eal

toRy
THE
ALWAYS THE TRUTH... NO COMPROMISE
S
R
50
MSU
FOOTBALL
PREVIEW
PAGES 25-26
a weekly publication Volume 1 Issue 28 realstorypublishing.com August 15, 2012
Don t Mi ss An Issue. . .
Subscri be Today!
Weve gone
MOBILE. Scan this
QR Code with your
smart phone and
go directly to our
website!
The LINK and
Why Industry
Matters
Page 2
Severstal, Paccar, Stark
Aerospace, KIOR - the list goes on.
To the average citizen, these names
ofen become just a blur, but over the
past several years, Lowndes County
has become home to many major
corporations. And whether or not the
community as a whole understands
the extent of the growth of our little
county, it is a fact that we have grown
by leaps and bounds when it comes to
industry.
In the very near future,
Lowndes County will soon have the
highest assessed value of industry
in Mississippi. In a community that
ofen has an inferiority complex about
its own greatness, this is a stagger-
ing fact. But the cold reality is that
many regions would love to trade
places with Lowndes County and
experience our areas success. As Joe
Max Higgins, the undeniable leader
of the LINK, states, With the large
industrial base that was already in
Lowndes County, plus the additional
investments made over the last few
years, Lowndes County has moved up
signifcantly in the assessed-valuation
ranking of Mississippis counties.
Soon we expect to be ranked number
one.
Industrial growth is not
without its concerns, however. At the
Aug. 6, 2012, Lowndes County Board
of Supervisors meeting, it was an-
nounced that Silicor would not meet
their Sept. 2 deadline for starting
their project. Joe Max was obviously
not amused and asked that Silicor be
given a conditional extension. Te
LINK wants to give any corporation
an opportunity to succeed; however,
the company needs to meet guide-
lines, Higgins stated.
Higgins continued, I will
not be back to ask for another exten-
sion. If you want to, that is fne, but I
will not be back to ask for one. Te
deadline for the start of work has
been moved to Dec. 31, 2012. When
questioned further about the situa-
tion, Higgins makes his point clear:
So much time and efort goes into
the recruiting and landing of a project
that a few months extension is rea-
sonable. What is not reasonable is to
commit resources for a long period of
time and lose other opportunities.
Recently, afer spending two
hours in the LINK ofce speaking
with Joe Max Higgins and his staf, it
was easy to see how many people feel
that what happens at the LINK is a
mystery. Sifing through a plethora of
numbers and projects, a person could
soon glaze over just trying to under-
stand the complexities of a major
corporate deal.
Using a myriad of charts,
math computations and maps, Hig-
gins explained how a deal is complet-
ed and the importance of understand-
ing how the taxes generated from
these projects beneft the local school
systems and our local economy.
Without a doubt, Higgins is a man
who loves his job and demonstrates
his passion in every word he utters.
He is blunt, brassy and confdent, but
under his bravado he realizes that not
everyone understands what the LINK
does when it comes to economic
development.
But, at the end of the day, the
goal of the LINK is getting industry
to locate here and creating better lives
for the people of Lowndes County. As
Higgins reiterated several times, Peo-
ple ofen ask me what I like about my
job. Te answer is quick and simple:
When I see a person that was working
as a clerk at a local store get a great
job at the steel mill, paying two or
three times what they were making,
it makes my day! Tat also frees up
a spot where someone else can start
moving through the job network, and
we are all better of than we were.
Troughout the entire con-
versation, there was one concern from
the LINK ofce that should be shared
by the entire community, and that is
that the business of business should
never be compromised or politically
driven. Te LINK, though account-
able to the entire community, should
not be blown east or west by the po-
litical winds of the day. Te LINK and
the success of industry should not be
held hostage at the whim of politics.
Tis is a difcult task when
billion-dollar projects hang in the
balance. However, every efort should
be made to ensure that this does not
happen, as it would result in the com-
munity being cheated both out of jobs
and the economic impact it would
otherwise receive. In short, politics
and dogma should not triumph over
our communitys future.
In talking to many citizens
over the years about business and
industry, it is easy to see that some
people are skeptical. In a country
where capitalism is supposedly king,
many people in America have a hard
time trusting industry or anything
that they think is Big Business.
Right or wrong, some folks, even here
in Lowndes County, will never trust
what they see as rich guys getting
richer.
But the real deal is as simple
as this: Without industry, there are no
jobs, no retail and no future. Everyone
wants a job, but jobs do not sprout out
of the ground by some kind of magi-
cal process. Unfortunately, because of
the proliferation of government jobs,
many Americans think they do. But it
is industry and private-sector busi-
nesses that drive the economic train.
In that case, it is impor-
tant that Joe Higgins and the LINK
continue to try to educate the general
public regarding what is occurring in
our area. It may be tough to reduce a
quantum physics-level business deal
to a concept that average men and
women can understand, but it needs
to be done. People are smart; they just
need to learn the language of the art
of the deal, and they will understand
the importance of industry in our
community. Tat may seem like a
daunting task, but it must be under-
taken. Afer meeting with the LINK
last week, it is clear that they under-
stand this concept.
However, the people also
need to understand that many proj-
ects must remain, at least for a time,
wrapped in a veil of secrecy. A major-
ity of the projects brought to our area
are projects that are still being devel-
oped and cannot be discussed until
the deal is sealed. Many people may
not like this idea, but to kill a project
by talking about it too soon could
cost our towns hundreds of jobs and
millions of dollars in taxes, and that is
not prudent. To be blunt, it is dumb.
Not everyone is going to
like industry. Tey will see it as just
a bunch of rich guys getting richer.
But that is short-sighted. Mississippi
needs jobs. Lowndes Country needs
jobs, and Columbus needs jobs. Pe-
riod!
So, if you drive down the
road and wonder why there is no Tar-
get, why there is no this store or that
store, you must understand that these
businesses come to areas that have a
certain population base. And when
businesses say population base, they
mean people with money and jobs.
Te only way that can happen is for
people to be employed. Without jobs,
an area is just a vast wasteland of
nothingness.
You may not like industry,
but you had better like jobs. Without
them, our future will perish.
2

editorsnote
by Joseph B. St. John
Editor-in-Chief
The LINK And Why Industry Matters
contributors
Joseph B. St. John is the Editor-in-Chief
and Publisher. You can reach him at
jbstjohn@realstorypublishing.com. He is
a man who understands that everything
that appears bad is not bad and every-
thing that appears good is not good.
Melinda Dufe is a certifed personal
trainer, with additional expertise in
nutrition counseling and life coaching as
well as a bachelors degree in business.
E-mail reaches her at mvpft@yahoo.com
Meagan M. ONan is a trained and ex-
perienced life coach, award-winning au-
thor of the book, Creating Your Heaven
on Earth, blogger, poet and supporter
of the underdog. She has a life coaching
practice in Columbus. Meaganonan.org
Clare Mallory,L.Ac.,M.Ac.,holds a
masters degree in Acupuncture and
Oriental Medicine. She is the owner of
North Mississippi Acupuncture in Co-
lumbus. Visit her website at
www.claremallory.com
Paige Canida-Greene is a senior com-
munication major (theatre minor) at
Mississippi University for Women and
lives in Columbus.
Brenda Minor is the Sales Manager at
Te Real Story. Please contact her for
more information on ad rates and sales.
brenda@realstorypublishing.com A
u
g
u
s
t

1
5
,

2
0
1
2

a

w
e
e
k
l
y

p
u
b
l
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
3
contents
19
Portrait of Te Artist:
Melody Vydas
4
A Few Surprises At Colum-
bus City Council Meeting
9
Life Enrichment Program
13
Te Real Story Ribbon
Cutting
regular features
2 .................. Editors Note
4 ............................ Politics
6 ................... Ask Meagan
7 . Points For Your Health
10 ........... Financial Focus
11 ................. Community
16 ................. Perspectives
18 .... Culturally Speaking
18 ... Portrait of the Artist
20 ......................... Recipes
24 .................... Crossword
27 .................... Classifeds
About the Cover
real story reader
\r(-)l str- r-dr\
noun
1. intelligent
2. educated
3. community oriented
Joe Max Higgins from the LINK.
See page 2 for The LINK and Why Industry
Matters.
r
e
a
l
s
t
o
r
y
p
u
b
l
i
s
h
i
n
g
.
c
o
m
Prayers and Squares Ministry
Prayers and Squares is a ministry that provides prayer quilts that
will be shared with individuals who are going through difculties
or illnesses. We welcome all quilters, skilled, or not so skilled,
men, women, and teenagers who would like to be involved in this
special ministry.
Columbus SDA Church
(Fellowship Hall)
301 Brooks Rd. (of Lehmberg Rd.)
Monday nights at 6:00 p.m.
Come join us for an enjoyable fellowship time together.
For more information
contact Diane Sturges at 662-497-2041
dianecooksturges@gmail.com
(We are also accepting donations of fabric)
LOW COST AGGREGATE LOW COST AGGREGATE
Need a low cost stone for unimproved roadways or embankments??
Need to fll a low-lying area??
Need a pipe bedding material??
Have a parking area or farm lot in need of a durable longwearing
material?
Slag Aggregate offers a durable material that will hold up under heavy
truck traffc and provide long service life; and a very reasonable cost!
Material Size
Dura Berm 1 1/2 x 0 (Base)
1 1/2 x 0 SF (Open-Graded)
Commercial 4 x 2 SF
Price FOB Severstal Mill
$ 5.00 per Ton
$10.00 per Ton
$12.00 per Ton
To purpchase contact Golden Triangle Mill Service Co. located inside
the Severstal Steel Mill, 1947 Airport Rd., Columbus, MS 39701. Please
call plant offce to verify product availablility.
Max Chesebro - Plant Offce
(662) 244-3400
John Murphy - Sales Manager
(574) 876-0466
4
politics
EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JOSEPH B. ST. JOHN
stjohnjb@realstorypublishing.com
SPORTS WRITER
JEREMIAH SHORT
jshort@realstorypublishing.com
FEATURE COLUMNISTS
RON PARLATO
rparlato@realstorypublishing.com
KATE SPENCER
kate@realstorypublishing.com
MEAGAN M. ONAN
meagan@realstorypublishing.com
EMILY GAITHER SMITH
emilygsmith@gmail.com
CLARE MALLORY
clare@realstorypublishing.com
MELINDA DUFFIE
melinda@realstorypublishing.com
WRITERS
WHIT HARRINGTON
PAIGE CANIDA-GREENE
ABIGAIL HATHORN
RYAN MUNSON
ASHLEY GARRIGA
GUEST FEATURE WRITER
DICK MAHONEY
dmahoney@realstorypublishing.com
ART & PRODUCTION
ART/LAYOUT DIRECTOR
RENEE REEDY
renee@realstorypublishing.com
PHOTOGRAPHERS
MARTIN HOWARD
RICK MANNING
RENEE REEDY
ADVERTISING
SALES MANAGER
BRENDA MINOR
brenda@realstorypublishing.com
662.251.1839
DISTRIBUTION & CUSTOMER SERVICE
KATE SPENCER
kate@realstorypublishing.com
PUBLISHER
JOSEPH B. ST. JOHN
CONTACT US:
ads@realstorypublishing.com
info@realstorypublishing.com
letters@realstorypublishing.com
classieds@realstorypublishing.com
subscriptions@realstorypublishing.com
THE REAL STORY
P. O. Box 403
Columbus, MS 39703
Editorial 662.497.2914
Advertising 662.251.1839
Check for daily updates online:
http://realstorypublishing.com
Facebook.com/rspublishing
__________
Dont miss an issue!
SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
$19.95 for 6 Months
$34.95 for 12 Months
Dont Miss An Issue...
Subscribe Online!
Or send your payment and
address information to:
P.O. Box 403
Columbus, MS 39703
A Few Surprises At Columbus City Council Meeting
The Real Story Staff Report
e shell game. Even if youve
never seen it in person, you have
probably seen it portrayed on TV or
in the theater. It involves three cups
and a ball. e overturned cups are
moved back and forth, to and fro,
with the ball being underneath one
of them. e problem is that the ball
ends up being under the cup that you
least suspect.
So it was at the Columbus
City Council meeting of Tuesday,
Aug. 2, 2012. e nights o cial
agenda listed three speakers on the
Citizens Input portion: Larry Golden
of Club Hideho, restaurateur Glenn
Baldwin, and Connie Jones-Brooks,
who was to speak on the renaming
of Fourth Street South. Based on past
experience and local media reports,
you would probably be inclined to
think that the most likely sources of
controversy would be either Golden
whose club seems to be a magnet for
unruly behavior and police attention
or Baldwin who has been quite
vocal in his disappointment over not
being considered, much less ap-
pointed, for a Columbus Convention
& Visitors Bureau board seat. On this
night, at least, you would be wrong
on both counts.
e meeting began innocent-
ly enough, with the normal minutiae
of city government: the adoption of
minutes, a mayoral proclamation and
the approval of a consent agenda.
en came the main event
the Citizens Input Agenda.
Golden, who was expected to
air the latest act in his never-ending
litany of complaints against city of-
cials, was a no-show. No excitement
there.
Baldwin, who owns two local
restaurants, appeared in search of an
explanation as to why his name had
not come up for a vote in regards to a
recently lled CCVB board position
(Bernard Buckhalter was reappointed
to another one-year term). Baldwin
initially directed his questioning at
Councilman Kabir Karriem, who in
return took oense at being singled
out, both at the council meeting and
in the local press. Karriem explained
that he had made a motion to reap-
point Buckhalter because he called
and asked for my support. Who
knew it was this easy? Apparently, no
recitation of previous accomplish-
ments or plans for the upcoming year
was required which is a good thing,
because Buckhalter would have been
hard pressed to provide either.
In the end - and despite
a brief back-and-forth among the
council members about what pro-
cedures for approving new board
members were available to them the
council managed to stonewall Bald-
win, who le with no clear resolution.
e last citizens to speak
were members of the Jones/Karriem
family, who came to request that the
one-block section of Fourth Street
South between Main and College
Streets be renamed Sallie Mae Jones
Catsh Alley (now theres a mouth-
ful).
Laura Jones-Chalmers, one of
four family members to address the
council on this issue, made a long, el-
oquent recitation of Sallie Mae Jones
many contributions to the African-
American community of Columbus.
She was joined in this eort by Kamal
Karriem, Connie Jones-Brooks and
Helen Karriem.
is request was met with
a surprisingly well-reasoned rebu
from Mayor Robert Smith, who sug-
gested that the city should seek input
from the other businesses on the
block that would be aected by this
name change. e mayors statement
was met by apparent surprise and
frustration from the family mem-
bers, who then cited various eorts,
including the circulation of a peti-
tion (with no specics on wording or
number of signatures gathered) and
attempts (apparently unsuccessful) to
contact the other business owners.
It soon became clear that
more than one of the councilmen
agreed with Mayor Smiths suggestion
to delay a decision so that input could
be obtained. Smith actually upped the
ante by suggesting that people other
than those operating businesses on
the block in question be consulted
about the decision.
Councilman Charlie Box
suggested that naming the block aer
an individual would set a precedent
apparently unaware of the numer-
ous examples that can be found with
a cursory review of a local telephone
directory.
It was at the tail end of the
discussion that the real reworks
erupted. Citizen Dempsey Faulkner,
who appeared to be keenly interested
in the proceedings, requested and was
granted permission to speak before
the assembly. Faulkner basically re-
peated Boxs argument about setting
a precedent. en, aer some resis-
tance from the Jones/Karriem family,
he dropped an apparent bombshell
by saying, Dont make it a problem
where nobody eats there [Jones Res-
taurant].
is elicited an immediate
and angry response from a number of
people, forcing the mayor to bang his
gavel and admonish all in attendance
with Lets have some order!
Smith then quickly called for
a motion. Councilman Box made a
motion to table the matter and was
seconded by Councilman Bill Gavin.
e vote resulted in a 3-3 tie which
was, by rule, broken by Mayor Smith,
who cast the deciding vote to table
the matter.
e council then proceeded
through the remaining agenda items
in fairly short order and then quickly
departed to attend the evenings Na-
tional Night Out activities, leaving
anger, hurt feelings and frustration in
their wake.
A
u
g
u
s
t

