My UALR blog

UALR link. Please feel free to put my UALR Trojans blog as a link on yours. We are happy to have any new fans.

Presidential politics

I have been asked my views on politics several times recently by people from other states, mainly because we have two candidates with Arkansas connections running this year.

I do not follow politics closely any more, but the only candidate from the two major parties for which I would consider voting is Dr. Ron Paul. I hope he considers running as a third party candidate if he does not get the nomination, since the nomination probably will be long since determined before we get to vote in Arkansas.

Eddie Feigner's greatest feat

Unbelievable, but I saw it.

I saw it live on TV when he struck out all the major leaguers. It was a Hollywood vs. Major Leagues charity event. They brought him on as a relief pitcher They introduced Eddie as a star of a new show, and he warmed up very mildly. Willie Mays was the first batter he faced. Eddie came around behind his back with a curve ball that broke about five feet. Willie's mouth flew open and he stepped back in unbelief. None of those Hall of Famers so much as touched the ball while he was pitching.

"Feigner not only pitched from the standard mound, 46 feet from home plate, but also from second base, behind his back, on his knees, between his legs, from center field and blindfolded. In a nationally televised exhibition against major leaguers at Dodger Stadium in 1964, he struck out Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Maury Wills, Harmon Killebrew, Roberto Clemente and Brooks Robinson in order.
Feigner began "The King and His Court" in 1946 on a dare in his hometown of Walla Walla, Wash. He had just thrown a shutout in his nine-man team's rout of a team from Pendleton, Ore., and the Oregon team challenged him to another game. Backed by just a catcher, first baseman and shortstop, Feigner pitched a perfect game, winning 7-0.
At the height of Feigner's popularity, the team played at major league ballparks, including Yankee Stadium, and Feigner appeared on numerous national television shows, including "The Today Show," "I've Got a Secret," "What's My Line?" and the "CBS Sports Spectacular." On the "Tonight Show," he pitched blindfolded to Johnny Carson, who loosely held a bat over a home plate. Feigner hit Carson's bat on his first pitch. "

Oscar Peterson plays Caravan - Wow!

If you don't believe me about Oscar Peterson, watch this performance of the old standard, Caravan, with his trio. He really kicks in about the 1:10 mark.

Here is the LINK.

Oscar Peterson

Oscar Peterson just died. Jazz piano great. If you never heard him, he was unbelievable. Just an amazing talent.

In an effort to get the blogging going, I am posting. In an effort to help, you can respond.

Yankee Buccaneer

Got in a new movie last night. Yankee Buccaneer. Stars Jeff Chandler (Mr. Boynton in the old Our Miss Brooks radio show) and Scott Brady (Shotgun Slade). Not too bad as a swashbuckler, but not as good as the Errol Flynn movies.

Are you all checking my UALR blog?

UALR ballgame

Except for Elaina, Rebekah and Pam, I think all had a good time at the annual UALR trip. Elaina wasn't feeling good at all, and finally fell asleep. UALR won in a pretty exciting game, by the way.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=3140517&type=story

Here is a feel-good story about a basketball player at Northwestern.

Obnoxious cell phone rings

Let's all make sure we are as obnoxious and offensive as possible with our cell phones, by always following these rules:
1. Make sure your ring is loud enough for the neighbors to hear and will be some sort of "music" that will grate against everyone's nerves.
2. Leave you cell on when you are visiting with other people, so that your conversations will be interrupted.
3. Interrupt calls to take other incoming calls.
4. And by all means, leave your cell phones on during church.

Take a look at my UALR blog. You can find it on my dashboard.

We annual migration to Jack Stephens Arena at UALR will be Saturday, December 15th for the Florida International game.

UALR basketball begins this coming Friday night, against U of O. Hard to tell how they will do. Too many new players.

Did anyone notice that Ron Paul raised 4.2 million for his campaign the other day? He doesn't stand a chance of winning the Republican nomination against their establishment, but he might run a viable third party candidacy. Good year for it.

David Moseley, my son-in-law, has had his paper in the Booneville Democrat two weeks in a row, which is about as close as you can get to international fame!

High crime rates, mud slides, wild fires, long commutes. outrageous price of living - what were the other reasons for living in California?

We are lax today

"Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you."
"Abstain from every appearance of evil."
"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
"That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God."

We have become awfully lax today, haven't we?

