Notes From Atlanta


Tuesday, August 31, 2004
 

A true leader!



We need to all remember Bush's 9/11 performance of leadership! 


 

How does Dick Cheney do it?



A great column on Dick Cheney's comments about his gay daughter.

I'm jealous of Dick Cheney. We're both fathers of gay children but he doesn't seem to suffer the consequences I do.

How does Cheney do it? When he publicly accepted his daughter's lesbianism, his church didn't throw him out. When I embraced my son's homosexuality, my church showed me the door.

When he professed unconditional love for his daughter, it didn't affect business at Halliburton. When I professed unconditional love for my son, some of my clients bolted.

When he welcomed his daughter's girlfriend into his home, his neighbors didn't shun him. When I welcomed my son's boyfriend into mine, our neighbors refused to speak to me.

How does Cheney do it? How come he doesn't suffer people's wrath for having a gay child while the rest of us do? I'm stumped.

...


I think it has something to do with being a Republican. If other Republicans can put their arm around your shoulder and say "See, I don't have a problem with gay people," it is allright. Of course, then the other Republican goes home, burns the shirt they were wearing and takes a very hot shower. God, they don't want to catch the gayness. Then they might end up calling gay sex phone dating services, like that guy from Virginia. 


 

GOP leaving its people.



Bookman in the AJC:

U.S. Sen. Zell Miller, a lifelong Democrat, says he feels abandoned by his party, which is why he'll be delivering the keynote address for the Republicans at their convention this week in New York City.

I have some sympathy for the senator. In fact, looking down the list of GOP speakers scheduled for primetime TV makes me downright nostalgic for the Republican Party of my youth and early adulthood, the party that might still draw my vote today had things gone differently. Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Arnold Schwarzenegger, New York Gov. George Pataki . . . almost every prominent remnant of the party's moderate wing will be up on stage for the national viewing audience, providing an image of reason for a party that otherwise treats them as illegitimate cousins.

If only that image were still real . . .

...

Today, the modern Republican Party no longer has a plausible claim as the party of fiscal responsibility. That legacy began to crumble under the massive deficits created by Reagan, and it suffered another hit when it took Bill Clinton, a Democrat, to bring the budget under control and produce a surplus. But the truly fatal blow to that reputation -- the blow that has put it in the grave and tossed dirt on it -- came just in the last few years, as a Republican Congress and a Republican president approved the largest expansion of nondefense spending in the last 40 years, blithely dismissing the exploding deficit as somebody else's problem.

Well, I have two children, and they're that "somebody else."


Bookman speaks some truths that the party faithful do not want to hear. The GOP has lurched to the right to satisfy social conservatives, and has abandonned in fiscal conservative roots. It is no longer the party it used to be. 


 

Oops! Developer bulldozes wrong house.



From the AJC:

Sometime this summer, through miscommunication or misunderstanding, a developer's bulldozer came unbidden onto Wheeler's land and demolished his family's farmhouse, sweeping away the tangible reminders of those days.

"It can never be replaced," said Wheeler, a 57-year-old accountant in Cumming. "My grandfather built that house in the 1920s. My mother was raised in that house. My grandfather made the cabinets. I didn't expect to lose those."

Officials with the developer, Dallas-based Centex Homes, were chagrined at what happened and promised to make it up to Wheeler.


I bet they were chagrinned. 


Monday, August 30, 2004
 

Thank God they are over!



I am so freaking tired. I have watched more TV catching as much of the Olympics as I can. I am exhausted!

Just great games. I hated to see the Brazilian get shoved into the crowd during the marathon, but I don't think it affected the end result. Just a shame however, because the guy was running one gutsy race. 


Friday, August 27, 2004
 

Foghat passes on the Bush tour.



