Safe As Houses

• End of an era

  This has happened a lot faster than I had planned, but I'm pretty excited about it.
  
  Starting now, this blog at this location will cease to be. I'm heading over to join the crew at an expanded and revamped Tondee's Tavern. For the past two months, following the' [...]
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  Posted: December 30, 2008, 6:51pm EST
  

• What the stimulus could mean for us

  One of the things I've been curious about with regard to proposed infrastructure projects in Athens-Clarke County is exactly how those projects were selected. Namely, that projects that will either install an intersection at Mitchell Bridge Road or built a deck at a park aren't really ones that will [...]
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  Posted: December 30, 2008, 12:50pm EST
  

• People of the Year

  FAVORITE PEOPLE OF THE YEAR
  
  
  
  1. Barack Obama
  
  OK, so it ain't really a shocker here, but, leaving aside the historical nature of his campaign and subsequent victory, what impressed me most about Obama was the fact that he repeatedly was the cooler' [...]
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  Posted: December 30, 2008, 8:16am EST
  

• Music for the moment 2008

  Let's kick off our year-end reviews by highlighting some of my favorite songs that I featured over the past year ...
  
  Bud Light Song by Adam Hood
  My Kinda Party by Brantley Gilbert
  Sounds So Good by Ashton Shepherd
  Don't by Billy Currington
  Alabama [...]
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  Posted: December 29, 2008, 2:08pm EST
  

• Couple of things

  Seeing how today might feature sporadic posting due to other professional obligations, as well as necessary cleaning following a week of family and friends coming at going at our place, here's a quick roundup of some things to note from the past few days ...
  
  - The Athens' [...]
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  Posted: December 29, 2008, 8:05am EST
  

• Rebutting the WOW argument

  Just to be clear upfront ... I know Art Ordoqui, I like Art Ordoqui and I consider him to be a valuable colleague. All of that said, I take exception to some of his arguments regarding WOW.
  
  Not only does Ordoqui's assertions directly contradict the stories of' [...]
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  Posted: December 27, 2008, 9:48am EST
  

• Christmas blogging

  Might be light for a day or so with family in town, but I trust that everyone had a wonderful holiday. Here's a bit of what went on at my place ...
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [...]
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  Posted: December 26, 2008, 8:57am EST
  

• Merry Christmas

  In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
  
  So Joseph also went up from the [...]
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  Posted: December 25, 2008, 1:46pm EST
  

• Lend A Hand 2008

  Each Christmas, I try to spotlight some non-profit organizations. Here is the first batch of those agencies, and, in the spirit of the season, I encourage you to consider lending them your support. For this year's first installment, click here.
  
  Foundation For Excellence
  The Foundation for Excellence' [...]
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  Posted: December 24, 2008, 8:04am EST
  

• My thoughts

  Already emails asking me about my thoughts on the Yankees nabbing Mark Teixeira at the last second. My thoughts?
  
  Meh.
  
  With him stonewalling everyone, not just the Red Sox, and then approaching New York at the last second and shopping Boston's offer, it's obvious he wanted to play [...]
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  Posted: December 23, 2008, 7:12pm EST
  

• Levity is needed

  In light of news like this, it seems to me that Josh Marshall's take on this closely parallels mine ...
  
  But as I watch this unfold I feel increasingly concerned that the people controlling the money are using the complexity of the situation and the public's difficulty [...]
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  Posted: December 23, 2008, 1:03pm EST
  

• Early morning round-up

  Rounding some stuff from this morning ...
  
  World of Wonder debacle
  - Some WOW perspective
  - More on WOW
  
  Andre watch
  - This morning's installment' [...]
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  Posted: December 23, 2008, 9:48am EST
  

• More on WOW

  Nikki, who was involved in the development of the World of Wonder playground, shares some thoughts about how the original process went down ...
  
  Ok, I won't leave it at my previous comments, then. I worked on one of the other components of the park when WOW was raising' [...]
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  Posted: December 23, 2008, 9:46am EST
  

• Andre watch

  So, we've directly engaged him and the scurrilous arguments he enjoys bringing forth. This morning we find that Andre is clinging to his notion that Democrats in Georgia must abandon their base of white progressives and African-Americans by pursuing candidates who run hard to the right.
  
  While, again,' [...]
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  Posted: December 23, 2008, 9:27am EST
  

• Some WOW perspective

  If you want a bit of perspective regarding the repairs needed for the World of Wonder playground, look no further than the numbers Kent Kilpatrick, the interim director of Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services, passed on to me.
  
  Kilpatrick said that most of the area's playgrounds typically cost' [...]
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  Posted: December 23, 2008, 8:27am EST
  

• Worth a read

  Seeing how I helped out with his campaign, I'd be remiss if I didn't plug Mike Hamby's question-and-answer session with Blake.' [...]
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  Posted: December 23, 2008, 8:25am EST
  

• A disconnect

  Earl Ehrhart has offered his thoughts on the upcoming Georgia General Assembly, and the summary at Peach Pundit offers this thought ...
  
  It is time that the leadership of the state started to focus on areas to cut State spending, not hamstringing local governments into cutting theirs.
  
