Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2008 > September
September 2008
Looking for humor in gas shortage
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Even though Gov. Sonny Perdue had asked the federal government to release crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ease the gas crunch concerns, problems in metro Atlanta are expected to continue for the next few days if not a week.
Until then would you like to see — as some stations have already done — impose a limit to how much gas motorists can buy at anyone time? No one expects it to get as bad as the oil embargo of the 1970s.
But if you want to take a walk on the humorous side what other alternative plans can you come up with to ease the pain at the pump: Alternative days for Georgia Bulldogs vs. Yellowjackets fans? Republicans on Mondays and Wednesdays, Democrats on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Libertarians on Fridays?
Check out Political Insider for a serious proposal on gas rationing
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House rejects $700 billion rescue
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The House defeated a $700 billion rescue for the financial industry after President Bush warned that by doing so, it could send the nation into a recession.
More than two-thirds of Republicans and 40 percent of Democrats opposed the bill, according to AP.
“There’s no question that the country is facing a difficult crisis that needs to be addressed,” said White House spokesman Tony Fratto. He said the president will be meeting with members of his team to talk about what to do next.
Did the House make the right decision? What steps need to be taken to help the economy and financial institutions?
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Plan to watch the VP debate?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The presidential candidates have finished the warm-up act.
Now the debate that everyone has been waiting for is upon us. Thursday night becomes “must-see TV” night again when Democratic Sen. Joe Biden and Republican Gov. Sarah Palin square off in St. Louis in their only debate of the campaign.
Do you plan to get together with friends, foes or anyone else at a debate-watching party?
Will you be watching in earnest — or maybe having a little fun? Send an e-mail describing your plans to mggray@ajc.com; please include a daytime phone number. We may contact you for a story on Atlantans gathering to watch the debate.
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Are you confident in the rescue plan?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The House is set to vote on the controversial $700 billion bailout plan designed to aid the struggling financial system.
Supporters say the plan will avoid a economic disaster, but critics decry the measure, as too costly to taxpayers. The Senate is expected to take action on Wednesday.
How confident are you that the bailout plan will work? Your thoughts about the measure?
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Interrogating students without parents’ permission
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The principals and police departments at several metro area school districts have the authority to question students who commit discipline incidents that may also be considered as crimes (vandalism, disorderly conduct, assault, theft, etc.) without first contacting parents for their permission. The information students share with principals may be used against them in school discipline and criminal cases.
What do you think about this practice? Should parents be contacted before administrative and police interrogations? Should parents be invited to sit in? Should parents be allowed to send an attorney to the interrogations to keep their child from confessing to a crime?
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What would Larry say about loss to Bama?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The difficult loss to Alabama Saturday night was harder for Bulldog fans because longtime broadcaster Larry Manson was not there to explain it to us in his gloomy and growling way. What would the retired legend’s words of caution and comfort been?
Sports Illustrated writer Andy Staples came up with this today: “Good God. They’re just killing us. Killing us. Terrence Cody is occupying our entire offensive line. Andre Smith is mauling our defensive linemen. Glen Coffee is running through us like a 59-cent burrito. We’re discombobulated on offense. We’re confused on defense. And Julio Jones? My God. A freshman?”
So give us your best Munson-style description.
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Did gas crisis affect your church this weekend?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The hunt for gasoline had many Georgians staying home. Have you noticed any affect on worship activities or attendance? Were there some church trips postponed? Are any special prayers being lifted up?
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Did gas crisis affect your church this weekend?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The hunt for gasoline had many Georgians staying home. Have you noticed any affect on worship activities or attendance? Were there some church trips postponed? Are any special prayers being lifted up?
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Should they debate? What do you say?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It sounds like the makings of a bad joke, if the stakes weren’t so high.
What happens in a debate if only one candidate shows up?
Republican John McCain has not committed to participating in tonight’s scheduled debate with rival Barack Obama, although Obama said he will be there, according to an AP article.
McCain has said he wants to postpone the debate in order to deal with the financial crisis facing the nation. Obama, however, said the debate should go on and that the person who eventually occupies the White House should be able to multi-task.
What do you think? Should the debate go ahead as scheduled? Who wins, who loses?
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Trouble getting to work because of the gas crisis?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Have you changed your work habits because of the gas crisis?
Georgia drivers have seen little relief this week as gas supplies remained below normal. At some stations, drivers formed long lines and waited as much as an hour to fill their tanks. Others pull up only to see the now familiar plastic wrapping on the gas hose, signaling supplies have dried up.
So, what does that mean for employers and workers? Have you had trouble making your commute because of a dwindling tank? Did you change your commute habits? Did you park the SUV and are now taking MARTA or car pooling?
