Altamaha Coastkeeper Needed to Protect One of Georgia's "Hidden Treasures"

This AP story caught my eye because of the Mighty Altamaha River's importance to our state. The river, that also includes the Ocmulgee and Oconee Rivers as offshoots, is one of the more unique on the east coast and the third largest. Best of all for Georgians, it's completely ours as it flows from north Georgia to Darien on the sea. It's a great resource, and is often referred to as the "Amazon of North America.". But when something goes wrong, we can't blame Alabama, South Carolina, etc. for the problem. It's all out fault. And unfortunately, because of development and industrial waster near the river and coast, a "Coastkeeper" is now needed to help monitor what's happening with polution.

A new coastkeeper would represent coastal issues, since the field work and advocacy roles are more work than one person can do effectively, Sheppard said.

The work is important because development is bumping up against nature across coastal Georgia, including in Darien, where condos now sit on marsh.

"We need the citizens helping. They can smell it," Holland said of pollution.

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For those that haven't had a chance to see WSB's special on the "Hidden Treasures of Georgia," please do so. It includes a segment on the Altamaha River that uses more than words to show how important the Altamaha River is to us.

As a native southwest Georgian, I was glad to see the special included Thomasville's "Big Oak" and Pebble Hill Plantation, Albany's Radium Springs, the Okeefenokee, and Georgia's "Little Grand Canyon."

I'm sometimes amazed when my Atlanta friends comment that "there's nothing in south Georgia." They just don't know, or they haven't taken the time or interest to find out. But the truth is our state is one of the most diverse geographically and ecologically. South Georgia is a big part of that. It's not all farmland and piney woods. There are a lot of unspoiled natural riches from Cumberland Island to the Chattahoochee, as well as historical landmarks.

From the WTF File: Chip Rogers Criticizes Mark Taylor On Immigration?

Republican state senator Chip Rogers, the sponsor of Georgia's new immigration law, says that Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor wasn't helpful enough in getting his bill passed. For some reason, the Pubs have decided to label Taylor as weak on immigration. Well, I suppose that might depend on one's point of view on the issue. But months ago, Mark Taylor stated that, as governor, he would've signed Rogers' bill.

From the AJC:

In an interview after the news conference, Rogers said Taylor also did not attempt to contact him about the legislation. In contrast, Rogers said, Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue worked with him on the bill.

"We would have liked to have seen the lieutenant governor stand out front with us on this issue as the governor did," Rogers said.Both chambers of the General Assembly are run by Republicans, and, because of this, the GOP governor has had a much easier time the past two years getting his legislation passed. By contrast, Taylor's proposals have been largely ignored.

Still, Taylor said Thursday that he supported Rogers' bill.

"As governor, I would have signed Senate Bill 529," he said. "I believe it was all that Georgia could do to try to help what is clearly a federal issue.

The news conference was timed to coincide with a Georgia Republican Party ad that claims Perdue "passed the nation's toughest illegal immigration law." "Governor Perdue strengthened citizenship verification for taxpayer funded services, supported and signed the nation's toughest illegal immigration bill, and sent voluntary Georgia National Guard troops to help secure the border with Mexico," Perdue campaign spokesman Derrick Dickey said. "Georgia needed a governor to show leadership on this important issue, and Sonny did."

Bobby Kahn, chairman of Georgia's Democratic Party, said, "Governor Perdue's record on illegal immigration is like his record on so many other issues --- he uses TV ads and press releases to try to create the illusion of action, but he certainly hasn't shown any real leadership. When asked who fails the leadership test on the real issues facing Georgia families, there's only one response: Sonny did."

"Ma" and "Pa" Shorter Would Be Proud

For the sixth consecutive year, my alma mater, Shorter College has made U.S. News and World Report's honor roll. Yes, the college associated with the Southern Baptist Convention churns out less than conservative gradutates too. ;-)

In fact, I give a lot of credit to a religion course that I took there for opening my mind to seriously question what I had been taught all of my life to merely accept as fact based purely on faith. It helped me to play the "what if" game. As in, "what if" every word of the King James version of the bible isn't true? Or, "what if" stories told in the bible and presented to us as factual events by organized religion were merely parables designed to illustrate good deeds? Would it change the basic principles that I hold important in being the kind of person I want to be?

Perhaps, that's a discussion for another day.................

From the Rome News-Tribune:

Shorter ranked 21st among Southern comprehensive colleges focusing on undergraduate education. It is the sixth consecutive year the school has made the list.
“We are pleased that Shorter College is once again ranked among the top-tier schools in the 12-state Southern region,” said Shorter president Harold Newman.
“Remaining among the top-tier schools while in a growth phase is difficult, and we are encouraged that the ranking indicates that we are growing in an intelligent manner.”

U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” guide is an annual ranking of more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools across the nation.

The “Best Comprehensive Colleges – Bachelor’s” category, which Berry and Shorter both fall into, includes institutions that offer a range of degree programs both in liberal arts and professional fields. There are 320 schools ranked nationally in this category divided into four geographic regions.

Berry and Shorter’s region includes colleges and universities in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

Academic performance is measured on as many as 15 different indicators divided into seven categories including peer assessment, retention, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rate performance and alumni giving rate.

Shorter College is located in Rome, Georgia and has several satellite campuses in the metro Atlanta area. It was founded in 1873 by Alfred and Martha Shorter, affectionately known as "Ma" and "Pa" Shorter.

Andrew Young's Year Goes From Bad to Worse

For most of my life, I've looked at former UN ambassador and Atlanta mayor, Andrew Young, as an important civil rights icon, and one of the ultimate voices for peace and equality. He's someone that when he walks into a room, he commands respect. His closeness to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his work in the civil rights movement afford him said respect. But along with that comes a huge responsibility. Far be it from me to criticize Ambassador Young. But I don't think I'm alone when I say that he's been dabbling in things that seem counterproductive to what we all believe that he stands for. During 2006, he has made some controversial decisions, such as defending his fellow former Atlanta mayor, and now convicted criminal, Bill Campbell. And I'm afraid it's just gotten worse.

It seems that recently when a corporate giant runs afoul of public opinion, Young becomes the "go to guy" to help mend their image. He came under tremendous fire in the late 90's when his company, GoodWorks, was accused of painting a pretty picture over the terrible business practices of Nike. Labor groups couldn't believe it. The man who "bridged the gaps between the rich and the poor" was now being said to have "misrepresented" the true nature of Nike and its relationships with employees in third world nations.

Then, earlier this year, Young signed on with mega economy- killer and labor-suppressor, WalMart. I'm sure you've seen the ads featuring Young posing with the smiling faces of WalMart employees. All of which probably make only minimum wage and receive no benefits like healthcare or retirement packages.

But today, Young's association with WalMart ends. He's resigning over statements that he made about the giant corporation putting "mom and pop" operations out of business, and his stated belief that they should. To his credit, he did apologize for what he said. But I think he should further clarify just what he believes. The responsibility afforded by his place in society calls for it.

For the record, my first job was with a "mom and pop" grocery store when I was 15. It no longer exists today as it was hard enough for it and its fellow small grocery stores to compete with the chain stores. When WalMart finally bullied its way into town (against a great effort from locals that lasted several years), the store could no longer keep its doors open. In fact, of the 6 "mom and pop" grocery stores (not counting hardware stores, etc) that I can remember, only two are still in business. And rumors have abounded for a while of the impending closing of the other two.

As for how the store I worked for conducted its business, it was ran by a devout Christian who didn't walk around with his convictions on his sleeves and liberally passing out his judgements on how one should live their life. Instead, he led quietly by example. The family business didn't stay open for 60 years by overcharging its customers and discriminating against them. Rather, it was involved in the community and supported the very customers that walked through its doors daily- regardless of race. When homes were burned or lost in a storm, or when the job of a loyal customer was lost, he was ususally there the next day with a free box of groceries in arm and a promise of further help and prayers. Many, many times I witnessed this man make good on his promises and live out his beliefs.

So, I have a real problem with Young's generalized characterization of "mom and pop" stores and his belief that WalMart should run them out of business. From my perspective, some self-evaluation seems needed for a man whose name has been synonymous with "equality."

Send A Message To China About Animal Cruelty

I've always appreciated the Olympic Games as a venue where it's possible to put aside politics and unite as a true, peaceful world community. There was no greater example of this than in 1996, here in Atlanta, when Israeli and Palestinian athletes marched into the Olympic stadium together. But when you hear about things like this, it makes me want to boycott the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

PETA has sent out the call for all those who care about animals rights to send a message to China about their recent mass killings of dogs and cats (even those vaccinated for rabies) to fight an outbreak of rabies. While I realize that we here in the United States aren't perfect on this issue, we at least have the freedom to stand up against intolerable acts like the ones that are being commtitted in China.

