Hey Look! I got the year right this week!
And now for the obligatory “Please use this post to comment and ask questions about local issues not discussed here in the past week. Comments close on Monday.”
J_T
FM Fats
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Brad
Darenw
Demanda
FM Fats
Steve
Meg
Can We Talk?
Judd
AMB
Parker Cross
decaturite16
FM Fats
Can someone please explain to my why the city has decided to issue stop work orders for tree houses (that were constructed years ago) in people’s back yards? Yes….. it’s true,,,, I know people who may have to tear down their kid’s tree house b/c they didn’t get a building permit for it when they put it up a few years ago.
They did the same thing with the awesome mud hut at the Oakhurst garden. They were required to take the roof off of it and put up corrugated sheet metal with holes in it instead… boy… that’s a lot safer!
Come on guys… don’t you have bigger fish to fry? Is business really that slow?
Maybe they consider tree houses “low hanging fruit”
Hi, Grackle–not sure where you got your info, but just to correct it (I was board president at the Oakhurst Garden when planning and construction on the mud playhouse began), we designed it from the beginning with an open roof. The Garden sits in a flood plain, so the less permeable surface, the better for all. No trouble with the city; nothing was taken off. Everybody played nice.
Oops… sorry. What I thought was a reliable source told me that. Guess I should have followed up. Thanks for straightening me out on that. My irritation about the tree houses still stands.
Maybe because in a strong storm or tornado the pieces would go flying around and be a danger. When we permitted our small, back yard shed, we had to tie down our back yard shed for that reason.
Major pet peeve…restaurant wait staff taking my order without writing it down.
This happened to me last night at the new Twisted Taco in Tucker. And sure enough, two of the four orders were fouled up. And to make matters worse, he blamed the kitchen staff.
I. Really. Hate. That.
Ditto. Think they do that to try to be impressive. IMHO, there is only a downside. One of the basic assumptions is that the order will be conveyed correctly to the kitchen. You don’t get an extra tip for that. But if the order is not conveyed correctly to the kitchen, your tip will be adjusted (downward) accordingly. And blaming it on the kitchen when the observable weak link to the customer is the fact that the wait person didn’t write it down, only means that the wait person is at fault for not doing the absolute minimum job.
I was in the restaurant business for 10 years. I’d like to hear if I’m missing something.
I was a waiter for ten years and only made mistakes when I wrote stuff down. But I started out in busy bars at 18 so you don’t writer things down and quickly learn to keep 20 orders in your head….
Many of BSP’s staff do that. Though they’ve never messed up my order.
It drives me crazy when they don’t write it down. 90% of the time when something is wrong with the order, it is from a server who did not write the order down. I can’t tell you how many times a server has walked back over to the table to make sure what they were about to type into the system was correct (and it’s normally not).
And, of course, by the time they bring your food to the table, it is an added aggravation to have to re-order. Meanwhile, your companion(s) don’t know whether to proceed with eating or wait with you while their food grows cold. Many times, I just eat whatever they bring if it’s not too far out of line, but I don’t like being treated so cavalierly and then am expected to pay the usual tip.
‘Back in the day’ I believe a good server was expected to take orders without writing it down – before the electronics age. Now if they don’t buy touch pads for each server they may figure it wastes paper. My peeve is ‘food runners’ who seem to get it wrong more often than not. I waited tables a long time ago, but I don’t get the server having no idea what is delivered to their table. Seems checking and delivering the right order themselves would improve their tips enough to make up for having one or two fewer tables at a time. Can anyone here explain this system?
Whenever I’m in a restaurant that has loud ambient noise, or I don’t want to pronounce something incorrectly, I write it down on a piece of paper. I think I was only given an odd look once by a waiter, as if he didn’t know what to do next.
The best burger in Decatur is at Steinbecks.
“Oh no he di’int!”
Is it really? I’ll have to try it.
But I’ll only go there if they promise to write down my order. (tying two different FFFA conversations together = synergy!)
You are so weird. That is not an insult.
Anyone for a “Snowpocalypse 2010″ Decatur snowman contest? I have my 20 loaves of bread and 15 gallons of milk, and i’m ready for action!
What are you gonna do with all that? Make French toast for an army?
That statement has me smiling big time. I want some French toast now.
Ah so you’re the one!
Ha! I actually NEED milk (with 2 little kids), but am almost too ashamed to go buy it.
