You don’t mess with Christmas! Please stop stealing. I live in the Fernwood subdivision off of Windgate Road in Peachtree City. Yesterday we put up the Christmas decorations for the subdivision sign, which included a little snowman with a shovel in hand. Tonight it is gone. It has been at the subdivision entrance for several years. This snowman was made by my father, who is dying, and I would like it back. We have recently had two American flags and poles taken. Will you please return the snowman, no questions asked?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

While I was letting my yellow mellow, you were legally watering your newly planted sod for 30 days during the early fall. Now you’re having a swimming pool dug in your backyard which will soon be filled up with thousands of gallons of municipal water. I think I’m going to flush.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After drinking several gallons of beer over the weekend, I have come up with a simple, inexpensive solution to reduce our water consumption during this global-warming-caused, Bush/Cheney/Halliburton-conspired drought of Biblical proportions. If all the males in the state of Georgia urinate outside, we could save an estimated total of 4.7 million gallons of water per day by not flushing toilets. We’d be heroes and save the world from running dry by taking a leak on it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

If anyone has been to Lake Horton lately, there is no doubt that the lake is getting in sad shape. However, this would be a great time to take advantage of this situation and repair the west boat ramp. The end of the ramp is in terrible shape and could now be easily repaired. I think it is time that the county commissioners took the responsibility to repair this major problem now and not wait for the water to rise and then excuse the problem. Doing this now would be minimal in time and expense.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

There are many who will consider the gift of a puppy for a loved one this Christmas. Through my subscription to the Humane Society newsletters, I have come to learn about the horrible conditions that exist in many puppy mills where puppies are mass-produced by adult dogs that live their lives under deplorable conditions, giving birth to one litter after another to fulfill the demand for puppies. Often the puppies as well as the parents are unhealthy and diseased. Most are sold in pet stores and on the Internet. I would encourage people to purchase pet supplies from stores that do not sell pets obtained from puppy mills. Here in Fayette County, we have a wonderful Animal Shelter that has many animals needing a home. Rather than encourage the mass production of animals and adding to the over-population that already exists, I would urge anyone in the market for a pet to check those available at the shelter. You might be surprised to find the wide assortment of animals needing a home include many that are pure breeds. Also, consider an animal that is not pure-bred. It is my personal opinion that they do not have as many health problems and, since neither of my animals is pure-bred, I can say from experience they are just as adoring and adorable, cute and enjoyable as those that are.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

When we asked the Fayette County Board of Education the question, “If we go ahead and send our children to a school not overcrowded with trailers (under special permission), would our children have to move back to the original school once redistricting is complete?” The FCBoE said, “No, your children will be allowed to stay at that school until middle school.” Hence, we were concerned about moving them twice. Would we have moved them knowing there was even a slight chance of having to move schools again? No way. I voted for most of you; please show me I made a good choice.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Anyone who seriously believes [Peachtree City Council Post 2 candidate Mike] King will not be a Logsdon flunky is naive and a moron. Do you suppose [Mayor Harold] Logsdon encouraged his buddy to run so he could have an adversary on the council? King’s rhetoric would have us think so. But we’ve already experienced Logsdon flopping over to the side of the developers, proving his promises were empty. What do you suppose the King-Logsdon talk centers around on the 19th hole: Loud arguments, or whispered schemes about how to screw PTC for the developers? My daddy always said, “You’re known by the friends you keep.” Sturbaum may be new, but happily this may mean his new blood isn’t tainted.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I am very concerned, as other people that I talk to are, about the upcoming presidential election in 2008. If we elect a Democrat to office, our country will be completely dominated by illegals and minorities in a short time and the majority white Christian population will have absolutely no rights at all. If we elect a Republican to office, ordinary working people will starve before long as all the nation’s money is funneled to the rich and powerful through trumped-up wars and giveaways to the big corporations. What are we to do?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

For some weird reason, my wife and I read the arrest reports in The Citizen. One thing that really stands out is the number of these arrests by individuals that do not reside in our county or cities. I decided this week to do a comparison. In the Nov. 28, 2007, Citizen, 63 arrests were reported. One of the arrests was for a minor, so no address was given. Of the 62 adult arrests, 38 gave addresses outside of Fayette County. The remaining 24 gave addresses either of Fayette County, Fayetteville, Peachtree City or Tyrone. So for this report, 61 percent of the arrests were of individuals outside of our community. Just thought folks might like to know.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thank you, World Airways, for bringing the troops home for the holidays and going the extra mile by doing Art from the Heart. Thank you for asking local schools (my daughter attends St. Paul) to create artwork to display in the airplanes for their long ride home. I love the idea of the kids saying thank you to the men and women who need it the most with their creativity.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I love the way nothing of a negative nature against the CHC, Alliance, or the upcoming election runoff ever makes it to The Citizen. Not even the fact that a reporter, instead of reporting the news, tried to create it when he called the candidates who elected not to participate in the second forum and tried to talk them into participating. He also reported incorrectly that the League of Women Voters requested it, when he had already received an email stating that they would NOT participate other than to review the questions, and that it was requested by candidates. Also when he covered the first forum, he also misrepresented the nature and order of several answers to take away from Don Hayes’ comment on conflicts of interest when dealing with non-local landowners. Some of us taped the forum, and know the truth. So why should the candidates participate? Any answers they give get changed before being published for the sake of promoting certain candidates. Most local citizens thought the first forum was a biased joke. Is repeating the joke supposed to make it funnier? With the CHC Alliance, you can buy you votes by just purchasing property. It’s one vote per acre. Maybe we should just change the laws, charge $1,000 a vote for all elections, and let everyone just buy their way into office. That way, we will be more honest as a people about our elections supporting the needs of the wealthy first, and we would help bring down the national debt at the same time.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

