run-down town
Wednesday, December 20th, 2017The run-down town with
the run-down park and run-down
school and run-down kids.
• • •
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Archive for December, 2017
everyday contrivances
Tuesday, December 19th, 2017The writer seeks an
adventure while strolling, a
hero while snooping.
• • •
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The Birmingham channel: The toy brigade
Monday, December 18th, 2017A look at Birmingham in videos …
Basketball: UAB at Brigham Young in the first round of the 2016 National Invitation Tournament. From Erisi Sewi.
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Dashcam footage of driving from I-20/59 through Malfunction Junction to downtown. From Real Karma.
•
Warrior college student Loren Murphree discusses her autoimmune skin disease alopecia areata with Karen Lamb Pierce of Birmingham T-shirt retailer She Is Strong. From She is Strong/Karen Lamb Pierce.
•
Please enjoy this rap (our vertical video of the week). From Big E.
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Birmingham hip-hop artist Jice performs at Aqua (our other vertical video of the week). From Jice Muzik.
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Birmingham Mortgage Group owner Turenne Newell discusses lending limits (our other other vertical video of the week). From Turenne Newell.
•
Fidencio Moctezuma takes part in the Hispanic congregation at the Church of Brook Hills in North Shelby County. From Brook Hills Hispana.
•
World traveler Abhishek Kumar Sharma talks with a journalist with WBRC-6 in November. From Abhi: Around the World.
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Preview of high school football semifinal playoffs earlier this month. From Starnes Publishing.
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Yonkers death metal band Immolation performs “Swarm of Terror” in November at Saturn in Avondale. From Edward Unlikely.
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An interview with new Birmingham mayor Randall Woodfin in November. From al.com.
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A family visit to the Birmingham Museum of Art downtown. From Family Adventures TV.
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Feature on the Masonic Temple Building downtown. From This Is Alabama.
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A Southwest flight takes off at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. From En9ineer81 the Plane Kid.
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Salvation Army 2017 Red Kettle Ambassador Chris Strub stops in Birmingham as part of his Eastern U.S. fund-raising tour. In November, he spent the night at the new Center of Hope in North Birmingham. From Chris Strub.
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Singer-actress Tamar Braxton surprises students in November at Parker High School in Smithfield (our other other other vertical video of the week). From Tamar Chronicles.
Braxton performs in November at Legacy Arena downtown. From Tamar Chronicles.
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Buffalo travel bloggers Phil and Shelly stop in Birmingham on their yearlong roadtrip across the country. Their visit includes the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and the Statue of Liberty. From Cheese Crackers and a Jeep.
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Riding through downtown (our other other other other vertical video of the week). From Disco Ricky.
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Norwegian black metal band Mayhem performs “Pagan Fears” in November at Saturn in Avondale. From NoleCore.
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Driving from Hueytown to Vulcan Park. From La Palmada Guerrero.
Hanging out at Vulcan. From La Palmada Guerrero.
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Birmingham jazz guitarist Eric Essix and friends perform on a city bus. From University of Alabama at Birmingham.
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Another visit to Hobby Lobby ruined (our other other other other other vertical video of the week). From Large Marge.
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Touring a foreclosed house ready for flipping. From Boom Box 256.
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Atlanta R&B group Xscape performs “Who Can I Run to” at Legacy Arena downtown. From LyfeGoalz TV.
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Family Thanksgiving get-together in Mount Olive. From Grant Reynolds.
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Fight! (Our final vertical video of the week.) From Detrick Wilson.
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Members of New Pilgrim Baptist Church in South Titusville hit the streets for a procession. From Lamar Johnson.
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Drone footage of the Acipco-Finley rail yard. From Jesse Bohn.
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Highlight reel for junior guard Devin Ross. From Hoop Brothers.
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Children from Independent Presbyterian Church on Southside deliver donated Christmas toys in 2016 to First Light homeless shelter downtown. From IPC Birmingham.
• • •
Send us links to your videos. | More videos on the Birmingham channel.
the endless space opera
Monday, December 18th, 2017It ain’t over till
the Wookiee growls and the droids
beep at each other.
• • •
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#sundayread for December 17, 2017
Sunday, December 17th, 2017
Photo: Rosmarie Voegtli (CC)
My picks for #sundayread for December 17, 2017:
- Y’all Connect: Building a storytelling dream team
- To the Lady Who Mistook @PatrickRosal for the Help at the National Book Awards
- The war against Pope Francis
By Andrew Brown @seatrout - Vote 2017: Alabama Senate special election results
- The Big Squeeze: How Compression Threatens Old Industries
By @OmarAbbosh, @PaulNunes, Vedrana Savic and Michael Moore
(RT @AWSPeacey) - What does “how you draw a circle” say about your culture and perspective?
