Free-For-All Friday 4/22/11
Decatur Metro | April 22, 2011Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not discussed here over the past week.
Comments close Monday.
- rss
Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not discussed here over the past week.
Comments close Monday.
Free Yogurt Tap T-shirt to those that register for Walk For Lunch under The Yogurt Tap Team!
What’s your plans this weekend?
I’m going to celebrate friday and saturday and sunday with snoballs!
work on some proposals in the meantime
then Paws Atlanta sunday at petco in edgewood!
The Oakhurst Cooperative 5K tomorrow (which gets you a Pete the Cat t-shirt!).
Teaching my 6-year old to ride without training wheels.
Mowing the lawn.
Assembling an adirondack chair.
Enjoying the weather and my family.
oh man, thanks for reminding me i need to mow as soon as the grass dries
Here’s the best trick for learning to ride without training wheels — take the pedals off too so that the kid learns how to scoot around and balance just by pushing with his/her feet on the ground. Once they can coast comfortably add the pedals back on and teach pedalling.
I agree. My kids were riding by 4.5 years using that methiod. I only advice is that consider the true scooty bikes. the special scooty bikes weigh about 7lbs vs typical steel kids bike 20-30lbs. They get control earlier.
we taught the kids to ride on the grass– a little harder, but the fall wasn’t as bad when they toppled …when they gained confidence ..we moved to the sidewalk …
Thought I would celebrate a little thing called Easter.
Two great things planned for the weekend. Mike Killeen’s album launch at Eddie’s Attic tonight, Easter Brunch at Parker’s on Ponce with friends on Sunday afternoon. Hoping all of you who observe Holy Week have a blessed Good Friday and Holy Saturday and a joyous Easter.
Celebrating the end of Lent, uh Easter with the mexican chocolate popsicle (King of Pops) that I’ve been craving for 40 long days!
Funeral and Dungeons and Dragons Friday, moving furniture for (soon-to-be) roommates and birthday party Saturday, and Easter with family and unexpected dinner prayer circle Sunday.
DM,
You what we really need on this blog? I would love to see a spritied discussion about guns, carrying concealed, and crime. That would make for an interesting read.
Oh lordy! You must be doped up on allergy meds too! :0)
I would rather talk about CSD and the administration and the school calendar while having my nails ripped off by a monkey
How about just some funny cat pictures instead?
Saturday is Caturday!
Funny cat pics here! The avatar is my late son, Herman, lounging on his favorite beanbag like a celebrity sitting poolside. All he needed was a pina colada in his paw.
Glock Talk is ready when you are.
Are people taking me seriously? I was gently poking fun at the discussion on the post about the Oakhurst armed robbery.
I don’t think so, Token. Maybe we’re all just feeling a little gun-shy.
That’s what you get for shooting your mouth off.
Yeah, I know. I should know better than that.
I just wish people would think more about their comments before pulling the trigger and posting them.
Ok, I’ll bite. I read the entire the discussion/rant about the armed robbery in Oakhurst. Obviously, people are very passionate about the right to bear arms as well as the safety and wisdom of responding to an assailant with a gun.
Here’s what I kept thinking about. Parents, when you set up a play date for your kids at a friend’s house, do you ask whether there are guns in the house, and if they are kept in a safe? Gun owners, how would you respond if someone posed this question to you? There seemed to be a lot of defensiveness — on both sides of the discussion — in the Oakhurst robbery thread.
But I’m curious. Is it reasonable to ask other parents if guns are kept safely in a house where your children play?
Definitely reasonable. We ask. We’ve had at least one yes, with assurances the gun was locked away safe. Other parents not offended. And they shouldn’t be.
Just to be fair. I probably stole lovely wife’s response on this. I would never have known to do this until I failed to do so with uber alles firstborn son. The scene
Self: “OK the drop off went well. They seem like nice parents.”
Lovely wife: “Did you leave our number?”
Self: “Yes, and I have theirs”
Lovely wife: ” Did you remember to ask if they had a gun?”
…blank stare….
