.5 billion dollars and it will also add to the astronomical figure we call the national debt.

Doesn’t sound much like fiscal conservatism, and one can hardly argue that the opposite of “tax and spend” is to “spend and spend” without finding other ways to refill the public coffers. One may make people angry, the other seems suicidal. Does Congress needs a visit to the local consumer credit counseling bureau?

But how do our members of Congress reconcile (excuse the word) their vote on this with their values?

Representative Boozman became the only Congressman from this state to vote in favor of the measure.

Has he heard about the problems this state now has with Medicare and Medicaid?

The government has already cut Medicaid funding to the states, and we still haven’t seen a penny of the millions of dollars we’ve had to shell out as taxpayers for a stopgap measure to fix the fatally flawed Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.

How does one reconcile increasing premiums and out-of-pocket expenses faced by the elderly and the needy? That sounds like an awfully bitter pill to convince voters in this region to swallow.

How does one defend cutting federal funding to student loans?

How does one defend cutting federal funding to enforce child support payments?

Some mighty spin might have to happen to characterize any of those things as “family friendly” especially if one has children who expect to get a higher education on modest means.

But again, it’s hard to see the entire process that results in such an unpalatable result.

Congress once rejected this proposal, and Vice President Cheney had to case a tie-breaking vote in the Senate to get the bill to the lower house.

Even a handful of Republicans who first supported this changed their minds because they couldn’t think of a good way to defend their vote to their constituents.

I visited our Representative’s website to see if his staff had posted some sort of news release about it, trumpeting the positive aspects of the bill. I didn’t find any mention of it. Perhaps my reading glasses were fogged up some, but I doubt I missed it.

Perhaps one could defend such a vote as necessary to save the federal budget. At least one member of Congress said as much to reporters. However, announcing that news and trying to explain the negative impact of the bill on an already ailing system of public health assistance in an age of rising insurance costs and prescription drug costs – to one’s elderly constituents who faithfully casts ballots – might pose a bit of a problem. On its face, it might seem to those constituents to be a way of agreeing that current fiscal policy has overwhelmingly failed many Americans, if not the entire nation.

NEW HOUSE LEADER NONSENSE

THIS IS TRULY funny, courtesy of Krile's Blog. Rep. John Boehner of Ohio has become the new House Republican Leader today -- but not without the ballot shenanigans you'd expect from a victorious (R) on the national level...this comes to us from MSNBC...

About four dozen reporters and a battalion of camera crews waited breathlessly outside the Canon House Caucus Room this afternoon for word of who would emerge victorious in the race to be the new House Republican Leader, replacing former leader Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas.

Ballots were being counted and word was expected any moment when a top Republican aide slipped out of the room to quietly inform reporters that, upon counting the ballots, they found there were more cast then there were actually members in the room.

Perhaps congress has a ways further to go on ethical reform.

No surprises here. Just be glad they didn't use electronic touch-voting gear. After all, Boehner is from Ohio. (actually, on the update, a Rep. from Puerto Rico cast a ballot, and shouldn't have...at least that's what the report says.)

MARCHING WITH THE WRONG SIDE...

ONE HAS TO WONDER what's going on when the U.S. finds itself repeatedly on the side of some of the most oppressive nations on earth when it comes to votes in the U.N. on reproductive freedom and other basic human rights. This comes from rawstory.com, which says the U.S. has again shacked up with the Ayatollahs to shoot down something we would usually support. Get out yer burkahs...

In a surprising reversal, the United States voted with Iran and other anti-gay countries at the United Nations to deny observer status to two gay rights groups at the world body.

The UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations of the United Nations Economic and Social Council voted January 23, 10-5 with three abstentions to deny the International Lesbian and Gay Association of Brussels and the Danish National Association for Gays and Lesbians of Denmark consultive status at the UN. Such status, which is enjoyed by over 3,000 NGOs around the world, allows access to UN proceedings, presence at conferences, and the right to propose agenda items. The piece goes on to say...