1
5
,

2
0
1
2

a

w
e
e
k
l
y

p
u
b
l
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
Dempsey Faulkner
Laura Jones-Chalmers
4
politics
EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JOSEPH B. ST. JOHN
stjohnjb@realstorypublishing.com
SPORTS WRITER
JEREMIAH SHORT
jshort@realstorypublishing.com
FEATURE COLUMNISTS
RON PARLATO
rparlato@realstorypublishing.com
KATE SPENCER
kate@realstorypublishing.com
MEAGAN M. ONAN
meagan@realstorypublishing.com
EMILY GAITHER SMITH
emilygsmith@gmail.com
CLARE MALLORY
clare@realstorypublishing.com
MELINDA DUFFIE
melinda@realstorypublishing.com
WRITERS
WHIT HARRINGTON
PAIGE CANIDA-GREENE
ABIGAIL HATHORN
RYAN MUNSON
ASHLEY GARRIGA
GUEST FEATURE WRITER
DICK MAHONEY
dmahoney@realstorypublishing.com
ART & PRODUCTION
ART/LAYOUT DIRECTOR
RENEE REEDY
renee@realstorypublishing.com
PHOTOGRAPHERS
MARTIN HOWARD
RICK MANNING
RENEE REEDY
ADVERTISING
SALES MANAGER
BRENDA MINOR
brenda@realstorypublishing.com
662.251.1839
DISTRIBUTION & CUSTOMER SERVICE
KATE SPENCER
kate@realstorypublishing.com
PUBLISHER
JOSEPH B. ST. JOHN
CONTACT US:
ads@realstorypublishing.com
info@realstorypublishing.com
letters@realstorypublishing.com
classieds@realstorypublishing.com
subscriptions@realstorypublishing.com
THE REAL STORY
P. O. Box 403
Columbus, MS 39703
Editorial 662.497.2914
Advertising 662.251.1839
Check for daily updates online:
http://realstorypublishing.com
Facebook.com/rspublishing
__________
Dont miss an issue!
SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
$19.95 for 6 Months
$34.95 for 12 Months
Dont Miss An Issue...
Subscribe Online!
Or send your payment and
address information to:
P.O. Box 403
Columbus, MS 39703
A Few Surprises At Columbus City Council Meeting
The Real Story Staff Report
e shell game. Even if youve
never seen it in person, you have
probably seen it portrayed on TV or
in the theater. It involves three cups
and a ball. e overturned cups are
moved back and forth, to and fro,
with the ball being underneath one
of them. e problem is that the ball
ends up being under the cup that you
least suspect.
So it was at the Columbus
City Council meeting of Tuesday,
Aug. 2, 2012. e nights o cial
agenda listed three speakers on the
Citizens Input portion: Larry Golden
of Club Hideho, restaurateur Glenn
Baldwin, and Connie Jones-Brooks,
who was to speak on the renaming
of Fourth Street South. Based on past
experience and local media reports,
you would probably be inclined to
think that the most likely sources of
controversy would be either Golden
whose club seems to be a magnet for
unruly behavior and police attention
or Baldwin who has been quite
vocal in his disappointment over not
being considered, much less ap-
pointed, for a Columbus Convention
& Visitors Bureau board seat. On this
night, at least, you would be wrong
on both counts.
e meeting began innocent-
ly enough, with the normal minutiae
of city government: the adoption of
minutes, a mayoral proclamation and
the approval of a consent agenda.
en came the main event
the Citizens Input Agenda.
Golden, who was expected to
air the latest act in his never-ending
litany of complaints against city of-
cials, was a no-show. No excitement
there.
Baldwin, who owns two local
restaurants, appeared in search of an
explanation as to why his name had
not come up for a vote in regards to a
recently lled CCVB board position
(Bernard Buckhalter was reappointed
to another one-year term). Baldwin
initially directed his questioning at
Councilman Kabir Karriem, who in
return took oense at being singled
out, both at the council meeting and
in the local press. Karriem explained
that he had made a motion to reap-
point Buckhalter because he called
and asked for my support. Who
knew it was this easy? Apparently, no
recitation of previous accomplish-
ments or plans for the upcoming year
was required which is a good thing,
because Buckhalter would have been
hard pressed to provide either.
In the end - and despite
a brief back-and-forth among the
council members about what pro-
cedures for approving new board
members were available to them the
council managed to stonewall Bald-
win, who le with no clear resolution.
e last citizens to speak
were members of the Jones/Karriem
family, who came to request that the
one-block section of Fourth Street
South between Main and College
Streets be renamed Sallie Mae Jones
Catsh Alley (now theres a mouth-
ful).
Laura Jones-Chalmers, one of
four family members to address the
council on this issue, made a long, el-
oquent recitation of Sallie Mae Jones
many contributions to the African-
American community of Columbus.
She was joined in this eort by Kamal
Karriem, Connie Jones-Brooks and
Helen Karriem.
is request was met with
a surprisingly well-reasoned rebu
from Mayor Robert Smith, who sug-
gested that the city should seek input
from the other businesses on the
block that would be aected by this
name change. e mayors statement
was met by apparent surprise and
frustration from the family mem-
bers, who then cited various eorts,
including the circulation of a peti-
tion (with no specics on wording or
number of signatures gathered) and
attempts (apparently unsuccessful) to
contact the other business owners.
It soon became clear that
more than one of the councilmen
agreed with Mayor Smiths suggestion
to delay a decision so that input could
be obtained. Smith actually upped the
ante by suggesting that people other
than those operating businesses on
the block in question be consulted
about the decision.
Councilman Charlie Box
suggested that naming the block aer
an individual would set a precedent
apparently unaware of the numer-
ous examples that can be found with
a cursory review of a local telephone
directory.
It was at the tail end of the
discussion that the real reworks
erupted. Citizen Dempsey Faulkner,
who appeared to be keenly interested
in the proceedings, requested and was
granted permission to speak before
the assembly. Faulkner basically re-
peated Boxs argument about setting
a precedent. en, aer some resis-
tance from the Jones/Karriem family,
he dropped an apparent bombshell
by saying, Dont make it a problem
where nobody eats there [Jones Res-
taurant].
is elicited an immediate
and angry response from a number of
people, forcing the mayor to bang his
gavel and admonish all in attendance
with Lets have some order!
Smith then quickly called for
a motion. Councilman Box made a
motion to table the matter and was
seconded by Councilman Bill Gavin.
e vote resulted in a 3-3 tie which
was, by rule, broken by Mayor Smith,
who cast the deciding vote to table
the matter.
e council then proceeded
through the remaining agenda items
in fairly short order and then quickly
departed to attend the evenings Na-
tional Night Out activities, leaving
anger, hurt feelings and frustration in
their wake.
A
u
g
u
s
t

1
5
,

2
0
1
2

a

w
e
e
k
l
y

p
u
b
l
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
Dempsey Faulkner
Laura Jones-Chalmers
5

politics
r
e
a
l
s
t
o
r
y
p
u
b
l
i
s
h
i
n
g
.
c
o
m
Oh, My My...Here We Go Again!
Stop me if you have heard
this before, but on Aug. 7, 2012,
there was a madhouse going on, and
it was called the Caledonia Board
of Aldermen meeting. Te sad and
cold reality is that, at some point, a
writer just feels like s/he is piling on
in regards to the disaster that occurs
in Caledonia on the frst Tuesday of
every month. Its like telling people
every month that its going to be hot
in Mississippi in August.
But, like the weather, ev-
eryone wants to talk about it, even
if it is the obvious. Its either too hot
or its too cold, or the people run-
ning Caledonia are just some damn
angry people. Whatever the case may
be, that is the perception. You have
a group of people, many of whom
already dislike each other, and they
are trying to turn the towns business
into a pawn in this game of who can
dislike whom the most.
Te main topic of discus-
sion at the Aug. 7 meeting was Trey
Robertsons grievance. Yes, boys and
girls, here we go again. Once again
faced with a topic with more shelf-life
than an Army MRE, the board fnally
came to a conclusion on the griev-
ance. Tey voted 4-1 to reject it.
With Mayor Gerhart, who
did not vote, and Alderman Quinn
Parham calling Water Department
Head Bennie Colemans judgment
into question, the other four alder-
men had had enough and denied the
claim. Apparently, they do not believe
or want to believe that Coleman was
refusing to sign Robertsons certif-
cation paperwork until Robertsons
family solves their separate legal issue
with the town. So there you go. It is
over. Well, maybe...er, probably not!
For future reference to the
aldermen and the mayor, here are
two words you need to learn: Execu-
tive Session! It is nice to have open
government, and everyone appreci-
ates it, but not for personnel issues.
Oh, it is great for gossip and helps to
sell papers, but it is wrong for all of
the people involved. Right or wrong,
Benny and Trey deserved to have
their privacy kept intact. And to be
blunt, it makes government ofcials
look ignorant when they discuss per-
sonnel issues in public.
It is not about laws, rules
or the dreaded attorney generals
opinion, which is ofen used because
politicians dont have the guts to do
their jobs and make a decision. Plain
and simple, it makes our communi-
ties look bad when politicians dont
know how to do their job and then
slam employees in public. Tat is the
hard truth.
It is brutal, callous and disre-
spectful. And if Jef Smith, the town
attorney, wont say it, then it will be
said here. Tese are personnel issues
and should be discussed in Executive
Session. PERIOD!
Te truth is that part of the
problem lays with the media, with
our need to know everything and
our desire to fool gullible politicians
into discussing personnel matters in
public. Dear Mr. Politician: regardless
of what anyone tells you, it is wrong
to publicly whip your employees.
Add to the fact that the
media has a nasty habit of cleaning
up meetings and presenting orderly
articles, the citizens are unaware
that their town is run by very angry
3-year-olds who need a nap. Not even
the town secretary manages to escape
the politicians sharp tongues. She
gets it at every meeting.
It is not just Mayor George;
it is everyone on the board. Tey are
grumpy people who really do not like
each other. In between outbursts on
the rules, the baseball park, nepotism
and a gaggle of other problems - real
and imagined - Steve Savage yelled,
George was hotter than a frecracker
and everyone else just seemed an-
noyed with the meeting. Or just call it
business as usual.
Whatever the case, it must
stop because it is making a beautiful
town look silly! And to make mat-
ters worse, it appears that mowing
the grass is a monumental undertak-
ing. If its not the baseball feld, its
the Dowdle property. Whatever the
reason is, someone just needs to get
a lawnmower and a weed-eater and
get to work, because God created the
heavens and the earth in less time
than it takes to mow the grass in
Caledonia.
Even Caledonia Day was not
spared. In discussing what should be
a happy occasion, bad attitudes ruled.
Te exchange between Mayor George
and town volunteer Susan Bell was
so venom flled that I wondered if I
would have needed a fak jacket if I
had attended. But what the heck - the
CCVB gave the town 4,000 happy
American dollars.
In the end, the town ofcials
should follow Barbara Cantrells
words when she echoed the thoughts
of many residents that they are
blessed to be Americans and South-
erners and to live in Caledonia. Un-
fortunately, the mayor and the board
seem more like Guns and Roses. And
they love to sing:
Welcome to the jungle; it gets worse
here every day
Ya learn to live like an animal in the
jungle where we play
If you hunger for what you see youll
take it eventually
You can have everything you want
but you better not take it from me
In the jungle, welcome to the jungle
Watch it bring you to your knnn-
knne-knees, knees
I want to watch you bleed.
It is time for silliness to stop,
and to stop now.
Tumbs up to Charles Un-
derhill for telling it like it is.
Two thumbs up to Supervisor
Harry Sanders for not getting caught
up in the madness during his atten-
dance at the meeting.
Joseph B. St. John
~la, ..l, &~.~ ~ :.!
A Quaint Cozy Restaurant and Market
513 MAIN STREET
Looking for a relaxing atmosphere, delicious cuisine, a sophisticated are with attractive prices, CONTINENTAL MARKET & BISTRO offers that and so much more.
Continental Market & Bistro is your place for social lunches, business meetings, Garden Club meetings, girls night out, bunko, bridal showers & luncheons,
private wine and cheese tasting parties.
.t.~:l .l~ a v.
.t.~:l .l~ a v.
A few of the house originals:
Danas French Onion, Tomato Basil & Roasted
Garlic Potato Soups Caprese Salmon & Dill,
Shrimp & Asparagus Quiches Butterkase Baby,
The Marilyn & The Duke Grilled Cheeses
Summer & Holiday Chicken Salads
Gorgonapple Salad ShrimpACodo Salad
Handmade Chocolates - Two Bites of Heaven
One of a kind desserts
The Market offers gourmet
food items, wine accessories,
candles, comeback sauce, brie
condiments & bakers, creme
brulee mixes, lots of great
cookbooks and much, much
more.
MARKET HOURS BISTRO HOURS
TUESDAY - FRIDAY 10 AM-3PM 11AM-2-PM
SATURDAY 8 AM-3PM 8 AM-2PM
CONTINENTAL MARKET & BISTRO 513 MAIN STREET COLUMBUS MS 662-328-2021
6

thewholeperson
Dear Meagan,
I have a very basic question. I
wasnt raised in a religious home, but
I do know that spirituality is some-
thing that is important to me. How
can I feed myself spiritually if Im
not religious?
Sincerely,
Grateful
Dear Grateful,
Tank you for writing in, and
that is a great question! I think it is
important for us all to take the time
and fgure out what feeds us and
allows us to feel a close connection
to Life, the Universe, God, whatever
you choose to call It - whatever label
you want to put on your spirituality is
fne. Being connected to that which is
bigger than you is what allows you to
trust life more and feel more in touch
with your own purpose on earth.
Everyone is diferent, and
everyone can feel inspired in various
ways. Begin to pay attention to what
inspires you and what makes you
feel connected to life. Inserting those
things into your life more ofen (pref-
erably on a daily basis) will give you
an opportunity to go with the fow
of life more easily and fnd solutions
to your problems in a way that is not
forced or confusing.
Some people like to meditate
or pray on a daily basis, but meditat-
ing and praying are just two ways to
feed you spiritually. I have made a list
for you below, and you can try each
out to see what fts for you in fact,
feel free to mix and match. Tere
is no right way or wrong way to be
inspired or to feel at ease with life;
you just have to fnd what is right for
you and what works for you. If you
dont like structure, dont do the same
thing every day. If you like structure,
do it at a time when you are able to
follow through; in other words, dont
plan on meditating at night when
you know you are probably going to
just fall asleep because you are tired.
Make your spirituality something you
can look forward to.
Here are some ideas for what
you can do on a daily basis to feed
yourself spiritually:
Incorporateapassionof
yours into each day (playing music,
dancing, writing, singing, gardening,
knitting anything that connects you
to the bigger you). Doing what you
love to do will only bring joy into
your life.
Meditateorpray.Youdont
have to do this the old-fashioned way;
put on some good music and read an
inspiring or challenging book. Sit in
silence, if you choose, with a cup of
cofee. Take time for you.
Connectwithnature.Idont
know about you, but I love sunsets,
and I love being near water, so a
simple solution for me would be to
walk down to the Riverwalk each day
atsunset.Youcancombinethethings
you love and the things that inspire
you. Nature represents the bigger part
of who we are, so being out in nature
will always give you a breath of fresh
air.
Journal.Tisisagreatway
to process what is going on in your
life. Make the journal for your eyes
only, so that you dont feel pressure
around sharing it or not saying some-
thing you really want to say. Write
about what is troubling you, and al-
low your emotions to come forward.
Releasing your emotions on paper is
very therapeutic, and it will give you
clarity.
Tese are just a few ways
to feed you spiritually. Tere are a
million more ways. Some people feel
inspired and connected by being
around people. Be the observer of
your life, and pay attention to what
makes you feel like anything is pos-
sible. Whatever that is, do it every
day.
Meagan ONan
Do you have questions about your life,
career or relationships?
Ask Meagan!
E-mail reaches her at meagan@realsto-
rypublishing.com.
Personal information, such as your
name, will NOT be divulged.
Topic: Spiritual, Not Religious
Meagan ONan
A
u
g
u
s
t

