Mystics And Statistics
In a recent survey, 78.7% percent of the respondents agree with the statement “Statistics can be trusted to give an accurate description of the facts”.
Statistics are a part of modern life. Numbers tell us who is expected to win, who is expected to lose, and how many men wear a tie. Statistics are often misleading, or an outright lie. And yet, people believe statistics. (The middle three letters of believe are lie).
Talk about statistics is little better. Mark Twain gets the credit/blame for popularizing the phrase, “lies, damn lies, and statistics”. According to Wikipedia , Mr. Clemens may have been mistaken. “Twain popularized the saying in “Chapters from My Autobiography”, published in the North American Review in 1906. “Figures often beguile me,” he wrote, “particularly when I have the arranging of them myself; in which case the remark attributed to Disraeli would often apply with justice and force: ‘There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.'”…”The term was popularized in the United States by Mark Twain (among others), who attributed it to the 19th Century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881): “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” However, the phrase is not found in any of Disraeli’s works and the earliest known appearances were years after his death.”
Mr. Twain was in the twilight of his career, and angry at aggressive militarism. Why would he would give credit/blame for a phrase to a conservative Prime Minister of England, dead twenty five years?
When PG took English101, the teacher was an inspiring lady named Ann Peets. Between stories of Faulkner and comma splices, she contributed this gem. ” The best way to win an argument is to use statistics. The best way to use statistics is to make them up. ”
In 1954, a bestselling book came out, “How to Lie with Statistics .” The premise was that the pros knew the tricks, and the public has a right to self defense. There are numerous examples of the ways that you can lie with numbers just like you lie with words. Calculator lips don’t move.
One word to watch out for is average . The three most popular types are mean, median, and mode. Mean is the one most people think of as average…you add all the figures up, and divide by the number of entries. In median, you line up the entries in numeric value, and choose the entry in the middle. In mode, the number that the most entries identify with is the average. Any one of these three can be called average, and yet none might describe the typical entry.
HT to Millard Fillmore’s Bathtub for attributing the LDL&S quote to Mr. Disraeli. MFB was talking about global warming denial, a cesspool of lies and statistics. Pictures are from The Library of Congress. These pictures were taken by Ansel Adams at a relocation camp for Japanese Americans during World War II. Pictures of Mark Twain were recently posted. This is a repost.
Wawa on Walnut Street
OPRAH: other people’s racial attitudes hello ~ @HLMenckenBot God’s worst failure came when He sent His Son to rescue man from sin. It’s hard to imagine any scheme falling further from success. ~ November 9 cannot get here soon enough ~ Monica Lewinski taught him how to inhale ~ I have a problem with the custom of “unfriending” people because of a difference in opinions. ~ @ChArmistead Most authentic Philly moment of the #DNC2016, Apparently Sean Hannity showed up at the Wawa on Walnut Street, and was booed out of the store @ChArmistead Heard this on morning show this AM. Caller sounded legit, but you never know I guess. ~ Someone bought 10 chicken mcnuggets at the McDonalds at 4010 Peachtree Road. It was paid for with amex…1005. The consumer threw the empty mcnugget package, two opened containers of bbq sauce, and a few napkins away on Caldwell Road. ~ the difference between the catholic and protestant version of the lord’s prayer ~ Warren Harding drank, gambled and womanized. Maybe you can be a Warren Harding Republican. ~ If you ever do find it let me know ~ Thank you for this. I am connected to a *radical* community. I have known people who appear to be cis-males, but say they “identify as trans.” I find this to be puzzling. There is a lot of information about this that should be made more available. One problem I have is that some of these IAT (identify as trans) people are assholes.I am only marginally interested in their genitalia. I TOTALLY am not attracted to this person. However, this person says they IAT, without a word of explanation. Asking them what they mean by this is seen as rude, or trans phobic. This attitude seems more than a little bit arrogant. I suspect that transitioning is a process. Ben seems to be at a certain stage. It would be interesting to do a follow up interview in a few years, and see how Ben is progressing. You did not ask Ben what the preferred pronouns are. This is a basic cis-relating-to-genderqueer step. Fortunately, Ben has a short name, and so the use of pronouns is less appealing. G-d forbid you should use the wrong pronoun. If you ever have a run in with the pronoun police, you will nor forget it. ~ @docrocktex26 Wife. Mother. Daughter. Sister. Friend. Doctor. Christian. Longhorn. Liberal. Democrat. Activist. Scorpio. Recycler. Politics Junkie. Proverbial Firestarter. ~ this may be the best endorsment yet @natsecHeather worked for #HillaryClinton & says she is not an asshole ~ Apparently, the al-gore-rhythms agree. This is the “top story” 34 hours later. ~ #FakeIceCreamKnowledge ~ Sean Archilles ~ Stef’An Strawder ~ Man shot, killed in argument outside gas station ~ Bryce McCallum ~ Journey Jones ~ Gloria Starr-Armour ~ Antonio Gray ~ Robert Troy Phillips, Heather