Parents: Challenge Your Kids To Make Healthy Choices; We Can! Video Campaign Shows You How

August 8, 2013

(NAPSI)—As parents and caregivers, we all want our kids to thrive. We want them to eat healthier and be more physically active. Yet getting them to look up from their screens and get moving, or to choose a healthier snack—that’s the tough part. Here is where the new public service announcements (PSAs) from the Childhood Obesity Prevention PSA campaign may help (nih.gov/wecan).
The new PSAs focus on helping you – parents and caregivers – show your children how to maintain a healthy weight by eating right and moving more. Better still, they’re fun.
This campaign is about more than the sobering statistics: that childhood obesity rates have skyrocketed in the last three decades; that one in three children in the U.S. is overweight or obese; that the rates are higher for African American and Hispanic kids, at nearly 40 percent.
This campaign is about inspiring you and your children to laugh, dance, play, and eat healthy foods together—without the stress or guilt. Watch the “All In Together” video and try not to tap your foot and start singing along—then get outside to make family time, healthy time.
Watch the Spanish-language video “Podemos” and try not to jump up and shake your hips-then show your kids that dancing to their favorite song is a healthier choice than sitting, plugged into the computer to listen.
Each of the PSAs encourages parents to search for the We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition)® website, where there is a wide array of tips, strategies and activities that can help kids make healthier food choices and to increase their physical activity.
Here are some of the tips to try with your family:
• Replace sugar-sweetened drinks with water or fat-free milk.
• Help your kids be physically active for at least 60 minutes each day. They should be active enough that they can talk, but they can’t sing.
• Limit kids’ screen time to no more than two hours a day.
• Fill half of your family’s plates with fruits and vegetables.
• When your family is active, be sure it’s for at least 10 minutes at a stretch.
• Bring healthy snacks with you when you’re on the run.
The new video campaign was created in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH’s) We Can! program and the Ad Council. To view the ads and learn more about the PSA campaign, and to get more tips to help children make healthier choices, visit the We Can! website at www.nih.gov/wecan.
To learn more about the Ad Council, visit www.adcouncil.org.

Important Medication Tips For Senior Citizens

Birmingham Times

August 8, 2013

(NAPSI)—Should you be taking the medications you’re taking? If you’re 65 or older, that’s an important question to ask yourself and your healthcare provider. Why? Because some commonly prescribed medications can actually be harmful for older adults.
As you get older, your body changes. These changes can increase the chances that you might have side effects from certain drugs. For example, your liver or kidneys may not function quite as well as when you were younger, so your body can’t process medications in the same way. This can lead to a build-up of the drug in your system, which can increase the risk of side effects such as falls, a drop in blood pressure or heart rate, drowsiness, or confusion.
Many older adults have two or more health problems that require multiple medications and treatments. Because of this, older adults are more likely to experience potentially harmful interactions between their prescriptions. In fact, every year, one in three adults 65 and older has one or more harmful reactions to medications they are taking.
“Older adults and their caregivers need to take an active role in managing their medications,” says Cathy Alessi, MD, a physician who specializes in the care of older adults and is the president of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS). “They need to ask questions of their doctor, nurse, physician assistant, or pharmacist, and read the information that comes with their medications. All medications have side effects, even those sold over-the-counter. That’s why patients should discuss the risks and benefits of any medication with their healthcare provider before deciding which ones are right for them.”
What should you do to lower your odds of having harmful medication side effects or drug interactions? Here are five tips from the American Geriatrics Society:
1. Bring a list of all the medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, and over-the-counter drugs you’re taking to every medical appointment. The list should include the dosages you take and how often you take them. Be sure your emergency contact person or caregiver has an up-to-date copy of the list.
2. If you notice a new health problem or symptom after starting a new medication, you may be having a harmful drug reaction. Tell your healthcare provider right away. If you have a serious reaction, such as difficulty breathing or swelling in your throat, call 911 and go to the emergency room immediately.
3. Fill your prescriptions at the same pharmacy and get to know your local pharmacist. Your pharmacist’s job is to be aware of all the medications you’re taking. Most pharmacies use computer systems that alert the pharmacist to possible drug interactions.
4. Once or twice a year, ask your primary healthcare provider to review your list of medications, supplements, and vitamins. Ask whether you still need to take each one, and at its current dose. There may be times when your provider will decide to stop some of your medications or adjust the doses. Just remember, though, that you should never change the dose or stop taking any medication without first consulting your provider.
5. Whenever a healthcare professional prescribes a new medication, changes a dosage, or stops prescribing a drug you’ve been prescribed, ask for an explanation. It’s important that you understand these changes in your care.
To help healthcare providers care for older adults who take multiple medications, the AGS has published a list of medications that may cause harmful side effects in older people when taken alone or in combination. In the healthcare industry this list is known as the “Beers List,” or “Beers Criteria,” and is named after the late Dr. Mark Beers, a geriatric medicine specialist who originated the list in 1991.
For more information about how to safely manage your medications, visit www.healthinaging.org, the website of the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging.  __________________________________________________________
Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Provider About Your Medications
• Why are you prescribing this particular medication?
• Are there other medications that might be safer or more effective?
• What are the potential side effects? Which ones are serious enough to call you or 911?
• How will I know if the medication is working?
• Does this medication interact with any other drugs I’m taking?
• Are there any dietary restrictions I should follow?

