Songs In My Head

Saturday Stupids

Oh Lord, grant me vision, Oh Lord, grant me speed

Georgia Blog Carnival

The carnival is in town. Make sure you check it out.

Break

I'm tired of fighting with people about global warming, supposed bi-partisanship, Iraq, tasers, health care and whatever issue has everyone's panties in a wad at the particular moment. I'm tired of explaining to people, both well-intentioned and not, that just because I write in a different venue does not mean I am not just looking for the story. Just like they are. Mostly, I'm tired of a bunch of minor irritants rolling up into one big ball of ugly.

So everybody have a good weekend. We'll start again Monday. Or Sunday, if Phil Kent says something stupid. Okay, see you Sunday.

Welcome to Newt Country!

University of West Georgia College Republicans Chairman David Bachman

Perhaps it was the presence of right wing radio host Sean Hannity, but the "non-partisan" event hosted at the Cobb Galleria by American Solutions definitely had a one sided feel. To search for the "non" in the partisan, attendees walked past a gauntlet of campaign tables inlcuding Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Mike Huckabee and Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss. Nary a Democratic campaingn in sight.

With the official kick-off of the event hours away, the only attraction in the hall was Sean Hannity's live radio show. Hannity's boisterous manner had already caused one member of the local press to flee to a quiet corner in order to file a report. Speaker Gingrich spoke at length with Hannity, promising to begin a grassroots pledge drive on Monday with a guarantee that if $30 million could be raised by October 21, he would throw his hat into the Presidential campaign follies.

The American Solutions event continues on Saturday with a series of workshops at West Georgia College. Univerisity of West College Republicans Chairman David Bachman said he hopes for a high turnout. When asked about the non-partisan nature of the event, Bachman, perhaps betraying the true undercurrent, rolled his eyes.

Things could be different this evening as Democratic National Chair Roy Romer is scheduled to speak at the event. Time will tell if he is met with applause, more eyerolling or catcalls.

Ms. Loafee

If you are regular reader, you know I keep up with the goings on in Florida as well as Georgia. This means I read Blurbex, the Tampa Bay equivalent to our Fresh Loaf. It was with glee that I noticed they recently celebrated their Best of The Bay awards and assisting in the presentation of the honors was Ms. Loafee. Ms. Loafee! Which of course makes one wonder. Does Atlanta have a Ms. Loafee?

Tampa Bay's Ms. Loafee

Atlanta's Ms. Loafie

Know the difference

Photos by Tampa Bays' Joe Bairdi and Atlanta's Joeff Davis

American Solutions

Unless it's a rafting trip, I rarely travel to Cobb County. But the debut of American Solutions intrigues me enough to risk a brief border incursion.

Today at the Galleria, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich rolls out his new policy forum with the goal of moving past politics and finding real solutions.

Move past politics? Rhetorical firebomber Newt Gingrich? An interesting witches brew or cover for exploring larger political game?

Although, the event has a couple of Democratic heavy hitters (Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and DNC Chair Roy Romer), the event proudly promotes an appearance by Sean Hannity. Anything touting itself as non-partisan but invites the most partisan gas-bag on the airwaves certainly deserves some skepticism. However, American Solutions R.J. Briscone insists the goal is to move beyond partisan spew.

I guess I better just go find out for myself.

And I Do One Armed Push Ups Too

First of all, if you love music and you don't read Cable and Tweed, you're an idiot (so much for that easy-going label).

Having said that, we may have some new readers around these parts and I thought it might be helpful to have some background information on yours truly.

So instead of me preening like some farm raised high altitude peacock, here are a few of my favorite moments. Please feel have a look around. But break it and you buy it. A cliche we all know as sure as life itself yet our leaders conveniently forget.


A Life Shattered
Choices
Innocence Lost (The Baseball Series)
The Lifeline of Hope
Thugs
The Response
Peckerwoods
My Morning Wooten (The first ever)
20 Years Ago
The Porn Wars: Love Shack Gets Little Love
Welfare To Work: Ten Years Later

But that's not all! In case you haven't noticed, over to your right is a little thing called Georgia Voices. It is the absolute latest in the Georgia blogosphere. It's a vibrant community and I am proud to call them my friends.

Especially Sara (who had the final word on whether this thing should even be created), the Blog For Democracy Coven (who put up with my crap even when they want to smack me in the head), Rusty and Amber (who remind me that its okay to keep asking questions), Wilson (who keeps having me on his radio show), Cracker Squire (who reminds me that I am still a south Georgia boy), Aging Hipster (who is a kindred heart), Jason (who even when we disagree reminds me what respect is about), Amani (who shows me I have so much to learn), Peach Pundit (who gives me a sandbox to play in), Audacity (who keeps inviting me to things even though I never show up), JMac (who reminds me of something Manuel once said), Shelby (who proves re-incarnation can happen in your lifetime), Jon (who still thinks I should be a Democrat), The Loafers (who listen to the rantings of a madman and offer more than a pat on the head), Grayson (who God knows, to my trepidation, understands the south and particularly the southern man better than most) and of course, Doug, who convinced me I could write just a little.

God help us. Another year almost in the books. Another one about to start. Lord, what a party it's been. What a party it will be.

Boyd Lewis on Mostly ITP

Former Atlantan Boyd Lewis, writer for the Great Speckled Bird back in the 70s, comes home to exhibit his photos at Mason Murer Fine Arts and talk to Georgia Podcast Network's Rusty Tanton about the shangra-la that was Atlanta prior to the child murders and the lack of a true counter-culture in today's politics.

Listen at Georgia Podcast Network's Mostly ITP.

Agree or disagree with his views, but you have to admit he gives one helluva rant.

My Morning Woote...Eh Whatever

There are those days when the tank is a little empty. Today would be one of those days. Of course the last time I said that suddenly I was overwhelmed by items. But today I didn't even take Jim to task for conducting his "internet sample" on Grady.