Phillips ~ Girl, 14, shot at party in DeKalb County; ~ Police: Homeowner shoots, kills break-in suspect ~ Man found shot to death behind daycare. ~ The False Promise of a ‘Conversation’ About Race ~ White fragility is real: 4 questions white people should ask themselves during discussions about race ~ Have a Problem With Black-Only Spaces? Get Over It ~ György Ligeti (1923-2006) ~ Hannity Smacks Down ‘Total Lie’ That He Was Booed at a Wawa ~ Someone bought 10 chicken mcnuggets at the McDonalds at 4010 Peachtree Road. It was paid for with amex…1005. The consumer threw the empty mcnugget package, two opened containers of bbq sauce, and a few napkins away on Caldwell Road. ~ Were any termites offended by the remarks? ~ Marilyn Mosby speaks out on Freddie Gray case decision ~ Trial of Van Driver in Freddie Gray Case Reveals Prosecutor Violations ~ 7 Actual Facts That Prove White Privilege Exists in America ~ Black Lives Matter Just Delivered Their 10 Point Manifesto, and This Is What They Want ~ Bryce McCallum ,Journey Jones, Gloria Starr-Armour ,Antonio Gray, These are four POC shot to death in the Atlanta area this week #saythenames Did #blackbrunchatl remember these four lives? ~ pictures from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”. ~ selah
Citizen On Citizen Crime
There is a lot of angry talk about police killing citizens. Freeways are being blocked, protesters are marching, and facebook is full of memes. People just don’t have the same passion when citizens kill other citizens. Pictures for this feature are from The Library of Congress.
What follows is a list of citizen on citizen shooting. These links were taken from WSB TV. This is one week, in one metro area. For the purposes of this report, the race of the participants will not be discussed. If you want to know what color the people are, you can click on the link.
Man shot, killed in argument outside gas station Two men were dating the same woman. After the incident. the shooter asked bystanders to call the police. Gwinnett County.
Bryce McCallum was shot to death by his stepfather. Cherokee County
Journey Jones was killed at a Stone Mountain apartment complex. Police say the shooting may be drug related. A friend of the victim says it may be gang related.
Gloria Starr-Armour was caught in crossfire, while waiting to get in her Hapeville apartment complex.
Antonio Gray was shot dead in Union City. “… interviewing witnesses to sort out what happened.”
Robert Troy Phillips and Heather Phillips were found shot to death in their Hall County home. Mr. Phillips was “a former Hall County commission candidate.”
Girl, 14, shot at party in DeKalb County; Somebody was asked to leave a party for middle school kids. Later, someone arrived at the house, and started shooting. The young lady is going to recover.
Police: Homeowner shoots, kills break-in suspect Gwinnett County
Man found shot to death behind daycare. Cobb County
Wawa Wars
There is a rumor that Fox News turkey Sean Hannity was booed out of a Wawa sandwich shop in downtown Philadelphia last night. The story is almost certainly not true. This does not stop people from believing. @AngryBlackLady “that’s the most amazing story I’ve ever heard. LMAO. My Philly peeps don’t fuck around.”
ABL posted an 18 part tweetathon about the incident. The source was @EmoNegro1. “Join me as I tell the stories very important people don’t want you to know about! #SATIRE” The last word of that profile is important. Here is the story.
@EmoNegro1 “01-My sources told me what REALLY happened to make Sean Hannity get booed out of the Wawa! ~ 02-Well, my source says Sean Hannity came up in the Wawa, cut everybody in the line & demanded they make him a cheesesteak hoagie. NOW. ~ 03-So Sean Hannity cuts everybody in liine & starts demanding they fix him a cheesesteak hoagie RIGHT NOW & people weren’t happy! ~ 04-So this black guy (who I think was a DNC attendee) said “Ay, the line starts back there.” ~ 05-Hannity told him he was in a hurry, he had a very important job to get back to & to let Tanikqua fix his sandwich so he can get back to work ~ 06-The Wawa worker’s name was Ashley. Ashley told Hannity, sir my name is ASHLEY and he had to order his hoagie from the computer station & his number would be called when ready. ~ 07-The black guy in line said “What you not gone do is disrespect people up in here & what you not gone do is cut people in this line.” ~ 08-So Hannity said “You sound like a Black Lives Matter guy, are you a Black Lives Matter guy? Are you from Ferguson? Are you from Baltimore?” ~ 09-That’s when everybody head turned around. One lady said “Hey what does Black Lives Matter have to do with you cutting in the line?” ~ 10-Hannity said “This is the culture of lawlessness the Obamas & Black Lives Matter have taught you people.” ~ 11-That’s when it was on. One lady said “You people?” while somebody else said “Put some respeck on Barack name” ~ 12-And Hannity was hollering for the manager, but sadly for him the manager on duty was black and told Hannity to leave. ~ 13-No white people in the Wawa came to Hannity’s defense, either. They all just looked away. They weren’t trying to have their ass beat! ~ 14-The people started booing Hannity & telling him to get the fuck outta there. ~ 15-Hannity told them “Do you know who I am? I’m Sean Hannity!” Well that didn’t help matters any! ~ 16-The manager told Hannity he needed to leave before he called the police & Hannity said Oh NOW you people want to call the police! ~ 17-My source says the manager gave Hannity a look like “You Tried It!” and hustled him out of the door! ~ 18-And that’s the story of how Sean Hannity got ran up out of the Wawa in downtown Philly!”
