(The Jefferson County Commission decided to close in patient services at Cooper Green Hospital . This post is about the awful government structure that created this kind of problem in the first place)
The headlines of the Birmingham New on August 11, 2012 screamed “City sues over Cooper Green.”
But here’s what the headline really says..
City of Birmingham sues Jefferson County
We’re suing ourselves. Continue reading We’re a bunch of goof balls for allowing government like ours
I grew up in Mt. Brook.
My children went to Mt. Brook schools.
I now live in Vestavia Hills.
I belong to the Rotary Club of Birmingham.
Dr. Ed Richardson spoke recently to our Rotary Club. There was a huge corporate crowd cheering Dr. Richardson as he explained how our State Department of Education is going to fix Birmingham’s dysfunction school system. Continue reading Clueless community leaders cheer Birmingham School seizure
I feel like a jerk when I write a negative piece about Birmingham.
It pains me to criticize the community I love so much.
And it’s particularly hurtful when I get an e-mail from a community leader and friend chastising me like this one… Continue reading I hate being a jerk
I continue to get e-mails and blog comments from folks who live outside Birmingham and Jefferson County and wish the worst for us.
Here’s a comment I received from a prominent Shelby County business person…
“We make money when businesses move from Jefferson to Shelby.” Continue reading Why would a leech kill its host?
I was on Hwy 280 driving towards Birmingham near Lloyd’s…
I’m still on Hwy 280 near Home Depot…
Creeping down Hwy 280 across from Riverview Animal Clinic…
I’m thinking, “Why in heck am I still in my car? I may never get back to the office.” Continue reading We have Alabama’s largest parking lot
I’ve spent a great deal of time and effort trying to educate one of my best friends, who I will call Bob, about the problems created by our segmented and dysfunctional governments.
But Bob loves to complain about the City of Birmingham—even though he knows it makes my blood pressure explode. Continue reading Should Birmingham have to pay for everything?
Usually when someone makes a brash statement that something is the best in the world, its considered hype or exaggeration.
However, we can say with complete confidence that Birmingham has the biggest and best civic clubs on earth.
Our Birmingham Kiwanis Club is the largest in the world.
Our Birmingham Rotary Club is the largest in the world.
Our Birmingham Rotaract Club is the largest in the world. Continue reading Birmingham is best in the world
“I’m Jewish.”
There, I said it.
This may not seem like a big deal to you, but I’ve never actually said those words publicly to a broad audience. (Please note I’ve never hidden my Judaism and most of my Christian friends know my religion.)
But when I began elementary school, my parents gave me one clear piece of advice. “Don’t under any circumstance discuss religion or politics.” Continue reading Being Jewish in Birmingham
Look at the magnificent picture that leads this blog. This is the Wells Theatre in Norfolk,Virginia. It’s one of only a few theaters that still exist which was specifically built to maximize the acoustics and close seating needed for vaudeville shows.
The Lyric Theatre located in our downtown is a carbon copy of the Wells. Built in 1914 major stars such as the Marx Brothers, Mae West, Sophie Tucker, Will Rogers, and Milton Berle played the Lyric. Berle said it was “as fine a theater as any in New York.” Continue reading Birmingham is unique in so many ways
Here’s a comment I received on my post, Let’s move to the suburbs and attack the City of Birmingham. I was trying to make a point that our region has suffered because many of our affluent and well educated citizens have abandoned Birmingham—and then they amplify their abandonment by attacking the city for being poor and uneducated.