From the NY Post:

August 27, 2004 -- YOU can make a lot of cracks about Foghat, the '70s arena rockers best known for "Slow Ride" — but don't suggest they're backing President Bush. U.S. News & World Report mistakenly reported that the band would be joining Randy Travis and Bobby Womack on a pro-Bush concert tour designed to counter the anti-Bush rock roadshow featuring Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne. "I have no idea where they got that," Foghat drummer Roger Earl tells PAGE SIX. "Foghat are not supporters of George Bush, and we're certainly not going on the road with him." In fact, Earl seemed downright smitten with the John Kerry-favoring Springsteen tour. "I'd like to see Bruce Springsteen and Bonnie Raitt for president. We'd go on tour with them in a minute!" The Long Island resident also offered up Foghat's services to entertain the troops overseas. "We support the troops 110 percent," he said. "We'd love to go over there and play for them, but no one has asked us yet." OK, we get it — you're available!


I was worried about them. Yeah, you can makes jokes about them, but in the 70's their live album was one of the best. They were a great boggie woogie rock and roll band. I am glad to see they are on the right side.

"I just want to make love to you....."

 


 

Anti War protests in Marietaa.



Wow! At the square in Marietta, in the middle of conservative Cobb County, we have protesters. Very cool! If you are near them on Fridays, give them a thumbs up!

So every Friday at noon since January 2003, Corrigan, her friends and a few others have met to raise their signs across from the square and talk to anyone willing to engage in discussions about the war in Iraq.

They have been spat at, cursed, started a Web site, led an anti-war march, sold bumper stickers and yard signs and happily survived their Friday sidewalk demonstrations in a place some of them once regarded as unsafe for dissenters — a Republican stronghold with deeply held pro-military values.

"The square's been a bunch of fun!" said Corrigan's longtime pal and fellow demonstrator, Judy Kugler, a petite 70-year-old Mariettan. "Of course, we still get the finger, and we still get thumbs down . . ."

"But, Judy, we also get a lot of thank yous," Corrigan said.
 


Thursday, August 26, 2004
 

Grace under preasure.



SFGate.com:

American funnyman Rodney Dangerfield entered a Los Angeles hospital on Tuesday in preparation for heart valve replacement surgery.
The ailing "Caddyshack" star, 82, underwent brain surgery last year to reduce the chances of having a stroke during the operation today.

Before entering the hospital, Dangerfield said, "If things go right, I'll be there about a week, and if things don't go right, I'll be there about an hour and a half."
 


 

What freakiishly bad commute.



Normally it takes me 20 minutes to get to work. Today it was 2 hours. I could complain but I think the guy who went from being on top of an overpass to under the wheels of a car on 400 had it worse.

My alternative commute was to head east and then come in on Peachtree Industrial. Another corpse in the road screwed that way in. My boss said to head home and come in later, but once I head east, I can't get back home.

"Deluxe Breakfast Platter, please." 


Wednesday, August 25, 2004
 

Have you visited The Freeway Blogger lately?





The Freeway Blogger. 


 

Wow!



Kerry was right in his testimony, and 35 years later I still wish he wasn't. Our leaders dragged us into a war, and the frailties of humans were shown. I guess I can understand all the hate directed toward Kerry. Nobody wants to be reminded when they did things like this. Nobody wants to remember such horrific acts. Nobody wants the light to be shown on what men have worked to hide so deep. 


Tuesday, August 24, 2004
 

Lane Ranger drives into the sunset.



Well actually, he is just going to work in Gwinnett. I know I have enjoyed his column, as difficult as it was to find at times, in the AJC. Hopefully he will have a great commute to his new job. 


Monday, August 23, 2004
 

Teens killed, suddenly Republicans want laws protecting teens.



More teens die in car accident.

I was watching the news last night and was watching reactions from the Republican state level politicians who are suddenly screaming for drivers eds in schools and new laws to protect teen drivers. Well, how about a little personal responsibilty? Why don't the parents take charge of their teen's driving and help prevent this crap from happeneing. Maybe the parents should teach the child how to drive, teach them how to behave, limit the number of friends allowed in the car, and limit the times they can drive. These Republicans would never let the schoold teach their kids about preventing pregnancies, why would it trust then to teach teens how to prevent wrecks? Since the GOP feels that teaching pregnancy prevention only leads to increased teen pregnancy, wouldn't teaching accident prevention only lead to more accidents? 


 

What a shame the press will not run with this.



