Echo Lounge, Masquerade, Corner CD, TeaspaceÖjust a few names of great local businesses that are closed or in the process of closing for good. Itís so sad.

I recently went on a trip to Chicago, and I was thrilled to see hundreds of privately owned businesses flourishing in all parts of town. But that doesnít mean theyíre not experiencing the same crap. Look at this site for an example of how people there feel about their city. Itís an American epidemic thatís turning vibrant cities into corpses, filled with strip malls and corporate chains that donít offer much in the way of fun or stimulation.

Now, anyone reading this site can read the post below this one, regarding Prestonís adventure with some wonderful members of Atlantaís police force, and see that our city has much bigger problems that need to be dealt with. But whatís happening to local businesses is a sign of what those in charge are allowing to go on in general. Overall, the trend doesnít seem positive at times.

In any event, I encourage you to check out dyingpeach.com for some interesting factoids about whatís happening in the city of Atlanta, and maybe become inspired to do what you can to support local businesses. I also hope that some of you will send some angry (but well communicated) messages to our local government regarding what happened to Preston. That is just an atrocity.