No Time to Die is the End of an Era (finally?) Bond and a Community?
Lot of suspense, intrigue, and discovery over past 60 years. Dr. No, first James Bond movie in 1962, which coincidentally was year Walmart began.
Suspense builds around the death of an era. How it happens and more importantly, why? And what's next?
More than just a James Bond franchise, it's about the mysterious W, and a community and its future.
How can a community lose over a billion dollar in value? And not realize it? Or care? Where was James Bond and W when it happened??Amassing?$7 billion?in worldwide box office revenues for the 26 Bond films. W was becoming world's largest company by revenue, with US $548.743 billion, according to the?Fortune?Global 500?list in 2020. It is also the largest private employer in the world with 2.2?million employees.
Rural broadband requires a disruptive force, not controlled by lobbyists and politicians. Same as Bond in his efforts to fight evil using his disruptive force outside the system.
How can an once invaluable member of your network be told they are no longer needed. In fact they are now identified as a "redheaded stepchild" that hurts their image. Get lost! See what happens when Bond was told that, key people in a community, and then the community.
Redistricting final nail in the economic development coffin? MIA Governor & W?
Much concern about national socialism, when local socialism is worse. All politics is local -- Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives?Tip O'Neill?is most closely associated with this phrase. Low unemployment and high poverty rate leads to being a leader in food stamps despite "positive" economic development news. Time to unpack those mysterious contradictions.
Community resets racial image for the umpteenth time. See how redistricting, rural broadband, and race effect economic development. How resetting has become a cottage industry.
Unlikely players and subjects - Billionaire W, Pogo, Gaslight the movie, and gaslighting.
Illegal social media public shaming of a community by Facebook, Wikipedia, Google, and YouTube, based on a tabloid, have had immunity against liabilities under sect 230 of the 1996 federal Communications Decency Act -- politicians eliminate that & you'll fix Facebook & social media.
As far as mainstream press, you can't fix stupid.
Just testing my counterintelligence gaslighting skills to deal with it.
Latest Arkansas Democrat Gazette editorial (Oct. 18th) on community resets will be challenged for all its missing self-incriminating facts.
As we all know the James Bond phenomena is fed by miraculous recoveries, even in the closing credits there was a cryptic "James Bond will return."
Will it happen to a community? Buckle your seatbelts and stay tune!
Update:
Following "stupid" editorial dated October 18th, 2021 on "resetting" the community. It has become a cottage industry for locals over past years, running in 7 year cycles, most recently #believeboonecounty raising $300K+ to "right" an image created over 100 years ago (which factually was much more about jobs than racism found in other areas of Arkansas and North Arkansas including headquarters for Arkansas Democrat-Gazette NW), once again. More on that later in this section and under Race heading.
Much like Job's hypocritical friends in the Bible, just confess your sins. Whether you did them or not.
"The Rebirth of Harrison is a worthy effort. Some of us believe, with the help of locals, it has been going on for a decade or more already. But that’s all right. Not all turnarounds are hairpins." Note: Outside support is much appreciated, but?"First cast out the beam of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."
Check the state papers' handling of massacre in Elaine on the Delta "Newspapers (one was Arkansas Democrat another was the Gazette when they were separate papers, why not admit it for sake of transparency?) at the time helped inflame mobs with "irresponsible" reporting. Black folks who weren’t shot down in the streets were gathered up and tried in the courts. Nothing more was expected for these citizens than prejudice, injustice and death by the state", not mentioned were the '57 Little Rock Central reporting, and more recently in its home area, Rogers -- circa 1962 reported in the Washington Post:
When Signs Said 'Get Out'?In 'Sundown Towns,' Racism in the Rearview Mirror By?Peter Carlson February 21, 2006
Loewen dug up many examples of towns touting their whiteness. In 1907, Rogers, Ark., published a guide that announced: "Rogers has no Negroes or saloons."?
