Camellias, a Bessemer video and a Quiz

I asked a couple of days ago if it is Spring? and I know it is not. The Camellias are blooming, and most don't bloom in the Spring, they bloom in the Winter. How refreshing to walk out on a cold morning and find these (providing the temps haven't dipped too far below freezing). I remember when growing up in Vestavia that on Comer Circle there was a yard where on occasion a bush (shrub, not a president) was wrapped in a sheet. Mom explained that it was a camellia. Of course, as I have reminded you before, it is our non native state flower.

And I said I would let you know when the camellia show is at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, and I didn't do it. The show was this past weekend. Sorry. To make up, just a little for it, I will provide a camellia show here, of the ones blooming in the yard.

After the pictures you will find a video about Bessemer and a quiz.







This video was posted by photographer Larry O. Gay, who many of us know.



This quiz was in The New Yorker Shouts and Murmurs.

It is great. Thanks Paul Slansky.

SHOUTS & MURMURS Changes A 2008 Campaign Quiz. by Paul Slansky

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1. Who is Michael Palladino?

(a) One of two young men who interrupted a speech by Hillary Clinton by yelling, “Iron my shirt! Iron my shirt!”

(b) The aide to Barack Obama who was shoved by Bill O’Reilly at a rally.

(c) The adviser to Fred Thompson’s campaign who turned out to have been convicted of cocaine trafficking.

(d) The boxer who hosted a Nevada Obama event and who had been convicted of battery.

(e) The New York City police detective who scoffed at Rudolph Giuliani’s claim to have been “at Ground Zero as often as, if not more than, most of the workers.”

(f) The formerly gay gospel singer who advocates “curing” homosexuality with prayer, and whose performance at Obama-sponsored concerts upset gays and liberals.
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2. What did Bill Clinton call a “fairy tale”?

(a) Mike Huckabee’s contention that gay marriage would lead to increased bestiality.

(b) Obama’s claim that he has consistently opposed the Iraq war from the beginning.

(c) Mitt Romney’s positive remarks about Hitler’s scientific achievement in creating “liquefied coal.”

(d) Chuck Norris’s endorsement of Huckabee on the ground that he is “not afraid to stand up for a Creator.”

(e) The report that Obama and Dick Cheney might be distant cousins, which prompted Obama to remark, “He’s the black sheep of the family.”

(f) The suggestion by David Axelrod, Obama’s chief strategist, that Hillary Clinton bore some responsibility for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
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3. True or false: When the Clinton camp was mocked for its efforts to turn a kindergarten essay written by Obama into a reason not to vote for him, campaign officials claimed that the press release had been intended as “a joke.”

(a) True.

(b) False.
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4. Three of these statements refer to Fred Thompson. Choose the one that refers to Mitt Romney.

(a) He asked an unresponsive audience, “Can I have some applause?”

(b) He referred to Russia as the “Soviet Union,” which it stopped being seventeen years ago.

(c) He said, “Some people have said we ought to close Guantánamo. My view is we ought to double Guantánamo.”

(d) He avoided a question about the Terri Schiavo controversy by saying, “That’s going back in history. I don’t remember the details of it.”
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5. Wayne Dumond is to Mike Huckabee as ________ is to Mike Dukakis.

(a) Willie Horton

(b) John Kerry

(c) John Sasso
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6. Who is Marianne Pernold Young?

(a) The Iowa college student planted in the audience by the Clinton campaign to ask the candidate a question that she was eager to answer.

(b) The CNN reporter whom Bill Clinton scolded by saying, “This is what you live for,” after she asked him to comment on a former supporter’s observation that the Clintons’ distortion of Obama’s record is “reprehensible.”

(c) The New Hampshire photographer who asked Hillary Clinton the question that made her choke up.

(d) The CBS newswoman who asked Elizabeth Kucinich, “Would you remove [your tongue stud] if you became First Lady, or leave it in?”

