Gators Are Interfering With My Drinkin!

The day after I discuss a rafting trip with my gang of degenerate drunks, there's another gator in the Hooch!

Of course this made me nostalgic for the Great 2007 Gator Incident.

Photo courtesy of DNR

My Morning Wooten

As we travel towards the end, I have shirked in my Wooten duties. Reasonable Jim showed up today and I nearly shirked past once again. But there are a couple of morsels today too tasty to resist.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorses, in principle, a Palestinian state next door — on the condition that it is demilitarized and that the Palestinians recognize Israel’s right to exist. Fat chance. Wake me when other states in the region accept, without some poision-pill condition, Israel’s right to exist unmolested.

Jim was apparently asleep in 1978 (Egypt) and 1994 (Jordan). Of course, given who was in power at the time of those two peace treaties, is it any wonder Jim's memory is a little fuzzy?

Ever notice how seldom somebody identified as “activist” has a real job, especially a real job in the private sector?

Off the top of my head, I can name a dozen "activists" I know personally who have jobs in the private sector - including two small business owners.

Once upon a time, thoughts of the Atlanta Constitution turned to Henry Grady's "New South" and Ralph McGill's snapping Gene's suspenders. I'm not here to conflate a single sentence blurb in a column of random thoughts with the downfall of a legendary newspaper. But, it is important to remember that there was a time when great men walked those halls and those great men recognized the power of their position and they grasped with fierce determination the unsheathed pen and used the magic of that instrument to promote the betterment of the city and the people they so loved.

It's only a single sentence, but there is more myth spun out of that single sentence than ever emerged from Joel Chandler Harris' house down in West End. Worse, it is a myth designed not to raise up our city - our people - our new south. Instead, it is a mealy mouthed myth of marginalization - of exclusion - of disdain.

You're better that this, Jim. And what's worse is you know it.

A Couple Of Oldies But Goodies

I can be harsh with my written word. I don't apologize for this vanity. If I did, my mentor from beyond the grave would surely rise up to threaten me with grievous bodily harm

But I've always believed in keeping the conversation going.

My recent screed about swgalibertarian's behavior and Daniel N. Adams response cause me to reflect on some of my early ramblings about libertarianism.

So, here they are back from the dead for your perusal.

The Sensible Libertarian

The Outsiders

Although I don't consider myself truly a libertarian anymore, with the recent disaffection of many Republicans, there are many interesting goings on in the little party that could. Feel free to navel gaze at your pleasure.

Welcome To The Weird, Bubba

Everyone knows the Libertarian Party has its kooky elements. But there are those surprising moments when someone you think is reasonable flies completely off the rails.

The recent tweets of one swgalibertarian:

I'm sporting blue in protest of the #iranelection hysteria, since the US is no better and we need to concentrate on our own home first

@griftdrift the only proof you offered was the two parter about mullahs and blood, but I showed that mullahs == Party Chairmen

So. Our south Georgia friend's thesis is the chair's of our political parties are the equivalent of theocratic dictators and our elections are no better than those held in an Islamic theocracy.

For a moment, let's put aside how that plays and simply compare two contested elections - 2000 in the U.S. and 2009 in Iran

2009 Iran - Elections (like all elections) are verified by a religious leader who proclaims it is the will of God.
2000 U.S. - Disputed results in Florida are ultimately ajudicated by the U.S. Supreme Court and then validated by the U.S. Electoral College


2009 Iran - People are killed
2000 U.S. - People in various states of dress scream a lot at each other and some faint from the Florida heat


2009 Iran - The military is a visible presence in the streets.
2000 U.S. - The only military involvement is a dispute over the counting of absentee ballots from overseas bases.


2009 Iran - Paramilitary organizations invade dorm rooms and terrorize students
2000 U.S. - Student activists invade party offices and generally make asses of themselves


Yep. Exactly the same.

Your Weirdness For The Day

The strange saga of Rep. Tim Bearden and the city of Carrolton has simmered all day.

The quick summary is the hyperlocal CarroltonGeorgia.com sniffed out payments from the city to the local legislator for undefined services.

As is sometimes the case, the blog hit a stone wall with city officials unwilling to go on the record. Enter Creative Loafing, who talked to the city manager and was rewarded with this bit of weirdness.

He said Bearden often leads programs and initiatives and assists with some matters “you can’t talk about.” Coleman elaborated on the statement about Carroll County black ops missions, saying many of those efforts, for legal reasons, are not open to public records.

Black ops missions? Are they conducting Psy-Ops against Anniston in preparation for our invasion of Alabama?

Good to see Georgia politics getting back to the backwoods bizarre that is the norm.

The Linking! Oh! The Linking!

I would never quote a blogger. ~GPB's Susanne Capaluto - June 7, 2007

...without the mainstream media, what are bloggers going to link to? ~ATLMalcontent (handle for a local print journalist) -March 15, 2009

Earlier this afternoon, the AJC linked directly to a TMZ story about Chastity Bono's transition from woman to man.

Tonight, the original link is gone, replaced by a link to AJC sister site Access Atlanta's story on the subject. Actually it's a link to the Access Atlanta story which is a copy of the Associated Press story.*

Yep.

Gonna have to think for a while about those in the traditional media who judge my ethics.

Yep.

Okay. Done.


*Yes, I know the AJC pays for access to AP stories. Please don't think I need that explained for the 100th time

Why I'm Not A Liberal

Weed is my favorite theoretical example for defining the differences between modern conservatives and modern liberals.

Conservatives says weed is bad therefore we must ban it. Liberals says weed is no worse than alcohol so we should legalize it - but then tax the bejeezus out of it.

I think you can see the parallels to my weed hypothetical and these comments by Dustin at UGA Liberal.

I must agree with them that, in this point of time in democracy, access to the information on the internet is vital to everyone. It should be a basic human right...That is not to say that it should not be regulated.

I hope this is a case of sarcasm not translating well over the internet, but I suspect it's not.

Ambassador Adelman?

Galloway as usual has the scoop.

We understand that representatives of the U.S. State Department have been in the Capitol, asking background questions about state Sen. David Adelman (D-Decatur). Republican and Democratic colleagues have been interviewed, we’re told.

Adelman's gain would be Georgia's loss. He is one of the few sane ones under the Gold Dome.

A piece I wrote about him in 2007.

My Afternoon Jay

Would we all wade so deep in the minutiae if it were something about which we did not care so deeply?

Now, Jay Bookman is taking Karen Handel to task over those pesky voter database searches.

So, casting the state’s policy in the best possible light, Handel’s approach may have found as many as 30 illegal voters. But that is far outweighed by the invalidation of hundreds of legal votes cast by U.S. citizens, and by the fact that thousands of additional citizens were effectively discouraged from voting by additional obstacles put in their way.

Hundreds.

Thousands.

You know I expect this kind of stuff from Cynthia Tucker, but despite CB's howling, I expect a little more sense from Jay.

One of the problems with the left's arguments about these purges is even when they're right (which technically Jay is), they end up making people shrug.

Jay has a valid point that ultimately the database search produced somewhere between 30-300 potential voter fraud cases. As has been said before, Handel is using a sledgehammer to kill a fly.

But in explaining how he arrived at that number, Jay presents the breakdown of how many voters were actually affected by these database queries.

About 4700.

Out of 4 million around 600,000.

That's .1% .5%

But that's not all. What was required of those 4700?

They had to go down to the registrar's office before the election and show proof of citizenship.

Wow. That sounds tough. So tough, that 2000 actually passed through the struggle and accomplished the task.

So what happened to the other 2700? Well, 600 showed up and were required to complete a challenge ballot. They were also required to show citizenship within 48 hours. Amazingly, 370 were able to accomplish this monumental task.

