22 NOV 08: ONE FOR THE AGES

(BLOGGER'S NOTE: You may find the following item humorous, serious, or a little of both - but we offer these thoughts from time to time, as we keep a seventh-day Sabbath.)

"Good morning, Mr. Nahley," I said to a man in a Columbus grocery store Friday. I won't say which store, because this former TV celebrity might not want the paparazzi tracking him down.

"How're you doing?" was the answer from Don Nahley, as he moved his shopping cart along. Yes, the 78-year-old former Rozell co-host was out buying groceries - even with the temperature at about 40 degrees F. Since he's a native of New England, he only needed a sweater. Some Columbus natives act like an Arctic parka is mandatory.

It's good to see someone 78 years old getting out and around on a chilly day - but I've found a man who beats even that. During a run the other afternoon on the Phenix City Riverwalk, I passed an older man walking the other way. "I used to do that, many moons ago," he told me. Older people measure time by moons. Younger ones tend to think waiting "forever" is five seconds at a traffic light.

After a turnaround several minutes later, I came upon the man again and wanted to hear more. He's an 88-year-old retired METRA driver, and used to walk "double-time" for exercise when he was between routes. I used to do the same thing in high school and college - not really for exercise, but to avoid being late for class.

"I've thought about trying to start doing that again," the man said - dreaming of running simply a couple of blocks at age 88. Any criminal who tried to mug him on the sidewalk probably would surrender at the sight of that, simply due to shock.

This 88-year-old man was walking well when I passed him, but I suggested he check with a doctor before trying any jogging. While I'm no expert, I know bones and joints can break easily when you're up in years. I'm surprised someone hasn't invented Select Comfort floor mats around the beds, in case an older person falls out of one.

My own exercise has been inspiring in recent weeks. Monday night I surprised myself, by running 4.7 miles non-stop - the longest such run I've had in more than two years. Now that I'm 50, I cherish runs like that more than ever. After all, I'm supposed to be "senior" in some things. The AARP keeps sending me mock membership cards to remind me.

Just because someone is 50-plus doesn't mean you have to become sedentary and stop exercising. The people I've described here are good examples of that -- and I know where my strength for the workout begins. Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." Be thankful for His strength - and be willing to let Him push you forward when you're tired. "Second winds" can be first-rate.

BLOG UPDATE: We told you last fall about a massive yard sale in Troup County, to help a woman pay for a kidney transplant [22 Oct 07]. We're thrilled to report Shirley Smallwood finally had the transplant operation Thursday, and the first reports are positive. Don't you dare challenge that woman to a patience test - because she has years of experience at that.

E-MAIL UPDATE: If you're concerned about how to feed your family in a tight economy, a reader passes along this suggestion....

Following is a link to Angel Food Ministries where anyone can order groceries at a very reasonable rate. Looks like a blessing to me. I am gonna do it. I understand there are no requirements involved. There are quite a number of places in Columbus that participate in this program. No one has asked me to promote this, I just felt compelled to pass this on as I know many are struggling financially and don't qualify for any help. Groceries are a major expense and this appears to be a big blessing. Check it out and pass it on. I am sending this to everyone in my email because there are distribution sites all over the U.S.

Angel Food sounds good to me. I baked a chocolate cake for a church Thanksgiving dinner Friday -- but I made sure NOT to get a box that said "Devil's Food" on it. Don't want to offend, you know....

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: 921 (- 21, 2.2%)

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.

21 NOV 08: RIVALRY WEEK

Before we begin - a warm welcome to all new readers. Wednesday was our busiest day for visitors since we started keeping records. I never realized an arrest for shoplifting could draw such a big crowd of people....

Are you ready for the biggest showdown in our area? It officially begins today, should bring out thousands of people, and.... what?! You're saying the college football games aren't until NEXT weekend? That's not the showdown I'm talking about. It's the Columbus Classic - Army soldiers vs. Christian soldiers.

The annual SOA Watch weekend begins today at the Columbus Trade Center. In the middle of the weekend, God Bless Fort Benning will be held downtown on Broadway. Someone ought to put up signs between Ninth and 11^th Streets, labeling it the Demilitarized Zone.

Some of the SOA Watch protesters come to Columbus several days early to prepare. One of the TV newscasts showed a group of "puppetistas" a few days ago -- which sounds like something former CNN anchor Bobbie Battista could take with her in a road show.

SOA Watch is bringing its usual familiar message - that Fort Benning's Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation should close. Ironically, the big crowds coming to Columbus this year actually might help some motels stay open....

But the SOA Watch schedule has this eye-opening item near the top: "Write down your feelings about if SOAW should move its 2010 vigil to Washington, DC." Have the protesters finally realized many people in Columbus don't like them? Is the protest growing too big for Columbus to handle? Or are we finally getting the Georgia-Auburn game again?

The schedule at the SOA Watch web site has all sorts of meetings and seminars - and some of them seem to have nothing to do with WHINSEC. Consider these titles....

+ "Respect Democracy: How Your Tax Dollars buy Latin Am Elections." This sounds like a session even a fiscally conservative Republican could like.

+ "Ballot Initiatives on Homosexual Marriage and Parental Notification Before Abortion." If WHINSEC graduates are promoting the wrong one of these two, that's certainly grounds for a protest.

+ "Women's Ordination Matters: Gender, The Gospel, and Global Justice." C'mon now - when did Latin American military commanders start selecting church pastors?

That last item on the schedule probably is there for another reason. Thursday was the deadline for SOA Watch founder Roy Bourgeois to decide if he'll renounce his opinion on ordaining female priests, to remain in the Roman Catholic Church. Give Bourgeois credit for one thing - he resists Vatican authorities every bit as much as the Columbus ones.

Roy Bourgeois says he'll appeal to the Vatican, in hopes of avoiding excommunication. He told the evening news God calls priests, and women can be called every bit as much as men can. So Bourgeois's next job could be on the ministerial staff of Bishop Ann Hardman.

But Roy Bourgeois probably wants the focus on the SOA Watch protest. The group has staged several other protests this fall, at locations from Miami to Arizona. So organizers have taken this act on tour - and they're smart enough to stay in the Sunbelt.

If any celebrities are coming to Columbus for SOA Watch weekend, they have not been announced. In a way, I wish they would - because extra money from being a tabloid photographer would come in handy right now....

The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation plans to hold an open house for visitors Saturday. Leaders even will take questions from the audience. But after this wild election year, a few protesters are going to insist on having their puppets ask questions.

WHINSEC promises the Saturday open house is even open to people who have been arrested in the past for trespassing at Fort Benning. Yeah, right - so why are two gates being closed for the weekend? The PX can't be marking down prices THAT much....

As for that other big event, God Bless Fort Benning plans to pack all of its activities into one day. That old stereotype is reinforced once again -- that conservatives are more efficient than liberals.

God Bless Fort Benning will begin shortly after sunrise Saturday, as soldiers are served pancakes for breakfast. As we all know, an Army celebration runs on its stomach....

Then comes a 5,000 and 10,000 meter run on both sides of the river downtown, called a "Freedom Run." Now hold on here - if the run really is about freedom, why do the runners have to follow the marked streets on the course?

God Bless Fort Benning will include comments by former Mayor Bob Poydasheff and current Mayor Jim Wetherington. This could provide a moment of great drama - if the former mayor finally comes out and says he voted for the one-percent sales tax last summer.

(Bob Poydasheff said during a Thursday newscast it's important to have "God" in the name of Saturday's event. That's to distinguish the event from a few years ago - when the Base Realignment commission REALLY blessed Fort Benning.)

A lot of local performers are scheduled to perform on Broadway during God Bless Fort Benning. Miss Georgia will sing. The Columbus Ballet will dance. But having a band called "Whiskey Bent" perform - well, do we really want to put ideas like that in the heads of soldiers?

But there's something puzzling about the God Bless Fort Benning schedule. Last year Dr. Laura Schlessinger came to Columbus as a special guest. This year fellow WDAK radio star Glenn Beck will be here on God Bless Fort Benning Day - but he's only making a one-hour stop at Barnes and Noble to sign his book. No wonder Beck is leaving the "Heroes" of CNN for Fox News Channel....

If SOA Watch moves its November vigil away from Columbus, would God Bless Fort Benning Day stop? I seriously doubt it. In fact, it probably would receive an upgrade - and be moved to mid-October, when the weather's nicer.

But then I think about the Tidwell family which created God Bless Fort Benning -- and I wonder if they might follow SOA Watch, and move part of the celebration to Washington in 2010. It certainly would save on air fare for Rep. Sanford Bishop....

