Ice Water Being Served In Hell Today--NAACP Praises Haley Barbour?

One week ago, the NAACP is furious with lily white dough boy Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour for his highly insensitive remarks about the Civil Rights era in Mississippi, and this week they are singing his praises and calling him "courageous" and a "shining example of a governor" for freeing two black sisters from prison after sixteen years.

Hell just froze over in Dixie.

Barbour gave himself away by saying that: "...Jamie Scott's medical condition creates a substantial cost to the state of Mississippi." Obviously her dialysis was costing the state of Mississippi a fortune in their eyes, and we would be willing to bet that was the big (and only) reason that the sparkling white Barbour commuted the life sentences of two black sisters in Mississippi on December 29th.

They were sentenced in 1994 to life for armed robbery that amounted to $11.00 and immediately deemed a threat to society which resulted in their lengthy sentence. We have to wonder how many black faces there were on the jury that arrived at a verdict of life for this huge heist that sparked a civil rights outcry of large measure.

The NAACP has been pushing for their release for years, while Barbour has been deaf to their pleas, and we understand their relief, but this fawning over Barbour is absolutely disgusting beyond words. Their accolades towards Barbour, given what the NAACP is supposed to represent, are shocking and repulsive to us.

No doubt Barbour will use this to his advantage in an attempt to run for the White House. It really will be white in the truest sense of the word if he takes up residence there. That's an equally repulsive thought...whitey mouse in the White House.

There is one catch in the sister's release though, one of them must, by condition of commutation, give up a kidney to the other. Never mind the fact that the healthy sister had previously offered to do so, it is now a binding condition of her release.

Or maybe not.

Barbour may have a bit of a problem with that stipulation:

One organ donation expert said Barbour was wrong. "This is clearly a violation of federal law, which prohibits the exchange of 'valuable consideration' in return for an organ," Dr. Michael Shapiro, chairman of the ethics committee for the United Network for Organ Sharing, said in a statement.

Shapiro said commutation of a prison sentence would "clearly" fall into the category of "valuable consideration" under the law.

The sisters have yet to undergo the important tissue typing testing. Only blood tests have been performed on them for compatibility so far. And that is raising an obvious question.

If they don't match, or if she backs out, will she be heading back to prison? 

"All of the 'What if' questions are, at this point, purely hypothetical," Barbour said in a statement from his office late Thursday. "We'll deal with those situations if they actually happen."

No clear answer on what would happen to the sisters from Barbour if tissue type tests show the match as incompatible.

This is a very strange story, but it's crystal clear why Barbour decided to finally release these women to everyone but the NAACP. It had nothing to do with courage, compassion or his sweet lil' pea pickin' I'm tolerant now heart. He is and will always be a Boss Hog type who sees the world through dollar signs and racial lines.

Posted by Winger

 Subscribe in a reader

Kim Carapucci CBS 42 Reports on Another Dog Killing in Vincent, Alabama

Two dogs were gunned down on Christmas Eve in a residential neighborhood by a very foolish man who used a rifle in a residential area to murder the dogs. Mr. Chandler, the killer, claims the two dogs were "mauling his dogs" and that the Vincent Police Chief told the Chandlers they were justified in killing their neighbors dogs.

This is on the heels of a similar shooting in nearby Talladega on December 11th.

We have heard from someone who knows the family whose dogs were murdered and believe there is more to this story than meets the eye. It is convenient for Mr. Chandler to claim his dogs were "being mauled" after the fact. The family says that his first reason was because the dogs were urinating on his tires. Which is it Mr. Chandler? Are you covering your behind?

We find it additionally troubling that he used a high caliber weapon to kill one of the dogs, a Maltipoo, 7-8lbs at best. This isn't the first dog killing in Vincent. Just two weeks ago, three family pets were shot and dumped by the side of Highway 231 that belonged to the Howard family. The killers have yet to be identified. It wasn't the first time the family had a pet killed.

There is a real problem in Vincent with animal killings and dumpings and we thank Ms. Carapucci for her coverage of this story. Should owners keep their animals leashed and penned? Yes. But if an animal escapes, which does happen, does that give any citizen the right to kill someone's dog? No.

Life is perilous in Vincent, Alabama for dogs. And something must be done about this. 

One way to gauge someone's level of humanity is how they treat the defenseless. We would submit that humanity is in very short order in Vincent, Alabama.

 Subscribe in a reader

AOL Investigation--"No Proof Body Scanners Are Safe"

Image credit: marktalk.com

Despite the claims of the government that the radiation emitted by the backscatter devices is safe, a revealing investigation into those claims raises many more questions than answers.

Simply put, the government is lying. Big shock.

Kudos to Mr. Schneider for his excellent reporting and investigative journalism!

Investigative article by Andrew Schneider, Senior Public Health Correspondent

From the story:

The problem is that the TSA offers no proof that anyone is checking to see if the machines are "working properly."