Well, I can't completely let him get away. Jim, here's a little advice. Instead of opening your door to every troll with a connection, maybe you should check out a few places around the local blogosphere who have been covering this issue. Some of them might actually agree with your position!

Jim, it's rare I give you credit, but I have always been consistent in complimenting you for being one of the first newsmen in the Atlanta area to step through the looking glass of the blogworld. So, perhaps you can return the courtesy by exploring the bright shining lands that are just a few steps beyond your virtual doorstep.

Just some friendly advice from good ol' boy to another. Tomorrow we can go back to feudin'.

P.S. The Insiders already do. Now, you don't want them boys passing you by, do you?

Answering Senator Johnson's Question

We had so much fun with Senator Eric Johnson last year. Surely this session can't get any better, can it?

Senator Johnson asks a pretty simple question.

Just thinking out loud, we ought to look at — what if Grady ceased to exist?

I'll take a stab, Sen. Johnson!

Level 1 trauma patients would have to be flown over 170 miles to UAB in Birmingham? Thus possibly missing what health professionals call the "golden hour"?

Okay, how about this! Convention business would die up since the city would have no facility which could support a mass casualty event?

Still not good enough? Then, let me get right down to the meat of the sitchiation.

We'd be Mississippi. Actually after a bit of research, not only did I find out Mississippi has a Level One Trauma center but the state actually funds it. So scratch that. We wouldn't even be Mississippi.

Grady Resolution

I was just sent a copy of the resolution passed yesterday by the Fulton Dekalb Hospital authority. It does not mandate state participation in exploring Grady's transition to a non-profit entity.

...the Authority does hereby request and authorize the Chairperson to appoint a special committee of Trustees (the "Exploratory Committee"), consisting of such number of the Board of Trustees as the Chairperson shall determine...

It goes on to recommend this "exploratory committee" consult with what it calls an "Advisory Group" which should consist of civic, government, etc. entities. But this is not mandated.

It also ask the new group to immediately explore securing funds to keep the hospital open.

So, we are still at the point of the same people in charge but still asking for money. This is progress?

You can download a full copy of the resolution HERE. Document is in PDF format.

My Morning Wooten

Jim Wooten on the death penalty.

We can either accept that juries reflect the will of the people and, therefore, disparities that superficially appear “arbitrary” will result. Or we can change the system.

David Keaton
Samuel Poole
Wilbert Lee
Freddie Pitts
James Creamer
Christopher Spicer
Thomas Gladish
Richard Greer
Ronald Kleine
Clarence Smith
Delbert Tibbs
Earl Charles
Jonathan Treadway
Gary Beeman
Jerry Banks
Larry Hicks
Charles Ray Giddens
Michael Linder
Johnny Ross
Ernest Graham
Annibal Jaramillo
Lawyer Johnson
Larry Fisher
Anthony Brown
Neil Ferber
Clifford Henry Bowen
Joseph Green Brown
Perry Cobb
Darby Tillis
Vernon McManus
Anthony Ray Peek
Juan Ramos
Robert Wallace
Richard Neal Jones
Willie Brown
Larry Troy
Randall Dale Adams
Robert Cox
Timothy Hennis
James Richardson
Clarence Brandley
John C. Skelton
Dale Johnston
Jimmy Lee Mathers
Gary Nelson
Bradley P. Scott
Charles Smith
Jay C. Smith
Kirk Bloodsworth
Fredrico M. Macias
Walter McMillian
Gregory R. Wilhoit
Muneer Deeb
Andrew Golden
Abolph Munson
Robert Charles Cruz
Rolando Cruz
Alejandro Hernandez
Sabrina Butler
Joseph Barrows
Verneal Jimerson
Dennis Williams
Roberto Miranda
Gary Gaugher
Troy Lee Jones
Carl Lawson
David Wayne Grannis
Ricardo Aldape Guerra
Benjamin Harris
Robert Hayes
Christopher McCrimmon
Randall Padgett
James Bo Cochran
Robert Lee Miller, Jr.
Curtis Kyles
Shareef Cousin
Anthony Porter
Steven Smith
Ronald Willamson
Ronald Jones
Clarence Dexter, Jr.
Warren Douglas Manning
Alfred Rivera
Steve Manning
Eric Clemmons
Joseph Nahume Green
Earl Washington
Willam Nieves
Frank Lee Smith
Michael Graham
Albert Burrell
Oscar Lee Morris
Peter Limone
Gary Drinkard
Joaquin Jose Martinez
Jeremy Sheets
Charles Fain
Juan Roberto Melendez
Ray Krone
Thomas Kimball, Jr.
Larry Osborne
Aaron Patterson
Madison Hobley
Leroy Orange
Stanley Howard
Rudolph Holton
Lemuel Prion
Wesley Quick
John Thompson
Timothy Howard
Gary Lamar James
Joseph Amrine
Nicholas Yarris
Alan Gell
Gordon Steidl
Laurence Adams
Dan L. Bright
Ryan Matthews
Ernest Ray Willis
Derrick Jamison
Harold Wilson
John Ballard
Curtis McCarty

Damn right we need a new system.

The Innocence Project

Grady Deal Under Fire

From an astute reader, prior to today's Grady meeting, folks on both sides were not happy with the way it's being played out. From Insider Advantage.

Dekalb Commissioner Elayne Boyer:

“DeKalb taxpayers pay 30 percent of the local funding of that hospital, yet we haven’t had a say in this plan,” she said. “The audacity of the Grady board absolutely floors me.”

From the New Grady Coalition:

“The plan ignores the issues of Emory University's one-sided contract to manage Grady, Emory's billings and the fact that Emory is Grady's chief competitor through Crawford Long Hospital,” he said. “Tens of millions of dollars are being lost every year because of inadequate documentation and poor oversight'

And did anyone wonder why this past week's Georgia Gang made no mention of Grady? Could it be because regular Georgia Gang panelist Jeff Dickerson was hired by Grady and is brokering the behind the scenes meetings? Guess Jeff is earning those fees this week.

Something must have been done to appease Dekalb since as of 3:00pm the meeting was back on. But from what I am being told, still no vote yet.

