7/6: On trip to India; Brexit possibilities; Terrorists

YOU THOUGHT GERRYMANDERING was difficult?  It’s not as difficult as you might think.  Look at this mythical sketch of an area’s population, where the blue districts are obviously in the majority. But with creative drawing of the lines, this area can be termed entirely blue, or even with a red majority. It shows how through political chicanery that the politicians will have the last word, unless the courts recognize gerrymandering when it appears.

TODAY’S FOCUS: Searching the Internet Provides Good Value for Trip to India

EEB PERSPECTIVE: Brexit Was, After All, Not a Binding Vote; New Possibilities?

ANOTHER VIEW: Wants To See Terrorists Die in Hail of Bullets from Citizens

SPOTLIGHT: Renewal by Anderson of Atlanta

FEEDBACK: Wants Us To Remember Revolutionary Heroes during July 4 Celebration

UPCOMING: BBB Warns: Watch Out for Those Fake Diploma Mills

NOTABLE: Mendez Endorses Jim Duffie in 81^st House District Runoff

RECOMMENDED: The Problem of Pain by C.S Lewis

GEORGIA TIDBIT: Disputes Bring About Duel Where Button Gwinnett Died

CALENDAR: Tannery Row Artist’s Colony Plans Opening Reception for Summer Show

TODAY’S QUOTE: Einstein Viewed Courting a Girl and Red-hot Cinder As Meaningful

MYSTERY PHOTO: Quiet, Beautiful Setting Perfect for Relaxation

LAGNIAPPE: There Are Acres and Acres of Sunflowers at Forsyth County Location

Searching the Internet provides good value for trip to India

By Frank Sharp

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., July 6, 2016 — My wife, Pearl, and I had always wanted to take a trip to India.  Fortunately, Pearl found a Cyber Monday package deal from Friendly Planet tour which included the airplane ticket on Air India from JFK to New Delhi for about $1,500.  Normally, the plane ticket itself would be about that much.  This price included all hotels and meals, except lunch, and all ground transportation.  Wow. We scooped it up.

We came to New York a day early. After touring New York City, we caught the Air India direct non-stop flight from JFK to New Delhi.  It was packed. After 12 hours, we finally landed.  The food served onboard was good and the flight was smooth.

Traffic in New Dehli

Friendly Planet was our tour company, which we have found in the past to have superb travel guides, a most important consideration which can make a huge difference on a trip.  We took what is called the Golden Triangle Tour of New Delhi, Agra and Jaipur and then after nine days back to New Delhi to catch our plane home,].  Our agenda did not include any crowded downtown streets.  Our hotels were mostly on the outskirts of the cities.  We were told by our guide not to eat any cut fruits or salad and to stay away from ice.

In New Delhi, we boarded our air-conditioned coach and stopped first to visit the Mahatma Gandhi burial site. The flowers were beautiful.

Next stop was the Gate of India, patterned after the famous Arc de Triomphe in Paris. There was heavy security and a few sleeping dogs in the street.  Then our group took the rickshaw ride in Old Delhi.  It was a bumpy ride because of the many potholes in the street.  We saw a few monkeys playing on the roofs of buildings.

Our bus then made the four-hour drive to Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located. It was a pleasant drive on the flat plain. There were hardly any trees as we know them, and mainly small wheat fields.

We first visited the “Baby Taj,” which some people consider as attractive as the Taj Mahal itself.   Our bus stopped by the Yamuna River, a holy river that empties into the Ganges, running behind the Taj Mahal for a river view.  It was a muddy polluted river, hardly a Blue Danube, but still attractive in its own way.

Baby Taj Mahal from the rear.  Photos by Frank Sharp.

