Query: Does Military Service "Qualify" One For Elective Office?

And, the answer is a resounding, "Of course."

This mid-term election cycle is getting rather heated. Several candidates here in Arkansas are putting much advertising emphasis on their military credentials. One criticism that always seems to rise to the forefront on social media is, "How does he/she think that military service qualifies someone to be in _____________?" (Congress, the Senate, the Governor's Mansion, City Hall, Justice of the Peace, whatever, fill-in-the-blank). I'm here today to address that question.

These days, many people are unfortunate enough never to have had a close connection to the military. That is indeed a shame -- for them.

War is never a happy thing but Mankind has not evolved nearly far enough to turn its collective cheek to antagonism and aggression, so there will be war in this world. There will be skirmishes. There will be evil people who seek to do harm to, or to subjugate, their neighbors. Mankind is not ready to demilitarize. And as long as there is war, there must be Warriors.

There will be natural disasters.

The Military trains its service members -- its Warriors in whichever uniform -- (and their families) in much more than a specific skill set. It teaches Discipline. Honor. Leadership. Respect. Sacrifice for the greater good. Love of Country. Problem identification. Problem solving. Moderation. Devotion. Teamwork. Tongue-biting, when necessary. How to Strategize, as opposed to how to Plan. But, Planning is taught, too. Healthy habits. How to encourage and cheer the accomplishments of Brothers and Sisters.  How to set an example, and to train those who will be tomorrow's leaders and trainers. How to keep going when keeping going is out of the question.

How to live with pain and loss.

(The Military also instructs how to use massive numbers of acronyms ad nauseum, but that's not necessarily always a positive. It probably helps on Capitol Hill, however.)

So, you tell me. How does serving in the military not qualify one to engage in elective public service?

So, be forewarned, Mr. and Ms. Naysayer -- henceforth, picking on one's pride in having honorably served these United States will not even be acknowledged as viable criticism of someone's candidacy. And, hopefully, those of you who have no connection to the Military now understand a small portion of the traits we more fortunate sons and daughters immediately recognize and associate with someone who has worn the uniform.

You may now open your eyes.

In Other News: Porker Makes a Break

At the risk of eliciting bad jokes about the rather rural nature of my home state, I just had to share this video. It was taken this morning, during rush hour, on Interstate 30 inside the city. It seems that a hog, being transported from Point A to Point B escaped from his trailer. A police pursuit ensued:


Unfortunately for Porky, the fleet-of-foot, the end result probably wasn't exactly what he expected. I understand there's to be a rather big barbecue. . .

Central Arkansas Weather -- Not Our Friend Right Now

This is the weather map from WWL TV on the afternoon of May 8, a few moments ago.

Please keep the good people who were impacted by the April 27th tornado in your good thoughts. They don't need this.

They don't need this, especially after the Young President interrupted their recovery yesterday with his photo opp stop   en route to fund-raise in California. Talk about a traffic jam.

Sorry. I'm ambivalent about his visit -- it's probably a damned-if-you-go, damned-if-you-don't-go situation. I suppose the people of Vilonia took some comfort from his all-too-few words (in which he mentioned himself a goodly number of times, and explained to his tornado-victim audience how a tornado sounds. Seriously?) and his promise of federal aid. He didn't make stops in Mayflower or Ferndale, but talk radio says his helicopter flew over them as a windshield tour. I seem to recall George W taking some flak for doing that in Air Force 1 after Katrina.

I also might point out that this is Obama's first and only trip to Arkansas, ever. Talk about living in Presidential fly-over country.

Anyway, please keep Central Arkansas in your thoughts.

Moogie Dodges a Bullet, or a Mortar Round

The tornado warning sirens went off last night. Pepper, the dogs (after we convinced Mysti to come out from under the desk in Pepper's office), and I went downstairs to our "safe place" where we remained for a good thirty minutes as the sirens went off and back on. And off and back on. And off and back on. We're pretty sure the cell passed overhead nearby, but we were spared any damage -- we didn't even get any hail(to the relief of the newly planted plants!). The lights also stayed on -- just a couple of flickers. We lucked out.

