Author shares book, subject in Augusta

Good things happened to Judge Anthony Alaimo in Augusta.

-- Vincent Coppola

It was a delight Tuesday to join much of Augusta's legal community at a luncheon featuring U.S. District Court Judge Anthony A. Alaimo .

The judge was there, as was guest speaker Vincent Coppola , author of a new book about his honor, The Sicilian Judge (Mercer University Press).

It is the story of this remarkable man who has done so much to improve the standards of justice in our part of Georgia.

For his part, Judge Alaimo was gracious and in a fine humor -- a relief to those of us who have seen his sterner moments on the federal bench.

As one reporter put it years ago, "Standing before Judge Alaimo in court is like facing Moses after you've broken a commandment."

We were all on our best behavior Tuesday, and Moses appeared to be smiling.

STATE BUDGETS: In a down economy, Florida's Agency for Workforce Innovation is experiencing a deluge of calls from people looking for unemployment benefits.

So the agency asked the Legislature for $6.3 million to hire a call center for help.

According to the Florida Times-Union newspaper, one lawmaker suggested the state agency hire the people who were looking for work instead of spending money on the outside contractor.

But everyone told him it wasn't that simple.

It never is.

JUST WONDERING: Bill Wood , from Hephzibah, asks:

- Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

- What disease did cured ham actually have?

- How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

- Why is bra singular and panties plural?

MAIL CALL: Bob and Barbara Durland send postcard greetings from Turkey and Greece, which they call "beautiful country" and "inspiring."

Closer to home, it looks like a big group is cruising the Virgin Islands. Signing a card from Tortola are Debbie Jones , Joan Anderson , DeBrada and Wendell Moore and Gail and Tom Lemon .

TODAY'S JOKE: Here's one shared by Seth Benson , of Millen, Ga.

It seems a husband and wife are on the seventh green when suddenly she collapses from what appears to be a heart attack.

"Help me, dear," she groaned to her husband.

The husband reached for his cell phone, talked a few moments, then picked up his putter and began to line up his putt.

His wife raised her head off the green and stared at him. "I'm dying over here and you're putting?"

"Oh, don't worry, dear," said the husband calmly. "They found a doctor on the second hole, and he's coming to help you."

"Well, how long will it take for him to get here?" she asked.

"No time at all," said her husband. "Everybody's already agreed to let him play through."

Reach Bill Kirby at (706) 823-3344 or bill.kirby@augustachronicle.com.