Caught on film: Oscar-nominated producers Alan (shown here) and Hugh Hunter are at Sundance this week. They’re usually scouting films and talent, but this year, they’re front and center with Lakeview-based Hunter Films’ latest production, “Dreamland.” (And no, it’s not about the rib joint …) The four screenings are already sold out, which should help them with their goal of finding a distributor.

Also, our pals Kelly, Erik, Cat and Kelly from Sidewalk are blogging at the festival, which officially starts Thursday. (The RSS feed is a little wonky.) Also, check out their photos. We’d be jealous, but we’re going to catch a double feature later today of “Cheaper by the Dozen 2” and “Yours, Mine and Ours” at the Festival 18.
• On their way to Sundance [Birmingham News]

I’m only happy when she reigns: Birmingham native Deidre Downs’ tour of duty is nearly at an end. The Samford student has served as Miss America 2005 since October 2004, but her 16-month reign is only the third-longest in the history of the beauty pageant scholarship competition. After handing over the title Saturday, she’ll finish up her undergraduate degree, then head to medical school. For her trouble, she met Tony Danza and received a $50,000 scholarship. Too bad a Birmingham pair (attending Auburn) won five times that much eating live camel spiders on Tuesday’s “Fear Factor.” The Miss America pageant airs at 7 p.m. Saturday on CMT.
• A long, distinguished reign [Birmingham News]

Also:

• Neighborhood comic book club deadlocked over ‘toughest sidekick’ debate
• Leave a penny, take a penny program nets three cents, plastic button
• Colleges settle rivalry by throwing ball at elevated metal circles

• • •

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Bobsleds and breadsticks: Bessemer native Vonetta Flowers is heading back to the Winter Olympics to compete in bobsled. The one-time Summer Olympics hopeful will look to repeat her gold-medal-winning performance in February in Turin, Italy. Another victory could cement Alabama’s lock on bobsledding …
• USBSF picks Alabama native to US Bobsled team [Associated Press]

War on terriers: In Jefferson and Shelby Counties, the animal shelters killed 10,438 cats and dogs in 2005. And that’s an improvement over 2004. About two of every three animals at the shelters are euthanized, thanks to irresponsible owners who don’t spay/neuter their pets.
• Humane Society ends year on top [Birmingham News]

Our missed Brooks: Before Rosa Parks, a black soldier made his stand on a Montgomery bus. Pfc. Thomas Edwards Brooks refused to re-board from the back entrance, and it cost him his life. The forgotten foot soldier could be honored with a statue or a marker some 56 years later.
• Five years before Parks, black soldier’s defiance on bus fatal [Associated Press]

Also:

• Southside research lab invents potential cure for winter blahs
• West End woman can’t find a man
• Lonely thunderstorm visits metro area, leaves lighter

• • •

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Louse of cards: You can piss off the civil libertarians and the immigration advocates all you want — just don’t piss off the DMV. Implementing the Real ID program is turning into a costly nightmare for state motor vehicle agencies. Designed to fight terrorism with national ID cards, the program is forcing the 50 states to modernize and synchronize their old-but-functioning drivers license systems.

After drivers submit documents to prove their identities, states will have to retain paper copies of those documents for at least seven years or digital images for 10 years. … Alabama’s survey response called the project ”massive,” saying that while the state had the proper equipment at six licensing centers, ”we do not have the resources to equip all of our 79 offices.”

Alabama tried to work ahead, but created confusion after notifying 65,000 residents about different names on licenses and Social Security cards, including women who had changed their last name on one but not the other after marriage or divorce.

You may have a legitimate drivers’ license and Social Security card, but if you don’t have a legit Real ID card by 2008, you won’t be able to board a plane or enter a federal building.

• FAQ: How Real ID will affect you [CNET.com]
• How the program affects drivers licenses [National Conference of State Legislatures]
• A history of opposition to national ID cards [Electronic Privacy Information Center]
• An opposition site [UnRealID.com]

• National ID a ‘Nightmare’ for States [Associated Press]

Stuck in neutral: Alabama has begun issuing new harder-to-forge drivers licenses. But when the computer goes down, no one across the state can obtain one. Does this mean the terrorists win by default?
• Drivers fume at license system [Birmingham News]

Inside his heaven: Huntsville native Bo Bice, the most recent “American Idol” runner-up, will be featured on at 9 tonight on CMT’s “In the Moment” (repeating at midnight). He’ll also be on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” at 11:06 p.m. Monday on ABC 33/40. But if you’re more Old Testament than New, you can see Richard Scrushy preach Sunday morning in Anniston. Testify! No, really, we need you to testify in the fraud hearing.
• ‘In the Moment’ [CMT]

