Free-For-All Friday 7/1/11
Decatur Metro | July 1, 2011 | 7:00 amFeel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not discussed here over the past week.
Comments close Monday.
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This week’s FFAF is sponsored by Risa Soap…
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Was there ever an explanation as to why we now have two color fire hydrants in our fair city?
As I understand it, the tradition is to paint them when they are inspected (think of it as bookkeeping by tagging). Over the years, that’s a lot of paint. Painting only half of it, gets the bookkeeping done, but only half of the accumulation.
Of course, the above is only a wild ass guess. Anyone that actually knows can jump right in.
Jack,
I confirmed with our Fire Chief Toni Dixon that they are in the process of painting the fire hydrants. The tops are different colors based on the water pressure contained in each hydrant although they haven’t finished painting all the tops yet.
Linda Harris
I blew out a tire this week accelerating my need to get a new set. As I am not sure how long I plan to keep this car, any suggestion on where to get decent, inexpensive tires?
Costco in Brookhaven or tirerack.com. If you order from tirerack, they’ll ship to your tire shop.
Thanks – we are Costco members, but I was hoping not to have to haul that far. Anything closer to home?
If you used a sealant on the tire, remember to tell the technician so that he or she can avoid potential hazards. Sealant can be dangerous for them if they’re unprepared.
Kaufmann Tire usually get high marks. I haven’t dealt with them recently, but my past experiences have been good.
+1–has been discussed on DM before and Kauffman gets good reviews.
I was there yesterday for a new battery- really good customer service!
One thing that was kinda interesting was that the two customers who came in for tires needed to order them for next day delivery. Might want to do that part ahead of time:
http://www.kauffmantire.com/tires.html
Also like the Kaufman Tire. Avoid the Goodyear, though.
Thanks all. Ended up at Kaufman and they did just fine.
Nationwide Discount Muffler & Brakes has always been good to me. You get to talk to the owner & or mechanics and they’re not a huge chain. If they don’t have what you want they can usually get it next day.
1694 Scott Boulevard
Decatur, GA 30033
Phone: (404) 315-0095
Right across from what used to be Lou Sobh.
we just returned from kaufmann tire…they were fabulous..can’t beat the customer service and their prices were better than goodyear. i did give them a call ahead of time about what tires i needed and was able to make an appt, as well.
Mobly Tire and Auto Service, just down Ponce, inexpensive, family owned, nice people.
What’s the deal with the volleyball court at westchester? can anyone walk up and use it since its CSD property?
Whoa! Did not know about this. My Westchester radar must be down! Sounds great. Unless the court is posted in some way, I’d go ahead and use it. Time to invest in a volleyball! Your serve!
Lordy! Somebody please help Joe out! Poor guy’s been searching for a volleyball court for months!
after a million phone calls to CoD, i finally got an answer, there is a volleyball net in storage at the gym. even tho the city website lists a volleyball court at many of the parks, there isn’t one at any of them. when driving down Scott blvd, my wife said she saw a sand court by the field at westchester, hopefully CSD won’t mind if we go use it!
we’re in a weekly vball league and we are horrible lol we wanted to find some place to practice.
Emory has one @ the SAC I found out, but a 14 use pass is 100$+ from what I was told on the phone.
Now that y’all have a practice court, y’all will be ace players in no time! Heck, maybe we should all bring lawn chairs over & cheer y’all on! :0)
(Hmmm… unused City net… sounds like an opportunity for a fun event at next year’s Beach Party! )
The absolute best volleyball court near Decatur is the one behind the Pink Pony near North Druid Hills Road. They have a huge volleyball competition there every couple of months.
So that’s what that is! Yes, looks impressive!
Do people have to wear clothes?
Quick shout out for today’s sponsor, RISA Soap! Unbelievable products…and the owners are pretty awesome too !
Any lefties out there thinking of taking the kiddies to a 4th of July parade should be careful…it may turn them into a Republican! Harvard says so, so it must be true. Happy Fourth of July everyone.
No inconsistency between red, white, and blue and progressive liberalism in our house! We wear and wave the colors on the 4th of July and other holidays, have been Scouts, send cookies to troops, visit national monuments, pledge allegiance to the flag in English and Spanish at school functions, and……….do note vote Republican. That’s the beauty of our Constitution and Bill of Rights–there’s more than one reasonable interpretation and we believe that a democratic process will usually produce a fair and good, albeit imperfect, government over time. We teach our children that the police and our armed forces protect us, our red, white, and blue flag, and our country’s ideals, but we do not believe in arms in our own house. Etc.
But what does Harvard say?
+1
Except for not believing in arms in your house. If you don’t have arms, where do you put your hands?
Good point. Actually, other than a wonderful experience with riflery at sleepaway camp–I was actually pretty good at it–a lot easier than archery!–I really don’t know much about firearms. So it’s easy for us for us to not have them in the house. We are definitely more likely to harm ourselves than an intruder. One time, a weird, “organic” pest control company that we hired to deal with squirrels in our attic left their rifle in our brush (I guess shooting is considered less toxic than poisoning–as long as one’s aim is good!). We had to call the police to deal with it. I was afraid we’d kill ourselves picking it up.
I really wasn’t talking about firearms…your comment about arms just gave me a mental picture of your entire family walking around the house with two legs and no arms.
I knew that but your comment made me realize that I really do not even know what “arms” means!