(e) The owner of the landscaping company that employed illegal immigrants to mow Romney’s lawn, prompting accusations that he lives in a “sanctuary mansion.”
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7. Two of these statements refer to John McCain. Choose the one that refers to Ron Paul.

(a) When a supporter, referring to Hillary Clinton, asked, “How do we beat the bitch?” he replied, “That’s an excellent question.”

(b) He said that he would “prefer” a Christian president to a Muslim one.

(c) He voted against giving the Congressional Medal of Honor to Rosa Parks.
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8. True or false: An hour after attacking Barack Obama’s voting record on “Meet the Press,” Hillary Clinton appeared at a black church and declared herself to be “so proud” of him.

(a) True.

(b) False.
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9. Who said of MoveOn.org’s “General Betray Us” ad, “It passed a line that we should not allow American political organizations to pass”—Mike Huckabee or Rudy Giuliani?

(a) Rudy Giuliani.

(b) Mike Huckabee.
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10. Who, when asked about financial disclosures, said, “I’m not doing more than what is absolutely required”?

(a) Rudy Giuliani.

(b) Mike Huckabee.
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11. Who asked, “Don’t Mormons believe that Jesus and the Devil are brothers?”

(a) Rudy Giuliani.

(b) Mike Huckabee.
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12.Who said, “Most of our prisoners would love to be in a facility more like Guantánamo”?

(a) Rudy Giuliani.

(b) Mike Huckabee.
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13. Who scoffed at the notion that sleep deprivation is torture, saying, “On that theory, I’m getting tortured running for President of the United States. That’s plain silly”?

(a) Rudy Giuliani.

(b) Mike Huckabee.
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14. Who turned up on Outdoor Life’s list of the twenty-five most influential people in hunting and fishing?

(a) Rudy Giuliani.

(b) Mike Huckabee.
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15. Of whom was it written that “[His] Nixonian soul comes bearing the face of a particularly cruel Renaissance cardinal”?

(a) Rudy Giuliani.

(b) Mike Huckabee.
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16.Ten years ago, whose son was allegedly involved in the hanging of a dog while at Boy Scout camp?

(a) Rudy Giuliani.

(b) Mike Huckabee.
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17. Who is James Clyburn?

(a) The Clinton campaign official who resigned after raising the issue of Obama’s youthful drug use.

(b) The Georgia congressman who said that Obama is “no Martin Luther King.”

(c) The Clinton adviser who said that Obama appeals to voters who want an “imaginary hip black friend.”

(d) The South Carolina congressman who told Bill Clinton to “chill a little bit” with the race-baiting.

(e) The Obama press secretary who took the blame for a memo cataloguing race-related verbal gaffes by the Clintons and their supporters.

(f) The indicted Chicago slumlord to whom Obama returned more than forty thousand dollars in contributions.
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18. Who said, “Americans are looking for a change”?

(a) Barack Obama.

(b) Mike Huckabee.

(c) Mitt Romney.

(d) John Edwards.
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19. Who said, “Our time for change has come”?

(a) Barack Obama.

(b) Mike Huckabee.

(c) Mitt Romney.

(d) John Edwards.
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20. Who said, “I believe deeply in change”?

(a) Barack Obama.

(b) John McCain.

(c) Bill Richardson.

(d) John Edwards.
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21. Who said, “Look, what we need is change, there’s no question”?

(a) Barack Obama.

(b) John McCain.

(c) Bill Richardson.

(d) John Edwards.
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22. Who said, “I know that I have been an agent of change”?

(a) Barack Obama.

(b) John McCain.

(c) Hillary Clinton.

(d) Mitt Romney.
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23. Who said, “I want to make change but I’ve already made change. I will continue to make change. . . . I embody change”?

(a) Barack Obama.

(b) Mike Huckabee.

(c) Hillary Clinton.

(d) Mitt Romney.
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24. Who said, “Not only can I talk change with you, I’ve lived it”?