From the AJC:

"Senator Kerry carries shrapnel in his thigh as distinct from President Bush who carries two fillings in his teeth from his service in the Alabama National Guard, which seems to be his only time that he showed up," John Podesta, former chief of staff in the Clinton White House, said on ABC's "This Week."
 


Friday, August 20, 2004
 

The AJC liberal?



Everybody should be familiar with "Ads by Goggle." They use search technology to place text ads according to content. On my email it is scary how the ads relate to what we are discussing. I really like the technology, and believe it works. SO what ads pop up on the bottom of the letters page in the AJC? Go look.

I'll give you a hint, I am not clicking on the link for Conservative Singles.

 


 

Gold and Bronze for men in cycling time trial.



Men's Time Trial.

This is a bit late but I wanted to comment on this race. Tyler Hamilton is a great cyclist, and it is great to see him pull off the big win finally. He does not get the publicity he deserves. A Gold medal is a great result for him, and hopefully he can follow it up with a great result in some of the Grand Tours next year.

What to say about Bobby Julich? It is said that there is not a race he cannot crash in. He has just had the worst luck. This year he started riding for CSC under Bjarne Riis, and it has paid off. It is great to see him finally nail a good result also.

The Americans have certainly done well in this years cycling. If only Freddie Rodrigues had been picked to compete in the road race. We might have had another medal.

On the women's side Dede Demet-Barry received the silver in the women's time trial. Pearl-Izumi made her some special shoe covers for the race, and American flag motif with white doves replacing the stars. Nice to see peace loving hippies in the Games.

 


 

Swim Vets for Truth!



Luckovich get Gold with this one. 


 

Aaron Peirsol gets Gold... Gets DQ'd ....No, gets Gold.



Wow, what a crazy race. I will say that Peirsol did a longer turn than he normally does. I noticed it when he did it. I was concerned about it slowing him down, since it was not a sharp turn. It was legal, however. The rule is that the turn has to be a continuous motion- role over, continue last arm stroke and turn before finishing the stroke. His arm was just at the end of the stroke when he flipped. He was legal. There was talk about the judge applying an old rule about kicking. It was just a mess.

What was funny is that the US didn't even get a chance to file an appeal. The DQ was overturned by the committee before that happened. Austria and Great Britain protested the DQ being overturned, but that appeal failed. The Austrian swimmer, a training partner of Peirsol's, was support Peirsol so I don't know why his country's federation was pushing the other way.

Whatever would have happened, Peirsol dominated the race, and dominated men's backtroke in this Olympics. What an amazing swimmer. 


Wednesday, August 18, 2004
 

Lets just hope the GOP doesn't get their panties in a wad.



Axis of Eve Protest!

"Do right and you will be conspicuous"
--Mark Twain, 1901

"Let's expose the bastard, one panty at a time!"
--axis of eve supporter
 


 

Wow! I mean wow!



American 4x200 freestyle relay takes Gold.

That was one of the greatest races I have seen. Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Peter Vanderkaay gave Klete Keller a second and a half lead over Ian Thorpe going into the last leg. I swear Thorpe made up most of it with his start, and then had pulled up beside Keller by the end of the first 50 meters. Keller just kept it together and swam his ass off. He just kept Thorpe at bay until he touched for a 13 one-hundredths of a second win. Talk about drama. Wow!

Klete Keller was awarded the bronze medal for the 400 meter freestyle and the bronze medal for the 4x100 freestyle relay. He won't take home as much hardware as Phelps, but he has done one hell of job representing himself and his country. 


Monday, August 16, 2004
 

Japanese swimmer accused of cheating.



NBCOlympics.com

American backstroker Aaron Peirsol accused Kosuke Kitajima of using an illegal dolphin kick at the start of the Olympic 100-meter breaststroke Sunday night that helped propel the Japanese star to a gold medal.

“He knew what he was doing. It’s cheating,” said Peirsol, who spoke out after watching teammate and world record-holder Brendan Hansen finish second.

“I have no response on that,” Kitajima said through a translator.

Kitajima’s time of 1 minute, 0.08 seconds was 17-hundredths of a second better than Hansen, who took the silver in 1:00.25.

