The World Around You

[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]