Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The home city of one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects is asking a funeral home director not to request a burial there. Should cities be allowed to turn down burial requests?
It’s been nearly three weeks since his death, but it remains unclear where the body of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev will be buried. The Associated Press reports that while Tsarnaev's mother says she wants the body returned to Russia, the funeral director in charge of Tsarnaev’s body believes the country will not accept the body. The funeral home director, Peter Stefan, said he plans to ask for a burial in the city where Tsarnaev lived, but officials in Cambridge, Mass., are urging him not to do so. "The difficult and stressful efforts of the citizens of the City of Cambridge to return to a peaceful life would be adversely impacted by the turmoil, protests, and wide spread media presence at such an interment," Cambridge…
Monday, May 6, 2013
A runner’ gesture cost his high school a trip to the state championships. Tell us if you think the ruling on the gesture was right on, or if the disqualification was unwarranted.
A high school’s chance to compete in the state championships was halted last month despite a winning performance from four of its athletes. Columbus High School saw four of its athletes take first in the 4 x 100-meter relay. But the team was disqualified, according to KHOU 11 News, after its final runner, Derrick Hayes, pointed up to the sky as he crossed the finish line. The DQ was levied as the gesture violated a rule that prohibits excessive acts of celebration, and it cost the school an opportunity to make it to the state championships. Hayes’ father said he believes his son made the gesture to give thanks to God. “It was a reaction,” K.C. Hayes said. “I mean you’re brought up your whole life that God gives you good things, you’re …
Friday, May 3, 2013
College football programs are not allowed to place website addresses or social media messages on the field due to rules that were recently amended by the NCAA. Tell us what you think of the athletic association’s decision.
#GoDawgs or #GoJackets? Whichever your preference, you won’t see either on an NCAA football field this fall. The NCAA’s recent “Bulletin on Field Markings, Uniforms, etc.” expressly prohibits “social media designations such as URL’s and hashtags” (Hashtags are words or phrases that are preceded by the # symbol that can be used online to group messages together or to rally support for a common cause, such as for a favorite team.). The rule means that while you may see your fellow fans using Twitter and other social media platforms while at the game, you won’t see “#SicemDawgs” between the hedges at Sanford Stadium or “#GaTech” on Historic Grant Field in Bobby Dodd Stadium. Speaking of UGA, another Southeastern Conference school, Mississippi…
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Former Atlanta Hawks player Jason Collins, most recently with the Washington Wizards, recently came out as gay. Tell us what impact, if any, you think his announcement will have.
"I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay," says Jason Collins in a story set to be published in the May 6 issue of Sports Illustrated. The pro basketball veteran has been a member of six teams in 12 seasons in the league, including three in Atlanta—he last donned a Hawks jersey during the 2011-2012 season. But many are likely to deem his coming out as something bigger than his on-the-court career, as he has become the first male U.S. athlete in a major professional sport to declare that he is gay. "I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation,” Collins told Sports Illustrated. Collins’ announcement was lauded by several of his …
Monday, April 29, 2013
On the roads or in the parking lot, what are the things other drivers do that annoy you the most?
Since today marks the start of another workweek for most folks, we thought we’d focus on a major part of most folks’ workday—driving. If you’re heading to work today, dropping off and/or picking up the kids, or maybe just hitting the road to get out of the house for a bit, you’re bound to pass or drive alongside a few dozen or perhaps even a few hundred other drivers. Depending on your tolerance for other drivers and their habits, you may have a pleasant drive, or you may experience a few annoyances on your trip. For yours truly, one of my biggest peeves manifested during yesterday afternoon’s showers: drivers who do not turn their headlights on when it’s raining. Turning one’s headlights on during showers is not just a state law—it also …
Friday, January 25, 2013
Several metro Atlanta sheriffs have come out against President Barack Obama’s recent executive orders tightening gun restrictions. Tell us if you agree with them.