So what is the final tally? About 2300 people out of 4 million were arguably disenfranchised from their right to vote.

But too often this is the way of things with liberals - if ain't perfect, we gotta pursue it with a thunderous righteous fury. And I guarantee you, sometime in the next week, when I am arguing with one on this very subject, even if I agree that there is some injustice, when I point out it is a fight they will never win because people will see those numbers as absurd, they will still angrily disagree and search for another windmill to stab.

CORRECTION: As Sara pointed out in the comments my numbers were off because I was doing vote totals from the last election instead of new registrants during the last cycle. The numbers above reflect this change. But as I indicated in the comments, it does not change the figures so drastically that my perspective or point has changed.

My Morning Wooten

As we near the end things just get plain weird.

When Atlanta traffic cameras produce 49,322 citations in one year at one intersection Freedom Parkway and Boulevard), you’ve got to wonder whether the real problem’s motorists, designers or a quick camera. Second-most citations (19,101) are issued at Cobb Parkway and Windy Hill Road in Marietta. All intersections with traffic cameras should have a timed count-down warning to approaching motorists. While that law’s being drafted, a section should be added to prohibit the use of mobile radar cameras, which have triggered road rage in other states.

Uh, Jim. We already have a "count down warning". It's called a yellow light. Unfortunately for us all, somewhere in the recesses of time, a peculiar gene was bred into Atlantans causing them to speed up when they see yellow. Thus, the ridiculous amount of citations.

First lady Michelle Obama, following in the footsteps of predecessors who took up causes, appears to have settled on improving D.C.’s schools. A better idea: Promote marriage.

How? By getting married again? Improving a school system isn't good enough because it's not Jim's pet project. Welcome to bizarro-land.

The great mystery of the subprime mortgage debacle is how reform, however structured, can both protect people from themselves and make loans “affordable” to people — whatever their income — who have been irresponsible with money and credit. The left’s solution is to force lenders to write-down debt and to force responsible borrowers to subsidize the irresponsible. AJC reporters Carrie Teegardin and John Perry nail it with this observation in Sunday’s analysis : “Subprime borrowers and investors bet heavily on rapidly rising home prices and cast aside the basic rule of lending: making sure the borrower could afford to repay.”

A classic Jimism - say something is spot on then ignore the parts that don't jibe with your pet theories. Let me repeat the salient passage with the assistance of the cap lock key: "Subprime borrowers and INVESTORS bet heavily on rapidly rising home prices". In Jimworld not only did the left force lenders to give to unqualified borrowers but they also forced them to gamble in unstable markets. The power of the left. It never ceases to amaze.

New cars may be losing their allure, as some urban-dwellers suggest. But it’ll probably take more than one San Franciscan selling her 2006 Toyota Corolla and using a car-sharing company to make the argument convincing. Much of what passes for prognostication is people wishing-in their agenda.

I'm a fairly voracious consumer of news and I have no idea what this is about. Sure would be nice to have one of those link things.

I don’t know which new chain stores coming to Atlanta to go ga-ga over. AJWright opened its first three stores here and nobody gushed breathlessly at the prospect of cheaper clothing, as they’d done for Ikea’s cheaper furniture and Trader Joe’s cheaper wine.

I have no idea what the point is here. That people like booze and beds better than clothes? Told you this was a weird one.

USA Poultry & Egg Export Council Vice President Toby Moore, formerly of Wadley, is among those speakers of native Georgian “distressed to the point of insanity” about those who mangle the pronunciations of our beloved towns, cities and counties, especially those in the metro area. His guide to newcomers: “McDonough is pronounced MAC-DON-uh. It is not MIC-DUN-uh or mic-DUN-uh. … Coweta County is a matter of inflection: COW-EAT-a. It’s not cuh-WEET-a.”

Don't forget luh-FAY-ette, KAY-roe, BURR-lin, VIE-inna and all the other weird Georgia town pronunciations. At first, I thought to myself, this is a pretty weird bullet and even weirder that it was coverted into the headline. Then, I decided given the strange tone of the whole day, it fits just right.

Selah.

The Transparency Shield

In Decatur, as the Atlanta Journal Constitution continued scaling back local operations, hyperlocals such as DecaturMetro and inDecatur began filling the gaps left behind. Inevitably, the nascent exploration of areas long held by the media giant led to conflict. Discussions of what constituted journalism and appropriate credit spawned spirited discussions across the town square of the new media community.

70 miles away, Dr. Lee Becker, a professor of journalism and proprietor of the online site Oconee County Observations, inadvertently provided a perfect case study of the clash between traditional and new media.

His piece"Oconee Officials Met Secretly To Discuss Assembly Session" set out to expose possible shenanigans by his hometown politicians, but what followed was an easily traceable timeline of a typical old/new media convergence and then divergence.

On 5-23, Becker published his story about potential open meetings violations by the Oconee County Commission. Given his background and the thoroughness of the research and sourcing, there can be little doubt the piece should be considered journalism. However, what happened next raised familiar ethical and philosophical questions.

The next day, Athens Banner Herald staff writer Adam Thompson picked up Becker's story and published it on his ABH blog. To his credit, Thompson attributed the origin of the story to Becker's site.

One week later, on June 1, the ABH published a Thompson article on the subject in both its online and print editions. Neither Becker nor his site are mentioned.

The following day, the ABH published an editorial which referred only to the previous day's Thompson article. Athough the editorial board did not specifically claim the paper broke the story, viewed in the vacuum of the print and online editions, the implication cannot be denied.

There is little doubt the genesis of Thompson's story and the editorial follow-up was the piece published by Dr. Becker. As the story passed further from its origin and deeper into the traditional editorial process, the opaqueness of the original source grew.

Amid the assaults on the newspaper industry, one powerful shield which frequently remains unused is transparency. People simply do not understand how newspapers work and this lack of knowledge creates an atmosphere where readers are easy prey for those who peddle in myths of bias and lack of credibility.

When, where and how Becker should have been credited should be debated. However, it is clear the Athens Banner Herald missed an opportunity to use the transparency shield as a tool to give its readers a complete vision of this particular story and glimpse at how all stories emerge. A beneficial by-product would have been appropriate credit for Dr. Becker and possibly a strengthening of the perception of the new media warrior and the traditional media guardian sharing the role of protectors of democracy.

Instead, we are left with the continued friction and our separate pursuits of the solutions we all crave.

Tell Us How You Really Feel

Tell us how you really feel, JMac.

We can leave aside the comedic value of a guy who last served in elected office in the 1990s running as the 'candidate for the future'...

Roy Barnes entry into the Governor's race is already firing the blood of people on all sides. Good lord, this is going to be fun.

Oh Well

So much for writing about any other candidate today.

Barnes is in.

The Competency Constituency

Rarely has a state candidate so polarized the two wings of our major political parties. And certainly never on issues rarely considered outside the realm of lawyers and inside baseballers.

To the Republican base, Secretary of State Karen Handel is a stalwart defender of the most sacred rite of voting - a beacon of purity scouring the darkness of fraud which must exist.

To the Democratic base, Secretary Handel is a cold, calculating political assassin intent on disenfranchising the poor and minorities through callous law enforcement and illegal tactics.

Of course - they're both wrong.

Even though laws requiring identification at polling places and proof of citizenship at registration are sensible, voter fraud in the state of Georgia is as rare as a Republican turning down a Chamber of Commerce breakfast. Handel's support and rigid enforcement of certain laws have always been answers in search of a problem. To pretend these actions are safeguards against hordes of fraudulent voters intent on mad rushing poll workers instead of red meat to fire up her party base is laughable.

More sad than laughable is the Democrat's efforts to paint sketchy database purges and grannies who have to drive across town to get a free picture id as the equivalent of poll taxes, literacy tests and Jim Crow.