BLOG UPDATE: We hit the proverbial wall Thursday, in terms of the ethics complaint filed against former Rigdon Road School principal Phyllis Jones. A Muscogee County School spokesperson said the district cannot comment on personnel matters. So we invite the mysterious person who filed the complaint to contact us. You can even wear a pro wrestling mask, if you wish.

But WXTX "News at Ten" reviewed Phyllis Jones's personnel record Thursday, and found a two-week suspension for violations with a year of probation. Trouble is, that happened back in 1993. Some of these rumormongers simply refuse to let things go....

WXTX reported it found nothing in Phyllis Jones's personnel record to indicate Muscogee County Schools want to have her teaching certificate revoked. So perhaps the person who filed the ethics complaint demanded it -- and perhaps that explains what Jones is doing these days. You know the phrase: those who can't teach, consult.

-> How did our poker night go Thursday? If you simply MUST know (sigh), check our other blog -- "On the Flop!" <--

E-MAIL UPDATE: Sunday's story on our sandwich shop with a one-dollar special apparently made one reader hungry for more....

Oh and I agree Jimmy Johns will never make it if that is what they are going to serve as a sandwich. I got the same thing, the roast beef. It made me thing of the Wendy's commercial from when I was a kid. WHERE IS THE BEEF. Granted what was there was good, and the bread was good. I fell like i got about a dollars worth.

Never make it? Jimmy John's has been around for 25 years since its premiere in Charleston, Illinois. But I admit I never heard of this chain until the grand opening in Columbus. It's not even located along interstate highways I've driven in southern Illinois. Maybe if Jimmy John's sold corn dogs....

The Jimmy John's menu shows you can have an "extra load of meat" on a sandwich. It costs you $1.50 -- but look on the bright side. Two scoops of tuna salad probably cost less than one scoop of big-name ice cream.

The conquest of Alabama's big-name basketball teams brought this reminder Thursday:

Mercer Bears host Georgia Tech 11/22/08 in Macon.

Uh-oh -- could Mercer make it a stunning trifecta this weekend? Or will the Bears be overconfident, because they're finally playing at home?

Georgia Tech's football team was impressive Thursday night, mauling Miami 41-23. The lesson of this season should now be clear: "whiteouts" work, "blackouts" don't.

We still have to make calls on a couple of other e-mails. So thanks for your patience with those -- and now it's on to other headlines from Smoke-out Thursday:

+ A demolition crew began tearing down the Riverview Apartments in Phenix City. Someone actually brought me two souvenir bricks from the complex a couple of years ago. So should I have them autographed by the current mayor, or the former one?

+ The first finalist for Muscogee County School Superintendent met Columbus residents. Felicia Mitchell of DeKalb County, Georgia asked what other community would bring in Superintendent candidates to meet the public, and answer their questions. Uhhhh - I think the answer is Russell County. Twice in two years.

+ Ground was broken at Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park for a Lonnie Jackson memorial. The family is talking like Jackson will receive a grander tribute than some former Columbus mayors. I mean, the city seems to have stopped at a Bob Poydasheff Court....

+ The late-night news followed Columbus garbage trucks, and found prison laborers rolling their own cigarettes while on duty. Supervisors say that's permitted - and besides, it puts old newspapers to a creative second use.

+ A team from the Air Force won an all-military rugby tournament at Fort Benning. This makes no sense at all to me -- since I thought rugby rules only allowed you to move the ball forward on the ground.

+ Carver High School confirmed star linebacker Jarvis Jones will miss the remainder of the playoffs, due to a broken thumb. Is that really enough to keep someone from playing linebacker? Jones seems able to knock down players, simply with a three-step running start.

SCHEDULED THIS WEEKEND: A way to save money on groceries which may be new to you....

The number of visitors to our blog is up 31 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: 942 (- 1, 0.1%)

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.

for 20 NOV 08: (final edition) PHYLLIS IN, PLEASE

We're only a week away from Thanksgiving, yet local tipsters don't seem to be in a merciful mood. Alabama Governor Bob Riley pardoned a turkey Wednesday - but the people writing us sound like they just bought one of those new electric fryers.

BLOG EXCLUSIVE: We begin with the rumors about a former principal which won't go away. Your blog confirmed Wednesday an ethics complaint has been filed in Atlanta against Phyllis Jones, and is currently under investigation. The woman who says she retired to watch pro wrestling matches may wind up fighting for retirement benefits.

Phyllis Jones responded to the rumors about her departure from Rigdon Road School last week [10 Nov]. That led to this e-mail:

Fact--Phyllis is not going to own up to anything. Most people wouldn't. If you wanna find the truth take a look at her personnel records, Channel 9 pulled her personnel records, but they pulled it to soon. The information was not in the file yet. This is public information, check it out. If you pull it now you will find that the district has requested that her teaching license be pulled. This is not a "normal part" of retirement. It will go before a state board now and they will decide if her actions warrant the pulling of her teaching certification for Georgia. If her cert is pulled she will not be allowed to teach in Georgia any longer. Check with the news leader nine team, they pulled her records, they just pulled them a little to soon.

We made calls at the local and state level Wednesday about this. Real people answered the phone at the state level - so maybe there are times when a bloated bureaucracy in education is a good thing.

Confirmation of the complaint against Phyllis Jones came from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. Its web site shows the commission's Ethics Division has checked more than 7,000 complaints in the last five years. The reviews have led to sanctions about 36 percent of the time -- but if teachers gamble on this case, it might spark yet another complaint.

The Georgia Professional Standards Commission tells us Phyllis Jones is accused of violating two ethical standards. One is "Misrepresentation or Falsification." That can be everything from lying on a resume to errors in reporting absences. No, the teenager Frank Lumpkin III is accused of shooting was NOT supposed to be at Rigdon Road Elementary School.

The second standard Phyllis Jones is accused of violating involves "Public Funds and Property." You'll recall someone passed along rumors about missing money from a school book fair. This standard warns against "co-mingling public or school-related funds with personal funds...." And any co-mingling in a grade school could make some conservative church pastors angry....

But lead investigator John Grant reminded us Wednesday that the filing of a complaint does NOT mean a school principal is guilty. He noted anyone can file a complaint with the state against any educator. So if I was a grade school teacher, I suppose someone could file a complaint against me for refusing to include X in the alphabet.

So what are the details of this complaint against Phyllis Jones, and who filed it? We still don't know the answers, because the Georgia Professional Standards Commission is barred from releasing details while an investigation is underway. And we haven't found those "anonymous sources" who leak things, like Barack Obama's staff has.

Did the Muscogee County School District file the complaint against Phyllis Jones? A district spokesperson did not return our voice mail Wednesday afternoon, to provide an answer. And we did NOT give the reason why we were calling - so for all Valerie Fuller knows, we could be inviting her out for Thanksgiving dinner.

John Grant in Atlanta assures me the details of the complaint against Phyllis Jones will become public record, once the investigation is complete. So for now, we're left to guess about who's accusing and why. And you know, Paul Olson has been awfully quiet for the last few months....

-> Our poker blog is getting visits from around the world. Check what's happening at "On the Flop!" <--

E-MAIL UPDATE: On to the next case, which we first posted here at the noon hour Wednesday. No one is telling us where Frank Lumpkin III is hiding. But suddenly, everyone seems to be tracking that "distraught mama...."

Here let me help you with some of your information on Demetria Mathews.

She was not in jail yesterday in MUSCOGEE COUNTY. She was transfered to COBB County on November 11th, after her bondsman bailed her out on Theft by Shoplifting charges. So she is still in jail, but apparently her adventures take her outside the county line.

The theft by Shoplifting Charges are listed as felonies, she has had more than three convictions for prior shopliftings among other things.

Now thats home schooling!

We called metro Atlanta and confirmed much of this report Wednesday. A staff member at the Cobb County Jail told us the actual transfer of Demetria Matthews occurred on Wednesday the 12^th. So in a way, even inmates can get a break for Veterans Day....

The Cobb County Jail staff informed us Demetria Matthews was held there Wednesday on a felony shoplifting charge. For some reason, her bond has been set at $5,713. Apparently they add sales tax to the amount of the items allegedly stolen.

Someone else wants to comment about the Matthews family:

Richard..Why is the mother of the young man Frank Lumpkin shot in jail? Could it be because her minor son has not been in school in three years? Did it take the minor being shot before MCSD missed him? I noticed a group of young teens hanging around outside the Columbus Public Library last week and wondered why they were not in school. Perhaps they can absorb some knowlege by just being around the front doors of the library..

At least those youngsters were around a library. They could have been putting their lives at risk in the middle of the day, by rolling around the South Commons skateboard park.

