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TODAY'S
ISSUE
Graduates: Do not be
afraid to follow your dreams
By Mark E. Layng
Magistrate Judge, Gwinnett County
Special to GwinnettForum.com
JUNE 13, 2003 - - As the graduation season blooms around our local
communities, I am compelled to declare to the graduates that now
is not the time to sit on your laurels. Your next journey is awaiting
to take you closer to your dreams.
 Dreams
are the stuff which propels an individual beyond reason and expectation.
Dreams are the stuff which created this republic and forged this
nation.
Dreams are the core material which instills the courage to face
our fears and perform heroic deeds.
Of course, you should be proud that you have endured and persevered
to reach the goal of graduation. Nevertheless, more work is at hand.
Greater heights and goals loom in the morning mists of the future.
Now is the time to reach for the stars. Now is the time to accept
new challenges. The experiences and gifts received in the endeavor
will be priceless.
I remember my own exercises in cap and gown. I have been fortunate
to walk in several processions with mortar and diploma. Nevertheless,
I can tell you that many times I was told that I couldn't make the
grades to graduate, or that. I didn't have what it takes to obtain
a law degree. Such talk only gave me more resolve to prove them
wrong----but most importantly, to prove to myself that I had the
"right stuff."
Dustin Scoggins, a recent graduate of Duluth High School, has the
right stuff. Dustin Scoggins has dreams. Because of his dreams,
Dustin Scoggins had the courage to face down his fears and perform
heroic deeds. Well done, young man. Reach for the stars. Follow
that dream.
We all should take heart and encouragement in Dustin's struggle
and achievement. Do not let the cynics around you dissuade you from
following your dreams. Too often those who have given up their own
dreams cannot accept that others have not. These individuals have
made bad choices which now imprison them in thought, word, and deed.
As a magistrate judge, I see daily individuals who have made bad
choices which have caused tragic consequences. Invariably, these
bad choices were made because of a lack of dreams and the absence
of faith in oneself. A lack of fortitude to engage in the struggle
for the sake of oneself appears all too often to be the norm nowadays.
Do not be afraid to pursue your dreams.
Be not deterred.
Engage wholeheartedly the endeavors to realize your dreams.
You will, then, realize that the endeavor itself is the real catalyst
for the creation of the true self.
The destination is the goal, but the path that you travel on your
journey is the true essence of life.
CONGRATULATIONS , Class of 2003.
ELLIOTT
BRACK
Notes
about this and that and a few more things
By Elliott Brack
editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com
JUNE 13, 2003 -- Have you noticed? Why is it that when you see
watches advertised in print, the time is always set at 10:10? Why
is that? Is there some reason?
* * * * *
How many of you have blue hydrangeas? All we have are blue...except
on one bush the other day. Yep, there was a single pink blossom.
It was beautiful.
We wondered why only one bloom, out of all the blooms on the bush,
was pink. We told several people about it.
Finally, one came up with what sounds, to us, like an answer. "That
bloom near the ground?" we were asked. "Yep."
"Then I bet I have the answer," the person said. "Since
it was low to the ground. We bet some animal, maybe a cat or dog,
'sprayed' your bush, which changed the acidity of the soil, resulting
in the pink bloom."
Anyone disagree with that?
* * * * *
Time you find a way to slow down the spam messages on the computer,
seems those unwanted spammers find another way. Here is a message
I think is a spam, since I replied "I think this is for someone
else." When I replied to the message, indicating the mail was
not for me, my message could not go through, indicating that, indeed,
it was spam.
Note that this message from "Beth Ann" sounds very folksy,
and urged me to open an attachment. I did not. But listen to the
language:
"Happy Mother's Day Mom. Lee and Katie are almost recovered
from the bug. Boy was it nasty they both still don't feel completely
well yet. I think LeeAnn and I are both coming down with it. I hope
I'm imagining it!!! Anyway have a great day. How was Jenny? Did
Bryce do well in his ball game? Talk to you soon."
Admonition: if you get something folksy from what seems to be a
normal name, question opening the attachment. Be pleased to hit
the delete button and knowi that you outsmarted this spammer, and
that a virus did not get into your machine.
This reminds me of an admonition from a former professor, who once
had me throw all his unopened mail in the trash. His idea: "If
it's important, they will write back."
* * * * *
Prom Night is one of the biggest nights of the year for high schoolers,
and also for limo services. One town has found a way to help the
overall prom situation.by outlawing limousines.
It was in Scarsdale, N.Y., that upper class New York suburb, which
halted the use of limos at the proms.as a way also to help combat
alcohol by under-agers.
So far, it's working. Scarsdale requires students to be dropped
off at school, attend a supervised pre-prom party, then take buses
to and from the prom site. Parents must pick up their students at
the school after the prom.
May be a little troublesome for parents, but far less than the
ramifications possible.
* * * * *
Hurrah, Hurrah! That nefarious Family Time Flexibility Act, the
proposal that took a bite out of overtime rules, has failed to get
enough support in the U.S. House of Representatives, with action
"postponed." Opponents of the measure, which would have
allowed employers to have an option to offer compensatory time instead
paying overtime to employees, say that enough fuss was made over
the proposal to force it postponement and possible death. Let's
hope the measure continues be postponed forever.
* * * * *
And does it bug you that Gwinnett's schools continue to be the
subject of stories about state reporting of statistics while some
40 Fulton County schools never even sent in their reports at all
to the state, yet we hear virtually nothing more about that?
