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Atlanta Blogs Today: Yes, it lives

Monday, August 10th, 2009

Ben at Terminal Station tries out a new banner image that actually makes Atlanta look cool. Good posts on how Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington should examine the leadership skills of Los Angeles’ chief, who recently stepped down to become a consultant, and whether small grocery stores can survive.

Jim Walls at Atlanta Unfiltered reminds 19 state lawmakers that they need to stop playing coy and file their personal financial disclosure reports — which were due on July 1. See if your elected official is on the list.

Decatur Metro’s now bursting with headline-y goodness.

Doug Richards from Live Apartment Fire returns to the airwaves. Mrs. Live Apartment Fire notes the different ways this will change her life.

Watch this space for GriftDrift’s take on ConstableGate.

Jim Galloway has returned from his well-deserved two-week vacation. Politicians immediately wig out.

Jumper on Peachtree Street Connector overpass

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

@GriftDrift says there’s a jumper on the Downtown Connector’s Peachtree Street overpass.

UPDATE: AJC.com says Downtown Connector northbound is closed at Ralph McGill.

Atlanta Blogs Today: ‘The city too busy to change’

Monday, March 30th, 2009

Jason at Peach Pundit hammers House Bill 614, legislation that he says would violate your privacy.

Maria Saporta says the state needs to stop plotting takeovers of MARTA and Jackson-Hartsfield International Airport.

Ben at Terminal Station has a rundown of Saporta’s report on an Urban Land Institute mayoral candidate forum.

Doug at Live Apartment Fire spotlights veteran reporter Don McClellan. The still-at-it newsman reported on — and ran in — this weekend’s ING Marathon.

Speaking of the ING Marathon, Dave at inDecatur has video and photos from the race.

Good news for Georgia’s reputation and any hope of having a biotech industry here. Jim Galloway reports that a House committee chairman says the controversial stem-cell bill won’t move out of the lower chamber.

The Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Urvaksh Karkaria reports on a top-secret meeting of tomorrow’s media overlords at Kennesaw State University professor Leonard Witt’s home. There are photos!

I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to post this. Christa, the mysterious scribe behind Pecanne Log, found a 1967 issue of GQ that’s all about Atlanta. She has photos and pullquotes.

And just because, a helping of Griftdrift’s My Morning Wooten from Friday.

Atlanta Blogs Today: Bill Murray, slowing growth, reporters with candy

Monday, March 2nd, 2009

Christa at Pecanne Log says I say someone else says Bill Murray is loose in Atlanta. One night he’s at Loca Luna buying drinks for strangers. Another night he’s watching the Hawks play the Cleveland Cavaliers. Supposedly, he’s filming this flick. I’m still waiting for him to get a pedicure with me.

Buzz Brockway at Peach Pundit says the site’s bloggers won’t retaliate against state lawmakers who voted for Senate Bill 31, a controversial piece of legislation they adamantly opposed. The complex bill would allow Georgia Power to recover financing costs in advance for two proposed nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle. The Punditeers got into a tiff with the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, a free-market think tank, about the issue. No hard feelings, the bloggers say, but they’d still like a clear explanation of the foundation’s stance on the issue. (Just one more: Jason Shepard at the site finds Georgia’s facebook page shows an unexpected “friend.”

Remember #atlgas? Grift links to a Nightline report in which the Twitter hashtag that saved Atlanta’s ass is mentioned.

Decatur’s wi-fi cloud is “complete,” Decatur Metro reports.

Jim Galloway at the AJC’s Political Insider sneaks a peek at preliminary numbers which show Georgia’s rush of newcomers — aka the growth industry, the state’s bread and butter — might be slowing. He writes a powerful post about the subject.

Want solid political commentary recorded here in Atlanta? The new Kudzu Vine podcast is posted and available for download.

