8th Annual Southern Hands Artist Studio Tour Live and On-line

Artists open their studios to the public the 2nd weekend in November!

Southern Hands Artist Studio Tour, a free self-guided tour of artist studios, similar to a tour-of-homes or gardens, will be held Saturday, November 14th and Sunday, November 15th this year. Several artists are also open Friday, November 13th. Art students and art-lovers of all ages are invited to come be inspired and learn a bit more about the wide variety of art talent in their community.

Tour artists are located in Fayette and Coweta counties and in Chatt Hills, South Fulton. The variety of art covers the spectrum to include painting, bronze sculpting, fused glass, weaving, ceramics, jewelry, woodturning, fabric art, photography, and mixed media.

Southern Hands Artist Studio Tour (SHAST) is adapting to ensure art-lovers across the Metro Atlanta area can safely visit artist’s studios.

Chair Suzanne Kleese-Stamps shared, “Masks will be available to visitors and studio set ups will allow for easy social distancing.”

She continued, “We’re also excited to add a new way for those who aren’t comfortable going to studios to enjoy and purchase art. We are launching a virtual tour that will start December 1st and be live through December 31st.”

Visitors can find Tour Booklets at various locations around the South Metro area with times, a listing of artists, photos, events and a map or can visit the tour website, www.SHASTour.com, for a printable tour booklet, map, events and other information on the live and virtual Tour.

New artists join the Tour each year and 2020 is no exception! Internationally known sculptor Nnamdi Okonkwo, bronze artist Mike Sluder, jeweler Andrea Winkler, fine artist Dianne Cutler, woodturner David Oehrke, charcoal artist Caitlin Collins, floral designer Dawn Hunt, and painter Heather Bergholt will be in their own studios or will be guest artists in other artist’s studios. Two emerging artists are participating this year, mixed media artist Katie Turner and photographer Mac Aughey. Returning artists include Cheryl Jashek, Austin Lindsey, Bill Turner, Sherry Cook, Seth Fitts, Janet McGregor Dunn, Suzanne Kleese-Stamps, Andrea Faye, Carla Cook-Smith, Jennifer Stott, Taryn Cuper, Denise Prince, Hanley Lewis, Gail Jensen, Helena Marette, Manasi Joshi, Cheryl Krebs and Charles Tryon.

Participating artists demonstrate their techniques throughout the day. Check the website for a list of special demos such as raku firing, kiln openings, glaze demos and more. Visitors will also have the opportunity to play with clay, do a bit of painting, make ornaments or try their hand at weaving and other art activities. Art is available for sale during the tour. Many of the artists offer classes or are available for private lessons.

SHAST was started by local ceramic artist Andrea Boswell to educate those curious about the creative process and to inspire future artists. Her vision has expanded and each year the all-volunteer Board selects two art-related charities to support.

SHAST, a 501(3)c non-profit, is held the 2nd weekend in November. Attendance is free. Many make this an annual event bringing family and friends. Along with art, information and fun, guests enjoy a variety of refreshments at each studio.

Each year local galleries and other businesses support SHAST through donations and sponsorships. This year Piedmont Insurance Associates, Inc., Stamps Store Fixtures, Chatt Hills Gallery, Paint Space, and Talk Time Speech and Language Services, LLC are a few of the generous supporters of the Tour

To learn more about SHAST call Andrea Boswell at 678-641-1247, email info@shastour.com, visit www.SHASTour.com, follow along on Twitter: @shastga, Facebook: artstudiotourga, Instagram: shastour_ga or sign up for SHAST Blasts on the website.

Big Bank vs Community Bank...

Late last week I stopped by my bank of countless years, Regions Bank, and canceled my three checking accounts. Out of the blue they decided to start charging a monthly fee for my tiny little accounts so rather than pay them to use my money I picked up the phone and easily found a lot of other banks that didn't charge. I had two business accounts and a personal account (no fee on that one). None of them had a lot of money in them, but since the money just sat there for months without being used, thus allowing them to earn money on my money it was silly to stay with Regions Bank.

I planned my day to allow time to answer questions when I canceled my account. I wasn't upset and I really like some of the people at the bank who I've known for years so no way I'd fuss even if I did have a problem! However, no one asked why I was canceling. I walked in, asked the teller who I needed to talk with about canceling my account and was told she could do it. Five minutes later my accounts were closed, I had my cash and I left. Not one question. Not one "gee, we're sorry you're leaving" (even before they saw my small balances!).

As said, I'd found quite a few banks that didn't charge. I had talked face-to-face with some of the various bank reps at the Fayette County Chamber Expo in September. It's a great event and I was able to get a good feel for the people plus got to take home a lot of info to compare.

I settled on Charter Bank. It's a small community bank with branches in Fayette County, Coweta County, and then a few going down into LaGrange and over into Alabama. The only thing they didn't have that I would have liked is ATM fee reimbursement given the small number of locations... but since I never use them that wasn't a biggie for me, but might be for others.

The people were fantastic. Not over the top fake gushing friendly, but real, down-to-earth, gee we really appreciate the fact that you chose us fantastic. I walked out of there feeling that I'd made some friends. I also walked out with a pair of computer speakers and a good thermos. How many banks these days give you gifts for opening an account? I got a kick out of it and had to joke that I was glad they weren't handing out toasters! Then I looked at the list and saw that back in the early part of the year they handed out little bread-toasting sandwich grills... close.