Yep. Kids, especially boys, are curious about everything.
Agreed. I ask, and while I’m not in love with guns from a personal point of view, I’m fine to let my kids go to a playdate where there’s a gun in the house as long as I know how it’s secured. I’ve never had any parent (gun-owner or not) take offense.
Have to confess that I never remember to ask. Maybe it’s the peace bumper stickers or bike helmets but I feel like most Decatur parents are safety conscious to a fault. Probably should ask more. Have been asked about guns in our house a couple of times and was surprised (given our obvious lack of handiness and techno-know-how, do we look like we know how to handle weapons?!!!), but not at all perturbed and happy to answer “No way, Jose. Haven’t handled a gun since riflery at camp at ~ age 10″. If anything, I’ve been a bit embarrassed that I didn’t think to ask when the question when the playdate was at their house. I believe that one playdate host did volunteer that they have safely stored gun(s) in their house but it was evidently so unremarkable and reassuring a conversation that I cannot be sure of the memory.
I think in the other thread, DM wondered if there was any Freakonomics numbers around something like this. Yes there is: http://freakonomicsbook.com/freakonomics/chapter-excerpts/chapter-5/
What about that proposal by Dollar General to rent retail space in the Westchester school building?
Plenty of parking right on the field over the PTA-funded sprinkler system in view of the whole neighborhood!
now that’s a firestarter
All right, Token, put the stick away & let the bear stay asleep.
And I thought I was only poking a chipmunk! Must remember that the next time I pick up a stick and decide to poke something live.
Hmmm…”poking a chipmunk.” Is that obscene?
Only if the chipmunk doesn’t consent, and then you post pix of it on the Internet.
As far as sins go, it’s certainly original.
I know there’s a pretty good community of zombie lovers on this site, so I wanted to let you know that if you ever want to be IN the zombie movies that come through town, you can follow @zombieATL on twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/zombieATL) for updates.
Awesome, thanks! I’m always hearing about filming / extras casting stuff AFTER it’s over, zombies or no, so a heads-up will be nice.
Speaking of zombies, a knowledgeable source tells me that “The Walking Dead” begins shooting next month, mostly in Covington. Can’t wait for the second season!
Dear Token,
I believe that you must have been looking for the Kennesaw Metro, this is the Decatur Metro.
I’m laughing- but go read the Oakhurst hold up post:)
Outstanding response! Is it too early to vote for the post of the day?
I posted these links elsewhere but I’m going to repost them because I think the program needs publicity. They are an article about, and a web site for, a grade school math curriculum that seems to have had success for a mix of students. For example one teacher’s class jumped from the 66th percentile in 5th grade to 92nd in 6th grade, then the next year, the second year she taught the curriculum, her class went from 54th percentile in 5th to 98th in 6th grade. There is a heavy emphasis on all students performing rather than just the prodigies.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/18/a-better-way-to-teach-math/?ref=opinion
http://jumpmath.org/
Several comments on the Times’ web site are from students that immigrated here and couldn’t understand the way Americans teach math.
This is a great article. I almost didn’t click on it and I’m glad I did. I especially liked the part about math instruction not keeping up with advancements in cognitive science. Also the fact that a simple “math fact” can actually involve several mini-steps. This is hard for parents and even many general teachers to grasp. This whole area of inquiry seems parallel to what is being learned about dyslexia and reading instruction. We need to press our school curriculum leaders to stay on the cutting edge of instruction and train our teachers in the most effective teaching practices. The 20% of so of children with some kind of dyslexia +/- “math dyslexia” are often intellectually capable, even high IQ, but not being taught with effective evidence-based methods or not given sufficient exposure to those methods. The other 80% would perform even higher than they already are with better, cognitively-appropriate, evidence-based methods of teaching reading and math. We need to go beyond our CRCT scores showing adequate yearly progress to enabling our students to perform to the best of their capabilities. Too often the answer to questions about our instruction is along the lines of “this is standard for school systems in Georgia….”