2013 Toyota Prius C: Unbeliveable Gas Mileage

Birmingham Times

August 8, 2013

By Cheryl Eldridge

This week’s tester was definitely in the family. My drive in the Habanero colored 2014 Toyota Prius C Hybrid was pure jollification. When I walked outside you couldn’t miss the Prius. The Habanero color puts you in the mind of either “Home Depot” or “Lil Caesars” bright orange color. In addition, it also puts you in the mind of a “space car” and its small exterior will definitely fool a person. Once you are in the Prius, it’s like opening a small box with a large gift planted inside. It’s actually kind of cozy inside, and elbow room is sufficient.
For $24,353 if you want to stay cool, park in the sun. The available Solar Roof is embedded with solar panels that can power a fan to circulate ambient air through the cabin when the Prius is parked in direct sunlight. This feature helps keep cabin air temperature close to that of the outside air for a more comfortable return to the vehicle.
The 2013 Toyota Prius C is offered in numbered trim levels from One to Four. The base Prius C One comes with 15-inch steel wheels, automatic climate control, full power accessories, a folding rear seat, a 3.5-inch multifunction display, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player and a USB/iPod interface.
The Prius C Two adds cruise control, a height-adjustable driver seat, a center console storage bin and armrest, 60/40-split-folding rear seats, a faux leather dash panel, a cargo cover and a six-speaker sound system. Upgrading to the Prius C Three gets you navigation with a 6.1-inch touchscreen, keyless ignition/entry, satellite radio and voice control. Also included is Toyota’s Entune smartphone integration system that adds Bing search functions, streaming Internet audio and traffic, sports and stock information. Alloy wheels are available as an option.
The range-topping Four adds alloy wheels, heated mirrors, foglights, a faux-leather-wrapped steering wheel and seat upholstery and heated front seats. Options for the Four include 16-inch wheels and quicker-ratio steering. A sunroof is available on both the Three and Four.
The 2013 Toyota Prius C is powered by a similar but smaller hybrid powertrain than its bigger Prius siblings. A 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine produces 73 horsepower and 82 pound-feet of torque, while a pair of electric motor/generators supplies an additional 60 hp. The gas engine acts as a main propulsion source as well as a generator to charge the nickel-metal hydride batteries. The electric motors also contribute to propulsion and charge the battery pack under deceleration. Combined power output comes to 99 hp and is sent to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
In Edmunds performance testing, the Prius C needed 11.3 seconds to reach 60 mph, which is quite slow even for a subcompact car.
Of course with any Prius, the most important numbers relate to fuel economy, and the Prius C does not disappoint. EPA-estimated mileage stands at 53 mpg city/46 mpg highway and 50 mpg in combined driving, making it the most economical non-plug-in hybrid on the market. That’s not only a big relief on your pocketbook, but the environment as well.
Prius safety features on all C models include stability control, traction control, antilock brakes (front discs, rear drums), hill start assist, front seat side airbags, side curtain airbags, a driver knee airbag and unique front seat cushion airbags that help prevent occupants from sliding under the seatbelts in the event of a collision. In Edmunds brake testing, a Prius C came to a stop from 60 mph in a better-than-average 118 feet.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Prius C the highest possible rating of “Good” in the frontal-offset, side-impact and roof strength tests.
Inside, the Prius C features a sleek, modern design with a mix of the familiar as well as the unconventional. Centrally located gauges are mounted high atop the dashboard, which can be a bit odd at first, but makes for easier reading. To its detriment, the cabin’s plastics are several steps below the materials you’ll find in other subcompacts like the Ford Fiesta and Hyundai Accent. The cloth seat upholstery is nothing special, but it’s certainly preferable to the optional “faux leather.”
In terms of comfort, the Prius C presents a mixed bag, particularly for taller passengers. The driving position is slightly compromised by the lack of enough extension for the steering wheel’s telescoping function, and the tall, upright dash can be hard to peer over. The front passenger may also take issue with the glovebox that intrudes into the footwell. Backseat occupants will likely fare better, as there’s ample head- and leg-room for adults, and the fully flat floor allows for even more flexibility.
The base Prius C One’s rear seat folds down as one piece, but Two and above feature a 60/40 split for greater passenger/cargo versatility. With all the seats in use, cargo capacity stands at 17.1 cubic feet, which is about what you’d expect from a hatchback in this class.
Until next week, drive safe, buckle up and please don’t text and drive, it’s the law.