(a) Barack Obama.

(b) Mike Huckabee.

(c) Hillary Clinton.

(d) Mitt Romney.
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25. Who said, “We don’t mention September 11th nearly as much as people think”?

(a) Barack Obama.

(b) Mike Huckabee.

(c) John McCain.

(d) Rudy Giuliani.

For the answers you will either have to read the magazine like I did (I got most of them right) or go to the link and take the quiz and submit.

An Arresting Story

My run for a delegate position fell short, but I feel good about it under the circumstances. Obama performed so well in the 7th congressional district that Clinton will get just 2 delegates from the district. That means only the two top Clinton vote getters overall or the top male and top female, depending on the particulars of how the delegates are choosen, out of about 20 who ran, will be selected. People with name recognition throughout the district, who have been politically connected, had the most votes.

After writing the other day that Republicans don't go to prison I will provide evidence that the justice department and Alice Martin are overzealous in bringing down democrats. The recent arrest of Sue Schmitz (D - Toney), was characterized in Bob Martin's column, The Alabama Scene, as follows (emphasis is mine):

Here's how the arrest in the small Huntsville suburb of Toney went down as described in one editorial account: "The morning calm in the small town of Toney, located near Huntsville, was broken at 6:15 a.m. yesterday morning. A team of five FBI agents, accompanied by a prison matron, pounded on the door. When the man of the house answered, he was forced into the yard, shirtless in the early morning cold. The team had come for his wife, Sue Schmitz. She was dragged out of her bathroom, where she was taking a shower, handcuffed, breaking her flesh and scraping her wrists, and hustled off to prison.

"Who was this threat to the community? Sue Schmitz is a diminutive, 63-year-old retired social studies teacher who has lived in the same house in Toney for 38 years, roughly 20 of them as a civics teacher. She is loved in the community and among her students is legendary for her passion for civics and her outreach to the disadvantaged."

Schmitz's Hunstville lawyer Buck Watson described the arrest as "very, very unusual." Suspecting that something like this might happen Watson had informed the U. S. Attorney's office that if they wanted Rep. Schmitz she would voluntarily surrender herself. But that obviously wasn't dramatic enough for Martin. "I can't see where she has committed any crime, but even if it was it was a non-violent matter involving a woman who has never been arrested in her life," Watson said.

Of course Martin herself might learn what it feels like to be led away in handcuffs...well, if the Department of Justice's Office of Professional Responsibility was not "slow walking" the investigation of Martin's perjury charge. There are accusations Martin gave false evidence in proceedings in a 2003 depostion filed in an EEOC case. Bob Martin (no relation to Alice, I assume) says the facts are clear, "Martin gave false evidence in the proceedings, and the trial officer concluded her statements are not credible." He echoes the question of many: "How can someone stay on as a U. S. attorney when they've been caught in a serious misrepresentation, under oath, in a legal proceeding?"

Now I admit I have called on Alice Martin to come in to Bessemer and clean up, but I will be happy with any investigator. Especially one who tells the truth and treats people fairly. I wish the people who left comments the other day about other prosecutors being brought in would provide some more inforation.

I really enjoy reading Martin's columns in the Hartselle Enquirer (Martin is the editor of the Alabama Independent in Montgomery). I wish The Western Tribune would pick up this column and do away with Gary Palmer's column.

Is Gary Palmer a plagiarist?

A recent column by Palmer, of the Alabama Policy Institute, appears to be plagiarized. The column was about the Alabama Certificate of Need program which in short requires hospitals and certain other health care facilities to gain state approval before being allowed to operate. The editorial recommends the state legislature do away with the Certificate of Need program.

When I read the column I noticed a familiarity with an email I had received months ago which contained an editorial written by Michael Morrisey and Michael Ciamarra. Michael Morrisey is a professor of Health Economics at UAB's School of Public Health. He and Ciamarra were the original authors, but it appeared under Palmer's name in the paper. If anyone is interested, I will forward the editorial (email) to you.