The good people some 20 minutes from here didn't, including some of our long-time friends from the National Guard. This is near where their new house used to stand, next door to their son's home. Their new brick house. Both houses are now little more than piles of rubble.

Thank God they weren't physically injured. Many Guard friends, including us, offered them a place to stay, but they went to their daughter's. That's probably for the best. The death toll has been revised down to 14 from 16 (because two people were counted twice), but the Governor expects that number to increase.

Weather experts are speculating that the tornado will be classified as at least an EF3. Pretty powerful. It's so very hard to see all this devastation -- the poor town of Vilonia was wiped out yesterday after re-building following an EF2 that hit in 2011. The emotional toll is heavy -- even on those of us who were spared. All we can do to help right now is to donate money to relief agencies -- State Troopers and the Guard are keeping non-residents out of the hardest hit areas to prevent looting and other wrongdoing by scammers who invariably show up to capitalize on disaster. Or to gawk. Been there.

To lighten up a bit, this is a picture that Younger Daughter posted on Facebook after the all clear -- it's Grandbaby #5, and it's captioned, "Baby's first tornado. It's an Arkansas thing."

Sometimes we just need to hang onto a sense of humor. And to train our kids about storm preparation -- #5 has his flashlight and some fruit snacks.

Welcome home to Tornado Alley, Moogie and Pepper, after 14 years in Hurricaneville. I don't think I'd like to be our neighbor if given a choice -- we seem to be storm magnets.

Happy 2014! (A little belatedly)

Yes.  It is 2014 and I am still alive.  Pepper is, too, but that's a story for another day.  We are adjusting to being back among family and old friends.  We are trying to adapt to the climate.

This is my new tee shirt.

It speaks the truth.

It's Almost . . .

FOOTBALL TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WPS!

Musings on a Lazy, Saintless Sunday

Still strutting my Razorback thang and contemplating the very real possibility that Moogie's Mansion could be converted to an impromptu Bed & Breakfast on Sugar Bowl Eve.

Dear Lord, central Arkansas is glorious in the fall!

I wonder if all those folks we saw near War Memorial Stadium hours after the game was over -- the ones Pepper referred to as DCRs (Drunks Crossing Roads) -- made it to wherever they were trying to go?

Dogs with access to a big picture window are easily entertained.

Pizza is sounding pretty tasty right about now.

Wooo Pig Sooooieeee!!!!

#10 Hogs vs. #1 Bama -- The Student Body Poises For Attack!

This is such fun! Students started camping out on Tuesday in Fayetteville to get student tickets to tomorrow's splendid Arkansas Razorbacks v. Alabama Reddish Wet Heffalumps game!

Last night, Coach Petrino and several players bought 300 pizzas and distributed them to the students camped out on Stadium Drive!

Can you feel the excitement! Whoo Pig Sooiiieeeeeee! Some Heffalumps are gonna get washed out to sea on their own tide!

H/T to Elder Daughter

(P.S.  COLLEGE GAMEDAY still sucks for choosing Boise Bluegrass over the rolling hills of Fayetteville.  For a take on all 4 SEC games, check out Wally Hall.)

A Musical Interlude

Can't resist!  This is The Son's entry in a Little Rock radio station competition.  The youngster sounds pretty good, if I do say so myself!!

Game day!!!! Finally.

Man, it's been a looooooong summer!



Let's call those Hogs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

College Gameday Eve!

And we hop on the road to the BCS tomorrow!



WOOOO PIG SOOOOOIIIEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Bring it!  Bustin' out the red and white!