Let's take one more e-mail - this one about the arraignment of former Pioneer Little League Board member Ron Harris:

Hi Richard

Will Ron Harris be required to stay away from the ball field this coming up season? If NOT who do I need to call? Did you know he had the nerve to show up at our teams end of the year pool party? Some kids did not even get to go to the party because of him. I would not had went had I known he was going to be there.You might not can tell someone they have to stay away from public property but you can da*n sure tell someone not to come to your house. I watched him like a hawk....hoping to make him as uncomfortable as he makes me.

Sam

I suppose Ron Harris can go anywhere he wants, until the six counts against him are resolved. But I wonder who invited Ron Harris to show up at the pool party -- and whether anyone put secret surveillance cameras underwater.

We thank all of you for writing us -- and now we'll write for you about Wednesday's news:

+ Car dealer Carl Gregory told the evening news he opposes the proposed "bailout bill" for Detroit's three automakers. Maybe I'm wrong, but that sounds to me like he's selling more Hondas than Chryslers.

+ Fort Benning held a ceremony to mark "National Native American Heritage Month." Yes, this is marked during the month of Thanksgiving. It's a wonder Republicans didn't abolish this, when they controlled Congress....

+ Mary McWaters of Phenix City was presented a winner's check for $156,000 from the Georgia Lottery. McWaters told WRBL she "feels like a millionaire." I didn't realize car and gas prices had dropped quite that much....

+ WRBL reported a student was suspended from Allen Elementary School, for having a paper gun. I can understand the "zero tolerance" policy on weapons - but wouldn't a wadded-up ball of paper be more dangerous, if something heavy was hidden inside?

+ A new "learning trail" for preschool children opened at Shirley Winston Park. It's probably better for parents than taking youngsters to Peachtree Mall -- because they'd eventually have to explain what Victoria's Secret is.

+ Former President Clinton campaigned in Atlanta for Senate candidate Jim Martin. But ABC News reported President-Elect Obama is NOT likely to campaign in Georgia before the runoff. Of course, Mr. Obama has an easy alternative - starting a chain e-mail with his Blackberry.

+ A national survey revealed Auburn University President Jay Gogue is paid about $725,000 a year. That makes him the 12^th highest-paid college president in the country. But before you get upset, consider this - Gogue probably has had a better fall semester than Tommy Tuberville.

+ Mercer edged Auburn in men's college basketball 78-74. Mercer completed an Alabama sweep, after winning in Tuscaloosa Sunday -- so college sports fans there are welcome to go into hibernation after Alabama's bowl game, and not wake up until March.

(As I listened to the Mercer-Auburn game on WSHE, I'm not sure which was more embarrassing. Either the Tigers losing - or the host with the halftime scores presuming IPFW stood for "Indiana-Purdue Fort WORTH.")

+ Columbus High School volleyball player Taylor Buckner signed a scholarship to attend college at Southeastern Louisiana. Buckner says she plans to major in political science - so in a few years, she may be lobbying Congress for still more Hurricane Katrina relief money.

(Shame on me - for a moment I thought Southeastern Louisiana was a religious college. After all, score boxes on TV can abbreviate it as "SE-LA.")

+ Instant Message to the top officials of al-Qaeda: About that Wednesday audio message -- didn't you get the e-mails I read? Don't you realize Barack Obama is still a Muslim? Don't you realize he's a friend of terrorists, just like you guys? Or do you recognize weird theories of radical extremists when you hear them?

Today's main topics were the result of blog readers' tips. To offer a story tip, make a PayPal donation, advertise to our readers 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: 943 (+ 27, 2.9%)

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.

UPDATE 1....

19 NOV 08: MIMI VS. MEANIE?

We could have called Tuesday's Columbus Council meeting a "lame duck session." Except all the Councilors are coming back next year -- and I don't think Aflac CEO Dan Amos was in attendance.

The Columbus Council meeting had a tense moment or two. The worst may have come when Councilor Mimi Woodson had too much of Bert Coker. I might have guessed Skip Henderson would have been the one to crack - since he put up with Coker in all these campaign forums, before defeating him two weeks ago.

Councilor Mimi Woodson had spoken during the meeting about a program she supports in her district. Then Bert Coker accused Woodson of trying to help illegal immigrants -- as if he considers it the District of Colombia.

Mimi Woodson was not pleased by Bert Coker's accusation, and claimed she felt threatened by comments he'd made in the past. Imagine if Coker had won the at-large Council seat. Wayne Anthony might be calling Coker and Woodson to the Pastoral Institute, for weekly therapy.

I'm told security officers approached Bert Coker after Mimi Woodson stated her objections, but Coker then walked out of the meeting. On this day, the old cowboy was in no mood for a showdown at high noon....

How interesting that Bert Coker returned to Columbus Council, when he's already told us he plans to run for the Muscogee County School Board in 2010. Maybe it's because Columbus Council provides more TV exposure - since that old-fashioned school board only meets once a month.

The Columbus Council meeting also included comments on the Frank Lumpkin III case. They came from the NAACP President and Lumpkin's attorney - and as expected, they talked directly to the council and right past each other.

NAACP President Bill Madison tried to compare the Frank Lumpkin III case to the shooting of Kenneth Walker. But there's one big difference he's overlooking. Lumpkin called for 911 for backup, and it never came.

Frank Lumpkin III's attorney Frank Martin noted both alleged shooting victim Rodney Matthews and his mother are now in jail. He suggested the real lesson is that parents should bring up their children better. Well, maybe he was talking about that shooting. Or maybe he was talking the settlement Columbus Council approved, in the Zachary Allen case....

Remember Zachary Allen? The son of Councilor Gary Allen finally came up again Tuesday. WRBL reported Columbus Council approved a settlement with the woman whose car was hit by Zachary Allen's EMT vehicle two years ago. If this settlement had been approved one month earlier, Gary Allen's opponent in the election might have remembered to bring it up.

A busy schedule Tuesday prevented us from making calls on several e-mails. So we'll try again Wednesday, and quickly check other headlines now....

+ Several local web sites indicated Columbus had snow flurries at 9:00 p.m. ET. After a bright sunny day, this news was amazing. Does someone living near the airport have a winter display that's gone too far?

+ Phenix City Mayor Sonny Coulter announced the Streetscape project will be delayed three more months. He says part of the work on Broad Street will have to be redone, because the median is too wide for a four-lane road. The chances of this street being renamed Jeff Hardin Parkway are now about one in five million.

+ Major General Michael Barbero became the new commander of Fort Benning. How many naive new soldiers will see or hear that name, and ask who his jockey is?

+ WXTX "News at Ten" did an investigation of area school zones - and found on one street in Auburn, 11 school buses went faster than the speed limit. But I think this is explainable. Bus drivers are trying to get noisy children out of their minds as soon as possible.

+ The Georgia Department of Labor admitted thousands of unemployment checks are being delayed this week. So please - do NOT accuse Senator Saxby Chambliss of confiscating the checks, in exchange for winning the runoff election.

+ The Georgia Department of Natural Resources announced a deer hunter shot and killed a cougar at West Point Lake. Wow - just in time to inspire the Columbus State women's soccer team in the NCAA regionals.

+ Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville admitted to reporters he's keeping his players "out of the office as much as possible" during this off week. The better for hiding those moving boxes, I suppose....

(OK, I confess - I'm feel guilty when it comes to Tommy Tuberville. A few Auburn fans seem to be taking my jokes about a possible firing too seriously. But at least they're not writing Tennessee coach Philip Fulmer, and noting he wouldn't have to put his orange wardrobe on sale.)

+ Instant Message to Café 431 in Phenix City: Be thankful the City Council voted Tuesday to ban smoking in all restaurants. Now school teachers will come back - the ones staying away because your sign for the smoking area is misspelled "dinning room."

The number of unique visitors to this blog is up 31 percent from 2007. To advertise to our readers, offer a story tip 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: 916 (+ 30, 3.4%)

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.

18 NOV 08 (final edition): JUST LIKE MOM?

Just when you thought the Frank Lumpkin III case couldn't get more curious, we were tipped off to this....

Richard,

I appreciate your effort to follow up on that completely biased news coverage of baby's mama cryin about her poor innocent child drivin' around in a stolen Navigator. Let me help you! Turns out distraught mama can't return your phone calls because she was promptly taken into custody on outstanding warrants after her 15 year old's preliminary hearing. She currently sits in the Muscogee County Jail for her own part in a shoplifting ring. The kid was home schooled alright! AS IF Mister Dowdell isn't privy to this information. Dowdell is just as disgusting as the skank who wants to be paid for raising a thief! It is my understanding that he sought these "people" out. Anticipating his own payday perhaps? Maybe the newsleader can secure the exclusive jailhouse interview now!