Here’s the Harvard Press Release: http://www.hks.harvard.edu/news-events/news/articles/4th-july-paper-david-yanagizawa-drott
Despite the Harvard name and use of mathematical modelling, this ecologic analyis seems fairly weak. It uses “random day-to-day variation in precipitation to estimate the effect of Fourth of July celebrations”. It’s a huge assumption that rain data predicts the degree to which children are getting exposed to Fourth of July parades. Do children in a highly patriotic but rainy part of the country really get less exposure than a dry part of the country with little going on for the Fourth of July? What about postponement and rain dates? Umbrellas and raincoats? Also which came first–the patriotism or the parades? I would think that it’s as likely that patriotism results in more parade exposure as vice versa.
Nonetheless, I fully expect that some or all of my children will end up different from me politically, just like I am different from my parents, who if not ultra conservative, at least qualify for pretty darn conservative, and who ended up with three Democrats and one libertarian/anarchist for children.
But…it’s Harvard. They smart.
So if your kid goes to Labor Day parades, will h/she end up being a socialist? Memorial Day parades, a veteran? Thanksgiving parades, a turkey?
Just askin’.
Drill back to the tables in the appendix and it looks like race is a lot stronger predictor of political affiliation than whether you went to a parade.
I once tried to figure out, using the same sort of analysis, whether being a mother made women more likely to be Republican — the “Mama Grizzly” thing. Turned out to be a paltry factor compared to race, education and income. Until or unless people find other ways to define themselves, that’s just how it is.
This explains a lot.
I’ve never missed a St. Patrick’s day parade.
I’ve been to Pride parades and it didn’t sway my sexuality, but I do think I may have seen the light go on for a number of the parade viewers.
Personally, I only go to parades for the candy so they have definitely had an impact on my life as each one has contributed to me being fat(ter).
For those of you who had a coupon issue, should be resolved now.
Please try again and sorry for the trouble…
If you have any issues, you can contact me at [email protected]
This week Decatur’s branch of AOL’s excursion into hyperlocal reporting, the Decatur-Avondale Estates Patch, lost its editor who now bills herself as an”ex-journo” on a new Twitter account. Nobody even blinked as this happened, even though AOL started advertising the position online last week.
Why bring this up here? Because it underscores the importance of grassroots hyperlocal reporting. Like Decatur Metro’s.
The local Patch’s editorial change went unnoticed and was seamless. It shows how disengaged from the local community ventures like Patch remain and why local blogs and citizen journalists cannot be standardized at the local level by a remote and top-heavy corporate parent like AOL.
Few people outside of AOL are optimistic that Patch can survive. AOL is pouring money into a pit that is showing disappointing revenue returns and sluggish visitor statistics. Then there are the issues of plagiarism and editorial conflicts (like the one here with the livestock issue, which got a mention in a national journalism blog) that have plagued Patch since day one.
Support your local bloggers and consider promoting truly local resources on the Interwebz: http://authenticallylocal.com/
Happy 4th.
I think the food column is quite good.
me, too. very fine writing. ambitious cooking.
I decided to turn my Patch comment into a blog post: http://wp.me/p1bnGQ-10U
FYI: Linking to your own site on another blog is generally considered bad blog etiquette. No worries, but I thought thought I’d point it out.
That said, I’ve remained relatively quiet about Patch to-date, while many other indie hyperlocals around the country have teamed up to scorn and oppose them. My main, non-selfish concern has been that Patch would storm into communities with existing, good indies struggling to figure out a business model, knock them out and then AOL would shut down Patch nationwide because they weren’t making money. Those communities are then starting from scratch again.
My more selfish gripes and concerns can probably be guessed by anyone imagining themselves in my position. But I continue to remind myself that competition is a good thing if you’re up to the challenge.
Sorry about the bad taste — it’s Friday and the start of a long weekend, too.
I agree about competition if it’s fair. AOL is indeed a lot like Walmart and you can see how Patch is standardizing content across the nation with regular food features, the “5 things” features, etc. Fortunately, I think the pundits and critics are correct that Patch will sink sooner rather than later. AOL just can’t afford to keep frittering away the money like it has over the past year.
The best model for hyperlocal reporting (in my biased opinion) was the short-lived TBD effort in Washington. Just search #TBDiaspora or check out http://zombiejournalism.com or http://stevebuttry.wordpress.com/ for more on why TBD tanked and the promise it held had Allbritton not prematurely pulled the plug.
Regardless of the eventual fate of Patch, you’ve got it all over them, DM.
If a severe storm is bearing down on Decatur, I would tune into WSB, owned by Cox. None of these local blogs have Doppler RADAR. The same scenario would repeat itself for a large number of news / sports / weather / traffic items.
Some very big media firms successfully provide us with useful and timely information that is local or hyper-local in nature.
Some very big media firms don’t think twice about lifting their story ideas from this blog!
No doubt.
Obviously both types of media firms are necessary. It takes millions and millions to invest to make something like WSB-TV. And it takes a real local focus and personal connections to make something like DM.
It’s actually pretty cool when WSB runs a DM story. It’s not like they’re going to launch into it with “On the blog today…,” but it’d be nice if there was a secret signal to acknowledge it!
