Opinions & Ideas
THE HOGANSVILLE HOME NEWS
USPS 62o-o4o
A rime lhbliatin
Millsrd B. Grime&
MIKE HAl
Pu BLISHERIADXT.RI ING DR
JOHN KtrVKENagALL
AS.°.)C.TE PUBLISHER]EDITOR
ROB RICHARDSON
ASSLSTA.rr EDrrOR
JAYNE GOLtl6"IDN
BusL' MANAGER
e
Phone (706) 846-3188- Fax (706) 846-2206
P. O. Box 426
HogansviUe, Georgia 30230
Snow No Fun
When Working
Did you enjoy the snow
that blanketed the area last
week?
I didn't enjoy it that much
because I worked right
through it. That's the thing
about working at the newspa-
per, it has to be printed and
delivered no matter what. So,
when bad wea comes.., we
just work right through it.
The kids sure enjoyed it
though. There were lots of
snowmen and (being politi-
cally correct) snow women
throughout the area. I even
noticed a couple of children
had build igloos in the snow.
Funny thing about snow
is that it makes all of us feel
like a kid again. Even if we
don't like the mess, the cold
and all the other things that
go with it, we all love to look
at it and (if we tell the truth)
like playing in it.
Since we don't get snow
here that much, we some-
times really don't remember
how beautiful it is. Looking
out the window was a treat
because of the beauty the
snow left behind.
Uqfortunael, with the
beau :lndS the ba
things, we spend a lot more
money heating our homes,
there are always lots of acci-
dents on the highways and
insurance rates usually
increase because of the
claims, etc. So while the snow
is beautiful, it's also a little
frustrating and costly.
I had a lot of fun though
for the two days that snow
covered the ground. We had
a number of employees that
were unable to make it to
work and I answered the
phones for two days, what a
hilarious couple of days.
ON WEDNESDAY, the
day of the first snow, a gen-
tleman called in and wanted
to talk to someone in accounts
receivable. I told him we did
not have any in that depart-
ment because of the
inclement weather and he
began to laugh at me I won-
dered just what he thQught
was so funny, so I asked,
"Well," came the vhice
from the other end, "rmin
New York. I don't think the
weather there could be half
as bad as here."
I had to chuckle myself to
think about it. I mean New York-
is buried in snow and ice.
On Thursday, a gentle-
men called and vbanted to
know when his subscription
would expire. Again, I
explained that there was no
one in that department due
to the weather. Again, a
chuckle. I couldn't resist, I
had to ask.
"Ohio," he said. "We're
used to snow up here. Guess
it kind of puts a halt to things
in the south. I was gonna call
the Rome newspaper next,
but they probably are not
working either."
Well, we're just not used
to snow here in the south. I
mean, when it snows we think
we should get a vacation from
work. It's dangerous driving
up and down the roads. I
wouldn't expect someone
from the north to understand
that. Snow is a every day
occurance for them.
WHILE THIS wasn't one
of the biggest snow storms
I've seen here is Georgia, it
was a one.
r
ber was in 1973. The reason
I remember it so vividly was
because of the time it hit and
where I was.
I had just turned 16and got-
ten my driver's license. I had
a dentist appointment in
Columbus and my mother had
volunteered to take me.
However, being 16 with a new
driver's license, there was no
way that was going to happen.
So, I checked out of
Harris County High School
in Hamilton about 12 noon
and drove to the dentist in
Columbus. While I was at the
dentist, a snow storm hit and
it dumped a lot of sleet pret-
ty quickly. The roads froze
over very fast and then the
snow began to fall. Before I
left the dentist Office, the
roads were covered.
I drove all the way home
to Shiloh from Columbus in
that snow. Luckily, I was driv-
ing a straight shift and man-
aged to make it. It didn't take
me long to learn to drive in
the snow. I just had to remem-
ber not to touch my brakes.
So, it was easy for me to
drive to work during our
recent snow, even though I
don't own a four-wheel drive.
All I had to remember was to
shift down to stop and not
used the brakes.
ThaCs the trick to driving
on snow and ice, never touch
your brakes.
I'm thankful for that
experience as a young man.
It's proven to be valauable.
