YDATL Blog
NOTE: The opinions expressed by our individual bloggers are their own, and not necessarily those of Young Democrats of Atlanta.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

REMINDER - Summertime Blue is Tonight!!

Its hard to believe, but August 30th is finally here. We hope that you will be able to make it out to Vinocity tonight at 7pm for Summertime Blue, featuring Congressman John Lewis. Its going to be a fanatistic time that you will not want to miss!


Summertime Blue, Featuring Congressman John Lewis
7pm, Wednesday, August 30th
The Wine Garden at Vinocity
36 13th St, Midtown

VIP Hosts
Lt. Governor Candidate Jim Martin
Secretary of State Candidate Gail Buckner
State Senator David Adelman
State Senator Gloria Butler
State Senator Vincent Fort
State Senator Kasim Reed
State Senator-elect Nan Orrock
State Representative Kathy Ash
State Representative Pat Gardner
State Representative "Able" Mable Thomas
State Representative Alisha Thomas Morgan
State Representative Stephanie Stuckey-Benfield
State Representative Candidate Melanie Eyre
State Representative Candidate Jan Hackney
Fulton County Commissioner Nancy Boxill
Atlanta City Councilmember Kwanza Hall

True Blue Sponsor - $500
Susanna Chavez, Parking for America

Yellow Dog Sponsor - $250
Daniel Fullerton
Melanie Goux
Catherine Smith
Vinocity Winebar

Event Host - $100
Millissa Allen
Lynn and Candace Fowler
Branden Lane
Pam Majors, The Junkman's Daughter
Dene Shepherd
Dr. Michael Stamboly, Little Five Points Eye Etc.
Melissa Thompson
Allen Thornell
Sheri Wilson

Plan on coming? You can RSVP here!
Interested in becoming a sponsor of Summertime Blue? Visit our website or contact our Finance Chair, Nicolette Allen, at 404-538-7262 or at finance@atlantayoungdems.org
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posted by Nicolette at 8/30/2006 10:03:00 AM 0 comments

Monday, August 28, 2006

News Flash: Turnips Beat Georgia Congressional Delegation in IQ Contest
Today's bloggerIt would seem to be a reasonable conclusion, based on this article (which Sid Cottingham highlighted in his most recent entry), in which several Republicans have decided to play George of the Jungle's moronic sibling.

Let's begin with this beauty from Phil “Fewer Brain Cells Than Terri Schaivo” Gingrey:

I see it [Iraq] as World War III and I don't think we can afford to bail out when the going gets tough.

Astute readers will note that Congressman Toad has no military background (at least none he is willing to share in his official biography), clearly making him eminently qualified to blather about what does or doesn't qualify as World War III. Perhaps Congressman Toad would like to talk to some of the people who fought in World War II about what exactly makes Operation Clusterfuck anything remotely like bringing down the animals who ran the Third Reich and imperial Japan. I would also like to bring the following news item to Congressman Toad's attention: The going got tough a long time ago, although Congressman Toad was presumably too busy Protecting America by eviscerating the Constitution to save Terri Schaivo to give a damn.

How about another Gingrey Goof?

Gingrey said the war is in its "fourth quarter."

It seems that Phil has spent his time at the old ball game (except that this one costs billions of dollars and sometimes the players die) drinking the “special Coke” that he remembers from his college days – those special times when it was more fun to spike your soft drink than to actually watch Georgia Tech attempt to play football – because every time Team USA makes a big play, like killing Al Zarqawi, it gets called back on a “Killing Random People in Haditha” penalty. If we're in the fourth quarter, this sucker's going to quadruple overtime. So much for “Mission Accomplished.”

Here's one from John “Call Osama bin Laden” Linder:

Others, including Rep. John Linder, R-Duluth, compared the struggle to the American Revolutionary War...