The TSA ticks off a litany of groups that it says are involved with determining and ensuring the safety of the controversial devices, including:

* The Food and Drug Administration

* The U.S. Army Public Health Command

* Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

* The Health Physics Society

However, AOL News has found that those organizations say they have no responsibility for the continuing safety of the alternative to TSA's grope.

Further, the Homeland Security agency refuses to release exposure data to top non-TSA safety experts eager to evaluate any risk.

How Radioactive Is It?

The amount of radiation generated by a properly calibrated full-body device in the typical 15-second-long scan is equal to about an hour of normal background radiation, such as the amount absorbed while walking through a park, the TSA says.

But physicians and most radiation health specialists say there is no "safe" dose of radiation, so any planned exposure must be justified.

John Sedat, a professor emeritus in the department of biochemistry at the University of California at San Francisco, and three of his colleagues -- a physician and two other scientists -- attempted to verify TSA claims that the full-body scanners were safe.

They studied all the available information on the new system and tried to determine the wavelength of the X-rays, the intensity of the energy released in the design and the safeguards built into these devices.

"We found that essentially none of this information was known or made public, and more interestingly, it looked like this technology had not been independently vetted by the scientific community, published, peer-reviewed or even discussed openly," Sedat told AOL News.

"Essentially, all the information was coming from companies that were making the devices, and it looked like it was being parroted by the FDA and the TSA, which didn't seem reasonable," he said.

In April, Sedat and his colleagues sent a lengthy letter outlining their safety concerns to the White House science adviser, John Holdren, asking that several specific areas -- especially an impartial review -- be considered. It was November, seven months later, before the White House replied.

Sedat says he and his colleagues have "some heavily redacted reports which basically just raise more [danger] flags, because it's very far from an independent, outside review."

The bottom line is that the the University of California at San Francisco group isn't any closer to assessing whether there are health hazards from the scanners.

Read more here

December 22--Austin, Texas woman handcuffed and manhandled after refusing to submit to government groping. Note that the television station carefully chose commentators that would support TSA and Austin Police actions.

 Subscribe in a reader

Guest Commentary-- BBA, Birmingham News, BARD and the Coziness of Special Interests in Alabama Business, Media and Politics

Big Mules in New Wagons
By: Conner Cambran

A seemingly innocuous Associated Press report, New Governor Looks at Changes in Business Recruitment, warrants a re-read and a closer look at Governor-Elect Robert Bentley’s push for a public-private partnership agency to recruit industry to Alabama.

What's the problem with Governor-elect Bentley’s current proposal?

Certainly, Alabama’s business and industry titans could offer valuable advice on how to attract more industry, right? Yes, but wouldn't the Business Alliance for Responsible Development (BARD) and their very powerful members (e.g., Drummond Company, U.S. Steel, Alabama Power, Protective Life Corp, US Steel) also stand to gain an unbalanced degree of power?

Consolidation in economic development is certainly in vogue. The Birmingham Business Alliance was created by merging the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce with the Metropolitan Development Board and Region 2020. Now, Operation New Birmingham may be enveloped by the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) as well.

Charles McCrary is not just the chief executive of Alabama Power. He is also the chairman of the EDPA and vice chairman of economic development at the BBA. He is also chairman of Bentley's transition team. Stephen Bradley, BARD creator, is the "message man" for Bentley and his form of messaging is one-sided and questionable at best.

Alabama Power was a founding member of the EDPA and was one of the largest contributors to the chamber, MDB, Region 2020 and ONB. Funding all entities meant the company had to write a lot of checks each year in an attempt to lure new industry -- industry that would consume large amounts of electrical power.

True, successful business/industry CEOs could provide insight on recruiting other businesses or industries to the state. But could BBA members use their power to block competing businesses from setting up shop in the state?  Could they propel certain projects in order to gain contracts for their own companies? 

Some argue that the elevated Hwy 280 is just such a “sweetheart deal” for developer Daniel Corporation. HealthSouth, which still owns 40% of the so-called digital hospital where Daniel hopes to have Community Health System’s Trinity Hospital relocate, for paving contractors, for White Rock Quarries (which will certainly provide the materials for the road work with their ideal location in Vincent, Alabama, a "stone's throw" from Hwy 280), and other BBA members.

The merging of big business and government and/or quasi-government agencies warrants closer scrutiny. An eagle eye, in fact. But don’t hold your breath waiting for the area’s main newspaper (Bham News) to explore the pros and cons of such a union. One of the BBA’s executive committee members, Birmingham News publisher Pam Siddall, was feted by Trinity Hospital and the BBA upon taking the position at the News.

Consider the “merger” of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Metropolitan Development Board into the Birmingham Business Alliance.

The Chamber formerly boasted of both large and small businesses as members and proudly printed a membership directory.

We don’t know if the BBA counts all of the Chamber’s previous small businesses as members because we cannot find a published membership directory. We do know that Alabama Power, Drummond Company, Harbert Management (formerly Harbert Corporation, an Alabama-based construction company with worldwide contracts) and other heavy hitters are represented on BBA committees by their principals.

