Free-For-All Friday 9/28/12
Decatur Metro | September 28, 2012 | 7:00 amFeel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not discussed here over the past week.
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Boy, Channel 11’s Wiz-O-Meter is a dumb marketing gimmick, isn’t it?
Yes it is! I think it sounds like a urine measuring device invented by an 11 year old.
But it goes to eleven. It’s one better.
Love.
HAH! For the win.
As someone who never watches local news (all I need to know I get from DM!) I left the station on after watching some show when the local weather forecast came on, so I decided to give it a try.
When they decided to check the “wiz-o-meter” I thought it was a joke. It doesn’t help that I also get most of my news from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, but WHAT?!?
Who came up with that brilliant idea, and why do they still use it?
Local news: it’s as bad as you think!
It was really embarrassing when WXIA was broadcasting from the London Olympics and they dressed up the Wiz-O-Meter as Big Ben.
So does it measure pressure, duration, or volume?
For anybody eager to play in the dirt, the Decatur High School Community garden will have a work day next Saturday, October 6, from 9 a.m. until noon. We always have yummy snacks and you will get some exercise, learn something about gardening, meet some friendly people and probably go home with some produce. Any work done at the garden is eligible for community service credit hours.
Shoot. We’d love to be there again, but that’s the day of the F.AVE Bike Derby.
But keep posting when these are scheduled…we will definitely be returning.
Omg, look at that GORGEOUS graphic for the Run for Justice. You should ALL sign up.
Very nice. See you there, nell.
http://running4fitness.com/2012-run-for-justice-5k-november-10/
Justice will not be served when I collapse after 2 miles!
The water stations will have beer and Jager shots.
OK, I’m in!
Is anyone else concerned about the annexation proposal City of Decatur is considering? If annexed, the parcels would add about 2,000 more residents (a 10% increase) to the city and 230 students to the school system (and that number will increase as new residents, attracted to the school system, move in). Some interesting points to note, from the FAQ on annexation on the City of Decatur website:
Who votes in the referendum?
Only the registered voters in the annexed area would participate in the referendum. The referendum would have to be approved by 50%, plus 1 of the voters to be effective.
How long does this process take?
Estimated at least 12-15 months, including time during the General Assembly and scheduling of the referendum. Additional time may be needed depending on the impact to the school system.
Where will existing students go to school?
A specific school attendance plan has not been developed.
There is a City Commission Meeting on Monday, Oct. 22, 2012 at 6:00pm, for public information and comments.
I am beyond concerned. I think the benefits to residents of Decatur of residential annexation are limited if not nil.
I am not too concerned because I know that the city does not want to annex revenue-negative parcels.
“Experience has shown, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.”
― Thomas Jefferson
Be careful making that assumption. Considering that some of the parcels under consideration have a lower tax base and potentially many students coming into the schools, this may not be the case. Student expenditures are not entirely covered by taxes.
There may be other influences–and there certainly is overwhelming support in the residential areas that may be annexed–that we do not know about. If our voices are not heard by the commissioners, they may think that our silence is tacit approval.
Regardless of what your opinion is, I think it is important to let the commissioners know if you are concerned one way or the other (pro- or anti-annexation).
My concern is, given the rapid influx of families with young children, and the current state of the school system (Oakhurst busting at the seams, FAVE is already at capacity in Year 2 of being opened), that the schools will become even more over-crowded.
What attracted us into the City of Decatur from unincorporated Dekalb is the small-town feel, the small and wonderful school system, and the city services. I don’t want that to change (and it would change, quite rapidly) more than it already has. I worry that adding 10% more people to our city, and hundreds more children to the schools, will create problems that may be unforeseen. While I respect and mostly agree with decisions made by the school board, they have been criticized for not seeing this current population growth coming. I am afraid annexation of new properties will tip the scale.
I encourage you to read the city’s presentation on Annexation, available on the website.
Let me clarify – the folks in our city government dislike the idea of residential annexation more than the residents do. It’s a total non-starter in my opinion. They are interested in commercial annexation though. But that’s not what you brought up.
You talkin’ to me?
Here is a link to the Midway Woods Annexation meeting that was held this week on 9/26.
http://www.midwaywoodsneighborhood.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Information-Committee-Briefing-26-SEP-122.pdf
Interesting. Do you know you gave this presentation?
Come to our yard sale this Saturday morning in Winnona Park!
Two sets of newlywed couples will be selling furniture, home accessories, and kitchen goodies on the cheap. Come shop from 9am – noon this Saturday at 236 Derrydown Way in Decatur. See our Craigslist add for more details!