"later, in 1962, black rocker Fats Domino played a gig in Rogers, Ark., and the Rogers Daily News ran a front-page editorial congratulating the town on its tolerance:
"The city which once had signs posted at the city limits and at the bus and rail terminals boasting 'Nigger, You Better Not Let the Sun Set on You in Rogers,' was hosting its first top name entertainer -- a Negro -- at night!"
Wow! Where was Harrison in this well researched article? Or Rogers in the not-so-well researched editorial October 18th, 2021, in Arkansas Democrat Gazette NW. Paper is located in Lowell Arkansas, which coincidentally adjoins Rogers. Lowell headquarters may be where the sunset signs were placed?
Warning - More on this later. You will find my research doesn't exonerate Harrison, just places blame more on current indifference by community leaders for allowing Klan to reside in community, not Zinc. Why and how it has happened. Again finding you can't fix stupid, particularly if money and a billionaire are involved!
My two years of research aren't an attempt to reset, or rewrite history. It's about getting it RIGHT! All fact based, logic based on scientific methods, as well as earliest recorded documents validated by multiple sources. e.g. when someone refers to "But how many Arkansas history classes teach the Harrison race riots of 1905 and 1909? In which mobs drove nearly all Black people out of the town? And Harrison became one of many Sundown Towns in the American South — in which certain folks of color knew they’d better be out of town by sundown, or else." Wow! Nearly as great reporting as social media and the tabloids. Note: Encyclopedia of Arkansas offers opinions and similarities, missing the important definitive reasons that real journalists should ask -- What were reasons outsiders were living in Harrison? Why no deaths like Elaine or Tulsa? Sundown towns" similar (implicit) but no actual proof, might mention only those with documented proof ? : From Encyclopedia "Though nowhere near as murderous (meaning 0 killed) as other?race riots?across the state, the Harrison Race Riots of 1905 and 1909 drove all but one?African American?from?Harrison (Boone County), creating by violence a (nearly all or even 1 removes the all-white label) remaining all-white community similar to other (Any signs documented , e.g. Rogers) such “sundown towns” in northern and western Arkansas." ?More on recent actual data comparisons of percentage of blacks in the Harrison population to surrounding towns later. No doubt a surprise to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette editors as well.
Note to investigative reporters : Ozarks are hilly (with rocks) and life was hardscrabble (circa 1900), unattractive for any outsiders coming to Harrison seeking work; so question has to be asked "why were any blacks or any outsiders in Harrison at that time?", Since slaves were uncommon to the local culture (friends and family were totally dependent on each other to survive), blacks were in the delta or places with plantations, so there was no pent-up emotional hate to rid themselves of the blacks, as long as they had jobs, and not breaking into homes to survive - blacks either were brought by potential railroad opportunities (eliminated by 1905 bankruptcy, hint 1905 riots) or slave owners bringing them as property looking for non-existent large farming acreage (some did locate in nearby Newton County on the Buffalo River, others went West) - zero blacks or non-blacks would have come independently since there were no opportunities here - everybody was just surviving - again it was a hard life in the Ozarks, until the 1970's. When things changed economically. More later in Race section.
Correction it is #believeboonecounty the most recent reset, including an expensive video - quickly overshadowed by a 1 man viral on Walmart parking lot during BLM activities (more later). Again issue of putting lipstick on beloved pig, before correcting core problems.
But First
Recent attendance at the local theater marked the end of an era. Not just the Bond movie, it was the end of the old movie theater stigma with sticky floors, smelly and dirty restrooms, and uncomfortable seats with crowded seating. Not just in larger cities and IMAX but in smaller communities.
For the seniors who no longer go out to movies, I have written my personal review. As always, my thoughts are independent with no paid endorsement.
Saw James Bond movie "No Time to Die" at local theater - Golden Ticket Cinemas. The star of the movie was the theater - large recliners, more than adequate spacing, great sound, and immaculate theater floors and restrooms (I did say clean restrooms). Concessions - smell of the popcorn (too soon after lunch to enjoy)
Marketing should give pictures of recliners, restrooms, concessions, etc. as much importance as coming attractions.