Robbie

Not so fast here - "Distraught mama" Demetrius Matthews was NOT in the Muscogee County Jail Monday afternoon. We know, because we called and asked. So we did NOT have to take the extra step, of asking whether or not she currently was distraught.

But your blog did confirm Monday that Demetrius Matthews was arraigned 7 November on two shoplifting counts, along with one of "contributing to the delinquency of a minor." We don't know if that minor is her teenage son or someone else. Oh no -- are we going to have to check yet another passenger list?

(We stumbled upon the 7 November court docket during an online search, and found Demetria is her real first name - while the "Demetrius" name she used on TV is listed as an alias. That explains why the court clerk who checked her case kept calling her a "he." Or does a cross-dressing criminal explain that delinquency count?)

The arraignment of Demetria Matthews did follow that TV interview in late October. Sometimes people in grief can do themselves a big favor, by keeping their mouths shut....

But to be fair, that TV interview was followed the next day by another one - with the attorney for Frank Lumpkin III. If Lumpkin's mother or brothers want to talk about how nice HE was to go out with a gun to find his SUV, we'll be happy to hear it.

We must keep in mind that Demetria Matthews is innocent until proven guilty. But if she committed these crimes, this could be a Columbus first - proof of a somewhat organized "crime family."

These new charges only add to the theory one person told me Monday - that a grand jury never will indict Frank Lumpkin III. How quickly we forget. Only a few weeks ago, Sheriff Ralph Johnson said he was sure a grand jury would indict David Glisson - and he was probably sure he'd win re-election, too.

As for the actions of attorney Derrell Dowdell: how many attorneys over the years have NOT "sought people out?" Look at the commercials which dominate court shows such as "Judge Joe Brown" - shows where people ironically are encouraged to dump their attorneys, and have their cases settled on TV.

I'm hearing Derrell Dowdell is changing his tone a bit about the Frank Lumpkin III case. Now he supposedly wants to meet with incoming District Attorney Julia Slater about handling the case carefully. That would be different from Slater stepping aside for an out-of-town prosecutor [11 Nov]. You don't think a different haircut changed his strategy....?!

In another case which this blog broke in February, former Pioneer Little League Board member Ron Harris was arraigned last Friday on charges of sexual exploitation of a child. The Superior Court Clerk's office tells me Harris now faces six counts -- up from one last winter [28 Feb]. And as baseball fans know, six times up increases the chances of Harris striking out.

Our poker blog is getting visits from around the world. Check what's happening at "On the Flop!"

BLOG UPDATE: Confusion reigned for awhile Monday about the upcoming Georgia runoff. A well-known Columbus activist sent e-mails around town, claiming early voting would begin today at the Government Center. The Muscogee County Elections Board said no -- voting begins Friday. And when the Libertarian Party finds out about this, members will laugh every day in between.

The confusion stemmed from conflicting online information. The Georgia Secretary of State's web site claims Muscogee County has four days of early voting this week. But the Election Board web site shows there's only one day. At least the Republican Secretary of State didn't try to tell Democrats they had to wait until January.

As for the big runoff race, a new commercial shows a clip of Senator Saxby Chambliss talking in July. It suggested he does NOT know what a "recession" means. Did Mr. Chambliss help coach Sarah Palin before her TV interviews?

The Georgia Senate runoff is getting so serious that former President Clinton will come to the state Wednesday, campaigning for Democrat Jim Martin. If John McCain can have a post-election meeting with Barack Obama, maybe Bob Barr can show up at this event - and finally congratulate Mr. Clinton on escaping that impeachment trial.

Now let's step down from the political platform, and send some Instant Messages....

+ To Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama: Somebody has to ask it. Would you be against that big automotive bailout bill, if some money was included for Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai? You know, the companies with factories in your state?

+ To Roy Bourgeois: Now this is ridiculous! All the SOA Watch protests were OK - yet the Roman Catholic Church may defrock you for endorsing the ordination of a female priest?! Maybe that ordination in Kentucky needed some giant puppets.

+ To the people of Hurtsboro: Our check of Columbus court records meant all of you got a break from my phone calls Monday. Well, that along with the fact that Katie Couric is looking mighty fine in HDTV....

+ To the Columbus Civic Center staff: So that's all you're doing -- replacing lights in the scoreboard with LCD's?! I was hoping for a new Jumbotron. Well, in Columbus I'd be happy with simply a "Tron."

+ To the Georgia men's basketball team: Ouch -- losing 74-53 to Chicago Loyola?! A college which hadn't beaten a Southeastern Conference opponent since 1964?! Considering Alabama lost to Mercer one night before, the webcasts of Kansas games sound more appealing to me than ever.

Today's main item was the result of a blog reader's tip. To offer a story tip, make a PayPal donation, advertise to our readers 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: 886 (+ 30, 3.5%)

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.

UPDATE 1....

17 NOV 08: IT'S NOW OR NEVER

Today marks two weeks since a new mayor took office in Hurtsboro -- and already one man claims he's breaking the law. At least this leader had a political "honeymoon." I'm not sure some local high school students want Barack Obama to have one.

The new mayor of Hurtsboro is Rayford Tapley, and it sounds like he's already making changes. Tapley told the TV news the other day he's submitting the city's financial records to a group of auditors -- something he says hasn't happened there in eight years. Well, Hurtsboro IS a small town. Maybe the city treasurer simply trusted his calculator.

Mayor Rayford Tapley admits he's not sure why Hurtsboro's city records were not audited for eight years. An annual audit is required under Alabama law. But let's face it - the state's attorneys general have been busy in this decade. First they were fighting over monuments, then they started examining absentee ballots....

The mayor also says Hurtsboro will have a new police chief this week. Rayford Tapley plans to give the job to Jim Baxley, who's been serving as Municipal Court Clerk. Only a few more weeks of patience, and Hurtsboro could have had Ralph Johnson.

So isn't Hurtsboro's new mayor off to a good start? If you think so, you haven't read this blog much over the last couple of years. This e-mail reached us a few days ago:

"Sir" Richard:

I see by your latest Blog; that you have picked up another detracter! My My!! How easily folks get upset when their precious little whims are not catered too. I know you will survive, and will keep up the good work you are doing!!

I've finished licking my political wounds, and have set up my game plan for the next few months at least. Obama touted "change," but believe me. nothing has changed in "Hurt'sboro,.there are no new faces in Town Hall; they have just played musical chairs.

Mayor Tapley is orchestrating an effort to rebuild our "police" department with members of; "The over the hill gang," and have an old pal do an audit on the town's books. It sounds real cozy to me!

The old rascal (Mayor Tapley) has enough skeletons in his closet to start a memorial garden. There's quite a tale behind his efforts to minimize his bill to a tree trimmer, and of course, the "Mare" was in cahoots with him.

This attachment should emphasize the fact that; the Ol' Constable still has his one good eye on Town Hall!

Constable R.J. Schweiger

Mayor Tapley indeed told the TV news he plans to add more police officers. But he'll need to apply for the money to do it, apparently through a grant of some sort. Apparently he can't ask Hurtsboro voters for a one-cent sales tax, and put the former chief's picture on posters.

Robert Schweiger's attachment shows he's not surprised by Jim Baxley becoming Hurtsboro Police Chief. In a letter dated last Wednesday, Schweiger asks Baxley to find Mayor Rayford Tapley in violation of two city ordinances -- after only nine days in office. Older people sometimes can be impatient, because they know their time is short....

The letter declares Hurtsboro's mayor has violated a city ordinance since the summer of 2007, "by dumping or causing to be dumped, large tree trunk sections on public property...." Robert Schweiger contends such items are considered trash. But I suppose others would consider them fun things for children to climb in the Hurtsboro city park.

"Now that Mr. Tapley is the mayor of Hurtsboro; he is responsible for any violation that the city incurs," Robert Schweiger's letter continues. He then claims two police cars have been parked outside the Town Hall for months, and thus qualify as "junk cars." Never mind the fact that there may not have been any police officers to drive them....

If I understand this letter correctly, Robert Schweiger does NOT want incoming police chief Jim Baxley to move the two police cars. He wants Baxley to ticket the Hurtsboro Mayor first - or at least give him the keys, and have check under the hood first.

We held this e-mail for several days, because we wanted Mayor Rayford Tapley's side of the story. But a Thursday phone call to Town Hall was not returned. And when we reached him at home Sunday afternoon around 4:00, he was busy preparing dinner. Shame on me - I knew I should have called at halftime of the Falcons game.

