Fellow Fayette Countians, quit buying your gas in Fayette County. As of this writing, gas in Fayette County has risen twice since it was increased in Clayton, Henry or Coweta. Gas from the same companies is cheaper, at times $0.25 cheaper per gallon. Why is this, Fayette County does not have any other tax on gas than other counties? They are also the slowest to lower prices. We are getting gouged by providers in our own county. Hurt them by not buying from them, because they are hurting your pocket book. Here are a few simple rules about purchasing gas. Only buy your gas in the morning when the ground is still cool. This has something to do with expansion. Do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to the fast mode. This has something to do with the vapors being recovered back into the pump rather than your tank, meaning less gas. Fill your tank when it is half full/half empty. If gas is being delivered, do not buy. The delivery system stirs up the sediment on the bottom of the tank, which may end up in yours. The following companies do not buy oil from Middle Eastern oil companies. Remember these are the people that hate us and want to kill us: Sunoco, Conoco, BP/Phillips, Hess, Arco.

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Most county employees enjoy job security because the jobs they do have have to be done. It’s not because Fayette is some employment utopia. When you lose good people for better benefits elsewhere, you DO get to replace them with a less expensive person. However, with many jobs, if you factor in the cost to train new people, the financial advantage is lost for the first several years. The truth is, Mr Dunn’s thoughts about saving money have already cost this county plenty. Under his tenure, he closed the sick leave repayment plan. Unlike many organizations, Fayette County placed a cap on accruable sick leave. Many years ago, the commission decided to pay the employees $0.50 for every dollar of accrued time above the cap on an annual basis, right before Christmas. This amount was roughly the same amount as the employees’ regular paycheck. Well, Commissioner Dunn (and Wells) cut the program to save that $0.50 on the dollar. After that, there was no benefit for the employees to max out their sick time. Essentially, the benefit of “X” hours of sick time accrued each pay period was revoked when the employee maxed out. So what happened? Employees’ sick time usage increased drastically (not that I agree with this). In essence the employee was receiving $1 on the dollar for his/her sick time. Additionally, many of these employees’ jobs had to be covered by another employee who was now on overtime (there’s not a lot of redundancy here) at time and one half, or $1.50 on the dollar. So to combine that, we have the employee on sick leave at $1 on the dollar and the employee covering for $1.50 on the dollar for a total of $2.50 on the dollar. All to save $0.50. It was a fiasco, and they were warned. But their arrogance was astounding. By the way, Mr. Dunn enjoys the freedom of his retirement by having what kind of retirement plan?

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Enough already with the early political signage for the presidential election in front yards. The election is six months from now, and I really don’t care if you support Obama or McCain. Are you trying to convince me to vote the same way as you? Believe me and everyone else in your neighborhood, a sign in your front yard is not going to make a difference. All it does is annoy the neighbors with unsightly signs. Let’s exercise some self-control by not putting up your signs for the November election until, say, October. But then self-control requires discipline, which most folks find extremely hard to achieve. And by the way, how about holding off the signs for the July election until June? I know you have the right to freely express yourself, but good grief, you’re not going to sway anybody.

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I am so glad to hear that Linda Wells is running for tax commissioner. Maybe she’ll have some luck in convincing the citizens of Fayette County that it is time for a change. The days of thinking that women should not hold any political office are over. The days of forcing people into retirement because they are 70 are over. (How old is our tax commissioner?) The discrimination is over. It’s time for a true professional to clean up the mess that’s been made over the last three terms.

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Most Fayette Countians are great and do “Share the Road.” Worst drivers? Let me first agree with the comments by the golf cart rider that the rudest are the “moms.” As a bicyclist, my experience has been the same. Some SUV soccer moms seem to be in a rush and impolite. My greatest concern is that one of these moms will be distracted and run me into a superfortress brick mailbox or a tree. A losing proposition, most assuredly. I ride in about 12 counties. I very seldom get hassled: not by good ol’ boys in trucks, commercial drivers, 18 wheelers, etc. An occasional leather-lunged teenager, yes, but it is the moms hands down. For the most part cycling in Fayette is very, very good. The roads are great; almost all motorists “Share the Road”; we have less trash. We cyclists need to realize how good we have and don’t hog the road. When a car is coming, get single file and get over. One request of the road departments: Get rid of the white reflector drunk bumps on the white side fog lines (and the grooves on the road like Ga. Highway 74 South). Only a few roads have them. They are unnecessary and force bicyclists into the center of the road. Take them out, and I will always move to the side. The reflectors in the middle are sufficient. Thank you, Fayette, for sharing the road.

