Auburn AL News Commentary and Reading Recommendations

Awesome statistics. But how long will the boom last?

From http://www.wtvm.com/Global/story.asp?S=2841648&nav=8fapVTLq:
 
A record breaking number for home sales in the Auburn-Opelika area... that's what agencies are calling the $316 million poured into residential real estate in 2004.
"There are two sides to a real estate transaction: the listing side and the selling side. In that $300 million plus, there were about 2,800 sides to the real estate transactions," said Sherri McCollum, a realtor at First Realty in Auburn.(...)
"Rates are still low, and availability should still be good in 2005. We're predicting a little bit of a slow down, but you can't have a record year every year," said McCollum. The average mortgage rate last year was 5.5 percent. However, bank officers say the increase should be minimal, and you might find the home of your dreams for a reasonable price.

When everybody claim that real estate prices will only go up and up and up... that's when the risk is greatest that there is a real estate bubble. And bubbles can burst...

06:29 AM   

It's kind of rare that Tuscaloosa inspires Auburn to do anything. But even rivals can learn from one another :-)

From http://www.theplainsman.com/vnews/displa...3/42022aca16cc8:
 
"Auburn City Council is favorable in requesting the state Legislature to put in a vote for the traffic cameras," Ham said.
He said that the idea of installing traffic cameras came from looking at research and test efforts done in Tuscaloosa. (...) "The bill puts the cost of the ticket at $250. Not only is it a lot to pay for a ticket, but you are also paying a big amount for a small violation," Watkins said. (...) The Opelika City Council plans on asking legislation during the 2005 session to pass the resolution that would enable cities to install traffic light cameras.(...)
"The streets belong to the public. When you drive on public streets you give up some of your privacy rights. Running red lights is a serious traffic hazard, and this project would make Opelika and other cities safer to drive in," Fuller said.

The cost to purchase and install a camera right now is $50,000. That seems kind of steep considering that you can get a video home security system for a few hundred buck these days, but I guess they're paying government prices...

08:36 AM   

A noteworthy article in the Auburn Plainsman.

From http://www.theplainsman.com/vnews/displa...T/41ef558f578d8:
 
"There's always a conflict between immediate gratification and the long-term goal," explained Opelika psychologist Anne Harzem. "Quite often, we give in to immediate gratification."
If the goal is to lose weight, it's difficult not to give into the instant gratification of a slice of chocolate cake. Goals that require several months of dedication to achieve are harder to stick with.

It all boils down to the fact: It's hard to change ourselves, and our habits. We'll all have relapses from our good intentions, but it's important not to lose determination.

07:26 AM   

The Auburn Plainsman reports that Lee County, which already has the third-lowest unemployment rate in Alabama behind Blount and Shelby counties, saw a further drop in unemployment: from 6.0% in August to 5.7% in September.

From http://www.theplainsman.com/vnews/displa...1/41936c21674a4:
 
Clenney said once school starts back, there are more jobs available and less people looking for jobs. Unemployment rates for October are expected to be released next week. Clenney thought that would be when something out of the ordinary might appear.
Clenney said, “I don’t have any reason to think that they’ll go up any.” She said unless there are major layoffs in Lee County, the county’s unemployment rate should continue to drop.

From the article, it looks like the drop is mostly a seasonal trend. But it's nice to see that Lee County is going (relatively) strong.

09:53 AM   

The Decatur Daily features an interesting article about an Auburn University history professor and his hard-core stance on Alabama's ethical woes. His opinion might be a bit extreme, but definitely noteworthy.
 
Flynt's lays out his opinions in his 600-page book "Alabama in the Twentieth Century," which focuses - among other thigns - on power structures and backward, greedy politicians that hold the state back.

From http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily...018/ethic.shtml:
 
"One of the problems Alabama has is low expectations. We don't take much pride in what we've done," he told a group recently at the Anniston Public Library. "We perpetually have a chip on our shoulder, and we dare anyone to knock it off."
In other works, Flynt has written about justice denied, children ignored, women unappreciated.

I commend him for having strong opinions and not being afraid to voice them. Maybe it takes thinkers like him to change the way Alabama does business, and to work towards an improvement of the state's image in the eyes of the rest of the nation.
 
Then again, there are people who don't care what other people think...
 
Flynt does have a point though when he comments on the irony of a Bible Belt state whose football programs are sullied by ethical fumbles. He talks about religion AND criticizes college football? Better think twice before inviting him to your next party... ;-)

08:10 AM   

The Birmingham News features a great article about webloggers in Alabama. (Weblogs are online diaries - entries are instantly published to a website on the internet.)

From http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/in...04501180190.xml:
 
Some of the Alabama-based blogs could be written anywhere. Others are pure Heart of Dixie. For instance, one blog monitors politics in Phenix City. "Mayor Hardin mentioned a new car dealership coming to Phenix City," reads a post from "Redneckin." "Two questions immediately come to mind. How much did we pay for it and who is it? In that order."
(...) One group of Alabama bloggers has formed the "Axis of Weevil." Sixty-four bloggers belong. They all post links to each other's sites and write comments on them.