Also:

• Girl Scouts ‘shocked’ that Thin Mints cause fat customers
• City council approves $50,000 to hire own mayor
• Seeking better life, onion ring stows away in french fry container

• • •

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All heart: When the top athletes need surgery to save their multi-million-dollar careers, they come to Birmingham. Jim Andrews, one of the world’s top orthopedic surgeons, has saved many a knee, shoulder and elbow. So who minds the Birmingham doctor when he’s in trouble? Sports blog Deadspin discovered in a news report about Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell that his surgeon, Andrews, had a heart attack on Sunday. It goes on to report that he’s in intensive care. A report in the Houston Chronicle also mentions Andrews’ heart attack in passing. But the item has yet to make news in this market.

Update

The Birmingham News and NBC 13 slip in quick updates. Not to mention a press release on the good doctor.

• Palmer’s dad: Surgery went well [Cincinnati Enquirer]

Cardiac, a rest: Shelby Baptist Medical Center wanted to keep its 18-month-old open-heart program, but Brookwood Medical Center challenged in court. Which led to Shelby challenging Brookwood’s $54 million renovation/expansion project. The two health care conglomerates buried the hatchet, allowing each to continue on its merry way. The real winner? Not patients.
• Baptist, Brookwood settle Shelby feud [Birmingham News]

Hics-ville: Didja hear the one about the guy who had hiccups for three years? He lost 50 pounds and wanted to kill himself. Robert Smith, a 53-year-old maintenance worker in Montgomery, lived with this miserable condition, until a New Orleans neurosurgeon implanted a nerve stimulator in Smith’s chest. The hiccups disappeared. All because one doctor came up with a creative use for a device designed to treat epilepsy.
• A Horrific Case of Hiccups, a Novel Treatment [New York Times]

Also:

• Birmingham economic forecast calls for partly solvent, chance of sell-off
• It’s all fun, games until someone loses
• Chimp remains mum on gubernatorial candidacy

• • •

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You’re somebody sellable: For sale: One department store chain with 40 outlets in nine states. Gently used by Saks. Founded in 1887 in Birmingham. Make an offer.
• Saks Mulls Possible Sale of Parisian Chain [Associated Press]

Must-sell TV: For sale: One network-owned TV station in Top 50 market. Fresh personnel, consistently No. 3 in news. Slightly wear and tear from long-standing NBC affiliation.
• Network puts NBC13 up for sale [Birmingham Business Journal]

New car smell: For sale: 2007 Alabama-made SUVs. Well-known brands. One’s high-end full-size vehicle, other’s compact affordable model. Must make way, eventually, for 2008 cars.
• Alabama-made SUVs on display at Detroit auto show [Associated Press]

Out is in: For sale: Natural beauty of mountains, forests, rivers, beaches, more. Some coastal “aging” from recent hurricanes. Campers, hunters welcome.
• New Alabama tourism campaign set to kick off [Associated Press]

Also:

• Legislature prepares to ‘wing it’ on issues, bills
• Oneonta man wins sweepstakes, loses car keys
• Sixth graders sell most fruit baskets to unsympathetic relatives

• • •

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Red blogs vs. blue blogs: Our pal Taylor Bright has a story on political blogs based in 'Bama. Our savvy readers already have their faves, but you gotta bring the geezers up to speed. At least Wade on Birmingham is apolitical — apolitical, asexual, ahysterical …
• Blogs join partisan fray on state political scene [Huntsville Times]

You must remember this …: A physics professor at Alabama has published a paper detailing the workings of a new type of memory chip. “Unlike the DRAM used in today’s computers, MRAM would be non-volatile, so work would not be lost if the power failed. MRAM also would not require the power-draining boot-up process of DRAM.” And it will also know why humans cry. Because they can’t figure out their digital cameras.
• Computer memory advances create buzz [Tuscaloosa News]

Punch ALT-CTRL-%-J for outside line: A Birmingham-based phone company is expanding into a second company to handle VoIP. More and more people are using the Internet to make their calls. It reminds us of the telecom boom of the early '90s, the one that gave us WorldCom. Uh, oh.
• New phone company to tap Internet [Birmingham News]

Wiki cool: A Huntsville native is the founder of Wikipedia, the encyclopedia so simple even you can write and edit it. Addictive stuff — for instance, did you know Birmingham has 11 sister cities?
• Alabamian is brain behind Wikipedia [Birmingham News]