Rayford Tapley invited me to call him today, so we'll try again. Robert Schweiger certainly has provided us plenty to ask. But in the meantime, perhaps the outgoing Constable should submit his "wish list" to the mayor personally - with an order for accomplishing them, and a deadline for arrests if he does not.

E-MAIL UPDATE: There's another gripe in our InBox -- this one involving Muscogee County schools....

Richard,

I was very upset with our local media after Friday night. As you know my wife and I serve on The Board Of Directors for Geoga PTA. Blanchard's PTA won a National Grant from our National PTA for their Healthy Life Styles theme that they submitted. I know for a fact that ALL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS knew about this presentation,as well as all media outlets in Columbus. What makes this such a huge event is Blanchard was the ONLY school in Georgia to receive the grant, as well only 23 schools across the COUNTRY were selected. Each school was awarded a check for $994.00 to use as they see FIT. It is a real shame that in a day when schools are being talked about in the media for BAD things taking place in the schools, here you have a school being recognized for the GOOD taking place in their school and not even ONE ELECTED OFFICIAL CHOSE TO SHOW UP. WOW!

--

Charles Lawhon

Charles may be saddened to know that I didn't see this honor mentioned on the school district web site Sunday night -- not even in the "recognitions" section. Perhaps the Jordan High School chorus drowned out the PTA members.

The Muscogee County School web site does show I missed "National School Psychology Awareness Week." Are you aware that if you give grade school students the incentive of a pizza night, they might read more library books?

I do have one question about Blanchard Elementary School. The outside sign says yearbooks are on sale now - and it also says an author will be visiting the school Tuesday. Are there any plans to combine the two, and turn the fifth-grade class into something like "Sweet Valley Grade School?"

Friday's item about our switch to HDTV brought a couple of helpful responses as well:

Hi Richard,

Channels 11 and 16 don't have digital companion channels. As low-power TV stations, they are able to "flash cut" to DTV on the same channel, but even after the "Big Switch," they will still be able to broadcast in analog. Channel 16 at least has a construction permit to broadcast in digital.

Both WTVM and WJSP want to take over channel 11 for their permanent DTV channel, so the LPTV on 11 will likely have to find a new home. Why do they want channel 11? GPB in particular has focused on VHF channels to save on their power costs. WTVM probably wants increased power relative to their permanent digital channel 9, which is limited in coverage compared to analog 9 due to the GPB's digital 8 in Dawson.

GPB is parked on many of those low power FM translator stations across GA. As I understand it, every translator station has to specify a full power station to relay, and there are restrictions about which stations can be relayed in the commercial FM band. These stations are temporarily using GPB until they can do something else.

I noticed that WJSP-FM is broadcasting in HD radio as of a couple of weeks ago. Almost all FM stations in Atlanta are already in HD, so Columbus has a lot of catching up to do.

Best,

Thomas

Wow - and all this time I thought a "flash cut" was something Knowshon Moreno did to gain yards for Georgia's football team.

I read recently about a possible change in dial positions coming to Columbus. But in this era, one station might have to be careful promoting itself as "News Leader 9/11."

A GPB engineer told me last week the Columbus radio signal at 107.7 FM has been borrowed from the WAY-FM network for a couple of years. WAY-FM seems to broadcast programs currently heard on Beacon University's station at 96.1 FM. So when Beacon goes out of business next spring, will we have a classic battle of "Way" versus No Way?

Another blog reader directed us to a web site which specializes in TV antennas. But when we entered our home address, it showed the ABC and CW Network digital signals in Columbus are on the same channel. This seems like potential trouble - although it might be interesting to see "Will and Grace" anchoring the 11:00 p.m. news.

We thank all of you who write us - and now for some short items from a relatively quiet Sunday:

+ The Ledger-Enquirer reported some of the write-in votes in Columbus races this year went to Mickey Mouse and Jesus Christ. If Mickey Mouse received more votes in a "Bible Belt" city, we should all be very concerned....

+ The Columbus Cottonmouths topped Twin City 4-3, in a game delayed from Saturday night. The delay was due to the Twin City team bus breaking down. You'd think with a name like that, they'd have a backup bus handy....

(The delayed hockey game also postponed plans to install a new scoreboard at the Columbus Civic Center. I guess even they have to make the "big switch" - although I'd be more interested in HDTV close-ups of the Columbus Lions dance team.)

+ Instant Message to Hibbett Sports at Peachtree Mall: OK, I give up. I'm stumped. Why do you have shoes for "technical running?" Are they for computer geeks, going back and forth between web servers?

Our number of unique visitors is up 31 percent from last year. To advertise to our readers, offer a story tip 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: 856 (- 39, 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.

16 NOV 08: CITY ON SALE

Have you taken advantage of the big Columbus sale yet? We're about halfway through the three-month period with a reduced sales tax. So get out there and buy some things, before Mayor Wetherington makes you feel guilty in January....

Some items in Columbus had even bigger discounts this weekend. Gas stations along Veterans Parkway lowered their prices below two dollars a gallon Saturday. OK, it was only down to $1.99 9/10 -- but after what we've seen in recent months, a win is a win.

Raceway at Victory Drive and Interstate 185 apparently was the first Columbus station to fall below two dollars. I noticed their price at $1.99 at midday Friday -- yet there was NOT an unusually big crowd of cars around the pumps. I did see unusual smoke from one car, though. Perhaps someone was burning tires in celebration.

Contrary to what other web sites have posted, Columbus has NOT waited four years for the return of two-dollar gas. Our blog archives show one station was that low two years ago [7 Nov 06]. But that was a station on Cusseta Road - in a part of town mainstream media only tend to visit when a police alarm sounds.

Isn't it hard to believe that only two months ago, the best gas price in Columbus was $4.29? The price has dropped more than 53 percent since September. Here's hoping the stock market stops following that example....

But of course, some travelers may grumble about lower gas prices in other cities. An online check Saturday night found some Atlanta stations down to $1.75. I think it's due to that big-city reputation - since it sounds cool to "get down in the A-T-L."

I didn't need gas this weekend, so I passed on the low prices. But I drove to another business with a big discount - the new Jimmy John's sandwich shop in the St. Francis Marketplace shopping center on Manchester Expressway. It offered a four-hour grand opening special, of one-dollar sandwiches. I'll trade a "five-dollar foot-long" for a one-dollar line-long any day.

But surprisingly, there was NO line stretching out the door when I arrived around 12:30 p.m. Friday at Jimmy John's. Maybe that's because there were two cash registers set up, instead of Subway's usual one. So that's apparently one of the big differences - do you want it faster or fresher?

The one-dollar special applied to six basic Jimmy John's submarine sandwiches. I chose #2, a roast beef sandwich called "Big John." Which is strange, since all six choices are eight inches long -- and none of the others are called big.

This leads to more big differences between Jimmy John's and Subway. All the sandwiches are made well behind the counter. Your only option for bread seems to be French. And for some reason, Jimmy John's is big on using alfalfa sprouts as a topping -- which must explain why they're hard to find at salad bars anymore.

The Big John sandwich (with NO alfalfa sprouts) was wrapped up and in my hands in less than three minutes. But I did NOT eat it right away, choosing to save it in the refrigerator until after my Saturday evening run. The fancy Friday evening dinner takes top priority, you know - and we thank Wal-Mart for the Beef Pasta dinner in a box.

So after a four-mile Saturday twilight run on both sides of the Chattahoochee (no, I never saw that river rescue), I opened the wrapper on my one-dollar Big John - and found a lot of French bread, with not a lot of meat inside. No wonder the menu denies Jimmy John's official name, and admits the sandwiches are NOT gourmet.

But the Jimmy John's sandwich was eight inches long, while the standard size for Subway and Quizno's is six inches. At a one-dollar discount, that's OK. At the regular price of $4.49, the other guys have the first down by about three inches.

One other discount price came as a surprise to me Saturday night. I finally succumbed and decided to fire up the heater for winter, but my lighter was all sparks and no flame. I could stop and draw a comparison to my dating history here....

So I walked down the street to a convenience store, where "lighters" usually go hand-in-hand with "cigarettes." Since I don't smoke, I bought a bottle of diet soda to go with the lighter. I explained to the cashier that if I couldn't control the flame, I could douse it in a hurry.

The lighters at the counter didn't have a price on them, so I was stunned to learn they were only 69 cents. I guessed one would cost a couple of dollars - especially since it's marked as "electronic." If you lay it on a table sideways, I suppose it does have an HDTV rectangular shape to it.

