It is Thursday. And time for the ultimate survey. The Thurvey.
The Thurvey is a carefully calibrated instrument for taking the temperature of above average Americans, also known as the readers of this blog, on the hot issues of the week.
Answer any or all of the questions below, in any form you wish, by commenting on this post. You do that by entering your Thurvey responses in the comment box below and following the instructions. If the comment box does not appear, click on the word "comments" below this post and the box should open up.
1. The State of Alabama has a marketing problem. It seems that every week we make the national news as being the most obese, poorest, worst place to be a child, most likely to end sentences with prepositions, or some other dubious top-ten or championship title. While I am sure our legislature is working to resolve some of these issues, it might make sense to do some positive marketing. What positive attribute would you promote about Alabama if you could get the attention of the national media? Sorry, but football at all levels is excluded from this question. It is too easy and really just makes the rest of the country mad. Suggest a marketing strategy if you wish.
2. Just among us Alabamians, we do face some tough issues which we need to address. The legislature is meeting right now. As usual they are focusing on taking courageous stands for motherhood, the flag, and apple pie. Tell them what you want done the most. Hopefully you will be more courageous than them. I promise I will make sure your answer is delivered to them and to the governor, unless the delivery of it violates some law. If you want to do a little reading on what they're up to, here are a couple of helpful summaries. Alabama Live Alabama Arise. If you are not familiar with Alabama Arise, it is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting public policy to address issues of poverty, which is also good for those of us more fortunate..
3. Millions of dollars are available from the federal government for the expansion of Medicaid in Alabama. Governor Bentley has indicated he will not take the money. Should Alabama take the money or not?
4. Seems like the nation is about to drive off another fiscal cliff. Perhaps we should trade in our drones for hang-gliders for everyone. Anyway, have you paid attention to the "sequestration" problem at all? If not, why? If so, why? What would you suggest to resolve this and like issues? Vent if it makes you feel better. I cannot promise, but I will try to deliver you responses to Congress and the President, assuming I can do so without upsetting Homeland Security. For a little background, if you need it, Ezra Klein is usually straightforward and amusing.
5. I recently watched all nine episodes of "House of Cards" and have become semi-addicted to "Downton Abbey", activities which I really didn't see coming. What popular culture offerings are you investing your time in?
6. I recently spent a week-end at Camp Sumatanga, the United Methodist Camp in North Alabama, just outside Gallant, Alabama. It is and has been a "place of rest and vision" for me and tens of thousands of people. Where in Alabama are your favorite places of rest and vision?
7. What question do you want answered this week?
1. Alabama introduced 911 to the world. Alabama Public Television was an early model for the rest of the country. We built and build rockets. Great golf courses. Muscle Shoals studios. I could go on and on.
ReplyDelete2. Just do something to help the people without worrying about Alfa, the AEA, Alabama Power, the Business Council, coal and gas, or the trial lawyers.
3.Take the money. No brainer.
4. If Congress can't do it, ask smart people without a political dog in the fire (a hot dog I guess) to work up some good options. It's complicated stuff. There's no shame in admitting that you need help.
5. Re-runs of mash
6. Little River Canyon. A hidden treasure. Don't tell anyone, that'll mess it up.
A variety of slogans for Alabama. "Alabama, the state with the most room to improve." "Alabama, where kudzu likes to roam . . . so should you."
ReplyDeleteI would like the legislature . . . hmmmm . . .I'm not sure I could like the legislature.
Not take the Medicaid money? (See first slogan)
Sequestration? Let's just sequester Congress.
HOmeland.
Rest and vision? Bryant-Denny (I assume a football answer is okay on this quesiton.
Slogan suggestion. "Come to Alabama, where we'll make you look thin . . ."
ReplyDeleteor "Alabama, America's yard sale . . ."
We do have some good things going on. Excellent public school reading program. Expanding model pre-k program. Barbecue.
Slogan . . . Alabama, America's front porch. Series of videos like ESPN's Roll Tide or War Eagle ads emphasizing friendship and big hearts. Maybe the slogan should be, Alabama . . . Dixie's biggest heart.
ReplyDeleteLegislature should do something good and specific. Abolish sales tax on food. Act on predatory lendors. Pre-k funding.
They showed you the medicaid money. Take it.
As far as sequestration. Quit electing cowards to Congress. Elect normal business folk, teachers, lawyers . . .
I still read real books.
You can't beat the Alabama Gulf Coast for rest and vision. And good food.
Why don't we just adopt the Kardashian approach to marketing? We are what we are. Unfortunately, we are not as camera ready as the Kardashians but put it out there for the world to see that we have obese, poor spelling, entitlement dependent children. Why waste all that money on marketing to bring in more people when we could just take the additional Medicaid money and disburse it to our folks who are not paying taxes and expecting the State to provide for their ever growing families. Looks like I may have addressed two issues in one paragraph. My faux pas.
ReplyDeleteAfter listening to Congressman Mo Brooks this week, I would like to personally tell our elected law makers who are going to sit back and allow Alabama to lose 78,000 jobs to sequestration to bite me! A bit harsh but, basically that is what will happen to us all in the end. Congressman Brooks, when asked if his salary would be affected, stated that the "27th amendment protects his salary". Must be nice to know you can sit back and argue and bicker like second graders with an attitude of "I am not gonna give a bit" while so many of those who elected you will be losing 20 percent of their income. He also said repeatedly, that there was a lot of policy being voted on with which he was not familiar. This leads me to think that our electoral process needs some tweeking. Instead of the "those with the most money and best hair get to vote on what happens to the real people" method, maybe we need to elect economists, business owners, and those familiar with "muddy boots" to make decisions. Oops, as Britney Spears said, "I did it again".
The Big Bang Theory. Those people make me feel normal.
If you want to see absolute, untainted beauty and you can hold up to a very long hike, the Walls of Jericho.
1. I <3 Alabama: From mountain top to tidal flat, we have fewer Californians per capita than do our western equivalents. P.S. Roll Tide.
ReplyDelete2. I seriously want them to go home and tend their pigs. Their counterparts in the U.S. legislature should follow suit.
3. If this means that Alabama (a) has no resident on Medicaid or (b) has Medicaid recipients covered in full, then bully for Alabama!
4. My mom had a saying: “She made her bed, now she must lie in it.” Congress, in its miniscule wisdom, has made its bed. In a fight between congressional democrats and congressional republicans, I’d root for a 10-ton meteor.
5. Matthew Mayfield, The Great Book of John, and David Ramirez
6. 2 feet deep anywhere in the Gulf -- my swimming/my husband’s fishing hole, Locust Fork River -- pine-scented peace, Guntersville -- Buck’s Pocket -- Cheaha
7. Why can’t we have a democracy?
1. I <3 Alabama: From mountain top to tidal flat, we have fewer Californians per capita than do our western equivalents. P.S. Roll Tide.
ReplyDelete2. I seriously want them to go home and tend their pigs. Their counterparts in the U.S. legislature should follow suit.
3. If this means that Alabama (a) has no resident on Medicaid or (b) has Medicaid recipients covered in full, then bully for Alabama!
4. My mom had a saying: “She made her bed, now she must lie in it.” Congress, in its miniscule wisdom, has made its bed. In a fight between congressional democrats and congressional republicans, I’d root for a 10-ton meteor.
5. Matthew Mayfield, The Great Book of John, and David Ramirez
6. 2 feet deep anywhere in the Gulf -- my swimming/my husband’s fishing hole, Locust Fork River -- pine-scented peace, Guntersville -- Buck’s Pocket -- Cheaha
7. Why can’t we have a democracy?