We hope to see you there!
shout out to intown auto in oakhurst….stopped in there last week to get some air in a low tire…whitney found not one but two nails and proceeded to pull them out and patch the tire right then and there…at no cost…thanks intown auto…you rock!
Can anyone recommend a good headhunter? (Specifically in the technology arena.)
Been a few years ( more than five) but when I was in the tech field I had good luck being placed and hiring staff via sapphire technologies, synergis hr ( both in north point mall area/ n Fulton) and hunter technical resources.
The Glenn School has its annual consignment sale starting today:
http://www.glennclothingsale.org/
You will find everything your baby and child needs at The Glenn Sale. With 450 sellers, our sale is one of the largest and longest running consignment sales of its kind! We hold sales in the Fall and Spring. The sale is located across from the Emory campus at 1669 North Decatur Rd.
Our sale has more than 60,000 items including:
Seasonal clothes for girls & boys, sizes newborn through 14
Children’s shoes and accessories
Baby equipment such as strollers, cribs, car seats and carriers
Toys, books, games and CDs
Let discuss school lunch. I have heard troubling stories from parents and teachers about food going to waste in our lunchrooms. Unopened cartons of milk and fruit discarded after being served and now growing dissatisfaction with the menu.
Two concerns: Why do schools waste unused food? Why serve lunches that will not be eaten? We don’t do this in our homes. I haven’t eaten a school lunch in many years. I remember it wasn’t that great and I was able to eat lunch at home on most days. Other times we packed lunches. No doubt we had our preferences in the lunch room. But I don’t remember wasting food.
My Renfore kids say that they are required to take food that they have no intention of eating. This occurs when the servers feel the child doesn’t have enough on their tray. I understand the servers concern, and there are probably rules, but it seems like a sure way to encourage waste.
I am also bothered by the waste. I hear tell there is some sort of bureaucratic foolishness afoot re the milk. Every kid has to take a milk with lunch (whether or not they drink it) and it can’t go back into the fridge because it messes up their counts for reimbursement or whatever. So into the trash it goes. Ick. I wish there were some way it could just quietly disappear and be donated somewhere.
Up until this year students were able to pick and choose what went on their plate. This year, in an attempt to provide a balanced meal to all I would presume, students must take a full tray of everything being served. Which results in much being discarded. My FAVE student has even remarked about how much gets wasted this year.
I very much appreciate the efforts to serve balanced, healthy meals in regards to what I have seen at other family members schools ( one metro county in particular serves pre packaged EVERYTHING) , but ultimately my picky eater is just not going to eat a carrifruit salad and putting it on the tray is just not going to change that. Mine ate more when they could pick and choose. Now we just end up bringing lunch most days.
Somewhere out there, Jamie Oliver is thinking, “just pry open their mouths and stuff that carrfruit salad down their throats.”
Must confess, somewhere out there I often think the same thing 😉
In related news, Michelle Obama’s calorie caps for school lunches are proving, like the uneaten carrifuit sald on a 4th grader’s tray, to be somewhat less than popular. To which Big Brother must ultimately reply, “STOP RESISTING.”
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57520475/video-protests-govt-calorie-limits-in-school-lunches/
Someone opposed to something Michelle Obama is promoting? What a shock! You know as well as I do that, that some could find fault with anything that either of them promote. But I read a fairly convincing argument against cutting calories focused around kids in poverty in the NYT, a few weeks ago. I don’t have time to look for it right this second, but will in a bit.
These are kids saying that the calorie limited meals are not providing them with enough to eat, it is not a political thing. And it would seem obvious that an 850 calorie lunch might not be sufficient for some kids, especially athletes. Then you factor in that kids simply are not going to eat some of the healthy options, and it’s an even bigger problem because they’re not eating enough and food is being wasted because the kids don’t want it. You can lead a kid to Kale, you can’t make him eat it.
Here’s a parody some kids made about just this…
Not exactly how I remembered it but worth a read. I read it shortly after the chocolate milk debate here, and it changed my opinion about if it should be offered or not. If lunch is the only meal that some kids get all day, then obviously it needs to be calorie dense. But I still think there’s a line between too low of calories, and pumping them full of sugar, hfcs, carbs and junk just to get them the calories. Calories for the sake of calories, do not equal nutrition, and it’s nice to see that acknowledged. Having said that, it’s clear that all the little Honey Boo Boos that seem to be EVERYWHERE lately didn’t get that way from school lunches either, so I’m kind of torn on the issue. I was in South GA last week, and it seemed average weight people were an anomaly, even the kids. Made me sad.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/nyregion/calories-in-some-nyc-school-lunches-were-below-federal-requirements.html?_r=0
On a side note, and completely unrelated to just about anything…today is national Chocolate Milk Day.