If you're still looking for a discount - well, maybe I shouldn't post this. But my weekend e-mail included news of a "secret sale" at Dillard's, which ends today. Some items supposedly are half-priced, but the e-mail didn't say which ones. Hmmmm - I suppose this IS the right time to buy swimming trunks....

BLOG UPDATE: Half of the Frank Lumpkin III case is now settled. The teenager Lumpkin is charged with shooting was convicted of theft, and will spend five years in juvenile detention. Maybe now the school-skipping will end....

Defense attorney Derrell Dowdell again asked why his teenage client is being punished, while Frank Lumpkin III is free on $2,500 bond. I would have asked a different question - why the teen's case went to juvenile court in less than 30 days, while Lumpkin's charge may not go to a grand jury for months. Maybe fewer Columbus teenagers are troublemakers than we thought.

Frank Lumpkin III took the witness stand in juvenile court, and claimed he shot the teenager accidentally during a wrestling match for control of his stolen SUV. Then came a chase on foot, in which Lumpkin says he fired a warning shot into the air. If Lumpkin avoid jail time for what he did, he has a great future as a private detective on TV.

Two teenagers were sentenced to five years in juvenile detention - the admitted car thief, and the teenager Lumpkin is accused of shooting. A third teen has released for lack of evidence, while the fate of two others remains unclear. Hopefully they're not committing crimes -- and instead are spending their free time setting up strange Facebook sites.

How did we do on "poker night" Thursday? Find out at the blog getting visits from around the world -- "On the Flop!"

E-MAIL UPDATE: Speaking of Facebook, and teenagers behaving questionably....

read Richard's article about CHS...I guess that was what sound off was about today..

If you mean that "other" Richard, he wrote a lot this past week about the Columbus High School students and their "Not My President" Facebook page. The Secret Service reportedly has finished an investigation of the site, and found nothing threatening the life of President-Elect Obama. Well, nothing Hillary Rodham Clinton didn't already say was possible....

Columbus NAACP President Bill Madison called a Friday news conference to protest the "Not My President" project. He declared it's "not OK" to threaten the life of the President-Elect. Madison's right, of course - but it's sad that he has to call a news conference to tell people that. Perhaps local schools should make this their "virtue of the week."

Today's entry is getting so lengthy that we'll hold other e-mails until Monday. That's because there's a lot of weekend news to review....

+ Aflac Chairman Dan Amos announced he'll give up any rights to $26 million in "golden parachute" money in his contract. Perhaps the Aflac board should give that money to Synovus, so it doesn't need such a big federal bailout.

(I don't understand why Dan Amos is doing this. Why not put the executive compensation to a vote, at next year's shareholders meeting? They were so nice to him last spring, before Aflac's stock price dropped 40 percent....)

+ The Muscogee County School Board finally announced the names of its three finalists for superintendent. One of them is Harris County Superintendent Susan Andrews - so a contract with her likely would include a fuel-efficient car, for commuting from Hamilton.

+ Muscogee County Teacher of the Year Linda Wilkes received a replacement for her "victory car." WRBL showed her accepting one from Rob Doll Nissan, after she had to give up the one provided by Bill Heard Chevrolet. So this media event was brought to you by the letter Z....

(First Rob Doll Nissan sold a car to Ed DuBose. Now it's providing one for a public school Teacher of the Year?! If I didn't know better, I'd think Doll is about to convert to the Democratic party.)

+ Actor Danny Glover visited the Columbus Civic Center, to speak at an "Economic Empowerment Conference." So which movie director is hiring extras, and what's the daily rate?

+ Troy University blew a 31-3 third-quarter lead, and lost to Louisiana State 40-31 in college football. When I heard L.S.U. score its first touchdown on radio, I said to myself the "Comeback of the Century" was underway. I could have made this accurate prediction a lot meaner, and called it the Choke of the Century.

(The Troy-L.S.U. game made college football history, as the first one to be broadcast on radio in Navaho. To which I have to ask -- why?! Aren't the press boxes in Arizona big enough to hold one extra broadcast team?)

+ Georgia edged Auburn 17-13 in their big rivalry game. Auburn will have to beat Alabama in the Iron Bowl to have a break-even record, and qualify for a bowl game -- so it's a case where one good bowl will deserve another.

+ Instant Message to Columbus High School: I didn't realize you had an ice hockey team at all, much less a winning one. Better right now to have face-offs than Facebooks.

POEM OF THE DAY: Now a quick summary of the weather we faced Friday afternoon....

Rain at three, go running at four,

Colder this weekend -- close the door.

SCHEDULED MONDAY: Is Hurtsboro getting better or worse?.... and HDTV help from our readers....

Our number of unique visitors is now up 31 percent from last year. To advertise to our readers, offer a story tip 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: 895 (+ 31, 3.6%)

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.

15 NOV 08: O-NO-BAMA MANIA

(BLOGGER'S NOTE: You may find the following item humorous, serious, or a little of both - but we offer these thoughts from time to time, as we keep a seventh-day Sabbath.)

"Have you reviewed Deuteronomy 17, verses 14 and 15 lately?" A 78-year-old man asked me that question before last weekend's church service. He's apparently up on obscure Bible verses - even if he needed my help in remembering the "Republican.... white man" he says ran for President.

The Presidential race actually was the reason this man brought up Deuteronomy 17. I pulled out my Bible and read aloud the verses he mentioned, then he commented.

"What did we just do? We put an African in the White House." No, this man was NOT wearing a tie with a Confederate battle flag.

I had read e-mails and heard rumblings along these lines, even before Election Day. "So you're saying Barack Obama is not a U.S. citizen, even though there's a birth certificate for him from Hawaii posted online."

"That's not my point," the man said. "He's an African. He's not an Israelite." In his eyes, apparently not even a "Reuben" on rye.

I've attended church groups over the years which believe the U.S. is part of the "lost ten tribes" of Israel. So are Britain, Canada, France - and even the state of Israel, as the tribe of Judah. Check President-Elect Obama's "B.O.-graphy" on Wikipedia, and you'll learn he descends from the tribe of Luo. Hey, that means his family probably held Luo luaus....

But I digress: the man at church contended Barack Obama should NOT be our next President, because he's not part of the nation of Israel. This took some thought -- as I didn't want to accuse the man of on-the-spot racism. After all, he actually apologized for that day several years ago when he mentioned Martin Luther King Jr. with a racial slur.

Finally I asked the man regarding the President-Elect: "Couldn't he be grafted in, as it says in Romans 11?"

"No. This is about race. Romans 11 is about the Spirit." The fact that Mr. Obama's mother is white and brought him up as a single mother apparently isn't good enough for God.

Instead of arguing with the man, I decided to take my Bible home and review the passage in Deuteronomy 17. Other religious web sites have brought it up, arguing the U.S. voters rejected God's command in their choice of our next President. If the people who selected Ruben Studdard "American Idol" haven't doomed our country, this will....

But as I looked at the verses around verses 14 and 15, I began to draw other conclusions about our country and the presidential vote. For instance:

+ Verse 17 warns against a leader taking "many wives," or collecting "large amounts of silver and gold." Wasn't it the Republican who's on a second wife, and couldn't be sure how many houses he owned?

+ Verse 18 says national leaders are to write a copy of God's law on a scroll. Have any recent Presidents done this? Wouldn't Jimmy Carter be sure to have one on display at the Carter Center?

+ Back at verse 15, the wording mentions appointing a king - not a President. Should we repent of that rebellious behavior of 230 years ago, and go back under Queen Elizabeth?

The larger issue in all of this is who actually decided the presidential race. Daniel 4 says God gives the "kingdoms of men" to anyone He wishes. If Christians say Barack Obama is the wrong leader, aren't they in effect saying God blew it? It's not like He's a baseball umpire with bad eyesight....

Earlier in the fall, the Muscogee County Democratic Party went on a voter registration drive in my neighborhood. Chairperson Alice Pate happened to knock on my door - and she seemed puzzled when I said I "gave my vote to God several months ago." Beginning at Iowa caucus time in January, I prayed He would put the right person in the presidency. And if it leads to our country's demise, Jesus should come to our rescue even faster.

If I see that 78-year-old man at church this weekend, I plan to share these thoughts with him. And I'll ask if his real point was to see who my ultimate leader is. Instead of checking genealogies for our President, maybe we should say what the U.S. colonial activists said long ago -- "We have no king but Jesus."

SCHEDULED SUNDAY: Big deals are busting out all over....

Our number of unique visitors is now up 31 percent from last year. To advertise to our readers, offer a story tip 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: 864 (- 90, 9.4%)

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.

