Atlanta mayoral race have turned out to be no different than Birmingham's 2007 mayoral race

Well, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution spilled the "tea" on what's really been going on with their upcoming mayoral races and it has boiled down to that's right "race".  Well, last week a memo was issued by the Black Leadership Forum (BLF) calling for the black electorate of Atlanta to vote for a black mayor to so that they can have the "black agenda" fulfilled.  This interesting and inciteful editorial in the AJC calling the memo "bigoted", it seem that the race has turned into a "race" race.   The memo said that “the developers have an agenda, downtown business has an agenda, the gays have an agenda, the Hispanics have an agenda."  Well, this has turned this pretty low-key mayoral race into a campaign in which incumbent mayor Shirley Franklin to denounce this memo.  There are current 3 key candidates in the race at the moment, the current Atlanta City Council President Lisa Borders, Atlanta City Councilwoman Mary Norwood, and Georgia State Legislator Kasim Reed.  The memo specifically endorsed Borders; however, Borders and Reeds issued statements denouncing the memo and saying the race should be based on race.  Norwood just said via her spokesperson the people would judge her based on her platform.  Oh yeah, Norwood is white.

LOL, this is a H.A.M. because today 2 Clark Atlanta professors, William Boone and Keith Jennings, have come out admitting ownership of the memo and denial of it being racist. Also Aaron Turpeau, a longtime political insider and consultant, is the only member of BLF who has been identified. He has acknowledged the memo and said it's part of the group’s efforts to establish a “black agenda”.  Boone and Jennings admitted they had written the memo, but they say that it wasn't to support anything other than addressing black issues so voters would come out for the run-off.  However, this may backfire and cause a higher turnout of whites.  Atlanta might just have it first white mayor in nearly 40 years.

Borders has been endorsed by former Atlanta mayor and UN Ambassador Andrew Young and is very popular amongst the city young black professionals (who are quite active in city politics).  However, Norwood is very popular with the gay community in Atlanta proper (which is predominately white) also those in the law enforcement and fire protections officials.  However, she doesn't really have much popularity with the black electorate.  Now other large majority black cities have voted for white mayors in the past, so black folks aren't that racially-based on voting.  On the other hand, a number of times there are situations where white mayors in certain black cities where done primarily with votes from whites rather than blacks.  It's a Catch-22, but one can see that we have some serious racial polarization that is going down in the ATL.

IMO, it sounds like Birmingham in 2007 all over again, but this is the supposedly very socially progressive metropolis to our east in neighboring Georgia. Yeah, Birmingham isn't alone on this at all like some people would love to believe. I feel that yeah there should be a viable candidate who cares about all citizens in Atlanta, but should it just be a "token" white or black candidate because of their phenotype, HELL NO!  However, you know there is more foolishness to this than I care to want to uncover here because I have no  dog in this fight.  Nevertheless, it is pretty damn interesting when Atlanta, "the city too busy to hate" apparently it's not too busy to discriminate or be prejudice on either end of the racial pendulum...

Obviously she's not that bright or just too damn cliche'

1st-Term Kansas Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins has well put it out there the Republican party is looking for a "Great White Hope" during a town hall forum on August 19 in Hiawatha, Kansas.  Her district is the 2nd Congressional District in Kansas which demographically speaking according to the 2000 Census it is 89% white. However, somebody apparently videotaped her when she was talking about it how Washington has such great young white Republicans like Congressman Eric Canton (R-VA).  Now she did do some damage wasn't address the President because she didn't realize what was implying when she said it.  Sure you don't, lady...  However, in July you voted for a resolution that explained the history of the phrase.  Here is some of the language from the resolution:

"The phrase "great white hope" is frequently tied to racist attitudes permeating the United States when heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson fought in the early 1900s. Reaction to the first black man to reign as champion was intense enough to build support for a campaign to find a white fighter capable of reclaiming the title from Johnson."