Not sure last time I've been to a movie locally, but new theater compares to anything, not IMAX, I have attended in larger cities.
My daughter, a trooper, attended with me. She prefers Hallmark type movies, but willing to make sacrifice, just to get out and do something different. We have had all the shots, boosters, and even flu shot. And yes she had her mask - important for people like her with organ transplants. Another version of "no time" to die!
Oh yeah, the movie, I've been a Bond fan since Dr. No (sixty years), and feel all the Bonds since Sean Connery, are all imposters.
Can't recall seeing a 007 movie in the theater since Goldfinger. My all-time favorite.
No Time to Die has all the tech gimmickry that requires movie theater viewing. As a content senior home viewer I missed the closed caption option, and ability to rerun a scene. I'm sure there will be individual options in the theater at some point with all the new theater tech.
Sound is great, latest Dolby, and for the theater goers hearing dialogue is not real important, just seeing and hearing the action. I guess the iconic "Bond, pause James Bond" is the only must hear part of movie.
Missing was powerful theme song of Adele or better yet Shirley Bassey - sorry Billie Eilish doesn't work at all for me.
I'm old school as far as my "James Bond" with much more wit and sarcasm sometimes at the expense of men and villains, and sometimes at the expense of women. I guess too much male chauvinism for the modern age. But we do still have beauty pageants!
Talking about all the Bond tech in advance of using it was a fun part missing as well. Most of that was done in a previous movie, Spectre. For those with aging memories (Spectre was made over 5 years ago) or sporadic attendance at Bond movies, they just appear out of nowhere. Changing times have required changing dialogue, and methods.
Lot of the movie focus is on being Daniel Craig's last Bond, and wrapping up a lot of issues from previous movies (if you are concerned about plot).
Spoiler alert watch for another death of Bond as we've known him over the years. Sacrificing his life to save mankind, as we know it. Obviously he will be reincarnated as 007 or 00?, or even CIA agent or spook, possibly with another name. We know that from press releases they are looking for next Bond to ensure continued interests.
Next will be market research on what brings audiences back to the theater in 2020's - as far as how Bond's death will be handled - another miraculous escape, prequel (aka Sopranos, Star Wars), or new Bond.
I'm betting on a "new" Bond. More Chinese less Russian - of course playing to the big Far East (and India) movie market.
No matter, I see it as the death of an era. Guess there really is a time to die!
As we all know the James Bond phenomena is fed by miraculous recoveries, even in the closing credits there was a cryptic "James Bond will return."
Which provides a lead into current economic, and racial issues in rural America - redistricting, broadband, and diversity.
Something I have up-close and personal thoughts and opinions on. To add some suspense my first job out of college was at the CIA in Langley.
I'm not going to bore you with details, you can do that by reading my over 100 Linkedin articles time stamped on Harrison, and rural technology (and economic development) written over the past two years. How a small and once smart community has cost itself over a billion dollars during the James Bond era, 1960's to current.
Point of reference Dr. No, first Bond movie, was released in 1962; same year Walmart was founded. Harrison Store#2 was opened in 1964. Goldfinger was released in 1964.My all-time favorite. The importance of Harrison appears to have been lost over the years. Sam Walton and analysts have spoken to importance of Harrison in Walmart's success. Emphatically stating (reported in mainstream news and encyclopedia) there wouldn't have been a Walmart, as we know it today, without its success.
I have pointed to that in pride during my technology marketing and sales to over 50 countries, from a technology company based in Harrison.
Redistricting
In the 60's popular WWII combat pilot hero and businessman John Paul Hammerschmidt, from Harrison, was elected Congressman, serving from January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1993. Even once defeating former President Bill Clinton, who was considered a very popular rising star in the Democratic Party.
At that time Harrison was the center of political activity for the Third District of Arkansas. Interstate 49 in Arkansas?was designated the John Paul Hammerschmidt Highway based on his full support of Northwest Arkansas.