Yeah, it's just like the Revolutionary War, John. Remember that part where we were content to live with the arbitrary whims of George III until France came over in 1770 and bombed the colonies into oblivion, and then gave no-bid contracts to King Louis' pals to “rebuild” America while his lackeys were overseeing the compliance of the puppet government? Or how about that part where the French raped and murdered random colonists and wondered why some people started thinking that being ruled by a raving lunatic wasn't so bad after all? And let's not forget the part where France totally bungled the “rebuilding” except for rebuilding the industries they got to control as a reward for “liberating” the colonies. Yes, John, your powers of observation and deduction are truly amazing. I'm surprised you can say more than “Timmeh”, you bloviating moron.

Oh, and then there's this from Tom “Official Weiner of the U.S. Congress” Price:

Rep. Tom Price, R-Roswell ... said he is constantly reevaluating the progress.

That so? I would think it would be pretty hard to concentrate on reevaluating anything when you're playing the smarmy sycophant to the George “Ken Lay Has Nothing On Me” Bush administration. That squirrel that you turned into road pizza as you drove your SUV to your “Save Social Security By Taking All the Money Out of the Program” meeting could reevaluate our progress in Iraq and figure out that the only progress we're making is toward making Iraq the main attraction in a long-running exhibit entitled “Vietnam: A Metaphor for American Foreign Policy”. On the other hand, you, Tom Price, are to George Bush what Monica Lewinsky was to Bill Clinton, except dumber and less attractive.

*sigh* I can't believe that at least two out of these three mental midgets is going to go back to Congress.
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posted by Ataru Atlanta at 8/28/2006 10:59:00 PM 1 comments

Summertime Blue - I'll Be There, Will You?

Have you heard about Summertime Blue...that super-hip membership drive/party the Young Democrats are throwing featuring Congressman John Lewis? Well, you probably have. In fact, I wouldnt be suprised if you already have your party-licious outfit picked out. But incase you haven't here is the low-down on Summertime Blue.

Summertime Blue
Featuring US Congressman John Lewis
7pm Wednesday, August 30th
Vinocity Winebar
36 13th St, Midtown Atlanta
We really hope that everyone can make it out. It will truly be a fantastic event and a fun time for everyone. You really dont want to miss out on what will probably be THE party of the summer!

Today is your last chance to become a sponsor of the Young Democrats of Atlanta's Summertime Blue Membership Drive event featuring Congressman John Lewis. Sponsors will have their names listed on all printed materials for this event and on a host board that will be present at Summertime Blue Wednesday night. Sponsors will also be listed in rolling email updates from YDAtl and on our website.

Make your contribution TODAY by 5pm! You make one online or by contacting our Finance Chair, Nicolette Allen at finance@atlantayoungdems.org .

VIP Hosts
Lt. Governor Candidate Jim Martin
Secretary of State Candidate Gail Buckner
State Senator David Adelman
State Senator Gloria Butler
State Senator Vincent Fort
State Senator Kasim Reed
State Senator-elect Nan Orrock
State Representative Kathy Ashe
State Representative Pat Gardner
State Representative "Able" Mable Thomas
State Representative Alisha Thomas Morgan
State Representative Candidate Melanie Eyre
State Representative Candidate Jan Hackney
Fulton County Commissioner Nancy Boxill
Atlanta City Councilmember Kwanza Hall
.
True Blue Sponsors - $500
Susana Chavez, Parking for America
.
Yellow Dog Sponsors - $250
Daniel Fullerton
Melanie Goux
Catherine Smith
Vinocity Winebar
.
Event Hosts - $100
Millissa Allen
Lynn and Candace Fowler
Branden Lane
Pam Majors, The Junkman's Daughter
Dene Shepherd
Dr. Michael Stamboly, Little Five Points Eye Etc.
Melissa Thompson
Allen Thornell
Sheri Wilson
.
Planning on coming? Click here to RSVP!
Want to become an event sponsor? Visit our website or contact our Finance Chair, Nicolette Allen at finance@atlantayoungdems.org
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posted by Nicolette at 8/28/2006 01:05:00 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Change: A Marathon Event
Young Democrats of Atlanta

"Once we realize that life is a marathon and not a sprint, things will be much easier." I saw that somewhere and it stuck with me. I say, Life is more than a marathon; it's an Ironman! I'm talking a 2.4-mile ocean swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run.