Regardless as to how you might feel about PETA, read this excerpt of an email that I received from them. And please consider voicing your displeasure to Chinese officials:

Throughout the month of August, I'll be sending you breaking news about the treatment of companion animals around the world as well as easy ways that you can help stop animal abuse TODAY. As you may know, officials in Southwest China ordered the extermination of more than 50,000 dogs in late July after three people died from rabies. Among the animals slaughtered were up to 4,000 dogs who—despite being immunized against rabies—were dragged into the street and strangled or clubbed to death in front of their families. These awful deaths illustrate the Chinese government's insensitivity to animals as well as its complete lack of planning. There are humane ways to prevent rabies outbreaks. Yet China has rejected our offers to help implement procedures—including a simple four-point plan—that would avoid such cruel killings.China has no animal welfare laws whatsoever. That's why millions of dogs and cats are strangled with wire nooses and beaten to death every year so that their fur can be turned into trim and trinkets for American and European consumers. China is the world's largest supplier of animal skin and fur—and it doesn't draw the line when it comes to domestic animals and family pets. The following are ways that you can help dogs and cats in China right now:

Contact the Chinese government and demand that it halt the further slaughter of dogs. Urge the Chinese government to enact a strict anti-cruelty law immediately.

Don't let this massacre go unnoticed. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper or post the news on your favorite blog. Let the world know about China's recent and shocking mass murder of dogs and the need for a cruelty-to-animals law in the world's most populated country.

Don't buy or wear fur. China supplies more than half of all finished fur garments that are imported into the United States. Because dog and cat fur is so deliberately mislabeled, the bottom line is that if you're buying fur, there's no way to tell whose skin you're wearing. And all animal lives are precious.Right now, China is listening to those who speak out for animals. After intense international pressure, the Chinese government has just halted its plan to give foreigners licenses to hunt wild and endangered animals.

Adding your voice today to those demanding change in China could help millions of animals.

PETA is not calling for an Olympic boycott, just merely asking them to stop animal cruelty and enact laws that would protect animals. However, it is my hope that people will take into account the fact that while many of its citizens live in needless squaler, China is spending billions on state of the art stadia and sports facilities all over the country. It's a little hard to get into the Olympic spirit knowing that there is willful neglect of the citizenry only a few miles away. Neither human rights nor animal rights are a strong point of the government of China.

Perdue vs. Taylor Gets Ugly In A Hurry

I'm sure we all remember that in 2005, Sonny Perdue became the first sitting Georgia governor to be fined by the state ethics commission. So one might be tempted to think that his campaign would not want to bring up the issue of state ethics in his battle against Mark Taylor. But that's not the case as the Georgia GOP has filed a complaint against Taylor with the State Ethics Commission.

The Republicans are accusing Taylor of taking $35,000 more in donations from a corporation than he was allowed to in December of 2005. And they go on to say that the ethics commission should take this matter up before their next business session to stop Taylor from using those funds to "influence voters." The Taylor campaign says they've done nothing wrong, and that this is all a question of the timing of a law change affecting corporate donations. This one seems like it should be an easy one to sort out. But the question is whether or not the state ethics commission will call a special session to deal with this allegation before the November 7th election. I doubt it.

However, Gov. Perdue has a new worrisome bee in his ethics bonnet as well. Unlike past governors, Perdue decided not to put his holdings into a blind trust when he took office. This has traditionally been done to make sure that no decisions made by the governor can influence personal affairs. Perdue says that the types of assets and interests he has would not do well in a blind trust. So he took advantage of the fact that Georgia law does not require him to do so. But, Perdue's land deal with an appointee of his may have given us an example of why that law needs to be changed.

From the AP:

Perdue bought the land from Stanley Thomas, a Georgia mega-developer with a fleet of planes that the governor used at least once to get to a West Coast fundraiser. The 2004 purchase came a little more than a year after Perdue appointed Thomas to the state Board of Economic Development. About a year after the purchase one of Thomas' companies, Fourth Quarter Properties, donated a whopping $250,000 to the state Republican Party.

Perdue said there was nothing improper about the deal. The Republican governor said that he bought the land in Florida because purchasing property in Georgia while he was governor would have created a conflict of interest.
"I like land," Perdue said following an environmental speech Wednesday in Savannah.

"I determined to buy out of Georgia because I didn't want it to ever be said that I influenced anything. If I bought land within 100 miles of a new road construction, I'd be accused by the other side of influencing that. So I chose to go out of state."

But Democrats questioned whether Perdue - who spent a quarter of his net worth on the land without ever seeing it - had violated federal anti-corruption laws. They called for an investigation.

"It appears as though Gov. Perdue sold his office to make himself wealthy," Democratic Party Chairman Bobby Kahn said.

Perdue spokesman Derrick Dickey called Kahn's assertions "laughable."

Perdue bought the land, which borders the luxury Reunion Resort, for $2.038 million in December 2004 from Fourth Quarter Properties, one of Thomas' many companies. But although Perdue ponied up that much money for the land it is appraised at only $185,700. The property was assessed at the lesser amount because the land is partly composed of wetlands and lacks an access road, said Jerry Williams, supervisor of commercial assessments for Osceloa County, Fla.


We haven't even made it out of August yet. So who knows what else is bound to come up? Reportedly, Taylor ran into Perdue at a tv studio the day after his primary win, and the two exchanged congratulations and wishes for a clean race. So much for that..........

NYC Releases More 9/11 Calls

As we approach the 5 year mark of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, NYC releases new calls made from those trapped inside the World Trade Center. Just as those heard on network news and in documentaries, the voices are chilling, especially when one asks, "I'm going to die, aren't I?"

As movies like "Flight 93" and the now playing "World Trade Center" come out, we get asked whether or not this is the right time, or if we're ready for this. Personally, I think we need these reminders. We need to remember that there are people in this world that want to kill us. Allegedly some are even willing to kill their own children in the process.

The sad part is, I think some of our own leaders and their advisors need these reminders too. On the day that he decided to invade Iraq, I wish someone would've reminded President Bush that the target was supposed to be Al-Queda and those states that aided them. Perhaps then Sec. of State Colin Powell did try. But obviously it was to no avail.

Big Oil Must Love These 3 Stooges: Isakson, Chambliss, and Kingston

A week or two ago, I saw some pictures of U. S. Senator Saxby Chambliss touring an ethanol refinery in south Georgia. At the time, I was encouraged to see some Republicans apparently supporting the exploration (and hopefully eventual implementation) of alternative fuels. There has been so much discussion about how Georgia is perfectly suited to jump into such an endeavor and the potential economic and environmental effects it would have. We already possess much of the needed infrastructure via our farm industry to become a national leader in this area. Added to that, most experts agree that our fossil fuels addiction is a major component in our ever increasing environmental problems. All of this makes it hard for me to understand why 3 of our state's leaders wish to lift the offshore drilling ban.

David Kyler, executive director of the Center for a Sustainable Coast, has this to say in an op ed piece in today's Athens Banner-Herald:

Last month's spill of thousands of gallons of oil along Georgia's Savannah River, which degraded water quality and harmed wildlife, is an unfortunate but enlightening example at a time when offshore oil and gas development is being unwisely supported by our state officials.

As suggested by this relatively small oil spill, risks of larger fossil-fuel related industrial accidents or natural events, either offshore or shoreside, could bring catastrophic worst-case scenarios. These would include sustained damage to estuaries, with corresponding loss of fisheries - both commercial and recreational. Coastal tourism also would plummet, with severe economic consequences.

In spite of such risks, Georgia Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss have consistently voted to lift the 25-year ban against offshore drilling, and U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., recently chimed in harmony with them. Likewise, Georgia's draft State Energy Plan includes a statement supporting development of fossil fuels offshore.

Such positions seem willfully ignorant in light of major issues that neighboring states clearly acknowledge. Congressional representatives and senators from both parties in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina have voiced strong opposition to offshore oil and gas development, citing risks to coastal economic and environmental interests that far outweigh any benefits.

Despite the results of past exploration off Georgia's shore in the late 1970s, when geologists found little reason to think recoverable reserves were available, both the price of fuel and advancements in technology might seem to be cause for reconsideration. However, numerous reports conclude that even the most optimistic estimates of offshore reserves nationally would fall far short of rapidly expanding demand. By the time any of these reserves were made available, we would be even more dependent on foreign sources of oil and gas than we are now.

Once the offshore ban was lifted, any recoverable energy resources that were found would then be "developed." This would include installation and use of massive industrial equipment, shoreside facilities, and - potentially - onshore energy processing, including oil refinement, which is among the most undesirable of all industries. The creation or expansion of industrial operations would have disruptive consequences for both water resources and the native landscape - both of which are essential to coastal Georgia's nature-based economy - worth more than $1 billion annually and supporting some 40,000 jobs.