I like the idea of a community bank. I like feeling like I'm more than a number. I like it that while they of course want the big accounts, they still appreciate all the small accounts. I like the free checking, too.

I had forgotten what excellent customer service felt like. Sure, my old bank had really nice people and I liked them. However, their hands were tied when it came to making decisions... understandably so given their size. They didn't know much about me or my account. Only one person in the branch that I've gone into for years remembered my name, and that was because we knew each other outside the bank. I have the feeling that when I walk into Charter Bank they'll remember my name.

I hear SunTrust's commercials saying they give you an individual banker who cares. I like the concept, but somehow I can't imagine that two little start-up businesses like mine would warrant a whole lot of individual attention! I think I have found a bank where I'll get the kind of attention that makes me feel like I matter. That's a rare thing these days in the world of big, bigger and biggest.

I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

Oh, the reason Regions Bank gave me for starting to charge a fee is that the changes in the way ATM withdrawals work will cost them a lot of revenue... they have to make it up somewhere. The new regs don't allow them to overdraft your account when you make a withdrawal but don't have the funds. I gather that in the past if you took out a hundred dollars but only had fifty in the account they'd give you the money, then charge your overdraft fees or the overdraft protection would kick in, which also cost money. Now you have to designate which way you want it to work. I found it ironic that I was being charged a fee on my banking account due to ATM fee changes and yet I never use an ATM card on the Regions accounts... I do on my main personal account, which is with another bank. If things go well at Charter, that account may be moving, too...

Iraqi Forces Discover Priceless Smuggled Treasure

At the Fayette Front Page and Georgia Front Page we receive a lot of really good stories that we'd love to include but just can't find the right place. The following story is one that I thought was really interesting but it doesn't quite "fit" anywhere on the main sites. I wish we could include every good story that comes our way, especially those about our military. Despite all the lip service about loving our troops, the press sure doesn't like to include any stories that paint them in a good light... It drives me nuts to hear the words coming out of SOME people's mouths about supporting out troops. Words have absolutely no meaning unless they're backed up by action. OK, before I get too far afield and really start going down the trash-the-media-path, I'll just post the story and let you read.

Iraqi Security Forces recently uncovered hundreds of historical artifacts during two raids in northern Basra.

The 228 ancient artifacts included Sumerian and Babylonian sculpture, gold jewelry and other items from ancient Mesopotamia.

"This is my favorite item," said Iraqi Col. Ali Sabah, commander of the Basra Emergency Battalion that led the operation, holding a piece of gold jewelry. "It's gold from the Babylon ages and about 6,000 years old. It doesn't have a price."

"I'm very happy because this is my civilization's heritage," he said.

The Basra Emergency Battalion led raid operated from tips that smugglers intended to remove the treasure from the country.

"We got information that there were important Iraqi monuments that were going to be smuggled outside of Iraq," Sabah said.

After verifying a tip, the operation kicked off with a house raid that recovered 160 pieces of Iraqi monuments that were found in the yard. "We arrested five of the guys and they admitted to the crime," he said.

These arrests led to a second raid on in al-Ayaqub in northern Basra.

The monuments were found in a box in a corner of the yard covered with blocks. "We knew what we were looking for because we had pictures," Sabah said

"We will send it back to Baghdad via the Ministry of Defense to action moving it to the Iraqi Museum," he said.

Sabah said he hopes Iraqi authorities will get more information of this kind. "The soldiers are very, very proud to conduct this operation," he said. "I can't describe how happy we were when the soldiers found it.

"Each of the soldiers will be very proud when they visit the museum with their families and their wives and they can say 'I brought it back'."

(Special to American Forces Press Service - Multi-National Division South East PAO)
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The Procrastinator's Free Shipping Day

Don't you love the retail mind? "They" spend so much time and money trying to figure out how we think and how we shop! Do you know there are people who specialize in setting up store aisles just to entice you to buy? They study how you look around as you walk the aisles, what grabs your attention, when you're most likely to grab that spontaneous item that wasn't on your list and more.

They've figured out which music will have you buy more... which is something many of our fast food restaurants and smaller retail stores should study! I'm going off on a side tangent here, but it one of my pet peeves to walk into a store that caters to me with its merchandise, but caters to those working the store with the choice of music. Sure, they have to be there all day, but I'm the one buying the stuff that pays their salary. Many restaurants and stores have forgotten their customers... but as said, I'm off on a tangent.

The "retail brains" have come up with something that is right up my alley. It's perfect for procrastinators like yours truly. I am famous for doing all, and I mean all, of my Christmas shopping Christmas Eve (and after if I know I'm not going to see someone on "the" day). I am not as bad as one lady I talked with who did her shopping at the local drug store Christmas Eve because she missed the regular store closings... but I'm bad.

A large group of stores have banded together to offer FREE shipping on December 18th. That's about as close as you can cut it before Christmas if you're expecting to get those gifts wrapped in time to go under the Christmas tree.

I'll tell you from personal experience though, that even with free shipping and guaranteed delivery dates, things can fall through the cracks. Last year I ordered a group of items from Amazon. I received confirmation on the order, then a few days later a shipping notice on some of the items. I waited a day, then called to verify that the other things were going to make it. They looked it up and assured me they had been shipped with the other items, just later in the afternoon. They said it must have been an email glitch. I went out to try and track them a day or so later, couldn't be found. Long story, but after four or five calls, Christmas Day rolled around and I still didn't have part of the presents.

