Western Tribune Column November 4, Langford's conviction

Western Tribune November 4, 2009

No one was really surprised at former Birmingham mayor Larry Langford’s conviction last week on 60 counts of bribery, wire fraud, mail fraud, false tax returns and money laundering. Much was said and written about what a sad day it was for Birmingham, as people realized that once again, a local politician had been found to be corrupt.

What does this say for the city, which lies in a county struggling to stay afloat (I’m being generous, as I don’t think the County Commission is doing a damn thing to help the situation) and teetering on bankruptcy?

I understand that when one emerges from a courtroom with a guilty verdict that emotions are running high. I also recognize that Larry Langford can’t resist a microphone, and in this case, it was a bad situation for both him and his wife, Melva.

He started to stop her from speaking, knowing, it seemed, what she was about to say.
“He is not guilty. Only in Alabama can a black man not get a fair trial.”

The former mayor concurred, arguing that the jury was not made up of his peers. Of course, he is the one that requested the change of venue, and his attorneys had just as much say in the jury selection as did the prosecution. Three of the twelve jurors that decided the case were African-American.

It’s sad that racism was charged, that our entire criminal justice system was questioned, and that blame was shifted to the media.

But the chance for new leadership is certainly nothing to be sad about. Acting Mayor Carole Smitherman is not the answer. She is part of what I call “tired, old leadership,” because I am tired of the old leadership. Patrick Cooper seems like the candidate who, if elected would look beyond race and geography as he tries to bring the region together. Bessemer is part of that region.

What would really have been sad would have been an acquittal.

Had Langford been found not guilty, think of the message it would have sent to future candidates. The temptations are already bad enough for politicians. If Langford’s actions had been justified, office seekers could have practically campaigned on promises of “Slip me a little something and you’ll see your business increase.”

Sadness will soon give way to spirited campaigns as Birmingham elects a new mayor. Let’s hope for a truly, new beginning.

Weekly wrap

If you've missed me...I've been at a loss for words since Larry Langford was convicted. It's not the conviction that has me baffled, its what his wife, Melva said:

Only in Alabama can a black man not get a fair trial.

Then her husband agreed:

They struck as many blacks off that jury as they could.

Oh, well, my response to that will be forthcoming, probably in the form of a Western Tribune column. I'm trying to avoid a letter writer's bait that has been dangled in front of me. You know...if not, see the notes on my facebook page.

So on to other subjects.



This has to be just about the quickest response to one of my columns I have ever seen. This column was printed on Tuesday and posted on Wednesday, and then the next day the Senate voted to confirm Dr. Regina Benjamin as U. S. Surgeon General.




Glad to know that Senate republicans are reading my column.

Of course their quick action may have also been because they got a tongue lashing from Senate majority leaders Harry Reid.

Late last week, President Obama declared a national emergency because of the flu
outbreak, Mr. Reid noted, adding: “Unfortunately, though, right now we have no
permanent surgeon general in place. And the reason is as simple as it is
mind-boggling: Republicans in the Senate refuse to confirm President Obama’s
exceptionally qualified nominee for this job.”

In addition to Dr. Benjamin, Mr. Reid singled out Dr. Tara O’Toole, who would oversee bioterrorism defense at the Department of Homeland Security. “For that position, President Obama nominated an expert in combating both pandemics and bioterror attacks,” Mr. Reid said, adding: “Imagine that: Americans are bracing against a flu epidemic here at home and threats of terrorism from abroad, the President nominated someone highly experienced in both of those areas, and Republicans are saying no.”

Congratulation to Dr. Benjamin.

In Bessemer, the Western Tribune is reporting that city attorney Charlie Waldrep has fired two of its attorneys, Aaron Killings and Denise Blue Poe.

That might throw a wrench into...well, let's just wait and see.

Update: Aaron Killings and Denise Blue Poe Are back on the job.

Craziness

There is an effort underway to ban divorce in California, based on the same arguments used to pass Prop 8, which took away the right of couples to marry in that state. Namely, protecting traditional marriage, and protecting the children.

Live blogging from Lala's trial here , not much going on yet. It's 9:51 and the attorneys are just now returning to the courtroom from the judge's chambers. Here we go!

