Fat Tuesday: A Gumbo Mix

AHA, Eeee! It's Fat Tuesday in the house and there's a been a devilish brew cooking on the stove for this edition of COP:24/7. Just like that famous Noloa fixin, the gumbo pot is full of things reconiziable and stuff thrown in for good mesure. I don't know about you but it's been a rowdy year thus far with a host of subjects that need to be mentioned and rementioned. Well, what are we waiting for, let's start the parade...

Under the Crown: Congrats go out to Roxie Starlite,(pictured left) the newly crowned Miss River Queen, FFI last Friday night at UBU. The 1st Alternate was Diamond Rose, (pictured right) who came to the pageant with a great package displaying his growth in the artistry. I believe that we will be hearing more from DR as the pageant season takes flight. Overall the evening was filled with interesting performances, varying fashion statements and for myself lots of people watching. Usually this becomes most apparent when the MC, aptly done by Gigi Galore starts "stretching for time" and calling out audience guest. As I looked around the room was not SRO ( standing room only) but mildly attended especially by all those past title holders, "crown" sitters, and anybody who use to be somebody, including my alter ego, Cassanundra Manchester, whom I will obviously never escape. Despite a rocky start and building something new, my hats off to the promoters of the US of A system and their affiliates for staying the course and ticking along just nicely, thank you. Stay locked in here for more updates and pageant info. If you were present at the pageant, what were your observations, omissions or comments. Let's hear it!!

From the Heart: I wanted to remind everyone about Saturday, March 7, 2009, as the Center for Artistic Revolution, (CAR) will present the 5th Annual Corazón Mexican Dinner and Silent Art Auction. This is CAR's signature event and annual fundraiser which will be held at Quapaw United Methodist Church, 1601 S Louisiana, in Little Rock at 6 pm with a preview party and dinner followed by the silent auction at 7 pm. Tickets for the preview party dinner are $15.00 in advance $20.00 at the door. Age 12 and under the tickets $7.00 in advance and $10.00 at the door.*Admission to the silent auction is free.
Please contact us to purchase tickets! Our office hours are 9-5 during the week. If you need to pick up tickets before or after this, please call Adam at 501.912.4780.


Guns & Christians: Yes, my pretties, they done, done it again. Arkansas' legislature has put the Natural state back in the spotlight as a state that keeps presenting itself as a quasi stateside "Banana Republic." This time, it's all about gun toting Christians who want to be armed and ready in case some "wolf" shows up on Sunday morning to harm the flock. It's straight out of the movie Buck and the Preacher years ago! That's right, the Arkansas House of Representatives approved a bill Feb. 11 that would allow people with concealed-weapon permits to bring their guns to church.
The bill, approved by the House by a vote of 57-42, now goes to the state Senate. If passed, it would amend to state's gun laws to remove "any church or other place of worship" from a list of places where firearms are currently banned.
Rep. Beverly Pyle (R-Cedarville) said she introduced the measure, which has 14 co-sponsors, in response to a series of church shootings across the country.
"It is time we changed our concealed-handgun law to allow law-abiding citizens of the state of Arkansas the right to defend themselves and others should a situation happen in one of our churches," Pyle said, according to the Associated Press. I'm all for citizens to bear arms but has it really come down to this? Golly Wow, not only are they armed with words that my harm, they may be packing too. Don't forget your bullet proof jackets, pass the collection plate and watch out for Rev. Barney Fife!