I made a movie. My first, actually.

They gave me 48 hours. I needed only 36.

The world premiere of “The Last Fish” is at 8 tonight at the Carver Theatre. This short film and a couple dozen other entries are products of the latest Sidewalk Scramble, a semi-annual competition among local directors, actors and crews.

My one-man film will make festival history.

But before you see the final product tonight, let’s go behind the scenes of my first (and likely last) foray into filmmaking.

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Bar crowd draws tighter
as the hour grows later.
Last call. Time to sleep.

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Gung Ho 2: Automotive Boogaloo: What happens when good ol’ boys and Korean gearheads join forces? Economic gains, waves of cars and … wackiness, natch. Hyundai’s $1.1 billion investment in Montgomery hasn’t been without its setbacks: language problems, rough handling of delicate machinery and … “according to a manager, when the company tried to send some workers to Hyundai Motor’s plant in Asan, Korea, it discovered that many employees didn’t even hold a passport.” The South Korea shall rise again. Hyundai’s not the only triumph: Mercedes and Honda are having record sales, too, thanks to state factories.
• Alabama plant is a Hyundai success story [JoongAng Daily (Seoul, Korea)]

Following the strokes: Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham say that stroke victims can recover use of their limbs, even five years later. Before, doctors believed that maximum recovery was limited to six months to a year after a stroke. Hundreds of thousands of stroke survivors could regain the use of previously impaired limbs, according to the study published today in the journal, Stroke.
• Stroke Victims May Regain Weak Arm Use [Associated Press]

Black and white and remembered all over: The Birmingham News published “Unseen. Unforgotten,” a special eight-page section Sunday (and online section) of photos from the 1950s and '60s, the peak of the civil rights era. An intern found the negatives at the newspaper offices 16 months ago. The images had never been published.

The newspaper shied away from aggressive controversial coverage of the era, choosing instead to hide the photos (some taken at great risk to the photographers) in a closet. The editors, perhaps wisely, did not respond in the main story. But this columnist and this other columnist have suggested that the photos’ publication will spark frank discussions on race. (One column is even headlined “City finally finds nerve to talk race.”)

We agree. Maybe the discussion can start in the newsroom as to why, in 2006, in a community that’s 43 percent nonwhite, is the newsroom’s leadership mostly white and male? Or the higher-profile writers, the columnists, mostly white and male? Or the departmental management? Someday, perhaps, they shall overcome.
• From negatives to positives [Birmingham News]

Also:

• Southside restaurant hostess aspires to be part-time server
• Early state tax refunds spark out-of-state lottery ticket spree
• Offensive T-shirts fail to shock illiterate classmates

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Taylor Hicks kicked off tonight’s competition. But will the judges’ reviews get him kicked off this week?

Recap after the jump …

Updated with video, eliminations.

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Allow us to revisit February, best month ever …

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Go with the flow: Is Jefferson County poisoning the water? Last week, 23.5 million gallons of sewage went into Shades Creek — more than six times the amount Trussville produces in one day. No biggie: It’s just one of more than 2,800 overflows since 1997. Billions borrowed, dozens of facilities built, with disgusting results. The Environmental Protection Agency plans to fine $1,000 for each offense while cutting $10 million in funding for the state. We’ll stick to making water at home … it’s two parts hydrogen and one part something, right?
• Sewage fouls Shades Creek [Birmingham News]

Adger is burning: An explosion Tuesday at the state’s biggest coal mine hurt no one since the site had already been evacuated. That’s because it’s the fourth explosion there since Friday. Despite a judge’s order in January for the state to inspect all mines within 10 days, despite a renewed focus nationally on mine safety, the Drummond Co. Shoal Creek mine has seen quite a few explosions and fires. The miners’ union says the state could have prevented the potentially deadly situation with a full inspection. A state official blamed time constraints. People, people, there will be plenty of time for finger pointing after another dozen miners are trapped and killed.
• Another explosion rocks coal mine [Birmingham News]

CeCe to FX: Birmingham’s Courteney Cox loves gossip. Sorta. She’s playing an editor of two celebrity mags in “Dirt,” a pilot for FX shooting this month. Cox, along with Matthew Carnahan and hubby David Arquette (hi, David!) are also executive producers. For those keeping score … Phoebe, cancelled HBO show; Joey, likely cancelled NBC show; Rachel, dumped by Brad Pitt; Ross, ????; and Chandler, in one of 20 SNL-inspired meta-TV fall comedy pilots. As for Courteney’s personal life, she is or isn’t pregnant. How’s that for a (non-)scoop?
• Cox Gets the ‘Dirt’ for FX [Zap2It]

Also:

• Accountant who misplaced precious cash to give seminar on how not to lose precious cash
• Tire retailers fight to legalize potholes
• H.S. center makes amazing three-point shot during warmups before team knocked out of state playoffs

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In like a lion?
Seasons aren’t like animals.
In like a rustle.

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When I fall behind,
I forget to tie my shoes
or write my haiku.

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