The resolution to reject was put forth by Iran. Joining them and the U.S. in support of it were Cameroon, China, Cuba, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sudan, and Zimbabwe. Iran and Zimbabwe in particular are among the world's most GLBT-oppressive nations in the world.

WHY SO UPSET?UH OH, LOOK AT this. Not good. Just because a radical group decides to shout and scream about a cartoon it doesn't like doesn't mean any of the rest of us have to bow to that collective will.

The masked gunmen, enraged by cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, stayed about 45 minutes.

A newly elected legislator from Hamas, the radical Islamic group that swept the Palestinian elections last week, said large rallies were planned in Gaza in the next few days to protest the cartoons.

"We are angry — very, very, very angry," said Jamila Al Shanty, one of six women elected to represent Hamas in the Palestinian Parliament. "No one can say a bad word about our prophet."

The cartoons — which include a drawing of the prophet who founded Islam wearing a turban shaped like a bomb — first appeared in a Danish newspaper in September and have since been reprinted in France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and Norway. BBC televised them today.

There's respect -- then again, there's common sense. Can't take a joke? Can't stand the criticism? Take it easy, put the guns away -- someone could get an eye poked out that way.

MORNING NEWS BRIEFING

LYNCH-O HAS the Morning News Briefing...also see below our political news briefs.

Ethics codes prohibiting judges from speaking out on political issues infringe on judges' rights to free speech, Arkansas Court of Appeals Judge Wendell Griffen told students at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.

Special Prosecutor Tim Williamson, in a letter to the attorney representing the family of murder victim Janie Ward, blames Arkansas Democrat-Gazette columnist Mike Masterson for preventing him from investigating the Ward case over the past year. Williamson alleges that it is the constant flow of letters from Masterson’s columns that keep him from getting to work. Masterson has the entire report in today’s column.

The Democrat-Gazette’s Cynthia Howell reports on what will be a first broad gauge of teacher interest in merit pay, the Little Rock School District is considering a trial bonus-pay program that would be worth as much as $10,000 each to some elementary school teachers.

Stressing Pine Bluff has a crime rate that is “horrible,” Mayor Carl Redus Jr. on Tuesday said in his State of the City report that “we can’t continue to exist” unless crime is brought under control.

Former Pine Bluff Police chief Daniel Moses wants his job back, according to documents filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Moses maintains his rights were violated under the Family and Medical Leave Act. In January 2005, he said he told his superiors that he had cancer and needed to have chemotherapy treatments. As a result of his illness, he was forced to miss work.

This could be huge. The Kentucky Derby will have a presenting sponsor for the first time, striking a five-year deal with the company that owns KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

SOTU FUNNIES

A MEMORABLE MOMENT during the State O' the Union speech this week. This one already has nitwits like Peggy Noonan at the WSJ and Rush Limbaugh screaming about the "end of the Democratic Party." What nonsense. But, it is a fun clip to watch. A little dissent in the chamber never hurt democracy.

OILY MESS

SEEMS PERHAPS MISTAKES were made during the SOTU? Seems like the folks in D.C. say one thing, and deliver another...

Administration backs off Bush's vow to reduce Mideast oil imports
By Kevin G. Hall
Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - One day after President Bush vowed to reduce America's dependence on Middle East oil by cutting imports from there 75 percent by 2025, his energy secretary and national economic adviser said Wednesday that the president didn't mean it literally.

Have we seen a pattern with this developing? Or are we just blind?

MORNING POLITICAL BRIEFING

A LOT OF STATE POLITICAL STORIES over the last couple of days. Here's a quick morning round-up of what we've seen so far.

Holt clear of ethics charge? See the prior post on this.

WIN-ROCK needs another operation:
ANOTHER BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANT OPERATION FOR ARKANSAS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WIN ROCKEFELLER IS IN THE WORKS. HIS OFFICE ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY THAT THE FIRST TRANSPLANT, CARRIED OUT IN OCTOBER, WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. ROCKEFELLER IS FIGHTING A BLOOD DISORDER -- and, Governor Huckabee wants Arkansans to pray for Lieutenant Governor Win Rockefeller after yesterday's announcement that he will need a second bone marrow transplant. Huckabee said he was saddened to hear that Rockefeller would have to undergo another transplant.

