Hurricane Katrina caused more than $80 billion in damage and killed nearly 2,000 people. Hundreds of thousands of refugees swarmed the surrounding states, many never to return home.
While Mississippi and Louisiana suffered tremendous losses, Alabama was spared the worst of the destruction.
Is it possible that this Category 5 hurricane had an upside for the state?
Birmingham is known by many names. The Magic City. Pittsburgh of the South. Football Capital of the South. Bombingham. The ’Ham.
While the hand-wringing continues over the city’s image, we welcome thousands of “American Idol” hopefuls to a place they’ve heard about since Ruben Studdard put three defining digits on the map: 2-0-5.
So why can’t we get “Birmingham” out there in our other most visible institutions?
When MTV hit the air 25 years ago today, the brash young network would change the world. Eventually.
On Aug. 1, 1981, you couldn’t even watch it in New York, its corporate headquarters, because the city couldn’t watch the yet-to-be-picked-up-there cable network. Hard to imagine.
Nowadays, its stamp is everywhere, from fast-cut musically driven movie sequences (and entire movies) to reality television to the relentless pursuit of free-spending teenagers.
Birmingham native Alan Hunter was there at the birth of Music Television, one of five VJs who introduced videos (a promotional tool and an emerging artform), interviewed bands and became the early face of the network. He has gone on to promote the film industry in Birmingham, opened WorkPlay with brothers Blake, Hugh and Randy, founded Hunter Films with brother Hugh and co-founded activist organization Catalyst.
Baby, it’s hot outside. A sizzling summer is the perfect excuse to stay inside and away from the fickle fusion-powered reactor I call the sun.
While you’re cozy in your air-conditioned sanctuary, check out these five Birmingham Web sites that will change how you look at the city, its culture and its future.
While Birmingham and surrounding cities are trying to stamp out the gambling monster we call Gamblor, two charity fund-raisers want you to roll the dice this week.
Well, not actually dice — that would be boring. Instead, bet on winning hands and racing ducks. Yes, racing ducks.
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The City Stages 2006 eBay fund-raiser ended at 2 a.m. this morning. You probably didn’t hear about it.
The downtown music festival, still trying to erase its half-million-dollar debt, has tried all sorts of wild schemes to raise money. But the online auction seems saddest of all: 18 items, 12 bids (on only four items), $241 in profit and zero publicity.
Going once, going twice …
Updated
Art on the Rocks, July 2005
When 3,000 young professionals gather tonight in Birmingham, they’ll be ready to party with Ivan Neville’s new band, drink cocktails and mingle with 20- and 30somethings. They’ll dine on gourmet appetizers and taking part in a scavenger hunt to win a painting. Even “American Idol” finalist Taylor Hicks will be dropping by.
This isn’t a trendy Lakeview nightclub holding its grand opening. This is a museum.
Launched in April 2005, Art on the Rocks is an after-hours monthly party at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Its runaway success has inspired city arts organizations to pursue young professionals for their cachet and their cash. The movement is transforming the arts scene and the way companies view this hot demographic group.
Birmingham native and super-Friend TV multimillionaire Courteney Cox has popped up in town again, this time on a billboard campaign for the Ronald McDonald House. No, that’s not where the fast-food clown prince goes to recover after a special sauce bender — it’s a great charity that provides housing to families in town with children undergoing medical treatments.
But because we’re incredibly shallow people, all we care about is our CeCe.
Love that arty shot. Black-and-white photo = classy. But clown nose = lame. And the “nose” pun, ugh. We’d like to think nostril humor has still has flare, but maybe it’s mucus to your ears. Those corny billboards … looks like we’ll just have to septum for what they are.
(Get it???)
Join us as we look at Courteney’s past campaigns in the world of advertising …
Cooperation is the watchword.
At least, it is for 2006. I haven’t seen so much intergovernmental cooperation in as long as I can remember. Granted, it’s not exactly hugs and rainbows, but it’s a start.
What’s particularly striking about this quiet revolution is the young professionals movement. Not content to let the oldsters continue to run Birmingham into the ground, YPs (preferable to yuppies or some other media-friendly term) are beginning to organize, speak out, actually assert themselves and participate in the ongoing experiment of democracy.
(Hell, even MTV Spring Break 2006 is more about altruism then alcoholism, volunteerism over hedonism. Sad sad sad.)
Birmingham doesn’t stand at a crossroads — it’s been roadkill for a while. But YPs could breathe new life into old ways of governance and getting things done.
The WB and UPN are joining forces, as the networks combine to form The CW. In Birmingham, this will affect the two Sinclair Broadcasting-owned stations, WB-affiliate WTTO-21 and UPN-affiliate WABM-68, come September.
No word yet on how the merger will affect, if at all, WTTO’s SEC football games through Jefferson Pilot or WABM’s SEC basketball coverage. Also, CBS affiliate WIAT-42 has provided a 9 p.m. newscast for WTTO since October, after Sinclair’s failed Newscentral program signed off, leaving several WTTO employees without jobs.
Updated.
As you while away the remaining hours till Christmas, let’s review some cheery holiday posts you may have missed …
Plus, we found the true meaning of Christmas, and Easter, and even Flag Day, on someone’s windshield today.
If you’re like us, your shopping has been done for weeks, and you can kick back with some hot cocoa and a good book.
But if you’re still in the hunt for the right Christmas gift, fear not. We can toss a few suggestions your way.
With Christmas just three weeks away, you may be struggling to get your holiday shopping done. What to get for that “hard”-to-shop for DVD fan?
Well, if they liked "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Crazy in Alabama" and even "Crimson Tide," they’re sure to like this new man-tastic movie, “Alabama Takedown.”
[Warning: not safe for work!]
Now that you’ve stuffed yourself silly, it’s time to move on to the next holiday sport of the long weekend: extreme shopping.
Let us first dispense with the “hot” gifts of 2005. And by hot, we mean “available everywhere.”
The newly hired executive director of the newly established Birmingham-Jefferson Film Office spoke Monday night at the Sidewalk Salon. Mark Stricklin was candid about his role, the film community and the future.
At stake are the millions of dollars movie and TV productions can shovel into a city economy. But the competition is fierce, with several hundred city and regional film commissions vying for Hollywood’s attention.
