Fresh Loaf

Danny Ingram

Danny Ingram was one of the first gay service members to be discharged under the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in 1994, and now the Georgia Tech employee and Desert Storm veteran will lead the charge against DADT as the newly elected president of American Veterans for Equal Rights.

Previously president of the Georgia chapter of AVER, Ingram was elected national president during the organization’s Oct. 15-18 convention.  He doesn’t hold back on his expectations of President Barack Obama and Congress in regards to DADT:

“For President Obama, it’s a matter of moral courage” he said. “He made a promise and we expect him to keep his word. One of my first priorities as AVER national president will be to encourage him to provide the leadership to move Congress to pass the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (HR 1283) which will outlaw discrimination against LGBT service members.”

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, tweeted last week that she expects Congressional hearings on DADT to begin in November.

(Photo courtesy Southern Voice)

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Up in New York City, residents, visitors and real estate agents are all agog over the High Line, a groundbreaking greenspace project that converted abandoned elevated railroad tracks into a breathtaking park. Take a look at photos and see for yourself.

James Corner, the visionary designer behind the High Line, will speak at the Georgia Tech College of Architecture’s inaugural Douglas C. Allen lecture on Nov. 2. Corner, who founded his firm james corner field operations in 1998, is considered one of best landscape architects of his generation.

(more…)

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Number of Georgia Tech students suspected to have contracted swine flu in the first two weeks of classes: 150

Number of cases confirmed: 12

Number of cases confirmed at the University of Georgia in a 12-day period in August: 20

Percentage of swine flu cases that end in death: 0.4

Percentage of regular flu cases that end in death: 0.1

Percentage of the 1918 Spanish flu cases that ended in death: 2

Percentage of swine flu cases in pregnant women that end in death: 6

Number of people who have died from swine flu in the U.S., since April 2009: 500

Number of people who have died from being hit by a car, truck or bus in the U.S., in 2008: 4,378

Sources: Associated Press, AJC.com, Reuters, MedicineNet.com, USAToday.com, Fatality Analysis Reporting System

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Mike Dobbins

Transit and mobility wonks itching for something to do early this evening are in luck.

At the Technology Square Barnes & Noble at 6:30 p.m., Georgia Tech professor Mike Dobbins will sign his new book Urban Design & People.

Why are we so giddy about this event? Dobbins is one of the metro Atlanta’s smartest — and wittiest — transportation and urban planning maestros. He’s also one of the few people not afraid to speak his mind about the Beltline or the importance of affordable housing.

In the recently published book, the a former Atlanta planning commissioner offers a common-sense look, complete with historical examples, at the process behind creating public spaces. Dobbins also places a strong emphasis on the important role communities play in making those decisions. It’s an excellent primer for planners and laypeople alike, told by a narrator with nearly 40 years experience in his field. (You can read a chapter from the book here.)

(Courtesy Georgia Tech)

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1) The Lovely Eggs play Star Bar.

2) A Requiem in the Garden opens at Gallery Stokes.

3) Nophest kicks off at WonderRoot.

4) Georgia Tech professor Michael Dobbins discusses Urban Design & People at Barnes & Noble.

5) Dancing Monkey Cabaret presents Monkey Beach Party at Academy Theatre.

See more Atlanta events.

(Photo courtesy Cherryade Records)

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I saw Taylor Medford walking down the street on Centennial Olympic Park Drive. He looked like bags with legs. Taylor is about to enter his sophomore year at Georgia Tech and he was just arriving in Atlanta for the start of the school year, he was walking from the MARTA station to his Tech housing. The worst part of college for Taylor? “I thought I hated French in high school but I hate physics so much more, I never thought I would hate anything more than high school French. But I do. It’s Georgia Tech physics.” The best part of college for Taylor? “The freedom, being able to do what you want, taking the classes you want and not having your nagging parents wake you up every morning and tell you to go to class.”

(Photo and text by Joeff Davis)

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From the AJC’s report that Atlanta Police arrested three males this morning for an attempted robbery near Georgia Tech:

Police found a loaded AK-47, body armor and a ski mask inside the suspects’ vehicle, Redmond said.