Why in the world would the senate even consider health care reform with a public option where states can opt out. How fair is that? I live in a state where one company has a practical monopoly, and where the public option option is desperately needed. But we are also probably one that would opt out. So where does that leave us? Separate but unequal, that's where.

We need a public option. Plain and simple.

Did you know that slavery existed long after the Civil War in Alabama? Especially in Bibb, Jefferson and Shelby counties. More on this later.

The Tea Party Express is coming to Birmingham on November 9. At noon, at Linn Park. I hope that good supporters of health care reform and those who support our president will be there to contrast with the crazies.

Endorsements

My Western Tribune column (same-sex marriage) follows this post.

You can waste your day but have fun keeping up with LaLa's trial, with live continuous updates by Kyle Whitmire (Birmingham Weekly) here.

Terri Sewell, running to replace Artur Davis in AL-07, has recieved the endorsement of the National Organization for Women PAC.

This is her first national endorsement, and it highlights her support from women.

Sewell would be the first woman elected to congress from our state.

“NOW PAC is proud to endorse Terri Sewell in her groundbreaking campaign. We are confident she will be a strong leader in Congress for full equality for women and girls,” said NOW PAC Chair Terry O’Neill.

In the governor's race, former Birmingham mayor Richard Arrington has endorsed Ron Sparks. This is surprising considering that Arrington, in his own words, "I have spent most of my life making decisons based on race."

He says his endorsement is not anti-Davis, rather it is pro-Sparks. But he also has questions about the effect Davis at the top of the ticket might have on democrats chances down the ticket and on the control of the House and state Senate.

I giggled a little bit reading that the Davis camp said voters "will also make their own independent judgements" about who to vote for, while promoting the endorsement of their candidate by Judge U. W. Clemon. Should we make up our minds independent of his opinion, too?

Certainly, we all make independent decisions about who to vote for, I hope, after learning about the candidates and seeing if they share values and have a plan for whatever office they are running for.

The National Cathedral, and a thought about Langford

Just a thought as LaLa's trial begins in Tuscaloosa. Frank Matthews, a paid employee of the city, and member of Langford's staff, held a prayer vigil for the "anointed" one yesterday.

From Matthew 6:6:

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

The Rev. Calvin Woods made it no secret that he wants God to find the mayor of Birmingham not-guilty.

Shouldn't the leaders and residents be praying for the city (and county) rather than, by prayer, trying to convince God to determine the outcome of a trial?

Just a thought.

The National Cathedral might just be the most beautiful building in all of DC. It took 83 years to build, so has modern elements along with classic Gothic architecture. It is the sixth largest cathedral in the world. There is a ton of imagery and symbolism, too much to post here, but here are some of my favorite images.

The wonderful stained glass windows in the cathedral allow a rainbow of color to tint the vaulting and piers that support the roof.

The Space Window is the most modern looking window and it commemorates the Apollo XI mission, and right in the center of that red spiral is a piece of moon rock brought back by the crew. This window is in some way mentioned in Dan Brown's new book The Lost Symbol (I haven't read the book).

Helen Keller is interred here, alongside Anne Sullivan, her teacher, downstairs at the rear of the Chapel of St. Joseph of Arimathea. Their ashes are behind that gated doorway.


In the War Memorial Chapel, this piece, made from WW II artillery shells from Normandy sets the tone. To the right of this alter is a cupboard of books containing the Honor Roll of Americans who fought in World War II.

This arm rest was carved several years before Winston Churchill came to power, but it shows a lion with the face of Churchill clutching a snake with the face of Hitler in its mouth. Sorry the picture is not in good focus, you will just have to visit the Cathedral to see this better. The snake really does have a moustache.


This is the view from the tower. I only post this picture because just to the right of the middle of the horizon, the little stob sticking up is the Washington Monument.

An cropped image taken from that picture.

Norfolk Southern, bus transit and elections

Be sure to read my Western Tribune column which follows this post.

The former president of the Metropolitan Development Board, Ted vonCannon, is now a paid consultant for Norfolk Southern. He spoke at the 2oth annual Bessemer Business Awards held at Lawson State Community College. story at al.com

He told the group that he believes that the McCalla residents will eventually see he intermodal project as a positive development.