I called. I wrote. I got so fed up I swore I'd never shop Amazon again (and I won't). They were rude on my second call and it got progressively worse, even though I was very nice and patient until a few days before Christmas. If they'd told me the truth or taken the time to really investigate when I called I could have picked up the items in the store. I had two very disappointed little girls on Christmas day.

So. Order early. Track well. Cancel fast. And whatever you do, don't wait until Christmas Eve to hit the drug stores for gifts .

December 18 is Free Shipping Day, a first-of-its-kind event designed for holiday shopping procrastinators

Holiday shopping procrastinators now have a day designed especially for them. The inaugural Free Shipping Day (www.freeshippingday.com) - which is set for December 18, 2008, and will be an annual event - is a reward for people who wait until the last minute to cross those final gifts off their list.

On Free Shipping Day participating merchants give free shipping to online shoppers with guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve.

Retailers have embraced the idea, which was hatched by Luke Knowles, founder of FreeShipping.org (www.freeshipping.org), a one-stop destination for consumers to find online retailers that offer free shipping deals. Participating merchants include brands like Amazon.com, Bloomingdale’s, Brookstone, Circuit City, Coldwater Creek, Crate & Barrel, Endless.com, Nordstrom, Sur La Table, Target and Zappos.

Black Friday, which is the frenetic time when consumers descend upon stores the day after Thanksgiving, and Cyber Monday, which commemorates the Monday after Thanksgiving when people return to their offices and surf the Internet for deals, are now a part of American pop culture. Knowles believes it is natural that Free Shipping Day will also become part of our nation’s holiday shopping vocabulary.

“Simply put, Free Shipping Day is the last chance for many people to buy gifts and get them delivered to the intended recipient in a nick of time,” Knowles explained. “We are a nation of procrastinators, so I think that Free Shipping Day will become a popular annual event.”

There is also a need among retailers for an event like Free Shipping Day, Knowles believes.
“Numbers show that online shopping dramatically slows after December 12th. Free Shipping Day will encourage people to continue buying items online later into the month of December,” Knowles said. “Free Shipping Day has the potential to increase pre- Christmas online sales by hundreds of millions of dollars over the next five years.”

Next year’s Free Shipping Day will be selected in January 2009, Knowles says. There is no cost for retailers or shoppers to participate.

“Every year, we will consult with participating retailers to determine the latest possible day in the Christmas shopping season that they can offer free shipping and guarantee delivery by December 24th,” Knowles said. “Free Shipping Day will typically fall somewhere between December 17th and 19th.”
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Interesting Info on Adoptions

Some of this information is kind of interesting... it's old in the scheme of things, not sure why it came out now and why there isn't any more current data, but here it is:

New Report Provides Demographic Profile of Adoptive Parents

Men aged 18-44 years are more than twice as likely as women of the same age group to have adopted a child, according to a new report released today by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). As of 2002, more than 1.2 million men and 613,000 women had adopted children.

The data come from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth. The report offers a demographic profile of those who adopt - the percentage of men and women who have ever adopted a child and the number of children they adopted. Though the report does not offer conclusive data as to why more men adopt than women, it may be due in part to men getting married and adopting their spouse's child or children from a previous relationship.

Some of the findings in the report include:

* Among ever-married persons, men were more than 2.5 times as likely as women to have adopted - 3.8 percent compared with 1.4 percent. Overall, 2.3 percent of all men had ever adopted a child.

* Over one in four women aged 40-44 who had ever used infertility services had adopted a child.

* Though never-married adults aged 18-44 years were significantly less likely to have adopted a child compared with those who were currently married, approximately 100,000 never-married women and 73,000 never-married men had adopted a child.

* Hispanic and non-Hispanic black women were more likely to be currently seeking to adopt a child, compared with non-Hispanic white women.

"Adoption Experiences of Women and Men, and Demand for Children to Adopt by Women Ages 18-44 in the United States: Data from Cycle 6 (2002) of the National Survey of Family Growth" is available at www.cdc.gov/nchs.
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Cool Keyboard

I was in Staples the other day looking for a few things and came across the coolest computer keyboard. I HAVE to get one, although I managed to talk myself out of it that day somehow. They roll up. They're made of flexible silicon and get this, they're under $10 (just barely, but still, it's a GREAT price). They had some bright colors and black.

At $10 a pop it doesn't matter much if they only last a year, or six months, before the pressure on the keypad causes them to stop working! By then the novelty will have worn off anyway and we'll be on to another gimmicky gadget...

I imagine you can find these things elsewhere, definitely on-line somewhere I'm sure. I may get one just for the fun of it, or to keep as a backup in case my regular "hard" keyboard goes bad. I'm surprised I've managed to keep the ones I have going this long as I'm terrible when it comes to taking care of them. I eat at the computer, spill drinks on them and never clean them other than to occasionally shake the heck out of them upside-down to get the crumbs out.

My next purchase of a real keyboard, not the flex kind, will be a more ergonomic version that might help keep my borderline carpel tunnel at bay for a bit longer. Right now I'm wearing two magnetic bracelets and surprisingly, they actually work. I was shocked on that one. I'll have to share more about the bracelets later, gotta run and actually do some real work now!

- jmd
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Giant Drums of the Tropical Islands of Vanuatu Walk in the Night.

