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Issue 12.31 | Friday, July 27, 2012 TODAY'S FOCUS ELLIOTT
BRACK'S PERSPECTIVE FEEDBACK UPCOMING NOTABLE ALSO INSIDE IN
THE SPOTLIGHT RECOMMENDED GEORGIA
TIDBIT LAGNIAPPE GWINNETT
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TODAY'S
FOCUS LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., July 27, 2012 -- Aurora Theatre opens a new season with a new chamber version of the Broadway classic Sweet Charity beginning August 2, 2012. This musical chronicles the misadventures of Charity Hope Valentine, a dance hall gal with a heart of gold who attempts to navigate the emotionally treacherous terrain of romance and New York City in the 1960s.
The production
is also the homecoming of Canton native and New York-based veteran of
several Broadway national tours, Trent Blanton, who will portray all of
Charity's love interests. His wife Rebecca Simon, also a Broadway national
tour performer, will take on the title role of Charity Hope Valentine.
Accompanying Daniels on the stellar creative team are Aurora Theatre Associate
Producer and Resident Music Director Ann-Carol Pence and choreographer
Jen MacQueen. ELLIOTT
BRACK (Second of a two-part series | See part one) JULY 27, 2012 -- Just how did for-profit colleges become a much bigger player in enrolling college students? And often ripping them off ?
There are several reasons. The most basic reason may be the same problem that affects Wall Street, nothing less than simple greed. Executives of these for-profit institutions saw a sliver of light in the regulations concerning reimbursement from the Federal Government to certain qualified but poor students, plus others either in or just out of the military services. And these for-profit schools jumped on a loophole like a dog grabbing a tasty bone. There was one other factor involved: the bureaucracy of traditional institutions of higher learning. These schools don't change quickly, and didn't see the possibility of online learning fast enough. Suddenly they found themselves behind the eight ball while the for-profit colleges took off with this idea. So today our country is in a sorry mess with many for-profit colleges growing rapidly, enrolling students, charging high fees, not providing good quality education, and winding up making a lot of profit for the college owners. Meanwhile, many former for-profit students can't pay their high tuition costs, default on students loans, and guess who gets stuck? You and I. But, in all of this, there are new glimmers of hope. Traditional colleges are finally seeing the light in these new forms of education, and making progress that may usurp the machinations of the for-profit schools. Last week a dozen major research universities, among them Georgia Tech, announced joining an innovative new venture, Coursera, to form a network of schools that would offer 100 or more free massive open online courses (MOOCs) that could draw millions of students and adult learners, throughout the world.
While many courses will be free, but not for credit, eventually some will offer credit courses. Other traditional institutions are finding ways to offer more appealing educational opportunities to the masses. This spring Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), said that their $60 million edX partnership would offer free online courses with certificates of completion. They don't think small, seeking to reach a billion (with a B) people! The first course offered from March 5 to June 8 enrolled over 150,000 people. Susan Hockfield, president of MIT, said of this venture: "Fasten your seat belts!" New directions by traditional schools, such as these, with traditional universities finally moving swiftly to catch up with modern communications, perhaps can curtail some of the misplaced growth of the for-profit colleges. Up until now, public and private non-profit colleges have simply allowed themselves to be passed by. Of course, at traditional institutions, there is not present the one item that many for-profit colleges employ in spades: the previously-mentioned greed. Meanwhile, what our Congress should do, for this is a national problem, is to tighten down on which educational institutions should be able to qualify for Federal Government dollars for education. The lack of strong oversight of these programs has allowed for-profits to make millions out of offering an inferior education, while complying with lax governmental regulations. Keep at it, Senators Harkin, Durbin and others. We need your strong support on curtailing these outrageous rip-offs, which hurt our youth, and our nation. 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 Mingledorff's, an air conditioning distributor of the Carrier Air Conditioning Company. Mingledorff's corporate office is located at 6675 Jones Mill Court in Norcross, Ga. and is proud to be a sponsor of the Gwinnett Forum. With 32 locations in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi and South Carolina, Mingledorff's is the convenient local source with a complete line for the quality heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration parts and supplies you need to service and install HVAC/R equipment. Product lines include Carrier, Bryant, Payne, Totaline and Aeroseal. For all of your HVAC needs, and information on the products Mingledorff's sells, visit www.mingledorffs.com and www.carrier.com. FEEDBACK Editor, the Forum: Boy, you
are really asking for it now when you tackle for-profit colleges. But
you are right on. I read an article in Fast Company about Southern
New Hampshire University. You may have seen an advertisement for SNHU
on television recently. I have attached a link
to the article here. I believe the education they provide is was what set the country apart from the world for so long. It is still the system that the best and the brightest from around the globe seek to enter. I can't get my arms, or head, around online degrees. Remember the scandal we had here in Gwinnett just a few years ago about Doctorates obtained online from, of all places, Liberia. When have you heard of foreign students trying to get into one of these for-profits. Hey, that wouldn¹t be as profitable for the non-profits anyway, would it? No pun intended. Well, maybe a little bit. Keep up the good fight.