(Doug Richards- Don’t think we don’t catch you doing it too! Because you always get a cute sheepish expression right before you do it, it’s hard to raise a fuss! Still, an ear tug would be good! :0)
Pardon me, but I have lived in this community for 20 years and I write for the Patch, so I don’t think they’re disengaged. Unlike this website, people on Patch actually post their names and pictures, and can email each other.
Well then…
Talking about two different kinds of blogs here, aren’t we?
— Maya-reale Naaname Gibbs
Diane-
I enjoy your articles and don’t blame you for wanting to stand up for the Patch, BUT…
You are BITING THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU!!! You do realize that a good chunk of Patch’s readership is probably steered there by the links on the Beyond DM sidebar, right?!?
Really Diane, “real names?” Real email addresses? real news? Come on, you can’t be serious Patch — it seems like you are the only person I know compelled to add the definite article before “Patch,” e.g., “the Patch” — is a bloated national blog buoyed by AOL’s dubious investments. It’s not news. it’s not entertainment. It’s an experiment living on borrowed time. I can think of a dozen Decatur Patch posters who dropped Patch patties on your site without using their real names or genuine email addresses. And hell, didn’t your former editor offer a blog to one of them?
I know when I wrote for Patch I was kind of embarrassed to tell sources the organization’s name: “Hi, my name is David and I write for Patch ….” Typical response: “What the ____ is that?” My colleagues in the real world kept asking me why write for Patch and damage my credibility? I came to my senses a little too late on that one but hey, the direct deposits never bounced and most of the editors paid on time.
Patch does have is virtues, though. It’s sort of an employment agency of last resort for laid-off mainstream media folks trying to recast themselves in a world increasingly dominated by freelancers. And that’s okay. We all need to eat and pay the bills. But please, don’t get up on your high horse and dismiss other enterprises [ edited: no personal attacks] Patch elitism is an oxymoron if I ever encountered one.
You wrote for them? I thought from your posts you thought the site was terrible…
This is beginning to resemble a kindergarten toddler fight.
David may be the person whose behavior was deemed inappropriate, so he was dropped from Patch.
Since DM is letting this guy slam Patch, I thought I’d refute some of what he says.
As to Patch harming DM, well, I believe DM’s readership is at all time highs, isn’t it?
I think Patch has also had some stories that DM hasn’t had. Undoubtedly, DM has far more people who comment here. I always read DM and frequently comment. I like DM.
But DM isn’t hiring local journalists, and Patch is, so I’m writing for Patch.
David- WOW. All this is probably more suited for your blog than here (although I don’t get how hatin’ on your past employer & coworkers is a good strategy for presenting yourself to potential future ones.)
At any rate, you should know that Diane’s a regular commenter on here (just one with a bee in her bonnet about aliases!), and she’s highly regarded for her volunteer work in Decatur. While Gibbetts got smart alecky and I got scoldy, don’t think for a minute that folks won’t come rushing to her defense if you keep going on and on and on!
Sorry Deanne. I wasn’t really dumping on Diane so much as I was Patch. Apologies if it seemed like I was. Nothing against Diane.
Patch wasn’t an employer so much as it was an experiment. It worked for me in the moment and now we’ve moved on. I think the interim Decatur editor has a better handle on social media and the tools necessary to make a hyperlocal reporting shop work. But that doesn’t change the bigger picture for Patch as a viable business. At least I wasn’t one of the disillusioned editors who leaked mediocre visitor stats and advertiser details on my way out the door.
At any rate, the Interwebz are big enough for anyone who wants to set up shop in Decatur, GA, or anywhere else. I just think that Patch is bad news for local media on so many different levels. Sure, it’s going to give some folks exposure where they otherwise wouldn’t have gotten it. And if you’re a paid freelancer, the extra money’s good — maybe.
But if you’re a blogger bringing eyes to a Patch site and not getting paid for it or if you are a local online news organization competing for scarce advertising dollars, then Patch isn’t such a great deal. Heck, even if you are a paid freelancer, you’re getting exploited, especially if you are filing photos and video with your copy. Let’s say a freelancer gets paid $50 for a story that takes more than an hour to report; some mileage on the car; writing time; and, media (photo or video) processing on the back end. What do you think the net is on that? And then there are your expenses: Internet, wireless phone, electricity, health insurance, car insurance, etc. At the end of the day, a Patch freelancer is actually paying Patch for that byline.
If Patch could make the numbers work, i.e., get enough eyeballs on the screens and ad $$, then it would be a great deal for them. But it ain’t and there are lots of folks just waiting for it to crash to see what’s going to replace it or what local enterprises will learn from Patch to make a better mousetrap.
You’re perfectly right that the pay is meager, but it’s better than nothing, which is what the volunteer jobs pay. And what writing a blog pays.
I don’t know if DM is making any money off of this site yet, but I’m sure he toiled without pay for awhile.
Almost all of the jobs in journalism these days are low paid and demanding. But I think that at some point, the advertisers will realize that good content is what attracts eyeballs and gets them business.
I think DM’s site and sites like Patch will take the place of a community newspaper. I hope there’s enough room for both forums.
Gosh Y’all… The insider takes on Patch have been… eye opening. While I didn’t know the AOL stuff before, it was obvious someone’s going for a large scale Atlanta market approach. Maybe it’s not as “local” as some would like, and yes, they’re using a template, but I don’t really have a problem with that as long as the writers come from the community. Maybe I’d feel differently if they were posing a real threat to our locally created blogs, but since that doesn’t seem to be the case, I say, “The more community voices, the better!”