By @ThuHuongHa and Nikhil Sonnad @nkl
(RT @narrative4) - The little social network that couldn’t
- What Will Our Lives Be Like as Cyborgs?
By @TimOReilly
(via @BaxterSally) - The Golden Age of Restaurants Is Stranger Than It Seems
By Derek Thompson @DKThomp - Wade’s 101: Haiku retrospective 44
- The Oral History of @RuPaul
Compiled by @MarcSnetiker - Harvey Weinstein and the Economics of Consent
By @BritMarling - Our problem isn’t “fake news.” Our problems are trust and manipulation.
By @JeffJarvis
(RT @kikiochieng) - @Largeheartedboy’s Best of 2017 Book Lists
More posts from Wade this week:
The latest #sundayread tweets:
- More #sundayread recommendations from me
home surveillance
Sunday, December 17th, 2017To wreck our right to
privacy, Elf on the Shelf
can’t beat Alexa.
• • •
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the wretched tale of retail
Saturday, December 16th, 2017The mall is dying
a death by a thousand clicks
for online shopping.
• • •
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elfcare
Friday, December 15th, 2017Santa’s workers bled
and toiled while breathing in
sawdust and benzene.
• • •
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a very special election
Thursday, December 14th, 2017It’s shocking what a
few hundred thousand voters
can achieve as one.
• • •
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Wade’s 101: Haiku retrospective 44
Wednesday, December 13th, 2017[Share on Twitter]
- fanfare for the working man
No vacations, no
rest. In this country, every
day is Labor Day. - wing it and smile
Their plans were simply
to hang out and see where the
day and night take them. - the day the dream died
The only country
they’ve ever known is sending
them far, far away. - a tiny step of faith
It takes some courage
to care. About someone else,
a cause, a friendship. - paintings and knickknacks around the block
The artists set up
shop in bodegas and bars
and crowded storefronts. - the reckoning
Mother Nature came
to collect on all debts, past,
present and future. - grizzly hug
I hold her tightly
so none of the affection
slips away from us. - peak anxiety
Money woes, watching
weight, spousal tiffs, work headaches
and a wobbly faith. - hurricant
The depression limps
closer. Even the storm is
tired of raining. - kids today
With their selfies and
their avocado toast and
their vocal fry. Feh! - abuse your illusion
Are we taking steps
to live our dreams or faking
it as usual? - should’ve ordered moscow mules
A snowflake and a
cuck walk into a bar. They
gag on White Russians. - hypocritical oaf
He asked others to
stop posting political
junk. Then he does it. - unending embrace
I hold on tight to
her with all the love I can
muster. I hold on. - the end of privacy
Eventually,
the hackers get our eighth grade
diaries and rhymes. - caravan of crazy
Slowly winding up
the interstate, yelling at
each annoying jerk. - hand in hand, step by step
We take time to mark
the little milestones as we
share the path forward. - woman’s best friend
Her sidekick wanted
nothing more than a few pats
and full loyalty. - shakacon
Nerds would gather to
discuss the finer points of
picking up Klingons. - unregulated monsters
Supervisors looked
with disdain at free spirits
who slipped through somehow. - keeping score by the decibel
Shouts rang out up and
down the street as each team’s fans
groaned and cheered their fates. - teach to the test
Learn to fill in those
bubbles in the allotted
time or get left back. - politicize everything
Let no gesture go
unremarked and no statement
go undissected. - before the notification bell
An announcement on
their relationship status
was being crafted. - be labor
Each hopeful waited
to put their time and their back
into a day’s work. - the check isn’t in the mail
The mailbox was a
yawning chasm of sordid
promises, no hope. - the instruction manual
Out the birth canal
and into the world and then
into the cold ground. - the incoherent stranger
She came a’babblin’
to the funeral service
with pillows for shoes. - the crank
Once confined to the
basement, the crabby gent ran
for a Senate seat. - loves horses and her boyfriend, too
She’s a good girl, loves
her mama. Loves Jesus and
America, too. - the cost of doing nothing
While we bicker through
the same arguments on the
same issues, folks die. - the nicer dollar store
The nicer dollar
store has better things on sale
and fewer crime scenes. - pearl power
After 12 years, I
still get a thrill when hitting
the Publish button. - a partner in prime
We take on the day
with no agenda other
than to laugh out loud. - going to unchurch
Worship football. Pray
to brunch. Honor thy binge watch
and thy extra sleep. - modern political discourse
Angry tweet, then a
gif meme, racist comments and
whataboutism. - co-bucket list
Whatever we do,
wherever we roam, we seek
the funnest of fun. - the coolest festival on earth
He would sail down to
Antarctica to sing to
the penguins and seals. - medium-distance relationship
They traded sexts by
erotic semaphore to
let their freak flags fly. - no quarters necessary
Tap keys and grow plants
and zap spaceships and rock hard
and score lots of points. - the healing power of puppers
The world is toast. But
at least I can look at dogs
on the Internet. - natty nuptials
The bride wore a pearl
strapless gown with beaded trim.