"It's a project I believe has great merit," vonCannon said. "Is everybody going to be happy? of course not. but I believe there can be a greater understanding."

Monday the No Hub 4 McCalla folks had a meeting and one of their speakers told the group "Norfolk Southern doesn't care about your kids. Norfolk Southern is looking out for Norfolk Southern. It's up to us to look out for ourselves."

Just for the record, Norfolk Southern does care about kids. In 1984 they established a foundation to direct their charitable giving.

From their web site:

The Foundation's intent is to help ensure that:

• Our region's children are provided with first-class educational opportunities that make them productive and valued employees in the future;
• Our communities can offer their citizens access to cultural opportunities that make life more enjoyable; and
• Our communities can provide residential and work environments that are safe, attractive and desirable.

While most of their charitable giving (which is in the millions) toward education is for post secondary scholarships and such, young children benefit from their giving to United Way and other community and cultural recipients.

Larry Langford and upcoming elections

What can I say. I wrote about Al LaPierre's plea agreement yesterday on Examiner. Langford's spin is that this will help him, so it's business as usual for him.

He says the city needs to fix the bus system, or start over.

Here is the future of the Birmingham bus system, as envisioned by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (h/t to Jay). No mention of this by Langford in the article, by the way. Of course, it wasn't one of his grandiose ideas.

After watching that I wonder (?) why don't we have people with an eye on the future in our city government? Why do we elect people who are tied to the past? I love what my friend said the other day, that the past should be a light post, not a hitching post.

I hate that Birmingham is about to get another black eye when the mayor goes on trial. I hate that this is tied to the troubles of Jefferson County, which is sinking faster than the Titanic. What business in their right mind would want to locate in the city or county with what is going on? What family would want to move here?

There is a great opportunity in Birmingham for a new kind of leadership, and city elections are coming up next month. Let's hope that the voters of Birmingham look for young leaders or at least leaders with young ideas that can change the vision from looking backward to looking forward.

The same holds true for Bessemer. Next year we have city elections and will elect a council and mayor. We need new people on our council and a new mayor to project our city into the future. The people of Bessemer and surrounding communities are so disgruntled that only 8 percent voted in the recent special election. We need candidates that excite us.

Oh, and aren't County Commission elections next year also. Please, please, voters, replace them all. I don't care if your favorite commissioner has been on the right side of the bankruptcy argument or the McCalla controversy or what. They are all tainted.

Western Tribune column, July 22 2009, Bingo!

It seems that some things are coming whether we like them or not. Some call it progress, some call it, well, other things.

Take bingo, for instance. Both Birmingham and Bessemer are on the path to allow electronic bingo in their cities (as if gambling is not already present).

Bessemer’s Mayor Ed May said, “I do believe that having such facilities will erode the morals of the people on the western side of Jefferson County…because they have to deal with this foolishness.”

Undoubtedly his views are based at least somewhat on his biblical interpretations and religious views.

And I think his denial of crime in our city is religion based also, or at least the solution is, as he once said we could just tell the bad folks about Jesus and the problem would be solved.

In Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford can’t wait to hear the bells ringing as he asked for larger bingo halls (rather than many small ones) and is hoping the city can sue itself to determine whether the machines are legal or not. Now that’s a novel idea.

But wait. Langford put his religious views on display when he appeared in sackcloth, ashes and Rolex to champion the plight of the poor. Or the watch-less, I can’t remember which.

And he used religion to deny Central Alabama Pride their rainbow flags before gay pride last year. When faced with a federal lawsuit over the matter he responded "If I had issued such a proclamation, I would in essence be saying that God's position is wrong and I wouldn't dare take a position against God. So as opposed to suing me, they need to be suing God, and the last time I checked, he can defend himself.”

“I wouldn’t dare take a position against God.” So which part of Jesus’ teachings does Langford take his position on gambling from?

Well, it doesn’t really matter. What’s going to happen is going to happen and the two mayors will just keep on entertaining us.

So I’ll just go collect my quarters and play some bingo while I wait for the bingo halls to open. Hey, something doesn’t sound right there. Oh well. In these two screwed up cities in this screwed up county, what does it matter?

