Free-For-All Friday 9/2/11
Decatur Metro | September 2, 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.
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Went to the Janis Ian, Gretchen Peters, etc. show last night at Eddie’s. A wonderful, wonderful evening. If you aren’t headed to Presser Hall tonight, I would think pretty seriously about trying to score a ticket to that show.
Ouch, me and Hubbie almost went to that. Can you believe Janis Ian wrote Society’s Child at something like age 14 or 16 in 1964 when most teens were still wearing crewcuts and or bobby socks?
Time to work on the house, car and attempt to go to Dragoncon, DBF, and Drive Invasion this weekend!
Does anyone know who to contact about the Dekalb Library system’s website? It’s been down all morning.
It was down last night too.
Besides the price…is there a big difference between Parkers and Longhorn or Outback? I have been to Parkers twice in the past month and walk away underwhelmed and felt over charged.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve been to Parkers. I do believe their steaks are superior to what those chains serve, but for $35 you’d think they could put a couple of stalks of asparagus on the plate, or some green beans, or something.
I have never felt undewhelmed by Parker’s. I love steak and they are way above the cut in my opinion.
Parker’s menu says the steaks are “USDA choice or better.” No one who knows anything about steak would write that on a menu. If you sell prime beef (the grade above choice) you make it clear, and the prices reflect it. Parker’s and the chains are selling the same grade of beef, which is about what you’d get at a supermarket. The exception is whatever selection of grass-fed beef they have, which I don’t think the chains sell.
Go to Rathbun Steaks. Never disappointing.
I’m not a fan of high end steak houses. Cooking a steak is about the one culinary feat I can accomplish just about as well as anyone. So the cheapa$$ in me bristles at paying a ton of money for a meal I could approximate at a fraction of the cost.
I go to the Outback at Toco Hills probably once every six months or so and never walk away disappointed. I can’t remember having to send back a rare steak that was overcooked. Sure, your average side item isn’t going to be as fancy, nor is the general decor.
Also, the cheap 22 oz. draft beers they serve keep me pretty happy.
A big +1 on that one. Steak is the most boring food to go out and eat, imo. Disclosure: I gave up red meat last year, but even before that I had no desire to go pay 20+ dollars for a piece of meat even I could prepare better in most cases.
I just read on John Kessler’s blog that No. 246 will be installing some acoustic ceiling tiles. Hooray!!! (And see, I told you I wasn’t just a grouchy old lady!)
Yay!
Thank goodness – from a slightly grouchy old lady
Awesome.
That’s great. Hopefully it will work. I ate there last weekend and the food was good, but I did not enjoy it because I couldn’t understand a word that my wife was saying.
Good call. Lunch yesterday at 246. The prosciutto sandwich with garlic fries was terrific, as was the service. Will definitely be back.
Question: Sometimes posters have names that seem tailored for the particular thread, e.g. “Not a Free Friday” on this thread or “Late for School Again” on a post about the CSD schedule (made up examples). Is it permitted to post under more than one blog name, i.e. have a bunch of aliases? Or is there some way to circumvent the rules, e.g. have several email accounts? Or are there really posters who swoop in just one time to post on a particular topic? I’ve always assumed that it wasn’t kosher to keep switching up blog names but maybe it’s ok given anonymity and the lack of a fact checker on blogs.
I have three aliases. Which one I use depends upon my mood and what I have to say.
Oh. What are your other two? Or are aliases a secret? Or am I being gullible? My world experience on blogs is limited to DM.
You’re not being gullible…I do have three.
The other two aliases will remain anonymous.
Multiple aliases are all well and good. However, unless you also send your pearls of wisdom from more than one device, I believe that a system administrator (in the case of this blog, the ever mysterious and nefarious DecaturMetro
can, in fact, identify specific posters based on a unique IP address. Perhaps someone with more IT know-how can corroborate/repudiate.
I’m pretty sure Mr. DM knows all three of mine due to the IP addresses, but he hasn’t called me out on it, so I guess he’s OK with it. if not, I’m sure he would let me know, and I would stop.
Huh. Actually I didn’t. There are way too many people commenting here for me to know anyone with multiple aliases. But I know yours now! INteresting.
Email them to me.
Yeah, because that wouldn’t make me a giant hypocrite or anything!
But I am a giant gossip, so it will balance out the hypocrisy!
I use two other IDs, because this “bastard” deal-io lands me in moderation every time, and sometimes speed is of the essence.
Ok, so if I wanted to make it look like there was a lot of support for a post, I could post twice under 4 aliases and then it would look like there was a ton of support—e.g. from home computer, the kids’ ancient computer, another computer somewhere, and my smartphone. In fact, Aliases #2, and #3 could support Alias #1′s post and tell Alias #1 that they are brilliant and it’s the best post of the day. Or even more fun, Alias #1 and Alias #2 could argue with Alias #3 and Alias #4?
Somehow, this has diminished the authenticity of blogs for me. Is this really kosher?
Honestly, it never occurred to me to do that. But that is one way of looking at it. Each alias has a different goal, and I’ve never responded to one alias with another.
Taking this its logical (yet ridiculous) extreme, ALL the posts here – including this one – could come from the single keyboard of Mr. DM in an elaborate marketing ploy to garner advertising revenue. Bloggo, ergo sum?
