to share a few thoughts on the Casey Anthony trial. Unless you've been living under a rock for the past 24 hours, by now you're well aware that after about 10 hours of deliberation, the jury found Casey Anthony not guilty of first-degree murder, child abuse and whatever else - other than some misdemeanor charges of lying to police.
The world, led by that blowhard Nancy Grace, immediately was outraged. Grace went on CNN and immediately started blaming the jury. Obviously, she didn't follow the trial and the testimony. Where do we begin?
First and foremost, the prosecution could not tell the jury or the public how the child died. Granted, most of the public has assumed that the child suffocated as a result of having duct tape put over her mouth, but there was no definitive evidence as to how the child died. The state attorney admitted as much in his statement to the media after the verdict.
Second, the prosecution proved no motive. They portrayed Casey Anthony as a partying whore, but that's a stretch to convince people that someone would kill a child. One of the alternate jurors, Juror #14, spoke publicly and said that they didn't prove motive.
So, you have no cause of death, and you have no motive. How on Earth do people honestly expect that a jury will come up with a guilty verdict?
Finally, I will say this. Nancy Grace disgusts me. For her to go on television night after night, bashing people and playing judge and jury is awful. If she doesn't shut up about Casey Anthony, I can see her being sued like she was by Melinda Duckett's family. If you're not familiar with that case, Grace had Duckett on her show one night, talking about Duckett's missing child. Grace basically began accusing Duckett of being involved in the kidnapping or murder of her child. She kept hounding her to the point of yelling at the woman on TV. Melinda later committed suicide, and Melinda's parents sued Grace. They settled out of court, with Grace paying $200,000.
Keep it up, Nancy. You'll be paying again.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Back to the grind
Well, it was good while it lasted. OK, truth be told, it was GREAT while it lasted.
I left town around lunchtime last Tuesday, headed for the peace and tranquility of the Smoky Mountains. I arrived in Townsend around 6:30 p.m. Eastern time and decided to make a quick trip through Cades Cove, both in an attempt to see some wildlife and to get a quick taste of the next few days.
It was not too crowded, which was something I wouldn't be able to say later in the week as the Fourth of July holiday approached. But, from sunrise to sundown, I was not within range for cell phones, e-mail or any other contact with work. That alone was celebration enough.
Pictures and stories to come.
I left town around lunchtime last Tuesday, headed for the peace and tranquility of the Smoky Mountains. I arrived in Townsend around 6:30 p.m. Eastern time and decided to make a quick trip through Cades Cove, both in an attempt to see some wildlife and to get a quick taste of the next few days.
It was not too crowded, which was something I wouldn't be able to say later in the week as the Fourth of July holiday approached. But, from sunrise to sundown, I was not within range for cell phones, e-mail or any other contact with work. That alone was celebration enough.
Pictures and stories to come.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Plugging along
It's been almost a month since the deadly storms of April 27 swept across our lovely state. There are still far too many signs out there of the destruction, but progress is being made. People have pitched in to help, donated time, money, clothing and supplies.
FEMA is here helping, even though you haven't heard our governor or any of our mayors whining on national TV about needing the federal government to save everyone (I told you that wouldn't happen). But, unfortuately, now and then, you come across one of your own who makes things difficult.
In the small town of Cordova, Alabama, in Walker County just north of Birmingham, many people lost their homes. Some were completely destroyed; many were damaged to the point of being uninhabitable. Residents have been living on their property, in tents, the damaged remains of their homes and whatever else. FEMA came to town with a load of trailers.
Enter Cordova mayor Jack Scott and the city council. Apparently, for some unknown reason, this small town has an ordinance prohibiting single-wide trailers. Guess what FEMA brought to town? If you guessed single-wide trailers, give yourself a gold star. So you have FEMA with all of their trailers, and you have these people living in tents, ruins of their homes or wherever else.
And you have a mayor and a city council that won't let the two groups merge.
They had a town meeting last night at the armory in Cordova. More than 200 people showed up. Of cours,e our local television station just showed the highlights, but at one point, Scott told an elderly woman, "Maybe you have your sights set too high."
Seriously?
Have you been a complete idiot your entire life, Jack Scott, or did that come about just when you took office?
