** UPDATE ** I’m not sure why, but there always seems to be a bit of magic when the Hogs play LSU. A 31-30 win sure looks good today. What a game! The season may be over, but at least there’s alot to build on for next year.
Kickoff at 1:15 p.m. today at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The LSU Tigers are in town. This game means nothing for the Razorbacks, other than pride. We are out of the bowl hunt and are sitting at the bottom of the SEC. Ahhh well. There’s always next year… .
The Arkansas Times Blog is doing a great job keeping a running tab of details. So for more, I send you there. I’m happy they have finally made an arrest in this case. If you haven’t heard, Curtis Lavelle Vance was arrested early Thursday on a capital murder warrant for Pressly’s death.
This commercialist holiday season has already cost one life, that of a Wal-Mart worker in New York. The story follows. But before you read it hear this: Is a man’s life really worth more than a discounted television set?
Why are some folks so hung up on getting bargains that they are willing to act like barbarians?
Each year, I sink my head and wonder how the spirit of Christmas and Thanksgiving are lost to capitalism. Why do many people feel the need to buy, buy, buy? In order to have a Merry Christmas, they need to treat their fellow man like dirt to get to the “big sale.”
It makes me ill. Stores are inviting this type of behavior by hyping up their sales and stocking minimal “sale” items. That’s one angle. The next angle is that people should restrain themselves and realize that just because they don’t get that new DVD player for $20 it isn’t the end of the world.
A little action from both the stores and consumers is required.
Here’s the story:
By COLLEEN LONG
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — A worker died after being trampled by a throng of unruly shoppers when a suburban Wal-Mart opened for the holiday sales rush Friday, authorities said.
At least three other people were injured.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., in Bentonville, Ark., would not confirm the reports of a stampede but said a “medical emergency” had caused the company to close the store, which is in Valley Stream on Long Island.
Nassau County police said the 34-year-old worker was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at about 6 a.m., an hour after the store opened. The cause of death was not immediately known.
A police statement said shortly after 5 a.m., a throng of shoppers “physically broke down the doors, knocking (the worker) to the ground.” Police also said a 28-year-old pregnant woman was taken to a hospital for observation and three other shoppers suffered minor injuries and were also taken to hospitals.
The dead worker’s name was not released.
“Local authorities are looking into the situation,” said Wal-Mart representative Dan Fogleman. But he said it would be “inappropriate for me to share any additional information” until authorities investigate further.
Shoppers around the country lined up early outside stores in the annual bargain hunting ritual known as Black Friday. Many stores open early and stay open late. The Valley Stream Wal-Mart usually opens at 9 a.m.
Did anyone head out to Wal-Mart last night for a signed copy of Mike Huckabee’s latest book?
I did not, but News-Times photographer Jim Lemon caught a picture of the Huck Bus outside. The former governor signed about 500 books in an hour.
Does everyone have the week off? Not me. Just Thursday here. I really enjoy this time of year — the trees are turning, the air is chilled, and football is in full swing. So I guess all that makes up for a lack of home time.
There were many good NFL games on this weekend, most notable, the Jets and Titans. I’m glad the mighty Tights went down. Their egos were getting a little too inflated. And my Cowboys pulled out a win over the 49ers.
Wish the Hogs had showed up to play their game. What a sad season.
Anyway, this is probably going to be a slow week. I’m going to do my best to have a satire ready for Wednesday. Also, I am working on a video satire that should be an amazing feat.
Stay tuned… .
John F. Kennedy, gunned down Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas.
Growing up on the outer edge of the Dallas metropolitan area, my class visited the JFK Museum in the city on several occasions.
Going to the top of the Texas School Book Depository, peering down onto Elm Street and thinking about Kennedy being shot, was a lot for a youngster to take in. I still remember vividly the first time I walked along Elm and saw the white X painted on the pavement — it marks the spot where Kennedy’s car was when the shots rang out.
I am too young to remember the assassination, but I have studied in great detail his life and legacy. I hope that everyone will remember him and what he meant to this nation.
News-Times photographer Jim Lemon captured these local ballerinas at Thursday night’s Christmas lighting ceremony in downtown El Dorado.
Check out what’s going on behind Sarah Palin during this interview at a turkey farm. You’d think that her “people” would have set up a better shot than this. Yes, he’s slaughtering a turkey.
It’s a weird video.
Union County Sheriff Ken Jones said he isn’t taking any chances with would-be robbers in the Strong community. He’s placing deputies with shotguns at random businesses in that community in an effort to thwart robberies.