The United States, however, cannot appeal the result.


The illegal kick was very blatant on camera, I saw it immediately. There is not any doubt he cheated. However, it is a judgement call for the officials and so is not appealable. The officials cannot see the illegal kick from where they stand during a race. Everybody could probably do it and get away with it. However, the only person who did was the Japanese swimmer. He also has a history of using that kick for his advantage.

Update: Last night a Japanese female was disqualified in the 100 breast for the same kick. I guess the heads up has been given to the judges. What a shame they were not looking for it before, considering the guy's history. 


 

I would have done the same thing.



Washington Man Jumps Off Ferry to Rescue His Dog After It Falls Into Puget Sound.

When Jeff Fisher noticed his dog had gone overboard, he wasn't sure if the ferry would stop to retrieve Ruben. So the Bremerton man jumped off the ferry into Puget Sound's chilly waters to save his beloved Labrador-blue heeler mix.

...

It all started when the ferry Hyak had engine trouble and stopped on the way from Seattle to Bremerton. Fisher and Ruben got out of their car to see what was going on and while Fisher was talking to some other dog owners, Ruben disappeared.

"A guy said, 'Your dog just jumped overboard!'" Fisher told The (Bremerton) Sun.

Ruben apparently went overboard as the ferry was starting up again. Fisher said he ran to the back of the boat, saw someone point to a dog in the water, then grabbed a life buoy, jumped in and started swimming.


Admit it, you would have to! But maybe you wouldn't have to.

Fisher didn't need to jump, though. Ferry crew members are trained to stop to rescue any pet that goes overboard.


Shame about them ruined leather shoes. 


 

Aren't the Olympics great!



I love women's vollyball.

I really, really want to move to Brazil. 


 

G.I. Joe is not fit to lead.



I knew he wasn't all he was made out to be. He probably doesn't even know kung fu!

WASHINGTON -- As G.I. Joe, the leader of America's daring, highly trained special missions force, celebrates his 40th anniversary this summer, a group of veterans has aired television advertisements attacking his military record. The ads, purchased by G.I. Joe Veterans for Truth, accuse Joe of lying about his war record and letting villains escape throughout the 1985-86 war against Cobra, Destro and the forces of evil.

In one 60-second ad, veterans of the two-year-long, completely televised war -- in which every weekday afternoon American troops fought Cobra, a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world -- speak out about G.I. Joe. "I served with G.I. Joe," says one veteran, Thomas Ross. "G.I. Joe is no real American hero."
 


Sunday, August 15, 2004
 

German cyclist Judith Arndt wins the silver and then quickly expresses her frustration with the German cycling federations selection for the team as she passes the delegation at the finish line. 
Posted by Hello

See Story. 


Saturday, August 14, 2004
 

This is the nice one! Posted by Hello




This is the mean one! Posted by Hello 


 

Sometimes smart people write letters.



I think this guy gets is, from the AJC letters:

Liberal 's policies built the middle class

It's time to inject a dose of reality and history into the liberal vs. conservative discussion.

The fact is, most Americans, except for recent immigrants, are only a couple of generations removed from the farm. Most of us today enjoy a better quality of life as a result of programs and policies initiated by liberals and Democrats, including the New Deal, the Great Society, universal public education, fair labor practices, Medicare, Medicaid, the trade union movement, and on and on.

Thanks to these liberal policies and programs, our parents and grandparents were able to pull their families into the middle class. Liberals remember where they came from and how they got here, while conservatives delude themselves that they made it entirely on their own.

DICK THOMSON
Marietta, GA
 


Friday, August 13, 2004
 

Jim McGreevey and homosexuality.



What a shame the Republicans have been allowed to demonize homosexuality so much, and for so long,that many feel it needs to be hidden to succeed in life. However, this is nothing new. Racists so demonized African-Americans that they felt they had to pass to succeed. Mixed race couples used to have to hide relationships as gays still have to hide them now. Hopefully all this crap will be over and done with one day, but I doubt I will see it in my lifetime.  


 

Olympics.



