September? Not What the Voters Were Hoping For!

These are the headlines as they appeared on aol this morning: (I disabled the links).



Huge ExplosionWows Scientists
Expert Says 'This Was the King' See What Astronomers Found'

Blast Kills Worker in Las Vegas 'Unusual' Murder at Famed Casino


So did the stellar explosion kill the worker in Las Vegas?

Now the democrats in congress are considering a plan to fund the war through September, and maybe a good number of republican lawmakers will go along with that. However, waiting almost a year since the November 2006 election before something is done about the war is not the message the American voters sent. Democrats in congress are being pushed back, but there is no corner they are being backed in to from which they will attack back, and no cliff they will stumble off of as they retreat from the will of the voters. They are just retreating and allowing American service members to be at risk for a few more months while Bush and Petraeus roll the dice hoping for some measure of success. Trouble is, we still don't know what success is, we still don't know who the enemy is, we still don't know why we are there, and we don't know what victory is.

I gave Wolfowitz three weeks and it looks like his removal is being negotiated by European countries as they agree to let the U. S. choose the next World Bank president if the current president steps down. A World Bank commitee has found him guilty of breaking rules and there is no way they will allow him to stay on. Who's next?http://money.cnn.com/2007/05/08/news/newsmakers/wolfowitz/index.htm?eref=rss_topstories

Bessemer's Western Tribune; The Queen and Bush

The readers of this blog who live in Bessemer or are interested in Bessemer should call The Western Tribune at 205-425-7171 and enter your subcription today. Rumor has it that some of you who were hoping for a new paper have still not subscribed. The first edition will be published next week, so don't miss out, if for no other reason, you don't want to miss my column!



Will the Tribune be covering this? The president is welcoming the Queen for a visit and for a formal state dinner tonight. My only question: hasn't Karl Rove been to dinner there before?





I just can't imagine the brush clearing president knowing how to behave in the presence of the queen (Elizabeth, the one from England). And Nancy Pelosi will be there too. Wouldn't you love to be a fly on the wall...



This climbing rose is Red Cascade and it is growing up a dead cedar tree.

Baskets like this hang in front of the house.

Reaganfest 2007 continued

Tommy Thompson, the former Wisconsin governor who is running for president says he "misinterpreted the question" when he said an employer should be able to fire an employee if they learn he or she is gay. His spokeperson says Thompon does not believe any kind of discrimination in the workplace is justified, and that his record (I guess as governor) reflects that belief.

I wonder how Bush is going to respond when the Employment Non Discrimination Act is presented to him, hopefully in the not too distant future. The administration has already indicated that Bush will veto the Hate Crimes bill passed by the house last week. That's interesting, and I will bring this up again if he vetos the bill, but I see where Bush has signed the Dog and Chicken Hate crimes act (actually a worthy piece of legislation, the Animal fighting Prohibition Act that makes dog fighting and cock fighting a federal crime and strengthens law enforcement's ability to put a stop to this form of animal abuse....http://www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/federal_legislation/cruelty_issues/animal_fighting_law_signed.html).

So in his mind (and the minds of legislators who voted for this bill and against the Hate Crime Bill) the chickens and dogs are more worthy than the homosexuals.

That's Bush for ya.

Reaganfest 2007

Last night I subjected myself to political torture by watching the Republican presidential debate (delayed). I will offer the following comments.

Reality is often much less impressive than fantasy, and apparently every one of the republican candidates is living in the fantasy of Ronald Reagan’s presidency. Media reports state that Reagan’s name was mentioned 19 times, but I think they lost count (just like trying to count Alberto Gonzales’ “I don’t recall” http://www.democrats.org/a/2007/04/alberto_gonzale_1.php).

Anyway, the reality of Reagan’s presidency is budget deficit spending, deconstruction of American social programs, cutting and running after the Beirut Marine barrack’s bombing, and the ignoring of the new and growing AIDS epidemic such that research was stymied and many more lives were lost. His legacy is continued reduction in spending for those who need help the most.

They can live in that fantasy if they want to, but it’s not going to get any of them elected president. Howard Dean said it best… “(the debate) confirms that a Democrat will be elected in 2008.” Side note…Howard Dean is coming to Alabama for fundraising, I will keep you posted.

