Morning Metro: Sewer Spills Abound, Ore-porn, and Emory Bike Thefts
Decatur Metro | September 28, 2011 | 9:05 am
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- Advocates Want DeKalb To Do More to Prevent Grease in Sewer System [Champion]
- Tami Goes to Oregon, Takes Awesome Photos and Comes Back with a Trout Recipe [running w/ tweezers]
- Sudden Rise in Bike Thefts at Emory [Emory Wheel]
- DeKalb Commission Shows Support For Rail Along I-20 [AJC]
- Decatur Homeowner’s Night is Coming Up! [The Decatur Minute]
- Gwinnett Students Allowed to Opt Out of Hearing President’s Speech to Them [AJC]
- Albany, GA’s Collected $4,000 in Saggy Pants Fines So Far [11Alive]
- Design For Permanent Times Square Plazas Released to Public [Streetsblog]
Google DeKalb sewer spills map courtesy of The Champion
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April 24, 2015 MM: Mayor Support Go Bond on Ballot, Oakhurst Building to Be Torn Down, and Rethinking Extinction (22)
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April 21, 2015 MM: Poll Shows Gwinnett Favors MARTA, Bike Registration, and Art Festivals & the Local Arist (4)
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April 23, 2015 MM: City Considering Purchasing Boys & Girls Club Site, Unique Sewage Recycling, and U.S. Migration (22)
Re: President Obama’s Speech to Students (Gwinnett’s opt out): I’m not really concerned with what Gwinnett does on this issue, but does anyone know if DHS students will be listening to the address? Seems like the controversy was created by the School System by making it an opt out instead of, perhaps, an opt in or leaving it alone altogether.
It seems that since Dekalb signed the consent order for the sewers there has been a steady stream (sorry about the pun) of sewer leaks due to grease. Sending out a pamphlet about the FOG once a year in the water bill doesn’t really cut it in my opinion.
All those poor little Emory kids. They are constantly getting robbed of all the expensive things that their parents showered on them as children. After one or two thefts, most of them become aware enough to stop the problem…but by then we get a whole new crop of freshmen so it starts all over again.
“All those poor little Emory kids. They are constantly getting robbed of all the expensive things that their parents showered on them as children.”
All those women in their short skirts, they’re really asking for it.
Instead of blaming the victims, perhaps we should think about laying the blame where it really belongs… ON THE CRIMINALS.
Smart phone snatchings are a major problem at Georgia State. And no, I’m not going to blame the poor middle-class kids at GSU, but you have to be either pretty dense or lacking in self control to stare at a phone screen while walking the streets in downtown Atlanta. Ok, so I guess I just blamed them.
Actually, most of the cases on the news were actually armed robberies, not “snatchings.”
And I don’t think anyone “deserved” to have anything stolen. How exactly do you get to decide who deserves to have a gone shoved in their face or not?
Since most of the incidents are at night, does anyone venturing out after dark deserve whatever they get?
Many of the people had phones and ipods stolen because that’s what students carry. You’re naive if you believe that someone wouldn’t be a target of these thugs, whether they had anything of value visible or not. The police were hoping you would infer they were at fault (congrats on buying their spiel) because that is preferable to actually admitting they have a serious crime problem on and around the campus’ downtown, and it wasn’t being dealt with as aggressively as it should have been.
Criminals should not be given permission to accost and assault citizens at will, and by blaming the victims, you are justifying their behavior. I guess throwing them in jail, is just too wacky of a concept.
Dang. *gun shoved in their face….
Please oh please mighty DM, consider giving your loyal followers an “edit your post” feature for Xmas.
Please please please NO. That really would take the fun out of the blogoverse. The realization, the beautiful horror, that you mistyped or even completely misrepresented your own opinion, and that it is out there….forever!
I like it to think of it as the universe’s way of checking you, you when you have been to fast with your tongue, or fingers in this case. You know, because the universe doesn’t have anything better to do. 😉
Chit, I give up
Staring at a phone while traversing the streets is dumb and irresponsible, even if there were not criminals around looking for easy marks. You imply that Im choosing to blame the victim rather than support jail time for perps. That’s absurd. The fact is these crimes are common because the chance of being apprehended is almost nil. They could double the police force and that still be true. So I don’t blame the police when they tell students (and non-students) not to be oblivious to their surroundings.
Staring at a phone while traversing the streets is dumb and irresponsible
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If true, this means that about 19 smart and responsible people remain is existence. 25, max.
It certainly seems that way…and even fewer among car drivers. But note that I’m calling the behavior dumb and irresponsible, lest I catch hell for generalizing.
Everyone needs to be aware of their surroundings, but I just don’t dig blaming victims of crime for their encounters with criminals. Giving you hell? Sorry about that. I think it was actually fairly tame considering some of the throw downs I have seen around here.
Something tells me that the Emory kids riding $175 bikes (which is not at all expensive as bikes go) are not among the BMW driving ultra-rich contingent at the school.
Gotta say Tamara, I saw that one coming. Many posts have some good points but it is the sentences like “All those poor little Emory kids…” that will capture attention every time. But of course, I still make that mistake from time to time. Peace.
I have one word for parents of freeranging children/teens/young adults on bicycles: National Bike Registry! We are proof that it works.
Whoops, that’s three words. But one name.
Also, cable locks are darn near worthless except in limited circumstances. Pretty much have to use a U lock.
Agree. Bought nice one, complete with holder attached to bicycle, for freerange child who now cannot find any of the keys. Sigh. Maybe the expensive U-lock will be stolen instead of the bike.
Strangely, my beat-up, coffee stained but totally functional road bike from 1990s has not been stolen no matter where I leave it out.