RJ Note: The events on this small island in the South Pacific have a knack for generating news articles that catch my eyes. The first article was on pigs and the woman in politics on the island, and now disappearing drums. This is an interesting read. Kind of makes me want to leave our own paradise in Fayette County and head over to this tropical island for a visit.

In the records of the police station in the tropical islands of Vanuatu, in the South Pacific, you will find an interesting story of giant drums that walked out into the darkness of the night, never to be seen again.

Vanuatu is home to a collection of sacred art which has been traditionally kept secret from the outside world. "Art that could easily be mistaken for any piece of modern artwork," stated David Baker, curator of the Annandale Gallery, Sydney, Australia, which recently hosted a Vanuatu exhibition. Ancient artifacts that set the art world agog.

Towering over the heads of the guests was a four foot Tam Tam, or wooden carved drum, one of the largest free standing musical instruments in the world. The face of the drum stylized to symbolize an ancestor. The eyes representing the morning star, of a society which has kept its traditional secrets well away from the eyes of a curious world. The slit up the middle of the drum allowing the ancestor to speak, when the lip of the drum is beaten with a small wooden club.

These unique ancient drums played a significant role in the customs and traditions, during sacred ceremonies, such as funerals, traditional dances, and initiations. Carefully coordinated actions by a group of drummers, beating the lip of the gongs with a small wooden club, would be part of an informal village orchestra. They would perform rhythmical ensembles of huge diversity and complexity.

The gongs were also a method of communicating with neighboring villages. Intricate messages could be sent over long distances, using a unique gong language. They could even contact neighboring islands, if the atmospherics were favorable. However, the art of the intricate language of the gong is almost lost among the younger generation. Tourists frequently carry home the smaller carved versions of the larger musical instrument, unaware of their deep cultural significance.

While Tam Tams with one and two faces are a common site in the tropical islands of Vanuatu, only one particular group of islanders, in the province of Malampa, on the remote island of Ambrym, have the intellectual property- rights to carve them. For the opening of Le Meridien, an international resort in Port Vila, on the main island of Vanuatu, it was decided that two five headed Tam Tams would be purchased to adorn the imposing entrance to the resort. A lot of money was paid and the day arrived when the massive drums were proudly put in place.

The two wooden drums that towered high overhead were instantly admired by the people. Then disaster struck. The money had been handed over to a person who had no traditional right to carve the instruments. All hell broke loose. The family who had the sole right of carving these ancient artifacts were extremely upset.

Days passing by and it looked as if it had all been a storm in a teacup. That is until one misty night. The Tams Tams mysteriously disappeared, in spite of patrolling security guards. Urgent queries went out to find out who had removed the Tam Tams and where they were located. Many people were interviewed. The police were even called but, all to no avail. No matter who was asked, there was only one answer given. "With the aid of the spirits of the night, the Tams Tams had walked away."

The disappearing Tams Tams have never been seen from that day to this. The managers of Le Meridien had to buy a new Tam Tam, but from the rightful traditional carvers this time.
Could anyone reading this story, please report if they come across any giant wooden Tam Tams walking the streets on misty nights. Please contact Paramount Chief of 'Tam Tam Five Heads Anyonymous'. Maybe the drums will be singing the 1970's song, "These feet are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do, one of these days these feet are gonna walk all over you."

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Michael W. Smith Helps Southwest Christian Care

I did a quick write up about the event on The Art Snob (art reviews). Not my best writing, will try to do better! Thought you might want to read it though, www.artsnob.blogspot.com. Real quick, heading to Fernbank for their Dino Party Anniversary (there's a better title but I'm rushing and don't have time to look), go take a listen to The Giving on Michael W. Smith's Freedom CD. All instrumental, no words. Couple of my favorites from other CD's (with words ;-) if you want to hit YouTube to check 'em out are "Here I Am" and "Awesome God". Once you get started you'll travel around and listen to a few others I'd bet!

Will update you on my trek to Fernbank! If you're looking for something to do today, consider Fernbank. Great anniversary event from 10 - 2 p.m. today with loads of stuff for kids.
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Michael W. Smith, Southwest Christian Care and The Clothes Less Traveled

I'm really looking forward to tonight! Micheal W. Smith is going to perform at the annual Southwest Christian Care benefit dinner and Greg (my husband) and I will be there.

There are so many happy notes to write about tonight that I have a hard time figuring out where to start!

Going to see Smith is a treat. I defy anyone to listen to My God is an Awesome God, or Here I Am, or any of his other songs without being moved. It doesn't matter whether you consider yourself a Christian or not, the words, the sentiments, the feelings, the music are gonna touch something if your heart is touchable. In other words, ya gotta have some pretty thick walls around those emotions if you don't feel something when he sings!

Southwest Christian Care is such a great group of people with hearts too big to fit inside that banquet hall! Day after day they minister to those who are looking at this big beautiful world for the last time. They do everything they can to make dying an easier passage regardless of a person's faith. As a friend of mine would say, they give feet to their prayers.

To wrap up what is already a twice-blessed evening, I will be sitting at one of the Clothes Less Traveled's tables. Just in case I haven't mentioned it before on this blog, I'm on the Board of the Clothes Less Traveled.