That also applies to change. Change, as does an Ironman, tends to come about slowly and painfully. I might attack on a major hill because I'm a good climber, pumping my legs furiously on the bicycle, overtaking my competition, but I know as I crest the hill, the leader, that the race isn't over. There's still pain ahead, attacks to make and repel, coasts to conserve energy.

We've just come through a tough primary. The waves were choppy in that water, tiring, but we swam through it. Now we're going into general elections. We're hopping on the bike, ready for a long, tough ride. I feel a little lactic acid in my legs, and I ask myself, "Why am I doing this?"

I'm a Young Democrat because I was disgusted by Bush's victory in the 2004 elections. I couldn't understand why the country reelected him, a man who couldn't tie his shoes without Laura's help. Yes, I'd voted, I'd cheered on the soldiers representing my side, but after that loss, I knew I had to do more. So, I trained. I studied politics. I toned my muscles, joined the team. I resolved myself to a long, sometimes exhilarating, sometimes painful journey.

We're on the bike now, Team. We all know the right direction. Now is the time to think about strategy, to choose the campaigns that mean the most to us and focus on them. For me, it's Melanie Erye's campaign in House District 46 and Jan Hackney's campaign in 48. Any time I have left over will go to Jim Martin for Lt. Governor. We have to figure out how we can best contribute. You may not be a canvasser or a phone banker, but I guarantee you, there's a dire need on any campaign that YOU can fill.

We don't have an easy race ahead of us. It's a tough course. There will be flat tires and crashes and fatigue, but we can finish, and more importantly, we can win! I see a big climb ahead, and I'm going to take it hard, ripping the legs off of the republicans as I go. There will be some pain involved, but it will be nothing compared to the exhilaration of looking to my left and right and seeing my teammates laboring with me.

I figure we'll be transitioning into the run sometime around late October. We'll be tired, but we won't be finished. We'll still be racing toward victory. And when this race is over, and we're victorious, we'll party like rock stars! But we won't forget that life isn't a sprint, a marathon, or even an ironman. It's all of those things strung together, stretching endlessly. Change doesn't come easily. It requires preparation, strategy, hard work, and the realization that the fight is never ending. We have all of the requisites for victory. So let's go! Let's attack! Let's race! Let's win!


Melissa
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posted by Anonymous at 8/15/2006 11:24:00 AM 0 comments

Thinking Left about the GADCC dinner
Today's blogger
Sorry for the repeat folks, I blew it last night.

  • I thought Mark Taylor did a pretty decent job of sounding conciliatory, tense snickers notwithstanding. I think we can win this sucker.


  • I was extremely surprised not to see Guy Drexinger in attendance – I can only hope he was busy campaigning somewhere else.


  • I want to see more of Robert Brown. He had the best rhetoric of the night, and even DuBose Porter had a tough time following him.


  • It was gratifying to see Shyam Reddy and some of the other players from the Secretary of State race. I'm looking forward to seeing him on the ballot again soon.


  • It was equally gratifying to not see ahem certain other losing candidates, although Cathy would have been a welcome sight.


  • I want to go on record as saying that Mike Berlon sounds like a very good idea for DPG chair, despite criticism coming from certain quarters. I think he can be a leader – without leadership those other things like money and vision don't really matter.


  • I was extremely impressed by how certain, um, young-at-heart Democrats managed to go toe-to-toe with us Young Democrats at the after party and the after-after party. Talk about aging gracefully!


  • Speaking of the after party, I dispute the idea that we found the Manuel's in Macon – there was no draft Guinness, forcing me to drink the very dangerous martini instead. Also, there were no boiled peanuts...


  • Three cheers for Angelia Knight, who also got the “Aww!” award by speaking very lovingly of Tasso.


  • If anyone saw the Mark Warner people, please let me know – I thought they were planning on attending, but all I saw was some (welcome) literature. I think Mark is going to do well here.