When I retrieved the email I found word for word similarity. Something's not right. Palmer, what's up?

Conservative Stuff and Democrat Party Solutions

Is it Spring? Blooming in my yard:

Why is this man on TV and not in prison?

Oh wait. I remember, Republicans don't go to prison. That is why Tom Delay was smiling when this mug shot was taken in 2005.

But yesterday he was smiling as he was interviewed from CPAC the meeting of conservatives where Mitt Romney shocked attendees with his "suspension" of his presidential bid (I guess "suspension until 2012" is what he means).

Delay is one of the growing list of potential "suicide voters" who say they may not vote for McCain because he is not conservative enough. He joins Laura Ingram, Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh, all prominant media types who see their influence and paycheck disappearing as the Republican party changes from within.

That video is from Fox, but on another network Delay's comments caused my blood pressure to rise after he was asked to comment on McCain's acknowedgement that human activity is contributing to global warming. Among other things, Delay said that there is absolutely no scientific evidence that supports that concept. That from somebody whose idea of science is figuring out how to keep the ice in his drink from melting when sitting in a hot tub.

When asked what the "official" conservative view on climate change is he said that it was arrogant for humans to think they could change the climate.

It is no wonder that "conservatism" is becoming a bad word, with uncredible spokespersons spewing incredible yarns.

Words related to "conservative:"

conservation: the careful utilization of a natural resource in order to prevent depletion.

That concept finds no place in the conservative movement.

Fiscal conservatism: a political phrase term used in the United States to attack government spending and advocate instead lower spending and a lower federal debt.

That concept finds no place in the republican party.

While Democrats are united in both philosophy and policy, yet divided on who they choose in their primaries, Republicans seem to be uniting on who they can choose in their primaries, yet divided in philosopy and policy. Only one thing seems to unite them, and that is war (with Ron Paul supporters as the exception. You don't see Ron Paul being invited to speak at CPAC, do you?)

Democrats are worried that if they don't select a candidate before the convention things could get ugly. Here are my solutions. Simple.

1. If the Democrats will just do away with the Superdelegates and let the voters choose who the candidate will be, the party will do fine.

2. Let Florida and Michigan hold new primaries that count.

If they allow the superdelegates make the decision, the sizzle will become a fizzle.

Work it out Democrats. Before June 7.

Breathing a sigh of Relief (Not You, Louise!)

Mitt Romney has dropped out of the presidential race.

The next biggest threat to America is Mike Huckabee, the Dominionist.

John McCain will not destroy our country, but we sure don't want him elected either, but we can defeat him I am sure, regardless of who the Democratic nominee is.

I doubt Louise Alexander is breathing a sigh of relief. Here in Bessemer the dominos are beginning to fall. The Alabama Ethics Commission (?) has referred the case of councilwoman Louise Alexander to the Attorney General's office. Read it

Louise said "I haven't done anything wrong."

However, she did apparently deposit $17,775 in checks made out to the city and a city school into her business account. "Oops."

Two of the checks totalling $12, 775 were donated by local businessmen for an awards program that does not even exist. I guess she solicited the donations? "Oops."

I did say "beginning to fall" didn't I? Well money was taken out of a TIF fund and deposited into an account to make payroll last year. "Oops."

And money derived from property taxes for the rebuilding of the library was used to make a payment from the city to the school board. "Oops."

There is an audit planned by the City Council, but I just have this feeling that it will not go very deep. Mainly because they are only spending up to $15,000 for the audit. And the word "forensic" was left out. But...it is a start. Stay tuned...

Primary Comments

I don't know if Mormons recognize Lent, but I have an idea for Mitt Romney...give up politics. The Dominionist candidate kicked your tail all across the South, allowing the Warmonger candidate to solidify his lead.

Again what a night for the Democratic Party, as we show once again that we have two strong candidates for president and voters go to the polls in record numbers to indicate their choices. All of my comments are based on current information and returns, which is not complete.