Including his key effort in building of the airport at XNA. Note JPH's editorial in Chicago Tribune above - "The recent effort to build a new airport began in 1990, and I am proud of the role I was able to play in getting this project started. Before retiring in January 1993, I served as the ranking Republican member of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee. In September 1990, I was the host for a field hearing in Springdale, Ark., attended by 14 members of the committee.
Northwest Arkansas was at that time, and still is, one of the fastest-growing regions of the country. The purpose of the hearing was to take testimony from business and government leaders from throughout northwest Arkansas about the need for improvements to the region's transportation system. The committee heard compelling testimony from several people, including the late Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart; Don Tyson, then chairman of Tyson Foods; and J.B. Hunt, then chairman of J.B. Hunt Transport.
As a result of the clearly demonstrated aviation needs, a planning grant for the regional airport project was announced in November 1990 by then-Transportation Secretary Samuel Skinner. The project has enjoyed the continued support of U.S. Sens. Dale Bumpers and David Pryor, both Democrats, as well as my successor, Rep. Tim Hutchinson, a fellow Republican."
Again Northwest Arkansas
So the recent bearer of bad news by current Third District Representative Womack was not well received by the local old-timers.
Again I have expressed my opinions and laments in recent Facebook and Linkedin postings:
So I will summarize (and repeat) -
Boone County will no longer be in District 3 , but moving to District 1 - going from Northwest Arkansas to the Delta
Representative Womack gave a heads up recently at Harrison Kiwanis Club meeting that Boone County will no longer be in his District 3 , but moving to District 1 - going from Northwest Arkansas to the Delta - seems like the move is more like disinheriting "red haired step child" -- I can remember when Boone WAS the 3rd District during the JPH era. How things have changed!
Most seem to think it's a given. Hope community leaders - Boone County Judge, Mayor, Chamber CEO and others are making their concerns known. Losing political / congressional connection with Northwest Arkansas is not in the best interests for any hope and plans for Boone County / Harrison economic development. However, I have found the community has become pretty indifferent to issues -- race, coronavirus, economic development, etc. - nothing like the roaring 60's when Harrison native John Paul Hammerschmidt was first elected to Congress.
GOT THIS COMMENT ON LINKEDIN FROM BOB LARGENT, CEO HARRISON REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Herb and others,
Been working on the issue - based on Census population - for months now! Everyone locally, and in surrounding counties, agrees, Boone County needs to stay in the 3rd District. The Judge, Mayor and many, many community leaders have engaged with our State Senators and Representatives (who make the decision on Congressional districts) and expressed our concerns and the rationale to do so. They are only 5 (Sens Flippo and Davis; Reps McNair, Fortner and Slape) individuals out of the 135 people that make the decision. I’m confident they have our backs, but the population centers in LR, NEA and NWA drive the day; they have the numbers. That’s politics. Not good but it’s what we have in the US Constitution. And pls remember, the State decision (not yet approved and signed by the Governor) will be reviewed by the US DOJ.
Please be assured the Chamber and elected city and county leaders are VERY engaged and working daily for the best interests of the citizens and business interests we represent. Bob
JOHN HUDSON SENT THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE AT 9:54 PM
I know that Bob Largent will advocate as much as possible for Boone County and he will do what’s best…. and possibly keep Boone County in the 3rd District.
Thanks for bringing this to everyone’s attention Herb Lair. Most of us had NO IDEA !!!
HERB LAIR SENT THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE AT 10:52 PM
The split in Sabastian County seems most illogical, understand the politics, but all should be in 4th district allowing Boone to remain in 3rd.
Very little diversity in Sabastian County - The racial makeup of the county was 72.83% Non-Hispanic white, 6.24% Non-Hispanic black, 1.88% Native American, 4.06% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.07% Non-Hispanics of some other race, 2.78% Non-Hispanics reporting two or more races and 12.82% Hispanics.
