Polls

Which gubernatorial candidate is running the most effective online campaign?

  • Bradley Byrne (33%, 80 Votes)
  • Artur Davis (28%, 67 Votes)
  • Tim James (20%, 47 Votes)
  • Bill Johnson (9%, 22 Votes)
  • Ron Sparks (6%, 14 Votes)
  • Roy Moore (2%, 4 Votes)
  • Robert Bentley (1%, 3 Votes)
  • Kay Ivey (1%, 2 Votes)
  • James Potts (0%, 1 Votes)

Total Voters: 241

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Blog Rating

Average blog rating:

9.4

Being Knowledgeable Consumers of the News, Whatever the Source

I know this will shock some of my friends that want to continue to try to put me into an ideological box, but I think the Obama administration’s rant against Fox News is just another example of getting absorbed and distracted by the fluff over the substance.  I don’t have time for it when it comes from pundits and politicians on the right and I don’t have time for it when it comes from pundits and politicians on the left.

Every administration has their preferred media outlets, former VP Dick Cheney wouldn’t even let the New York Times travel with him, much less grant interviews.  I believe every savy news consumer should use a multitude of sources for their news and that all news outlets often get the facts wrong…TV media more often than print, but they all do it nonetheless.  Only by piecing together the various half-truths and incomplete analyses can you ever get to something that resembles what is really happening.

The reality is it’s impossible to be an expert on everything and that even when journalists are striving to be fair, they rely on experts for their stories, and therefore introduce bias.  The best journalism is in-depth journalism that tries to bring in as many perspectives as possible to start to reflect the whole picture, but most TV and newspaper news is not in-depth, it’s done on a short deadline and only scratches the surface of the real story. 

Personally, I have almost completely cut out TV news from my news consumption pattern, by personal choice.  I rely more on daily newspapers online, along with their comments that may inform as well as incite; commentary on websites and other online outlets; sites like Factcheck.org and Politifact.com that go behind the initial story and analyze it; and in-depth pieces in news magazines like the Atlantic and others.

Ever since my friend Dr. Taylor made this statement, I have returned to it for reference many times.  The biggest deficit we are dealing with in political debate today is the lack of ability to think critically.  That goes for people at every point on the political spectrum.  I seek out those who, whatever their political beliefs and ideology, are willing to look at and analyze facts to see another person’s point-of-view or perhaps arrive at a different conclusion.  The idea that every argument is equally valid is patently ridiculous, but it’s become a more and more commonly held belief. 

Of course, all sides of an argument have merit, but that doesn’t mean they have equal merit.  A skill that many have lost in the course of political debate is to acknowledge the truth that is embedded in every argument, but then responding to that truth with their own evidence  instead of ranting about the “lies” from the other side.  I struggle with that as much as the next person (as some of my interactions on Twitter will attest), but I can say I strive to be the person who brings reason and I know that when I take the time to reflect on what the other person is saying (and understand it) I can break down almost any barrier.

I hope this is read in the spirit it is intended, not as a diatribe against one side or the other, but a statement to those of all political persuassions to think before you speak or write and to consider honestly that the person you are responding to may have a world view that is different than yours, but that world view doesn’t make them good or bad.  And, finally, to read and observe ALL media (TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, websites and blogs) as also representing a point of view and analyze the information that is being presented critically.

As always, your thoughts and comments are appreciated below.

Yay…New and Improved TWAY!

I apologize for the chaos around here lately…I won’t go into all the sorry details, but where I have ended up is back on the design that I like the best and on a hosting service that can support it. Kathy Kinsley was extremely good to me for many years, but the site had outgrown it’s old home.

Now, thanks to my good friend at Southern Plate, I have a new hosting home that not only can accomodate the growth of this site, but of my wife’s blog, Controlled Chaos, as well. Thank you all for your patience, I hope you see the increased performance on the site, as well as enhanced content.

I am still looking for additional bloggers to contribute, so if you’re interested, please drop me a line at kristopher AT theworldaroundyou DOT com.

Trying to find my Footing Again

Some of you may have read a post I wrote a couple weeks back trying to develop a new framework for discussing how we move Alabama forward in a way that makes sense and that would be acceptable to the vast majority of Alabamians (i.e. not looking for new revenue, but developing creative solutions within the fiscal bounds that currently exist). I’ve been thinking a lot about that post since that time and trying to develop the idea further, in that spirit, I hope to be able to follow through on some deeper discussion about each of the areas I touched on in that earlier post over the next few weeks.

For those of you that have been following me on Twitter over the last few months, you know I have found myself in a lot of unproductive discussions and I hope you will see me avoid that in the future. The bickering over who said what to whom is a giant waste of time except for those who make their careers and reputations off such debate. I hope what you will see from me here and on Twitter moving forward is what I have built my reputation on over the years, which is pragmatic discussion of issues in Alabama and those issues that affect Alabamians.