Offshore fossil fuel development is a precarious policy that wouldn't pass any reasonable evaluation of the public interest test. As an alternative to disruptive exploration, drilling, production and distribution, new and cleaner energy technologies could be put online that would far out-produce conventional sources - provided investors were given comparable subsidies and tax benefits under state and federal policies.

For example, in a single year using existing technologies, enough wind-powered energy generators could be installed to produce more electricity than the average U.S. nuclear power plant. Fiber-based ethanol also is a highly promising alternative to gasoline, with tremendous economic prospects for Georgia's agriculture and timber industries.

Instead of advancing these promising new alternatives, our leadership is taking us in the direction of obsolete technologies with still more risks to the environment and public health. Moreover, generating electricity using fossil fuel resources requires large amounts of water for processing and cooling, which would further compound Georgia's water management problems.

As we face the widely predicted prospect of major coastal storms of greater intensity and frequency, any development of such facilities on our coast would cause greater hazards from such events. By locating major energy facilities in harm's way, hurricane storm surges and winds would likely inflict even more destruction - with threatening implications for communities, water quality, nature-based businesses and wildlife habitat.

It's time for Georgians to speak out on these critical energy issues. If conventional thinking is allowed to prevail, promising new energy technologies will be further delayed in providing their obvious benefits. And ill-considered fossil fuel development offshore will impose unjustified threats on property, income and quality of life.

Our rapidly growing state deserves a more thoughtful, responsible approach to energy policy.

A Haunting in Americus?

I love a good ghost story. Always have. But this one hits close to home. My dad was born in Americus, Georgia and graduated from high school there. With family still in the Americus/Cordele/Lake Blackshear area, we made frequent visits to see them from time to time.

The undeniably most recognizable symbol of Americus is the famous Windsor Hotel. No, Queen Elizabeth and her relatives don't own it or stay there. It just bears the name. Since nearby Plains is too small for appropriate accomodations, the hotel has hosted dignataries from around the world passing through the area to visit Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. People like the late Egyptian Pres. Anwar and First Lady Jihan Sadat have enjoyed its beautiful old surroundings. I have a cousin that has a vivid memory of George H.W. Bush in 1976, then the CIA director, visiting the hotel. Mr. Bush left rather angry as President-elect Carter had just informed him that he would not be retained. Perhaps Bush decided right then and there to make his first run for the presidency in 1980 within the very walls of the Windsor.

But according to the Albany Herald, the Windsor has a couple of non-paying guests too.

Robinson, who has been with the hotel for six years, said she fully believes the ghost of a maid and her daughter, killed in the early 1900's, still roam the halls of the hotel.

"I am very much convinced," said Robinson, who has not had any paranormal experiences outside of the castle-like hotel.

And now a team of experts is trying to find out if otherworldly spirits inhabit the hotel.

The Big Bend Ghost Trackers, of Tallahassee, Fla., who have been featured on The Learning Channel, the History Channel, CNN, Time Magazine and UPN, spent the night Sunday night to try to catch some evidence of spirits in the hotel.

Betty Davis, a member of a four-woman team at the hotel Sunday, said they use infrared cameras, motion detectors, thermal and electrical sensors and other equipment to document any non-human changes in the environment that can indicate the presence of a ghost or spirit.

"Ghosts are everywhere," Davis said.

And it's not even October yet. ;-)

From Tina's Scrapbook: Pics of Democratic Lineup at GADCC in Macon

Tina from Georgia Democratic Women's Grapevine took some great pictures of Democratic general election candidates at this weekend's Democratic County Chairman meeting in Macon this weekend.

Wander over and take a peek.

A Warning for the Georgia Coast

From Sunday's AJC:

Dissolved oxygen, the breath of life for shrimp, blue crabs, oysters and fish, is declining at an alarming rate. Within 10 years, Verity, a professor at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, predicts there won't be enough left for the sea life we love to eat. Those creatures will be replaced by jellyfish, which don't need as much dissolved oxygen and feed on the type of organisms that grow in a polluted estuary, he says.

Verity's already witnessed change. Between 1987 and 2000, his sampling showed a 70 percent increase in jellyfish.

Verity and other scientists who have researched similar changes worldwide say they can sum up the cause in a single word: people.

As more homes, condominiums, marinas and businesses are built on the coast, pollution increases in tidal creeks and estuaries. Treated sewage discharges and storm water runoff carry fertilizers from lawns, golf courses and farms and oil and other pollutants from pavement and rooftops.

"We need to stop what we're doing now and either mitigate or reduce [the impacts] because we're going downhill in a hurry," Verity said.

Personally, I don't eat any type of shellfish or other water scavengers. But a lot of people do. This sounds like it would have both an economic impact as well as an ecological impact.

Larry Munson Calls It As He Sees It

My parents were in their 40's and 50's respectively when I was born. They came from a generation that depended on the radio as most of us now depend on the internet or television. In each of their families, a critical part of their day was to sit around the radio at night listening to President Roosevelt's voice as he explained to the American people what was happening thousands of miles away. For me, such stories always conjured up rememberences of "The Waltons." But the idea of huddling around a radio to hear what is going on really wasn't that foreign of a concept for me.

That's because college football is like a religion in the south. It inspires a deep state and regional pride in many of us that stretches all the way back into the late 1800's and early 1900's where the south was still recovering from the effects of the Civil War. And as I was growing up in the early 80's, there weren't nearly as many college football games on television as there are now. Each fall Saturday, you can count on CBS, ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, and the Fox networks to all have football games without fail. They start as early as 12 noon and continue on past midnight sometimes.

But back "in the day," there were only a handfull of games on - perhaps 2 or 3 at the most. That meant that many fans around the country either had to attend the game in person or listen to it on the radio. For several generations of Georgians, Larry Munson was the eyes and ears of University of Georgia football. From Dalton to Bainbridge and from LaGrange to Brunswick, thousands felt the pain of defeat and the jubilation of victory as described by the least likely of men. Munson, who is in his 80's now, isn't from Georgia. He's a native Minnesotan. He has no "twang" as they say. He's worked as a radio guy from Wyoming to Nashville. But little did he or the Georgia people know that when he began his tenure as play-by-play man for UGA in 1966, a legend was being born. He's long since become one of us.

This wasn't limited to the state of Georgia. Virtually every state where football is king has their own version of Larry Munson. And on those rare times when I was able to hitch a ride with someone making the 5 hour trip to Athens to see the "Dawgs" play, it was always a part of the routine on the way home to scan the radio dial to pick up Clemson's Jim Phillips, Tennessee's John Ward, Georgia Tech's Al Ciraldo, or another one of my favorites, the late Jim Fyffe at Auburn. Along with Munson, these men all had that old "homer" style of putting aside their objectivity and saying things like "we" instead of "they." Those men are endeared to those of us from those days. In fact, even today, when watching a game on t.v., I will mute its volume so that I can turn on the radio and hear our guy Larry make the call.

Wherever he goes, friends and foes alike in and around college football know Larry. He's respected by all, if not loved. He's generally known as the best in his business. And that's not just a UGA fan talking. Larry's a member of the Broadcasting Hall of Fame and two of his calls ("Run, Lindsay, Run!" and "Look at the sugar falling from the sky........") have been touted by ESPN and Sports Illustrated as being two of the best calls of all time in any sport.

Tonight, Larry is being roasted in celebration of his 40th year of being "The Voice" of the Georgia Bulldogs. People from all over the country and from several different schools will be on hand to help. All I can say is "thank you" Larry. And here's hoping for 40 more!! GO DAWGS!!

It's Hard Being a Tree in North Georgia

Living in north Georgia has been great overall. But one of the discouraging aspects about life up here is that trees disappear in favor of asphalt or concrete at an alarming rate. During this election season, I've been constantly amazed by "slow growth" candidates for local offices (including long time incumbents) and their spiel about saying "no" to developers. Meanwhile, you look around and trees that were here yesterday are gone today in preparation for the next strip mall, drug store, bank, or gas station.

Well, according to Georgia ForestWatch and the Southern Environmental Law Center, it looks as if the federal government, particularly the U. S. Forest Service, needs to be held in check as well. The Forest Service has denied a 2004 appeal by environmental groups challenging their management plans for several southern forest areas including the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest.

From the Macon Telegraph:

"At the highest levels, the administration has decided not to respond to what the citizens and public wanted," said Sarah Francisco, a staff attorney with the center. "It's going to have real impacts on the forest. The plans allow for logging at much higher levels and forests are already aggressively pursuing this."

She pointed to north Georgia's Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, where the new plan could allow 50 million board feet of timber to be harvested every year. That's nearly double the 28.9 million board feet a year gathered through much of the 1990s.