Grady Deal Imminent

Political Insider is reporting a deal may be struck within the hour. The Fulton-Dekalb Hospital Authority is meeting right now. Galloway and Baxter Kemper are reporting the result will be the naming of a transition team which will have 60 days to restructure the management to a non-profit entity. It will be composed as follows.

Fulton County will assign two members, DeKalb County will appoint another two. The business community gets two. And the Grady community gets a pair as well. House Speaker Glenn Richardson, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, and Gov. Sonny Perdue name one representative each.

Note the state involvment. If this is true, it will be a huge step. And surely the Insiders will have the scoop.

Phil Kent Loves CREW

Ready for your Georgia Gang howler of the week?

This morning Phil Kent used a report by CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) to criticize Democratic Congressman David Scott.

Why is this funny? Because Kent penned a fire and brimstone tome "exposing" how rich liberals are ruining America and as any good Republican will tell you, CREW is the demon-spawn of leftist boogeyman George Soros.

But what's a little footsie with the devil when there are Democrats to slam?

Saturday Stupids

We need some new pictures

Songs In My Head

My Morning Wooten

Lots of legal talk today. Since neither Jim nor I are actual experts, you can count on accuracy. Right? Right? Bueller?

Headline correction: “Billable hours aren’t everything.” The headline writer neglected to observe that the story was about lawyers. (Of course, billable hours aren’t everything if one earns as much working 15 hours as when working 40, as asserted.)

That's going to cause a few lawyer heads to explode.

The Thinking Right translation service offers as a public service this translation of Jane Kidd, head of the state Democratic Party, referring to the three weak challengers lined up to take on U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss: “We’re still kind of eyeing that one.” Translation: “Surely there’s a rich trial lawyer or a wealthy businessman out there who can self-finance a statewide political campaign.” No charge. Public gratitude is sufficient.

Yes, yes. Better if she had said, "Yep, they all suck." Surely, a straight talking Republican would have done just that.

Headline: “Saudi women want to drive.” Some days I’m for that, and some days I’m not.

Because they are women? Because they might be Muslim? Given the smallness of Jim's worldview, I'm sure it must be one or the other.

Jena, La. Whites hang nooses in a tree on a school campus in September, for which they’re punished with in-school suspensions. Three months later, a white student who had nothing to do with the first episode is beaten severely in the school cafeteria by black football teammates, who are criminally charged. Supporters think the first explains the second. It doesn’t. The beaters may well have been overcharged initially with second-degree attempted murder, but it’s often difficult to get a full and impartial read on stories involving race, as was the case at Duke University.

Instead of wasting precious space explaining all the relevant facts Jim left out here (surprising such a seasoned journalist would omit relevant facts. It would never be intentional, right?), I'll ask the question again. Why were the law and order crowd so quick to jump to the defense of the Duke lacrosse players but eagerly defend the prosecutor in practically every other case of overreach?

There's one common factor in the cases where those of a certain political stripe strongly the defend a prosecutor. Gernarlow Wilson. The Jena 6. But you're smart enough to connect the dots.

Selah.

What Happened Before The Tape?

Maybe this will be the last time I write about this idiocy, but probably not.

One question about the Andrew Meyer incident is why were police already near him at the beginning of the videos?

The police report may provide the answer. From the officer's point of view, jackass had already disrupted the forum once and despite their attempt to remove him, pleas from Senator Kerry swayed them to let him return to the mic. And that's where all the videos begin. With Meyer ranting once again and the officers standing nearby.

From Officer Wise's report.

I noticed the ACCENT supervisor talking to the individuals left in line on the opposite side of the auditorium where I was positioned. I noticed him talking to an individual in line (later identified as Andrew Meyer). This conversation caught my eye due to the student's some what aggressive posturing towards the ACCENT supervisor. At this point I noticed the ACCENT supervisor walking halfway up the aisle on the side of the auditorium and I was signaled by the ACCENT supervisor (sponsors of the event) in reference to the individual. I was stationed at the rear corner of the auditorium during the event. When I approached the area where the microphone was placed for questions for the Senator, a young man was causing a disturbance by shouting loudly at the Senator. The individual began to shout that the Senator needed to answer his question and stated he was going to jail. These statements were made before I reached the individual in question. The individual was later identified by his Florida driver license as Andrew William Meyer. I proceeded to Meyer's location and advised him that he needed to stop yelling and causing a disturbance or he would be escorted off the property. Meyer was stating he had sat in the auditorium for two hours and demanded that he ask his question to the Senator and everyone else in the auditorium that still had questions be allowed
to speak. The sponsors of the event had advised the individuals in the question line that the Senator would not be able to answer any more questions from the audience. Because of this, the question and answer session would be over before Meyer could ask his question. Meyer would not comply with my directions or the staff from ACCENT to leave because the session was over. I grabbed Meyer's arm in the transporter position and began to escort him up the aisle. Meyer was still shouting at the Senator to answer his questions as he was being escorted. Senator Kerry asked me to let Meyer ask his question. At this point he was brought back to the microphone and I stood beside him on the left side and Ofc. Mallo on his right side. Meyer handed a camera to a girl who was also in line to ask a question (this student was actually in front of Meyer's)

And from the point of view of Sgt King who entered from the rear of the auditorium:

When I arrived upstairs, I observed Meyer being very loud and yelling while Officers Mallo and Wise were attempting to walk him out. While they were walking him out Senator Kerry asked them to allow him to ask his question. The officers allowed him to go back to the microphone.

So much for Senator Kerry not attempting to intervene. So much for the "facist", "militaristic" or whatever perjorative you prefer police attempting to prevent an innocent young man's attempt to ask a Senator tough questions.

Grady, Morehouse and Sen. Shafer

Much has been made of the seemingly twisted relationship between Emory University and Grady Hospital. Rightly so. All should be done to ensure it is fair to both participants. But this isn't just about those two players.

