Seems those at the top in run-down Ft. Smith think they've got a really good idea - make English the city's one-and-only official language. Here's a bit of the article that sheds some light on the reasoning behind it...or does it?

Maddox said after Tuesday’s study session the idea for the ordinance arose from a discussion the directors had earlier this month on immigration.

He’s heard of cities and communities being overburdened by providing city documents in more than one language, he said.

Hmmmmm...we'd like to challenge Mr. Maddox or any of his colleagues to produce the proff there. Which communities? Which cities? Can we hear the details behind this, or are you just making all this up (which is what it sounds like to us.) Like 'em or not, here's what the NEA had to tell Congress about crap like this...

English Only is government-sanctioned bigotry," asserts the NEA. "Whether or not its proponents are bigots themselves, English Only gives comfort to anti-immigrant forces. These forces cloak English Only in the rhetoric of national unity, but a federal law would, in fact, question the patriotism and make outsiders of those still learning English." That puts schools in a difficult situation -- given that they teach the values of tolerance and respect.

Another writer, James Crawford asks why people try to get ordinances like thise passed. He has some suggestions which may fit here...just who are the people who want "english only" rules passed?

* Bigots seeking to roll back civil rights advances for language-minority groups
* Conservatives hoping to impose a sense of national unity and civic responsibility
* Liberals who fear that bilingual education and bilingual voting discourage assimilation
* Nativists trying to fan animosity toward immigrants and build support for tighter quotas
* Euro-ethnics who resent "unfair advantages" enjoyed by Hispanics and Asians today
* Politicians attempting to exploit a national mood of isolationism and xenophobia
* Racists who equate multiculturalism and ethnic separatism
* Americans who feel threatened by diversity, among other unsetting changes

Which would you be, Mr. Maddox?

And yet another writer has a look at how effective such measures could be...or how much it migh actually cost us.

Of course, a mainstream idea is not necessarily a rational one, free of prejudice and paranoia. The campaign to ‘officialize’ English in the United States rests on the absurd claim that the most successful and dominant world language in history is under siege in its strongest bastion. Proponents argue that:

English has always been our ‘social glue,’ our most important ‘common bond,’ which has allowed Americans of diverse back-grounds to understand each other and overcome differences (a notion seductive to liberals). Today’s immigrants refuse to learn English, unlike the good old immigrants of yesteryear (flattery for Euro-ethnics), and are discouraged from doing so by government-sponsored bilingual programs. Languages are best learned in a situation that forces one to do so – where there’s no escape from brutal necessity – unlike the situation in a bilingual classroom (reflexive appeal for ‘social issue’ conservatives). Ethnic leaders are promoting bilingualism for selfish ends: to provide jobs for their constituents and keep them dependent by discouraging them from learning English (courting the Hispanophobes). Language diversity inevitably leads to language conflict, ethnic hostility, and political separatism à la Québec (playing to paranoia of all stripes). Virtually no evidence has been produced on behalf of any of these propositions, all of which are demonstrably false. But in this strange debate, factual support has generally proved unnecessary for English-only proponents to advance their cause. The facts are that, except in isolated locales, immigrants to the United States have typically lost their native languages by the third generation. Historically they have shown an almost gravitational attraction toward English, and there are no signs that this proclivity has changed. To the contrary, recent demographic data analyzed by Veltman (1983, 1988) indicate that rates of anglicization – shift to English as the usual language – are steadily increasing. They now approach or surpass a two-generation pattern among all immigrant groups, including Spanish-speakers, who are most often stigmatized as resistant to English.

The failure of the English-only approach to deliver a new generation of flawless English speaking students was no surprise. A decade earlier, a federal study to determine whether bi-lingual education helped or hindered the attainment of English proficiency concluded that bi-lingual education was not the losing proposition that English only advocates claimed. It found that well-funded and implemented programs enabled limited English speaking students to catch up to their English fluent students at a faster rate. It also found that it took students nearly five years to fully master English, and not the one year that English-only backers claimed an immersion program would take.

