My new Squidoo lenses

I haven't posted in several days because I have been busy creating new Squidoo video lenses. Personally, I think they are pretty cool, but I am also slightly biased....check them out for yourself. This isn't a complete list of my video lenses. I will post the rest a little later.

Flipping Out Video Showcase
Weeds Video Showcase
William Shatner Video Showcase
Saturday Night Live Digital Shorts Video Showcase
Top Gear Video Showcase
America's Got Talent Video Showcase
Days of our Lives Video Showcase
One Day At A Time Video Showcase
The Facts of Life Video Showcase
30 Rock Video Showcase
Silver Spoons Video Showcase Sphere: Related Content

LastMinuteGolfer.com is really cool

I have recently discovered LastMinuteGolfer.com and I love it!!! If you are a golfer and haven't visited this site before, take a few minutes and check it out. The site is a little awkward to navigate, but that is my only real complaint. It has tons of information on golf courses in a number of cities throughout the country and they are adding more cities consistently.

When I first discovered the site I was intrigued to see Birmingham listed as one of the featured locations, so I signed up just to see what it was all about. I quickly discovered what it was about when I scored a $10 round at Cumberland Lakes with one of the "Tour Tuesday" Red Flag rewards specials the very next day. That price was the total amount I paid for 18 holes with a cart!!! You just can't beat those kind of specials.

LastMinuteGolfer.com is a cool online golfing "community" that I encourage all golfers to check out. You can book tee times online, take advantage of numerous specials, read and post course reviews, earn rewards that you can redeem for free golf when you do various things like refer others or book a tee time through the site, along with a ton of other neat golfing tools.

If you are in Birmingham, check out the Birmingham community HERE. Currently, you can book online tee times for 6 Birmingham area courses - Alpine Bay, Capstone, Cumberland Lake, Heritage, The Meadows and Trussville Country Club. These are also the same courses where the reduced rates and specials apply. If you do choose to sign up, I would really appreciate you using my username - sgwalker - as the person who referred you...I can use all the free golf I can get!!! Sphere: Related Content

Fulmer first denies ever receiving subpoena, suddenly "finds" it on his way out of town.....

In one of the strangest twists to a pretty much otherwise non-story, Phillip Fulmer denied ever receiving a subpoena this morning upon his arrival at SEC Media Days in interviews throughout the day, but it has just been reported that Fulmer has actually since "located" this non-existent document. Fulmer's attorney, Jeff Hagood, told the Knoxville News-Sentinel this afternoon

"Phillip was getting out of his car and focused on other things, as you might imagine, getting ready to face an audience of about 800 people or so," Hagood told the newspaper. "Someone basically threw something at him. They didn't look official, as far as he was concerned. It didn't look like a law enforcement person or that ilk. He didn't pay attention to what it was."

My complete disbelief at today's festivities could be because I'm an attorney, but I'm not totally convinced of this. It seems that some of what went on today was the result of arrogance on the part of Phillip Fulmer, not his lack of legal training or knowledge. Fulmer went as far as calling the topic "B.S." "And I would have some other choice words if there weren't so many cameras in here," he said in one of today's interviews.

At this point it is appropriate for me to declare my allegiance and it is to neither Tennessee or Alabama, my allegiance is with the Auburn Tigers, so I have no dog in this fight and really had no thoughts either way until today.

Obviously, Fulmer's statements were not illegal or anything he could get in trouble over, but they are troubling to me. Why didn't he just explain this alleged mass confusion that met him when he arrived at the Galleria during the first interview and that he wasn't going to comment on anything concerning a lawsuit until he had spoken with his attorney? To me, this seems like the easiest and most reasonable way to handle what went on this morning, but Fulmer chose the worst path possible. He not only denied this incident ever even happened, he mocked the people saying it did occur. Nothing may ever really materialize from the lawsuit, but I am going to make a bold prediction that today could mark the beginning of the end for Phillip Fulmer as the head football coach for the University of Tennessee. Sphere: Related Content

UT's Phillip Fulmer welcomed to SEC Media Days with a subpoena

As Phillip Fulmer arrived at SEC Media Days a few minutes ago he was given a present - a subpoena to appear at a deposition on September 25th regarding the case against the NCAA brought by University of Alabama booster Wendall Smith. News is quickly breaking from the Wynfrey Hotel here in Birmingham and I will try to update the story throughout the day. You can read the news that is known HERE Sphere: Related Content

Birmingham's Survival Plan

Well, the wait for an update on this story wasn't very long at all. You can read the details of La La's plan HERE. Sphere: Related Content

La La has a secret??

