FreeSpeech for 9-12-07

Tue, 09/11/2007 - 3:27pm
By: The Citizen

If you are as infuriated as I am about Kroger leasing their small PTC store to Goodwill, speak up. Go to www.kroger.com and let your feelings be known. Don’t give them your business anymore. Email our mayor and city council. Isn’t it about time they went to bat for us? Newnan gets a Dillard’s and we will get Kohl’s, and now a Goodwill. This is beyond ridiculous. We need to have a town meeting and let our voices be heard. I don’t want us to end up as a downward spiraling laughing stock when the riffraff take ownership.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

OMG! The Baby Kroger is leaving and wants to sublease the space to a Goodwill Store. Great idea. Maybe they can also lease space for a halfway house for ex-criminals and a soup kitchen next door for one-stop deadbeat shopping.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Goodwill store coming to Peachtree City. Maybe you could anchor it with a tattoo parlor, pawn shop and a nail and braiding salon. Would also be nice to have a strip club. I haven’t been to a shoe show in a long time.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kedron Kroger: We don’t have any problems shopping at this wonderful store. I can’t remember anytime that we could not find what we were looking for. The employees are nice and friendly and the store is always clean. However, some patrons and the parking lot are a different story. When did we start ignoring stop signs? I have never seen so many ignorant people ignoring stop signs and crosswalks. So many expecting mothers, too, and the snobs who drive on the sidewalk, under the roof, when it’s raining. I guess we can’t pin them all down to PTC residents but the golf carts certainly are. C’mon, people, a little bit of common sense and courtesy goes a long way nowadays.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A 90,000-square-foot retail store crammed into a hillside between Planterra subdivision and the Disneyland road-blocker on the other side of Ga. Highway 54 is just about enough to totally jam the highway, along with the several traffic lights back to The Avenue in several shopping instances throughout the year. Good luck to emergency vehicles and delivery trucks. There is nothing wrong with a Kohl’s store or any other store being located away from such a traffic mess. Why don’t we see if we can squeeze in a second metropolitan international airport along Ga. Highway 34 toward Newnan, while we are at it? Of course, any chain store would like to be set down among Wal-Mart, Home Depot, etc. It also sells a lot of concrete, if you get my meaning? This is no way to make people richer, and some just rich.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

When was the last time you observed any city employees doing any beautification projects along any of our roadways? You probably don’t even see them doing any ordinary maintenance work such as mowing the overgrown grass. What you will observe is three to five city vehicles parked together on the side of the road with their motors and air conditioners running like a caravan at an oasis. Does the city pay 25 cents per gallon for the fuel, for what seems like a vehicle for every city employee? This may sound trite to many of you,but how much does it cost you in fuel each week? A solution could be if someone can get the supervisors to supervise instead of sitting at their desks, or at the local coffee shops, and do the job of supervising. We could probably increase productivity, reduce manpower, and lower the tax burden on those of us who pay taxes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Just got my new tax bill with another increase. Bring Brownie back; we need a leader again.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Why isn’t Mayor Logsdon initiating a lawsuit against Bob Lenox and his council for buying a landfill from Pathways with our tax dollars? Mayor Brown told my daughter the old city council knew the property was a landfill before they purchased it and they hid the facts from the public. Why do we get stuck paying for the police station twice? How about showing some leadership?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Oh, joy, another traffic light up on Hwy. 54 at Stevens Entry and talk of one where the new big box is going in at Line Creek Drive. Now make sure you have the same bunch of Gomers install these as have done all the rest, so we can be sure to have to stop at each one every time we drive by.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

So [PTC Council candidate Don] Haddix thinks we need more police in PTC. I do not understand how any rational person can have this opinion. PTC Chamber of Commerce advertises our town as the second safest place to live with a population of 20,000 or more. I drive to Atlanta every day to work. On my commute, I rarely encounter a state or local police car. It seems like each time I am leaving our city or returning home I see at least one and most of the time more than one PTC police car. My commute out of town is 30 miles, in town five miles. I recently read where the city of New York reduced their police force by 6,000 officers. I guess the NY crime is so minimal that they didn’t need the manpower. I believe with some real planning our force could also be reduced rather than just hire more people and put the burden on the taxpayer. Mr. Haddix, I won’t be voting for you.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

To Amy Stitt regarding her letter, “Motorists vs. cyclists.” As a retired law enforcement officer I will give you a little insight based on first-hand experience concerning the incident you experienced while cycling. Law enforcement officers are just people like you and me. One unfortunate fact that I learned during my years in the business is that a great majority of people in that business are there because they enjoy bullying and pushing people around with impunity and they are never “wrong” because they are backed up by others just like them. With all due respect to the few who are in that business out of civic duty and a desire to help people, the rest of them start every day hoping for an opportunity to use their authority and possibly their weapons. Since hanging up my badge and gun, I stay just as far from local policemen as possible, and that is my advice to you and all other peace-loving citizens.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

To the cyclist harassed by the sheriff: What do you expect from a group of “God syndrome” people (not all) that talk on their phones and weave in and out of traffic without signals? If anyone else did that, they would be ticketed for improper lane change and reckless driving. All they will say is, “Do as I say and not as I do.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