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You will either love or hate this video by MIA. Bingo

Underwear Police and Spring Is Near

Birmingham mayor Larry Langford has made public statements about the way kids dress, saying he doesn't like seeing their underwear. He wants to send more officers into the schools. If we start sending underwear police out, though, this might happen.



You know that Spring is just around the corner when the crocus flowers begin to appear.










Lenten Rose (Helleborus) is a favorite (and its not a rose).







Remember I said that after a freeze the camellia buds will open. How about this red one just covered with blooms.


And this white one.

Langford Crowding the Dockets

Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford is asking for more time to prepare for his conspiracy trial, because his lawyers need to do some reading. I'm sure the judge will grant more time, as Langford's attorneys claim they have more than a million pages to read.

That's good because Langford's other case in Federal court is moving ahead. Judge Karen Bowdre denied Langford's request that the case filed by Central Alabama Pride be dismissed. Central Alabama Pride will be able to amend its complaints to address the deficiencies alleged by Langford.

Langford is being represented by Liberty Counsel, out of Orlando, Florida (but with offices in Virginia and ties to Liberty University and the Thomas Road Baptist Church crowd).

Why would Langford not use his local attorneys?

Two thoughts.

1. His local attorneys want nothing to do with the case because they understand that Langford was bullheaded in denying the same rights to Central Alabama Pride that he allows other groups, and that Birmingham is an inclusive city as evidenced by the resolution the council passed last year and that Langford was not being "inclusive."

2. Liberty counsel provides pro bono legal assistance in the areas of religious liberty, the sanctity of human life and the traditional family according to their website. Somehow this case falls under that. But "pro bono?" Maybe Langford couldn't get Bill Blount to pony up for these expenses. I don't know.

Liberty Counsel is endorsed, on their website, at the bottom of the page I linked to, by dead people. James Kennedy, Bill Bright and Jerry Falwell are all dead, but give glowing endorsements. This is indicative of their dead ideas and backward thinking, I guess.

Hey watch the London Gay Men's Chorus "Coming Out at Christmas."

Jefferson County Line Up

Information in this post comes from these stories in the Birmingham News.

We live in a county that has elected criminals to its County Commission. Well, maybe they weren't criminals before they ran for office. Maybe. But Jeff Germany, Chris McNair, Mary Buckelew, Gary White and now Larry Langford were all commissioners between 1986 and 2006.
Jeff Germany, convicted in 2006 of using social service programs to get taxpayer money for personal gain.

Chris McNair, convicted in 2006 of bribery and conspiracy tied to the sewer rebuilding program.

Mary Buckelew, pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in sewer deal, after receiving Salvatore Ferragamo shoes and a handbag worth $1500, a $1400 spa treatment and $1119 more in items from the Italian designer store.

Gary White, convicted in 2008 of conspiracy and bribery tied to sewer program. His conviction was set aside and he is awaiting new trial.*

Larry Langford, indicted for bribery, conspiracy, fraud, money laundering and filing false income tax returns in 2008.

* I personally think White's charges were politically motivated (Why Gary White Was Prosecuted). But still, five former County Commissioners, one of which is now the Mayor of the largest shrinking city in the state.

Why do the people of this county elect so many crooks? Or do they elect good people who can not resist the temptations set before them after they enter public life?

Various city and state officials have commented about what effect this will have on Birmingham's near and distant future. Can a county teetering on bankruptcy and stacking up felons like cordwood attract entrepreneurs and business investors to locate in its largest city?

Many writers in Jefferson County, including me, find it difficult to avoid cynicism about this because we pay for the Rolexes and Ferragamo shoes every time we flush the toilet. To accept bribes at the expense of the people who elected you shows what you really think of those people.
Langford is such a hypocrite, urging inner city parents not to buy expensive clothes for their kids, and wearing a Rolex watch to his "Sackcloth and Ashes" show. He said he learned a lesson as a child after being beat with an electric cord by his mother and taken to juvy by his stepfather to be shown what happens to boys that steal after he was caught stealing money to buy oatmeal cookies.

Maybe its time for a few more lashes with the electric cord.

And maybe its time we look for different leadership qualities in those we elect to public office.