I almost skipped this link too, @karass, but your post made me click. Easily one of most fascinating articles on math instruction i’ve ever read. Encouraging, too.
I need some opinions since I can make a move without the insights of others:
I have 2010 car with 7000 miles on it. I accidentally had a second baby last year so suddenly this car doesn’t have adequate trunk & backseat space. Would anyone else trade in for a bigger car or am I screwing myself? KKB trade in is about $2,500 less than I paid for it. Thoughts? Insights? Experiences?
FYI – I just traded my car in and I got more than the KBB value for it.
Can you meet me at the dealership at noon?
Actually it was not difficult at all. KBB said my car was worth $2800 in fair condition, but my car was in bad shape. It needed a new engine, clutch, struts, etc. The dealer’s first offer was $3200.
Getting more for your trade-in than what it is worth doesn’t necessarily mean you got the best deal possible. One of my college buddies sold cars for a while, and he told me that he was given an allowance for each car, which was the amount that he was able to discount the car. For example, he might have been given a $3,000 allowance on a $25,000 car. If someone had a trade-in that was only worth $1,000, he could offer him $2,000 for the trade-in, and he’d actually be selling the car for $2,000 more than the absolute lowest price he could sell it.
One other point that I forgot to mention: my friend the former car dealer recommended not even mentioning your trade-in until you had finished negotiating the price of the car you were looking to buy. I think the idea was you should try to negotiate the lowest possible price for the car you were buying first, and then hold them to it while you tried to negotiate the best possible value for your trade-in. I should caveat all of this with I’ve never bought a car from a dealership, so this is solely based on the advice of my friend.
accidents are the best when they’re babies …
Personally, I would suffer the inconvenience, but I’m a Clark Howard-type when it comes to cars and would never get rid of one with less than a 100k miles on it. That said, you might be able to come out even if you trade for an unpopular model.
Clearly, you didn’t screw yourself, or you would not have accidentally gotten pregnant.! At any rate, you are definitely going to lose out as first year depreciation is the highest. If you think about it as if you leased the car (say $300 a month with nothing down), you would have spent $2,600 in a year. Also, there are great deals on the market right now, especially for larger cars because demand is down when gas is so high. Happy car shopping
“Clearly, you didn’t screw yourself, or you would not have accidentally gotten pregnant.! ”
Awesome
Awsome!
Typo: awesome.
Nellie – also, alittle advice. Take your car to the Car Max buying center on Peachtree Industrial. They will give you an offer with no obligation that is good for a week. (takes maybe 30 minutes) It gives you a good fame of reference for the car value when a dealer gives a trade in value – keep it in your back pocket. I recently tradaed in and CarMax had offerend me $3,000 more than the dealer, makingi ta no-brainer even though I lost the trade in tax benefit.
Recently sold an old SUV to Carmax and it was a great experience. Zero hassle and they pay a fair price.
Any Trackside updates out there?
From a “reliable source”, interior work is chugging along (like what I did there? Trackside, chugging…give it a minute…) Not sure of the exact timetable but 2 months or so seems a reasonable estimate from this point to complete the work. Then the fun begins with inspections and stuff.
Seems like someone asks this question every week. I’ll tell Al he needs to pop on in and update us before it turns into a Decatur Diner situation!
I highly recommend Decatur’s Kick in the Fit Bootcamp program. I won a free month through Decatur Metro for them and I’m hooked. It’s a great program for anyone looking to get in shape (all fitness levels)!!
Are they actually going to be moving forward with tearing down and replacing more of the buildings across the street from DHS football field, “Phase I” being pretty much done?
A shout out for Cakes and Ale. Billy Allin donated his time and money for a charity dinner for the Ronald Mcdonald house which assists families of criticially ill children at CHOA. My wife and I enjoyed an intimate dinner at a friend’s home prepared by Billy and 2 of his staff.
Billy is also a neighbor (Superior) with kids at Clairmont Elem and a nice guy. It was fascinating to learn about the training of a Chef and the remarkable commitment it takes to run a top notch restaurant.
