Congrats to The Honorable Shirley Franklin named one of the Top 5 Big City Mayors in the country by TIME magazine.

The online article is brief however it does point out the incredible challenges she faced upon taking office thanks to Atlanta’s own version of Slick Willy, former mayor Bill Campbell.

Considering what Shirl had to work with ($82 Million deficit among other things), she’s done an admirable job. With the exception of the drama at Druid Hills Country Club, and the lack of financial parity between the Po-Po and the FPD – she has managed to somehow bring the city residents closer together.

Go Shirley Go …can you see about getting your Pothole Posse to roll through VaHi and anchor down those damn plates on N. Highland?

Bring your binoculars, folks!

It’s time for the first-ever Vex Robotics (be careful, Flashy Flash “enthusiastic” music on site) FIRST Vex Robotics Challenge Championship Event.

See the Georgia Dome explode on April 21st through 23rd as nerdlies clash head-to-head with tricked out robots burning ten billion watts of power!!!

You don’t even need to pay. The event is free. Reserve your whole seat,but you are only going to need the edge!

Oh, and like any good nerd event, there’s a FAQ.

1 more day

1 more sleepless night

Tax day, April 15, is tomorrow

Check out this hilarious, locally-produced site and video on this very subject.

You can contact the star, “1040″, at 404.795.2224 and leave him a message or email 1040@doyourdamntaxes.com

Enjoy (as much as you can).

FULL DISCLOSURE: I don’t know these guys, but I’d love to learn their story and tell it to others. Anyone want to help me play reporter?

We should all feel so special that Nicky Hilton has chosen to make her design debut here in Atlanta. T-shirts and tank-tops for $49! Yay!

The 2005 Atlanta Biennial kicks off this Saturday and runs through June 4 at the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center. This year it is focusing on artists from all over the Southeast including Barbara Campbell (Greensboro, NC), Benita Carr (Atlanta, GA), Santiago De Paoli (Atlanta, GA), Stephanie Dotson (Athens, GA ), Jennifer Drummond (Farmington, GA), Ben Fain (Atlanta, GA), Mirtha Ferrer (Atlanta, GA), Sally Heller (New Orleans, LA), Terri Jones (Memphis, TN), Dona Lief (New Orleans, LA), Lester Julian Merriweather (Memphis, TN), Christopher McNulty (Auburn, AL), Amy Pleasant )Birmingham, AL), Jane Timberlake (Birmingham, AL), Cody VanderKaay (Athens, GA), Matthew Weddington (Lexington, Kentucky).

The Atlanta Biennial began in 1984 as a response to the Whitney Museum’s survey of influential artists. Noticeably, in 2004 this survey contained zero Southern artists.

In addition to several respected local figures, the exhibition features emerging artists – including some still in graduate school – and those with established reputations who are not part of the Atlanta visual arts circuit. While a number of artists mine the potential of traditional media like painting, sculpture, and photography, many work across conventional boundaries, incorporating a wide array of materials and approaches in their work.

ìOf course the show reflects my tastes,î notes [Curator Helena] Reckitt. ìIím interested in conceptually-oriented work, especially if it has a sense of wit or humor. My background in feminism makes me sympathetic to work which explores the broad area of ëthe feminine.í I am suspicious of grandiose statements in art and am drawn to a delicate aesthetic. That said, I also enjoy artwork that provokes a strong, visceral response.î

Here is a list of a lot of changes to the MARTA schedules. They took affect on Saturday. As a note, absolutely zero of them actually affect me. And Jessica’s post has some really good comments going on it if you haven’t been reading. Interesting discussion and all that.

In theory I am against the death penalty. It’s just too hard, too often, to construct a case strong enough to justify the expense and moral queasiness of executing someone, and too frequently weak cases go through.

In theory.

In practice, for reasons I do not entirely understand, I am upset that Eric Rudolph was able to plea bargain down (to life in prison, at the same facility where The Unabomber is now housed). It’s better then him (and his dynamite) still being at large in North Carolina, obviously. And the multiple trials would have given him a way to air his supremacist views, and the defense might have tried to revive the Richard Jewell theory, and all sorts of kooks would have kept vigil outside the courthouse, and so on.

It’s not that a plea bargain wasn’t the logical thing to do. It’s more, MOTHERFUCKER BOMBED OUR OLYMPICS. And the Otherside. And the Sandy Springs clinic. And the Birmingham clinic, where that poor nurse is still having surgeries as a result of the flying shrapnel she received. And all he has to do is mumble “guilty” on Wednesday. Never has to speak another word on the matter.

Poor defendants are getting the death penalty every day, and Eric Rudolph, who BOMBED THE OLYMPICS, gets the opportunity to go to Colorado and spend fifty more years hating Jews.

This is another reason why the death penalty is a bad idea: it brings out weird emotions in people. Like me.

From Sunday’s events at Piedmont Park.

Dog Disc Championships

Spectators
(more…)

Well, the Braves won both the games I went to this weekend…

I don’t have any pictures from the Dogwood Festival because my camera decided to kill it’s batteries on the walk there. I’d love to see some though.

Can I survive?

The Aston Martin DB9

Hmm…… yes, Yes, YES!! I can see this replacing my 1967 Station Wagon!!!!!! TOTALLY!

And, let’s face it, so can you! The 2005 Atlanta Auto Show is in town. Will, I see you there?