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TODAY'S FOCUS
NORCROSS, Ga., Aug. 23, 2011 -- The founding fathers of our country decided that we needed representative style of government. It worked for many years as the country grew and matured.
I wonder if it is still the best method of governing? Between the huge changes in technology available today and the seemingly endless quest by our politicians for more power and lifelong incomes, I believe it may be time for change. I fully believe in the common people of this country. They have made this nation great. We need to return to our own "common sense" and stop allowing a few from the far edges of both parties to guide us down their path. With our nation almost instantly connected via the marvel of the Internet, we could actually use this tool to allow the people to be heard more clearly. Now I'm not naïve enough to believe that such a system would work without many safeguards against fraud and multiple voting problems. However, it has the prospects to actually hear sentiment far better than the 10-30 percent we currently get in our current elections. Such a system could easily be started as an "advisory experiment," just to see how it would work. Eventually it could be the ultimate tool that could replace many elected representatives. Government would be forced to focus on the MOST IMPORTANT issues when using this system, or once again people would become disengaged.
Propositions would also have to be written in plain, understandable language or else it would confound the people, and therefore, miss the 51 percent requirement. There may have to be a limit on how many issues could be presented per week from each level. Today elected officials somehow are "above" the common folks and lose touch with those they are elected to represent. This proposition would keep them fully aware and at the same time keep us common folks aware of just how awful our elected representatives really are when they repeatedly bring issues to this new system that nobody cares about. There could even be a section for citizens to propose new ideas and propositions that could go through a process to become a voting issue on the system. This proposal even has merit at the local level. Remember the President's proposal to post ALL legislation to the Internet for five days before voting? It was never enacted because the powerful politicians do not want the public eye to see the stupidity of laws before they are voted upon. Remember the healthcare debate where they said they needed to pass this bill so you could THEN read it? This system would stop all of that in Washington, as well as the state capital, the county seat, and even our local towns. Please
take time to think about this and consider the possibilities, then use
this forum to express YOUR thoughts and opinions on this issue. After
all, isn't public discussion what the Gwinnett Forum is all about anyway? EEB PERSPECTIVE AUG. 23, 2011 -- Something new is happening in Buford, and being met with open arms.
Leave it to Millard Grimes of Athens. The veteran Georgia newspaperman has owned numerous small weekly newspapers, and even a few dailies, in his illustrious career which started out with the Columbus Enquirer over 60 years ago. Earlier in 2011, he told people he was getting out of the business, and sold his remaining Grimes Publications, including newspapers in Manchester, Greenville, Hamilton, Talbotton and Hogansville. Since no longer owning newspapers, Millard had time to cogitate. Looking around Georgia, he found a distinctive community, that, to his surprise, did not have a newspaper. So Millard Grimes began publication of a new weekly newspaper in Buford. The first issue of Buford Weekly Illustrated was out last week. Newspapers have been in Buford nearly since the city was founded. The first newspaper was the Buford Gazette, published first in the late 1870s or 1880s, according to Handsel Morgan in his history of the city. In 1892, it became the colorfully-named Alliance Plow Boy, under W.W. Wilson. (One year's subscription was $2.75.) In 1895, came the Buford Herald, published by Ed A. Caldwell.