For me, the main quibble with Patch is its spottiness. It has a newspaper format, but doesn’t really deliver the coverage… which is a bit more understandable now that David’s explained all the cost factors. (AOL really needs to commit the funds to expand news coverage. With local news positioned as a main draw, they’ll have no one but themselves to blame if this venture fails.) Another Patch drawback stems from my intro to it: a news story that contained an error caused by a simple misunderstanding that occurred during the interview. For whatever reason, the writer never saw fit to correct it. (Because DM had plugged the story, he ended up doing the follow-up to get the clarification.) That’s stuck with me ever since, and it’s kept me from trusting the reliability of Patch’s news reporting. A final quibble: the contributors at times come across as a bit thin skinned when replying to commenters. No doubt, it’s probably kept lots of folks from piping up. All of this stuff is fixable, and hopefully Patch will view this rocky bump as an opportunity for a fresh start.
(Diane- I won’t hold you to the cold wet one offer since I may have just ticked you off, and the cold wet one might now be a dead fish! Please know I’m rootin’ for your success as a local writer!)
(David- Patch patties AGAIN? *sigh*)
Deanne, what can I say. I like to have fun with alliteration and I like cows.
AOL has committed the funds — more than $100 million — and its not get any ROI. The model’s wrong and the execution is wrong. What kind of quality editor is Decatur going to get using the quals sought in AOL’s ad to fill the job: http://bit.ly/loQq1p More importantly, what’s Decatur going to get in return? Good, accurate news coverage? Someone who’s committed to the community and who’s going to be here longterm? AOL is like a digital age coal or timber company: They’re going into communities and stripping the resources. Once AOL (Patch) leaves, what’s going to be left behind besides the wrecked digital media nexus that started with DM and others before Patch arrived?
“Maybe I’d feel differently if they were posing a real threat to our locally created blogs, but since that doesn’t seem to be the case, I say, “The more community voices, the better!””
================================
1. As long as these types of sites are advertising supported, there is alimit on the number of them that can be sustained.
2. A site that is nationally owned, and siphons off some of these advertising dollars to HQ in suburban Virginia and/or shareholders worldwide, is not preferable to one that keeps the profits local.
3. Don’t think of this as just Patch vs. DM – see DecaturNewsOnline, which is locally owned and run. That site is plugged in, has a journalistic ethos, does the legwork to report on city government and school issues, and draws contributions from all kinds of people in the community. That’s the site that Patch is impacting
4. I agree with David – Patch has $100 million of AOL losses to burn through, a loss-leader approach. It will kill off competitors like DecaturNewsOnline before being abandoned, setting all kinds of communities back to square 1 in terms of their online/hyperlocal news presence. Fortunately for us we’ve got DM, which seems to be winning in terms of popularity and hits, and hopefully won’t be impacted by AOL’s strategy.
Tee Russ-
It’s not that I don’t have concerns for how this could affect local blogs. Instead, I was thinking of what might possibly be gained from the situation. Perhaps you don’t realize that we’ve already lost the wonderful Decatur News Online. It about broke my heart to see it go. Geoff Koski is an excellent journalist, and Decatur News Online was a “must read” from the start. I don’t know for sure why it shut down, but I imagine it’s extremely tough to juggle family life on top of work life, then add on trying to cover Decatur’s many meetings & events. ( And the moderating part alone– do you think DM ever has a free second to himself? Lordy! We require 24/7 monitoring!)
But… what if there’s a way to make the system work as an incubator? Go in as if AOL’s going to eventually back out, and use the start up period as a way to getting a newspaper format blog off the ground? When I think of Patch, I’m thinking solely of the local folks who are putting their hearts & efforts into creating something special for the community. If AOL wants to provide the bankroll for it, let ’em! It seems like a very good way for someone brimming with ideas & energy to have some breathing room financially to get a news blog off the ground. If and when AOL pulls the plug, well, that same smart person will have a well thought out plan for bringing the blog back to life. (Assuming they’ve been careful about what they’ve signed.) Yes, advertising dollars will eventually be stretched thin, but not for a long time. Each blog fills a niche. If you recall, Decatur News Online’s advertisers were more traditional newspaper types– banks, realtors, insurance companies. Businesses will decide where they get the most bang for their buck.
There’s bound to be some ugly fallout in communities across the country if AOL ends up writing off this endeavor. (Should that day come, it’d be wise of AOL to be gracious in allowing the staffs to try to keep the formats running.) It’s a shame to think about. However, one of Decatur’s biggest strengths is our loyalty to those who’ve won our hearts. Decatur Metro is unrivaled in readership– in “eyeballs” and devotion. Ain’t no one – readers, advertisers, or DM– going anywhere!
You may be more prescient than you realized…tried to go to DNO, and got this message: http://decaturnewsonline.com/ (“Site inactive”). *sigh*
DM is a great community resource, for sure. But, the site belongs to DM, I assume, solely. He has no obligation to continue doing what he does and who know where life may take him …? Maybe he’ll take over Anderson Cooper’s job and this blog will be gently retired.
So I would not say a big difference between Patch and DM is that Patch is the only one that may be abandoned.
As for me, I read both and I hope both succeed.
Deanne, thanks for the kind words. Next time you see me in the flesh, tell me who you are so I can thank you properly with something cold and wet.