This coming Friday, Dec. 7, is Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Each year, our President issues a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to pause and reflect on the sacrifices of those that gave their lives during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The proclamation also calls for all agencies of the federal government such as your local Post Office, as well as interested organizations and groups, to fly the flag of United States at half-staff in honor of those men and women. Citizens of Fayette County would do well to note those that fly our flag correctly on Dec. 7.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

When I go to McCurry Park to run, most of the car tags read Clayton County. When I go to the library, at least half the cars are from Clayton County. Too bad Fayette County taxpayers can’t charge out-of-county users a fee. Also, did the Wal-Mart in Riverdale close, because I see mostly Clayton County tags in the Wal-Mart at the Pavilion?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

During a bike ride yesterday my 10-year-old daughter and I stopped to help two younger girls who were being bullied by three older (middle school age) girls. When questioned further, the younger one said one of the girls doing the bullying [was her] sister. Shame on the bullies. I just wanted the younger girls to know we were there to help; sorry if we scared you more because we were strangers. I learned my lesson: I will never leave home without my cell phone so a child can call home for help.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Guess what: don’t just complain about the trash on the paths. That is your problem. Do something, choose the positive path and make a difference. You know how I’ve solved the problem of trash on the golf cart paths? I carry bags in my golf cart and each time I’m out I pick some up. I live on a path, [so] if I see trash against my yard I pick it up. If litterbugs don’t see litter they are less are inclined to add to it. My kids are learning the right way to live. I teach by example plus sometimes I think they enjoy the trash collecting on the way to the park more than the park. Same goes for the path crossings. We can all speed down Redwine, Peachtree Parkway and Lester Road, or if we see a walker/golf cart at the crossing, yield, stop, to them [and] let them pass. I promise they will wave and smile and each time I smile back knowing I helped out a neighbor. Life is a tipping point; make sure you choose wisely.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I wish parents at recreation basketball games would step outside themselves and see how they are acting and sounding. I think they would be embarrassed. They yell at their kids and behave like they are the coach. Why aren’t they coaching? The kid then looks at their parent and does not see the ball passed to them. It is painful to watch. I don’t want to admit I am friends with these parents. They act so different when their kid is involved with a sport than when you see them in other forums. There are parents and coaches already tracking who has beaten whom, two games into the season. This is no example to set for your kids.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It’s truly disturbing to read the words of those who disparage Matt Ramsey simply because he is running for election to the state House. Matt was a good classmate at FCHS. After college he served Mac Collins as a policy staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives. He returned to Georgia to earn a law degree and enter practice, where his time is spent helping individuals with their personal affairs. It’s our privilege to know Matt and to worship with him and his family at Peachtree City United Methodist Church. The people writing the garbage about Matt obviously don’t know him. Their words define them, not Matt Ramsey.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gee whiz, when you look at who is funding Matt Ramsey’s campaign, it makes you cringe. It’s the who’s who of the tennis center scandal, TDK and big boxes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The revelation of who exactly is backing Matt Ramsey in John Munford’s article made my vote on Dec. 18 an easy one. You could call that group the “Pro-big box-police station on a dump-build TDK-Harold Logsdon and look the other way with corruption committee.” Solid liberal Democrat Joel Cowan and shucksters Bob Lenox and Fred Brown are light years away from the ethical wave of conservative change Ramsey advertises. Thanks to The Citizen for exposing what is really driving the Ramsey campaign.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Twenty percent of ex-Mayor Brown’s contributions [come] from the biggest retail developer in PTC. What does Brown’s buddy get for his money?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Home foreclosures up 94 percent in October. So what’s new? They will go up another 94 percent or more every year as long as the health care and oil industries are allowed to continue draining the working American’s pocketbook, leaving him virtually nothing for other living expenses. Only the CEOs of those industries are living comfortably and who couldn’t on the multi-million-dollar salaries and bonuses they take out of our pockets? Where will it all end?