Many people are not familiar with @Wawa Is Barbwa Wawa an investor? When PG asked Mr. Google about Wawa, he was directed to Wawa Asian Spa. “Don’t walk, run from the Wawa Spa. $60 for massage plus almost double extra for tips. 2 minute massage then wants to get to business and rush you out of there. Masseuse was 35+. Definitely not worth the money.”
Sean Hannity worked in Atlanta before he hit the big time. One day, the “great american” rode in a parade downtown. PG followed him around for a few blocks, with a blank stare. Finally, the announcer said “are we having fun yet?” Pictures today are from The Library of Congress. “Return of W. E. “Pusseyfoot” Johnson to Westerville, Ohio, from London, England, April 24, 1920″
Hanky Panky
Pence is another Cheney, designed to be in charge, while Trump is the Bush/trojan horse, designated to win the election ~ Ryan O’Neil was a horrible casting decision. ~ d for dick @okmariIyn why send nudes when u can send me dogs??? ~ @dasvons @EricaJong It’s 2016. Our president is black. we should be better than screaming racist every time we see something we don’t like ~ did you spell Pterodactyl without spell check? ~ Account suspended This account has been suspended. Learn more about why Twitter suspends accounts, or return to your timeline. ~ Home Improvement Project Person In Excess ~ The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, Polygon as an organization. ~ is “vermin harborage” rodents in the kitchen or humans in the dining room? ~ Are you talking about Republicans,or BLM? I think you mean Republicans. The trouble is, a lot of those items apply to BLM as well. ~ Nothing says Summer Reading like one of my books ~ I can offer three more. A Health crisis for Hillary Clinton. Alienating white voters by screaming racist too often. Choosing an idiot as Vice President. An economic meltdown ~ @VeryShortStory Standing in front of you, I protected you from the gunman, but as the bullet approached, I saw it had your name on it, and stepped aside. ~ those who like to call out others do not like to be called out ~ I don’t know. Extra marital hanky panky did not hurt Bill Clinton or Jesse Jackson. Granted, they did not *play* as wildly as DJT. On the other hand, two-wrongs-make-a-right rhetoric is out of control for both liberals and conservatives, white and black, police and BLM, and any other competing identity groups that engage in questionable logic to make their point. ~ like thrift store, where you wade through mountains of garbage only to find a few gems ~ “My point here is, first, the Constitution is, according to its reading, an anti-slavery document; and, secondly, to dissolve the Union, as a means to abolish slavery, is about as wise as it would be to burn up this city, in order to get the thieves out of it. But again, we hear the motto, ‘no union with slave-holders;’ and I answer it, as the noble champion of liberty, N. P. Rogers, answered it with a more sensible motto, namely—’No union with slave-holding.’ I would unite with anybody to do right; and with nobody to do wrong.” Six years after he said this, the Union was dissolved. ” ~ The staged politi-drama between Hitlery and Orange Jesus compares to the struggle over slavery like …. ~ @The_Saunatarian ~ as anyone ever asked Hillary if she has had an abortion? ~ this post wins the overheated purple prose award for the next Warholian fifteen minutes ~ Do you know what your problem is? You enjoy telling other people what their problem is. ~ more overblown adjective abuse per square inch than anything this side of ~ 6 ways djt could win: 1-HRC health issues 2-economic meltdown 3- war 4- terror attack 5- electoral college misfire 6- hurricane season ~ You gave a monolog a few years ago, “Pink Taffeta.” You said that the people who once told you to stand up, and speak up, now tell you to sit down and be quiet. Maybe you should dig up that dress, and make a video of this post. ~ The man in Gassaway Tennessee said he was breathing, for sure … spell check suggestion for Gassaway is Passageway ~ observing the difference between there and their is not oppression ~ Can I get to touch your butt because of good intentions? ~ 1 @EWErickson at 615pm you said you had a quote that would offend liberals i listened to 15 minutes of news/traffic/commercials 2 @EWErickson 10 minutes of you talking and never did hear the quote i gave up when i arrived at dinner ~ Not only should you not plagiarize, you should show a source for your information. According to my English 102 teacher, this is a form of plagiarism. Saying “google it” does not work. ~ Milo is no angel I suspect this suspension is more for past performances – @gopackjo one tweet said to support lesdogg by seeing ghostbusters – i suspect is what this is really all about … movie promotion ~ How To Protect Your Watermelon Farm ~ @mbsycamore 1 in feb 1992 ga gov zell miller introduced bill clinton at a campaign rally afterwards, “zig zag zell” was talking to someone @mbsycamore 2 said clinton was sure to win ga primary someone said hypothetically what if he doesn’t win zig zag zell said hypothetical @mbsycamore 3 does not exist hypothetically if my uncle was a woman he would be my aunt. ~ Knowing the difference between there and their is not oppression. ~ Not everyone has the luxury.