The Clothes Less Traveled is a thrift store ministry. I came full circle to sit on the Board. Years back when Joan Velsmid and others were putting the concept together they asked me to help with the name and the logo. I came up with a list of suggested names (with The Clothes Less Traveled being my favorite). They loved it and voila, a ministry was christened with its formal name.

The group has now been doing good works for just over ten years. Earlier this year I became a Board member. What a joy to be part of this group! I knew they were out there over the years, but had absolutely no idea how much they contributed to the local community. I won't go into detail, but I do hope you'll visit the website and check us out! www.ClothesLessTraveled.org.

So tonight I'm triple dipping! I'm going to try and get a few photos so I can share some highlights from the evening with you. I imagine I'll pop the info on our Music Matters blog, maybe the Helping Hands blog and definitely the Fayette Front Page. Hmmm... we have a brand new site, www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com. Maybe I'll do a music review... ah, just remembered our Art Snob blog which is supposed to be reviews of the arts... I guess I'm stuck, I'll have to make sure I write up something over the next few days, won't I?
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Charity Rambling

I know I've written about this before, just not sure which blog I chose when the topic wafted through my brain! If you've heard this one before you'll know by the fact that I'm repeating some of my thoughts that it's one that truly puzzles me!

Have you ever thought about all the fund raising that is done for charities across the country (and world if you want to take it that far)? In Fayette County alone it seems there's a charity event almost every day.

It's more than just the events that we read about in the Fayette Front Page and other local news venues, too.

Think about the kids in school who raise money for various causes as part of their club's mission. Or the jump rope and hoops events for the American Heart Association.

You get calls from save-the-this or cure-the-that groups wanting you to send money. Your best friend is "arrested" and needs money to get out of the charity jail. Jerry is on television raising money for the cure.

Then there's the local churches and their regular donations to good causes.

When I worked for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta it was inferred rather directly that if we wanted to move up the ladder we needed to make sure we gave to United Way. I didn't like the fact that my company was pretty much coercing me to have money deducted from my check if I wanted to move ahead, but being in management I had to set an example and there were a few local home-grown beneficiaries I could choose so I bit the bullet.

I could continue to list ways we're helping to cure and save until my keyboard died and still not touch on how many ways we give!

So, here's the bottom line: Why haven't we cured anything? Why aren't we making major strides in eradicating certain diseases? Why do we still have so many people in need?

If you think about it, giving to these groups is voluntary re-distribution of wealth (or in some cases, the needy giving to the more needy).

We talk about what would happen to our economy if we did away with the IRS (think long unemployment lines) or if our banks or airlines collapsed. Have you ever thought about what would happen if we cured cancer?

There goes how many jobs? Countless. It's not just the American Cancer Society that would go by the wayside. We'd lose umpteen thousand (million) other local agencies. Buildings would be empty and people would be out of jobs. All those research grants being doled out to colleges and companies across the states would dry up. The pharmaceutical companies would take a bit hit because so many drugs wouldn't be needed any longer. Hospital beds would be empty, doctors would have to look at other specialties, and companies who've specialized or depended on some equipment related to cancer cure / treatment would take a huge hit.

What if we all started eating healthy foods and diabetes and heart disease almost vanished? Yes, I know some is related to Agent Orange, heredity and other factors. But our diets stink these days and you know a lot of heart disease, cholesterol problems, strokes, diabetes and other diseases are a result of McDonald's instead of home-grown veggies. Another blog topic for another day!

I still give and I spend a large amount of my time trying to help local groups and charities. I believe we should all give and we should all help our fellow man (and woman ;-).

I will give to Christian City any time I can. You can see results, you can see the way they're helping so many live fruitful lives and giving kids a chance at a much better future. The Promise Place, the Joseph Sams School, the Fayette Youth Protection Home and other similar groups are wonderful agencies making a definite impact on the world. They fall into a completely different category than these large cure agencies.

Some days I see press releases totaling in the millions that have been raised to give to the American Diabetes Association, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and others. I am NOT saying they're not worthy, I used to be president of the local American Heart Association and know there are a lot of really great people working their tale ends off trying to make the world a better place.

However, when I think about the dollars that are being given on a local level to these nebulous agencies I have to wonder, has charity become big business?
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Death of Daytime Television

I know it's going to break the hearts of the millions who can't go through the day without Jerry Springer or Maury Povich, but it looks like the duo's favorite show topic is going to be passe' in the near future.

With the advent of the new mail-order DNA paternity test kits offered by Fruth Pharmacy, all those poor gals who can't figure out which one of the guys they've been hanging out with is the father of little junior will be able to figure it out without the help of Springer.

Rather than airing their dirty knickers on television, they can make the suspect daddies pay a small fee to get off the "you-pay" list.

Yeah, I know you're laughing if you've ever watched one of those shows. These DNA tests won't make a dent in the number of people who just can't wait to spend the night in the big city and get treated like king and queen for the day just to scream at each other in front of millions... I'm not really blond enough (and I really am blond) to think these cheap DNA tests are going to make a dent in Povich and Springer's line-up of women who can't figure out who fathered their child. Besides people don't really give a flip who the father is, they just like the yelling and screaming and fighting.

I do think the advent of reasonably priced mail-order DNA tests could lead to some really interesting stories though.

Picture this. John Edwards is comfortably snoring one night at whatever hotel he's hanging out at lately. He snorts, then swats at something tickling his mouth. Sleeping soundly, he rolls over and continues snoring.

