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Issue 9.51 | Friday, Sept. 25, 2009 | Forward to your friends! |
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McLEMORE'S
WORLD ARCHIVE FEEDBACK UPCOMING NOTABLE ALSO INSIDE _::
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Meet a sponsor |
ABOUT US GwinnettForum.com is a twice-weekly online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA. Contact us today. NOW ON TWITTER! SEARCH GWINNETT FORUM |
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TODAY'S
FOCUS
BAGHDAD,
Iraq., Sept. 25, 2009 -- Pass on the word: the United States of America
is winning the war in Iraq. You might not hear it from many politicians
in Washington, but it's the truth.
Since the end of my first tour of duty in early 2007, the situation in Iraq has improved dramatically. Back then, Iraq was gripped in a bloody civil war. As the 2007 "surge" boosted our combat numbers and capabilities, we established numerous small military outposts in different neighborhoods of Iraqi cities and towns. All over the country, security began to improve. Yet when
I completed my first tour in March 2007, the situation in Iraq was still
very bleak. Each day saw numerous American deaths, and the Iraqi people
still depended almost entirely on our military for protection. Today,
after several months into my second tour in Iraq, it is clear to me that
the situation has changed for the better. First,
the Iraqi people are far more secure than they were two years ago: the
rate of civilian deaths has dropped over 90 percent since the worst days
of 2006-07. Improving conditions have helped increase the average Iraqi
life expectancy to almost 70 years. Moreover, the Iraqi government has
begun to provide security, build infrastructure, and foster a just society
with an ever-diminishing reliance on American resources. Second,
more and more Iraqis are taking part in the governance of their country.
In any counterinsurgency strategy, the measure of success is when the
people choose to rise up and take responsibility for making their country
better. Iraqi police and military units are taking ownership over local
and national security. This fact is made clear by a substantial increase
in the number of criminals reported to police. Domestic production of
electricity has risen 20 percent in the past year, and domestic oil production
now averages in excess of two million barrels a day. More than 200 different
political parties have registered for the January 2010 Parliamentary elections,
which is evidence of widespread interest in promoting many different political
views. As Iraq's economy, security, and political processes improve, Iraqis'
lives will continue to improve. At last, American soldiers are primarily advising Iraqi security forces rather than providing security themselves. By August 2010, the American military will draw down to about 50,000 soldiers, and by the end of 2011, all American soldiers are due to be out of Iraq. People may disagree about whether we should have been in Iraq in the first place, but while our gains in Iraq are still fragile, American soldiers and Iraqi citizens are building a nation that is becoming a model for the region. Our profound sacrifices have not been for naught. Pass on the word: we are winning. EEB
PERSPECTIVE SEPT. 25, 2009 -- Give yourself a job to do, and we all know you must stay focused to complete it efficiently and speedily.
We thought of that when gubernatorial candidate Roy Barnes was taking questions after speaking this week at the Gwinnett Rotary Club. In his main remarks, the former governor stressed that he wanted to concentrate on three key issues to start Georgia moving again in what he felt was the right direction. He outlined the three key elements of his WET program:
The candidate was most definite on all three topics, proposing specific solutions. "When you hear other candidates who are running for governor, they will identify problem areas. But ask them for specific answers to the problems they say Georgia has. As for me, I don't want to have any more studies and consultants on these problems. We have studied them enough and delayed. Now it's time to move forward with solutions." For instance, on the water problem, Gov. Barnes says that conservation of resources takes much longer and won't give the immediate results the state needs. "First, we need to fix the leaky water pipes we have, where we may be losing from 17-35 percent of our water, and there are funds available to pay for this without a tax increase. Then we need to have more reservoirs for storing water. And finally, you can immediately, without Corps of Engineer approval, make use of the rock quarries and limestone caverns all over Georgia to store water. It's being done in 30 other states and in other nations, and we can get this done quickly."