Olympics start tonight. I am usually a big Olympics junky. I love them. While I will still enjoy the swimming, I will not watch much else. Diving just has not been the same since Louganis left. I used to love track and field, but the drug issues have pretty much soured me on those events. The longer races may be interesting, 1.5k and up. The track cycling will be interesting, if it actually gets televised. I will enjoy the road cycling. Lance won't be there, but he is not a one day rider so was not really looking at a medal no matter what the suck-ups on OLN say. I don't think he wins the time trial without a week or so of riding to tire out the competition.

I will look forward to Phelps competing. I don't see him equaling Spitz's seven gold, but I can see 5. In one of the relays the US will get defeated by Australia. In two of the individual events Phelps has a chance, but not a good one. Still, it will be an amazing Olympics for the young man. I admire people who have talent and the dedication to train. It is refreshing to see. I have known swimmers with almost as much talent as Phelps, but without the dedication or discipline to train. And there are thousands of people without the talent who will train themselves into oblivion. Seeing the two together is rare. 


 

Swift Boat Veterans forfeit my respect.



Republicans whine about the Swift Boat Veterans not getting any respect, then proceeds to try and tear down another veteran who served honorably, John Kerry. All veterans who served should be given respect and thanks. However, when a group tries to use their service to belittle a man they did not actually serve with, they lose that respect. When a doctor tries to belittle an injury that he did not treat, he loses that respect.

The Swift Boat Veterans have been exposed as being anything but truthful. They are a partisan group of Republicans, including one rabid racist, trying to smear a veteran for the political gain of their candidate. It is disgusting.

Funny, all these guys who served with John Kerry tell stories of his valor. Guys who didn't try to tell of how he was not a good soldier. All these people knew him wand have string memories of him thousands of miles away in another country. Yet George Bush was supposedly right here in Alabama serving, and nobody can remember him.

Regarding the newest charge- Kerry lying about being in Cambodia on Christmas 1968:

"John Kerry has said on the record that he had a mistaken recollection earlier. He talked about a combat situation on Christmas Eve 1968 which at one point he said occurred in Cambodia. He has since corrected the record to say it was some place on a river near Cambodia and he is certain that at some point subsequent to that he was in Cambodia. My understanding is that he is not certain about that date."

...

"The Mekong Delta consists of the border between Cambodia and Vietnam, so on Christmas Eve in 1968, [Mr. Kerry] was in fact on patrol ... in the Mekong Delta between Cambodia and Vietnam."


Now you can nit-pick all you want, but the fact is that Kerry was in combat on the day in question. Maybe Vietnam, maybe Cambodia. We can pin his location down within a few miles. Yes, he may be confused about exactly where, but we know he was there. There is a difference between being confused and lying. Lying GOP partisans may have difficulty understanding that, however. Sometimes I think these idiots believe the crap they blabber on about.

George W. Bush was at home in the US and we have no fucking idea what state he was even in. He said he was still flying all the way to the end of his reserve service, but now we know that he had lost his pilots license way before that. Why isn't he accused of lying?

Now lets see: Kerry in the Mekong Delta has trouble knowing if the dark green jungle with gunfire coming out of the woods is Vietnamese jungle with gun toting enemies in it or Cambodian jungle with gun toting enemies in it. Bush doesn't know if he is in the air flying a plane or on the ground drinking a beer. Who is more likely to be confused and who is more likely to be just plain out lying through his teeth?  


Thursday, August 12, 2004
 

Kerry unveils one point plan for a better America.



From The Onion.



DO I need to explain? 


Tuesday, August 10, 2004
 

Republican values!



I'm Republican candidate Chip Rogers and I approve stealing those signs..

State Sen.-elect Chip Rogers, who first denied involvement in the theft of his opponent's signs before the July 20 primary, now admits he approved the plan.

...

"I told my campaign manager I no longer cared what happened to my opponents' signs and that everything was fair game," said Rogers, a Republican who served in the state House for a term before his run for the Senate seat.

Two Marietta teens, including the son of a Woodstock Baptist Church pastor, confessed to stealing campaign signs belonging to State Senate District 21 candidate Craig Dowdy.

...

Rogers, who got 81 percent of the vote in the GOP primary and has no Democratic opposition in November, said he decided to admit his involvement out of concern for the two teens.