The other plans targeted by the groups involve Virginia's Jefferson National Forest, Tennessee's Cherokee National Forest, South Carolina's Sumter National Forest and the National Forests of Alabama.

Here was the response from the Forest Service:

"Conservation of the forest in the South requires a lot of active management," said Chris Liggett, the Forest Service's director of planning for the southern region. "You can't just stand back and let things go everywhere."

He said the plan wields timber harvest as a tool to thin forests that have become fire hazards, encourage species growth and ward off invasive species.

What Mr. Liggett says is sensible to me. But DOUBLING the amount of timber harvested each year for 10 to 15 years sounds excessive.

However, local environmental groups are seeking to pressure local officials:

Local environmentalists have reacted by staging rallies and passing out petitions in hopes of pressuring state officials to step in.

On Wednesday, dozens of members of Georgia Forestwatch rallied at the Capitol in Atlanta, brandishing more than 4,000 postcards that urge Gov. Sonny Perdue to expand wilderness designations and protect roadless areas.

"Once again the forest service has ignored the desires of many citizens to protect important forest areas," said Wayne Jenkins, executive director for Georgia ForestWatch. "Instead, they propose to increase logging and road building at the expense of water quality and rare habitats."

Middle and Rural Georgia to be Key Battlegrounds

The AJC looks at the lineup of Dems and Pubs for the state's constitutional offices. And their article inlcudes this opinion from Emory University political professor, Merle Black:

"Black said Georgia's larger cities will likely go Democratic, the suburbs and exurbs will likely lean Republican, and the real battle will take place in the small towns and rural areas in central and South Georgia.

"That will be the critical area for this election," Black said."

It's certainly noteworthy to point out that the two candidates for Governor are from these areas. Gov. Perdue is from Bonnaire in middle Georgia, while Mark Taylor is from Albany. Because of Taylor's high profile involvement, this is a prime opportunity for the Democrats to flex their muscle in south Georgia, just to remind folks that they still can. Taylor is a supporter of economic expansion in south Georgia. He also supports protecting HOPE and fully funding schools - each year, not just during election years. Those are the kinds of issues that even rural Georgians trending Republican can and will vote for.

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The AJC didn't mention the Libertarian Party or its candidates. And I didn't mention them earlier in my last thread. So for those interested and curious, you can click here to do some independent research. I'll mention their candidates from time to time this fall.

November Fight Card is Set

Now that the primary runoff is behind us, we now know who the candidates will be for the two major parties in the state's constitutional offices. Hopefully we'll see some good, hard-hitting, issue-heavy contests with few low blows.

Most of these candidates are all battle tested and bearing a few scars. Here are some of the state's main card fights:

The blue corner features the hard-hitting Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor bidding to step up to the top spot. But it also includes Jim Martin, a finesse guy in the Lt. Gov. race that uses his guile and speed to great effectiveness. We have a female contestant in Gail Buckner that emerged out of no where and fought her way out of the crowd in front of a state-wide audience to challenge for Secretary of State. Next up is Thurbert Baker, the solid veteran incumbent aiming to remain Georgia's Attorney General. And last, but certainly not least, is the longest serving statewide incumbent in the nation, Tommy Irvin. He's seen them all before, and won't go down without a fight as Agriculture Commissioner.

Fighting out of the red corner will be Georgia's current governor and low blow artist, Sonny Perdue. Joining him for Lt. Gov. is the wild-eyed (what's up with that look?) Casey Cagle, slayer of Ralph the Mouth. Next up is possibly one of the brightest of red stars, the contentious candidate for Secretary of State, Karen Handel. She ducks, weaves, and bobs questionaires as good as anyone in Georgia politics. Bidding to paint the Attorney General's office red is "Pious Perry" McGuire whose ignorance (gays do not = pedophiles) knows no bounds. And bringing up the rear for Agriculture Commissioner is the Uber-farmer Gary Black.

Now is the time to unite and look forward to the challenges ahead. In the coming months, we'll soon see who has the right stuff to steer the state towards a better future. Look for most of them to spend some time fund raising and reminding voters of what they stand for. But eventually, they'll all come out swinging.

A New Panda Joins The World

Yahoo News reports on panda birthings in China. And they have a slide show of pictures as well. :-)

So Wal-Mart Can Pay More After All?

I saw this at Wal-MartWatch. According to a recently released Economic Policy Instiutute study, Wal-Mart "can offer better wages to its employees while keeping profit margins nearly 50 percent greater than key competitors."

http://walmartwatch.com/blog/archives/new_economic_study_disproves_wal_mart_claims/

From EPI:

The Wal-Mart debate

The benefits and costs of Wal-Mart's expansion across the United States have been hotly debated. Critics of the retailer have documented the extent to which Wal-Mart uses its market power to undermine workers' compensation, but supporters of Wal-Mart claim that the lower prices offered by the retailer more than compensate consumers for any depressing effect the company's expansion has on wages. EPI's new Issue Brief, The Wal-Mart Debate: A False Choice Between Prices and Wages, addresses how the retailer's economic benefits can be retained even if their labor compensation is dramatically improved. (News release [PDF])

http://www.epinet.org/

A Few Doughnuts Never Hurt a Poll Worker

Back in my home county, the election superintendent used to bring doughnuts around to her poll workers at the various voting precincts. I thought that was a tradition worthy of continuing. After all, when we hear about poll workers it's almost always for something that goes wrong, whether it be their fault or not. But largely, the day of a poll worker is long and thankless. So I decided to bring some doughnuts with me as I went to vote today.

I beat my way through the crowd (sarcasm) and opened the door to find 6 smiling faces all looking at me at once and saying "Hi!" in unison. For just a moment, I had a little deja vu as I thought back to a similar reception I got at the Dog and Gun mens' club in a rural Florida town about 10 years ago. But I digress.........

My business was conducted smoothly and without any hickups. I worked my way through all TWO races on my ballot and turned my voter card in.

As the poll workers knoshed on their appreciated doughnuts, I learned about one lady's daughter's impending divorce. And I was told by another that today is her husband's birthday, for which he got a coupon for a free massage. She went on to tell me that he said he was afraid to use it as he had fears of "rising" to the occasion at the wrong time and place. Okay, I never claimed to have the classiest of conversations at voting precincts! But all in all, it was nice to make someone's day.

Oh well, just another slow Georgia runoff involving voter #14.

Runoff Tuesday

Runoffs in Georgia rarely mean long lines at the polls. They certainly won't today. I didn't even bother to early vote this time. I'll be heading down around lunch to cast my vote.

As I scanned Georgia News Digest, I found several articles about today's runoff from around the state. But most of them focused on local races or the Republican runoff between Handel and Stephens for Secretary of State.

But make no mistake about it, Democrats have reasons to return to the polls today too. Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, and Congressional District 4 (among others) are still up for grabs.

As if I wouldn't remember, Mayor Franklin gave me a call at home last night asking me to vote for Jim Martin. You see, we're tight like that! ;-) Okay, okay, it was the same robocall you got. Not to be left out, a friend of mine supporting Greg Hecht told me she got a call from Ms. Steen.

So don't find reasons not to go. Whoever you favor in any of the races, do the right thing and vote. You do get a sticker after all!

http://www.lagrangenews.com/story.php?id=27

Greg Hecht and Jim Martin: Breaking It Down

Tuesday's runoff election in the Democratic Primary for Lt. Governor, between Jim Martin and Greg Hecht, is still anyone's race to take. As with all runoffs, it comes down to who can motivate people to return to the polls, and who they're motivating: those for them or those against them.

Jim Galloway of the AJC compares the two men in today's paper, with my parenthetical thoughts in red:




Attorneys vie for state's No. 2 position
Jim Galloway - Staff
Sunday, August 6, 2006

The Democratic race for lieutenant governor is down to two metro Atlanta attorneys, both veterans of the state Legislature.

Jim Martin of Atlanta, an 18-year veteran of the House, finished first in the July 18 primary, with 41 percent of the vote. Greg Hecht of Jonesboro, a two-term state senator, finished second with 36 percent.

The winner of Tuesday's runoff will face Republican Casey Cagle, a state senator from Gainesville.

Martin's and Hecht's campaigns have tilted toward legal issues. Both agree on what they view as the shortcomings of Gov. Sonny Perdue, who they say has cut spending on education and health care for children.

But both Democrats emphasize different issues, and disagree on several.

TOP ISSUES

Hecht: On his Web site and in debates, Hecht emphasizes the need for a state constitutional amendment to mandate smaller classroom sizes. He also attacks high gasoline prices and the federal government's refusal to investigate charges of price-gouging. (Good issues to talk about...I especially like Hecht's willingness to ask why the price of oil already taken out of the ground goes up in a crisis. It's not noted here, but I'll also throw in the fact that Hecht talks about alternative fuels is another plus with me.)