2013 Volvo C30 T5 M R-Design

Birmingham Times

August 8, 2013

By Frank S. Washington
DETROIT – The Volvo C30 T5 M R-Design represents a not so characteristic flare by the conservative Swedish automaker.
The two-door hatchback was small, sporty and distinctive. But not being able to completely break from its legendary pragmatism, Volvo’s C30 could carry four adults comfortably, even though the car looked like it would have trouble getting anything bigger than a couple of bags of groceries in the back seat.
A sort of back to front explanation of the nameplate begins with R-Design. Volvo needs new products. What keeps the automaker relevant in today’s market is that its current lineup is very good.
Still, to buy some time and to keep itself in a competitive position Volvo is relying more on Polestar, the Swedish racing shop that has been tuning Volvos since 1996 to add new and zestier products to its lineup.
R-Design Volvos have been tuned by Polestar. In the case of the C30, that means the 2.5-liter five cylinder 227 horsepower engine has been bumped up to 250 horsepower. What Volvo calls “Rebel Blue Paint” is a love it or hate it hue but it gets as much attention as a red Ferrari. And the black alloy wheels gave the car a race track raw look.
It is more than appearance. The C30 weighed about 3,200 lbs. and it had a six-speed manual transmission. The car was quick; with the six-speed manual gearbox torque in the form of power was on demand from any speed and during long shifts up the gear ratio, the front-wheel-drive hatchback could easily get up to 100 mph with oomph to spare.
But the R-Design was more than just the engine enhancement by Polestar. The car had 18-inch alloy wheels, rather than the normal tread which is one inch smaller. The sport chassis was of course firm but the strut and multilink suspension system was sophisticatedly tuned in that the ride was not harsh.
The R-Design body kit included front and rear spoilers, an R-Design grille with matte silver surround and polished dual exhaust tips.
Inside, the C30 was just as distinctive as its blue paint job on the outside. The seats were French-stitched two-toned black and white leather with R-Design emblazoned on them. The pedals were inlaid with aluminum and the flat-bottomed steering wheel had the R-Design logo in the center.
Like all Volvos, the C30 featured the Swedish automaker’s floating center stack; an innovation it never gets enough credit for. The only thing questionable about the C30 was the navigation screen, or more precisely the navigation system.
The screen folded flat on top of the dash. That was understandable, there was really no place else to incorporate a navigation screen in the C30 because of a lack of space. But there was a remote to operate it.
Just the concept of trying to operate the navigation system, whatever it would do while the car was in motion, with a remote control was daunting. It would be like texting while driving. For Volvo, the notion was certainly a departure for a brand that has assiduously cultivated its reputation for safety.
To make the navigation system inoperable while the car was moving might be a fix to consider. Operating elements of the C30’s navigation while the vehicle was in motion is not the smart thing to do. Still, everything else about Volvo’s departure from the traditional with this two-door hatchback was a good thing.
The navigation system was part of the $5,000 “Platinum” option package that included satellite radio, a premium sound system, moonroof, power passenger seat and adaptive Xenon headlights.
A base model 2013 C30 T5 R-Design is priced at $27,850. Add on the extras and the test car had a sticker of $35,545.

Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com.
Frank Washington
AboutThatCar.com
PO Box 23167
Detroit,MI 48223

20 Cities That May Face Bankruptcy After Detroit

Birmingham Times

August 8, 2013

By Stephen Moore
Newsmax.com

Think Motown is the only major U.S. city in a boatload of financial trouble? Think again.

Detroit’s bankruptcy filing sent shivers down the spine of municipal bondholders, government employees, and big-city urban residents all over the country.

That’s because many of the 61 largest U.S. cities are plagued with the same kinds of retirement legacy costs that sent Detroit into Chapter 9 bankruptcy this summer.