The groom wore a tux. - race track report
The cars turned and turned
and turned and turned and turned and
turned and turned and turned. - no more facades
I want to be my
best self and my worst self for
the one I adore. - to the bunkers
Are there really good
people still left in the world
or are they hiding? - movie night
We sit close in the
dark, hand in hand, eyes on the
screen and each other. - cupcake gigante
In the small pan rose
a small cake. A small knife spread
a schmear of icing. - months to live
The doctor put down
her charts and broke the bad news
with a steady voice. - country music staples
Trucks, Jesus, women,
beer, dogs, heartbreak, the outdoors,
Mama ‘n’ Daddy. - a rapist in the making
He thought nothing of
his many suggestive texts,
his whispered come-ons. - not too many followers
My cult is a weird
mishmash of clean eating and
freaky solo sex. - burn it all down
Abusers always
have a way of finding blame
for all except them. - boo all day every day
Nothing is scary
enough for Halloween when
life is a horror. - imaginary numbers
How do we measure
the unmeasurable? How
do we count fairies? - custom costume
A sword and pointy
ears and boxing gloves and a
princess-y cone hat. - at the moment before death
Life is a series
of dumb video clips that
flash before your eyes. - make america weird again
We drink Mountain Dew
screwdrivers for breakfast and
eat breakfast at night. - hard candy halloween
A ghost tried to warn
kids about the dangers of
plaque and gum disease. - the color of hate
Terrorists come in
all shades: white, white, white, white, white,
white, white, white and white. - that’s the way love goes
The confusion that
comes with budding amour grows
my anxiety. - the unfairer sex
Men, with their grabby
hands and lewd remarks and cruel
attitude. Xwhy? - the fortune teller’s creed
Uncertainty breeds
anxiety. Better to
know bad news up front. - sunset in the afternoon
Night begins as soon
as lunch is done, and the drive
home slinks through pitch black. - the biggest dragonfly ever
A lone drone swoops through
the park weaving through tall trees
and dodging frisbees. - when johnny comes limping home
A nation sends its
young to war, then leaves them to
pick up their own pieces. - when one become two
We lie awake, side
by side, wondering what the
other wants in time. - modest riches
Bills paid, flat fixed, new
toaster, new underwear, cash
for fast food takeout. - feed the trees
The paperwork to
reduce paperwork is held
up by no paper. - for god and country
They risked it all for
apple pie and the Amer-
ican way of life. - ode to a beard
The scraggly friend who
cleans up after meals, gives a
tickler to faces. - after goodbye
The beating goes on,
a solitary thump. The
heart wants what it wants. - tis better
Love isn’t lost. It
hides in the crevasses of
the poor broken heart. - the march of time
Six more weeks till a
new year. Six more hours till a
new day. Keep trying. - hushed skeletons
Cruelty is silence
smothering the victims of
sexual violence. - let us now praise infamous men
They built careers on
stellar reputations and
silent survivors. - hole foods
I should eat more fresh
vegetables, he thought as he
munched on a doughnut. - t-shirt curls
Sometimes, the workout
is getting into the right
outfit to sweat in. - vacancy
The empty spaces
in my heart used to hold some
very dear partners. - the perfect thanksgiving meal
Buttered toast, popcorn,
pretzel sticks, jelly beans and
an ice cream sundae. - agenda of entitlement
Are we doing all
we can to shame sexual
assault survivors? - all you can gorge
Have we eaten all
we can? Eat more. Have we thanked
everyone? Thank more. - black every day
The middle class spent
their last dollars on super
bargains made abroad. - shun local
The old shopkeeper
braced for the impending wave
of no customers. - garden raiders
Vermin creep through the
rows of tender seedlings in
search of freebie food. - wisdom of the crowd
Sometimes the angry
mob with pitchforks and torches
is exactly right. - sensible names for pets
Constance, George, Wilma,
Matthew, Irwin, Fran, Justine,
Luther, Kate, Danny. - let’s get rid of
Nazis, gaslighters,
colluders, sex predators,
tax dodgers, bullies. - an open secret
Everyone in the
office knew he was a cad
but kept it private. - a big eastern syndicate
Christmas isn’t a
season or a warm feeling.