Lord Massereene

Clotworthy John Eyre Skeffington, 11th Viscount Massereene. How about that for a handle? Not to be outdone, however, his son was Algernon William John Clotworthy White-Melville Skeffington, 12th Viscount Masereene. The kid was probably in the 8th grade before he could spell his name.

More about "Wildflower" by Skylark

"Wildflower" Interesting note about the song I referred to in the post below. I got a reply from the man who wrote the words to the song:

Hello Mark, and blessings to you and your dear wife from Jerusalem.

Well, when I read your message about Wildflower, as forwarded to me by Valley, I was moved to tears - and I do mean literally. That I could have played a role in such a beautiful story as the love you describe with your wife - well, I am more than moved: I am truly honored. Over the years since I was first inspired to write those lyrics (and Doug Edwards subsequently added his beautiful, almost haunting music), I occasionally get word of how the song has been instrumental in changing the lives of a number of people. In one such case it saved the life of a teenaged girl who first heard the song as she was walking into the ocean to drown herself. I don't know if you read about that or not, but if you would like to, you can see it at: http://www.olografix.org/krees/dfnet2/?p=93.

A bit of an update on me, personally, if I may be so bold: I retired in 2000 after a 35-year police career in Victoria, Canada, and then spent the next 6 1/2 years working an alcohol/drug addictions ministry through a church with which I was involved in Victoria. Then 16 months ago I was blessed enough to have the Lord lead me to Israel where I have been volunteering with a ministry called Jaffa Gate Ministries (JGM), which includes feeding at least some of the less fortunate people of Jerusalem. (See: http://www.jaffagateministries.com/kitchen.htm ). It is a wonderful ministry that even leaves me enough time to be working on a book I am writing about the Biblical perspective on addiction, and the freedom from that particular bondage that is attainable.

Anyway, I won't take up any more of your time, Mark. I just wanted to express to you my sincerest gratitude for your beautiful email. You have no idea how wonderful it was for me to read such a wonderful story as you documented it in your message, and I am honored just to make your acquaintance via email. Also, please give my kindest regards to your dear wife and convey to her how humbled I am to have contributed in some manner, from so far away, to the effort you both have put into the last few decades of your lives together. Again, I am honored. I pray that God will bless you both in every aspect of your lives together - including the lives of your children and grandchildren.

"Finally ... whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things ... And the God of peace will be with you."

(As much as I would like to have written those uplifting words, they were written by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:8).

Blessings to you again...

Dave Richardson.

"Wildflower" by Skylark

VERY PERSONAL POST.
Below are the lyrics to a popular song called "Wildflower," done by a group called Skylark, which had this one big hit only. It was in the Top 10 the week we were married, and probably is the only song I will not be able to listen to should I survive Pam.

The words were written by a policeman, and beyond that I know little about it.  The line that is particularly touching is, "Sleep's the only freedom that she knows." It is also one of the few popular tunes I have heard with a harp included.

WILDFLOWER
She's faced the hardest times you could imagine
And many times her eyes fought back the tears
And when her youthful world was about to fall in
Each time her slender shouldersbore the weight of all her fears
And a sorrow no one hears still rings in midnight silence in her ears

Let her cry, for she's a lady
Let her dream, for she's a child
Let the rain fall down upon her
She's a free and gentle flower, growing wild

And if by chance I should hold her, let me hold her for a time
But if allowed just one possession, I would pick her from the garden, to be mine

Be careful how you touch her, for she'll awaken
And sleep's the only freedom that she knows
And when you walk into her eyes, you won't believe
The way she's always paying for a debt she never owes
And a silent wind still blows that only she can hear and so she goes.

Let her cry, for she's a lady
Let her dream, for she's a child
Let the rain fall down upon her
She's a free and gentle flower, growing wild

How to learn to use English

To master the usage of the English language, I would study the writings of Sir Winston Churchill for eloquence and Elder C. H. Cayce for plainness.

ONE EXPRESSION YOU WILL NOT HEAR
in educated radio circles is "Roger Willco," in contrast to Hollywood. "Roger" means "I understand." "Willco" means "I understand and will comply." Roger would be redundant because it is contained in Willco and so is not used with it.

Have we just stopped blogging?

Jason Sacran news

Jason Sacran, my son-in-law, has a very nice full page article about him in the latest edition of Entertainment Fort Smith magazine.

The Robin Hood legend

Robin Hood. At the bottom see a nice link about the possible real Robin Hoods.

