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TODAY'S
ISSUE
Consider all the trouble
the apostrophe causes!
By Jim Nelems
CEO
The Marketing Workshop, Inc.
Special to GwinnettForum.com
NORCROSS, December 2, 2003---Just as the body has parts that have
no real function or value such as the appendix, language and grammar
have that as well. And I am not talking about diagramming sentences.
In fact, does anyone do that anymore?
 No,
I am talking about the single grammar rule that causes more mistakes
than any other, unless it is "their" versus "there"
or "don't" versus "doesn't."
And now I have let the cat out of the bag. What is more useless
than the apostrophe, the little raised comma that always has to
be so carefully inserted in all kinds of strange places: sometimes
after words, sometimes between words? In fact, it's the only punctuation
mark that can be used for two totally different purposes, such as
in or after a word such as don't, or both before and after a word
or phrase as half of a quotation mark.
Just look at all the trouble the apostrophe causes:
You always have to decide if the word you are using is its or it's.
That's a lot of trouble because you always have to ask yourself:
"Would the sentence read correctly if I said 'it is instead
of it's'?" What could be simpler than always using its and
not worrying about the upside down comma? After all, the use or
elimination of the mark does not change the meaning of the sentence.
It's not like leaving the t off of not to make it no.
It's not as though eliminating the mark 100 percent reverses the
meaning, like the English prisoner who was saved because when he
read his execution note, he inserted a comma at exactly the right
place that changed the order from executing him to freeing him.
And what about the pesky habit of always having to go back on your
word processor when you type don't without the apostrophe and then
it automatically puts it in. If we added up all the time computers
took to do that, it would not be as much time as spam causes, but
it would still be considerable.
And why not just say Jones place, rather than Jones' place or Jones's
place. Decisions, decisions!
If there ever is a U.S. grammar czar, I hope he or she changes
the apostrophe rule.
And while he or she is at it, perhaps he or she can come up with
one word to replace he or she because that's a lot of trouble, too,
always having to be politically correct on gender.
The English language can cause consternation!
ELLIOTT
BRACK
BellSouth
residential book also smaller than previous
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com
DEC. 2, 2003 -- BellSouth must certainly be in the business of
selling magnifying glasses. For many people will have to buy magnifying
glasses if they anticipate using what the utility calls the "Real
Yellow Pages." The type is so small it defies readability.
 Earlier
we reported that BellSouth had shrunk the Gwinnett yellow pages.
Now we have had delivered to us the residential telephone book for
2003-2004. And again, BellSouth has shrunk the size of this book,
too.
For some unexplained reason, however, the shrinkage isn't as bad
for the combined white-yellow pages for Gwinnett, as it is for the
previously-discussed yellow-only pages for Gwinnett.
But, no matter which way you look at it, both BellSouth telephone
directories are far smaller in size, and the body type in the books
are also far smaller, than in the book previously published.
Comparing the two different books:
Residential white-yellow pages: the recently-delivered book
measures 7.375x8.875, or 65.45 square inches. The book used before
was 8.875 by 10.75 inches, or 95.406 inches. That means that the
available space on the new book is 45 percent smaller than the one
sent out last year.
Business yellow-only pages: The page size on this book is
5.125x6.75 inches, compared to the old 8.875x10.75 inches. That
means the new yellow pages only book is 34.593 square inches, where
the previously delivered yellow pages was 95.406 inches, or a whopping
175 percent smaller! Wow! Lots of paper was saved on this decision!
While the size of the books is the measurement comparison here,
what really matters to those trying to use such books is that the
size of the type in the books has also been dramatically reduced.
This, of course, only means that the books are harder, much harder,
for the human eye to fathom, hence the need for magnifying glasses.
Perhaps I overlooked it, but BellSouth did not deliver even a plastic
magnifying glass with my new books.
There's another much more serious element in these new smaller
books. While we have not checked, we will bet our booties that the
advertising rates in the books did not dramatically fall, if at
all. That means that those advertisers wanting people to know their
telephone numbers through the Yellow Pages are going to find fewer
people telephoning them, since many people will find reading the
smaller numbers impossible.
And the twist here: it is the advertisers who pay for the printing
of the telephone book, yet they will get fewer telephone calls because
of the reduction in size, and readability! Ironic, right?
In an attached colorful sticker on the front of the new "smaller,
handy" telephone book, BellSouth says "Thank you, Gwinnett...for
making The Real Yellow Pages from BellSouth the most preferred directory
in Gwinnett. In fact, 8 out of 10 consumers prefer our book over
any other directory."
That might have been true in the past. But with this smaller book,
BellSouth will no doubt lose readers of its book. It might not be
able to make an "8 out of 10" boast in future telephone
directories. But somebody might make quite a few dollars selling
magnifying glasses!
McLEMORE'S
WORLD
12/2:
When Thanksgiving really begins
ABOUT OUR SPONSORS
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which has outlets in Duluth, Norcross and Oakwood. John and Doug
Howard are the owners/operators of the Howard Brothers stores, which
specialize in hardware, outdoor power equipment and parts and service.