Hopefully, the group of Alabama bloggers will grow by leaps and bounds. Few onlines (on TV or the web) are as entertaining as finding a weblog of a like-minded person and checking it out on a daily basis.
 
Weblogs are a great way to read about another person's life... after a while, you almost feel part of it. Do you enjoy writing? Then I strongly encourage you to give weblogging a try. It's a great way to connect with other people and to reflect on your life daily.
 
If you keep a local weblog, let us know and we'll feature it on this site.

06:43 AM   

An editorial in the Montgomery Advertiser points out why chances of a state lottery in Alabama might be pretty slim, even though two-thrids of Alabamians favor a state lottery to benefit education.

From http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/NEWS...edlott1012w.htm:
 
The results of the state's most recent vote on a lottery could make many legislators reluctant to tackle the issue again. Despite polls that showed a majority of citizens supported a lottery in 1999, voters still soundly rejected it after questions were raised about how it would be administered by the administration of former Gov. Don Siegelman.
The Alabama Christian Coalition mounted a strong campaign against a lottery the last time around (...)
While the poll shows a majority of Alabamians support a lottery, the opposition was highest (but still a minority) among respondents who identified themselves as strong Republicans or strong conservatives, just the groups that provide the base of support for Gov. Bob Riley and Republicans in the Legislature. Without the strong support of a governor, lottery legislation would be difficult to get through the Legislature and approved by the voters in a referendum.

The article gives a lot of insight into the everyday wheeling and dealing in politics. But, a "lottery to increase funding for education" might not be as good as it sounds. Florida officials managed to decrease public funding for schools, and using the funds from the lottery to replace it. Thus, the lottery arguably didn't make as much difference as it should have.
 
Note that certain kinds of gambling are already allowed in Alabama: dog tracks and the Indian gaming parlors in Atmore, Wetumpka and Montgomery.

06:29 AM   

This time, a 156-acre research park, with a $15 million commitment from the state of Alabama and the city of Auburn.

From http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmin.../11/daily1.html:
 
The first tenants are expected in late 2006.
The park will be in the southwest quadrant of the Auburn campus, fronting South College Street and Shug Jordan Parkway. It will be accessible from Interstate 85, becoming a direct link to the evolving technology corridor extending from Atlanta to Montgomery.
Michael Moriarty, the university's vice president for research, says the research park will help increase sponsored research and technology development at Auburn and the commercialization of those research developments.

07:22 AM   

What a great gift.

From http://www.al.com/newsflash/regional/ind...02861141230.xml:
 
A Birmingham businessman and Auburn University alumnus donated a $2 million collection of modern European art to the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University, the museum announced.
(...) Bill Harbert's collection of 14 works include six works by Marc Chagall, three by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, two by Salvador Dali and one each by Pablo Picasso, Joan Mir and Henri Matisse. The collection was featured in one of the inaugural exhibitions for the museum's Oct. 3, 2003 opening.
Harbert has spent a half-century gathering works of art from around the world.

Harbert helped form Harbert Consturction Corp in 1949 and is still collecting art. He donated it to share it with the world, rather than just keeping it in his own home and office. Very noble - what a great gesture.

08:49 AM   

There go a lot of memories...

From http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/in...07778299160.xml:
 
The Auburn University board of trustees gave the go-ahead Friday to demolish a section of outdated student apartments that served as the university's only on-campus graduate and family housing.
The south side of the Catherine Draughon Village, home to 130 international graduate students, will be torn down this fall.
(...) The condemned apartments were built in the late 1950s and have become too difficult to maintain,
(...) But many of the graduate students and families who live there are upset that they will lose the strong sense of community and low-cost housing the village provides.

It was just a matter of time, though.

09:24 AM   

The cost of attending Auburn University might go up soon...

From http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/in...07778299160.xml:
 
Auburn Executive Vice President Don Large also recommended that the board approve an 8 percent tuition increase in June that would take effect this fall. In-state tuition for undergraduates would increase $190 per semester, for a total of $2,403. Out-of-state tuition would increase $570 per semester, for a total of $7,013.
(...) After five years of debate and site approvals for a new student union gone by the wayside, the board approved yet another site east of Jordan-Hare Stadium for a 180,000-square-foot student center complex to replace Foy Student Union. The center would cost about $50 million and would form a central quadrangle of buildings across from the Haley Center.

Interesting info on the new student center complex, too.

06:28 AM   

Interesting article. The same guy who had a 45 minute standoff with the police was the victim of a beating on the Country Club of Mobile golf course. Earlier this year, he was charged with cruelty to a cat or dog. Guess he is used to encounters with the police, and this time he got to meat SWAT team members, too.

From http://www.al.com/news/mobileregister/in...24301410270.xml:
 
Police spokesman Smith said he did not know what Gruenewald did for a living in the Auburn area, or whether he might be a student.
(...) When police arrived, Gruenewald appeared at his door with a pistol in his waistband, Smith said. When the officers tried to speak with him, Gruenewald slammed the door, Smith said.
(...) Following his arrest after the standoff, the judge revoked the probation and ordered Gruenewald to the Lee County Justice Center to serve the 180-day sentence.