I’m actually fascinated why these two ingredients are always the focus of snow-induced grocery runs. In fact, I think someone should write a Snowmergency Cookbook featuring those two ingredients in every meal.
Ideas for avoiding Valentine’s dinner chaos? I’ll get you started: Eats, Corner Pub, Community Q
Others?
Last year Bic and I bought one of Lynne Sawicki’s Valentine’s Day dinners to go. It was fabulous and we did not have to fight the the crowds of the amateur amorous. Highly recommended.
While I generally refuse to dine out on Valentine’s, friends got a table for four last year at Eurasia and it was perfect. They were busy but there was no chaos – and there were roses to take home.
Avoid Asian restaurants if possible. I noted in an entry a month or so ago that Chinese New Year falls on Valentine’s Day this year. If you eat Chinese, it’ll be a full house. ^_^
I vehemently disagree. I’ve spoken to the CoD inspectors multiple times through three projects on my house, and they are always knowledgeable and willing to work with you. They have rules to follow, and I appreciate the fact they make every effort to follow them. Rick Logan is a class act who does a great job of balancing homeowners’ demands with city code. I have always been treated with respect whenever I visited the office, and they have always made an effort to make my plans come to fruition.
Hey, wait. I was responding to someone’s negative post about the people in the permit office. Where did it go?
Sorry Eric. The comment to which you were referring was deleted.
Hmmm…..Interesting deletion DM
The comment policy has always been no personal attacks or insults…especially when it comes to private citizens.
A policy is a policy; gotta respect that. Having said that, no names were mentioned and there are more than one person in the permit office.
So, I have to ask, since there is more than one person in the permit office, are you saying they are all the type people you don’t particularly care for?
Nope, not sure if you saw the post, but I believe I wrote “the guy.” Point being that I did not call anyone out by name and there is more than one guy in the permit office.
If this is the policy, would it not be easier to ban NellieBelle outright in lieu of having to delete all of her comments that contain personal attacks or insults?
Wow, that’s pretty harsh and pretty much not true. And frankly, a personal attack.
Winnona Park Stud believes he crossed the line, and the accuser has rightfully become the accused. Sorry Nelliebelle – yours was simply the first name to come to mind when pondering this description of the comment policy, probably because of the comments on the recent parking lot tempest between B*! P*#@! and C*@#&*(# H!##@$%. Winnona Park Stud withdraws his comment and urges you to keep stirring the pot.
I am deeply hurt Winona Park Stud because I have always found Winona Park Stud’s habit of referring to himself as 1) a Stud and 2) in the first person oddly intriguing and mildly fascinating.
I am salved by Winona Park Stud’s thinking of me first.
Oh, and WPS,seriously I did probably SOMEWHAT overreact to the parking thing.because of some personal experiences with mean illegally parked people. And the fact I keep forgetting my medication.
Eric, I didn’t see the now deleted comment to which you responded, but I second your observations on the CoD inspectors, and in particular Rick Logan. I made an extremely poor choice of contractor for a major home remodeling project some years ago. Mr. Logan spent countess hours over the course of about 18 months helping me pick up the pieces, and get the project completed.
Of course I could switch the topic to contractors who belong in jail, but I won’t go there….
I have to ditto the positive comments about the CoD inspectors. When we built our house, we went back and forth with them concerning our house’s footprint with respect to the lot size and drainage. As it turns out, our engineer was not correct with their calculations and the city was dead on. Even with that, we still ended up with some drainage issues which our contractor came back in and fixed. If we had been allowed to keep the footprint as it was originally, we would probably be dealing with 3 feet of water the basement. I know sometimes it seems like they are ‘difficult’ but, in reality, they are doing their job.
I just like people to do their job with a smile instead of a scowl
Clearly, my experience was very different.
Question regarding recyling:
Does any know of an operation that will accept ‘large’ #2 plastic items? I have several old tool boxes and plastic briefcase-type containers used for electric drills etc. that I would like to see disposed of propery. The attendants at the DFM won’t accept them even though they are very clearly labeled as recyclable and the scrap metal dealers I have contacted won’t bother with them either.
Thanks in advance.
Do you know anyone in the Dekalb County Recycling program that would be willing to recycle them for you? Dekalb accepts every kind of recyclable plastic. It’s a much better recycling program than COD’s.
Do you mean that it’s too large to fit into your green bin? COD recylces all plastics labeled with a recycling logo and any #1 through 7 (and plastic bags).