But DM himself is controlled by the Matrix.
Ah, an oldie but a goodie. All these conversations about anonymity lately seem to assume that individuals can’t decipher these things for themselves. That you’re all so easily hoodwinked. Give yourself more credit than that.
+1. Also, I’d just be careful how much weight I’d give to any online comments in terms of how reliable they are. Like any form of communication, you have to judge it by its limitations. People going to the extremes mentioned (switching IP addresses to hide identity) is possible. You just have to ask yourself whether you think the commenters on this thread are likely to be people with nothing better to do with their time than sit around trying to fake out other commenters.
BTW, just so you know, there are software programs that will allow you to switch IP addresses from the same computer. People use it to get around time limits placed on using free WiFi at certain hotspots, for example. (Not that I’ve ever done that, mind you….)
Very true. Everyone has a writing style that can be identified. It’s how the Unibomber was caught. But what can get tedious is the back and forth accusations over whether a particular poster is in fact another poster in disguise.
Without moderate supervision, message boards and blogs can quickly degenerate. I think you and your moderators do a good job of finding the right balance between free flowing conversation and online anarchy.
Or multiple aliases could just be a sign of multiple personality disorder
There have been instances when I suspected somebody might be doing that very thing, and the second I sniffed the possibility, said avatar’s credibility went to zero. No matter, really, if the identity was created just for pumping up that discussion and then disappeared.
I think that in order to mount a real campaign along the lines you describe, you’d need way too much time on your hands, and attention to spare. Who has that?
This discussion has made me realize that I rarely pay much attention to WHO is commenting; I focus on the comments themselves. I’ve been an active part of DM for a few years now, and the high quality of both DM’s site management and the comments themselves clearly show the honesty, integrity and thoughfulness of just about every commenter here (as DM mentioned, trolls and blog abusers are quickly identified and run off). So I have faith that all commenters, regardless of their alias, are being true to themselves and the blog.
How do you create an avatar?
gravatar dot com
Woohoo!
Once created how do we get it into our profile?
Thanks, now I have a unique avatar
First off, few people care enough about an issue to do that. Secondly, it would be very obvious to me if someone started doing that. There are some internal checks for that sort of thing.
But most of the time we can all tell if someone is pushing an issue under multiple names. Remember the Toy Park thread? That person was exposed and laughed off the site.
Karass, would it help to develop credibility ratings for commenters? That’s something I’ve thought about for a while but never implemented. Other readers would note they are “fans” (or something) of yours and then it would more obvious to everyone – not just regulars – who the most liked and trusted commenters are.
Don’t really understand credibility ratings. They sound kind of like what preteen autograph books used to be which could get kind of nasty if some girls had tons of autographs and some had none or hardly any. (Now this is all done on Facebook?) But maybe I’ve been thinking about Janis Ian and her song “Seventeen” and beauty queens too much lately…
My head is spinning. Which blog name has a 1:1 correspondance with a human being and which is linked to other blog names? Do I need more blog names and when would I use which alias? I’ve been thinking of changing my DM blog name for awhile but now I’m overwhelmed with the choices. Multiple aliases reminds me of of those weird types of voting–e.g. approval voting vs. one person/one vote. I like simple 1:1 correspondance.
My experience is that it becomes a popularity contest. It also becomes a drama creator as commentors switch back and forth between “like” and “dislike” with each other based upon perceived slights. It’s also a great way to start dividing up commentors.
Yeah that’s always been my worry. Thanks for the additional perspective!
When a new commenter appears who has a familiar tone, I enjoy matching them up to their previous user name– kinda like that old game Concentration! I rarely call them out because I figure it’s just bonus entertainment to those of us who are onto them! :0)
It doesn’t seem to happen all that often… hmmm… Token has two more, huh? This definitely raises the branteaser game!
<— The icon thing will usually give you away. I believe it's tied to IP address, though, so there are ways around it, but for the most part…you can call yourself what you want, but a supersleuth will figure it out.
Do I know where you get your haircut?
I think you’re trying to figure out if you know me, but I don’t understand the question so I guess not. (My name really is Marla.)
You’re right, I’m searching for a needle in a haystack. Thanks Marla:-)
I suppose I should treat all this as fiction, or at least hearsay, anyway. I trust nobody. Fool me once, shame on…uhhh….Fool me can’t get fooled agin, heh heh (thanks Pres. GWB!)
Hmmm… I think it’s OK when someone does it in jest, like the person who posted as the tree that was about to be cut down a while back.
But when someone keeps posting the same comment under many different names, it’s obnoxious. There was a lady who kept posting under different names a while back and being a total jerk. It was clear what she was doing because her little identicon/avatar (or whatever the hell you call that that thing) didn’t change, and DM called her out. I have also, because it’s trolling IMO.
But if someone wants to share their opinion and it’s a view they really don’t want to be tied with their regular user name here, I think that’s OK too.
DTR, I bet DM has other things to do than look at our IP addresses! Tad paranoid there buddy!
More than I wonder about people’s names here, I do always wonder what the regular posters look like. Some I know, but others I make up in my head.
I look just like my avatar. Obviously, I’m the one on the right.
Super cute, but I’m concerned about your breath…
Yeah, well, you try keeping your breath minty fresh when all they feed you is dog food, milk bones and rawhide!
How’s the rash?
