Another positive Birmingham story, another herd of negative nancys

LOL Seatoats should have posted this. But I kinda like the term "Negative Nancys) sounds a little better than "Naysayer" Maybe Pensacola is not so unique.



Do those who are always tearing Birmingham down, no matter how positive the development, actually believe their comfortable, suburban lives would exist if it weren't for a vibrant, progressing city center?
They must, because every time there is a positive story about Birmingham, they crawl out from their crevices and slam the city, its leadership, al.com for reporting it -- anything in sight. Yes, Birmingham has crime. There are neighborhoods and parts of the city that need a lot of attention. There is some dysfunctionality in city government.

But name a city that doesn't have problems. Still, the problems do not negate the successes.

Sunday, The Associated Press' Jay Reeves pointed out many of the positives, just this year, including recognition for the city for one thing or another by National Georgraphic Traveler, Forbes magazine, NBC's Today Show, Zagat and USA Today.

A poll also was published with that story, proving the negative nancys are a minority. As of 9 a.m. today, more than 1,600 people had voted in the unscientific poll, with fewer than a third finding nothing to like about Birmingham.

One problem, though, is that it's a very loud minority that leverages city's collective low self-esteem. They shout how terrible Birmingham is from any hill they can find, no matter what's happening.

The traffic is pretty terrible, that's all I really know.

One good thing... it's safe to walk the city in the daytime.

They have a place called the Peanut Depot that was built a hundred years ago. They have four or five huge cylindrical roasters about 4 feet around and 8 feet long. When you go inside the place, behind the counter, they have a large bathtub-looking container full of hot fresh-roasted peanuts. The peanuts are wonderful. When I worked in the city, I would walk the ten or twelve blocks to the Peanut Depot and get a $5 bag and share with coworkers.

I haven't been to or actually through Birmingham in years. I do know the Birmingham Holiday Inn was the stopping-off point where my family used to stay every year when we went on a three-day drive to visit my grandmother in Mississippi. It was always a big, big deal for us kiddies to see who could find the statue of Vulcan first as we were driving into town.

Lots of positive memories from our frequent stays at that Holiday Inn! They had the best motel pool, and we always rented poolside rooms.

And that's all I know about Birmingham.