Now she wants to backpedal away from her comment and say she is "sorry", but what are you sorry about Congresswoman Jenkins?  I mean you had a Freudian slip saying that you want to see some white candidate come from the midst and hopefully careen into the political scene taking down Barack Obama in the 2012 Presidential Election.  I mean it's not like some folks don't realize that there is a faction of disgruntle white Americans that doesn't like the idea having a black President.  I know you are not that dense to not realize what was meant by that phrase after you voted for it.. Geez just own and claim it and keep it moving. 

Interesting....

Darian Aaron of Living Out Loud with Darian took time earlier this week to interview and take photographs with some of the cast of the Real Housewives of Atlanta.  It's good to see that some of them are supportive of same-sex unions such as Sheree Whitfield, Kandi Burress, and Lisa Wu-Hartwell were in attendance for the photo shoot by Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley of the "NO H8" campaign.  They were doing a photoshoot in Atlanta to extend the campaign beyond California and Los Angeles. 

However, on Rod 2.0 the story was reported and some of the members have chosen to be trolls and assholes throwing shade at NeNe and Dwight Eubanks of the show inquiring why weren't they in attendance?  Now personally, I enjoy NeNe and Dwights foolishness and quick wit, but does it really matter if they were or weren't there?  Just because people don't show up doing something as simple as photoshoot doesn't mean they are against a cause.  You have some GLBTs that like to believe the world owns them something when in reality IT DOESN'T.  How are we not to know the lesser known members of the cast weren't just doing the photoshoot for more publicity for themselves?  I mean you can't always question the why and what about things as simple as this.  People need to get it together because throwing shade at one another isn't helping rather than further showing the sift in between some many on that are supports of equality for all.

An interesting visual description of Blue Dogs

I think this cartoon by cartoonist Matt Wuerker from Politico describing the "Blue Dog" Democrats pretty much sums them up.

Birmingham is making waves globally with 2 new green design initiatives

Since Birmningham hosted the Green Building Focus Conference and Expo in late July, the attendees have put together 2 initiatives that are key to the future of sustainable development.  The "Birmingham Charter", a new sustainable development platform they hope to present to the United Nations at a summit in Copenhagen this December along with the "Birmingham Manifesto" being proposed by the Alabama chapter of the American Institute of Architects. 

Not bad, not bad at all.  Now only if these two initiatives started here can be enforced with future developments in the Greater Birmingham area.  We need to be working towards being not only the template for development and growth, something most of our fellow Southern cities have failed epicly doing just look at Metro Atlanta, Nashville, Raleigh, etc.

Now this is funny, 2 stores are coming to the Summit from Vestavia City Center and Bridge Street in Huntsville

The intimate apparel store, the Fitting Touch and women's boutique, Moods, are leaving their current respective centers in Vestavia Hills and Huntsville to locate the Summit.  The Fitting Touch is located in between White House/Black Market and Swoozie's in the main strip of the center; whereas, Moods is locating in the Saks Plaza in between J.Crew and MARY. 

LOL, it's funny how everybody in Huntsville was talking about how much Bridge Street was going to be this major upscale project for Huntsville and the Tennessee Valley and now retailers are leaving it along with the fact that there still no major anchors to the center.  The main tenants are the run-of-the-mill stores like Bed, Bath, & Beyond, Old Navy, etc. along side a few exclusive tenants like Juicy Couture and Ketchup. The Summit has those former tenants as well, but most of them are on their way out since their leases are set to expire in 2012, and the center's owner, Bayer Properties, made it known they are not being renewed.  The Summit is also within the corporate limits of Birmingham, so it is a true city landmark and super-regional destination for upscale shopping.  I wouldn't be a bit of surprised if Juicy Couture moves to the Summit in a few years since Bridge Street is a bust.

Vestavia Hills City Center was already out is its league because it was designed to be local open-air lifestyle center and nothing more than that.  It's been losing tenants left and right because of the extremely high leasing rates along with the tomfuckery owners and management of AIG Baker.  Yeah, this company is affiliated with the same federally-bailed out AIG that foots the financing for this commercial real estate company with developments in AL, GA, TN, FL, MS, and SC.  The only thing good about the company is its efforts to redevelop some older centers like Vestavia City Center, which used to be Vestavia Center enclosed shopping mall, and 1-million square-foot Wildwood Center in Homewood.  I do find that very admirable because the last thing Birmingham needs is more urban sprawl.