1
5
,

2
0
1
2

w
e
e
k
l
y

p
u
b
l
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
Why, sometimes Ive
believed as many as six impossible
things before breakfast! - Alice in
Wonderland
I love this quote. I used to
think it was silly, when I was younger,
but I know better now. I have gained
wisdom as I have grown, and, ironi-
cally, ofen the sillier something is the
more wisdom there is in it.
We all think impossible
things before breakfast. We think of
how we wish our life were, and we
dont believe its possible for us. We
think of what would make us happy,
and we dont believe it can happen.
And, silliest of all, we see other peo-
ple with what we want for ourselves
- evidence that those things are, in-
deed, possible - but dont believe we,
ourselves, can attain the same thing.
Tats the world we live in - a world
we defne by our lack of imagination,
by the story we have each written.
We have no problem thinking of
impossible things, but thats where
it ends - with the thought, the belief
that they are impossible. But what if,
instead, we chose to do the opposite,
to believe the thoughts instead of just
thinking them?
Teres another quote from
Alice in Wonderland (from the mov-
ie, anyway), that goes, Te only way
to achieve the impossible is to believe
its possible. We live in a world that
is a result of minds that thought this
way. Who would ever have thought
it possible for a large piece of metal
carrying thousands of pounds to
travel through the air? Or that you
could fip a switch and there would
be light? Who would have thought
that by moving an object on a desk (a
mouse) you could access millions of
bits of information in split seconds?
Someone did, and now we all do.
What do you believe impos-
sible?Justforfun,whatifitwerepos-
sible? What if you allowed yourself a
few moments each day to imagine
that your life could be diferent? We
are so set in our ways that we fear
even that - we call it daydreaming
and brush it of as such, confrming
to our brain that it isnt reality.
I believe Life is compas-
sionate. It refects back to us what
we believe. Sometimes that doesnt
seem compassionate to us, but Life is
always doing what we order it to do
- creating a reality out of what we be-
lieve, whether possible or impos-
sible. When we choose to believe the
impossible - just as with the pos-
sible - it responds. Tings show up.
People show up. Weird coincidences
happen. We draw that impossibility
closer and closer until we dont even
remember when we believed it im-
possible. All of us have experienced
this to some degree.
Today, I challenge you to
believe the impossible, on a personal
level. I challenge you to think of six
things in your life that you would like
to be diferent, and to believe them
possible. What are your dreams? And
what do you believe is impossible
about them? What if they werent
impossible? What if they were given
to you for the very reason that they
are possible?
We are born alone, and we
die alone, and we so ofen spend all
the time in between living in a world
of others beliefs, others stories. What
if you were to change that, to start
believing the impossible for yourself?
Whats the worst that could happen?
We create our own lives - thats how
powerful we are, and we can choose
to see obstacles or opportunities in
any given moment. We are made in
the image of God, and yet we believe
Life supports others but not our-
selves.
Our problems are self cre-
ated - we create them in our minds,
and we can move past them when we
make that choice. Impossible? I dont
believe so.
The Real Story Staff Report
Living in Wonderland
T
h
a
i

C
u
i
s
i
n
e &
S
u
s
h
i

B
a
r
4
4
1

W
ilk
in
s-Wise Rd., C
o
lu
m
b
u
s
6
6
2
.327.4
0
0
1
Amazing Lunch!!!!
For the month of August
Pad Thai Buy 1 get the 2nd lunch for $2.00
BUSH HOGGING
662.574.1570
Te only way to
achieve the impos-
sible is to believe
its possible.
7
r
e
a
l
s
t
o
r
y
p
u
b
l
i
s
h
i
n
g
.
c
o
m
ere is a saying in Chinese
Medicine: As above, so below. is
is an ancient concept that feeds the
idea not only that man is a reection
of his Maker but also that he (man)
reects his environment. In fact, this
same concept applies to the body
itself and is the basis for various ap-
proaches in acupuncture as well as
therapies such as reexology (where
the foot and hand serve as microsys-
tems of the entire body).
When one approaches life
and health in this way, some of the
advances in modern food technol-
ogy become concerning, to say the
least. When we have food that is
chemically processed and genetically
modied, it isnt any wonder that we
have such high rates of diseases such
as cancer - which is what? - simply
speaking, a (negative) modication of
how normal cells behave.
e purpose of this article
isnt to argue the association between
cancer or other diseases and geneti-
cally modied or processed foods;
there is plenty of research available
on the subject via a simple Internet
search. Rather, on a more simpli-
ed level - and appealing merely
to common sense - food that isnt
food anymore probably shouldnt
be treated as food. Employing the as
above, so below concept, food that
isnt food will serve not to nourish
but rather to harm the body, as you
are giving the body something which
it, by its nature, isnt made to process.
e fuel of the body is FOOD.
While there is no law (yet)
that genetically modied foods need
to be labeled as such (our Mississippi
senators are in support of such a law,
thank goodness), here are some basic
tips you can follow until legislation
on the issue does change:
Buy organic. If its organic,
its not genetically modied. is
goes not just for fruits and vegetables
(see below), but especially for grains,
including - and especially - wheat,
corn and soy. Most wheat and corn
are genetically modied (the former
accounting, many believe, for the re-
cent rise in gluten sensitivity over the
past decade or so), and soy that isnt
organic should, plain and simple, not
be eaten.
For fruits and vegetables,
theres a quick and easy method to
knowing what youre buying. You
know those little stickers on the
produce in the grocery store? ey
have numbers on them that are an
extremely helpful code. Here are the
numbers you want, in order of prefer-
ence:
A ve-digit number begin-
ning with 9: is is organic - equals
best. ink: I dine on 9.
A four-digit number be-
ginning with 3: is is transitional,
which means it is in between con-
ventional (see below) and organic; in
other words, it isnt certied organic,
but it also isnt loaded with the regu-
lar pesticides of conventional pro-
duce, either. ink: 3 times 3 equals
9 (equals good).
A four-digit number
beginning with 4: is is conven-
tional, which means its still real
food but has been grown with a ton
of pesticides (which are not food).
You should wash all your fruits and
vegetables anyway, but if you arent in
the habit, at the very least, wash 4s.
A four-digit number
beginning with 8: is is genetically
modied. Never buy these - they are
not food. ink: I hate 8.
If you are buying processed
foods (which are loaded with pre-
servatives, many of which, by the
way, are not food), get in the habit
of reading the ingredients: If they
contain wheat or corn, you may want
to look for something else, as chances
are extremely high that they are
genetically modied. If they contain
soy (including soy lecithin, a by-
product of soy which is in numerous
foods and cosmetics), make sure it
says non-GMO. If it doesnt, again,
chances are high its genetically modi-
ed.
And, of course, the best
advice is to stay interested in your
food. It is what fuels your body and
keeps you healthy or unhealthy. Learn
what is in your food, pay attention to
how your body responds to dier-
ent foods, and, above all, make sure
its food: We wouldnt put sand in a
cars gas tank and expect it to func-
tion optimally (or at all), and yet we
consistently put unnatural things in
our bodies and then wonder why we
feel bad and get sick.
Remember - taking charge of
your health now will save you a ton of
time, money and misery in the long
run!
Points For Your Health: As Above, So
Below
By Clare Mallory

thewholeperson
points for
your health
Lime Special for $35 per acre for the
month of August
We wouldnt put sand in
a cars gas tank and expect
it to function optimally
(or at all), and yet we con-
sistently put unnatural
things in our bodies and
then wonder why we feel
bad and get sick.
Ever hear the saying, calo-
ries in, calories out? is means that
if you take in the same number of
calories that you expend, you should
technically maintain your weight.
And if you take in less than you
expend, you should clearly be losing
weight. It sounds like such a simple
idea - almost too simple, in fact. I
mean, why would America, and our
State of Mississippi, for that matter,
have an overweight epidemic if its as
simple as following just one rule?
Lets say the typical normal-
weight American should be consum-
ing 2,000 calories of energy per day
to maintain their healthy normal
weight.* If its all about calories in,
calories out, then it shouldnt mat-
ter where those 2,000 calories come
from, so long as youre expending at
least 2,000 calories during the day to
maintain the balance. But lets dig a
little deeper.
Lets go radical. What if you
ate 2,000 calories worth of dough-
nuts? ats just 10 or fewer uy, de-
licious, original-brand, sugary rings.
Eat all 10, and youre at your daily
maximum number of calories, with
no need to eat anything else to sus-
tain your body weight. For our own
simple purposes, lets say thats all you
ate for the day. According to calories
in, calories out, if you burned more
than 2,000 calories that day, you
would lose weight! You mean, we can
have our doughnuts and lose weight,
too? What wonderful news, especially
since theres a new Krispy Kreme
coming to town!
But thats only theory
In reality, food is not just a
means of taking in calories. Its pur-
pose is so much more than providing
energy; it makes all of the essential
processes of the body occur. Food
is our make-it-or-break it way of
treating the body, and every time we
eat, we either make it healthier or we
break it down toward sickness.
When you eat food, your
body goes through a hormonal
response as well as hundreds of other
physiological changes. ose hor-
monal responses are what can help
you to either gain or lose weight - not
the calories in, calories out. If youre
ingesting 2,000 calories of doughnuts
versus 2,000 calories of fresh veg-
etables, fruits and lean meats, youre
placing a huge stressor on your bodys
system because the body is not de-
signed to digest processed and rened
foods. When that happens, hormones
such as cortisol and insulin are
released, causing a stress response.
e stress response is the fat-storing
response.
If youre ingesting real foods
(dened by me as most foods that
either grow or have a mother), then
your body recognizes the foods as a
real source of energy. is eliminates
the stress response and the signicant
release of the fat-storing hormones.
When your body eats real foods -
mainly the ones that grow from the
ground - it knows exactly what to
do, and it e ciently digests the real
foods in whats called a fat-burning
response.
So if youre a believer in
calories in, calories out, I urge you
to rethink that theory. e body
functions in more ways than one, and
2,000 calories of junk may essen-
tially cause someone to gain weight,
whereas 2,000 calories of real foods
may cause someone to lose weight,
assuming both folks are equally ac-
tive. Choose which system youd like
to create in your body, and choose
foods that your body recognizes as
real so that you can begin your
transformation, creating a healthy,
normal, fat-burning machine.
*e typical number of
calories a normal weight, healthy
person should consume varies widely,
depending on factors such as age, sex
and activity level.
When Is A Calorie Not Just A Calorie?
By Abby Malmstrom
Food is our make-it-or-
break it way of treating
the body, and every time
we eat, we either make it
healthier or we break it
down toward sickness.
8

