adam.riggins

There was a story yesterday on Yahoo news about the worlds most obese man.  Basically, he was going to try and also hold the record for the most weight lost by a single person.  He has already lost over 500 pounds in the last 2 years!

So his birthday is coming up, and he hopes to get out of the house for the first time in a whiol.  Check this out:

Now weighing 717 pounds — the size of three hefty men — Uribe is still unable to move his swollen legs but hopes to get out of the house next month for only the third time in six years to celebrate his 43rd birthday.

He will still be in bed, hauled onto a tow truck for a trip to the mountainous countryside outside his home city of Monterrey in northern Mexico. It will be a rerun of a failed attempt in March that was thwarted when his bed hit an overpass.

Wait.  What?  His bed hit an overpass?  Does that give anyone a funny visual in their head like it does mine?  O well, at least he’s ok!

Yahoo! News Story

That’s right folks.  Here in Atlanta, we have the worst traffic in the country according to Forbes Magazine.  According to Forbes, 13% of us spend over an hour sitting in traffic on the way to work in the morning.  Also, only 29% of us get to work in less than 20 minutes.  Lucky me, I am in that demographic.  It takes me about 15 minutes to get to work.  But, as someone who has lived here my whole life, I have to agree with them.

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Jump right to the Atlanta part

“The same guy asked me for money five times yesterday,” he said, noting the competition is fierce. “I’ve been to Detroit and Houston, but it’s nothing like here.”

I read an article in today’s AJC newspaper that got me thinking, and I want some more perspetive. The article talks about how in Atlanta, there are quite a few homeless people downtown, and how it is a problem in the city.

A study commissioned recently by the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau confirms that panhandling is a major problem, and it’s getting worse.

A sampling of 164 out-of-towners interviewed from October 2007 to February of this year said panhandling ranked second —- behind traffic —- among the things they disliked most about Atlanta.

The article goes on to say that laws were passed that outlawed direct panhandling, but allowed a more passive approach (I guess that means someone holding a sign asking for money). People are mad though because those laws are not being enforced.

I agree, it is a little annoying when you go downtown in Atlanta and are bombarded by several homelss people asking for money. It’s always a little awkward.

But I keep thinking that maybe the solution is not outlawing it, but maybe taking a more proactive approach by maybe investing in some kind of outreach program that helps get people off of the streets and their life back in order. For some of these people, without a swift kick in the pants, they will never get out of the hole they are in. I guess my heart goes out to some people who maybe can’t see the big picture and don’t have the will power themselves to change. Homelessness has been around since Biblical times, so it is obviously a big issue.

What do you think?

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Photo courtesy of SamPac

The Varsity. Those two words make me so happy. You see, my friend, The Varsity is a restaurant in Atlanta that is sort of an Atlanta staple. It has been here fore several decades, and anyone who lives here has eaten there before.

What kind of food do they have, you ask? Greasy, delicious, artery clogging food. Hamburgers, chili dogs, onion rings, fries, etc. When you walk up to the counter, “Whadaya have!?!?!” is yelled at you. Seriously, that is how they take your order. It is kind of like the Soup Nazi in Seinfeld. You order, then step to the side and remain silent. But you see, it’s all part of the experience.

I just had lunch there, and I was reminded of how much of a defining part of Atlanta this is. Next time you are in the area, stop on by.

Whadaya have!

This past Sunday, a pastor of a local church here in Atlanta preached a sermon entitled “We’re Sorry” that was all about apologizing to various people groups, including homosexuals and abortion patients. The reasoning is that a lot of times, Christians tend to be a bit judgmental of other folks, despite the fact that none of us are perfect. This pastor understands that he is just as imperfect as the next person, therefore having no right to judge anyone. This quote jumps out most at me:

“For a long time, we’ve been known for the social issues we’re against, instead of the God that we’re for,”

This is so true, and it needs to be a wake-up call to those of us who claim to follow Jesus. It is a lot easier to let everyone know what we are against, but what we need to be doing is letting people know about the God that we are for. A God who can change lives! Sure, it’s harder, but if we would do that, people would want to listen.

I hope other churches follow this guy’s lead. People deserve that apology.

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People can be pretty passionate about their religious beliefs. So, it is not surprising that at least a few famous wars have resulted from disagreements about religion. However, is it true what Sam Harris says that our tendency to slaughter each other “generally have their roots in religion?”

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Here is an update from a previous story I reported on. FTA:

Rose said he was “surprised and very happy” about the offer, but denied the record label or himself were involved in the pledge.

If this ends up being true and it happens, maybe it will be the swift kick in the pants Axl needs in order to get that dang album out. It’s been too long since the last one!

Read the article.

Foo Fighters front man and ex-Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl throws his hat into the ring to run for President of the United States. This is a pretty humorous read. FTA:

On what will bring America together: “I think that what the country needs now is a good, smoky barbecue—family style, at least once a week, winter months included. It’s important that people bring it back to cooking over the fire as a family unit. You know what I do when I sit around a grill with my family? I talk. We talk. It’s something about that hickory smoke that brings my family together—and friends. And that’s where I really get to share and learn with my family and fellow Americans. It’s around that grill. It’s two beers, it’s three beers, it’s four beers, it’s 10 beers. This is what America needs—beer, and barbecue. It’s the red, white and barbecue.”

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I have watched both Survivorman and Man vs. Wild. I always have leaned toward Man vs. Wild, even after the allegations came out that the host, Bear Grylls, at times would sleep at a hotel at night, and that some of the situations were “presented” to him. I figured that hey, even if the situations are set up, he is showing valuable information that can really help someone that gets stranded in the wilderness. Plus, he is the man. Look at what he has accomplished so far, and you will agree.

Well, I came across this article yesterday that proves my point. Set up or not set up, the show helps people. Take, for example, the kids in the story. What they saw on that show saved their lives, and to me, that validates it over anything else.

Survival Show Helps Save Boys’ Lives  (via Just Tiny Little Rocks)

Bear Grylls Bio

Almost EVERY coffee shop you go to these days that is not called “Starbucks” offers free internet to anyone who comes in.  It is sort of the standard.  Why is it that Starbucks, easily the largest chain of coffee shops, charges for internet?  Sure, now if you are an AT&T customer, it will be free for you, but big deal.  Make it free like everyone else!

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