That oh-so-firm grip the religious rightwing has held on America for a number of years now has really started to loosen. No, actually, it's crumbling quickly. So fast it should make your head spin in a 360-degree counter-clockwise loop. Ah, yes, the Thousand Year Rovian Reich lasted but 8 years, and now it's a bad memory, a lesson learned to be taught to children everywhere and for latenight jokesters to use as fodder for stand-up comedy for years to come.

If you also last night has the opportunity to watch a little bit of MSNBC's "Hardball" you were probably reminded just what a weiner Chris Matthews is (he had to tell uber fool Gary Bauer that he, Matthews, 'believed' in the religious right as a group of true believers, not just people trying to make money...wasn't he sitting across from GARY BAUER who makes a pretty decent living stirring up the rubes?) when he talked about the Larry Craig story ("I'm not gay!")

Let's run through this now, a reality check for everyone who hasn't been following along at home. First, most assuredly, Sen. Craig is gayer than Charles Nelson Reilly, gayer than Rock Hudson, gayer than the entire cast of "Wigstock." Those who know him think of him only second to Rip Taylor in strength on the gay-o-meter. Flames rise off him, visible from the Beltway through the Plains States. Secondly, he'll be forced out of his job. Thirdly, the story will again continue to alienate independent voters who already can't stand the Republican Party. Fourthly, the pendulum done swung my friends. Uncle Alberto and Karl have departed. Every chair of the joint chiefs says the President is full of shit in and on Iraq. The Bush era has ended, it's just stinking as it rots in the sun on a hot day. Finally, if you belong to the religious right, we worry about you. Not about your 'soul' per se, but about your mental and sexual health. The rest of us don't seem to have such rigorous and adventurous sex lives. We really do care, and just want you to take care of your health in between bouts of speaking in tongues and picketing family planning clinics. We'd do what we can to help you to a healthier way of life that includes not kicking yourself (or scourging yourself if you belong to the more stringent branches of the Church of Rome) everytime you get the "urge to merge." In short, you have much more exciting sex lives than the rest of us, but you surrrrrre do pay for it in weird ways.

Somehow, based on Larry Craig, we don't think our concern matters. It's a masochistic thing, right? You don't get off as much unless you feel guilty about it. Yes, forbidden fruit often tastes best, so we'll just leave well enough alone and keep out of religious right reproductive and mating dances. We just wish you well, a minimum of tears, public confessions and news conferences. You could always just walk away from the cult compound and join the rest of us in the nation getting by (and getting off) just fine without the guilt trip.

We're happy with your guilt. At least we don't have to manage it, and when it does get the best of you, it's damned entertaining! Just re-rack the Craig news conference. That'll keep us snickering for days.

We wonder if the Right Rev. Floyd knew about Craig when he wrote that "Gay Agenda" book of his a few years ago.

Alright, enough of that. A passing to note today..the death of Hilly Kristal, founder of CBGB in NYC. Most of us consider the now defunct club one of the cradles of punk music. Hilly was 70-something and his son says he died of cancer.

Rest in Peace, Hilly. In your honor, a vid clip from one of the groups who grew up with the club.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the world's greatest group, the Ramones, playing "Blitzkrieg Bop" at CBGB circa 1977.

Some Tom Coughlin news today that made us happy. Seems like not everyone thought giving Coughlin detention on his own ranch was the right thing to do. From "The Morning News"

An appeals court ruled today that former Wal-Mart executive Tom Coughlin's sentence of probation and house arrest following a fraud conviction was too light and ordered a lower court to resentence him.

The Arkansas Times says there's a good chance Coughlin will do jail time. The video? In honor of the story, our old friend Henry Rollins visits Wal-Mart in his animated form. Enjoy.

No, we're not reviving the news round-up now. This is something else...a catch-all of the odds and ends of the day.

