Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2020
BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
PAGE 3B
The benefits of WD-40
The most unusual resolution
What does a screen doorknob, a new pair
of Nikes, a cantankerous zipper on a favor
ite winter jacket, a python snake in India
and a naked burglar have in common?
They brought about issues that were
easily solved by an application of WD-
40. (The trade name, by the way, means
“Water Displacement, 40th formula,”
which means the inventors got it right on
the 40th attempt). I have first
hand knowledge about the first
three items noted above, but read
about the other two on the inter
net.
The guess here is that many
out there have a WD-40 story
to tell. The product is that good.
My story begins with a new pair
of Nike walking shoes, which I
was anxious to take possession
of. My old walking shoes were
flat “wore” out. My feet were
hurting, my legs were aching
and my knees, which I thought
were good for my age, began to experience
soreness.
I am going to interrupt myself here and
insert a full disclosure vignette. For years
I have found a way to remove my feet
from lace-up shoes without having to untie
when finished and then tie them up when I
use them again.
How long does it take to lace up and
tie the strings on a pair of comfortable-fit
walking shoes? Probably less than a min
ute. but if you get the hang of slipping your
shoes on and off without having to take the
time to do all that tying and untying, it just
seems to be more efficient and orderly.
Back to my new Nikes. which arrived
serendipitously without shoe laces. They
have a plastic zipper that runs horizontal
ly on the inside top of your foot. Hot dig-
gity dawg. What a godsend for one with
a finicky idiosyncrasy. I opened the box,
removed the shoes and slipped my left
foot into this fabulous footwear. Then I
engaged the zipper. Glory, glory, my foot
has never felt better when putting on a pair
of shoes.
Now to the right foot. Everything was
fine until I engaged the zipper. Apparently,
something minor was askew with the zip
per. It only zipped half way. I kept fiddling
with the zipper and finally got it zipped all
the way. This zipper not working properly
first made me think that I would have to
go back to a pair of lace-up shoes. I was
determined not to let that happen.
There had to be something in the way of
graphite to solve my problem, I thought.
That didn't work, so I donned my worn
out dock siders and took my cantankerous
new shoe out to a local hardware store and
asked the owner, a good friend, for assis
tance.
He had a couple of suggestions, but the
product he had in mind was not in stock.
I understood. How many customers out
there would confess to hav
ing a shoe with a zipper in the
first place and then to remedy a
dysfunctional one would mean,
when it comes to marketing, that
he would starve to death even
if he marked the product up be
yond the cost of the shoe itself.
Finally, he shook his head and
said, “I’m sorry. Don’t know
what to tell you to do.” Sudden
ly I thought of WD-40. “We got
plenty of that,” he smiled. Soon
he rang up the cash register for
the cost of a small can of the ver
satile product — about what a Diet Coke
would cost you at a vending machine at a
chain motel.
The WD-40 worked like a charm. My
Nike zipper is no longer cantankerous, al
lowing me to wake up early in the morning
and dress quickly and efficiently. My feet
slip easily into my Nikes. I go downstairs,
make a cup of coffee and belly up to the
computer. When daylight comes, I engage
the zippers on my Nikes and enjoy a com
fortable walk around the neighborhood.
Lately when something doesn't work, I
spray it with WD-40. My favorite winter
jacket also had zipper malfunction. WD-
40 to the rescue. A door knob on a screen
door became frozen from wear, weath
er and rust. Even a seasoned carpenter's
quick fix only lasted about a week, but a
healthy application of WD-40 loosened it
up. It now works like a bee in clover.
About that python in India. It wrapped it
self around the undercarriage of a bus. The
bus driver sprayed it with WD-40. Problem
solved. WD-40, 1; stupid python. 0.
And the naked burglar? Police used
WD-40 to remove the burglar who became
trapped in an air-conditioning vent. WD-
40, 2; stupid burglar and stupid python, 0.
Based on all of the foregoing, I have
come to the conclusion that WD-40 is un
defeated.
Loran Smith is a University of Georgia
sports radio announcer. He can be reached
at loransmith@sports.uga.edu.
Normally, I stay away from New
Year’s resolutions, but this past year
has revealed a flaw in me that is so
deep that I have no choice but to face
it and resolve to fix it.
I am going to set my mind on not
inserting myself into other people’s
business.
Like most people who do
this, I come from a place of
kindness and well-meaning
but, after six or seven situa
tions that backfired, it’s time
to take action.
It’s time to let God be in
charge. It’s time to add a bit
of cynicism to my way of
thinking.
It started at the first of
the year. We had decided to
plant some mature trees on
the Rondarosa because we
have lost over three dozen, in the past
five years, to storms.
A landscaper came to us by recom
mendation from an expert who is the
friend of one of the most trustworthy
people I have ever known.
In fact, he is renowned across the
Southeast for his integrity and stand
ing behind his word.
Five times, the landscaper post
poned us or didn’t show up. Tink said
in a rare moment of distrust, “I don’t
know about this guy. If we can’t get
him to show up and look at the job,
that doesn’t bode well for him show
ing up to do the job.”