Have you tried freecycle.com? You would be amazed at the items people desire and will pick up from your home!
Does anyone know anything about CSD possibly having to cut 10 days from the school year because of budget cuts? Calendar committee parents have been asked to consider which 10 days could be cut but this seems more like a budget than calendar issue.
Does anyone know what the deal is with the escalators on MARTA? In recent weeks my travels have taken me through numerous stations (Decatur; Inman Park; Five Points; East Point, Airport, Buckhead, Lenox), and all of them have had one, or all of the escalators out of service. In Decatur, the escalator on the eastbound platform seems to be cordoned off about every second day.
I’m fine using the stairs, but I feel bad for people dragging luggage around!
Some shifty mechanics were bypassing safety measures … so MARTA shut down any that the said shifty mechanics had worked on.
AJC article: http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/marta-cuts-contract-with-286569.html
List of closed escalators: http://www.itsmarta.com/escalators.aspx
I don’t mind the stairs … but I do wish I could walk up the stopped escalators.
The previous MARTA service contractor for escalators has been fired, and a new contractor put on the job. It seems that many services for the escalators were not being performed, or not being performed properly. When MARTA found out (a possible whistleblower?), they had some inspections made and discovered the problems that had been either ignored or created. So, many escalators have been shut down and are being restored to service only after thorough evaluation and re-servicing. AJC has a story on this today; sorry I don’t have the link available.
Thanks Chira and Josh…
BTW, still on escalators… Why do people get on an escalator, and just stand there? Or worse, stand two abreast and chat!
In D.C., if you don’t stand to the right, you will get pushed out of the way. I wish that was commonplace; stand to the right so people who want to walk can get by!
I reckon they figure if you wanted to walk you would take the stairs.
Well, most of the time, stairs aren’t available. The other day at Ikea I got behind several people on the entrance elevator who stood two abreast and didn’t move. I have no idea if there is a stair alternative at Ikea. People just need to pay attention. Stand aside!
Perdone me, I thought we were talking about MARTA escalators.
Have you tried saying excuse me?
If I remember, Flaka’s English. In other countries, it is considered rude to block a whole escalator. Everyone stands to the right and walks to the left.
Speaking of recycling, does anyone know how the stuff gets sorted out after its all thrown in together in the back of the recycling truck? Not that I’m skeptical, I just can’t imagine.
Oh, and your plastic bag of dog poop does not belong in my yard waste bin at the curb. You know who you are.
I believe I saw this on Dirty Jobs or something of that nature – The machines they use at the recycling center are able to separate the different items. It was pretty cool.
The cynical, and easy, answer is that there’s no guarantee that any of it gets recycled.
I haven’t seen the City contract, but if the City hasn’t explicitly stated that the materials go to a site for recycling, the contractor (Latham Home Sanitation, for us) can do what pleases them with the materials. Recycling is sometimes the cheapest way to dispose and sometimes not. Contractors are not in it for the environment. If it’s cheaper, they could landfill it. Again, all this is imaginary, as I do not know the contract stipulations.
Otherwise, our commingled (as they used to be called) recyclables get processed at some sort of Materials Recovery Facility (an MRF, said “murph”). This is a big conveyor line raised high above numerous chutes and other conveyors.
Actual people sort it the materials. By hand. It’s truly dirty and dangerous. Not to mention very, very smelly: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materials_recovery_facility
I unloaded my truck at one every day of the week for a couple years. This was when I worked for a city public works department. The MRF was run by a neighboring city. All publicly operated, transparent, and very well run.
Citizens could take tours. Smelly tours.
Private operators . . . guess work, what becomes of the materials, I’d say.
Done by hand?? Jeez. Broken glass, plastic with nearly illegible recycling numbers hidden god knows where, wet paper. I find it hard to believe that this really works. Back in the early days, you had to separate clear from colored glass, one and two plastic separate, and there were these mysterious other numbers of recyclable plastic that no one would recycle. Now anything goes and it all goes in one big pile. Hmmm.
I’m curious whether anyone from the City can verify that our recyclables are in fact being recycled, and if so what percentage. To judge from the wiki article you linked to, Barry, our recycling would go to a “dirty MRF” where only between 5-45% of the material is actually recovered for recycling and the rest goes to the landfill. That would be the best case, with the worst being that it all goes to the landfill.
May we make this a recycling potpourri?
