A fairly small and quiet contingent of a dozen or so anti-abortion/right-to-life activists were on the Georgia Tech side of the 10th Street bridge this morning.  They had graphic signs and red shirts (I didn’t catch the denominational affiliation or specific church).

They disbanded at about 9:30 or so as my wife and I were returning from daycare on our way to work.

Thankfully our 5-year-old didn’t see them on the way over the bridge.

As much as I disagree with their views AND support their right to express them, I’m fairly certain my wife would have jumped out of a moving car to beat one of them had her little girl seen the aborted fetus on their signs.

I’m just sayin’.

If you’ve got a picture or your own recollection, share a comment.

I realize that this weekend is Independence Day but it’s also Pride.

Here are some ecards (via someecards.com) commemorating the upcoming event:

More info on Pride here.

Have a happy, safe & festive weekend, whatever you’re celebrating!

just in case you didn’t know, the uefa champions league final will be taking place in moscow this evening. this is, without a doubt, the biggest non-world cup soccer event, and for the first time ever will feature two english teams, manchester united and chelsea, in the final.

atlanta has one of the best soccer bars in the country - i am not making that up, because it was nominated by the us soccer federation for that honor - the brewhouse cafe on moreland in the heart of little 5.

the atmosphere there this afternoon for the match will be absolutely electric. if you like the beautiful game and can ditch work come join us. coverage starts at 2:00.

glory, glory man united!

Away from your mom and her apron strings this weekend? Want to be the stand-up son or daughter she thinks she raised?

Come out and volunteer tomorrow morning at the Komen Atlanta Race for the Cure event at Atlantic Station. Volunteer check-in starts at 6:30 and is (usually, don’t quote me on this) set up just outside the movie theater.

There will be 12,000 people out there who could use your cheering and support, and your karma could probably use some cleansing anyway.

Don’t want to volunteer? Not running or walking? Then it’s probably a good idea to stay away from AS until after at least 1p.

Atlanta’s much anticipated summer classic film festival, Screen on the Green, hosted by Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. and Peachtree TV, in conjunction with the Piedmont Park Conservancy, will return for a ninth season, May 29 - June 26 in Centennial Olympic Park. At sunset each Thursday, Screen on the Green will present a free outdoor showing of a classic film on a 45-by-24-foot movie screen.

I feel (not the good kind of) funny about SotG being a) in COP and b) not brought to me by TCM.

I’m sure I’ll get over it.

The lineup:
Thursday, May 29th– Jaws
Thursday, June 5th – Big Mama’s House
Thursday, June 12th – Chicago
Thursday, June 19th– E.T.
Thursday, June 26th – Viewers’ choice of Back to the Future, Footloose, or Rocky

Other fine print from The Man:
The films start at sundown (approximately 9PM)
Come early to reserve your space, bring a picnic dinner, your family and friends.
ABSOLUTELY no pets, alcoholic beverages, or glass containers allowed!! Please leave all high-backed chairs, grills, umbrellas home. Bags will be searched (help! I’m being oppressed!)

Screen on the Green plans to return to Piedmont Park once drought subsides.

Soooooooooooo…are you going this year?

On May 21, 2008, at 7:00 PM, the Ride of Silence™ will begin in North America and roll across the globe. Cyclists will take to the roads in a silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. Although cyclists have a legal right to share the road with motorists, the motoring public often isn’t aware of these rights, and sometimes not aware of the cyclists themselves.

In 2003, Chris Phelan organized the first Ride Of Silence in Dallas after endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz was hit by the mirror of a passing bus and was killed.

The Ride Of Silence is a free ride that asks its cyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph and remain silent during the ride. There is no brochure, no sponsors, no registration fees and no t-shirt. The ride, which is held during Bike Safety month, aims to raise the awareness of motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways. The ride is also a chance to show respect for those who have been killed or injured.

For Atlanta riders, we’ll meet at Charles Allen & 10th at 6:45pm. Please wear a black armband to honor those who have fallen, we’ll have some on hand as well. We’ll have a sheet you can sign to indicate if you’re riding in memory of someone in particular. A few words will be said, then our ride will leave promptly at 7pm.

