The New York Times has weighed in on “The 100 best movies of the 21st Century,” and the results include a couple of strong Alabama connections – including a Top 10 selection filmed in the state.
It’s an eclectic slate, including independent projects, Hollywood blockbusters, foreign films and even a couple of documentaries. That makes for some interesting juxtapositions. For example, iconoclastic Danish director Lars Von Trier’s artsy 2011 sci-fi drama “Melancholia” comes in at No. 84, one spot ahead of 2004’s “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.” Director Christopher Nolan arguably dominates the list, with five entries.
Alabama is represented by “Get Out,” the 2017 horror flick and social satire that Jordan Peele filmed primarily in Fairhope and Mobile. It’s listed at No. 8, right between Michel Gondry’s “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (No. 7) and Hayao Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away” (No. 9).
Several people involved with the project spoke positively about their Alabama experience in an oral history published in New York Magazine. “I went to Alabama with my own stereotypes and preconceived notions about getting chased out,” said Peele. “There’s definitely a feeling that you’re in Trump country. But I have to say, the stereotypes were proved wrong. People were very sweet, very open, and there’s a lot of film lovers there who are very intelligent. Ultimately, I loved Alabama.”
Another Alabama connection comes via “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” the surreal 2022 philosophical action starring Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan. It’s ranked No. 77 on the Times list, right behind the Coen Brothers classic “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
Birmingham native Daniel Scheinert co-wrote and co-directed with Daniel Kwan. In a 2022 AL.com interview, Scheinert talked at length about the way youthful opportunities helped him pursue a career in film, and how he feels about the state. “I think Alabama can be somewhat close-minded sometimes and homophobic and really obsessed with tradition, and that can make you feel unwelcome as a kid if you’re weird,” he said. “But also there’s so much beauty, and I miss it and love the people. And this movie is a love letter to our parents at the same time as it’s kind of dealing with misunderstandings and generation gaps and dealing with the struggle to communicate with folks that are in a family.”
Read the full list to see which third of Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings,” which half of Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” epic and which of Nolan’s Batman movies merited inclusion.
Thompson quarterback Trent Seaborn has started 31 games in high school career.
He still has two years left to play for the Warriors.
Seaborn’s first start came in the first round of the 2022 playoffs against Huntsville. He threw for four touchdowns in a 34-0 victory. Three weeks later, he was MVP of the Class 7A state championship game as an eighth grader.
“It’s definitely been a long time,” Seaborn said last week at the Foley 7-on-7 event. “A lot has happened since then. I definitely thank my teammates and my coaches for all the growth and improvement I’ve made. They’ve been with me every step of the way, and I can’t thank them enough.”
The 6-foot-1 Seaborn is now one of the top juniors in the state and top quarterbacks in the nation. The On3 Industry Rankings have him as the No. 10 junior prospect in Alabama and the No. 16 quarterback in the nation.
His college offers already include South Carolina, Auburn, Alabama, Oregon, Maryland, Ole Miss, North Carolina and Tennessee, but he told AL.com this week that a decision is likely not close.
“I haven’t really narrowed it down all that much,” he said. “I’m still trying to see a variety of schools and coaches. I’ve been able to go to different places this spring and summer and got to meet a lot of different people and see a lot of different places. I don’t really have a decision yet or really a timeframe either. I’m just trying to take it one step at a time and trust God in what He has for me in the process.”
One of the campuses Seaborn visited recently was Alabama where he and his teammates took part in a 7-on-7 event. After the tournament, he was re-offered by the Crimson Tide.
“I got to talk to coach (Kalen) DeBoer and coach (Nick) Sheridan (co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach) and got to meet coach (Ryan) Grubb (offensive coordinator) for the first time,” Seaborn said. “I really like the coaches up there. I think it’s only uphill for them. I think they have a great season ahead of them. They have a really great quarterback room, and I’m excited to see what they do.”
Seaborn was a first-team Class 7A All-State selection a year ago as a sophomore and one of three finalists for Back of the Year, an award won by former teammate Anquon Fegans.