community
A
u
g
u
s
t

1
5
,

2
0
1
2

a

w
e
e
k
l
y

p
u
b
l
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
Sept. 4-9, 2012, marks the
dates of the 11th Annual Tennes-
see Williams Tribute and Tour of
Victorian Homes. Te tribute draws
people from all over the globe and is
growing bigger and bigger every year.
Tere are approximately 15 events,
with many being free to the public.
Tis festival would not be
possible without the passion and per-
severance of Brenda Caradine. She is
one of the founders of the Tennessee
Williams Foundation. Her fortitude
has created an event that attracts an
array of talented performers, scholars
and artisans from all over the world
as well as from the local community.
Claude Simpson, another
founder of the Williams Foundation,
said, I think that the Tennessee Wil-
liams Tribute is important to the city
of Columbus for a number of reasons,
among which are that it gives the
city of Columbus a world-recognized
character to use as an attention-
getter for our city. Aside from that, it
provides an educational mechanism
in the theater arts for the youth in our
community to be exposed to, as well
as an outlet for local citizens inter-
ested in expressing themselves in the
performing arts.
Tis years featured play is
Te Rose Tattoo, which won the
1951 Tony Award for Best Play.
Te extensive cast for this
incredible play includes: David Hintz
as Salvatore; Caroline Hintz as ViVi;
Lily Cate Gray as Bebe; Dorothy Por-
ter as Assunta; Kathryn Hintz as Rosa
Delle Rose as a child; Emily Morton
as Rosa Delle Rose as an adult; Cherri
Golden as Serafna Delle Rose; Paige
Canida-Greene as Estelle Hohengar-
ten; Donna Forrester as Te Strega;
Mara Gray as Giuseppina; Melissa
Duncan as Peppina; Giulia Hintz as
Violeta; Warren Nybo as Father De
Leo; Holly Jeter as A Doctor; Jennifer
Beneke as Miss Yorke; Gwin Edie as
Flora; Laura Beth Berry as Bessie;
Shane Tubbs as Jack Hunter; Phillip
Barrett as Te Salesman; and Daniel
Talley as Alvero Mangiacavallo.
A production of this magni-
tude requires the toil and dedication
of a number of people flling vital
behind-the-scenes roles. Local theater
lovers who are working to make this
years play a success are: Sound and
Lighting Designer Steve Kuykend-
all; Stage Manager Donna Forrester;
Costume Designer Kay Manzolillo;
Props Mistress Hallie Massey; Props
Mistress Assistant Rachel Guerry;
Italian Voice Coach Deborah John-
son; Sound and Light Assistants
James Jones, James Wright and Mark
Iseley; Director Melanie R. Hintz; and
Producer Brenda Caradine. Deserv-
ing of special recognition is Claude
Simpson, who is in his fourth season
as set designer and master carpenter.
Manzolillo and Massey also
wish to acknowledge Beverly Norris
for her assistance in providing props,
as well as the Miss. Department of
Teatre for their help with costumes.
Performances are scheduled
for Sept. 4, 5, 7 and 8 at Mississippi
University for Womens Rent Au-
ditorium. All shows begin at 7:30
p.m., with the exception of the Sept.
8 performance, which will begin at
8:00 p.m. General admission tickets
are $15, $10 for senior citizens and
military. Students with school ID will
receive free admission.
Commenting on the broad
appeal of the annual play, Simpson
stated, Te plays attract people from
all over the world to Columbus and
enhance the cultural profle of our
community.
Renowned Williams scholar
Dr. Kenneth Holditch will speak
on his life as a Mississippi native, as
well as on the life and literature of
Williams. Tis free presentation will
be held at the Columbus-Lowndes
Public Library on Sept. 5 at 11:30 a.m.
Holditch is a founding scholar of the
annual Tennessee Williams events in
New Orleans; Clarksdale, Miss.; and
Columbus, Miss.
Holditch said, I met Tennes-
see in 1978. He was a Southern gen-
tleman, and I was overly impressed.
Hes one of the best playwrights of
20th century. He compares to Shake-
speare, George Bernard Shaw, Arthur
Miller and others. He was so proud
of being Southern and proud of being
from Mississippi. He was great PR
for the state. He said the South had a
wonderful way of life that was lost; he
was very devoted to his background.
One of the most important things
about Tennessee is that he was very
spiritual. He wasnt religious in that
he went to church every Sunday, but
he was close to God.
Holditch will also be awarded
the frst annual Tennessee Williams
Scholars Medal on Sept. 7 at a tick-
eted noon luncheon. Te ceremony
will take place at the 1848 antebel-
lum mansion Errolton. Tis is the
former home of the late Mr. and Mrs.
Douglas Bateman, who hosted Ten-
nessee Williams and his grandfather
when they visited Columbus.
Sculptor Angie Jones is creat-
ing the medal that will be awarded
to Holditch. She is the art teacher at
Mississippi School for Mathematics
and Science on the MUW campus.
Another dont-miss event is
Te Moon Lake Party on Sept. 6 at
7:00 p.m. Guests will enjoy a South-
ern Soul Food Supper at the Colum-
bus Country Club. Aferward, the
world premiere of the musical Te
Tennessee Williams Songbook will
make its debut before it heads to New
York.
Tis musical production has
been arranged and will be directed by
David Kaplan, curator of Te Prov-
incetown Tennessee Williams Festi-
val. Te selection of songs, including
Its Only a Paper Moon, will be per-
formed by Broadway singer Alison
Fraser, who will be accompanied by
classically trained piano virtuoso Al-
lison Leyton-Brown as well as a duo
of local musicians. Reservations and
advance tickets are required for this
event.
Promising to be as exhilarat-
ing as ever, the third annual Stella
Shouting Contest will be held on
Sept. 7 at 5 p.m. All ages are welcome!
Registration is free.
Hollyhocks Gif Shop owner
Gloria Herriott hosts this playful
homage to Williams characters Stella
and Stanley Kowalski from the play
A Streetcar Named Desire. Te
winner of the coveted Stella trophy
will receive a dinner with Stella
played by Allison Leigh Phillips - on
the Herriotts balcony, followed by a
carriage ride to the evenings perfor-
mance of Rose Tattoo, with tickets
provided by the Tennessee Williams
Tribute. Musical entertainment will
be provided during the event by Te
Priest and the Saint.
Movie bufs take note: A
free screening of the flm Te Ro-
man Spring of Mrs. Stone, starring
Vivien Leigh and Warren Beatty,
will be held at 9 a.m. on Sept. 8 in
MUWs Nissan Auditorium. Williams
scholar Dr. Stuart Noel will present
his paper based on the play, which he
introduced last year at the Tennessee
Williams 100th birthday conference
in France.
Following the movie, at
noon, a catered box lunch will be of-
fered at the Puckett House on MUW
campus. Tickets for the luncheon
may be purchased in advance or at
the door. A vegetarian option will be
available.
A free matinee showing of
the screen version of Te Rose Tat-
too, starring Anna Mangani and Burt
Lancaster, will take place at 1:15 p.m.
that day, also at the Nissan Audito-
rium. Following the flm, Dr. Colby
Kullman will lead an audience discus-
sion.
Poetry lovers are invited to
attend Of Roses, a tribute to Wil-
liams as a poet. Young people of Co-
lumbus will recite Williams poems,
accompanied by live music, song and
dance. Tis unique event will take
place at the Columbus-Lowndes Pub-
lic Library on Sept. 9 at 1:30 p.m.
Poet Elizabeth Simpson, who
is the organizer of this event, said that
Williams was an extraordinary writer
with such depth; that his poetry is
lively, rich, incredible and quite mis-
chievous. She went on to say that the
selection of poems to be ofered will
be appropriate for a Sunday afer-
noon.
Kelsey Collins, Kessler
Brown, Cody McClanahan, Tyler
McShan, Tori Ronaldi and Kathryn
Hintz will be lending their voices to
bring Williams poetry to life.
St. Pauls Episcopal Church
will host a special Williams-inspired
service on Sept. 9 at 10:30 a.m. Te
Reverend Anne Harris will preach a
sermon based on Te Rose Tattoo.
Tis is the church in which Williams
was baptized on June 11, 1911, by his
grandfather, the Reverend Walter E.
Dakin, then the pastor at St. Pauls.
Members and visitors may
enjoy a free continental breakfast at
the church beginning at 7:30 a.m.
Caradine would like to
extend heartfelt thanks to the Colum-
bus Convention and Visitors Bureau;
Billups-Garth Foundation; Missis-
sippi Humanities Council; individual
donors; and dedicated volunteers
who contribute to the success of the
Tennessee Williams Tribute and Tour.
Other exciting events on tap
are: Breakfast with the Scholars;
the Second Annual Streetcar Run;
a double decker bus tour of locations
related to Williams life; and the 11th
Annual Tour of Victorian Homes.
Visit www.muw.edu/tennes-
seewilliams for a complete schedule
of events and more information.
Annual Celebration Of The Life And Works Of Tennessee Williams
By Paige Canida-Greene
SPONSORED BY: GOLDEN TRIANGLE RUNNING & CYCLING CLUB
& THE TENNESSEE WILLIAMS TRIBUTE
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012, 8AM
DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS, MS
5k Training Program, Race Tech Shirts, Post-
Race Party, Medals for all participants!
Register Online at
www.runcyclegtr.org
2ND ANNUAL
STREETCAR
5K RUN
9

community
The Life Enrichment Program: It Is That Time Again!
By Dick Mahoney
Success breeds success! If any
proof is needed, consider this: Enroll-
ment in Mississippi University for
Womens Life Enrichment Program
has increased every semester since
the programs inception.
Now in its fourth year, this
intellectually stimulating program
ofers a broad spectrum of courses
designed to enrich the lives of people
who are interested in increasing their
knowledge of specifc subjects. Of-
fered in a casual, interactive atmo-
sphere, the program provides an
additional opportunity: establishing
new friendships. For those who re-
member the pressure of exams, there
are none involved here.
While the above statements
cover a lot of ground, there is a
simple bottom line: Learning is fun!
Education is a lifetime pro-
cess, and the rewards are immeasur-
able. Do you have areas of interest in
which you would like to increase your
knowledge? Perhaps you have always
harbored a curiosity about certain
subjects you would like to explore.
Te Life Enrichment Program (LEP)
could be just the ticket to greater
knowledge, interesting experiences
and the rewards of meaningful social
interaction.
If you are not already fa-
miliar with the LEP, you are invited
to consider this enriching program
ofered at MUW. Most classes are
held on campus, with several being
held at course-appropriate venues of
campus. Tere are 31 very interesting
courses ofered in Columbus, cover-
ing a wide variety of subjects. In ad-
dition, there are seven courses ofered
in West Point this year.
Te 2012 fall semester will
kick of on Sept. 17 and extend
through Oct. 27. Te subjects are
taught by volunteer instructors with
expertise in each area. A sampling of
the oferings includes: basic computer
applications; investment programs;
estate planning; various crafs; auto
repair; conversational foreign lan-
guages; health; history; art; sports;
and the reality of law enforcement
and personal safety. Tere is literally
something to satisfy everyones inter-
ests.
Classes are held during
the day or early evening, Monday
through Tursday (one course in
West Point will meet on Saturday
mornings), and meet once a week for
six weeks, with each class period last-
ing one to two hours.
To top it all of, you have to
like the price. For a fee of only $35,
you can enroll in up to fve courses.
Tere is a $10 extra course fee for
enrollment in each course beyond
fve. Tere are nominal $10 materi-
als fees for the Jewelry Making and
Self Defense for Women courses. For
more detailed information, including
course descriptions, dates, meeting
times and places, as well as instruc-
tor profles, the program catalogue is
available by visiting www.muw.edu/
lep. Brochures are also being distrib-
uted at various locations throughout
Columbus. Additionally, individuals
may contact the LEP ofce at (662)
329-7150. Dr. Barbara Moore is the
program coordinator.
We encourage you to experi-
ence this marvelous opportunity to
share and be enriched.

Dick Mahoney is a board
member and instructor in the Life
Enrichment Program.
r
e
a
l
s
t
o
r
y
p
u
b
l
i
s
h
i
n
g
.
c
o
m
The Real Story
is hiring experienced
Sales Associates
for the Golden Triangle area.
Call
662.251.1839
or email your resume to
brenda@realstorypublishing.com
Lef: Glenn Lautzenhiser, the guest speaker at the Columbus chapter of AARP,
discussed Mississippi University for Womens Life Enrichment Program.
Elizabeth Simpson, who is scheduled to teach a couple of LEP classes, also at-
tended the August meeting of the Columbus AARP on behalf of MUWs Life
Enrichment Program.
Bill Meyers and Margaret Evans review the materials provided by guest speaker
Glenn Lautzenhiser of the Life Enrichment Program.
10
When you own stocks, you
know their prices will always fuctu-
ate. To help ease the efects of this
volatility on your portfolio, you could
add other types of investments, such
as bonds. Yet bond prices will also
rise and fall. But there may be - in
fact, there should be - a big diference
in how you view the ups and downs
of stocks versus those of bonds.
Any number of reasons can
cause stock prices to go up or down.
But in the case of bonds, prices go
up and down largely, though not
exclusively, for one reason: changes in
interest rates. Suppose you purchase a
bond that pays 4% interest and then,
a year later, newly issued bonds pay
3%. You could now potentially sell
your bond for more than its face val-
ue because it provides more income
to investors than the new bonds.
Conversely, if newly issued bonds pay
5% interest, the value of your existing
bond would drop because its unlikely
that someone would pay full price for
a bond that provides less income than
newer bonds.
When you own stocks or
stock-based investments, you want
their price to rise because you prob-
ably plan on selling those stocks
someday - and youd like to sell them
for more than you paid for them. But
its not so cut-and-dried with bonds.
While some people may indeed pur-
chase bonds in hope of selling them
for a proft before they mature, many
other investors own bonds for other
reasons.
First, as mentioned above,
owning bonds can be a good way to
help diversify your portfolio. Sec-
ond, and probably more importantly,
people invest in bonds for the income
they provide in the form of interest
payments. And heres the good thing
about those interest payments: Teyll
always continue at the same level as
long as you own your bond, except in
the rare case of a default. (Although
defaults are not common, they can
occur, so you do need to take a bonds
credit risk into account before
investing.) Tus, if you plan to hold
your bonds until they mature, you
dont have to worry about a possible
drop in their value. But if you need to
sell your bonds before they mature,
the price you receive will depend on
current interest rates.
You cant control or predict
interest rates, but you can help sofen
their impact on bond prices by build-
ing a ladder of bonds with varying
maturities. Ten, if market interest
rates rise, you can sell your matur-
ing short-term bonds and purchase
new ones at the higher rates. And if
market rates fall, youll still have your
longer-term bonds working for you at
higher rates. (Usually, but not always,
longer-term bonds pay higher rates
to compensate investors for incur-
ring infation risk over time.) Keep in
mind, though, that the investments
within your bond ladder should be
consistent with your investment ob-
jectives, fnancial circumstances and
risk tolerance.
Whether you own your
bonds until maturity or build a bond
ladder, you can do something to pro-
tect yourself from price movements.
And that type of control can prove
valuable to you as you chart your
course through the investment world.

Tis article was written for use by your

local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.
For questions, please contact Ryan Mun-
son at ryan.munson@edwardjones.com

Dont Fret Over Changing Bond Prices

community
By Ryan Munson
A
u
g
u
s
t

1
5
,

2
0
1
2

a

w
e
e
k
l
y

p
u
b
l
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
East Mississippi Community
College trustee Rupert L. Rudy
Johnson was elected treasurer for
the Mississippi Association of
Community and Junior College
Trustees in July, putting him in
line to serve each ofce up to
and including chairman.
Under the rules govern-
ing MACJCT ofcers, Johnson
will serve two years as treasurer
before moving on to serve two
years as secretary, two years as
vice chairman and two years as
chairman.
He was elected treasurer
by the combined trustees of all
Mississippi community colleges
during the MACJCT annual
meeting on July 14 in Tunica.
His term began immediately
upon election.
Johnson has repre-
sented Oktibbeha County on the
EMCC Board of Trustees since
2010. He is former associate
director of EMCCs Golden Triangle
campus (1980-1990) and currently
serves as executive director of the
Golden Triangle Planning and Devel-
opment District.
Some of my favorite work
experience was as assistant director
at EMCC, and my Holmes Junior
College days were my best days in
college. I really believe the commu-
nity college system is a very viable
part of education in Mississippi. Im
excited to serve our community col-
lege system in yet another capacity,
said Johnson.
Johnson is the second EMCC
trustee elected to hold an MACJCT
ofce. Jef Jolly,
who represented
Noxubee County
on EMCCs Board
of Trustees, held
ofce in the 1990s.
Rudy
brings a great en-
thusiasm and love
for our commu-
nity college system
to everything in
which he is involved. EMCC is fortu-
nate to have a local trustee serve as an
ofcer at the state level, and our state
community colleges are fortunate
to count Rudy as an advocate, said
EMCC President Dr. Rick Young.
Johnson joins fellow
MACJCT ofcers Chairman Johnny
McGlown of Coahoma Community
College, Vice Chairman David Gard-
ner of Jones County Junior College,
and Secretary Dr. Jimmy Holling-
sworth of East Central Community
College.
Amelia McPherson
Cosmetologi st/Color Speci ali st
662.329.8887
1 09 5th Street South
Columbus
Fi ns Bobby Pi ns
Hai r Salon
EMCCs Johnson Elected Treasurer By State
Community College Trustees
Special to The Real Story
Organizers of the Stella Shouting Contest pose on the balcony from which
"Stella" will entice the shouters below. Pictured, l-r are Marthalie Porter, Ten-
nessee Williams Tribute committee liaison; Leigh Allison Phillips, who will play
"Stella"; Steve Rogers of WCBI and the event's MC; and Gloria Herriott, owner
of Holly Hocks Gif Shoppe. Te event will be held on Sept. 7 as part of the Ten-
nessee Williams Tribute. For information about registration as a contestant, call
662-329-0025.
B & T
Trif & Consignment
131 Gardner Blvd. Columbus
(662) 549-9943
Furniture Books Dishes Toys
Baby Items Much More!
Afordable Rates Layaways Available
Closed Sundays
On ursday, Aug. 9, the
Columbus Exchange Clubs meeting
was highlighted by a presentation by
e Real Storys own award-winning
author, Meagan ONan. ONan, a
professional life coach, captivated the
crowd with her warmth and charm as
she discussed the tools needed to live
a satisfying life. As a result of ONans
use of humor and good-natured
storytelling, the crowd enjoyed the
20-minute presentation at the Co-
lumbus Country Club.
ONan shared her four prin-
ciples for success in living a happy
and fullling day-to-day life:
1. Get to know what you
want and why you want it.
2. Be willing to let goof what
you want and hold on to the why.
3. Remember who you want
to be in the world and be that person.
4. Watch the magic happen.
Following her unique agenda,
ONan reiterated the importance of
people understanding what they want
out of life. More important than that,
she stressed, is the need to under-
stand why they want
it. Once the why
has been completely
answered, the person
has a clearer under-
standing of their true
motivation.
e most
important part of
ONans presenta-
tion was watching
the magic happen.
Relating a magnicent story based on
her own personal experience, ONan
dazzled the crowd with details of an
adventure from her rst book sign-
ing.
She was stuck in an airport,
due to her connecting ight being
cancelled as a result of severe weather,
and was sure that she was going to
miss this very important event in her
life. Rather than getting upset, she
decided to listen to her heart, which
was telling her to go
with the ow and be
extra nice to every-
one. is decision
paid o, as she ended
up on a ight to a city
near her nal desti-
nation and made it to
the event on time.
So you see -
miracles can happen.
I see it all the time
with people who are following these
four steps. I went from being stuck in
an airport with a plethora of canceled
ights and no money and ended up
on my own private passenger plane
that got me to my destination earlier
than my originally scheduled time.
Would it have happened if I hadnt
worked through those steps? Prob-
ably not.
e story resonated with the
audience and struck a positive chord.
Life is magic, and people oen forget
the possibilities. On ursday, ONan
reminded the audience of the power
of the magical delight of life. As the
crowd was leaving, many were heard
saying, Watch the magic happen.
And ursday aernoon magic did
happen. It was Meagan ONan.

