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TODAY'S ISSUE
55 area dentists to brighten teeth to benefit cancer site
By Bruce Carter, DDS
Special to GwinnettForum.com

LAWRENCEVILLE, March 5, 2004 -- Would you like to professionally whiten your teeth and help in the fight against breast cancer? Now you can do both by participating in the Brighter Smiles for Brighter Futures Campaign (BSBF), which will benefit the Gwinnett Hospital System Foundation's "TIME MATTERS in the fight against Breast Cancer" Campaign.

Since 2001, Brighter Smiles for Brighter Futures volunteer dentists have been making a difference in the fight against cancer. From 2001 to 2003, BSBF raised over $100,000 for the American Cancer Society's Gwinnett County Relay for Life.

Although a strong supporter of the Relay for Life, in 2004 Brighter Smiles earmarked the funds to be given to the Gwinnett Hospital System Foundation's "TIME MATTERS in the fight against Breast Cancer" Campaign. This decision was made after numerous friends of dentists were diagnosed with breast cancer over the past two years. The Brighter Smiles dentists felt led to make a positive difference within our community.

For a $200 donation to the Time Matters Campaign (plus a $35 kit fee), the participating dentists will perform professional tooth-whitening procedures for the donor, who does not have to be a patient of record of the dentist to participate. Fifty-three dentists from Gwinnett, North Fulton, and DeKalb Counties are now participating in the effort. For a listing of participating dentists, contact call 770-995-7616 or contact Ginger Powell at the Gwinnett Hospital System Foundation at 678-442-2655.

The TIME MATTERS Campaign is presently raising money for the latest digital mammography technology that will improve the ability to detect cancerous tumors in the breast with less radiation exposure. Digital mammography will also reduce the waiting period for diagnosis.

Since its inception in 2001, the TIME MATTERS Campaign has raised over $2 million in funds to improve access to routine and diagnostic mammograms for the women of our community and to expand services for breast cancer patients.

In 2001 monies were raised for the completion of the Marion Allison Webb Center for Screening Mammography at Gwinnett Medical Center. This center provided four new mammography machines and reduced the wait for a routine mammography screening from 70 days to just a few days.

In 2003, the Women's Diagnostic Center was renovated and expanded, and the Breast Health Education and Resource Center and the Women's Pavilion Boutique were added. In 2004, a new Care-a-Van was purchased which brings mobile screening mammograms to the doors of businesses, churches and other community organizations. ,

Consider donating to the TIME MATTERS Campaign by participating in Brighter Smiles for Brighter Futures. Your teeth will look better, and you may save a life with the funds that you provide. Call a participating dentist today!

To see a list of the participating dentists, click here. (http://www.gwinnettforum.com/issue/04.0305dentists.htm)

ELLIOTT BRACK
Nation could easily tire from eight months of campaigning
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com

MARCH 5, 2004 -- Eight months from now, on November 2, the United States will elect its president for the next four years. That means eight months of rhetoric from the two presidential candidates, their parties, their gunslingers, and of course, from you and me, too.

Eight months: it's an endurance contest for most of us. We all will be just about fed up with politics time November comes.

This of course, plays into the hands of the Republicans. The longer we hear the bluster of the political season, the more we tend to get tired of it. It could cause some to stay away from the polls.

Should the election be held in a far shorter time, say just one month going between the time when it is evident who the two candidates are, the Democrats probably would be a winner. Today the Democrats seem to have not only a more united and energized, but to many to present a fresher approach, than the previous 3.5 years of the Republican rule.

So, the job for John Kerry is to keep the Democrats united, excited and at fever pitch. That is not easy. So, as more time passes, the harder it will be for the Democrats to stay focused.

Meanwhile, the job for President Bush is to remain "above the fray." He might not overtly-campaign as Kerry must do, and certainly the President should not react much if at all to any campaign thrusts by the Democrats. The President wants to project that he is on task, being presidential, and worthy of being re-elected to this job. After all, running the country is far more important than mere politics, he seeks to proclaim by example.

Yet the task will be also difficult for the president, for the Democrats will pull out all the stops in trying to lure him into a trap of either (1) saying too much; or (2) not saying enough, about the key issues the Democrats raise.

Add to this the huge campaign fund chest the President has commanded. Major advertising by Republicans is expected to start any day, adding to the voter misery. These advertisements, especially by the GOP , must be used with caution, for over-telling a story can backfire!