In reviewing the list of the BBA’s Big Mule committee appointees at BBA Names New Board Officers, you likely won’t recognize all of the names. Neither do we. But we recognize enough of them to convince us that it’s worth a Google search on the others to just to see how many of the Big Mules are pulling this wagon.

 Subscribe in a reader

Houston, Texas Shuts Down 2 Water Wells Due to Alpha Radiation--Previous Alabama Tests Were Positive For Alpha Particles

KHOU-TV Investigative reporter Mark Greenblatt's continuing series

Read more here

There's a parallel of this story to Alabama's water problems and ALPHA particles in Shelby County water systems.

The following linked data from the Environmental Working Group database which was the scientific basis of the NY Times nationwide special report "Toxic Waters"  includes a report on Harpersville, Alabama (Shelby County) showing ALPHA particles above the health limit in the system. 

Where they were coming from is the $64,000 question. Attempts to ascertain more information were stonewalled, but we intend to stay after this.

Another EPA violation for this water system was a failure to monitor for fecal Coliform bacteria 2004.

Alabaster, Pelham and Columbiana water systems also tested positive for ALPHA radiation particles above the health limits.

Helena exceeded health guidelines for lead and disinfecting chemicals.

In Walker County, Alabama only 2 out of 12 water systems provided any data for the report, Jasper (EPA violations of disinfectants) and Eldridge. With so much coal mining in the county, we're suspicious of the exclusion of data.

Jasper, Alabama had a recent bout with "foul tasting" water in late November that was blamed on a "naturally occurring event of river inversion." They added an "algae bloom" to the incident as a contributing factor, but no reporter was smart enough to find out that algae blooms are almost always indicative of bad water quality.

Alabama did not provide any reports past 2005. They also chose to not participate in the recent Chromium-6 testing conducted by the EWG. Why?

The prevailing attitude is that if it is not over "legal" guidelines then there is no problem. The EPA informs us that there are many chemicals that are not on the lists for water systems which are not safe, and if they are not on the list, there is no testing for them. EPA realizes there is a huge loophole in this process and is attempting to rewrite the SDWA guidelines.

Water is not our only issue in Alabama, our air is also under constant assault from some of the same corporations that are killing our waterways: the coal fiends.

Their lawyers have started chanting "state's right's" with gusto, claiming that trumps federal law. We expect as much because the state agency, ADEM, is aware of the pervasive pollution in Alabama's waterways, and seems to adopt the posture of since we are already polluted it won't make much more difference. They continue to hand out permits to toxic industries like candy to misbehaving children.

It is a huge revenue source for them: permitting fees, discharge fees and the *$33-37.00 per ton emission fee they receive just from Alabama Power amounts to millions of dollars in revenue each year. There is no incentive to enforce and strictly regulate if it results in decreased profits now is there? *(linked ADEM AP file)

Multiplying 169,388.420 (tons) by $33.00 (using the lower figure) equals:

$5,556,817.00

Pay to pollute.

And that is just ONE plant (strictly smokestack emission fees), EC Gaston in Wilsonville, Alabama.

Where do all of these millions go and what does it "buy" AP?????

One thing for certain it buys AP is a lot of statewide political clout hence their high positions in Governor Bentley's incoming administration. 


The PR masters attempting to put a feel good on the subject of toxic emissions in Alabama failed miserably with this weak attempt:

Alabama industries re­ported releasing less toxic materials into the environ­ment in 2009, according to the latest Toxic Release Inventory, just published by the U.S. Environmental Pro­tection Agency.
In 2009, Alabama indus­tries reported generating 92 million pounds of toxic materials. By comparison, in 2000, industries reported releasing 169 million pounds of toxic materials into the air, land and water. The 2009 results show a steady decline in toxic emis­sions from sources such as industrial plants and power plants.
EPA noted that, across the Southeast, the 2009 TRI shows a 9.4 percent de­crease in releases from 2008. It notes, however, that fewer facilities are filing reports with the agency.
According to the agency, some of the decline can be attributed to the economic downturn, but the agency also plans to follow up with facilities that have reported in the past but did not file current reports.
In Alabama, the number of facilities reporting de­clined from 544 in 2008 to 493 in 2009.

We would call what ADEM does a tremendous conflict of interest at the very least and the buyout of Alabama corruption at its worst.

KHOU-TV is fortunate to have Mr. Greenblatt on their investigative team.
We could use someone like him in Alabama to uncover the secrets that are a threat to public health in our state.

But here's what we really want to know: Where are all the tens of millions in revenues to ADEM going?