Is there truth behind the Robin Hood legend?
Well, possibly. Someone, or maybe several someones, named Robin Hood existed at different times. Court records of the York Assizes refer to a "Robert Hod", who was a fugitive in 1226. In the following year the assizes referred to the same man as "Robinhud". By 1300 at least 8 people were called Robinhood, and at least 5 of those were fugitives from the law. In 1266 the Sherrif of Nottingham, William de Grey, was in active conflict with outlaws in Sherwood Forest. It seems most likely that a number of different outlaws built upon the reputation of a fugitive in the forest, and over time, the legend grew.
One thing to note about the early legends is that Robin Hood was not an aristocrat, as he was later portrayed, but a simple yeoman driven to a life of crime by the harsh rule of the law of the rich. As such, it is easy to see how his story soon became a favourite folk tale among the poor.
There is, in the grounds of Kirklees Priory, a old grave stone, marking the final resting place of one "Robard Hude". Proof that part of the tale may be true? It would be nice to think so.

http://www.boldoutlaw.com/realrob/realrob2.html

ANDY HARDY. I have ordered the complete set of Andy Hardy movies with Mickey Rooney. Some of our favorites.

I HAVE THE TWINS' B'DAY PRESENTS. I got Jake a Tarzan movie, and Alli a DVD of Rocky and Bullwinkle. All are invited to come preview them.

Papaw and "All Of Me"

One of my favorite memories of my good father-in-law was when he and I worked up a piano and saxophone version of the old standard, "All of Me," for our family gathering at Thanksgiving. We were nervous, even for that sympathetic audience, but we got through it. For those of you who might not know, Papaw led his own jazz band in his younger days and was a fairly accomplished musician.

WHERE ARE THE SOUTHERN BELLES?

What has happened to the accents of young Southern girls? They don't talk Southern any more. They have that affected, beauty contest, Southern California accent. Yuch! And I'm talking about girls from Arkansas, Dallas, - everywhere down here. It's AWFUL.

NEW UALR T-SHIRT. My wife and daughter got me a brand new UALR Trojans T-shirt for Father's Day. I'm proud.

AN ASSIGNMENT FOR YOU YOUNGER WOMEN:
Get with Grandma and find out exactly how she cooks fried okra. Otherwise one of the great culinary delights of our time will pass. Some of you are very close to greatness, just need a little bump to get there.

Guess I ought to post something.

Rex Allen songs

Sigh!! Here I am, listening to Rex Allen singing Can You Hear Those Pioneers, and in the mood to watch one of those great old cowboy movies, and no one to watch it with, since that woman I'm married to can't abide them. Sigh!! Some folks just don't appreciate the finer things in life.

Common Welsh Surnames

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1279868

Jason Sacran at the Fort Smith Art Center

FORT SMITH ART CENTER. Jason Sacran, my son-in-law, was recently hired as the Programs Director at the FSAC. If you have not been by to see it, I would encourage you to do so. They have a lot of interesting works of art there, even to someone like me with a completely untrained eye for graphic art.

Not better than my fathers

Elijah noted, "I am not better than my fathers." That thought, containing in it the sub-idea, "I am not wiser than my fathers," has been a guiding beacon to me for a number of years. Once I thought I was. I was so very, very wrong.

Great Presidential campaign slogans

PRESIDENTIAL SLOGAN CONTEST. So who are the winners in the all-time great presidential campain slogans? Here they are:
3rd place - Fifty-four-forty or fight.
2nd place - I like Ike.
and the winner . . . . .
Tippicanoe and Tyler, too.

In last place - well, I don't know, but it probably has something to do with nuke-you-lar.

Mama and FDR

My mother was born in January 1929. Franklin Roosevelt was inaugurated in January 1945. He died in April 1945. Assuming she was not conscious of presidential politics at the age of three, she had turned sixteen years old before she had any direct remembrance of a president other than FDR.

Because Of You

FOR MY FEMALE RELATES:
I just bought a copy of Deanna Durbin's "Because Of You." You can watch it when it comes in (for only a nominal fee.)

Quite a fancy name

How would you like to have a moniker like this: Sir Alexander Wentworth Bosville MacDonald of the Isles, 14th Baronet. There actually was such a person.