More than usual, independents may decide Handel's fate. Whether elephant leaning or donkey leaning or just plain ornery, the uncommitted generally ignore the hoots and hollers of the loons in order to seek competence over ideology.

Fairly or not, Handel is perceived to have been an effective administrator as the Chair of the Fulton County Commission. Despite the howls of Democratic activists and the occasional sidestep such as the Jim Powell mess, she is also seen as an effective Secretary of State.

But those who pay no attention to the howls of the absurd will not remain silent forever. They will seek an answer for Powell being removed from the ballot the day before the election, sending polling places into chaos. They will demand to know why a voter database triggered a political fight (and possibly another costly court room battle) with the Feds.

They will not be placated by press releases with catchy phrases from cheerleader movies or clever videos of bovines yanked by brass rings.

While others quake earth and pulsate veins, the competency constituency will seek to answer the only question in their practical calculus - is this a leader who is trustworthy to grasp the reins of state?

The Sotomayor Project: An Update

Guns are complicated. I've always known 2nd Amendment issues are far more complicated than the inflammatory rhetoric spewed forth by the gun nuts and gun control nuts.

But everything proceeded according to plan. Then, the 7th Circuit got involved.

Sigh.

The project will proceed but as is my manner, I refuse to show only half my ass. So, I'm currently discussing the finer points of incorporation, supremacy and stare decisis with one of my trusted Constitutional scholars.

The result will come - maybe tomorrow or the next day.

Hey. If the Senate can take a couple of months to pore through this crap, I think should get a couple of days.

An Interesting Twist?

Tom Houck via Twitter reports:

Retiring Ga Chief Justice Sears tells me at the ATL Press luncheon she won't clsoe the door on a run for Gov in 2010.

First impression - Although she would be painted as a "liberal activist" by the opposition, Justice Sears speaks conservatively enough on family issues to guard that flank pretty well.

Also, she gives a helluva speech.

She could be the fly in many ointments.

Confusion Rules On Justice Dept. Ruling

The AP did no one any favor with its report of the U.S. Justice Department's smackdown of Secretary of State Karen Handel's "voter verification" processes.

The news service reported

The Justice Department has rejected Georgia's attempt to require prospective voters in the state to provide proof of citizenship...Gov. Sonny Perdue signed the bill last month making Georgia the second state in the nation to require newly registering voters to prove they are U.S. citizens before casting a ballot. Under the Voting Rights Act, the state was required to get preclearance for the measure from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The accurate part of these two paragraphs is that the Governor signed a bill - it was Senate Bill 86 which requires a person to present proof of citizenship to register to vote.

Then, Aaron Gould Shienin of the AJC reports:

Handel and her aides created the system in 2007 under the requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act. The law requires states to verify a voter’s identity at the time of registration, but not necessarily to verify citizenship. In creating the system, Handel’s office extended the verification process to include citizenship; something the Justice Department said was “discretionary on the state’s part.”

This paragraph is referring to Secretary Handel's controversial scanning of the voter database in search of anomalies resulting in many registered voters being purged. It does not refer to SB 86 which was just enacted.

Or maybe it does. Neither article clearly defines if the Justice Department was talking about the previous practice, the new law or both.

Given the glacial pace of the federal government, it's doubtful they acted so quickly on a law which won't affect an election for 15 months. It's very likely they finally moved on a policy executed in the last cycle. In other words, it is a good bet the local boys and girls got it right and the wire service got wrong.

Either way, someone needs to answer for shoddy work.

Triumph and Jack Kingston

How did I miss this?

Georgia Hamlet

My hour is almost come

When I to sulphrous and tormenting flames

Must render up myself

The Sotomayor Project

I'm leaving Georgia.

Not physically, but virtually.

For the next week, I'm going to take a break from Georgia politics and explore the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. The opportunity to write about one of our more fascinating and infrequent Constitutional processes is too enticing.

I'm not a lawyer, but I love arguing with lawyers. Even though I am not lettered in the law, I feel I have a good layman's understanding of the Constitution and the workings of the courts. However, everything I write will be from a lawyman's perspective. If I don't know something (for example if the court has ever clearly defined the term "arms), instead of diving into case law, I'll say I don't know. Hopefully, my common man jumping off point will encourage those lettered in the law who visit this little community to jump in and provide elucidation for us all.

My starting point for this series of essays will be the SCOTUS blog's analysis of Judge Sotomayor's rulings on civil cases while a member of the 2nd Circuit.

As with all my writing, it will not be objective but it will attempt to be fair. My hope is my own analysis of the cases will continue the exploration of the "griftdrift philosophy" I expressed on Monday.

Expounding on this principle further, I would never expect to agree or disagree with any potential Justice but I always expect to at least understand the reasoning, logic and law behind the opinions.

Although in the current climate, I am considered left leaning (I'm convinced 50 years ago I would be considered a moderate Republican), I will approach each case with my personal filters of leaning to the left on individual liberty and leaning to the right on issues of federal supremacy. These personal standards will be my guide and the paint peeling talking points already being blasted about will be ignored.

That's what we'll be doing for the next week. Hope you jump on for the ride.

And we might as well make the first leap a breath sucker - on Monday - 2nd Amendment.

Ummmmmm Okaaaaaay

Everyone's talking about the crazy lady from Macon who attempted to pass a most important note to President Obama.

Instead of recounting the events, I encourage you to sample her power of the prose.

Moving on.

The Griftdrift Judicial Appointment Philosophy

It's pretty simple.

I don't give a damn about ideology.

If they're qualified - they should be confirmed.

Sotomayor is qualified. Confirm her.

Move on.

The Reason I'm Not A Democrat

My usual response to the question "why don't you just call yourself a Democrat?" is "because the first time a person calls me a DINO, they will find my fist in their face".

But it's also because the abject stupidity and utter arrogance of statements such as these enrage me.

Why is our government helping to fund this hate? Especially our Democratic government, helping in some way shape or form by sponsoring the very people that want its downfall? Are they really that masochistic?

I haven't heard the ads, but given Boortz and Cain's general listenership, the ads may have been well-placed. The NPR crowd after all isn't likely to want to brings guns to the airport

Our good liberal friends are questioning the wisdom of the TSA advertising on a radio station which doesn't kowtow to their political point of view. They ignore the practicality that WSB has had the largest audience in Atlanta since well before they were gleams in their daddy's eye.

But that's not what really irks me.

What really sticks in my craw is these types of statements make true the accusations of the right that Democrats act like they know better than you and view most of us poor, wandering, waterhead children who must be shepherded by some smothering nanny to find the "proper" place in life.

Caricatures are amusing because they contain a slice of truth and Democrats always seem the most anxious to prove it.

Props To Sandy Springs

There was a pothole at the corner of Hammond and Roswell which was driving me bananas.

Less than a week after it appeared, it was filled.

I've certainly been one of the harshest critics of the ongoing splintering of Atlanta, but maybe there's something to this idea of the new cities providing their inhabitants better service.

Georgia Gang Howler Of The Week

Phil Kent commenting on Kris Allen's upset win over Adam Lambert on American Idol.

The Christian won over the gay.

Phil. You know why people think you're an a-hole? Because you are.

Gonna Pick A Fight

Usually when I pick a fight with libertarians, it centers on a single bone of contention - they are willing to tear the country apart over the merest slight against economic freedom, but get all squishy on issues of civil liberty.

But there's another topic where they at times stray past my patience - when they co-opt the elephant's stalking horse of the media is the root of all evil.

As long as you repeat the words of others, it doesn't matter how often you insist you are having a different conversation..

My Morning Wooten

I've got a problem.