(On an unrelated note, please check out our Summertime Blue event announcement, which I have unfortunately bumped with this post.)
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posted by Ataru Atlanta at 8/15/2006 07:04:00 AM 1 comments

Monday, August 14, 2006

The Young Democrats of Atlanta Present Summertime Blue Featuring Congressman John Lewis

Please join the Young Democrats of Atlanta for a night of fellowship
and inspiration with Congressman John Lewis,
an icon of the Civil Rights Movement

Hear the story of a man whose legacy of working for justice
can inspire a new generation of progressive leadership, starting with you.

Come find out how Young Dems continue to work for a better future
for all Georgians, and what we can accomplish together.

Your Community Needs You!!!

We look forward to seeing you at YDAtl’s summer membership drive as we prepare for the November elections and grassroots lobbying in the 2007 General Assembly

Wed., August 30, 7pm at Vinocity, 36 13th St. NE, Midtown.

VIP Hosts
Lt. Governor Nominee Jim Martin
Secretary of State Nominee Gail Buckner
Senator David Adelman
Senator Gloria Butler
Senator Kasim Reed
Senator-elect Nan Orrock
Representative Kathy Ashe
Representative Pat Gardner
Representative “Able” Mable Thomas
Representative Alisha Thomas Morgan
Representative Stephanie Stuckey-Benfield
Fulton County Commissioner Nancy Boxill

True Blue Sponsors - $500
Susana Chavez, Parking Company of America

Yellow Dog Sponsors - $250
Daniel Fullerton
Melanie Goux

Event Hosts - $100
Branden Lane
Pam Majors, The Junkman’s Daughter

Planning on coming to Summertime Blue? Please RSVP here --> Click here to RSVP at evite

Interested in becoming an event sponsor? You can become one online by visiting http://atlantayoungdems.org/summertimeblue Please contact our Finance Chair, Nicolette Allen at finance@atlantayoungdems.org or at 404-538-7262 if you have any questions or would like more information!
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posted by Nicolette at 8/14/2006 09:32:00 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Are you ready?
Today's bloggerThose of you who come to meetings or get me started on a tangent when I'm at a political event with free beer know that a planned redesign of the YDAtl website is several months behind schedule and millions of dollars over-budget (wait a tick -- this ain't costin' you anything). This is a source of much woe and consternation in my life, but reading about our Department of Homeland Security at work makes me feel just a little bit better about our very own "Big Dig" on the information superhighway.

Last week the Federation of American Scientists informed us that they,
launched ReallyReady.org, a comprehensive emergency preparedness website that addresses the inaccuracies and incomplete information on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) preparedness site, Ready.gov. ReallyReady was developed in two months by FAS intern Emily Hesaltine for the price of a domain name. In comparison, it took millions of dollars and over five months to create Ready.gov.


Now I know what you're thinking: "Who is this Emily chick and does she want to be Communications Chair?" But set aside your personal preferences and focus on the big picture instead: "What is DHS doing to prepare people for Total Armageddon?"

The answer: apparently wasting the talent of a number of web designers. The FAS is correct in their assessment that there is a lot of vague advice on the Ready.gov website, among my favorites the 50-50 chance suggestion that in the event of radioactive fallout, "Potassium iodide...may or may not protect your thyroid gland, which is particularly vulnerable, from radioactive iodine exposure." That's good, because if a nuclear warhead goes off, life may or may not suck for some unspecified period of time for people who are or aren't in the general area.

However, as much fun as it is to bash the current administration for claiming to be the only saviors of freedom and democracy in a world frought with peril, I don't want to be unnecessarily critical of the general administrative underlings that work hard every day to cover our asses for a pretty modest salary. (I got to meet with several doctors of science and engineering in Washington, D.C., who work in various departments of the government to keep us all safe from fire and brimstone on salaries that can fetch them a cozy studio or perhaps a modest 1BR apartment in the city even after nine hundred years of higher education. It really makes me wonder what the hell Republicans are complaining about when they talk about "wasteful government spending," considering their hairdressers probably make better money than the brainiacs keeping the nukes off their front lawn.)