If you have any questions, just ping me, I’m the one attempting to coordinate the ride. Facebook junkie? We’re there too, join the group so we can know to expect you.

Here’s the route we’ll be taking: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Ride-of-Silence

If you like to take pictures, you’ll dig the hell out of the Sloss Furnaces . The place is loaded with great inspiration for pictures, from the interaction of nature and industry to the textures of rotting metal and weathered brick. And yet, the place is classy, accessible, and somehow clean feeling even though it’s also rife with rust and weeds. Beautiful juxtaposition there.

The Sloss Furnaces, located in downtown Birmingham, are about two hours from metro Atlanta and worth the drive. The place is kept as a local heirloom, but it’s not a behind-ropes sort of place. Wander around. Touch things. Take pictures. The place is just set out for you, interactive in the most elemental sense—you control your trip, you decide where to go, you find your own unique photos even in this often-photographed place.

The steampunk vibe is palpable and lovely.

There’s this terrific performance venue on the grounds, too, beneath a towering metal ceiling, with a sloped warehouse-style floor ending in a stage that slopes up and away from the audience—perfect for visibility and a great mix of an outdoor venue with some indoor comfort. When we were there, in the midst of an otherwise quiet Sunday, dudes were sword-fighting on stage, in front a cameraman. It was like a damn episode of Highlander in there, in a good way: industrial swordplay.

First, it was kids with iron rods, letting loose with huge overhead swings and swashing blows. Their “swords” clattered off the stage, sending thudding, ringing echoes into the space. They hollered dramatically. One kid back-flipped away from a lunge. If you’d told me these kids were going to replace those rods with lightsabers, I would’ve believed you.

Then, after all that, they did it again. Same moves, better timing.

All this was a rehearsal of the Shakespeare at Sloss company, preparing their performance of Macbeth for this weekend. It looks like one hell of an exciting, stylized production, and they couldn’t ask for a better space for action-packed Shakespeare. If you’re game, take some of your weekend and head out to performance this weekend, May 3rd and 4th. The show’s at 3pm each day, so you can drive out and back, no problem.

If you happen to catch the show, be sure to come back here and drop a review in the comments. I’m hoping to get out there, but I’ve got to work, so I may be counting on your reviews for my vicarious satisfaction.

like picking belly button lint or reorganizing your sock drawer, the one and only vanilla ice will be appearing tonignt at cowboy’s in kennessaw.

yo v.i.p. let’s kick it.

if you don’t even know how to get to kennessaw you should probably just go ahead and skip this one.

for those not planning to help vanilla ice fund his retirement, what are you up to this weekend?

For those of you curious about the collaborative show between Big Boi and the Atlanta Ballet, look no further than Russell’s review.

I’m nearly deaf, but I’m willing to be deafened more.

Unless you’ve been trapped on a deserted island for the past decade or so, the intersection of sex and technology is very prominent. The past five years or so have only built upon that with the popularity of social networks. Orkut, Friendster, MySpace, Facebook…social media is changing the landscape of how we interact. Moreover, we’re also seeing the real-life implications of showing your sexuality online, such as former Arlington, OR mayor Carmen Kontur-Gronquist and her MySpace photos which cost her job.

Until now, there hasn’t been a real chance to discuss how social media, sexuality and the world today all work with each other! That is, until Sex 2.0.

From their website:

How is social media enabling people to learn, grow and connect sexually? How is sexual expression tied to sexual activism? Does the concept of transparency online offer new opportunties or present new roadblocks — or both?

Sex 2.0 is the brainchild of Atlanta blogger Amber Rhea, who also heads up the Georgia Podcast Network and organized 2007 PodCamp Atlanta. The unconference will be the first of its kind — attendees are welcome to speak or head up side sessions — and will feature several prominent speakers (Audacia Ray and Rachel Kramer Bussel, to name a few) and several Atlanta bloggers, such as Joseph G of monotonous dot net and J. Brotherlove of thebrotherlove.com.

The unconference will take place on April 12 and will run from 8:00am - 4:45pm over at 1763~A Deviant Place of Decadence, located in Tucker. Registration will run you $50, and you must be 21 and older to attend.

For more information, including travel, accomodations, and full bios of the speakers, visit Sex20Con.com.