Several metro Atlanta sheriffs have stepped forward in recent days to say they will not enforce a number of gun measures proposed earlier this month by President Barack Obama. Some of the president’s proposals include a limit on the number of bullets in an ammo clip and a renewed ban on assault rifles. In Cherokee County, Sheriff Roger Garrison said he and his deputies would not enforce “any laws or regulations that negate the constitutional rights of the citizens of Cherokee County,” nor will allow the enforcement of “Any unconstitutional regulations or orders by federal officers” within his county’s borders. “In the aftermath of the recent criminal events, the president, vice-president and many members of Congress are attempting to …
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
A proposed Senate bill would ban lobbyists’ giving of gifts to any public official in Georgia. Tell us what you think of this bill from State Sens. Bill Heath and Bill Cowsert.
Georgia lawmakers have wasted little time this year pushing for limits on lobbyist gifts. As the General Assembly got under way last week, the state Senate set a $100 cap on lobbyist gifts to its members. Legislators’ first day also saw the filing of Senate Bill 36, which if passed would enact an even wider ban on lobbyist gifts. A copy of the legislation is attached to this article. The bill, which is sponsored by State Sen. Bill Heath, R-Bremen, and State Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, would prohibit any gift from a lobbyist to a public officer in the state. According to Heath, current state law defines a gift as something with a value in excess of $100. The Senate rule passed before SB 36’s filing is not without its loopholes. The Atlanta…
Monday, January 21, 2013
A proposed Senate resolution aims to “[express] remorse for the state’s past practice of condoning involuntary servitude.” Tell us what you think of State Sen. Barry Loudermilk’s proposed legislation.
A practice that ended in the 19th century is the focus of legislation being put forth in the 21st century. Last week, State Sen. Barry Loudermilk, R-Cassville, held a press conference to announce his filing of Senate Resolution 28, a resolution that aims to “[express] remorse for the state's past practice of condoning involuntary servitude,” or slavery. A copy of the resolution is attached to this article in PDF form. According to Loudermilk, passage of the resolution would mark the first official acknowledgement of the injustices of slavery and serve as “an official expression of regret and remorse for the condoning of the institution of slavery in Georgia. “The injustices brought on by the institution of slavery in our state's past …
Monday, January 14, 2013
U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Marietta, touched on the hot-button issue during an address to the Smyrna Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. Tell us what you think of Gingrey’s comments.
The phrase “legitimate rape,” uttered by the now former U.S. Rep. Todd Akin last August in the midst of his re-election campaign, is one he and Republicans likely hoped most Republicans would forget last year. Akin’s comments suggesting that victims of "legitimate rape" have a built-in defense against pregnancy likely played a factor in the Missouri Republican's political defeat in November. While Akin’s comments became part of the political landscape in 2012, they have resurfaced in the early days of 2013, but this time in Georgia. U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Marietta, said as he spoke to the Smyrna Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce that the former representative was “partly right.” Here’s what Gingrey, an OB-GYN, said during his…
Friday, December 14, 2012
Some say doomsday is nearly upon us; others say we’ll be just fine. What are your thoughts on the predictions of the world ending Friday, Dec. 21?
If you believe the predictions out there, our days our numbered. The date some have feared the approach of, Dec. 21, 2012, is now a week away. Supposedly, it’s the day that will see the occurrence of a cataclysmic event, or perhaps even the end of the world, as predicted by the Mayan calendar. Many say otherwise, saying the sun will rise again on Saturday, Dec. 22. Among those denying the end of the world are scientists at NASA, who have created a page focused on “Why the World Won’t End.” “Our planet has been getting along just fine for more than 4 billion years, and credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012,” NASA officials write, going on to denounce theories such as a supposed planet heading toward Earth, a …
stephen m george jr mpa
3:57 am on Saturday, May 18, 2013
Next time maybe we should just feed em to the pigs ...the thought of that fate would scare the hummus right out of the strict and observant muslim radical terrorists out there ...! more ›