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The Birmingham Business Alliance rolled out their latest builditis campaign with nauseating fanfare promising to "move the region forward," and they have a catchy phrase for it that's been splashed all over the local media, in slick ads, and on billboards all around the city proclaiming "We're Open." (variations: "I'm Open" "Birmingham is Open")
That's music to the ears of all the crooks and rapists who have created a "Magic City" that's sure to be attractive to potential businesses, and here's the BBA is trying to convince us all that it doesn't exist. They're masters at look at the shiny thing and pay no attention to the man behind the curtain game.
Thanks to this Feb.17th US News report (using data supplied by the FBI) "The Most Dangerous Cities in the US" we can see that the Flash Harry's of the BBA are up to their same old tricks of promise them everything and get them to pay for it no matter how nonsensical it really is.
And just to add insult to injury, a previous report came out on Nov. 23, 2010 that had Birmingham ranked as the 10th most dangerous city. The BBA campaign rolled out in September of 2010, and maybe the ne'er do wells have flocked to the area in anticipation of the looting they can start looking forward to courtesy of the BBA's grand illusions.
Yep, "We're Open" alright and it's going to be one hell of a melee' for Crime, Inc.
Here's the 'good' news:
Only St. Louis and Atlanta ranked ahead of the Magic City who tied with Orlando for third place. Birmingham's high ranking was due in part to the high rate of forcible rapes and robberies over the last seven years.Crime Risk Index: 380In 2009, the latest year on which the data is based, the murder and non-negligent manslaughter rate in the greater Birmingham metropolitan area was nearly twice the national rate of five per 100,000. Likewise, the rate of all property crime in that area was 50 percent higher than the national rate.
Alabama as a whole was ranked 13th in the nation for the worst crime rate in March 2009.
Is anyone starting to see a pattern here? What company worth its salt is going to look at these statistics and say to themselves; "sounds like a great place to set up shop in!"
Maybe before we start building crystal cathedrals and laying down streets of gold it might be a good idea to fix what seems to be inherently wrong with Birmingham first--Its corrupt and clueless leadership that is led around by the nose by the Mules and the BBA, and then maybe turn the crank on the complete ineffectiveness of the police department.
Sounds good to us.
Does it to you?
http://blueprintbirmingham.com/bpb/index.html
ReplyDeleteThe website says.....Birmingham... the potential for abundant economic opportunities
and an outstanding quality of life for its citizens.
P-O-T-E-N-T-I-A-L. Great word.
And the other part which chaps my hide....It is the most comprehensive, regional strategic
plan ever developed for the seven-county
Birmingham region, providing a clear direction
for economic prosperity.
Forget about fixing Birmingham. Just go for the 7 county area. Never mind they have not mastered their own backyards.
And lastly.....The Birmingham region is facing significant challenges. The current state of the economy highlights the need for the region to plan, not for today's challenges, but for future opportunities.
Heck - we can skip right over these problems we have currently --- forget about today's challenges - they are TOO BIG TO FIX. And I was thinking they might come up with something snappy like TOO BIG TO FAIL. hahahaha
The city and county finances are in horrible shape and the super sewer continues to be the elephant in the room sucking up more money in debt every day.
ReplyDeleteThe financial state of the city and county should be addressed before anything happens. But what do these bozos do? SPEND MO'MONEY THEY DON'T HAVE!
John Archibald has a column this morning about the fanaticism of football and the Toomer's trees being poisoned and there is a section in it that I think is appropriate here:
ReplyDelete"Alabama is awash in poverty and crime, among the league leaders in obesity and diabetes and all kinds of cancer. Our education system is a perennial cellar dweller, and just one in five residents actually have a college degree. The state is over-polluted and taxed in a way that is unfair to those who need fairness the most, and our levels of government corruption rival even traditional powers Louisiana and Illinois. Our constitution is set up to maintain the status quo."
The problems in the city run deep on many levels and what Arch says about the state as a whole applies very much to the city of Birmingham.
I agree that there are problems in the city that should be addressed and FIXED before we embark on any development disasters designed to line the pockets of special interests more than help the city of Birmingham.
Amen 5 Points. And until someone makes a good change in education in this state, no matter what these greedy buzzards do, it won't work. It can't work. You have corporate greed and secret inside money deals on the outside from the start. Inside the heart of the community you have poverty, opression, ignorance, injustices. And those injustices are not just about the poor people who are the victims of this community, it's also the people with jobs from high income to the working poor, paying for this nonsense for these arrogant money grubbing megalomaniacs preaching how they are the ones who can turn it around for a prosperous Birmingham. They have the keys to the kingdom. You bet. Project Blue Print. Mmmmmmm Hmmmmmm. Right.
ReplyDeleteProject Birmingham's Brighter Day......ain't coming. No time soon and certainly not with this group at the helm.
Seems like the first time, in recent years, I heard the phrase, 'We're Open,' was after Katrina and it was used in the context to let all the folks know, New Orleans and the coastal area affected by the hurricane had been repaired and it was the preferred buzz to tell the people, come on back down to N'orleans, Biloxi and Gulf Port, and throw down some bucks. Have a good time. Spend some money. Let those good times roll. Happy days are here again.
ReplyDeleteMost recently, 'We're Open' was used along the Gulf of Mexico by those individuals along the water who were dealing with the BP disaster. We heard the association's PR, 'We Are Open.'
As I recall, that campaign was not successful.
The days of 'if you build it, they will come' is no longer working. Far too many OTHER issues going on.
If the people have to walk through a land mine and obstacle course and by the time they arrive it's like completing an endurance test, how well will or can something like this work?
My critical thinking says, it cannot. And the powers that be probably know this all well in advance. However, if they behave (like me) as if this has the proverbial snowballs chance, that would be counter-productive to the end result. And, that end result for those would be the money.
As a life-long resident of Birmingham (I;m still not sure why...) I have seen this city continually slide into oblivion.
ReplyDeleteIt's biggest enemy is corruption and it continues to be public enemy #1.
Birmingham has developed a reputation as an easy mark for northern raiders (super sewer) and corporate raiders who are full of visions of the land and milk and honey if you just listen to us.
That's exactly what this BB idea is, but the letters should really be BS!
Birmingham's so called leadership is offering up a pound of flesh for this scheme, meanwhile their financial house is in great disarray.
ReplyDeleteIt does not make sense in these hard economic times for the city, county or the federal government to be ponying up millions on this mess.
BPD Chief Roper had the nerve to call his police force one of the "best in the country" toady at a downtown rally.
ReplyDeleteThe man should use a wheelbarrow to cart 'em around with a big ol' fat lie of claim like that!
In an article from the Bham News Feb 20th:
ReplyDelete7 Men in Jefferson County Responsible For 25 Murders
This is what is going on in the county, this county, as a commenter above wrote, who has a police chief who claims Birmingham's police force is one of the best in the country.
Most racist and ineffective is a more accurate description.