|
TODAY'S
ISSUE
Quiet moments during
thunderstorm become powerful
By Paul Coyne
Special to GwinnettForum.com
(Editor's note: Paul Coyne is a Peachtree Corners
resident who is opening a counseling practice at the North Pines
Center on Medlock Bridge Road, specializing in addiction, depression,
grief and animal assisted therapy. -eeb)
NORCROSS, Ga. June 17, 2005 -- Recently my wife and I visited Portsbridge
Hospice in Dunwoody with our two dogs, Lucy (a golden retriever)
and Maggie (a chow mix). I advocate "animal assisted activities"
because of the powerful bond that exists between man and animal,
even if we sometimes forget that it exists or do not acknowledge
it.
We did not have anyone in mind to visit. We brought the dogs in
the event that someone wanted to have a couple of canine visitors.
There was one patient who was up for guests.
It was one of those moments in time when I just sat back and watched
as the events unfolded. The patient was a lovely lady who has a
sparkle in her eyes, a wonderful smile, a firm handshake and was
concerned that we would not get the dogs home safely in the pending
thunderstorm. We were fortunate enough to be able to visit in the
lobby, giving Maggie and Lucy a chance to check in with other patients
and guests as they passed by. After all, a missed opportunity to
be patted, greeted or fawned over is just not an acceptable circumstance.
The dogs (who both came from the Gwinnett County Animal Shelter)
were wonderful and actually behaved in a way that I did not expect.
That is saying a lot when you have a golden retriever who thinks
more of herself as a "diva" instead of a dog. Maggie,
our "shy one," managed to position herself squarely between
our host's feet so that she could get the maximum amount of pats
on the head.
For 15 minutes it was time spent like I never had before. I felt
as though as I was at a way station and I realized where the dogs
came from and knew that this moment was somehow meant to be. There
was so much life in transition and for a brief period of time five
lives came together, listening in those moments to the pending thunderstorm.
It was merely small talk and some personal history, talk about dogs
and talk about family, but it was a satisfying time for all of us,
I feel.
When it was time to leave, (the staff had joined in on the visit-----
anyone who works at a hospice is a saint!), our patient had Maggie's
hair on her pants, Lucy was with a staff member as the thunder got
louder as we bid adieu.
We look forward to our return visit. I do not know if our patient
will be there (I hope that she is), but there will be two dogs that
will come calling while I get the joy---and sorrow----of seeing
these lives all come together; if for only a brief period of time.
ELLIOTT
BRACK
'V for Victory' now on display at Atlanta
History Center
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com
JUNE 14, 2005 -- Most of us in suburbia find it about as hard to
drive into downtown Atlanta as do those inside the perimeter who
shudder at the thought of venturing toward the suburbs.
Yet Atlanta remains as a vast treasure trove of activities that
enrich and give zest to our lives. What would we do without the
Alliance Theatre, the Atlanta Braves, or Piedmont Park and Chastain
Theatre? Or Georgia Tech, the Varsity and Mary Macs, or the King
and Carter Centers. These and all the other amenities that Atlanta
offers are important to us in the suburbs, though we usually don't
participate in them enough.
For instance, there's a mighty important exhibit now open at the
Atlanta History Center that many Georgians who remember World War
II will find most interesting. Entitled "V for Victory: Georgia
Remembers World War II," it will be on display at the Center
on West Paces Ferry Road until January, 2006.
This exhibit highlights "the personal experiences of Georgians
and others who endured the trauma of World War II." It's told
from the perspective of both the battlefield and the home front.
It's not a big exhibit, though it may take you two hours to see.
What will attract you is the mass of detail covered in the many
sections. There are artifacts galore, from old ration cards for
food and gas, to uniforms worn by the men and women during the conflict,
and even to maps, one with notes by former President and General
Dwight Eisenhower.
Photo from exhibit |
Many of the items come from Georgians involved in the war. Among
the quotes, we found two from Gwinnett citizens, Seaman Henry Masia
of Duluth and Sgt. Richard Harris of Lilburn.
Maps show the military bases in Georgia, and there were many. At
Fort Oglethorpe, for instance, was an induction center for WACS.
Those of you born after World War II may not realize this means
the Women's Army Corps.
A section "At the Factory" tells of the effort statewide
that went into producing goods for the war. Local firms like Bell
Aircraft (now Lockheed) built bombers at a vast plant near Marietta,
where many from Gwinnett took a circuitous route to get to work.