THE HOGANSVlI.LE HOME NEWS is published weekly by the Star-Mercu,
Publishing Company. a division of Grimes Publications, at 3051 Roosevelt Highway,
Manchester, Georgia 31816. USPS 6204)40. Subscription rates by mail: $18 in
Troup, Harris or Medwether Counties: $26 a year el,where, Prices include all
sales taxes. Periodical ixvtage paid at HogansviUe, Georgia 30230.
FOR StmSCRn call (706) 846-3188 or write to Circulation Manager, Star
Mercury Publications, P. O. Box 426, Manchester, Georgia 31816.
POSTMASaXR: Send addre changes to E O. Box 426, Hogzalsville. GA 30230.
SAfv
Publisr and Advtising Director ............................................................... Mike Hale
Associate Publisher arm Editor ........................................................... John Kuykendall
Busi Manager ........................................................................ Javne Goldston
Assistant Editor: ..................................................................................... Rob Richar&on
StaffWriters .......................................................................... Bryan Geter, Billy Bryant
Assistant Advertising Mager .................................................................. Laurie Lewis
Advertising Sales ...................................................................................... :.Linda Lester
Composing ........................................................................ Valinda lvery, Lauren King
Legals ......................................................... : ............................................ Jayne Goldston
Pressman ................. : ........................................................................ Wayne Cmhowski
Pressroom .......................................................................... David Boggs, Larry Colleges
ConrtmAT
President. ............................................................................................ Millard B. Grirn
Vice Presidenu ......................................................... .. ..................... Charlte S. Grimes
Secretary .......................................................................................... Laura Grimes Corer
Treasurer ....................................................................................... Kathy Grimes Garreu
Legal Counsel and Assistant Secretary .............................................. James S. Grimes
PAGE 4 - HOGANSVILLE HOME NEWS - JAN. 10, 2002
"1
Life In tieorgla Involves Risks
(Written in 1991)
A recent study of the life
spans of men and women
showed that Georgia is near
the bottom in a ranking of
states.
Hawaii and Minnesota
were the states where people
live the longest.
Hawaii, of course, fea-
tures a warm tropical climate
where people sit around
drinking various exotic con-
coctions made with pineap-
ple juice and watch lovely
young girls in grass skirts
move their sensuous bodies
to ukulele music.
The only drawback to liv-
ing a long time in Hawaii is
you get very old and your eye-
sight eventually goes, but you
still have to put up with all
the ukulele music.
As to Minnesota, nobody
really lives a long time there.
It's so cold it just seems like
it.
Being a Georgian, I natu-
rally was concerned upon dis-
covering I can't expect to live
as long as people from other
states.
Georgia is a marvelously
diverse state, with mountains
and seashores and charming
small towns and, of course,
bustling, exciting Atlanta.
So what makes us die ear-
lier than other Americans? I
put some thought to this ques-
tion and came up with the fol-
lowing:
ATLANTA TRAFFIC:
Other cities have traffic
jams; Atlanta has traffic
wars. General Sherman
burned this city. The highway
department is dismantling it
piece by piece.
There is so much highway
construction in Atlanta,
motorists have to wear hard
hats. Rather than face anoth-
er day in Atlanta traffic, a lot
of people simply die to avoid
it.
GNATS: Gnats, tiny bugs,
are the cause of a number of
deaths in south Georgia each
year. Some of these deaths
have been attributed to swal-
lowing a large number of
gnats while talking or eating.
Some also think the rea-
son a lot of south Georgians
disappear and never are
heard from again is they are
carried off by giant swarms
of gnats and drowned in the
Okefenokee Swamp.
KUDZU: Nothing grows
faster than a kudzu vine. It
has been known to cover
entire homes in Georgia
while the families are asleep
for the night. They are then
trapped inside and can't get
to a convenience store so they
starve.
Those who try to eat their
way out of kudzu quickly have
their innards entangled in the
vine, because no matter how
much you chew it the blamed
stuff just keeps on growing.
THE FALCONS: The
Falcons lost a game to the
Chicago Bears, 36-0, and the
Falcons' coach blamed it on
poor officiating. The Falcons
have been big losers most
every year they've been in
Atlanta. A man fell out of the
stadium during a Falcons
game once and was killed. I
think he jumped after anoth-
er Falcons holding penalty.