To the person having a hard time with Jordan Salvage, please, please, get a life. He has been there for years providing a service for people that need a part, or bric-a-brac that they just got to have. He was here long before you and I got here. He runs a business. That in the democratic way of life and freedom. He does just that. Mr. Jordan is a respectable person and runs an honest business. He is allowed to do so by law. If you don’t like his place, other intersections are available for you to go around. Get off his back. He has done nothing to you.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You sound just like a uppity Yankee carpetbagger Republican. Think things through before you pull those rocks out of your pocket and cast them. Let’s see how this sounds: We would like to invoke and direct eminent domain towards you. Here’s why: We don’t like your opinion; get an education. We don’t like the make, or model of your car; go buy something in the 80K range. We don’t like your house and how you have it painted; sell it. It bothers the neighbors anyway; move back where you came from, or please just find a house in the desert. I am assured you would complain about something there too. Anyone who has written about Mr. Jordan and his business owes that gentleman apology. Enough said.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In regards to the continuous comments about the eyesore known as “Jordan’s Salvage” in Fayetteville, have any of you taken a close look around Fayetteville? Sure Jordan’s Salvage has lots and lots of junk, but do you see any trash laying around the property? Let me answer that for you — No! In comparison, why don’t you take a drive up to areas around Big Lots or the Waffle House in Fayetteville. Let’s talk about an eyesore, shall we? There is so much trash laying around that those people who do community service by picking up trash could spend a week in those two areas alone and probably not even come close to cleaning it up. I say worry about the trash in front of your own doorsteps or the true “eye sores” of our city and leave Jordan’s Salvage alone.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

As parents we get to choose the system/county who dictates our children’s education because we choose where we live. It is apparent by the comments in the “Free Speech” column that Fayette County is an inferior school system. Why don’t we all move to Coweta, Fulton, Spalding, or Clayton counties? I’m sure our children will receive a much better education in another surrounding county. If we are not happy with Fayette County (one of the highest performing systems in the state) we should move to another system. Parents who complain about the inadequacies of Fayette County schools should take action and move to other counties with better test scores to ensure that their children aren’t “left behind.” That will send the county a message. Power to the parents.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Fayette County School System, don’t stop now. Keep on slamming the older schools. But if you’re going to quote demographics for some schools, then at least provide the same information for them all. Let’s continue to brag about the new schools and how well their students and teachers are doing. I would really like to see these schools swap teachers for a year and see how things work out then. I feel that these older schools have much better teachers, those that deal with higher percentages of minorities and still succeed. Let’s dig a little deeper here and mention the lack of support the older schools get. There are no new computer labs, equipment or facilities like the new schools. As a matter of fact, the only true support that they get comes from the PTO and family donations. Maybe you should start helping those struggling schools instead of congratulating yourselves for a 60 percent success rate.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I feel sorry for the eighth grade math students. What are these teachers trying to do? Are they trying to make them into independent problem solvers who work in teams and groups to come up with solutions? How absurd. It’s not like they will ever have to do this in the real world. Come on, we all know that in the real world we work in isolation and never depend on our ccoworkersto help us come up with solutions to everyday problems. If we need help, we just get answers from our boss or supervisor. We don’t have to think for ourselves. That’s why they make the big bucks. So why not go back to the old way of teaching? Students sitting in rows separated from their peers. Twenty-eight individuals working all by themselves with a teacher standing in front of the room talking for 50 minutes or more while five students are attentively learning and the other 23 are daydreaming or waiting, hand in the air, for the teacher to answer or get around to answering the same question 23 times. The teacher should be doing all of the work, not the students. Come on, what do we pay them for anyway? Too bad there is no research to back up the new Georgia math curriculum. If there were, I would take the time to read and educate myself on the best proven teaching practices as well as the NCTM’s (that’s the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) recommendations for effective teaching. Also, if the ridiculous new middle school textbooks had research to support their effectiveness, I’d read that as well (http://www.phschool.com/cmp2research/). In summary, I’m appalled that this year’s eighth grade math students are currently performing at the same level as freshmen in their fifth month of high school. These kids need to be computing basic facts, not graphing linear equations. Where will they be in five years? More advanced mathematical thinkers than any Georgia students that have come before them? Parents should rise up and demand the return of mediocrity. Whatever you do, don’t take the word of the teachers or the math (state and county) coordinators that they know what they are doing, despite their graduate degrees and advanced training. And finally, don’t visit your child’s classroom to observe possible instruction for yourself and observe any possible learning that is occurring.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It’s not “fair” for FayetteCounty’s eighth grade math students to be independent and think for themselves or work collaboratively with others to seek solutions. They will never need these skills for the real world. It’s not “fair” that all middle school football players don’t get to play equitably despite their talent/lack of talent. After all, the real world rewards mediocrity. Am I right? Let’s all be “fair” and complain until we get what we want. Guess what? Life is not “fair.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Acting classes in Tyrone? Wow, what an opportunity here for a real treat. Tyrone happens to have some of the best actors around. Maybe the current mayor could stop in and tell everyone how she has fooled a majority of the voters there for nine years. Or Mike Smola can stop by and try to make you believe the words he speaks are his own and that his wife doesn’t write scripts for him. Paul Letourneau can come in and tell how he has acted like he cared about the residents and still does. A real surprise guest would be Town Attorney Brad Sears. Maybe he could tell how he stands in front of everyone and pledges allegiance to the flag while crossing his fingers so none of it applies to him. Last but not least, Barry Amos might confess to how he keeps fooling the above mentioned year after year. Better hurry up and register for these classes; they could be more popular than Triangle Park.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I have to say, I don’t understand why people are so down on Smola. When we first moved to this area some people suggested moving to Tyrone. Our thought: “You’ve go to be kidding me.” Not only were we in the south, but on the southside of Atlanta to boot, and you want me to live somewhere called Tyrone, Ga.? Get real. What happened to town, I’m sorry, city names like Maplewood, Chagrin Falls, Wynnewood. I know it’s named after an Irish county or town or something but even Cork would’ve been better. But now, Tyrone is actually turning into a livable little town. The people who live in Southampton (that’s a nice name for a town) can actually walk to the grocery store, go see a show at the Legacy Theater and get something to eat right in their own neighborhood. I guess that’s just too much for folks who’s rather just jump in their Ram “twennyfiehunnid” and driiive all over the place, undoubtedly with only themselves as passengers.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