“Right now, he’s where most kids start their high school careers as far as playing in big games,” Thompson coach Mark Freeman said of Seaborn. “His stats are true because he is playing against big-time guys every week. When you are playing in 7A football, there are just more athletes and the windows to throw in are tighter. I think it matters.”
Seaborn is 26-5 as a starting quarterback and has played in three state championship games already. During Seaborn’s tenure as a starter, Thompson has lost to Class 6A power Clay-Chalkville twice, once each to perennial 7A title contenders Central-Phenix City and Hoover and once to national power Grayson, Ga.
The five losses came by a total of 8 points. The three losses a year ago (Grayson, Clay, Hoover) all came by 1 point and all in overtime. If Thompson plays 14 games in 2025 and 2026 and Seaborn stays healthy, he could finish his career with 59 starts in 7A football.
Thompson coach Mark Freeman congratulates quarterback Trent Seaborn after a touchdown drive against Hewitt-Trussville during a Class 7A semifinal playoff game at Warrior Stadium in Alabaster, Ala., on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. (Dennis Victory | [email protected])Dennis Victory
Freeman said work ethic and commitment are two things that separate Seaborn from other quarterbacks.
“He has a rare dedication to be really great and exceptional,” Freeman said. “His character is outstanding. He doesn’t have periods in life where he is out doing something he shouldn’t. He doesn’t have a lot of distractions in his life because he is so focused on the end of the journey and what he wants to accomplish. His parents have done a good job raising him. God has His hand on him and has a plan for him.”
Seaborn and his family are still weighing options on what college that plan might include.
“Obviously, I’m looking for an offense I see myself fitting in, something I’m comfortable with,” he said. “Away from a schematic standout, also from a cultural standpoint, am I going to a school that will not only develop me on the field but off the field as a person and a human being? I want to be in a lockerroom where we are all working to the same goal, which hopefully is a national championship and also to be great dads, brothers and husbands in the future.”
Thompson opens the 2025 season at home on Aug. 21 against Carver-Montgomery before traveling to Grayson, Ga., in Week 2.
Alabama football has caught fire on the recruiting trail lately. Thursday alone, the Crimson Tide pulled in commitments from two blue-chip prospects, four-star running back EJ Crowell and four-star tight end Mack Sutter.
But even before that, UA had been collecting new talent. So far this month, Kalen DeBoer and company have reeled in commitments from 247Sports composite four-star offensive tackle Sam Utu, four-star quarterback Jett Thomalla, three-star defensive lineman JJ Finch, three-star safety Rihyael Kelly and three-star running back Javari Barnett, plus three-star linebacker Zay Hall, who committed Friday.
Overall, Alabama has 13 commitments in the 2026 class. The Tide’s group is led by five-star Jorden Edmonds, a cornerback who plays his high school football at Sprawberry in Georgia.
The recent run of success has caused the Crimson Tide to leap up team rankings boards for the 2026 class. As the dust settles but DeBoer and company continue recruiting, here’s where UA currently stands with the major ranking services, as of Friday evening.
247 Sports composite– 11th
Ahead of the two commitments on Thursday, Alabama sat 35th nationally in the composite rankings. Following the pledges, UA jumped all the way up to 11th.
The Crimson Tide’s group sat fourth among SEC schools. Texas A&M was third nationally, followed by No. 4 Georgia, and Texas was one spot ahead of Alabama, at No. 10.
Southern Cal leads the 247 rankings. Notre Dame sits at No. 2, with Ohio State rounding out the top five.
Miami checked in at No. 6, followed by Clemson and Penn State. Florida State was the only other school with a class ranked ahead of Alabama’s, sitting at No. 9.
In terms of average recruit quality, Alabama was ranked fourth by the 247 composite. LSU was No. 1 in that metric, with Oregon and Ohio State second and third respectively.
