24 JUN 05: THE BIG TEN
A major change which will affect all of Columbus became official Thursday. The Georgia Public Service Commission voted to add a new area code, and require everyone to make phone calls with ten digits. Thankfully, I have ten digits on my hands to match.
Starting in September, new phone numbers issued in the "706 area" will have a new area code. We don't know yet what those numbers will be - so Cash 3 lottery players are asked to have some patience....
The Public Service Commission web site has a page explaining the extra area code. It says the three-digit code will be issued by "the North American Numbering Plan Administrator." Talk about big government! There's someone in charge of every number in the U.S. and Canada?! Did he give Joe Nemechek NASCAR number 01, too?
It was that mysterious North American Numbering Plan Administrator who decided it was time for Columbus to have a second area code. If we find out this person makes tall sculptures as a sideline....
That ol' North American Numbering Plan Administrator actually called for a new area code in Columbus four years ago - but Georgia state officials found ways to avoid that. And you thought local mills were closing because of Chinese competition....
The Georgia P.S.C. web site actually calls what's about to happen with our phones "area code relief." Yeah, right. These commissioners must have phones with no speed-dial numbers to change.
Columbus isn't really the main reason for this new area code. Population growth is very high in other parts of the 706 area code - such as Dawson County north of Atlanta. I didn't know that many people wanted to keep seeing Bill Elliot, after he retired from stock car racing.
The ten-digit dialing will be phased in. Starting in September, you'll be able to dial local numbers with either seven or ten digits - what the Public Service Commission calls "permissive dialing." I thought that happened when a parent bought children their first wireless phone.
The drop-dead dialing date for everyone in Columbus to use ten digits is April 3, 2006. Why not two days earlier - so many people feel like they're enduring a frustrating April fool's joke?
(For that matter, why not even one day earlier? That's Sunday, April 2 - and when people switch to daylight time, they can grumble about two big changes at the same time.)
The P.S.C. web site doesn't explain this, but I'm assuming the change to ten-digit dialing means you'll also have to dial "334" to reach Phenix City. But will people there only have to dial SEVEN digits to contact Columbus? And won't this give Phenix City residents an unfair edge in winning radio station contests?
If you think about it, the addition of a second area code in Columbus will offer some advantages....
+ It will be easier than ever to spot the newcomers to town - the ones old-timers need to work on.
+ If singers from Columbus ever become finalists on "American Idol," they'll be able to sell twice as much clothing as Ruben Studdard did.
+ Calls from 706 to the new area code still will be considered local calls. How I wish the people who move here from Atlanta with "404" cell phones would do us a favor, change their numbers and save us money.
BIG PREDICTION UPDATE: Well, well! "Miss Warner Robins" Amanda Kozak won a SECOND Miss Georgia preliminary event at the RiverCenter Thursday night. But then again, the judges on "Dancing With the Stars" loved Rachel Hunter - and she's gone now.
For the first time in almost a decade, the crowning of Miss Georgia this weekend will be televised across the state. This certainly beats a few years ago - when the late Suzanne Lawrence introduced the winner on the Saturday night news, from what looked like the Three Arts Theatre's fire escape.
A less publicized part of the Miss Georgia pageant wraps up today, with the crowning of "Georgia's Outstanding Teen." They're holding this event at Saint Luke United Methodist Church - so why don't any of the contestants make Bible reading their platform?
E-MAIL UPDATE: The man whose e-mail inspired our current BIG BLOG QUESTION three days ago apparently hasn't quit reading our blog completely - because we've heard from him again:
First, let me say to you Richard, thank you for coming to my defense (somewhat) when that member of the KKK Justin said I obviously wasn't a Southerner. That's the kind of crap I and other SOUTHERN CITIZENS such as myself have had to deal with since moving to this great region of the country. I may not be a born, inbred redneck like that guy, but at least I love my state and the place I live, even though the weather is hotter than hell....and some of the people obviously still can't stand it that their....hmmm, lemme figure this out cos is has been over 130 years.....great, great, great, great grandparents lost the Civil War. TS....and I don't mean Elliot. I may not have been born in the CSA, but damnit, I do see myself as a Southerner after living here since I was 9 years old. This is where I grew up pally. Deal with it. Then again, if expressing your opinions is not a Southern thing to do, then hand me a carpet-bag right now. F***ing racist.
It's that YANKEE GO HOME attitude that has given the South a bad name for the past 130 years. Why do Y'ALL think that the only airtime the South can get on TV is The Blue Collar Comedy Tour and Jerry Springer? Why is it that network execs in NYC only see fit to let the inbred, redneck stereotype of the South on television? Think real hard on that one. Face it chump (not you Richard, you I at least respect), that veil of secrecy that covered the South for 130 years is coming down. By 2030, 142,000,000 + of the country's population will be living in the South, namely cities such as Atlanta and Charlotte. That's a lot of yankees.
And to further hammer in my point: I'm a guy that holds the door open for people when entering a building (I may have held one open for you at one time). It's something my parents taught me. But hardly has any "southerner" held the door open for my wife (who was born in Lilburn) or I,.....ever. When I visited New York for the first time in 2002, I found "yankees" holding the door open for me and smiling at me and chatting with me. Where's your "southern hospitality"? It's a myth these days as far as I'm concerned. And if it ever was present, it was only a guise. A way for people like you to choke back the
bile in your throats when just SEEING a "yankee" such as myself. What a mix, southern hospitality and lynching. That's a joke. I found more friendly people in the North than I EVER have in the South. Your response is proof positive. Put that in your corncob pipe and smoke it!