Good job, Bayer Properties and Birmingham!

Jeffco Commissioners Smoot and Humphryes harping about why there isn't a plan B for the County

Well, I'm kind of surprised by this because it seemed to me that the Jefferson County Commissioners didn't seem to care because they were still getting their bi-monthly paycheck.  Well, Shelia Smoot and Bobby Humphryes are inquiring why isn't a back-up plan for the County after the Alabama Supreme Court repealed the 1999 version of the occupational tax.  The attorneys on the behalf of the taxpayers (yeah right) have said they are working on a plan to repay the funds for the tax to the taxpayers.  PROBLEM: there isn't any money left because the County is running in the red and has been for awhile now.  Jefferson County Commission President Bettye Fine Collins said yesterday that they barely have the funds to operate the Courthouses (in Birmingham and Bessemer) as it is until the end of the fiscal year in September. 

Now Smoot is screaming there is not Plan B:

"We want an action plan," Commissioner Shelia Smoot told county officials during today's meeting. "What I want is a road map. None of us has seen that. We want something, specifics, even if it's not going to work. I feel alienated."

Meanwhile Humphryes is requesting getting the 1,000 county workers back to work from furloughs. All the while, Collins is saying the attorneys are the County's only hope.  Looks like they are up Shit Creek without a paddle.  ***shrugs***

Well Chuck Norris endorses Roy Moore

I've never been a fan of Chuck Norris, but this takes the cake literally.  This simpleton has endorse my favorite judge, Roy Moore, who is renounced and infamously titled "the Ten Commandments Judge" for Governor. 

This has to got to be the most idiotic thing I've heard come from Norris's mouth aside from talking about how he was a fan of former Arkansas governor and 2008 Republican Presidential nominee Mike Huckabee.  Anyways, I know for a fact that Chuck Norris doesn't know much about Alabama politics because he did he would have endorsed another Republican like I don't know Tim James or somebody that uses common sense and doesn't believe they are above the law.  Is Chuck Norris even still relevant in today's media or pop culture?  Walker, Texas Ranger was cancelled about 6 years ago. 

Oh well, another foolish stunt associated with Alabama and thanks once again thanks to (inadverted) Roy Moore. 

WPGC in DC is now known as "95-5 PGC"

DCRTV observes from their e-mailbag "Some changes at WPGC. Their on-air name is now '95-5 PGC' and their slogan is 'DC's Hip Hop And R&B.' The music sounds about the same, except I noticed that they didn't play as many slower songs as they did before in the day. They also took the cursive 'Jamz' off of their logo and replaced it with '955 FM' as seen on their website.

Well, I heard this was coming since they have fell from grace in the Washington DC area as one of the top radio stations.  Now they are just playing strictly the urban hits and throwback songs from about 2-3 years ago.  I will miss this legendary Rhythmic-Crossover that played everything from the current hip-hop to the crossover songs from folks like George Michael back in the 1980's when I first had a chance to listen to them via AOL Radio back in 2005.  Ahh, those were the days, I could be entertained for sure.  Well, at least V-103 still is worth listening to (some of the time) although they do push the envelope of being boring because they will sometimes play the same throwback twice in the same day.

Well, It looks like there will be 3 incumbents are safe with 5 run-offs on their way

Well, its safe to say Valerie Abbott, Maxine Parker, and Steven Hoyt are here to stay.  I don't really have much of an opinion about these three because Hoyt and Parker are screwface worthy because of their past involvement in blocking the anti-discrimination ordinance back in 2007.  Whereas Valerie Abbott wasted everybody time back in 2007 trying to run for mayor when she knew good and well she didn't stand a chance in hell of getting elected which IMHO costed Patrick Cooper, who I rathered seen elected as mayor (even over Smitherman), to lose a number of votes against Larry Langford.  She is OK, but she still gets the screwface and side-eye regardless.