These cities have amassed $118 billion in unfunded healthcare liabilities. These are legal promises to pay healthcare benefits to municipal workers beyond the employee contributions to finance those funds. This is a giant fiscal sink hole — and because of defined benefit plans, the hole keeps getting deeper.

Detroit may be the largest city in American history to go bankrupt, but it is not alone. The city raced to the financial insolvency finish line before anyone else in its class.

Keep an eye on “too big to fail” cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York.

According to an analysis by the Manhattan Institute, several Chicago pension funds are in worse financial shape than the worker pensions in Detroit. One is only 25 percent funded, and where the other 75 percent of the money will come from is anyone’s guess. And there are about a dozen major California cities having systemic problems paying their bills.

Here is my worry list, based on bond ratings and other data, of the top 20 cities to watch for financial troubles in the wake of the Detroit story:

1. Compton, Calif.
Compton has teetered on the brink of bankruptcy after it accrued a general-fund deficit of more than $40 million by borrowing from other funds, depleting what had been a $22 million reserve.

2. East Greenbush, N.Y.
A New York state audit concluded that years of fiscal mismanagement — including questionable employment contracts and illegal payments to town officials — left East Greenbush more than $2 million in debt.

3. Fresno, Calif.
Fresno had the ratings of its lease-revenue bonds downgraded to junk-level by Moody’s, which also downgraded its convention center and pension obligation bonds due to the city’s “exceedingly weak financial position.”

4. Gulf County, Fla.
Fitch Ratings warned that Gulf County’s predominately rural economy is “narrowly focused,” with income levels one-quarter below national averages and economic indicators for the county also comparing unfavorably to national averages.

5. Harrisburg, Pa.
Harrisburg is at least $345 million in debt, thanks largely to municipal bonds it guaranteed in order to finance upgrades to its problematic waste-to-energy trash incinerator.

6. Irvington, N.J.
Irvington has a violent crime rate six times higher than New Jersey’s average, with Moody’s citing “wealth indicators below state and national averages and tax-base and population declines due to increased tax appeals and foreclosures.”

7. Jefferson County, Ala.
Jefferson County, home to the city of Birmingham, has been dealing with the collapse of refinancing for a sewer bond. It filed for bankruptcy protection in 2011 over a $3.14 billion sewer bond debt.

8. Menasha, Wis.
Menasha defaulted on bonds in 2007 it had issued to fund a steam plant which has since closed and left the city permanently in the red and, as of 2011, had $16 million in general fund revenue, but had $43.4 million in outstanding debt.

9. Newburgh, N.Y.
Newburgh was cited by Moody’s for “tax base erosion and a weak socioeconomic profile,” with 26 percent of its population below the poverty line and its school district facing a $2 million budget gap.

10. Oakland, Calif.
Oakland is trying to get out of a Goldman Sachs-brokered interest rate swap that is costing it $4 million a year. According to a recent city audit, Oakland has lost $250 million from a 1997 pension obligation bond sale and subsequent investment strategy.

11. Philadelphia School District, Pa.
Philadelphia’s school district, the nation’s eighth-largest, faces a $304 million deficit in its $2.35 billion budget, and is seeking $133 million from labor-contract savings to prevent further cutbacks.

12. Pontiac, Mich.
Pontiac, where the emergency manager has restructured the city’s finances, was downgraded by Moody’s, reflecting the city’s history of fiscal distress and narrow liquidity.

13. Providence, R.I.
Providence, rumored to be filing for bankruptcy for more than a year, experienced consecutive deficits through fiscal 2012, has a high-debt burden and significant unfunded pension liabilities, as well as high unemployment and low income levels.

14. Riverdale, Ill.
The credit rating for Riverdale is under review by Moody’s because the city has not released an audit of interim or unaudited data for the year that ended April 30, 2012.

15. Salem, N.J.
Salem is under close fiscal supervision after it issued bonds to finance the construction of the Finlaw State Office Building, which was delayed by construction issues, and its leasing revenues are not enough to cover the debt payments and the maintenance fees.

16. Strafford County, N.H.
Strafford County regularly borrows money to cover its short-term cash needs after it spent two-fifths of its budget on a nursing home, which lost $36 million from 2004 to 2009.

17. Taylor, Mich.
Taylor has a large deficit and is vulnerable due to significant declines in the tax base, limited financial flexibility, and above-average unfunded pension obligations.