If you’re an employer have to instituted flexible schedules or allowed employees to work for home?
For more money-saving tips, check out the money page.
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Gas crisis forcing you to stay home?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s a game of cat and mouse trying to find gas in the metro.
Motorists have to wait in line to get gas out find that the closest station is closed. For the lucky ones who actually find gas, it’s like winning the lottery. Unfortunately, there’s no immediate relief in sight.
So, what is a busy Atlantan to do?
Have you altered your weekend plans? Do you plan to combine errand runs with other activities. Have you canceled trips? Have you heard about events being postponed?
Check our money page for more tips on how to get by.
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Bill Heard Enterprises closes dealerships
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The tough economy has taken its toll on one of the area’s top auto retailers.
Columbus-based Bill Heard Enterprises has closed all 14 dealerships, resulting in the loss of 2,700 jobs.
The company blamed a combination of rising fuel prices, a slowdown in car sales and problems in the banking sector piled up to “create a business environment in which the company simply did not have the resources needed to continue to operate,” according to an article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
But the company also had a number of legal and consumer-realted problems. Most recently, GMAC Financial Services’ discontinued credit for new inventory for some of Bill Heard’s dealerships. It cited concerns about financial losses at the company.
Are you affected by the closings? If so, how? Have you tried to retrieve a car taken there for repairs? Where you in the process of buying a car from one of the dealerships?
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Gas hunters won’t see immediate relief
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s true the early bird catches the worm and around metro Atlanta, early risers got first dibs on gas supplies.
Still, metro motorists will likely face another day of hunting for gas, even after the feds waived the region’s smog-reducing gasoline requirements in order to boost supplies.
Officials said it could take up to two weeks to end the gas shortage as refineries in the Gulf of Mexico ramp back up after Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.
Is it easier to find gas today? Care to share your strategy? Do you head out earlier than usual to get gas? Do you top off or wait until your tank is half empty? What about prices?
Remember, let’s try to keep it short.
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Need gas? Go here.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Silly me. I woke up this morning hoping that with my early schedule I would find gas on my drive to downtown from Marietta. However, the stations where I usually stop were out of gas.
Now, I’m planning my drive home.
Where have you found gas within the last hour or so? How much did you pay? We don’t want a thesis. Just the quick and dirty. Where and how much? Let’s keep this going to help other metro Atlantans find gas.
(Update: 5:50 p.m. EPA waiver expected to increase metro gas supply The federal government waived the low-sulfur requirement for metro Atlanta gasoline, as shortages and panicked buying continued.
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Do you like the new Facebook design?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Does Facebook’s new look need a redo?
The social networking site’s new look was designed to make the site less cluttered, but it seems to do the opposite. It moves member profiles into other areas of the site and news feeds are more prominent. More importantly, though, the redesign is supposed to help Facebook bring in more advertising dollars and revenue.
There’s an estimated $2 billion market for social networking ads and Facebook, which has added 90 million users in the last two years, wants to capture a big chunk of those dollars, according to an article in USAToday.
But the redesign has left a lot of users unhappy. Several groups have called for a return to the former look, including one with 1 million members, the article said.
Do you like the new face of Facebook? Is it harder to navigate? Is it easier to add photos and member information.
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Where’s the gas?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Are you having trouble finding gasoline in metro Atlanta, or have you found gas when you needed it.
Tell us your gas horror story — or — tell us where you have been buying gas.
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Ever talked your way out of a parking ticket
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta parking violators are getting a reprieve - of sorts
The city is offering a 60-day amnesty period for people who have skipped out on paying a parking ticket (the offer is also extended to people who failed to get a business license). The amnesty covers penalties and interest for those with outstanding money due the city for either reason, according to an article by reporter D.L. Bennett.
We wonder, though, how many of you have ever talked your way out of getting a ticket or paying for one? We’d like to hear how you did it (and for the sake of discussion, let’s include moving violations as well.)
And if you did cough up the funds, what do you think about this amnesty program? Fair or no?
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Wall Street: A day of bad news
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Does the situation on Wall Street have you in a panic?
Stocks took a tumble after a round of bad news from the Street, including the collapse of Lehman Brothers, one of the most prestigious investment houses. The failure of Lehamn is closely tied to the current credit crisis, which has also forced the collapse of Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Additionally, Bank of America Corp. said it will buy Merrill Lynch in a $50 billion all-stock transaction and, perhaps more worrisome, insurance giant American International Group Inc. is asking the Federal Reserve for emergency funding.
Have you changed your investment strategy? Do you think the financial situation will get worse before it gets better?
If you are an employee of Lehman Brothers or Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc., how are you affected by the news?
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What do you remember about 9/11?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Seven years ago the world, as many of us know it, changed forever.