BEEBE Chief resigns:
THE CHIEF OF STAFF FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL MIKE BEEBE HAS RESIGNED TO GO TO WORK IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AFTER HER PART-TIME WORK IN HER BOSS' CAMPAIGN FOR GOVERNOR DREW CRITICISM. BEEBE ANNOUNCED RUTH WHITNEY'S RESIGNATION YESTERDAY.

REP ROSS has a question for FEMA:
A STATE LAWMAKER IS DEMANDING DETAILS ON HOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PLANS TO REIMBURSE ARKANSAS FOR MONEY IT IS SPENDING ON PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. STATE REPRESENTATIVE DUSTIN MCDANIEL OF JONESBORO CALLS FOR A FULL PLEDGE FROM THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE MONEY.

PRYOR says Clinton School getting tight:
FORMER SENATOR DAVID PRYOR, THE RETIRING DEAN OF THE CLINTON SCHOOL OF PUBLIC SERVICE, SAYS THE SCHOOL IS ALREADY EXPERIENCING GROWING PAINS. THE SCHOOL HAS 16 STUDENTS ON CAMPUS BUT AS MANY AS 30 ARE EXPECTED TO ENROLL NEXT YEAR, AND MORE ROOM IS NEEDED.

PRITT Subpeonaed in ethics case:
Drew Pritt has filed an ethics complaint about the Governor's sue of state e-mail during the recent highway bond issue campaign. Now, the Governor has subpoenaed Pritt and he thinks that is heavy-handed. We got a note from Drew last night...more about that later.

LIBRARY LUNACY ENDS

JEEZ, TOOK LONG ENOUGH, didn't it? We wondered when this would happen. Guess Coughlin's plea-bargain deal finally made it OK to change the name of the library, which would have been really quite funny. Perhaps they should have kept it.

Plans for the new library continued to reflect its new name until the foundation meeting Tuesday night. The board voted to change the new building’s name to the existing library’s name: The Bentonville Public Library. The vote was at the request of the Tom and Cynthia Coughlin family, according to a foundation press release. "We are grateful for all the Coughlins have done for this community and the library, and we have honored their request by maintaining the library’s original name," said Steve Trolinger, library foundation board president.

Now, like Nolan Richardson, the disgraced Coughlin name will go through the process of erasure...he'll become an "un-person."

HOLT -- THE REST OF THE STORY

I FEEL LIKE PAUL HARVEY...just wish I had his money. There's more on the Holt ethics story from yesterday. I talked with Jim on the phone late last night, and I also came across this story in the morning read-in. Sounds like some "dirty politics" during a campaign...

LITTLE ROCK (AP) - A member of the Washington County Quorum Court who filed an ethics complaint against Jim Holt, a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, has withdrawn the complaint.

Justice of the Peace Paul L Graham of Farmington said Wednesday that he's satisfied that Holt listed in a financial-disclosure filing a trip that had been cited in the complaint.

Graham's complaint accused Holt of not reporting a March 17th, 2004, trip aboard Lieutenant Governor Winthrop Rockefeller's aircraft.

Holt said the event was not a campaign trip and he did not have to list it on his financial disclosure form as an in-kind campaign donation. But on Tuesday, Holt filed a statement of financial interest disclosing the flight.

Again, Holt says all he did was ask if Rockefellar was travelling to the event, and if he had a spare seat. Holt says he didn't campaign, and didn't ask for contributions. That doesn't decide whether ethics rules still wouldn't declare the ride a viable contribution by definition, and because Graham withdrew the complaint doesn't mean the ethics commission (which has ethics problems of its own) won't open an investigation.

However, what bears closer examination in this case is the relationship between Mr. Graham and Mr. Matayo. Don't the two of them sell insurance together? They are close friends, and apparently longtime political allies. So, Mr. Graham filed the complaint, and then withdrew it...easy and nasty little trick, because it does the damage and then apologizes for it.

