Author Archive

Posted on November 18th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

Surviving the New Depression with sweet taters

Surviving the New Depression with sweet taters

Political commentary plus a recipe for sweet potato pie.

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Posted on November 11th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

Rev. Joseph Lowery receives Shuttlesworth award

Rev. Joseph Lowery receives Shuttlesworth award

As Rev. Joseph Lowery could tell you, if you want freedom, you have to fight to make it yours.

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Posted on November 4th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

The Ballad of Federal Gaol

The Ballad of Federal Gaol

A poem about an ex-mayor & a prisoner-to-be.

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Posted on October 29th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

The unfettered Leonard Cohen

The unfettered Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen fronts the house band in Purgatory.

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Posted on October 22nd, 2009 by Courtney Haden

Paltry prayer vigil means Langford love lagging

Paltry prayer vigil means Langford love lagging

Some 26,227 citizens went out of their way to vote for Larry Langford, but last Sunday only .002% of that number came out to pray for his immortal soul.

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Posted on October 14th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

Miss Keller goes to Washington

Miss Keller goes to Washington

The new statue of Alabama native Helen Keller in Washington D.C. is not only the first representation of a child and the first of a disabled person in the Capitol, but also likely the first bronze rendering of a radical socialist activist erected there.

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Posted on October 7th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

The Protean Picker Jim Lauderdale

The Protean Picker Jim Lauderdale

Jim Lauderdale reigns as one of the busiest players in the music industry, writing hit songs for artists like George Strait and working on projects with everyone from Willie Nelson to Donna the Buffalo.

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Posted on October 1st, 2009 by Courtney Haden

Interview with St. Vincent

Interview with St. Vincent

Annie Clark is a girl on the cusp of transmutation.

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Posted on September 24th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

Afghanistan war promises a victory so glorious we never shall win

Afghanistan war promises a victory so glorious we never shall win

There will be debate over war in Afghanistan, waged by those struggling for political advantage, while those who wage the actual war in the hard place on our behalf do so in abysmal circumstances.

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Posted on September 16th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

Radio waves & anthropological havoc

Radio waves & anthropological havoc

People buy champagne for the bubbles. In radio, the fizz comes from an on-air attitude that reflects the interests of its listenership.

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Posted on September 9th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

Shaping stories at regional history museum

Shaping stories at regional history museum

Jerry Desmond was 13 years old when he first heard about Birmingham, Alabama. Throwing papers [...]

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Posted on September 4th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

So What WOULD Jesus Do about health care reform?

So What WOULD Jesus Do about health care reform?

Think Barack Obama’s a socialist? He’s practically Calvin Coolidge if you compare his ideas on health care to those of Jesus.

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Posted on August 28th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

The meaning of Moon Pies

The meaning of Moon Pies

The Moon Pie is a distinctive pastry treat dating back to the First World War, predating Chattanooga’s [...]

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Posted on August 20th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

Cracker’s David Lowery on Sunrise in the Land of Milk & Honey

Cracker’s David Lowery on Sunrise in the Land of Milk & Honey

We are rarely visited anymore by rock greatness. When it happens, it’s usually while decent [...]

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Posted on August 12th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

Counting the days until the return of Mad Men

Counting the days until the return of Mad Men

I’ve been thinking about turning off the cable again.
The last time was 1988, after NBC [...]

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Posted on August 5th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

Why the Birmingham Barons still matter

Why the Birmingham Barons still matter

As though people weren’t cantankerous enough in August, now we have to have a health [...]

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Posted on July 29th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

Information in formation – coping with news overload

Information in formation – coping with news overload

I see the guy sitting on Highland Avenue every day, and when I say “sitting [...]

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Posted on July 24th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

Walter Cronkite & space exploration as uniquely American products

Walter Cronkite & space exploration as uniquely American products

 
I would have bet you on Walter Cronkite surviving till Monday at least, just to beat The [...]