Daily Roundup, or, What We're Reading (

you do read, don't you? We thought so...)

current book is about the Nuremburg War Crimes Trial. We've read it before, but what can we say? We're the same people who love the History Channel..OK, we used to love it, now it's become pretty boring. Play "Victory at Sea" or "World at War" again, front to back. Most interesting point so far? That Nazi Julius Streicher told his imprisoned colleagues he suddenly respected the Jews in 1946, and that he'd go join them as they fought for statehood in Israel because he admired any people who could band together and fight. Of course, he was the same slime who'd published a repugnant newspaper that called for the extermination of the Jewish race. To his chagrin, and much rejoicing by others, he was hanged by allied troops for his role in the war...the Alec Baldwin version of the book sucks.

A Republican Senator from Idaho has some tough questions to answer after getting busted in the men's room of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Aiport. An undercover officer says Sen. Larry Craig signaled him by foot-tapping, and followed up with some bizarre questions. Yep, Larry is married and claims he's Mr. straight. Go figure.

Yep, we plan to read "Katie, the Real Story" by Edward Klein. Remember, this is light entertainment. Your early reviews welcome.

To read, or what we're absorbing...Sartre's "Being and Nothingness."

Afterward, follow us for a brisk half-hour with Russell's "History of Western Philosophy." We like to think of it as a quick workout for your mind.

Music? This week, "London Calling" by the Clash. Hence, the pic of the late, great Joe Strummer up top.

Next week, "Sandanista!" Two of the greatest albums ever created. Wrong 'em boyo! Guilty pleasure this week? Aging Jazz great Blossom Dearie's duet with Lyle Lovett. You might remember Blossom as the high-pitched female singer from "Schoolhouse Rock." She's actually quite well known for her Jazz career years before and after that, but she still sounds weirdly cool.

Actor Owen Wilson tried to off himself with pills and a couple deep cuts to the wrist. Seems his high-profile hottie left him. He's asked for the media to leave him alone. Yep, we always get a quick hit of TMZ in each day, and occasionally check in with Perez Hilton.

Music trivia? Joan Jett produced the Germs only album. when is that Darby Crash movie coming out? And which way does Joan swing? Oh, yeah, one way -- with an axe.

We're searching for a cheap flash image rotator. On our short journey, we discovered something called "Ruby on Rails." Haven't messed with it yet, but it looks interesting. That lead us to Mark Cuban's website. Mark got drilled this week for calling the web "boring" Here's part of his insightful commentary...

Which brings me to why I said that "The Net is Dead and Boring"

The best way to sum up how I feel about the excitement and opportunities on the net compared to the many other personal and corporate technology options out there is to use a Yogi Berra quote.

"Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded"

When everyone is looking for gold in the same river, the best opportunities are somewhere else.

OK, we're in media. Maybe our job is to keep working that same river. Sharp guy, though.

Goodbye, Al. The man who wrote the excuse for violating the Geneva Conventions, the man singlehandedly responsible for damaging the Constitution, has left office. Read the story here. You'll see he tendered his resignation Friday, but made the announcement today. Above, you'll see video of his pathetic testimony into the firings of US Attorneys...a retrospective of his greatest hits.

A few days late, but still worth posting. To all you who still insist on staying the course in Iraq, here's your answer, from the VP himself. He sums it up best, and now you have one of the best arguments against the war. That's got to make the families of military folks who died in the war feel very good...that the first Bush administration didn't feel removing Saddam was worth very many American lives. This should break your heart if you vote, or if you care about America.

(Ooooooooh, yet another nazi reference!)

We read with some interest the little bit of history from long-time favorite insanowriter Dana Kelley in the DemGaz on Friday.

While we don't disagree with his assessment of the scope of destruction and the human cost of the Stalin regime, we're curious why he decided now was the time to right the wrong of crediting Adolf Hitler with many of the same crimes...

Kelley writes...

It’s time to apply the Hitler / fascism repulsive stigma—and then some—to Stalin / socialism.

Reads an awful lot like a note from a Hitler / fascist apologist. Socialism? Interesting here, and maybe Kelley knows this already, seeing as he's a professor of some sort (he still is, right?)...socialism is quite a varied political structure. Fascism is pretty straight down the line, and much easier to define. Sounds like he enjoys fascism, and doesn't mind the tag when applied to him, and we're sure it is on a fairly frequent basis.

