Saturday, October 19, 2002Referendums and amendments on ballot this election day.
Some tax issues mostly are being voted on. My favorite would be a license plate to benefit spaying and neutering.
Constitutional amendment No. 6 calls for an animal-friendly license plate, with a one-time fee of $25 of which $24 would going to a fund supporting spaying and neutering projects. If the amendment is approved, the Department of Agriculture, which would handle the money, would have to develop rules for using the money.
Anti Saxby Chambliss ads
No link for this story. I am being inundated with political ads on my television. Normal partisan crap for the most part. The commercial questioning Max Cleland's courage were offensive. Now there is a anti Saxby Chambliss ad portraying himas a little dog in a circus costume jumping through hoops. The implication is that he jumps through hoops for big business. The little dog is so cute!
your note [] Georgia School Board Bans 'Theory Of Math'
COGDELL, GA—The Cogdell School Board banned the teaching of the controversial "Theory Of Math" in its schools Monday. "We are simply not confident of this mysterious process by which numbers turn, as if by magic, into other numbers," board member Gus Reese said. "Those mathematicians are free to believe 3 times 4 equals 12, but that dun [sic] give them the right to force it on our children." Under the new ruling, all math textbooks will carry a disclaimer noting that math is only one of many valid theories of number-manipulation.
your note [] Friday, October 18, 2002Paula Radcliff and Tim Montgomery have been placed on the IAAF shortlist for athletesof the year.
Britain's Radcliff blew away the woman's marathon record in Chicago last week. She also set the 10,000 meter record during the summer. Montgomery broke the 3-year-old 100 meter mark previously held by Maurice Greene. The athletes of the year will be announced in November.
your note [] Moby now actually on air for Z93 in Atlanta
I decided to listen to Moby this week and really critique his move from country to classic rock. This would be in-depth research. An essay on morning DJs and how they can affect the station they are at.
After the Rush concert on Sunday, which was great, I could not bring myself to listen to morning radio on the way to work Monday and Tuesday. I was spinning the latest Rush cd Vapor Trails instead. I have to let myself down easy from such an incredible concert. Did I mention my girlfriend found herself humming Rush tunes at work?
On Wednesday before I could switch the radio over to Z93 I caught a good gag on a different station, and got so engrossed I completely forgot about Moby.
On Thursday I happened to hear the traffic and news on Z93, but drifted down the dial during the commercials before Moby came on. I ended up listening to NPR all the way to work. I find myself enjoying NPR more and more. My local station, WABE is doing a fall fund raising drive. Might be a nice thing to contribute to.
This morning I finally caught Moby on his new station. That accent is annoying. I never noticed because I've never really listened to him before. Then I heard him announce the Breakfast Beatles, the former morning show DJs gimmick. I don't know why he is doing that, it was a Dan Marino staple. Unfortunately that was the end of my research. During a commercial I flipped to NPR and was fascinated by one of their longer news stories. Before I knew it I was at work
Actually I lied to you. No not about Rush, that was a great show. I never really planned on listening to and doing research Moby. I didn't even know he was actually on the air this week until I accidentally heard him this morning- I figured he wouldn't start for a few weeks. It is true that the accent is annoying, at least to me. I would ask my friends and co-workers what they thought, but nobody is talking about it. It is not really a big deal for anybody I know. Oh well.
your note [] Streaker reveals incompetence.
This is the streaker before he realized that he could not run or walk on ice. After he touched ice he fell, knocked himself out when his head slammed into the ice, and then was carted off on a stretcher.
Thank God for the metal posts between the sheets of glass.
Jim Wooten, AJC's idiot right.
He bills himself as "Thinking Right." I find him to be incredibly partisan, and he spins more than my old Close-and-Play. I can't even get into this column without charts and graphs. I did giggle a few times.
On the left writing for the AJC is Cynthia Tucker
She points out some interesting arguments concerning gun registration and regulation.
Personally, I believe Americans should be allowed to own guns, but have no problem with registration, ballistic fingerprinting, and common sense regulation.
If this happened on the Sopranos you would have said, "Yeah, like that would ever happen in real life."
your note [] Thursday, October 17, 2002I love my dog, however,.......
I don't think I will be using this pet obituary service the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is rolling out should my pet ever pass to the great beyond. Now an ad in the pet marriage section would be whole 'nother thing!
I have heard that Richard Marsh is starting a pet crematorium in Noble, Georgia.
your note [] William Burton points out the flaws of Homeland Security not being subject to civil service rules.