The Jonesboro resident is a strong advocate of commuter rail, particularly on the south side of Atlanta, but also to Athens. (I'm in favor of commuter rail and like Hecht's ideas on transportation overall.)

Martin: His first priority is the establishment of a state-supported health insurance pool that would allow small-business owners to provide affordable health insurance for their employees. It would apply to firms with 25 or fewer workers. (Small business pools would be an effective way of providing affordable healthcare to those who don't already have it. It's the most sensible idea I've seen on the issue.)

Martin also wants to increase funding for home- and community-based care for the elderly. (As someone who has a 95 year old grandmother that fiercely clung to her independence as long as she could, I think more can be and should be done in this area. And this is something that will affect each and every one of us at some point, be it ourselves or our loved ones.)

DEATH PENALTY

Hecht: He favors the death penalty but not as "a frequent tool. It should be used in heinous cases, and it should not be used in a discriminatory manner," Hecht said. He favors the use of DNA testing in the appeals of inmates who are already on death row. (I've waffled on the death penalty. Admittedly when Carl Isaacs was executed in 2003 for his role in the "heinous" Alday murders in Seminole County, I wasn't very upset for him considering he was someone that openly bragged about what he did and said he'd do it again if he had another chance. The fact that he lived 30 years after his admitted crimes, costing the taxpayers of that county millions of dollars in living expenses, defense expenses, and court costs, was almost another crime perpetrated upon Isaacs' victims. However, I'm a big believer in redemption and the value of all life. Hecht's position is something I can live with.)

Martin: "I believe it has to be fairly and constitutionally administered, but I support the death penalty," Martin said. As a legislator, Martin was at the forefront of efforts to provide those accused of capital crimes an adequate legal defense and to bar the execution of juveniles and the mentally retarded. (Martin's work in this area is commendable and essential. All defendants, especially in these kinds of cases, should have the best defense possible. And I am unequivocally against the execution of minors or the mentally ill.)

In each case, courts have upheld his viewpoint, Martin said.

"It doesn't help any families or victims for a trial to be unconstitutional. All that means is the conviction gets overturned and you have to go through the process all over again," he said.

RAPE LAWS

Hecht: He has made an issue out of Martin's past attempts to rewrite state laws applying to sexual assault, saying that a 1993 bill --- which never passed --- would have opened rape victims to cross-examination on such things as their own behavior or their dress.

In the final days before the July 18 election, Hecht put out a flier on this issue, which misused a quote from Martin on the subject. Hecht has apologized, but says Martin started the fight by publicly questioning Hecht's commitment to women's issues. (Tit for tat doesn't cut it with me, especially when there's no basis for it. Essentially, it was this kind of misrepresentation of Martin's record that ultimately decided my vote in the primary. Votes should be won or lost on your own record or the true record of your opponent, not distortions. That's dishonest and disrespectful of voters.)

Martin: He denies Hecht's assertions that victims would have had a tougher time on the witness stand and says his efforts were backed by victims' rights groups. Establishing degrees of sexual assault, giving juries more choices, would have ensured more convictions, Martin said. He still favors the measure.

ABORTION

Hecht: He describes himself as "pro-choice," but also points to votes he cast in the state Senate against late-term, "partial-birth" abortions. Hecht has criticized Martin for holding up such legislation when he was chairman of the state House Judiciary Committee.

Martin: He also calls himself "pro-choice." Martin says he held up the partial-birth abortion bill because its Republican author refused to include an exception to allow the procedure if the health of the mother is at stake. "We don't need to be working on legislation that is unconstitutional, fatally flawed and very divisive on a very controversial issue," Martin said.

GAY MARRIAGE

Hecht: He defines marriage as being between a man and a woman, and opposes civil unions --- though Hecht supports the right of local governments to offer domestic partner benefits and legislation that would recognize a gay couple's right to control hospital visitation and the division of property. (At least he has something to offer the LGBT community. But not as much as his opponent does.)

"I don't like the politics of division. The other side uses this as a wedge issue to bring difficulty onto gay Georgians' lives," Hecht said.

Martin: Also defines marriage as between a man and a woman, but supports civil unions.

Martin said civil unions would protect the sanctity of marriage and would act "as a way to prevent discrimination." Georgia Equality, the state's largest organization supporting gay rights, has endorsed Martin. (Martin takes the stand that Cathy Cox should have taken, and I thought would have taken. I somewhat excused her on this issue because she was more gay friendly in her stances than her opponent, and because I thought her move to the right was a pragmatic move against the more conservative Dem, Taylor. I'm very interested to see how Martin would fare with his pro-gay positions in a general election vs. a neo-con like Casey Cagle. A successful run by Martin would shatter perceptions on this whole issue.)

ENDORSEMENTS

Hecht: His endorsements from other Democrats include Clayton County Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell, state Rep. Stan Watson of Decatur and Steen Miles, the DeKalb County state senator who finished third in the race for lieutenant governor. (The endorsement I respect the most is from Stan Watson. But some think that Miles' endorsement could translate into more African-American votes for Hecht in Dekalb County, which should see a higher turnout than most areas because of the McKinney-Johnson race.)

Hecht also boasts endorsements from five of the state's largest unions, several law enforcement organizations and 35 county sheriffs.

Martin: He has obtained endorsements from several members of the state Democratic leadership, including former Gov. Roy Barnes and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. He's also backed by the Georgia Association of Educators, a major teachers' group. (The Shirley Franklin endorsement is the biggest endorsement prize in any race in Georgia, bar none.)

MONEY

Hecht: In his last complete campaign disclosure as of June 30, Hecht reported raising a total of $1,245,347, with $269,463 in cash on hand. Personal loans that Hecht has made to his campaign amount to $384,350.

Contributions to Hecht's campaign cover a broad business spectrum. In particular, drugstores and pharmacists provided $25,150.

Martin: In his last complete campaign disclosure as of June 30, Martin reported raising a total of $1,151,928, with $293,657 in cash on hand. Contributions include a $35,000 personal loan from the candidate.

Contributions to the Martin campaign are dominated by checks written by law firms, but also include numerous small donations from professionals and from academics at state universities. Former Clinton aide Harold Ickes gave $1,000, as did Michael Stipe, lead singer for R.E.M. (Okay, so Martin will probably get the R.E.M vote.)

STRATEGY

Hecht: Hecht's geographic base is Clayton County, which is majority African-American --- an important factor in the Democratic primary. During the primary and the runoff, much of Hecht's efforts have been spent generating support outside metro Atlanta. In the primary, he ran TV ads in Georgia's smaller markets --- including Macon, Albany and Savannah.

Martin: Martin's base of Atlanta has a strong African-American base of voters, and his endorsement by the mayor of Atlanta is significant. Martin's TV campaign in metro Atlanta has consisted of two biographical vignettes. One, which focused on the 1980 kidnapping of his 8-year-old daughter, was intended to answer Hecht's implication that Martin was soft on crime.

WEB PAGES

Hecht: www.greghecht.com

Martin: www.jimforgeorgia.com

From The Advocate: "Georgia Republican Candidate Compares Gay Teens to Pedophiles"

The Advocate reports that Republican candidate for Georgia Attorney General, Perry McGuire, has stated that allowing gay clubs to meet in schools is "much like allowing a pedophile club or a gambling club to meet at school."

They go on to quote him as saying, "Homosexual activist clubs in schools are detrimental to students and to the moral well-being of society."

Even a realist like me, who acknowledges the fact that we in Georgia still have a long ways to go in improving our tolerance for the LGBT community, finds this absolutely shocking.

I realize that our current Attorney General, Thurbert Baker, isn't amongst the community's favorites at the moment. But, if these quotes are true, people like Mr. McGuire (pictured above with our illustrious president) do not deserve to hold elected office in the year 2006. He must be defeated. All I can say is take a good look at the new face of ignorance, hate, and evil in state of Georgia.

On top of that, he's ugly as sin! Not that there's anything wrong with being ugly.......... just saying he's pissed in my cornflakes this morning!

http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid35121.asp

UPDATE: Sovo's already reporting this on their blog. Here's Dyana Bagby's article:

http://www.sovo.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=8528

The Gwinnett County Commission just doesn't pay enough for this

The district 4 runoff between incumbent Kevin Kenerly and challenger Jodie Rosser gets murkier and murkier as evidenced by this Gwinnett Daily Post article:

http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=32&url_article_id=17927&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2

Kenerly foe to meet with Porter today
08/03/2006
By Camie Young, Staff Writer
camie.young@gwinnettdailypost.com

LAWRENCEVILLE - A political candidate will meet the district attorney today about alleged improprieties.

