Everybody needs somebody ...

to make fun of. My pal, Vol Abroad, recently stirred up a bit of a hornet's nest when some posts potentially were insulting to folks in certain geographic locations. Sorry to be vague, but that's a nice, short version. Truth is, we all like to think that backwards as we may be, we're better than X. It's the old, "Thank God for Mississippi," mindset that one finds here in AL. By the way, in MS they thank God for Arkansas. Please, no threats from outraged Arkansans.

Anyway, to the point (yes, there is one) of today's post ... I have found somewhere closer to home that we North Alabamians can feel superior to -- Birmingham! Why? Well, I'll tell you. Today's issue of the Birmingham News contains its annual "readers' choice awards" (sorry, no link to the actual awards). Most cities do a similar thing -- readers vote on the best Mexican restaurant, best bar, best place to "hook up", etc. Birmingham's is not very different from others except it does have a category for "Best Local Boy (and Girl) Made Good".

Bo Bice (American Idol) won the local boy category and I don't have a problem with that. Personally, I don't think he's the "best local boy" to come out of Birmingham, but he was quite the sensation this past year so it sort of makes sense.

When it comes to the local girl category, though, I have a HUGE problem! Do you know who won? Courteney Cox (the actress). At first glance that might not be so offensive. She's been successful on the national stage and she is a local girl, so ... No, the outrage doesn't come until one sees who finished SECOND -- Condoleezza Rice! Yes, Condi, the U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, finished second to an actress whose claim to fame is a sitcom that's no longer on the air! How could this be?!?!

Personally, I like Condoleezza, but no matter your personal politics she is the United States' Secretary of State! How can that NOT win her the "best local girl made good" award? In Birmingham's defense, most of these awards things require you to write in your choice rather than pick from a slate of candidates and maybe Condi just didn't come to mind. Yet the readers managed to remember Bo Bice, so how could they forget Condoleezza? I am flummoxed!

Still, it's an ill wind that blows no good and the next time the Decatur City Council embarrasses itself by refusing to follow through on a zoning promise it made to a bus stop owner, for example, I can say, "Thank God for Birmingham!"