Langford in the Pokey

Update: Alice Martin held a press conference regarding the Larry Langford arrest, where she named conspiracy, bribery, fraud, money laundering and filing false income tax returns as the charges. 101 counts.

Langford, Al LaPierre and Bill Blount of Blount Parrish were indicted.

Expensive clothes, an $11,000 Rolex watch, having your loans/personal debts paid off.

Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford had been arrested and is being held at the Federal Courthouse. Story

We knew that the chickens would come home to roost for Larry , maybe others will be charged as well. Oh, Al Lapierre has also been indicted and will be surrendering today, but I mean others...in...uh...well, let's just wait and see.

The indictments are sealed, so no details of the charges have been released.

Langford already has this case in Federal court to be concerned about. He was sued by Central Alabama Pride over the rainbow flag flap after the 2008 Pride celebration.

Do you think the mayor is dancing now? (The weather forecast in this video is not for today).

Central Alabama Pride Sues Mayor Langford

Central Alabama Pride has filed a federal lawsuit against Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford, citing his refusal to allow city workers to hang banners in honor of Gay Pride this year.

Here is a copy of the suit. Lawsuit


The suit claims discrimination based on the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U. S. Constitution.


Langford says this is a "frivolous publicity stunt."






He should know.

This suit, along with the great success of Pride this year, and the passage last year of the Birmingham Resolution of being an inclusive city, tells me that Birmingham is light years ahead of where we are perceived in the realm of GLBT equality.

Chickens Coming Home to Roost

Prevailing winds usually blow from west to east, but there is a smell of chicken litter in Birmingham that could drift westward over to Bessemer. Crazy Larry...wait...let me stop right there. Larry Langford, who once called himself “crazy,” and the nickname sort of stuck, today was quoted in the Birmingham News,

“Now I understand why it’s so difficult to get stuff done in this city. It’s like the inmates running the asylum, and we can’t have that.”

You are running the city, Larry (even though he was actually referring to David Hill, executive director of the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority, who made a not so crazy move of delaying free bus service because they don’t have the money to pay for it).

Anyway, one of Langford’s co-defendants in the SEC case against them is Bill Blount, chairman of Blount Parrish & Company, a muni bond broker and dealer. Blount has a history of dealing with Bessemer and happens to be Mayor Ed May’s favorite go to guy.

Blount has had millions and millions of bond deals with the city of Bessemer, and rumors have been swirling for months that everything has not been on the up and up.

This quote from the Birmingham News interested me. The lawsuit states

“Langford quickly made sure Blount and Blount Parrish benefited from Blount’s financial assistance to him.”

Langford arranged for Blount’s firm to be involved “in every county bond offering and swap agreement in 2003 and 2004,” the SEC complaint states.

Both the mayor (of Bessemer) and the council have a loud and strong history of at least trying to arrange for their favorite bond company (that’s Gardnyr Michael Capital and Walter Lewis for the council) to be involved in every deal (rather than looking for the best deal for the city) and those who are looking more closely at things say the citizens of Bessemer have been screwed more than once because of it.

And if Blount has made swarmy deals with one municipality, I wonder if he would do so with another.

So the chickens have come home to roost for Larry Langford. That strange wind coming out of the east is dropping a few feathers in Bessemer, but only time will tell us if the birds will land here as well.

Bringing Bigotry Back Into Fashion

Larry Langford is becoming more bigoted as time goes by. On Friday he will host his "sackcloth-and-ashes prayer service to save the city's soul," according to John Archibald in his column today.

Less than a year after Birmingham passed a gay inclusive resolution embracing diversity, Langford is having Bishop Eddie Long from Atlanta as a guest. Southern Poverty Law Center describes Long as "one of the most virulently homophobic black leaders in the relgiously based anti-gay movement."

Long's church, New Birth Missionary Baptist near Atlanta, tries to convert gays away from their natural orientation and damns them to hell if they don't (he's the judge, you know).

From one of his sermons, regarding women using marital aids..."God says you deserve death!"

I have read the Bible, and I can't recall that passage anywhere.

