Monday, August 30, 2010

700-year-old-cypress in McIntosh County.

http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-08-30/700-year-old-cypress-tell-story-survival

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Faculty shakeup turns elementary school around.

http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-08-29/reformed-savannah-chatham-schools-go-under-microscope-monday

Sunday Funnies; Volume 130.

MALE VS. FEMALE AT THE ATM MACHINE




A new sign in the Bank Lobby reads:



'Please note that this Bank is installing new Drive-through ATM machines enabling customers to withdraw cash without leaving their vehicles.



Customers using this new facility are requested to use the procedures outlined below when accessing their accounts.



After months of careful research, MALE & FEMALE Procedures have been developed. Please follow the Appropriate steps for your gender.'



************ ********* ********* *

MALE PROCEDURE:



1. Drive up to the cash machine.

2. Put down your car window.

3. Insert card into machine and enter PIN.

4. Enter amount of cash required and withdraw..

5. Retrieve card, cash and receipt.

6. Put window up..

7. Drive off.







FEMALE PROCEDURE:

What is really funny is that most of this part is the Truth!



1. Drive up to cash machine.

2. Reverse and back up the required amount to align car window with the machine.

3. Set parking brake, put the window down.

4. Find handbag, remove all contents on to passenger seat to locate card.

5. Tell person on cell phone you will call them back and hang up..

6. Attempt to insert card into machine...

7. Open car door to allow easier access to machine due to its excessive distance from the car.

8.. Insert card.

9. Re-insert card the right way.

10. Dig through handbag to find diary with your PIN written on the inside back page.

11. Enter PIN.

12. Press cancel and re-enter correct PIN.

13. Enter amount of cash required.

14. Check makeup in rear view mirror.

15. Retrieve cash and receipt..

16. Empty handbag again to locate wallet and place cash inside.

17. Write debit amount in check register and place receipt in back of checkbook.

18. Re-check makeup.

19. Drive forward 2 feet.

20. Reverse back to cash machine.

21. Retrieve card.

22. Re-empty hand bag, locate card holder, and place card into the slot provided!

23. Give dirty look to irate male driver waiting behind you.

24. Restart stalled engine and pull off.

25. Redial person on cell phone..

26. Drive for 2 to 3 miles.

27. Release Parking Brake.

1,100 foot container vessel calls on Port of Savannah, setting new record.

http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-08-29/massive-container-ship-leave-savannah-sunday-morning

Monday, August 23, 2010

Hot damn, let's hope so!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/7958031/Does-Barack-Obama-want-to-be-re-elected-in-2012.html

Update on St. Marys Lions Club "Whale of a Sale."

Includes points of contact for vendor reservations / additional information.

http://camdencommentary.blogspot.com/2010/08/st-marys-lions-to-hold-whale-of-sale-in.html

St. Marys City Council meeting tonight.

Agenda:

http://www.ci.st-marys.ga.us/agendas/2010/Revised%208%2023%2010%20City%20Council%20Agenda.pdf

Packet:

http://www.ci.st-marys.ga.us/council/2010/8.23.10%20City%20Council%20Meeting%20Packet.pdf

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Sunday Funnies; Volume 129

Abbot was seated next to a little girl on the airplane leaving

from Sydney when he turned to her and said, 'Let's talk. I've heard that
flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger..'

The little girl, who had just opened her book, closed it slowly and said to
the total stranger, 'What would you like to talk about?'

'Oh, I don't know,' said the Abbot. 'How about global warming
or universal health care', and he smiles smugly.

OK, ' she said. 'Those could be interesting topics.. But let me ask
you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff -
grass.


Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat
patty, and a horse produces clumps of dried grass. Why do you suppose that is?'


Abbot, visibly surprised by the little girl's
intelligence, thinks about it and says, 'Hmmm, I have no idea.'

To which the little girl replies, 'Do you really feel qualified to discuss
global warming or universal health care when you don't know shit?

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

St. Marys Lions to hold a "Whale of a Sale" in October.