18. Vadnais Heights, Minn.
The Minneapolis suburb of Vadnais Heights had its debt rating downgraded to junk last fall by Moody’s after the city council voted to stop payments to a sports center financed by bonds.

19. Wenatchee, Wash.
Wenatchee defaulted on $42 million in debt associated with the Town Toyota Center, a multipurpose arena, and has ongoing financial issues due to the default.

20. Woonsocket, R.I.
Woonsocket faces near-term liquidity shortages necessitating an advance in state aid, a high-debt burden and unfunded pension liabilities, with Moody’s citing the city’s continuing difficulties in making spending cuts because of poor management and imprecise accounting.

The stock market rally in the first half of 2013 has helped many of these cities as they invest pension contributions and get higher returns. But another market downturn could send these teetering cities back into the red.

And the states can’t bail them out because Illinois, California, New York, and Pennsylvania face their own money challenges. Republicans in Congress have been insistent that Washington, D.C., won’t be tossing a life-preserver to troubled cities, either.
The view among conservatives in Washington is that a federal bailout would only reward cities for their own bad behavior. But that won’t stop the unions from trying.

What do most of these ailing cities all have in common? Well, consider that the vast majority are located in states with forced unions, non-right-to-work states.

“Right-to-work laws attract people and businesses,” says labor economist Richard Vedder of Ohio University. “Non-right-to-work states repel them.” His statistics show that cities in states with right-to-work laws have sturdier tax bases and higher employment levels.

Unions control state legislatures and city halls in non-right-to-work states, so it can become politically paralyzing to try to fix the problem of runaway labor costs.

Another common trait of financially troubled cities: years and years of liberal governance.

For at least the last 20 years major U.S. cities have been playgrounds for left-wing experiments — high taxes on the rich; sanctuaries for illegal immigrants; super-minimum wage rules; strict gun-control laws (that actually contribute to high crime rates); regulations and paperwork that make it onerous to open a business or develop on your own property; crony capitalism with contracts going to political donors and friends; and failing schools ruled by teacher unions, with little competition or productivity.

Starting in the 1970s, Detroit became inhospitable if you wanted to raise a family and send your kids to good schools. Criminal predators also made cities like Detroit unlivable for families with children. Businesses that provide jobs often faced citywide income taxes that were layered on top of state income taxes.

“Declining cities are jurisdictions that levy local income taxes,” a Cato Institute report concluded. Detroit levies a 2.5 percent income tax; New York’s is 5 percent.

Another problem has been the decline in family structure that has become acute in so many big cities across the country, from Los Angeles to New York. In many cities, as many as two out of three children are born to a family without a father. As Charles Murray of the American Enterprise Institute has warned, “Single-mother families are a recipe for social chaos.”

They are a major factor in high-poverty levels of many U.S. cities, again with Detroit being exhibit A. Welfare reforms have helped, but much work needs to be done to reinstall a culture of traditional two-parent families in urban areas. This would lead to less crime, fewer school dropouts, more businesses, and more social stabilization.

But for all these problems, cities could see a potential renaissance. More empty-nesters in their 50s and 60s are moving back into central cities like Chicago and Boston, New York and Washington, D.C., because of the cultural amenities — fine restaurants, the theater, sports, fashion, and river or lakeside condominium properties. As baby
boomers retire, cities may see new populations moving in.

But this creates a Catch 22 for American cities trying to recapture their glory days and attract new residents.

Who wants to pay taxes for retired city workers when they don’t provide any services?

These legacy costs are a fiscal millstone. They put cities in a service decline spiral, because current taxes go to retired teachers and other municipal retirees, while city managers and mayors are forced to lay off firefighters, police, and teachers. Detroit has three retired city workers collecting a pension for every two currently working.

The Vallejo, Calif., city manager once told me when that city couldn’t pay its bills several years ago, “You have no idea how bad it is here. We are now paying for three police forces: one that is working and two that are retired.”

Given that payment of the benefits are often legally guaranteed contracts, bankruptcy may be a salvation for some cities. It is a way to hit the reset button and erase those costs so cities can start over.

A good example is Stockton, Calif., which overdeveloped and took on $1 billion in debt during the Golden State housing boom six years ago. When the economy collapsed and housing values plummeted, Stockton couldn’t pay its supersized debts. It declared bankruptcy, but now is starting to rebuild.

According to The Fresno Bee, “Stockton has negotiated voluntary agreements with current workers to eliminate retiree healthcare entirely and is awaiting court approval of a plan to eliminate healthcare benefits for existing retirees as well. City Manager Bob Deis says those reductions will generate $1.6 billion in savings. Three years after it sought bankruptcy protection, Stockton is beginning to right itself. Employee pay and benefits have been downsized, allowing for necessary investments in public safety.”