Classic example of how regulations lead to waste.
Hey there, I think you might be lost. Freerepublic is over there.
Not to make light of the concern, but when our biggest problem is a massive surplus of carrot salad I think we’re doing ok as a nation.
I don’t like the idea of wasting food but I do like the idea of our kids being encouraged to try a variety of items. And who knows what federal/state/sanitation regulations have to be addressed. I don’t have a lot of sympathy for our kids. In MY day, they didn’t just make us take the lunch items, we had to EAT them. You sat there until your tray was clean whether you weighed 110 lbs or 60 lbs, regardless of recess policies, and after all there were starving children in India and somehow eating all your canned beets, surprise meat, fruit cocktail, and chocolate slop was going to help them.
So excited about Electronics Recycling Day tomorrow (Saturday)! And so sad that I’m at this stage of my life where this is what excites me.
I’m excited, too, but I was a little disappointed when I read that they won’t take household appliances. I have a broken food processor, a non-working coffee maker, a broken spice grinder, all of which I’ve been saving to recycle. What should one do with broken appliances?
That is disappointing! I didn’t realize they wouldn’t take those types of things. I have an iron I was going to recycle (along with my electronics). I guess I’ll just have to throw it away? Too bad it’s not like a treadmill that has alternative purposes, like a place to hang my clothes.
Wait, it won’t?
We have a broken vacuum cleaner to anyone who wants it then…
Looks like I’ll put it on the curb instead. The old-fashioned recycling program!
Oh, boo! I am glad you pointed this out. I have the non-working base to a slow cooker I was saving for this kind of event. I wonder if another electronics recycler can take them. (Have already re-purposed the ceramic insert, just need to do something with the electronic base that still turns on but no longer heats up.)
I also have a 220-volt iron. Know anyone moving to Europe or Korea (I think China and Japan use different plugs) and wants to be sure their clothes are wrinkle-free?
last winter we had our annual critter invasion, but his time the roving herd of squirrely thugs went too far–throwing raves at ungodly hours in the night, and generally making my household a bit cray cray.
enter Titan Animal Removal who swooped in, found all our of points of vulnerability, then sealed them quickly and effectively. now normally that would be that–a service contracted, delivered, and paid for.
but no, we later discovered a small leak had developed near one of the repairs, so i reluctantly called the owner, Stephen, to report the problem.
i say “reluctantly” because as a small business owner, i understand the deal: you price your services competitively, trying to ensure yourself a fair profit margin, and getting that margin is predicated on getting in and out of the project as efficiently as possible. getting call backs to do out of scope fixes that weren’t contemplated, for free, isn’t part of the profit formula.
nevertheless, Stephen took full responsibility for the issue, came back out and spent nearly a full-day fixing it. that’s stand-up performance in my book, and i measure the character of a person moreso by how they conduct themselves under duress, than when the sun is shining and the squirrels are cracking their nuts.
Titan has earned my highest recommendation, and as we approach Invasion Season 2012, i recommend you give them a call.
http://www.titananimalremoval.com
just wanted to clarify that when i wrote, “when the sun is shining and the squirrels are cracking their nuts.” i was referring to the squirrel’s nuts and**not** the small business owner’s–we gots enough problems to tend to.
“Z the Crazy Squirrel-huntin’ Fool” would’ve been happy to help you out. I understand J T has a master squirrel eliminator as well.
Her motto: Furry Rodent: it’s what’s for breakfast.
Ooh, thank you for this recommendation. We’ve got the same problem and I’ve been wondering who to call.
Had a bad experience in a local restaurant yesterday and wanted to pick your brains. As a party of one, I was seated way away from the rest of the patrons, almost in an alcove and received horrible service-slow, dishes not cleaned promptly, even slow presenting the check and returning my debit card. I have eaten at this place several times before and always tipped generously.
I feel dissed and dis-repected as the young’uns say. What should I have said? Done? I just left angry.
Write a Yelp review.
Let the management know directly.
+1. Usually management wants to know about this kind of thing. Talk to them. If they don’t respond or treat you negatively, then write a negative review. Food service is a tough industry, and people often rush to say something negative without giving restaurants a chance to correct the problem.