The Lions Club of St.Marys would like to let you know of an upcoming event:


On Saturday October 23rd from 8:00 am until 2:00 pm, the newly formed Lions Club of St. Marys is sponsoring an area wide yard sale called “Lions Club Whale of a Sale”. Anyone can participate and it is only $20 to have a 20’x10’ space. Vendors must provide their own tables and chairs.The Whale of a Sale will be held on the grounds of the Box Board Packaging Plant at 2431 Osborne Road. The visibility and advertising should make this a well attended event! Similar events have had thousands of shoppers.

For people who do not want to set up and sell, the Lions are taking donations of gently used household and furniture items, exercise equipment, decorative items, etc. - with the exception of clothing. Donations can be dropped off at Hippo Storage in Kingsland (the old 84 Lumber) All proceeds will be kept local and will benefit local children & residents in need of vision care.

Help us spread the word if you can and put it on the community calendars.

Update, 8/23: Points of contact for vendor reservations / additional info:

Diane Maurer: gdianemaurer@gmail.com

Sue Lockhart: suemlock@hotmail.com

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Starline annointing confirmed.

According to K-Bay news, Berry's bud Jimmy Starline will be sworn in on 30 August to replace Berry.
Starline will serve for about 17 months before he has to face voter one and then will do it as an incumbent.

Of course, it was Berry himself who pushed for and got a change in the county charter to allow this (i.e., no called election to replace a dead / departed commissioner.)

8/19: GTU confirmation:

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-08-19/story/jimmy-starline-named-new-camden-county-commissioner

Great Dane making a comeback!

http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-08-17/new-great-dane-plant-be-built-statesboro

Stein incorrectly charges that city violated law in releasing Brinko's disciplinary records.

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-08-16/story/st-marys-tourism-directors-personnel-records-released

While I commend my friend Jim for making every effort on behalf of his client, I believe that he is wrong in his assertion that it was illegal. I further believe that he may well know his assertion is incorrect but is doing this as part of an ongoing strategy to paint the city as ogreish as possible before the case reaches a jury.

Here is the actual section of the law which proves my contention that the city did nothing illegal.

This comes from a list of situations where a request for records may legally be denied.

(5) Records that consist of confidential evaluations submitted to, or examinations prepared by, a governmental agency and prepared in connection with the appointment or hiring of a public officer or employee; and records consisting of material obtained in investigations related to the suspension, firing, or investigation of complaints against public officers or employees until ten days after the same has been presented to the agency or an officer for action or the investigation is otherwise concluded or terminated, provided that this paragraph shall not be interpreted to make such investigatory records privileged.




Timeline: Brinko fired on 7/15. The "investigation" was terminated at that point. The disciplinary files were requested and received by me on 8/9, well beyond the 10 day wait after the investigation is completed, as required by law.

The "investigation" was conducted by Shanahan. The investigation was terminated when the decision was taken to fire Brinko. The code refers to an investigation conducted by the by the agency from which the records were requested, NOT a subsequent "investigation" by the firee's attorney.

Case closed.

Here is a link to the actual files in question:

http://camdencommentary.blogspot.com/2010/08/brinko-disciplinary-file-i-report-you.html

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Sunday Funnies; Volume 128

From the American Association Of Retired People

Questions and Answers from AARP Forum

Q: Where can men over the age of 60 find younger, sexy

women who are interested

in them? A: Try a bookstore, under fiction.

Q: What can a man do while his wife is going through

menopause? A: Keep busy. If you're handy with

tools, you can finish the basement.

When you're done you'll have a

place to live.

Q: Someone has told me that

Menopause is mentioned in

the bible. Is that true?

Where can it be found? A: Yes. Matthew 14:92:

"And Mary rode Joseph's ass all the way to Egypt ......"

Q: How can you increase the

heart rate of your 60-plus

year old husband? A: Tell him you're pregnant.

Q: How can you avoid that

terrible curse of the elderly

wrinkles? A: Take off your glasses.

Q: Seriously! What can I do for these Crow's feet and all those wrinkles on my face ? A: Go braless. It will usually pull them out.

Q: Why should 60-plus year old people use valet parking ? A: Valets don't forget where they park your car.