According to The Birmingham News, Larry Langford has a secret he is calling his "Birmingham Survival Kit." It took great self-restraint to not make just one of the many jokes that immediately came to mind when I think about any "secret" La La may have, but I only have so much time in my day. Apparently, this secret has something to do with Langford's new plan to pay for streetcars, scholarships and a dome stadium without raising any more taxes or going to the bond market. I guess I can see one positive in this plan - Langford may actually realize that Birmingham cannot afford these initiatives he continues to propose.

This must be one heck of a "survival kit" if it will allow the city to pay for all of these items without raising taxes or using the bond market. I am almost scared to find out what this secret is for many reasons, but I think the fact that Langford even mentions the bond market as a financial option for this city may be the most frightening. I guess he's forgotten the SEC complaint currently pending against him and others for their past dealings in the bond market. There is a really good article by Joe Mysak that explains the issues involved in huge ball of wax much better than I can. You can read that piece HERE.

You can check out the story regarding La La's secret HERE. I am sure I will be updating this story very soon with details of the secret. I can't wait....... Sphere: Related Content

Today's Finebaum Show

Glynn Wilson, editor of the Locust Fork News Journal, was a guest on the Paul Finebaum show yesterday and I thought the visit was worth a mention. Recently, I haven't listened to Finebaum as much as I have in the past simply because I haven't had the time or the opportunity, but I was very pleased to catch the last hour or so of the show on Friday. Wilson was on the show to discuss these nagging Troy King rumors. He also fielded calls and several of those were quite interesting to say the least.

If you missed the show, I encourage you to listen to the clips below. No matter where you stand in the political arena, I think you will enjoy the discussion.

Hour 2

Hour 3 Sphere: Related Content

La La is at it again.....

I obviously didn't get to see my Selig moment last night during the all-star game and I am definitely paying for my decision to stay up and watch all 15 innings last night, but it was worth it.

Now, on to more important matters such as more initiatives proposed by the mayor of our fair city, Larry Langford. I no longer am surprised by anything I hear come out of city hall, seriously, so why should I be surprised when I hear this morning that La La is "looking into" the possibility of a high speed train that would run between Birmingham and Atlanta and Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Yes, you read it correctly - a freaking monorail from Tuscaloosa to Atlanta is the newest brainchild of La La.

I must give credit where credit is due and it looks like one of La La's initiatives will actually become reality - Birmingham International Airport will be renamed in honor of civil rights leader, Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth. This is a wonderful idea and I'm happy to see this is one of Langford's initiatives that can be crossed off the list as completed, HOWEVER, this check mark has unfortunately come along with another addition to the uncompleted list - the monorail.

As I have said about the numerous prior initiatives proposed by Langford, this idea alone may not be a bad idea, but it is not alone. It is placed on an ever-growing list of initiatives/ideas that are themselves ever-growing in their scope and grandiosity. Where will this end? Could Birmingham possibly host the Iditarod one day? What about the next G8 Summit? Has the United Nations seen what Birmingham has to offer over New York??

I guess it is totally logical for a city that can't even afford to follow through with their promise of free rides on city buses to now consider building a monorail from Tuscaloosa to Atlanta. I am really beginning to get frustrated and embarrassed over this spectacle La La is making of Birmingham. These ideas may come from a good place, but when you are the mayor of a struggling city you can't afford to offer crazy/unattainable proposals and there should be no need for these. We have more than enough problems in Birmingham currently to keep Langford busy creating initiatives for the next 20 years, but instead of trying to build our city up from the inside out he has chosen to tear it apart from the inside out.