We'd like to know more about Mr. Graham, seeing as he belongs to the Washington County Quorum Court. Yes, indeed, the gloves are off in the Lt. Gov's race.

NETWORK BATTLE

THE NEW "CW" NEWTORK means two television companies in Arkansas will have to tussle over which one gets to affiliate with what will become the old "WB." We don't really care who wins, just long as Krile can keep his place on the WB in LR. Here's something from Arkansas Business...

Higher-ups at the top of a major network chain dropped a well-hidden bomb last week when out of nowhere it was announced that Warner Bros.’ WB and CBS Corp.’s UPN would shut down to form one network using the best offerings from both.

For the Little Rock market, the news means this: Executives at the Clear Channel-run KASN-TV, Channel 38, (UPN) and the Equity Broadcasting Corp.-run KWBF-TV, Channel 42, affiliates await word on which facility will host the new CW network, which is expected to launch this fall. The remaining network will be left to fend for itself.

“From what I’ve been able to ascertain, it was a complete shock at all levels, not only in our organization, but also on the network level,” said Chuck Spohn, general manager at Clear Channel.

Spohn said he was surprised to hear that the announcement even flew beneath the radar of his affiliate representative in New York City.

“He actually told me he was going into a meeting at his building in New York and was pulled into someone’s office that was seeing it on CNN. And here they are working at the CBS network,” Spohn said.

CBS Corp. and Warner Bros. Entertainment will have a 50-50 stake in the new network, which is tentatively called CW but is expected to change its name before hitting the air. CBS Corp. owned UPN while Time Warner Inc. owned WB.

“We’re not sitting around and waiting for anything,” said Neal Ardman, vice president of television operations at Equity. “We’re taking a proactive approach and buying up some great first-run programming.”

Sources say the fight might not produce much friction, with Clear Channel picking up CW and Equity going pure independent.

LONG LIVE THE FREE PRESS!

AS A PUBLIC SERVICE, AND AS A FAVOR to Katherine Shurlds of the University of Arkansas (super-smart and true defender of the First Amendment, person we all want to be when and if we grow up someday) we publish this bit of news of interest to the scribes out there...

FOR RELEASE Jan. 31, 2006
CONTACT: Katherine Shurlds, 575-6305

The fifth annual Lemke Journalism Project, a series of workshops for high school students from northwest Arkansas who are interested in writing about diversity issues, will begin Saturday (Feb. 4). The workshops will run six weeks, concluding on March 11.

The project is sponsored by the Walter J. Lemke Department of Journalism, Fulbright College, University of Arkansas, and it is being funded by The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and The Morning News.

The workshop allows high school students to meet with leaders from the community and work with journalism professors and professionals to write stories for a newspaper that will be published at the end of the workshop and presented to the students during the annual Journalism Days at the department. The newspaper will be distributed with La Prensa and The Morning News.

The project was recognized in 2005 by the Society of Professional Journalists with a national Diversity Award. Special guests for two of the workshops will be Macarena Hernandez of the Dallas Morning News, and Cynthia Rodriguez, who writes editorials and a weekly column for the Denver Post. Hernandez will visit Feb. 18 and Rodriguez will come on March 4.

Hernandez was born in Roma, Texas and raised in La Joya, about three miles north of the Rio Grande. Her family emigrated from Nuevo Leon, Mexico, in the early '70s.

She earned her bachelor's in journalism and English at Baylor University in 1996 and a master's degree with emphasis on documentary filmmaking from the University of California at Berkeley two years later. Before coming to The Dallas Morning News, worked as the Rio Grande Valley Bureau Chief for the San Antonio Express-News. Her work has been published by The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Latina, Texas Highways, Texas Parks and Wildlife. It was while she was at the San Antonio Express-News that Jayson Blair plagiarized a story of hers and led to Blair's downfall at the New York Times. Hernandez and Blair were interns together at the Times in 1998.