~ This whole escapade seems to be an orchestrated effort to promote a movie. @Lesdogg is probably hanging out with Milo at the hair salon now, laughing at how gullbile everybody is. ~ An 18-Hour Playlist of Readings by the Beats: Kerouac, Ginsberg & Even Bukowski Too ~ Leslie Jones Is Shining A Light On A Major Problem With Twitter ~ Misogynoir: where racism and sexism meet ~ grammar troll ~ Leslie Jones’ Twitter abuse is a deliberate campaign of hate ~ Twitter Just Permanently Suspended Conservative Writer Milo Yiannopoulos ~ @Lesdoggg ~ Milo Suspended Permanently by Twitter Minutes Before ‘Gays For Trump’ Party At RNC ~ Leslie Jones’ Tweets on Monday Night Were a Powerful Response to an Insane Torrent of Hate ~ Leslie Jones Defends Her ‘Ghostbusters’ Character After Racial Controversy Arises Over New Trailer ~ jones ~ 1937.” ~ ‘Ghostbusters’ star Leslie Jones flees social media after racist trolls repeatedly call her an ‘ape’ ~ any large social movement is going to bring out psychopaths ~ Milo Yiannopoulos Has Been Permanently Suspended from Twitter ~ video ~ Police Kill Too Many People—White and Black ~ Reducing police-involved shooting & “The List” ~ Passing for Politics ~ Atlanta mayor rejects demand to end Israel police training ~ Exposed: Years-long effort to blame Israel for U.S. police shootings of blacks ~ Brookhaven Police Department ~ “Deputy Chief Juan Grullon, Jr., ~ terror ~ “In Washington D.C. ~ Father: Son killed shielding teens from gunfire at house party ~ 15 things cops wish the public knew about policing ~ Two white women launch ‘White Nonsense Roundup’ to unburden people of color ~ milo gets down ~ The promotion of that movie ~ Library of Congress. ~ your white cisgender boyfriend can’t save you from the end of the world ~ Why Grammar Snobbery Has No Place in the Movement ~ pictures for this monday morning perversion excursion are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”. ~ selah ~
When In Doubt Shut Up
When you publish a list like the one below, you are placing a target on your back. Above the bulls-eye is the word hypocrite. PG does not claim to take all of these suggestions. What follows is a goal to work for, not a script for situation comedy. This is a repost, and should not melt any snowflakes. Most people will think it is about someone else. If your head starts to hurt, skip over the text and look at the pictures, from the The Library of Congress.
When in doubt, shut up.
A halo is best worn over one ear.
If you want to be forgiven, forgive. If you want to be understood, understand.
There are few situations that cannot be made worse with anger and loud talk.
You have two ears and one mouth. Listen twice as much as you talk.
A douche is a hygiene appliance. The verb form refers to using this device for cleaning purposes. Neither the noun, nor the verb, is appropriate as an insult.
A sentence has one period, placed at the end. Do not place a period after every word to make a point. You should find another way to show that you really, really mean it.
Not everyone enjoys the sound of your voice as much as you do.
Ass is a noun. It refers to either a donkey, or a butt. It is not an adverb, nor an adjective. Do not place ass between an adjective and a noun.
Before you “call out” somebody for “racism”, drape a towel over your mirror.
The third commandment says to not use the word G-d “in vain”. The G word should only be used for worship, and respectful discussion. Improper uses include expressing anger, swearing, selling life insurance, and pledging “allegiance” to a symbol of nationalism.
Gayest Neo-Fascist Rally
I’m With The Banned hit the innertubes recently. It is the story of how “a radical queer feminist leftist writer *burdened* with actual principles” attended the “Gays for Trump” party at the Republican National Convention. It is 2876 words of overwrought prose. In an effort to get this material to the public, here is a condensed version.