Besides, it's not like the FAS performed the most rigorous analysis in the world, either. For instance, once again on the Nuclear Threat page, FAS nit-pickingly complains that "An individual likely won't have sufficient time to" heed the Ready.gov advice, in the event there's some advance warning, to "take cover immediately, as far below ground as possible, though any shield or shelter will help protect you from the immediate effects of the blast and the pressure wave." So, what, just because this might be a rush-job, the government ought not bother telling people to take cover? What the FAS should have pointed out is that "any shield or shelter will help" is pretty bum advice. Some of those shelters will offer the extremely helpful protection of collapsing in a big defensive pile on top of your head, and in some cases promptly catching on fire. If I lived in one of those built-in-a-week MDF-board and drywall McMansions a mile and a half from ground zero, I think I'd rather dive into the stone fountain in the front yard than be buried underneath 3000 square feet of sheetrock.

The FAS parody also complains that, in the event of a surprise nuclear attack,
The first piece of advice given in the Ready.gov guidelines instructs “quickly assess the situation,” which could be replaced by a more useful recommendation, since an individual who sees a mile or more of their downtown disappear will automatically assess their surroundings.

Actually, most individuals who see a mile of their downtown disappear are quickly incinerated and pulverized, as shown by this handy "You are here  are smeared  were here  are screwed" escape route map (don't worry, most nuclear blasts are confined to a single city block). Of course, the superfluous "quickly assess the situation" bullet wastes all of 800 pixels and 0.4 seconds of the average literate person's time, a true crime of bad website design, whereas the FAS lets Ready.gov get off scot-free for suggesting that once in our bomb shelters we should "watch TV, listen to the radio, or check the Internet for official news as it becomes available." A whole Federation full of Scientists couldn't point out that the electromagnetic pulse from a nuclear blast renders that piece of digital-age advice about as useful as "duck and cover?"

I could go on and on, but there's real work to be done, so let me get to the point: apparently, neither DHS nor the FAS can ultimately save you from dying of bird flu while putting on your N95 dust mask and injecting yourself with atropine underneath a fiery mushroom cloud that blocks your view of the oncoming mega-hurricane that's just tossed Al Gore's Learjet aside like so many signing-statement-neutralized pieces of legislation, so pay your taxes, find Jesus, and remember that the nearest exit may be behind you.

Listening to me, however, may or may not help.
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posted by Aerodad at 8/09/2006 04:00:00 PM 1 comments

Monday, August 07, 2006

Greg Hecht, you scum, you asked for it
Today's blogger
Disclaimer: The opinions in this post are mine and, probably fortunately, have nothing to do with the organizations which I belong to.


I admit it. I've been a naive fool this primary season. I believed Democrats could oppose each other with honor and respect, especially when the Democrats in question were Greg Hecht and Jim Martin, two men with experience, credentials, and integrity.

Oops. I lied about that last bit. Greg Hecht is a dirty swine, as everyone now knows.

Let me preface myself with some background. I had been a Greg supporter since April of last year; I donated money to the man's campaign (which I have asked to be returned). He seemed like a dynamic guy, someone who had a solid message for moderate Georgians of all political persuasions. I had questioned my support for Greg in the light of the gut check I got courtesy of Cathy Cox, but I decided that the right thing, the honorable thing, to do was to to stay loyal to my guy.

Needless to say, recent events changed my thinking; I voted for Jim in the primary, and I'm damn proud of that. I'm not going to go into detail about what everyone already knows now about Greg. What I am going to relate is recent history from Greg, who apparently was lying through his miserable teeth when he claimed he was sorry about the abject lies he told in his mailers.

While volunteering at the Martin headquarters in Midtown on Friday, I learned that apparently a robo-call (what a pathetic M.O.) had gone out from the “Sierra Coalition” - a completely fabricated, made-up organization, as the AJC's Political Insider noted - saying that the group urged a vote against Martin because he allegedly had a zero rating from the group. (Needless to say, the not-fake Sierra Club is not amused.)