More: http://www.howardbrothers.com
FEEDBACK
12/2: Not forced
to go to smaller telephone book as yet
Editor, the Forum:
While I agree with your point that the new telephone book is
much more difficult to read, did you miss the fact that it's
only a smaller version of the regular one that BellSouth sent
earlier this year? I'm not sure what their strategy is, but
so far they haven't forced us to rely on the smaller version.
-- Bob Wilkerson, Norcross
12/2: Raises questions
of filibuster recently in the Senate
Editor, the Forum:
For more than two years now, Democratic senators have blocked
the nominations of several appointees to the federal bench ---
not by working to amass the votes needed to defeat them in a
full Senate vote, but by using
filibusters in order to prevent full Senate votes from even
occurring.
The issue isn't whether Democrats support judges like Miguel
Estrada, Charles Pickering, Priscilla Owen, Carolyn Kuhl and
Janice Rogers Brown. Supporting only those candidates who align
with their values is their prerogative as elected officials.
But how is it their prerogative to deny these or any other nominees
their constitutional right to a "yes" or "no"
vote on their appointments?
Republicans in the Senate engaged in hours of continuous debate
on this subject recently. I urge you, as the eyes and ears of
your community, to take special note of the news that is made
during this debate and to dedicate appropriate resources to
reporting the story as it affects those in your coverage area.
And it does affect those in your coverage area. Who winds up
serving on our federal courts, in fact, is of keen interest
to every American.
What is happening here runs contrary to the principles of representative
democracy upon which this nation was founded. The 100 men and
women serving in the Senate today were elected to cast votes
on important matters of the day --- not to prevent votes on
the important matters of the day from ever being cast.
-- Bill Wright II, Lilburn
(Editor's Note: Ah, yes,
Mr. Wright. We do take note of what happened in the filibuster
you mentioned. And if this runs contrary to the principles of
representative democracy, is this the same filibustering technique
Republican legislators used when seeking to halt the nomination
of Democratic judges during other administrations? We suspect
so. We also suspect that some of the best work members of Congress
can do is to prevent votes on some items before the Congress,
no matter what party.-eeb)
12/2: Congress
gullible; Medical bill benefits drug companies
Editor, the Forum:
It's difficult to understand how some people (including some
Democratic senators) can be so gullible. The Medical bill that
just passed is a fiasco; the only beneficiaries will be the
insurance and health care industries and the huge, multinational
pharmaceutical companies who have paid lobbyists vast amounts
to have this bill passed.
The Republicans worked on this bill for two months, in secret,
and then allowed the Democrats 48 hours to read 681 pages. It
should have been obvious that all was not honest and above-board!
The drug program has a monthly premium of $35, rising to $58.00;
an annual deductible of $250, rising to $445, and leaves a gap
of $2,850 to be paid by retirees, rising to between $4,000 and
$9,066. It allows employers to discontinue any health benefits
they had agreed to give retirees.
The bill also is the first step in privatizing Medicare, thereby
eventually dismantling it - part of the Republican and Bush
wish list. And the $395 Billion cost is paid for by yours truly,
the taxpayers. Another scam pushed through by the Bush Administration
under the pretext of helping the people.
-- Charles Prendergast, Los Angeles, Calif.
CALENDAR
Norcross holiday
tour of homes set on Dec. 6
Back around the turn of the 20th century, when Norcross was
developed as a sort of country resort for Atlanta, some grand
homes were built in the city.
On December. 6, people can glimpse five of the finest of those
homes during the first Holiday Tour of Homes in historic Norcross.
Beginning at 10 a.m., the tour can be taken either by walking
or by riding the trolley cars that will be making the circuit.
After 6 p.m., the event will become a candlelight tour, and
the path will be lit by hundreds of luminaries.
Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 on the day of the tour.
Proceeds will go to the Historic Norcross Preservation Alliance.
For more information, go to www.norcrossholidayhometour.com.
Centerville center
opens art exhibit on Dec. 16
Centerville Community Center is to host a fine art paintings
exhibit by local artists group, the Southern Colours Art Association.
The exhibition opens Decemeber 16, 2003 and runs through March
12, 2004.
Artists included in the exhibit are Dolly Alexander, Sallie
Atkins, Paulette Brown, Carly Clements, Sue Clements, Carrie
Deegan, Stephanie Geery, Estelle Hart, Judy Howard and Elizabeth
Stallings.
The opening reception is on December 18, 2003, from 7-9 p.m.
Admission is free.
Centerville Community Center is located at 3025 Bethany Church
Road, Snellville. For more information call 770-417-2200. This
exhibit is a program of Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation,
& Cultural Arts.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
What you need to
become world's thinking authority
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
-- Albert Einstein (via Tony Rivera, Suwanee.)
What's your favorite saying? Share with others through
GwinnettForum. Send to elliott@gwinnettforum.com.
SEND
YOUR FEEDBACK
Send your thoughts, 55-word short stories, pet peeves
or comments on any issue to Gwinnett
Forum for future publication.
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is an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible
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