George Wallace, Jabez Stone, & William Cale

It's been 50 years since George Wallace stood in the schoolhouse door. Apparently it's trendy this month to debate why he did it. Keeping a promise? We calls it as we sees it, and garnering votes from uneducated rural Dems is the most likely answer. Did he really believe Caucasians were the master race? We doubt it, but it was a vote getter and that was all that was important to him. There's a term for that, and we'll get to it.

Such actions bring to mind Jabez Stone. Can't quite recall who he was? How about Daniel Webster? A fictionalized version of the great orator defended Stone in an attempt to extricate the farmer from a signed contract...with the Devil. Yes, like George Wallace, Jabez Stone sold his soul to the Devil, and just as Wallace later claimed to have been redeemed, the character of Stone wins his soul back. Among Webster's words of wisdom at the trial are these:

"No American citizen may be forced into the service of a foreign prince. We fought England for that in '12 and we'll fight all hell for it again!"

Now we have a comparable situation in the Shoals. We count among our dear friends a high pooh-bah from the University of North Alabama. She states that because of government cuts to education, President William Cale had no choice but to accept the offer of a Chinese Communist who desired to align himself with the university.

We wish to make clear that there's a huge difference in recruiting Chinese students, who have committed no sin other than being born in a Communist country, and a card carrying member of the National Peoples Congress. That Chinese governing body numbers approximately 3K. In other words, Zhang Zhiting is in the top .00375% of the Chinese Communist government, but it's all about money isn't it? Selling whatever we have to sell to keep body and soul together.

Oh, sorry, bad choice of words. Do you smell sulphur?

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Did someone say Chinese alternative medicine?

Shoalanda

The Slow Disappearance of National Alabama

In March of this year, National Alabama announced it would be producing certain major components for 500 rail cars. The project was scheduled to commence around July 1st and be finished by December 31st. Admittedly, July is still with us, but sources at the plant tell us that no work has yet been done to set up this assembly line--assuming it's still needed. Has the contract been cancelled? How would we know?

In other National Alabama news, a second source reports:

When National Alabama Corporation officially moved in to its new facility in 2009, it wasn't alone. In addition to the NAC employees, several vendors also took up residence, or opened 'store fronts', within the confines of the facility. Originally, it was the 'job' of these vendors to supply the plant with the day-to-day operating materials, tools and constant use items needed in manufacturing. In addition to these vendors, representatives of the manufacturers of much of the state-of-the-art equipment purchased by NAC, with money borrowed from the Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA), also established field offices on site. These representatives supplied on-site trouble shooting and repair services to NAC in the event that one of their products, such as a 'robot welder', developed a 'glitch'.

It has been reported that many of these 'field representatives' have 'closed up shop', apparently due to difficulties in obtaining payment for items ordered and installed within the dormant NAC manufacturing facility. It has also been reported that some of the vendors have 'pulled out' of the site, claiming that there 'isn't enough business' to justify the continuation of services on site.

It has also been reported that as much as 30% of the maintenance department has quit since the first of the year, choosing to seek actual work elsewhere. One can only wonder how much 'maintenance' needs to be performed on machinery that isn't being used.

And Shoals Chamber of Commerce president Steve Holt, pardon...we meant to say Mr. Stephen Holt...uses this as an example of desirable foreign investors? ***** The TimesDaily seems to have begun a campaign to promote the "college" that a Chinese company may, or may not, have planned for the old Florence Golf and Country Club. What would happen if they built this college? First, we're not sure what was intended by the Chinese. Was it a college of some ilk or a pharmaceutical enterprise as first stated? How easily it morphed. If it should be a college, it would not be able to grant degrees or even any transferable credits without proper accreditation. How was it to align with the current College of Nursing at UNA? We have no idea on that subject either since all we have read states the College of Nursing can't change its studies on the mere whim of faculty or even that of President William Cale. In the For What It's Worth Department, this supposed college could be certified for Chinese students, but how that would help the University of North Alabama is extremely nebulous. Would Chinese students come en masse to study Chinese courses and then return to China to practice whatever they had learned here? It would supposedly help the economy of the Shoals, but so would legalized brothels. Shoalanda

Jane Fonda Comes to Florence/RSA Suing?

In a scathing, vitriolic press release, Jane Fonda said she is ashamed of Florence and its government for failing to enter into a business alliance with a Chinese company. After all, it was years ago that the Chinese aided those pesky Viet Cong (who were really nice if you got to know them).

Oh, wait, sorry. It wasn't Jane Fonda, it was UNA's president William Cale. Never mind. (Anyone think the "Gown" portion isn't holding up the "Town?")

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In the "For What It's Worth" department, rumors are circulating around the state that the RSA is initiating a law suit against National Steel Car of Canada, the former parent company of National Alabama. We're unsure of the basis of such a suit, if one actually exists, but we're also pretty sure that the RSA has plenty of grounds from which to choose.

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From a reader: I don't blame illegal immigrants for our healthcare problems. Besides, I think every HUMAN BEING has the right to healthcare. What, should we just say "no healthcare" for those people's innocent children?? Wow.

Our answer is simple. The United States cannot afford to provide health care for its own indigent children, but it can do a much better job if no illegals are straining the system. Who should come first: Our children or theirs? It shouldn't be a tough choice.

Neither is health care a right. That's why we pay through the nose for it.



Shoalanda

How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Prison Farm?

Our regular readers know that we oppose prison time for white collar crimes and early parole for those who have committed violent crimes. Now it seems the passage of HB56 may speed up parole for many of our state's inmates.

One provision in the newly passed immigration bill is to outlaw any correctional incentive time (good time) or early parole for illegal aliens convicted of any crime. It remains to be seen how this will affect Alabama's overcrowded prison system, but early release for legal residents may be one unintended result.

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I'm with Phil

Over the past twenty years, there have been several Phil Campbell celebrations attended by those named...you guessed it...Phil Campbell. This year's celebration, called I'm with Phil, will be a special one. Here's a link to the website promoting the June 17th-18th celebration. Good luck to all you Phils out there.

I'm with Phil Website

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University of North Alabama President William Cale concerning the proposed move to Division I athletics: "We should all have confidence that the board will act in the best interests of UNA.”

We're publishing that statement just in case you missed the original memo.



Shoalanda