Lower your expectations. As you were dining alone, your bill will be less and the waiter is going to receive a smaller tip than he will from larger parties. Clearly you shouldn’t expect the same level of service.
(Since it isn’t always clear, I am being sarcastic)
In all seriousness, if you have dined there several times and like the place, maybe give it another shot. I wouldn’t let one experience change your entire perception of the eatery. I have had less than an ideal experience at several restaurants that I frequent.
I second everyone who said speak to management. I’m really not the type to get directly confrontational with a server over poor service, so I understand your hesitance to speak up. I had a incredibly negative dining experience at a local place, and the next day sent a detailed email to their website explaining what happened, and they offered 2 free meals. If that’s an option, I’d also recommend doing that.
I would have adjusted my usually good tip to one that reflected the service. Why has nobody else said this? The tip should speak for itself, then if you choose to go back and once again meet with the same bad service, say something to management. If their response doesn’t get you any satisfaction, there are plenty of other choices. Choose one.
I assumed that was just given. I doubt anyone would tip the standard amount, if the service was as poor as she implied.
Well, yeah, I wouldn’t tip generously for poor service. At the same time, a miserly tip just serves to reinforce the server’s preconception. If I’ve previously enjoyed good food and service at that establishment, then I would consider it worthwhile to advise the management of this experience and give them a chance to correct the service. Servers can be short-sighted and narrow of focus, but a successful manager/owner will realize it’s self-defeating not to give every diner the best service possible. You never know when that lone lunch patron is gonna come back with a big, thirsty party for dinner.
For those of you who have chickens, please do something about the odor! Your neighbors’ eyes are burning!
The deep litter method is great for this. I always worry about my birds smelling, and this seems to have helped a lot. Hope it’s not my yard!
I’m pretty sure it isn’t you. It appears that these folks have taken little to no steps to contain the smell. I’m so glad its raining – that always seems to help.
Thanks, Bad!
Did some renovations and we have an old porcelin pedestal sink ready for a new home. Should we put on the curb? don’t have a truck to take to Habitat renew place.
put it on freecycle, you’ll be rid of it in a day. curb works, too.
Habitat is very picky about sinks and unless it was in near new shoe, they woul not have taken it. Tht is what. They told me when I tried to donate some used sinks from a renovation.
We are renovating our home. Does anyone know whether Habitat is as picky about appliances? They’re used – but they still work fine.
Thanks.
I know this one will not make some happy
Squirrel note, I have a great pellet gun that cuts the surplus population way down (just hit them when they are on the ground) fuzzy rats in my book!
sorry i didn’t read this last winter. repairing the shotgun blasts on our ceilings and walls was a pain.
It’s said that in Boston they ask “What do you know?” In New York they ask “How much money do you have?” And in Philadelphia they ask “Who are your parents?” What do they ask in Decatur? In Atlanta?
Decatur: What kind of stroller do you push?
Who did you try to annex?
“are you going to finish that beer?”
That’s the dumbest question I’ve ever heard. Unless it’s a Michelob Ultra…
meanwhile i’ve spent entire evenings at the BSP without ever cracking my wallet open.
granted, i usually whisper the question when someone leaves the Belgian bar heading to the bathroom . . . nevertheless a question was proffered, and silence (in my world) is an offer.
You weren’t on Ponce near St. Thomas More today, were you?
scootered from Dancing Goats to my Inman Park studio around 10:30am
bad hunting at DGs today–too many “watch this for me” types around.
Decatur: Are your children gifted?
Atlanta: Did your teachers cheat?
DeKalb County: How big are your children’s classes?
Clayton County: Is your school accredited?
What do you read?
What kind of beer do you drink?
In both Atlanta and Decatur, they ask, “When did you move here? Where from?”
Do you work at Emory?
Or “Do you work at CDC?”
In Decatur, what school do your kids attend? In Atlanta, when did you move here from up north?
We would like to redo our closets and woud like recommendations for closet system installers. Does anyone have an companies/ handyman they would recommend?
Spacemakers (spacemakersclosets.com) worked well for us around 8 years ago.
Does anyone know details about the arrest today on Ponce near Saint Thomas More school?
Nope. But I’m happy to report that I was not involved in any way. Yet…
Yes. I was there for a meeting at the time of the arrest, and know one of the children involved. Apparently, a man approached the fence surrounding the playground. He was never inside the school grounds. He was playing his music loudly and dancing on the street, while watching the children who were playing during after lunch recess. He pulled out his phone and was thought to have taken a picture of a group of girls playing near the fence (there were no pictures of children on his camera, it was later discovered.). One of the children ran to a teacher and the teacher approached the man. After getting several conflicting stories from the man, the police were called. They felt that the man’s behavior and circumstances warranted an arrest.