Now on to the run-offs, well Shelia Tyson has gave Carole Smitherman, current City Council President and Mayor Pro-Tem, a run for her money in the District 6 race.  Shelia Tyson is Patrick Cooper's former mayoral campaign manager, and City Neighborhood Association (CNA) president along with Neighborhood President of West End.  Interesting to say the least because Smitherman want to get back in so she can take the helm of mayor (when not if) Larry Langford is forced out of office for his federal conviction.  If she doesn't get reelected then it is likely Valarie Abbott will become Council President and mayor down the line (for the 45 days until a special election is held).  I'm like this is going to be INTERESTING because Smitherman seems to have a problem these days because she is a nice person (I've met her), but she doesn't really have much of what I call "leadership traits".  She better come to realization that this could be the end of her time on the City Council because it was 43% (Smitherman) to 39% (Tyson), and that's mighty close. 

The rest well, it is a given that Roderick Royal's whiny butt will get back in District 9, Carol Reynolds Duncan will likely lose to Kim Raffety in District 2, Johnathan Austin will have to battle former councilman Elias Hendricks in District 5, and Jay Robertson will battle his runner up in the election of District 7 replacing the late Miriam Witherspoon.

LaShunda Scales was the only outright newcomer to win her election in District 1 against incumbent Joel Montgomery.  I guess his alcoholic fall from grace in 2007 costed him his seat along with being in the pocket of Mayor Langford on the city bingo ordinance.  The people have spoken and apparently nobody is stutting the New Jefferson County Citizens Coalition or Mayor Langford's endorsements.  LOL

Edward "Ted" Kennedy dies at 77 (1932-2009)

Massachusetts US Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy passed yesterday morning.  His death was announced at midnight this morning on CNN.  He was a major advocate for a number of socially progressive causes including civil rights, healthcare reform, education reform, and hate crimes legislation including sexual orientation. 

He was trying to have legislation passed in Massachusetts so Governor Deval Patrick would be able to appoint his successor.  The current law was placed there so that past governor Mitt Romney aka "Rumball" wouldn't have the authority to appoint a Republican as senatorial successor in case either Kennedy or John Kerry couldn't do their jobs in the US Senate.  However, he passed before the law could be passed, but word is the Massachusetts legislators may pass it anyways in his honor. 

Interesting, Republicans such as former presidents George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush have sent their condolences along with Mr. Pottymouth aka Congressman John Boehner and John McCain. 

It's ashame because the Kennedy family just lost Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Maria Shriver's mother just about 2 weeks ago. 

8 Years to the Day since Aaliyah Dana Haughton has passed

I still miss Aaliyah to this day.  She was the full package, class, dancer, and an actual actress (unlike the wannabe Beyonce Knowles).  Ciara tries to take on her mojo with the dancing and fashion sense, but doesn't possess that because Ciara herself has yet to find her voice.  She had Timbaland, Missy Elliott, and late producer Static Major aka Static from R&B group Playa in her corner when it came to the hits.  "Back & Forth", "Are You That Somebody", "Hot Like Fire", "One in a Million", " "We Need A Resolution", etc.  She had 3 multi-platinum albums and a hit movie "Romeo Must Die".

Rest in peace, Aaliyah.   

As much as enjoy watching 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta'...they are hoodratish

Oh boy, the wannabe bourgeois of Metro Atlanta on TV has made a mockery of themselves for sure.  For one, they aren't real housewives because Nene Leakes is the only one that is "housewive" persay to the standards of the show.  However, Lisa Wu-Hartwell is a wive as well, but she is wife that works more outside the home than at home.  The rest of the crew Sheree Whitfield, Kandice "Kandi" Burress (formerly of Xscape), and Kim Zolciak aren't wives at all.  Sheree is a divorcee of Bob Whitfield, formerly of the Atlanta Falcons, so gets a pass since the other Housewives have divorcees on it.  However, Kim is a jumpoff to Lee Najar, a wealth Atlanta area real estate tycoon.  I don't even know why Kandi is on there because she could have just got with BET and her friend and former fellow band-mate of Xscape, Tiny, on that show. 

