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By Guy Busby

SPANISH FORT While results were challenged in some other states, Alabamas election went well in November, Secretary of State James Merrill said Saturday.

Merrill spoke at the Stop the Steal rally in Spanish Fort. The event was sponsored by the Common Sense Campaign TEA Party to protest what supporters said was fraud in the November presidential election.

Merrill said careful planning helped the election go well in Alabama despite setbacks in the days before the polls opened.

We know everything went well in Alabama and thats the reason we havent heard anything about it, Merrill said. Its interesting that there are very few people in our state that even know that we had between 800 and 1,000 polling sites in our state that didnt even have power four days before the election because of Hurricane Zeta. But we worked together with our power partners to ensure that everything was in place. When you see that kind of support and that kind of encouragement going together, its clear that things are going extraordinarily well.

He said officials in some states did not follow guidelines set for elections. Many of the states where results were challenged do not have statewide regulations for election procedures.

I know a lot of people are very concerned about the way that the elections went in the other states, specifically some of those states that have been mentioned in lawsuits, but I think the thing that we saw was that people went outside the scope and boundaries of their assigned duties as election officials or chief executives in those states. We had major concerns and major issues that needed to be addressed that people felt like their only recourse was going through the legal process, Merrill said.

Merrill spoke the day after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a suit filed by Texas officials challenging election results in four states that voted for President-elect Joe Biden. Merrill said one problem with some of the lawsuits, including the one filed by Texas, is not the merits of the case, but the qualification of the parties to file a complaint.

One of the problems that you see is that people without standing have actually filed lawsuits, Merrill said. In order for you to make sure that your case is properly adjudicated to reflect the views or you and your fellow citizens in your community, you have to make sure that you have standing so that when it goes to the court of law, theres going to be an opportunity, A, for the judge to agree to hear it and, B, to say that what youre bringing to them has merit.

More than 56 lawsuits have been filed challenging Bidens election. At least 46 of those have been denied, dismissed, settled or withdrawn, according to reports.

Event organizer Lew Campomenosi questioned the Supreme Court ruling but said the decision will make the effort to stop Bidens election more difficult. He said the decision ignored constitutional issues that needed to be addressed.

Lets put it this way, it doesnt make it easy and I think thats part of the problem that were dealing with right now, Campomenosi said. How are we supposed to keep the motivation and stay in the fight? There are state court decision that still have to be made.

Merrill also asked rally participants to support Republican efforts to win two Senate runoffs in Georgia that will determine control of the Senate. He said Alabama residents can send donations to the candidates and volunteer to support the campaigns.

In Georgia, Republican incumbents Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue are challenged by Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. If both Democrats win, each party would have 50 senators when the new term begins, and the tie-breaking vote would go to Vice-President Kamela Harris when she takes office.

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'Stop the Steal' rally held in Spanish Fort - Gulf Coast News Today

Bill Hand|Sun Journal

Since it all seems to be about praising or loathing a vaccine today, I thought this would be a good time to look into the history of a couple of them. This week lets look at the one that most famously got the whole inoculation thing started.

Smallpox makes COVID-19 look like a very small potato. Or it did. Before it was all but eradicated it killed 500 million people in the 20th century alone. Those who caught it had a 30 percent fatality rate, and an even worse 80 percent fatality for infants. Even surviving it was a trip through hell.

An article in the World Journal of History, The Smallpox Epidemics in America

Author S. Forman in his book Dr Joseph Warren: The Boston Tea Party, Bunker Hill and the Birth of American Liberty described it like this:

The head is swollen to a monstrous size, the eyes are entirely closed, the lips swollen and of a livid color, the face and surface of the whole body are covered with maturated pustules, from which issue purulent matter; the miserable being has the appearance of a putrid mass, and scarcely the semblance of a human form remains.

Survivors like Washington carried the scars for life.

The BBCs Richard Hollingham noted that 400,000 people in 18th century Europe died of it every year and, in 1721, an outbreak in Boston took 8 percent of the population.