Either I don't disagree or even where I do disagree, Jim is actually clever and sane, which makes it awfully difficult to rake him over the coals.

This in particular...

No need to waterboard Joe Biden. If he knows, you know. Real torture’s when he’s forced to remain silent. Where’s the doomsday bunker, Joe?

is damned funny.

But there is one item where I can at least provide a little elucidation.

Almost half — 46 percent to be exact — of the 2,800 people who responded to the Web question, “How would you describe President Obama’s political philosophy?” posed by Richard Viguerie’s ConservativeHQ.com answered “Socialist.” Another 24 percent said Marxist, 11 percent Communist, 10 percent fascist and 5 percent liberal. I’d be in the 5 percent. Not scientific, of course, and Viguerie would draw a particular segment of conservatives, but it does reveal how polarized we’ve become.

Well, at least Jim admits Viguerie pulls from a slice of the right wing. He doesn't tell you Viguerie is the pioneer of right wing direct mail. I know because, despite my never signing up, he fills my inbox daily. This little poll is the ultimate preaching to the choir. Next, Jim will be quoting WorldNetDaily polls.

But even that's a quibble.

Maybe Jim took Crawford's little spanking to heart?

Selah.

Our Little Ida

Let's have a pretty picture.

That's Ida.

You can read more about her here.

The best part? She's got the creationists in a hissy.

My Morning Wooten - Special Tom Crawford Edition

You should read the whole thing, but this pretty much sums it up.

Wooten eventually moved up to the AJC editorial page as a columnist and for many years provided his conservative take on Georgia politics. Unlike Shipp, who raised hell with both parties as he continued to crank out his columns, Wooten became less of a journalist and more of a public relations spokesman for the Georgia Republican Party. You could always tell what the Republican Party considered to be its main talking points for the week, because they would inevitably be regurgitated in Jim's columns...Wooten's decision to become, in effect, a party flack was a sad loss for journalism, although I suppose it turned out to be a good arrangement for the GOP.

Ummmmmmmm.

I'd like the record to reflect that my picture postcard of Jim's impending retirement was much more in the tradition of the southern "everybody's gotta find something nice to say at a funeral" sort of thing.

Welcome to the game, Tom.

I may have to step things up a bit.

Poythress Punches

I once compared David Poythress' charisma to a certain garden vegetable.

It appears there's at least one issue (albeit a weird, tangential issue) where he will prove me wrong.

Congratulations Ginger Flash

Daily, he kicks my ass in the new media world.

More importantly, in a town drowning in traditional media angst, he proves there's still some ass kicking left to be done in those old streets and byways.

Creative Loafing's Thomas Wheatley's "Sober" has been nominated for The Association of Alternative Weekly's award for feature writing.

I've always believed great writing is driven by a deeply internal engine and Thomas plows that earth like few can.

We're lucky to have him.

Also, photographer Joeff Davis is a finalist for the APC's Journalist of the Year in Photography. Joeff and I once spent a few very interesting hours in an effort to capture an image for a certain "Best of" issue. Of course, it was the picture snapped at the end, almost as an afterthought, where I looked like a child molestor that was chosen. And I thought it was funny as hell.

His images capture the funny, the moving and the just plain strange soul of Atlanta.

We're lucky to have him, too.

Robot Republicans

The metaphors of Republicans as robots run wild.

Joseph Campbell would be proud.

Clippy

Remember when I said this?

The paper also wiped out the whole graphics department. One wonders if it was replaced by a monkey with access to Microsoft ClipArt.

It was a joke. No, really. Just a joke.

Twittering 911

I'm not sure about this.

Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall said it’s worth exploring. On Friday he used the social-media tool Twitter to obtain assistance for a woman who suffered a seizure at the intersection of John Wesley Dobbs Avenue and Jackson Street...Hall said Sunday night he planned to register @911Atl on Twitter, though the city’s emergency operators won’t be responding to “tweets” anytime soon. A phone call remains the only way to directly contact 911 in Atlanta. “Let’s see how we can embrace this new technology and maybe save some lives,” Hall said.

Points for thinking outside the box, but one of the safeguards of the 911 system is when you call, authorities know where you are. If some fool decides to get his jollies off by punking the emergency system, he will get a visit from Johnny Law who will promptly throw his butt in the pokey.

How in the world would you prevent these types of resource soaking distractions on Twitter?

Sunday Fun

Some light reading to entertain you on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Atlanta Delivery Driver

Karen Handel's Opening Salvo

Firstly, it's a little strange but pretty funny.

Secondly, as Rusty and I discussed yesterday, Secretary Handel's going to be a force to be reckoned with. She's never been afraid to bare the knuckles in a fight and this weird little vignette just put everyone on notice.

Also, check CB's take on the video. As usual, it's funny and insightful. Bonus points for the Fringe connection.

Georgia Gang Howler Of The Week

Being a (some would say past the legal age) high school basketball referee does not make one an expert on basketball. Dick Williams -

The playoffs ended when Josh Smith tried that dunk through his legs - that showboating, hotdogging baloney...there's no room for guys like Josh Smith in basketball.

So here's the obvious question.

Would Dick have said the same thing about Bob Cousy?

My Morning Wooten

All over the place today.

A warning to conservatives wishing to avoid being trampled in a stampede: Never stand in the path of a liberal determined to give a Republican governor a big hug for vetoing a tax cut. Won’t give ’em a vote, but will give ’em a big wet kiss.

I'm for tax cuts but the constitution requires a balanced budget.

Despite Gov. Sonny Perdue’s veto of a capital gains cut and business tax credit for new hires, the Legislature did send an important message that it believes in cutting taxes to stimulate the economy, as opposed to Washington’s print money and spend approach. Kudos to state Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ranger) and state Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) for ushering the bill through.

I'm for tax cuts but the constitution requires a balanced budget. CTRL-C/CTRL-V/GOTO Line 1

Georgia’s seventh in foreclosures. It’s fourth in mortgage fraud. Connect the dots

And? Last I checked fraud is illegal. Prosecute at your pleasure.

Please, Republicans, for goodness sakes, don’t do what Associated Press writer Erica Werner warns about. The president’s trying to reshape “the nation’s health care system to bring down costs and extend coverage to 50 million uninsured people.” But “Republicans could scare the public with images of a system run by bureaucrats.” Don’t. Henceforth, my band of right-wingers is forbidden to suggest that government-run health care might be an unhappy experience.

I'd love a link here so I could read the entire article for context. After all, it has been a problem before. Quote mining - a favored tactic of creationists and apparently soon-to-be retired Associate Editorial Page Editors.

Don’t suggest, either, that it’s not a good thing that the Obama administration wants a say in how financial institutions compensate employees, including companies that got no public money. Truth is, that’s not government’s business.

Pretty simple here. If you don't want the government mucking in your business, don't take its money. Otherwise, Jim is right. Government has no business mucking in the compensation of any private institution.

Why should a mayor have to suspend a police chief for wearing blue jeans after he’d been told to wear “professional attire,” namely his uniform? Jonesboro Mayor Luther Maddox suspended Chief Brad Johnson for five days for insubordination. At some point mature adults stop playing rebellious-child games.

Can't disagree with that one. Can you feel the love?

What a quaint notion: The ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, thinks Justice David Souther’s replacement should be committed to the rule of law without regard to “feelings toward a particular person or political group.” Mark me quaint.

Okay. Guess I'm quaint too. But why do I feel Jim really means something more here.

A federal judge in Jacksonville will decide the value of metro Atlanta’s claim to Lake Lanier’s water. Common sense should prevail, with water allocated on these priorities: 1) Drinking. 2) Flood control. 3) Jobs. 4) Power generation. Next case, please.