It may be that these folks have to take their case to the state. Apparnetly the mayor and the city council are worried about property values when a lot of these folks are just looking for a temporary solution.
It won't surprise me to wake up one morning and hear that Jack Scott got his as beat by an old woman wielding a broom, umbrella or whatever else. Or maybe he'll just have gotten a good ol' country ass whipping.
Time will tell.
In the meantime, thoughts and prayers with the folks in Missouri and Oklahoma who have suffered loss from tornadoes the past few days.
FEMA is here helping, even though you haven't heard our governor or any of our mayors whining on national TV about needing the federal government to save everyone (I told you that wouldn't happen). But, unfortuately, now and then, you come across one of your own who makes things difficult.
In the small town of Cordova, Alabama, in Walker County just north of Birmingham, many people lost their homes. Some were completely destroyed; many were damaged to the point of being uninhabitable. Residents have been living on their property, in tents, the damaged remains of their homes and whatever else. FEMA came to town with a load of trailers.
Enter Cordova mayor Jack Scott and the city council. Apparently, for some unknown reason, this small town has an ordinance prohibiting single-wide trailers. Guess what FEMA brought to town? If you guessed single-wide trailers, give yourself a gold star. So you have FEMA with all of their trailers, and you have these people living in tents, ruins of their homes or wherever else.
And you have a mayor and a city council that won't let the two groups merge.
They had a town meeting last night at the armory in Cordova. More than 200 people showed up. Of cours,e our local television station just showed the highlights, but at one point, Scott told an elderly woman, "Maybe you have your sights set too high."
Seriously?
Have you been a complete idiot your entire life, Jack Scott, or did that come about just when you took office?
It may be that these folks have to take their case to the state. Apparnetly the mayor and the city council are worried about property values when a lot of these folks are just looking for a temporary solution.
It won't surprise me to wake up one morning and hear that Jack Scott got his as beat by an old woman wielding a broom, umbrella or whatever else. Or maybe he'll just have gotten a good ol' country ass whipping.
Time will tell.
In the meantime, thoughts and prayers with the folks in Missouri and Oklahoma who have suffered loss from tornadoes the past few days.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Tornado in Tuscaloosa
Two amateurs chased the Tuscaloosa tornado in their vehicle - with a video camera. Watch the entire video (WARNING: There is some profanity in this).
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
What you WON'T hear about on the news
There's been so much said, written and shown in pictures and video since the destructive tornadoes and storms moved through our state last Wednesday. But, living so close to four of the hardest hit locations, I've heard stories that many others in my own city, let alone our state or the nation, may ever hear. I thought I would take an opportunity to share some with you.
******
A good friend loaded up his truck with 60 cases of water and as much food as he could load. His first stop was Pleasant Grove. He knocked on one door but didn't get an answer. Finally, a woman walked around from the side of the house. She said, "Don't bother knocking. There's nothing left worth being in there for." He offered the woman a case of water and some food, which she accepted.
*****
Also in Pleasant Grove, he came across an elderly woman kneeling in her yard, holding a Bible. Her house was destroyed. He waited a few moments not to interrupt her prayer/meditation. After several minutes, he walked over to her quietly.
"Ma'am, is there anything I can do for you?" he asked.
"No, I'm fine," she said.
"Would you like some water?" he asked.
"Yes, that would be nice. Would you bring it inside?" she asked as she got up off the ground.
He carried it inside. In a back room of her storm-ravaged house, she had cleared out a corner. She told my friend this was where she would be living for a while.
He offered to drive her to a shelter; she refused. He begged her to let him take her to a shelter; again, she refused. He put down the case of water and the food then headed out to make more deliveries. He admitted he couldn't fight back the tears as he walked out of what was left of that home.
*****
The same friend made a visit to Pratt City on Friday, having a fellow church member who managed a local restaurant. The church member loaded up coolers with hot sandwiches along with my friend's bottled water. In Pratt City, they came upon a group of children standing in the street. They weren't playing or doing anything - just standing there. The two men got out of the truck and asked if they wanted some water and a sandwich; they said yes.
When they received their sandwiches and felt the warmth of the package, they started smiling and screaming for their mother, "Mama, mama!!! We've got food ... and it's hot!!!!" Apparently these kids had not had anything hot to eat in two days - not that their mother could have cooked something even if there was electricity.