  [...]
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  Posted: December 22, 2008, 7:10pm EST
  

• Andre watch

  
  
  Via a reader, apparently he's backing Eric Johnson for Lt. Governor.
  
  Honestly. Just go ahead, switch parties and make it official man.' [...]
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  Posted: December 22, 2008, 4:39pm EST
  

• On non-profit management

  Something that I've been wrestling with for the past couple of days is what to think regarding Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless. The organization's problems are many, and, as Debi Starnes told Fresh Loaf, they're all largely their own doing ...
  
  “The culture of that' [...]
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  Posted: December 22, 2008, 1:31pm EST
  

• Should be fun to watch

  I didn't realize that we'd be seeing a Republican primary slugfest between David Shafer and Eric Johnson for Lt. Governor in 2010. Those are two big names, and each one has a large following and the ability to raise some money. I'd still give Johnson the edge in the race,' [...]
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  Posted: December 22, 2008, 12:49pm EST
  

• Transparency

  Further proof that I can't rationalize the logic that led Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson to support the $700 billion bailout for Wall Street, but oppose the strictly regulated $14 billion bridge-loan program for the American auto industry.
  
  Seems to me that if any private institution was receiving' [...]
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  Posted: December 22, 2008, 10:52am EST
  

• Andre watch

  Today, he wants Democrats to run hard to the right in order to win Georgia. While I won't dispute that a moderate to conservative Democrat often fares better statewide than a more liberal one, it's worth noting that Andre's snapshot assessment doesn't match up with the changing demographics of [...]
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  Posted: December 22, 2008, 9:56am EST
  

• Just saying

  Arguably, I'm biased on this ... largely because World of Wonder was built when I was working as an assistant news editor at the Athens Banner-Herald and the sheer volume of calls (and complaints) of coverage of the fundraising efforts and construction of that park drove me insane. No' [...]
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  Posted: December 22, 2008, 9:05am EST
  

• Worth a read

  The Atlanta Business Chronicle has an interesting read on the financial struggles of Sea Island. Apparently, the resort underwent an aggressive and expensive expansion that coincided with a massive bubble in the construction industry, thus resulting in inflated building costs, that ended with a complete collapse in the housing [...]
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  Posted: December 22, 2008, 9:02am EST
  

• Trying to sort it out

  Apparently, the company line has changed somewhat.
  
  As reported here last week, the recycling markets, like other markets during this economic crisis, have taken a significant hit, thus resulting in Suki Janssen, Athens-Clarke County's waste reduction manager to email me the following ...
  
  For the' [...]
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  Posted: December 22, 2008, 8:21am EST
  

• A good point

  Regarding the gnashing of teeth and borderline childish meltdown in some corners of the blogosphere, Matthew Yglesias nails it. [...]
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  Posted: December 19, 2008, 4:54pm EST
  

• A moment of clarity

  Granted, I'm not sure how I feel about mandatory recycling programs, but the general aversion that so many folks have to the suggestion that they simply sort their plastics and paper products away from their trash absolutely floors me.
  
  Here in Oconee County, you get to choose your [...]
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  Posted: December 19, 2008, 4:33pm EST
  

• What if ...

  We spent the better part of the past election cycle hearing that Bill Cowsert is regarded as one of the up-and-comers in state politics. And, judging by the strong show of support he received from folks like Sonny Perdue and Casey Cagle, it's evident that he's going to be more [...]
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  Posted: December 19, 2008, 10:41am EST
  

• Lend A Hand 2008

  Each Christmas, I try to spotlight some non-profit organizations. Here is the first batch of those agencies, and, in the spirit of the season, I encourage you to consider lending them your support.
  
  Athens Area Homeless Shelter
  The Athens Area Homeless Shelter (AAHS) provides a cooperative approach to [...]
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  Posted: December 19, 2008, 8:59am EST
  

• I'll second that

  Well, obviously. [...]
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  Posted: December 19, 2008, 8:54am EST
  

• Music for the moment (Christmas edition)

  It Must Have Been Ole Santa Claus by a group of U.S. Marines
  O Little Town Of Bethlehem by Sarah McLachlan
  O Come All Ye Faithful by Nat King Cole
  Hark! The Herald Angels Sing by Carrie Underwood
  Christmas In Dixie by Alabama [...]
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  Posted: December 19, 2008, 8:45am EST
  

• Coming in with a bang

  One of the more entertaining bits of political theater going around the community - and that I've heard from numerous folks in just the past two days - involves an encounter during the recent training session for incoming commissioners, councilmen, etc. hosted by the Association of County Commissioners of [...]
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  Posted: December 18, 2008, 2:36pm EST
  

• Pure speculation

  Theories abound on whether or not Roy Barnes will run in 2010, and I honestly don't know. I don't see a primary fight between him and DuBose Porter shaping up though. That just doesn't add up for me.
  