So can America’s great and iconic cities make a financial and population comeback? The answer is certainly yes, if they can erase from their books the mistakes of 50 years of labor-union political control.

Bankruptcy, strangely enough, may not be the end for cities, but perhaps the dawning of a new urban revival.

Stephen Moore is senior economics writer and member of the editorial board for The Wall Street Journal.

NAACP Mourns Loss of North Carolina Attorney Julius L. Chambers

Birmingham Times

August 8, 2013

NORTH CAROLINA – The NAACP mourns the loss of civil rights icon and attorney Julius L. Chambers. Chambers passed away Friday night.
“Julius Chambers was one of the great legal minds of the past few decades,” stated NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock. “He understood the inherent value of diversity in education, and also understood how to go about achieving that ideal. He changed North Carolina, and the country, for the better, and he will be sorely missed.”
“Julius Chambers lived through the bombing of his car, his office and even his home, but he never stopped working to advance civil and human rights,” stated NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous. “He was a tenacious defender of the right to a fair education and a fair shot at a better life.”
“He also gave me a shot early in my career,” added Jealous. “I wouldn’t be where I am today if not for Julius Chambers.”
“We can learn much from his low-key, but militant approach to the duty of our generation – to complete the work of dismantling the structural and psychological racism that grips our society,” stated NC NAACP State Conference President Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II. “He knew no fear. He never took one step backwards, always marching forward together, directly into the ugly ignorance and violence against him by white racist vigilantes who torched his car, his law office, his father’s business in Mt. Gilead, and dynamited his law office. Brilliance in the law was his weapon — courage in the face and commitment to justice was his ethical compass.”
“The North Carolina NAACP has over 24,000 members in over 100 Branches across the State,” stated NC NAACP State Conference First Vice President Carolyn Coleman. “Julius Chambers must have represented hundreds of them, knew thousands of them, and changed the lives of all of them by his steadfast life of justice. He filed many major suits on behalf of our members.”
“The state of North Carolina and the nation have lost a tremendous civil rights leader,” stated NAACP Board of Directors Member Leonard Springs. “Julius and I were good friends. Personally I am sad to hear from the loss, but from a civil rights perspective, Julius paved the way – particularly here in North Carolina – fighting injustice. The community as a whole has lost a tremendous leader. If you look back at his life fighting school desegregation cases, education in North Carolina is much better off because of Julius. His home was bombed, his office was bombed, but he never gave up. He is a true civil rights pioneer.”
Chambers argued a number of important civil rights cases, including Swann v. the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education in 1971, which helped integrate schools in North Carolina. His firm was the first racially integrated law practice in the state.
From 1984 to 1993, Chambers served as president and chair of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. He later served for eight years as Chancellor of his alma mater, North Carolina Central University.

One Man’s Opinion

Birmingham Times

August 8, 2013

Baseball at the crossroads
by Jesse J. Lewis, Sr.

Once upon a time we would equate baseball with apple pie and Chevrolet, three of the things that Americans loved. Not too many years ago baseball was the No. 1 sport in America. My guess would be baseball ranks No. 4 or 5 as the most desired sport. professional football is probably No. 1, college football No. 2, although I would rank college football No. 1.
Here’s a laundry list of things that have happened in baseball:
1. TV ratings have declined.
2. Ticket prices have skyrocketed.
3. Player’s salaries have shot through the roof.
4. Games are too long and boring.
5. Black people do not play.
6. Players are using illegal performance-enhancing drugs

The question on most people’s minds is how do you save a sports that was #1 in the hearts of all Americans for years. Heres’s how you can fix baseball, keeping in mind I personally find the game boring and most importantly, I have no facts to substantiate how I plan to develop a real fix for baseball.

1. Get all the owners together to make an agreement that the highest amount paid to any player be $3 million a year. If the average American can live off $30,000 a year, I’m confident that baseball players can live off $3 million a year.

2. Now the price of tickets can be reduced by 75 percent. Would you believe that if a family of four attended the game the price of tickets, hot dogs and cokes would be over $200.