Rivals/ On3– 9th
Due to a recent merger, Rivals and On3 have combined their recruiting ranking systems. The metrics there are kinder to Alabama than the 247Sports rankings, placing the Crimson Tide No. 9 nationally for the 2026 class.
Notre Dame was No. 2 in the On3/Rivals rankings, with Texas A&M third. Georgia checked in fourth, with Ohio State at No. 5.
LSU was sixth, the only other SEC school ahead of Alabama. Miami (seventh) and Clemson (eighth) were also ahead of UA.
Oregon rounded out the top 10. Other SEC schools in the top 25 classes included Texas (No. 13), Florida (No. 14), Tennessee (No. 15), South Carolina (No. 17), Oklahoma (No. 22) and Ole Miss (No. 25).
Deputies in the program will now be able to ask and identify whether people are here legally or not, said Burch. He said he signed the 287G agreement about 2 weeks ago.
Baldwin County is also joining the program, a spokesperson for the department confirmed.
“It gives deputies access to more information about that person in a quicker manner,” Baldwin County Sheriff Anthony Lowery told NBC15 news about the program.
Mobile County is already helping transport immigrants to a facility in Mississippi, said Burch. He said they cannot be housed in his jail because it is already full.
He said he does not think joining the program will change very much, given his department’s close collaboration with federal agents at ICE.
“We’re primarily support personnel. When they have operations going, you know, we send some of our deputies with them.”
His department will now be able to update information about the immigration status of people into a federal system to speed up the efforts of federal agents.
Alabama departments already involved include Colbert, Cherokee, Crenshaw, Elmore, Etowah, Franklin, Henry, Houston, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Marion and Pike counties and the Level Plains Police Department.
Madison County is pending approval.
Local sheriffs can opt to work with ICE through three models.
Jail Enforcement Model, helping to identify and process “removable” immigrants, those with criminal charges or pending charges who are arrested by local agencies.
Task Force Model, enforcing “limited” immigration authority during their regular police work.
Warrant Service Officer Model, helping serve warrants on immigrants in jail.
Neither Mobile nor Baldwin County Sheriffs confirmed which models they would be operating under. U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement did not respond to a request for comment.
As of Friday, 737 such agreements existed across 40 states.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: Can you please advise me on how to politely deal with heavy condensation dripping from water glasses, wine goblets, cocktail glasses, etc., at outdoor restaurants when coasters are not provided?
Does one hold one’s napkin under the goblet while sipping? Let it drip to the floor before drinking? Drip on your attire? Or (shudder) decant the julep into a portable container? Nothing seems correct.
GENTLE READER: Cloth napkins are non-negotiable. Paper will disintegrate.
If those are not provided, ask. Then Miss Manners suggests you hold it discreetly over the bottom of the glass or goblet stem so that the condensation falls on it — and not on your clothing or shoes.
Please send your questions to Miss Manners at missmanners.com, by email to [email protected], or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
Now, in Alabama, a clash over access to sex education books in libraries is reigniting a broader cultural and political debate over how, and whether, teens should learn about sex at all.
With young people turning to media – books and the internet – to fill the gaps left by inadequate sex ed, advocates say libraries provide a crucial lifeline. And it’s at a time when the state is dealing with high teen birth rates and incidences of sexually transmitted diseases.
A fierce debate is unfolding over whether titles like Doing It! Let’s Talk About Sex — a frank, teen-oriented sex guide — should be restricted to adult-only library sections and effectively out of reach for the teens it was written for.
“Book bans and sex education are very connected in my mind,” said Christian Clark Okarmus, executive director of the Alabama Campaign for Adolescent Sexual Health.
Alabama state library officials say there is no intention to ban sex education books from libraries. Still, they remain adamant that children should be protected from books they believe normalize sexual behaviors at young ages.
The issue flared up in Fairhope earlier this month and is expected to take center stage again at a July 18 meeting of the Alabama Public Library Services board. At stake is whether libraries will lose state funding for refusing to relocate books, including sex education titles, flagged by conservative groups like Moms for Liberty.
