for 21 AUG 06: PERFECTLY BAD TIMING

So, you're asking, do we have fully-loaded overwhelming blog coverage of the Little League World Series TODAY? Sorry, not again. While Northern played its game Sunday, I had a car emergency. Thankfully, not every repair shop on the north side of the area shut down to watch the game -- even or even because it's Sunday.

When I planned the Power Frisbee schedule for Season 1, I intentionally left the Sunday before Thursday's Premiere Night open. "Dead Sunday," I called it -- for doing last-minute preparations and catching up on plans. After all, the National Football League doesn't play games on the Sunday before opening day. Football widows probably call it their last good chance.

I started the Sunday Power Frisbee errands by burning a CD of peppy Power Frisbee match music. But then as I drove down Wynnton Road, I noticed a flapping noise from the rear of my car. I didn't need that today. But then again, who wants to hear that ANY day - unless you sell tires for a living?

As I stopped to make copies at OfficeMax, I checked the back of the car -- and the left rear tire had a fairly big rip in the tread. Thankfully, the tire wasn't flat. But it looked like a pit bull had passed my car, and felt a sudden desire for chewing gum.

I went ahead and printed copies of the Power Frisbee rules to hand out on Premiere Night - saying as I did so, "Of all the days for this to happen." Actually I said that two different ways. One was out of disbelief, the other out of thanksgiving. If that happened next Sunday on the road to Valdosta, I would have become even worse than I already am -- the slowest car on Interstate 75.

The ripped tire suddenly changed the Sunday schedule. Since my tires have a warranty through Wal-Mart, I carefully drove to the Phenix City SuperCenter for repairs. Since it was Sunday, the only real traffic problem occurred on U.S. 280 between Opelika Road and the store - you know, the edge of the dead supermarket zone.

But because it was Sunday, there obviously would be a wait to get my tire examined and repaired. "An hour-and-a-half, two hours," the attendant outside the Wal-Mart "Tire and Lube Express" guessed. On a hot August Sunday afternoon, the only real entertainment nearby was a swimming pool - and I'd have to buy swim trunks at Wal-Mart, then walk to the Ramada Inn.

Resigned to my fate, but still thankful the tire problem occurred when it did, I found a few scattered items to buy at Wal-Mart and put in my car trunk before the car went on the rack for service. But the TV section showed nothing but Wal-Mart's in-store channel promoting other satellite channels. The Northern Little League would NOT be shown here -- but then, this was Phenix City and not Columbus.

I recalled August 1999, when I ate a Sunday afternoon dinner at Cici's Pizza in Auburn while the Phenix City team played on ESPN in the Little League World Series. The restaurant staff switched from that game to a movie on Nickelodeon. There may be "One Columbus," but there is NOT one East Alabama.

The Tire and Lube Express had a waiting room for customers - but the TV in that small room only had broadcast channels. That meant no incessant Wal-Mart ads, but also no ESPN to watch the Little League. And someone in the room actually seemed to be watching an infomercial on WLTZ.

At least I found a channel with a sports event on, where the Little League score was shown on the screen every once in a while. And from watching that event, I learned one other thing -- the WNBA Washington Mystics are a really lame team.

The Little League game was over by the time my car was ready. As I expected, I needed a completely new tire - and after a momentary mix-up over my warranty, I wound up getting it for free. You Democrats can keep pointing fingers at big bad Wal-Mart all you wish....

As for the game: the Northern All-Stars felled Phoenix 4-1 to stay unbeaten in the Little League World Series. So what gift does Mayor Bob Poydasheff win this time -- a six-pack of cactus juice?

Kyle Carter led the Northern team, by throwing a one-hitter as the winning pitcher and hitting a home run. But don't you wonder how many people are coming up to him, and asking if he's a grandson of the former President?

E-MAIL UPDATE: A message reached us with the title: "RAISING THE STANDARD WEBSITE." And boy, did we misunderstand that one! We thought Charles Weaver had set up a regular, run-of-the-mill site like all the others....

But no: "raising the standard" is the theme of Columbus Council candidate Charles Weaver. We checked his web site Sunday night, and found him standing in the middle of a home page amid nine boxes of various Columbus scenes. Younger voters will be disappointed to find Weaver does NOT start a tic-tac-toe game.

Charles Weaver is a relatively young candidate for Columbus Council, at age 31. His biography page shows recent work as a Columbus Police officer, and four years of experience managing Dillard's stores. He couldn't possibly have taken the police job to pay for those high-priced Dillard's suits.

Charles Weaver has a "definitions" page on his web site, in which he explains what "raising the standard" is about. He cites three fundamental parts to a community: "schools, environment and safety." I smell a Democrat here - because business and income aren't apparently that important.

Charles Weaver is running in Council District 1, and a map on his web site shows that district includes everything from the AFLAC Tower and the main library to the Carver High School area. It's truly a reminder that it doesn't take much in Columbus to move from the penthouse to the poor house.

Charles Weaver is challenging Nathan Suber for reelection. The campaign signs around District 1 declare Suber is "a good man!" That's nice - but whatever happened to that arrest involving his daughter?

We also receive "public service" items in our InBox from time to time. We post this one, for those who might be interested.

The First Annual Carver/Spencer High School Football Classic Unity Breakfast will be held this Saturday, August 26th at 8:30 AM at Friendship Baptist Church; 831 6th Avenue, Columbus GA 31901

This breakfast is the kick off event for the week of the Annual Carver/Spencer Football Game and is open to all Carver and Spencer High School students, parents, teachers, alumni and the community. Tickets are $6.00 and are available now.

For more information, please call 706-682-3892, or carveralumni@mchsi.com.

This doesn't sound like a bad idea. The more stories Carver and Spencer graduates swap at the breakfast, the more likely they are to actually pay attention to the football game.

Now for other bits and pieces from a Sunday which turned stormy:

+ The Army Times declared Fort Benning in the middle of the pack when it comes to bases. That's apparently because the median income in the Columbus area is below the national average. So? We're trying to help the new soldiers feel right at home....

+ The Ledger-Enquirer reported Columbus city government is about $250,000 behind in collecting landfill fees. We know where a lot of that money was hiding - but a bank retrieved that cash from the Schatulga Road landfill a year or two ago.

+ Instant Message to the Columbus Catfish: How did you wind up with a plywood board where your "will call" window at Golden Park should be? It can't possibly be because angry fans are upset with ticket shortage....

SCHEDULED TUESDAY: Who or what is the N.J.G.?....

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