Wait a minute. Did a "conservative" just say a federal program (that's really what Lake Lanier is) should generate jobs? Let's move on. Actually, when Buford Dam was built the purposes were 1) Power generation. 2) Flood control. Nary a mention of jobs or drinking water. As a commentor on Jim's own blog points out - he lusts for judges who rule on law and then ask one to rule solely on common sense (not to mention the feelings of particular group of people i.e. Atlanta).

Living the good life, as expressed by former WAGA-TV newscaster Jim Axel, now residing in Venice, Fla., where he’s battling lung cancer. Said Axel of his broadcasting career: “I was being paid for a job that I loved.”

Jim Axel was one of the first television faces I saw when I arrived in Atlanta in 1986. I've been keeping up with his battle at Certain Speculation. God bless, Jim.

Selah.

Another Small Step

The AJC keeps surprising me.

Last week, DecaturMetro pondered whether the re-jiggered media giant's new policy of showing all sources would extend to the online world.

Given many in the community spent the past three years attempting to convince members of the traditional media that online content has any value, expecting them to suddenly embrace one of our most cherished concepts seemed pie beyond the sky.

Then, last night Steve Visser posted an article on the potential closure of Decatur's Paste Magazine that not only credited Drive A Faster Car as the origin of the story but linked to the site.

To my knowledge, that's the first time an AJC staff writer outside of Jim Galloway linked to a non-traditional local media site.

That's one bridge crossed, but our expectation remains that it won't be the last.

And this moment of feel good does not mean the talons will remain sheathed if in the future the paper brings the crazy.

This Just In...

Two years.

That's how long I've heard the rumor that Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Land Of A Thousand Rants) will drop out of the Senate to run for Atlanta City Council President.

Maybe this year the rumor will finally prove true. If not, I'm going to start talking about Generalissimo Francisco Franco.

Those over 40 will get the reference. The rest of you young'uns should use the Google.

Race of Fools 2009 - The Recap

I spread the Race of Fools story out all over the place. So, here's an easy way to access it from the beginning.

Part I - A Good Start
Part II - Elephants In Godfrey
Part III - Muddin'
Part IV - No Joy In Midville

Also you can view the route of the Sunbeam on this Google Map.

And you can view photos (including the fire truck!) on this Flickr page.

Race of Fools 2009 - No Joy In Midville

The story of an underground road rally as told by the navigator of a cranky '64 Sunbeam Alpine.To read Part III, go here.

We proceeded, carefully following the path of the Triumph (minus the turn towards the tree), through the mud and water and came to the next intersection.

"You've got to be kidding", Ballard screamed.

"I swear this is the only way in or out", I replied.

We passed the test of mud and now faced by all appearances a single lane logging road.

My driver had no choice. He had to follow the seemingly insane instructions of his navigator. We rumbled across the ruts and washouts and saw our Triumph adversary approaching from the opposite direction. I burst into a smug smile and Ballard kept mumbling about the car rattling to pieces.

At the end of the lane was a single house and two men dressed as WWII aviators.

My first thought was, "This guy really wanted to get away from it all".

My second was, "How the hell did that fire truck get in and out of here".

I dutifully showed the monitors our pictures of the fountain and the elephant and we were handed our next packet.

Our next destination was Shawnee, Georgia but we had three choices for our intermediate checkpoint. I instructed Capt. Ballard to proceed towards Wrens while I figured out just what the hell to do next.

My decision was to proceed to the checkpoint via the Bellevue Plantation near Millen, Ga.

It was here I made my first error. Pumped full of adrenaline, I steered us south towards Louisville. After a few moments of careful study I realized my error would cost us about 15 minutes but Ballard was already tear-assing down US-1. The die was cast and I set out to find a short cut.

It appeared as something called the Eden Church/Magruder Rd. I explained the situation to Ballard and included the fact that I had no idea if my short cut would suddenly turn into another hellish mudhole. Filled with the lust for victory, he was ready to roll the dice.

South of Louisville, we were pleased to see a beautiful two lane blacktop peeling off to the left. My shortcut was indeed a fine county maintained by-way. Flying down the paved backroad, it was easy to ignore the growing heat flowing through the holes in the firewall.

In the distance, a bad sign emerged - literally a bad sign - one that said pavement ends 1000ft. We thumped off the pavement onto another dirt road - albeit a dry, firm one.

Capt. Ballard slowed the Sunbeam to a halt, but not because of the sudden change in terrain. He said in a slow voice that something didn't sound right. He also pointed to the temperature gauge which now registered an alarming 260 degrees.

I believed the road ahead was good and firm and would lead us to our destination, but there was no town of any size down that path. We looked around at the surrounding desolate forest, then down at our cell phones registering no bars and made the difficult decision. We found a cut through back to the main road and headed towards the nearest town of any size - Midville.

The Sunbeam now labored - wheezing and gasping with frightening regularity.

The town of Midville is a crossroads with two gas stations and little else. Our immediate concern was the 'Beam's now white hot engine block. The first store had no exterior water spigot but the second did. A couple of water filled gallon jugs later, the temp gauge dropped to an acceptable 220.

But the poor thing still sounded sick.

I called the race officials to let them know our status and that we still intended to make the next check point. Ballard unloaded the massive collection of tools stored in the small trunk and we peered under the hood. We determined three things: the mixture was too rich, the distributor didn't look quite right and one cylinder was completely dead. Not good.

We reached the limits of our mechanical ability quickly. Attracted by the clang of tools and howls of frustration enveloping the strange little car, a pair of gentlemen, in a strange twist also travelling from Athens, stepped out of a massive SUV and asked if they could help.

They admitted they knew little about cars and the sight of two grimy, wild eyed fiends beating on the engine block of a psychedlic convertible filled their eyes with wonder and possibly fear, but they had a cousin who worked as a mechanic and they were willing to fetch him.

"Please god, yes!", I moaned.

They peeled out of the parking lot leaving me prostrate under a shade tree and Ballard madly searching for more tools and parts.

Minutes changed to hours and I began to believe our saviors chose discretion over valor by fleeing the weird scene as quickly as possible.

Then, the SUV appeared and out of it stepped a man in a blue and gold Goodyear uniform. He would not have been more beautiful if he were a white-clad angel bathed in the glory of grace and rapture.

In practically no time, our new best friend returned the distributor to its proper position, changed all the plug wires and performed a full tune up on the carbs. He said there was little he could do about the bad cylinder but he believed it would get us back home.

I wanted to hug him. But in the fashion of southern men, we all heartily shook hands and laughed about the craziness of it all. Ballard gave the mechanic the little cash we had left and he graciously accepted.

I called the race officials to tell them we would not finish but instead stagger back home. Capt. Ballard turned the Sunbeam northward, we waved goodbye to our new friends and started for Atlanta.

Darkness fell on us at Rutledge and the haggard Capt. Ballard handed me the driving duties for the final push.

Traffic increased, the deepening night cooled and the luminous skyline of Atlanta suddenly appeared on the horizon. Though the sting of disappointment in not finishing remained fresh, we bathed in the salve of the safe return home.

We also immediately began planning next year's mad run.

Race of Fools 2009 - Muddin'

The story of an underground road rally as told by the navigator of a cranky '64 Sunbeam Alpine.

To read Part II, go here.

Omaha Springs - a place so exotic and hidden, it baffled the GPS.

Ballard and I left the elephants of Godfrey in the dust and headed towards our first official check point. Although the GPS remained clueless, I quickly located the village on the map and we pointed the Sunbeam towards Eatonton and beyond.

As we approached the Jefferson County line, a scream erupted behind us. A Triumph which began the race ahead of us was now hurtling towards us from the rear. I pumped my fist and screamed at my driver that superior navigation will always...well...triumph.