Jodie Rosser, who faces incumbent Kevin Kenerly in a runoff next week for the District 4 county commission seat, has been asked to meet District Attorney Danny Porter this morning, her husband Marcus said in a voice mail.

Jodie Rosser did not return repeated phone calls. "We believe this is politically motivated," Marcus Rosser said.

Porter said he would comment on Rosser and possibly other operatives today.

He would not confirm or deny if the grand jury, which met Wednesday, considered any wrongdoing by politicians. He said reporters could not see the indictments. Indictments are public documents, but Porter explained, in general, that indictments can be sealed to complete an investigation.

While the reason for the meeting with Porter is unknown, the District 4 race has had its share of political controversies.

Before the July 18 vote, DVDs of Kenerly during a gambling trip to Las Vegas were distributed to the media and then to the electorate, mailed to registered voters.

The Web site beatkevin.com that was listed as a return address on the envelopes, and the phone number of the person who registered the domain was linked to political operative Bill McKinney, but he has denied any involvement.

McKinney, who is a former business partner of Chairman Charles Bannister, said he has not met with the DA and has not been asked to."I read on the Internet that I'm being indicted like I robbed a bank," he said. "I'm disgusted with it."

Kenerly said he never spoke to the DA about the DVDs, but he did believe that the anonymous campaign, which also included mailers and roadside signs, is illegal.

He talked about the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which campaigned against John Kerry during the 2004 presidential election, registering as a political action committee and disclosing its actions.

But the DVD attack, which he blames on McKinney, was anonymous. "They sent it trying to distort the facts, and they spent thousands and thousands of dollars to sway an election," Kenerly said. "Hopefully some facts will come out."

Jay Bookman "Speaks Truth to Power" on McKinney's Vote Rigging Claims

Okay, this might stir up a hornet's nest. But I don't care. When criticism of E-voting comes up, particularly Georgia's Diebold system, only one point of view seems to come up around the blogosphere. And some people simply accept it as truth without much evidence. But both sides should be represented. Discussion is healthy when all angles are viewed.

Conspiracy theories, I suppose, are fun to talk about. Sort of like small town or office gossip that caters to a not so lovely part of human nature. The part where people sometimes just like to believe the worst about others that they either don't like or don't really know. As Bookman points out, it becomes easy to do this in politics (on both sides) when things don't go your way.

Folks, I couldn't give a rat's furry hiney about Diebold or E-voting. They mean absolutely nothing to me. But I'll tell you what does mean something to me. And that's the fact that when people like Cynthia McKinney and her supporters go around hollering "vote-rigging," they're making a very convenient excuse for their lack of success at the polls. I don't care that it comes at the cost of Diebold. They can go fly a kite as far as I'm concerned. But what I do care about is the fact that when she does this, she's impugning the character of local election officials in the counties that encompass her district. The reason why is because neither Diebold nor the Secretary of State prepares these free-standing machines for elections.

Furthermore, I'd like to know where Cynthia was when in the 2000 general elections 94,000 Georgians didn't have their votes counted? Was that fair? Some people are acting as if voting was a bed of roses with lever machines (like the one above), paper ballots, punch card systems (need I say more?), and optical scan machines. For years people complained about sticky or hard to pull levers, voting machines that jammed, had to be closed without votes being counted, ballot box stuffing with paper, and punch card and O.S. machines where the stylus sometimes didn't punch through properly or the voter failed to darken in the oval next to a candidate's name. Unbelievably, we actually have anti-E-voting groups actually advocating returning to paper. Ask Jimmy Carter about paper ballots. Or better yet, read his book, Turning Point.

Local people, either employed in the election superintendent's office, or local computer pros (i.e. programmers, IT people) are hired by the election board to meet annual training requirements and perform setting functions and doing advertised and public logic and accuracy testing. Georgia law prescribes how machines are to be securely stored and access severely restricted. Failure to do these things results in jail time, not merely being fired. To "rig" an election, you can't do so without the knowledge or help from just one person, you need a lot of people - in each county. With thousands and thousands of units, can you imagine the number of people this would involve in Dekalb County alone? If Cynthia's got the proof, I'm all for seeing it, prosecuting those involved, and ensuring that it won't happen again. Lip service doesn't cut it for me.

It's so easy to indulge in conspiracy theories when you're talking about "they" as in "they did it." But the fact of the matter is "they" are real people with lives, jobs, and families. Are there people capable of doing such things? Of course there are. It's happened many times before using any and all kinds of equipment, most especially paper ballots. But even though it happens, it doesn't give anyone the excuse to make loose accusations. And of all people who have participated in elections using Georgia's new system, only one has cried foul, and that's Cynthia.

There have been lots of studies concerning either Georgia's system or equipment similar to Georgia's being used in other states that may or may not operate with the set of security laws that Georgia has in place. The most respected one seems to be the CalTech/MIT study in 2004 that named Georgia as the biggest improver in counting votes, going from 49th best to 2nd best. Others have been more critical. And I'm not about to argue that they don't have some merit. We've never had a perfect voting system, and I feel sure that we don't have one now. Like anything else electronic in our society, E-voting is generally regarded as a work in progress. And Diebold probably should have to reveal their source code. By not doing so, they make themselves look like greedy monopolists looking to take advantage of a new market, which they might well be. But when it comes to elections, the safety and security of our voting system is of the utmost importance.

Differing points of view are welcome here. I'm just saying lets lay it all out, not just one side of it. And I do so for the sake of the local folks that get thrown under the bus for the sake of something that, as it stands, is nothing more than a convenient conspiracy theory.

Okay, okay I'll shut up now. Here's Bookman's AJC article:

The lame vote-rigging cries return

Jay Bookman - Staff

Thursday, August 3, 2006

After night comes day and after spring comes summer, so I guess we all should have seen this one coming.

After U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney was forced into a surprising runoff in last month's Democratic primary, her campaign proposed a likely explanation: Electronic voting machines used in the election were made by Diebold.

"Team McKinney lawyers have affidavits from voters with complaints that they intended to vote for McKinney but that the machine switched their vote to one of her opponents," McKinney's campaign claimed on Election Day.

Which of course would explain everything.

The idea that electronic voting machines made by Diebold have been rigged by corporate and Republican interests to dictate the outcomes of elections has become a central unifying myth among a certain segment of the American left. Even before the election, McKinney was a champion of that far-fetched allegation, which helps to explain why that particular group treats her as a heroine. It also explains why it's no surprise that she has now raised allegations of vote-rigging to explain her own political problems.

For McKinney and her co-theorists around the country, Diebold has come to serve much the same function that the United Nations serves for their counterparts on the conspiratorial right. Both groups feel a strong but vague sense of being unfairly denied power, and of their country being taken away from them. Both are also eager to blame that powerlessness on something other than themselves, on some nefarious outside agency.

So, while one group complains about black helicopters, the other complains about what they call "black-box voting."

As the theories go, rigged Diebold machines supposedly caused the defeat of U.S. Sen. Max Cleland here in Georgia in 2002, and played a major role in the defeats of presidential candidates Al Gore and John Kerry against George W. Bush.

However, Cleland, Gore and Kerry have never given the allegations any credibility, and for good reason.

Generally, those making the allegations never offer any evidence or firsthand testimony that the voting machines were rigged or that results were actually altered; they offer, at best, evidence that the machines or their software could have been altered or that there were opportunities to do so.

And all too quickly, "possibly could have been rigged" becomes translated by some minds into "was rigged," and we're off to fantasyland.

Just this week, a lawsuit was filed in a California court seeking to overturn the results of a special election in June to fill a vacant congressional seat. (The seat was left open when the Republican incumbent, U.S. Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, pleaded guilty to accepting bribes.)

Even though the district is heavily Republican, a Democratic candidate came close to winning the special election, which may bode poorly for the Republican Party come November. But there is no evidence that the California machines or voting results were altered in any way; the lawsuit --- filed by a lawyer from Washington state --- again merely claims that machines perhaps could have been altered, and on that basis it demands that the results be tossed out.

The truth is that if Republican leaders and their corporate sponsors could have rigged the voting in McKinney's race, they would have rigged it in her favor, so they could continue to portray her politics as the politics of the whole Democratic Party in Georgia.

And while some Republican voters may indeed show up to cast ballots against Mc-Kinney in the Democratic runoff Tuesday, Republican leaders in this state will privately be heartbroken if McKinney loses.

It's also telling to note that the person most responsible for bringing Diebold electronic voting to Georgia was Secretary of State Cathy Cox, who has defended the integrity of the machines as a vast improvement over the previous method of paper balloting, which they are. As a result, Cox has been accused of either being party to the vote-rigging or serving as a paid dupe of the company.