Next day, we got up very early to see the sunrise and to miss the huge crowds that visit India’s most popular attractions, the Taj Mahal.  It was built in the 17th century by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as an expression of his love for his wife.  The Taj took 22 years to build with 20,000 men; the white marble was quarried over 200 miles away using a herd of 1,000 elephants to transport it.  Although the Taj is noted for its stunning symmetry and balance, the close-up marble inlay work is really astounding. It is the most beautiful building I have ever seen.

Next day the highlight was an elephant ride at Amber Fort.  Later we visited Jaipur, called the Pink City and the Palace of the Winds, which is a beautiful beehive-like structure of red and pink sandstone with white borders and motifs.

Once our trip to India was finished, we took the non-stop flight to JFK from New Delhi.  This took 18 hours because we were flying against the jet stream and the rotation of the earth.

What a wonderful, and relatively inexpensive, trip!

Brexit was, after all, not a binding vote; New possibilities?

By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher

JULY 6, 2016  |  Virtually overlooked in the hullabaloo of Britain leaving the European Union is the fact that it’s not yet a done deal. After all the referendum was not binding.  While a 52-48 split is pretty substantial, it was not a binding referendum.

A recent New York Times story pointed out four possible outcomes after the vote. They are interesting, and could reverberate for years, affecting world commerce.

The key points:

1. Not binding: the process for Britain to leave the European Union must be initiated by British prime minister invoking Article 50 of the Union’s governing treaty. With a lame-duck prime minister (who was against Brexit) staying in office until October, there’s no indication that he will suggest a change. One potential successor is against Brexit, and even London Mayor Boris Johnson now seems to back-peddle. In other words, this prime minister office question, backed by a majority Parliament that was not for Brexit, could delay such a move indefinitely.

2. A second possibility is also looming: the House of Lords in April said that a decision to leave the European Union would have to be approved by the Parliaments of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. While Wales supported Brexit, and Northern Ireland’s Parliament leadership favors leaving the Union, there’s Scotland to consider. But Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain within the European Union. In addition, Scotland is still wanting another vote on removing itself from Britain. So, there are complications here which could come into play.

3. Another possibility: look what happened in Denmark. That was in 1992, when Danish voters rejected a referendum on joining one of the European Union treaties. All looked like Denmark would not become an EU member. However, 11 months later, the Danes turned around, and this time OK’d the proposal, and joined the union. Who’s to say that Britain might not have a second vote, and with second thoughts, might not vote to sever ties with the EU this time?

4. How about other deals?  With two years to go before terms for negotiating a end of relationship with the European Union, Britain could take all sorts of steps in different agreements with the EU.  For instance, perhaps striking agreements that are now in place, without itself considered a full partner with the EU, but in effect, keeping some, not all, formalities as they are now?

Given the gravity of the discussion, it could be that those at one time opposing the move out of the European Union are now having second thoughts.  “Maybe it was rash,” might be one thought.

Or another: “What if Britain sought to forge a new agreement on immigration, so that it would not entirely follow the EU in this regard?”  Both the EU and Britain might consider this a fair approach.

There might be another consideration. After all, the vote recently caused all kinds of turmoil in world markets, rocking the stock markets, raising questions about the value of the pound sterling relative to other currencies, and in general causing unrest throughout the world.  This vast impact will mean that many people will be seeking the high ground, not wanting to see a spiral of economies that could substantially undercut the governing bodies of many nations, and causing unrest.

So the British exit from the EU, while it looks possible, may take new turns and twists we cannot conceive now.

Wants to see terrorists die in hail of bullets from citizens

(Editor’s Note: We cherish our American First Amendment freedoms, so that our citizens may be proud of and have wide latitude in their views. That’s why we publish GwinnettForum. However, while we print ideas such as this, we do not always subscribe to the views of those writing.—eeb)

By Debra Houston

JULY 6, 2016  |  Following the radical Islamist attack on a nightclub in Orlando that killed 49 people, I wondered how the president might respond. He answered in typical fashion, switching the subject from terrorism to gun control. Forget the fact that not a single shot was fired on 9/11 when some 3,000 Americans died.