But I am very confused about this. Yesterday we recieved a piece of mail about The American Family Outing sponsored by Soulforce, The National Black Justice Coalition, COLAGE and Universal Fellowship of Metrocpolitan Community Chuuches, all gay friendly or gay advocacy organizations. They are hosting "meaningful dialogue" at 6 mega churches across the country. One of the hosts is Bishop Eddie Long and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.

The brochure says "We believe these churches have the potential to be a positive force in ending the physical and spiritual violence perpetuated by some religious voices against LGBT people and their families."

The group will be in Atlanta May 30-June 1, 2008. Read about it here at Soulforce.

Other pastors hosting events are Joel Osteen, T. D. Jakes, Rick Warren, Harry Jackson and Bill Hybels.

OK I get it now. Soulforce is sponsoring dialogue with influential pastors who are either homophobic or homosilent because of their huge influence over spiritual people.

They will seek to change the beliefs and values of people at those churches, I guess. A worthy endevour. Too bad they are not coming to Birmingham.

Might be interesting.

Bessemer Updates, and Birmingham's Wi-Fi Plan

First and foremost, this website, and this website as well attribute excerpts to Joe Openshaw that are not mine and that lead to columns that were not written by me. I should be glad that somebody thinks I am popular enough that they need to hijack my name to get people to view their sites, but I am not (either happy...or that popular).

Today I was going to just post pictures of my favorite camellia which is blooming and others:

But there is too much Birmingham and Bessemer news to report on.

For instance, there is the story in The Western Tribune reporting that the Greater Birmingham Humane Society and The Foundry will be teaming up to take care of needy dogs. This is something that the Bessemer Neighborhood Association supported months ago and we spoke with pastor Bill Heintz about his vision in doing this. We are certainly glad to see this happening, and although it does not solve the dog abuse problem associated with the city dog pound, it is a start. Right now, or at least beginning January 29, the GBHS will be placing hard to place dogs in the care of the Foundry in a doggie daycare program. This will be good for the dogs as it helps them adjust to new people and places but also for the residents of the Foundry as they benefit both from the responsibility of caring for the dogs and from the unconditional love that pets give.

Also out of Bessemer and reported in The Western Tribune is an article about the budget which the City Council will begin to pour over in earnest this week. The 50% increase in pay for the city attorneys ($800,000 a year for Charlie Waldrep and firm) is not what caught my attention, as ridiculous as that is. No, this is:

"Meanwhile, the business community, still incensed that it lost more than $100,000 a year when (Mayor Ed) May sequestered the lodgings tax three years ago to help run the government - a fund that was established for the chamber three decades ago - will be seething when it finds out that the mayor has pulled the remaining $52,500 that the organization got last year."

Last year when I ran for council I campaigned on returning funding to the chamber (among other things) and still believe the chamber performs an important function in giving a face to the business community, recruiting business to the areas, and promoting tourism. The mayor's assistant told us at a Bessemer Neighborhood Association meeting recently that it would be nice if the Chamber actually did those things. I asked if he was telling us that the mayor's opinion was that the Chamber does not promote tourism or business and he agreed.

As a former business owner and former member of a Chamber of Commerce I believe the organizations play an important role in helping current members improve their businesses in various ways as well as promoting the business community. The mayor needs to get over his animosity toward the Chamber and learn to play friendly with others.

The Western Tribune also listed their Top 10 Stories in Bessemer, quite different from my Top 12, but of course I did not restrict myself to Bessemer and its suburbs.

People say they don't watch or listen to the news because it is all bad. Of these 10 top stories, only 2 could be thought of as bad. The murder story and the arrest story. The rest is all good news.

1. U. S. Pipe picks Bessemer over Birmingham and China.

2. Alabaster water pipeline finally gets approval.

3. Walmart tabs Hueytown.

4. Colonial Tannehill Promenade shopping center in Bessmer. Target, Publix, Movies.

5. Housing development in McCalla booming.

6. Bessemer Academy wins second state championship in a row.

7. McAdory Dixie youth baseball team wins world series.

8. Three people killed in arobbery of the Wachovia Bank on Ninth Avenue in Bessemer.

9. Former Bessemer official arrested - twice. Ryan Rancher.

10. Premiere Chevrolet opens its new dealership.

The favorite Camellia pictured above looks nice when being carried by a winged cherub:

And this poor outdoor Cherub has frozen his wings and looks like something else off. The fountain is in our backyard, and I know I posted a frozen fountain picture last year, but here's another anyway.