Just wanted to give this link to folks who were hoping to get rid of electronics at the Recycle Event today:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/null/Recycling-Electronics/pcmcat149900050025.c?id=pcmcat149900050025&DCMP=rdr0001422
Turns out they accept a bunch of stuff. The FAQ link has info on processing details. (No, I don’t work there! I just appreciated being able to dispose of a tv there that was taking up precious space!)
[***Token Republican*** They'll accept 32” tv screens and under.]
Forgot to mention how many times I found dog poop in a recycling bin.
Dozens, literally.
Always nicely bagged.
I always left it behind. (Pardon the pun.)
Perhaps the homeowners later pictured the dog on my truck. Who just had to go.
It’s snowing! Maybe I’ll head home from work now…
Don’t forget to stock with candles and bread on the way home.
It’s about time! I was worried the kids would get out of school before the snow started.
Emory closing at 3PM.
I just want to take this opportunity to say that I love Heliotrope. They saved my bacon twice this month when I had to buy “emergency” presents. They always have something cool and unusual and appropriate.
I can’t go there without finding something that would be great for someone! They also seem in sync with the odd hours when I am both work- and child-free.
Cool and unusual? Reminds me of Bill Murray in Stripes:
“Chicks dig me, because I rarely wear underwear. And when I do it’s usually something unusual.”
What about strange and unusual:
“Because, I, myself, am strange and unusual.”
lol, one of my fav movies.
I bought the limited edtion dvd a while back soley for the cardboard EM50 you could put together that came with it.
Ditto–I love how late they are willing to stay open. One of my favorite times to browse is while waiting for a seat at the bar at Cakes and Ale!
Thinking of y’all while vactioning in Costa Rica! Not missing the snow at all.
Where are you and what are you doing and how’s the weather?
The wife and I are going there in April.
Eric, I have to say Rick Logan talked me into letting go of dead trees. I agonized over the dying giant tree in my backyard and finally felt okay about cutting it down when he told me of his own experience trying to save a tree that was a lost cause. He’s not only nice he’s a free therapist!
What’s with all the people running in the snow?? Is it a harder workout, like running on the beach?
You are kidding, right?
Would I joke about such a thing?
Saw three people. Two running down Ponce and one down my residential street.
You might, just to start the whole transportation discussion!
So what street do you live on?
Ah, the ole Inclement Weather Runners. Those people are definitely a special breed. They really, REALLY need you to know how hardcore they are.
Uh, it amounts to about half the time for a workout?
Because it’s beeeeeeeuuuuuuutiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
second that
And the weather was awsome this morning. Not inclement at all.
Agree but the roads are better than the sidewalks–some of the less travelled or shadier ones are icy and slushy at the same time. Driving seems safer.
Just wondering if anybody knows how to find out if events are going to be cancelled tomorrow – I’m trying to find out if the Valentine’s Luncheon for Grades 1-3 is still going ahead.
I know someone who called Decatur Rec and they said to call in the morning.
Watching the Georgia EU delegation march into the Olympics. So tragic to be so young and die doing what you love so much.
RIP
and God bless and keep the rest of the athletes during the Winter Games.
The Valentine’s events at the rec. center are on as scheduled.
Does anyone know how to tell if streets are iced/road conditions. I have a Saturday commitment I am not sure I can get to in my tiny crap car.
TODAY’S 11:30 am Annual 1st – 3rd Graders Valentine’s Luncheon at the Decatur Recreation Center HAS BEEN CANCELED.
TODAY’S 6:30 pm Annual 4th & 5th Graders Valentine’s Dance at the Decatur Recreation Center IS ON AS SCHEDULED.
FOR MORE INFO., PLEASE CALL LEE WILLIAMS AT 404-425-4262.
—
The Annual 4th & 5th Graders Valentine’s Dance
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, Saturday, February 13th
Decatur Recreation Center, 231 Sycamore Street
Let’s Dance! City of Decatur 4th and 5th graders, please join us for an evening of music, food, fun and friends. Come out and get your dance on at Decatur Recreation Center. Celebrate your Valentine’s Day among friends. Doors open at 6:30pm. Participants will receive a free 4×6 photo. All photos will be printed on the spot. Participants must RSVP in advance by signing-up at DRC by February 6, 2010. This event will be supervised by Decatur Active Living Staff members.
Cost: $5.00 per participant (chaperons free). For more information, please contact Lee Williams at 678-553-6551.