14 NOV 08: DIGITAL DEMONS

Who says TV wrestling is a thing of the past? I've been engaging in it all week. No, not against Mr. Wrestling Number Three. My opponent is known on television as "Rabbit Ears" - and I'm not talking about a Bugs Bunny mascot, who lost its way from Six Flags Over Georgia.

This has been a big week for me, because I officially made "The Big Switch." At midday Sunday, I bought an HDTV set. But it was NOT one of those giant screens with stereo, which can cover a living room wall. That's because I rent a small apartment, and my neighbors might not like the National Weather Service voice on "Weather Now" drowning out their radios.

My new 22-inch flat-screen HDTV cost less than $300, and was amazingly light for me to carry out of the store. I'm used to bulky sets with heavy picture tubes - you know, the tubes which look like they could double as curling stones or propane tanks.

But since I'm a guy, I didn't bother signing up for help from an HDTV installation team. I also didn't purchase a special stand for holding my set. If the screen was really THAT flat, I could do what I've done for years with collectibles and plaques. Simply lean them against the wall, and pray for no earthquakes.

Yet I'm an unusual kind of guy, because I actually opened the instruction book for my HDTV and read how to make it work. It truly must be a man's model -- because the directions explained how to start the remote control, even before I plugged in the set.

You need to put the batteries in the remote control first, because my HDTV doesn't have a power button on it. Have we become that lazy in the U.S. -- when the "on-off switch" is off, and no longer on?

The next step was taking the HDTV out of the box - and it's compact enough that the set could fit on a tabletop next to my old TV cart. I didn't have to lean the set against the wall, either. It has a base wide enough to stand on its own.... uh, well.... it doesn't have legs or feet. And I'm not tilting it, so it's not exactly (ahem) on its derriere....

An online check before I went HDTV shopping revealed my old inside antenna ought to work with my new set. So I attached its cord, turned on the remote - and after the set did an "initial channel search," I discovered I only have three main digital TV channels. WLTZ may have "the look of a champion," but it has the signal of a team that missed the playoffs.

The digital versions of the ABC and Fox stations came in fine - and since I plugged in the HDTV just in time for Sunday football, that was fine by me. Yet the Fox telecast didn't look right, because the scoreboard at the top of the screen was missing. It took me awhile to realize my set offers four options for the shape of the picture - from regular to necktie knot close-up.

It took a couple of "initial channel searches" for my HDTV to find WLTZ's digital channel. But it still hasn't found the DTV signals for channels 11, 16, 28 and 66. I understand some stations are operating their digital signals at reduced power for now - but c'mon. Channels 11 and 16 were low-power in the first place.

WRBL's digital signal comes through at my apartment, but it's quirky. If I stand in the wrong part of the living room, the picture "digitizes" or disappears. That even seems to be true if I move my hands the wrong way. Is this all a big government plot to have people try yoga?

I can hope the "Big Switch" date in mid-February will resolve some of these signal problems. But I'm reaching the conclusion I may have to go shopping again - this time for a digital TV antenna.

My new HDTV set also receives old-fashioned analog TV stations. But it doesn't get any of them as well as my old set did, and the PBS channel is barely visible. It's like Clifford the Big Red Dog is caught in a big white snowstorm....

GPB has been battling signal problems on both TV and radio. WJSP-FM is very hard to hear at 88.1 these days. I wondered if it had to reduce power because "Tropical 88.5" was told by the government to broadcast toward Cuba.

GPB's web site explains a "digital upgrade" has affected both WJSP stations, on television and radio. You may not know "digital radio" is a growing phenomenon. Troy Public Radio now has three separate FM channels. One of them broadcasts the BBC World Service - so people in rural counties can learn to speak proper English.

But a friend pointed out a big surprise to me - that WJSP-FM is also available at the other end of the FM band, at 107.7. It has the same call letters, but a signal which is much stronger in my car. Not in my apartment, though - WCGQ is loud enough to take care of that.

Is WJSP-FM planning a "Big Switch" of its own? We called the GPB office this week, and several staff members knew nothing about the simultaneous signal at 107.7 FM. But then again, the main office is in midtown Atlanta - and Columbus radio signals are heard there only when the morning temperature is unseasonably low.

A GPB engineer finally did some asking around, and explained the situation to me. WJSP is using a spot on the dial for translator signals, on loan from a religious network called "Way-FM." Isn't this strange? Christians are selling out to presumed liberals - and in the Bible Belt, no less.

BIG PREDICTION: One year from now, the phrase "Big Switch" will have a very different meaning - and refer to all celebrities who announce they're homosexual.

SONG OF THE DAY: We've even come up with a song to help you prepare for the Big Switch. Today we're at 96 days to go. And if the signal problems aren't resolved soon, we're going to be like oldies radio -- and cry 96 tears.

How did we do on "poker night" Thursday? Find out at the blog getting visits from around the world -- "On the Flop!"

E-MAIL UPDATE: Now to a Columbus court case you may have overlooked....

I felt I must write the blog in defense of Dr.Sammy Caves. He is a decent man who found himself in hard times due to others leaving him holding the bag. He would never intentionally try to defraud the federal gov't by holding back on his assets when declaring bankruptcy. Some people do not realize that Chapt 11 bankruptcy means you are going to pay off your debts and you take responsibility for them..That is the type of bankruptcy that Dr.Caves filed in court..I wish you could see the hands that would go up over Columbus if you asked: How many people got their braces from Dr.Caves when their parents hit hard times?. He either did it as a free service to help kids be proud of themselves or allowed small payments made over a period of time. Thank you Dr Caves for helping the kids of Columbus..

A check of the Ledger-Enquirer's web site shows Sammy Caves was sentenced to home confinement and probation in federal court last week. He pleaded guilty to "concealment of assets" - which a few years ago was a code phrase involving Jennifer Lopez's body.

Prosecutors say Dr. Sammy Caves filed for bankruptcy five years ago, but never disclosed in the filing that he owned a gold watch and 18 guns. If he was hiding that many weapons, he must have taken those "orange alerts" for national security very seriously.

Part of the sentencing for Dr. Sammy Caves involves providing $50,000 of free dental work to low-income residents. This is what makes the case especially puzzling - because if an orthodontist wanted to conceal valuable assets, wouldn't he hide a lot of gold teeth and braces?

We have a call pending regarding one other e-mail - so we'll move on to headlines, from an admittedly slow Thursday in the news:

+ Columbus State University students slept outside, in a campaign called "Homeless for a Night." Students at large colleges do this during the winter all the time - only they call it waiting in line for basketball tickets.

+ Alabama state records indicated 86.9 percent of Macon County voters preferred Barack Obama for President. Remember when President Bush went to Tuskegee and suggested the city improve a main highway? By next November, the city may have enough federal money to repair all of them.

+ The principal at Tallapoosa County's Reeltown High School confirmed he's barred displays of the Confederate battle flag. Tom Cochran also has asked students to avoid wearing Barack Obama T-shirts for a few weeks. These students need to learn a lesson - be like Columbus High School, and take your emotional screaming matches to the Internet.

+ Former presidential candidate John McCain appeared in Atlanta, on behalf of Senator Saxby Chambliss. Talk about a surprise! McCain's been so quiet since Election Night that I thought Sarah Palin's name would be the only one offered at the Electoral College.

+ The Associated Press reported Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps was spotted at a Birmingham restaurant, with a former "Miss Alabama USA." This was a big news story on Troy Public Radio -- while I'm not sure it would even make the first section of TMZ these days. Well, unless they both wore swimsuits....

SCHEDULED THIS WEEKEND: Are we doomed, because of the Presidential election? We meet a man who sounds that way....

Our number of unique visitors is now up 31 percent from last year. To advertise to our readers, offer a story tip 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: 954 (+ 27, 2.9%)

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.

13 NOV 08: CHANGE AT THE TOP

The incoming Muscogee County District Attorney made her first major decision since the election Wednesday. It was a bold step, that I'm not sure anyone really expected. And it's something Gray Conger never would have done - because he's probably never had long enough hair to do it.

Did you see the dramatic video on WRBL -- as District Attorney-Elect Julia Slater had her hair cut? This admittedly shocked me. Slater styled her hair a bit like Sarah Palin to get elected, and now wants nothing to do with her....

Julia Slater probably went to the salon with an "up-do." She left with her hair entirely above the shoulders. I think that style is called a "bob" - although I didn't see former mayor Poydasheff anywhere in the video clip.

So you're probably asking why Julia Slater did this. Why make such a big cut, only days after the election? And is this a sign that she'll make big staff cuts, after she takes office?

There actually are other reasons why the District Attorney-Elect went to the salon. Julia Slater donated several inches of hair to Locks of Love, which provides hairpieces to children with a medical hair loss. I assume this program is aimed exclusively at girls - since baldheaded boys can pretend to be basketball players or professional wrestlers.