What was it? His so-called-ex-girlfriend's little sister snuck in and quickly swabbed the inside of his mouth. She's already managed to swab Edward's maybe-maybe-not child's mouth the last time she stopped over to visit sis. Send the swabs off with a forged consent form and viola, a few weeks later the world knows who fathered the child. If sis, who has been pushing Edwards to take a paternity test, isn't brave enough to snitch a swab, you know some enterprising reporter will somehow find a way to get that q-tip in Edward's mouth!

These DNA tests could open up a whole new world of possibilities. Mom's making their daughter with the protruding belly's classmates line up for the test... (think huge lawsuits, too ;-)... New mouth-guards for sleeping dads who want to avoid being tested against their will... Women taking swabs for safekeeping prior to sleeping with guys... (bet that would cut down on casual encounters!). Parents requiring DNA tests from those wanting to date their daughter...

It has more applications than just finding out who's the dad of a hapless child. There are many children who wonder if they were adopted. DNA would answer the question if parents wouldn't tell (I'd think just the threat of a DNA test would open zipped mouths!).

What about those women who wonder if hubby is the father of their neighbor's child, or the secretary's child, or whoever? Have little Suzy or Johnnie over for cookies, get the swab and have what's needed to confront the philandering husband.

Taking this one just a bit further out on the limb of potential, will there come a day when we're all required to provide DNA? When babies DNA is harvested at birth (I believe DNA degrades after a period of time so, if that's true, technology would have to improve for long-term storage). Can you imagine having DNA for every living person alive at some point? It would make it just a bit easier to catch some criminals, and it would make some criminals a bit more careful.

That's one of those far-fetched scenarios (I hope), but this DNA thread is one that can be followed in numerous directions.

Life changed for many when this testing became easily available and I bet you slept through it just like I did...

Here's the story that brought this ramble on (thanks Ann for sending!):

Fruth Pharmacy Begins Retail Sales of Identigene DNA Paternity Test Kits in West Virginia and Southern Ohio Stores

Identigene DNA Paternity Test Kit Enables Fruth Pharmacy Customers to Get a Definitive Answer to Paternity Questions Through a Fast, Affordable and Confidential Process. Fruth Pharmacy, Which Has Been Serving Local Communities for More Than 55 Years, Will Sell the Product in the Family Planning Aisle

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Identigene today announced that Fruth Pharmacy has begun over-the-counter retail sales of the Identigene DNA Paternity Test Kit. Fruth Pharmacy, which has been serving communities in West Virginia and southern Ohio since 1952, will offer the new product in all of its 25 stores. The Identigene DNA Paternity Test Kit provides participants with an answer to their paternity question quickly and with probabilities of paternity greater than 99.99 percent. It is the first DNA test ever sold in major retail outlets.

Prior to the advent of the Identigene DNA Paternity Test Kit, the generally accepted method of obtaining a DNA paternity test often required court involvement, weeks of waiting for results, and a cost of multiple hundreds of dollars. Identigene’s retail kit makes the process a convenient and affordable service available in the family planning aisle of the local drug store.

More than 50,000 Identigene DNA Paternity Test Kits have been purchased since they were first offered in a retail store test market on the West Coast only nine months ago. “The neighborhood pharmacy is a completely new sales channel for DNA tests,” said Identigene COO Doug Fogg. “Because it is a convenient and familiar place for customers to purchase products they rely on, people who have a paternity question are taking advantage of its availability in drug stores to get a reliable answer quickly.”

The Identigene DNA Paternity Test uses samples of cheek cells collected from the inside of the mouth of the child, the mother and the alleged father using swabs provided in the kit. The sample swabs, consent forms and a lab fee are sent in a postage-paid envelope to Identigene for processing. Results are available within three to five business days of receipt at the laboratory. An option is also available for retail customers who want to use test results in legal proceedings that provides specific sample collection methods to secure chain-of-custody procedures for the samples.

Suggested retail price for an Identigene DNA Paternity Test Kit is $29.99. The laboratory processing fee for the personal peace-of-mind test is $119. The processing fee for test results for use in legal proceedings is $319, which includes the lab fee.
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How many memories are lost each day?

My memory is slipping as I get older, but that's not the memories I'm thinking about in this ramble!

Have you ever thought about those memories that vanish into oblivion each day? You attend your child's baseball game, watch and leave. You retain some memory of parts of it for a while, but then those memories slip into the dark recesses of the brain and are, for all practical purposes, gone.

Yes, a crowd watched and lots of memories were made. However, the game is over, children grow, life moves on and it's history. One person retains a bit, another a highlight. Some memories are given a place of honor, shined and re-used time after time, bringing a smile. Others are tarnished by things learned later. Some are deliberately banished to the deepest memory boxes and locked away.

These days we're much better at trying to hang onto memories. We bring our cameras, our recorders and even our cell phones to capture moments. I find that I watch family gatherings and events through the eye of a camera the majority of the time these days.

For the longest time those photos and films ended up in boxes, gathering dust just like our memories. In an attempt to keep the memories alive we now have YouTube, Flickr, Slide and other similar venues to share memories. Some are watched by millions of strangers with no one iota of connection to the actual memory.

We have blogs and so many ways to store information. With the advent of the Internet and computers we've figured out a way to hang onto memories forever if we have the time to type or talk about them.