Doug at Live Apartment Fire points us to a recent piece by Tom Jones, the WSB-TV reporter who won’t work for nobody but you. Jones covered the search for a man who’s allegedly been flashing children in the Grant Park area. The suspect’s ripped a page from afterschool specials and is offering candy to the tykes.

Travis Fain wants the old Speaker Glenn Richardson back. I second that.

Atlanta Blogs Today: Mice, casinos, Norwood!

Monday, February 16th, 2009

Juliana at Blog For Democracy points out that U.S. Rep. Tom Price, R-Springfield, need not kvetch that the stimulus plan includes $30 million to save some mice. After his theatrics, which included waving around what looks like a cat toy, it turns out the stimulus, in fact, does not earmark money for the rodents.

Decaturite wonders how blogs can be robust tools to connect communities as newspapers continue to dwindle in size and shape.

Sara agrees that “video lottery terminals” are not what a casino make. Griftdrift brings the thunder on the issue and wins 10 points for best blog post title of the day. Two points for great art, too.

Atlanta Business Chronicle columnist and blogger Maria Saporta says not to believe the Georgia Department of Transportation and Amtrak’s assertion that much-needed commuter rail running into a still-unbuilt downtown train terminal doesn’t have to run along tracks for the Beltline near Piedmont Park.

Ben at Terminal Station has a bunch of good posts. Most recent: He’s not too upbeat about the fact that Atlanta City Councilmember Mary Norwood leads in a poll for the next mayor.

A giant bowl of strawberries in your bathroom. Style, indeed!

Jim Galloway posts a moving account of Freddie Norman, a Cobb County police whose patrol car was struck by a drunk driver 21 years ago. Norman, who was left nearly comatose from the accident, died this weekend.

Atlanta Blogs Today: Rascals, beer, racism, oh my!

Monday, February 9th, 2009

Back by popular demand!

  • Pecanne Log’s Christa, who’s been on fire the last few weeks, documents the mysterious senior citizen daredevils who putter around the city on what seem to be Segways — with seats! What are these baffling people movers and where can I purchase one?
  • The deadline for the Urban Land Institute’s Urban Design competition was last week. Ben at Terminal Station was part of a Georgia Tech team that submitted a redevelopment vision for Denver. I had the opportunity to review his group’s proposal — a multi-phase smart-growth model — and it’s awesome. He’s posted photos and info about his team’s submission.
  • Grift continues his hilarious live-blogging series of Georgia Public Broadcasting’s Lawmakers, the daily rundown of state Legislature news. So far we’ve seen talk of taxes, Sunday booze, Minoo! and transportation. Pretty soon, they’ll get to the boll weevil. Fingers crossed, folks.
  • ATLMalcontent points us to a video about Elwin Wilson, a South Carolina man who in 1961 attacked a young Civil Rights activist — and future U.S. Representative — named John Lewis. Wilson, beset with remorse over the incident, recently visited Lewis’ office in Washington, D.C. to apologize. According to the Associated Press, Lewis “offered forgiveness without hesitation.”
  • Leon’s Full Service, a new Decatur pub from the same owners who brought you the Brick Store, pours its first brew today at 5 p.m. Decatur Metro has the details, including a blow-by-blow account of the eBay auction for that first beer that’s raised more than $2,500 for employees of Trackside and 5th Earl.

New Jim Powell ad

Wednesday, November 26th, 2008

Georgia Public Service Commission Democratic candidate Jim Powell — who faces Republican Lauren “Bubba” McDonald in the Dec. 2 runoff — has a new online-only ad up on YouTube. (If YouTube ain’t your thang, Grift has it on Vimeo.)

Gotta love the floating “Bubba” heads coming out of smokestacks.

Politics in a series of tubes

Friday, February 8th, 2008

web-news_sceneandherd2_41.jpg

ATLANTA PRESS CLUB PANEL: Everyone is excited about the Internet.

Last Thursday at the Atlanta Press Club, the Honeycomb Hideout of Atlanta journalism, four local masters of political webitude participated in a panel discussion on how electronic media are affecting political campaigns.