Julia Slater said she's watched a mother-in-law and personal hairstylist die of cancer in the last two years. That prompted her to make a hair donation to Locks of Love. This could become very popular in the next few weeks - as hair donations don't require you to realign your budget.

Julia Slater actually is the second local official to make a Locks of Love donation this year. Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley did it in May, several months before winning re-election. Once Slater becomes District Attorney, they can compare notes on stylists as well as criminal cases.

Julia Slater admitted there's a bit of symbolism in her big haircut -- that it symbolizes the change she plans to bring to the District Attorney's office. Can you imagine what could happen if all Democrats used this sort of symbolism? By this time next year, our President could have an Afro.

It's probably best that Julia Slater went ahead with the haircut now, before taking the oath as District Attorney. Remember how prosecutor Marcia Clark changed hairstyles, in the middle of the O.J. Simpson trial in 1995? The jury quickly decided her presentation simply wasn't consistent.

Julia Slater may be following the example of other female prosecutors. When I worked in radio news in Oklahoma during the early 1980s, the local District Attorney was female and had a shorter style. That woman still holds the position today - so short hair may succeed in a long run.

But let's face it - if Julia Slater had lost the election last week, would this haircut have been a news story? Would a TV station have bothered showing up to record it? Wouldn't some guys compare her to a stressed-out woman who learned her boyfriend dumped her through a text message?

Julia Slater's name made news for a very different reason Wednesday. She's the defense attorney for a woman awaiting trial for a series of home invasions. Soon Slater will switch to the other side of the courtroom aisle - and I'm wondering if that suspect is entitled to get at least some of her legal fees back.

BLOG UPDATE: Since we sort-of promised it Monday, we now have a picture of the new Columbus Walk of Fame. For now, it has three stars - so tourists from Canada might be forgiven if they think they stumbled onto a hockey tribute.

The Chair of the Columbus Walk of Fame committee assured us Sunday it would NOT operate like the Hollywood Walk of Fame - where celebrities sometimes can "buy" a star for thousands of dollars. Yet the Columbus stars have "sponsorship bricks" around them, including several with names of relatives. Maybe those bricks cost less than a family reunion T-shirt....

The new Columbus Walk of Fame reminded me of a similar walkway, about six blocks away. The Chamber of Commerce has a Business Walk on Sixth Avenue, yet you never hear anyone promote it as a "tourist attraction." Maybe it's because of the big Bill Heard Chevrolet logo in the middle of it.

On the other hand, maybe the Business Walk isn't promoted to tourists because you can pay for a spot on it. A little sign to the left of the walkway invites you to "Ad your name...." Yes, it's spelled like "advertisement." Give the Chamber of Commerce enough money, and people can walk over your name just like they do Tom Buck's.

Let's cool down after our walkabout, and check other Wednesday news....

+ Georgia State Senator Emanuel Jones announced he has the signed papers to take over Bill Heard Chevrolet. If he hires Zeph Baker as his general manager, Rep. Calvin Smyre may get nervous all over again.

(There's one Opelika business which could be disappointed by this news. Glynn-Smith Chevrolet probably has been packed on Mondays, due to Jimmie Johnson winning all those Sunday NASCAR races.)

+ Officials from Columbus, Mississippi visited town on a fact-finding trip. The cities have more in common than you might think. Columbus, Mississippi has a town named Hamilton to the north, a city named West Point nearby - and since it's down the road from Mississippi State University, we both want to pull out hair over college football teams.

+ The new Russell County commissioners were sworn into office. Tillman Pugh and Ronnie Reed returned to seats they used to have. And newcomer Larry Screws may have been disappointed - because principal's offices tend to have larger desks than his space in the meeting room.

+ Instant Message to the Country Music Association: First of all, why isn't it called the "Horizon Award" anymore? And how could you overlook Macon's Jason Aldean for that Best New Artist prize, and give it to a group named Lady Antebellum -- when two of its three singers are male?

Our number of unique visitors is now up 31 percent from last year. To advertise to our readers, offer a story tip 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: 927 (+ 38, 4.3%)

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.

12 NOV 08: MR. BIG AUCTIONEER

Well, what do you know - Bill Heard Chevrolet isn't quite out of business after all. It's simply moved the sale of some of its cars to a new location. And it didn't even bother taking over one of those vacant car lots in the middle of Phenix City.

The Tuesday evening news revealed Bill Heard Enterprises is selling used cars on eBay. You can even see the Bill Heard sign in front of many pictures - so if you haven't taken the historical photos by now, this could be your last chance to snatch one.

Bill Heard Enterprises apparently set up an eBay "store" in late May, well before the dealerships shut down. Yet a group of used cars was posted for sale there last week, well after the bankruptcy filing. Talk about getting them coming and going....

The cars and trucks offered by Bill Heard on eBay are less than three years old. The oldest model I found was a 2006 Silverado with about 25,000 miles - and it's being offered for $20,000. Some of the managers still have big mortgage payments to meet, you know.

We should note NO new cars are on sale in the Bill Heard store. They're apparently combined for sale with the dealership in bankruptcy court. Sell the building and the vehicles separately, and you have.... well, what DID Christ Community Church do with those cars near Macon Road?

So is Bill Heard Enterprises cheating, by selling used cars on eBay? One potential buyer for the dealership says no. Georgia State Senator Emanuel Jones explained Tuesday the bankrupt company still has to meet a payroll. It does?! How did the accountants and lawyers survive the shutdown in September?

Emanuel Jones adds Bill Heard's creditors must know about the sales of used cars on eBay, because otherwise it wouldn't be happening. Jones apparently hasn't read the Better Business Bureau's complaint file on the Chevy dealership.

Another sort of auction is underway involving Bill Heard Enterprises - for its dealerships. The corporate web site shows auctions were held in Birmingham Tuesday, for locations in suburban Atlanta and Las Vegas. But can you really sell new cars in Las Vegas - given the odds against winning at casinos?

The Bill Heard dealership in Columbus is NOT on the schedule for a bankruptcy auction right now. Emanuel Jones still hopes to work out an agreement to buy it, and bring back at least some of the laid-off employees. So you'll understand if those workers already are singing, "O Come O Come Emanuel...."

Meanwhile, the price of General Motors stock dropped below three dollars a share Tuesday. It hasn't been that low since 1943. With Bill Heard Chevrolet and Cadillac shut down, a lot of car customers may have given up and started shopping for Kias.

Here's what else made news on Veterans Day this year....

+ Your blog was one of several Columbus locations receiving a strange computerized phone call. A synthesized voice claimed there was a problem with my TIC Federal Credit Union account. Well yes, there WAS a big problem - as I've never had a TIC account.

+ Someone fired several shots at upper floors of the Aflac tower. No one was hurt - but this may go down as the most ridiculous attempt at duck hunting in Columbus history.

+ WXTX "News at Ten" interviewed a doctor who teaches sex therapy at Columbus State University. You wondered why enrollment suddenly jumped this fall, didn't you?

+ Georgia Congressman Paul Broun confirmed to the Associated Press he considers President-Elect Obama a "Marxist." By doing this, Broun also confirms he's becoming the Georgia Republican Party's answer to Cynthia McKinney....

(Broun bases his statement on a July speech, in which Mr. Obama talked of creating a civilian force to ensure national security. Wait until the President-Elect takes office, and learns the National Guard has been doing that sort of thing for about 200 years.)

+ American University researchers told National Public Radio Georgia had the second highest increase in voter turnout, in last week's election. Saxby Chambliss and Jim Martin probably were stunned to discover the state had that many Libertarians.

+ Outgoing Opelika High School football coach Spence McCracken told WRBL he might coach somewhere else next year, instead of retiring completely. Hmmmm - does the answer depend on how Saturday's Georgia-Auburn game turns out?

+ The Atlanta Hawks shook off Chicago 113-108, and now are 6-0 to start the basketball season. If this streak keeps up, things could be very different the next time these two teams meet in late December - and I won't have to listen to the game on a Chicago radio station.

(Besides Atlanta, the only other unbeaten team in the N.B.A. is the Los Angeles Lakers. This season could come down to which team trades for Kevin Garnett first.)

+ Instant Message to Tire-Master on Veterans Parkway downtown: If all the other candidates are taking down their campaign signs, you should do the same. Especially since your sign says "Weeks 4 Coroner," and that vote was four months ago.

Our number of unique visitors is now up 31 percent from last year. To advertise to our readers, offer a story tip 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: 889 (+ 22, 2.5%)

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.