Q: Is it common for 60-plus year olds to have problems with short term memory storage ? A: Storing memory is not a problem, Retrieving it is the problem.

Q: As people age, do they sleep more soundly? A: Yes, but usually in the afternoon.

Q: Where should 60-plus year olds look for eye glasses? A: On their foreheads.

Q: What is the most common remark made by 60-plus year olds when they enter antique stores? A: "Gosh, I remember these !"

SMILE, You've still got your sense of humor, RIGHT ?

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Another register 12 rant.

Well, there I was at register 12 again at about 4:30 this afternoon. You know register 12 at Walmart - the "speedy express" line for folks with 20 or fewer items. I had only 7 items today so naturally I went there. In fact, I always go there because the chances of my fitting 20 items in my canvas bag hanging around my neck and not needing spinal traction are very slim.

Directly in front of me was a black couple with about 30 items in one basket but they put them into two separate smaller piles separated by one of those black plastic dividers  so as not to violate the 20 item limit.

Now, ahead of them actually interacting with the cashier were two women and 4 kids. From their appearances, dress, and accents, they were almost certainly Indian immigrants. They were buying school supplies for the kids.  Maybe 20-25 items.

Here's the frosting. The one woman, just before I got into line, had spread out at least two hundred coins of all different denominations on the conveyor belt. She then had the audacity to glower at the hapless cashier who was laboriously picking up and counting the coins one-by-one and obviously not fast enough to suit the maharani.

After she finally got through counting and drawering all of the coins, it turns out that the coins were not sufficient to pay the bill. No problem - they had credit or debit cards. Unfortunately, they were all apparently issued by First Hindu of New Delhi because not one of the four proffered cards would actually work - after multiple tries with each card, of course!

So, after all that, the one woman whips out a wad of twenties from which she covers the few dollars the coins were short by.

Elapsed time that I observed: 20 minutes.

Likely total elapsed time: at least 25 minutes.

When I got to the register, I told the clerk, a lady I deal with frequently, that that one was surely going onto my blog. She then said that they have a machine in the store you can dump a load of coins into and it will give you back folding money for a charge of 8 cents on the dollar.

But, what the hell, surely the value of the time of all of us lower-caste, native-born Walmart shoppers could not exceed 8 cents on the dollar, could it?

Apparently, the psychology of the clods who do this kind of thing is that if they know they have some problem that is going to take longer than usual to check out, the logical thing to do is go to the speedy check out to make THEIR  problem get resolved faster - to hell with everyone with cash or cards that work and in a hurry.

Do you have a favorite checkout story you would like to share?

Glynn County harvests bumper crop of human garbage.

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-08-14/story/most-still-jailed-glynn-county-drug-gun-roundup

Friday, August 13, 2010

CCBoard of Commissioners regular meeting , Tuesday, 8/17.

Combined agenda and packet:

http://www.co.camden.ga.us/Archive.aspx?AMID=&Type=&ADID=709

Obama to buy Russian helicopters for Afghanistan!

http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/08/13/russian-made-choppers-to-afghanistan/

I wonder if the Russian company will get some bailout money too?

Minutes of the executive session in which Councilman Howell did indeed vote to purchase the Gilman boathouse property!

http://www.ci.st-marys.ga.us/minutes/2010/6%2014%2010%20City%20Council%20Executive%20Session%20Minutes.pdf

So much for his denial the other night during an open council session. No doubt, the other book end had taken him to the woodshed for his vote in Bird's absence.

New species monkey discovered in the Amazon rain forest.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/08/13/red-bearded-monkey-discovered-but-risks-extinction/?hpt=C2

Something different - and delicious - for Sunday brunch.

Here's something I just came up with.

What you will need:

1 can of salmon (Walmart's GV brand at $2.06 for 14.75 oz. works just fine.)
1 8 oz. package of Martha White Hush Puppy Mix with Onion Flavor (.86 at Walmart.
1 white onion
A good oil - I use GV canola blend.
A dozen eggs.
A couple or three nice, ripe, slicing tomatoes.
Butter

Pour new oil into a frying pan.  Preheat to about 7 or 8 on your electric stove. A "Fry Daddy" works great also. While the oil is heating:

Slice your tomatoes and dice your onion.