Just about a month into my renewed Decaturite (or is it Decaturian?) status and the rash has done gone! My liver has taken the brunt of the move, what with being so close to Trackside and not having the tv and internets hooked up until yesterday! I’m sure I’ll find the perfect Decatur Zen balance soon though!
If I was REALLY paranoid, I would use specific IP addresses for each alias (one from my iPhone, one from my work computer, one from my home computer). But I don’t mind DM knowing who I am. And if somebody here just HAD to know my other aliases, I would give them up. Not that big a deal.
I may be paranoid, but that doesn’t mean someone’s not after me.
One of your other aliases is “Ross Perot”?!?
I HAVE to know. The curiosity is killing me. Well, actually, it’s not. Carry on.
You just don’t want our friendship hurt when you post as Mises
We can’t be friends? I’m crushed and you had to tell me in public?
Oh, Mises, I was only teasing since I am the resident socialist/communist/radical freak! And to see if anyone picked up on the origin of your name
DTR = Naaman Gibbets = Tee Russ?
Or can I play it like Yahtzee and you tell me how many I got right? DTR = Naaman Gibbets = Tee Russ = Fifi = Marty?
Good try, but none of the above.
By the way, one of them I rarely ever use. I started out with it a long time ago, but changed later on. So I really only consistently manage two names.
Darn. Maybe the other four are a match though!
Nellie’s porno guy, Brad Steele?
BRAD STEEL!
Yeah, him. And notice DTR has not yet denied it…
I’ve been using mine since I started, however, I lost a T when I split into TeeRuss.
The DM universe will implode when Token is also revealed to be cubalibre and Deanne.
Well, we can rule out that Token’s a republican or me! :0)
Are you Stanley?!?
I was actually thinking of using “Stella” for my alternate alias, just to give it a gender-bending angle!
Hahahaha! DTR = Cubalibre! Best laugh I’ve had all day!
LOLOL! Me, too– you wouldn’t happen to be Mrs. Token, would you? I totally see Token being married to a Queen Bee!
Mrs. Token is queen of the house but it not QueenB!
Ha! Thanks for the best laugh of Saturday (but it is early and we haven’t left for the DragonCon parade yet)! No, DTR and I wouldn’t make a for a very harmonious marriage. I can deal with my husband’s fanboy tendencies, but I draw the line at Republican. That said, I usually enjoy DTRs divergent point of view!
I’m ordinary looking but my children are gorgeous. My husband is gorgeous too but needs to lose the weight he put on during my pregnancies plus a wardrobe makeover.
But Karass, what I really wanted to know is if you are related to Chadass.
We play identical twins on TV but are actually not related!
I actually imagine you to have a tattoo hidden somewhere Karass (maybe a few) from your wilder days.
I know cuba has some ethnic flavor, but I paint her blond for some reason.
DTR- Early 40′s, physically fit, is very tan. So tan he’s almost orange!
Deanne has a smile everywhere she goes. The genuine really nice person kind, that makes you automatically smile back.
STG- Petite, glasses, brunette.
DM- Dresses like a typical hipster. Skinny jeans, and t. Maybe a baby barf stain somewhere. Probably doesn’t leave the house without a cap of some sort. He’s busy early so he doesn’t get a good shave very often.
Scott- Wears business casual attire, but his weird tie choices stand out (Tobasco bottles, Superman)
Very interesting! I’ve never thought about what y’all look like. I’m more likely to “visualize” how your voice sounds. And never really thought about that, until now.
We could each create a brand-new persona and use it instead of our “regular” one for a couple of weeks, and then see how well we could do matching up the new ones and the old ones. Perhaps more fun in theory than in practice, however, speaking as somebody who can barely manage one without outing herself.
So what other Journey song would you plagiarize to come up with your new persona?
[Runs away and hides!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
Oh, don’t be so pesky, you know perfectly well that mentioning Journey gives me an ear worm!
Blond? Me?? Really??? Heh– that’s the first time I’ve ever been told something like that.
But no, I’m about as dark-haired as a brunette can be without having truly black hair. I do, however, have quite a lot of it (even after having 4 inches cut off on Monday)! I picture you, Becs, as a redhead, for some reason (maybe because your wit & sense of humour remind me of my melanin-challenged sister’s, who was the only one of us who inherited our mother’s coloring)…
I’m actually multi-colored in the melanin department. It’s as odd looking as it sounds. The torso and upper regions are much darker than the legs. I’m so jealous of people who get to be all 1 color. And I have chameleon hair. I’m never afraid to cut it, or change the color. I’m close to blond right now, but I feel an itch coming to go darker.
I love getting a nice big cut like you’re getting. It literally feels like your shedding shedding poundage and you feel all bouncy and light.
Rebbeccab- What a sweet thing to say! I wish I was as nice as you think I am! Life’s mellowed me out, but I’m still waaaay more dixie chick than southern belle! Ask anybody who’s tried me! (I do smile a lot– and really do talk in exclamation points! :0)
( Even if I fuss a bit, I’ll always have your back! You’re “good people”, and I just adore you! :0)
Back at ya my sista!
DTR tan! Ha… In his dreams. His kids wear 100 SPF and it is HIS side of the family who I hold responsible.
Don’t forget about DTR’s smoking hot calves. ; )
I am gorgeous but my kids are pretty ordinary.
yes you are….