What is in danger of being lost in the political brouhaha is the role of Morehouse in staffing Grady and possibly more importantly, the role of Grady in providing Morehouse training ground for future physicians.

In today's Insider Advantage, Sen. David Shafer reminds us all there is more in peril than just the institution itself.

"Emory and Morehouse are both outstanding institutions, and they both provide Grady with excellent doctors," Shafer said. "But Morehouse does not own hospitals that compete with Grady. Morehouse's future is tied to Grady in a way that Emory's s not."

Read the full article here.

Passing Gas

In this week's Creative Loafing, Joe ponders the question of what will do the emissions from all these tunnels certain "transportation consultants" are suggesting as solutions to Atlanta's traffic woes.

Robert Poole, director of transportation studies for the Reason Foundation, told the Legislature's House Transportation Committee that the tunnels would "avoid any interference with the neighborhoods and land uses" and have "no impact on traffic in any of those neighborhoods." At that meeting, he failed to mention there would be structures to ventilate emissions from the tunnel, but acknowledged in an interview with CL that "there would definitely have to be a ventilation system."

And lest you think these tunnel ideas are limited to the interstates, don't forget what one "consultant recommended for the Sembler project at the intersection of North Druid Hills and Briarcliff.

Meanwhile, Back In The Real World

Let's leave the cause junkies and agenda pimps for a moment and step back into the world of real injustice.

Today, in Jena, La., people from across the country have gathered to protest the continued prosecution and incarceration of the Jena 6.

Don't know much about the Jena 6? Here's a good place to start your education.

Taser Use Appropriate

This is the damnedest story I've ever seen. It just will not die. Three days after University of Florida student Andrew Meyer's impromptu episode of jackass, some continue to decry the "brutality" and the "torture".

Well, since we have all now moved onto the "let's roll out our experts" phase, here's mine.

Geoffrey Alpert, University of South Carolina professor of criminal justice currently conducting a study on the use of tasers for the U.S. Justice Department.

Under those facts, the use of a Taser is totally reasonable...It's technically justifiable, but I don't think it was necessary. They could have subdued him with the group of officers they had...The question is whether he posed a reasonable threat to the officers that had no other way to get him under control.

So we have a national opinion, how about the view of some local law enforcement? Orange County (that's Orlando for you non-Florida folk) Sheriff Capt. David Ogden, an expert in the use of force.

...the Gainesville incident appeared to be a "textbook," justified use. Tasers prevent further injury to officers and suspects. Use of force isn't pretty. Nobody doesn't say the Taser doesn't hurt. But the second it's done, it's done.

So, now do we continue to play the tit-for-tat game until the cows come home or shall we all move on to something a little more important than an at worst questionable use of force to get a single jackass under control?

Quote Of The Day

I just saw the weirdest commercial ever. It was on ESPN but was a local spot for some sushi place in Buckhead. Oh, the things they run during Champions League soccer matches. In the middle of all the hibachi madness suddenly the beaming face of a Buckhead Barbie appears and utters:

"Sushi fresher than the boys in Buckhead!"

Later, the commercial ends with another barbie sitting in her car burbling "and they deliver too!" Following her line an asian chef in full regalia pops his head up from the general vicinity of her lap.

I kid you not. Strange times, bubba. Strange times indeed.

The Left's New Meme

In case you thought modern mythological creations were only spawned by the right.

Today's news shows a recognizable shock moment in the annals of a closing society. A very ordinary-looking American student -- Andrew Meyer, 21, at the University of Florida - was tasered by police when he asked a question of Senator John Kerry about the impeachment of President George Bush.

Ummmmmmm, no he wasn't. He was tasered after repeatedly acting in an erratic manner and continuously lashing out out at security officers.

Lies. You can find them at every point on the spectrum.

To Taser or Not To Taser

Video via comments at Blog for Democracy

Yesterday, a University of Florida student was forcibly removed from a John Kerry event. He was forced to the ground and tasered.

View the video and answer this question for me gentle readers. Should he have been tasered?

UPDATED AT 2:06:

Another view of the incident. One which shows just how wildly he was flailing around. For any boneheads who continue to insist this guy is a "non-violent protestor", I suggest you go talk to your elders.



Updated at 3:08: More video including the aftermath. Meyer: "They're giving me to the government...They're going to kill me." This guy isn't an argument for peaceful protests. He's an argument for Haldol.

Mondo Griftdrift

Recent thoughts about local personalities.

Jim Wooten, 9-14-07

Guess Jim missed the reports in July of MARTA turning a profit. But why would a forward thinking transportation advocate report the positives of a major mass transit system when instead you can roll out old saws of perceived incompetence? Thank goodness we can always fall back on the ever effecient, never changing DOT.

Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson, 08-22-07

God, Speaker. Can you make it through a single interview without sounding like the meanest man in Georgia?

Governor Sonny Perdue, 8-7-07

But I've always thought it was one side of the Governor I could always relate to. Instead of the hard-nosed politician, it allowed me to view him as the goofy uncle who at the family reunion suddenly opens the flap on his overalls to moon everyone.

Selah.

Drifting

Things I noticed in my usual morning travels around the Georgia blogosphere.

Amani is pretty much the only local covering the travesty of the Jena 6. If you go nowhere else today make sure you stop by and watch his amazing on the ground footage.

Was it a typo? Or something more? The AJC reports on Democratic Senate candidates fundraising and misses Dale Cardwell's total by a cool $400k. Consistently under-publicized Rand Knight sees boogers in the bushes. Jmac sees sloppiness at the printing press.

Travis Fain has a fascinating interview with Republican economic darling Arthur Laffer. His praise of California's Prop 13 is interesting as I remember it being a short term disaster. I probably need to do a little more research into moment in history as I was pretty young and stupid at the time.

And finally, I once watched Hannah Montana. I didn't get it. What a drag it is getting old.

My Morning Wooten: Lies

Down here you better be sure if you call someone a son of a bitch.

You call someone a son of a bitch, it will be with a nervous laugh of respect and fear or it will be with the grimace proceeding violence.