Later on, during the questions session, the governor was asked if he would support tort reform of the courts, a subject that always seems to come up during gubernatorial races. "No, I'm not going to support that," he said quickly, "Because it's not one of my three WET agenda items, and I'm not going to take my eye off my WET points. I've got to stay focused to get those problems solved." Another interesting question which the governor fielded adroitly: how a Democratic governor might get along with a Republican legislature. "Actually I feel I have a whole lot better relationship with many of the Republican legislators than Governor Perdue has. When I was in the Legislature, I always had friends in the Republican Party. I worked with them then, and I can work with them now." Perhaps the biggest response, by clapping, came when the former governor was asked about political parties. Barnes quickly responded: "I don't know about you, but I am about fed up with both the Democratic and Republican Party. I would be a Bull Mooser or Whig if I could." The General Election is 14 months away, but already the candidates are steadily working. * * * * * LOTS OF PEOPLE have been affected, many seriously, by the heavy rainfall and floods of recent days. We don't remember seeing such rainfall in such a short time ever in Georgia. Many of us have been touched by people away from Metro Atlanta calling or emailing to ask if we were all right, after seeing national media attention on our state. It was a kind thought by those out-of-towners, which all of us appreciate. ABOUT
OUR SPONSORS
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today's sponsor is the Aurora Theatre, Gwinnett County's first choice for professional theatrical entertainment. Celebrating their 14th year as Gwinnett's crown jewel for the performing arts located on the square in Downtown Lawrenceville, Aurora Theatre is committed to producing quality, professional theatre for all of North Georgia. The2009-2010 Season continues with the world premiere of Buy My House . . . Please! A Modern Comedy; Christmas Canteen 2009 an Aurora Tradition; Tranced a psychological thriller; A Catered Affair winner of the 2008 Drama Desk Award for Best Musical; and Boeing Boeing a high flyin' comedy. Aurora Theatre introduces the GGC Lab Series of edgier contemporary plays in the Gwinnett Federal Credit Union Studio with the comedy boom. Aurora also offers a club comedy series called Funny Fridays, Swing Nights at Aurora Theatre with the Metro Jazz Club and Lawrenceville, Ga. Ghost Tours with the NEW Ghost Trolley this October. For young children they have, Saturday Children's Playhouse on select Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. and classes with Aurora Academy for students of all ages. To purchase individual tickets, season tickets or for more information for Aurora Theatre, go to www.auroratheatre.com or call 678-226-6222.
McLEMORE'S
WORLD ARCHIVE
FEEDBACK Editor, the Forum: A new film, "The Informant," opened this weekend to less than rave reviews. The movie is loosely based on the story of one individual who helped break the largest corporate corruption case (at that time) and involved a world-wide food price-fixing scheme. In the film, the protagonist is presented not as a troubled hero, but instead as a comic dupe, and thus represents whistleblowers by implication (if not intent) as wild eyed caricatures. While we should all be able to laugh at ourselves; whistleblowing is not a laughing matter. Famed tobacco whistleblower Jeff Wigand, and subject of the major motion picture The Insider, asks where is the moral outrage. "Persons of conscience who see or observe harm being committed must come forward with legal knowledge, support and protection for this courageous act." Adding to Burke's Triumph of Evil, "All it takes for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing." No more bystanderism! Whistleblowing is the elixir for cleaning and cleansing the moral morass we are in. There must be protection for all. In the interest in helping our great nation regain its footing and moral ground, we suggest the need of stronger protections for whistleblowers.