Finds new HP printer has serious flaw: No black cartridge Editor, the Forum: The product: HP Officejet 6700 Premium e-All-in-One Wireless Color Photo Printer with Scanner, Copier and Fax (Office Product). I have used HP Printers now for years and never had an issue until now. I'm a photographer and have had many shows in Atlanta. If you haven't noticed, HP neglected in its design of this printer to include a Photo Black cartridge, which to me is a fatal flaw! What this means is that the blacks won't be a deeper black, like in an Ansel Adams photograph. For instance, I compared the wings of a Monarch butterfly as printed by my old HP C309 Premium Printer and my new HP Office Jet 6700 Printer side by side. One can see that the wings as printed on my old HP are much blacker. The new HP gives them a brownish black. According to the Wall Street Journal, HP has over 1,000 ink scientists working at their Palo Alto headquarters. This is one product they failed. The Black Cartridge is no substitute for the effects of the Photo Black and the regular Black working in unison to produce a superior print. As they say, the proof is in the pudding. Since both of these printers have the word Premium on its face, one might easily assume that the print is comparable, but such is not the case. It's as if Colonel Sanders had changed his secret recipe for his chicken without telling anyone and now one finds himself eating turkey instead of chicken! I'm glad to see that HP has released a new version of this printer that might correct this deficiency. Tomorrow, I plan to return this printer and place an order for a printer that still has the photo black cartridge as one of its main components. Hope these comments are helpful to someone about to buy a new printer.
UPCOMING With the London Olympics beginning this week, you might want to know who from the state of Georgia will be participating in the games.
The other Georgians in the Games are:
Rhodes Jordan Park to host 2012 Youth Sports Expo July 28 Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation (GCPR) is hosting the 2012 Youth Sports Expo on Saturday, July 28 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Rhodes Jordan Park in Lawrenceville. This all-day event is the largest sports expo of its kind in the state of Georgia and open to all involved in Youth Sports including: volunteers, coaches, team moms, and parents. Participants will attend educational sessions and hear from industry experts. The day will commence with remarks from Keynote speaker, NCAA Gymnastic Champion and Gwinnett Sports Commission spokesperson Kat Ding. Educational session will follow and include:
There is
still time to register online at www.gwinnettparks.com
or by calling 770-822-8886. The cost, which includes lunch plus admittance
to informational sessions, Expo Hall and Silent Auction, is $20 for individual
tickets and discounted for groups of five for only $80. Rhodes Jordan
Park is located at 100 East Crogan Street in Lawrenceville. A meeting to discuss a possible Indian Trail Road-Jimmy Carter Boulevard pedestrian and bike connectivity plan is to be held soon. The meeting will be on Thursday, August 2, at 6 p.m. at Campus Church, 1525 Indian Trail-Lilburn Road in Norcross. The church sits adjacent to the Greater Atlanta Christian School campus. The proposed plan will produce a blueprint for connections so that the area will be transformed into walkable health and economically viable corridors. Anticipated will be both bicycle and pedestrian connections, serving local residents, businesses and institutions. For more information, contact Alyssa Sinclair by email or call 770 449 6515. New London Theatre announces play list for coming season The New London Theatre of Snellville is announcing its line-up of plays for the upcoming season. The first offering is Hairspray, running through August 5.
Through their newsletter, New London solicited votes from patrons on which shows to put on the stage next year. In a press release on July 23, organizers say: "We believe this to be the best season in NLT history as well as the best set in the area." The New
London Theatre is located at 2338 Henry Clower Boulevard in Snellville.
For additional information about this and future performances, auditions,
ticket purchases, volunteering, or donations, visit www.newlondontheatre.org,
send an e-mail for
information or call 770-559-1484. NOTABLE A local automobile dealer is joining the fight against cancer by committing dollars to the American Cancer Society to anyone taking a test drive this week.