*****
The two men found one house where a large portion of a back wall had been blown away, the roof was half gone and the windows were blown out. The owners had tarps and plastic covering some holes in the roof; they had a garage door (apparently from someone else's house) propped up, covering most of the hole where the back wall had been. The occupants were still "living" there as well.
*****
In Smithfield Hills, an area between Pratt City and Fultondale (just north of Birmingham), my friend found a large group of people standing out of what remained of a two-car garage; the rest of the house was gone. When he spoke with the man who owned the house that had been destroyed and what remained of the garage, the man said all three families were currently living in the garage. The other two families' homes were completely destroyed.
*****
A co-worker was telling me about a friend of his who is a police officer and lived in Pleasant Grove. As the storms approached, the officer and his family got in an interior closet (their home had no basement). After the storm passed, all that remained of the officer's house was the section where the closet stood; the rest was destroyed.
While surveying the damage to his home, the officer found a neighbor from a few houses down dead in the backyard.
*****
But, the most important thing you won't hear about on the news? I guarantee you won't hear our governor, or any of our mayors, in the media crying about being ignored by the federal government or anyone else. Much like the good folks in Tennessee did with the tragic floods they encountered a little more than a year ago, folks here will help each other however they can, however big or small.
And we will recover, slowly but surely.
A good friend loaded up his truck with 60 cases of water and as much food as he could load. His first stop was Pleasant Grove. He knocked on one door but didn't get an answer. Finally, a woman walked around from the side of the house. She said, "Don't bother knocking. There's nothing left worth being in there for." He offered the woman a case of water and some food, which she accepted.
Also in Pleasant Grove, he came across an elderly woman kneeling in her yard, holding a Bible. Her house was destroyed. He waited a few moments not to interrupt her prayer/meditation. After several minutes, he walked over to her quietly.
"Ma'am, is there anything I can do for you?" he asked.
"No, I'm fine," she said.
"Would you like some water?" he asked.
"Yes, that would be nice. Would you bring it inside?" she asked as she got up off the ground.
He carried it inside. In a back room of her storm-ravaged house, she had cleared out a corner. She told my friend this was where she would be living for a while.
He offered to drive her to a shelter; she refused. He begged her to let him take her to a shelter; again, she refused. He put down the case of water and the food then headed out to make more deliveries. He admitted he couldn't fight back the tears as he walked out of what was left of that home.
The same friend made a visit to Pratt City on Friday, having a fellow church member who managed a local restaurant. The church member loaded up coolers with hot sandwiches along with my friend's bottled water. In Pratt City, they came upon a group of children standing in the street. They weren't playing or doing anything - just standing there. The two men got out of the truck and asked if they wanted some water and a sandwich; they said yes.
When they received their sandwiches and felt the warmth of the package, they started smiling and screaming for their mother, "Mama, mama!!! We've got food ... and it's hot!!!!" Apparently these kids had not had anything hot to eat in two days - not that their mother could have cooked something even if there was electricity.
The two men found one house where a large portion of a back wall had been blown away, the roof was half gone and the windows were blown out. The owners had tarps and plastic covering some holes in the roof; they had a garage door (apparently from someone else's house) propped up, covering most of the hole where the back wall had been. The occupants were still "living" there as well.
In Smithfield Hills, an area between Pratt City and Fultondale (just north of Birmingham), my friend found a large group of people standing out of what remained of a two-car garage; the rest of the house was gone. When he spoke with the man who owned the house that had been destroyed and what remained of the garage, the man said all three families were currently living in the garage. The other two families' homes were completely destroyed.
A co-worker was telling me about a friend of his who is a police officer and lived in Pleasant Grove. As the storms approached, the officer and his family got in an interior closet (their home had no basement). After the storm passed, all that remained of the officer's house was the section where the closet stood; the rest was destroyed.
While surveying the damage to his home, the officer found a neighbor from a few houses down dead in the backyard.
But, the most important thing you won't hear about on the news? I guarantee you won't hear our governor, or any of our mayors, in the media crying about being ignored by the federal government or anyone else. Much like the good folks in Tennessee did with the tragic floods they encountered a little more than a year ago, folks here will help each other however they can, however big or small.
