High five. Nine to five.
Take five. Five-finger discount.
Five years and counting.

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Old cell phones, iPods
don’t head to the farm, but to
a wiry grave.

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Republican nominee Robert Bentley and Democratic nominee Ron Sparks will have a lot to discuss tonight at the gubernatorial debate. The FBI made arrests today in a federal gambling probe involving alleged bribes to state lawmakers. Those arrested this morning include VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor and lobbyist Robert Geddie.

Both nominees have discussed gambling during previous debates and campaign stops.

Tonight’s debate will focus on economic development and business. The hourlong event, sponsored by the Birmingham Business Alliance, starts at 6 p.m. at Hill Recital Hall on the Birmingham-Southern College campus. Admission is free and open to the public.

The debate will be carried live on Fox 6 and on the station’s website.

Election Day is Nov. 2.

• • •

More Vote 2010 coverage.

The napkin rings must
be just so, the dining room
dust free. Perfect clench.

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It’s not so much the
timing as it is the waste
of years and minutes.

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Boy, dog conspire
to stay in the yard and far
away from the tub.

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Time for tricks and treats,
so let’s put up the Christmas
decorations now.

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1. too much mercury
   Ice cream cone becomes
   a hot drink. Panting dog bursts
   into flames. Sun laughs.
2. groove thing
   If you’re in it, you
   don’t need it back. If you need
   it back, keep groovin’.
3. defeat has set in
   The light is blinding.
   Where to hide from misery
   seeping deep within?
4. common causes in the 21st century
   An injustice. A
   Facebook group. Now all they need
   is to push back hard.
5. the only tradition that counts
   Thousands of years of
   tradition, yet on the spot
   new ones come to pass.
6. four-door oven
   The dashboard display
   says 101 degrees,
   but it feels hotter.
7. marching orders
   The little army
   of ants runs on the desert
   of the windowsill.
8. in how you look at it
   Two strangers each have
   perfect vision, but see things
   very differently.
9. she ain’t nothing but a gravedigger
   The terran capsules
   carry explorers on a
   journey to space dust.
10. ice cream sunday
    Cranky cook stirs the
    pot, crystallizing the cream
    into wondrous mush.
11. the two-and-a-half-day weekend
    Beat the rush to your
    favorite vacation site:
    your cluttered bedroom.
12. the worst deal ever
    Pay extra, get less,
    no customer service, plus
    free kick to the groin.
13. the freedom to
    Talk. Get together.
    Pray. Shoot guns. Pick leaders. Roam.
    Publish. Celebrate.
14. three dusty roses
    The vase becomes an
    urn as the blooms turn to dry
    petals on the sill.
15. when life sells you lemons
    The girls hawk their brand
    of sour-sweet refreshment
    as cars rush homeward.
16. ideas like candy
    The ways are many,
    the will is weak, and the foes
    are getting warmed up.
17. 2-step program
    Step 1: Get over
    yourself. Step 2: Try not to
    screw this up, OK?
18. known unknowns
    People who “know it
    all” are dumb, but so are those
    who know their limits.
19. letting go the words
    Sage mom proffers her
    advice, all the while knowing
    stubborn son won’t heed.
20. normal earth people
    Normal Earth people
    drive to work, breed, fight a lot,
    devour at will.
21. summer souvenirs
    Each trip to the great
    outdoors pulls in a bevy
    of bug bites galore.
22. 5:35 a.m.
    Awakened by the
    thunder, I pull you closer
    to me and drift off.
23. democracy inaction
    If only we had
    more people vote, then we’d have
    more people to blame.
24. bad produce needs love, too
    Bumps and bruises mar
    their skin, but inside, they’re still
    full of nutrients.
25. sparkly vampires
    Were vampires not
    dandy enough before this
    whole glitter effect?
26. the desire of botany
    Recently deceased
    plants for love, and others for
    recently deceased.
27. the pews process
    Hands together for
    prayer. Knees down for reverence.
    All rise for singing.
28. mostly on schedule
    This is the time when
    we eat. Then we go, come back,
    eat, sleep, then repeat.
29. two moves ahead
    The queen will take the
    knight, so the rook must guard the
    king. Thus, victory!
30. a messy situation
    It’s not hatred. It’s
    drama. With a capital
    D. No one will win.
31. gag reel
    The comic paces
    2 feet left, then right. Boxing,
    but with jokes and jabs.
32. they say it’ll go to a hunnert
    They say it’ll go
    to a hunnert, if’n we
    don’t melt before then.
33. junior leaguers
    The kids on the hill
    care little for the ballgame
    as they romp freely.
34. rosemary’s rub
    She grabs a branch of
    rosemary, if only to
    keep the scent nearby.
35. creeping along
    The vines twist their way
    through the fence, heading upward
    along ensnared limbs.
36. in our nature
    We start out roughly.
    We grow more comfortable.
    We complain anew.
37. she beeped
    She beeps, and I smile,
    a surprise distraction from
    this day’s drudgery.
38. test tube trial
    Pipette at ready.
    Burners on high. Let’s make some
    pharmaceuticals!
39. be glad
    Be glad you’re not on
    fire. Or falling apart.
    Or crashing a car.
40. heat indexed
    Eggs frying on the
    sidewalk. Friends sweating gallons.
    The dog is melting.
41. last meal
    The inmate dines on
    rack of lamb, chewing his last
    bites of consciousness.
42. go mad
    The manager called
    for better work, yet left it
    all to random chance.
43. peace in
    Whatever happened
    to the quaint notion of peace
    among all people?
44. drive-through nation