Last year the goldfish survived the freezing and I hope they do again this year.

And just a brief comment on Birmingham mayor Larry Langford's plan to use churches for the routers needed to make Birmingham wi-fi citywide. This is just my opinion, but city wide wi-fi is best accomplished placing antennas on utility poles or other public places that are easily accessed by trained repair people, because there are going to be glitches and problems that require attention, sometimes in the middle of the night or during church services and repair persons may not be able to gain access during those times.

Read this article Larry, and even though it is a couple of years old and technology has changed a bit since then, the principles still apply. There is more to it than just sticking a few routers in buildings and flipping a switch. Philadelphia planned to spend $10 to 15 million to build its system, at $20 to $25 per household. Their project is still on going, I don't what they have spent or how much coverage they have but they do have a web site Wireless Philadelphia that gives information on what areas are covered and when new ones will be added, etc.

Again, this is another issue that I campaigned on for Bessemer. No one else here seems to be interested in moving Bessemer forward on this issue, but my feeling is that it would be easier to do in a small city like Bessemer than in Birmingham.

Birmingham has a mayor who speaks and sometimes acts without thinking (I believe he admitted to this) and Bessemer has a mayor who thinks without acting. Which is more dangerous?

Oh and one more picture. these signs have begun to appear around Bessemer. Our primary is just one month away.

Taxing Larry...and Hillary's Momentum

I'm making up the number, but Patrick Cooper's support for his lawsuit to try to disqualify Larry Langford just increased 7 fold. Who knows, really, but Langford has been in office about two days and has proposed a 1 cent sales tax increase to build the dome.

There will be a revolt in the streets of Birmingham if this tax increase passes. He already passed the 1 cent sales tax for education as a county commissioner without a vote of the people.

Ed May and his lodging tax increase proposal...just about as bad. They think hotel guests don't look at that kind of stuff, but believe me, business travellers do. And the last lodging tax increase was passed to go to the Chamber of Commerce for promotion of tourism, with the blessing of hotel operators. But then the city took the money from the chamber for their own use leaving the chamber high and dry. Hotel operators are against this increase.

So I say...No to the lodging tax in Bessemer. No to the sales tax in Birmingham.

Hillary Clinton, who regained her momentum at last night's debate in Las Vegas, received another endorsement last night in Alabama. The Alabama Stonewall Democrats met and voted to endorse Hillary for president.

This meeting was at Los Amigos mexican restaurant, and the chips and little bowls of salsa reminded me of something I read in Parade Magazine this week. Professor Nancy Zeller of American University in D. C. tested whether double dipping is bad. "The professor and her students dipped, double-dipped , then triple dipped chips into salsa, guacamole, soft cheese and a spinich-cream spread. Surprisingly, after one hour, the salsa and guacamole had virtually no bacteria. The other two dips, which contained dairy, had some bacteria - but not as much as Professor Zeller, a microbiologist, had expected. 'Commercial dips have a fair number of preservatives,' she notes. 'In this case, that may have been a good thing.' "

Still...do your double dipping in private, please.

Hillary's greatest line last night in Vegas was, "They aren't attacking me because I'm a woman, they're attacking me because I'm ahead!" True.

And 39 drug and weapons arrests were made in and around Bessemer this week. Operation Blue Thunder on Channel 42. Bessemer was working in cooperation with DEA and AFT agents. Lt. Mike Roper said "We're not going to let up. We're taking back the streets of Bessemer and aggressiviely attacking the drug problem."

Let's just hope the police continue their efforts. The Bessemer Neighborhood Association gave the police department the benefit of the doubt when we were addressing crime and violence, in hopes a joint effort was being undertaken, and we were right.

More arrests are on the way, they say.

Larry Throws Money Around, Bessemer Throws It Away

Here is one of those roses making a last ditch effort at blooming. More pics below.

Anyone going to read "Rhett Butler's People" by Donald McCaig. McCaig spent 12 years writing this book, and has written other Civil War era novels. In an interivew in today's Birmingham News he is asked a few questions, and in one of his answers he asks the interviewer, "Can you imagine any other (than Gone With The Wind) love stories set in the middle of the Civil War?" Well, I am sure there were many.