He takes the words right out of my mouth, but puts them down much better than I ever could. Everybody say "political patronage."
your note [] Single male parapsychologist seeks dynamic ghost.
With $20,000 of equipment Scott Flagg, resident whiz kid for the American Institute of Parapsychology, will try to capture proof of a ghost at Moon River brewery in Savannah, Georgia. He is looking for a visual image, a sound, or perhaps a change in the environment like a temperature drop.
"We're trying to determine how, if ghosts exist, they might influence the environment," Flagg, 28, says with the dry demeanor of a lab scientist. "It's a controversial thing, kind of a mismatched marriage between beliefs and a rational mind."
Some parapsychologists do not, however, believe that ghosts are spirits of dead people. Andrew Nichols, a professor of psychology and parapsychology at Gainesville City College, believes that traumatic experiences, such as a death release, causes an energy imprint that some people can later experience.
"It's as though places or objects are capable of retaining memories," Nichols said. "The brain acts as a type of VCR and plays back these type of events."
Due to the sensitive equipment used most readings are of natural occurrences, according to some skeptics. However, they do not see Scott, Nichols, and others as scam artists. Many are sincere scientists with strong beliefs.
"Too many people are walking into these houses and saying `That's your Aunt Mamie's ghost wandering around' with no scientific basis," said Nichols. "It gives parapsychologists a bad name."
Bush will be here campaigning for two Republican hopefuls Saxby Chambliss and Sonny Perdue.
Saxby Chambliss is the candidate that has been running a negative campaign against incumbent Max Cleland. Chambliss has been saying that Vietnam War Veteran and triple amputee Cleland does not have the courage to lead. While Cleland was serving our country in war, Chambliss was busy getting student deferments, or complaining about his knee to the draft board. Chambliss has even less military experience than Bush.
Sonny Perdue is attempting to become the first Republican Governor in 130 years.
Expect traffic screw ups from 11:00 pm till late in the afternoon. Protesters should be starting up shortly after that.
your note [] Wednesday, October 16, 2002Ryan Bolton is 4th pro to drop out of Hawaiian Ironman.
As we rapidly approach Saturdays Hawaiian Ironman World Championship, a fourth highly respected pro has dropped out. America's own 2000 Olympic triathlete and winner of this year's Ironman USA Lake Placid, Ryan Bolton, has pulled out of the race after a bout food poisoning. Bolton, a run specialist, had a three year plan to build up to a high finish at Hawaii. Last year he was 142nd as he raced to get a feel for the Ironman distance and the famed course. This year he planned to mix it up on the run. It is unclear where the food poisoning was contracted.
President Bush, in a late press conference, blamed the incident on Iraq's biological weapons program, and suggested immediate invasion.
your note [] Wasn't this the punch line for a joke?
The DeKalb medical examiner has ruled his death a suicide, though he was shot several times.
Georgia is not to be outdone by Florida.
I still do not see why the military would be given any special voting rights or exceptions over citizens. Any registered voter who is unable to vote on election day may vote using an absentee ballot. To make special rules for special groups of people is, or should be, against the voting rights act.
The story also gives out links for downloading absentee ballot forms and county mailing addresses.
Hey coach, I've been in high school for a long time. Shouldn't college recruiters done recruited me?
Come on! Somebody had to notice that the kid had been in high school for 5 years. Maybe him, his family, or his freshman English teacher?
your note [] Tuesday, October 15, 2002No fornicating in Georgia, please.
I still find it hard to believe that Georgia would have a law on the books making sexual intercourse outside of marriage a crime. No wait, I don't find it hard to believe. Sorry.
your note [] Grandissimo! Cipollini flies like an aeroplano in Zolder!
This was the first Italian pro road cycling title in a decade. Italians pride themselves on their cyclists, and it had been too long.
Cipollini is led out by an incredibly strong Italian team, and sails in for the win. His two main opponents, Robbie McEwen and Eric Zabel wasted energy trying to bump each other off Cipo's wheel to no avail. Neither were going to pass the Lion King in this sprint.
Guido Trenti, the "Italian" racing on the US team did not work for Cipo as many expected. As he said he would, he worked for American Freddie Rodriguez. However at the end it was just the two of them. No other Americans made it to the finish with the lead pack. Guido Trent ended up being the top American fifnisher at 16th, but still did not know enough English to be interviewed by American press- like there would be any at a cycling World Championships.