    One by one, they filled
    the cars with burgers and shakes
    and dry cleaning bags.
45. fascinated eraser!
    (The best part about
    being ignored is saying
    whatever you want.)
46. concert in the sun
    The performers filed
    out onstage, already hot,
    sweaty. Time to rock.
47. the dark part of the brain
    A shadow grows in
    the cortex, banishing joy,
    hope, faith and progress.
48. lowball
    No need to under-
    value yourself, when others
    will do it for you.
49. loss of interest
    The new keeps popping
    up to replace the old, which
    used to be the new.
50. chef concern
    The dinner menu
    was littered with typos most
    unappetizing.
51. echo effect
    The lone voices can
    be heard when amplified by
    angry followers.
52. sweat storm
    Fabric clings to skin
    with perspiration as glue.
    No rain, no relief.
53. the yellow monster that devours children
    The yellow monster
    that devours children throws
    them back up at school.
54. wanted: constable
    The streets aren’t safe. The
    homes, unprotected. Would a
    lawman scare off crooks?
55. the trouble with being good
    Have folks forgotten
    how to be good? Or were they
    never so inclined?
56. crickets in heat
    The nighttime chirping
    calls not for a mate, but for
    climatic relief.
57. something to hawk
    Virtual corners
    let people pitch an endless
    loop of things to buy.
58. glimpses of the future
    Coming soon: Some team
    wins title. New fall color.
    We all get fatter.
59. a death in august
    Back to the country,
    over dusty roads they drive
    to go home and mourn.
60. the things that make us stronger
    Assurance. Giggles.
    Kindness. Holding hands. Moments
    shared. Forgiveness. Love.
61. the same
    Same shoes. Same house. Same
    coffee. Same schedule. Same route.
    Something needs to change …
62. little touches
    She reaches over
    to unlock my door each time.
    My heart says thank you.
63. cookies in the oven
    The bowls licked clean by
    an unseen sprite as the heat
    climbs in the kitchen.
64. wadeslist
    Nothing for sale, just
    a long list of nagging ads
    for things to do now.
65. perchance to ream
    The sharp tongue made a
    mockery of the once and
    prideful principal.
66. too early for the club
    The sweeper takes one
    last lap, as the pretzel bowls
    become replenished.
67. inside the furnace
    Weeks pass, and the heat
    subsides little by little
    for times autumnal.
68. void of no response
    Call. No answer. Call.
    Voicemail. E-mail. No reply.
    Avoidance as game.
69. the anonymous few
    To be unknown in
    a public age, suspect for
    remaining subtle.
70. bad romance
    Time to go after
    one last kiss. Time to find the
    last one true soulmate.
71. the world is really beautiful
    Beyond the madness,
    tears and wreckage, the world is
    really beautiful.
72. sighs of indecision
    One breath means yes, two
    breaths mean no. But ongoing
    breaths mean confusion.
73. the new anxiety
    The heart keeps racing
    long after the terror has
    subsided. Fear wins.
74. unexpect the expected
    Persistence sometimes
    pays off, when it comes to love
    and nonstop tweeting.
75. neat little piles
    Messiness can be
    overcome with scrubbing and
    stacking and fussing.
76. at first, i was afraid, i was petrified
    Maybe the key to
    survival isn’t toughness
    but some perspective.
77. it’s not a living
    The clock ticks down to
    5. Drones race to the parking
    lot. The clock ticks down.
78. state of cool
    A breeze washes out
    the fetid miserable
    smell of a heat wave.
79. rip it down
    Salvation comes from
    something untried, permission
    ignored, self-interest.
80. hard peanut butter
    The jar holds one big
    clump, cold and unyielding, not
    ready for spreading.
81. down, set, hike
    The gray stadium
    pulses with a thousand cheers
    for the boys below.
82. freedom isn’t evil
    Let us share freedom
    not just with the world but with
    our own citizens.
83. dogged
    She neither barks nor
    wags her nonexistent tail,
    just waits for some pats.
84. up from the abyss
    The ocean pushes
    down on the diver trying
    to resurface, breathe.
85. a deal with the maple tree
    Keep your leaves on, don’t
    litter them all over- rats.
    Time to get the rake.
86. everyone gets a new beginning
    The 12th chapter can
    be the first chapter in the
    books we write today.
87. fall fever
    Leaves of gold and orange
    and brown swirl madly around
    dancing happy souls.
88. scrimmage
    Not a real play, but
    a practice run to be strong
    during a real play.
89. a google of bloggers
    The most talkative
    open typists find themselves
    shy around others.
90. wide open spaces
    Bulldozer brings in
    grass and trees and swings for all
    for a downtown park.
91. from the ashes
    Spark, then flame. The old
    apathy burns away to
    leave seeds of promise.
92. ratio of niceness
    A little selfish
    balances out with lots of
    generosity.
93. company dismissed
    The call comes, and the
    voice sends everyone scrambling
    to print resumes.
94. all things being equinox
    The egg won’t stand, no
    matter how much the earth wills
    it to. No balance.
95. mischief managed
    Sneaky agents move
    to create havoc when the
    school bell signals class.
96. phantom of the alabama
    The spirit of the
    theater ascends into
    the great balcony.
97. city of tomorrow
    Moving sidewalks and
    transport tubes unneeded as
    long as we can walk.
98. avatars irl
    It’s only awkward
    for a moment meeting those
    online pals for real.
99. mixed symptoms
    It could be a cold.
    Or allergies, fatigue or
    pre-hibernation.
100. louisiana blues
     The swamp engulfs all
     secrets, hides all outlaws, keeps
     mostly to itself.
101. at a parking lot on third
     An angel strolls up
     in a familiar way in
     a strange setting.