My preference of course is Clinton, and while she did not win in Alabama, look at the difference between Alabama and Georgia. Obama won by 34% in Georgia, but only by 14% in Alabama. Are we that different than Georgia?

While all the votes are not yet counted, and all the delegates not yet awarded, at this point Clinton is still ahead. Votes don't select candidates, delegates do.

And the popular vote across the country favors Clinton by quite a bit. I added all the totals for all the states that have voted so far, and Clinton leads 9,723,766 to Obama's 8,354,065. That is 53.8% to 46.2%. Of course popular vote does not elect presidents either, but it is better to be ahead than behind.

The greatest wins for Hillary in my opinion were the victory in Massachusetts and California. In Mass, where both Senator Kennedy and Senator Kerry endorsed Obama, Clinton won easily, by about 15%. And in California, where the Oprah - Kennedy - Shriver fest pulled in thousands of potential voters last week, Clinton won by about 10%, after "polls" showed Obama with a chance to win.

Precinct results are not available yet, and as a result delegate results are not available either.

Alicia Keys likes Hillary. Watch this video of her song Superwoman:



Great song Alicia. And great video.

U. S. News and World reports that the Republican National Committee is levying fines for refering to Hillary or Obama by their first names. Makes them appear too friendly and likable. $10. Well, they are more likable than the candidates of the Republican Party.

A Big Tuesday in Alabama

All the entertainment is not in New Orleans. In Montgomery the Alabama legislature begins its session today. In fact hold your breath until we see an indication that the Senate will actually accomplish something. Something positive and progressive at that. Now that we know there is no discipline and that raucus politics and sucker punches are OK, who knows what will happen.

And hold your breath while we wait on the results of today's primary elections. When I voted early this morning in Bessemer about 4 people had requested Republican ballots and about 40 had asked for Democrat ballots. That will come as no surpise to anyone except Dale Jones who once wrote "Obviously you are aware that you and your views are in the EXTREME MINORITY in Bessemer, AL " in a comment on this blog. Since my views are pretty much in line with the Democratic candidates being voted on today, I would say my views are in the "EXTREME MAJORITY" here in Bessemer. In other words...more people share the common views of the Democratic Party than the Republican Party in Bessemer.

Celebrate Fat Tuesday today.

The Zulu parade has been my favorite.





Time for some Jambalaya and Pecan Cobbler. Happy Mardi Gras

Super Bowl, Super Manning

Sports on Bessemer Opinions? If Mitt Romney can make Olympic comparisons and bring sports into his campaign, then I feel I can devote one page to the Super Bowl. Even on the day before Super Tuesday. (No one needs to hear more from me about that right now...just scroll down and read about the Primary and the candidate). Besides, this column is not just about the Super Bowl.


"We're only going to score 17 points?"

That was Tom Brady last week, responding to Plaxico Burress' prediction that the Giants would win the Super Bowl 23 - 17.

No, Tom, you are only going to score 14 points. It's the Giants that will score 17. Plaxico's predicted score was wrong, but his outcome was correct. And Plaxico did catch the winning touchdown pass from Eli Manning.

Manning directed the play of the game...no, the NFL play of the season, when he escaped a sack by at least three patriots who had him wrapped up, and heaved a pass over the head of David Tyree who somehow made the grab, and held on in spite of coming down on top of a defender who was doing his best to loosen the ball from Tyree's grasp. Tyree had already scored the Giants other touchdown earlier in the 4th quarter.

Patriots...it doesn't pay to cheat (illegally taping opponents signals).
Giants...congratulations.

And let's remind people that Peyton and Eli have an older brother, Cooper Manning, who does not play football, but who might have been just as successful if a football ending diagnosis had not occured when he was a freshman in college. Read his success story here.

Cooper Manning is more inspiring than either Peyton or Eli, and probably a lot more fun to be around.