If Councilman Harman thinks the WASA people should provide the sewer to Coweta, then they should do it whether the city wants them to or not. Steve Brown doesn’t need to be meddling in the affairs of the WASA people. I realize I’m probably in the minority on this one, but the Brown clown is too closed-minded and can’t see the positive side of growth. He doesn’t understand that laws and contracts are open to interpretation. We don’t need Brown’s candy-eyed opinion on the police station, development authority and the sewer. Growth is another word for progress. We need progress.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

What is going on in Fayette County? First, let’s start with the schools. The teachers have no choice but to comply with the Georgia Performance Standards. Not only is the methodology of the math teaching questionable, but concepts are taught out of sequence, meaning one skill no longer is the foundation for the next. We need a new state superintendent, before our schools are dumbed-down any further. Next, I am appalled when I read about the increase in crime on the paths and throughout Peachtree City. The graffitti in the tunnels is gang-oriented. We need more police presence. We need neighborhood watches. Are the mayor and city council oblivious to this or do they think it will just go away? How could they justify their raises when we need more protection? There are some cart paths that I no longer feel safe on. We also need more maintenance groundskeepers. Many of the areas around the subdivisions and paths that are city property are overgrown and sloppily landscaped. Now on to Fayetteville: as far as people complaining about Mr. Jordan’s eyesore, let us remember that Mr. Jordan is a gentleman. Instead, folks, complain loudly about the thugdom that roams Pavilion Shopping Plaza. And don’t just complain here in the paper. Make yourself heard at council meetings. Get your neighbors involved, too.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

My son went to a movie at Tinseltown and was propositioned by a middle-aged man. When he reported the man to the theater management, they were apathetic and insulting. I think that the management should take things like this more seriously. If the theater gets a reputation for being an unsafe environment, their business will suffer. As a long-time Fayette resident, I want to be assured of having a safe and clean theater to enjoy movies. After all, where else can we go to see a movie in this area?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

How about a moratorium on subdivisions? We’ve got hundreds of homes for sale. Waddya say we fill up the vacated buildings around the area before building new ones only to be vacated in a few months or years? How about some thought as to pedestrian and/or bike friendly retail and restaurants of a high caliber and quality and while we’re at it how about some more parks? What we really need to do is to attract corporate parks to the area so that people will want to relocate and live here rather than building more industrial parks which we already have enough of and again, lots of vacancy in those areas.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Make it a nice, classy Hilton [for PTC]; the rest are schlock. Five stories at least would do the trick. It’d be the nicest thing in Fayette and something to bring the prestige factor up a notch, which we sorely need around here.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Can someone please fix the entranceway to the Southern Trace subdivision? It is an eyesore, and the damage from an accident was months ago. Surely the homeowners of this upscale neighborhood can come up with the money for the repairs.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Now that the housing market for average size and quality homes has collapsed, maybe we need to do something about commercial loans to developers before that also collapses. If one only uses common sense for just a moment about, just how can something like a Kohl’s store build a 90,000-square-foot store on a multi-million dollar lot and ever pay for it in a town like Peachtree City. You will discover that they can not. Let’s say this store will cost $25 million to build and finances it over 30 years. At current finance rates that will cost them about $2 million per year to pay for the loan, assuming they don’t use a variable rate loan. That means they would have to gross about $40 million per year just to make those payments. That is a lot of toasters and t-shirts. Now I’ll tell you how they really do it (sometimes, about 50 percent of the time that is). First they don’t pay any taxes for various reasons, one of which is the depreciation and the interest on the loan. We pay those for them so we can get cheap toasters. Also, they re-finance several times, all of which is deductible. We pay that, also. If necessary they move, or trade, buildings with some other corporation, and both start depreciation over. We pay for that. Next, they run up huge bills and then declare bankruptcy. By not paying their bills to their suppliers, they can start the whole thing over. We pay for that, too. I’d rather have Joe’s supply store on the corner, who has been there for 45 years, with the toasters being made here at a 20 percent premium, and my taxes being one-half. I know, the stockholders would be hurting, but I don’t own any.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Fayetteville’s God and Country Night was very nice overall. I have to say our National Anthem is a beautiful song as it’s written. But why do singers think they are improving it by adding all their vocal embellishments? I hate to put it this way, but that was a horrible rendition I heard Sunday night.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I purchased two tickets ($80) for the Lone Star concert at the Outdoor Theater Saturday night and all I got for my investment were ringing ears and a headache. I finally had to leave to preserve what hearing I had left. I am requesting a refund from Main Street. I can’t believe someone in position to do so did not ask them to reduce the volume. I won’t be going back.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I would like to complain about a new practice this year with the Fayette After School programs. This year the ASP workers are not allowed to prepare the snacks for the program. In fact, they are not even allowed to go into the kitchen. The snacks are awful. They are not nutritious. Parents are being cheated on this part of the ASP. The children hate the snacks. Ask them if you have any doubts.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I agree with the parent who felt that their child was not getting equal playing time at their middle school practice. Mine is not either, along with 15 other boys on our team. We, too, pay $100 for our child to play football, and it is my opinion after watching practices that we are financing the rest of the team. At our school, there is one offensive team and one defensive team that practice far more than anyone else. When the other teams are brought in, the poor boys don’t even know what the plays are because they aren’t being taught. We also have a civilian (parent) coach, who seems to be heading our team, not our paid teacher/coaches. I find this a conflict of interest, especially if he has a child on the team. I see the players looking for leadership from their teacher/coaches and they are not getting it from them. I support a parent who wants to volunteer, don’t get me wrong, but I do not feel he should be calling the shots, or should I say, plays. If we were to add up the amount of money we are putting into sports and marching band fees, I would venture to guess it would add up to thousands of dollars for the average family over the course of the student’s education. To go to a Friday night football game, our high school charges $7 per person; there’s not even a student discount. Then there are parking fees for students who drive to school — $50 x 200 students is $10,000. Please won’t someone tell me: Where is all this money going to? I believe things have gotten way out of control. We are forced to pay these huge fees for our children to participate, which I find wrong. We never had to pay these fees growing up. And we started school after Labor Day too!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Beware if you are unlucky enough to go to the emergency room at Piedmont Fayette Hospital. Patients are being discharged without being completely checked out. Symptoms of heart and gall bladder are very similar. I am aware of at least three or four patients who were released because heart checked out but had gall bladder problems, very serious ones. Make sure you are completely checked out before leaving.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

