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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL THURSDAY. DECEMBER 3. 2009 — PAGE 5A Opinions Tips on deterring burglars We can't be everywhere all the time so we need your help to try to stop as many burglaries and thefts as we From the can. In 2008 there were over 370,000 burglaries and sheriff’s thefts in Georgia and 644 of them were in Madison County. Six hundred and forty four is a small percent age of the total for the state, but when it happens to you it can make you feel vulnerable and violated. You work hard for the things you have and the last thing you want is for a criminal to help him/herself to your belongings. For that reason, I have put together some tips that can help deter burglars from wanting to break into your home. When you leave your home, make it look occu pied. You can leave your lights on and if you are going to be gone for an extended amount of time put them on timers. You can also put your television on a timer to come on and go off at a cer tain time. Keep your garage door closed and locked, even a small opening can allow someone the chance to get in your home. Don’t allow daily deliveries of mail, newspapers or fliers to build up while you are away. Have the post office hold your mail or have someone pickup your mail regularly. Check the When you buy items for Christmas gifts, keep the ^1 receipts in a safe place just in case. They can help the ^ sheriff’s office get informa- • tion on the items if they are 1 stolen. You should keep the serial numbers on items you B already own like televisions, guns, computers, DVD play ers, gaming systems, etc. You could also mark them with an engraving tool for further identification. This will make it easier to identify your prop erty for law enforcement. Protecting your home and family from criminals is probably one of your top pri orities. These are just a few tips to help you do all that you can to protect your prop erty. I also encourage you to report suspicious people in your neighborhood or at your neighboring houses. Also, if you are going to be out of town during the holiday sea son and would like security checks for your home, you can complete the “security checks” form online at www. madisoncountysheriffga.org or stop by the office. If you have any questions, feel free to call me at 706-795-6202 or email me at sheriff @ madi- sonco.us. Merry Christmas from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office! Kip Thomas is sheriff of Madison County. By Kip Thomas locks on your windows and doors to make sure they are working properly. If they are not, replace them with work ing ones. Don't tempt a thief. If you have lawn mowers, four- wheelers, dirt bikes, etc, store them out of sight. If they don't see it sitting out, they might not look for it at your house. Always lock your outside buildings when you're not at home and at night. If it takes some work to get into, the thieves will more than likely leave it alone. Use curtains or blinds on your basement or garage windows. If they are unable to see what you have in these areas of your home, they might not want to get in there. Also, when you leave your home, don’t leave notes on the door that tell people you are gone. Alarm systems are also good deterrents and although they do come with a fee, it can be well worth the added security. Thanks to those who contributed to library Dear Editor: In October, the Friends of the Library were given a unique fund-raising oppor tunity. A $500 donation was made available if the Friends could raise a match ing amount of $500. The appeal was made to the public and we are truly touched by the response. Not only did we raise the match ing amount, but exceeded it by nearly $2,000! This gives us a total of $2,500 that will go right back into our community through new books, DVDs, and books on CD. With our state mate rial budget cut to .16 per capita ($4,480 a year), this is an immediate increase of 56 percent: thanks to our 31 contributors. It's not too late to send in your own dona tion, or stop by the library. The money will be spread out through the year to keep new books and materials coming steadily. Joining the Friends is another great way to sup port your library: you'll get a monthly calendar and spe cial preview entrance to our book sales. Thank you to our anonymous Athens Tech employee who offered the matching grant, and to our citizens who stepped up to the plate. Sincerely, Suzanne DeGrasse Madison County Library Branch Manager Says Obama shows ‘double speak’ on war Dear Editor: Double speak: “I will promise you this, that if we have not got ten our troops out by the time I am President, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank.” — Barack Obama Oct., 2007 Enough said! Sincerely, Drago Tesanovich Crawford • • • continued from page 4A Georgians demand basic services like roads, schools, and clean water from their government, but they will also throw out of office any elected official who votes for a general tax increase. Where else can you raise the money to pay for these services but from voluntary pastimes like gambling? Our political leadership is starting to understand this, which is why you see horse racing being seriously dis cussed and why you have GOP lawmakers like Rep. Ron Stephens of Savannah proposing higher excise taxes on cigarettes to raise money for healthcare pro grams. Perdue will continue to oppose these “sinful” rev enue proposals, but the gov ernor is approaching the end of his term and something needs to be done soon to keep the state from fall ing apart. Legislators from Perdue’s own party may have to tell him, “Thanks, but no thanks,” and start doing things they never would have considered before to rescue the budget. It could be the ultimate political gamble. Tom Crawford is the editor of Capitol Impact's Georgia Report, an Internet news ser vice at www.gareport.com that covers government and politics in Georgia. He can be reached at tcrawford@ capitolimpact.net. ACE HARDWARE & LAWNMOWER SERVICE Proudly Serving Northeast Georgia For 18 Years Master Your Great Outdoors With Professionally Proven Outdoor Equipment We Carry Parts & Service Most Brands Of Power Equipment Pick-Up & Delivery Available IT’S THAT EASY. 706-788-2878 • 706-788-3319 6145 Hwy. 72, West Colbert, Ga. 30628 www.colbertacehardware.com Climategate is