Describe it in any terms you like, but this is a party under the control of the ’60s generation of leftists. General Betray Us. The betrayal, if we follow the advice of the Democratic field, won’t be just of the American patriots putting their lives on the line, as Gen. Petraeus is doing, but of every friend of America, especially those in Iraq, who walk through minefields based on our promises. ~Jim Wooten

Perhaps Jim, you missed Democratic Congressman Jim Marshall who called General Petraus' testimony "powerful and persuasive".

Perhaps you missed Democratic Presidential candidate John Edward's wife Elizabeth calling out the critics of General Petraeus.

Perhaps you missed the preeminent progressive blog in Georgia decrying the idiocy of the MoveOn ad.

Jim, you aren't a son of a bitch.

You are just a liar.

Saturday Stupids

The word traveled swiftly, up and down the coast, and by nightfall the downtown streets were crowded with people who had come from as far away as South Point and the Waipio Valley to see for themselves if the rumor was really true - that Lono had, in fact, returned in the form of a huge drunken maniac who dragged fish out of the sea with his bare hands and then beat them to death on the dock with a short-handled Somoan war club. ~HST

Chelsea

Huge match today against the Blues at Stamford Bridge. I can hope for a draw and the point. Would an outright win be too much to dream?

Hey nast? How's those Spurs doing?

Songs In My Head

Songs In My Head

Songs In My Head

Songs In My Head

Songs In My Head

Red Molly

Georgia Blog Carnival

Latest Georgia Blog Carnival is up at What A Concept.

Stop by and check out the ever expanding community of Georgia bloggers.

Leave General Petraeus Alone

Houston. We have a meme.

My Morning Wooten

A full plate today.

MARTA hires a new general manager. A year to learn and schmooze, followed by a year to “shake things up” and then one to find another job before the realization sets in that the broken pieces don’t fit back together. Steps one and two may be reversed. In year four, the board finds a marvelous new prospect employed somewhere else. The cycle begins anew. Ho hum.

Guess Jim missed the reports in July of MARTA turning a profit. But why would a forward thinking transportation advocate report the positives of a major mass transit system when instead you can roll out old saws of perceived incompetence? Thank goodness we can always fall back on the ever effecient, never changing DOT.

Any old person who attends a sponsored “free lunch” thinking it’s free probably should have a conservator managing their money. The feds are cracking down on investment firms for luring well-to-do old folks to “free lunch” educational seminars where they’re pushed to open new accounts or make investments. The old people who need protecting are those victimized by con artists such as the one who bilked an 83-year-old north Fulton woman out of $97,000 for a driveway paving. He’d been arrested 40 times in the past 17 years for similar crimes. Lock ‘em up, toss the key in an asphalt truck.

Caveat emptor? Laissez-faire? Jim, did you forget your Adam Smith injection this morning? Or did your heart simply grow three sizes?

Redeveloping Fort McPherson is a boon, a winner every which way. But wait. The good news is bad. Taking the neighborhood upscale could mean that some renters might choose to relocate to places with cheaper rents. This is bad. But on the bright side, it’s another chance for a government remedy. How about a rent freeze?

Ahhhh, there's the free market personality! Perhaps it just took some time for the Adam Smith pill to kick in.

Moveon.org’s full-page ad in The New York Times headlined “General Petraeus Or General Betray Us?” subtitled “Cooking the Books for the White House” demonstrates yet again an eternal truth about America’s loony Left: Unassisted, it will always marginalize itself.

Except not all on the "loony left" agree with MoveOn's tactics. When did Sean Hannity talking points become a primary source for an esteemed newspaperman.

Resistance to allowing Mexican trucks to deliver throughout the United States is driven by pure protectionism, not safety concerns. The administration opts to allow a one-year test. Congress, pushed by the Teamsters and the Sierra Club, balks. Mexico is opening its doors to U.S. truckers.

Wait a minute. We should build a 700 mile long wall because terrorists might walk across a 150 mile wide desert to blow us all to hell but we shouldn't be concerned about trucks crossing the same border and heading to destinations unknown? Oh wait, one argument is an opportunity to attack poor people looking for jobs and the other is an opportunity to attack unions and environmentalists.

Just days after the release of Bill Clinton’s book, “Giving,” wife Hillary lives the sequel, “Giving Back,” returning $850,000 raised by Democratic fund-raiser Norman Hsu. He’s under federal investigation for allegedly paying straw donors to contribute to Hillary and other candidates. When it serves their interests, the Clintons — and especially Hillary — seem to find the company of shady players

Yes, yes. Only Democrats play footsie with questionable characters. Where have you gone Howard Hunt? A lonely nation turns its eyes to you.

Not Fans Of MoveOn

Everyone on the left are just pawns of rich advocacy groups like MoveOn.org, right?

I'm less inclined than ever to believe that these MoveOn efforts really help us. We've pretty firmly established that we Democrats can't act unilaterally in Congress any more than the U.S. has been able to act unilaterally in Iraq, but PFAW, MoveOn, and the other Angry Benson groups don't seem to have figured that out yet.

And in the comments.

I hate MoveOn. That is all.

So much for the massive left wing behemoth intent on ruining us all.

Fred Thompson Represented Terrorists?

Well sort of. He did provide some consultation to a fellow lawyer at the law firm that represented the Pan Am 103 bombing masterminds.

Andisheh at Fresh Loaf has some questions for the rabid Fred Thompson supporters here in Georgia.

My question for Georgia’s FredHeads: What’s conservative and/or Reaganesque about selling your legal services to terrorists who blew up a civilian passenger jet packed with innocent Americans? Sen. Ted Kennedy’s wife RESIGNED HER PARTNERSHIP at her law firm when it accepted Libya as a client. Aren’t conservative Republicans looking for a candidate who’s at least as principled and tough on terrorism as Ted Kennedy’s wife?

Saucy wouldn't you say? I'm not a big fan of digging into the minutae to find a gotcha moment, but it is a fair point that in this day and age of obsessing with candidate's haircuts and pantsuits, Thompson's toe-tapping with the lawyers of indicted terrorists is probably fair game as well.