Salem Association of Primitive Baptists Union Meeting 2007

OUR UNION MEETING. We had a wonderful Union Meeting of the Salem Association this past weekend. Fort Smith Church hosted it, and did a fine job. We had visiting preachers from four states, and the preaching was sound and edifying. There was a good crowd in attendance. The highlight was Sunday afternoon. After lunch, Elder Cal Kennedy baptized his granddaughter, Cadie Brown, as had been scheduled. Just after they had finished, before they had left the baptistry, Bro. Chris Dunn came forward and said he had put it off long enough, and was joyfully received by Little Flock church, and Bro. Cal also got to baptize him. Bro. Chris is the husband of Sister Julie Dunn. We went on our way rejoicing.

Eli Wayne Jones

NEW GRANDSON. We are thrilled to announce the arrival of Eli Wayne Jones, born Saturday the 28th. 6 lbs 4 oz, 19 3/4 inches. Mother and child are doing well.

Great lines from old movies

(Old ones. I don't know much from the last 50 years.)

Jimmy Stewart from Shenandoah: "I didn't ask you if you loved her, son. I asked you if you liked her."

Barry Fitzgerald from The Quiet Man: "America. Prohibition!" (shudder)

Jimmy Stewart from You Can't Take It With You: "You're so beautiful, it makes me want to gag."

Nanny says I should do a new post.
Post.

I'm still here. Just worn out.

Whenever a President says, "Trust me" - DON'T!

Fire!. As I arrived home yesterday, I saw a lot of smoke south of us. I asked Pam is Grandpa was burning brush piles, but she said no, there was a fire in the pasture south of Daddy's place. They had just called the Sheriff's department. A Booneville officer arrived shortly thereafter, and immediately called the fire department, which arrived shortly, and went to work. It took maybe an hour, but they finally got it controlled, but not before it had gotten into the brush on the perimeter of that pasture. It actually crept over onto Daddy's property in a couple of places. Had it not been the green season, it might have been a major problem. And, naturally, 82-year-old Grandpa was right down there in the midst of it, working to keep the fire under control.

Alice Kennedy, Greenwood, Arkansas

Sister Alice Kennedy. Sunday morning, on the way to church at Pilgrim's Rest, Elder Cal Kennedy and Sister Alice, and their daughter Loyce, were involved in an auto accident. Bro. Cal and Sister Loyce were injured, but not seriously. However, Sister Alice had a heart attack in the ambulance on the way to the hospital and died. She was a true Old Baptist, and wonderful, sympathetic and affectionate lady who will be missed so much by the members of the Salem Association and all who knew and loved her.

Technical question. Is it possible to set a blog site as host post only?

Best movie soundtracks

Best soundtracks. Favorite soundtracks.

IMHO, the all-time best movie soundtrack is Alexander Nevsky, for obvious reasons. In modern times, I think the theme to Rocky was outstanding for its purpose. What are your favorites and your choices for best?

John Wayne Cavalry Trilogy

I am trying to get copies of this group of movies: Rio Grande, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Fort Apache. Have any of you seen all of them?

Swashbuckler movies

Sarah and I are big fans of this genre. I am sitting here listening to the soundtrack to Robin Hood and wanting to watch a good swordfight. Nothing to get the blood stirring like a good duel between Basil and someone. Any other swashbuckler movies that you particularly like?

My favorite movies

Well, I guess all you out there in blogland are waiting breathlessly to hear my favorite movies. My two favorite all-time movies are The Quiet Man and The Great Escape. However, my favorite genre, by far, is the detective movies of the 30's, 40's and early 50's.

Happy Valentine's Day to all you ladies out there. (Whew! Good, I remembered. Now I can cross that off my list.)

If you want to hear what a tenor is supposed to sound like, get a recording of John McCormack. He was the original Irish tenor, and hugely popular in the WWI era. His rendering of "Il Mio Tesoro" by Mozart is still considered the definitive performance of that aria.

Excuses for innovation

It is very interesting to me that that expression, "Our Primitive Baptist forefathers made lots of mistakes" has become an excuse to bring in all manner of innovations, in doctrine, but especially in practice.

Great composers, great pianists

I have often wondered about this. Many, if not most, of the great composers were also great pianists. Obviously, most of them were highly intelligent (Mozart's IQ has been estimated around 200). However, does intelligence always result in manual dexterity? And is it to be expected that people with that degree of intelligence are willing to devote the hours of drudgery necessary to become great pianists?