Hayes Automotive has committed to donate $30 to Gwinnett Relay For Life for each individual that takes an automobile test drive and mentions the campaign. To be eligible for a test drive, individuals must be 18 years of age, present a valid driver's license, and bring a copy of this article. This campaign goes through Tuesday, July 31st. This offer is limited to one test drive per household. Each test drive participant will receive a brochure showcasing the free programs and services of the American Cancer Society (ACS) that are provided through fundraising events such as Gwinnett Relay For Life. If a car purchase results from a Gwinnett Relay prompted test drive, the Gwinnett Relay will receive an additional $100 for the purchase! To participate in this campaign, please visit Hayes Automotive located at 719 W. Pike Street, Lawrenceville, and help fight back against cancer. Deirdra Cox of Brand Banking joins board of GREFPAC
Brand Banking Vice President and Community Development Officer Deirdra Cox is a new member on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Real Estate Fraud Prevention and Awareness Coalition (GREFPAC). The Board works with federal, state and local regulators, law enforcement agencies, and concerned individuals to create environments that promote honesty, openness and fairness in real estate transactions. Greg Shumate, CEO and Managing Partner for Brand Mortgage, says: "Deirdra is one of those exceptional team members who is fueled by their passion to help others. It's that passion that will make her an incredibly valuable asset to the Board of GREFPAC." To learn more about the Georgia Real Estate Fraud Prevention and Awareness Coalition, visit online at www.grefpac.org. RECOMMENDED
GEORGIA
ENCYCLOPEDIA Fletcher Henderson, a performer, arranger, and bandleader, became a popular and influential figure in big band and swing music during the 1920s. The Georgia native is credited with forming the first big band orchestra around 1920 in New York City.
Henderson, an African American, soon looked to music for employment opportunities after being turned down for work in his field, presumably because of his skin color. He found his first job as a song demonstrator for the Pace-Handy Music Corporation. This employment led to stints as a house pianist for Black Swan records and as a touring pianist and bandleader for the blues singer Ethel Waters. During his tenure at Black Swan, Henderson accompanied numerous female blues singers, including Ida Cox, Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, Bessie Smith, Clara Smith, and Trixie Smith. During the same period, Henderson began recording his own group, whose formation led to an unplanned audition for a gig at Club Alabam in Harlem. In 1921 the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra made several records and attracted some of the best musicians and soloists in New York. An almost decade-long stint at the Roseland Ballroom followed. In the early 1920s the reed player and arranger Don Redman joined Henderson's group. The subsequent addition of trumpeter Louis Armstrong led Redman to arrange songs that showcased Armstrong's improvisational talent, as well as the hot solos of trombonist Charlie Green, trumpeter Joe Smith, and others. The dual focus on improvisation and tight arrangements began the movement toward the swing era. Academics and critics argue about the style of music played by Henderson's first band, calling it everything from an imitation of Paul Whiteman's non-jazz dance orchestra to the original genius of big-band swing. By 1935 Henderson's orchestra had lost its popularity, and Henderson disbanded the group to become the arranger and an occasional accompanist for Benny Goodman, who directed much of the credit for his success to Henderson, who had written arrangements for Goodman's group for many years. Even though Henderson enjoyed renewed popularity while working with Goodman, he was never able to regain the continued success of his first orchestra. Although critics disagree about Henderson's business acumen and piano style, his contributions to early jazz, particularly his innovative instrumentation and arrangement, laid the foundations for swing. Henderson's legacy also includes the recruitment of top musicians, who usually went on to greater fame under other leaders or with their own names. In 1950 Henderson suffered a stroke in New York and died there on December 29, 1952. He is buried in Cuthbert. LAGNIAPPE
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TODAY'S QUOTE "It's not what I say that matters. It's what you hear."
CANDIDATE
PROFILES For the 2012 primary
season, GwinnettForum asked all candidates facing primary opposition
in Gwinnett County to provide answers to a few questions. You can read
their answers below by clicking on the links. Candidates with no
primary opposition are not listed. Those with opposition in the General
Election will be asked questions, which we'll publish before the November
election. Look for endorsement:
PROFILE
KEY
2012 FEDERAL CANDIDATES U.S. Congress, District 4
U.S.
Congress, District 7
U.S.
