How can we blame our children for what we do?

I couldn't believe what I was hearing this morning. A PRESCHOOLER is going to be disciplined for bringing a gun to school. What kind of ignorance flourishes here in Georgia? It is beyond belief. NPR had the story. Nothing mentioned about whoever made that gun available. No one sold a gun to a preschooler. He couldn't have filled out a gun license form. Give me a break. My head hurts just thinking about this. Oh, yes, and they are going to throw the book at -- what is it -- an 8th grader who brought a gun to school. Where are the grownups? Who is taking responsibility here?

Instead of passing reasonable gun control laws, we will put preschoolers behind bars? Or, are we talking time out? With grownups not taking charge, how will our children ever grow up to understand they world they live in?

Fulton County Proposes Cutting Arts Funding 100% -- Bad Timing!

ARTS ALERT:

I just wrote the following email message to my Fulton county commissioner (relating to the Fulton County Commission Manager's recommendation that we cut the arts budget by 100%!) Feel free to "borrow" any or all of my text:

Dear Commissioner Hausmann,

I am sure you appreciate the value of the arts to our community and economy,
and would hope that you agree slashing the arts budget 100% is counter-productive.

I am a member of several arts organizations including Georgia Production Partnerships,
Atlanta Film Festival and Women's Caucus for Arts of Georgia.  I am also a financial advisor
and former business columnist for the Los Angeles times.

Putting all the pieces in logical fashion, one of the most attractive pieces in Georgia's
economy, and certainly a piece we would be wise to nourish, is the film and television
industry that is currently embracing our state and investing heavily here. It is
bringing BILLIONS of dollars in revenue into Georgia.

As someone who is involved has been involved in the film and television industry in
California and currently here in Georgia, I am very aware of the integrated nature
of all the arts and the film industry. It pulls talents from all the arts. They use dancers,
artists, animators, actors, light designers and a hoard of other individuals with talents
that relate to the arts in every way imaginable. It would be the most short-sighted
management of our budget to cut funding for the arts at this moment in time.

Cutting arts funding? When the arts feed a major industry that we are trying to
romance and entice into our backyard?  Please convey this message to those who
have not thought all of this through. I have friends in Hollywood who are painfully
aware of business moving to Georgia. Is everyone on the Fulton County Commission
getting the message?

If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you very much,

Loretta Andre Paraguassu

What is he thinking?

     Last night I was part of the captive audience -- watching the Tonight Show and listening to Barack Obama pitch his positions on various issues. Much as I admire the man, I couldn't help wishing he had a little more of the Bill Clinton talent for entertaining an audience.

     No, that isn't what is bothering me this morning. What has me upset is that he wants to dump Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and reward our oh-so-admirable private sector with the whole kit and caboodle of mortgage loans. Who was responsible for the mortgage meltdown? It wasn't the government agencies. It was Bank of America and its compatriot private enterprises. They are too big to fail and too big to control.

    So, the banks are to be rewarded with the entire mortgage business? Tell me, if they couldn't be controlled before, how are we going to control them in the future? They must be high fiving and toasting each other like there is no tomorrow. I, personally, am sickened by the possibility.

    What I want to know is which member of the GOP sold this idea to Obama and what is being bargained in return? This, as far as I'm concerned, really stinks. Sure, one of the cornerstones of the middle class is home ownership. Obama put that in his outline for the conventional American dream. Oh, yeah, this is AFTER the great transfer of wealth and bargain basement sales that have thrilled "investors," AKA, the people who can write a check to buy a house, the people who don't have to worry about taking out a mortgage. And, as those houses go on the rental market for inflated prices to the very people who lost their homes, what is going to change?

    I don't get it!