In his usual lecturing format, he called for a sober approach going forward, adequate time for an investigation, and an atmosphere of political correctness. We should not call the shooter a “Radical Islamist.”

Oops.

If you call a “sit-in” on the House of Representatives floor an exercise in sobriety, then you’ve forgotten how weird the Democrats behave when they need to change the political narrative for their president.

Representative John Lewis, civil rights royalty in my book, initiated the sit-in on June 22. Dozens of fellow Democrats plopped down beside him, protesting the refusal of Republicans to allow a vote on an anti-gun bill the Senate had already killed. The Dems banked on the idea that Americans are too stupid to understand that you don’t vote on dead bills.

Democrats are big on symbolism when that’s all they have to offer. So they orchestrated a 60s-style civil rights sit-in. The only civil rights connection I found was a threat to our Second Amendment right to bear arms. The ‘60s sit-ins were about giving people rights; the 2016 sit-in was about taking away rights. In case you haven’t noticed, Democrats are not fond of the Second Amendment.

When the sitters began to sing, “We Shall Overcome,” I felt embarrassed for Congressman Lewis. How could he dishonor the civil rights movement he fought so hard for by using it as a cheap political ploy? How could he allow Representative Nancy Pelosi to turn it into a Democratic fundraising campaign? That’s why I wish my heroes would refrain from running for political office.

The nonsense didn’t end there. Congressman Charlie Rangel told reporters, “Law abiding citizens shouldn’t have to carry a gun.” Yes, congressman, and if terrorists were butterflies, we wouldn’t need to. A Daily Caller reporter pointed out that armed police protect Rangel and his colleagues every day. “Well, that’s a little different,” he said. “I think we deserve — I think we need to be protected down here.”

I think we all deserve protection. I relish the day when citizens turn the tables and terrorists die in a hail of bullets flying straight at them.

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July 4 proper to remember founders but others who fought for us

Dear Editor:

On Memorial Day we properly remember all who died in the service of our country. But on July 4th it seems proper to remember not only our Founding Fathers, but all those Revolutionary War soldiers, sailors, and Marines who first died for our right to be free.

— John Titus, Peachtree Corners

• Send us your thoughts: We encourage you to send us your letters and thoughts on issues raised in GwinnettForum.  Please limit comments to 200 words.  We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length.  Send feedback and letters to:    elliott@brack.net

BBB warns watch out for those fake diploma mills

Thinking about getting your GED or going back to college? Be on the lookout for shady schools who only want your money!

The Better Business Bureau of Atlanta is warning consumers against online programs which offer fast and easy high school diplomas or college degrees.

As many people struggle to find a job, earning a diploma or an advanced degree is one way to stand out from the crowd, but unless the educational institution is certified and legitimate, the degree obtained won’t be worth the paper it was printed on.

Colleges and universities accredited by legitimate organizations undergo a rigorous review of the quality of their educational programs. The same is true of high schools.  Although many diploma mills claim to be “accredited,” their accreditation is from a bogus, but official-sounding agency that they created.

If you’re looking for a diploma online, it’s important to be watchful for companies who offer costly certificates with no real value.

BBB is warning consumers to be wary of online diploma mills and cites the following red flags to help identify them:

• No Studies, No Exams — “Get a Degree for Your Experience.” Diploma mills grant degrees for “work or life experience” alone. Accredited colleges may give a few credits for specific experience pertinent to a degree program, but not an entire degree.

• No Attendance. Legitimate colleges or universities, including online schools, require substantial course work.

• Flat Fee. Many diploma mills charge on a per-degree basis. Legitimate colleges charge by the credit, course, or semester, not a flat fee for an entire degree.

• No Waiting. Operations that guarantee a degree in a few days, weeks, or even months aren’t legitimate. If an ad promises that you can earn a degree very quickly, it’s probably a diploma mill.

• “Click Here To Order Now!” Some diploma mills push themselves through aggressive sales tactics. Accredited colleges don’t use spam or high-pressure telemarketing to market themselves. Some diploma mills also advertise in newspapers, magazines, and on the Web.

Snellville plans July 14 meeting about Oak Road Neighborhood Park

A public meeting regarding the continued planned development of Oak Road Neighborhood Park has been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. July 14 in Snellville City Hall. City officials and park planners Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood will be on hand to review the latest draft of the park design. Residents can ask questions and give their input regarding the look and use of the park.

The park is a passive, neighborhood park with no public parking. It is designed to be used by residents of the surrounding neighborhoods. Plans call for a picnic shelter/pavilion, a quarter-mile walking trail, a drinking fountain for people and dogs and a small landscaped green space near the shelter.

Mendez endorses Duffie in 81^st House district runoff

Alexa Mendez, former candidate for Georgia House District 81, which is partially in Gwinnett, publicly has announced her endorsement of Jim Duffie for the statehouse. Medez, the 23-year old co-founder of Kilambe Coffee, finished third in the May 24 Republican primary elections with more than 20 percent of the total votes. Mendez has already hit the campaign trail with Jim Duffie after joining the Duffie campaign at the 4th of July Parade in Dunwoody.

Duffie

She said: “Now that we’re in the runoffs, I think it is very important for us to find a candidate that identifies with the way we think. I’m absolutely confident that Jim Duffie is the right candidate to support. In addition to having the right values for our district, he also has the experience that we need. My family fled an oppressive regime in Nicaragua to come to this land of abundant freedoms – freedoms that Jim Duffie worked hard to defend during his time in the U.S. Navy. I’m happy to endorse Jim and I ask everyone who has supported me to now support Jim!”

Jim Duffie responded: “I’m honored by Alexa’s endorsement of our campaign. Alexa is an excellent addition to our team, given her impressive background as a successful young businesswoman and leader in the Hispanic community. I look forward to working with her as we endeavor to give our district the leadership it deserves.”

Duffie is a Republican runoff election candidate for Georgia House District 81.

• For more information, visit jimduffie.com.

The Problem of Pain, by C.S Lewis

Experiencing The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis was like finding a glimpse of an answer to questions that have occupied my mind and heart for a lifetime. The reasons for pain are multifaceted and complex. To be human is to experience pain since this is a path to the soul’s evolution. To stretch and bend is to develop a resiliency that does not occur with the singular joys of a one dimensional life.  To wish for pain we would not. Accepting pain as “Spiritual Graduate School” Yes. There are several quotes from this source that I will hold to my heart forever.  Here’s  one: “We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

— From Karen Harris, Stone Mountain

An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (100 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. –eeb

Disputes bring about duel where Button Gwinnett died

By August 1776, Major General Charles Lee, military commander in the South, allowed himself to be persuaded by Georgians to stage an invasion of British East Florida. Lee had little hope of conquest, but he thought the military demonstration might impress the Indians.

Unfortunately, he was recalled to the North, taking his Virginia and North Carolina troops with him, and the expedition got no farther than Sunbury, just south of Savannah, when South Carolina ordered her militia to return. Georgians under Lachlan McIntosh, who was recently promoted to brigadier general, skirmished with the Florida Rangers and their Indian allies on the Satilla River and then abandoned the southern borderlands.

Congress recommended that the newly independent states adopt a permanent frame of government. Accordingly, Georgians elected delegates to a state constitutional convention that met in October 1776 in Savannah. Radical leaders of local committees dominated the convention and produced one of the most democratic constitutions of any state. The electorate included all white men over 21 who possessed property worth ten pounds or were employed as artisans.

A one-house assembly enacted legislation, and elected the governor, judges, and other officials. Georgia’s constitution, adopted on February 5, 1777, created the state’s first counties: Burke, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Richmond, and Wilkes, all named for friends of the colonies in British Parliament, except Liberty, a title that honored St. John Parish’s early zeal for American rights.

Button Gwinnett acted as speaker of the convention. He and his fellow radical Whigs suspected many conservative Whigs of being secret Tories. Gwinnett’s arrest of George McIntosh, the brother of General Lachlan McIntosh, fueled animosity between radical and conservative Georgians.

At the height of the controversy, Gwinnett decided upon an invasion of Florida. Gwinnett considered himself commander in chief of the Georgia militia and refused to cooperate with General McIntosh, who commanded the brigade of Continental soldiers. After the failure of the expedition, the two principals quarreled about which one was to blame. Eventually they fought a duel, both were wounded, and Gwinnett died. The radical Whigs raised such a cry against McIntosh that Congress transferred him out of Georgia for service under General George Washington at Valley Forge, Pa.

The first two failures did not dissuade Georgians from a third attempt upon Florida in 1778. This time Governor John Houstoun commanded the Georgia militia, Major General Robert Howe the Continentals, and General Andrew Williamson the Carolina militia. The expedition suffered from the same lack of coordination that doomed the previous assault on the southern borderlands. Howe’s regulars managed to drive Lt/ Col. Thomas Brown and his East Florida Rangers from a fort on the St. Mary’s River. The Georgia militia skirmished with the Rangers and a company of Royal Americans on Alligator Creek. With that limited success, the invaders returned to Georgia.

Other than the three abortive invasions of Florida and the patrolling of the western frontier, the Whigs accomplished little during the first three years of independence except survival. However, they gained experience in self-government and a determination not to surrender their new independence, and that was no small achievement. The Indians would have created greater havoc in the backcountry as the result of the instigations of John Stuart and Thomas Brown, but for the efforts of Continental Indian Commissioner George Galphin. Galphin used his enormous influence to persuade many of the Lower Creeks to remain neutral.

• For more on the Georgia Encyclopedia online, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org

This Mystery Photo is a beautiful setting to enjoy nature

A beautiful setting, even including a bench where you can enjoy the area. But where is it? Send in your thoughts to elliott@gwinnettforum.com and be sure to include your hometown.

Last week’s mystery photograph came from George Graf of Palmyra, Va. and none of GwinnettForum’s readers were able to identify it. He says: “It is a Partisan Memorial Statue, at the former Italian Concentration Camp, Rab Island, Croatia. We took a vacation here driving from my U.S. Army base in Germany down through the Dalmatian Coast then by ferryboat to the Island of Rab.  It’s a big destination for German vacationers.  I always thought that only the Germans had the concentration camps, but Italy had them also.”

There are acres and acres of sunflowers at Forsyth County location

Roving Photographer Frank Sharp found Anderson’s Sunflower Farm in his lens last week. The Farm, just off Georgia Highway 400 at the intersection of Georgia Highway 141 (Peachtree Parkway) in Forsyth County, has acres and acres of sunflowers reaching their peak.

(NEW)  Reception of Tannery Row Artist’s Colony Summer Showcase, Series II, July 9 from noon until 5 p.m. Work selected for this show includes that of Ginger Rouse, Linda Lindeborg, Tonya Haswell, Georgia Raymond, Christine Canova and Donna Biggee. The show is on exhibit through July 29. The Colony is located at 554 West Main Street in Buford.

Snellville Development Code update: Tuesday, July 12, at 7 p.m. at the City Hall Community Room. 2342 Oak Road. For the past several months, a consultant team working with the city has been gathering resident opinions on growth and development through one-on-one conversations, focus groups, and the widely attended Towne Center gathering. That input has now been distilled into a series of broad themes which will be presented for community review, comment, and affirmation

Peachtree Corners State of the City address by Mayor Mike Mason. This will be Friday, July 15 at the Hilton Atlanta Northeast, 5993 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. This event is sponsored by the Peachtree Corners Business Association. To register, click here.

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