Well then! How many AK-47s are floating around Atlanta?

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Remember that mystery candidate for Atlanta City Council District 6 that we hinted at a few days ago? Well, there’ll be no more waiting, fine commenters! She’s in!

Bahareh Azizi, a Georgia Tech scientist, announced her candidacy on Saturday for the increasingly crowded race to represent the Midtown, Morningside, Druid Hills and Virginia-Highland neighborhoods at City Hall.

According to an emailed press release, Azizi launched her campaign during Saturday’s 40th annual Peachtree Road Race. She says the announcement dovetails with her campaign’s “commitment, endurance and a willingness to join the people of our city on the streets of Atlanta.”

In 2007, she was the co-host of Science Investigators, a PBS pilot show. According to a press release about the show’s first episode, Azizi investigated the disappearance of a certain species of frogs in New York and drove an electric car that went from 0 to 60 mph in three seconds. Wheee!

(more…)

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From an AJC story about an uptick in burglaries near Tech’s campus:

More police will hit the streets to help combat a spike in crime targeting Georgia Tech students, officials said.

Georgia Tech and Atlanta Police have scheduled a press conference for 3 p.m. today to announce the steps they are taking to stop the crime spike.

Funny, when a bartender was murdered in January at his place of work on Memorial Drive — following a string of burglaries and robberies in the area — I don’t remember a press conference being called by police. (Only after detectives caught one of the bartender’s killers did the Atlanta Police Department hold a press conference.) Nor was there the promise of more patrol officers working the street.

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“I requested the air unit for assistance but I was advised they were furloughed tonight.”

Those chilling words are from the police incident report written by APD Officer Nicholas F. Parete after Monday’s robbery and shooting of Georgia Tech student Patrick Whaley outside his apartment near campus. A Georgia Tech police officer spotted the suspects, but lost track of them when they ditched their stolen car and ran behind houses near the campus.

“Let’s not lose sight of the fact that ultimately it is the level of crime that is important, not the number of police officers.”

And those chilling words are from a February 12, 2009 AJC opinion column written by Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin.

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In late 2007, Georgia Tech professor Dan Immergluck released a study that added numbers to a sneaking suspicion: Property taxes were rising fast along the southern half of the Beltline, the 22-mile loop of parks, trails and transit planned to circle Atlanta’s urban core, and posing a problem for longtime residents unable to afford the uptick.

The study served as a reminder that for all its promises of parks, streetcars and smart-growth development, the Beltline could potentially cause displacement and gentrification — and have a negative impact on the neighborhoods the project is designed to help.

Immergluck’s followed up the study with Foreclosed!, a new book about the origins and aftershocks of the nationwide housing market meltdown.

(more…)

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IT GOES IN THAT THERE HOOPY THING: Georgia Tech coach paul Hewitt

Georgia Tech was up by one point with 9.9 seconds left, but after Florida State came back with a 2 and drew the foul, Tech just couldn’t get back and get the shot in time to pull off the upset against FSU this afternoon.

Until the last 10 minutes or so, this game looked like FSU’s all along. Tech’s second half effort was huge. I really thought for a second in there that they were going to win. Alas…

The Florida State band is quite…ugh…funky? They have a bass player who kind of leads the band. I thought it was a little cheeky of them , in the midst of the game, to play T.I.’s “Whatever You Like,” seeing as if anyone can claim that song it should be the Atlanta team. It was pretty cool though, and totally outdid the G-Tech band’s so-six-years ago rendition of Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love.”

Speaking of bands…
From my seat on the press desks, I’m directly in front of one of the school bands. Which meant I spent the first part of today watching Virginia Tech’s piccolo player scream and pull his hair over the referee decisions that ultimately secured UNC’s win over Virginia Tech. In the neck and neck game, UNC was ahead by one point with 7 seconds left when what looked very much like Tyler Hansbrough fouling A.D. Vassallo was called as a held ball and the possession went to UNC, pretty much guaranteeing them the win. (more…)

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Underdogs Georgia Tech, who have had a miserable season thus far, have beat Clemson 86-81. They will go on to play Florida State tomorrow at 2 p.m.