An identification badge from the bomber plant shows that a guy by
the name of Lester Maddox, later a Georgia governor, was a 28 year
old worker at the plant.
Memories of the war are told by some of the participants in three
videos produced exclusively for the History Center by the History
Channel. These are simply oral history, with the men and women featured
remembering the impact of the war on home and the front, giving
their own personal version of their efforts. Their stories are most
vivid, for after all, they were not just eyewitnesses, but participants
in this vast struggle.
Director Jim Bruns of the Center likes to point out a vast wall
chart at the exhibit, which shows the industrial output during the
war years of both the Allies and Axis powers. The United States
had a tremendously overpowering output in the war, far more than
any other nation, and much more than the Axis powers. "You
can tell from this chart who would eventually win the war,"
Bruns says.
To test your memory, or to teach the young more about World War
II, visit the Atlanta History Center's "V for Victory"
exhibit. It's a good trip inside the perimeter.
The Atlanta History Center is located at 130 West Paces Ferry Road.
There is an admission charge, though free to members of the Center.
Hours are from Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Sundays
from noon until 5:30. Phone 404 814 4000. For more information,
go to www.atlantahistorycenter.com.
ABOUT OUR SPONSORS
 The
public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com
to you at no cost to readers. Today's featured sponsor is MTI
Whirlpools (Mr. Tubs) of Sugar Hill. MTI specializes in creating
luxury acrylic bath and kitchen products offering many customization
options, such as the patented "Jentle Jet" jetted laundry
sink and the "Fill-Flush" System. This system allows the
user to flush out the internal whirlpool lines with the detergent
of his choice. With over 100 bathtub, whirlpool and air bath models,
10 kitchen and utility sinks and 25 shower base models available,
MTI's selection provides a wide range of shapes, styles and prices
suitable for any budget and décor. President of the firm
is Kathy Adams. Check out their web site at http://www.mtiwhirlpools.com/.
For a list of other sponsors of this forum, go to: http://www.gwinnettforum.com/about/sponsors.htm.
McLEMORE'S
WORLD
6/17: A
little tsunami
Another great cartoon by Bill McLemore:
NOTABLE
Gwinnett
Sports Commission named tops in entire USA
The Gwinnett Sports Commission (GSC) has been named "2005
Sports Commission of the Year" by the National Association
of Sports Commissions (NASC) at the 2005 NASC Sports Event Symposium
in Portland, Ore.
The national award is given to active members of the NASC who had
the most outstanding impact on their community through sporting
events, community events and economic impact. Created in 2003 as
the sports marketing division of the Gwinnett Convention and Visitors
Bureau, the GSC has had an enormous economic impact on Gwinnett's
sporting facilities, hotels and hospitality communities. In just
two years, the GSC has booked over 40 events and almost 100,000
hotel nights for Gwinnett County hotels, generating more than $6
million in hotel revenues.
Don Schumacher, executive director of the NASC, says: "The
Gwinnett Sports Commission has taken all the right steps as they
entered the sports event travel market: they studied the industry,
evaluated where they could fit in, and were careful to hire the
right talent to get the job done. We here at the NASC are proud
of what they have accomplished in such a short period of time."
The GSC was successful in collaborating a mix of sports facilities
and organizations to facilitate their events. In addition, the GSC
co-operatively marketed their venues, creating teamwork and outstanding
partnerships. These accomplishments have allowed them to bring in
large numbers of local, regional and national events. Upcoming events
include the 2005 USA Judo Junior Olympics, 2006 Eastern Synchronized
Skating Championship, 2006 Georgia High School Wrestling Championships,
and the 2007 Southeastern Conference Women's Basketball Championship,
putting Gwinnett in the national spotlight.
The GSC plans to continue to build and strengthen their relationships
with local organizing committees, venues, clubs and other sports
committees in hopes Gwinnett County will become a leading sports
event destination. For the future, the GSC plans to establish research
Olympic Committee Development programs for Gwinnett County. They
also plan to generate 150,000 Gwinnett County hotel room nights
annually within the next three years and pursue three national events
with multi-year contracts.
UPCOMING
Tom Houck
seeks to return to mainstream radio on WGST
On Sunday night, June 19 Tom Houck will host a two hour show on
WGST from 7-9 p.m. The veteran broadcaster is seeking possibly to
return to the airwaves of Atlanta, and invites people to call into
his radio program.
People can listen to the show on the web at www.wgst.com
as well. The call in line is 404-367-WGST (9478).