Our celebration was short-lived as the six cylinder beast tore past us. Ballard floored it and the Sunbeam squealed in angst. Although our little machine was a gamer it could not match the speed of its larger bore brother.

The Triumph flew around a bend in the road and I knew we had them once again - they had passed the turn off to Omaha Springs. I motioned for Ballard to make a right but he hesitated. It was a dirt road and it was not in good shape. The biblical rains of the previous week left many a mud puddle in between the washboard ruts.

We pulled over to discuss the situation. I explained I was 100% positive the little hellhole road was our route but if there was doubt, I could find an alternate. Ballard looked at me and grinned with that toothy smile that could scare the devil.

"Let's try it", he grunted.

We proceeded down the dirt path at a reasonable pace until we reached a puddle the size of a small lake. We stopped to inspect its depth and ponder the wisdom of plowing a 40 year old British car with British wiring through a fair sized water hole.

At this moment the Triumph re-appeared.

Having discovered their error, our competition circled back and followed our track onto the side road. Now, they were again travelling full tilt boogie towards our position. Where as the slowness of aged wisdom caused our pause, the bullet-proof stupidity of youth led the Triumph's team full speed towards a collision with mud.

It hit the water and immediately went wobbly. The back end spun wildly towards the ditch and fearfully appeared destined for a tree. Ballard and I watched helplessly as the driver frantically spun the steering wheel. Then with the grace of the angels who watch over idiots who drive too fast on country roads, it straightened and flew out of danger in an eruption of rooster tails.

I looked at Ballard and said, "I think we can make it if we follow their ruts."

"But not quite as fast", I quickly added.

To continue to Part IV, go here.

Here We Go

Florida Governor Charlie Crist's entry in the Sunshine Senate race gives Georgia's grand poobah of pusillanimous insinuation to once again stir the back fence chatter.

Will we go with tanned, telegenic tax hikers with dubious personal issues

Exactly what are these "personal issues", Erick? Is he corrupt? Perhaps, he take kickbacks? Stuffed some ballot boxes? Kills kittens in his spare time?

Step forward and speak plainly, young man.

But that is a vaporous wish of the vain.

If a person puts pure rumor on his website regarding the marital status of candidates, if a person slanders a sitting Supreme Court Justice as a buggerer of boys - why would we ever expect that person to speak plainly?

When The AJC Gets It Right

I certainly use the stick often enough so it's time for the carrot.

Cameron McWhirter's piece on John Oxendine's questionable fundraising is simply stunning.

If you want to read political analysis on this situation, check the Georgia Voices section to the right. I'll only say - this is exactly the type of story the paper does well and my goodness let us all pray we see more.

Today is also the first time I've seen the new "How We Got The Story" feature and it is brilliant. One of the tragedies of these waning days of newsprint is people do not understand how newspapers work. This veil of ignorance allows certain purveyors of the media is the enemy mantra to easily produce their shadow puppet shows of deceit.

Those three paragraphs explaining how McWhirter and others caught and produced the story benefitted the grand old fishwrapper more than any musings and grovelings by the seemingly endless supply of public editors.

No one knows if the re-design will save the AJC, but today certainly brings a glimmer of hope.

What's Happening In Florida?

It appears Governor Charlie Crist will announce his candidacy for U.S. Senate on Tuesday.

What does this mean for we's and us'ens beyond the borders of the Sunshine State? The Republican Civil War is about to hot up again.

Crist will face former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio, current darling of the Erick Erickson set, in the primary. Once again, we're going to see Moderate Charlie take on the right wing of his own party. The last time that happened was when he put a rented mule beating on Christain Right darling Tom Gallager in the 2008 Republican primary.

Should be fun to watch.

What's Happening In Pakistan?

A brief detour into international affairs.

Despite my occasional rants, I rarely work up much of a lather.

But what's happening in Pakistan scares the bejeebus out of me.

Georgia Politics Podcast Episode 22

Hit play or head to the Georgia Podcast Network to listen to episode 22 of the Georgia Politics Podcast.

Joseph, Catherine, Grayson, Larry and I talk about the Governor's race, the crazy Mayor of Dallas and of course, the AJC.

And I know. Cuomo was 92 not 88. With age comes addledness. It wouldn't be a podcast if I didn't misremember a date.

Saturday Stupids

In the land of the stupids, the rituals are simple but pleasurable.

My Morning Wooten

The other day Jim indicated he believed the guiding light for the Republican Party should be a hypocritical hillbilly heroin addict instead of a genuine war hero. At that point, I asked myself, "Isn't it time to just shoot this dog?" But what would be the fun in that?

Here we go.

The U.S. Senate wisely rejects a bill that would allow bankruptcy judges to “cram down” mortgage rates. You can bet that the rate on your next mortgage would be higher to cover the risk had it passed. A dozen Democrats joined Republicans to vote it down.

Can't disagree there. That's not a very fun start.

Chicken of the Sea, mindful that Al Gore’s global warming projections will make Vidalia and Lyons seacoast towns, announces that it’ll build a $20 million tuna packing factory employing 200 about 110 miles inland, in Lyons. Until the fishing ships are able to dock in Lyons, the tuna will be shipped in frozen. About 65-70 million years ago, Macon was on the coast. Check with me soon for beach front property in Jacksonville, Ga.

There we go. Only Jim could tie a new cannery in Lyons to global warming. By the way, Al Gore never mentioned danger for the residents of the Greater Toombs County Metro Area. He did mention the fact that about 1 billion people live close enough to a body of water to be affected by unchecked global warming. And the vast majority can't afford a beach house in Jacksonville. The real problem is most of them can't afford a U-Haul.

Headline: “French excel at leisure.” Another from Yahoo: “Kirstie Alley tells how she gained 83 pounds.” A reminder: News is what people don’t know.

Next, Jim tell of the pleasures of life before all these wireless telegraphs he sees all the young'uns frantically tapping. Ol' Sam Morse should have left well enough alone, I tell ya!

You’re never too old to learn. On Tuesday, for example, I learned never to park a white car under a mulberry tree where hungry birds are gorging.

News is what people don't know. Unless you're Jim. And want to break the blather with an amusing anecdote. Perhaps the band of right wingers are available to wash their dear leader's stained Tin Lizzie.

The liberal community activist group ACORN had best register Georgia’s illegals before Jan. 1. Under a law signed this week by Gov. Sonny Perdue, proof of citizenship will be required after that date. Acceptable proof: a driver’s license, birth certificate, U.S. passport, U.S. naturalization documents or a Bureau of Indian Affairs card.

ACORN STOLE THE ELECTION! Acorns and Mulberrys - pure evil. Tree and their terrible spawn. Will the madness never stop? Seriously, though. I don't think you have to be a citizen to have a driver's license. Is that really one of the acceptable documents?

Which is preferable — a Senate with 30 Jack Kemps or 60 Arlen Specters? The Kemps, no doubt. Over time, 30 Kemps could persuade the country to alter its course. The Specters would get the majority periodically, but you’d little notice the difference.

I would love to have 30 Jack Kemps. However, since on many issues he was a social moderate, do you really believe he'd get a big ol' hug from Jim, his band of right wingers, the hillbilly heroin addict and local leper colony entrepenuer Erick Erickson? Me neither.

Selah.

This and That

I'm baaaaaaaack.

Here are some things I've been pondering in my mini-sabbatical.

Has Peach Pundit turned into TMZ?

What the hell was Jay Bookman thinking?

Good to see The Newsman gets the same type of tepid response from the AJC powers-that-be as me.

Speaking of which, have you ever noticed instead of an ombudsman, the AJC has a "public editor". This nomencature explains much about why The Newsman and I receive such mealy-mouthed responses.