I woke this morning thinking of all the memories I have stored in my brain somewhere. It led me to thinking about all the memories stored by the billions of people currently wandering around the world. It's overwhelming to try and think about those numbers.

That led me to ponder all the memories that have passed on into complete oblivion. Throughout history some cultures have attempted to chronicle their memories, their history while others have focused solely on the day-to-day and left barely a mark.

So many memories have been lost and so many are being lost each day. We scrambling to hang onto them, cramming them onto video, hard drives and the world wide web.

I wonder if someday future generations will be implanted with some sort of mind recorder that allows us to capture life as it happens, creating a chronicle of memories for anyone wanting to share? Hope it's selective, with an internal off / on button!
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Have a will...

None of us like to think about death or the process of dying --- our own or that of someone close to us. It's important though to think about things like the possibility of nursing homes, long-term illness and what might happen after we're gone.

I've heard too many tales from family and friends about what can happen with or without a will after someone dies. Families squabble over a piece of jewelry that Sue said grandma promised to her and Jane says was promised to her. One member of a family wants to hang onto the parents property while another wants to sell. Little things can cause huge problems.

In my family we experienced a problem that has caused a rift that I can't see being healed.

My grandparents had a long-standing and oft-talked-about will that divided everything equally between their three children. My grandfather died, then years later my grandmother. My grandmother spent the last few years of her life living with my uncle. After her death the other siblings discovered that my uncle had induced my grandmother to change her will and leave everything to him with his son as the heir should he die before then.

One sister wanted to sue, the other didn't. No agreement, thus no action. Now there are three who rarely talk to each other and children who won't give my uncle the time of day (including yours truly... and he used to be my hero).

While the damage to the family was horrible, the damage to our memory of our grandmother was just as serious. It's impossible to think about her without the tinge of what our uncle did affecting the memory.

We all knew she was suffering from dementia and easily led. Depending on who she was visiting or talking to she'd tell them she was going to give them her house and other valuables. She didn't remember what she'd said right after saying it and would repeat herself over and over. It was clear she was not legally in her "right mind". We trusted our uncle, he was always above reproach. So what happened? Who knows.

Not much any of us could have done to stop the will from being changed as we weren't aware. People do strange things when money is involved and you can't prepare for every contingency. However, as a living, breathing, responsible adult, you sure can make out a will and do whatever possible to avoid potential problems.

Here's the article that made me think about all of our family's difficulties. Good advice.

Wills Help to Avoid Confusion, Fights After Death
http://georgiafaces.caes.uga.edu/storypage.cfm?storyid=3475

A few weeks after they married, Joan Koonce’s husband was diagnosed with leukemia. Their marital bliss turned instantly to anxiety and long hours in the hospital.

“We really didn’t have time to think or feel,” Koonce said. “We just got into action.”

Two and a half years later, she said goodbye to him for the last time. They hadn’t planned for death so early in their lives.

He had created a will during his previous marriage. But a will is invalid in Georgia if someone remarries, has a child or adopts a child after the document is drawn up. After his death, she was left to deal with the paperwork and headache of watching the state dole out her husband’s estate.

It is important to update your will when these situations occur, said Koonce, an associate professor and financial management specialist for University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.
The life expectancy of a female born today is 80 years. It is 75 years for a man, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But those years aren’t promised.

“You need to prepare early,” Koonce said. “And you need to make changes to your will as your family situation and circumstances change.”

Writing a will means thinking about death, a topic a lot of people don’t want to talk about, she said.

“Making decisions about who you want to have what and how you want it distributed to them can become overwhelming,” Koonce said, “and the more you have, the harder it gets.”
Even if you aren’t rich, she said, a will is still important.

“You don’t have to own a lot to have a will,” she said. “What you own may not have huge monetary value, but if it has lots of sentimental value. If you want to make sure it goes to a particular person, then you need to have a will.”

It’s often those sentimental things that are fought over the most. “For example, it may be important that your granddaughter gets your doll collection,” she said.

To get started with a will, she gives these tips:

1. Start early. Many young, unmarried people don’t think about estate planning. But they should, just as they should think about the possibility of disability or the inability to earn an income.
2. List your heirs. Beside each name, list what you want them to have. Be as detailed as possible.
3. Meet with an attorney. While online kits are available, attorneys know state laws “and can help you think through many things that can become issues after you die,” she said.
Koonce had her will redrawn this year. If something happens to her son, her assets will go to her church.

“My lawyer included the current address or wherever the church is located at my death,” she said. Attorneys “think about those things we don’t think about. Once the attorney mentioned it, I realized how important it was because there are other churches with the same name.”

The cost for drawing up a will can range from $300 and up, depending on the complexity of the will and estate planning.

Author Stephanie Schupska is a news editor for the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
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I may be a vegetarian... but...

I've been a vegetarian since high school. I made the choice so long ago I have almost forgotten why I originally chose to forgo meats. At the time I attributed the change to a concern for our fellow animals. I am fairly sure now that it was a teenage rebellious act that somehow tied to our family tradition of grilling steaks after church every Sunday. I was probably asserting my independence by refusing to kill cows, Bambie and any other animal.

Over the years I've done a lot of reading about meat and fowl, how steaks and chickens gets from the ranch or farm to our tables and I've decided to continue on the path for health reasons more than any other reason. I also have a serious problem with the torture factor involved in mass-producing animals so we can eat a thick juicy steak or a leg of chicken. But these days that's a lesser factor than those related to health.

