Arkansas Politics

Stuff From Around Arkansas, May 21

Me: MIA these last few days. You: Very sad and missing your beloved ‘Stuff From Around Arkansas’ round-ups. Let’s set that right. Join me, won’t you?

2010 Watch: Gilbert Baker: “Saaay, I just might run for U.S. Senate after all! And Doyle Webb shouldn’t go around talking about people’s sexuality, because that is totally queer.” (Arkansas News Bureau)

McDaniel: Only AGs Have Wings
McDaniel: Only AGs Have Wings

Sense of Rumor: Rep. Vic Snyder says he will run for re-election in 2010, so quit going around saying that he won’t. You know who you are. (Arkansas Times)

Flyboy: In which John Brummett kicks Attorney General Dustin McDaniel in the balls repeatedly over the course of a 700-word column for use of state prison plane to travel to public appearances. (Arkansas News Bureau)

Job Fair: All of these people think they should have the job of lottery boss, which means that it would probably be best that not a single one of these people be considered for the job of lottery boss. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

Good Riddance: Green Day is very upset that Wal-Mart will not carry their new album, which contains dirty words. Oh, no! How will these scrappy multimillionaire rockers ever get their big break? (AP)

Uncharitable: Heifer International sends CEO Janet Ginn packing over vague and mysterious allegations of plagiarism and copyright infringement. Ginn’s severance package is to consist of a goat and two chickens. (AP)

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12 thoughts on “Stuff From Around Arkansas, May 21

  • District 2

    Speaking of US Senate, there’s a new poll out showing interesting figures regarding Senate approval. Lincoln sits at 45/40.

    http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2009/05/updated-senate-approvals.html

    Consider this… If Lincoln is considered to be a moderate Democrat and Baker is considered a moderate Republican, doesn’t that make them the same seeing as how they ‘meet’ in the middle of the spectrum?

    I’ll believe Snyder is running when I see the campaign signs.

    Reply
  • Well, District 2, then you’ve never seen Snyder run at all. He has a strict campaigning period of only a few months prior to an election. If you’re really waiting on signs, you’ll be waiting until next year.

    He’s running.

    Reply
  • District 2

    Oh wise and mighty David Kinkade, forgive me for I have sinned. The numbers I posted are the same as the results from two months ago ( so it appears).

    Or there hasn’t been a change in her approval ratings.

    To This Guy, thank you for the reminder. Now that you mention it Snyder does sort of ‘wait til the last minute.’

    I shall go into hiding until I think of a comment that actually stirs political discussion.

    Reply
  • Fourche River Rex

    1. Kinkade, I’ll never, ever tell you scuttlebutt again.

    2. Green Day upset because Wal-Mart won’t carry their cuss word laden CD? This is the best topic on your blog yet! Of course no one here but me likes punk, of which Greenday has officialy proved they are posers of. Any punk fan wouldn’t have considered Green Day punk anytime after they came through and played at the DMZ (now Vinos)in support of Kerplunk. Dookie was pretty good, though. I admit I liked it. I actually was excited, here was this band from the under ground that I had heard before that was now getting attention. I was hoping that people were figuring out that there was a lot of good music out there. That was the time ligit punk bands on label like Epitaph were getting mainstream attention. Good college bands were still popular. Bob Mould actually could be found on MTV. So I thought maybe punk could get a greater audience as well. When your sub-culture gets credibility, it sort of feels good.

    But then Green day started showing that they were not punk.

    There is no way on God’s green earth that real punk bands would even want Wal-Mart to carry their records, more less get mad at them when they wouldn’t. Can you see “Hairway to Steven” or “You Suck” in the CD rack at Wal-Mart? Wal-Mart couldn’t stand the cover art for “Heavy Petting Zoo” more less the lyrics. Can you see Bad Religion getting mad at Wal-Mart? Would Ian MacKaye have even let Minor Threat records be sold at Wal-Mart? I can’t say that I have ever seen a Dischord distributed record in Wal-Mart.

    No, real punk wold eschew Wal-Mart all together. They would wear being rejected by Wal-Mart as a badge of honor and would DYI.

    Green Day are posers and spoiled rock stars. I hope Henry Rollins kicks Billy Joe Armstrong’s ass.