Tink is the most trusting and patient
person which makes him excellent in
his job as a television showrunner. It
takes a lot for him to see bad in any
one. Yet, unusually, he was warning
me before he met this landscaper.
I shrugged Tink off and said, “This
recommendation came, in a round
about way, from one of the most
honorable men I have ever known. It
didn’t come directly from him but it
came from someone he trusts."
We were trying to get the trees
bought and put in the ground where
winter’s rain was still plenty so they’d
be well grounded when summer’s heat
and drought came.
“You’re going to have a hard time
keeping those trees alive in July and
August,” warned a friend with a horti
cultural degree.
Finally, in early March, the land
scaper, who put us off for three
months, showed up. He was amicable
and humble. Almost immediately, he
started talking about his studying of
the Bible and he asked us to pray for
him.
That’s when I should have
run.
I learned years ago, when
I built a house, that any con
tractor who shows up, tell
ing you straight off about his
Christian values, should be
fired immediately. Normal
ly, the ones who followed
the teachings of the Bible,
show you. They don’t tell
you.
Tink left for a few months,
off on-location, shooting,
and I was left with the problems and
this guy turned out to be one of the
biggest problems I’ve ever endured.
I thought I could help him change,
help him to see the light and correct
the error of his ways. I rolled up my
sleeves and went to work. I called him
up and had a good talking-to about
his lying ways. He agreed and apol
ogized. He promised to be better, the
kind of man God wanted him to be.
Then, he showed up, and he sweetly
conned me again. In the end, though
bruised and bloodied, I prevailed. I
realized how blessed I’d been after it
occurred to me to check for online re
views of his work.
Each one-star review told the same
story almost verbatim: “He charms,
takes money, and never returns.”
He was one of six people who taught
me lessons this past year about jump
ing into people’s business and trying
to help them. I feel like I have earned
a Medal of Valor on the battlefield of
life.
Lastly, Tink was right. I admit that
now for all to know.
In 2021, everyone can fix them
selves and their own problems. I have
retired. Resolutely.
Ronda Rich is the best-selling au
thor of Let Me Tell You Something.
Visit www.rondarich.com to sign up
for her free weekly newsletter.
Local students make academic honors lists at Georgia College
The following local stu
dents completed courses
with exemplary marks and
made the President’s List
with a 4.0 grade-point av
erage for the fall 2020 se
mester at Georgia College
in Milledgeville:
•Caroline Daves of
Hoschton
•Kennedy Dickson of
Hoschton
•Cassie Gray of Statham
•Shelby Hayes of
Hoschton
•Grace Jackson of Beth
lehem
•Callie Little of Auburn
•Payton Mitchell of
Hoschton
•Olivia Morgan of Beth
lehem
•Taylor Pruett of
Hoschton
•Maegan Stephens of
Braselton.
DEAN’S LIST
The following students
earned a GPA of at least 3.5
for the fall semester at Geor
gia College and were named
to the Dean’s List:
•Abbey Adams of Bra
selton
•Lauren Ballenger of Bra
selton
•Andrea Blair of Bethle
hem
•Angela Cote of Braselton
•Catherine Deer of Bra
selton
SOCIAL SECURITY
DISABILITY
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December 23, 2020
Crossword Answers
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City of Winder
FY 2020 REPORT ON PROJECTS
FUNDEDTHROUGH
SPECIAL PURPOSE LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX
Expenditures
Estimated Cost *
Prior
Current
Project
Original Current
Years
Year
Total
2012 SPLOST
Local Street Projects
Water and Sewer Infrastructure,
$ 2,451,259 $ 2,451,259
$ 2,399,220
$ 129,129
$ 2,528,349
Improvements, Facilities
and Equipment
4,357,793 4,357,793
2,115,830
392,452
2,508,282
Total
$ 6,809,052 $ 6,809,052
$ 4,515,050
$ 521,581
$ 5,036,631
Expenditures
Estimated Cost *
Prior
Current
Project
Original Current
Years
Year
Total
2018 SPLOST
Roads/Sidewalks/Parking Areas/
Stormwater Projects
Police Department Facilities
$ 5,004,274 $ 5,004,274
$ 580,954
$ 1,751,280
$ 2,332,234
and Equipment
1,501,282 1,501,282
95,900
192,446
288,346
Fire Department Facilities
and Equipment
Recreation/Parks/Greenspace
1,501,282 1,501,282
1,501,903
312,790
1,814,693
Projects
Administrative Facilities
1,510,282 1,510,282
121,876
1,671,247
1,793,123
and Equipment
500,428 500,428
79,156
1,649,598
1,728,754
Total
$ 10,017,548 $ 10,017,548
$ 2,379,789
$ 5,577,361
$ 7,957,150
Current year expenditures
$ 5,577,361
Fire Department Facilities and Equipment expenditures financed through
other revenues, financing sources, and transfers from other funds
609,366
Principal paid on capital lease payable
570,582
Total expenditures and transfers out of the SPLOST 2018 fund
$ 6,757,309
* Estimated cost represents the portion of these projects to be financed with Special Purpose Option Sales
Tax. Actual costs that are in excess of these amounts have been financed through alternative funds.
This report is presented in compliance with O.C.G.A. 48-8-122