These perfect little
pockets all in a row filled
with hidden morsels.

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The ocean gently
laps at my toes, inviting
me to wander in.

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Homicide, life on the street: A&E’s reality doc “The First 48” airs at 8 tonight with a look at Birmingham’s finest on the job. Mayor Kincaid had nixed the idea back in 2007, but Mayor Langford gave it the OK. Will Birmingham, with its mixed bag of media images and Top 10 crime rate, fare well or poorly?

From the show site:

In Birmingham, join Lieutenant Praytor, Sergeant Noblitt, Detectives Williams, Anderson, Bristow, McCurdy, Morrow, Cotton, Jacobs, Tanks, Lucas and Torrence as they:

• Investigate the murder of a victim found in the bed of his burnt out pick-up truck.
• Trace the final route of a young man racing away from his killer after being shot in his car.
• Discover the truth behind the murder of a man gunned down while driving home from work.
• Crack open the story behind a shooting and car crash that leaves a young man dead at the wheel.

Saddest reality of all? “The experience has been the same for other detectives. Residents and witnesses who usually wouldn’t give them the time of day were talkative for the cameras. Criminals even confided to detectives that they watched the show. ‘It actually helped us,’ said senior detective Jody Jacobs. ‘The people liked to be on camera.’ ”

For those without cable (like us!), you should be able to watch online or buy from iTunes once the vids are posted. [See more in our special report, Crime Watch.]

• Birmingham homicide detectives to be part of new season of A&E show ‘First 48’ [Birmingham News]

[Don’t forget: “Survivor” recaps starting next Thursday featuring our two Alabama contestants: survivor.wadeonbirmingham.com.]

Movie magic: Airing at 7 tonight on WABM-68 is “Honeydripper,” a 2007 John Sayles film starring Danny Glover and Keb Mo’ set and shot in Alabama. Despite some past success with luring Hollywood productions to the state, our pal Chuck and Black and White laments the number of films that got away, including Lifetime’s Natalee Holloway flick. The stars that fell on Alabama are landing elsewhere.
• Honeydripper [Amazon.com]

Gotta give us what we need: Seriously? Chuck D at Miles College?! Damn. 7 p.m. Wednesday, free admission. In honor of the Public Enemy frontman: “Most of my heroes don’t appear on no stamps / Sample a look back you look and find / Nothing but rednecks for 400 years if you check / Don’t worry be happy / Was a number one jam / Damn if I say it you can slap me right here.”
• Chuck D at Miles College [Black and White]

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The line between real
world and virtual world gets
thinner with each click.

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Thanks to everyone who read through the haiku for the Pick your favorite haiku contest. First, our randomly drawn winner from all qualified entries is … James!

Congratulations, James, your crappy prize —a hot pink heart-shaped pillow in honor of Valentine’s Day — is on the way.

The big question is: Will I be part of Friday’s lineup of spoken word performers at BMA Speaks on Friday at the Birmingham Museum of Art?

(Updated with response from the museum.)

(more…)

When you can see your
breath with your eyes closed, it’s way
too cold to exhale.

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I joined Twitter at
long last, but now I won’t have
time to surf Friendster.

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Who ever heard of
meteorological
seasonal rodent?

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1. the eerie quiet
   After the crater,
   an unspoken wake begins,
   to pay our respects.
2. uncool beans
   Sitting in Starbucks
   makes me smell like burnt coffee
   long after I leave.
3. ponderings on mid-life
   It was then his life
   had spun out of control, a
   hopeless wreck of dreams.

(more…)

It was over when
she winked at me, but really
just the beginning.

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Inch forward, only
to wait as fumes build, patience
frays in snarled traffic.

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