Dixiepædia Hicktannica: Historians across the state are creating an online Encyclopedia of Alabama, to launch in 2007. Noted historian Wayne Flint is editor-in-chief for the project. Finally, we’ll settle the debate over who was the best governor, Wager Swayne or Chauncey Sparks.
• Encyclopedia of Alabama to be online [Montgomery Advertiser]

Also:

• Recruiting season begins to thin out footballer herds
• Limestone quarry to be turned into dirt pile, then Starbucks
• Downtown building sign indicates building’s sign is on

• • •

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Orange you glad I didn’t say Bowden?: Tonight’s Orange Bowl features two ol’ salts for coaches: Penn State’s JoePa and Florida State’s Bobby Bowden. Born in Birmingham, Bowden played at Woodlawn High School, Alabama and Howard College (now Samford University). Both he and rival Joe Paterno share much in common, prompting Bowden to observe, “There’s a lot of similarities with what we’ve done. About the only difference between us is he’s a … Yankee.” The game airs at 7 on ABC 33/40. Or just download the game for two bucks Wednesday on iTunes.
• More Than Age Binds Paterno and Bowden [New York Times]

Murder, y’all: The final toll for Birmingham homicides in 2005: 105. That’s compared to 64 in 2004, and 108 in 1997. The most glaring insult: 43 remain unsolved. Among the open cases are three teenagers, Rodriquez Lovejoy, Lemane Edwards and Jeffrey Reynolds. In Shelby County, only one of the six homicides from '05 remains unsolved.
• 43 slayings unsolved in city this year [Birmingham News]

Wednesday bloody Wednesday: Hoist a pint for others. The 20th annual Alabama’s Biggest Blood Drive takes place Wednesday at the Wynfrey Hotel at the Riverchase Galleria. Supplies can be low during the winter, so step forward and roll up your sleeve, either one. It runs from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• 20th Annual ‘Alabama’s Biggest Blood Drive’ [NBC 13]

Also:

• Bessemer family competes to log most hours not exercising
• New sticker features Calvin peeing on blue dot
• So far, black-eyed peas fail to deliver lucky or lucrative 2006

• • •

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Bowling for camcorders: In bowl game action today, Alabama won and Auburn lost. But don’t fret. Those players in their post-season appearances will not only get a little more glory, but also DVD players, camcorders, watches, luggage and thousands of dollars. Every bowl game has its payoff to student-athletes, even as colleges make millions from bowl apperances. And it’s all NCAA-approved.
• Bowls of money [Birmingham News]

Enemy mine: According to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, two people will die from landmines within the next hour. And 285 more will be planted in that same hour, say students at the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science. They’ve developed a landmine detector using an infrared camera on a toy jeep, at 1/100th the cost of current detectors. Eureka, indeed.
• Students convert toy into life-saving device [Mobile Register]

O Christmas trash: Driving down the street, you may notice the discarded Christmas trees still sitting at the curb. That’s because the nearly 20-year-old tree recycling program in the county has reached a successful end, building reefs for fish habitats in state lakes. So now what to do with that once majestic spruce? Maybe those roadside firewood merchants can take it off your hands.
• Birmingham Christmas tree recycling program at an end [Birmingham News]

Also:

• City’s moped district awaits urban rebirth
• Jocks, nerds reach tentative peace accord
• Buzzing in my head? Yep, still hung over from New Year’s

• • •

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Kate caps awe: Hurricane Katrina is No. 1 on the Top 10 Alabama news stories of '05. Yeah, we buy it. And most of the ranking stories had to do with death, except for the Scrushy stuff. But really, Natalee as No. 2? Really?? Maybe if this version had run at some point, yeah, sure.
• Katrina overshadows events of 2005 [Associated Press]

9 and 2 and 9 and 2 make 1: The Tide and Tigers both done good, finishing the regular season at 9-2 and ending up in Jan. 2 bowl games, making it the top state sports story of the year. But after No. 3, the list is pretty weak. North Alabama? Tuskegee? Do those guys even have athletics?
• Alabama, Auburn’s surprise seasons tops sporting news for 2005 [Associated Press]

Sounding board: The good folks over at the Birmingham Weekly have combed through their CD swag one last time for their top picks for '05. The usual suspects include Kanye West, Fiona Apple and Gorillaz. Surprises include Sufjan Stevens, Sleater-Kinney and the Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane.
• The music that moved us [Birmingham Weekly]

Also:

• ‘Medicinal gambling’ gains foothold in Bible Belt
• Inverness player aims for surprise New Year’s kiss, if all goes according to plan
• Self-help title on the way for recovering evangelicals: ‘God’s Just Not That Into You’