The full story and all the other races from the World Championships at Cycling News, the only place for your cycling news.
your note [] Analysis of election shows that McKinney was ousted by Democrats, not Republicans
While your vote is a secret, which ballot you choose during primary voting is not. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution analyzed the party selection history of voters in the McKinney / Majette primary. Of the 68,612 voters no more than 3,118 voters can clearly be identified as Republicans, or who have traditionally voted Republican. The others either had a history of voting Democrat or of switching parties often in the past.
Plaintiffs in a lawsuit to have the election overturned were not impressed by the study and still claim some 37,000 Republicans voted in the Democratic primary. Of course, that also is legal, and the suit is without merit in any case. Still it is nice to see that McKinney lost because she alienated members of her district. There is hope in the world.
"Hi this is Daniel. I don't give a crap what you think needs to be done to improve Georgia."
Gubernatorial candidate Sonny Perdue's campaign gives out the wrong phone number in in TV ad campaign. They wanted to know you ideas for improving the state. They must not have wanted to know real bad. Daniel does not seem to care, and is a little pissed.
Calls to the new number will put you in touch with "Dial a Prayer."
Duct tape has a new use, wart removal
The process they describe is rather lengthy. The quicker solution is to firmly apply duct tape to wart, and then pull really fast.
I am trying to picture 3 drunk medical researchers at a party, "No man, I betcha duct tape will get rid of warts! No really! We'll get a grant and see!"
your note [] Monday, October 14, 2002
Does the title indicate that this might be a rant?
Sunday night was the Rush concert I had been waiting for. I had already seen them in St. Louis, but I was really jazzed to see them in Atlanta. Unfortunately I decided to take MARTA to the show. Phillips Arena is right on top of a train station, so you would think this is a good idea. You might even think that MARTA would plan for extra riders heading to a concert, after all, they advertise like crazy to get you take the train to shows and sporting events.
For anybody not familiar with Atlanta, MARTA stands for Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. It is our train and bus system. MARTA jokingly stands for Moving Atlantans Rapidly Through Atlanta, which is like saying Senate Intelligence.
To drive to Phillips Arena from where I live just outside the northern perimeter takes about 30-40 minutes on a Sunday. Since we were taking MARTA we decided to get to the station about one hour and fifteen minutes before the show- MARTA is nothing if not slower than driving.
We boarded the train at the North Springs Station, which is the first, or last station, on the north line. We were lucky, other people had arrived at the station 20 plus minutes before we did, and were on the same train that we got on. As it turns out, this train would not be going all the way to the central Five Points station, just to Lindenberg. We would have to catch another train to go further south.
Just short of Lindenberg station the train stops dead on the tracks. Turns out there is some construction going on, and they are '"single tracking" this part of the tracks. That means we have to wait until no north bound trains are coming by before we can get to the station. We wait for a lengthy time, and finally start making our way slowly forward.
We arrive at the station and are unceremoniously booted from the train, "get off the train now!" A large number of Rush fans, and a few others are stranded on the cramped station- one track and that whole side are blocked off. We are told a train will be there shortly to pick us up. Five minutes later a rent-a-cop with a bullhorn starts screaming at us to back away from the tracks. The next train is out of service and we need to back up. We wait. About five minutes after that another train comes by, northbound this time. Some people are getting worried about making the concert. They go ask the MARTA employees with the radios when the southbound train to Five Points will be here. These employees with the radios, who seem to know what trains are coming since they are announcing that to us, say, "That is a good question!" So much for customer service. People start leaving the station to get cabs to the show. We wait. Another "out of service" northbound train noisily rolls by. We wait.
I am looking at my watch, it is 7:10 and we have 20 minutes to make the show. Finally a southbound trains comes to a shuddering halt in front of us. Rent-a-cop yells through his bullhorn that this train is out of service. It has also come from North Springs and is carrying more Rush fans. We are now packed like sardines waiting for a train. The MARTA employees are not nice, do not care, and would rather we did not keep asking them questions. They have important thing to chit chat about with themselves. At 7:15 our train arrives. There are some pissed off people getting on that train. That we travel one quarter mile to only stop again does not help.
At 7:25 we hit the Five Points station and luckily make a quick transfer. Some people, not trusting MARTA, decide to leave the station and jog the 3 blocks to Phillips Arena. I am a big Rush fan, but there are few sights funnier than a bunch of Rush geeks running down a train platform. At 7:30 we arrive at the CNN station under Phillips Arena. The show starts at 7:30 and there is no opening act. Rush is notorious for starting on time. I don't have Geddy's cell phone number handy. We are all running up the escalator. I am asking everyone if this is the way to the N'Sync concert. One long haired Rush freak gets a standing ovation as he makes a heroic effort to run up the long down escalator. He almost didn't make it. My girlfriend and I run into the arena, grab a Coke and a hotdog, run to our section, and just as we a sitting down the lights go down and the show starts. Its a miracle! Rush actually starts a little late.