11
community
r
e
a
l
s
t
o
r
y
p
u
b
l
i
s
h
i
n
g
.
c
o
m
Upcoming Exchange Club
Speakers
Aug. 30: Stan Murray - Southeastern
Conference Referee
Sept. 6: Houston Mississippi Solar
Race Team
Life: Watch The Magic Happen
Joseph B. St. John
12

community
During the course of our
lives, we are certain to be presented
with a multitude of opportunities.
Some are relatively simple: Do I have
chicken or fsh for dinner; do I wear
the blue suit or the grey one? Oth-
ers require more deliberation: Do
I accept that job ofer; do I marry
this individual? However, it takes
someone with vision to recognize an
opportunity where seemingly none
exists.
Deborah Lampkin falls into
that last category.
Lampkin, a native of Colum-
bus, had spent the previous 11 years
in Atlanta, working in computer op-
erations and programming. Ten, one
day while driving to work, she was
involved in an auto accident which
resulted in a neck injury requiring
cervical fusion. In an attempt to alle-
viate the unrelenting pain, she sought
treatment by a massage therapist; this
provided the frst relief since the ac-
cident.
Ten one day, she had an
epiphany: She would become
a massage therapist so that she
could help others the way that
frst massage therapist had
helped her. I felt called to do
this, she said recently. In 2008,
that vision became reality as she
graduated from Tupelos Healing
Arts School of Massage.
Upon entering Perfect Bal-
ance Massage Terapy, which
is located at 413 Fourth Avenue
South #16, you fnd yourself be-
ginning to relax already. Lamp-
kin has gone to great lengths to
create a soothing atmosphere
with warm colors, comfort-
able chairs and relaxing music
throughout.
August 15, 2012, actually
marks Lampkins one-year an-
niversary at the current location.
When asked about the
name of her business, Lamp-
kin explained, Good health comes
when the physical and emotional are
in balance. Perfect Balance Massage
Terapy was founded with this idea
in mind.
Lampkin ofers a variety
of services to her clients, including
Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Mas-
sage and Hot Stone Massage. Each of
these therapies difers in both tech-
nique and the conditions that it is
designed to treat.
For example, Swedish Mas-
sage uses a light-to-medium pressure
and is designed more for relaxation
and stress reduction. Deep Tissue
massage uses more pressure and also
utilizes diferent techniques to relieve
muscle tension and knots. Hot Stone
Massage is similar to Swedish Mas-
sage except that it utilizes heated lava
rocks to melt the tension from the
muscles. Tese rocks, which have
been rubbed smooth by rushing river
waters, hold the heat for a long time
and are placed directly on the body
to allow the heat to penetrate more
deeply.
Lampkin also ofers Myo-
fascial Release, which falls under the
category of bodywork. Myofascial
Release is a more intense therapy
which involves releasing restrictions
in the connective tissue between the
skin and muscle.
In addition, Lampkin pro-
vides a form of energywork therapy
known as Reiki, which involves the
practitioner placing his/her hands on
chakras or energy centers.
Lampkin will soon be ofer-
ing Manual Lymph Drainage Mas-
sage, which is a very light form of
massage that encourages lymph fow
in the body. It is used to treat edema,
scar tissue and spider veins and is
now recognized as a primary tool in
lymphedema management.
Lampkin is very client
centered; she not only fulflls state
requirements for continuing educa-
tion classes, she exceeds them. Tis
is evidenced by the fact that, over the
past year, she has accrued double the
amount of hours of training that are
required to maintain good stand-
ing in the feld. Further proof of her
dedication to her clients is that, by
time you are reading this article,
Lampkin will have just returned from
a four-day course entitled Manual
Lymphatic Drainage Massage in St.
Louis. I am working toward a goal
of acquiring a certain set of skills so
that I can more thoroughly help my
clients, stated Lampkin.
Lampkin, who indicates that
about 75 percent of her clients see her
for relief of pain afer back or neck
surgery, works toward transitioning
these clients from weekly sessions to
monthly visits. I want to have a last-
ing efect on my clients, said Lamp-
kin.
Lampkin sees patients by ap-
pointment and ofers both 30-minute
and 60-minute sessions for each of
the diferent therapeutic services. She
generally sees clients from 10 a.m. to
6:30 p.m.
Gif certifcates are available
for purchase.
To schedule an appointment,
call (662) 574-1139, or e-mail debo-
rahlampkin07@gmail.com. For more
information, visit www.deborahlamp-
kin.com.
Perfect Balance Massage: Dedicated To Helping Others
The Real Story Staff Report
A
u
g
u
s
t

1
5
,

2
0
1
2

a

w
e
e
k
l
y

p
u
b
l
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
advertisement
Perfect Balance Massage
www.deborahlampkin.com
Deborah Lampkin
Owner/Therapist, LMT 1037
413 4th Ave. S., Suite #16
Columbus, MS 39701
Call for an appointment. 662-574-1139
Hours By Appointment Only
1st Year Anniversary Special
1 hour massage - $45 * until October 1, 2012
* Does not include Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy
13

community
The Real Story Ribbon Cutting
r
e
a
l
s
t
o
r
y
p
u
b
l
i
s
h
i
n
g
.
c
o
m
Te Real Story had their Ribbon Cutting on Friday, August 10, 2012. A packed house witnessed the occasion at Renee Reedy Studio
at 5th and Main Street. At this time, Te Real Story would like to thank the following sponsors: Renee Reedy Studio Te LINK
Sao Tai - Tai Cuisine Sushi Bar Continental Market & Bistro Mitchell Distributing Rooks Wine Cellar. And a special thank
you to all of our supporters who showed up to show their love!!!!!! Plus, thanks to all our advertisers and customers. Without you,
there would be no paper!
It was a blast!
Tops in Blue
August 11, 2012
15 14
A
u
g
u
s
t

1
5
,

2
0
1
2

a

w
e
e
k
l
y

p
u
b
l
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
r
e
a
l
s
t
o
r
y
p
u
b
l
i
s
h
i
n
g
.
c
o
m
Mlange
Mlange is your one-stop destination for
fashion and apparel. Whether you want the
best of casual dress or a special outt for
that big night on the town, Mlange has it
all. Prices are now 75% off to help you get
ready for a day of tailgating or travel. Sizes
from 2-3x are in stock to meet the needs of
fashionable women. Store hours are from 10
a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday and 10
a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday.
Mlange will accommodate after-hours cus-
tomers to meet everyones hectic schedule
and will also come to you, with their Fash-
ion-on-the-Go program tailored to the busy
working woman. So, whether its Palazzo
pants or Corral boots, Mlange is ready to
serve your fashion needs. Come visit Me-
lange at Brickerton in Columbus today.
62 Brickerton Street
662.243.2434
15 14
A
u
g
u
s
t

1
5
,

2
0
1
2

a

w
e
e
k
l
y

p
u
b
l
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
r
e
a
l
s
t
o
r
y
p
u
b
l
i
s
h
i
n
g
.
c
o
m
Mlange
Mlange is your one-stop destination for
fashion and apparel. Whether you want the
best of casual dress or a special outt for
that big night on the town, Mlange has it
all. Prices are now 75% off to help you get
ready for a day of tailgating or travel. Sizes
from 2-3x are in stock to meet the needs of
fashionable women. Store hours are from 10
a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday and 10
a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday.
Mlange will accommodate after-hours cus-
tomers to meet everyones hectic schedule
and will also come to you, with their Fash-
ion-on-the-Go program tailored to the busy
working woman. So, whether its Palazzo
pants or Corral boots, Mlange is ready to
serve your fashion needs. Come visit Me-
lange at Brickerton in Columbus today.
62 Brickerton Street
662.243.2434
16

perspectives
A
u
g
u
s
t

1
5
,

2
0
1
2

a

w
e
e
k
l
y

p
u
b
l
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
Adam Rutherford wrote in
the Guardian recently about synthetic
biology, including scientifc break-
throughs in genetic modifcation
(GM)and the particularly strident
criticisms that have come from many
quarters concerning this innovative
and far-reaching technology.For
years, critics and lay people alike have
resisted any kind of modifcation
in plant or animal DNA, expressing
fears that once the real thing disap-
peared and was replaced by a human-
tinkered product, the planet would be
doomed.
Dracula corn, Mephis-
topheles wheat, and poor Dolly the
Sheep would reproduce and spread
quickly and completely; and when
some glitch in their recombination
inevitably showed up, we would have
no way to repopulate the land with
good, old-fashioned American plants
and animals.Tis, of course, with
no regard to the benefts realized
fromGM such as the rapid produc-
tion of insulin, insect-resistant wheat,
fast-growing rice, and a whole host of
other improved plants, animals and
medicines.
Environmentalists, religious
fgures and sections of the media
regularly use the phrase as a handy
stick with which to beat those in the
feld. Scientists, they claim, are fool-
ishly meddling in matters that should
be lef to the gods or nature.
Tat accusation has been
made in attacks against many of the
major scientifc advances of the mod-
ern era, including Watson and Cricks
description of the structure of DNA
in 1953; the birth of the frst IVF
baby, Louise Brown, in 1978; the cre-
ation of Dolly the sheep in 1997; and
the sequencing of the human genome
in 2001. In all these scenarios, its not
clear exactly what playing God actu-
ally means.
It is not hard to imagine the
fear and outrage caused by synthetic
biology.Not only are scientists tam-
pering with the real thing, they are
creating a totally artifcial thing, let-
ting loose into the environment even
more distorted, deformed and ghoul-
ish varieties of things we consume.
If there were those who said
we were playing God when it came
to recombining DNA, substituting a
few fragments of one organism for
those in the nucleus of e-coli, there
are legions more who are convinced
that the human race has fnally,
once-and-for-all, crossed the heretical
line dividing Gods prerogatives and
ours.At the same time, they ignore
the benefts:
Researchers in California,
for example, have created synthetic
circuits for yeast cells that produce
a chemical called artemisinin, a
key anti-malarial drug. Tis will be
cheaper than getting it from the plant
Artemisia annua, the current produc-
tion method.
NASA is investigating
ways to create bacteria that counter
the efects of radiation sickness in
astronauts. Meanwhile, a USSwiss
group has engineered a genetic circuit
designed to detect and destroy cancer
cells without inficting the unintend-
ed damage caused by chemotherapy
and radiotherapy.
Synthetic biology is but the
latest in a series of humanattempts to
play God:
Yet there is almost no aspect
of human behaviour that isnt some
form of manipulation of the environ-
ment for our own purposes. Farming,
which weve been doing for more
than 10,000 years, is quite the op-
posite of natural. Breeding, known
scientifcally as artifcial selection, is
the process of mixing genes by design
to engineer cheap and plentiful food.
Detractors use the phrase playing
God to provoke emotive opposi-
tion without defning what it is about
synthetic biology that is qualitatively
diferent to the previous advances
that they enjoy and beneft from
every day. Should we go back to the
time before humans started playing
God through their development of
sanitation, vaccines and measures to
counter widespread child mortality?
Tis is a very simple and
elegant argument in favor of scientifc
achievement and progress.Human
beings, because of our evolved state of
intelligence, curiosity, enterprise and
self-preservation, have always looked
for ways to change the environment
in which we have lived, and always
will.As importantly, there has never
been a scientifc discovery which
ofered signifcant benefts to human-
ity that has been rejected and buried
for moral, ethical or religious rea-
sons.Scientifc discovery has a life of
its own, particularly in a country like
America, where we value progress
and human betterment overall.Here-
sy and apostasy are things of the past,
and burningpeople at the stake for
antisocial behavior and novel ideas
is fnished; but the inheritors of 17th
century New England are still alive
and well and still want to burn fgu-
ratively, of course those who want
to play God.Stem-cell research is
currently in their cross-hairs, and
once they fgure out what geneticists
are doing, they will add their funda-
mentalist voices to the liberal pro-
gressive environmentalists on the
coasts.

Article continued on page 17
Playing God
By Ron Parlato
I appreciate Ron Parlatos
commentary on Adam Rutherfords
article in Te Guardian. Rons ar-
ticle is well-written but really bites
of more than he should probably
chew at one time. Lumping stem-cell
research in with genetically modifed
food is ill advised when one is trying
to argue the point that genetic modi-
fcation is a good thing.
Te general public, by now,
is aware of the benefts of scientifc
research in medicine; indeed, the
majority of us take advantage of it on
a nearly daily basis. To equate those
benefts, however, with the so-called
benefts of genetic modifcation in
food is a rather large leap, especially
considering the research backing its
opposition.
Not having read Mr. Ruth-
erfords original article, I dont know
if he himself did this or if it was Mr.
Parlatos own addition; either way, I
humbly submit my own thoughts on
the matter regarding genetic modif-
cation in food.
Playing God is not the only
argument against genetic modif-
cation; in fact, its the rather more
childish one and thus an easy one to
rebut. In this sense, yes, I agree with
Mr. Rutherfords reference to the fact
that farming itself is not natural
(although the argument that the frst
recorded cases of diabetes came with
the Egyptians, who were the frst to
cultivate grain, is a compelling one).
Tere is a wonderful website,
Seeds of Deception, which I would
encourage readers to visit (seed-
sofdeception.com); it is an excellent
information-gathering site regarding
the dangers of genetically engineered
food. Its nonproft sister site, Te
Institute for Responsible Technol-
ogy (www.responsibletechnology.
com), has worked with more than 30
countries in changing government
policies and consumerism regarding
genetically modifed food. Together,
these websites form one of the most
respected sources for up-to-date
information on the topic of genetic
modifcation in food.
From the Seeds of Deception
website:
Te American Academy
of Environmental Medicine (AAEM)
reported that Several animal stud-
ies indicate serious health risks
associated with GM food, including
infertility, immune problems, acceler-
ated aging, faulty insulin regulation,
and changes in major organs and the
gastrointestinal system. Te AAEM
asked physicians to advise patients to
avoid GM foods.
Before the FDA decided to
allow GMOs into food without label-
ing, FDA scientists had repeatedly
warned that GM foods can create
unpredictable, hard-to-detect side ef-
fects, including allergies, toxins, new
diseases, and nutritional problems.
Tey urged long-term safety studies,
but were ignored.
Unlike safety evaluations
for drugs, there are no human clinical
trials of GM foods. Te only pub-
lished human feeding experiment
revealed that the genetic material
inserted into GM soy transfers into
bacteria living inside our intestines
and continues to function. Tis
means that long afer we stop eating
GM foods, we may still have their
GM proteins produced continuously
inside us. Tis could mean:
If the antibiotic gene
inserted into most GM crops were
to transfer, it could create super-
diseases, resistant to antibiotics
If the gene that creates
Bt-toxin in GM corn were to transfer,
it might turn our intestinal bacteria
into living pesticide factories.
Everyone loves stories. Heres
one, about Arpad Pusztai, a world-re-
nowned scientist
and avid support-
er (initially) of
genetically modi-
fed food: In 1998,
at the request of
the U.K. govern-
ment, Dr. Pusz-
tai conducted a
research study on
genetically modi-
fed foods, which, up until that point,
had not been the subject of any peer-
reviewed studies (even though geneti-
cally modifed tomatoes had been on
the market in the United States for
a year already). His fndings, which
showed genetically modifed foods to
be inherently dangerous, were pub-
lished in the highly respected journal,
Te Lancet.
On the eve of its publication,
Richard Horton, the editor of Te
Lancet, received pressure from the
Royal Society to suppress publication;
indeed, according to an article in Te
Guardian, Dr. Horton reported that
the call became aggressive and his
career was threatened. Te article was
published, and Dr. Pusztai himself re-
ceived a gag order - and his position
at the prestigious Rowett Institute was
suspended afer 35 years of service.
He was also banned from speaking
publicly.
Article continued on page 17
Playing God - Counterpoint
By Clare Mallory
17