• • •

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Nunn’s sense: The first female Birmingham police chief isn’t flashy, or terribly outspoken. Annetta Nunn rose through the ranks to take the top spot in 2002. Since then, she and the mayor have clashed over issues, but the department has managed to stay clean. Crime is down overall, even though homicides in Birmingham have topped 100 (and counting) for the year. Does the chief deserve the credit or the blame?
• Birmingham police chief happiest in background role [Birmingham News]

Ask about our attacks from UFOs coverage: Clarke County spent $7,000 to insure public buildings against foreign terrorist attacks. (Not unlike the time Hoover formed its own Department of Homeland Security; now, ungrateful undocumented Hispanic workers are suing to stop it.) Said one commissioner, “The likelihood of that happening is the same that I’m going to be on the next moon shot. I think it’s another way for the insurance people to make money.” He then voted in favor of the allocation. We wanted to interest them in a bridge for sale, but imaginary al-Qaida operatives blew it up. Damn you, terrorists!!!
• County insures against terror [Mobile Register]

And if it’s a boy, Arkansas: If you watch the part of MTV that’s not “Laguna Beach,” you might recognize some drummer dude and some actress chick from “Meet the Barkers.” As part of their televised reality, the couple is contractually obligated to breed. Hence, their new daughter, Alabama Luella Barker. Funny thing is, neither parent is from this state. At least they didn’t name her Scout or Apple.
• Meet the Barkers’ New Daughter [People]

Also:

• Sheriff vows crackdown on anything to be “taped for tonight’s TV news”
• Red-hot trend for 2006: new calendars
• It’s always something with that Roebuck

• • •

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Banks – merging mayhem: Chances are in 2005 that your bank changed names, bought another bank or didn’t even exist two years ago. Can Birmingham’s banking industry remain a powerhouse, or will it be overtaken by outsiders and other emerging industries?
• Mergers reshape Birmingham banking status [Birmingham Business Journal]

Banks – boutique branches: If attracting and keeping bank customers is the problem, maybe the solution is … a coffee bar? flat-screen TV set? wireless access? Sheesh. We’d settle for shorter lines, faster tellers and ATMs that don’t flash “Out of service” every other trip.
• Banks add twist to draw clients [Birmingham News]

Banks – competing interests: Would you put your money in a startup bank? At least two new companies are betting on it: Red Mountain Bank and ServisFirst Bank. We’d switch, if only we could get our friggin’ $28.52 out of the friggin’ ATM! Arrrgh!!
• Youngsters of Birmingham banking market boast new digs [Birmingham Business Journal]

Also:

• Alabaster man claims he heard wife’s plea to take out trash “first 20 times”
• All '05 headlines now 75 percent off to make room for '06 news
• Lonely billionaire recluse fails to change after discovering true meaning of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa

• • •

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Save our silicon: If you raked in a new Xbox 360 or Razr or Vaio, you may be planning to junk the old device. Don’t. Take it to Vulcan on Wednesday between noon and 6 p.m., and TechBirmingham will either refurbish it or take it apart. Just throwing it in a landfill means those toxic parts go straight into the soil and water. Every bit/byte counts.
• Ecycling Event @ Vulcan Park … December 28th [Ecycling Day]

Building a legacy: The late Samuel Mockbee made this state a little prettier through passion, education and generosity. He created the Rural Studio, in which Auburn architecture students worked on designing and building beautiful homes and churches and other structures for those folks often overlooked. They used simple materials, clever design and young minds.
• In Alabama, a Poor County Is Rich in Modern Architecture [New York Times]

Lead, follow, or get in the way: In this state, we like our tea achingly sweet and our governors colorful. OK, so maybe Bob Riley didn’t stand in any schoolhouse doors or embezzle or … well, go out of his way to embarrass Alabamians. But the 2006 governor’s race is going to be a nail-biter. Who will win: crazy Commandments crusader, indicted politico, the ill-fated office-holder (no incumbent has won in the past three elections), or the chick?
• Alabama race for governor shaping up as must-see political event [Associated Press]

Also:

• Warrior dad redeems gift card from Christmas to kill time at mall
• Alabama, Auburn head to bowl cities for practice, curfew violations
• Hey, tubby: Four days remaining for unfulfilled '05 resolutions

• • •

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Even Santas get the bruise: Being Santa Claus year-round has its drawbacks. Ty Johns of Talladega plays the part well, even when a girl questioning his authenticity tugs on his beard and punches him in the stomach. And you thought Father Christmas was all about the milk and cookies.
• He’s Santa, all year long! [(Talladega) Daily Home]