Former AJC-er and current Southern Political Report-er Tom Baxter noted how the Web allowed for a proliferation of political news outlets such as Politco and the Huffington Post. The entire panel — which included CNN.com’s John Helton, Shelby “Shelbinator.com” Highsmith and James “Griftdrift.blogspot.com” Williams — agreed the electronic media allow both facts and bullshit to go further and faster than ever, and for average people (be they bloggers, YouTubers or idiots who think Sen. Barack Obama is Muslim) to shape political debates in ways that were, until 10 years ago, limited to people with access to TV studios or printing presses.

So how are electronic media affecting campaigns? They are changing the tools, the tactics and speed without necessarily changing underlying principles.

Atlanta Blogs Today: Muggings, funds, WOOT!

Thursday, February 7th, 2008

People, be careful. Especially women. Which I really hate saying because fear really sucks. Just be smart and be careful and maybe you can avoid being afraid.

– Christa at PecanneLog writes about a friend of hers who was robbed outside her Kirkwood home. The police officer who responded to the call told her friend that there has been a “rash” of these types of crimes, including break-ins and robbers forcing people to withdraw cash from ATMs.

Remember this budget is about choices. If we can give Delta a 30 million dollar tax break on jet fuel, we can restore 30 million in education cuts to our poorest counties.

– FlackAttack of Tondee’s Tavern points out Gov. Sonny Perdue’s recent reductions in education funding. Update: The House Appropriations Committee reinstated the funds.

Least shocking statement of the day:

I have high regard for Limbaugh.

Of course you do, dear. After all you are brothers in the belief that facts matter less fury.

– James at Drifting Through The Grift, writing about Jim “WootDawg” Wooten, Atlanta’s most favorite Orville Redenbacher impersonator.

Wonky weekend reading

Friday, December 14th, 2007

Why did we call GriftDrift Best Blogger in our 2007 Best of Atlanta issue?

Because he does stuff like drive to Cumming, Ga., for a public discussion forum featuring four Georgia Democratic candidates for Senate — a journey so daunting, apparently, the race’s leading candidate, DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones, didn’t even bother to attend.

GriftDrift’s summary of the senatorial shindig can be found — you guessed it — on his blog.

Atlanta blogs today: Dick’s picks and quoting quotations

Monday, November 26th, 2007

‘Our friend at Peach Pundit, Erick? What’s Erick’s last name? He criticized the gang or some of his people did, because we don’t talk enough about local politics and we’re not specific enough. And you know he closed up his shop Tuesday for Thanksgiving and we’re here talking politics. I want him to know that.’

– Georgia Gang’s Dick Williams, as quoted by GriftDrift. Peach Pundit was, in fact, regularly updated during the holiday week.

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A local television news investigation last week uncovered the names of more than one hundred Georgia law enforcement officials who have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). WGCL-TV found evidence that these officers sought — and in many cases received — special treatment.Offenders included both low and high-ranking officers.

– An excerpt from a disturbing story at TheNewspaper.com, quoting a WGCL-TV CBS-46 story, as quoted by Jeff Emanuel at Peach Pundit.

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“The state is being governed through the prism of a Republican primary,” he said. “When that happens, some of the more radical ideas become viable.”

-- AJC.com’s Political Insider, quoting state Sen. David Adelman, D-Atlanta. Adelman was apparently referring to the Glenn Tax.

Atlanta blogs today: Harpies

Monday, October 29th, 2007

When the Genarlow Wilson decision came down, on that clear day of justice and rectitude, certain leaders in the Republican Party and their personal harpies in the media chose not quiet restraint but instead opted for fakery and obfuscation.

— GriftDrift gives Sen. Eric Johnson, and others like him, a piece of his mind.

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I am now listening intently, and I hope that we can curb any future instances of this egregious behavior. All my love… I miss you and hope you come out with something new for me soon.