 Subscribe in a reader

"Dirty Business" the Film-- "Clean Coal" and the Battle for Our Energy Future

About the film:

In the digital age, half our electricity still comes from coal. Dirty Business reveals the true social and environmental costs of coal power and tells the stories of innovators who are pointing the way to an alternative energy future. Guided by Rolling Stone reporter Jeff Goodell, the film examines what it means to remain dependent on a 19th century technology that is the largest single source of greenhouse gases. Can coal really be made clean? Can renewables and efficiency be produced on a scale large enough to replace coal? The film seeks answers in a series of stories shot in China, Saskatchewan, Kansas, West Virginia, Nevada and New York.

Read more here

*Additional local story (Sheperd's Bend)
CBS 42 BWWB Weighs in on Walker County Strip Mining 
(with video)

 Subscribe in a reader

SB 510 Passes the House Minus 73 Votes

One sixth of the House of Representatives skipped out early and did not vote in some of the last lame duck legislation of 2010. SB 510 (disguised as HR 2751) passed the House by 216-144 and is on its way to becoming law without 73 votes.

Those 73 votes, if they had all been "nays," would have defeated the bill with one vote to spare. What will happen next? Get ready for skyrocketing food prices and greater importation of produce outside the US where regulations are lax.

Nothing about this bill is good.

Here are some of the unintended consequences of all this:

• An INCREASE in the importation of fresh produce from other countries.

• A worsening of the agricultural trade imbalance between the U.S. and other nations.

• An INCREASE in the pesticide contamination of fresh produce sold at U.S. grocery stores.

• An INCREASE in agriculture jobs in Mexico, Chile, Peru and elsewhere, even while agriculture jobs are lost in the USA.

• A DECREASE in the overall safety of the food supply because now the proportion of foods imported from foreign countries with little or no regulatory oversight will greatly expand compared to U.S. grown foods.

We think that it is a travesty that the bill "passed" minus so many votes and it should result in an automatic nullification, but with Monsanto thugs in high places in the Obama WH, we won't hold our breath.

To ensure that the bill would pass the media (led by CBS as the "breaker") dutifully released a news story about the next terrorist threat to America: our food supplies. There's nothing like evening news driven scare tactics to twist a few arms on the eve of the vote. This was a transparent scheme originating from the WH, Homeland Security and Monsanto to ensure submission from the House and propagandizing America into accepting this bill.

This is just another whittling away of our freedoms by the government who wants to assure us all that we need protection from another supposed threat and the only entity who can really do that is Big Brother. "If you give up your freedoms you'll be safer."

Crapola.

Let's have a look at who skipped out in Alabama. Two congressional members who were defeated of course, after all since they won't be in office why bother to hang around Capitol Hill and do the jobs they were sent there to do?

Who are these cads from Alabama?

Bobby Bright-D

Parker Griffith-D

You're a disgrace both of you, along with all of your cohorts who decided to skip town early and not bother to vote. Your absence serves as a glaring example of how unfit 90% of the politicians sent to Washington are and why our government is broken beyond repair. Representative government is non-existent in our current times and we can clearly see why.

Here's a listing of all of the jackwagons who bailed on the SB 510 vote

The nine defeated Democrats missing in action were:  
John Adler (N.J.)
Bobby Bright (Ala.)
Brian Baird (Wash.)
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (S.D.)
Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (Mich.)
Mary Jo Kilroy (Ohio)
Michael McMahon (N.Y.)
Harry Mitchell (Ariz.)
Solomon Ortiz (Texas)
The three Republicans were
Joseph Cao (La.)
Parker Griffith (Ala.)
Bob Inglis (S.C.)

Also among the no-shows Tuesday were 15 retiring members, including Reps.
Gresham Barrett (R-S.C.),
Marion Berry (D-Ark.)
Ginny Brown-Waite (R-Fla.),
Steve Buyer (R-Ind.)
Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.)
Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.)
Mary Fallin (R-Okla.)
Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.)
Paul Hodes (D-N.H.)
Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.)
Charlie Melancon (D-La.)
Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.) 
John Linder (R-Ga.)
George Radanovich (R-Calif.) 
John Tanner (D-Tenn.)
Forty-six other members were not present, including 24 Democrats and 22 Republicans.

We would like to add that Senators Shelby and Sessions each received "contributions" of $70,000 plus to vote for this bill, which they did this past Sunday evening in a surprise unanimous voice vote by the republican senators.  

The November 30th vote on SB 510 records Shelby and Sessions as "nays," but the unanimous voice vote undid the political cover they were hoping to hide under. 

Calls to both senator's offices confirm the lie that they voted against it in the end. When questioned about the Sunday night vote, both offices placed us on hold for well over 20 minutes. Calling back yielded the same treatment.

Someone does not like questions it seems.

Both of Alabama's senators ran unopposed and did not need the money for their campaigns, yet they took Monsanto's money and gave them something in return for their "generosity."

They gave the rest of us something too, but we didn't get a kiss first. 

2010 will go down as a dark year in America for many reasons, but we fear this one will have some very dire consequences that none of us will realize until the damage is done and irreversible. America has been for the most part completely asleep on on SB 510 and has failed to fully understand what it will mean.