Why? Why? Why?

Why am I suddenly having flashbacks of Nancy Kerrigan? Do not press play if you are not prepared for blood to shoot from your eyes. (WARNING: very strong language)

h/t: ATLMalcontent

Perspective

As we moved along the Jersey side of the Hudson River towards the George Washington Bridge, I became disoriented. Although, I had only visited New York City once, it always had a sense of familiarity. A collective knowing shared by a billion souls who had seen countless images both moving and still.

Harlem in the north. The Empire State Building somewhere in the middle. And then there it was. In the core of my brain, I could still distinguish north and south but without the most familiar landmark denoting the southern end of Manhattan, I was suddenly dizzy. Lost. As if direction no longer had meaning.

We crossed the GW and a left turn on 125th restored my sense of location. Now, riding hidden, deep in the man-made canyons which criss cross the island, I drew comfort from the embracing closeness of the tall buildings surrounding the grids of streets. Avenues run north and south. Streets run east and west. And people moved on them all. With the casualness of tourists and the determined focus of the residents.

The fleeting feelings of dislocation may never leave the deeper conscience but the wakened mind recovers. It chooses to find stability in the faces of those who continue and eventually it may even find solace when viewing the scarred face of their city.

Fredheads At 5 Seasons

It's a day of Georgia bloggers in the media! Grayson, stringing for HuffPo's Off The Bus, caught up with the Fredheads at 5 Seasons Brewing for their Draft Fred Thompson party.

What Is Goin' On: Griftdrift On Voter ID and Taxes

Wilson of What Is Goin' On and I had one of our live on-air chats this morning.

You can listen here.

We discuss the recent ruling which upheld Georgia's Voter ID law and also the Glenn Tax.

Tunica: Another View

Max Shapiro has an excellent write-up of my World Series final table. You can read his view of "the bluff" and the "bad beat".

He also gets the board right on my "bad beat" play. It was a 9 instead of a 3 on the flop. But as Max correctly states, it was in the middle of a flurry of huge hands and I guess I just remembered. Not hard to do after such a horrific beat.

Departure Tunica

I'm headed home. Should be at the meeting hall about 4:30. First round's on me boys.

Tunica: Third

Third. But close. Oh so close.

At 3 hours I was the chip leader. Possessing 2/3 of the chips in play and only three players left. But poker is fickle and soon I was back down to having about the same as the other two. That's when it happened. The bad beat which I knew must come.

In every tournament, to reach a certain level of success, two things must happen. You have to get lucky and come from behind and you have to weather some horrific injustice. Last night I told you about my one lucky draw. But for two days, I had not suffered a really bad beat. There had been a few minor bouts of annoyance but not the truly devestating tragedy from which a player might not return. Every poker player knows it's coming. They all pray it doesn't come late.

Three hours into the final table I had outlasted five other players. By playing my usual tight aggressive game, I had stayed above the table average the entire session. With three players left, I called an aggressive player's all in and doubled up. The very next hand a young but very good player bluffed me off 30 grand. The hand following that all three of us got everything in the middle. Post-flop I only had an ace high and knew I was probably behind at least one player but given the chance to win the tournament right there, I had to call. I didn't improve and they both caught. Now we were back to all three nearly even.

For a while we jousted and then it happened.

In the small blind, I picked up KK. The button folded. I knew the big blind was an aggressive loose player so I bet 18 grand into him. He called. The flop was 3-5-8, all hearts. Potential danger but given his ability to play anything I felt he probably did not have the flush. Plus, one of my kings was a heart, so unless he had the ace of hearts, I still had outs.

I led out for another 20 grand. He pushed all in. Don't ask me how because this is where poker voodoo comes into play, but I knew he didn't have the flush. I called. He turned over 7-9 of diamonds. He actually did have the inside straight draw, so I suppose you could call his move a semi-bluff.

At this point, I was a near 90% favorite. And then it happened. The turn was the six of spades. He made the straight. But it wasn't over yet. Any heart on the river, I win the hand, take him out and have a huge advantage for heads up against the final guy. The river was the 2 of spades.

It took some time to count the chips involved, so I slowly walked around the tournament area. We had a small crowd watching and I could see the sympathy in all eyes. But there was wisdom in the faces of the older players. They had all been there before and they understood as did I that sometimes it just happens. Life ain't fair and poker is less so.

Down to 15,000 with blinds at 3,000-6,000 plus a 500 ante, I had one move. I went all in the next hand, didn't improve and it was over.

It took me some time to pull myself together. I admired the young guns I played with, who as soon as they were eliminated would immediately leap to another table and start playing again. Maybe with age comes the need to process everything before you move on. Maybe I was just tired and my brain isn't as lean as it once was.

Maybe after two days, nearly 15 hours of complete focus, I just had little left. But as I walked out, an older gentleman was there to shake my hand and wish me congratualtions. I met him the day before and although he was playing across the way, he kept coming over to see how I was faring. I realized the little I had left was the comfort of meeting some great people.

Like the gentleman farmer from Iowa and his daughter who were waiting for his wife, her mother, to return from visiting kinfolk in Alabama and join them for the weekend. Like the pilot who enjoyed gambling, good conversation and upon seeing my PBR shirt told me about a rich client who refused to board any plane which didn't have his favorite beer. Like the young man from Missouri who described his hometown as so small if you held your breath you could drive all the way through it. Like the young players who were so intense, so prepared and so hard, but eventually caused me comfort just from having their professional demeanor near by.

Tomorrow, I leave Tunica with a little cash in my pocket, some pride at my success and the renewed belief that in life there will always be the good, the bad and the ugly, but for the most part, poker people are still good people.

The Glenn Tax

Much has been written on Mr. Speaker's GREAT tax plan.

While digging around in my archives, I found something I wrote back in May.

