Mother in law

Hendricks' in-law contests vote

Yes, ironically named failed District 54 candidate Gaynell Hendricks has gotten her mother in law to contest her loss. I guess they get along pretty well. I particularly enjoy the barely-veiled gaybaiting:

Also, the contest claims Todd's timing of her campaign finance filing kept voters from knowing before the runoff that Todd got a $25,000 contribution from the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

You know those nefarious homosexuals.

Guess who!

The Crimson White Online - UA parking soaks up federal funds

Richard Shelby, of course. $18 million in federal money for parking decks on the Alabama campus in the last three years; $1.5 million for the new campus shuttle service. The library, meanwhile, has to get by with the school's own funds. Typical.

That's what it does

Drought slams farms

There Is No Such Thing As Global Warming, of course, but the people who say that it's not financially feasible to do something about it (if it existed) pretend that there's no economic cost from it. But tell that to the corn farmers of Alabama, who are looking at harvesting 25 bushels of corn per acre; in a good year, it would be 150. And much of what they do harvest is fit only for animals. Though the way things are going, we'll probably be happy for whatever we can get.

Oh, so typical

Cities balk at transit increases

Gas prices at record highs? Well, if you're Vestavia and Mountain Brook, the solution is obvious: cut bus service!

This was inevitable

WorldNetDaily: Will America choose to acknowledge God?

Roy Moore has a job!

Anyone can have a good idea, I guess

Sessions revives plan to adjust cocaine sentencing

The E.L. Troll's bill would reduce the disparity in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine, a disparity that is pretty much only for racist reasons. Wouldn't eliminate it, but it's a start.

Mercy!

Mercy to be added to name of hospital

I guess that if you add "Mercy" to Cooper Green people think it's more likely you'll live to not pay your bill. (If you could pay your bill, you wouldn't be going to Cooper Green.)

Department of puns

Corts expected to lead colleges

It's only to be expected. Every troubled system in this state is eventually taken over by the courts.

Some party-switchers I have no problem with

Barkley may run in 2010

For instance, charismatic former basketball stars who gave up on the Republicans because George Bush is such a lame President. Charles Barkley officially declared himself a Democrat and is thinking about running for Governor again.

"I'm serious," Barkley said. "I've got to get people to realize that the government is full of it. Republicans and Democrats want to argue over stuff that's not important, like gay marriage or the war in Iraq or illegal immigration. They push those issues because they play well on TV and because they deceive people. When I run - if I run - we're going to talk about real issues like improving our schools, cleaning up our neighborhoods of drugs and crime and making Alabama a better place for all people."

This could be really fun. And since it looks more and more like Riley is going to win, 2010 should be an open campaign.

They're back!

al.com: NewsFlash - HealthSouth buys 7 Indiana clinics; first purchase since scandal

They last made an acquisition in 1999. A financial expert says that this is a "symbol".

Well, we're doomed

al.com: NewsFlash - VP Cheney raises cash for Alabama governor

No way that the Democrats can compete with Dick Cheney's overwhelming charisma. Plus, if we try he'll shoot us in the face.

Nobody likes them

al.com: NewsFlash - Three out of four party switchers lose in GOP runoff

The shunning of these political opportunists warms my heart.

They're never satisfied

Area drought lingers despite weekend rain

So, you got three inches of rain, happy now? No.

"When you get that much in a short time, a lot of it just runs off," said meteorologist Dave Wilfing. "A half-inch every day would have been much better."

Oh, that's just fine. It would help if people would turn off their sprinklers when it's raining but I guess that's too much to ask for.

What public perception?

In addition to crime, Nunn fights public perception

The perception that violent crime is out of control on Birmingham's streets? That only a fool ventures there after dark? That the police in general and she in particular have no clue as to how to combat it? That the best idea anyone has is a reading program?

Birmingham is not alone. Cities across the country are experiencing a surge in violent crime: National Guard troops were asked to patrol New Orleans, and the D.C. police chief recently declared a "crime emergency." According to FBI preliminary statistics released in June, violent crime in the United States rose 3 percent in 2005, the largest one-year increase since 1991.

Let's see... We have one city where the National Guard was called out because of a massive hurricane (even President Bush has heard about that now) and another city that's been notoriously violent for decades now. Some company.

Scorned again

al.com: NewsFlash - Democrats: Move up Nev., S.C. in presidential nominating calendar

Though we could always move it up on our own, I guess.