We can now see the future and it is a genetically modified nightmare called Monsanto and the systematic expansion of intrusion by the government into areas of our lives they should have absolutely no control over. EVER.

"Control the food, control the people." Henry Kissinger

Think we're over the top about this? 

Take a look at what happened to a Georgia farmer just this year.

 Subscribe in a reader

Federal Indictments in Alabama: One Down Ten to Go--Lobbyist Massey Pleads "Guilty"

Jarrod "the snake" Massey

As a result of the FBI probe into Alabama corruption and bribery involving lobbyists and elected officials, which netted eleven suspects, one has now decided to admit his guilt in an effort to save his no good hide from a stiffer penalty.

Mr. Massey is the founder of Mantra Governmental (page by cache status only) and the following is from the site on their ethics:

MANTRA Governmental is proud to be a leading provider in Alabama’s government relations industry in the areas of ethics and operating standards. We practice and maintain an internal ethics program maintained by counsel that exceeds the ethical requirements of our industry. All MANTRA professionals are required to participate in the program which includes annual training on the rules and guidelines regulating the government relations industry in Alabama and abroad.

To be blunt, it appears Massey has sort of shot all that to hell hasn't he?

Former popular Alabama legislator (a white dem, a rarity in Alabama, who served as a republican governor's floor leader) William F. "Noopie" Cosby, Jr. counts Mantra Governmental as one of his lobbying clients. (page 20 0f 84 Ala. Ethics Comm. 2010 lobbyists) What does this say about "good guy" Mr. Cosby?

You can read more about Mr. Massey, his recent plea and his admissions of who he bribed (and how much) here. We thought some of the comments following the story were interesting and we would like to include some of them below before they possibly disappear from view, which happens frequently with Al.com. (Readers also tell us their accounts no longer work for commenting and they get a "session timed out" constantly.)

"Massey acted on his own and is now making a plea deal. What a jerk. This guy used to sit at the bar at the Renaissance Hotel and run his mouth about how much of a big shot he is and talk about his shady exploits over shots. The more this buffoon drank the more he talked. He is nothing more than a bag man with a big mouth."

"Massey is a womanizing, loud mouth, drunk who would gallivant around Alley Bar and the Renaissance Hotel in his girly red little convertible with his "Lobby1" license plate. Then this idiot gets indicted and goes and buys a Porsche! How stupid can you be? He is a loose cannon."

"Who can trust anything Jarrod Massey says? He is a paid liar. Didn't any of you ever see the movie "Thank you for Smoking"? That's all lobbyists do. Lie. Lie. Lie. And apparently Massey liked to drink and womanize too. I've heard all kinds of stories from my friends who live in Montgomery and saw this pig out at bars. He is a lying, cheating, sack of manure and deserves to rot in jail for both his involvement and his ratting."

These comments are an accurate reflection of what the public thinks about "paid liars" like Massey. Montgomery is full of these smarmy types who are ticks on the dog of Alabama politics. Together with the corporations they represent, they are bleeding the state of millions of dollars every year. 

Why is this allowed to happen? 

Lobbyists have a lot to do with it.

Our new governor has signaled his willingness to continue this process with his close affiliation with super lobbyist Michael J. Davis of Balch & Bingham, among other individuals with controversial histories he has surrounded himself with.

You cannot move forward with new ideas surrounded by minds that are rooted in the past.
This is one of the main reasons that there will never be true ethics reform in Alabama--it would cost these lobbyists their power, the legislators their perks of office and strong accountability and true transparency would sweep all of that away. 

It's ingrained into our political process to be corrupt, on the take and morally bankrupt. In fact, it seems to be a job requirement for political office.

Politicians in Alabama are content to stay with what and who they know and the familiar to them rather than expanding their thinking and ideas to new ways of doing things. This is what makes the prominent claim of Alabama's republican super majority of a "new day in Alabama politics" disingenuous on its face.

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds"

Mr. Massey is merely a reflection of the atmosphere of Alabama politics. Men like him flourish because they are allowed to thrive in a calculated environment that makes it possible.

Left In Alabama did an excellent posting on the DOJ investigation complete with links to the actual documents. A very interesting read!

Speaking of sordidness, here's a riddle for you folks in Alabama, especially the Vincent area:
What do a married WRQ lobbyist, Tuesday afternoons and barely dressed babes in short plaid skirts all have in common with each other?

A correct answer wins the photo solution.
*(we have a winner, enjoy your photo and we hope you will put it to good use!)

 Subscribe in a reader

Haley Barbour Torpedoes Chance at Presidential Run--Claims Civil Rights Era Fight "Not That Bad"

*Updated Tuesday pm
Filed under: Insensitive Dough Boy from Mississippi

Alabama's outgoing Governor Riley has a reason to rejoice today, Haley Barbour's racist insensitivity just moved Riley up the GOP list for possible hopefuls in 2012, which gives the rest of us reasons to worry--Riley is smart enough to keep his race opinions to himself, but Alabamians know he isn't far off of Barbour's archaic thinking.

