Tribune and Republicans Shake It Up

The Republican presidential candidates duked it out again last night, this time on Fox. But even Chris Wallace and Brit Hume could not steer this debate in a direction that made the candidates look strong.

Most interesting was Ron Paul’s assertion that U. S. policy resulted in the attacks on 9-11, a charge that Rudy Guiliani strongly denied. Oddly enough, in Fox’s text message poll, Paul (25%) outpolls Guiliani (19%), trailing only Mitt Romney (29%). Could anti-war voters be influencing the republican polling? I sure hope so.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,272493,00.html

The Western Tribune hit the streets yesterday and today, and the early buzz is that it outshines the competition by far. The paper is crisp looking, with good use of color on the front page and throughout and with true news stories, including an exclusive about the Bessemer Airport Authority and the huge financial mess they are have been left with. One reader said they were going to have to adjust their schedule now, after spending a good bit of time reading this issue, as compared to the minute it took to flip through the old paper.

The editor, Dan DeLong, said “All newspapers – big and small – have a duty to act as the community’s mirror.” He understands that a newspaper not only has that obligation, but also that if it upholds its obligation, it can help to “improve everyone’s living condition,” he says. “Let me repeat, everyone’s living condition.”

A community is made up of all the people who live there, whether they are black, white or brown, young or old, gay or straight or of one faith or another (something the Birmingham City Council has suddenly realized). Other stakeholders in the community are business owners and their employees, and visitors. A paper that does not accept this and targets only one segment of the population becomes more of a “newsletter” rather than a “newspaper.” DeLong assures us this will not happen. “You can take it to the bank,” he says.

And where else will you find a recipe for squab, or pigeons, that even describes how to make the local birds tender for consumption by marinating. No one should go hungry in Bessemer, and I look forward to Chef Bouffon's next contribution. I will be glad to email the recipe to anyone who does not have access to the paper. Soon I hope the paper will be online.




Daylilies are beginning to bloom, and the rain this morning has beat these down a little. I don't expect the flourish of blooms I had last year because we dug up most of the plants and divided them. There must be over 20 varieties.