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HEY TIGER!: Your girl's outfits are hurting my head

Journalism is a good gig. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. I’m sitting here 20 feet from the court at end of the first game of the ACC Tournament, and wondering how I got so lucky. As if reviewing restaurants for a living wasn’t cool enough.

Virginia Tech has just beat Miami by almost 20 points. Georgia Tech is about to take on Clemson. I hope Tech can defy expectations. I doubt it. So far, Miami and Clemson win the award for ugliest cheerleading outfits.

When I found out the tournament was happening in Atlanta this year, I thought about getting tickets. My husband was thrilled with the idea. “Only $400 each for the whole tournament!” he said. Ugh … right. Journalism is great, but it doesn’t pay well enough to make $800 fun possible.

Then, during discussions about the launch of our new website, it was decided we’d have a new section on the homepage devoted to sports, something we’ve done a fairly awful job of covering in the past (in my opinion). Hmm … I began plotting. When my media credentials were approved, my husband began pouting. He hasn’t stopped yet.

Yesterday I stopped by to check out Georgia Tech practice and was giddy at being so close to the action, at getting my own spot so near these large boys. I sometimes don’t know how I became so attached to this sweaty boy spectacle. No, that’s a lie. I do know. I lived in North Carolina. (more…)

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It’s a rare comedy song that starts funny and gets funnier.

(H/T Icarus at Peach Pundit)

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MCCAIN: Picks Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. He’ll introduce her in Dayton, Ohio today.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH: Barack Obama accepts the Democratic nomination for president in Denver with a speech CNN analyst David Gergen calls a “political masterpiece.”

CLAYTON: School system loses accreditation, but can get it back at any point during the next school year if it can meet the SACS mandates. Superintendent John Thompson plans to appeal the SACS decision.

GUSTAV: Bearing down on Cuba as it becomes a hurricane, with a Tuesday landfall in Louisiana expected.

LANIER: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has slowed flows from the lake because tributaries and reservoirs south of Buford Dam were replenished by Fay.

UGA VII: The new mascot will be announced today and debuted tomorrow when Georgia hosts Georgia Southern in Athens.

RAMBLIN’ WRACK: Fay pushed excessive wrack, or decomposing seaweed that’s naturally washed ashore, beyond normal high tide in coastal Georgia, and it’s filled with trash.

RAMBLIN’ WRECK: Tech beats Jacksonville State 41-14 to open the season.

MEDAL OF SCIENCE: The nation’s highest science award will be given to Georgia Tech chemistry professor Mostafa El-Sayed, who’s working to treat cancer with cylindrical gold nanorods and lasers.

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OBAMA: Officially becomes the Democratic nominee for president, the first black person ever nominated by a major party. He’ll give his acceptance speech tonight.

MCCAIN: Has picked his running mate, whom he’ll inform of his decision today and introduce Friday in Ohio.

UNDERDRIVE: As gas prices and environmental worries have driven down driving, highways and other transportation projects, including commuter rail, have lost a major source of funding — gas taxes.

CLAYTON IS THE HARDEST PART: SACS will announce its accreditation decison at a 1 p.m. press conference today. [UPDATE: Accreditation lost.] Meanwhile, a state judge has recommended that Gov. Perdue remove four Clayton school board members from office for violating Georgia’s open-meetings laws and ethics code. 

FREE REFILL: Fay has now added two feet back to Lake Lanier, as rainwater continues to move downhill through the basin. It’s still 15 feet below full pool, but that one storm has made up for the month of August so far, which has been especially dry.

FUNNEL VISION: The National Weather Service says up to four tornadoes may have touched down in Hall County as Fay passed through.

OUR DEERLY DEPARTED: Rome’s world-famous six-legged deer died last week after surgery to remove his two unnecessary legs.