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Video: Preview for tonight’s episode. You spin me right
round, baby, right round like a model, baby,
right round round round.

A trip to the amusement park can be fun, right? Unless it’s for work, say, like shooting a high fashion look on a high-looping roller coaster.

Get ready for the ups (sigh) and downs (groan) on tonight’s episode of “America’s Next Top Model.”

Kendal Brown of Northport goes on the ride of her life in her fight to win the challenge and the competition. But who will coast, and who will crash?

Watch the episode, and then look right here for Nadria Tucker’s recap.

Also:

• Episode 3 recap

Video: Show me screaming. Now scared. Now vomit-y.

“America’s Next Top Model” airs at 7 p.m. Wednesdays on CW 21.

• • •

Subscribe to the RSS feed or e-mail for the latest “America’s Next Top Model” news and updates.

• • •

On the runway: more on “America’s Next Top Model.”

The swamp engulfs all
secrets, hides all outlaws, keeps
mostly to itself.

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A town hall will give attendees the first opportunity to ask business and city leaders about the new Blueprint Birmingham, a 5-year economic development plan from the Birmingham Business Alliance. The free 2-hour event takes place at 6 tonight at Alabama Power, 600 18th St. N., downtown [map].

Panelists include Birmingham Mayor William Bell and Hoover Mayor Tony Petelos, who both appeared at Thursday’s kickoff event at Railroad Park.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

The Birmingham Association of Black Journalists is the event sponsor.

Update: Full list of panelists …

Part 1: The Blueprint and Leadership

• William Bell, mayor of Birmingham
• Ann Florie, Leadership Birmingham
• Jay Grinney, chief executive officer of HealthSouth and co-chairman of the Birmingham Business Alliance Steering Committee
• Tony Petelos, mayor of Hoover

Part 2: Economic Development

• Bob Dickerson, Birmingham Business Resource Center
• Bill Ivey, TechKnowledge
• Patrick Murphy, senior vice president of Economic development at the Birmingham Business Alliance
• Lashunda Scales, Birmingham City Council

Also:

• Read Blueprint Birmingham.

It could be a cold.
Or allergies, fatigue or
pre-hibernation.

• • •

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It’s only awkward
for a moment meeting those
online pals for real.

• • •

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Moving sidewalks and
transport tubes unneeded as
long as we can walk.

• • •

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The spirit of the
theater ascends into
the great balcony.

• • •

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