If you wanted to apply the Hitler / fascism stigma to something, how about to Stalin / dictatorship, or how about Stalin / Communism, or Stalin / totalitarianism. That's the link between them because it wasn't about "socialism" in the Soviet Union so much as it was about totalitarian control...much like in Germany of the 30s and 40s.

You have to give the guy credit though, it takes some big old balls to write something like this, and not tie it to anything else. Just got done watching the old "Judgement at Nuremberg" flick with Spencer Tracy and Colonel Klink (Werner Klemperer) and this editorial sounds a lot like the Nazi Defense lawyers summation at the end...a summation he lost in the eyes of the movie's tribunal and Judge Spence.

What do they give Mr. Kelley to smoke out there? And why would the DemGaz publish this thing?

OK, been reading a lot about the shrill level of hype reached recently by people like MAF's Mark Williams and some blonde Coulter knockoff making the rounds of MSNBC. Those people induce uncontrollable urges to projectile-vomit hereabouts. Thought we'd rely on our old friend Henry Rollins to sum up our feelings about the talk-radio vermin that will eventually cause even Republicans in Congress to reconsider the Fairness Act and force the FCC back to the old days of limiting morons with a mic to just a couple of hours a day on-air. Enjoy while cranking up something like "Nervous Breakdown" or better yet Black Flag's "Revenge."

Very funny stuff from Stephen Colbert's show on Comedy Central. Doesn't Fox have some lame show that tries to serve as a conservative Daily Show? The only Comedy on Fox has got to be O'Reilly's program. Bite it Poppa Bear! How's that radio gig going?

Yeah, we knew him for a few years, and we still don't know. But Colbert does. (yeah, he is a nice guy, but President? we'll move to canada for real if that happens.)

Pay attention local tv weenies...this is how you do it, and do it right. CBS' Bill Plante is the man we want working at every television station, because he does something you don't see here in NWA...he asks questions, and doesn't care what anyone thinks about it. During a recent press op to annouce Dark Lord Rove's departure, the men at the mic didn't take questions about the story. However, Bill decided to ask one anyway, and it's a good one.

Towards the end of the appearance, as the President and his favorite pol were about to head in the direction of an awaiting helicopter, Bill Plante, CBS White House correspondent, broke the embargo.

“If he’s so smart,” said Mr. Plante, “how come you lost Congress?”

We could probably answer that one. Wingnuts called Plante a "rude little liberal" in response, and bloggers who often don't know squat about journalism, went crazy about it. Hey, that's the way it's done.

Plante went on to offer a darned good explanation.

Was he worried that his pointed query might subject CBS News to yet another round of accusations (see Rather, Dan) about the organization’s supposed liberal bias?

“You can have a long discussion about whether there’s some kind of structural bias in the reporters who cover Washington,” said Mr. Plante. “You can drag out the statistics that 82 percent of them voted for George McGovern, or whatever the hell that was. But I do think that the argument is most often used when you don’t agree with what the reporter is saying. If you the viewer of reader don’t agree with the point of view, you take it that the person who’s reporting that is somehow aligned with the enemy."

All we can say is "vote Plante in '08."

...on the ass on the way out. Yesterday, we were remiss failing to mention the upcoming departure of Evil Lord Rove from DC. Much cheering was heard by all, much celebration across the nation. Above you'll find the Daily Show's coverage of the major news event. Enjoy.

What can we say? This is truly funny video that maybe you didn't see. Huckster's man on the ground (Van Plaat?) thinks placing second in the Iowa Poll is as good as winning. Hell, it even got the former Governor some attention online when writers asked if there wasn't enough humor in politics. So, he's a funny-man, second placer who knows how to lose weight.

We're still not sure if that would even be enough to get the man elected to Congress, much less the White House. We do believe, however, he has more going for him than the current resident of the Oval Office...but that ain't sayin' much.

A blast from the recent past, so nobody forgets what's up for grabs next year. Listen and learn from the master.