Ha! The residents of Lake Wobegon are collectively shaking their heads at that comment.
Oh, I ve nothing ordinary could come from you, Nell!
For some reason, the “don’t believe” didn’t come out in print…*sigh*
I am the only one on here with my very own groupie who even named themselves after me.
Is that sad?
It is sad! Especially since she’s really my groupie and I taught her everything she knows (except she was always a bit PCB and wild). Plus, I am far more of a socialist than she’ll ever be!
but how do we know it’s not you? >;-)
I find most of you folks kind of creepy, but Nelle even more so. It wouldn’t surprise me if she posts as her own fan.
I just want the person who was posting as their dog to come back.
I agree with you that occasional posts under a different name done in jest or because of the subject matter involved should be OK.
I favor a policy tolerating, but not encouraging, multiple aliases.
Too bad there isn’t a simple way to keep people straight, instead of trying to figure out a variety of aliases. Oh wait? You could just use your REAL NAMES? Naaaah, then people would attack you, and you’d have to stand behind what you wrote, and you couldn’t make anonymous snarky comments.
Diane –
1. Some of us have clearly stated our lack of interest in keeping track of who says what, we prefer to focus on what is said.
2. Virtually everyone who posts here regularly does stand behind what they say. Sometimes we stand together, sometimes apart. Most of us are not afraid to stand corrected. But we stand. For instance, my stand is that your continued nagging about this issue is quite obnoxious and I wish you wouldn’t do it, because otherwise, you often have interesting thoughts to share.
3. Most regular posters here are not snarky except when severely provoked.
4. Read the next item in this thread, wherein someone who uses her real first name was snarky about you and I, using my regular pseudonym, stuck up for you.
“using my regular pseudonym, stuck up for you.”
She seems to do just fine continually ruffling everyone’s feathers, and she’s not oblivious to what she’s doing before she does it. Let her defend herself from now on. Just my opinion of course.
Diane- Here are 2 recent stories where you have brought up your concerns re: anonymity. Instead rehashing this debate again, just go ahead and reread how other posters here, DM, and 2 contributors (Allison and Scott) responded to you when you brought it up previously. Do a “control F” for your name, and you will see the multiple responses to this same comment.. If you feel the need to bring it up again, Google your name and this will all pop up.
http://www.decaturmetro.com/2011/07/18/getting-my-goats/
http://www.decaturmetro.com/2011/08/08/why-are-we-afraid-of-small-homes/
ZV did a great job explaining it to you last time. Maybe you’ll actually process it this time, but I doubt it.
“ZV says:
August 9, 2011 at 8:01 pm
Diane,
I hardly ever post on here, but have noticed your comments re: real names numerous times. I’m surprised someone who seems to be a fairly competent and frequent user of the internet is unaware of the very real security and privacy issues associated with using one’s real name online. A few reasons people might not want to use their real names include:
1. People talk about their children on here and perhaps wish to respect the privacy of their children.
2. People talk about controversial issues here. Though it’s hard to admit, there are always safety concerns with taking a stand on an issue, and if you’re just participating in a discussion, there’s no reason to post your real name and subject yourself to potential danger.
3. If you post on DM constantly and use your real name, odds are good that, in a google search for you, DM would be the first thing to come up. For a variety of reasons, this is not desirable. Perhaps people want their linkedin names to come up, their websites, etc. Or maybe they just believe they have a right to privacy.
I think the better question is this: why are you so fixated on gaining people’s real names? It is this kind of fixation that encourages me to continue to use a pseudonym — one that, it’s worth noting, my friends on here will recognize as my initials.”
Oldies Lyrics Only Guy says:
“It’s the same…old song…but with a different meaning since you been gone…”
Classic Rock Lyrics Only Guy says:
“It’s the same old story…same old song and dance, my friend.”
Mid ’90′s Crap Alternative “Rock” Lyrics Only Guy says:
“A tired song keeps playing on a tired radio…
And I won’t tell no one your name…
And I won’t tell ‘em your name.”
Ah, your question reminds me of the repeated debate on the credibility of anonymous posts. What was that lady’s real name? I think DM ran her off eventually.
I almost always use my real first name but occasionally post under one anonymous ID when I believe the topic and my response could pose a work problem for me. (a rare occurrence)
So Karass is a pseudonym? Do we get your real name for your other ID? You know, to add a little credibility? [I did not type that - my pseudo did.]
I only have one blog name so far but now I’m wondering if I want more. Problem is I cannot think of even one new name that I want, never mind several. I’ll let you all know if I change my blog name. I have absolutely no problem with anonymity, in fact, I wouldn’t post otherwise on a public blog. But I never realized that it was kosher to have several aliases. I remembered when folks were outing people who used several aliases to make the same point over and over again so I erroneously thought it was against the rules.
I am pretty sure Diane posted a comment about something (can’t remember what) subsequent to the last hoopla about anonymity, which suggests to me she didn’t get “run off” but maybe decided to stop beating that particular horse over and over. She has been participating in this forum for quite a long time, I think, and IMO has shared interesting and worthwhile comments on other topics. I don’t like to think of any person being unwelcome here — only specific behaviors. (Of course, if someone persists in misbehaving, then banishment should be an option, I guess.)