As it happens, Cox was on the same July 18 ballot as McKinney, in her case running for the Democratic nomination for governor. And what happened to the supposed darling of Diebold, in an election run on Diebold machinery?

Well, she lost.

> Jay Bookman is a deputy editorial editor. His column appears Thursdays and Mondays.
jbookman@ajc.com

http://www.ajc.com/thursday/content/epaper/editions/thursday/opinion_441da9d7f645319e000a.html

HD 136 Candidate Beth Perera Via Georgia Dem. Women's Grapevine

Beth Perera sends Tina, over at GDWG, this note on the Tifton Bioenergy Conference.........

http://www.democraticgrapevine.blogspot.com/

Hi Tina,

Yesterday's conference was attended by about 500 people. Opened by Sonny Perdue, and then filled with expert after expert offering advice and opinions and data on the biodiesel and ethanol future of GA. The bottom line is that we as a State have the capability to produce, process, and consume bio fuel locally, regionally and we also have the capability to produce these products for export to other states. This can truly be our agribusiness and distribution business (railroad, trucking) and investors' dream. Not only will we be fueling our own economy in GA, but also being a critical part of the solution to reducing/ending our reliance on foreign oil and curbing GHG (Green House Gas) effects. WE HAVE TO..... this is not a matter of "if," this is a matter of how quickly can we get the ball rolling.

Very exciting indeed! I was thrilled to be a part of this Conference, and only disappointed that I could attend only 1 of the three days. House Rep candidates Ron Bass and John Tibbetts are there attending all 3 days. I believe it is the civic duty of all government leaders to educate themselves to the greatest extent possible on this subject.

Beth Perera
Candidate for HD 136
http://www.bethperera.us/


Make sure and click the link to Tina's site. She has some great pics over there.

For Star Wars Fans

Looks like the relationship between Palpatine and Vader is a little more complex than originally believed. ;-)

A Suggestion for Cox Supporters Being Courted By Perdue

Our friend, Amy, at Georgia Women Vote has an excellent suggestion for Cathy Cox supporters being sent cards by the Perdue campaign seeking support for the governor.


"We could cost the Perdue Campaign a little money with a coordinated effort to return the pre-paid cards with similar responses. Maybe we could suggest that to our readers."

http://georgiawomenvote.blogspot.com/2006/07/nice-try-sonny.html

Amy filled her card out and signed herself as "informed voter" and told Sonny, "thanks but no thanks."

Being as that Perdue has a huge advantage in terms of money. We could send these post pre-paid cards back to Sonny and make a small dent in his mailing budget. We could also send the message that Democrats are united for our gubernatorial efforts this fall.

The campaign between Taylor and Cox was a rough one. Feathers were ruffled, and I'm afraid some long lasting grudges have been made. We all know what primary campaigns are like. Especially in this day and age where negativity seems to be the weapon of choice. What happened wasn't totally unexpected. But in the end, I think what's really important is to put a Democrat into the governor's mansion again. I still feel that's better for our state than to allow it to continue to languish under Sonny Perdue.

For those that aren't aware of what's been happening the last week or so, here's an AJC article about Sonny courting Cox supporters.


Perdue asks Cox backers for help

James Salzer - StaffWednesday, August 2, 2006

Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue is asking Georgians who contributed to the unsuccessful Democratic gubernatorial campaign of Secretary of State Cathy Cox to join his team.
In a letter to Cox supporters --- sent a week after she lost the Democratic primary to Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor --- Perdue writes, "I want to continue to create a unified Georgia, ready to move forward in a positive direction. I would be honored to have you join me."

Derrick Dickey, spokesman for the Perdue campaign, wouldn't say how many Cox supporters have signed on, but he called the response "overwhelming."

"Sonny has spent the past four years working for every Georgian, regardless of their political affiliation," Dickey said. "We believe the governor has a strong case for earning the support of folks across party lines and we will leave no stone unturned."

Some Cox backers said they doubted Perdue would lure a lot of her supporters.

"As unhappy as this Cox supporter was with the primary result, I know Mark Taylor would make a better governor than the one we've got now," said retiring Democratic Rep. Tom Bordeaux, a Savannah lawyer who contributed $2,500 to Cox's campaign. "Cathy was my first choice, Mark is my next, and Sonny would be my absolute last choice ... as in last person on earth."

Debbie Strickland, a Bainbridge Cox supporter and friend, said, "I still haven't decided if I'm going to vote, period."

But she said she's not a big fan of Perdue. "We're still at the bottom of the barrel in education, and he has thrown a little money at teachers to get their support." In the meantime, she said, he's concentrated on "things that don't matter," like changing the state flag.

When asked for names of Cox supporters who now support Perdue, the governor's re-election campaign staff mentioned Charles Rozier, a Bainbridge forester whose wife is a cousin of Cox's. He contributed $5,500 to Cox's campaign, according to state campaign disclosures. However, Rozier also gave $1,000 to Perdue's campaign for governor in 2002 when he ousted Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes, and $5,000 to Perdue's re-election campaign on June 30.

"To be fair about it, if Cathy lost, there were many of us that were going to gravitate to Gov. Perdue," Rozier said. "The way Lt. Gov. Taylor ran the campaign made it easier."

In his letter to Cox contributors, Perdue wrote: "Anyone with the courage to stand for election and open themselves to the scrutiny of a statewide campaign should be applauded. Secretary of State Cathy Cox ran a very commendable campaign for governor."

He said he has shared Cox's goal of changing state government, crossing party lines to get things done. "I think that's one of the reasons my legislative agenda passed the General Assembly with over 90 percent approval during the past two sessions." Another reason is that Republican have controlled both chambers of the General Assembly: in his first two years in office, when the Legislature was split between Democratic and Republican leadership, Perdue had a tough time passing some of his key initiatives.

The letter then provided a phone number and Web site where they can find information, donate or request a bumper sticker.

Rick Dent, Taylor's campaign spokesman, said he doesn't expect Perdue to have a lot of success courting Cox backers.

"Sonny can't convert Cox supporters any more than he can convert Taylor voters because both hate his billion-dollar-school cuts, both want affordable health care and both want a governor who works for them," Dent said. "And that's not Sonny."

http://www.ajc.com/wednesday/content/epaper/editions/wednesday/metro_440d845f73bb32ca0045.html

Here was my response on Amy's blog to Sonny's letter:

And while we're on the subject of Gov. Perdue playing "Mr. Niceguy," Bill Shipp offers us a reminder of how Perdue ran his campaign vs. Barnes in 2002, along with just a few of his accomplishments in office:

"Perdue must look back with some regret at his litany against Barnes. After Perdue moved into the governor's suite, he became the first governor in history found in violation of state ethics laws, a breach for which he was heavily fined. The Perdue administration imposed stiff state restrictions on local school systems. Class sizes and state expenditures were rigidly mandated. Perdue offered a record $400 million in state inducements to Korean automaker Kia to build a car factory in West Point. Barnes had offered $320 million to DaimlerChrysler for a plant at Pooler. In addition, the campaign fundraising activities of Perdue and the Georgia GOP dwarf the Democrats' efforts four years
ago."

http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/073006/opinion_20060730059.shtml

No, Gov. Perdue, you're no Cathy Cox. She set ethics standards while you broke them. She sought to give opportunities to teachers and students to be successful while you made their jobs as tough as possible. Cathy urged you to go to Detroit and save Hapeville's Ford plant while you went well over the top in buying a Kia plant.....KIA!! Frankly Sonny, you can't even tote Cathy's purse when it comes to those issues. And you won't be getting my vote in Nov., Mark Taylor will.

More on Tifton Bioenergy Conference

Here's another good AP article on using Georgia's crop production byproducts as sources to create bioenergy. I'm a frequent critic of the governor. So I'll be fair and say that I'm glad to see him attending this conference and speaking about alternative fuels and the possible impact that production of such could have on our state and our nation.

Peanuts, pine trees and sweet Georgia peaches touted as future fuel sources
ELLIOTT MINOR
Associated Press

TIFTON, Ga. - Part-time farmer Jimmy Griner arrived at the Georgia Bioenergy Conference carrying a quart of ever-so-fragrant, crystal-clear, 180-proof moonshine in a Mason jar.
He's licensed to make 10,000 gallons a year and hopes the potent liquid can help solve the nation's energy problems.

At the very least, a few swigs of the high-octane elixir distilled from fermented Georgia-grown wheat could make some people oblivious to the record-high fuel prices hitting Americans in the pocketbook.

Sponsored by the University of Georgia, the three-day conference attracted about 500 farmers, scientists, engineers and politicians.

Speakers from all over the United States and at least one foreign nation, Brazil, discussed the future of global energy supplies, the economics of biofuels, energy legislation and Georgia products that could be converted into fuels.

