Sources sought

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Regarding the editorial in the Jan. 26 Arkansas Times, “Austin Learning Limits”: Please identify your sources for 1)  the quote by former President George W. Bush, 2)  the death of “the last member of the UT faculty who could speak Spanish” and 3)  the implication by the UA official that “the newcomers need much remediation.”

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 I first thought that the article was a “tongue-in-cheek” article but could find no indicator of that.

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Brenda Albright

From the Internet

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Boozman with polluters

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Last week, Sen. John Boozman committed to supporting legislation that lets the nation’s biggest global warming polluters, like coal-fired power plants, continue to threaten our health and pollute our environment without limit. 

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Left unchecked, global warming will threaten Arkansas’s environment and our health in many ways, including extreme rainfall and flooding that can contaminate our food and drinking supplies and degraded air quality which can lead to increased heart and lung disease such as asthma.

The Environmental Protection Agency is set to implement new clean air standards for the biggest global warming polluters. But Sen. Boozman and other legislators are trying to let big polluters off the hook.   

I urge Sen. Mark Pryor to work with EPA to ensure a clean and safe environment for all, not to reverse years of science and thoughtful implementation of our most important clean air laws.  

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Heather Emmert

Environment America



Blogging voices

Comments on a variety of topics on our Arkansas Blog in recent days:

On the 2010 Census, which said whites are now in the minority in Little Rock:

Welcome to the future. — Silverback

On a watchdog group’s complaint about congressmen, including U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin of Little Rock, using their offices as living quarters:

It has grossed me out to no end thinking what would happen to office buildings in general if this practice was taken up by the ordinary Joe. There’s a reason for zoning rules, and being a member of Congress doesn’t change that. There’s nothing symbolic or admirable about this practice. Just ridiculous!!! If you don’t want to live in DC part time, push the Easy button, don’t run for Congress. — Mother Earth

Jesus folks… where a man sleeps is his own damn business. His wife is the only one who should give a damn where he lays his head…. and if she’s cut him off, then it is none of her business either. Get over it. — towerdog

Defeat of proposed legislation to allow open carry of handguns in Arkansas:

What our educational system needs is to put God back in the schools through the holy trinity of 1) mandatory prayer to Jesus, 2) mandatory Pledge of Allegiance, and 3) mandatory open carry of firearms for personal protection during class. — RPG Fan

The pro-gun movement has been ascendant for the last 20 years and pressing their agenda without much effective opposition. However, open carry ultimately strikes me as the kind of over-reach a movement that lacks an effective “natural predator” (if you will) engages in and ultimately there is a backlash. — Co led

On state Rep. Anne Clemmer’s proposed constitutional amendment to require that 35 percent of lottery revenues be spent on scholarships (about 22 percent is spent now, with most money paid out in winnings.)

This is a stupid idea. Either get rid of the darn thing or move out of the way. All Anne’s bill is guaranteeing is a useless state agency that will have no reason for existing except to run a gaming business. A minimum would mean that lottery sales would drop to about the point where it only generated enough to pay the winners and pay the employees with about enough left for about 4 scholarships. — arkansastraveler

So are Clemmer and Jerry Cox going to pay scholarship for all the students who can’t afford school who are attending now because of the lottery? — any*mouse

Are all of you suggesting that there is no percentage that could be guaranteed for scholarships?  If not 35 percent like Clemmer proposes, how about 22 percent, the existing amount? What about 10 percent? What about 1 percent? You get my point. Surely there is some percentage that could be agreed upon, or else it is simply ridiculous to call it a “scholarship lottery.” — Hume N. Bein

Freedom lost

On Feb. 27, 1933, the Reichstag, the seat of Democracy in Germany, burned to the ground. Adolf Hitler used this incident to declare martial law in Germany and suspend many of the rights of German citizens. He blamed the communists, and began his march to war. Hitler’s propaganda czar, Josef Goebbels, began a media campaign designed to separate the people of Germany into groups.

On Sept.11, 2001, The World Trade Centers were destroyed. George Bush used this incident to pass the Patriot Act, and suspend many of the rights of American citizens. He blamed Al Qaeda, and began his march to war. Bush’s propaganda czar, Rupert Murdoch, began a media campaign designed to separate the people of America into groups.

A house divided against itself cannot stand. Please remember my brothers and sisters, we are all Americans. What makes us Americans is not race, nor religion; it is the desire to be free.

If you think you are protecting your freedom by giving up your rights, you have already lost your freedom.

Power to the people.

Butch Stone

Maumelle


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