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McLEMORE'S
WORLD
Another kind of WMD
FEEDBACK
6/13: Says Association
does not take sides on referendum
Editor, the Forum:
Your June 10th article concerning the June 17th liquor by the
drink referendum states that the City of Norcross Homeowner's
Association (NHOA) backs this referendum and implies that we are
some how responsible for its being. While it may be true that
most members support the referendum (I do), as a group we take
great pains to not publicly take sides on this issue. The NHOA
would welcome, and provide a forum for, any group or individual
who wished to present an opposing view. The NHOA is more interested
in functioning as a communication apparatus for the community.
Keeping people informed is the best way to get people involved.
-- Jeff Hopper, President, City of Norcross Homeowners Association
(Editor's Note: Thanks, Jeff, for ensuring
that all realize it is not the whole association taking this position,
but just many of its members. -eeb)
6/13: Thinks upcoming
referendum more progress than liquor
Editor, the Forum:
I read your article in the Gwinnett Forum today, and certainly
you raise some thought-provoking questions. However, other municipalities
have taken this bold step and have had no dire consequences. Norcross
is a wonderful and charming town. I am happy to be here, having
moved from Peachtree Corners. But we could make it better, and
an infusion of new restaurants or greater profitability by those
already here will, I believe, have a positive effect on our downtown
area and eventually the entire town.
I think that this referendum is about much more than liquor sold
by the drink. I think it's about progress. Thanks for listening,
-- Carol Stough, Norcross
6/13: Questions the
"editorial we" of previous issue
Editor, the Forum:
I just read your article in the Gwinnett Forum concerning the
sale of alcoholic beverages in Norcross. I have a few questions
about the statement at the end of your column that reads "We
will vote against it, if for no other reason, we are not convinced
it's all that much needed----not by the restaurants---but by the
citizens of Norcross." I understand that it is apparently
an editorial column and your opinion is valued, however...
Exactly who are you representing when you say "We"?
The Gwinnett Forum as a whole? The advertisers of Gwinnett Forum?
Your staff, your family, you? Who does "We" stand for
in your column?
I am confused by your last paragraph as well. Earlier in your
column you state that "The Association argues, as do the
restaurants themselves, that they need the profits that mixed
drinks would bring. They also say it will help the revitalization
efforts. This may be so." Then later you state "...we
are not convinced it's all that much needed....". Again,
who is "we"?
If the restaurants are saying that they need the profits, then
why are you convinced that it is not needed? Just because the
City of Norcross Homeowners Association is for it. So are you
in fact saying that if it will help the restaurants increase profits,
which in turn will help the economy of Norcross, you will still
vote against it just because it is being supported by the Homeowners
Association. That is what I hear. This is a very confusing article.
Are you stating that you as a member of the City of Norcross is
against it or again are you representing an unknown group that
feels it is not needed?
To date, I have enjoyed Gwinnett Forum. However this column raises
a few questions in my mind about its integrity as actually being
fair and balanced. I understand it is an editorial piece and I
am glad to finally hear an opinion in the other direction, however
it confuses and concerns, for the reasons stated above. Are you
saying that you are representing a group of people, if so, who
is it that you are representing when you say "we." I
am all for opinions on both sides and have read both sides of
the drink referendum in another periodical, but I have always
understood who the editorial represented. It just makes me question
the motives of this editorial.
-- Lori Bonifay, Norcross
(Editor's note: Ms. Bonifay, we do use the
"editorial we," don't we? Publications use the "we"
method to offer the position of that publication. We are pleased
to publish your views, too. -eeb).
6/13: Questions the
smell factor of recent column
Editor, the Forum:
"Change in school police reporting central to recent flap"
reads like a press release from the school system and smells like
a political shift the blame maneuver. If you have read articles
in the newspapers and your forum, all have stated that the problems
with the School Board reporting has been a multitude of errors
but none have stated what went on behind the "closed door
sessions" which were illegal.
-- Lee Baker, Lilburn
UPCOMING
International missions
conference at Hopewell June 17-29
The Mission Ministry Inc. of Hopewell Missionary Baptist will
host their annual International Missions Conference June 17-29
on the church campus. This year's theme is "Fanning the
Fire: Evangelizing Across Cultures."
Guest speakers include Pastor Dennis Rouse of Victory Word
Church, Rev. Brenda Westmoreland of Norcross First United Methodist
Church and Hopewell's own Dr. William L Sheals, Edward L. Palmer,
Executive Pastor, Pastor Bryan White, Minister Gail White, Betty
Sellers and Susan Peake.
The conference begins Friday night, June 27 in Faith Hall at
The Praise Cafe - an evening of singing, dance and worship.
On Saturday, the conference continues with a general session
entitled "Evangelism: Recognizing your Calling and Using
It For the Mission of God"
Breakout sessions are scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Topics
include: Task of the Church, Introduction to Missions, Cross-Cultural
Evangelist, Spiritual Gifts and Ministry of Healing. Saturday
concludes with a session on International Affairs, where more
than 50 countries will be represented.
The weekend concludes on Sunday with 7:30 and 11 a.m. services
featuring Pastor Scott Holtz of Rivers in the Stream International
of Alpharetta.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
And the winner is
democracy ... but by a nose
"Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half
of the people are right more than half the time."
-- E. B. White, New Yorker, July 3, 1944
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