No southern republican is. But Riley's image has been carefully crafted to resemble the GOPs beloved Reagan and he has folks like Joe Scarborough of MSNBC (video link) urging Riley to run and cheer-leading for him to "Do for America what you have done for Alabama."

Riley has to gain traction outside of the south and we just do not see that as a reality, but politics has become so unpredictable anything could happen.

Some things just should not happen and Riley is one of them, Barbour is the other.

Barbour's thinly veiled racist remarks are becoming more and more commonplace in the media and it's clear he does not listen to advisers who surely must be telling him to get off the race topics. (Washington Monthly December 20, 2010)

Barbour is an arrogant sot mouthed idiot, a product of the Eastland Democrats who were hard core segregationists, Klansmen and racists to the core of their black hearts. He seems to suggest white supremacists were responsible for keeping Mississippi "peaceful."

Rachel Maddow and Eugene Robinson did a number on Barbour about his revisionist history a few months ago that we covered, and it should have taught Barbour a lesson about think first, engage mouth second, but it didn't take. This is symptomatic of the disease a lot of southern republicans have--they believe that being elected to office in a large majority translates into going back to the days of segregation. If you listen carefully to what they say, it comes through loud and clear.

Barbour is just not as careful and calculating in speech as a lot of them are and he is rightfully getting ripped apart in the media for it.

Once again, Massa Barbour has opened his mouth and removed all doubt who he really is. He's embraced by the GOP for his political connections and his uncanny ability to raise millions, but what now for the GOP and Barbour?

Are they going to continue to stand behind this huge liability to their party?

Probably.

Read more here

*Update--Predictably Barbour is trying to distance himself from his remarks. Too late, the mule has left the barn.
Older brother Jeppie Barbour shows that it runs in the family.

 Subscribe in a reader

An Alabama Christmas Carol

Starring:

Governor-elect Robert Bentley as Scrooge

Bob Riley as the ghost of Christmas past

Senator Jabo Waggoner as the nephew

Senator Scott Beason as Tiny Tim

Representative Spencer Bachus as well...you know

 Subscribe in a reader

In Sunday-Evening Surprise, Senate Unanimously Passes SB 510 - The Hill's Healthwatch

SB 510 IS ALIVE AND WELL AND ALMOST LAW.

CNN reported Friday night: "Democrats then wanted to attach [S.510] to a narrower government-funding bill that is expected to pass Saturday but Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, warned he would object if they did. A GOP leadership aide told CNN it would be impossible to approve the food bill quickly unless all Republicans support doing so. Coburn has said he opposes the bill because, he claims, it spends billions and increases government regulations without actually making the food supply safer. A Democratic leadership aide held out hope an 11th hour deal could save the bill the GOP leadership aide warned that it is not likely."

Senator Coburn-R who had been a very outspoken opponent to this bill lifted his objection at the last minute--a move that even caught the lobbyists off guard.

All of the GOP Senators passed SB 510 with unanimous consent.

Senator Harry Reid-D will now send the bill, with the clerical error remedied that had held up the bill, back to the House for approval.

We're one step away from Monsanto and Big Ag controlling all of the US food supplies.

Welcome to 1984 and Codex Alimentarius.

"Control the food, control the people." Henry Kissinger (and Monsanto)

Ag Committee Republican Senators who should all be out of a job:

Saxby Chambliss-R  GA

Richard Lugar-R  IN

Thad Cochran-R  MS

Mitch McConnell-R  KY

Pat Roberts-R  KS

Mike Johanns-R  NE

Charles Grassley-R  IA

John Thune-R  SD

John Cornyn-R TX

Note how many of these states are farming and agriculture states. FCRA records indicate that these Senators have all been bought and paid for by Big Ag.

The House meets Tuesday on this issue. If you're not calling your representatives, you're giving in to Monsanto people and nothing good ever comes from Monsanto.

In Sunday-evening surprise, Senate unanimously passes food safety bill - The Hill's Healthwatch

An additional issue that's getting close to pitchforks and torches: Net Neutrality is quickly gaining momentum with the Dems. It's nothing more than a federal power grab and censorship of free speech. We can't allow the citizens to have an opinion and learn about what the government doesn't want us to know now can we?

One day we'll all look back and say "I remember when America used to be free..."

Subscribe in a reader

Black Warrior Riverkeeper Newsletter--Sheperd's Bend Coal Mine Fight Continues

Please support your local Waterkeeper Alliance and their efforts to protect our watersheds globally. Here in Alabama, Black Warrior Riverkeeper is all that stands between Alabama's environment and the big polluters because the state agencies and EPA Region 4 are "more or less in league with the poisoners," and unwilling to stand up to big business and enforce federal laws. Following federal CWA & CAA laws are not profit centers for business and Alabama welcomes them with wide open arms with their lax attitude towards protection of the environment.