We have pretty good resolution on our TV, but I never did see Rudy Giuliani’s eyes. I want to be able to look someone in the eye, and actually see them. He will drop in the polls after his answer on abortion, “It would be OK to repeal it…” he said, referring to Roe v Wade. Others used such phrases as “Glorious day of human liberty and freedom” (Sam Brownback) and “I changed my mind” (Romney). ‘Liberty and freedom’ when the individual rights of women to control their reproductive health is taken away from them?

Three of the candidates raised their hands when Chris Matthews asked who did not believe in evolution, Mike Huckabee, Tom Tancredo and Sam Brownback. So these three ascribe to the Antonin Scalia view of science (“Troposphere, whatever. I told you before I’m not a scientist” he said during oral arguments in the recent U. S. Supreme Court case on carbon emissions and global warming. In other words, if we don’t understand science, and since we are not going to make any effort to understand it, let’s just ignore it or pretend it doesn’t exist.)

Last week I gave my view on who looked the most presidential (Hillary Clinton). Well, this week I say none of the ten looked presidential. Not just because I don’t like their policies and what they stand for, they just don’t look like someone who commands a presence and who we want to look at on the tv for the next 4 years. Mike Gravel said last week that some of his fellow democratic candidates “frighten” him, well most of the republican candidates make you want to go hide under a rock.

My prediction, Romney will move up a little in the polls, at both McCain’s and Giuliani’s expense. The others will continue to flounder in extremist neverland.




Whoever can tell me where these pictures were taken and who the artist is wins the imaginary prize.

Prisoners Roaming the Streets and Roses and Buntings

So yesterday I leave my house, turning on to Dartmouth Avenue, and am immediately surrounded by prisoners in orange and white striped and solid orange jump suits, on both sides of the road. Meandering along, they seem to be picking up trash. Last summer the men from The Foundry picked up trash along the streets of Bessemer.

Years ago there were complaints when the prisoners were roaming the neighborhoods and I thought the policy had been changed. Does this bother anyone? What presents a better image to people driving through our neighborhood, littered streets with no prisoners or clean streets with prisoners?










You will never, never catch me on a ladder this high, like this painter at the Broken Vessel Church. I need him over here to paint this house.




Yesterday I saw an indigo bunting in the backyard. Ted reports seeing them in Lipscomb, but this is the first one I have seen here. So, here is a fact, from The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds: "Indigo Buntings have no blue pigment; they are actually black, but the diffraction of light through the structure of the feathers makes them appear blue.” They are this bright color in sunlight, but are drab or black looking otherwise. Who else has seen indigo buntings?

You know we have lots of “redbirds” or cardinals around here, and this one little “blue bird.” Sort of like the political climate here, our indigo is a bright blue dot in a red state!

http://britebluedot.com/

Flowers





This is Blaze, so I am told, it blooms all summer

The Green Rose is kind of an oddity, having been around since 1845, the "petals" have reverted back to leaves. Some have speculated that the "stationmasters along the Underground Railroad might have used boutonnieres of the Green Rose as a covert sign to others transporting their perilous cargo northward " (from 100 Old Roses for the American Garden, Clair G. Martin, Smith & Hawken).

New Dawn claims the distinction of being U. S. Plant Patent No. 1, the first rose patented under federal regulations.

The peonies just don't last long enough, but wow!

The Bright Star Turns 100 as Bessemer Grows

Today The Bright Star is 100 years old, and the oldest restaurant in Alabama is celebrating today from 3-7 pm. They are even blocking off 19th street in front of the restaurant.


Cooking demonstrations at 4:00
Magic show at 5:00 for kids
John Ed Willoughby at 5:30 (giving away $100 gift cards to those who can prove they are over 100 years old.

Here’s the odd thing. They are serving Bob Sykes Barbeque.

There are gifts and appetizers and entertainment.

Jeff Key is returning to Hollywood today, after seeing his movie (or rather, the movie that documents his life) take the Best Documentary Award and the Audience Choice Award at the Shout Film Festival. And almost as exciting for Jeff, he enjoyed dinner last night at The Bright Star before leaving town. For those who did not get to see Semper Fi you can see it on Showtime beginning June 25. Continue the good work, Jeff.