Last AJC bit - I hate to admit it but I kind of like the redesign. But in my travels, I've seen many gutted houses with pretty window dressing.

Found a new blog. Intown Writer. Given my recent fascination with the operations of Georgia Public Broadcasting, the latest entry is most interesting.

I think I may have a solution to our transportation problems. More on that later.

I will conclude my Tale of Captain Ballard and the Sunbeam.

All of these things and the usual doodads very soon. Breaks over.

Now, what's that rascal Jim Wooten been up to...

New Tag

I do not like chest thumping. But I'm sick and tired of having to search my archives every time I get in another one of these insipid arguments.

So I created a new tag.

Original Reporting

Quote For The Day

From the archives.

In the end, then, whatever the media platform, what it means to be a journalist today is what it always has meant...It's not a matter of training...It's a matter of trust. ~Athens Banner Herald Editorial Page Editor Jim Thompson 1-3-08

Good God

How many consultants does it take to destroy a venerable institution?

I wish I knew the punchline.

Dayum!

Jim Walls scoops his former employer.

Now about those changes...

More Insanity On Marietta St?

The blog Eye on Sports Media is reporting that AJC UGA beat reporter Chip Towers has been reassigned to General Assignment. Now, with no bureau or distribution in Athens, the obvious conclusion is Chip will cover Atlanta stories - from Bogart.

To twist the mobius strip further, it is alledged Atlanta stalwart Tim Tucker is now on the UGA beat- from Atlanta.

If that's truly the situation, things on Marietta St have truly entered the realm of the absurd.

Oh, What Changes You Will See

Bloody entrails on the table isn't evidence of an impending cure - it is evidence of a slow, painful evisceration.

But don't tell AJC Editor Julia Wallace.

With the ashes of the latest round of layoffs still warm, she has the audacity to use the word "proud" to describe the impending relaunch of the paper.

Apparently this "newsy" "flashy" new paper (didn't we already go through this with Ron Martin?) will be more responsive and local.

On the responsive front, Ms. Wallace chose to address her dwindling readers directly. Online. On Sunday. The one day where people actually still sit and clutch their gobs of dead tree.

But Ms. Wallace did more than navel gaze. She also promised to respond to comments and questions. Which she did. Exactly five times. Out of over 100 comments. And after explaining how endorsements work (gosh, I've never heard that pablum explanation via one of her Public Editor golems before), commenting was closed.

On the local front, things are even more Pythonesque.

A few days ago, an AJC Online headline screeched that a driver in a fatal accident had been charged. Surely, it must be a story of the horrific hit and run on Riverdale Rd.

No. It was in Arizona.

Then today, the always tittilating headline of an exotic dance taking a stiletto to the head of a coworker appears. Gosh, things must be getting a little wild at the Pink Pony.

Or in Ohio.

Salacious headlines to lure readers deeper into stories that have jack squat to do with Atlanta.

It makes one wonder how much of the alledged $1 million a week is spent on the latest hip and trendy consultants who hypnotize with subtle purrings of clicks per million and sticky pages.

Meanwhile, blood continues to flow on Marietta Street and all we hear is the next cut will be the cure. There is a certainty in those words - cut enough and the patient disappears - no longing needing restorative therapy.

My Morning Wooten

Don't have to go very far for the solution of today's riddle.

His willingness to cozy up to Venezuelan leftist Hugo Chavez, schmoozing at the Summit of the Americas, while accepting a book from Chavez explaining how Europe and the U.S. had messed it up in Latin America. The little revolutionary, thus, levated himself not just to equal, but to instructor to pupil Obama.

Let's amble down the hall to Jay Bookman's place.

So if Obama is Chavez pupil, was Richard Nixon Mao's BFF?

The People Have Spoken

I enjoy being the man in black but I've always worried about readability. There have been complaints in the past.

Well, time to do something about it.

I got off my lazy butt, dug out my miniscule CSS mojo and tweaked the main section. Hopefully the color contrast is a bit easier on the eyes.

I'm going to keep tweaking but let me know what you think.

Oh. And I know I've also been less than prolific lately. That's going to change too.

I Ask Julia A Question

This Sunday, AJC Editor Julia Wallace explains the ongoing reorganization on Marietta St. She will also field questions.

I submitted one.

Ms. Wallace.

Given the reaction of the online community as well as the rise of such local websites as inDecatur and DecaturMetro while the AJC continued to close local bureaus, do you regret stating the following in 2007?

"Online, we will show that we know Atlanta best, providing superlative news and information and becoming the preferred medium for connecting local communities"

We'll see if it gets through moderation and if it does how much spin the answer will contain.

UPDATE: Still no answer.

At least I don't think there's an answer.

Perhaps I just can't find it in the AJC's hideous mix master commenting software.

My Morning Wooten

Jim reaches a new pinnacle of the nonsense and non-sequitor this week.

I'd have an easier time translating hieroglyphics.

Feel free to make your own attempt - kind of a dada mad-lib.

Thanks. But No Thanks.

Let me ask you a question.

If you blew someone off so unprofessionally that they all but publicly called you out, would you then spam them in an attempt to get them to move your content?

I ask this not as a blogger or a writer but as someone who has been in the business world for 20 years and understands that pissing off a potential channel is not the best way to launch a product.

That's strike two.

It happens again and the call-out will be public and it will not be kind.

Well Said

Our friend Jason quoted in the AJC.

Jason Pye of Covington, the legislative director for the Georgia Libertarian Party, had mixed emotions about the rally. He and his fellow Libertarians have long supported the ideals exhorted Wednesday: less government, free markets and a Darwinian-approach to private business...Many of those speaking, he said, haven’t always protected those ideals...“I’m happy people are getting together,” he said. “But the movement has been co-opted by Republicans who are trying to regain their identity and want to forget George W. Bush existed. Libertarians aren’t forgetting.”

It always good to remember there are those who call themselves Libertarians because Republican just doesn't sound as cool.

The Woodshed

You think I'm a righteous sonofabitch when it comes to the AJC?

Then, you should read this.

And I agree with every damn word.

My Morning Wooten

Apparently when it comes to Lt. Gov. candidate Eric Johnson, Jim has a blind spot similar to the veil cast by Sarah Palin. Since Sen. Johnson supports one of Jim's pets - school vouchers - he must be a straight shooter.

I’m getting OD’ed on drama in office. I want competence and I want honesty. No games. No hidden agendas. I’ve come to admire officials like former Senate Pro Tem Eric Johnson (R-Savannah), who has been passionate about school vouchers. He tells you what he believes and works diligently to give parents an alternative

Let's take a look at Sen. Johnson's honesty.

June 27, 2007

A young girl charged them with rape. The police arrested them. A district attorney chose to prosecute them. A grand jury decided to indict them. And a jury convicted them.

Genarlow Wilson was acquitted of rape. But why let facts get in your way.

February 21, 2007

if Genarlow Wilson had simply had the oral sex with the 15 year old, we would probably not be dealing with this.

Genarlow Wilson's only conviction stemmed from having oral sex with the 15 year old - based on a law so unjust Sen. Johnson voted to modify it the following year.

February 19, 2007

The young men, including Mr. Wilson, engaged in multiple acts of intercourse with the 17-year old, even after she was passed out drunk and high on drugs. In fact, Mr. Wilson is videotaped abusively having sex with the passed out girl – a fact ignored by the media, but witnessed by the jury.

The jury concluded the 17 year old not only was not passed out but was able to give consent.

February 19, 2007

My personal opinion is that the jury would have preferred to convict him of the rape charge due to sex with the older girl after she was passed out and incapable of consenting, but since she had earlier had consensual sex, they felt they couldn’t.