As if that weren't enough to permanently destroy every single shred of credibility Greg Hecht ever had inside the perimeter, just tonight it seems that another robo-call has gone out. In this one, as I understand it, the Hecht campaign claimed that Shirley Franklin endorsed Jim Martin because Hecht had been opposed to raising the sales tax for the city of Atlanta.

If we take these two data points as evidence, it seems abundantly clear that not only is Greg Hecht's career as a Democrat over in this state – think Joe “Republican Zell Miller Schmo” Lieberman crossed with Ralph “#1 Hypocrite in America” Reed – everyone foolish enough to still be working for the clusterfuck that is passing as his “campaign” had better consider moving to more hospitable territory, like Idaho. Burning a bridge with a figure of such magnitude as Shirley Franklin is so submoronic and clueless beyond words that I cannot believe that Joe Trippi and whoever other assclowns are running the Hecht campaign have any remote chance of challenging Casey Cagle.

That fact – that the Hecht campaign has less credibility than Jim Bakker and his televangelizing scam artists – brings me to my line in the sand. I loathe Casey Cagle and everything he stands for, but I'd shake his hand before I touched Greg with a ten foot pole. If Greg wins the runoff, I will not vote for him in November. Period. I'm not the first person to say that, either, and I say that if you you're such a sleazebag that you can't get Democratic votes running against Casey Cagle, get the hell out of Georgia politics and never let me see your face again. And Joe Trippi, just plain get the hell out. Bye.
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posted by Ataru Atlanta at 8/07/2006 11:33:00 PM 4 comments

Friday, August 04, 2006

Friday Funnies
Happy Friday, boys and girls! Here are a couple of amusing tidbits from the World of Science to get you through your lunch break, or maybe those other few hours you waste at work counting the minutes till Happy Hour.

Welcoming Homer the tree-hugger:

Are we really gonna wreck the whole planet? 'Cause that's a big move. That's like something a crazy stripper would do.

I know, plenty of people aren't worried.

Technology will bail us out. Nothing a few pollution-eating nanobots can't fix.

And if the ecosystem does collapse, we can always load ourselves into enormous rockets, and make a fresh start on Jupiter.
[...]
If there's any reason for hope - and there isn't - it lies in man's occasional binges of co-operation.


The Show with Zefrank: (caution: use headphones at the office; visually work-safe)
The New York Times reports that NASA recently altered its mission statement to more closely align itself to President Bush's goals. The phrase "To understand and protect our home planet ..." was removed.

The fine print is changing!

If you're concerned about the sun's radiation and its effect on this planet, not that you should be but maybe you should be, here are some simple steps you can take: Put as much distance between yourself and the planet as possible.

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posted by Aerodad at 8/04/2006 10:40:00 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Manuel's Tavern: Its an Institution
Okay! Today's blog entry won't win any awards for individuality, but I'm saying something that bears repeating: Happy Five O Manuel's Tavern! I want to take a moment to reflect on the establishment that for many of us has become a home away from home. Or maybe just home. I've spent a lot of time there over the past year and a half since joining YDA, and there have been times when I've seriously considered changing my mailing address to 602 North Highland Ave.

Manuel's is the kind of place that has the feel of comfort whenever I walk in. I know the service staff by name and they know me. I can get a Strongbow on draft for $4.75 and I know the menu so well that I don't have to look at it. I'm not surprised to walk in and see President Carter and his wife Roselyn enjoying a meal. It's a great place for all types of people to get together and talk business, politics, sports, or whatever. And just when I think that nothing will change, something does and I'm thrown off my game. I noticed Sunday afternoon that a wall had been knokced out to make the non-smoking room bigger. Now the sun can come in and I can actually tell what time of day it is! Weird! It's a place that only gets better.

In short, Manuel's is an institution, one which I hold in the highest regards. I don't know what the Young Democrats of Atlanta would do without it. I guess there's nothing left to say, but: Manuel's, we wish you another fifty years of service to Atlanta!
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posted by Anonymous at 8/01/2006 01:11:00 PM 0 comments

 

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