perspectives
r
e
a
l
s
t
o
r
y
p
u
b
l
i
s
h
i
n
g
.
c
o
m
Now Serving Dinner
(meat & vegetables)
Thursday, Friday & Saturday
5:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M.
662.240.8860 142 S. McCrary East Columbus
Fairlane Shopping Center WiFi available
Serving
Superior Catfish
from Macon
Open For Lunch
Sunday - Friday
11:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.
Authentic Southern Hospitality,
serving the very best in homestyle country cooking!
Black Angus Rib Eye
Steaks
Continued from page 16
Our social and philosophi-
cal conservatism is everywhere.Vir-
tual reality is still seen only within
the context of adolescent computer
games; but when these same conser-
vative fundamentalists get wind of
the eventual brain-computer link,
which will allow us to live exclusively
in a computer-mediated virtual world
where any combination of fantasy,
reality and history becomes the coin
of the realm, the opposition will be
incensed.
All of it will be to no avail, of
course, because scientifc discover-
ies are both the result of consumer
demand and shapers of it.Scientists
will develop virtuality because we
want it, and each new technological
advance will stimulate more de-
mand.Te same applies to synthetic
biology.Eventually, we will be able
to create totally synthetic human be-
ings modeled and crafed according
to our own very human vision.Will
they still be human? Of course.Te
transformation will be progressive
and incremental, and at each stage
of development, there will be a brief
frefght between religion and practi-
cality.Practicality satisfying con-
sumer demand will always win.
Playing God,
Continued
Continued from page 16
Te gag order was eventually
lifed when Dr. Pusztai was invited
to speak to Parliament on the mat-
ter; the result was a media frestorm
that ultimately kicked GM foods
out of European supermarkets, and
derailed the industrys timetable to
quickly replace virtually all food with
genetically engineered alternatives
(Hufngton Post, Anniversary of a
Whistleblowing Hero, Aug. 9, 2010).
Genetic modifcation in food
is far too important of a subject to
discard carelessly with a fick of the
hand - or an article about playing
God. Te overwhelming research on
the subject should cause any reason-
ably minded person to pause and
wonder why the government isnt do-
ing more to support this research and
fnd a solution.
Our children and our chil-
drens children are the ones who will
sufer the most from what we, in
these last two generations, have cre-
ated. Te alarmingly increasing rates
of reproductive disorders, cancers,
brain tumors, ADD, autoimmune dis-
orders, celiac and more are the legacy
we are leaving behind. I dont know
about you, Mr. Parlato, but I think
thats worth an article.
Playing God -
Counterpoint,
Continued
18

arts
A
u
g
u
s
t

1
5
,

2
0
1
2

a

w
e
e
k
l
y

p
u
b
l
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
A Cornucopia of Culture
The Real Story Staff Report
Summer will soon be behind
us....and not a moment too soon!
Autumn means the promise of cooler
temperatures and the kicko of the
cultural season. So mark your cal-
endars! Te next few months will be
flled with events and entertainment
for every lover of the arts.
Te 11thAnnual Tennes-
see Williams Tribute will take place
Sept. 49. We can look forward to
plays, tours, luncheons and lectures.
How will they ever ft it all into just
fve days?! You can download the full
brochure atwww.muw.edu/tennes-
seewilliamsto see how.
Devotees of the visual arts
will have two opening receptions to
attend on Sept. 6. Random Acts of
Culture and the Renee Reedy Stu-
dio are partnering to present Skin
Deep, an exhibit of photographs of
tattoos. Tese shows are always fun,
with refreshments and a very cool
crowd. Meet the in folks at 101 Fifh
Street South, 5:30 7:30 p.m. Tere is
still time to submit work. Go toran-
domactsofculture.bizfor details.
Across the street, at 501 Main
Street, Te Rosenzweig Arts Center
presents the work of painter, graphic
artist and world traveler, Angie Rob-
inson (5:30 7 p.m.). Both receptions
are free and open to the public.
How are your pipes? Te
Columbus Choral Society is looking
for singers to participate in their an-
nual fall concert. Tis year, the theme
is entitled For Love of God and
Country, in honor of Veterans Day.
For an audition contact Alisa Toy,
Music Director, at toysrusfam@gmail.
com. But do hurry; rehearsals begin
Sept. 6.
Now, heres something
unique -Te Backwoods Comics
Festival! Meet comic book artists,
syndicated cartoonists, web cartoon-
ists, writers, novelists and painters.
You wont want to miss the Artist
Alley, featuring pottery, comic and
collectibles vendors. Tere will be
representatives from Cosplay (a cos-
tume and role-playing community),
Inky the Clown, Paranormal and
Steampunk groups. Discover all this
Sept. 29, 2012, at the Louisville, Miss.,
Coliseum, 10 a.m. 6 p.m. Booth
space is still available; contact bubba-
worldcomix@gmail.com, or go to the
http://bubbaworldcomix.netwebsite
and click on the Backwoods Comics
Festival Ad.
October 4is another night
of dual openings! From 5:30 p.m. to
7:30 p.m., Random Acts of Culture
and the Renee Reedy Studio present
CeleBRAtion. In honor of Breast
Cancer Awareness Month, artists will
transform bras into fights of fancy.
A portion of the proceeds will be do-
nated to the Susan G. Komen Foun-
dation for breast cancer research.
Submission guidelines may be found
at randomactsofculture.biz.
Also on October 4, the RAC
showcases local favorites, painter
Debbie Jenkins and multimedia artist
Ralph Null (5:30 7 p.m.). As always,
both shows are free and open to the
public.
Remember those Columbus
Choral Society auditions that we just
told you about? Well, for those of
us who cannot carry a tune and are
destined to be forever in the audi-
ence, the actual performance will take
place Sunday afernoon, Nov. 18, at
the First United Methodist Church
in the Jeerson Artz Fellowship Hall.
A variety of tunes will be presented.
Tis is family friendly fun.
Tese are only a few of the
cultural oerings that are on tap for
this fall. Be sure to mark your calen-
dars, so that you can
Get out and get your
culture on!
Skin Deep
Photography Show,
Renee Reedy Studio
September 6
Tennessee Williams
Tribute
September 4 - 9
Opening for Angie
Robinson, RAC
September 6
Backwoods Comics
Festival, Louisville
Coliseum
September 29
19

arts
r
e
a
l
s
t
o
r
y
p
u
b
l
i
s
h
i
n
g
.
c
o
m
When thinking about dif-
ferent artists, it seems only natural
to recognize each one for a sin-
gular media in which s/he works.
For example, you may know a
particular artist as a painter or a
sculptor. However, there is a fairly
good chance that these artists that
we inadvertently pigeon-hole into
a specifc area have talents in a
variety of media.
Melody Vydas is a perfect
example.
Vydas, a Chicago native
who moved to Columbus in 2000,
is probably best known in the area
as a glass artist. Tats understand-
able, since the work that she has
displayed locally has consisted
primarily of her dichroic glass
jewelry.
As a matter of fact, she
was one of the featured artists in
a recent exhibition that was held
at Renee Reedy Studio entitled
Light and Glass. Her elegant and
colorful jewelry was one of the
highlights of the show.
Wikipedias entry on di-
chroic glass reads, in part:
Dichroic
glassisglasscontaining multiple
micro-layers ofmetalsorox-
ideswhich give the glassdichro-
icoptical properties. Te main
characteristic of dichroic glass is
that it has a particular transmitted
color and a completely diferent
refected color, as certainwave-
lengthsof light either pass through
or are refected. Tis causes an
array of color to be displayed.
Te colors shif depending on the
angle of view. Dichroic glass is
an example ofthin-flm optics
Modern dichroic glass is available
as a result of materials research
carried out byNASAand its
contractors, who developed it for
use indichroic flters. However,
dichroic glass dates back to at least
the 4th century AD, as seen in
theLycurgus cup.
Although she may be best
known for her dichroic glass cre-
ations, Vydas is profcient in other
forms of glassmaking as well.
But there is so much more
to Vydas.
She says that she has been
creating things in one form or
another since she was a child.
In response to a question
about which artists
inspire her, she
lists Marc Chagall;
German Expres-
sionist Emil Nolde;
painter Leonard
Gibson; mixed-
media icon Joseph
Cornell; and local
folk artist Elayne
Goodman. She
mentioned that
she absolutely
loves Chagalls
America Windows which adorn
the Art Institute of Chicago, and
she makes time to see them when-
ever she visits the Windy City.
Having spent much of her
time in Chicago raising a family
and working as a nurse, Vydas
turned to art afer arriving in Co-
lumbus.
She studied glassmaking at
the Corning Museum
of Glass in Corning,
N.Y., in 2004 under
the instruction of
noted fused-glass artist
Jayne Persico. She then
earned a BA in Fine
Arts Studio from
Mississippi University
for Women in 2007.
Of her time at the
W, Vydas stated that
she enjoyed the low
student-to-instructor
ratio, saying, It was like going to a
private school.
During her studies at
MUW, she became profcient in
several other media, including
fber, clay, acrylic and oil. When
asked what her favorite media is,
she was unable to name just one
but listed glass, fber and clay.
Vydas indicated that of all
of the media she works in, glass
is the hardest. You cant control
glass. Glass will do what it wants
to do.
Vydas expressed excite-
ment at the recent growth of the
arts community in the Columbus
area. Tere is a considerable
amount of artistic talent in Co-
lumbus. Columbus is becoming
known for its arts community,
commented Vydas.
Vydas work is exhibited at
the Mississippi Crafsmens Guild
gallery in Ridgeland, Miss., as well
as at the Rosenzweig Arts Center
in downtown Columbus.
Vydas and her husband,
Saul, are the proud parents of fve
cats.
E-mail reaches Vydas at
branwenstone@cableone.net.
Portrait Of The Artist: Melody Vydas
The Real Story Staff Report
August 27-September 2
Jackson Square Shopping Center
(behind The Grill)
Highway 45 North - Columbus
www.cooperscloset.com
www.facebook.com/cooperscloset
coopersclosetcolumbus@gmail.com
20
A
u
g
u
s
t

1
5
,

2
0
1
2

a

w
e
e
k
l
y

p
u
b
l
i
c
a
t
i
o
n

lifestyles
Let me preface this by say-
ing I did not eat at Chick-fl-A this
week. It wasnt a political decision,
I just didnt have a hankering for a
chicken biscuit or nugget. If I had,
however, I would have had to wait
at least an hour on Wednesday.
Imagine my surprise riding down
Highway 431 in Guntersville, Ala.,
to see a line of cars spanning at
least half a mile, showing their
support for pickle-battered ten-
ders.
I will also say that I agree
with the people who are angry
at what company President Dan
Cathy said. I think everyone has
the right to free speech, even
those nuts from Westboro Baptist
Church, but I also think that as a
business owner, when asked such
a loaded question, its a good time
for a no comment. He is free to
believe what he wants to believe,
but as I was once told afer taking
a stance on something, You dont
speak for all the employees here.
So now were having Chickam-
ageddon. If you go to Chick-fl-A,
you must believe in traditional
marriage; if you dont go to Chick-
fl-A, obviously youre a dirty
liberal who could be going to
hell - with no chicken, apparently
- which really is too bad because
I bet the fres of hell could make
some tasty chicken.
I guess Ive been a little
confused about this whole issue.
Granted, Im not a homosexual,
so it doesnt hit me as hard as it
could, but it seems like a tempest
in a teapot. A major companys
president doesnt support some-
thing. Im sure there are a whole
slew of major company presi-
dents who dont support a lot of
things that even the majority of us
do, and to me, thats really okay.
Frankly, I doubt most of us have
anything in common with people
who make billions of dollars a
year, whether its slinging chicken
or drilling for oil.
Te interesting part to me
is: THIS is what gets our prover-
bial goats? Were not boycotting
gas stations for essentially goug-
ing us for no reason, were not
concerned that our children are
completely undereducated, were
not concerned that, as consum-
ers, we continue to see unheard-of
infation with no relief in sight,
and were certainly not all that
concerned about whos going to
run our country in fve months;
no, chicken is what really grinds
our gears.
I fully support anyone who
has a cause - I really do. Ive been
there, marched against a toxic
waste plant, made sure voters were
registered and supported battered
womens causes, and theres noth-
ing wrong with those things. But
when you think about where we
are as a country, where you as an
individual are trying to make it
from day to day, paycheck to pay-
check, ask yourself, Is this a hill
worth dying for?
Posing As
An Adult
Posing As
An Adult
Chick-fl-A,
The Sky Is Falling
By Emily Gather Smith
Recipes from
Good Housekeeping
Grilled Chicken and Pepper Salad
A great summer salad combo -- grilled chicken breasts, red peppers and onions
tossed in a tangy balsamic vinaigrette with peppery arugula leaves.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 small garlic clove, crushed with garlic press
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Vegetables and Chicken
2 red peppers
2 yellow peppers
1 large red onion, cut into 8 wedges
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken-breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 bunch (about 4 ounces) arugula, tough stems removed
1. Prepare Balsamic Vinaigrette: In serving bowl, with wire whisk, blend all vinai-
grette ingredients; set aside.
2. Prepare Vegetables and Chicken: Cut each pepper lengthwise in half; discard stems
and seeds. With hand, fatten each pepper half. In bowl, toss peppers and onion
wedges with 3 teaspoons oil. Rub chicken breasts with remaining 1 teaspoon oil;
sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Grill chicken over medium heat. Cook 12 to 15 minutes or until juices run clear
when thickest part of breast is pierced with tip of knife, turning over once.
4. While chicken cooks, place onion wedges and peppers, skin side down, on same
grill. Cook onion about 15 minutes or until golden, turning occasionally; cook pep-
pers 18 to 20 minutes or until skins are charred and blistered.
5. Remove onion wedges from grill to plate. Transfer chicken to cutting board. Wrap
peppers in foil and allow to steam at room temperature 10 minutes or until cool
enough to handle.
6. While peppers are steaming, slice chicken breasts crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide
strips.
7. Remove peppers from foil; discard skins. Tinly slice peppers. Add peppers, chick-
en, onion, tomatoes and arugula to bowl with dressing; toss gently to coat. Serves 4.
Each serving: About 330 calories, 16g total fat (3g saturated), 72mg cholesterol,
520mg sodium, 18g total carbs, 3g dietary fber, 29g protein.
Lime Chicken with Honeydew-Peach Salsa
Tis fve-ingredient chicken dish showcases the bright favors of fresh basil, juicy ripe
peaches and honeydew melon. Serve with brown rice for a heart-healthy meal.
1 lime
2 cups (1/4-inch dice) honeydew melon
1 large, ripe peach, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 medium skinless, boneless chicken-breast halves
1. Prepare outdoor grill for covered direct grilling over medium heat.
2. From lime, grate 1 1/2 teaspoons peel and squeeze 2 tablespoons juice. In medium
bowl, stir together lime juice, diced melon, diced peach, chopped basil and 1/4 tea-
spoon salt. Makes 4 cups salsa.
3. Place chicken on plate. Sprinkle chicken on both sides with lime peel, 1/2 teaspoon
salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
4. Place chicken on hot grill rack. Cover grill and cook chicken 10 to 12 minutes or
until juices run clear when thickest part of breast is pierced with tip of knife, turning
over once. Arrange chicken on platter and serve with salsa. Serves 4.
Each serving: About 285 calories, 4g total fat (1g saturated), 90mg cholesterol,
525mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate, 4g dietary fber, 35g protein.
For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our website at www.goodhousekeeping.
com/recipefnder/.
(c) 2012 Hearst Communications, Inc.
All rights reserved