Houck says: "I look forward to it and want you to participate
-call in -and give me ideas. Atlanta is an extremely diverse city
of more than four million. We need more than Neal Boortz to represent
the views of our town on mainstream radio. Boortz is a friend and
extraordinary talkmaster. He deserves all the accolades he receives.
But its time to take Boortz on and offer a more enlightened and
entertaining show than his slightly to the right of Attila the Hun
views.
"A local radio show (Boortz is now a syndicated show, with
only a half hour a day local oriented) that reflects Atlanta and
its people is needed. I think I can fill that void."
Socially responsible investing is Sierra Club topic soon
The Gwinnett Sierra Club will feature a presentation on "Socially
and Environmentally Responsible Investing" by Dennis Scully,
Financial Adviser with FSC Securities Corp. of Atlanta at its July
21 at 7 p.m.
Come see and hear what the Gwinnett Sierra Club is all about, and
what activities we are involved in, as we "Explore, Enjoy,
and Protect the Planet" and work to improve the health of our
neighborhoods and environment.
Topics covered in recent meetings have included "Tree Ordinance
and Conservation Subdivisions"; "Backyard Wildlife Habitats
and Certification"; "Energy Conservation in the Home",
"Native Plant Gardening and Invasive Non-Native Plant Identification";
"Wildflowers of Georgia"; and "Roses".
Meetings are held the third Thursday of each month at the Willow
Run Condominiums Club House off Club Drive, one mile north of Pleasant
Hill. For more information, please visit http://georgia.sierraclub.org/gwinnett/
or phone 404-294-6686.
RECOMMENDED
READ
- An invitation: What Web sites or books have you enjoyed?
Send us your best recent read along with a short paragraph as
to why you liked it, plus what book you plan to read next. --eeb
ENCYCLOPEDIA
TIDBIT
Early Georgians felt
Supreme Court was unnecessary
For several decades after the American Revolution (1775-83), Georgia
was the only state that did not have a supreme court to review the
decisions made by the trial courts. Once established, the Georgia
Supreme Court was unusual in that it was required to hear all
cases and resolve them within a given time. In other states the
appellate courts, like the U.S. Supreme Court, have some leeway
in deciding what cases they will hear.
 The
Supreme Court of Georgia was authorized by a constitutional amendment
in 1835, and a decade later it was established by the General Assembly
amid great political controversy. Many felt that such a court was
unnecessary and too expensive. One superior court judge is alleged
to have said that the only thing such a court would do is reverse
his decisions.
The original court consisted of three justices; the first three
appointees were all outstanding jurists. Joseph Henry Lumpkin, a
member of a large and distinguished family of Athens and Lexington,
was the presiding justice. The other two justices were Hiram Warner,
a native of Massachusetts, and Eugenius A. Nisbet of Macon. All
three had served in the Georgia General Assembly.
After the establishment of the supreme court, the existing superior
court circuits were grouped into five districts. In four of the
districts the court met for one term in each of two designated cities.
The fifth district contained the state capital (then Milledgeville),
which hosted both terms of court. This system continued until 1865,
when the state constitution stipulated that all the sessions were
to be moved to "the Seat of Government," which, since
1868, has been Atlanta, the state capital. Occasionally, the court
will hold a session outside Atlanta on special commemorative occasions.
In 1896 an amendment to the Constitution of Georgia increased the
size of the court from three to six justices and authorized it to
sit in two divisions to handle the increasing case load. This experiment
did not prove successful. In 1945 the number of members was raised
to seven. The Constitution of 1983 authorized the General Assembly
to increase the number to nine, but by 2004 this had not been done.
Legislators continue to debate optimum size of an appellate court.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Says sees possibility
of moving Saddam trial to California
"With certain recent jury decisions in high profile cases,
Saddam Hussein's attorney has requested a change of venue from Iraq
to California."
-- Bill York, Stone Mountain author of Fatal Encounters,
Fatal Ambition, Reflections of the Great Spirit, and Valley
of Silent Drums, all in the Gwinnett Public Library.
SEND
YOUR FEEDBACK
Send your thoughts, 55-word short stories, pet peeves
or comments on any issue to Gwinnett
Forum for future publication.
===========================================
MORE: Contact Gwinnett Forum at: elliott@gwinnettforum.com
© 2005, Gwinnett Forum.com. Gwinnett Forum
is an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible
social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett
County, Ga. USA.
|