Dirt is still being moved around Highway 150 and Lakeshore, but U. S. Steel is being tight lipped about what is coming in, according to the Birmingham News. They say just infrastructure work is being done now, but that the first phase of the development will be a retail center, possibly anchored by a grocery store, taking about 30 acres. Light industrial will occupy the other 100 acres. U. S. Steel owns 800 acres along Lakeshore in Bessemer.

Whatever businesses locate there, Bessemer has entered into a revenue sharing deal for the next 15 years where the city gets 30 % of any sales, property or occupational tax revenue and U. S. Steel gets the other 70% until they are paid back for their initial investment for installing the infrastructure. Those property taxes designated for schools are not included.

Bessemer also entered into a deal with U. S. Pipe (we must like companies with “U. S.” in their names) promising $1.25 million in incentives to lure the new plant to Bessemer. Here’s Mayor Ed May, “The only thing that could hold this up now is an act of God or contamination being found on the site. Notwithstanding those two things, it’s a done deal.” I am interested in hearing more about the environmental considerations for the new plant, and am glad to learn that the current plant will also receive a $7 million emissions control upgrade. This comes a good news, as bad news about Birmingham’s air quality is released, naming Birmingham among the worst in the nation for particle pollution. Birmingham ranks 4th worst for year round particle pollution and 6th worst for short term particle pollution. The American Lung Association says that particle pollution can shorten life spans by 1 to 3 years, and cause premature births, worsen asthma, trigger heart attacks and strokes.

Larry Langford seems disappointed that the plant will not be located in North Birmingham, part of the county that is included in his district. However he at least realizes one thing: “Bessemer didn’t leave the county. Bessemer is in the county.” One by one our county commissioners are coming to this realization. First, Bettye Fine Collins, now Larry Langford.

Two new things, you can see the cost of the war in Iraq growing over to the left, and can click below the numbers for information about how it costs our community. Also, a new link, to Blue Sparks in Alabama, an unofficial site promoting Ron Sparks for senator.

Mission Accomplished

Mission Accomplished


I’ve taken one final exam, two to go. But by Bush’s standards, I can proclaim “Mission Accomplished” like he did four years ago on the USS Abraham Lincoln, even though the fighting continued and the insurgency was already underway. To Bush, “Mission Accomplished” doesn't mean the task is finished; it’s just something to say to make yourself feel better.


Don’t tell me he really didn’t mean the war was over, or the banner was put up by the ship’s crew about their mission and the president didn’t know anything about it.

3351 U. S. service members are dead. The surge continues.

January, 83 dead. February, 80 dead, March, 81 dead, April, 104 dead. Like I said, the only thing surging is American and Iraqi casualties.

Let’s look at Iraqi deaths for the same period.

January, 91 police/military dead, 1711 civilians dead, February, 150 police/military dead, 1381 civilians dead, March, 215 police/military dead, 1674 civilians dead, and April, 158 police/military dead, 1482 civilians. Mission accomplished?

These statistics come from the Department of Defense, and they admit that the numbers are not complete for the Iraqi deaths, so the numbers are actually higher.

And Bush wants more money to continue this war indefinitely.

56 % of Alabamians disapprove of Bush, according to Survey USA poll reported last week. And across the nation, over 60% disapprove of the president. Americans went to the polls in November and overwhelmingly told congress to get us out of Iraq. Today the congress will present the president with a plan to do just that. As Barack said, we are just one signature from beginning to bring our troops home.

According to the Bush administration we shouldn’t even have to be paying for this war. Remember when Paul Wolfowitz was Deputy Defense Secretary in September 2003 and said, “There’s a lot of money to pay for this that doesn’t have to be U.S. taxpayer money, and it starts with the assets of the Iraqi people…and on a rough recollection, the oil revenues of that country could bring between $50 and $100 billion over the course of the next two or three years…We’re dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction, and relatively soon.”

Here is the current cost of the war, over 400 billion dollars. See the total rising here:
http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182

So, Wolfowitz was off in his calculation by over $400 billion, and now he’s president of the World Bank? He's supposed to be good with money? I'll give him 3 weeks, not for this but for his cronyism as he got his girlfriend a promotion and a big pay raise. Bush is standing behind him, just like he stands behind Alberto Gonzales. The dominoes continue to fall. Who will be next?