H/T to The Slophouse

Reflections on "Blue Laws," Past and Yet to Be

I was listening to Walton & Johnson (a rather irreverent radio drive-time show) the other morning and a caller brought up "Blue Laws." For the uninitiated (or the very young!), Blue Laws are state statutes that prohibit certain commercial activities on Sunday; sometimes they're known less-colorfully as "Sunday Closing Laws." Today, in many places, the old Puritan-inspired laws are still around, and ban, or limit, the sale or service of alcohol on Sundays and/or on Christmas Day. The caller to W & J expressed relief that at least we've made enough progress as a society to be rid of the bulk of Blue Laws.

I grew up and lived most of my adult life in Arkansas in the heart of the Bible Belt, so I'm more than familiar with Blue Laws. Listening to the lady caller set me to reminiscing about "the olden days," and it occurred to me that as we experienced the demise of Blue Laws, we also witnessed a steep decline in what used to be referred to as "morals."

Even so, I still think I have to agree with the lady caller. We're well rid of 'em -- Blue Laws, that is; not morals!

Even though I was very young, I can vividly remember when all stores were shuttered on Sunday. Viewed in a strictly religious context -- which we, as a nation, used to set as the benchmark -- the Laws were designed to protect a "day of rest" to observe the Sabbath, and commercial activity was, by definition, a violation of that commandment.

Then, as the population grew and became more urbanized, people found they needed gas or other stuff on Sundays, so "exceptions based on necessity" started appearing. And that's where Blue Law enforcement entered the realm of the bizarre.

Groceries and gas stations began to open on Sundays, then drug stores, and even some variety stores. But the litany of what you could and could not buy was crazy and indecipherable. Plus, the poor employees of the stores had to rope off -- literally -- aisles and aisles of non-saleables.

For instance, you could purchase food preservation items like aluminum foil, but not food preparation items, like aluminum foil pie plates. You could buy "necessities" like bread and milk, but not raw foods that required preparation. You could buy Coca Cola, but not teabags or coffee. Canned baby formula was okay (and usually sold out as soon as the doors opened), but not powdered. You could not buy tools of any kind, but you could buy clotheslines.

Clotheslines, yes; clothes, no.

"No clothing sales" meant you could buy a dog collar, but not a belt. And "no clothing sales" is what caused me most of all to despise Blue Laws and lobby for their repeal: you could not buy diapers because they were considered to be clothing!

"No baby formula sales" could be dealt with, but have you ever had an infant or toddler with the runs and you have gone through the disposable diapers and have no cloth diapers on hand? I have. It's not pretty.

I swear, leftover anxiety about how to beg, borrow, or steal diapers for Elder Daughter is the root cause for my elevated blood pressure today. (Well, not literally steal! I was, after all, an officer of the court.)

As with most experience-taught things in this life, I eventually learned to stock up on diapers and formula on Saturday, just in case. I suppose the prevalence of that prophylactic measure by every mom in the state was one of the arguments that led to the Blue Laws' repeal -- we were just time-shifting the "work" of wearing clothing.

Having grown accustomed to the New Orleans attitude about alcohol, I still have to remind myself to stock up on wine and beer when we go back to Arkansas for a weekend visit, though. Maybe someday the prevalence of that prophylactic measure will eventually lead Arkansas's liquor laws into the 21st century. The Legislature is slowly letting go of its attempts to legislate morality -- the recently established lottery has been successful beyond everyone's wildest expectations. But I don't think I'll hold my breath. Some parts of government are beginning to treat us as adults while the Feds seem to be trying to keep us in diapers, Sunday sales or not.

I'm really glad the Sunday Sales law was repealed before Younger Daughter came along.

You younger folks out there had better keep an eye on Washington, or you'll be right back in the spot where government tells you what you may and may not do or consume in every walk of life. Every day.

Reflections on the Fourth, or "Plan Ahead"

Pepper and I had a rather serious case of the indecisives about the Independence Day holiday this year. We couldn't come to a decision about what to do and/or whether to go somewhere to take advantage of the lagniappe time off from work.

And then, there was that other thing.