Just imagine what he would have okayed if he had a Democratic candidate running against him. I think the verb he may have used then begins with an "S" and ends with "hoot."

For those who do not know, Cobb County is a bedroom community of Atlanta, and probably home of the biggest "white flight" in Georgia's history. They keep isolated, and even refused to let MARTA run buses into the county. Republicans rule the county and Democrats don't even bother anymore. 


 

Kitty takes a ride.



From the AJC Buzz:

If you happen to see something furry on the top of a Nissan Xterra riding down I-285 this morning, please notify the driver immediately. That would be a clear indication to east Cobb insurance salesman Mack Cobb that his 15-year-old white-and-black kitty Expo has stowed away. Again.

A week ago Friday, Expo snuck aboard the basketlike structure atop Cobb's vehicle and rode the 15 miles to Cobb's job at Hamby & Aloisio Inc. insurance at Perimeter Center East.

"When I got out of the car, I heard him meowing," Cobb, 60, told Buzz on Monday. "I just couldn't believe it. He had his claws sunk in deep in the latticework up there, too. It took a few minutes to get him out of there."

...

"I'm absolutely amazed that no one on the trip to the Perimeter signaled to me that I had a cat on my roof. I must have gotten up to about 70 miles an hour at times, too!"


WWWHHHEEEEEEEEE!!! 


Monday, August 09, 2004
 

Good luck getting blood from a turnip.



Former pro fottball player Andre Rison to be jailed for contempt:

A Decatur judge ordered the arrest of former star receiver Andre Rison on Monday for failing to pay $107,350 in child support.

Superior Court Judge Cynthia Becker ruled that Rison is in contempt of court and should be jailed for 20 days. She asked that other jurisdictions outside the state assist in the arrest. Rison was not at court Monday.

Rison hasn't paid his $3,500-a-month child-support payment for his 16- and 18-year-old children since August 2002, the order said. The child-support total is $87,500, with the additional amount coming from interest and attorney's fees.


The guy last played football in the year 2000. What other job is he going to get that will allow him to pay $3500 a month in child support? Sad for the kids, but sad for Rison also. Once his football career ended so did his ability to pay this amount of child support. He'll be lucky to get a job driving a truck. I doubt he was saving for his retirement. 


 

Group pushes gay marriage for swans.



Just disgusting!

They even point to the suggestion of William Sladen, a professor emeritus at Johns Hopkins University, to pair the swans with same-sex partners.

"Because they are monogamous and mate for life, they will remain together and not reproduce," Markarian and Lovvorn wrote.


Yeah, but next thing you know they will be wanting to adopt and spread their degenerate lifestyle to other swans. We need a constitutional amendment against this type of thing. 


 

Kerry and Edwards drawing freaking huge crowds.



From JohnKerry.com:



I wish all of you could have been in Kansas City last night where 30,000 people gathered outside Union Station to see John Kerry and John Edwards. This was one of the largest rallies of this campaign and pictures simply will not do it justice.

I climbed on top of a truck to get a better view of the crowd and what I saw was shocking. It seemed as though a never ending sea of people extended out from the stage filling every conceivable area of the ground below. (Climbing down from the truck was not nearly as fun as climbing up.)


This is just great. Huge crowds getting out to support a candidate challenging an incumbent president. I think people are just tired of all the crap, and the direction the country has taken. I believe in the last few months of the campaign, Kerry's decision to stay positive will really begin to show results. The guy is a closer. I am still worried, but I do have hope. 


Friday, August 06, 2004
 

One screwed up kid.



I don't know how much coverage this story is getting outside of Atlanta, but it is getting huge play here. Just to cover the main points.

1) Girl's mother goes to jail.
2) Girl goes to live with religious grandparents.
3) Grandparents try to do good by girl and straighten her out.
4) Girl and lesbian lover smoke joint and kill grandparents.
5) Girl and lesbian lover's trip to beach cut short.