If the President does not fall for the Democratic trap, the job for the Democrats and Mr. Kerry will be most frustrating. If Mr. Kerry attacks the president too much, and becomes too negative, he could lose his stature as "presidential" and seem more of an "attack dog."

So, for both candidates, the next eight months is an endurance test of credibility. The eventual winner may be the one who emerges from the period of virtual purgatory as less sullied, more focused, and seen in the eyes of the voters to be the best able to lead the country.

While the future leadership of our country rides on these eight months, and while the time is important, for most of us, the time will be more and more tiring for us all. It will cause many of us almost to beg for the short political campaigns that are more the rule in Britain, under their parliamentary system.

Eight months of endurance are with us. Like a long, hard winter, we look (with hope) of a spring in politics to come.

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McLEMORE'S WORLD
There outta be a law ...

The latest from cartoonist Bill McLemore:

FEEDBACK
3/5: $10 per pupil could help fund training of school bus drivers

Editor, the Forum:

A recent news item reported that training for school bus drivers, provided by the Georgia State Patrol, was being stopped because of budgetary reasons. Officials loathe stopping the program, but the money is just not in the budget.

As I recall, providing a public education for children never included providing transportation to and from school. However, as it seems we will never get away from this service and its significant cost, there are other solutions, rather than increasing taxes.

According to the report filed by Jon Shirek of NBC's "11 Alive" news team, the state of Georgia transports one million children per day by bus. Why not simply charge $10 per child for the school year? That would raise an estimated $10 million per school year, covering the cost of training for the bus drivers and a significant portion of the transportation costs.

All will agree the safety of the children is paramount and that a properly-trained school bus driver is a crucial role in that safety. I fail to see how anyone could object to paying $10 per school year to help ensure their child's safety. Surely $10 per child per school year is not an outrageous sum for any parent to afford. With some forethought, could this also be tax-deductible for the parents? The only difficulty to consider is keeping this money dedicated for this task as school boards may play "fast and loose" with this fund, should they have access to it.

Another option is to establish a cost for the training and allow the bus driver to pay for it themselves and make it a tax-deductible expense. Offer a payment program to the driver to pay for the training to make it easier for the drivers to pay for it.

The majority of my taxes (approximately 82 percent) are used for schools and education, from which I and many others receive nothing; nor do I burden the infrastructure. A tax increase is unfair. The old saying is "there is no such thing as a free lunch." Perhaps it's time to consider having people who receive benefits contribute for the services they receive.

-- Tony Rivera, Suwanee

3/5: What to teach children about gay marriage question

Dear Gwinnett Forum:

I love my country and believe it to be the best place to live in the world. I also believe we, as a nation, are blessed by God himself. But, certain actions of late have begun to really bother and worry me.

I teach my children that this country is based on democracy. On paper, that means that the majority rules. Laws are made according to what the majority of the country's citizens feel is right. And the laws of the land will be followed or the foundation will crumble. These are basic ideas that most people would find reasonable and correct. Do you agree?

If so, tell me why a few judges in Massachusetts and a Mayor in California are being allowed to absolutely ignore the law and still have their jobs? Tell me why that mayor hasn't been impeached and thrown in jail? This should not be allowed to continue. Why are we so afraid of a vocal minority that we cannot act? Why are we afraid to stand up when respect for law and order is tossed aside, or so boldly ignored? And just what am I suppose to teach my children about respecting authority and the rule of law?

The warning I speak of is this: Countries fall when the laws of the land can be ignored at will.

Yes, Gay Marriage is the subject. It matters not what my opinion is on the subject, except when I go to the polls. My vote defines my opinion. Isn't that the way America is suppose to work?

Thank you for your time.

-- Rikk Lewis, Grayson

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ENCYCLOPEDIA TIDBIT
3/5: Great popular songwriter hailed from Georgia

While Johnny Mercer (1909-1976) had the talent, Georgia provided the inspiration that made him one of America's most popular and successful songwriters of the 20th century.

Between 1929 and 1976 Mercer penned lyrics to more than 1,000 songs, received 19 Academy Award nominations, wrote music for a number of Broadway shows, and co-founded Capitol Records. Perhaps best known for the 1961 Academy Award-winning song "Moon River," Mercer also took Oscars for "Days of Wine and Roses," "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening," and "On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe."

These movie hits reflected Mercer's ties to the Hollywood studios, but the lyricist also wrote songs that became popular because of their commercial appeal, including "Jeepers Creepers," "Accentuate the Positive," "Glow-Worm," "Goody Goody," and "Hooray for Hollywood." Time and again Mercer drew upon his Georgia heritage for song ideas.