“The APLS board believes these sensitive topics should be addressed with care that parents, not government institutions or advocacy groups, should guide those conversations based on their child’s age and maturity,” said John Wahl, chairman of the APLS board who is also chairman of the Alabama State Republican Party.
The controversy also comes just weeks after a heated showdown in the Alabama Senate over a proposed abstinence-only sex education policy.
Further, the debate arises as advocates for improving sex education continue to cite longstanding public health struggles in Alabama in the form of high rates for sexually transmitted infections. Alabama’s STI rate for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis has long been higher than the national averages.
Alabama has the eighth-highest teenage birth rate trailing only seven other Southern states including neighboring Mississippi and Tennessee.
Experts say that sex education is one of the most important ways to prevent a STI and unintended pregnancies. Of the 15 states with the lowest teenage birth rates, 10 mandate sex education as part of a school’s curriculum.
Educational books
Library officials defending Doing It! say the 2018 book by YouTuber and author Hannah Witton contains no obscene content, but only straight answers to questions teens are already asking.
Amy Minton, an APLS board member, said the book and likely other sex education novels like it, are “sexually explicit” in the eyes of Alabama law.
A new code, adopted by the APLS last year, prevents a book with any references to sex within sections of a library accessible to youths under age 18.
“There is definitely not an exception for sex education in the APLS policies,” Minton said.
Minton emphasized that, “we want every family in Alabama to feel welcome in our public libraries. Parents who want their children to have broader access to materials have that ability, but at the same time, parents who do not want their children exposed to sexually explicit content should have confidence that their child will not accidentally stumble across inappropriate books in our youth sections.”
Okarmus said the few adults who are aiming to make decisions “for everyone’s children,” on topics like sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and anything else related to sex, are missing realities of teenage development and lifestyles.
“After 14 years in sex education, I can tell you that young people don’t need protection from these conversations,” she said. “They are already thinking about these topics and discussing them with their peers. And they’re looking to their peers and the internet to answer their questions because the adults in their lives are too afraid to speak about it.”
Polling shows a troubling reality of where teenagers are going online to learn more about sex. A 2023 report titled, “Teens and Pornography,” found that nearly half of teen respondents from ages 13 to 17 said that online pornography gives them “helpful” information about sex.
“We all know that information from peers and the internet may or may not be accurate, and can certainly be harmful, especially with the prevalence of young people accessing porn online,” Okarmus said. “As a parent, I would much prefer for my child to read about something in a book, and hopefully I’ve created an environment where we can speak about it, or where they can speak with another trusted adult.”
Reshelving books
Angie Hayden, a founder of Read Freely Alabama, speaks during a town hall meeting about how censorship is affecting Alabama’s libraries on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, at Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship in Fairhope, Ala. Seated next to Hayden is Elizabeth Denham, a writer and podcaster who fought against a book ban attempt in Spanish Fort.John Sharp
Angie Hayden, co-founder of Read Freely Alabama, said a book like “Doing It” should be shelved in age-appropriate sections within a library, for ages 13-17.
“It’s meant to be informative and not explicit or titillating in any way,” she said, adding that her organization has concerns the APLS board wants to deny sex education material to any teenager in Alabama.
However, Minton and Wahl have said that their intent is not to ban the books from Alabama libraries. They want the titles that include any references to sex to be reshelved in adult sections and have said there are ways youths can still access the books if they receive permission from a parent or guardian.
Libraries in Alabama allow all-access library cards, which if approved by a parent, gives a minor access to any section of a library. The cards can be applied for and received at their local library.
Alabama Republican Chairman John Wahl speaks to a reporter inside the spin room following the fourth Republican presidential primary debate on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023, in the Frank Moody Music Hall at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala.John Sharp/[email protected]
“They remain available in adult sections, and children can still access them with parental consent,” Wahl said. “This policy ensures that families who want broader access to sex education materials have that ability, while also protecting the rights of families who do not want their children exposed to such content without their knowledge.”