    Merchandise keeps us in line
    Common sense says it’s by design
    What could a businessman ever want more
    than to have us sucking in his store
    We owe you nothing
    You have no control
    You are not what you own– Fugazi

    It’s my job to keep punk rock elite. My music ain’t your f#$king industry- Fat Mike

    Reply
  • David Kinkade

    I contest that assessment, Rex, which romanticizes the uncompromising purity of the 80s punk scene. What you describe is true of the hardcore punk scene, sure, which tended to be more purist and politically engaged. But Johnny Ramone, to take one example, was relatively unapologetic about his desire for mainstream pop success for the Ramones, wasn’t he? I thought that was the whole point behind getting together with Phil Spector for “End of the Century” — Spector was a producer Johnny loathed personally but was willing to endure if it meant he could get a break-out album for the band. Never really happened. There were plenty of punk bands that would have been delighted to grab that brass ring.

    But I agree with your assessment that Green Day’s whining is unseemly. I think what they should do is re-record a ‘clean version’ of the new disc for sale at WalMart, but include with each clean disc a voucher for free downloads of EVEN FILTHIER VERSIONS to be pulled off their official site. That would be a pretty sweet punk response.
    D.

    Reply
  • Fourche River Rex

    True, it would be a very punk response. I wish they would.
    The Ramones were always tortured over their lack of commercial success. But they didn’t really consider themselves a “punk” band, which is weird because they (along with the Velvet Underground, Patty Smyth, the Stooges and others) are considered originators of punk. But the Ramones, at first anyway, considered themselves simply a rock band in the mold of the great 50’s and 60’s bubble gum pop bands. Then they took the punk label with their tongues firmly in their cheeks (Sheena is a Punk Rocker).
    But Joey and Johnny always felt like they got the accolades but never any money. They toured constantly and were barely able to pay their bills.
    So, yeah, there is always an exception. The Ramones could have been a commercial success and still been punk because they started it. I think their lack of success actually set the bar for other punk bands to not seek commercial success. Strange how it works, failure becomes the standard that others were judged by.
    BTW, I’m going to end all my posts with a punk, straight edge, hardcore lyric from now on.
    “Zen fascists will control you
    100% natural
    You will jog for the master race
    And always wear the happy face”–Jello Biafra

    Reply
  • Cameron Bluff

    Better yet, who the heck broke into Kinkade’s and Rex’s homes or offices and are using their keyboards?

    Reply
  • Fourche River Rex

    I know Cameron, you don’t believe I’m a country boy do you? As far as I know, we don’t know each other. Maybe we do and we don’t know it as I’m hiding behind a nom de plume and as far as I know you are too.
    I am a country kid. In fact, as I write this, I am wearing overalls. But I’m also drinking Guiness.
    I think, like most people, I’m a complex animal. My background and culture is Appalachian but my interests and experiences are varied. I even played in a punk band at one time. My most recent public musical venture was Jazz based. I’ll say “ain’t” while discussing Camus with you. Just the nature of the thing.
    Punk is very anti-establishment. I am anti-establishment. Johnny Ramone said a punk can’t help but be a conservative. So, we’re in good company. I don’t like authority, never have, never will. That is a very appalachian quality I think. Very Scots-Irish of me. Also prolly why people on the Times Blog know John Lennon but not John Lydon.
    Most of all, I’m a sucker for distortion and melody. Nothing delivers that like punk.

    Reply
  • Barbara - SURE SIGN THAT SNYDER'S RUNNING

    You can be certain that Snyder is running again. He had another one of his “iconic” votes this week [something about carrying inside of parks]. You can wait for the press-release or the self-important proclamation from THE VIC during his campaign tours to (or “outreach” trips of) the Second District.

    Reply
  • About those “iconic” votes, here is how to tell: (1) they go against the grain of common sense, and most other AR Congress-critters; (2) they are in some ways remarkable for the view it represents of Snyder; (3) an overwhelming majority of Congress votes the other way; (4) the vote is certain not to harm the candidacy of the single most liberal member of the Arkansas Congressional delegation (since it didn’t matter anyway); and (5) by definition, Snyder’s vote does not make one whit of difference, as the entire outcome of the debate is decided without Snyder. That’s how you know how cynical it is of him to even mention those “iconic” votes.

    But wait, there’s more…. and that’s how you know “St. Vic” is running again.

    Soon, ol’ Max will be telling you how much integrity Snyder has by proclaiming that Snyder stands alone on such topics as “travel to Cuba” and “concealed carry in public parks”; and The Arkansas Project might even fall for it, too.

    [Might be that some of these “iconic” votes are even designed explicitly for Max’s palate… but that would really be too calculating, wouldn’t it.]

    Reply

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