While Pulaski County, the other split county, has considerable geographic diversity - The racial makeup of the county was 63.96% White, 31.87% Black or African American, 0.39% Native American, 1.25% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.09% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. 2.44% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Easier to see split into 2 districts
I know it was a different time , but the JPH era was filled with many strong individuals & entrepreneurs - JE Dunlap, - newspaper, banks - First National, Security, First Federal - Coffman's, Rabbie Rhodes, Tom Bill Rogers, businessmen HC Ormond - ML Lair (Oil Distributor), Hammerschmidt, Joe Miller (Hardware), Doug Hudson (Grocery), John Hudson's dad (SAV-A Stop), Sheridan Garrison (Freight), Bob Wheeler (Radio & Cable TV), etc. Again they would not have let this happen. That's a guarantee!
Not sure where Walmart & Arvest exec's stand-- particularly Jim Walton? He and Alice big political contributors. (Governor) Asa has been missing in action - owes a lot to JPH and legacy! With store#2 here there should be more support than we get!
JOHN HUDSON SENT THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE AT 11:52 PM
I agree Herb… there’s a lot of history for Boone being in the 3rd District. Without the significant leaders that we’ve had over many decades, I can only hope that the new generation of leaders can and will step up and fill those shoes to ensure that Boone will remain in the 3rd District.
Thanks for bringing this up to our attention. I had NO IDEA prior to seeing your post.
SATURDAY
HERB LAIR SENT THE FOLLOWING MESSAGES AT 6:42 AM
Thanks
HERB LAIR 7:03 AM
It's all about winning and losing. Unfortunately how you play the game doesn't matter - sometimes you have to call in some favors owed from the past - check (Governor) Asa's political history - Asa in news release after Hammerschmidt's death “Congressman Hammerschmidt was also a leader on transportation issues, helping to build Arkansas’s roads and highways and making the state more competitive nationally. On a personal note, John Paul was a mentor of mine. I was privileged to hold his seat in Congress, and I called on his wise counsel and advice countless times. I will miss him greatly."
So far MIA - if you check back JPH support was huge for Asa in the beginning and later - I recall meeting Asa at the Fayetteville airport and talking about it - no long-term memory for politicians.
Jim Walton, wealthiest Arkansan billionaire - with local Arvest presence - noted for making sizable political contributions - so no reason to stay out of issue - besides his dad, Sam Walton, quoted and supported by analysts - there would not be a Walmart without the success of store #2 in Harrison.
Reality is we have no local voice with any state impact - locally all allow the Klan to reside in downtown Harrison. Even a Chamber member and attorney finally expressed displeasure with local bank financing of the Klan billboard. That along with financing or supporting purchase of office property for Robb Law Office is unfathomable - Northwest Arkansas happy to rid itself of Boone and Harrison Klan connection.
Rural Broadband
Click on Lone Wolf Howling in the Wind below for rural broadband concerns.
领英推荐
Thoughts on rural broadband
As far as the $2.2 million for consultant to make broadband implementation plan, the whole process is a joke.
Transparency was never an issue. For consultants who typically bid on government project, no issue with request for proposal process.
When politicians agree on something it starts becoming dicey.?Next you check ownership and lobbyists connected to the three companies who submitted bids then it gets dicier.
Broadband Development Group is on?five?lobbyist lists of Martha Hill, Hill is the wife of U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark; Morril Harriman; Kendra Pruitt; Derrick W. Smith; Ark Monroe III.
Any new leapfrog technology affecting traditional businesses represented by the five lobbyists is dead on arrival. More candidly any new broadband solutions will be aborted shortly after conception. For Yogi Berra fans: 'It's Deja Vu All Over Again’.
I’ve participated in enough third world tech bids to understand the advantage of insiders, I’ve started at the ambassador level and country president. Again that’s third world!
Statement of work is nothing more than non-self-incrimination generalities. Lot of - “pretty broadly”, “outcome in best interests of state”.