Polling of the jury and transcripts gave no indication the jury preferred to convict Genarlow Wilson of rape. In fact, they clearly indicated the 17 year old gave consent and struggled with the issue of the 15 year old girl. These facts did not stop Sen. Eric Johnson implying jury misconduct.

Honesty. It is a rare thing these days. So rare, an AJC editorial writer sees it in places it has long left.

Carp Circles Blackout

You might recognize this sketchy individual from the Saturday Stupids pictures. Lard help us!

AJC Death Watch: The List

I'm going to say it again because it seems people either forget or ignore it all the time - it breaks my heart when people lose their jobs.

Scott Henry has the list of those taking the buyout (or forced to take the buyout) at the AJC. Sonia Murray. Phil Kloer. Terrence Moore. These are names even casual readers recognize. There's also Doug Nurse whom I had the pleasure of meeting when our paths crossed on The Love Shack saga.

But there's one name in particular I'd like to point out - Lea Donosky.

In my first encounter with traditional media animosity, Ms. Donosky not only defended the bloggers in the room, but also drew the comparison to Thomas Paine. I've used that analogy dozens of times over the years.

People with vision are rare - and they seem to be growing rarer in the newspaper industry.

In my mind, this list is a tipping point. At what point does a desperate industry cut so deep that the very talent which could save it is no longer there? We grow closer to the answer every day.

#amazonfail

Attention, PR and media hacks and flacks: If you haven't heard of #amazonfail, you're not doing your job.

Nutshell: Over the weekend, for reasons still unclear, Amazon removes LGBT content from its sales rankings. Someone on the internet notices. Crap storm ensues.

More on this later.

For now though, a simple question.

Which is more likely?

A complex algorithm which searches and prioritizes a massive database goes hinky and excludes certain entries or an internet company with no history of discrimination starts discriminating against a certain segment of society with the belief no one on the internet will notice?

UPDATE: Here is an account from an alledged Amazon employee.

Amazon managers found that an employee who happened to work in France had filled out a field incorrectly and more than 50,000 items got flipped over to be flagged as "adult," the source said. (Technically, the flag for adult content was flipped from 'false' to 'true.')

That my friends is a dbase error.

AJC Death Watch

Found a new blog via Live Apartment Fire.

Certain Speculation.

And CB has the scoop on Julia Wallace's memo to staff on the recent round of layoffs. The paper also wiped out the whole graphics department. One wonders if it was replaced by a monkey with access to Microsoft ClipArt.

Race Of Fools 2009 - Elephants In Godfrey

The story of an underground road rally as told by the navigator of a cranky '64 Sunbeam Alpine.

To read Part I, go here.

Eventually we passed through the wreckage of broken yard sale dreams but the experience left Captain Ballard muttering. He began gobbling what appeared to be either tic tacs or possibly white crosses.

I attempted to steer us onto the bypass but he insisted it was a highway and that was just not allowed. Despite the temptation to smack sense into him, I charted a side street course. It was simply too early for violence.

We arrived at the botanical garden just behind the Mercedes and frantically searched for the Kugel Fountain. Dozens of steps later, with generous help from the resident Garden Club of Georgia members, we found the object and snapped the appropriate picture.

I wanted to buy some begonias to adorn our ride but the Captain screeched there was no time.

We then reached a mission crossroad.

Our choices were to proceed towards Omaha Springs via either Godfrey or Tignall. Godfrey appeared to be a more direct route and travelling to anything so weirdly named as Tignall was unthinkable.

The Sunbeam puttered past the pastures of Oconee County on the way to Madison and points beyond.

Our clue stated we had to take a picture of an elephant in a metal warehouse.

As we approached the outskirts of Godfrey, it was decided to leverage the local knowledge. Fortunately, a man hauling hay appeared on the side of the road.

He stared at the strange little car and fortunately for its navigator didn't let loose a hail of bullets as an obvious maniac emerged from the cockpit and sprinted towards his truck.

"We're looking for the elephant!", I wailed.

"The whut?", he responded.

"The elephant, man! The elephant!"

Blank stare.

"For gods sake where in town is there a metal warehouse?".

"Uh, yeah. There's a big metal building down by the tracks"

"Many thanks".

We drove to the other side of Godfrey (about half a mile) and indeed a fabricated metal building sat attached to the ubiquitous general store.

A man and his young daughter stood near the entrance. She promptly pointed at the psychedelic roadster and sputtered, "what the hell is that?"

Ballard responded, "It's a '64 Sunbeam Alpine..."

"There's no time", I whimpered, "Have you seen the elephant?"

"It's in there", she pointed Alice in Wonderland-like at the dark door.

Inside lay possibly the grandest taxidermy shop in the whole wide world. And on one wall was the head of an elephant.

"There's a bigger one through there", the little girl, who had followed us, pointed again.

In the next room was a full sized, stuffed bull African elephant.

Stunned at the weirdness of it all, I gently shoved the near catatonic Ballard in front of the monstrosity and snapped the required photograph.

We thanked Alice and her diddy, then sped away towards Omaha Springs and glory.

To continue to Part III, go here.

What Is Goin' On: Sine Die

Wilson and I talk about the craziness of Sine Die including the transportation mess. I even manage to make someone in middle Georgia mad about Marta.

Listen here.

Gonzo Lawmakers - An Appreciation

I've always watched "Lawmakers", but in years past, it was only background noise.

As with many things in my little world, what began as a lark led to a journey of thousands of words. One of the underrated aspects of the new media landscape is the rabbit-hole exploration of things we may have previously taken for granted.

Deconstructing Georgia Public Broadcasting's "Lawmakers" nightly taught this old dog he knew far less about the legislature, journalism and television production than he would ever admit.

One very important thing I learned is most of them are interns. Outside of David Zelski, Nwandi Lawson and Valarie Edwards, everyone you saw or read about nightly are interns. In other words, indentured servants. They are all still attending or fresh out of college and for 40 days, they gave up cheap beer at Moe's & Joes and spring trips to Destin to hone their craft through the unforgiving glare of live television.

And this year, they also had to deal with the ravings of a wild-eyed blogger whose favorite past time seemed to be repeatedly screeching one of their names.

For the record, I think Minoo is a lovely name which is probably the reason it kept bubbling to the top of my consciousness.

With all this madness, the "kids", as I repeatedly called them, consistently pulled off informative and even entertaining reporting on possibly the driest beat of their burgeoning careers. I expect many big things from you young'uns in the future. (And that includes Andrea Hummel-Shelton who worked behind the scenes. As a former technician myself, you have a special place in my heart.)

And a special thanks to "secret squirrel". You'll never know my pet critter's name but the missives I received in the dead of the night gave me a whirlwind education on the perils of live tv - particularly the always strapped-for-funds-glue-screw-tattoo wild world of public tv. I certainly hope I continue to hear chirps in my inbox.

Finally, I've held off on a particular rumor for weeks. Like every other aspect of our life these days, Georgia Public Broadcasting is struggling in the current economic climate. Budget concerns inevitably leads to talk of cutbacks and in the television industry, whispers of cancellation. I have no evidence Lawmakers is on the table but I also have no reason to believe it's not on the table. Only a blind fool would believe it's a guarantee the venerable show will celebrate its 40th year next January.

For a moment, put aside your philosophical and political views on the overall need for government run television. We should all ponder the question that if public broadcasting won't take a mere 30 minutes nightly to show us how our government works, then exactly what is the purpose of the people's television?

I certainly hope to see my friends next January. And I hope in a small way Gonzo Lawmakers made them your friends too. And I hope you tell a neighbor about these friends. And for 40 nights, next year, all us friends will gather round about supper time to witness the latest shenanigans stirred up by the Gold Dome scoundrels.

Until then, that's a wrap.