Deputies will be out of sight, and the sheriff advises that if anyone enters these stores wearing masks or carrying weapons, they may not have time to surrender before deputies react.
Jones said he is putting public safety first.
Criminals, beware.
Two were arrested in the most recent robbery at the Hurry Back store there. Look for more on that in Friday’s News-Times. One of the two was the store’s clerk.
Phone, fax, telegram, whatever. Let them know that we don’t want our money bailing out corporate fat cats.
U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln
Washington D.C. Office
355 Dirksen Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510-0404
Phone: (202)224-4843
Fax: (202)228-1371
Volunteers are needed to help line up entries for the Christmas parade. The parade begins at 4 p.m. on Dec. 6.
To volunteer call Delora at 863-6113.
That’s how much gas is going for at the Sumac station on Arkansas 7.
I’m guessing this is the first sub-$2 gas in Union County.
Just for reference, the current rack price for gasoline at Lion Oil is $1.21 per gallon, according to trusted sources.
Add to that 40.2 cents in taxes and you have $1.61. The rest is made up of shipping costs and profit for both the gas distributor and the station owner. In El Dorado, a gallon of regular unleaded is still above $2, at around $2.04.
That leaves .40 cents to be divided up. How much profit are the distributors and station owners earning? I don’t have the information to make that calculation.
Another interesting tidbit is that Lion Oil’s rack prices in El Dorado are some 21 cents higher than prices up the pipeline in Little Rock. Shouldn’t it cost more to pipe the gasoline to Little Rock, and wouldn’t you think that the price for a gallon of regular at the rack there would be higher than it is in El Dorado?
Head over to the Poll Booth to sound off on this issue.
••UPDATE•• Gas is now selling for $1.98 at the Hurryback station across from Shipley’s on North West Ave. Other stations in town will likely follow soon.
For perspective on prices around the state:
Hey, Wildcat fans, bring back some of that cheap Jonesboro gas after Friday’s game.
I’ve made a special page for the polls, as you will see at the top right, where Larry Singer’s Blog link is located. It’s called “Poll Booth.”
A reader pointed out that the main page loaded slower with the poll attached. I thought it would be a better idea to just go ahead and create a dedicated location for polls. So, that’s what I did.
Right off the bat, I find myself disagreeing with president-elect Barack Obama. While I think that, overall, his leadership will guide our national ship to shore once again, his views on the recent economic bailouts are wrong.
He said Sunday during his interview on 60 Minutes that “it’s my belief that we need to provide assistance to the auto industry.”
By we, he means taxpayers.
He went on to say that the complete and total collapse of the U.S. auto market would be disastrous.
And while I agree with that, I don’t for one minute believe that if the government fails to bail out the auto industry that they will fail entirely. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. Isn’t that why we have bankruptcy?
As a taxpayer and struggling American, I resent the government’s quick action to save corporate America, when corporate America represents so much of what’s wrong with our nation — greed and job outsourcing are two things that really turn my stomach.
ABC News has aired a piece on GM, Ford and Chrysler executives who flew to Washington, D.C., this week on their private jets at a cost of more than $20,000 each. The Kings of Detroit were there to tell lawmakers that their companies are facing collapse if they aren’t given billions in American tax dollars.
Give up that private jet and fly coach like the rest of us, Mr. Ford, Mr Chrysler and Mr. GM. That is, when the rest of us can even afford to fly at all.
While lawmakers assure that any assistance to the automakers would be “just a loan,” to me, it’s corporate welfare. And I’m not willing to dish it out.
I’d rather see the government do more to ensure that jobs stay here in America and that wages here are competitive.
We need basic healthcare for our citizens, Congress. We need to tell our citizens that they won’t go bankrupt just for a one-time hospital stay. So many Americans have no savings left simply because of healthcare costs. It’s not right.
Healthcare is a human right, not an industry, as it’s portrayed. These are issues I want Congress to tackle. These are issues that our new president has to tackle.
Government has no business meddling in private commerce. This is still a Democratic, capitalist society, no?
Here’s an idea for GM, Chrysler and Ford — ESPECIALLY Ford: Go back to creating efficient, affordable cars on a basic assembly line just as Henry Ford did. Refine your models, and instead of manufacturing 30-plus different cars, create three or four.
Americans pioneered the auto industry; I’m sure that these same folks can rally together to revolutionize it once again. But it’s their job to do it. Not yours. Not mine. And not the government’s.
Head over to the Poll Booth to let us know how you feel about this.
News-Times photographer Jim Lemon snapped this early Christmas decoration downtown. I can’t believe that it’s that time of year again. Of course, I say this same thing every year.
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