She is active in Latino issues and causes, as well as organizations that nurture the writer and the spirit. She also workw with educational groups to get students more invested in the classroom. She is one of eight children and the only one still single.

"Aside from La Guerra , my faithful Chihuahua mutt, I adore my 17 nieces and nephews," she said. She enjoys reading, yoga, writing fiction and researching family history.

Rodriguez writes a twice weekly column for the features section of The Denver Post. Prior to joining the Post in 2003, Rodriguez worked for six years at The Boston Globe where she covered several beats, the last of which was immigration issues. She has also worked for the Akron Beacon Journal and The Syracuse Newspapers.

She serves on the board of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists as general at-large officer. She has also helped lead several college student projects for aspiring journalists including The Unity News, the newspaper of national Unity journalism conference, and The Latino Reporter, the newspaper covering the national NAHJ conference. Rodriguez grew up in Harlem, New York City, the daughter of a Puerto Rican mother and Cuban father. She is a graduate of The City College of New York.

This year's project will also include an opportunity for students to work with Jacqueline Froelich, KUAF news producer, on programs for the station, and for some students to create TV programs with staff members of UATV.

Local members of the Society of Professional Journalists will participate, providing professional coaches for the students. The program is free to students. Lunch and snacks are provided, as well as transportation for Rogers and Springdale students. In 1974, the trustees of Governor Winthrop Rockefeller's estate endowed the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation to continue the work of The Rockwin Fund. Gov. Rockefeller set up The Rockwin Fund in 1954 and, on an annual basis from 1956 until his death in 1973, funded projects and programs he believed were important to improving the quality of life in Arkansas.

TOILET LOGIC -- LOCK, STOCK AND BARREL

-- "CyberMouth" Column
-- Rick Baber
-- Jan. 31, 2006

Even after our son bought us that new big TV (bless his heart), I still find it necessary, on occasion, to wear my glasses when I’m watching it. Last night, having seen everything on HBO, I forgot to take them off when I went to the bathroom during one of those 14-commercial marathons the networks present every half hour. So, I’m standing there…you know…taking care of business, and one of my lenses just jumps out of the frames and splashes right there inside the ol’ porcelain throne.

After you’ve breached the five second mark, there’s really no turning it off, and, since I had, all I could do was continue, trying to keep one eye on the little round piece of glass, slowly disappearing as it blended in with the water.

Far as I know, they don’t make any retrieval instruments specific to this particular application. The little brush in that canister is worthless. The plunger – no help. Eventually, I just had to roll up my sleeves and do what had to be done.

There on my knees, wondering if that blue stuff was going to stain my arm hairs for 4000 washes, it occurred to me what might have provoked Senators Pryor and Lincoln to abandon the only hope left of warding off the completion of the radical right wing takeover of the United States Government and allow Alito to walk unscathed onto the Supreme Court.

It was going to happen anyway.

“Maybe”, I thought, “Those two figured it was better to plunge their hands down into that cold, nasty water and get it over with so the radical right tri-fecta would be complete. Then, when everything finally goes swirling down the drain pipe to hell, the American voters will wake up and see what they’ve done. Tough love, so to speak. And maybe, with the court question out of the limelight, public attention can now be focused on the situations in the Middle East, spying on American citizens, and the Abramoff scandal – like a big muddy boot on a gas station flush lever. Maybe, they plan to devote every waking moment from here ‘til November to making sure at least one of the other two branches of government are removed from the hands of those who, at this moment, have a virtual dictatorship in place.”

It’s a thin hope, at best, but it is more palatable than the only alternative I could fathom – that they just did like most everybody in government eventually does, and sold out.

Whatever the rationale of our two so-called Democratic Senators, now the party that claims to be “against” big government, for the first time since 1929, owns the biggest government in the world, lock (as in locking out the little guy), stock (as in huge profits for big business) and barrel (as in the uninterrupted flow of oil from whatever countries they decide to conquer in order to obtain it). We can go through those boxes in the attic and tear out the pages from our old school Civics books that have anything to do with “checks and balances” kids, ‘cause that crap is a thing of the past.

