Fresh Loaf

Folks have long talked about the possibility of gambling at Underground Atlanta, often from the standpoint that legalized gaming may be the only way to make the city-subsidized white-elephant finally solvent and to revive lower downtown. Fulton Commissioner Robb Pitts has kept the issue in the public with frequent pro-gambling statements. And, as recently as mid-November, Mayor Shirley Franklin told state lawmakers she would be willing to explore gambling licenses as a way to generate revenue for the city.

Well, it looks as if some developer has finally taken the bait. The AJC reports that Underground operator Dan O’Leary has announced that a company is interested in filling the near-dormant mall with 5,000 video slot machines and building a new high-rise hotel onsite.

The project would cost about $450 million and would be expected to generate $600 million in gross annual revenue, half of which might go to the Georgia Lottery Board. Is it a coincidence that the lottery board would have a large role in deciding whether the proposal goes forward?

Actually, the legal hurdles to installing a casino in Underground are not that high. The site is already designated by state law as Georgia’s only “special entertainment district,” which means that many legal restrictions that apply everywhere else — Sunday alcohol sales, for instance — don’t apply there. The city doesn’t have the authority to license a casino without state approval, but surprisingly few laws would need to be changed to make it happen.

If there’s the will, there’s definitely a way.

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Yellow nails? She must be a smoker!

Amount Georgia lawmakers want to raise the price of cigarettes to offset a $2.4 billion deficit: $1

Georgia’s current tax on cigarettes: 39 cents

Nation’s average cigarette tax: $1.19

Estimated revenue the proposed cigarette tax would generate for the state: $350 million

Estimated tax revenue that would be raised if Sunday alcohol sales were allowed: $4.8 million

Number of signatures on an online petition calling for alcohol to be sold in stores on the Sabbath: 52,070

Dollar amount of a proposed “pole tax” that state lawmakers want strip club patrons to pay at the door: $5

Price of admission after 10 p.m. on a regular night at the Cheetah: $10

Minimum estimated revenue that could be generated if casinos were built in Atlanta and along the Georgia coast: $600 million

Sources: AJC, Associated Press, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, PetitionOnline.com, TheCheetah.com, 11Alive.com

(Photo courtesy of Photos.com)

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My colleague Mara Shalhoup wasn’t the only one who bristled upon reading a recent AJC story about Atlanta’s slumping nightlife scene.

Fulton Commissioner Robb Pitts, never one to shy away from sharing his opinion, also had a strong reaction to the AJC piece. Unlike Mara, who challenged the article’s central thesis, Pitts, in an open e-mail response, chastises the city for allowing a once-vibrant entertainment industry to dwindle – including the adult entertainment industry. Says Robb:

Atlanta has actually lost ground when it comes to adult entertainment, including the former Buckhead Entertainment District. While establishments like the Cheetah, Magic City and the former Gold Club are not for everyone, they are often magnets for convention traffic.

(more…)

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• Too many shoe-throwing jokes over the weekend to try and crack another one this Monday morning. Let me just say we all felt surprised Bush was able to duck so quickly (on second thought, are we really that surprised?…). And because I know y’all can’t get enough, here’s an animated GIF of the whole thing (for you Reddit-dwelling trolls).
• Less money, more problems: States are running out on funds for jobless.
• Sex of the times: These darn kids, turns out, not only are they knocking on the backdoor more often than not, now it’s all about hooking-up to gauge their interest in dating. (It is 2008).
• Newspapers are saved! All hail Blago! We just need a corrupt governor in every state and the newspaper industry is back in business.
• A top Gwinnett Co. arts instructor says art is essential to academic success … so spend some time over at our revamped A&E Portal and let us know what you think.
• Braves all but dormant in Baseball’s Winter Meetings last week … now where do they go?
• Thieves prioritize: First the forklift, then the ATM.
• Turns out Google’s algorithm isn’t the only thing determining search results. They’ve got this new thing called “human eye-balls” curating searches.
• And speaking of the “Don’t Be Evil (but take over the world anyway)” search giant, they’re not too happy about a Wall-Street Journal story on their stance on Net Neutrality.
• Planning on going to the inauguration? DC is anticipating crowds that may cripple the transportation infrastructure.
• Scary: Diebold machines dropped votes in Ohio.

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According to an e-mail from the man himself, Fulton County Commissioner Robb Pitts last week sent a letter to the state lawmakers urging them to allow Georgians the right to vote whether they want gambling casinos in their communities. Pitts is a leading proponent of bringing them to downtown.

Pasted below you’ll find his plea. The all caps and bold type are a nice touch. That always helps me get my point across in AOL chatrooms.

December 4, 2008

Dear Legislator:

The financial condition of the national economy is severely impacting our local economy in ways we never dreamed possible even a year ago.

The unemployment rate in Georgia is at an all time high (7%), and our constituents should be able to depend on us to think of ways to create jobs and boost the economy. It is clear to me, in 2009, seeking new sources of revenue and creating jobs are key to moving our economy forward.

