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13 DEC 03: CHANGING TIMES
Did I get a shock when I woke up this morning! Two of my clocks said 8:10 a.m. - but my newest clock read 8:50 a.m.! If only my checking account would gain numbers this quickly....
My newest clock is an "atomic" one, that's supposed to pick up a radio signal from Colorado and be absolutely accurate. So how in the world did it gain 40 minutes overnight? Is somebody starting a scientific version of the show "Punk'd" for The Learning Channel?
Apparently the problem with this atomic clock is that I can't follow the recommended instructions for it. They suggest putting it "near a window facing Fort Collins, Colorado." My apartment's windows are on the north and south sides. The west side is nothing but a wall -- and I've never even felt inspired by Jerusalem to pray facing it.
The instructions for the atomic clock also say you should keep it away from electrical appliances. I've placed it half-a-room away from my TV set -- but the clock IS near my stereo. Did tuning in "Hallelujah AM-1460" get this clock drunk with the Holy Spirit or something?
The atomic clock is stuck at 40 minutes fast until 2:00 a.m. That's when the instructions say the clock "will automatically update its time." Am I glad you can't use it as an alarm clock - because who knows when it might wake me up.
When I obtained the atomic clock this past week, a friend of mine noted it has a thermometer as well - and he told me to start reporting temperature readings on this blog. So for those of you who care: the high in the apartment today has been 63.4 degrees F. The low was 62.8 degrees. And thankfully, it hasn't rained in so far at all.
The atomic clock isn't the only one that's acted strangely for me. Last year I received a "motivational messenger clock" for singing at the wedding of one of my nieces. The clock sat on my kitchen table and refused to work for months - but suddenly it's sprung to life with cooler weather the last couple of weeks. Does this mean motivated people can't take the heat?
The kitchen clock not only keeps the time, but it shows a rotating series of 40 motivational messages. As I write this, the clock is showing this message: "The power of desire cannot be calculated." Well, that depends -- because some desires CAN be calculated. As in child support payments....
BLOG UPDATE: Saturday came and Saturday went, but still the Muscogee County Deputy Sheriff who shot and killed Kenneth Walker remained unnamed. For all we know, his "administrative leave" has turned into a house-hunting trip in Costa Rica.
Sheriff Ralph Johnson will say only that the deputy who shot Kenneth Walker on I-185 has "18 to 20 years" of experience. If he keeps covering up the person's name like this, the Sheriff's experience could end with the next election.
Sheriff Ralph Johnson says Muscogee County's investigation is over, and things were handled properly on I-185. Well, that was quick! The Columbus Police works just the opposite way - with the officer's name released right away, and weeks of investigation which never seem to end.
Sheriff Ralph Johnson says the Georgia Bureau of Investigation now will do its own check of the I-185 shooting. But Kenneth Walker's family wants a federal investigation - so wherever this deputy is, he could wind up at Guantanamo Bay.
(And if all else fails, Sheriff Johnson could face the biggest scare of all - a visit to Columbus by Jesse Jackson.)
Someone at church suggested to me today the name of the Muscogee County Deputy is being withheld "for security reasons." I'm not quite sure what he meant by that. From all we've heard, Kenneth Walker worked for Blue Cross -- not al-Qaeda.
Kenneth Walker's family has hired attorney Gary Parker, who says he plans to file a wrongful death suit against the Sheriff's Department. This certainly is understandable - but it raises a question. Why doesn't attorney Ken Nugent offer this in his TV commercials? He'd probably get a bigger payday than with all those car wrecks.
Now some other notes from a rainy December weekend:
+ Jimmy's Car Stereo on Manchester Expressway displayed this sign outside: "XM IS HERE. GIANT X MAS SALE." So is THAT what XM is - a radio station playing nothing but holiday music?
+ A car passed me on Veterans Parkway with an Alabama license plate saying: "GOD IN ME." I'd tell you more about this godly driver - but as I say, he passed me. And he was driving well above the speed limit....
+ Georgia and Georgia Tech's basketball games played in the "Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Holiday Tournament" at Atlanta's Phillips Arena - and we noticed large numbers of empty seats. Someone must have goofed, and told fans the Atlanta Hawks were playing.
COMING SUNDAY: A special look at that ethics question we've promised you....