Congress, District 10
2012
STATEWIDE CANDIDATES Georgia
Public Service Commission, District 3
Georgia
Public Service Commission, District 5
2012
STATE CANDIDATES Georgia
State Senate, District 9
Georgia State Senate, District 55
State
Representative, District 81
State
Representative, District 93
State
Representative, District 94
State
Representative, District 96
State
Representative, District 97
State
Representative, District 103
State
Representative, District 105
State Representative, District 114
2012 COUNTY CANDIDATES Gwinnett County Commission, District 1
Gwinnett County Commission, District 3
Probate Judge
NON-PARTISAN JUDGESHIPS Superior Court State Court MORE COPIES AVAILABLE
You can also order
books through the Internet. To do that, go to www.elliottbrack.com
to place your order. For mail orders, there is a $5 shipping and handling
fee. Purchases are also subject to the 6 percent Georgia sales tax. SEARCH GWINNETT FORUM Loading
IN THE COMING WEEK (NEW) Ribbon-Cutting at the expanded Harbins Park football field: 6:30 p.m., July 27. The park will be open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and is located at 2550 Indian Shoals Road in Dacula. The ribbon-cutting is hosted by the Archer Athletic Association. Games and fun activities will be on tap. Broadway in the Park in Suwanee: 7 p.m., July 27 and July 28, Town Center Park. Being performed will be Little Mermaid Jr. The event is free. Opening the night's activities will be an original one-act play, Filligan's Island, at 7 p.m. The event is part of the Suwanee Performing Arts series. Punt, Pass and Kick competition: 2 p.m. July 28, Rhodes Jordan Park in Lawrenceville. This is sponsored by the Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation. Info: 770 822 8866. (NEW) Book-Signing by J.L. Robb: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., July 28, at Chocolate Perks in Duluth. Robb will be signing both his books, "The End, Part One" and "The End, Part Two," which Robb calls thrillers and a love story, based around Duluth.. Small Business Seminar: 5:30 p.m., July 30, Gwinnett Village Community Alliance, 5855 Jimmy Carter Boulevard in Norcross. Visitors will learn about starting small businesses. For more information, contact Wesley Wilson, 770 449-6515, or via email. (NEW)
Smarter
Water Workshop: 7 p.m., July 31, Gwinnett Justice and Administration
Auditorium, Lawrenceville. Gwinnett's Department of Water Resources will
provide tips on how homeowners can water their outdoors more efficiently
and save on water bills. Register
by email or call 678 376 6722 Beyond Rosie, Women in World War II: Through July 31. This traveling museum is now on display at the Norcross Welcome and History Center. The museum is located at 169 Lawrenceville Street. MORE EEB PERSPECTIVE
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will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Be sure to have with you your voter
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Sweet
Charity was created by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book
by American comedy master Neil Simon. The original Broadway production
was directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse and starred his wife Gwen
Verdon. Winner of five Tony Awards, Sweet Charity is best known for show-stopping
musical numbers like Big Spender, If My Friends Could See Me Now
and I'm A Brass Band.
The
Coursera founders, two Stanford University scientists, have already registered
680,000 students in 43 courses with its four original partners, Michigan,
Princeton, the University of Penn and Stanford. Now other major institutions
are joining, the likes of Duke, Cal Tech and the University of Virginia.
There are even foreign partners, like the University of Edinburgh, of
Toronto, and EPF Lausanne, in Switzerland. 
While
I am personally aware of some excellent graduates of the University of
Phoenix, I believe they are the exception. The whole for-profit education
industry is near to being a rip-off. We need to nurture and help our non-profit
educational system. 
Here
is a list of the 18 Georgians who have qualified for the Games. Three
are from Gwinnett County. They include:
In
addition to the educational sessions, participants are encouraged to take
advantage of the Expo Hall, featuring the latest in sports products. The
Expo Hall will include product demonstrations, vendor giveaways and a
silent auction. Proceeds from the silent auction will benefit the Gwinnett
County Parks and Recreation Scholarship Fund for youth sports. Among the
items being auctioned will be signed sports memorabilia, photography packages,
sporting event tickets and golf certificates.
The
2012-2013 schedule:
In
an effort to keep the momentum going through the summer, Hayes Automotive
of Lawrenceville has agreed on an initiative that will help to increase
Gwinnett's donations for the 2012 Relay For Life season. 
"While
I have not yet read the Hank Zipzer series, it's next on my list.
Authors Henry Winkler (yes, The Fonz) and Lin Oliver have created a 17-book
series aimed at young readers (3rd-4th grade) featuring Hank Zipzer, 'the
world's greatest underachiever.' Based on the life of Henry Winkler, the
books deal with "learning differences in a gentle and humorous manner.'
It's a New York Times best-selling series, and, after hearing Mr.
Winkler talk about the books, they sounded like stories my young nieces
would enjoy. He and his writing partner have started a new series, Ghost
Buddy, which also sounds intriguing. But I'm checking them out first!"