No doubt most of the politicians involved dismiss The World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman as the bible for flat-earthers. How could technology jobs be created in India, a place of ignorance, poverty, and inequality?
Don’t realize that broadband will never be the panacea, just the enabler.
For longtime technologists, major changes only come from a disruptive force.
I always refer to Sam Walton as a disruptive force. Walmart store #2 is located in Harrison. I experienced the negative and positive.
My dad, pioneer in retail TV sales, was adversely affected when people voted with pocketbooks for change. Later In my international marketing for cable software, I always pointed to Sam Walton saying “there would never have been a Walmart without the success of Harrison” (my home office).
My credentials includes pioneer in PC software in Arkansas, although initially working on large mainframe in DC with government, and later with oil companies in Louisiana and Kentucky.
Reinvention in technology comes as a necessity for survival.
I founded a rural software company in the Ozarks, and sold systems in over 50 countries pre-commercial Internet.
Many of the Y2K “computer memory” issues that limited the large cable system customer care and billing system providers, who ran only on mainframes with COBOL code, was the reason I was able to enter the international market first with a system on the desktop (PC).
As far as rural broadband, tangible value must be seen immediately!
With all the Smartphone apps, many no longer need the traditional computer equipment (desktop, monitor, printer) to become proficient in the use of broadband.
Satellite service with gigabit-speed, and just 20 milliseconds of latency. Could create a location agnostic work network reducing need (and cost) for fiber.
Elephant in the room is Elon Musk and Starlink. Known as a disruptive force in space and electric vehicles. Lobbyists (and politicians) want to make things “or” when it should be “and”.
Important point is Starlink (satellite) has gigabit-speed, and just 20 milliseconds of latency. This will create a location agnostic work network reducing need for fiber.
Outside “independent” consultant missing in action.
Herb Lair
Observations - reported and reality
Economic Development
I keep seeing a lot of positive media on economic development, the hospital, and even race relations. Nothing wrong with that. Or is there? Famous catchphrase by Keith Morrison on Dateline
"Since Jan. 1, almost 150 new jobs have been added and 486 are projected in the months ahead, he said. Boone County’s unemployment rate fell from 6.2% last year to 3.6%. There are 350 plus available jobs today in local businesses. Some of those companies are offering sign-on bonuses, he added."
Reality -- Having a low unemployment rate of 3.6% along with high poverty rate in Harrison, 22.2% creates many unanswered questions (for those critical of national socialism). Harrison,11th highest city in Arkansas for receiving food stamps.
Lot of competition for low pay jobs
Hospital
Vince Leist, CEO of North Arkansas Regional Medical Center, made a proposal to Boone County Quorum Court committees citing the refunding of certain bonds would save the county hospital about $1 million in interest payments.
The bonds were originally funded in 2006 to remodel the hospital. Some were refunded in 2011 and others in 2013. Leist said he is proposing the refunding of three sets of bonds. The 2013 bonds have the highest interest rate. If they are refunded in 2021 the term date of 2033 will not change, but the interest rate will go from 4.23% down to 2.82%, savings the hospital about $1 million.
In addition, the ordinance Leist presented to the quorum court includes the refunding of the 2006 and 2011 bonds in 2022. If those bonds are refunded at no more than 4% the hospital can save an unidentified amount of funds, he said.
Following a public hearing on the request prior to the start of Tuesday night’s regular monthly meeting, the full quorum court acted decisively and adopted the ordinance necessary for Leist and the hospital to proceed with the issuance.
Great news! Or is it?
The article says NARMC lost $2.97 million for its fiscal year ending March 31, 2020. North Arkansas Regional has 120 beds and 577 employees. Izard County Medical Center, which has 25 beds and 55 employees, lost $2.39 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020.
The two local hospitals are among 25 of the state’s 92 hospitals which reported a net loss. Of the hospitals which reported losses, 10 of them had 25 beds or fewer.