09:01 AM   

So, the Grille did close. (As mentioned earlier on this page.) Sad.

From http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/in...73012517390.xml:
 
On the walls hang nearly 200 framed photos of past Auburn athletes, coaches and cheerleaders, including Fob James and Pat Sullivan. There's even a photo of Bear Bryant and Pat Dye sitting at a table, talking.
Butts said she is looking for a vacant building in downtown Auburn in which to relocate, but whether The Grille will be resurrected is uncertain.
(...) Grille manager Heather Stacks said she recently saw two Auburn graduates who agreed 50 years ago to meet each other at The Grille on a certain date.
(...) "At first they didn't recognize each other," she said. When the two confided they were waiting for a friend, they jumped up and hugged each other.
"They just sat there and started telling each other what they had done with the war, with their marriage, their family, their grandchildren, and that they were able to come here to Auburn and sit down and meet after 50 years," Stacks said. "It was amazing to see this."

For a lot of people, breakfast at The Grill was a beloved tradition. Now, they will have to find a new place.

07:59 AM   

Now that's interesting... a biodegradeable lure based on a top-secret patent. "Gummi Bears for Bass" they are called.

From http://www.al.com/newsflash/regional/ind...29465199010.xml:
 
a new product that manufacturers say could both revolutionize the $300 million artificial lure industry and reduce pollution from anglers.
Birmingham-based FoodSource Lures Corp. is one of at least two companies selling what they describe as fully biodegradable artificial lures.
(...) The lures - which received a patent last week - are slimy and infused with scents including garlic and crawfish, which some say is like the smell of a grilled T-bone steak to a fish. The strong smell is the key to the lure's success, Rogers said.
"We really consider it a scent delivery system," he said.
To prevent pollution, the company says the lures dissolve in water within three weeks if they're not eaten first by microbes or fish. They will also break down in sunshine if left on the ground.

Great stuff. The lures were devleoped at Auburn Univeristy, and are being manufactured in Eufaula.
 
Auburn graduate Doug Ollis took the idea to the school's fisheries unit after his dog ate a bag of plastic worms (!). Ollis is now a partner at FoodSource Lures, too.
 
Congratulations on a great idea that contributes to the enhancement of our (and wildlife's) lives. Now, y'all go and try out the new lures! They are being sold on the internet for less than $6 per bag.

09:35 AM   

A typical example of government waste?

From http://www.al.com/news/mobileregister/in...22640173560.xml:
 
Former Auburn University President William Walker is now listed in university payroll records as "special counsel" to his successor, and he is drawing the same $270,000 salary he was paid before Gov. Bob Riley forced his resignation in January.
Walker's pay is $5,000 higher than the $265,000 being paid to interim President Ed Richardson.
(...) Granger called it "common practice in higher education for a president or other senior administrator to remain at the institution for a period of time following resignation."

What gets me is that, in almost any other (government) job, you have to fill out endless paperwork to get reimbursed for any job-related expenses. But with the big honchos, it's different. They collect huge sums for something as unspecific as "consulting."
 
Wouldn't it be more fair, if he had to write down the hours and tasks completed so it's actually clear what he's getting paid for?
 
I bet they could pay him $200 per productive hour and still only spend a fraction of those $270,000.

06:03 AM   

I wish people would fight tooth and nails to keep the historic landmarks of their cities going. But I guess, sometimes nostalgy takes the backseat to business interests.

From http://www.theplainsman.com/vnews/displa...6/403e20739712b:
 
The Auburn Grille may be about to serve its last milkshake. If a new lease cannot be settled , the restaurant could be on its way out.
Cathy Butts, owner of The Grille, and Nimrod Lipscomb, owner of the building which houses The Grille's dining space, have been negotiating a new lease since the old one expired at the end of December.
"If it wasn't for The Grille, a lot of people wouldn't be coming downtown," Darcie said.
(...) The Grille was established in 1936 by two Greek brothers. Since then it has only had five owners.

Sadly, by the way things are going, America is turning into a homogenized mixture of Starbucks, McDonald's, and Taco Bells.
 
Not that there is anything wrong with chains, but they come and go and are rarely missed. Historic landmarks, however, are gone forever and take thousands of fond memories with them.
 
I hope The Grille will continue to stay open, but its future is questionable at least.

08:08 AM   

The world sure has changed a lot. Who would have thought, a few years ago, that we would need a Post-Harvest Food Protection and Defense?

From http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmin...16/daily26.html:
 
Auburn University is leading the efforts of 11 universities trying to become the center for Post-Harvest Food Protection and Defense for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
(...) The center would support the Department of Homeland Security's efforts to protect both the domestic and imported post-harvest food supply of the United States, and to develop engineering-based approaches to evaluating and reducing critical and emerging post-harvest risks.

Scary world. But it does sound interesting.
 
A lot of this is probably top-secret, otherwise I would enjoy watching a report on the Science Channel.

06:37 AM