I have “taken the paper”, as my Dad would say, for 12 years here in Atlanta.  “The Atlanta Journal Constitution”, to be exact.  It’s a decent enough paper.  Easy read, decent stories, good coverage, nice funnies, and sadly, only one crossword. 

Really, it could use more.

But, that’s not my point.

I don’t read the entire paper.  Obits don’t interest me, ads bore me – and I’m broke anyway – I’m a headliner.  I read the headlines and decide which stories I’ll check out during the day.

I’m sure I’m not unlike many in this area.

I remember hearing as a child that JFK read 2 or 3 entire newspapers everyday.  It may be true, but I doubt it.  As with any prominent person, and especially the President, there’s a lot of myth. 

But again, I digress.

The headlines yesterday were a bit disconcerting.

“Fulton Teachers may lose their jobs” – Now that’s a pretty sight!  Fulton County is the heart of the Atlanta Metro Area.  High crime, lots of cops, big schools, big buildings, it’s a city.

Just a thought – wouldn’t it be easier to educate our children than prepare them for incarceration?  The majority of folks in prison are high school drop outs.  Why are we laying teachers off?

Here’s another – “State revenue still spirals downward” – everyone acts like this is a surprise.  Since my property taxes went up by 14% last year, state and county revenues shouldn’t be in a spiral.  But alas, according the the AJC, they are.  The state of Georgia collected 10% less last month than it did in the same month last year.  So I’m guessin’ there will be more cuts a commin’.

Hmmm…

And then there’s this one – “Lists note DeKalb schools that may close” – DeKalb (pronounced De CAB for all  you outsiders) is another large county that is the other half of the city of Atlanta.  Trust me, they have enough problems, they don’t need to close schools.    And if they close the schools, no one’s said where the kids will go.  I really can’t see that many people in DeKalb County homeschooling off the bat.  So, again, what’s to become of the youth?

“Obama throws down the health care gauntlet” - apparently there are some folks in his own party who are on the fence, and he wants them to get off of it…I suppose on his side.

And how about this one – “Colleges wary as guns bill advances” – Apparently a new law is in the works that will allow those with “carry permits” to take a gun onto a College Campus.  Now, I’m a 2nd Amendment kinda guy and all, but has anyone at the Georgia State House heard of Virginia Tech?  Or Columbine?  and on and on. 

That’s just the front page, and not even all of it.

The Metro section was even more disheartening.  Something about a judge resigning because she served alcohol to underage kids at her home.  A slaying suspect turned himself in (alas, some good news), A forest ranger was killed in a hunting mishap; can we say understatement? – MISHAP!   And apparently Hustler Magazine wants to publish pictures of the nude dismembered body of a woman who was killed while hiking.  There’s always some irony in any Hustler/Larry Flint/Metro Area story since Gwinnett County, where I live, is where Larry was shot during his porno trial.

And there was a small snippet about a “methane gas leak shuts down highway”.

Really, I couldn’t wait to read the comics!