Does anyone know someone who programs apps for the iPad or can give me a suggestion as to where to look?
Big Nerd Ranch – an awesome local outfit.
1989 College Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30317
Phone: (770) 817-6373
My free recycling bin and box of bags was on my front doorstep this afternoon, after my request earlier this week.
It’s not often I encourage DM readers to visit National Review Online (I know most of you won’t but hey, it’s FFFA) but there is a slideshow salute to Octoberfest and if there is anything that could unite Decatur liberals and conservatives it’s alcohol, especialy good seasonal beer. Enjoy and as you read outside your comfort zone, consider the conservative /Republican point of view with an open mind and not the typical political feelings so often expressed about those in the Right in this great little town we live in.
http://www.nationalreview.com/
I’m not an iphone owner but I think all this map stuff is a little blown out of proportion. People forget how far Google maps have come.
A story: When Google maps first came out on the web I decided to give it a try and so I asked it for directions from Decatur to Hartsfield Airport. I might have spelled it Heartsfield, I don’t remember, but the airport Google found was not the big one south of Atlanta.
I was told to get on 285 North to 85 North to 95 North and, with a few shifts and turns, continue to some small town on the coast of Nova Scotia. Then it said, I kid you not, “Swim across the Atlantic ocean — (some thousands of miles, I don’t remember that either).” After I got to some small coastal place in the UK, there were directions to Hart’s Field Airport (or maybe Heart’s Field) in some other, inland small place.
Now I just wish I had had enough sense to take a screen shot or print it out. But in any case, I think the Apple maps will get better.
It’s not really about the app being buggy — it’s because Steve Jobs always made such a big, hairy deal out of never, ever releasing a product that wasn’t ready for prime time. There’s a lot to be said for not throwing half-baked stuff onto the market — like some other companies we could name — but when you position your entire brand on perfection, there’s gonna be backlash when you drop the ball.
I think you’re right. Siri is buggy too. Hope this isn’t a trend!
Where has the Decatur Police Motorcycle Guy been? I have not seen him in a few months.
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
[DM can you please remove this post? You know damn well that DPD folks read this. Let’s not give them any ideas that they aren’t patrolling traffic enough!]
I thought I saw him on Church not too long ago enforcing the school zone there near the park. While I’m paranoid he’ll see me roll through a stop sign on my bike on an empty street, I wouldn’t mind him sitting on Commerce near E Ponce in the morning so I can walk my daughter to preschool without feeling like I’m putting our lives at stake as we cross (with the light, in a crosswalk.) I do appreciate what appears to be stepped-up enforcement around the elementary schools in the mornings. Sorry, J_T.
Drug drop off today! Avondale made it very convenient with officers sitting outside of city hall collecting expired pills.
Whoo-hoo! Drugs!
Dude, if you can get high off of old Mucinex, then more power to you.
Anybody noticing an uptick in snakes recently? I’ve noticed what I believe is an Eastern Worm Snake in my yard on two occasions within the past couple of weeks. Before that, I have only seen a snake in my yard once in the past 5 years.
I’l be darned. I never knew what those little guys were. I see them relatively frequently, usually when I’m doing heavy raking in the fall or spring. They’re often in the damp leaf mulch and as I pick up the piles, they’ll slither out and scare the bejesus out of me. Even though I know they’re harmless, the first reaction is always “s*&^!”
we have a celebrity in our midst! congrats to morgan!
http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/2012/09/28/decatur-actress-morgan-saylor-stars-in-showtimes-emmy-winning-homeland/?cxntfid=blogs_radio_tv_talk
I never listened a whole lot to Dave FM (it’s NPR and Sirius XM at our place) but I’m sorry to see it leaving the Atlanta radio scene. And it was nice that management gave the air staff the opportunity to say goodbye. Classy move.
Dave FM has been one of my favorites for a great mix of thoughtully juxtaposed alt rock.. Plus, Mara Davis was hysterically deadpan. Loved her mother’s visits, too!
Congratulations to the Madison Avenue crew for putting on a great show Saturday! They not only raised $12,000 plus for Our House, my kid won freakin’ FIRST PLACE in the under sixes. Good show all around (and not just because of the trophy
)
Wow! Good genes! (I recommend taking credit when your children excel and blaming the inlaws when they mess up).