  Noted in this and buried in the comments is speculation [...]
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  Posted: December 18, 2008, 10:33am EST
  

• Random New York Senate blogging

  I had this discussion with a friend of mine a few nights ago, but I just flat-out don't get why so many folks are bothered that Caroline Kennedy wants the New York Senate seat. I think she'd be a fine pick for a variety of reasons, some connected to her [...]
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  Posted: December 18, 2008, 9:54am EST
  

• No reason whatsoever

  In 1988, someone thought this was a good idea. [...]
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  Posted: December 18, 2008, 9:43am EST
  

• Not so good

  Yep, the economy stinks. A little less than half of Georgia's banks were unprofitable in the third quarter, and home prices continue to fall.
  
  A report from The National Association of Realtors I got yesterday noted that, in the South, the median home price has fallen from $225,600 [...]
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  Posted: December 18, 2008, 8:54am EST
  

• More on EADC and HCDC

  I think my friend Jeff is right and wrong. I think he's spot-on with his criticism of the Athens Banner-Herald's criticism of a proposed jobs training program for low-income students. Namely that the point of said program isn't the gear these kids up for a career in fast-food, but [...]
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  Posted: December 18, 2008, 8:25am EST
  

• A two-fer

  The problem with this editorial is two-fold. First, it wrongly assumes that the proposed public works projects that Barack Obama is offering is a jobs program when, in fact, it has always been pitched as a vital component of a comprehensive economic stimulus package. As a result, a good [...]
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  Posted: December 18, 2008, 8:19am EST
  

• Oh well

  OK, here's a fabulously bad move by Barack Obama ... namely because infrastructure investments are a crucial component of his economic recovery plan and tabbing someone from the opposition to head up the agency that has some governance in that area makes absolutely no sense to me.
  
  Again, [...]
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  Posted: December 17, 2008, 9:18pm EST
  

• Obama's projects in Athens

  When Barack Obama takes office next January and begins doling out funds for his massive public works stimulus program, rest assured that Athens-Clarke County is at the front of the line.
  
  As Blake profiled last week, the 'Ready To Go' report from the U.S. Conference of [...]
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  Posted: December 17, 2008, 1:22pm EST
  

• Local control

  I might deviate from the party line a bit, but I'm not necessarily opposed to this. Well, obviously, I'm not for larger class sizes or cutting teacher pay, but I do like the notion that Gwinnett County wants to give it a go on their own.
  
  Isn't this [...]
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  Posted: December 17, 2008, 1:12pm EST
  

• Hypocrisy much?

  While there are a variety of reasons why I think the bridge-loan program for the American auto industry didn't pass, it's really odd to see so much attention paid to the unions ... an irrational and unrealistic amount of attention, actually.
  
  Let's consider a few things. This was [...]
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  Posted: December 17, 2008, 11:20am EST
  

• But it's not funny

  While I give Sonny Perdue credit for being willing to utilize bonds as a way to generate some localized economic stimulus, on pretty much everything else I just don't think he's got a clue.
  
  And this latest 'Go Fish' nonsense makes me think he's come completely unhinged ...
  [...]
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  Posted: December 17, 2008, 10:36am EST
  

• Andre watch

  Today, our favorite boy-who-just-wants-to-be-loved is waxing poetic about Jim DeMint from South Carolina ... he of the not-believing-gays-or-single-mothers-should-be-allowed-to-teach-in-public-schools and let's-bail-out-Wall-Street-but-screw-over-the-American-auto-industry-because-of-my-personal-dislike-of-unions fame.
  
  Again, Erick and the boys are keeping that seat at the GOP table warm for you ... just go ahead and make it official. [...]
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  Posted: December 17, 2008, 10:26am EST
  

• Borderline inexcusable

  Living in the Athens area grants me the right to say this, but the copy editor who botched this needs to be immediately reprimanded ...
  
  Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis became the second college football player to be a three-time AP All-American, joining Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford [...]
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  Posted: December 17, 2008, 10:06am EST
  

• Mid-day roundup

  Organizing a few things ...
  
  CDBG
  - The CDBG Situation: A Primer
  
  Upcoming Recycling Changes
  - Economic woes hurt going green
  - Additional recycling thoughts [...]
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  Posted: December 16, 2008, 2:45pm EST
  

• The CDBG situation: A primer

  There's a likely battle on the horizon as the East Athens Development Corporation and Hancock Corridor Development Corporation have both reapplied for chunks of funding from the 2009 Community Development Block Grant allocation. And the discussion as already begun as this editorial rightfully questions whether or not either [...]
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  Posted: December 16, 2008, 2:04pm EST
  

• Why it matters to some

  Just to be clear, I wouldn't know Andre from Adam, but I do think he's dishonest, self-serving and all too eager to throw his own side under the bus to make other people like him and advance his own personal ambitions. To top it off, I think he routinely makes [...]
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  Posted: December 16, 2008, 9:09am EST
  

• Pathetic

  Mother of God you wanker, just go ahead and switch parties then. You're already carrying their water, just go ahead and make it official. [...]
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  Posted: December 16, 2008, 8:35am EST
  

• Additional recycling thoughts

  In light of yesterday's news that processing fees will exceed falling recycling revenues - thus prompting Suki Janssen to suggest to me that some hard decisions are in the future for Athens-Clarke County's recycling program, including either rate increases or a scaling back of non-traditional recycling programs - I [...]
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  Posted: December 16, 2008, 8:23am EST