The one good thing about it was, if you got it once and lived, you probably wouldnt get it once again (well, I suppose if you got it once and died, you probably wouldnt get it again either). But catching it just to get it over with was a pretty dicey game.

Still, they tried a form of it learned from China. Doctors and even ministers (Cotton Mather was one) took dried scabs or fresh pus from victims, lanced open a wound on a healthy person, and slipped the stuff under their skin. As a rule, they developed a mild form of the smallpox -- a few even died but as a whole they came out far better than the full-blown sufferers.

Curiously enough, cows in England had their own version of smallpox a kinder, gentler thing called cowpox that was more of an inconvenience than a killer. Milkmaids who spent a lot of time around these cows sometimes contracted the disease, developing pustules (a grossly descriptive word) on their hands but little more… and they never developed smallpox.

One farmer, Benjamin Jetsy, got an idea from this. In 1774 he scratched the pus from lesions on a cows udder and then got it into the skin of this wife and sons whether he made the scratches to do this, or they already had them, I dont know. The family may have been grossed out, but they never developed smallpox.

In 1796 a country doctor named Edward Jenner in Gloucestershire (the English never have been very good at naming places, aside from London) began hearing stories about the efficacy of the cowpox. He remembered his own childhood inoculation with smallpox and the misery that ensued and so he began to come up with an idea for an experiment. Rats were plentiful of course but he bypassed them when he chose a subject. He chose a child.

By legend he scraped some cowpox pus from the hand of a milkmaid named Sarah Nelms and injected into both arms 8-year-old named James Phipps. James got a little bit sick and Jenner waited for him to recover a bit, and then he took some smallpox fluid, scraped up some of the boys skin and put it in him. He did not develop the disease. He injected him a few more times to see if he would catch it and he did not. I imagine the kids life was miserable. So was Sarahs cow that she caught cow pox from. The beasts skin now hangs in the library at St. Georges Medical School.

Jenner had proven his case. It was the first full knowledge of using a milder form of disease to prevent a harsher form and traditionally, that is what vaccinations have been since that time, with the exception of the new COVID one.

Vaccine actually comes Vaccinia, which is Latin for cowpox. And Vaccinia is such a pretty word that you could name your daughter that, if it werent for the fact that some day, she would find out what it means.

Although he could not have known the real science behind his discovery, Jenner is known as the father of immunology and the creator of the first true vaccine.

Contact Bill at bill.hand@newbernsj.com or 252-229-4977.

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Mr. Jenner and the smallpox vaccine - New Bern Sun Journal

Despite the pandemic, Charleston, South Carolina, is donning its Christmas finery to celebrate the season. Heirloom recipes, treasured traditions and glorious music mark the holiday.

One of the best ways to discover a city is by taking a guided tour. And Charleston is no exception. Numerous high quality tours are available to help capture the holiday spirit.

Get a glimpse of seasonal decorations on the two-hour Charleston Strolls Holiday Walking Tour of the historic district. The route moves along side streets and hidden alleys where carriages and buses are not allowed. Given Charlestons mild wintertime climate, this is an ideal way to see historic courtyards and well-tended gardens.

Most of the congenial, experienced guides are longtime residents. They share their knowledge of fascinating stories and traditions passed down from the citys earliest families. Tour groups stop by the Four Corners of Law, where government buildings come together at the intersection of Broad and Meeting streets. The group then strolls along The Battery overlooking the harbor and through exclusive neighborhoods.

Organized tours offer a chance to see some of the citys renowned antebellum museum mansions adorned with garlands of greenery. The 1825 Edmondston Alston House is decorated in Christmas splendor and has some of the familys original pieces.

The Charleston Tea Party Private Tour is for the discerning visitor who wants to experience Charleston as a guest, not a tourist. Owners Laura Wichmann Hipp and June McKnight are natives who love and know their city. They take visitors to friends private homes and gardens.

This is the ultimate insider experience and a rare opportunity to see the real Charleston. The two-hour walking tour ends with a genteel silver tea service including Lauras homemade calamondin marmalade.