Today, Americans will mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks in which terrorists crashed planes into the World Trade Center towers, a Pennsylvania field and the Pentagon.
How do you plan to observe 9/11? What do you remember about that day? How did your life and routine change, if at all? Are you still worried about terrorist attacks in the U.S.?
KFC’s secret recipe: Your guess?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
KFC’s secret recipe is on the move - at least temporarily.
The Louisville-based restaurant chain is relocating the famous secret recipe from corporate headquarters to another site for the time being to allow KFC to beef up security. Colonel Harland Sanders’ yellowed handwritten recipe of 11 herbs and spices has befuddled cooks for nearly seven decades.
The recipe for KFC’s Original Recipe chicken is so closely guarded, according to the article that only two company executives at any time have access to it. The recipe was spirited away in an amored car, complete with off-duty police officers and private security guards.
At least one website claims to have the secret recipe. Company officials, however, say that no one has come close to hitting the mark.
Do you think you can unravel the secret? Give it your best shot.
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Should the driving age be raised?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Getting the keys to the car is an eagerly awaited rite of passage for 16-year-olds.
But a national auto safety group wants states to raise the age most teens can get behind the wheel from 16 to 17 or 18, according to an AP article.
Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which is funded by the insurance industry, notes in the article that car accidents are the leading cause of death among teenagers. Lund plans to submit the proposal this week at the annual conference of the Governors Highway Safety Association in Scottsdale.
By one estimate, more than 5,000 U.S. teens die in car accidents annually.
New Jersey is the only state that issues licenses at 17, AP states. Most states, including Georgia, have a graduated licensing program that requires teens to drive more with a parent or other responsible adult before getting behind the wheel alone. For more information about Georgia, visit the Georgia Department of Driver Services.
Some parents oppose the proposal, saying it will make teens less responsible.
What about you? Should the driving age be raised?
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How safe is your job?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The unemployment rate soared to 6.1 percent in August, a five-year-high, as more workers found themselves out of a job. Employers cut 84,000 jobs, evidence that the economy is continuing to weaken, according to The Associated Press.
The Labor Department’s report, showed the toll that instability in the housing, credit and financial markets are taking on the economy.
How secure is your job? Have you recently been laid off? If so, are you actively looking for work? Is it harder to find a job now? Have you had to look at jobs that pay less than what your were making before?
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Are you a Waffle House regular?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The first Waffle House restaurant isn’t serving hash browns and buttery grits anymore. Instead, the site near Avondale Estates will open as a museum.
AJC reporter Jim Auchmutey visits the restaurant with founders Tom Forkner and Joe Rogers Sr., who reminisce about building the popular chain.
Are you a Waffle House regular?
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The fall of sci-fi television
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jason is a proud “Trekkie” and Dragon*Con fan. He started watching “Star Trek” at four. His earliest memories are of Captain Kirk, phasers and green Orion slave girls. And, at seven, he watched “Star Wars” 19 times in one summer. “I was awed by the power and possibilities of the human imagination,” he said. His otherworldly interests include comic books, of which he has more than 4,000 spread over two states.
With summer ending and fall just over the horizon, the thoughts of sci-fi fans have turned to the new television season.
There’s been much debate about the future of the Sci-Fi Channel, especially during Dragon*Con, which recently wrapped up its annual convention in Atlanta.
The biggest complaint leveled at the Sci-Fi Channel was about the presence of professional wrestling on the network, which the executives have defended in the past by arguing that the wrestling audience crosses over with their target demographic of males ages 18-34.
Gary Mitchel, 37, of Greensboro, NC, moderated a panel on that topic during Con. I asked him about the upcoming fall season in “fantastical” television in general. He relishes the return of “Heroes”, “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”, “Chuck”, and “Pushing Daisies”. Of the new series, only “Fringe” and “Dollhouse” had caught his attention. And that’s strictly because of the creators involved—JJ Abrams, the mastermind behind “Alias” and “Lost”, is in charge of “Fringe”, and “Dollhouse” is the invention of “Buffy” and “Firefly” writer Joss Whedon.
“When I was younger, I used to follow characters”, Mitchel said. “But as I got older, I, like a lot of people I suspect, began to follow creators”. As to the Sci-Fi Channel, after “Galactica” goes off the air next year, he’s done with the network. The launching of a new “Stargate” series didn’t do much to change his mind. “I think that Sci-Fi will ride the ‘Stargate’ franchise until it drops, but the premise is worn out at this point.” He says that he will give the first episode of “Stargate: Universe” a chance, but if that doesn’t grab him he’s out.
So, what new fall shows are you guys looking forward to? What are you expecting from your favorite returning series? Is there any hope left for the Sci-Fi Channel?
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