Now though, when it becomes undeniable that we, as a nation, are on the wrong path, it will be next to impossible for the Bushbots to blame the Democrats, because there apparently are none. At least, not enough to have any influence in setting national policy for at least the next nine months.

Nine months. Ironic that Pryor and Lincoln have that amount of time to join with the other apparent sellouts in the Democratic Party and be re-born to bring back some accountability to government. Ironic that in that period of time Roe v Wade will be overturned. Ironic that when the radical right finally manages to pull off this coup, the guy at the helm is…well…no genius. Ironic that dropping my eyeglasses in the toilet allowed me to see this all so much clearer. But now that I have them back, and all cleaned up, I’ll be in a better position to watch our new king’s State of the Union address tonight on that new TV.

Popcorn, anyone?

BEST WISHES, BILL...

JUST SO YOU KNOW, it's not always "all politics, all the time" for some people, one of the statewide candidates took a break...Our congratulations...

GOVERNOR HOPEFUL’S CAMPAIGN TAKES A BREAK WHILE WEDDING BELLS RING FOR BILL HALTER AND BRIDE

Palo Alto, CA – Last Saturday, wedding bells rang for North Little Rock’s Bill Halter who just one week earlier officially kicked off his campaign for Governor of Arkansas.

Halter, 45, married Shanti Patching, 33, of Elk Grove, CA in a traditional Catholic ceremony at Stanford University's Memorial Chapel. About 125 friends and family members attended the service this afternoon in Palo Alto, CA.

Very nice. Now, Bill, get back to work. Oh, and tell your wife to get back to work, too!

PRYOR TO GOD, PRYOR TO GO...COME IN...

AH, PERHAPS DAVID SANDERS is right about Senator Pryor. He's really going for the big tent thing, isn't he? Here's a note from his HQ about tomorrow morning's oft-maligned "National Prayer Breakfast." Sounds like a chance for indegestion, but this year, a Jew will actually take the starring role in the event. What gives?

WASHINGTON, DC - Mark Pryor will serve as the co-chair of the 54th Annual National Prayer Breakfast Thursday morning, along with Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN). Pryor has been instrumental in designing the program for tomorrow’s event, which will bring together religious leaders, President Bush, members of Congress, and foreign dignitaries for discussions and prayer about needs of the nation. Pryor said he is proud that two musical performers from Arkansas will be featured at the event: gospel singers Point of Grace and soloist Karen Mason, both of Little Rock. Pryor will also be introducing President Bush.

Televised Coverage of the National Prayer Breakfast: C-SPAN 2 Thursday, February 2, 2006 7 – 8:05 AM CT

Say Amen!

BEEBE’S CHIEF OF STAFF RESIGNS

This comes from the ever-vigilant Roby Brock at Talk Business. I'm a little late catching it, but it doesn't surprise me. Get ready, the name of the game this year is "ethics" and it's going to get pretty mud-slinging nasty this season. This may be a smart move...

Attorney General Mike Beebe announced today that his chief of staff, Ruth Whitney, who has come under increasing scrutiny for her role on the AG’s staff and with his campaign for Governor, will leave the post. Whitney will end her tenure with the Attorney General’s office, effective Friday, February 3rd. According to a release, she will go to work for an unnamed research-and-communications firm.

Beebe issued the following statement: “Ruth Whitney is an extraordinary public servant and a great friend, so it is with deep regret that I accept her decision to leave her position as my Chief of Staff to accept a job in the private sector.

“Ruth has been Chief of Staff the entire time I have been Attorney General. She is a top-flight administrator, a valued advisor, and a very fine lawyer. She has been instrumental in the many successes we have had serving the people of this state over the past three years and has been a great ambassador for Arkansas while working on national issues. It is testimony to Ruth Whitney’s integrity and commitment to the law that last year, after exhausting her annual leave, she voluntarily reduced her salary on the state payroll so that she was not being paid as a state employee while doing part-time work for my gubernatorial campaign. Ruth is a person of impeccable honesty, and her dedication to doing things the right way should be a model for all state employees. Even though she had reduced her salary, she continued to give much more of her time and energy to this state than was required.