With all the news about dog fighting and dangerous dogs, it’s surprising that the town of Tyrone would include in its Founders Day Celebration a contest for dogs that includes a “most aggressive” dog category. Aggressive dogs would put the public and other dogs at risk and could quite easily become a legal issue if there are injuries.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Is it really that difficult to make a simple adjustment to your headlights? Come on, quit blinding the rest of us on the road. Here are a few simple instructions; At night, pull up to a garage door or wall with your headlights on. Both headlight beams should be aimed in front of your vehicle and at the same height on the wall. This height should be level or slightly aimed downward so they illuminate the road in front of you, not trees on the side of the road or our mirrors as you hang in our blind spots. This method will also work for your fog lights, only they should be aimed at road level, not upward into our mirrors. Thank you and you’re welcome.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Good old boys show reverence by leaving out the letter O, too. That’s why we say “Y’all” instead of you all when addressing other Southerners. What’s up with the letter R? Most Yankees don’t pronounce the letter R. They walk in the pok, pok the cah and wheah khaki shots near the watta in Summa. Is that out of reverence or what?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

What in the world was Herb Frady and Robert Horgan thinking when they voted “yes” for the school near Tyrone to hook up to the Tyrone sewer system the other night? They clearly voted “no” for a local church that services the community recently without batting an eye. Try and be uniformed with your voting position in the future. As for the new “acting county attorney” you might want to re-think your position on what is a public or aa privateinstitution. A private institution is one that has guidelines for excluding the public. As I see it, churches and schools are for ALL people in the community with no exclusions. There was really NO reason for stopping any of these groups from hooking up to city sewer. The state of Georgia guidelines states if there is a need and it can be proven and the sewer is at the site, it can be utilized. Maybe the new “acting county attorney” should look into the Georgia guidelines as it will probably be an new argument for sewage in Fayette County for the future.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