Secondly, AR is not my real name, and that's only because in my profession I'm not allowed to express my opinion without consent from my bosses. Ask anyone who works for the media (hint,hint). It's for my protection. I don't consider it cowardice. I was let go from a very big media giant for expressing my opinions in public before and I won't let it happen again. Mistakes of youth.
And as to judging people.......I think you've demonstrated that very well.......yankee go home.......jesus, that's southern hospitality for you. hahahahahahahaha.
In closing, to "M" who can't work a PC......no I don't think you're dimwitted. My old man has had a PC for about 3 years now and still asks me how to turn it on. Like it or not, I am a nice person. I just call em like I see em. Can I be sued for that? If so, get me a ticket to Canada, cos free speech is dead in my country.
AR
Yes sirree - THIS is the sort of happy, friendly blog we want all Columbus newcomers to read....
But A.R., I must come to Justin's defense here - because I've known this man for a few years, and he's never revealed himself to be a member of the Klan. The only time he might show a "KKK" sign would be if a baseball pitcher struck out the side.
I'm going to steer clear of most of A.R.'s insults - but you know, he DOES have a point about which side won the Civil War. If you think General Sherman's "march to the sea" was a fluke, then you might as well agree with Saddam Hussein that he's still the President of Iraq.
As for "redneck stereotypes of the South" on network television - well, why hasn't anyone proposed an "In the Heat of the Night" reunion show?
I try to hold doors open for women, just as A.R. does - and when my hands are full, both men and women tend to hold doors open for me. That's only courteous. But I had a confusing moment as a teen in the turbulent 1970's, when I held a door open for a nice-looking girl at high school -- and she walked out the opposite door without a blink.
Then there's that debate about "judging people." My Pastor never brings up the "judge not" Bible verse without also mentioning another verse which says, "judge righteous judgment." Please note it does not say you're to have it SELF-righteously....
Can A.R. be sued for "calling 'em like he sees 'em?" In some cases, the answer is yes. The editors of the National Enquirer probably could offer you some examples....
Let's try to put out the fire from that e-mail with another one, which has quite a different tone. His title mentioned the "deep fried, countryfied north":
Hi there,
Recently came across your blog looking for LOCO's (Cause I heard something bout a poker tourney on the radio & I am hooked..but anyways)....I loved it.
You are quite humorous and unforgiving with your snappy wit & opinions but I really appreciate that bold honesty. Its quite refreshing and hiliarious at the same time. I might not agree with everything you say...but a lot of it ... if I agreed with everything I would probably be a stalker...lol
I am glad to see you're a churchgoer (though I am not really)...its also good to see people not ashamed to love the lord. My sister is the same way and I just cant see how she does it. She is also a VERY talented gospel singer but I am afraid she has let that take a back seat lately. I hate that....her voice is so pretty.
Anyways...keep up the good blog and I will try to tune in often now that I have found your site.
Oh yeah...the from the deep fried countryfied NORTH part....... I lived in Columbus for most of my adult life (or at least the area ... originally from Seale, Al...OH GOD AN ALABAMIAN) ... 2 and ½ yrs ago my wife & I moved with our lil bundle of joy to be near her family in Michigan...... and 2 weeks ago we moved back with almost nothing as a result of a disagreement with her family .... but ... air mattress and all...we are happy to be back....
L8ter
Glenn
Now THAT'S more like it! Thank you for the nice words, Glenn - but is LOCO an abbreviation for something? Or are you really looking for crazy people in Columbus?
We certainly would discourage Glenn from becoming a "blogger stalker." Try that place several blocks north of my home - and stare through the RiverCenter window at the Miss Georgia contestants.
Glenn must have had quite a jolt, moving from Seale to Michigan a couple of years ago. For one thing, people that far north do NOT cook outside on the grill after Labor Day - because that's the official start of marshmallow and wiener roast season.
Remember, Glenn, you do NOT have to sleep on an air mattress at this time of year. I've gone jogging several mornings this week, and seen plenty of people sleeping outside on Riverwalk benches.
Now let's wrap up the week with some quick items from the last couple of days:
+ Which Columbus weathercaster just took a job in Raleigh, North Carolina - and no, it's NOT the one who went to college there? This must not be a TV station with one of those catchy "live, local" slogans....
+ A potential new radio show called "Front Porch of the South" had its debut at the Bradley Theater. They couldn't have it on the "front porch" of the theater, of course - because construction noise on Broadway or the Uptown concert series might have drowned it out.
+ Basketball legend Julius Erving visited a summer camp at Columbus State University. Could you imagine "Dr. J" trying to play Thursday night, in Game 7 of the N.B.A. finals? He would have been hacked at least twice, before even lifting his hand to dunk the ball.
+ Auburn freshman basketball player Toney Douglas withdrew his name from next week's N.B.A. draft. I'm glad he finally realized if most Auburn fans haven't heard of him, most pro scouts probably haven't either.
+ Instant Message to a local broadcast personalty who shall remain nameless: No, I will NOT post your letter with that rumor about the Catwalk lounge. If city officials want to go there to prepare for the 2006 Georgia Conference on Tourism, that's their business.
COMING SATURDAY: A view of the Supreme Court's "eminent domain" decision you may have overlooked....
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