Mrs. E. A. Wilbanks sold the Advertiser to Charlie Smithgall of Gainesville in 1963. Then in 1964, Smithgall and Bob Fowler combined forces to produce the Gwinnett Daily News, and for the first time, Buford had no newspaper published in the city, as the Advertiser was a casualty of that merger. No more. Now Millard Grimes has started a newspaper to serve this Buford community. Buford is lucky. Millard Grimes is one of the most distinguished newspapermen of the state, and former president of the Georgia Press Association. Besides publishing many different weekly newspapers in Georgia, he has also owned dailies, such as the Opelika (Ala.) Daily News, Rockdale Citizen, News Daily in Jonesboro and Henry Herald. On two occasions, he owned and published Georgia Trend magazine. Grimes is also the authority on the history of Georgia newspapers. He is the author of the major history of Georgia newspapers, The Last Linotype, a 673 page history that chronicles the newspapers in the state. Now the Grimes family turns their attention on Buford. They were attracted not only because Buford has no newspaper, but because of the character of Buford itself. They saw the vibrancy of the community, the smooth-working city government with virtually little debt, and the city with the biggest budget in Gwinnett. The Grimes' recognized the distinctiveness of the Buford City School system and its 3,200 students, excelling in all avenues of school life, whether on the athletic field, in literary events, in accomplishments of its students, or in the massive outpouring of support by the parents of these students. We predict that the Grimes Publications and the people of Buford will be good for each other. Millard Grimes will insure that the day-to-day activities of the area are recorded and promoted for the benefit of its community. ABOUT OUR SPONSORS
FEEDBACK Editor,
the Forum:
About two months ago an African American woman told me what had happened to a male relative, who drives a delivery truck, when he went to a county located north of Fulton County to make a delivery. An 'official authority' asked him why he was there, even though he was wearing a company uniform and driving a company truck! He told this official why he was there. The man told him to make his delivery and then get back to where he came from! When I travel to the North Georgia mountains, I notice quite a few Confederate flags, in which most are accompanied by another flag stating their devotion to the UGA Bulldogs. So, I thought that it's time for UGA students and fans to start getting up some caravans, in which in each vehicle will be those with white AND dark skins who are on their way to enjoy a most special day in some of America's most beautiful mountains, that being those located in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Several African American male friends, who live in counties west of Atlanta, have told me that they wish they could live in Gwinnett County and plan to move here when they can. Why? Because they are accepted here and do not get pulled over just because they are African American. Since moving here in 1984, I have always considered myself most fortunate to live in Gwinnett County and NOW I have a better understanding of just ONE reason 'why'.
Some people yearn to be led in our system of government Editor, the Forum: Concerning your comment on the Big Idea. Indeed, some people yearn to be led. Our system of government, however, is designed to be a do-it-yourself operation, in which the people govern and our agents do what we (via our representatives) tell them. Unfortunately, almost since the start, a goodly number of our representatives have wanted to be rulers (petty potentates) rather than stewards. So, they off-loaded the nation's resources and assets to their supporters, in hopes of securing a cushy tenure for themselves. And the off-loadees, apparently suffering under the misconception that the cupboard would never empty, wasted our resources, including our people. So, now they're sick and everybody's wringing their hands wondering what to do about the bill that's come due. Fortunately, since somebody's willing to do just about anything in exchange for enough money to keep body and soul together, all it takes is money. And, even more fortunately, money doesn't "grow on trees" but, thanks to Richard Nixon, is now made out of trees. So, we can make as much money as we need -- if we can just get the hoarders, those fellows with the big idea that money is actually worth something, to let got of it. That the best money is worthless is not my idea. That was John K. Galbraith's contribution, at least, in the modern age. The Native American peoples already knew that when they used sea shells as tokens of confidence that they would get as good as they gave. But, that's a big idea that has no sparkle.
Understanding is the key to moving our country forward Editor, the Forum: The Big Idea... goes way beyond what to do with Medicare, taxing the rich, and all the current discussion going on. The fact is, our world bears almost no resemblance to the one of 1970, 1980, even 1990: technology, more people, the evolution of the "global economy." I think we need discussion, not rhetoric, with a mindfulness of each of our "agendas," based on our age, upbringing, income bracket, race, gender, etc. We will never have any real agreement unless we have understanding. This is hard when everything goes non-stop, with high volume, force, and pressure.
UPCOMING The Northeast Atlanta Ballet has announced its 2011-12 season. All performances are at the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center. Tickets available through Ticketmaster or the Gwinnett Arena Box Office. The program for the coming seasons shows: The Nutcracker: Friday through Sunday, Nov. 25-26-27, 2011, at multiple performance times.
Sleeping Beauty: Friday through Sunday, March, 16-17-18, 2012.
Beauty and the Beast, Friday and Sunday only, May, 18-20, 2012.