Honey, you damaged your credibility by your behavior at Patch.
Patch isn’t the New York Times and doesn’t pretend to be.
It’s filling a different niche, IMHO.
The reason I dislike aliases is that you don’t know who you’re dealing with. In “real” journalism (and I have an M.A. in Journalism and have worked for major news outlets), you avoid anonymous sources as much as possible. On DM, it’s almost ALL anonymous sources. Karass comments daily–I don’t know who she is. For that matter, do y’all know who DM is or where he works, etc. etc. Also, conventional journalism avoids printing rumors, but a lot of what is posted here is just rumor. A lot of rumors turn out to be true, though.
I do know that DM has deleted some of my posts referring to Patch articles, with good reason I think. I do hope he allows me to defend this little site which has contributed to my local economy.
Will it survive? I don’t know. I just enjoy having a venue for writing to make a little butter and egg money. My volunteer work in the community pays me only in free vegetables.
Does the New York Times require people to use their real names when commenting?
It does in the print edition, and their articles have clear bylines. I feel that anonymity enables people to say things they might not say if they had to back it up with their identity.
What’s your point?
I was talking about their online commenters. Isn’t that what you were criticizing here?
And you assume that saying things you wouldn’t say identified is always going to be a bad thing. Well what if you’re an oppressed minority? Should that person be identified regardless of their safety? I’m not saying it’s all candy and roses, but I don’t believe it’s the universally positive force that you keeping arguing it is.
Well, then you really are comparing apples to oranges, then, aren’t you? Unless there’s some recent development I don’t know about, there’s no print edition of Decatur Metro. Further, DM doesn’t pretend to be anything more than it is– a blog devoted to local voices from the community. If you do wish to compare apples with apples, then take the AJC– its print edition requires commenters to use their real names, but its online blogs do not (just like the NYT).
You’re of course entitled to your opinions about anonymous commenting, but you do understand we aren’t talking about newspaper columnists who’re purportedly reporting on matters of state, national security, or other government/police functions that could have an impact on your civil rights or the other laws that govern your life (i.e., public safety/health), right? Really, why do you care whether the commenters on a local blog, none of whom will likely have any measurable affect on your personal life or career by their comments, use aliases? I’m not snarking– I’m really curious.
For all intents and purposes, DM has become a main venue for news in our community. Other news media have some form of accountability. The NYT and AJC may allow anonymous comments online (and the AJC sometimes prints selected comments), but at some point, they back up their stuff with names and facts.
The person or people who control the communications media DO have power within their communities. I’d prefer to know who they are.
CubaLibre, do you REALLY think that DM has absolutely no effect upon anybody’s life or career? You think that people who get on here and slam a particular merchant don’t affect that merchant’s business? If this is all meaningless, why do people devote so much time on it?
If anonymity is the most important (only?) factor when it comes to accountability, then why are trust levels on this site so high?
And besides, I’ve wanted a pen name since I was ten years old and my big brother explained the concept of the nom de plume to me. Finally, the blogosphere has allowed me to use one.
Diane, yes, I REALLY don’t think, in the overall scheme of things, that this blog has any significant effect on anyone’s life or career (apologies, DM– not that I don’t think you’re fab). I’m sure the readership is far wider than the actual numbers of people who post here, but vis-a-vis the overall population of Decatur & its surrounding areas, it’s miniscule. I think it provides a great forum for dialogue within the community (including the business owners/managers), and often has news of interest to us all. It doesn’t, however, purport to be an official news organization, and is therefore not bound by the credos that would apply there (even though the moderator does a very good job of keeping himself to those standards to the best of his ability). There’s a big difference, and I believe you know it, in spite of your adamance on this subject. We get it– and as I’ve said, you’re entitled to your opinions (just like anyone else). I also think you’ve just talked yourself into a corner here, and for you to continue arguing the point using the analogies you’ve used isn’t really making your case for you. At least, not in my opinion (and we all know what anyone’s opinion is worth).
Cubalibre- I gotta respectfully disagree! Once upon a time this blog was strictly a local banter filled blog, but it put on its big boy pants awhile ago! Thank goodness it’s managed to retain its “small community” feel, but DM’s reach & sway has grown tremendously in the past year. (Besides providing uncredited story leads to the local news), DM plays a big role in giving our City Folks a heads up on public opinion. Not only have we seen a couple of CSD decisions revisited because of points raised on here, the City Folks regularly reference Decatur Metro in commission meetings! (Where they used to kinda allude to it, they now just flat out cite it because the info is so helpful to discussions.) Kudos to DM for managing to keep the site snarktastic while morphing into a major player for meaningful dialogue!
I agree with Diane with respect to the media owners and editors. It’s important to know who they are unless there is a compelling reason not to (such as an oppressed minority as DM mentions).
` It does in the print edition
Too funny! (And an appropriate juncture to walk away from.)
Sweet Cheeks — I hope you don’t mind the familiarity here since I’m now “Honey” — thanks for setting the record straight as you see it. Watch where you step over in the Patch. After all, you don’t want to step in any of those digital patch patties deposited by the anonymous masses who so frequently litter the site.
“In “real” journalism (and I have an M.A. in Journalism and have worked for major news outlets), you avoid anonymous sources as much as possible. On DM, it’s almost ALL anonymous sources.”