The point is tax reform can be a good and noble effort. But it cannot be haphazard. It cannot be slash and burn. It cannot be a bit of salve here and there to make us all feel better. It must be comprehensive and full of hard choices. And it absolutely must include a discussion of spending and how it can be controlled...So yes, the Speaker's plan is a little nuts. But in a grand scheme might not be such a bad idea. The problem is the devil is in the details and we have a hard time facing the devil.

Read the entire "The Ugly Side Of Tax Reform" here. Also, note in the comments, Rusty had already sniffed out the problem of handing so much control to state government.

They Want To Do What?!

The already controversial Sembler Project on North Druid Hills Road just got a little hotter and a lot weirder.

A consultant brought in by non-profit Livable Communities Coalition to try to find a way to bring the neighborhood and the developer into the sphere of agreement has proposed submerging a portion of the area's road grid. Not kidding.

What is this latest obsession with underground roads?

A sidenote. Who spearheaded hiring said consultant? Commissioners Kathy Gannon and Jeff Rader. This would be the same duo who fought so hard for passage of the rezoning of Emory Village to allow a four story multi-use development. Two controversial developments in less than two years. Makes you wonder who they are working for doesn't it?

I think this is a story the Drift will start following a little more closely.

Hatin' On Everyone

Many moons ago, I told Wilson, "I start with the assumption that both sides are wrong and look for a third way".

The year long fruforal over Georgia's Voter ID law is a prime example.

Republicans proudly thump their chest and preach to the masses how they are protecting the God given right to fraud free elections. All the while ignoring there has never been a case of voter fraud involving falsed identification at a polling place. Also, conveniently ignoring the one voting method with proven fraud, absentee ballots, is primarily used by their consituency.

Democrats wail through gnashing teeth about how those without photo ID are the poor and disenfranchised. As with the Republicans, they also rarely talk about how this group is part of their constituency. They might gather some sympathy if they could find even one person affected by the law. Out of 6 million eligible voters. Just one.

It may be time for everyone to find higher horses to sit on. Cause the growing manure may just bury the current ones.

My Morning Wooten: Weather Edition

Too much pork for just one fork.

One day before Hurricane Dean hit Mexico, Texans were being urged to prepare for possible evacuation. We’re now up to Felix and from one day to the next, scientists cannot speak with certainty on the path of a hurricane. But the computer models that predicts global warming’s catastrophic future are taken by many as the gospel. But of course mass starvation was to be our future too before the Green Revolution.

Actually, the National Hurricane Center predicted a Yucatan landfall for Dean about five days out. Still, the Center always cautions to not depend too much on predictions over three days. Three days out, the NHC had Dean's second landfall in the central part of Mexico.

Of course, Texans were "urged" to be prepared. Note there were no required evacuations, only a cautionary message. Why? Because, although Dean was almost certainly going to hit south of the border, indeed, there was a small chance the storm could move north and being prepared is being prudent. In the end evacuations weren't necessary, because the initial predictions of those darned scientists were pretty much dead on.

But why acknowledge that due to new computer modeling the NHC has had a startling record of accuracy for the past three years when you can simply spin tales to support a political agenda that seems to oppose good science? Probably the same philosophy which lets you ignore the fact that both Dean and Felix turned into Category 5 bombs after entering the increasingly warm waters of the western Carribean.

As far as the "green revolution", population explosion fears in the 40's absolutely did lead to technological innovations, including the conservative darling DDT I might add, in food production which saved millions of people world wide. Some also argue the stability provided by families actually being able to feed their children kept certain third world countries from becoming petri dishes for communist revolution.

Why do you hate the fight against communism, Jim?

There's more craziness in today's column but instead of listening to me further, feel free to read for yourself using the asshattery of this initial paragraph as a prism of common sense and reality.

Tunica: Final Table

Event 9

Buy-in: $500

Entrants: 157

Status: Made the final table

After almost 11 hours of poker, I made the final table. My brain is pretty much jelly at this point so not much of a recap. I will say a critical hand was when we were down to 15, I was all in post-flop with an open ended straight against a high pair. I rivered the Ace to make broadway. Sent the poor guy packing and I was back in the hunt.

So now tomorrow. Final table starts at 4:00. I am second in chips. But there are some tough players left. But it's all gravy at this point. No matter what, the trip has paid for itself. And that's always a good day I suppose.

Now I'm going to drink a beer and stare at the TV for a while.

Tunica: Day Two

Today Event 9.

If I go deep, I'll be staying one more day. If bounced early, it's back to Atlanta. And of course the circadian payback of enjoying three days of central time.

Tunica: End of Day One

I am finally at the end of a long up and down day in my little poker world. I'm going to give a quick snapshot and for you complete poker geeks at the end will be a critical hand break down.

I didn't play very well but didn't come out badly. The first event was a $5oo buy in event. Previous days had around 250 players. Today there were only 211. Later, I heard the reason for the low turnout was they had several refunds due to the starting chips stacks.

Normally in a tournament this size you would start with 4000. This one started with 2000. I thought it was odd but just adjusted my play. Smaller chip stacks mean more action and aggressive play.

I quickly built my stack up to almost 5000 by slowing playing a set of tens and then taking out another player with my KK over his QQ. For the next hour, I bled a little but nothing critical. When they finally broke our table, I was down to about 3800 with the average stack sitting at about 2300.

My new table was much less friendly and on the second hand I picked up QQ. That's a dangerous hand at a new table where you have practically no information on the other players. It turned out to be a critical hand in my tournament life and by the end of it, my stack was more than cut in half. For a detailed breakdown of the hand, read all the way to the bottom.

After that I floated around like a wraith for almost two hours but couldn't make any progress. Eventually I went all in with A-8 and a kid in a Texas Longhorns hat who also was pretty short called. He had A-10. His held up and I was out.

I felt like I didn't play very good poker. I was far too tentative and far too ready to be pushed around. I let others put me to the decision and that is a recipe for failure.

I drank a few beers and decided I needed one more taste. I played a $125 single table tourney and won, raking in $500. I was virtually even again and felt I was back on my game.