A couple of years ago -- three now, I believe, because middle grandchild John was still crawling -- The Son and his family came down for a visit and towed back to Arkansas a rather nice pleasure craft that Pepper had been persuaded to purchase for the family. Why, you might ask, was the Pleasure Craft towed back to Arkansas instead of berthing here in sunny New Orleans where Moogie and Pepper could enjoy it on the meandering rivers of southeast Louisiana and open waters of Lake Pontchartrain?

See the foregoing: "persuaded to purchase for the family," with the bulk of said family being located in Arkansas.

Although Moogie is a rather prominent member of "the family," she has been aboard that boat a grand total of -- um, let me calculate it here, um -- once. The day it was purchased. The day before it headed north. Pepper has been aboard a few more times, having been in Arkansas and available for nautical adventures during the intervening summers, but, Moogie? Nope.

So, we thought, maybe we should visit the family for the Fourth and let Moogie get her sea legs and join in the early celebration of Younger Daughter's July 7th birthday.

That's when it got a little complicated.

Younger Daughter, during most of her twenties, has thrown a birthday bash camping trip on Lake Ouachita near Hot Springs with family and friends. Outdoors. In tents. In Arkansas in July.

The last 3 years, the above-referenced Pleasure Craft has transported them to islands where they set up camp, and entertained them during the day with wakeboarding and tubing and other wind-in-your-hair, spray-in-your-face activities. A trip to Ouachita would give Moogie an ideal opportunity to spend time with family and get familiar with the Pleasure Craft! One might be tempted to conclude that this scenario was indeed an ideal opportunity.

Um, nope.

You see, Ouachita is a beautiful, pristine body of water whose quality exceeds that of most cities' treated drinking water, but it is, after all, outdoors. In Arkansas. In July.

I do enough perspiring where I live, and I did a tremendous amount of perspiring during our vacation to LJ's wedding in Ft. Lauderdale a few weeks ago and at the CLE conference in St. Pete back in May, and I can cope with that. But, there's a difference with distinction between those locales and a camping trip to Lake Ouachita in Arkansas in July: in all of those sweaty locations I was able to sleep in air-conditioned comfort, free from perspiration, nocturnal buzzing insects, and (literally) rock-hard sleeping surfaces.

As a younger woman, pre-childbirth, who could wear two-piece swimsuits with flair and aplomb, I actually enjoyed camping. I even backpacked Europe for three months! But as a more "mature" woman, accustomed to many creature comforts, do I put "camping in July" high on my wish list? Nope -- not so much. Pepper, having given nearly 35 years to the Army, a great deal of which was spent in the Infantry, didn't have much argument to my take on the whole camping thing. So, we thought about trying to find nearby accommodations where we could join the kids during the day and retire to A/C to sleep.

We thought about doing this on the Fourth of July weekend the week before. With dogs in tow, because who can get kennel reservations the week before July 4th?

Ha! Just try to find pet-friendly accommodations near a lake the week before the most lake-centric holiday of the year, even if your husband's high school chum runs a nearby resort. Bill offered to rent us the floor in his bedroom!

So . . . this recounting has been a rather convoluted explanation of how Pepper and Moogie came to be on a friend's balcony on July 4, 2010, watching fireworks over the Mississippi River in New Orleans with a freshly baked apple pie. You can't eat store-bought apple pie while watching fireworks on the Fourth of July.

And Moogie has still been aboard the Pleasure Craft a grand total of -- once.

Strange Politics in Arkansas

So, Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln is cozying up to the Young President in her struggling campaign to win the upcoming Democratic primary, even though he got slammed there in the 2008 election. An article in today's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette suggests she's using this tactic in an effort to woo black voters who, according to the article, apparently still believe he can walk on water because he's half-black.

But, the Prez has reportedly written Blanche off as dead in the election waters. Hmmm.

The Demo-zette article also notes that several Unions, including the infamous SEIU, have paid for ads attacking Lincoln -- especially her disagreements with the Young President -- on several issues. Of course, Arkansas is a "Right-to-work" state and unions hold a less than favorable place in the hearts of most Arkansas voters.

