December 29, 2008 · 1 Comment
Birmingham city councilors demand authority in dome spending, selection – al.com
They’re upset that an out-of-state design firm was chosen (because so many domes have been built in Alabama?) and that no local or minority firms were selected to help. The latter is probably a legitimate point, though my understanding is that local subcontractors are usually chosen later in the process. BMLL is on the BJCC board and thinks that the council is being silly, and that if they’re upset it’s their own fault for not coming to the meetings.
Categories: Alabama · Birmingdome · Crazy Larry's House of Wacky Schemes
Birmingham’s embattled City Councilman Johnathan Austin has no plans to resign over 2003 marijuana charge – al.com
Not to step on Loretta’s turf or anything, but this is insane. People are trying to get this guy (appointed to fill William Bell’s seat) to resign for the horrible crime of possessing a whole half-ounce of marijuana! Meanwhile, the mayor is walking around with 101 federal counts on his head. And do you really think Larry Langford has never smoked pot? Exhibit A:
Yeah, that guy never did any drugs. Nor did any of the sterling citizens on the city council, who are debating if a half-ounce of pot rises to the level of “moral turpitude”. And of course, the guy himself is saying that what he did was terrible, and it wasn’t really his pot, it’s was a friend’s, and he wants to show that you can overcome the horrifying effects of knowing a pot user by joining the Birmingham City Council.
Categories: Alabama · Crime, Justice, & Injustice · Idiots · Substances
Birmingham council postpones mayor’s plan to pave downtown streets, citing need for financial information – al.com
As usual, the council seems to be pretty reasonable about this, wanting to make sure that the money BMLL wants actually comes in before they spend it. What with the recession, that makes sense to me. As usual, BMLL was apoplectic and thinks that it would be incredibly embarrassing not to do this right now. This time, he thinks that we’ll be humiliated if the Davis Cup comes to town and there are potholes. Does he know that the US Open is held in New York? What would New York be without potholes?
Categories: Alabama · Crazy Larry's House of Wacky Schemes · Money · Sports
Jeffco’s choice: receivership, bankruptcy or deal – al.com
There just isn’t nearly enough money to even make payments on the debt, much less pay it down. ( ‘”I don’t think anybody, including the creditors, expect Jefferson County to pay this back,” said Andreas Rauterkus, a University of Alabama at Birmingham professor of finance.’) So either they declare bankruptcy, or they convince their creditors to make a deal with smaller payments, or turn over the system to somebody to try to make money from it somehow. Everything sucks.
Categories: Alabama · Jefferson County's Flushable Sewer Bonds · Money
Conservative activist Paul Weyrich dead at 66 – Politics- msnbc.com
But I’m not here to attack the dead. Well, not exactly. The story goes on to say that he had been “in ill health” for years and had had both legs amputated. That sure looks like diabetes, and as a diabetic I’m sensitive to that. But I can’t think of why you’d try to keep that secret.
Categories: Holy Crap · Science, Tech & Medicine
Birmingham will host Davis Cup first-round – al.com
Not just any matchup — the US hosts Switzerland. As in Roger Federer. BMLL seems to have had something to do with this, as “the catalyst”. I’ll give the man credit. This, however, does not mean that that Birmingham can host the Olympics.
Why are we playing the Swiss in the first round? If I understand the rules correctly, the loser gets relegated and has to play their way back into the main draw next year.
Categories: Alabama · Crazy Larry's House of Wacky Schemes · Sports
Mac Thomason