For people like me who are terrified to drive on the interstate into Atlanta: wouldn’t it be great to have regularly scheduled shuttle service from Piedmont Fayette Hospital to Piedmont Buckhead Hospital and back when we or our loved ones are sent there for tests or treatments or hospitalization? Going there for the services is bad enough, but driving there can make it even worse.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dr. James Kennedy of the Coral Ridge Hour passed away this week. Dr. Kennedy was among the greatest Christian leaders in this country. To date I have not seen one word about his death in the news media. If some anti-Christian atheist dies, it makes big news, but not the death of a great Christian. What is this country coming to?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Iraqi police, a force of about a quarter million, I understand, are about to be disbanded in Iraq due to incompetence. I suppose it will take five more years to raise another incompetent force. The new Iraqi army is only able to fight at all if we provide the plan of attack, haul them there in our vehicles and helicopters, and then supervise their movements by the hour. They have no discernible Air Force, Navy,and no heavy artillery, bombers, fighters, or any form of transportation, including trucks, trains, and taxis that we don’t furnish. Their infrastructure is much worse than it was five years ago. Oil is barely flowing, electricity is rationed throughout a sorry system of Rube Goldberg rigs, clean water and sewer is nonexistent even though we supply millions of gallons of bottled water. Little food is being grown, and its distribution is unreliable. Yet, we expect to hear another report (and will have by the time this is read) that although the government (leadership in Baghdad — there is none elsewhere) has accomplished nothing as to how to divide the oil revenues between areas of the country, and how to govern. They will say we are actually making some progress, and need more time to do so. The facts are that we will be there, or nearby, for many, many years. Just to leave, if we suddenly chose to do so, would take 2-3 years. So, I say, let’s plan to be gone in 2010, let them start their civil war in earnest now, while we watch, and brag about how we hung Saddam and saved the world.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Senator Larry Craig may or may not have been guilty of misconduct in the airport at Minneapolis-St. Paul. I listened to the interview between him and the police officer that arrested him and I was appalled. A common street cop talking down to the senator like he was dirt. I am neither gay nor am I a Republican but this man deserves more respect than that. His sexual orientation has nothing to do with the fact that he has very ably served his country for many years and as such deserves respect. I have learned over the years that cops like to brow-beat and talk down to people who are more important than they are just to show their authority and feed their ego. Disgusting.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Wussy, whiney cops from Union City. What a freak of an officer down there in Georgia to turn in a McDonald’s worker for a bad burger. A questionable cop for sure for eating there in the first place. Then, completing a whole burger without giving it back after the first bite and saying something. Does this cop just swallow burgers whole? How many regular citizens that get sick from random fast food visits are able to have the cook arrested. What a joke for the Union City Police Department. When you think of it, it sounds like the cop wasn’t too smart himself. What a joke your officer is to the whole USA.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I have just read the story that made Yahoo News, for the world to see. What a way for your town, for Union City to be rrecognized. Apolice officer putting someone in jail because he ate a burger that was too salty? Surely there is more to this story, tell me there has to be more to the story. I can’t imagine even approaching the employee in his capacity as a police officer, not over a salty burger. Let alone having someone placed in jail. I mean, seriously, you have got to be kidding me.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In the 30269 area code area alone there are [many hundreds of] homes being foreclosed on at this moment. The same trend continues all over this country. New homes are not selling and home prices are predicted to drop another 40 percent. The American people seem to be oblivious to the reason for the dismal economic condition we are in. The oil industry, health and pharmaceutical industries are bankrupting America. The average American cannot pay the astronomical cost for these services and other necessities of life too. More people are forced to live on minimum wages today than any other period of time in the history of this country (except the Great Depression of the 1930s). Many of these people were previously professionals in the middle and upper middle class of society. Just observe when you are shopping for groceries or anything else for that matter. It’s always the credit card and seldom cash or personal check. Credit card companies are starting to tighten credit because bills are not being paid for the reason stated above. Credit is running out in America and very soon we will be living in a country of a few extremely rich and the majority extremely poor. The founder of communism once stated that America would destroy itself from within through greed. We are well on our way to that end.

login to post comments

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 10:56am.

Where the heck have you been girl? Your last post has been a while back!!! I really didn't mean it when I said that you weren't from around here.

-------------------------------------------
Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


eodnnaenaj1's picture
Submitted by eodnnaenaj1 on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 12:25pm.

I'm here, hiding out in the peanut gallery. Naw, my feelings ain't hurt. Just that Git makes me really really work sometimes, in order to get all those early Friday afternoons off, it's part of the deal.


Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 12:57pm.

Just checking. Git must a terrible boss to work for - like fingers to the bone and everything. I guess it's OK if you can get the coveted Friday award. Well, I'm off to visit the old country - LA - to spend some quality time. I'll broadcast from there till Friday.

-------------------------------------------
Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


eodnnaenaj1's picture
Submitted by eodnnaenaj1 on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 1:25pm.

LA as in CA? Or LA, as in lower Alabama? Either way, have a nice visit.


Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 2:00pm.

where "buggies" are "shopping carts" and "package stores" are "liquor stores" and I can visit and buy on Sunday - which I don't.
-------------------------------------------
Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Tug13's picture
Submitted by Tug13 on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 2:54pm.

Hey,
I hear they are fixin' to have classes on Southerness as a second language. Smiling

Cyclist have a good trip.

Where is hutch?

Smiling


hutch866's picture
Submitted by hutch866 on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 7:42pm.

Here I be, when you coming to a game, you gotta come to one at least, two weeks is homecoming, that would be a good one.

I yam what I yam...Popeye


Tug13's picture
Submitted by Tug13 on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 8:31pm.

My family was at the game Friday. They told me what a great game it was. They also told me how awesome the band is.

I have always enjoyed the band as much as the game. Smiling

I will try to attend at least one of the games. I don't like driving on these dark roads at night.
Maybe I can hitch a ride. Smiling


Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 3:56pm.

Fixn'; now that's classic!!!!! In LA they speak Spanglish - every other word is English.

Thanks!!!!
-------------------------------------------
Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


AF A-10's picture
Submitted by AF A-10 on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 7:30am.

It is pure cowardice to not sign your name to the expression of the "real" reason my fellow compassionate, conservative, "christian" citizens do not want a GoodWill store in PTC. Where no names are used, the truth is freely expressed. We don't want "riffraff", brade shops, lower socioeconomic dwellers attracted to our facade of a town built on christian principles. This is sad, but typical of what I've seen over the last 7 years here. Religious principles are used more for politics than life application. This is a sad commentary on what our priorities truly are here in PTC. So much for the free market.

Kevin "Hack" King


Submitted by susieq on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 8:22am.

Hack,
If you want riffraff, braid shops, and lower socioeconomic dewellers, you can always sell your house and move up on Old National. Why do you live in PTC?

AF A-10's picture
Submitted by AF A-10 on Tue, 09/18/2007 - 7:36am.

Is not a braid shop just a type of beauty shop or hair salon? Are Plum Yummi and Ichi Paris to be feared as well? What angle are you working for here?

Kevin "Hack" King


Submitted by susieq on Tue, 09/18/2007 - 7:52am.