Merry War on Christmas: The War on Christmas may seem like the hysteric evangelical flavor of the month — but in Alabama, the battle began nearly a century ago. More than a few governors sent out official cards with the diabolical sentiment, “Seasons Greetings.” One even sent one with a Confederate battle flag. War on Christmas? Try War on Carpetbaggers!
• ‘Happy Holidays’ not new to 2005 [Decatur Daily]

A very Katrina Christmas: Many hurricane refugees (remember when that was a taboo word?) aren’t looking forward to the holidays. The Dawsons fled the Mississippi coast and are still at a Birmingham campground. They’re unemployed and facing a $561 utility bill.
• Holiday Cheer in Short Supply for Refugees [Hartford (Conn.) Courant]

Lawsuit? what lawsuit?: We interrupt this holiday-themed Heads and tales for a case of media monkeyshines. Former Healthsouth guru Richard Scrushy has sued the Birmingham News and radio dork Paul Finebaum for millions, claiming defamation (cough) of character (cough cough). What’s interesting is that many media outlets are reporting this item, except the Birmingham News. Even though the newspaper has been sued many times in similar matters, it has dutifully reported each one, even if it’s buried below the fold on an inside section front. What gives?
• Scrushy sues Paul Finebaum, Birmingham newspaper [Mobile Register]

Also:

• Study: Santa trainees face 48 percent failure rate under No Kringle Left Behind
• Downtown law firm litigating at an eighth-grade level
• Touchy-feely giving way to lookie-ogly

• • •

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Bowl season. Time to start planning your Jan. 2 party, when Alabama will play Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl and Auburn will play Wisconsin in the (Bank Name Here) Bowl. The Tide rolls at 10 a.m. on Fox, while the Tigers pounce at noon on ABC, part of five bowls airing that day. Wanna see all 28? Hope you caught the first two earlier this week, but here’s a schedule of the remaining 26.

Will bowl for $$$: It’s been 15 years since Birmingham played host to a bowl game, but since then, Mobile has become home to not one but two bowl games. (Only Orlando and Miami can boast similar double duty.) What the hell happened?
• Coming up empty [Birmingham News]

The non-graduate: The Crimson Tide is in the Top 5. Among 116 Division I-A schools for non-graduating football players. More than three-fifths of Alabama footballers don’t receive a diploma. And at Auburn, more than two-fifths of football players don’t graduate. The NCAA report says about one-fourth of all Division I athletes fail to graduate. Did we mention that both Alabama and Auburn made it to bowl games? Good bowls, too.
• UA football grad rate worst in SEC [Birmingham News]

Also:

• Scripture amended to ‘Peace on civilized parts of earth’
• Best Albums of 2005 list eschews albums for compact discs
• Five Points South muggers form union

• • •

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Railing at each other: The Railroad Reservation Park could be a grand step forward in adding cultural vitality to the heart of downtown Birmingham. The city, county and federal governments are tossing in more than $7 million of the $10 million needed to make it happen. But first, the city and Friends of the Railroad District must work out which entity will oversee the project. What’s at stake is the plan for green spaces, a lake, retail and dining spots, public art and an amphitheater. Those four blocks are fertile ground for rebirth. So who’s going to run this train?
• Dispute may derail park [Birmingham News]

Driven to distraction: Traffic is like the weather: Everyone talks about it, nobody does anything about it. Meet the “eyes in the sky” who keep tabs on rush-hour jams. Surprisingly, the Birmingham News’ story allows for an allegation of willful negligence of public safety by the government, without seeking a response: “There are kinks. … (Metro Networks) has ended its contract with the Alabama Department of Transportation for use of ALDOT’s public traffic cameras because there weren’t enough cameras to monitor traffic effectively, said Steve West, director of operations for Metro Networks.” He also says ALDOT cameras aren’t being fixed, leaving readers to wonder just how the state is monitoring highways, if at all. It’s only fair to allow someone from ALDOT to answer — but the story has no such response. Tsk tsk.
• Traffic service keeps watch on commuters [Birmingham News]

Death race 2005: And speaking of oversights, a trucking industry magazine’s readers ranked Alabama as having the weakest truck inspections. More than 300 readers responded in the mag’s annual survey. Fortunately, most of us have been able to inspect the trucks up close as they’re about to run us over coming into our lane oh my god ohmygod!!!!!
• Worst roads: Go west [Overdrive magazine]

Also:

• Tarrant Christmas miracle: No one calls in with ‘Kong’ fever
• Sanitation workers take turns standing in ‘bitch spot’
• Egg, nog separate amicably, share custody of holiday spirit

• • •

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