This is a story about how trolls took the wheel of the clown car … swank black trollmobile to the gayest neo-fascist rally at the RNC. … Milo Yiannopoulos is a charming devil and one of the worst people I know. … the clown car of the billionaire demagogue who, with ghoulishly oedipal glee, Milo calls ‘Daddy.’ … Milo slides into the front seat, all bleach and bling and giant sunglasses—I won’t get to see his eyes all evening. … According to the law of the wild web, the spoils go to those with fewest fucks to give (An ironic comment when used to describe Milo Y. Maybe the old saying is true… those who talk the most, do the least.) … A choreographed performance by a career sociopath who will claim any cause to further his legend. Milo Yiannopoulos is the ideological analogue of Kim Kardashian’s rear end. … the delighted Twitter martyr’s Reservoir Dogs strut through to the VIP room—a carpeted ballroom on the seventh floor of hell full of manic trolls and smug neo-fascists from every slimy corner of the internet. … Over by the bar, Geert Wilders, the Dutch far-right leader, is having a nice chat with two republicans of the sort who look like they’ve been poured into their suits. I realise that I have stumbled into a den of goblins. … most obviously disturbed member of the neo-right suicide squad in attendance. … And there is Daryush Valizadeh, also known as Roosh V, self-styled leader in the “neo-masculinity” movement, author of a suspicious stack of sex travel guides and headline-hunting nano-celebrity in the world of ritualised internet misogyny. … he’s negging me. … crucible of A-list internet con-men is playing. It’s the game of turning raw rage into political currency, the unscrupulous whorebaggery of the troll gone pro. (At some point, Hunter S. Thompson observed that “when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” This has devolved into “the unscrupulous whorebaggery of the troll gone pro.) … These people do not have personalities, they have haircuts. Ugly ones. … The news draws cheers from the assembled Gamergate goons whose masculinity is so fragile that they believe the new Ghostbusters film to be an active identity threat. (This might be a reference to the recent spat between Milo Y. and Leslie Jones. This was the presumed reason for twitter banning Milo Y. The promotion of that movie has morphed into an SJW cause.) … They ventriloquise the fear of millions into a scream of fire in the crowded theatre of modernity where all the doors are locked, and then they watch the stampede, and they smile for the cameras. … This is an evil place, airless and soulless as the inside of Pamela Geller’s head. … … weaponised insincerity is applied to structured ignorance. … culture war is being run in bad faith by bad actors who are running way off-script, and it’s barely begun, and there are going to be a lot of refugees.
One of the comments said “G-d, I hope everyone in America reads this.” Pictures today are from the Library of Congress. “Anti-Saloon League at Washington, D.C., Dec. 8, 1921”
George Washington
Error establishing a database connection ~ To persevere in one’s duty and be silent is the best answer to calumny. George Washington ~ If you remain silent in the face of internet bullshit, then you choose the side of mental health. ~ if you argue with idiots you choose the side of the oppressor ~ The custom of “unfriending” and blocking people, because of contrary opinions, is fucked up. ~ It measures how good you are at taking multiple choice tests ~ There are differences between picking the right multiple choice answer, recognizing a word in print, and being able to use a word in conversation. ~ @PeterMoskos ~having an army makes war more likely having an abortion clinic makes abortion more likely ~ spell check suggestion for TrumpPence is Trumpeter ~ your opinion about life after death is a tasty condiment ~ Is there evidence of BLM having official organizers? ~ During the Iran-Iraq war, it was unofficial policy to keep the Arabs and Persians fighting each other, so they would leave Israel alone. ~ 13 Jokes Only So-Called Intellectuals Understand ~ #Bernie and #Hillary sitting in a tree S T E A L I N G first comes election then comes the loot then comes #Bernie in an orange jumpsuit ~ black-lives-matter-just-delivered-10-point-manifesto ~ he (drag) queen of ’90s public-access TV is ready to reign once more ~ Online English Vocabulary Size Test ~ Two Kinds of Voting, Two Kinds of Disruption, and Two Kinds of Unrighteousness ~ more racism talk ~ ESP Sun Ra Radio Tribute – 14 hrs in 6 Parts ~ How to opine with civility ~ The Near Certainty of Anti-Police Violence ~ Piedmont Park hanging victim was gay Midtown man ~ London Jermaine ~ You are blocked from following @tattedpoc and viewing @tattedpoc’s Tweets. Learn more ~ armed or unarmed ~ n word ~ Clinton Email: We Must Destroy Syria For Israel ~ armed ~ Capone on Ponce ~ 1911 Atlanta map ~ why i’m a wassist ~ We are the Movement for Black Lives. ~ pictures for this non-binary monday morning are from The Library of Congress. ~ selah
How To Live In Atlanta
Atlanta is composed mostly of one-way streets. The only way to get out of downtown Atlanta is to turn around and start over when you reach Greenville, South Carolina. All directions start with, ‘Go down Peachtree’ and include the phrase, ‘When you see the Waffle House’. ’Except in Mayretta , where all directions begin with, “Go to the Big Chicken”
Peachtree Street has no beginning and no end and is not to be confused with: Peachtree Circle, Peachtree Place, Peachtree Lane, Peachtree Road, Peachtree Terrace, Peachtree Avenue, Peachtree Battle Road, Peachtree Corners, New Peachtree, Old Peachtree, West Peachtree, or Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. Atlantans only know their way to work and their way home. If you ask anyone for directions, they will always send you down Peachtree.
Only a native of Atlanta can pronounce Ponce De Leon Avenue, so do not attempt the Spanish pronunciation. People will simply tilt their heads to the right and stare at you. The Atlanta pronunciation is ‘pawntz duh LEE-awn.’ There is a street named simply, ‘Boulevard.’It becomes Monroe Drive when you cross Ponce de Leon.