I played another of single table tourney and was doing well again. With only six players left I had 4000. Well above the table average. But after some dead cards and some bad beats I was out in fourth. But I didn't care because this table was the most fun of the day. Skilled players but people that mostly wanted to enjoy playing poker. Despite the loss it was a pleasant, stress free end of the day.

So the final tally for day one is a net loss of $250. Not good but not disastrous. Tomorrow, I will play in the next $500 main event. It should be with the regular amount of starting chips and a larger field.

Critical Hand: What follows is my critical hand of the day. I made two disastrous mistakes. See if you can spot them. I'll reveal what I think they are at the end.

Situation: 9 Person table. You've just been moved to it about 10 minutes previously and have very little information. The blinds are 25/50. You have 3800 and the average chip stack in the tourney is 2300. You are fourth position or two after the big blind.

Third position folded and I look down to see QQ. This is a dangerous hand in early position and I don't know anything about anybody so I want to discourage action. I raise to 200.

Position 5 calls. Everyone else folds. Pot is now 550. Position 5 has me covered. He's second big stack at the table.

Flop coms 5-6-9. Two spades. I bet out 300. Positon 5 raises to 600. I re-raise to 1200. Position 5 goes all in.

Uh-oh. At this point, I go into analysis mode. He has a large stack so he can afford to speculate pre-flop. Based on that I believe he would call a 4x big blind raise with one of three hands: 78 suited, some sort of middle pair like 66 or a couple of high suited cards which is now giving him the flush draw. This is a bad spot. My best case scenario is a pair of high cards which have him on the spade draw. That's actually in his favor. Anything else has me crushed. My read was he hit the set on the 55 or the 66. So after much consternation, I folded after losing over half my stack.

Although he did not show his cards, based on table chatter afterward my guess is my read was wrong. I believe he probably had something like A9 of spades. Still not a great opposing hand with your life on the line, but if I had called I would have had the best hand at the moment.

So where did I go wrong? Did you guess? Here are my thoughts.

This is a classic example of what some call going down a dark tunnel. You keep stepping forward never realizing the darkness is closing around until it's too late.

My pre-flop action was absolutely correct. And my read that most likely the flop didn't help was actually also correct. My mistake came on my bet. I was out of position with straight and flush draws all over the place. You do not want action in this position. I bet 3/5 the pot. That's an action bet. Not a discouragement bet. I should have bet about 500, almost the size of the pot.

My bad first bet led to his inevitable raise. Now I make the more critical mistake. At this point I should realize I have stepped into the dark tunnel and decide to either rush forward or get the hell out. The only move forward here is all in. If he has hit his straight you are dead, but if he has anything else, you have put him to a decision. No limit poker is about putting a man to a decision.

Instead, I made a stupid double bet. Not nearly enough to scare him off and more importantly giving him the momentum back. He immediately goes all in, so suddenly I am put to a decision. Did you see how quickly it went from me forcing him to make a decision to his forcing me to make a decision?

So the end result of my two bad decisions in one hand was losing half my stack. The result of this loss of chip leverage resulted in me being crippled for the rest of the tournament. With my options limited, eventually I ran out of room to maneuver and then ran out of chips.

All because of the seemingly small mistake of betting 300 instead of 500 into a 550 pot. Butterfly wings that become hurricanes.

Tunica: WSOP Circuit Event

Today Event 8.

2 goals. Make it past 6 levels. Make it into the money. Goal number two may be difficult as the past two events of this nature have had about 250 entrants. It would mean I would have to outlast about 225 players. In Atlantic City, I outlasted over 300 but in smaller tournaments there are fewer idiots.

Back later this afternoon. Hopefully much later.

Sen. Shafer's Grady Audit Review

What does a state senator do on his holiday? He reads a mind-numbing audit of a local institution. Awwwwww, what wonkiness.

Senator David Shafer (R-Duluth) spent his labor day poring over the recent much ballyhooed Grady audit and came up with some interesting conclusions.

According to the report, Grady requires Morehouse faculty physicians to provide 12 times as much documentation as Emory physicians. That is completely backwards. While Emory physicians divide their time between Grady and Emory’s own hospitals, Morehouse doctors practice only at Grady. If the two schools are to be held to different standards, it should Emory that is required to keep more records, not Morehouse.

Perhaps it's time for Morehouse which does not have a competing hospital to take a larger role the administration of Emory?

Arrival Tunica

Back in Tunica. Ain't much changed. Except I'm staying in the casino "resort" which means a short shuttle bus ride over to the gaming. I had a momentary scare when they did not have my reservation. Pretty soon we figured out I had reserved for next week! Fortunately the hotel had a room for this week. The silver lining is I got better rate. The silver lining was then ripped away as I have to pay $10 a day for internet access. Such is karma.

Now time to catch up on teh blogs, then head over to the casino for some dinner and maybe a few single table tourneys.

Headed West

So what does a degenerate gambler do after he's finished his fourth fantasy football draft? How must the jones be sated? You head west to Tunica, MS for the World Series of Poker Circuit event. Hitting the road. More tonight.

Labor

Tip em well. They work hard so you can have fun.

Felix

Wow. Felix got big and bad fast. From tropical storm to category 4 in less than a day. This is the bomb effect of the western Carribean and the Gulf I mentioned earlier. Looks like the Yucatan is about to have another bad week.

"Staggering Numbers"

Everybody's poring through the Grady audit. On this morning's Georgia Gang, Dick Williams alledged Grady provided $37 million in health services in fiscal year 2006 to counties outside Fulton and Dekalb. I haven't verified Dick's numbers but if he is correct, to paraphrase his later conclusion, you start adding that up over a number of years and pretty soon your talking about real money.

We've all always wondered how beholden the rest of the state is to Grady. We may now finally discover the hard truth.

Songs In My Head

Saturday Stupids

Late start probably means a late finish

Saturday Funny

Creative Loafing's Andisheh Nouraee holds an important press conference on his sexuality.

Songs In My Head

Songs In My Head

Songs In My Head