Appliance repair:
Need Frigidaire oven repair person!
And I won’t insult them. Much.
Ms. Nellie:
Last year we used Atlanta Appliance Repair when our Frigidaire stove started beeping without end.
They came when they said they would, didn’t seem ridiculously expensive, and the guy was pretty darned nice.
I can’t recall whether or not they had to special order the new electronic board-thingy.
Their number.: 404-255-2227
Oh, and I found an online PDF of the stove’s manual, if you’d like a copy.
Our stove model is: FGF376CEBP.
It has information on how to operate the “warmer drawer” . . . always wondered what that little switch meant.
Feel free to email:
We’re in Oakhurst, too, on Winter Ave.
Thanks! Winter’s a beautiful street!
My problem is my convection fan. I think there is a short in it. It only works sometimes. I just figured out how to bake beautifully with it (made a from scratch banana with cream cheese frosting cake yesterday – key is stagger silicone baking pans on the rack) and now it’s acting up. eek.
If anybody wants any cake btw, didn’t know my husband was going out of town but now he is. C’mon over.
“…didn’t know my husband was going out of town but now he is. C’mon over.”
Nellie, uh, that line does not sound right.
For banana cake not NELLIE CAKE!
Hee-hee! You totally need to open your own cupcake ship & call it “Nelliecakes”!
Oh, shi-ite! I meant “shop”, not “ship”. Altho, a ship full of cupcakes, now…
But I am not giving Gibbets any
Two questions:
1) My daughter just screamed that an 11 Alive TV ad just showed a flash of Clairemont. Anyone else see that or know what’s up? I assume it’s just old footage not something being highlighted today.
2) Is it going to snow substantially tonight? I resisted the milk and bread run on Friday but now our bread and milk really IS getting a little low.
Should have said “Clairemont Elementary”.
Were other College Heights YMCA 0-3 parents that surprised to see that there was no daycare this morning?!? Even though all notes, outside school board (I think I am going to go back and take a photo as proof), and website indicated otherwise?!? It’s one thing to be closed for President’s Day like CSD but please give working families a heads up!
Surprised indeed! The 0-3 program was scheduled to be open today (President’s Day) but closed tomorrow for a teacher work day, right?
That was my understanding of it. Since my PreK child had no school today, we were running late and only got to CH around 8:50. Nobody was there but there was another upset parent as clueless as me. I called over to the Decatur DeKalb YMCA and said that they had been getting calls about it all morning but had no answer as to what was going on. I was prepared for the 0-3 program to be closed tomorrow but not today!
We got an email from our room parent telling us that CHECLC closed today due to the threat of snow. I almost thought it was a joke (luckily I hadn’t planned to send my kid today since he’s home with the rest of my school-age brood).
Oh, and it wouldn’t be CSD, this is the YMCA part that was supposed to be open. CSD is closed today and tomorrow.
Sorry if I wasn’t clear but I have PreK child and a child in the 0-3 program. I had arrangements for the PreK-er to not be in school but not the toddler. Got in touch with a fellow parent finally that 0-3 program was canceled due to weather. Looking outside my window at 3:30, this sure is some weather we are having.
Apparently they announced it on Channel 11. I wasn’t planning on going in so when people started emailing and texting me, I was clueless.
I ran into a parent in the parking lot who said they checked all the local stations and did not see anything. I knew there was a slight chance of snow. But when i got up this morning, I never thought weather would be a reason. If the program wants to cancel, that is fine. But I don’t think I am alone in feeling like the communication channels failed. I didn’t receive an email, text, or phone call, saw nothing on the CHELC website or on Channel 11′s website. I should go back on my Tivo-ed Olympics from last night. and see if there was anything.
All in all, even though I had to take a vacation day, I had a nice day with the family in the sunny weather
I am absolutely shocked that they closed due to weather. I hope they come up with a better explanation than that. I am really glad I already had plans for my 0-3 student, otherwise I would have been livid to show up and find them closed.
I am dying to know who you alll are now!
I’d get a picture of the marquee if it said that the daycare was open today. A picture is worth a thousand complaints.
You all have been very, very naughty whilst I’ve been gone. Spankings shall be administered forthwith. That is, right after I get done doing a fast happy tapdance because ALL of my houseguests (here since last weekend) have GONE HOME!!! WoooooooooHOOOOOO!
Where’d the MARTA “Yellow Line” threads go???