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Posted on July 15th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

Charlemagne and Renaissance Records celebrate mid-summer & other anniversaries

Charlemagne and Renaissance Records celebrate mid-summer & other anniversaries

In the summer of ’77, Birmingham bustled with all manner of retail businesses, most of [...]

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Posted on July 9th, 2009 by Courtney Haden

Perry County, Alabama takes on tons of toxic TVA sludge

Perry County, Alabama takes on tons of toxic TVA sludge

Somebody said, “That’s a strange tattoo 
You have on the side of your head.”
I said, “That’s [...]

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WEEKLY PICKS: do more now

  • FRIDAY, NOV. 20

    FRIDAY, NOV. 20

    GREEK MYTHOLOGY FOR THE MODERN AGE: To review: Eurydice was ...

  • SATURDAY, NOV. 21

    SATURDAY, NOV. 21

    REQUIEM FOR A SCHEME: The featured composition at Saturday’s Alabama ...

  • SUNDAY, NOV. 22

    SUNDAY, NOV. 22

    BLAZE THE TRAIL: Or, at the very least, help trim ...

Weekly Tweets

  • Can Jefferson County break the bank? The meaning of Jefferson County's suit against banking behemoth JPMorgan: http://bit.ly/2JfcKk #bham 12 hrs ago
  • @WadeOnTweets I don't see Dr. Davis on Twitter any time soon. We're plugging your blogging academy classes in next week's Weekly Picks btw. 1 day ago
  • Nice to see @bhamterminal 's @acnatta on Fox6 w BSC's Natalie Davis discussing #bham mayoral race. Video @WadeOnTweets: http://bit.ly/1o93gZ 1 day ago
  • @brightsides Thanks for comments on last week's cover. It was designed by Jeremy Markham (http://bit.ly/1l7Yx1). More: http://bit.ly/4bvRoK 1 day ago
  • Forest Perk Coffee opened today--new coffee shop on Clairmont (next to Piggly Wiggly). Just went by there--the coffee's good. Check it out. 1 day ago
  • Shout out to @DNicholAdams for her tweeting of the #bham mayoral forum tonight. She did a great job. Thanks for the live feed! 2 days ago
  • Also slated to appear: William Jason Sumner (?) & Jimmy Snow. No Smitherman or Hoyt? Election Dec. 8. Educate yourselves. We'll help. #bham 3 days ago
  • Mayoral forum information came from Delta Sigma Theta Alum association, who is putting on forum and was kind enough to call me back. #bham 3 days ago
  • William Bell, Patrick Cooper, Emory Anthony, Scott Douglas, Stephannie Huey, Jody Trautwein and others coming to #bham mayoral forum tonight 3 days ago
  • Don't forget there's a mayoral forum tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Huffman High, and a meet & greet Thursday at Highland Hotel, 5-7 p.m. #bham 3 days ago
  • I think if you count the fact that council started about 30 minutes late, this may be the quickest council meeting I've ever seen. #bham 3 days ago
  • Council meeting over except for old & new business. Hoyt says he is the fried turkey king, and will fry turkeys when done w/ politics #bham 3 days ago
  • More updates...

War on Dumb

Can Jefferson County break the bank?

Can Jefferson County break the bank?

Jefferson County has declared war on JPMorgan.

Upon Further Review

Lane Kiffin’s (allegedly) lost boys

Lane Kiffin’s (allegedly) lost boys

Lane Kiffin’s players are undisciplined? You don’t say…

Column

Surviving the New Depression with sweet taters

Surviving the New Depression with sweet taters

Political commentary plus a recipe for sweet potato pie.

Film

2012 blows up the world real good

2012 blows up the world real good

2012 may be the hugest, craziest, most preposterous disaster film ever made

Small World Cartoons

Jobless Recovery

Jobless Recovery

Things are looking up for the economy! Or they’re not.

Suburban Legends

The Wedding Planner

The Wedding Planner

A classic from the Suburban Legends Vault