Just tossed that in so you'd understand that I'm probably a bit more understanding about those who cringe at the idea of killing an animal. However, my line doesn't go quite as far over as a large number of vegans. I believe animals were put here on earth for us to eat. I just don't happen to choose to do so in modern days given all that comes hidden inside the meat these days... and the way we "harvest" those animals.

I'm sharing all of that to lead up to something a friend sent me. It's a photo that might disgust some of you. I thought it was rather gross. PETA painted red-blood-looking stuff on a couple of people, wrapped them in clear plastic wrap and had them lay on the ground in front of a sign decrying what we do to meat.

At first I figured they were both mannequins. Not so. These poor people fried inside the plastic-wrap.

When I was younger I went to a few protests. I was young enough that I really didn't quite understand the issues. I listened to the propaganda and went along for the ride. Dumb in retrospect.

It didn't take long for me to figure out that protesting didn't really do anything other than make the other side dig their heels in a bit deeper. I figured that if I wanted to change the world I needed to learn more and to work from the inside. Of course, as I've gotten older and wiser, I've also discovered that many of those causes I championed in my college days weren't those that I now think should have been championed. If someone had pointed out the errors in the way I looked at things back then, I'd have dug MY heels in firmer.

Luckily, I'm a read-aholic and very willing to read both sides of issues.

I seriously doubt if anyone seeing the poor woman baking in the saran wrap decided to stop eating meat. Maybe some young impressionable kid or someone looking for a cause.

I do believe that our fellow human beings deserve more courtesy and caring than an animal. If you wouldn't wrap a cow in saran wrap and lay it on the side walk in the sun, then you certainly shouldn't expect someone who worked for you (or anyone for that matter) to do it either. The one difference between a cow and the people laying on the sidewalk is that the people made their own choice.

I understand the point the PETA folks are trying to make with the blood covered plastic-wrapped people. I just think there are more humane and less graphic ways to make a point. All it did for me was to bring home that fact that people sometimes have less respect for the other two-legged creatures inhabiting this earth than they do the four legged (or the two with wings ;-)

Here's the link:

http://www.commercialappeal.com/photos/2008/jun/05/59598/

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Little Teeth Suggest Big Jump in Primate Timeline

Tiny fossilized teeth excavated from an Indian open-pit coal mine could be the oldest Asian remains ever found of anthropoids, the primate lineage of today's monkeys, apes and humans, say researchers from Duke University and the Indian Institute of Technology.

Just 9-thousandths of a square inch in size, the teeth are about 54.5 million years old and suggest these early primates were no larger than modern dwarf lemurs weighing about 2 to 3 ounces. Studies of the shape of the teeth suggest these small animals could live on a fruit and insect diet, according to the researchers.

"It's certainly the oldest anthropoid from Asia and India," said Richard Kay, a Duke professor of evolutionary anthropology who is corresponding author of a report to be published online during the week of Aug. 4-8 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Previous fossil evidence shows primates were living in North America, Europe and Asia at least 55 million years ago. But, until now, the fossil record of anthropoid primates has extended back only 45 million years.

"We're going back almost 10 million years before any previously described Asian anthropoid," said co-author Blythe Williams, a Duke visiting associate professor of evolutionary anthropology. "The new fossils from India are exciting because they show that the anthropoid lineage is much more ancient than we realized."

In addition to stretching the primate timeline, the specimens represent a new genus as well as a new species of anthropoid, which the researchers have named Anthrasimias gujaratensis by drawing from the Greek word for "coal," Latin for "monkey" and the Indian State of Gujarat where the teeth were found.

"Anthrasimias may be the oldest anthropoid in the world," the PNAS report said -- "may" reflecting the fact that some scientists think slightly older fossils found in a Moroccan limestone deposit also could have been anthropoid, Kay said.

The report's first author is Sunil Bajpai, an earth scientist at the Indian Institute of Technology who directed excavations at the Vastan lignite coal mine in western India that unearthed the fossils.

Bajpai's Indian team managed to find and remove the tiny Anthrasimias tooth specimens from a strata in the mine while "really gigantic trucks" scooped up coal above them, Kay said. The teeth were dated by identifying microscopic marine plankton fossils of known age in nearby rock layers, he added.

Bajpai's team was funded by India's Department of Science and Technology. Work by Williams and Kay, who are anthropoid experts, was funded the Duke Provost's Research Fund and the National Science Foundation.

Their PNAS report describes tooth structure differences that would separate Anthrasimias from two other ancient lines of primates whose remains have been found at the same level of the Vastan mine. Of the three lines, Williams and Kay believe only Anthrasimias's is part of the anthropoid lineage that evolved into modern monkeys, apes and humans.

"Most of the fossil record of ancient primates is made up of teeth, because teeth are easy to preserve and hard," Williams said. "Occasionally we get lucky enough to have a skull to work with, but in this case a few teeth is all we have." Their PNAS report described two upper molars and one lower molar.

"From the tooth size and structure we can say something about the animals' body weight and diet, because teeth have crests that are differentially developed depending on whether they ate primarily insects, leaves or fruit," he said. But without more body parts, Kay and Williams declined to deduce what the animals looked like.

Other authors of the PNAS report were Debasis Das of the Indian Institute of Technology, Vivesh Kapur of Chandigarh, India, and B.N. Tiwari of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology in India.