Hack,
You are the one who mentioned braid shops first, in your above post, when you said:

"...We don't want "riffraff", brade shops, lower socioeconomic dwellers..."

I thought you spelled it wrong. Did you mean BRAKE shops?

Submitted by skyspy on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 8:30am.

Hack says he does live in PTC.

There is a home in riverdale that has been on the market for 4yrs according to the ajc. It is 4 bdrm, 31/2 bath inground swimingpool. They just dropped the price again to 120,. It is in riverdale with all of it's social-economic crime problems so it's not SELLING! Go figure. Geeeee I wonder why not???

Submitted by susieq on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 9:03am.

Sky,
I've noticed that you and I think alike when it comes to political and social views. Most of the time, I could just follow your posts with a "ditto for me."

Submitted by skyspy on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 9:27am.

I just don't understand people who want high-density and more crime here. I thought I was the only one. So far I think it is you, Git Real, Denise, and me that hate crime.

Tug13's picture
Submitted by Tug13 on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 2:56pm.

Don't forget about me. You know I hate crime too. Sad

Tug Smiling


Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 4:00pm.

I hate crime too!!!

-------------------------------------------
Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Submitted by skyspy on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 8:54pm.

Please forgive me. I don't know how I could forget you guys.

Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 8:59pm.

That's OK we understand.

-------------------------------------------
Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Submitted by skyspy on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 8:14am.

Did you move here because we have so many pawn shops, and goodwill stores, or did you move here because we don't??

Did you move here for our low crime rate?

You are right we don't want "riffraff" here. They just had a shooting at the goodwill in riverdale last week. I don't want to get shot at when I go to Wag n Whiskers to get my dogs their treats.

I moved here beacause of low crime. I did not want to have to own a gun to be safe. That illusion went by the wayside long ago. I now own several guns and I am in the process of getting a license to carry. That being said, I still think we need to fight crime and do everything we can to keep crime from coming here.

It is one thing to act "christian" as you say, and it is another to be stupid with your own personal safety and that of your families. We are short of cops already because of the low pay. If they actually have to start fighting real crime here the rest of the few that are left will leave. If they are going to get shot at, they are going to demand top dollar and rightly so.

I moved here so I wouldn't get shot at while doing my daily errands. That is the "real" reason most people don't want riverdales goodwill and pawn shops. We are afraid of crime.

Why did you move here?

AF A-10's picture
Submitted by AF A-10 on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 6:52pm.

I moved to PTC because of the schools and, sight unseen, on the advice of many friends here. The interesting part of the PTC experience has been learning the very subtle snobbery and class consciousness of many of my fellow PTCers. The funny thing is, you already are accumulating an arsenol, but you say you don't want the city to become crime ridden. Did you know that kids have been assaulted in Walmarts? TDK had a murder. Should these businesses be closed? The one thing I didn't ask my realtor (Moreen and Miles Long who are awesome by the way) was how many Good Wills does the town have. I know of enlisted military members that shop at Goodwill. My wife's family was one of them back in 1975-80. They will appreciate being considered riffraff. I am finally learning what Steve Colbert means by "christiany."

Kevin "Hack" King


Submitted by thebeaver on Tue, 09/18/2007 - 5:34am.

Hack
I'll take snobs rather over rap-thug cockroaches any day. At least the snobs don't rob you at gunpoint and threaten your life.

AF A-10's picture
Submitted by AF A-10 on Tue, 09/18/2007 - 7:27am.

Will you type the above post again, but in ENGLISH this time please?

ps. How's that young woman who was held hostage,raped, and assaulted in West Virginia doing? Were those rap thugs Beaver? Are young military couples "rap thugs?" Beaver, speaking candidly here, I'm willing to bet that you could probably use a Good Will bargain or two. At least a thesaurus.

Kevin "Hack" King


Submitted by thebeaver on Tue, 09/18/2007 - 10:55am.

Gosh, I just noticed how I butchered that paragraph. If I made it hard for you to read, then I apologize. In fact, I'll make a deal with you. I will trade the 3 rap-thug cockroaches that robbed businesses at gunpoint within 1/2 mile of where I live with 3 snobs from Peachtree City.

The point is, I would rather live in a world of snobs than in a world of no good- rap-thug cockroaches that rob people because they are too lazy to go out and work at a real job.

And what does the incident in Virginia have to do with the rap-thug cockroaches that are invading Fayette county? Try to stay on topic, Hacker. (Also, you might consider taking a class in punctuation. You didn't put a space before "raped"; you forgot the comma after "thugs". And while your at it, why don't you go perform a physical impossibility on yourself.)

hutch866's picture
Submitted by hutch866 on Tue, 09/18/2007 - 11:35am.

The incident in West Virginia has at least as much relevence as the incident you cited in Texas a couple months ago.

I yam what I yam...Popeye


Submitted by skyspy on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 9:19pm.

You have missed some of my posts. I have always complained bitterly about walley-mart. Big boxes bring big crime. Especially after they close and leave the empty ugly shell behind. I also complain about wally because of the way they agressivly target small local buisnesses. They undercut their prices, just because they can. They are a big company that can take the hit. They can afford the tax write off of loss, more than a small buisness can. I also complain about the way they treat their employees, most of whom live paycheck to paycheck. Read Nickle and Dimed in America by Barbara Erenreicht. What an eye opener about a large buisness run by a "christian family". What a huge joke that whole family is. Yes I would love to see them closed down.