UPCOMING This week storms flooded rivers and closed schools across Gwinnett County. This weekend citizens will learn how to fill pantries, boost resumes, prepare homes and improve finances in preparation for life's unexpected adventures. To celebrate National Preparedness Month, Creative Enterprises, Inc. will host a family emergency preparedness expo on Saturday, September 26 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in their facility located at 795 Hi Hope Road, in Lawrenceville. This free event will feature displays, demonstrations, information and giveaways presented by a variety of local agencies and organized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The expo will also give people the opportunity to donate blood to Life South Blood Centers in support of local blood banks. Presenters offering information, training and services at the expo include Community Emergency Response Team, Georgia Perimeter College, Georgia Emergency Management Agency, Liberty Mutual, The Boy Scouts of America, LDS Employment Services, The Broome Law Firm, CCS Psychotherapy, Circle C2it, LDS Family Services and other organizations. GACS to host eco-economics forum on Sept. 26 Sen. Curt Thompson and Jay Trevari will host an Eco-Economics Forum on September 26 at Greater Atlanta Christian School's Student Family Center on Indian Trail Road. The forum will begin at 10 a.m, with registration opening at 9:30 a.m. Lunch will be served, and a local farmer's market will open at 2 p.m. There is a $10 registration fee. Among those on a panel will be farmer Daron Joffe, speaking on organic gardening; Kate Pittman, on Xeriscaping; Peter Krull-Green on investments; Ted Hatfield on home construction and renovation; and Paula Collins, on smart buying decisions. With space limitations, call Drew Baker at 678-346-5054 for reservations, or email at drew_baker@hotmail.com. Clean and Beautiful sponsors Highway 316 clean-up Oct. 3 The Great Highway 316 Clean Up, a Great Days of Service project, is being organized by Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful in partnership with the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and hYPe, an initiative supported by the Georgia Department of Transportation. The Clean-Up will be October 3 between 9 a.m. and noon
A volunteer team, led by Chuck Warbington, chair of the Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful's Litter Team, recently completed the Annual Litter Index Survey of Gwinnett roadways. This involved driving 400 miles over a two-day period to evaluate the byways of Gwinnett. Warbington noted: "Gwinnett County saw its third consecutive year of an overall reduction of litter along our roadways. Only two out of 22 zip codes saw a slight increase in litter in comparing results from 2008 to 2009. I was surprised at the small amount of litter I saw along the roads in Gwinnett. Gwinnett residents are making a difference in the overall quality of life in Gwinnett." Those wishing to volunteer may meet at the Georgia Gwinnett College campus, Building F, off Georgia Highway 316and Collins Hill Road at 9 a.m. on October 3. Click HERE for the form. The first 100 volunteers will earn a "BRAGing Rights" Tee Shirt. Inaugural TAG Techie 10K Run to be held Oct. 3 Register now for the Inaugural Technical Association of Georgia (TAG) Techie 10K Run The event will be held at Technology Park/Atlanta October 3 from 6:30 to 11 a.m. The event will showcase leaders and participants in the technology industry in a 10K Run/Walk and will benefit TAG Education Collaborative to strengthen the state's future workforce. There will be team competition, overall individual male/female winners and Beat TAG CEO competition. For sponsorship and team registrations contact Angelic at angelic@tagonline.org or 404-920-2013. Registration
begins at 6:30am, the race starts at 8 a.m. Fees are $20 in advance, and
$30 the day of the race. See more details at online
here. NOTABLE The City of Lawrenceville, has launched a newly redesigned web site at www.lawrencevillega.org. The revised site presents fresh graphics, updated content, and user-friendly navigation.