—
People commenting on DM are not “sources,” nor are we purporting to engage in professional journalism. We’re sharing stuff we read or hear or dream up, and exchanging opinions about what drifts by. It’s community dialogue, carried on by a fraction of the community we can’t really measure or accurately profile, and observed by an even larger, equally unknowable segment. (For that very reason, I hope the City management and commissioners are extremely careful in how they factor this blog chatter into their deliberations and decisions about anything. Opinionated and clever as we are, as a group we are not representative of the community as a whole.)
Personally, I use a pseudonym for several reasons. One is that I feel more comfortable being candid, especially when I know others are likely to disagree — I have experienced direct, vicious online attacks in the past, on other discussion boards, and it disproportionately hurts my feelings sometimes. So I’d rather not use my real name. That being said, I don’t make a particular secret of who I am and in fact, I recently had two different people walk up to me on the same day and ask if I am smalltowngal. Of course, I said yes. One responded by telling me his/her own pseudonym and the other one hedged (which I considered more than a little out of bounds, but whatever). Another reason is that, like Parker Cross, I’ve always wanted a pen name. And other people’s handles are often clever and amusing.
I only know who a couple of the regular DM posters are, and often get very curious about others. At the same time, though, I kind of like not knowing who is saying what because it’s easier to really listen and think about what’s being said if I don’t automatically connect it with everything else I know (or think I know) about the person. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m much less likely to keep track, over the long run, of who says what and when, if I’m trying to remember pen names than if I had real identities associated with them.
If you want to use your real name, by all means, do so. Some of the rest of us are never going to, though.
As always, STG speaks with common sense and grace. I love reading her posts.
As for me, when it comes to local news, it’s Decatur Metro. When it comes to learning about Decatur history, it’s Decatur Metro. Intelligent commentary? Decatur Metro. In-depth discussion of local events? You guessed it…Decatur Metro. Thanks to DM, I am always up on the local scene, and the great people who populate this fair city.
Oh, and STG, I have also been outed and I always admit it’s me. Must be the McCain sign I had in my yard in 2008.
*applause* Everything stg said…
Yep, smalltowngal nails it every time!
[ Didn’t mean to possibly stifle the City Folks, so I’d like to add: The City Folks seem to value Decatur Metro for providing up-to-date public input, but they don’t weight it any higher (that I can tell) from information gathered elsewhere. In fact, they’re pretty good about seeking out info– it’s kinda impressive actually! Certainly a contrast to other boards in the metro area !]
Aww, y’all are makin’ me self-conscious.
IMO, you three–Token, Deanne and Cuba–are among those regulars (and there are quite a few others) who consistently keep the level of discourse high around here. (I’m afraid of leaving somebody out if I try to name “names” — you know who you are!) DM created–and works long and hard to maintain and enhance–the conditions in which this dialogue can flourish, but it ultimately works the way it does because of the community that has developed at the core. Inevitably, trolls, snipers and snarks wander through from time to time. But they either keep moving along or learn to behave and participate in a productive way, because the core community enforces the standards we collectively agree are important: candor, fairness, civility, and humor.
Some of the DM posters I respect the most are those with whom I am least likely to agree. To me, that says a hell of a lot about the forum. And probably explains why DM keeps outgrowing server capacity.
Now I totally want to use “trolls, snipers and snarks” as my moniker …
“I know when I wrote for Patch I was kind of embarrassed to tell sources the organization’s name”
That reminds me of when I used to work for a telemarketing company. I was embarrassed about that even though I wasn’t a telemarketer myself. It showed in my attitude, I guess, and I got fired. Getting fired from an organization I had no respect for was even more embarrassing than working there. But it never once occurred to me to slam that company in the media. That might have been before blogs, though, and maybe I didn’t because it just wasn’t as easy to get the AJC to print my point of view. The company did fold later, probably for want of my excellent, if ungrateful, services.
Any feedback on the Wild Dunes Resort in Isle of Palms, SC (near Charleston)? I’m thinking about taking my mom there in late summer. We don’t need much: two beach chairs with an umbrella (and beach side drink service is a plus, though not necessary) and nearby Charleston to go to for dinner at night.
My extended fam has gone to IoP every summer for quite a while now. It’s fairly ideal as beaches go. The beach itself is nice, lots of golf and other activities in the area, decent selection of restaurants and whatnot on the island, and Charleston is right down the road if you feel like spending a day exploring.
I cleverly failed to mention that we stayed in Wild Dunes and had no complaints whatsoever. In addition to the beach itself, they have tennis courts, golf, bike rentals, and even a decent pizza joint.
As a native Charlestonion, I’d say Wild Dunes is a solid bet, unless you want to fork over the money for Kiawah or Seabrook (both of which are farther from Charleston than IOP). Folly beach is more colorful, but very active (and lacking any proper resorts). Sullivan’s is eh. I’ve never personally stayed at Wild Dunes, but have heard only good things from those who have.
I would recommend going into Charleston for dinner at least once. The food on IOP is good, but can’t compare. I would recommend making the drive to Bowen’s Island, but if you’re not going in an ‘r’ month, there’ll be no oyster goodness.
Does anyone know anything about the large group of cyclists that have been coming through Decatur down Ponce in the mornings? Looks like middle school/high school kids mostly. Is it a club or camp maybe? I’d love to find out more.
I passed them as they were starting out the other morning. They originate in Clarkston. I think it’ was the Clarkston First Baptist Church parking lot.