We left our minivan parked in Gwinnett County for one week while we went on a trip, and when we came back, our Obama magnet which had been on the car since the election was gone.
I have some in-laws in Gwinnett. They look at the Obama stickers on my car very strangely. It’s funny because some of them are multiracial/multiethnic themselves but I guess Gwinnettness trumps race/ethnicity. (Apologies in advance to Gwinnett. I know that I shouldn’t generalize my in-laws to a whole county but they generalize ITP to urban war zone so we’re even.)
Multiple Ron Paul 2008 signs were stolen from my yard in Decatur. Just sayin’.
To be fair to my in-laws, as far as I know, they have never stolen Obama yard signs. Of course, they’d have to travel a long ways to find any.
Didn’t they do you a favor? You had to have been embarrassed to still have it on your car, no? 😉
I think that salad is coming to my house tonight.
“No saggy pants” ordinance? WTH? Not a big fan of that style myself, but give me a freakin’ break.
So glad I don’t live in Gwinnett County, so I don’t have to devote time and energy to pitching a fit about their letting students “opt out” of listening to the President’s address. Glad I’m still capable of being this flabbergasted. It’s really a crime that Gwinnett students are missing out on the opportunity to learn a few important things. Specifically:
(1) It’s worthwhile to listen to someone, even if you disagree with their viewpoints. Sometimes, especially when you disagree with their viewpoints.
(2) It’s useful to know how to sit still and listen respectfully, even when you don’t want to.
(3) It’s also useful to know how to sit still and pretend to listen respectfully, for those times when you just can’t bring yourself to actually pay attention.
(4) The U.S. Presidency merits a certain degree of respect from all of us, regardless of how we feel about the person occupying the office at a particular time.
(5) Our whole government is predicated on the idea that people of wildly divergent opinions and perspectives can come together and find enough shreds of common ground and common interest to move forward. That’s not what our leaders have been modeling lately, but it’s the system we have. And it’s what many of us loudly claim we want them to do. How about if we model it for them?
How is it that every school in the nation is not using that address, which is specifically targeting students, as a starting point for mandatory debate/discussion exercises, designed and conducted as appropriate for each grade level? bweh
The headline is misleading. Students are not permitted to opt out on their own, but their parents can opt them out by filling out a form that has to be submitted to the school. Without knowing if any parents have even bothered to do that, is this anything but a tempest in a teapot? Maybe the number of opt outs is zero, or close to it.
This seems to be a non-political “stay in school” address, so it’s hard to see the harm, though it’s also hard to understand why the speech is necessary in the first place.
I understand it was an option for parents. Whether it’s students or parents doing the “opting out” is immaterial, as is whether or not anybody actually exercised the option. My objection is to creating the option in the first place. The school did not take the stand that the address is unnecessary and they wanted to use the time for regular classes/activities. They turned it into a political issue which in my opinion is inappropriate, sends several bad messages to students, and reflects a willingness to misuse the school system that I find troubling. If I lived in Gwinnett County, I would be adamantly in favor of getting rid of every official, elected or appointed, that supported this decision.
If I lived in Gwinnett County, I would be adamantly in favor of getting rid of every official, elected or appointed, that supported this decision.
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So terrible education, test scores, etc. is not enough for you. THIS is the outrage?!! The whole thing is pretty silly though…
No, I didn’t say anything about education quality or test scores. I didn’t actually use the term “outrage” but that is indeed what I meant. Yes, the whole thing is silly, but it also represents one of those things that is tempting to write off as trivial but actually has much deeper resonance.
I think one of the main reasons we find ourselves in such deep cacca as a nation and at the State level, is polarization in our public discourse and in our legislative assemblies. It has become acceptable to shut your eyes and plug your ears when somebody with whom you disagree is speaking. More and more people only read and listen to what will reaffirm their current beliefs. Encouraging students to do the same thing — especially with regard to a message that isn’t political to start with — teaches them to be close-minded and avoid any information or idea that might challenge what they already think they know. It teaches them that it’s OK and even ideal to decide ahead of time to embrace or reject what is being said, solely on the basis of who is saying it. It robs them of the opportunity to learn something incredibly valuable: listening to somebody espouse a viewpoint you don’t share lets you gain new insights into the issue, learn more about what they think and why, and–this is really important–learn more about what you think yourself, and why. For the public school system to adopt a policy that subverts that– even for one day, even pertaining to only one event– should not be overlooked or tolerated by anybody who genuinely believes in the way our system of government is meant to function.
Here, here! Or is it “hear, hear!” Anyway, +1 smalltowngal
Can’t say I disagree…
Though (and I know that is not the case here) a politician espousing his/her political views to impressionable children would in fact be out of bounds, in my opinion. However, everything else you stated I certainly agree with.
I am amused that Emory PD cannot prevent bike thefts or armed robberies in fraternity houses, but BY GOD YOU ARE NOT GOING TO TURN LEFT ONTO MICHAEL STREET. EVER.
I swear they must draw straws to see who gets to stake out that corner and dish out tickets to clueless people making that turn. They even had an officer in the middle of Clifton road this morning to make sure commuters weren’t pulling u-turns and then turning right onto Michael.
If you think *that’s* bad, try letting your dog off the leash in Lullwater!
Tomorrow I plan to make a squealing left onto Michael. When they pull me over, I will release a herd of feral pomeranians from my trunk. That should keep them busy for most of the day.
LOL! (And I can say that, because I really did) Thanks for the heads up. I will make sure I avoid the Emory area. I imagine it will look something like this:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/video/runaway-dog-creates-highway-chaos-14618846
The mental image of a “herd of feral pomeranians” billowing out of the trunk of a car & swiftly burying a hapless traffic cop in their little bushy manes is HIGH-larious!