Watercolor Society's 32nd exhibition to be in Athens The Georgia
Watercolor Society 32nd Annual Members' Exhibition will feature more than
70 paintings by some of today's top watercolorists. The show hangs from
August 20 through October 15, at the Lyndon House Arts Center in Athens.
The society was founded in 1975 and now boasts 500 members. Stan Miller, a popular watercolor artist and instructor, judged the show. He is teaching a three-day workshop in conjunction with the exhibit from October 12 - 14. Mr. Miller will present a painting demonstration to the members on Saturday, October 15 from 10 a.m. until noon. Non-members are welcome to attend for a $5 fee. The demo will be followed by a reception from 12:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public. Lyndon
House Arts Center is located at 293 Hoyt St, Athens, Ga. Hours are Tuesday
and Thursday, from noon until 9 p.m. and Wednesday and Saturday, 9 a.m.
until 5 p..m. For more information, visit www.athensclarkecounty.com. NOTABLE Historic
Duluth is taking off... come along for the ride!
The long
awaited Pure Taqueria is under construction. To open soon are Tie Die
4 Bakery and Best of Beer Growler Tap Store. Already operating are Luv
for Art, Snowbiz, This N That, Tie Die 4 Party and the Boiler Room Costume
and Oddity Shop and the Work Spot. New park
facilities promised in the 2009 SPLOST sales tax program soon will be
under construction near the Grayson-Dacula area. Lose Associates of Lawrenceville designed the new facilities at both parks. Two Gwinnettians to appear on Trinity Broadcasting Network Two Gwinnettians will appear on Trinity Broadcasting cable network within the next few days…..at odd times. Jim Maran of Duluth, head of the Gwinnett Chamber, will appear with Clyde Strickland of Lawrenceville, who founded Metro Waterproofing of Scottdale, on the "Joy in our Town" program. The duo from Gwinnett will be talking about bringing manufacturing back to the United States, and also about the topic of "Buy Made in the USA" products. The times for the broadcasts are:
Strickland says: "We, the people of America, can help save America by changing the way we spend the money God has entrusted us with. Talk to our families and friends about purchasing American products. "Paper, pens, shoes, clothes, food, cars, computers and just about everything we buy can be found from a company that made the product in America. But we have to look for it. "Check labels; ask store managers and associates, for made-in-the-USA products. Research the internet." RECOMMENDED
GEORGIA ENCYCLOPEDIA
After the Civil War, the copper industry developed along the Tennessee-Georgia border, causing great damage to the forests because of the large amounts of timber needed to fuel copper smelters. Even greater forest damage resulted from the lumber industry that emerged at the end of the 19th century. Mountain forests were stripped bare of trees by major logging operations centered near the towns of Dahlonega, Ellijay, and Helen, as well as by numerous smaller sawmills.
It was also during the late 19th century that the production of illegal alcohol-particularly corn whiskey and apple or peach brandy-generated moonshine "wars" throughout the southern mountains. These wars extended well into the twentieth century and were particularly intense in Georgia's Blue Ridge, where Internal Revenue Service agents, or "revenuers," did battle with mountain residents who resented and resisted paying federal taxes on this traditional staple of mountain agriculture. Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains have a rich cultural heritage associated with the southern Appalachians. Out of that heritage came many varieties of folk art and music, including bluegrass. Bluegrass music is a unique sound that features mostly acoustic instruments and combines elements of both traditional Scottish and Irish folk music. Music and other aspects of mountain culture and folklife are celebrated at the Georgia Mountain Fair, held every August since 1950 in Hiawassee. The Foxfire
magazine and books, published by students since the late 1960s, first
at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School and today at Rabun County High School, have
chronicled the history, culture, traditions, and daily life in Appalachia
and the Blue Ridge Mountains. James Dickey's novel, Deliverance, published
in 1970, conveyed a very different, and far more negative, image of the
region and its people.
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© 2011, 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. |
TODAY'S QUOTE "There are people who, instead of listening to what is being said to them, are already listening to what they are going to say themselves."