Someone needs to inform Langford that the natives are becoming very restless and this increases with each of these ridiculous proposals. I have no idea what the solution is or how the La La-era will ultimately turn out, but I feel like this city is being cheated of its potential by this nonsense. Birmingham is/was a city that I felt was ready to make a huge push forward in every sense - socially, financially, culturally. Instead, it appears we have chosen to ignore this wonderful opportunity in pursuit of ideas that are not even feasible. I only hope the city will still be ready once La La is done with it.......

I have updated my Squidoo lens on La La to reflect the new initiatives and I've also added some pretty funny videos. Check it out HERE Sphere: Related Content

Another MLB All-Star Game Tie??

As I type, the game is tied up at 3 in the top of the 15th inning. I can't wait to see Bud Selig squirm if this continues. Will he ruin a 2nd All-Star game? We shall see..... Sphere: Related Content

Josh Hamilton

Wow!!! What more can you say? He set a new HR Derby record in the first round with 28 bombs. I hope he has something left in the tank for the 3rd round..... Sphere: Related Content

MLB All-Star Game & HR Derby

I am actually excited about watching the HR Derby tonight and the MLB All-Star game tomorrow night for the first time in many years, probably since I was a kid. I am a child of the 80's (not born in the 80's, but 3 years shy, do the math). I grew up playing tee-ball, later softball, and one of my favorite hobbies was collecting baseball cards. I LOVED baseball cards, actually still do, and I loved the game as well. I guess you can lump me into the group of fans who was totally turned off to baseball for many years because of the steroid era. To me, it was a total disregard to the game that was once considered "America's Game." I know that sounds totally cheesy and I can't really offer a great explanation for what I mean by this, but I think most people who grew up competing in team sports understand what I mean. Maybe my age had some affect on my feelings, but it was just a feeling of general disappointment in all things baseball. I will also admit that I can see how steroids spread like wildfire in baseball and the reason so many players who were/are otherwise "clean-cut" chose to use. That doesn't mean that I condone what they did, only that I understand and recognize the many pressures from all directions that led to many players deciding to use. No matter what, I stayed away from the game in a true fan sense for many years until last season and it feels good to be back!!!

It feels good to be back watching a game that is played by guys who look like baseball players, not WWE wrestlers. It feels good to watch a game that is played by guys who all appear to be on a relatively level physical playing field. It feels good to watch a game that I can be happy for the kids I see getting player autographs, instead of having a weird feeling that someday the kids may throw the autograph away.

It also feels good to watch a game with a great story like Josh Hamilton's. It feels so good I made a Squidoo lens on Hamilton.....check it out HERE Sphere: Related Content

Birmingham Area Drivers

I have known that the ALDOT Traffic cameras have been streaming images from several Birmingham area roadways, but I must have missed the day when cameras were placed in every conceivable spot. If you haven't checked them out, you should, especially if you are planning your afternoon drive home in a few minutes.

ALDOT Traffic Sphere: Related Content

Squidoo Experiment Update

Today marked my very 1st payday since being sucked into this thing called Squidoo.com and I have to admit that I am pretty pleased with the results. Payments are delayed 2 months, so today's payday was for the month of May. I only had a few lenses (4-5) published by the end of May, so I wasn't expecting much at all, but I had a $23.76 payday!!!!

Ok, now I know this isn't lottery winnings or anything, but it is $23 more than I had before and I also now have over 100 lenses compared to the 4-5 in May. This Squidoo thing may work out after all.....it better because it is EXTREMELY addictive!!! Sphere: Related Content

Is Troy King Resigning?

The Alabama political rumor mill is running at full speed right now over a rumor that has been building throughout yesterday and overnight......that State Attorney General Troy King will be resigning in the near future. I may be updating this story very soon if something breaks, but for now I will let you draw your own conclusions based on the reports that are currently leading this story on the web....

The Locust Fork Journal Sphere: Related Content

Technorati Search Feed

I just added this widget to check it out and see whether I like it or not. It displays a real-time feed of what users are searching for on Technorati, right now. The search terms scroll by as they occur on technorati.com, giving you a real-time glimpse into what your online peers are talking about at that moment. If you are a news junkie like myself, this widget has promise, but I will withhold judgment for a few days.......especially after I just saw "upskirt" scroll across.....

Any reader opinions, if there are any (readers or opinions), are always appreciated. Sphere: Related Content