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TODAY'S ISSUE
Seeks support for masectomy bill before the Congress
By Gloria Berry
Director, Community and Government Relations
Walton EMC
Special to GwinnettForum.com

MARCH 14, 2003 -- The last few years has been eye-opening in terms of the number of my close personal friends who have suffered from cancer in one form or another. Perhaps this has increased my awareness for the need to "do something."

Let's see: I walked in Gwinnett County Relay for Life; contributed to Cancer Research; had an annual physical complete with mammogram;
collected my wellness benefit from the Duck People and contributed it to The American Cancer Society; and prayed with a person who just found out she had breast cancer. And the list goes on.

But, just this week another opportunity to "do something" landed in my email...an opportunity to sign a petition for Mastectomy Legislation by U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro. If you are a "Do'er", then you might consider doing this. This is a techno-way of letting your voice be heard. Yet another way to fight the big C!

"Important info for all women: please forward this to everyone in your address book. This is a time when our voices and choices should be
heard. This takes about 30 seconds to vote on this issue...and send it on to others you know who will do the same.

"There's a bill before Congress called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the "drive-through mastectomy" where women are forced to go home hours after surgery against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.

"Lifetime Television has put this bill on their web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed
on.

"PLEASE! Sign the petition by clicking on the web site below and help women with breast cancer get the care they need and deserve!! There is no cost or monetary pledge involved. You need not give more than your name and zip code number:

ELLIOTT BRACK
Local restaurateur fights to stay above water
By Elliott Brack
editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com

"Ours is off 30 percent," Kurt Eisele told us the other day, "And we just hope we can still be in business this time next year."

Eisele operates one of Gwinnett's finest restaurants, "Kurt's" just off Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Duluth. He's no newcomer, having been in business for 18 years for himself, and prior that, was chef at the Atlanta Athletic Club. He's gained a reputation of delighting the palette of some of the more discriminating patrons.

Though down, Kurt is not giving up. "We're providing more personal service in our dining room, to make Kurt's a place like no where else. And we now open our Biergarden for more casual dining on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. continuously. And we do more indirect marketing to make people aware of us."

Kurt saw his business starting to decline three years ago "when the Asian economy went sour. They had a lot of sales, distribution and manufacturing out here, and we didn't have their business any more.

"Now our business has lost $200,000 in the last two years. We realize that there is less business activity, more competition, and people have less disposal personal income. There's also the corporate cutback and today individuals are so discount-oriented."

He mentioned new restaurants in the area, in both Gwinnett and in North Fulton county along Highway 141. "Two more, a Mexican and public house, have opened across from me. A contributing factor is that everyone wants to go to a new place. And there is not as much restaurant loyalty as there was 25-30 years ago. You even see it at the country clubs, where I used to work, for only a minute percent go there on a regular basis."

As a result of all this downturn in Kurt's business, he chuckles and says: "I've been off the payroll for a year now, only living on hot air. But being realistic, in the restaurant business, I don't have to buy food and drink. But these days I don't go anywhere any more."

One of Kurt's efforts is to dispel myths about the food he serves. Being German, it's hearty food, "But not like it used to be in Germany when I was growing up. Back then, you didn't eat raw the mushrooms and spinach we grew, because of the fertilizer we used. We had to boil vegetables to get rid of the bacteria. But today typical German food is different...much more healthy.

"It's a myth that Germans are overweight, for their food is the third leanest in Europe. Or that they always eat sausages and sauerkraut. Today Germans enjoy steaks, roasted chicken, veal, fish, venison and pork," he says.

Kurt's own menu is more traditional than German. "It's pretty much split even between beef, veal and seafood dishes," he notes. A favorite of his customers is a "Filet Edelweiss," served with six different sauces. Another favorite is a baked salmon, which is accented with the sweet-and-sour of sauerkraut.

Of his economic plight, Kurt admits: "We made some mistakes before when times were good, but our head is not in the sand. We're working hard to survive, and attract people with good food, and good service."

(Kurt's is located in Duluth off Peachtree Industrial Boulevard between Pleasant Hill Road and Highay 120. Phone 770-623-4128.)

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FEEDBACK
3/14: Eliminating world tyrants is priceless cost

Editor the Forum;

"Getting the troops to the war zone and back.... $25 billion; fighting the war....$8-10 billion; occupying a nation once it's defeated....$12-48 billion; rebuilding the nation.... billions."

Ensuring that our sons and daughters are never faced with a world tyrant that has the capability of destroying all Americans and our way of life....priceless!

Ask yourself this when you're tallying up the costs of war, "What is the cost of not going to war?"

-- Craig Heighton, Buford

3/14: Credible use of force enables diplomacy to work

Editor, the Forum:

Thanks for making the point that the threat of credible use of force enables diplomacy to have a chance to work with the like of SH. Some people seem to miss that point entirely.

-- M. Nichols, Suwanee

3/14: Better idea: eliminate FBI, GBI and local police units

Editor, the Forum:

Regarding your latest opinion on "There are many more costs than fighting the cost of war. " Like our great President Bush says (Good people disagree) and I happen to disagree with this opinion.

While you're eliminating the cost for the soldiers, tanks, planes, bullets, bombs, missiles and the cost of being the freest country in the world,,,here is a better idea, let's look at this in another perspective, lets start right here at home. Let's eliminate the F.B.I., G.B.I., police departments across the nation.

That's the country I want my six and two year old to live in.

-- Joe McVay, Loganville

NEWS
3/14: Cookbook to benefit United Way programs in Gwinnett

The Women's Legacy of United Way in Gwinnett has published a cookbook, "United Way's Gourmet Gwinnett.". It is a collection of recipes from citizens of Gwinnett County, featuring over 350 recipes. The cookbook effort was chaired by Libby Blackwell, clerk of Gwinnett Recorder's Court.

The hard-back, three ring binder book is available for $15. Proceeds from the cookbook will benefit United Way programs and services for children and families in Gwinnett County Women's Legacy in Gwinnett was founded in 1999 to mobilize women to become powerful philanthropists through leadership, fundraising, and advocacy.

The goals of the Women's Legacy are to educate women about philanthropic involvement and leadership. To purchase "United Way's Gourmet Gwinnett" or to learn more about Women's Legacy, call 678-417-6434.

UPCOMING SPEAKER
3/14: Technology seminar to hear wireless president

Jim McGean, president of the Georgia and Alabama region of Verizon Wireless, will speak at the Gwinnett Chamber's Technology Forum on Tuesday, March 18 at 7 a.m.

The Forum will be held in the John D. Stephens Education Center at the Chamber on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth. He will provide insights into the future of wireless telecommunications.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Outrageous, interesting, but not necessarily true

"Your theory is crazy, but it's not crazy enough to be true."

-- Scientist Niels Bohr, to a young physicist.

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