The Root tells it like it is with their article "Bravo's Southern Discomfort" about how Bravo allowed the behavior that airs show how ignorant some black folks can be.  Then Andy Cohen, Bravo's executive and show producer, has the audacity to say it "offers up a rarely seen look into the lives of "really wealthy black women."  Typical of a white gay man that lives vicariously throught drama while laughing to the bank getting rich off it.  No other Housewives show has a much lack of wealth because 3 of them on the show have either been forced out of their home or foreclosed upon while on there in its two seasons.  Black folks already have it hard in the media because anything associated with the black image is either negative or inadequate via "ghetto" or "poverty", but then you have hoodrat-behavior when they suppose to be wealthy. 

The article's editor, Helena Andrews, said it best when comparing The Real Housewives of Atlanta to the part in the Ralph Emerson novel, The Invisible Man, where the main character had to do a speech before a group of white civics about the advancement of people of color but is told that he must first participate in a "battle royal" boxing match with a group of nine other black boys to take away from the dignity of the speech.  Housewives of Atlanta does exactly that, takes away the diginity of the black upper-class. 

Maxine Waters delivers the Truth and thensome

Gotta love her and her realness!  She's telling like it is, too bad District 7 doesn't have somebody that isn't afraid of telling like it is these days because he wants to become governor.

Jefferson County Commission is broke and going to stay that way until January

I guess even though the Jefferson County occupational tax has been passed by the useless state legislature, the claim is there is no funds to bring back on the employees that were furloughed on August 1st.  Well, after today's ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court that the 1999 version of the occupational tax is illegal and the county can't touch the $14M in escrow. 

After today's Jefferson County Commission meeting, there will be nothing but bickering and fighting that will continue to ensue for awhile now.  At today's meeting, Commissioner Shelia Smoot was yelling at county department executive directors about how "they can't do anything although they keep asking them".  It was a scene to say the least involving what went down.  Smoot and Bell have thrown around the idea of the County should take out a loan to cover operations cost until January 1, 2010 when the new occupational tax including professionals and business owners goes into affect.
Well, this doesn't look good at all for anybody that works for the County as a regular hourly wage-earner.  This place will continue to be long lines and chaos for a while to come.

Christian Coalition Gubernatorial Forum was last night

Aww, how precious?  The Christian Coaltion of Alabama held their gubernatorial forum last night where everybody who has decided to run with the expections of current state Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks and current state Treasurer Kay Ivey did attend.  However, it looks like Congressman Davis took the show by claiming he would be against health care reform without a public option (surprise, surprise!) which sounded like all his fellow gubernatorial candidate attendees.  Alabama is a right-leaning state that doesn't make any qualms about where it stands during most presidential or Congressional elections. 

However, Davis did say he would be for a full rewrite of the Alabama State Constitution which has racism and segregation laws still there.  Meanwhile, Roy Moore 'n dem made it be know a big ole' "HELL NO" to the rewrite.  I remember Roy Moore being the reason why the 2004 constitutional amendment to remove the racist language to fail because he claim the "right to education" would mean more taxes...  You know some idiots bought that like hotcakes and sopped it up like syrup. 

Anyways, another colorful day in this state leading to one of the most interesting gubernatorial campaigns in a while.

Chains that need to be boycotted because they left Birmingham

Dunkin' Donuts
Baskin' Robbins
Denny's (but then yet I don't care about them because they like to discriminate against blacks or any minority group anyways)

However, my rant is why on earth did these 3 chains all over asudden vacate Birmingham in the 1990's. Dunkin Donuts used to have about 5 stores in Greater Birmingham back in the early to mid 1990's. I remember the locations in Homewood on Oxmoor Road and the other on in Eastwood where the current Olive Garden Italian Restaurant is located at Crestwood and Oport-Madrid boulevards. Then there is Baskin' Robbins suddenly leaving Alabama in 2000 when there used to be one in almost every decent-sized town or city across North Alabama. I remember going to their ice cream stores amongst every birthday asking my parents for either an ice cream cake or a large order of my favorite type of ice cream in a large container to go for multiple servings of enjoyment. However, I remember hearing that the last Baskin' Robbins was still open in 5 Points West as late 2002 before finally closing.