+1
Any news on the election front since this Decatur Patch article earlier this week?
http://decatur.patch.com/articles/goebel-bumgardner-enter-school-board-race
Qualifying ends today and I haven’t seen any coverage on this blog.
I’m going to get the full list of candidates after qualifying closes at 4:30p this afternoon.
Cool. Just curious to see if there are any surprises like last year when like 6 people qualified for the school board position that nobody ever saw coming.
to the complete jackhole who barreled over the tracks and blew through the solid red light despite the presence of 2 decatur police officers and the fact that i was in the crosswalk with a crossing guard: kindly remove your head from your sphincter before you put your keys in the ignition…you could have killed me.
Were they cited?
i would only hope so considering how blatant the violation was…one of the officers did guide him over to the high school parking lot but i didn’t stick around to see if he actually got a ticket.
I’d be fairly certain the perp was cited, especially since one thing was a crosswalk violation. Decatur has zero tolerance for that.
I am SO using *jackhole* from now on! Perfect for when the 4 year old is around, and extremely satisfying to say.
yes!! extremely satisfying to say (and write)…go forth and use it proudly!
Support a Decatur author, please. I’m all up in the AJC Decatur Book Festival this weekend:
Sat 5PM: I’m competing in Write Club, a “literary death match” pitting authors against each other in a fast-paced writing competition.
Sun Noon: I’m presenting Americapedia at the Escape Stage at the Decatur Library.
In between those events, you’ll find me pacing and sweating.
Andisheh-
I ‘m betting your events will be the best attended ones at the DBF!!! I know I’m definitely enthused about experiencing your sense of humor live!!! :0)
Hey, what’s your real name so we know it’s you?
That is his real name.
I know. That was a joke.
She couldn’t tell because you did use a
or a 
Um, did’NT
I went to get your book at Blue Elephant yesterday and they didn’t have it. Question: Will you take Scoutmob at your event?
Matt O’Brien, the author of My Week at the Blue Angel, is also a hometown Decatur boy. Grew up here, went to Decatur High. Come and support him at 11:15 at Decatur High tomorrow!
Echoing those same sentiments. To the idiot who thought that it was a good idea to light up your cancer stick as you get out of your car at the GAS STATION, and then proceed to flip me off for requesting that you not kill us all…
That’s when you pull a “Zoolander” and turn the nozzle on him…
That’s pretty stupid. Reminds me of an audit I did while working for the state of the State Fuel Laboratory down by the ATL Farmer’s Market. The Director at the time smoked in the lab, ashing all over yellowed news papers and journals that were stacked next to open flames and beakers of fuel being tested for quality standards. Oh, I so wanted to put the pictures of that disaster in waiting in our report.
A few weeks ago I was pumping when the gas refueling truck came in — which always makes me anxious to get out of there anyway — and then a car full of guys with lit cigarettes pulled in and got out to pump hang out, go inside, etc. Could not get out of there fast enough, kept thinking I’d see a fireball in the rearview.
What could possibly go wrong?
The line between hero and idiot is a very thin one:
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/aug/29/car-burns-next-gas-pump-5-children-get-out-safely/
Gasoline vapors are heavier than air, so they sink toward the ground. Fire codes require electrical devices to be at least 3 feet above ground near gas storage tanks. So, theoretically, you could smoke as long as you kept your cig at least 3 feet above the ground, but I wouldn’t want to test that theory!
So you consider lit cigarettes to be essentially the same as electrical devices in terms of their capacity and likelihood to shed sparks?
Pretty sure a lit cigarette will not ignite gasoline–I’ve tried.
That’s not true and here’s the proof.
I hereby nominate UDog as the official Decatur Metro Movie Scene Only Guy.
Exactly.
Speaking of jackholes, sharing the road with the rest of you guys the last couple of weeks has been tougher than usual.
What’s that all about?
You didn’t hear about the Boondoggle Bounty? Extra points for hitting Trolls
sharrows ?
Share the road, not the rules
+1
How many people are going to both DBFs ?
Incidentally, Book and Beer also share the following properties:
* 4 letters
* 2 same vowels in the middle
* Hand-holdable
* Ability to affect the brain
+1
Tough choice for dinner….Cakes and Ale or #246?
Not to brag, but does anyone remember this story about the dog that went lost in Ormewood Park after their house was broken into?
Well, I discovered a couple days back that it was actually someone who was forwarded the DM post who found and returned this dog to their owners! So cool. Not only is it sort of amazing since this occurred far outside of Decatur, but also because so many other news outlets covered it!
Hearing that just made my day, so I thought I would pass it along.
BRAVO!
Decatur Metro : Pet Finder and Wildlife Rescuer
YOU ROCK!!!
This IS very cool. As a dog lover myself, I remember seeing this story and hoping the pooch was somehow reunited with its family.
However, and I don’t mean at all to disparage the goodwill of DM’s contribution to this happy ending, but did you really say that Ormewwod Park is “far outside of Decatur”? I happen to know that from my front door to Morelli’s is exactly 5.5 miles. Since moving back to Decatur, I’m pretty damn sure that I’ve made it to Morelli’s more often than I have to the gym, which is only 0.7 miles away, thus it cannot be that “far outside of Decatur”
So, there’s apparently ‘Old Decatur’ and “New Decatur.’ Certainly the same rings true for DM. So, which folks are the most consistent posters over the years?