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To the moron who declares that cyclists have the “right” to ride two abreast on a two-lane road. Let me explain a few laws to you. First, we have laws known as minimum speed limit laws in this country. The reason for these is so that very slow drivers who disrupt the flow do not cause major accidents by disrupting the natural flow of traffic and forcing everyone around them to make adjustments for their sub-par driving skills. These laws typically apply to state roads and interstate highways. As far as two-lane roads go, you need to understand this law that always applies on any road in Georgia: If you as a motorist cross a double yellow line, then anything that happens during that time period is your fault, period. I learned this lesson the hard way when I was a teenager in a major accident. So what this means is that under no circumstances is a motorist legally authorized to cross a double yellow line. You fools driving down Robinson Road two or three abreast are FORCING motorists to cross double yellow lines on a daily basis, and this is a fact. You are in fact forcing people to break the law because you have to speak a little louder for the guy in front to hear your babble or to see your pretty little face up close. This falls under the heading of entitlement. You people are no different than the lazy fools who ride around with handicap stickers with no affliction whatsoever or park directly in front of Kroger even though there are hundreds of parking spaces in the lot. If it comes down to a motorists having to make a split decision of crossing a double yellow into oncoming traffic or sending you into the weeds, you will lose every time. Sorry. Next thing you know we will have four runners on the golf cart paths declaring we have the right to do this. Use some common sense, people. I have nothing against cyclists; I own a 12-speed hybrid myself. Clearly this does not apply to all road cyclists; some actually get it.

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Yellow rain slicker cyclist: Thank you for being so careful and considerate in the morning. I see you riding your bike (to work maybe?). You respect the motorists and ride to the side of the road. Thank you and have an enjoyable spring and summer.

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To the “good citizen” bicyclist who reported my golf cart number and my son to the police Friday night: Next time, don’t take your eye off the cart before you decide to follow it. The three boys throwing beer bottles in the pond went the opposite direction through the tunnel. They flipped my son and his friend an obscene gesture, cussed at them and continued on. My son (who hates litter AND alcohol) came through the tunnel toward you and you followed him. You gave a good description, just the wrong boys. The policeman who took your statement was too busy to come back to our house that night and talk to the boys and he said no arrests were made, so my son’s requested breathalyzer was not necessary. So now we have a police report against us and a “record” of an incident with our golf cart and no way to defend ourselves. If you’ll rethink your actions that night, I’m sure you’ll realize your mistake. Please be an actual good citizen and correct your statement to the police. My son doesn’t deserve this.

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It’s not that Delta pilots are greedy; it’s just that second and third wives are REALLY expensive.

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Hey, Delta pilots, what good is your seniority when you’re out of a job? Don’t worry, though: There are ALWAYS opportunities in the fast food industry.

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With the skyrocketing price of gas, I think it’s about time the police chief in Peachtree City halted the use of all patrol cars being driven back and forth from work to the officers’ homes. I know there are several officers that live in Palmetto, Newnan and Sharpsburg. Why should the taxpayer be footing the gas bill for them to have the convenience of using a city vehicle, at the city’s expense, to go to and from work? Gas is expensive. This would be a big cost saver. What is everyone’s thoughts on this?

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Lacrosse, a great game for girls and boys too frail to play football.

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I tell you this true story so that all may learn from my mistake. A few nights ago, my wife was driving along Robinson Road at 35 miles per hour when out of the woods sprung an adult deer. Startled, she swerved to avoid hitting the animal, but consequently ran up on the side curbing along the road. The car sustained damage to both passenger side tires and wheels, along with a connecting arm underneath: $1,300 in damages. Hesitantly, I called Geico to find out what their stance would be on the matter. Should I eat the $800 over my deductible or should I file a claim for the damages and a rental? The representative initially said that this was a not-at-fault claim because of the deer, which makes sense. Still uneasy about the whole thing, I proceeded to give him all the details about the location, where the car was being repaired and so on. Only after he gave me my claim number did he say, “Oh, wait, you say your wife didn’t actually strike the deer with the vehicle?” My reply was, “No, as I told you in the very beginning, she swerved to AVOID hitting the deer.” “Oh, well that changes everything. It is an at-fault claim because she didn’t actually hit the animal.” Now she’s just a careless driver who can’t keep it between the lines. Bait and switch at it’s finest. This is exactly why the general population would rather have a root canal done rather than deal with an insurance company. I have been with Geico for over five years, no tickets, no accidents, premiums always paid on time and up front, and this is how they treat customers. Everyone, do yourselves a favor. If you’re with Geico, drop them immediately. If you’re not, don’t ever consider them. I myself am going to get every penny that I can out of them and then drop them as well. Don’t trust the Gecko!