The 8 am rush hour is from 6:30 to 10:30 AM. The 5 pm rush hour is from 3:00 to 7:30 PM. Friday’s rush hour starts Thursday afternoon and lasts through 2 am Saturday. The falling of one raindrop causes all drivers to immediately forget all traffic rules. If a single snowflake falls, the city is paralyzed for three days. It’s on all the channels as a news flash every 15 minutes for a week. Overnight, all grocery stores will be sold out of milk, bread, bottled water, toilet paper, and beer.
I-285, the loop that encircles Atlanta, has a posted speed limit of 55 mph (but you have to maintain 80 mph just to keep from getting run over.) It is known as The Perimeter, and the Watermelon 500. In Atlanta you are either ITP (Inside the Perimeter) or OTP (Outside the Perimeter). ITP and OTP people are wary of each other. Don’t believe the directional markers on highways: I-285 is marked East and West but you may be going North or South. The locals identify the direction by referring to the ‘Inner Loop’ and the ‘Outer Loop. Some call the whole dern thing “The Fruit Loop.”
Possums sleep in the middle of the road with their feet in the air. There are 5,000 types of snakes and 4,998 live in Georgia. There are 10,000 types of spiders. All 10,000 live in Georgia, plus a couple no one has seen before. If it grows, it sticks. If it crawls, it bites. If you notice a vine trying to wrap itself around your leg, you have about 20 seconds to escape, before you are completely captured and covered with Kudzu. It’s not a shopping cart, it’s a buggy. ‘Fixinto’ is one word (I’m fixinto go to the store.) Sweet Tea is appropriate for all meals and you start drinking it when you’re 2 years old. ’Jeet?’ is actually a phrase meaning ‘Did you eat?’ ’Momma-nem’ means: How’s Mother and all of the other children and other members of the family doing.
This was written by someone else. Pictures for this entertainment are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”. A typical caption: “Member of the Georgia Press Association, during their 51st annual convention, in Adel, Georgia, September 15-18, 1937.”
Olive Garden Banned Me
There are four kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, statistics, and history. ~ reality leaves a lot to the imagination ~ strong evidence for de-evolution is the popularity of @MattWalshBlog ~ @LizHackett You’re an adult. Stop hashtagging full sentences on Facebook. ~ @bitchywaiter Oh, no. It looks as if Olive Garden has banned me from their page… ~ Our legal system is not designed to bring out the truth. This is a misconception. It is people playing their roles in persueing what their best interests are ~ A gimmick to get your attention. Actually, GSV is a spinoff of the faeries. After the gatherings at Running Water ran their course, some people decided to have a “conference” at a facility with indoor plumbing. 26 years later, GSV is going strong. The “fall conference” is a bit pricier than faerie gatherings, and is more structured. Hence, the whimsical nickname, “Republican Faeries.” The local potlucks, by a legally separate group, are drug, alcohol, and admission charge free. (Faeries is now accepted as a real word by spell check.) ~ Note to the Russian hacker sending spam friend requests: Rebacca Ane Wthite is not a plausible name. ~ I think many artists are not nice people ~ Give poppers to the top and it is an anti rape agent. ~ If you are going to say something, please think first. Loud, ill informed rhetoric is part of the problem. ~ When are are manipulated into saying foolish things, you choose the side of the oppressor. ~ Stay connected and learn new ways to fight for social justice. ~ The body was found at 4:57 am. The park closes at 1 am. ~ The police said it was “consistent” with a suicide, and that it was under investigation. The body was found at 4:57 am. The park is closed at 1am, which would account for nobody seeing it. ~ You retweeted this:”Body of Black man found in Piedmont Park where the KKK were handing out flyers declared “suicide” When was the KKK passing out flyers? Were they wearing white sheets? What did the flyers say? Where did they stand? How many were there? I strongly suspect this is a lie.This is another twittter comment:”A MAN HAS BEEN LYNCHED IN A POPULAR KKK MEETUP AREA & THEY WANNA SAY IT WAS A SUICIDE?” I don’t believe any of this. With two police related killings in the last two days, passions are inflamed right now. Spreading nonsense like this post is going to make things worse. ~ Do you have any evidence that the KKK was handing out flyers in the park on wednesday? Bear in mind, this was a weekday, and there were severe thunderstorms in the area. Why are you spreading inflammatory rumors without any evidence? ~ does being an asshole include spreading outlandish rumors about KKK activity in Piedmont Park? ~ 11Alive does not typically report on suicides but given the public location and interest in the story, we made the decision to share what information we could find. ~ If you are manipulated into saying, or doing, foolish things, then you choose the side of the oppressor. ~ @AryehCW Extrajudicial ideological violence never redounds to the benefit of the perpetrators, yet stupid, violent men keeping trying. ~ I wrote a blog post yesterday. A man was found, hanging from a rope. Rumors started to spread about KKK activity in the area. Those who are familiar with Piedmont Park, in Atlanta GA, find rumors