Hayden said she is perplexed by the APLS board’s stance. She said there appears to be no reason for local library boards to conduct reviews of book challenges if the state already has a preconceived view over what constitutes “sexually explicit.”
“It’s the vagueness that is intentional,” Hayden said. “It’s meant to create a sense of fear in our public library directors because their funding is very much on the line including in Fairhope.”
Disease, pregnancies
She also notes there are complications and inconsistencies between Alabama law and what the APLS is doing. For one, she notes the age for legal consent for sex in Alabama is 16, and so is the age to marry.
Alabama’s STI rates rank among the five highest in the nation for syphilis and chlamydia, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The state is among the 10 worst for gonorrhea infections.
“We’d like to know why they want to deny this where pregnancy and (STI) rates are in the top 5 of the country,” Hayden said, referring to the APLS board and sex education books within teen sections. “If they apply the definition of sexually explicit, it would in fact mean no sex materials for anyone under age 18.”
She added, “Keep in mind, the age of consent is 16. It’s where teenagers are expected to give birth but are not allowed to read about sex education our public libraries.”
Wahl admits that on the broader question about public health and sex education, “there’s no doubt that Alabama faces serious challenges.”
“That only makes it more critical to thoughtfully consider what our children are being exposed to, especially in public spaces like libraries,” he said. “One of the primary goals of the APLS code changes was to protect children from early sexualization, something that is becoming increasingly common in youth media and literature. Children should be allowed to develop emotionally, mentally and physically without being exposed to graphic or adult content before they are ready. Books that promote or normalize sexual behavior at a young age can cause serious harm.”
Legislative battle
Alabama State Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, speaks on the Senate floor on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at the State House in Montgomery, Ala.John Sharp
The focus on a sex education book also comes at a time that the topic is being discussed in the halls of power in Montgomery.
One of the fiercest debates on the Alabama Senate floor this session involved legislation sponsored by Republican Sen. Shay Shelnutt that mandated Alabama schools teach “sexual risk avoidance.”
The legislation died in the Senate after a lengthy debate in late April. Shelnutt, during the debate, said that students who didn’t want to be taught sexual risk avoidance could opt out, and have their parents teach them “the crazy stuff.”
The debate featured similarities to the current library content issue, with Shelnutt arguing in favor of an opt out clauses for parents who sought a different approach toward sex education.
Opponents, meanwhile, argued that the legislation prevents sex education altogether, which is something that not all parents in Alabama support.
Alabama’s score likely avoided a lower score thanks to the approval of HB385 in 2021, which requires sex education instruction, if it occurs within a school district, to be medically accurate.
The state, since 1987, also requires AIDS education in health classes, starting in the fifth grade. Further instruction about reproductive health and the risks of sexual activity is required in middle and high schools, but local districts can come up with their own sex ed policies as long as they meet basic requirements.
Some school systems like Shelby County Public Schools, do not have a policy but follow state standards in their approach with sex education. In Tuscaloosa County, fifth and sixth grade students learn from a Weekly Report product covering the basics of the immune system, viruses, how HIV is and isn’t spread, and the global impact of the virus.
“Unfortunately, because sex education is not mandated and not tracked by ALSDE, it’s hard to know what’s being taught outside word of mouth,” Okarmus said. “In my experience getting that information from schools or districts has been tough. I’ve spoken to teachers from across the state who incorporate things like STI education into their lesson plans, but I do not know of any programming currently happening in Alabama public schools that would meet the definition of comprehensive sex ed, or even sufficient sex ed.”
During April’s Senate floor debate over sex education, Democratic Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison of Birmingham argued that an approach of “just saying no” about sex isn’t working, and that teenagers are going online and turning toward pop culture to seek information.
“So, if none of this is being talk about in the schools … where do they learn about it?” Coleman-Madison said. “If you don’t tell them, they’ll seek the knowledge on their own. My fear is if you don’t (educate) the kids, they will go to other sources. The world has changed from what we grew up in.”