Into a mixing bowl, drain every last drop of the juice from the salmon.
Crack an egg into the salmon juice and and whisk lightly.
Add the salmon and break it up with a fork.
Add two heaping tablespoons of chopped white onion. Stir in.
Add the entire contents of the hush puppy mix, a little at the time, blending as you go.
If needed, add a little water at a time to get the right consistency.

Put on another frying pan with butter for over-easy fried eggs.

Spoon mixture into hot oil about a heaping teaspoon at a time. Cook until golden brown. Pay attention and don't get distracted. They cook up quickly. Drain on paper towels.

Fry your eggs last. Serve on same plate with salmon puppies. They are great dipped into the egg yellow.
Tomatoes on a side plate plain or with dressing of your choice.

I just finished eating that meal about 15 minutes ago. Oh, man, was it good - and a nice change of pace.

By the way, you can keep the left over mixture for days to cook in smaller bactches. I would guess that the above recipe would easily serve four to five adults at one sitting.

Let me know how you liked it.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Boundaries of "downtown" St. Marys expanded.

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-08-11/story/st-marys-expands-development-boundaries

What the article does not address is that under state law, if your town has a bona fide "convention center" you can increase the bed tax by 1 cent on the dollar.

Note that Bird was out of town during the vote on a real estate issue in executive session. Howell voted to buy the property but when Bird got back and informed him that he official book-end position was to oppose the purchase, he began to deny having so voted.

You know, Bird being skeptical about the sweetheart deals that authorities can make is really, really rich.
Bird leases enough land at the airport to have built 4, large airplane jhangars. By the terms of his lease, he can rent space in them for the storage  of airplanes. In fact, he rents space for airplanes, boats, and motor homes and anything else someone might want to store in there. He is unquestionaably making something
north of $25,000 per year.

So, how much do you suppose he pays for his lease from the St.Marys Airport Authroity?

Nope, way too high. He actually pays $840.00 per year! No, that's not a misprint: $840.00 per YEAR.

Hell, Aunt B's probably pays somewhere north of that per WEEK!

Now do you gullible idiots who adore Bird understand the real reason he opposes the airport move and in  fact the very reason he is on city council - where he earns another $6,000 per year to go along with his outrageously low lease price?

Corection: Thanks to the alert and informed reader who phoned to let me know that I had transposed the numbers. Bird pays not $840 per year but a measely $480.00!

It gets even better.Bird has a 25 year lease. At the end of the 25 years, ownership of the $75,000 worth of hangers he's built on the property reverts to the city. However, get this now, there is a clause in the lease which says that if for ANY REASON, the city decides to close the airport prior to the end of the 25 year lease, Bird waives the right to sue the city and agrrees that he will have no recourse but to take the hangers down at his expense and move them off of the property.

Any remaining questions as to why Bird is REALLY so adamantly opposed to moving the airport?

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Sunday Funnies; Volume 127.

Sometimes, when I look at my children, I say to myself, 'Lillian, you should have remained a virgin.'


- Lillian Carter (mother of Jimmy Carter)

<><>

I had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalog: - 'No good in a bed, but fine against a wall.'

- Eleanor Roosevelt -

<><>

Last week, I stated this woman was the ugliest woman I had ever seen. I have since been visited by her sister, and now wish to withdraw that statement.

- Mark Twain

<><>

The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending; and to have the two as close together as possible.

- George Burns

<><>

Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people only once a year.

- Victor Borge

<><>

Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.

- Mark Twain

<><>

By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.

- Socrates

<><>

I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury.

- Groucho Marx

<><>

My wife has a slight impediment in her speech. Every now and then she stops to breathe.

- Jimmy Durante

<><>

I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back.

- Zsa Zsa Gabor

<><>

Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.

- Alex Levine

<><>

My luck is so bad that if I bought a cemetery, people would stop dying.

- Rodney Dangerfield

<><>

Money can't buy you happiness... But it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery.

- Spike Milligan

<><>

Until I was thirteen, I thought my name was SHUT UP.