like this to be ridiculous. The fact that these rumors are readily believed by many is troubling. If you are going to say something, it should be the truth. It should make the situation better. The ego boost that many people get from inflaming passions is to be avoided. ~ “Maybe that famous person did not say it, but it sounds like something he would have said” ~ @EsotericCD I can’t emphasize enough how dumb it is for both sides to cherrypick each other’s fringe nutjobs for Bad Tweets. ~ Jesus is a source of misery in my life. I want nothing to do with him. ~ @WernerTwertzog Coffee should not include whipped cream or sweet syrups. It should be a black, bitter foretaste of what we must face before the day is over. ~ fascism comes from Latin fascis bundle/fashion comes from Anglo-French façun, ~ Extrajudicial ideological violence never redounds to the benefit of the perpetrators, yet stupid, violent men keeping trying. ~ No, it is STILL not OK to spend money at Chick-fil-A. Support of this hateful organization is whoring yourself out to the enemy for a piece of fucking chicken. If you do, you should be ashamed of yourself.It’s Boycott Time: Chick-fil-A Just Dropped A BOMBSHELL On ‘Black Lives Matter’ That Is Just…It’s not too often a large company like Chick-fil-A gets involved in a controversial topic, but they have thrown themselves right smack in the middle of the #Black Lives… ~ If you are going to try to influence people, first take the time to build trust and mutual respect. ~ #goddesssofat ~ @lyz_estrada EXCLUSIVE!!! Deray’s Mug Shot just released to the public #freederay ~ Class On Creative Reading – William S. Burroughs ~ Black Lives Matter Parade Protest Brings Sweeping Changes To Toronto Pride ~ More than 60 shot in Chicago over July 4th weekend @TraceyRemix These white cops are just brazen about it now. What a racist bloodbath that was. ~ Think Fully ~ If You’re Not Black, You’ll Never Be ‘Woke’ ~ Advice for White Folks in the Wake of the Police Murder of a Black Person ~ From white guilt to white responsibility ~ It’s My Job to Raise Children Who Are Not Only Not Racist But Actively Anti-Racist ~ 5 Reasons I Refuse to Call Myself An ‘Ally’ – And Why I Use ‘Turncoat’ Instead ~ Curriculum for White Americans to Educate Themselves on Race and Racism–from Ferguson to Charleston ~ 5 Facts That Will Absolutely Infuriate You About Police and Racist Violence ~ Witness says father of 3 was trying to stop fight when he was shot, killed ~ Decatur shooting victim was recently married, ordained, friends say ~ Witnesses say the Ku Klux Klan was spotted passing out flyers before the Piedmont Park hanging. ~ This is what white people can do to support #BlackLivesMatter ~ The Uncomfortable Reason Why it Came to This in Dallas Yesterday ~ After Dallas Shooting, There Will Be No Shucking and Jiving From Me ~ 4 Self-Care Resources for Days When the World is Terrible ~ four part rules ~ The linguistics of #BLM: Scalar Implicature and Social Controversy ~ Concrete Ways to Be an Actual Ally to Black People ~ Confirmed – Philando Castile Was an Armed Robbery Suspect – False Media Narrative Now Driving Cop Killings… ~ Police scanner audio ~ Police release report on man found hanging in Piedmont Park ~ Neil Gaiman’s 8 Rules of Writing ~ pictures today from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”. ~ selah
Bill Cosby
As you may have heard, Bill Cosby is back in the news. If you want details, they won’t be tough to find. If you want to hear what people think about it all, that will be even easier to find.
PG quit watching TV about the time the Maytag repairman got his last service call. Allegedly, Mr. Cosby had a warm and fuzzy TV show a few years ago. A lot of people have trouble accepting that the wonderful man, on the boob tube, is a rapist. It was a performance by an actor.
When PG hears the name Bill Cosby, he goes back 50 years. It would be a summer afternoon like this one. A couple of doors down, a Bill Cosby comedy album would be playing on a monaural record player. We would have heard it a few dozen times already. Childhood would not have been the same without Bill Cosby comedy albums.
There was another incident. In 1981, PG was riding a bus to points west. In Reno NV, he left his bags at the station. Bill Cosby was performing in a casino. There was a ten dollar cover charge. The door man said that PG’s clothes were compliant with the dress code. And yet, PG did not feel like sitting down long enough to see the show. The opportunity passed by.
So, it is a July afternoon, just like one in 1966. With youtube, you can search for a Bill Cosby album. When you play one, Youtube/google superimposes an ad, telling you how to self publish poetry.
The first one to play was Wonderfulness. It has a picture of Mr. Cosby on an non motorized downhill device. PG remembers seeing the album on sale at K-mart. Listening to the first part of the album, the material was not familiar. And, truth be told, not very funny.
Comedy albums on vinyl are dinosaurs. Today, if you want to see a comedian, you can see something on cable tv, or a dvd, or a youtube. The concept of white boys sitting around listening to a black comic, on vinyl, is archaic. If Norman Rockwell had been relevant in the sixties he might have captured the moment. (Mr. Rockwell died in 1978, so it was possible. Saturday Evening Post was only bi-weekly by 1966, and might not have wanted to publish such a thing.)
