Filed under: "When the Levee Broke", AL, Birmingham AL restaurants, Birmingham Alabama, Birmingham, AL, Bottletree Cafe, Hurricane Katrina, Taylor Hicks, The Ticker
I hope that everyone enjoyed the holidays. I sort of figured that people wouldn’t necessarily get into the Year in Review series (here’s the May post with links to the others completed so far) until I posted new links to the Taylor Hicks parade images. Well, there’s still a few more months to go. It also appears that I’m one of the few folks around town that decided to take an extra day off this week. Now I’m thinking that I should have taken off the entire week.
It seems that the Bottletree is hosting a two-night “D & D” (dinner and a doc) night beginning tomorrow evening. They’ll be showing Spike Lee’s “When the Levee Broke,” a moving chronicle of the issues still facing the people of New Orleans now more than a year after the damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina. Acts 1 & 2 will be screened tomorrow; acts 3 & 4 will be screened on Thursday. The film will begin both evenings at 8 p.m. We’ve talked about the devastation and the progress her, most notably this post with a link to images throughout the city. I have a strange feeling that more people may get it after seeing the film.
And even though it is a D & D night in Avondale, you still don’t have an excuse to not visit an area Jim N’ Nick’s tomorrow for lunch. We described the fund raising effort for Making Children Aware of Predators (MCAP) in this post. All in all, a great way to make the end of the year productive, at least in terms of helping others.
Til tomorrow,
Cheers.
Filed under: AL, Birmingham Alabama, Birmingham, AL, Blogging, Charleston, Chattanooga, Commentary, Cooper River Bridge Run, Dre's 101 in 1001, Jane Jacobs, MySpace, Papajohns.com Bowl, The Year in Review, Transportation, people, transit, urban issues
The MySpace effect (still not completely understood)
As tax day approached we took a first look at the phenomenon of MySpace and other social networking websites and their effect on communication among people in Birmingham, Alabama. Recent major projects have developed large groups of “friends” for the cause through these programs, including Red Mountain Park and Catalyst. We’ve even started keeping track of Birmingham-based MySpace pages here at the blog with a ever-growing list of businesses and organizations that continue to impress people with the ability to get the word out quickly and effectively.
Leadership and movement
Transportation made it’s first attempt to once again dominate discussions among people in the metro area as prices were fast approaching (and passing) $3/gallon. We paid tribute to Jane Jacobs, one of the leaders, in this crazy movement known by many names; I just call it rediscovering urban living. We made a point to try to remain focused on the growing need for a movement to begin among young professionals. We also tried to make sure that people were aware that this movement was not limited to those that are younger in age, but those young in spirit and hope as well. It was also interesting that the region continued to have people come in and talk about what it should be doing, including Edsel Ford, Colin Coyne and most recently Governor Riley. They all shared a message of making a difference whenever possible, one we echoed with this post.
On the road
The month began with the Ramblings on the road, visiting Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA and taking in everything that had happened over in the Coastal Empire since moving to Birmingham. The result of a post recounting Betsy’s first game at Grayson Stadium even encouraged a visit to the site by Frank Dinan, the frosty beverageman of the stadium himself. We also made a point of completing one of the first of the 101 in 1001, a quick day trip to Chattanooga, TN.
Two more for you
Two things we did get a chance to talk about as well in April was the Birmingham Bowl, with this recent post showing the result of the efforts put forth by organizers, and our chance to look at a window to our past.
As we get close to the end of the year, I hope you get a chance to look through that window as well, remembering some of those good moments.
Enjoy the day.
Cheers.
See also:
The Year in Review: January and a little December ‘05 too
The Year in Review: February 2006
The Year in Review: March 2006
Filed under: AL, Birmingham Alabama, Birmingham, AL, Christmas 2006, Photographs, Random shots
One of the things about living in a loft, or many urban dwellings, is figuring out where to put the stockings since many don’t have chimneys.
Our space has an one of the original radiators still in it, though it is not functional. It does make for a unique “mantle” to say the least.
I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas!
Cheers.