The show is freaking incredible! 'Nuff said! Well, maybe I will say more in another entry.
After the show, instead of lounging around while the crowd clears out, my girlfriend and I decide to get our asses out of there. We hit the train station quick, figuring to get the first train out before the crowd. You would think that MARTA would plan on a huge crowd hitting the station all at once, and plan accordingly. Well they did, but now how you would suspect. Evidently, instead of putting a few extra trains on the track to expedite service and make riders happy, what they do is hire a few more people to force riders onto the few trains they have running. We waited at least 15 minutes for a train, as Rush fans packed the platform. When the train arrived they kept it there for almost ten minutes packing riders on. Our car was so packed (how packed was it?), that people were being pushed into the sliding doors as we left the station. If you push on the sliding doors on a MARTA train, the train stops. We stopped many times. People were not in a good mood. We had run into people from the train ride down, and we were all badmouthing MARTA already.
At Five Points we made another transfer and got on a northbound train. Again with the stopping before Lindenberg station. This time the motor was turned off. We sat and watched as out driver went scurrying by. A little while later he came scurrying back by. Then we finally got resume for the Lindenberg station. I am assuming he had to go pull the little rope to restart the motor.
Not only did we get to hang out at the Lindenberg station for a while again, but we got to hang out smelling some type of construction adhesive or other noxious fumes. Now on the way to the concert, getting high on fumes could have been cool to some people, but after the show was a little late. Eventually the right train came, and we made it back to North Springs and our car.
What a disaster the MARTA ride was. Easily over one hour and fifteen minutes each way. No visible planning for extra traffic, horrible customer service, and frequent delays. They advertise for riders, and specifically to get riders going to special events- "Take MARTA, its smarta!" One would think they would try to make it a pleasant experience in hope of attracting daily riders. Nobody I talked with had plans to ever use the train for another event much less on a daily basis. There was a big story in Friday's AJC about MARTA making train upgrades a priority. I have a better idea, how about making customer service a priority?
For Georgia Tech fans, a little George O'Leary humor.
"Hey, I used 'George O'Leary' and 'little' in the same sentence."
your note [] Talking Points Memo discusses the Max Cleland / Saxby Chambliss Senate race.
More specifically, TPM talks about how low Saxby Chambliss is stooping with his campaign ads depicting Cleland as not having "courage."
Max Cleland is a man who lost three limbs fighting for our country. He not only had the courage to go to war, which many Republican Senators and current President and Vice Presidents did not, but he had the courage to get up every day and make his life count for our country. He has served tirelessly. To try and say he lacks "courage" is despicable. I think Saxby Chambliss is a coward for running these attack ads. If he wants to talk about courage he needs to show us his first. Cleland already has.
Media Whores Online and gun control ads.
Democrats have been split over how to bring gun control records into campaign ads while a sniper is lose up north. When Republicans tried to get on the bandwagon first, it cleared the way. As Republican candidates' voting records are shown to be pro NRA, and some candidates appear to owned by the gun lobby group, some people are getting hot. They don't want a tragedy being used to further campaigns- unless they can do it.
your note [] Sunday, October 13, 2002Savanah, Georgia has declared itself the most haunted city. The honorary title has been claimed by other cities, but Savanah may have a case for calling itself thus.
Georgia's oldest city, settled in 1733, has had enough grim episodes for homegrown ghost stories -- a bloody Revolutionary War battle, a harsh Civil War occupation, devastating fires and three deadly yellow fever epidemics (the first in 1820 killed 666 people).
There are many stories that circulate among the city and help with tourism. The honorary title will help. The cities 21st guided tour company just opened. Its name? Hearse Tours.
East Cobb County, a suburb of Atlanta does not have a problem with pre-teens getting in trouble. To help keeping that from happening, one YMCA is sponsoring a Middle School (or Junior High) Night once a month. Youngsters of 11 thru 13-years-old can meet at a safe place and hang out. There is a dance and games going on. No older kids are there to influence them
The parents like it because they know there kids are in a safe enviorment. The kids like it because it is an option to hanging at the mall and movie theater. Educators agree that better socialization skills will develope than would at movies or parked in front of video games. All around, it seems lke a good idea. Now if the parents could just get mre oraganizations or businesses to do something similar for the other weekends.
your note []
Copyright 2002 Tim
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