It sounds like you are using the term "riffraff" to describe poor people. When I use the term "riffraff" and "thug" I use that term to describe druggies and criminals. Poor people are not "riffraff". I know many people who are struggling right now that have better manners and more class in their little fingers than some of the people here with interest only sub-prime mortgages. I am not afraid of poor people. My family was way below the poverty line. We qualified for welfare and food stamps. My parents were too proud. My dad worked 2 jobs until we all were finished with college, my mom worked too. We made it. So I have no sympathy for people who commit crime because they are poor. I'm afraid of the poor people who are also druggies and thugs, and don't want to work. I won't apologize for not wanting them here.

AF A-10's picture
Submitted by AF A-10 on Tue, 09/18/2007 - 7:32am.

But, for the life of me, I don't see how you equate Walmart or Good Will with criminals. You can attribute gas stations to criminal behavior and lobby to remove gas stations. I don't follow the logic of that attribution, but I agree with your views of WalMart's business practices.

This is moot anyway, as Kroger caved.

Cheers,

Kevin "Hack" King


Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Tue, 09/18/2007 - 5:38am.

For what it’s worth, my wife and I located to Fayette County because of:

 Excellent Schools
 Low Crime
 Housing Values
 Quite Community
 Close to Hartsfield
 Low Traffic
 Rural Atmosphere

I’m ever so happy that we did not move to Clayton County. In 1987, our real estate agent informed us that we would be happier in Fayette County.

-------------------------------------------
Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Submitted by susieq on Tue, 09/18/2007 - 6:27am.

Cy,
Look at the bright side. Kids grow up and graduate -- and you've still got Hartsfield nearby. LOL

Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Tue, 09/18/2007 - 6:50am.

The bright side is that in eight more years, I'll retire and move to the beach. Then I can mark everything off the list. I wish I can sell my house for what it's appraised for!!!!

-------------------------------------------
Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


bad_ptc's picture
Submitted by bad_ptc on Sun, 09/16/2007 - 3:05am.

Just because this scum is a US senator has nothing to do with the fact that he's lower than a pond scum sucking parasite.

He should be charged and convicted of being a pervert and hung at the earliest time possible.

The police officer that arrested the pond scum sucking parasite should be given a medal.

You must be one of those that think it's OK for a senator to get $#!t faced and drive.

There should be a public lottery to see who gets to shoot him.

I hope he rots!


Submitted by bladderq on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 8:45pm.

Hey, don't worry about what the Sen is doing w/ adults. Look at this one... Why could we not git him to come here? Dang, one got away.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/14132485/detail.html

I'll forgo the usual repub ref's about being would a little too tight.

Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Thu, 09/13/2007 - 8:15pm.

I know it must a be a pain to stop these spammers. They can sure choke a site.
-------------------------------------------
Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Submitted by skyspy on Wed, 09/12/2007 - 7:39am.

To the person complaining about the ER @ Fayette/Piedmont. That has been going on for years. I know several paramedics, their stories about that place will make you cringe. One friend said their usual joke as they drive up with a patient is "this would be a good place for a hospital"

If you are having a heart attack you should ask and pay extra to be taken to St. Joes anyway.

For some reason they haven't been able to fix that place.

Gamma Sherri's picture
Submitted by Gamma Sherri on Wed, 09/12/2007 - 12:07pm.

My father went into Fayette Piedmont on the first of a month this summer. He presented with pneumonia and was hospitalized into intermediate care. His xray supposedly showed a spot within the pneumonia, and because he is elderly, they wanted to keep an eye on him.

Before I go any further, let me say that most of the physicians, nurses and therapists that worked with my father showed him the utmost care and treated him with respect. I was hospitalized in Fayette Community in 2004, and my care was great. Also, in respect to my father, I hope you can read between the lines as I am purposely vague on some of the treatments.

3 days into his stay, Dad complained of his stomach being "tight." He had no appetite, and was only drinking water. We had been worried about his appetite from the start, but figured with pneumonia, maybe you weren't hungry? Anyway, when the nurse came in for his vitals check, I brought it up that Dad's abdomen seemed hard. She agreed. When shift change happened that evening, the RN, while examining Dad noted his abdomen was rigid. I figured that the RN would input it into his chart. I figured that was enough, that someone would take action. Nothing happened Saturday night… Sunday... or Monday... and finally on Tuesday, absolutely frustrated, I demanded to meet with his doctor and the Director of Nursing. When I asked how a man could sit for *5* days with a rigid abdomen, the response was, from the doctor, that they work 5 days on and 5 off, and he was just coming on, meaning not his problem. The Director of Nursing promised to look into it. When I asked why he wasn’t in a private room, so that my mother could stay with him, relieving the nurses’ burden, they promised to find a private room (which they did immediately).

Finally, on WEDNESDAY, the doctor realized there was a major problem, sent Dad for x-rays, and ended up trying a mechanical way to try to resolve the issue. They finally got a surgeon to look at Dad Thursday. He explained that he wanted to try everything before doing surgery. On Thursday night, he continued to say that it may resolve, but if one of 5 things happened during the night, he would be operating immediately.

Early Friday morning, Dad had two cardiac instances happen, which was in the list of 5 things. For some reason, the surgeon wasn't informed until he walked in while they were working with Dad. Dad had emergency surgery Friday night, after 5 sets of radiological tests to make sure they had an idea of what the problem was.