PAUL JOHNSON: The New York Times profiles Georgia Tech’s new skipper and his stubbornly distinctive coaching style, which he’ll debut in Atlanta tonight as Tech hosts Jacksonville State to open the season.

BRAVES: Call up minor-league outfielder Josh Anderson after trading CF Mark Kotsay to Boston Wednesday for minor-league outfielder Luis Sumoza. Atlanta also signed journeyman relief pitcher Elmer Dessens.

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THE CENTER OF CONVENTION: The Democratic National Convention begins today, and the newly minted Obama-Biden ticket still has nerves to settle within the party.

TONGUE IN CHIC: Georgia Tech researchers are working to develop new technology that would allow disabled people to control computers, home appliances and wheelchairs using their tongues.

PEACE OUT: Peace Corps volunteers from Georgia are up 49 percent from last year.

COOL WATER: The Athens EPA lab’s new cooling system will save 1 million gallons of water a year by recycling condensation that would otherwise go to waste.

RYAN’S SHARE: Matt Ryan is named the Falcons’ starting quarterback, joining running back Michael Turner in the fledgling offensive core.

NEWS FLASH: A flash flood watch begins for much of metro Atlanta and North Georgia at 4 this afternoon and stays in effect until Tuesday evening.

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During the last 10 years, people have given Cara Brown a lot of crap for not using her Georgia Tech industrial engineering degree. Literally, that is — she works as a poop scooper for Dirty Work, driving to her clients’ yards and picking up where their dogs left off.

Her post-graduation desk job bored her. “I was tired of the solitude and being indoors. It’s all about doing what you enjoy, and I really love being outside and with animals.”

Although the majority of her business is residential, she also scoops for condos, kennels and events such as Turner Field’s Bark at the Park.

She cleans some litter boxes and rabbit cages, but also takes care of “any kind of wildlife poop” in the yard. “We try to pick up anything we find, or the dog could eat it.”

She’s retrieved paper money and a diamond ring that dogs had eaten, and once came across the plastic eyes a dog ate off a toy. “The pile of poop was looking up at me.”

“People are always very careful what they call it. You know they want to use the ’s’ word, but they’ll say something like ‘feces’ or ‘No. 2.’ ‘Poop’ is the biggest.”

Photo by Joeff Davis

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— The Georgia blogosphere is still trying to sort through the ramifications that blogger Andre Walker’s failure to disclose that he was working for state Rep. David Scott, even as he posted on Scott’s campaign. There’s been a lively discussion here on Fresh Loaf. And besides posting comments here, Driftgrift is spitting tacks here and also here. And Sara discusses it also at Going Through The Motions.

— A WGCL-TV news reporter was duped by a guy who claimed to have invented a way to convert tap water in fuel. Live Apartment Fire says it wasn’t the first time the scam has made its way onto a news broadcast and asks the right question: Why didn’t the reporter contact a scientist at Georgia Tech to see if water can actually be converted to fuel?

— The Daly Briefing follows the adventures of a former Atlanta news photographer in Iraq. Today, he’s off for a trip to Umm Qasr, the lone port in Iraq. He writes about dealing with the heat in the desert and his unfortunate choice of a seat in a ride on a Blackhawk helicopter.

— A transplant from Long Island writes about the joys of homegrown tomatoes in Atlanta on Voted Off The Island.

— Edwin at Chicken Fat riffs on a question that’s always puzzled me as well: Why do we talk to our pets as if they’re going to respond?

— And, finally, Stephen Colbert has issued an apology for using the term “crappy Canton” to describe one of our fair cities. Reporter-cub has the link.

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U.S. CONSULATE: In Turkey attacked by gunmen; three attackers and three police officers are killed.

ATHEIST SOLDIER: Sues the U.S. military, not seeking compensation but seeking to end the religious discrimination in the military he says cost him his career.

MARSUPIAL DU JOUR: Dawsonville’s Kangaroo Conservation Center, the largest collection of kangaroos outside Australia, will be featured on NBC’s “Today” show Thursday morning.