I saw on Facebook that the Fugees Family has been biking from Clarkston to Agnes Scott for academic boot camp. They started a week or so ago and it’s 70-80 kids. Maybe that is it?
we donated bikes for this last summer- glad to see the boot camp and the related cycling continue! The Fugees is an amazing group of kids and organizers.
I bet that’s it! Now that you mention it, I did see the Fugees bus at the same time one day, but didn’t make the connection. Very cool!
That said–Is there any kind of biking club/camp for middle schoolers around Decatur?
Not that I know of but would love one. Attention teachers who cycle and want to earn some money in the summer!
Is it just me, or do other people have concerns about toddlers in the dog parks? Several times I’ve taken my dog to one of the Decatur dog parks and seen 2-4 year olds walking about where the dogs are playing. First, their little faces are at teeth height and while the dogs are usually just play scuffling, I worry about a kid getting accidentally involved in the midst of that. Secondly, my dog is not really comfortable with small people – their direct, eye-level stares unnerve him and their sudden movements tend to freak him out – so I always avoid going near where they are. One mother noticed me moving my dog away and assured me that her two-year-old was used to dogs. I explained I was more concerned about how my dog would react to her child, not the other way around. Are there any rules about this for the dog parks or am I just being overly concerned?
This is a perfectly valid concern. I’d say that you are more than justified in saying something. I’d be surprised if there were actually any rule against kids in those parks, but it seems very reasonable that if a dog owner isn’t comfortable with a child in the dog park, it’s fair to say something.
You are definitely not the only one, CG! On one recent excursion to Glenlake, our dog kept getting followed by a youngster who couldn’t have been more than 4– he kept tugging at my pup’s tail (it was broken & set improperly, and so looks really odd). You’d have thought his dad would’ve called him on it, but noooooooo…Fortunately (for us & the kid), my pooch is a great big marshmallow, so all he did was keep trotting away from the kid over to my husband, who finally gently but firmly told the child that pulling any dog’s tail wasn’t a good thing to do. The kid’s dad FINALLY got a friggin’ clue & said, “Briiiiiiian, what did we talk about on the way over here?” (Which tells me this wasn’t the first time little Briiiiiiian’s been “handsy” with other folks’ dogs– but I fault the bird-brained parents WAY more than the boy.) I don’t really have a problem with kids being inside the dog park as long as their parents watch them, but too often, they don’t!!!
Thanks for making me feel like I’m not being hypersensitive! I will definitely say something next time, if only to let parents know that their kids don’t need to be close to my dog in particular. I feel pretty sure he wouldn’t do anything to a child (he does really like the ones he knows better), but it’s not a theory I want to test.
I love it when parents teach their kids to ask before petting any dogs. Mine feels like it’s a major breach of etiquette when a stranger touches him – can’t say I blame him – while my late, great Golden practically pushed people down to get attention. When kids would ask about petting my dogs, I’d direct them to her and everyone was happy!
Shout out thank you to owners of today’s sponsor, RISA Soap – thank you for your generous communication in getting my order sent!
Can you please tell me the actual law for the Stop Signs in crosswalks? If you read them it says Stop for pedestrians WITHIN crosswalk. But I see pedestrians step off the curb all the time assuming the vehicles will stop for them. I think this is awfully dangerous for all involved. Thanks!
Shout out and a question to DM readers. . . .
Enjoyed gassing up at Pure today. I really could get used to full-service as I was in and out in a second! Here’s my question–am I supposed to tip for full-service? If so, how much? I would prefer that the cost be built into the cost of the gas and not have to deal with tipping but if it is customary, I’d like to know. When I am in Latin America I usually tip–every gas station is full service it seems. Was hoping it wasn’t here! Again, if it is customary, how much (I typically do 20+ at a restaurant–not sure if I could afford the gas at that rate, though!). Please advise!
No idea about full service tipping.
But I would like to second the positive reaction to the new station! I’ve already taken my car in for some work, and it was the best experience I can remember having at a shop. Friendly service, quick results, good prices, and pride in their work. (The food is also good!)
I’m not sure how Pure works but other stations I’ve seen offering full service price the gas at the designated full service pumps substantially higher than the self service pumps. So you are essentially paying for the service through a higher gas bill. But again this was not at Pure and was many years ago.
I was intrigued by your question, altmod, so I consulted with the Oregon branch of the family because they don’t have self serve in Oregon. My nephew gave the following advice, “James wrote: “If the gas-person (Never gas-man or gas-woman, as a non-politically correct non- Oregonian might say in that situation) washes my windows, checks oil, or some other service than simply pumping the gas, I tip him. normally they’ll just wash the windows. I’ve rarely had them ask if i wanted fluid levels checked, but it has happened.”
That seems reasonable.
As a child I remember they would sometimes also take a whisk broom to your interior, but I can’t imagine anyone doing that anymore.
Thanks for researching! I’m still a bit lost. Do they ask if you want your windows washed in Oregon or just wash them and expect a tip? I prefer to get the gas and get out. I guess I’m okay not tipping. Maybe I’ll call Pure. . . . The thought of failing to tip in a tipping situation creeps me out enough not to return.
More results, also from Facebook: D.C. says ” i grew up in the northeast where full serve was all you got. we never tipped.”
As one who grew up on both sides of the pump, so to speak (showing my age), I can say that I never tipped and never was tipped.