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Well, our very own world-famous, self-proclaimed most conservative congressman the free world, Lynn Westmoreland, recently sent out a one-page glossy-colored mailer to thousand of folks in his district at a cost to us of thousands of dollars. His picture was plastered all over the expensive mailer, and guess what the subject was? Water and the restrictions on its use this summer. The problem is that this same information had already been clearly outlined in at least three local newspapers, the AJC and in a one-page insert in our water bill, courtesy of the Fayette County Water Department. Cost to taxpayers of these notices — $0. Cost to the taxpayers of the great conservative’s mailer: Thousands of our dollars. It might just be cheaper if the congressman just stayed home and gave his proxy vote to one of his fellow legislators as we all know how he will vote: just a rubber stamp for the administration,

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To the writer who blames Bush for everything including his having to find a job at 74: Why don’t you equally blame Clinton, Reagan, Carter, etc., back to Truman? I have almost the same background at 73 as you, but I saved and invested my money and live just fine under Mr. Bush. Why didn’t you? Don’t blame the president for your own failures.

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I have the deepest sympathy for the people of Myanmar after the devastating cyclone, and I agree that they need help. However, there is something wrong with the picture here. Our government declares that we have a vast surplus of food and other commodities and they want to give billions of dollars worth to those victims and even deliver it free of charge at the American taxpayers’ expense. We know for a fact that the military dictators of that country are using that aid for their own benefit as propaganda fodder. While this is going on, the working class American is being gouged so badly for those same commodities that people are dying of hunger and losing their homes in record numbers. It appears that there is a striking similarity between the military dictators of third world countries and the politicians and big business executives in America.

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Why does the government continue to shut out the free market and spend our tax money like there is no limit? We’ve witnessed a trend over the past few years of area officials shutting tree services out of tornado and hurricane affected areas. The misnomer is that it is due to price gouging. We watched as charges were brought against tree surgeons for charging three times the normal price in these instances. It seems that no one has any sense of reason when the government jumps in to “save the day.” Firstly, I am not against aid to those in need, the uninsured, isolated, the citizens in need of immediate relief. Conversely, our tax money is paying to clean up and remove debris from insured property, in an area where the free market is able to take care of itself (and usually in a much more efficient, experienced and professional manner). Secondly, anyone who has ever run a business knows why prices increase during these disasters. If a tree surgeon can travel, lodge (in a disaster area) and pay crew wages for the same price he charges locally, then he was price gouging his everyday customers in the first place. The government has never been able to run anything more efficiently than the private sector (remember Katrina?). It seems the interest here is to shield insurance companies from paying out on policies and negotiating their own price. Beholden to historical accuracy, the government is protecting the interests of big business (like the current mortgage companies, big farming, credit card companies, insurance companies), fooling people to believe it’s for their own good (remember utility company deregulation?), shutting out local competition, and sticking tax-paying citizens with the bill. Where is the economic stimulus in this plan? Withhold local, free market, opportunity from small businesses and use tax funds instead? The more we expect handouts from the government, the worse this economy will get.

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I attended the McIntosh Senior Honors Night last week. I guess it’s true, “Nerds DO rule.”

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Is this country’s progression to globalization really the answer? I offer a few points for ponder. Is the government’s insistence upon more ethanol research and subsidies to farms to grow for that purpose not resulting in world hunger and depleting the soil of valuable minerals and green space? Has our participation in the Kyoto treaty and increased trade with China (which does not participate) not created more global pollution? Is our government’s interference in every aspect of our life not making our lives more difficult and less prosperous? I feel the winds of political change growing to a degree not seen since the Revolutionary War. I can only hope that the outcome will be as fruitful. Please consider a rally for the Fair Tax now and return this country’s destiny to the hands of the people. It may just be the most environmentally friendly thing we could ever do.

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Barack isn’t a man of THE people, he’s a man of OUR people (oh, and just in case you haven’t figured it out, we’re not looking for equality, we’re looking for revenge).

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I’m sure that we can assume that those who keep bringing up Rev. Wright in the same breath as they do Barack Obama have repudiated the late Rev. Jerry Falwell for his claim that 9/11 was God’s reaction to legalized abortion in America.

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Will someone please tell me why I’m supposed to care what Lindsay Lohan did today (although I must say she looked GOOD doing it)?

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Last year we had a near-miss with the obscene proposal to give away citizenship with benefits galore. Even Bush wanted to change the current requirements by pandering to special interests. Thankfully the American public rose up and convinced a slight majority of our politicians (esteemed decision-makers) that this was an ill-conceived plan. Unfortunately, at the time, we were approaching an election and the politicians had to do what the people of the Unites States wanted instead of what they wanted. My last sentence should be read several times over. How odd one should have to say something like that. Alas, after November, be prepared for the ultimate giveaway, America.