Just what were these kids thinking? I mean take the jewelry and steal the car. Go to the beach. Killing an ederly couple by stabbing each more than 15 times is going to draw a little heat, now and probably in the afterlife. Talk about scewing up everybody's life. The girl is gone for good. She will never get out of jail. The lesbian lover is remorseful and is helping the police all she can, but what in the hell was she thinking when she agreed to do this? She may see daylight again, but she will be very old. The mother has lost parents and kids, and will probably feel so guilty when she comes out of prison that her life is effectively over. The grandparents, of course, are dead. The hotel at the beach is out a weeks rental.

I see this and it just makes my head spin. Such a CF. 


Thursday, August 05, 2004
 

Catholic Bishops hypocritical.



Bishops harden abortion stance:

Catholic public officials and political candidates who support abortion rights are "cooperating with evil" and will be denied Holy Communion unless they publicly recant, the Archbishop of Atlanta and the bishops of Charleston and Charlotte said Wednesday.

The joint statement is one of the strongest in the country by church leaders tackling the tension between politics and doctrine on abortion.

Only a handful of the bishops who lead the nation's 195 Roman Catholic dioceses have said they will deny Communion based on a political stance on abortion. Most have taken no position.

"Catholics in political life have the responsibility to exemplify in their public service the teaching of the church," wrote Archbishop John F. Donoghue of Atlanta, Bishop Robert J. Baker of Charleston and Bishop Peter J. Jugis of Charlotte.


Still waiting for Catholic Bishops to publically condemn all the priests accused of sexually abusing children, and call for enforced laws and stiff penalties for all child abuse. If they do not give up all information in their records to law enforcement to assist in prosecuting all priests involved with such activitis, they should be denied communion. They should also go to hell, sooner rather than later. 


Monday, August 02, 2004
 

Negative, hate filled bumper stickers.



Who would Al Qaeda vote for?

Al isn't a person, and I thought it was Qaeda was misspelled. However, there are multiple spellings. On a pickup truck with Cowetta county tags. Who would have guessed, somebody from the home of the white flight during the '80's would be GOP?

Vietnam Veterans Against Kerry.

Little old lady driving a little station wagon.
 


 

GOP still trying to increase profits for drug companies.



GOP is pushing drugs.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A campaign worker for President Bush (news - web sites) said on Thursday American workers unhappy with low-quality jobs should find new ones -- or pop a Prozac to make themselves feel better.


If you are unhappy in your McJob, perhaps the Wal-Mart down the street will give you a chance. After viewing all those commercials, you must know that Wal-Mart treats all their employees just swell with opportunities for advancement. Don't worry, you need never make as much money as you used to, you can just buy your clothes at Wal-Mart during your break. They have great prices, and high quality clothes. I would recommend the prozac to, but you don't have health insurance anymore, and certainly cannot afford it. 


 

Rush at Lakewood.



Wow! Alex, Geddy and Neil gave a killer performance under extreme circumstances for the folks in Atlanta. It had to be over 100 degrees under the metal roof of the amphitheater, which only made the lingering scent of vomit stronger. Close-ups of Alex just showed him sweating like the fat lady at the carnival. Geddy had to keep toweling himself off. Even the parrot was squawking about the heat. However, Rush still gave it there all despite a couple of technical glitches. The show just rocked. The encore was insane and the people went completely nuts.

Rush certainly seems more relaxed and playful than they ever have before. It seems like they know they are out doing this for fun, and are not worried about what anybody thinks. Oddly, this is probably making their fans happier. I know the highlights of the show for me were their covers, which I doubt they would have done ten years ago. "Summertime Blues" and "Crossroads" during the encore had the crowd freaking out, and then

Lots of old guys in the audience (who just had to keep high-fiving everybody around them, even though nobody knew them), and lots of young fans. We saw intellectuals and various southern country boys. A good mix, and everybody seemed to have a great time.

For the first time in my life, I want to thank the people around us who were smoking cigars. My only complaint is that they did not bring extras. The more cigar smoke, the less vomit smell. Can't they clean that place every now and then? How about ceiling vents and more fans to get some air circulating? Hell, just open all the side doors that lead to the walkways. 

News and notes from Atlanta, and a touch of national stuff, as seen by gttim.




Georgia for Dean



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