3. In America we like football, basketball, and tennis, sports with excitement. We don’t like sports when participants rub the ball for 15 seconds, scratch where they itch for 10 seconds, then the manager comes out and calls time out and then they decide they need to scratch again. A time limit needs to be set on releasing the ball, the same as football, anywhere from 10 to 15 seconds, given x-number of time-outs called by the manager during one game. This would help the TV ratings. It would also help to cut down on the number of inning played… instead of nine, play seven; if there is a tie, let it be a tie. For example, win 1, lose 1 tied 1; the one with the greatest number of wins is the victor.

4. In baseball, the players have to meet with management and labor to decide they want a drug policy enforced. This would get the attention of everyone. Heretofore, when a player had a problem with drugs, labor came to their rescue to defend them and attempt in every way to circumvent the policy. I repeat, the players have to say they want a policy and if caught using once be suspended for 25 games; if caught twice, they can no longer play.

5. For the good of the game, all races need to participate. We need to go back and reinvent baseball for Black folks starting with the Pee Wee league. Incidentally, we need to do the same thing with golf. No Black players is bad for golf and baseball.

e-mail: jjlewis@birminghamtimes.com

After Zimmerman: What the World Needs Now

Birmingham Times

August 8, 2013

by Lisa Fritsch

Justice is a lot like beauty. What people see depends on their perspective.
Where race is concerned in America, true justice is beside the point.
Whites cried foul at the O.J.Simpson verdict. Now Blacks fume over George Zimmerman’s not guilty verdict.
As both sides become inflamed to a boiling point, racial division is guaranteed.
Those who feel denied or betrayed rarely leave the courtroom in peace. With Simpson, the grieving Goldman family fought back in civil court to receive financial justice. Trayvon Martin’s family and a supportive Black community vow to find justice through civil suits and marches. Others have chosen violence.
It’s about how justice is defined in the Black community. Cases such as the Zimmerman trial become less about the circumstances and more about a desire for “racial justice.”
This is a perverted sense of justice where the victim (always Black) is immortalized to perfection and beyond reproach. The bad guy (in this case “white Hispanic”) must accept complete responsibility for the outcome despite any actions or fault by the victim.
Justice is only served by punishing the “racist”, creating a harmonious path to racial justice.
Why so one-sided? Despite professional, political and artistic progress, the Black community remains insecure about of equality. It applies not only to opportunity and freedom, but also actions and character. Unfortunately, too many still feel they are getting less of the meal and paying more of the bill.
Even though God is the one true judge of all things earthly and eternal, inside and outside of race, we still feel insecure about being shortchanged and left out.
The affirmation we crave, in terms of complete acceptance and unconditional love, can only come from God.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. understood this well:

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do
that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

When Dr. King said this during one of America’s most racially-divided times, he was not debating the cruelty and injustice of hate and racism. Nor was he denying its power. He was instead speaking of the only way to overcome the stain of discrimination and hate.
The Black community has the power to heal our country with love and light.
An olive branch of love and forgiveness towards both sides in the Zimmerman case is what our country needs most.
If we respond in love, we teach young people to reach for something higher than courtroom justice: moral justice.
This peace is better than justice. This is security in equality.
Moments like these present an opportunity to let love overcome what is unfair, common and lowly, and turn it into a mass of light where ugliness is washed away.
An instinct to fight back and seek revenge is natural and strong. But this proves that fear has outwitted and enslaved us once again to a limited sense of power, respect and equality.
Not only do we hold within ourselves the power to change and grow stronger in love so that our community benefits and prospers, but we can also disarm and confuse darkness so that it walks alone with no place to settle.
To achieve peace, let us first be peace.
The most powerful and noble way to seek justice is to pray for peace, love and understanding on all sides. If it is true justice we seek, we must trust in God’s equality and His right to judge above all. We must rest in faith that in being love, we can receive and create love.
This is what the world needs right now.

Lisa Fritsch is a member of the Project 21 Black leadership network. Comments may be sent to Project21@nationalcenter.org.

