atlanta’s broke, and no one’s fixing it

Earlier today Nurse Hall and her husband attended an open house in Kirkwood. Their car was unattended for about 15 minutes, long enough for a hoodlum to smash a window and steal everything inside.

They called 911. Three times. Each time they got a busy signal.

Last weekend a West End home was gutted by fire as neighbors tried to call 911. More than one said they were on hold for as long as 20 minutes.

The city’s 911 director disputes that, saying it was just seven minutes. As if that’s excusable.

At least they got through. Not so today in Kirkwood.

Put yourself in a criminal’s shoes. You know there’s not enough cops on the street, and if you follow the news you’re likewise aware that by the time 911 answers a call for help you’ll be long gone.

The city’s in crisis, though you wouldn’t know it by listening to Mayor Shirley Franklin. Her second term has been an unmitigated disaster, and in many ways Atlanta is worse off now then when she was elected.

And by the way, our streets are still riddled with potholes.

who are these people?

Waiting in the check-out line I noticed the same mugs on all the celebrity rags. Some couple named Jon (who has the gay mouth — I’m just sayin’) and Kate are splitting. I’d never heard of them.

Google tells me they had sextuplets, which helped them snag a reality show on TLC. This kids for profit scam apparently works.

“a father that hunts with his son will never have to go hunting for his son”

So says GOP gubernatorial candidate John Oxendine, who thinks Georgia’s gun laws — which allow for concealed weapons in church and on public transport — are too restrictive. (I wonder if Eric Rudolph’s dad ever took him hunting?)

This next clip, via Thomas, features all the oily insincerity of your garden variety televangelist. How long until he describes himself as a “Sarah Palin Republican?”

I’m surprised he wasn’t dressed in “Confederate gray.”