Politics and strange bedfellows indeed.

The Chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party is quoted as saying, “It’s odd that our embattled Senator Lincoln would seek the endorsement of a president whose popularity in Arkansas is lower than hers." He also noted that Obama’s endorsement “proves that President Obama desperately needs her party vote to push forth his radical, liberal agenda."

Sounds like a couple of "duh!" moments to me.

That's shaping up to be one interesting election.

Let the Celebrating Begin!

The family's getting ready to grow! Our wonderful "Easter Group" friends threw a festive, football-backgrounded Engagement Celebration for Shay and Tim on January 2 in Little Rock.

Helen and her sister, without itty-bitty offspring stopped by for a bit (but missed the pictures), and Steve and Will were shivering at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, rooting on the Hog victory over East Carolina. But scores of folks came over to wish the soon-to-be-hitched couple well, some of whom we haven't seen in ages.

Football, fun, and food -- plus a Razorback Bowl game win!

Now, that's the way to kick-off a good year!

(Hint, hint, Saints!)

Saturday Musings

Finally got Dale's hummingbird sculpture displayed on the front porch. It looks pretty nice if I do say so myself, and so far Bouie hasn't digested the mums. The pics are a little fuzzy looking because it was so dang humid yesterday that my air-conditioned camera lens fogged up when moved outside!

We got this rather unsettling notice in the mail the other day. I'm not sure whether I'm an "ignorance is bliss" or "forewarned is forearmed" kind of gal.

President Barack Obama has gone more than 24 hours without an award or international adulation. He is thought to be sedated, resting comfortably, and expected to make a full recovery from this temporary set-back.

Arkansas Razorbacks 44, Auburn confused-multi-mascots 23! Whooo Pig!!! And War Who?

Musings -- Autumn in Arkansas

This is what makes me miss Arkansas in the fall -- it was taken this morning by a friend in Little Rock, and posted on his Facebook page (what a fantastic invention, that Facebooky thing can be!). He took it from his deck overlooking the Arkansas River.

*heavy sigh*

Oh well -- I suppose I'll wax nostalgic about New Orleans in Carnival/Mardi Gras season whenever we move north.

**double heavy sigh**

I think I'll go decorate for Halloween and do other nice things for myself. Like ignoring the vacuum cleaner for yet one more day.

*Grin*

The Return of Moogie

I'm b-a-a-c-k!

Solo road trip and bridal fair successfully completed. Nationwide Health Care , er, Insurance Reform, er, Co-op Option Town Halls continue to "inspire" -- something. Tea Party this weekend. Storms in the Atlantic. Favre re-un-retires. Elvis is still dead in Memphis, but Michael Vick appears to have been resurrected in Philly. Saints whupped up on Cincy in their first pre-season game. Yet another 2 hours in a doctor's ofice have been logged. Creole tomato season is sadly over. Another Jefferson attorney (for Mose Jefferson, Bill's brother) begins his defense today in another corruption/public bribery trial. Kids are back in the schoolyard down the street and buses are rolling. More to follow.

It's good to be home.

The Future Lives in a Virgin Forest

This past weekend I saw my future and it looks like this. And this!

We went to walk the Ouachita property on Saturday with Bouie (who had a ball running and jumping and splashing in the pretty-darn-full "dry" creek bed!). We were trying to orient the site for the house. It's a good thing we were able to see the property after a heavy rain, because now we know that there are TWO creeks after a rain, and we'll have to culvert the driveway. Cha-ching -- and the dollar signs start multiplying! Hopefully, we can get the surveyor out there soon and break ground before costs get too far ahead of us.

We discovered the little multi-legged guys later, already attached to various parts of our anatomies. And now I'm all creepy crawly!

I guess I've lived in the city too long. At least I didn't spy anything that slithered. **shiver**