SEARCH GWINNETT FORUM Loading
(NEW) Town Hall meeting: 7 p.m. Aug. 25, Snellville City Hall Community Room, with Congressman Rob Woodall. Brunch and Book signing with author Evelyn Coleman: Aug. 27 at California Pizza Kitchen in Norcross. Sponsored by Friends of Gwinnett County Public Library. Tickets are $25 for each child. For more information, visit www.friendsgcpl.org. 8th Annual Legacy Awards, honoring Gwinnett’s exemplary women: 10 a.m., Aug. 27, Gwinnett Place Marriott. Sponsored by United Way Leadership Council in Gwinnett. More info. Cityhood discussion: 7:30 p.m., Aug. 29, Peachtree Corners Baptist Church. Sponsored by the Peachtree Corners Yes Committee, several speakers will share history and current status leading to the November 8 voting on Peachtree Corners cityhood. Info. Taste of Duluth: 6:30 p.m., Sept. 15, Payne Corley House in Duluth. For more information, go to www.duluthfallfestival.org. Meet the Author: 7 p.m., Sept. 21, at the Norcross Cultural Arts and Community Center. Author Stuart Woods will discuss and sign his books. Sponsored by Gwinnett County Public Library. For more information, visit www.gwinnettpl.org or call 770-978-5154. Rainbow Village Gala: 6:30 p.m., Oct. 22, Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek. Wilmington Trust is the presenting sponsor. Dinner, entertainment and a silent auction will mark the 20 years of celebration. Entertainment will be with Blue Sky Atlanta. Reserve seats.
© 2001-2011, 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: 770.840.1003 |
If
an issue that would be brought to the people would not get at least 51
percent of all registered voters participating, that issue automatically
would fail. That would stop this huge budget waste of favoritism that
we see today. Most powerful representatives get the want-to-be's vote
by promising pork issues for their districts. There would also need to
be a certain level of participation, i.e. you participate in at least
"xx" percent of the ballots per month or year or you lose the
right to vote for a period of time.
In
1903, Oscar Wozencraft changed the name Plow Boy to the Buford
Enterprise, which folded in 1905. Alma Kirby began the Buford Journal
in 1906 (she was only 18 years of age), and later sold to Arnie Hendrix.
Her newspaper was succeeded in 1916 by the Buford Advertiser, published
by Early A. Wilbanks, which lasted for 48 years. He erected a building
on Moreno Street, and started Moreno Printing. 
The
public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com
to you at no cost to readers. The Gwinnett County Public Library (GCPL)
leads the state with over seven million items circulated in FY2011. It
is the recipient of the Overdrive 2011 Digital Pioneer Award and the proud
winner of over $45,000 of books from publisher John Wiley. The library
is the only public community partner for literacy, curriculum support,
lifelong learning and literacy based programs for all residents. Library
branches provide wireless internet access and public workstations. GCPL
brings the community two county-wide special events, Gwinnett Reads and
Fall Into the Arts. The library system is comprised of 15 branches in
Gwinnett County. More: 
I
could not understand this until some African American friends told me
'why' they do not take themselves and their children out to UGA. It is
because they know not to travel very far from of the Atlanta area. How
sad.....especially since we are now into the 21st century!
The
merchants on Main Street in Historic Duluth are hosting a Grand Opening
to welcome seven new businesses Saturday, September 17 starting at 11
a.m. After several years of vacancies, it is time to cheer on the new
merchants opening in time for the Duluth Fall Festival the last weekend
in September. 
Simon
Winchester brings scholarly research into focus no matter what his subject.
We've followed his writing about the eruption of Krakatoa, about how the
Oxford English Dictionary came about (The Professor and the Madman).
Now comes his latest book, Atlantic, which addresses the ocean
between Europe, Africa and the Americas. Scholarly but easily readable
and entertaining, the book explores subjects most people have never considered
about this vast and constantly churning ocean. The book is not just about
the Atlantic, but about explorers and settlers, the geologic origins,
historic discoveries, the many tragedies of the sea and what we can expect
of the Atlantic in the future. It is thoroughly engrossing. -- eeb 