Perhaps I’ve become too much of a skeptic from seeing President Donald Trump so often misrepresent facts or claim “the greatest victory ever” when no victory was had, or perhaps the abundance of conflicting damage reports troubles me, but I submit the goal of a nuclear-free Iran is nowherenear achieved.
There simply are too many unanswered questions.
Art of deception
In November and December, 1941, Japan’s ambassadors actively promoted peaceful resolution of Japan’s conflicts with America even after the Japanese fleet left Japan on November 18 for its surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Japan’s deception (lies) and power combined to help destroy much of America’s Pacific fleet.
Allied deception (lies), coupled with power, deceived Germany into diverting substantial military resources to Calais, thus helping to ensure the Allies won the D-Day fight in Normandy and ultimately defeat Germany.
In war, deception, lying and power literally are “The Art of the Deal.”
Fortunately for America, as Commander in Chief, Donald Trump has proven himself very effective at all three.
That gave the United States a strong start in stopping the Iran nuclear program. But is this over?
Too many questions
Israel attacked Iran on June 13. America waited NINE days to attack Iran on June 22.
Where did Iran operate its uranium enrichment centrifuges on June 22, when America attacked? Were all centrifuges in the facilities America attacked? Or had Iran moved them elsewhere?
If elsewhere, how many centrifuges escaped damage from America’s attack and how quickly can they successfully enrich enough 60% uranium to weapons grade?
Why did Trump give Iran NINE days in which to move enriched uranium and centrifuges out of sites America ultimately bombed?
America damaged Iran’s Natanz nuclear weapons facility. Natanz abuts Pickaxe Mountain, another potential Iran nuclear weapons facility that is carved out of a mountain even bigger than the Fordow nuclear complex that American bunker buster bombs hit.
Why was Pickaxe Mountain not attacked? Is Pickaxe Mountain beyond the capabilities of America’s bunker buster bombs? Are any of Iran’s centrifuges or its enriched uranium stored in Pickaxe Mountain?
Highlights include Iran’s US Embassy abductions (1979, 66 American hostages), Beirut Embassy bombing (1983, 17 dead Americans), Beirut Marine compound bombing (1983, 220 dead Americans), Khobar Air Force housing bombing (1996, 19 dead Americans), Kenya and Tanzania USA Embassy bombings (1998, 12 dead Americans), assisting 9/11 suicide attackers’ training (2001, 2,976 dead), helping Iran-backed militias in Iraq (2003-2011, 603 dead Americans), ballistic missile attack on Ain Al-Asad USA airbase (2020, 100+ U.S. troops suffered traumatic brain injuries), and helping Hamas attack Israel (2024, 48 dead Americans, 12 Americans kidnapped).
The list adds up to 3,000 American civilians and military personnel who were killed.
When someone says they want to kill you, you better pay attention!
Necessary action
For decades, the threat of Iranian nuclear weapons has troubled American leaders.
Would Iran directly or indirectly use nuclear weapons on the “Little Satan” (Israel) or “Great Satan” (United States)?
The world has not seen the military use of nuclear weapons since 1945’s Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. Why not?
Most credit goes to the Mutually Assured Destruction Doctrine (“MADD”) that says, “If you use nuclear weapons on me, I will use nuclear weapons on you, and we will both be dead.” Since rational countries don’t want to commit mutual suicide, no nuclear exchanges have occurred.
The problem with MADD and Iran having nuclear weapons is two-fold. First, Iran has proven itself very skilled at using surrogates to kill Jews and Americans (Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, etc.).
If the attacked country does not know who detonated a nuclear weapon on its soil, who does it counter-attack with nuclear weapons? Will MADD deter?
Second, Iran’s leaders see Iran as a theocracy guided by Allah, religion, and ideology. Will an Iranian government that thinks like 9/11 suicide killers welcome death as a fair exchange for whatever death and destruction they can inflict on the Great Satan and Little Satan?
If so, and if Iran obtains nuclear weapons, will the threat of their own death, or the sacrifice of the Iranian population, deter them . . . or encourage them?
These are tough questions.