Nellie, karass, and…uh, some other “persona”.
Meow!
What’s with the helicopters circling over here on willow lane?
lots of helicopters over here on willow lane at 1:30. What’s gong on?
Dekalb county police will only tell me that they’re instigating a situation at Scott and Blackland.
Dekalb police called me back: they’re helping the sheriff’s office chase someone who ran from deputies. Mekka Parrish says she doesn’t know why deputies were chasing that person.
Anyone know what’s going on around the N Decatur public? I’ve been at the Medlock Gulf since 1 and seen more than 15 dekalb squad cars and trucks running lights and sirens through the Scott/ N Decatur intersection heading towards clairmont.
Heliopter has been doing a racetrac pattern over the area since then too.
Someone on my neighborhood facebook page (Medlock Park Neighbors) posted that police were chasing a large white Ford pickup. He ditched the truch, and now was on foot. No word on whether or not he was caught.
Hmm 2 ambulances just went towards dekalb hospital and the chopper just went off station. I assume whatever happened is over now
Actually the chopper is back. Must have went for fuel
I live in Clairmont Heights… the three police officers with the german shepherd walking down my street told me they were looking for a guy fleeing a felony warrant. The helicopter left shortly after I talked to them, so I’m guessing (hoping) they found him. yikes!
I think it’s great we celebrate mothers with Labor Day, but fathers deserve credit too.
#magicalseedday
what time does the DBF get going today?
@DecaturMetro–Doing any liveblogging from the Book Fest?
Any virtual treats offered of any kind for this weekend?
I’m really bummed because I’ll actually be out of town this weekend, so no liveblogging from me. But Daren’s promised to post something. And I’m trying to convince Andisheh to liveblog his talk.
But I’m planning on doing some open-threads and also want to open up the floor for anyone who wants to write reviews of the talks they hear.
I need the mob to report back and let me live vicariously through you!
what can you do when you live on a street where there are 5 subdisions all in a row and you and others have seen one guy, walking 3 dogs down from one of the subdivisions to let his dogs poop in front of yours, and never not once ever pick it up.When we’ve confronted him, he admits that he dosen’t carry bags because ‘it’s just too messy. i just leave it’
Any advice or thoughts? And by the way, his name is Raymond
Do the neighborly thing and pick it up for him, then dispose of it properly.
On his front porch.
When confronting someone abandoning their dog’s poop in my yard, I always offer them a couple of bags right then. I’ve never had anybody flatly refuse to scoop, but people can be strangely rude.
If you’re irked enough: follow him home to discover where he lives. Collect what he leaves behind, and leave it at his front door, preferably in a shoebox or some other container — not nicely bagged up. Take turns doing this until he changes his ways or you feel better/it’s not worth it any more.
I wonder if he is related to the woman who walks on Ansley who does the same thing?
Can anyone recommend a great guitar teacher (and/or piano teacher) for kids who comes to your home to teach? Thanks.
We party forever and get down together we don’t stop and we don’t quit
Lets get it goin cuz we know we gonna celebrate cuz its a holiday
I don’t work today or the next 3 days so lets celebrate
Cuz it’s a holiday I don’t work today naw pardon me as I celebrate
-Black Eyed Peas
Token Repub is that you?
And we have a WINNER!
Well done, Mike.
My work is done here. Everyone say goodbye to Lyrics Only Guy. It was fun.
Oh, and RebeccaB…mid-40′s, pale as Nicole Kidman, trying hard to keep fit (but struggling).
NOOOOOOO! Say it isn’t so. That was my first guess, too, but I wouldn’t have wanted to out you because I love Lyrics Only Guy! Unless, of course, I am also Mike and I just did…
Someone else will pick it up. I know a lot of folks, on and off the site who loved Lyrics Only Guy.
There could be dozens of them. Folk Lyrics Only Guy. Classic Rock Lyrics Only Gal. 70s Polka Lyrics Only Dude. OK, I take that back. That would be hellish.
Man Im good!
That was my first post by the way. Been lurking on here for sometime now.
By the way. What do I win?
Tell him what he wins, Gibbetts…
DTR, a good Republican only sings country, church songs, and the Natl anthem. You are always full of surprises! If you absolutely must go, you’re not allowed to rule out an occasional visit. I loved LOG! And I hate goodbyes.
I’m so confused.
DTR, you were a gem as LOG. I guessed you as well but did not post. I will miss your humor whenever topics got too heated or just whenever you were inspired. hope you come back as someone else just as fun.
ps, thanks for the avatar tip.
Why can’t you keep posting as LOG? Most of us are memory impaired either due to children or age or both and we’ll forget.
+1
The responses about Lyrics Only Guy are, quite honestly, a surprise to me. I figured it was just silliness, and it didn’t really add anything to the conversation. But I have to admit I’m flattered that people enjoyed him.
I started LOG because it seemed like my mind often came up with song lyrics that pertained to certain discussions/comments. Then, after I started posting lyrics, it turned out to be harder than I thought. One of the difficult things was, we often cover the same subjects multiple times, and I never wanted to repeat myself, so I always had to search my beer-soaked mind for new lyrics. And I’ve been waiting for Westchester to come up again, because I really want to use Steely Dan’s “My Old School.”
Anyway, I know I said I’m retiring him, but after the positive responses, would it be OK to unretire him? I have lots more lyrics rattling about in my head.