“I will miss having Ruth as my Chief of Staff, but I am delighted for her if she believes it’s the best decision for her and her family.”

THE PENTAGON JUMPS EDITORIAL CARTOONIST

EDITORIAL CARTOONIST TOM TOLES of the Washington Post finds himself the target of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who wrote a letter set to run in the morning edition about this cartoon. Seems they find it offensive that Toles used an American soldier, sans arms and legs, to make a point about some double-talk from Sec'y Rumsfeld. Could it be they're really more offended at the point Mr. Toles has made editorially? Did he hit them where they live, or are they really so offended by the big-bad-old cartoon? Thought they were tough military types, could take it...jeez, if this is what gets them upset, we've got problems overseas far worse than we imagined.

Get a life, Joint Chiefs. It's called "political satire" and it hurts if it's right. I'm a vet, from a military family that served in 'Nam. It doesn't bug me. I post it here because I had no luck locating it on the Washington Post website. Your reasoned commentary welcome.

KATRINA TIME

THIS JUST IN from the AP Newswire....

WASHINGTON (AP) - Congressional investigators have faulted the Bush administration for failing to set up a clear chain of command in the government's response to Hurricane Katrina.

COUGHLIN COMMENTS

ALL-ROUND RENAISSANCE MAN ROBY BROCK has the latest after the Coughlin plea-bargain. Here are quotes from his blog, courtesy of Fox 16 in Little Rock...

Robert C. Balfe, U.S. Attorney, Western District of Arkansas:
"... Coughlin used his position, over a period from 1996 to 2002, to execute a scheme to illegally instruct subordinate employees to manipulate the employee travel reimbursement and vendor invoice accounting system at Wal-Mart to embezzle monies, gift cards and products were provided to Coughlin for his personal benefit and use."

Tom Coughlin:
"Today I accepted responsibility for serious personal mistakes in judgment. This was not an easy decision. I regret the embarrassment this matter has caused my family and friends and I thank them for their support, love and friendship. I am glad to put this matter to an end. My guilty plea was in the best interest of my family, my friends, my community and myself.”

Mona Williams, Wal-Mart spokeswoman:
"This whole episode has been embarrassing and painful to us as a company and as individuals. Someone we expected to operate with the highest integrity let us down in a very public way. Wal-Mart has high ethical standards and the way we handled this matter makes it clear that every associate will be held to these standards with no exception. We are grateful to the U.S. attorney, his staff and the FBI and IRS agents who spent countless hours making sure that every aspect of this matter was thoroughly investigated and that the responsible people were held accountable for their actions."

There's your daily Coughlin fix.

PAT LYNCH HAS a look at the morning news briefing...Coughlin close to the top, you'll notice.

Today is National Signing Day.

Governor Huckabee's gifts for last year include a $3500 pair of custom-made boots from the Arkansas Republican party. Among others, he got a $2100 cash gift from his cabinet and a $650 Wal Mart gift card from staff.

Former Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Vice Chairman Tom Coughlin pleaded guilty Tuesday to embezzling from the company for years by falsifying expenses and cashing employee gift cards.

An Arkansas State Police investigation into St. Francis County insurance payment procedures continues. Prosecutor Fletcher Long requested an investigation after an audit called for by the quorum court revealed that St. Francis County Treasurer Ann Harbin had made only one payment to the county for the spousal portion of her insurance costs during the years 2003 and 2004, and had missed several of the monthly payments during 2005.

Entergy Corp. said Tuesday that its fourth-quarter net income fell 40 percent as hurricanes Katrina and Rita dragged down its results.

According to the Democrat-Gazette, a Carroll County sheriff's deputy arrested last week on charges of having inappropriate sexual activity with two female inmates worked at the jail for more than a year while the criminal investigation was conducted.

According to the Pine Bluff Commercial, early voting got off to a slow start for the special referendum Feb. 14 for the Pine Bluff School District, with 34 people voting at the Jefferson County Courthouse.

