Conspiracy Theory? I Think Not!

“Everybody talks about the weather, but no one ever does anything about it.” -- Mark Twain

Did you ever notice that when it comes to local media predictions of snow and ice, the sky is always falling? Now I’m not usually one for conspiracy theories, but hear me out on this one.

Around Arkansas everybody loves the white stuff. No not cocaine! I mean snow. Besides, meth is the preferred drug of Arkansas. You know, buy local. Pardon me, I digress.

Okay, back to the Theory. Snow is what we Arkies demand, so the local media teases us with the wonderful possibilities so that we’ll watch/listen to their broadcast for the latest updates “right after this commercial announcement.” Sorry, DemGaz, no real way for you to capitalize on this. You might as well be the Farmers Almanac when it comes to the weather. But thanks for letting me know that the high in Harare will be 80 today. I really needed that information, especially since Harare is in Zimbabwe and seven time zones ahead of us. By the time I read it in the DemGaz, the temperature there will have already reached 80 degrees and I won’t be able to do anything about it! Still I digress.

Oh, yes, the Theory! Who benefits the most when Chicken Little, uh, I mean the media tell us that we’re going to be covered in snow and ice? Think. Come on think. That’s right! The grocery stores. Everyone runs out to buy the last loaf of bread on the shelf and the last gallon of milk in the cooler, even though, if we would just wait until 10:00am the next morning, the 1/10 of an inch of ice would all be melted.

What I haven’t figured out is the link between the grocery stores and the broadcast media because most of the grocery store advertising is done in the newspaper. Wait a minute! What’s the DemGaz doing wrapped up like rotting fish in my theory?

I demand an investigation! And I’ve got just the group to do it. The Arkansas State Legislature. That’s right. They’ve got extra time on their hands now with annual sessions and all. But ssshhhh, don’t tell Bobby Glover. He won’t want to do it.

I'm shocked. Shocked to find that corruption is going on in here.

Is anyone shocked about Illinois governor Blagojevich? Actually, I am just a little. I’m shocked that the Chicago political machine let him get caught so quickly and easily. Below is the video of me when I discovered Blago had been arrested.

Sen. Bobby Glover, D-Carlisle, Thinks You're Confused

State Senator Bobby Glover apparently thinks we're all a bunch of DumbArkies (or at least 69% of us).
According to this article, even though 69% of us DumbArkies voted for annual legislative sessions, Senator Glover thinks we were uninformed (read ignorant) about the amendment so he wants to change it.

He goes on to explain to us DumbArkies via Fox16 that we were only allowed to vote on the amendment because the State Legislature so magnanimously put it on the ballot because they didn't think it would get approved anyway. WHAT?! Are you kidding me?!?! So, Senator Glover just wanted us DumbArkies to think we were part of the democratic process, but since we didn't do what we were supposed to do, he wants a do over.

And the lesson that Senator Glover has learned after hearing from 69% of voting DumbArkies? Don't let the people have a say in such matters. (Read the article.)

Personally, this DumbArkie feels safer when our legislators aren't in session. So maybe Senator Glover is right, but he still shouldn't tell 69% of voting DumbArkies that they didn't understand what they were doing.

BCS: A Taste of Armageddon

Ever see that episode of Star Trek when Capt. Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise get caught up in the middle of a war between two worlds that was completely fought by computers? Buildings were spared the ravages of war and the citizens caught up in the “attack” would report to their own government to be disintegrated. I was reminded of this episode when I found out that BCS computers were used to pick the champion of the Big 12 South.

Even though the University of Texas Longhorns (who as a DumbArkie I have always despised) beat the Oklahoma University Sooners in regular season play and both teams have identical records, Oklahoma was picked by BCS computers as the better team.

Why was the game even played? Couldn’t we have saved all those Texas fans their money and just cut straight to the computer pick? They would have had more money in their pockets and several hours of free time on a Saturday afternoon to rid their yards of those wild pecans that only Texas squirrels find edible. And what about the players? They could have been saved all the bruises, aches, and pains.

Perhaps now that a school the size of UT has been adversely affected by the idiocy of the BCS there will be a modicum of support amongst university chancellors across the nation to rid themselves of the inexplicable decisions of a machine.

But before we blame the machine, we have to remember that it’s garbage in, garbage out. The computer only does what we tell it to do. So instead of going through all of this nonsense, can’t we just have a playoff in NCAA College Football? That way no more teams will have to show up for their own “disintegration.”

Beam me up Scotty.

Obama softens ban on hiring lobbyists

This is from a couple of weeks ago, but still worth mentioning.
The Boston Globe – November 12, 2008

"President-elect Barack Obama... said through a spokesman yesterday that he would allow lobbyists on his transition team as long as they work on issues unrelated to their earlier jobs.

Podesta said staff members who lobbied in the last year won't be allowed to work in their field..."

DumbArkie asks: Why would you hire someone for a job that is NOT related to his field?

BAD EMPLOYEES

Senator Clinton - And I don't mean Hillary!

Senator Bill Clinton from the Great State of New York. That's what this article from washingtonpost.com says could happen if Governor Paterson taps Bill to replace Hillary. DumbArkie thinks this is exactly what Bill Clinton has been waiting for. I'll have to do some research, but I think that it would make him the first person to be the governor of one state, POTUS, and then senator of different state.

I wonder if President-elect Obama's team saw this one coming. Look out Reid and Pelosi. There's a new, I mean old, sheriff in town. This will be bigger than the Hindenburg. Oh the humanity!

Not Enough Experience???

According to the Daily News, for being the runner up in the Democrat party, Hillary Clinton was offered the big chair in the Senate Appropriations Committee. The article goes on to say that this was also offered for Hillary having been snubbed by Ted Kennedy, who did not let her play on his health care task force team.

Now here's the kicker, according to the Daily News' inside source,

"Kennedy wasn't happy about how some things were handled in the campaign, but it was really a seniority issue. Hillary didn't have the seniority" to shepherd health care through the Senate.

What?!?!? Hillary, with eight years in the Senate, didn't have enough experience to be one part of a task force, but Teddy's pick for the Democrat nominee, with only two years in the Senate, has enough experience to be the President of the United States?

I know it's over, but puhlease!

Huckabee meets DumbArkie

Finally getting to meet DumbArkie may very well be the highlight of Huck's political career. This can be seen at the end of the video by the look on Huckabee's face when he realizes he's standing within mere feet of DumbArkie.

Location: Barnes & Noble, Little Rock, AR - November 26, 2008

Heeeeeere's Mikey

This here's dedicated to the native son. Does my heart good to see a good ol' boy make it big.