Blog Topic: Say What

In the Loop: David Perdue: Don't Worry About the Unemployment Rate

By Blake Aued | August 26, 2014 5:14pm

A video of a journalist being forcibly removed from a Republican campaign event in Dawsonville has drawn a lot of attention lately. Lost in the shuffle, according to Democrat Michelle Nunn's Senate campaign, were her opponent David Perdue's comment on the unemployment rate at the 37-minute mark.

Team Nunn is circulating a Huffington Post article about the event that quotes Perdue as saying he's not concerned about Georgia's 7.8 percent unemployment rate, which is the second highest of any state and well above the 6.2 percent national average.

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In the Loop: Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens Never Meant That Nonsense About Obstructing Obamacare

By Blake Aued | August 22, 2014 4:14pm

State Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens said last year that he's doing "everything in our power to be an obstructionist" of "Obamacare."

Now, with the Affordable Care Act nearly fully implemented and benefiting millions of voters, Hudgens is backing off, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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Homedrone: Futurebirds, Jittery Joe's Team Up for 'Baba Java' Blend, EP

By Gabe Vodicka | August 20, 2014 1:35pm

Alt-country band Futurebirds has teamed up with beloved Athens-based coffee roaster Jittery Joe's to release "Baba Java," the first release in what's purported to be a line of "Athens music coffee." The collaboration between the band and the coffeemaker was inspired by a famous local performance, according to the press release:

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In the Loop: UGA Student Hit by Car, Goes to Judo the Next Day

By David Schick | August 19, 2014 4:20pm

Photo Credit: David Schick

Rob Richards, Jr. may be invincible. Or just really lucky.

Yesterday, a car struck Richards on the first day of classes at the University of Georgia. Today, he was miraculously walking the streets of downtown Athens on his way to a martial arts class after putting in some hours working at UGA’s main library.

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Homedrone: Yes, That's Ruby the RabbitFoot Holding Hands With Macklemore in This Music Video

By Gabe Vodicka | August 12, 2014 12:38pm

Seattle band Fences unveiled a music video for their song "Arrows" yesterday. The tune features Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, which in and of itself is not news, even if we gave a hoot; all those folks have worked together before.

But Athens residents watching the clip were surprised to see a familiar face among the highly stylized, Wes Anderson-like sets and confusing circus imagery. Yes, that's local singer-songwriter Ruby Kendrick—aka Ruby the RabbitFoot—holding hands with Mr. 'More in the still above.

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In the Loop: UGA Falls to 15th Best Party School

By David Schick | August 4, 2014 4:57pm

Oh, how the mighty beer drinkers have fallen.

Princeton Review released its annual top "party schools" report today and coming in at No. 15 is the University of Georgia. In 2010, UGA was at the top of the list.

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In the Loop: Athens Has the Fourth Busiest Transit System in the U.S.

By Blake Aued | August 4, 2014 11:20am

Photo Credit: Kelly Hart

Athens-Clarke County has the fourth-busiest transit system in the country, according to an analysis by the data journalism website FivethirtyEight.com of National Transit Database numbers.

ACC averaged 99.5 trips per capita in 2013, meaning the average resident boarded a bus about 100 times last year. That figure is based on ridership numbers ACC and 289 other cities report to the Federal Transit Administration in order to receive grants. FiveThirtyEight divided those numbers by 2012 American Community Survey population estimates.

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In the Loop: Burglar Has Terrible Taste in Liquor

By Blake Aued | August 3, 2014 4:08pm

According to Athens-Clarke County police, someone broke into Firehouse Package on West Broad Street Friday night or Saturday morning and took "two bottles of brandy valued at $30, three bottles of vodka valued at $30, two bottles of E&J brandy valued $30, two bottles of Mr. Boston vodka valued at $30 and two packs of Newport cigarettes valued $12."

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Culture Briefs: UGA Receiver Michael Bennett Hates 'The Bachelorette,' Wants to Be Paid

By Blake Aued | August 1, 2014 3:11pm

The World Cup's over, and the Barves—let's face it—are pretty mediocre. But never fear, sports fans! Football season is right around the corner.

The Bulldogs started fall practice today, but before they did, they opened the Buttsmear doors to the media, even us unsavory alt-weekly types. Here are a few highlights from the press conference.

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Culture Briefs: Oconee Library to Host 'After-Hours Rave'

By Gabe Vodicka | July 25, 2014 11:19am

Ah, the old 6–8 p.m. rave. From the mailbox:

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