In my view, the risk is too great that Iran’s leadership is willing to sacrifice tens of millions of its own people in a nuclear exchange if, in the process, it can destroy the Little Satan (Israel) and bring the Great Satan (America) to its knees.
Hence, I strongly support America doing whatever is necessary to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons.
Iran and hornets’ nests
But when I think of America’s attack on Iran, I think of a kid with a stick who whacks a hornets’ nest, walks away all smiles, and declares victory . . . not noticing the swarm of hornets approaching from the rear.
I think too many of America’s leaders are ignoring the lesson America learned from Vietnam. If you are going to engage in war, you better be prepared to destroy the enemy no matter what it costs, no matter how ugly it gets.
If you are unwilling to do what it takes to win a war, then don’t engage in war in the first place.
One good punch in the enemy’s face, standing alone, simply does not cut it.
President Trump hit the hornets’ nest. If he does not kill ‘em, if he does not achieve total victory, America will get stung. Perhaps badly.
President Trump ordered military action against Iran. Now he must do what it takes to win. And winning is nothing short of forever denying Iran access to nuclear weapons.
The Iran/America conflict is far from over.
Mo Brooks served on the House Armed Services Committee for 12 years and the Foreign Affairs Committee for 6 years. Brooks graduated from Duke University in 3 years with a double major in political science and economics (highest honors in economics).
By the end of that first week in February, Daniels was in the hospital trying to adjust to the shock of learning that his kidneys were failing and that he would need life-saving dialysis and, eventually, a transplant.
What he would also learn was that his wife and mother of their son and daughter was prepared for the crisis.
Teneshia Daniels, who is a dentist, was already making plans to donate a life-saving kidney, Daniels said.
“There was a lot of unknowns,” Daniels said. “But she was insistent upon her being my donor and getting this process behind us.
“God knew the plan before I did and he had it in place.”
Doctors at UAB performed the transplant. Daniels and his wife have been released from the hospital and are recovering.
Daniels said he feels great but has pain.
“I forced myself to walk the next day because I wanted to see my wife in her room,” Daniels said.
“I was able to get out of the hospital ahead of schedule because I started pushing myself.”
He is coping without prescription pain pills because of the side effects they cause.
It hurts to move as he heals from incisions on both sides of his abdomen – one for the new kidney, and one where doctors removed a catheter that was being used for dialysis.
“You’ve just got to keep moving. I’m walking more. And forcing myself to walk more every day,” Daniels said.
Daniels said Teneshia is doing pretty well but is having more pain than him as a result of the surgery.
There has been an outpour of support for Daniels that transcends political divisions.
Alabama’s Republican House Speaker, Nathaniel Ledbetter, and Daniels are on opposing sides of the political aisle but are friends.
Both rose to leadership positions soon after they were elected to the House in 2014.
During the legislative session, which ended in May, Ledbetter sometimes called for prayers for Daniels without saying much about his condition, because he said it was Daniels’ news to disclose.
“Certainly his wife being a donor is a big deal,” Ledbetter said.
“I think that this shows the passion that they have for each other. And of course it’s commendable for her.”
Ledbetter said he and his wife Teresa pray for the Daniels family every night.
“I think the power of prayer works. And maybe they’re on the downhill slide of this thing. But it’s been a tough year for him,” Ledbetter said.
Daniels said he has always been vigilant about his health, getting regular checkups, exercising, and trying to stick with a healthy diet.
He said there was never a previous indication of a kidney problem.
His crisis, Daniels said, shows the importance of staying on top of any health issues.
“You have to look at all the numbers,” Daniels said. “You have to question every number just to make certain that you are where you need to be.
“Don’t let anything to sneak up on you because you don’t know how aggressive it can become. And you can’t look at a person and tell how healthy they are because you don’t know.”
Daniels said he has had COVID four times, and wonders if that might be a factor in how fast the kidney failure advanced.
Daniels said he is grateful for the help he has received throughout the crisis – the medical care, support from the Huntsville community, and prayers from across the state.