We, as elected officials, cannot just sit back and wait for things to get better. We must lead with foresight instead of hindsight. You, as a member of the Georgia General Assembly, can make a difference. Let’s be courageous and allow the citizens of Georgia to vote the issue of legalizing CASINO GAMBLING up or down!

Once again, please, LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE!

Sincerely,

Robb Pitts

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From CraigsList’s “missed connections” post titled “Thanks for the bathroom fun in PUBLIX today – w4m – 30 (Acworth)”:

To the hottie Dad who left his basket of soup and crackers to come play with me in the bathroom.

That was hot as you know what. I have never ****** like that before.

Anytime you want to meet for a free cookie,,, I will be there.

They never would’ve let this happen at Food Lion.

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Last week, Atlanta police arrested five, suspiciously dressed men as part of a crackdown on transvestite prostitutes, AJC.com reports today.

The wording in the police report that chronicled the incident is pretty hilarious.

It lists one of the suspects’ occupations as “Lady of the Night.” It then describes how the man, Randy Collins, flagged down a motorist in Midtown while wearing a black nightgown and high heels.

Another man who hailed a ride an hour later was forced out of the car after police pulled it over. According to the AJC:

Green was wearing a pink halter top and “booty shorts,” the report said.

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Calling all bespectacled, no-nonsense women who steal the spotlight from their potential bosses when they’re not killing moose! Your services are requested for an “adult-themed video production” here in Atlanta.

The wonderful ladies at Pecanne Log unearthed this gem:

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A pointless, brutal war and serial violations of the Geneva Conventions are apparently not the only things staining the honor of U.S. military personnel.

According to Rep. Paul Broun, R-Georgia, government-assisted masturbation (in the form of pornographic magazine sales at military facilities) is “denigrating the moral standing of our troops both here and abroad.”

To protect America’s servicemen and women from rubbing one out on Uncle Sam, Broun has proposed something called the Military Honor and Decency Act.

Broun ’splains:

“As a Marine, I am deeply concerned for the welfare of our troops and their mission,” said Broun. “Allowing the sale of pornography on military bases has harmed military men and women by: escalating the number of violent, sexual crimes; feeding a base addiction; eroding the family as the primary building block of society; and denigrating the moral standing of our troops both here and abroad. Our troops should not see their honor sullied so that the moguls behind magazines like Playboy and Penthouse can profit. The ‘Military Honor and Decency Act’ will right a bureaucratic–and moral–wrong.”

Idiotic, yes, but it’s also kind of sweet. The poor Congressman thinks our troops still get their porn from magazines.

(Tip of the jimmy hat to Erick at Peach Pundit for bringing it to my attention and brownsox at Daily Kos for reminding me today that it was brought to my attention.)

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Wonkette reports Atlanta prostitute “Tori” is deploying to Baghdad next week.

Her mission: to offer “a quick reminder of home” to some of the war zone’s private contractors.

Tori describes herself as a “petite and mature provider” and a “bundle of sensuality” who will “excite your senses and ignite your passion.” The Erotic Review notes that her D-cup breast implants are “super nice.” Good to know.

To learn more about Tori, follow the links provided on the two pages I linked above. Be warned, none of them are appropriate for the office.

Unless you work in Tori’s office.

(Thank you Thomas Wheatley for the Wonkette link)

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I would say that 80 to 90 percent of the people here in North Georgia are against any sort of bill to help these people. I am certainly out of the mainstream here. I find no fault in these people, and wonder how my “Christian” neighbors can carry such bitterness in their hearts.

— Aging Hipster on a Washington Post story about how Gainesville and Hall County have dealt with the area’s growing Latino population. The article’s most painful quotation: “And they don’t seem to feel any discomfort when they’re, like, six inches from your face and talking to each other in their language, either.”

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an anonymous editor monday around midnight reported the death of chris benoit’s wife on the the wikipedia more than 14 hours before the bodies were found.

adding to the confusion, the post came from stamford, ct, which is home to the headquarters of benoit’s employer, the wwe.

— James at Metroblogging Atlanta is a little freaked out that a Wikipedia contributor wrote about the death of WWE wrestler Chris Benoit’s wife 14 hours before her body was found by police. I’m freaked out by Wikipedia because I still don’t have an entry.

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It’s always a special pleasure to stumble onto great artists from the past whose reputations have faded from cultural memory, but whose work remains to let us know that they, like us, were moved by sexual beauty.

— It’s Friday. That means Gloria Brame is posting erotic art.

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The Associated Press and USA Today just picked up the AJC’s April 2 story about the Atlanta Police Department’s War On Bathroom Sex. I blogged a little bit about it on April 3. In case you missed it, Atlanta cops are peering into toilets at the airport to catch people engaged in sexual activity.

Seeing the story again reminded me of a conversation I had two weeks ago with a Clayton County assistant solicitor whose office prosecutes public indecency offenses at the airport.

I got in touch with her after I tried and failed to get an Atlanta police officer to talk to me about the crackdown. Strange. You’d think that someone who’s been peering into bathroom stalls at the airport would have some stories they’d want to tell.

(more…)

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