Though I do support and endorse candidates, it has never been with an eye toward a party or ideology. I support people because I believe in them as individuals and believe in what they are trying to do in the offices for which they are running. It’s never been about Republican or Democrat or conservative or liberal for me, it’s about getting results and improving people’s lives.

I know it won’t be easy to avoid the noise and the chatter, but I will do my level best and want to request your assistance in doing so. I know my regular readers and Twitter friends will provide that check on my own writing and help me contribute to the discussion in a positive way. I am thankful for each and every one of you reading this and hope this post is received in the spirit I have intended it

Most Disgusting

[Editor's Note: I'm very proud to welcome Kara Kennedy to The World Around You as a contributor. I'm always interested in adding additional perspectives to the site and look forward to hearing more from her.]

You see everything on Twitter, every sort of comment, both negative and positive. As a regular consumer of the social networking site, I couldn’t help but notice someone’s tweet, where they said that they thought that Alabama was the most disgusting state in the Union. I had to stop and think, did I just really see that flash on Twitterverse? And why would someone think that Alabama was the most disgusting state in the Union?

As an Alabama native, I can rightly admit that Alabama has had its ups and downs, and depending on where you live in the state, still does, but to me Alabama is far from the most disgusting state in the Union.

MOST DISGUSTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

In the early ’90’s (D)Gov. Jim Folsom, Jr., successfully recruited the Mercedes USA International manufacturing plant to the state, this one economic development coup, set the stage for many more foreign investments in the late 20th Century and early to mid 21st Century with names such as Hyundai, Kia, Honda, Thyssenkrupp and Northrop Grumman. Alabama has made a 360 degree turn-around in economic development over the years. Most of the latter companies were recruited by (R) Gov. Bob Riley’s economic development team. Just last week it was announced that Alabama is poised to acquire an electric car manufacturing plant.

Alabama’s economic development strategy has played a role in the research and development of alternative fuels in the area of biofuels. Gov. Riley and Amyris announced plans to build a test site in South Alabama to grow biofuel for jet fuel. And in North Alabama, a Canadian company announced it was building a rail-car manufacturing plant a couple of years ago for the Shoals (North West) area of Alabama bringing 1800 jobs to the area. Then just this week Norfolk Southern announced that it was building a $112 million terminal in Jefferson County. The Aerospace industry and space industry in Huntsville holds its own with other parts of country. Mobile has become one of the most active port cities in the nation and the area scored a huge economic boost with the announcement of ThyssenKrupp in 2007. Birmingham and UAB are known for health research. Alabama has consistently ranked in the top 10 in economic development in the last three years. So I am grappling with the term, the most disgusting state.

MOST DISGUSTING TOURISM

Obviously when this person tweeted Alabama was the most disgusting state, he/she probably really has never visited the state. Alabama has something for everyone. Mountains to the North and white sandy beaches to the South. I have many childhood memories of Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Look-Out Mountain, Lake Guntersville Park and skiing the lake at my grandparents in Blount County, near the beginning of the Appalachian Mountains. There’s the USS Alabama Battleship in Mobile, the Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham and the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. We also have the most unusual of tourist events, like the Blessing of the Fleet in Bayou La Batre and the Rattlesnake Rodeo in Opp.

MOST DISGUSTING FAMOUS PEOPLE:

And then there’s the famous people from Alabama: Hank Aaron, Jimmy Buffett, Rick Bragg, Bo Bice, Bobby Bowden, Hugo Black, Rosa Parks, Courtney Cox, Kate Jackson, Percy Sledge, Jesse Owens, Nat King Cole, Condoleezza Rice, Fannie Flagg, Lionel Richie, Tom Joyner, The Commodores, Alabama, Tammy Wynette, Lionel Hampton, WC Handy, Emmylou Harris, Polly Holliday, Taylor Hicks, Helen Keller, Eddie Kendricks, Harper Lee, Willie Mays, Shelby Lynne, Wilson Pickett, Truman Capote, Corretta Scott King, Michael Jackson’s mother Katherine, Ruben Studdard and Hank Williams to name a few.

I am still looking for what classifies Alabama as the most disgusting state. I just don’t see it. Every state has it warts, but as a colleague of mine said to me, I wouldn’t classify any of the states as disgusting. All 50 have their unique qualities, some more unique than others, but definitely not disgusting. So, I invite the person in Twitterverse to visit Alabama so that I can happily show him or her the most disgusting state, Alabama.

Writer’s Note, President Obama announced his pick for Surgeon General today, Dr. Regina Benjamin. Guess What? She’s from the most disgusting state too!

[You can read more from Kara at her Business Blog]