The Holiday Festival of Lights at James Island County Park is an annual favorite through Dec. 31. Two million lights shimmer in a display of charm and wonder. This year the event is a drive-through tour. The park has restrooms, and concession food can be brought to the cars.

Narrated carriage rides through the city are a festive and fun way to enjoy the holiday and learn about Charlestons 300 years of history. Certified guides cover 2.5 miles and 30 blocks of the historic district, pointing out the stories behind the mansions, churches and gardens with historical facts, lore and humor.

Charleston is a repository of art and culture. With a premier collection of more than 10,000 American works, the Gibbes Museum of Art promotes and protects the citys rich cultural heritage. Permanent exhibits feature local artisans portraying the Lowcountrys water themes, as well as the Charleston Renaissance from 1915 to 1945, when the city became a destination for artists. It still is.

Most hotels have Christmas packages. Hotel Emeline has a special holiday spirit package, including welcome cocktails and a $50 credit to the Keep Shop. Emeline, the citys newest luxury boutique hotel, offers holiday meals at Frannie and The Fox restaurant and signature cocktails at a socially distanced window in the Foxhole. The hotel has a spacious courtyard.

Charlestons culinary scene pulls out all the stops for the holidays. Sugar Bakeshop has a holiday menu featuring red velvet cake, a Southern specialty, gingerbread house kits and cookie gift tins.

As an alternative to holiday treats and local seafood, Stellas Greek restaurant is an all-time favorite here. The vibe is lively and friendly, and there is always a line waiting to get in. As I am half Greek, I favored the spanakopita and lamb frites. Menu items are under $20.

A mask ordinance is in place in Charleston and across the region effective in public places and in most restaurants. For more information contact explorecharleston.com or 843-853-8000.

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A Carolina Christmas: Charleston dressed in its best for the holidays - HollandSentinel.com

A Christmas throwback from 2015:

Merry Christmas and I mean it. I like saying it. Something about it makes me feel good and I suspect that's true for a lot of people.

Saying Merry Christmas is not a political issue. It is a simple wish for peace or joy or happiness, if only for a season or just one day.

If you find it offensive, you need to grow up.

Whether you're a Jew, Muslim,Shaolin monkor an atheist,you should accept those good wishes like you would any other. Consider it a once-a-year elevation of the mundane, Have a nice day.

Wishing someone Merry Christmas isn't like proselytizing. No one's trying to foist their religious beliefs on you. It's not about religion at all.

Santa Claus has nothing to do with anyone's faith. He's just a guy in in a cool outfit who comes down your chimney to give you presents. You don't even have to lose any teeth to summon him.

There's no litmus test for being merry. You don't have to believe in Jesus or God or anything to enjoy the spirit of Christmas. Even terrorists can get into it.

All you have do, Achmed, is chill out for a day. You can always blow yourself to kingdom come after New Years.

Earth can be an unwelcoming place, so a day when people wish each other well should be cherished. Merry Christmas is both simple and exquisite.

We wish each other a happy 4th of July without considering the social impact of the Boston Tea Party. Most people don't know the significance of Labor or Memorial Days, but they still tell you to have a good one.

Even people who hate the Irish wish each other a happy St. Patrick's Day. Most of us will never even know the joy of puking onRush Street.

Growing up Jewish, we always searched out friends who celebrated Christmas, just so we could horn in on their festivities.

Still have fond memories of Christmas Eve with the Chelemengos clan.

Even as an atheist, I take comfort in those magical words. Sometimes I try to imagine what it would be likeif we all worked a tad harderto spread a little joy.

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Merry Christmas to you, whether you like it or not - ChicagoNow

In the wake of a popular vote and Electoral College victory for Democratic President-elect Joe Biden, some Republicans are not done fighting for President Donald Trump.

Despite warnings from Senate GOP leadership, several House Republicans are reportedly plotting to overturn the Electoral College results when a joint session of Congress convenes Jan. 6, 2021, to ratify those results.

And the differences among GOP members arent just in Congress. The decision to accept the election results and focus on the future of the party sans Trump has also divided state party officials and elected GOP officials.