worst scandal of our generation Dear Editor: Climategate is the worst scan dal of our generation. Rather than being a shining beacon pursuing truth amidst credible data, it reveals instead that a hopelessly compromised scien tific establishment deluded the world. Scientists who are held in positions of trust to pursue truth have instead misused their position to conceal truth, and at the expense of nations and their own consciences. The issues of Climategate, of widespread manipulated infor mation, hidden data, and cor rupted peer-review process tran scend individual personal ambi tion and show how deep the cor ruption can go when arrogant men collude for craven purpos es. Climategate is emblematic of end time verses such as the ones in 2 Timothy 3:1-4, or James 5:1 A and thus, can be used by Christians as a marker of just where we are in the end of days. But how does this scandal affect the non-believer? How can we Christians use this information to point to God and reveal His works to a seeking heart? God has initiated many ways to reach His lost children. One way the Lord has shown Himself in His world is through science, Romans 1:20 says: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being under stood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Any sensitive heart that has seen a delicate flower bloom, or won dered after the mystery of a colorful sunset, the everlasting sweep of tides, or a butterfly’s wing, has pondered His invis ible attributes. Yet Satan has done a good job of separating us from God’s expression through science by deluding many into thinking that science is God. Often we see that science can be wrong. Ida was hailed as the missing link in evolutionary theory, yet it's not even a close relative. Do we have 10 planets in our solar system? Or only 8? What killed the dinosaurs? Global warm ing? Or a comet? Climategate strengthens the notion that we can, and should, question man’s conclusions, especially in the face of evi dence in front of us. On the one hand, we see a ‘ ‘Global Warming Conference postponed due to snow” yet the scientific com munity's response was “Global Warming and Cold Weather Go Hand-In-Hand.” In many instances, science has failed, but God has never failed. If there is good to come out of Climategate, it is that questioning science is essential. In this topsy-turvy world, we have seen people question God and accept science as gospel, when it should be the other way around. “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substi tute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20). Science can often be a tool for good. Penicillin, pasteuri zation, and cancer treatments come to mind. Science by itself is not bad. But when scien tific men seek to remove God from the equation, then any thing can happen, and anything did. Science and men failed us in Climategate, but God never does. Brethren, there is the wit ness. Sincerely, Elizabeth Prata Comer Thankful for kindness of strangers after pet hit by car Dear Editor: On tire evening of Nov. 19 my cat was hit by a car on Madison Street in Danielsville. I did not see this happen, but two women, Robin King and her daughter Whitney Hall, came up on him after he had been hit. They stopped to see if he needed veterinarian help and were willing to find that help if they could not find owner. Even though my pet died instantly, these kind women got him out of tire road and placed him on the side. While they were doing this, another kind woman had appar ently stopped to halt Uaffic. While I do not know this woman's name, I am told she could be the same woman who walked over to console me. along with Whitney and Robin, and I regret that I didn’t ask her name. I would like to thank these total strangers for their compas sion and concern for animals, for tlreir love of animals and for tire decency and humanity they exhibited. Sincerely. Sue Chastain Danielsville Making scents By Sherri Stephens Back in the summer, I was at a salon getting my hair done. I noticed that the stylist was using a product that produced a wonderful aroma. It was a familiar smell of cranberries and spices, but I just couldn’t put my finger on it. When I arrived home, my family commented on how nice my hair looked, but were more impressed by the fragrance that I was giv ing off as I wandered throughout the house. When I told them that it was my hair, all three children sniffed my head and responded by saying “MMMMMMM! Christmas!" That was it! The hair product smelled just like the Christmas room spray and candles that I had used in our home in previ ous years. Unfortunately, the items that we all enjoyed had been dis continued, so the last couple of years I have resorted to a different holiday fragrance. I was happy that my children related the smell to the event. They say the sense of smell has a strong connection to memories. Just the other day. I drove past the house that my grandparents used to live in. One of my favor ite memories includes sitting in a rocking chair near the fireplace while visiting with them. I stopped my car, rolled down the window in hopes that they current owner had a fire burning. As I whiffed the smokey air. good memories from the past rushed through my mind. I smiled as I drove off. The smell of certain flowers reminds me of Easter, smoke from fireworks reminds me of the fun we have in Alabama on the Fourth of July, and the scent of certain perfumes and foods reminds me of different seasons, people and places. Over the years. I decided on specific dates to swap out candles and room sprays with the change of events or seasons. The day after Thanksgiving, I begin using the holiday candles and sprays. I even have a birthday cake scented can dle and room spray that I use when hosting birthday parties. Evidently the family notices and connects the scents with the memories. I just wish that there were some way that I could find that dis continued fragrance that we used and all loved so much during Christmas time. I guess I could stock up on the hair product and only allow myself to use it during the month of December. As I walk around the house, my hair would give off the spicy cranberry aroma. However, my family would agree that it probably wouldn’t make very much “scents" to do that! Sherri Stephens is a columnist for MainStreet Newspapers Inc. 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