Claiming to be a Primitive Baptist

The following reportedly is a transcript of a portion of a sermon by a man claiming to be a Primitive Baptist minister. It is an absolute abomination and travesty. Assuming that this is a correct rendering of what he said, this man, if he has any honesty and decency at all, should stop even pretending to call himself a Primitive Baptist immediately. It is nauseating! How ANY Primitive Baptist could try to defend someone who would make such a statement is a wonder to me!
Mark Green

"We have sinned against thee, both I and my father's house have sinned. Now here's what I want out of that. I want several things, but here's what I want, mainly. He said I and my father's house.
"You know what we're prone to do. We're prone to defend what our fathers have done whether it was right or wrong. We've got to get over that. I'm gonna tell you in 1832 there was a division in the Baptist family that sent the Primitive Baptists into one ditch on one side and the Arminian Baptists in one ditch on the other side. They were competing with each other to see which one could out do the best in getting away from the word of God, because both of them did.
"When you study that Black Rock Address and you study the attitude they had and bore the fierceness they claimed to be the vicar of truth and the measure and standard of orthodoxy, and the attitude that they had, I'm telling you, that was Phariseeism. And I believe that's when God withdrew his blessing from them. And we've been on a downward course ever since.
"Its time we as a people looked up and said our fathers have sinned. They had the wrong attitude. They had the wrong philosophy. In many cases they had the wrong motive for the decisions that they made. Nehemiah said our fathers sinned and so have I. "

OK. Here is a new secret that I know. Anyone want to bite?

Ha ha ha. I'll bet all of you wish you knew what I know!

General of the Armies of the United States Washington

General of the Armies of the United States is the highest possible land-based rank in the United States military hierarchy, equal to a Generalissimo. The rank of General of the Armies has only been bestowed twice in the history of the United States Army and only once in an active duty capacity. The rank is superior to that of General of the Army (note the difference between the singular and the plural of the two ranks).
The only people in United States history to hold the title General of the Armies were John J. Pershing, who held the official title "General of the Armies" and, posthumously, George Washington, who was appointed to the official title of "General of the Armies of the United States".

Polka music

Sitting here listening to polka music. Love it! In small doses, at least.

The best of the crooners

The era of crooners is largely over, with a few notable exceptions. Sinatra was the most popular. Tony Bennett was the best stylist. Robert Goulet had the best voice. Mel Torme was probably the best singer. Como had the most relaxed voice. But THE crooner was Crosby. None of them had that rich, easy voice and style that just defined the genre.

Green Acres

Leah got her mom the complete first season of Green Acres (some of you won't remember that). To me, it is hilarious. I'm not sure if the womenfolks enjoy it quite as much.

Fellowship Primitive Baptist Church, Waldron, Arkansas

Bro. Philip Blankenship and I traveled to Waldron on Saturday night (rain both ways) for services at Fellowship church. Elder Dennis Horn, their pastor, expressed very eloquently how blessed we are with gospel privileges in this area, and I echo my hearty Amen. We had a very nice crowd Sunday night, with a good many visitors. Elders Steve Woods and James Isaacs preached ably for us. It was a good weekend.

I just heard Moon River on the radio. I had forgotten just how nice the poetry was. "We're after the same rainbow's end, waiting round the bend, my Huckeberry friend, Moon River and me."

Bad weather

Nasty winter weather immediately north, west and south of us. We really dodged the bullet this time around. I'm not complaining. I do not like nasty weather.

Washington's Farewell Address

Quotes from George Washington's Farewell Address:

"The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop. Europe has a set of primary interests which to us have none; or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves by artificial ties in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities. . . It is our true policy to steer clear of entangling alliances with any portion of the foreign world."

I wish the current administration would take heed.

Dad and Joshua and I went to the Booneville/Ozark game last night. Bro. Howard Heffington played for Ozark, who won by about 10 points. He starts for them and does a nice job. It was a pretty good game. Both teams are improved. Dad really enjoys going to basketball games and watching them on TV.

New Year's weekend I was with the church at Snyder, Texas. I enjoyed the trip. That church is served by Elders Ward Rowell, Bernard Gowens and Barry Brown (I am not sure who serves them as pastor). Other visiting preachers were Elders Hulan Bass and Mark Rowell, both of whom preached ably. I greatly enjoyed getting to visit with Bro. Hulan and hear him tell stories, particularly about his uncle, Elder Jimmie Bass. He is a wealth of information about times past in the church.