21 JAN 11: Freezer Queen
The new mayor of Columbus continues to defy the stereotypes. Teresa Tomlinson announced Thursday she will NOT give city departments any extra money this fiscal year. Doesn't she realize Democrats are expected to overspend lavishly, and put governmental bodies in debt?
Mayor Teresa Tomlinson could have made "budget adjustments" in the middle of the fiscal year. But she decided against it, because the city is "relying on general operating reserve funds" now. If you're calling up the reserves, you know the economic battle is intense....
Teresa Tomlinson told WRBL she decided against budget adjustments, even though some unnamed city departments hoped for a "little extra gravy." Those department heads should have realized the Butler's Pantry was known for sandwiches, not mashed potatoes.
But we found out Thursday Teresa Tomlinson freezes more than city budgets. The River City Report posted details of a radio interview, in which the mayor reveals she freezes new shoes. Huh?! I'd expect members of the Columbus Cottonmouths to say this, but not a mayor....
Teresa Tomlinson explained to WFXE-FM "Foxie 105" she fills "Ziploc bags" with water, puts them in new high-heel shoes, then puts the shoes in the freezer overnight. The mayor says it leads to pain-free shoes that "fit perfectly." And on a July afternoon, a walk outside probably feels extra peppy.
(I tried an experiment similar to this last summer, on trips to the supermarket. I took off my hat when I walked inside, then placed cold and frozen foods inside my hat until I reached the checkout lane. A cool hat smelling like ground turkey beats a warm hat smelling like sweat anytime.)
The Foxie 105 interview introduced a side of Mayor Teresa Tomlinson which never came up during last year's campaign. She declared herself a "funk queen" who enjoys dancing to the music of Earth, Wind and Fire. NOW we learn this! We could have had "Dancing With the Candidates," matching Tomlinson against Zeph Baker's electric slide.
Mayor Tomlinson added her idea of a "last meal" would be quite Southern-style - fried chicken, macaroni with cheese and collard greens. Isn't this amazing? Compared to what her restaurant served, Tomlinson would have to eat out elsewhere.
The new mayor apparently offered only one complaint during her radio interview. Teresa Tomlinson says she buys six sticks of lipstick at a time, because her favorite always seems to be out of stock. Wow -- I thought the caller who complained to Tomlinson about a Pampers shortage had it bad [19 Nov 10]....
(Comments like this one will start political rumors, you know. Is Teresa Tomlinson stockpiling lipstick, for a future campaign against Sarah Palin?)
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E-MAIL UPDATE: We had a strong response to the opening day of our latest BIG BLOG QUESTION - but also a bit of a complaint....
How could you leave off the power couple list..Mr.and Mrs.Danny Amos..??
There's an "other" line in our "power poll," if you want to write in the Aflac chief executive and his wife. But remember, her name is spelled Kathelen - NOT Kathleen. The better to guard against identity thieves, I suppose.
While our poll goes on, so does the news of the day....
+ Our exclusive Burkard Bulk Mail Index closed above the 1,000 mark for the first time since March 2009. I suppose this is a sign of economic recovery. Either that, or all the serial spammers are finishing their prison terms.
+ The Ledger-Enquirer revealed Assistant District Attorney Don Kelly has been demoted and taken a pay cut, after a drunk driving arrest in December. District Attorney Julia Slater said firing Kelly would have been "a knee-jerk reaction" - apparently along the lines of seeking capital punishment.
(Kelly reportedly admitted to a police officer in December he shouldn't have been driving drunk - and also admitted he was an assistant prosecutor. It's once again proof that alcohol works better at revealing the truth than hours of waterboarding.)
+ WTVM reported the Harris County Sheriff's Office is replacing its fleet of Ford Crown Victorias with Chevrolet Tahoes and Ford F-150 pickup trucks. I can understand the Tahoes - but why F-150's? Wouldn't a suspect simply jump out of the truck bed, once a deputy starts driving him to jail?
+ WRBL reported the Eufaula School Board will allow students to take cell phones to schools, beginning in February. But students will need a teacher's permission to use them during class hours. We have to protect our teachers from appearing in embarrassing YouTube clips, you know....
+ Auburn University announced students will be allowed on the field, for Saturday's football championship celebration. But like the ban on live television, I suspect there's a catch to this. For instance, a "no-knives" rule - because square feet of the Jordan-Hare Stadium turf can make the university hundreds of dollars at auction.
+ The Auburn men's basketball team fell to Florida 45-40, while the Lady Tigers topped Mississippi State 45-41. If the women are scoring more points in a game than the men, it may be time to open the men's team to all comers.
+ Instant Message to WLTZ: Aw, c'mon - "Manhunt Monday" already sounded silly enough. But "War Eagle Weather"?! That's like the Atlanta radio station which used to have "Tomahawk Traffic," even when the baseball team was in the middle of a ten-game road trip.
SCHEDULED THIS WEEKEND: Comments about an apology, and a complaint about an obituary....
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