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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2014-02-26, Page 44 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, February 26, 2014 www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com Seaforth mn Expositor PUBLISHED WEEKLY — EST. 1860 P.O. Box 69, 8 Main Street Seaforth Ontario NOK phone: 519-527-0240 fax: 519-527-2858 www.seaforthhuronexpositor SUN MEDIA A Quebecor Media Company NEIL CLIFFORD Publisher neil.clifford@sunmedia.ca MAXWELL BICKFORD Advertising Rep. max.bickford@sunmedia.ca DIANNE MCGRATH Front Office seaforth.classifieds@sunmedia.ca WHITNEY SOUTH Multimedia Journalist seaforth.news@sunmediaca Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064683 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT RO. Box 69 Seaforth ON NOK IWO For any non -deliveries or delivery concerns: phone: 519-527-0240 Advertising is accepted on condition that in the event of a typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error, advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell and may be withdrawn at any time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduction purposes. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canadian Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities. Canada' editorial Don't knock the weather It's been the kind of winter that some people call old- fashioned, meaning that it's been the kind of winter that we used to experience many years ago. Some say we haven't seen this much snow since 1978, while others point to 1993 as the last time temperatures were as low as they were earlier this month and in January. Whatever the case, we should be grateful. It's going to be quite messy when the snow begins to melt, but our lakes, rivers and streams will be slowly replenished, and the possibility of a drought for later this year will be diminished. Not so in California, where the snow has only started to fall on the Sierras, and where there has been precious lit- tle rain during the customary rainy season. California is in the midst of a severe drought; its reservoirs have been emptied, and the depth of its rivers, lakes and streams reduced. There has been rationing for California's 38 million resi- dents, but what's interesting is that most of that state's water resources are directed to agriculture. California's Central Valley produces $45 billion worth of agricultural goods for the United States (part of that abundance is sold in Ontario), but at a tremendous cost; California's Water Resources Department says 80 per cent of the state's water is directed to farmlands. It should be no surprise if California's agricultural activ- ities experience some sort of collapse this year because of a lack of dependable water. Last summer, almond farm- ers started to remove their trees in anticipation of chronic water shortages. This ought to be a reminder that our part of the world is mostly blessed in resources such as water, and a reminder that Southwestern Ontario is well -situated within the agricultural world. The quality of our land is among the best in Canada, and the Great Lakes help moderate tem- peratures. We can grow almost anything outside of tropi- cal crops, and as the long-term sustainability of regions such as California's Central Valley comes into question, there will be (or should be) greater value placed on our agricultural activity. Drought remains a problem for much of the world, pro- viding enormous challenges for some nations to feed themselves. And so it's an historic /oddity that so much agricultural emphasis has been placed on California's Central Valley, especially when the spectre of water short- ages is not unusual. Researchers have determined through the examination of tree rings, sediment and other natural evidence, that California has in the past been subjected to several mega -droughts; the largest, over 1,000 years ago, is thought to have lasted for 250 years. And so, while our part of Canada has experienced extraordinary amounts of snow this year, that snow should be viewed as an asset. We might at times take our water supply for granted; others don't. - QMI Agency Cyberbullying, it's a thing When I went to school, we didn't have a lot to do with technology. Sure there was the odd computer assignment, usually just typing class, but overall school was ruled by a piece of paper and a No. 2 pencil. In turn, bullying was seen as a physical thing. Whether it was getting beat up for your lunch money or getting teased on the school bus, a bully was someone who threatened physical harm or simply chose to make fun of someone face to face. Nowadays, things are a lot different as kids and parents are having to find ways of deal- ing with something called cyberbullying. Essentially what that means is harassment has taken on a whole new meaning in the form of technology. A bully no longer has to look their victim in the face, instead choosing to send messages over the Internet or text messaging. A far cry from physical vio- lence, this new type of bullying hits where is really hurts, emotionally. Seaforth Public School, along with a group called Cyberbusters, helped address these problems at a pair of assemblies on Feb. 12. Students were presented with a series of vignettes meant to help them gain a better understanding of the negative effects of cyber - bullying and what to do if it hap- pens to them. Principal Cindy Hamather summed up the appropriate tim- ing for the assembly due to the school's newest acquisitions of iPads for several members of the Column Whitney South Huron Expositor student body, which were distrib- uted by Avon Mait- land School Board early this year. She explained that although the new technology will indeed help students with learning, but also comes with a greater responsibil- ity in how that technology is used. According to Prevnet.ca, a web- site specializing in the bullying prevention and research, kids who are cyberbullied feel an intense sense of isolation, fear, loneliness and despair. Their des- peration can sometimes lead to acts of self -harm or tragically, even suicide. Personally, I've never had to experience bullying firsthand, but many are not so lucky. With technology now making its way into classrooms, I applaud schools like Seaforth Public for taking the time to help educate their students on what's appro- priate and what's not when it comes to communicating online. Not to mention how quickly things can spread whether it's Facebook, Twitter, or any other number of social networking sites now available to young people. But in reality, this isn't a kids' only problem. As adults, we too need to take actions for what we say and do online, as in real life, and set a good example. What we see as a harmless joke can really hurt someone and just because we're grown-ups, doesn't mean we aren't susceptible to the taunts and mocking of others. So remember, with great technology comes great responsibility. Have an opinion? The Huron Expositor welcomes letters to the editor. They must be signed and accompanied by a phone number for information clarification. It is important to note, letters will not be able to be printed without the author's name attached. All letters are subject to editing due to possible space restriction. Letters can be dropped off at the office, mailed or emailed: The Huron Expositor 8 Main St. P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, Ont. 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