Ironically, both chains announced in 2007 that they were going to re-enter Alabama and open stores around Birmingham. Keyword: "around" rather than in Birmingham. I hate when chains do this crap because most of them don't care to do the proper research to open locations in key areas around Birmingham itself like Eastwood/Crestwood area, Roebuck/Huffman, or even the City Center (Downtown and Southside). These areas do have a significant population of middle-income households that can support these stores; instead, most want to run to Hoover, Northern Shelby County, Trussville, Gardendale, etc. These types of businesses irk me more than the current leadership in the region because they don't try to invest back into the city where people are moving to (contrary to popular opinion on al.com).

Anyways, rant over.

UPDATE:

According to the Birmingham News, Baskin-Robbins wants to open 35 locations in the Birmingham.  However, they will all be franchises after reading in between the lines.  So that means it can take forever for them to get their act together.  I'll believe it when I see it...

Ron Sparks makes a political gamble on legalized gambling

Alabama Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Ron Sparks, has made a public announcement that he will support legalized gambling via casinos and state lottery. He delivered with the slogan "Casino = No New Taxes", along with proposal to place a casino in downtown Birmingham for the whole world to see.

"A lot of folks go to Mississippi casinos. I want them to stop in Birmingham," Sparks said.

He said he wanted to see a casino "right down the road" from the proposed site for a domed stadium.

Sparks said he would fight to bring casinos and businesses associated with them to Birmingham.

He said he also wants the state to have a lottery to help fund education.

Interesting if you ask me that is nice, but according to the word on the street, that you sound like more of a "Republican" than a Democrat. You also sound like somebody that doesn't have all the cards in together aside from the race card to advocate why you should be the Democratic nominee. So come a little bit stronger than "Mr. Safe Choice" than the joke with no real platform aside from "I want to put a casino in Birmingham...".

Special thanks to Birmingham Blues and Left in Alabama for the information about the Gubernatorial Forum information.

Also here's the video of this twisted irony about electability:

Well, at least he's getting a new venue

Mayor Larry Langford did get his confirmation from Judge Scott Coogler granted the 'change of venue' for his federal trial on 64 of the 101 counts including money laundering and tax fraud from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa on October 19. His claims including more time to rehabilitate from his recent surgery on his throat and mouth and more time for his legal team to prepare in light of co-defendants Al LaPierre and William Blount pleading guilty. He also throw around that the Birmingham media was another cause, but Tuscaloosa is still in the same DMA (demographic market area) as Birmingham.

However, he was out and about in Titusville at the announcement of the construction of 26 new single-family homes. He did make an appears to be alright, so why is he out and about trying to be seen when he claimed to need time to recoup?

Mayor Langford is crazy if you ask me because I would be doing what I claim I need to do that is rest....

The interesting and funny exchange between Lou Dobbs, Tobias Wolff , Maggie Gallagher

Alabama has made some progress, but much more to go on race relations

The Montgomery Advertiser reported on UAB professor, author, lawyer, and historian, Dr. Samuel Webb, delivered the address at the monthly ArchiTreats program sponsored by the Alabama Department of Archives and History. In the speech he discussed how Alabama has made significant progress on race relations particularly with more black politicos getting elected to office. The focus was placed on the election of James Field, Jr., a black State House Representative elected by a 97% white district in Cullman County. However, he couldn't confirm or deny if Congressman Artur Davis would be able to win the 2010 gubernatorial race although he is leading everyone else in the Democratic nomination. I agree the majority-white counties like Shelby, Cullman, or Clay would be a huge problem for Davis because most white Alabamians are ambivalent to an extent on race until they get to the voting booth.