- Joe Namath

<><>

I don't feel old. I don't feel anything until noon. Then it's time for my nap.

- Bob Hope

<><>

I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it.

- W. C. Fields

<><>

We could certainly slow the aging process down if it had to work its way through Congress.

- Will Rogers

<><>

Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you.

- Winston Churchill

<><>

Maybe it's true that life begins at fifty... But everything else starts to wear out, fall out, or spread out.

- Phyllis Diller

<><>

By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he's too old to go anywhere.

- Billy Crystal

<><>

And the cardiologist's diet: - If it tastes good spit it out.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Mea culpa!

Urgent!

Correction: The Republican pre-runoff candidates' forum will be at the County Annex, and NOT the Rec Center as I erroneously announced earlier.

That's tomorrow night, Wednesday, August 4th, at the Camden County Annex, next to the county library, at 7:00 PM.

The Brinko affair is indeed getting nastier by the day!

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-08-03/story/st-marys-former-tourism-director-denied-chance-appeal-firing

You can bet that Jim Stein was aware of the deadline and "missed" it on purpose. I'm sure he has known from the outset that Brinko's only chance would be in a real court of law. This just makes the other side look even worse. Strategy.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Sunday Funnies; Volume 126

A HUSBAND IS AT HOME WATCHING A

FOOTBALL GAME WHEN HIS WIFE INTERRUPTS,

HONEY,
COULD YOU FIX THE LIGHT IN THE HALLWAY?
IT'S BEEN FLICKERING FOR WEEKS NOW..

HE LOOKS AT HER AND SAYS ANGRILY,
FIX THE LIGHTS NOW?
DOES IT LOOK LIKE I HAVE
ENERGY AUSTRALIA WRITTEN ON MY FOREHEAD?
I DON'T THINK SO.

FINE,
THEN THE WIFE ASKS,
WELL THEN, COULD YOU FIX THE FRIDGE DOOR?
IT WON'T CLOSE RIGHT

TO WHICH HE REPLIED,
FIX THE FRIDGE DOOR?
DOES IT LOOK LIKE I HAVE WESTINGHOUSE
WRITTEN ON MY FOREHEAD?
I DON'T THINK SO

FINE, SHE SAYS
THEN YOU COULD AT LEAST FIX THE STEPS
TO THE FRONT DOOR?
THEY ARE ABOUT TO! BREAK !



I'M NOT A CARPENTER AND I DON'T
WANT TO FIX STEPS
HE SAYS, DOES IT LOOK LIKE I HAVE
BUNNINGS WRITTEN ON MY FOREHEAD?
I DON'T THINK SO.
I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU.
I'M GOING TO THE PUB!!!!



SO HE GOES TO THE PUB AND DRINKS FOR A
COUPLE OF HOURS...............



HE STARTS TO FEEL GUILTY ABOUT HOW
HE TREATED HIS WIFE, AND DECIDES
TO GO HOME


AS HE WALKS INTO THE HOUSE HE NOTICES
THAT THE STEPS ARE ALREADY FIXED.


AS HE ENTERS THE HOUSE , HE SEES THE
HALL LIGHT IS WORKING


AS HE GOES TO GET A BEER, HE NOTICES
THE FRIDGE DOOR IS FIXED.



HONEY, HE ASKS, HOW'D ALL THIS GET FIXED?

SHE SAID, WELL, WHEN YOU LEFT I SAT
OUTSIDE AND CRIED.


JUST THEN A NICE YOUNG MAN ASKED ME
WHAT WAS WRONG, AND I TOLD HIM.

HE OFFERED TO DO ALL THE REPAIRS, AND
ALL I HAD TO DO WAS EITHER
GO TO BED WITH HIM OR BAKE A CAKE.

HE SAID,
SO WHAT KIND OF CAKE DID YOU ! BAKE?

SHE REPLIED,

HELLOOOOO..

DO YOU SEE SARA LEE WRITTEN
ON MY FOREHEAD?

I DON'T THINK SO!

Sea lions and dolphins on patrol at NSBKB.

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-08-01/story/sea-lions-dolphins-enhance-security-kings-bay