1 AUG 06: TECH-ING FLIGHT

Columbus Technical College announced plans Monday for its first-ever capital fundraising campaign. Hopefully students will be allowed to take part in this - if only so they'll learn whether this sort of drive is spelled with an "a" or an "o."

Columbus Technical College wants to raise money for a new health sciences building, on the site of the old Columbus Carpet Mill on River Road. While they're at it, the new culinary arts program ought to go there as well - since it would be right across the street from Popeye's Chicken and Golden Donuts. [True!]

Officials at "Columbus Tech" say -- whoa, stop there a second. Many of those officials don't seem to like that shorthand name. Without the word "college," they seem to consider it a slap. Yet when was the last time you heard Georgia Tech's President demand reporters say the word "Institute?"

(At least the President of Columbus Tech didn't name the campus after himself. For one thing, Bob Jones University already is taken in South Carolina....)

With all that said: officials at Columbus Tech say they're running out of room at their current complex along Manchester Expressway. That's why they need a new building for the health program. If anything, you'd think the auto mechanic program would need more space - for all those SUV's and Hummers.

Columbus Tech officials say they have a deal with the state of Georgia. If the college builds one new building, the state will pay to build another. Hey, what do you know -- this could explain State Senator Ed Harbison's homes in two different cities.

If Columbus Tech can have a "build one, get one free" deal with the state of Georgia, why not the rest of us? The best "BOGO" many of us have right now is for Payless shoes....

So what's the financial goal of the Columbus Tech fundraising drive? Actually, there isn't one right now. The campaign is open-ended - probably to encourage AFLAC to write the largest check possible.

This is a really clever move by Columbus Tech, to have an open-ended capital campaign. For one thing, you can keep it going as long as you want - and eventually the person in charge of fundraising might get a permanent job.

For another thing, this capital campaign begins several months after Columbus State University ended one of its own. So Columbus Tech may be treating this like the world's longest game of cricket -- and C.S.U. President Frank Brown might have to wait a LONG time before his turn at bat comes up again.

Without even knowing this was coming, I happened to spend part of Monday at Augusta Technical College on the other side of the state. Its nice well-manicured campus is probably matched in this area only by Chattahoochee Valley Community College - and it has so many buildings that when I dropped off Power Frisbee promotional posters, the staff wasn't sure how many it needed.

I couldn't help noticing one of the buildings at "Augusta Tech" is named after a Patrick -- much as Carmike's Carl Patrick has a prominent name on one of the Columbus Tech buildings. I didn't know better, I'd think the family is trying to spread its movie theater monopoly all across the state....

If Columbus Technical College needs any free advice with its capital campaign, I'll be happy to offer some:

+ Send those "singing" students from the old TV commercials out to perform all over the city. By the time it's over, maybe they'll all be able to sing without lip-synching.

+ Start a sports program. South Georgia Technical College in Americus did this a few years ago - and it has yet to challenge Georgia Southwestern State University to a game, and show them up.

+ Promise the new health sciences building will have not merely a CT-scan - but a "Columbus Tech scan."

+ Add an overhead bridge to the master plan - so the health sciences building leads people directly to that new CVS pharmacy on River Road.

E-MAIL UPDATE: From our "last shall be first" department, our closing comment about WRBL's missing Saturday night newscast brought two differing views in response. This one came first:

+Instant Message to Blogger: WRBL also ran "Who's the Boss" Saturday night at 6. Could it be that the folks in Spartanburg, SC who run the station--as WRBL has no "master control" in Columbus anymore, thought that Columbus was in the central time zone? Oh wait, they did it again at 11...so there goes that theory. Maybe they have given up on weekends, or a safer bet--they had yet another systems meltdown. Dang those computers running on Windows 98.

On another subject, it's often hard to tell when your e-mail quotes end and your blog resumes. Suggestion, why not italicize the e-mails....or doesn't that new computer have that function? :-) I'll be looking forward to seeing me in italics on the blog!

Enjoy you blog...

VO

Ouch -- this seems like VO is trying to score a KO....

I didn't realize WRBL's computers still used Windows 98 software. At least I upgraded to the "Second Edition" before my late computer died in June -- so I could watch MSNBC videos for at least a few weeks.

Yes (ahem), my new computer DOES allow italicized type. But I tend to reserve that in blog e-mail for distinguishing comments made by others -- for instance, my remarks compared with the message writer's. I'll be happy to put YOU in italics, if you send a picture showing you leaning to the right.

But I digress -- here's the second message about WRBL's night off from newscasts:

Looks like WRBL is working on a new set. The current one has been reconfigured with poor lighting and chroma-key background, and the weather and interview sets are now in office areas. Maybe this explains the "Who's the Boss?" rerun. I wonder if they will be adopting the standard Media General look; e.g., WJBF in Augusta.

Of course, this is long overdue. WTVM's previous two sets were better than the makeshift one WRBL has been using since the failed "working newsroom set" idea.

Thomas

Based on what I saw Monday night, this explanation appears closer to the truth. Phil Scoggins had to give up the anchor chair during the 6:00 p.m. news, so Creshon Saunders could talk with Dan Edward about sports. It was almost like WRBL was using its pretend news set from Riverfest.

(But I have yet another theory on this - maybe the new Chief Meteorologist demanded a larger weather center in his contract.)

I had a good look at WJBF's news set Sunday evening, because that station's weekend sports anchor covered our Power Frisbee tryout in Augusta. It didn't seem drastically different from what WRBL has now - but in a potentially ominous sign, it turned into a "Fox 54 News at Ten" set during the evening. [True!]

Why is it that Media General stations have lookalike news sets, anyway? I noticed this several years ago during a vacation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where WBTW's backdrop was exactly like WRBL's. Maybe it's like Columbus Tech - if you buy one studio, you get a second one free.

The WRBL web site mentioned nothing Monday about what happened Saturday night. But it leaves me wondering - what happened to the "Powerhouse Team" concept? Wouldn't the Opelika-Auburn News let the TV folks in, to do news during an emergency? Or was the TV staff receiving training in how to run printing presses?

While that search for answers goes on, we find other gems from the last couple of days:

+ Advance voting began for next Tuesday's Georgia primary runoff. We have this tip for poll workers - there's probably no better time than this week to read the political book we're promoting, since you're likely to become bored waiting for voters.

+ Summit Hospital in Phenix City held an open house, before it officially opens. Those of you who chose not to attend this apparently prefer to be surprised, when you're rolled into the emergency room.

+ An early-morning fire caused about $60,000 damage at the Lucky 7 lounge on Victory Drive. The damage to dancers' clothing is estimated at about $500.

+ Toronto Raptors basketball coach Sam Mitchell opened his annual summer camp at Columbus State University. Remember, youngsters, following Mitchell's example might give you a nice playing career in the N.B.A. - but as a coach, you'll make the playoffs about as often as the Atlanta Hawks.

+ Georgia head football coach Mark Richt signed a new eight-year contract, valued at $16 million. So?! How big is his shoe deal?

+ The Atlanta Falcons warned receiver Brian Finneran might miss the entire season, after injuring his knee in practice Sunday. So much for him catching long passes from Michael Vick - you know, those Finneran's Rainbows.

+ Instant Message to St. Luke United Methodist Church: Why are there two big piles outside your sanctuary door, of what appears to be carpeting? Did someone sneak wine in for communion, in place of the grape juice?

BURKARD'S BEST BETS: Gasoline for $2.76 a gallon at Raceway.... but sorry, it's on Gordon Highway near downtown Augusta....

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