He focused on the Black Belt, which is a sloth of land stretching from the Mississippi River Delta to Eastern North Carolina with large amounts of black topsoil. The area is also home to the nation's largest impoverish black population, so race relations is main topic there.

"If you go down to the Black Belt like I do sometimes to see my friends and relatives and start a conversation with somebody, it'll take five minutes for the conversation to be about race," he said. "They are absolutely obsessed with race."

Now that's not a surprise since it is a heavily black and economically stratified region where you either have the money or you're poor. In this situation, it's like they are still in the Reconstruction period where people still live in tenant farm houses and they don't own land either.

Dr. Webb also discussed how "money and power" seems to be the root of Alabama politics, but isn't that politics in general? Anyways, he said that those are the same people that are blocking the rewriting of the archaic Alabama State Constitution, which was written in 1901. He made it clear with this statement:

"Not in my lifetime. I have these friends who are working day and night trying to change it, and I tell them they're just wasting their time... too many people with too much money don't want it changed. They stand to gain by keeping it like it is and will spend whatever it takes to keep it that way."

Also by saying this

...Racial separation was "an old trick" in Southern politics because "if you could separate them, you could control the labor system."If you could control cheap labor, you could continue to control state government."

That's not a surprise, they want to keep this place poor, dumb, and separated. However, Alabama isn't exactly stuck in the past like most of Mississippi, but it isn't anywhere near being very socially progressive as say North Carolina. However, the reality of things is that blacks and whites are still in their own fiefdoms/environments here because of the mindset amongst so many whites is to not allow their families be around much diversity because of the "negative influences". Also we have been recently called by a Gallup Poll as the "most conservative state in the nation", and that's scary when Oklahoma had no county that had a majority voting for Obama in the last presidential election.

New Poll confirms that there is more support for a Public Option After All

According to a new poll released by Survey USA confirms that there is more support for the public option of the proposed health care reform bill in Congress than initially thought. The poll released yesterday confirmed that 77% of Americans polled was behind the idea of having a public option to compete with private insurance companies. This means that there is some hope for this piece of health care reform regardless the acrimonious idiots that talk about how it is "socialism".

However, we all should know by now that Alabama District 7 Congressman, Artur Davis, isn't going to let this change his "views" because we all know he is vying so hard for that position to be Governor.

A fool decides to stay in the race after lying

Only a fool would decide to stay in the race after you been confirmed to be a liar and caught doing it. Well, that fool is Antwon Womack is staying in the Birmingham Board of Education election for District 6. Now the real question I'm asking is, "why is there elections for Board of Education seats?", but that is another story for another day.

Back to this story, dude is a donkey for sure. You got caught lying your ass off about graduating high school and having this experience, but you have the audacity to stay in the race anyways. (Knowing your ass is going to lose...)

Sigh! I disgress.

Ghosts from the past still haunting Birmingham

Just when one thought the past was the past then comes former mayor Richard Arrington and his new Jefferson County Citizens Coalitions. I could have sworn that the Citizens Coalition dissolved and why would this ghost from the past comeback to haunt us?

Anyways, here's the slate of candidate in endorsements from the "New Jefferson County Citizens Coalitions":

District 1 Joel Montgomery
District 2 Rolanda Hollis
District 4 Maxine Parker
District 5 Charlie L. Williams
District 6 Sheila Tyson
District 7 James Earnest Roberson Jr.
District 8 Gerri Robinson
District 9 James Edward Williams Jr.

Now, Shelia Tyson's name showed up on this list has be saying "Hmmmm" because she is 2007 mayoral candidate Patrick Cooper's former campaign manager. Now she is being endorsed by Arrington's group, either Cooper and Arrington are in cohorts or something here is very fishy. Then they endorse Joel Montgomery when he isn't exactly know for walking on the straight and narrow I'm not saying, but I'm just saying...