What we found is that information critical to Dad's care didn't get inputted into the chart, and if it doesn't make it to the chart, definitely doesn't make it into the computer, and if it's not in the computer, then most of the time the Dr's don't know it. If the Dr's orders aren't written down or directly inputted into the computer, then they literally do not exist to the Nurses. The computer is GOD there. I cannot count the number of times I demanded they call the doctor, because what the doctor told us wasn’t in the computer. I was told by one perky little nurse, if it’s not in the computer, then it doesn’t exist to the nurses.

My father received some excellent care there, but he also received some sub-standard and sometimes downright cruel care. After the surgery, there were times that my father would have an "accident" while in bed. There was no way he could help it. Toward the end of his care, he had a nurse who would verbally harangue him about the mess he was making, and if he didn't stop it, she would have to "do something about it." My mother, because at the time they had moved him to a semiprivate room, wasn't there, so she couldn't help Dad, as she had done for the majority of his stay. Because Dad was so afraid of another "accident," he would press the nurse call button too much during the night. This nurse had a fix for that -- she unplugged the call button. If my Dad had told me about this while he was still admitted, I would have been in the Hospital Administrator's office in 5 minutes.

My son-in-law (who is an EMT) tells me that everyone treats the elderly different from the rest of the population. He said that it seems to be the health professionals distance themselves from the elderly with the thought is that they're going to die, anyway, so don't get too close. I saw this with my mother-in-law's long painful process of dying. Until we got her to hospice, it seemed she was just a colossal pain in the ____ to most of the doctors and nurses who dealt with her at Henry General, Piedmont, and Emory.

The medical industry is the one of the last industries to move into the electronic information age, and it's movement is extremely sluggish. I was surprised that my Dad's internal med doctor could pull up his hospital records and see what was happening, but then again, he's part of the Piedmont Fayette group of doctors. Still, that is way ahead of yesteryears, when your chart had to be physically taken to PTC if you saw a doctor there, but your main doc was in Fayetteville.

So what is the answer to all this? The problem is a communication problem, pure and simple. If the nurses and nurses' aides had inputted into the chart my father's symptoms, then no one would have forgotten that Dad's abdomen was rigid for 5 days. If the doctors' orders and notations had been entered into the system, then my Dad would not have set for an entire day with no liquids and no IV until I ordered that the doctor be called. If my Dad's queries into why he wasn't given a softner had been notated, then maybe he might not have had to have surgery. If the nurses had called the surgeon early Friday morning when Dad's heart started racing, maybe Dad wouldn't have had to wait so long for emergency surgery. Who knows!

Computers are as good as the information that is inputted into it. An old adage in IT was GiGo - garbage in, garbage out. Right now, there seems to be a huge "bit bucket" that information is falling into because verbal instructions or written notes are not making into the electronic patient chart. It was almost the death of my father.

Next time you're in the hospital, make sure that pertinent info is actually making it into the computer. Your life could depend on it.


mapleleaf's picture
Submitted by mapleleaf on Wed, 09/12/2007 - 7:22am.

The suggestion to have a shuttle between Piedmont Fayette Hospital and Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta was an excellent suggestion. In fact, some Piedmont doctors and employees might want to avail themselves of that convenience. I agree that driving to Piedmont Hospital is nerve-wracking. It also turns out that using the HOV lane can be nearly suicidal at the point where one has to rapidly cross over from the leftmost lane to the rightmost lane to exit at Northside Drive on I-75.


Tug13's picture
Submitted by Tug13 on Wed, 09/12/2007 - 8:51am.

I have a scanner and several times a week this hospital is either on part or total diversion. Does anyone know why this is happening so frequently?

The shuttle to Piedmont in Atlanta is a great idea. I know the point where you get off the HOV lane and cross over to exit at Northside Dr. I always hold my breath and pray.


Submitted by Vernon on Wed, 09/12/2007 - 12:06pm.

When the ER gets too full, or there isn't enough space on the floors to transfer the patients there, or there are not enough nurses to handle the patients - Diversion Happens! Fayette hospital is well known for this and stays on this status for several hours up to 10 or 12 hours. There are other hospitals that rarely divert and they are even busier than Fayette.

Submitted by faerieshy on Tue, 09/11/2007 - 10:11pm.

It surprises me that so many people are angered by the addition of a thrift store. Are you unaware that there already exists a couple of thrift stores in PTC and if you haven't noticed, there seems to be a large population of low income families that live right there in your community that could benefit from them. The PTC bubble has already popped, just look around. And while you're at it, lower those noses a couple notches. The same goes for our quaint landmark Jordan’s Salvage, and the idiot complaining about individuals selling a car in front of their home. Snoots be gone!

hutch866's picture
Submitted by hutch866 on Tue, 09/11/2007 - 4:34pm.

I agree that the other night was one of the worst renditions of our National Anthem that I have ever heard, it sounded like the three ladies were competing with each other and not harmonizing, and the tempo changes and such really took away from the song, next year just let FCHS play it, they do such a good job with it.

I yam what I yam...Popeye


Submitted by JoAnn on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 9:45am.

This is one song that should never be changed in any shape or form. I really get angry when things like this happens. Changing the National Anthem? You think your are gonna win a Grammy Award for that. You should win a night in jail. This is our history. I will get off my soapbox before I have to go into English is our language - Spanish not an option. And for those who don't agree you can go to heck, or wait how do you say that is Spanish?

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.