And we will recover, slowly but surely.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Indescribable
I headed out of town on business Friday afternoon, only to find myself stuck in a virtual parking lot on Highway 78. The highway leads from Birmingham to the northwest section of the state and eventually through Mississippi up to Memphis.
At first, I thought it was an accident. Twenty minutes later, when I had moved about 50 feet, I knew it was something worse. Then I saw a highway sign, and I remembered. I was approaching Pratt City. Pratt City was one of the harder hit areas from the tornadoes and storms that ripped through the state on Wednesday evening (see photograph in the post below).
I turned around and took a long detour to get around the traffic jam and on my way.
Today, coming home, I couldn't avoid it. Reaching the stopped traffic was much closer than I was on Friday. It wasn't long before I started seeing sights that simply horrified me.
As I approached the edge of the tornado's destructive path, trees were down and signs were bent over or broken. Then it got worse - quickly.
Trees were either snapped in half or ripped out of the ground entirely. Homes and other buildings were either crushed under trees or reduced to rubble. People who looked as if they haven't slept in four days staggered along the side of this busy highway, carrying black plastic garbage bags likely stuffed with their remaining belongings. Police cars, National Guard vehicles or both blocked the entry roads to the area. Clearly, if you didn't belong, you weren't getting in.
Several minutes later, I reached the point where the storm crossed the highway. Looking to both sides, it was as if a giant bulldozer or grader had just driven through from one side to the other. You could see people rummaging through piles of debris, likely looking for any personal belongings, family heirlooms or prized possessions they might get lucky and find. You saw police officers and National Guardsmen walking the streets, some speaking with people at the various locations. You saw no telephone or power poles, just an occasional power line tangled among the rubble.
Yes, you see the pictures. You see the video. But none of that truly gives you the feeling of what happened. I found myself thinking what it must have been like to have been in one of those homes as dark approached and the deadly storm rolled through on Wednesday night.
There's a major intersection with the highway that sat almost center in the path of the damage. The traffic light was still out, almost four full days later. Police officers directed traffic; turning in either direction was prohibited because they were attempting to secure the damaged areas.
As I approached the far side of the destructive path, cars were parked all along the roadsides. Perhaps these were volunteers, or maybe they were from volunteers who had to walk into these various areas. I saw church groups with tents set up in parking lots of destroyed businesses, handing out bottled water and food to those who needed it.
I didn't have my camera with me, and frankly, I didn't want to stop along the road and start taking photographs. I'm sure many of these people feel like they've been publicized, photographed and videotaped enough. I didn't want to stop in traffic with and use my phone camera because, being a major thoroughfare, the traffic was bad enough.
Traffic eased up after passing the path, but I couldn't forget about those images. I couldn't forget about the people wandering through what remained of their homes.
I drove over past Legion Field, the city-owned football stadium. The parking lots around the facility were filled with National Guard vehicles and supplies on one side, Alabama Power trucks, supplies and equipment on another; and Red Cross staging areas on another. As I pulled up, a Natonal Guard tractor trailer loaded down with some sort of supplies was pulling out, following by several National Guard transport trucks. They may have been headed to Pratt City, Pleasant Grove, Concord, Fultondale or any number of locations.
Part of the National Guard set-up at Legion Field
There's no doubt it will take months, if not years, for some of these places to recover. For many, there will never be a full recovery due to the loss of family members or loved ones.
And yet, perhaps the most frightening aspect is that it all was part of something no human being - or group of human beings - could control. This wasn't from a war. It wasn't from a chemical spill or an oil explosion or a nuclear plant accident. It was Mother Nature.
As some folks said in the comments on the previous post, sometimes Mother Nature can be a bitch.
At first, I thought it was an accident. Twenty minutes later, when I had moved about 50 feet, I knew it was something worse. Then I saw a highway sign, and I remembered. I was approaching Pratt City. Pratt City was one of the harder hit areas from the tornadoes and storms that ripped through the state on Wednesday evening (see photograph in the post below).
I turned around and took a long detour to get around the traffic jam and on my way.