Gov. Sonny Perdue said promoting alternative fuels is "a significant step" toward important goals.

"First, we are ensuring long-term fuel stability, and reducing our dependence on foreign sources of oil," he said. "If we can grow our own fuel, why would we purchase it from dictators, or from countries who have pledged support for terrorist regimes?

"These initiatives add value to our farmers' crops," he added. "They will generate renewed interest and increased demand in agriculture."

Perdue said Georgia already has a few bioenergy companies that produced more than 3 million gallons of ethanol and biodiesel last year, most of it shipped out of state.

Plans are under way to build a $132 million plant in Camilla that would produce 100 million gallons of ethanol a year from corn. Another company is considering a $150 million to $200 million plant in south Georgia that would make 50 million gallons of ethanol annually from the cellulose in wood.

Perdue said the state has supported alternative fuels by providing nearly $1 million to fund a biorefinery at the University of Georgia in Athens and research at Georgia Tech to convert pine cellulose to ethanol.

In addition, the state is working on a comprehensive energy strategy that should be completed by December, and Georgians will eventually have a "roadmap" of affordable, reliable and environmentally responsible energy sources, he said.

With almost 25 million of Georgia's 37 million acres covered with forests, there's a big push to produce ethanol from pine trees. But experts say the technology for doing it on a commercial scale is still years away.

The state already generates 18 million dry tons of waste wood each year, including limbs and tree tops, Georgia Forestry Commission director Ken Stewart said. The amount of ethanol available from the waste wood alone - 80 gallons per ton - would be enough to replace 18 percent of the gasoline and diesel fuels consumed in the state each year, he said.

After his speech, the governor toured an outdoor display of tractors and trucks powered by ethanol made from Georgia-grown peaches, wheat and pine trees and others powered by biodiesel made from chicken fat, peanuts, cotton seeds and soybeans.

Standing beside a large sedan powered by a blend of gasoline and his white lightning, Griner greeted the governor, unscrewed the lid and gave the governor a whiff.

"It's the real deal," Perdue said with a smile.

"I have a license to make it," said Griner, 70, a retired college physics professor who has a small farm in south Georgia's Berrien County.

"I'm going to tell the revenue department to leave you alone," Perdue said.

http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/local/15172657.htm

Alternative Fuel Vehicles Caravan from Atlanta to Tifton

I noticed this AP article in the Macon newspaper via Georgia Daily Digest. This caravan, featuring vehicles powered by homegrown Georgia products like chicket fat and soybeans, leads up to the Southeastern Bioenergy Conference this week in Tifton. The article says that it is sponsored by UGA and will bring together 450 bioenergy experts and manufacturers from around the globe. That's big stuff for the little town of Tifton. But considering it's in the heartland of Georgia's farming industry, it's quite appropriate.

Caravan demonstrates potential of alternative fuel vehicles
ELLIOTT MINOR
Associated Press

MACON, Ga. - A caravan of alternative fuel vehicles drove from Atlanta to Tifton on Monday to highlight their role in cleaning up the air and making the country less dependent on foreign oil.

U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall, a Democrat and former Macon mayor who represents Georgia's 3rd District, said the nation's reliance on foreign oil has become an important national security issue. In addition, ever increasing fuel prices are becoming a burden for American families, he said.

"You see the prices people are struggling with," he said. "We do not need to be dependent on foreign oil. From the national security perspective, it's important to move to alternate fuels."
The eight-vehicle procession was actually a kickoff for a three-day, Southeastern Bioenergy Conference in Tifton. That meeting, sponsored by the University of Georgia, is expected to attract about 450 bioenergy experts and prospective manufacturers from around the world.
The alternative-energy caravan, sponsored by the Middle Georgia Clean Cities Coalition, left the Capitol in Atlanta on Monday morning, traveled south on Interstate 75 and rolled into Macon shortly before noon before heading back to the Interstate for the trip to Tifton.
"Many of these are powered by Georgia's home grown products," said Linda Smyth, a clean cities spokeswoman. "One vehicle is powered by biodiesel made from chicken fat. Others are burning biodiesel made from soybean oil.

"We're trying to promote products made from pine since Georgia has 25 million acres in forestry production," she said. "In theory any plant cellulose can be turned into ethanol - whisky from corn, rum from sugar cane and vodka from potatoes."

The vehicles included three large Chevrolet SUVs powered by a mixture of 15 percent gasoline and 85 percent ethanol. Two of them had bright green stripes against a yellow background of corn kernels, while the third was a solid black police vehicle with flashing lights, a siren, a large badge on the hood and the words "Backup has arrived" painted on the two front fenders.

Georgia Power Co. sent a hybrid work truck that runs on biodiesel and electricity.
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin, whose department is responsible for fuel quality in the state, rode down in a Ford pickup truck with a biodiesel-powered engine.
Irvin said Georgia's relatively small corn crop may limit production of corn-based ethanol, but it can offset that by producing ethanol from the cellulose in the state's vast reserves of pine trees.

"Bio-fuels are the wave of the future," he said. "I believe the price of (conventional) fuel has made them competitive."

http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/local/15165473.htm

Here's another article written by a local staff writer for the Macon paper on the same subject:

http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/local/15167822.htm

Sovo Highlights Allen Thornell

Sovo's Zack Hudson has a very nice piece on Allen Thornell who is involved in a runoff with Robin Shipp in the state house district 58 race. One of the reasons why I hope Allen wins is because he isn't "just the gay candidate." He seems to have a lot to offer in a lot of areas.........

Thornell aims to be more than ‘the gay candidate’ Lobbyist in runoff for state House seat

By ZACK HUDSON Friday, July 28, 2006

A strategy to take second place and secure a runoff election berth out of a crowded candidate field apparently worked for Allen Thornell’s campaign.
Thornell, who is gay and formerly served as executive director of Georgia Equality, is seeking the District 58 seat in the state House of Representatives. He faces an Aug. 8 runoff with Robbin Shipp, associate general counsel for Grady Health System.

In a field of four candidates, Shipp took the most votes in the July 18 Democratic primary with 1,657 votes (40.1 percent) while Thornell garnered 1,097 total votes (27 percent), according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office.

Shipp did not return repeated calls for comment for this story.

Thornell leads Shipp in campaign contributions leading up to the runoff. According to the latest financial disclosure information available from the State Ethics Commission, Shipp had $10,394 on hand while Thornell still had $35,790 in his war chest.

Thornell’s campaign has at least two more fundraisers planned before the runoff election, including the second round of a popular karaoke party at Mary’s, a gay bar in East Atlanta Village.

With no Republicans running, the outcome of the Democratic runoff will determine who holds the seat. If elected, Thornell would be the first openly gay man and first openly HIV-positive person to serve in the General Assembly.

‘You have to define yourself’

Thornell, now a union lobbyist, served as executive director of Georgia Equality from 2002 until 2004. Since moving to Atlanta in 1995, he has defined himself as an ambitious political insider with a particular gift for drumming up support and allies.

“At the very least it was seen as extremely difficult,” Thornell, 35, said of the idea that a gay person could win political office in Georgia just a decade ago. “Probably the biggest change is that more and more people have come out.”

Thornell acknowledges that his election would make history for Georgia, but says sexual orientation is not the focus of his race.

He gives a nod to lesbian political trailblazers like state Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates), who is Georgia’s first openly gay state legislator and was reelected to her post July 18, and former Atlanta City Council President Cathy Woolard, the state’s first openly gay elected official. But he said the only shoes he’ll have to fill are his own.

“You have to define yourself, because if you don’t, people will just define you as the gay candidate,” he said.

“I think that if anything, it’s basically, whenever you’re going to be the first at something — to me at least — there’s extra pressure to do it right,” he said.

If Thornell is elected and a gay rights issue comes up in the General Assembly, he said he will “play a large role in that.” But he said that his priorities mirror those of his potential constituents, gay and straight, such as health care, public education, and revitalizing the flagging Georgia job market. Thornell currently works as the deputy regional political director of the Service Employees International Union.

Thornell and his partner, Gary Haynes, have been together for over two years.
“With a partner who is political, all of a sudden you become the wife. I’m definitely my own person. I’m very independent,” Haynes said.

While endorsed by gay groups such as the National Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, Georgia Equality and the Atlanta Stonewall Democrats, Thornell also appealed to other groups.
Kay Scott, chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of Georgia, said her organization supports Thornell because he is the “candidate for choice.”

“We felt like he had a great vision for moving Georgia forward and to the center,” she said.
Shipp was endorsed by Rev. Timothy McDonald, pastor of First Iconium Baptist Church, who was a plaintiff in the unsuccessful lawsuit to repeal the state’s same-sex constitutional marriage ban.

http://www.sovo.com/2006/7-28/news/localnews/thornwell.cfm