With the low vaccination rate by the Arkansas Department of Health for Boone County the hospital losses are somewhat more palatable. However to build local trust transparency is a must! ?
Race
Harrison has made several attempts to 'reset'. Click on MLK panel article below. If you read my Linkedin articles, there remains a lot of unnecessary attention to the
"Harrison race riots of 1905 and 1909” drove all but one Black person from the town, creating by violence an all-white community similar to other such sundown towns in northern and western Arkansas, according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas."
The facts are "the riots were created by railroad bankruptcy, and lack of jobs". It was not similar to other areas, since there were no one killed in Harrison. Mainstream media has continued to be led and fed by social media (and even tabloids intent on destroying Harrison) on this subject. Also since slaves were uncommon to the local hardscrabble culture, they were in the delta, there was no pent-up emotional hate to rid themselves of the blacks, as long as they had jobs - blacks either were brought by railroad opportunities or slave owners bringing them as property with them - zero blacks would have come independently since there were no opportunities here - everybody was just surviving - again it was a hard scrabble life until the 1970's. Also check out nearby Newton County where blacks lived amicably - look at massacres at Elaine (Delta) in Arkansas or Tulsa, Oklahoma for your stories. Quit resetting Harrison!
After extensive research, all documented in my articles, the problems are not the ancestors, it's the current day ambivalent attitude to determining the accurate facts instead of settling on false impressions of the past. And continually apologizing. Major changes in local demographics have influenced the indifference, and ongoing need to reset. Who is being protected?
Besides it's a fund raiser every seven years for the locals, e.g. #BelieveBooneCounty. There were recorded estimates of needing to raise $300-500K to rid Harrison of its racial image, again and again.
Some might call it putting lipstick on a pig, while avoiding the root problem. In Arkansas, home of the Razorbacks, the quote might be taken as a compliment.
Diversity, if defined by percentage of black population, is not significantly different in Harrison than throughout Northern Arkansas or Southern Missouri. Check from Mountain Home to Bentonville, or any comparable town in Southern Missouri, South of Springfield, MO - Monett, Joplin, Branson, etc. All have their own racial stories which not only resulted in displacement, but normally included killings and lynching's
(Note: Lowell home of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette runs behind Harrison)
As far as diversity, might consider the Latino or Hispanic workers, property owners, and business owners residing in Harrison and North Arkansas. Might surprise those people intent on diversifying. It's already happening in the true sense o diversity.
Also check names listed as physicians and professionals in a Harrison Google search - starting with NARMC, you will find several with international names and heritage. If you check further, they are from the Philippines, Caribbean, Middle East, Mexico, China, etc.
Once a newsman asked what I wanted? I just replied, "do your damn job!".
Again you can't fix stupid!
I'm yet to see any pictures of sundown signs that existed in Harrison area? There are those from Springdale and Rogers that have been referenced. Note recent update for more clarity.
I have not personally experienced any racial incidences from the 1940's till now. Some of my time was at our family service station business and others at retail sales, and as Director of 911.
With a white supremacist group located nearby, “Harrison has retained the legacy of its ethnic cleansing, in terms of demographics and reputation, through the 20th century and into the 21st,” according to the encyclopedia article.
Unfortunately this is the red herring. Something none of the local leaders will address. Prefer apologizing for inaccurate historical misstatements from over a 100 year ago.
Most common response is "The Klan has rights. What can we do?" My answer is "Do what every other respectable community has done!". Get rid of them, even jokingly make them an offer they can't refuse.
Conclusion
Sorry for venting but I have great admiration for self-made billionaires - Gates, Bezos, Elon Musk, and Sam Walton.
I have worked directly with several around the world - Hillblom in Saipan, Riadys in Indonesia, and Kluge in the USSR - Kluge was considered the wealthiest in the world at one time. So I am not intimidated.
"The success of the Harrison store provided the funding needed to build several other stores and served as the training ground for future managers. Some analysts believe that without the success of the Harrison store, there would not be a Wal-Mart company today."
