26 JUN 05: FROM HERE TO....

Congratulations to Monica Pang, who was crowned Miss Georgia 2005 at the RiverCenter Saturday night. Your blog's BIG PREDICTION of the winner, Amanda Kozak, was first runner-up - and now I guess she'll have to commute from Valdosta State University to be "Miss Warner Robins" on her own money.

(Oh well, picking the second-place woman out of 53 contestants isn't too bad. So when does Yahoo plan to start a "fantasy pageant league?")

Monica Pang was first runner-up at Miss Georgia last year, and this year she won it all. So what gave her that extra edge? It's not like she was endorsed by the incumbent....

By the way, the last name of your new Miss Georgia is pronounced like "ping-pong." It is NOT pronounced like "hunger pangs" - so you single guys can put those set-up lines away.

A sign on Milgen Road Saturday reminded me that New Life Tanning is the OFFICIAL tanning center of Miss Georgia. The managers must have slept very well Saturday night-- considering the last Miss Georgia was African-American.

For the first time in almost a decade, the Miss Georgia pageant was televised. But if you drove by the RiverCenter, you may have noticed the production truck was from WALB in Albany. Surely Al Fleming at NBC-38 can't be saying this pageant exploits women.

While Miss Georgia had a TV deal this year, Miss America still does not -- and that was the cloud over the pageant I never heard anyone discuss. Isn't any television network interested in showing good-looking, bright young women in a competition? C'mon, Spike TV, you sound like the perfect fit....

I read online last weekend that there's still no date for this year's Miss America pageant in Atlantic City. That apparently depends on working out a TV agreement - and late September is difficult for ESPN, with so many baseball and college football games.

(Hey, why not ESPN for the Miss America pageant? If this "sports channel" can show the National Spelling Bee....)

The online article noted more than two-thirds the scholarship money awarded at last year's Miss America pageant came from ABC. Then ABC dropped the pageant - and amazingly, the Southern Baptists just ended their long boycott of the network.

If that's not enough, the Miss America organization still has not filed a 2004 tax return! It took a four-month extension back in April - so there had better not be any controversy at this year's pageant about women wearing hair extensions.

All the uncertainty must cause some concern for the organizers of Miss Georgia. They don't know when the pageant in Atlantic City will be, so they can't plan a schedule. And how long can Monica Pang stay on a diet, to fit into that swimsuit?

By the way, Club Antifreeze on Buena Vista Road held a "Foxie After Party" Saturday night. Was this for "after" the Miss Georgia pageant? Forget about that crown and gown - hit the floor and let's get down....

E-MAIL UPDATE: Some flaming messages have been tossed around here lately, and it's now Justin's turn to fire at A.R. - but his title is "A Much Nicer Response":

Wow! I think I got under his skin. I'm so happy.

But I'm positive I about not making any racist comments during my e-mail. But hey if you are a yankee aren't all Southerners racist?

And for the record, where you are born is where you are from. If you are born in Calcutta and move to Georgia on the 3rd day of your life, you still aren't from Georgia. Being Southern is much more than the "War Between the States" and rednecks, it's the land of Cavaliers. Here in this home, gallantry takes its last bow. Look for it only in books, for it is no more than a dream remembered, a Civilization all but lost.

Something that is wholly lost on the those who think they know, but truly are miles from any understanding.

Shame on me - I thought "the land of Cavaliers" was Cleveland, where the basketball team is....

(Oh yes, the University of Virginia has "Cavaliers" - but many people there seem to prefer the nickname "Wahoos" now. And a graduate with a big student loan could be called an "Owe-Wahoo.")

I didn't consider Justin's first e-mail [22 Jun] racist - unless the U.S. Northerner is considered a "race" of people. Maybe it's the inbreeding of all those northern folks which keeps them from enjoying sweet tea....

And that part about "gallantry takes its last bow" - has Justin been watching too many Ken Burns documentaries on PBS lately?

But all in all, we thank Justin for not pouring too much gasoline on this fire. At two bucks a gallon, that's an expensive thing to do right now....

And now for something completely different - a reader who wants to "rant" about the changing Columbus phone numbers:

Richard,

As someone who lived in Atlanta for a few years and grew accustomed to ten-digit dialing, I can see its utility, at least in the Atlanta market. Previous to the assignment of 678 as an overlay code, 770 was given to areas outside the Perimeter, and 404 was given to areas inside the Perimeter, in the normal, geographically defined type of assignment. However, the entirety of the 770/404 region comprises a toll-free calling zone, and accordingly, the population frequently had to use 10-digit dialing to reach the other area code. In this case, assigning an overlay area code made sense.

The 706 region has the distinction of being geographically discontiguous (one of four in the North American plan), and would therefore adapt well to a geographic split. Augusta is relatively far away from Columbus, and certainly there is no toll-free calling between the two cities. LaGrange isn't even a free call to Columbus, which is why Diverse Power (f/k/a Troup EMC) customers in Columbus North are given a toll-free number for customer service. Adding more numbering capacity to the 706 region would be easy--just spin off the southwestern area or split it along Local Access Transport Area (LATA) boundaries in Georgia North.