FYI: The new space is to open early June.
+1
Reminder: We hope to see you at our Internet Safety event next week- Tuesday, April 26 7:00-8:00 at the DHS Theatre. We hope you’ll take advantage of this opportunity to learn how to mentor our students in developing the skills and common sense they need to make smart decisions online.
Many thanks!
Heather
——————————————————-
The City Schools of Decatur library media and instructional technology specialists invite all parents and community members to attend a program entitled “Internet Safety and Social Networking in the Digital Age” at the Decatur High School Theatre on Tuesday, April 26th, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Hoke Wilcox, Ed.S., an Instructional Technology Specialist from the Educational Technology Center at Kennesaw University, will be our presenter for the evening. Hoke is an engaging and knowledgeable speaker. Please don’t miss this opportunity.
Every parent who attends will receive a book provided by the federal government called NetCetera: Chatting with Kids about Being Online. The book gives adults practical tips to help kids navigate the online world.
We hope you will join us! Please note that this event is for adults only. For questions or comments, please email Heather Borowski, Instructional Technology Coordinator for City Schools of Decatur, .
Is this the same presenter and material as last year? I thought last year’s program was great. I just have limited time and want to make sure I’m attending something new.
It would be also helpful if there were a supplemental book: “Chatting with your older parents about being online”
Yeah, I’ll bet my senior Mom has gotten some shocks while online searching for things like underwear for the grandchildren.
need a recommendation for someone who does small engine repair (lawnmowers, tillers), thanks
Grimes on College Ave. in the Decatur-Avondale no man’s land. Not much bedside manner (or much to look at for that matter) but can cure your small engine. Be ready to wait a while – they are busy this time of year.
-1 on Grimes. Ryobi worked for about a day before it had problems again. In retrospect, I shouldn’t have put any $ into it.
Got my old Craftsman tuned up at Mower Menders in Tucker.
3823 Lawrenceville Hwy
Tucker, GA 30084
Phone: (770) 491-8230
Took them about a week, their estimate was good, they were nice, had a lot of refurbished mowers in there.
Highly recommend Riley of Mower Mechanics on Joyce Avenue (off Columbia near Memorial). He works out of his garage and did a great job with our pressure washer recently. Very reasonable. He’s disabled (not that it matters — but we felt even better about supporting his business). I’ve added my two cents to the reviews on Kudzu.com: http://www.kudzu.com/m/Mower-Mechanics-LLCsmall-engine-repair-772789
Maybe with all these knowledgeable mower folks, this is a good place to ask this question: how does one dispose of an old mower? The people we bought our house from left a rusty POS, but it worked long enough for me to get a new one. The engine runs, but the rest of the mower is worthless.
Is this a landfill item? Trash amnesty day? Would a small engine place want to restore and sell, or use for parts?
Put it on the curb with a note on trash day. It’ll be gone before you finish your first cup of coffee.
Monday is Confederate Memorial Day, so as a state employee, I will have a holiday.
Darn, I forgot to send out cards to the relatives. Sure hope that all the Confederate Day-themed paper plates, napkins, and cups aren’t sold out yet at the local grocery store. Nothing like a good Confederate Day party! Have to remember to wear grey and red on Monday.
See you on the Square in from of the Confederate Momument.
I’ve always wondered why the state’s celelbration of Confederate Memorial Day isn’t controversial like the flag was.
It is if you’re a state worker. A high proportion of state agency workers, including senior management, are African-American. You can imagine how much they love it. Some work unpaid on the holiday in protest.
How many?
Don’t know but I know of one fairly senior woman who does, I think from home, since downtown offices are not good places to be when deserted. She gave me the impression that it’s a common sentiment–”I think I’ll keep working on my “Confederate” holiday”.
Maybe the flag seemed like a celebration. Confederate Memorial Day is jus a time to remember the dead and think about what a stupid cause the confederacy was. that is my take.