It’s raw consumption. - trauma on the reg
Every time she peeked
online, she re-lived horrors
from past and present. - thirdhand
They say you never
get a second chance to make
a first impression. - demotivational speaker
Inspirational
quotes couldn’t match the murmur
of cruel depression. - and on earth peace and goodwill towards some
That uncle on the
Facebook won’t stop jabbering
about foreigners. - party before country
We drank from the cup
of wretched excess before
dozing in the woods. - you can’t spell iambic pentameter without i am me
Can we find ourselves
in a poem? Can we learn
from these brief verses? - shade to come
The hot new color
for next year is called Putrid
Melancholy Brown. - work harder not smarter
Employees will keep
their efforts at a work-life
balance to themselves. - never too early to campaign for votes
In 3 days, this dumb
election will be over
and on to the next. - blizzard alley
Our flaky climate:
It snows more often in the
South than days gone by. - never underestimate the power of
Voters, but also
money, corruption, lying
and stupidity. - in a pear coulis
On the first day of
Hanukkah, my rabbi gave
to me … a latke.
• • •
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Vote 2017: Alabama Senate special election results
Tuesday, December 12th, 2017
Video: Doug Jones’ victory speech on Tuesday in Birmingham
Hallelujah it’s over! Results from today’s special election for U.S. Senate in Alabama …
More election coverage in our Vote 2017 special report.
(Updating throughout the evening.)
The expected voter turnout statewide was 20 percent to 25 percent. The actual turnout was a whopping 40 percent.
Chart: Voter turnout
Click for full-size version
Winner in red
Tweets
This just in on Twitter …
This is hilarious, his form sucks & that horse was thinking about bucking him pic.twitter.com/NLWfm8QtlY
— Molly (@Molly_Kats) December 12, 2017
In case you missed this. https://t.co/ITeIV73DMa #alsen #alpolitics
— MontgomeryAdvertiser (@MGMAdvertiser) December 12, 2017
Multiple Alabama voters got this email this afternoon from AL Democratic Party: “Make a plan and vote tomorrow.”
State party tells me this email was sent yesterday and they’re checking what’s going on. They said 2 new emails were sent today saying today is Election Day. #ALSen pic.twitter.com/MppiIptcoy
— Lauren Walsh Hamilton (@LaurenWalshTV) December 12, 2017
BREAKING: Democrat Doug Jones wins election as U.S. senator from Alabama. @AP race call at 10:23 p.m. EST. #AlabamaElection #APracecall
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 13, 2017
— Matt Scalici (@MattScalici) December 13, 2017
This year the Trumpiest of the Trump states gave @realDonaldTrump two losses. First, he backed Strange and Moore won, then he backed Moore and Jones won.
— Kyle Whitmire (@WarOnDumb) December 13, 2017
https://twitter.com/frankpallotta/status/940795085221965825
Made Alabama Great Again!
— Randy Yates (@randyajax) December 13, 2017
Visit the Birmingham, Ala., page on Facebook.
• • •
More Vote 2017 coverage.
Vote 2017: Jones, Moore and a rapt nation awaits
Tuesday, December 12th, 2017
Video: NBC News report on the Alabama Senate race
No one could have predicted this.
What was once a sleepy December special election to fill a vacant Senate seat in a deep red state has turned into a national referendum on political parties, sexual harassment and the Trump agenda. Merry Christmas, Alabama.
It all started a month ago with a bombshell Washington Post report citing several Gadsden women approached as teenagers for dates while Roy Moore was in his early 30s. One woman accused him of sexual assault. Moore is the twice-elected, twice-removed Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice on the Republican ticket.
(Or maybe it all started when then-Gov. Bentley picked then-Attorney General Luther Strange in February to fill Jeff Sessions’ Senate seat after Sessions was appointed U.S. Attorney General.)
National media, pundits, celebrities and at least one late night talk show host have descended on this one-race ballot for 4 weeks. Money has flooded in, turning a surefire Republican victory into a free-for-all, complete with nonstop commercials, flyers, rallies, high-profile interlopers and poll after poll after poll.