LIVING IN BUCK-
HEAD: Buckhead is a tiny
section of Atlanta, similar to
those in other large metro-
politan areas, where about 11
million people under the age
of 35 live.
Each evening all II mil-
lion get into their Mercedeses
and go to trendy Buckhead
bars and talk to one another.
Here is what a Buckhead bar
conversation usually sounds
like:
"I was like, 'Wow!' and he
was like, 'Really?"
Dory
Hoga
eepti(
eDoll
These people might die Mr 1
from .... wearing their designeiof--"1
jeans too tlght, choking o
• . qdthe
hearts of palm while eatmgrvic e
their salads or being tram o
h" fy
pied by a polo pony s e
• m]
The study furthe Sur
revealed at what time of y
• . ealtt
most Georgians die. It's wheq of
the legislature is in session. !mess
ghte
BY SPECIAL Aim00GF¢ff= o
MENT wrrH HIS WlDOV00ada
DEDRA, THE HOME NEWS I00lsisu
CARRYING SEI2ECqI]d ten
COLUMNS BY THE LATE IEWI
GRIZZARD, WHO GREW UP IN
NEARBY MORELAND, ANII I
BECAME THE MOST WIDELY
READ GEORGIA WRITER O[
I-HS TIME. GRIZZARI rs.
BEINGED TO AI AMERIC.-I nFat
BUT HE PARTICULARL 8 "ax
B00NGED TO TInS AREA R
GEORGIA, OF WHICH H]f/i C t
WROTE SO OFTEN, ANn B
WHERE A PORTION OF I-8 d )rr
tu
FROM NEWNAN T R,"
inl
HOGANSVIIJ IS NAMED Ic }
HIS HONOR. THE LEWI l a
GRIZZARD MUSEUM WAI 9 8
FarABUSHED tN MORELAm00 he
IN 1996, AND A WRITING ANI,
EDITING LAB IS BEING DEDI A
CAZZDTOmS00O00ATHIS
BELOVED UNIVERSITY Oet rs
GEORGIA.GRI72ARI)'S BOOle xii
AND TAPES ARE STILL AVAI v 'aslU(
ABLE FOR SALE THROUGII h t t(
BAD BOOT PRODUCTIONS, POkes
nox 009100s, ATLANTA,
31118-1266 AND AT BOOK ANItis t
MUSIC STORF NATIONWIDbov
You Thought I Wasn't Looking...
Frances and I have two
dear friends who are the par-
ents of two grown children.
One of the children has been
very successful in life, mar-
tied with a very nice he
and family. The other chad
hasn't d6H"s"6 rdl], falling
into bad company at a young
age, developing some bad
habits and never really get-
ring control of life.
Both children were
raised in the same loving
Christian home. Both were
taught right from wrong, edu-
cated (as far as each would
go), loved and churched.
They both were raised iden-
tically, no favorites.
Our friends are thankful
for both children and love
them equally. However,
sometimes they (especially
the father) beat themselves
up worrying about what they
might have done, or could
have done differently, in the
case of the child that has not
done so well hi life. Could the y
have been better examples?
I hardly think so.
Even though they were
not perfect parents, and none
of us are, what they appar-
ently fail to see are the many
things they did over the years
that were good examples for
their n compared to
the qer-) few things that
might not have b/z.
SOMEONE wrote the fol-
lowing that puts their situa-
tion and many other parents
as well, in perspective. It is
titled, "When you thought I
wasn't looking."
*I saw you hang my first
painting on the refrigerator,
and I immediately wanted to
paint another one.
*I saw you feed a stray
cat, and I learned that it was
good to be kind to animals.
*I saw you bake my
favorite cake for me, and I
learned that the little things
can be the special things in
life.
*I saw you make a meal
and take it to a friend who
was sick, and I learned that
we all have to help take care
of each other.
°I saw you give of your
time and money to help peo-
ple who had nothing, and I
learned that those who have
something should give to
those who don"t.
*I felt you kiss me good-
night, and I felt loved and
safe.
