27 NOV 08: LEFTOVER DAY
A happy and joyous Thanksgiving Day to you! And thanks to us, you don't have to wait until Friday to enjoy leftover goodies. Today we follow up on several items we mentioned here recently - so think of it as your big plate of leftovers, one day earlier.
1. Working on the LIFO inventory method, let's start with items we mentioned Wednesday. The wide-open Wachovia window was boarded up, when we drove by the bank on 13th Street Wednesday night. We'll see if either Senate candidate takes advantage of that board, to blame his opponent for it.
2. A blog reader's tip led us to Indy's - and sure enough, the restaurant on Whitesville Road was closed during the dinner hour Wednesday. The "thank you" sign outside reminded me of what was posted outside Tyler's in Phenix City after it caught fire. And if that wasn't enough of a clue, the sign wasn't even lit.
True confession: I drove by Indy's restaurant many times, but never stopped to eat there. So I accept part of the blame for its closing after 32 years - as I was simply too Indy-pendent.
Radio ads for Indy's boasted of the restaurant having favorites from "The Varsity." But the menu didn't sound anything like The Varsity I remember from midtown Atlanta. For instance, Indy's boasted of hamburger steak - which sounded like a sneaky way to save money on buns, while jacking up the price.
3. Speaking of restaurants, add El Vaquero on Northlake Parkway to the business employing off-duty police officers. I noticed one in the lobby Wednesday night - when he could have been outside handling overflow traffic in the parking lot.
(Is El Vaquero concerned about being robbed on a Wednesday night? There would be plenty of witnesses to the crime. Or is there another reason for the off-duty officers - stemming from all those discounted margaritas?)
4. Senator Saxby Chambliss may be a nice guy after all. Have you seen his Thanksgiving campaign ad with his family, in which he says he's praying for President-elect Obama? But then again, Chambliss could be praying Mr. Obama stays away from Georgia until next Wednesday -- one day after the runoff.
Lo and behold - Zell Miller emerged from hiding Wednesday, and endorsed Sen. Saxby Chambliss in the Georgia runoff. The former Governor and Senator said if Democrat Jim Martin wins next week, it could lead to a "far-left agenda" in Washington. "Zig-Zag Zell" ought to know, because he was over there at one point in his career.
(There's one place in Columbus which could settle this debate about who's the best candidate in the runoff. But for some odd reason, not one politician has bought commercial time on "103.7 The Truth.")
Advance voting for the Georgia runoff ended Wednesday afternoon. No, the Government Center will NOT be open for voting today - so you can only choose turkeys from open grocery stores.
5. The InTown Columbus web site has a provocative question open for discussion right now: "Do you read The Blog of Columbus?" We'd urge you to go there and say yes - but someone might start a rumor that we're plotting to run for mayor in 2010.
We're thankful on this Thanksgiving Day for the nice comments people have left about our blog at InTown Columbus. One of them came from the owner of a "junk store" on Buena Vista Road. Isn't it nice to know junk has moved beyond the days of yards?
We're thankful for many other things this year - and we close our holiday edition by listing only a few of them:
+ For gas prices dropping as low as $1.74 a gallon in Columbus. May gallons of milk soon do the same thing -- and they actually seem to be on the way.
+ For HDTV, which allows me to check two local weather channels anytime I wish. Now if WRBL's "24/7 Weather" channel would quit playing the same jazz music over and over....
+ For the St. Luke Ministry Center downtown, and its gym which has allowed me to run on cold or rainy days. I say "has allowed," because its new two-dollar fee is giving me second thoughts.
+ For AT&T high-speed Internet, which allows me to listen to live streaming audio of sports events. But five years later, Kansas still can't beat Syracuse in college basketball.
+ For mega-stores such as Wal-Mart - where you can buy a package of underwear along with a package of cookies, and the checkout workers won't ask any silly questions.
+ For the ridiculously long political season finally being.... oh wait. It still has five more long days to go.
+ For the "My Coke Rewards" promotion, which allows you to collect bottle caps to earn free 20-ounce bottles of soda. And you'd better hurry, because those cheaters at Coca-Cola are trying to reduce all those bottles to 16 ounces.
+ For my next-door neighbor, who watches over my plant and mail when I'm on road trips - even if he isn't offering to share that "Thanksgiving chicken" he told me he's cooking.
+ For the female store and restaurant workers who are calling me "Sweetie." If the roles were reversed, I probably would be scolded by my boss at least once a month.
+ And last but not least - thanks to YOU, the blog reader. Our count of "unique visitors" has jumped more than 30 percent this year. And some of your e-mails reveal exactly how unique you are - but no, I don't dare name any names.
BURKARD'S BEST BETS: FREE Thanksgiving dinner at 12:00 noon ET at Lamb Baptist Church in Smiths Station.... Chips Ahoy cookies for $1.68 at Wal-Mart SuperCenters.... and at least one holiday fight at the Cottonmouths game....
SCHEDULED FRIDAY: A tribute to our President-elect.... sort of....
The number of unique visitors to our blog is up 32 percent from last year. To advertise to them, offer a story tip, make a PayPal donation or comment on this blog, write me - but be warned, I may post your e-mail comment and offer a reply.
BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1,042 (+ 44, 4.4%)
The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author -- not necessarily those of anyone else in Columbus living or dead, and perhaps not even you.
© 2003-08 Richard Burkard, all rights reserved.