One more thing…if you’re curious, the LOG avatar is Ritchie Blackmore, former Deep Purple and Rainbow guitarist.
OK, another thing…this has been a most enjoyable Free-for-All Friday for me.
Lyrics Only Guy, eh? Now I’m staring to imagine Decatur’s Toking Republican.
Sorry … still groggy, need coffee.
Heck YES!!! on unretiring!!! Like we could do without Lyrics Only Guy!!! It’s too much fun anticipating your pick!!! You’re AWESOME!!! :0)
(Knowing that you are DTR + LOG, I’m now going to think of you as “two turntables and a microphone” guy! You’re where it’s at! :0) … Um, how’s about a song clue to help us i.d. your original alias? )
“Oh fair maiden I see you standing there”
Will you hold me for just a fair time
The tune is playing in the fair night
I see you in my dreams
Fair boy your eyes haunt me
-Tori Amos
Welcome back,
Your dreams were your ticket out.
Welcome back,
To that same old place that you laughed about.
Well the names have all changed since you hung around,
But those dreams have remained and they’re turned around.
–Kotter
Wheeeeeeee doggies!!! You’re BACK!!! :0)
( And original guy was mentioned on here just recently! :0)
David Sweeney, aka Dynamic Dave, is killing it at lunch at Cakes and Ale.
Tasty stuff.
You’ve been warned.
Yep, that was one awesome lunch. The dishes still retain the presentation style of DD and the (thankfully) modest portions.
We had the smoked trout sandwich and shrimp & avocado salad. YUM! That left just enough room for a linzer cookie.
+1
Happy Friday everyone. Enjoy this most excellent video… http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/Stephen-Colbert-Sings-Friday-with-The-Roots-4111/1317553
Does anyone else besides me cringe just a little when they drive over a sharrow? You can’t help but run over the ones that are in the middle of the road. I know it’s illogical, but I get these baby cringes when I drive over them…kind of like running over a squirrel that’s already dead.
One of our neighbors doesnt have a yard big enough to play fetch with his rather large dog, so he throws the ball down through several neighbors yards, and it typically ends up in our yard. Which is fine, except for large mounds of feces also end up in our yard because of it. Whenever we find a mound and a dog toy at the same time, we nestle the toy deeply into the mound so that when they come to get their toy back, they have a surprise as well.
That sounds so much more effective than actually having an adult conversation.
Seems safe to assume it would be futile to attempt an adult conversation with someone who is behaving that way.
Yeah, I know some similar personas. Online, and off.
Anyone else imagining this comment as a Jack Handey’s Deep Thoughts voice over?
Hey, Decatur visitors and neighbors, come by and grab an official Decatur Metro tee or a City of Decatur officially licensed tee to commemorate your Decatur Book Festival experience. We will be open Saturday 11am-5pm and potentially Sunday as well. We are having a $10 tee sale – local artists prints, Decatur Beer Fest tees, and lots of great stuff to support the Decatur High School Bulldogs.
Decatur Screenprint, 340 W. Ponce de Leon Avenue • 404.377.5447
Katia and Lee — some much-needed rainfall coming? I always feel guilty about watering the lawn. If we’re going to have our third drought in a decade, I may go back to having an old-fashioned Georgia dirt yard. Better for chickens, I hear…
Well, as fun as today has been in DM land, with this discussion of aliases helping me shirk my actual work responsibilities, it’s 5:00 somewhere and *YIKES* it’s almost 6:00 here! I’ll see some of you tonight at Trackside, and others of you this weekend at the Book Festival!
Hey DM- I thought a while back we were able to post pics, but it seems we’re not any more. Will that feature be returning?
Window tinting for autos, anyone?
Please and thanks.
chadass- i tried to have an adult conversation with him. That’s when he said, ‘it’s too messy, i just leave it’
so yes, these are all great ideas about bringing the poop to his house so he can see how it adds up and then he has to finally deal with it. Is your name really Raymond?
Ange is that you?
Nope, that wasn’t me
I just wanted to share a story that I’m still reeling over (in a very very happy way). Last weekish I commented on a post about one of the Book the Brick auctions and how much I would have loved to have been able to bid/go. The winner of that auction had a guest back out and so did some sleuthing, found me, and invited me. I am SO SO SO excited about this development, and it all started with my little comment on Decatur Metro. <3
An article in the Washington Post about a study finding that the chemical PCE, a neurotoxin used in most dry cleaning, stays in clothes and accumulates over time. What local dry cleaners don’t use PCE? THe first study of its kind, apparently, and started as a high school project.
Most.boring.FFAF.ever.
Yeah, no bicycles or kids in restaurants.
I’m biting since you brought it up. First and most importantly, to the two guys jogging shirtless on the path in Avondale this morning, and specifically the one with the curly hair that said good morning to me, that kept me grinning for a few miles, thanks! Things like that never happened to me when I was single! Why now??? The universe has an unusual sense of humor.
To the person who got close enough to me that they could have reached out and touched me on Ponce (not W.), there was a whole other free lane next to you, and we were the only 2 traveling in that direction. Why did you feel the need to do that? I can’t pay attention to the grates in the road, or potholes when you do that, and if I would have gone over one unexpectedly, you could have killed me. I don’t understand why people think it’s fun to do this.