FLIER, FLIER: Obama distances himself from Vernon Jones over Jones’ campaign flier that photoshopped the two of them together, giving the appearance that Obama has endorsed Jones, which he emphasized Tuesday that he has not.

FOREIGN AFFAIR: CBS News’ aptly titled chief foreign affairs correspondent, Lara Logan, tells the Washington Post she’s pregnant from a foreign affair she’s having with a married federal contractor she met while working in Iraq.

“HYPERMILING”: Not driving like a jackass can save gas, just don’t be a hypermiling jackass.

POT STICKLER: The lawyer for a man charged with possession of a garbage bag of pot in his trunk says that if the arresting officers — who originally pulled the man over for a broken tail light but then said they smelled pot — can’t recreate the feat in the courthouse parking lot, the charges should be thrown out for lack of probable cause.

TILTING AT WIND TURBINES: Offshore wind energy in Georgia has gained some steam after Navy and Georgia Tech research shows it may be practical, although it’s still a long way from reality.

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Is it an example of 21st Century kitsch, as the Christian Science Monitor implies?

Or is the Millennium Gate at Atlantic Station, dedicated last weekend, a new city landmark worthy of our civic pride?

The debate rages on skyscraperpage.com. Our favorite comment so far came in response to a post asking why the monument looks photoshopped in every picture.

Responded a poster named Joey: “Perhaps it’s because it looks so much better than its surroundings. Like a hot girl among the other Georgia Tech engineers.

(Photo: www.thegateatlanta.com)

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Watch out, ladies. Those Tech kids sure are wacky.

Michael McCarty, a 20-year-old Georgia Tech student, met his dream girl, a fellow college student, online 5 years ago.

So in preparation for her upcoming visit — when the two will meet face-to-face for the first time — Michael has turned to the Internet for help with something he hasn’t experienced — kissing.

McCarty, a finance major, placed an ad on Craigslist asking for “a girl to please teach me to kiss.” He says in the ad that his online girlfriend “tells me it’s a big turn-off if a guy doesn’t know how to kiss, and she even dumped her last boyfriend because of this.”

…

“I guess I’ve been on the computer too much playing video games and not going out and meeting people as much as I’d like to.”

Here’s his ad. Go Dawgs.

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OBAMA AND CLINTON: Meet in Washington.

PREZ DISPENSER: Georgia has six public universities, including Georgia Tech and Georgia State, that have recently lost their presidents and are searching for new ones before fall classes begin.

TRAINING DAY: Gwinnettians will vote in the July 15 primary whether to pay a penny sales tax for MARTA service in the county. Although the last such vote in 1990 failed, recent polling indicates many now think itsmarta, perhaps due to horrible traffic and gas prices. As a backup to rail, though, county leaders are hoping to at least introduce diesel-electric hybrid accordion buses to the historically train-trepid public.

DOWN AND DROUGHT: Lake Lanier is still 13 feet below normal despite winter rains, meaning the next best hope is for a hurricane to hang out in North Georgia for a while this summer.

CHIPPER JONES: Hits 400th career home run.

CARTERSVILLE ADVENTURE: Illinois man has a big morning in Cartersville.

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HAWKS POPULI: Philips Arena pulsates as the suddenly unstoppable Joe Johnson leads the surging Hawks over the heavily favored Celtics to tie the series at 2-2. They’re in Boston Wednesday and back here Friday.

TAYLOR BENNETT: Ga. Tech QB transfers to La. Tech. He’ll be playing for Vince Dooley’s son and La. Tech’s mascot is also the Bulldogs, so page-view-hungry websites come up with misleading-but-not-untrue headlines like this:

JEREMIAH WRIGHT: Doing his best to keep Obama out of the White House. CNN has this bio of the ravin’ reverend. ATLMalcontent is justifiably worried that Obama is showing a Kerryesque lack of anger over this.

JIMMY CARTER: On “The Daily Show” last night.

NEED FOR SEED: UGA anthropologists’ Southern Seed Legacy protects heirloom varieties of old and disappearing Southern crops such as the plum granny and the turkey craw bean.

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