ROGERS — I early-voted today - that would be Wednesday.
I like early voting and, apparently, so do a lot of other people.
The patriotic me thinks that’s good because more people vote. The cynical me thinks maybe too many people vote and that is why some people get way too many votes and too much air time.
Life is full of trade-offs.
While casting my ballot, I actually found myself thinking about how many people I was voting against rather than for. Voting against someone - or something - isn’t all that unusual for me, but the sheer number this time really made an impression.
Let me say that I think the choices in city races are clear-cut. That’s not so true for state and federal races.
In several cases, I didn’t like either option. I held my nose and touched the screen.
I realized that there were a couple of races/issues I was unprepared to vote on.
I hate that, but it happens.
We are running - as space allows - a sample ballot. I recommend you look at one and be sure you know about everyone and everything listed. The ballots are also available on our website at www.nwaonline.com and at the secretary of state’s website at www.votenaturally.org.
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I am filled with mixed emotions about this $15 million grant the region received for greenway construction.
The I-wish-I-were-moreenvironmentally-correct methinks it is nice.
The I-wish-I-were-moreenvironmentally-correct me thinks the money would be better used getting a real public transit system established and operating in Northwest Arkansas.
Don’t get me wrong, I know $15 million is a drop in a monstrous bucket when talking about the cost of public transit. I just think we have to get serious about the issue.
That’s not meant to belittle Ozark Transit. A few buses and a few routes, however, aren’t going to have a lot of impact onrelieving overburdened highways.
And I question just how many people will use a trail system that runs from Bella Vista to Fayetteville. I know that is not a popular question with trails supporters, but, what the heck, I never was the most popular girl in school.
Jennifer Bonner, an engineering tech with the city of Rogers, said to our reporter Caleb Fort: “You cannot get in a car. Instead, you can bike, roller-skate, skateboard or walk all the way.”
Right. And just how many of us are going to do that? A week without heat and hot water - thanks to a gas line leak - taught me one thing: I don’t like roughing it.
And walking to Fayetteville is pretty darn close to roughing it.
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You may have seen this already, but I find itinteresting and entertaining. It is the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life’s survey on religious knowledge.
The forum conducted a phone survey of 3,412 Americans awhile back, testing their religious knowledge. I got 14 of 15 questions right. Here are examples:
Which Bible figure is most closely associated with leading the exodus from Egypt? Job, Elijah, Moses or Abraham.
In which religion are Vishnu and Shiva central figures? Islam, Hinduism or Taoism.
Which one of these preachers participated in the period of religious activity known as the First Great Awakening? Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finney or Billy Graham.
What question did I miss? The last one about the Great Awakening. I do not remember studying it at all - must have been involvedin the Great Sleep-In when the topic came up.
Atheists and agnostics, Jews and Mormons were among the highest-scoring, outperforming evangelical Protestants, mainline Protestants and Catholics, according to the Pew Forum folks. Funny. They didn’t mention my category: sinner.
If you want to take the quiz, go to http://features.pewforum.org/quiz/usreligious-knowledge/.
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It is time to overspend on sugary treats for ghosts and goblins. I still miss the pastor’s wife’s popcorn balls; other Halloween treats just don’t match up.
Remember, Friday afternoon is the Goblin Parade and the War Eagle’s homecoming parade, both downtown. Be careful!
LEEANNA WALKER IS LOCAL EDITOR OF THE ROGERS MORNING NEWS.
News, Pages 2 on 10/25/2010