Uh, when did the definition of racism go up for discussion when all you have to do is use a Webster

Yeah, I'm going to say it, some white Americans have decided to hijack the definition of racism and wants to attempt to use it to disprove their bias. Meanwhile, many of them will still commit subliminal actions such as not living in a "mixed" neighborhood, not allow their kids date "outside their race", and so on. However, when somebody makes a statement like "I have black friends" or "my **** is black" although they did or said something that can be interpreted as racially bias or insensitive makes me just shake my head and roll my eyes.

Being black and an Alabamian, I've probably dealt with the ugly underbelly of America with issues with the social concept known as "race". Just look at Birmingham, it's a city that is a poster-child of what happens with whites doesn't want to live near blacks, but justify their bias because of the "crime" and "corruption". Now,I'm not giving black people a pass because anyone dumb enough to elect somebody that instigate racial issues like Larry Langford as mayor then you are just as guilty as some whites.

American black and working-class white populous are both victims of what happens when you have an elite set in this nation that hijacks everything but realizes they only can keep things as status quo is "divide and conquer". Many working-class whites (those guilty of running from Birmingham as soon as interpretation occurred) because 1) they were taught by their parents that blacks aren't as "civilize" as them and 2) ignorance due to lack of social interaction in intimate settings such as being next-door neighbors, attending the same school, or the same church. In general, Alabama is a poster-child for this situation. All one has to do is read Alabama in the Twentieth Century by Auburn University professor, Wayne Flynt, and know this to be true.

Well, after reading these two articles on the usage and definition of the word racist and working-class whites from The Root, I believe some people needs to come to grips about their racial bias and realize that it is about the something much bigger at work.

Uh ok...Birmingham Mayor Langford cannot afford an attorney

Yeah, that's bizarre yet, not a surprise. Most attorneys (quality) in Birmingham aren't cheap, but last time I remember the Mayor's salary is $130,000+ annually. On the other hand, I've seen what he drive and it isn't an economy vehicle. Also he has a residence in the city on 3rd Avenue North in the lofts along with a house with his wife in Fairfield.

So the federal magistrate is appointing a legal representative for Mayor Langford in his upcoming trial. However, if federal prosecution proves he can afford at least part of the bill then they will request compensation.

WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW! Now I'm not going to cast any stones at him because I had family that personally knew the man. However, I'm not going to give him a pass either. Another case of "it is what it is".

Here's the link for the court order.

Now Mini Cooper AKA "Mini Coop" ought be exposed for this

There apparently has been a NUD or "Non Urban Dictate" issued by the marketing agency that wants to promo Mini Coops via radio. In other words, there don't want to promote or advertise this specific brand of vehicles to Urban radio stations also know as "black radio stations". Interesting, I say since last time I remember black Americans were considered one of the "largest consumer block of products." Special thanks to Urban Radio Nation for the heads up.

Here's a piece of the e-mail:

MARKETS-BOSTON-HOUSTON-DC-BALTIMORE

Formats-Rock, News, Alternative, Sports, Talk

Length: 30’s

Dayparts-All

No combos or urban formats.

Textbook reason why Birmingham is screwed up

After watching this video from "Blueprint America" on PBS courtesy of New York affiliate, WNET, I can see why Birmingham is so screwed on an infrastructural standpoint. Lobbyists like Business Alliance for Responsible Development (BARD) manipulating regional organizations like the Birmingham Business Alliance, Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) on things that affect us the most like highway layouts and transportation infrastructure. Why in the world would ALDOT allow the planned route of the "Northern Beltine" as it dubbed going straight through parts of the Birmingham that is environmentally sensitive and unnecessary. The original route of the northern belt was suppose to connect with I-459 at both ends; instead, it only connects on the western portion and the eastern portion connects in the middle of nowhere near Clay. They have the audacity want to continue it own into Saint Clair County to connect to I-20. Map of route is here .

Well, here I go

This is my first post on my own blog. I hope this will be an interesting and learning experience since I'm blogging my thoughts, views, and ideas about various topics that affect me. I'm a black, politically independent person that feels that the views and perspective of things from my (usually) objective point-of-view should be expressed on things from about Birmingham (AL), politics, social issues, sexuality issues, various forms of media (including radio and TV), development, and just life itself.