Eager to spotlight numerous local initiatives, both completed and planned, Lawrenceville's City Council members decided that those enhancements should be reflected online. City leaders also wanted to serve citizens and other users more effectively with updated information offered in a logical, easy-to-access format. They commissioned Rock, Paper, Scissors, a creative agency based in Lawrenceville, to take on the project. With current, near-term and longer-term strategies in place, the agency has implemented the first phase of the renovation. Amanda Sutt of Rock, Paper, Scissors says: "Our foremost objective was to build a user-friendly website that reinforced the sense of pride we have in Lawrenceville. Since our staff is highly involved in the local community, we immersed ourselves in this project with a clear perspective of what the Web site required in terms of design, content, and function City Council Member P.K. Martin, who was instrumental in moving the Web site project forward, agrees. "We established early on that the site would be a valuable go-to resource," he says. "Beyond that, it would be a savvy marketing tool that showcased the best of what Lawrenceville has to offer. I am pleased to say that we have accomplished our goals." Gail Moore joins Greater Grayson Chamber staff Gail Moore is the new community relations director for the Greater Grayson Chamber of Commerce (GGCC). She was an original member of the GGCC steering committee which formed in 2004 prior to GGCC's launch in March of 2006. She served as an inaugural at-large board member. She has worked previously with the Grayson Cluster Schools Foundation, the Miss Grayson Youth Pageant, Grayson Day Committee, Snellville Days Committee, Loganville July 4th Parade Committee, and Operation Love From Home Committee. She previously was president of the Atlanta Youth Choir.
GEORGIA
ENCYCLOPEDIA Wallingford
Riegger
was a major figure in the world of American classical music for more than
three decades. An avant-garde modernist whose major compositions severely
tested the ability of audiences to comprehend new sounds and forms, Riegger
refused to bow to either musical traditionalism or popular taste, making
sacrifices in order to remain true to his artistic ideals. By the end
of his life, many in the musical world acknowledged him as the dean of
American composers.
Wallingford
Constantine Riegger was born in Albany on April 29,1885, to Ida Wallingford
and Constantine Riegger. Both parents were musically gifted (his father
was an accomplished violinist and his mother a talented pianist). In 1888
the family left Georgia after Constantine Riegger's lumber mill burned
to the ground. After living in Indianapolis and Louisville, Ky., the Riegger
family moved to New York City in 1900. In 1907 Riegger, a gifted cellist,
was a member of the first graduating class of New York's Institute of
Musical Arts, the precursor of the Juilliard School of Music. Over the
next three years, Riegger took advanced courses in cello and composition
at Berlin's renowned Hochschule für Musik in Germany. He returned
to New York in 1910, and in 1911 he married Rose Schramm, with whom he
had three daughters. Riegger returned to Germany in 1914 to advance his career. He worked as a vocal coach and conductor in several German cities, including Berlin. When World War I broke out between the United States and Germany in 1917, the Rieggers returned home. Over the next decade Wallingford accepted teaching positions in Iowa, upstate New York, and finally, New York City. In his limited leisure time Riegger composed. These works won recognition and major awards, including the Paderewski Prize (1922) and the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Prize (1924)-the first time this coveted honor was given to an American composer.
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TODAY'S
QUOTE "The deepest definition of youth is life as yet untouched by tragedy."
>> SPECIAL NOTICE TO GWINNETT Those interested in the history of Gwinnett need to know that the recently published book: Gwinnett: A Little Above Atlanta, has sold fast, with the first editions about sold out. There are less than 50 books remaining unsold. If you want the book for yourself, or to buy for a present for someone this year, you need to take action. Go to www.elliottbrack.com to order, or buy the book at a local bookstore shown on the site. (In full disclosure, the book is authored by the publisher of this Forum, and this notice is intended not so much to hawk, but to inform, those who have delayed purchase. -eeb) The books are available at these sites:
MORE RECENT COMMENTARY
FOR CHARITY. You can give "A Gift of Laughter," a great book of cartoons by Bill McLemore, to help raise money for Rainbow Village. At just $20, it's a fun way to help. To order, call 770 840 1003, or 770 446 3800, or email to info@gwinnettforum.com. SISTER PUBLICATIONS We encourage you to check out our sister publications:
© 2001-2009, Gwinnett Forum.com is Gwinnett County's online community forum for commentary that explores pragmatic and sensible social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA. PHONE:
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The
purpose is to show pride in the community by picking up litter and recycling
items along the key Georgia Highway 316. This project took flight after
the results of the recent annual Litter Index Survey noted that Route
316 and the northern portions of Interstate 85 were the areas that had
the greatest litter issues in the county.