Today, coming home, I couldn't avoid it. Reaching the stopped traffic was much closer than I was on Friday. It wasn't long before I started seeing sights that simply horrified me.
As I approached the edge of the tornado's destructive path, trees were down and signs were bent over or broken. Then it got worse - quickly.
Trees were either snapped in half or ripped out of the ground entirely. Homes and other buildings were either crushed under trees or reduced to rubble. People who looked as if they haven't slept in four days staggered along the side of this busy highway, carrying black plastic garbage bags likely stuffed with their remaining belongings. Police cars, National Guard vehicles or both blocked the entry roads to the area. Clearly, if you didn't belong, you weren't getting in.
Several minutes later, I reached the point where the storm crossed the highway. Looking to both sides, it was as if a giant bulldozer or grader had just driven through from one side to the other. You could see people rummaging through piles of debris, likely looking for any personal belongings, family heirlooms or prized possessions they might get lucky and find. You saw police officers and National Guardsmen walking the streets, some speaking with people at the various locations. You saw no telephone or power poles, just an occasional power line tangled among the rubble.
Yes, you see the pictures. You see the video. But none of that truly gives you the feeling of what happened. I found myself thinking what it must have been like to have been in one of those homes as dark approached and the deadly storm rolled through on Wednesday night.
There's a major intersection with the highway that sat almost center in the path of the damage. The traffic light was still out, almost four full days later. Police officers directed traffic; turning in either direction was prohibited because they were attempting to secure the damaged areas.
As I approached the far side of the destructive path, cars were parked all along the roadsides. Perhaps these were volunteers, or maybe they were from volunteers who had to walk into these various areas. I saw church groups with tents set up in parking lots of destroyed businesses, handing out bottled water and food to those who needed it.
I didn't have my camera with me, and frankly, I didn't want to stop along the road and start taking photographs. I'm sure many of these people feel like they've been publicized, photographed and videotaped enough. I didn't want to stop in traffic with and use my phone camera because, being a major thoroughfare, the traffic was bad enough.
Traffic eased up after passing the path, but I couldn't forget about those images. I couldn't forget about the people wandering through what remained of their homes.
I drove over past Legion Field, the city-owned football stadium. The parking lots around the facility were filled with National Guard vehicles and supplies on one side, Alabama Power trucks, supplies and equipment on another; and Red Cross staging areas on another. As I pulled up, a Natonal Guard tractor trailer loaded down with some sort of supplies was pulling out, following by several National Guard transport trucks. They may have been headed to Pratt City, Pleasant Grove, Concord, Fultondale or any number of locations.
There's no doubt it will take months, if not years, for some of these places to recover. For many, there will never be a full recovery due to the loss of family members or loved ones.
And yet, perhaps the most frightening aspect is that it all was part of something no human being - or group of human beings - could control. This wasn't from a war. It wasn't from a chemical spill or an oil explosion or a nuclear plant accident. It was Mother Nature.
As some folks said in the comments on the previous post, sometimes Mother Nature can be a bitch.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Survival
It's bad that I have forgotten about this blog for so long, but after the past 36 hours or so, babbling about my vacations doesn't seem appropriate. I received e-mails on new comments. I had a feeling I knew what they were about, so I am posting this as a collective response.
The damage and loss of life continues to be reported. Who knows when the numbers will stop. While my family and I are all safe and sound with no property damage, many of my friends have suffered damaged to their homes and businesses; a few have suffered total losses.
If you've missed it or aren't familiar with the situation, I live in Alabama, just outside of Birmingham. At one point yesterday, there were seven different tornadoes on the ground in various parts of our state. Two areas that were among the hardest hit yesterday, Pleasant Grove and Pratt City, are just a few miles north of where I work downtown. We watched that tornado, which as it passed through was reportedly a mile wide, blow past from the parking lot at the office. The death toll statewide stands at 168 as I write this, but it grows almost hourly.
It's been quite horrifying to see the reports and read details from those who have survived. We had a bad storm in the spring of 1998 that did a lot of damage and took some lives, but this is far worse.
So for those who have e-mailed or commented to check on me, I'm fine. Like a lot of folks around here, I'm trying to figure out the best way to help those around here who have suffered loss.
If you're interested in seeing news reports, video or pictures, I recommend this site.
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