This is great

Bachus assumes top GOP seat on House banking committee

Really, it's wonderful... Spencer has been trying for some time to be the chairman of the banking committee. He's finally the senior Republican, only to find himself suddenly, tragically, in the minority.

Now, this is good, but not as good as me getting to say this:

As senior Republican, he will be second to the new, Democratic, chairman. In other words: Spencer Bachus will be under Barney Frank.

Jerk

Bessemer bookkeeper charged in library theft

$400,000 stolen from Bessemer Public (hi, Carole!) since 2001. The entire annual budget for BPL is $500,000. I hope he fries.

The automotive equivalent of big-ass jeans

Here is what I don't get... These guys take these giant old cars, big hunks of Detroit iron like a 1978 two-door Ford, and they paint them a hideous color like lime green or (worse) University of Tennessee orange, and then they put these gigantic wheels on them, like SUV wheels, and drive around. Why? I mean, is there a point?

Yes, I am old.

Also, the Maine

Bush urges Americans to remember Pearl Harbor

"My fellow Americans, let us never forget this sneak attack on the United States by the Japanese, which led us to go to war against Nazi Germany. See, I'm not the only one!"

Talladega Threatdown

Bear sightings up in Talladega woods

It's not clear if the bears are taking up permanent residence in Alabama (for the first time in more than a century) but experts say if they haven't it's just a matter of time. I don't know if I'd prefer the bears wander into the federal prison and savage Richard Scrushy and/or Don Siegelman, or the racetrack and savage Jeff Gordon.

You mean it's not?

Library site helps teach history

Students in Donna Ross' sixth grade American history class at Bush Middle School in Ensley used to think that history was reading about dead people and keeping up with a lot of dates.

That history degree they gave me is worthless!

That was before this fall when she started using her laptop to access a local Web site for history teachers. It puts Birmingham and Alabama photographs, diaries and letters at their disposal. Even music from the jazz era is a mouse click away.

The jazz era! 12-year-olds love jazz!