Shades Of Grey

Because Real Blackface Is W-Wrong!

Don't Ask...

...and SHE won't tell.

You may have noticed this sign near the Village:

Three Units In One House

Looks like an apartment building--a triplex. But what does the Zoning say?

Well, the records say this is residential, single family. Wonder what the city says? Wonder if we'll ever know given the "Don't Tell" philosophy that reigns supreme?

Silly Season Gets Crazy

Tis the season: the Gold Dome is overpopulated and swirls of silly seem to permeate everything.

We've got a posturing, pandering freshwoman Democrat Senator who wants to roll back the campus carry law because, she claims "this law is wildly unpopular." This is based solely on her campaign where "parents, students and professors told me they feel less safe knowing kids can have guns in schools." Wildly? Well something has gone wild. "Less safe?" Compared to? Really? Kids? Twenty-one years old--old enough to be tried as an adult--and that fits HER definition of a kid? Sure, this is pandering, but is this the voice of moral authority that should be speaking on "common sense" gun laws?

It gets better. Down at the Ga Supreme Court, Justices unanimously (and rightly) found that roadside, warrantless Breathalyzer tests violate the State Constitution. Is this going to stop roadside Breathalyzers? Well, yes, sort of. At least the "official" test. Turns out many jurisdictions use flashlights with built in alcohol sensors and have for some time. Not likely to stop and good luck finding any department transparent enough to let you know they use these (questionable) devices. Remember, these are the same folks who adore a $2.00 field test that can get your property seized and your ass in jail for driving under the influence of cotton candy.

The Supreme Court was on a roll, determining, again unanimously, that 911 "fees" were actually taxes and that counties did not have standing to take utility companies to court as this action is only available at the state level. Wonder if this applies to franchise "fees" as well? There is some humor value in noting that within a Stage IV metastatic permission society some parts of that very society need permission from other parts. And those "some parts" really don't like it, making one wonder why the "of, by and for" little people put up with it.

This cannot conclude without noting yet another arrogance from the sovereign government-in-a-government: public schools. Apparently some students were poisoned during the school day, and since public schools are now all-but-totally responsible for kinder-nutrition, Fulton County Schools have circled the wagons. They are failing to comply with a GBI request for food samples claiming their over-arching concerns for "chain of custody." A passive-aggressive refusal at best; a cover-up at least. 

THIS Is The AJC

$13+/mo, added insult of ads to get THIS

Guest Post: AWOL

Dunwoody For The Win!

Getting Jiggy In DaVille

Can you imagine walking up to a local establishment with child in tow then feeling a tug from your little nipper who just picked up something and wants you to explain what it is. Something like this:

Pre-Owned Available In The Village

After that uncomfortable chat, take a deep breath and ponder how this might have come to be. A standup encounter? Really? It was pretty cold outside. Maybe a toss-out from a steamy window? Getting warmer. So how do folks steam up the car windows in a local shopping center parking lot without being noticed? How did they know they'd not be caught? That is quite ponderific.

Could it be that no one was looking? Where are those we, as residents, as taxpayers, pay to watch over us? Well we know where one of them was:

That's right. AWOL. Totally left-coast trying to tweet into relevance.

Anyone who cares for this City should have been praying for a timely blizzard in the Pacific Northwest. In terms of our quality of life we'd not have seen much of a difference would we?

Guest Post: Can Honor Be Learned?

From the Honor Code Exit Exam:

Professor Z has a unit on Mark Twain in his sophomore english class. For pedagogically sound reasons two papers, due on the same date, are required for this unit. The first is to discuss the life and times of Twain up to his writing of "Huckleberry Finn" and discuss how his life experiences affected the work. The second is to examine his life and times up to his writing of "Letters From the Earth" and again examine how his work was affected.

At the due date Student C, among a few others, turns in only the first of the papers. Upon notification by Prof Z that TWO papers are expected, Student C provides the second work in a manila envelope, properly labeled and slipped under the prof's locked door. The next day Prof Z finds Student C's envelope, and opens it to find the second paper with a Post-It note attached. The note clearly states "here is my second paper" and thanks the professor for the chance to submit the work past the deadline.

Upon examining Student C's paper, Prof Z finds it is actually SIGNED by Student A, contradicting the Post-It note. Further examination indicates it is line-for-line, word-for-word, character-for-character the same as Student A's paper which Student A turned in on time.

Professor Z concludes that Student C obtained Student A's paper, Xerox-ed it without even bothering to change the name and submitted it for evaluation as if it were indeed Student C's work. When confronted, Student C does not contest these facts.

The Honor Council weighs the facts of the matter arriving at one of the following outcomes. You pick which is most likely:

1. The act was determined to be willful and done in full knowledge of the honor code thereby justifying stern action to maintain the University's integrity.  Student C was awarded an 'FV' (failure due to honor code violation) carrying -4 quality points and not allowed to register for any courses until this course was re-taken and successfully completed.
2. The act was egregious and the unavoidable conclusion was that Student C felt entitled to an A and therefore considered cheating justified. This called into question all other work Student C had allegedly performed in this and other classes. In addition to an 'FV' in this course, Student C earned a 'WF' in all other courses, was suspended for a year to be re-admitted under a one-year probation only after the course was re-taken successfully.
3. Student C suffers from learning disabilities and a certain mental condition requiring medication. These medications have side effects that impair reasoning, memory and judgment. Taking this into consideration, Student C gets an Incomplete for the course and is assigned to a counselor who coordinates activities with professors to prevent future occurrences and ensure that Student C stays on task.
4. Student A's actions were also reviewed but before it was determined there was no transgression on that student's part, Student A speaks in anger to Professor Z.  Student C on the other hand, makes the case that the assignment was confusing, that much of the second paper was actually in the first, that submitting Student A's paper was a simple mistake, poor judgment, or an understandable accident, and if Professor Z hadn't actually asked for the second paper none of this would have happened. The Honor Council agrees and Student C gets an 'A' while Student A is chastised for his moments of anger and enrolled in anger management classes.
5. The situation proves that Twain was more accurate in his assessment of humankind in "Letters From the Earth" than in "Huckleberry Finn." To honor Student C for this ground-breaking analysis a PhD is awarded, O-D-K membership is bestowed and a statue carved from an ancient tusk, then gilded in gold is erected in the quad. Twain is removed from all courses. Student C lands a job as an apprentice barista but is later found spiking watered-down espresso with No-Doze and is now a campaign manager for a senatorial candidate.

Remember, only one answer is correct!

Is The GLASS Empty?

If you visit the "GLASS Now" promotional site it does not present the dilemma of "glass half-empty" as it appears the glass has been drained. It could be a consequence of local Republicans, likely to support "new city" schools, getting spanked at the polls in recent elections. But the apathy seems to have set in much earlier. Maybe someone realized that these schools would be public schools and would, by law, operate much like the ones run out of Tucker. Size, smaller in this case, is touted as a significant benefit. But is that enough? Then there is the notion only the best and brightest would head the classroom but there is only one way to guarantee no one will retire-on-the-job after tenure: eliminate tenure. Pretty much a non-starter under state law. Then there is the pay conundrum. Can the city set up schools that are more like private schools than public? That would mean lower pay, not higher as private schools are widely known to pay teachers less than public schools. Maybe someone realized that there isn't enough money to support the kind of friends-and-family hanger-on ecosystem the city supports. Or perhaps the reality of meaningful, outside oversight has chilled enthusiasm. No matter the cause the effect seems conclusive.

Guest Post: Why?

Why Is He STILL On The Payroll?

Why Is He Allowed To Waste OUR Money?