*I saw you take care of
our house and everyone in it,
and learned we have to care
for what we are given.
oI saw how you handled
your responsibilities even
when you didn feel well, and
I learned that I would have
to be responsible when I grow
up.
*I saw tears come from
your eyes, and I learned that
°fGa
I
laness
ndct
YOU SEE, our childre
and others watch us muct
closer than we think, and the L._.._
don't only see the few ba
things we might do, they als¢ •
see the many good things •
They see the importanl •
things we do when we thi •
that no one is watching. •
A Need to Teach the Word of God00
This past weekend our
hearts sank in horror as we
heard the report of the fif-
teen-year-old young man who
stole a single-engine Cessna
and proceeded to crash it into
a bank building in Tampa,
Florida. I do believe that it
was only by the grace of God
that no one was in that office
at the time.
In years past, the nation
was astounded at the news of
teens not only taking
firearms to school, but using
them to actually murder
teachers and classmates.
Now, in what appears to be a
copycat of the dreadful
events of September 11, a
teen has used a plane to make
his statement. In a song by
the Southern Gospel singing
family, The Steeles, a line
says, 'qktat has happened to
our young people?" Indeed,
what has happened to some
of our young people?
I will be the first to stand
up for the young people of our
nation. In spite of all the '°oad
apples" we hear about, there
are some fine young people
in this country. I have two
boys. One is fourteen and one:
will be eleven in a few
months, and they are two fine
young men. Many of you
reading this can vouch for the
integrity of young people that
you know. Even some of the
ones "gone bad" need defend-
ing. Although they have made
mistakes and even commit-
ted crimes, some of the
responsibility has to be
placed at the feet of the par-
ents.
In many instances we
hear of how terrible the pub-
lic school system is, how lax
the teachers are and how the
education received by the
children is substandard.
Granted, there are some
teachers who probably need
to be doing something else;
there are some schools which
need overhauling; and there
are standards which need to
be raised, but in the end the
responsibility for the educa-
tion of our children and young
people is again to be placed
in the lap of the parents. The
greatest problem our school
systems have (in my opinion)
is the home.
Our homes are not what
they used to be. I do not know
anything about the young
Bishop boy's (the boy who
flew the plane mentioned ear-
ller) parents, but I do know
many of our teens would be
in less trouble if the home was
like it ought to be.
Our teachers need the
support of the parents. I
remember growing up, if I
got in trouble at school, I was
in twice the trouble at home,
no questions asked. The
teachers need support and
our children need support.
Ask them about their day, get
involved with homework, and
know what they are being
taught.
There are those who
leave the secular education
to the public school teacher
and there are those who leave
the spiritual education to the
Sunday School teacher. The
Bible tells us that children
are heritage from the Lord.
Being a pmamt carries a great
weight of responsibility and
just as there are juvenile
delinquents, there are also
parental delinquents. We as
parents have the responsibil-
ity to teach our children the
Word of God, but our childr
also have the need to be
taught the Word of God. It "Corn
may be that some yo_g peo
ple need a change in the
things surrounding them, but
all our young people need # I
change in the things inside .,,,.
them. In order to change th
/L
way our children act on
outside they first need
changeontheinside
that only comes from a
sonal relationshi
Christ, which can only
through the Word of
The apostle Paul in
ing to young Timothy said
2 Timothy 3:15-17,
from a child thou has
the hol3
able to make thee wise
is in Christ Jesus. All
ture is given by
of God, andis
doctrine,
rection, for instruction
righteousness:
That the
be perfect,
nished unto all
What our children need
equip
tumble world ahead of
around them is a life
ed upon the truths of
Bible.
sometimes things hurt, am
it's all right to cry.
oi saw how you cared
I wanted to become
thing that I could be.
*I saw how you workect
oftentimes tong ,hbrS, , to se
that our material nds werd
met.
oi saw how you tried you/
best to put God first, famil
and friends second, and 110
finances third, and I learned
from that.
*I learned most of life'S
lessons that I need to kno .
to be a good and productiv*-
person when I grow up fron -X,'-J {
you.
*I looked at you and want.
ed to say, "Thanks for all the
things I saw when yo
thought I wasn't Iooldng."