Where were (and are) the Walton's? I know where Sam would have been? He would have had our backs!
Go back and check local Harrison Congressman's key support of XNA airport - again at the direct request of Sam and the Walton family benefitting nearby Walmart Headquarters.
From Washington Post
"The most frightening interaction, Bliss said, was when a man in a cream-colored Camry drove by flipping him off and moments later returned to warn, “About 10 minutes, I’m gonna be back. You better be f------ gone.”
“That guy was definitely implying that he was going to go get his gun and come back, which is terrifying,” Bliss, 31, told The Washington Post.
Bliss is a director and producer based in Los Angeles and is known for making viral stunts aimed at socially conscious messages — including a video from 2014 when he recorded a woman being constantly heckled while walking around New York. Bliss captured his interactions in Harrison, and scores more, on a GoPro camera that he strapped to his chest and peeked out a hole in his T-shirt. He edited his footage down to a two-minute video, which he argues provides vivid firsthand evidence that racism is alive and well in parts of the country.
Bliss’s video swiftly went viral after he uploaded it Monday, with various uploads of the video on YouTube and Twitter receiving roughly 3 million views as of early Thursday. It also circulated widely on Facebook with the bold title, “Holding a Black Lives Matter Sign in America’s Most Racist Town,” and with a lead image of him holding the sign in front of a white supremacist billboard."
For those curious about how fast an unannounced 1-man protest on a privately owned Walmart parking lot video can go viral with no verification. 3 million views in 3 days.
From Springfield News Leader including my interview
"Herb Lair says he is a "lifetime?resident of Harrison"?who runs a business-development consultancy in the town of 13,000. He told the News-Leader he thinks Harrison is frequently portrayed unfairly as a hotbed of racism or a flashpoint for Black Lives Matter protests.?
"I have had success taking a technology company internationally from Harrison," Lair said in a Wednesday email. "It involved having people of all races come to Harrison for training. That would have business suicide if I didn't have confidence they would be well treated."
"(It's) odd?for an unknown white male to hold a one-man protest," Lair said. He said he found the video surprising when he saw it, and he didn't recognize anyone portrayed in the video. For Lair, the clip attributed to Bliss is "based entirely on his ability to provoke people," the Harrison resident said.
Walmart has been considered a marketing genius and had experienced a "mass shooting at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, United States. A gunman shot and killed 23 people and injured 23 others."?
WMT should have system in place (along with numerous security cameras in their parking lot) to identify people and cars (including license numbers) in the video. Who are they and where are they from? Note - Harrison Walmart serves a large region, and over a 3-day period 80,000 people come by from local and far and away - no excuses in a small town but I?didn't recognize any of the people, and the producer methods used to get responses were not identified, and highly edited.
Might recall Klan was battling Black Lies Matters at the time, so great time to orchestrate an event.
Rob Bliss is a director and producer based in Los Angeles and is known for making viral stunts. Harrison is not an easy place to get to, so funding and local facilitation to maximize impact required people on the ground. Local directors of BLM denied any advance knowledge of Bliss's flashpoint video. It actually was very detrimental, and built animosity to their cause and rally at Zinc.
Local officials were quick to apologize before making any effort to investigate? Why?
Walmart left Harrison hanging in the wind, so any support of Klan by Arvest with loans would be a double - whammy.
As we all know the James Bond phenomena is fed by miraculous recoveries, even in the closing credits there was a cryptic "James Bond will return."
Sorry don't see the same for Harrison!
Warning
I have found Gaslighting has become my greatest opponent from the media, state and local officials, social media, enemies, and even friends and family. Reason I have given such detail to my personal findings and emotions over the past two years. For those who are fighting gaslighting, it's recommended you keep a journal of things that happen. Write down your thoughts and feelings". Which I have. History will be the judge!
Note: gaslighting is to manipulate (someone) by psychological means into questioning their own sanity and includes: