Universal joint for a 1940 Chevrolet.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
March 28, 2023 | Ever been “gobsmacked?”
The Jeff Davis Ledger out of Hazlehurst, in a story by Mary Ann Anderson, used that word in describing how one of their county commissioners looked when his fellow commissioners voted him off a local board where he had served for 20 years.
The word means “astonishment.” As the story goes, “And gobsmacked was the look on Ocmulgee Commissioner Van Wooten’s face when to his surprise, he was suddenly and without warning removed in a vote (3-2) as Jeff Davis County’s representative from the membership of Seven Rivers Resource and Conservation and Development Council.”
All I know of Jeff Davis County politics is what I read in that county’s newspaper, where Publisher Tommy Purser has labored for years. That community may be the best example in Georgia where confusing local governmental operations, often made at the whim of petty politicians in the city and county, had caused the area to deteriorate. The area has recently lost population, and because of the antics of its leaders, is hard-pressed to locate new industry there. It’s sad.
Infighting among politicos will harm a community every time, and make it even harder to prosper.
Are you mystified as I am about why it is taking so long for the Fulton County District Attorney to finalize what the special Grand Jury investigated concerning the Donald Trump affair and “stolen” votes in Georgia?
It’s been more than a month now since the Grand Jury investigation was concluded. Yet no word from District Attorney Fanni Williams as to her conclusion. While there may be compelling reasons to delay, moving forward people are asking questions as to why the report isn’t forthcoming.
I keep remembering the passage: “Justice delayed is justice denied.” Even Donald Trump should want this investigation completed one way or the other. After all, he wouldn’t want it to be going on should he run for president again.
Meanwhile, we wait and question.
Hopefully, this week the Georgia Legislature will complete its 2023 session. As usual, it can’t come too soon for us. We feel none of us are entirely safe while it is meeting.
Years ago one of the soap companies had a jingle, which we still remember. It brought up an item that so far the Legislature has not found a way to impose. Remember the Ajax singing commercial: “You’ll stop paying the Elbow Tax when you start cleaning with Ajax!”
Just bringing this up may give some legislator an idea to introduce a bill to charge us an Elbow Tax. Maybe this should have been left unsaid.
Universal joints: Many of you may not know what a universal joint is, but from the days of my youth, I learned about them. I remember my father often repairing the universal joint on our 1940 Chevrolet. Apparently, this General Motors car had an often malfunctioning universal joint, since my father would often be on his back under the car replacing that joint.
Universal joints are X-shaped parts typically made of steel with a bearing cap at each end that allows the vehicle’s rigid driveshaft to connect.
Best place to understand this is to look at a six-tire truck with a high body. Under the truck, you can see this steel shaft extending from the motor to the area of the back axle. When the truck is in motion, this shaft turns, sending power from the motor to the back tires. The universal joints are where this shaft connects at each end. Now you know!
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