Arkansawyer

Why, to get to the other side, of course:

So 6-year-old Blake Pendergrass was killed while crossing the highway to get from his FEMA trailer home to his abandoned parking lot playground. And on that same day our governor, Haley Barbour, was busy taking $600 million that the people of this nation gave to my community for housing for Katrina victims, people just like little Blake, and turning it over to the business interests at the port of Gulfport, about 30 miles away — so Dole Pineapple and other multi-million dollar business entities could have that money instead of Blake.

via Hungry Blues

Here’s the good news:

Great news from Alabama: the warden has released my dad to gen pop. He is now in Huntsville Hospital room 826. Even better news: he is speaking again, announcing that that “Maria Schneider is awesome,” his favorite jazz artists are “Oscar Peterson and Pat Metheney,” he fears that “the doctor has made me into a social reprobate,” and that George W. Bush is the “great evil one.”

The bad news?

I told my brother to turn on Fox News to brainwash him.

How sharper than a serpent’s tooth!

I’m mostly listening to two live double CDs.

In the car, Agharta:

At work, Live at the Fillmore East (March 7, 1970):

They’re vastly different records, and I’m drawing some tentative conclusions, but I think I need to listen to at least Pangaea before I’m ready to share them.

Focusing particularly on the period from the mid-sixties through the seventies.

The invaluable Iconoclast makes the case for Dan Coody as a Democratic candidate for Congress in the third district:

Dan Coody is a seasoned campaigner with significant political experience, high name recognition, the ability to raise the necessary campaign funds, a vast network of contacts in every city and county in Northwest Arkansas, an understanding of the issues, and a refreshing vision for the future of our country. He has not been satisfied with the status quo but looks for fresh approaches to old problems. Coody’s commitment to sustainability in both the public and private sector, to developing a technology-based facet of our economy to encourage new jobs and good wages, and to instituting a model for environmental and business interests working together for common goals are what our country needs in the Twenty-first Century.

Somewhere around the end of the first sentence, we move from fact to illusion, but it’s an illusion that a lot of people share. Why not use it for some harmless, worthwhile purpose?

I made a comment there, and I’ll cross-post it here:

I like this.

There’s no chance he’d win, so after this election we’re rid of him for a while, but he’d run strong and could help a lot of candidates downticket.

This could be good news for Democrats in marginally Republican districts.

The editorial board met last week at the <i>Northwest Arkansas Times</i> to discuss the massive flood of a dozen or so angry e-mails. A little background: The controversy was sparked by two of Art Hobson’s recent columns in which he said that Christian fundamentalism was, after all, not nearly as bad as Islamic fundamentalism.

This ticked off Christians right and left. Moderate Christians objected being compared to Islamic fundamentalists. Fundamentalist Christians objected to being compared unfavorably to Islamic fundamentalists, tactically speaking. No one, except Art, objected to being compared to fundamentalist Christians. Muslims didn’t say anything at all.

So, let’s try to imagine what was going through the editorial board’s mind last week:

“Look at all these e-mails from readers mad at Art Hobson!”, said the board chairman. “Let’s not get these people too mad at us. What would appease them?”

“We’ve got religious writers and church schedules. We print Billy Graham. What else do they want?” said the marketing director. “Let’s read these letters again. What stands out about the complaining people? It’s not their faith–you can find faith all sorts of places. It’s not their religion. But something…”

“Carswell!” cries the oldest editor.

“Who?”

“G. Harrold Carswell, a Nixon Supreme Court nominee, failed to win confirmation. Why? Senator Roman Hruska said in his defense, ‘Even if he is mediocre, there are a lot of mediocre judges and people and lawyers. They are entitled to a little representation, aren’t they, and a little chance?’ He wasn’t confirmed because he wasn’t too smart.”

“I don’t see where you’re going with this,” said the chairman.

“No, I think I get it,” said the sports guy. “You want us to add a columnist to balance Hobson, someone who speaks to those same people, someone like them.”

“Exactly!” said the marketing director, continuing in unison with the sports guy, “Someone dumb!”

The chairman was silent for a moment. “You mean, someone so stupid, so ignorant, as to balance someone smart and knowledgeable?”

“Yes, that sounds just about right,” said the marketing director.

And so, ladies and gentlemen, I give you Brandon Champagne.

Discussion Question: Is the Times simply living up to its reputation as the World’s Worst Daily Newspaper? Or is Hussman ownership a factor? Yes, it’s hard to imagine the Times getting worse, but it’s also hard to imagine Hussman ownership not corrupting whatever it grasps. Think of the Times as immovable object and Hussman as irresistable force.

One could wish they’d tear each other up a bit, but one would probably be hoping in vain.

One of my oldest and most favorite on-line friends, Rev. Bob “Bob” Crispen, whose weblog you see over there as Ex Cathedra, the man who wrote me my first on-line fan letter (it meant a lot!), had a stroke on October 18th.

Here’s the latest news:

My father remains in the NICU/Stroke Unit at Huntsville Hospital. His progress has been small but steady. For example, he is no longer on a respirator … because he removed his breathing tube. Unfortunately, like our President, my father’s level of consciousness is still diminished. My father can say his name, give a thumbs up, and wiggle his toes … but that’s about it. For now. It’s still early.

That quote from his son Patrick sounds a lot like Bob, which is kind of nice to hear right now.

Anyway, Rev. Bob is a great cat, and I’m hoping for the best possible result for him.