Sure, half of the area would have to update stationery and address books, but local calling would not be affected. But with the PSC's decision, everyone in the current 706 will now be burdened with ten-digit dialing forever. There was a three-way geographic split of the former 912 area in Georgia South a few years ago, so avoiding overlays certainly is possible.

As you alluded to, now Columbus residents will be forced to distinguish Phenix City numbers with the 334 area code. Technically, it would be possible to implement an overlay with prefixes distinct from the local prefixes within 706, akin to how the 334/706 sharing is currently configured, but the announcement states that 10-digit dialing will become mandatory.

Happy dialing,

Thomas

Be careful with your language, Thomas. Say "overlay" around the wrong people in Columbus, and they'll report you to police as a suspect in a prostitution ring.

Thomas's point seems to be that the "North American Numbering Plan Administrator" blew it - and should have changed one part of the 706 area code completely to a new area code. It's an interesting idea. And if this mysterious administrator happens to be a Northern "yankee," there could be another uprising.

The Georgia Public Service Commission DID have a public hearing on the changing area codes, one week before last Thursday's vote. So the people had a chance to state their opinions - although it would have been only fair to have a toll-free phone number for people to call them in.

By the way, did you hear what the new area code in Columbus will be? It's 762 - which will be perfect for those of you who want to support Fort Benning. Check your phone pad, and "762" can be "S-O-A."

(But then again, some businesses probably will want to avoid the new area code - since 762 also spells out "R-O-B.")

Since Thomas brought it up: isn't it a curiosity that "long distance" LaGrange phone numbers are in the BellSouth Columbus directory - but numbers for Talbotton and Smiths Station aren't? Do these cities have the wrong Internet service provider or something?

Today's last e-mail takes us all the way back to 6 May, when we visited Dick McMichael's book signing downtown:

Was browsing at the book store and thought I would read the Dick Mc..what's his name's book displayed.Al Fleming's name was not spelled correctly.Flemming all the way through it.I am sure Al got a laugh...Maybe he should change his name like Miriam a/k/a Eve did to "Al Flem"..nice red-necky name,eh? and.... Speaking of killing two birds at the same time....AFLAC Duck is spared from
consumption by a mere feather ..check out sign above Aflac right above the Chik-Fil_A sign below it! ... Yours,BAM

BAM, all I can say to you is - KAPOW!

A busy schedule has kept me from finishing Dick McMichael's memoir "The Newsman" - but I checked it after this message arrived, and indeed he spelled Al Fleming's name with an extra M. No wonder BAM's message had the title "Al Who?"

(Given some of his commentaries on local TV in recent years, I wonder if a better name might be "Al Flaming.")

I think the reference to AFLAC and Chick-Fil-A refers to a billboard at the top of the hill on Wynnton Road at Buena Vista. Those cows may think they're something big up there -- but looking east, that big duck atop the AFLAC tower could lay an egg on them anytime.

Wow, we've touched on a wide range of topics here - so let's wrap up with a few more:

+ Which Columbus church pastor accused Senate Democratic Whip Richard Durbin of "not knowing history" - then in the same speech claimed the "four corners" area of the U.S. includes Wyoming? I know that's geography, but still....

(Before some of you e-mail me: just because Wyoming appears to have four corners on a U.S. map does NOT mean it's in the "four corners" region of the country.)

+ The Russell County School District showed a new promotional ad on WRBL, in which Superintendent Rebecca Lee says: "Russell County Schools IS a great place...." If the top educator can't make her subject and verb agree, maybe it's not that great for learning after all.

+ Former Columbus City Manager Carmen Cavezza appeared on the "Real Time" telecast from Cascade Hills Church. He advised graduates that one key trait of a leader is "selecting other leaders." So should we blame him for Isaiah Hugley making that request for a raise awhile back?

+ Columbus-area blues singer Precious Bryant appeared on public radio's "Prairie Home Companion." The show was live at Atlanta's Chastain Park. I think the closest thing Columbus would have to a "prairie" right now is the field at McClung Memorial Stadium.

+ Instant Message to "La Cantina" on Hamilton Road in LaGrange: So you're a "Latino" sports bar and grill? Does that mean I should scratch you off the list of places to watch next year's Winter Olympics? Will you be showing nothing but Mexican soccer matches?

BURKARD'S BEST BETS: Gas for $2.04 a gallon at EZ Pay, Buena Vista and Steam Mill.... chicken vienna sausages for 40 cents a can at Winn-Dixie.... and used Miss Georgia gowns should be going on sale somewhere....

(BLOGGER'S NOTE: Personal commitments will prevent us from blogging Monday. Shall we see you Tuesday?)

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