The only environment Alabama is interested in protecting is the ability of big business to run amok in our state and grow rich from their reprehensible records of serial violations of our waterways and air quality. Our state "environmental agencies, ADEM & EMC, support themselves with the fees from these businesses emissions and discharges, resulting in a non motivational model that does nothing to reign in their toxic methods of operating.

The foxes are clearly in charge of the proverbial hen house.

BWRK stays after them and keeps Alabama's citizens informed of what is really going on as you can read in their recent newsletter below. It's an eye opener and a sober reminder of the critical need for grassroots efforts in our state.

They're the unsung heroes for Alabama's waterways and we salute their mighty efforts!

Mission statement of the Waterkeeper Alliance

Waterkeeper Alliance provides a way for communities to stand up for their right to clean water and for the wise and equitable use of water resources, both locally and globally.  The vision of the Waterkeeper movement is for fishable, swimmable and drinkable waterways worldwide.  Our belief is that the best way to achieve this vision is through the Waterkeeper method of grassroots advocacy. 
 
Waterkeeper Alliance aspires to protect every major watershed around the world. We also continue to reach out and collaborate with other leading national and international environmental and public health organizations to serve the needs of our global network.

GoogleDoc ASMC permit Sheperd's Bend

BWRK Newsletter Second Half 2010

 Subscribe in a reader

Religious Right Has Been Chasing the Dragon--Claims "Environmentalism Against the Gospel"

The Evangelical right has totally lost it with their latest hysterical claims;

"Around the world environmentalism has become a radical movement - something we call the Green Dragon. And it is deadly. Deadly to human prosperity. Deadly to human life. Deadly to human freedom. And deadly to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Make no mistake about it: Environmentalism is no longer your friend. It is your enemy”

Who knew that Jesus was on the side of big polluters?

Media Matters lays it all out on  who is involved in this 12 disc series "Resisting the Green Dragon" promoted by hyper conservative Glenn Beck among others.  People will buy into this and that's the most troubling aspect of it. Besides the fact that it is propaganda hype wrapped in a self-serving religious mantle.

Read more here

 Subscribe in a reader

Left In Alabama Previews A New Look For Alabama Governor-elect Bentley

Filed under damn funny

The folks over at LIA have provided us with a much needed laugh. (Applause!)

Best dressed Mule in Alabama (matching feedbag coming soon.)

 We'll have some more to say on Dame Bentley's doings and appointments a little bit later on.

 Subscribe in a reader

Maple Hill, NC Says "No" to Martin Marietta 1,800 Acre Quarry

Unlike Shelby County, Alabama and the Town of Vincent who are willing to sell out to rock miners at every turn and who see no harm in losing productive farmland, this community had enough chutzpah to say "no" to an 1,800 acre quarry. Bravo!


Decision Made in Rock Quarry
JD News, Jacksonville, NC
By: Lindel Kay
Harris Creek Road resident Wade Brown said Wednesday he was glad to see Martin Marietta didn’t hit pay dirt in Maple Hill.

The Onslow County Zoning Board of Adjustment voted down a special-use permit request by the national mining company to build a 1,800-acre rock quarry off N.C. 50.

Martin Marietta argued the limestone mine would present no health risks and would not bother neighbors. Many of those neighbors, about 100 people in all, attended Tuesday’s meeting with several of them telling the board they didn’t want the quarry in their proverbial backyard.

Brown said he had lived his entire life in the Maple Hill area.

“Martin Marietta cannot buy my happiness with money,” he said. “I built this house with these hands.”

Heidi Cronin, a 30-year real estate agent who lives in the area, said she believed the quarry would have had a negative impact on her property values. She said the rock quarry would have meant buyers wouldn’t purchase property in the area.

Board member Alex Wood said he felt strongly that the real estate evidence presented by Martin Marietta’s experts was fabricated to the extent it did not include information on foreclosures or buyouts of properties surrounding other Martin Marietta quarries. He also felt their studies purposely ignored land closest to roads where mining activity was obvious for property on the peripheral of the operations.

Legrand Lanier, owner of a 220-acre hog farm with a clay-lined lagoon that cost $1 million to build in 1992 and is under moratorium now, said his farm was 200 feet from the proposed mine.“I’ve been neutral,” he said. “I haven’t attended any of the meetings.”

But he opposed the mine because lagoons are fragile and he was concerned about any possible sinkholes that might cause a waste spill. He said he was also concerned about how the noise from heavy blasting would affect his animals.

“I send 2,000 pigs a week to other farms in Duplin and Sampson counties,” he said, adding that his farm branches off to six nurseries which each branch off again.

In order to receive the permit, Martin Marietta had to prove to the board that the quarry would not endanger public health, would meet required specifications, would not injure property values and would be in harmony with the surrounding area.

The Board voted that Martin Marietta met the first two requirements, but failed to meet the last two conditions. The company has 30 days to file a court appeal.

 Subscribe in a reader

This Is How the GOP Congress Will Regulate Wall Street?

