Progress Is the Root of All Evil(I'm in Atlanta this weekend)

Here in my Georgia hometown, I'm staying on the fourth floor of a Comfort Inn hotel, which sits on the property that was once the farm where my childhood friend Scott Umphrey lived.

Scott used to get up early in the morning before school and feed the horses. Our Boy Scout troop camped here. Skyview Drive was a dirt road for most of its length and Thornton Road was only two lanes.

Now, it's a Comfort Inn, a Shoney's, a Burger King, et cetera. Sing it, General Bullmoose:

Progress is the root of all evil.
Progress is the cause of it all. . . .
Bring back the good old days!

BTW, I'll be in the Atlanta area through Saturday. If anybody's up for a StacyPalooza, we'll convene at 4 p.m. Friday afternoon at an undisclosed restaurant in Buckhead. My good buddy Phil Kent -- the Jedi master who mentored me in advanced schmooze methodology -- has yet to name the location.

Saturday evening has yet to be planned. If you are a reader in the Atlanta area, e-mail Smitty, who is in telephone communication with me and can provide location information.