Alabama has had an interesting fall.
Oh, and Doug Jones is running for the Democrats. Almost forgot.
At least in 12 hours, this will all be over (save for any voting machine malfunctions, calls for recount or nuclear war).
The polls are open: Voting takes place till 7 p.m. for this one race.
Q: Where do I vote?
A: Call Jefferson County: (205) 325-5550, Jefferson County (Bessemer only): (205) 481-4105, Shelby County: (205) 669-3913.
Or Search Your Polling Place on AlabamaVotes.gov.
Wade on Birmingham:
election results tonight
Remember, if you have problems at your polling place:
- Notify a poll worker immediately.
- Call the state attorney general at 1-800-831-8814 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Wednesday.
- Call the secretary of state at 1-800-274-VOTE (8683) or visit StopVoterFraudNow.com.
- And tell the probate court for Jefferson County (205-325-5203) or Shelby County (205-669-3713).
- E-mail us at Vote2017[at]wadeonbirmingham.com.
Q: What can I expect to see on the ballot?
A: Here it is …
Q: What if I need a ride to the polls?
A: Try Carpool Vote, a free service that matches volunteer drivers with voters who need a lift.
Let us know where and when you voted, and how many votes were cast before yours.
• • •
More Vote 2017 coverage.
never underestimate the power of
Tuesday, December 12th, 2017Voters, but also
money, corruption, lying
and stupidity.
• • •
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The Birmingham channel: Ballers and brawlers
Monday, December 11th, 2017A look at Birmingham in videos …
Trussville evangelist Karen Schatzline appears on a November episode of “Sid Roth’s It’s Supernatural!” From Heaven Visit.
•
Just another Thanksgiving night at the Galleria (our vertical video of the week). From the AIO Entertainment.
•
Highlight reel for Sparkman senior guard Anthony A.J. Horton, filmed in Pelham. From Hoop Brothers.
•
Dashcam footage of the Bessemer Super Highway. From Real Karma.
•
Basketball: Birmingham-Southern at Roanoke in November. From Roanoke Athletics.
•
Football highlights: UAB at Florida in November. From ESPN Gainesville.
•
A glimpse of the Body Worlds Rx 2016 exhibit at McWane Science Center downtown (our other vertical video of the week). From Large Marge.
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A fun outing in Birmingham, including a meal at Cracker Barrel. From Madeline Hart.
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A simulation of the Bernards’ back yard. From Platinum Pools Texas.
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Checking out the sites at Red Mountain Park. From Gowestusa.
Navigating the Hugh Kaul Beanstalk Forest at Red Mountain Park. From Cristiano Fontes.
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Miss USA Deshauna Barber speaks at the UAB Leadership Conference in October at the Hill Student Center. From Deshauna Barber.
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Mexican band La Arrolladora Banda el Limón performs “Me va Pesar” in November at El Sol on Valley Avenue. From Cristy Bazan.
•
“Face the Nation” report from Birmingham on Senate candidate Roy Moore. From Face the Nation.
•
Steve Roberts performs “Red Mountain” at King’s Way Church in Irondale. From King’s Way Church.
•
Another virtual Birmingham. From Wise Era Trill TV.
•
A talkative peacock at the Birmingham Zoo. From Wesley Redinger.
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Rapper Lisa K. performs “Anomaly.” From Lisa K. Music.
•
The gross toilet at Target (our other other vertical video of the week). From Large Marge.
•
Daphne Chamberlain, assistant history professor at Tougaloo College in Mississippi, talks on “The Jackson Movement and Birmingham,” at the 2017 Institute for College and University Teachers in June in Jackson. From Fannie Lou Hamer.
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Birmingham hip-hop artist Rocki performs in November at WorkPlay in Lakeview (our other other other vertical video of the week). From Deavin Napoleon.
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A 60m hurdles race at the CrossPlex in Five Points West. From Rashni Walker.
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Playing at the Thunderbolts Five Star Exposure Tournament in November. From Rik Kinghorn.
•
Members of UAB’s Indian Cultural Association meets world traveler Abhishek Kumar Sharma in November. From Abhi: Around the World.
•
Hiking the Ridge and Valley Trail and Overlook Trail at Ruffner Mountain. From Gowestusa.
• • •
Send us links to your videos. | More videos on the Birmingham channel.
blizzard alley
Monday, December 11th, 2017Our flaky climate:
It snows more often in the
South than days gone by.
• • •
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