The one-cent sales tax is in effect for Yell County and making the Dardanelle courthouse compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act is a top priority. One-eighth of the sales tax is earmarked toward courthouse improvements in both Dardanelle and Danville.

Political leaders from Bay St. Louis and Waveland, Mississippi cities financially decimated by Hurricane Katrina, will meet today to discuss the possibility of merging the municipalities.

APPLAUSE AND PRAISE TODAY FROM THE RIGHT for Senator Mark Pryor's decision to join 19 members of the Senate who voted for cloture on the Alito nomination (there are now a handful of efforts to castigate those people for preventing a filibuster) -- not sure this is where you want to be getting your approval...courtesy of our friend from the right side of the street, columnist David Sanders...

Being in the middle can be a lonely place.

As it relates to Sen. Mark Pryor and all the hullabaloo surrounding the space between his announced "no" vote on Samuel Alito's confirmation and his decision not to push for a judicial filibuster, which would have forced a major showdown in the august body, I would like to negotiate that chasm with understanding.

Since Pryor announced his intentions, the reflexive partisan responses have been loaded with criticism.

Republicans wanted Pryor's vote to land in the "aye" column; anything short of an affirmative vote would be unacceptable. He was doing the bidding of Teddy Kennedy and John Kerry, those no-good, godforsaken Massachusetts liberals.

Democrats were thrilled when he announced that he would oppose Alito's confirmation, but nearly bit their tongues off when he said his vote would be the line where his opposition would stop. What? How could a Pryor sit idly by and allow the right-wing Jihad on the Supreme Court?

I suspect Pryor knew what the responses would be.

Time has become the catalyst in developing my appreciation for the junior senator. (We have a bit of a history, albeit short. If you're curious read some of my old columns.) To my Democrat and Republican friends, I say this: Mark Pryor is who he is. Expect too much and you will be disappointed; expect very little and you might be surprised.

Democrats, hath thou been betrayed? Or, as it were, damned by faint praise?

IS THIS DOUBLE-TALK? This ran on the wires this morning. It seems the Lt Guv race between Jim and Doug has really become nasty. However, the state party ought to investigate it. Also interesting were the revelations that the state party had also given Governor Huckabee a $500 dollar belt -- the Gov also received a pair of custom made cowboy boots worth nearly $4,000 dollars. Where is our ethics commission? Too busy donating money to political campaigns to care about what's happening -- also, this state has one of the weakest sets of ethics codes in America.

LITTLE ROCK (AP) - State Senator Jim Holt, a Republican running for lieutenant governor, is being accused of not reporting a plane trip he took aboard Lieutenant Governor Win Rockefeller's aircraft. Holt rode on Rockefeller's plane to a Lincoln Day dinner put on by Republicans in Cleburne County. Holt says the event was not a campaign trip and he did not have to report it. But Holt says he will report the trip on his next campaign financial filing and will cooperate with any probe by the state Ethics Commission. Washington County quorum court member Paul L Graham of Farmington has filed a complaint with the ethics panel. Holt says Graham acted because he is friends with Representative Doug Matayo of Springdale, who is also running for the G-O-P nomination for lieutenant governor. Graham acknowledged he is friends with Matayo. Little Rock lawyer Chuck Banks is also running for the nomination.

C'mon Jim -- give it up. The rest of us don't get free plane rides from WinRock...Mark? Anyone here?

OH, WHAT FUN WE HAD LAST night during the SOTU speech. Just before it all happened, the Capitol police grabbed Cindy Sheehan, arrested her and carted her off to jail. Sheehan had a ticket as the guest of a California Congresswoman. Her shirt has the number of American troops killed in Iraq printed on the front. She'd apparently worn it all day. Police told her the t-shirt wasn't permitted in the chamber. Sheehan has since gained her freedom and claims police roughed her up. Here's a photo from Bradblog. Seems a little heavy-handed to us...but perhaps a smart pr move by the people running the show.