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE

Birmingham Times

August 8, 2013

By Steve Flowers

Last week we predicted that all three of our top constitutional officeholders will win reelection to a second four-year term in next year’s election. The election will be in June next year. Since we are now a one party state when it comes to statewide political races, winning next year’s June 3rd Republican Primary is tantamount to election. Folks, that is only 10 months away. The actual bell to begin campaigning rang out two months ago when candidates could officially begin raising money.
Gov. Robert Bentley, Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey and Attorney General Luther Strange should have smooth sailing in their efforts to garner another four years in their posts. In addition, Sen. Jeff Sessions is a prohibitive favorite to win reelection for another six-year term in Washington.
What about the other four secondary statewide offices? Former banker, Young Boozer, is finishing his first term as Treasurer. He will have very little, if any, opposition in his bid for a second term. Boozer was the most qualified candidate to run for the office of treasurer in my lifetime of following Alabama politics. His previous experience could not have been more perfectly scripted to manage the state’s treasury. Boozer has lived up to his resume and has done an excellent job as treasurer. He has put in a lot of hours. His yeoman’s efforts may have salvaged the beleaguered PACT program.
Four years ago I marveled and chronicled the fact that we had candidates running for two state positions who were actually qualified for the offices they were seeking. They seemingly were aspiring to the posts for the purpose of doing the job as opposed to seeking the office in order to run for governor. One was the treasurer’s race with Young Boozer. The other was the Agriculture Commissioner post.
Four years ago there were three candidates running for Agriculture Commissioner who were uniquely qualified to administer this important constitutional office. John McMillan, Dorman Grace or Glen Zorn would have been chosen for the job if their resumes had been put into a merit system register. Any one of the three would have been good for Alabama. John McMillan emerged as the winner at the polls.
McMillan has indeed done a good job under trying circumstances. His budget has been cut drastically by the legislature, along with all General Fund agencies. He will more than likely win reelection to a second term. He made sure Zorn would not oppose him by hiring him soon after the election.
The office of Secretary of State is an open seat, so to speak, in 2014. The five constitutional offices previously discussed have incumbents seeking reelection. However, Beth Chapman quit as Secretary of State with 17 months to go on her term. She was prohibited from running for a second four-year term. With an open seat, this office is receiving interest from some very well qualified men.
Rep. John Merrill of Tuscaloosa announced almost a year ago that he was running. He has been campaigning throughout the state for the past year. Crenshaw County Probate Judge Jim Perdue recently switched parties in order to run for the statewide job, which is similar to being a state probate judge. Another veteran probate judge is also in the race. Former Montgomery County Probate Judge Reese McKinney has thrown his name into the hat. These gentlemen may not be the only ones in the fray. This one is shaping up to be one of the best contests of the year.
The State Auditor’s job is also wide open. Samantha Shaw has served her two-term limit like Chapman. Probably a host of aspiring young politicians will seek to run for this seemingly irrelevant position. Mrs. Shaw more than likely will not run for anything herself. She may instead simply help her husband seek reelection to his seat on the State Supreme Court. Justice Greg Shaw is the only judge on the high court up for election next year.
There are two seats on the Court of Criminal Appeals on the ballot. Judges Mary Windom and Beth Kellum should be reelected.
The Court of Civil Appeals also has two of its members up for election. Judges William Thompson and Scott Donaldson should be favored to retain their seats on the appellate court.
The most active races in the state next year will be on the local level. There will be battle royales throughout the state for the 105 House of Representative seats as well as the 35 State Senate seats. You may see some tough intra-party brawls within the Republican Party.
It will be fun to watch.

See you next week.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His column appears weekly in more than 70 Alabama newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. He may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.

Motown Gospel Artist Tye Tribbett’s New Album, Greater Than In Stores August

Birmingham Times

August 8, 2013

Album Pre-Order Available Now on iTunes

(Nashville, TN -) – Motown Gospel recording artist Tye Tribbett’s new album, Greater Than hits stores on August 6. Fans will receive a new song instantly from Greater Than by pre-ordering now at iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/greater-than/id672949110). This week, Tribbett’s hit single “If He Did It Before…Same God” moves up to #3 on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Song chart and has an accumulative listening audience of over 12 million.

Motown Gospel launched Tribbett’s Greater Than promotional tour to a standing room crowd at the historic Howard Theatre on Sunday, July 28. The Greater Than tour will include a concert at Greater Grace Temple in conjunction with Radio One and the Word Network in Detroit. The concert will also be streamed live on Yes Lord Radio. (Monday, August 5); promotional visits in Charlotte, NC and Columbia, SC (Tuesday, August 6); a series of activities in his hometown of Philadelphia, PA (Wednesday, August 7); New York’s WBLS City Parks Concert in Harlem, NY (Thursday, August 8); an album release concert, free and open to the public, at Greater Allen Cathedral in Queens, NY (Friday, August 9), and Radio One’s Praise in the Park in Atlanta, GA (Saturday, August 10). Motown Gospel will be announcing additional promotional dates in the coming weeks.
In addition, to the Greater Than promotional tour, Tribbett will be performing a series of concerts dates with Mali Music and Jessica Reedy in Salisbury, MD (Thursday, August 1), Orlando, FL (August 15) and Raleigh, NC (August 16).

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