"Cold Mountain" by Charles Frazier comes to mind. Most of you probably saw the movie...if not..put it on your Netflix queue. But the book that the movie was based on was good too, so much so that I bought "Thirteen Moons" also by Frazier. Still waiting to be read, though.

Personally I enjoyed "The Wind Done Gone" by Alice Randall, billed as The Unauthorized Parody that tells the story of Cinnamon, or Cynara, daughter of a white plantation owner and his black slave, who narrates the love story. "Georgia is dirty laundry what needs washing," she tells "R". I have the book, it's only a couple hundred pages long if anyone wants to borrow it.

Jesse Matthew's Bessemer City Council is pressing the mayor for financial reports and may bring in auditors to assess the financial situation of the city. The mayor said the council could have had a report last week but "a change in the numbers is delaying the report." (Quote is from the Birmingham News, not the mayor.) Council member Jimmie Stephens said, "He (the mayor) has not been forthcoming with financial figures. If nothing is wrong, then this gives the appearance that something is wrong. The longer this goes on, the more dubious it becomes."

Dubious indeed. A half million taken from the TIF fund for payroll. Rumors of vendors not getting paid and demanding payment when services are provided. City funds being used to bail out homeowners? Just a rumor, but where there is smoke...

Larry Langford will be sworn in today, and says he has reached an agreement with the One Laptop Per Child Foundation to provide 15,000 laptops to Birmingham students. Larry must have read my blog yesterday about education...just kidding. And it's not really Birmingham's money he's throwing around, it's the foundation's.

The foundation provides laptops to children in developing countries. Birmingham schools are on par with developing counties, I guess. Bessemer better get busy, or our children will be left (even further) behind. Providing laptops for Bessemer students has been kicked around since at least last summer, but no one really seems to understand the importance. City wide wi-fi has been discussed too, but again, who cares? Not the mayor or council, apparently.

This is the Green Rose at its best.

And here is a little dish garden with pansies blooming.

Abby Good for Gays, and Judge to Visit Love Stuff

It looks like Larry Langford will be mayor of Birmingham. Patrick, I heard many times during my campaign how difficult it is for someone to win their first race, and I found it to be true. But don't tell Howard Bayless, who swamped the competition with 78% of the vote.

As one television pundit said yesterday, Larry has a new idea every day. Let's hope that at least a few of them become reality, better mass transit being one of them.

Congratulations to Larry and Howard.

And congratulations to Jeanne Phillips.

Phillips, aka Dear Abby, is being honored by PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) for her support of gays and PFLAG will give her their first "Straight for Equality" award. Story
Pauline Phillips, the original Dear Abby, began referring readers to PFLAG in 1984.

Abby says "I'm trying to tell kids if they are gay it's OK to be gay. I've tried to tell families if they have a gay family member to accept them and love them as they always have."

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Jefferson County circuit Judge Robert Vance, Jr, will visit Love Stuff in Hoover tomorrow as part of the non-jury trial which will determine the fate of the store. Story

Hoover asserts the store is an adult only store, and by state law can not be located within 1000 feet of churches, day cares and houses.

Store manager Ross Winner says the store is not "adult only" and that only 25 to 30 % of the store area (and 36 % of inventory) is devoted to the restricted area where sex toys (for medical and educational purposes only) are displayed.

Hoover attorney Mark Boardman says this is purely a zoning issue, not about whether the store can sell the devices.

Winner says he hopes to gross $1.6 million in sales this year. That's a heck of a lot of sales tax that Hoover might run off, but I guess they don't need it.

Oh, and today, two witnesses will testify about the history and medical uses of the vibrator.



The drought has taken a toll, and fall flowers are sparse here anyway, but there are some things blooming. I've put new pictures to the left, but here is one of my favorites. When I first saw this vine about 25 years ago in Tennessee, I was told it was called the "Little Red Flower that Grows on Mary's Mailbox". OK . But they end up everywhere, on feathery vines up to 12 feet long or more, because the seeds spread all over the place.






And the pomegranate trees are loaded this year.