But fighting for Trumps unsubstantiated claims that the election was rigged wont stop the inevitable: President-elect Biden will be inaugurated on Jan. 20 as the 46th President of the United States. And Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will make history as the first woman to hold the nations second-highest executive office.

On Wednesday, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson held an oversight hearing to examine the irregularities in the 2020 election. The Wisconsin senator and longtime ally of Trump said the hearing before the the Homeland Security and Government Affair Committee, which he chairs, will go ahead even though he acknowledged that the election results were legitimate.

I havent seen anything that would convince me that the results the overall national result would be overturned, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

Johnsons evolution from ideologically driven standard-bearer of the tea party to one of Trumps most stalwart defenders mirrors the arc of his party over the past decade, The Washington Post reported. With Johnsons term expiring in 2022, Wednesdays hearing could be both the last stand of Trumps most fervent Senate follower and the first act of a post-Trump Republican Party,

The hearing comes the day after Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell congratulated incoming President-elect Biden on his Electoral College victory, and later joined party leaders in warning Senate colleagues to stop contesting the election.

Shortly after midnight Wednesday, Trump retweeted a post that attacked McConnell who won his seventh term last month as NOT a Patriot and said that it was too soon to give up. Republican Party must finally learn to fight. People are angry!

On Jan. 6, in a joint session of Congress, lawmakers will ratify this weeks Electoral College and declare Biden and Harris the victors.

The New York Times reported that Trump loyalists in the House are plotting to challenge the election results in swing states Arizona, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia and Wisconsin on the House floor during the joint session.

There is almost no chance they will succeed. But if they could persuade at least one senator to join them, they could force a vote on the matter, transforming a typically perfunctory session into a bitter last stand for Mr. Trump, The Time reported. Under rules laid out in the Constitution and the Electoral Count Act of 1887, their challenges must be submitted in writing with a senators signature also affixed.

As of Wednesday, no senators had agreed to join the small group of House Republicans, according to the Times, appearing to stand fast with McConnell.

A spokesman for Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee told The Hill the senator has no plan to support the efforts of House Republicans. Lee has been a loyal supporter of the president and campaigned for Trump earlier this year.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as recently as Tuesday afternoon, had not acknowledged that Republicans lost the presidential election, CNN reporter Many Raju tweeted.

The election causing divisions within the GOP were further detailed in a story from conservative digital media publication The Dispatch on Wednesday. The story titled Begun, the GOP Civil War Has shows how state GOP officials have attacked the high ranking state Republicans for distancing themselves from the one-term presidents ongoing fight against official election results.

Pundits promised a GOP civil war if Donald Trump lost his reelection bid. Its here, with ones degree of loyalty to the outgoing president serving as the line of demarcation, The Dispatchs Declan Garvey wrote. Degree is the operative word here, because both sides of this post-election conflict are and have been incredibly loyal to the president.

For example, The Dispatch cited GOP turmoil in Arizona and George where party leadership has attacked Republican public officials for appearing to stand against Trumps unfounded claims of election fraud regardless of their former devotion to the president.

How is it that the governor of Arizona (Republican Doug Ducey) could surrender to the mob and abandon our great President, all while working behind the scenes to undermine and get rid of our brave and beloved chairwoman (Kelli Ward)? No loyalty!, the Arizona Republican Party tweeted last week.

Earlier this month, Georgia Republican Party chairman David Shafer announced that the Republican National Committee would join together in suing the states top election official, Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

David Shafer and the Georgia GOP need to stop passing the buck for failing to deliver Georgia for Trump and actually focus on getting out the vote in January, Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs said in response to the lawsuit, reported WTVM, in Columbus, Georgia.

In Utah, Republican Gov. Gary Herbert and Gov.-elect Spencer Cox condemned Republican Attorney General Sean Reyes decision last week for joining a Texas a lawsuit challenging election results in Pennsylvania and other states that Trump lost.

The Supreme Court, which includes three conservative judges appointed by Trump, rejected the lawsuit on Friday.

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Some Republicans arent done fighting the election and among themselves - Deseret News