“UAB did a tremendous job,” Daniels said. “The kidney transplant team was amazing,” Daniels said.
“Things like this will test your faith and your love. But I’m just very blessed to have strength in both areas,” Daniels said.
“My wife is the real hero here. Because she had to take time away from her job to do all this to make sure that I’m taken care of. And I’m able to continue to be a dad and a father and a husband.
“I don’t even have to ask her anything, to be honest with you. It was already done.”
Daniels said he hopes to help educate people about the challenges faced by people awaiting kidney transplants and the enormous need.
He said he hopes Teneshia’s selfless example helps some who might be trying to decide whether to donate a kidney to a friend or family member.
“Being able to see selflessness displayed should be inspiring to them. And that’s what I hope,” Daniels said.
“Because I don’t know how long I would have been around had I not had my wife taking the steps that she has taken to make this happen.
Dear Eric: My daughter got married a year ago and decided to have a wedding with immediate family members only due to the huge family on the groom’s side (the wedding was still about 100 people). It was planned on the West Coast (we are on the East Coast).
Some of my friends sent them a gift, knowing why they were not invited but three of my close friends didn’t send anything (even a card would have been thoughtful). I’ve sent their kids very generous gifts.
One, I couldn’t attend (it was during Covid and the other was far away and very expensive to get to).
One of the other ones, we traveled to her daughter’s wedding, spent a fortune to stay in a hotel and gave her a generous cash gift. I mean, really, nothing from her? She wouldn’t have gone to the wedding if she had been invited. I’m so disappointed. I feel like even a small gift would have been nice. They have known my daughter since she was little. I’m having trouble letting it go. It just feels cheap. Some of my friends are shocked that they didn’t do anything.
– Giftless
Dear Giftless: You’re right, it would have been nice if they’d sent a gift. When it comes to children and grandchildren of friends, wedding gifts and other gestures for special occasions can become extensions of the central friendship. A gift to your kid is also (perhaps, primarily) a gift to you. So, I can see why this stings.
The answers to two questions might help de-escalate this situation.
First, did your daughter send out wedding announcements? Even if other people know about a wedding or other special event, it simply may not occur to them to send a gift without the trigger of a piece of cardstock in the mail. It’s a weird system, perhaps, but an announcement can serve as an indication that the couple is open to gifts, and help guests figure out where to send them. Without it, life can get in the way and gifts can fall to the wayside.
So, if your friends didn’t receive announcements, this may not be a one-to-one comparison with the weddings to which you were invited.
The second question is, does your daughter have any feelings about this? Often, in life’s biggest events, the gifts you get feel so thoughtful and generous that one doesn’t really think about the gifts that one didn’t get. Is it possible that your daughter doesn’t have the same expectations of your friends?
If so, you’re still perfectly within your right to hold them to a different standard. But, for the sake of peace of mind, it’s important to remember that everyone’s expectations of themselves and of others are different.
Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at [email protected] or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.
Panama plays against Honduras in the Concacaf Gold Cup Quarterfinals tonight. The matchup will begin at 6:15 p.m. CT on FOX. Fans can watch this soccer game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV.
Panama ended the group stage with a 3-0-0 record, and they are coming off an impressive 4-1 win against Jamaica. Notably, the Panama squad has a +7 goal differential at the Concacaf Gold Cup.
In order to win the quarterfinal game, Panama will need a great performance from their star forward Ismael Diaz. He currently leads the Panama offense with five goals in the tournament, and he was able to record a hat trick in his last game.
Honduras ended the group stage with a 2-0-1 record, and they have won back-to-back games. In their most recent game, the Honduras squad defeated Curacao 2-1.
Notably, four Honduras players have scored a goal in the Concacaf Gold Cup this year: Romell Quioto, Jorge Alvarez, Luis Palma, and Dixon Ramirez. If these players can continue to find offensive success this evening, then Honduras will be a difficult team to beat.
Fans can watch the Concacaf Gold Cup Quarterfinals for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV.
