So last week I was miffed when I read that this lady was ‘jacked’ for her new Xbox. Today, we find out that she rec’d a new one thanks to some gracious Best Buy employees. Aww shucks – that is mighty kind of them now, ain’t it?

The problem I have with this whole thing is the fact that, according to the article, the victim took the money out of her retirement fund to purchase the game for the kid. At first I thought about it …well ya know – maybe the kid is a really good kid, perhaps in saying retirement fund they actually meant the money under the mattress, then I thought about it ….and said ala Whitney Houston …oh hell to the naw.

*climbing up on soapbox* The mentality that I must get the latest and greatest for my kid no matter what is part of what is wrong with our society. It is what led the victim to pilfer her retirement and what, presumably, led “bruhman” the robber to stick a gun in her face. I remember back in the day when I was a wee one when I really thought my nickname was “No, I’m not buying that” . This was because everytime we went to the store – that’s all that I heard from my parents. I wondered if my parents went out of their way to secure that speak ‘n spell for me oh so many years ago. So I called home to ask them, after my mom stopped laughing – she reminded me that Christmas was about the Birth of Jesus back when I coming up …. OH YEAH….. When did it become OK, even expected that Christmas became the Season for Giving (your kids/friends/family things you can’t really afford)?

I’m climbing off the soapbox now – I’ve got to run, I’ve got a line on a laptop for $250 for my 5 year old…..

Black Friday (for retailers) has come and gone. I have read and seen tales of the lines and the fights all in the name of cheap merchandise.

I am curious to hear what you have seen and heard personally locally.

• Did any of you queue up for hours? Where?
• Did you get anything really cool on the cheap?

As for me, I was spending the wee hours of yesterday morning trying to recover from my annual two-hour brain fart known as the Atlanta Half Marathon.

Happy Thanksgiving Atlanta, from all of us here at the Metroblog! Things will be slow, I’m sure, for the next couple of days here as people spend time with family, friends, and, generally, on vacation. But we have a couple of things to be thankful for:

1. We have a new aquarium! You probably haven’t heard of it because there has been, like, zero press on it, but it’s supposed to be pretty huge
2. I filled up on my way out of town yesterday for just under $2. Woo-hoo!
3. The Falcons dominated Detroit today. Including two touchdown passes to Mr. Algae “I play for Daniel’s fantasy team” Crumpler
4. The Hawks finally won! Seriously, I’m not kidding!

Need something done around the house? Is the family dog hidden in a huge drift of autumn leaves? Or maybe you just want someone to hold the ladder while you scamper up to clean out the gutters (or vice versa). Well, if finding someone else to do the work you can’t or won’t do is worth a mere $10 an hour, then BensPost’s list of local Atlanta laborers might be just what you need. And if you’re really ambitious, you can post the details of an entire project for consideration by interested contractors. If you’re still not sure, you can always check a given contractor’s reviews before taking their help.

ìYou really canít dwell on the fact that youíre SEC East champions too long,î he said [Bryan McClendon]. ìOur main focus is our trip to Atlanta [...] against Georgia Tech.î Story from Georgia.Scout.com

Nothing is more confusing than growing up in Athens and now living in Atlanta. What’s a guy to do? Who should I woof at or what should I sting? Is it the Dawgs or the Jackets? Who should I root for? Help me!

When I was a Paramedic in Athens, we used to really get ready for this game because we knew it was going to be a long night. Some group was going to be pissed and some group was going to want to party all night. So, I just planned on no sleep.

Now, years later, I just can’t decide if I should wear yellow or red and black – if I should sing “Rambin’ Wreck“:

“…I’m a Rambling Wreck from Georgia Tech and a hell of an engineer,
A helluva, helluva, helluva, helluva, helluvan engineer,
Like all the jolly good fellows, I drink my whiskey clear.
I’m a Rambling Wreck from Georgia Tech and a hell of an engineer…”
(Lyrics)

… Because I do drink my whiskey clear, don’t cha know…

…Or Glory to Old Georgia?

Glory, glory to old Georgia!
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
G-E-O-R-G-I-A.
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
G-E-O-R-G-I-A.
(lyrics)

Okay, so how drunk was the person who wrote those detailed and inspiring lyrics?

This was the version we used to sing in Athens at the football games:

Glory, glory to old Georgia!
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
AND TO HELL WITH GEORGIA TECH
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
AND TO HELL WITH GEORGIA TECH.

Of course, when I went to Georgia, I always got a nice tech guy to tutor me so I’d get an “A” in math. Oh well, guess I’ll have to spin the whiskey bottle again OR just root for the hosting city team. That’s IT!

You were right. I was at the High Museum, in some stairwell. Or rather my wife was. She takes a lot of these pictures.

Where am I now? Once it’s guessed, I’ll share my review of the joint — which is so remote it’s hardly even in Citysearch.

I’ll give you another hint: Elvis Lives. Also, cooks.

This weekend, I’m hosting Creative Loafing’s radio program, Air Loaf. The show airs from 10AM to Noon on 1690AM Air Atlanta.

The first hour focuses on Atlanta politics. We’re gonna have Atlanta Councilwoman Joyce Sheperd and her opponent, Derrick Boazman in the studio talking about the December 6 runoff election for the District 12 City Council seat. Doug Monroe from Creative Loafing will be in the studio for that. I realize that it’s of limited interest to people outside of District 12, but it’s an important city race and I’m very proud that we’re devoting more time to it than any other news outlet in the city. The AJC didn’t even bother running endorsements this year.

In the second hour, things get a little sillier. Creative Loafing’s Curt Holman and Thomas Bell will be talking about Atlanta holiday theater. Lotsa Nutcracker talk! In the last half-hour, I’ll be joined by Chick and Boozy from Dad’s Garage who’ll be talking about their new Christmas variety show, Chick & Boozy Present: It’s a Hoo-Haw Christmas.

And for those of you who are fans of the My ‘Lanta podcasts, there’s also gonna be some Best of Atlanta Craigslist somewhere in that second hour.

Incidentally, we’ve recorded some new episodes of My ‘Lanta, but I’ve been too busy to edit and post them. Maybe I’ll have some time on Thanksgiving.

Do we really need to see any more pictures of the new Georgia Aquarium?

Of course not.

But there’s probably one or two people in the world* who might appreciate these pictures that I took at Saturday’s Georgia Aquarium Media Preview.

Click on “Read More” to see the rest of the pics.

*my mother and father, probably.
(more…)

Meet the contestants for Miss Georgia 2006 and be scared…

I’m not saying this in a “omg they are all ugly” scary way, but there are some freaky eyes going on there, they follow you around, haunt you…

Be afraid… Be very afraid!

Well…since the whole Brand Atlanta post didn’t go over so well, let’s introduce a non sequitur…a hotel opening!

Chances are if you’ve been in the Downtown area near Philips Arena in the past few months, you know about the heavy construction and walk-under scaffolds at the building on the corner of Spring and Marietta. Formerly known as the Glenn Building, the property was purchased by Legacy Property Group in December of 2003 and will re-open as the Glenn Hotel in January of 2006.

Coined as a “modern luxury boutique hotel”, the Glenn will have the feature the infamous restaurant BED, and have rooms decorated with photography by Atlanta artists, plasma screen televisions and Herman Miller Aeron chairs. The hotel will be a welcome addition to the downtown area joining area neighbors Centennial Olympic Park and the Georgia Aquarium as destination for pure pleasure.

Hell, I’m tempted to rent a room just for the rest of the amenities, especially after that whole Today Show thing at the Aquarium. Ahhh….