When I worked for the state, the holiday was observed but you did not have to take the holiday on the actual date. Therefore, everyone took it on the Friday after Thanksgiving, which was not a paid day off. People disliked the holiday very much and enjoyed the day off very much. People were — and still are — surprised to learn the state observes this day.
Hmm. Well, as an atheist I don’t necessarily feel like I should have had Good Friday off, but I took the day anyway.
A few years ago I was equally displeased that the company I worked for gave us Columbus Day off, but not MLK Day.
Easter and Confederate Day are (fittingly?) followed closely by National Take Back Day.
Is anyone in Decatur sponsoring a prescription drug take back on 4/30?
http://www.nationaltakebackday.com/
… and I dare you to suggest a street corner!
Idea for the VS. series: The red pill vs. the blue pill.
Does anyone know if the DHS track is open to the public on weekends?
I believe the Agnes Scott track is if the field is not in use.
I doubt it. I think the athletic facilities at the high school are fairly protected. It seems a shame–if you look at an current aerial view of Decatur, the football field and track are the most prominent feature in town because of the green field and white lines. But I’ll bet having facilities open would lead to a lot of maintenance, security, and liability costs that the school system can’t afford.
“But I’ll bet having facilities open would lead to a lot of maintenance, security, and liability costs that the school system can’t afford.”
Hmm..I’ve wondered about this too, especially since the DeKalb County tracks are open (in my experience). Friends tell me they use the new track at Tucker High on weekends. I wonder why Decatur is different?
“having facilities open would lead to a lot of maintenance, security, and liability costs”
My point was, how are other schools able to do it? I assume they would incur the same costs.
You may be right. Sounds like it’s a matter of policy.
*Posted my comment in the wrong place.*
There is no track at the high school stadium.
The track, such that it is, is in the gym.
Where does the track team practice and compete then? Surely not in the gym.
Forgot–Agnes Scott track. Don’t know why our new field doesn’t have a track around it. Too small a space? Football is all anyone wants to spend money on?
Oh, and cross-country is Winnona Park elementary field or Agnes Scott.
The DHS (Community Garden Student Club, not sure of the name) is having a plant sale Saturday until 1:00 (Today- RIGHT NOW: 10:55!) in front of the new gym. 20% of all sales will go towards student projects in the DHS community garden. Plant are provided by Ecco Adendum which I believe is an organic nursery located in the area. If you can, please stop by, purchase some nice plants at reasonable prices, help DHS students, and __________________ (add your favorite slogan).
Thanks to DHS teacher Ms. Wade, Ecco Adendum, and all the students who are involved in this effort.
Where?
. . . maybe due to the fact that there is no track.
well, that solves it then! thanks! I just assumed a stadium would have a track… you know what happens when you assume….
Don’t feel bad, I definitely assumed the same thing. I’ve been to a lot of high school stadiums in Georgia (but obviously not Decatur’s) and I don’t think I’ve ever seen one without a track.
Can you find yourself? Identify the businesses? Remember the old MARTA station? http://www.youtube.com/user/RainsWolf78#p/u/13/reltqXV31tA
Cool! I don’t have time to watch the whole thing tonight, but thanks for the link. I was there!
I yearn for the good old days – BDD (before Decatur Diner)
Any suggestions for an eye doctor? I have a history of strabismus from childhood that my previous eye doctor considered “cured” when I was fifteen – I’m thinking the case is not so much any more. So any experience with that would be appreciated, but I’m mostly just looking for a good doctor.
Yes. Contact Dr. James (Jimmy) Dew.
His office is just outside )285 at the Lavista exit. He’s an ophthalmologist with 40+ years experience and up-to-date with procedures and equipment. Excellent!
770-938-1705
2200 Northlake Pkwy Tucker, GA 30084
Thanks!
Dr. Leff and his niece, Dr. Leff-Goldstein are great, too.
Georgia Ophthalmology Associates
465 Winn Way
Decatur, GA 30030-1753
(404) 298-5557
To all my Christian friends, Happy Easter! To my Jewish friends, Good Belated Passover! To everyone else, hope your weekend was great!