HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1977-09-07, Page 250 60 70
40 --I-- .80
30 40
10
SPEED CONVERSION CHART 7
90
so 100
60
110
1 k m=0,625 Mile (S/B Mile) 120
1 Mile=1,6 km MPH km'
0
km
YOUR SPEEDOMETER..
DrivetS should fatiiiiiatiie themselves wit h. the metric speed
CoriVerieti equivalents AS, shown on this speedometer,. Cut it out
and paste it on' the dashboard of your Car, Scotch tape should do
the trick:
itettierriber, when you leatu a new 'language, it's best to think
in that language instead of translating from the :familiar to the
ticw one. The key to learning the metric System is to, -think
mcteic — avoid, where you can, converting back to the old
imperial units:
One way to do this is by associating . specific measurements
with a visual experience or activity. Pot example, travelling 100
km.- will take an hour of freeway driving at the speed limit.
(By Len Pizzey)
Anyone who has driven on a
major highway lately can't help
but have. noticed that the mile is
'fast diSappefting, Distances are
now measured in kilometres and
bythe end of September, signs all
across the country will have been
changed to, the Metric System.
The speed limit change in Ontario
takes place after the Labour Day
weekend, and no, one will be
surprised if it'results in a little
confusion,
Though the change to
has become obvious in the last
few m o nths, it has been going On
since 1075, when we began
measuring temperatures in
CelciUS degrees. By 1980 4 with
the help of the Metric
Commission, a federal body with
a staff of 90 and a budget of $6.5
million per "year, Canada will be
fully metric.
The benefits will be enormous.
Ctui• goods will find easier access
to international markets, particu-
larly Europe, where the metric Or
SI (Systeme International) way of,
Measuring has been in use for
nearly 200 years. CalculatiotiS will
be easier, since the metric systeth
is based on tens. It will be easier
to conipariSon shOp as well, and
consumers Will.find less variation
in the size of packages and the
Weight of their contents.
Die Hard-
But familiar things die hard,
and many peopie lament the
passing of the' old system; not
only because it it eans beatting
the intricacies of a new one, A
friend Of mine, who's usually
quite rational, puts it this way:
"I know it has to come, this
metric business, and I know it'S a
more praetical systernan all
that, but I can't help it, I lik d e the
old way better, It's more Human,
if you know what I mean, It
relates to, Me. For instance,
know how long a foot is, les about
athnhilhaetliatti essuta):illic:ety,tahno. kege'.
distance
'here eaeAnn(c8tedahYefasi:dyetriPnr:dlei totTi;11.1g(ahhti.110sss
fingers)'. But a metre. tiowtong is
"Wdlli " i Start to say, "it,s
from the equator to the Nell and
South poles. But what's that got
"I ktiow;" he interriiiits, Its
One ten Millionth of the distance
to do with me/ I aril possiblY
(CotitinUed,ci Pagd 7)
-.......000""*"..
Confused? We all go metric
Brussels Posy
oausstk.s.-
opoyARico
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER. 7,. 1977
SQrving Brussels, and. the surrounding community.
Published each Wednesday afternoon at Brussels,. Ontario
by McLean Bros. Publishers, Liinited,
L.
Evelyn Kennedy • Editor Dave Robb - Advertising
Member Canadian Community Newspaper Association and
Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association
Subscriptions (in advance) Canada $8.00 a Year, Others
$14.00 a Year, Single Copies 2Q cents each.
Apple tine
All for the arena Amen More on- coping
by Karl Sehuesler
A great deal has been going on in Brussels this
summer' and probably more than a few village
residents will heave a sigh of relief this week as the
kids go back to school, and life gets back to normal.
Yes it's been a busy summer,, bu't .an enjoyable
one. And much of the credit for the wide variety of
things to do in Brussels recently belongs to the new
arena.
It's been the necessity to raise a. great deal of
money for the new building that's prompted a lot of
the special events this summer. . .dances, ball
games, draws, barbecues,.concerts. . .at least one of
each every weekend.
The Post thinks that's something to be proud of.
Brussels is one small village that can show this part
of Ontario that everyone working together for a good
cause can raise money, and have a good time while
doing it.
The pace may slow somewhat as we get into the
fall and away from the -holiday period. But -as we
watch the progress on the-new arena building, and as
we proudly take'part in its official opening some time
this winter, we should remember one thing.
It was the people of Brussels and area, those who
organized all the money raising events and those
who patronized them,‘ who made the new modern
arena possible.
We hate to mention this but, once the arena is
operating and all paid for,, it looks as if there's
enough energy and community :spirit around in
Brussels and vicinity to launch a drive for another
needed facility.. It seems a shame to let the
enthusiasm die out once the arena is on its feet.
Suggestions anyone?
Coping?
I'm hoping you are. When I 'asked you
last week to tell me how you coped with
your problems, I got a few funny answers.
That's a' problem in itself. Ask a serious
question ,and get a hinuorous answer. But
I'll cope with that problem by telling you all
about it.
• One man told me he was awake half the
night .trying to figure out how he handled
his problems. He finally got some sleep
when he concluded he didn't have any
problems.
He figured if he,had any problems. the
most immediate one 'was me. Why should
he lie awake 'trying tot figure out my
problem about ;problems? He's got enough
work to do of his own. Why should he do
My Work'for me? And since this problem
was really my problem - and my work -
he'd let me handle it. Se he finally rolled
over arid fell asleep.
Some one else told me about -a woman
who solved her 'problem by jumping as
high as she could. There she was - in a. field
with a whole herd of cattle. Before she
realized what was happening, the whole
herd started, to move toward her.. Slowly at
first, but in a few seconds they picked up
speed. The herd was stampeding toward
her. And she found herself running for her
life toward the ruined foundation of an old
barn wall.
To save herself from being trampled
underhoof, she knew she had to jump that
barn wall. It was high :Alright - higher than
she'd ever jumped before in her life. But
this was it. Jump high or die. And with all
of her might, she pushed herself as high as,
she could. She felt herself soaring over the
barn wall.
She cleared the wall. She made it! She
Was alive with the cattle stopped short at
the stone wall.
I had to smile at that one. Because any
story writer knows it's not cricket to get his
hero in such a predicament that he can only
get her out of it by some miracle or some
act of God.
In a writing class one budding author
.wrote about this fellow who fell in a. deep
Ipit. There was no way out after hours of
scratching and clawing and 'yelling. Then
in a final moment of desperation and high
adrenalin, the fellow gathered up all of his
strength and leaped clean Out of the place.
No good! wrote the teacher. You can't
solve problems that way. It's not real
enough. Probable enough. Possible
enough.
But that worban who leaped over the .
barn wall says it may be improbable, yes.
But soniehow she made it possible. And
she's around to tell the \story.
Her own true story • reminds me of
another story. This one - a made-up one,
It's a children's story about The Little
Engine That Could. Do youl remember that
one? About that little train engine that
thought it couldn't make it up the hill? But
by telling itself all the way up the hill "I
think I can) think I can. I think I can.", it
managed to chug itself up and over the
tracks on the hill.
And years later the author of the story
tells about a man who. wrote her and said
that phrase, which he learned from her
book as a young boy, helped him over
many hurdles in life. He'd niet his
roadblocks in life with the words, "I think I
can. I think I can." And like the train going
on down the hill, he could say, "I knew I
could. I knew I could."
My list of how to cope with life's
problems is growing. Jump high as you
Can. Keep on thinking "I think I can. I
think I can." ,
Do you have anymore? '