Has anyone else noticed city green space being taken over by kudzu? There is an empty lot on the corner of S. McDonough and E. Davis that is being consumed by the evil plant. I’m not positive if the lot is owned by the city, but the creek area along E. Davis is also overgrown with kudzu. Any ideas?
Isn’t there a local guy who has a herd of nearly 100 goats that he hires out to eat overgrown lots? He’d be perfect for the job!
I don’t believe either of those areas are owned by the City. Perhaps Agnes Scott or another private party.
Are there any fireworks planned in Decatur this weekend? If so, can anyone recommend a good place to see them – away from the crowds? I’m usually out of town, but will be in town this year.
There are plenty of good spots – what direction are you coming from?
I live off of S. Candler near the intersection of Memorial. Our neighborhood is a smorgasboard of communities – East Lake, Kirkwood, Dearborn Park and some residents even have Decatur addresses!!
Try the large grassy lot at the corner of College and McDonough or the high school parking lot or maybe even in front of Renfroe.
Yes! There are fireworks! We are looking forward to shooting them off for you once again (yes we are hand lighting up there) from about dark to dark thirty or dark forty five! Whee!
… and speaking of Patch and hyperlocal journalism, they did call the Crew Chief for an interview today.
Coming from Kirkwood-ish space and wanting to avoid the crowds, I would find a spot near the tracks. If you want to wander further into town, not many people sit in the lot at Commerce and West Trinity, just don’t cross the tape and keep an eye on the kids on the street who sometimes are setting off their own fireworks.
Any suggestions for BYOB (I want to bring beer not wine) restaurants near Decatur? Can you bring alcohol in to Community Q perhaps?
There was a lengthy discussion here a few months back on that subject and I think the conclusion was that it was not legal, especially if the establishment did not a an alcohol license.
yep, I remember the discussion but I believe that applied to the City of Decatur only. I was asking for suggestion near Decatur. I can leave the city limits as long as I don’t have to venture too far.
I wouldn’t imagine DeKalb County would be much different, but I’m not going to search through County Code to find out.
It is not exactly close but Panahar off Buford Hwy is BYOB. Love the food (indian)!
Dekalb County is very often different from Decatur, I am just asking for suggestions.
big dog taqueria in emory village was BYOB last weekend. they have applied for their license, so they may have it by now.
their food was pretty good, but the menu was pretty limited…
some people think applesauce is creepy, but its alright by me. kids like it, and it can be used in family dressups for “land of the lost” (sleestack goo). and thats all i got to say bout that!
“Porkchops(sh) and applesauce(sh)…” Quick! Who said it– and NO Googling!
If you have to Google that, you are almost certainly under the age of 30…
+1
That would be Peter Brady.
Went to park (for the first time in a very long time) in the metered spaces on the back side of the square (by Eddie’s Attic) & noticed they no longer have the “After 6 pm, Sundays and holidays excepted” tags. I didn’t see anything stating the hours during which the meters are checked. Are they now monitored 24/7?
Nope.
Lemonade stand at Nelson Ferry and Coventry!
I loved the spirit of this club of DIYers back in my home turf of Buffalo:
http://www.buffalonews.com/city/communities/buffalo/article476255.ece
Strikes me as very Decatur, although we’d be hard-pressed to find a dozen homeowners that approach homesteader status.
Nice story. It’s kind of like Decatur’s MLK project. In the strategic planning process, someone in my group suggested something like that being organized more frequently than once a year.
daren–i knew there was something cool about you that i couldn’t put my finger on..i’m a buffalo girl myself!
On a more random topic: Has anyone been to Morelli’s lately? Is it just me, or do they get better every time I go? Friday, we went to the Moreland Ave. location & had the strawberry balsamic and the fig mascarpone– I could swear the heavens opened up & beamed an understanding of the universe down upon us!
Damn you, Cuba, I’ve been so good getting ready for the Peachtree and you have to bring up Morelli’s? Just Damn! Oh well, if I don’t die on the course at least there’s Fox Bros afterwards!
So the in-laws just moved to Atlanta from DC after years of promising (or do I mean threatening) and their realtor sent them up with a temporary apartment while their new town-house is being finished. Turns out that the place is a dump, and they are looking for alternative accommodations for a month or 2.
Does anyone know of a reputable and not outrageously expensive option for weekly or monthly rental, or good resources for to find this? Needs to be furnished as their major worldly possessions are still in storage.
Thanks!
did you check vrbo.com yet? the weekly rates there can be high, but you may be able to negotiate lower rates for an over a month stay.
Just checked w/ a friend who did the temp digs while waiting for new house thing, they thought Post Briarcliff worked well for them. They also confirmed there are furnished options there.
Happy Independence Day, everyone! See y’all at the fireworks tonight!
I hate to rag on Decatur Patch again but a post just went live generously quoting something from DM on the Battle of Atlanta.
Why did the Decatur Patch do this? To get a spot on the new Patch Civil War Facebook page, of course. http://decatur.patch.com/articles/should-the-battle-of-atlanta-actually-be-called-the-battle-of-decatur
Seems to me that the Decatur Patch could find its own Civil War story if they wanted some real estate on the Patch CW page.
Ok, we just got some thrilling unscheduled fireworks while waiting for the parade that got rained out. Has anyone heard yet if the scheduled fireworks are still on or is it a rain date in September?