Love you forever,
duane

— From “dear Cardigans,” Duane Moody’s open love letter to the Swedish pop band the Cardigans.

Also worth checking out, Duane’s paean to Guitar Hero III, which probably breaks some sort of blogging record for the most un-ironic exclamation marks typed by a grown man.

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Her perceived inevitably is particularly bothersome, as is the assumption that she’s the most experienced candidate (sorry Joe Biden, but a one-term senator who rode her husband’s cum-stained coattails to office is clearly more qualified than you).

— ATLMalcontent on Democratic presidential front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton.

“Cum-stained coattails”?

Is that what they mean when they call him the “Comeback Kid”?

Atlanta blogs today: Mourning Wooten

Tuesday, September 25th, 2007

Ronald Williamson
Ronald Jones
Clarence Dexter, Jr.

— GriftDrift rebuts AJC columnist Jim Wooten’s ridiculous pro-death-penalty rant with a list of 123 people whose erroneous death sentences were eventually overturned. Three of the 123 are named above.

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Feeding government in general, and a regional (read less accountable) quasi-governmental agency with more tax dollars is similar to enabling a drunk with more alcohol.

— Jason Pye is not pleased with tax-and-spend trends in Henry County.

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An Elaborate Prank on Atlanta Drivers

— Maigh at Metroblogging Atlanta offers an apt description of the 14th Street Bridge reconstruction clusterfuck.

Atlanta blogs today: Under the bus

Thursday, August 9th, 2007

That’s gotta hurt. …

— Erick at Peach Pundit on Atlanta City Councilman H. Lamar Willis getting thrown under the bus by his own public relations agent.

Last month the AJC reported that Willis falsely claimed his H. Lamar Willis Foundation was a nonprofit. In a written statement, Willis’ PR agent said he thinks Willis lied to him about the facts of the case.

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I’m not sympathetic to the Doraville City Council at this point but if you step back to view the bigger picture, one has to wonder just how small towns throughout the land are coping with losing vital citizens for months on end.

— GriftDrift goes all big-picture on us in comments on Doraville’s middle-of-the-night firing of its police chief, John King. The chief was apparently fired, in part, because he was serving in Iraq for 18 months. He has since been rehired.

Read some of the AJC’s story about the case and you see the name of Doraville City Councilman Tom Hart. You may recall that Hart was ordered by Mayor Ray Jenkins not to speak to the city’s comptroller after he allegedly said some nasty stuff to her.

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If they’re so awesome, then they might be hitting a venue that isn’t Swayze’s when they make it to Atlanta. Oh yeah, and they wouldn’t suck. And on top of that, I wouldn’t be using their CD as a coaster to help me drown my sorrows.

— Leah at Confessions of a Music Addict apparently has mixed feelings about the song “Because I’m Awesome” by the Dollyrots.

Atlanta blogs today: Googling for sex

Wednesday, July 11th, 2007

Looking at my stat counter for the day I see that at almost 3:00am I’ve reached my normal daily total of unique visitors.Why?Because there are that many people out there searching for the keywords “Genarlow Wilson Sex Tape”.

— GriftDrift at Drifting Through The Grift on the prurient interest generated by discussion of the Genarlow Wilson sex tape.

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Personally, I really don’t get offended when I hear it used in a hateful tone, and if one of the homies says it, whatever. Tupac Shakur redefined the word for my generation (N.I.G.G.A., Never Ignorant Getting Goals Accomplished). I think we can give words power by reacting, or over reacting. Sure most people think of slavery, oppression, and nooses, when it’s used that way as a hate word, but say what you want. I know who I am. Even so, RIP.

— My Urban Report reflects on this week’s symbolic burial of the word ‘nigger.’

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Was Huey Lewis not available? Or Mister Mister?

— CB at Rowland’s Office on the choice of musicians to entertain the MLB All-Star Game crowd.

Please click on the link, if only to see the picture.