Happy now?
So, what was with the goth lipstick at the DHS football game last night? All the drill team and color guard girls looked like creatures from Dawn of the Dead!
Nice routines ladies, but lose the “black” lipstick.
OMG! Maybe they’ve been bit by the zombies known to roam Decatur!
I was at the push toy park this morning, where toys go to die, and was amazed to see two sets of parents condoning their 4-5 year old sons dropping trou and peeing on the trees. I think I was too shocked to say anything to the parents and honestly felt uncomfortable going up to them and asking them to not let their kids pee where other children are playing. So we just left but it’s been bothering me ever since. I know that when little kids have to go they have to go right away. And that there are no porta potties over there. But I was wondering if anyone knew if parents can use the church across the street to take their children to the bathroom?
MEAL MOTHS?
This is not nearly as interesting as some of the threads here but I am fed up with battling meal moths and I’ve heard of some other people having them lately. I thought we had won the war and we just got them again. (looks around, swats air, glares at pantry.)
I wonder if we could i.d. a source and stop shopping there.
My main grocery source is Kroger – Dek Ind’l
I also shop a bit at Baby Kroger, Trader Joe’s Midtown, YDFM (well, Mr. Bijoux shops there, I can’t stand the smell but that’s another thread we’ve already had), Whole Foods Ponce, Publix Emory and random tiny farmer’s markets. I suspect Kroger but don’t really have anything to base that on since I can’t tell what the originating source has been.
Anyone?
I was told years ago that if one froze their flour and other grains then they would last forever without meal moths. It’s worked so far for me.
Have not bought flour, meal, etc. from Kroger in nearly 20 years. The only times I’ve ever gotten meal moths–many years ago, three different times, years apart, in two different apartments–am sure they came from Kroger. After the first time, I bought a bunch of glass canisters with rubber seals and started putting dry staples into them immediately after purchase. 2nd and 3rd episodes, the bugs hatched inside the canisters. Questionable stuff had come from two different Kroger stores (before Publix opened here), and I decided Kroger had a warehouse problem and stopped buying dry staples there. Have not had a problem ever again. (Have also, over 20 years or so, bought milk that was already sour once; milk that appeared sealed but leaked on the way home twice; and a quart of yogurt that appeared sealed but when lid removed, foil was broken and there was grease and dirt in it. All at Kroger. Basically only buy cans and jars there.)
BTW, assuming you know this, but just in case…Treat even a single meal moth as an infestation and get rid of EVERYTHING that is not in an originally sealed can or jar, empty the pantry and thoroughly wipe down every surface. (Time consuming and expensive, which is why I have stuck to my moratorium on Kroger dry goods for so many years.)
We call them pantry moths. Walter Reeves helped me identify them several years ago. The Ace hardware on Scott sells large glass canisters, made in the USofA btw, that have solved our problem. Cereal, granola, pasta, rice, etc all go in. Welcome to the south. Don’t blame the grocer.
Thanks. I do appreciate the “we have bugs here” sentiment but I’m from here, and never had to battle them before, and am seeing moths hatch inside sealed containers.
We cleaned, bottled, froze, and heavy duty zip locked more than ever before, dumped a ton of groceries, set traps… and got rid of them several weeks ago and now they’re back.
Had a moth today fluttering around in a container of relatively new herbal tea bags (from Kroger, btw, but did they come that way or get in some how?) They also had been nesting inside the aluminum foil box, stretch and seal box, etc., and then flying out of the drawer I use for that. So that is also now stripped of cardboard and inside a freezer ziplock. Kind of hard to use that way!
Really frustrated and over it, hence looking for the source.
LOG — wanna chime in with a good “they call me the seeker” reference? I really am searching high and low!
We have found them in the wild bird seed on the front porch and I think they moved into the house from there. Before they’re moths they are hard to see and identify, they can easily look like a speck of dust/lint/cardboard as they chew into every box and bag you own.
They don’t seem to be able to chew into heavy duty zip locks. I have found them nesting along the inner edge of glass and tupperware containers, so have been using ziplocks more, and ziplocks inside the containers.
We have been suspecting the pet food; zipped and froze all of it. Still no luck.
maddening.
Appreciate all the advice, y’all.
Am changing my blog name. I picked Karass because I have always liked the concept of “karass”,
“a group of people linked in a cosmically significant manner, even when superficial linkages are not evident.” (Urban Dictionary) But I’m not even that big a fan of Vonnegut and it probably isn’t the smartest thing to have a blog name with the word “ass” in it.
Hope no one else has already used this name. Couldn’t find it in google search but could have missed it. I will use rhymes of this name or any plays on words as my aliases. But I will keep my avatar so folks will know it is “me”, my DM persona, and not someone else. Plus changing my avatar seems too daunting. This is all the change I can handle in one weekend.
Nooooooooooo! This blog will always need a “Karass”!!! *sigh* Your name, your decision– but I liked your original one…
All the cool kids are doing it …
all the avatars agree, having ‘ass’ in my name suits me…
Karass >> At Home in Decatur!
My Favorite Moment of the Labor Day Weekend: After sitting as the first car and counting all 98 cars on a slow moving train, with the last car finally clearing the crossing, a jogger in a green shirt flipped off the train…with both fingers no less. That was funny enough, but then he looked at us with his “I showed him” look.