The fabulous Banker Boys from Alabama

A great article from Salon on Alabama's terrible twosome: Representative Spencer "don't bother me with House business I'm watching my stocks" Bachus and porker extraordinaire Senator Richard Shelby.

This is how the GOP Congress will regulate Wall Street?

Plus-- We have seen the face of intolerance and it is the Alabama Republicans, with emphasis on Representative Ed Henry-R Hartselle who thinks a former local sheriff turned Alabama State House Republican past work experience has more worth than a Pulitzer prize winning author.

We have so much to be proud of in Dixie. 
Not.

Subscribe in a reader

Political Jackwagons Round II--Rep. Jim McClendon-R Springville and Supporting Cast

On a local radio show this morning, Springville's little big man confirmed his ongoing malady of hoof and mouth disease and removed all doubt to listeners that he is a jackhole without a clue of the ability of Alabama's citizens to recognize legislative BS disguised as "true ethics reform."

If you missed it, you missed quite a show from one of Alabama's talkers who is 99% of the time in the tank for the Republicans. We consider him to be a jackhole too, who is quite full of himself and one of the most condescending and argumentative big mouths to ever sit behind a microphone. Look for Senator "bonehead" Beason to host his show on Friday. Yes, really, a buffoon of a politician who has had his tail kicked all over Alabama for his limp rag lobbyist bill was the only possible choice to fill in for Friday's show.

That's another story entirely--state sponsored radio.

Back to McClendon. Here's a little (in essence) excerpt from the show about the supposed loophole repair by "sausage maker" McClendon that came about because of Beason's ineptitude: (slight paraphrasing)

Host:  "Representative McClendon why didn't you include a reporting requirement for the legislators and the gifters to them that would require that they report everything? I mean how are the people going to know who's giving what to our legislators without a reporting requirement?"
McClendon:  "The people will catch them. My opponent in the next election will catch it. If anybody down here does anything wrong it will go before a DA and the Ethics Commission and they'll prosecute it."

The host was incensed about this and let McClendon know about it in no uncertain terms. Good for him, finally! Callers that followed this exchange once again showed the goats on the hill that they are smart enough (despite Beason thinking they aren't) to know a pig in a poke when they see one. It is not the people's responsibility to follow these jerks around and be the police patrol of ethics when they screw up. But if that's the way they want it, we could oblige them. We'll be happy to post any verifiable information and photographs that serve the people and transparency.

Be careful what you wish for Mr. McClendon.

We surmise that the host took a harder line because the show that follows his was covered in a CBS 42 News story on Monday, and since Mr. loud mouth is such a publicity whore he caught on quick and changed direction with today's show. The end result was a benefit to the folks and we applaud that despite our suspicion that his motives were rooted in self promotion of himself and his self important talk show.

Here's the problem with McClendon: he's been in office too long and has gotten far too comfortable running unopposed and unquestioned, but each campaign cycle he raises $200K plus for reasons we still don't understand. It may not be illegal, but it smells. He's got a Napoleon complex and he isn't afraid to use it every chance he gets. But this morning he let his mouth overload his behind because he was confident that this radio host would play softball with him as he does with all the Republican legislators who come on as guests. McClendon ended the call with : "Matt, you know you're my hero...." Translation: I know you'll cover our behinds like you always do.

Rude awakening today wasn't it Representative McClendon?

A caller spilled the beans on the "best kept secret in the state house" called the Joe Ron Room on the sixth floor of the legislative building. That's a playpen that the legislators retire to for a little fun and frolic with their lobbyist nannies who allegedly ply them with alcohol in a building that is not supposed to allow alcohol.

We've heard stories from sources inside this room when the fun was flowing full tilt that one day we may reveal if our lawyers will clear it. These boys don't like having their dresses pulled up and they'll come after you with every attack dog they can whistle up, so caution is prudence.

But we know and so do others.

Representative McClendon fails to mention that he is on the House Ethics Commission Committee and its members are elected/appointed by the legislature. It is a body that is similar to the fox watching the hen house and it would be illogical to presume that this body would take any harsh action against its own. Nice try though Jimmy boy.

The other problem that media outlets refuse to discuss, as did Mr. McClendon and every other jackwagon on Goat Hill, is that the penalties for ethics violations are weak. It does no good to give the EC subpoena power if you do not strengthen the penalties. It's a job half done and they know it, but why the media doesn't pick up on it baffles us. Well, not really. They're all puppets for the masters and their oily PR men (and women, with one up and coming to watch: Stephen Bradley's daughter Hallie Bradley with Alabama Power.)

Tune into the audio from the Alabama State House today for more from Jimmy boy and his playmates to see how this goes along. So far, it's been more entertaining than reality TV to listen to the braying from the floor of these jackasses that strut around as the sharpest show ponies in the arena of a "new day in Alabama politics."

Senate audio *(recessed until 10:00 Tuesday night CST)

House audio

 Subscribe in a reader