Artur Davis Running As A Republican? ::

I came across this on Talking Points Memo's twitter feed a few minutes ago:

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After coming out in support of voter ID laws and donating to Republicans, former Democratic Rep. Artur Davis is continuing his march to the other side of the aisle, telling the Washington Post he could run for office as an independent or even a GOP candidate.

I don't think that there are many progressives in Alabama who will be surprised by Davis' possibly switching parties, and I truthfully don't think that there are many who will care!

It will be interesting to see just what sort of political future Davis may have.

A Tragic Hunting Accident ::

The local news is reporting this story this evening:

A man has been shot to death and now investigators are trying to find the person responsible...
His wife found him lying next to his 4-wheeler and thought he'd had a heart attack. Doctors found he'd been shot once Hart got to the hospital.

"We're trying to find out who was maybe hunting in this area. At this point, we're investigating it as a hunting accident," said Jackson County Sheriff Chuck Phillips.

I haven't hunted in years and I've never owned a high-powered rifle as all of my hunting was for small game and ducks and I always made it a point to hunt with others who were safe. Unfortunately there are many who are very careless when it comes to the direction that their weapons are being fired. I remember fishing once with my wife in a small farm pond in the Hurricane Creek community of Madison County, Alabama when someone across the valley began target firing a high powered rifle with the result that we could hear the bullets whizzing over our heads. Believe me, a bullet traveling through the air makes a very distinctive noise. These bullets were well over our heads, but we decided that the better part of valor was to leave the pond.

I was also duck hunting one morning after Christmas with 2 friends and someone up in the woods was shooting a 22 rifle. I don't know what he was shooting at, but at one point a bullet went right through the reeds that camouflaged our blind just inches in front of us. We each fired off a round from our shotguns in order to alert this person that we were down in the bay. It was time to leave anyway so we gathered up our decoys and headed home.

It's hard to find real country these days and I live in a rural area where guns are often fired and it always makes me nervous! There are just far too many hunters out there who I don't trust to be responsible with a firearm!

Merry Christmas ::

Here's wishing each and everyone a very Merry Christmas. Shortly I'll be off to the Guntersville Dam in hopes of finding some Eagle photographs.

Everybody stay safe today!

A Benefit ::

Late last Friday afternoon there was a terrible accident on Cecil Ashburn Drive and 2 young girls were killed when the driver of the car lost control coming down the mountain into Jones Valley. The twin sister of one of the girls was severely injured and is now in Neurological Intensive Care at Huntsville Hospital. The mother was recently laid off from her job at the Marshall Space Flight Center and had taken a job at the Lowe's in Hampton Cove.

Tomorrow afternoon and evening Lowe's will have a tent set up outside their store where they will be accepting donations for the family in order to help them through this terrible time. Donations can also be made to Cadence Bank along with Redstone Federal Credit Union.

I plan to stop by Lowe's on my way home tomorrow and donate a few dollars and I hope that everyone will. Besides the grief of losing a daughter and having another in NICU, the costs will be astronomical. I have no idea what Lowe's insurance is like, but I'll bet I can safely say that it will not come close to covering the expenses for this family!

Please, help if you can.

(update) I just found out that there will also be a benefit show for the Morrow family at The Lone Goose saloon at 108 Cleveland Ave. Thursday evening starting at around 8pm. Come out and listen to some great music and make a donation to a great cause.

Madison County Commission District 3 ::

I was sad to hear the news that Jerry Craig, our current commissioner, will be retiring at the end of this term. Jerry has never failed to be of help with me when I've called his office with a concern or a problem and I have always had the utmost in respect for him and his office and I've been concerned about his replacement, but lately I've been seeing signs such as this and as well as yard signs:



For those who may not know, Jeff Cooper owns Cooper Small Engine Repair in downtown New Hope, Alabama. For the past several years he has done most of my lawn mower repairs and has always been fair, open and honest with me in our dealings and he will have my support in the upcoming election!

Oh yeah, I won't hold it against him, but Jamie Cooper is his brother!

A Survey From Mo ::

I meant to post this a few days ago, but I got busy with other things and had to put it off. This is a survey I got in my in-box from Mo Brooks:



I know that I'll never hear from Brooks because I checked the "no" box and returned the survey. The tea partiers don't seem to understand, or care for that matter, that regulations are in place in order to protect real people from corporate greed. I don't understand those who seem to think that "the market" will self-police itself when a company produces an unsafe or dangerous product. Recent history is replete with companies supplying food products that have been tainted by the e-coli bacteria resulting in hospitalization and, in some cases, death. Chinese companies may have supplied drywall with properties that sickened people, but American distributors and retailers sold it until the outcry became too loud and they were forced to supply a safe product.

I am a firm supporter of increased regulation just as I am a disbeliever in the concept of a self regulating marketplace!

Opposition For Mo Brooks ::

Just yesterday Charlie Holley tossed his hat into the ring as Democratic opposition to my Alabama 5th district tea party congressman Mo Brooks. I've been waiting for someone to jump into this race on the Democratic side and was about to give up hope 'til now. Even though it's a bit late in the year I'm hoping that Mr. Holley will be a viable candidate who can muster some grassroots support.

I'll be posting more as I learn more about Mr. Holley's positions, but, for now, I'm just happy to see someone coming out to run against the odious Mo Brooks!