The next album on the playlist was Why Is There Air? There were a few punch lines that PG could remember from 1966. If you are driving in San Francisco, and your VW bug rolls into the bay and you die, you go to hell. Its a lot funnier when Bill Cosby says it.
There was one routine, about pregnancy, that stands out. The possibility of a Polaroid baby… you kiss your wife, sixty seconds later the kid pops out, you did him in lacquer to keep him from fading. Today’s listener under forty will not have a clue what he is talking about.
The pregnancy routine talks about how tough it is for the mother, and the baby. One can only wonder if Mr. Cosby had begun the chemical seduction routine in 1966. The idea that Bill was out druggin and buggin, while Camille was at home having his babies, is not funny.
This is a repost. Pictures are from The Library of Congress.
#PiedmontParkHanging









The police report said that a body was found in Piedmont Park at 4:57 am, June 7, 2016. A black man, age 25-35, was hanging in a tree near the Charles Allen Drive entrance.”There were no discernible signs of a struggle or foul play. The scene was consistent with a suicide.” There would be an autopsy, and further investigation. A twitterstorm soon erupted.
@tattedpoc The KKK was in this spot yesterday & they want us to believe a black man hung himself on a tree #PiedmontParkHanging
@chamblee54 how do you know the KKK was on Charles Allen Drive yesterday?
@tattedpoc they had their lil racist rally or gathering there JUST yesterday
@chamblee54 do you have any evidence to support this claim? How many people were there? Were any counter protesters there? What park was it?
@tattedpoc @chamblee54 nigga how tf am I to know? Do you see my black ass attending KKK rallies to count the attendance?
The KKK story shifted to having klansmen in the park handing out flyers. This happened on Wednesday, a day with severe thunderstorms in the Atlanta area. No one seems to have a solid source for these reports. One person tweeted a flyer from Virginia, and claimed to have found it in their neighborhood. One twitter exchange got ridiculous. This is a heavily edited version, with most of the tweets left out. When you find yourself in a hole, you should stop digging.
@chamblee54 Where is the evidence of the KKK handing out flyers in Piedmont Park Wednesday?
@FCsportz eyewitness accounts. No pics or video have been released.
@FCsportz @DoritoDinker @chamblee54 @Flyswatter I’ve read multiple articles on the matter, Folks said they saw them. That’s called an “eyewitness”.
@chamblee54 Do you have a link to any of those articles?
@FCsportz they are all over the Internet, it’s a simple google search.
@chamblee54 In other words you do not have a link
@_Hey_Arthur_ lololol OMG! Dude is using Twitter as his source. This is too much
@FCsportz “Account: a report or description of an event or experience.”These can be real or fake
@FCsportz whether they are lying or not is not my problem.
Piedmont Park has an interesting niche in Atlanta life. Many simply call it “the park,” and assume you know what they mean. The park is synonymous with queer life. Piedmont Park is said to be air conditioned… there is a blower behind every bush. To hear that the Klan is *recruiting* in the park is poignant. The jokes will write themselves.
@hiraethwndrlst a man was LYNCHED in a popular KKK meeting ground and its ruled suicide with little investigation.
@DarrinPenn How are you going to rule a suicide when the man was found hanging from a tree in a popular KKK meeting place
@BlvckConscious The man whose death was ruled a “suicide” was found hanging from a tree in an area with a high influence of KKK members #PiedmontParkHanging
@alisonklemp Maybe the #piedmontparkhanging was a suicide. And maybe before he climbed the tree he lit a cross on fire, you know, to help him see better.
@GimmeeTitties If he wanted to commit suicide he wouldn’t have hung himself from a tree , he would’ve just reached for his ID #PiedmontParkHanging
@WiFiWisdom #PiedmontParkHanging I live on the same street as the park and its Klan Central.
Maybe the death of the young man was foul play. Maybe the klan was handing out flyers in the park, on a rainy Wednesday night. Stranger things have happened. What is interesting is how quickly, and easily, the rumors are believed. It is also problematic. Americans are having serious problems getting along with each other. When outlandish rumors are automatically believed, and those who doubt these rumors labelled racist, it just makes it that much tougher to work on the serious racial problems that do exist in our society.
Pictures are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”. The spell check suggestion for piedmontparkhanging is paperhanging. UPDATE: More information about the young man has been released. It is almost certainly a suicide.


















































































































































































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