Thrift Store Finds
Hello, my lovelies! Can you
believe that it is school time once
again? Football season is right around
the corner, summer clearance sales
are happening, new fall items are ar-
riving daily - oh my! Deep breath
OK, I am much calmer now. Where
was I? Oh, yes - this week on Te
Adventures of the VIP, I am going to
revisit an earlier blog post because
I am currently knee-deep in my fall
must-have items (really, I kid you not
- my room is a complete but fashion-
able mess), and I want to show you
three ways to wear an eye-catching
thrif-store-fnd top, along with a few
helpful tips that every fashionista
needs to know when thrif shopping
- because thrifing is a dazzling way
to get more bang for the buck.
On a spring excursion to
Meridian, Miss., I went thrifing in
hopes of fnding the ultimate vintage
ensemble. We shopped for hours,
with no luck, but my fortunes turned
around when I walked into the New
Hope Trif Store. Tere, I discovered
the most spectacular outft! Shining
as bright as the summer sun was a
yellow-and-white-striped, polka-
dotted blouse with a matching polka-
dot skirt. I triumphantly grabbed
it of the rack and hurried to locate
my mom, who was on a mission to
locate vintage furniture in need of
love. I must take a moment and give
my mom credit for my passion for all
things vintage, fashion and art. She
is an expert on all things from the
80s (of course, this has noth-
ing to do with her age), and I
had to show her this glorious
fnd to get her take on it. Of
course, she agreed that it had
wonderful potential. Tat day,
the Trif Store Finds: Tis Is
Not a Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
blog post was born. I enjoyed
that adventure so much that I
had to revisit and share it with
Te Real Story readers.
So, without further ado, I
present to you three difer-
ent outfts I created with my
thrifed top: cute and adorable,
dressy and sassy, and totally
awesome throwback 80s!
For the cute and
adorable outft, I paired the
boxy, shoulder-padded top
with a ravishing purple skirt
from Urban Outftters - which
houses perfect vintage repli-
cas, T-shirts and much more - and a
headscarf from Te Attic, which is a
vintage wonderland! An absolutely
adorable way to look cute while beat-
ing the summer heat.
I needed to dress
things up for the second look, and
what better way than with black
and white and a pop of unexpected
color. By pairing the sunshine-yellow
thrifed top with a black and white
large striped skirt from Te Fashion
Barn (originally a dress that I
converted to a skirt), and add-
ing cobalt blue shoes (by Jes-
sica Simpson) and a cobalt belt
(from Target), this top went
from adorable to sassy. Tis
outft is perfect for a business
meeting, dinner date or tailgat-
ing party.
Last, but not least, is
the totally awesome throwback 80s
masterpiece! I just adore every aspect
of this outft because it is a true blast
from the past. Now, hop in my time
machine with me and blast back to a
time when fashionistas were wear-
ing bright blue eye shadow and big,
frizzy, side pony tails! Oh - how I
wish I could have lived in the 80s!
VIP Tips for Successful Trifing:

Combinethrifstorefnds
with the clothes you currently own!
It is a simple and smart way to add a
little pizzazz to your wardrobe.
Buypatterns.Florals,plaids,
stripes and polka dots are perfect
for mixing! Mixing patterns is a fun
way to add variety to any closet. Start
simple with stripes and polka dots.
For daring fashionistas, the combina-
tions are limitless.
Beboldincolorchoice.
Jewel tones are part of fall must-
haves. Look for deep purple, teal,
mustard yellow, deep red and emer-
ald.
Lookforauniqueand
funky piece that will make you stand
out. Be daring! A retro, solid-colored
jumpsuit, a vintage letterman jacket
and80ssequinedtoparetheVIPs
top picks for
the upcoming
season.
Are you a
thrifer? Show
of your skills
by tweeting
me pictures of
your amazing
thrif fnds at @
Abbysauce_. If
Twitter is not
your communi-
cation choice, you can also email your
thrify discoveries to vintage.pas-
sionista@gmail.com.Idlovetoshow
of your nify, thrify fnds in a future
blog!Sodontbeshy,emailme/tweet
me those pictures! Oh my, you can
also post on my Facebook or tag me
on Instagram. How did my mom ever
survive the 80s without all this social
media?!
It is time to get in the spirit,
so join me next week for ideas on
how to look so cute yet so comfort-
ableforyourfavoriteteamsseason
kick-of game!
Dontforgettofollowmeon
Twitter (@Abbysauce_) and Insta-
gram (@VintagePassionista), check
out my blog at www.vintageinspired-
passionista.com, and like the VIP on
Facebook@www.facebook.com/Vin-
tageInspiredPassionista.
Stay Fabulous!
21
r
e
a
l
s
t
o
r
y
p
u
b
l
i
s
h
i
n
g
.
c
o
m
lifestyles
The
Adventures
of the
V.I.P.
Abby
Hathorn
Columbus and the sur-
rounding area seem to be a
magnet for ghosts. Almost every
block has a house or two with an
interesting story about an other-
worldly presence. Whether you are
a believer or not, you must admit
that there are some things that are
difcult to explain.
Mississippi University for
Women is one place with a history
that includes a ghost or two along
with its long legacy of human
grads. Today, many men attend
the W, but that was not always
the case. Established in 1884,Mis-
sissippi University for Women
becamethefrstpublicwomens
college in the United States.
Te campus is lovely, with
lots of green space and some
buildings that date from the 1800s.
Like so many places in Columbus,
the W served as a hospital dur-
ing the Civil War. Tere, both stu-
dents and teachers nursed injured
soldiers back to health.
One of the most endur-
ing stories took place in Calloway
Hall, a red brick dorm that faces
College Street. Afer the battle of
Shiloh, a young woman named
Mary dedicated some of her time
to work as a nurse and caretaker
for the soldiers. She fell madly in
love with a young Rebel fghter,
and with her love and great care
he was healed and sent back into
battle. Before he lef, he vowed to
return and make Mary his bride.
Sadly, the handsome sol-
ider did not return. Word came
that he had perished just a few
weeks afer he rejoined the battle.
He was never able to journey back
to Columbus to make Mary his
wife. Mary was inconsolable. She
climbed the bell tower of Calloway
Hall and hung herself.
But according to the con-
temporary inhabitants of Calloway
Hall, Mary did not move on. Many
student residents have reported
visits from her late at night. Tey
have been awakened by the weight
of someone sitting on their bed.
Mary perches, her face buried in
her hands, weeping. Several have
seen her rummage through their
closets, pushing clothes from side
to side. Perhaps she is shopping
for some more up-to-date fash-
ions.
Ofen, the elevator inexpli-
cably goes to the top foor, the bell
tower foor, even when that button
is not pushed. Does Mary retrace
her last steps? Or is she lonely and
wants some company in the tow-
er? She is silent about her wishes.
But one thing is apparent: She is
still grieving over her lost love.
On some nights, curious
folks may stop for a moment on
College Street and look up at the
bell tower. Just maybe, you may
see a sad-faced girl in 18th-cen-
tury clothing peering back at you.
Give her a wave and a smile. She
needs a bit of kindness.
Educated Ghosts
The Real Story Staff Report

petcorner
By Sam
Mazzotta
Paws
Corner
Paws
Corner
Save a Life
Adopt a Shelter
Pet today!
Gain a friend for life!
Columbus-Lowndes Humane Society
P.O. Box 85 Columbus, MS 39703
662-327-3107
Surrendering and
Reclaiming Pets:
Mon-Fri 10am to 5pm
Adoptions:
Mon-Fri 10am-5pm
Sat 11am-3pm
BRUCE LEE
Domestic Short Hair,
male, brown tabby with
white feet, about
5-6mths old, owner
surrendered 7/6
POLO
Lab mix,
3 mths old,
black and white,
male, He was owner
surrendered 6/15
with his sibling Spud.
He loves to be cuddled.
DENZEL
Domestic Short Hair,
dark charcoal, male, about
5-6mths old, owner
surrendered 7/9/12.
He is a beautiful cat with an
unusual color.
TIDO
Terrier/Chihuahua mix
male, 10yrs old, black and
tan, owner surrendered
7/5. He is a lovey lap
dog that needs a mature
home without small children.
TEE
Tee: Terrier/Chihuahua mix,
male 2yrs old, white, owner surrendered 7/9. He is
the son of Tido and he is a great little dog. He is a bit
shy, but warms up fast.
DEAR PAWS CORNER:
Last spring, as I was taking
my cat Ferris out of my moms car
at the vets o ce, he jumped out of
my arms and ran into the woods. We
searched the woods and surrounding
neighborhoods for hours, with no
luck. About a week later, we got a call
from a veterinarian almost 10 miles
away from where Ferris had escaped!
He was found by one of the assistants,
and they had quickly identied Ferris
by scanning his implanted microchip.
Please tell your readers how impor-
tant it is to microchip their pets. It
reunited us with Ferris quickly, once
he was found. -- Sarah in Smyrna, Ga.
DEAR SARAH:
Im glad to hear Ferris got
home safely! Microchipping can
indeed help reunite a lost pet with its
owners. e biggest benet of mi-
crochips is that if a pet loses its collar
and ID tag, the microchip -- a rice
grain-sized device typically implanted
just under the skin between the
shoulder blades -- carries that ID in-
formation as well as contact informa-
tion.
Once a microchip is implant-
ed, owners should register the chips
information at an online registry
such as the nonprot Found Animals
http://microchipregistry.foundani-
mals.org/ or a registry recommended
by your veterinarian. If your pet gets
lost and is found and scanned, the
information will be relayed to these
registries. From there, the owner
can check the registries, or opt to be
alerted if their pets chip is scanned.
Microchipping is aordable,
as well. Generally, even the priciest
chipping costs well under $100, and
its oen oered as part of low-cost
vaccination clinics at a reduced price.
Send your questions or comments to
ask@pawscorner.com, or write to Paws
Corner, c/o King Features Weekly
Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL
32853-6475. For more pet care-related
advice and information, visit www.
pawscorner.com.
(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.
Pet People
The Real Story Staff Report
Humans are divided into
many categories. ere are separa-
tions into political parties, religions,
nationalities, evolution - the list
is endless. Most of the time, opin-
ions are passionate and can even be
contentious. Sometimes it is almost
impossible for each side to under-
stand the other. However, there is one
thing that can transcend the babble
and unite many polar opposites, and
that is a love of animals.
People who love their pets
have an intensity that overrides
reason. It is more overwhelming than
their aversion to those who think dif-
ferently, who have an entirely oppo-
site world view.
ere may be debates be-
tween cat lovers and dog lovers. ere
are subcategories who argue the supe-
riority of one breed over another. But
it all boils down to an agreement that
pets are one of the things that make
life worth living.
We oen hear that animals
do not think. Say that to a pet owner,
and you may have an argument on
your hands that would make the
presidential debates look like junior
high semantics. Every pet owner can
cite a dozen stories about an unques-
tionable thought process that they
have witnessed. We have seen our
pets gure out how to open doors and
play tricks on each other. And do not
think you can hide the treats. ey
always know where they are.
One dog owner has three
mixed-breed babies from the same
litter. Each has his own toy. One will
eat another brothers food and then
leave the third brothers toy in the
empty dish. is is a false clue that in-
criminates the innocent party. Pretty
smart thinking, much too complicat-
ed to be attributed to instinct alone.
Another owner of two terriers tells
how one dog fakes out the other.
She goes to the door, asking to be let
out. en, when the sister runs out-
side ahead of her, she turns around
and jumps onto the soest chair. It is
a witty trick, worthy of a thinking
human.
Cats are no dierent. e
most comfortable seat in the house is
always theirs. Of course, cat owners
indulge them; a creature this regal
deserves the best.
Domesticated animals like
cats and dogs are easy to live with.
ey need fresh food and water, year-
ly checkups and shots by the vet, and
heart worm and ea prevention. All
of this is less expensive than a daily
trip to a coee bar and more eective
for stress relief than a cocktail. Sitting
at home with a cat or dog in your lap
is a more powerful antidepressant
than pharmaceuticals. ey are good
for the heart and for the soul.
Maybe pet ownership is the
answer to world peace. No matter
your position on global warming, gun
control or the presidential candidates,
we suggest acquiring a pet (or maybe
two). ey are a sure cure for the
anger and arguments of conicting
views.
22
A
u
g
u
s
t

1
5
,

2
0
1
2

a

w
e
e
k
l
y

p
u
b
l
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
Animal
Antics
Why Microchip?
23
r
e
a
l
s
t
o
r
y
p
u
b
l
i
s
h
i
n
g
.
c
o
m
For the Week of August 20, 2012
Salomes Stars
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) As
eager as you are to take on that new
challenge, it would be best to temper
that spurt of Ram-bunctious energy
until you have more facts to back up
your decision to move.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20)
Tis is a good time for hardworking
Bovines to take a break from their
hectic on-the-job schedules to bask in
the unconditional love and support of
friends and family.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Pay
attention to what you hear in the
workplace. You could pick up some
hints about possible changes. Mean-
while, a new infusion of creative
energy sets in by weeks end.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Try
to be more fexible in dealing with a
suddenly difcult situation, whether
its on the job or in the home. Others
might have some good points to ofer.
Listen to them.
LEO (July 23 to August 22) You
might think youre not getting the
royal treatment you deserve. But be
careful not to become a royal pain by
complaining about it. Be patient and
allow things to work out.
VIRGO (August 23 to September
22) Watch that penchant for being
super-judgmental at work. It might
create a bad impression with some-
one whose decisions could determine
the course of your career.
LIBRA (September 23 to October
22) Youve been your usual busy-bee
self, gathering nectar wherever you
can fnd it. But nows a good time to
kick back, relax and just enjoy smell-
ing the roses.
SCORPIO (October 23 to Novem-
ber 21) Tat pesky personal situation
seems to be improving. But change
comes slowly, so be patient. Expect
someone to bring more positive news
by weeks end.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to
December 21) Whoa! Ease up on that
hectic pace youve been putting your-
self through. Take time to recharge
your energy levels before going full
gallop again.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to
January 19) Try to be intrigued, not
intimidated, by the issues youre sud-
denly facing, and youll be ahead of
the game. Dont be afraid to demand
answers to your questions.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to Febru-
ary 18) New associates freezing you
out of their inner circle? Never mind.
Put a warm smile on that friendly
face of yours, and youll soon thaw
them all down to size.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20)
Your wise guidance helps colleagues
agree to compromise and move for-
ward. Meanwhile, there are still vital
issues you need to deal with in your
personal life.
BORN THIS WEEK: You enjoy
being free with your emotions,
but you also can exercise disci-
plined focus. You would make a
fne artist.
Answers to August 8, 2012 puzzles

comicsandpuzzles
1. What was the name of the theater in Chi-
cago where John Dillinger was gunned down by
Melvin Purvis on July 22, 1934?

2. What was the name of the elementary school
that Charlie Brown and Lucy attended?

3. Who was the voice of Bugs Bunny, Sylvester
and Tweetie Pie?

4. What is the most expensive property in the
board game Monopoly?

5. What was the name of the baby girl born to
Scarlett OHara and Rhett Butler?
Answers on Page 25
Glenns
24
A
u
g
u
s
t

1
5
,

2
0
1
2

a

w
e
e
k
l
y

p
u
b
l
i
c
a
t
i
o
n

comicsandpuzzles
25
r
e
a
l
s
t
o
r
y
p
u
b
l
i
s
h
i
n
g
.
c
o
m

sports
2012 MSU Football Preview: Is This The Year? Part 1
By Jeremiah Short
Trivia Answers
1. Biograph. 2. Birchwood. 3. Mel Blanc.4.Boardwalk. 5.Bonnie Blue Butler
Coach: Dan Mullen (22-17 career
record)
2011 Record: 7-6 (Music City Bowl)
Key Losses: Chris Relf (QB); Vick
Ballard (RB); Fletcher Cox (DT)
Returning Starters: 15 (7 Ofense, 7
Defense, 1 Special Teams)
Conference: SEC (Southeastern
Conference)
Initial Outlook: As the Missis-
sippi State Bulldogs enter the 2012
season, expectations are once again
high due to the positive momentum
surrounding the program afer two
straight bowl victories (Gator and
Music City). Te Bulldogs lost some
important pieces from the 2011 team,
but they do return several key players
whom I will discuss as this preview
goes along. Te team has new uni-
forms and an attitude heading into
the season. Te question I will try to
answer is: Will their on-the-feld play
back it up?
Five Stars of Te Show
1. Johnthan Banks (62, 187lbs)
Cornerback
2011 Stats: 71 Tkls/8 TFL/3 Sks./5 Int.
Banks is my frst star of the show
and a player that I have called the
best Mississippi State player in the
past 15 years. I know thats kind of a
bold statement, but he has been that
special. He is a guy who could have
been drafed last year, but he returned
to ensure that he would get drafed
in the frst round. His return is a
huge boost to a defense that already
features two terrifc cornerbacks:
Darius Slay and Corey Broomfeld. I
think that Banks will at least dupli-
cate last years numbers and possibly
add value as a free safety in passing
situations.
2. Josh Boyd (63, 300lbs) Defensive
Tackle
2011 Stats: 51 Tkls./8 TFL/4.5 Sks.
Boyd is a player who I felt was one of
the best on the team last year - and
Fletcher Cox probably owes Boyd
a little bit of that signing bonus, as
Boyd sacrifced his numbers for the
overall success of the defense. A lot
of people probably dont understand
what I mean by that, but he took on
a lot of double teams and freed up
other players to make plays.
Tis year he should fourish, as he
will get to play more of the three-
technique (between the ofensive
guard and tackle) - the pass rushing
defensive tackle. He will likely still
play some one-technique (positioned
between the center and ofensive
guard), which gives Defensive Coor-
dinator Chris Wilson some fexibility.
With some help on the edge from in-
coming junior college transfer Denico
Autry, who I will talk about as a key
newcomer, Boyd should emerge as an
All-SEC candidate.
3. Gabe Jackson (62, 320lbs) Lef
Guard
2011 Accolades: AP All-SEC 2nd
Team
Jackson is my third star of the show;
I call him that because the ofensive
line is the key unit on any team, and
he is the Bulldogs best ofensive
linemen. If Tobias Smith isnt healthy
- which is a distinct possibility -
Jacksons value increases even more. I
wouldnt be shocked to see him make
the All-American team following the
2012 season. He is that good.
4. Deontae Skinner (62, 245lbs)
Sam Linebacker
2011 Stats: 69 Tkls./9 TFL/2 FF
Skinner is the surprising name on
the list - considering most regard
senior linebacker Cam Lawrence the
Bulldogs best second-level defender.
Ive stated on several occasions that
the former Noxubee County High
School stand-out has more value than
Lawrence. Lawrence does a good job
of putting players in the right posi-
tions, but Skinner is the one opposing
teams game-plan on Saturdays. What
makes Skinner so good is that he can
make the sound play and the explo-
sive play.
5. Nickoe Whitley (511, 205lbs)
Free Safety
2011 Stats: 32 Tkls./2 TFL/4 Int.
Whitley makes this list mainly be-
cause of his playmaking ability. He
isnt the most disciplined football
player or a great leader, but boy he
makes plays. His health is paramount
to the Bulldogs defensive success
in 2012 - especially with the lack of
depth at the safety position.
Tree Key Newcomers
1. Denico Autry (65, 255lbs, Jr.)
Defensive End
2011 Stats: (Junior College): 81
Tkls./13 TFL/11 Scks.
Autry brings something Mississippi
State has sorely lacked for the past
four yearsedge rushing. He en-
rolled in the spring and battled with
Shane McCardell for a starting job.
He ended the spring as the starter,
afer the spirited battle. Bulldog fans
and SEC quarterbacks better keep an
eye on Autry in 2012.
2. Quadry Antoine (59 211lbs, Fr.)
Strong Safety
2011 Stats: (High School): 134/904
Carries/Rush. Yards; 10 TDs/19/304
Catches/Rec. Yards
Antoine, a self-professed tone-setting
safety, could become a fan favorite
early in his Mississippi State career.
He may start the season as a special
teamer, but it wont last for long. He
should eventually become Dee Ar-
ringtons backup at Strong Safety and
battle him for the starting job.
3. Brandon Holloway (57, 165lbs,
Fr.) Wide Receiver
2011 Stats: (High School): 131/907
Carries/Rush. Yds. 10 TDs; 18/302
Catches/Rec. Yds. 5 TDs
Holloway is a player most arent talk-
ing about, but he could be the answer
to the Bulldogs special teams woes.
Hes a bit diminutive, with a small
frame, but this kid can really fy. Te
speedster, who will also run track at
Mississippi State, may be the fast-
est Bulldog since Kevin Prentiss in
the late 90s. If Holloway gets enough
touches in a game, he is sure to make
a play or two.
Mississippi State Ofense
2011 Points Per Game: 25.3 (73rd
nationally)
2011 Total Yards Per Game: 357.2
(84th nationally)
2011 Passing Yards Per Game: 181.9
(94th nationally)
2011 Rushing Yards Per Game: 175.3
(38th nationally)
Ofensive Breakdown: Te Missis-
sippi State ofense took a step back in
2012, afer fnishing 48th nationally
in scoring in 2011. Tere were several
factors contributing to the struggles:
Relf s inefectiveness, poor ofensive
line play and inconsistent play-call-
ing. At the end of the day, they just
didnt get the job done.
In 2012, the ofense looks like it will
show marked improvement. Tere
is no quarterback controversy for
the frst time sincewell, ever, with
junior quarterback Tyler Russell
becoming the clear-cut starter this
spring. Along with stability at the
quarterback position, the Bulldogs
have a deep cadre of backs and a vet-
eran receiving corps. If the ofensive
line steps up, which I will touch on in
my ofensive keys, the Bulldog ofense
could be a top-30 ofense nationally.
Yes, I said it!
Tree Ofensive Players To Watch
1. Joe Morrow (64, 205lbs, Rs. Fr.)
Wide Receiver
2011 Stats: Redshirted
Morrow has the ability to stretch the
feld, something none of the other
Continued on Page 26
A
u
g
u
s
t

1
5
,

2
0
1
2

a

w
e
e
k
l
y

p
u
b
l
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
26

sports
2012 MSU Football Preview: Is This
The Year? Part 1
By Jeremiah Short
Continued from Page 25
receivers on the roster has the talent
to do. His redshirt was almost pulled
in 2011, but Mullen decided against
it. Te lanky receiver should open
up the feld for the tight ends and
receivers like Chris Smith and Arceto
Clark.
2. Jameon Lewis (59, 185, Rs. So.)
2011 Stats: 625 All-Purpose Yards/2
Total TDs.
Lewis has superstar written all over
him and will be the player that takes
Mullens spread-option attack to the
next level. Right now, he is behind
Chad Bumphis on the depth chart,
but the electric receiver will supplant
the senior receiver by mid-season, in
my opinion.
3. Blaine Clausell (66, 305lbs, Rs.
So.)
2011 Stats: None (11 games/4 starts)
Clausell is really my number one
player to watch. He is charged with
protecting Tyler Russells blindside. I
think the lef tackle should be one of
the best one or two linemen on the
team, and he has the potential to be
that good.
He struggles at run blocking and
lacks raw strength, but he excels at
protecting the quarterback from pass
rushers. If he performs poorly, then
the Bulldogs are in trouble, as they
dont have anyone else who can play
the strongside tackle spot.
Tree Ofensive Keys For 2012
1. Russell Taking Te Next Step: Te
former Parade All-American obvi-
ously must step up in 2012. He has to
elevate his game from that of an aver-
age SEC quarterback, which he was
in 2011, to an above-average to good
SEC signal caller. If the spring game
and practices are any indication, Rus-
sell is ready to do that.
2. O-Line Play: Obviously, the of-
fensive line struggled last season afer
Tobias Smith went down with a torn
ACL (anterior cruciate ligament).
Te coaching staf failed in its eforts
to fnd Derek Sherrods replacement.
Te James Carmon experiment didnt
pay of, and Blaine Clausell was not
ready at that time. Te unit came
together in the spring, though, with
the lone question-mark being Smiths
health at the right guard position.
Even if Smith isnt healthy, the ofen
sive line should be solid this season.
3. Efective Play Calling: My last key
is something Bulldog fans havent
discussed, as most like to blame lack
of talent, but I believe that poor play
calling is partially to blame for the
Bulldogs losses. It isnt Croom-level
ineptitude, but the play calling has
been below average to average at best.
I dont think the game plans have
been very well thought out or very
good at all. Russell, unlike Relf, is a
true pro-style quarterback, and the
play calling needs to refect that. I
would like to see more creativity and
imagination from Head Coach Dan
Mullen and Les Koenning, the Bull-
dog ofensive coordinator. Its critical
to the Bulldog ofense fnally becom-
ing viable.
Next Week: Te Defense
Magnolia Speedway
August 11, 2012
r
e
a
l
s
t
o
r
y
p
u
b
l
i
s
h
i
n
g
.
c
o
m
27
Classic Car Care I
806 Hwy 45 North
Columbus
662.241.6177
Classic Car Care II
300 Alabama Street
Columbus
662.243.7771
Cattlemans
Steak and Fish
301 Tuscaloosa Road Columbus
662-327-2990
PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE REAL
STORY AT ANY OF THESE STORES
REAL ESTATE
House for Rent
2413 3rd Avenue South (Sandfeld
Area)
$475/MO $350/Deposit
HUD accepted
House Trailer 70 x 14 2BR/1 BA
LR, DR, kitchenette with stove, re-
frigerator washer/dryer central air
& heat wrap-around sofa excellent
condition must be moved from cur-
rent location $5,500 (662) 319-7500

BOATS, RVs, ATVs
MOTORCYCLES
For Sale
2003 Eddie Bauer Expedition
heat & cool leather seats
TV/DVD player
6 disc CD Changer
143,900 +/- miles
Serviced by Premier Ford
662.425.9171 after 4:30 pm
$8500 OBO
1988 Chevy Silverado 2500 4 x 4
123,000 miles on the body
transmission rebuilt 10 months
ago
motor runs but will need another
one
outer wheel well has rust
662.425.9171 after 4:30 pm
$1500 OBO
For sale: 1975 Old Mobile Cutlass.
Asking price: $2500
For more information call: 662-386-
6438
PETS & ANIMALS
Five month old Barred Rock
rooster $5.00 (662) 435-2222
ELECTRONICS
50 large screen Magnavox color
TV on rollers excellent condition;
$500 (662) 328-6153
classifeds@realstorypublishing.com
662.352.6091
P.O.Box 403 Columbus, MS 39703
August Specials
Taaka 1.75
Pinnacle 1.75
360 Flavored Vodka
Jim Beam L
Salvadors Margarita
Barefoot 1.5 (All varieties)
Woodbridge .750 (All varities) -
Kendall Jackson Chardonnay
$11.49
$18.99
$15.99
$16.79
$8.99
$11.29
$5.49
$11.79
All the BEST parties start at Rooks!
662-328-4800
2118 Hwy 45
Across from Belk
662-328-4800 662-328-4800 662-328-4800 662-328-4800
Voted #1 Liquor
Store in the
Golden Triangle
Area
ROOKS WINE CELLAR ROOKS WINE CELLAR
R
ooks
W
in
e
C
ellar
Cracked Windshield???
Auto Glass
1519 E. Gardner Blvd
Columbus
662.329.1733
Take Me Too Travels
662.328.1911
www.takemetootravels.com
takemetootravels@att.net
662.328.1911
BAMA Bound Bus
BAMA vs W KY (9/8) - Available
BAMA vs FL Atlantic (9/22) - Available
BAMA vs OLE MISS (9/29) - SOLD OUT
BAMA vs MSU (10/22) - Available
BAMA vs TX A&M (11/10) - Available
BAMA vs W Carolina (11/17) - Available
BAMA vs AUBURN (11/24) - Available
$30/person | Reservation Required
Arrive 2 hours prior to kickoff | Return departure 1 hour after game ends
Home games only | Game tickets not included
SAINT LEO UNIVERSITY - COLUMBUS AFB
Your local top-ranked
university
(662) 434-8844
dew.white@saintleo.edu
www.saintleo.edu
Founded 1889
Why Choose a Degree from
Saint Leo University?
Evening and Online Programs
Career Focused Education
Respected by Employers
Affordable Academic Excellence
Regionally Accredited
Degree Programs
Bachelor of Arts
Business Administration with
specializations in:
Management
Technology Management
Criminal Justice with specializations in:
Homeland Security
Criminalistics
Psychology
Masters Degree Programs Online
(800) 707-8846
We still offer the best customer experience in:
automotive and commercial window tinting
security and remotestart systems
video systems
car stereo
Give us a call for your quote today.
T A Customs
T A Customs
662-425-3726
662-425-3726
1519 Gardner Blvd. #A, Columbus
Tired of having nothing to do?
Need a new father/son activity?
Remote Control airplanes, boats, cars, trucks, and
helicopters are now in stock.
Great Plane Nitro
DuraTrax Buggy
Novus 200
Wildcat EP